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(!0LUMBi^

T5 PRESENT RESOURCES

AND

Future POSSIBILITIES

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SlvETC H MAF*

OF THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF

iiBiKira'iOiei i:'v(M:y:'MiBE^ ./"^-^

mdirnting'
CHIEF MEANS OF COMMUNICATION

DEPARTMKNT OF I^\Nl)S AND WORKS
VICTORIA 1805.'

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British Columbia,

ITS

Present Resources

Future Possibilities,

A BRIEF ATTEMPT TO DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE

OF THE PROVINCE

Published by Direction of (he Provincial Government.

Victoria, B. C.
"Thk Colonist" Printing a.nu Plulishinu Co

S7Lr

THE matter contained in the following- pag-es has been de-
rived from authoritative sources. For \he a^-ricultural
data, the writer is indebted to a voluminous and carefully
prepared report recently issued under the Department of Acrri-
culture, by Mr. J. R. Anderson. Minin- statistics have been
obtamed from the Report of the Dominion Geological Survey
"The Mineral Wealth of British Columbia," by Dr. G. w'
Dawson, and local reports from the chief mining centres. The
Statistical Year Book (Dominion Government), and annual
reports of the Victoria Board of Trade provided useful infor-
mation as to commerce and shipping^ while several g-entlemen
well qualified by their intimate acquaintance with the respec-
tive industries have supplied the ground work of the chapters
on iMshing: and Lumbering-. The author desires to express
his indebtedness to these authorities ; he also g^ratefully records
the assistance afforded him by the courteous officials of the
Department of Lands and Works, and by many friends whose
local knowledge has been o{ the greatest service to him.

r=R¥S^Cj

INTRODUCTION.

BRITISH COLUMBIA, notwithstanding, the prominence
to which It has attained since the completion of the
Canadian Pacific Railway placed it upon the chief high-
way of the world, is still to a very great number of intelligent
people, a mere name upon a map. That it should ever exercise
an active influence over the destinies of the British Empire or
provide a sphere for the industry of millions, is something of
which they have neither heard nor dreamt. The object of^the
present pamphlet is not only to give a succinct account of the
actual condition of the Province to-day, but to suggest the
probability of so great a future at no remote time.

The area of British Columbia is estimated at 383,000 square
miles; its population at 54,061 whites, 35,202 Indians, 8,910
Chinese, or 98,173. It is a self-evident fact that a country
which has an area more than three times as extensive as
that of the British Isles, with a population no larger than
that of a moderate sized manufacturing town, must be either
very much under-populated or grossly lacking in the means for
supporting life. Were the latter the case, it would be manifestly
undesirable to invite attention to so unfortunate a circumstance
But even should the former alternative be maintained, the ques-
t.on might reasonably be asked, why the authorities who
represent the ownership of such a country should seek to demon-
strate this fact, or so long as its inhabitants were prosperous
and contented, should tempt others to share their wealth With
the example of certain foreign states before their eves, those
whose attention was directed would be justified in doubting the
good faith in which these statements were volunteered, and in
regarding with distrust their publication. The answer, however
IS a simple one, for the Government in acting thus does not'
profess to be guided by motives of philanthropic benevolence
It expects as a return tor the information provided, not indeed
to receive a ^rnnt per capita for emigrants, regardless of their
quality, or means of livelihood, but to induce only those persons

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

to enter the Province whose presence will aid in the development
of its potential resources ; or in homely phrase it invites those
only whose company will be worth more than the room they
occupy.

A great deal of harm has been effected in recent years by
the promiscuous advertisement of new countries. Their pro-
ductive powers may be great, land may be cheap, trade prospects
most satisfactory, wages high, the towns may be increasing at
a rate quite without parallel among older communities. But
none of these things, nor all collectivelv, can form sufficient
justification for strangers without any means of livelihood except
their hands, and without any knowledge of how to shift for
themselves except what they have acquired in the narrow grooves
of their native place, to flock to some distant land in the belief
that steady work and fortune await them. Even skilled labour
of the most valued kind has many difficulties to contend with
before it can establish itself in a totally new sphere. There are
the recognized labour organizations, which jealously guard the
interests of their members from outside competition, there are
the natural prejudices which always exist against new comers
and intried men, and there is above all the fact so often ignored,
that small communities such as prevail in new countries can only
employ a limited number of ivorkers in any particular trade. Five
bricklayers, even were they prepared to work at one dollar a
day, could not possibly find employment where only one can,
though his wages are five dollars. This reflection alone, should
be suflicient to deter men from eagerly rushing West when they
hear of high wages, regardless of the speculative element which
must be inseparable from their venture, and without calculating
whether they are prepared to risk their small capital while wait-
ing for the opportunity to establish themselves in their new
home.

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Let no one therefore, who may read the following pages,
imagine that because Hritish Columbia is represented, in what
the writer believes to be its true light, as a place of rapidly rising
importance, he is therefore certain to find ample and immediate
scope for his own abilities. He must rather consider what
sacrifices he is prepared to make for the privilege cf introducing

in what
rising

lied i ate

what

lucing

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URITISH COLUMBIA.

5 B

himself and his family into a country so favorably circumstanced.
He must deliberate whether the prospect of future success is
worth the hazard of his present condition of life, whatever that
may be, and should he finally determine upon a step which may
prove to him irrevocable, let him blame no one but himself if the
struggle turn out a hard one, and the good times which he anti-
cipated be long in coming.

The value of any country to its inhabitants depends mainly
upon four conditions: Its supporting capacity; its exporting
capacity ; its position as regards foreign commerce ; and its
climate. To these may very properly be added a fifth, namely,
the character of its government. By enquiring into the above
conditions, a just estimate can be arrived at both of the present
standing and future prospects of any political division on the
face of the globe.

No one, for instance, would dispute the fact that the pros-
perity of Great Britain is largely due, in the first place, to the
relatively extensive area of her cultivatable land whereby a pros-
perous yeoman population was encouraged, and enabled to fur-
nish a back bone to the commonalty ; secondly, to her numerous
deposits of the economic minerals, the presence of which induced
the most intelligent and thrifty among her inhabitants to engage
in mining and manufactures ; thirdly, to her extended sea-board,
and the facility afforded by it for maritime pursuits ; and fourthly,
to her climate, which, notwithstanding many apparent draw-
backs, was by its temperate character, well adapted to the
nurture of a healthy and vigorous race. The genius of her
people for governing and being governed is ii fact to which atten-
tion need hardly be directed.

It would appear then that there can be no better way of
exhibiting the capacities of British Columbia than by treating of
them under these heads, for if it can be shown that the Province
shares in no ordinary degree all these advantages, it will follow
that its ultimate fortune depends only upon a sufficient popula-
tion, and reasonable time in which to conquer such natural
obstacles as are to be met with in a virgin country. But in order
to comprehend the frequent references which must of necessity
be made to the various local features of so vast a territory, their

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

istanced.
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follow
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y, their

widely differing qualities and productive powers, the physical
character of the country, and its political divisions must first be
briefly described.

PHYSICAL CHARACTER.

The I'rovincc of British Columbia may l)c described as a great c|uadrangle of
territory, seven luindred miles long by lour hundred miles wide, lying north of
latitude 49° and west of the central core of tiie l\oci<y Mt)untains, extending
along the Tacific Coast as far as latitude 55°, and including the islands adjacent.
North of that degree of latitude it continues inland to latitude 60°, but is shut
off fr(jm the coast by a narrow strip of Alaskan Territory, and is bounded on the
east by longitude 120°. A considerable part of this northern portion, though of
some present value on account of its gold mines and fur bearing animals, is vmsuit-
able for general settlement and is very sparsely inhabited.

The southern half of the Province, it will be seen, lies between tolerably well
defmed boundaries, and may be treated independently of the nortliern portion.
It forms a large and regular rhomboid, of elevated land, which is supported on
each side by ranges of mountains. Of these the eastern and western may be said
to be double, and consist respectively of the Rockies and Selkirks* on the east,
and of the Coast and Island Ranges on the west.

These mountain ranges exercise so important an intluence upon the country
that they recjuire especial consideration. The north and south boundaries are
merely transverse spurs and elevations orographica'ly connected with the same
ranges.

MOUNTAIN GROUPS.

The l{ocky Mountains. The easternmost range of the four above enumerated
is ihal of the Rocky Mountains. It is the northern extrcnuly of the great range
wliich forms so well known a feature of the North American Continent. Entering
the Province at the 49th parallel of latitude, it constitutes the eastern boundary to
latitude 54°, and continues to between 56*^ and 57°, where it loses its distinctive
rampart-like character, and dies down into lower hills. It has been shown to con-
sist of the upturned edges ol the strata that underlie the great north-west plain,
and its .Massive walls are formed chiefly of Devonian and carboniferous limestone.
Their average height may be stated at about 8,coo feet. " Near the 49th parallel
several summits occur with elevations exceeding 10,000 feet, but northwards few
attain this elevation until the vicinity of the How River and Kicking Horse is
reached. The range appears to culminate about the head waters of the .Saskatch-
ewan, Mount Murchison being credited with an altitude of 13,500 feet." — {Daivsoi,
(leol. Sur. , 1887.) There are twelve principal passes, at elevations ranging from

* XoPK. — The Selkirks .-ire, properly spe.-ikln^if, only a siiborJinnte portion of the more
western of the two ranges, but sinee no term h.is been {lener.iUy .iceepted for the entire nmjjc,
and sinee the Canadian Paeifie Kaihvay has espeei.illy famili.irized travellers with this name,
it has been thought good to apply it to the whole range of which it thus constitutes the best
known p.Trt.

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

7,100 foc't -tile South Kofitonay — tf) 2,000 foet — the Peace River Valley. The
value of this ^reat fence to the Province, climatically, cannot he over-estimated.
Rising between the wide plains of the north-west interior and the comparatively
narrow area of the I'acitic Slope, it serves alike to protect Hritish Columbia effect-
ually friMii the dry, cold north-east winds, and to deflect the mild and moisture-
laden breezes ot the ocean in their jiassat^e from the west.

In additi<in to the above considerations, these mountains contain a great
potential wealth of valuable minerals, extensive seams of coal having l)een found
to outcroj) in certain localities on their western flank, and frefpient indications
being shown of deposits of iron and other useful metals along their course.

The Selkirks. Parallel to the Rocky Mountains proper, and frequently in-
cluded under one name with them, though of distinct formation, run the Selkirks.
This range, which has been shown by geologists to represent an earlier upheaval,
and to exhibit an entirely different series of rocks, is so broken and complex as to
have received several names in different parts of its course, as though composed
of distinctly sepai .te mountain systems. Such, however, is not the case. A
relation has been demonstrated to exist between all these subordinate niountain
groups, and the reason of their less regular arrangement than the Rockies has been
referred to the crystalline structure of their component rocks, which have upturned
with more eccentric fractures than the stratilied materials of the neighbouring
range.

Entering from the south in a three-fold system divided by imjiortant valleys,
they are called respectively the Purcell, the Selkirk, and the Cold .Mountains. To
the north of tlie great bend of the C'olumbia River, these give |)lace to the term
Cariboo Mountains. .\t about latitude 54' they die out, or are merged in the cross
ranges which form the nortiiern boundary of the interior plateau, and from whence
spring the head waters of the Peace River.

The economic value of the .Selkirk Range lies in the very valual)le deposits
of precious and iinse metals which ha\e been discovered throughout the course of
its upheaval, and further refereiice to which will be made in speaking of the
localities where they are so far known to occur.

In average altitude these mountains are not greatly inferior to the Rockies,
their loftier members rising frnni S,ooo to 9,000 feet above the sea. The contours
are, generally speaking, more rounded iiiul less preci]iitous than the latter, though
in many places they are strikingly pointed with steep and continuous grades, down
which snow-slides sweep v iih resistless force. Their sides, up to several thousand
feet, are clothed in dense forests, affording an unlimited sup])Iy of gojil timber.

The average width ;,( the Rocky Mountain Range is about sixty miles, dim-
inishing to the north ; -hat of tlu Selkirks is about eighty miles.

There is a valljy .f most remarkable length and regularity, extending from
the southern boundity line along the western base of the Rocky Mountains as far
as the northern limits of the .Selkirks, a disttmce of over 700 miles, and ilividing
the two ranges.

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BRITISH COLUMBIA.

lr\terlor Plateau. To the west of these great ranijes Hrilish Columl)ia extends
in a wide plateau of taljle land, which has lieen ori^jinally elevated some 3,500
feet above sea-level. This plateau has been, however, so deeply intersected and
eroded by lake and river systems that, in many places, it presents an aspect hardly
differing from that of mountain regions. At others, however, it opens out into
wide plains and rolling ground, with comparatively low eminences, affording fine
areas of agricultural and grazing land. The entire district has been subject to vast
overflows of lava, of the disintegrated remains of which the present soil is mainly
composed. There is a general but very gradual slope of the land from the
mountainous country on the southern boundary of the Province to the north, where
as has been previously stated, it is hedged in by cross ranges attaining an elevatifin
of from 6,000 feet to 8,000 feet. Notwithstanding this general slope, the princip.1l
flow of water finds its way southwards through deep fissures penetrating the
mountain boundaries on the southern and western sides. This plateau forms the
chief agricultural area of the Province. " The whole of Uritish Columbia, south
of 52° and east of the Co.ist Range, is a grazing country up to 3,500 feet, and a
farming country up to ? jOO feet, where irrigation is possible." — (Alacoiin, tleol.
Rep. 1877.)

Coast aild Islaqd Rar^ges. The interior plateau is terminated on the west by
the Coast Range, a series of massive crystalline rocks of some 6,000 feet in aver-
age height. This range has a mean width of about loo miles, descending to the
shores of the Pacific, and is in turn flanked by the submerged Island Range, the
tops of which form Vancouver and her adjacent islands, the Queen Charlotte
Islands and those of the Alaskan Peninsula. The crystalline rocks of the Coast
Range are the source of the rich gold deposits of the Fraser River, which may be
said to have first brought the Province into prominent notice, and which are by no
means yet exhausted. The basins of cretaceous rock surviving the upheaval of the
Island Range, and preserved by it from submergence beneath the Pacific, inchule
the valuable coal measures of Nanaimo and Coniox, which at present sujiply the
most important mineral export of IJritish Columbia. The moisture caused by the
deflection of the warm sea breezes by these ranges is productive of an enormous
forest growth, for which the coast is famous.

" The most remarkable feature of the coast are the fjords and passages, which
while quite analagous to those of Scotland, Norway and (ireenland, probably sur-
pass those of any part of the world (unless it be the last named country) in
dimensions and complexity. The great height of the rugged mountain walls
which border them also give them a grandeur quite their own." — Daivson, CJeol.
Sur., 1884.)

RIVERS.

The unique position of British Columbia as a water-shed, on the Pacific
Coast of America, will at once be recognized when it is seen that all the rivers of
great importance on that coast, with the exception of one (the Colorado), arise
from within its boundaries. The drainage from its extensive area of mountains
and highlands is received into the numerous lakes, which have been noticed as
forming so striking a feature of the interior. Thence the surplus is discharged

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ado), arise
mountains
noticed as
lischarged

URiriSH COLUMBIA. I 5

into the few large rivers or their many tril)Utaries, wliicli finally 'each tlie sea.
These rivers are the Cohimliia on the siuitb ; the i'raser, the Skcenn, and the
Stickeeii on the west ; the Liard on the north, and the I'eace River on the cast.
These rivers are 'ifgn^at size and volume, and the first four are sufficiently navigable
to hle.imers to form water-ways of no suiall value in the development of the country.

Tfje Fraser. This may be considered llie most important river of the I'rovince,
from the fact 'hat it lies entirely witliin the British territory, and that its navigable
waters travers(. some of the best agricultural lands, and that it has been the chief
source of two considerable indusliies — gold-washing and salmon-canning. Rising
from several sources on the west slo))e of the Rockies, in the neighbourhood of the
\'ellowhead i'ltss, it (lows north-west for about 190 miles along tiie deep valley
which divides those mountains from the range of the Selkirks. There it rounds
the northern limit of the latter, and, turning south. Hows for 470 miles in that
direction, turning to the west in the last 80 miles of its course before reaching the
sea. Its total length is thus somewhere about 740 miles. Hefore penetrating the
Coast Range through the ])ictures(pie canyon which bears its name, it is joined by
its largest tributary, the Thompson, a considerable stream Mowing west from the
centre of the interior plateau. l''or the last 80 miles of its course it Hows through
a wide alluvial plain, which has been mainly deposited from its own silt, and in
the last ten miles it divides, forming a deltii, of the richest alluvial soil in the
Province. It is navigable to steamers and vessels of ordinary size over this dis-
tance of So milcM, and again for smaller craft for about Co nules of its course
through the interior, from (^)uesnellemouth to .Soda Creek. lis current is rapid,
and in the early summer it overflows its banks in the lower part of its course,
renilering ner- ;sary the use of dykes.

The Columbia. This large and important water-course, which but for tiie
blunders of Hrilisii Ministers would have undoubtedly formed the main souliiern
boundary of the Province, takes its rise in the Columbia Lakes, latitude 50', and
pursues its eccentric course round the Kootenay Districts, which, together with its
confluent the Kootenay, it completely encircles. There is no parallel to the ex-
traordinary windings of these two rivers and their associated lakes. Starling from
points so close that they have actually been in one place connected by a canal one
mile long, they flow in diametrically ojjposite directions, north-west and south-
east, along the ileep western valley of the Rockies, until they reach a maxim um
distance of 250 miles apart. They then turn, and after passing respectively
through two series of lakes — the upper and lower .Arrow Lakes and the Kootenay
Lake — they unite at a point not more than 70 miles distant from their origins.
This point is only about 20 miles north of tlie boundary, which the Kootenay had
already crossed twice, traversing American territory for some 150 miles of its
course, the united streams then flow in a soutlierly direction, being joined by
another large river, the Pend d'Oreille, just before crossing the boundary, whence
their course is through the state of Washington, about 750 miles to the Pacific
Ocean.

The Columbia drains a total area of 195,000 square miles — one-seventh more
than the Colorado. In Uritish Columbia it is naviga])le from the Columbia Lake

BKITISH COLUMBIA.

to the first crossing of the ('anadian Pacific Uailwity at (ioiden Chy, and again
from the sccoml crossing at Kevelstoke thmugh llie Arrow Laixes to its union with
the Kootenay. There are small steamboats plying on both these routes, as also
on the Kootenay between American points and Kootenay Lake.

The valuable deposits of precious and base metals which luive of recent years
deen discovered in the neighbourhood of Kootenay Lake render it |)robable that
these water-ways will be of the first importance as means for the transhipment of
ore, for which purpose they have already begun to be extensively used.

It is much to be regretted that the Hritish (lovernment had not sufficient
sagacity to retain |)(>ssession of the district lying between the forly-ninth parallel
and the mouth of the Columbia River. The district had been occupied without
opposition by the Hudson's Hay Company, who had a trading station, Fort Van-
couver, on the banks of the river, opposite what is now the City of Portland.
From thence they were driven to Fort Victoria, on X'ancouver Island, by the terms
of the treaty of 1846, by which the forty-ninth parallel was established as the
boundary line between Canada and the United States. The American people can
hardly be blamed for securing; so valuable a possession as the I'uget Sound, and
one of which they have made so good use ; but it is evident that, alth(jugh
an imaginary boundary line, such as a parallel of latitude, may be valuable across
a great level tract like the interior of the Dominion, it is very inferior to a natural
line of demarcation, such as is jiiovideil by a wide riser, when separating countries
of a mountainous and not easily accessible character.

The Skeena. There could be no clearer proof of the general lack of know-
letlge which prevails o( the gecgraphy of North-West America than the fact that
current educatiimal works ascribe to the Province no rivers except the Fraser and
Columbia. The Skeena is unknown even by name \o those whose memory is
crowded with the niiiu)r streams of Europe, and of the eastern side of America ;
and yet of a length approximating to 300 miles it is greatly superior to any river
in F^ngland, and would rank on the continent with such as the Rhone, being
wider, 130 miles from the sea than the Seine at Paris. It rises from several widely
separated sources, the most northern of which are on the Pacific-Arctic watershed
N. of lat. 56", and the most southern to the south of Habine Lake, about lat.
54° 10'. The greatest volume of water is however supplied by a confluent, the
Babine River, which flows from thi. large lake of that name, entering the north
fork of 'he Skeena about 30 miles above Ilazelton (lat. 55^ 10'). At this place
the sov. 1 fork, known on the maps as the Huckley River, but to the Indians as
the lit 'ilget* River, joins the main stream, which from thence flows in a south-
west CO ;e, striking the coast about lat. 54" 10'. The river has a wide mouth
without .y delta, but is dotted with alluvial islands for a distance of nearly a
hundred iles from the sea, having an average width of about a mile. Above the
Kitsilas anyon, a gorge traversing the Coast Range, it narrows from 800 to 200
yards at Hazelton. The shores up to the canyon do not exhibit much good land
except on the bends and islands, which are covered with poplars and small maples.
About 20 miles above the canyon the valley widens to some five or six miles, there

* The man in fine clothes.

HRmsil COLIMHIA.

, and attain
vmiun wilh
ites, as also

recent years
rcdmhle that
sliiinnent of
1.

ot sufficient
inlli imrallel
)ie(l without
1, Kort \'an-
of Portland.
by the terms
ished as the
in people can
I Sound, and
lat, although
duable across
ir to a natural
ting countries

,ck of know-
the fact that
|ie Fraser and
ise memory is
)f America ;
to any river
[■Ihone, being
:veral widely
ic watershed
:, about lat.
fluent, the
ig the north
,\t this place
le Indians as
[s in a south-
wide mouth
of nearly a
Above the
[i 800 to 200
[h good land
[nail maples,
miles, there

Iteing g'xxl bench l.ind on both sidi-s. Tliis (•(intiinics considernljly nbrvi- Mn/i-I-
ton, and on the -.ouili fork, tliirly rnilo from liKiue, there is a fine dis. rid of
nrairii' i-x'fnding S. V.. ihrougli to the Necliaco River, an important triinJiiry
(if the Kraicr. The ciirriMil of the Skeenii is rap' 1, abnut 4IJ mil-.'s an hinir, but
it may Ik* aM't-mled i)y slern-wliecl lioats as far as lia/elton.

H[B StioKeBn. This river, although it^nored even by recent works on the
geography of North America, is of -.ullicii.iU magnituiie and im|iortance to justify
its ranking among the first of ihe l)oiiiiiiion. Upwards of 250 miles in length,
ami navigable to stern-wheel steamers for 1 50 miles of its course from the sea, it
forms the m.dii artery of communication for a di^trirt of many thousand square
miles ill fact it may be saiil for the entire I'mvince north of latitude 57'. That
portion of the Province has been omitted from the accompanying map as unsuitetl
to general immigration, but its capacities must not be under-estimated. It has
been compared liy Dr. Dawson with the Russian Province of Vologda, which at
n-'csent supports a i>o|)ulaiion of over one million. It can grow the same |)ro-
ducl? . and in miiu.'ial wealth is probably vastly superior. .\t jiresent it is hardly
touched except by fur traders and gold miners, and yet contributes 110 small quota
(about $150,00) annually) to the revenues of the country.

The Si-. keen rises from several sources north of latitude 57 , one of these
springing from the neighbourhooil of Dease Lake, on the Pacific-Arctic water-
sheil, upon which the chief centre of distribution for the district (Laketon) is
situated, lis navig.ible course is interfered with by rajjids until the (ireat Canyon
is passed, but from iheiice, though the stream average-, some five miles an hour, it
is (|uite navigable. It flows mainly south-west, and enters the Pacific by the large
inlet, or fjord, which passes liirough Alaskan Territory in latitude 56' 40'. l-'or
the last twenty miles it flows more sluggishly through a wide alluvial district, but
has no true delta like the Fraser. It is here between two and three; miles wide.
Above this point it occu|)ies a valley wilh receding shorts several miles in width,
until it becomes restricted at the Little (."anyon to a gorge three-fifths of a mile long
and a few luindred yards wide, after which it widens again as far a.s (ilenora, 125
miles from its mouth. Twelve miles above (ilenora it is again restricted within
the gorge of the Oreat Canyon, aiiove which il i>ofno navigable value. The main
stream flows from an origin some 120 miles to the south, but the branch running
from Dea'-e Lake is the only one of any im[)ortaiice, since il provides a i)ass in the
surrounding mountains f )r a r(jad U) that jioiiit.

Liard ar\d Peace fivers. These rivers, which with their numerous tributaries
drain the no theastern quarter of the Province, are both of sufficient size to make
them of noteworthy importance in any country, but are of only inferior value, as
not communicating with a freight-carrying ocean. They are themselves confluents
of the great Mackenzie River, which emjnies into the Arctic Sea.

The country through which the Liard River flows is little known, and its cap-
acities have not hitherto been gauged. The Peace River, on the other hand,
drains a district which has long been considered of agricultural value. Such con-
fidence, indeed, had the Dominion authorities in this country, that 3,500,000 acres
were accepted by them in lieu of such lands within the Canadian Pacific Railway

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

])elt, as tlie Province was unalile to ^rant towarils railway construction, from the
fact liiat ihcy were already occupied by settlers.

