IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V /. O f^r :/. U.x ^ 1.0 I.I 1.25 !f IM IIIIIM '" iM |||||Z2 •- I- mil 2.0 1.4 1.8 1.6 V] <^ /a '''^. ^> // &. y v^ :f* Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY 14580 (716) 872-4503 €3 %^' \ iV \\ . CIKM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut canadien de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checlced below. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procu'bi'. 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MlO' IniT «»d Auricultiiral Mi(chliiHry, Hoistiug Kiixliies, Sttiiim Pnni))a, HyilrtiMUc Pumps mid Fnsses, Uydnullu Jl>ipiu|f, Screw aul of b(iMt tlulsU ctiokliiK Htiiyex, rniigKS, Freiu-h niugPH, parlor, box and hall stovDii, Aiiiorlcau ptirlorgratea (plaiuauduiukel-platod), ISagUsb fcuders, teakettles, flro dotfi, f'luntains, etc. B. P. nrrCET, Vico-Pmadent. ■( 1 1,1 1' BUBEBT DUN8MUIR, President. V. F. BULLEIf . Secretary. A. anMX. MauaiMr. PROSPECTORS' MANUftL m Kt'injr a lull iiiMi compU'tc History aiul Description of the iM'wly (liscovcrcd Oold MiiM'son ailANlTE CREEK, The (.'anyoti of tlie Tuliinieen lliver, and other new mineral discoveries in The Similkamecn Country, Witli full Instructions as how to get there and what to (h) on arriving there. -:Ar.so:- Its matty advantages as an Agricultural, Stock liaising and Lumbering Country. I)KSI(iNi;i) Koii THK rsK Ol' Emigrants, Tourists, Sportsmen and (tOld Seekers, IJV V. L. THOIIT. r ± a a (z i «^§*-:>conti:nts. <^^u Tlu' Histdry ot(iruiiil«' Crt'ck 1 OtluT paying licn-ations 7 (ii'iicral (iHMcrlption of tlu' Crivk 13 How IMaccr Mining is From whom information may he gained 30 What to do when you get there 'M Information for the Workingman .'l') (reneral description of the Country and information, for the sports- man and tourist H7 Advantages of the Canadian I'acitlc Railway :5h The trail from Nicola valley and Kandoops... 41 To LumlH'rmen 4<") Stock raisers and agriculturists 47 (}eologi(.'al History ol (Jranite Creek andprohahle origin of the (Jold deposits, Keview of some of the more popular theories ')! Ottieial Keport of Deputy Trovincial Secretary Klwyn U4 The Stephenson Lode 04 Tlu' latest news from the nnnes (54 KKIIATA. Page 4, for "sordial" read ''sordid." Paget), for "prosecuting," rend "prospecting." The newly discovered Slate creek is, on the maj). called "Eight Mile creek." NoTK. — The richness of the hench claims, noticed on page 58, can he accounted for hy the fact that they are in the old hed of the river, descrihed on page t>3. i • >•> 1 i N I ll^- GRANITE CREEK. ITS HISTORY. < 3 I. Uj to .Co Granite Creek was disoovereti about the middle of July last, 1885, by John Chance, and like many other great dis- coveries that have added much to the material wealth of the world, it was a purely chance discovery. The concealed wealth, that for untold ages lay in the bottom of this now famous creek, was brought to the notice of the world by a cowboy — one of the genuine stamp, much like those we read about — a regular whoop 'er up, in-with-the- boys, dare devil cowboy from Arizona, or some other south- ern locality perhaps not quite so far away, but at all events a fair specimen of this now noted type of humanity. It seems that about the middle of July last, for some reason best known to himself, Mr. (chance undertook the task of riding up the canyon of Granite creek for a mile or more, a task about as difficult as some other ventures that have made cowboys famous, such as riding up the stairs in a hotel, riding into church, etc. However, while on this ex- pedition he noticed small pieces of gold in the cracks of the rocks. Realizing that he had discovered a bonanza, he in- formed three of his friends, who were mining down the Sirailkameeu, who came up and located the discovery claim about one-half mile above where the town now stands. Their choice proved to be very fortunate, work was com- menced at once, and the first sluice boxes on the creek were worked by VVm. Jenkins & Co:, who, with Mr. Chance, con- CD CO siituted the tliscovery purtj. TIjo rennlt nmli/tul i\ui rtumi MHiiguine expectfttioiiH, iim from fifteen to twenty ounctfs of j^old wuH the result of the first e as far up the creek iis any of the paying claims would extend. About this time french Loui's claim was <)pened U}), and he and his two half-breed boys rocked out an average of about one hundred dollars per day. This proved that th« limit of the gold-producing region had not yet been reached, and shortly afterwards the Hope claim, about half a mile still further up, turned out gold in paying (juantities; then Beery and Murphy, between those two last mentioned claims, proved also to be rich. Before the end of August nearly all the claims below the first canyon were worked and found to pay wed, and above this canyon, as far as the Hope clain), by the middle of September, paying claims were the rule, and non-paying ones the exception; and before the end of September every claim on the creek from the Hope claim down was thoroughly ])rospected. Even in the ounyoiin where it whh not believed poHsi- ble to be ni\y guhl, on account of their not bein^ a Burticient amount of gravel to nuike any di^^f^ingn, it was found that even there, there was gold behind and under everv large boulder, and every HUiall crack and crevice proved rich, ho much HO indeed, that on Heveral of the ciainiH on th« creek a rockor wan UHelewH, the pieceH of gold being ho large that they would not readily pasH through the weive, and a con- siderable part of one or two claims have on this account been washed out with a )) have taken one hundred and thirty dollars in a single aay out of the rocks with his jack- knife. This may s<^ in an exaggeration, yet it is nevertheless a fact well known, that even u month after the creek was dis- covered people strolline; up and down it have made in this same way twenty, thirty and forty dollars, and even as high as fifty dollars in a single day. The South Fork Co. have tlumed several hundred feet of the iirst canyon I have already described ; this, for two months after the creek was discov- ered, was not considered worth the trouble of staking out, there being nothing in the creek except some gravel and V)oulders in the deep places. The result so far, according to Mr. Kootlie, the principal share-holder in the company, is from twenty-five to thirty dollars per day to the man. The month of September had nearly passed away and no nlaini up the creek further than the Hope claim, was found to be productive, all eflorts to find anything paying above this claim seemed useless, and the conviction was gradually fixing itself in the minds of nearly every one that a rocky gulch coming in from the south-east side of the creek, a short dis- tance above the Hope claim, was the boundary of the gold- producing region. The first event that occurred to disturb the soundness of this theory was the discovery of gold in pay- ing quantities about three miles up from the Hope claim by I Pof»ue ^' J, Sn>ufi W*t} JenAcnei .affccfi ^ /!,MC/hlyK" /illeoyhCo 1 / 3 Canyon Th'C'OL iCpr^n c.?? rtt a n'i Aharj) smed Gctiruan'^ Clin'm, Tufton t- Bo/vry Hofie C'Ui?rx, Piynlroka Clai^ Cafyl M'-' LffUan , CkiveSC CjllT.CSt / UrP'-tn; '. QfUtfCh'iWfej' nndosons CUtiTT-g ^^clj^ K\ n I ^; THE PAY/ A/a PORTION OF GRAA//TE CHEEK CxrW(oCc eTy^M^Bth \lo-h 'f-WiliUt J 'en 'ti.ll^' S'tYripsoH :sij\(j FLotenCt:- ^ , soms t CahtairiitLOkk .i^'" ^ *-\t '^- lev Co) ,^a«»l GENEIIAL DESCUUPTION OK OIIAMTE (UlEEK. Gninito crook rifio > in tlio moiiiitaiiiM ii TO MINERS! Go to Powell's Blacksmith Shop to buy the l)est warranted Miners' Picks in the market, wholesale and retail. Carriages of all descriptions neatly and promptly repaired. Jlastern Oak, Hickory, Maple, Ash, and Elm for sale cheap. | SHOP — Oorner Johnson and Proad Sts., Victoria. I xt wards yielded gold at the rate of about two ounces an liour to the raau, and had Ave gone but a foot or two farther we Avould have struck it. That this may be the way with the diggings on the south fork lately discovered is as far as I am able to judge quite possible, but I cannot say that I even hope to hear any such good news. However T shall listen with great interest to any news that may come from those new locations. i^ lASH. coast. I HOW PLACER-MINING IS GENERALLY DONE ON GRANITE CREEK AND ELSEWHERE. The way in which claims on Granite creek are usually worked is about as follows: A wing-dam, as it is called, is first constructed, which is done by first clearing out the bed of the creek along the site of the proposed wing-dam; then erecting two parallel stone walls, about two feet apart, length- ways with the creek, until the up stream end of the part de- sired to be worked is reached, when the walls are turned into the bank, thus enclosing about half the creek. All the water in the creek is thus turned to one side of this dam. The dam is not, however, finished