Having settled their accounts with Bruin of the Barren Grounds, our
travellers proceeded down the Mackenzie river to the Hudson's Bay post
of Fort Simpson. Thence they ascended a large tributary of the
Mackenzie, known as the "River of the Mountains,"--or as the Canadian
voyagers call it, _Riviere aux Liards_. This large stream has its
sources far beyond the highest peaks of the Rocky Mountains: thus
exhibiting the curious phenomenon of a river, breaking through a chain
of mountains in a transverse direction; though the same occurs in
several other parts of the Rocky Mountain range, and also in the Andes
of South America. On the _Riviere aux Liards_ the Hudson's Bay Company
have several posts--as Forts Simpson, Liard, and Halkett--the
last-mentioned being far up among the mountains. Westward again, upon
the Pacific side, they have other trading stations--the most important
of which is that of Pellyss Banks, situated at the junction of Lewis and
Pelly rivers. These rivers, after joining, run into the Pacific, not
far from Mount Saint Elios--long noted as a landmark to the navigators
of the North Pacific ocean.
From Fort Halkett, a route has been established to the post at Pelly's
Banks by means of Dease's river--which is one of the effluents of the
_Riviere aux Liards_--and partly by canoe navigation and partly by
"portage;" the continent can be crossed in this northern latitude. From
Pelly's Banks to the Pacific coast the route is still easier--for not
only do the Russians visit these parts, but there are native Indian
traders who go twice every year from Pelly's Banks to Sitka--the
entrepot of the Russian Fur Company--and the Lynn channel, a little to
the north of Sitka, is also visited by the steamers of the Hudson's Bay
Company itself.
Our travellers would therefore have no difficulty in reaching Sitka; and
thence crossing to the peninsula of Kamschatka, on the Asiatic coast.
On their way over the Rocky Mountains, they would be certain to fall in
with the grizzly; and in the countries lying along the Pacific, they
could obtain that variety of the _ursus americanus_, known as the
"cinnamon bear"--for it is to the west of the Rocky Mountains--in
California, Oregon, British Columbia, and Russian America--that this
spice-coloured species is most frequently met with.
A party of fur-traders and trappers were just starting from Fort Simpson
to carry supplies up to the posts of Liard and Halkett; and along with
them our travellers went.
On reaching the last-named station, they came to a halt, for the purpose
of hunting the grizzly.
They were not long in starting their game--for this fierce monster of
the mountains is far from being a scarce animal. In fact, in those
districts which they choose for their "beat," the grizzly bears are more
numerous than most other quadrupeds; and not unfrequently half a dozen
or more of them may be seen together. It is not that they are
_gregarious_; but simply, that, being in considerable numbers in a
particular neighbourhood, accident thus brings them together. To see
troops of four associating together is very common; but these are merely
the members of one family--male, female, and yearling cubs--for two is
the number of the progeny--the grizzly bear in this respect resembling
his congener of the _ursus maritimus_, and differing as essentially from
the black and brown bears--with whom three is the usual number of cubs
at a birth.
There are good reasons why the grizzly bears are not in much danger of
being exterminated. In the first place, their flesh is of inferior
quality. Even the Indians will not eat it; while they relish that of
the black species. Secondly, their robe is of scarce any value, and
fetches but a trifling price in the fur-market. Thirdly--and perhaps
the most powerful reason of all--is that the hunter cares not to risk
his life in an encounter with these animals, knowing that there is no
adequate reward for such risk. For this reason "Old Ephraim"--as the
trappers jocosely style the grizzly--is usually permitted to go his way
without molestation, and, therefore, instead of being thinned off by an
exterminating chase--such as is pursued against the buffalo, or even the
black bear, whose robe is marketable--the grizzly maintains his
numerical strength in most places where he is found.
At Fort Halkett--in consequence of a scarcity of hands, and the great
pressure of business, in forwarding the brigade onward to the Pelly
Station--our young hunters were unable to obtain a guide; and therefore
started out for the chase alone--Pouchskin, of course, being one of the
party.
The trading post of Fort Halkett being situated in the midst of the
wildest region--without any cultivated ground or other settlement around
it--they would not have far to go before finding a grizzly. Indeed,
they were as likely to meet with one within sight of the Port as
anywhere else; and from the moment of passing through the gate of the
stockade they were on the lookout.
They had not the good fortune, however, to meet with one so very easily,
for although they came upon the traces of bears, and saw numerous signs
of them, they could not set eyes upon them; and returned from their
first excursion rather disheartened with their day's work.
In one thing, however, they had their reward. They had succeeded in
shooting one of the rarest animals of America, a creature only met with
in the more northern districts of the Rocky Mountains--that is, the
"Rocky Mountain goat" (_capra americana_). This rare quadruped--whose
long, snow-white, silky hair renders it one of the most attractive of
animals--is a true wild goat; and the only species of the genus
indigenous to America. It is about the size of the common domestic
breeds, and horned as they; but the shining hair over its flanks and
body is frequently so long as to hang down almost to its hoofs--giving
the animal the appearance of having a much heavier body and much shorter
legs than it really has. Like the ibex of Europe, it is only met with
on the loftiest summits of the mountains, upon peaks and cliffs
inaccessible to almost every other quadruped--the mountain sheep alone
excepted. It is much shyer than the latter, and far more difficult of
approach--the consequence being, that its beautiful skin, though highly
prized, and commanding a good price, is but rarely obtained, even by the
most expert hunters.
Having succeeded in bringing down one of these precious animals, our
young hunters were satisfied with their day's work--almost as well as if
it had been a grizzly they had killed.
On their second day's excursion, however, this feat was also
accomplished--as we shall now proceed to relate.