Mach of these rivers has a course of iietween 300 and 400 miles through
Uritish Columbia. Over the greater part of this distance they are navigal)le to
canoes and small craft.

In adilition to the above rivers, it will be seen that the sources of the Yukon
lie within the British Colund)ia boundary line, though that great watncourse is of
little practical value mitil it passes into the Territory of Alaska ; and that the
*Naas River, the only stream of secondary iuiporiance which reaches the coast
(latitude 54' 55'). is by no means useless, as it affords communication with a dis-
trict otherwise difticult of ap[)roach, and is the seat, at its moeth, of an important
fishing industry.

LAKES.

The lakes of British Columbia are, for thu- most part, enlargements of her
numerous water-courses, caused by obstructions, tlie result of their debris and silt.
The ra])idity of current aiid continual fresliets from the mountain snows render
such natural dams matters of more or less fre(iuent occurrence nowadays, but in a
postgla .1 age, when most of the lakes appear to h.-ve been formed, the enormous
torrents which flowed through the country created them on a scale of much greater
dimensions. Local circ:umstances have tended to group these lakes and chain
them together along the same ri\er beds, as will be seen by referring to the nnip.
For instance, the Arrow Lakes occu]>y 120 miles of the course of the < !olumbia,
and the .Shuswa]i Lake and Lake Kamloops have a length far greater than all the
unenlarged portion of the South Thompson River. In fact, every part of the
interior appears netle<i togetiier by streams and lakes.

POLITICAL DIVISIONS.

The Province has been divided into eighteen districts for electoral purposes,
nine of which are on \'ancouver and the adjacent islands. These districts prac-
tically s(;rve the same as counties, and aiihough liable to subdivision with the
increase of population, will undoubtidly remain as jiermanent boundaries.

From the interior to the coast -in which or<ler they will be taken, since the
main road into the country, the Canadian I'acilic Railway, approaches from that
side — they are : lOast Koolenay, West Kootenay, N'ale, Lillooet, Westminster,
New Westminster City, \'ancou\er City, Cariboo and Cassiar.

The Island districts, from the south to the north, are X'icloria City, Victoria,
Fsquimall, (^)wichan, the Islands, Nanaimo City, Nanaimo, .Mberni and Comox.

The East and West I^OOtetiays. The Kootenays, endiracing an area of
16,500,000 acres, comprise a tract of country not greatly removed ."rom a right-
angled triangle in shape, of which the ajjcx is a (loint north of the great bend of

* Recent c J. plorntions conducted by Mr. A. L. Poudrier, 1). L. S., liave demonstrated that
this riMT is niiu-h larf^er th.m lijis In'tlu'rtu lieen suppuM'd, ill tact very little inferior to the
Skeena, and drains a line aj(riiultiiral district.

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

[ion, from the

miles through
e navit^iihle to

of the Yukon
itMcourse is of
and that the
iches the coast
ion with a ilis-
f an important

;ements of her
debris and silt,
n snows render
adays, hut in a
1, the enormous
i)f much greater
akes and chain
ing to the map.
■ the ( ,'olumbia,
r than all the
y part of the

toral purposes,
li-iricts i)rac-
.ision with tiie
ndaries.

aken, since the

iches from that

Westminster,

("ily, Victoria,
ni and Comox.

ig an area of

."rom a right-

• great bend of

LMiuiiistrati'd th.it
He iiifirior to the

the Columbia, the base is the forty-ninth parallel, the hypothenuse is the water-
shed of the Rocky Mountains, and the third side a line some ten miles west of the
Columbia Kiver and Arrow Lakes. This triangle is again divided l>y a line from
the apex to the base along the main water-shed of the I'urcell branch of the
Selkirks, into two portions approximately ecjual, Kast and West Kootenay, the
former being the larger by about one-eighth. Access to East Kootenay is obtained
from the interior by several jjasses over the Rocky .Mountains, of which the p.rin-
cipal are the Kicking Horse and the Crow's Nest. The former is that used by '.he
Canailian I'acitic Railway ; the latter, in the neighbouriiood of which extensive
coal deposits have been discovered, has been chosen for a i)rojected line, which is
to secure a more ilirect route to the southern ]iortion of the districts and the miiio
situate on Kootenay Lake. At present good waggon roads supplement river
communication between the Canadian I'acitic Railway and the boundary, and a
short railway line has been constructed from Nelson, on the Kootenay Lake, to
Robson at the junction of the two rivers, along a portion of the Kootenay River
which is impassable by boat.

These districts include three important valleys formed by the three-fold divi-
sion of the Selkirk Range. The fii.t is a pcjrtion of the great western valley of
the Rockies, and is watered by the upjier reaches of the Columbia and Kootenay.
The sec(jnd valley is that lying between the Turcill and .Selkirk Ranges, and is
occupied by the Upjier and Lower Kootenay Lakes. This is the chief seat of the
present quartz mining activity, to which the Kootenay Lake i)rovides the main
water-way. Access to this lake from the Un'ted .States is easy Tta the Kootenay
River, and a railway is also in course of construction — the Nelson and Fort .Shep-
])ard — which will sec. ire direct conununication with the (Ireat Northern Railway
throughout the ye.'ir.

Nelson, Kaslo, Ainsv.orth and Balfour are towns which have come into exist-
ences as centres of supply for the mines. (Sec illiist. thwt page. )

The third valley, lying between the .Selkirk and (lold Ranges, is occii'iied by
the secc'id beiul of the Columbia River and the .\rr.ow Lakes, and is at ; /esent
the chief means of communication, by steamboat, with the Canadian I'acitic Rail-
way. To the north of the railway lies the region known as the I'«ig Mend.
Kevelstokc, at the second crossing of the Columbia, is a town of growing import-
ance, as ar- also 'lolden and Donald, on the eastern side of the Selkirk Range.

Yale. N'alc District is a rectilineal section of country, west of Kooteiuu', the
north and west boundaries of which a])pear to have been designed to conform
ap|)roximately with the great right angle maile by the Shu>wap and Kandoops
Lakes, th" Thompson River, and the Canyon of the I'raser. It com|iri^es an area
of 13, ^00, coo acres, of winch, ])robal)ly, a larger pro|iortion is of agricutural value
than in anv other district. This includes the countries of the l)kanagan. the
Nitola, the Sinulkameen, the Kettle River, and the Kamloojis bunch grass
tlistrict. Access is now obtained into ;he tirst of these by the Shuswap and ()l<an-
agan Railway, a branch line from the C. I'.R. at Sicamoose, to Vernon, a distance
of fifty-four miles. It is considered the mo^t attractive and piomising farming
Country in the Province. The railway follows the course of the .Spalhimcheen

WKsr kooti:nay.

KOOTKXAV l.Alvl-; IKOM AUO\H AISSWOK 1 II, r.OOKIM; X.

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

River to luidcrby, ri disiaiice of twenty-six miles, where is situnted a roller Hour
mill, affording facilities for the lar^e wdieal farms of the surrounding; country ;
thence twentv ei^lit miles to Vernon, on the north-east side of Okanagan Lake.
Th" lake is 75 miles long, and surrounded hy tiie Imesl land.

The Nicola is ajiproached from Kamloops by a good waggon road. It is a
stock-raising district of (ronsiderahle capacity, and has also of late year> been the
.scene of energetic mining operations. I'yriteous gold-bearing ores have been dis-
covered and worked at .Stump Lake, and (iranite Oeek to the south is the site of
a recent placer excitement. Iron and coal ab;]und, also, in the Nicola country.

The Similkameen district is entered by a trail from Hope on the Lower
I'raser, but as this involves crossing the Hope Mountains at a high elevation, it
has become of less im|)ortance since the counlrv has been o|)eiied to the north and
good conmuinication afforded from that direction. It is chielly a grazing district,
occupied by large cattle urns. Further east, the Rock Creek mines are situated
on a branch of the Kettle Ri\er. Theri; are gold hydraulic works and argentiferous
galena mines at this point, both of which it is understood, are doing well. The
Kettle River flows through tiie (irand Prairie — a goud farming country north of
the boundary.

To the north again the ("herry t'reek mines are being develoifcd, and in the
immediate r.eighboiuhood of Hope silver ores have been found in what i>romise to
be Jiaying fiuanlities.

Kandoojis, the princi]xd town in ^'ale District, is>ituateda; the contluence of
the North and South Thonijison Rivers, about seven miles above the head of the
lake of the same name. It is in the centre of a grazing country of extensive area.

The western border of the district includes that part of the Coast Range
through whic'h the l-'raser passes on its way to the sea. The river rushes through
a deep delile, the sides of which have in many places been lut into gravel benches
at an earlier period of its history. These benches were the scene of the gold
washing excitement of 185S and the following years. .\t other points the rocky
clills of the enclosing mountains rise .abruptly frnm the water's edge without any
shore. Round these precipice^ the engiiK'ers of the C. I'. R. escax.Ued it-, road-
beil, a work of great difliculty and danger, in which several lixes were lost. The
Cariboo waggon roaii, which preceded the railway by nca.ly thirty years, aUo
scales the face of these cliffs, and still testifies to the energy of its builders, tlii^ugh
no longer in regular use.

The l''raser passes out of the canyon at N'aK', the head of navigatinu and starling
point of the Cariboo stage, but since lailway construction lias fdlen into dec. ly.
Thence to Mope the valley is continually widening and assuming that character of
an open farming land whicii lower down it more markedly presents. A few miles
below Hope tile boundary of the district is crossed.

Lillooet. This district, comprising an area of 12,500,000 acres, lies to the
north of the last, as far as lal. 52' and extends west to long. 124 . It contains,
therefore, a large proportion of the interior plateau, but as on the whole the

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

region is diier than that to the south of the railway from the lofty Coast Range
more effectually intercepting the moist winds, irrigation has more to he depended
upon. The soil is almost everywliere very rich, and there are a comparatively large
number of excellent farming an<l stock-raising tracts. Of these the l',onaparte
River Valley, Lake La llache, the Anderson and Seton Lakes, and the Valley of
the North Thompson may serve as exami)les. The main artery of travel is the
Carilioo waggon road, which traverses the district fr.jm south to north. (Sec iUmt. )
The Fraser in its course through the district is not navigable, except by
canoes, (liain is, however, in this way transported down the river from Lillooet
to Lytton, at its junction with the Thompson, the canoes being hauled up again
by Lidians.

Lillooet, the chief settlement, which was a place of much greater importance
before the Vale and Clinton section of the Cariboo road was constructed, is S62
feet above sea level on the bank of the Fraser.

WestiTlinster District. This large district containing some 36,000,000 acres of
land, is practically divisible into two, the southern portion comprising the delta of
the Fraser and the coast line up to the head of Jarvis Inlet, lat. 51' 20', and the
northern a vast triangle of territory between lat. 54' and long. 124°, bouniled by
the coast, and including the many large islands adjacent.

The Fraser lands and delta are the seal of scjme of the most important indus-
tries of the Province. Farming, lumbering and salmon canning are prosecute.!
with energy and success. Much rich alluvial land is being yearly reclaimed, and
a comparatively dense population is gathering together both in the cities of Xew
Westi.iinster and Vancouver and the neighbouring municipalities. The hrst of
these cities, fifteen miles from the m.aith of the Fraser, was the original capital of
British Columbia before its union with the Island of Vancouver, and thougli for
many years after the seat of government had been transferred to Victoria it
remained stationary, it has alrea<ly developed into a well built and handsome town,
with a rapidly increasing community. The growth of Vancouver City is now a
matter of history. Since its foundation as the terminus of the C. I'. K. in 1SS5,
it has sprung into a city of some 14,00c inhabitants, earnest of a far greater devel-
opment in the near future. It occupies a beautiful position on Burrard Inlet and
the Straits of (leorgia, and has every advantage that a line harbor can aflfoid.

Lulu and Sea Islands, at the mouth of the Fraser, and the Delta Municipality
to the south contain lands of great richness which, whenever drained, return a hand-
some profit to their cultivators. Further up the river the Matsqui and Sumas prairies
have been successfully dyked, and the I'itt River meadows are now undergoing a
like reclamation. These delta lands may be said to be the only extensive areas of
level agricultural country west of the Ccwst Range.

At Mission City, I'orty-three miles from the coast, a liranch line— the West-
minster Southern Railway— crosses the river and affords direct comnumicaiion
with the cities of Washington State.

The great triangle to which reference has been made as forming the northern
portion of Westminster District presents hardly any features which have not been

r- r.

G
O

= ■/<

= r.

■J. r.

•/. z.

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

hitherto descrilicd in speaking of other parts similarly situated. In the interior
cast of the C'oast Range we find a district exhii)iting characteristics identical to
those of Vale and Lillooet. There are the same rolling table-lands, the same
■enclosed lakes with wooded shores or open meadows, the same numerous water-
courses. Much of this land is consequently of no in, onsiderahle value, but owing
to the extreme difticully in the way of communication and freight transjiort, it is
only of recent years th.it any attention has been drawn to it ; indeed it may l)e said
to have been practically an unknown region. Travel led along the left liank of
the Kraser, cliverging eastwards into the wealthy mining district of 'Jariboo, or
from the coast to the far north, across by the .Skeena Forks and Babine Lakes to
the mountains of Omineca. Access from the west was hardly jiossible owing to
the rugged and precipitous mountains which on all sides hemmed in the inlets of
the coast. Nevertheless somewhat glowing reports were from time to time brought
down by miners anil traders who from some chance or other had found their way
across this region. In 1890 the present government took steps to verify these
reports by sending an exiierienced surveyor, Mr. A. L. Poudrier, who thoroughly
explored and mapped out the district.

Following upon these exploratory surveys, it is purposed to lay out the most
suitable lands in townships, when they will be open for settlement.

A riiihvay company — the Ihilish Pacific — which has recently oblaiu'-d a
charier, has iieen projected to carry a line from Winnipeg, west across the northern
portion of the Province to the sea-coast, thence crossing to the north-east part of
Vancouver Island, and continuing to Victoria. Should this ambitious undertaking
be carried out, it will at once place this [jortion of Westminster District in direct
communication with the outer world, and no doubt greatly enhance its value to
the Province.

Cariboo contains 59,250,000 acres. This district, which lies between lat. 52°
and 60^, and long. Jig" and 124° — the lower eastern boundary line ''.om lat. 59°,
being extended along the main water-shed of the Rt)ckies to long. 118° — may be
considered as comprising a I'acific and an Arctic slope.

The Pacific slope, or surface which drains into the Pacific Ocean, is covered
with broken mountain ranges, the northernmost masses of the Selkirks, here
called the Cariboo Mountains. West of the Fraser and north of the Chilcotin
there is a fine country, watered by the Hlackwater, Nechaco and Huckley Rivers,
containing much land suitable for agricultural purposes. This may be said to be
the only extensive farming area in the Pacific portion of Cariboo. It is shut in to
the north by the highlands forming the Pacific Arctic water-shed. To the east of
the Frnser, though there is a limited extent of good bench-land in the immediate
neighbourhood of the river and some of the lakes, the district is pre-eminently a
mining <iiie, and can only be expected to support a large population by its mineral
development. In the past this has not been inconsiderable, some fifteen millions
dollars worth of golt. laving been washed out of the placer claims in the immedi-
ate neighbourhood of Harkerville. .Seeing that the entire art a of these claims is
not more than a few miles in extent, the gold field of Cariboo ranks for its size as
one of the richest that has ever been discovered. At the jiresent time the industry

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

languishes, since the most profital)!e placers have been exhausteil, and the era of
quartz mining is retarded for want of railway communication.

The country may he chiefly descril)ed as a tract of mountains and table-land,
three-ff)urths of which is probably over 3,000 feet above sea level. Little forest
grows abf)ve this height east of a line drawn from the middle of Quesnelle Lake
to the head of Swift River, which marks the contact of Mesozoic rocks with the
auriferous schists of the Selkirks. Timber is therefore found only in detached
clumjis and in sheltered situations. Westward the surface of the country is smooth
and ])leasing. Snow lies over the greater part of four months in the year, and
Quesnelle Lake is fro/en up from November to March. East of the Hear Lake
valley the mountain to|)s are rugged, the line of perpetual snow being between
7,000 and 8,000 feet above sea level. — (Bowman, Geol. Sur. )

In complete contrast to this country, though further north and ujion the Arctic
slope, is tiial of the Peace River and her irilnilaries. It has l)een described as
"a magnificent agricultural and pastoral country," (Sehayfi), anil again as "a very
fine country where the excellent soil and large tracts of land facing south offer
great facilities f(jr farming." — {Hoirtsky).

Although ten degrees north of Ottawa, and 1.900 feet above sea level, in
October the minimum thermometer registered 46^, the grass was quite green, and
very fine cauliflowers were growing uninjured by frost. Potatoes, turnips, and
barley were founil in perfection. On the east and west bends of the rivers, large
tracts of natural prairie exist with southern exjiosure. In this district, between
the Parsnip and Pine Rivers, "the Rocky Mountains exist only as a broad, undu-
lating and hilly watershed." — (Scluyii). The country in climate and fertility
would probably compare with Poland and the ailjacent provinces of Russia.

Cassiar, What little can be snid about the district of Cassiar has been already
s;ateil in describing the general features of the Province. The greater jjart is still
unexplored, and there is probably not much reason for some time to come that it
should be investigated, except by gold seekers and Irapjiers. That it will ever
form an inducement to the general settler is doubtful, certainly not so long as the
more fertile and milder regions to the south still remain unoccupied. Pojiulation
will gather along' the fertile benches of the Stickeen, drawn thither by the canning
and lumbering industries at the mouth, and with an increase in poindation roads
ajid facilities of communication will jiroportionately increase. It must be remem-
bered that for the sturdy races of northern Scotland, Iceland and .Scandinavia,
who are accustomed to a sea cnast life, the hardships to be encountered in this
country are probably much less tiian those they endure at home, and the prospects
of securing a comi)eteiuy much greater. Indeed the severities of climate are
hardly to be compared with those met wiih in the North-West Territories of the
Dominion, and only appear forbidding from comjwrison with the easy life and
genial climate which generally prevail on tlie Pacific CoaNt. The lot of the native
Indian races is here far ha]ii)ier than what falls to the share of many a ])iasanl in
northern Europe, and it can hardly be (loul)led an exchange would readily be
effected were facilities afforded to men of the latter class. In no country is the

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

native population so jirosperous or contented ; and when we find Indians al)le to
accumulate sums of money wliich would indeed appear fortunes to the agricultural
laliourer o( ICnj^Iand, we cannot wonder at the steady transference of interests frcjm
Atlantic to Pacific shores.

Var)COUVer ar)d Otl^er Islands. The suLmer^ed mountain ran^^e which lies to
the west of the mainland, is represented by an archipelago of islands, great and
small, the most prominent being Vancouver and the Queen Charlotte Islands. Ot
the others it may be briefly staled that they reproduce in niinalure all the physical
features of the larger group.

\'ancouver Island occupies greater prominence than it would otherwise have
done had it not been for two circumstances, one that the capital of Kriiish Col-
umbia is situated upon it, the other that coal has been discovered and worked very
extensively. The former is perhaps rather the effect than the cause of the whole-
sale trade of the Province centering in Victoria. The Hudson Hay Company,
driven from its ])osl — Korl Vancouver — ^on the Columbia River, by the Ashburton
Treaty, which ceded the Piiget Sound districts to the Unite<l Stales, chose Victoria
as the seat of its chief trading station and the pott of entry. From this lime the
city became of first importance as an entrepot for ?]nglish trade with the interior
of the Province, and, stimulated by the wealth derived during the gold excitement,
it assumed a position which it has never yielded.

The island may be described geologically, as a group of upturned gneissic
rocks, embracing certain tertiary areas and worn down by glacial action, so that
in one jilace extensive gravel moraines, in another beds of boulder clay, are to be
found, while in a third a regular series oflate sandstones alternate with the barren
cliffs of trap. Upon such unpromising surface, generations of fir trees have
flourished, and by their ilecay have giadually deposited a mould of increasing
thickness sufiicient to provide suitable ground for other forms of vegetation, until
the country has become covered with a dense growth of timber varying according
to its situation and adaptability to the wants of each particular kind. Thus, upon
the ridges the pines and many species of undergrowth have held their own, best
suited to a moderate degree of moisture and the rocky subsoil. Upon the boulder
clay, alder, poplar, and willow have conteniled successfully against the larger trees
and where the gravel has afforded insufficient moisture for the conifers, the hardy
but more slow growing oaks, which had no chance for existence in the dense pine
forests, have gained a footdiold, and stud level plains clothed with native grass.
Maples appear to have succeeded in some places the burnt out pines ; indeed in
time much the same sequence of soft and hard tind)er might be expected on this
coast as is known to have occurred on that of the Atlantic, where tns, oaks anJ
beeches liave followed in successive order.

Victoria ( sec frontispieci') is situated on gently rising ground facing the south
and west, and lying on a narrow inlet, which provides a harbour for all vessels except
of the largest size. For these a wharf has been recently constructed outside the
entrance and the adjacent harbour of Esquimalt secures ample additional anchorage
both for merchant vessels and those of the Royal Navy, whose station and naval yarfls
are there located. The greater part of the townsite and neighbouring ground is

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

upon a gravelly soil, consequently oak trees are a prominent feature in the land-
scape. There is much good farming land in the vicinity, especially upon the
Saanich Peninsula which trends to the north. Auriferinis gravels h.ive been
worked in the neighliourhood of .Sooke, about twenty-live miles distant on the
southern extremeity of the island, hut with inconsideralile results. Iron ore has
been discovered in tiie same locality in what promises to be profitable (pianlity.
Victoria is connected by the Island Railway with the coal fields of N'anaiiiio,
Here and at Wellington, about five miles distant, are collieries which now siqiply
the chief mineral export of the I'rovince. The railway passes through the centre
of Cowichnn District, an extensive farming country where there are several thriv-
ing settlements. Further north on the east coast is the valley of Comox, the finest
agricultural district or. the island, and centre of another coal field of great extent,
which has only recently been developed. The product of the Union .Mines at
Comox is shipped from wharves situated on the harbour. To the north again lies
a region little known except for its timber. On the west coast the principal
settlement is Alberni, on a long narrow inlet known as the .\lberni canal, and
surroundetl by good farming land. Off the east coast lie many islands, the largest
of which is Salt Spring. These is'ands are chiefly occupied by small farms and
sheep ranches. In the interior of the Cowichan District is the lake of the same
name, on the shores of which is a <lense growth of magnificent timber, and which
is the site of an important lumbering industry. Little is known of the interior of
the island except that there are s(jine lofty mountains aiul elevated plateaus of
grass land, which have hitherto not been rendered available by comnuinication
with the coast.

Qlieer) Charloite Islands. These islands are at juesent chiefly the abode of n
Indian tribe, the Hidahs. There is a Hudson Hay post at Masset on the north,
and an oil curing factory has been established at Skidegate, on the north-east
corner of the channel which separates the two islands. So far as is known the
land is very similar to that on Vancouver. Coal fields have been discovered, but
not yeu worked, and a gold reef at the southern extremity, which for a time pro-
mised well, had to be abandoned, as it was found to dip below sea level. This
reef contributed the first gold discovery in British Columbia.

The islands lying between the northern extrtmity of Vancouver Island and
the Mainland are only inhabited by Indian tribes, and little is known of tluir
capabilities, Texada Island, opposite Comox, is highly mineralized ; gold quartz
has been prospected, but hitherto not profitably worked, and iron ore of excellent
quality is being regularly shippeil to a smelter in the United .States. There can
be little doubt that further investigations will demonstrate both the existence of
profitable mines and of more agricultural land suitable for settlement on these
islands.

Supporting Capacity of British Columbia.

The first questions which are naturally asked by those
enquirinf;- into the resources of a country are : what aj^ricultural
backing has it j?ot ; what is the amount of land available for
plough or pasture ; is the soil fertile, and can the crops be well
harvested ? We shall attempt to satisfy these enquiries in the
present chapter.

It is exceedingly difficult, as any one who has followed the
above short geographical sketch can very well imagine, to esti-
mate the total quantity of land in the Province suitable for
farming or ranching. Situate, as much of it is, in the mountain
valleys along the shores of streams and lakes, or on rolling
high lands and benches, remote from accessible ways, many
thousands of acres must for the present escape the notice of the
settler. Even of those districts within easy reach of communi-
cation, a vast amount is hidden by the density of intervening
forests and the impenetrable character of its own under-brush.
Much of this is, however, of the finest quality and will well
repay the cost of cultivation. Clearing, expensive though the
process may appear at first, is in the end cheaper than manuring,
as any one who has had the opportunity of making comparisons
must be well aware, and it will be long years before the richer
soils of the Province need artificial strength. Of the 300,000,000
acres and upwards, estimated to lie within its borders, it is pro-
bably a very moderate computation which admits 10,000,000 to
consist of pasture and arable land within existing means of
communication.