until the space between those walls is filled with earth taken out of the sides of the bank; the cracks between the stones that form this dam being well chinked up with grass gathered off the sides of the mountains. Where timber is plenty wood is often used, and the daius are constructed on the crib principle. As there are no wheelbarrows in this country, boxes made out of split cedar are generally used for carrying dirt from the bank to fill in the dam. After the dam is completed and made as near water-tight as possible, a sluice box is erected. This <;ousists of a number of sections of troughs, rather than 18 boxes, which are made of boards usually 12 feet long. The bottom board in each of those sections being 12 feet long, 12 inches wide at one end and ten at the other. The sides are generally 10 inches high, thus enabling the down-stream end of one section of the sluice box to slip easily into the up stream end of the section below it. Riffles to catch the gold, or rather to keep the gold from washing out at the lower end of the box, are put in at the lower end of these pactions. These riffles consist of a number of pieces of small timber, about an inch and a half in diameter, and iiattened on two sides until they are all of the same thick- ness, and are generally ten and a half inches long. They are put in a row about half an inch apart, and a piece about a half an inch tliick nailed on their ends, thus constituting a frame similar to a ladder with the rounds very close together, measuring aboat twelve inches in width, and from three to four feet in length. These riffles, however, are sometimes put in lengthways, and those small pieces of timber are four feet long instead of ten and a half inches. Which is the best way can be determined by experiment, as they are easily made, and every person can be easily suited, which ever style he prefers. If the sluice box is made water-tight, and the riffles put in and the water turned into the up stream end, the work of sluicing out the gravel in the side of the creek, enclosed by the wing, dam is commenced. It generally requires four or five men to shovel into the sluice box, and one to stand in the water at the lower end to shovel away the tailings. The water in the sluice box has to have a current sufficiently strong to wash away all the stones and gravel thrown into it. As gold is supposed to be heavier than anything else, it takes more force to carry it over those riffles, and therefore finds its way down between them, and remains in the bottom until the riffles are taken out. This is generally done in the eve- ning, and all the gravel and sand washed away. There is, however, a black sand that seems to always accomv Any gold, 19 and as it is much heavier tlian any other sand found in creeks it stays with the gold, and is generally taken out of the sluice box with it. There are also small pieces of iron rock, called the devil's dice, that are afterwards picked out in the wash-pan. The gold, while hi the wash-pan, is then placed over a fire and thoroughly dried, after which a mag- net is used to take the black sand out of it. As this sand seems to be like iron filings in every respect it adheres to the magnet, and is taken out and the sand brusheJ off. There is, however, a curious metal found, more or less, in every wash-up of gold on Granite creek. It is of the same weight as the gold, at least so near that I could not detect any difference, and I have known several others who have tried it, and came to the same conclusion. If there was any difference at all between it and the gold it was the heaviest,. In shape it exactly resemble.-? the gold, and I believe that had it been of the same color no person up to the present time would have suspected that it was anything else. It was at first thought to be platina, as that is the only metal that is generally supposed to be heavier than gold. It was said afterwards to be irridium, and again an amalgam of silver, called arquerate of iron. I understand that some of it has been sent to Montreal, to be thoroughly tested. The result will be watched by all enquiring minds with considerable interest. Quicksilver is also used on the riffle-principle to keep the gold from washing out of the sluice box; the well-known fact that gold is heavier than quicksilver being taken advantage of, and everything else that is thrown into the sluice box being lighter than gold, and also lighter than quicksilver, and everything having to pass over a small pool of quicksilver, of course nothing but the gold sinks to the bottom. Quicksilver is seldom used unless the gold is in very small particles, when a small pool of it is placed near the lower end of the sluice box, to catch the small particles that naturally drift farther than the rest. As the gold on Granite creek is very coarse, the use of quicksilver is alto- 20 gether unnecessary, and I am not aware of it having been used in a single instance. It is, however, generally used along both forks of the Similkameen — on bars along the river, and in places where bed-rock cannot be reached. The rocker is generally used in testing claims — finding out whether they are likely to pay or not; and frequently, for want of means, and on account of the difficulty of procuring lumber, and there not being a, sufficient descent of water in the creek, and for many other reasons, the rocker is all that is used for working out claims. This resembles an ordinary wooden box, placed on rockers similar to those of a cradle, A sieve is placed over an opening in the top of the box, and filled with the pay dirt, a man stands alongside of this box, with one hand rocking it from side to side, and with the other bailing water into the sieve; all the gold, as well as the stones small enough to pass through the seive are washed down an incline, along which riffles are placed, and out at one end of the box. On account of the smallness of the space the incline is first in one direction and then the oppo- site. The first incline nearest the top often consists of a frame with small slats several inches apart, over which a piece of woolen blanket is spread, the spaces between those slats where the blanket sags serving for riffles to catch the gold. How the wash-pan is used, is hardly worth the trouble of describing to a person of good common sense. The directions for its use are — Fill it nearly full of dirt, then quite full of water, and shake it until you think all the gold in it has settled to the bottom; then put the pan under water, and as gently as possible wash all the dirt out of it, taking care all the time to keep the gold down to the lowest place. This is done by giving the pan an occasional shake side- ways, and thus, by continual washing and shaking, you will come to about half an inch of black sand in the turn at the bottom of the pan. You can find out whether there is any gold there or not by patiently washing it away, or washing -^ -ft it hi 21 it over the bottom of the pan. If there is any gold there you will see it at once, as the bhick sand forms an excellent back ground. The only word of caution meded is — Dont let the w'sh-pan get greasy. This may be considered un- necessary; but when the gold-pan is also used for mixing bread in and baking it, as well as for frying meat and washing dishes, this advice might save many persons coji- siderable annoyance. HOW TO GET THERE.— THE HOPE TKAIL. as opening The most convenient way for persons who live on the Pacific coast to get to Granite creek is by the Hope trail, which runs from Fort Hope on the Eraser River to the jun- ction of the North and South forks of the Similkameen. The distance by this route to the mines on Granite creek is 78 miles. In a direct line however the distance is not much more than half that traversed by the present route; but it is now too late in the season too talk of any new routes the present Hope trail is the one that wiji be used in the great rush that is certain to ensue as soon as the spring opens. I propose therefore to give all persons who contemplate going there in the spring as correct an idea as I possibly can of the difficulties, dangers, and privations, that will certainly have to be undergone by every person who is determined to get there. I think, there- fore, that I can do no better service than give my own ex- perience, that is give the details of the journey I under- took over the Hope trail during the month of August last, (1885) and relate my impressions in regard to the journey, and everything else that I think would interest the seekers of the precious metal in the Similkameen country. I might 22 also say that I am a man in the prime of life, considerably above the average size, and possess more than the average power of endurance, and persons who may r'^ad the facts now laid before them can arrive at their own conclusions in re- gard to the best way to meet the difficulties of the undertak- ing. I will