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TJie following pages arc (k'siguod to furnihh a concise and, as far as can be eora- pilod from independent sources, complete description of the physical features of the country lying in the Territory of the Dominion of Canada between Thunder ]',ay, at the head of Lake Superior, and the Pacific Ocean, through which it is proposed to continue the construction of the Canadian Tacific Railway, akeady partially built between Lake Superior and Red Eivcr. The compilation is principally meant to be a supplement to the more cxaci and technical reports of the Engineer, for the information of intending contractors who may desire a knowledge of the general features of the country. Papers laid before the Imperial and Canadian Parliaments, reports of (iovern- ment Engineers, observations made by residents, and accounts pubhshed by trust- worthy travellers form the substance of the compilation. Authorities are given in every instance, and copious Indices furnish a ready means of access to the facts. The Government do not guarantee the absolute accuracy of any statement, but there is no reason to believe that the extracts contain anything that is not reliable. WMSS^ l; 1 U CLASSiFlCATJON. I. INTUODI ( TION iii '2, COXTKNTS OF C'HAITEUS vii :). (IKNERAL INDEX s^i I. LIST OF AUTnORS giOTKI) xxxi r>. LIST OF WOIUn'S QrOTKi) xxKv II. ALTITFDES xxxvii 7. ]::LFVATI0XS of PKOMINENT rOINTS xxxviii H. DEPTH OF lilVEU VALLEYS xl !». CILVPTFIt L -HU)M TliLNDEE JJAY TO i!EI) IMVKP 1 10. CHAPTEK IL-,FPi():\I KED RIVER TO SOFTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER.... ir, IL CHAPTER III.-SOIL, CLLMATF AND PRODUCTIONS OF LAKE WINNIPEG BASIN ;)■( 12. CHAPTER IV.- FROM THE SOUTH S.ASKATCHEWAN (ROSSINO TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 17 L!. CHAPTER v.— THE BRITISH COLU:\imA SECTION »;.-, IL APPENDIX TO CHAPTER V.- REPORTS P. Y MARCUS SMITH, Esq., OF SURVEYS IX BRITISH COLl'MBIA DURINO THE YEARS 1871 r, K!i 15. CHAPTER VL -MISCELLANEOUS 120 e: PI GOIsTTEZSr TS CHAPTEPv I. I'MIO.M TIIUNDKl: r.AY 'J'O ItKD [ilVl'.li. Hk'ViUloii of Lake Siiporior -Thumlcr Jjay — KiUiiiiiisti(|iu;i Valley —duoloijical Slmu' tiirj — Terraces of Lake Siiperjor ]5asiu — Kakaboka Falls Mouth of Kaniiui- stiquia liiver — Ma;^iietic Iron Ores — McKay'ri Mouutain- Alluvial Valleys — (rcology of Dog Lake — Drainage of Country — Elevations — Divide at Jtat Portage — Water Communication — lieiglit of Land — Fi-om Kccwatin to Sel- kirk (iold — Copper — Iron — Prairie Steppes — Vicinity of lied River— I>ake of the Woods— Swamps — Lake Winnipeg — Direction of lliver.s — Fort (Jarry — Iloads — Whmipeg liiver — Islington Mission — Soil —Vegetation— Timber - Mines of Lake Superior — Climate — Temperatures — Capabilities for Settlement — Building Material — Thunder Bay Miuc:^ -Altitude of Watershed —CI ra- dic'uti pages 1-14, CHAPTER ir. FROM WVA) lUVFJi TO SOFTIT SASKATCHEWAN UIVKi;. Physical Characteristics — Elevation of I'raii-ie Steppes — Composition of the Plaiua — River Valleys — The Northern Forest — Prairie Fires — Direction of Rivers— Superlicial Deposits — Iluronian Boulders — Geology of the Plains — Lakes and Rivers — Hills and Mountahis — Woods — Prairie Openings— Slope of the Plains — Cleology of Lake Winnipeg — Touchwood Hills — Strata on Swan River — Vellow Ochre Springs— Sulphate of Soda — Coal Fields of the Saskatchewan — Maple Sugar — Forests of Riding and Duck Mountains — The Treeless Region — I'ort Polly— Fertility of the Land — Area of available Land —Physical Geography — Rise from Fort Garry to Edmonton -A Noble River- Banks of the Saskat- chewan—Beauties of Touchwood Hills — The Great Salt Plain — Prairie Lakes -- Watorfowl — Breadth and Depth of the Saskatchewan — Red Rive — Area of Lakes Winnipeg, Winnipegoosis and Manitoba— Soil— Navigation — Coal Plenti- ful — Area drained by the South Saskatchewan pages 15-32. •{ililjjlIMi^jijdP- vm CHAPTER III. hOlL, (IJMATK AM) I'KODK.TIONS OJ' 1-AKK \Vl.NMrK(i UASIN. [•i\j-i<»iis (if tlio Soiison^ - liutViilu Wiutcriiig (imuuJs-- Aviiiigo Fall of Snow — J'.lodgot on AVlioat rroiUictiou - Average ^'iolll per Acre Kxteut of Fariuini' Countrv— Pasture La-uls • IVesli aiui Saline Lakes ■ Si'ltlcmonls - Cluireli Missions -Forest lloj-'ion ^[ll::ke,!,'s Fertility of IVaco Itiver Section- A i,M-i cultural Area- Favoraiilo I'i.-position of Soil and Climate- A'alue of Natural l!(sourecs--Tiuilier Lignite Coal - Iron Ore- -Navigable llivers - lluclsoii l!;iy Company's Steamer— Iniperud Reports — Favorable lioute for a iiuilroad-- Cost of 'J'ransport- Isothermal lanes— Blodget's Climatology— Prairie Country compared with Ihirope — liainfall— Lord Selkirk— Grass of the Plahis — Immen- sity of Cultivable Laud— The Finest Pasture Country hi the "World— Healthy Climate liichness of Soil — Crops at Uattlc Ilivcr Frosts— IJarley— Opening of Spring— Temperature — A Ciood Stock ilaising Country — Fitness for Settle- nu.nt- Character of Soil— Divisions of the Territories - The Future Granary of the Dominion— Snowfall iJoring Operations— Desert Lands — "Water Supply — li( 111'- tones - P(.'!it- Salt nagt^s ;-i;-5-4(i. CHAPTER IV. FKOM Tin: SOFTII SASKATCHEWAN CROSSING TO TIIF IIOCKY Mor^NTAINS. Widili ot the South Dranch- Extent of the Valley — Distance to North Ih-aneh — Country between the Two liivcrs — Confluence of the Two Branches — Woods- Grasses — Contour of tiic Land — Fertile Soil — Fires — Coal at Edmonton — Character of River Valleys — Topography of the Prairies^ — Beauty and Ferti- lity — Coal on Pcmuina Paver — "Wooded Countr}^ — Ascent of McLeod River — Cliffs on the Athabasca- -Terraced V'alleys — Jasper Valley— Mictte River Caledonia Valley — Yellow Head Pass — Country between Thickwood IIills and Jaeklish Lake— Tracts of excellent Soil — Ilich Land between Victoria and Edmonton — Plenty of Timber and \\'ater — Coal ou Battle Itiver — Fire Bound- aries — Course of the North Saskatchewan — Line of Hills- Rich Pasturage — FHigible Agricultural Lands— -Brick Earth and Potter's Clay — Climate — Future of the Saskatchewan — Soap-Clay —Coal on Brazcau River — Geological Forma- tion — Vastness of Coal Fields — Gold — Iron Ore — Coal at Termini of C. P. Railway — Approach to the Roeky Mountains — Country between Rocky Moun- tain House and Edmonton — iieaver Hills — Battle River Country — From South I'^lbow of the Saskatchewan to Battle River Junction . .pages 47-C-l. IX CHAPTER V. Tin: I5KIT1SH COLUMBIA SKCTION. Fonuivtioa of tlu! Ilocky Moiiutaius — DoHceut into Britisli Columbui - Klcvatioii of Yellow Head Pass — Favorable Line for Railway — Gradiontri -Brid.^'iii,!^' of Rivers— The Waddiugtou Route — Limit of British C'oluinbia — Valley of th»! Fraser- -Water Communication — Gold Diggings — Peace River — Beauty of the Rocky Mountains — Winter ou the Athabasca — The Throe Rocky Ranges — ^foose Lake — Grand Forks of the Fraser — Tete Jauue Cache — Cour^o of tiie Fraser — Character of Rivers — Engineering l)iflicultie>. —Passes through the Rocky ^lountains — Longitudinal Valleys — Fort Ht. George — Mackenzie lUver — Columbia River — Sir Alexander Mackenzie -Fort Alexandria — Divisions of Maudand of J5ritisli Columbia — Climate — Mhiing District — Forests — Valleys in British Columbia — Nature of Soil — Roads — Resources of British Columbia — Cascade Mountains- -Report of Lieut. Palmer — Stewart's Lake — The Central Plateau — Bute Inlet Route — Coast of British Columbia — Harbors —Inlands on Coast — Vancouver and Queen Charlotte Islands — Coal — Timber- Lead — Iron — Fisheries — Navigation — Desolation Sound — Soil — Climate — Produc- tions P".!,'^'^ 01-88 APPENDIX TO CHAPTER V. REPORTS BY MARCUS SMITH, Esq., OF SURVEYS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA DURING THE YEARS 1871 5. Gardner Channel Route — Examination of Passes through Cascade Mountains from Fraser River to Similkameon — Journey from Fort Hope to Valley-^ iu South of British Columbia—Allison's Pass — Cattle Farms — R. C. Mission-- Exj)loratory Journal on the Central Plateau — Result of Observations during Journey — Character of the Country — Surveying Operations — Operations during 1875 — Homathco River — The Waddington Trail — The Cascade Mountains — Central Plateau — Journey from Dean Inlet across the Cascades by Salmon River Pass — Examination of Channels between the Islands at the Entrance to Bute Inlet — Gradients to the Cascade Mountains — Homathco River and Valley — Table of Gradients — Survey from Dean Inlet to Junction in the Blackwater Valley, with Line from Bute Inlet to Yellow Head Pass — From Kemano Bay, on the Gardner Channel, to First Lake on the Eastern Slope of the Cascade Mountains — Survey of Kitlope Valley pages 89-123 CHAPTER VI. MISCELLANEOUS. Iiuliiiii Tj'ibos antl Treaties — Boundaries — Management of Tribes — Canadian Indian Policy — United States Indian Policy — Probable Effects of the Canadian Pacific Piailway — Indian Population — The Mounted Police— White Population — Areas — Productions and Extent of the North-West Territories — Climate — ^Britisli Columbia described -The Oregon Treaty — Advantages of the Canadian Eoute —The Peace Piivcr Country — Sir Alexander Mackenzie — Richness, Beauty and Extent of the Peace Eiver Country— Iron, Coal, Salt, Petroleum, .tc— Navigation through the Eocky Mountains— Botanical Eeport by Prof. Macoun — Climate of Peace Eiver pages 120-143 lian cific reas tish ante and c. — n — 143 GENERAL INDEX. Jg^, Aboriginal Population Abram's Gales Agassiz, Tour of A La Corne Fort, situation of Alexandria Forts situation of Alexis Lakes Allison's Pass, summit of Ambush Coulee American Desert, The Areas of North-West Territories Arrow Lakes, The Arran Eapids Arrow Eivcr, banks of Assiuiboine River, building stone on ... . •' " banks of '« " country adjacent to . . '* " " fertile area... " " boring operations on . «* " sources of , Athabasca Kiver, country drained by. . . «• " wheat raised on »' " cattle winter, etc «* " torraco structure on . . «' " climate '« " described *« " coal on •• " source of •« Lake, elevation of M " route by *' Pass elevation of Paoe. 181 58 1 21 62 114 98 60 U 182 71 116 17 12 17 18, 40 21 48 61 84, 85 85 40 r.2 40, (is 48, 08 63, 56 57 41 xu B. Babiiio Lake, Salmon of Blackwatcr Ivivcr " Valley, gradients ill Black Bay, Bituatioii of Blackberry River, plains on Baptiste Biver, mouth of Barkervillo, situation of Basquia Hills, country near Basalt Lake, altitude of Battle River, Indian corn raised on.. " " country described.:. . . . " " coal on " " prairies of •• " scenery at mouth of .. . " " curious strata on " " coulees soutli of Bear lUvor, mouth of " " magnitude of Beaver, conseqrm^'e of their work . . , Beaver Hills, country near '* " timber on Boll River, salt on Bella Coola Indians Bella-IIoula Bay Bella Bella Belly River, source of Bcntinck Arm Route " North Big Hill, description of Birch Gully, banks of Birch Hills, country near Birdstail Creek, cretaceous shales on. Blodget, climatology of, quoted Bloody Hills, description of Boring Operations Bow Fort, situation of Broken Head River, situation of. ... Brazeau River, coal near " " gold on " " sources of 1!>, Page. 79 00, 120 128 1 1>7 57 74 18 122 88 o2, GO, (54 49, 56, GO 49 59 GO 61 67 72 57 51 58 4() 90 76 89 59 ' 76 92 27,28 62 27, 28 28 36, 87 27 48 50 7 52,64 52 58 XIU Pagk. 79 90, 120 123 1 97 67 74 18 122 88 I 60, 04 56, 00 49 69 60 61 67 72 67 61 68 40 90 70 89 59 ' 70 92 57, 28 62 17, 28 28 10, 87 27 43 50 68 Buffalo Cart Plain, The * */' BuSaloes, wintering ground of «„ British Columbia, dimate and soil of ^3 y^ qq " ^°^^"^ '....!.'.' 'siIho " iiiforiuation concerning gr gold-bearing rocks of yi " " principal rivers of yj " " divisions of ^2 73 " " mining district of ' yg valleys of .".....". "3 coastof -7 " " harbors of -- 7,. ,, 1 1 , I >' " fisheries and timber of 78 79 ** " Indians of j^i *' " area of ^!^ Burrard Inlet, survey to ,... Bute Inlet, route to '.'^''^^.^.Z'.''''Z'Zm, 70, 77, 80, 121 " islands at mouth of 215 " navigation of -|j- 0. Caledonia Valley, route through .|g Calling River, banks of .„ Campbell Island Canadian Pacific Bail way, route between IManitolja and Lake Superior 14 " " country on line of , 4Q " coal at termini of i--. " coal along route of t:~ " " route between Yellow Head Pass and Ed- monton /jl^j route to Bute Inlet (..) bridging over Prairie Eivers .^7 fovorable lino from Yellow Head Pass to Edmonton ^.^j " ■' bridging rivjrs west of Edmonton q^ gradients 60,08,122 the Waddin-.ton Bonto ' ' f,(. " " " ballasting for or ° zO ** " " iron and conl for rails on line 54 " " " effect of '"[ jy^^ XIV Page. Canada Pacific Eaihvay , advantages of 186 Canoe River (58 Carrot River, conutry near 2-i CariloO Mountains ()7 " " goldmines 72 Carleton Fort, country near 22, 4!J ♦♦ " temperature at 8U " " crops raised at 12 Cascade Mountains, altitude of , 48 Passes in G7, 08, 5)2, 109 " " described 77, 90, 101, 109 " " lead found iii 78 ♦• " timber 104 " " journey across 112 gradients in 117,121,122 Cedar Lake, situation of 82 Central Plateau ofB. Columbia 35, 86, 67 " " " " " climate 43,70 " " " " " described 75,70 •' " " " " routes across 75 " " " " " railway facilities on 77 •' " '■ " " journey on 90 «» " " " " information concerning 101, 111 Chimsains, Imlian Tribe of : 90 Chilacoh River 90,100,120 " Valley gradients 119 Chisicut Lake, line to 96 " altitude of 118 Chcshcc River described 117 Cliilancoli Valley 118 Cliilcoateu Plain 07 Valley 75,96 " River, coimtry near 75 Cliipweyan Fort, land near 89 " temperature at 89 Clinton, B. C. climate at 71 Coal, deposits of 51, 52 " " character and extent of 55, 56 Cole's Falls 81 Cochin LaLe 108 Columbia River : 68, 71, 111 XV Page. 186 G8 21 (i7 72 22, 4!J 3\) 42 48 8, »2, 109 ', 104, 109 78 104 112 , 121, 122 82 35, 3G, G7 43,70 75,76 75 77 96 104, 114 90 106, 120 119 96 118 117 118 67 75, 96 75 »9 H!) 74 51, 52 55, 56 81 108 1, 141 Connolly Fort, situation of Cowlitz River, coal on . . Cow-diing Lake, situation of Coquilialla Valley, character of Coldstream Valley, rich soil in Coulees, character of , Cranberry Eiver Cree Indians, treaties with , Cross Rapid, the Cumberland House, wheat grown at " " temperature at Diiuphlii Lake, salt springs at " " prairies near " River, situation of Deadman's Rapid Dean Channel, mountains crossing, " " described " Lilet, line to Demi-Charge, the rapid Desert Lands, tlie '• " boundaries of " " true character of . . . Desolation Sound, described Dirt Hills, country near Discovery Passage Dog Lake, country around " " geological formation at . Douglas Fir, uses for Duck River, situation of •* Mountain, situation of " " elevation of II II II II M • 1 surface deposits character of soil, foi'ests . . , streams issuing from " '* farming country near. . . . , Dunvegan Fort, temperature at " " thermometrical register at " " elevation of Page. 71 78 06 98 96 17,61 08 126, 130 81 84 89 18 20, 30 19 64 89 91 121 31 44 45 45 80 16 115 2,9 4,5 109 19 19 21 22 23 24 28 39, 42 42 - 'f XVI B. Paok. Eagle Hills, situation of , 04 •' " elevation of 69 " limit of 61 " Pass 70 " Lake, dcscribccl 108 Ear Hills, coulees near Gl Edmonton Fort, country near ^4, 47, 40, 55 " " temperature 89 •• " coal at 47,58,03 •« " rich mineral deposits at 55 Elbow, S. Saskatchewan 28 Ellice Fort, country near 18, 84 " " " towards Touchwood Hills 26 " " boring operations at | 43 " " situation of 03 Eliguck Lake, position of 98 " " gradients on 123 Eueuchu Valley, described 101 English Piiver, country near 5, 49 Enz Lake, position of 103 Estero Basin, survey of 115 Euchinico Lake, line on 123 Evans Mount 110 P. Fanny's Mountain, described 102 Fertile Belt, agricultiu-al capacity of... 85 " " natural resources of 86 " extent of 41 " " basis of settlement 46 " " boundaries of 61 File Hill, country near... 34 " fertile area of 24 I'inlayson Channel 89 Fishing Lakes, banks of 17 Fitzhugh Sound, entrance to 92 Floating Ice River . 19 Foot Hills 66 Francois Lake, journey to 98 » " altitude of , 103 -i*iU«WJ^ Pack. M m m 70 108 01 17, in, 55 89 17, 58, 03 28 18, Hi 25 43 03 98 123 101 5,49 103 115 123 110 80 85 41 46 51 24 U 89 IT 9g m CO 90 103 xvii Fiaser Rivor, source of ^^'^^'• " -mutl fork of ^® •' course of ^^' ''""^ " " roaa auwn valley of . 