Through the Mackenzie Basin

Important events of the year 1857--The Nor'-Wester newspaper--The Duke of Newcastle and the Hudson's Bay Co.'s Charter--The "Anglo-International Financial Association"--The New Hudson's Bay Company--Offers of American capitalists to purchase the Company's interests--Bill providing for purchase of the same introduced into the United States Congress--Senator Sumner's memorandum to Secretary Fish--Various efforts to arouse public interest in the Hudson's Bay Territories--Former Treaties with the Indians--Motives for treating with the Indians of Athabasca--Rush of miners and prospectors into the district--The Indian Treaty and Half-breed Commission--The Royal North-West Mounted Police Contingent--Special stipulations with the Indians provided for.

Chapter I From Edmonton To Lesser Slave Lake

Arrival of Treaty and Half-breed Commissions at Edmonton--Departure for Athabasca Landing--Tawutináow peat beds, etc.--Arrival at the Landing--The gas well there--Boats and trackers--Mr. d'Eschambault and Pierre Cyr--Non-arrival of trackers--Police contingent volunteers to track a boat to Lesser Slave Lake--Nature of country, burnt forests, muskegs, etc.--Tracking; its difficulties--The old Indian tracker Peokus--Forest and river scenery--Placer mining--Absence of life along the river--Fertile soil.

Chapter II Lesser Slave River And Lesser Slave Lake

Lesser Slave River--Its proper name--Migration of the great Algic race--Bishop Grouard's service in the wilderness--Returning Klondikers--The rapids; poling--Accident to Peokus--Celebration of Père Lacombe's fiftieth year of missionary labors--Arrival of half-breed trackers from Lesser Slave Lake--Great hay meadows on the Lesser Slave River--The island in Lesser Slave Lake--Trackers' gambling games--Swan River--A dangerous squall--Chief Factor Shaw--A free-traders' village.

Chapter III Treaty At Lesser Slave Lake

The Treaty point at last--Our camp at Lesser Slave Lake--The Treaty ground and assembly--"Civilized" Indians--Keenooshayo and Moostoos--The Treaty proceedings--The Treaty Commissioners separate--Vermilion and Fort Chipewyan treaties--Indian chief asks for a railway--Wahpoośkow Treaty--McKenna and Ross set out for Home--Commission issued to J. A. Macrae--Numbers of Indians treated with.

Chapter IV The Half-Breed Scrip Commission

The half-breeds collect at Lesser Slave Lake--They decide upon cash, scrip or nothing--Honesty of the half-breeds and Indians--Ease of parturition amongst their women--Cree family names and their significance--Catherine Bisson--Native traits--The mongrel dog--Gambling and dancing--The "Red River jig".

Chapter V Resources Of Lesser Slave Lake Region

Indian lunatics: The Weeghteko--Treatment of lunatics in old Upper Canada--Lesser Slave Lake fisheries--Stock-raising at the lake--Prairies of the region--The region once a buffalo country--Quality of the soil--Wheat and roots and vegetables--Unwise to settle in large numbers in the country at present--The "blind pig"--A native row.

Chapter VI On The Trail To Peace River

On the trail to Peace River--The South Heart River--Good farming lands--The Little Prairie--Peace River Crossing--The vast banks of the Peace a country in themselves--Wild fruits--Prospectors from the Selwyn Mountains--The Poker Flat Mining Camp--Buffalo paths and wallows--Magnificent prairies between Peace River Landing and Fort Dunvegan--Fort Dunvegan--Sir George Simpson and Colin Fraser--Some townships blocked here--The Roman Catholic Mission--Baffled miners returning--The natives of Dunvegan--Relics of the old régime--Large families the rule--The Church missions--Back to Peace River Crossing--Tepees, tents and trading stores--Mr. Alexander Mackenzie--The sites of old fur posts--Indian names of the Peace River--Description of the agricultural and other resources of the Upper Peace River--The Chinook winds--Grand Prairie--Rainfall scanty on prairies throughout the River--Lack of waggon roads and trail facilities.