also, as I proceed, show what I would have done were I to undertake the same journey again, and also give to the readers of this the benefit of an experience of three months and a half in the country, and two trips over this trail. I left Yale about noon on the 5th of August and came down on the train to Hope. I crossed over the Fraser River in the ferry canoe, got an outfit of provisions at Mr, Wad- dell's store, and about five o'clock in the evening, after tak- ing a good square meal at one of the hotels, I, with six others that constituted our party, started on our journey. Our outfit consisted of provisions for four days, blankets, some clothing and mining implements, which averaged about sixty or seventy pounds to the man. The trail for the first twenty-five miles has at one time been a waggon road, but as nothing in the way of repairs has been done on it for over twenty years there is not more than a mile or two in any part of it that can be travelled with a waggon. The trail that constitutes the balance of the route is in good condition and considering the difficulties that have been encountered it may be considered first-class. After leaving Hope we made four miles when night closed in on us; we spread our blankets under a tree and built a fire. As we were prepar- ing to turn in for the night the sound of footsteps were heard and a party of officers of the law came up, who de- manded our names, and we all had to pass inspection. They went away satisfied that the man they were looking for did not belong to our party. In the morning we resumed our up-hill journey, which was a continual ascent until near noon, when we reached the heighth of land or the divide which separates the waters of the Skagit from that which 4 I ? 23 flows into the Fraser. Our plan before leavinj^ Hope was to reach the Fourteen-mile House by noon the next day, then get to cedar flats that night and get seven or eight miles the other side of the summit by the following night, and make Mr. Alliston's ranch the next day. After reachiny: the heighth of land we saw a small lake on the right hand side of our trail, this had evidently buen the crater of a volcano which had been in fiction at some time since the glacial epoch. We had now followed the Nicolume river its whole length and Inid ntached the head waters of the Sumallow, which is a branch of the Skagit, and empties its waters into Puget Sound a little north of Whatcom. The trail now for a considerable distance is comparatively level. When we arrived at the Fourteen-mile House, or where the Fourteen-mile House was said to be, we neither found the Fourteen-mile House, or any other kind of a house. I concluded, therefore, that it existed only in the mind of some theorist, who thought that some such place might, could, would, should, or ought to be there. It was, how- ever, told, for my special benefit, that the house iiad been there, but had been burned down about twenty-five years ago. This may have been a fact, although I did not see even a handful of ashes, or aay other indication that a house ever existed in the locality. However, it is certain thdt the Fourteen-mile House of to-day is not a myth, but an actual bona-fide log cabin, covered with shakes, but minus a door, and I have heard say that for the small sum of four bits a man can have the soft side of a plank split out of a cedar log to sleep on and rest his weary limbs. This some may call rough, but it is luxurious compared with situations that miners are often placed in. Along in the afternoon we met a pack-train coming in from the mines. The men in charge of it gave such a discouraging account of the mines that several of our party became disheartened, and one young man, a half breed, became completely discouraged, and turned back. The rest of the party kept on, Mnd we camped I 24 at iiiglit on tho banks of the crook, uiulor an almost porpon- (lienlar wall of rock over three thousand feet high. On my return from the mines I travelled from twelve o'clock until night in the shade of this rock, never at any time obtaining a single glimpse of the sun. We passed ctnlar Hats about 11 o'clock the next day, and that night we encamped in about three miles of the summit. That evening we met a young man, with whom we were all well acquainted, who was re- turning from the inin«!s completely disgusted. He told us that there was not more than a mile and a half of tho creek good for anything; what gold there was was in pockets, and it cost more to find those pockets or pay streaks than they were worth after they were found, and there was no chance for a man to get anything without g(nng to an expense of several hundred dollars on a wing-dam, and nothing could be done, not even i)rospecting, without a wing-dam, etc. However we were not discouraged, but started on the next morning, and, after a long up-hill tramp, where the trail had to be made in a zig-zag fashion, as the hill was too steep to be ascended any other way, we reached the summit. The mountain scenery around the head of the Skagit is the grandest I ever beheld. There is also along the trail we traversed this morning what seems tome to be unmistakable evidence of a rich gold-producing region; and I shall be much disappointed if rich diggings are not yet found in this neighborhood. It should here be remarked that from the end of the wagon road, at the head of the Skagit to the summit, there is another trail besides the one I have been describinj^^, called the canyon trail. To follow this would make the journey a little longer, but it is a consideration to those who j>re traveling with horses to know that there is more grass along this trail than the one we traveled. On reaching the summit we found everything looking as though it was the month of April or May, instead of August. The weather was balmy, the grass fresh and green. Strawberries were just getting ripe, and spring flowers of every descrip- v liavc offlctcrt at Vic- toria, New Wt'Htminritoi' aiiuv»T (Coal llarlior), aiul are better |)rej)ai-e(l to «lo ImHiiieHs with ntraii^ei-s than any otlier tinn in the Provinee. ItenuMiiher the name, REAL ESTATE BROKERS, FINANCIAL & INSURANCE AGENTS, Victoria, \ew Westminster and Vancouver (Coal Ilarlior), BRITISH COLUMBIA. N. R— Messrs. WllEELEIi cV- IIAXEV represent Rand Bros, at Granite Creek, H. C. ALBION [RON WORKS CO., Li«m VICTORIA, B. C. ENGINEERS, IRON & BRASS FOUNDERS, &G. Woi'ks on Store, Discovery, Chatham and Herald Sts. Offices on Chatliam Street. Manufactnrera of Marine and Land EnKipen and Boilern of every deHi^n, Saw Mills. Mining and AKriuultural MachiniTy, HoiHtint; EuKineH, Uteain PumpH. Hydraulic PumpH and PrwBHes, Hydraulic Piping, Ht'r«w and Lever PresseR, CraneH, Winces, Derricks, Jackscrews. BRASH GOODS— InjectofH. lubricators, check and tfhibe valves, cocks, steam Kauges, safety valves, bells, hose couplings, etc,, etc, CONTRA(rrOR8' PLANT— Car wheels, bridge bolts and couplings, etc. STOVE DEPARTMENT— A complete set of i|iiproved modern imtterns, suitable to the requirements of the Province, and of heavier and more dnrable construction than liHh fenders, tea kettles, fire dogs,, fountains, etc. ROBERT DUNSMUIR, President. li, P. RITHET, Vice-Persident, W. F, HULLEN, Secretary. A. Gk . if, Manager. Government St., Victoria, B. C. ^«THOS. C J^BRXNGTOM^ Importer of and dealer in CROCKERY, Ji. RE Glassware, Table Cutlery, and Lamp Stock, etc. WOODENWARE, WILLOW-WARE, BRUSHES, FIRE IRONS, BROOMS, FENDERS, COAL SCUT- TLES AND TOILET SETS. COUNTRY ORDERS PROMPRY EXECUTED. Address, P. O. Box 586, Victoria, B. C. i \m n i) IT Tl 'S/^m^ Direct Importer of MINING SUPPLIES A SPECIALTY. I keep a very large stock of goods suitable for miners, farmers, blacksmiths and traders, all of which I offer at the LOWEST PRICES possible. Having had a long practical pvinerience in the mines, I am ccmpetent to buy goods which I tnow will suit my customers. Wend for prices to Government St., "Victoria. Telephone 57. P.O.Box 37. ■M # ners, the tical tion were in full bloom. On passing the summit a very marked change was noticeti. The country on the other side of the summit looked like some old deserted farm, the grass looking green and fresh, and the country having the appearance of a rolling prairie. This kind of country continued until we reached the corral, whore we had dinner. We traveled on the rest of the day, until we reached the nine-mile creek, where we encamped for the night. Here we were overtaken by our half-breed companion who had turned back in disgust. It seems that on his way back he felt ashamed of his conduct, and followed on after us. It might be interesting to know that about five weeks after this he left the creek with over 500 dollars in gold. The rest of our lournev to Mr. Alliston's ranch, which is called on the maps Princeton, was through a beautiful grazing country, where we arrived about noon. Here, for the first time, I met John Chance, the