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Next morning I looked on a frozen lake set between two noble mountain - ranges that circled round and almost enclosed it. Behind me lay the Chilcoot Pass, with all its terrors and hidden dangers, while in the distance in front I could distinguish the lofty mountains that formed the magnificent Yukon Valley.

The small lake before me was Crater Lake, the real source of that vast waterway that drains the heart of North-West Canada and Alaska. I was much impressed by the natural beauty and rugged grandeur of the scene; but I was hastily recalled from my sublime reflections by Stewart whispering gently in my ear something to the effect that "he couldna see hoo he was to cook the breakfast!"

"I rather guess we'll have to do without any this morning, Stewart; the best plan is to have our goods divided over the three sleighs and get as quickly as we can into a lower latitude, where we may find some timber, and heaven only knows how far off that may be." Stewart and Mac quickly loaded the sleighs, and without losing any time we started to make our way over the glassy surface of Crater Lake. Dave had a small sleigh to himself, and pulled his 200 lb. without difficulty.

We very quickly got over the lake, which was about two miles long, and then we had some hard pulling over the rough ice of the small river that flowed from it. This small

stream continued for about two miles, and took us through a dark narrow gorge that looked quite eerie in the dim light. Great stalactites

and icicles hung from the rocks, making the gully look like the icy cavern of some Demon of the Mountains.

We were making very fair progress, and if Mac and Stewart seemed to lag for a moment, as well they might, the mere mention of breakfast would make make them redouble their efforts. We now entered another frozen water, called Long Lake. It was also about two miles long, but only a few hundred yards wide. We were all feeling very hungry by the time we had traversed it, and were beginning to wonder how much farther it would be necessary to go before reaching timber. It must be remembered that the descent had been scarcely noticeable since leaving Crater Lake, and we were still fully 3000 feet above sealevel. I had heard that Lake Linderman was surrounded with fine timber, but we were still several miles from its shores. Long Lake ends in a small frozen river similar to that

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which issues from Crater Lake but slightly larger: it is, however, of no great length, and after crossing a few hundred yards of comparatively flat country, it broadens out into yet another lake, also a small one and bearing the name of Deep Lake. It was two hours since we had left our snow dug-out" on the shore of Crater Lake, and I calculated that we were now within four miles of Lake Linderman. The ice on Deep Lake was soft and wet, and the sleigh - runners stuck hard in the slush, causing us much delay as a matter of fact, it took us fully half an hour to get over this lake, and yet it was but half a mile long. We were becoming very much exhausted, but were somewhat cheered to notice small scraggy brushwood appear above the snow on the hillside. Soon we came to fairly large timber, and with one accord Stewart and Mac unhitched themselves from their sleighs and rushed with axes at the larger trees, bent on their instant destruction.

:

Soon a huge fire blazed up cheerfully, and we drew our sleighs close to the glowing logs, and making a seat of the sacks, we enjoyed the genial warmth with feelings of profound thankfulness. Mac and Stewart now busied themselves in making breakfast, and while they were engaged in this pleasurable occupation Dave and I had a look round. I saw that we would have some difficulties to overcome before reaching Linderman, as the river below us again disap

peared into a deep gorge and rushed over some great rocks. Its surface was now free from ice, and the roar of the water could be plainly heard even at our camp-fire. I saw that our only plan was to strike a trail over the side of the mountain, which, unfortunately, was at this point very precipitous. I afterwards found that this was not the chief drawback, as the snow lay deep on the mountain and was a factor to be considered; but, in blissful ignorance of the toilsome work that lay before us, I went back to the fire and smoked the pipe of contentment while breakfast was being got ready. I can hardly say that the cold affected us very much, even although my thermometer kept well below zero: so long as we moved about we did not feel uncomfortable, but if we were inactive for a moment a benumbing sensation was felt all over the body, particularly in the nose and fingers. The season had only commenced, and I confess that I looked forward with feelings of great trepidation to the time when our thermometer would register 60° below zero.

We did not trouble to pitch our tent at this place, as it was yet quite early, and we hoped to reach Linderman before nightfall. There was no sign of animal life in this district, but the want of vegetation fully explained the circumstance.