'Zl'"! ! ! ! !.!!Z!Z!!! , !)2 Hickiwh Narrows HQ Homuthco Pass 96 •* " portals of 108 •• Piivcr, east lu-anch of 108 •* " jimction 109 Valley, uatiue of 100, 111, 110 HoAvso Pass, altitude of , 70 Howe Soiiucl 80 Hiiilson's Bay Basin, climate of 41, 42 Hiiilson's Hope 141 I. Indian Tribes, and treaties 120, 127, 128 " " population 181 /' " treatment of i;-}0 Is-cul-taes-li Pdver, direction of !)7, 12H, 124 Islington Mission, wheat sown at 9 •• " seasons at 9 Isothermal lines 30, 38, 41 J. Jasper House, cultivable land west of 85 " " situation of 57,00 " Valley, ingress to 4H Jaekfish Lake, country near 4() 52 Eiver 52 Jervis Inlet 80 Johnstone Htrait, width of 77 E. Kakabeka Falls, country neighboring 9 " " agricultural area below 4 Knministiciuia, Eiver Valley, capabilities for settlement, geology &c.. . . 2, 4, 5, 11 " terrace structure on jj ** harbour at mouth of 2 " navigation of 2 11 .!*«*«# XIX Paok. 22 (iO ()!), 5)2 HO 90 ]0S 108 109 111, 110 70 KO 41.42 141 85 57, GO 48 49, 52 62 80 77 8 4 , t>, 11 8 2 2, 11 ]viiiuiiiisti<]uia, ininoral dcposito on Laurentian and Iluroniau rocks on *• soil on banks of' " vegetation on " climate on Kamloops Fort, lino from, to New Westminster " road to Kamsquot lUvor, Keiuano Eivcr, month of " Valley, described " Bay, survey from Kercness, land }ar Kcewatin, geological formation at " mineral de^iosits near Kitloiie River described Kitlopo Valley, sm'voys in Kootanie Plain, prairies of Kliiskus Lake, abandoned post at Ktlilntlisly Lake, position of L. Lac La Biclie, soil near Lake of the Woods, country near " " " " timber " " " " " islands in and climate of. Lakes Saline " freshwater ^ ■ *' " description of " " between the two Saskatchewans Laird Fort, wheat raised at Land, ratio of fertile Laura Passage Larimie Plains, the Laura Passage, route by Lonely Lake, outfall of Lesser Slave Lake Lignite, deposits of Tiilloet, road to Liquor Traffic prohibited Little Boggy Creek, bank,j of 8, 01 PAcii:. 4 4 9, 10 9, 10 .11 6T n , 112 89 90 124 94 5,6 90 12,5 62 97 lo;{ 34 0, 7, 12 9 11 25 25 27 34 35 26 89 44 92 5 157 51, 55 74 131 17 XX Little Toiicliwofxl Hills Fort *♦ I>i'(l Kivov, crops raised at " Slave Lako, wheat raised at Lorcdo Sound, outrance to JiUiui)y Hill of the Woods, country nciU' l^vtton, situation of M. Mackouzic liivcr " " coal on " " source of Mackenzie Sir Alexander, route followed by McKay's Mountain, arable lands near McLeods JUver, ascent of •• " coal on " I-ake, temperature at McLaughlin Bay Maligne Iiivcr, forests on Manitoba Lake, building stone on «« " description of " '• area of Manitoba Province, wells sunk in , »' " .soil of « " climate •« " .snowfall in <• " Lidians of Mattawin Piiver, situation of Mexico, Great Table-land of Miette River, route along Milieu Riviere dn ^Nlilk River, desert near Millbank Sound Mission Valley, Indians of Mississijipi River, country west of , Moose Woods " timber at " " islands at " " description of " River, situation of Lake, " " , 17, pAdK. 96 80 85 02 27 72 180 66 71 'J7, 5)8 4, H IH, r,7 m 74 80 10 12 16 10 17 •M, 88 i}8, >J8 43 181 11 60 48 188 44 m, 92 95 46 24 20 28 20 66 GO, G8 Ml mI m| ^1 Ml '-^'^tiimiitaaitM XXI =r— .r= Pa(ii;. '27 72 71 1)7, !»H 1. H IH, r.7 r)(; 71 8;> 10 l-j K) 1!» 17 48 181 11 r)0 48 188 44 Hit, !)2 '.)'} 45 24 '20 28 29 66 130, 08 Mooso Lakf, gradients at flossy Portiigo ^^ouut Cariiu'l dosci'lption of Mount St. IClias, position of ^fonnt IJrown, cltniition of Mount Hooker. " '• ^Mountain Ifouse. strata at ' " country hct^\•oon and Edmotiton Miul River i^Ciiilacoli) ]\Iu(1,i,'e Caiiv , N. Xacoontloon Tiakr. route I'V Nakosia or Stewart liiver Navii,Mtioii of Thunder IJay " " Kaministiquia Rivor •' " "Water courses west of Tlnmder ]5ay " " Lakes Winnipeg, "NVinnipcgoosis, and Manitol)a " Lakes and rivers in Xorth-Wcst " l»y Steam " of Frascr River " Fuea Straits " " Britisli Columl)ia coast , " " Thompson River " north of Vancouver Island " of Bute Inlet " tiu'ougli the Rocky Mountains Nazio River, direction of '• Valley lU, Xecliaco River, and valley of 70, !)0, Nelson River, situation of Xettacoh River, situation of Nepean Sound, entrance to Nepowcwin Mission, situation of " " timber ai Ncshaw, north of Nestacho Lake, gradients on N'ghaco Lal^e, extent of Nicola Valley, trail in Nicolaume Vallev AOK. 12(» 82 27 77 (».'. r,2 r>[ 100 Oil 1 2 6 10 81 i',r, 07 7!) 7t> !)() 115 . ll.J 141 !»7 11!>, 128 102. 10,-) k; 104 92 21 20 70 48 99 74, 90 92 XXII AdK NiinpDli Luko, triiil nlon;^ .' Niiu! Milo (!r('ok. position of Xodiillcs Cliiiniiol, lido in Nortlu'otc, tilt' stiamcr . North-Wost Ttiritcti'ios, ilimati; of '• " " ciipacity to supiioi't i)f>puliitioii . " " " arcji nf " " " luniltliy cliiniito of *' " " ilivisioii of V " *' a(lii])tiil)ility for riiilrnjids di'scrt lands of " •• '• l)oanty of " " " lunthorn slope of ♦' •• " pai'k-likc c'onntry in " " '* Indians of " " " [>o]inlation of " •• " productions of Nose Hill-, forest land on " Ci't-H'k, diaracter of o. Ukina,L,'an Itivcr Lake Valley Oil llogions, extent of ()ssoyas Luke, position of P. Paeitie OcLiiii. route to " '• warui current in " '• Canada on Parsnip lii\ er, country near , Peace liivcr, country drained Iiy " " source of " " spring opens at " " cattle wmter al " " wheat raised on " '• cliniate of " " working railroad., at " " country dcocribid }K{ 115 JU at;, ;{7 ay H8, ia2 41 Jl i;j 11 4H CJ) (J9 181 182 188 60 00 72 04 06 18 04 80 41 187 100 85, 13(5 60 80 40 42 4'2, 142 43 48, lOU WJll Pa. IK. !IH !»;{ 1 1 .-> .Ml m 11 ji i;{ u 48 5!) (i!) lai l:$8 (>() (Id 72 !»i !).> IH Ul 8G 41 187 lUG 136 (J!) »\) 40 42 142 43 ^ ISO ri'iico lUvcr, cdiil oil " " i^Ad ili.-ic'ovories on ♦• " l*iiss, iiir curreiiis ill , ♦• •• '• iiltitiuk' of " " Iiuliaiis Peak ^[ouiitiiins Pflly Fort, situiition of " " Itoriiif^ operations at Piiiihiiia llivir, coal on • '* (k'scribcil Peiubiua ^[ouiitaiii, country iioiir •• prairies near Plieasant Mountain, fcrtili' ari'n of Phillip Ann, head of Pie Island, situation of Pine River Pass, elevation of Pine Point, terraces at Pino lUver, described Piue Island Lake Piue Creek, situation of Pitt Fort, country near Plat Lake Police, Mounted Pootzeaks, Valley of Plumper Clianiiel Porcupine Hills, situation of • • • • " " altitude, country near, timber, kc " " surface deposits " " clay-iroiistoncs at Princess lloyal Islands Princeton, situation of Prairie Portage, Paver valleys -west of Prairie Country, seasons in •• " character of 47, 4!», 50, (10, " " nutritious grasses of Prince Albert Mission Priest's Fiock Puget Sound " " coal near Puntzoe Lake, counti'y near. Pauk. CO, U) (; r.d IH l!> 21 11.-. 1 70 ()2 l:!s Ls 24 :il. 47, 4!) H lai 8;> V.} 22 22 4(i ( ( 1)3, i»4 47 41 01, 0P>. 0.'., 70 00 34 r,i 11 7H lOH \xiv Q- Qnalclio Lake, position ol' QirAppelle Kivcr, desert near " " sources of Queen Charlotte Islands, situation of Quesnel mouth, position of Biver (.)uol\olt Tndian<. villau'c of I'AOK. ]()() I I (il I I ()7 72 Hi) lie lU R. liainy Lalo. superficial deposits " " fori-sts near '• liiver, climate, ike " Hills, description of . . . JJai Portage, divide near '■ " geological formation at . " '• boring operations at. . . Rat Creek, boring operations at Rascals Village, situation of Red Deer River, situation of '' " coal on " *' cUmate at *' ■ " Lake crops raised a I Red (.)chrc Hills, countrv near Red River, coimtry cast of " banks of " country west of " prairies of " " fertile area " timber on ' ' soil and fertility of " source and direction " water supply on Riding Mountains, rocks on flanks of " " elevation of '• " timber on 10,12 10, 1 2 27 a ('. i;{ 70 1!) nc, 42 K) 7 17, 2!) 18, 19 20, 21 21 2!) 2!) 90 4*-) IH 21 20 28 41 20, 47, 01 08 ii XXV 100 44 61 77. 67 72 89 H 10,12 10. 12 27 5 i:i -IH H> 1!» 42 1(5 7 17. 2!) 18, 1!) 20, 21 24 20 20 80 45 18 21 20 28 41 47, 01 08 lloche Mietto Paok. " Pcrcce, situation of 57,66 Roches Eouges 16 liocky Mountain Tortago '^1 llocky Mountains, navigation tlirou-'li -^'^^ '* . " baseof ".....'."^"!!'.V.".!' ^^^ country east or. , . '^'^ approachto 1^.48,02 olGvationof '.".".".*."."."".*" Jf ' ^I! ^■'■^lleys near eastern base of "^^ '^ " I'oute to Cliina throu^'h *'^ beauty of ■■_'■■' ^''' " passes tbroudi.... *'^ •« a ,.,„ . ° 08,70 valley's 111 ' Tiuporfs Land, Imlians of ^^ 181 • s. Hiigeninaga River, extensive forests on Sabnon IJivcr, valley of ^" " survey on ■■;;■; !HM]8, 121 " Pass ".".'."r.!.".V.:".7*; ^^^ Sahnon, immense yuantities of -"^^ Salt Plain, great ^^^ Salt Piver, examination of '^ Salteanx, treaty with the. ^^^ Sand Hills Lake, banks of... .".'.".*.'."".."." .7. '.'..'."..' ^^^' ^^^ Saskatchewan Cotuitry, geological forniaVion* ,' .'..'. ?! area of...,. ^^ , , 24 gnizmg lands ^. . character of ' „f .. .\XXVl l.[.!'., on Niiviyatiitii. M. Mniiit()l)ii and tlic Noitli-Wot dt'thc Douiiiiidii, l>y T. S|hiu'o, N. Noi'tli-Wi'st I'assaj^'o by Luml, Tlio, by Miltou aiul Choadlf. New El Dorado, The, by Kinahaii Cornwallis. At Ocean to Occ'iiu, by lirv. (i. M. (iiuiit. Ovorhiud Journey lioiuul the ^Vorld, by Hir (loorgc hiuip.sou. " Itailway through !>. X. Aiuoriea, by Alfred AVadduigtoii. R. lI('liort of l'r(i;,'rc,s^, Cnnudiiiii racilie riailway, iMTl-i". lioute l)etween Lake Superior and llcil llivcr Sotlleirimt, 180S. " " Select I'omniiltee on Immigration and Colonization, House of Commons, Canada, IHOD. •* Select Committee on immigration and Colonization, House of CoiumouH, Canada, lH7(i. " " Commissioner of Crown Lands, Ontario, 1H70, " " Lieut. H. S. Talmer to (iovernor Douglas, •' Vavasour on Navigation. " Win. Downic to Governor J)ouglas. " '• Major-Clenoral Smyth. " Hon. D. Laird, 1870. " Marcus Smith, Esq., for 1H7'j. Ued i;iv'>'' Country, Hudson's r>My, and Xorth-Wcst Territories, by A. J. lUissell. S. Sketch o: llir NoriliAW^t of Amei'ica, by }Igr. Taclic (I Tnivelt- i)) jinti.sh Columbia, by Capt. Darrett-Len nard V. Voyages of Sir A. Mackenzie. W. )\'ild North Laud, The, by Cayi. y\'. 1". Butler. ALTITUDES, t)>f TiiK Link m tiik Canada Vmuu IIailway m:mm TuuNuut Bay TO Tiir: Pacmic Ockan. •^^ •■'^"•^ ^^'Jliam rmm foci " ^^"M'ing l^-8j„„ .. " ^''*^' ^i^-^''' 1,^15.00 .' " Wabiyoou Lake 1,-2(M.OO - " ^^^™i"'0" J^«I "^'"^^'- S27..0 '. " Poutraincourt ^,,,,„„ .. " ^"^•"^'^^t^ ]. 1/58.00 ^. ■' I^^^'"S«tono j^g^,„„ .. " '^^^^^-^'^m' 1JH4.00 '> " S'^^'^atchcwan ^_,.^.5(„, ,, " ^'"'^^I'^vcrock 1 .^,,,„ .. "^■^^^'^^'^^ l,;593.0O '^ " Four lUaekroot Hills 2 143 00 " "^^^'"'^"^«" 2':3»1.00 '. " Pcmbiiia Ivivcr ., .,„,- ^a .. ' ^fOOoAn) ' " McLooa-s Eiv.r ojyy.oO " "JasperHouso .. ..^ ^^^ .^ " Summit Yellow Hlm.I Pass 0. 710 00 " " Tete Jauno Cache 2,100.00 " " l'«i't <^^orgc iggOQQ .. " Valleys in Central Plateau, B.C 3,000.00 " " Yoltosse, above Salmon Piiver I 000.00 " Note.— See pages 1 17 and 122 for tallies of gradients of the lines suvvoyed througli the Cascade Mountains, where they are fully given mile by mile. ELEVATIONS AT PROMINENT POINTS. C(i.MrjLKi) nioji Ai'THona QroTF.n in tiik FouEdoiXG Pagks. Lake Superior above the occau GOO feet Height of Lantl between Lake Sujierior and Winnipeg.. . " " 1,500 AVatorshoil above Lake Superior 902 Lake "Winnipeg above the ocean GOO First Trairie .'-tcppe ' " " 5)00 Second " " " " l.GOO Third " " " " 2,700 Sources of Qu'Appelle Eiver above Pied Paver 500 Summit altitude of Piiding and Duck Mountains above the ocean l,G0O Heart Hill above the plains 700 Porcupine l\rountain above Swan Lake 800 Iiisc from Fort Garry to Edmonton, by trail 1,'400 ' ' from Edmonton to base of ^Mountains 900 Mount Carmel, (Big Hill) above the plains IGO Lumpy Hill " " -100 Height of the banks of RihT Piivcr above the stream 30 to 50 Jasper House above the sea 3,372 Highest point of Plateau in British Territory at base of Piocky iMountains, on 49th parallel above the ocean 1,300 (ireat Table-land of Mexico 7,000 Bow Piiver , at foot of Mountains 3,900 Athabasca Eivcr, at foot of ^fountains 3,800 Rocky Mountains al)ovc eastern plain 2,000 to 3,000 Terraces east of Rocky Mountains above the ocean 3,500 to 4,000 Mounts Brown and Hooker above the plains 10,000 Roche Miette, from its ba">e G,()0() Mountains south of Moose lynko above the Like 2,000 Average height of Rocky Mountains 9,000 Lake Stuart above the ocean 1,800 Howse Pass " " 4^500 Athabasca Pass " •' G,025 Yellow Head Pass " " ?,746 Pine River " " " 2,000 Peace " " under •• 2,000 XXXlX GOO feet 1,500 " 902 " 000 " 000 " 1,000 " 2,700 " 500 " 1,000 " 700 ' 800 " 1,400 " 900 " 100 " ■100 " to 50 " 3,372 " Cascade Mountains at Kemano Iliver iibovo the sea 8,000 at Skagit " " " 5,000 Skagit Eivcr " " 1,900 Allison's Pass above the sea (Cascades) -1,400 Princeton " ■' " 2,300 Tea P.iver " •' " 1,500 Okanigan Mountain above the lake 3,000 Lake '■ sea 1,120 Valleys in Central Plateau, B.C., " " 3,000 Hills " " above the sea 4,000 to 5,000 Blackwater Bridge, B.C., above the sea 2,110 Crown of Table-land, B.C., " " 3,500 Blackwater Kiver (cami) 8) B.C " " 3,145 ivluskus Lake, B.C., " " 3,500 Thraclia Lake, B.C., • • " " 3,310 Eliguck Lake, B.C., " " 3,010 Divide on Central Plateau, B.C., " " 4,050 Lake N'ghaco, B.C., '• " 3,500 " Qualcho, " " " 2,820 ^' Tsehick, " " " ;),100 " Tetachuck, B.C., " " 2,770 " Tchutazely, " '• " 2,080 " Enz, B.C " " 3,050 " Tchestatta, B.C " " 2,800 " Kthluthsly, " " " 2,!)00 Head of Lake Eraser, B.C, " " 2,400 HiUs on Central Plateau, B.C " " 4,000 Foot of Lake Francois, '^ " " 2,540 Chilacoh Valley, (above Canyon) above the sea 2,000 to 2,300 Salmon House above river 100 Yeltesse... " " 1,000 Chisicut Lake 3,290 Chilacoh Valley above the set?, 2,225 Stewart Valley " " 2,055 " River " " 1,950 Basalt Lake, divide near " " 3,700 Euchinico Lake crossing " " 1 >'^'Ji> Summit between Blackwater and Nazco " " 3,228 Lake Francois, North shore , " " '^.790 Duuvegan " " L^OO feet DEPTH OF RIVER VALLEYS. On First rrairio Steppe . . . . : ^ 80 feet " Secoml " " ir>0to200 " " TLird " " li»>^ to 400 " South Sn^kiitclicwuu Lelow prairie, third level • 800 " " at the crossing 170 North " helow prairie level 100 to 800 " Battle raver, below prairie level l-'O to 270 " RodRiver " " " 80 to HO Wignatinou River, below prairie level 200 Vallovs in Central Plateau, B.C., 1 1^» CHAPTER I. FROM THUNDER BAY TO RED RIVER. Elevation of Lakk Sli'Erior. 80 feet to '200 " to 100 " 800 " 170 " to ;500 " to 270 " to r,0 " 200 " no " Canadian Ejcjtloring Expedition, by Henry Yule Hind. Vol. 1, jj. 17. " The elevation of Lake Su[)orior above the Ocean has been variously estimated by (lilterent observers. Captain Bayfield considered it to be 627 feet above the level of the sea, which altitude is adopted by the narrators of Agassiz's t&nr in tliat region, and by ]\Iessrs. Foster and Whitney, in thrir report on the geology of the Lake Superior Land District. Sir Wm. Logan, in his Geological Report for 181G-7, states that its suiface is r)'J7 feet .''bevethe Ocean ; in Professor Hall's Geology of the Fourth District, N. Y., 596 feet is its assigned elevation. Sir John Richardson assumed its level to be 641 feet above the Ocean. The altitude deduced by Mr. Keefer for the map prepared for the (Janadian Commissioners at the Paris EKhiliition in lSi)~^, with the advantages and in- formation derived from tlie levels obtained in tlio construction of vai'ious railways and canals from the Ocean to Lake Superior, estalilished a difference of only three feet in excess of that obtained by Sir Wm. Logan in 1817. The occasional fluctuations in the level of the waters of Lake Superior certainly exceed tliree feet, so that an elevation of 600 feet is probably a correct estimate of the mean height of the waters of this ' Kitchi- guni-mi,' or (treat Lake of the Ojibways above the Ocean." TiiuNDEH Bay. Canadian Pacific Puiihcay. Peport of Pro'jrcss, 1871,/)/;. 