discoverer of Granite creek, who showed sonoe specimens of the gold, and gave rr ^ his history of itt. discovery, and told me how he had found the blue gravel belt, and had traced it all the way from Cali- fornia, and had followed it up till he reached the blow-out, and referred me to Humbolt's Cosmos for proof of his theory. I found him whole-souled, warm-hearted, and ready and willing to oblige in any way. This, howover, I might say of all the cow-boys I have met in the country It s<5ems to be only when they get outside of a certain quantity of whisky that they are disposed to those acts of lawlessness that have made them famous all over the world. In the morning following we stiirted to finish our journey of twelve miles to Granite creek. We had very wisely employed an Indian, or Siwash as they are called here, to carry our packs on horseback to the end of our journey, and reached Gra::ite creek about noon. There is a mountain two or three thou- sand feet high to be passed over between Alliston's and Granite creek. There is a creek before you commence the ascent, and no more water until you get pretty well ov«r it- 37. ^6 l^ravelets carrying l>eavy packs^ not aware of this, have often suffered from thirst. Our journey was completed about noon on Saturday, thus making four and a half days of actual travel. I do not however wish it to be inferred that it cannot be done in less timow On my returb trip t traveled alone> aud left Granite creek on Thursday, about 2 o'clock, and arrived at Hope about noon on the Sunday fol« lowing, thus making ^t on foot in less than three days. I would, however^ advise any person who wishes to make this journey, before he leaves Hope, to purchase a horse> or one of those small ponies owned by the Indians, which are called cay uses. These are sold on an average of from twenty to thirty dollars each; and if it were for nothing other than looks I would say buy a cayuse, if yor »^ not altogether dead-broke, or buy a cayuse if yon . ru /'/bow. You will then have i. horse to ride after you g ^ c: ...o, and as this is looked on as a patent of nob^'ity, or a lamd of certificate that you at some time hud been somebody, it becomes an almost actual necessity for you to have one. Of course, when you get there you will have to turn him out to grass on the mountains, and the likelihood of your ever seeing him again, without costing quite as much as the animal is worth, is not by any means encouraging; but then, if you don't find him, buy another. Look after your dignity; the usages ot society must not be disregarded. When horses pre only twenty dollars each a man must indeed be a h'.«$:ti*|« who would walk. Therefore, I would say to everycr c **" iaast to every small party of men: — Buy a horse and a ui' '• aj^ -d'e. 'You. need not put any bridle or halter on him. Ju&' (?nve him on ahead of you, and he will pick his living as he goesv 'Yon require to take a rope with you, forty or fifty feet long, so that you can stake him out at night. In this way you can travel comfortably, and when you get to Granite creek you 'cau go into town with enough diguitv to make the impression that you are not a beat or a tramp, »a- most li' ly a man of means. I should mention also that by the r > ; the ru»h m 9T oommenoes in the spring many of the inoonveniences of travel will have disappeared. There is now a fourteen-mile house, and very shortly there will be a twenty-nine mile house opened, and a house the other side of the summit I am told is soon to be erected - These, with the house on Brumley's ranch, will furnish all the stopping places needed on the route. I do not know of any more that I could say that would he of any benefit, other than it will not pay to take any mining implements with you, as these can be obrr taiued there at far less prices than yon would be willing to carry them there for, A. tent and two pair of blankets you must have if you wish to do any prospecting. These, howr bver, can also be obtained there; but it is always wise to be sure iliat you are comfortable at night when traveling among TABLE OF DISTANCES, The town at the mouth of Granite creek is distant FROM ^ILES. Hope , 78 Yale... 93 Bpence's Bridge ^ . . - r lOQ Kamloops , . . . . 107 Eagle Pass (via Oakonagou lake) 158 Victoria (via Fort Hope) ,,...,. 234 Victoria (via Spence's Bridge) .....,......,., 366 Niiuaimo , . , . , 172 Nicob Valle; 65 Kittle Rive* country . . , lOd Oakonagon Lake 62 Oakonagon Mission 107 Kootenay , 246 28 TABLE OF DISTANCES— CONTINUED. FROM. MILES. Tlie summit on the Hope trail 35 Ariston's raiich 11 Brumley's ranch (by the new trail) 12' The mouth of Bear Creek. . . .'. 12| The Edines on B^rtr Creek .' 14 The mouth of Eagle Creek ..... . The mouth of Collins' Gulch. The north fork of Granite Creek The canyon on the north Similkameen 21 4 3f 13 Hope, in a direct line : . , 42 IS THE COUNTRY HEALTHY ? The country is healthy. There never was a healthier place under the sun. These are a sample of the answers that will be given in every instance to persons who ask the above question. I am not sure that anjr person there has been sick of more than what are called ordinary indispositions; and I am sure that no person has died there since the mining ex- citement started, unless within the last v eek, or since the latest news came from there. There was a doctor — a man of acknowledged ability — one of the best in the country, came out there to practice at the tiii>e the rainy season com- menced, the most unhealthy time during the year, but it was no use, there was nothing for him to do there, so he packed up and left. A CURIOUS INCIDENT. When in Eastern Canada I heard of a place out in the Western states so healthy that thty had to shoot a man to start a burying ground. But a better story than this can be told about Granite creek, as it seems that even 'a that way ■*»•; the}- cannot start a burying ground. I saw a coWboj shoot a man in the foi'ehead with the raost murderous-looking re- volver I ever saw, and at a distance of not more than two or three rods. Whether the above object was what he in- tended, or what it was I do not know; but the facts of the case are: When shot the man fell like an ox, but was instantly on his feet again, and has been going around attending to his business ever since. His name is James Newlan. How it was that he lived is a mystery that I cannot explain; neither have I ever heard any explanation given that seemed at all satisfactory in regard to it. THE TRAIL FROM EAGLE PASS THROUGH THE SPILLAMACHEEN COUNTRY. This trail is by far the best to be taken by any person com- ing from the East who wishes to see the country, and form for himself some idea of its capabilities, and would be the route best suited to the agriculturist, stock-raiser, or sportsman. The first thirty miles is taken by a steamer. This brings the trav eler to the Spiilamacheen country. Here he will see some ex- cellent farming land undergoing a high state of cultivation. A journey of twenty miles, over a good wagon road, will bring him to the head of Oakonagon lake. He can now take the east side, and go as far as the Mission, and then cross the lake, or he can take a sail-boat that plies on the lake, and go the whole length of it if he chooses; or he can take the west side, and twenty-five miles will bring him to Short's hotel. From Short's hotel to Princeton there is an old Hudson Bay trail that would be thirty miles shorter than going down to the southern end of the lake. This trail has probably been opened up since the gold excitement broke out. If not, he will have to go south thirty -five miles, and then up the Similkameen forty miles, when he will arrive at Princeton. From Princeton it is eleven miles up the north fork to the mouth of Granite creek. The town at the mouth of this creek is now, and is likely to be, the great centre of the mining industry of the Similkameen country. If you think of engaging in mining operations this is to be your head quarters. If you have not yet seen any agricultural or grazing land to suit you, you can move on up the river along the Otter river trail to Nicola Valley, From there you can go either to Spence's Bridge, or Kamloops. But, if it is possible to suit you, you must certainly have been satisfied, ds no better farming or grazing land is to be seen anywhere. FROM WHOM INFORMATION MAT BE GAINED. Persons desiring further information would do well to write to the following gentlemen, via. : Capt. Sherbourne, Henry Nicholson, of Granite creek, and J. F, AUiston, of Princeton, Similkameen country. Henry Nicholson is the Recorder for the Granite creek district, and, until recently, was the owner, along with Thomas Cole, of a claim about half a mile from the mouth of the creek. Capt. Sherbourne is the proprietor of the best known claim on the creek, it being right in front of the business part of the town, and has had a record of over seven hundred dollars per day, of 