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'Well, boys, I think we'll make another move," I remarked after breakfast: "Linderman is only a few miles off, although we can't see it from

here; it lies in the hollow, and when we get over the side of this mountain we'll get there with a rush." "Mebbe we will and mebbe we winna," was Mac's oracular response; but we all got into harness again and started to make a trail across the mountain-side. The first attempt was very unsatisfactory, as we all floundered up to the neck in the soft powdery snow, which evidently had fallen long before the lakes froze, and therefore had accumulated to a vast depth. We should have disappeared from sight had we not each had the sleigh-ropes round our shoulders. Our sleighs, I should mention, measured 7 feet in length by 18 inches in width, and their iron runners were about 2 inches in diameter. These sleighs when loaded would go over any depth of snow without sinking, as their weight was spread over such a large surface.

"We'll better get out of it, boys, and I'll pad a trail with my snow-shoes," I said; and we all struggled back to our starting-point. I was very proud of my snow-shoes, which had been given to me by a Copper River Indian to whom I had done a trifling service when in his country they were made of birch - wood interlaced with strips of caribou hide, and measured 5 feet in length by 9 inches in breadth. There is no snowshoe like the Indian runner. I had fully proved that by experience. Again we started, but this time my snowshoes packed the snow so well that Mac and Stewart had no difficulty in following. I sped ahead rapidly, leaving my com

panions to follow as they might, while Dave kept floundering at my heels, sometimes making a big hole in the trail, to the great disgust of the rear-guard.

In a very short time I had crossed the mountain-side and was sliding across a small wooded plateau that spread before me. I could not see the river, but I could hear its deep roar far down in a cañon to the right. The plateau was but short, terminating abruptly in a steep decline, and far away at the foot I saw the glittering waters of Lake Linderman nestling at the base of an enormous snow-capped mountain. shores looked barren and desolate in the dull light of the wintry sun. I stood and gazed on the scene with feelings of great interest. This, then, was the starting-point of the boats bound for the golden region full six hundred miles to the north.

Its

Mac and Stewart soon appeared, labouring along with their sleighs, cautiously keeping

on my

trail and never once looking forward. "Better hitch your rope on behind and hold them back, or they'll run away from you on this hill," I advised. Both saw the force of the remark and acted upon it immediately, and soon we were travelling downwards, sleighs first and men behind holding them back and guiding them with long ropes.

I felt as if my snow - shoes would run away with me on this hill, and I had to force them deeply into the snow at each shuffling step, or they would have carried me down in a manner too quick to be comfortable. I think we must have

descended 700 feet before coming to the shores of the lake, and at some places the descent was positively dangerous. We arrived safely, however, about three o'clock in the afternoon, having accomplished ten miles since morning.

Linderman was much larger than the other lakes we had passed. I found later that it was about four and a half miles long and averaged a mile in breadth. The gentle slope of the mountains rising on each side was a marked contrast to the wild and rugged shores of Crater Lake. Only half of its length could be seen; the other half wound away towards the right and was lost to sight. But the enormous watershed

could be traced plainly from the cañon mouth of the small stream that flowed into Linderman, to the gradually widening and vast ranges that marked the Yukon's course towards the north. We pitched our tent close to the shores of the lake and near to the timber, and my companions were soon engaged in clearing the snow to form a site for our camp, while I went in search of timber suitable for ridge-poles. Within ten minutes after our arrival the tent was up and our stove crackling merrily. We drew the sleighs with their loads inside, and arranged matters as comfortably as possible, for we did not know how long we might have to remain in this locality.

I was agreeably surprised next morning to find that I could purchase a boat from an inmate of one of the few tents that formed Linderman Camp. I was informed that it was in first-class condition, dory built, and just capable of accommodating us and our outfit. I was very pleased to hear this, although I wondered why it had not been used earlier, and was prepared to find some serious defect in it; so I delayed asking the price until I had seen what sort of craft it was. I examined it carefully, it looked all right. We shoved it into the water, it floated all right. "How much do you want for it?" I asked.

suppose we say 100 dollars and call it square.' After some haggling I got it for the 100 dollars and towed it along to our camp, meaning to load immediately. Neither Mac nor Stewart had ever seen such a boat, and it did not find much favour in their eyes.

"She's no' Clyde-built, ony w'y," was all that Mac would say; and as it was built of roughly-sawn planks and had no lines at all, I could easily see that it would require great care and attention, not to mention muscular energy, to pilot this strange craft through the great lakes.

We laid some branches on the floor of the boat, so that we might bale out any leakage that appeared before it had time to damage the bottom