We were able to learn but little of the country on the west of the mountains, nor could we obtain any certain information of the course which the Canadian emigrants intended to follow.
From Andrè Cardinal, the French half-breed who had guided the party across, we learned that on reaching Tête Jaune’s Cache, on the Fraser, at the western part of the main ridge, the band divided, part of them descending the Fraser in large rafts, and the remainder turning south for the Thompson River. Cardinal accompanied them until they reached the main branch of the North Thompson, having been guided thither by a Shushwap Indian from the Cache; and he further stated that, from a lofty eminence, they had, like the Israelites of old, viewed the promised land, the hills of Cariboo being visible in the far distance. But, in cross-examination, his answers proved very contradictory and obscure. He acknowledged that the Indian knew the gold country only by vague report, and had never visited the region he pointed out as the land they sought. And he was uncertain whether the emigrants intended to try and reach Cariboo direct, or steer for Fort Kamloops on the Thompson. He furnished us, however, with a rough outline of the road as far as he had gone, which, except as to relative distances, proved tolerably correct.
In addition to the large band which Andrè Cardinal had guided across the mountains, another party of five had left Edmonton late in the autumn of the same year, 1862, with the intention of procuring canoes at Tête Jaune’s Cache, and descending the Fraser to Fort George.
Of the ultimate fate of any of these men, nothing whatever was then known; the only regular means of communication between the eastern and western side of the mountains being by the Company’s brigade, which goes every summer from Fort Dunvegan on Great Slave Lake, by the Peace River Pass, to Fort McLeod; and news brought by this party on their return would not arrive until next year.
With the exception of the Peace River Pass, which lies far away to the north, all the other routes across the Rocky Mountains, as yet known, lie south of the Leather Pass, and lead to the valley of the Columbia. The Kicking Horse Pass, Howse’s Pass, the Vermilion Pass, the Kananaski Pass, and the Kootanie Pass were all explored by Captain Palliser’s expedition, and found to be practicable routes. But all these are far to the south of the gold regions. The Athabasca Pass, used occasionally by the Hudson’s Bay Company, strikes the Columbia River where it is joined by the Canoe River, supposed to take its rise in Cariboo. But the latter river, and the head waters of the north branch of the Thompson, were entirely unexplored.
Mr. Ross indeed reached Canoe River in one of his daring expeditions, but finding the country covered with the densest forest, he turned back at once. And Dr. Hector, who appears to have been the most enterprising of all the members of Captain Palliser’s expedition, although he made a determined attempt to reach the head waters of the North Thompson from the sources of the North Saskatchewan, was unable to get through. He encountered a forest-growth so dense, and so encumbered with fallen timber, that he had “neither time, men, nor provisions to cope with it, and was nearly overtaken by the snows of winter.” He expected to be obliged to abandon his horses, and was thankful to escape by turning south to the more open region of the Columbia valley.
We therefore determined to adhere to our original design of taking the Leather Pass, following the emigrants’ trail as far as might seem desirable, and then trusting to our imperfect maps and the sagacity of our men, to reach either Cariboo or Fort Kamloops at the grand fork of the Thompson, as circumstances might render advisable.
Mr. O’B. utterly ignored the difficulties of the long journey before him in his delight at the prospect of escaping from the wilds of the Saskatchewan, so uncongenial to his classical tastes and peaceful habits, to the more civilised society of British Columbia. But although insensible to the more obvious dangers of penetrating through an unknown country, without road or guide, his peace of mind was seriously disturbed by the reflection that a man so savage as the Assiniboine would form one of the party. He came to us one day, with most serious aspect and lengthened visage, requesting a private interview on business of great importance. We immediately went aside with him, and he began: “My lord, and Dr. Cheadle, I am sure you will thank me for a communication which will enable you to escape the greatest danger. I have been credibly informed that this ‘Assiniboine’—the man you have engaged—is a cold-blooded murderer, a villain of the deepest dye, who has been excommunicated by the priest, and is avoided by the bravest half-breeds.” We assured him that we already knew all about it, and as the deed had been done in a fit of anger, and under the greatest provocation, we had decided that we were not justified in depriving ourselves of the services of a man so eminently qualified for the undertaking we had in hand.
“What!” said Mr. O’B., “you don’t mean to tell me that you really intend to trust your lives with such a man?” We said we really did intend it. “Then,” said he, “in the name of your families, I beg to enter my most solemn protest against the folly of such a proceeding;” and declared that, although he still intended to go with us, it was with the firm conviction that we should all fall victims to the bloodthirsty Assiniboine.
The Assiniboine, on his side, had an equally strong prejudice against Mr. O’B., for he had learnt from the men who had travelled with him from Fort Pitt how very helpless and troublesome he was, and protested long and loudly against his being allowed to go with us. We overruled all objections, however, and by the beginning of June were prepared to set out. Our party, a motley company, consisted of seven persons—viz., ourselves, Mr. O’B., Baptiste Supernat, the Assiniboine, his wife (commonly called. Mrs. Assiniboine), and the boy. We had twelve horses, six of which carried packs. Our supplies comprised two sacks of flour, of a hundred pounds each; four bags of pemmican, of ninety pounds each; tea, salt, and tobacco. These last were the only luxuries we allowed ourselves, for as we could obtain no provisions or assistance until we reached some post in British Columbia, 700 or 800 miles distant, we sacrificed everything to pemmican and flour. But little food of any kind could be obtained from the country through which we had to pass, and we were ignorant how long the journey might take. We had calculated on fifty days as the extreme limit, with what accuracy will be seen hereafter.