IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) // . accompanj/ Report of the EngiueeriH-Chief, Canadian Pacific Railway, 1850 PHOTO UTH BY T,1t BUflLAND LITH CO MONTKEA 3 No. 1. n accompany Report of the Engv^n-in-Chief. Canadian Pacific Raxlway, 1880. Th< the gon< my dutj In t submitte ral route pwod us IS PHOTO Ll-ni BY THE BURLAND UTM CO MONTREAL i/fc Railway, IggQ. ;atchewan 64 83 U3 CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY. R E P O R T THE ENGINHER IN CHIEF, ADDRESSED TO THE HON. THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND fWNALS, Canadian Pacific Railwat, Office of the Enoineeu-inChief, Ottawfi, 8th April, 1880. Tho Honorable Sir Charles Tupper, K.C.M.G., C.B., Minister of Railways and Canals. Si«,-1 have the honor to report on tho varioun surveys and examinations made during the past season, and on other matters in connection ^vith the Canadian Pacific Railway. Those several point, have been briefly reviewed by mo in the form required for the general report of the Department to be laid before Parliament. It now become* my duty more fully to discuss them. EXPLORATIONS IN NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA AND THE PEACE RIVER DISTRICT. • In the reports which, from time to time. I have had the honor to make. I hav» submitted, with the explanatory detail, the information obtained respecting the seve- ral routes to the Pacific Coast, and the character of the harbors which have been pro |K>s(3d US suitable for the terminus 123- 1 NOUTM CO MONTREAL It was oarly noon that tho Yellow Iloa.l Pass offered more than usual advantages ior a lino of railway crossing tho fiocky Mountains, and that according to the infor- mation we possessed, that pass might be held to be a definite governing point by which the whole location would be controlled. The most persistent efforts wore made for severul years to discover a line running directly we.t from Yellow Head Pass to the coast. They were fruitless. It was eventually established, that on the railway reaching Tete Jaune Cache, a point somo fifty miles west of the Yellow Head Pass, two routes only could be advantageously taken. The one, following a north-easterly course to a point near Fort George, turned eouth-westerly to gain tho Valley of the Homathco. by which it found a passage through the Cascades Range to tide-water at Waddington Harbor. From Waddingtoa it was projects to follow the rocky and precipitous side of Bute Inlet, and it ' was proposed t.. form a connection with Vancouver Island across the Strait of Georgia. Three subsidiary lines were suggested in connection with this route One to leave the line near Fort George, and to run to Dean Channel; the second on a more westerly course to reach the Pacific at Gardner Inlet ; a third following a north-westerly direction, to find an outlet by the Valley of the Eiver Skeena. Of these four lines, the location which led to Bute Inlet, as giving assurance of a possi- ble railwa, connectio,. with Vancouver Island, was the only one which obtained any general local support. The second line, on leaving Tete Jaune Cache, followed the Valley of the Elvers Albreda and Thompson to Kamloops, and proceeded by Lytton at the junction of the Thompson with the Fnisor, to descend the Fraser to Burrard Inlet. Although the Yellow Iload Pass was recognized as an important objective point affording an easy entrance from the east into British Columbia, through mountains previously pronounced impenetrable, the more northern passes of the Peace and Pine K^vers attracted attention, and opinions were expressed that they offered a natural passage for the railway through a fertile district with a salubrious climate. This territory had been partially explored. Sir Alexander Mackenzie discovered the Peace lii.., anJ tra.od :,. to its source in IVM. Sir G«.^o .imp.oa ioliowed it in 18 exam Lake detail tueP regior ■climal A Then draine Georgi by the ! Tl and to had bo I carried I passes reconn) In «haract My -careful! mercial a selecti the cons couver I select th The "Ml carefully i than U!)ual advantages iccording to tho infor- e governing point by iscover a lino running "e fruitless. It was 3 Cache, a point somo lid be advantageously i \ ■ Fort George, turned > ah it found a passage Prom Waddington j Bute Inlet, and it 1 across the Strait of nth this route. One nel ; the second on a I a third following a 9 Eiver Skeena. Of assurance of a possi- one which obtained .n 1828. Its general features accordingly, were to some extent known. The first examination un.cr my direction was made in 1872, when I pas.ed over the line IVo.a Lake Superior to the Pacific. In August of that year, when at Fort EdmoHton I detailed Mr. IIoret.ky and Professor Macoun to proceed by way of Peace Eiver to toe Pacific Coast, to investigate as far as practicable the physical character of tl. rog.on, and to obtain information respecting the nature of the soil, the/..a, and the ■climate of the country they examined. A second exploration of portions of tho northern district were made in 1377 The Eiver Skeena was followed by Mr. Cambie from its mouth to the country' drained by its south branch, the Watsonciuah. The examination terminated at Port Oeorge, The mountains ther-.lves were crossed by Mr. Hunter in the same season ■by the Pine Eiver Pass. There was this distinction between the examinations of the routes to Bute Inlet nnd to Burrard Inlet, and the northern Peace and Skeena route. The two former had been surveyed in the usual form in which preliminary and location surveys are earned on. and definite data respecting them had thus been obtained ; while the passes of the Peace and Pine Eivers had been explored only in a general way, as a reconnaissance, and the information obtained was consequently limited. In my former reports I submitted the results of these examinations, and the characteristics of the several routes examined. My own views on the selection of a route were thus given in 1878 : " Upon ■t the junction of the I '""""^^^"^ ^'"'^'°g ^^« engineering features of each route, and weighing every com- mercial consideration, I am forced to the conclusion that, if these alone are to govern ■a selection, if a decision cannot be postponed until further examinations be made if the construction of the railway mus. at once be proceeded with, the line to Yan- couver Inland Should, for the present, be rejected, and that the Government should select the route by the Eivers Thompson and Praser to Burrard Inlet " Valley of the Eivers It. tant objective point through mountains the Peace and Pine ey oflfered a natural 8 climate. Jckenzie discovered >iuipoua ioiiowod it The subject was ag»,id alluded to in my report of 1879 ._ "Much has been said for and against every route that has been projected, but on crefal^con^ering the engineering and conxmercial features in each case, the con- A' elusion was forced upon my mind that tl.e railway itaelf would be least difficult to. construct, that when established it would bo easiest operated, and that general interests would bo most consulted, by following the route to Burrard Inlet." I wasawaro that this opinion would not meet with general favor, and in- the last-named report I proceeded to say : "It cannot bo said that the selection of Burrard Inlet as a terminus, has given general satisfaction in British Columbia. On the contrary, a claim has been advanced inthat Province that another route and terminus are preferable. It is therefore to be considered if additional explorations should be made and more complete informa- tion ob.ained with regard to the northern country, «o that it may be definitely determined if a route more desirable can be found. Accordingly I suggest that the unexplored .egion, lying between Fort Connelly and Fort McLeod, in British Columbia, and those largetractsofvacant territory east of the Rocky Mountains m the latitude of Peace Eiver, which have never yet been traversed by scien?. Railway, 1 880. IS z ut z o i 3 hi Ik -LI \ t I ji -H' --t^mJ^^Sunfissn^SOAaitA I ■4- ii ^,,^_ z s »- < 0) < h. -^^^^'^n^^^fiai^TmlaJMSM ^^^^^^^maimhM^ii^ 7 ^files p.epaml, and approximaio quantities computed, with tho view „f placing >ction urder contract, had a noi thoin route been adopted. J From Hazelton nevoral practicable routes can bo obtained eastward. No. l.~On leaving tho Forlts, this route follows tho Eivor WatHon(iuah to it» Bd, and by a tributary it roaches the main River Fraser near Fort George, whence tollows that river to Tete Jauno Cache, whore it intersects the line located by tho ^Uow Head Pass to the prairie region. No. 2.— Follows in tho same course, the Watsonquah Valley, to Fort Fraser, I which point, deflecting from the route above described, it runs northeasterly, vid brtSt. James and Fort McLcod. to Pino River Pass, and thence eastward across tho bace River District. iV^o. 3.— Ascends the Skeena above the Forks about 33 miles; thence by the liver Babino and the Kotsine Pa.ss, crosses Driftwood River. It then passes over a Jcond divide and follows tho Omenica Eivor to Peace River Puss, and thence pursue* I course to join No. 2 on the plateau of Peace River. Possibly a fourth line may be available by branching from No. 3 a little to the ■orthofBabine Lake, running towards that lake to Fort Babine, crossing over to Tacla Lake, and following the valley of Middle River to Tromblenr Lake, from ^hich point it may be carried by the Nation and Parsnip Rivers, or possibly more [irectly by Fort McLeod, to Pine River Pass. It is considered that, although the information is of a general character he three first routes have been established to be practicable. The relative eleva. pons attained on each is shown on the sections (Plate No. 2). The distance by ach as compared with the line to Burrard Inlet, is roughly estimated as follows :— Hlles. Lake Superior to Port Moody, Burrard Inlet 1,945 (measured.) - to Port Simpson by No. 1 2,170 (estimated.) " " 2 2,200 " " " 3 2,135 « Accordingly, the shortest cf ho three northern routes Js that by Peace River. 8 Startir.K IVon. a ,.on>m„n point. ,su..h an Fort Su.Uatohowan, e"I7of tho moun- tams, nil exceed in Io..-tl. the lino to Burrnrd Inlet. To Port Simpon, nrf Peace Hive.- r«.ss, !,.... 190 miloH longer. " ^'"lluw Head Pa8.H, is.... 225 '• " " i'ine Biver PasH, iH 255 " " All are equally effected by climatic considerations, which, in this latitude are oi paramount importance. There is no difference of opinion among the explorers respecting the extent of fertile land. West of the Kocky Mountains it is inconsider- able. The fertile tracts are indeed the exception. To the east of the mountain chain the Peace Hiver j.lateau is marked by great fertility of noil over a wide area. The Peace River region, as far as exmi,.cd, may be considered to extend from the foot hills of the IJocky Mountains easterly to Lesser Slave Luke, and from latitude 54" to la.iuHlc. ,r. The whole area within these boundaries is not fertile, but they set forth generally the limit within which the region of fertility is found. To the north of Ur., however, bordering the valley of the Peace Biver. even to latitude 59« there is a considerable tract of country that is reported to be fertile- but as this northern district, though properly speaking included in the Peace River country, has not yc-t leon examined, and as it was not embraced in the explorations of the past season, it is not here further referred to. The fertile district is described as a plateau elevated generally about 2,000 feet above the sea. The rivers which pass through, or have their sources in the Rocky Moutains. and which drain the plateau, run in deeply eroded channels, ranging in many places from 600 to 700 feet below the general level. Peace River itself ri^es xn Northern British Columbia and flows through the Rocky Mountains by a low pas- «age about latitude 560. It is described as a noble stream, indeed one of the most beautiful of rivers. It is fed from the south by a number of tributaries, the chief Of which are Pine River and Smoky River, its confluence with the former being about longitude 120' 30', and with the latter about three degrees further east. West ofSmoky River, both to the south and north of Peace River, there are extensive areas of prairie country, either perfectly open and covered with more or less luxuriant grass, or dotted with patches of copse and trees. if T more < river > ■which talsan: fion of much ( ■equally Eu -countn woods i Th of L08S( wwampj Lake to would f To the surf -agriculti The wonderf |cient rai 1 The land tha 'the e.xp! I'matic gi I scale at I River, bu |«xceptior ILake. S •f between 1 j i^an, eastof tho inoiin- niloM lf)nger. <( II in this latitude, aro imong the explorers tains it is inconsider- f the mountain chain er a wide area. lorod to extend from "« -PaWli"» and po.,iblo -o^uiron.ont, .. » Imoiiton, the Itito . -ami le. lailway withthelinorun-l ubmit a comparison with [ ying diagram (Plato No. lucstion, tho advantages lino adopted to Burrard inent, within the limits •al summits so low or ailway through British I ig the Royal Engineers give the views of this I nlot as a terminus for not only of the main the subject of earnest I, whether constructed ontrollcd by the Gov- io exercise tho control lie me should be laid to adhere, in every iceived, but it should rests of the country iild now be made to inadequate unless it I I'oquirements as s Ihf PHOTO LITH Br THE BURl.NO uITH CO MONTREAL cana: THE J 1700 IBAO Plate No. 3. To accompany Report of th^ Engineer-iu-Chief, Canadian Pacific Raihcay, 1880. DIAGRAM OF PROFILES COMPARING THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY ecva WITH THE FOUR TRANS-CONTINENTAL RAILROADS or THJJ UlSriTED STA.TES. 13 The first .top is to obtain yone.-al information rcpoetiuK tha pHnolpa, foatu.-es >1 the country, the character of .ho .soil, the climate and its .ninorulH. I pointed out last year, that although the prairie region had been .eon by n.uny traveller., and that the country east of the Kooky Mountains had been travernod on many trails »da great deal of information collected. «till the territory i« of «uoh vast oxten; that comparitavoly little of it was known. I felt it my duty, therefore, to recommend that every effort should be made by additional explorations to gain information and gather data to .d.ult of correct con- elusions being drawn. In conformity with my recommendation, these explorations were authori.od • they included the country north of the 51st parallel of latitude, U, the (.'hurchili Eiver district reaching the SfUh parallel, and to the S^th parallel in the iVace iliver district. They extended from the Rocky Mountains easterly to the meridian, which passes through Lake Winnipegosis. The examination was divided into five sections: *. 1. l^r. John Smith was appointeJ to examine the tract north nni,,, ido.raph line, as it runs west of Northcote. included between the liiver .Sa.Katcho.un and Lake VVinnipegosis. Mr. D. C. 0-Keefe explored the tract bounded oa the south by the lliver Sas- k^tchewan, between Cumberland House and Carleton. on the we.t by the llndson's B|y route, extending from Carleton northerly, via Lake Pelican to |.|., , |, Orosse • on; the north by the Churchill ver. ' I 3. M,..EI,„rc.„a.d„tuilod.„th= o.ploratlo,, of ,ho dWricl ,„,„„|„,l „„ the ^.h b, t,e ,.„^ f..„„ CaHoton ., Loo I,. Bid,., „„ .h. „„, ,y u„ ,„,, ,„„,,,„„_ «- o„ th. .« a„a „„..„. ,, .h« 1I„.U„„. Bay route f™. Ca,.,o.„„ „,„ ,,„,. ,„,,,„ . tfd Methy Portage, 4.P„f„.o,M,„„„„„.„p.,„i,„^^ e.pWo th.c.o„„.ry ly,„„ „«h oflho .. pa^Ue, of ,.tU„do, and »u,h of the te,eg,..ph ,ine ,.,„, „,i,«..o„e .„ »imonton. ■«aiiji*B 1*W.' .m a^SaSK 14 f and doscnbcl, to make full and comnl«f« «vn^:„„..-._„ . freque, ewainj Btttiksi oni.o/fo™, .,,0 ™„» of riv.,, and creek, .„d .„ p„i„., be„i„g on .K. wat,,- .upp; *"'"■" the p,e™n«o of ocononaic „,„„„.,, and all f.„„„, of importance. A I«ruct,„„, „erea,.„ given that a dail, record .hen,., be tept .h„„in«. ,'^T\ r«.nf.„,U,e.,c».,.„e,c„pcra.„„and ..oral condition of .t. atlp.erc and .ote al, fac. faring apon .„c climatic condition, of eac. locali.,, and! ^Z^' ' agricultural purposes. lAi'gc iKfgC lii Thee report, are too lengthy to be inserted in full, but synopse, amply e.plan *«^-" tory are given in the appendix. The general results may bo thus stated. <»l'^e-'V"< Itogitud Ban fo J ■I'""'; "'""° "~ "°'^''««"«»"^ P-""™.. in a,.nnda„coan *, .ario.*"-"' loie8tplants,andgivesevidenceof a prolific soil An .■ u .. diversified h. .... ...•,.,.._ . , .^ "" '' ^ '^^*^'" '''•«'*^^'^ >«' l^oweve, ^^^^ «K tending niles nor With rf;,ro,.a;fl I u , ^ — ^ v;orLaiM oreaath is, howeve; .U and ndsc variable in width, commence, about a™ mile, north of the S» <©ther tra Af,,.. fl ^. , ^" wot am M-ch fine ..mber wa. observed. In ,h. .onth-wctera part, poplar co,, F v.,1. ,r„.n.l„ m.,in, into continnon, popiar fore., which .'tains':: .rental '"' ' development to the ea.t of Stinting late. The hal.m and poplar in g„™ ia .1"°'" ' large .,ze, in many ca.e. two feet in diameter. K '« ■» « |o a. „„, 15 their attention more pa ■ previously been travem '""""'' "'"'""' '"^ ''"""° "'" ^"""'^" ^^=''-« «"« S''-- of sp.uce are •that a knowledge of /'''''""''' ""•^"* ^^'"' -l^^" ""^ balnarn-poplar, and, on the borders of the .a information to ombra'""""''^' "'""■' "' """'"■"' '' "" "''"'' "^^ **^ ^^ '"^'"'^ i" diumotor are found. I timber iand. the charact ^"'"'"' '""" '^ '"■""""' "" ^''^ ''''' '""'^ ^"^ "'^g"^' but seldom attains a foot in ^!aring on the water suppi """'^- '^ """• '"""■ '^"""""y »'"y l» """Hb.,! a. r„„„i„g „.„„> Oa,„b«,-lu,.a n„„,„ ■aid b. kept .b„„i„,, .,"°"f ": '"" '■"'■'"'"' '" ""' '""" """■'""'" ••"" "■«- """--S -■«.«.ly to 54" 30' r .b, «„o,pb„., :;;:;;,:::,'' ■ "-" '""°""^"'°^ - "'° ""'^"" ""'^'"'"■'» »'■='■ ■-. ^i^y ocality, and its fitness f- North of tin, line up to latitude 55° the country consists of a series of lai'go Lk.., hiyh sand ridges, rounded hills and wide stretches of bare sand with Aeciuentmavshes producing coarse grass. The only locality where good land waa ob^erved was some distance south of the Stanley Mission on Churchill Kiver about longitude Wio ,0, Here some small patches were cultivated as gardens. e Saskatchewan, west Nor.h of latitude 55° and extending to Churchill Eiver the whole country is ntatn.ng tracts of ferti,.ho in l„ti,u,io 55. p""'l bortleri The o„,„„,, „,,„ ,„ „„ ,„„^,_ ^, ; ..-..., "long the fek,„c.l,„„,„, ,„„, ,,„. ^^^ J. '^""^ """"""'OJ- lt» «l„„„„u,r I '!» <»» ->^^ i- -„,„■„« „„,„, „„,„ „„,,,,„ ^^^;™ »' "- .,,c,™,o„,„.s»,..,chc»r"°''" '"■°'"° """ °°""° ™»''' "" '■""'• To ,.,c».,„„,Lc,»..s,„v„ Lake the count,,. i,,,,l„„,a, . ■"" ■n«'K.n of ,1,0 ]»,,„ ^ '" '""^ ■"""»ok«n, and along „„. wbich i. nnd of a variable q„a|i,„ ,, ,. / ' '^"' ^ '^""^d tho mil i, IM,, ! ™™ble. 1 "'u/. It IS covered here and th ■ & ' and i, generally lightly ,i„t„.„j, p "•"" »■'"' l°"na„, p.„„„ 'he count,., is dccriW a. in evety w„ i^t "™'" ""^ ""^ "^ '""■""ton pea-vine, well watced by ,t|.e«„M a„d „ . '"' "'' " *'' """" ''" «'•«» and P-chingEd.„„.„„.,,,„,,, ~;"21tr' "".'" """" °°'"- ^^ gently rolling „,,„„ |„„^^ •>' « »< ".th Iu«,.,ane hay meadow, .nj ..arwe..e.ueee.f„l,yculti™t.d in :^^^^'' '"" °' "'^^ '^^'^ •*« P-t Much fine spruce with occasional bimh'nP 1 Athabasca and its tribn^rica. Xh. i: dl: ^ '''^l '" ''» ™"- »"'« «and hill, intervene at variety poin,,. ' """°' '" «'""" ^"S" and. ^ colored Bi 12; ' 17 iniloH noi'tli of Lac l n ,. . . ' . tl. Of .,.0 LaKo , „ ':" "''"'"•« "^^* «^ ^°^«- S'-« I^^l^^ '•« aHu,iod to in tho account of the oxplo.nt.o„«in Northon. Bnti.h Columbia and the Peace liivor rogion nH'dors (hat tho Konera: I as oxtomiing from aboui ho in latitmJo 55". ' west to tho Athabasca TheHoction south of the Sa,skatchowan. ea«t of Fort A la Corne, west of Laka r:nn,pego«iH and north of the 52nd parallel, is doHcribed by Dr. John Smith. Tho.„to...orof this district remain. «till unexplored, bnt the Porcupine and fflecs and othor. who ^""l"" "'"^ '^^ '^--" ^ --PJ - extensive area, and are said to be covered with '^r^, with ocea.ional ,h«'^^y ^--^'-f fine poplar, spruce and tamarac. To the east of these hills and ^ bordering on the Saskatchewan and L.ko Winnipego.is there is almost a continuous ■ n.arsl, but to the south-oast of Porcupine i Us. on the Swan liivor, there is a I w^e 1 extent of firm fniflln Int., I TO-....1 _/. .. ,^ . '^ «9ei- Slavo Lake and minod. Its charar;ter of Ed nionl oil is beuer ctions, but there arc iKl copse wood, the — ~..„.. ..^.i.iiij iiiuru IS a i.ir "e extent of fine fertile land. West of ,ho Porcupine Ilills, as far as tho lor meridi-u. the country, so far as examined, is flat, with extensive swamps and muskegs. M.eh of the soil is rich, and whore drainage is possible will no doubt become of value. Westward of the lOT meridian tho country, uUhough not free fron. swamps' becomes much drier. The soil is good and fertile, of a dark colored loam of greai depth. In the valley of the Oarrot River the land is exceedingly rich. ,.„, . ^ Thedistrict is generally^ cove- ,d with timber, except tho south-west portion 'i-oken, and along the J which is prairie. osc poition, fe south-east to the | The district north of the Qu'Appelle and west of the Assiniboine is described a. j variable. Near the Assiniboine and Fort Ellice there is a poor and sandy tract Farther west tho soil, although light, proves to be fair in quality. 'andyloam. On the 3d the .soil is ligij, luxuriant pasture lorth of Edmonton with tall grass and ispen copse. Ap- : hay meadows and t during the past the valleys of the gravel ridges and. To the east of Pheasant, File and Touchwood Hills there is a Hno t.-act of land prmcipally prairie on the south and east, but gradually passing into a more thickly wooded and more elevated country to the north. The northern pa. t of this traot is well watered with running streams, but towards .he south, lato in tho season, water is obtained with difficulty.' Professor Macoun describes the soil a. a rich black loam, about 15 inches i» depth, containing small grains of quartz and limestone and other pebbles. Approach- ing the File and Touchwood Hills its character imperceptibly changes into lighter colored^ sandy loam. The subsoil, into which pits were dug at various .oints. i. 18 •^ -.«».... „:„;;::::::::::;:;:::r'"" — --.- I'ora iho l.oiid of Lon- Laky to the (Jiiill fz-kos Thin s.l. plain IS Htill un.JoCinoJ • h,.t Vf. vr ihisMuli -- -«. .,, :: ;„:::::::::: '"; '"" "■:'*• ■■ •-- '■-'™^ ^- » It ii pmlialjlo lliM tlio ^rook wliich entn,^ r .. r i •".'J' -.-.y I. 11,0 .,„„.i of ,j„„, L.,„, „ „„, .„ „,.^,,^__„^ ~ZT'T '°''"""'°"' ""' °"^ '"""■ "' "'° ■^--"»<' «'"•■ '« , I ', ' ' """"' °' ""^ ""^"' °'"»- '^« *"' '«'■«• "-. He R™-„ai„.„m,ie„t,„,.„uti..ro...hoa.e„r.,o.H.,., i„„„„a ,„„,. „„,,,„, ..««..„ ,„..„„,. „,.„e ...HO, W. ,. t„. .„ .,, .,„ ., ,,,_. n 'I.i .. .t ,» .ca^oo. T,,. „™ ,0 ... „.,, ,,„ .„„ „,„„^.,,„, „, ,^^ ° .cod .,.^,. ,„, „,„■„, p„,,,„ „„^ ,„ ,„^„„^ ,.^ ,„ ^^ " to frcqui do not c Thee„,.„t,., „o,.., „Hhe Q„.App,„„, „, ,„. s„,„h «„t..ch.„a„ i, .pp™.„h„, tivelvarid Tf „^f . , locality is dompara- ■veb and It extends northward along the South Saskatchewan fo. son. distance and about latitude 51° 30' becomes hilly and broken. ' wooded, and interspersed with ponds of fresh water. The I twenty r ■ wood am 1 rolling h I I The I dance of ningstrei Lake, to t agricultui The J tain some is to be fo 11) soH iiiio t,'iavol, coi4to.| :ilitioH, butttt no points til it roiK-lios the nail iiiili L'lu).^. This Nult .0, n,a, i, ™„, „ „„„,„ „„.„„,, ^^^^ ^^^_,^^ _^_^^^^ ^ t,ll .t ga„., .ho vi,,„i,^ onH. E,b„„e, .b„ N„„h Sa,l„„..o .bo oonh „r U,e M.t pa™„e,. „o ,o„„d .be oou„.,^ Cube. j ~ -.--. .ove, ,„«, ..™.. .be ,0,., „be„ . beoa.e /.Ho. . I ^-^ ■";;«-«'■»*-«'■ The e„.e,. po...i„„, .„ .bo „„„b..e,. of liod I,e,r parallel. Further 1 ^'"'®' ^^ ^^^ I^oa'" Hills, about latitude 52^ is described a, n .. . „ • "^ ' "* aesciibed as a country well suited for or t,ho,.»nK^,.fo agriculture. wan is approached, icality is nompara- for some distance, i 0', or thereabouts, ^ agriculture. >n.pa«.i„,, „o„ J Tbe Be., Hi,,, and .bo w....,„ „„pe, of .be Eagle Hi,,,, .„bo„gb rough co. ^.n »me e.oo„oo. .oi,, good p..,„„ .„a ah„„da„„e of fresh ,a.o,. Wooi in io„.^ «s to be found on the Eagle Hills. " I: u M... M.cou„ travot-Ho-i tho g.oat plain BoiJ^h^J^^^^^ei^^ , the Hand Hills, and fb.n.l a A^rtilo and ahnost level plain extending fb. 40 mile. ^^ M water i Tc 'Hoil im longitu ' for agr but the Th contain Wi 18 level Bow Ri Th« ,, „ . ' -v—v^.Mj^ lur tu miles 5 Bouth-west of the Kaglo Kill.; the countiy here became rolling and hill^, but no bad ' soil was met with until about the 11 Ith meridian. | There yet remains a large extent of the Great Plains unexplored, but as far as Been east of the llUh meridian they are described as consisting of a strong rich clay or clay loam, on almost every locality examined. Fresh water in pools was found throughout in August and September, and fro. plants found in the ponds. Mr. Macoun feels assured that the supply of water is permanent. Only one creek oi-running water was seen on this plain. Many salt lakes or ponds were also found among the hills in the central and south-western portion No s.gns of aridity caused by climate were observed. On every part of the tract south of latitude 52'= excellent arable or pasture land prevailed. 3 North of .he Noutml Hi,,, „„„„.,«. 52» 10 .„d,„„gi..ae„(,o3„, .„,,,,.„ji ligh, ,. w«w«,. .0 Within 5 „,i,o, orfcttlo Kive,. is . ..-aotof poo. ,a„d, ,a„d, ch.„,i.g .,1 ^ , the northward to good sandy loam. which a Light and heavy sandy loam is the prevailing character of the soil between the - , 52nd parallel and JiatUo IHvor. " '° I the land NearBattlefo.d there are sand hills covering a limited area. With this and ' the nort some other exceptions the whole district is described as suitable for agriculture. difficult Exceedingly rich soil is found in the vicinity of Manito Lake some sixty miles Apr to the west of Battleford. i and terr and is w For some distance to the west of the lllth Meridian and to the north and east of Red Deer River the country is arid, the soil being generally gravelly or sun-baked j ^"* cJay- m and Edm Several creeks of fresli water run through this district, there ai-e also numerou, I ^'Z ■']■ alkaline, marches and ponds. The plains produce indifferent pasture. Artemisia and I Cactus are prominent among the flora of this district ' ''"^ '' ^ 21 from Battlofonl toward, '^"''' "^ "'° """ •"' "'° ^''"'^ ^^^"' ^''^"^ latitude 51° 30' and on the olovatod lands extending for 40 mile, 'i'""'^™"^ '' "^ ^^'" character, with a growth of excellent gra,.«. Ponds of good fresh rig and hilly, but no bad ■water are frequent. To the north or al.out the 52nd parallel the character of both the country and lexplorod, but as far as '""'' '•"P™^'^«- ^I^^h good land and very fair timber is seen around Tail Creek between ig of a strong rich claj '''°S''"'^*^ 1^-° '•*"'i. ^^.^ The country extending north to Battle River is well suited ^for agriculture. To the eastward the soil is indiflerent and the surface more broken I but the country ih suited for pasture. J September, and from lie supply of water is • ^he country north of latitude 52" is well watered with running streams, and ^contains more or less woodland, but the groves are no whore continuous I Many salt lakes or ^^°-^t of Red Deer River, in the direction of the Blackfoot Crossing, the country b-western portion. No ,i« l«^el for several miles, becoming rolling and more broken to the southward as •art of the tract south ^"^ River is approached. il0°30' and extending iidy land, changing to f the soil between the The land botweoa the two rivers is generally sandy loam and appears to have a light rain -fall. A little west of the crossing within the Blackfool Reserve is a range of sand-hills, which apparently extend south of the River. Prom this point to about 20 miles west of Fort Calgarry, a distance of 80 miles, I the land is described as nearly all fit for the plough on both sides of Bow River. On n-ea. With this and ; ^^^ "orth of the river between the Blackfoot Crossing and Calgarry, water was found I for agriculture. difficult to obtain. ■ke some sixty miles Approaching the Rocky Mountains the country becomes broken by high hills I and terraced ridges, but the whole of this land, though rough, produces fine pasture I and is well adapted for stock-raisiog. ) the north and east i :ravelly or sun-baked l ^'""^ ^'^'"'"''"^ '' ''^'''''''^ '''^"''^ ^"^'^""^^ ^^°' '<>"yitude 114°. Between that point I and Edmonton the land for a very considerable breadth is generally a dark coloured I clay or sandy loam well suited for agriculture, excepting whore it is too wet. Much 3 are also numerous « «*>♦!• j- ^ • ^ . „, j of this district north of latitude 52° is either covered with willow bushes or small ire. Artemisia and < , , poplar, with occasional groves of good-sized spruce and balsam poplar along the rivers. fa 22 general ly L'ood Tho ,r,.„„,„ . ""'^ '"'^^'^^'^^''^^van ,s described a.s ,? r y fc<'0(i. iijo greater portion i.s woll 8,ipp|,cd with r,-, .f . ^" wood for fuel and /oncing. Ti.oro arc ,oc " "' ^^'' "'^°'°'^' <-"' - other parts brackish. "'^ "'°" "^^<^'- ''« « -^i» ling westerly from the distance of fully 400 '8 of the large rivers >, is found along the i down many of the III a (ow years it 1 the plains. lowM tho river near been observed on 1 of 18 to 20 feet is 01186 on an affluent been traced to the '•oe to six feet thick. Fort McLood coal . Brown nodular iron-stone is reported irom various localities in connection wUh coal and shales, but nut as yet in workable ciuantities. THE RAILWAY UOUTE WEST OP RED RIVER. The railway route west of Red liiver, recommended in former reports, followed a ^..use north-west from Selkirk, crossed Lake Manitoba at tho Narrows, and skirted |e northern spurs of the Duck Mountains; it passed through a depression in tho |ovated ground, and reached tho prairie plateau near the source of the Assiniboine. f h.s location is, however, abandoned. The Government have given tho preference to a line which will pass to the south of Lake Manitoba, and follow the course Of present settlement south and west of the Riding Mountains. It was determined early in , he season to place under contract tho first 100 miles ^ction west of Rod River, ineludin, a branch to the City of Winnipeg. The extremely level character of the portion of the Province of Manitoba, to be traversed fendered it an easy matter to carry the lino in any direction. It was, however, an' ¥wt to find a dry location, and ,0 select a route which promised to be of greatest Jernument advantage, and which would involve least charge for the right of waj ^ in June last, surveys were commenced to establish the route from the western foundary of the Province of Manitoba, and thence north-westerly towards the River |askutchewan. A general reconnaissance of the district has been made, and two fnes surveycl ; one running west, and terminating four miles beyond Fort Ellice, on the Assiniboine; the second, on leaving the Province of Manitoba, taking a torth-westerly course to Birdtail Creek. A third was projected to run from tho |ommon starting-point to the confluence of the Little Saskatchewan and the River |Hsmiboine. This line gave pron,ise of favorable gradients on a section which |lt.mately might be used for coal tralHc, but tho first had the advantage in respect to liiieage on the through route. I The Government held that it was more important to continue the line which |llowed the general course of .settlement along tho western slope of the Riding «|ountain, especially as it proved to be 20 miles shorter than the southern route. he north-western route was therefore adopted by Order in Council, dated 22nd Jan. 24 •■.1^' * During tho past .season Mr. MacLeod f r..,. . i of the Im. belween B„ttIofort „„d Yollo, Head Pas, On ,1 « : :r::r■■°""^"'"'°"°-*™''-■■----^- ing the old line near River Pemhino wi . ' -f leiMeu . deviation c.n In . .• "'"'• ^''^" ^'^"^^^uctlou approaches this section tU ' "«l"« ha, been ■■ecommended win h ™w of av„,d,n« a„ co„.i„,eney of i„.e„,pt,„n to .raffle by innndaUon., and th z:r::::~" -"* — v»ood,a„d..tbo;_ The.„bjeeti,f„„ydi,o„„»iin my „port of 8.h I.ecembe. ,879, „W„b „i„ i i: ::::: : "- '-^ '"^^^"'' ^ "''-^«-' ^-^ -»-» ^-=' ■«" ™- .i .. et a b,.,d«e „p„„„.e .b.t ,.^, „ .^,,. „^„ ^^,^ bil.ty m connection with the «rnctu,e. .pp.y ZI ' ™"?'°"' ""' '"° '"" '°"° "^ "° "°™-- ""^"^ -^ ^ '»■" "^ .pply U, the con..r„c..„n Of . bridge aero,, the Ked Ri.er at any point north of th. ' International boundary line, a, follows:- o tn ot u,,, littler pir°"°""°"" """'""""■'■--«'"-- --1 on west of Red River. A I I tho appendix, I lich will raatorially lesse' t How Head Pass. On tl, ^ magnitude, at tho crosHiDi | , Buffalo and Grizzly Boa bviatedand the main rive irso west of Batlleford t a Eiver, finally intersect s> jproachos this section thv I I t which Bed River car j been recommended will I I by inundations, and tht | I is and for other reason^ .; nber, 1879, which, witt )n being still under COD has determined to con 5 all risk and rosponsi t which may be held to| iiny point north of the ; •t of the river, and noi ■ 50 interfciod with 10 8 tl nil-. L. ii; « !)[ ^ 51 so I ^WlttU'-T' • / 107 \f^ %*t'■*''(|»^^^•»''•i^'» 106 IDS 104 103 loa Stinlri" '^ Y ''■^■■^. ..fl^;^-^.^^.?,.,;*. L.->»^'-^^^" i* lOl k ^^i \ 'V/, ^H^hiv. ""■*''""" rf."' "'W, giveeiudf ; \ -:■" ^,<^^ %.^ i ,'■" -1 w^^'^' /^o^-fv. v Vf's' ■."ii.>?f ( 1 "V ■> "■■•■ -r- f V if. a„, ; ■} ipitHn.^- \ '■":■■ I J •'■ \vki'*sc ''■"'■ ■"■■'J?' ■'-•,""•..., f; .-■•-^,,.>„„,i, 'V,,,, ,1 '*(;„„J ;M5 108 108 HiU'^HA ^^- )^>^ — • •"V-:-:;-„.. ■.■■-.■ :-W-,-r„i^ ^'•m.iil'/) . \ '' . \ — -—-^ *, Ho""* • — , ^s \ ^ v' \ '•■■i^'^ -V- V -*^-.,\ \ .-'■^ -t ^ \ 104 O 103 , JiLIM-l- 102 LOii /l^f" \ »4 PLAN OF PART OF THE LINE OF LOC^s UK TUB . CANADIAN PACIFIC R ^^y.sT of lakic SLJi'i-raoi!. v..,„ !■ ^: (ISil.' / i^ 'i^S!, ,viW" ■■- .c-^. » yflic* sa -"^^i., '" C<:;;^ gns^is, '^rt I i-'-'j V'^. f - \ lj \^ ^- ...-■■ .a*'^' '1-^ •'1 -V \'1 ? Ji^*: ? v.* *« b :\ .\-'- ii ^w ■-1 i: r> 103 /■ 1^^ t \.\ S ■'"•'' V- \ K ^fi/' /' x- \^^' i,(i»*T SU"" iTff-'*" at' <*, {^o <'-v\ :-V: ^ w .J- . ItLvfJ^ 102 iOl 100 86 Plate No. 4. To uccomp'xn,) Rp.i>on „/ th,' EiHiimrrin-Chl.-f, Cowulian Padric Iluilwai/, 1880. PHOTO UTH BY THt BURLANO LITM CO MONTRCAL 25 3.d. That any obstruction t., the flow of tl.e wu..- caused Uy piorn, shall bo co.„- pen..ftted as fur as pnicticablo i,y increasing the water-way. ^ 4th. That the undorHide Of the bridge nball bo hi.hor than the highest known food level. 3th. That the uavigati.m .,f the river ^haii „ot bo obstructed. SCEVEVS AND EXPLORATIONS I.V TUK W..ODLAND REQIOJf. Surveys have boon continued to establish the most desirable location for the *.bs,di.ed section of the Canada Centra. liaiiway. The necessity for determining the ^o„.t at Luke Nipi^ing. at Which connection With .ho n.uin line can bo advantage Ously made, became more urgent as the work advanced. The Canada Contra! Extension con^mencos at Pembroke, where it connects with 4he p.ese„t railway system. The line runs parallel to the Kiver Ottawa, at no great .l^tance from it, until itgains the Mattawa, the valley of which it follows until it reaches Lake Nipissing. Tho.nfomaUo,, p,.vi„„,Iy „b.ai„.d pointed ,„ ,„„u,.Ea,t l!a^, „, the mo,. ^«.,W..o,™i„.,„„i„„„l,,3j,.,,,„^,^^^^__„_^^_^^^_ ,„^ ,„^^ ^^^„ ^^^^^_ 1^ .« o„ tho ..„„pti„„ .k.. Sou.b.E„,.B„^ „o„yfo™ .b. p„i„t Of .„„„o.«„„ l^^een ,ho ...IKv„,„„d navigation. Tb. C.„,u,a Cen.a, R„i,„., ,„..,,. ,,,, ,„„,. directed to this point, A prcll„,ina,.j, location ,„„ey ba, ben n,n,le ,V„„> s „ab.E„t B„y. „„,.,,. »...»]y. along Lako Nipi»,ing, to a point onStu-goon Bivc, about 60 n.ilo. distant. S.„„., bav. boon n,a,.e „, F..o„ch Hivo., „i,b tb. .iew „f ^nd.ring i, n.vig- £bio b, th. constrncion of loclt, and.datn. and > lino of canal wh.™ ..„,„i,.od. It i- a. one .i„„ tbought tbat .he Nation of a can., b, .ay of P„„ch Hi„r would *ep,,e,.ab.e for tb, purpose of reaching late Huron to the con..ruc.,on of .be peorgian Bay Branch. bo.. ofLalte N,p„.i„g. Tbe.e ,.,a„,„a.i„n. have been under.ak.n in order ,„ !««-..,„ ,f the ntain ,i„e ,,,^ ,,.,„„^. ^,„ ^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^ ^ ^__ .^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^ ti loins »»li.f,clorilj- mado will, s„„|t s7^, ~T ^'==^== common diHtanco for a,,^- ^,,,,^ „^,^.„^_ *''" ^'^'^ ''««« to run over a The examination hus o,sift|,iisho,I fi,„. „ Tiie projeotof connectin.' tl... n.;!.., , win .ulmii „n„„ „„„,,,, „, , ^'""'•''^"' '■"""'■T- Suci, „ .„„.„„ n.«y diclulo. ^ ' ""'' "'™ '"" «l>oap to„,p„,t«io„ On lh« co„,ple,l„„ „r ,t, „„„ f^,^ «..' to S»m, St. M.,.y, ,„ „„„„„. „i,, '" '""""■''• » '-"""V from CU, •^l..lon„, .„, , „„„ , :l"J " ■;- »^" -•' '—-'»-. fro. C,..t„™ „,. We hoTo not yot suffieiont data to snoak of ,1, There is ground for the belief tf,«f fk of lake Suponor, would attract traffic fro„> D„,„n .„, ^^ new now jfbi I 8a II I in Ml Cters liehm thruu of Lai Mnry. connui All th outlets Md th ftU 8oa.' Su lAke. oharact 2» I'lly prolonging oithor tli„ ivorable for conHtruction ; e tvro linos to run over a ""ioithofLakoNipisHin- , «nd that a favorable route Tiinion by a branch line '«. and muHt oxorciHe an ""t'7- Such a sehonie •navigiroLakoSuporioi-, ^•oi«:ht md passengers. « on the lower lakes is '^■'iko St. Clair present a nfinod to the navigation t cheap transportation rk, a railway hum tho i-s on Lake Superior, rth-Wost. During the ft would bo the most 563 from Customs reg. Qd cheap transit than le opening and closing ake maj bo navigated deep and open water, an on the rivora and ine to the navigable from Duluth and the »! cuiiying, ,inj faciliiio, |\,r rui,i,l JmchnM,.., , , >-»lwC'ty *'■" '""'"' "' """ '"'-'- "" "•"- « .' » ^^™c. .0 „„,.„.„„, „,, ;„::: i Tho facilities for biidtrin.r tlin Rivn,.af nr .,, , uL, " ^^''"''St- Mary w,ll doubtless soon lead in thoosf.b *..«..,,.„»„,„„„„« .«.,.,„,.,,.„,,,,,,.„„„,,,.„, ^,,„..^^^,,,;' - .. S.,„,.,„, .«„„a ,„ ,,e.„„ba, . p„,„.„„, „„„,,„„ ,,„ „„„, 2' ".» - . .o™ oft... M,c,„«a„, . „„,a e,.„,„„„.„,„ „„„„,„„ ^,„ .,.^^^^ I*ko. The exan.mat.on has established that a lino of . . . „k i ■ ' ^' " modera e V favorable character, can bo obtained. «".oia/ju OONSTHUCTION. -.. «.„.e,.,a ;„.„ ,„„ .„, ,,^„^^ ,,,._^^^^^_ Sup,.o,.oB,.iU.„Co,.r W„„Io,, .„ .ha. „.,.„,„ „„„„ ,, ,„„,„,,,^_, ^^^ ™„ai„i„g section .cos, *o mountaia, .„ Bri.l,h Columbia remain, i„e„„p,e,e. ... ti,o ,a.e .ear .Su. the «„^i„, .f .^e Pembina Braneb f„, «3 mile, nortl „f Ime.-..at,o„al Bound,uy „a, conu,,o„ced In 1817 ,1,. „.^- Bkirt,,,,,. •■. "'""". 'no gfading was extended to pK.it under the same contract and in ii!7a .t . , „,,!,,. ' "'"' " ■"*' ""> '">«!' "M l«id on the whole length 28 In 1874, thoexlonsion of tho Canada Central. Eailway to tlio eastern terminus near i.uko ^Xi'i-ishiiig was hulmidizcicl. Towards the end on 874, 50,000 tons of steol rails with the necessary fasten- injjs were purchancd. Karly in 1875 two Hoctio?iH wore placed under contract. No. 13 extending we.-^t of Fort William, the work terminating at Sunshine Creek 32 miles distant; and No. 14 from Selkirk east to Cross Luke, 11 miles. These contracts embraced grading, culverts and bridging. An extension east of Cross Lake 36 miles to Keewatin, at the outlet of Lake of the Woods, was placed under contract in January, 1877. This contract (No. 15) included the grading on .Section 15, and the track-laying and ballasting on Sections 14 and 15, in all 112 miles oast of Selkirk. In 1876 a contract (No. 25) was made for an extension from Sunshine Creek west to English Hivei-, (80 miles) embracing the grading and bridging for that distance, together with track-laying and ballasting on Section 13. The whole distance from Fort William to English River being 113 miles. In 1878 the fJeorginn Bay Branch was undertaken. This work was subsequently abandoned. The engi.ie house at Port William was contrac ed for in 1876; that at Selkirk in 1878. In the Spring of 1879 the lino between Keewatin and English Eiver, 185 miles was let in two Contracts, Nos. 41 and 42, for grading, bridging and track-laying. In the summer of 1879, a section of 100 miles west of Red River, includincr » branch from the main lino to tho City of Winnipeg was placed under contract. An additional supply of 39,000 tons of steel rails and fastenings was secured in 1879. The grading, bridging, track-laying and ballasting in British Columbia, from near Yale to Savona'a Perry, a distance of about 127 miles, were placed under contract towards tho close of 1879. T I It is not I i curves v I Thelim I and it is I alignme * The duced froi 29 lio oiiBtern terminus fio necessary faston- 3 extending w&at of distant; and No. 14 embraced grading, e outlet of Lake of contract (No. 15) lasting on Sections Sunshine Creek west for that distance, ?bole distance from •k was subsequently 6; that at Selkirk 1 Eiver, 185 miles d track-laying. Eiver, including a ier contract. gs was secured in jh Columbia, from ] iced under contract 1 The length of line now under contract consists of the f,,llowiag sections: Fort William to Selkirk, (main lino) 4^10 mile. * Emerson to Selkirk, (Pembina branch) gS " West of Red Eiver (main line and Winnipeg branch).. 100 •■ In British Columbia, (main line) jv^ « Total under construction >j-_2 « Tenders are now invited for a second 100 miles section west of Eed Eiver This will make a total lengt, . 822 miles under construction, consisting of main line 720 miles, Pembina and Wi.inipog branches 102 miles. The rails are laid 13G miles west of Fort William, and 00 miles east of Sel- kirk. Traffic trains are regularly run from Emerson to Cross Lake, 161 miles. I The importance of securing cheap transportation between the Prairie Eegioa and the eastern markets has been kept prominently in view in establishing the rail- way between Selkirk and Lake Superior. I have in previous reports described the efforts made from the beginning of the survey to attain this object. In my report of last year (p. 18), I referred at some length to the subject and drew attention to the fact that the Government had placed under contract the whole distance east of Eed Eiver on a location definitely established with gradients so light and favorable that cheap transportation is assured for all time to come. This important condition is not attained without difficulty. At some points it has involved heavier works than steeper gradients would have rendered necessary, but these points are remarkably few, and the increased expenditure, compared with that of the whole line is small. The advantage gained will amply compensate forthe extra expenditure incurred.. Low gradients are not considered of equal importance on other sections of the line. It is not proposed to adhere to the principle in British Columbia. The grades and curves will be there determined by the physical obstructions which present themselves. The limitation observed will take a much wider range, in oi-der to avoid expenditure, and it is proposed, as far as practicable, to lighten the work by accommoJating the alignment and gradients, as far as it can be done, to the features of the ground. d«cedfrl"rmile'!'°^ ""''"**'* "" Section 41, by which it is expected the di.twce will be re- t' 30 !l- ROLLING STOCK. M StepH have boon take., to dotormine the best ntanclard for the rolling stock ] ' ^ is important to have but one, or at most two, typos of locomotive, so that the parts ' ^2 i° may be of a constant pattern and inter-changeable. With other kinds of rollin.J «tock, as with locomotives, it is desirable to have as little variation of details ^ I practicable, so that in the event ot injury, the damaged portions may readily bo | rei^laced from the general store, with as little labor in fitting as possible. f Acting under the authority given me, Mr. Charles Blackwell was instructed to " ^is.t the several locomotive and car establishments and the railway workshops in Canada and the United States, and to report on the character of rolling stock best S adapted for this work. The experience of Mr. Tandy, Inspector of rolling stock ou the Intercolon Railway, was also enlisted. lal Their reports are appended. Plans and specifications, and working drawings of the standard Iccomotive, and the different classes of cars are in course of prepa- ration. ' ' Tenders will be received on the 1st of July for the rolling stock which will bo required during the next four years. OENERAL SERVICES. The following services also call for consideration at an early period : 1. Watering stations at frequent intervals along the line. 2. Additional engine-houses to be at points from 100 to 1.50 miles apart, to meet the exigencies of tiaffic. 3. Machine and repair shops. 4. Elevators and grain stores at the terminus on Lake Superior. 5. Subsidiary station elevators for collecting grain, as necessity may determine. «. Station-houses and auxiliary buildings. All these works, on a defined and sufficient basis, are indispensable to the sue « cessful working of the lino, and to the accommodation of public traffic. With these 1 results in view their provision cannot bo long delayed . Ad( ation is a 30a the rolling stock. It iivo, so that the parts ithei- kinds of rolling variation of details, as n-tions may readily bo ^ possible. I 'oU was instructed to railway workshops in • of rolling stock best on the Intercolonial working drawings of in course of prepa- : stock which will be CONTIUCTS. At the date Of my report of last year (5th April), the .several contracts were . 4.mnumber; s.nce then 23 additional contrapts have been entered into vi. •-. Contract No. 43.-Por Equipping and working the Pembina Eranch ." ' 44 Supply of 2.000 tons steel rails and fish-plate.. " 1,500 " „ 1,500 " ,, bolts and nuts. ■ period : miles apart, to meet rior. lity may determine. onsable to the suc- traffic. With these 45 46 41 48 49 50 5i 52 53 54 55 Grading and track-laying, lirst 100 miles section west of Red Biver. ' Erection of station buildings, Pembina Branch. Supply of 700 tons of spikes. 35 tons of bolts and nuts. Transportation of 4,000 tons of rails and fastening, to Fort William. j Supply of 34,000 tons of steel rails and fastenings. 56.— 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 An iron bridge for the Pembina Branch. Supply of r.ailway switches, frogs and switch-gearing. Furnishing and erecting Turn-tr.bles. 100,000 ties for second 100 miles section west of Red liivor. Grading and bridging, f,om near Yale to Boston Bar " Boston Bar to Lytton. Lytton to Junction Flat. " Junction Flat to Savona's Ferry. Temporary bridge over Eed Rive.-, at Winnipeg. Four lirst-class cars and one official car. 1 IS nnT»onrlnr^ ation is appended I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant SAND FORD H £ EMING, 'ngineer- Chief. INSTl Memora ■^ 1. • ^etermi ;iany of t I 2. [ Ithie sub ing the* 3. ] 4 ivory o: jLeod, K Jcxaminc ^he steal an arran inust be J)articulj n enter! 4. M Port Sin Cambie, ' Messrs. 1 5. M Connelly pation, a pan bo foi phe Slieei l»f Peace . district. 6. M |he Siieec iialie sucl |ind in ore 7. II Ixaminati pe will ox 8. AI |o, he will lormed th lionH in R legard to 23- 31 APPENDIX No. 1. INSTRUCTIONS OP THE ENnrwppn rxr ,,TTr„„ I Canadian Pacjific Railway, Office op the Enoineeimn-Ciiiep, 12th May, 1879. Memorandumof instructions for Mr. IL J CamhlP v. ■ £eteiSi;^Sli:;'^Sr befol^l^cf^ obUin definite data to fny of their tributaries, to Port Simpson ^ ■^'^^'" ""*^ ^^° ^'^«'' Skeena or ing the result desired. "^^ '*'* ^° "jo best mode of obtain- 3. Mr. Cambio is aware of the charaetoi- nf thn „„ very ofthe supplies utl^rt St. Jamr Ho wil^^^^^^ ^'' th« do- Deod, Keefer and Gordon to Port Simpson byIei„oTf'-'°?°-' T'/^ *^^««^- M^"^' 3xamination be made of the Harbor and Wark In o( if i '" ^^'^l''"';'® ^hat personal he steamboat to place it at his disposal for so doinc^" it w If .''", '"'^k,*'^" "^"P^"'" «f m ari-angeraont to that effect. But should t ev, n^nlf V " ^.r,'™"^'" ^^ enter into ^ust be taken by which the character oth. nlZZn t^^Tr^u '", '^ '"• '''P' ^particularly of importance to learn if Zv sSlTm l^"" ^''^^^ '■""^^"- It is n entering Wark Inlet from the ocean ^ ' Uifccult.os present themselves 4. Mr. Gamble will leave Mr. Geo Koof^v ...,,1 1 • . ... . Port Simpson to make certain c^^^nin.^i^'/tre^ftl^"'" ^he neighborhood of ^:U^^^^S:^^ ^--' «^tion,andsotoascertainifapas8agifora SJ^^ P°';t'«" ""'•''• of the River .tan be found between one side ' "J"^'^ ^"'^ an-angements to carry oiu the details as set E.ver Mr MacLeod has instructions what course to take, having ^rved it th Sn eoi^enSv S? .™ r° '."'"'■"'"""'I "•t"'l> ""J' by U.is limo, l.afs been gaZod and to carry out certain special instructions which he has received. «nH i""' ^°'"^^ ^r^' '^'" f^'ompany Mr. Gamble to British Golumbia as accountant and his services will be made available in connection with the oneSns of Mr r^,' Keefer, respecting which special instructions will be furnished ^ * ^'"' r.„f -J, •'' ""T ''^^'^'«"^' a««istant8 be required, Mi-. Gamble will use his own dis Inv nnf rfnT'^'^f "^"'■'"■'"^'"^'V'^ ^"^^ gentleman available in BHtish CoTumb pa°d om ^ ' '"^ """^ ""'' ^' '^'"1^'"^'^^'' ^''^ '^'^ ^■'^l'«^«d of their duUes ami exam^nation™^^' '''" ''P''* "' frequently as possible during the progress of the S. F. 12th May, 1879. Memorandum of instructions for Mr. H. A. F. MacLeod. ...r.J^l'- ^;.^" ^' ^f'^^'^eod will accompany Mr. Gamble from Canada, and will act ir ^Zp::'S!Z:^''''' "■'"■^' '^ ^'^ Englneer.in-Ghief, between tnl^Z ihc.}' 'fl^^'^^'^'^'^-— J ts character; the nature of the current: its anchorage • anr the feasibility ol a connection, at the head of the inlet, for sea-going vessels with railway hne up the Elver Skeena. ""-^feoiug vessels, with a of \/ark^In*iet".''^'°° ^^ ^'"""^ '''^''''" ^''''' ^'™P'°° ^"'^ *^« '«t^°i"« at the hea. x>\&tL^^^^r^f^^V^^■''''^'^7^^^^^ Sk°«"^ to the centre bistdct. Columbia, and thence across the mountains to the Peace ^01 4. Mr. MacLeod will remain in company with Mr. Gamble actluff wifh him nk 5. Lis act formec data k 6. operat( its feat n. it by w Peace . 8. Eiver J for exa 9. .aminat: and the the loe Elver, i are rea 10. he full i depth, t and sue 11. Chief, ti details i embraci and witl 12. it is to therefor( threaten are abso other m* of this r( 13. Dawson, parallel, the praci Eiver or Bouthesk 14. .1 thence in iA-thabasc Tapper a On n Gamble n: Is to be sei pack trai |)robably i Mr. 3 ■fcfthe56t iight and lake everj ^hysicftl c Jithabasca 12a 33 ■ should, with as little t eligible route Dotween le Rivor, may be fully Gordon to accompany peratewith the Pacific peoially in the Rocky •ery assistance will bo ijcd. QUI the details as set :)8sibly before reaching id Gordon to the Peace having arrived at thii, Pass, so that a complete innipeg to Edmonton, n this pack train will be no, have been gathered. a full report, up to 1 at once by the pack rest telegraph station lich, in the form of « raph to Ottawa, tist as above set forth ived. 'ol u mbia as accoun tant. operations of Mr. Geo, vill use his own dis- in British Columbia, 1 of their duties and lUfoasibilily for „ lino „f,„il„„5.""''' '"■«''' °' """ M"lw"i e';rIlLTrrp:r,r,,';fi^at^^^^ T,„, K„,„.or.„. andwithiuleilraoKliuary expen»o "" ™J<"n« 'hat it mmt ho ..hlnlticd rapidly . the progro. „,■ th, ^^zit^!::'::^ :!-2:^^!^^ V:s:'s:^^- ;iof this route, not to be sot aside. '' ^''''''™' ^'"'^ '".superablu, unci form a part :^^4^^S^!:^^;^^^ .-i.t,u.co Of Mr. parallel, and oast of the mUntair Tthe iSth m^^^^^^ "*'^''" '»'^y-«i^th the practicability of a railway by the slZt../ i;^. ; ''"T'"« '*f'"'^'»' '•<'K'"d to Eiver or Pine River Passes ; iud Z from the oca I^^^^ ^'' ''' "'^^ ^' ^''" ^ "'^^e Southesk across north-west;,rly to Pine R?ver Pasf ''''^''* i'J'l'OOnton. say at IJ^ncei^'diSC.t^'^.t'^Sr^;;; ET?^ ^yi-ir ^' '^-'-nton. .I^thabasca to Dun vegan. U may be ffi r ed '^^^!^^^^ '^"' p upper at Dunvegan, or between iuuvegan"^ 5t £r aS:;;/'" '"""^ ^^ S. P\ 12th May, 1879. icLeod, anada, and will act ir )etwoen Fort Simpson ; its anchorage; and going vessels, with a isthmus at the head llceena to the centre to the Peace River acting with him, oI> th the country until |:?ambie may'lu:^o^;.o;;*^rof X: I'Z'^T "^"^ *'"^"'^'"'^ «'^^'> '■«P'"'t'* «« istobeseut'asa tefeg/ar M ;te wfc^^ fh''^'"/ ^"^^«3'nop.i. of h in report ^'^^k train and will forward t^ t 1' '« Vom'"th ''''"'"''"'^ '•/ tl.« .'oturning •robably Edmonton. "^ '°i''^'*' ^^''"^ the nearest tologmpli station d •logmpli station light and left to ascertain how far good and extends -in . T'"^'^"' """'"'''y *« ^^o lake eveiy means in nis power of«5ining as (S^e?;tt^ 7^ ''*'^"''" »'« will J)hv8ical character n*" *hr ^-- i ^^ ^ t> "« complete a knowlodirn ii« ,w)-slk!„ c ,i |..ah^a^„a,.ayt;3ir^^;s::4^rS:;tr;i:^^lS J 34 ^'«|' Sl^ta^^'i,"' ''•°'"'° '""'' "" "'« '■"''-"" of ">o oo.„try „hl„h ho may po,,„n ,,v.l . lOHond S. P. ^j. as i LaTouciie Topper, Esq. ^"^ ^^^^' ^^^S. Dear Sir,— Mr. Flomin^r i„i8 directed n.o to seri you to moot mo from the «««* ■ Bomewhore ,n tho neighborhood of Fort Dur.vegan, Peace liivT ''' ^^ lou will, thoretorc, be good enough to proceed as quicklv as nossihlo to Winn; Dirt Lake on th^^n I"'?''',"' '^""'' ^" ^^ ^''° ^*^«^ •■«"^« ^o Edmonton, thenco c m. -tl, aS' I . I^obstick Ifver, and tlionco on a courno as nearly as practicab willS'f '''"'^""^ ns near the above general course as the nature of the countrv grounrforCur ran''f ff: ''"''""'' of Mr. Brown, endeavor to find the besi projerclh^ctlon ' ^^''"^•'^fe' ^r^^'^^g^ >° the woods where they maintain the Mark your trail R-d^ in the woods with blazes, and in the open bv poles set m a intervals, wnting fretry generally, Jveop a good look-out lor signs of Mr. Dawson's or inv i-..!..*,, ,„i tiie neigl' bofhood of Peace Eivtr, and signal" preseS ^^£1^^ "Ts' f^Vv- making smoke, when opportunity oifeis. ^ "'i"o oU"« 01 by Take with you, in!uct, Irom Winnipeg to the neio-hborlmn,! r.e p-„.. r> supplies for 15 men for one month, amoulithig to abo'u^S t 1^ •!.„ J tOO "bf S best bacon, with a projier proportion of beans, dried apples te-i suZr .t a leave at Edmonton a like quantity of each article, to be?i d'on 'the ?' urn Nm! of tho above supplies are to be use.l till you meet mo or Mr. Dawson f^-om tho we t You should take with you for your use on tho journey, about five morh ' suS for, say, 5 men, amounting to 1,500 lbs. of flour and 1,20(» lbs. of boT bacoS wit other necessaries m proportion. And take a sufficient number ot hoi-ses and cT, Fognlmt?'' '"'■' " ""'■ ^"""^ '""^^^^'^'^ "^^'^^-^•>'' to cany'uTtro'ar: Should Mr. Brown judge that the country over which von will ,v.>.>. f-.fi • .1 west of Dirt Lake be too rough to carry tho month's suppiLwiTlvmvm, w 117'^'' them at Lake St. Anne's, and when you find that the S Ts ituS.rtoT V^^ counby about Peace Kiver, you will send back and get them brotj't o,^ '" '^''" lou will endeavor to push forward as quickly as possible Irivin.. ,1".,,. .. 1, tho animals, and keep yourself fully engaged in eLmirig the'«.| ° I am, yours truly, (Signed) HENEY A. E. MacLeod. Addenda by the Engineer-in-Chief. 12th May, 1879. *• -^iV'" i^Pr'*''!]^ ^"^ ■ * ^'■' ^^PP^'* "^^'^'^ ''^^'^^ Dunvegan, on Peace Eivor bv tho time Mr. MacLeod arrives at that point from the Pacific Coast. Mr. Cpe. wiM accordingly push forward with ail speed, it is equally important tliat lie Bhould 1. I will inst tho isthi Oommen Qiatoi'ial ^ 2. 1 wo Skec Ibrmed f 3. a Jilotted ii r. Keel l^orks lb aucceedii Cbtimatir 4 T but Mr. J examinal ahoal tha . 5. I ■tidof fh( I 6. M s8ible, also tho depths lin^ a regular diary ol ind country generally, )arty, ^vhen you got to )y tiring guns or by od of Fort Dunvegan. . flour and 700 lbs. ol tea, sugar, etc. And n the return. None Lwson from the west, t live months' supplies of best bacon, with r ot horses and carts, carry out the above will pass totiio north- :th you, you will leave racticablo to tho open ought on. having due regard to jountry. L F. MacLeod. 12th May, 1879. Peace Eivor, by tho ;. Mr, Tupper will «.nt that he should 12th May, 1879. Memorandum of Supplementary Instructions for Mr. H. J. Camhie. 1. Bofore leaving the coast in tho neighborhood of Port Simnson Mr PamhiA Will instruct Mr. Geo. Keofer to make a survey from the head oT^^ark In L a^o s the isthmus of some six miles to tho River Skeona. IIo will select a no"nr'for tho jornmencemont of thmnurvey that could best bo reached b^ ea-goin" Es so that Oiatei'ials for construe , on coul.l bo transferred direct from vosHolfto^he ailwav ^ 2_ Tho survey w. 1 extend from the isthmus by the best gnmnd up the v^ll^v of Jccecding ton miles will be simi. a^.l^^re ;orfe?"nd"Mr:'K Z^ t^'^^t other clima'^c?I"u".s. ''° '"""^ '"^^"^'^ ^"^'^ ''''^'''' '^ ''^'> ''^' ™-. «now^nd ripoS£\KdSS^:Xa-'V-'j:s;S''nJ°;]^^ r? ^"°n*« lirding phu., p,.o«.L and puanlitios Jf U.Klt JlS ^ Uo^lJ^lSnlJ^tSn I aSnlt ^'Vl"^ "''""""' ^' ""'''y ^*"'"^ '■^^P'^cting Port Simpson as a harbor and f aik Inlet as a temporary point of connection with a line of railway. ' I S. F. 13th May, 1879. Memorandum of Supplementary Instructions for Mr. H. F. MacLeod. Ll ,^;'°i"«^'"»f *«'?'' ^vhich were sent to you yesterday, were hurriedly nroDared L if -rtll!;" rfCrtlTatlr" inf ',''" «°™™"">"'«l'»"W bo placed i„ p»„s. m von rnnuT^''!!"* ^■"'' '''*'■' ''''''''' ^""^ogan boforo Mr. DawHon roaches tho noint A iv».f hlllf^T''^ ^•^ ^-^^ H'"" '•"" ^'•"'^ ^o'-t St- J'^rne^ to Fort McLod you will I Fort Geo™ ^,j,„„,,,„^l„;^^^^^^^^ to report PflsH hr>urT( ^;\\ 7 ' "•" """ "" '""s'L"o oy way or Mraonton and Pme Rivei' S Fn,7ri ^^T '" "'"''"''* ^« *i'«t^"^" ^'th the lino via Yellow Head S Y n ^f' ^"'^ T^"^ '°^'^ of country it will pa8« through. "^^ of B vm, w 1 "If fS' ti'' '". \7 T'«]hing about the rod line Irom A to B, but eant of B, you will, at the date of Mr. Gordon's leaving you, have no information S V tion.*„7tSKV„dordTote"'''' "''''■ ''■"'"''■ *• f»PP» fo- >"« -f"™" 6th June, 1819. Memorandum of Instructions for Captain J. 0. Brundige. neces^t^'o^f 3Sf,' addS'Tf"' '',^ '^''^'''' ''■ ^^^^^^^ ^^^ Canals the . 8T = .|F portant olemont in tho oursolt'to furnish with- nation which ffooa to orgo to tho point A, on ve to oHtablish whothor LoHsoi- Slavo Lake, or avornhio gradionts. atoil lino in the neigh- is, I'or some roasons, is on or near this lino, iOSHor Slave Lake, may les, and tho undersign- ndeavor to get some >n roaches the point A, irn at A and proceed 1 meet him. In tho ainination between A ning at one end, your- on tho blue line and reached. 11 i red bo obtained an the rod line, there be could then, assum- through Pine River I oflico, HO that when ^nton, to tho blue or II bo understood, McLeod, j'ou will, I you may be able to r route between tho How Head Pass and tions will enable you ton and Pine River id Yellow Head Pass 3m A to B, but east information. S. P. oer for his informa- [ have furnished you with copies of my Paoitio Railway reports, embracin;,' tho lostimony of ditl'orent naval authorities. On porusing them you will find that our tnowlodge of tho northern portions of the coast of British Columbia is dolicient. It Is important that wo should, as far as practi(^nl)lo and as soon as possible, make good tho (loricioncy. You will, accordingly, lose no time in proceeding to British (Columbia find find your way north, to where tho einiuiry is to bo made. In conversations '^•hich you have had with tin Minister and myself, you liavo boon made aware of tho Jiiitiire of the information which wo re *. o^vico .„, Thi •otoctt 00|)H, ( It lar^ •0 not naptod I Th( ■Dow sol , Wo Qiiooii C itid p'>ir] Ifuy Huit In t who con( 855, wh hftrbor n On] Qontion^ "';itudo ( low tha Wo 1 hiding abc Wnd, and METLAHKATLAH. POET SIMPSON. the eastward of the shoal known as HaSor'Cft a?« S'fnpson by the channel to about wo hours and, the tide being ci^ ha I an onnolni'r^f'"t^ '" -'^^ ^""'^^^ f«'- the dotted circle marked on tho charts a?oun ulln, i^ fobse'-ving that, within shown as being largely coranosod of -oin T. .' ^''^^''' '^"'i which is there By inspecting the cfearlit ^wKien thiuvm.^''?i;e°3[' ^'^ ^''' ''^^ '' '«^ ^''on tected by this reef from the ocoanswell thm^lo "''°';" l''^'"*"^ ^bo harbor, pro- In the northern part there is rwen!sie,te,ed^ quarters of a mile square. These 'Ttrthe laL In ^^^\'■"'° ^''""^' '-^bout three Island, afford about five miles of water f,w«l! ^u^"^ ^""^ •'^^^ "f Finlayson's extent on the surrounding SaS. ^ °" *^^ mainland, besides a lai-gc A na npnder I •Cliarts, bi :: Point Sbo only ort of ei Mttromity Qovommc IJfark Ink Wark U 1,500 bftt soon h«ad. There entrance ; quarter eb _ ' We ti ineido tho ( a mile of tl that point : Thosh t#«o miles c bpttdin woi ia^vcry limi 10 on 13- rt Skoena, If it Hh( Skeena poraiy t ▼<|y much 89 RIVEB SKEKfIA, LAKES ASSKS TO r.OWEB SF.AVE iiA, Jan. 20, 1880. thoHurvoy and oxplor tliorn route could bo I' tributariea, to Port ra on May 12th and ivvHon, <.f tho Goolo.ri- coon (ho 19th. " 1 on June 3rd sailed ouino." 5th and tho steamer ipson and the Wark > had the advice and i" engaging Indians for tho night. ow and tortuous, and of accommodation. lectod with a number bed without facing wps, such us those which now traclo a In fT • . ? ' '" ^'"^ '"^'" "^ "'""" ft iurgo vessels may be c s I f, „V/i S>e nTlm '?"" '"">" '"?") ''"■"=«' Japfodfo. utLtteof acu7"'' '"'" "'" "^ """ ''" "^'^^"^^ "'^"^ ""^ '^''^ ^^«" »(l points nearer the harbor, it el i it 1^^^^^^^^^ ^'"" "'^ ?',' ,"'''?'" ''^^''^ way sni^d for the terminus of t^.".u.yrKJ;;i,f^^^^^^ """'' '^' '" "^^'•>' whoio,t:3^s.^^^'■,;;;^i;;;•:;^X'^^o?^"^''''r^''^'"^ »5, whore, in reply to q, el ' .nW LJ-. 'l"\^'i;^ '"^P"^''^ '^^ ^^^7, page l»rbor north of Bo.rvirIIa.^.ri;Wnt';ve.'rsSnd"^^^ '^"■' ""P^°" "'^ ^"^^ " ""°«^ •on^;;Xt-"{it?L^:'^'3S,e :'^'::^|;; sjLi'^h'^r"^" f'^'f^'^' ^''^'"-- S;itudo CPort Simnson^ nnH n V, " , '" '^® temperature of tho sea at that teingabout^^ui^rr;"^^^^^ '«" magni.icent entrance, ! WARK INIiET. f ven/nLt t Iho'unUeTsL^r '''".h''^ " '^'"'""' '^ ^""^"^ P'^^^ theJe 'by the f ark inlet. ^'' ''^"^'^ P™^^"* ^«««°'« entering or leaving i* JolVIm ISet'Vr ■T'mlle'lHluf^ 'T^ '' ^''^ -om ;, he entrance ui^^ « -i"vw luoL wiuc , 11 mile farther in, it narrows to nbnnt i nni» p,^^^ Wtjoon opens out again, and then averages one nnle in iidlh all th^w-ay' V'?^^ passing northwards n by the channel to 1 in tho harbor for serving that, within nd which is there t bare at low water, of tho harbor, pro- le half mile by two. sland, about throe ast of Finlayson's id, besides a lai-g.-i S/„\°Zrf™ „'°''l r.h''-"' '""","'« °^ "'"'"'"• »"" "°"?J afford »bout " I.JMi l i i ttM il 40 four milen noarly ....l.o.it /ft.o Q,Soon ,? '^ '"/""^ "'•°'"^'" t'>''eo,except for abouXSoJ one much curvat^n.o'L::;t"u,,^^^^^^ ^^vo'.a«e porhltps one i.^^^'^t^ Inlot, ,0 that,, li ,,,''" I ,™ ,1 IT™ ." n"'"f";T """"■""« ""■»»» '» W,,,.!'*""^ ilicreasin SKEENA RIVER. f '' "^^^^ On +K tftere is s pa.t:^w^^o';^:l:'::^..i!;iZ.;it-;-<,^;;f'7M-«. A^ Keefe, who. with hi^:';:^ Mr. Horetzky remai.u.l iXnT al Pn^^vZ, ! "' /^' '°"'r ^°"'^^ P*^'"'"'' ^ Sou 1 canoes, man,^rbyivo™nH;^^^^^^^ ^ b tar tod up the Skeona Bivor ii twJS,.C on the head wate.^ of the W „ wh^rT om-^'n? P^'^^'^lo speed to reach Fort McLeodlPfc Our progress wuss ow f f'l,„ more important work was to commenct" Jti, k m .•each the^" iz Skt^:^-' tiifrhii^jr^ " ^ ''^"^ ^^"^° °^ «-'^' -d - dii"„:|^\^t have^,;;r;:;^SJl- j;;;^;- i;^ -y^ ^^ the Skeena Yalloy, as , J .^S' memorandum dated April 23 riSTS^ndBuLh^H^^^^ ''' ^ "^'^^"''^^ '-""te' in atiofoV page 38. My opinioni are bo Vno ou? hJ fh« n ^.""Z '^P'^'"* ^°'- t'^'^* yea-ffie? which the plans,profileHandrtLaLfn,. ./''"• *^ °^ *^.''- ^««^'«^'« «"rvey, oiT'^" submitted to you.' In tfm moS^ndn^ T ^ ^ ."^''"'l '"^^'^ ^'' ''"P^^'t. ^re no. < residents at tho'^Porks we ^lh oS oisl, tl^';" ^T",'*^ '" ^^^ that some of tl. : small herd of cattle. Thoy Im^ sinco ,il / i /'"* ^^'j ^"'^ ^''^ J"«t obtained t . A daj thatcattlocan bo kept wTth profit ^"^'^^^^ed two good crops of oats, and fou.v I*cla Lak to ec^Z^^r;^'!^;;!^- «;;rr ^'ffi.\j^Cr^' ^^T ^^ ^^« p.acticab,|iie?ofi sonquah and Nochacoh ({iverw ami so to nnnll/n % *^'^«'-g ac- west »ido there is n hisi, r.inire of mnVmf L'.' i , t . ?'" """'' ""' '»'■'• 0" a his report, are now < you that some of th. '^*'^*^^ '^° ™^ eastward. ^ith the line which hact^the head of the bay on wS stands the ?orf 7T" '." :V«^th-easteily direction ellow Head Pass. Bu:«*tward to the head of thT Nation or anv n^t-u ""/'"^p'u '*^"'*" '^^ continued practicable route froEj^rte practicable for a railway I am not 17a nJf .'?""'; 5/^' ^'^'" ^''"''' ^y '^ lans to pack our can.,, f ", though several routes we're dTscrfbed ^oZZ ^f ^' ^^ "^ P"''^""^* •'^■^'^'•^■'»- |le^^t^^:;S^ ^'fejtS '^^'^'''If -«tw^-i from Tacla Lake about si. Ida. tniough it in 1871 to facilitate travel to the Ominoca gold lah iiiver trail, whici:' ises is about 3,'700 fee: TOuld entail gradientj works of conKtructioc gently up from thf^ this respect a marke: i umbia. PORTAGE TO STSWART's LAKE. |y &S^^^^^^^^ 0- .» B.«W. La.e. by the Eudsoa c ario'oret:'" °^°™ ''» "•• -^ "■» i'4t4o.ut-i" t^iittC; 42 rii Stewart's lake. Jamf^Z'SS 'wlLfwo"mfft,r'°\T^*'^* •'••^; ••^•-- ""^ reached Fort «• of the Pcco nFv^-lonZy '' ^''' ^''''^ ^'"'""^ ^^'^"^ '^^ °"tfit for the explorutio; back for soverai ^.lle.s, coveTeS with' pip^f^I^a '1^ "" ""'"''^^'"^ ''^"^' ^^^^"^'""^ dow.S K.^ J'^^::^^J;J:;;^'5 ,;^ --{"^'ow^ durin, part of our tri, bo wiHhod. connequontly did not soo the adjacent country as well as coul' PREPARATIONS FOR JOURNEY. point he rnight?o,uiroX,md!f;h"Th?irer''" '"^^^'"^ ^'^ '"^^^ '^'^ "^ ""J in boating/cutting traietT'bein^^Jor''"-*'''^^ ""^^ ^^'^'•« ^ assi., seventy.tSopack^n.';£:l?i,^'rnVS^^^^ °^^ ^^^ ^--^^^ "' "^^£Siii-^^^ '^^^^^^" ^^-"'- east with ti,; mule tranK^Pin;'KivorpTs.w?i """■ P?"^^' ^^'- ^'^^^'^''" ««!"'-' rostof thepartytodosccryPcTco Riio?i^^ arrangementn for tho Hudson Bay Company ° '" "" ^"''^ ^''"^^^ ^^^s obtained from the fljrtain Watshed Ifeing ( 1 ^evatioi mpurs or ■| On flls rue 000 fe( Ojiposite 4)uutry ?ttonw( . On 1 2r luncl lies, t particuls < The istances le river I Aboi •Qirough i ! could ] fficulty ick fror l^dUt fiv( llide will I mi,. PACK RIVER. men,^LXltrfhe''fat°^^^^^ R-^^Jor and fo„. junction with the Pmnnip neS dly ' '^ ^^'^' '""'^ ^^^^^^^ "■ hour!it\'ar!;f.rni;;±i'u12b:i"£;^^^ ?^^-t« ^^-'^ ^n- p. miles below Fort McLood! ^° "^'^'^""^ ^'^^^^^^^^ '"^^ ^°y Point for fiv. consiTis :jZura"ndroXfwith:!if '"""",""* ^T^ "«^^ *h° f-t- The fores: on the hill sider Thistel^s to he ?l!r" h'^' '^ •'■'"^'■' '^"'^ '"^ ^«^ ^«»g''^« A'- experience is concerned. ^ ^ " "'"^^"'■" '"^^* «^ '^^^^ tree, so far as our PARSNIP RIVER. The )out fori fut rockj luch to t feuco Ki\ ■ The 1 rich, hut 1 The c poplar, wi owi ingtotoHwiftJJrronfas'Sf Z' ZZtV't .^''"'^^■' ^'"^ --"^■•fficulty, railesTwhore we ferried Mr Duvson . Z ^ ^''° Mi.sinchi.ica, about twelvo animals and having npVolntedrme'et' ' im""i ^o s^ff '^T i^^ ^"' "^*^'", ^''^ Sept. Ist, returned the name ovonincr tn r^„ J .Possible, at J'ort Dunvogan, about Ki'ver. This portion of tL pI ■ dp^RivoHs^ 5^ fLf^'' 'f *'"^, T*^"' "^ '^'' ^^'^ about one-half mile in width. ^''"""^ '^"'' '^-'^^ i» a valley i The f ^d boluw entoi'stlio pfeinn; iron hiilt u raiiu ^nd.s fron m height t Thoug luthern o princip; null to ai The 01 larters of les at an This vv ther o!iHi ich swec 4a d at 10 tho name ovonin Jiimos, which was mci. )e8 to proceed. I. and reached Fort S- )utfit for the exploratior Tom one to six miles ir dulatingland, extending uririif part of our trii country as well as couji: visions. A small pad 't under c'.argo of Alv s to meet him at aiij y, then consisted of six IS, who were to a8si>! 3ur train consisted of '■e proposed travelling reached Port McLeod Y, Mr. Dawson going arrangements for the as obtained from tlu Ct. R. Major and fou; 16th and reached it- At some ofthe bends it washes the base of clay and gravel b=mks which ^f Cfrtam times when saturated with water anne-ir to ^\iu ir.tZl ^ ' which at gashed away by the current. These blutS^v^^yVom 100 f-^r f"^ "f -^^ fcinglevation on the eastern side for about c gh't .Ses buci m i^ nltl K "'™". ^'°"'''"^' l^urs or foothills of the Eocky Mountains ' '^'^ westernmost J On the western side between the Parsnip and Vioh R;xr„,.>, fv,„,.„ • Klls running nearly parallel to the forme AriaL of vSl u' '' T"-^ ^^ foOO feet in heightabove the river. m?n,.lVs^^^^ T"''* *]?* ""^'^^"^ |posite the mouth of the Misinchinca! byj^ d^our ,|ck tr I' h^ IZ ''"°^ "'^"^"'^ pi^ fo,.o,„i„, a..e..ipu„„ o'fisr™r,L/"t:,s^'^.;,^ir',ritff;- ifficulty. In order to avoid land slides it miX fjy !"'" "^'^^^^ f^^'^ «®"°"« .ck from the Parsnip, except aUhe cross n.^f!r which t'h "^ .^^^^i^'^^'^ble distance ;out five miles abovi its jun^ction with rhri^U^ntSe i Ts ' onlf rbrt'sof ^Je^i ide with an exposure of rock on the left bank ^ "" ^®"^ poplar PEACE RIVER PASS. the fort. The forest !vnd a few Douglas fii> ^at tree, so far as our ivith much difficulty, ;hinca, about twelve ross, and swam the rt Dunvegan, about e mouth of the Pack id flows in a vallcv d below that {.oiiit the united streii^^r no^n ^ ZS J^Jor - nd" "'"*^r?T' |lors tho pass of that name. This pass is bounded iofhnnU i^V'*' '.f i^' immediately ^ing fro,^ 4^000 to 5.000 ieet ubovJ'thrtl^'o *:^.:K ^'Ki"': 'l^r^'"''! Jf a mile wide between thoii' bases thron.rl, ,„m,.i Vi • ' .,Un^ valley about nds from side to side, hav , g Clies h^"t oiT n . 1 7'" ^''^f. '^ T ^^''^ ^^'^°) height iVom 20 ,o 8o'anc^ sonieUmereve.f to I'Tfeet ' '''" "" '^'' ''^''' ^"'•>-'"^' iut^;:t i:;i;^t,ni;^rts!s't. ;^: ;S:;;!r ^,cz ^^^^^f «- r. principally in gravel and verv heavv owin, fr> Vi, v^' u ■ ' ^''"^ '^'^'"'^ ^^"'^ ,n\h to'anoihei>where i^o;':^^^::];,:::!;-!^^^:!'^''''' '" ^""'"^' ^'^'^^ "'- .rtl!;:r!ftrjt^^s::?^slrSeS^/st\^^^^^ ir-^ 'V'-^^- les at an average slope of one in three ^ ' ^^'^ ^^'^ ^""^ ''«°^^y' ""^ ^hoi'^r^'^il^it' u'r^l ~'nl rr*^ '^^'^^^^ 'r"^ excavation; and about h-: a mile #1.: .wee-f^m\ieri;in^ -Si ^li T^ ^^ ^ ^J^ tS^ ii^Mmmk. «» About five miles tast of Mour,; S I^ ' * "'°''^°'" ""^ ^'^^ Purvey. tho south i and 12 mirfortheroasiailt^'l'. " ^ '""' ''u '"' ^'^ ''"°' ^'^^^ ^o'"^^ '•« f ror water, about ]20 foot wide a so comoTn fmrtt^""' ^^T''^"'' ^i'^^' ^"^^ ^^^ d^^' streams of importance to be bWdTd o," the 1. 1 '^'*'^^''""^^t'°."; Thoy are the onl The low flats are timbereH wm, h ^^"" ""'^*''" consideration, spruce, poplar and birch "^ ""'^^ Cottonwood, and the hillsides and benches w't side.to ^^:!'t^T:i^:i:i:t:^!^:^ l^^)^ base of the mountamsat o. four miles. From that point eastvJard to u e^c^^ nf?h«'R''T m '''* '"™'^>t^' V^'^^f 40 -niles, the character of tho couHry ch^n" cs t ho r ?il ^'^/ ^""ntain portage, abo. between the bases, and about six o7seven^m ties bl w'^ '';?'"" ""' ^° "^out two mile toins, which gradually decrease in heiittriboutToo^rl^rr^^ "J *J^*^ °^°"^ become loss steep and rugged. The benches nl , ^-^O*^ or 1,000 feet, and their slope. feet above tho riVer, and at three poirroniv of T''"'''^ ^"7"'' ^'"'"^ f''"™ !« ^^ tho aggregate to about a mile and ah^fftL ^ °"*'' ""^"^ ''^ •^' "raounting , river is'wfde, and it wouW be I'sibt to ^100^1^'^ '' places where^t edge: consequently the difficulties of rn; hi ^! " embankment along the wate Five strums Lve to be crossed t r^^o' hf '"f T T""!