Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

144 HISTORY OF THE BANKstay bottom down. The splendid physique of the would-bevoyageurs was striking. A more lasting impression was createdby the law and order maintained so unobtrusively by theMounted Police, in such marked contrast with the conditionsprevailing in Skagway and other places only a few milesaway across the boundary line, where property and, onoccasion, life were none too safe. A demonstration of themethods of the Mounted Police occurred that very day. A manhad been caught red-handed, stealing food and other suppliesfrom a number of caches. He was brought before SuperintendentSteele the same morning. The trial was short. In effect,Colonel Steele said to him, "In this country a man's 'grub*frequently means his life. I'llgive you three years with hardlabour." And so later in the day the culprit, arrayed inparti-coloured garb, contrived out of one yellow and one blackMackinaw suit, was sawing wood for the Government on thestreet or trail, hindered from escaping by an attachment quiteas effective as a ball and chain. Such incidents had a wholesomelydeterrent effect on the incipient criminal aspirations ofothers; clearly here was an administration calling for goodbehaviour.That afternoon the later arrivals proposed that at leastsome members of the expedition should push on withoutdelay to Dawson. The ice along the lake shore was in amushy condition and they thought that in one of the bank'sstrong twenty-foot Peterboro canoes they could make gradualprogress through it. Colonel Steele declared that the planwas a foolish and dangerous one, and that when the lakeice broke up the party would soon be overtaken by thosewho remained behind. In view, however, of the bank'sagreement with the Government, inaction seemed deplorable,and it was decided to make the attempt. The manager andcook from the first party, the accountant from the second,and an outsider named Stewart, known to the manager, wereselected for the expedition.Only one of these had had anyprevious experience in canoeing, but "Tommy," the cook,