2)8-209. " This Bay is on the north-west shore of Lake Superior, and has an area of about 200 square miles. It lies in a direction generally from north-east to south-west, and is bound on the west and north by the mainland ; on the east by the promontory of Thunder Cape, which divides it from Black Bay ; and on tlie south it is divided from Lake Supe- ri(U' by a number of islands, of which Pie Island is the principal. * * * With the exception of a small group, (tlie Welcome Islands.) which lie about four miles east from the moutli of the Kaministii{uia River, there are not manv islands in Thunder Bay. " The principal entrance to Tliundei- Bay, ami the one generally used, lies between Thunder Cajte and Pie Island ; it is about five miles wide and has a depth of water rang- ing from 100 feet to 2.37 feet. The general depth of the Bay is given on the chart as 60 feet. * * * The navigation is good for either steamboats or sailing vessels ; the opening and closing of the Bay is about the 8th May and 30th December." Peport on Line of Ponte betmcen Lake Superior and Ped Picer Settlement, by S, J. Dawson, C.E., 18()8, y>. 12. " Thuiuler Bay is itself a harbour, although of somewhat large dimensions, completely land-lock(!d and sheltered from every wind ; any swell, therefore, which can be felt must arise witl_in the bay itself. The huge surges of Lake Superior do not roll into it at all| ami it may be regarded, to all practical purposes, as an inland lake. '■'■• ''■'■ '■'■ It is safe from winds blowing Avest, soutli-wcst, north and north-west, an'. X. America, folio, p. L*.'^7. Dr. Geoloijicid Jifport. Hect or .s- " The whole of this district is occupied by a primitive axis, the intermediate primitive belt of Sir J. Richardson, which is com})osed of gneiss, mica, schist, limestones and other metamoriihic rocks, with intrusions of granite, probably of very ditierent agfs, the whole formation lunng the Laurentian of Logan, corresponding, it is thought, to the fundamental gneiss recently described by Sir R. Murchison, as nnder- lyin- 1!' th(; mo.st ancient rocks in Scotland. O " On the River Kaministiijuia, above the fall at Friar.s' Portage, the strata have an almost veitical position, and a little further on, at Lower Island L'ortage, are found to be dipping at an angle of 40 to south-south-east, and to be changed in character, liaving mica li(piely by a succession of minor falls, giving rise to scenery of uneipudk'd l)eauty. * * * I'Ik, ascent which is made after leaving the njiper end of Dog Lake, is tliiough a swampy country covered with drift. In fact, after leaving Dog Lake, until a considt'rabli! descent has been made to the w<>st, no rock is exposed, the whole summit level being covered with a thick deposit of drift. '■' '•' may add, )rtli would fbour, but the surge [uiii Piivev, Lev passage 1858. vigatiou is country is for settle- hough the md rises to ridges, but md Lakes, leaking, no ng outline 1 GOO feet hcior'tt axis, the eiss, mica, rol)ably ot isponding, I, as under- ta have an bund to be tor, having nuiediately alt(n'ations, ngle to the I northerly to scenery eaving the I fact, after no rock is " From the Lake of the Thousand Isles, where the i-ocky flooring of the country is again uncovered, until Kturgeou Lake is ix-acheil, the descent is veiy slight. * * * In miiiy cases the lakes are at exactly the same level at each end of the ]>ortage ; and the greatest ditierenco between the two ends of any of those jiortages is only about ."5,") feet, so that the total descent in this part ';f the route cannot amount to very nuich. * * * '* B(ftween Eainy Liiko and Lake of the Woods the superficial deposits again cover all rocks from view, and when tli(! north end of the latter lake is reached, and they are again exposed, their general strike is now changed to almost north and south, agi'ecing with tlie greater axis of the lake, just as liainy Lake agrees with the sti'ilco of the eastern District." Geological Survey of Caimd I, X^l'l-l?*, p. 106. " In going north-westward from Tiiunder Bay to I^ake Winnipeg, six ap])arently distinct belts of Huronian rocks are crossed. They appear to occuity long V shaped basins in the folds of the Laurentian strata, and their aggi'ogate breadth is about half that of the Laurentian l)ands between theui. Tlui first, or Thunder Bay band, hns a breadth of about IT) miles beliind Tiiunder Bay, but appears to spread out to a greater widtli west of the Kaministi(piia Bivcr." Geohvjy of Cainvht, p. 74-. " In addition to dykes, a great many mineral veins intor.ioct these rocks. A very large number of these contain a greater or smaller amount of various metalliferous ores ; and the indications which they ])reseut are such as to I'cnder it certain that many [)arts of the country characterized by them, will, sooner or later, rise into imiiortance as a mining region. The metals whose ores are met with are cop})er, load, zinc and silver, with more rarely nickel, cobalt, arsenic, uranium and molybdenum." Tkiuuces of Lakk Supeuior Basin. Cnptaiii Pallisrr's Exploration in B. X. America, folio, 2>- 219. " In ascending the Kaministiquia for a considerable distance above the Kakabeka Falls, the country is covered by a deposit of red marl earth, which forms theliigh ter- races of the river. Thus, opposite the mouth of White Fish Biver, thei-e are three dis- tinst terrace levels of 20, (JO and 90 feet. At some distance back from the river still higher terraces occur, belonging to this class of deposits, which must be considered as of more recent age than the true drift. Sir William Logan describes one at the height of 331 feet above Lake Superior. The great deposits of sand and gravel which rest on the highest levels of the axis and are first met with at Dog I'ortage, belong, I think, to the pei'iod of the drift." Ilnil,p. 27. " The country' in the neighborhood of the Kakal)eka l<\dls at a little distance from the river rises to an elevation of 100 feet, a stee[) bank on eifclier side of the stream forming an additional terrace." , IbiJ,p.2L * * '•' " Terrace structure commences about 20 miles from the nioutli of Kaministiquia River, rising to the height of from to i^t) feet above the level of the broad alluvial flat. These tevniced banks iu-e couiposod of a red, sandy marl 'om the auniiuit of which the countiv is level, with little or no swamp. * * The country i)resenis great irregularities in every direction, and, as a rule, is densely wooded." Geological Survey of Canmhi, ISGG lo 18G9, p. ?>'M). "In the hills on the left side of the Kaniinistiquia River, a finely handed rock made up of jasper and magnetic iron, occurs. '■' '■'• ••' These strata are consideral>ly contorted, anil dip at high angles, but their general course api)ears to be north-west- wai'd. On higher ground, overlooking the river at this locality, are thick beds of finely grained greenish-gray diorite coarsely jiorphyritic from the [tresence of numerous crystals of greenish feldspar. The beds varv from one foot in thickness uj) to IT) or 20 feet and Btrike N. C5" W. (mag.)" Canadian Exploring Expedition, hy 11. Y. Hind. Vol. 1, pp. 34-38. " Opposite this magnificent exposure of trap (McKay's Mountain), the clay banks of this river are about 14 feet high, and continue to rise on one side or the other until they attain an elevation of nearly GO feet, often, however, retiring from the present bed of the river, and giving place to an alluvial terrace, some 8 or 10 feet in altitude, and clothed with the richest profusion of grasses and twining flowering ])lants. '■• * * The alluvial valley of the river from abotit 3 miles l)el()w the mountain portage to Fort William, varies in breadth from a few hundred 3'ards to one mile ; the breadth occupied by land of a quality which might fit it for agricultural purposes extends to near the summit of the flank of a low table land which marks the true limit of the river valley, and the average breadth of this may })e double that of the strictly alluvial portion. * * * Occasionally the flanks of the low table land ajijjroach the river, contract the valley, and give an unfavorable asjtect of the country. * * * xhe area availa1)le for agricultural purposes below the Grand Falls, jirobably exceeds 20,000 acres, but if the flanks of McKay's Mountain be included in the estimate, a large addition may with propriety be assumed. The Grand Falls mark the limits of a tract of country difl'ering in many important physical aspects from the valley of the river lower down. Fi'om black argillaceous slates of Huronian (Cambrian) age we pass to a region in which granite, gneiss and chloritic schist prevail, and where the vegetation is often scanty and iioor." Geological Survey of Canada, 18GG-9, p. 32G. lieport of Mr. JL Ikll. * * * " Between the Grand Falls of the Kaniinistiquia and the head of Thunder Bay, the country is occu])ied jiartly by Laurentian and partly by Huronian rocks, to a distance of about eight miles from the former, and about sixteen from the latter. The distribution of the two formations is repiesented as accurately as possible according to present data. North of this area is the country around Dog Lake, which is all Lau- rentian so far as knoAvni." Hekiiit of Land. Mr. Sand ford Fleming in Report of Progress, Canadian Pacific Railway, 1874, p. 8. * * * " Between the Province of Manitoba and Lake Superior, the drainage of the country is mainly westward, passing into Lake \Vinni])eg. The water- shed between the two lakes is (juite close to Lake Superior, and maintains a nearly uni- foi-m elevation of from 1400 to 1500 feet above the sea. The descent from the watershed M-estward is very gradual, and tho country for the whole distance is remarkable for the le suniTuit is densely 'ock made nsiderahly orth-west- s of finely IS crystals ) feet and T banks of until tliey jed of the itlied with * ;e to Fort jcupied by 16 summit lie average * \lley, and lilaljle for l)ut if the may Avith iH'ei'iiig in om black 1 granite, )Oor." le head of Huroniau the latter, according s all Lau- \,p. 8. lior, the he water- narly uni- vatershed le for the innumerable streams and lakes with which it is intersected. These consist of long wind- ing sheets of water, s(!i)arate(l by rocky ridges ; mid so numerous are they, tliat an Indian in his canoe can travel in almost any reiiuiied dire(,'tion by making an occasional portage." Canadian Parljir. RaUirrn/, liPixirt of Pro'jrp.>^!>, 1874, pp. i^Ol-202. Appendix I. Jan. II. lioican, (J. E. "There is a jx'culiarity which has an important bearing on tlie location of a railway; it is that about 30 miles east of Kat Portage a "divide" is crossed, which has a coui'se generally easterly until it strikes the height of land. This "divide" which has at some ])oints a greater elevation than the height of land throws some of the waters, which How through the Winnipeg Kiver, to the south ; forming the line of water communication known as the Dawson Route. From the northern slope of the "divide " the waters flow into English River, the outfall of Lonely l.nke or Lac Seid, and enter the Winnijieg fifty miles below Rat Portage. The country diH'ers greatly on either side of this "divide," that on the south being ^;vl;;\mely rocky and rugged, while that on the north is more level with extensive tracts of light sandy soil." Captain PaUisers Exploration in J>. X. America, folio, p. G. * * * " Around Thunder P>ay, and extending for some distance up the • valley of the Kamiiiistiquia, there is a consideralde extent of rich alluvial land, heavily timbered. '•' '•■ '•■ " 'i'lie country which succeeds to the west and north is wild and rcjcky, but with no hill more than 300 feet above the general level, so that it cannot be called a mountain- ous region. It is intersected by long, narrow lakes and innumerabh^ watercourses l)rokeii by ridges of rock. The extent of the continuous water communication im])roves consider- ably as we descend to the west, and there are some large lakes which would be available for steam navigation in the event of the country ever becoming settled." Appendix No. 36 to the XVI / Vol. of the Jou7'nal.<, Le/jift of the water. In the latter cases, the bottom, after a certain depth is attained, is generaliy firm, while, iu the swamps, in some instances, the surface covering is itself afloat, and heaves and undulates beneath the feet, presenting a quagmire or peat bog on an extensive scale. This description a])plies more particularly to the section nearest to the Lake of the Woods. On approaching the prairie, the swamps are less extensive and the ground in general more favorable. In the swampy sections, however, there are some areas of dry ground and good soil, and, where the bogs are deepest, they are intersected by low gravelly ridges I was A'cry as nearly a I micaceous tion of tlio Laurentiaii !Ut of tliosci nvesti^'attid 1, as far as lit likewise cupy." y/i North lips, having tinct levels, innipeg and jake. This composition y stratified )f stiff' clay, yers of this ndoiibtedly, s covered a ;k channels siirfi-ce of lually from Rb. To the evols were the seven )oscd of a n its rajiid At the the river 1 a cutting hy S. J. a]")pearance iity-five or jvergreens, 3y marshes the water. m, while, leaves and ale. This oods. On leral more round and elly ridges which rise but a few feet over the general level. These ridges are firm, and their direction can bo traced by the he.!vy growth of wood which they cany. Flat and level a.s the country appears to be, it is susceptiljle of being drained. The section most swampy, although but slightly higher than the Lake of the Woods, is at an elevation of over three hundred feet al»ove the valley of lied lliver, and wherever a run of water is mot with, exce|)t in tlie lake-like swamps, it is seen gliding on with a speed which indicates a sulHjient fall for drainage. '■' ■■■ " The principal streams in this region are the Broken Head lliver and the White ]\[outh Itiver. The Broken Head runs north to Lake Winnipeg, while the White Mouth falls into the Winnipeg River, just above the Seven Poitgages. The section which I have just been describing, except in the swamps and marshes, is densely wooded. West- ward of this is the prairie, having a depth of thirty miles to the eastward of Red River. This prairie does not meet the wooded region, as might be sujjposed, gradually mergiug from prairie to woodland, but abruptly and at once. It seems to be an ancient lake bottom, still nearly as level as a lake, and generally without wood. Bordering on this is the wooded region, with point? sti'etching into the plain, like the lieadlands of a lake. Just where the ju-airie and woodland meet, there are, in some ])laces, banks of gravel which will eventually become of importance, as material for forming roadways over the soft and viehliu!' soil of the plains. "From Fort Garry to tho north-west angle of the Lake of the Woods, a road line has boon laid out, and its j)racticability proved by the fact that, for several years, it was used as a post road and the mails carried over it on horseback. Wheeled vehicles, except in very wet weather, can already travel over the prairie, and, taking the lino altogether, its average cost, to form a tirst-class country road, will be rather under than o\er the g(?neral average of such works." Report of Progress, C. P. Railway, Id^li, p. 20L * * * " For 80 miles immediately east of Red River, the general charac- teristics are, a level and in some ]iarts swampy country, with ridges of sanil and gi-avel more or less thickly covered with timber ; the next 70 miles are rough, broken and rocky, (^specially in the neighljorhood of Winnipeg River, which at the outlet of Lake of the Woods (Rat Portage) where we cross it, is a stream of considerable magnitude, draining an area of country of about 10,000 squai'e miles ; an area which is largely increased below the point Avhere we cross it. * * * Rat Portage, or the Dalles (Keewatin) a few miles further down are the two most favoi'able jwints for a railwaiy crossing. * * * The country from this point to the Height of Land or eastern l)0undary of this (the Winnipeg) subdivision, has a gradual ascent, the total rise being between 400 and 500 feet in a distance of 230 miles. * * * There is a great extent of water surface, consisting of lakes and lacustrine streams of every conceivable shape and size ; the former lying, for the most part, in the direction of tho strike of the I'ocks ; the latter occasionally cutting across it. The hills which almost universally follow a general direction from N.E. to S. W., consist for the most part of rock of the Laurentian formation." Appendix No. 30 to Journals Legidatlve Assembly, Canada, LSoi). Report hy S. J. Dawson on the Country between Lake Superior and Red River, " The tongue of land immediately to the eastward of Red River, within the boun- dary line, and between it and the Lake of the Woods, on the River Winnipeg, is remark- able, inasmuch as it divides the wooded from the j)rairie region, pai'taking to some extent of the character of both. The eastern border, on the Lake of the Woodi and the Win- nipeg, is of the crystalline formation, of an uneven surface and densely wooded. Its western, on the Reil River, |tre,seut.s wide ]iriiirie oin'uin;,'s, and for a distance of aliout .'