^ ""^ ^' S^'^'- and 50 feet in width. ^'"sseu, the wo largest of which are respectively 15 CWateriTvlrtbesIoleTSng'l^h:^ '^^^ -t-'d of th clumps of spruce and pop ar coDlo^flnd .! .1 ^ """"^ ""^ ^^^ ^''^ ^'^''^ some sraa grass and pea-vine. ^^ ^ ''' ^"'^ '' '^'Se proportion of prairie producing goo interior of British Columbia cn.u acterista of the dry southern portion of th ROCKS' MOUNTAf. CANON. from the upper end ' "''''° ""^'^ ^''°™ ^^at end, while I did the sani had ^:a:^^:^^A^r^SiX£:^ "^ '-'' ^^°^ ^- ^^-^ ^- -''-. a. widewi?hltc;;3eH?iff^r^^^^^^^^^ ^ g-F about 400 to 600 fee side.. The surrounding bilirX/Zm roojVT^O . I'l''^ ^•^'''^ ^'^'^^' the river, and slope down to the precipice at the - ^* '" ^^'^ht abov= they are also much broken by ra?3sothaa\ '>' '"? '" *^° ^'^ «"« i" Ave due e^noi'uVwSrJroflsrmS^^Ti^ S ;t^"!>7;,%^T ^^^^' ^^^ «-" sharply to tho north and leaves So' section of oin,^^ ^T^^ ^'.^'•■' ^'^^''^ '^ turn "Hudson's Hope may bo sad to be on th«.n% '"'''?'''* J" ""'' c-^-'^rainatio.. Kocky Mountai„s.\heir L'th n eL< oudin " ^ \ TZff" l"^ ^""^ '"''''''^'' «^ ''' .--Luuii!^ m a pOuth-eaBturly direcliou past tht I Tho (ibout ni «|e plate liomSOO I The liequentl <^i out a pities to •I We a Mid Dunv ti^iding ii ' Tho t Ipse and The t id the pi imilur i h and v ory sm I Wert I', lienne |iis till A] delay i |[hl were pcludo ll throe d ^ 60 foot wide comns in fiv„ ¥ the Survey, 60 foot wide comes in frot •0 foot wide, and the Clea 3tion. They are the onl ^nsiderafion. lillsidos and benches wit 30 of the mountains at or 1 their summits, porhiin HUDSON'S HOPE TO PINE RIVEH. Vil .•ecent date, on I much greater L^^:^^^;^2S^f;^-;J---^^^ of alkali, and I Jater, it dissolves and facilitates thnJ.!^ ^^ ^i'^*'"' ^^'i"» saturated with he small variety of sag. fPl^on to rest on it *'*"""^^t«« '*'« movement of the mass of earth which may 'O the eastward of th lie flats have some sraai ' prairie producing goo southern portion of th 'I >il to consist of u poor . PINE RIVER TO DUNVEOAN. |e plateau, and from a quurterTa mi' e to tiomre^hy^^h'h'';^'^ '''' '^' '«^«' "^ f m 800 to 1 500 feet vy^e, and wL"'tmJde to'^fd" ''' ''"""' the river varies aid of horses borro..$^^^na;:^ :} ^S:^'^2^^;^^^^^^^^ though not so m out a valley for itself hundred^ of bet dee ^nd Tf 1 .^^1"? '""^ ^'^^ ^^^''^ ^^'^^ 1 west, and was made fo #lt'e« to be overcome in the construction otl\\lt!.^^''^^^' ^ ^^^^ ^he diffi- which the Peace Rive f We ascended to the level oSi^h^L^V^ t\J^ T k'*'"^'^ ^° over-estimated. Bs in length. «fed Dunvegan. and each time found ft to K of th. ^''""*' ^''^^'"' ^^UNVEUAN TO SMOKY RIVER. Ins till Mr, Dawson shoul.i arri^voiith ou? £1 le tTvi^Thn "'■''•' ^"'" ""'" ^^l^'^™" [1 delay ,n rtnd.ng .he animals, so we dkf not 1 offfill ti " TT '""'" ditliculty *ht M'ero available. Mr M-i<.| ,o,l .m,;i i ",*^'',>°'^ oti till the 5th, and then onlv Jcludothopossibilitvof rl!lin!^^^ ""'"I^-- «« -nail as Ij I- throe days, till we'reached gmoky Riverl'luf Styivo^mi^ M-H^ i 46 Itv id thn JHiting tako I Bepsor S Tho balanro of the forty -five railos was thr, i.ifh |,nurie and mr.hr copse, with #ith'th! fevv w.Hovv. .n ' >w places; tho proportions wo.- A:nM ,)no-C,a/co:.... fo two4hir * prauMP, with g...ss twelve inches high, -rowing Haffioiontly closo to '<; rm a sod. Iho trail t<.|lows the more open pa.ts of the i -untry, and it is probable that tl proportion of wooded land -it Home distance to either side would bo greater of vegeTabi^ did."'" ^^'^^P*^'"^' ^l^o^^ meationed, is a grey silt, with a few inch, n bvnt!*rifVr^'T^' rniic« from liuavegan we came ajHrn Gho^^t O.o. k, twelve feet wid a branch of ho Brulo Eiycr whic;: we : .ossed ;U about nineteen miles; the latter fifty feet wide, and omp^es into tho Perce tiReen mile, to the eu^i of .Dunve-an At, 1h.ahirt3--iunth mile wo crossca the }\aCL Heart iiivcr sixiv foot wide 'in valley 250 foet deep, a quarter of a raibwic:o in the bottom, and nourly half a mi: ^A-.deattl.oevel of tho plateau. Fromnherr we c;v..ed, it flows in a north-ei cour''- foj- about five miios, and empties into Smoky Eiver. o... 'V'*'l"^V '"o" '^™'"" ^''T ^^^ ^°'"'" "f ^'"0 ^i^'«'' to Lesser Slave Lake woul c oas ..he -Smoky ii.vor near this point, and wo selected it as the most advantageot plM< .0 ()ndj.€ that river, on a lino of raihv .^ between these points, not only becaii- of Its proxim.iy to the straight line, but becaase the valley of the Ead Heart affolv an approach on the west side while immedia'u.ly opposite tho Smoky Eivor take*' Sthor ddr'' °'^^^ ^ '"'*' ^''''"^" '"'' "PP«^-*""ity to approach it from t^ The works for about three miles on eacL side would be exceedingly heavv I continuing to be of a formidable character for several miles further • ^ bmoky Elver is here about 1,100 feet abov, sea level, 750 feet wide at hi.- water with a current of three miles per hour. Tc relievo the grades a bridtre shoi'^ be built about 100 feet in height; even then it is probable th^ c^u d no? be k '' quite within a ma.xiraum of one per hundred. "o^ oo la, Next (lay 1 parted company -viih Mr. MacLeod, he making a sweep round ■ the .outh-west on h.s way to Pine Eiver, while 1 ourposed travelling to Lesser Sim #d a hal Lake in as direct a line as circumsfances would adJnit under the direction of an IndJ. ^ It d guide, whom Mr. Kennedy had engaged for me at Dun vegan. Wparated Ijesscr SI Abou SMOKY RIVER TO STUROEON LAKE. feet wide We found a party of Crces and halt-breeds hunting on Smoky Eiver, who ferij. ^"'"sd'ir US acToss in a canoe at a point about eight miles south of the Bad Heart. river not i Ihe valley is there 450 feet deep and two miles wide at tho level of the plalo; Lake, ink Ihe western bank has an irregular slope with many small hollows contaiuii ; The c pools, caused by a series of land slides. imieh flo„, My guide kept travelling south-east and insisted ho was taking the shortest ron "Oil are p.' to Lesser Slave Lake, but after four days he brought us to Sturgeon Lake, five mi' ' For o long by four broad, elevation above sea level about 1,900 feet; Where there is a sou b«slt of bla montofCrees. in width- I estimated that we had travelled during < ;o four days only about forty, the face of miles. A very large proportion of the countr, 'iooded by beaver, and we spu vine and » hours picking our way between ponds, wadinp , s swamps, and bridsrinir sni:. ^ These streams -<- h muddy banks in order to g-t our were crc . ■ The e numerous swamp raeadov. /■•■ timber is poplar, spruce, birch, willow lu..: !-if.ck pine (pinus contort aV iiW of sm size, ma few cases nine to twelve inches, tu)t .vo small groves of spruce nine i eighteen mehcs diameter were noticed. We re igust 19t i Hudsoi 123- Cont four days only about forty-' 'tooded by beaver, and we b])L': . s swamps, and bridging sm;. • .CH over. No streams of imjiortan . TV little if any true prairie t. 47 ro'-o through timber,' a; A'/eifty-fic-.i to the Iwont )0{)lar, eprace and willo and poj.Lii' copso, with ■t'-ivii co.i:..' to two-thir Close n- *; i m a sod. nd it is probable that it ould be greater, cey silt, with a few incii 't Ct'e( k, twelve feet wid icteoii miles ; the latter be eut,i of Dunvegan. ;r sixiy foot wide, in 1, and no'irly half a mi; it flows in a north-ea' jesser Slave Lake woul i the most advantageonj 3 points, not only becau- > )f the Bad Heart afTorc ho Smoky Eiver takes to approach it from tfc be exceedingly heavr further. 750 feet wide at hii; e grades a bridge shou! they could not be ku; little labour, the soil is whitrsit wUrfom (o k^v in 7^ '^''''"'^ ^'! l''''*''""^ «'»'> very The boulders and sh ingle on tT,o beach ^iV Sh "'^'' f ^:^'««'"''l<-' """.M. ^ with them was a quantity oVw^le';;;uSsfs:f„.L ^'"'"' ^'-''•" "" '<'"''"^' ""'' I STL'ROKO.V LAKE 1 > MTTLE SMOKY ruVKIl, {Hiting some of his Indian ?,• " ds ,,cvcrtl o lossT,,^;"' " 'h'^'''.' '"*"" '/"' T'l«"««>' itimaied elevation above sea level™ JoS' ,h L. t "' .''* V'". ''''''«""• Thi lur miles per hour. ' "" **'''^' ^'^J'^'^ *«"J ""*^ " J<"l< <«ot, mrrent |ajn Sjnoky. about.«fteen mU.:i^:l^lZ^ ^1;;^ rad'^SXc^tS NnL^'rSor I'aJ^o^l^tstfrnX^^^^^^^ ^-'•^"- -" "Single of eces of lignite, but no rock wL seen in bo,)'. ?nHTK water won, ; aim, numerous Ig from what distance they l3 drifted ' ''^ """'" '"" "**"*'"• *''' ""^ertain- le «!- o;^ fi^ wi^s;tAri:^'^^[rt;r;^^^^^ 'f- «r - « ^«-« "^-"^ I examine it, not having h "en'oVe'of any kliyV:" lys^b^^^^^^^^ '"''' ^""''^ '^^^^^' MTl'LE SMOKY UIVER iking a sweep roujid ■ avelling to Lesser Slar Lhc direction of an Indii TO LESSER SLAVE LAKE: noky Eiver, who ferrit Bad Heart, .he level of the plate; null hollows contuiuii aking the shortest rou irgoon Lake, five miL where there is a settl i only about fbrty-orl y beaver, and we spei' ps, and bridging smi o streams of imjiortani ' any true prai'-io ; tt. ! contort (I) all of sma ^es of spruce nine ]»..»r Slato take. '^ •'"°"'°' '"'"■ "' '''° •••>">» "«">«, "■IikIi »m|,iiM into ■ About Kf>unnf/ir>r^ »«:i„ . /• .. -, . . f«ie ; -About seventeen miles (Vnin thn T ;f(i„ c< i Set wide, shahow. anTw t la U e.a o ,wo"?^i^^^ ^' 'T'^ •'^""''' "<^"'-tiJiver, GO garter of a mile wide and GO feel dcen •^'"" ^''"'■' ''"""'"'^ '" " ^""^T » 9 Sliil continuinH, with the J of iyOMsor Slave . and GO feet deer). erncl fan;"o".;."%vt weTe.;r;'"^|'-T^ ^"^-^ ^-^ ^^^out eleven ke, into which it diSaJg^H ' "^' '^"°"'*' '''^' '^' -^^^ern on __^ ^ ifloSb^^&^lll/Ke^f- ''^'"ll!^ Heart River is not HO Hwnrnpy or so lil are precise^, similar """ ^"'"''^ ^^'^'^'' '^"^ ^hat lake, but the uEr „nS lit ^iS^^e:'cl;?^r':^£rLrS«,^'^'^ ^^-^ «iver. we pa... through u width ; but from tlmt poi Jto t e head olM ''"«," ^^T'l''^^ "^^'''"f »'«"' » ""ile face of a gentle slope faiin.' tie south out^^^^^^^ ^lave Lake, our p.lth lay along .e^and some small sa^^.e, wi.lTpS^ira tf w 'l orcSe" '""'" '' «""' «''"'"' P''^ The sod ,s grey «„t, with sevJral inches of bLTv^getable mould. LESSER SLAVE LAKE. 4S 50 foot wide, coming in from tho tlnrth-^vo^*t, wiiieli is imrdered for a miK, on oai t^ido hy rich mai'Hli meadovv.s. They arc .Mii)jecL to Dverflow in sprin^r and durinir thf ourly )>ait of Mimmor, but at tiio time of our visit tiioy wore nearly dry, and on many jai-fH a mowing maciiino migiit liavo been used to advantage. Tlie grass is eoarso in quality, but is said to be very nutritious, and a lar^c quantity ot lia}' per aero might bo saved. The wosiorn extremity of Lesser Slave Lake is a circular pond, about four mikN in diameter, which is connected by a net work of channels about a milo in length with anolber pond of nearly the same size, which in its turn is connected with tho main lake by a channel about tlneo miles in lorglh. Tlieso pondsaro quifo shallow, seldom oxcccditig four feet in depth, and between them as well as to tho soutii of them marshes similar in every respect to that next Salt Creek stretch away for miles. Tho fort stands Just at tho outlet of tho first i)ond ; tho upland is there light and bandy, with a small growth of poplar, spruce, alder and willow. A lino of railway crossing the Smoky Kiver at tho mouth of tho Bad Heart, a. before described, should rise to tho level of tho plateau as rapidly as possible and then, continuing eastward for some miles, descend gradually into the valloy of Littio Smoky Eivor, cross it, and pass by way of Iroquois lakes to Lesser Slave Lake following its southern shore to the east. From tho route which I had travelled, no hills wore seen in the direction of Little Smoky River, and it is not likely that any serious difRcully would be mot with oi the lino described. The I staiit fii laving an fe-(il"ih 1 of vak i Of th ^(•h grass ■^e depth 'j Hctwi (pnning st IJiside two % half a I . The i ^ocialiy s igg south i ^e i'eaco In the lies, solic rs wore : rich, and LESSER 8L.4.VB LAKE TO I'EACB RIVER. At Lesser Slave Lako wo wore presented with a supply of white fish, woighin - from three to four pounds each, similar in every respect to those found in the irrea't >iorth American lakes. ° Wo left there August 21st, on our homeward journey, following the Hudson H:iy Company s cart trail in a north-westerly direction towards Peace Ri\or About eleven miles from tho lake wo crossed tho South Heart River, which wa> there 40 feet wide, coming from the north-east, and followed up some of its smaller tributaries to tho twentieth milo. Three miles farther wo crossed a creek about 8 feot wide which flows into the Noi-th Heart River and followed tho general direction of that stream to its confluonco with tho Peace, three miles below the mouth of Sfiioky River, and fifty-fivo'from tlu' western end of Lesser Slave Lake. j . . Jn tho (irst five miles from tho lake the trail ascends 400 feot and then descend^ gradually with many unimportant undulations towards Peace River which is thoiv about 'MO feet above sea level, 1,300 feet wide, its immediate valley being 700 feot deep We crossed a muskeg ono milo wide, and travellol along tho margin of anothor tor half a mile, beside many small swamps which could bo drained without difiicuk\ jiassuig through ono strip of prairie ten miles in length with rich soil and luxiir ant grass and poavine, also some smaller praiiios on slopes facing the south Tli oiherportionsof the road lay through groves of poplar and spruce, generally , small size .i to 12 inches in diameter, on soil of grey silt with 2 to 4 inches of ve-' table mould. ■'^ CROSSING OF PEACE RIVER TO DUNVEOAV. At the mouth of tho North Heart River tho Hudson Bay Comimnv have a <3Xtensive storehouse, from which are distributed the supplies, &c., destined lor'tho Jjower Peace River, and the posts far north on tho Mackenzie. Hero wo crossed tho Peace, and continued our journey up its left bank on an open bench with poor gravelly soil to tho old trading post opposite Smoky River, ostab lished in 1792 by Sir Alexander Mackenzie, which has now been abandonod ; and then ascending to the plateau by the cart trail, followed it to Dunvegan, nearly fifty mifes m all. '' • On mj IWck a few Ufo mule ti a small par the moinboj M By nox *|legraph, i l^arcst tele 3 Messrs. Fjeace from fifioiild trav( opportunity unexplored. 1, thorc bf the direc tie main foi River to Hu my way as I At Less had not left available for oastwarc m British They hs monton, a led out w ore, our o ty. Wm. : This son t the Inc ntry. I2d~. 40 d for a iiiilo on oiuh i^j)rinf^ aiul dtirinjif ttiu •0 iioaily ' ■" '"■""Sli •' li««i'lv lo I ivhito fish, woighin," ) found in the great llowing the iHudson Peace IJi', or. irt River, which was [} some of its smalloi twelve miles vingan average eleVation'of V900^f;et'abu^/H!..L'l,'?'r'' 'J, "'^"'•'■)' !°^'el country, n-lU'th prairio and fbur-lifths nonl u- m, t,l\ " ' '^'^'' '"''"'y '■''^'' «0''. about t val'uo except for firoi^'S LS^ ' ""^"'"' "^° "'"''"'" '^"'"= ">' ■^•"'»" ^^ |.h ^'^:^^^^^;fs:;sr^^ii:r:!^^^ p-i-i-. with |e depth of a foot wo failed to reach the" ufS '"""'''^'"^ ""'"' '^ '^''"^^ ^'^ uetweon the Smokv liivcr r>nu^ ..,,,1 w #nning stream, the SthB iHo fe't w.r'f-' ^"'^ f ^° "''^''' ^° '^^'^'^ «"« *.ide two small watercourses vvi'thstaLM.nVfn; i '"""' '^"'P' ^'^'^ "^ ^^^^'^^ ^"'■''""t. % half a milo wide. «t"grunt pools, and wo passed a lake one mile long 4cc^ii; :zliiX;^'z ^r ol^i:;„^'L;r^" ^f ^'i° ^r" «-- ^« '-- been fig south into Peace Jlivor di>^ct ind t ml! i ' •" ^''" ^'T^'' "^ ^''^ ^^''^'^'^s drain- 3e i'eaee a few miles below Smoky Jlit, "^ ""'""' '"'"^ " ^■'"°'- ^Lich joins dilos,'Ufidrocrk°wtC^^^^^ Ij^^-of Slave Lake and back, about 260 irs were noticed ; and though so.ne of t he S i ' >:,,? f T' ?'°'" ' "'^''^ ^'^^ ''«"'• llrich, and will become a «ptndid fam n° co fntVv if Jh nr ■ •.■ hi the direct route, in.stru(°ting him to waflf.^^^'^-'^T^'' T'^ ^^ *'>° '"«" «"J ""'lo^ # main forks, while T, with a ml Inanv ^ nT.?.T ^"i° ^^'T' "^""* ^^ ™i'«« f'-^"^ %rtonudson'Hnope: there S^ossove^^^h in m^^^^^^^ ^,^° north si.K .; T f .^Y as best I could' t^ tho'^^rwiJh'iL^'Sj,!'" ''''' ^« ^^^'^-'^"^ ^^^^ "^^ .^/S°^Zt^;;'^°n' i:i^^Zr^ :!^'y^^^^ to loam that Mr. Tupper ICO Ind ' Comjiany have ii &c., destined for the left bank on an open Smoky River, ostab en abandoned ; ami nvegan, nearly fiitv 4-^^ tdtSen';?:^^.;:^ :^^i'^^^^^^ ^« ^v^^^ t. , t»nedoutwo;.h:,ssa„dimportinorSd th«n.S <^ on September 5th, one of those ^f'oro, our c' . ; •, osourco wK trw^^^^^ lom as far as one of those I'ty. VVm.AicNoiirfrom Victora nnn "''™ ^^f '^'''^ reliable r I Thissomewl^ 'd Sed my m;i;rS"f"'^^S! Jf^ ^er-thor short-hkndod: >t the Indian who ur^liortlV o°S^ «Oiuitry. ='"'"*' '"<' to I- or t St. John did not know tho 12j-.iV so DUNVEOAN TO FORT ST. JOHN. Fi. n .r>iin\ ,1 wo tnvollo'J roHhward for a day an tcet wide, in a valley 700 feet deep and a quarter of a mile wide in tho bottom. Tlit slopes on both sides are much l)rokon by old land slides. On the west there is a bluff of decomposed shale, and on the face of the easten slope many lodges of sandstone in nearly horizontal beds. We saw a few small open musi<(f prair I Gri llope, a nly lev lake fi'o lounlui he onl' Thi *ii i>- ,■ ^ '"" than the otiior nortioiis of tiiij |,latouu >n the Poaco Kivor .1, strict, which I had travelled ovlr an. InV an ]ier ci'iitage of poor soil, ' HIDWOn's HOI'K to PIVK ItlVEK. 1 tho face of the oartleri bout one mile' in widtl )f vegetable mould, hu; Wo also passed over iterspersed with popliir uf small popla, sprue ilt throe miles ^^ ido o: a longer time than ' I did not dare to lit ,:i I's Hope. Most ol lii on]_y for 12 miles afii ■, half-way between thi of Hudson's IIopo. iplar and willow coji- ;he- in diameter, ces light, and betwee; iles in length, gravi'lh 3 whole way across th' iv. which was then • 0, besides three other North of the Peace nearly east and wes: 1 to ride through om Jiliiculty as the smokt itely, the til .her wiv Lhat from tho ouster dson's Hope, a ran^' r, about twelv milt 1 between i' and [^ ngitude of bunvog;; , We lujacho,! Iludson s Hope September 15th, and tried to obtain a gui.lo to take ,i. to Pme River, but failed, as the Indians were all absent; liccordinds^ wo left next fnorning and tollowo.l a Inuiting trail to Moberl y's Lake. This trail aMonds from Peace liiver by a series of benches, and at one and uhalf milos rea.hos the plateau which IstJicro about 2,000 feet above sea level, and continues at the same elivSlI' to the fifhrnilo; I then passes over a ridgo 000 feet above tho plateau and along a steep Jill side to he south-western ond of Moborly's Luke, at in estimated elevation of j:,OaU feet above sea level i According to the best sources of information at my disposal, Moberly's Lake l.oul.l have been situated two-' '.Is of tho way across from the Peace t- Pino Rive, nd in a country htted for settlement, though somewhat hilly and with lar-o areas •^pf prairie land. " '^ hr.r^'"'\ 'r' '"y surprise, therefore, to fln.l myself only nine miles from Hudson's IIopo. and hemmed in by hills, rising from .{,000 to 4,500 foot abovo sea level the «nly level and visible, being in the valley of .Moborly's River wl,i.h empties into the |»l .'V^; V" '''''''S^^> ^°™ ^'^-'-y ^^^ and seemed to mo luilo equal to tho far-famed white fish of Lake Huron. I We followed tho valley of Moberly's River, south-wostw.ards, for eight miles and tion turned southwards up a small tributary. Aft, i- four days, during which we had |hoppod our w.-iy through fallen timber from day-light to dark, I found myself in a fnall basin with hills rising ste.ply 1,000 to 1,200 feet or, ' ,th ;-,ides and in front ma these, wher< not actually precipitous, were so strewn with fallei' umber of lanro me that It scemvd a hopeless task to attempt to cut our way 'brough without helij i llierelorc sent two men ahead to find Mr. Major and got H)mc of his partv to •me to . ur assislanco, while I remained behind to take cai\5 of tho mules assisted Armstron;', who had cut his foot with an axe. My mossengcM's returned three days afterwards with ^ix men, and on September in \vu reached Pine River and joined the main party. 1 estimated that wo were then only f-Lventeen miles fi ,m Moberly's Lake but ^d travelled nearly thirty, and in tho last four miles had passed over a mountain 1-00 feet above sea-level. W e wore also about twenty milos west of tho point where ,ex])ectcd to hnd myself. '■ 1^ In the fir.st Hvc milos from Iludson Hope \\o had crossed two small tamarac W^amps and some stretches of light, sandy soil, with a small growth of poplar an.l 1 We had again met with gome level land in tho valley of Moberly's River which ■r nine miles abovo the lake avorasos nearly half a mile in width in the bot-om ^meportionsof this are gravelly and barren, and others fertile, with a few small 52 Botwoen M- ,orly'H LaUo und Pino Rivor there is now a yo.inL' lm-owH, of Hi.n, a black ,, me and poplar, hut the pile, of fulle. timher proved \ho existen 'o no^ ^ i ago of Hpruco torestn ot moderate ni/o, and u fow heltn of that timher, U in to " i (liumettT having escaped the ravages of Hre, arc atillslundinL'. "J IMXK RIVER TO THE 81'MMIT OK THE PASS. T ..b '^Y ^T"'^ characteristics of the country, from this point westward to Stew Lake, have been fully described by Mr. Hunter in your report of 187S fAppend k and as I am prepared to endorse that description, it seems unncees arl/fo m ^.uch on any bu the more .alient features, as seen from an enginooring po j, view, in connection with railway construction. ««""« point ^ of nnl ril''!"'?f "!'^'7 ^H?'"' ''■''"■''. ^ .''"'"'■"'^ '^> '" '"'"'" ""■!" ^vido, from the 1. of one h II to that of the other; and in i's westward course continues of the sane ^ for eighteen miles; it then narrows to a .piarter of a mile, and remains so, with a 1. trifling exceptions, all the way to the suinmil, about soventcen miles farther At a few points, where the river washes the base of the mountain^, ovi.ensl t works uf protection might be required, and heavy excavations T go tn . i frim ^ bench to another, when thoy differ much in elevation. ^ " One mile east of the summit there is a precipice 180 feet in height, roachi'. right across the valley, and below it for many miles Pine liiver falls about th' feet ror mile, so that to gam the summit with grades of one per hundred would require to bo over seven miles of sido-hill work, principally in rock, m d t Btrucutn^^''*''^"'^'*""'"'^^^''*^*^^"'''"'""^"^ "" ""-''''""^ obstriiclions to railway c, Ae wei fe hill •at lal ^ Th 9ino 11 dfce wl Wi'tson only. I'INE RIVER I'ASS TO FORT MACLEOD. 18 JTon\t? n"wr '!,' '^^^''''^ !^c '^-certalnod to bo about 2,800 feet above sea level, llu 18 an open space which shows indications of the annual deposit of lartre auantit ^ho'par;^ ' '''^" '"'■' '""'"• ^'""^ '^' '"'^"'^'="" "" *'- -- "'^ oatteJn side in lerfgth.*'*'''^"™ '''''"''' *'"'''" ^'''' ''^"^truction of a tunnel in rock about 1,200 t. Proceeding westward, Azuzotta Lake discharges its waters bv a small strci the Atemuche wluch descends 300 feet in two i^ilos to the llisinchi ca and S river, below the point of junction, has a fail of more than twent^'tlTo S pe rnil To keep the grades on this section within a maximum of one per hund.^jd u requiio much sharp curvature and excessively heavy work nunuioa The valley of the Atcnatcho is a mere gorge; and immediately below its m<,u on the northern bank of the Misinchinca, there is a high gravel slide lb lowed rough and rocky slopes whicd, extend for six or seven miles down the ri -ei- re.Tde the builaing of a line along their face very expensive to -imif oP^'.Sio° '^^'^T'"^'. ^'»° '?''f °"t in gradual, and the valley sufficiently u to ^.imit of railway construction without much difficulty At the junction of the Misinchinca and Parsnip rivers, the latter is 500 foet u tttSo7wltef '"'' '''^"'^ ""^ '"^""' "'^ ^"- ^'^'-t-Jr/t'ocJobcTi:;, tin„p?oi^*irr^'''l°^'',T'!''^'''''.T'' ^'^"^■'' '20 feet above the water, which . lo Tutia Lake! ' '' '" "" '''''''''''^> ""^^ ^hen descends gradtu, Toc( •*'eral n- lend w ichacol ■er to 1 pes ref Pl|Bard to J In y( ^ine fi'oi jBve easy wor that ' Wher :M' weath Wfrthorn > Next heavy rail the camp ; am mules Wedi be luirchas burin •l^ernatinj i^\ J r>3 3 Iirairics iit the lako a yoiin^f growtli of H|.n mI tho oxisteiifo not \, I' that timber, tJ in, to l.' i ding. PASS, )oint westward to Sleu; ortof 187S (Appendix (. ns unneceMHary for nio I an ongineoiing point r FORT MCI.EOD TO STEWART RIVER. mile wide, fionrj tho I contitincrt of tho munv ind remains so, with a teen miioa farther, tho mountains, expen> ionH in getting from o feet in lieight, reacli:; Ilivor fullM about thii ' one per hundroij, th^' eipaliy in roclt, and ve fears need bo entertain ^ Tlio section of c Mmtry between tho Pael< Hivor anM«i;; '*'?''"''" ^^'-i^i^h Columbiadoos), that 1 d.. a boat bolon;,ii^/r t lo J^Xo„ IvV'"'-'''''""? ,T'"''''' ^°"''^ ^° «P^"'^'' ^^'^h mo and thence l^^- L Fn.se live t gu,^sno/M'^;,^''T'^; ^'?'^' '^^ '^ ^'^'-^ *^°«'-'~'" 17th. and at onee hired two ho;w ': uf tl 'T''^ l''"'*^ ^ '"'"■'''^^ «» Oetob.r tiie train. ' "' ' '"'^ '"'-• ^liem with gram and sent them out to me.' .i.ouifll'i^n:'^;^^;:;;^:;';;;;:,;;;:;: st-- --' -"^f" ^-^ ., ,^.os„ei m saa.tv Karnloops. DuWng the M-as n wo i ."" "" '""'"^ ''^ '^'^'' "''"t'^'' n"=''-t«>'« ='' ^, season wc h.id moved camp one hundred and one limes, CLIMATE. »x„cHo,',r„f"„;;„";£,„;."' i;,t',',i' ;;S,"'if";.!?:T '■;■■■■"! ■ «"■»'"- '■ '"■ «.,ld and wot .>„„ ,,,„1„,, ilZro,L7JZ>y,' '"' '""" "" «-^"r""»'»ll' Iho following Statement ot dw, "'""".v so. po,ts throws a little light on the mattoi^'"' ''^''■' '°''" ''^ "'" ''"'''''"' ir-^t'^on Bav barlet^iuKiig ;;S;";'J,^S~«;|J ^- ^;>"J most kinds of ga,.len vegetables a,.' country, but ..one near the shore ,7 St, v'.,T. "^'H """'^ T ''^^ '^'"'^ ""^ "'iaee,)' digging potatoes, othe.- vc^' los . ..,1 .'^i ' ■"'" '',"'f''° "'' "'" ^'^"•' ^^o^'" •>'- A small herd ot cattle n^X^Zu^lET "l"^ ^*?" ''.""r"^ ^""'"^''"'^ previou.lv winte,. ben,g out in son.o of .I'^aJ^.ar'^ii^'^'^' '"' ''""" ""^"'"'^^ ''--^ ^''' fort jiaeleoil, .Iiilv liili icii, ir . vines of which had bcc-n uJL , L '' 7? 'f "" ""'" ' ■'^'^•'^b'-looking potatoes, tl,- with a few .nise..ible ollion. ^''«K'-'^""J '"^"ne. A tine c.-op ofpeaUnd carVoi- the elevatio.. ;-iOO feet less wl i 'h h „' d ^ i '"""' "'''■''' '^'"' ^'''''^ ^'- J^me. an, tudo, but the cli.nate see ms^ , '" T^^ -compensate for tho ditle.'ence in la.i P'-obably to its closer p.v.xl n v ,'> Z > K 'V? " ''•' '""A*^ ^'" '^'^"•i«>--''"'-'S owin. vegetableswe,ehouseda,.r,^HnchniM :?;''''•';''■'■ ^" October 2..d, r4 il„ ^ Hudson's Ho,H. J„u. L^? C:'' il T , ,'"''T ''^^' "',' ^'^'^ ^"■"""''• and onions we.^e ve y (in,. ■ , otli ;.,..! ."". '," '''" >'^"'^"" ''^ " -'"'^^ ^'^"'iy i"''"i ' May 1.5th, beans were Mllfl iZ<^T. !", "'" "}'"''"'' '^>' " '^"^"^ '■'■''^' ^b,,. tl:;;^':srl:r;;^;v:::i\;;b^^ ^"^ rri.-'win;;':.;s if - -'''^ -r"^ ^'---"" "^ "^ ""'' '" " c t-onty outofVl.; rt ;;:!::::\;:;;'r'-;"'"'^'3---. '-^ '" the wmterof isi. IJeturning the,-o, S.pt.m t ' • T' "TT'' "'^ ''>« ^'^*^P ^i"^^- a ve.y poo,, crop, and th , w ,( I • d l^: :, ''l ''" ^T'^ ""^ 'l!^^'*'""^ '>''<' P'-<"l"ced on^ I milk slage, ,-c,,do,i,,g it uhE! ^^ ''""'' ''^'''' ''•">^"". while the grain was in th I t.u'n^i;' "ilnfa'' "'rloj.f "';,J|;|:^ ^'o'mWd'" w",r' '"""'TT' '"^^'*'"-' -"'"- - ^ excellent barley. OnSen(c, 1^ .^,i i '''' ^^'"''^m. had a small patch . ' rega..ds quauti.V "nd .,u Iv 1, t he b. h,vT''; T'' "" ?F"' '^'"' •-•■^°^"^'' b.tl, a much of it eatci., the o'wno.^'.nvin. be^ '"''m .1^ mi, criminal charge. '"""Vingbeeu .UTosted an 1 taken to Edmm.ton oi, .„„, close by, there wore tine ..'.i.o,..'. !!.,'.'."''"'' "'"' '^'■"^.^'> J. ^^hi'" at tho R. €. llissifv ii'op of fosultod Jill some the wl.i ^lission, *|>!icceed( ;' Lof {turnips, M. C. M I ;f\ -1 sometime previouslv sustenance durmacceeded well. " ' Lesser Slave Lake, August 20th. In the garden of the fort were peas, beans iturnips, carrots, potatoes and rhubarb, all looking well. And in the garden at the p. C. Missi„n were the same vegetables, also onions, cabbages, barley (.mod) with fome very fine wheat almost ripe and quite beyond tho reach of any A-o^ likely to .^ccur at that season. The success of these crops at an altitude of 1,800 feet above the Ipea, a!id therefore nearly on the general level of the plateau, east of tho Eocky Orountains, is a matter of somo importance, though the proximity of the lake may have intluen^jd the tempeiature. ; The gardens at Hudson's Hope, Fort St. John, and Dunvegan, are in the iTalleyofFoace J{iver, many hundred feet below that level, and they have also the advantage of a great deal of heat, reflected from tho adjacent hills. Li tiiis connection 'It IS right to mention that all tho seed used by tho people in 'tho Peace Kivor district idias been grown year after year in the same ground, and generally without manure |also that they have not the most improved and earliest varieties of either ^rain or ivo)j;etablos. " Eastward of Hudson's Hope it is said that snow seldom lies to a irroater depth .than two feet, and hor.-is. OK.VEIl.U, RKSCI.TS. As the result of the season's explorations, the following conclusions may be ar- : '''^''"'' ."*• H'?^ ** northern route for a railw.ay (an be founln.o„to by.j;;V^^ho'turix^^^^^ «'-« ^^^«. <>^- ' .,...„.^^°u^ '"?,^^1\*"" P^^'^J^ «'«o a remarkable onran greater than that by the reaerR^v ' u ^'ii°^ ' '^ '^*'"^''l ^'^'^ '''"''"^'°" ''^ "^"'' range would bo IMiter A fWni li r '' '? Pf «"'S H'roiigh the moiintui: Skeena./.ahe Wa"oK?„;i.Kive. p^l''y^^^ "^"x.^""^ ^™"^ ^''« ^'^"^y «'' "' this pass, butsuch a e vo,!^, hL\^^^^^^ -^^^^^^^ ^"^'"^ ^^^'^^^o^ ^ connect wit; northern one. '''^'''^'■>'''"''="'t«"^ ""'I -"any miles longer than ti: <>^oJi:^:iS;':i^:::i^::;:!:;s^^ t.. other .en.b. extending eastward from thc^ bo hi |s of ,^^ ■' " ^nict of groat fertiiit Lesser HIave LaUo. "^ ^''^ "^^'"'''y Mountains at Hudson'-, Hope Lesser HIave LaUo. Iio4'5S"nS^i;;';:!if;';2;";^"^^'^r'"'' it .outl.. westwards to ,he bueoof tl,. it reaches to the north is sti I n > LI? ' ^''T'' «-^'<^"''n that direction. How 1:, observation «ith • p', ^^ ' ^f "^ saw, and can speak frona person, if the climate proves su ble Sn tuJll 1?. ''"' ?''"' ^""= ^^ «»'^y wide whicl. On the last noint I l,',.-nVn • i . "^ ^° surpassed as an agricultural district. and my own n r Z on is thn^ r ''^ ^"f" ^^''.^'/u''" *'^« information at my disL. cattle Ling hZnwitrVrthoT,"^\T'''';'^',T^:' har(licrce.x^.lsandprobibvofwhe t nmJ ,.H* .''" ^'">'' °^ vegetables, and th, maturity before the fros in ear v n , '„'n v •^V''^'''"^''^' ^™ "^'"'^ ^^''"^''^ comei ally occur, but that h^s bceVtl e^c^ n T • ^h "^^"^^^ ''"'■'''''' *"■'"'•«« ^"' o^^'-^^'"' northern hemisphere, ^htrariVsil^Vrsf,:,^ '^^^^ P^"^« "^ ^'' wor£ip^jSi\i;K;ru:t:r a^^;/-^s.5^^^ -^ «••- — fbrastS^c^o"'^""^"^^^'"""^'^-^'^^ ComiLy;i>3;?'we are much indebt. tcndSr;?SewSZ?rD^,^;^'^5V'T"'"r'^f «^- J-"-- ^'- Supen, trouble to lUrnish us .iS ^l^^'^S'.Si:. ind'Shl^^""^^"' ^^'"^ ^•''"•'' ' 1 have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, «>^--.u. IM,KM,^., K.,., C.M.G ir.J.CAMniK. Lnginoor-in Chief, Canadian I'aciiic Kailwiv Ottawa. ■T>S 57 e land slides, and latcia ilway immediately alon. ?.blo lino ma^- be secure, passing' to the south c. r'i.ne Eiver, a few mile, or Slave Lake, ui- t ■ ^h the elevation is muci through the mountui from the valley of il,, C'Leod to connect wii. miles longer than tl, APPENDIX No. 3. REPORT ON EXI'LORATrONS MADE BETWEEN PORT HIMPSON B. C, AND HATTLFFORD N -W T VIA THE VALLEY OF PEACE RIVER, DURINU THE SEASON OK 1870 HV IIENRV \ -' MACLEOD, ' " w A. . by the other membei. i I a tract of great terti lit IS at Hudson'-. Hope • wards to the base of tl that direction. How i, n speak from person ig by fifty wide, whit' igricultural district, nation at my tlisposa suited for stock raisiiK of vegetables, and tl are used which come ! 1 failures will occasioi in many parts of tl: 1 and other assistaii;. .•e are much indebtc I t. James, the Superir. i^-egaii, who spared i; servant, ir. J. CAM HI K. Ottawa, 7th February, 1880. . ^'"r ''If the honor to report that I made an exploration of the country ilyiiig be ween Port Simpson, B.C., and Edmonton N.-W.T. by way of Peace Rivor rin accordance with your in.structions dated 12th and LSth May 1870 L. I wa« directed to co-operate with Mr. Gamble in the e.Ka'minations from Por* rSimps^n to Slave Lalo, and with Dr. C. M. Dawson of the Geological Survey, from SJ'mo E.ver to Edmonton and Lac La Biche. Mr. R. L. Tupper was directed u, ^proceed via Winnipeg to Edmonton, thence across the country following api.roxi- |mately a given direction to Dunvegan on Peace Elver, at which place it was jcxpected that all the parties would arrive about the same time • ■ The main object of the exploration was to determine how far it was feasible to jconstruct the ra.lvvay passing through the Pino River or Peace River Passes |in he direction of Lac La Biche or Edmonton, and to ascertain the approximate ^Ydhjw Head Pass ^ ''^"'P'''"'"' ^'^ ^"^ '"''''° '^''^'^ ^^'^ ™»te« «'''cady surveyed via i f n^l Q-'® ^^"^^ time it was required to make a general examination of the TCarbor |of iort Simpson, of Work Inlet, and the approaches to them from the Skcena River, |a so an expbration fi-om the mouth of the Skeona to the Forks, and thence via Fort |bt. James through the Pino and Peace River Passes. I Thecapabilitiesofthecountry, in an agricultural point of view, along the pro- |posed routes were to be noted, particularly in the Peace River countrv. I -llie party loft Toronto on the 13th May, arrived at San Francisco on the llHli ^andat Victoria on the 24th. '-■ J^ being necessary to wait hero some days to make arrangements, J crossed to see Burrard Inlet. I also ascended tho Fraser to Yale, and dmve ov^r the wa-.ron ..road to Boston Bar, so as to enable me to form a comparison between that route andUie I one proposed up tho valley of tho Skeona. ', Having made final arrangements for forwarding supplies by trail to Fort St g James to meet us we sailed on the 3rd June for Port Simpson, arriving there on tho I .Ih. In passing Metlahkatlah, we engaged Indians and canoes for life journev uu sthe Skcena. j j i P I POUT SIMPSON. i, I The steamer, drawing 10 feet, entered tho harbor of Port Simpson at low tid.- |i.y tho southern entrance, after waiting for an hour she passed out by tho northern I entrance. Ihe main entrance is from the west between Birnio Island and extensive fucs lying to tho south about a mile distant, many of these reefs aro uncovered at -iiow tulo and form a good breakwater to tho western sea. ^ vv„ r ? ^''^'^°^ '•' SO"d' ^"'^ •'' «l>(>ltered from tho S.W. round by south to tho N.W. ^Westerly winds would swoop with considerable force across the harbor, but would I riot beaccompanied by much sea. Captain Lewis of tho Hudson's Bav C-. Mv^ li'-"d I mere lor some iime and has had long experience on tho coast, considers it a very 58 oven for tl.CHiteoi-alurgo" town ° ^' "'"""" "'" ''"'"' ""'^ '^ •^"'^^'■■■«"'' as sites for liX ho, os no s^^^^^^^ l^o 'Uilize I-.iot Tho'mf.Hh'n.^n'"^'T\''° '""'^ ^'^ '''° ^'"^'•'^"^•" ^"^' "P to the head of Wav^ >>bo.it ibu. J" aV o " "Tt'w"ir^' "'' cioop, and the c./lTont with ebb lide w:, thL.cotowithiithreotu thsofZi^ ,"'" 'T'^'''^ "^'^ -« ^'"f'^"^" Siitlioms -It fiiin f,.;V f 1l , ° °^ t"° ''""il "o bottom was found at - .he hmr-\te;:ri'Jnl5Ztt'£r^^^^ ^^^'^ '-^ f "^T'^^-^'^ ^'^ PonSimp^on botwce: leachcd. In this latter nortinn^t ^""'*' ^°tt.ng steeper as the oad of the inlet ;• ^vido extending o'.tf'300?o4rferu;'S'h;in^^^^^^^ ''''''''''''' '' '^ ''' ^^ e-i. !;:ssrsia: ^,^^''' «^-- «-■•- ••-""« '" " -->-. a«ce„vrthTsL\K,i7i/eitr:f jlf "z ? ''"' '^"'"^'^^"•' f ^ '"'™-^ ^i- iec from the SIccena and '4t , I ^f ■u-VK''''^ currents with each tide, and th tain seasons. •^''''" ^"'°'' "''" '"'erfere with the anchorage here at co; SICEEN'A RIVER. I'ort E^Sr to Sfr w! I ^'"^r '"^^''^ ^^'^''^ ^'^''^'' "^^'^^ "-« ^"°« i-, following ,M tL ma n vui ov of .. Kl ''''?; '^T' ^°'' '^ ^"""derable distance, an ' here are fren uont ovon hT>,5ho T^'v' "'"' f '^''^'' '^^ '^^ ^^^^ «'^'"° character an V, Kn u ° " ^"''■''" 'i'l^""t!».i,'o over that in the vallov of the Fr-iso. M-hici^viin:ar?rbo";i";;;ed*.:;ain:r" "^'"^ "■'^ -'''" ^'^^^'^ «"--'•"-• ^h'- which will require Ut',u on ^^P^ ?"H. '\'"'''?' ' ''''^^ «^'^ «now-slides, o,.. r.nd valloysrw^ith Uln'd's'ami smilV' oughs "^^ ''" "^'""^'^' ^'^'"•° ^''^ «-'^" '^-^''^ J ->»< i«... nun .MiuUs to tho top. J lio tieiichcs :! t^e fool iroach car, vcv a t ope Th( id moi snov icents Tht ind isla ill be I Jvers V Simsc ':: On ind isia f et high fivo rocli Jlnd a ha f grave ' In t Ijirly at i ^' heavj ' d 300 , e rest ^ #hich he The detached places. \fork on ill ascend |de hill, fi'idges fi The vea poi bout tw( ay be pe ireams, i ilufl'isfi reams. In th i"d ^hich ihe line can h. located^to advantag^Tn o^o^al [laces. The height of tho mountains near tho river are from 1 to 2 000 feet Tlf. jork on this portion will be moderately light on flats, and gravelly bond o'oKcett .p ascending some high benches, and in^ passing two roc^^y po.=^.ts an^a S ide hill in a 1 about one mile of heavy work. There are four stream" rcoi id ni I'ldges from 30 to 50 foot and ono'200 feet. ^ ^ * V. J^^-T'!!""" tho succeeding 11 miles will bo generally moderately li.rht At venpoiuts he work will bo heavy, in passing rocky poinls and side hi Is in al x)u twomil.s At Quatsallix Canyon the rocks aio 200 feet hb'l lu t'ho line ay be perhaps behind tho knolls and save a mile of heavv work. Tl oi'^ are throHarl earns, requiring from 100 to 300 loot bridges each, one of them op os to vS In the next 19 miles to Kitwungan VillaL'e, the valley wi.lens out and tho av l-ri''™-";?" '" «P.P«"':''"^«-tl'ere aro some good flats with grassan i pe vino- m. streams, ,n all about six miles. Tao streams will require bridges of 1 fun Ig rapids.""' ''"''' "''' ''"' '''''■ '''' "'"'" '•'"■''' <^' "^'"'-'^ ^^'T -ilt' wiul The banks of the river for 1 1 mile.- following are rough and broken with noints , 1 ±'H"'V""'r^ ^^''^ '^'"'^^ ""^'^^y ■''^'^ ff"-"^^'"'. alto'^rnating wt \ia ow'^ f^' s id bonohes from 20 to IdO foot above tho rivor. A lino may" poss blv be fo n i ierSthorl^^^^'""!'''' P^''J'^"'«'-'>' i" the vicinity of Kitsigucio Canyon, tr vert abiu^ 400 H """"'i^ k"!''' ^' moderately light. At one point in the canyon the vift anSpid '' ' Sonm-My tho width is 800 foot. The current is very In tho next eight milos to the Forks, or HazU^t/^P \^il!..-e th<- -iIIpv -vi !m, ti.e.e aro some Hats with grass and pea vino-; ' ThoblnSs'^re of d?y 'and g^-avd (iO Fi'oii n.ul ,.s ..luptcd. Tlicre arc two «trcu.„. ,„ tlHs,listanco, re.iui.ing 50 foo,t of hridgllll^ inUICS OF THE SKEENA TO LAKE HAH[\E. AtF Oipcrccl f trail followed from tho Forks of tho Sko.Mii tn r!..hinn T ni, „ , OiiJcrcd f do of the valley of tl.c Watsonqu^i K^v^t !£> U^ 8^,1; 'SnrSl^ [ '¥^^;fl'« ileo to tho mimtnit. All these Nti-n.Mm. n,.> ...;k r„ ' ." \ 'c."" „ .''^'V7'..^''^ ! This Tho wh.oh ch.du„-go. itswators both easterly and weslor^nt' e S mmU " "" ' ^''" i '^''- .lheeh.>rac..rofthe country is rough and mour^tainous, unfit for railway conSimS; ^truction with deep tranvorso valleys in many places. iho distance from the Forks to tho summit is ahout 35 miles thence to T nl- ' ,,ra.oa,,x„b,,,,l.l,„F„,k.»,,., „t Lake JJabh.e, a„cl »m. tood "p^'i.'g'j °„" [tj BABINE LAKE TO FORT ST. .lAMES. Thojournoy to Fort St. James from this point, was by canoo to the ho^H nf Dund is In th Carrie lil then rrior I. ! undulj The t itlie san: n dijsci ulatinj |amp Iti From isiuif ov amp Ki For tl valley leading to the head of the l^lmo^i^^^^ ''''" '"''^' "''^ "^""" ^'I'^kos. Ihis valley runs j,arallel to tho lake, and tho wato " '^'"' "'■"' higher than tho lake. On the south side of the bay a 18 a pass, leading to Tatla Lake, tho summit of which is Jiabino. Iho approach to this pass from tho valley a]( appear to bo very dillicult. It is probable that a praclic Tatla Lake to the .Nation liivcr. \Vo wore informed long tho side hill, does nutj L-ticuble line may be tound from "' boats have been takei, |ri( The h iley of I Ig and si ivy. F( There ie lor as :r===»:rr=sy=#-,,.;-: !gc of sniiii'-s, Hotwo( 'i bav hot t u miln 7 • ® ^""""^ " ™«''*^ «^*'"- Near the west end tluMv . Thoil?onii! ""^'7?'"^ '"to the north-west, surrounded hv iJl^Zn. 1 ho h.-ad of this bay is aoout 4 iiuies from Trembleur Lake ^ "" the and 1 oaco I On the I'arsnip I ho carj I'lio m( will roi; 'snip abo fll rcfiuiro about a milo .; : .'•""" tI'of<'ot of Liiko I abiiui to Fort Rubi.ie the bill si.los tinmuv U> \m Hi,U,Mn f .n •or, bo 80,no miles bac.;,«»='-'"^'-"';;'''Jt,'^''l'.''«"d <'» H'o vuud between tbe lakes. There a riZne ) xf, . f !ivcr which bend, to ,i„.«^"\'' «f T"^^''«. -li'vo'', ">'' "'"^ ^"^'^^h' -il, rail- ibllow n it is about 400 feeij wsito to Fort Jkbim 970 feet above Lake. o side hill, docs notj, ne may be tound froni^ tats have been taker, slands and deep bav,>i ■l\- shore. There did o shoiv for about 3'), pass to Trombleur 01 i ther place where the banks of Eabi no Lake ot the lake, arc bold he watershed between ve Lake Jiabine, withj lower than Babinf head of Stewart Lakti ie. , towards the centre' the west end there is jndod by hi>"".« wu iein«<4 i)r, J>aw«>n 3!;fr,;r;r,:!3,:;r,:;r,::.'?4,'Y''. ",'"'■ "■"! "" "«"".- 1.....1 ,.rTr„.„ ,.„„. f.ni„ aboVo w. Mi-5iic-Li„;.:ui; '^Js.„^i°sz,^. s^ ''S::^^^ 62 to the ParHnip will be heavy on the west Hide ; the bank is 120 feet hii/h, and cor tinucH high for two miles down the river. The water-way required will be aln,,, Should it bo necessary to bring the line down Pack Eivor there would not I, inuch difficulty in doing so, as the banks are generally low, from 10 to 30 feet an there are many flats On the left bank, near the Parsnip JlJver, the banksare stcei and rise from 100 to 200 foet. There are several places' where 'the line could SS cross Pack River below Trout Lake . Tlio distance from McLood's Lake to the Par nip IS about 18 miles. From the mouth of the Missinchiuca liivcr to the Nation Elver, a distance . 41 miles, the ground on the east side of the Parsnip l?iver is well suited for railwnv constructiorf, consisting principally of extensive flats along the base of the foothiii: to within four miles of the Nation River, In this portion at seven places, banks from .^0 to 100 feet high approach tii- river, causing about three miles of heavy work. ^ 1"^^"lu m, At four miles above the Nation River there is a good crossing with rock bank- Ihe water IS, however, deep and rapid. The length of the bridge would bo 300 foe l-rom this point to a flat half a mile fr -m the Nation, the banks are goneralh dose to the river and are from UO to 100 feet lugh, with terraces above. On ascendir,- the east bank of the Parsnip we had a good view up the valley of the Nation Thi mountains appeared to be about 10 miles distant, and the lower part of the valk. was composed of terraces 50 to 200 foet high. On the east side of the Parsnip tl mountains are about 8 miles distant. ."onip in, F.'om the Nation to Finlay River 39 miles, there are extensive flats on eachsid; of the Parsnip, alternating with bold banks of clay and gravel, with rock occasional!, near the water. The banks rise to a height of from 100 to 200 feet, and in a f places are not stable. The Finlay River is about 300 feet wide, and at the foik- where the river becomes the Peace River, it is about .500 feet wide, deep and swif Ihe Peace River passes through the main chain of the Rocky Mountans betwee' J inlay River and Clear Water River, in a distance of about 25 miles. Thern. Si*!., TZn'^ri «''9^^i«"«' !^l"ff"\of clay and gravel for nine miles to Wicko Rlve.^ Thence to Clear Water River the mountains approach close to the river bii even here there are narrow flats and benches alternating with bluffs of clay .M-'ave t^ins'^h^-e: t'ofoui-ti;!::" '^ '"" ''' ^" ''' ^«^^' ''"'• ^™- ^"P ^" ^OP '>^the mou, '^^\^,^^TS,^7' '" P"««i"g through this gorge, is magnificent. Wicked River and Clear Water River would require a water-way of 100 feet cae fhero are also some smaller streams from 20 to 40 feet wide 1" the next 41 miles to the Rocky Mountain Po-Uge the mountains recede h;v the nver. The lulls on the north side are covered with grass, and are wooded on tL There are extensive flats and benches on this portion of Peace River, particul'u' towards the Portage, and in the neighborhood of 'the Otter Tail River 'S Creek, and other lateral streams There are also some bold bluffs* of da; and "ra ■ sl.du.g in a few places, and sma 1 exposures of rock close to the waterf mostPy n. Clear Water River. At the rapid "(Mi ne parle pas," the r,ver is about 400 R ^^■4;otatriX^''" ''''' '''' ^^^- -reams would requiJi Sit ROCKV MOUNTAIN PORTAOE AND CANYONS. To cany the lino down through the canyons of Peace River would be a ve1 mfficu t and costly undertaking. The distance is about 20 miles, and the banks % J'Z"'^\l:!^n^''K"^'^^''''V'^ ^''1^ ^««P vallevs interveniS m ma..y places the rocks are perpeadicular standing from 40 to"250 feet above theriv, volvin Inyoiis Acr |lly for Bt. It ►o step |ound 1 Ink of ope is BoU it very inks an ;hor Hi( :ist, pa 06ntract( llideuiii^ ^ three; v| Seve the so t, D'E to50i it, and Thei it may Bot\A ltivuto( suitabl Auro BetM pastui Frou isideiu Id of Mil id St. Jc lOrtod t . „ The t i^vcr is e Mality to toe wood : I f On th ^r by la flfive Lak ,< Ilavin %i to Sla yough a B|n vegan, to. liiieRr 1 met 15th A Comm line ab There ik abom I yon ubo 123- •♦' 68 f= 8 120 feet high and CO,, |^„l,.i„ mnnoj and hov required will be ahoi, ^ ^. . i ^ivor there would not 1. ■, from 10 to 30 feet, an ver, the banks are Htee| ore the line could oiiHih ;Lood'rt Lake to the Par ion Iliver, a distance > H well Huited forrailwiir the base ot the foothill- feot high approach th. .yonsi. about 200 feor, : I'S!:;; i^d S "''"' "' ^''" ''''"' ^" ^^'^ "^ '^^ [ii,t;:Zr"iS:::Sn:: ltt:^:::^Zm:ii:f,f^^'>! ^'-^-r' - ■•^^^^^ -^ \t. Itthenfall/evenly^ioiii totho^^^^^^^^^ ' p '' ^'l^^'' "*' "^-out 700 Htep. or bendioB TOo'feet lre\Vt'hV';^ e ""oftt^H^S^^ t^r^" " ound between Portage Mountain and Bull Head Mount.Ln r?,.,i • ^'"'^l'' ^of U. nver and in the upper terrace. ^ v^d^t?kiSt vS^'IT HiISj?: §nks and the deep lateralTalir.TZLht^^ ioughne.s« and height of the ,hor .side of the river, the.^ a^al Ja ?.St nX r"'"'\"""' ^"^s and benches on ist, particularly in the lowei pan towSdf d" nS,.' , u-V^l "^ '".'^ ",'" •""^•«"'^«« o.ing With rock ban. ^iSl^t liSSX^i^^!^'-'"^;' ^^"'^•'•- ^S^^c^SoS? 'sZ7t On SZi; • I u^= 'E^ni^e^S; ifr ^", 'r ^''?,^^^^- «-- ^'-^ -^^ side ; ley of the Nation. Th, Et Ve, 1 turn/ R^^^^^^ ax/^?^ "^"I"' ^'"'^ ^^'^*^''' ^00 teot, Mud River 400 loier part of the valk, f to 50 fe ' wil On the noi th'sid^MMT l' ^J-'°'" T. 'r'' "'■^" ^'"■^ ^'~ from : «ide of the Parsnip tl. |^t, and ^0^"^^^^^^::^^^'^%^^:^ '^^^' ''"'^ ^'^'"'' ^^<^''^'^ ''' itS^i>!rsrpa!;;;r:"^''^ ^'^^^"'^ ^^''^^'^ ^'^ «s"-i^-«. ^•^-^i* -me I Auros.s the Portage the soil is sandy and gravelly dS bin .^^°,^'"^"-'°-''°"T>«ve,y abundant in the neighbourhood of iJm.veL'an wi:,l ih J '■^'''^''''^'''1"''^''"^ l^^'"' '"^^ mi melius. A few butfalo am doited to have been seen in the Spring near Mud River ^ ihe timber on the flats and side hills of Pack River tho P-,.- „,■.> n„ i r. « wood IS principally second growth poplar, c'ottonwood and ipruco" ''^'"' ^^'''^ tensive flats on each sid; 1, with rock occasional!; to 200 feet, and in a fe» t wide, and at the foii. 3t wide, deep and swil: icky Mountains betwee t 25 miles. Thei )r nine miles to W h close to tho river, be th bluft's of clay, gravt 5.S, causing heavy wor. top to top of the mout It. er-way of 100 feet oatl| mountains recede fror and are W(yoded on tl: oace River, particular!!*! rail. River, Eight-Milil utt's of clay and gravt the water, mostly ncai river is about 400 fcf' would require brid;'e> 8. ver would be a ven es, and the banks .x a valleys intervening 250 feet above tho riviS PINK RI7ER TOWARDS SLAVE LAKE S'S7l!i^i''^%T'''"^^'?'"°''/^'^°''' Mr. Cambie continued the exnlora- to blave Lake, and I proceeded to Pine River makin r « n;,.f.,,;f f." .i ' \T. I met Dr. Dawson, who had come over the Pine Pass with the pack trains on 15th August, at a point west of Muskrat River ^ ' lPnraEt''.)lir.^'J°^^l?'^'*'^^'"«^>^''''''*^i'l be necessary to deflect line about 9 miles to the north to avoid high ground lying to tho e'l^t ^ JJZ.'7oe ?/:fr|f£|^%n "^ '»^«^^^— .i|e'be£w tt ^X with a yon above the' Porks" " ^" " west side, extending up to noar the 123-6 C4 The bank on the oant side is about (3U feot h'l^A, in iVont of high ground, fi'omSOO to OOO feot above the I'ivor. Tho briiii^o Hhoiilcl hiivo 500 foot of waterway and be about 70 foot above tho river, tbo Ijoitoin of wLiili is rocU. For 8 miles aloiii,' tlio east h:inl< the wori< will be lieavy with a grade of 1 per 100. Tho ^lo]H of liie liunlc are nn dilKeult except in a few places. Sandstone rock crops out at a tioight of from 100 to 500 feet, and the slope above is grassy or wooded. Tliore arc no lart^o streams or doej) coolo's in this distance. The line will then cnlci the valley of Pavel's Creek and continue in it to its source, 11 distut'.ce of about 7 miles; hero there is a stream flowing nortli-oasterly tn Peace Kivor. This ^innlmit is about 700 feet above tho crossing of Fine River. The valley of Favel's Creek is about a mile wide, getting narrower towards Pine Kivor, The bottom is wide and Hat, but narrow with high banks as it nears tho river. The ground l' south and norih is much higher, extending for a considerable distance in each direction. Bet one ver. [ The ) feet i ipniael On 1 111 Smo to tlio ' ;ir the Wor e 1 and u iilo a #iiii bolij iilli t Between this sumnut and Mud River, about 19 miles, the lino is carried still fur- ^'"^m1!'" • northward, passing' round tho foot of a rancre of hills. The country is nearly J , ther level to within passi 5 mil ige s of Mud River, and the work will bo light. Mud River on the west is easy. Tho crossing of Buffalo Creek w y IS nearly The approach to -- 10(1 u ire a bridge about 50 foot. With tho exception of a stream 20 feot wide, the rest aro small. The crossing of Mud River will require a bridge of 400 feot, (30 foot above the river. To overcome the summit east of Mud River, which is about 840 feet above the crossirg, koepintr the grade down to 1 per 100, it is necessary to lengthen the lino to 6 miles, by placiii;;' the crossing some distance up Mud River ; this part of the work ■will lie heavy in ]iiacos. Froi\ this suiMii it tho lino follows down tho valley of Dawson's River to the D'Hcij.'UPid, and diAvii that river to the crossing, a distance of about IG miles, do- sc.>t.'Uii,. about 700 trei. The valley of Dawson's River is wide, with even slopes and hiii- on eachsidr. The work will bo light. D'Echafand River has banks 250 fool high, v<.ry sleep in jiiaees, and work will bo hoav}' in approaching the crossing, pro babl}; ior 3 tnilos. li will require a bridge 300 feot long, and about CO feet above tho river. Jl abiiiil I V III til J'O to 50( e-fiiurtl gener; '\ Whoi #i)mctimoj ' The I <[ On ci h'oiigh a ados wo av\- for The r iei! retur luntry Ij bboily's As th( s Mr. Ti Jmonton part of the valley of this lateral stream has high banks, sliding in l^'"^^'"''^.^ places, with some deep coolo's entering from the south. Tho work in the D'Kchafaud sf ^^'f^^^^ valley, and for some miles up the stream, will he heavy. Tho ground is even for j§"Vi "■ the roinaiiiiiig distance. R'vi'i- i ; snnll ; i feet hii^h. ni'Hcv River. '0 1 wl'-' ■.'ouud risiii!' io the soutii. >f '■v.'i f-o'. f.l )i>iir 66 ' high ground, from 500 aut 70 foet above tho fith a griulc of 1 por 'ow pluoos. Stuulstone po iibovo i.s gruH.sy or istanco. coiitinuo in it to its ving noilh-onstorly tn i; of I'ino River. Tiic • towiirdrt Pino Jiivor. noar.s tlio rivor. Tlie nsidorablo distance in ino its carried still fur- iio country is nearly gilt. The approach to ; will ro<[uiro a bridge 10 rest are .small, 3t, (30 feet above the it 340 feet above the to lengthen tho line to this part of tho work iwson's River to the of about IG miles, de- le, with even slopes 'or has banks :i50 leel ing the crossing, pro- about CO foot above e river for a distance ammit, 22 miles. The ligh banlcH, sliding in rk in the D'Kchataud ) ground is even for I undulating, the only ) valleys. illoy GO feet (loop and tho .south of a branch f descent to this point small valley with a s branch to secure a, ^h(>re the trail cros>o-i lliird of a mile wi h' DO i'eet deep, with ;n )()iit 2(;0 fool. lie g;'Ou:id is neaiiV] ing io the soiUli, a i^, "f .^!' f"C'. !i')i>i!' "fi Between Ghost River nrwl T^i.mIA r;„ i . . one and ono^hi/d nTil V t^'rVb rt'th"'^ ":''"^"'", '^""'^"^^ '•'-" ^0 foot iver. The country is .ontly- „,.dulali.!,T ^ ^''" """" '"^•^'' ^ *''« '^'»"l<« of the Ijpr^u.h on the west (^-iil U, |.,avy f'r a£; T^^ jV" '"^''^ ^"" ''' '•^"'"''-'- '^''« On JeuviMi'- Brule iJivcr (lif» linn ,..;ii "•■■«. .1 ^^n,oky Ri^or, the giou;;. ' W " T: ^^H ■:':^:^r-'''^ '"'T''^ Peace River ito. cvalley of KatuotCreok a^uiZt li"oX:irU T^^^^ U .hen desccn.is .ar li.e propo,sod cros>i„^r, j,. all about 2'] ml, s ' ' ""'"' '"^^^ «'""'<> iiivor, Work will lid 111.. ■!»'.• r,... ., .„:i.. . .. .'. ' ■or, then light over (ho water- orablo distance. This valloy row the {Work will bo heavy ll.r a mile oast ofj},-, ic'l and down tho valloy of Katoot (Veok Ibr •, wide and even until it aniiioaclus Wicki.d (»i, •. . "■ *•■■=•'"""¥ ith bold lands and occasi. , al Ian si ,| pi ' "''i '^. '"«'>'>"3s deep and nurrow |n,e dilHcult cbara,.ter to ils'ili^H^'rl^Uh iu^Uy^li: '' ''''^' ^^'-'^ "'- ^^' "- J aUnU ;!;o S • r^; ;!^e:"^'-^'-^' ^"^-^ ""-'-^ •- --o .ovol of Smoky River iito'5i;rs3is;::iT;;;;iL^:i!^',!^ 4 cfliurth to one-half a mile wi.ie on ei I e s i , ^ . ':;;r'''^ un ,„torval or flat from do generally good and stable, with led ' es of t , '"• :^''" '"''"l'^'' '*^ '''" '^''"'^'* •> Where there aro sharp boi ds ,T .1 , '•""*^^""° 'M'Pearing ocasionally. iOmetimos land slides from no tV, lOoSt hi .li ™"' ''^1^1" ""'•'"^-^ ^'"^ ''^'"K there aro i S:;S:Vulo'rS,;: J;S;S/rf ';i^>. with a watc-way of T50 feet. ^•ough u long'?each to the I ^ J ,' uT £ ,;;'? f .'r.''' '^T'^ ''" '''" -"*^^ Jades west and cast of tho river wil cleed ] o, n ',1 ^''^'^T '' -'""^^''- ^he Savy for at least three miles on each side o! tl.rir dS""' ''" ""''^ ^^'" '^'^ ^'-'^ I I ho remainder of tho route to ,S1.H7<. T.,i.„ ^ . . t|cn. returned to British Coh mb a S the in' T """'"T"^ ^^ f'' ^^'"'^'<^' ''^<> ^.ntry lying to the north of to Peace Rive to I M ^^M-^""^ ''« ^•^''minod tho Ifoborly's Lake to Pine River. ° ■^^"''''"' - ^^"1'^'- ^''^"^^ ^^^^o„s by '^ As tho season was now well advnnm.i) rr.iu ci„ ^ , s m ir--. Tapper to tho wosi of I'o Ith^^^at . w.?' °'"''"'^' ""^' ^''^ P-'^-^I'^^'tof meot- :f monton oi tho 2nd of August We k'S n""^' '""^.•'''•[''i". l'« »^"'"K -till at ^tward should be divided between DrKwL ad !:':>?/ t ^'" -^l^'-"^-" examination oid Slave Lake to L-io T-. r;^i ^i r J^'- J^'^w.son undertook •m tho upper crossing of Smokv RK-e>- . ?? ""^^^ eoniinued .south-easterly ^idcd, towards Dirt Lake ^ ' ^'"'l^"'"'"^'' "* which wo had previously \-U. of Slave Lak?. We met at LdmoJti,:!;:; tJfe 2o;h ^oSobr"" "" "'""''^ PI.NE UIVER TOWABIlS DIUT LAKE. 'orks lor a distance of about .")0 Slave Lake, except that it will r om ho cro sing of P.ue Rivor near the Lower ■, his lino mil bo common to the one leadi,,.. to !' the south side of Dawson's Jjjver. IL will then follow u|> the south bank ortlioon-t ,.,. • i ^l toiho watorsl.e.1 between it u^ Sm kv P^^J '"l".^ ^^'T^'' "* ^^''^^'I'^^Hiud The ground is about 400 f^et I nve^^.-^.;^'' '':;''' ^ • '<""!C^7- '"•' 'i'« r ■^"- '- ' "i- * ^" '» -; i;''"^ '■' '" '""' jough IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V m :/. ^ ^ 1.0 !j I.I a '0 us i^ IIIIIM ^ m ^ U& ill 10 IL25 i 1.4 18 1.6 V] <^ ^> c^. oV ^\ '/ Vx. /^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 iV ^v ■^^ ^ <^ ^ ^> «• a w.llfol owUsnortK bank to its j^.nction with Elk Piv.Xh'^"^ crossing it the iinej to Smoky E.vor, in ail about 57 ;nile. ^ ' '^''"'^ '^''■•'»™ ** will foUowj about two miles as above. ' ^- "^'^^ ^"'"^^ ^lil be light, except fori Be^'^^i: Srsl^'aSti^jr-^"^^ ^ ^'^?^ -■- ^« '^^ crossing of The descent to the div de betweln thTs^ 'h n "^n"'"^ '^^ "''«»* ^0 feet. ^ 1 ''^7^^-^!^o Sn!:^^^;;^ X:!,^£- '« about m r.., and the Bear lSo^J^;;:'' "^"'" '"^ '^^''"'"^ ^^ «» ^-t- -^ another stream flowing into SS^'^-^-O^-i--^ River, Where tho oa.y, as the couniry is'even and 'u^nduT^^,?" The L"^"'.)'" '"'r ''•."'" ''^ -cessarytodeflecUhJ ^ith the Athabasca, fa'ling about 400 feet n 2n m'l m.'^ ^"'*''* *« its junction River is broad, and the slopes i-ood th« hnff^ « ^ '®^J ^'^^^ ^a"ey of Marsh Head 67 "Cv ) the north and soutli i ys. is more evon, and the IS about 470 foot, of Beaver Lodge River nd crossing it the lino ch stream it will follow 3xcept the lower part ofi I'lll be light, except for' les to the crossing of! f about 50 feet. I about 270 feet, and the 3r 8(ream flowing intoB^^' Elk Rivoi-, where tho banl« lieie are fi-om top to top. In many md slides fVom GO toi river. thofSimonotteRiver nd-siides. t of the work will be sSimonotteRivor, and rse for a considerable nthm eight miles of Jgh the north bank of ar the bottom of tho 400 feet high, 2,000 3vel 18 reached. The stance from Smoky i, and the ascent in ver, falling about 1301 luartertoahalfmilej des and some rock; od 30 foet high, high ridge of hills, habasca. The mosti f Marsh Head River. ' lower down Little,' n Luke, and also of ca. lokj River, and 600 1 'ssary to deflect the JO feet above Little >iver to its junction ley of Marsh Head The work on this lleys. three to four miles H islands, flats, and ig will be near the ,_ b opening 30 feet M Between the Athabascaand McLood Rivers, tho country is very hilly and broken f mmodiately to the east of the Athabasca tho hills are 900 foot above tho river* icroasing in height to the t^outh, and also towards tho McLeod. One of tho ridges lassod over on the trail is 1400 foot above the Athabasca. The intervening valleys ire from 300 to 600 foot deep. Towards the north the hills gradually docroase 'in leight, and torminato near the Athabasca. To overcome those difficulties it will bo necossaiy to follow a circuitous course orthward, passing round the shoulders of the hills, and up tho valleys. Tho imiidutions will be about 300 foot and tho grades nearly 1 por 100 throu-'liout the greater i)art of the distance, 58 miles. The work will generally bo heavy, particu- larly at the crossing of a large rapid stream, flowing into tho McLooJ, which will •equire a bridge 100 feot long and 100 foot high. Three other streams will require iridgos from 30 to 100 feet each. A practicable line may also be found bv following down tho Valley of the .thabaska, to near the confluence of tho McLeod, then up tho latter rivor to the •ossing. This course will suit tho lines via Goose River, or Eoswagun Lako above lontioncd. Where the line crosses the McLeod, the ground is about 200 feot higher than at 10 Athabasca crossing, A bridge 30;) foot long and 40 foet high will bo required, he valley is wide and oven, and the banks of the rivor 100 foot high, with occasional low flats. Sandstone rock appears in many placos. k u'^f j""'^®** west of the McLeod we reached Mr. Tapper's trail, and ascertained ;hat he had returned to Edmonton, in consequence of the difficulty of cutting through jth') windfalls, and being short of provisions. The trail w. > made for some milos further west, and some of the pai-ty had gone n foot to the Athabasca, and had left a memorandum at the river, which Dr. Dawson found, on his journey down. The line, on leaving the McLeod, will ascon 1 to the watershed of the Lobstick, 7 miles with a rise of 300 feot, following tho valley of a email stream. On about a milo of this, near the McLeod, the work will bo heavy and the rest light. It will then descend by the north-west branch of the Lobstick to Dirt Lake reaching It in )5 miles, and falling about 300 feet. The valley of this stream is broad and swamp3% extending a considerable distance to tho south. To the north the country IS high and hilly, apparently for a long distance. Work will generally fee light to Dirt Lake, except the crossing of three streams requiring bridges of 30 From the head of Dirt Lako to the located lino, the railway will follow the north b^ore. and cross tho Lobstick near the lower end of tho lake, thence aloni"vegan, and SlavJ garden vegetables thrive well ^ con«"lore.l a sure ci-op, and the ordinar^^ frost four miles west of S[LRi,^,',L''Vb'^,'^,Sf" th« ^l«t there werel4%l During the day, the sun was ho aid owerfu We wi!" • 'r '""'5 f ^^"^'^ ^'^"=1 occasionally in June, but verv seldom ^TnJulv in fhr-> ^-^"^ -P-^-'i ve^ 4 I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, HENRY A. F. MaoLEOD, Sanpford Fleming, Esq. , C.M.G.,. ^' ^'^*' ^' ^' Engineer-in-Chief. BEP( SANDF B D ;he pa ;nlet t foilovi la'brii ixtens [that pi [for Vi( [and su P( Imoath the di^ 0) Ian exa ^Easing Ai feints nlet, i myself As over ar its cap; conside ments ( Th over foi lying if !« reef c force ol for vesi 8helter< Th ^xtensi require Th this poi to the t In northw! And gon 71 APPENDIX No. 4. the country is oven anq experienced very coll EEPOKT ON THE TRIAL LOCATIOX SURVEY, PROM HEAD OP WORK INLET UP THE 8KEENA RIVER, BY MR. (iEOROE A. KEEPER. New Westminster, B. C, January 23r(i, 1880. Sandpord Fleming, Esq. Engineer-in-Cliief. C.W.G. Dear Sir,— In accordance with the substance of your instructions, my work for *ho past season has been confined to a trial location from the head of the Wark Inlet through the "divide" to the Skoena River, and thence as far eastward, [following the north or right bank of the river, as the season would admit; also eabricing an examination of the shores of Wark Inlet with a view to the ultimate extension of the lino to Port Simpson, and a general opinion as to the adaptability of Ithat point as a terminal harbor for the Canadian Pacific Railway. L Tf " ^^^ ^"^ ^^ ■^""" '"'**• '" company with Messrs. Gamble and McLeod, I left Ifor Victoria on the Hudson Bay Go's, steamer " Princess Louise," landing my party land supplies at Port Essington on the 5th. I Port Essington or Spucksute is a small Indian village or trading post at the Imouth of the Skoena, and about nine milos below the southern or Skeena entrance to Hhe. divide, leading to Wark Inlet. On the following day,— Mr. Gamble having secured the steamer for that purpose — Ian examination of Port Simpson and Wark Inlet was made, and returning to Port lEssmgton, I joined ray party the same evening. I As Mr. Gamble has in his report given a lull and exhaustive description of the Ipoints embraced in that part of your instructions relating to Port Simpson and Wark linlet, it will be unnecoi'sary for mo togive it more than a brief notice, confining Imyself more particularly to the portion covered by my trial location. I As all nautical authorities have agreed upon the advantages of Port Simpson lover any existing harbors on the northern coast, there only remains the question of I Its capacity and the facilities of its land approaches, to determine whether it may be Iconsidored as a tit terminal point for an important railway, and if filling the require- Iments consequent upon such an important selection. j The area of the harbor is sufficient for the purpose, possessing an anchorage of over four square miles. It is sheltered to the north and west by the shores and out- I lying islands, but is exposed in part to the S. W. wind ; the sea, however, is broken by H ^®®' ^y f ^IP ^^'^ forming a natural breakwater, but which does not prevent the full jlorce of the wind being felt from that direction, and would possibly prove awkward I lor vessels exposed to its full force, but there is still a comparatively large area of jsheltered anchorage left. .'a I The shores are low, sloping back gradually, easy of approach and suitable for l^xtensive wharfage, and possessing a building area of sufficient extent to meet any I requirements of the future. ° => j ... '^^.^ entrance to Wark Inlet from the Portland Channel, some eight miles wide at U„?uPT'' '^„''^sy of approach, but not exceeding 2,000 feet in width, with deep water to the base of the bluffs forming the shores on either side. L tk *'!f e'f tension of the line from my initial point at the head of Wark Inl6t inorttiward to Port Simpson, some 32 miles, the work may bo classed as ver^' hsaV^ land some six miles excessively so. The outline of the' shore, although generally III ii [' iijfjWww'HI'"^'/!' "■',■ .*, -, T2 a half and two to ono AifK km' • ^ ^^'° ^»''y"'g ^^m slopos one, one uij mSSn or boaravuilifbo fo^^ "^h 'T ^^^ ^"'j' "omo 1^ feet, there is nl expennivo matciaf a " 1 S' I.TfU h T ' r^ '"f""^ and through very initsconHtruction %'depreSthothwL^.) t^^ T*" '"^'"^.^ be encounteroJ even'^i^'Telnpot;"!!' it"t«" ''^""T" f^ '" '""^ way suitable a/a terminuni assumed at rrthoLexitH oSv rZ ^^f'^^^^^^T'- The area of anchorage! having only a fronSoSoT^J^lo in 1 '»^ "f M raoM .tmm th. '. ?;■ '/'"e nbont oqiiiji.mnt from Imlh water,. A hr.e and us to adhere trthe siXh U whi^.h i! "'^' '^ '1"*^""""^ ^''"^^ of 1 per 100 oblige, emerge on the vallov of tL'^^lLln i- ^™'*«'"S '^«^ '•'^'e'-, after which we initial noint W„ /of"'*' Skeena proper, a distance of some 18* mile.s from mv S crosr Ee SkTeux Itt^l^l'^' admlHsable, say 1.40 per 100, i? would enable u^ saving^ dLate of o4r 2^! e;T« -'r"'"^- '^l ^''""'' """ '^^ ^'^ miles, effect a The sSnlmLv). :KT ' .bf "^°«g'V''n.^ better alignmontand liirhtor work. tion in^ide'Ttf rhVaVof Wa?kTn 'er'vT '^Is'feTt'" ^'^'^ -''V'r""'^ ^^'"'H "'"5^e"lil.rf tr- 'T V --g'n o?''-''2oLtJo ?e"e ^ w t^'^ ''''''' «'^' IB Glacial streams, subject to Mnow-sliilo.s, which would ottoct the liuo, have been itosmkI- It an clevatior. admitting of tunnelling. The blnlfs, „s a general thing, are of huro Imooth rock, ottering no chance lor an accumulation of mow .sutticient to cn- ■anger the work, and which would slide before acquiring any depth or weight; titill a lovenng of some kind would have to be provided to prevent the track filling duiin.r Ifc succcsbion ot heavy falls. " " The shores are, in all cases, steep and heavily limbered, and with very lar-'e rees, principally spruce, cedar and hemlock. The ground is covered with a ^re^at Quantity of fallen timber and dense undorhrush, making progress dittlcult and slow. Ihese general characteristics exist np to the y4th mile, or the extreme point at srhich the action of flood tide was jjerceptible. From this point there is an improve- nont in thegeneral features of the country, the blurt's become more rare, and lar«^ (lata bf considerable extent more frequent; these flats are, in all cases, heavily timberc"l, bnt b?ith few exceptions, are slightly overflowed at extreme high water. I .'^H® IV^^'^ "* ^^" '''^'*^'" ^"'^ 'continues about the same, averaging from U to 2 miles Id width, the main channel alternating from side to side ; a great portion "of the bed W the river being hlled with islands covered with popular and spruce and intersected by innumerable high water sloughs in all directions. I There is a gradual but marked diminution in the quantities and consequent cost |n each section of 10 miles up to the 50th mile; the last section located from the oOth ■ the faOth mile may safely be taken as a fairaverage, possibly a little in excess of the buaiUities for a corresponding distance as far as my examination extended, or to the pUtti mile. bmu^'^'T ^^^^.''o^'f'P'' of your supplementary instructions under date of September Both, and received on the 25th October, 1 made immediaie preparations for an ex- hmimttion of the river to the point required, some ten miles above the point reached fy the steamer Mumford in 18G(;. The lateness of the season and a letter from Cap- ain Levyis of the steamer " Princess Louise," stating that he would be at Port Essinir- on on his last down trip of the season on the 8th November, gave me but little time to Hevote to this porti )n of the work. L ^^ V^ Z^" iTr''^'''''° ^° '■'"'"^ ^'''' P"''"^ ^^'^l' ^li" ''"'^'. I l^'ft the main party in pargeot Mr. J- II. Gray to continue location, and with a small force began a miero- hietor traverse of the river, which would enable me to form an general idea of the bomparative quantities of the work. As I have before stated, Hie general features of pe river remain the same, but with a larger proportion of f s, which would effect *>, saving in quantities. Therefore the last ten miles, a- locate., aay safely bo taken I an estimate for the succeeding sections. As far as the navi^ration of the river is concerned I do not know that it can bo extended above the point indicated at the 73rd mile, as reached in 1866. The cur- tent at this point, and in the bend immediately above, is rapid and the water deep. ^ «t the Jfath mile a contraction in the river, called the Ksip-kee agh Falls would arrest further progress during the stage of water most desiiable for navigation. In low water the falls disapijear, and a swiftcnrrent, with rocks showing in the channel p?ould prove an equal barrier to large boats. As my examination only extended some lour mi es above this point, I am unable lospeak of what the river is like higher up. Uhe Kitsalas Canyon would, I understand, be another objectionable point. I think fhereforo, that for all practical purposes Kitsumgallum, at the 72nd mile, may pe assumed as the head of steamboat navigation on the river Skeena, and for this purpose boats oflight draft, with powerful engines would be required. Although pe point mentioned was reached by a comparatively poor boat, a great deal of Ses "^'*^ experienced, and in many cases she had to be warped over the frequent My intention was to continue my examination some miles further east or as Bi asiiitsalas, but on learning that an ice jam immediately above the mouth of pe ^ymoets some two miles ahead, was moving, made further delay a risk I did not pare to incur, as the jam once below me, and a change in the weathei- of whinh wore was every indication, our exit would have been rendered a matter of som» u Ui Eut^^U^t rT,T'-Z "* '•'" "''"">' "f ^ho L;ilf 71) was exceptionally cold and wet. Froml S"utls dl T^^^^^^^^ fri'^^ ^^'^'^ 15fhofJuly,the ra=n w J fine with (.., s! >, i-^t' V "-""^ ^" ^^*^ beginning of August, the weather wasl fry u I Ivi rh^'"'^^^ "^'"'^ ^''°™^"' ^^ '"•««l^ in the general humTl S\Tcu H . on^l ?T.°" f'l° ^-^"^ ""'* ^^^^^ «f Oct.. a heavy fill of some 1 I i"i -PC red n l«^w^^^^^ '^?''' '^'",''^' '^''^""^^^ ^""""^"J ^y heavy rains, neve^ \ov • nd ft,^ • • T'^^'^ country, and up to the date of our stopping work, on tl, > ■^He;1 ii^l^'^sf'Tl'^rt Tf"'- '^'^'■^ r '^^'^^-''--f --fifJi coinparativelv lat«Xt« L ftrst frost oxponencod was on the 11th Oct; thiJ of the sei ^W hf T^ *"" ^"'''^^^^ to our low altitude and the influenj ar,d wot but I ttrfrn«f ., ° ^""^'' l^'. ^^^^ °^ ^'■^■> ^^ough excessively coldl ir.to Sw t , M i?iT «<'«»'-';«d ; with the advent of Novembe^-, however, a change! aLbeinS^^^^^ the lesser channels and sloughs, gave unrafJ heavy in Ui1 JeLion f n I ff T\ 'r^^'^'^ °^ ^'"^^••- ^ho snow-fall'mit be ve yf six to Sii Ibet C fS r li-'^ """'"^ '""" t*' °'''«'™' 't »""«' lie at a depth from at Kif.nm ,,.11 f . ^^^, Indians winter on this portion of the river; one familvSl Si8tancoori;f^^a;^^|^;«''' «««•« to comprise the entire population fir af rece.u°S'Sr" ^ -^^^^ ''°'^.* ""^ *''^ ^nd and 3rd November, the indications of the! S^rwllinnnl "!]•'' "^ ^^'•.^•^'Ji'* 20 miles, or to vvithin 30 miles of Port almostco"s an rai?sof hi^-^^^^ * -' P°'"' ""' '^''" experienced the the rain wa conlnt tKn' uvT °^the country. During my stay in Port EssingtoD. ember 4th r nu^l n^' .