OF THE c a n a d i a n ROCKIES BULLETIN No. 83 MAY 1947 Photo by Associated Screen News f)im fs'ieuL&te'i BANFF, February 1.3 Banff has suffered a severe loss in the and in 1900 they formed a livery business passing of James Irvine (Jim) Brewster, who known as Brewster Bros. Bill sold out to died suddenly at his home here shortly after Jim in 1910, and Jim carried on until 1915, midnight Tuesday last at the age of 65 years. when keeping pace with the times, he guided In fairly good health and having just his business through the horsedrawn era, celebrated his 65th birthday on Monday, changing over to automobiles, which was February 10, Jim was scheduled to make the the start of the Brewster Transport Com¬ opening address at the Ice Frolic this pany, which now consists of fleets of busses, coming Saturday afternoon. cars, saddle horses, pack-trains, with branch¬ Born in Kingston, Ontario, February 10, es in Lake Louise, Field, Emerald Lake, 1882, he moved to Winnipeg with his Calgary, Golden, Waterton and Honolulu. parents, John and Isabel Brewster, at the In addition he was the owner of the Mount age of two. Following the Riel Rebellion the Royal Hotel, Banff; Sunshine Ski Lodge, family moved to Banff in 1887. When a lad and the Columbia Icefield Chalet. of 10 years, along with his brother Bill, he Mr. Brewster was a personal friend of the started to take fishing parties out, then a Duke of Windsor and had met all the male partnership was formed between the two members of the British Royal House. In brothers in a guiding and outfitting business 1901 he acted as interpreter for the late Bulletin No. 83 3 King George V, when as Duke of York and large collection of big game and other Cornwall, he visited Canada and talked trophies. with the Indians. He was a man of adven¬ ture, yet never one to talk about them. Made Indian Chief The film, “So This Is London,” and which He was also a great friend and champion starred the late Will Rogers, was in reality the of the Stony Indians at Morley and last adventures of Jim Brewster, when as a year, during Banff Indian Days, was honored guest of the Earl of Suffolk, he spent some by that tribe by being made a chief. In time in England. giving him the title of Chief Mountain When the King and Queen visited Banff in Child, the tribal chiefs hailed Mr. Brewster 1939 he drove them around in an old as a great pioneer of the Canadian Rockies fashioned democrat. Their Majesties later and a friend of the tribe in times of famine visited the Brewster home informally and and plenty. viewed and expressed admiration for his From the “Crag and Canyon” Jim Brewster was so closely associated with Your editor therefore wrote letters to the the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies President and the ex-Presidents asking them from the very inception of the Order that it if they would care to send a message to be seems only fitting to make this number of the printed in such a memorial Bulletin. Some Bulletin a tribute to his memory. When the of these apparently are away from home, so original four who conceived the idea of the that some of the letters have not yet been Trail Riders rode into Banff from the Wol¬ answered, but the number of replies received verine Plateau to find out whether it would indicates the general feeling that this was an receive support from the old-timers, Jim appropriate gesture. J. M. Wardle, of the Brewster was the first man whom they ap¬ Department of Mines and Resources at proached, and at once he said “Go ahead! Ottawa, an ex-President, was able to secure I’m for it.” What appealed to him in partic¬ a photograph of Mount Brewster taken the ular was the clause in the proposed Constitu¬ other day by Peter Whyte. Nick Morant tion that it would be open to all, irrespective sent in the wonderful portrait of Jim repro¬ of age, sex, creed, colour or profession — duced on the front cover. He also made the particularly the word ‘profession’, because picture of Jim and Mrs. Jim seated on either that meant it would be open to the guides. side of the fireplace in their living room at As he predicted, the guides have been all for Banff, see page 9, and the photograph of the Order. Brewster Creek, page 15. From MARSHALL II. DIVERTY With the passing of my friend Jim plateau. We see a fellow rider pass along the Brewster it is natural that I reflect upon ridge and move slowly on his pony along his many manifestations of love for his where the land and sky seem to meet. friends. 1 shall forever remember the care Someone will presently say that the rider he took of me and my small daughter when is gone. Friends like Jim are never gone. we first began to know his mountains. Years He has simply passed from our horizon. He later 1 learned that Jim was responsible for is the same wonderful companion—just the our comfort and friendly welcome. It was same beloved friend. We may say, “He has never referred to by Jim—he was that way. gone” but other Trail Riders of Jim’s We Trail Riders can never know all of mountains are watching at the end of the the kindly things that Jim has done for us trail and he hears their voices shout “Here through the years. We shall miss his counsel he comes”. and his participation in our problems and in our triumphs. He knew the mountains We loved Jim and shall forever treasure and the trails. his memory. Some day when we reach the It takes little imagination to picture a end of our trail may we be then travelling group of Trail Riders pausing on a high on his trail and hear his cheerful welcome. 4 Trail Riders From DAN Me CO WAN On a calm and sunny day in February To one who has lived for many years in of this year Jim Brewster went on his last the Canadian Rockies the individual moun¬ trail ride. A deep blue sky flecked with tains become, as it were, close friends, fleecy clouds; an immaculate coverlet over reliable and steadfast in sunshine and in hill and dale; the mountains sublime in storm. Some of these great monoliths, such as Rundle and Hector, Aylmer and Coleman, snowy splendour,—together these formed Wilson and Unwin, seem to be the more such a picture as had so often delighted the intimate from their association with the men eye and made glad the heart of him to whom whose memory they perpetuate. And now we then paid final tribute. to these memorials is added that of Mount Brewster. Standing high over the valley and All the people of Banff were there for all above the little town wherein his life was had lost a good neighbour and the entire spent it will recall to memory a pioneer community deeply mourned his passing. Less guide who loved the mountains and whose than a year had elapsed since the Assini- creed was that of the helping hand. The boine Indians made him a Chief in the tribe snows of many winters will drift over its and on this mid-winter afternoon the Red rugged crest before the kindly actions of Men and Women from Morley gathered James I. Brewster are forgotten. silently at Banff to honour the memory of To those of us who knew him on Sky “Mountain Child” and to place their own Line Trails and around the evening camp significant symbol of immortality on his fires there remain none but happy memories last resting place. of a good companion and a genial friend. From COLONEL PHILIP A. MOORE “He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again” Hamlet 1-2-188 A few short weeks ago, Jim Brewster as made him a chief of their tribe showed a has been his custom many times for many penetrating appreciation of this by naming years, took a trip out into his beloved hills. him “Yaha Dun Skun”—Mountain Child. But this was his last trip out. He will not be Equally at home at court or in camp— back again. His passing marked the end of whitemen Indians and kings called him an era and the last colorful figure of the friend. Great Northwest belongs to history. And so Jim has turned aside from the Seldom has any man whether in public well-worn trail and, it may be, that with his life or not—and Jim never was in nor cared old friends, Hector, William Twin and Jonas for public life—inspired more respect, loyalty and affection than he aroused in those who Benjamin has mounted his pony for the last knew him. His charities and kindly acts time and has ridden away over the Great were many and unheralded and his name as Divide into the mellow golden haze of the a builder of the West was just as much a storied past. Hail—and farewell, Companion part of the Canadian Rockies as the Bow on many trails! May the earth be light to River, and the Stony Indians when they thee. From SIDNEY HOLLANDER Jim Brewster’s death came as a great The Trail Riders especially will miss him.