windfall and
precipice drove the riders back from the river bed into the heavy
hemlock forest, where festoons of Spanish moss overhead almost shut out
the light of the sun and all sense of direction. And when they came
back to the bank of the stream they saw a {72} wild cataract cutting
its way through a dark canyon. There was no mistake. This was the
Fraser, and it was living up to its reputation.

And yet the Overlanders were sorely puzzled. There were no more blazes
on the trees to point the way; and, if this was the Fraser, it seemed
to flow almost due north. Where was Cariboo? Mr M'Micking, who was
acting as captain, tried to find out from the Indians. They made him a
drawing showing that if he crossed another watershed he would come on a
white man's wide pack-road. That must lead to Cariboo; but the snow
lay already a foot deep on this road; and unless the Overlanders
hastened they would be snowbound for the winter. On the other hand, if
the white men continued to follow the wild river canyon north, it would
bring them to Fort George on the main Fraser in ten days. There was no
time to waste on chance travelling. The Overlanders knew that
somewhere south from Moose Lake must lie the headwaters of the
Thompson, which would bring them to Kamloops. Was that what the
Indians meant by their drawings of a white man's road? If that were
true, between Moose Lake and the Thompson must lie the land of their
desire, {73} Cariboo; but to cross another unknown divide in winter
seemed risky. To follow the bend of the Fraser north might be the long
way round, but it was sure.

It was decided to let the party separate. Let those with provisions
still remaining try to push overland to Cariboo. If they failed to
find it, they could build cabins and winter on their pack animals.
Twenty men joined this group. The rest decided to stick to the river.
Behind were straggling a score more of the travellers, who were left to
follow as they could. Mrs Shubert with her children joined the band
going overland to find the Thompson.

The Indians traded canoes for horses and showed the Overlanders how to
put rafts together to run the Fraser. Axes had been worn almost to the
haft. Cutting the huge trees and splitting them into suitable timbers
was slow work. It was September before the rafts were ready to be
launched. There were four. Each had a heavy railing round it like
that of a ferry, with some flat stones on which