*t«"f^ 'ght, and the weather mild. On the following day. No J mtn ng of tlfettl°^.eacLJt:^ '" '^' "P'-'"^««^ ^«"^««" «" M Tho PP. h of ' '^»«hed Victoria after a r^ugh trip on the 12th. bility of S s ponb? TZ IZ'Ar^ ^' ""^"•""'^ "•? denionstrating the entire fea.i-! work on tl o Sk«In„ •^"^°' ^''^^"^ ^'^ ^ practicable route for a railway. Thel th' naureof fe"^^^^^^^^^ excessively heavy, the cost being more o^ing tcf cro-ssed are ea^ v hSin T- ^'T '*"3^g;'«^t excess of quantities. The tributaries! Witi th« nn. ^^^ *"/^ '° **" ^"«<^' *^^^« b"t a slight depth of water. i becols atherlrdr^^ "divide " and extension%o pSrt Simpson the work Should an vf^fnl' ^ ^'^'^ ""*'^'°/ exceptionally difficult in construction, point ZvaiJvofTeTft«r'*^fr''°""'' ^^'' '"''^^''■'"8 G^^'dner Inlet, as a terminal! ikeeia, a'.d s milarlt th« kJ'° ''"'k ^^'^ f '."'« ^^ *''''* f'^'"* f"-"™ ^he valley of the Eiver to the nmth {' ^*>«Naa8 can be reached through tlie valley of Kitsumgallumi tion in (he di^i^e .W^^^oW^ T'.!' f ^** ^' ^ «'^°"'^ *^«^« ''l^^d' ^ut the dct^n- a>ill, and heavy t?mEe7 all nrSn?^^^^^ f"* ''"•^ '"PP''«^ P^''^^^' ^^« ^i^^"'* ^^-^^ .beck done to d'^emonst.ite sftiTntn "t ^^1'' ^ '^^'"^ ^'''^'^'' ' ^"* ^ *••"«* «"°"g»^ '^'^ « a distance of some sS m iff 1« ^' ^^^ ^«'"P^'-a«ve cost and quantities embraced terminus at the Lad cfWark Inlet! "'"^ ^'"^ '"^ '"''''^^ P"'"' """ '^' ''^^f^'^'^ I have the honor to be, Sir, " Your obedient servant, GEOEGE A. KEEFER. fk ft APPENDIX No. 6. UPOBT OF CHAKLE8 HOUETZKY UPON AN EXPLORATION THROUGH THE NORTHERN POIlr ' TION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA IN THE SEASON OP 187^. ! A. KEEFEB. Ottawa, 25th Fobiuaiy, 1880. Sill — In nc.onlunco with iriHtniclion.s rocoivod hwl Kfiy, to piwced to B.kish Polunibm and inako an oxplonitoiy Hurvcy of tho iiorthorn portion of' that Provinre Mween tho nvora Siieen.'i and Ominica, in as direct a lino as possible with the view lif ascertaining tho practicability of u railway roiito in connection with a line from ?'ort Simpson to tho Forks of Skeona, between tho last-named point an As you are awaro, before entering upon this work I had but little belief'in'tlm kxistonco of an}' practicable passage through tho central range of mountun.s Ivirxr ketwoon Lakes Babino and Tatla, north of tho latter, although a hasty eximin'Uion iff Iho country during the winter of 1872 and 1873 had led me to believe in tho nossi- fcihty of a route from Lake Babine to the south'of Lake Tatla, to;^ards th- N'ltior. Lake region and south branch of the Peace River. Our existing knowled-ro of tho bountry assigned to me for examination upon this occasion was, of course vrme •itid Unsatisfactory, and under tho circumstances it bocamo absolutely necossarv C) m'll-e 1 preliminary journey of roconnoissanco embracing tho unknown roirion incluiled between the hivor Skoena, Boar Lake, the valley of the Driftwoo' River and th(> Frying Pan Pass, for, within that area, the key to the passage from the Skeena east vard had to be sought. This preliminary work presented no slight difficulty, it bein-^ of primary Importance that no time si ■ ''^ be lost in what might ultimately nrovo to be usolo,^ bxaminations, while the ki „. icdge possessed by the Indian tribes if the country was fconfined to mountain trails utterly uneuitod for the object in view Fortunately I laid down the course of a journey which enabled me in the space of throe weeks to Hoeido upon the general line of route best worthy of examination, and after several Hays spent in coUecting all available information, I decided upon a journey from Eazelton up the Skoena to tho Kiskargnsso Village, on the lower portion of the River Babine, thence northward vid the Atnah Pass to Bear Lake, south-eastward to Lake lat a, and thence back to Hazelton. By this procedure I hoped to find out all tha Bvailable mountain passes. '■ L, ^" .™P?';t»"t feature in tho work about to be undertaken was the determination ^t a Cham of levels across the mountainous country indicated. With this object in k'lew. I provided three mercurial cistern barometers and tho other neces.sary ao- plmnces for obtaining a correct series of simultaneous meteorological observations it iiftereni stations, whence reliable hypsometrical results could ultimately bo deduced Hourly readings were at once instituted, and kept op by two members of the party until the montt of September, by which time data for all tho most important levels were secured. ' On the first day of July every preparation having been completed, I took my- leparturo from Hazleton en route for Kiskargasse, an Indian village on the lowor- 78 III I nrnZ! T' 7l '■""''^'",* ^^"^ P''"'" °" tfi" '''"•'•''' ''•'>'. h«vinif tmvolledHo far unoJ a fairly boaton Inm. to wh Zu ho S arc honco orth rof ,rrod. Tho topographical features of tho val o ' of ho SI oon fm.n IIa.elton to tho Hahino Uivor. a.li'stancoof thirty-throo mi " ,'ilo ", m^m^^^^^ do>c nptmn horo UH thoy will bo reforro.l to farthoron. Tho luwor'nortiorof h I a^.H.o Valley from tho rivor mouth to tho upnor villago of Kinkar-?? ho s"mon fine, broad and lovol terraeo.s proHontin- n pari - iko and vory pIoaHim ^,001'^' companni. mo.t favorably with tho valley of tho Skocna ^ ^ " anpoot, and| lovolotM!riT."r'''T*''''^''r'*T'^'''.T'' "il""'"'! "Pon a torraco 75 foot above the! ioint L „ • '" "'r'"' ^''? '""^' *'"'■'' '-^ *"' '^ •^"■"'•Pniirio character, and from thi Eh ich T. I T^''f''''^ ^'"^ t'^ tho north-oantward of tho Atnah mountains Tbovo i f r r'r' "•>'"".'"". ""'"' *""'=""' ""' ^" "'"^"^'""'^ "'""t least Sole above hoa. A couple of miles h.^.hor up is situated tho upper villa-'o conaistinff of a1 do.en ar^e houses, which we reached hy u^oans of a vorl^H-eca im.sdook f- s.h .Jf 8ion bridge swung over tho otitiro breadth of the Ikbino.'hiro asooth^n.rciPu.r, ',, mass o toam, which boiled and roared beneath at a Lrro.ritt bXeJ pen.o.u.cular walls of slate rock. Tho village stand.s at least li foK^l^orTha li::l^ "^"" " '""' '°^"' '''''''' ''^'''^ «^^°"^'^ ^^«'h up and down fo/ uCtlsfdor | throw o'iJf",'?!''"' '''"■'' "'^ "■ ^"^ ""'' trcachorous set, and appeared to be incHned J throw obstacles in our way. They wore especially jealous of my Fi-azor Rivor Indians (I had brought five men with me from the Frazer Rive.) wl Jm uZ lookprf Z' iZ n ^ ''"'■ '""mT' ^''''?^ ^''^ '"^"'•^'l the Horvicos of a couple of C ans of i the place an packora. Tho trail, if Huch it may be called from Kiskar.rL:.? n hI-?!^ Lake, ascends tho slopes of tho Atnah MoLtains imm btoh' aft^^^^^^^^ On 'Jf.'s/;:^7r 'T'T^^ '"'"^ ^'^ '"'^•-^^ f'-^*" ^ho lattor, hlg u7on tl e run . ' t^e^mifof n Jf'^"";'^^; ''° f "^^^ '^'Shor up and camped a|ain^atnoon^^rboyonl nilh/^ f %'yf' ""^ '"' elevation of 5,000 feet above the sea, and probably ab" it o^ght miles from K.skargasso, which boro S.W. J S. mag. Although in the midst ofsum mer, our camp was surrounded by large, anH^n some places," ve?y deep ntchesTf snow which, under the influence of the July sun, was raf idly melt L away iJn, rise to innunriorable rivulets ofice-cold water which saturatcul the gtoimd^n^evS between tho Babino and Skeoi.u Rivers, while to tho west and s m h woTTi e nr^J monotonous and dreary wilderness of peaks and utter desol ,, The e^o "tI On the morning of the 7th, wo doc:unped at 5 a.m. and be^an tho -iscont of fl... I Pass. Al hough there was every ,.ron,iso of a very line day, a dense f, . en!e^o, od wh ,. - . • ^•",,^"^"^ tho summit, but we ski;tod its ice hound shores alon^J Wh^-h were piled ,n endless confusion huge blo.ks of ice and d,..|,ris f.,, he' c • t ! ' above, w(„lo now and Ihon we were startled by tho crash of newly d si to..- ic portions which, somolimos rolled acros.s o.ir path \t 7-' . m L m ". !i ^mm t[,;000feetabovesea]inthe.nudstol'apeit:;^rai;l:\ ^ ue^ Ta ie/ ul'^i " "'T """'T^^ '-''i ^V'^''''"' «"'»-''^"k which sloped dowvard at u steep angle and .omc hve huud- ed f,ot boluw terminated at, and Lung ^IL ' 77 Loofiipiofipico. Foi-lutmtoly for us tho Umporaturo win Mitflcicntlv liiL'h to lici, tl.o Hi.ow and utHiblo ... to obtain go.Mi IbolhoLI, un.l by ea.vlully tLl\u\l our hy wo ciosMju in hufot}'. -^ fe ""' r Tliu Indian,, miy that ho.o during tho wintoi, storniH ra^o fea.fuliv, and the Inds blow w.lb H.icb v.o.onco that Monos luv actually blown about. In (•(in(i.'mat.-on jll.iK Matcmont wu muv many 1„omo lV..Kn.ontM emboddod in tho mow, which could It in.vu bcc. ,.huo, thco by any oihc- agency. At 9 a.m. wo hud doc^oaHod our \,val.on considorably and halted or b.^oalduHt, which wo di.cUHHcd ir. a i.orfbct bud ., mos.iu.to.. although Ht.ll abovo tho Hnow limit. Twonty-llvo hnnd.ld loot low tho mim.n.t level wo forded a la.'go tur.'ont flowing to tho ca.l .south-east and J ,,...,. we.o b.ought o a Hta..d-.still by a Cormidablo glacial to..-o..t from tho north- ..t U.is wo were obhgod to br.dgo, an opcratio.. of no slight dilliculty a« troos [suthciont length had to bo cut and hauled from a long dislm.co. A day was snent lor th.s wo.^U ..nd the morning after wo otfeciod a crooning. F.-om thin bridge nine Id a halt hou.s ront.nuous .na.ching b.'oughl us to tho .summit of a thi.-d ra„Iro infonor Hummit had been crosso.l duri..g tho interval) oven hi-ho.' than the ,nah Pass, a.id wl.oiico tho Bear Lake mountains wore visiblo. Tl'ds ono of t « i..st t.y.ng days of tho Hoa«on w^Ts divo.^.silied by changes from Hwam.,' mul fo.^oHt o nd Hwopt he.ghtH covered with eternal «now, the lower slopes boint; wxl,' ■•, like a It sponge and ox.jd.ng copious ntreams of ico cold water, which rendered it utterly pos.-.ble lor us to keep d.-y. In fact, I ntay nay, that from Kiska.-gasso to Bear Lake lu.Tn aciZs' '""" """'" ""'''^ ^"'^'''"''' '^^''''^ ^"^ ""g"'"'^' """«''t wheiJ^ver I'Vom the last mentioned summit there opened out a raaL'nificant viow of tho .mfy to the South. The low-lying and apparently level vallc^yTho NoelLtia^^^ K..|tho.n tnbutary of tho River Bablne, rising in 4out latitude 56<^, an. ' ent2 2 < latter u few m.le.s bolow tho outlet of Lake Babine, could bo t.'aced for manf ilos of Its course. "muy nn!T?nnl;''r "'^7'"'^ numorous glaciers could bo soon to tho north-west. We mpedlOOO foot lower down, on tho dr.est spot available, just below tho timber -ound ...the shelter of ulittlo grove of stu.,Ved pines. 'Areo-quanors of amile he westwa.-d there ghstoncd a g acior of huge propo.tions, tho sou,.co of a raK in idublo stream which wo forded next morning. "i u imaor From this camp, tho southern end of Boar Lake bore about N. by E mnrr hnt Kjthcr high range yet intorvoned, ^ '='' "^^ Following up tho valley of^ the Noolkitquah into which drained several largo .c.al tor.e ts from tho N.W., wo loft that stream and crossed a watershed .ce.ul..,g afterwards into tho valley of Driftwond River. Crossing this stream wo ■ended the (4th) range bounding Boar Lake on tho wost, and reached the lake -em tho afternoon of tho 12th of July. Tho formation throughoutfr om the liiiio to Bear Lake, appears to bo slato. Bea, Lake lies at an elevation of 1,879 feet abovo Ilazelton, or, approximately :04 ft;et above sea level. It is a narrow sheet r>f water extending froin tho narallol .... a. or about twelve miles, in a N. by W. uirection, with" a width ^ying f , ',,'V 1 ; •'' T '"' t ^t ^'«'^^'"'«f '"^^^ tho Skoona. The Lake lies apparently l.m a Miicl.nal fracture, the general strike of tho strata, which aro oxceo.li. ily well liilse I on the eastern side, being about VV.N.W. mag. ° "^ The mountains, by which the lake is encompassed ai-e from 3,000 to4 OOOfoethi-rh ue western sido, rising back to as groat an elevation in tho opposite direction. Vuth, tho cou.it.y appears very rough. Before descending U tho lako shore, inu i> ..rT ,'r I»;'''^r"''" '^•-'""'' ^^■.''i*^'^ iortunatelyforus attracted Imuhat; attention at l-ort Connolly, some ton miles distant, as fbur hours later a so,;',l!''?' '""f^r''";!'-, ^^••■\^^^^-'-'l' toi'O'nark hero, that from tho heights to ,sul-eustof Boars Lake w.. had a capital view of the valloy of tho J)i°ftwood hot , t!io upi)or end of Lako 'iatla was al.so visible 30 miles distant. I After paynig u visit to the Hudson Bay Company's post at tho lower end o t-uuuiii, a„u muKin- o^i.cn.-Mvo oiKiuiry, I abauduuod Lho idea of any oxuminatiou f (■ ~^W: 16 to th'j iiurthward, much as I should have wished, but time was woarins^ on, ami hoio! I may take the occasion to say that one of the gi'oalo.st difflcullicM aUoiiiling thijj season's operations was in deciding vvliero not to go, as every day was jirecions, and! our dehiya innumerable. I had now seen portions of the Bahine and Noelkitquahl Eivej valleys, and felt sure that if there existed a fairly pruciicable pass ihioiigli thel mountains lying between the Neelkitquah and Driftwood Rivers, the' prolilom oil finding a passage from the Skeena to Lake Tatla would be satisfactorily solved. Hiring three small poplar dugouts, we retraced our way to the upper end ofj Bear Lake, made the portage from the latter into the Driftwood River, and ran dowrl to Lake Tatla at a rate which compensated to some extent for our slow progress be-! tween Kiskargasse and Bear Lake. The " Driftwood," although at a low stage, was yet very swift, the average fallj in the ujiper portion being at least 12 feet per mile. The distance from Boar Lakel to Lake Tatla, by following the sinuosities of the stream, is about thirtj-five miles! and the difference of level between the lakes is 333 feet. The valley of tlu; Driftwood! is low, wide and of a generally easy character. On the western side it is flanked byl an elevated range of mountains, extending from Bear Lake to the Kotsiiie River;! while on the east, the ground rises by easy gradations to a lesser elevation, forming,! some ten or twelve miles distant, what I have designated as the " Omenicu" range, af chain of low mountains or, more appropriately, hills, through which, in severuli places, thcie appear to be low passes to the Omenica Valley. Unfortunately, thej valley of the Driftwood, having a south-easterly direction atliwart the conr^el of the line I was in search of, is, with the exception of its lower )j0ition, uuavailabkj Running down to the parallel of 55° 45', I saw a gap in the range to the westwanl, whence came a tributary of the Driftwood, called the "Kotsine." Westward, fromS the same summit, another stream flowed into the Neelkit(^uah. Such was tiief information gathered from a Bear Lake Indian whom I had with me. This pa.s which proved afterwards to bo fully flfteen miles distant, I roughly guessed to be about 3,000 feet above sea level, but deferring its examination to a future opportunity.! hastened on to Lake Tatla, the while anxiously scanning the range to the eastward| for indications of a pass to the Omenica. Here it may be remarked that the ciiain of navigable waters extending south-l eastward from Fort Connolly, in about latitude 56° 6' north, to the Detroit or narrowJ of Lake Tatlfi, in latitude 55° 9' 30", a distance of eighty miles, is flanked on botlil sides by a nearly continuous range of mountains; that on the western side boing thol higher and more precipitous, but broken in two places by the Driftwood and Kotsinej River valleys, the latter being the key to the route discovered this season. On thej eastern side of this great trough (as the depression in which those waters lie mayl not inaptly be termed), as has been remarked, the mountainous chain is of a muchl lower altitude, and is pierced at several jwints by comparatively low passes, of whicbi the lowest are : one behind the site of Buckley House and communicating with thel Omenica by the Omenica-Sitleca, the other the pass at present used by rainersl which connects Lake Tatla with the Omenica by the valiej' of the Fall River. Thel latter I adopted further on in the season as being in all probability, the lowest, most! direct, and easiest of access from the low valley of the Driftwood River. I The only known route to the northward of Fort Babino, across the western orj central range separating Lake Tatla front Lake Babine, is that of the " Frying Paol Pass", a low depression nearly 5,000 feet above sea, perfectly unsuited for a railway! and at the best, but a wretched pass even for foot passengers. From these facts, itl will bo seen that, but for the depression of the Kotsine Pass in lat. 55° 45' a direct line! from the Skeena to the Peace River would be impossible, and I have no hesitation itl saying that the route now laid down vid the Kotsine Pass is the only one at all suitj able for a railway north from Middle River, or, the outlet of Lake Tatla. f From Tatla Landing to the village on Babine Lake vid the " Frying Pan Pass," thel distance by the trail is perhaps thirty-five miles, but certainly not more than twentjj seven as the crow flies, Wit}i the exception of a little good land near the lakes, thof country is worthless for agricultui-e, and veiy much broken. On each side of the "Frjj w ^ woariiiij on, aivl hoie' iciiltios iUtoiiiling ihir jjOition, uuavailablc.j range to the westward le." Westward, fromj quah. Such was thel with mo. This pass, •oughly guessed to bi'f to a future opijortunityj I'ango to the eastwardf iters extending south-l the Detroit or uarrowJ is, is fla!do mountains are high one peak being at least H.noO feetab,.ve the eye, kv 8,000 oct abov-1 sea and from the Jvotsine Pass to the Detroit, near the lower end of >ke Tatla, the entire distance between the two lakes is occupied, with scarceiva break In Its continuity, by an irregularly disposed and lofty mountain chain I On reaching Lake Babine on the 20th July, I found one of my" meteorological hbservors ... camp Ho had ar.-.ved on the 41 h, and since then ha,l kept an hourly k-gister of ba.-o.nct.-.cal and thorinometrical fluctuations, while another was similarly Biigaged at Hazlcton. iiaiij- Leaving the Babine obsei-vation camp on the 22..d, I cncami.od a little to the ^'estwa.'d of the Susqua Summit, .n order to obtain si.nulta..oous leadino-s f,,,- differ- hce of level be... g somewhat doubtful of the aecu..icy of my ane...icr.eadi..gs of December, 18,2. The resul p.-oved my fo.-mer estimate to be too high, the true elevat.on now asce.-ta.ned be.ng 1,400 feet above the love! of Lake Babhio F.'om [the summit we reached Ha/deton easily in two days, passing on the way lour camps lof tho Peace E.ver jiarty. i o j • ^ui,i^,o Having now acquired a general idea of the topogra,.l.ieal features of I he reg.o.. through wh.ch a l.ne^ seemed feasible, I determi.,ed to ascend ItI.e luver Skeena ... a canoe for the purpose of making a micomet.'ical survey las far as the mouth of the Babine Kivo.'. It was, ''however, i.nuossible 'X lobtain assistance f.;om the aena River Indians, who wee alVaid to I'isk Ithe dange.'ous navigation oi che Upper Skeena. Fortunately I was enabled Ito secu.'e the services and canoe of a Meth.hkatlah Indian, who had leeently come luo from the coast and was wdl.ng, for a consideration, to accept all risks My own men were excellent canoe men, so that I now felt quite i.ulependont of the natives. Wo .•cached the mouth of the Babine River after seven days .rduSus and extremely dange.-ous navigation, tho distance made du.-ing that timJ bei...' 38* miles. I was fortunate in choosing our time, the Skeena being then at I good stage, a week earlier it would have been impossible to ascend it. the river being a continuous clia.n of bad rap.ds, and flowing in many places th.ough narrow canons in several of which we pasoe.1 hund.'eds of Indians busily engaged in Z^^ hshery The oxcitemont created amongst them by the pa^sage^f' our solifa?y ^aiioe Iwas mtenso, ours being the first over to ascend so far in safety. Some of the Kiskiirirasse [Indians oven went so far as to oncou.-age us with charcoal d.awings on tree stumps Irepresent.ng our canoe bottom up with all its occupants swimming for their livk' [Indeed, he jealousy manifested by those savages was very g.-eat, and at o.o 'mo p.;om.sed to lead us into t.'ouble. We got along ve.y well, howeve.', until the Babine R.ver was reached, when a cold-blooded murder was committed by a KiLu-gasse Ind.an, and during the excitement consequent upon this, we wore warned notU> ascend to the v.llage. I pushed on, nevertheless, but my crew beginning to man° est signs of d.scontent, and the owner of the canoe flatly /efusing to go a step further he having years ago taken the l.fe of a Kiska.-gasse, and now fearilig retiiliatoml nnw^^'""f ^'''\'"f,'"*'"'r'^'*^'^"S^^«"*««0'^t'°"« thesurve/of the Babine [upwards as far as the lake outlet. -^ "^"^ -""ui"*- Lntl„^°i'r"'"^' ^j" Hazloton, I determined upon a survey of the Babine from tho lake ?rom theTrnft'o f f rK^°'"f '"I'J r^' ^'°'''''''' ^^'''^^^'^ ^" "^^^""P^ a passage S„ «t . ^^^ ^.''^\"''' ^y the vahey of the Skeguniah, an eastern t.' butary fvi^vf "\.'"'"''"^'''''^"*^'"'^''"'"'^'^"^'° Kyspyox.andits valley presentiij a very favorable appea.ance f.-om the last named village. Tho obieet was to avoid the eno.-mous bend of the River Babine, which, in the e%ent of the^tguniah provTng a failure, p.esonted ^he only means of access to the eastwa.-d. Accordingly I S gZd Au.uT with tf '"/^^''''^f ^"^''^"•. «"^^ «et out again f.-om Ila.leton^on the 7th August, with tho intention of penetrating the maze of mountains as far as tho River Babine, on a course parallel to, but north from, tho valley of tho Sus<,uah fh^t ^2 '"''^ tho valley of the Skeguniah, I found it to bo of so rough a character for LTkeZh-n^ ^^t'^ '"^ ^'"'"^""i '1^°, "^^?"'"'-« ""'' «t''"^« «^'«'' t''<> mountain for Lake Bab.ne, where we reached the oh.orvation camp eight days later the lontire party completely knocked up from fatigue and o'^^'er "exertion, bu' now M irf jt Ma >w i » «w*w p B ii TOU* . » ti;< 80 ¥ possesKOfi of the definite knowledge that the only way from the lilvei- Skeona to, the oastwurd is through the Babine Valley. I began the survey of the Babine Eiver on the 18th August, and after making a micromotrical iravorso for 25 miles below the fishery, examined the valley for some distance down, but failed to reach the upper Kiskargasse village. Quito sufficient of the valley wan, however, seen to enable me to state that it is quite practijsablo for u railway, although of a rough character for probably a dozen miles above the upper' village of Kisgargasse. From the isolated mountain in latitude 55° 88' north, ami ' elightly west from the Neelkitquah, I commanded a view of the Hudson Bay House on Lake Babine and of the lower Babine valley, and although the village of J Kisgai'gasse was hidden by a low spur, its position was recognisable. Below the outlet ol Lake Babine the ri"er flows between low banks, which gradually ' increase in height until when, fifteen miles lower down, they rise to olovationb 1 of 250 or 300 feet, and increase probably to 500 feet when within half a dozen milen of the upper village of Kisgargasse. Above the terrace upon which the latter is ; *ituat(!d, the right bank, covered with dense forest, recedes at a moderate inclination, the mountains proper being far back. Being satisfied as to the feasibility of the Babine valley, I returned to: Lake Babine, and shortly after commenced a micrometrical survey cf th« Eiver Neelkitquah, up which the projected lino had to be taken. This a very rapid stream, draining a largo area, and receiving numerous glacial] tributaries, several of which we had crossed on our journey to Bear Lake. At this time its waters were low, and we were enabled to ascend it with two dugouts. Thirty-one miles from its mouth wo reached a little stream supposed to come from the Kotsine Pass, and abandoning our canoes, wo pushed north-oastwani through the dense forest towards the Pass, the summit of which proved to be six •miles distant. A small stream flows from the summit westward into the Noelquit- , quah, but falls into the latter some distance ab»ve our canoe camp. This although available f)r camp. Tins pass, lable f )r a railway, proved eventually to be several hundred feet higher than 1 had anticipated. Thence to the Driftwood River we found our way with great difficulty. From Lake Tatia, the country was examined vid the " Hogem" Pass and down the valley of the Fall River to the Omenica, the survey being brought to a <;lose at the mouth of Germanson Creek, An unexamined break of about fifty railcH probably intervenes between the last named point and the Peace River, which I was unable to roach owing to the want of canoes and the laioness of the season. How- ever, although it would have been desirable to complete the survey so far, it is a matter of little importance, the pr&cticability of the lower portion of the Omenica for railway purposes being beyond a doubt. Before going farther, I shall now proceed to a description of the whole line examined, taking up each portion of the route seriatim, from Hazlelton eastward to Germansen Creek. As will have been gathered from the foregoing resu/ne of the season's operations, the Babine valley presents |the only available approach toj the Peace River Pass from Hazloton on the Skeena. The Susquah Valley is scarcely suitable for a trunk line, while the route vtd the valley of the VVotsonqua discovered many years ago by the Western Union Telegraph parties, points unmistakably either to the Pine River or Yellow-Head Pass of the Rocky Mountains. Apart from the last mentioned route, there is no way south from Hazletcn of reaching the Pl. tee River, and my own explorations of this season show oonclusively that, from Hazleton northward to the River Babine, a high and moun- tainous chain blocks up any passage to the eastward; while northward from the River Babine, the only other way at all possibly available would be by the Upper Skeena, Sestout and Omenica rivers, or by Bear Lake and the Driftwood river valley, both routes by far too circuitous, and that of the Sestout probably quite inad- missible. From Hazleton, northward, a line up either bank of the Skeena for ten or twelve I miles would be perfectly feasible, the right bank being probably the easier, but above j that it would, I think, be advisable t-o carr^ it aloa<' the left bank which offers 81 the IJivor Skoona to , ator fac.lit.es for a road. From Hazlolton to the mouth of tho river B.bino tbore Iscven or e.gh rav.nes varying in depth from 100 to 150 feet, to ^rL whidi of v Ltm-e« would be required, although, of course, much would depend upon ociUon^ fehore l,ne not re.iumng such expensive bridges a. onV som^e Slee' lie from the river, which, on the other hand, wo'uld possess matm-ial advan? I.S m considerable stretches of level ter-aons T?,.r„r, tt„ i ^ luaieuai aavant- [the River Babino the gone.al course o^ the ^ «ln ^ ""^ ^ V" '"'^"^^ [distance 33 miles, and diirence of ?evel 350 feet the si^iltsTn /en*^"'. T'''' \t. In this distance the Skeena washes the telS't es o? fhe ,^,,^^^^^^^^^ [tamed .n the tr.angu ar area bounded by itself, the Babine River and ihTvSZ Ihe .Misqua, a m.mntainous agglomeration of snow clad peaksTveWnfat leas^S lare m.les. Twelve m.les above Hazleton the valley of the Skeena con tacts o ke exten and the river s frequently conHned withirf narrow canons Th, banks I generally abrupt, and varv considerablv in hnlrrJ^t fk„ r^ '""^- -^'"' i^'i'iKs ur beingiometin'ies 150 feet above Ihe ?i'4^- !ev'l"t\ e^catrpStiot^VS u Id, in most cases be carried some distance back and nnon th« v.rh^L ■/ u led that the works in this valley would ^nJi^^e^^s^tv;':' Ipl^L^^ Itions of the river between Kitsellasse Canon and llazleton ^ ^ The lower portion of the Babine River valley contrasts very favorably with t of he Skeena. w,de and level benches or terraces covered with IuxuhS vc^ta |., extending from the confluence of the two rivers to the uppei^illage a? the S" ^0, „ about .00 foot nbovo tho lovol o( Ilailolon, which i/sLZ/ to to T'tiM .summit of the table land at the base of the isolated Mountairis aLuttnOO iSt d g'Tr'nt°fo%""ioS'fi*?r ^-- ^^''^'-f-e to this p-fint ;tfe% n ecu ng J.o^pe 100. Some distance above Kiskargasse tho terraces dis-ninem- ed slopes taking their place, while the river flows several hundi-ed 4et bSow the hillsides bemg gentle, and heavily timoered from waterSe ud ind fm- "sseS tt"bir\lieVtr 'T ''"^Tr^ '^ «"ticipated."tTera^^t?eamlat frJS"ui;,?n^;r w^Vto 'SafSf ''° '"■'■'"' ''''• "'^■'"^ ^^ ^"''^ ^ '^"^g« fc^^ --- - - - mi. 1, «ne Summit, which is reached at tl\e 83rd mile from Hazle mi^ Se Ihiris a : n the central range at the western base of which the Neelkiquah flows Tie -ate SrlT °"' T°^ ^T^' to the summit was rather more thin 2 perlOO lu by / irieltd ^"''" '^' ''"'^ °^ '^' Neelkitquah, the gradient maj: be My tStLf.tl ^?''",! '"'"'"'* ^^^' ^^'J^^''^ P'i^* 0^ t/^l^ route) is, ac rpafsisfavorS A .?'''''^1*«"' approximately 3,600 feet above soa level, mpy charactm a^d i^ tT ^ ""' '"^''^ "r""^ ''*^° ^^ *^° «"'"™it it is of a level, H ^^On tho o ;*^" ;,,'" 11"" "«»-™7?t place the mountain bases are nearly a mile or4 000feetltov«thl "^''""t/^'^^.ri^o to high elevations, being probably Duth and east of fc? T' 7^! ^'^"'' ^^"'''''"^ '''««« *° ^^^ mountains a Uttb S-8 thrDrSood WvT-™' ' ff ."".'L^^o-'"'*"'"'^ ^''«'-«° «f ^^bout twelve miles L..\7ru:!:''P.L^'^''\^ ThoUne does not follow the Kot- i-eastward towards the unoer and of Lake Tatla. with fi i; 123— GJ I upper S2 i5f,fC/"''' °'?°^ of li;-SHOiiinir tho down grade into the Driftwood River Valley al AotHinebuliwi a tributary to the KotHine.aiidat the 101st mile the Driftwood Ri f Sa^Iton''- PV m 'tr "L';" "•^"" '^™''''^'T '^%'^''''"^ ^'^^^ feet°abov'^Zle , uazolton i^iom the Kotnine summit to the Driftwood River the trades wi h. I ^'.^''}''y.\ '" »"^ «r '^°^' ^"'" ''•^ ^••"'^ t'^'^ K«t«i"° Sitlica to "he^Dw"uv,!f S Lake TiflV^n !!? P^'^^l'^^ymnivinga^nidior.t of 2 per 100. Cro.sHing tho v ot Lake Tatla, and passing the site of Buckley House at the lOSth mile the • Ahnvl'fK%^T/ ,*^?r V crossing the Driftwood River at a high level, sav 75 fJ ?he 'T?ot?n-- P^ •^"^^''.''"'^ keeping well up the slopes to thefastof B^ckfey Hot' the Hogem Pass may bo reached with gradients not exceeding 1 5 ner 100 In J the distance from Buckley House to the summit, the mounta n^sCos are o r gentle and covered with forest, one or two streams running through KiJmS down?ho'°" T"'''?^''' "^""^' magnitude; it is also probaSle, tha^in oJder tS b down the grades, a large amount of earth excavation through the sumniit swm wl w'lrrr"^- k^" «^«^-y ^^espect the eastern ascent from tTe vaU^rof- he Z wood will be much easier than that towards the Kotsine summit and in 1 I approaches to the low level of Lake Tatla, it will probably bo mora d ffi,. u f J ^f the grades within reasonable limits than ;,n any oX por^L o tt r^'U^^^ Hazelton and the Omonica (the valley of the river Babine perhaps excenre J tsoTbly h^; tn ,0= f^f ''-'• '''''^'''' - -^ -^^ ^-- = - j.e £9^95^:;^^^^ Sr^siiizi ZfU^ P^f '' ^°T^^'-' «hort, stiff grades of 2 per 100 may be fo^d unavoida 1 notably between the outlet of Second Lake and Wer Creek, and again between I Sed'ijg'iri^Se^''*' "'^- '"^ ^" ^^•^^^ ^^^^-'^ '^^ mi'ziTz:\ :Z^Z 7r "^' °^'^" ^'"^'"-^^ '''''''^'''- ^'^'^y ^ -ined 'haVtrif al?7 riv«7«l?'^".''''f ^"d glory of "New Hogem," situated ten miles further down J ™' "^PP^r. *^' fj^^^ been of an even more evanescent nature, for its sUe Zo S recognizable by about an acre of stumps, the sole vestige of man's frnmei^nreseni And yet, but a few years ago, both places were busy haunt«. Now thev a -e^howl J wildernesses although, even to-day, men occasionally pa^ up Ynd down Omen.ca with supplies for the much impoverished gold mines'^ of Manson 1 Sith rrffr'^'' ^^''■'' ^'■'^."P^' ^ couple score of mifers ekeout an existence a^ with very few exceptions, barely manage to keep out of debt Old n^^l,^- t\ mile, .nd the descent so gentle as, not in all proba'biUty";^ex'ceed 5 ^orT'S?' Between Pall River and Germansen Creek, where the elevation of th^ r\ J 18 approximately 1,732 feet above Hazelton, or 2 457 above s^ the ri?Lnn ^""'1 fXatS ^^/f«--g the sinuosities of the OmtnL: whX^' ontSrcD Its channel, the low sand and gravel banks, hetweon which it flow r«« n "^'^ away to the impetuous but smooth current.' "" ^'' ''^^^''^ S'^i^ 83 The yalloy of the Omenica is very beautiful, and the mountain.s which h.m it iu t each H>dc, al hou^.h, in one or two eases, of con.siclcrubio olova'io,., do not „os.se.s haiTon, wild appearance ho characteris.ic of the .snow-clad peal s of the Skcona |d I abme country. In fact, from Lake Tatia eastward, a chau^.e in the ge 3 ipoct of the country mq,ute apparent. Lake Tatia also appears To mark a change 1 the geo o«,c.aI formation, ,g,.h -boar ng nlato beinjr prcdoln'inant on its east .side, an r p' I Ir"'/'-"' ; V0"-'1^'''"l^''> o.xtcnt of the' rcj^ion to the eastward, as fir the Rocl 1,700 feet above sea (ami I think this to be an under-estimate), vve obtain a rterence of level equal to 757 feet whicdi, evenly distributed throughout the Itervening tliHtancc, gives a very moderate inclination, say of ij fp,,t per mile so lat upon this score there can be very little looin for doubt. ' I The foregoing description will be better understood by reference to the Icompanying profile and plan, the latter drawn to the scale of .,4^, or 8,000 feet anir:ch, \yhichshowsa very large porli.m of hitherto unknown country, and K-'V "?■*'' ^^ '?"*''' from Bear Lake in latitude 5G° toLakeTrembleur in latitude I 5. (otherwise known as Cross Lakej, an.l from Ilazelton to Germansen Creek frer three degrees of longitude. Upon the profile exhibited, the distance from Fort Impson to the head of the Rocky Mountain Canon of the Peace River is 483 miles I It IS also worthy of remark that, on the existing maps of British Columbia, the prtion of country examined by me this season has been erroneously laid down as to Ititude, the true positions of Bear Lake, Buckley House, and Tremblcur Lake, being bm 10 to 15 minutes of latitude more to the north than thev are thereon shown I Before bringing this brief description to a close, it mav be well to add that Iclian ropon points to a vast extent of fine prairie countiV immediately to the fcrthwaniof Lort Connelly, which is also said to extend eastward to the upper Indlay River, and northward, never so far. It is much to bo regretted that circum- rtnceo forbade any attempt to see even the slightest portion of this interesting Igion, which. If its existence bo real, presents a strange anaraoly in such a moun- |inous country. •' During my visit to Manson Creek, I also learned from a miner who icendcdthe river Findlay some years ago, that it is a nuiu'iiiflcent stream, almost fcustrino in character for many miles, with low, level banks, and flowing majostic- Vy through a wide valley at the western base of the Rocky Mountain Chain. Its Dper branches drain the prairie region above referred to. I Throughout the whole distiance from Ilazelton to Germansen Creek, the route ■and has been traced through a densely-wooded region. On the western portion, i.e.. ^m llazelton northward, and well up the valley of the River liabino, the forest, owing I the humidity of the climate, is almost entirely green, but bevondthe central ransQ. Jge areas „i tho^ Driftwood, Pall River and Omenica River valleys have been fnuaod by fire. The forest of this northern region does not present a great variety It}- liy 8^ ■M of wo,Kl.s-tlie prmc-ipal aio tho npruce f5r, the Banksian pino in the dry localitie cotton wood and aspon along tho rivers and lakes. A few birch trees were sooii^^ the vicinage of Lake Tatia, and thei-o 1 saw, much to my surprise, a veritable hi. bark oanoo, tho property of an Indian. The spruce tir is, however, more universally distributed through this raountainni region than any other wood. Wild fruits are plont-fu!, and the numerous stroarj teem with fish. 'i A very large portion of tho country seen is quite unsuitable for agriculture J causes being ,n certain localities, great elevation, in others want of good soil ii,T (seventy of climato, or, properly speaking, the short duration of summer. I fear deed hat from this cause tho cultivation of any but the hardiest cereals will be' posMblo although It IS difficult to say what eflect might be produced by cloani:; and settlement. At Bear Lake, scarcely any attempt has hitherto boon mad. cultivate more than a few potatoes and garden vegetables, and even those have r proved a success; still, I believe thatwith proper care, good barley and potatoes mi-' be grown there. j i "o-i At Lake Babine some potatoo ]jatches were completely frozen about Vi beginningof August ; this was, however, in a great measure duo to tho too close xJ imity o the garden to the lake. In a higher location this accident would, in J probability, not have occurred. During tho month of August severe nocturnai flu were of frequent occurrence in tho valleys of tho Babine and xNalkitauah Rivers j was, however, remarked that on the uplands vegetation never sutfored from thatcaJ to such an extent as in the close, deep valleys occupied by water. On the 21st August the cold was so great as to form ice a quarter of an inch thick at my can camp on the River Babine. while 400 feet higher, on the table-land, the wild f.ii,, were scarcely touched by frost. I observed, as also did Mr Macoun, this phonoJ nop on the Peace River in the autumn of 1872. It is easily explained : the uplanl enjoy during the day a greater portion of sunlight than tho valleys, and moreovertJ winds exorcise a heating influence over tho soil and vegetation, while they often lif to reacn the valleys at all, where the undisturbed and stagnant atmosphere predJ poses to frost. ° 1 f^m.di!^'"''''''"'' "? ^'''' P''°''"'''' '^"''''"S ^'^^ ™""^^' of July, great vicissitudcsl tempeiature wore observed, intense heat prevailingduring the day, while at night J minimum thermoneler fell very low indeed, and on the 3Istof July is recorded '-fi J snow on tho mountains," an observation which however deserves no special nc.tii the same phonomenon taking place all the year round at intervals, throughout i| length and breadth of the province. ■ in the Ominica quarter, and in the valley of that river, during tho month beptember, very cold i,nd frosty weather was experienced. On the 21st of Septemlvl ho poplar tol.age was of the deepest yellow, and tho autumn was, I should sav| least one month in advance of our usual experience in the valley of the Ottawa''^ While on the subject of climate, I may mention that the meterological obsciTi tions of this summer, undertaken chiefly for hypsometrical purposes, are now boiJ tabulated with the view of obtaining some insight into the climitic cmiditionrof'tJ X ©Q ion, I .nn^r'^i^'iK^^Q/'"'""'!^'^''''" ""^ ^^'^ '^'*™"''^ '^'''■'^'- I «e»t my men back to IJ toast i,a the Skeena River merely reservinga couple to accompany me on my way] Quesnelle, which was reached, via Stewart's Lake,' on tho 12th Oclobor. DurimAl r.Minn'If •' i "ni if- •"'"•0'"et''i'='*l «"i'vey of the east shore of Lake Tatla and'o] portion of Middle River. An examination was also made of tho southern end of Lake Tutia, having' : view a possible line from St. John's Bay on Lake Babine ^ , T .1 Vu-"^ ^ reported that the chain of lakes lying immediately to the e.istward LakoBabino presented a favorable opportunity for tho pasoUgo of a railway ivi the direction of Ihe outlet of Lake Babine, and that the wooded hills which^ J ht. John s B-ay on tho east might in all probability be scale! by a railway. Dai4 tho past season Sh: Cambio, on his way up Lake Babine, walked up the trail whil 85 cnnscs those hillf, and found by aneroid that the elevation did notoxcood 1,000 feet, aiul that tho«e hillH are quite practicable. Such bein<,' the cuw, I exiiminod, asuh-oady- remarked, the Houthorn end of Lake Tatia in thiM connection. To the oantward of the southern end of Lake TatIa the countiy appeai-H 1o\t I although Mtill very much broken. There may be some direct pasHage thence to the Nation Lakes, but I am inclined to think that a more favorable lino would bo found by following the Middle Eiver to Lake Trerablour, and skirting itn northern shores to the low valley of a small stream which fulls into Lake Tremblour at its eastern extremity. Thence I believe a passage might be iound towards McLeod Lake After a very careful study of this northern region, 1 am more than ever convinced that the route via the Kotsine Pass is the only available one from the Skeona to the Peace River Pass of the Rocky Mountain^ and that the southern one via the Tatlabunkut chain of lakes, the pass opiiosite Fort Babine, and Middle River towards Lake McLood, which lies probably sovoncy-five miles due oast from Lake Tremblcur, would only he useful in connection with the Pino River Pass to which I drew the attention of the Government in 1872. The meteorological observations made during the past summei', disconnected as they unavoidably were, are unsatisfactory as data for arriving at more than a rough estimate of the climatic conditions of the region so hastily examined. Nevertheless, it may be i^marked that the register shews i-ome interesting thermometrical dift'eroncos which 1 shall give here. Simul- taneous hourly readings during the month of July shew a ditferenco of four degrees [of Farenhcit between Hazolton and Lake Babine, the former assumed to bo 725 feet above the sea, the latter 1,647 feet higher. The higher temperature occurs at llawlton Similar readings at Lakes Babine and TatIa show differences of 3 degree* of Farenliuit, the higher temperature being at Lake Tatla. The climate of Bear Lake for a few days in July, as compared with that of lllazelton, is in fike manner, shewn to bo seven degrees colder. The most genial climate scoms to obtain at Luke Tatla, and I may bore remark that, in my opinion, the most fitting area for settlement or agiiculture seen during ! the season is in the trough of the Driftwood River and Lakes Tatla, Trembleur and Stewart, where a considerable extent of fino land is to be found in spots. I have no doubt that thei-e are also a few favorable localities on Lake Babine, as there are in th* vicinity of Hazelton and Kyspyox, but elsewhere, with scarcely any exception, the j country is of too elevated ana mountainous a character to be at all fit for agriculture. 1 have the honor to be. Sir, Your most obedient iervant, C. HOEETZKY. ISa.vcford Flbmino, Esq., Engineer-in-Chief, Canadian Pacific Railway, Ottawa. lii^^' !(',: f Lake Tatla, having: T' ,4 i 89 APPENDIX No. 6. if; i. MEMOBANIHTM UEHARmNO A JOURNEY FROM VICTORIA, V.I., ACROHH NORTHERN BRITl''«'^ approaditho northern ex-' tiemi y of that island its lofty hills, some of which are over seven thousand feet in I height, intii tlio moHt cxporioncedi rthward botwooQ Van. ?ia, unlil, leaving ilie anneln that divide the le coast with scarcelj' ocean that 8trotchen ort Simpson, is one of nhores of Vancouver Pacific break with an id between thorn and deep enough for the e, and yet the tiniest I ig tiiis deep, smooth, | ibably without a rival.! 3WS to a span of a few his course over calm by varied and attrac- the eastern seaboard i; trade increases, the iges of deep-sea navi' angers of tlie sea, can 10 gales of the Pacitie, )f Vancouver Island as again for about ten I's Narrows, near the ancouvor and ValdeH •rent, sometimes from lours at the utmost to y than would bo met e traveller along this I you pass beyond the ich the northern ex- ven thousand feet in ific. so that these fall m Victoria northward 'ancouver the islands e clouds. These roll e range, which runs hern part of the coast er the east coast of Beyond the shelter of Vancuvor the weather became, as we had evnected bcidedly moist. A drizzling rain .,bM-mc,i, Cor Iho time, our views „f wj./.t from' ccasH.iia! glimpses, wo infenvd must he magniliccut scoiicrv. Wlion th„ |,,.,,|on Mstwouldliftwecouldseelhe hills, MOW Imrc and p.oci pilous, n„w w.mhIcI and lonmg, now t<.rront-.nrved and snow-capped, somotimcs like a wall of adamant efyii.g the waves, and again cloit by deep narrow tionl.. or gorges On Thursday about noon, we r.>aehed Port Essington at the n.o.ill, of (ho .Skoona .l.stance ol about 4o0 miles from Victoria. The village consists of some (ifioen or von y houses the best o which is occupied by thosoliiaiy white tradorof the i.lace : others by Indians The chiei sta,,lo of trade, which is also the chief artiJle of" M, IS salmon, for hero as elsewhere along the coast, salmon is found in extra- ^■dinary abundance, and during the fishing season there is a ready market for thcni ^ the smal cannery, a little north of this, known as Wiilaclach, called also W( o pck s Landing, or Jnvernoss. There is very little land in the vicinity fit forcultiv the country being for the most part rugged and mountainous; hut there arc Kcellont cedar forests dose at hand, a fact that induced an enterprising firm to bu Id steamer he.e some years ago, as it was possible lo bring the engines, &c., here lore easily than cedar could be conveyed to Victoria, but the price of labour n a do bo venture a co8;ly and unsuccessful one. For some distance from the mouth of the river the clear sea-water is discoloured ■the dark waters of the Skecna; indeed, the river seems to push back the sea Ither than to blend vyith it, for although there are the u.iual tidal variations, cxi.osin.' I low water a rough beach in front of the village, yet the water near thJ shore it [most perfectly fresh, and IS constantly used for cooking an.l other domestic pur- bses. The largo bay that receives the waters of the river affords good anchorage btitcanno bo called a good harbour, for not only is the access from the s^ea Imewhat intricate but during the winter sean^n it is blocked with ice brouL'htdowii b the fekeena. Adjacent islands prevent the waters of the Pacific from havhi-r much , upon the bay, except in the rise and fall of the tide, and as it receives the aters of a large river that in winter are ice cold, and frequently blocked with ico bes, this bay unlike the great majority of the bays on the L^aciHc coast, is ice-bound li" a part of the year. ' From Port Essington wo steamed on to Port Simpson, about 50 miles further north iitingon our way the Indian village of Metlahkailah, in order to secure ciews and' Inoes for our journey up the Skecna. Metlahkatlah i. chiefly known i hrou-h the iv- larkable mission established here, in connection with the Church of I'hialund bv Mr rm. Duncan Other missions to the Indians, both Protestant an.l Roman C^itholicrexist pritish Columbia, but it is no disparagement to them to say that i.ciio ofihom have toved so successful as the mission at Metlahkatlah. The J'sim,, scans, as the Indians r that district are called, were at the time when Jlr. Dunc.n came aniMi-r them Iventeen years ago as fierce, turbulent, and unchaste as any of the other .oasr tribes' 6t excepting the Haidahs ; whereas now the chastity of the women, the sobriety bd steady industry of the men, the thrift and cleanliness of all render their sottle- jenl the equal, in these respects, of almost any jdace of the same size in the eastern rovinces. Mr. Duncan desired from the first to draw in the Indians from scattered Btncts along the coast to one centre, a plan which might work well in this quarter here the Indians live chiefly by fishing, although it could not be crrried out in tho ■me way among tho Indians of the woods or of the prairies, who live chiefly by pining, lie chose as the centre of operations tho little Indian villas of Metlah- Itiati where at; that time about fifty persons were living, and he has already gathered found him Indians from adjacent districts to tho number of about a thousand upon Qom fie has been able to exert a strong and steady influence. Ue learned their pguage made it a written language, and now teaches it to them grammaticallv iile instructing them also in English. He learned several tmdcs that he might Ptruet them, and sent son o of them to Victoria to learn trades that they mi^ht in turn Icomo artisan teachers. Tho fruits of their labour, beyond what are required for |eir own maintenance and comfor- -o exchanged for such commodities in the way il 86 ll I of clothing, pi-ovinion, etc., an they cun procuio from Victoria, and thowo are fiirniHh^ at an oxcollont hlion in tlio villtigo, which, un« -iiii I, oiiii|)iuii;, iiiiu IS Decupieii aim entirely by IndianH. Tho harbour is mo.st favourably .situated. Kasy of accosMforst,:i navigation, through tho channel by which we entered it from tho south, it is easy ola ceH8 lor sailing ships or wtoamors approaching from tho west, through Dixon Strait. that separate tho Queen Chniiutte Islands from Alaska; and it is as safeas it isaccessjh'^ l-acing tho west it has two ajipro.iche.s—Dodd Passage, between tho soiUh-wcMo ' extremity of (he harbour and a reef of rocks, and fnskip Passage, which soparai thiH reef of rocks on its northern side from liirnie I.-land. Between Birnie Island ai the norihern e.xtremity of the harbour, there is a choked paasage not rit for at uavigalion, save that of canoes or other light craft. This reef of rocks, though hiddt at high tide, is traceable at low water on account of tho kelp attached to it, and serves as a partial breakwater for any sea that might roll in from tho Pacific, wh -Birnio Island completes the protection of tho harbour on the western side. T! extent of tho harbour may be set down at not loss than three miles in length, witiu average breadth of nearly one mile. Itsonly cxposni e is to tho west, especially throu- the approach known as Inskij. Passage, but no severe gales ever visit it "from tli, quartor. '"'inlaysoii Island and the iJundas Islands protect it to the Bouth-wost ar Houth, while any gales from tho north-east, east or .south-east (tho prevailing quart lor high winds in this locality) can scarcely have any influence on its waters, as it i.'^ well defended on tlicso sides by the high surrounding land. Tho anchora^o reported by Captain Lewis to be excellent. ° From Port Simp.Mjn wo visited Work Channel, an inlet of 32 miles in lenm' which runs from Capo Maskelyno, five miles north of Port Simpson, in a souther direction, making a peninsula, known as the Tsimpsean Ponisula, of an avera* breadth of twelve miles, from near the mouth of the Skoona to Cape Maskelya Ihis channel has never been fully surveyed. It seems to be similar to many otiiei of the deep inlets, that run into the mountains along this coast and that have oftt been likened to the fiords of Norway. The north-easterly bank is more procipito than the other, the hills rising for the most part very steep and abrupt from t waters edge, and although almost uniformly covered with a growth of small cedi ^--ot when occasional snow-slides or perpendicular bluffs disclosed their roct character, it became a matter of surprise how anything could grow upon the; fturlaco. About 22 miles from tho entrance tho north-eastern bank is cut throui by a narrow fiord called Quatoon Inlet, where tho bare rocks seemed to yawn'i oi-der to allow a glimp.se of some snow-capped summits and rugged cliffs, moi imposing than tho scenery at any other part of the channel. At the head or scut eastern oxtiemity of the channel a stream enters from the south ; up the valley ( this stream thei e is a pass at low altitude, connecting, by a few miles. Work Chanii with the River Skeena. The south-westerly bank is not marked by hills of the same precipitous characM as those on the other side, except for two or three miles from a point opposite Quatfti Inlet, tovvards the head of the channel. Here the descent to the water's edge is vei^ abrupt, although, even here, there is an almost unbroken growth of small cedar wi: occasional patches of cotton wood in the rifts between tho hills, as fully advanced Jeaf, at tho time of our visit, as tho Cottonwood trees near Victoria. For the n 8!) thoHioposulonff tho ...uth-wostorn bank :yo sontlo. a...! fro.,uonlly torm-nato in a M^om- l.o..el, ot sM.ra, eoi.s„lonil,l„ wi,lth, ub„„t forty (bet alv.vo I.i4 waU As wo wt.m roturnm^c t'> Port Simpson, a.ul wl.on half-way .lowi. Work Chai.nol theclmzhnj^rau. wh.h hu.l fall.,, n.oro or les, .tea.lily .inc^Vo.lnol.lay n. nZ ' m.>t.d the Hou.ls broUo away, tho «ky j^row dear, an,l tho day be.-ana. bri.r a Zfrl ana. KnKi.sl.SIay.day. Sloa,nin« aroun,l Capo Muskolyno, wo could hoo a o Mh^ .■o,H of Alaska for many ,,,,1.., u„.i „« wo turnod south and passod Port Sin so 7 o harbour an.i a. snrrouu.lm^.« app,,,ed much moro attrmail-o that. Ih^ . u ,^ the d.sa<,reoab)o dnz. o the mornini,^ Tho nea was calm, and a» tho aflo oo w , » on, the day «,nt.nuod bright, while wo hold on our couI-ho for Port K si, Z. U .eomed as ,f this nortl.ornaio.st j.ortion of tho Pacidc coast was as fair and favou abl o .n rogard to s.onory and Hm.ato, as tho coa, t of Vancouvor, or of tho s outhon o S t.on ot tho mam and ; and yot tho testimony of all wh..m wi mot, capable f.k'n^ ovuionco tonds to prove t..a. the climate here is exceedingly moist M D nca , ff Oc obor to Aprd an.l found that only an average of seven days per month were fS and after a residence of seventeen years in this locality, ho thinks tl a Ids is a .•eliabo proportion for that part of tho year, l,ut thi.t the -proportion wo weUho,^ during tfie remaining months, ,s not so large. During one season, in which ho wh teaching night school, it was necessary for him, each evening, to car y a I "iS lamp from his house a few steps from the school; and he obsor -0.1 tlnUfor t vent,? one consecutive nights, he rciuired to carry an umbrella over tho lamp o nr.Mcct it from iho rain Mr. A. McAlistor, who built a steamer at Port Essing ton i to | gent and reliable witness, says that sometimes in July there is f5no wo-alor bu tlitl e during tho rest of tho year. Capt. Lewis, and residents at PortSimpr^n g h'c mih? reports and yo from our own exporionco of what is accepted as '• we " woat o. 11 hS in:7that" wbici:''"'"'^ '""'• '"^ '"^''"•■"^"" ""^ ^^-1-"' ^'''-l^. -iti' eioudy At unv .LI vkT i""*; "-^P"'''""^'^^** ••^« "ft«" on tho west coast of Scotland Ihealtlp one, ,f we mayjuiigo from tho fresh and vigorous appearance of tho pconlo ■ mrts olTho PnSc "'T"^' ^'"'^ ^'^ ^'''''^ "«^ more seveii than in tho LlCn I C , A ^ "•■ ^ '^'^ "'" "'"' """''y *'-eq"ont, not much more so than at tho 2 f.?Hh°i " fh""" "* *^''"''^"'' ''^'^' ♦''^''^""^'^ ^•"•^'^^^ f''«"^ bush fires, of h cS at .at Zmrv .,'";''■''' "' ^'*'" "' ''''«.""''. i;"''^ ^'"^P^""- ^^^^ 'Attempts are made la.gaiacniiig, \egcL.iOles are grown with fair success, ospeciallv potatoes but thu blllZ ^ '''••? ?.'■ '"" '""■■:' P"''^ ^''^^y' ^^'^"° ^■"'•''^'^•- '-•" tho s^ho i's rock ■! inri h, r^?h-UT ' '^Vi^'^'^i"'^'' «f 'I i'^^^ occasional patches it is said to be uttei- y IcI^bn. / h! 1 ir; ^i'"''*^ '^"^'""^' '■''"' of limber, particularly red and yellow U^w t^ I l-ln '^ r '?r '■'''"'' ^''■"^'' "^'"'^ «^'<^"™t^-. eypres^), and some trees IsaZ or Lw^'T .' ^'!' *^,'"^; "? "°^ '""'••' '''^'^ *^^^«Pt ^y tho Indians for producing llZL I ''°'""'^' •" '''';"'' thoy generally build their houses, or for mJcir... thoi7- Bovond Tl i'« :h'"'" '•""'''^' '"^" *'^' ^^"^'"■' ^"" ^-^t '"' 'honeo across the country, to Bablno, up Lake Babino femsMth.^T""';"^""^.^^'""^-^' '^' <=e"t.'alVdson's BayTost of northo a' Cn * i°l^"^^"^' /'. "^ *'^''t St. James we would follow the trail to Kbrt McLoo.l. snn tiicace proceed i.y bout, canoe or raft, down Peace liiver through tho m f I I M Jtoclfv MoiuitaiiiM to Duiivo-'an, luul, uflor siu'tid IK'iidin;,' BDino 'imo in tlio i'euco llivor if = counlij, hurry oiislwanl by way oi' Kdmontoii to \Viiiiii|)Oi,'. By .)(< orvalioii* inatlo in part hy inicroinotor ami in part by tnw^k Hur' dihtancc from Port Ki-^ington to tlio viilago of llazoltc.n, liol.tor It voy, the of Slioona, or by its Julian nanio Kitiinniax, is IfiO inikw; tl lit loasl. anproxiniat.jly coiTcct. Tlio allitude of lla/.lolon abovo tl % nowii as I ho Fori li^ may bo roganloil un, i'cot. Ordiiij'ry tido -valer roaciio-, about 22 miles abovo I'oi t Kssinirt 10 Moa Im about 65(i «ro felt Movoral inilos fiiilhor lyton ; npriiig tido _ Tlio luriorit In always strong' abovo tido mark, and somotinios vory rapid, ih iv l)oing Mjaixcly any roachos of calm water, ho that '• poliiiL'" and " truckin ■' ' a/o Ur-t quently roquirod. " ■ For .somo distance from tho mouth of tho rivor. Hay 50 milos, the bank,< on b .th Bidos aro stoop, soinolimos almost prooipitous, but alon>,' tho yroator ji irt of this dih tanoo, ospocially on tho northern or right bank of tho rivor, llioio 'mm- ;., flat or low lienoh of varying width, while at the same time tho rivor is so shallow near tho shore Jis to admit of poling almost without intorniption. Whon tho tido is out tho boadi IS oxpovedior 11 considerable width along the lower portion of the rivor. On the s bliill-, and high hills, visible from tho rivor, tho ellbcts of snow-slidos and land-slides 1 may occasionally bo observed, coming in a few instancoH oven to tho water's od--o " n IHlit; (ho ,,tcamor Mumford ascended the Skoona about 70 miles, to a poini J a Iittio abovo the village of KilHumgalluin. This point is regarded as tho head oi I hteain navigation, as any navigable btretehes of water abovo this aro interrupted by '^ heavy rapids The Mumford was employed by tho Western Union Tologranh tompany of the Lnitod States to convoy Hup))lies for tho men who wore engaged ons Ibo lino that had boon projected through part of Uritinb Columbia. Thi.t company «onunonced explorations in 18(i5, with a view towards tho construction of an ove -I Jaiid toK'gr.aph, which, l-j way of Bohring Straits, was to unite the Old and New! \\ oilds, but alter tbc exponditiire of throe millions of dollars the scheme was abaii- « loncd owing to tho huccos.-: of tho Atlantic cable. For about 80 miles from tho coast the .Skoona IS dot tod with islands that have boon formed by rich alluvial doposit^l born." down hy the ntreain, and that are now covered by a luxuriuntgrowth of timber i ■chiefly of cotton wood, while tho banks of the river are fringed in many parts byi Hats that are also .lonsoly wooded. In some instances tho islands are ho near the shoie that tho chjinncl between them and the bank might, if any good purpose worej to be survod by it, such as tho reclamation of land, bo vory easily tilloil and tho water I diverted int) tho mam channel. As the rivor cuts its way through tho Cascade .hange, which is here more Alpine in character than the range of the lliicky Mountain* 111 the same parallel, we wore frequently in the midst of wild and attractive accnery. Iho hill.s are lofty, serrated, wnow-cappod ; Homotimes wecould see a glacier, enclosed in a 8liell-shai)od valley and surrounded by an amphitheatre of peaks ; while the wooded islands and flats, in their varied shad v: .>r ..icec. form a pie wing fore"-round lor every view. ' j o o Occasionally wo passed an Indian villagr, .. '-.n ..., ..- a few riiuu houses made ol rough cedar boards. Each house accomraoc; iU - iwo or more families, and in some ot tho villages each house is adorned by a curiously carved door-post. Tho tigurea in- geniously cut upon these door-posts are supposed to bo tho heraldic bearings of the famiy, but to the uninitiated the heraldry of those Indiana is as mysterious as the heraldry of the English nobility. Frogs, boars, boavors, whales, salmon, seals, eagles, men, somotimos men tapering into fish like the fabulous merman, aro tho figures most Ircquontly soon. Several of these may be found on each post, tho post being about thwtv loot high, and two foot in diameter at tho base. In many cases more labour IS- -xpondod on this post than upon all the rest of tho house ; sometimes it is large! ';nough to a :■ it of a hole being cut through it sufficient to serve as a doorway, and' ^1 this casi the opening is usually by some quaint conceit made to represent the| mouth of one of tho carved figures ; frequently, however, it is quite distinct from the house, standing in front of it like n flagstaff. Not far from the villaLre mav iiHuallv' too toand a little graveyard with carved and painted monuments, but vory often th'ei hh grnuiK reniaii whi( b N here al •inlmoM stt Hiilmoii tlio nal as of tl taken i of food Ac the bar invarin Th valley ( marked into tl; Homr'wl the Nai Skeona, Inlet. Columb level of Columb sea), tl chain o jappenra ISkcona Thi land the he isla luporior irch an lerrios, I'oao, col Tho iho islan lart fun bovo K latcaux loam, CO' 'horovei iver sidi he Fork Imost CI irect lin 'he distr ut of th( ^rks th( here is b fairly till .Iready r 91 mo in tijo Peiico llivorj •t by ti'iu'k Hui'vov. the r known as llio Fork* M Miiiy bo i'i)Ki'i''loil UN,j vo llio sou in about 65(1 j •iHsinyton ; wprin^j tiilr tinios very rapid, tb ic nil " truckiii'; ' am frc loM, tho bivnk.i on b )th| •oator ji irt of tbis ilih iioio •■i\i\-: ii, flat or low, sbaiiuw near tbu shore i) ticio JH on I tbo boachl of tlio rivor. On thd f-sli'los ami lami-slidusl to tlio wutor'.i odf^o. It 70 niilos, to a point I yarded an tlio iioad oi ; liis aro intorrnptod bv rn Union ToleyrajA who woi'o onj^agcd on ml)ia. Tbi.t company istrtiction of an ovc- to tlio Old and Now the ssobonio was abaii- i J milo.s from tbo coast ;|i rich alluvial dopositu, ■iant growth of timborj igcd in many parts bjl ands aro mo iioar the iiy good purpose were ly tilled and the water ' tbrniigh tho Cascadoi ' tho llocky Mountain*! .nd attractive Hconory.j see a glacier, onclobedl of poakH ; whilo thel It pie '.iing foreground j 7 ru>u! Ijousos made oil milie.s, and in some oil post. Tbo figures in! raldic bearings of thel 1 as mysterious as thel 1, salmon, seals, eaglesT n, aro tbo figures mo8t| tho post being abouil ly cases more labourj sometimes it is largel ve as a doorway, andl ade to represent thel [uite distinct from thel 1 villai/o may usiiallvl ts, but very often i grave of tbo Indian is separuiod from flu, .mmvom of his kl.wmAn „«.! • marko I by bis (Mi.oo or liH irun „,. :„ A,,"' , .V '" "'^ "I'l^ "on, ami m rornmonly ofbiHbo^,bisown,vmiliiii:^i;' .'^' 3^ l„.',.i.n'• ''■' ^^'^ taken in the or.linaiy abundance a"m' mav in Yn s '. '"'^"'■' ''"■ '"''""" '"' ''« of food for tho year ' ^ '" '°'" "'•'"' " '"""t'' '">• i" his siij.ply the i:^nk:;';;;:SiXXu^ir™n>?;:: iir "^ "i--- - «- '^'-« invambly whore sued? flats ,^e no! n:;:/, '£'1 .ifilo^i ^St t wii; uTi; ^r!^ The mountainH between tbo cmwt linn „,„i .1 r 1 1 VrS, ^^"'"^ l''0 water. valley of tho Skeeiia ul,or?5 .niir/rJm C fc^ ValL y, which joins tho er Columbia; it cannot properly bo^^allod a valC"hnt' if"^ P"f"«hed map of H.-itish u.perior si.o an.l quality, cedar an are about 250 and i spyox, further up tho j on as a promising )plies wore portaged IS well as was at lir.st | ago might have been the Omenica district I e still about 60 whit«( iccess and the mines | rior are still pagan, peaceable and well- jitant prices for theii" ir employer may bej ns, yet us they ai'«| 3, they may equal the j n settled industry, a»| There is as yet no waggon road from the Forks of Skeena to the interior but an icelent trail, good enough for a mule train, leads to Lake Habine Tu\l l- ■ .a.on the only road leading from the Skeena by Babh.e lie Fryin 'p 'p.'r like Tatla and tho tributaries of the Omenica liivm tn.i. r» J^.-'ni'iSN d. 200 miles from the Forks, and as the XrH^l r^:'u. i " isVr'ict'roVtt ast IS the more expensive one of tho waggon roa^l along the Fr isc R vo,- n,?^ Ihl .d from Quesnel, this trail from the Skeena :is the highway lb;^ good Seal' o? We left the Forks on Monday ,23rd June, with a nack ti-.ln «f t„ i- ilos are kept at the village. A trail led n's^tom-e'Sh plateau n rr',!? th', llage rom which wo had excellent views of the Nilddii-aw-alh o, Rn,. I.o n buntain so called from a broken mass of rock at ils b-t^I i t » •t^'boule, ksonquah) that rises about 6,600 feet above the sc'^ '" '""^'''" "^ *^" About 2J miles from the Forks we struck the old telegraph trail which rnn, bough the. valley of the Watsonquah, to Fort Stager about 40 mles -E^^^ Li cut (ov the purpose of forwarding supplies i,^ connectio w , t telt ranS linf lit had been projected and afterwards abandoned by the Woste. , Tnlnn T t*^ u iich flows into the Watsonquah a little above tho innr. inn , f li f • -T , ' eena,passingoverlowrolling\illHthata.esq^^^^^^^^^ wild and picturesque streams. On the bank if one of'^^E s'eam ^'w; t id'i^li barbonaceous shale, in which a small quantity of coal could ho < ..tor.LTnni. k • rionof the possibility of finding coal'measiifes i.^ thi'^u tot' he .oun^r^ ^ there we saw small patches that might be cultivated, and the hil s S' where ired of timber, abound n pea-vine wild L^r^iss -in,! hn^h,w ..rtv. • '^'"P"'^'. whoie bsent condition, pasture for Inules o'^ cl t.^'?! :'^iu:;'',5>UH"C;?il?hnwn '^"' ^ as nch as the valley of the Watsonquah ; there tl t-i « is Si^^Z]la ,with the exception of that and of the land which we saw am, nH i J # i ' re IS very little in this vicinity that is lit for setSm ntaidev en ofth- portion' ^ cannot yet speak with confidence on account of the limits?) fF 7 P™" /ofcultivation. and the probable climatic dtSculties '"'^ '^'''''' "^ '^^ After a few miles the trail leaves tho valley of tho Su^omh nn,i i„n i .l [ley of a tributary stream, the Oo-at.-an-li. As we a cen he view! llnl "'' ^^^ Ids along the course by which we had come, g^nv mr^i'm™ ti Uvf Tn i opposite side of the river stands the Na-talt'sul, a cluster ofTjeLks the oftiest of lich cannot be less than 7,000 or 8,000 feet in height, enclosingfsSlXS in tho ll -shaped valley thai receives the snow and rivulets from their scan ed and ri^lo^ . of the Susquah, while the view is closed by the Eoohe Deboule^ that sfmds^maK ) and compact, a sentinel of the Skeena. SomCimes the sceuer; bion^'oflirnt bharacter, although it has not the sustained grandeur of the m.TulinTof sIT bd Any one who from the Eighi, has seen the Oberland Alps, or f" m the G^rnm- I has een the Matterhorn, Monte Rosa, and other summisn rsncnv 0^00^ V ','^"^«'^f'.^^''« Z«'-'"'^tt, will seek in vain for similar otfoc-ts amon ^oin-Ca^an «-at leas in that northern portion which we wore traversin... Fa • heJ soutt bg the valley of the Homathco, the Cascade Rani-e is said to be jrram er th in on Skeena while the Rocky Mountains are much higher neai mxrS 1'n tun Swil a7 '"■' "'^' '^'^ ^y^ ^'^^'•- ^^' '^"^ Cascades are less in es.ive^^h^^^^^ Swiss Alps, on account of the distance that divides thoir loftiest p^ks and 'lus I, hey are not so closely grouped as their European rivals, and Ueyl so sti Immdvr""''/'"'^"^^*''^ ^^'' ^'"^* the low ranges of interve Z li N Ire Ke wfnd brlT; 1 St.* "^"^ ':™"'''V"^ ^ilV^^'-' -^^^^ has in part be'^en s t.wu lloaoZri Iw . '. ^^^ ""''' l"'''^' "^ '•t'" Handing, blackened by tho flames [2t:^^^^^^ ^""' ' I^'^^"- «f ^«-'^"-' -'tl>-t -blimey and"Tf !'iT^f''^''^*^°.'TJ"/' between the Skeena and Lake Babine until th.. iofThaisauy, tne26th. Uu the way we observed a profusion of wild In is 1" 94 1^'" flower.M, and on ilio opposite si^lo of the Ooatzanli, some small grassy moudows Til summit is about 4,aii() foot above tiio soa level, or 3,850 above tiio Forks; but aljoj , 750 foot bolow the summit, there is a small lake from which flow the waters of tj Jr Ooatzanh westwards, and those of a stream that flows eastwards into Lal-ioi.al sh.)wors, for a tinl prevented us from venturing in the Cottonwood canoes which are the only method oorveyance on the lakes of the interior. During this delay wo were able not only to arrange for crows and canoos tolaJ us to the head of the lake, but also to examine some of the surrounding count: The lake discharges its waters info the Skeona by the Babine Eiver, v.'hich flows iiil ijorth-westerly and westerly course. Wo could not follow it, but wo learned frnl those familiar with it, that although its canyons are precipitious they are not vci lofty, and that a winter trail runs along the benches that skirt the river. Near tl Indian village, at the lower end of the lake, starts the trail to Lake Tatla, which lei over low rolling hills eastward by the Frying Pan (or Fii-opan) Pass, through snot olad ranges towards Omonica, about l.-iO miles from Babine. This district, like soil other parts of Brit ish Columbia, was almost unknown, except to Indians and Hudsoiil Bay Company officials, until it was explored by miners in search of gold. Gold J discovered in Omonica in 1872, and for a time the new mines attracted a good ^ brisk about Babine. But the glory has to a groat extfint departed, tho mines have ii realized tho expectations formed regarding them, only a few of the eagar crowd a] loft there now ; capitidists have not yet thought it worth while to be.'in niiiiiJ crushing, and the wl do district seems to befalling back into the silence ami stil uess of i'ormor years. 1 Indo|ioiidently, however, of the gold-bearing deposits, there is a possible souitl of luturo wealth in the argentiferous galena ot this district. As yet, this ro"-ioii 11 not boon examined by any of the Geological Surveying Staff, but valuable siwcimJ of this galena have boon found, and although under the proscntdifflcultios ofaccossl Omonica, tho production of silver and lead would not be remunorativo, yotiffiui ties for communication wore increased, there might perhaps bo a profital] industry established here. Occasional indications, too, of coal, or at least of li^niJ have been discovered through the northern part of the Province, in rock forinatincj somewhat similar to those in which the coal fields of Vancouver Island are founl Therefore, although tho prospects of successful farming are by no means as-'ooil ivs] the southern part of the Province, or in tho Peace River District, yet there is snJ slight gr(jund for the hope that a source of wealth may eventually bo opened up] tho mineral resources of the district. ' \yo left the lower end of Lake Babine, on Monday, the 30th, and came that i 25 miios to Fort Babiuo, a Hudson's Bay post on the eastern side of tho lake. ' 95 kko for this distance has an avora<'o wMUi orab.m -i mil,,- .k„ i i leal of level and low-lyin^^S fVi .in he 1 -o Tl '" "■"'''^'' ."'T" ''^ " «"«^ [ides except snmll poplar a,ad ^ e^and the ith.U w "i T ""''"'; "'r^' '^* l,dulatin. hills, give' ,!lace occasional^ to l^rge tfa ti rexceHenr:'. "T"''^ 'J pero .1 not for the lofty summits that here and there streUhn-.r ^ f" '""I* Icrease .u)t only its bla.avrtirks «!»;?, '"''' ""■"'^'•»"« i«l='"dH that feat;;; -■r,»E:i £^.=-^'kii;f -'^' "™-- -- ^ s I Oil Thursday, 3i'd July, we reached the head of the lake and ,.rn^^..,i . ,,..i Ihe portage that connects it with Stewart's Lake about 7 milJ"di ^^ if ^ T'' On Saturday, 5th Julj-, wo sailed down Stewart's Lake in tho It.vn r.Pii.,, ir , i . Buy Co., which had been sent from Fort St. Jan.es to meet s Tho 1 n 1 , !^ * known as the Ye-koo-tcho, which flows into il,e u, pS S of Stew 's 1- f ''"''"'■ *ery near the streams that flow into Eabine T .i , (-.T , i''' ''"**^* learly the same, about 2,200 feet ab ve fhe ea ■ b;^Bll no cliscl^ T? 'f'^"''™ "•^''^ |.e Skeena, while the waters of Stewart's Lake' flow hue ho F to?to, h "? 