ADVENTURES IN COOKING 15

of “Missions de L’Oregon,” regarding the Arrow Lakes, quote: “We passed
under a perpendicular rock where we beheld innumerable arrow shafts
sticking out of the fissures high above us. The Indians when they ascend
the lake, have a custom of each lodging an arrow in these crevices, and
the origin and cause of the custom is unknown to me.”

The Indians, both the Kootenay and the Colville tribes, traversed the
lake shores, camping as they wished, through the early years, although at
present none are found in this district.

The Arrow Lakes District of the British Columbia Women’s Institutes
takes in part of the Arrow Lakes and part of the Slocan Lake Districts.
Silverton and New Denver on the shores of Slocan Lake, were at one
time busy mining towns, and mining is still active to a lesser degree.

Late in the summer of 1891, Eli Carpenter and Jack Seaton prospecting
out of Kaslo, discovered the Payne mine and located it. The same fall
Bruce White, John Sandon and Charles Chambers staked the Slocan Star,
Sandon being named after John Sandon.

In the meantime, Martin Fry, Billy Will, Charles Aylwin, Billy Smith
and others to the number of twenty spent the winter of 1891 on the present
New Denver townsite. In 1892 claims were staked all over the country,
and the town of New Denver was staked by Angus McGillivray. At first
the name was to be Eldorado, but Tom Lothian, lately arrived from
Denver, Colorado, suggested New Denver, which was accepted. In 1892
Mike Grady staked the Alpha above Silverton and it is believed the name
Silverton came from the silver ore taken from the hills. Thus “The Silvery
Slocan” came into being.

Logging is the principal industry of the Arrow Lakes, with Nakusp the
shipping centre for logs and poles. Mining too is still existent though
not as important as in the ’80’s and ’90’s. ‘The Innoaklin Valley out of
Edgewood has fine farming land. Mixed farming and fruit growing is
found in all parts of this district.

The B.C. Power Commission’s Whatshan project for electric power at
Needles has given most homes the wonderful convenience of electricity
which has changed the homemakers’ environment, as well as providing
power for all industry.