?() miles back is of an alluvial soil. Iniinediatcly to tli(! westward of Lake of the Woods, and l>ut slightly elevated above it, tlieris is a marshy plateau, seantily woixhid, from wliicli the Roseau River flows westward to Red River, tlu; White ^loutli River northward to th(! Winnipeg, and several inconsideralile streams (iastward to Jiae Plat, and the Lake of th(? Woi)ds itself. Wt'stward of this plateau the land descends evenly to the jirairie horderinj,' on Red River, and to the northward it declines very gently to Lake Winnipeg; another river, the IJroken Head, taking its risi; ou the slope Ix'tween White Mouth River and Red River, about six. miles to the t-astward of which lattt;r it Hows into Lake Winni- peg in a reedy marsh." WlXXlPEli RiVKK. /iff Ilicur E.fploniiij ExiinUllun, II. )'. Hind, Vol. 1, j). 10(1. '• Issuing from the Lake of the Woods through several gaps in the northern rim of the lake, the River Winni|icg tlnws through numerous tortuous channels for many mih-s ot its course in a north-easterly direction. Some of the channels unite! with the nuiin stream ten to Hfteen miles below Rat I'ortage, and one jtursnes nearly a straight course fur a distance of G.") miles, and joins the Winnipeg below the JJarriere Falls. The windings of this innnense river are very alirnjit and opposite, suddenly changing from ncn-th-west to south-west, and from south-west to north-west for distances exceeding '10 miles. Li its course of ltj.'{ miles, it descends .") l!) feet i)y a succession of magnificent cataracts. Some of the falls and rajtids j)resont the wildest and most picturesipie scenery, displaying every variety of tumultuous cascade, with foaming rapids, treacherous eddies, and huge swelling waves, rising massive and green over hiilden rocks. * * The riv{!r freipumtly expands into large deep lakes full of islands, bounded by ])rocipitous dills or rounded hills of granite. Tin; fort at Rat Rortagc is beautifully situated on an island at one outlet of the Lake of the AV^oods. It is surrounded with hills about :20() feet high, and near it some tall white and ix-d pine, the remains of an ancient forest, ai-e standing amidst a vigorou.; second growth. The rock about Rat Portage is a chloritie slate, which soon gives i)lace to granite, without any covering of drift, so that no ai'ca callable of cultivation was seen f.util we arrived at Islington Mission." The Great Loae Laud, hij Capt. W. F. Butl-)\ F.R.G S., p. 141. * * * " A man may journey very fai' through the lone spaces of the earth without meeting with another Winnipeg River. In it nature has contrived to ]ilace her two great units of earth and water in strange and wild combinations. To say that the Winuiiieg River has an immen.se volume of water, that it descends .'{(JO feet in a distance of ItiO miles, that it is full of eddies and whirlpools, of every variation of waterfall from cliutes to cataracts, that it expands into lonely pine-clitled lakes and far-reaching island- studi'led bays, that its bed is cumbered with immense wave polisheil rocks, that its vast solitud(\s are silent and its cascades ceaselt;ssly active— to say all this is lint to tell in liare items of fact the narrative of its beauty." Soil and Yeuetatiox, Timuer, ifcc. Append!.': No. 3 to Journals of the Le(jidative Aisemld//, C'uimJa, 1858. * _ *_ * "Opposite McKay's Mountain the clay banks of the River (Kaministiquia) -were about la feet high, and continued to rise on one side or the other until they attained an elevation of neaily (iO feet, often, liowever, retiring from the present bed of the river, and giving jilace to an alluvial terrace, some eight or ten feet in altitude. ' a1)out 30 1! Woods, 0111 wliicli tliwaril to t! Lake; of IP ])mirio S innijifg ; iitli River CO Wiiini- 11 rim of any miles the main lit course ills. The ^'iuj,' from jediii,;,' 20 ni;iiiticeut cturesciue eaelieroiis * * recii)itous teil on an bout I'OO brest, are cliloritio no area le earth )lace her tliat the distance dl from ■ island- its vast in hare e Kiver le other lom the ten feet " The low tahlo land is thinly wooded wilh small pine and the soil is poor and dry ; the alluvial valley sustains elm, aspen, halsum, poplar, ash, huttornut, and a very luxuriant profusion of grasses, vetches, and climliinj,' plants ; among whicii the wild hop, honeysuckle and convolvulus, are the most conspicuous. The rear jiorlioii of tiie valley, with an admixture of the trees just named, contains l)irch, halsam, white and hlack spruce and some heavy aspens. The nnrlerl)nish emhraces hazelnut, cherries of two varieties. See. * * * (1) The lianks of Dog lliver an; altogethei alluvial, for some di.stanco lip the valley, with the occasional exceiitiou of the ahrupt .sand clitl's, noticed, which coiiio upon the river and soem to form the termination of ridges, which traverse the valley at nearl}' right angles to the course of the stream. * '■''• '■'■'■ The banks of Havanne lliver are altogether alluvial, and diminish gradually from ten feet in altitude, near its source, to the level of Mille Lacs, at its entrance into that extensive and beautiful sheet of water. The immediate banks of Savanne lliver are clothed with alder, willow, and dogwood ; behind these are- seen tamarac, pine, spruc(! and asp(ui. Near its iiKJUth much marshy hiiid prevails, and, at its confluence witli Mille Lacs, is characteri/.c^iijifrio'' and Hal Ii'iii:i', ile sliauty,' ;he first half B same as in y loam, and egetation is borrit's, and wild kallas, rally a rich oad, too, is 8r a settler nines. * icr 1 f leavier, the river spot, from sown, was Everything t hail been ys that, to everything, ivers up to 's higliway, ams of the >. 3G-37. sts of elm, its banks ; iths of the 16 currant, lant. All a variety linistiquia tween the roduce in i " Laki' of the WooiIh, lil;e nil the other lakes on the line of route, is interspersed with islands, and in some of these the Indians have grown maize from time immenioiial niid have never known it to fail, so that f.'ie elimate cannot Ije unfavorable for agricul- tural operations." licport of Pro'jress C. P. /*//., IH't. Appoidijc C, hi/ J. Mucoun, j). 58. * * * "I could se« nothing in the flora to lead mo to doubt the feasibility of raising all the cereals in the valley of the Kaministinuia. '•' The .soil is api)arently of e.xcellent rpiality, and has much the aj pearance of the river bottom of the >v'--t. After i)a,ssing tlio ^latawin, the boil changes to a reddish clay, but there is no change in the vegetation. The flora of the whoh; region indicates a moist climate with tt sutiiciency of warmth to bring seeds in all cases to i)erfection." Climate. Captnln PaUisr.i'a Eyploratio)in, P>. X. America, p. 0. " The summer temperature is high, but does i ot reach the same extrerre as in Canada; its duration is, liowever, jirolonged by the alt .'rnations caused by the influence of large landdocked sheets of water, which do not tend to produce an equalized climate like that on a sea coast, but merely ])rolong the effects of the two half-yearly extremes of heat and coM " Ap/nnidir. Xu. ?> to Journcds of thr Lrr/iahilive Ansnithli/, Canada, 1858. " The average period of the Kiver (Kaministiipiia) freezing, is from the 3rd to the l.ltli of November, and it becomes free from ice between the 20tli and 23rd April." Aj>j)cndix X'u. 36 to Journals Le'jl'i Axscmbh/, Canada, 1859. " Blodget in his isothermal chart, showing the mean distribution of heat for the summer, places the line of 00^ to the north of J^ako of the Woods, and that of 05° at Fort Garry. " '■' '■• That a great precipitation of rain takes place at and near the highlands, which separate the waters flowing to Lake Winnipeg from those that run towards Lake Superior, is evinced Ijy the magnitude of the rivers, as compared with the area they drain. The climate, howe\er, .■■•.eems to be milder on the western slojie of these highlands than on the eastern." Arrfie lixplorimj Ex/tp.ditlon, l>i/ Sir Joliu PicJutrdsun, vol. II, pp. 227-8. " I'henomena indicating the progress of the scasois at Fort William : — Thermometer at noon 39" F. Temperature Gl" in middle of tii'' day. The sap of the .sugar maple began to run. Fii-st wild ducks seen. Uutterllies, blue flies and gulls noticed. General thaw co.nmences. Ground frozi n to a depth of 3 ft 9 inches. River (Kaministiquia) partially open. River free of ice. " Feb. 29 " 31arch 1 " April >> i: It 9 li (t 10 it tk 20 l< u 30 " TVTriv o 12 " May 10 " Juuo 1.") "July 15 (< (( lU " Aug. 8 (( It 11) « u 2!) (( (( ;u " Sept. < u u 13 " Oct. ^ 1 " Nov. :] (( (> 1) " Dec. 1 (( it 17 Tlie birch tree and maple budding. Swallows building. ]?avley just coming into car. Potatoes in flower. liaspberries rijicning. Ued currants and blueberries perfectly ripe. Barley ripening. Peas (juite ripe. Swallows have disa])]ieared. Leaves of birch and asjien .-liango color. Potatoes, cabbage, turnijts and caulillowors nipped liy frost. Leaves of the birch and aspen falling. Small lakes frozen over. Piver (Kaministiquia) covered by sheet of ice which broke up again. Ice driving about by wind. Thunder ISav frozen aci-oss to Welcome Islands." C\rAini.n'iES for Sktti.kmknt. Appendix ^0. ■') to Journals Lejislatice Assevihh/, Canada, L^oS. llcport hi/ }fi: Dausoii. * * * a ipjjg country about Thunder T"". -, and the lower part (.f the Kami- nistiquia, may be regarded as in every way suited lui- a considerable settlement. The hi'di region again, across which the route lies for about 1(H) miles, from Dog Lake to tlie western end of th s Lake of a Thousand Lakes, may be coKl, but there is nothing in the growth of the wood, or in the appearance of the soil, to indicate that it is not als(t, in many places, suitable for settlement. However, the climate is lietter on tlie western slope of these high h\mh between the Lake of a Thousand Lakes and Painy Lake. « " About Painy Lake, and from thence to Painy Kiver and the Lake of the Woods, following from the latter the pro])osed route arn'oss to Ped lliver, the country is as well .•alMpti'd for settlement as any other part of North America. The climate is good, the soil, iu general, fertile, water power is to be had in abundance, and in the woods tlicro are many kinds of valuable timber." PllI.l)lN(! IMATKltlAL. Mi: S. Flem'inj hi Report of Pror/re'^s, C. P. Uailwtnj Surrn/, >7\, p. .'bj. " With regard to material for building purposes, I havi' every reason to believe that no great difficulty will be exjierienced on this score. The woodland region fortunately [lossesses an aliundant .supply of timber, suitable for railway work, au'l will lie al>le to furnish all that may be requited iu the praiiio region." Appendix iVo. .30 lo Jvurnah, Legidalice Asscndiiif, Canada, Ls.")'.!. Jlr^iurt li// .S. ./. Dnwsoii, (.'. A'. "Stone of all kinds, lit for building purp(),s"s, is to be f)und on r„ake Wiuuij'eg; limestone ajjpears on Ped Piver, and is very ab\indaiit on the .Manitoba and Winnipegoosis Lakes; sandstone and limestone occur on the Assiniboino, about ir>0 miles west of Fort Garry." Jr. Dairaon. f tlio Kfiiui- 'iiiciit. Tlio I-nko to tlio thing ill tlio ; not also, in li(> western iiko, tlio Wooils, is as well s good, tli(! ootls thcro :'.;3. icliovc that I'oitunatcly li(^ al)h' to ■/ In/ S. ./. W'iiiuiiieg ; mipcgoosis H WCHt of 13 Second Hcport of the SrJiu-f Comiin'ttrc on Immujrulion n.tul CuloiihatHDi. Comiitniii', lMJ',1. Kcip. 1 1-1."). Hniaw o;' " K'/// QtifstiiDi. — Wliat aiv (lie mineral rosoiircos of (he country other than loal, already referred to i Ausirei: — fts mineral resouret's are as yet hut very imjierfe -tly known. In the part [ have myself explored, near Kainy l,ake and oth.'r plaecr,, thero are good indieations of gold and silver, and the former is now heing worked in >iiat vieinity in the I'nited States. 'I'lie vieinity of the J/ike nf the Woods, tiie Winnipeg Kiver, aiul 1,'enerally the east sid<^ of Lake Winoijicg, ahound in indications of min 'ral wealth, including ii'on, lead, jilumoago, A'c. The gnat chain of the Koi-ky Mountains, forming a ])i-olongation of tiie Curdillcnis (if tlie soutli, and wiiicli seems to he the grealest auriferous aud argentii\'rous helt in tin; world, continues its richness thioughout lh<^ I'enti'al Stales and territories of tin* I'^niiui. and Montana (hounding us'to the south a'nng th(( H)th i)iirallel, a yet undeveloped territory cxci'pt as regaiils the gold and silver a [\\v miners and ' pi'ospcctors ' have lieen working ^ll', 011(1,0110 (twelve million dollars) annually. The miners and explorers of thai region hav(^ penetrated to the north of the houndary, and they (h'clare that our territory on hoth the rastern ind \vestern slopes of the mountains is ecpially rich. If this he so, and there seem; no reason to ddulit it, the mining iateres! will soon licciiui" a \ery large one after acce.'>; to th(> country has lieen opened up ; and the fict that th(^ \rry portal to the country, at Tiumder I'>ay, on l,:d:e Superioi-, has silver mines of most extraonlinaiy surfai'C pronise, whicli are now lieing de\el(iped will, if successful, wiiirh theic seems e\ciy reason to ]K>pe, givea great impetus to enteijirises nf tliat kind. In the Nortli-W'est there are also large (pianti'ies of petroleum, and salt, (wiiich exists also near Lake Wiunipegoosis) is tl en; found almost in a state of purity. " 1 !'// C^>//('v//,///— .-ll;i\ ing s[tent souu' time in i!ie counhT at all dill'en'nt season • ■>[' the year, you can perhaps givt< the Connuittee youi' vi(>ws on the i liniate, comparing your ]K'rsonal oliser\atioiis with general repoi't ! .1 //.wv ;•. — Duriui;' the time [ spent at I'm't (iarry the nn)n(hs ol' (kto'ier and Novemher presented th(> finest fall weather, Indian Humnier like', 1 had ever seen. There were some .severe frosts during the winter, as may he seen hy the register kept hy m(( ami given in my report ot ISftll, hut (he axei'age ^^■as not colder than heit\ and the snow never excee(U'(l 17 inches, aud averaged less than a foot in depth. On tho 'Jth of April ploughing commenced. Vegetation progressed \erv rapidly soon after, and hy the middle of May we were fairly into sunnuer. My impies sion at the time was that we had upon the whole ahnut (lu> saiu(< cliinat(^ as KingsiMji, Ontario, perhaps a little colder in winter, lait with liner weatl'er in (he sjiring and fal! - which is, of course, highly fa'.orahle to agricultural pursuit.'-', i-'ui'ther to (he west t he clim.ate Itecoines still milder. The climatology of iiie C(i\intry and the indiu'uces hearing thei-eon, and a com])arisuu hetwi>en different parts i)i' it and flair c(ninter[iai'ts in l']uroiie, seems to me (o he very fairly put in the followin;; extract (Voiu thi- examination of Mr. Vv'ni. ^li'D. Dav.