Statisticians are agreed upon an average of something under
three acres as requisite for the support of human life. It would
not then be an exaggeration to say that there was room for some
2,000,000 or 3,000,000 on the available land of the Province.
This would indeed appear a very moderate estimate if a com-
parison be instituted with the most mountainous countries of
Europe and their existing populations. Taking for example,

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

Switzerland and Norway, the former with a y^ross area of about
10,000.000 acres, supports a population of nearly 3,000,000 ;
the latter with eiijht times the area has over 2,000,000 inhabit-
ants. Less than one thirtieth of the land in Norway is cultivated,
about 2,700,000 acres, consequently an amount wholly inade-
quate for the support of its people. It is true that where con-
ditions of life are so much easier than in older countries, to
institute rigorous comparisons would be misleading, but enoug'h
has been said to show how j^reat mig'ht be the increase of a
purely agricultural population, without unduly straining its
resources, and how unreasonable is the impression that there is
no farming background to the Province. At the present time
nearly two million dollars worth of farm produce is imported
annually, almost all of which could and ought to be furnished
from within its own borders. This fact affords some slight indi-
cation of the state of the market, especially when it is remem-
bered that these importations pay a heavy duty, more than
equivalent to the cost of internal freights.

We may now proceed to enquire more closely into the vari-
ous conditions of farming, as practised in the different districts.

Kootenay. We have already referred to the class of agricul-
tural land in East and West Kootenay. It is for the most part
confined to the shores of the Columbia and Kootenay Rivers, and
the great lakes. It occurs in patches of no very great extent.
Much of the land is of the nature of water-meadows, and is
therefore liable to overflow. Although this affords good pasture
for cattle, and excellent hay is cut from it, extensive draining
would need to be resorted to in order to make it of any use
except for the wild grasses which at present grow luxuriantly
upon it. The soils are very fertile and yield first rate crops ot
grain and roots whenever cultivation has been attempted. (See
illust. p. g.J

Kootenay can never be regarded as an agricultural district,
although there is more than a sufficiency of land for the local
markets were it cultivated. On the other hand, the population
of the towns and mining camps is increasing beyond all propor-
tion to that of the farming class. Means of communication are
wanting and it is probable that agriculture will be chiefly pro-

if'
ill

URITISH COLUMBIA.

secutcil for years to come in small patches contij^^iious to the
chief centres of consumption. All fruits of the temperate /one
^rovv well, and for these there will be a continual demand. Hay
is in ^'reat request for the numerous pack-trains employed in
transporting' ores from the mines. This is cut chiefly from the
water-meadows in the Kootenay and Columbia Valleys, but
much is also imported.

There are at present only about eighty-five farmers in the
district, not more than three and a half per cent, of whose land
is reported as under cultivation, which would leave a rather larg-e
mar},'in for future possibilities, even admitting a considerable
per centag-e of unsuitable land to each farm.

Yale. The southern portion of the Interior Plateau which is
included in this district, has been previously alluded to as one of
the most promising^ ayfricultural localities in the country, and as
one which since railway communication has been provided is
rapidly coming- to the front in development. For a cattle ranching-,
wheat growing- and fruit-bearing country, it exhibits remarkable
qualifications and must soon become both populous and pros-
perous. This is not to say that there is no unproductive land in
it, for there are mountains, forests and wastes here also. But
the proportion of good land is greater, the level ground more
extensive and the clearing less arduous than in most other
accessible parts of the Province. The climate, though exhibit-
ing greater extremes of heat and cold than are experienced upon
the coast, cannot be called a severe one. Warm enough for the
cultivation of the grape in summer, the winters do not preclude
the open pasturing of cattle and horses, except on rare occasions
and for brief periods of time. It is true that prudent ranchers
have found it advisable to inake ample nrovision of hay against
emergencies ; nevertheless, many ,1 winter passes when this
store is not drawn upon. The dry, bracing cold has proved
healthy for man and beast. If there be a fault, it is a lack of
moisture, but there are many places where irrigation is feasible
and many others where it is not needed. The scenery is beau-
tiful, and what is more to the purpose in a country where
grandeur of scenery is at a discount, pleasant to the eye and
suggestive of comfort. Even with the moderate amount of

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BRITISH COLUMBIA.

cultivation which at present exists in the Okanat^an, a home-like
air prevails, but were they anything approaching- to the condi-
tions of older countries, it would be hard to conceive a more
desirable land to live in.

It has been computed that if the available acreage in this
district alone, were to be sown in wheat, a crop larger by one-
third than the whole yield of Manitoba, would be reaped. Of
that already under cultivation, the average yield is about forty
bushels to the acre, in some cases runnmg as high as sixty-five.
The quality of grain is excellent and furnishes the finest grades
of flour. In vegetables, roots and fruits, the country cannot be
surpassed. " The most important fruit district will be developed
in the North and South Thompson, Spallumcheen and Okanagan
Valleys, where not only extensive areas exist, but the most
favourable conditions. * * The prospects of peaches, grapes
and other fruits requiring certain degrees of warmth for success-
ful culti\ation, are excellent all over the interior." Almonds
have already been gro^^•n with success.

It is dil'licult to expatiate upon the capacities of this be<iu-
tiful ciHintry without incurring the charge of extra\agance.
Were there no agricultural land in the Provmce elsewhere,
enough might be foiuid here to supply a population suilicient to
establish her other industries.

The following table gives some idea of the present state of
farmin<r in the interior :

I>i-.liii:t. Sotllcrs. Land Cull.

Pcntictnii 145

Okanafjaii Missimi 95

VeriKin, etc 155

SpalluiiiclR'cn 140

.5 per cent.

per cent.

Gi'iu'ral I^ern.Trks.

/" L.irKi' rolalivi' .iiiininit ot' pasture

I l.uul. Mucli ^fo^Kl.lH:ril■ullur,■l'

I laiul iilli- tti .11 l.ick of iii.irki.-t-

V iii^- fai'ili! 's.

L.ir^H- .imouiit of af^riLultur.il

l.iiui iilk'. jixxj .Ti'ri's ot cereals;

.!(HK> liay ; 7UCX) c.atik'; nxx>

Islieep ; 1500 swine ; (i^oliorses.
Cireat i.|u;inllt!es of fruit fjrowii.
j Wlie.it, o.its, cattle .and fruit.
' Iiidi.iu corn 14 to 16 feet liifi'h.
ICxeellent (fr.iiii ; soil very fertile
•ind of fifre.il depth. Oliliffed
to burn stnuv as l.uul would he
Ke steam roller

(10 nurn siniw a>
too r.iiik. Larf.
mill at Knderh) .
(See illiist. tor eli.iraiteristie seetierv of this district, iMt to lie confounded with the next.)

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BRITISH COLUMBIA.

District.

Settlers. Land Cult.

Salmon River 40 6 percent.

General Remarks.
/'Heavier rainfall here than else-
I where. Rin>t crops ffood,
J l^..-.:.^.,,..^ «..,,. I. ..I A n ;-

Sluiswnp 25

Ducks am\ Orand Prairie. . :o

per cent,
per cent.

[

Drainage neetled. All grain
and fruit do well. Oats aver-
age 6 feet in height.

Kamloops 125 15 percent.

JNicola 120 2.5 per cent.

Spence's Bridge 65 12 percent.

/ Large quantities of cattle and
' hogs sent to coast markets.

rCavtle ranching chiefly, but large
J quantities of hay, roots and

qu;i

vegetables grown.

Lytton ,

per cent.

/ 151,286 acres occupied, mostly for
cattle. 15,000 head of cattle ;
I i,,^(xx5 sheep ; 1,000 horses.

fGmpL's, peaches .-md m.iny fruits.
I Spring wheat .ind barley yield
J he.'ivily ; be.'ins do well. Frri-
I gation necessary throughout
!_ district.

I Cereals, beans .^^d fruits. 20 tons
I of melons; i '3 tons citrons; 2%
I tons li>m;itoes; 204 tons of gen-
eral produce from two farms
in this place, drapes, jipplcs,
str.TwluTries.

Lillooet and Cariboo. In the vast portion of the Interior Phiteau
which extends to the north from the Hne of the Canadian Pacific
Railway, farming- is confined to the operations of some three
hundred settlers, and even these confessedly provide a much
smaller quantity of produce than they could do, if the demand of
the local market justified an increase. The fact is that communi-
cation with the centres of consumption is so difficult that it
absolutely precludes the profitable growth of any crops in excess
of what are needed in the immediate neighbourhood. With the
stock ranchers the case is diflferent. Cattle can be driven for long
distances, and large bands are brought down to the coast in good
condition. Indeed, some of the finest ranges in the Province are
to be found in these localities. But as regards farming in its more
generally understood sense, namely, the production of roots and
cereals, of fruit, butter, cheese and the like, it must be acknow-
ledged that the lack of market facilities is at present an insuper-
able barrier to anything like development. There are many
excellent farms of a similar character to those furth«^r south,
and there are extensive tracts of fine land practically unoccupied.
Irrigation is necessary in many places, owing to the prevailing

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

dryness of the climate, and is resorted to with great success
wherever it has been attempted. The scenery is diversified and
very beautiful, especially round the numerous lakes and water-
courses. Altog'ether, it must be conceded that nothing- but
want of communication stands in the way of this portion of the
Province being turned to profitable use ; but until this is pro-

LILI.OOirr DISTRICT.

VIKW NKAK BKIIUiK KIMK.

vided, the country must be regarded as rather having a
potential thin an actual value to the agriculturist. The present
occupants of the land have about 13 of their ht^ldings in hand.
Grain, hay and roots are the principal crops ; fruit has not been
attempted to any extent, the colder nights appearing to discour-

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

age this '.inclertaking. Sheep do very well, and would be much
more favoured as stock, were it not for the wolves and coyotes,
whijh are too numerous and destructive for the sheep farmer to
sujceed. Cattle, horses and pigs are bred in considerable
PAiinbers, and a limited amount of dairying is done for the local
market. Whether railway communication be finally afforded by
branch lines running north from the Canadian Pacific, or by
a new trunk line coming across this district from the east, it
will nowhere be more welcome than in this, the earliest to attract
attention and the longest neglected part of the interior.

The Coast. West of the Coast Range there is to be found in
the valleys trending down to the shore line, land ample for the sup-
port of a thriving yeorri.iT class, and which is already by no means
destitute of inhabitants. wide delta of the Fraser, though

it cannot be said in any d^^. ee to be fully occupied, has over a
thousand farmers, and every year sees its rich alluvial soil
brought under a more perfect form of cultivation. At present
not more than ten to fifteen per cent, even of the land occupied
is made use of, so that it is very clear here also the margin for
increase in an agricultural population is a wide one. The oppo-
site conditions to those experienced in the interior plateau prevail,
for instead of there being any need of irrigation, the rainfall is
very heavy and the land frequently too wet. Dyking is resorted
to somewhat extensively, but the country is too young to experi-
ence the full benefits of a complete system of s^:!j-drainage.
There are consequently not infrequent complaints of watery root
crops and other damage necessaril)- arising from imperfectly
drained land. The soil is exceedingly rich and of great depth.
The crops are enormous in size and quantity ; pears, apples and
stone fruits grow very well ; hops, onions and all roots thrive.
Timothy averages three to four tons per acre ; oats and other
grains yield proportionately large crops, but are not so hard or
so well adapted for milling as those of the interior.

It may be said that this class of land will continually improve
under cultivation and practically can never wear out, its present
faults tending rather in the direction of rankness and over-fertility.

The Islands. Upon Vancouver Island and the smaller islands
of the Gulf of Georgia, there are at present no fewer than 1390

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

persons prosecutinji;' agricultural pursuits upon their own farms,
about ten per cent, of which is in hand. They comprise nearly
one-third of the entire farming community of the Province. Most
of the land occupied by them has been selected for the sake of
the " bottom-lands " which form a not inconsiderable part of
each pre-emption. This class of land, besides being the most
fertile, is also the easiest to clear, and always forms the nucleus
of every well-chosen farm. The alder and other small trees
which chiefly favour these situations, are soon cut down and
their stumps left to rot. In two or three years they are grubbed
up without much difficulty, and the land is in fair condition for
the plough. Meanwhile the settler has already started his
garden patch, and has good crops of onions, tomatoes, potatoes
and other veg'etables, with perhaps a little grain growing on a
few acres of fa o.. rably situated bottom-land which he has cleared
before the rest. From this time he is well occupied in improv-
ing and cultivating his clearing, gradually extending his borders
up the sides of the more elevated ground which slopes back
from his house and patch. The larger pine and cedar stumps
he cannot get rid of without excessive labour or expenditure.
He therefore seeds in between them with rye, timothy and other
suitable grasses, cutting the \oung fern as soon as it comes up
in the spring. He runs his small stock of cattle and sheep on the
underbrush of the surrounding forests, upon which, with a little
extra feed they can do well through the summer. His best land
is cold and wet and stands in need of draining ; tiles of good
quality are manufactured in Victoria, and to be had at reasonable
price. During the winter, when opportunity serves, he saws
and splits into cjrdwood the trees he has cut down in the course
of his clearmg. This, if he is within reach of town, he carts in
and disposes of; or on the small islands, he sells to the passing
steamboats.

It will be seen that circumstances here greatly favour the
prosecution of small farming. The quality of the farms is so
mixed, the bush is so dense, and there are so many intervening
valleys and ridges that the extensive operations of the large
farmer would demand an outlay of capital which the area of his
cultivatable land would hardly justify. On the other hand, the

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BRITISH COLUMBIA.

high cultivation profitable ^ 'a ' -"^'-ays render

a good .ivin,, Hnn, the value Jfi lid ITo'.to ^^ T'^"^
acre to $,oo or $:so-vvhich latter vou d^rai! Inofr '"
excess.ve price for really hi^hl, worked far^s: L? X"
inducement to careful cultivation. ^

The following- table shows the distribution of
lands upon the island ;

occupied farm

Victoria .
Lake. . . .
Saanich. .
Metchosin
Sooke ....
Shawnigan

'''"'"•-■'• Farms occupied.

145

65 .

'35

65 . .

cowichan, etc.::;:::.::::;:.: ,85

Lnemainus

Nanaiino, etc

Salt Spring

Islands

Coniox

Rupert

Alberni

225

'05

125

__75

1435

Unsmeyed lands. I, „ Ml „„t foil to be remarked that reference

has been made i„ .he geofrraphicai description of the c™, "To

arsre tracts of good land, which have, nevertheless, , o ^ ^^ Tn

he above report of farming progress in the Provi ,ce tuZ

unsurveved d.stricts, as the Peace River, the Buckley River ,d

Prop

n cultivated.

50 per cent.

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to their qualifications

u I ably as

• , , '^ ^^^"^y '^^^ too remote from communi

acco,n,t. I, ,s true that even situated as they are, their accesi-
b.h,y ,s much greater than that of Kastern Otnad, in the da vs

e^Z ' r T ""•"''^"'' ""' ""'"" "- hardships to be
endured by settlers amount to one ti.he of what the fathers of

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

the new world cheerfully submitted to But with increased
advantages, the demand for greater comforts has kept pace, and
it is very doubtful whether any considerable population will
settle in these northern districts of the interior, before railway
communication brings them within easy reach of civilized life.
Still, there are the millions of acres of the Peace River lands,
a sensible proportion, at least, of which would repay cultivation;
there is the broad valley of the Buckley and other streams, which
alone is probably capable of maintaining a population equal to
that on the Fraser ; and there are, without any fear of exagger-
ation, thousands of suitable patches upon almost every creek
and fiord of the coast line, whereon a family might very well be
supported in decent comfort, if not in affluence. To pretend
that these places are like a paradise, where e\ erything is at hand
without struggle or pains to procure a livelihood, would be
absurd ; nor indeed were that the case would it be any solid
recommendation to the country. The position which is main-
tained is rather this, that the circumstances attending an agri-
cultural life in the Province are like those which once prevailed
in England, neither too hard nor too easy, and that they tend to
produce a race of men neither worn out with excessive toil, nor
effeminate through living an indolent and enervating existence.
The first generation of settlers will, of course, always endure the
greatest hardships, and they must be prepared for this in return for
cheap land and the best choice ; the chief point to be determined
is one of climate and soil, whether these are of such a character
that the conditions of existence are capable of steady and encour-
aging amelioration, such as to continually evoke the energies
and occupy the intelligence of the inhabitants. It is maintained
that in no country of the new world will be found conditions
better qualified to this end than in British Columbia.

II.
Exporting Capacity of the Province.

In the foregoing chapter, British Columbia has been repre-
sented as by no means a sterile land, but rather it has been
shown to possess a sufficiency of agricultural soil upon which
to support a large population in comfort. This is not however,
what is now-a-days understood as a "farming country." The
enormous plains of the interior of North America, the expedition
with which their virgin soil may be brought under the plough,
and the comparatively little cost of this operation, have
greatly changed popular ideas as to the process of farming and
as to the normal value of its farm lands to the country which
possesses them. For hitherto this value has been regarded in
most countries of the old world to consist chiefly in the power of
supporting a population, whereas at present, it would seem to
lie rather in the power to produce a quantity of grain largely in
excess of the need of the inhabitants. Thu • it is the exporting
capacity of these new agricultural regions which constitutes their
wealth. But it is very clear that however productive they may
be for years to come, this is no stable equivalent to those other
resources which enable a country to assume importance as an
exporter of goods. Any community which developes facilities
whereby it can rise from the position ot exporting ra\ ^ materials
to that of exchanging its manufactured products, has made as
great an advance in economic importance as one which has
passed from the pastoral to the agricultural stage. If this fact
were not sufficiently recognised among the nations, nothing would
be heard of Protection, or the encouragement of manufactures
by the State.

In the following chapter it is purposed to briefly review not
only such resources as this Province may possess for engaging
in the export of her raw materials, but also her capabilities for
establishing manufactures on a permanent basis when the time
comes in which she may do this with profit. It will be shown.

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

that while she has command of vast quantities of timber and
minerals, including the precious metals, to barter with other
countries in their raw state, she has also ready to hand all those
means which will one day enable her to engage economically
and profitably in manufacture. It may seem to many that a
long time must elapse before the rate of wages will have reached
such a point as to render manufacturing possible, but we have
suflicient evidence in the past fifty years of development on the
American continent, to show that since the introduction of
labour-saving machinery, this question of wages is no such
serious obstacle as it at first sight would appear, and indeed it
is significant that whereas ten years ago British Columbia
occupied the fourth place among the Provinces of Canada as a
manufacturer, in proportion to population, she now heads the
list. Hut even were it a question of prolonged waiting before
such facilities could be profitably employed, the fact of possess-
ing them places the country in a position of great advantage
as compared with those which have no such future before them.
In the former case, there are the means to attain to the utmost
point to which civilization can reach, in the latter a stage will
surely and certainly approach at which development will be
arrested and progress no longer possible.

The present exports of the Province of sufficient importance
to demand attention are minerals, lumber, fish and furs. These
will be treated of respectively, though it is clearly beyond the
scope of this work to do more than refer to them in a very
general and superficial manner.

MINERALS.

The presence of extensive mineral deposits has long
since been proved an essential to the progress of any country.
Although it is said with perfect truth that the products of the
soil alone are capable of supporting life, it is nevertheless a fact
that a purely agricultural people rarely attains to any high degree
of wealth and importance. The more rapid accumulation of
capital which follows upon the successful mining of the precious
metals and the stimulus given to manufacture by the discovery
of coal and iron has always created a denser population and

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

more widely distributed wealth, togetlier with a rapid increase in
material comforts and encouraj^ement of the arts.

The i^'reat mountain ^roup, which in successive ranjj;es
borders the western side of the American continent, has been in
every portion of its entire len^-th demonstrated to be rich in
mineral deposits, nor is that section which traverses the length
of British Columbia any exception to the rule. Her mineral
wealth is indeed phenomenal. To it is owed the first promi-
nence to which the country attained ; it at the present time
supplies the chief export, and upon it depends in no small de{,^ree
all future prosperity. The g'old placers were for long the chief
attraction which drew strangers to her shores ; the coal fields of
Vancouver Island are her most valued source of revenue ; the
quartz mines of Kootenay and the Interior are the legitimate
successors to the placers of an earlier period of her history ;
the iron ores of the coast will secure her position among the
manufacturing countries of the future.

A more detailed though necessarily imperfect account of
these discoveries may now be entered upon.

The principal metalliferous regions of British Columbia,
which extend laterally from the western slopes of the Rocky
Mountains to the coast, and include the Selkirk, Purcell, (iold
and Cariboo Mountains, the Interior Plateau, and the Coast
ranges, correspond roughly with the regions of the Coeur d'Alene
and Hitter Root Mountains of Idaho and Montana, the Great
Basin of Utah and Nevada, and the western slopes of the Sierra
Nevada. Through these regions belts, more or less defined,
occur containing \aluable deposits of the base and precious
metals, of which those in Cariboo - gold gravel and quartz ; in the
Selkirks — argentiferous galena, copper and assi iiuited ores; in
the Nicola — gold and silver sulphurets ; and in lue canyon of
the Fraser, gold gravels — have been so far the most prospected.

" Everything which has been ascertained of the geological
" character of the Province, as a whole, tends to the belief that
" so soon as similar means of travel and transport shall be
" extended to what are still the more inaccessible districts, these
'* also will be discovered to be equally rich in minerals, particu-

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

" larly in the precious metals, g-old and silver." Drnvson's
''Mineral Wealth," t>. 75,

Cold. (loid was first discovered in any considerable quantity
in British Columbia in 1S48 upon Queen Charlotte Island.
Althou^^h larg'e nuj^j^ets were at first obtained from a reef
close to the waters' edj^e, this was soon found to dip into the
sea, and after various disasters the enterprise was abandoned,
some $20,000 of j^old havin}^ been extracted.

In 1858 the f^reat g-old discoveries of the Fraser were made,
and in the first two years several million dollars' worth of the
precious metal was obtained from that source. A tew years
later, as the stream of mining- prospectors penetrated further
into the country, thp Cariboo, Ornineca and Cassiar rejj^ions
were respectively opened out. Subsequently small local dis-
coveries have been made in various districts, and almost every
year fresh sources of the g^old supply come to lig-ht. Altogether
about $54,000,000 have been taken from the mines, the annual
output having- steadily fallen for some years, till it at present
amounts to only $400,000.

It is, however, confidently anticipated that this will be about
the lowest point reached, for the period when, as in California,
the labours of the individual placer miner should be succeeded
by hydraulic mining- on a larg-e scale, appears to have come
at last.

The Minister of Mines in his latest report states that the
applications for mining- leases of bench lands during- the past
year have been more numerous than at any former period, and
that it is anticipated the output of g-old for 1893 will be con-
siderably enhanced by the hydraulic companies operating- in the
Yale, Lillooet and Cariboo Districts.

In the last mentioned locality in which, as Is elsewhere
stated, was once the richest placer g-round known, for many
years past the miners have been contending- against the almost
insuperable difficulties of transit. The enormous cost of convey-
ing machinery and supplies to the mines has precluded anything
approaching that development which might otherwise have been

HKITISM COI.l'MMIA. .-

expected. Xoverthcless. half of the entire ^ok\ crop of .H02
wasohta.nec iro.n this source, and ^n-eat efforts are bein^. made
to estabhsh hydrauh-c and qnartx mines on a scale which will do
justice to the undoiihted resources of the district.

The followin.^^ shows the proportionate production throuLWi.
out the Cariboo District in 1S92 :

narkcivillc ^ .-

, . , . . .7> 70,600

LitlliliiinK' Creek .

<^>iiusiicllciiiciilli. '■'°°

Keithlcy (^y^^'k.... ''.'.'..'.'.''..'.'.'.'.. y,',[[ "^'^"°

Kstin.atcl l.al;uu-c ( \.,v. ,50,! ),,.. .5V) '.'.'....'.'.'..'.'.[][ Joi^fe

$204,000
In the appendix will be found an exhaustive and interesting
account of the proKness of ^^old minin^^ in the Province in a
paper read by Prof. G. M. Dawson, C.M.G., F.R.S., before the
Royal Colonial Institute. March 14. 1893, and which it is hardly
necessary to say treats the M.bject in a manner far bevond
the capacity of the writer of this essay. It would therefore be
superfluous to further refer to it here.

Mining Developnient in the Kooteqays. As earlv as the year 186=
the 8:reat bend of the Columbia River which foniis the Northern
boundary of Kootenay, was prospected for ^o\d by miners from
he Fraserand Thompson Rivers, eastward across the Shuswap
Lake. The journey was an arduous and expensive one not-
withstanding^ which, after hearinj,^ of the success of the first
explorers, the rush was very ^^reat. From the small streams
and creeks flowini,^ into the southward turn of the river several
m.lhon dollars worth of the precious metal was washed, and the
miners entertained sani,aune hopes that here would be fotmd -x
suffic.ency to enrich all who ventured into that difficult country
The.r expectations, were however, not realized, the majority
endunn^^ many hardships with small financial results, and the
region was soon deserted by all save a few pertinacious men
But already others had entered the Southern Kootenav from
across the Boundary line (1864), and had prospected with great
success the rich placers to be found in the streams which flow
mto the Kootenay river. Of these the Wild Horse Creek ^see
tllust. p. 13) and Perry Creek were the most famous, from the

BRITISH COLUMBIA,

former of wliich alone some $10,000,000 was obtained. The
history of these phicer chiims in the Upper Columbia Valley and
in the Bi<^ Bend may be said to form the first chapter in the
minins^ development of I^asl and West Kootenay.

