Produced by Al Haines [Frontispiece: The first Legislative Assembly of Vancouver Island _Back Row_--J. W. M'Kay, J. D. Pemberton, J. Porter (Clerk) _Front Row_--T. J. Skinner, J. S. Helmcken, M. D., James Yates After a Photograph] THE CARIBOO TRAIL A Chronicle of the Gold-fields of British Columbia BY AGNES C. LAUT TORONTO GLASGOW, BROOK & COMPANY 1916 _Copyright in all Countries subscribing to the Berne Convention_ {v} CONTENTS Page I. THE 'ARGONAUTS' . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 II. THE PROSPECTOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 III. CARIBOO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 IV. THE OVERLANDERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 V. CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS . . . . . . . . . 68 VI. QUESNEL AND KAMLOOPS . . . . . . . . . . 80 VII. LIFE AT THE MINES . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 VIII. THE CARIBOO ROAD . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE . . . . . . . . . . 110 INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 {vii} ILLUSTRATIONS THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF VANCOUVER ISLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ After a photograph. THE CARIBOO COUNTRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _Facing page_ 1 Map by Bartholomew. SIR JAMES DOUGLAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " " 10 From a portrait by Savannah. INDIANS NEAR NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. . . . . . . . . . . . " " 12 From a photograph by Maynard. IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " " 28 From a photograph. A GROUP OF THOMPSON RIVER INDIANS . . . . . . . . . . . " " 36 From a photograph by Maynard. SIR MATTHEW BAILLIE BEGBIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " " 38 From a portrait by Savannah. A RED RIVER CART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " " 58 From a photograph. WASHING GOLD ON THE SASKATCHEWAN . . . . . . . . . . . . " " 62 From a photograph. {viii} IN THE YELLOWHEAD PASS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " " 64 From a photograph. UPPER M'LEOD RIVER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " " 66 From a photograph. THE CARIBOO ROAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " " 100 From a photograph. INDIAN GRAVES AT LYTTON, B.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . " " 102 From a photograph. [Illustration: Map of the Cariboo Country] {1} CHAPTER I THE 'ARGONAUTS'