-.son liei'on' a ('inimiiltee of Parliament in Tonmto in |S(i7. After sin-w- ing the ellecl of an a]>proach to (lie Pailie across this I'ondnent from the east as heing of (h(^ same generfd cliar;icter as ;tu a]iprc)ich ti> (he Atlantic to tho eas( across Asia. and Kurope, in its ameliorating ii Muent'c upon climate, which is not therefore solely govorncMl by latitude, he ju'oceeds t.o say— other conditinns heing eipial — that as ** Tlie " I'.Hh parallel of Xoi'th ihical dilliculties between theso. localities, in relation to those influences " bv which climate is atlected, are indeed such that it would require some very strong " facts, sustained by a concurrence of all the most credible testimony to prove that the " above comparison is too fivoral)le to the places 1 have named on this continent. The " facts established, however, by all disinterested authorities, prove the reverse." TuuxDEU Bay Mines. lieport of the Commimonnr of Crown Lawh, Ontario, 1870. Append ic Xo. 22, li;j L. B. Borron, Mining Inspector, pp. 31-2. "Silver bearing veins have been discovered in ten or twelve different localities between Thunder Cape and Pigeon River, indicating a field sufficiently extensive to con- stitute; a very important silver mining region, should the lodes or veins turn out well in depth. None of the veins hav(,' been sunk upon to a greater depth than sixty feet or ten fathoms, a depth very inconsiderable in a mining ])oint of view. We have beyond doubt veins containing very rich bunches or ])ockets of silver at or near the surface. That near Silver Islet, Thunder Cape, has produced this fall, a quantity of ore which if nearly so rich as reiwrted, places it in the meantime in the foremost rank of silver producing mines, and although the depth yet attaineil does not exceed ten or twelve feet, it is said to be as rich if not richer in the bottom of the slope than it was at the surface. Whether any considerable number of these silver veins will sustain profitable mining operations carried on by a large force of miners and extended over a long term of years, like many such in Europe, remains to be seen." Altitide of Watershed. Captain PaUisers Exploration of B. iV. America, p. 29. " Extreme observed altitude of watershed abeve Lake Superior 902 feet." Gradients. Mr. Sauilj'ord Fkiniiig in Rfpurt nf Prorirc^s C. /' /.'. Snrvri/, 1S7I, p. .'32. " In j)assing through to Lake Superior from the west, a rise of 817 feet has to be overcome in 300 miles, and a descent of 970 feet in about 11(1 miles. The Grand Trunk Railway, between Montreal and Portland, running easterly from !^[ontre^l, makes an a.scont of 1,300 feet in 144 mile.s, and a coiresponding descent in L')3 miles. Comparisons of this nature do not take into account intermediate undulations in either case ; Ihey are presented simply for the puri)ose of bringing out the salient features of the route found for the Canadian Pacific Railway. They suggest that the works of consti'uction for this line will not lie heavy, and that it will be ([uite possible to secure remarkably easy ascending gradients, in the direction of the heavy tralUc. * * * The information obtnined suggests that it will be possible to secure maximum easterly ascending gradients, between Manitoba anroportion of Jluronian schi:5ts, which varies in different localitie.s. On the third stei»[)e, however, smooth jjcbbles of iinely granular ([uartzite predonunate. •■ '■■ ■•'■ Tiiere are also pebbles of dark fine-grained dioiite, light-colored limestone, and some of dark fine-grained mica schist, and of wiiite translucent quartz. -■■ * ■''■ While the eomj^ositiou of the lioulder clay of the first and second ])rairi(^ steppes, and also to some extent, that of the third ste])pe, as well as the course of the glacial striie on the hard rocks on the east siiio of the i)rairies, Wduld indicate that the drift had ])een mainly from the north-ea.stward, the above evidence sliovvs that a lai'ge ])rop(3rtion of the transported material on the higliest levels has eoine from thi; north or west. A part of what now is found in some localities may have been moved first in one directionaud afterwards inanother, whilstthe bulk of the older drift, including, perhajis, even that on the third stepi'e, has probably come fron. points between uorih and east. The (juartzite ]iebbles of the third stej)pe were all thoroughly waterworn and appeared to be most abinidant on and near the .surface. The ui)p(a* 200 feet, or thereabouts, of the south bank of the South .Saskatchewan at the lied Ochi-e Hills, consist of clayijy drift, in which boulders of Jiaurentian gneiss occur, while the surfaces of these hills are str(!wn Avitli smooth (puirtzite gravel and cobble stones. At the distance of loO miles to the south eastward, between the Dirt Hills and Woody .Mountain, the proportion of quartzibi gravel on the third step[)e has diminished consider- ably, anil i^aurentian lioulders have become very numerous on the surface. " Between Fort Garry and Fort Ellice, Iluronian lioulders are scarce. * ■•' Both boulders and pebbles from rocks of this formation are, however, conspicuous for ■s of tlieso im lutituile ill length. .iiitoUa ami ami many iturc Kt(>ani 'I'ii-ts, tlk'y jst-'fertiavy )f considfU"- itliout very L'ppe, there :" sands and ; sui)erticlal alike over lie tei'ritory to 1)1) made distance to those lying 1 come tVoui iranspovted, ncor] )orat(Ml .'oni position 1. On the ted portion orous linuv " Jluronian oth peliblos )el)l)les of nod mica osition of it, that of I the east -I'astward, i.d on the in some sttli(!l)nllc ilily come were all ice. The it the lied cur, while ones. At d Woody 1 ciiusider- icuoiis for 17 tlieir abundance in the drift in the banks of the Assiniboine for some miles above and below the junction of the Shell River, and in the banks of the Culling River, in the neighborhood of the Fishing Lakes. They are also noticeable on the surface all the way from these lakes to the Touchwood Hills. * * * In the three prairie steppes there is a marked dirterence in the general asjiect of the surface of the country and in the character of the river- valleys. On the first steppe, the surface is usually level or undulating in long gentle sweeps, and the beds of the principal streams do not probably average more than thirty feet below the level of the surrounding country. On the second steppe the surface is rolling, and the river valleys are usually from 150 to 2U0 feet in depth, while on the third, the hills are on a larger scale, and either closely crowded together, or they rise liore and there to considerable Jieights overlooking less rugged tracts. The princii)al river-valleys on this steppe are from 200 to .500 feet deep. The ' Coulees,' as they are termed, form a curious feature of the third steppe. These are ravines or valleys with steep sides, often 100 feet or more in depth, which tei-minate or close in rather abruptly, often at both ends, forming a long trough-like depression ; or one of the extremities of the 'Coulee' may open into the valley of a regidar watercourse. The Coulees sometimes run for miles, and are either quite dry or hold ponds of bitter water, which evaporate in the summer and leave tliin incrustations of snow-white alkaline salts. " The avei'age depth of the river-valleys of the first and second prairie steppes is not aflected by the general descent of the country through which they run. From Little Boggy Cre<'k to the Aitow River the Assiniboine must fall four or five hundred feet, yet the banks of the valley maintain the same general height and the same character through- out the whole distance. Similarly, the fiiU in the Calling River from the Sand Hills Lake to its junction with the Assiniboine, cannot be far from 500 feet, and still its valley lianks have the same average height throughout. The fall in the Red River from Moorhead to Fort Garry, is upwards of 200 feet ; but in the whole distance the banks of the river have a nearly uniform height of 20 or 30 feet. * * '' The great valleys of the third steppe cut entirely through the drift and far down into the underlying Tertiary and Cretaceous rocks ; those of the second steppe appear to correspond in a general way with the depth of the drift, while on the lowest steppe, th? streams have merely cut through the modified deposits resting on the drift, which latter is occasionally exposed at low water at the foot of the banks, or in the bed of the stream at swift places and rapids. * * * << The stratified clay, silt, sand and gravel of the Red River and the lower Assiniboine vary in thickness from almost nothing to 80 or 90 feet so far as known ; and a variable thickness of boulder-clay is interposed between these deposits and the older rocks, which lie beneath them all. * '■' * During the past summer a number of new wells have l>een dug or bored through these deposits in various parts of Manitolja. After passing through the black loam at the surfiice, which varies from I to 6 feet in depth, light gi'cy, drab, and more frequently yellowish, somewhat sandy clays were passed througli, when hard pebbly and bouldery clay, or, in some cases, probably solid rock was reached. * * * Some of the superficial clays around the City of Winnipeg have been found, within the last two years, to make, under proper skill, ' white ' brick of an excellent quality, resembling those of Toronto. The princi[)al buildings in the city are now being constructed of these bricks. In other places around Winnipeg, red l)ricks have been made from clay dug near the surface. In the district l)etween the south end of Manitoba Lake and the Assiniboine River (oast of a line drawn from Prairie Portage to Westbourne,) all the wells have passed through sand ; none of them required to be dug to a greater depth than about 20 feet to find good water." =•= * 8 18 Geoloijical Survey of Canada, 1873-4. Observations bij Mr. Selwi/n, p. 21. "Extensive exi)osures of palaeozoic rooks, which sire supi)osed to underlie tlie super- ficial deposits of the tirst ])rairie stcj^pe, occur on many of tlie islands andalon^ tlie wliole of the western shore of Lake Winnipej^. Tliey form the Grand Rap J of the Siuskatchewan, and crop out at intervals along tlic river as far up as Cumberland or Pine Island Lake. * In the comparatively few localitie:; where the rocks composing it iiave been examined they appear to be characterized, like tlie formations of the same age in Western Canada, by dej)osits of salt and petroleum giving rise to copious springs of these valuable materials. And there seems but little doubt that Canada has her salt and oil bearing regions, surpassing in extent and j)roductive capacity any hitherto developed on the American Continent. * '•'■'• * "Westward from the summit of the aficent to tlie second prairis steppe, which is marked by the long range of low hills already mentioned extending north westerly from Pembina Mountain to Basquia Hills, and which attains an avei-age elevation of 1,G00 feet, the country, on the route which we travelled, especially after crossing the Assini- boine River at Fort Ellice, is generally undulating or rolling and often hilly. Some of the hills rise to from 200 to .'500 fi'ct and occasionally tc as nuicli as 400 feet above the general level of the i)rairie, and afford from their summits extensive views of the surrounding country, which everywhere presents a park-like aspect ; belts, patches and clumps of woodland with iutervenir.g richly grassed meadows or wide stretches of open undulating prairie, inters2)crsed with countless lakes and pools ai'o seen on all sijles, while the wonderful variety and beauty of the flowering plants, roses, lilies, gentians, sun- flowers, larkspur, a beautiful jnirpio aromatic mint-like plant, and a host of others lend an additional charm to the beauties of this picturesquely lovely landscape." Assuiiboine a)ul Satikafuheioan Exphyruuj Expedition, by II. Y. IfinJ. Journals Lryis/ative Asuemhhj, Canada, 1859. Appendix No. 36, " The most striking pecidiarity in the arrangement of the different formations, from Red River to the South Bianch, and from the 40th parallel to the main (north) Saskat- chewan, is their undisturbed and horizontal condition. With two or three exceptions, no appearance of local disturbance was observed throughout the whole region traversed. The rocks dip, generally, with a very gentle inclination from the north-east to the south- west. Sometimes it is not only impossible to detect any dip by the eye, but the level fails to show the smallest deviation from jierfect horizontality. * * * From the Saskatchewan at Grand Rajiids to Red River, exposures of Silurian rocks are everywhere mimerous on the west shores of the great lake. '■^'- ■•' =■' Salts springs occur on the east flank of Dauphin Lake, within ten miles of the outcro]) of the cretsiceous rocks on the flanks of the Riding Mountain, which leads to the inference that the carboniferous group is totally wanting in the region where it might be supiwsed to exist, between Lakes Manitoba and Wiiinipegoosis and the range of high land forming the castei-n watershed of the Assiniboine." Appendix No. 36, Journals Leyislutive Asmmbly, Canada, lip.port of Mr. S. J. Baioson, 185!». " The country westward of Red River, as far as we have explored it, presents three divisions, which, although presenting many features in common, are yet of a character in some respects distinctly diilerent. " Of these the great alluvial flat, extending from the 49th parallel to the Saskatcliewan, rounded to the eastward and north-eastward by Lake Winnipeg and the wooded region 21. 3 the siiper- r( the whole ikatchewan, ilancl Luke, ing it have same age in iiys of these salt and oil iveloped on le, which is isterly from on of 1,G00 the Assini- ■f. Some of t above the lews of the patches and lies of open sifles, while iitiaus, sun- others lend dix Xo. 3G, tions, from •th) Saskat- jeptions, no traversed. the south- tlie level * rocks are le oiitcroi) le inference )e supjMJsed nd forming .S'. J. lents three laracter in :atcliewan, led region between J\c\\ Uiver and the T/iko of the Woods, and on the west by the hiijh lands wliich extend from the l)oiiudary line tu the IJastjuia Moiiiit; in, on tlie Saskatchewan, may he regarded as the first, it has a Itngth of 3 K.) miU.'s i ml an average width of GO or 70, and may cinbraec an area of "JO.KtO s(|iiare miles. About one-third of tliis extent is chiefly open ])niirie land, and tin; remaining two-thirds mostly wooded. From I'embiua to Lake Winnipeg the prairie land vastly predominates, but, from thence north-westward to the Saskiitchewan. the forests gradually ix'coine jnore dense until they cover tlie entire face of the countiy. 'llio wliole of this region is veiy level, ami, if exception is made of the lands immediately bordering on Lake Wiiuii|)eg and the Saskatchewan, the soil is of an alluvial description, and so rich, that, as experience has shown, wheat may be grown for 2U successive years without exhausting it. A ci)nsidei'!ible ])ortion of the area is occupieil by swamps and hikes, but the swamps, so far as I had an ojiportunity of observing them, are mere mai'shes with a bottom of alluvial soil, similar to that of the dry praii'ie, and so firm that horsi s and cattle can wade through tli';m in almost any direction. They seem to owe tlieir existence solely to the extreme flatness of the country, and as they are at a much higher level than tlie streams, which all run in deep channels, they might be very easily drained ; indeed, with a proper sysceni t)f tlrainagi-, the whole of this gieat alluvial Hat, might/ be brought under cultivation, except, of coiu'se, where it is periodically overHowed, and the extent to wliich it is sul)ject to be so is (juite insignificant as com- pared to tiie whole area. Of the 1 ikes, the Manitoba, the NVinnipegoosis and Shoal Lake are the principal, and these may occupy an ai'ca of about 2,700 sipiare miles. " Tlie streams which flow through the ])rairie are .all l)ordered more or less by forests, in which oak and elin of fair sizo are to l)e met with, although not in very great (piantities. h\ tlie wooded, of which, however, less is known, poplar predominates, but on the borders of the lakes and streams, larch, s[)ruee, bircli and oak are to be found, of a size and (quality available for economic purposes. *■ " The second natiu'al division embraces the hilly region which forms the south- western boundary or einbatdcnumt of the great alluvial flat which Ikis just been described j it extends from the 4l)th parallel to the Saskatchewan, a distance in a north-westerly direction of 300 niiles, and may have an average width of -10 miles. " This region is of a character more varied, and, perhaps, on that account more in- teresting than any other part of. the country. High rolling banks and elevated platearx, covered with dense forests, alternate with wide spread valleys of imsurpas-sed fertility. Numerous streams, taking their rise among tin; hills, run with a rapid course towards the Assiuilioine on the one siih', and to tin; ^lauitoba and Winni[)egoosis Lakes on the otlier. Of these the principal are the Dauphin Kiver, Duck River, Swan Ki ver. Red Deer River, and the Wauketsequapawoo, or Floating Ice River, which flow into the Winnipegoosis Lake ; and Shell River, Birdtail Creek, Arrow River, Rapid River and Oak River which run into the Assiniboine. The hills are known as the Riding Mountain, Duck Mountain, Porcupine Hill, Thunder Mountain, &c., of these the Porcupine Hill and Thunder Mountain alone dovserve the name of hills, tlu^ Duck and Riding Mountains being nothing raoro than (devated plateaux of great extent, penetrated by deej) glens. As seen fi'om the Winni- pegoosis Lake, the Duck JNIountain presents a i)erfectly even outline, rising to a height, {>erhaj)s, of 500 or GOO feet above tlu; lake. Porcupine Hill, or range rather, may have an altitude of 1,">00 feet aliove the suri'ounding country, while Thunder Mcmntain is but a higher swell in the undulating ridge which connects this range with the Duck Mountain. When first seen on ascending the valley of Swan River, Thunder Motnitain has a very striking resemblance to the Montreal Mountain, and it acquires additional interest from the fact that the Indians n^port coal on its eastern declivity. " Througliout the whole of thia region wood in in sufficient abundauce to supply the vr\ so wants of settlers for gfiKU-ations to como. Tho hi^'li lands are in pfonoral densely woodod, and the valleys present aliout an equal extent of woodlaiid and prairie. 