A second stimulus to such enterprises was given by the con-
struction of the Canadian Pacific Railway across the Selkirks.
Durinii;^ that work good specimens of argentiferous galena were
met with in the neighbourhood of the Illicilliwaet, a glacial
torrent which discharges into the Columbia near Revelstoke,
and more attention than usual was paid to such discoveries
owing to their propinquity to a means of transport. In iS(S()-7
many claims w ere taken up on the mountains to the north of the
railway track, and a considerable amount of capital and energy
was deviated lii exploring and developing these mines. Many
difilculties were encountered, chiefiy owing to legal questions
which arose as to the ownership of minerals within the railway
belt, (the point was subsequently settled by an appeal to the
Privy Council and Jiy legislative action of both Provincial and
DominiiMi (ioxernmeiits), but notwithstanding, scrnie 825,000
worth of om was shipped to San I""rancisco for treatment in
i8cS7-S. This «.>re averaged (k) oz. oi' silver and 70 per cent.
lead, and the large bodies which were discovered went far to-
wards establishing confulence in the future of the district. On
the south side of the railway track the mineralized region was
prospected as far as l""isli C'reek, a stream which Hows into the
head of the Upper Arrow Lake. Here too, \ery promising ile-
posils were discovered and to some extent mined. I'-ncouraged
by these and similar discoveries, a smelter was erected on the
shore of the Cvilumbia near Revelstoke.

The ores i^f the Illicilliwaet District are chielly argentifer-
ous galena, running friMii 40 lo 120 ounces silver per ion of
2,000 pounds, and from 40 to 70 per cent. lead. There are also
veins of tetrahedite, or grey copper, which rim \ ery high in
silver — from 200 to i,(K)o ounces. Where this latter is found
associated with the galena the average of silver in the ore is
raised proportionately. The veins occur with a general north-
west strike and south-east dip so far as has been ascertained,
though there are some strong cross courses, in a country of

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

47
bla..k staes and beddoci limestones, probably of Ca.nbro-Silunan

earthj matter taprc-gnated uitl, oxides of lead. The slate,
abound ,„ „.o„ pyrites, and zine is also found associated v I
he other ores, though no, to any extent detrinK-m.-d to the "
smeltini'- ot the ore. ^ ^

Koote,',™' I ''l' '" " '■''■'"" ''■" '" "'-' """"• •" '"^- f«« >'f
s^l^r ; . ■' " -7' "'■'' "■'" "f "W" —-""I "ith

hi; ;':"' •''^•'-■""■"•^"'>- '"-"--I by s„„,e ranchers who

had crossed the n.onnta.ns in search of strav cattle. This ,vas
he nou- famous S.lver Kin,., of the Toad .Mountain .roup J
o ,ts d.scovery „,ay he attributed the (irs, direction .^ ex I
ory worK to the shores of Kootcnay LaU-. Others sp , e
followed, a vast body of «,|ena was developed on the 111 ,e Me
1-P--.V on the Kast shore of the lake,- hij.er up the n,o, ,

or. uce toun 1 n, stron,r veins. Son.e ,.ood .„1, .,.,, ,,,,

..I- d.scovcred and worked ah,,,,, this tune , „ss,s., , , j,,

fZ :' "^'•^■^■7^' I-—. ">-' be ,,l,o„ed ,o ,„:, ve,„.
.89,.,,., dunn,. ,!,e seasons „f .,e|„ch ,l,c X„r,„-wes, nei,.,,.

K ,, tood ,, ,he ,a,-e ,v..s f,u.,hcr explorcl whl, .-e -,..,;

-- .l,s. n Ihc kaslo-.Slocan llistric, extensive dcposhs of eerv

. K.n «ay hrc.„,d, the „,ou,„ai„s „p „. the head of ,he r„ '

th. ea,l,erd,s,-ov...,,es.,f,|,e lllicllliuaet. In evcv ,11;^,,,
success ,.e„a,.de.l their efforts, s„„,„:- ,,„., ,,er,na„en, ,c

f: ^7: •""' ^'-^"""';' -'-'■ "-"«■ 1 1 .,vcra,in,- f,.,, „

,s ., .«o ounces o, s.lver per , on. It n,ay he said , h: , „,,,
.. belt of ,,.hly nnnerali.ed terrilo,, had he,-,, ,len,o„.„.,„,d
fromahttleno,.h,,f,helWnda,-yHneas,aras,l,en,., :
correspond,,,,. ,n strike „i,h .he n.ain ax ' ,he Selkirks.

Some idea of the importance ui,l, „hich ,l,ese discoveries

are regarded by .^n,eri,.an n,ining ,„cn „,ay .,„,, ,,, ,!

.s,g". cant fact that whereas great dillicuhy 1,.,., heen cxperien
..> en ,st,ng Knglish capital upwa,ds of .S..,«.,„k«,, J"^
already ventured by them upon claims in this district

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

It has been estimated that a producinj^'- capacit}' of about
250,000 tiMis can be easily attained, and aUhouj^^h the American
tariffs are a serious obstacle to the introduction of these ores
into the States, Americans themselves are providi ni^ every
facility for the cheap transport of the mineral to the Montana
smelters. Durins^' the past winter over a thousand ti>ns of an
estimated value of 8250,000, have been broug'ht di>\vn to the
warehouses on the edii;"e of the lake to await shipment till the
season opens.

Incipient towns have sprimg- into existence to supply the
wants of the miners and afford accommodation for storiiii;^ and
shippiiii^ th.e ores. Steamship and railway facilities are being"
continually improved so that transportation is being reduced to
a practical working point, and a large siiielter is being erected
upon the lake itself by an American lirm.

It is a difficult matter to prophecy, with any hope of accur-
acy, as to the future of a new mining centre. Discoveries such
as the above, lead to a kind of intoxicatii^n under which even
shrewd and sensible businessmen see everything in an exagger-
ated fashion. Mineral veins are proverbially eccentric in llieir
behaviour, and there is, of course, the same possibility I.cre, as
elsewhere, of disappointment and failure. It woukl, however,
be, to say the least, an instance of extraordinary ill luck if, out of
these numerous well defined and immense out-crops, none should
prove permanent on further exploitation, and the opinion of so
many competent authorities be disproved in the issue. That
some are doomed to disappointment is only to be expecteii, but
if only a very small portion of the mines located be of perma-
nent \alue great wealth and an industry employing many hands
will result to liie Pri>\ ince friini these discoveries.

\or has I'^ast Kiiotenay remained far behind the Western
district in the development of her ores. In addition to the rich
placers which first established her reputation and which are now
passing into a second stage of hydraulicing on a large scale,
many quartz prospects have been discovered, and siMtie of these
are a' present being worked with every promise i>f good results.
A carload of ore from the X'ermont Creek recently netted, at the

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Tacoma smelter, $2,060. U

pon the Thunder Hill

ASSAYS TkuM KAST KOOTKNAV

1891.

Sept .
Jtinu.

Locality.

.Ml.NKRAL.

Mc.MukIo CIVl'k. Oinrty , ■ , , ^

.. .. •'"''' 15 4.5 <)/..

" .. ., '•"''' $S46 30.

•:'>lil$54
Silver

<'i<i>> I.N- 1S91.

Assays to tiik ton (..,,h,o lbs.)

J"iy

Copper
, V'ermoiu

' ."^ ^'|-^ 4..45o/.k.a,l;9perct.

.. ^'"^■•' '77.29 ozjc.ul 74 per ct

(•„„ Silver 102.9 "/,lia(169|)errt

'■''> '"Pl"r Silver 1169 3?.,k 'l'^"^'-''

Vermont creek, aver-
:iKt' of kS sample,
from surface of vari
oils leails

Crystal creek ......

Hllj;;

ai)oo

J Line
May

'69 jj ...
Silver 242. j9o/, ir„|,| J5^j>_

<';ilena aiiil an- "i
tiiiionial cop- ' -^I'v^'i- .S6.01 o/, lead 4,,S5 ner
per 'J 'cni. ■' '

Silver 50.05 oz.

Silver 1,115 oz.

Silver i^n.tui ,,/.

■ Jul.ilee mountain; ; [ '. ' ci.MPeV ore v-I'""' ^~''" "'' «"''' "''•

. Hovvse I'a.ss. " " ^''^^•' '29 91 oz, gol,| „il.

' '^l'!"'' '2-7 P^T cent, silver

.^^milennere . . . .?'^-i.5 "z, go|,| 19 .K^l.

'^'■■•1'' 4<J 7 per ceui, silver :S 7;

Otlerlail. I '>i<. K<'l'i $-• ,\ ' '

^''/■^•'■, '9-'s oz, ^,,M $3...-,

Kasi Kooienay. ,.'<^'''<l to per cent

Norllnvest,,f(;,,|,|en;; ,V,„nn,„
I'-iisl Kooienay.
^N iitdermere ....
'."St creek

^i|ycrn,.,S,.z, yol.l $35., 3.

"■'''■"ir-> Silver 7J.01 oz. ^-,,1,1 .^7^ 62

•''''^^■' '"''J"/, .Ho|,| .$50., X,

^}\'''' -J.^'i'ioz, o,,|,l $,. „,,

. Sk

• Hii},'es Kidg

■ iNorilnvestof Donaid!; ci-pper or,

Yale and Llllooet.

Iver 44.50 „z, .qold $,.„
Silver 243..):; ,,/.

,,r>. ■■ '" "^'''''^ i-Iisli-iets, ininino- for both liu-

U. C

f. -.

HKIIISII rcM.lMlilA.

r. -

iiulustrv has fall

the t

wo district

^'n intii decay, the last

voar s r

cMnsiciL-

rahl

•^ witli an output of oiil\ S-

oport civdit

m<'-

butcd to tl

e clccroaso f

iMin

71.000, whicli i.-

le .gradual a hand

loniKT vcars.

lis is chiotlx attri-

incsc, u ho (or 1

oils

prc'\ iousl\-

i^oiK' o\or h\ th

onmcnt ol placcr-workin- by tl
i-' well known honci

lia\o ro-uorkcd th

are no d

e whiles.

ouin \\(^ ions

liydrauli
<uH

er proxidino- pa\-
Mi.ii^- r.wv //A.v/. y On the other hand

'ind which at pre

les

sent

KHHUKl \oy this cl,

iss

e" operations has onI\-

actn it\- in ext

|ust

siillicient time to

^ei^un, nor has ther

the li

o see the Iruil

c \el

irt

J4^e amount ul

s of these nndertakini-s. |

ensi\ e
ix'en

In'ection o{

capital w hich is I

""lit from

there i

en-ineers of hiuh repute. ;uid
son to anticipati

-•em-- expended under th

s e\er\- rea

41'eat practical kn
satisfactory

11 epiart/ minii

far f

I'om th,' Kooi

a 54(HhI deal k^^

w cn-i

eiiii

wiiicii lias aireadv

o'.cnay district, and o{

issue.

uone not

een tiescribed in

ocahty. In the neighbourhood o< Houndarv C'reek

iiii>h

boundary lim.
silxerand «^old to tl

fradt.

iimerous claim'

copper sulphates
le Ion, are beino- prospected

a similar class to that
e-iMinection with that
near the

assa\ nil

/oo in

dist

I'ict, and upon

lia\
son;

"*een taken u

m stroiii-- ledi

K^i tl

P m this section o'^ ||

lias

>cen initiated. In the X

K'ln important de\

elopment work

exploratory work has been d

icola

country no small anunint o\

silver

sulphates, th

one \\\^on \eins

carr\in<!

refract or\-, .md I

oui^h It IS ri

eported th

uokl

arul

tiK' south, ow Tula

ia\e not been hithert

CSC ores ar

e simieuhat

o successfulh redi

found
to 810,

nieen and (ir.mite L"reel.

m coiisitierabl

vS,

plat

000.

or i,S((i

ear

a\ eraj^iiij^- 10.
nearness o'i tl

e c|uanliti.'s, the output f
"■•'"iloops. exlensixe deposits o^

imim has been

5 V^y cent, mercur

M amountiii)

cinnabar

Hill

lese

tiiev

'■ailwav lacilit

,^' prospected, ami tl

can be profitably miiKd. I

ics eiicourai^es the I

cxhausti\el\ with tl

t would b

lope tiiat

f th

ic \arunis ininii

c impossible to deal

c country ; nor wmild it b

.1^" enterprises in tl

lis sectiiifi

It IS clear that what

tak

c\ er ma\- I

'" ^-''e to predict their future, but

iilj;

there is ample evid

V' the tat,

of tl

inmcral \ ems and deposit

dice o'i the exist

lis iM- th.it

mider-

Muantities. and that will

s carrynii^ the pivciii

dice o{ inmmierabh

proportiiMi o{ th

1 increased facilities of

us metals in payiiu

cse,

as s^reat iu> doubt

ciMiimunication. a

as in any otlicr

countr\-

id -^

J v.

BRITISH COLL'.MIUA.

O '

J x.

similarly circumstanced, will be made revenue producing^. It
is greatly to the credit of the Province as a whole, that mininy;'
for the precious metals has never become a disreputable occupa-
tion, either for the working miner or the capitalist. The campn
of Hritish Columbia were known in early times as extraor-
dinarily law-abiding, in marked contrast to the condition of
California in the first davs of the gold fever, and mining under-
takings have been so far kept very free from wilful misrepre-
sentation and fraud.

Goal. The excellence of the coal fields of Hritish Columbia
has obtained such wide recognition that it is hardly necessary
to refer to them here at any considerable length. In this
particular respect, Nature would seem to have dealt in a spirit
of partiality, for there are no coal measures known to exist
upon the Pacific coast to compare with those which are to be
found within the borders of the Province.

Upon V^ancouver Island, the Xanaimo and Wellington
collieries of the New \'ancouver Coal Co. and of Messrs.
Dunsmuir & Sons, respectiveh', and those of the Union mines
at Comox, belonging to the latter firm, furnish a quality of coal
which is able to hold its own in the San I'rancisco market against
all comers, notwithstanding the heavy duty imposed. The out-
put of these mines has quadrupled in the last ten years, and now
amounts to over a million tons per annum, with every prospect
of continual increase. The coal is a first-class bituminous
coking coal, the seams being from six to ten feet thick. They
occur in a late series of rocks of cretaceous formation. The
following is a t'air average analysis :

d C

ail)iin 64.

\'i)l;ililc ("omliii^tililc M.itUT 2S. I

H y^roM'opic Waicr 1. 4 7

Ash 6. 21)

The subjoined table is o\' interest as showing the numl.,^rof
hands actually empi >yed at tiie present time in these collieries,
and the wages which are paid :

Ill

y. >

'I -

> ■'■

y. y.

HKITISH COLUMBIA.

1 f-fD^*

Output. No. OK II

ANDS.

ACKS I'KK P.w,

! ij

Iv ir.-ii,'!'

Whites. U

■4.v!v!«''

'.i'» 4.3

WVIl

iiik'li'ri

-■<)ii.,i7ci (hSj

i.5

!•:. \v\ii

I II ^^1. Ml.

■ i8 i6

W..,--.S ..;

'^-''•.S.ii -'Jcx) 9J

'.6.,

i.V'T

11)11

•Sis

•,S-'

J(«I

.i-''>

'•y^. L'li

Sj..v-,t..Si.,v.S, ii, S.'Si ii.S,

iiur-

• ■..iriiiii),'-',
piT J.,\ .

i<S=;

-•..ill 1,1

.i-.i'i I li'

I ti)

I 111 1.

•I..SH

I 111 I

.i" ,i,i<o Ui

.1.1.1 -11,14

H- out pill 1,-isl vivi
ip.llUsc.

r «.i>, n-Jui-i'il

I'll .•uciHint iifilR. (e'lnpor.

ir.\ iliprissi,,,, of tlir in.irki'l.

-s an imp.irtial estimate showiiK^ th

ancouvoi- l.slaiul coais, the foil

e .siiponontv oi tlu

pa rat I ve valuoofth

csoatul other fuels for St

owini,-- table establishes il

ie eoni-

as found by the War Department oi the I

eam-raisiui,-- purposes,
iiited States.

e cord (S foet by 4 feet bv 4 f

wood is there said ti^ 1-

4 foet) of nierehantable oak

e equal to

uuiiiiiu C'l.al (\',ui(

Hell

in-^hain Hay Coal (Wasl

■r I-Miiil) ,,s;,

i>liiiii;li)n) .

.'^catllo Coal (W;
kcicky .M

( nn

-M niu I)i,ilil,, (',,:,! (Calif.

imt^t.in).

JO |i'iunil-

'iiiilain (-(lal (Uvninin^, del

> r-,il (On.g.in) ,,;^^jQ

■.\20O
.'400

T'lia).

2600

The folio

wmo; statement of th

as the result of working- tests i
fuels, at a si
'J- 1

e wenjiits lit

steam, nlMaineil

rom a cubic fmU each ot

o\v rate ot combustioi

\ arums

10 water to be evaporated had lirst h

1, niav also |-

e reteiretl ti'*.

ture of 212 F. 'I"|

een raised to a teiiipera-

i<:

ni,nneer oS. the V , S.

ie expjriments wer

avy yard at Mare Island

e made by the C'hief

!•

els

aiiaiMiK ( 'ual .

iiiniaiii, .Monte Diahlo. (',„,., [

of SI0.1111.

.572.64

',iy and ,S<,'ntllc 319.98

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

The Nanaimo coal measures cover an area of some two
hundred square miles ; those of Comox about three hundred.
The quantity of workable coal in the latter district has been
computed at 16,000,000 tons per square mile.

TAIil.K SHOW IN(; Tin.; aNMAI, IM<. .I.UtTION OK COM, IN liKIMSM .Ol.ir M III A.

/-.,., ,. , , Tons.

Coal mined at Suquasli hy H. li, Co. at various times

i)ftwc'cn 1836 an.l 1852, say ,0,000

Total Coal shipped from Xanaimo, October, 1852, to

November, 1859 jc --nS

1859 (two months)

i860

j86i

1862

1863 .^^^.y/.'...^'.'.'.'.'.

1864

i86i;

1866 ' _'

1867

186S

1 869

1S70

1571 (E.xclusive of Wellington Mines 35,643

1572 " " " 46,468

'^7^ " " " 45,73'

(Wellington Mines, 1871-73 '21,182)

•874 '..

1875

1876

1877

1878

1879 ....'.'.'.'.'.'

18S0

18S1

18S2

1883 .' '."

18S4

18S5

1886

18S7

18S8 _ ^

1889

1890

1S91 .....[''

1,898
14,247
13,774
18,118

21,345

28,632
32,819
25,115
3', 239

44,005
35,802
29,843

148,459

81, 547
. 110,145

• 139,192

• 154,052
. 170,846

241,301

• 267,595

• 228,357

• 282,139

• 213,299

• 394,070

• 3^5,596

• 326,636

■ 413,360

■ 489,301

• 579,830
. 678,140

1,029,097

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

Nicola. In the Nicola Valley, not far south of the C V R
a valuab e coal seam has been worked in a small uay for some

^Hre^^r^'""' '"' ' ^''^^' '" ^-^""^^'-^ -'^'^ ^''^- -

Zu^'it ' M '" r'l' """'"" '"^"^ ■""'' '" '^ ^-v — ible
country ,t w.ll. no doubt, be soon put to more practical use. It

>s found m the outcrop dipping, below tertiary "uKlstones t • n

angle o about ton degrees, is six fVet in thickness, ndt l^

posed of good bituminous coal of fine coking quality.

ANALYSIS.

Fixed C'arlioM

Volatile CumlnistilJe Matter ^'!"^^°

Ash -36.065

VieidsinO.kc, : ^•'♦^^

"j'25 per (L-nt.

Crow's Nest. A most phenomenal dlscoverv of coal has

total thickness of from 132 feet 10 148 feet.

The upper ten of these sean,s are of a cannel coal hav in..

I ogl ead co.al of Scotland, verj- rich in disposable hydro J
and jieldms; 40. ,9 per cent, of lirm lustrous coke.

an.m.yhis.

Fixfil Carljiin

\'nlatilc Ciiiiilni.stihle Matter

3^-33

Ash ' 57.71

aS6

e above analysis, bv fast col

IS material constitut

reason ot' the larj
capable of affordin

larg

es an excellent
:e amount of volatil
g- -in which respect it

king, tends to show that

ga.s-coal." tiot only by

e combustible matter it is

e number of cannel coals which

mg— but also from the f;

superior quality for illuminat

ict that these

IS superior to a \ ery
are employed for gas mak-

uould appear to be of

coi-l yields 57.7, per cent, volatil

ing purpo.ses. As may be seen, tl

the

cJebrated Voughiogheny coal (Penn.syl

combustible matter, wh

ereas

regarded as a very superi

vania) and which

fessv)r Peter, but iz

or gas-coal, yields, according to Pro-

35 per cent. "~^a C M. Hoj^man.)

HKITISH COLUMBIA.

Of tlK- louor soains two arc rospoctivoly 15 fcol and 30
feci in thickness, and arc \ cry superior bituminous coal c\cn as
coirparcd with those of \'ancou\cr Island.

A^'.\I.Vsl^.

I'llii-, 15 I'l'i'l.

Carl ion Xo. 51

A>h 3.62

JulilU'i', {11 (ill.

Carliiiii . . S(i.n4

Ash 4-37

The folKnvint^ report on the (.|uality of these co:ds has been
made by Dr. I lolTman, Chemist and MincraK^sji-ist to the Domin-
ion Sur\ ev :

" On i^'lancing- over the forej^ointic results, it will be observed
that these coals arc, in all respects, very much alike in physical
character and chemical composition, 'I'hcy closcl}- resemble
some varieties of coiil in the carboniferous, thous^h really of the
cretaceous at^e They do not disintejji'ratc on exposure io the
air, are lirm, and apparently possessed of sullicient tenacity in
the lump to bear the abrasion incident to transportation without
serious waste by reduction io line material. They Ci>ntain but
a small perccntaii;"e of ash, and that of such a comparatively
fusible nature that it is hij^'hiy impri>bable that it would be likely
to incrust and stick to the furnace bars under the form of slaj^
and clinkers, and thereby exclude the passasjfc of the air needed
for combustion, and so lower the temperature of the furnace.
Hence, both in resjj'ard io the amount and nature of the ash,
these coals are exceedin^'ly well adapted fov ^eueratini^' steam.
The percent aj.ii'e of sulphur is likewise \ery small a most im-
portant consideration, and hitfhiy favorable ti> their employment
for technical and domestic uses, inasmuch as the presence of
any \ery appreciable amount of this clement in a fuel is detri-
mental in any metalluri^ical viperations, and equally so in the
manufacture of illuminatinij;' g'as. liy fast cokint;" they comport
themsehes like true cokiiiij coals, atVordins^ s^ood, lirm, coher-
ent cokes, hence, when employed for ijas makiuL;", the resultintj
" s.jas coke" would prove a ^ood fv:\ fov domestic use, for
burning" in steam boiler furnaces, or in any place where it would
not be subject to any considerable pressure. The quality of
coke depends not only upon the nature of the coal friim which
it is derived, but also upon the manner in which the process of

HKITlsn COI.LMIUA.

r 1,1, su„..l .,„. ,„a,. nK.t,-,llurf;ic„ or,„i„ns ^ „,.„ .j,,,,,,,

I- 11.0 m.MHM.cUMV „l iM„,„in..„injr Kas, .„kI „k,v Iv usoJ will,
aUv;intai,'-L' fur lioiisdu^Id purposes."

In steam ^^wu-ratini,- quality as compared with the best
\ ancouver coal these tuo seams return the following, test :

juhiloc
y. ("nal

S. ,50

. S >2() .

■ 7^24 •

NVi i\'lu ,,| W.ittr

.11 ii>ii C' ICvapor-

aloil liy I II. of

fiial.

'4.')';

13-41

S.hv m''"'; I '"'' '''" '^"^ calcuhaed bv Professor
Seluyn (Dom. Ueol. Dept.). as at least ,44 square miles. Oc-
curnn,. m such close proximity to the mineral discoveries of
Kootenav and upon the very hne of proposed railuav communi-
ca lon u-ith them, their vah.e cannot he exa^^^erate

"11, in fact, place the Int

as rejj

,.ard^
the Coast.

erior in the sa

tuel

as tlie mines ol' \'n

'rated. The\
me position of supremacy,

ncouNer Island h;

ive placed

'11

le ci>al

exhausted bv ref

easures of Hritish CiWumbia h;

anthracite bitum

ereiice io the abo\-<

to exist, the first of tl

mmis coal and lit^-nites of f

i^ut sufficient I
is the Pro\

lese iiotabK- on O

i\e m^t been
many other places
lit- cpialitv are known

las been said to show lui

Uueen Charlotte Island.

o\\ entireh- inde

of this cla

nee in the matter of fuel, and hmv l.aroe 1

board have b
another.

ss may become when tl

c^un freely to intercl

ie countries of the Pacil

pendent

i^e Her exports

ic sea-

lanj^e products with

one

Iron. Mad the P

demand for the manufacture of

rovince a sullicient population to

ere is no doubt that tl

iron and steel on a 1;

country would hav

le i>res to be f

create a

irre scale,

e recei\ed

ound throuL'hout thi

more attentioi

s it is, their

BRITISH COLUMBIA

excellence has been biinie witness to by competent authorities
on the subject. In tlie report upon iron ores issued by the Iron
and Steel Institute of Kn^hmd in connection with the Colonial
I'lxhibitii)!!, a very prominent piisition was assigned to these
ores, and a larjj;^e portion of the entire wi>rk deviHed to their
analysis. .\s rej^'ards quality many of them c^Miipare with the
best known depi>sits of the world ; in quantity they are practi-
cally inexhaustible.