'T foaching the Paciiic, but about 450 miles ap;rtTo\|.rS.irofsTew\w^^ lu'.e there is a chain or rather a net-work of lakes some of llSrH/ Iharge the.r waters by the Peace River into the Arctic '0^' and ^ me into Z. ' by the Skeeua or the Fraser. Indeed, within a ringe o twenty mlo , one can touch the waters of Lake Babine whichflow by the Ske^ena into S [antic, the waters of Lake Tatia, which flow 'oy the FraseMn o i le i'JiS 4^0 Ues further south, and the upper waters of the On.enica, a tr buta y of the PeaS tZ'Z"'''^'''""l''''''^'^':''^^ ""•^ «'"^" lake near^Fo t Cm;neny Puuy oVffiir' '"' '"'' ' '"'^'"'^ "^"^'^ ^'^'^«""' ''' ^'- other i'tol Around Fort St. James there is a good deal of cultivable land, .while immcdiatelv i tlH rear of the Furt there is an excellegt garden with a good variety of S'etabff liowth of wheat, althougii root crops, oats and barley are very succeifullv titivated Potatoes are usually planted in the first or seci^ond we?k J C'ot th 'a^i T'T ^«"P*^''f "'•« °f the summer seems to be noT unliie t ,. •" ^^'""^"^ Provinces, but owing to its elevation above sea level even Joro than to Us northern latitude, the country in this vicin tv il' JZ homming ,n an agncultm-al point of view than some of the southern portions tf he Province. Comparatively little, however, has as yet been done tKte"! tv o H ^"^V^'^lt"';^' ^'^P'^bilities of this region. The successful cultivation if fy, oats and vegetables at Hudson's Bay posts; the growth of good cattle at Ehnd^H^'Vu"^ sometimes also on the firms of Indians, who a?e here greatfy bhind the LiUooets and other Indians of southern British nAluml^in in i-lTZ-^I ^l^^ L wid'tf f"' "^^T^P' g«"t'y undulating land that fringo'the fakes,' fVequeftly t^ ^0 width of several miles; the valleys and lull slopes covered with pea viSo wiS 1 ;- t ■ Jff.jBl^llPmPf^'^ 96 hay jind other excellent pasture ; those are the most fiivoiirahlo features of tW country IVoin an agricultural point of view. But against tho-e, the suramoi- fro.stj| and Inickwjinl soa-,onH incidental to the elevation above sea level must bo considered! and yet, while this northern plateau, if it may be so called, that seems to correspondi to the socilkil southern interior platouu, is not as promising as many -parts of the! more lortilc Piovinccs of Canada are known to be, yet it may compare favourabul with some of the cultivated )>art8 of the Province of Quebec. j Fort St. Jjimcs is beautifully situated on a broad plateau, about 20 foot above thol beach, at Uie lower end of Stewart's L:ike, which stretches its waters westwards miles. It has a commanding outlook, with views of scenery that remind one greatlJ of the Scottish Highlands. There are no snow-capped summits visible, but, Took ini any direction you may, there isa backgiound of hills that in somo parts border onf the lako, and in other parts are separated from it by wooded plaieaux' or by gontlvl andulatingsiopes that enhance the varied beauty of the scenery, while, under thei provaiiing westerly winds, the waters of the iako break upon the beach with tliel musical monotone of the sea. | We reached the Fort on the day on which, when leaving the coast, we tho'K'ht wel might possibly do, if wo were favoured by weather and by absence of unforeseo"nacei| dents. Tlie distance travelled had not beer, great, yot the dcla^-s and disappointJ ments to which one is exposed in a country where means of communication are oil the most primitive kind and where, as far as travel is concerned, almost overythin/;! 18 uncertain except the flight of time, made us particularly thankful for so prosporoul a journey. Here we wore met by friends who had come up from Victoria, or ratherf from Yale, by the groat highway which follows the valley of tho Frase'r throuL'lif central BiiUsh Columbia. They were accompanied by a mulo-train laden wilJ stores, etc. ; so at Fort St. James wo rested for a day to replenish and rearrange our| supplies, to write letters to our friends in the oast, which would go by way of| Victoria and San I'rancisco, and to prepare for the next stage of our journey, whiclif wa to incliKle a rilowith a mule-train to FortMcLeod and avoyageby boat throuffbi the Eocky Mountaii.s. borne onward by the broad waters of the Peace Eiver j Wo loft Fort S'. James for Fort McLeod on Tuesday, 8th Jul^-, accompanied byl the pack tram which had come up by the Fraser route, and which was to proceed bj| way of Pine River Pass towards Dunvegan. The only route connecting thoso two! forts IS a bridio-path, which leads sometimes over low hills, sometimes by thoman^iDf of small lakes, sometimes ihrough thick woods or over treacherous swamps whoiel we were frequently delayed by the necessity of "brushing" the trail, that is, ofl laying large branches across the path, so as to afford some footing for our horseil and for our packmulcs. About five miles from Fort St. James we passed tho trail! which leads northward to Omonica, tho rival route to that by way of the SkeerJ Babino and tho Frying Pan Pass for reaching tho Omenica gold fields. For aboul ten miles from Stewai't's Lake our trail led through excellent pasture land the! soil being generally rich, with clumps of aspen and spruce; then for about eii'htocDl miles it passed through poor land, covered with firewood and burnt timber witll occasional groves of black pine. ' f _ Our progress was slow, for even en a good trail fifteen miles a day is consideredl tair travelling, when each mule carries from two hundred to three hundred pounds-l and the trail in this case was not uniformly good ; yet we found it for the most purt! pleasant , oven aithoughsometimes tho woods were so thick that both hands weref required to press aside the branches, which would otherwise strike tho face. Thel profusion of wild flowers, the glimpses of stream or lakelet seen through the timber,! the broad views caught from some rising ground which tho fire had cleared, the p»i cession of riders, moving Indian file, now slowly and carefully over bog and rock orl windfall, now breaking into a cantor whore tho trail permitted this freedom, combinoii| to make this partof our journey different from all that had preceded it. I On Thursday, after crossing Salmon Rivor, wo reached the heiirht of land bc-l twoimS'i- wart's Lako and Lake McLeod. Taken by aneroid, (he iJ,7uO fee. .ibovo sou lovol ol, aui 500 foot ab>vo Fort St. J.nn summit is .ibon'l OS. 'iij viuw, in so f.i 91 nish and reai'ranrded a.s the maximum limit'of the cS iv.blo ami i! 'f -VT'^^ f'^"?."">' ^" >bie lands above that level, such as those in h. '\^"^"'.^\ <-olumbia ; any iamos, being exceptional; and l^ard u^ v L es ^vo " mTi "'" V'^'""-^, ''^' ^''^''^ ^'■ low culiivated in the Province vvo. Id bVv,h^.. l >.'''' •''"'^ "^''"^''^''^ ^''"" those D.rhK.U.d throughout this nor.E ' o rt . of tl h p'i' ''"'"" '""'^' ^^" '"'•^'"^''''^^ (liKitod localities. Indoe.l the a-ric. ?...«. ^ "^'"^^^■' except in favoui'ably . richest, mineral lands ad its ivahlli^^^^^^^^^ "' ^'■"'''' ?'^'»l>i'^. ^^ well a. tbosouthern part of the Province ^o'-o^ts, seem to bo confined mainly Although the highest land between Sir.n-.i,.t' . t r i at -r ttle north-east of Salmon Rive yet thU s n ft n ""? '^Y'^f"!^ ^^"'^'^" '« ^^'""^'^ kkos. This is found s<,memil'es^(b.t ero In v 'n }? "1" > '^"'^'*^"" ^'>° ^^^^ h-o„d Salmon Kiver the land is sonl, 1 "'''" *^"''J' ^:"''''' '"^^ Long Lake. h.hored, and the trail is flHentTrh 4 "^^^^^^^ ^ raft, we found the trail iS 1 cdise ^^t's binlX'T "'"''"^ ^'""^^ ^^'^° »'' ,eu for half a mile through the shaliiw w.tt o^" vt> .in TtheTi ""m^' "^"1 fins we passed a number oflargo hollows or Iv.^inJtl .7 P> ?■ : ^\ f^^yon.l cooped out of the land. They are of mre^ent « - . TJ''''^' ''« '^ f'^T bad been laryiug in width from 50 to 100 yards rm^L^^I^ u'T,^ 1"''''^ "''•^"''^'•' ^"^ leen built up around the ledgirtb^.n tllow do^, oVt'l".''! ^''?'''^\^' l^f^ ^''"'^ '^'^''' Vmber in them shows that tty h, ^o lo ^1 ^^^i,?! 'I'J'l''^' 'V'^ ^1^''«"^''' tl"> burnt tposed to the influence of water and mav r o,l f' ^i 1 ^''''" manifestly beoa aorainedopositsofafarpastSiarDlMZf'^^ •?'.'''''" ^""' P™'^"^^^ by the hroughout the Province. ^ ^ ""^'^'"'^^ rvciaent traces have been found Botiveen Carp Lake and Long Lake wo nis^nd the. ,r -i .l . taters Rowing into the Pacific from tl osoTha fl!.^ fl 7"^? ^^''* separates the IrcticSea. Prom Long I^^ike an oxcelknt trZ f™"^"'?^^^*^ ^^iver into the fiver, flows into McLeo^d Lake ; L de' cen s e y Srand^in "I'' "' ^°^' ^^'^« Urfall of great be.uty, esti.natod at 130 fe tin \e?S A li'tth'fn'^fh"^''' ''-^ l-oquom Creek, near which there is ahi.nd.inr.n\^p\,„ f V" '„ " further ou la I the course of which the tmilmsses ^el a heJS Z' TL\^'^ ?'^'' ^""''^^'^ fake, we reach Fort McLeod Havfn JvLL ^ t "^'^^ ^^'^^ «'^"^« McLeod k n;,t reach Fort McLeod until ^^f the l^fth JuK Zwh^l'r '""l ''\''' It. James being estimated at 70 miles ^' ^ ^^"^^ distance from Fort. lacLeod Lake, with abundance of excellent mstu o of. T""^.^' *^' '°^T '^"'^ '^^ [ith a garden attached that seems capllorSin^aJvthfntr. '^^"""'^iS'"^"^ lecasional summer frosts. The-snow ill bete s hea^vie^ hLn^af F.^ .^^t'*^"** ^eragingaoout five feet; the lake usually fLVes about ti,^:^A,^%*-'^*- J"'?^^' bd opens about the middle of Mav All thn trnffi! i . r. '^'^'^l^ °^ i^ovember, liver passes this way, as the rontrfrom the Pn^^- "^'fu ^'''°° ^'^^''^^^ ^'■'i«er I f F ! V'-n mmgm. 98 boat from tho Hudson s Bay Company, ot Fort lIcLood. Tho boat was talcon .loa- the 1 nek Eivor to its junction with tho Parsnip, about 17 miles, then up the ParNni, atjout ]J miles, in order to assist in ferrying across tho Parsnip tho supplies &n th' were being convoyed by tho mule train towards Pine Eiver Pass. When' this w3 completed, the party that were to continue their journey by Pino River under tK direction of Dr. G. M. Dawson, wore left on the north banic of the t^arsnin Tl.« others pursued their course down the river. ' From the summit of the southern bank of tho Parsnip which, at tho crossintr , Mtle above the Mismchinca, is 120 feet high, an extensive view is opened to tho nortij lor many miles the country appears to be flat, elevated, well wooded, while awai beyond, to the cast and northeast, the horizon is bounded by a rantro of hiiuj spursor foothills of the Pocky Mountains. feo oi uiii,-| The banks of tho river for some distance continue 100 feet in height, and ar.^ generally bare showing exposures of sand, clay and gravel, which have been groove!^ and worn into fantastic shapes; then they gradually drop to a much lower level uni lor some distance above the mouth of Pack l^iver thcv are only a few feet above thl water, bometimes they are covered with luxuriant pastnie, sometimes with rici groves of spruce, cottonwood, and occasional birch, while on the higher slopes the aspeif poplar takes the place of tho Cottonwood. ' ■ The river maintains pretty evenly a width of l.iO yards, and a current of thn™ or four mi es an hour Eelow the mouth of Pack Pivor, which is lot more than 8(| teot wide, tbe_ islands become numerous and the banks varied, levels of pasture lanf ultcrnating with rolling country, low wooded hills, steeps of sand and indurated clay) vvith croppmgs here and there, of sandstone and of limestone. Sometimes tho rivel divides so evenly at the upper ends of tho islands that it is difficult to distinguish th| mam channel, while, at the .same time, there are many sloughs— or " slews " so callcd- whcio part of- the river flows by some devious and half-hidden course,' that mjrdr' where tuey blend again with tho main current, be mistaken for tributary streiV ihe voyageurs observe changes on the river from year to year, tho course of 'the stream and tho appearance of its banks having perceptibly altered. The soil bein-l '? oa .''^"^ '•' ^'^""'[y ^''^«bed down by the current in spring, when the river ri^el la or -0 feet above its lowest summer level; the shores are cut into new curves- baJ of sand and gravel are removed from one locality and built up in another; tho islandl are worn awav above and increased by deposits further down, and the slopes anJ bushes along the banks have, in some places, been stripped by fire of much of theil loliago while in others they have been covered by now growths of bush or tree * ihe Nation River joiiKs the Parsnip from the west, about 35 miles below t^ mouth of the Pack River; it receives the waters of numerous lakes that lie to th| south of the Omenica dist.-ct between Babine and the Parsnip, a region not yet surf veyed hardly even c .-loi^d, and little known except to the Indians. From thJ Mismchinca to the Naiion traces of lignite have been found, regarding which Mr.l oelwyn, Director of the Geological Survey, who examined this part of the countrJ in 18.0, says: '• Some of tho blocks found along tho shores of the Parsnip were i largo size and sufficiently pure and compact to be of value as fuel, if found in thidl seams. (Geoloyical Survey Report iov 1875-76, p. 71) Landing nearly oppositJ the mouth of the Nation River we found the soil gooa, the land undulatine covl ered with a rich crop of wild hay and peavine, from which itmay reasonably be infer! red that many of the fiats and slopes along the river, and perhaps also tho uppeJ plateaux, would afford excellent and abundant pasturage. ^ ^ i'H % Below tho mouth of the Nation the hills at some distance to the east and northl east, appear more peaked and lofty than those that we saw when higher up tkl the river. We passed by " bars " where gold has been found year after yelr, althou-t^ not in very large quantities, probably borne down by the current from the rocks! in the neighbourhood of Omenica. We met straggling miners engaged in prospect- ing and some fur traders competing with the Hud.soa'8 Bay Company,^ for the! rest the country appeared to be untenanted. e j > 99 Approaching tho Forks wlioro tho Finlay>nii Pai'snip moot, some 72 milos bolow [»aek Rivor, wo caught to tho iiorMi o:ist, llie first gliinp-o, hi^'h up among iho hill jps, of tho gup betweoti tiio mountains tlirough wliioli tho Poaee River •• knives its ray; tho hills being hivo moro ruggoi! an 1 more ilonsoly mas^oil than anything wo ■ soon since wo left tho Skcona, wiiilo occa.Monal snow peaks could bo soon "•listen- lug among them. " Tho Finlay drains a groat portion of Omonica by ono branch, wliiie by another rocoivos tho waters of an unexplored region to tho north of Omonica. For full pO miles before it joins tho Parsni)) it ''has twisted and coiled itself by many a Kiggt"^' '"ountain range and through many a rocky canyon, receiving as' its tribu- taries sti'cams whoso sands glitter witli gold. IIore"its fluw its gentle, but 30 miles brt'wo could see bold snowcapped mountains that tell of tho character of the country Ihrough which it has carved its way. And tho Parsnip, ere the two rivei-s blond, das flowed nearly as far us the Finlay by many a curve from tho ni)lands whore its Sources lie near tho head waters of the Fraser. As thoy meet their waters brondon Uo a small smooth lake, and then rush down a rough and stormy current, nearly iialf a mile in length and some 800 feet in width, known as Finlay Uapids. Ileyond Ihitf the names Parsnip and Finlay are dropped; tho rapid known by the name of Iho wilder river has blended their waters beyond all recognition. From this on- pard till it meets, near Fort Chipowyun, tho waters that empty Lake AMiabasca, miles from this, tho united river is known as tho Peace. Tho Sicanies cull it ^ho T.>eta-i-kah, " the river that goes into the mountain." Tho Beavers, who live east t)f the Eocky Mountains, call it tho Unchagah, "Tho Peace," for on its banks was [lettled, onco for all, a feud that had long been waged between them and tho Crees. About a mile below the rapid the river turns suddenly to the eastward ; at this bend it is fringed, on both banks, by gentle slopes and irregular benches, beyond Thich rise the hills, at first not more than 2,000 to 2,500 feet in height, some scarped y ravines, some castellated with regular strata of rock, but for the most part lightly TOoded. This is the beginning of tho Peace Eiver Pass. Almost immediately be- w tho entrance Mount Selwyn rises to the right 4,570 feet above the river, 6,220 L't above the sea. It is a massive pyramid, flanked by a ridgo of rock on either bide, its lower slopes formed by detritus washed down from side and summit, partly bovored by burnt timber and tinted by frequent patches of grass; its upper slopes, in ^art moss-covered, in part bare as polished granite, broken and irregular as if shat- :erod by firo and frost; its sides, now shelving, now precipitous, grooved and seamed by torrent and by avalanche; its eilgo ragged and serrated, till it terminates in a sol- itary snow-clad peak. Along the northern side the hills arc grouped in endless variety bf form, the irregular masses looking as if they had been flung there at .some terrible konvulsion of nature to show into how many shapes mountains can bo cast. Nearly bppositc Mount Selwyn the Wicked River, a stream clear as crystal and noisv as a tascaile, flows in on tho left b. through a gorge between the' bills. To right and _ alternately sweep the bioud curves of the main liver, while the ridges between ?hich it winds appears to bo dovetailed as you look down tho pass. The view hangos with each bend of tho current ; hero a rugged shoulder, bare and hard as luamant, butting upward for recognition, there a frowning precipice with no trace of regotation, or a wooded knoll, solid bsneath but with a fair gieon surface, here a wild lavine, there a great shell-shaped valley, while sti'otching far up are the peaks that Term a lesting-place for tho eaglo and tho cloud. Tho day being fine there was a berpetual play of light .and shale on river and hill, and so, as we wore swept on by Ihe current, cloud, mountain, and river, peak, bluff and wooded bank were woven Into countless and ever-changing combinations. . There was little snow to be seen even on the highest peaks, much less than w© bad expected ; indeed in this respect tho Rocky Mountains here are less impressive Ihan the Cascade Range, through which we came when ascending the Skeona, and there are glimpses of scenery on the Skeona grander than anything on tho Peace, ^ut here the Rocky Mountains are much lower than they arc further souih, while aks ai-e massed and clustered much moro closoK' than on tho Skoona. Grada- !^l h 10i» ol'l •rKlf!.'';":"''.""--'^-. -« fonua the ..haraoto. oy Ix-ins to widen; to tlw • W ' ..^^ .".. r;;'"^' ^^' ' ^'l^'^ 'o the Munmil oC boil) iMo valley lx'f,'ins to widon; to tlio i-IlWiI ris.w \r,.„nt r- ~ " i'^'r T'T" '^ '"" -^"""nit ranyo that necus, with nharp ikI-^^m .Teierv'e t v p'r ^''k"'"'^'' '''" ''*"*' "' ''" avoraKO width of 250 yards yottho nin on , v 'V ■^''V"^'' '''^ '''^"'' l>™-^e'vo.s u sot about two miloM aii^ir fm„fnr.wh'^ u "" "'"'"'' "^'^^^ '^™"-''^" ti" 'l'" liiHn u that wo have p^orJ^'r^ZToaS "ho V"!"'" 1 ''-'".-'--nit. Wo rj^^" about -2rniio8 in ion./th borno nlfin.r?nfi ^I'^'ky Mountain Hunge through a p great Unchagah. " ' ° P'^^'^antiy along ,n a hirge boat upon tho waters of , in mSS'S^nlliSTiru;; turlT^ "'"'i:""""" ^'•"•"^"'•'-' -'-- -7«tal purity, be closely approached ioforo it tcSirod '^ T '"'''^ ^"'" ^!^' "'" ''''''•' ^"^ '"I we find flat, and bonche.s in almo.st unKe l.^n .^ "T^^' ''?P''^- ^^'"^^ ^hil and tho now rccorling hills some of thom t.iP ""' «'':ot^'"nK ^^otweon the rive.' feet above tho water't edge, w th nc 3 .5 h, ""'•' "I '"''''''' ^'''*^" '^■'*'' ^''«" ^hir ^ not br.ken by thecur,.en?tlK7t n p a oh 1.; -x, o'Tu"' ^"T'T ^'"^ ^^'"'^«' ^''«''l groen with grass, kinni-kinn.lc, Sr lo v I T ■*"'^; f'^'' "''g'-"^''^' ^ed, arl «ilvorborry plant. Along both si c ff the Hv .^ . ' ''°''''°'' '^"^ ^''" '''^'^"l"'"! Home with as clear-cut o l-es „ if h,.v I , i ^'""'*' '""'^ ^'^'''"'^'"•^ ''" tier upon tier marked but wooded. In£J tl e^ i t rS;""'?.',!"" ''"""^"r' """"'•^ '^'■^^'-^'i beaul.f-Mlfeainreintholan.lscape rivh^V r.n '"^' -"' '"^"-Y "/''''■'' aBtrikinganJ the ,.ight bank are almost unif mlv Vinfbo od T'"'"'""^?, "* ^"Itivation. Tho^^e on smooth, tl.oirsidesoccasionallvse Ln^ I ll'T "", "^*^ "•^''"^ bank grassy a nJ not bc.on seen h...« f;... I. ..?. :'!'^_'*-''"l°.'^ ^'y "'-' buHalo trails, for though tho buffalo I i K others, at this season of the year aiinen,- „„;n> r-f'""."*^"" V"""'" "'""'" '"''m^ig grassy hills remind one of Homo of tl i Jhoen f ^- " ^^ "'''■' '"^'"^'' ^J"'« ^he low Were it necessary or e3 on tn fin? '"° PJ"'^'^'"" "^' Scotland. * nor.h as tho Peace JJive • Ss a com,.;"?,-'" T""' ^"'" '^'' ^''''^'^ ^""vvay. as fari tion. Even at the ^M^^iil^^^T^'r^^T " '''''"^ i" this dire almost invariably fi-inged by flats^ by Sle s n e '" ^""'' *''" "^^-^-'tains are hav the whi thrc _ ^ ^ ^^^^^ ^ reached, the engineering difficulties would n.V.h.ii.i, i •' ;"' "'" "-"o canyon ij| presented by an open prairie. Bu thrcLrdS t ' "' k""'^'^ ^"'"''' than thoJ at tho canyon where the river sweep" round hof'r ^" ™"'' ^'^"'^ '^« ^"""^ as the Mountain of Eocks or tho7oieMom,?Un ^ even here, although the work would bo heawC'i-^ffl ''u-''^ Hudson's Hope; yet insuperable. This route might be of so'vico i^'i H,?'®'"'''"'' '^""'"^ ^^ ^y "» "'«""*! pmonica district to some northe. n Pac?Jc terminu s^nr''° T''^^''"^ ^'^^'""^''^ "'^1 me, however, that would ci-oss northerrBruVsh Pni i^ • "' ^T ^'mpson. For any tnct. whether by the Nation Ri?e EabiS and SI "'"''"'; 'T^ °J ^^' 0'"«°i«^ dii. more southerly route, the Pine Rive, I'nss iJ u ?"' ^"^ ^°''^ Simpson, or by any Offer a shorto/course^haVtrt?rtL Pe^ce^RK^. P-tr"^ '' ''^ P™^''^'^'^'^' ^'4 Of the fck7Zu°L^arif Et?r^^ i^S ^'iL'Tr'^' '' ^'^ '' -'^ -' broken torrent some 200 f««t in ™,-^.u:?:.'°_.''"S'''' the rivor is here a wild and lUllil broken torrent some 200 feet in width hat so !a,n« I u' '" ^*""« ** ^^'1^ ''n'i gated except by tho Iroquois crew that accomn'TJa°''"^ '^'^^ "«^«'- been navi-, expedition to the Pacific in lSi?8 Th" Hiff .."^ ^ ^"; ^^'^''^^ Simpson on hi*l " "^''^ '^'^" ^"^ '» «omo places broken into terraces,! 101 1 othors llioy rii-e «lieor iintl |)i-efi|iitioii!< for over 2J0 foot. Tlio khii.-o "i' the river i alwujH curved ii.-i it i1;ihIiom ulieriiiUely to right ami left, vvliilo I'ldm end id oiid tho bnyon t'ortnei one griut curve round tlio Ijiiso of tlie I'ortiigc Alouiitu n. CLinilicriri" ^long tho face of tlio ciitf in parl.s whero a foothold was possihio wo found a larrow leam of bituminous coal aliout 150 feel ahove the water, cro])j)iti!;' out ainoni; the landHlONO rock. Another Hcai.), about two I'cet thick where expo-cd, wa^also toiind iit Iho neighbourhood, as well iiM 11 .seam ot lignite. It is not improbable, trom those pndicaUonH, that abundance of coal e.xists in this vicinity. This canyon is the oidy obstruction to tho navigation of tho river for sevoial hundreds of miles. From the head of the canyon to the mouth of Pack liver that eniptioH tho waters of McLood Lake, or even fuither up tho Parsnip, [the river is navigable for sU-amers of light draught. The Parle I'as and the Finlay upidsaro the oidy ra])idsof any conscciuence ; these could bo i iin with case and safety, iiid could bo surmounted without much dilHculty by warpi'ig tho boat against ithe current as is done on heavier ami more tortuous rapitis on tho pVaser. From Hudson's Hope, at the lower end of tho canyon (IJ miles by tho porlago trail from the upper end of the can^-on), there is no obtruition whatever to feteam navigation till tho V^ormilioti Falls are reached, some 500 miles lower down ; md some distance below Vermilion a few miles of land communication would bo ^•equired to avoid the rapids on Slave River at a phue called tiie Five Portages; ifhen this is |)assed tho river is open to larger steamers down to tho Arctic 8oa. Inhere would thus be but three breaks in the continuous steam navigation from the mouth ot Pack Hi ver, down tho Parsnip, tho Peace, tho Slave and tho Mackenzio 'iivcrH (which, though dilioring in name, are in reality one watercour.-e), that is, from northern British Columbia through tho Rocky Mountains, by tho feitilo Peace ■Hiver district, to the Arctic Sea, a distance in all, by water of not less than 2,500 illes. VV^o wore compelled to leave our boat at the up])or end of the can3'on. and being juniible to procure a boat or canoe at Hudson's Hope, we made a raft on which wo floated down the river to Hunvegan, about 110 miles, reaching Hunvegan on the Ist Lugust, a fortnight after leaving Fort McLood At Hudson's llojie, the fertile part of tho I'eaco Hiver di.-trict may be said to commence, for above the canyon jthe land suitable for farming is limited. From this point tho river winds ^ts course gently and evenly, sometimes widening to a span of half a mile, eucircling islands in its flow, but for the most pari preserving an average Ibreadth of from 25i) to 3ii0 yards. The baidf excellent soil. Some of it is timbered, more or less heavily ; some of it is open Iprairie covered with pasture. I The Hudson's Bay posts, a few mission stations, and two or three " free-traders " leHtablishments are tho only places occupied by white men -'roughout this vast Inorthern country that we speak of as tho Peace Eivor district, and these are uni- jformly found on tho fertile flats near the river's edge. On those flats the soil is [usually of the richest character. Tho garden at tho Hope yields excellent potatoes, onions, beets, and other vege- jt&bles, as well, as barley and wheat, the seed of this year's crop having been raised Ifrom a single grain, which Dumas, tho agent, found accidentally among somo rice. lOn a similar flat at Fort St. John, abou* 40 miles further down the river, barley and jwbeat, as well as a great variety of vegetables, are successfully cultivated, while a [still greater variety, including cucumbers, are grown with even greater success at jDunvegan, 70 miles below Fort St. John, where wheat has been raised as long ago as iC* 102 Ml iS.,„!:,r,i^,"r,;;;i!'r ':;^"":i 'J^r'''"-- "- ^»"«r .Siliiiitod ;,'en.! with; i„ Ho.njVa ; , ;;^, M "^m 2T^ '"■ 1'*" "r •"'"^' '">- ^^^'' -'-ii- «iiHo:i as far north ns Ko, t Sin.nson nt f n. . ^""^ r"'"' ■'"'''■"■'■"• ^^'">"t '•■< Ki'-wi, «aid that potatoes arc X "V F S "m "'" ^^T"''' '"*' = '''^" "'^••"'' '"^' ' ' Wheat anil harley -row,, at fin f "''PO, near the n.oiilh of the Muekenzi 42' north, re<...ivo,h rial a ' th ^P TillTI", *^'p '""' ^^'''r. '■^>'-''-"^'. la.itu. o M« It i.s not, ho^vcvor, In th^ Jh ru or 1 ' '■«"''";," i"'' JiN'I'ihition of I87(J, aro,mdthe]^^|so^^sHavConnanvC r. ^^'":;■''•>''''^''^ ^"i' "" 'I'" Cortilo f!al,j must bo tested, as thosfflatsX^ol Ztivl'l^ '" ".eritsof the i;oa..e River distr r -.dethat,r;i.nd,,Jir;:l'-S.;;^^Sr t.on from Lesser Slave Lake we twani anH '° '■^"'htios for railway construe northwar'" P'"" C' Battle River, and southJaS o 5 ^ P uilh^'t"! ""''"'"'' "'""^ ^'^ '""«^ ^' thoron^Mi. Throu^.hoat the whole of the d s -'n ' . "'^'■'""."••'<""' vvas tolerahly M'.th very few exeeptions, the Si ^v^ fo^^T .^■"^'•"•^?;' '" ^^eso oxplorutioni I luxuriant wild hay and neavine nnH .v ^^ excellent, with rich herba-'e I «ervioo.berry bnslL .4C t ^0^ " y i " "o™ h 'ofP;::c"''r' ''""''•"^" of saskatum.'cS | while the di.trict known an " La (ISFn^uL'' ^TI" "PP"''n'«^"'iarly fertile, I Pine Bivcr, from ;^5 to 70 miles south f n?n' ^''"? ''°^'^''"" ^'"«'^>^ «'^«'- and '' those part, that are swampy LnehTl portion 7fY"' '' «-^''«P"'""""y ^'ood. Even and Lesser Slave Lake m -M t be 1^^;" 'h ^ ^^^i'''' '^'-■"""■■^' between Smoi.y Bivor difBculty by the ronS.'ah'; ta'TdlT^tf ° F ^^ -"^>-tion with n^og^t character of su.h portions as wo con d not ' nn "l i ^"d'^'\^o»'-'"g to ascertain the formed that, to||„'vin- iho noKh and L . T . '''/ p-^«*"'"o. we wore reliably in- ^olle„tforadistanceT,f om 25 to70 milerr '^ '^u' ^''"' ^''-'''' '^'' «oil i/ ex- 1 Hope to Fort St John withfn«rin . f'"'" the rivor ; that from Hudson's! St John the open jSwr etj« •;',{'''"""''^''^^<^"^''>' W'>»Jed ; that below For i 120 miles, to imolly' Efv '."t^h t fmm S "'p'-^""" ^"^"^'^'"' "sht wrdsf ? i distance by the river of more th n qnn ' rtu^'^?'" '« "''^ ^'^'^ Vermilion a I prairie althoiii^h the soil is f,'oo. ifor about io'!;,-!!' 'f ?"""° woodland than open * bolow Vermillion, for a belt ofS„m li^n //. '^' *'."'''' ^'""^ '^'^ >"'»'» '''vor; that interruptions, sm-h as thrc.ribon M. ? •'*^ ""'r' ^^^ '^"'' ''^ ^^''tilo, with occasiona Slave River.' FollowinAhe loSJh^nT ''^'il^','"'''^' "^ ^'^'' '-^^ ''»« S'^'t Sprinffro Hudson's Hope, though irUleTsfo.thr' ''?'' "^^'^'"'^'^ ^'^°'"' ^ho platiai from Kiver, which flows in^'to the P^ aL.ff . ^f ^f ' ' '''.^'^'>' ^''"''"^ "« f"-- '« P^ne as far as Smoky River there Ts nT i^'""^ '''''°^ ^"''^ St. John. Beyond that wooded and pai^lyopSn, l\ll incUrthe"'"?- '"T'^ ''^ ^'^'^-•'^ble la^lid, par% least 70 miles ,n width from north to JfuS S'''"'^^^™ '•'«." i« i" «cme mrts at beltofr«,.fno..ii „„„..._. „"'^'^ "^o south. There, bending with the river the river, as far as Fort Vermilion and for f '*'« ^"'^ of about 40 miles from the fi^-^A--- ^^-tand «ou,h'Sh,"tl['Lrrr/.. ! Lf''-» X-->'^ to Lake Athabasca. East and south ot'thrsTelt hot """'T'' ^"^^ f'om Vermilion to Lake «"?.'rd between Peace RiVer on the t'^ranVno fr'![ T ''"" ""^'^^ '^^^^'7 Athabasca River on the south and eas? Tsaid t. Tt' f "** l"''^' ^'^^^ ^^a^e anS and marshes that render it, to a great ^e^' ' „nfi^ f ^^''"". ^^ ^"'''' ^"'^««' «t>-eamB one of the best hunting-ground! for heS T ^"f ^''u™'"^- '^his enclosure is beaver skins having been^ feceiJed fa t year at ?he"Hu. "oS' P "'^^'"'^ ^'^ ^«- ^-OOO Lake, taken almost entirely from this dfstrict ^"'^''^'^ « ^**y Post at Lesser Slave 103 ii» valloy. .SiiiiiUo.l fr,,,,. have viu:h llioir ;rar,|,.,| lost i)vor>' vo^'clablo amj icco.ss. Wheat is ;r|.,nvi| Int.: er north, ami ii i, loiith of tho Muckonziu.i Athaliasca, latitinio r)H» ' xhihition of |87«. oil on tlio forlilo fliiuj tho Peaco IJivor dislrici I. Tho district pronerj • many niijos on oitlior 't ahovo tho rivoi-, an nODniilosiarthonlown! •tions of this oxlonsivo for railway construe-, •ssingof Smoky River I character of that pasn, '' ts. Fi-om Pint> Kivci' rd uhoiit 70 rnilos to i nation was toloral)!)- ill those oxplorutiong, t, with rich herbage,' idanco of saskatum, or {)oarj)Ofiiliarly fertile, ., un Smoky Riv'or and I itionally ijood. Even " )etweon SmoLy River ivation with no groat ■itig to asoortain the we wore reliably in- River, the soil is ex- that from Hudson's dod ; that bolow Fort ithor light woods, for 1 Port Vermilion, a ivoodland than open Iho main river; that )rtile, with occasional tho Salt Springs on )!•, tho plateau from )odod as far an Pine John. Beyond that, Itivable land, partly " is in scmo parts at with the river, the 40 miles from the yormilion to Lake tion of the country Hser Slave Lake and hills, lakes, streams This enclosure is son's Bay Co., 8,000 post at Lesser Slave It would bo difficult to form any reliable estimate of tho area of arable land in lis loaco Rivor district without much more careful examination tliaii has yet ben made; but it is manifest that tho extent of fertile soil is very L'roat tho host of apparently being that which lies to tho south of Peace River, includin.r what is [riowii as" La (rrando Prairie." "^ Throiigli this district there is a great al.undanco of moose and bear, the moose binghorc to the Indian almost everything that the butlalo is to tho hunter of tho luins. Ihellesh IS bis chief article of food ; the skin, when lanncl, is tho groat katerial for dross, at loast for winter costume, while mitanned it is used lor a Sreat niety ufp'irposos; among others as the covering for bis tent or tepee- and cut ito htiii)S (in which form it is known as shagnappi), it serves in almost everr lanulactiirc, and tor all kinds of repairs. While such large game continue plentiful IS vain t,) expect that the Indians will tako to a settled lite, or will ciiliivato tho 111, as some ot tho Indians of the plain- are being forced to do by the L'radual ex- Inction of the bulKdo. Even at tho Uud. n's Bay posts throughout this district, where lostot tho vegetables and cereals growi, ii Ontario can bo raised with success tb» ;ents and half-breeds are almost entirely dependent on their hunters for food. They luld raise cattio and crops very easily ; wild hay is plentiful in the vicintity of many the forts; tho return of potatoes is frequently as high as forty to ono, twonty-livo gs of potatoes at Dunvegan having yielded one thousand kegs; and yet many of 10 Hudson s Bay agents depend for their supply of food very b.rgely on tho labours tho Indian hunters that are attached to each post. Thoir neglect of agriculture is ;e, no doubt, to the policy which the Company have long pursued' of keo .ing tho juntry as a tur-bearing preserve, furs being of more imporiaiico to them than farm- ig; and it is duo also, in some degree, to the frequency- with whicfi the agents are lovod from one post to another, which discourages them from making any improvo- lOiit on the land, or from undertaking work from which they may probably reap no !3ults. One consequence, however, of this dependence on their hunters for supplies that when, as has sometimes - ;curred, several weeks pass in winter without any low, and there is no chance of tracking the door, tho people at some of the posts ay be reduced to the verge of starvation. Two years ago, at Hudson's Hope, the -ent and bis family were forced, for a tim., to subsist on the untann..! moo'ehide hich had served as window-panes, and their chief complaint was that they had not ough 01 it. ■' No attempt has yet been made to cultivate any portion of this vaH plateau, Ih the exception of a very limited area in the vicinity of Lesser Slave Lake; tho ly cultivated parts throughout the whole district being some of tho flats not more lan ..0 or ao feet above the river. It might, therefore, bo premature, in Iho absence actual experiment to pronounce even tho most fertile portions of this plateau suit- le tor the growth of grain. Yet there are various considerations that seem t) war- int ttio conclusion that tho climatic conditions of tho idateau are not Ics-i favourable the culture of wheat than those of the flatw near tho river level. Wheat thrives Id ripens at Hudson's Hope. Fort St. John and Dun vegan, and also at Lesser Slave jake, which is on tho level of the plateau, even although summer frosts occur occasion- lly in June and sometimes even in July at those localities, while this year there was rest at i>unvogan, as well as on the plateau to tho north and south, during tho latter iart of August. Though no record has been kept of the changes of temperature on le plateau by which they could be compared with those in the valley, yet it usually lems to bo as warm on the plateau as it is nearer the river. Frost sometimes Jcurs in the valley when it is not felt in the plateau. Horses are kept out all winter ipon the plateau, even although the thermometer sometimes fails to 50° below zero, >eing able to paw away the light snow, which averages IJ feet in depth, beneath mch thoy find abundance of excellent grass. Cattle are usually home-fed from th» filter part of November till the middle of March, large quantities of hay being pro- lured from the patches ot meadow land found hero and there upon the plateau, and, I. t hi 1 V ^'^^ -^-P '•^""'•^ "^ indefinitely incroasod if seed were only sown m luitable localities. Although tho growth in early summer is usually moi <3 advanced I 104 M I in i^- »:..". j;;-",,^^^^^^^^^ which usually forun about tho flr«t wocJ during ilVo same period ^110. U.oTh W J"'''.'^' • ;'to for ,,la..tin« potato.f uauully about thoL'Jr.l Soptorbor ^^' '"" '"'■^'««"'« P"^"^^'"'^ boiJ lllttl'n iLi'O Hot uiitfi. .:....• 1... . . . . I iiy about tho L'Jrd Soptombor ^ -'««'"« P'huiuo.s ooin thXrbL: tir '"V"'^r^ Tho soil «oomsas r" River and the hcibVo aVluxmiunrirJi'!^'""''" "r [u" ^;^."''^."-*V"'^t. Tho soil «oom.s as ri,h anloxcellentand abundZ w Zt h.I 'v ^i , '''OHts occurred in Au,i,'u,st, and whuu-l even were (n.ver Z ta a^S . ' . !''' ""^>''^."'' ^o^" '•caped. h might bo wdl ^ beyond doubt t u Xal-g. w . "S '/' '^ •''ivesu.ps taken to a.sceria.' Meanvvhiie it Hcoms en oS/.o ^ largo j.ort.on of tho xVorth-WW montul knowl..,! ; . , 'I'''"'"'"' *^^'^'" ■» l'>o absonco of positive oxncri may ihus pi^ovo t bo uv^e 'v al" i r'" /" "" ?*""'""' ^^''-"''tgrowing country a„„ the sr^Ahh.;;«rfh;'wi;^;^''''^""'"^'"'''r'''-'"'^^'^"^ ^^-^ -"'"-- '"i warm as K.-.t ,, , ii^ V ^' "* ^*'^'°''*''' ^'^^ ^'"^ snnnncr is, gonorailv J Tiiirt ■^l :' j,,r'i7lnro ''-"^t"" '•""-.■. -uti. in o,ua;.ih,;QK This d,.„,v i... .S »"''"'«'"•. "I'nougli somclimcs lh« vaiiaiiiii, :a muili "realer i „ .. .v„^.„,;,_j. guod cart road iioiu theHndson'8 Biiyposi'^ 105 fors l()ii;,'or on Mio ii|)|„ ■lion it iius oncd bo„'ii )j>or anil Iowoi-JIovoIm, ii OHVOH. •nn about tho flrHt woej company'K JournalH, lei| bofoio tho avora^o tiut«| for |(lantiii^r potatoes ■^'tf«''"K piHatoos boiti^l son botvvoen tho Poaoel Tlio Moil Mooms as viM ivo alroady known to hoj tho clinialo, howuvw l.i,'iii>,' at lou^■t by tho joins to bo Hcarcoly u,\ 111 in Aiii^iiHt, anil wIicih ipod. ItinijLjht bo WL'IL sl«ps taken to a.seortain im of tho N()rth-Wo>ti ICO of positivo o.xpoii ilistrict, most of whichl sutgrowiiiL; country aihl 1 yot tlio unilevulopi'il ro.sour'i-os this districti t.g been found, though j )n Smoky JJiverand CO, Willi in o:isy accov,| allbrded by the I'eiuvj •oiirabie moans ol'coiii-| lod at tho mildness oil liner is, gonoially. i«j 11 Ontario oi' QuebotJ Tliero is a marked! st hide of iiii> Jtoukyj ills is probably due tol Pacilic have, by tlioj !■ moisture, tirst by tliej s, while at tho samef . of northern JJrilif 1 there is a very yreati ni^^'ht. I)iirini( tlioj It Fort Duiivo^s^an was] at night was 42" ptweoii tho summerj ion is much greater.) ribed, jiioducesa very I h of piaiitw, and thft| m the soa. m to Edmonton by al uto of tho Canadian opened along this linul ng delayed he camoj uonton. This routul iny between Bdmoii- . le Hudson's Buy posl'j Boar tho junif ion of tho Peace and Smoky Rivers, 60 miles below Dunvogan, to JiO.ssor BluvoLake, a ilistaiico of ()2 miles. From the Fort no;ir tho western e.xtroinity of tho lake large sail boats run with oace and safely down the lake, M)nio "') miles in length, Mown Lessor Slave Itivor, a htreani about Kl' miles in leiigth, emptying the waters of ^hu lake into tho Athabasca Kivei— and dou n the Athabasca liir about b") miles to a point known as tho Athabasca Landing, from which thons is a waggon road to Bdmoiiton, Dfi miles distant. The country between Smoky Rivor and Lessor Sliivo Lake, or at least that por- kion ol il through which the road passes is almost unil'ormly excellent, part being Rightly wooded and part open prairie. Around Lesser Slave Lake thoio are largo marshes yielding abundance of excellent hay, and in this noighbourhood, as already Btateti, wheat has been grown with marked success, although as yet in very small juaniity. To tho south of tlio lake tho country is hilly, though near tho margin of ;ho liiko tho land is very swampy; to the horth there are numerous mar.-hes, lakelets ind streams. Tho small river that forms the outlet of tho lake is about 25 yards in idth, very tortuous, hemmed in by low banks that aro alimwt uiiiloniiily wooded vith iiBpon cojtse and willow, between which il. winds with vavy gentle current at a leplh sufficient for hiigo IL H. C. boats heavily hulen. The soil on cither side near tho ■iver seems excellent sandy loam, and whore frccot timber abounds in rich grass and )eavine. Kro it Joins tho Athabasca the river widens to a span of 50 yards and pasf^os ivor a series of gentle rapid.s, while its bunks become more varied in contour though Istill cliwely wooded. At the junction of the two rivers tho Athabasca is about 200 'ards wiilo with a current of about 'Ih miles an hour. It broadens out in its further [flow but its current continues much the same for many miles. Tlio land on either lide is wooded with ])nplar interspersed with spruce; ilie banks ri.se bv gentle dopes to a height varying tVoin 100 to 200 teet ; tho soil seems good though light, iovorod occasionally with luxuriant pasture, but for the most jKirl lightly timbered. Tho woods were rich with many-tinted foliage; tho shores gravelly, grass- [grown and handy by turns. No signs of life wore visible except an occasional beaver; and tho Indian crew, knowing thiit there was ample time to meet tho carts that wore coming from Edmonton to the Landing, allowed the boats to be borne tonward by tho gentle current, while, coiling themselves under their blankets, thoy passed hour afior hour in sleep. Athabasca Landing is at an elbow of tho Athabasca, where, after flowing for |«omo distance in a southerly direction, tho river turns somewhat sharply to tho north-east. This southward stretch from the mouth of Lesser Slave Lake to tho elbow is taken advantage of by tho Hudson's Bay Company for tho transport of their stores, furs, &c., as the route down Lesser Slave Lake, the Lesser Slave Itivor and tho Athaba.sca to the Landing is a very direct one, and, in connection with tho waggon [road that wo traversed from Sr.:'>kv Uiver Depot, and a waggon road from the Land- jUig to Edmonton, af1brd,s tho most favourable route for tho transport of goods from ■Peace River eastwards. Between the Landing and Lake Athabasca the river passe.s [over two falls, where somewhat heavy portages would bo required, and on this account freight to Fort Chipewyan and the northern districts, instead of passing along this portion of tho Athabasca, goes by the Mothy Portage and the Clearwater route. Soon after we had reached the Landing tho expected train of carts from Edmonton arrived, and after unloading their cargoes returned. The country for some distance south of the Landing is broken into ridges, the soil being at first poor, but after twenty miles are passed it becomes very attractive, rich with luxuriant [grass and pea-vine, watered by frequent streams and lakelets, and occasionally dotted with aspen copse. Approaching Edmonton, and particularly from the cross- ing of Sturgeon Kiver, the soil is exceptionally )-ich. The road leads for miles by luxuriant hay meadows, and through gently rolling wheat-lands of great fertility. LaJ'ge fields of wheat had already been cut,— one field not far from Edmonton cover- ing 100 nores,— and ths hearts of the settieiB were gladdened by an abundant harvest. VVecameunexpectedly on a little clump of houses overlooking the Saskatchewan,. ■pi 106 P^^^nZ;\^:ZTiZZli^:f^fT'1^ '^^ -"^- «f the settlement Territories. ^°' ^'"'^ Hudson's Bay Company Po.st in the North- VYeil ^^o{t^Ti::;^^^^^^^ it was necessary to drive most pro,ni,sing tract of countrv/whe.e serttr^n^l oi ^""^^ ^ ^^'"^ ^'^"^'^"1 ^^4 Indeed, ju l:,n„5 of the Edmonton dis? iot h. l „ ^'''^T "''"''P'"^ excellent crops, the Fort from the north aPng ^yind8, and constitutes, in fact, the only efte^s ve^'^^^^^^^ t'^V^^ ™'"-'^'''^'- suitable for agriculture on the northern part of the conff m n ''' '"''P''*'"*' ^ *>« Katia, who kept a meteorological regS for some thno after l^'fif T'''"' °! •^°"'^ , country.estimated that there°were on an aveiagrabiut seven fin„ 1 ''■'■"^"' ^" u**^' that ,)lace. The behavior of the winds and bu-ome L'tnhA v^' '" """""^"i '" Queen Charlotte Islands, appear to indicate that fh„?!nf p ^ Vancouver and the from west to east, pass to tr^oithwa dof thfcoa t'o *Sl^^^^^^^ so, it is probable that the force of tho Vnlnr^. T u l'^^ Columbia. This being part of tL coast of the p'SiTnTelanl^tfesoutheT''' '''"''' ''' '''' "-•^'^-•" , Gooi^gia. it may be interesting to quote, fn thi connection thi ?om' '^ '^' ^^^™'^ '' ' by the great but unfortunate navigator. La pS^u?rbeai n^'on fl '.".^ B'.atement the west coast, f lie writes • " I first thon.rhf th' °°'*""S <>" the northern part of Which separate Europe and imeriL but TfhoadT. ""^^ ™°''' ft>gg7 than' Ihoso have irrevocably embraced tL opinion The Jbl of N^'l S''?'"x^ "^'^^^'^^^ *» and^Hudson's Bay bave an i«eonteLZ-c.a^S.\^pt:Lte^?rmS^trt ^j;:=ettsTis;trS5V^ifj^ef sr?^'v'^^'^",^« "^ "« of the water, duo to thn TCnn^.Q; J. ... "„!__- ').°^°"' .''"UP ^he abnormal warmth i« 53-8<'. Between vfct^ia ar^ MilbaTLnrrvThe^ 28th to June 9th. the average tompe=aset stfarw's tlT'^^ ,tZ • Pacific Ooast Pilot, Appendix 1, lor., rit. T Wuoua Uy G. Daviison in .-ilaska Coast Pilot. 109 liannclH bolweoii Port Simpson and Milbank Sound, between AnrJ2lli, r)t-5°, ami fi-om the last nioniionod dale to Oetolier 180), ahoultho north liiil hv tiio Hin'faee oftlio sea between Victoria and Port Simpson and outside" the Prince If Wales Archipela!,^), from Fort Simpson to SitUa, in the latter part of July and jarly in Au^'ust, of 52-l°. In the narrower inlets of the coast, the tem|iera(ure of the ea falls, owitifr to the quantity of cold water mingled with it by the eiiterin<.- rivers ,,.,,' I 1 -..«.«..>. — .......v>.. ..c.v I.. w>-i.vi,ui loiii, aiiouiine norm t\ (it \ .ini'ouver Island, and thoneo to \ icloria by the inner chaniuis, oOT' Ob- ivations by the United Stales' Coast Survey, in 1867,* gave a mean 'temperature rface of tl ' ' " " ' Arch i pel of ntaiM. mo annual average temperature of the sea surface otf the west coast of ritain is stated as 40°, while that of the eastern North Atlantic, influenced by the ulf Stream, varies from 44° to 54°. f It will be observed that the summer temperature of this body of warm water ppcars to be somewhat lower than the mean summer temperature of Sitka, its iithienc(^ on the ( 1 tnate is not, however, a direct one, but is chiefly exercised' in the illowiiig way.— The prevailing south-westerly winds, sweeping over the warm surface f the sea are raised to its temperature, and become saturated with moisture, abstract- ig (roni it, as they do so, and rendering latent in conformity with we'll known hysical laws, a still greater quantity of heat. When, on reaching the mountainous foasi, this moisture is again condensed and discharged, the latent heat becomes a^'ain jiparent, and greatly raises the temperature of the atmosphere in which the reaction CCUI'S. According to Dove's tables, the mean annual temperature of a place situated in e latitude of Glasgow, derived from the temperature of the whole northern hemi- hcie, should be :i5°. Owing to the Gulf Stream and south-westerly winds the ^ tual mean annual temperature ot Glasgow is about 50°, or exceeds the normal I'v 15° Phe mean temperature of the greater part of the North American continent n the ame latitude is .")° to 12° below Dove's normal temperature, but that of the regions w the west coast of America— which is related to the course of the Japanese Current |M a manner similar to that of the west coast of Europe and the Gulf Stream— as epresentod by the above detailed observations at Sitka, exceeds the general mean by light degrees. The mean annual temperature of Sitka being, in fact nearly the aino as that of Montreal, ton degrees of latitude further south. ' Many of the islands lying off the northern coast of British Columbia, and form- ng the great archipelago which fringes it, are low; but, tliough covered with u.Kurieut forest, possess very little soil, and are in many cases composed of almost solid rock. About. Metla-Katla and Port Simpson, small patches of ground are cultivated by the Indians as potato gardens, and good crops secured; but the total "rem)f arable land existing on this part of the coast, with the exception of the ortion of the Queen Charlotte Islands before referred to, is so inconsiderable as to bo ■cari oly worth mention. ,.,,,,. ipinge on the monuntainous inunnianil the heaviest precipitation occurs, in exact correspondence with the height Ito which the moist air is forced up into the higher regions of the atmosphere, and koolod there by its expansion and loss of heat by radiation. As the mountains lattain a considerable elevation at the coast, and the increase in elevation of the peaks lof • Alaska Coast Pilot, 1869, p. 20. t ''That portion of the Kuro-Siwo baring a temperature of 55" P., or more, approaches the coast lortn-west America in the vicinitv nf Viinnonvpp rnlAtiH. Tho ni-ooinitoti/^., ;« —„. ._j ...jj._ Nnr.v, »,;.{* • ''."''.^"■^".-■?'"" "5V, » " <'>='"i'"«,'»i'"re ur 00- r., or more, approaches the coast wortb-west America in the vicinity of Vancouver Island. The precipitation is greater, and sudden inf »i^ — 'Jb'^-' !..„., .ri-.invSi? aiir ij.oic cumuiua cemecti iRttmuc ■L'3^ auu 00- «. than on any other narl I or tne coast, so far as we know But the water near the coast is less than 66" in temnerature and mav Uverago nut more than 50'»."-Pftoific Coast Pilot, Appendix 1, p. 21. iii)er»iure, ana may 110 hi forty.live or fifty iniloH above Port Es^in-r on >,^i ^ ■ ^^ "'° ^^""""'^ J^'^'e'". '■ and i. .till ,nio clearly appaiiuwEx^^ Essington to the Forks of Skeona is reacho, Tl „ . ^p' '''^",''^ h"lt way from Ponf of the river and i-d^ative o/;; l^SdfiiSS:^^:'^:^^"^" "^ '"^^^ ^-'4 I'he change is so g^adu.? ^fevS ^^^ the flits and slo J on the Skeona so complete that it isTffioult toas ' L h ' '""'^ ''"'^ '"^°'-''"'' «''™J With regard to tlie snowfall o, the SkeeLa Sr^ H r ^Tr P^'^J^" ?^ ""-' ""4 here m 1877, gathered that from Port EssSn t n n -^V^""'"^'" •^'^••'"g l"'^ .-nrvcvl (56 miles), it was exceedingly heavy rrchfnra IT' r'l' T""' °^ ^'^'^ ^^''^-^''^ei this place to Kitsalas Canyon it reaclfes a?Sl^^^. ^^ n^ ^"" ^^"'^ "'" '"'''•^'- i^>"nii about Ki :wungah,- sixteen ,Vi fcTs e ^w helS'Ti/o.^'*^'^'?, "^^^ ^'"^ '''' ' ^^'"'1 as information can be obtained from the Indians t!;;;.! averages tlu^ee feet. So f;,,] The depth on the benches about tl"e Fo.l?s Ts lot^ 1! T"? T 1'"^": '''^'^''''^' c.rcumsta,.ces the snowfall is here consideJablv le , U, ' T. ' ^'W "^'"^^ ''^ '"'^^»' the aveiageJor this part of the Skccna Yallev hiTn '" '^"7 "«'«'''boring loralitv, . At about iwon/y miles Ixdo v thi Forkf tl e ^iT^t'^' ? ""'" ""'^'"' '^^'" '- nverand a few luuulred feet above it, level e^eif^^^' ^ at the sides of 1!,. Bhow soil of fair quality, composed of sXt:^';^'^;^^^^^^^^^^^ It IS rci)oi>ted that iho Skoon'i v.lh.rr ,.^-^;. ^'"^ '""'*^ «' 'ess vegetal) e mattir further L, and it ,s cert.dl;:: wi.l^S l^Slllin^drr "' f' -me appeara,! a considerable width of land"saited for a^nlu turc L d o'^ i"- ' "" ^'''^''' ""'^M Kjspyox to the north-westward ''o'l^^uituic is also found m the valley of the' Hankin, a trader who has re'ded mTnv v.T''?'"- ^^^•«'''li"g to JJr. 1 .'.St falls in October, but melts Sgai„ thTvvint' ^'o'^- tl'ough there 48° bc^w .e./an.i to rem/nt"d;j. all\t:Z::%o''' ''''' ^^"«"'" ^" --" opcn^s^'s:::^:' ss^Seg?;;: ?""r sr f:sr'' "^i^- ^^^ "r ^--^ - --• <^ first week in April. Some cultiva ion is clrfiTon PotnfV''''' '" ^"^. '^'^^ ^^""^ the. by frost in the sprin.' and on tw nL?- In 2 potatoes are occasionally ninnedl They are general/y ha'rv'ested in7h onSTseptemSeJ'but'f'^ •' '{ ^."'"'"'^- ^'«'^^ ana can be obtained large enough for use abStS J frT ''?'' '^°^«''« that time, ripen, and wheat, Mr. Hankin belie -eswoufd be an f "^"I" ^'^ ^"'^'^'^ ^^''^ '^^^^ "^ 1878 was exceptionally long, an ItwoTuclslvrcrnf 'r'" f?' '^'^^ ^^"''O" ^^ frost ; the second boin| a ' tolunteeTcron ' Tn fe. ^k, ""^ °'''' '■'P^""^ l^«f'>''e the ber and other tender vegetables con^eo'ierfectiont'r^''^"'' ^1"''«'^*^«' «"«"'^- been wintered here, ihe former requ" inl^ to be SVn fl '''" ° ""'^ "^"'""^^ '^^•^''^ lee b'J2n'^rr?ft^here\':^.,;^;'^^^^^^^^^^^ week ofMay freeze til the end of December. tL river b™S very ranid'tSr '''' .S<^--^'4' freezing is usually the occurance of a thaw 'rhinfJ^rL ^ I ^^ op^asion of il^ .oe sometimes very suddenly, blocking the river and cau«in^i1t ^f '''''' "^^°^'^°'" 1867 the river closed on the 13th of November wh!nh^?^ .^ ^"^^''^ ^^^r. In river is generally highest in Ju?, deriving mostn^^ exceptionally early. The .now on the mountains. It is lowo^st imm^gteTy aft^r the ^^g^os!'"' ''' "^^^'^"» Ill he heavy minfall oftLj V tlio Skeoiiu Jiiver. .(j easing iiioisturo i« fbnn'il bout half way from I'oi I lib and sk-iink fabbjuJ !int in the lowec vencbll unci. t, the highoHt summit oil loi'istic of the noilheinf rn scnih pine and aspcM, ' on the flats and slopo- ^oast and intoi'ior tlora^j ci.so position of the lineJ mbie during his survcv, montli of the LaifoL^I 1 feet or more. Fn.ral iepth of six feet, while| ;es three feet. So fai onfirm those estimatos.^ X)Ot, but owing to InM y neighboring loralitv.l a little uiid(!r two icJt, hes at tiio si.les of ih,'- niles bacic from it, aiil Joss vegetal)le mattoi-.L the same appearaMce! ibovo the Forks, while! nd in iho valley of the! Forks or ILizelloni I. According to Mr. •0, snow generalljl lot coming till aboutl y cold, though thcrol )eon known to roach f ut(hes|)ringissuidto I to bud out about the occa.sionally nipped | 0(1 by summer frost?. ^ •ipo before that time, Indian corn does not! crop, The season of ts ripened before thef )ns, 8quashe,s, cucum- ittio and horses havo I iths, tho latter have | ips to allow them to • first week of May j 11" does not generally the occasion of iu quantities of anchor to freeze over. In ' tionally early. The , • from the melting f\aa ^ I Without entering into details as to the mittiral ve-etat^on r,f the rogion it mnv bo said that U appears to indi.ale that the rainlall is ULMily the samo .-.s al.o'ut (Jues- Inel, on the I'raser, while the climate is in g..noial much like that of Quebec or IMontieal, with the excej,tion of tho winter, which, according to the statements labovo given, though rather shorter, is more severe. I am induced to think that Mr. ILinkin is wrong in supposing that wheat would Inot suwced well about the Forks, but this must remain a naatter for future lexpenmont. Meteorological observ-ations kept by myself while on theSkeena, from June 7th to 123rd, being taken en route from riort Kssington (o the Forks, are necossai ;l y ininerfect and as wo were engaged in travelling during the day i! was impossible lo ascertain' the maximum temperature. The mean minimum temperature read on a ''ood ther- mometer carefully p aced on nine nights; between Fort Essin-ton and Kitsalas Canyon IS AS 4 h, the actual lowest reading being 8;i°. The meanOf seven nights fi'ora the Canyon to the Forks, 43-b°, the actual lowest being ;37a<='. The mean of observations taken about G a.m. and 6 p.m. ; every day, on the rirst menlioiuHl part of the river is 50'8 ; on the upper pan part of the river, 5J-8°. The nioau of mornin- i-eadin<'s taken below Kitsalas Canyon is 45'' of evening readiii-, ,■>(; 4'. These rcdurc 1 for the hour and time of the year by Dove's table of corrections, de.-ived from observations at Sitka indicate actual mean temperature of 49'1° and -,:;-l°, respectively. The mean doubtless lies between those figures, but their di.scord shows thai, we have already a I considerably greater r.ango and a climate more continental in character than that of I «itka. iMorning observations above tho Canyon indicate a mean of 4i;n°. Evening I ob.scrvations 5S-9°, which, corrected in the same way, yield 50-58° and 55-6° as approximations to the true mean temi)eraturc. „ Of ihe Watsonquah Eiver, whi(di Joins the Skeena from the southeastward at ihj torks, Mr. Cambie reports that tho valley throughout its entire length is in part prairie and sust'.iDsa magniHcent growth of grass, but is siibiect to frequent summer frosts and unsmted to agriculture. * The Sus-kwa valley which joins the Watsonquah, and up which the trail from tho Forks toward Babine Luke runs, contains noa-nicultural land worth mention, but its northern side has been in many places very "omplotely burnt over, and is covered with exceedingly luxurieiit grass and pea vine formin<-- an oxcollent summer range for cattle or horses. " i > o habine and Stuart Lakes occupy portions of a single great valley, which is bounded by mountainous country on either side, and communicates iiorthwilrd with tho flat country of the Lower Nechacco. Th(! upper end of the lake rarely freezes completely across, but this is due, net to tho mildness of tho winter, but to tho great depth of tho watei'. A similar circumstanco has already been reported for Francois Lake.f A terrace at a height of about 200 feet is specially prominent round tho ako, and after reaching this height the land frequently runs back several miles as a level or gently undulating plain. In other places it slopes gradually up, i eachin'^ an elevation of 500, 600, or 800 feet above the lake at from two to five miles from it. The valley is not even then shut in by high mountains in its central part, but appears to continue at nearly the same, or a lower level in some places for many miles. The woods are generally light, aspon and poplar frequently preponderating over spi-uco, and jonsiderable tracts with a Houthorn exposure, from which fire has removed the forest, are covered with luxurient grass, peavine, epilobium, &c. Tho portage between Babino and Stuart^Lakes is low, across wide spreading henches, and from half to one third of tho surface appears fit for cultivation. Considerable areas of low land also border Stuart Lake. The aggregate area of land below the 3,000 feet contour line, with light slopes or nearly level, and which may bo supposed to have some prospective value, i» groat; but it is impossible to form even an approximately correct estimate of it till the maps are further advanced. That in sight trora the lakes must exceed 500 Bqd«r» • GanaiiiaB Pacific Railway Report, 1878, p. 70. t Report of Progre»8, Ueof. SurTejr of Oanadn, 1876-77 p 47. 123—8 112 Se'd.nl';:;';;;;;,?:?^'^-"'-'^^'^^ -ly remaining question i. i„ ..e,a..dtoj by ^zi'zi!::z :;si7,f ^''"° j^^'^^^"-^ ™°- ^'«-'y hom^od i J thin lak.., M.I Stnal'akl^uulvoilf^^ i.ivorably Hituated than the remainder i theSu-skwuVallcI^VM^/CUrl^^^ 'If'^^''^ ^^^^ind that o the nor.h e.„l. the other at th?midd7e orB' hinl /'^^^^^^ ^\^'''' ^'y P"«'^^- «"« «tL grow p..lai()eHan.l rnanv kind o? vllnn.M V"h f^tosthatat the luttor ho can I which ripened well An r^nnlT^^'^ ""'' ^''"^^ his predtce.sHor grew barW I vatesali'^Uerari ofla-^d il tl^^T^ '^'''^°«" the two lakes oalll crop of poiatcle. a u a itile «i. Kh ["' *'« '>''^ '^ «"« '«°'fl,nversrdoingwdl enough bat noTT^'l- T'''\ ^"^•■"^' turnipsf c..bbago,s Hown .his year as an cxpe men? and Sad 1 '^ T/"''';"^"^" ^^'^"^'^ ^as bfon : visit ^July 7lh) ''P^-'ment, and had not suffered from frost at the date of our juiy^s;';s;;':':;:^rs;:2^£;^;^-n S:^^°^f -^-^ ^^';\ ^-« ^^^^ ^^ i ing and even i ng observations is 5 1.?°^ Th, * Z ^'^^ P*'''" "^^ ^^^ "'^'''y morn- and more rapid^hanges han in fhe Skeena VaMfr'^'T \^''' r^^'"' "^ i'^'^''^' experienced a frost, tJ.e themomStor rerteri, l&?"n^^ n.ght of June :i9th wo bine Lake, and i. the vicinity of thVs^H.H^. .' ^^' ,*''^ ,"°'' '''"■" ""'I «f I^^'" In the vallcN- of Bab ne Ld |tua t L,-^ .Tr "'"' "^'"'^'^^ '■"^"'•'''^'^ ^«- ciently long, an.i ,l.e absolue amount o?t. 'TZn rri '•''^'"M^ ^' '^^■ crops, inclu.iing v.brat, to maturitv h,,f fVl ^ • ^"''"?'' ^^ ^'■'"-'^' *i" ordinary » liability to sunl^er fro t?nSy?;S.;if^^*i;V;f°"?-«™f'^ what extent thi I especially wheat. Tu.ugh th^s Sv m^v h^ , ^""^'^t.on of some plants, more J country of the Lower Xechacco .ts vicin^^tn L T''^"'^ as a continuation of the I what inferior to that distWc? in c i m nL ^ "" f "' '\P.''°''''"'^ *" ''''"^er it some- * «ence of further information I oan™i ^"^ ^'§^ snow-clad ranges. In the ab- „ former occasion, J-lz. 1 at'w'hiie U irnot^nroCe^tt'i T f '^ '^J^'^' '•««'«" <>« ^ i parts of its a, ca, it can scaSy be doubted Sat hn.l ""^"l* '?" '^^ fe""«^" «^«'- «>' I where in it, while whcit wouIH ^^^11- t^^"* '''^'^'ey may be ripened almost every- 1 M .ome time -ppo^t^cZ Jt^ e'^t^t o„"VuK%sf 'V"-"^" ";"' ''''^^''^ passage of a. ailway through it woulKoHtu't^^^^^^ ^.^ ^*'i '•*^'n«»'l^«J that the the first instance, the cou.itiytoTL east of t^^^^ '""'"'« *' ^ f""- '" or Saskatchewan Valley., would offmsunlwo/^nH^ Moun a.ns, ,n the Peace River raisers. ^ ' ^™' supeuor inducements to farmers and stock Report of Progresa. Geol. Surrey of Canada, 1876-77, n 61 ^^^^t Rep., of Progress Geol. Surrey of Canada. 187e-77, p «. Canadian Pacific Railway Report, ^ J Repon Of Progress . Geo,. Survey of Canada, ,.75-7, p. 3. Canadian Pacific Ry. Repor, ,87, 113 uedtion is in I'ogard toi ore closely hommod in than the i-emamdor of lidodly behind that of idaon Bay posts, one at bat at the latter ho can dtcessor friew barley, n the two lakes ciiiti- •, he had a fine lookinjj ivefcot high and with also keeps some cattle Lt Fort St. James we wn by a frost in June, ip I'or many years. * rlic, turnips, cabbages ted. Wheat has boon )st at the date of our I t Lakes, June 27th to i Jan of the early morn- I'e HubjoL-t to greater li^'htof June :i9th we nor hern end of Ba- iy leferi-ed to. ison seems to be suffi- to bring all ordinary to what extent the 'f some plants, more . continuation of the irs to render it some- egard, in my opinion, lyois Lake. In pre- ■ -Neohacco basin as ion in the Province e miles. It is based )riod, constituting a ranges. In the ab- of this region on a m be grown over all opened almost every- )gion will, doubtless, remarked that the settling it ; for in , in the Peace River ) farmers and stock 3t. James, on Stuart solwyn and by Mr. ized by wide sandy acific Railway Report, 'acific Ry, Report, J878, lats ,is about 2,81.; foot, taking the height of St.ia.t Lake at 2,20!) feet W,th the es U. the north of t^e Nechacco ^:l';^Su:i^ :;:^.S. ^^^^^ S: i^„^^ lorably broken and the soil generally light, sandv or .rnvel v 'T'^^ '^ ^»"^'- \. liosi was experienee( on the ni"-ht of Iii'v r? h i,>,r u > "-"*'"« /^""" "'ituiai ii.iy. At Fort McLeod the potatoes had been cut down by frost in June but had reco 'ered completely and wore growin-r well in Tniv tV» J".."! •^""''' '^"'^ "^^^ 'cco- .oor, and (he amt of c.ltivable land notexUMHivi" " '"'' ''' ^'''''''''' ''''^''' ^■om'jultlThroAu.ust'ft";.^''''"'^ uttachiri to tl.e.e ^n the n^JtteastvvaJi Ithe rou^ is 39 7°^S« I'n'T?^ Ihe observed minima on this part of 'Jthetrermomete,49-I'.' Th muft be mud.teloT'tT'^""! """'"^' '■^''''"^^ Ifpr the thermomete'r had seldom rLT mri"lo^tTt 'minfmlTh^n^^^^^^^^^^ !6a.m. The heat was sometimes great in the middle of the ry, but a we wo^o hen alvvays trave l.ng, could not be registered. Three frosts weT-e exneHereJ on ?!":?? "f '^'' if> ^^d and 4th of August, the thermometer heading 3^0 5° 28- an3 oO 5 on these nights Strong westerly winds, falling calm at sundown with a clear *ky were the conditions causing the frosts. ' The quantity of a,3e Cd in SL reTA"d"rallerofV1ne%"'"7''""f '^' 'if"? P-A-d. on^he route folbweV to T ™,i3 <'J,?'"?,^'^'«^fo'- ^ ^«^ m'len above the Middle Forks. Unable^ mettvalift^' ^7^' r''"""'^' ^^'" ^'^'"'' ^he exploration of last season «nablos pietty accurate general information to be given, may be considered as bfreTdrsfatefX' "'""^ f'^. "I'-f' ? ^'Z'''' '' ^'^^ ^-«'-- We'^t of thi point, a lalieady stated, the areas of fertile land are small, being confined to certiin river llScfedtTherS' W-?h 'tn'' ''^' '"1^ '■' '^u' "'^^"^^ ^^^-^^'^ -^ high plateai At ached to them. With this western limit, the region now to be described may be con- Le pie' RZ^^^'h *'' T\ ^^'}' '^^'^ P^''^'' *« "« intersection eastw^ardw?th ioSthwaivuA T; Thence the boundary may be assumed to follov. the Peace River SncTto rl «o„T \ of Hfr Brook, near the confluence of the Smoky River. we8tei4 L,^«r ^f /k K-iT""'"^ ^ *"?"• ^^^••«'»i^y «f Lesser Slave Lake, to follow the aver tlSotn r n ® ^lu^ a!?'T 'f^"? ^ ^^^ «°"^^ «f the lake to the Athabaska hills tA n n^^K T ^^^A ^^^l^^^^^ westward to the foot hills, and skirting the foot- hills to run north-wostward to the first mentioned point on Pine River.* I by the yanevorhe Utter to r an 1«. R^^ht »n*//i^°" 'K" \?'"^'°l^ '» *>>« """^l' "^ 'b« «i'i^'e la B6che, I ffiVthfprB'ertoSliat"X£'° h^^ trea'ted-at>-ea?e"r leag.hTny ta'^'re de^^i^-t mly 123— 8J 114 avcrap elevation may bo stato.l a.s liltio over 2,0()0 foot, and this is maintained witJ consKleiablo uriiformily, ibr tliuiif,'h the gonunil surlaco HJopos .slightly from liio noplJ and south toward Peace Kiver, the region as a whole may be considered as a nlutea,, through which tiie groat gorge-li Ice valley ol'iho I'.jaco has been excavated. This vailev lias in g.neral a depth ofCJOO to 8U0 Icet below that part oftho plateau bordonntr it with a width of two to three miles from rim to lim. Its tributary streams at first nearly on the plateau level, flow in valley's of continually increasing depth a.s they annroaeli that ot the Peace Kiver. Those from the south-eastern portion uf the re.rion ri.. -either in the Jiocky Mountains, cr near the Athabaska, the tributaries rocoivod bv the latter stream from the north and north-west being— with the exception of ttu-l llatiste — quite inconsiderable in this part of its course. The ridges and hills by which this region is occasionally divorsifiod 1 appear in all teases to bo composed cither of the generally soft rocks of the Ci'ofaceous and Tertiary or of arenaceous clays containing erratics I'nd reprosentinJ the boulder clays ol the glacial pcri(xi. Theso elevations are generally slight ami with cNceedingly light and gradual slopes, the scarped banks of the htr'earaJ constituting much more important irregularities. Those ridges, however often! rcsc-nble detached portions of a higher pl;itoau and spread widely enou-h to occunv in the aggregate a considerable areti, of which the soil is not so uniform in character as elsewhere. With the>e oxceplions, the soil ot the district may be described as si tinesilt resembling the white silts of the Nochacco basin previously referred to and noil dissimilar (lom tho loess-like material constituting the subsoil of the RedEiver V^allevl in Manitoba. This silt, at a short distance below tho surface, is greyish or brownii' in color, but boconries mixed superficially with a proportion of vegetable matter toa^ varying depth It has evidently been deposited by a comparatively tranquil body oli water not loaded with ice, probably toward tho close of tho glacial period, and has I either never been laid down on tho ridges and undulations above referrod to or ha/^ been since removed from them by natural processes of waste. As evidenced bv tho^ natural vegetation its fertility is great. -^ ' West of the Smoky Hiver, both to tho south and north of Peace River there are! exterisuo areas of prairie country, either perfectly open and covered with a more or I less luxuriant growth of grass, or dotted with patches of coppice and trees P The n rthern banks of the Peace River Valley are also very generally onen and grassed, and parts of the valley oftho Smoky and other rivoTs have^aTmilar ''h^T-fn^n^''^ total area of prairie land west of tho Smoky River, .'iy be about 3,000 square miles. The remainder of tho surface is generallv occunid by second-growth forest, occasionally dense, but more often open and composed o' aspen, birch, and cottonwood, with a greater or less proportion of coniferous trees Some patches of the original forest, however, remain, particularly in the river vallev.l and are composed of^much larger trees, chiefly coniferous, among which the black SDruce IB most abundant. Uandsomo groves of old and largo cotton woods are also to be fC in some of the valleys Whore tho soil becomes'locally sandy and poor, and Zt\ particularly in some oftho more elevated parts oftho ridges before described a t"? k growth of scrub pine and black spruce, in which the individual trees are small is m?i :l TeZTslfar *'' ''^""'^ '^ ""'' "^"""^'' ""'^ ^''^^^ ^^ "^ '^M Eaat of the Smoky River, and southward towai-d the Athabaska the praine country is quite insignificant in extent, the region being characteS^ br .econd-growth woods of the character just described, which, oS approach ng thl Athabaska, are replaced by extensive and well nigh impassible tracts of bri"f and wind-fall, in which second growth forest is only beginning to struggle ud 1 hough the prairies are most immediately available, from an agricultural Boint of view, tte regions now covered with second-growth and forest, whore the soi Sf Ik TL!!lf^"-*''' *T'" «Tf "t"'^ 'y ^^ ^qually valuable. The largest tract of pooTland that bordering the valley of the Athabaska on the north, fhis rises to aTJevSn OQUHiderahlygroater than most oftho region to tho north and west, and appears durnJ the submergence to which the superficial deposits aro due, to have been exposS tJ 115 ;his is miiintainod with ilij,'htlyfmm tlio nonh uoiisidored as a pluteaiij excavated. This valley' iteau bordonn/j it, witli streams at firwt iieaiij- epth aH thoy approaeli ion of the region ri>f ribiitaries recoivod by the exception of t\u-. iasionall}' diversifiod. ly Hoft rocks of the! itic-s t>nd i'epi-escntin<;i generally slight, ami! anks of the btrearasj idges, liowovor, often! lely enough to occupy uniform in characlerj iiay bo described asai, ily referred to, and noif rtheReditiver V'alloy; s greyish or brownish i vegetable matter to a] ivoly tranquil body oli ;lacial period, and has? ivo referred to, or has I As evidenced by thei eace Iliver, there ares ivored with a more or i e and tree.'., ■y generally open and! Ivers have a similari loky liiver, ■.^^t^y be! I generally occupied I pen and composed of! n of coniferous trees, y in the river valleys,, /^hich the black spruce i Is are also to be found i r and poor, and moie 3re described, a thick il trees are small, is! ^rows generally inter] the Athabaska, thel ing characterized hy\ on approaching the! tracts of brul6 and I iggle up. an agricultural point I , where the soil itself I tract of poor land is | rises to an elevation [ it, and appears duringi ave been exposed to I stronger currents which have prevented the depo-tition of the fine silt, causing it to bo re|.laoe(l by a coarser silt which passes in places with aciuiil sand, and alternates with ridges of boulder day. This region is also often very swampy, and for a width of twenty to twenty-live miles on the ti'iii! from Slurgeon Lake to the AlliubaMka J IS quite unsuitod to agriculture, though still in many plai-os cjiiialilo of yielding good I .summer grazing when the forest has boon completely removed by fire. To the niTi th- ward, more pardoularly to the oast of Smoky Hivor, ))oaty and tiio.isy swamps ixjcupy part, of the surface, and these may bo regarded as piirmanontly misuit'ed toagi-icnliure. There is also a sandy tract, thoui,'h of small width, along the lower part of the iKIk River near its junction with the Smoky. .Deducting, as far as |)o.ssihlo, all the lareus known to be inferior or useless, with about twenty nor cent, for the portions of the re;rion under consideration of whicli less is known, the total area of land, with [soil suited to agriculture, may be estimated as at least 'J.'viOO >qniire miles. In the absence of complete maps, such an estimate cannot be otherwise than very rou^h. [but may scve to give some idea of the fact. Whatever theory bo adopted, and may have boon advanced, to account for the [■wide prairies of the western portion of America further to the south, the origin of the praiiies of the Peace River is snfficiently obviou>'. There can be no doubt that I they have been produced and are muintaincd by fires. The country is naturally a jwooded one, and whore fires have not run for a tew years, young trees begin rapidly [to spring up. The fires are, of course, ultimately attribiitiible to human agency, liind it is pi'obablo that before the country was inhabited by the Indians it was every- where densely forest-clad. That the date of oi'igin of t"he chief prairie tracts now 'found is remote, is clearly evidenced by their present appearance, and more particu- larly by the fact that they are everywhere scored and I'ulted with old buffalo tracks, [while every suitable locality is pitted with the saucer-shaped 'buffalo wallow.s.' It JH reported that a few buffaloes were seen last year near Pino River, but the animal has now become in the Peace River coimty practically extint t ; an event which, according to the Indians, happened at a date not very remote, owing to a winter of [exceptional severity, during which the snow "reached to the'buttaloos backs." The luxuriance of the natural vegetation in the.se prairies is truly vvonderful, I and indicates, not alone the fertility of the soil, but the occurence of a sufficient rain- fall. The service berry, or amalanchior, and the chokocherry are very abundant in J some places, particularly on the so-called Urando Prairie, which constitutes the (great berry gathering ground of the Indians. With regard to the climate of the Peace River country, we are without such laccurate infoimation as might bo obtained from a careful metcorologiwil recm-d, |<3mbracing even a single year, and its character can at present be ascertained merely jfrom notes and observations of a general character and the ap|)oarance of the natural vegetation. I It may be stated at once that the ascertained facts leave no doubt on the subject lof the sufficient length and warmth of the season, to ripon wheal, oats and barley, jwith all the ordinaiy root crops and vegetables, the only point which may admit of |^ots, carrots, „„io„s ""J ll.ouyh Ihci plan... aro jSd' Te, K,, "'''/ "^l^/''^'^"^ ^'^''^ "'-^ HoM.