greatest wild-fowl
breeding-grounds in all the world.

"If there were any way in the world for sportsmen to get up here,"
said he, "this country would soon be famous, for it certainly is a
wilderness. Here is where the natives shoot wild geese for their
winter's meat. And as for ducks, there is no numbering them."

Every one sat on the decks of the boat late at night, and we may rest
assured that the boys were on hand when finally the _Grahame_ swung to
her moorings along the rocky shore of historic Fort Chippewyan.

In the morning they went ashore eagerly and gazed with wonderment over
the wild scene which lay all about. The point where they landed was a
rocky promontory. Before it lay high, rocky islands, among which ran
the channels of the two great rivers which here met in the great
waters of Athabasca Lake.

"Just to think," said Rob to his friends, "this post here was founded
a hundred and forty-three years ago. My, but I'd have liked to have
been with old Sir Alexander at that time! He ought to have a monument
here, it seems to me, or some sort of tablet; but there isn't a thing
to tell about his having found this place or done anything
extraordinary."

"I wonder how much these natives here are going to get in the way of
treaty money," said John, as he saw the commissioner again putting up
his tent with the flag of his country above it. "There are a lot of
canoes coming in from everywhere, so they say--fifty Cree boats from
their camp. They tell me that the Crees and Chippewyans don't mix any
too well. I think the Crees have got them scared when it comes to
that."

"Well, these dogs have got me scared," complained Jesse. "I never saw
so many dogs in all my life. And there isn't a cow anywhere in the
world, nor even a goat or sheep."

"They have to have these dogs in the winter-time, you understand,"
said John, paternally. "They pull as much as a team of horses would in
the snow."

"Yes, and they eat as much as a horse would," said Jesse. "The bacon
for Fort Resolution was unloaded here last night, and the dogs ate up
more than a ton of it; there's nothing left there except a lot of
paper and pieces of canvas! I'll bet it's the first time these dogs
here ever had a square meal in their lives!"

"I don't know about that," said Rob, laughing. "Look over yonder." He
pointed to where an Indian woman sat on the ground, cleaning a lot of
fish. Around her squatted a circle of gaunt, wolfish creatures which
s