They are, for the most part, maj^netic ores, thouj^^h hema-
tites have been found both in association with these and as
separate deposits. Cla> ironstone is found in the neij.;^hbour-
hood of some of the coal measures of tertiary formation, some
of this is of sullicieiit value ti> be one day worked.

Ihe principal, indeed the only ore which )ias been actually
worked as a commercial undertakinj^', is found on Texada, an
island in the centre of the (iulf of (.leor^ia, lyin^ S.\i. from
\anaimo. Here, for some time past, a s^ood maijnetic iron has
JK-en obtained and smeltetl by an American compatiy at Vovt
Townsend. The quantity used has hithert(.> been quite insis;^-
nilicant, amountins^' to lo.cxxDtons yearly. It yields (u) percent,
of metallic iron with from .005 ti> .01 of plu>splutrus ami about
the same percentaj^'e o\' sulphur. The ore is tound in leiiticulai
masses about twenty-li\e feet thick, in a contact »>f hmestone
and {granite and is apparently very abundant.

At Sooke, iin the southern extremity of \'ancou\er Island,
a similar iMe incurs in i;real quantities, the pri>portion of metal-
lic iron and phospluMus beini; about the same, but the ore is
nunc relractiMy from admixture of pyrites. .\ small vein of
hard hematite is a^^ociated with this ore but its ,alue has not
been practically ascertained.

I'^urther north, ores of superior quality to either of the above
are met with in abundance. Rivers Ini^i, Kni!.^hts Inlet, CaUert
Islantl, Kinj^- Island, *l\edonda Island. Ciuilfonl Island, and
other small islands beinj; the K^calities of their known occur-
rence. These deposits all appear to present the same tjeneral

■ A C'i<mp.ii>\ iipiniliiit; minis in this Isl^iiul. Im\i' iiii'iitl> iritiiiil inli'.i lOiiliMit uilli.i
Furtlaiul linn tn supply iii,i>.«i tuns pi-i annum (i><<jj).

BRITISH COLl MBIA

features anvl have always, so far, been found as conlael >oi4;re-
gations between granite and liniest^me.

Inferior ores again to these, ha\e }>eeii diseovered upon
Queen Charlotte Islands and on Harclay Sound.

In the Interior, iron stone of equal quality ti^ that oi' 'I'^'xada
is found at Kamloops and in tiu' Nieola. l'"nrtlier nortii the
chief kniHvn situations of its oceurrenec arc the upper braiuhes
of the Naas River, Tatla Lake and tiic l'"in!ay, i'arsnip and
Canoe Rivers. Sotne of these plaees are, o\' etnirso, too remiUe
to attach any j^reat importance to at present. It is, hmvever,
clear that whenever circumstances siunild demand the local pro-
duction of iron, a supply more than sutlicient is at hand.,

LUWr^l-R.

The present state of the lumber tiade in Hrilish Columbia
cannot be regarded with entire satisfaction when the excepti('»nal
facilities which exist for its pr*.>seciit!on arv- taki.ii into consider-
ation. It is true tiiat in the last twenty \ears the aiinual value
of lumber exporteil has doubleil, and that again more than
double this quantitv is milled, the balance being consimied in
the Province or throughout the noniini<»ii. The most recent
statistics gi\e an arunial output from tlse mills of 8^,107,335
feet, with a total value of $i,u)7,2S7 distributed over forty-six
mills. Hut this output does not compare favorably with that of
the neighbouring State of Washington, whence is shipjietl nine
times as much Itmiber as that from the l'ro\ iucc, aitliough tlie
timber of the latter is cjuoted in the market as ten per cent,
better in (.piality and the facilities for handling it are in y\o
respect inferiiir. It is trusted, htnvever, that this ^tate of things
will be remedied as soon as commmiicatio';: with Australi.i is
improved and the trade better established. In iSi»<» v "«'.o<x>.<x»<i
feet was exporteil from tlie North racilic Loast to .\u>-ir;ilia,
only I5,txx),(xx) feet of which fmuid its \\.i\ from th..- I'rinince.
It will be seen then that in this item aloiu' there is much room
for future development.

Hut in attempting to arrive at a just estitnate of what the
total volume of the lumber trade mav become on this coast, the

Ni;\\ ui;siMiNsi i;n distkk t.

Slin'> l.>t\|l|M> 1 IMIll K \l MlH>|iV\ II r I, HI RKAKK IM.II.

HKIlisU COI.lMrsiA.

: ->"■ a., t:!; :;;::: :;:;i'xrr''

iiaw to he- iiiatk'

•'"iniial c|uantitv will

• ^•^n>d, ,na .rcat -noastuv. Iron, oth.r sourcc-s.
l"..Hl.vcl n.illi,,,, l.v, or lu , vr ;' , ','"• """ ""■'■'^■'■"

:^;;:::;-::::::;-:::r^.:-;;;i;:-:;';;t;r'''^'

oth 111 tl,^. tiniluT

:"^-^', ;:;::■ ,;;;;":; ; r'^'^-^' - .,:;;:

yiiKV will Iv .-lit tin- ten to liltof

'1 l"'K-s tiK- pivscnt quant it \ of

Its timber to sunnK il, . I r • • ' ' ^ ^^ '" H"-"iin\ ot

MK-ivas.. in il,.. f , ^^ nina. tlio assuivj

iiK-iwisc in the lilt 11

'V viWume of trade nuist |-

>-' \ er\ I;

West

iiin>

K- chief seat of the iiuiustrx

nunster District,

•'s It now exist'

with a daily eapaeit\ of

w^'Mly-eii^ht of tiK' CortN-

totai, heiiii>- sit

•()S.

is N'eu

SIX mills run.

i-'oiiver Island h,

"■■'l>-'d within that Dist

""" Iccl. tour-tiCihs ol" tl

net.

22^,(KK) feet.

's ei-ht mill

''>-' remain

uer

K're are \\\o mi||.

^oi>teiiay, two in C'aril

with a tiaily
in \ale I)

».apaeit\ of

ii>o and oiu

isliiet, (i\

pi-op^^ilion produced ou tl

m I'assi.

tiv

K' i\>ast i>

el\ i-i

vater iniportan

a fai

i-e as n

I' iiulKatioii i^f its rela-

Oouglas Fir. I

•-'iL'-htv-liv

'i^arcls this nulustr\.
>y (ar the lar-est proportion of I

<-' pt-r cent. oC the u h

umher (ahi>ut

'"'■'• I'-i'lMained Irom the I)ouir|

K-las

m;\\ w ksi \ii.\si i;k disikh i.

II) KHAKP INI 1 I 1<1>\1), SHI WIMl I III- l.KvUV 1 II I'l' IH<1 lil AS UK.

URIIISII fOMMBIA.

fir. Tliis tivc. the tkMisity of whose fjfrowth is one of the most
remark.'ible features of tlie Coast, attains a lieijji'ht of o\er ^ot")
feet with a eireumference of from 25 to 50 feet in fine speci-
mens. I'pon timber limits favorably situated, the number of
well ue\ ek^peJ trees s^rowiiii,"' to the acre is \ ery astonishinij.
A prciminent firm of loi^'^ers cut and measured ^fj-V.ooo frr/ of
timber off o\w acre in the Comox District. When the writer of
the present wovk first published this statement, upon unimpeach-
able testimoiiN , it was e\ identlx rej^arded as so improbable that

it b

ecame

;i matter of no small amusement to him tit

Wow

in subsequent papers on the subject, the ris.,nu'es were accomnu)-

datv

■d to w I

thin

miM'e reasona

ble 1

milts

le statement is iiere

repeated that future writers may know it was neither a printer's
error nor ;i mere exas4"s.;eration.

" Whereas in the Mastern lumberiiii;- districts of t'anada
and the I'nited St.ites, the timber limits axerat^e from i),tHK) to
I5,(xx> feet per acre, on the Island of \ancou\er and the M.iin-
land coast the\ run from jo.ooo to ^(K),(km) teet, and a \er\'

moderate estimate uou

Id be jo.ooo feel per acre,
Id

I'nd

20, (KX) p(.'r ;icre, a timber limit would scarceK be considered
worth actjuit iiij^'."

e best trees a\ erat

about i<)() iVet clear, to the first

limb, aiul are f\^on^ f\\\' to six feet tiu'ouj^h .il the butt, 'ihev
are cut about four teet from the s^nniiul. Douglas fir is essen-
tially a buikliiii;' material, ;uid as such is \ cry widely known and
a|tpreciated in the lumber trade. It also supplies the finest sp;irs
to be obtained.

Cedar. The cedar, which exceeds in picturest|ue ijfrandvur
every other tree in the l'io\iiue, attains to a L;iilh j^reater even
than that of the Pouj^las tir. Specimens have been measuret.1
from ()() {o So feet in circumference several teet abiw e the i,''rinind,
their w ide-spreadins;' roots j^i\;itlv increasiiii;- the area which
they occupv . All cedars of any considerable size ;md aj^e devav
at the heart, and this decay i^raduafly spreads until a mere s1k-11
is left suppiMtini; an apparently v iijorinis tree.

The woo(.l of the cedar isemploved chielly for fine dr

esse(

lumber, doors, frames, sashes, etc. The veiniiiir is v erv beauti-

J 1

"..^iW^^e^

■-.;■ -.s^-ifib-

■^^^ */V ''

. .:. V

V; : -i,

m -

' -■ \

■^ ... ■ . 1

^ "■ ■ ■ ., (

/. /

BRITISH COLL'MMIA.

y. t.

• l-.-l hy u.a.lK.,-, ,v,Mirin,- „o pain, .,kI ro,„:,i„i„„ K, v .
-W" in jM,.,p Mlu.ilions. uiilu.ul rollinf,-.

Mk' ^nvat inajitrtlv of tlio Iii-l-s in il. . l>
"!>!-- C-..,..nK.,viallv „,„. of Hk-v „ I, ' ', '"'; " ""'

:--'-•'; «"- ■.'.:^^u;:^,;r-;::;-;

;;;;::""■""■" -'-'^'-'^ "">-'. 1-.,,,. ,•„,. van,;us ;,;, •

'---■ -^'- >".";:;:";, ':;z;::;;::''.;:;:--^

per aov per annun, i. diar-.d |.iVi> ' '■*

vi"-. is .1. ,.„,a„,, ^,;::;r,: , '. r t;:',::';" ■, "■"-

.;.4.x.a.r.. p.. M p,., ,,,,„, pr>.K.,„, i;, '•':,' ;;;|;

S;i\\ MIL'' 'd ^ttv^ f....t ..I • i ■ • iiii> ,1 mill

""'"!-. ->'.u«x) reel a c a\ nii>'' ii ■■■iw.. w .
exported. • • • •' "^' -'■^^^'^ ^'^"Put uue

THH FISHKRIK^

I lie cle\eKipiiKMit o\' (|

\ I/,
lish

nil

H'al

lnmtin>;-.

K' marine iiuliistries of the I'

>"iimon eaiimnt.-, ami ck-ei

ro\ nice

;i satislaetory iiulieat imi boih of tl

■• sea and

Cl\lst

t.-apitalist> and of" tlu- del
iriiii^
stahl

ass I

et-miiiatioii towards h^r si

le enterprise of

IK |-

emiijrants.

Ik' i^real \al

lores of a sc'a-

iie

isliino- Ikm- maritime import

^' Mieh a el,

tss in

to. nor ean it

easih h

i>iee. has h.-en alreadv referred

■inihly i^lsuhsidisiiii.- ih

and ean only he justilifd In tl

^' o^^•r-eslnnated. .\ltlun.-h the advi^

*-' open to t.)iiesiion

e >

eoleh erollers ma\ |-

Jo he iiuliisl

te emii'i-ant

I'lous, ener«4Vtie and (',

P'o\Mio- themseh

no douht that the volunt

iirly mteih-ent. ih

e re

an |i

"K-n like the Xeu found land and X
niises to he as benefieial to tlu

iiy nnmi-ralion of hard\

sea-jj

\a .Seot

ian lisherm

en.

It is theref

ot\' i^ratifyini^- to oh

*-inn) try as it is to th

i>mi^
pro-

s<^'rve the stead

emsehes.

V nierease of siieh

BRITISH COr-rMHIA.

a class, and permanent advanlaj;"e may be anticipated from their
presence,

Kvery year witnesses the growth of the local fleets, and the
increase in the f^-ross tonna^a* of \ essels entering;' the harbours of
the Province is not more satisfactory than the increase in her
number of sail. Notw ithstandinij;' the extreme discouraj^ement
sulfered of recent years in the sealinj^ industry from prolonj^ed
International disputes about the Mehrini,-- Sea, the sealing'' fleet
has doubled in number and trebled her total crew in the last
three years, over fifteen hundred men and sixty-nine vessels
bein^ at present en«;"aj4'ed in this industry. Kast year's catch
reached a total of sixty-two thousand seals.

Salmon. Salmon canninsj;" has sufl'ered of recent years from
an ill-rej,''ulated market, but this condition can only be one o(
temporary inconvenience. The total re\enue from this source
durinj^ the past year amoimted to $2,^^51,083 deri\ed from a
pack of 3i4,S()3 cases. The present \ear, which is anticipated
to be the season of the " i^^reat run," is expected to yield a much
larj^-er harvest.

The salmon cannini;" industry is prosecuted at all those
points alonj^" the coast at which the fish coni^rei;"ate in sulVicieiit
nimibers to render their capture on a wholesale scale profitable.
These are at present, so far as is known, confmed to eitjht
or ten localities, and are necessarily at or near the nn>uths
of those ri\ers or fiords which the fish enter from the sea in
their journey to the spawninj.,'' i^-rouiuls. The principal are, the
Kraser Ri\er, in the lower reaches of which there are seventeen
canneries ; the Skeena Ri\ er, where there are seven ; the N'aas
Ri\er, Rivers Inlet, Lowe Inlet, Clardiner Inlet and Hute Inlet,
all on the Mainland, and Alert May on the Island of \'ancou\er.

The salmon of British Columbia has acquired, perhaps, the
widest reputation of any product of the Pro\ ince.

Canned salmon, indeed, may be considered at present the
best advertising^ medium of the country, ""or it penetrates into
refjfions where the source of its orii;in is otherwise wholly un-
known. Unfortunately, mankind in j;-eneral are so little curious

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

■ s to he source ot their food supph-es, that probably not one in

cry hundred of those who consume canned sah.on t " bles
cnc,u.re whence or how that deh'cacy is obtained.

't isdimcult to persuade those who have never witnessed

Mes^on, the sea h.pu-d and worn, brij^ht scarlet in colour
;'ur scales scraped oil a^^ainst rock and travel but still in s '
'icient numbers to almost C.II fl, . . "ut still in sut-

There aro ,l„..o pnncip,,! ,nij.ra,ions each ,o,-,r ,„■ ,|,cs. rc-
• 'l-Hc f.sh ,1,0 u,nK.,- and .prin,. run of '^ IvIkv - sainu ,
llie summer run ot the " v.,,.-I-..» . " 1 .1 ' ^'U'lion,

"cohoe- varieties. ' ' ""' ''^' "''^""" '"" ^^ ^'^^^

TheTyhee.or spH n^- salmon, rO;/r./'/>,v.r/./.v r/...../,/.., ; is

s^tcirnsh" '^ "^^^^^'^ -' '^'-y =^"-- -^'^^' - 1;:';;:::

The Tyhee runs in all the larm>r rivers of .1,. P •

two-pound i^-rilse I
pounds is a fair ordinar\

" ''^" ci^dity-pound salmon. T

si/e.

wentv or thi

rty

(ish

The Sockeye^^;. AWAvfJ, whici

as the for

c coast.

mor. IS. nevertheless, th

1 IS not quite so ch

oice a

IS a line, dark-fleshed lish

e commercial salmon of

fourteen pounds, of i^ood II
rich in curd than the Tvh

iivour, thou^Wi rather d

avera<,>-injr from live t

rver and les'

ee.

rims throuj,.h July and Aui^aist, upon the I-

eena, and manv oth

raser, the

Its distribution than the first

cr streams, but is much more local

named fish, and is said never to be

/; -

■•■ y.
V. l

'•J r

f. rj

X 7.

•f.

H
f.

U
/.

«f

**,

■J

■r.

*f.

•A

'X -r

HHITISII COLIMHIA.

f.nuul in „ rive,- which iloos „„> issue Ir,,,,, ,-, l:,ke. The proJi.-i

:;:i:::i"""^-^-'"— '--'^;."-

The ,„„u,h ,MKl lower reaehes .,r ,he river Jurin.- ,he ,„„

" Ir.cis ol ,„.„s „,.y be seen drawing, in the ne,s ( s,;- ill„.l J
; -i hn„K,nK lo.-.is of hrigh, silver snln.on ,o ,he e:„,„e n J.'^

u "l>ecl No hsi, iron, ,he n.arke, is a sl,o,.e,- ,in,e „,„ of w "r

^^■:v:.c:,:.:::r- -^ ^ „e..,ee, e,ea: ■;;;

S. „,'"':' "''"' ;'"'^''>> ^"- '^-'"'"■'O. ■<- round in all s„ean,s in
VTlen.her. and ,s ,n no „av inlerior ,0 ,l,e Soekeye.

II is followed in Icnn In the h.iol-,, . . •

•^-;'- ■M''-^.i>-hes:h:;;;';:;t:;:i;:^ ':::;:;;:;:

rarely ealen exeepl hy Ihe Indians. ^ '' ■""

doub,"'M '"'T' '■■''""'''' '■""""^•'•^■i^'l '-I'. i.«t ,0 sahnoM. is nn.

'>•-^^nownas.l,e4•sl,a,;:l■:,;:::,:;;;:-:;:,-•-

'I'll

t^'ir valii

tlioy yield, and wliicl

e consists in tli

«-• <.'\(.-(.'||oni liil-irical

1 >s L'xtcnsixolv usL'd tl

"iii; oil u hic-li

v.nce and the interior of Canada. ' Tl

^\eIlld

ployed for th

•-'s It from the Stat

«-'s, where a mineral oil

i|-ou_i,--|u)iit the Pro-
liii^h tariff praeiiealh

same purpose.
Of the food fishes of British

IS e

hielh

em-

Sreat as to exclude particul
mentioned the Skil,
Charlotte Islands)

common!

Columbia the \
;ir mention. .\mon^^ them mav be

arietv is so

y called the black cod (g

ueen

. a very fine larj^e deep-water fish, which

ItKiriSlI COLIMUIA.

wt'ij^-lis lip io twoiity or thirty pouiuls, and is bc^inninj,'- to coiwc
into favour as a salt tish of delicate flavour.

The Rock Lod, a j,'^i>od table lish, found on all the coast.

The Red C\>d, whicli is capital baked and stufTed.

The Halibut, very plentiful up to (mx) pounds weig^ht ; iden-
tical with the British variety.

The Sturj^eon, only made use of as a fresh lish ; weij^'hs up
to i.oijo pounds, and is j^^ood eatinj,-".

The Oolachan, a particularly rich little lish ol' line navt>ur.

Anchovy, Capelin, Smelt, llerrinj^, all lirst-rale pan (ishes.

And anions;- Shellfish, the Crab, I'raun, Shrimp, Clam,
Cockle, Mussel, and Oyster.

This last of which there is s^^reat abuiul ince, is small, but
in the writer's and many of his friend's opinio ns, one of the best
oysters in the market, and more choice and delicate than any
ICastern variety. In ^ooiA situations they attain to a plumpness
and lla\i>in- which is unrivalled except by the best natives.

The peculiar advantajji-es of this Province fiir the pursuit of
lishini;' industries are not conlined to the abundance of lish
which may be caug^ht, nor to the excellence of the averaj^e
quality. 'Ihe fact which oug'^ht, perhaps more than an\ other to
commend itself to fishermen, is the safety and comfort ol' the
occupation upon these inl.and waters in so temperate a climate,
compared with the danj^^er and hardship which he has to face
el sew here.

The islands off the coast of Vancouver Island have numer-
ous little landlocked bays and co\es where a boat may ride
safely in all weather, and where a fisherman's family, within
reach o( \'ictoria or \anaimo, can live with comfort, cultivating
a little farm, the produce from which may be taken olT to market
with the lish whenever required. The sea will prmide as much
fishing as can possibly be wanted, and no disastrous storms
need be feared to break in upon the happiness of the home.

HKHISII llM.l MIMA.

TH\i I UR TRADE.
I'or many years this trade constituted the staple of the
country, hut .t has lon,^ since ceased to command the attention
of any save those who are personally concerned in it. The
reason ot th.s ean hardly be ascribed to the failure of the trade
or the extmction of fur-bearing^ animals, there is still a revenue
o over a quarter of a nullion derived from this source; but
r. iKr ,t would appear to be due to the prominence attained bv
o erbnuu-hesoMndustry.andtoth^^
Iks m the hands ot a very small number of individuals.

It has been asserted that fur-bearin.^^ animals are threatened
h speedy extmcfon at the hands of the trapper. The (luctua-
t.on ol the market wluch nu^ht appear to Justifv such an opinion,
are lunvever. rather to be attributed to tl "

and to other temporary influences. All
to \L'ry markeil \ .iriat

le caprice of fashion.

wild

iiumals are subject

generally due to d

ions m number from time to t

ease or failure of food, or t

lestroyino- a-ency apart from that of

trade is liable to spasmodic all

man.

pply b

eration in prices, the d

une ; this is

o some other
HIS, while the
em.uid and

not lil<L'l\ to be a

cui- so variable, it would appear probable that tl

lere is

the tr

ny permanent decrease in tl

ipper under existing;- condit

ammals of the Pi-o\

ions.

e market are as folio

Mice and the relj

le amuial har\ est of
le chief fur-bearinj^

itue \alue of th

eir skins in

\vs

IJf.nr. l.lnck

inuwii

{,'riz/lv

ver

lica

Siivtr I'oN

ll^S I''()\

C'l

•$ lO () ) I,) JjJ oo

lo oo Id 14 00
10 00 I.I 15 uo

J 50 ' " 4 < JO
20 00 ic 100 00

Red !•

<i\ .

•sia ( Hivr.

5 00 I,
' 35 «'

7 00
I 50

I-aiul ( )tttr

♦ r

Wolf.

loo 00 Id ^00 00
7 Of III 10 00

00 tl

olVlTiriL-

2 00 til

Other fiir-

•I'arm^,' animals arc Marten, Mink, Skunk I

) S*-* '•»

J 00
5 ^i

m, Muskrat.

nn«: 1892 the exports of furs amounted to $_>.(>..,,,

derived from land
includini^ sealy

animals ; $6^4, ^^f, fn,

m marine animals.

■X

Thh' Position of mi: Pkovinci- as Ni:(i\Ki)S

K( )l^l:I(.N C0M.V\l:R(;i:.

4!
K

■X

y. -J.

Il is to iIk- in.'irilinK- iiiipnitaiK-o i^f l?rilisli (.'olimihiii tl);it
wo imisi \oo\\ lor tlu' b(.'st t'\ i(.!i.'iu\'s »>! lu'i' tiitin\' i^roatiK'ss. A
iVw \ cars at;i\ wIk'ii tlio |iroj«.kl ol a I rans-ioiiliiK'nlal railwav
lliroui;h Dominion 'l\'rritor\ was still op^'n to attavk, llu' op-
ponents o! tlial plan us(.'il tt> sio'V at iIk' I'liuinii' as "a s(.',i
ot niounlains " and to iIlmicIi.' Ik'I ".>rts as tlif " i^avU iKmr " ot
C'anaila. Sinic ih.il tinu- tlu' iraik- ot the I'aiilie has been
ad\ ani'ini^' b\ leaps and bounds, ant! (he harbouis ot Hrilish
(.I'iunibia ha\e beeonie a iaelipi' in iIk' world s eomnu'iee whieh
ean wo Kms^i'r be ii4iior«.'d.

"Within the sp.iv e ol" a short liletime, the lirst steamboat
iliseliarj^eii her Ireij^ht on the shores ol the Ihitish i'aeilie.
'I'hen CaliliMMiia was unknown, sa\e as ,i rem»>te Spanish settle-
nu'nt whieh l.ad inen reet.'ntl\ atldeil to t he Amerieaii 'I'erritiMaes;
and Hritish C\ilumbia was part ol a \ ast wilderness over \\ hieh
a tin' iiailiui^ ii<nipan\ helil ni>minal sw,i\. iidinL;' a svattere*.!
hulian populatii>n In nuMiis i>t ,i h:uultul ol agents in stoek-
a.led l»>rts. Now the treii^ht eairieil In I'avilie eoast vessels
exeeeils i ;,i h m i,( « h > ions amuialix ; V aliliunia has beeonii.' the
priMuisiil land *>r thi' Amerie.ni peopk' ; ilie wild territories ol
\\'ashinL;ti>n :i"d .'^res^on are wealtio and populous Stales ; and
Ihitish (. vilrnilv.i Is assumin:^ the s.nne maritime position as
oieupi».'d 'u lireat Ihitain and t hi' WVstern > ouni lies ol l.urope,
when traile liist passed beviMul tin bounds ol llu Mediteiiaii-
can Sea."