-i.h^nl:' u«t n.unu.l having 'boon how,.^. ;' ^.oV? itn.r 'in ' T ^'^'' •'^' /'-"''■ '^'''^ '^' I •iMr rn.t. A few «talkH of In.liai c, 7 v.m ^ \ '"^ ''':''"'"" '"^'^'^^ '" Perlen p thai .hj. plant would ripon it. s^d In d.^^Xttt '^'""""^' ''""«'^ '^ '^ imp/obab^ cuM„.dZ^nTHq^;;C,r: Zrbr';it" :'Y '>^' ^..^..^t, U. bean, Thopoiuto tops were also .lightlvnipjled ^ f''"'^'- I'ut not completolyr killed a. wa3 f Ln Srir;.;;!::; iijrtia^ir s;: 'i;:-'--'-^ '-■ -- 3-.. ha, dittuuhy owinfr to froits. Ho has al... tr « 1 « ' '" f "" "^^^''^^''^ "^^ without aHOortaipcd that wheat thr.vesSu this " | e T. f'"' ;'''^'- ^'^^'■- "■ ''• ^'""'>!" "'' vation also at the 'CVeoSottlomJnt ' wh; K • . ."""'^ '•'"^° ''"•'« ""^mpl- at cul.j. on the border ofStur.eon jl 'i " u.t i S:!; Vw !' "T.'^^' '""'''-"* ^""' ^^^^ ^"•''='" I^ako. and is at the a vei^age le -ol o the « n w I? K ' "^ ,"^" ^^''^ *^"^ "^'^^^^^^i^ Slave Hero, on September I4th the nota oo nN, ' r "." ^''^^""on of about 2, lOO feet nu.re k, than observed w't Those 71^' '''°? "''-''^"^^ ^''^^^^^^ by frost, but n t qui-e npe, but the Incliins d ";' nt Jr/lh T^ "'?' 'j'^^'"''^^- '^''^ '"be- We were very line, and carrots b.ets .,n,i • ^' '''""" *"'' "^out ton days. Turnins will, verj litti; .are. S < r r;l vo"v rauTatT'' '?"."«',' *^^'^*'"^>' ''"'^'"a ' oomnlelely destroyed by mice, b'^o;^H,l''Vw of barley had been almo.t finok-ads. The Indian, here we e.cVv a v^^^^^^^^^^ r^' '■■'?« ''"<^ with whieh 1 have since been able co ibnvari to (hem bv \T, " r"''*'^' /'^' fe'"''^^'" «"«^^. i-den & Co., of Winni|,cg. ^""^ ^^ t'>e kindness of Messrs. Stobart, At Foi't St. Join,, 95 miles wo;;:"i'«'^ «till ft^rth'er west In 1870 sowing commenced the las week in Anrff ^tL '' '*'" ^^'^ «^' ««Ptomber.' irost on June 28th, but the fi.st autumn frost occ. I. ^".'i "'^l^"'"'^ '« ^ave been a Mr. Selwyn found the potato toprstKeen in h •^''n *''?• ^^^ "^September, and Cambie saw wheat flouWshing he'^'e i Ju^v ll h^ ""J'^'" "^ ^^^ '"'^"tb. Mr JI. J. been cut down by frost. '«'«'« July last, but on his return in September it had in the dttn'cVit%"uttio!r' Sn'^nfformU" '" ^'.^ ^'''"^^ ^^^-'^ -^ -Ketable« the enow disappea'rs aboTt the m d,e of 7^'."]" weSfv "' ?""^"^'""' '^ «-'-'''«' The nver opens at about the same tlmt^C^Zw!^ T"*^' '^^'P'"^' '* away fa^ April or first of May. The river iron e X h„ T ^'^" ^""Sins at about the end of o^-«now,Iwa8told:«veral4 abSt^^'^^^^^^^^^ Thedepth Horetzky's statement.f Mr. HoSrwas ais'o told t la'^fh' ^^^'^ ^^''^^"^ ^'"^b ilr. 5areuptothemonthofI)ecember,thoVr;;inri'^;I^^;^^^^ ' oa the Pacific Coast, p. 205. in plolo n|»oriinir hnvitij; liolwoeii lliD.so (liUc. UIIm fbrinoil on (hu| , bt'ot.s, eaiTotH, onions [ worn ditto tioiiricliini;' f" of fmst. 'J'lio two 1 )our likely to perfect j iJugh it is improbablo I >i' Auf-r-Miit, the boans, . 01 completely killed! y for Hotno 3'ear8, ha« i oeusons not without tN which ho jii-ocurod About the duto just v/oi'o badly cut down Dund the potatoew in i on the level of tho Ii'. If. J. (Juinbieul.^o udo attempt at oultj. iu,ses built hylndiaiiH stundofLefShcrSlave n of about 2,1 00 feot ed by fi-o>t, but not 0. The tuboi'b weie ton days. Turnips evidently cultivated ly had been almost Ljuito ripe and with ly of garden .sood.s, of MeMsrs. Stobart, > much iiearer the )tatoc,s, oats, barley in ' JS igger Dan's ' ad made nearly an h of August. Pi-of. 'H still further wewt, loth of September, sars to have been a 1 of September, and > month. Mr II. J. in September it had mis and vegetables egan, it seema I'lat eeping it away fast, t about the end of amber. The depth b agreeH with Mr. s were often nearly with the mouth of November. Sir Alexander Mackenzie remarked tho san.o nlwencoof wnow in tho early winter months of I'i'M. It wasonlireiy gone on April .ith, iTiKJ.and gnats and rnosiiui- Ujos were troublesome on April 20/*= Morses almost invariablv winter ouL woll without requiring to be fod. Hay shouN' be provided for cattle,' to ensure permit MitV>fy, for a period of three or four months, ihough in .some seasons it is necessary to feed the animals for a few weeks only. The Indians cf the ' Croii SeltlcirwMit ' on Stur- geon Lake, previously referred to, winter their horses without any ditlicultv round the bordei's of a neighboring lake, the shores of which are jiartly open. Froni Hiid- gon's Hope, the horses are sent southward to Moberly's Luke to wintei-, anil ace >r(ling to Ml-. Sclwyri, do well there. Lesser Slave Lake, with its wonderful natural •neadows, has long been known as an excellent place for wintering stock, and is referied to as such by Sir .J. liicbardson. Some general idea of tho length and character of the seasons at Fort St. .lohn may be gained by an exaniinatirm of the extracts from the jfxirnals from ISfiti to 187i, published by Mr. Selwyn.f The dales of o|)ening and closing of Peai'.t Uiver, being an important duo to the mean tempcrauiro ot the region, may lie (juoted as summarized by Prof. Macoun in the same report (p. 15()). Ice breaking Jee drifting, first time 18K») April lit Nov. 7. lr()7 " 21 << 8. 18(i8 " ^20 " 7.' Htl!) " 2,i " 8 1870 " 2() .' ."..'....'!.'!!."".'.'."..'.'.'.*.*.' no record. 1871 " 18 "10 1872 " 19 .< 8. 1873 " 23 " 4 1874 " 19 Oct.;.]. 1875 " Id The average date of tho breaking up of tho ice may thus be stated to be April 21st ; that on which ice i.s running on the river for tho first time, November 7ih. In 17!)2 and, O'J, when wintering at the mouth of Smoky River, Sir Alexander Mackenzie observed the ice Xo bo running for the first time on November (ilh, while the liver was clear of ice on the 2.ith April. I have been unalile to find any precise recoids of the dates of closing and opening of the Saskatchewan, but Dv. Hector states these are usually the second week of November and the second week of April resjjcctiv'ely. Tho Saskatchewan is a more rapid stroam than the Peace. With regaixi to the probable ditt'ercnce between the actual valley of the Peace and the plateau forming the general surface of the country. Prof. Macoun ob-' ,i,o tal.lo. whilo in m,.t pl,.f.os the -nea t j po S, "^ /'r, '-"I'-l^-t- /t wonl.i .t, ,,.,..• ,h found in tho Poaco Hivoi- countiV not fi , ,• "'' " '■"'"''^'•' ''''""' « I • '"■, il i' rapidity of lo«s of hoat by n il tin duo o ^1 oat t ''i "''. ''^^ '■'"■^"" '"^ "'« '■"«''^'^od Tho maxin.um to.npa.at.i.-o wa/li; ro£e'.\S bu 'u/o'';'' 'l'''' '"•^■"'•' """-^Phe'-O- tat>on Tho«ofro.tHo.euVodi™Snowof^^^^^^^^ «1.Du..vogan on tondor vog^ wind, tho result ot which in to rom^vrfmrthc «m5^ 'f"^J' ''">' "^ «l''«"fe' wosteHy lower boated layer of tho atmosphcM'o Th . uc. . S i . ^^' ?'"'^'' '''" ^^'"^'« "^ tho with transparent sky, cause, tho tho. .1.1. "^ V'"" ""'1 ('loudlosH night boforo rnorilin,.. WhilM.ot ,..o cede. brZ .!". wi„7''' ^'^'"^ ^''" *''«--in«-p'^" atmoHphero seoins .eldom or nevoi to load to ^^ • i ' '"*-''''? "'''"^Paroncy of the bouutifully Htarli.Mit nighl« vvithout im it?, h^;^^^^ wore obtiorved. ^ "" appio.ich of tho inercuiy to bo froozing-poinfc Though in some cases such frosts as fl ,,-a ^n k wioed,s,netofc..,ntry,it k. mo ro ,sua ,v rrnd tSat t^^ '''"'^ °-^'<^"'^ «^«'-» t«r. A few tloaiing cloud., or light w-otls of mis^ n ^ '"'" ''"''^ '"'''^' '" ^'^'^■■'^c- to prevent trost over the irrea»er n-u-t nf i „ . ' "l'^'J' ''''''''''^ ,o^;:;hru;;Za 1 T/jx;:,' teeTr. ^'"^ "'•^^'"""'"''^ i-.K .u *''' ''°"^°"'' »"'• t.ha..actor of vegetation of th?,^.fn, ^, ^^'^PO'-'t"™ below with the o'-curronco of frost., and it is fery freauVnH. H '■^' ''I'" '^■■'^'° '"»<'h to do more subject to frosts than tho upland diSrcL^ I ,^, T""^^''^ ''''''' ^""l«y« «'•« m a region f ,r tho most part wooded, and oS above h^' ''" '"""'/' '^^ ^'^Ptember, Dunvegan and tho AthaLka, nineteen frosts wor« .» •?">'\"''''"'^''' between temperature being 20° on Septembe. 18th '•«i"«tered, tho actually lowest ^^^■^^X^ Mounted Police. I wan, on the Saskatchewan R i'ver, aCt twontv mn|o(iiti(iti I tllO offoCls (»f'||(Ht, •lit Ijoin^r <'Mflstuiit|y ui" tlio winds Imvo - very small, t li,iv„ f»y niysolt in iho l<> Ihu iiliiloiin, and Koik^ ot I'ino Jiivor iJ*. Tlit> mean mini- oiif oxtoti(Jin;r IVoni • >* III (i a. m. duriti;,' ^>'- In Soptemlwr I'liin^' Hl)sei-vati(»nM J IVoin lho>o obscr- ''•tins: Ihcm Ijy iho i'l the .SmitliHoniiui do.s.), as (ho daily Jtitod hy (ho tahlos, vmlil ,i\ jK'ar that al)out H |,. m., ii is >'i oCilio incicasod fJiyor lUinosphero. »n«o is very groat, ihJ often HUi'passod ■^l-on Iho l;^(hand .'cly. lioihofthoHe 20lh) must have on tondoi- voge- s the limiting conditioa of wheat culture in the North-west; but that neither the Saskatchewan nor ths Peace River countries lie upon the actual verge of tho profitable cultivation of wheat appears to be proved by tho fact that oats succeed on the Saskatchewan, and also —in so far as one or two seasons can be accepted as evidence— on tho Peace River; while it is well known that this cereal is less tolerant of summer frost than wheat. This is further proved by the fact that at Fort Vormilion and Athabaska L ike, 180 and 300 miles respectively north-east of Dunvogan, Prof. Maooun found wheat and barley ripening well; but in this instance the fact is complicated by tho circumstanca •'I! I * Geolog) Aid ReBoircea of the 49th Panllel 1875, p. 279. 120 a S 11 ■I Jnit:^i;:;^i"iL:l;Sed?;M"''''^;"'''^'^ int..duces a ne. condition. As n. collected^ byPnTSofn t IS^S^i"/''^ '" Z''-*^ ^"rj ^^"^^ ''" '''^^"^'«" ^« '' > though from it addTionXrlJn ' ■ '.^ "»* 'nciudod in the abcvo discussion Reforrin/to the oull kept aTpS;;^^^^ IT^m' «^ "'^'^"'^ '<^ ^'"^ ^^^''^''^ tract: several times^^.fcMTP. to "on>es fo thJ^nn i "^^hn, Mr Selwyn, in the report already co,np..siavo,.ab,,with'9:flL^^^^^^^^^^^ f^or^^^^'Tl^^ZH:::;!^^ ''t'^^ -- ^f UrLcention.,,, those of the eastern portion of hr, A ^^''"^ ■^"'°'' <:»""''•'««. "« compared with valence of warm wes^ervindsf?ot^.'rP?PiHV '" ^ ^T"'^ ■" ^^^^ P^' of these westerly winds in Ser wH in/ ' TK t"', ^'f '^"J^^"' Mackenzie speaks that this wind never failed 7o hin^,. 1 7 m*"^ "'"if *^^ ^^''"''^''^'^ ''* ^thabaska, from the opposite quarter it nroHnlH ^r^^ y^eaihev, whereas, when it blew if it bio ATS hard ^mth-west fo?f.nri! """^/u ^^"'' [' '^ """"^ ™«''« perceptible, for is at north-easUt b in^ eet am? now ■' T ^^^ "^ '^' ««"«°' "^^ attributed that Pacific Ocean, which cannot Fn a dL,M-'^°'''^- ^^'T r'"" ^'"'^^ «'"»° «« the BO short that, 'though they nis ovei 1 T'- ^"^ ''""^ *f ' ^'"^"^ "''' ^^° ^'■^t'»»^'« being for them to cool.''t ^ ^ ^^'"'^ mountains covered with snow, there is not time andsTmih;r;oi"tot":arirvS''To\""'""'^ "^ '."'?^^'" =^^ '^''^'"-■^ -"j^/ ander ^lackenzie, howevei Tn the nmml r'T^r^Jf?^ '^','' ««currence. Sir Alei coast from his wirerl'-Xce a^T« /J •^. '"^ the Pacific appears to have imlSlt the time! « "^'^"^5 «* «'"ol^y iiiver, greater than he difficult indeed, to trndeiandL™ remarks, -md it is across a country wh"ch fsfor tZ ^ T ' 1 ""•-blowing for at least ;{50 miles warmth to lempe. etfectunl v tl L nlTn't P'i.'-^'n^^^ta.nouH, should retain enough would appear t o be p u t ( ularL ll't^hf ' ""^ '^^ ^'^'T" '°/''*^ ''''^- ^hi^ difficulty enow.claVand.hem'lan emiir^^^^^^^^ * '° mountains are largely bably considerably in excesTof that of th ^V'"'^«.«"d Saskatchewan Valley., is pro- Hea. ^ *"'" "* t^^t °f tbe region intervening between them and the late Jtr;!;|;j;?^^;:'^;!i;;:;;i;^^i[;-'l - ^l-, ^-at quantity of heat rendered .ensible again on ^on^.^^^^^:: Z::;::^,^.:^^:;^ af "' '''''''' the low:. ';:;:;:;; i? l^;: ;S ^-^^ ^he atmosp e.. bem^^so mS^; less than ia tains mu.t expand which iZvir mni «°'^-'"^«' *» the summit of the coast moan- and consoqne, t c^ iTnT S aSnTof tf "' ""'T'"' T^^ '" ■*" absorption of heat Centigradi for loO mS ."es of Z«nf wi I '''""•^ '?''' ^'"''' estimated at about l" degree when the tern neritum hZTu "^'^r/u^^ ,'"'' ''' ^'■^^' '^'^^ becomes reduced to i cipitation ofmltu^l'^a; cloud ,±'?. '" ^be dew-point of the atmospher. and pre* indentation retarding to a oortifideirr^^^ ''T •'r^•"■^"''"'^' ^'"""^ *bis air. Wfien the air descends n?min?>^H <• "^'^^'-ng *i'>« to the expansion of the its condensation leads to an infZ » f- ^•V?''?'" ■''^'*^ "^" ^'^« '"O'-ntain range, metres. J It is owint tJ this c re ,m«t , '?k'1'''^ ''""^ *'^"''' ^^ ^° ^^ f«'' «««b 100 the west coast. d3 tL prev Ee n f ?n. ^h ' '^''T '" ''T """^'^ of Greenland, on high interior, V, he cS;unt^-vZlh«l°^ South-easterly winds which flow over the temperatnie higher Z" th^atof NoHh Tmi ' '" ^'"'«':' *« «^Porienco for a time a Atlantic Ocean fVomwhi?h the win ^'' """ """ '""'^' *'^ ^'*''"'=<^> ^bough the north treezing-pointat thi" season T J I'^'^nf''" ^^''« been little above the anothe^Jxampl^o^rheTare-pheSmeZ' "'^' '"""" in the Alps as the foohn. i» • Report of Projcregg of Qeol. Surrej, Cmnada, 1875-78. t Voyages, p. 138. t The figures are Dr. Hann'a. mmjArt b- Woi^nev-- .v sv r» • t. r- •nd reproduced ia Nature, AugustVfsn. ' "°'""®-?'" »» the Danish Geographical aociety's Journal, 121 w condition. As ri,> :e in addition to tlmi !ie abcve discussion, J to the fertile tratt! in the report already e of the Peace iiivei [ontreal. f the exceptionally iS, as compared with e found in the pre- >r Mackenzie speaks erved at Athabaska, sreas, when it blew ore perceptible, for ice, and if the wind be attributed that yinds come off the the distance being V, there is not time 3 'Chinook winds,' Lirrence. Sir Alex- ance to the Pacific r, greater than he remarks, -ind it is at least ;550 miles uld retain enoui^h ^t. This difficulty ntains are largely ■an Valleyj, is pro- i^eon them and the V of heat i-endered ut which becomes ho air. > much loss than in f the coast moun- absorpiion of heat mated at about T )mos reduced i.o ^ mospher^ and pre- Jsulting from this i expansion of the mountain range, 1° C. for each 100 1 of Greenland, on ch flow over the nco for a time a , though the north little above the ps as the foohn, is i»l Society's Journal, The data are wanting for an accurate inve.stigation of the circumstances of our west coast in this regard, but a general idea of the fact may be gained. We m.iy assume that the air at the sea level is practically saturated with moisture, or already at its dewpoitit, that in crossing the mountainous region the average height to which the air is carried is about 2,000 metres ((j,5(i0 feet), and that it descends to a level of about 700 metres ('^,296 feet) in the Peace River coun(ry. The loss of sensib'e heat on elevation would, in this case, amount to 10° C. (18° F.), the gain on desc^ent to the level of 700 metres to 13° C. (23--l° F.). The amount of heat lost by the air during Its passage across the mountainous region, by radiation and contact with the snowy peaks, cannot be determined. It is of course much greater in winter than in flummv.r, and depends, also on the speed with which the current of air travels. Takmg the mean summe- temperature of the coast at about 12° C, (54° F.) and allowmg several degrees f I- , of radiation, it becomes easy to understand how the western prairies may be ft ed with air nearly as warm as that of the coast, though it has travelled to ihpm ov„, . region comparatively cold. Owing to the great width of the mountain barrier, the main result is complicated by local details, regions of considerable precipitation occurring at each important mountain range, with subsidiary drier regions in the lee. The last of these regions of precipitation is that of the Itocky 31ountaiii range, properly so-ialled. By this a further addition of heat is made to the air, which then flows down as a dry and warm current to the east. In addition to the favorable climatic conditions indicated by the thermometer, the length of the day in summer in the higher northern latitudes favours the rapid and vigorous growth of vegetation, and takes the i)lace, to a certain extent, of heat in this respect. This has been supposed to be the case from the luxuriant vegetation of some northern region, but Alfonse do Candolle has ))Ut the matter bevond doubt by subject- ing It to direct experiment. In latitude 5(J° which may betaken as representing that of much of the Peace River country, sunrise on 2l8't June, occurs at 3h. 12m,, sunset at 8h. 50m.; while six degrees further :.outh, in latitude 50°, which may be assumed to represent Manitoba, sunrise occurs on the same day at 3h. 49m., sunset at 8h. 13m. The duration of sunlight, in the first case, is I7h. 38m.; in the second, itih. 24 m., or one hour and a quarter in excess in the northern locality. This excess of course decreases to zero at the spring and autumn equinoxes, and the difference is reversed in the winler. A fiirther circumstance giving to the Peace River country and that on the upper part of the Saskatchewan, other things being equal, a value as farming land acre for acre considei ably greater than thn.tof most parts of the North-west, is the immunity of this region from the visits of the devastating locust or grasshopper (Caloptenus spretus). I have elsewhere discussed the question of locust invasions, in several papers,* and it has since been taken up by the United Slates Entomological Commis- sion. f It must suffice to state here, that while long series of years may pass without the occurrence of serious invasions, these must continue always, or at least for a very long time, to constitute a drawback to the whole territory lying south of a line drawn about sixty miles south of Edmonton, and thence nearly following the border of the wooded country eastward and southward to Manitoba. (2) General Geological features, and Minerals of Economic Importance. The rocks of the coast of the northern part of British Columbia and its adjacent islands, resemble those of the southern part of the coast, in the same line of strike, and the Victoria series of Vancouver Island. The age of these rocks I believe to bo not greater than Palaeozoic, though their crystalline and highly al'ered appearance might, at farst sight, suggest a comparison with still older series. They may be • Ossadlsn J^sturaliat, Vol. VIII., pp. 119, 207, 411. t First Aaniial Report, United States Entomological Commission, 1878. blancoof^.;moof ihoTo cits o -S^ "S'''°'' ^"S'««- Tho ro«om. /MUMcJ ,n cnnocLi.,,. with I'hom oa hi« ,n t of t ,f '" I"'^r "^^ '!"'"*''>' ''"'^ l*""' |.^.oo.at,.,n will, them in «orne nlL.! f*- 1 ' L '^^ *''" ''"'''''• -^'moHtono i.s found ia •t-fsooiiition witii them in «oMio nl-u.,.« n. ~ ■="-"'■" i.i jounu m ^" thcH. .>,. the associated "/nds;,'cks J'h'' p''' f^,T°^'' '^ ''''''' P'^^^y f''"q"ont v l.cctin>. ha. been done no ,% •mane , mhl k'''* ^^'^"7^' *^"^ ^^'^^^'^ much proj- J'.g cupriforous vein han bL X" e^ed bv Mr" f'w ^^'" ^"'^hed A .^athe. proViH- Jinmcdiatcly holiind the Hudson Eavr..,. V I ^);/^'^'^«y "'i the slopo of the bill ^ '''W<4(;hannel the ic"« a^^^^^^^ SimpMa,, but maHHivogranitero 4LE^ ^' chiefly «chi«tOHe, like those of Port l""t'ably constitute the ^Z of man n ^'"''.'^f^ «««"'' «" the eastern shoi^o and the ,n..HUh of the Skeena ^n^kT f^ It hm'.nhl^"' ■" ''• • '^' ^''' ^-i%'ton, at '^.nuh.r in composition but coa .^eVin tt 'l^' l^!"".^'^^'?^"'^' ^'-'i^verHod by dyko« r r;vcr.bcdat 'fie Ba^ne tii^echangrthelrcg™^^ ^'^^ boulders and gravel of tht ot these porphyrites while Mr.^S e nSm \ne fh!!r^K'"?*'"'"'°'>'''°™ mo a so similar, proving that the norihvri.k.^fv.f\ \*''® "'""*''* '" '^° Zymootz JvMpkeerol, Eapid. where u short nort^ ,1 ' ^'''''' ^'T " "^'^^ extension. At cai.oo is dragged is a rather col^ 'If.. '"^.^^ ^^e rock over which the cai.oo is dragged is a mther "oa rseTaifed 1..^''"'"^^^ >;oclc over which the jtppears capable of being quarried into bocks^nff ^"■'^"'t«' P''"bably intrusive. It l<;:"tage which are nearlVvertiJa'and run S So'e N no'' w""'*'"« "'!'"^, P'«"«-^ "'^ ol high mountains abutting on the r^ver ahr..« K ■ i "' u ^ "' '"ag'ietic. The range tally «„rli„|. i»> 0, ooon es|,lo, oii to n Bmall extent, but nover .y.tomati. » "»"««■"» gene«lly, b,it becim. --«e„.„ e.po.„™ Of gtl"f lo'-o'^'e^irl'-rS VnViitC tt * Report of Progress, Qeol. Survey of Canada, 1876-77. 123 d liornblondo-schi.stN, e, like tho8e of Port B, ■ — ^^== t,ho.e of the Nochacco'.crie,s crm; .IpoH cJlf^^ '''^^ '^°^'^*^^' ''^"'^ .'o^emUFng guccKj^;:i?oSi;st::;:o:^^;i;i,::;;;^i;nb:' nfr- ^'^r-^" «^ *•- ^-t«e. fbo firHl timo'. Thco a.-o «o rmogcrt o.rund j^^^^^^^^^ jl!' ".t'^ '" ^'"^ t'^'''^'^ ^«'' and on clo.so oxaminatio,, .mall frao-mcn s Tsorv n.r n ^^'.f they resemble coals, represonting portions of individuaNtS wh^ .h .^ . ^- ''f"?'^ ?'''• '''"^ l"'obably m«V be ibur,i. The c.rbonacoo , J^^ ^'^'l "^ .t^-rf'' '-"^^^^^ in theib'rmation^ tho .•odes at this place are very much £ t , l.of ,'.„ f t ™ "'" T '«"''*="'">•- «"d HhcolH iH abundant' in some pari ot tt ilnmai " '" ""''"'"'' ""^ '"•^fe'"''"- III the rugged mountainous country botweon' the Forks c^r tl,o «i , , lower or north end of Babino Lake (l„> ,•» .IV „ "!°V. • '® ^"^^ena and the probably entirely of MesCic a^ ^md relomll , ,." '" " ''."'"''^ «^ ^he trail aro kwatsalix to the Forks. TheytW 1 ,er. v 'm^J^ ^""";'/" "^« «'<^^''"h from occasionally felspathic or rcpl JcS b^ ' ; fv itS !"? ?^ ""° "'" '"""'^^ ^"•"'"' rocks. Carbonaceous shales incl imbSdo ?./! 1 f "1 7'"*-"""'es brecciated found, and in one place a few mother tLSo V ^ *" > ' ''"''^ ^'^'asionally i.nd south, but sub Oct to great iS S^ultiiv In .h^"l'!;i'''^/ l'"'"''^' "'"'^ ""'•t'' ilivei', near tl.,- po nt at which lie trail f.on L V i "" ^'^^ ""^ V'° l'=^^'^"-'^^'i-kwa mentsreM.>n, bung coal were f u d but -onHin 1 t '""" '"'^ Sabine Lake, frag- as a fu. am'tho appears?" ofth'^x^uuirvirbl^ ''' ^' "^^^"' regior .s probab'li that MesozoLrcS o •\hr,Sd 1"^^^^^^^ Nprea., .., .^,» part of tho province, a belief confirmo.l hv ., I "? '''"^' '^''^'^'y mens collected by Mr. Horetxkv in np/.rhh^ • ^^ ^ number of small spcci- lant summer. ^ ''• -t^'-et/^ky i" ne>«hbounng regions, daring tho ex,.o>{ition of relation to the Porphyrii 1^:J^'r:i^T]r:^ri ''"'" ''.'"'^ tliey must roprcsont, at least in uart ihp Pmi h^ • ' "PPears, however, that Mands and (iuatsino Sound Jhiel'evnru even o^^ "'/''' '^''"'' ^''""-'"t'^ tho horizon of those of Comox and Nm,!!!'! "° "^'""^ "P^'""'^' t'' *"^'"''° '-^'k-^ of true coals, and indicate,' tho poSil tv if nn? th k'^I''!-"^ ^'"" '^^ deposition of coal bods of economic value i^ o mo i^u of tL t P''«'"^^'''ty- «f the occurrence of eoaly materials collected by mysdf have Sot . h^l'^"' ?P««'?«"« «f «"mo of these two collected by Mr. Horotzky and 'urll vso^ Jm «»bjected to exam inat.on, but H>.rvey, are rep'orted on as foilows by mJ^C. Hoffman?""' '" ''' '''"'"''^^'-y «* '"^^ ^Sur ^S^ f «f««,/<«^o« 37, nine miles above the Forks matter. Colour of powder black with r f«inV k ^'''«?a tube yields water and tarrv c^tod no coloration ?o atiHng soirtSo^^'rclsUcT^th^ ' ''^ ''''^''' ^'"'""-^ By Blow and fast coking the followirg results rere obtained .- Hygroscopic water.. ^'""^ ^'°nJf ^' ^"' Cokitijr. Volatile combustible matter!"."; ir.'o- ''^'^ Fixedcarbon i^^» 1909 Ash 42 70 3S-U6 40-90 40v0 Ratio ot;_ volatile combustible matter to fixed ^^^'^ ^^^'^^ carbon , _^„ 1— Z-TS 1—204 n n 1'. ti# 124 II r By slow coking the under portion of the pow.ior alone was sintered the midHI. /Vecjmm ?ate//ej Skeena, Station 65, ^,renfy knifes above the Forks ok,cd lnF,6y,cl.U witer but .carc.ly any ■,„,,., m»ltor, evol™» howoi™ a f jn Analysis by slow and fast coking give the following results :— Slow Coking. Fast Coking. llygroscopic wator 153 i-m Volatile combustible matter .', nli^ ^.o-l' S^^ --^^ 45.«1 If, ^^" 4524 45-24 Eatio of volatile combustible matter to fixed carbon 1—639 1—5-97 Both slow and fu.st coking gave a pulverulent coke. Colo, of ash al most white m. Jn ^T ^" '''■'^' f ''""^'^°^ f'-O"" M'-- Har.kin, when at the Frks of ho Skeena. a small spec. men of true coal, apparent of excellent quality Th?s mate , a rndu'ir'e'pC 'bV ro^^T' H""^^^f H-ver, about eighteen 'm^nrfi-orn'rhe" Jo b t.,1-, u .P-?f- ^V'° Indians to occur in quantity. I was unable to visit tho locality Nut It lies nearly on the strike of the carbonaceous beds seen near thlJnoith of the Kitseguecla, on the Skeena, and may therefore occur in a roSneaX £ arSed ^"'^"^"^--t^ -«- '"^'^^ to procure a larger specimen, but thT has no"; Je? foUows'l?''""''"''^''''''''''''""'^'' ^'"^'"'"^ °^ '^'^ ^°'^l'«n ^hich he reports as black^bift wTh^"f in«r''^'°'?-u' ^f '^ -^n^brittle. Does not soil the fingers. Color l DiacK, out with a just perceptible brownish tnge. Lustre dull resinonf W,.nnhZ' concho.dal. Takes fire in a lamp flame, burning wth a brghtXmerwhi^^ howl, Boon dies out on removal from the source of heat),with emffion ot"mS and al^^^^^^^ rmL"lr% ?T''^- '"^^^^vered crucible it produces alargeamouB ^n^^" 1", the Closed tube yields a considerable quantity of tarrv nroduct It^ powder dm not impart the slightest coloration to\ broiling soIuIi:,S of cau.S An analysis by fast coking gave the following results :— Volatile matter .„ ,„ Fixed carbon *"t7 Ash S7-51 l-i»7 100-00 125 8 sintered, the middle a firmer coito. Ash, rJcs. vhat appeared to be ISO latter oxfiibited a ict columnar slruf- il the fi Minors. In the dves liowovor, a faint icates no color to a 8 : — Fast Coking 152 7-20 4-0* 4524 10000 1—5-97 of ash almost white. I at the Foi'ks of the ility. This material les from the Forb, 18 unable to visit the seen near the mouth i horizon nearly the but this has not yet which he reports iis II the fingers. Color resinous. Fracture ime (which however ['smoke and a slight i a large amount of tarry, product. Its solution of caubtic 40-52 57-51 l-!»7 100-00 ir, owing to lack of Deluded in the num- 5. The ash, which tinated slightly at » 3s a coal of the true In the present i •lolated nn>4ifi(iii r»f ii,„ ..„. ii • . ills iii>lirii.l fl.,. I r.. I i> as dose us po Gold hi manctit niii -Ilio l»ill« t>elim,l the llu.l.soii Bav Dost on il„w.., f -i .■ ■ X. 1.-." li. (,n.... ) and hi^h "o." -weste I m h"s"^ ^^'^'' '^ ^^'''ko of ing ,n .torial if opcnod below the f ros uLttl !ZL IZ'^^'' ^"T ^"""' '^""'^- I vranl on the lalvo, sinulur rock.s prevail b it f Von ^ 't^?l ^f """ '''^t't-'L-o south- Hudson Bay post t(> ihe head of the 1 ilcc r H ^ N a-tal-ku/. Alountau, and (he second Ceck Kroup ol ,ho interior of British C In nbl n ll'' '"''^' ►" 'T"-"''^"' ^^ ^^o Cache age, appear 1., fo,,„ the sub- , 'ture f h., ^ ? P-'oba ly Cuboniforous in materials li. „..„ „„.,„, ,,„,, eha, S " , 1 ." "J''""'''^i .^''''^ Tortia.y volcanic .-^ li'3 np.n M„.m, and characterize lorn, s retches ? '.bell T""'^ ^;?'^^"'« limestones and n.aiblcs occur on the north !...>, I, .' '''''" ''""'"• -l^^'nded Th. rocks of the portage, for o 1> n^ilo -.nm 'V '^^^ ^^'"'' <^- ^he lake, whd. near the bead of S uart L^ke nm s?ve Z! m"'"'."' "'''"^'"' '" ''" T-'''tiary, travcliir.ir cown S, nart F., J ;rK„°.'"^:T'.^^' ^T ' "'-"blondic granite -^' limestones have already bcenesc.-iL* md ^n-l I n'"''^ ^T^'' J'""«^- ^hoso Between Fort St James, on Stuart tX . . p "?"^ *t' '^^^ Carboniferous age. rvwborn f.,.vn,.,.,i J.u k:V?"_^''"'?!'^''^'*^ ""^ i^ort McLcod, the surface is almost hands of limestone. In the vicin- er beds of limestone, arc found. believes an ai-ea of Tertiary nf,„„ r» Lignite was L:iko l^iver, near Iroquois Creek, ror-ks with little don ity of lort McLeod.rocks similar to these, but with thick i>eattcied further down + In • • ■' to A^zSis s?r^ui^;?c:^s,s^i^^> ''^ f ^'"^^'"-' ^^« --^-t. and slaty rocks, with occasion" banSs of o^a.Site ^ft sth^r'"''"'""*^^' ^^ «'''"«'<>«« Ueous and often very bricht with l„«*i f ^^^ sc^i's^s are generally mica- minutely wrinkled. Those wLjfnf' «'":{«««« .^vhich are not unfrequently a belt of country abouUwent^m W :a wS.hTnH '"'"■''"^* '"'"'.?' ^"'^ ^'^ they^occupj oubtless many^inies repealed by fold inrfteseroX f ""'" ^ "* ^'P' ^^i^'"' ^"^ I -mestonos of the central i-ange of tl^^aKSvSfntn- l^T ^ ""''^'"''^ ^^^ "passive rerous or Devonian age. Frol ?h fr |S£1? ' " ! ."f;!!^.'^ ^ear to be of Carboni- eport of Progress, Geol. Surrey of Oi afijort of p nada, 1876-77, page I tii, Geol. Survey of Canads, 1875-76 126 u On he ni.p„rpartof il.o Mis.ncli.nea, numerous 'colors' mnv l,o obtaino.I on (ho bi,. et the nvor, and while ,t is j„„sihlo that rieh auriferous .lei..>Mls may yet ho founl hero, U Hhoukl he montioneJ that the rocks are not so extensively traversed hv ,,u. i veins as in the Hiir hnri r^(r!nn •' •> *l^'"^i veins as in the Curihoo region. iK , ^i: 'V^'*'.""'''"^'>',"",f'^" "'"■^•'■''°«^«'"" extension of (his belt of schistose rock. Xll^f, T'''' ^'" '' ^'"'"■'•"^ '" "'^"''*'^^'- '^'^^ '^"«^" auriferous localities here lie about hfty miles north of a line passing westward from the Piue Pass by Forts McLood and St. James There are three routes by which Omonica may be reached. First from the coast by the Skeena River, Babine Portage and Firepan Pass. Tl s 'oi, T travelled by canoe and on foot. Second by trail from Fo.t St. James, practicable f, pack animals; and third by canoe or boat from the eastward by the P^ace and Fin ^ZT- ^"Tf,^"^, inaterial to veins ot workable dimensions, but its presence seems in ....n. ' degree to shov.' (he general argentiferous character of the district. The chief oromix. ot (uture importance as a mining centre seems to lie, however, in the fact that hi.rhlv u-gentiorous galena occur in some abundance, and. it is reported, in wcll-detine'il an wide veins, rhese ,t is at present impossi ble to utilize, o.ving to the cost of lal.oi- nd carnage but the subjo.ne.l particulars may serve to give 8on-°> idea of thocha- ucter 01 tne deposits. According to Mr. Woodcock, of Victoria, some of the most important veins to in the vicinity of a stream called Boulder Creek. ' That known as tho " Arctic Cii do " is said to be about twenty feet wide and ta show aboul four feet of highly metalliferous ore. It is exposed by the brook in ' face about thirty feet high. The claim adjoining this is calfed the '' Black Warrio" and shows a vein eight feet wide of nearly pure galena. Olher specimens have be '« obtained from places within a radius of eight miles from this locality JNcar Lost Creek a vein known as the "Champion Ledge" is found and runj I nearly parallel with tho stream. Particulars as to its size are want^nci ' Ano vein in tho creek is reported to be twenty feet wide. ° ^°°"'^' Mr Woodcock ha« favored mo with copies of the following analyses of two sneci- mens of the ores from this district, by Messrs. Johnston, Matthy & Ca Lond^S, Eng- -i J 1 Arctic Circle Vein. f^^^** • 26-80 ^V«" 2-50 I'l^t'- 013 SJ"'- 635 ^'»«^ 61-60 Alumina ^,.^ Combined water '. .'.".'.'.'.'!.'.*.'.'..* 0-95 Oxygen and loss '.*. .'.'.'.'.'.* ' ' ' \ q.2't Silver equal to 44-2 oz, per ton of 20 cwt. • Report of Progress. Geol. SurTnv of Osaada IStS^'l'l p, 119, 12-7 13 obtninod on Iho ban | lis may yot bo foiinl sly tnivor.soil by (luaiiz olt of Hcbisto.sd rocks ouH biciilities bore lie Pii.ss by Forts McLood j bo i-eached. Fii-nt fVom Pass. Tbi.s roulo is James, pi'ucUcuble i'm the Poaco and Finlay will hIiow how com- lid high |)rico of pi- g claims and bindorod I by mo in a previous ologic'il Survey. Tho trict ai'o as follows ;— ; with greater facility and that il would I* of pellets of native bo found possiblo to esenco secm-i in Mm>: 3t. The chief promin' n the fact that highly M'tod, in well-detinell ng to tho cost of labor mo idea of tho char- ; important veins are mty feet wide, and to )d bj' the broolc in a tho " Black Warrior, ■' specimens have been sality. " is found, and runs j ) wanting. Another malysos of two speci- & Co., London, Eng- 26-80 260 013 6 35 61-60 1-40 0-95 0-27 Sdyer, por ton, 4()H1 oz. or $52 76 trold, trace. Pig lead would contain about 50 oz. to the ton. Black Warrior Vein. Lead Iron 2025 Silver 215 Sulphur 09 Silica 4-80 Alumina "'.'.". .7.'.'.".'.*.'.'.".'.7. ^'''^0 Combined water.. ......". ^'^^ Oxygen and loss.. ..'.". I'f'O 1-41 Silver equal to 29-8 oz. per ton of 20 cwt ^^'^^'^^ A second assay of the " Blaclv W-iiTim. '• u„ nr t-.. , Told, per ton, Xoz Silver do 32Jtoz '. « 2.06 /^ 41.89 Clean galena would assay, $131 85 343.95 Assay by Messrs. Riohn, Hemme & Co., San Francisco — Gold, per ton Silver do $6-28 9113 $97'41 Pig lead would contain 207 ounces to the ton di.r^t:^;^::,:;i;sr;;^ s:'\£Sn^:r s;;s^r^'i^^rf - ^'-'^ - ^'- -™» oz,of silver to tho ton, with t aVos o7' old I mt ^ ! f T ^'"^ ''^""'^ ^'^ '^""tain 8-971 confined to the galena of vvhi h only a maV ouanHtv^^ '"r'^''' ^''"^'Iver b which must consequetAly be hiLH?lya!CtfLSs^L^^ •'" '}'' ^^in-stone, and rom the Arctic Ci^-clo vL, soi^rL' ^Sf rr\>ots?blo°'^om «,'^''^'^'""P''^«f g"'ena laboratory of the Survey, gave 128 oz of silvo, t^^^hl . ? '"''' g''>"J^'»o> "n the the Champion Ledge, inc uding galen^ and Ian .1 h * ^ .f/P"^''"«n of ore from (ton and a trace of |old ^ " gangue, showed 20 oz. of silver to tho ,-^^^:^^s^Xi:si:^r::i!^s?^^^ — '» ^i. the and constant in character, tho re< ion mVs be on i..^? ''""' f° «"ffi«iently large |ofaccess to it arc provided *- '''°"'" '""^^ '^'^ ^^ importance when sufficient means. proportion of galena contained P>cc.ous metals are calculated to tho l-^^te'^o^^^^^^^^^ been informed, about sixty [eventy India^s,^he latteTricfivl'ig w~s hb ro/sTg a'^'r'T"' ""^^ f^^'^^ \^ however. th..t these f^gures^be rattt-Xve" tJe maS'thanTeliw'r *^ 128 \. ;« To tlio noiih-onst of tlio scliisloso rocks, and iijiparontlv nriiloHyiiifr thorn 'ii,. tho nia.sm-c limestones wliicli form tlio axiui niounluiim of tho liockv Aloiint.'iin ran^re. Ihcso, in tlioii- direelion ofHtiikc, .-.lo parallel to tho .ireneiuil nokh-weslo'K' and .soul h. easterly trend of the ranire. Fr..m the line of tho M.nunit, or A/.ouzetta Lako \ alley, tho width cftho limohtones and other old roek.s measured IransverKeU- ih ahotil live or SIX miles only. On the north-eastward side of tho ratua-, tho limu. atones i.eeonio assoemted with (|.mrlzite8 which may bo of greater a-o, and will, l)laekish shales and slaty roeks holding Monotis suhdreulans, and thereloro to b. assigned to the Iriassic i.erlod. Those roeks oi the ax' . of the momitains are u.t known to be ol any oconomic importance, though in some places capable of yieldin- building stnno oMair quality. ' Colo.V of gold may be obtained in the uni,; ])art of the I'lne Jvivor, as on tho Alisiiichinca. ' From the point on tho upper Pino l{iver last described, rocks i)robably for the moKt part o; (.retacoous age, but j.ossibly ].assing up into Tertiary in some plau^ extend over the whole upjier i)art of the basin of the Peace Jfiver. A lino drawu from this point iiurth-iiorth-westward to near the confluence of : lie Otter Tail Kive- with the 1. ace— a distance of about forty-five miles— probably marks with approxi' mate accuracy for a portion of its length, the Junction of those newer rocks with the main ma-s of the o dor rocks of the axis of tho mountains. There is ovidenco thai tins line is nearly that of the shore at the time of tho deposit of the Cretaceous rock> and that tho present ax-al elevations of the Kocky Mountains have stood as an islar.l or IS ands above the Cretaceous sea. Chcrty fragments, like those associated with the limestones of the mountains, are found abundantly in tho conglomerates and windstones of the newer series. The existence of the remains of ],lants, and of Houiib of coal 111 different parts of the newer rocks, show that tho sea must have been a shallow one, and by occasional elevations, patches at least of its bed were, from time to Lime, converted into land areas. It is in these rocks, forming u zone to tho east of the Rocky Mountains, that tlie most iiron-ising coal-helds of the North-west lie. and they are now known to k .cha,-acteri/.e I by the jiresonco of coal from tho Peace Eiver to the 41itli parallel, Their study is consequently attended with interest, and much additional lilrht has boon throvvn upon it l>y the examination of sections in tho Peace Jiivor re<'ion last Mimmer. lil maps are complete, and the whole of the observations i.rop'orly di. cussed, It would be unwise to attempt to enter into dotal', but some points bearing on tho carboniferous character of the formation may bo "ivon. Jn tho vicinity «)f the mountains, tho rocks are inuch flexed, but the undulatiom gradually lessen as the mountains are left behind, and the b^-ds become at leiijjth horizontal, or so neaHy so that no inclination of a fixed character can be detected by ordinary methods. Near the mountain- tho rocks are almost entirely sandstones, and often quite coarse and associated with conglomerates. Further off shalv inter- calations appear, and eventually two well marked and thick zones of dark colored Bhales are found, separated by a zone of sandstone and shales, and capped above by a fiocoi.d saridstone and shale formation, which may possibly belong to the lower part OI the lertiary. ^10 i \ In both the horizons characterized by sandstones coal is found, and while as above stated the upper may represent a portion of the Tertiary, the lower is certainly well down in the Cretaceous formation. This in itself is a point of consider- able importance, showing that the carboniferous character of tho rocks is not confined to a single series of beds but recurs at two stages. It also, probably confirms the view advanced by Dr. Hector and supported by Mr. Selwyn, for the Saskatchewan country, as to the existence of a coai-fcearing horizon in the Ci-etaceous of that region in addition to that of the Tertiary or Laramie age The localities in which coal is known to occur'in the lower or certainly Cretace- ous zone are r-lable Mountain, Coal Brook and vicinity, Portage Mountain and tho lower part of bmoky JRiver. 1 «n . Mvu? ^''";i**^°A' '^*"**^ ^." ^^V"^^^ ^"'' *^f ^'"« Ki^«»- between the Lower and Middle Forks. It was examined by Mr. Selwyn in I875, who describes the coal :« { 129 indoj'lyiiijr thorn, iin till) lioclvy MoiiiiUiin :oiioral iiortli-westeily Miinniit, or Azouzetta lU'fisurod tiaiirtveiijL'ly 1' llio riiiige, tlio lime- ;reato)' ago, and with and llioioloi'o to be lio nioiinlain.s aro uoi '.-i cajjablo ofyioldiiii; jtained in tlio uiijiw icks ])i'()bably for the •rtiai'y in some plaios, iver. A lino drawn :lic Otter Tail Kiver niarl{8 with approxi- newer rocks with the 3ro Ih ovidonco ih;it the Cretaceous rock\ avo stood as an iHlurni ike those associalfi! tie eonglomoratos ami jtlantH, and ot'soanb, I niu^t have been a bed wore, from time Mountains, that the ) now known to be to the 411 th parallel, additional light has CO J{ivor region, last nations )>roperly div mo points bearing on , but the tindulatioiu 8 bocomo at length cr can bo detected by | entirely sandstones, ther olf, shaly inter- nes of dark colored I id capped above by a ng to tho lower part Dal is found, and I rertiary, the lower is I s a point of consider- rocks id not confined j )bably contirras the ■ tho Saskatchewan | iceous of that region or certainly Cretace-I ;e Mountain and tho [ between the Lower describes the eoa! :« ! ns'ulr;™;':;;;:,;'""""'''"'-'''''''"'' '■' ■"°''"'' ■"»'■' >"*». '«■» foot and Harli^ton'r""^' '''''''' ''' ^P^""- ^^ «-^' ^-^ this place is published by Dr. ■Wj,jj,,. _ Slow cokinjf. Fast coking. Volalilo cornbuVtibio*raa\'tor".'Z.'.' J^.l^, .,^-1?, Fixed carbon r!"'* -''■^■* Ash ^Ifi^ G808 4-73 4-73 10000 100^00 By ^Sd^aSg t(:^^^r;^r f S^t 'ai::!^:? '"^ 'f'- ^^^teoking I-2.7I. an a fuel of excellent quali^Xrocmirii^^^^^^^^^^ '•°'l'«°t8 claim importance. ^ ""y^ only loquiung to bo found in sufficient quantity to iueiS"inL;;:S;t w,;u::::r"s:E.;f i^''°T" z ^'? '««'^- ^^^'^^^ «-- - - abundance of impressions of^'o , Is a K, W ^'""'- ^^'^'^ "'" ''""•^ "'' l''« carboniferous character of Uii fo,m-^tt)n In '"•*':" ^'V"^''^""" '' «'"*^^'^ •"'^''-''y the mit ofthe scries of sandsto n^s o mfn r hn ' '"""'• ^' "'^P'^''^'''^ "^^ ^^'^ ^"'T h"™- overlying bluish shales ^ ^^^ '"'^'" «''""P' '^^ ^''^i'" Junction wilh tho -^^^S^'^SSl:;^:':^^;:::^^ -nes ^.m Dunvogan,my lignite coal of i,ilbrior«ual,>TdabltK-;'' '"="?' ""'''"'' P™^'"*^ '" ^^ ^ ignite is also reported to occuV "„ £^1.^? '"''l^v ^"'^' '" ^'""'^"O'^"^- «0"1 or but tho locality was not visited ""r/^^ . T^ /^^"u*"' ^*^*'''" ™"«^ "bovo Dunvegan, lower or disti,fctivoirCroaceous«oieiof'^%'^^ ^'"'•^^ P'"''^'^ '^ i« the , Of localities sho^wh g S '^"^^^^^[^^^"'^f/^"^ '^"^ «''^t«? which^ hokl the coal. slates, which may, so far as present iSl^..f "PP^'" ''^''"'"•^ «^ sandstones and of the Crotaceou; or the ovoi W Wnm ^'''°°'' •;«P?^«"^ the upperm ,st part Creek, joining Elk River about i^ftv ok r/^''''''"-"P 'i-^' ^^''^ discovered is Mountain Dunvegan. Tho beds found here SlL?''"' ^f a d.roction nearly duo south from a.e strewn with Uu-^e blocks whir «nn^ I" q^'^V"?'"' ^ut tho bars in tho stream nite, and aro of good qSty a^ a fuel^PTh ' ""^ bitu.ninou. coal rather than lig- •Report of Progress, Oeol. Survey of Canada, 1875-76, p 63 tRep<.t of P^ogres., Geol. Survey of 0,„aia. iS76-77. table facing p 470. ISO If:- of the Elk. near ilio baso o( tlio upper Hiind-doiio Horios, a soiim nf irood coal flvo inclicft in tliitUriOfH watt neon. Drill coal I'l.iind on tho upper part uf tile main Smoky j)robal)ly aino ln-lou^'s (o thin iipj)or sandwtono wericH. .SaiidHloncH ami hIuiIcm, which niiyht represent eitlior tho up|)er or lower scries above rcforied to, occur on tho Athabu.s( u Kivor, and were observed in many i)itij.'oii above Uld lAirt As.sinelwino to hold coal ^camw. Two of these were noticed to bo of remaikablo persintency, and thoiif,'h generally thin, the uj)j)cr t° ^^"^'o'-" "lopo of the I rocks formin^Mho^ h-oS n C.^^^^^^^^^ Lake Suporio"- to the A t ic oLn F^^^^^^^^ ^n'"'"' '''"'* «trotchin:,' from tin. Peace, the f>..M,er appears to mo ^> bo H^ ' "\ "'*" ^^Vr^' ""'^ »PP«'' P'^'-t of I that found in the A i, Enea tlu« F inn .„ I T' K' ''^^''^l"«-^I>l'in''t!on, While to mountains a local ori,,i"nM;"u;,;o^^^^ '^'"'' ^^^^"^" '" tho vicinuy of the I contour line may fur ihf l"en b^ ^iyi"i,'.Kold-washin.,rs of tho to run out where the Lauron' ^ ift c ' so P J '" ""T^T"^^'. ' 1'"^ ' ■'M^Poa™ q.mntitics in .ho p.r.s c,f ? o Ath. Ir s'. .^ i i" ' 0^^- "' ^Z ^""'' '" '"'^'"« GKORGE M. DAWSON. i. 11-88 28-66 57-25 2-21 100-00 red to on the Saskat- 1 )is by slow coking :— | 10-09 28'69 6-4-96 5-45 100-00 als, they are fuels of [ tonsivoly on the line I tream and the Atha-I t; but generally noti On the lower parti y of excellent qualityl places in the bankjj cnesB occur. ' 182 HEI'OKl- ON TlIK APPENDIX No. 8.3 AdUICirLTUHAL OAPABIUITIKH OK VANOOUVEB ISLAND, UX MB. Jl..-,EPm HL'NTEB. Nkw Wksiminhteb, U.C, December, 18" tlio affricuhumi cajmbilitioanf lis of 2;}i'l June lii.st. Sin,— Ibci,M(. Hul.niit tlio followini,' report o. Vancouver Jsla„,l i;, (.o.nplian.x. \vi(h your instnicl, „m o. :.',„■.. jnne laM uvera 2 c^uUh ut 50 ,n " T" '""^"'/."".V^ t"'^-" "^ 280 s.at.Ue miles, an.l i. f.^J^^« I VA . ".r ■ ' '^^ '^'O'-n^ therefore, about 8,0 ;0,000 acres Its ..v tremebreail(hoj)poHitoN()otkaS..un.listOmiIeH ,""" "c.cs. its ex. arms oi^lnbr' 'r'lh' '"'"' «""'''^'''''";'y "''>"^' <'"' wo'^t coant, i.s broken by numerou, iHro;i;?s;:;rii;::;u2!;::,;f •''■ "''"" '^"'•^^'" ""^''^' ^'-"^ -" •- i>-ontiy -defined, wo„/i'r^''"?,''*'"""''.'""';'""°'''"'^^'" ^'•'^•" it-^ <^"^t(.rri cxtromitvtoFortRunort wouM form the northern limit of the hii,M,e>t interior mountain raLes while '' Bonthern !,:n,t may be define-i by a line>,ining Cowlchan Ilarbo-u-^wi'tirK-t S ally hllornMlied \Vl'" '"'f- '' '7""'' 'Y limits above dencribod, nItbouRh occasion. ?&; . ' J-^ '' ;?r^ of con.s.derabio altitude, is of a low, rolli.^r or lumpy c aHtlino; j j;, ^7' '^°''^'\^ "' ^'>° (Government m.d people, of \^ ,K. ,u^Tl" i ml T • ^^''''''^'' .;«''»^^"' *'"• tlio purpose of exploring the intcHoH in J 11^ f • T"^ expedition, compose iiu all of CO persons an.l diviMed iowi;i;^;;utos^"" '" "■* '•"•^""^^^'"-■-'^ •^-'-^-l- -q»orod durmJ the season the S 1. Across the Island from tho mouth of the Cowichan River to \itinat 2. I- rom the cast end of Cowichan Lake to Port San Juan a. 1< rom Sooke Harbor to Cowichan Harbor 5' A?iZ Ih^ f f ' H /'■"'" S""'"-^' ^y ^"'°''"'' t« Barclay Sound. 0. Acioss the Island from Nanaimo to Barclay Sound <.. Across the Island from Alborni to Qualicum. referenU to^ho lowlrro':!:"',''' *^™>'"'^'">' ^5 miles of land travel, it is reported, ia I)l-icoTflr/w f h 1 ri?''''" ^'^*''"' *^'''^' '' t'^^ mirrounding country is in most ceilent, and i, wuuk. pay abundantly to clear them for the value of the timber alone." i;jy LANK, ur MR. JdftKPU C, Dueeinber, 18";t. bo l)i-e.sontly'defiiie(l, iv to ^iitinat. VTill. roforonc. to (l,o land i» tho interior, it is stato.l th.it " pntohoH of ....o,i land am r;linv -.riLiir. '^" ^'^ '^''^'- «'■ ''^'^y ^'--^ ''-•« * ' -»-»' k--^ '-!?"'"; So<.lkoKisei, whoro tho country is hmi.I to l)o lovol ami tho m,!! l'ckI, "tho co.mtrv ym^Mu ho westward consists of conic,,! hills covorod with yL, -cry ittio S mlr., I " Tr'T"' " ''• ^"'■^' '■"-""'■ '•""■^i^ti"'.' ^f ''oeky c'miMor,c IdJ, Ice'-' 'T.r ':'"•■ '; ''"7.":-'«"ht '"'t ''««'■" iH«ooda.ricul,uraimna wp 1 ■ ^^"^'' ^';T'"K throo d.stmct ranges of mountains, on approaching the an ,rv;i ;"vT^''^ r" ,"'^«';'-"«^«'V'''^ ^'^'''""^ ^^'^°'-' ^^''^h hero' JowH thrS, gh Jer7,i e r V ' ^^ .fmhorcd, " arul twooihor go,.l sized Htreams flowing through n?.? l^^ .";..'■''■'',. ''"''^''■^' ""■'■" tt'"''""Hidoiahlc patchos ,d ...Tod land." n leferenco to he .SarUa li.vor, failing into Barciav Sound, it is sai.l that on a lako at ts source- a delta of l.OOi, acre is fo, ,„cd ; it could ho ver^• ..asiiy .doarcd an. made jv- woo.lod fern country, well ad rp ted for gt.'/ing. IJeycmd this, no mention is ma.lo of any agricultural lands on tho route St -Jr;.; r'" '^"" ^'"'"■"' ''""" "•"' ^''^ '"«^th^t' the QuaUeum IW on tS Mr Lcccli passed accross the Islan.l from tho head Muchalat Arm, on tho west coast to tho mouth of Salmon Rivor, „n .lohnson Strait. 65 miles, and, wi h ho oxTS In",;; I'cZtr/ ''^ '°r'"^' timhere,l, tirst-rato soil," on CWron'CrooVnoarZ M ' ^^'Y ^ existence of no agricultural land in the interior n •.•,'';-,,.".'"." «"«'"oer a.^ting under tho instructions oi tho Go^rornment of li' dio MoI'S^m' ''''' '':.'''''"'" l*^"' ^'''' "^■^'^'^ '-^"^"d ^-« ^^"'^ Hupo'^'outh. ims ,;. m n. ,T' "•'?■ '•"^'"'";',' ■^'"■™'^''' " ^'''^^"'=« ''*" 125 miles, ,,onctratcd at .Mho^imkish Uivor, which " untlirtunately is cut up into detached blocks by tho mountain spurs and gravel ridges which run down to the extreme " ^ will Z 'u 'ZT^^^^^ «"'"^"° Ki^'^"-. which interir ^ r ' '''"V^^ ''' ^''" *^'^"^"* of agricultural lan.i in the ixpld?ntion| '"™" "" ''■ ' «b-^e.-vation of Mr. Mohun during a flea«on>8 -nnn^''"/^'"';'''*^"^"^'°'".""'^^"''"^ ropoatedly crossed tho IMand, and who has eon "almost every portion of the lan.l and all the rivers and streams south of a lin^ . .awn from Cowichan River to the mouth of Alberni Canal," writes :-" Beyond be SthtM-iv'eii'-"''"'" '' "" '''"'' ^* ^"''' '^^"'°'"°"^ «^"«Pt '^t the mouths of some All Iho inf..rmalion procurable at the outset of my exploration, rorarding the agricultural land, referred to that portion of the Island 8outh^ of F^rt Rupert which have descrihcl as principally occupied by tho interior mountain .angls. Bojond the northern limit of thoo mountains, as may bo noticed from fl>.^ .\o..i- ..f ^J.ir,„ «u«r,iers, tbo country to tho northern extremity of Vancouver Island is compara. 134 \i not rciilizcil. "oMLiimu.ii i.iiul. Ihcso oxpoctutions were west arm, tni erscd thoWtroo^ t sl!n t^^^ Quat...u) Sonn, , and thenco by tl,« end, whil^oxplomtionsrerc also Xoi thus exa,ni„e'l contains Zy Uiilo ." ■ cu u al lan,f /'''"h ^'^""'^^'^'■''- '^^''^ '^''e* good land ai'o met with but thov a n so?. . ■^''", ^'"■' ''''"^ '"'•'"^ l"itchosof generallj; tlnckly wooded ai ^ nteiN^^^^^^^ ''"^' «'"''^^^'"y '^i"^. .ummitHofsomeVfthehilli P'"'^"''"' '"'" visible, on the sides and othoH:z;;:;!;S;.;:;i:iS'Jet^^s™i:i^^ localities ••ofeno.l to is that the into.W P"'^""^"> •icqna.ntcd with some of the inducement to .,n.ie.,tu.allleme'rb,wl,T'''rr'"'" ^'^V'l^ .'' ^"^^''"'° "^ ''^y it would bo unn-^e to annm nee uT- 1 1 , nT M '^■'''n ^''^''' '''''' oxplorationB farther ren,;ul.od that, in coTnec ion wU t^he vV?', 7 "'°- T''-''''\'' "^'^^ ''^ which are sure of develonme.Uarr.lUf,f?,fi ''"'^ '''!:'^'* "''"<'''^' ''o^ources, intenor, s.nail thought 'bS;i"Vf\": ul^l::: ;;:^.i!;:j^' "^^ ^^'"^'^^'^ '-'^ - ^l^^ last i::!!,:^:;';rs^^,K^l;- ::;j,i;;«j-^ which it will be convenfent to ^Til:}£^X^^^Z:^' '^'""' '" '^'"« a Hn -linJSf ^r =-tS^ O" -0 north . Alberni cluKd" ' '""""' ''''^"^'"^' "^'^^^^^''^ ^« ^he Qualicum River and ^ J-5. The Southern division, embracing the remainder of the Island to the south- whicIV^ri^riS^X^o^tfuv^iir""''^^^^^"" "^ ''''''''' --' 0' """le ^r c^or:*' ^-^^-^'^^ ^-^ ^'^ ^^« '"'--^•. -a on '"^'- On the Nimkish River 15,000 On the Cokish River and t."ibutaV-i;;r;;;.;; J2 On the Adams River ■^""'^ On the Salmon Rivor *'^00 • 25,000 "^'^QuaSo'" '^" '"*'"'"' ""'^ ^° *^« ^««^ ««««t south of '''"'' '■ 25,000 Total cultivable land in the Northern division i^ 30.00*2'a;'::;'''5wel'i^3;rirSvv:r;^ ^-« -^' --^^ •probably too hi-.h forsuJcessful StifaZJ „ ? "'^?* '*?'^^'' ^^"^ *^« seaboard, and the Island, whe^ the terne.iur« o hi « "'i^ '^ ^^'^^ ''^'^'^^ «» the north end of which sw.;p acrLs ft frrtYTi^rlh^pl mc o'et ^^f^ ^f.-t^" -'^^^-'-^hwest blasts vation ha, been done at Fort Runert and nn thl rK- i ^'^ division, a little culti- the southward. ^ ' *"'* "" ^'^^ Chickseeway River a few miles to emb:^l;:'r,::^.;:;:r^^iS^Snto??^ betaken at2,190,000 acre. It tain, of cultivable land _'''"'*"' settlement ol Comox, and I estimate that it con- 135 : would roHult in the expectations weiv ipo Scott, I crossed , and ti)oiico by tfie stance of its nortliern iithward. Tho area yMt coast, patches of lom practically wo- and ,i,'ravelly hills, i and lakes. Open ..on tho sides and ovidenco, and from with some of the is dostitiito 01 any orioiis explorations so, and it may he mineral resources, Itivable land in the tho examinations of lir Island; in doing uott on tho north to ilicum River and iland to tho south- 1,100,000 acres, of Acres. id on 15,000 6,500 2,000 4,000 25,000 52,000 ;h of 25,000 77,000 does not exceed 1 tho seaboard, and the north end of d^northwost blasts ion, a little culti- er a few milos to 190,000 acres. It mate that it con- Bordering on Monziea Bay ■^''"^' Bet^veen Menzies Bay and Comox 'seVu;:;nen^ '[ncludi^;/ land ^''"^" or Duncan and (Jampbell liivers ' » una '"uit;;:;;on':i!:rr..""'""^"^' i"oiudin;,-h;;Ki"un;w ''■'"' From Oomox to Quaiicum "iiiver ' •'''^"^ 7,u00 Add fov land in the interior and on tho west coast SJJJ Total amount of cultivable land in the second division JTooO .tretches^ovorod whh li^J.t ma^lot^ily cEo d" In'n'' considerable i.Uorvening oftheopen land is occupied, but ntl^^ovidnitv'l, V"'""^ ^otllement most bered, which nuVIU, at i com, mkSvIm.ro\.tv'^ "/' '"'i^." "'?" "-''^'^ ^'™- cultivable land maj^Ttaken asIlWs!^''* '^ ""*' "'"«l>'^«"''tood. Tl>o extent of ^''''""fS'I'""' .^'p'' *^ I^^P^'-t"™ Bay, including land on '''"'' EnghHhman's Bivor and Nanoose Bay ^ .^nnn Departiire Bay to Oyster Harbor, including land und;r cuVti: '^^ vation m Nanaimo settlement ! ^ u unaoi cuiti- "^ o^f'Schai' '"' "' '^^"'^'^ ^^■"' -^'"^Vng-;;uiem-eni '''°'' Add for land in tho interior ... . ^fA'l^ 15,000 Total amount of cultivable land in Southern division. . i;^o"o"o ABSTEACT. Extent ofcultivabb land in 1st, or Northern division 77 OOO „ 2nd, or Central division f,7;,,oo ard, or bouthorn division 255,000 Total extent of cultivable land in Vancouver Island .... 389^0~o"o 136 C-. co K •< 00 1- 00 •anijtty JO jaqiuiii,; ^ N ■* <0 tK .^ CO t-t T|< •(iaaqg jo joqtnn^i •BBBJOH JO jaqmnjii 3 to •81H«0 JO Jsqtnnjij •Btnji;jnopa3B3aa eaoBjaj jo .laqoinij •aonpnjd £i]VQ JO 9ii[BA iBnuay CX) •fliqUAl'} -ino ;na)xa \v\oj^ o ■noijBAiiina jspnn juajxa' imjox ■4J O '^ = rf o (U i' u o El S 2 £.« o 3 O C; O o 00 4) OB 13 ,J O cf) o 3 C-3 o o 2 (UN ■♦-• CL- a E- ^^ -H ^H ::i 1 BUOjl -wado SuitojBj (wiuaH joj paidiiD -oo puw] jii jiiaixg Ol o 3 CO o ' !«'"'^'''"^l^'o for the smallness of" results ; and considoi^ w!l T ?"'''°^'?'''*'''''*'<^'"^^"t^""eis indeed forced to adn it what the fanosthemseIvesadmit,that it is still the day of small things in so Sr a! ^n^ZZJ^T'^'-^t^'^^r''''''''''^- ^«'^^'"' ^^« --'. only about per 33 57 .OS 'y'J'U -n-al land on the Island has been taken up, while of the seen hu W. It^^ '*'"*• '^''^ ^^°" »''•«"-'''* ""der cultivation. It Z C.I ,t ^Ti o! n. n'?'T/'\''^^ contributing to this state of things should bo no aie they traceable to the climate, for that has been assured from lon.>- experience fotlts :- ''"■'"°'" ''' '^''*^-^' '''"'^''''' ^"'l industrious. They ai^ cEfly ,S dithi!.'''^''''"''"""?-'^'";'"^'*''''"''- The distance, and in some instances, the in- UcZS ;:'?:"• 'f/'T ^"'^•^*^" ^'J'^^''^ '"••^'•'^^^ ""^ consequent margin necessary '^K • "■ .. "'^'^ u ^'ha'-ae*^. whaifugo and middle men's protits. ^ nrod, r«„L''f ■ f I ^^"^ "'tt''*'*^ '" leached, it is often found to be glutted by surplus pioduco sent ,n from adjacent United States territory, at less expense thai mS forfh''''''*^'"'"''''"'''^^,*^^*''^^®'"®*"''^'"-^*''^'"'*'^^ Columbia, h.ivin.r como to mine- Ire tl.,T'"r """'"u'- '•«'"P'"'''^t''^-«ly f«w have been found ;illing to betake th^.m- flelves to the less exciting occupation of agriculture. i, uc e mem I 133 -, in H I ,'"7«"«e of population, and the coriHequent competition in labour a^ wdl fident ; .irv' '""'*^''f "f''''^^^°''''*''^^'''^"^"g^«^^^ disappear, and 1 am Jo.- fident il.a Vaneouvor Island ,,os.sesso.s suffident latent agricultural resources J) S' Ji;S;;^!Sh.;n(!^'' ' ^"'^^'"'^'^^^ ^'^'^'^^^ '" contributing j^ U.o future p.i.^,^ end to,Ml!/''°n'ri'''^''?" i^^fr °l^"".'»g«' Vancouver Island is densely wooded from ?b o r f n • V''"'''''" ^•f^^tio'^ of timber, in a commercial 4\v, stated i^ the sIhucc fi!'" ""i'*^'-'""'=^' ■■'"' '^' ■^'^"nl^« «'•. ^1>« ''ed cedar, the white' pine and The fir. : named, sometimes growing to an enormous size, is found throu.di'' ■" t^'e cf wlchan dis'^ct t E fn. ,. l"i^ !\'!.'"'^'^'' ""^ ^ I'ave been inn med by the Hon. Mr. Smithe that, for thirty miles or inoi'e upward, this valley by the Hon. Mr. Smithe ^ntains largo quantities of lo country, iu the vicinity exceliciit fir and spruce, while on the higher portions t Of the river, are considerable areas of white pine iDrodm!o nrn^^r'''''''",^'^?-" ""."^ H^° '* ^' ostimated that there is timber enough to p.oduce two thousand mil ion feet board measure of marketable lumber. ^ timb^!'s:^nLr :ss;:^t =;:rs^r^??it:^^:i^i^ir^ '- I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, JOSEPH HUNTER. Sandfobd Fleming, Esq., C.M.G., Ottawa. i;j9 APPENDIX No. 9. H HUNTER. WMOBA.VDUM ON THE yuEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS BIUTISII COI tnnuA „v ,. ^^X^B.S„A.H.S.M.,.a,., ASS.TA.T i^H^^So". X^^^^ll^^ ^ and if^'iS^t iErE;t:;do^[S-;:ir'5!^ «T"i^ ^^''=":i!f ',r ">« "^^^'-'-^ from the Houthern oxtroni^tv of Al i 1^, .^ /, T ? ^'"^ ""'""' ^>' ''*'^"" « I'^ntrance formiijfr the axis of these si inds li. « n m '^'^'' 5^''' •'"''"i- ^1'° mountain range and i.ul,e northerly co,u?ni'S^^^^^^^^ tainsof Washington SrorvnM?!iv ^;""^"",^'^';'r'-»'' '^"^^ ''^-^ Olympian Mounl to No-'th Island i^ineSjed and fffvl"" '°"^'''' "^"° ','''^"'^'* ^'•"'" ^"l'« «t. James angles to the bearinrabo o ^fv.n , ^ ''''^ goograph.cal miles, the width, at right- to the uncertah'ty fn lor .Mt^ude of . place about fifty miles. The area, owing eastern coast, cunLrbJgh^ii'tiafiir.l^uLV'^ ""'"""' " '""'''''' ''''^^ ''' Morel'; SCram^'sZdT'bu't'ir-"', '^f ^^''^^ '"'^'^ '«'^"^^' ^-''^ ■?--*. rocks. ThosepaJSoftheLTl iL'^ "''°\'"^"^.''"''^'" '^''^"J^' '^'^^^ ^nd not depend on EL Zaret^^^^^^^^^^ ^X'""^ '^,^.*^ accidental, as it does fiords, which chaSrizG both hi; . ' ^"^ ""^ *'''' '"' ii.osculation of inlets or the mountainouaxroV the islands k in".! Vf kT'^'" .'^"''^- '^'^" '^'■«'^'^'- P^''^^ of extending from Juai pLez wlt- "?w •'°^^e«n '^titudes 52° 30' and 5;{° 20', tains estimate? iToOoS^n height ^A'^''*''"'" °'''^^ of Skidegate Inlet. Monnl sides pretty exten^ve patches of «no-^t "unierous, and carry on their northern bably reach 5,000 feet hf elevation ^^ .throughout the summer. A fo^y peaks pro- nami Sierra do San Cristova Iw^^ ,J, ,7.'';'»btloss to this part of the range that the islands. Tothosoutl?thomoun.Z, 'v''h^^*^°''"^ the discoverer of theso 2,000 feet being qui e exreXnol ?h "•y^J'^^'-fi«e« •" elevation, su.nmits exceeding ward the rang" To c3ies w . L fT .Sfowart Chann,.]. To the north- head of Massct IiXt fbw , f h™ * 'J^^'""^'''^ ''«'«'•<. ""d become- .liih.se. At the are rounded near Noirsltdtlfh'iir "l"'"':' '" '""''"^ .^"'^"^ ''''' ''^'"^ ^'"°''- ^'-""^ Pmm ^- ""*'" "^^^'^ ^'' '-^'^Y ferouH trees, which hi shel Zh I M ' ^'e^'o ^tion, is .ion.oly covered with corf- attain a largrsizo The lis 1. T~"?'''"">' «"*''<> eastern coast-tVoquent;-. Bected by infots fia m mr,™ • Th "/ t'"V«i'<"nt« l«'"gth, was found lo bo dis- on the cL ." Tl^^ese me o Z '"^"f '"'' ? ,^''" "^^^^^^^^ which has formerly appeared by high mountains Th„w„< °io«t Pf t cleep and liord-like, and often walled in ^i-w:K;;rs:es^s^^^^^ 1878^^7eSoVo^i!l'a aJwynT^^^ "«'«';«'! '^I'«t on tl,e explorations of aeiwyn, *.k,8., F.G.S., Dir-.-clor, Geological Survey of Oanad*. 140 l!i «horo foi'ij.s two or thrt'o sliallow bays. It is low and fUvvn with !■ ;'iM(i-i, and iflatHaro bared at low tide a loiii,' way ott'. .Sicide^ato (^iianin-l, tc'iKii-iUinf,' Jrvesbv and (ii'ahiim Islands, is very narrow for some miles, wiih nKiny rocks, imd i** in fiict, nearly dry at low watei f )r a eonsiderablo distance, and Cserutoco nuito unsii.'ed a,, a passage tor anyiliini; lar-er than a canoe or boa^. From :|.o low hmd i,nind u-.ur the soutliorn eiilrance to SUi iv-gate Inlet, the moimuutis gruutv.illy incroaso in ( l/'-ution to the centni of the islands; beyond wbkdi, lou-ard the v'-jst coa,t, though rM'-'.'ed *i'd with scarcely a vesti.-.-e of soil, tboy Kcklom exi oed 2,0(i0 feet in heighir "^ Graham Island may be .lividod inio Uro dilferoiitly characterized' regions by ii lino drawn from Image Poin , SIddegaio Ldet, to the moutli of the Jal-uii I?iver .)m the noi'th coast. To the .u)ulh-westward uf this line, is a '^uunti'v hs!) and even mountainous, but so far as observed aim, -it a!'. :)ys d^msely forest-^'lad \vith trms ■which attain a large size wherM -ot too muc'a c.v posed. ^Jorlh-cuslM'ard lies a low, flat or gently umlulating country which probably seldom exceeds H.'(» feet in eleva- tion, and is based ou wide-spread drilt deposits ar.d roi'ics ofTc; liary ago. This coun- try is ;ils.'> densely wooded, the trees often attaining inagnifAoiit dimensions. The coast l.oni Skiilegato to 'R).\ to the rasrward often marked by clilfs of clay and sand, but fringed always by a sand,,- oigravciiy beach, on which the Indians frequently walk from the Masset viil.i- ■) to thai of Skidegate. I3ctwcen the h! -^ro and the edge of the forest, is generally :'. A-mv, of ,.jrass-covercd sand-hills, prodiu-J by the action of the wind in heapi'ig iogjther the sand from the shoi'e. These would form good grazing lands, butare unsal;ed to agidcultnre. With thisoxccption, ai: i that of Hwamp8,there appoarrl to be no pait of tho countiy free from forest. The ^'oast between Skidegate and JIasKct being exposed, without harbors, and shoal, is dangerous of approach by vessels, but the wooded country is rendered accossiblo hy Massot and Virago Sounds luid their connected waters. Tho well-known Douglas fir does not occur on the Queon Ch;irlotte Islands, find- ing its northern limit on the outer coast at the north end of Vancouver Island. The forest is chiefly ct)mposed of Menzios spruce (Abies Menziesii), the western' cedar (Thuja ;;-. \n the raountaias. lu the ui iHtv,-unl iit;« a low, winterof 1877-78 no snow fell on the low laiiclH In tlin.t .iP 1^^?^ -i , i .1 ™inn mf ""'^'" ". •* '"'"p ^"'n "f money hu.s heon .spent in en.leuvourin- to onen a coal isratnei uiin and iiic<,n lur. Hud more attention been devoted to traein-r flin Hoam rinTVH"'"V''*^''^''f'"=«'^« *'•'•« ^"^'''^ would now S bette Lm^w TlS homon wh.ch the coal oecn,,ioH is a clearly deHned one, and the .anKM- .'■ -hat it XiJthe nth rl th . 1^ or qu.e vertical in the vicinity of the mountainous axis, »f <5i,^n r. • 1 -leitiary date have been found in the upper part of Masset Inlet a Skon-unPointon the north coast, and near the entrance G sSde ^tf In let unr^ It";;?:""' " ^ '"""^''^^^ '^'""^^"^'>^ «"i^p'-^ -''i^ wood .re i;;ith-dy ^mmZZf^ZZ'Jn'JlTt",^^^^^^^ been found in Skinm.ltll' h?W ''^s™^-'*'^""' ^f.P'''"; f magnetic iron ore occurs at Harriet Harbour bro..!fll'Ml!'f A"'*''''' f.";"^ ',""'■'' r''tic»'aHy the trade in the skins of the sea-otter first tuTytesol^sfc^^^^^^ into notice, and towa.d the end of the last c^n- undP,. fhl i^ r K A *^'^' '^'^J'^co^t coasts wore frequently visited by vessels .ailiru' of ?he soaottf '"«A ^'"^'•r"r'^ «^'^«^- ^«««- The^,ativ4, stimulated i n t h parlfe lall .T; ' '''''" ;-en tho north, and it is 3oast of tho northern ciirrcTits, with the Is of tho halibut and great ubundanco of yot been found mar- it might be carried ht bo maintained, ufacturo of oil, and dogato, bosido.i Ic^^h i in largo numbers, rs and by spearing, shing cannorioH are y abundant in Home . A .specios of pol- e parts of tho west source of edible oil fish does not occur tome localities. A from San Francisco ves, though it may > remark applies to the various spccieB item in the native [arbour on Houston from the south or mchorage, with an und, is small but homs. Rock-fish opth from thirteen tor. Tho entrance •ding to the sketch jate Inlet has been . The entrance is )ths of eleven and irouchod with caii- iind appeal's to be • throe and a-half r, with an average ho west coast Port Admiralty. Tasoo I'e probably other lably now number 'en though seldom 18 of tho southern recent estimate, the habit of fre- •e intelligent than apt in the 8im|jioi' mechamcal arts, and are expert and bold canoemen. They are frequently employed "ITI'!? T'k''- r'^.'^""!^ beof essential service as assistants in milK,?SS tT«ite l?nH« o^'r'^n N««i«P« have yet been taken to do away with the IndTan ^letothe lands of the Queen Charlotte fslands. Small tracts of land have been wottred by special purchase in several instances, but owing to the strict ido^rof TS^F^Z^^on!"" ^"'"' *'' "'^""'^ °'''^ "^^'"°° ^' fhe IndiL tiSe mly ^' Victoria, B. C. 30th May, 1879 GEOEGE M. DAWSON. I).S., A.E.S.M., F.G.S, '.i ''n 123-10 m ■ 144 APPENDIX No. 10. 4' NOTESON lllEKOUTKOPTnECA.SADIA.V PACIFIC RAILWAY TliaoUOII BRITISH COLUMBIA BY MAJOK-OENEKAL MOODY, R.E., FORMEllLY COMMANDINO ROYAL ENOINEEllS IV BRITISU COLUMItlA. Theso notes Imvo roforence to the following considomtionn, viz. :— 1. Ovbriiind tiunait of commorco, and passen/joiH to and from Asiatic and other countnoH, 2. Dominion loquiiomonts aa to extended occunatiou of Dominion, and develoD- mont of Its poniianont interests. "^ 3. Cowtof construction with oust of maintenance. _ 4. Roveruie towards meeting cost of maintenance and interest on borrowed capital, uicliiding as part of capital the accumulation of annual cost of maintoiianee that snail not havo been covered b^ revenue. 5. Pacific terminus. 6 Imperi.il and especially Dominion interests under a possible temporary condi- tion of war. I J The.- notes are confined to the part of the Dominion extending from the Rockv Mountain.-, to the Pacific. ■' Attentively considering Mr. Sandford Fleming's two reports, 1877 and 1878 and also his admirable paper read before the Eoyal Colonial Institute; and haviiiL' gone Ihiough the otber valuable reports and communications accompani.imr his reports recalling also my own local mpressions as to some of llio most inaterial points I "'''■'Yf "J,£ie sami. main c .oclu.-on as Mr. Sandford Fleming in his report of the 2b'tli April, 18 JO. «. P" t^*"? |"'^*tei-H I lia^o been lo ., by local knowledge, to be more optimist thiin JU.r. baridiord t 'i!ng, ^ Three route:- are considered. I. Terminatimg in Port Simpson. V }^'- 'f ?'■'"' "^ti"'^ '^^ head of Bute.Inlet, or with continuation down Bute Inlet u> i recferick s Arm . .o.uo by water r'"i ry) to Van, -uver P-land, and down east coast ol Vancouver Island 'o Esquiraault. III. Teiminating in Burrard Inlet, or wiih addition oi crossing by water rferrv) to Jianaimo, and from thence down e" oast of Vancouver I,.laud to Esc.aimault It shortness of distance to ar d froui Asiatic countries is to out weigh all else the northern Itoute I, terminating' Port Jimpson, would, no doubt, be^found the best loi quickest transit of commer^' id sengers. ™. n""" .?® ^^^'<^'°P'^«'?t f Pt anent interests of the Dominion, and for IVX lu'' ^''^ scarcely be .. .oubt this Boute I would be found inferior to either oi ine other two. mnf J*"" '"''''[''■ ^H'"* ^o»t« I.^as not been estimated, but its long'h has been approxi- mately ascertained. Its Pacific terminus may be considered suthciently satisfactory. f...... „fV . I 'u^-^^^ '^ '^^^''^ °"'y <^"® *^'^' "^""y ^^ considei-ed secure from desul- toiy attacks, but being so far north, it would be of comparatively small avail in de- lence of the Province. It 18 to be noted also-under this consideratiou-that the pot adjoins Alaska, United States Territory; with the corresponding disadvantai:. and advantasres in war. ' ^ o"«v«uui,_ -1 f« » !;; 145 down Bute Inlet to ind down oast coast ig by water (ferry) i to Esquimault. iiwoigh all else, the t, be found the best Domii.ii.ii, and foi' >d interior to either has been approxi- ;iently aatisfactory. secure from desul- Y small avail in de- deration— that the ling disadvantairt JiouteIL(M. Q of Reports.) Ill DBITI8H COLUMBIA. EOYAL, ENQINEEKS IN V17-. : — >m Asiatic and otiier minion, and develop- itoro.st on borrowed cost of maintenance >le temporary condi- ling from the Eocky 1877 and 1878, and ;e; and having gone (anting his reports; st material points, I is report of the 26th more optimist than t.kon us uSnSthlg aul';";:;,^^ comparison with the other two routes, must be of main cnan,.o of the J{outo If, term na in^t, v •^'''" ^"'"Pa'-i^O", the annual cost (aboat 145,000 ponnds) per an m un, . ?ea "? I anT'"'"""' T"'*^ ^^ ^^"^'^ 8'> ''3,000 ininating at a^al Hurboir inside or^'pw. f ^''° """""' ^'o^t of Jloutc III tor While the ciiHorcnce o^a ,;„rinl^ ;'on "^ r^i'*^ '^"•'•'^'■'^ !"'«'• iitferon.o on cost of maintenance, ZZtliomrnof\ ""«^'-"'^^'«". "'''led to annual Wii I ic.',. ct (n l«'imiti,sexce'li;nce:' ■"''■^"'"' "^ ^^«^"™^"lt, no obsei'vation i. necessary all l^epo^rpS.^l^'^i^^^rS^!;" !:^^^^ t"^« ^oute n (,i„e6of oemy,horoughly acquainted, be it reL'S-ed wlth''-"'"'^ ^'"'"^ an enterprising v^^i^f^^:ixt;r:;^rti^^ ^--t --^-^ -^^ ^» <- than round and in M.eir own 'adjoining SS^ I" ^^'"- '"'''^« '"''n-^'- on their own taL'"' "''^"^' ''"'"«'' ^^'^^^ ^«"'d be d;u/;t;,,ti'^'"r'"7 inju-y must be looked huitablo pre-arran^^. nents afloat and a^ho,/ ^'^^''''''^ "°^'"«t' as far as possible, by i>bHaE,'::n;rl.e\?o'ng Z-lZ-A"ZnnT '^ '' ''^"^ ^'"^t- 50 miles, uni„. works; then 15 miles of ferry rvrcoavrT''"? ^""^ ""^ there and other costly Wuvor Island, 183 miles.ttjn 'i^^^^^^^^ thence down the coast of |of Volunteer Kngineers. «" lor that purpose by a disciplined local corps t46 maiiiliinii, timl for dot'on i or (if dosirable) ooiintor-attiuik its iiiil would bo very limitoil. It would bo very vuluablo an a Hocond line of Biipport, iind some f'uturodiv it in to bo oxpottod the iiicrouning dovolopinont of tbo Pioviiico will justity its toii- atruction. Jtoute HI. (No. 2 of Beports.) Route II [ (No. 2 of Iho reports), torminating in Burrard Inlot, Ih, no d.niliu inferior to Route II, terminating in the oxtremo north of the Province in Fort Simp- son, as to quicker transit from AHiatic countries, but not to such a degree as to out- weigh its manifest advantages under condition of the Province for a very long titno to come. It is not improbable that by the general direction of this line. Route III, and ita 80 passing down to Burrard Inlet, some addition to general overland traffic may be gained from the United States' side of the frontier, including in that some of the ovei-Hoa Pacific tratK- of the United States. The United States' partially-executed North Pacific line, when completed uiul with its branches up to the frontier, will be expected to counteract this, no doubt; yet, the advantages of shorter distance, with less expense, may eventually tell, ia some degree, in favor uf the; Canadian Pacific Route III for a portion of this traffic, under some future international bonding and through-transit engagements. It is also evident that, to the gain of the railway and to the Province at large, trade, mutualH profitable between the Dominion and the United States, all along the frontier from the sea to the Rocky Mountain range, would be fostered and expanded by this line (Route III), and not be confined alone to trading coasters from ports iu Vancouver Island to ports in the United States. Such dovofopmeiit would tend to settle up both sides of the frontier, to the gain and prosperity of all that region, Vancouver Island included. By Route HI, the interests of the part of the Province included in Vancouver Island are as fairly regarded as the rest of the Province ; while by Route II, the whole of the south portion of mainland, from Rocky Mountain range to sea coast, would be disregarded. One must Keep in mind that if Route III did not exist, the material interests, E resent and future, of this valuable south portion of British Columbia, from the sea- oard to Rocky Mountain range, would gravitate inevitably to the foreign branch lines of the United States' North Pacific Railway; such branches coming up from south to diiterent points along the frontier, east and west of Cascade Range. The coast branch up, ft-om the future great and important port of Holme's Harbor (United States), in the Straits of Georgia, to Semiahmoo Port (United States), 45 to 50 miles, will roach to about 15 miles from New Westminster, and, as a matter of coui-se, in the progressive interchange of trade and communications between the two nations, will extend to New Westminster. Another branch will probably also reach a point higher up the Fraser, nearer Hope. In the absence of such line as Route III terminating in Burrard Inlet, the results, as stated above, are self-evident. It cannot be otherwise ; they would be ruled by the irresistible law of self-interest. Self-interests becoming strong, estab- lished in such direction during peace times, it needs but little sagacity to foresee how great the strain on the sense of duty might be during a period of war amid what would then be a more or less mixed population (however loyal) with material interests directed southwards. Any results as above would no*^^ only be effectually counteracted by line, Route III, but, as before stated, additional gain may be looked for from over the border. Let it be borne in mind also that nothing orth of Route III can be drawn away anywhere else but to branch lines upward from Route III, and to any northerly lines formed within the Province itself, from the coast, and connecting with the main over- land Hues somewhere. .M. 14T IcwootnHovidont that the interestH of tho Province may bo oxpoctod to bo con- goluJatod iirul iidvancod. together an a wholo. und in coramuniuii with the Dominion lictlorby Itoiito III tiian by lloiilo II or by Uouto I. ' The conligunitiori of the country provonts mudi a perfectly satisfactory main Jiuo (d direction m on the eant of the Kucity Mountain Range, but thank«to the Hkill intelligence and perHeverance of the engineoi-H, it \h a very good one indeed, as a glance at the map will show, and far bettor than could have boon looked for acro8K (tiu'h a dittlcult country. It is alHO to 1)0 hoped that branch linoH, north and south, will follow early, giv- ing facilities for inducing occupation of promising tracts of country suitable for per- manent Bottlomciit— I mean that shall be permanent when mining interests and thoir noedi, may begin to wane. It is very ccrtiiin, however, that metals (precious metals included) exist, may almost be said to abound, in many parts of the Province, though «t present, the ( Cariboo district is the one worked. For many reasons ot great importance to the Dominion, as well us to the Pro- vince in particular, it is extremely desirable at the earliest period, with the main line on the mainland, to construct also a railway (fj8 miles) from Esquimalt to Nanairao, as a Dominion undertaking; and that every means of encouragement bo also givon imluciiigadense settling up of the cast side of the Island, equally so with all the ec-iith jioitions of the iiiaiiilund, especially the portion from tho coast to Yale ou both Bideool tho t-rasor. p the Fraser, nearer Soil and Climate. As to soil and climiite, and general fitness for agricultural and pastoral occupa- tion, It is a siibjoct that would require a series of notes apart from these. As comip'/ from myself, it may be sufficient for mo to make the few followinir observations ■ — *" The district on the mainland on both sides of tho Fraser, from coast to Hope. traversed by liouto I 'I, taken goiiorally, and tho land suitable for occupation on the east side of Vancouver Island, taken al.so in tho same general way, are quite on a par with eachother; there will bo found no diflerenco either way of any moment. On the mainland tho winters, though not longer, will, as a rule, be fonnd some- what of a lower lomporatuio than on the Island, though brighter; tho summers in «omo degree warmer, and as clearing and occupation progress, with rather more Bettled weather. Careful and daily (at regular hours, 9.30 a.m., and 3.30 p.m., and maximum and minimum, day and night) meteorological observations of every description, with excellent instruments, gave advantages for forming an opinion of the meteorology at that time of this part of the lower Fra.sor. In both these districts, on Island and on mainland, there aro— as might be expected— places varying from each other in climate and soil. From the configura- tion and position of Vancouver Island it will probably be found that the local varia- tions there are tho more numerous. Decidedly advantageous as hAV districts are at present for dense settlement, thoywill bo still further impr jved i .