24 hours. The captain is a man well known as a gentleman, because he cannot be anything else, it being natural to him. He is strictly honest, straightforward and square in his dealings, and thoroughly reliable. Mr. Alliston is the cattle-king of this country, and has resided here for over twenty years, and has filled 31 the office of Gold Commissioner, I believe, for about that length of time. He is unquestionably the best authority there is in regard to the stock-raising and agricultural in> terests. As I do not think he han seen enough of Granite creek to form any correct idea of what there is there, I could not recommend him as an authority on mining matters. The other gentlemen, however, are thoroughly practical miners, and have been on the creek ever since it was discovered. I have taken the liberty of using the names of those gentle- men without permission. I am, however, satisfied from what I know of the captain that he would cheerfully and promptly answer any honest enquiry, although it costs fifty cents to get a letter, and the same to mail one; and as no one, except a beat or a trarap or a thief, ever expects to get any* thing in this world without giving some value in return, I would recommend all who wish for information to use some ■of the ^nanticU grease thai, keeps the world moving, as it is likely that it will add to th<3 qualitj, as well as the quantity, of the information received^ WHAT TO DO WHEN tOU GET THERE. This is a very important consideration, and can bottec be determined on arriving than toid six months before yon are there. Bwt it is well known that every person can do better in the second attempt than he can the first. So it is not possible for a man to know as well what to do on arriving at Granite creek as one who had spent several months tiiere already. When you arrive next spring Granite creek may have lost its prestige, and be only a second or third-rate creek, or it may then be what it is now — the best in the country. If this should be the case, then you had better try 32 voiir luck in the best placH you can find on the creek. All the claims on the creek have been laid over until the 15th of June, 1860, so that if the Gold Commissioner does not issue any new orders, on the 18th of June, or three days afterward, all the claims on the creek that are not represented will be forfeited, unless so.ne reasonable cause can be shown for their non-rei)resentation. It is more than likely that there will be a large number of claims unrepresented. If there is improve your chance. Take the first claim you come to. If you should have the choice of several, take the one on the lee side of some point; if there is a high blufl'of rock, your chances for finding it rich are much greater. This rocky point, should be on the north-west side of the creek. If you should happen to get on a good claim, you are pretty sure to be accused of being hoggish, or called a claim-jumper, by those who were not quite so fortunate; but if you have a good claim you can afii^rd to stand a little abuse. It is hardly to be expected that a good business man will let a good chance slip just for the sake of manners. Besides it is business; and no business man will find any fault with another for taking a lawful advaniage when he knows that he is right and the way is clear. Of course, the great point is to be sure that you are right. It often happens when claims Ave staked out that the names of more persons than are there are put on the stakes, aud it also frequently happens that claims are taken by persons who do not intend to work them, and lire held for speculative purposes. It is your privilege, or rather your duty, to fetch all such persons to time, and the law gives you all the power that you require to do so. [f you hear of some person on the creek that has four hun- dred feet of it, and you go there and find that there is only two men working there, and you are thoroughly convinced that those two are all that ever had worked there, then, if you want a claim, all you need to do is stake it off, and go and record it. Your title to it is then as good as it possibly ean be. Of course, if you wish to speculate in claims there isiblv there THE OCCIDENTAL BARBER SHOP, 108 (Tovernmeut St., Victoria, l). O. Shaving 15c;; Hair-Cuttiiig^ 25o. All work done in first-class style. Hair-Cutting a Specialty. H. FRIED, Proprietor. W. G. BOWMAN, M¥im¥illlk/BE Bf AIM Broad street, opposite Trounce Alley, and View street, opposite Driard House, Victoria, B. C. VICTORIA AND ESQUIMALT MAIL— FOUR TIMES DAILY EACH WAY. Leaves Victoria 8 and 11 a.m., and 2 and 5 ]).m. Leaves Esquinmlt 9 a.m, 12 m., and 3 and 6 p.m. Fare, 15c. I^argeflt and Best Livery Sttible in the Province. HorseB, Wagons, Carriage s, etc. , on hire. Careful and experienced drivers, well acquainted with all places of in- terest in and about Victoria, furnished to tourists at reasonable rates. 3^^ -^--^ r^^ ^ o: Importers of PIANOS, ORGANS, AND ALL KINDS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. Book and Sheet Music. Pianos rented and sold on easy terms. (Tovernment St., next to T. N. llibhen & Co's. HALL & LOWE, THE LEADING Govenmieut Street, Victoria, H. C, . « And 499 Main Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba. lALBION HOUSE ^^Proprietors. BBOHTM*^ We particularly call the attention of Visitors and our numerous Customers to the large and varied stock of Dry Goods, both in Staple and Fancy De- partments, to be found at our Establishment. We ai'e constantly in receipt of all the Latest Fashions from Europe. We make a specialty of Dolmans, J,ackets, Ulsters, Silks, Satins, Gloves, Umln-ellas, tfec. BROWN & WHITE, Government Street, Victoria, B. C HENRY SHORT, GUN & RIFLE MAKER Importer of Guns, Kifles, Pilstols, Shot Belts, Aininnni- tion, Fouches, Powder Flasks, Plated Ware, Pocket and Ta- ble Cutlery, Fishing Taickle of all kinds. Gims and ' Rifles made to order, and all kinds of liepairing neatly done. Fort Street, near Government, Victoria, B. C. ev '■'' SOI kii ar( wli no m wo as III SOI m am m riMi no 33 is iiotliiiif,' tu hindt'i- you or any one else trying' your liaml at it. But you will see by the act that all claims must be worked, or else they are forfeited, ho it will cost any person who wishes to speculate in mining pro[)eity on Granit<' creek, just four dollars per day for every hundrt-d feet of the creek he tries to hold— that is the wages of one man for every hundred feet which the law recpiires must be repre- s(!nted. This, every one knows, is too much interest alto- gether for the investment, and speculating in mining pro- perty will never get a consideration from any person that knows anything about the way things are generally done around placer mines. If, thcirefore, you know of any person who wishes to speculate, go for him stravj/d, see that he has no more io doubt that there are some who will say that this is encouraging claim-jumping, and apt to cause trouble; but I feel well assured that if these remarks produce any effect it will be exactly the opposite. My experience is, that the worst trouble arises when the law- is so seldom enforced that people get it into their heads that it is a hardship to have it enforced at all, and this state of things continues until loose, careless ways of doing things are the rule. There should be no fault fouml with any per- son for taking advantage of anyone wd\o may be violating the law, as it will make others realize that it is to their ad- vantage to have thiiigs done just right; and when everything is done just according to law, all danger of troul)le is avoided. You cannot, therefore, be too particular in seeing that your ground is properly staked in exr.. r) / the way described in the act. This is the first thing that you have to do to secure the property; and if you have )-ecorded it, you can go on and w.)rk the claim out, and as long as you are (piietly working there' is no danrrer of beinji- molested. Your claim mav be rich, al- 84 r i tliouglj you may .see tio indication of richness for the first two or three feet. You catinotget any iarticularly where it is called red-iron rock, it is likely that I 35 the boout twenty-five dollars. After you have purchased a horse and a camping outfit, you can start out and go just where j'OU please. The country, for hun- dreds of miles, is covered with grass and trees that do not at all interfere with a person traveling on horseback. You can, if you choose, take the route I have described through the Spillamacheen country. But, perhaps, when you arrive at Eagle Pass your better plan would be to stick to the train a little while longer, and go on to Kamloops. You will thus be enabled to take a view of the magnificent scenery around Sal- mon arm. I spent about four weeks here last spring, along with the engineers who were leveling the railroad. So numer- ous were the wild ^LLse and swans in the neighborhood that it was difficult