When the alH>\e was iiist wiillen, onI\ three \ears ,it^o, it
was eiMisidereii to approav li dan^ermisb near i. llu- boidii line
ol " liilalutin," \ et in the latest tiade returns there is .ibuiulant
earnest of its reali/atiiMi. While (.'anaila. with ilssleiHlei |->iipu-
latit>naiHl prv>piMlionatel\ hum.' inieri»ir ot uneultix alid lands,
has attaiiU'il the rank ol lourth amoni^ marine fVeii.'lil-i'arr\ inj^

r()

HKITISM I Ol.r.MHIA.

States. Ikt "hack dcnir " X'ictoria exceeds in toiinaLr*.' of \'essels
entered and cleared, any otlier pmt in the Dominion, and the
tliree harhourscif X'ictiiria, \'ancou\ er and N'anainio ha\e already
a conihinetl tonna^^e only one-third less than that of the ftnir
principal ports ol' tlie C'anadian Atlantic. It is not thei>biect of
tiiis pamphlet to in\est with a lictitii>us importance these har-
bours which are in reality in the \eiiest infancy ot' their trade,
nor to attribute a misleadini;- sij^iiilicance to such somewhat
startliu!^ st.itisiics. A hea\ \ discount nuist be .allowed for the
ci^ast traile between points on the Island and Mainl.iiul, init the
tact remains that with every detluction the volume ol' marine
trade is a liirs^e .iiul increasini,'' on\:. Suih lesults as ha\e been
alreinK attained can be but faint indications iif future develi^p-
ments. A steady sc-ltlement ol' the W'l'stern States ol' the
I'nion Muist i;o on for main \ears to come; connnunication
awlI tlu' exchaiii^e ol protlucts with Ausir.ili.i and the l">rient
will coniimi.ilU improve; tlu' e\pi>rts ■.u\{.\ imports of tiie I'ro-
vime itself, and ol" |-,.istorn ^.'anail.i tln-ous^h her ports, must

mcri'asc \er\ ci

insiiler.dilv', until somelhinsj' like a bal.uu

pi>pulation and tr.ide on Atl.i/uic aiul I'acilic sIumcs has been
.arrived at. It would be dillicult to estimate the extent to which
the conunerce ol lirilish C'i>lumbia will h.ave reacheil bv th.it

tune,

Situ.ite as it is, i1k' i<nly Uritish po

>ssossmr.

ou liu

I'.aslern sIivmcs ol tlu' I'acilic l\ean, and sharing' with its ni'Xl-
door neighbours ow I'u^et Sound in the imi!\ lirst-rale ha-rbours
north ol' San I'r.mcisco. a very ^'•real proportii>n of the wlu'le
volume ol possible trade nuist be transacteil thi'.>uj»'li her ports.
At the same time she pt)ssesscs ev erv r(.k.|uirenunt tor thecoin-
struition ol vessels whether of vvoi>(.l or irv>n, and since s«) lar^tg
a number i^t Iki- inhabitants aie draw n fivMu ihe n;iu<t'ic^l elasses,
it will not bi' surprisinj; if she h»>lds her own, both in the build-
ini4 ;md manninj; of ^liips, ai^.iiiisl all ciMupi'titors on tliis side »»♦
the w imUI.

!l nuis'. not Iie loii^otliU that the nomii\ion holds I'tafT
quickest route to Ihina and Ausiialia by sever.d lumdretl miles,
which in these davs. when si> much store is set upon quick
transit iyf j^movIs, is no small ailv antaj^^e ; ant.1 it would iiv^leed hv
an extraordinarv reversal iif all |iasi tiaditions if Mritisii mer-

nKITISH lOI.lMIMA.

chants failed to niako use of iliei

/ /

KK(;ISU.U|,|, |o.\\,\,;,,;

"!• IIIK liK

i.iiomont :

" N I KM. ,11 I ( AKUMN

111 iiii: wdki.ii.

1 (H'N I i;||;s

I '. •. 1 1 • ■ ■ ^ i--sils.

•Swcd.n iiii.l \.,rw;iv " -''•.VJI

f , . ^ • '.11)7

(xriiKin ljii|)iic '

Ctj,.,./.,. •''•^"■*

Uniu-I Stales "•'"•^

'-527

'5.104

ratK

Ilalv

MlsMa.

Sjiaiii

UNiialasia

"I'lI'l'lNt; IN iiKiTNii

'.•V»

T.M.S,

-.1 ").i)77

'•.>-'<j,;2i

■^-M.4r4

I'OssK

>|(i\.

niU'il

(.il

iii^cluin

Taliar

,11/.

ii.

id,

"Ik' K'lnj^

I i.rin.it;,-.

>')

Mall.

"^M.lils SctllciiKMII.

Imli.i

^- >• \VaK'> .....
Viftcpiia ....

n,4,S,s,()(,.
•>-77i.r4i

•I. i')j.

^.'>4l,<)l I

.I'.VI

Si,

N"nili .Aiisir.ili.i.

All:

\I^--M.' lAII.KKI, \M, , Ii \|;,..|,

4-.)<'.5.i'»i
-M Mo. 44 J

A I

inln ,

•nireal

lliUr.

St.

Joll

< >uebt'r

7.J4

2io6

r-'4

I t<lls,

l,2t>2.4(U

\"^ M'lAN I'oi; I".

lll'lu-,

^.oi_'

'. 140.5; i

<((i;,.SvS

I' '"11,1. . ,
>aii.iiiiiM .
.uicMiiscr.

t rail

757'*^ 4.S4.S.(|64
w ill Iv seen fVoiii the above that tl

o on ihe I'aeilii

10 tnaritir (

'hat on the .\tlantie at the al

oast alreaily aiin.st

1 1 'S I

leii^lil

,l,o6o,|f)S

' aii\ iiiM

*.'».|iials tuo-thirJs ,)f

■»»>\ e

propr>rlion of ion

nai'

IMiiuii-al ports, and that tl

ir^er a\eraj,'-e class .if \es.sel

P^-'- ship >s tK-arly ^? to j. i,ul

Hal 1111

i 2

CI
r

IV.
Ci.IMATI-:.

■Jt

r 5

- J

c* <

Not w itiisl.iiulint; miu'i lias lvi.'n w til Ifii alvnil t Ik' iliin.iU*
o\ lliitisli C'ohiinhia. man\ niisviMUX'pI ions appt^'ar to pi\'\ail
oil that siibiv.'*.! i)utsi».lo t lit.' I*rv>\iiu\'. In souk- *.|uartL'i's, iliroii^;h
i-onfusioM with tlu- iiorlh-u i.'st intc-iiiM- i>r (ho Doiniiiioii. an iiii-
prossion has hv'cn I'ornK'd that at least \o tin; oast ol' the (.\>ast
KiinLTo, ri-aiiul (.'Xtrenu's ol loM a!\' to W entlureil In tliv in-
liahitants, while in others, throiijL;h a niisappr/heiision ol the
report ot' tra\ellers. it lias been imagined that the eliniate ot the
eoast resen!i"»les that ot the slioies ot the Metiiteiraiiean. In
order ti> ai\|uire a re.isonabU' idea o\ the true state i^t the ease,
let an\one first ex.iinMie ujion a map ol" luirope that porlii>n ot"
lanil whieli lies between the same paiallels ot" latitiule, and ex-
tends o\ er the same area iiiMii the Atlantii t'l^ast ».ast. and then
ei'Dsider lun\ tar eonvlitions w iiiili are known to exist iIkmx' will

|te nuH

ilk

al lUriereiues on the l'.i(.itii

h w ill Ih

seen

that belwei.'!! lats. j(| y\ mwsi be inehiileti (iiiMt Tuitain. the
Ni'ith-easi lornei' ol l-'iMiue. lu'li^ium. Holland, North lier-

Iti

manx , I'lussia, MtnmaiU, the South ol Swedv'n, the l>aiiu
i'io\ini\'s. ani.! the eoast vif Kiissia to (lie liull o\ l''inlaiul.
This trail ot eiunitrx in n'ea ,ind lalitvuk' appro\imatel\ repre-
sents ih'ilish t.'ohimbia. and max be lonsideied as a w hi>le to

i he (.lilVeiiiK es to

inesiii

t al

most the sameeinnatie eondilions.

allow evl

tor are as loili>w s

I iis|, iIk- Japan einrent, the iumiIi
eipiatiMial eurreiil ot' the I'aeilie, does not flow so vIos.K tit

the Ameriean eoast as the Imll sHi-nn t.ltKs to ihe slior*

Nort

lern

inivipe, but ailmils ol a f\'turn \i

vi le I

ui lent horn t lu

north. rills Aretie ei.rient, whieli leiukis the w, iters ol British
t i»lumbia I'xtieiuelx I'okl, e.iuses a vMiuk'Hsatiou ol' the moisture
biMue b\ the pre\ ailing we'-li.rix winds e.isi wards, and p!iHhie(.'s
a humidit\ nii'st Ih iietieial to iIk- xeijetalinn o\ ihi I'liw iiue.

lie w Hul*. are .tries

ted.

ni a me.isure

;n li

oas' K.iHiL^e

eroatmj;

dr\ In It to the t..ist iM those iiu>untains, but thw

lii^'JKi* eurreiils ol air vlisv hari;e lluir moisiuri. ai^anist theSel-

IJRITISII lOHMHIA.

kiiUs, (.Tcaliny- tho iiio!\' copious snou-fall which (.listini^uislies
tliat laii^c liMiii its iKij^lilmur, tlic KiKkios,

'lluis a series o\' ahernalc inoist aiul dry bi'lfs arc formed
throiii^liout tlie rrmiiue, whiili haw no parallel on the eoast of
I'iiirt^pe, where the more liroUen loast line anil abseiiee of lofty
mountain rani,a's, toj;ether with the practical non-cvislcnce of an
Arctic cuMcnl, tend to distrihiile the rainfall in er the whole
area. It will be easily seen how these belt-, will be brviken and
mollified in places b\ the \arieil elexation o\' the nuMmtains and
the preseiue ol pass*, s such as the I'raser canxtin,

A^^ain, the decrease in ele\ati(Mi ol' the Rocky anil Selkirk
Ranges as the\ approach to the north, ailmits a free passaj^^e
tor the winds oi the Arctic rej^ions lo sweep i!ow n over the
northern pillion i>f the I'rmince. brinj^^ini^ with them a cor-
responilinj4' reiluction in temperature in winter or increase in the
suimner, when the loui,-- Aictic day admits an accuinidation of
dry hot air over these rei^ions. Since there is open sea to the
north tif tlu' lunopean continent these cotulitions exist there
only in a modified \oiu\. althoui^h the Ilaltic Pri>\ inces. Poland,
and Trnssia experience \ ery similar etfecls lVt>m the \.l\. winds.

And lastt\. the elexation ol' the intei'or |ilaleau is. of
course, i;reatl\ superior to that ol' Northein Luro|te, makinj^'
an a\ erai;e dillerence in banMnetru |">ressure iW" si>nK' t w o inches.

The i4'eneral result o\' the abo\ c dillerences between the two
regions is \o accentuate the rainfall on the shores oi' the I'acilic
t'tiast and the I'xtremes oi temperature in the interior. Where
the latter exteiiils in areas of hii^ii elev.ition, lluse extremes of
tempeiatures will necessaril\ be nn're felt, while in \alk\s ;ind
canyons oj-ten lo the coast ;mil well protected from !he north, ;i
more milil and eipiable climate w ill resvdi. At thesanie time,
as there is a t^reater synmietrv in the main features ol land and
water, the straij^ht ct>ast line and p.irallel mountain ranges, so
the ^reat ocean winds are probably less interfered ^\'\l\\ b\ local
ii»nditions, and theie is a u;ie.iter rei;ularit\ of the seasvms.

So lar as the coa-^t is ciMKeineil an inciease in rain-fall .md
general humidity must be expected lo the north, where the

HRITISII COI.LMHIA.

Arctic- ci.nvnt is coklcr. the jnpan curronf sweeps nearer to the
shore .-i.ul eo.Kle.isation eonsec|uently is ^nvater ; the east eoast
of\aiuoiner uill he less hmnid than the west, from arrest of
nu>isture hvthe nun.ntains and forests of the island interior.
and the shores of the >nain!and opposite will be more liable to
ram and to- from the low temperature of the waters of the (iulf
uhK-h are mainly derived Irom the eold northern baekwash. and
from the propinquity of heavily timbered mountainous traets.

H "lay be said then thai the elimate of Hritish Columbia is
a whole. pres.M.s all the lealures u hieh are to be ,net with in
Kuropean eountries lyin^- within the temperate /one. th. er;ul •
ot the i-reatesl nations of the world, and is. therefore, .i elim.a;e
well adapted lothe development of the human raee under the
mi>st tasourable eonditions.

The various Kval dilVerenees alluded to in -eneral lenns
alvne. m relation to those eauses uhid, produce them, mav
now be more particularly deseribed.

Kootenay. In the valley of the C-ohimbia ^avv /7//av/. „rv/
M^" J and Ihrv.u-hout the Kootenay Distriets uhieh eorivs-
pond. as has been seen, with the mountain belt of the Selkirks
the hi-h averr.-e altitude renders the .lir r.arified and braein-.'
tlu- prcvipitalioM of moisture bein- i^reater than on the Kastem
n.ink ol ilK' koekics but fallin- tar below that of the eo.isi
K.'Kular meteorolo^ieal returns have not hitherto been made
<>-om stations in this section of (he eo.intrv. but Irom obsers ,-
t.ons taken In l,uut.-to|. i?aker durin- sonie vear's residenec- at
tr.-mbrook. in the Ippcr C\>lumbia Valk^y. the follouiui^ data
ma> be depended upon as fairly aecurale :

The rainfall axerat;es Iron, ei-hteen to tuei.tv inelu-, p. r
annum, the lesser amount Ivini^ experienced in Cast Kooienax
and the snow attains ,o a depth of from ouc to three feel.'
inakm- a total piVc ipiial ion ol aI>out tumlx to tuent\-four
inehes ol moisture, aeeordinj^ to loealilx .

The u inters extend from IVcvmlvr to Mareh. snou not
taliinK. t^' l>v.'. earlier ih.an the last week in December .as a rule
NaviKalion on the I'pper folumbi., .loses about the bc-innla..

mm r*

BRITISH COLL'MHIA.

Of Womhe,-: on the Arrow Lakos .„, ,.,,,, ,,„,,„,,. „^,^

•M.u.h. I Ik- koot.-nay Lake Joes not Lv./o ov.r DuHn. .1, .
-n..r..KM..rnu,n..Ma,,sa. .in.s.onsiU..aMv Z^ :^^
•-^> '" sun,nKM- ns.s as In.^h as oi.,h,, or nino.v cl^.nv.s i„ k'

s|ulc,..K.n.,h,s,vin^a.uavscon,para,iv.,v.oo.. T, : .
-''^1 >s no, scvordy ,d, anJ is of shor, Juration, nor s

MM,un.r heat .x,Ku.stin,- as in tlK. interior of .,, :,L^^^^

' ;sts occasionally cause Jama^^e in sua.npv localities ,|,.;,-
^•iKv.s are nuKlilieclhyciraina... and cultivation.

The flora of the Selkirks. which ciiHers en.ireiv iVomthat or
Kascrn slopes o, the Rockies. resen,h,es in nKun resp '

tli.it i>f I'.urope within the same latitudes |.\ 1 •' .

'r 7^ '-" '^ '. i" .-:;;';„,:: -J^:;::

;"'"■ '"""V'^ 7';"" ''--l> "l-n ,1,0 ,nou„ , »,„,,,, .. ,;

": ■' -"'f--i"^' -i-. .houKh ,iK., „„ ,,„„,,,, „i, ";

«.«.."! u.cl,nK.nsi„„s.,nW,„ IV „K., ,o„,lu.>v,

lntenor^Plat.au. |.„r,lK. w.„, ,|„,„„,|„„„ ,„,

iIk' interior j'lat

I lie hunch i^rass count r\

^■au. a dryer climate prev.iils. cul

( Sic ill list.

e'lMihned to the i^iird

\t /»/,o'J. Here I

immediately east o[' the toast I

nnnatini-- in

u\uriant \e14etation

nii^her benches and imuiuI 1

^•rs of the lakes and water

xanj^-e
is entireh

semi-l^-invn appearance of this cl;

and siuiu-fall is \

<ri>ii

courses, while tin
opped hills present the ch.iracterist

'•-s ot pasture land. Th

^■ly moderate, tot.il pivcipitat
1 svven to iwehc inches according to local
^•onlined li> ei-ht or ten weeks' 1

e ram
!"n a\er,ii-in<'-

it\

'alls to /er

l^ and 111 se\eri

'■*'st, when the tl

I lie w inter
lermometer

a\erat;e is not e\treme n

seasons considcr;ih!\ Ik'I

or .lie th

.le

summers, like tli

ose 01 Kootena\ . ar

^' ^old spells protr.icted. T

^■ool evenmi^s. .\s the me.in el
air of the Interior Plat

^' warm durini^Mhe d;i\ with

exation 1

s some I,

>-'au IS cle.ir and hiacin

> loet. Il

South o\' tlu' .SI

val oi' th

inswap Lake, a climat

the wide depr

<^' milder and nuMV moist

»-■ IS experienced t

onditions which pivx.iil

.•n.i\

H' said to p

ess, oils once formed In o-l..,ciaI I;d.

ypi-
in

present a mean bet

<es, aiul w hich

ween the dr\ ness oi the true

ItKI llsll i Dl.l MHIA.

biiiKh j^r.iss ci'timin' aiul tlu- luiinkiity i>f tlu* ^.o.ist. 'I'hc tinihor
is Ikto pk'ntil'iil but seal! civil, \oiivlation is varied and luxuri-
ant. tlK" rainfall sulVuicnl {o nhxiato the \Wi:i.\ ,>f irrij^^ation ;
the winter and summer lu^t appreciably diHeriiijjf frinn that of
Central l'!uri>pe.

The Canyons of the Coast Range. In the narrow vallevs which
traverse the Coast Uaiij^e a climate is t'ound which i>iice more
calls for special remark as presentiiij^- features i>f some interest

and

pecuhar

to tl

use situations.

At So

Iteiue s hi

Mridi:e, on the

Fraser, a characteristic pi>inl, a metei>ri<li>};"ical statiim has l->een
established for some \ears and accurate (.lata of this class of

climate i^blainec

Sheltered a;

ese caiUiMisare from the co

>ld

lUMMhern winds, the\ admit the warm bree/es of the coast and
upi>n their sides the sun's rays are ciMiceiit rated with almost
tropical intensilv. A temperature much warmer than wouUI be
cxpecteil is the result, as will be seen from the folKns iiit;" tib-
servations taken (.Iurini4' iS(|_' and comi-iart-t-l with lhos>.' from
southern v.'>ntaiio, the warmest part of eastern Canada:

M XKlll

iVllMlIU

S|ii'ni'r"> r.ri(l|;c i>v

(iufl|)li, <>nl;iiiii iV-

45-
2.?-

\l.

S,.

J I,

tt-

AltluuiL;h these ciMulitions are too Ku'al aiul limited Id be iW
jjreat importance, ;in account iif the climate in this I'rinince
couUl harilly be considereil cv>mplete wilhi>ul some reference

be in

!• made to them.

he\ ha\e also a i-liMinct \ahu' as

explaining the iniUI temperaluies ti) be met wilh in simil.ar

e 50 , where crtips ol ct.MeaIs

situations as tar north as la'itud

rip'";^ in a manner which would haidU be I'xpected.

West Coast and Islands. \t> sooner is tlu- loasi Rani^e
crosset.1 than an entirely new oi\lei- ot thini^s becomes manifest,
indicating;' a threat chani^e in clim.itic CiMulilions. N'ei^etalion is
extraordinarily luxuriant, forests aie e\ ei\ w heie, the under-
prowih impenetrably dense. The reasim of this !•, at once ap-
parent when it is seen lh.it the r.iin-lall .iltains to some soxi^ntv
inches, increasiiii^ as wni proceed north anil come more within
the immediate inthience of the Japan Current, too\er a hundred
inches. I'lie winlei's ,ire shoi'ter ano much less severe, nor .arc

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

I.I

*^=illlM IM

~ 12.0

1.8

1.25 1.4

1.6

^ f," _

►

%.%

'e^.

■c'l

0%. '>

^^ o1

Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

"^h

.v^^

'^^

^^^

23 WEST MAIN SinEET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14^80

(716) 872-4503

<' mp^

<.." «?^

(/.

.-i

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

the summers so hot as those of the Interior ; yet, owiiii,^ to the
increased amount of moisture in suspension, extremes, such as
they are, make themselves more felt by the inhabitants. Still
no one can call the climate of the coast of British Columbia an
unhealthy or uncomfortable one. Equable, sunny and with a
sing-ular absence of storm or tempest, the vicissitudes of life, so
far as they depend upon climate, are perhaps less accentuated
here than in most parts of the g-lobe.

Weather reports are carefully made at some seven stations,
of which A^assiz, in the valley of the I-'raser, ICsquimalt and
Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, and Fort Simpson on the
\orth-West Coast, may be taken as providin,i,»- fair illustra-
tions of the local differences. In January, 1892, the mean
temperature at these stations rani,'-ed from 36' to 40" ; the maxi-
mum risino-from 52" to 55", and the minimum falling- from 28 to
17'. It is onl}- rif^-ht to state that this was a typically mild winter.
In 1893, which was as typically a severe season the minimum ther-
mometer rei^'-istered as low as from - 2 to - 10'. Severe weather
upon the coast never lasts for more than a few days, depending-
for its continuance entirely upon a persistent north wind ; in
fact, it ma\ be said, that without ;i north wind the temperature
of the coast hardly falls below frc.zini;- point. In the month of
March, 1892, the mean 'emperature, as recorded at the above
stations, rani^ed from 41 at Fort Simpson (lat. 54 40"), to 47'
at Xanaimo ; the maximum beini^ 57' at the former and 74 at
Af^assiz, while the minimum was ^2 at the latter place and 28"
at Fort Simpson.

In April the mean was about 46 at all the stations, the
hi_i;-hest reached beiiij^- 77 at Aj;-assi/ and the lowest 30' at
Xanaimo. In Julv the mean had risen to from 57 at I'-squimalt
and I"\)rt Simpson, siui^-ularly enoui^h the extreme southern and
northern points, to 61 at Aj^-assiz. Durini^ this month the
mercury touched 90' at At^assiz, reachinsj;- 74^ at Fsquimalt and
Fort Simpson, and 81" at Xanaimo.

In October the mean had fallen to 49 at Ivsquimall, and
only varied a dei^ree or two from this at the other point of ob-
servation ; the maximum at .\gassiz being 79' and the minimum
32^ at Nanaimo.

mmmmmmm

BRITISH COLUMBIA. gy

From these data a very fair estimate of the coast temper-
ature may be formed as, with the exception of a mild Januarv
to which reference has been made, thev only vary a few de-rees
either on one side or the other of the avera-e during a number
ot years observation.

The mean rain-fall on the coast in Januarv, iHc)2, was five
inches, in July nearly three, beini,^ one-fifth aboVe the avera-e.

_ The following is -, table showin- total precipitation durin-
this year :

,. . , Kaiiifall, ill. Snowfall, ill.
'■--^•I>""iall ,,j_

Agassi/ .o

" S'^- s ?.

Aanaimo ^, ^

''^'"' -^'"M'-'n ,00. 51.

As was previously stated above in the -eneral account ot
the climate, the dryest point on the coast is seen to be the
south-eastern extremity of X'ancouver Island, which includes
Victoria and is represented by the observations taken at l-squi-
malt. An estimate of the total clouded davs at this point in the
same year will prove of interest. In April these were five, in
May two. in June four, in July none, in Aui;ust three, September
seven, October seven, while in Xovember and December they
attained to thirteen and nineteen respectively.

To speak more i^vnerally of the climate of this section, the
niK^hts, even in the hei-ht of summer, are invariably cool, nuMv
so than IS ordinarily experienced in I<: no-land duri'n^- spells of
warm summer weather. The harvest time is rarely unsettled so
that until recently, many years had elapsed since dama-e was
incurred m reapin- ,!„> crops. Winters occur everv nou and
then durino- which, from the absence of north.erlv 'win.ls no
perceptible dei^ree of Irost is experienced, and -c'aniums and
other delicate plants can be -rown in the open air. .Such s-vere
weather as is met with comes usually in short spells durin- the
months of January and I'\'bruar\-.

r.ocal foi,r.s prevail over the water durinf,^ the earlv sprin--
and kite autunni, chiefly in Xovember. when they are sometimes
a serious hindrance to na\ ligation.

r.
A

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

OS
M
H

t/;

■y; j-

The tides of the coast, between Vancouver Island and the
Mainland, as they flow through narrow channels at the northern
and southern extremities of the Island (Seymour Narrows and
San juan de Fuca Straits) are very eccentric, and cannot be re-
duced to a fixed table. For similar reasons the currents and
tide-rips which prevail among- the islands of the coast are some-
what perplexing: and require local study. Wind storms are rare
and the shipping: suffers little damage on that account.