* much of the forests are cleared, marshes drained, rivers embanked and M)il cultivated. It is of universal experience how re- markably great and beneficial are the changes, in all new countries, produced bv such operations. '' In the above-mentioned district on tho mainland, tho periodical annual rise and fall of tho River Fraser for the short period in summer was carefully observed. The dates ami height to which it gradually rose, and then as gradually receded, were remarkably uniform, and could bo relied on almost to a day, and to a matter of inches day by clay. It would bo a misapprehension to be under an impression that such portions as Bie covered y the rise of the river, and then only for a short while, form an appre- ciable area of the whole, or that such area is covered to a considerable depth. 148 and ^:!::::^ ;;;; ;::;:'g;r,tri2,srr 't' ^'"" ^''° -'^ •- -" -'^—- s totho lull. Thisluttei-c.c^lnncowm^ depth of winter), a,o tilH ana just at tho vcrv timoZT^yZod """'^ '"^ ^' '' conMclomble 'ndvanw^^ value. Embankme..t8 that shou d ho n h . . ,1',! depoH.ts a Hediment of ,r,eat as to accept the flood-wat^- a twU and i fowthedll i ^? "" n', '^^'""'^ ^^ ^« ^""^^'^^ after tho subsidiD-r of the flood In «hm!>^!' "- *''''" ^^^ J'"*^'' off durii,..or It Hhould not be fomoSihat aif . !'• ^ l'"^ °"^ '^^■^''' '' ^"°^^" "^^ "warpi,?," rise of ..iverwill heiJZTaTohori^Zllf^''^^ embanked, the final hei^lu^f qnay^llnd;|Siralo:^t"';l^b:S^'" ''''''''''' ^'^"^^ embankments and i„ the hiS%i^e':;i'dr;£.Z;:'^ or the.eve:y lands will value them p.-obably at ^o^^^i^^ll^'^^S'i^^Z^S between Cascade Ean,e .. gjve^?s;:^';c^;:,?te;"^Stt'is;d:'^ -^^-^'-^ ^« -^-^i- think, however, it will be found that ho nl/I T" '-''ff?'*l"^'e« "''e not material I either agriculture or pa^tu.x" in tl e outhe n L rr''" ?'" '["'' " «'^"""^' "P-" '° present assumed, and that the climato^s im I- ^ S'-ea/or than it appears is at to such occupations (parti ula 1 as se ' 0^^" '"^ ''\'\' ^''°'« "'»•■« ^'vorabl districts. Both, howeier, can be^-us' Iv rccmr If ?°^ T^ '^"" ^"^^^ ™'""« "«''ll>«'ly That this should borecoivc.;TKu '""''■*''■ "'*e"'«»^«"t- «onally acquainted with ire" unTr\rLtSl;"\'T P-'— ot Ion. per- perseverinir cultivation of the soil and in ,l,?.fn ^f '^.'^'^'^ experience there in a at. It will demand not a little Sbbv ho ! i ^' '"''V " ""^ '^* '^^^ ^o bo wondered Europe to believe that Xat win^il^ 'i::i"" '\^''^^'''"''M'arall^ 3,000 feet, and other grain at even mo e C "'if J'"l "' "'^'^"^''''-^ ^''^'n -.50" ^ truth that in acounTry known ^oZ^istn?'^' T .'^u-' ,"^ ^^''"^'"'^ ^o accept the fitredced with lofty mountanlffe/ruod w L ^ ??'^''' J''""^''"'-^' ''"""^'''^ '-""i Burrard Inlet, has'I^^: '" f„ ^^Ji^toOO Oof /f ' "''•^r'^^' ^^'''"-"^-^ - Eo.e II _(Xo. e ofreports), and tho^^^ff^l^S-^;- .-^«) ,U.«^ roads ^iti^nVirhlttbM^^^^^ constructed in portions along tho line a dTuch ?.o.T"''"k"''^' '"'^ cconomicallj public as well as by the engineers f^iLflM P""'°"« ^o at once used bv tlie The economy thus trf^gTined by lute n[ T"''^'''"^ ^'''''''' ^'^'' ^""''^•'d' very great. It h'as been con,ui.ii!, .^ can DO cr!c!;tcd bctwoeu 149 mbankments and lovenue and the cost of maintenance, with interoHt on the capita! borrowed for tho wnstniction of the railway, mot in the meanwhile, it is to be presumed, by some form of Dominion taxation. Were it not tor tiie groat advantages to bo gained to the Dominion at large by the ovei;l^dJiiie,_conmdered as a wiiole from end to end, the cost of overcomin'-- th& difficulties on tho Pacific fiido of tho Eocky Mountain range would probably "hav© ilefcrred tho condtruction of that portion to some indefinite future tinie. In reference to the approaches to th 3 Pacitic torminuti of lioute III at Burrard Inlet, the opinions which have been expressed by naval authorities are Vi:-yy properlr t;uarde(i. Their responsibilities in giving opinions on such a matter are great. They point out everything fully; they counsel caution and attention ; they do notcoudemn. Happily also xor the public service, carefully accurate surveys and t'uII charts ori a large scale, have been made by the Royal Navy, and are published and are also jceompanied by equally full pilot instructions, published and accessible to every one. "^ The Admiralty have accorded an invaluable service to Britibh Columbia in having caiiHed this to be done. The main channel and inner channel and ail the water-ways are now thoroucrhly wpII known, and the first used by vessels of any class or size. It i.s the one preferred. Pilots, if wished for, must also by mm be many In number. Suitable steam-tugs will, no doubt, be soon forthcoming for such vessels as may need them. '' Very numerous proofs have now accumulated of the perfect practicability of the route to Burrard Inlet for vessels of the largest tonnage engaged in commerce to and from any part of tho world. For sundry reasons— of commerce chiefly— it may be founa>, or inside in Coal Harbor, or at Port Moody, all are approved of, and they are, i «ach of them, capable of further improvement for requirements of almost any magni. 160 If tudo. Port Moody is the least convenient, but from the chart it would seem thai none of the three have less total area of anchorage than Esquimault, and that th«, possess adjoining extensive additional capacity. In fact, the whole inlet may be eon fiidered as a port. •' "' At English Bay a strong pier of some length would be required. It would i.i„ dose atVanT'""^ °' *'"^^'"' ^^^""^^ °^ **'° ^^^^ material and of any scantlini '' Taking all points into full consideration, it will probably be found best to selec a terminus within the inlet. -^ ntieu I do not know that direct contrary opinion a» to the " approaches" from oiilei ocean to Burrard Inlet has ever been expressed. The differences have been solely o degree and other contingencies, which may, after all, bo provided against. On the engmeoring points connected with thiy matter, such as the aftbrdin.' increased facilities and the carrying out sundry improvements at any time, there cat be no material difference among engineers. j > « " ^un The loss ofSan Juan Island is much to be regretted on many grounds. It of of course, strengthens the position of an adjoining foreign power in case of war buti does not necessarily give such possible enemy the actual command of the water-wav llVuT 'i''""' 1 ^;\P''»«'^'«'^'>1« '^"d cii" be further improved. The nearest point i which vessels would have U> pass, by inner channel, is live miles from the position o L^^ H '"r^ ra.ght probably place a shore battery. It is assumed vessels won pass under steam or be towed. It is to be observed, also, this inner passage is not without the advantage of well placed covering positions for defensive batteries. vauuige or well ««r,7w? distance between such covering defensive positions and assumed positions in opposition IS from two and a half to three miles. \>^»iin>m Hostile vessels in passing through main channel could pass at two milesdistanee ]'.±l'>^^\';'Sio force ^nr^ov channel v^onld have to " run the gauntlet " of many po«: tions half a mile distant on either side, and some nearer still ^ "^ firr,«lT'''i'^Tr!K*'?*'''^*''^i'''® ?"8^ ""^ ^^^'I'^'T ^i" continue to increase an ZtJ^Z ' ^"' '^^^ the inner channel ; even then, it seems evident fire from hostit shore batteries may be disregarded. .nnfl" '■*'^''™"P® '« passage from Vancouver Island to the mainland, in a temporaiv Saanicf TnT.t "^n"' "°*'^^lr' ""' ''^^^r.'^ ^"^« ''««" '^^''^ «f ^^e advantays if baanich Inlet. There possibly may be (I do not know that it is so) sundry draw t™«, ^-^T'"/ ""f^'y "^ '^'' i»[«t under ordinary circumstances, bJt under S temporary incident of war, a transhipment by short railway (made early) from mSTn oii^.^r f S"^"i«hlnlet (a distance of about eight^miles, and c2m c ment of projected railway to Nanain.o) would altogether avoid both the main and the inner channels, passing the San Juan group of islands. This would offer a convenient alternative during such temporary period It^ construction at once would not be a large expenditure, and would^e in fu he'ran^ of the railway projected between Esquimault and Nanaimo «. 0!?"''".'"^'°^'""''^'^^°'''''^'^''^ through to Nanaimo, still further advantages, as an alternative, in time of war would be gained. uuvaiiui^es, as It has already been observed that a railway by Route II and also by Route III would, in war with an energetic enomy, be liable to risk of temporary inju y £n ?h'''°"*'""^"'^"'^ *'°"^ "^*'^°''' «"'l ^^''^ «»«»^ '"J""e8 could be Sly restored by arrangements previously organized. It is to be expected also that effective oneration To"^wrh ; ^""'^ ^^'"'} 5°° ^"'''' «« '« ^"^« "!> ^"^ '^'^^ove, would be in operation to watch, to repel and to counteract an attack. The Province of British C&lumbia would not be the only part of the Dominion or of the worW Xere ra^wa p fs n^'.Wnf •^tf"««"«f'!«ib'o to temporary injury by an enemy, but such liability i«Li^ P ^ ^*'l/" ^''°"" ^°'"S «« '°°'^*'''^- Not- should it be forgotten that in the open to risks, are of aid in d<>ff.nr>o nnri nv«r.f o....:i : i.;_-j ^y . { ' ' • <"•'<< <<• ' ./iiitjiiicu lorwam movcmon; 161 li;- lole inlet may be con- found best to select rther advantages, as Such a base of operations as a navigable river, a railway not far distant runninir behind it, and a tolerable breadth of country (in possession) along the front of i* with both flanks secured— sea, occupied, on one side and lofty mountains on the other —is not without very connidorable advantages. It may be noted here that between Hope and Burranl lidot, about 60 miles, the depth of frontier from whence raids might bo oxpeete>uid." See, also, Appendix Canadian Pacific Railway Report, 1879. 155 US, each section jree of Latitude p indicate the 56 llS Cami>ie Exploration, 1810. Mr Cambie passed westerly from the mouth of Heart River, on the nortb side of Peace Kiver, through the southern portion of this section. " At the mouth of the North Heart River iho Hudson Bay Company have an extensive storehouse, IVom which are distribute.! the supplies, etc., de'stined for the Lower Peace River, and the Posts far north on the Mackenzie. Here we crossed the Peace, and continued our journey up its left bank on an open bench with poor gravelly scil, to the old trading post opposite Smoky River, established in 1192 by Sir Alexander Mackenzie, which has now been abandoned ; and then ascending to the plateau by the cart trail, followed it to Dunvegan, nearly fifty miles in all. The trail takes a moderately direct course, and is at one point about twelve miles distant from the valley of Peace River. It led us through a nearly level country, having an average elevation of 1,900 feet above sea level, with very rich soil, about one-fifth prairie and four-fifths poplar and willow copse thei timber being too small to be of value except for firewood and fencing. ' Of the twenty miles next to Dunvegan, fifteen are in large open prairies with rich grass, and such a depth of black vegetable mould that proddinir with a stick to the depth of a f ^ot, we failed to reach the sub-soil. Between the Smoky River Post and Dunvegan, forty-five miles, we crossed one running stream, the JSTorth Bruld, 10 feet wide, 12 inches deep, with a swift; current, beside two small watercourses with stagnant pools, and we passed a lake one mile long by half a mile wide. The supply of water is scanty, but the route of the trail seems to have been specially selected, with the view of passing between the heads of the streams draining south into Peace River direct, and those draining north into a river which joins the Peace a few miles below Smoky River. o/jA ^° *^® whole trip from Dunvegan to Lesser Slave Lake and back, about 260 miles, solid rock was only seen once at the crossing of Peace River • very few boulders were noticed ; and though some of the land is light, by far the greater proportion is rich, and will become a splendid farming country if the chmate proves suitable," o ^ See, also, Appendix Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. E 56th and 57th laoe River, travelled OKNERAL REMAKK8 ON WEATHER. 11 "'^^y'S^'^^^T^^ at Hudson's Hope, Fort St. John, and Dunvegan, are in the- valley of Peace River, many hundred feet below that level, and they have alsa the advantage of a great deal of heat, reflected from the adjacent hills. In this connection it is right to mention that all the seed used by the people in the i'eace River district has been grown year after year in the same ground, and generally without manure, also that they have not the most improved and earliest varieties of either grain or vegetables. Eastward of Hudson's Hope it is said that snow seldom lies to a greater depth than two feet, and horses winter in the open air ; when it attains that thickness, however, they resort to the slopes of the valley facing the south,, where the snow drifts off, leaving the grass bare. We had been in the valley of Peace River, from the mountains to Dunvegan, in the latter part of July, and the weather was then warm and mild. The month of Auijust was spent between Dunvegan and Lesser Slave Lake^ and twenty-three days of it on the plateau. i/uniig that time there wa»* IrosL on the morning of the 6lh, though the thermometer at 5 a.m. had risen to 46°. 166 Again, on the 2(;th, when it was Htili 5" belowrtho fieezinj; noint at 5 a m and on the 27th when it hud risen to 33° at 4 30 am ^ P°'"^ ^^ ^ «-°''- ^„ v!."o *^^ fu ''?■. ^^""""^y "^''y^ the lowest reading, between 4.30 and 5 a m was 3!.° and the Inghest 65". The weather was clou; and tine, and in thealS' shade ''"' "^^""^ '"""«^^ '"^ ^""^ '^'' thermometer 'up to 80° iU the Froni the time of leaving Dunvcgan, September 5th, till wo nasaed Mnk erly's Luke, on the 16th we were on the lev'el of the plateau, anrZhS the tweltr '' '' """"'''"^- ^'^"'^ ^^ ^'■°^' "" -«i'^ nifeS out of While breakfasting at 5 a.m. on the 9th, the thermometer still stood at20- and on three other mornings it had not risen above the freezing Sat th\' We had hno but colu weather from the 17th till the summit of P n« T?lv. Pass was crossed on 28th, and from that time till wo i^LTed Quosnd on Oc 17th, It was decidedly wintry,>ith hard frosts." iJ"e«nei on uct, 11 giMacLeod Exploration, 1879. T K *?'■• ^^"'^ ^- ^- ^^^''I^eod, M.I,C.E. travelled down Peace River from Sf John to Dunvegan across the southern part of this section. ^ ^'' brom Si. John to Dunvegan the soil is rich andeuitablofor n.--v,Vnif„..„r a considerable distance on each side of Peace RivoiTh««!ft-^°' mences about the end of May The sorvio« hnr..J / " T^^, ^""^ ''°'"- neighborhood of Duivvegan Tnd s't'; jZ^a^n^d tg^e gL^e'Lot a .rJel^/a!: MudZL"^''"'"''"'""^"^""^'^ '' "^^'^ be'en^seen Tn "rSpring ni;; Cambie Exploration, 1879. DUNVEOAN TO FORT ST. JOHN. .n.l 17'''"' V""""?^'?' ^^ t'-a^ell^J "O'-thwardforadayandahalf,say30milefi For the whole distance, nearly 120 miles the nljitPin nr,ri„i.,*^<, -j ablv mn.rin.r finm ^0|(\n^'<>A,^n.t 4- , "*"*' ''"" plateau undulates consider- Jioiy, 1-anging tiom I,y00 to 2,4U0 foot above sea-leve . And for 40 milfls nftA,. bottom. Iho slopes on both sides are much broken by old land-slid^ On he west there is a bluff of decomposed shale, and on the face of ^he eastern slope ncany ledges of sandstone in nearly horizontal beds »MtK r^'u "1 r T*"" °''^" muskegs, and had to cross one about one mile in width which delayed us more than four hours The soil is composed of white silt with a good covering of vegetable mould bat for one stretch of 4 miles, thi« has been completel? 1 umfoff We £ passed over two gravelly ridges. ^ 'miuLou. we also A few large prairies were Hsen, and many small onA« ;nw<,.,„...oH "•:"■ poplar and willow copse. " -..•^p^.„oa TT,... 1B7 zing point at 5 a.m,, lace River from St, intsrspersod with Twonty.fivo per CO ;' tho distance lay throng!, wood, of .small „onlar Bpnaoand black pino. x^'.ar Pine River :^orth there vvaH also a belt Ce miles wide o4 Hpriice six to fifteen inches in diameter. Fort Dunvcgan, August Ist-Sth. In the garden of the fort there were fine crops ofwhoat, barley, potatoes, boet>.,cucu.;iber8 and squash, while at theT C. Mission close by there wore fine potatoes, onions, carrots, and a luxur ant but very backward, crop of wheat, a condition of things which Mr. Tc.sic-i- the priest explained to us had resulted from a long drought, causing tho grai'n tS he in the ground without sprouting till some heavy rain occurred at the .,nd of May. August 28th to September 5th, wheat at tho fort was cut, but was no perfectly r,pe; that at the Mission was injured by frost, and no hope of ii ripening; all other crops had succeeded well." " uope oi us Mr. R. McComell Exploration, 1879. This information has boon communicated by Dr. G. M. Dawson Goolo '-"^ »t.-^"o vuvereu -.vim a ihu .growth of aspen and willow, anu with a very small proportion of swampy i. id." 118 " Battle llivor flows in a valley about a mile in width and about :iOO foot in depth. The river itselfit, at low water, about7a loot in width and about a foot deep durin-^ floods must be a largo sUeam of a coupio ot hundiod foot wide and threo to lour leet deep. A walk of several miles up and do»vn the stream discovorod no stratified rof of freshet 450 feet wide, besides three others from 12 to 25 feet across, with a few very small ones. On the east side of Middle Elver, and about 15 miles north of the Peace, a range of hills 1,000 or 1,500 feet high was obaei-ved running nearly east and west. ..;,< 189 and about :iO() foot in and about a foot deep, jj foot widottiid ihreo ho stream discovorixl from 60 to 75 feet mot thoro, it receives 3 rolling into Peace rom this point, prob- botwoon Peace River t fully threo-quaiters er part of the former, ass land, equal to any although it was but the aspon woio all oen duo lo the fro.itof les of frost, as before jrossing the hills, we ling to Hudson Bay early a season ; but, trip/' 3 Hope to St. John. 08 and is everywhere igriculture." ad a longer time than iiat I did not dare to dson's Hope. Most the plateau only for miles near Middle ihort distance about d poplar and willow r to twelve inches in es light, and between lix miles in length, extends the whole rer, which was then wide, besides three iS. lorth of the Peace, ing nearly east and Fires wore raging in the bush in many places, and we had to rido throujrh one bolt of woods burning biiskly ai Iho tinio, which wo did with difflcuitv aa the smoko and ashe.-. wore blinding, and the boat very groat; fortunately the timber was fuirly open or wo should havo boon stopped. Bogaiding the country north of Poaco River, I noticed that from the oastorn hasoot the Rocky Mountains, about twonty miles north of Hudson's Hono a range ut hills oxtomlH nearly duo cast till it moots tho Poaco Kiver, about twelve miles below its junction w .Ih Smokv River. Tho tract of country lying south of that range, and botwocn it and tho E eace, is gonorally lortHo, but that portion of if ■" -st of tho lon-ritudo of Dun- vegan IS more undulating and at a slightly hir' 'vation than tho other por- tions of the plateau in tho Peace River disti ,ich I had travelled over and has an approciablo porcontago of poor soil. ' Fort St. John, July 30th. Tho garden contained some good potatoes onions and turnips, and a negro named Daniol William, had a small patch of excellent barley. On Soptombor I'^th the crops wore all ripe, and excellent both as regards quantity and quality, but the barloy had been trodden down by animals and much of it oaten, tho owner having boon arrested and taken to JMmonton on some criminal charge." See, also. Appendix Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. 121 dmhte Exploration, 1879. ■' Hudson's Hope, July 27th-29th. The soil in the garden is a good sandy loam and onions were very fine; all other crops had boon injured by a severe frost about May 15th; beans were killed, so were the potatoe vines, but they had started afresh. A little patch of wheat had been frozen, but had grown up again, and a few stalks wore forming oars; carrots and cabbage looked well. It was said that the frost in May was confined to the valley, and did not extend to the plateau. iq^k'^°™®^ ^*^^' '^'"^°''^'l '" ^^^ open air for many years, but in the winter of ]«75-6 twenty out of a band of twenty-four perished on account of tho deeu snow. *^ Eoturning there Soptembor l-ith-16, wo found the potatoes had produced only a very poor crop, and tho wheat had beon'agaiu frozen while the grain was in the milk stage, rendering it useless." ' See, also. Appendix Pac. Ry. Rep. 187!). FROM THE lOUTU TO THE 123rD MSUIDIAN, AND BBTWBE.V TUB 55tH AND ,5t)Ttt PARALLBr.8 OP LATITUDE. 55. 100 >ioc Appendix Pac. Ry. Rep., l&ld. 55. ^^^ See Appendix Pac. Ry. Rep., 1979. 123—11 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) fe // :/. t/i 1.0 [fia Hi 11.25 2.5 s '^ Ilia I 40 2.0 JA M. 111.6 6" — Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 4n^ V' Si. V ■'^ ,. \\ ». Q 'C^ °l*i. ' is rec^olS.*^"^""'' ^''°'' '" *'''' '°°"°"' ^'^''^"S ^"^^ '•°^'^' ^^"'i a°d swamps ^e T ^'■?°' ^''^ °°"*''? ^{^}^ ^°°''"^°' *^'"- ^'«"^« ™ade a branch expedition south ^l Y' i\ ^""^°' "^.^"^ ^'^' "^ ^^^ ^«"t^«»-° extremity of it. This lake is fu offine fish, as are all the lakes throughout the country. On the portage a the north end of the lake, some clay soil was seen, and pea vine andCcfare spoken of as growing in the burnt timber. ^ See, also, Appendix Pac. R^. Rep., 18'79. 55. lot) 0' Kieffe Exploration, 1879. Mr. Clarke passed through the middle of the northern half of this section on his way from Isle LaCrosse to Frog Portage. He reports the river as consisting of lake expansions and short raniMs iZu l"el" "" ""*'*'"'■• " "^'^ ^"'^"" portion^onSng^o'f tij^J See also Appendix Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. -51 I05 O'iTde/e Exploration, 1879. Mr. Clarke crossed the middle of the northern half of this section nroceedine easterly on his way from Isle a la Crosse to Frog Portage P^ocaoms 161 half of this section pine, po,,l»,:'and birch ™, "ho tof ™ oS,'"!!^?' " 'f "T "■ "^ "'"l'"'''" is tamoroc." On Icavin" t ,i» .■i?!™' H,» T ° '°"! ''"'"■ <'i«l»n™, tho wood .«5no.e^.u„„,o..„p.rK-^ur„t,tti"Ji::rf;'Si=^^^ See also .l^jpe/Kf^x- Pac. Ri/. Rep., IST*), |55. j [O7 0' jf/e/e JJ-x/y/orafjon, 187r RiveSroSt:erSS'lX£aT^^^^^^^ ^"^^ ^°"^^ "" his way down Beaver prop^./ioSanTfrmsrett:fiV"^?f • ^'^^ ^^'^^^ «--• assn.es larger miles. Nean-ng L^La ^6 heS ^f^^'^'^^ '" width from one to two the high ground, and muske' on MY i ^5" T^^^'J' ''''•'"* ^«''« i« ««°dy on poplar%fl,oor quality Tho1narVos„nIU*''"-5'''5 T**^ ^'*"'^«'«" P'"« «°^ quantities of course g^asslrSratT^rT^ ^^"^^ «^^^« river produce large the same thick gfeen aDDearan^ i p ^Tf ^^""^ ^^'^ ^'^^«'* P'-«««°t8 small particles of gfervegTabrit:^-^"^ ^'^'^ ^^ ^"^"-^ "^3^ farm aSd^f whTch ^^tt^ ^,i^^ ^^'^^l'- F^-^n with a small their wants. The Hudson's %'„ J n ^'®°"*'y. ^aise Url^y and potatoes for except some small patchoS for Ynf^r^''"^. t""}"'^ *« ^''™' ^ut gave it up, mi.ll with ar^'prop'tS: ff^^SSsa^' ••'"^^^- ^^'^ «^'^ ^'^^'^^'^ ^^^o^^ muskeg! EKTenCal'r; eftremelv'^'T '^''""^ ^^^Hsh River, contains som« vailing rocks I^tho ciSitTs iLr''^'/''^" ^° '^"^ gneiss being the pre- IsleLa Crosse LaLwhicri?ehfcklv/nn?H Tu'^""^? '" alo°g the shores of portion consists of sanSy pSs mu LTs In'^l^^^^^ ^'°''""° P'"^" '^^^ ^^"t*'^^" of Lac La Plonge. To thoZ.lh „nH ^ * ^'^t **'»5''a« swamps Pouth and west food tamaracafd spruce ""^ "*'* ""^ ^'° ^^ P'°°g«' '^«'-° ^^e some See also Appendix Pac. Py. Rep,^ 1879. 11 108 55 See Appendix, Pac. Rj. Rep., 1879. s section, proceeding | IO9 g.^ Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rop.. 1879. H 32H-1U 102 55 no See Appendix, Pac. lly. Eop., 187.1. 55 ac li|f 111 Eberts Expbration,—lS10. Mr. MelchiorEbcrts explored the south-west corner of this section, and fou,.i t« b° nothmg but sand h.lis and muskeg in the vaiieys, and no grass eZ' on the borders of the laicos. Timber consisted of Banksikn pino, tamarac a spruce, the latter covered with moss. -a-uaiat. ac See Appendix, Pac. Ry. l?ep., 1S70. 112 McConnell Exploration, 1879. from'JihSrto L^STa^ilche!""'-""""'^ ^*^™'"- "^ ^^'« ^'=^'^^^"' '^ ^'^ ^\ " Leaving the Athabasca, at the mouth of the Lac la Biche River the niJ Grcofntrv "annL^'M T""^"" ^^ r^'"" ''"^^' '^"'^ ascended a sUgbtdovai HhL« ""h^ appeared to be almost level, and to be a mere succession of aspeJ It t?e foo? ont •' ^'" ^°^^^"^'"g ^'■«™ '^^' «l«v«^!o". we found a large swa^.; | huJtTT\ ^^''\??^^ ^??^ '^"^ ^"^^""^^ *^« "^'^^ a"d explains why the road I hugs jt so closely, but looking away from the river the country appears to be S too 1„1 '''.""T^ of muskegs, the good land intervening between them bS: 01 too small extent to be of any use." " ' " -Lac la Biche is about 15 miles in length, and 4 to 5 in bread.h near ltd fT^L ^^- '"^^ "'■"""'^ *^ ^'^'' ^'^'^^"S^ '^^t ^q""^! ^ that in the vicin V about IPO' ?Jt"\:V ^""f- I' ""^^Tr' '\"«« '^^ f'-«™ '^' '«ke to a heiglft ^SL , ^ S^J Z'"''*'^' ""^ '« '•^ther rou£r»- ■ and some of the high. £. 7.T- f '"''""J- ^i'"'., 'y ^'''* ^'^^ g^-^^tor part j land lying round t el '^^', 'i?'"' W°^i ^"'i ^i". no doubt, some day, > gely settled. " t,„,r,K J^ ^ ?i* °^ ^i'° ^.°'"^" ^''^^^''^ ^'^^'o" '^t ^«^°a ^icho is seen in the number of small wooden houses and small patches of land fenced in, which e ves ' vef ?n" T"' '^' '"^ t^'^'''^^ th'ese patches are usually s^aTn the; iud3 that 1 L itL^^'Tu^ ^''t^ '""°""' ^"^ " good deal. From the stubble I S f • il- *''^°P^ ""^* *'*''® ^®®° ^^'^T good, although I could obtain dI Ssheries'^" P""* '^'"^ '" **•' iuhabfta^ts being all^away engagecfrtkl See Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rep., 1819. 113 Gordon Exploration, 1879. Little SlavrR,w\?r''°".r''''J '^°''° *^« Athabasca from the mouth o.j « blaye River, in the south-western corner of this section. At the junction of the two rivers the Athabasca is about 200 yards wide Ser'flow "Jnt^ U^o"' '"'"i ""'/ '^"'^ '''''J ^'' ^'^''•- ^' broaden^ in Si tL .„ 'a •*« current continues much the same for many mi'cs. .:-..< 163 ofthis section, and founl oys, and no grass exct:]); iksian pino, tamarae aci r this section, on his W!it la Biche River, the road I cended a slight elevation, f lere succession of aspen wo found a largo swamp I explains why the road | country appears to beaj ling between them bein;; 6 in breadth near lis that in the vicinity of Q the lake to a hoigiitoi and some of the hightr J land lying round tbi! j?ely settled." j la Biche is seen in the id fenced in, which are | '6 usually small in them ial. Prom the stubble I ugh I could obtain iwl 1 away engaged in thef isca from the nioutli oil section. s about 200 yards wide,! It broadentt out in it< r many mi'e.s. Jrspersod with spruce; m 100 to 200 foot ; tkl luxuriant pastures, bii;[ McConnell Erploration, 1879. Mr. McConnoll crossed tho south-eastern corner of this section on his journey down the Athabasca from Athabasca Landing to Lac la Biche' 1 he valley presented a nearly uniform character throughout, ranging from ?.Thl ..K "^ ""'"f ' u ^T'^^^- '^^'' ' '^°'- ^'"'^'■"g from one sid^ of t1 ef alley f^.l«L '■♦"ir^u''°^"J^^™'"g ^*^° '^°"«™ t« a't«'-n'«« from one sTdeTf the streana to the other A rather singular fact is the decrease in the height f ,M^f *if' ? \ " ?®'; ^^'^ '^ «"* important fact, showing the general See also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Hep., 1879. ^'4 Gordon Exploration, 1 S79. Athablic^!"''^*'" '''^"""^"^ ^'"'" ^'''''' ^'"^'^ ^*'^« '*"'! Hiver easterly to the wid.h^Ji!.T'l"^^' *.''''' ^""'T*^^ •^"*'«t of the lake is about 25 yards in width, very tortuous, hemmed in by low banks that are almost unifoimlv wooded with aspen copse and willow, between which it winds wTth very lenU J current at a depth sufficient for largo Hudson Bay Company? bolts^hfavv Sr^ f.?' P°;- °K ^''^''' "'i^^"'*'- '^^ '•''«'• «««™« ««« lent saX loam and where free of timber abounds in rich grass and pea vine. Ere it ioins the A?ha basca the river widens to a span of 50 yards, and passes over a seHesof intlo wottd?'' ''' '""'' '"""^ moreUed in "contoui^'tL^rh "ill Sei; McConnell Exploration, 1879. Mr. McConnell traversed f^e centre of the southern half of this section on Athrblc^'"" *'' '"'*"■" '"'^ '^'^^"''^ S''*^^ ^^^« ^« F--t Assiii'oine on the "Leaving Lesser Slave Lake at its outlet, we struck out in a south-easter) v direction for Fort Assiniboine. After leaving the lake fo^a short distance th« fbcTutifurJa'^^^' but gradually became firSer as we ad;:need,^peni^^^^ tiKvinPn Jr •"''"'■''1^"''"".''' "T'dth, covered with a luxuriknt growth of wild hay and pea-vine. About six miles from the lake, came to a ranfo of hills owing to almost continuous muskegs and swamps, and at the southern side a large stream flowing into the Athabasca was mot with " «o«nein side a Pa.t t fZf "" u- f°"*'' ?^^^!' f*^'^^"^ ^ ^°^ "d«« ^a« crossed, running from Kinifrr?hJtor« l'^^''^"^'^' "■ •'*••«" '^'"^^"^ "I'""' 75 feet #ide. aossed^alidt/nl f m' r°^'^°' '^'"f ™' ^«^'"S '°'« ^J^" first-named, is uosseet and the valleys of both rivers spoken of as being very fertile. ,)nffoH K *'■ A ., °'" "*™T ^^® country is almost entirely open, being merely dotted here and there with clumps of willow, but away from the stream it ~:?rvetd7'''H r^*^'" '™^\' g-wth of aspen.^^ through tSaspeu inlTn , ?vl *"" '''"'"^ T^" ™''*^'^' " S'™P«° f'-"'« « Slight elevation levcal.ng the same general character of country' extending indtfinitoly east- this noTnt"to Fnr/"T«"'-^ -r '■''V^^ ''*"'' '^S'"" '^^""'«^ f'^'' ^he worse, and from i^nis point to li kAV ? ^'"P""^ « lortof the same name. Our path led 1. 1 »b"?a rnil on eti; s de t'ich' '^^"r 1^' '" 'T ''- "-'^''--^^ which'Js borde, ' in sprin>r and d Hit tZ n.?. l / "meadows. They arc Bubject to overflow visit they wcu'ene^HiiVS^n °* ^'" r"'"'"'^'' '^"^ "^ ^^^^ ti'"^ ^^ o,„ been' used to advSgc ^' "'""^' ''"''^■'' '^ '""^^''"- "^'^^^''n^ '"'yl't hav. j iarg^jr? j?,:;--^;LrS|ISt£y:e3?^^' ^° ^^ very nutritious, a.,., miles in rmrer'^wlTch^'is'''^""';^';'? ^"'^'^ ''^ "^ ^'''^"''^^ P°"''. "^-"tfo,,,. • mile ii. lengtrw th a it c ', nnH "?f ''^ '^ .u ""^^^'"'''^ °^ ^''^""'^'^ ""^""t ' connected w hh Ihe mTn 1 d o' hvn n ""^''''' >' /l^" «r*' ''"''' ^'"'^^ '" ■''« t'"'" ''^ ponds are auitos^,XwTn^ '■''""".*?'"''""' ^'''■*'^ >"''«« *" length- Tlic^e at an altitude nf 1 snn 7 V ^ "^ *^* ^'''^* ^°'*^^"- ^he success of these crow levd of S pi £u ett"o?Thf » ""^J/'^^f ^^^ "-•"'y on the geneS importance." ' ^*''' ^°''''^ Mountains, is a matter of some Gordon Exploration, 1871). Mr. Goi'don speaks thus of the Lesser Slave Lake - excellentZy aSd fn fSl'n^ ' M ^^^If '"" i^'^' r^'^''' ^'"''^'■"g abundance of rtr;KJ t:\^^^^^^^^^ swa.p. McConnell Exploration. 1879. Ifi5 very nutritious, aud :. good land than would appear from a linotakon straJKht ncrtl. from tho lalco at random For the next ten miles tho country is mud. m..ro woody the t!oos nrmcmally consisting of anpen with some spfuce, and tho proporo^'of warn".'; land be ng very evidently on tho increase, until, about 20 „ iloi north of thTlalS^ It culminated m what is called " Lo Grand Muskeg," a belt of hui, 10 to 12 mo^ WK 0, running east and west, and wholly given up to swamps. I „ 11 wo Z\e fully picked our w.yf,,r Uiree to four miles and thon'roturnod 0,710 ho edge of "Le Grand Muskeg" 1 should say that about two-lhinl o f ho lanS Ly Tm?,;'se!^'' ^^^^ ^°''' '^° ™'"''^''""' '^"'"^ '"" '^^^'"•»>'>' '" '- "^"f"" '- Mr. McConnoll was informed that north of "Lo Grand .Muskoir " the countrv gaiSr. "^ ^'"^^ '"'•-'« "^■'^'^'-% '•^'^^ «omo very good laud and a few See also Appjitdi.c, Pac. Ri/. Hep., 1879. ii' 5i ii6 Cambie Exploration, 1879. Mr. Cambie crossed tho centre of this section, proceodiiiir north-onslorlv from Littk Smoky Eiver to Lesser Slave Lake. ** ^ .n/l^?"^u'".l"^-V'° f"""® ^''."'■•'^' "^ "^°'" '^'•^^■«" "^''o*^ wo passod lro.,u()is Lake one and a half miles long and three-quarters of a milo wide ' It discharges into Little Smoky iliver, being about 230 foot hlL'hor and is r,- ^^^J^i Pevonteon miles from the Little Smoky, wo crossed South Il.mrt River, 60 foot wide, shallow, and with a current of two miles ,o ho r^unnin. in a valley a quarter of a milo wide and 60 foot deep. ' ' ^ Still continuing the same north-east course for about olovon miioH with tl,,. Zv«TnV '*r"^"X''h T ^'"''^'^' ^""'^'^^ l'-*^''' t''" W""^"^''" ^""i <'f I^esser Slave Lake, into which it discharges. ^,,^J^^^f''I'^'J^''^'^^^''''S^o^'^^^<^toSonthneiivtR\voviH not so swampy ^LL ^^^' -1 "'^ ^^ ^""-^T ?' .^°^'^°°" ^"^"^y ^'^«'' "n^ II''" "«l. Dr. Geo. M. Dawson, D.S., A.R.S.M., F.G.S., traversed this section from west to east, south of its centre. The country is described as high plateau to the west of Smoky River, with extensive areas of prairie country, either perfectly open and covered with a. more or less luxuriant growth of grass or dotted with patches of coppice and trees. What is not prairie or coppice is de.-,cribod as being generally covered with a dense growth of second growth aspen. On other parts some of the old forest remains and consists of large aspen and balsam poplar and spruce. Ihe better class of forest is found in the river valleys. Sec also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rep., 1S7D. i5 Lake wore all gianiti) I '^9 ^""'*«« Exploration, 1879. Mr. Cambie, in travelling from Dunvegan to Lessor Slave Lake, traversed the north-western corner of this section:— A !','^'^®.?™* ^''"'" ™''°*' while ascending;to the plateau, were through timber and the soil appeared cold and wot. Again, from about the twenty-first to tbe twenty-third mile, wo passed over a low ridge timbered with poplar, spruce .ind willow, where the land was cold and wet. The balance of the forty-five miles was through prairie and poplar copse, with a few willows in low places , the proportions were about one-third copse to two-thirds prairie, with grass twelve inches high, growing sufficiently close to form a sod . o > o o j The trail follows the more open parts of the country, and it is probable that the proportion of wood land at some distance lo either side would be greater. The soil, with the exceptions above mentioned, is a grey silt, with a few inches of vegetable mould. About twelve miles from Dunvegan we camo upon Ghost Creek, twelve feet wide, a branch of the Brule River, which wo crossed at about nineteen miles ; tlie latter is fifty feet wide, and empties into the Peace fifteen miles to the ejist of Dunvegan. H 16fl ! , li. S5_ 120 in ajnorth-east courHO fo. about ivo'S^nnJ Z ""i' 'T"^' '^ "-^^ SCO section /,V for l).-. J^i.^.tiWiTtir'' " '"'" '"^"'^' '^'^•''^'•' Soo also Aj^pcndix, Puc. Jiy. Ji,p^ ]879. Soo Sec. 55. 121 55 iVV lor Dr. Dawson'rt description. Sco t.lso Appendix, Pac. Jdj. Jicp., 18VJ. Caminc E.ridoration, 18; 'J. * ' Mr. Cambie entered tliis section at li.; iw„.fi. ... . »,outh.ea8terly towards Pine I{im-. "^ •"" tl,.Nv,.st«,.n |H.,nt, nnd c^u.lk. HtJDSO.N's IIOI'E rr) I'l.NK UIVKIl, weieft next mornin^andfo !.;,"« .nl" fT ' "--'^'"^Iv. ira.i ascends from Peace Eiver by I e rio ,^' In ... ^'" '"';'>' « I^'*'^-«- '^'l^i* miles reaches the plateau, which iJ ^1^0 ab ut • mJ' "/"^k^ ""' '""I^'^ ^ ''"'' the bottom. Some portionrof thi. a,^ .^L T" ""i"'^ ^''"^'* '">'« '» ^'i^th i,, with a few small ^ilT^i'^S^'^^^'i^^''^-'' f''''' ''''''' prames at the lake, on slopes facinfffho south "™ '"'° ''"""•^ ^"^ iJotweon Moberly's Lake and Pino IfiVm. /i,.-„„ • Hpruce, black pine and poplar but tho-nloInVf.? • "r '^ ^''""^ fe'''^^^^ "^ standing." O'^meter, having escaped the ravages of fire, are 8ti!i See also Appendix, Puc. Ry. Rep., 1S79. 122 Soe Appendix Pacific Railway Keport, 1879. 3 » 1(10 Hivor, sixty foot wido I llio hottom, and nearhl Jro Wo eroHsod, it fl(,n, into Smolty Rivor. FROM THE 100th TO THE IIHtH MERIOIAN, AND HETWEEN THE SlTir ANI> ^,5x11 PARALLELS OF LATITUDE. n |i'iin(, and l:;t .■IMlilil iod to obtain a ^niide;.) alwont ; accordin;,'lv, [oboriy's Lake. Tbi< ind at one and a Imit t above soa level, ami n passes over a I'idge the sonth-wostorn end above sea level. !ro:)8ed two small tarn- Ih a small growth of ' of Moberly's River, alf a mile in width in 3n, and others Ibrtile, 3 are also some fine r a youDff growth of r proved the existence belts of that limber, ,'os of fire, are stili 54 100 See Apj.cndi.>{ I'acitic Uiiilway IJoport. 1879. 51 10 1 0' h'i'cffe £x]ilorafion, 1879. Mr. Clarke passed through a small portion of the soiitli-ou.storn part of tiiis section on his way from Frog Portage to Cumberland llous'o. Just before entering this section Mr, Clarke passed out of the granite •iiid entered at once upon Si.uri,ui limestone, which rises on all sides into fiitls 30 feet high ; these are deeply pitted on the face. The bod of .Stur.'eon Uivor is one solid ma.ss of limestone. The country on each side of the river is low and liil. I'rom this point to Cumberland House the country is nearly all swamo At Cumberland House there is a farm of 8 to 10 acres, which produces l'oo 1 crops ol various kinds. The soil consists of sandy loam and in places stiff ciiv It IS the only piece of good land in the neighborhood. * See also Puc. By. J{,p., 1879. 51 102 O'Kieffe Exploration, 1879. Mr. Clarke passed through the northeastern corner of this section on hi.s way from Frog Portage to Cumberland House. The north-wCst portion of this section consists chiefly of granite ridges with a scanty growth of aspen and birch, and in the valleys a poor coarse grass. About the centre of Beaver Lake the formation changes from granite or syenite to limestone. In the southwest portion of this section are large marshes, one on each bide of Swampy Eiver, producing hay. Balsam poplar, tamarac and willow are found here. See also Pac. Ity. Rep., 1879. 51 103 O'Kieffe Exploration, 1879. Mr. Clarke reports that " the north portion of this section is chiefly com- posed of sandy ridges, with marshy meadows close to Bear Eiver. The east central portion is sterile, consisting of a thin covering of moss on rock, growing stunted poplar and birch. In the west central portion there is a good deal of marshy meadow, and the south- east portion is of the same character. Alonf the southern border is a tract of fair land." " 51 104 O-Kieffe Exploration, 1879. Mr. Clarke, in his excursion south of Lac La Eonge, exariined the north-east corner of this section. Speaking of the whole section, he sr.ys : "The principal part of this section is occupied with lakes, large and small, and muskegs. In the north-wost portion there are email sections of fair laiid south of Lac La Konge and surrounding Egg Lake. Around the latter lake there is it 170 li m J05 O'Kieffe Exploration, 387!). " The north half of Section ^n-'r^ ''*>*'f ^'''^'° °^ *^' ^^^ ««/« ' sectod with sandy rid Z the att« r^r'"'"'^ •"" '«'"« ""^ '""^kogH. inter birc..andpopIaAnd5:;^HitalHp;uce ■ ^' '"""* '''*'''' ''"^'"'^^ ^•''' ^n'^^ Blopet'rd^rt^lVhSlt'r^r^/'T ^'^ '•^^ M-^-' fountain the spruce and poplar. "'" composed of very good land, and produce ^mall ii 1 06 O'Kieffe Exploration, 1879. 54 107 O'Kie^e Exptoratim, 18711. to Isfo Lr'Sotfru" '""" ^'""°"^ ^'''^ ^-^->^ this section, on his way vial iS in"piatnS::;"At «--' of good ailu- is sandy and sterile. We river bank««-»^V"'"'!,^* '^'''''' ^'^'^^nc^ t^o la,.l Thescuthorn portioralmift r.l„ t .^° ' ^"""^^^ ^'^^ «P'-"ce. suited for .gricultuP,alpurp^^^^^^^^ Sberln^.K" g«"«'-«"y good land and well tion is of very fair .uJtyf Sisti^n'gt?-?.?^: ^^ptSTan^a^lL '^ ''' '^ Soo also Pao. %. i?,^., 1873, lumaiac. lOo /;6er^s Exploration, lBV^. thissei'iiJn'l-'"''''""^ ^''^^""^^ westerly through the southern portion of mile, where a dT>lightfuTchanie tTZ^ ™'''' '" *'''' '«''"°« "P to the 130lh U. a heautiful roH^g ;^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^ o„ 171 > plttoon bttliam. Th,. Ila or mountainH ami a •>*urn part of thin hoc- I tamarac," outhern portion of lit, leaving it to the ion up to the 130th )m the muskegs on small poplar. To the south, as far as could bo ReoD, the country appoareii tho same T.v the north, from four to hIx miles, tlio dark lino of tho forest is soon. Tho lun(i through th.H m very good, black and sandy loamit, and in tho Iwttoms alluvium. Ihe Hurfaco is covered with most luxuriant grasses and votchos, oftoiititni's HO matted and tangled that it was only by the greatest exertion one could m^U through them. ' This imrt has good drainage. Numerous rapid stroarns, from 10 to -id foot wide, with stony bottoms, wore crossed, and judging from tho purity of tho water, wore, ovidontly, outlets of lakes lying to the south; those all (lowed north towards tho Uoavor IJivor." 51 109 Merts E.rploration, 1879. Travelling along tho southern boundary of this section to abo' c Ion KD' 80 , thence struck north-we.torly : — "In tho south-east corner of this section passed throug'i a fine roiliri.r country, sandy loam on tho ridges and black loam in tho bottoms; grass and pea vino very abundant. From tho centre of tho southern part, and running northward towards tho Boavor I{ivor, is a range of high hills, principally of kiandy soil mixed with gravel and boulders on the ridges. In tho bottom were meadows producing luxuriant grasses; on tho hills, where lately burnt over, vetches and firoweed wore very heavy, tho inner tibro of the latter, when gathered in tho proper season, makes a very strong rono similar in appearance and equal to hemp." o i > Many large fishing lakes occur among those hills, around which tho Indians have their vegetable gardens. . Tjio timber is principally poplar and epruco. Travelling to the western Bide of this section tho soil becomes poorer, grass thin and sickly-looking. Seo also Appendix Pac. Ru. Hep., 1879. ii ^"^0 Eberta Exploration, \%n9. Entered this section at about lat. 54° 13', travelling north-westerly t-i Bea^ or Uiver, thence south-westerly : ~ "For 10 miles tho land isof questionable value, principally sand ; grass very light and small ; muskegs more frequent. Lakes are numerous and well stocked with fish. Timber, in places, large, of balsam, poplar, spruce and, on tho bor- ders of swamps, tamarac. Thence, having passed the hills, entered on a level prairie, tho country improving in richness of soil and pasturage. Struck a cart road at 133rd mile, and in five miles reached the crossing of Beaver Kivor, which is hero 130 foot wide, flowing from west to east through the centre of this section in a valley 1,500 feet wide and 100 feet below the general level of tho prairio. Cold and Goose Lakes, the headquarters of the Chipwevan Indians, lie to tho north. _ At 5;48th mile reached Moose Creek, in a valley about 1,500 foot wide and. 75 feet deep. With the exception of three narrow belts of sand, timbered with Banksian pine, the soil is good and vegetation rank. Thence travelling south- westerly to Moose Lake and along its eastern shores, passed some fine potatoo gardens (frost of 19th August had nipped the loaves of some but did no harm) Ihonce rounding the southern end of tho lake, rose on to a plateau (by aneroid 1,690 feet above sea level), tho highest ground yet found. In the southern part of this section, through and along the Moose Hills, the soil IS principally sand, supporting a fair growth of bunch grass, unfit for cultivation, though a very desirable summer range for cattle." Sec also Appendix, Pacific Eailwuy Jieport, 1879. 17:; Ill 51 112 Ebcrta Exploration, 1S70 •lonhorn portion. ^'* ^'*-'"'' ""^ «ubsoquontly explored ila! a-Ki i^c^; S'o'iS^jt'dS^^t iSo ^?;u oasr ''"' ^r^^'^- ^'^°« ^^^ -^^^ ».ea.Uif„| stretch of countiy t^ o ci -iH r^ • "^ \"'' f,"''*^^^ °^'«'' •''"othe'- rnilo. TI.0 soil was rich aL wa m and wl . t"",^ f, ^^^ ^^''''^' ^'''^'^ 291. »br six miles over a sandv • d^e Zl^^^A '^"^ '^t^P'f ^ fo>- ^^ettlement. Thonc to Gull Lak-e. l<>om t hiJ^to LUtlnr '" p- ^''"'^'^i'^" P'^e and small po, l^ ' ridKosofblael^^ Thnv hommo, whoso crops of barlev wh«nf oLh f S'^iated the farm of Mr. Prud- i'rost or. the 27th Jul3^ wh le {he crom on ^'^ i "'^ u""" ""^''-^'^ destroyed by Avoro uninjured. At Lac lS Bi^he -fL n f '^^,^° «h°'-«. 12 miles to the north from Carloton. On the Lufh shoii" n-^- '"° ' ^^^.P"'* ''« «''"''^t«d 320 mi£ BomanCatl.olicMissionTndfineo't p"^ ''^ successfully at le part of August. ToCo has al?o hZ ^''J*'." """^ harvested in the latt r« thickly t1n,bered wUh s^ and^^^ ^^ "-'^'^ ^^^^^ wptotho crossing of Owl River thnTfi • "'"' ^^^ "i^'cs north of the lake . ngriculturo, bein| very broken aJd hL'" f^t^' ^"' ""* ^^'' ^'^^Pt^'i fo' continuing north, passed nothn" but sSnis^^^^^^^^ 'T'"^ ^^' «'^«'-. «"'J on the borders of the lakes. Timber consist of RanT"'''^''-'"'*^ ^^^^ °'")' spruce, the latter covered with moss 'Tr Fh„l . ^T"] .P''^^' ^^'^^'-ac a"d pp8t, on Lac La Biche, north-eaSeH y 25 mSt^ A™"""/ t'^ f'"^'" H"'8tpoor, butaftert^rntymSae^nl^^^^^^^^ *^« ««" »^«i"g with luxuriant grass and% Tine watS bv frr*""! ^°'"^ attractive, !• and occasionally dotted with ^neT • ,^1^ Sequent streams and lakoletn, nartinnln..!,, A.„l ..., .''.."■'' ^„P«° ^«Pse. Approaching Edmonton, and at ich <»!,> fin! \ . . V o.r"" •"' ■^■"'-j^. i/arge neids ot whent had n'.--r-i,- i "^ I" onotield not iar horn Edmonton covering 100 acres.-and'tAetS oT t'he h f 173 settlors were gladdened by an abundant barve.st. Wo caino unexpoctodly on a little chunp of housoH overlooking tho Saskatchovvan, and a little lower down on the river bank wo entered the centre of (he settlement, Fort Edmonton, the most important Hudson Bay Company's post in the North-Wost Territories." McConncll Exploration, 1870. Mr. McConnoll describes thus the vicinityof Athabasca Landing: On cither side of the trail in the vicinity of Athabasca Landing the country was almost all a dense growth of small poplar or muskeg, the soil consisting of dry sand and clay with a slight clothing of black mould. A Half-breed trader informed him that this description of land extended out to Lac la Bicho. See also Appendix, Puc. Rij. Rep., 1879. Soo Appendix, I'ac. Ry. Hop., 1879. See Appendix, I'ac. liy. liop., 1870. Athabasca Landing See Sec. /'j^; also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rep., 1370. |5i WJ Batcson Exploration, 1870. Dr. Davsrson, proceeding south-easterly, traversed this section on his way from Pino Pass to the Athabasca. " The largest tract of poor land is that bordering the valley of the Atha- basca on the north. This rises to un elevation considerably greater than most of the region to the north and west. This region is also very swampy in many places, and for a width of 20 to 25 miles on the trail from Sturgeon Lake to the Athabasca is quite unsuited to agriculture, though in many places capable of yielding good summer grazing where the forest has been completely removed by fires. In the southern part of this section the country is quite elevated, and most of the tributaries of the Smoky River rise at a short distance from the Atha- basca. The tributaries of the latter stream from the north being, with the exception of the Baptiste, quite inconsiderable in this part of its course. The ridges and hills by which this region is occasionally diversified appear in all cases to bo composed either of the generally soft rocks of the cretaceous and tertiary, or of arenaceous clays containing erratics and representing the boulder clays of the glacial period. Those elevations are generally slight, and with exceedingly light and gradual slopes to the scarped banks of the streams conntiiuting much more important inequalities. 54 |ii8 For description of noi'lhorn part of this section, see j"^. See also Appendix, Fac. Ry. Rep., 1870. ; ! 1, 174 53. ICO FROM xn. 100T.r to the IIDt.i MB.rniAN ank bktwekn the 53.o an^. 54t„ PARALLELS Oy LATITUDE. .7o/m Smith, M.D., Exploration, 1879. .nu.sko. over whicl/thirpo? ago'^Lt^'helTea^^'ni'o'; M^^^'^^^ ^'"^' \ the Pus i!is8ion, canoes crnSemi Po , a. Ervl^h:''''''''r"' '^ ™"°-^ ^'^'''l two n.iles in length and placed inanoT T.ll^l^^t^:Zo T T^' "' pogosis at the extreme north-western point ofXwson's Ba":'- ^ ' ^^'""■' See also Appendix, Pac. liy. Rep., 1S79. lOl Dr. Smith Exploration, 1879. a norfh-eSie^iy SctTn"' ''" "^"^"' '" '^'"^ ^'^^'^^^ '^^^ ^a.-ot Eiver, ;„| with'irfla^'baX" "" ■' ""'"" *'" Saskatchewan, is almost 200 feet wide] » 'in See also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879, 53. I02 Da 5m/VA Exploration, 1879. .h. i?;A£i':r„t .Tsix^-rs- ^"-'^ "--' ^"4 .pot .. Th„y have buil. „i„" S.«i'altoa«, an^JStny "Sff »a.er, broke„ only al .-are interval, byCeh., of go'oi d7y ffi." '"""' ""' 8 reported they are densely wooded witl large spruce pophir and tam.rJ The summit IS principally muskegs and small lakes" ^^ i the eastrnrl'r 'of' t'h:'stuor"and' n^m if' •? ^°'l '''''.''' ^'-•' "^ ' enters the " Great Rive J^^' i^'naViSle^^^tL^i^^tlSS^r^ S;! nver banks are alluy.um. and a-e well timbered with elms SDlcrD^nL J «pruco; outside of the river banks the country is marsh!" '"''P'*'^' P''P''"«''"'' See also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. m N THE 53llD AND 54tii passed almost throughl light of 700 foet. "Ii poplar and tamarac, 51 (103 O'Kieffe Exploration, 1879. Ml. O'Kioffe entered this section a little north of the middle on its eastern side on an excursion from Candle Lake. " Down the river for 15 to 20 n-.ilos the land on both sides of the river is good clay, black and sandy loam, clay and sand for subsoil. Land level on both sides of the river, which is about 60 foot wide, and from 2 to 2J- feet deep stony and gravelly bottom; timber, poplar, spruce, birch ami willow." ' McLean and Anderson, his guides, reported that belvvecn tlie Saskatchewan and Sturgeon Rivers there was good land, particularly along the last-named river. A bolt of sandy country extends between the two i Ivors, and on each side the land is good. To the north of Sturgeon River good land 'with marshy meadows and some muskegs, and numerous large lakes is the rule. On the sandy country along the Sask-Uchewan stunted Banksian pine is found hut north the timber is as above. ' Br. Smith Exploration, 1879. Mr. H. B. Smith, in his voyage down Carrot River, ciossod tlio souvhcrn part of tbis section, travelling norih-oasterly. A little west of tho boundary of this section the river is oiilv 4i miles from the Saskatchewan, and an Indian trail crosses tho river at thi * point. Where tho river enters this section the banks are of considorablo hciyht, but decrease much in altitude after the middle of tho section is passed, arnron the eastern side are only about 10 foot. About the middle of the section many groves of fine timber, consisting of spruce, Biuiksian pine, poplar, birch, tamarac and jnaplo, wore seen often over 2^ feet in diameter, but much of the country was « bi ule. A little oast of tho middle of the section the tirst exposure of rock insitu is seen. " An exposure of limestone slate of a vwy soft nature was seen on the south side." As far as seen the land seemed well suited for cultivation, and was covered with a continuous foi-ost of the above-mentioned trees. As tho eastern side of the section, however, was approached the forest became one of aspen poplar of small si/.o, and tho soil light and sandy. In passing through this tract the river hod is greatly encumbered "with very largo boulders of lime- stone, granite and syenite.'" The river constantly increased in width as ho crossed from west to east, and before the rapids were reached averaged eight feet in depth. See also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. the river, excei»ting3B53_ 1 104 OKieffe Exploration, 1879. Mr. O'Kietto passed for a distance of oO miles north through the centre of this section to Candle Luke, and thence north-westward to Great Bittern Lake, 30 miles; on his return from Candle Lake to Prince Albert he passed south- westerly a distance of 32 miles. On the lino from Fort a la Corne to Candle Lake the land varies very much in quality, but about the one-hilf of it is very fair land. "The land on tho eastern hail of this section to about half-way between the Saskatchewan and Sturgeon Rivers is sandy and poor. In tho vicinity of Sturgeon River the laud improves and is good for agricultural purposes." In the northern part of the section, west and east of the head of CandlH Lakftj there is some "ood land also muskeg and some meadow marshes ; numerous large lakes are scattered 123—12 !.( 176 along tl.o western side the north. There 53 105 mune m.o ; plenty of white H.h in the lakes and rimvs tL cii v ! general is gently rolling or almost level. country , Dr. Smith Exploration, 1879. Dr. Smith entered this section about the centre of its floi.il,«i.n i>„ . way from Swan River to Fort a la Corne. southoin boun,|,,| The first 13 miles of this district may be classed as undulatinL' nrairin „ .. «oiI of the r.chest character. It is also well watered bv twriSl mU ri ? the Maple and Carrot Hivers. The Maple Itiver, at the p<>in Tc rorsin, ' ■ feet w„ e and two feet deep, with clay banks 10 foet high. ThrCunri?!;- 1 1 noint of crossing, is 2.5 feet wide and three feet deoi. wTth chrii^^?,! .?!„,''''* Lgh. From point 01 crossing for eight miles low rkh land wit n" ^^'1 lakes until a rkl^e is reacdjed'70 to Ao feet above'h p aiWe evTl l.isrs?r' slhTFo't' ^"'' "'""'" ''''' ""« ''""'^'y '"'' ^^•'^^ 4.4cuuuiarvri:;::xr;i: thes^;h;^:,/pi^?^ii'£^::!,r'"'^''^""^^^^^^ ^'- -°'- ^ The land on both sides of the river is partially open and sli?"^ hes a thick .iratum of coarse gravel and sand. As far as couS be obsJ ve, I ' which alternately show dens^e brules Jd green^tin her Jo s Wtinir"^.^ n^^^^^^^^^^^ spruce and Eanksian pine of 12 inches in di^uneter, uverage 3(1 leot higl. ^' ' See also Appendix, Pac. By. Rep., 1679. O'Kieffe Exploration, 1879. Mr. O'Kieffe travelled in almost every direction thi-n..,,!. +t • describes it generally north of the Sasllildrewm "bV fl ,e'b^^^^^^^^^^ t hes between the above lake and Great Bittern Lake o Tl e n'ortLe ^ "^' ^'"'' ' Along the northern boundary of the section »hrt i... h ; 1 , north ^aru to the top of MontreafMountl .^ee )l) '' ^''"' ^^"*^ "'''"'' About 6 miles north of Prince Albert, a sericr^-Jand hills and rid-resfm. Thk trT.; 'nV"''''.'^''1'^i ^""'"t''^ *'"'«"«'^ ^'"« «"^ti«" into he Zc sfeln much gorxl a«,,on poplar is likewise Been i>anli8m„ p,„c, l,„ 117 no voiy mipofior si);;i,,| tor, poplars of uIh.iu , J rivoM. Tho country li af its soutliorn bound;,, wnndulatini,'praino, wi'lii •y two impoi'dintNtroiitn-J 10 point ot crossing', i,< iJ if,'h. TheCiirrotI{iver,ai| nth clay banky sovon fo:! ch land witb numeioiiJ prairie lovoi, tlii.si.-s saiidvl .griculturul vahioextemlJ :iver from tbe centre i;i| on and slightly undulaJ lioHt poHsiblo character. [ •soil ot' clay. Clum|juofl livs east from tho ss and continues al point I the! )f the rivor bank \vcre| )io c'laj-, beneath whiin ■< could bo observed tiuml fertile and free iim\ ous, its breadth varied )Vir inches. " The banb, Jor consisting of po]iliir,| i-ago 30 loot high." ■ough this section, iiiiti e whole breadth «t thiV poses as far north as nr)rth-wost to Eed Deer | uvtih or swamp wlii lie north-oast, id is good and extends | id hills and ridges from into tho next (see f^\). I .contains many hiii.-.iI is Banksian pine, liut | II the other has a first- lay loam with or witii- I till it passes into wmJ North of the sand ridges are large quantities of very fine timber, consist- ing ot spruce, poplar and tamarac. J'assing still further north, the country gradually becomes better until it assumes a swamjiy character in tho neighbor- hoodof liittern Lake. In tho south-eastern part, north of the riveis aro many pine prairies, interspersed with groves of aspen poplar. ' On tho western margin of tho centre of this section, Mr. O'lviefTo found a small area under crop on the eastern side of Sturgeon Lake, hit 53° 30' Wheat, potatoes and barley \v u-o under cultivation, the former and the latter being (it for harvesting (22nd Aug.) and most promising." Tho potatoes could not bo excelled for size or quality anywhere. Marcus Smith Exploration, 1S79. Mr. Marcus Smith, M.LC.E., travelled eastward from Fort Carlton to Fort i IftCoriio through tho southern portion of this section. " Immediately beyond this tho soil improves, and scattered homesteads appear; at about 30 miles the trail crosses tho lied Doer Creek ; tho soil beyond this increases in richness and the homesteads aro more numerous. Tho main settlement is on a flat nearly opposite Sturgeon liiver. Farm homesteads at intervals, extend down the barks of the north branch of the river to the Forks and there is a settlement on tht south branch, principally halt-bieods. * The soil is a rich, light loam, which produces crops "of wheat ave"ra<'ing 30 bushels to the acre. There aro occasional low, level flats on tho margiirot the river; further inland the land raises fully 2C0 feet above tho level of the river- it is rather lumpy and rough, broken with numerous ponds and lakelets fringed ■with aspen and willows. These high lands cost more labor to get them under cultivation ; but J was informed they produce better crops than tho low flats. On thouncuk.vated lands tho natural croj.s of grass, wild peas and vetches wore so heavy that if we left the trail wo found great difticulty in forcing our way through. About 18 miles above tho Forks tho peninsula is crossed by another sand- bclt about 4 miles wide, covered with jack pine. On the point there are two homesteads on which there were good crops of wheat nearly ripo and good kitchen gardens. From tho Forks down to Fort a la Corno we found tho soil rather sandy in some places near the river, but further back it is fully equal, if not suiicrior, to Prince Albert. On the Roman Creek there several larm homesteads taken up! See aJso Ajppendix, Pacific Railway Report. 1879. I06 O'Kieffe Exploration, 1879. Mr. O'Kioffo travelled through this section in every direction, and describes it generally : — " Tho southern parto' the section is almost all prairie with a fow alkaline marshes in the western corner. Passing north on tho trail to Sandy Lake Mis- sion the land constantly improves, and at the Mission the soil is very rich indeed. On the trail from Carlton to Sturgeon Lake the land is also very good. Tho valleys of Shell and Big rivers are very rich, and tho whole land enclosed between those rivers pai take largely of tho same character. This tract is mixed prairio and forest and is generally level. Sturgeon River, discharging Stony Lake, runs southeasterly through tho northern half of the section. The land throughout its whole course to the Indian Eoservo, on both sides of the rivor, is lirst-class, though there are a few muske"a and swamps scattorcd through it. 123— Hi u 178 iff ' ii^ . i No f.ncr country could be dcsiml than the fiection above described J water i. ,,uro and abundant and the land extromoly rich. Pea vine ?;!. ? grasses, and .n fact, all hc^baceouH piantn were luxuriant b. t tl ^^8^0^ , applies also to burnt diHtrict.. Yo.y fine fish are in all thi rivers and tT Th? i' ,n'l "I ' f. ^^"'^^'^ '?""^' "-'^t.-emely abundant, large and of tine qSu Pho tunber on th.s «ect.on .s not ho good as that either oast or west of it £ many giovcs of hue timber were observed Hcattered throu. h it Jn the north-western part of it the land is very good ' ,u the timber is ml of lar^^e size, being nearly ail second growth as the old timber hadTeei bu down by hre some years ago. The whole section may be classed as level p The land generally in the vicinity of Sandy Lake Mission is^a rich loam ch^i^^l.fl.'^^nMn'H'; ' V-'-'^'^'^SO of gravel, which, indeed, is the p e -a character of land lor many miles. * "^'nnuj «vn/^ ^^^ Mission, saw a small (ield or two of the best spring wheat I hm over seen, which would be fit to harvest in ten days (August 20th)." Eberts Exploration, 1879. T«l,5'';-'^''^'"*^'*'"''r^''"^J'°'''''-'^®^*«''^y from Fort Carlton towards Pelican Lake, passea over the south-western portion of this section •- ],«.wi '""^ 53 to Shell Elver the country is principally prairie, lightly tim- sZl nnV:."'"'. """' T" P'^P'^^' «^«««dingly%ichLd^/ertile,con^siHfnlof sand and clay loams A great many hay meadows and small lakes are m with, several of the latter being slightly alkaline. At Sandy Lake the Indians, under the supervision of Mr. Hinds, Church of England Missionary were cultivating successfully fine fields of graiA and ■ i lZrSf^^^°"- 7^ "V' ^''S^^ ^}f ^'^''> '" the hills, the soifis prfnciia ly sand with a mixture of grave and boulders. Wherever the timber was bS oft the surface was covered with a thick growth of graes and vetches Shell E.ver valley is about two miles wide. It joins the Sturgeon Eivor which empties into the Saskatchewan. ocuigeon Kivtr, a we?k. """ ^*^'' ^''^''^''' ''''''^ ^'" ^"^ "" '^''P^^ ""^ ^* '"'h'^'' h"* disappeared ' The snow-fall during the winter does not exceed two feet; horses winter I out, and when taken up in the spring are in good order. Wintm set^ n ab the 1st JSovember and remains steadily cold until April." See also Appendix, Ptcific Railway Report, 1879. 53 107 O'Kieffe Report, 1879. T o1.5m • 0.'K'5^„f.°te'-ed this section on his way north-westerly from Sandy i Lake Mission to Stinking and Pelican Lakes. J" ^ '/ "The land from the Mission westward to Stinking Lake is gonerallv very good, but somewhat broken by the creek valley, which forms the head of Shell Elver, continuing along Stinking Lake at the north end, we crossed S i^lT' F.^mT/'^r^i^? ^^^t^jde, and discharging the waters of the above lake. From here to Pe ican Lake the land is generally good, wHh a soil On this line there is a good belt of spruce and tamarac Continued our course woofs of ffnfrli,. "°''^ ''^-^ ^I/^'V^**" Lake, through spruce and tamarac woods of fine timber averaging 20 inches in diameter, and from 50 to 60 feet J'S.'^i J,h'5 continued for two and a half miles, then poplar with birch, spruce and tamarac prevailed. - r . 179 n above described. Th* ■ Hob. Pea vine, votoheJ riant, but tliiw statomert ill tbo rivoi-H and iakus o| birgo and of fine quality, r east or woat of it, l)^^ ii'ouiib it. ood ' ,11 tbo timber in not Id timber bad been burnt ^ bo classed as level plaij )0 feet except in the vici- 5 Mission is'a rich loam, ndeed, is the prevailing St spring wheat I hiiva Lugust 2r)th)." IJarlton towards Pelieiin tion : — ally prairie, lightlj tim- md fertile, consisting of id small lakes are mot of Mr. Hinds, Church of I fields of grain and rais- 3, the soil is principally r the timber wasburuti is and vetches, ins the Sturgeon River, hes, but disappeared io wo feet ; horses winter Winter sets in about h-wosterly from .Sandy Lake is generally very brms the head of Shell I end, we crossed Big be waters of the above | ally good, with a soil nerally clay or sail Continued our course I jh spruce and tamarao and from 50 to 60 feet 3lar with birch, spruce I A tine stream fJO feet wide, and four to five feet deep, flows out of (he lake, and runs to tbo north-westward to lieaver River. Extending eastward from Pelican Luke to nearly the oiistoi'n side of this Hci-tion, a tract of very poor sandy land is found. To the north (»f Clear Lake, it extends for six miles, and southward to an undotinod distance." Eberts Exploration, 187!). Mr. Eberts entered this section about latitude 5;j'' 25', ind travelled north- westerly to the north of Whitetish and Pelican lakes to its iiorlh-west angle. " The country between Shell and Big rivers is the "divide " between the Saskatchewan and Beaver Rivers. "At the 58th mile IVom (Jarl Ion, crossed Big River, the outlet ot Slink'ng Lake in this section. Ilising inimeilialely out wn last spring and harvo-ttod successful I j', vogetablo^ are also raised aid, with tho quantities of whito fish to bo found in Iho lakos, tho Indians are ir no fear of starvation. See also Appeniix,\Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. V 180 51 ^^9 J^l'erts' Expbraiion, lfi1<) 53 Soo also Appendix Pac. Ry. Hep., 1879. < 10 See ApiKMulix Pac. l\y. Rep., 1819 5: •iS m See Appon-lix I'ao. %. Rop., 1879. 53 "3 Macoiin Exploration, 1879. much of it covLd ^i^X:::^:;^^'::^^^:^: ''ss'ur' ^"^'^ '"^^ grass marshos wore nuinoious The ^mL^IIIu^' "' '"'''^''' P^n^'s- anh.ea.t V.ou,4 and ^ciL- tt?' •r/^'^^u^^^^^^^^^ ^»«t^''j bluttk to the left, the country pLed ove. Cf at nnn? ^ *'^'"^*« ""^ P^P'^' there wan hardly a largo trie lof Dried Mn.T M ■7'' ''°"" '"'■"'^*' ^"^ "«w etnndini. alone, i; not n,oro than ftoWl'h!r^ ^ ''•.? ''"""''°^' «'"'"«"t* «ido but quite bare on the south iVetm-^nZreo, '::!''' ^""'^ "" ^'^« ""'"' level plain with a gentle .lope towards KoBilJ^r "^ '" * ""'' ''•'''"^'^"' See also ^p^jcncfix, Pac. Ry. Rep., I879. ^acown Exploration, 1879. wond'or^uirtUHyfrt ^^H tla^n'^lT" '' t'T^^' «- --''T of soil throughout is the usuaWrk oum ^fI.^^ ''''r ' '"'*?'' '^"'^ marshes. The Bandy. Willow thickets ad o.Vrcon^Svood^ ''"'' oecasio.udly more ously. The abundance of fresh watorwa^ ^IZliVT''^' "''"°-^' ^«"''"'- was increasing was ovi.lent from the dradtl.Tf.f^-''^'^ ^''"^"'■"' ^"^ *hat tlm the larger ponds. Even Bittern L ike wU'Shas dl H ^' r'T"^' *l^ "^'^''^'"^ ^^ was fresh, and the trees alontr the southern . 1 ? ^f '"''"'' ''^'^ ^^^'^ ''^ke, this lake, iron-stone nodules NyrobTo"vod 1^ "t ' ""^.- °" *''« *"'"'<•" "^ the Hay Lakes was a black loa Hnd Jin,; tn ? '°''u"' '''° "oighborhood of restin. on a elay subsoil mix d w h ^ " t'^Jifr' '^ T^'''' ^''"P' ''^ to farm here. Near the telegraph sat^o ho hfon''"'"' ^""^ commenced two varieties, one of white, 7he othe Jnurrlo f^™.^" '''"'"'' ""^ P°'^t^>«« «f to measure Uh inches in ci Vcumfo 'once ' A f tl' ?"^ '' '^""'P'° "^ '^^ ^«'""'- wheat and oats, were very tine Mr McKornan hT' "';"''^''"^ "^ ''^'■'«^' houso and obtained bad water Ho showoH ^'^ '""'' « ^^«" "ear his indicated that he had sunk int; the cmaceir/r "T^'^''^ of seionite, which Hhould «inkanotheroneclo elV InU on no L ^^ -It was sujr^esto 1 hat he He did so, and obtained excellent wateT ''"""* '" «" ^'''^^" *" the clay. Hue also Appt-wlix, Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. 181 11 Sco Appontlix, Pac. liy. Hc])., 1879. 'i 15 Soo Appendix, Pac. Ry. Uop., 1879. 6 See Appendix, Par. Ry. Rep., 1879. 'I '7 See Appendix, Pae. Ry. Rej)., 1879. 53 18 See Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. t'ROM TIIK lOOni TO llltTIt MEUiDIAN ANU BETWEEN TUK Oli.NU AND .');{R1) I'AHAM.ELS OF LATITUDE. fOO Dr. Sinith Exploration, I8\[l Mr. H. B. Smitli, on his way from Lake Winnipogosis to Fort Polly, passed south-west oily through the westorn portion of thi» section. " On Gravel Point, a low, flat promontory at the head of Dawson Bay, on the eastern side, a French settlor named Larondo has located himself and family, lie reports the soil in his neighborhood whore it is dry as being extremely fertile, but that a groat deal of swamp existed. " The eastern shore of the bay is low and flat, and is densely timbered with poplar and spruce. Wherever a landing was made, much marsh was obsei-ved in the interior." Shoal River, which discharges Swan Lake, is about 200 feet wide, very shallow and full of boulders. Swan Lake is about 14 miles by 5, and extremely shallow and full of islands. " Tho shores of both lake and river aro low and marshy but well tinibored." The soil carried down by tho Swan River from the higher lovels has been deposited at its entrance into the lake, and thus a promontory of nearly 3 miles long has gradually boon formed. From the Indian village to tho "Store," a distance of iS milos, along tho banks of Swan River, is hard, dry land of a samiy nature, timiiored with small poplars and Hpruee. Back from the river the country is very swampy, . See also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rep., 187t>. 51 101 Dr Smith Fxploration, 1879. Dr. Smith traversed the southern border of this section on his way from the telegraph lino to tho second cro^>ing c^'Swan River. it oi tlio country nortli of 52 inclHv. in ,li..-n,.<.er. Thin was "o d~ ' T'T^' '"''"'" l'"l'""-. -'I t.> WoHtward cftho .Jo 4i tl.o h oil Ik I'V,'''''''"" V 1^''"' "'^'"'•• wooded vviti, v.M-y (ino ti nim, ITl • T '*''*"'":""• '""' t''" country heavilr portion o, tho laid w.h w /u ' V !.'