8alt springs occur in vari(nis jilaces on the shore of Winnipegoosis Lake, and in the lower part of Swan Kiver, The lianks of thse, however, other prairies open up and other wooils appear, and in this way prairie and woodland alternate all the way to Manitoba Lake ; although the ground seems lovtil it is not j)reeisely so, but sliglitly rolling or undulating." Cmhidian Explonng Expedition, by II. Y. Hind. Vof. 1, Chap. XI, p. 23.'}, " The pniries of Red River at Fort Garry are about 80 feet above the level of I. On the precipicous eastern tlank, of the Riding and Duck ^loun^aius, it occurs in the for n of a ridge. * # * '^1,^ whole of the country er.st of Peml i Mountain, and its continuation, as described above, with the exception of tlie Assinibome and litsd River prairies, is low, swampy, and in great part occupied by Laki.'s Winnipeg, Wiiuni)egoosis, Manitoba, and other bodies of water of less magnitude, having an area exceeding in tho aggregate 13,000 square miles. Rising above Peml)ina Mountain in the form of stoi)s, are two other terraces, best seen on the east an I west Hanks of Riding and Duck Mountains, but obliterated in tho valley of the Saskatchewan anil Assiniboiue by the denuding forces which have swept over the whole of this region. '■• * * " Surveying the country in the direction in which the great rivers flow, these vast plains slope gently from a low height of land near the south branch of the Saskatchewan with an easterly trend to the Assiniboiue. * * * North-east of the Assini- boiue the country rises almost impercei)tibly for a distance of lo to 35 miles, as far as the base of a series of hill ranges lying parallel to the general direction of the river valley, before it makes its easterly bend ; it then rises by successive steps and slo]>ing ))lateaux to a summit altitude of about 1,000 feet above Lake Winnipeg, or 1,G00 feet above the sea. " These hill ranges are known by the names of the Riding and Duck Mountains. On their eastern and south-eastern flanks they show an abrupt and brok(>n escarpment and within the space of five miles the country sinks from 1,600 to GSO feet above the sea, or within 80 feet of the level of Lake Winnipeg. " At the foot of thos'j hill ranges, and (last of them, lie the great lakes Winnipegoosis and Manitoba, which are separated from Lake Winnipijg by a low, marshy, and nearly level ti'act, having an elevation rarely exceeding 80 feet above it. * * * " The outci'op of the difierent formations in the valley of Lake Winnipeg, as far as are known, follows the general direction of tli;? rim of tho basin in which they arc deposited with remarkable uniformity. Conforming totlu! direction of the Laurentian sy.stem exposed on the east side of Lake Winnipeg, and consdtuting the Laurentide mountains, the Silurian series .stretch from Pembina on the i'Jth parallel, to the Saskatchewan on the 54:th and thence towards the Arctic Sea. Following its outcrop, tlio Devonian series is symrnetrically developed within the same distant boundaries j but tho most singular nt\\ tolci'iihlf feature of this vof^ion is, tliut the soft crotncoous shalos should nlso conform, witii tolcraiiU) cxiictiK ihop Tar/n', ]>. 13. "The great expanse of the prairies tells i)lainly tliat their geological formations must vary. The prairit<, which touches the dtM(!rt. includes, like the nei^rldiDriug country, secondary formatioi, while towards its extremity it liis transition rocks, for exam[»le, the calcareous strata of Red River and coal tiidds of tht. On the summit plateau of the Riding Mountain?, the white spruce is the largest tree ; here it attains vast dimensions, and is found in quantities sutKcient to give to this region a great economic value. The wooded area over which timber of the four kind of tree?: 'iiiumerated, is found on the Riding and Duck Mountains, has a length of 120 miles, with a breadth of 30 miles. In the valley of the Assiniboine is an extensive and valuable forest of oak, elm, ash, maple, poplar and aspen, with an average breadth of four miles ; its length is about 30 miles. ■■' * All the afttueuts of the Assiniboine flow through deep ravines, which they have cut in the great plain they drain ; these narrow valleys are well clothed with timber, consisting chiefly of aspen and balaam-poplar, but often varied with bottoms of oak, elm, ash and the ash-leaved maple." Ihid, IK 1215. "Tlie Touchwood Hill nuij^r, toj,'<'tli(!r with Hiimil piiriilh-l ruiiyo.s, such a.A tho rhoiisant Mouiitiiiii ami Kilo Hill, avciaijiiig twenty lailcs in lt'ii<»th l»y ton in breadth, arc in ^^roat i)art covered with asjien t'oresUs, hut the trees arc },'eneraUy .small. At the Moose Woods, on tho Sonth HasUatehewan, forests of aspen i»e;,'in to appear ; they con- tinne with occasional admixtures of hirch and oak, more rarely of oak and elm, as far us tho (Jrand Forks ; hero the spruce becomes common, and with aspen, occupies tho excavated valley of the Saskatcliewan for many miles. The hill banks and the plateau on the south side of the rivt;r, for u tUstance of three or four miles south, sustain the Banksian ))lne, which disappears as the soil changes from a liyht .sand to a rich and deep vegetable mould, supporting detached groves of aspen and clum[)S of willow. * '• ■■ The south i)ranch, from tho Klbow to tho Moose Woods, Hows through a treeless region as far as rehites to the ]irairie on either side ; but in tho ravines leading to tho river detached groves of small timber occur. The boundary of tho prairie country, properly so called, may be roughly shown by a line drawn from the great bend of the Little Souris, or Mouse llivor, to C2u'Ap]»elle Alission, an. 24U. "Valley of the Saskatcliewan. — 1. Tho country between tlie Ltnujiy Hill of the Woods and Fort a la Corne, or tho Ne|»owewin ]\Iission, including the valley of Long Creek and the region west of it, bounded by the south branch of the Main Saskatchewan. This area may contain 600,000 acres of land of ti.e hrst quality. " 2. Tlio valley of Carrot Eiver and the country included between it and the ALiiu Saskatchewan bounded on the south side by the Birch Hill range. There is a narrow stri]) on the great river, al>out ;") miles broad, where the soil is light and of an inditlerent (piality. The area of available land probably does not exceed 3,000,000 acres. " 3. The countiy about the Moose Woods on the South Saskatchewan. " 4. The Touchwood Hills. " 5. The Pheasant Hill and the File Hill. The aggregate area of these fertile districts may be stated to extend over oOOjOOO acres. " Assuming that the prairies of Red River, and the Assiniboine east of Prairie Port- ago contain an available area of 1,500,000 acres of fertile soil, the total quantity of arable land included between Red River and the Moo.se Woods on the south branch of the Saskatchewan will be 11,100,000 acres. Of land for grazing purposes, the area is much more considerable, and may be assunied ccpial in extent to the above estimate of arable land." ell as tlio u hroadtli, I. At tlu! they con- 1, iis far as cupies th« teaii on tho t; Baiiksiaii I vegotaltlu less rej?ion i the river y, properly ttlo SouriH, lods, on tho • througli a creeks, ten 'fetation is .etclies, and lihell liiver the Woods Creek and This area 1 the Main IS a narrow inditlerent ilc districts airie Port- ly of arable nch of the ■a is much stiniate of I 88 Ri'port of Pro(/rc8s, Canadian Pacific Uallwaii, 1871, j>. 37. " Procecilins towards tho Totichwooil Hills, wo mot gontlo slopes covered witli tho uspeti, with occasional siriall lakes, fringed liy willows, many of them saline. " Much of tho land has Ixion devastated l>y fire, and it is tlior .ttliat this cause, rPi)oated fri'i|uently, has, after a scries of years, resulted in the entire destruction of the heavy wood whicli, it is lieiioved, onco covered the surface of tiiese prairies. TIk^ luspcns, liowever, quickly grow up, five or six years' life making tiiein sulHciently largo for fencing purpo,ses. . •' Altout 110 miles to the north-west of Fort Kllice, th(» Touchwood Hills are m(;t. These are mere undulating eminences, partly wooded, with reniarkahly good soil and a[>parently well adapted for settlement ; they gradually descend on the western side. Sonw ditliculty was found in this neighhorhood in ol)taining water. * * " Scarcely any rivers are mot; it is observable, however, that several running streams arc found fin-ther north. " Tlu! route, on which we were travelling, explainr, this feacure of physical geography, for we were on the watershed between the Assiniboine and the South Saskatchewan. We found that this part of the route is generally without timber, but it contains spots where slight wooded knolls are met. Apparently level, in reality there is a considerable ascent, as the country is travelled westward. " From Fort Garry to Fort Edmonton, there is a rise of 1,400 feet in a distance of nOO miles by trail, while a farther rlso of 900 is experienced before tho base of the mountain chain is met. Tluis the total additional elevation of 2,300 is s^fread over 1,0!)(I niiles. * * Iti some portions of this, heavy rolling ground is found, and tho soil varies in riclinoss. Crravel is present in some of the higher ridge.", and it is conlidently believe 1 that there wouM be ballasting olttainalde for railway puqKises without great dilliculty. "Before reaching tho south branch of the Saskatchewan, the couk.iV is .m agreeable mixtin-e of woodland and prairie with several lakes of moderate dimension,^! and with a rolling succession of knolls. Tho landscape was usually pleasing, the .soil excellent, and wo saw abundant wild flowers. Very many of tho lakes are brackish, yet they often adjoin fresh water lakes ; the latter wo found invariably at a higher level. At the foot of a ridge they are more frequently saline ; on mounting the slope they pi'ovo to be fresh." A.walbolne ani Suikatcheioiii UwpJorlnj Expedition, hy Jlenri/ Vou^a III ml. Report of Progress IV. " Tho south bi'anch of tho Saskatchewan is a noble rivei', varying in width from half a mile to 300 yards, for a distance of 100 miles from the Elbow; it then gradually con- tracts its channel and chanires its character from a i-iver ftill of sandbars and mud-flats l)ursuing a comparatively straight course, to a rapid and uniform torrent of water, sweeping down the narrow but deep valley which it has excavated, from one bank to the other in magnificent curves, until it joins the North Branch. # >;: * Xhc Main Saskatchewan is a river of very imposing magnitude. Like the South Branch it occupies a iiarrow, deep valley, varying in width from one and a half to throe milos, extending a few miles below the Nepowewin Mission. It flows in grand curves from side to side, and its general level is about 300 feet below the country through which it has excavated its channel, after which it enters the low region. 26 * * " III the large eK{)an.se of country, over which our exjilorations have oxtondctl, the area of laud of the first finality, uain(>ly, of Mack vegetable mould, reposing ou gn'.vel oi' clay is far more extensive and iuntortaut than we anticipated. It is dis- tributed as fiiUows : — "1. On the South liranch of the Saskatchewan, from the Moose Woods to the Xcpowewin ^Mission, and according to the (h'scription of half-breeds familiar with the country, a soil of ('(jual excellence extends to the valley of the Swan lUver. The immediate banks of the Saskatchewan are of a poor, sandy or gravelly soil, but ou the ]>rairie plateau three miles from the rivei-, the ricii soil connneiu'es, and in the part over which 1 passed has a breadth of (iO miles. " 2. The Toucliwood Hili range, having an area exceeding 1,000,000 acws ; for beauty of scenery, richness of soil, ami adaptation for settlement, this is by far the most attractive area west of the Assiniboine. " 3. The soil is of lirst rpi.ility in the valley of Swan River, and over the whole of the east watersiied of the Assiniboiiic, witli the exception of tin- country near its banks. " I. The valley of Wiiite Mud Kiver is generally f>.'rtile and invltinjf. * * * " Tiie ratio wliich land of excellent ijuality beai-s to land of ludiU'erent o;- woi-tiilcjs (|aality in the i-cgious just referi'ed to. is largely in favor of the former. ■■'■ * •■ Ititliiig -NCountiiiu is timbered witli heavy ■as[)en. On the level oiintry drained by the Saskatchewan, from the Moose Woods to the Ne[)Owewin Mission, tiu! timber is small, but on the Toucliwood Jlill range tlieroare some tine aspen forests." Gvvhiij'iciil Snrvi II (,; ('aimdii, 1S7.'34. Observations hi/ Mr. Srhiyn, j>. 2S. '•■ * "The beauties of Touchwood Hills have been so graphically described by Professor Hind, that I cannot do better than reproduce whiit he says of this really lovely tract of country. Professor Hind say.s, under date l.lth August,' 18.')8 : — ' In the afternoon we liegan tli(> ascent of a gently" rolling sloiie at the foot of the Touch- wood Hills ; patches of willow appear hen; fringing .small are;is of good juisturage. At () p.m. we reached the summit jiiateau and then pas.sed through a very beautifnl undulating country diversified with many pictures<|ue lakes and aspen groves j)os.scs8ing soil of tlit? best (piality and c.ivered with tlie most luxuriant herbage. There is no timber visible on the west side of the lanire with the exception of small aspen and burnt willow bushes. All the wild flowers, so l)eautiful and numerous in the valley of the Long Creek, are met with on the summit ]>lateau of thi^ Touchwood Hills, of even larger growth and gnater profusion. Little prairie opiMiings fringed with aspen, occur liere and there through whiih the trail passes. We then come suddenly on the banks of a romantic lakelet, on which ducks with their young broods are swimming, and white cranes start from tlu'ir secluded haunts at the unexpected intrusion. The breadth of this U'autiful plateau is about four miles, its level above the salt ]irairie to the west lu.ay be about 500 feet. The range appears to consist of a .series of drift hills, many of which rise in rounded dome-Hhaped forms from the summit j)lateau.' le the "The above description is applicable to nearly the whole of the country between tl old j)OHt and the Little Touchwood Jfills Fort. ()n the flanks and summits of mo.st of tl., ridges and rounded stward, in which there is a general fall towards the vnlli'V of the South Saskatchewan. Blount t'armel seems to be entirely compos(!d of drift, and on its flanks and summit, which an* partially covered with asi)en and willow copse-wood, there are numbers of large angular boulders ot butl'-colored limestoTUi holding fossils, garnetiferous gneiss and mica schist and slatv diorite. In some directions as far as the eye can reach similar hills and ridges follow each other in endless s\iccession, and a]>parently without definite arrangement or parallelism. From the lowest depressions to the summit of the highest ridge is often not less than .'