Northern Interior. In this portion of the Province the higher
latitude is responsible for a correspondingly severe climate. In
Cariboo and through the Chilcotin country the winters are. for
instance, somewhat long-er and colder than those experienced in
the Okanagan and Columbia Valleys. At Barkerville, in the
first named district, the mean January temperature has aver-
ag-ed, for the last four years, ig, that of April 34°, of July 54°,
and October ^o\ This, considering the altitude and situation
which corresponds with that of Central Russia, is not extraord-
manly severe, indeed is very moderate as compared with the
interior of the Continent of America far to the south.

/- ^

St.

Ili

b.
O

■■■■■■

H
Z

■-^ 'J

y: <

— ^

-.1 ^^

-:«*«»M*tW_UUajULUlR,

Conclusion.

An attempt has been made i„ the fore(;oh,fr chapters to
show the capabilities of Bntish Colu,„bia for M.pporting a , a. e
populat,on, wh,ch n,ay Hncl an,ple opportunitv o en^e Tts
sujplus^of „,,_, anc, capital i„ manufac.u./anU con,n' r
It has been shown also, that the clin,ate of tlu- province is well
ach,ptecl to phvsical clevelopntent. and that its Kec!;n.phicarp::i'
tion ,s such as to con,mand international trade. XothinJ h„
been sa,d o| the stabilit, of its forn, of Ciovernment, the e.,
able adn,„„s,rat,on of law, the protection secured to life and

to :hr :;,: r;,^"--^' -'"- ^'- -'--"' P-P-e to aH^de
.ver^"" "r™-"'?"*- ■'■''" "'''abitants of liritish Columbia n,av

Lnghshmen Canad.ans, and Uritish Cohnnbians at 'the s ,n,e
t n^, and wh.le it is the rule to vote for representatives i.e"
«o l.atter parhaments, there is no legal in.pediment to their
etannns, ... franchise in the former. The principles of
Confederat.on ot the v arious provinces of Mriti h North .-\„,er ■•
m^o he „on,u,io„ of Canada need no explanation save a^ v
. ff th,s provMtce. Hriefly, they secure absolute autonon.v
m all respects w,th the exception of the Customs, the Posta'l

affa,rs .,s clearly pertau, to the I.:,npire or the Don,inion as a

c ucCs m ,ts lower house s,x representatives fron, the pr„,i„ce
elected by popular sttlfra^e, and three senators in its upp 'r hou e
nomniated tor life by the Cro»n.

The Pro,i„cial Assembly is composed of thirt^■-three „,en,bers
of whom hve, tntder the I.ieutenant-C.overnor.'for.n the lixecu:

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

tive Council, or Ministry. The annual session is held at the
capital, Victoria, where .all legislation aflfecting the well-being of
the province is enacted and the budget of the year discussed
and passed. Procedure is the same in all respects as that of the
British Parliament.

The franchise is exercised by all males over the age of
twenty-one who, being Briti sh subjects, shall have resided in
the province for one year and shall have been registered on the
voters' lists for two months previous to an election. It is thus
a purely manhold suffrage, and it will be seen that the people
enjoy the utmost liberty in the management of their own affairs
compatible with their forming an integral part of the Dominion
of Canada and of the British Empire. While these latter privi-
leges conduce in every way to the stability of the province, and
to its security in time of war, preserving also the rights and
nationality of British subjects, they are thought not dearly pur-
chased by surrendering control of the affairs enumerated above.
In point of fact the people are sufficiently occupied in attending
to the local administration of their own laws, in which matter
they certainly have as much say as in any country in the world.

The Judic'ary. There are two Judicial tribunals in the Pro-
vince, a Supreme Court, and a County Court for each of seven
different Districts. The Supreme Court exercises jurisdiction in
all cases, civil as well as criminal, arising within the Province,
and is presided over by a Chief Justice and four Puisne Judges,
who are appointed by the Crown. The mode of civil and
criminal procedure is based upon that of England, only departing
from it in minor points of technical detail. The jurisdiction of
the County Courts has been recently limited in actions of debt
to $200, unless when the debt is liquidated or ascertained by the
signature of the parties, when a more extended jurisdiction of
$400 is given. This more extended jurisdiction is also allowed
in equity cases. Each County Court is presided over by a Judge
appointed by the Crown, who is also, within his District, a local
Judge of the Supreme Court, for the purpose of facilitating
interlocutory business. Matters of Admiralty are decided in the
Admiralty Division of the Exchequer Court of Canada, the Pro-
vince constituting a separate District of such Court. The presid-

BRITISH COLUMniA.

ir^S judge for this District is the Chief Justice of the Province
There are a so Poh'ce Courts presided over by Stipendiary M.^l.'.

nu.s and Just.ces of the Peace. An appeal lies in civil o[;es
to the Supreme Court of Canada, and thence to the [udicial Com-
n.ttee of the Privy Council, whose jud.M.ent is final. It is due

o the firm and mipartial administration of justice since earlv davs.
that the pro^•mce has attained its hij^h character for law and ord'er.

The Land Laws. In a country where land is the staple inx est-
ment, where every thrifty man owns real property, and where
there are practically no a^^ricultural tenants, it is of the first
importance that titles should be secure, transfer easv. and rcns-
trat.on m every way beyond possibility of error. 'The svst'em
has been framed to that end, and is both simple and safe! " AH
hold.n^.s are by ,.rant from the Crown, and everv transfer and
incumbrance upon property must be remastered so that the
definite ownership can at once be ascertained bevond dispute
rhe rec^ulations under which land can be acqui'red fronl the
Crown by pre-emption are just and liberal, as will be seen by
reference to the brief abstract of the Land Act in the Appendix

Public Debt. The hi^.h standing- of British Columbian consols
-w ich are at the head of nearly all Colonial securities-
•s sufhcient indication of the solvency of the Province. While
Its revenue has more than doubled in the last ten v.ars, the
who e p.bhc debt does not ..eatly exceed one year's i'ncom , Z
the following- statement will show :

DKBT OK THE PkoVINc: . T niK CI.OSK O,- F.SOM. Vk.K, 30.h JUNK, ,893.

Total amount of FundLHl I )e.l)t j,

Less Sinking Fund Account $2,7,3,690 00

403,490 00

Balance due on Funde.l I .eh, $^,^^>^o

Cr.
Ann. due Province by Don.inion(beannj; 5 ) $583,021 00
Amt. on deposit in bank. 665.40000

Deduct— $1,248,42, 00

Amts. due l)y Province for Intestate Estates,

Railway Subsidies in trust, etc., etc. . . .'.$,62,000 00

~ 1,086,42, 00

Actual debt of the Province $T:^^9~^

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

The Public School System. The education of the people has
been rcj4"ardecl by the (lovernment of British Cohiinbia as one of
the duties of the State. Free schools are established throughout
the province with a liberality which is believed to be unequalled,
or at any rate imsurpassed, by any other community. By the
constitution of the Public School Act, it is provided that wher-
ever a minimum attendance of ten scholars can be secured,
the (lovernment will supply a certificated teacher, so that there
is hardly a settlement in the country too small for the advantaj^es
of a sound, common-school education to be afforded its
children. There are, in consequence, 149 schools throug-hout
the province j^iving' instruction to 10,773 children, beinic about
a sixth of the entire white population, which, having- regard to
the number of single adults, is a very large proportion. This is
a good showing and justifies the Govornment in its policy ot
spending more of its revenue on education than on any other
item. In fact about one-sixth of the total income of the State
is thus expended, irrespective of the large annual grant from
the Department of Lands and Works for the erection of school-
houses, etc., and a sum almost equal which the city municipal-
ities pay in salaries to their own teachers. In these latter there
are also high schools which provide a more advanced instruction
for senior scholars, and by whose agency many of the more
promising pupils are enabled to qualify as teachers. Yearly
examinations by which the knowledge of those engaged in teach-
ing is tested, are held at the principal centres, under a Government
Inspector and Board of Examiners; the schools are also directly
under the supei vision of the Minister of Education, and accurate
data of their progress supplied in the annual reports. Of course
it is within the power of those who have reaped the advantages
of an older civilization to depreciate these efforts for the educa-
tion of the people. It is not professed that they are ideal or
above criticism, yet when it is considered how absolutely beyond
the reach of a voluntary system, settlers in the rural districts or
a new country must of necessity be, and how even in the towns
such a system, would depend, so far as the bulk of the children
were concerned, upon accident and caprice, the care of the
Government in this particular cannot but be regarded as praise-
worthy and to the best interests of the people.

nRITlsH COLUMBIA.

"PO". to minisl.r to the luxury of lulur. „.c - •',',"

brick .;,,■:;"' '■•^^■"■•'."*-'-""- '"''.v Wocks of „„„, „,

repot'itio™":'',;;:;:;'.';"" ■■" ""■ '^' "^ '"'•■"^""^' '"•-■ ^■'>-*,- of

floatiu,. surplus of hun,,u'r ,«;,':;'■',"'' "T '"' """

which has been witnessed upon h / . , "'" ^''^^'""'^'^

years continue in a :: ' ^^ :^::;r:h '^"""- '^ '"'' ''''^'
become at the end of /''''7'^'""'^^^^' ^'^^ provuice will have

and most weam.:^ ^ ;r;;^:^,;"^ '' !'- '-- valuable
distinction should be -nvn P^^^'^-^-ons. «ut a broad

between prosp t of t." '", """'^ "' '"^^^"'^'"^^ -^"^--^

P pects of future advancement and the certaintv of

HRrriSH COLUMBIA.

present hardships. If sturdy, resokite, iiKlepcndont people wiio
can weather the storm of discoiiraj,^ement and stand aj^-'ainst all
manner of disappointment, choose to venture their all, as others
have done before them, in untried places, well and ifood ; theirs
it is to build the tower when they have counted the cost ; but let
there be no delusions or dreams of lotus-eating-, national g-reat-
ness is not attained by the help of such constituents, nor are
personal fortunes acquired by any such means.

-°-e>§

:<^o<..-

teople wlio
aj^'ainst all
, as others
od ; theirs
St ; but let
»nal ^reat-
ts, nor are

APPENDIX A.

THE Mineral Wealth of British Columbia.

A Paper read before the Royal Colonial Institute, March ,4th, .8,3
by DR. G. M. DAWSON, C.M.G., F.R.S.

"f Cnna..a, an., hav. thus a' J^ t j;:!:"'"'" :"" "l^' ^^-'-^'^ >^-vey
'-«e part ..f this pn-vinc. .> 'ana h T ' """^ ""' '""^''^'^■""S ^

l^odied in a series of onicial renor pubiil'"""" '^'•'''"''' "'-^^ ''-" --
1-causeit may be assun.ed ,lm !u V '" ^^''"^ '">-.-. and it is ,.nly

- H^e ti,atihat I z u";t:7:."'^ "'''"'" ^^"' "'^ '^^"^--'

present time. ^ ^ ' """''•^ """"-' '"'^''^'^l "r novelty at the

was wMly'!;;;^r,,'""'("2nu"lm^^^ """"' ''""^'^ ^"'"'"l-

''^taii by Ccok, Vancouver c . , „ ^'''^ '"" '^ '" "''-''-■'• '" --'
I-ca.,. the resortof acerl-; I^^;^ ''^"'' ^"^'" ^^"-' "'- -ast

--of these adventurers ::;irtw 2::^'^ Tr^'" ^^^^ of A.rs . ,n.t
Almost simultaneously, h.n. -^ 1 7ev '" 1 ''"" '"'"'"■■ "' ""-' -""^0'-

and Hudson-s Hay c^;,..:: ij^ii^^^::; t:;^:;:;:;^"^ '^^ ^■"''■^^■^'

i^c-.nt to point in the interior of the North '.''''"^y '^^•"- Oi^erat.ons f.on,

tl>e hitherto mysterious re.ion of he T L ^r ''" ^"'"'"'-*"'. ^-g^n to enter
Mackenzie was the first to e"cli , T r ' ?""'"" '■^"'" '^^ '"'•'^"'' -Me.
Thompson. Campbell ad.' ^^:^ '^"" ^^f"-"^' ^■'" --• i-aser
companies, till by degrees sevc 1 In , "'" '" " "''"''' "*" '^''' '^'^'''"^

Caledonia," as the who eg ^ , i^'r^nfl ^"" "''''"''^'-"•' ^"'' " ^"^•-^
important "fur country." """"'' ^'"^'"^ '" '^*^ ^-''^'-gni^ed as an

knowll;::;!/';::;;::^;:;;, :^ -'-. constitutes the hrst chapter in the
a.lventu.es of these pioneers ^ " T'''''" ^"'^ ''^^ achievements and

without knowing t.rr; : ;::r^t' :i;::'t '""''^^' ^— ^' ^-'

journeys on record- extended the ope atim o7^h T """ ^'''^'^'"^^ "'^^

nent. IJut this chapter thouIfuM of Companies across a conti-

present concerned. „ u t ^ffi o 7' " T ''''' '"'''' "'^''^'' ^ -'^ ^t

-ained a " .. countr^'^l^^/:.- t :^ ;r ^^ 'r'"""^'^

obtained from naturaLutcroos' 1 ^ ^ /•"'" '^"'"''''^^ ^^ ^°^' ^^^<-' actually

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

t-ovcry. The world was at that time very spacious, and the Pacific Ocean was
still regarded rather as a field for the exp'-^ation of navigators than as a hi^di-
w;iy of commerce between America an<l Asia.

In 1849 g(ild was discovered in California, and wi:h the resulting influx of
miners, the seizure of that Mexican province by the United States, justified, if
justifialile at all, by its subsecjuent development, all are familiar. Two years
later, a discovery of gold occurred on the Queen Charlotte Islands, now forming
part of British Columbia. This constitutes an interesting episode by itself, but,
though some attention was drawn to it for a time, no substantial results followed,
and no alteration in the condition of the country as a whole was brouglii
ai)oul. The meaning and the worth of this particular discovery yet remain to
lie determined.

In 1857, howiver, four or five French Canadians and half-breeds, eni])loyes
of the ubiquitous Hudson's Hay Company, found gold on the banks of the Thomp-
son, a tributary of the Fraser River, and their discovery becoming known, changed
the whole fortunes of the country. California was at this time fdled with gold
miners, and it required only the rumor of a new discovery of gold to create a new
"excitement." In the following year, it is estimated that within three months
over 20,000 people arrived at the remote trading post which then stood ujion the
present site "f the city of Victoria, while many more made llicir way overland to
the new El Dorado.

The difficulties in the way of these fortune luinlers were great. The country
was wiliiout roads or other nieans of C(jmmunications, save such rough trails and
tracks as had served the purposes of the natives and those of the fur traders.
The Indians, if not opeidy hostile, were treacherous, and not a few of the men
who actually reached the Fraser Canyons were never again heard of

Tlie Fraser and Thompson were at this time the objective points, and much
of tile lengths of these rivers were impracticable torrents. It is not, therefore
surprising that by far the larger part of those engaged in this sudden niigraiion
returned disajipointed, many without ever reaching their destination. .Some,
however, jiersevered, several tlunisand miners actually got to work on the aurifer-
ous l)ars of the Fraser, and a new slate of affairs was thus fairly inaugurated.

To follow tlie rapid progress of these miners along the Fraser and Thoiupion
with their tril)utaries, would be full of interest, though the records of tlieir work
now existing are scanty, l)Ul this again would lead us too far alleld. The gold
found on the lower readies of the ]'"raser was what is known to miners as
" fine '" gold, or gold in very small scales or dust, minutely divided. Further up
" coarser" gold was obtained, and the miners very naturally jumped to the con-
clusion that somewhere still further up the great stream, the nOiirce of all the gold
should be found. Thus, with restless energy, they pushed on till before long the
Cariboo country, some 400 miles trom the sea, was reached ; and here the riciiest
dejiosits of alluvial or " placer " gold were found, and for a number of years con-
tinued to be worked, with results which, considering the comparatively small
number of men engaged, were most remarkable.

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

Later and more thorough investigations show that the theory so readily
adoi)ted by the miners was incorrect ; that there is no regular gradation in amount
or "coarseness " of gold from the lower part of the Fraser to the head waters in
Cariboo, Inn that the gold found on the l)ars of the river is of more local origin.
Still the theory referred to, as a matter of fact, led the miners to Cariboo, which
proved not only to be the ricliest district so far discovered in British Columbia,
but for its area one of the richest placer mining districts ever found.

In this district the valleys of two streams, Lightning and Williams Creeks,
have been the most remunerative, and these and their tributaries have actually
yielded the greater part of the gold obtained. The work was begun by the
washing of the gravels of the streams themselves, but with the experience already
in California and in Australia, the miners soon began to search deeper. The
valleys through which these streams flowed were foun.l to be filled to a consider-
able depth by loose material, gravel and boulder-clay due to the glacial period or
to inwash from the sides of the bordering mountain ranges ; and in sinking be-
neath all this material the channels of older streams, the predecessors of the
present, were found, with their rocky beds smoothed and worn and fdled with
rounded boulders and gravel. These contained vastly richer deposits of gold,
because they represented the concentrated accumulations of great periods of con-
tinued work by natural forces of denudati(m and river action.

This discovery, once made, led to the initiation of more extended mining
operations, which often necessitate.l large expense in labour and the construction
of heavy pumping machinery; but the results as a rule repaid the enterprising
miners. Thus the old deei)ly buried channel of Lightning Creek was fnind to
average something like $200 in gold to each running foot of its length, while
considerable lengths of William. Creek yielded as much as $i,oco to the same
unit of measurement.

Williams Creek affords some notable instances of the extraordinary concen-
tration of "coarse" gohl in limited areas:— Thus, from .Steele's claim, cSo x 25
feet, over $100,000 worth of gold was obtained. From the Diiler Comjiany's
claim, it is stateil that in one day 200 lb. weight of g,,!d, valued at $38,400, was
raised ; and in 1S63, twenty claims were producing from 70 to 400 ounces of gold
per diem. Four hundred miners were at work on Williams Creek in this year,
which is still admiringly spokuii of as the "golden year."

Though, like Williams Creek, discovered in 1S61, the deep channel of
Lightning Creek was not successfully reached till 1S70, but great developments
followed. The Butcher claim at one lime yielded 350 ounces of gold a day ; the
Aurora, 300 to 600 ounces ; and the Caleilonia 300 oimces.

It must be remembered that the Cariboo mining district is situated in a high
and densely forested mountainous regi.)n, which, because of its inaccessible char-
acter, had remained almost unknown even to the wandering native hunters. At
the tmie in which these great discoveries in it occurred, it was reached only with
extreme ditticulty by trails or imperfect tracks, over mmmtains and across un-
bridged rivers. Every article rerjuired by the miner was obtained at an excessive

ICX)

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

cost ; but all these drawbacks did not prevent the rapid growth of typical mining
camps in the centre of this remote wilderness, with their accompanying lavish
expenditure and costly if rude pleasures. So long as the golden stream continued
to flow in undiminished volume, everything that gold alone coukl buy was to be
obtained in Cariboo.

Perhaps more worthy of note i- the fact that the development of these
mines was carried out entirely by the miners themselves. No outside capital or
backing was asked for or obtained. Money made in one venture was freely and
at once endiarked in another, and the investors were to be found working with
pick and shovel in the shaft or drift.

But the lengths of the rich old channels on both these famous creeks which
could l)e wf)rked in this way proved to be limited tr) a few miles. Helow a certain
|ioint in each case, the "bed rock " was found to tie at so great a depth, that it
was not possibly to reach it through the loose and water-saturated materials fdling
the old valley. Thus the great yield of gokl became gradually reduced to com-
])aralively modest proportions, and, at the present time, mining in the Cariboo
di'^lrict is mainly conlined to hydraulic workings, by wliich poorer ground is
utilised and a much larger quantity of material recjuires to be removed to obtain a
given amount of gold. i^ut the old valleys of Cariboo have never ceased to pro-
duce gold, and in 1892 their product still amoimted in value to about $200,000.

It has been imjiossible to follow the fortunes of the Cariboo mining district
in any detail, and time can only be aftbrded to name the other placer mining
districts of the province. The Omineca district was discovered soon after Caril>oo,
but little was done there till 1S67. This district is situated in latitude 56", in the
drainage basin of the Peace River, and, though so remote, has produced a C(m-
siderable (|uantity of gold. .Still further to the north, in latitude 58", is the
Cassiar district, tirst found to be auriferous in 1872, for some years thereafter
resorted to by many miu'^rs, and still a mining centre not without importance.
This is the northernmost mining region of liritish Columbia proper, but beyond
the 60th jjarallel (forming the northern boundary of the province) alluvial gold
mining has of late years been developed in the Yukon district, embracing the
numerous upper tributaries of that great river, ami extending to the borders of the
United States territory of Alaska.

Neither must it be forgotten to note, that the working of alluvial gold deposit
of greater or less importance has occurreil at many places in the southern part of the
province, to the east of the Fraser River, including Hig Bend, Similkameen. and
Kootenay '' stricts, from all of which some gold still continues to be produced by
the old methods.

The story of the discovery and develo))ment, the palmy days and the gradua
decline in importance of any one of these mining regions, rightly told and in
suflicient detail, would constitute in itself a subject of interest. But without
attempting to do more than name the districts here, it is of imjiortance to note
how general, throughout the whole extent of the great area of British Columbia,
the occurrence of deposits of alluvial gold has proved to be. The g(jld thus.

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

lOl

found in the gravels and river beds is merely that collected in those places by
natural processes of waste, acting on the rocks, and in the concentration of their
heavy materials during the long course of time. The gold has been collected in
these places by the untiring action of the streams and rivers, and it must in all
cases be accepted as an indication of the gold-bearing veins which traverse the
rocky substructure of the country, and which await merely the necessary skill and
capital to yield to the miner still more abundantly.

Nevertheless, the results of alluvial or placer gold mining alone in British
Columbia have not been insignificant, for, since the early years of the discovery,
the province has contributed gold to the value of some $50,000,000 to the world.

One feature in particular requires special mention, and this is a deduction
which depends not alone on exjiericnce in British Columbia, but which is based
as well on that resulting from the study and examination of other regions. The
" heavy," or "coarse" gold, meaning by these miners' terms the gold which
occurs in pellets or nuggets of some size, never travels far from its place of origin.
It IS from this point of view that it becomes important to note and record ihe
localities in which rich alluvial deposits have been found, even when the working
of these has been abandoned by the placer miner. Their existence points to that
of neighbouring deposits in the rock itself, which may confidently be looked for,
and which are likely to constitute a greater and more permanent source of wealth
than that afforded by their tlerived gold.

Reverting for a moment to the Cariboo district, where such notably rich
deposits of alluvial gold have been found within a limited area, and where, very
often, the gold obtained has been actually mingled with the quartz of the parent
veins, it cannot be doubted thai these veins will before long be drawn upon to
produce a second golden harvest. This district has suffered and still suffers from
its great distance from etficient means of communication ; but, notwithstanding
this, jjraiseworthy efforts have already been made towards the tlevelopmeiil of
"quartz mining," while much also remains to be done in utilising by operations
on a larger scale, and with better appliances, the less accessible deposits which
have so far baflled the efforts of the local miner.

It is necessary to bear in mind that alluvial gold mining or placer mining
requires but a minimum .ninount of knowledge on the part of'the miner, though
it may call for much individual enterprise and effort when a new and difruuit
region is to be entered. Any man of (jidinary intelligence may soon become an
expert placer miner. It is after all, in the main, a poor man's method of mining ;
and, as a rule, the placer miner lacks the knowledge as well as the capital neces-
sary to enable him to undertake regular mining operations on veins and loiles.
However promising the indications may be for such mining, he either does not
appreciate them, or passes them over as being beyond his experience or means.
He would rather travel hundreds of miles to test a new reported discovery, than
spend a summer in endeavouring to trace out a quartz reef, with the uncertain
prospect of being able to disjiose of it at some later date.

Thus, though the development of placer mining in 15ritish Columbia began a
new history for that great region, raising it from the status of a " fur country" to

I02

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

that of an independent colony, and subsequently to that of a province of Canada,
there remained a gap to he bridgetl in order that the province should begin to
realise its proper place among the mining regions of the world. It was necessary
that railways should be constructed to convey machinery and carry ores, as well as
to bring to the metalliferous c'listricts men who would not face the hardships of
pioneer travel in the mountains, but who arc in a position to embark the necessary
capital in promising enterprises.

Fur a portion of the province, the construction of the Canadian Pacific Rail-
way has afforded these facilities, but by far the larger part still awaits railway
communication. Had the Canadian Pacific Railway, in accordance with some of
the surveys made for it, traversed, for instance, the Cariboo district, there can be
no doubt that we should have already been able to note great developments there.
This railway has, however, been constructed across the southern portion of the
province, and in its vicinity, and concurrently with its progress, new mining
interests have begim to grow up, of which something must now be said.

