Joe didn’t arrive to Mile 52 until Christmas Eve due to the deep snow on the trail. Having once again left his packhorse at the Ram Pasture, Joe felt more at ease with only the mare. The tote road was drifting in on the parts that bordered the Fraser River. The snow on the journey up from Thompson Crossing had been five and six feet deep on most of the trail, and Joe and his horse were both tired.

Suddenly the sound of music broke the stillness. A choir of voices echoed through the night air and Joe recognized the melody. The song brought back memories of his childhood in southern British Columbia. Now, he felt homesick.

Joe took a deep breath, and to keep from crying, he began to sing along with O Come All Ye Faithful.

He had saved two bottles of whiskey from his recent moonshine run. Joe patted the outside of the saddle bag. Yes, the bottles were still there. He decided this was an appropriate time to have a drink and tilted one of the bottles to his lips, took his first drink, and continued riding in the direction of town.

Inside the dance-hall at Tête Jaune Cache, a huge Christmas tree had been set up for the community party. The decorations around the room were made from cedar boughs and coloured crepe paper, sent in from Edmonton. The joint was packed. Everyone in town, including the Wall brothers, had gathered at the celebration feast.

Lumberjacks, townsfolk and railroad labourers joined together, singing Christmas songs and enjoying the goodies that had been prepared. There was a roast of beef, a roast of bear, several French meat pies, boiled potatoes, turnips and carrots, apple and blueberry pies, and a large punch bowl.

The old station master had his accordion and was accompanying everyone in the songs. The Christmas tree held little red candles, clipped to its branches with haywire. These candles would be lit up at midnight. Everyone was sitting or standing in small groups in the hall. Suddenly, above the hum of the room, came a rattle-trap-slam-bang just outside the front entrance of the dance hall.

A couple of gandy-dancers rushed the door. In rode Caribou Joe with bottle in hand. He raised his jug to the crowd and yelled across the room, “Merry Christmas, everyone! Merry Christmas!” The party that followed was a night to remember. 

In the next episode, New Year’s Eve, Joe pays another visit to the Tête Jaune Cache dance hall where the Wall Brothers introduce him to an old trapper from up behind Mile 53.

 llfrazer@telus.net