? T\ ^'""^'•'',? ^ ^•"'•>' '-'M" 1'- thoi.-sou.<.o..iK IV^rcupino Mountain '' '^ "'""" ""'"^^'"^ ^''i*'' ''^'^ "Around the MM.th.;a:: ondT. S ^ird^^^^ 'I..;o,.Kl.out its whole Ixti .ou„p;aJi;.r;:^:!;^,?ii;^ Soilr^oiiif ° ^'^ ^""^' ^'-^^ >-- '^^ disLict. Lund of Hi r 2; ehainc 1 , l" ''T" "^V"^"^''" i themselves i,. t , Porcupine Mountain. ^'''*'''^'"' to the above is said to extend up to tl. See also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rep., IH79. 102 Dr. Smith Explore Hon, 1879. I this Hect.on and Swan River is very fUh^ land "IT.T" "'° "-'"^'r'" ^^""^'''''^ «< many places very \vot. "^ '"'"^ *'t'' «" excellent soil, butin theoThen''"T?o HvernSje'^^^^^^^ '1 ,'7 "^""? ^'•"'» °"o summit to and 40 feet wide by 4 in depth "''^ ''°'"^- ^^ '« ^«'T «orpontine, by th^ormrr.^;^"A;^3'rViBi:„d:r'or'" "',/' "l'^^- -"^ •^^ ^^^^ ^--ibed tered through it. but the pTevSi f^^r^ctS i/r^'"'" ""'* "".'""'^ "''^ «^'« shaking bog. *^ '""g ''laiactoiiHtic is swamp and muskeg, and the l^nt: tTinV 'tfrntl^a wiJrstSfi^JZ;"'' ""' ""T'T^' '" *^° ^'--ty 0, Westward of TSTm-fh Pf!.- ^'"'f'' P 'P''"'. Hpruco and aiders. ^ Big Vailo/ ci^k many fmalTXoam "w^rl"" "^-'T'" '-'t of this sectiot>, a. was very good. Gonorairheav [v ?^^h 1 ''^r*^' ^"' the land where dry Soil principally light lo^rraL^^wtrfs Ttli^^E'r'- ^^ ^P™! See also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rep. I879. ^ ' '03 -Dr. 5»»YA Exploration, 1879. and^mSu'i'J" •"'•' T^ ^'■°'" Swan River, onfored thi- a...:„„ ,u^,„ ,,.,,. andc.oBsedUd..gona,iyo„hiswaytoFortalaOorne WecUoL!aol:^^^^^^^^^ L.;-^^i^j 188 From till) tiino liw ciiloriMl ilu sui-tiDii iin til lio rouflioil (Ircon Lako nl)ont itM Polly, pasbod across the ceil tro tho lurid is dcsoriluHl lis oxi'codiii^ly rich. Tlio i^'nmtor part had been luti'ly Imriiod ovor, and wms iiow^rowinj^ up witli y<»uiij^ pujilur, u\/m\, craiiliorry uiid rasplioiry but'ioM. Tlio fruit of tiio laltor was fully rip.', very largo doliciouN. (iriiNS and poa vino wore thick and tall, and iii tlio vieinity of ttu' and lakes the foriiicr spread oat into meadows of vani extent. Nuinerou* oulerojis of limesloiio wore noticed in iho sl.roam bods, which will doubtless be of niiicli value in llie fiiliiio. For tivo miles norlh-wosl of Green Lake llio country is very billy and sandy, with many boulders in tho hoil. At the (•ro^siM;,' of lied Deer Uivor, Yellow (Quill's band have located thorn- solves, mid hero for ouo milo east of the river the soil is excellent. North-westward from tho crossing of Uod Door Uiver to llirch Knoll, an isolated bill about 70 feet high, aid about six miles from tho river, the count ly is level, but (I'.iite sandy. Many small tracts covered with Ijluebernofl wore observed bore. Alter crossing Boaver River tho land improved, and much tino land was soon o'xteiiding westward us tar as the eyo could reach. Soo also Appendix, Pac, Ry. Hep., 1879. ii lOif Dr. Smith Expl>mtioti,m^. Dr. Smith passed through the noith-western corner of this section north- westerly, on his way from Swan Uivor to Fort a la Corno. The whole distanco across this section shows excellent land, fit for all agricultural purposes. Tho soil is a rich black loam of great depth, with a clay sub-oil. It may bo considered partially open prairie, as the timber i« scattored in clumps over its surface. Aspen poplar (i to 12 inches in diameter iy frequent. Small lakes are numerous, and a few alkaline ponds were seen. The level of tho country is generally uniform, though in some places broken by long coulees. 104 Marcus Smith Exploration, 1879. Mr. M. Smith passed through tho southern pari of this section, proceed- ing easterly from Humboldt to Fort Pelly. '• Between Humboldt and tho Quill Lakes the country is variable in some^ places, low and swampy where there is much willow brush, but eastward of this point whore tho trail crosses tho telegraph lino there arc several miles of a beautiful park-like country, tho trail wandering in open glades through groves of iispon. Eefoio renching Big Quill Lako we came upon an open alkaline plain extending northward to tho telegraph line; this continuoH eastward nearly to Fishing Lake, and probably also to some coasidorablc di&tauco north of these lakes." See also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Report, 1879. '^5 Marcus Smith Exploration, lfe79. Mr. Smith travelled southerly' through this section on his way from Fort a la Corno to Humboldt. " August Ifith. — Wo travelled southward from Fort a la Corno to Root Eiver and up the banks of the latt i' to its outlet from Water Hon Lako. Here we found several fields of wheat with very heavy crops nearly ripe, and two farm IN I " • ■ 52 14 fiirmM Holo<„.|. «„ | nX ■''«'''''""'' "'" ""•'' ^'"'^ ^"""■'<"- "'"■•0 w '. and ,eacl.o,l the Humn.it . : 41 'wufu'lh-ffl 'lT""'f '"" f^"''" •-«'"" '""'' l.'.plur ur forest of i)opl.,r. ^ "'^^°' '^'"'''> '« '«"*'■'>• "H c.voi'o.l with i hadh^oi'b;;:;;'l;:;;r;i;;\:r.s^^^^^ way throu^^h fortho carls '' '"' ''"^"'*>' «"ffl«iont f„reo to cut , milcH each an.l throe to four milon b „d V7 Uo? rlt t' 1'"'"' '•^'"'^'"»""" 1" arm atui the outlet, I{o„i Rivor is at tZ ,.n.,i '. • • ^ ''"''" "' "" ^''° ""''th tollowcl up tl.o st,-oam w I, h fl, w ; \^ ' 'I '" "^'"" -'^ '^'"^ wi.lo. W« tho ran.roand tlow^t ,.7 . 1 ' th" north arm, it rims to tho Mouth throu.^li'tho p":" vt i'; te'thrjd:'"''^ ofMimtehinass Hill. Thois e and i,.donto,l' with lakoletr"^ ^ "''°' "'"^ ''''*'""" '•«"«''. <="^"'"'l with brush cont.nue« so westward to the bemi c>f tt LTJL'satt^tchi^af'''''''''^' '"""''' Soo also Appendix, Par. Ry, r^^,^ ih79. 106 O'Kieffe Exploration, 1879. land w« not .., ,,„„,, ,,„, i„,p„,v'o;r„t;c;; „""!;'''• ""'"■ """ """ "' Mari'm Smilh Eiplor.ilmi, 1879. -L,:i^:^- KS £,£ ~- f'F- rJ-s;rxr ;; packed. ''"""^"•'' *«™'"g "lounda an<' ion;., io.v lyes, cIoho.^ Between tho Fen v and Fort Pn,.w^„ *u .inco I p„„od i„ l«77,Vnd quit^a v?na° ' ^flH T"'?' "l""""''''' »«'" gon«-.: )j o fivrht loam. ■•'': pi.ie and . ,,, nrinces /S R • "' ^"u""" '"''"'^ ^'''°' ««vorod uoverci^icd this boll." l'""''®^^ P'^^. It is said the grasshoppora have See also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Hep., 1879. a )iin,lii,lopi|, of Hix I'ortt m (o tlio Ih.'iom of tli« llii^ siiiiiiiiur llioro wi'r» ,' ill tioxt Hprini;. n,i;-(oi-Li(tlu(iiiil| J,,i|jp about IlhnilosfVoni the ■ooC llin ^n-oiiii,! ii vuiv " 'loplli, it in o(iiial to I cluinpioC |).)|,|ar and •ly ull covorod with a ^im[)orwhi«rotho wood* iffieiont foico to cut i Pamiuiii ran/ifo till >■, ■ th(Mii-mMl)uiri;,'uiK)UHi) Liiko is on iho north 'lit 20 foot wido. W« it risoH to tho south (it irmssllill. Thouscom lyh, covoiod withbniNh Uatioii JH lumpy and i in ^onoraliy poor and ewaD. rn j)art on his wiiy liccrt, with occasional Near tlio rivor tho I from near tho Moose bort. to the Carlton cr t iiick from tho rivm it !?, i0>V i .'JgCS, ClOHu.^ ral squnttors, sottlod Jlustorod around the Phis firm has under fino field of wheat tho trail to Prince uit, .slifjhtly rolling' Soil, variiiblo, but miloa wido, covorod grasshoppora have 18ft 51 07 Mwoun J'J.rp'oration, 187fl. Mr. Muooim eittort-d tliin xcction about longii ido 107'" 40', travelling north- weity of soil and good shelter in tho valleys. Owii j; to tho variab'o soil, its flora was correspondingly divorsitiod. Tho grasses ol tho forest woro on the hills, while those of tho prairie were in the valleys. \V >od was seen to the right of the course, about three miles otf." Sco also Appendix, Pac. By. Rep., 187P. E 108 Macoun Exploration, 18', 9. Macoun entered this section abiut lat. 52° 18', travelling north-wostorly towards Batt!otbi"d. "The couniry is very much broken with ridges, lakes and ponds, with boulders, as usual, on the hill tops. Soil of tho valleys and slopes very rich and gra>s generally good. Many foi'ost flowers were seen on the prairie. Thonco entering the woods which had been pieviously soon to tho right, passed tor manv mile^ ilirongh groves of poplar and along tho margin of numerous lakelots and hwaiii|is with glades covered with tho finest pasturage. Tho forest land is first-class but much broken and wot. Proceeding, a small percentage of sand entered into tho soil and this increased so much in a few miles that fjio soil changed to a light sandy loam, with considerably less wood. A few miles further to tho norih, through a dry, hilly couniry, and the northern edge of the f i:^le Hills was reached, overlooking a svide valley and plain. On the vorgo of the horizon, three or four white houses could be seen, this was Biilfleford. Approuching Buttlcford, tho land became more and more sandy, until within half a mile of the(rovernor's house, woie sand dunes, covered, however, with grass and trailing juniper, and the hollows filled wilh small poplars and bru>h wood ; to tl;o south of tho hills lay tho usual accompaniment of salt ponds. Descending 200 feet, to tho level of Battleford, wo passed through the stniggiing street end camried at its further end near tho telegraph .station. Biillieford, ;jOth July.— Tlio police farm, situated on tho point of land between Battle Hiver and tho Saskatchewan, is a sandy alluvium and appears to 1)0 very di} and barren, but it certainly has produced good crops this year. Three months ago it was barren prairie, now oats, barley potatoes and turnips are growing luxuriantlj". In the garden, also broken up this spring, are cab- bages, cauliflowers and other vegetables of the finest description. Timothy and clover had lieen sown to form a grass plot, and these wore now in llowor and gave promise of producing abundance of seed. The Governor's farm, situated If6 5S£S~:Sii lis I- sS K-n. „..uly ,ivo ftot hi^h, and with co^^e. lorn i gl - i ^ S ^^IJ V" '^^ i'"l""'t«a to then, in tl.is ro" on t h-^t n^ n '^ ! '^ ''^ 'C'l^^'l^-ablo vital ty I"-""'-' i- tl;o west, l,ut .ho poculial- dima Wl en i^nr'^rl!!':" ''"'l" oft..,inoor.vooc,s';;;[.i,^;^.;K't.:'^;f^^^^ able, wS a E^ZxtS 'of "'";'"^*^ '""'^^ "'^'"- ^''"•^-^' t''--' was van- wcs.oi',, ho ^/'m Th, S' • • '^ ^^^ V"','^ '^'^"''^ «o«" showed all alon.' the apart, l.ut I s ^lova ^rwer 'TLwtT '' ^'''' """^' ""'"-'^ ^ '"''^ three. niiloH wide wi a vo>.n;, i r 'l^'P''.P««>on was a chiy plain about alth..u-hthon-H.H w^/J^I-^T^^ "'"■^"'■'' ^''"'^' ""■'-■'^ «''"«'<«^ '-^"^ dry, Tho i,i.,i„ m^f 1" 1 '? ^ .^^"""^ Houthward a.s a series of roljinir hUls «ll m' ; "i; :' ,o "r^-;; ?"f/ ■"''- '- ^''o north without a busiraSd , a niilo wil ' w . I « ^^'^ eS •• '^''^"'^"^' '"^ ^'^"^ •"'^'^'*^-- -« ^'-^ ^ 5''^- lat. fi^: 5Jr;;:;^£.';';:S!:,S?^ ^^ ^^"-^^^d. -^orod this section about weres 'e abrnts^K m lo^?n H '""'J,'"^ ^T'''. *° t^o south. Bluffs of wood visited. Iloro tlu' vj' iwai-d iruiiciiLivo of dn. for ciiitiviition by moV ling biirloy, .sliDit in j,,. I- wtiuuliiiir thii'lf on the r long oaiH, nearly -i-ine e IS a reiuai'kablo vifuliiy ngor. r am more mii )t' tlio astonisliini,' crohs ,ub- 0111 four or iive inches- of 1 Tlill*, travelling south- rd, at the sovetith mili;, 08 more, camped outside arting, the soil was vaii- I, when it improved to ght miles, utitil a deep , a chain of unconnected usual, saline. Furtliei' ■ampingLalvc, saidtobe agle Ci'eek. Two miles ;h. Three tests of the lack loam with a light boulders on tho knolls llago. Water is good grass is Vilfacuspidata. orealo is liero also, a 3or and wider than the not good, but it soon little mo)'e sand in the showed all along the it waves, nearly a mile was a clay plain about iich cracked and dry, water course, the hil'lii Boiics of rolling hills, without a bush'andis alt plain a quarter of iiona are that a drier erod this section about ly loam soil, and not a )uth. Bluffs of wood f Battle River, and at 0th mile crossed the 10 wood except a few cind of country, koep- tho river, came u])on •i m m ridges running north and south of light sandy loam, and struck tho Sounding- Lake trail in lat. 52°, 40', 51". For the last 2(( miles, boulders have been com- mon, and tho aj)pioaches to all creeks and coulees slony, which indicates that the subsoil is drift, and tiiat water will be abuiulanl and sweet, although there is none on the surface at this season, lltli October. Thence, travelling along the trail easterly tor an hour, reached tho margin of the Kagle Hills, and wound fur some miles througli ;i broken country, at last I'eacbel llittleford." Mr. Wilkins, F.L.S., .Mr. Macoun's assistant, returningf roin the west towards Battlefoid, entered this section about lat. S^*-', 18', journeying northeasterly. The country passed over to the Eagle llills was a level or rolling prairie with no wood, grjiss and water abundant; passed a large boulder 12 loot high by 20 feet in length. For tho first 2.") miles tho soil was a rich clay loam, and subsoil a lightish clay containing quantities of lime. A])proaching thoj Eagle Hills, the soil changed to a sandy loam, the pioportior. of sand increasing as the hills were reached. Ho then descended into the plain, and crossing its belt of sand hills, arrived at Batlleford 12th September, 187(1. Mr. Wilkins subsequently proceeded tJO miles south from Battleford, ex- amined tho country, and fixed tho position of Tramping Lake. He found th© soil to the south of the Eagle Hills an excelUnt clay loam. See also Appendix, Pac. Br. Rep., 1879. E \^ Macoun Exploration, 187f. Mr. Macoun entered this section on latitude 52° 41', travelling eastward. " Crossing three successive ranges of hills through long grass and came ui)on a plateau, travelling over which reached tho head of Manito Lake, and crossing at the west end of the lake a valley containing several ponds of alkaline water entered upon a rich level plain. Manito Lake lies in a great depression, about 300 foot below tho prairie level, extending for many miles to the south-east and was extremely saline at the time (October). Heavy woods bounded it on all sides, except the north, where tho banks are perpendicular and tho country beyond all prairie and poplar copse. Travelling for seven miles eastward over the plain, it was found to be almost a dead level covered with long giass and clumps of jioplar and willow. This was tho first land .seen that showed an cxcessiv c rain-fall during this oxpodilion. Thence passed for 8 miles through a country too broken for agriculture, consisting of small rounded hills or narrow ridges, with all the hollows filled with water. Many green trees on the mar- gins of the ponds stood in water, indicating that tho rain-fiill of this year was much heavier than usual. Thence for six miles over a rather broken country, when it became more level and drier. Near tho lOtHh mile crossed a large valloy containintr a lake, the slope of country hero being to the south. Mr. Wilkins entered this section about Latitude SS'' 12", journeying east- ward. Crossing a largo stream 30 feet wide and nearly three foot deep, in a val oy which was strongly alkaline, and on both sides of' which were sand hills o.x- tending for two miles. The next 25 miles passed over a country of either rolling prairio or rolling hills. Soil, a strong black clay loam, with hero and there boulders on the hills; no woods. Thence turning a little to the north- cast left the hills and continued over rolling prairie, the soil was an excellent clay loam, with country well suited for farming. Abundance of wood was found in a valley towards east side of this section. Mr. Macoun, on his journey from Battleford towards the Hand Hills, entered this section about latitude 52° 10', tr:ivelling south-westerly, passed over an ascending rolling country for 10 miles without water, the soil being a strong clay considerably baked, and the herbage stunted. '•1 tl 188 " Absonco of watoi- was ovviriL' to tlio fhiiraetor of tl, . . > i has taught us that water could novo.- be oxp-cod whore .1.1 , ! ' ''' ^''^"■^'^>' Thcuco leaving the oiay entered upon a « o mid^I n 'c n h '"^;i"">'"^"«l asc.ut to the west, where was abu..danco of wat^. alfi ■^' '^ " "'''''" with the exception of two narrow alSine valioTe ' "'"''*"' "°^'"^^'" '" Soo al.so Appendix, Pac. By. Pep., 1879, •110 Macoun Exploration, 1879, Mr. Macouii entered this section Jntitndo noo on« * ■,. , I to Sounding Lake near the NeutraTHil?« ' ^''^"^'''"g "O^t^-e isteril e.peciall,totheeLtofNo":JS^\.£>,:;^ r^t^— 1^™^^ trc 01 the poor Htretch, and is about 12 feet wide and two feet 10^ Pr- i' '" on, met with occasional tracts of very good soil and in rhr^nt . t ' ™«^'J'"J <.ut of the woods, and entered on a ^^^dTp,a S'w"u,out a I nsl !vh •?''"' '•"^^' for ten miles, when the line of woods of ll e i^e^.h';! imi ' '^^f«'\CO»t>niH latter j.ortion the soil improved b sand Htt'"""f T"''''^^ '''"4 i.s tit for tillage. Mr. Maco , dit mcred fh-.f f P'f ?'"""' '^'' >'"' "^''^' '' '^^ this region tLgo^.d iandZ;th;^'::!tho;;f ^s :^!:z ^!^t:^n ;:?g?.S"'S:ii;i;;;,;:^relS!i;^^,^;s^S E=-\[-;;;iL^re&sr'i;^ Ambush Creek, tlowin.' into Man i to T K . P-'''^'""g 'i creek supposed to be £,r- -'-'' ^-- - w ^ii^.nr:hrab,;;d:l^:'i;;sr ance^;::^2g:L;^r::;5^^^rj£^i^;K^^^ -^u. with ah... oast and west. The country'improve< , d L S.^; , \ ?£! Il^^ '"T"'"^' ' wiwof lair quality, with soil generally of sandv^Kv '\ r \tT ^'''''''^^ °\"' high ridge in which we.-o four coulees^ wLicCunit 1 „ ah ut f n?h",o T'"'"' " seemed to lorm a c..ek flowing to the north.;es; proJ.;S;'^'£v^^^ fciS ' ;:^^rberTu;;irsr'^?'j-vr^^ mer. The exact Latitude wa. found to be 52^ 47' M'' " ^''"'^ '"'"■ Mr. W.lkins entered this section south of the '• Nose " in about 'i-^^ 0' .,,,1 pnnc. pally clay or clay loam. Along the north shore of th« 1-, ! 1 ^ ? .. .andy, extending ab^ut six miles tf the ei wZlli' . f^iJ^d.'J^J'r^ .«metwuh. The wood ceases as soon as th. sand iVfefl Suth of iL'[S: 189 of travel ii sor'uM of hills wcio soon, which woro doubtlobs a coiiliuuation of those crojhcd over bcdoro reaching Sounding Lako. Seo alKO Appendix, Pac. By. Sep., 1879. )', travelling south-e is(ei,v| ntained a hirgo perc mt she.sand htkcH wore pa.v |nl Macoun E.rplorotion, 1879. Mr. Macoun entered this Kcction aliont latitude 52^ 5tr, proccclin" in a south-easterly direction toward the Neutral HilJH. The M)il is a black claj' loam. A continuous poplar forest stretches along the northern horizon, but wood is scarce on the route travelled. Hitherto the dry beds of creeks scorned to indicate the flow of water to bo to tlie south, but now the signs of the discharge of water to the north-oast became apparent! At aliout the tenth mile after entering this section, a lai'ge lake was seen in the distance to the north. The land is of tii'st-class quality, but owing to the level character of the country, water is scarce. Continuing on, cros.sed the Victoria trail, and then at about midway across the .section, struck a small brook in a deep valley dischai'ging its waters to the north This was the first I'unning water seen since leavii.g Hay Lakes, a distance of over b'O miles. The country continued tho same until a high hill (Observation IHll of Palliser), Latitude 52° 3G' 20", was reached. Ilenco to Battle River it is very much broken with hills, swamps and lakes, tho latter being all fresh, except one clo.se to the river. Several fine blutfs of wood wore soon during tho last few miles. Battle Kiver at the i)oint ciosscd, flows through a valley about three miles wide and 300 feel deep, within which wasquite a large lake, together with others of sniallersize. The river meanders through a somewhat narrow sub-valley, between alluvial banks about ten feet high, and which are ovidenllj- overflowed in the spring. Tho river here is -tO yards wide and less than two foot deej), with a gentle current. There was some good timber still in the valley, princi])ally balsam poplar. It may be stated generally that all the country soon between Hay Lakes and Buttle Eivor is fit for agriculture. Continui"ng the course, and as- cending out of tho vallej', several fine blufts of ])oplar wore passed, and tho land showed a decided tendency to become sandy, but fully one-half being, at present, covered .vith forest, it bears a rich growth of grass and herbaceous plants of various species. About four miles east of Battle JJiver, and for a distance of throe to lour miles, tho country became more picturesque, beiug studded with poplar copso wood, bare rounded hills, grassy slopes and small lakoleis of pure water, in and around which sported numerous flocks ofducks aud geese, giving animation to this beautiful panorama. This land, though light sandy loan?, was fairly good. A valley of blown sand, with a skirting ot poplar woods, was then entered, and tho land became poor and sandy. Mr. Wilkins entered this section about Latitiido 52" 18, travelling easterly towards tho Neutral Hills. I^r about 15 miles strong clay, intermixed at times with consideiable quantities of gravel, was the prevailing soil, grass and water abundant and good. In conlees leading into IJeaver Dam Creek asoam of coal nearlv 4 foot thick was found. Latitude h'l" 15' 42', resting on the usual saudstono.'ana overlaid with tho drift, as Mr. Macoun tound tho coal south ul J{ed Deer Kiver. Tho valley of Beaver Dam Creek is al)0ut (100 foot broad and 125 feel doeji, 'contain ing a large quantity of spruce and poplar. To tho cast of this creek crossed a iiigh ridge, running duo north and south, iiresenting many outcrops of sandstone aud lignite. Houce to Iho "Noso," a distance of about 24 miles, tho country, which was very much cut up with coulees running north and south, was poor and gravelly, with alkaline swamps, inferior partuic, and no water. The "Nose" Hill, about moridiun lli"-, wa,. found to bo about 350 foot high, quite stoop, and covered with abundance of 190 ,11 poplar. I- mm its top tlu- Ilan,! Uills ^vo.•o visil.Io (<, tho s„ull.-wosl T,, ,i noril. nmi ca.t tl.o c.untry w;h l.n.kon. I.nt murl, of it xv;.m .•.n-cio,l will, I i Kxcollont water was i\,uw\ i„ all tluMTcdcH. I. iiiti. lo ofho " V.^o ' ^'° »o -;*!' 8cc al.so Appendix, J'cu;. Ry. Jtep., 18^9. - • i^, -i- UJ a. 112 Macoun Exploration, 1871*. Air. Ma...u<. in his journoy to Hny Lakes, vinito.! Abralirm Sohvyn , fornuM' <'apiam of Ilall-Hmvl liuntorH, who has sottlod on the hanlvs of iVi'ti l{ivor, in the north-wost corner of tius section. Sclwyn had a tow licMs „n ill cultivation on the prairie, 200 foot above the river. The whole coMiitrv •it Crossin- IS wel situate.! tor Kettlemenl, being less encuml)eio.l with vv.,.)d' \]1 a few miles back Irom the river. '" fV. M ''V'^'i n"n '""T'' ""': ^«'li'-'n pi7)ceo.lin« in south-easterly direction to the Neutral Hills, and passed fhi'ough tho north-((astorn corner " Diirin.r ,i greater part ot tho day we could see tho wooded hills beyond iJattle Hiver ,'" they laded away towards evening. Wator is very scarce now, but in' n' spring it IS quite abundant, as there aro a considerable number of hiy m ,,. i scattered over tho country. Scarcely any growing wood passe 1 to-dav ail the clumps being killed by tire w.thiu a year or two; no sandy soil seen to'.l'i ■ and very low stones. •-" x-m, For eight miles after starting wo travollod over a level plain haviiiir nVh soil, but almost wholly without wood at present owing (o coiislint fims Wo now passed onto more elevated ground, and tor tivo miles our course loJ over a lovely plain studdod with popular copse and willow thicket • no'irh • i this wood was alivo, though quite small. A descent of nearly loo'foot'bron,, us into a valley whore there was a large grove of biilsam poplar. Jjovoml Tl valley tho soil changed and became a lightsandy loam, which very soon chai,.' ' into the usual black clay loam. A continuous poplar forest keens alon^/n northern horizon, but wood is scarce where we are travelling " " Mr. Wilkins entered thissection about its centre on his way from the Tr,ni Hills to Tail Creok, proceeding north-wosterly. ^ tho Hani " The torost lino was entered aboivt Lat. 52°, and from thence uii to T'lil Creok, over one-third ot tho land was covered with wood. Number^, of th trees were over a foot in diameter, and everything indicated a ti ,o countrv The soil generally wasa rich black loam with aclay or sanly subsoil surl'icoNnii ranging Irom loto 24 inches in depth, and found everywhero around TmiI rw and FJull Luke. Birch, Elm, Maple {Ne.gundo aceroides), Cottonwood (PonT mondefera), J3alm of (iiload {Populus balmmifera) and spruce of rierv ht size and in considerable quantity wore found in the valley of Ked Beer Rivm. which here ran in a valley 225 foot in depth and about half a mile wide 1' number oi scams of very fair lignite were seen and specimens procured ' iurnuig eastward at Tail Creek Mr. Wilkins passed through tho eentro of the southern half of this section on bis way to "The Nose." -^omuo oi .... Turning eastward he found tho same black loam extending fo tho vicinifv of Sullivan s Lake, a fine shoot of wator about 20 miles Ion " " East of th a strong clay was the prevailing soil, water and grass were abundant and cmo,! mterinixod with tho clay there was at times considerable gravel, which mad., if more friable and easier worked. 'v-u maut it See also Appendix Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. 51 J 13 Macoun Exploration, \9,Vi. Mr. Macoun entered f hi. .oction at its soiUh-wcst coruei and travelled north-westerly to its north-east angle. na\eika 'j4 >• 101 tlic s(,ii(|,.wesl. Toiliel f wns covoi'oil with \vo.),| if'-hu "N().so,"5.i°0!r5:''' 0(i Abralir.in Solvvyn, a oil tli(( Itanlvs of jj.it'd^, ri liad ii fow iic|,|,s im^lp,. 'ho whole c'oiiiidy tn tin- imlxiiod with wuini tlnn ilh-(;a,stcrly direction to ti (U)riici-. " During (1,^ )cyond lialtlo iiivcr, bu; cai'oo now, hut in tliD niiinherof ii:iy marshcM ivootl pa>)!io 1 to-day, all !) Mtindy soil mooii today, )vel plain having rich to constant fires. five miles our course loil r>w thicket; nearly al| nearly 100 feet brought rn poplar, iioyondllio iiich very soon'chani,'('.| arost keoj)s alon;^ our 3lling." hi.s vvay from the Ilanl Vom thence up to Tail ood. Numherft of the ieatod ii ti 10 country, n.ly subsoil, HurfacoNoil iiero around Tail Ci'eek Cottonwood (Popidus jruco of a very lar a light coloroJ, mailv clav on .S'" " ''i"'*" '^"■•* °*,.*'''' ^"-'"^ meridian houLlorn wo-o numerous fl)r abn„ .,r.wl -V i"'"'^' '""'"'•'• ""'■*? ''"^ '"^"^ ^^° «"'^^'^'' '""^ found it as above. Tested will Tl.oS.frt'r'r'?"" "^'^ ^'^'''^ !'"-«'° l.orcontago of carbonate of ^r ,.1 , f ^'"il'ff.on tho tract passed over by mo is of very little value, but -Ci t^r£ i;"",h" '"^' l^^'^P^r ^^•"' ^' found in the hills/ Other explo.^t"; avelled the northern and eastern portion of this section, speak li.rhlvo? n ber, and of .ts being in considerable quantity. Spruce' is' also .md^in wTl '!?:* H 7'""«': °*. 't. but much tine spruce is sure to be f .and on the h waters of tho Assin.boine, and can be floated down to any poit.t Good water seems to prevail thioughout tho whole region, althouirh tbei, e few runningstreams, and those ,iui(o small. Leach Lake being S\, may contain hsh. As there is abundance of timber in th'vt Miction ,m wate, a large settlement will spring up there In a i;!. or two! '' '"^ ^"^ n.Hl n, >"T "^'"/-^^^.^ SO frequently spoken of, are abundant in this section and average from the size of a flower plot up to a number of acres.'' ' See iiiso Appendix, Pac. U\j. Rep., 1879. 5L 105 Marrnm Exploration, 1871). Hnn.lfr'r^i"™.'?"'^ ^'? "°'"^^ '".'^ "^^'^'t Mountain Lake and thence travollin. th., ^J.^^tf uTT\t' m''''^ ''""'i" ^ doprossion that had a gentle descent from tho east at least 10 miles; on tho west side the land seemed to slope upward U the west as gently as it did in the east. Tho plants about the fakeCo a saline character, and the water slighUy brackish " th« ."/^•''"'''"^ of/?;'^ measuring 7f inches across the ejes and 9i inches from ?ake ami at" ° h'^ """'^ ^'Z*^' '"^?^ '^' '^'''' ^''' ^«"»d ^' f ast Moui S -Lake and at the same place pelicans, geese, ducks water-hens in,i numerous beautiul waders make th'eir ho^e^ Aftoi Sef J'lview of t e at Th'I,.r„ "'"^'"T ?^ the Qu'Appelle Indians. I have come to the conclun hat there are more fish and fowl around or in this lake than would suZ ituT ISut rt- p' '•' ' ^"^'' '!.''f,"' '^t' ?"'^««"'^ ^^y Co.'s servants E;; little about It. Passing around the head of Long Lake from the east Mr. acoun writes : " Here we found a creek a few yafds wide wiUi a shiS ?o;i^h'er'o;r?r;7H'i^*^"v ^r^''^'' '"''^ fro^mtheS:; kweS™ H««^ In? ^'^^''"f '•;5°''^"i character. This creek had a gentle current of dear water, Avas nearly three feet in depth and about eighteen wide AM wier was seen a short distance above our crossi-ig, showinj that the fish fan rcr.eTsttrtE th^e-o^ti'e?-™"^ ''--' --^'^ --'' b- tlTifeSnrS believe the land on this stream will be found of unqufstionable" alue as h water m the creek was quite pure. It is quite possible that further exploa- ^.o^'Mi'^'r r'l'?r 1*^,^' ^^^'^t'^ «"« ""^^^^ ^^'^ containing fi8bT Maoo„n^.!J^;hn 1 ^® }^^^ to where he crossed the 106th meridian. Mr. Macoun describes the country as being rather rough, with ..nod =-;i 4 .u hills aud the depressions more or less alkaline and marshy, with very "leng and thick grass as far west as Little Arm Creek veiy i»n^ anu ght coIoroJ, miiily eiav I gonomlly gneiss cov eiea wc"o nil morons fi)r abmr was hodii tou stony fur it as above. Tested witl, ago of carbonate of linie, ory little value, biitgoi-i Is. Other explorers whi. tion, spoak highly ol'itj I'uuo is also found in the I to 1)0 f.und on the hem any point. region, although there Luke being fresh wiUor, 1 that section, and gool 'or two. bundant in this section, )or of acres." ko and thence traveliinir half of this section, Mr! a gentle descent from semed to slope upwards ts about the lake are of_ yes and 9J inches from found at Last Mountain ucks, water-hens and a careful review of the I come to the conclusion ke than would support ay Co.'s servants know Lake from the east, Is wide, with a sluggiiih .he first creek we came had a gentle current of pighteen wide. A fish ing that the fish ran up eek, but this contained hich certainly contains cs Wolverine Creek. 1 stionable value, as the that further explors- •e containing fish." le 106th meridian, Mr. with STOod soil on the ly, with very l»og and 195 Marcus Smith Exploration, 1879. Mr. Marcus Smith, proceodiiig north-wostvriy from Qu'Appellc Lakes tolho Moo! the houlhwest. The country became loss broken but still rolling, and at .'iO miles we entered on a bare prairie, not a bush to bo seen as iai' as the eye could reach. Wo wercv nearly abreast of the west end of the Touchwood Hills, and entering on that dreary alkaline plain which is almo-it a desert, the soil only yielding a scant pasturage. This dreary plain extends from the Touchw<).)d Hills westward nearly C) tho South Sur,Uatcliewan, southward to Long Lake and the range of hills which stretch from the head of it to the South Saskatchewan, northward beyond the telegraph lino and beyond Quill Lakes. " Sos also Appendix Pac. liy. Rep., 187!). 11 106 Marcus S.nith Exploration, 1879. Mr. Marcus Smith, travelling north-wosterly from (iu'Appollo Lakes totho Moose Woods, crossed the northeastern corner of this section. " The range of hills between the bead of Long Lake and tho Saskatchewan is broken up^into detached ^, roups, rising abruptly 200 to .500 feet above tho level of the plains; they are entirely bare, tho smallest bush not to be seen, but there are numerous ponds and la' "'" '"'^hty 8aHkHt<.he;;;; phtco m this aii.i ,ogi„n. Thi. river al ,i . ^ ' '''•''■"""^' "'t')«cther out the main chun„oi over whid ,,.,,,. 1' 'T'"'^' ""''" '^" ^''^"'■^ ^'^J". i' 'lothino. to indirato that thorivor at tl 7 ' '"' "«''''^"""il inlands, (,„ " Why the sou, h l.ranH. ':.":.; 1 iT'-mlir"'"' '"■ "'"'^''' '■""•" undorstaii,]. Mr. JlJn.i, who jmsso.l .jou- ^ ' / ' ""^''^.'^l'**". I fiinii ^ts .lo,„h as hc.in. loss 'than Evc^ a ' h f lol /'f/.N ' , '' '' ""^--I>-k.o more than three miles an hour ovc.M.t v '""^ ""i the eurront as ncvc I'^HIiscr, who crossed th^Hv;' a mm ' ' T" '." "'^' ^'*'^" J^™"^"!'. 1H:.7. stales tha, the water in 1. ' f "' -'^'-vo mo .-, .'8.h Septem,,. wa-irdahlc bolo^v t!. about sixty tnilos ahovo that poin L ;;',,';'' '.j ^>!^>22,.Un\y, m i'on, hvo to ei,i,^ht foot .ieop. Wiu«. at I o I I I , , r- >'''^ •^'"''^■^ ^^"'"' "'" a l;nu„.h oftho South Sas/catehowan 27 A '^ V:V;r''['''?' ''^? ^''^ '^'"^^ withtho utmost dithoulty that hn.^oH nj ' *' '"!'' ^ ^°""'' that it w;h person over mentions a tapid hein^. ZwU^l i the' H '""', T""^'"^- >' 1 have eomo to tho eonelu' ion that theJo nn . in ^^ °'" ^"''*^ ''''■•^' •■^" f'^' ^vantel fo,. „,o son.h.we.t hoin,. s ' ?„ ^; .''s' J, ' '?r"V''' '"'" "'''l'''^'' ahnnaant ,n tho river hanlcs nt tlTo Mlaek l.ol V,> •^•'■*l«^ that thi8 region is arid and unpi^Tuctive ""^ '^"P'""^^ ^'^^ impresaioa See also Appendix Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. porlaiico to aNcorliiin •oIIikI IkicIc 15 mil miles Ti. 'irooCil.oQu'Apprllo, inilo and a lialf (Vom d, Hiomif,'htySaHl< 77U yards wido, a^,, » vva.s tiot losM tliiin 50 oticasioiial islainN, |,j "ilod for navi^'ii iofi," '"'■ naviiration, I cilnn |f^^ lHr>^, novorspoabo "i llio etiiTontas novei lio Norta Branc-h. on)o,..'i .'Hth Hoptornhnr ol, v/htco thoy |,j,st thoir I'oin;,' fordablo bolow ti,j H i-aft, 2Jnd July, 185') v'UH 250yard,s wide, anJ •"■''•■-ingofthoBow Hmr I7!', r found that it win itliout Kwimminir. >;,, •ivof bolow thi.s, .so tlia- I'i'ovont iiij tho snpiilio. ■Siisifatehevvan. 0„al U md^ Cartlioi- oustwani, so 'Should an attempt b uttnr watoi- for a lonirei Its head waters drain a itcs : '< We i-enchod the "I'i hills and poor soil Id ahuad of us. Wliiie ' tvvohigli hills of pure Morth-wost of iho hilk il».i. .no.Mi,,„, .„„ :,„,?„;.";;t"r,,:,„',:;: ,;:™:t,.i,,!,'1';:;.'''" • ""■ • «eo also Appendix, Pa<\ liy. n,.p., isTJ. 109 Maroun Exploration, 1879. ^■■■.'"'=s,;;i:i'i;:»rt^,ir'^« -- "™"" •"• .^ with plenty of .rooil miiHs iin Vtmn^r day ,ii| ,| ;;i;:.=ip=ii;:r-r3.^''£H^^^ medhaely ane.. ntartin., a'nd Haw H^no Kw J^ ' '^"'"'■^" ^'"""^ '""-">• cred< flowing, in,,, IJ.d l»eL- 1 ver' T 1. v II "'"''°' l'"»'"^'^^ 'I'o i'oad of a level ,.!• tin, MMid hilKs t .o.e 111; firmLV ^^i "^"^ '*'';"" ^"" ''''"^ ^"^'"^ "'" generally. The sa d 'h « L-e ab(fut S^ "' ^ •' '"^ "'" "^■^'' "'" ^^o platoaa many p.loln of M„od wa e Afte? e- Sn..^ "" T'l'l ^r'" "'"5 ""leg-'aHBlmt the uo:hLHdian:wi;sirwi;ki.;^:..:::z:;;c;i s;:'5;^l^^ See also Appendir, Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. 51 110 Macoun Exploration, 1879. " Au.nist atl, «fo..VV ""'".^'^'^"^ ^o west, describes tiie country bh follows-- loam." .. No^ enter on an alSin, Xin wd t ,Z .ft "* °^''«"'"'"'I»J thro„,h a broken counliy »ith n ,MraM,ali„„ ,l,„l , "7'"''" ""'' '"""S AiKTu-tfith 1" hr-- af^-.. I ,- -y' '=''*'^tin>f fromaboilUhftmflridmn .-noWera^ei^i:\S^:.rr.!rr4rzt't°ur.\»r^^^ lire IiumIs wjif, oxcollo:)! ic'l lliiM Ibi'onooii ovdiii out ;,'nix.s iui(i nnriuToii. iK'li I he HiniK.. (!iitii|,„| Dim ,11(0, \>)\ rnilos. 'iinci to bo '2M lm,[ ,|„,,„ ,'. IJolli wiiloi' mill Moil si of thi.t collide, to the iiliovo " west ncross the hoiuIi ■ Lilt. 51° 2.V, a vallov, Dil, Htron^r (,|,iy „ii ,1,,^ uleo moiitionod abovo, and cnlort'd on rollim,' », rich bliK'k loam with ' iTiiios. Tbotico travel- I from hilly to ridgw, lid tho usual clay m(h|' toppod ti)r dinner iila tered tiiOHand hillMim- It tho oi^'bth of a mile >ublloHH, iho iioad of a nil 21)0 feot bolow the 10 lovol of tho plateau taininif little grasH but tho land waw of the continued tho Hamo to Lat, 51° 18'." liH section about tlio c'ountiy as fbllowH :- 11,' hills until II a.m., hills is excel lontcliij ernoon wore pasnlng nd sweet water ponds, les. iountryaro similar tfl of the country, it is jrain." nd travollinf,' south- m about the meridian •an^To of hills and savT h an abrupt escarp- 199 merit on its eastern face. Tlieso ranRos wore both sandy and pontainwl u littio biushwood. When we roacliod tii.' top of tho next laiiKo wo found many stoo|) couloos branching (ilV ill ari.ms dircclioiis. Availinf^ourselvos onho-.o, wo extri- cated ourselves In. in tlu. bills with much difficulty and crosscl to thoir western Hide, whore wo found a valley of Kroul bro'.idlh oxtondini; south oust and north- woht ; a crock soomod to flow along its western si.io, as " cut banks wore seeti in that diioctioii." /.,. i-n " Al'lor dinner wo kept up tho vnllov, and passed over a spurot theliillson tho left, and then doscendod into tho v<.llcy again, close to the creek. Where wo crossed, it was seven fool wide with six inches of flowing water. Tho viilloy was very dry on tho north side and numerous small cactus grow in it. I wo miles beyond the crook wo ciimpe I, Imt wero chagrined h> find that within two miles of us to the west we would have to cross again." " August 7th Crossed tho creek this morning with little difficulty. All the morni'ii" wo wore going up ridge over ridgo under an intensely hot sun surrounded by thousands of ' bulMogs.' Flios so ba.il at noon that tho horsoH could not oat. " During tho afternoon wo crossed a rolling country wliero there wore numbers of salt lakes ill the hollows, with excellent water in tho more elevated ones. Land to-day passed over good for littio except pasture. This brought Mr. Macoun to tho 111th meridian. 5L III Seo also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. Macoun Exploration, 1879. Entering this Koction at about Latitude 51° 80', and travelling southwest to about tho centre of tho south half of it, Mr. Macoun thus describes it : " For a mile or two after starting tho country improved, but soon it bo- came dry and stony, with great numbers of boulders on all tho little hills.^ Near the centre of tho south half of this section, having como on Mr. WilkmH trail which crossed it from east to west, Mr. Macoun says: "Turning west, wo passed for an hour over alkaline flats, covered with Artemisia cana which may he said to be tho "sago brn>h" of our plains, then rolling hillsof the same character, but passing at last into richer soil and better grass, with a hno lovol country Wo now began to ascend gently over a fine prairie, and camped at it» hi"hest point. This is tho finest country I have seen for a week and woU HuTted for the plough. Soil a rich black clay loam with long grass that indi- cated moisture beneath ; nearly north of us is a chain of small lakes which are ™ Passing north-westorly from thi,s point, Mr. Macoun thus .lescribos the country: " During tho afternoon thec..:Try was nearly lovol, excc-pt that it ro.so L'ontly to the west, with occasional depressions of littio depth, lliis m the driest region wo have vet soon, as abundance of small cacti are growing on the plain botwoen tho cree'.cs. After we passed tho third creek the land bocarao more elevated, ami at our camp the gra.s8 was good with abundance of water. About 5 miles from camp crossed a largo creek with Howing water about 7 loet in width anl^'r;;^bS::lS'r;^!,:s -r rSu^;^'^ ';r'°^ rM"« ■="-' ^^"- ^^ walor i,. 11,0 l.ollows and very «no nnsn in T "'"- '""' "^^ '' ««'«llent |'«M^xcH,,,t in extreme cases Nun?<^ro,^A^ "^"^ '^ ■'•^ ""«'<■"' ♦liM'liaivroM ii |a,,,o,. |a|,,j |.,in„ g.,.^^ '*■ P ,1 " ;",•„" *" ,'" ^•'■*-'^''f «"(ors which t»"H.u,.o on the HbovJV\ht I't! !-* ^':!i^;'"'* ^!.'"^ 1 ''« ''"'•■'^es found good and ^'oing wokt t(i n- " .".f^ui i.iKo lyini' east o paslmo on the shores of the IrIva " y".'.^ -V'""' "J"7 ' "" ""'■'*^*~^ "^""'^ good f'."*!. Lake and the ied Deef Eive, ' Sf A^ "' '^e country; l,e,ween l!ittle bp.wcon this and the rive, w s han 'h. f f'"" '"r ' ^^ ^''" ^''"'« P'ai" ~pp'^^:-£!t^ ^;^- whe..e the n2th n.eHdia„ int. Expo..ionceTn;uch'difficu£'?: rSlni'tio"* ■'''''' ^"^"^ '""«^' ^« »'- ^"'^ ramieor Jliver." ri breadtii, iind contain? 'th that it is unfit for at tho diNchaifro of the lall crook enlorH which The horses found good 'ountry fetwoen Little ■f* : " Tlio whole plain very much cracked o level plain, no break 112th meridian inter- 911 miles, to the south. to the coulees which »0 to 300 feet deep, more or less brush- approached tho river; a the river and that ley except cactus and arteniisia, which occupied tho grcalcr part of the surface. It was the hard baked clay that hindcied all other vcnetablo growth, and not tho dry climate." " Tho valley was about 1,000 yards wide, tho river itself about 140, and tho height of the banks nearly aoO feet on the east side, but fully 200 highoronthe west. Th river valley as iisua 1 was very dry. Its right baiilc looked from tho camp like the broken face of a very rugged mountain, rising in bare rounded knolls one over tho other fully 500 Icci. A few very largo trees were in the vallej' wliero wo crossed ; one poplar was 13 feet in circumlerenco, and others nearly as largo." Travelling fiom about tho interfOi-tiim of tho Rod Door River with the 112lh meridian southwest to the r»lst jjarallol, Mr. ilacoun reports:— " I had carefully examined all the slides from the valley, as wo went \\\) tho hill, and observed that this bank was tho same as the other ujjIo the limestone exposure. Seeing a bold escarpment topping tho bank at a paiticular point, I wont there and discovered a fine exposure of sandstone. The beds got harder as I approached tho top, and for a few yards the rock on its upper surface was laid bare by the washing away of a seam of soft shaly lignite whiih lay immediately above it. The .seam was about four foot in depth, and above it was a layer of quartzito gravel followeil by tho usual prairie drift. I discov- ered a very fine out-ciop of a first-class lignite, at least tive feet thick, in a small coultJO opening into iho ' Crawling Valley.' The bound of fair quality, but the ))!isture dry and much parched. The norihoi'n face coutainod some poplar of a fair size. Betwoon the Hand Hills and tho Squirrel's Head tho land was generally a hai'd-baked clay, intersected by coulees, or a ])lain covered with poor grass and a gravelly soil. After entering tho rolling hills, at the Squirrel's Head, the soil improved, and tho valleys were filled with good grass. The clay, instead of being baked, became friable and bettor suited for farming purposes." Soe also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rep., 1819. -5i 113 Macoun Exploration, 1879. 'ur. Maeoun passed westerly through the seotioa on his way to Oalgarry. south-western cni-Rer of this 1;) I' l-'l 202 51 114 seen, but thoy wovo not too abundant. Seo also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. Macoun Exploration, 187H. wost I'lH,??'' !""" ''"•''•' °^tending ea.stwardn, with very little din to iU ii 11,0 I„,li.,„ wJre'trouMesle"" ' '"" """''' '"' ""'^ ''"'= I>~'»"»» ''* ^^^ ^''^ate was moist that proxim rtoThe MonnfSn"" ? ^'"^'^ ^;'' •^'''""''''^ ^' »« «"'- ^^''^ I «"«?««' slower «row h th m f-^S 1„ . ^ u *7'^«"«^. ^ "«''' ^*»« "'«»>'«- ^"J hence orelayirm andvervfl^^^^^^^^ ,A" A'^*^ '""'^ seemed to be either a «andy grain and voiles L^Th! ^ * '° ^'"f" ^^''''^°"« Misssion all kinds of L,U,roLnfp"h' -nri^ ■ '•^"«"'^' ^"^^ ^'^hongh moat of the irrmnd h*l his brother haS dte^a^l'tfe Zk^S'LIKJ^^^^^^^^^^ )assea over long slupe, All the land seen waa Lchos of bouldors wen keeping north of Bot 1 very little dip to tlie the plough." ve stopped on the top of bered. At our feet lay d from side to side i't and from our altitmje, xed that the landscape Standing by the river's h of cattle and hoises; sharacter to the scene! ■ith countless herds of ' of affluence. To-day, ipirit, either dies with' ounty. Calgarry itself under a bluff of light a little grove, could be on. Outside the river •izon, dotted hero and 3, e.Kcept in the ^iiUeya fountains like % wall, o the picture which the 3r, in the angle formed is merely a stockade, voi-y little protoetioii ds wide, of clear, cold bed, and contains an yards wide. All the pally of throe varieties ing to Fort Calgarry, IS as regards soil." )out six miles south of g to head, and without he same field were o.x- mor living a few miles the climate was moist t to cut, and I suspect the nights, and hence i to be either a sandy Misssion all kinds of 3t of the ground had •od. The Father and . well. lOi 2nd September, This was the first time the mercury reached the freezing- point since we started. Potatoes and beans slightly touched. Started to-day for Morleyville, and camped about eight miles out. The country passed over was generally very good, but the hills increased so much in altitude that one was almost tempted to call them the Foothills of the Eocky Mountains. Wil- low bushes now became a marked feature in the country, and indicates an abundant rain fall as well as a cooler climate- From our camp, the high land, which forms the Foothills on the south side of the river, was plainly visible, rising to the west in successive ridges, and finally melting into the blue hazo which hung around the biise of the mountains. Water abundant and good. 3rd September. For two hours after starting, our course was over fine prairie covered at times with willow brush, and then doscemled into the valley of Bow Iliver, and passed Uie remains of an old poplar forest, the balsam being quite large. After reaching the river valley wo crossed Pine and two other creeks. , . The country now began to assume a mountainous character, the hills rising nearly (JOO feet above the river with correspondingly deei> valleys. Still approaching nearer to the mountains, passed over much good soil covered with willows, as well as other land of very inferior quality. The land now became tenaced nlong the river, and was generally up to old Bow Fort, and beyond nothing but masses of shingle and quartzite gravel, with a thin coating of earth, or none at all. i -j The approach to Deadman's Eiver, a mountain stream about 30 yards wide, and two feet deep at present, is steep and dangerous. Crossing this stream at its confluence with Bow River, we ascended the two terraces again, and drove five miles to Morleyvillo over a very good road, but land wholly unsiuted for agriculture. The road was on one of the river terraces, but to the right the ground rose in grassy slopes over 200 feet, and in this upper tract were situated the lands suited for agriculture. Beyond the river the land seemed to be much better, the hills were lower and farther off, and wood was in considerable quantities. Observed patches of spruce on the higher and more exposed hill tops, and occasional pines clinging to the rocky cliffs of Bow River. Morleyville is situated in u most admirable locality and the scenery is unsurpassed in the North- West. The hills and valleys are covered with nutri- tious grass, which is as available in winter as in summer owing to the " Chinook winds, which frequently blow at that season, evaporating the snow and leaving the grass as gootl as it was in August. During the warm, dry weather of August, the grass of the whole plains becomes dry o.xcept a small portion in the centre of each little tuft, and, as there is scarcely any rain either in Septem- ber or October, when the snow falls towards the end of the latter month it sifts down among the dried trrass, not moistening it in the least; here the snow lies until the " Chinook," a warm, dry wind sweeping along the base of the Eocky Mountains, takes it away. Morleyville is justly celebrated for its excel- lent cattle runs, but the advantages it has over the Great Plains consist in its brooks and numerous springs, and the many sheltered valleys leading up from Bow River. There is not the slightest difference between the pasture grasses of Morleyville and those of Fort Ellice, 600 miles to the east. How far the effects of the " Chinook " winds extend eastward is unknown, but the fac^ of the Great Plains, around the Hand Hills, being the wintering place of the buffalo for untold ages, loaves no doubt that the snow-fall is either very light or quickly melted, ft must not be forgotton, in discussing the ques- tion ofwi'ntering stock on tlio plains, that no water is needed, the snow eaten with tbo grass being sufficient. , , . • The Mission is very well constructed and evei-ything around betokens care and industry. Mr. Soibold, the teacher, and Mr. Robinson, the gentleman m charge of the Mission, in Mr. John McDougairs absence, are both nno men. Crops here are late but gtxtd, aad all kinds of vegetables are excellent. As we 204 are now at an olevation of nearly 4,000 foot and cl(,so under the ilk SL "5 yuiiH deny it. 1 hoy stale that ilns has heen a ate .-ea.son and erons iio not L !: 7;!::t^=r "^"•"- Taking .hd.. stnton,ent. as t.ue. and l6oSMt\Z mountains we for - as far ;>n Umdsol -.rain can ho raised here as well as^in^Wh;;; e1se"""liift''otil'^r' the alti(ums and occanional lual, and the water md Hoetned of tirst- he Calgarry road wo 's and a few clumps incod, owing to the n tho surface. On ngo of low wooded illed the " Hunting n, travelling west 3yville) the country Observed a number !8 of Douglas pine. 1 tho Foothills, and •avines wore lined ig lip the valley, nd partakes of tho If cliffs ; and when below Deadinan's Id Bow Port, tho •row valley. Tho flows a mountain impure iron ore. I tho river, nround sd ita last barrier 20) Lcfoie hjHviiig (ho mountains; and for 20 miles higher up there was little cur- rent. Movni (,inip 7 miles, and found ourselves at the entrance to the pass. Tlu^ miiiiiilains ri.so on either hand; those to the south being covered with wood, wiiilo (hose on the north are bare and very precipitous. My oxamin- ai'.r.n 'it tho rocks along Bow Iiivei- led mo to think that they, bore a great roseiiiblanco to rocks I had seen on Thuiuler Bay, belonging to tho Iluronian SCI ios A tew f'os-ils were obtained, which weio uninistakcably Lower Silurian di' l)ovonia.i typos. Found the mountain (near camj)) to bo a heavy-bedded hliie liiiie.-tone. wcatiiering white, containing few fossils except crinoid stems. S^ i|)t. 8 --Moved cam]) up to (irotto Jlountain ; found abundance of fine tiout in ilie liver, of three spec- es ; the smallest being about a foot long, and ill appearance, like our eastern brook trout ; another, rather larger, but with soft Aviiite tle>h, and the third which often attains a weight of IJO pounds in the lake niid deep pools bordcringon the liver channel. .Mountain goats and sheep were fieqiiciilly hcen ; m) that with these and the tish there is no danger of the Stony Intliaiih f;i:u'vii\;'', if they do not bt'como loo lazy to work. The valleys were tilled with sliii'gle carried down from tho mountains, which were rotlingaway. AM 'he plants ohsirved were strictly Alpine. Several fossils were obtained, evidently I>evoniaii. Snow shc)werM were frequent. A caicful examination of the timber in tho valley, as far as time would allow, was made. Tho principal species were Douglas pine, and bcautilul spruce, the latter growing tall and straight and forming groves on the flats. The other .•?]iecie.- profericii the rocky slojjes, and were often of a large size ; numbers being .seen lliico foet ;n ili;uiieter. Fine groves of timber were observed on the south side of tlio river, from the mouth of the Kannanaskis up its pass and over the moun- tains Let ween the two rivers. From the situation of the timber, I believe it to bo principally Douglas pine. I was informed that much finer timber could boseen higher up the river. By being carefully husbanded, there is a enough timber on this rivor nnd its tributaries to supply all tho prairie country as far as the Elbow of the South .SaNkatchewan. All tho water-powor necessary to convert it into luinl)er exists close to Morleyville, and the river is so placid that it could borafied to any point without loss. See also Appendix, Pacific Railway Report, 1879. FROM THE IOOtII to THE 11.5tH MERIDtAN, AND BETWEEN THE 50TH AND 51eT PARALLELS OF LATITUDE. DO Marcus Smith Exploration, 1879. Mr. ilarcus Smith entered this section on his way from Shell Eiver to Bird Tail Creek. "North of tho Assiniboine the country rises gradually and imperceptibly to the eye up to the crown of the Hiding Mountain, 2,000 feet above the level of the sea, Tho s juthern portion of this district is chiefly prairie ; the soil good, but light in some places, and in others largely mixed with boulders. The depth of the soil in(!reases northward and its quality changes to a heavy loam, well suited for j^ormanont wheat-growing ; groves and belts of poplar become froipient and iiUimatoly merge into a solid forest, in which there are good spruce and tamar.ic. The north-eastern slopes of Jviding and Duck Mountains are precipitous, and the flat between them and Lakes Manitoba and Winnipegosis is generally mai'.-iiy, interse'ivd with sand and giavol ridges covered with spruce, tamarac and some maple, and some strips of good land interspersed." See also Appendix, Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. ■ i 206 52. lOI M SB, I02 Macoun Exploration, 1H7!>. " B(,'(\vocn Fort Ellico and the river (Qii'Appollt^) the road pansoH m-ivlv throii-li copsowood, with occasional ponds and marshy npots for over a mile and tiicn doscends a long wooded slope until the level of the river is roaeliod " " The vegetation in the rivor valley ((iirAppello) in of the most hix.niai' dcscnpion; peas, vetches, and wild hops vied with other in luxuriance 'tiiil olimhcd over buslic-t and logs to the almost extinction of other ])lants." " As soon as wo crossed the river (half a milo from its mouth) wo onteiol almost ut once into a scries of nbru|)t sand hills which scorned to fill the vtlk- at Its lowei end." " None of tiie (iu'AppcUo Valloy, as far as seen, was tit for agnciilturo. Westerly from tho mouth of the Q'Appollo Rivor above the vallov anl adjacent to it to tho north, "tho soil is rather poor, but there is nothing to „re. vent settlement, as sufficient gooil land will bo found on each section to warrmt Its location, and tho vicinity of the rivers with their wooded valleys will possd>ly make it a favorite residence for many." Westerly from Big Sjiring "the country improves, and for a numhci^f miles a beautiful sandy prairio with littlo wood stretches out to tho horizo,, bounded to tho west by a low range of wooded sand hills. Beyond these to Antelope Creek tho country, though sandy, is rich and beautiful, contuinir,.' many blufts of very good j.oplar." Around Spy Hill tho land is much brolwiT and there are numoruus marshy ponds in tho depressions, with coi rcsnondin..^ ridgesof sand or gravel." " Cut Arm Creek flows in a valley of considerable depth. J he land is good but very wot. (Jencrally between Cut Arm Creek and tho 102nd meridian tho soil i. ;, rich black loam with a light-colored marly clay for a sub.soil. " Tho various herbaceous phmts are woiidorfully luxuriant," and see general description by Macoun in ^"y^. * ■' Marcus Smith Exploration, 1879. ?^rp ^^'-^'T"'^ Smith traversed this sectii . in various directions. V "i^Tr '^ ^"^'^ '^^'^^ °^ ''^" Assiniboine, on tho main crail from Bird Tail Creek to *ort hllice (a distance of 12 miles), and extending southward to tho Assiniboine IS good, but largely mixed with drift boulders, which wiU cause a great deal of labor and some years to remove for their sufficiently to allow tho land to be worked freely. The valley of the Qu'Appello, at the lower end, is sandy, but before reach ing tho big Cut Arm the soil improves, and we find crops of grass which would make good hay. Tho valley is a mile to a mile and a half wide, and the river about 8i( feet. Proceeding down the Assiniboine from Fort Pelly. On the last 50 miles to Fort Ellice the soil is fine gravel covered with a turn sod, making excellent roads, but very poor pasture. I'^'om Fort Ellice, up the east side of ihe Assiniboine, to Shell River, is a bolt of gravel ndgos, evidently a former beach, or river bed, some ten mib wide, covered with a thin sod. " See also Appendix, Pac. By. Rep., 1879. Macoun Exploration, 1879. ^ Midway between the Qu'Appelle Siver and the 5l8t parallel of Latitude. i«iu irom tno lOana mendiau westward, Mr. Macoun says f " Uurinff the after- noon wo travelled principally through prairie, with a gradual upward ' the road ))!ihso.s mo^ilv • Kj)()t.s for ovoi- a miiJ;, f tho I'ivor is reaclid,'' H of tho nio^t Itixiii'iiiii; thei" in liixiii-ianco iiih] f other plants." it8 mouth) wo onteivl eomed to fill tho vullov i fur as Hcen, wan tit tor above tlio valloy, and there is notliinir to ^rn- each section to warrant r wooded valleys will , and for a nnmhoiuf ics out to tho horizon hills. Beyond tiie.se to d beautiful, coiituiniii;' land is much broken! IS, with coi res pond iiiir valley of considerable meridian tho soil is a subsoil. " Tho vurioiij general description by lirections. i-om Bird Tail Creek to vard to tho Assinihoine, '1 cause a great deal of o allow tho land to be indy, but before reach- crops of grass which d a half wide, and the gravel covered with a ne, to Shell Eiver, is a ir bed, some ten miles 201 t parallel of Latitude, 8 : " During the after- gradual upward and bettor drainage, tho whole country being well Huitod for farming purposes;" and during the next day, 27th June: " The country pasHod lliro\igh to-day was very lovely, but wood was scarce, in fact less than one por cent." " The tract passed over today is much better drained than that neon Hinco louving Fort EUice. Tho crooks aro more defined, and the country risos in oasy undulations to the south." " Shortly after crossing it (Primrose CruoU). wo entered on tho north-eastern bluffs of Pheasant Mountain, which is merely a slight elevation above the usual prairie level. After passing through lovely copsewood for over an hour, we stopped for dinnner at a pool of good water. See -^f lor general description, b}'^ Mr. Macoun. Marcus Smith Exploration, 1 879. Mr. Marcus Smith, travelling from Fort Ellico on the main cart trail, entered this section west of Cut Arm Creek. " West of the Big Cut Arm Creek tho land irnprovoH a little, but is still light, and the ground is indented with numerous Hmall ponds. This is the general character of tho country between tho (iu'Apnelle and the main (sarb trail to Carlton, until roaching the Pheasant and File Jlills, the rise of which is scarcely perceptible to the eye, but they are partly covorod with groves of aspen, and the soil is deeper tluin on the open prairie,' See also Appendix, Pac. Ity. Rep., 1879, E 103 Macoun Exploration, 18"!). Travelling west from tho northern limit of tho PlieaMiml flills and passing south of File ilills to tho 104th meridian, about half way iMilwoen Fishing Lako and the Slst parallel of Lat., Mr. Macoun thus de>cril)eM the coiintry ; " Shortly after leaving camp crossed the creek (Primrose) for tho third time, and then entered on the plain which lay spread out before us with the Pheasant llilla stretching away to the south, while File Ilills could be dimly seen in the north. Very-few water pools were seen and no marsh (from PheaHunt to I''ile Hills.) Tho whole plain lying between the two ranges is dry and level, with a gentle inclination to *h& south, and having a fertile soil without Htoiics. Abundance of wood can bo obtained for all purposes on the Pile Hills. Wo now touched the south-cast corner of tho File Hills, and passed for six inilo^ thniiigli a parlc-like country' with clumps of wood and occasional water pools. For tho distance tho land could not be better. Between Polly and Touchwood Roads is the best tract of land wo have yet seen. Tho whole region is woixlod and slopes gently towards Qu'Appello." See sec. -^^ for general description by Mr. Macoun ; ul-o sec. j^j ^or Mr. Marcus Smith's description. See also Appendix, Pac. By. Rep., 1879. *^4 Macoun Exploration, 1879. of it Passing through the north-east corner of this soction, Mr. Macoun says " A boundless grassy plain strotchod away to the horizon on every side, rising in easy undulations to the north, but falling with Iho same oasy slopes to the south. No sign of baa land. This country would bo all forest were it not for tho tires." 123—14 t ; I 208 Mircus Smith Exploration, 1879. Mr. Marcus Smith crossotl tho nortli.>ri. part of this soelion on hi. .-,, from Port Eliico. '^ "The French Missionarios, llalt-brocds and Indians cultivato loss or ni,,. and in liio vicinity of Qii'Apiiollo laiios, and raiso all ivinds of voLrolablo, barley and Indian corn and somo fruit, as red currants, etc. Barley wiw cm and stored hy July liTlh last year. The Fathers complained of a scarcity , ha;,- ^'rass, and were mowing course swajnp grass live to six miles from i hi Mission. ^ "On the L'Sth July tho journey was resumed, taking a north-west coum rom I'ort Qu Appello, passing nearly midway between thcTouchwood IIiil.;,i„l the liivor Qu'Appello and its tributary, Long Lake." See also Appendix, Pac. By. Hep., 1879. 52. 105 5^ io6 i£ 107 50 108 5^ 109 i?_ no III See Appendix, Pac. Ey. Report, 1879. 50 See Appendix, Pac. Ey. Report, 1879. Soo Appendix, Pac. Ey. Eeport, 1879. See Appendix, Pac. Ey. Eeport, 1879. See Appendix, Pac. Ey. Eeport, 1879. See Appendix, Pac. Ry. Eeport, 1879. See Append-'^, Pac. Ey. Eeport, 1879. '12 Macoun Exploration, 1&79. Mr. Macoun entered this section near tho middle, on his way to the Blick foot Crossing, passing south-westerly, and thus describes it : "The countiVis much drier this forenoon. Water very scarce. Stopped for dinner at Crowfoot Croek, which here consisted of a few muddy pools. Eolling hills with deep hollows between were the general features of the country. Stipa Kloeria and Bouteoula are almost bunch grasses here. Driest country seen yet. For two hours after dinner kept down the creek, and then turned up a ravine to the lA ""k ''"i'n"' }^^ ■ PT'^ }^''f- i^"''^ *"™'"fe' awa/frora the creek, which IS here 30 yards wide, I noticed a ledge of rock crossino- its bed whicli on examination, proved to be coal of excellent quality. The seam was 'six feei in depth, and seemed much deeper than the exposure. .Brought an armful of it to camp and found it to be a first-class article. It burned with a clear flame and in the murnjng- was stiil aglow Keaped a few more pieces on and it tournod all day. The ash is quite white and no slaty cinders were left " 114 iiH Hoctioii on hit. W,.y cultiviito loH9 or nim; II kinds of vegotal)lu>, 1, etc. Barley was cut lainod of ii Hcaroity i,| to six miles from i\w_ in^ a north-west couih he Touchwood llili^m,! his way to the Black- lit: "The country is for dinner at Crowfoot tolling hill8 with deep /. Stipa, Kloeria and •y seen yet. For two ed up a ravine to the away from the creek, •ossing its bed, which. The seam was six feet rought an armful of it ed with a clear flamti, ore pieces on and it 9ra were left." 209 " Hotwocn the crook and tho lilac! '. ., Cro^Hingisu wide Htrotch of roiling praii'o which would make good agricultural land if not too dry." " Ogilvio moasurod the river at the crossing and found it to bo 220 yards wide, with an average depth of 3J foot, with a pi-otty strong current. We crosHcd it this afternoon (August 27th), and examined Mr. French's grain liold. Ho informed us that the grain now ripe was sown a month too lato, not hoing in until Juno (Jlli. Oats ^tood four foot high; harloy was very good ; but wheat was short in the straw, though the grain was very fiiio. His i)eashat-class. I had thought from the appearance of tho grass that the climate was altogether too dry," but French says there is all the rain necessary to poi'foct the crops." " Outside his tiold all was diy and parched; inside, whore the soil was broken, tho grass was green and luxuriant, (irass which outside bore no seed and was very short; in tho ploughed field, vied with tho grain in tallnoss." "Numerous outcro|)s of coal occur at this point, and tho coal has boon burnt in stoves by Mr. French for two winters. Tho stoves used are the old-fashioned self-feeding ones, lie speaks very highly of its heating qualities. Tiio coal here o(!curs in connection witl: brown hematite as it did on Red Doer Uivor." " Much tine timber occurs in the river valley below tho crossing, which, if cared for properly, will last for many a day. Not a bush or tree is "to be found between tho two rivers." From the crossing, Mr. Macoun passed north-oaslorly along Bow River out of tho sectioti, and says: — " Two miles over tho valley brought us to tho ascent to tho prairie, which we found to bo pretty sandy. Wo travelled for eight miles over this plain, with generally a rolling country on the right and a range of low sand hills on tho left, which filled a largo bond tho river made at this point. After crossing tho plain, wo descended over 100 foot into a largo valley, bounded on tho right by the prairie blull's, and far on tho loft by tho river. Five miles over tho plain brought ns to camp on the riverside. The river valley contains some fine timber (Balsam ])oplar and Cotton-wood) suitable for house building and for rails. The land at camp is excellent, and tho whole country on both sides of the river is suited for agricultural purposes." Soe also Appendix Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. 5^ 113 Macoun Exploration, 1879. Mr. Macoun passed north-westerly through the northern part of this section, on his way to Calgary, and states as follows : — "Started lato, and travelled through a very fine country for 16 miles. Soil sandy loam, of first-class quality ; not an acre seen to day unfit for tho plough. We wore never more than five miles from tho river all day, and it could^bo seen meandering through its valley at all times. Its banks soomod to bo about 60 feet high, with sandstone exposure in various places. For 1] miles beyond this wo passed over tho same description of country as yesterday,, and then reaohei a depression, in which lay Long Lake, containing brackish water." Soe also Appendix Pac. Ry. Rep., 1879. 114 See Appendix, Pacific Railway Report, 1879. Sections ^^ to -^^j are referred to in Appendix, Pac. Ry. Hep., 1879. 12.'j-14i 210 APrENDIX No, 15. DOCUMENTS IN EEFEHExXCK TO Tlli-: UUil>GlNG OF liKD lUVKfi. 1 Letter from the Engineer-in-chief to the Minister of Railways and Cvnals. Canapian J'ao.fk; ilAir.WAr. Okfic'k ok tub Kn(iinkeii-lv-chief, Ottawa, 2Uh Soplombor, 187!). Sin,— Tho letter dated ITth Soptoinbor, of the City Clork of WinnipoL', anl various other papers on the subject of a bridge acroHM tlio Red River, haviiiy'l)ee:i , referred to me, y.m have asi^od me to state my viown as to the feasibility of bndL'in ' the river at the point detei mined upon by tho (Jity Couneil of Winnipeg, by rcsoiir. tionofthe ICth inst. l fe> J- M T!,e point r-elected by theCity Council for bridgihA, 'he Rod River may bo the bM to be found in tho neighborhood of Winnipeg, but there are difficulties which call for careful consideration. It is only too well known that on several occasions, withia the recollection of people living in Manitoba, the Jted Ri'-cr has overflowed its banks 1 and flo(jded the ground on which the City of Winnipeg is projected. Tho several piers of a bridge might, to some extent, obstru- the channel of the river, and while | ■certainly they would not facilitate the discharge, they might, if the site bo injudi- ciously chosen, retard the flow of tho water and increase tho risk of flooding. The river does not every year overflow and flood the adjacent country ; indeed, 1 1 learn t'..at it has not done so since 18(51, hut 1 am informed' that recently the water j has risen so high as to endanger some of the buildings near its banks. I observe in the articles of agreement made between tho Mayor and Council of | tho City of Winnipeg and tho Manitoba Southwestern C(»loni/,ation Railway Company, a clause, of which tho following is an extract: — " Tho said parlies of the second part (tho Railway Company) shall not be bound " to take over or accept tho said bridge from the said Government, unless they shall " see tit to do so; and that in tho event of tho said bridge being swept away or other- " wise totally destroyed alter tho same is handed over to them, the said parties of the " second part (the Railway Company) shall not be bound to rebuild the same unless *' they shall see fit to do so." This paragraph suggests tho idea that tho promoters of tho Railway Company apprehend that tho bridge may be carried away by tho floods ; it at least shows their determination to assume no responsibility in tho matter. Tho destruction of tho bridge, whatever tho loss, would bo of little account when compared with tho damage and destruction which would result to a populous city, on tho site of Winnipeg, in tho event of tho flood watei- rising to the level which I am told it has reached on former occasions. Anil if at any future time the river flooded its banks to the same extent, it is not impoHsible that the damage done might be attributed to the establishment of the bridge and to the obstruction to the discharge of flood water caused by its piers, uhuttncnt-i and approaches. I am about to proceed to Manitoba, and I shall, when on the spot, carefully make an examination and give the whole subject my best consideration. In tho 211 OV IIKD mVER, jys and Cvnals. Leaiitimo I fcol it my duty to point out tlio (liRliMillio-i wliiih HUiTOund tho (lucstioii, LirI Io imliciUo tlio possiblo coiiMO(iiKiiK'cs tor wliicli liio Covornniont might be lield lliiibie if'llicy uriderlook to iocato uiid (■on?'tiu(it tlio bridge. I III view of tlioso conwidoi'utioim, I um not at preseni prepared to advise tliat ttie iGovoinment slioiild asHiimo tho resporiMibility of oomplyiiig with tho request of the Icity Council of Winnipeg. I am, etc., etc., SAXDFOUD FLEMING, En(ji7ieer-in-chief. I The Honorable Sir Charles Tli'I'kr, K.C.M.G., Minihter of Railways and Canals. Riport of the Engineer-in-chief on the Bridges of Red River. Canadian PAcuro TIailwat. Office ok the ENoiNEER-iscniEF, Ottawa, 8th December, 1879. j Sir,— I have tho hoi\onr to report on the sovov-al communications, from tho Mayor and Corporation of Winnipeg, asking tho Government to undertake tho cons- truction of a Railw y Bridge across Red Itivor, opposite tho city. When the papers I were tirst referred il- mo, I addressed to you a short I'oport, of date September 24tb, pointing out that the bridging of Kod Kivcr was a matter requiring grave conside- ration, on account ot tho vast body of water, which, at time-*, inundates tho locality. Since I addressed you on the'24th September last, I have visited Manitoba and made a personal examination of Kod River for nearly ao miles of its course, through the Parishes of St. Boniface, St. Johns, Kildonan,St. Pauls, St. Andrews, St. Clomentj and St. Peters. Having carefully enquired into the facts respecting the periodical floods and tho various local circumstances which atloct the location of the bridge, i have now to rejiort the viowd I have formed on tho whole question. When the water is as its ordinal v summer level, the rivor ranges in width from 350 to tiOO feet. It flows in a well-detined channel between banks from 20 to 30 feet high, and presents to a casual observer no extraordinary difficulty as to bridging. It teems, at first sight, that a comparatively placid stream, flowing for the most part gently in its course between moderately high banks could with ease be bridged at any required point. Investigation, however, brings out certain remarkable circums- tances which demand serious consideration. All, or nearly all, rivers in a northern latitude are subject to freshets at tfie period of the year when winter merges into summer. But on tho Rod llivor it appears that these freshets sometimes assume the form of floods, and those pnono- mena are occasionally developed to an ahu'ining extent, and carry along with them wide spread devastation . i ji i u During my visit to Manitoba, I was favored with an interview with tho Arch- bishop of St. Boniface. His Grace has resided in tho country for a lon^' series ot years, and has had the advantage of witnessing the annual freshets, as well a,s several of the inundations. His Grace was good enough to atford mo the benefit of his local experience. In the year 1852 the river overflowed its banks and completely su^ merged tho level prairie for several miles on each side. Tlio water rose 'jnt'l it Ht^ood at least 3 feet inches above the general surface of tho ground around the Palac^ ot St. Boniface, and it seemed like a vast lake, extending in all directions, ihe whole country was submerged from Minnesota north to Kildonan. The site of tho city ot Winnipeg was <'omi>!ctc!y umier water, and the nearest dry land in that noighDor- hood wa^at Burke's farm some four miles away. The flooil remained in this stat« for more than two weeks. 