^00 feet, and from ]Nlount Carmel I count^nl fifteen distinct lakes and pools, whih; many more wens only concealed from view by interveniuir ridses. '■'■' Kainv Hills are low drift hills interspersed witJi many lakes, ]»ools and clum[)s ami patches of copse-wood, with intervening open grassy plains." * * '•' Canadian Krjiforiitj 'Krpc'Htlnn. />'/ //. )'. //iir/. Vof. ]. p. 107. **=>'• The valley through which the small tributary of the south branch flows, .separates the Lumpy Hill of the Woods from the west flank of thn Birch Hills ; it is rich in alluvial meadows, ponds and lakes. A view from Lumpy Hill is very extensive. The altitude of this eminence is about 400 feet above the general level, and from its summit an undulating o]>en c(Mintry, dotte(l with lakes ami flaid-:ed liy the IHrcli Hills is visible towards the east ; south and stmth-west is a lake region, also north and north-east. These lakes are numerous and large, often three miles long and two broad. Sevenloen large lakes can be counted from the Lumpy Hill : I'lW ranges vl' bills can also be discerned in several directions. The must imjiortant of these are the IMoudy Hills, the Womly Hills, far in tla* |)rairie west of the South Uraneh, and the chain of the Birch Hills i-unning from the Lumpy Hills easterly. The virw extends (n the liorder of the wooded land ; beyond is a treeless prairies The so-called wooded land now consists of widely separateil groves of small aspens, with willows in the low places. Aluch of the soil on tlio south and ea.st of Lumpy Jlill is snndy and jioor. ]-ow hills and long ridges running north-eant by ennt, and south-west by south, diversify the general level character of the prairies as 6t>bii ffom Ltiuipy Hill. * * " After traversing ii very undulating country, in wliicli are low ranges of hills and conical mounds with limestone boulders on their suuunits, we arrived at Big Ilill, a point of some intei'est, for south and south-east of it lies a boundless unilulating jji-airie. * ''' The limit of the so-called ' Wooded Country,' is about 70 miles from the Korth Branch in an air line, and 30 miles from thi; South Branch. " Frosn the summit of the Big Hill the ' Buffalo Cart I'lain,' and ' Lake Avhere the Moose died,' are visilile; both i\oU-x\ localities in the wild iiistory of these legious. South-east of the Big Hill the trail winds through a dreary labyrinth of douie shaped hills, many of them covered with bouldci's. •' '• * " In journeying from the Lumpy Hill we crossed three • belts of wooil ' bi foi-e Jirrivijig at the great ])rairie west of the Touchwood Hills. Th»'se belts, which consist of groves of small aspen, following a low gravelly ridge about a mile broad, and having a north-east and south-west direction, are .sei)arated by ))rairie valleys which sustain in their lowest parts a good soil and fine pa.sturage. Each belt diminished to a point some ten or fifteen miles south-west of our track. The j)oints of these belts are \ isible from the summit of mounds on our trail, not more than oO feet high ; beyond them is a treeless prairie, stretching away to the South Branch. The * belts of woods ' become broader in a north- easterly direction until they merge into the woodetl country between the Birch Kills and tlie Saskatchewan. There are many delightful sj)ots in the belts, the herl)age is as clean as a well-shaven lawn, the clumps of aspen are neatly rounded as if by art, and, where little lakes alive with wat(!rfowl abound, the scenery is very chai-ming, and appears to be the i-esult of taste and skill, rather than the natural featun's of a wiM aiul almost uninhabited country." danaduDi Kinloiing Exiiedltlon, hij II. Y. lUiul. Vuf. 1, //. ['•>'). * "Our route lay on the flanks of the Biding and Duck i\lountains, and through a country adnurably adai)ted for farming purposes. I'onds and lakes are very numerous off the flanks of the Biding Mountain, Ijut as far as our oppoitunities una!jled us to judge, the whole country, with the exception of narrow ridges, posse.s.4e3 a rich black fertile mould, supporting very luxuriant herbage, and on the mountain an ample supply of tindjer, consisting chiefly of aspen of huge dinuMisions. The liiding and Duck Mountains consist of a succession of slopes anil terraces on their south-western sides, the ascent being almost imjierceptible to thick inii)eneti'able forcist which covers the highest plateau. On Birdstail Ci-eek cretaceous shales, identical with those on the Assiniboine, crop out in different places.*' JIml. Vo!. l./.y). 386-393. "At a j)oint 53 miles from the Elbow (South Saskatchewan) \e made a careful section of the river and found its breadth to Ije one-thinl of a mile (28 chains) ; its greatest depth was ten feet on the east sidi.', but on the w»'st side tlu.'re is another channel with nine feet of water. "Approaching the !Moose Wouds we passed for several hours betwi'en a series of low- alluvial islands from ten to twelve feet above tho water. They sustain some fine tdm, balHam-iK)plar, ash, ash-leaved mii|)le, and a vast pi'ofusion of nu'saskatomina. The river valley is itoiinded by low hills leading to a jirairie plateau four to eight miles back. The country here furnishes an excellent district for the estaiilishment of a settlement. The hpot where we cjiuiped for the night is an extensive, ojien, undulating nu'adow, with long rich grass, and on the low elevations rose-bushos grow in the greatest profusion. It is only ten feet from tho water, yet it dobs nbt flfipcir to be flooded in tho spring ; wator- Th 29 lills and , a point ie. * Tcm the here llio 1 egiuus, ic-slmped of gVOVfS lorth-east jir lowest or lifteL'ii miunit of 18 prairio, a a uorth- II ills and s as cli'an nd, where cava to Ito nd almost douutains, lakes aie )Oitunities )0ssesHes a untain an liding and lli-wchteni covers tlie tse on the ;i careful hains) ; its is another nies of low e fine elin, Tlio river niek. Tliu ueut. The with long iion. It ib ng ; water- marks and ice marks are nowhere to be seen above four feet from the present level of the broad river. " The region called the Moose Woods is a dilatation of the Saskatchewan, flowing through an extensive alluvial flat six miles in breadth, and cut into numerous islands by the changing course of the; stream. This flat is bounded by sand hills, some of w' ich are nothing more than shifting dunes. The woods are in patch'is, and in the low land consist of balsam-poplar, white wood and as[ten. Small aspen cliimi>s cover the hills. The river continues to flow through a broatl alluvial flat for about 'i") miles. Its water is very turbi;!, like that of the Mississippi, holding uuich solid matter in mechanical suspension. " Bt>yond the Moose Woods the banks dose upon the river, and have an altitude not exceeding GO feet. The breadth of the str -am contracts to 250 yards, with a curr-'ut fully three miles an hour. On the east bank the prairie is occasionally wooded with clumps of aspen, on the west side it is treeless, and shows many sand hills. Nothing but a treeless, slightly undulating prairie was visible; many large fragments of limestone not nnich water-worn lie on the hill banks of the river, which are about lOO feet in altitude. Frecjuent soundings showed a depth of ten or twelve feet. A little timber dis])lays itself occasionally on the east bank below the level of the jjrairie. The banks exposed occasion- ally yellow drift clay with numerous boulders ; the soil of the i)rairie appears to improve as we progress northward, and the grass is no longer stunted or withered. Little rapids occur at the bends of the river, but there is always deep water on tlu^ other side. *• * '• In many places close to tht; water's edge and rising from it in a slope for a space of '2'> to ."50 feet, the fallen boulders are i)ackod like stones in an a'tiflcial pavement and are often ground down to a uniform level by the action of ice. This pavcnuMit is visible for many miles in aggregate length at the bends of the river, * * * Sev(!nty-live n>iles fiom the (Irand Forks the balsam-s|>ruce begins to appear in groves. The river winds between high wooded banks with low points and wooded bottoms on one side, high cliffs also wooded with aspen and spruce groves on i\w o|)posite bank. Tiie flats are covenul with a rich jirofusiou of vett.-hes, grasses and rose bushes. * * We passed swiftly through a good country, well fltted for settlement, as far as we could judge from soil anil vegetation. Low islands are numerous in the river, and extensive alluvial flats spread out in an expansion of the valley." IfED KlVhK. (h'l'r/iiitd .liiiiriif^ lliiuiiil ih^' Woi'hl, I'l/ !iir O'ljoiyr SitDpttoii. ]'<>/. 1, p. Oi). " On entering Jvcd liiver from Like Winni|M'g, tiie shores, for the lirst ten miles, are low and swampy, aliounding in wild fowl of every kind ; but, farther up, they rise to a height varying from .'iO to 'lO feet. (.)n tlie eastern m- right bank there is an abundance of po[)lar, birch, elm, oak, i^-c, jtines also being plentiful a few miles back ; while -he western side, generally speaking, is one vast jirairie, with scarcely any timber. " The soil of lied Jliver settlement is a blaik mould of consideral)le depth, win -h, when first tilled, jiroduces extruoi-dinary crops, as nnn ii, on some occasions, as forty returns of wheat ; and even after twenty successive >tius of cultivation, without the re'ief of manure or of fallow, or of green crop, it still yields from from l') to "i") bushels to the aere." 80 Captain PaUiners Explaratioii in B. X. A inertca, /olio, p. 8. " Rod River lias its sovirces in tlie smiih! district of niurslies and lakes from which flows also tliH Mississippi. TIk; course of Red River is slightly west of north to when* it falls into Lake Winnipeg. At S or 10 miles from the laki; the land on the hanks of the river become sulliciently elevated to he available for agriculture ; it stretches back for many miles on either hand in tine rich savannahs or lightly timbered country. Indeed, the valley of Red River being rarely eontined by lofty banks in any portion of its course, is valuable for settlement the whole way up stream and foi* a considerable distance south of the international line." Lake Winnipecj. Appcnillx Xit. .'5 to .fiinriKih Legiihiflvo, Assninhfi/, (.'anmla, ISof*, Ctip. VII. " The altitude of this extensive sheet of water above the level of the sea is (528 feet. * Liike Winnipeg is L'G t miles long, by an average of 'Mi wide. It C(>r- tainly contains an area of exceeding !>,(H>0 scjuare miles, and is ]n*obably one half as large a<,Min as Lake Ontario. Connected with Lake Winnipeg by navigable channels are two other large bodies of water, Lakes Manitoba and Winnipegoosis, being together as long as liuke Winnijx'g and having about half its breadth. * * '■' Lake Winnipeg once reached, c(jmmunication with the int(M-ior becomes an easy matter. The numerous rivei-s which unwater the valley of this great lake, with an area of 400,000 square miles, ai'e most of them canoe, or boat routes, for many hundred miles up their streams. Lake Winnipeg is very shallow at its southern extremity and the marshy shores abound with fresh water shells." Lakes Manitoba axu Winnipegoosis. 27if h'rif Ui'd-r Coiiiitrij, Hudson lia;/ and the Xorth-Weat, fj>/ A. J. Jln-sell, C. A'., ( 'lip. Xr. p. 48. " These lakes are each 120 miles in length. The greatest breadth of Maiutoba is 24 nules, and of Winnipegoosis 27. Taken together they extend 220 miles from north to south. They enclose between them and Lake Winnipeg a peninsida of 2.')0 miles in length by lOO miles in greatest breadth, which is cut across by the Little Saskatchewan. This peninsula, though as large as the Kingdom of Denmark, counts for little in the Nor'- West. It is reported to be a low flat country, abounding in lakes and marshes. On its coast on the north-east shore of Manitolja, Mr. Dawson states that from the marsh which Iit>s behind its high shingle lieach, a rich alluvial soil rises gradually to a moderate height, not subject to be flooded. As it is a limestone country and thickly wooded, the soil must necessarily be very fertile, where there is depth enough of it ; which shoidd at least frequently be thi' case in a low le\el country. Round tht? south end of Lake Mani- toba, for a circuit of about 50 miles, the soil is that of the richest description of prairie land. The few settlers consider it even sujK'riur to that of Red Rivei-. It is an undu- lating country of mingled woods ami prairie. "The White M>id Rivi-i-, a stream of about 80 miles in length by its cour.se, which has its sources in the soiitlicrii skirts of tiie Riding Mountains, ami flows eastward to the south end of Lake .Manitobi, is described as passing through an exceedingly beautiful and fertile country of prairies, thickly intei-speixed with wooeing amply sufficient, and the only difficulty of surmounting them being the gi-eat force of the current. Eight men are employed in tracking a l)oat of this description, in every case the greater portion of the cai'go being carried across the Portages. " Between Fort Pitt and Curlton, wood for fuel is scarce, and not'easily obtained ; but with this exception it can without ditUculty l»e procured along tho whole extent of the river. "Coal is also found at several ])()ints fioni Fort Victoria (aliout ninety miles below Edmonton) U])wards, and at ei,i(hty miles aliovci Kilmonton it crops out in a large mass, Uw seam being represented as being n])wards of lifty feet in thickness'. This coal has for many vears be(»n used l)y blacksmitlis, and found to answer their purpose sullicientiv well. "Tliese few remarks are hurriedly tlnMwn together ; but I shall be glad at any time to furnish sudi furtlier information as it may be in ni}' power to give on the subject." The llt'd llivi'i' CoHiitn/, lIinhon'H liaif ami Nort/i-West Ti'rritoncxJ"/ A. J. ll/tsseff, C.E. />■ •">-• *' As tlie Little Saskntcliewan, the outlet ot Lake Manitoba, is a fine, navigable stieam of ToO feet in breadtii, and tlu^ Waterhen lliver or Sangissippi, which connects Lakes Maiiito'.,.., and Winnip(>goosis. lias a broad channel not less than three feet deeji at low water, tliey ])resent together with tli(>se lakes an unbroken line of water communi- cation from Fort Garry to Mossy Portage, at tlin Jiead of T/vke Wiiinipegoosis, a distance of about .">()() miles. " Mossy Portage, which is only about four miles and a (piarter in length, through low ground, connects the head of Lake Winnipcgoosis with Ceijar Lake on the Saskatelu'- waii, abovi' its great rapids. A slioi't canal there wotild unite tlie navigation by these lakes fi'om Fort tbirry with that of the lliver Saskatchewan, (from Cedar Lake upwards) wliich for nearly a tliousand miles [jn^sents no greater obstructions to navigation than are to be found on the lUver Oliio. Tliis wo\dd form a line of water eoriinuuiication about 1">0(» jniles in length from Fort Carry to the foot of tlie Rocky Mountains. Tlie area drained by the South Saskatcliewan is greater than that of th<» llhine, and tlie watershed of the Kocky jSIountains drained by it is greater than that of tho Alps, drained by tho JIhine, and the excess of its vohune wor.ld be much ifreatt-r were it not for the extent of dry prairie land it jiasses tlirough." incd ; but nt of tilt! ilcs below irgti mass, < coal lias 88 ullicicntlv any time •jcct." ^sc/f, c.j:. navigable! connects 't deep at communi- a distance 1, tlirnngli ■^askatche- 1 by tliest! upwards) I tliaii are ion abdnf md the s. draineil t for the CHAPTER III. CLLALVTH, SOIL AND PUODUCTIONS OF LAKH WINNIPEG BASIN. Miuutvha and the Xorlh-West of the Doinuiion, by Thus. S/ience, pp. 18-22. " The natural division of the seasons in the valley of Luke Winnipeg is as follows : — " Spriagical couditioiis of a first- rate wheat country. Some lields on the lied liiver ha\e hecu known to produce twenty fruccessive cro])S of wheat without fallow or iiiaiuire, and the yield has fretpiently reached as hij^h as forty Inishels ])er acre. An inijiortant feature hi the soil of Manitoha and the North-we.st is, that its earthy mateiials are minutely pulverized, and the soil is every- where light, uielh)W and spungy. With these uniform characteristics, the soils are of dillerent grades of fertility, according to local .situations. A general ingredient of the soil is .sand, of which silica is the lia.se, as of all good soils. It plays an important part in the economy of growth, and is an e.s.