to get to sleep at night on ace au of the in- cessant noise they kept up; ilic mouth of Salmon River being a stopping and pairing place foi' them on their way north. Kamloops is the largest and most important i land town in British Columbia, and it is almost certain that it will continue to maintain this reputation. You, o. each of your party, when you arrive here can buy a horse to ride, and one or two j)ack-hor.ses or mules, or whatever numlx'v wanted for the size of the party. If there are any lad i . in the party they will enjoy the trip as well as the men. The country is all covered with grass, over which the fire occasionally sweeps, Inirning up all the brush and fallen timbtn-, and leaving ordy 40 ohi' larii't' trees .standiriir. The result of this is, no small brush is allowed to grow, and only the trees that have a very thick bark, on which the prairie tires do not have any ert'eci This being- the casi! all ov(!r the country, it, for hundreds of miles, resembles an olJ English park, the trees being nearly all of the fir and white pine variety, or rather a very soft kind of Norway, called here Imli pine, or sugar vpine. These trees being very large, and not more than tive or six on an average to the acre, are nt) more in the way of a person riding on horseback than if the)' were not there at all. Tliey have coujparatively short trunks and sprejiding tops, and shade the ground just enough to protect the grass from the withering effects of the hot sun, and keep it looking fresh and green. This country, particularly down towards the south fork of the Similkanieen. is, during the fall months, swarming with deer, principally of the l)lack-tailed variety. They are, in many respects, dif- ferent from the deer in Ontario and Michigan. They are of ;i darker color, and shorter in the legs and plumper and heavier in the body. They are not so wild: neither do they run as fast. The lad, however, is the most distinguishing feature. There are, also, the nmle deer. This country, it seems to me, uuist be a perfect Pai-adise for sportsmen. Here a party of gentlemen and ladies on horseback, going through the coun- try, c;)uM occasionally start u[) a her, and that the hills were covered with golden grain ready for the reiipcr. This, of course, is not the case. The Similk- ameen, taken as a vvhole, is not a farming country. It is true there are some patches of OKiellent farming land, but as far as cerals are concerned, that is wheat, barlej', rye, etc., the country is not well adapted for their growth. It is more thai^ likely that in the near future the country will be divided up into ranches. That is, along the rivers farms of IGO and 320 acres will be taken up; these will grow all the cerals and roots that the farmer may need, but his great re- source will be raising iheep, cattle and horses, for which the country is peculiarly adapted, i have been told by men who have several thousand head of cattle that the expense for each head for one year did not amount to more than seventy- five cents. The isothermal line that would pass through this country would also p;iss in the neighborhood of Philadel- phia and Baltimore. There are occassional severe spells during the vrinter, during which cattle will need looking after, but they are not frec^uent. However, if hay is wanted it can be had for the trouble of cutting, raking it up and stacking, and the ground is so smooth that a mov/er, or a sulky rake, can be driven over the country for miles, and a good crop of hay can be gathered up. For wool growing I cannot see how this country can be surpassed. There is not, in my mind, the slightest doubt l)ut that tais country will immod-ately be occupied by stock- men raising cattle, shr^ep, and horses. "Similkarac^vm beef is even now talked of much tlie same 's ISouthdown mutton is by Enghshm'^ti, a^.d in the future will always find a readier marLet than that from other parts. •'' ^ ' ' ' "* ^ *^ ^ A stock raiser's life seems to me a most enviable one. He is a gentlemai? --a lord, I raig'i.t say — right from the time C. B. ROBELEE, Wharf St., near Johnson, Victoria, B. C, CONTRACTOR & BUILDER, Plans and Estimates Furnished. SHIF JOIiq"Ei=l. KoBERT Ward A Co., Victoria, Royal Swedish & Norwegian Consulate. Eepresented in London by Messrs. H. J. Gordinei' & Co., 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall Street E. C. ROBERT WARD & CO, VICTOBIA, B. C, IHERCHAnrTS A IMPORTERS^ Execute indents for every description of British and Foreign merchan- dise, and the leading products of B. C. SHIPPING AND INSURANCE AGENTS. General Agents for Royal Insurance Co., London & Lancashire Fire Insurance C, Standard Life Assurance Col, Union Marine Insurance Co. Bisks accepted, policies issued, and losses promptly adjusted in Victoria. Sole Agents for Curtis's & Harvey's sporting and blasting Powder, Jules Robin .% Co's Choice Brandy, Joseph Kirkman & Son's Prize Medal Piano-Fortes. Importer's of Wines, Liquors, Havana Cigars, Oilmen's Stores, Giant Powder, Caps, Fuse, Tin Plates, Fishing Nets, Twines, WOOD ♦ ANJ] ♦ LUMBER ♦ YARD Agency of the Ohemainufe Sawmill, Jiave on hand Wood ar/J Wellington Coal, al&o Romgh and Dressed Lnmber of every description; Shingles, I^aths, etc; Seasoned Lnmber a Specialty. City office, Government Street, next new Bank of Briti^ Cokirabia. P.O. box 571. Telephone 590. QUEEN'S MARKET, Government Street,, Victoria, B. C. ! l'a/l^( «'«»'"ri 4 •■'••KK»"i«3iomething better than that right here; and we don't want such a beautiful country as this filled up with Poles, Hungarians, Jews and Russians. It is altogether too good for them, and we will have it for ourselves. Those that we want most to >iee are those grown-up boys and girls of Ontario who have had a taste of pioneer life. We want you here — we lount you fxid. We want you because you are like ourselves, and we feel interested in you, and we know that you will be better suited here than any other place in the whole British domin- ion. You de.serve the choicest spot, and you shall have it, 1 believe this country was made for just such people as you, and you will only be claiming your rightful heritage. Here, then, is the place for you. You had better fetch money enough with you to start a ranch; but, if you come soon enough, you will run a good chance of getting it out of the bottom of some of our creeks. But, most of all, we want you * ^ 61 here because we know that you will give us a helpin^:, hand in ridding the country of this intolerable Asiatic pest that is now desolating it. I know that you look on the Cliinese now as quite an interesting people; and so they are a very interesting people to one in no way interested in them, and who has nothing to do but look at theui. The penitentiary is a very interesting place to a man who has nothing to do but look at it; but if he had to spend the whole of his lifetime there it would not look so interesting. The difference, however, would be no greater than it is between those who have to compete with the Chinese in the struggle for life and those who have not. If you do not regard them as a greater evil than the potato bugs, or the small-pox, or any other calamity, you are different from any man, woman, or child on this coast who has to work for a living. I do not think I will be charged with plagarism — that is copying from other reports on this country — for the simple reason that there are no such reports. I have hunted through every blue-book, and every otlier kind of book that said any- thing about British Columbia, but could not find a single sen- tence about this country. The fact is, until within the last six months, the country drained by the north fork of the Similkameen was to all the rest of the world a terra incognita, and the river itself was as little known as the Lualaba, or Niger, and Granite creek, as far as our knowledge of it was concerned, might as well have been in another planet, and other streams marked on the map had no existence except in the imagination. GEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE SIMILKAMEEN COUNTRY— PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE GOLD DEPOSITS. REVIEW OF SOME OF THE MORE POPULAR THEORIES. As long as the world lasts the mountains of this prcnineo 62 will he its moat distinguishing feature. It can hardly be be- lieved to be possible that a country of its size should include nothing but mountains, and the valleys that cause them to be mountains; y^et nevertheless such is the fact. The traveler in coming westward, after leaving Rat Portage, will have con- siderably over a thousand miles of almost level prairie to pass over that will seem to him almost as monotonous as a journey across the ocean, and if he has no idea of what is ahead of him he will wish and pray for a look at mountains again. This prayer he will get answered in a way that will make him think of the farmer in the Eastern fable who prayed for rain, and had the