212 After iinintoiTnl of ci-ht\onrs (in 18(50) the livor ni,'ain inun.latcd il« Innk, covoiiti- tlic Icvol luaiiio, ImiI tlio ovoid. .w was not widcsi.ioa i ■ The following' y.-ar flM(il) ||„.,o was anothor floo,!, wl.cn tlio watoi- ro-H.n w.t nn lw<. (wt ot tl.o lovul ofiho (Io.kI of 1.5.', overflowing t„ the hop of KnperfH Land, in his '• Notes of the Flood of !85-i."e^timato,tl,« .rcadh ot tluMnundaled country at about 12 miles; ,nentions that In.uses and han lurniUMe and tarm implements, were swept awav. The settlers to,,lc refu.'e on tl« nearest elevated -rouii.l, Sloney Mountain an.i 'Mini's Hill. The Mishop,"vvill, 1 househoN , escaped m canoes, and passed down the river until ho roa.'hed 'iry laii.| ! the ari>h oi St. Andrews, .some thirle.u. miles I.elow Fort (Jarry. From t'his un,, northerly he dcsci dies tl,o river as Keing " conHned within narrow iimiis," and wiih a more impetuous current. The Hishop mentions that at the Stone Fort iho rivlr was_ ' lunniiig at the rale of eight or ten miles an hour." H.xtracts Iroin ilis L„,l sliip s join nal t.etween May ;}rd and Juno 8th are appended. In " The Ked iJiyer Settlement, its I{i>o and I'rogiess," (by Alexander Ro.s) . worU written .efore tho inundation of 1852, we find an account of an earlier flo.nl nf which the author was an eye-witness. This occurred in the year 182f;, tho wa't, rose ahout 18 inches higher than in 1852. and siihmerged a miud. greater area oi i level prairie. It lasted from tho 2cd ot May to the Ifnh of June. 1 submit a few extracts from tho volume rofoired to — ''The wi^ntor had been unusually severe, having begun earlier and coi,ti„uod ., «'«'• "!'""«•;;• Tho snow uvoraged three foot .loop and in tho woods from fou to hve feet. 1 he cohl was inton>o, being often 4 .^' below zero; tho ice mcasiaed favo f'^ot seven inches in thickness. Xotwithstanding all this, tho colonists fdt „o dread till tho spring was far advanced, when tho flow of w:iter, from tho mcltiuL'of the accumnlated sn,)w, became ready alarming. ()„ iho 2nd of May, the day " honr™" """ ' '^"^*''' ''*'"*' "'"" '"""* porpoudicular in tho twoiity-f.„ir ,. * * * * , "On the 4th, the water overflowed tho bankH of the rivor and now spread so ast that, almost bolore tho ,oeople were .nwaro of the dan^'or it haa reached their dwellings. Terror was depicted o, every countenanco aud'ho ovcl wan ho country so rapid tl o. rise of the waters, that, ,m the .uh, all the Net- tleiH abandoned thoir houses and -.ought refugo on liigher ground .< „.H f ■ ^'-"f-.'^^'C'T «Jescriptioii of property bocamoof secondary consideration and wa8 involved in one common wicek, or abandoned in despair. The people had to fly from their homes for the dear life, .some .t them saving only tho clothes they had oi. their backs. The shrieks of children, ihe lowing of cattlo and tho howlinj ot dogs, added terror to the ncene." ****** u jj* the boats had no resource i,ut to break through tho roofs of their dwellin-s aiij hus save what they couM. The ice now drifted in u straight course from point to point, canymg destruction before it, and tho treo^ were bent like willows by tho lorco af tho current. •' "While the frightened inhabitants were collected in groups on any dry spot that remained visible above tho waste of wator.s. their houses, barns, carHiJes, furni ure, fencing and every description of property might bo scon floating along over the wide extended plain, to be engulfed in Lake Winnipeg. Hardly a house or building of any kind was left standing in tho colony." * * * * u „ ,?, ''■''^°'; f't'niied rising till the 21st, and extended far over tho plains. Where cattle u.setl to gi'azo, boats were now flying under full sail " * * * * It subsided of cour.sc, very gradually. It was on the 15th of June that tho hotthm, lor the tirst time, drew near the sites of tiieir former ba!>itatio!i- " 1 have mentioned that Mi. Eoss's account'of the flood of I8-U, was proparod for Ihe press more than twenty years afterwards. By that time, the .settlers hud roHUined in iiiiiiiijatoil itri lianlci hen till) waloi- iii>(j i^ I) till) (loptli DfaliDiit H inutidiition, but oij on,, i\. t of !R52,"o-itiiniitoMlia I that, hoiiHi'Maiiil Imrn^, !is {ni>k ret'iii,'i) (III 1I19 Thi) HisliDj), with hi 1)0 loadiocl dry iaiilJu arry. From this pdint iiTuw liiiiiiN," iiikI With 10 Stone Fort ijio ijvor tracl.s Iroin Jli.s L,i,| by Ak'xaniJur Rn») y t of an earlier t\oii)oneil oiuio, nitiy happen again," and iie(hre his volmne JHsuoil from the press, ho had witnossod tho iniuidation of IH.'iJ, im1 added a sepanito nccoiint of it in un appendix. The following extracts may ho given of an oeciirronco which siihrnorged th» idility and drove the settlors from their farms from the 7th of May to tho I'Jth of une: — * ♦ * * " On the 7th of May tho water had rLson eight foot abovit the high-water mark of ordinary years, overflowed tho banks of tho river, and ■ liogan to s|)road devastation and rnin in the Hottloraont ; boats and canoes in gre:a request for tho saving of lives and property; all fiurry, hiistlo and confusion ; some hail to take shelter in the garn-ts, some on stages, some bore, some there, in littlo groupw on spots higher than the rest, anxiously waiting a boat, a canoe, or somo friendly hand to save thoni from a watery grave. From 150 yards wide, the usual hreailtli of tho river, it had spread to throe miles on each side und rose for several days at tho rate of nearly an inch per hour." V * * * " On the breaking up of the river tho channel got choked up with ice, which caused tho water to rise seven feet in an hour or two. This occurred at night after the pooiilo had gone to bed, and itcameon them so suddenly that, before thoy wore aware of it, tliemsolves and thoir bods were aflotit, cattle ami sheep wore drowned and two men, who hail gono to rest on a smtill riidf of hay, found themselves in the morning drifting with tho current, some t'i"oe miles from wliei'o they had laid down the night before. Others again, in the alnem-eof canooH or other as~istance, had lO resort to the house-tops ; some t')»A to the waior and hang to the bnuichos of the trees ami bushos, till daylight broiigliL them relief." ■'■ * * ¥ " On tho I'ith, half the colony was under water and had made aelean swoej) of all fe icing and loose property on both sides of the rivor, for ailistance of 22 miles in length, in all this extent, ho low and flat is tho country throughout, that not a single house was excepted — all was submorgod — not an inhabitant but had fled." =i= =i« * * " On the 22nd, the water was at its height, and the coin- cideniio is remarkable, inasinich as on tho same day of the month tho water was 'at its height, during tho former flood, twenty-six years ago: but it was then 18 inches higher than it has boon this year ; still, the people boing fewer, the damage at that time was leas. During eight days before the ctiange, dwelling hou.soH and "barns wore floating in a!! directions, liko sloops under sail, with dogs, cats and "poultry in thoin. Outhouses, carts, carioles, boxes, cupboards, tables, ehaii.s, Mbathor beds, and every variety of household furniture drifting along added to the iiiiivorsal wreck." * * * * "At its height the water had spread out on each side of "the river six miles, for a di.stance of fourteen miles in length — not a house wa»* 'oxeeptod. Loaded boats might have baen seen sailing over the plains, far beyond "the habitations of the people. Tho spectacle was as novel as it was melancholy. "Three thousand five hundred souls abandoned their all and took to tho open "plains." * * * * " The falling of the water allowed many of the people to "approach thoir cheerless homes about tho 12th of June." Our knowledge of those alarming, and too frequently devastating occurroncos in limited, yet besides frequent freshets which have caused no groat damage, we And a record of inundations which have swept over the country in tho following years, viz :— 1776, 1790, 180!», 1826, 1852 and 1861. Tho overflow of 1852 is so recent that it cannot fail to bo romembored by all in tho settlement who shaied in the devastation and ruin which accompanied it. On at Icafit two other occaaioiis the water ev-vored the faes of the country to a floater depth than in 1852,.but tho settlors were fewer, and, consequently, the damage was not so great. 214 Tlio quoNtion may bo awkod : — f.W 'iV'*' •''■'•''•■'^''^ ^^^'^^ ^^<^^^ resembling thone described will a B S O — |-i Hbigut in Feet Aboti 8ea Level. Miles. (outh of Assiniboiae Point Douglas 2 Korth of St. John's Church. 4 liorth cf Kildonan Church. 7 South of Tail's Creek 12 Hear St. Andrew's Church. 18 iboat 2 miles aboTe S. Fort 20 Stone Fort 22 About 2 miles below S. Port 24 Selkirk 27 6t, Peter's Church 31 Lake Winnipeg 40 OS hi ex. a ro than 40 foot higher tnan Lake Winnipeg. During these jjoriods, the facts brought out likewise establish that tho river was an iinpotuouK torrent for some six miles above and a considerable distance below Stone Port. Tho table shews further that, at times, the flood-water of the river has stood abovo the general level of the prairie over tho whole district to the south of Tait s Creek, ami thatnopartoftherivor banks, from St. Andrews to the lake, has been inundated. This perfectly agrees with recorded evidence, by which it appears that when the river overflows its ba.dcs and devastates the country for miles on each side, the inundations have only oxtemlod northerly to tho neighborhood of Tait's Creek, in the i arish of Ot. Andrews. That, while hundreds of square miles have boon flooded south of the 1 arisli of St. Andrews, there is no record of any overflow from St. Andrews, northerly, to Lake Wintiipi'g. r, • ,-.. u- u • r Tho e.Ktiaordinary increase in volume of the watei of Red River, which periodi- '■"llv do^'U-^tnte-i the connirv, has hnen the subject of various speculations. ' Mr. Ross states witli respect to the flood of 1826, that " tho previous year had " been unusually wet; the country was th )rouglily saturated; the lakes, swamps and 216 « wa-m wn. 1 '""'•^" '"■'? ^^'"t"'-- Then came a late 8,)l•in^^ with a Hullen bS .t ol « Tlt^-lTi n:; ^.!n . Tj"r'r\^''";! ^^""'T^ ^''' ««^«''=^l days i„ Huccossioa ; the J inontiono?37K'"-'' ^'^" ^''''"''-''" ^""''itions are different, and any one of the caused Ty tin^^e wS in .n"'"'^,'T">V" •"'°'^r° "^"^^ ^'^"^^^'•' ^'^^ '^ combination of them anv ™tMr ' W •"■°':i^'»''"y' '^^'''t in as great a discharge of fro.het water as 3 Zv mm ;i . ^ T^' ^''"r **"'"""* ^''^' ^'^« superabundant flow of water, buts „, ] •omain , \ ..'i;'^""'"^ •" '^P'*^ " ^\'' '^i'-""«tance that the waters acnin uh o ^ lx.voat^hf ,vm Sn "^ ^'!?/'"""^'-y l^^t^vcen the inundated district and the Ink. A , o ^.on u " '?\* J '""^ necessary to account for the widespread overfl.,u- ' .oft and vieT in h"-"^ '""l ^'"»',P%' ^^i" observe that the banks of the river are of , ihi .1 3 .elding character, easily acted on by the elements. They are of clav In J iKS,;: r?onf T'' ^•'^"•'^^'^•- «f :i-r--d. They are 'Xct to sS anl Sof infMli' ;. ^".^'\"'^?q"«"^'e of the constant changes that take place J asthi ;i;r hanks, has taken place within tU he rivvi d;. ^'" ''«'-,«:^"'"fe'e'^ have occurre.l at many places along the course o? S Htmn " ; 1? 1''" '""^'«'"««'t«"d yielding, on the contrary, they are tin Gen I'll n ^x''"l '"l^ '"'■'^'''y '^ '«^^-'« «^' »'"^1^ P'-e^enls itself. "^ i Fort tie in.'] f'l""^ \ '•' ", ^Ti" "^' ^^- ^"'J™^^^' ••^"'^ for some distance below Stone mncVindicr I r'"^ ''''^V^\"^ ^"^''^ ''^''"'""^ contracted, and its appca- s Wl nSn fu J.'f ■"'"''^•'^ '^ ''>^"^° *^'^'^'^ P''^^*^ f™'" y*^^'- to >-ear. Indeed, it b™ a ^ vt tvn r. " P"'-t'«" «f the river is practically the same, in sectiomU Andiws''maS''!Hr'l'''rf ?r' -^^ the river channel, through the Parish of St. he lis ; fnd b ;• ''f f,'"' ''i PT°^' ^^^'^^^^^ ; *h° immediate co.^sequonces are become^ M b^l. '? "riTi °* '\^ flood water, until the whole country to the south SeT modaSnf ''^r''^ '^^ "PP*^'' '""^ "^ ^^o submerged of the wi n r .. ""°^''"'' 'T'^' '''"•' t''° in^P^tuous current described by some remark , bio ,h-;.u". ?° ««"tracted chatmel, at and above the Stone Fort. Another iTou ; tLeJwhofsf TY ^' mentioned. ]t appears that when the channel cortan .v?l ,f .; • fV'**''«^\« becomes gorged, and the water backs up to a W nni ut '^'^"^-e the pnur.e to the south, the flood water finds an overflow to Lake sion kSn . ,V"' r ^n ''^''^T\°^ ^^''^ ^'^*^'' bypassing up Tail's Creek toad epres- Hccou t b io no, ".^^"^'' ""'' ''Tf ^y ^"'^"y ^'''^' '^'''•'' ""tural overflow will Hccount toi the non-submergence of the country north of Tait's Creek. i-al meins wh'lh'T ^^(3 foregoing, that the inundations have been produced bynatu- 0X0^1 I . 'on. ^^V- .'" ^'''''"'' ''"'^ ^^""^ "' t'^^ ordinary course it nature we may occui; n luT "n • T T'^" *" P'"°^*""« '•'^■■'"•t^ «™"»'- 1« those which havi ' flow its b Ml 1^' . It 'r f"ti'« to assume that Red Eiver shall never again over- 1 Snove n;.„ ?; '^'.-tto'ly powerless to prevent its occurring periodica ly, and tTirmr'.is.rn 'i ."^'^ ^"' ^' i"tcnsiHed in proportion to the inueased number ot inhabitants within tlie submerged district. ' nillvwI;irT.\ *''•'' >''° I"'''*' "•'^"'"''tances should be known and most care- h s J. of(t d , 'Vr"''.'F the proper site fnrour great continc-.tMl lin. of railway xienco whi''^ >^- '^" '^ ■''^ consideration, or regardless of the local expe- Jienco which has been gained by many now living, we were to carry the Railway luantity of snow haj h a HuiJilon burst lecossioii ; tho snoJ Travers (soiiicesoi of water : — A \yo| lakes and satiu-aleJ inter; a sudden bar J any one of thocauHcJ mbination of thorn aa )f fre.shot water as h9 w of water, but somol -ors acinimulate ani| of 40 feet above llio i strict and the lakj lesproad overflow. )f tho river are of Iicy are of clay, but lubjeet to Blides ai that take place, sn place within tl alon<,' the course of ho character of the rary, they are firn self. istanco below Stouel ted, and its appoa-j to year. Indeed, itl same, in scetionalF any miles, that noj the Parish of St.l or- way prevents the! .to consequences are I onntry to the south j of tho subinergodl described by some j )no Fort. Anotherl when the channel! 'ator backs up to a I in overflow to Lakel 'a Creek to a deprea- atural overflow will I oek. n produced bynatu-l B of nature we may » those which have never again over- j periodica ly, and I J in jjroportion to vn and most care- 1 \\U\\ lino of railvr'uy of tho local expe- jurry the Ilailway s R ^1 11 i 1 I V. I t WINNIPEG aS'w 6/fitf'fjfrfy c/r.v o/* J'rtiirie -tee ' t IS Jjonffitadinal Section f!j Red Miver J rem the C •^'icu,n^ Nubrnert/ed IJi,stHct dun PHOIO urn BV IHt BURUHtl LIIH CO MtlHTRESL Plate No. 6. -^_.. .-. -Opntrncfvi/. f7hirnr,ef nU?, .__«?. 1 .is I 40 MILES. / Miver- y-rcm the <-,>,/ .,/' Wmnipecf (a Lake Wfn n i/jff/ ,r* f H t a I I t 1 i J I i f I nil impi norit in l'i)Ul(t I iinmcdi discluuv to oven nccun-e On that isot t''0 eoir to the r pasttage which' c fhould 1 and St. In tlian th( In: c'omo h} should 1 be so sii the rail Re( allow vi the rive Th. difficult; ing on t Moi'eovi bend.-s ai last tun com pa Pi Wh the rive peg. Ir will assi localily under tl the who the po-K Till with lea its erect river llu branch 1 the land are in n' that the have no the open Coh'ille a for the V 21T icroMs Rod Eivoi- nnywlioro in the ilislrict miljjoc^t U > iniiinliiiioii, vv(( mi 'I Kiid a (iiizcii iiiile:< of'tlio dies swopl away, and trailic stopped tintiV rii(rwiioy,riKr n^H^niMl' '1s^ i( an}' year ino for a month or more Huiinmr^'od, il,,) l,ridL'(^^ and annroa- .,uonco.s mi^ht follow ,f, to avoid the flooded di.in.l, wo bridK.-d Hni Uivor at St AndrowHorStono Fort where during Hoasons of oxlromo l,i«h wato- ti,e ntream i^ an impetuouM torrent. It woald not bo easy to plant pic-, that w.n.ld prove perna^ ,u,nmsu.h a position without maki,,g thorn ononnou.ly oxpnnHlve. and no piers jould be built without obstruetaig the v.ator-way, already too eon.racted. Tl o ■ mmedia'o consequence, of stdl further narrowing tho outlet won ,1 b, to impede tha diseharKO and pievcnt the easy escape of the water, thu. increa.in^Mhe tendency t..overt!ow up steam involving serious questiouH of damagoH, whenevor u disasier 1 f\^\' HI I t ' I ■ ,h.u ?o.' ,r'i"' ^^'' '^''/i'''' '".'•'':'^^ '''';!""' ^"<^^''^'"" ^""' wei^M.in« every consideratiou that hoe.n, to contro the selection of a point for crossing |{ed Wvw, I am fon'cd to t'.o conviction that the main line of -he PaciHc Railway should pas/ai, s.H.ie distance to tho north of Stone FoiM, where the banlcs reco ie and allow ample space for the passage of flood water The bridge shoul.l not bo too near the fo'.i ,/tho ci rre,? which emanates from the gorged channel between St. Andrews .,n.l Stone Fort It ^houh be m comparatively sull water. I find such u loculiiy between Sugar Point and St. Peters, within a distance of f)ur miles. ^ In li.Ning on the precise point of crossing, other coUHidoratioiH, less important than those above referred to, demand some attention i a lu comobyuatei from Lake Wnimpcg and tho rivers and streams H .wiiig into it should not be lost sight of. In order to accommodate this trulllc, ihc railw7.y should be so smiated that steamers and sailing craft may easily bo brought side by ido w h the railway cars during tho whole neason of navigation. .ii,..,r"'^ '^V'''.'''"''-^'^''''''''''','^°r'^''^""^^''^''^'3'^«'^P'''0'n'l''> T^^ilt" to Stone IA,rt to allow vessels to pa ^s up to the latter place, but above Stone ["'on, owing to ranids the nver is not navigable for lake craft, at low water. " ' ' The river at Stone Fort being in aconiraoted channel, it would bo a matter of fnfon ,^, wT^ "'' nvl-tracktothoship'sside,andimpractieable, without enc oic ! ingon the water-way, to tmd space for piling lumber, otc, and traiisferrincr car-ocs bonds aroimd Sugar Pon.t, is not well suited for the use of Hailing ,.rafl. From the last turn in lie channel below Sugar Point to tho lake, tho <,o„,sn of the rivoi U comparatively straight and can with greater ease be navigate I by craft ot all sr.rts. Wherever tho railway forms a convenient connection with Iho deep water of tho uver, that point will practically become tho head of navigation of L;lke Winni- w^fln/Iir'''''''? T'' ''''■7.^"'^"'^''' ")'•■'"= "P"'''^ t''" ''''"' "" I in, town site Z'n^ 1 ■f'.''^ ,P-T'"''f'^'"?''"'''''''^^'- To the north of Sugar Point, in tho u, do ■ it^,^ f f ?n""?' '-' ^^"'^' ''^' "'"™ '^^" '-"'"^ ""''^^ ''""""^"^ ungranted and undci the control o the Government-this is probably tho only block of land alontr he IK ' .s iT^f h'' H t' ^^,r'- 7'''''h has /.ot paJod into frivale lulnlls oi Intl itio po-session of the Hudson Bay Company. wi.bTii'/n','"" ?'''''•' "*'''"]'^ f,"""'" T *''° "^°'"' ^'""'^ "■ ^''''''K" '""y I'" constructed « ,! ai'P>'ehons,on as to the .safety of the structure in time of floods, and where its election could, under no circumstances, involve questions of dama^res. Near tho bmnc 'rn^.r''''"'' /""'; '^f "'■ '"'"'• ^'^''-''' ^"" "'V^ilylHTeacTiodbyashort tho u d In ")'['" '!f "i''"''^^'"y ; .«'""« l'"'^ i"l«t, and l^otween it and the river iro ; n ' ' "'' ''''^'.'"''f *'''■ '' f P'«L""'^ Pili":,' K'-o'i"'l. VoHHols lying in the inlet that be 1 ?? '■'I'"'^'"* ^" '^'^'"'''«« ^'■"'» fl[>"'^«; i° proof of which, it may bo mentioned that the Hudson Bay Company have used it as a place of Hhoitor for years past They have no land, or buildings, or other property here but thoy have fbuu m safotv iS ibr the winter in^th;!;;iet;whS;Sdon;: tlTSl^l^t'^r o?' i::;;d" T^^ 218 't ■ "^-^r^p.^^^^^^^ -o.teH„, .Hipp., . «nJcavuur,Hlt.>laybc'r(.n3vou I am rmf n ?' ""^' «""M '^^ ^''O I'l^lH 1 have etr.uMurowouUll.oHcrioiJi^'^^S any point vvl.oro tl.o proposed judKo. I an. ntron^Wy ^opini oV ha^ o E^^ ?[ T''''^'' "« -"" ^«« tho . iver ^o.novvl.o.o l.etw[r S ,u I Point m? < m""'^u ^" ^'^'"'"'"^ "'"'"^ blo..i< of Guvon.ment i,u Jut Solk^^^^^^ '''"' "'" ''■•"*^'"^' '^'^^^^ »>" «° tl.« 1 have the honor (o be, h'w, i'o;r obedient servant, SANDFORD FLEMING. The Honoiiiiible En^u uisuueis ; it anectod u i> untouched ^^" ^"'^'«"''* ^ud tho Indian Sottlement, wore almost throulr?h?whdronia!rh^a^ni^ ^'\ ""^'^ ''^^ ''"'^ «f ^^^ruary, but .ientl!^ to account fb/ttprosoSe'' "' '""'' '^'^ ''^"^"' ^^'^^ -o-eZ-ffi- S.^uU^^I:rr ?r^t^n ™ ---'^-' by the. very «light rise during tho night, but from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m., the water gained so fast as to lead to very painful foi'ebodirnr« Cinma k ,„ ' ' '"." » ^-v* ow j.iau tin lu jbuu lo very inmates tent k' of the lUUo vZu\TT'^J\''' ""? '^''"^"^^ abandoned, their right throu.rh his house F..nm Ik i'"f ^? ^'"'•' "^ «"° ««"'«^' ^^"^'"g » l>'»tean houses may'bo seen? ^' ^^'' "^^ ^''^'' ^^""^ ™«'-« ^^^^n «f^y 'ie^orted giving'^ay.^'""^^"^' "^ *° ''^^ '^''''' '^' ''^S^t very distressing. The bridges are all of thf ife"''""'^"'''''''^' "'S'^* ^'^^"^ '•"^'^ commenced, the first since the breaking up F*vt^Vof^^oZZt'\^ Company pass down; sent for security to the Stone every dfre'L? Ee™ Lo' ,1.'"^ ^"^ BWimming the creeks, now swollen to rivers In Moumain tlecoakinrsorrofr'^ ''""^ ^^""^ goin^ to tho Little down the river! ^ ^^^ wheels js melancholy to hear. One stable drift. «till Siug/^"""^"''"^ "" ^'''^'''""' *" ''"^^ '"^"^ ^"^ ''*^'' ^'^"- :* * Water at Po had h Ibrcot Thop corn 01 have ^ from li II whore Tl Tl moved walked Hwum ( Th jnnctioi upon uf Mc any pic ■■^tandim Th( were mi had floa '>y the CI Al swept a\ npoko of 7ui' m'a a We; Mot a ere raft. B, May % gardt plot for e May viewed th death. T if death of and the w; the house, Mai/ ] but HtiU'co place for tl 'hreo inch Nomewhat i I weather ? The ne wreck, in m to rescue at May U 8aid, "Jfeci soon after fi through the We wer strong curre I'efuge at Mi 3ltenng shipping in coriHidoratioiis, in y tho lactH 1 Imvf iio Govortiinoiit to loro tjio ])ropoHO(i :iori to traffic might which no ono can bo carrioJ ucrosn 1, iind llio circutnH- jhouid bo OD thu IMING. ngineer-ln-chief. Rupert's Zand. limost with everj ot, It was perhaps Uppoi- Fort"; it )d a good deal the of yt. James on )nt, were almost of February, but ich seemed suffi- ight rise during as to lead to very abandoned, their I" taking a bateau m fifty deserted le bridges are all 3 the breaking up ty to the Stone en to rivers. In ing to the Little One stable drifts * Water corner of iho churehyanl i.nd Un iM ' .-■•' ■'"- Ss2:"i:?ili ^-^^r;;;- S;r,.,;:;™..;;r :^;- "-r-' - , "''•''';»«( ™«r2;rri; ;:""■•""'■'■:;'" "'■"^i^s ™''^ •'•""•'••' milkd ,.M,t ,|,t,C.l, , r- "'° ""■""«" ""'loi- w Iho n, ■ ?1 "", °u "" "'J'.'!™«».l. Thoy were distressed ;t tin.v ^"""^ *"»® were most nuinfni ti i '"^' "'^'^o^ui'i'oundod wifh fi,„ hy the current ^ ' '^'^ '°''"'''«'^' «'««> the loss of many othei Tn',^' '^' ^anadions ...f „!-5 ^--h-n called on m. ,..„... ... ...' '"''''' ''"''' ^-" wn ""d the wird wl V ° "^.'P'''" ««ttlement ? Tho ,',4 , ■ h A"'''''7^ ; what couM I do hi-eo inches dean wr S ^'^ ^''"^ I'mycrs in (ho ki c .n ', '^'"'^ ' "" ™«ting somewhat alarmc, wS"*' ^"^""tation this ono nil p ! '1'^'''''^'"- '" the- water weather '/ "''""''^' "^^'^ '»»^^t ,t have been for tiS L ni HeVJI^'r''^'^^^ ^ ^^ ^« felt The I f " "^j'ostu to the sovcritj' of the ...■1 -^i.:^/*-""* •' b"'^ . fo '.'''.he "Ji:;," "?.';! ""• •" ' h";:,, '"" '"" """• g «' M,. Taylo,... „t„., „„„,,„,„„, ^««',„»___h.'^ pa*lln, w« ,.„,,,,,j ,„'; ■^iter dinner I !^Hi( 220 iti^ )■ 1-' tulinKHofu,ii,ni„isho.ii.isr" "'"" "'""' ^'"^ ••'>""nned tho go.,,! a.,cct .... „.e .,..,.,0 or May. N..„ .:,'.; t!;-;!: r;.:^ ';r ^;; e;£';s Mi Irom tho tentnarouml; on one oeouHion us many I!h thin;. children buini,' tiikcn five. An ovidont docroii .inue. « ,„o .r «:: ir ;!:?;';r',i:;;:-;:n;L>^'Svr'i^>- ,:-' " i,ro„„r,vl«l;on,i,.w^^,t.,^,'i;l.,.■'^.''',°,.°l:'''':''« "■"' '-"l""'"! ";■•■ '"aM,.,,,, ,„■, Monday presoMt, liavo to Mir fof more nIiohM hiiilod my canoo, info wi.idi I iimn^l „! ' ' • '^ ' *^''- '^"'"'"'" ^" '■'''^'"■". ''"*' boins on .l,.j. I»n,l iJd ^iojing a I tl ,wl"„7,ir:^ '" '■"'""■"'■« ,"■« ""I'S"'"'' 001- li-ionds could illord l)loa«uro« wliicli iho unnroaj lod kinjiiesa of not.:I'^?;a;ar]ru,o"';^nnlr'flS"rT; '^^ •-i«''t. "'. U.o whole, is certainly channel of tl/orveiU deep"!- aK^^^^^^^ i^i'l "'""", "'«''^''°" ''"-■''«^; ^ut, as thi flag \ niont i a bctt day vv J wo sai Tho !•: down ; floated tho do.- walors ill tho cui' wo had and lia iJiipids. Th. at tho I'j M, some |)h Ml, twenty i Mil agalloj) them ohl J-*ocomhe Mai/ lo survey' ^■'•om liill) Miy on awakii (•'lurch, 01 had now i- May -c tiome time dotorminei Mai/ 3 tlio flowoi- 1 month. June hi <'reek boats June 2n ''If't. and lai of tho boatH, June dn ■"vith regret ■ "ow is the 1 earth ahouid Andrews a.wj . June 'ath, *''sit down dt li^}' iptniii Hill fitui tho mitirmeil Iho good I us to v.xpcv.t til, tvs — a most wintry roof, fonialoK and JW many an thirty- ; for, httil it cori- li'otn our nresont would jot liuvo to i> boat-load of (Mir ly for nioro should rocoodod on liorsy. ido Iho nec'c>*Hurv n. Iho north wind. 1 Htood lor ^orvif'c. poiisioiiorH, thoir >. In j>asf5ing. )r our u.so above; :;li., and the house >i oak had floatcnl 'ted at tho los.s of ling tho delight of iiried kindness of d ; we scorned to both sides of tho 1 to thfl ground ; 'on i)loughs wore ^ dr^- feeling tho aged in ciouring own district was uway, with their lide of the river lolo, is certainly ehos ; but as the 1 enlarged, there lad sunk an inch Ht beautiful sail, ly of which tho "- -'ostructK! i;:',;"-^' "f thom ':t:£::X ;;-: to secure it til ^^^ nSir' waters had .e.i.Jr^'^ "' ^'^ Water upon then?' ''?,;«;-''' water. «,r,wi''S: ^, Heie (at I'arks Crock I ir "''''' "^l"'" wJion th a gallon unto ti, r- , '"'^ '"■ little I'ofresMt.., • , •' ''Omo iimo whotl.M,. '^"«««W— A. morn n^ of p„,.„ , *= '^ witht"" ^'•'^-S^-'^'-tea from St T«. " ' ''"'''"^" *^'' '''« 'Jo So 222 ./««'' 7M-Soonnftor we hml .lined, T«tarto.l off l.ycnn.m f„r my own 1, o .„ ontm^whu.h r not,..o, as novel was tl.o ^.yr.unlU nF.lay in fVon. of tl... hen the peopio wore shovoUmif out the mud lotl within froni ll.oiiTl.iMinov. V. I I;',. way «|Ml MiloM in. We were lute in rom-hin;, the nppor niuU , V,, ' ."^^^ 'n'', near th.| honso we wero -o ovegoyed at the n^ht ofll'.o .tubhie Holds, v i. uj J drytothoeyo, thatwouelormin.idto try the i,in I and make a .s.orc'.i'r ' ^ZZS^^! ''''''' '"''''"''' "'"''"« ■»' "-'^ «^n> that we\unrdX. in Si hi! Jieport on Bri,lgin which •n.c''.ll''v' f "TT^ '" "'■^"'' '" 'i^^'''" "c^eurately the water leveln now -^i von (and whu h aic all reduced to a common datum of" >*ca level " according, tn il. . ,.. A rec ions ,n my possession) was us follows :_A sorierof B M V woro " Ml 1 i "''; I shall therefore „„lj. call your .t,o„ti„„ to .orae general fuel', iTea,?,,^ Z ZnS iindary 'Jt-'on Hoen Jt is 'li'to, that to prevent "'oy cit) no l'f>ints bct\ years ago. ' have •ind my oj)i 'filiation of as wo have iJnd. V "» tho I'ivor -di-d. A ^' t'oun (ry -,i • my fiwn linii-io to " * * Tlio ,.I,i,.f I i>f' till' homos, iin iiinoyHliiiviti^'jLfivoii »nt, but on >,'iittinj( M-i, which iippoiired H Mhoi't t!lU iicrois. (iurik dooj) ill i|,„ 'rlct I'Jn'jineer. t'M OFFICE, Dvoinlmr, 187!». plan of Bed liivor, :r with a lon^^'itudj! ons at tho hovornl orahio for a railwny oino of the in forma- ion, to the intorfui ) m:ilV,„n,p„g . ;'•■"«. ""'tils'::",; "'■»" '-ij .» ..'itf r- -"" liv/ng ;,l;'.'° "■'■'"" '■* 1 »>-> 224 ' I'i \ i-^ i ■! 1^ li to ciuisc a fldotl I loro, lint i;,o wIioK .^"y "MO of 11,0.,, evont.s i.s not .Hullicion* ■-■..mtno-u.ovtli,.,. would, luidoiiljtccily «M,m ohMru..lio„,o (ho flow of^vvUo ins icon ho\-l 'Tl" ^^'''l^''' ^i'"'«^>- ^'o pri.,- ^1='.. l.u l.a,| soon tl.o il>^^nZ ^mi^-i^^^^ f '''" «^""« ^'^'t «tal J tlio oppo.MLo HlM.ro. ^ ' ll't inoi at that point as to prevent hi.sooin •• «lj-oam. ' ''""'' ^-^'^"'' -'t 'L'-i-^t. Ijy ob.stnictioni further dovvi, 'Jlic'io are a lar-o luimber of buiMin.w .V„,i ' , ^V ^^o surroiindin ^^^ich H.deratiou alto^odK-r thai, such a am of 'ico Jc^ occurT."'"'"' '«''^>"r' «»tof con- inundat.ou of that portion of tho ci' v 'tandin^. ^nTl^. ?• ^ "™,''' '^""''^ <^'^'i^^H, to overflow the cmbL.lSt^^i^^^ "?"' ^''° ^^^t"'" 'I'^'J -o.ntry, ou both si.les of the nvoV^. some disiani "'"' '"'" " ^'""'^' "^^ «^«'' ^'>« ■o'i.sbei,,^. v<.ry co.s(T •, if no rmpracUc ibirto f '''"'''^ "'™ '•^"'^^''" fa^'< P'il^^-^yan.l the water ieVel of LaT-rShS/fof r-'V°""'"^'°^^ ^°t^««" the banl '^"^1 close a.l.iiliuu, (ho current he.^ is voy^i In v'r^- "f ^'^*'T ''^^ '''^^^''^ ' ""J- '-> ot freight by way of Hudson's^iL is nmv su^ ct ,f .", ''' "*''• /^^^ ^""voya.K.e connecfou becon.os a vo.y impor^nt Z.' ^^iLS'i:^;^::^:;'^'^^ ^^l^ would n,H'lt;;i!i;.c;V':i:fe,r;;|::;^-\^:'"7'-t l-ger than at the last named point -across tho vai'ley on file e^t; S of tS r l^r^lTSrop'r;"""""^ trostloio-l,' i>r water dui'in- floo.is v,foul,l bo ./vol U Li 'i i .^ ',*^^ obstructiui,. tho free flovv pmtec.ed fro.n Vbo .'• i. n ic^b■^l o n.Umn "cnlw^^ 7^^'^"^" completely fact, us slated by a,, who we iV. is ^"d/h? ,''"''''. ? "^ ^'^'^ ^''■'*""^'' '^'"-' ^ho -chos this poij;,, it is ve,y. .^ii^nt::^:^!'; iS^;ioS:^f ^in^^^r^ ''' '''" Com? , ''"'1,-1 , , Mr. Jj,^., 'cu' tho int, 'one Port, w ,M'-- «.y,|; "('■^011 ]Jay (' "'ATij'A^ J^od J -"lose Stat .|- J- Balsi .;• ,^V^n> Flc •'• J'-ilmund j:*' James P "* -Noi'man "^■'■J'O'I Gar ,/ "ave ox-an; '?" "■""•fiin, /; I'lostatemo "'/Jiavoarrjv, '^'««fa(ej b "t, at a place "P'^'^c^l «^i'os,sin., 'ins ill Minnesota, ■'? not ojion up a( •0, l)iit i;,o wliolo ' appeal's to liavo I inter the priu. already rc/orrod stone Fovt staled 'I'lJVont ii is scei Ill- ation of a liridge liat I shall make site of this city, 13 further down 3 is a triangular 3, towards Point i(iine 3unt of damaire. sequence of the lin rise to the le piers of the Janiage to the water, which ^in^ outof con- 'ould cause the i the ice does and Broadway, street, and the could not be Lho water had lid be over the it, to present a and the fact between the 'ses, while the high and close lake ; and, in le convoyaiico ration, such a all ill private named point, tre-jtle-woi'k, the free flow JO completely ind, and the time the ice ize. 2'»i lyably • ■' ■ It of ''^eatod here. - "' -" '"'• 'iio ex-pen,o of ^ ''t-Miiain. ,1 w- r 'vniain, dear ,si,. Vour.s trii/y, ;"^=SSSsSSE-«s«Si^. J''"&''ner-ii,.ohK.f. J"- n. B. I /Report of f/ip 7.^ ■ \ / ^"-^ Engineer ' -^ower Htone ^"--SSS£5°sti^^;f^-...,«,. ^'If^hjes, Zand :S^ 226 It is stated that tho Hudson Bay Company's vessels when moored in the Inlet at Selkirk, received on one occasion, some injury from a rise in tho water. Thin may have been tho case, and it tends to show how much the river generally is exposed to danger at certain times and how important it is to have a place of shelter where 80 little damage appears to have been sulfored. The fact that Hudson Bay officers have annually wintered their vessels in tho same place, and that their vessels aro now wintered there, goes far to show that there is no safer winter quarters for them in the river. It is stated that tho Stone Fort has never been submerged. This agrees with •the infoi'mation 1 have already submitted. One witness quoted by ih: Ealsillie (Mr. McDormott) testilies that the water rose on one occasion to within several feet of tho tops of the banks. From this it is clear, that at extreme floods tho wafer rises more than 30 feet. This is quite enough to indicate tho difficulty there would bo in erecting piers that would withstand the force of the swollen current, and in view ot the causes and consequences of tho inundation, it would in my judgment bo out of tho question to augment the disasters, even in the very slightest degree, by piacin - obstructions in the already too contracted watoway. ^ There is no doubt in my mind as to tho most eligible site for the Pacific Raihvav bridge, and the documents now submitted oidy confirm tho view I hold, but, fJr arugement sake, if wo assumed that at tho Stone Fort there exists a site, in every respect as good o'^ at Selkirk," there are other circumstances which tho Govornmen't, will recognize t..o importance of At Selkirk there is a largo block of land (over 1,500 acres) belonging to the Crown. In my report of Sth December, I have said its area is over 1,000 acres, but it is really more than l,5(i0 acres. This block is admi- rably adapted for a town site and it would be greatly enhanced in value by the location of the bridge within its limits. At Stone Fort the Government does not now control a single aero of land, and any benefit to property from tho establishment of the bridge at that place would accrue to individuals, and mainly to the Hudson Bav Company where they have l,t50 acres. I enclose a sketch showing the relative position of the 1,500 acres Government land at Selkirk and 1,750 acres at Stone Fort which, the Surveyor General intorm-^^ me, belongs to the Hudson Bay Company. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, SANDFORD FLEMING. (Signed) The Honorable Sir Chahles Tupi'er, K.C.M.G., Minister of Eailways and Canals. Engineer bi-Cliief. S|'= Copy oj Letter from Mr. C. J. Brydyes to Hudson Bay Company's aycnt, at Winnipea, aslanj for certain information. ^ j j > ty Hudson Bay Company, M.ONTRfiAL, lOth January 1880. . f -^^^-y" Sir.— I want you to get and lot mo have as soon as possible tho followingj inlormition: 1st, tho date when our Post at tho Lower Stone Fort was first established. 2nd How long any of our people now there have been at tho post. , 3rd Their statements as to the condition of tho river at tho High banks wlieicj the poit IS. As to the greatest height below tho top of the bank^hat they havej itno.vn the water rise during the freshet time. Also as to the manner in which the icej oorod in the Inlet I the wutei". Thin ;onorally is exposed of shelter where udson Bay oflScers t theii* vessels are quarters for them Tliis agrees with d by Mr. Balsiiljc vithin several foot )ods the water rises there would be in it, and it! view ot dgmont bo out of logrco, by plac•in^' ;he Pacific Railwav I' I hold, but, f(ir i a site, in every tho Government )ck of land (over ber, I have said its lis block is adini- due by the location 3S not now control ablishmcnt of the 1 the Hudson Bay acres Government )r General inl'orin- MING. rjineer in-Chief. ifjcnt, at Winnipeg, ranuary 1880. iiblo the followini; e Fort was Jirst f TOSt. igli banks wliercl that they liavej r in which the icel '■uns through the fffrn-o K ' ^^^^^^^^^^^^===.1: ■ I want the o.Lt fucls'Sle'verlLT Ue" ''' ''"'' ^'^"^ ••^• J- Balsillie, Esq. ■Hudson Bay 6ompanv Winnii •'' Yours truly, C. J. UiirDGE.S. ipog. - i^entat ^^^nm.eg to Mr. C. .J. Bry,,jes. Hudson BAr CoMPANT, Dear Sm,--inin,„^- , 1 Winnipeg, 28th January 1880 «e^erally and not .^the I'f ^"'••■%"t' «'• "ear, the foft "tk TT ^'^ P^'-tios who •'■■> tk« simple Im^otZt^L^T V", "'■'I' S and MhT '° T^"' t »"" ,"ght in the bottom of th«rn«^ " ^''°"' ^^onty feotTloi ^ ' ?°'"° '^ « ^'"all crook damaging extent, a'ld £'"7"'^''^ '^^ '«^°'- Aat. of'^tf os ' '• -i?"'"'"^ ^''"^''^^hots '"J"'T. This wil soxllH " "" o^idonco of the ice ovif? ^"''^'"5-^, but not to a "«^or been suflic e?tlv^.rA°7 «°"<^lu«ively, that the wJn^ •°^' *^«"« ^^^ ^H/^htes? Hot be there. '"""^ '"^'^ ^^ ^o those b-'uildings'a^rS^;;'--'' J" f^^Jllvt'C '-Ver been ufy Sv hifb°7 «?"^'"--vory. at"the wJ^r ''^"^' ^«"« tTe" J .-^hrest lt^%:S:n^^^^^^^^^^^ ^'"'"^-'' "^- t'^oyear... person now living. "'^"^'°J'y « greater knowledge of Joe ai n ., "^^'f ^'■^«'- «ettlo- , Ho was emnloved in i ■ • matters than any other 228 and (lK,t during tbo Hoof o '"IS ,1 S h t'""' ^'''' ''•^ "'" '°'' «^ '''« ^.a.s quite fVoo f.^,ni i.uu,dation or dam^ic by ice '^ " ^""''■^' *'^° «'""-' • do not think there Is anything n.o^-e to' be'.vid on the ...bject. Vours truly, C. J. HitviuiEs, Esq., J- BALSILLIK. Montreal. lie of bank- Fort f! i : i ! 1, ' f h (a) This is 12 years experience, iLu ex- traordinary (loods were before this period. (6) This ice-jnm is reported to have oc- curred iboiit two miles above the pro- posed site of bridge Ht Selkirk. (e) This may be correct, but it does not appear that a better place for win- tering the H. B. craft exists on the river, as they still use it and nave had two vessels wintered here dur- ing 1879-80. (,d) This gentle- ma* has only been 8ome 12 years at the Stone Fort. («) No man told 8. Fleming this, it was mentioned by an old settler to Mr. Rowan. One who witnessed Lower Four Gahry, Jlud.-on'.s l]:'iy Coni])anv. Winnij)eg. and t'h^ broai.in:/;;;'StCL'arih;rp£"^ ^''^ ^'-^^^ °^ ^'- '-■- ^^^^l^SriZ.^'''' n-oh attention, and A-on. per- can speak autKt;:;;^^^',^ "Jr^n^tS'" t1-" "'"''° ^'^•"'-' presented, the fl.|iowingTu-e rr.y SaSent's - ""^ ^""^' '^""'''^•^ "^ Fort orin its' i m mediated' hi " 'ZiZ"^:iYT'^ ''' *'>« ^'one and no sudden i-ise of the water to nnt f T ''™''°" "P gradually 2nd. The hijrhost thTr h In I ^'^^^"^ "'■" ^'''^^n place, (a) the 24th April^8?6 when it rme'to n f.T.-' ' V^'^ l"^^° ^^'^^ «" This was Occasioned, noTfJo^Tny jam 'at t^'o itr *''P«^*h«.b^"k. froma8toppinffofthGiemffl,n«„ '' n' • . ^'i*^ ^^^^ ^^' "ear t, but Fort and in clofe p ox miJv to £ P' i^'^'/J.u^ the Stone Fort whS-e t ^ ' J^t^s U tav b^ ''■ V'^ '''^ P'«^^ "^•'^'■ or less. (6) "^ '^ ™^>^ "^o ^aid every year more andt:S\YrioTllndi:„Thro'. T ^Y 'fl' ^«>'«- Selkirk Selkirk, carrying the ice throSi fhf '!1'^' ^^ the river opposite damage to our craft which werfhl^i'^''^'''' ?"''"^ considerable in thf slough on th!; rasr;]dr<;f%t" i rfo" S^'^^TT"^*^^'^ vi^St/ tS- r::^;;? t^Jvr tc/zJ^"^^ - ■- south, (rf) ** °' ^^ "ood the prairies to the the'L'noZrrx^eX" t.;iowt^ f ^'^^ banks at or near simply because Huch'^a thin ' Lfd nS' no.«".T '^'' Stone Fort, without the water had overflSwrthe banrani" "^ ^T. ^P'""''' the other shore^«ustLTraThrSo?c.Thr!1lt^r"'(V^' "^ , JO Is this c( 1" With the foent made re K the ice fo, .V'"" after it r iione Fort ? * — _ .v..,vc lu luu uifa ^uth. (e) J<'i-)This and . |o.is?e°n\. ^^^^«" irii fi'om any oiio o( tlio top of tlio bank- lesH, tlio Stone Fort ct. 3ALSILLIE. J/'ukon's Bail Corn- Stone Fort awl other ' in Chief, C. P. R. nr Gaury, Ji>miiuy, 1880. sill the inioi'Miatioii ! (State of tho rivei- ion, and from pci- n reliable sources, ig your querios a.-i ' Fort for tho last jam at the Stone okon up gradually taken place, (a) this place was on 10 top of tho bank, rt or near it, but 3s below the Stone le oily place near every year more nt below Selkirk ho river opposite ling considerable r winter quarters firk. (c) Stone Fort or its prairies to tho ■^'■osa flood*"-?,"!- Cnh \uu^ , >».1S /(jii, (Ni; :'ifdj) '■f- during thn n , ■"'•''■soiialjy r """1 (hat ' .'im. ^^Af. FLE'V1\ !iV^^l.!^onsm J«j«'r'af'erit°™"'« Afanitoba •^-,- r ^'^- «. ABELn. 1S80. banks at or near tho Stone Port, ha' ~ happened, c p from near 'fa - hat point it! could not see .uth. (e) eminff, tbe lieigbt James Frevph r ^-^OH, Groom to Hud,o„ B,^ ^ ,. ^^a^e resided -It fh .. "^ ^•' ^°^^«'- ^^^oit Garrr 'CO rise hin-i, ., ^^'^'^ anv am r>f> • ^ "■^'^ sprinw ^'^^ ntteea '= "-er the St. _4, ■ -"'f'>''" — - '■ews , it being bro/^ apids. (/.) 2&0 I should think that tho rate of tho ice current doas not exceed (5) five miles an nour, and this only from tho gW]ng ws,v af the ice jam belo\*-. I have r over myself— or Ixsard of any por.Hon e^so— having rte<-)i the ice on thi- top of tho bank or near it. Ston? Fort, January, 27th 1880. his JAijES X FliKNCIl. mark. (Signed) John Smith, " JOU.\HOWI8TON, Witnesses. m (J.) InMr.B«sii;iv!'j stateinent, hr- qaotfcg Mr.McDtirmoit la hf,- Ting seen tie >viit>r within several feel of tbe top of the bauk. (m) The point where the jam is said to -«ke place appears to be fully 2 milf s above the Sel- kirk b'idga t;ke. I, Jsorman Morrito;., of St. Aiiurow parlih, blaokjmith formerly in the forvico of the Hudson Bay Corajmn'-, du mtike the ii llowio" statement. " Have resided at or near the Stone iort, t'nco tho year 1850 aini h.-ivs'soen the i.-.> break up in the river every spring during tliat lim'.'. T iiavo never boon tho water rise higher than fi-om 15 to 2i) feett. lb J 'Op of 'he bank, (/) and the highesi Jtago of the water has .y t'.raily Ixien after the ice has gone. I think the year in which tho water rose the highest was in ISOl, tije year of the flood. I have never seen the ice jam at the Foii, nor any nearer than at Sugar Point three and a half miles below, (ni) This is the obstruction which causes tho risi at the Fort. I have never seen the ice piieil on the top u " the bank nor any thing near to it. When tho ice breaks up it generally begins in the joiitro of tho river and gradually drops to pieces. The swiftest current at this place is about live miles an hour. (Signed) MOJIMAN MOREISON. Lower Fort Garry, ) 2()th January, 1880. } John L. Smith of Dynevoi', in the County of Lisgar, rrovincodi' Manitoba, makes this day tho following statement : Ist. iJnring tho year i85j. I was a resident settlor in North Si. Andrews in this Province. Witnessed the height of water in the river that .spring, and to my certain knowledge it did not roach tlio| (n) This level is six top of tho bank at the Stone Fort bv at least ten feet, (n) fjeiiiigjer than the 2nd. That from tho year 1SIJ7 to the j'oar 1871 I was in 1 r*ipmt 8t*irDoc. 1879! Hudson Bay Company's employ, at the Stone i'ort, and saw tho icei break up fourteen springs in s accession, c H can salely say th:it| during that time I did not see any ice jam r Stono Fort, excejiil when brought to a stand by the ice jam . ., , ^w, ar Point. 1 havj lived : tho lied River settlement fc ifty- ..- years, aad can stalij posii' • y, without fear of contradicti i '. during that time M («) Perfectly in ac- wtUe i . not overflowed tho hanks <»S bo r;\ ers at tho Stone Fort cord with the state- nor ha.s any other livinir person seen it, nof have I ever heard tii.i it has done so. (o) meats made. ; does not, exceed h-ing way nf th« C's>3 — l>avingi*e<.'ii mark. C;>)Thi» may be Q-rl 1?..^ ^""^ -=^==^^te:r: -;==____^ 27th January, 1S80. jk^niith, formerly uke the iYllowiny the year 1850 and )riny during that )m 15 to 2i) feottn of the water has ^h est was in 19()'l, r any nearer tluiii the Fort. le bank nor any :he ;ontre of tlio } miles an hour. S- ilORRlSON. iisgar, Province nf attler in North St. I , of water in tiiel did not rcacii tl)o| bet. (n) ^71 I was in llicl t, and saw the icel in sutely say thutl Stone Fort, excc|iij ar Point. I liavol sare, aad can suit J I'ing that time ilij at the Stone i"oil| I ever heard tli.ii 232 Car Jieu wh( Hail and otho APPENDIX No. 17. R 'juanii the mi Canadii A d„„i„.i„„ or the .„™.al c„»l,ac., entered i„to-„Uh .l,e .a,., and prie..- for the ,„pplj. „r „„,eria,» a»J execution of wo* on the Canadian PaoiSc Eailw.v Bince March, 1879, ,o the present t,„,e. A dcc-iption of the con,™.. previoueW catered into, wi„ be found in the Eopo..„ of Pebn.ar, 1857, page, 383 .o39a, a«J Of April, 1879, pages 126 to 136. Tfio All th i ! quantity of , l^^ rails to 1 I '^anadian Pa Afai Dat -Dat( '-Tlie quar RaiJa Fik-bi III C ■All the siij 2.JJ ites and prices — Pacific Eailway, racts previously > 383 to 396, and "•■" '^prosontcd tlio on, n ""'''^"'"ofit of •{,.,1 A '"'"o". a distance af"si\ • ' '"« ^•'irne of pon (...,. « ' » 'l. uo paid over to tJ.,, ft,,. ''"°' "'" i^iicli ■^ ';i:5sv-„;:i™,-.w. -^Janufacturor.s '' ^' ""^' ^'^ '>o of tl„' ^«to for delivery ; T^H i^^^, mn ^' J''« ' 1^^^ All the .supplies embraced in thi.s contract have boon delivered. II Contract No. 47. ,i;„r.u.?!'Ji^^-^ ;'«^^—^ov the supply of 96,000 flnhpliito bolts and nuts J i, .i, Manufacturer. Patent Nut and Holt Company (Limited) Date of order 4th .luly, 187'J. ' ^^ »mou;. Date for delivery 25th .fuly. 1879. ihe quantities delivered and prices arc as follow^ :— Tone. Yt. qrg. 11) Delivei-ed. 46 16 @ £10 .= £463 I'loight and insurance vj) ^ f, £497 4 ^''''''''y ~iW^ Co" OT .. 48, iffii^^s^s- iS^dS " '^^"°^"' "'"^ «^"^'"' «p°'ficati?;^s^tq Name of contractor joi.n Ryan. Date of contract l!Uh August, 1879. Date for completion ion, ^Vuyugt 1880. tlio propoptionaW cifiuation required , and to ba of th.i Company ?02 10 6 37,972_28 i. nnd nutH, I inch nd nuts, dipped in ).b. at ^Newftort. Li mi tod). 4 -£497 4 32,419 71 i!!!!!!!!::^::^:^™^ «o "«'«-. 4. 5. t). 7, 8. Description o» Work. Olearinff Grubbing ..". "^enniri™ '^ I Ussumed Quantities., 'Acres 9, 10. U. 12. !3. u. 15. 111. 18. J 9. 20. '^encinjf "ip-rap ... "8 ""Joe (iiiiug ,, Tamnrac .. *^''^' "*•' '^'^'te pine or 2«".'>on ;••;; ." ,.^3 ,^ -'rmiDgroadvrayfic"'^"'K gates,' ''°- I 1 rn •••••••»... I _, i Tons. ;;;; / Miieg. era ," jC. vardsl 1 l,<'0O,i I'D 700,000 100,000 8,000 2,000 I 60,000 10,000 R'ite3. I CI3. 2 00 per acre, i 4 00 " 750 00 " I J! :';f per r,. ft. ' " ^<' I>er V. yr-. I 2 M i< 1 60 u ? 28 per 0. ft 07 per lb. 07 'i Amount. $ CIS. 200 00 200 00 'lO 00 40,1 ')!> 00 "2,UOO 00 1,2,-50 00 VJO 00 ■-8,1(00 Oil ■J.OOO 00 300 00 4,200 00 700 00 I" ''Y'ng.. P""",t« and cr'n Station build platform, cui. 100 200 275,000 11,000 106 I 2C0,00O 60 14 145 OOpercrossV ^ cross g( i4^5QQ QQ 10 00 2tf per tie. oil In f" ton. 276 00 per niile. /> per (;_ ^ 20 00 per set. 2,000 ro 79,780 SO 105,250 00 29,150 00 55,000 00 1,000 00 V«0 00 pers^ati^nj 31,500 00 rp. . ■ :— ____!_ -'■"" "" Persfati'n) lotal amount for assume i d' — " ~~~— — — — J— _ nt of Work executed, 812,030.00. contract enibracesl ^, bridging, track-j )n8 md proviriiona m. list, 1879. jst, 1880, •S,i I ■ i 1 CoNTUAcr No. 49. Xiimo of coiilniclo- .... ,,. , , ,,. , Datcofcont.ad.., ,-.','T' ^''^■''^""• Datoturcumplotiun:;:;:;::; .» I. August, Isti.. ihu building's anil prices are i,h (;,11„ws ._ Knjprson Station hy.3> : platform, 300 ft. by 12 ft. alone' '■■lit porliona " Uuildinfj, 120 ft. piuif„,».„„, «r,.i,j ,i„, in;i.di.B,.i;;-i|;i-;ii:;;:::;::::: 18 35 43 Arriui'l... . Oiifrost... , Otterbuni. .Viverville 3,340 40 2,030 10 200 00 200 00 54 St. Norber* 'pi„iV .rr.,' "'"' cnu ana n-iir porliona .„.. 70 PI .V ' * '• """' •"'"' ""J '•'^ar portions . ^ 77o;;;;;;r-;:::;:;:::::;:::|^'''"^'":i°'"^' '""^'' ^^ ^^f';^^''><=''"iingrais^"ponio^: 1^'*';°° |*"'''^i°K'.?^ f' ''^ 24 1 platform, 300 fL^by 12 ft al ficnt, and with end and rear portions . . ^ SS.Selkirk portions , Total amount of contract, Additional works, Total , Amount paid on account 813,051). Thi I 2,030 40 2,030 40 200 00 3,310 40 200 00 200 00 1!,030 00 15,802 40 26J 80 18,006 SO s conti-act has been completed. JJailw.'iy Spik-o-For the nianufactu.-e '■pikes, iho CONTHACT No. 51. Hid deiivoi y of 700 tons of railway spikes. The speciKcation renuirod t ho «.>il- i ■ •>/" '"'^ *'^"« ^^ railway a inches long lly l-incl, nS u d mi. ', : ' ',"'"•" ^■'''V^''' '^^^^ "-""""J i'''^'^ each. "^ " ^ '"' ■""' I""' "!• securely m iron-bound canes of 2 cwt! &S>om:^;V Alillo.-I3rothers& Mitchell. J^:;!: tdel vJ.: ^thSeptembei, 187.D. rr,, . - -tsoruro clo.so Of n.avi-'ation 1879 The quantity delivered and prices are as follows :_ ^;jf-r-i': 'S;"rat847 At i-ort William 400 at 52 514,323 00 20 100 00 ,,,, . Amount of contract, lliis contract has been completed. 835,4J5 00 n Tk.vn. "lo rccoi\ "<•"', bar, "'iloailin.r J D J-:,. A I lli'antity of SI ration recniirc f'lndard; wt fJ«'"'lJ4fee( r.'"ct, in .abo r "ispecled d i.'»-, "* J '•"oof con om.;;; ^"'«^"''co,np,o(;oV,:: m, ' "' S( "-';i"""(i(j. delivered a,„n] • ^' J'"-' <'on(,)i(f I,,. I •'■'i^ '""s r:> ■>.((, i| . "u>v,s.— 8-',(;(;:i .-,,)_ cts. ong UHfi 1 a,JV) 40 2,030 .10 200 ((I) 200 00 oiij; ■ 1 2,030 40 UDR 2,030 40 .... 200 00 "IK .... 3,310 40 .... 200 00 .... 200 00 ng • ••t 2,030 00 .... 15,802 40 .... 26J 80 • ••• 16,006 XO 0,J. ^ of railway ' rolinod iron, iwci of 2 cwt. 870. 00 Oi> 00 "'''"' ^"'"Wotion..::;:;:; -jm se,S;S,!"'rpe;;f""<'" Co. f -"ted amount of contract "' """^'*'''°" «^ i«SO. ■Ai'iount paid nn -i'^OO (2 '>sn u > ' "" '•^^"•"" 315,0^;; '-^ ® «-6«Hooo. 238 The qiiantitios, dates of dolivory and prices are ae follows: Dale til' Dtliverv. October 1, 1870 .... June 1, 1880 Septernljcr 1, 1880.. lio October I, 1880 Rails. Tons. 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 10,000 Rate per Ton. Fish-plates. X 8. 0. 5 17 6 6 5 17 6 I! 6 2 6 Bolts and Nuts. £ 9. 10 10 10 10 10 Hstimtilc'i cost 8781,000 00 Uf llu) iiljove there has been del, oi'ed ."),101 tons. Value. 8l23,ir)(i 3S Octobei Noveml be used i Contract Xo. 54.* fiAiLH.— K(.r the supply of 10,000 tons of '-teel rails, with the proportionate quantity of Htceilish-platey and bolts and nuts, deli \-erod at Montreal. The speciri- fation is the .samo as that for Contract No. 5:5. •Manufactuicrs Guest & Co. Date of contract 11th September, 1879. The quantities, dates of delivery and prices are as follows : Date of Delivery. Rails. October 1, 1879 June 1, 1880 Tons. 5,000 5,000 Rate per Ton. Rails. X' 3. D. 4 17 6 5 Fish-plates, Bolts and Nuts. X' s. n. 5 17 6 6 X 8. U. 12 12 Kslimatcd cost $258,000 00 Ut the alj«A-e there has been delivered -l,701J tons. Value. 1I5,(]98 35 CONTHACT No. 55.=''- Raii.h.~,F()1' 111," supply of 5,000 tons of steel rails, with the proportionate quantity of steeUsh-plates and bolts and nuts, delivered at Montreal. The speeid- cation IS the .same as that for Contract No. 53. MunufaciurerH West Cumberland Iron Steel Co. (Limited). Uatcof conti'act., 29th August, 1879. Iho era brace J?A1LT ■(^'(h eigna N Di Dt At At TURN-TA ' contract emb Nan Date Date Amount c IDei 3 0p( Amoii Ton. tea. Bolts and Nuls. D. 7 6 7 6 3 2 6 £. s. I), 10 5 10 5 10 6 10 5 10 7 6 81,0 23,1 OO 00 )(J 38 ho proportionate sal. The speciri- Uo. tember, 1879. Ion. tes, Bolts and Nuts. X B. u. 6 12 12 i8,0 15.0 00 oo 08 35 ho pmportionato ill. The spociti- mited). DateorneUve.,. , ^^^^ , Hate p. To. ^''''- \ F'Vb-plates, 1 "^t7 — I , \ and Nuts. October 1, ,879 | ''^''■^' X s J ^ — November 1,1879 .•;::: 3oro -e 8. D. ^, ""tercolo^ia, mXy,^;^' ^-'3. lO.COO tons of which ^in T y Contract Jfo 5c J-'ate of contract x-- „ "''"ge. Date for compieti;-;-;; ^Z 'miT ^"'^^^ ^«- Nii. ..IJAawAv Switch F«o ^^"™^^ ^o. 57. Date for completion.. :J/\^eptember, I879 An^ount of contract '' ^"'^^' ™- " ^-"nt paid on accoun;:;:]^-?/"^"^' ^^-' --P'ote, at «I00=.,,. ooo. -tract embrace,; the^^i„^Xlr;1l;r'^'■'-^-■'■■^^ ! ^>e of contractor '^' ""'' «''«-tion in' plat ''''^™^'«''- The Date of contract.. w Tr , . "^^P'^te. Date for completion Cith fc'l'^''"''^*. Amount of contract - '"""''^'' ^^^O- jI>eckod turntable.. ^"^ ^^ at JMGo::::::*::: $2,016 00 . ^,080 m Amount paicU.A,-;, -^ 210 Contract No. 59. Sleepers -For the supply of 100,000 railway ties, and the delivery of the same mSef wtt of RoTp '" ^'"""r' ^:\ ^\ '^''°«^ *'«« ^'-^ f«'- "«° on the second lT> miles we.t of Ecd B.vor, and will be handed over to the contractor for tiu Hection, at the contract price. The ties are to be 8 feet lon<', flaUed o . two opposite sides to a uniform thickness of 6 inches, the flatted surfac^ bo ng Z less than 6 inches, on either side, at the small end. suimoe ooing no/. Name of contractors Whitehead, Huttan and Ryan. Da e of contract 6th February, 1880. Date for completing in time to be taken across ice- bridge on Red River in spring of 1880. Amount of contract 100,000 ties, at 27|=827,750 Amount paid j«^Tf|_ ' '* w-«)«""- Contract No. CO. Main Line, in British Columbia, extending from Emory's Bar to Boston Bar -The contract enibraces a the works necessary in connection 4ith the excavating grad S^eciraS-^e'ngJCl'nliTef '^^^"^ ^"' '^'^'''^^ ^-^'"^ ^« ^'^ '--' Name of contractor Andrew Onderdonk. Date of contract 23rd December, 1879. Date for completion 3 1st December, 1883. rateB^'?e'Kni^f:!3"'""'"' '"^"'■^'"' '' contractors, moneyed out at contract SCHEDULE OF QUANTITIES AND PRICE3. Description of Work. , 'Approximate Quantities. Clearing Close cutting , .",'!"'!"" Grubbing !.'."!'!.".'.'.".!'..'.'.",".".'" Fencing.. ..'.".'..."!!!!!!,",'.'.'.!" Solid rock excavation i •.!!.'!!'.,'.'.".'.'..'.'.'.'.' Loose do do !.'..'.'.".'.'..".'.'.*.'!!. Earth excavation, including that described iij clause 13 of specification Uuder-drains „ Tunnelling (see clause 32 of specification)— "Line tunnels" in rock, in the following lengths: 30O ft., 50, l.')0, 105, 240. 400, 360,1 385, 290, 200, 150, 140, 1,600, 100, 150 100 110, 230, 360 and 500 feet.. "Twelvefeet— stream tunnels" .' "Six feet— stream tunnels".... Bridge masonry [[[ Culvert masoar/ ...".'.'., Carriea !»rward. Acres. do do L. feet, C.yards. do do L. feet. do do do C.yarda, do Rates. 250 10 10 10,000 600,000 260,000 1,500,000 2,000 Say 6,000 200 1,000 15,000 10,000 Per acre do do Per 1. ft, Per c.rd do do Per I. ft, $ cts. 30 00 40 00 80 00 05 1 50 76 30 40 do 105 00 do 36 00 do 12 00 Per c yd 10 00 do 6 00 AmoQBt, ¥ eta. 7,500 00 400 00 800 00 500 00 760,000 00 187,600 00 450,000 00 800 00 630,000 00 7,200 00 12,000 00 150,000 00 60,000 00 Operations • VoTB Si fct'oents, an peed herein for l-'3-I6. eliveryof thesnmo oon the second lO.j [contractor for tlic t long, flatted on surface being not md By an. icross ice- River in =827,'750. • Boston Bar.— The excavating, grad- ; to the General ionk. 1879. 1883. )d out at contract 30 00 7,500 00 40 00 400 00 80 00 800 00 05 500 00 1 60 750,000 00 76 187,600 00 30 450,000 00 40 800 00 Wejcr 05 00 630,000 00 36 00 7,200 00 12 00 12,000 00 10 00 150,000 00 6 00 1 60,000 00 SOHKDULE OF Qu^s iption of Work. TITIES AND PRrcES._c., (^'oncluded. I I I Amount. I Brought forward ' 1 "'I'lg walls, efe^ I ■•••••••, ^. k":'.':""*■- -&;",-2i;," «Jo ^•>«^;i;oCr.:::—:~:::::::;:::::::;:i,'^, , Ties ..;;;• .,";;• ' ' ■ Wlastiog ^ Tons. ni!/"»p°'pt^'and";;;«i::„:: '•'. '":::.r::r\r^^': 5,000 -Perc.yd 1,000 do ' 1,000 Z MOO Z SO" .Perl, ft./ 15,000 Per cyd 8 jPer^spanj li d'o° I 2,000 6,000 1,500 1,400 10 00 u 75 I ',600 00 6,260 00 ' 4,000 00 I 2,J00 00 I 1,400 00 30 I 30 25 25 $ Cf3, 20,000 00 3,000 00 6,000 00 3,000 00 5,000 00 11,250 00 60,000 00 6,260 00 24,000 00 2,100 00 4,200 00 600 00 1,500 «o 375 00 359 00 do do 40 iSKSSr*^^^^^^^^^^^ ■•■■■•jor.a.i 3,000 20,000 I 3,000 600 76,000 3,000 30 100,000 20 do 'Per ton./ , Miles. I ' Bach ' do I 00 300 00 30 25 00 60 00 4,000 00 2,000 00 760 90 600 00 450 00 o„ ■'* 00 22,500 00 3,000 00 9,000 00 30,000 00 600 00 200 00 Total . 260^0 00 . te!l'if '""^ ""•^^ii^IZrr; "" f-mt^ 2,727,300"^ |e«8nreme"rafe:^ 'v^' ^"<^n^i^e, ^i-^t ?^*f«ch, I880 ^ ^^ conjectured, and 242 Contract No. 61. Main Line, in British Columbia, extending from Boston Bar to Lytton. — Tho contract embraces all the works necessary in connection with the excavating, grading, tunnelling, bridging, track-laying and ballasting, according to the tronoral' Specification, Length, 29 miles. Name of contractors Ej-an, Goodwin ife Co. Date of contract lOlh February, 1880. Date for completion 30th June, 1884. The approximate quantities furnished to contractors, moneyed out at contract rates, are as follows : — SCHEDDLE OF QUANTITIES AND PRICES. Description of Work, •Approiimate Quantities. Clearing _ Close cutting Grubbing „ Fencing Solid rock ezcaTation Loose rock excavation ., Earth excavation (Including that described in clause 13 of specification^ ^ Under-drains Acres, do do L, feet. 0, yards do do L, feet. Tunnelling (see clause 32 of specification)— " Line tunnels" " TwelTe feet — stream tunnels" " Six feet — stream tunneh " - Bridge masonry C, Culvert masonry Dry masonry (retaining walls, Ac ) Paving Concrete Rip-rap Cast-iron pipes, 3 ft. diameter inside, 1 in, thick, laid in concrete (the concrete not included in this item) „ L. Hand-laying rock embankmeats, where slopes 0, are steeper than 1 to 1 (labor only) Timber bridge superstructure, 150 ft. clear do do 125 do do do 100 do „ do do 60 do do do 40 do (See clauses 42 and 43 of specification.) Timber, best quality, for beam culverts, 4c, — 12 in. X 16 in _ 12 in, X 12 in Sin. X 16 in Sin. X 12 in Other dimensions of timber (if required to be used) at proportionate prices. do do do yards do I do do do do feet, yards 400 10 10 10,000 200,000 300,000 3,000,000 2,000 600 100 SOD 25,000 10,000 26,000 1.000 1,000 30,000 Files driven (see clause 40 ot specification). Carried forward ,. L, feet, do do do do 600 1,000 No, 1 do 1 do 34 do 1 do 1 200 2,000 200 200 10,000 Rates, Per acre do do Per 1. ft. Percyd do do Per 1. ft. do do do Per c.yd do do do do do Per 1. ft Per c.yd Per span do do do do Per 1. ft, do do do do % cts, 25 00 30 00 100 00 06 1 80 75 30 40 120 00 60 00 20 00 12 00 8 00 3 00 2 60 7 00 2 00 30 00 50 6,800 00 4,200 00 3,000 00 1,600 00 1,000 00 60 45 40 30 50 .Amount. $ cts, 10,000 00 300 00 1,000 00 600 00 360,000 00 225,000 00 900,000 00 800 00 72,600 00 5,000 00 10,000 00 300,000 00 80,000 00 75,000 00 2,600 00 7,000 00 60,000 00 15,000 CO 500 00 5,800 00 4,200 00 102,000 00 1,600 00 1,000 00 120 00 900 00 80 00 60 00 I 5,000 I 243 ir to Lytton. — Tho th the excavating, ling to the (jroneral in A Co. y, 1880. 384. ed out at contract Rates. 25 00 30 00 100 00 06 1 80 75 30 40 120 00 60 00 20 00 12 00 8 00 3 00 2 60 7 00 2 00 30 00 50 ,800 00 ,200 00 ,000 GO ,600 00 ,000 00 60 45 40 30 Amount. $ cts. 10,000 00 300 00 1,000 00 600 CO 360,000 00 225,000 00 900,000 00 800 00 72,900 00 5,000 00 10,000 00 300,000 00 80,000 00 75,000 00 2,600 00 7,000 00 60,000 00 15,000 00 600 00 1 5,800 00 I 4,200 flO ■ 102,000 00 1 1,500 00 ■ 1,000 00 ■ 50 120 00 900 00 80 00 60 00 5,00D 00 SCHEDULE OP QUANTITIES AND PRlcgs., Coneluded, description of Work I 'Approximate Quantities. Rates, j Brought forward. "°"ti:^i^SU:^wharfi.g, etc.. not less,' $ cts 'in road diversion cuiVerV8;"i2in! I Platted timber thicli Plank Wrought iron'.'.'.'.*."'.".'. i^ast iron Ties Amouot. $ cts. of:^ection;-h;;;r;;ji^'=;:i[«^^n>werend Track-laying Ballasting , aiiea. oettiDg points and crossings'." \^- /ards do I do Ft. B.AI. Lbs. I do No. Tons. Miles. 10,000 do 3,000 10,000 1,000 100 75,000 do PerM. Per lb. do i Each. ''"'J^^gu^ SS' --fn-g timber verts u^der aVoafenriir''"'l" *^"'- complete . '''""''<="6». ana "otice boards, "^eSiilfrai^^'be-^ij^uii^d fication, short nan titfi of general speei- -add, ^ay, |26^o"ooo !;!f.."!.r°"''«''''='*^ To No. do 3,000 Per ton.. ,^ 30 Per mile 100,000 Perc.yd 20 Each. I Each. 25 30 00 12 10 30 1 00 250 00 40 40 00 150 00 3,000 00 750 00 300 00 120 00 10 00 22,500 00 3,000 00 7,500 00 40,000 00 800 00 300 00 Total urementa ^^a = w^aniuies priated in th a ....i..™ 250,000 00 2,573,640 00 s==«-iSS3S-^=-*-"»-^^.ssis523 244 Contract No. 62. contriTj\~!'I1u'^' Columbia, extending from Lytton to Junction Plat. The f,?nn„^r emb.ace:^ all the works necessary in connection with the excavation jrra.lin" Lcngt, V;S"^'' ^'•-'^■'^^'"^' -J l>''"-^ting, according to General sjed^cat'ioi'.. Name of Contractor Andrew Ondcrdonk. l)ate of Contract 23rd December, 1&7!). Date for Completion 3 Ist December, 1SS4. rate^ill'S'Sr :!3"'"^'^'^^ '"'"'^'^"^ '" ^^"^'•^^^^'■^' --«3'od out at contract SCHEDULE OF QUANTITIES AND PRICES. Description of Work. •Appro.vimate Quantities, Clearing Close cutting , Grubbing Fencing ." Solid rock excavation Loose do ^"'clan^Tw" ('.»'=''"?"B"that"d73c;ibed'in clause 13 of specification) Under-dramg Tunnelling (see clause Viof specifi cation)- "Line tunnels" ' Bridge masonry Gnlvert do ,[[[" Dry masonry (retaining wri'lsV'iT)."""- .'.'." Paring ",,__ ' Concrete !".'.'.'".'.*.!!,..' Rip-rap "||| Cast-iron pipes, 3 ft. dVameter inside.'Tin.* thV^' this UemT"*'* ^^^^ concrete not included in Hand-laying rock embankmVnVs" wheresiop^Eare t:-,u'!*J'S','''"" 1 to.one (labour only),.........,:,.: T;_,v,^ ,• . , "" """ \inuuur ouiyi imber bridge superstructure, 160 ft. clear J do 100 do S" ■ ouire"rt8,"4c.","r2 Carried forward , Acres. do do L. ft. C. Yds. do do L. ft. do C. yds. do do do do do L. ft. C. yds, No. do do do do do L. ft. do do do do do do 200 10 10 10,000 2fiO,000 100,000 2,500,000 2,000 400 15,000 10,000 30,000 1,000 1,000 2e,ooo 500 1,000 2 19 1 2 1 1 8,000 00 500 00 1,000 00 500 00 320,000 00 80,000 00 750,000 00 800 00 42,000 00 180,000 00 70,000 00 120,000 00 3,000 00 6,000 00 40,000 00 5,000 00 Pprc.yd 1 00 Perspani 7,500 00 do do do do do 1,000 Per L ft. 5,000 do 1,000 1,000 10,000 10,000 do do do do 10,000 I do 4,000 00 2,100 00 2,100 00 1,400 00 1,400 00 40 40 30 30 40 25 30 1,000 00 16,000 00 *6,000 00 2,100 00 4,200 00 1,400 00 1,400 00 400 00 2,000 00 300 00' 300 00 4,000 00 2,500 00 3,000 00 inction Flat. The ccuvation, gradin^r^ loral Speciticatiun. lonk. 1&7!). 1884. d out at contract $ cts.i 40 00 SO 00 00 00 05 I 60 80 30 40 105 00 12 00 7 00 4 00 3 00 6 CO 2 00 1 10 00 ! 1 00 00 00 )0 00 00 00 )0 00 DO 00 )0 00 40 40 30 30 40 25 30 cts. 8,000 00 500 00 1,000 00 500 00 320,000 00 80,000 00 750,000 00 800 00 42,000 00 180,000 00 70,000 00 120,000 00 3,000 00 6,000 00 40,000 00 5,000 00 1,000 00 16,000 00 re, 000 00 2,100 00 4,200 00 1,400 00 1,400 00 400 00 2,000 00 300 00' 300 00 4,000 00 2,500 00 3,000 00 245 SCHEDDLE OF QUA.VTIT^ AND PRWKS.-Conclu.M Description of n'ork. ••iP|'roiima,« yoHnlltl«,. Brought forward .. 1 Plank Wrou;?ht iron".".';; t^ast iron ... Ties .;; I Ballasting..! ...." &/;:^51^?'^r^i"^":::::::::r:; -j eattle.g„ards, pZkrnl\^°T/'rs timberl fica ion, slion qnan?iH»f Ck'neral Speci- -nt,ngencies, ad^ sa;,"|^'6o,To&.":^ ^'' Total jFt- B 11,, Lbs. do No. Tons. Miles. 0. yds. No. do 20,000 I />,.r », 3,000 p,,r il[ 500 ,],, ^0 I Kttci' foT«.-.Some of the "' "' '"' "^ ""«", 1880. ^ ^ 248 Contract No. 63. Name of contractor Andrew Onderdonk. Da eof contract 15th December, 1873. Date for completion 30th June, 1885, raferarcrfoniwsl'"'""""' '"''""'''' '' contractor,., moneyed out at contract SCHEDULE OP QUANTITIES AND PRIORS. Description of Work. Clearing Close cutting !!!!."!!!!!!.'.'!.'.'.'.'.".'."" Grubbing '. ."'.'."',.,'.'.'.',",,,' Fencing ....'.'.'.'."..'! Solid rock ezcaration .".".'.!'.'.!!!".'.!'.. !!y.!!!'.i Loose rock excavation !.."..!'..!.!'.".... Earth excavation, (including that'deseribed in clause 13 of specification) Under-drains • Approximate Quantities, i Rates. Tunnelling (see clause 32 of specification)— " Line tunnels." This tunnel will be formed in earth. The price per lineal foot of tunnel must cover excavation, .1 m centering, masonry and all expenses- Twelve feet— stream tunnels " "Six feet— stream tunnels " Bridge masoonr Culvert masonry !...!!!!" Dry masonry (retaining walls, etc)!!!."...'., PaviD^ Concrete „ !!!.!.'.'!..!.!!,!!!!!!!! Rip-rap , .'..'!."."'.!!!!' Cast-iron pipes, 3f» di»metVr"in8VdP,"'i* inch thick, laid in o«ncrete (the concrete not included in this item) Hand-laying rock embankments, where slopes are steeper than 1 to 1 (labour only) Timber bridge superstructure, 200 ft. clear.., 2" do 150 do ., f« do 126 do .., f» do 100 do ... , *» , do 60 do .., (See clauses 42 aod 43 of specification ) Timber, best quality, for beam culverts, Ac— 12 in. X 16 in Vi in. X 12 in ' , 8 in. X 16 in 8 in. X 12 in Sin. X ICin Other dimensions of r.imbers (if required to be used) at proportionate prices. Carried forward Acres, i do do L feet. 0. yards do do L foef. do do do . yards do do do do do C. feet. vards do' do do do L. f^et. do do do do 2,5 5 5 io,ooe 100,000 50,000 3,000,000 2,000 2tO 100 100 10,000 5,000 5,000 1,000 1,000 15,000 500 1,000 2 1 1 1 1 1,000 50,000 15,000 50,000 60,000 Per acre. do do Per 1. ft. Per c, yd do do Per I. ft. yd do do do Per c. do do do do do Per 1. ft. Per c. yd Per span do do do do Perl, do do do do ft. $ eta, 30 00 40 00 50 00 06 1 75 75 27 20 60 00 20 00 15 00 10 60 10 00 8 00 6 00 5 50 2 75 18 00 2 75 8,000 00 6,000 00 6,000 00 3,500 00 2,100 00 50 40 30 30 25 Amount. 750 00 200 00 250 00 600 00 175,000 00 37,500 00 810,000 on 400 00 15,000 00 2,000 00 1,500 00 105,000 00 60,000 00 40,000 00 6,000 00 5,500 00 41,250 00 9,000 00 2,750 00 16,000 00 6,000 00 6,000 00 3,500 00 2,100 00 500 00 20,000 00 4,500 00 15,000 Ou 12,500 00 il^:.' \ 24T to Savona's Ferry, th iho excavation, ording to General irdonk. 1-, 1S73. >d out at contract lutes. Amouut. $ Ct8. 30 00 40 00 50 00 06 1 75 75 $ CM. 750 00 200 00 250 00 600 00 175,000 00 37,600 00 27 20 810,000 00 400 00 60 00 20 00 15 00 15,000 00 2,000 00 1,500 00 10 50 105,000 00 10 00 8 00 5 00 50,000 Oi) 40,000 00 5,000 00 5 50 6,500 00 2 75 41,250 00 18 00 9,000 00 2 75 00 00 00 00 2,750 00 16,000 00 6,000 00 00 00 5,000 00 00 00 00 00 3,500 00 2,100 00 50 500 00 40 30 30 25 20,000 00 4,500 Qi, 15,000 01/ 12,500 00 1 1 sohedctle: OF - .NriTiEs AND ParcEs.- Contluded. Description of Work. •Approximate Quantities. Rates. Amount. Brought forward i„_ i I | Round's rrtTUarl^r''^"''!?"''"?-"-! f^- ^-t. p, I2inches in diametlr ".''°^' ""' '*'« """> , FUt^ed^t,mberin road diversion -c-ul^ertsTn '° Pjank .'.■,■.■,"; do Wrought iron .Ft. B.M.i Cast iron Lbs. Ties do Ballasting..:...... "■'-- Setting points and'crossYngs.:"";;;;". cts, 10,000 I Per 1. ft. | 10,000 do I 10,000 200,000 50,000 10,000 100,000 I do Per M. Per lb. do Kach. Miles. I 0, vards No. To Total do 4,0CO f Per ton. ,,^ 42 I Per mile. 130,000 Per c. yd 26 Kach. do 40 25 30 35 00 12 10 25 3 00 I 300 00 27 30 00 I 200 00 I cts. 4,000 00 2,500 00 3,000 00 7,000 00 6,000 00 1,000 OO 35,000 00 12,000 OO 12,600 00 35,100 00 750 00 400 00 Operations had not commenced at end of March, 1880. ,.tZZ;f°:^'. ?^the quantities 250,000 00 1,746,160 00 ssi5's:«?;j^'Sia^^.ss- sst^^z^sss^ Contract No. 64 Name of contractors -r, ^ Date of contract fyan Whitehead & Ruttan JJate for completion fSth March, 1880. 15th May, 1880. Amount of contract .... Amount paid on account 87,350 00 Nil. 2-l8 CONTEACT No. flS, J{or,LiNo Stock.— Tlio contract ombruces ull Iho neccMHory labour, mnchinory and other plant, matonalH, articles and things necessarv Cor tho duo execution and com- pletion of four first class passenger cars, to carry *;i paHMonKors each, and one official car; all to bo constructed and finished in accordance with the snecitications and designs, and having the " Wo.stinghouso Au(.,raati<- Air-Iiiako" attached. Name of contractor James Crosson Uatoot contract mu, March, 1880. Date for completion int .J,,,,,,, 1880. Amount of contract: — Four first class cars 813 98-i 00 One official car 51(77 00 Total 82t,!)Ul 00 Amount paid on account jjjl. 13 < 14 1 1 , 1 ;^ ' ■$ CANADIAN PACIKIU K.MLWAV. SuMMAUY of Payments made on account of work done up to ;ilst De^'onilior 187') and approximate estimate of cxpoiiditurc involved. ' '' 17 18 lit a § O 4 -*?iime of Contractor. Amount Paid. 1 Probable Amount InTolred. I 1 " ■ 23 24 1 2 Sifton, Glass A Co Richard Fuller $ ctg. 116,100 49 131,013 57 41,900 00 217,025 82 ZOSil-JS 00 161,124 97 280,568 76 264,177 08 1,069,842 29 1 306,581 88 266,052 36 41,000 00 $ cts. 146,020 00 197,353 00 413,217 00 268,050 00 208,163 00 161,124 97 280,568 76 254,177 08 1,065,842 29 305,581 88 265,052 36 41,000 00 25 26 27 3 F. J. Barnard 28 4 5 5a OliTer, Davidson & Co Joseph Whitehead Joseph Whitehead 29 ( 30 f 31 F 32 C 32a L 33 K 34 N, 35 C( 6 V Quest h Co Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Co 8 Mersey Steel and Iron Co 10 West Cumberland Iron and Steel Co \ West Cumberland Iron and Steel Co 11 Naylor, Benzon & Co 36 W 12 Hon. A. B. Foster 37 He Carried forward 1 249 Si'MMAnv of Puymontfl made r, machinery nnd Bcution and com- I, nnd Olio official lecitioations and ;hed. en. 1880. 80. ,984 (10 ,077 00 !l(jl 00 Deoemlioi', 1870, Probable Amount involyed. I I $ CtB. 146,020 00 197,353 00 413,217 00 268,050 00 208,163 00 161,124 97 280,558 76 254,177 08 1,065,842 29 306,581 88 265,052 36 41,000 00 ™c::sr.!i^'IS„vt";; "L'°,^''' "«-^- ^ ■^ay—Continued. .Vanies of Contractors. a; 13 Amount paid. | Amount involved. Sifton A Ward. Brought forward Ct9. ■!< CtS. 11 17 18 l!t 20 21 22 23 24 1 tract No. 14).. .3,200 87 18,778 64 633,485) 00 j 91,730 00 Purccll & Rynn Sifton 4; Ward Joseph Whitehead (Completins Con 15 (Joseph Whitehead ^'' joanada Central Railwa^Co ..." I ''""''"' '" Anderson, Anderson 4 Co .""'' I ''''"' '' Bed River Transportation Co Moses Chevrette 'Merchants' Lake and River Steamship Co Patrick Kenny Holcomb & Stewart. Sifton & Ward _..„.... Oliver, Davidson k Co 25 Purcell A Ryan., 51,402 96 213,928 24 1,600 00 j 67,126 28 8,782 11 5,850 00 14,648 14 3,625 10 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 32o jLeMay A Blair 33 34 35 36 37 James Isbester J.396,100 00 Merchants' Lake and River Steamship Co. Red River Transportation Co Cooper, Fairman A Co Robb A Co Patent Bolt and Nut Co Cooper, Pairman A Co „ 35,431 00 89,060 00 313,200 87 18,77^ G4 110,000 00 2,525,000 00 1,440,000 00 51,462 9'J 1,600 0<» 67,126 28 8,782 U 5,8ri0 (K; 14,648 14 3,525 10 1,400,000 00 35,431 00 89,060 00 8,f32 90 16,160 00 6,800 69 13,736 60 17,730 46 91,500 00 I Kavanagh, Murphy A Upper .., North-West Transportation Co... Cooper, F,irman A Co ZZ | "'''^"^ " ! William Robinson ^ Heney, Cbarlebois A Flood Carried forward , 23,880 00 66,700 92 11,000 00 8,532 90 16,160 00 6,800 69- 13,737 50 17,730 45 202,652 50 110,400 44 23,880 00 69,494 92 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) // A f/. V' ^ j 1.0 I.I 11.25 ■ 36 1^ 12.2 - lis liio ^ 1.4 11.6 V <^ /: Photographic Sciences Corporation 13 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 #^ iV ,v :\ \ % V ^ \ ^\ r^ 250 SoMMARrt of Payments made on account of Work done up to 31st December, 1879 &c. — Canadian Pacific Eailway — Continued. o a: Names of Contractors. 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 56 ■56 57 68 59 ■m 61 -62 ■63 -61 ■65 Brought forward ., Gdmond Ingalis John Irving Qouin, Murphy Se Upper. Purcell k Co Mannin);, Macdonald, McLaren k Co Joseph Upper & Co West Cumberland l:on and Steel Co , Barrow Huumatite Steel Co » Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Co Putent Bolt and Nut Co John Ryan... , Richard Dickson Miller Brothers k Mitchell , Dominion Bolt Co.. , North-West Transportation Co Barrow Haematite Steel Co , Guest k Co , West Cumberland Iron and Steel Co , Kellogg Bridge Co » Truro Patent Frog Co „ ... W. Hazlehurst Whitehead, Ruttan k Ryan «. Andrew Underdonk Ryan, Goodwin k Co , Andrew Ooderdonk Andrew Onderdonk. Ryan, Whitehead k Ruttan James Croasen i f - r Amount paid. $ CtR. 3,466 85 9,660 00 24,600 00 395,300 00 96,100 00 12,030 00 13,050 00 3S,425 00 2,662 60 15,084 00 9,379,979 81 Probablo Amount inrolTed. S cts. 3,466 85 33,785 00 2,300,196 00 4,130,707 01) 50,064 74 37,844 59 37,972 28 2,277 60 600,500 00 16,066 20 35,426 00 2,662 50 24,000 00 781,000 00 268,000 00 128,600 00 2,600 00 12,000 00 6,096 00 27,750 00 2,727,300 00 2,573,640 00 2,056,950 00 1,746,160 00 7,350 00 24,961 00 i '<. I 261 t Decombor, 1879, Probablu AmouQt inrolred. S cts. 3,466 35 00 33,785 00 00 2,300,196 00 00 4,130,707 01) 50,06t 74 37,844 59 37,972 28 2,277 60 00 600,600 00 00 16,066 20 00 35,426 00 60 2,662 SO 00 24,000 00 ••••• 781,000 CO • ••I' 268,000 00 128,600 00 2,500 00 12,000 00 6,096 00 27,750 00 2,727,300 OO 2,673,640 00 2,056,950 00 1,746,160 00 7,360 00 24,981 00 _"""'" °' '""---:r'src;v-ffls^^ i"'robabIe Amount involved. ExPKMDlrURE NOT 0NDBB Oo»TRAOT. Miscellaneoas payments, not under cont.-i=.ijt $ eta Total. cts.