OVERLAND TRAVEL PROM CANADA TO CARIBOO.

Otago Witness, Issue 621, 24 October 1863, Page 8

OVERLAND TRAVEL PROM CANADA TO CARIBOO.

ADVENTURES OP GOLD HUNTERS— HYPERBOREAN COLD— SUFFERINGS ON THE FRASER RIVER - THKEB 001 OF FIVB MISERABLY PERISH,

(From the British Colonist.)

From Gilbert Rennie, one of the two survivors out of five who left London. C.W., in May last by the overland route via Red River and Leather Pass, for Caiiboo, and whose hardships and privations wer« parlially recorded in our columns of March 2lsfc and April 6th, we have the following additional particulars of the perilous journey and the disasters which befel the party. The party, which was composed of John Hel-tone, John R. Wright, William, Thomas and Gilbert Rennie, the two former Englishmen, and the three latter Canadians, left London, C.W., on the 15th May, 1862, and went up the Mississippi to St. Paul, and thence to St. Cloud. They t*en took the stage route to Georgetown, on the east aide of Red River. Leaving that place they travelled to St Joseph, in Daheotah territory, by the cart trail through the prairie ; thence on to Pembina and Fort Garry, which they reached on the 7th of July. Here they found all the crops usually grown in Canada, in a most flourishing condition, and fully as far advanced as in that province at the same time of the year. Leaving Fort Garry their route lay by Fort Ellice, Touchwood Hill House, Fort Carlton, Fort Pitts, and Fort Edmonton, where they arrived 27th August. While they remained hera, which was only two days, the fort was visited by Govr. Dallas, accompanied by Mr Christie and a train of attendants. He was received wiih a salute of cannon, but the utmost difficulty was found in entertaining him properly, na the fort was out of provisions ; some were, however, soon borrowed for tho occasion from Pere Le Cotnpte the Catholic missionary there, who had just returned from Red river. A small breadth of wheat was growing at the fort, and looked remarkably well; it wob about ready for harvesting. The fie'd upon which it was grown bad been cropped for 13 years. When Mr Ronnie's party left the fort, Love's party were prospecting ou the Korth Saskatchawan, about half a mile above Edmonton. They reported making five dollars a day to the hand. The goldwas found in bench diggings. Reports had been received at^ that place of diggings on Pence river. The next minion was St. Albert, on Sturgeon river, nine miles from Edmonton ; thence to St. Ann and the mission on the lake of that name, where a great deal of fishing is carried on. Fanning operations are Conducted here with success; wheat is difficult to raise, but barley and potatoes thrive well. The weather here was open and pleasant. Reached Pembiua river about the middle of September. Beds of anthracite coal running along both sidea of the river bank were found here ; in some places they were from 30 to 40 feet high. It was used for cooking