river Ganges turned into his land. It will be moun- tains succeeding mountains until his brain is dizzy, and the muscles of his neck stiff in his efforts to get a peep at the blue sky over their tops. Why British Columbia should be so abundantly blessed, or cursed, or why Nature should be so lavish in eiving this province the lion's share of the moun- tains and valleys is a question for the learned geologist; but as he cannot be everywhere and see everything, the opinion of one who has at least been a close observer of them, and has had splendid opportunities of observing, might be read with interest and profit. According to Prof. Proctor, who is unquestionably the farthest advanced in astronomical science of any of his time, the earth was at one time in a gasseous condition, and at a later time in a fluid condition. To illus- trate how this may be possible, it might be said that a piece of ice which is a solid may, on account of the presence of heat, assume first a liquid, and then a gasseous, condition, and by the presence of cold this gasseous condition may be changed back into a liquid, and then into a solid, the only difference between a piece of ice and a piece of rock in this respect being the amount of heat required to effect this change. The earth, then, if sufficiently hot, would be neither in a solid nor a liquid, but in a gasseous condition. According to Proctor not only has the earth been in this condition, but he undertakes to tell how 63 long since it was so; nor is this problem anything like so diffi- cult as it at first appears. The earth, then, according to Prof. Proctor, about one thousand million years ago, was a glowing mass like the sun. The first indication of a cooling pro- cess having commenced would be spots appearing on its surface similar to those we now see on the sun's disc; still later those spots would grow so numerous that they would appear like belts. This is the appearance of Jupiter, wnich is a young planet. The cooling process continuing, those belts would widen, until a pellicle or crust would cover the entire surface. The cooling process still continuing, the conditions in which oxygen and hydrogen unite would be pretjent, and then rains would come, oceans be formed, and the earth, by the action of tides, snows, rains, dews, glaciers, and constant upheavals and depressions, would be caused to assume the ap- pearance that it now presents. It is natural, then, that the cooling process would greatly diminish its size, and as it diminished in size the pellicle or crust would become wrinkled. Those wrinkles on the face of old mother earth, as she may very properly be called, are what we know as mountain chains, or ranges, and are caused in just the same way that all other wrinkles are caused. The most important of all those wrinkles on the face of the earth is the great Rocky mountain chain — the backbone, as it is sometimes called, of the western hemisphere. The reason why this range is more important than any other is that it is younger, or came into existence later than many others, and also because the shrink- age of the earth when cooling was greater through the equator than through the poles. Judging from what we know of the much younger planet Jupiter, although over a thousand times larger than the earth, it revolves an its axis in less than half the time of the earth's revolution. The planet Mars, sup- posed to be older than the earth, takes a greater length of time; and the moon, which is only a withered corpse of what was once a planet, takes nearly a month to revolve on its 04 axis. Besides, it has not only been proved that the earth's motion is .slowinj^; up, but it has been demonstrated just how much that motion is being retarded, which slowing-up is said to be caused by the fricton of the tides. From these and many other evidences, it is certain that the motion of the earth on its axis at one time was much faster than it is now. This being the case, its equatorial diameter was much greater than its polar diameter, and a natural result of the earth shrinking in size, and at the same time diminishing in speed on its axis, would be to cause it to assume a more globe-like form. Thii equatorial shrinkage would cause the wrinkles or mountain chains to ran north and south. The polar shrinkage would cause them to run east and west. On this continent, as a rule, those east and west wrinkles seem to have been formed tirst, and the north and south wrinkles later. An example of the results of the polar shrinkage is seen in the country around Lake Superior, the Ottawa and St. Lawrence rivers, and I might also add the Similkameen country, as well as the country around Spence's Bridge and Savona Ferry, and, if I have been correctly informed, a large strip, extending as far north as the Peace river country. The northern part of On- tario, and the whole of the province of Quebec, was at one time a "sea of mountains," similar to British Columbia; but during the almost eternity of ages that have since elapsed, the ijrosive effect of glaciers, snow, rain, storms, accompanied with natural decay, have worn down their summits, and tilled up the valleys between ' em, so that they are now called rocky ridges, except where the drift has been washed away from their bases, as on the north shore of Lake Superior and the Georgian Bay. There they are dignified with the name of mountains. As will be seen, by examining the rock-cuts on the 0. P. Railway, the layers of rock stand almost perpen- dicular, and so uniform are they in their direction, nearly due east aud west, that the lines of rock can serve to tell the direction as well as a compass. Luring the age of those up- 55 ' hcavals British Colunbia was then, as it is now, a mountain- ous country ; but th«^ general direction of the ranges was oast and west. This condition of things prevailed for an im- mensely long period; but, in the course of time, the shrinkage of the earth, from east to west, being much greater than that through the poles, upheavals began to appear first along the Pacific coast, and gradually extend inland. The probable or- ed of the creek that are said to have prospected fifty cents to the pan. If the whole of the claim was as rich as this it would mean about one hundred dollars a day to the man sluicinj^. If the theory that the whole of this canyon has been sluiced out is correct, then wherever the bed-rock in the creek is rich that also on the Ijenches Hhould also l>e rich in proportion to the hi ight of the bench above the creek. There are, so far, but two bench claims on the creek that are worked. These are Suchel & Cockill's claim, which is about fifteen or twenty feet above the creek. The other claim is about two hundred feet farther up the creek on the opposite side, and about fifty feet above the creek level. The first mentioned claim I do not think ever paid wages. I am sure that the latter has. I saw one nugget, weighing over ten dollars, that came out of the latter claim. Those claims are near the forks, aViOut three and a half miles from the mouth of the creek. Nbthing is known of the claims towards the mouth of the creek more than what has been said about what they have prospected; and those re- ports I am inclined to take at a discount. I washed several pans on some of those claims that are said to be rich. I found gold, but not fifty cents to the pan. It seems to me more than likely that they are richest around the edge just where the prospecting has been done. It is much to be wished that those claims may prove rich, for in them lies the future of the town at the moutb of the creek I make this statement, be- cause I do not think that it would be proper for me to con- ceal or disguise the fact that the Chinese are fast becoming possessors of the creek claims. Full possession of all the claims would mean absolute ruin to every business carried on there. [ sliall now undertake to explain what seems to me to have actually occurred in connection with thedepositiim of the gold in Granite creek, and then leave the readers of this chapter to judge for themselves whether the conclusions arrived at are sufficiently well supported by what we know to be facts to 69 [■ warrant thorn a fair and impartial consideration. That the canyon of (Jranitc creek was once filled up with jrlacial drift is abundantly attested to l»y the immense hanks that have ac- cumulat^id at its mouth, and hy the places in the creek where the present bed is considerably higher than its original bedi iuid also by the looks of the pin e where the canyon seems to end on the south fork, or rather the main stream'' Although the canyon seems to end, yet it does not. It exists still further up (juite as much as it does below, but has not yet had time to get washed out. The canyon of Granite creek, we have every reason to l)elieve, was worn out by the action of ice and water during the tercia y peripeginning of the Quaternary. During the glacial