Chapter I: Preface

The mountains which border the British Columbia coast between the mouth of the Frazer River and the southeastern point of Alaska are still unknown to the world at large. Few people have sailed up the wonderful fiords, which, as great water-floored canyons, run back forty or fifty miles into the interior. Fewer still have penetrated by land into the mountains where there are neither roads nor trails, and where progress on foot is barred by a thousand insurmountable obstacles.

Since the time that Jack Danvers made his voyage in a Chinook canoe along this beautiful coast, it has not greatly changed. The mountains still abound in game, the sea in fish; the scenery is as beautiful as it was then; and over the waters, dancing blue beneath the brilliant sky, or black under the heavy rain clouds, the Indian still paddles his high-prowed canoe.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. VICTORIA, V. I. 11

II. HOW JACK AND HUGH CAME TO BRITISH COLUMBIA 22

III. A MYSTERIOUS WATER MONSTER 31

IV. THE COBBLER NATURALIST OF BURRARD INLET 40

V. AN UNEXPECTED BEAR 53

VI. OF INDIANS IN ARMOR 68

VII. SEAMMUX IN DANGER 78

VIII. THE COAST INDIANS AND THEIR WAYS 91

IX. PREPARATION FOR THE VOYAGE 103

X. THE START 111

XI. FOOD FROM THE SEA 124

XII. THE ISLAND DEER 135

XIII. AN ADVENTURE OF THE CASSIAR 147

XIV. BUTE INLET 158

XV. THE WORK THAT GLACIERS DO 172

XVI. A MOTHER'S COURAGE 189

XVII. JACK MEETS A SEAL PIRATE 209

XVIII. MILLIONS OF SALMON 228

XIX. FISHING WITH A SIWASH 236

XX. OFF FOR A HUNT IN THE MOUNTAINS 251

XXI. LAST DAYS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA 264

XXII. THE HOMEWARD ROAD 277

ILLUSTRATIONS

As the deer bounded up the bank, Jack fired _Frontispiece_

Jack fired at the white spot on the beast's breast _Facing page_ 58

Seammux also rolled after the goat, and he, too,
disappeared " " 82

Here they wear white men's clothes, including
shoes and hats " " 92

"Close to some of the houses stand tall carved
poles, called totem poles" " " 98

When they saw the canoe they all stopped and
began to stare at it " " 190

Drove her short horns deep into his side " " 204

An Indian salmon weir " " 234

Jack the Young Canoeman