Before turning to these, however, I must ask to I)e allowed to say a few
words resjjecling the devel()i)ment of the coal mines of British Columbia, which
was meanwhile in progress.

The discovery of coal upon the coast, at an early date in the brief histiJiy of
British Columbia, has already been alluded to. following this disc<jvery, the
Hudson's Bay Com|)any brought out a few coal miners from Scotland, and jiru-
ceeded to test and open up some '^f the deposits. Thus, as early as 1S53, about
2,000 tons of coal were actually raised at Nanaimo. .San Francisco already began
to afford a market for this coal, and the amount produced increased from year to
year. The principal coal mining district remained, and still remains, at Nanaimo,
on \'anc()uver Island. At the close of the ) ear 1S8S, aljout four and a half million
tons in all had been produced, and the output has grown annually, till in 1891
over a million tons were raised in one year. California is still the principal place
of sale for the coal, which, by reason of its sujierior quality, practically controls
this market, and is held in greater estimation than any other fuel i)roduced on the
Pacific slojjc of North .\merica. The local consumption in the province itself
grows annually, and smaller rpiantities are also exported to the Hawaiian Islands,
and to China, Japan, and other places. In the various ports of the Pacific < )cean
the coal from British Columbia comes into ct)mpetition with coal from Pugel
Sound, in the State of Washington, which, because of the high protective duty
established by the United States, is enabled to achieve a large sale in California
notwithstanding its inferior quality. It also has to compete with shipments from
(ireat Britain, brought out practically as ballast, with the coals of Newcastle in
New .Soutli Wales, with coal from Japan, and in regard to the Pacific ports of the
Russian Empire, with coal raised by convict labour at Dual, on Saghalien Island,
in the Okolsk Sea.

Though Nanaimo has been from the first the chief point of production of
coal, work has been extended witliin the last few years to the Comox district, also
situated on Vancouver Island ; while other promising coal-bearing tracts have

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

103

been in part explored and examini;d on this island and on the Queen Charlotte
Islands.

These particular coal regions, bordering on the Pacific Ocean, have naturally
been the first to be employed, but they by no means exhaust the resources of the
province in respect to coal. Deposits of good bituminous coal are also known in
the inland region, and some of these in the vicinity of the line of railway are now
being opened up, while others, still far from any practical means of transport or
convenient market, have been discovered, and lie in reserve. One of the most
remarkable of these undeveloped fiehls is that of the Crow's Nest Pass, in the
Rocky Mountains, where a large number of superposed beds of exceptional thick-
ness and quality have been defined.

Besides the bituminous coals, there are also in the interior of the province
widely extended deposits of lignite coals, of later geological age, whicii, though
inferior as fuels, possess considerable value for local use.

In the Queen Charlotte Islands anthr.acite coal is found, but has not yet l)een
successfully worked ; and in the Rocky Mountains, on the line of the Canadian
Pacific Railway, coal of the same kind again occurs, near Banff and Canuiore
stations. The places last named lie ji'st beyond the eastern borders of British
Columbia in the adjacent district of Alberta, but require mention in conneriion
with the mineral resources of the province.

The coals of British Columbia may, in fact, be said to rejiresent, in regard to
quality and composition, every stage from hard to smokeless fuels, such as an:hra-
cile, to lignites and brown coals like those of Saxony and Bohemia. Many
features of interest to the geologist might be mentioned in relation to these coal
deposits did tiine permit, but it must not be forgotten to note one principal fact
of this kind — the very recent geological age to which all the coals belong. None
of the coal of British Columbia are so old as those worked in Crcat Britain ;
they are, in fact, all contained in cretaceous and tertiary rocks.

The very general distribution of coals of various kinds in different parts of
the province is of peculiar importance wlien considered in connection with the
building of railways and the mining ai.d smelting of the metalliferous ores. It
insures the most favourable conditions for the development of these ores, to .-.ume
further examination of which we must now return.

It is espi ■• "y worthy of note, that wherever in the L'nited States the Rocky
Mountain or Ccrdilleran region has been traverseti by railways, mining, and
]iarticularly that of the precious metals, has immeiliately followed. It appears u>
ref|uire only facilities of transport and travel to initiate important mining enter-
prise-, in any part of tliis region. The building of the Can.adian Pacific Railway
across the southern ))art of British Columbia, with the construction of oilier
railway lines in the neighbouring States, near the frontier of the province, have
already begun to bring about the same result in this new region ; which, till these
riilways were completed, had remained almost inaccessible. It had long before
been resorted to by a few placer miners in search of alluvial gold, and their
efforts were attended with some success. Silver-bearing lead ores were also found

I04

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

to occur there, but under the circumstances existing at the time these actually
possessed no economic value. It was impossible to utilise them.

In 1886, some prospectors, sti'l in search of placer gold only, happened to
camp in a high mountainous region which has since become familiurly known as
Toad Mountain, and one of them, in seeking for lost horses, stumbled on an out-
crop of ore, of which he brought back a specimen. This specimen was afterwards
submitted to assay, and the results were such that the prospectors returned and
staked out claims on their discovery. The ore, in fact, proved to contain some-
thing like $300 to the ton in silver, with a large percentage of copper and a
little gold.

In this manner what is now known as the "Silver King" mine was discovered,
ami, as a consequence of its discovery, the entire Kootanie district, in which it is
situated, began to be overrun with prospectors. Hundreds of these men, with
exjicrience gained in the neighbouring stales of Montana and Idaho, as well as
others from different jiarls of the world, turned their attention to Kootanie. The
result has been that within aljout five years a vet}- great number of metalliferous
deposits, chiefly silver ores, have been discovered, and claims taken out upon
them. Several growing mining centres and little towns have been established ;
roads, trails, and bridges have been made, steamers have been placed on the
Kootanie Lake and on the Upper Columbia River, and a short line of railway has
been built between the lake and river to connect their navigable waters. The
immediate centre of interest in regard t<j mining development in British Columliia
ha>, in fact, for the time being, been almost entirely changed from the principal
old placer mining districts to the new discoveries of silver-bearing veins.

So far as they have yet been examined or opened up, the metalliferous
deposits of the Kootanie district give every evidence of exceptional value. They
consist chiefly of argentiferous galena, holding silver to the value of from $40 to
$50 to several hundred dollars to the ton. Nelson, Hot Springs, Casloslocan,
Illecillewaet, and (iolden are at present the principal recognised centres in the
new district, but it would be rash as yet to attempt to indicate its ultimate limits.

Thoufjh much has already been done in this Kootanie district, two principal
i:auses have tended to prevent the more rajiid growth of substantial mining up to
th'j present time. The first of these is the difficulty still existing in respect to the
local transport of large quantities of ores; the second, the exaggerated values
placed by discoverers upon their claims. While it is evidently just that the
prospector should receive an ample remuneration for his find, it is to be noted
that the laws of British Columbia are so liberal that he (whatever his nationality)
may, at a cost scarcely more than nominal, hold and establish his claim, even
though he may be practically without means of developing it. .Such development
in all cases requires the expenditure of considerable sums, and this must always
be of a more or less speculative character, while, even if thus fully proved, it
becomes further necessary to incur an additional large expenditure in plant and
machinery before any property reaches the status of a going concern. Scarcely
an instance can be quoted anywhere of a mine which has paid its own way from

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

lO:

■S. »

the "grass" down, Init almost every prospector is fully convinced that his claim
is precisely of this kind.

I have been unable to say anything in detail in regard to the actual modes of
occurrence of the orjs now being brought to light in the Kootanie district and
their geological relations. Neither is it jiracticable, on the present occasion, t<>
pursue in further detail the history or description of other districts of the province
in which more or less good work of a preliminary kind has been done in the
development of metalliferous deposits of various kinds. Okanrgan, Rock Creek,
Nicola, Siir'ikameen, the North Thompson, and Cayoosh Creek can only be
named. It has been possible merely to endeavour to indicate in broad lines what
has already been done and what must soon follow. Within a few years this pro-
vince of Canada will undoubtedly hold an important place in the list of quotations
of mining stocks in London and elsewhere, and then the further development of
its mines will become a subject of common interest from day to day.

In conclusion, I wish to draw attention to one or two ruling features of the
actual situation which are too important to be left without mention : —

The Cordilleran l)elt, or Rocky Mountain region of North America, forming
the wide western rim of the continent, has, whenever it has been adequately
examined, proved to be ricii in the precious metals as well as in other ores. This
has been the case in Mexico and in the western stales of the American union.
Though some parts of this ore-bearing region are undouiitedly richer than others,
generally speaking it is throughout a metalliferous country. The mining of placer
or alluvial gold deposits has in most cases occurred in advance of railway construc-
tion ; but this industry has always jiroved to be more or less transitory in its
character, and has almost invaria])ly been an indication of future and more per-
manent developments of a different kind. Placer gold-mining has, in fact, often
been continued for years and then abandoned, long before the gold anil silver-
bearing veins in the same tract of country have iieen discovered and opened uji.
This later and more permanent phase of mining has followed the construction of
railways and roads, and the series of conditions thus outlined are repeating them-
selves in British Columbia today.

There is no reason whatever to believe that the particular portions of liritish
Columbia now for the first time opened to mining l>y means of the Canadian
Pacific Railway, are licher in ores than other parts of the province. On the
contrary, what has already been said of the Cariboo district :\ffnr(U /•n'ma furi'i:
evidence of an opposite character. The province of Hritish Columbia alone, from
south-east to north-west, includes a length of over 800 miles of the Cordilleran
region ; and, adding to this the further extension of the same region comprised
within the boundaries of the Dominion of Canada as a whole, its entire length in
Canada is between 1,200 and 1,300 miles. This is almost identical with the
whole length of the same region contained within the United States, from the
southern boundary with Mexico to the northern with Canada.

Circumstances have favoured the development of the mines of the Western
States of the Union, but it is, as nearly as may be, certain, that the northern half

IHM

io6

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

of the similar region will eventually prove equal in richness to the southern, and that
when the mines of these Western States may have passed their zenith of produc-
tiveness, those of the north will be still increasing in this respect. The explorations
of the Cieological Survey of Canada have already resulted in placing on record the
occurrence of rich ores of gold and silver in various places scattered along the
entire length of the Cordilleran region in Canada, and thoujih so far we have to
chronicle only an awakening of interest in the southern part of British Columbia,
these discoveries stand as indications and incentives to further enterprise to the north.

While the remote and impracticable character of much of this northern
country places certain t)bstacles in the way of its development, on the other hand
the local a])un(lance of timi)er and water-power in it afford facilities unknown in
the south, which will be of importance whenever mining operations have actually
been set on foot.

No attempt has been made in this brief sketch of the mineral wealth of
P>ritish (Columbia to enumerate the various ores and minerals which have so far
been foiwul within the limits of the province in any sys i.matic manner. Nothing
has been said of the large deposits of iron, from some "f which a certain amount
of ore has already been produced, and wliich wait to realise their true importance,
merely iiie circumstances which would render their working on a large scale remun-
erative. Copper ores have also been discovered in many places. Mercury, in the
form of cinnabar, promises to be of value in the near future, and 'won pyrites,
plumbago, mica, asbestf)s, and other useful minerals are also known to occur. In
late years jjlatinuin has been obtained in alluvial mines in British Colund)ia in
such considerable quantity as to exceetl the product of this metal from any other
part of North America.

While, therefore, the more important products of this western mountain
region of Canada are, and seem likely to be, goUl, silver, and coal ; its known
minerals are already so varied, that, as it becomes more fully explored, it seems
probable that few minerals or ores of value will be f.)und to be altogether wanting.

Respecting the immediate future of mining, wliich is tlu> point to which
attention is particularly called at the jiresent lime, it may be .staled that coal-
mining rests nlrea<ly on a substantial basis of continued and increasing prosperity ;
while the work now actually in progress, particulary in the .southern part of the
j)rovince, appears to indicate that, following the large output of placer g dd, and
exceeding this in amount anil in permanence, will be the development of silver
mines, with lead and co|)per as accessory products. The development of tiiese
mining industries will uniloubtedly be followed by that of auriferous quartz reefs,
in various parts of the province, while all these mining enterprises must react upon
and stimulate agriculture and trade in their various branches.

Because a mountainous country, and till of late a very remote one, the develop-
ment of the resources of British Columbia has heretofore been slow, but the
preliminary ditticulties having been overcome, it is now, there is every reason to
believe, on the verge of an era of prosperity and expansion of which it is yel
difficult to forsee the amount or the end.

APPENDIX B

Abstract of Land Act,

Shewing the Regulations under which Land may be acquired by

Pre-emption.

N. B. — No land is sold by the Government, except by piil)!ic auction, on rare
occasions, when lis adaptal)ility to some special purpose siil)jects it to competition.
It is thus secured as much as possible to the uses of the bona-fide settler.

Tre-icmi'tion ok Surveyed and Unsurveyeu Lands.

5. Except as hereinafter ajipears, any persc^n being the head of a family, a
widow, or single man over the age of eighteen years, and being a British subjett,
or any alien, upon his making a declaration of his intention to become a British
subject, before a Commissioner, Notary Tuijlic, Justice of the Peace, or other
officer appointed therefor, which declaration shall be in the Form No. i in the
Schedule to the " Land Act," and upon hi.s fding the same with the Commissioner,
may record any tract of unoccupied and unreserved Crown lands (not being an
Indian settlement) not exceeding one hundred and sixty acres in extent : l'rt)vide(l,
that such right shall not be held to extend to any of the aborigines of this con-
tinent, except to such as shall have f)l)tained permission in writing to so record by
a special order of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council. 1893, s. i.

7. Any person desiring to pre-empt as aftiresaid shall, if the land be unsur-
veyed, first place at each angle or corner of the land tf) i^e applied for a stake or
post at least four inches square, and standing not less than four feet above the
surface of the ground ; any slump of a tree may be used for a post, provided it be
squared as aforesaid, and of the re(|uired height and dimensions, and upon each
post a notice in the following form shall lie affixed : —

A. B.'s land, N. E. [lost." (meaning north-east post) ; ",-/./)'.".f land, N. W.
post"' (meaning north-west post) ; and so on, as the case may be.

8. Any person desiring to pre-eiiii)t surveyed land must make application
in writing to the Commissioner of the district in which tlie land is situate to record
such land, and in such application the applicant must give the surveyed descrip-
tion of the land intended to be recordetl, and enclose a sketch plan thereof, and
such description and plan shall be in duplicate ; the applicant shall also make
before a Justice of the Peace, Notary Public, or Commissioner, and furnish the
Commissioner with, a declaration in duplicate, in the Form No. 2 in the Schedule
hereto ; and if the applicant shall in such declaration make any statement, know-

io8

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

ing the same to lie false, he shall have no rijjlit at law or in cquily to the land the
record of which he may have obtained by the making of such declaration, 1S84,
c. 16, s. 6.

12. Upon the compliance by the ap|ilicant with the provisions hereinl)efore
contained, and upon payment by him of the sum of two dollars to the Commis-
sioner, the (.'ommissioner shall record such land in his favour as a pre-eni|)tion
claim, and give him a certificate of such pre-emption record. 1884, c. 16, s. 10.

13. The preemptor shall, within thirty days after the date of the certificate
of record, enter into occupation of the land so recorded ; and if he shall cease to
occuijy such land, save as hereinafter is ]irovided, the Commissioni;r may, in a
summary way, upon being satisfied of such cessation of f;ccu])ation, cancel the
record of the settler so ceasing to occupy the same, and all improvements and
buildings made and erected on such land shall be absolutely forfeited to the Crown,
and such settler shall have no further rigiit tiierein or thereto ; and the certificate
of record given to such pre-emptor shall be deemed iO be null and void to all
intents and purjioses whatsoever ; and the said land may be recorded anew by the
Commissioner, in the name of, or ujion application by, any person satisfying the
requirements in that behalf of this Act. 1S84, c. 16, s. 11.

14. The occupati(3n in this Act required shall mean a continuous bona-fide
personal residence of the i)re-emptor, or of his family, on the land recorded by
him. 1891, c. 15, s. 1.

15. I-"-very pre-emptor, as well as his family (ifany)shall be entitled to be absent
from the land recoided by such settler for any one period not exceeding two
months during any one year. lie shall be deemed to have ceased to occupy such
land when he shall have iieen absent, continuously, for a longer period than two
months, except as hereinafter provided. 1SS4, c. 16, s. 13 ; 1S91, c. 15, s. 2.

16. If any pre-emptor shall show good cause to the satisfaction of the Com-
missioner, such Commissioner may grant to the said pre-emi)lor leave of absence
for any period of time, not exceeding six months in any one year, inclusive of the
two months" absence from his claim provided for in section 15. In cases of illness,
vouclied for by sufllcient evidence, or in the cases of immigrant settlers returning
to their former homes to bring their families to their homesteads, or in other
special cases, the Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works may in his discretion
grant an extension of time during which the pre-emiUor may be absent from his
claim, without prejudice to his right therein. 1884, c 16, s. 14; 1890, c. 22, s.
3; 1891, c. 15, s. 3.

17. No person shall be entitled to hold at the same time two claims by pre-
emption ; and any person so pre-empting more than one claim shall forfeit all
right, title and interest to the prior claim recorded by him, and to all improve-
ments m.ide and erected thereon, and deposits of money made to Government on
account thereof ; and the land included in such prior claim shall be open for pre-
emption. 1884, c. 16, s. 15.

HKITISH COLUMBIA.

109

22. A pre-on.pt-.r ..f surveye.l Land .shall l.e entifl..,! , ■ ,

Comm,ss,oner a certincn,., ,.. U. call.,! .-. - Cnii^ '''''"' ^^'"" "'^•

h.s l.rovin« to the Commissioner, by the .lechr.t, ^ ' '"'l'^"^'^'"'^-"'." "P""
other persons, or in such other m^n u-r T I ^^ '".'"'""*'' "^ '''"-'^^''f •''n.l two
he has ,.een in -.ccupation oM, " ^ ; " i?":'"'''"^ "''' ''•'^'''''' ""'^'
thereof, and has „,a |e pern-.n -n im " ^""" '^' ^'''^"-' "^ "'^- ^--"nl

c'o-lnrs and ,ir,y cents pe;::;r^:s;:'r':r:t.''^^^"" " '"^ -■- "^ '->

.-.^iiar;er!^:^:r:ar:t:r'"^^^^^'' -^ ""--^>-' '^-'^'-..,.^0,.
in.a.n.ents of .wenty..i;n::r::^ ^^ "^^1 'i:/:"^' '; ^'- -'-•-"

two years from the date of the recor.l of ,.,..1.: , 'n«tal.nent shall be .h,e

instalment yearly thereafter, u U I L « ' ? '""""''"-"' ' '-'' --"'^ -''-I'-U
f- the last instalment shill'^t ' ,. rulrtr'',' ^ /'-vided. however,
unsurveyed. shall have been surveyal. X, c .6, s ^^ '" " l'^'-'-'">Ptcd, if

e.pS ^n";:;:.n\i;r ;:;i^:r^^^^^ -;'--'•• "- - •'-

grant or conveyance of the fee simple of and n th , , "" '"''"'^' '^ ^'^-^"

■such certificate, shall be executed in f^L " 1 ,h T '"""""""' =" ^^■"•^''-' '"

of the sum of five dollars therefor • but no ,urhr '"■"""'"1^"'^' "I'™ Pny-nent
favour of any alien who ,nay have I c le I " r'^'"^" f"' ■^''*^" '^' --"'-1 in
a British subject, until such lien sh 1 ' " .'l ^ '"^ '■"'-"- of beco„,in,.

-l^cct; and no Crown grant ^.all il \ ^ r":' "'^^''^^''"^ '•''-^■. ^naturalised

Act ^!;„ i^';.i;r;:'::td'a;::i a cZ;';;:::;:;;^'"' '^-' i^—med under ,„.

1884, c. 16, s. 24. ^''"' "^ '^'^ ^•'"»-* shall have been issu.d.

5^ I

C i

O E

I-)

'Ji

<•

li<

APPENDIX C.

Sport in British Columbia.

The Province has l.ecn tlescril)c<l l,y i,„ mean autli..rity as "a s|«.rt.sn)an s
I'ari.Iisc." This title is well ehosen, if i,y the term sportsman Is un.iersiu,,,! the
true animal hunter, n,.l the mere animal slayer. F.,r ih-mj^h „|,ji.rls of the chase
ah.KMul, fadlities for their easy slaut,'hter are, f.-ilunntely, l.y n.. means so plenti-
fill. Men who are fon.l of the iiiorssr of sport who do not stint their pains in the
j.ursuit of t;ame, can alway.s enjoy the severities of hard travelling rewarded l.y a
sucressfid hunt ; In.t if the ambition of the "sportsman '" he to obtain a maximun.
i.at,'. with a minimum outlay of personal efTort, it were better that he should
remain on his own covers at home.

Ofthecervidivthe Moose stan.ls at the hea.l. Its distribution is confined
almost entirely to the w.ater-she.l of the Arctic. The Wapiti is fouml only on
\ ancouver Island, in the interi.;r of which it Is still tolerably abundant. Next in
size comes the Cariboo, found throutjhout the wooded plateaux of the Int.-rior
In interest not behind these is the Mountain Sheep, or Hi^j-horn, (not fmnd
west of the Coast Range), of which this l'r..vince is now the only accessible huntin.-
ground.

Amongst smaller .'.eer the Mule-leer is chief, an<l the Hlacktail and Virgin-
ian complete the list, while the Mountain Coat is sole representative of the
Anlelopo tribe, the graceful Prong-horn not penetrating farther west than the
Rocky Mountains.

First among the Hear tribe is the Crizzly ..r " .Silver-tip" which a few yens
ago could be met with close to the C. P. R. track in the Selkirks, but the relentless
war waged upon him by mining prospectors with sporlins proclivities has driven
him back into the fastnesses of the P.ig Hend. He is however still an object of the
dread <,r solicitude of settlers through the Mainland. His more humble brother
the Black bear ami its variety the Cinnamon are common throughout the Province.

Of the Feli.lx", the lithe and cowardly Puma, Panther or American Li,,n is
a i-est to sheep farmers on the Island. Outlawed with a price up.m his he.ad ($5.00)
he skulks round the settlements until his depradations are put an end to by a'well
directed bullet. Wolves, black and grey, are more frequently heard than'seen.
Of birds, .abundant sport can be obtained with duck, i.rairie-chicken and blue
and willow grouse. Pheasant has been recently introduce.! in the neighbourhood
of Victoria, and under game restriction, has become very plentiful.

Fly Fishing. Excellent trout f.shing can be obtained .,n a great number of the
streams throughout the Interior and on Vancouver Island. The fish exhibit none
of that reluctance in taking a fly, for which Pacific Coast salmon are proverbial.

The catch upon the occasion illustrated, with four rods, in one day Aug 3
1893. amounted to 146, average weight i;^ lbs. This is not an extraordinary cat'cl,.'

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

..C. Phiilips-Wolley, Victoria
C. McMunn, Victoria

ion

The thanks of the writer are due to those gentlemen who kindly placed their
photographs at his disposal for engraving ; their names and addresses are here
given. With the exception of Nos. 3, u, 13 and 23, on application they can
supply these and numerous other characteristic views of the country.

The views of the chief towns have been chosen rather for the purpose of ex-
hibiting their situation, and the surrounding scenery, than to show their buildings
or streets.

E. KOOTENAY. p^„„ n, , ,

rage. Photo, by

Kootenay Valley, near Cranbrook 9 Bourne .S: May, Calgary

Wild Horse Creek i-j n n <(

W. Kootenay.

Ainsworth 20

Columbia R. below Revelstoke 82

Yai.k District.

Salmon Valley 3, c. W. Holliday, Verne

^'^'■""" 33 A. D. Worgan.Vernon

Seeding in the Okanagan 90 C. W. Holliday, Vernon

Washing for Gold, Fraser R 50 C. McMunn, Victoria

Junction of N. and S. Thompson Rivers 84 S. J. Thompson, N. Westmins'r
Lii.LooET District.

Cariboo Waggon Road 23

Bridge River 35

Placer Mining 52

Cariboo District.

Unsurveyed lands on Buckley R 38

New Westminster District.

Vancouver City 74

New Westminster City 68 S. J. Thompson, N. Westmins'r

Loading Lumber at Moodyville 62 R. Maynard, Victoria

Douglas Fir, on Burrard Inlet 64 " '«

Fraser River Canneries 7c S. J. Thompson, X. Westmins'r

Vancouver Island.

Victoria Frontispiece Fleming Bros., Victori.i

Esquimau Harbour 78 C. McMunn, Victoria

Nanaimo 54 r. Maynard, Victoria

Logging on Cowichan Lake 66 Fleming Bros., Victoria

A day's Fly Fishing on the Nimkish. . . no . . . .C. Phillips- Wolley, Victoria

R. Maynard, Victori.i

.C. Phillips- Wolley, Victoria
C. .McMunn, Victoria

A. L. Poudrier, D.L.S.

.Trueman & Caple, Vancouver