with backs to trees till
morning; but presently they learned the cause of the pistol-shot
reports. They were now on the Uplands among the eternal snows. The
sharp splittings, the far boomings, the dull breaking thuds were frost
cornices of overhanging snow crashing down in avalanches that swept the
mountain slopes clear of forests.

{329}

[Illustration: CAUSE OF A PORTAGE]

A short portage from the Parsnip over a low ridge to a lake, and the
canoe is launched on a stream flowing on the far side of the Divide,
Bad River, a branch of the Fraser, though MacKenzie mistakes it for an
upper tributary of the great river discovered by Gray, the Columbia.
Then, before they realize it, comes the danger of going _with_ the
current on a river with rapids. The stream sweeps to a torrent, mad
and unbridled. The canoe is as a chip in a maelstrom, the precipices
racing past in a blur, the Indians hanging frantically to the gunnels,
bawling aloud in fear, the terrified voyageurs reaching, . . .
grasping, . . . snatching at trees overhanging from the banks. The
next instant a rock has banged through bottom, tearing away the stern.
The canoe reels in a swirl. Bang goes a rock through the bow. The
birch bark flattens like a shingle. Another swirl, and, to the
amazement of all, instead of the death that had seemed impending,
smashed canoe, baggage, and voyageurs are dumped on the shallows of a
sandy reach. One can guess the gasp of relief that went up. Nobody
uttered a word for some {330} time. One voyageur, who had grasped at a
branch and been hoisted bodily from the canoe, now came limping to the
disconsolate group, and had stumbled with lighted pipe in teeth across
the powder that had been spread out to dry, when a terrific yell of
warning brought him to his senses, and relieved the tension. MacKenzie
spread out a treat for the men and sent them to gather bark for a fresh
canoe. Other adventures on Bad River need not be given. This one was
typical. The record was but two miles a day; and now there was no
turning back. The difficulties behind were as great as any that could
be before. June 15 Bad River led them westward into the Fraser, but
somewhere in the canyon between modern Quesnel and Alexandria the way
became impassable. Besides, the river was leading too far south.
MacKenzie struck up Blackwater River to the west. _Caching_ canoe and
provisions on July 4, he marched overland. The Pacific was reached on
Jul