epoch, when the valley of the Similkameen was filled with ice Granite creek was filled up with drift; but, long after the valley of the Similkameen was clear, the canyon of Granite creek, on account of having its source up in the mountains, would for several hundred years remain a river of ice, con- stantly moving down to the valley of the main river. So enormous was the amount of drift forced out of the canyon by the ice that the valley of the Similkameen was completely dammed up, and all above the mouth of Granite creek for some miles was turned into a lake. This is witnessed to by the long row of benches extending for miles up the river, all ex- actly the same level on top, and very nearly corresponding in height with the high bank of drift on the left hand side of the mouth of the canyon, and just opposite the town Of course, when this immense amount of drift was forced out of the canyon, all the gold in the drift went out with it. That the ice made a clean sweep down to the bottom of the creek is proved by the scratches and polishing that is to be seen on the rocks near the water level in the first canyon, and in many other places. The only patches of drift that would remain would be the banks of clay that would be left in the sheltered places bshind the points of rock jutting out into the stream. These banks, of course, have long since been sluiced away, and all the gold contained in them left in the bottom of the creek. The bed-rock, also, on ac- count o' being sheltered, and not being subjected to the grinding of the ice, was left in a better condition to act as riffles to keep the gold from washing down the creek. As soon as I became thoroughly convinced of the truth of this theory, I made an examinaiio i of the whole of the paying portion of the creek. I found iust as I had expected — that in nine out of ten of the paying claims the gold was behind tho sheltered points on the north-west side of the craek, and the richness of the claim depended much on the height of the rocky point that sheltered it; all the claims found paying on the south-east side had to be peculiarly well sheltercjd. If there was gold in any other places in the creek it was sheltered by si lae large boulder, or was situated in a way that would be additional confirmation of this theory. An iilustraticn is afforded in the history of the captain's claim, which every person who has gone to Granite creek knows something about, as it is situated in the creek imme- diately in front of the town. When the creek was first dis- *■' covered three hundred feet of this claim was taken up by Michael Saffron, and worked for several weeks in a good miner-like manner, and not being found to pay, was sold to the captain and his partner, Resdale, for considerable less money tban had been expended on it. The captain then workod it for five or six weeks, as near as I can learn, with- out paying expenses. He then thought of changing his wing- dam and Avorking the other side of the creek, and sunk a prospect shaft, to the depth of about twenty feet, without any promising result. He then let the upper half of his claim on that side of the creek to Chinamen to work on shares. This was much against his principles, but, as no white man seemed inclined to have anything to do with it, 61 of course there was no other way. However the Chinamen, who had been all summer camped on the bank, took hold of it and changed the dam, and set up sluice boxes, and washed out three hundred dollars the first day. This record was increased to four or five hundred. The captain then went vigorously to work on the lower end of his claim, and for over a month washed gold out at the rate of five, six, and even seven hundred dollars in twenty-four hours. All this good fortune was owing to a streak of clay that ex- tended down stream through the whole length of his claim. This clayey streak evMently was the last remnant of a bank that had formed behind a point of rock at the up-stream end of his claim; and had not that rock been there no clayey streak ever would have been formed on the claim; or had the rock becL in just the same position on the other side of the creek the chances of the claim being rich would not have been greater than one to twenty, as the ice-pressure was all on that side, and in the direction of the base of the high bench, just below the mouth of the canyon. The gold then, if this theory be correct, came from the north-west along with the glacial drift. There must, therefore, be somewhere in that direction quartz ledges of surpassing richness. Where those ledges are no one knows, and per- haps no one ever will know; but if ever found it is likely that they will make a millionaire of their discoverer. As the canyon of the Tulameen is in about the direction from which the glacial drift must have come, these ledges are to the north or north-west of this canyon, and somewhere between this canyon and Granite creek. Whatever thare may be between this canyon and Granite creek it is certain that there is an nu- mensely rich ledge between it and the Coquahola. Whether all the gold in the country came from there or not is uncer- tain, but at first sight looks to be quite possible' The gold in the canyon is coarser than that in Granite creek, and thai in Granite creek is coarser than that in the south fork of the / 62 Siinilkameen, and as those three gold-producing streams are just in the line of the glacial movement, it would be quite natural to suppose that it all came from there, because we know that the coaser gold is the sooner it will find its restinj; place, and the finer and more scaly it is the further it will travel. We can, therefore, by this rule tell v/hen we are going in the right direction. The reasons for thinking: that all the gold in Granite creek did not come from the north of this canyon are the appearance of many of the nuggets, which plainly indicate that they did not travel that far; besides there is a noticeable difierence in the color of Granite creek gold, which would indicate ?t least three or four ledges. All the indications I have yet seen indicate that the gold came out of ledges of white quartz. This is proved by finding small pieces of this kind of quartz imbedded in the nuggets. It is, therefore, extremely probable that there is one or more ledges between this canyon and Granite creek. Those ledges, unle.ss they have been interfered with by the Cascade upheaval, will run nearly due east and west, and will probably be so much decomposed that a pick can be used in taking out the rock. The theory that the gold came out of the rock that forms the walls or banks of Granite creek I do not hardly think worth a consideration, although it is generally believed among ♦^.he miners there, some of whom I much respect, but can say nothing in favor of the theory, because I do not know of any actual faets that I could notice that would warrant such a conclusion. Another theory that receives considerable sup- port is, that the gold has been washed down the creek from some quartz ledges that exist somewhere up the creek. This I think quite impossible, because it is well known that water will not carry coarse gold very far, and if it came down the creek, then the creek should grow richer as you neared the place where the gold came from. This everyone knows is not the case; besides up the creek is the place where every person has been looking that expected to find paying quart? ledges. 63 Yet, as far as 1 have been able to learn, I am not aware that even a color has yet been found in any (juartz le(l<^e yet dis- covered on Granite creek, or anywhere in the neighborhood of it. About three-fourths of a mile above the town, there* is an old bed of the north Similkameen river, which flowed there before Granite creek had worn down to its present level. Thi.s old bed is crossed by the new trail to Brumley's ranch, about four miles down the river. On the opposite side of the canyon of Granite Creek the old bed is filled up with banks of drift, which were crowd- ed into it by the ice ; persons going up Granite creek pass along the tops of those drift-heaps on the trail and can see the old bed on either side. There is another old river bed, simi- lar to this, about a mile and a half further up, and three or four hundred feet higher. It is indeed i-emarkable that there should he :x river bod at such a height, but what makes it peculiarly interesting is the fact that the wats. and Hrashes of all kinds. MECHANICS' TAILORINC CO., Colnnibi!! Strot't. Nfw Wt'slmiiistiT. H. C. Alannfacturers i c i CI 1 1 cV e^i I : C| con Spc«M!ll attention jriveu lo diseast s iiccnliar to Females. riimcli Sti't'<*r, New W ('sriiiifi'itci'. K. ('. k^ ^iL c.,',.r.., no. ^^4-^5 /■-& Blank Books, Office and Pocket Diaries, Shipping Receipts, And every article usually found in a Book & Stationery Department ; CAN BE HAD FEOM T. N. 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