purposes and burned beautifully, making a strong fire with a white ash. Crossed the swampy region of the M'Loud, forded the river and reached the Asthabasca, which is a large deep stream as large as the Fraser at New Westminster. Crossed on a raft about a day ani a half above Ja3per House, in order to avoid a second river on the other side* The morning they left, snow fell to the depth of six inches. Followed the mountain pasa, crossing the Mietto river a great many tirats, and reached " Tete Jaune Cauchq" (an old deserted afafcion of the H. B. Co.) on the 4th October. Found no snow at this htation ; the weather was very five, and black flies caused great annoyance, Were detained 11 day making a canoe and drying meat. The weather was so mild that some of the meat spoiled before it could be dried. Left on. the 15th October and commenced the descent of the Fraser in two canoes lashed together, which the guides recommended as the safest plau to avoid upsetting. Did not prospect anywhere as the season was too far advanced. The chief difficulty incurred was in a canon several days after they started ; they here had to make a portage of three days; kept continually ruumng rapids until 29th October, when their troubles fairly commenced. The large canoe while running a swift rapid from 8 to 10 miles long (about 100 mile 9 above Fort George,) struck on a sunken rock. On both sides of thi} canoe was a boiling rapid, rendering it impossible to reach the Jbank=. Every effort was made to get them off, but without success, and they remained there for three days and two nights during heavy falls of snow, with nothing but the dried meat to eat. On the second day the small canoe was cut adrift, and Helestone, Wright and William Renme, attempted to get ashore with it; they had hardly taken their seats when she capsized. Helstone and Kennie succeeded in getting into the big canoe again, and Wright was carried down the stream holding on to the canoe for about a mile and a half, when he succeeded in getting ashore. Wright came to the bank opposite the rest of the party, where he attempted to light a fire with a box of matches thrown ashore ou a rock, but was too cold and wet, and was compelled to walk about to keep his blood in circulation. During the night he got badly frost-bitten. On the foliowirjg morning some more matches were thrown ashore to Wright, but his fingers were too badly frozen to be able to light them. A rope was then made by the parties in the canoe out of a moose skin, and a small cord attached, with a stick fastened to the cord, which was thrown ashore. Wright was just able to wind it round his arms and draw it in ; be then passed it round the stem of a tree and secured it. Helstone passed the other end round his body and jumped into the current, in an instant swinging himself ashore. The rops was pulled back by means of the cord, and the rest of the party succeeded in getting ashore, everything having been first got out of the canoe. By the capsizing of the small canoe the party lost near'y all J their money, a lot of clothing, bedding, and most of [ their provisions. On reaching the bank, the last Saturday evening in October, not one of the party was able to kindle a fire ; the cold was intense, and was increased by | their wet clothes. They then sat down on buffalo robes, in a sheltered nook in the rocks, and covered themselves with their blankets. During the night Hellstone and Thomas had their feet badly frozen. On the following morning a fire was kindled by means of gunpowder in a dry handkerchief, which enabled the party to dry their clothes and cook some provisions. They made a brush heap for shelter, and remained there for several days, having in the meantime succeeded in making a bridge and getting the canoe off the rock. On the 4ih November the whole of the party again got into the canoe to proceed down the river, but it was found impracticable on account of the ice, and they returned back to the camp, having secural the canoe. After consulting together all parties agreed that William and Gilbert Rennie should proceed to Fort George, which they they thought was not more than five days' journey there and back ; and accoidingly on the morning of the sth, the two brothers started with only two meals, and a rifle and ammunition, having left about ten days' provisions with the other three- On the next day snow felt heavily and continued for several days. On the third day they reached Salmon river, where th?y wore detained three days in making a bridge for fording. [Canoes pass up this river, to Peace river, it being considered the shortest route."] The Kenuies kept themselves alive by shooting birds and squirrels, and after 23 days of ihe most difficult travelling in deep snow, in some places up to their waists— during which V 7. Rennie had his feet badly froren ■ they finally reached Port George. Wilikam Rennie was then so weak that he had to be lifted by an Indian into a canoe to cross gtuait river to Fort Ueorge, at the junction of the later with the Fraser. They remained in the fbit until the £Gth of Jauuavy, when they were aufficiertly recruited to start for the mouth of Quesnelle, which they rf ached without any great difficulty on tue otk ofFebruaiy, 1863 On the second day after reaching Fort George two Indians were despatched in seaich of the remainder of the party. They returned after being absent a few hours statiug" that the snow was too deep and the river i.ot sufficiently frozen to walk on. 'i he Renuies were therefore compelled to abandon all hope of sending succor to their brother and comrades. The manager of the station, Mr Charley was continually urging them to leave the post on the plea that provisions were getting short. This, however, was an. utter impossibilitr, as William Regime's feet were in such a bad state that he was 40 days before he could move out of doors. On taking their departure from the Fort the Rennies had to part with their rifle to Mr Charles for 12 dried salmon and some potatoes, to enable them to get through a distance of 105 miles to the mouth of Quesnelle. On the fifth day after starling they had only three salmon left, when they met the Company's Express going to Fort Stuart, who kindly supplied them with sufficient to carry them. through. From the uiouth of Quesnelle the two Rennies went to Williams Lake, remained there a month and proceeded to Williams Creek, where they continued until the l?th June, when they started forLillooet. At the mouth of Quesnelle they ascertained that Mr Ogden, iv charge of all the Company's forts in New Caledonia, had learned from Mr Charles at Fort George that Indians had visited the spot where the party mtde their camp on the banks of the rapid, and there discovered the bodies of the three unfortunate men— two of them were lying under their blankets, and the bones of the third (believed to be those of Mr Helstone) were found outside the camp. Tub Indians buried them where they were found. Our informant adds that the three mea who perishel were in a very low state, especially Helstone, when he and his brother left them ; they were fully prepared for the worst, and believed that none of the party would survive. Tiie two Rennies objected strenuously to leaving them in their deplorable and helpless condition, but they begged of them as the strongest of the party to try and get assistance, and believing that if they remained thers the whole of them must of a certainty perish, the brothers finally consented to make the effort.