«ential constituent in the organism of all cereals. We are told that about G7 per cent of the ash of the stems of wheat, corn, rye, barley, oats, iV'c, is pure silica, or Hint. Jt is this which gives the glazed coating to the plants and gives strength t ti.« stalk. Now this silica is an aciil and is insoluble, but readily combi' witi' '■■ e. t da, magnesia, jiotash and the other ingredients of our soil, and in this coi. ■■'"■■' :- rea''iJy available to the use of the j)lant, and forms an essential element in the gi -cii -J tlie cereals ; from this and other causes is attributable the superiority of our wheat •L .ther grown east or south." r,civ)'t II f Select CoinnnUi.c on f mniUjr alio n and Colonhation, 187G. Profcssoi' Mdcouiin Kv'uUiicc, i>. L'O. " A continuous farming country extends from Point Du Ciiien to the Assiniboin(! at Fort Ellice, a distiuice of '2'M) miles, without a break. Beyond this there .-ire :.'.'> miles of dry griivelly ground of little account for anything except pasture. Then follows a very extensive tract of country stretching westward to the South Saskatchewan, and extending indefinitely north and south. Tliis wide i-egion contidns many fine sections of rich fertile coi.ntry, interspersed with ])Oplar groves, rolling treeless praiiie, salt lake , saline and other marshes, and brackish or fresh water ponds. What is not suited for raising cereals is excellent pasture land. Only a few of the salt lakes would be injurious to cattle or horses ; and fresh water can be obtained without doubt a little below the surface. " The soil of this whole region is a warm gravelly or sandy loam. The surface soil to a depth of from one to thri'e feet, is a brown or black loam. The subsoil being generally either sand or gravel, consisting principally of limestone pebbles ; many boulders are found in some .sections. Tlu^ land between the two Saskatchewans is nearly all good. Prince All)ert jNIission settlement is situated in this section. At Carlton, 1 cro.s.sed the North Saskatchewan, and therefore know nothing ])ersonally of the immense region ex- tending thence west and south to the boundary. All accounts, however, agree in saying it is the garden of the country. CJood land, generally speaking, extends northward to Green Lake, a distance of 170 mil(>s from (.'arlton. How much further eastward this good land extends I am unable to state ; but Sir John Jiichard.sou says that wheat is raised without difliculty at C"uml)crliUiil House. The good arabU; land is aliout i'.'j miles wide at Edmon- ton, but possilijy not so wide at Fort Pitt, more to the east but further north. This region is bounded on the south by tlu; North Saskatchewan, and on the north by the watershed between it and the Pieaver and Athabasca Kivers. Within this area there are five settlements where wheat is raised regulai'ly without difficulty, viz. : the Star Ilission (Church of England), (10 nules north of Carlton on the Green Lake I^oad ; Lnc La IJiche Mission (P. C.), 100 miles from Foil Edmonton; Victoria Mission (Wesleyan Mission), 80 nules east of Edmonton ; and St. Albert Mission (P. C), 9 miles north of Edmonton, and at P'dmonton itself. Edmonton seems to be the coldest point in the district in question and suflei's most from sunnier frosts. " Next is a very extensive district forming the watei-sheds between the Saskatchewan and Peace Iliveris, and through which the Athabasca Kiver flows for its whole coui-se, tinual!\ iJed Pi reiiiaini land, and tin it develoi)- of a tii-st- ce twenty ly roiiclied iitol>ii and 11 is e\ei'y- oils arc of of the soil jmit in tli(f •cals. We u'lcy, oats, plants and ait readily oil, and in al element lerioritv of MacomiH inilioint; at 25 miles of ows a very I exten'^'inj; rich fertile saline and iing cereals ;o cattle or ce. surface soil jjsoil beini; [ly boulders y all good. rossed the region ex- in saying it •d to Green 1,'ood land led without at Ednion- n-th. This rth by the jirea then; the Star load ; IjJie (Wesleyan north of oint in the ikatchewnn ole coui-se, 85 and from which it receives its waters. This region is all forest and consists of nuiskcg (swamp), spruce and poplar forests. Very little is known of tliis region, but the soil wiiei'e I crossed it is generally good where not swam])y. West of Kdmonton, where tlio railway crosses this section, there is said to be much swanijt, but ix'tween Fort I'itt ancl the Forks of the Atlial)asca there is scarcely any swamp, although it is nearly ail forest. " Next conies the Peace River section extending along tho Rocky ^^oul Ins from a little north of Jasjjer's House to Fort Liard, lat. Gl north ; and from tla t\ mer point to the w(vst end of Little Slave i^ake ; thence to the Forks of tho Athal»a . and down that Iviver to Athabasca Lake, and from thence to Fort Liard. The upper part of this immen.se area is principally ])rairie, extending on lioth sides of the Feace River. As wo proceed to the north and east tho prairie gradually changes into a continuous jioplar for»\st with here and there a tew s|)ruces, indicating a wetter soil. The general character of tiiis section is like that of ^Manitoba west from Portage La Prairie to Pine Creek. " Wheat was raised last yeai- at tho Foi'ks of tiie Athabasca, at the French Mission (Lake Athabasca), at Fort Liard, and at Fort Vermillion in this section." Canadian JCrpJorlng E.i'iied'itioti, htj " Y. Hind. Vol. -, p. L'.Tl. "It is a pliysical reality of tho high<;st in')orcai to the interest of British North America that this continuous belt can be .setth ■ and ■. tivated from a few miles west of tho Lake of tlie Woods to the passes of the '■*• rikr Mountains, and any line of conuuuni- cation, whether by waggon road or railroad, ,<.is''ri'. through it, will eventually enjoy the groat advantag(( of being fed by an agricultUi.'al \ puLition from one end to the other. "No other part of the American Ci, ; ut possesses an approach even to this singularly f ivorable disposition of soil and climate, which last feature, notwithstanding its rigour during the winter stvison, confers, on account of its humidity, inestimable value on Rritish Anuuica, south of the r)lth parallel. " The Uiitural resources lying within th(> limits of tho fertile belt, or on its eastern boi'ders, are themselves of great vahui as local elements of future wealth anil prosperity ; but in view of a communication acro.ss the continent they acipiire paramount imi)ortance. "Timber available for fuel and building ])urposes : lignite coal, though not eiiucl to true coal, neverthi'less suitalile for many of the different objects to which true coal is applied ; iron ore widely distributeil, of great purity, and in consideralile abuudance ; salt, in quantity sullicient for a dense population. All these crude elements of wealth lie within tho limits or on tho borders of a region of great fertility, and drained by a river of tho first-class, navigal)le liy ste.imer, during several months of the year, for .'(UO miles of its course, and Ity batteaux for nearly dou'ole that distance." (The Hudson Ray Company's stciaincr has, since this was written, in 1S7.") and L^7(^ navigated successfully about a thousand miles of the North Saskatchewan.) The lied I'ui-cr Country J,>i A.J. Un^^^rll, C.I-:.. I'. \\:k "On our route by the North S iskatcliewan and Yellow Heiul Pass, v/e have a con- timialiy and pre-emiuenily fertile country for l,.''>Oi) niih's from the commencement of the Red River prairies to t!ie base of th" r.ojky Mountains at Jasper House, and of the remaining 7(51 miles to the head of Jiuto Iidet, nearly one-half apparently is cultivable land. Mr. Waddington's description of the country between tlie mouth of the Quesadle and the coast range agrees with the i>vourable account of that jilateHU (juoted from IMr. 86 I3arnstou's report in CS.ininaiulpr Miiyne's work on Uritish ('oliini])ia, and tho unusual I'lvorahlo churacttn" in tliat very mountainous country, wliich he ;,nv<'S of the j^fi-eat region extending northwards to tlio l\iver Skecna, the lioundary of Uritish Coluniliia, cor- nsponds witli the dosoription given of it iTiterseoted, in re])orts ot extensive explorations referred to in tho same work and published in Imperial parlianu'ntary papers. " We see, therefore, tluit we ])Osspss a route to the Pacifie through our central prairie country and ]5ritish C'ohnnliia, that besides traversing the Hocky JMountains far more favoraidy, at half the elevation of the lines through tiio Ignited States, is as remarkable for jiassing through a great extent ol' well watered, fertile country, as they are for the general aridity ami uninhabitable barrenness of a great part of the coinitry they traverse. " The superiority of our route across to the Pacitic, over .iny otliei- on tho continent, is still more evident, when we consider that it has in adtlition to the foregoing the further advantage consLsting chiefly of navigable waters. « " This advantage is, in its nature, a double one. Fii-st, the much lower rate of cost of transjiort by the navigable waters. * '■''■ Secondly, what to us is of great inii)ortance, especially in the coninu'ncement, that in the navigaltle waters wo have the gri;ater part of the route ready, without cost of construction, except on a very small projiortion of it." Isothermal. Flirts and Flij J. JJespard Pemherfon, Snrreyor-Geiieral <>/ Vcinroitrer'n hhtinf, />. 117. ■■' * " An isothermal line drawn across the continent would, of course, be far from straight, but the general obli(puty of such a line may be judged of in this way : — If such a lino w ere drawn from New York it would pass throiigh Lake Winnipeg to Fort Simjtson ; in other words, if New York were, with respect to latitude, similarly placed on the Avest coast. Fort Simpson, a thousand viiles north of it, would enjoy a tem- perature e(jually favorable with it." Ai>iiend!.c Xo. oG, to Jinir)ittf!i Legislnt'irc Assnnfi///, Coidilir, li^.lD. DltU'KO)!, C.E. nc/iorf 1)1/ S. J, "According it) the isothermal charts of liOrin Blodget, thelities of e(pial temperature for the summer should have a north-west direction from INsd Kiver. Now, admitting this theory to l)e correct, the climate of Red Deer Kiver and Swan Piver, other circum- stances being the same, should be ecjual to that of Red Kiver Settlement. But I am of opinion that it is superior, inasmuch as these rich valleys, whi!;; they are at but a very slight elevation above the valley of Ked River, ai-c removed from the influence of the coM winds from Lake Winnipeg, which prcjudiciallv affect the latter in spring. As an instance of the change of climate which is {)roduced by the difference of elevation in this legion, J may mention that the vegetation in the middle of June, was' much further advanced in the valley of Swan River than at Foit Pelly, which is some distance further to the south, but at a greater altitude by some 400 feet. " While on this subject, I rpiote from P.Iodget's climatology some of his remarks on tlie climate of the North-west territories, which I am confident will be read with interest. ' " By reference to the illustration of the distribution of heat we see that the cold at the north of the great lakes does not represent the same latitude further west, and 87 10 umismil ■oat region niliiii, oor- :]>Ionition8 ml pvairio far nioro omarkalilo 10 for till! ' travei'so. continent, thofiirtlii'r ite of cost o ns is of s we have •ery small Desimrd of course, of in this Winnippfj; , similarly joy a teni- hif S. J. mjierature admitting er circnni- t I am of lit a very u'C of tho As an on in this 1 lurthei ce further marks on I interest. lie cold at west, and that hnyond them thf thermal lines ris(? as hij;li in latitude, in most Ciises, as at tli(* west of Kurope. Central Iliissia, the Baltic district, and tht» Hritish Islands, aie all rt-produci'd ill the i^'tMicral structure, tlioiiL,di the exceptimis hn-c fall ii'^'aiiist the adviMita^'f. svliile there they t'avor it, through the immediatt; iiilliieuci- of the (Julf Stream. '"('Ii'nat(* is iiidis|iiital>ly the dei'isiv(^ condition, mid \\h"ii \vc tiud the isotlitTinl off)!) for the summer rising on the interior American plains to tln^ (list paiallel, or fully as high iw its average position for Kurope, it is impossihli- to doiilit the cxistcucc of favorable climates over \ast a"cas now iiiiocciiiiicd. ' "This favorable comparison may Ix^ traced fm- the winl»'r also, and In the aveiiigis for the year. The exceptional cold of tint mountain plateaux and of the coast lieluw the l.'5rd parallid, marks tint advantage more or less to thos(^ who approach these areas riniii tho western jiarts of the Central States, and from tho coast of California, l>ut though tla* distinct mountain ranges remain high at the north, the width of their hase, or of tho plateau from which they rise, is much h-ss than ;i( the ll'nd parallel. The elevated tr: cts are of less extent, and the jmtportion of cnltivalile surface is far greater. '''It will he seen that the thermal lines for each season are thrown iiortliwird further on passing Lake Superior westward, in the charts of this work, than in tlmsi of the military report prepared liy the author. At the time those were drawn the nuinlx'r of the ohservations heyoiid the limits of the I'nited States wen^ so small that the 'till expression was not giv(!n to the statistics then used, in the fear that .some correction would ultimately be found to apply to thcin, reducing the extreme northwanl curvatures t ley indicated. Jjiit a further collection and comparison warrants the position now given to (ho thermal lines, jilacing them furtlun- northward than before, ami extending them in a course due north-we.st from Lake Superior to the ."iSth parallel. For the extreme seasons, winter and summer, this accurate diagonal extension of the thermal lines across the iiieas of latitude and longitude is very striking. Tla? bull'alo winter in the upper Athabascu, at lea.st as safely as in the latitude of St. Paul's, Minnesota ; (ituf tlie s/irinif o/n'iis ft )iriirh/ the siane tlmi nfowj the Iniianii'ie flu- nf' ji/inii.-< /'rmn St. J'tnil's to .\f'ii:/ii?in!e liirrr. ' " The (piantity of rain is not less iniportmit than the measures of heat to all purp-)scs of occupation ; and for tin; plains east of the Kocky Mountains there may reasonably be some doubt as to the sntHciency ; and doubts on the jioints whether th(! desert belt of lower latitudes is prolongeil to the northern liiiii^ of tiie ]ilaiiis. If the lower deserts are due to the altitudt! and mass of the mountains simply, it woiihl be natural to infer tlieii- existence along the whole line, where the Itocky .Moimtiiiiis run p:irallel, and ret.ain their altitude ; but tho dry areas are evidently due to other ciuises ])riiiiarily, toul fhri/ a, nut foinid ii/iore the \~ith jiitinllil. in f(irt. It is decisive nf the general (|uestion of liie surticiency of rain, to tind tli(> entire surface (jf the upper plains either well grassed or well wooded ; and ree(>nt information on these points almost warrants the assertion thai there are no barren tracts of con seipieiice after we pass the liad lands, and the coteaip: of the Missouri. Many jiortions of these plains are known to be peculiarly rich in grasM's ; and probably th<* tiiit>st tracts lie along the eastern base of the mountains, in positions corresponding to the most desert -like of the phiins to the south. The higher latitides certainly dill'er wiilely from the plains which stretch from the I'latte [southward to the Llano Estacado of Texas, and none of the references made to them by residents or travellers indicate desert characteristics. Tiiiltalo an^ far more abundant on the north-'rn Itlain.s, and they remain through the winter on their ext'.-cine bord(>r, taking; shelter in the belts of woodland on the ujiper Athabasca and I\ace Ivivtrs. (Jrassy savannas like tl.ese necessarily imply an adequate supply of riiin : and there (..ni be no doubt that the cor- respondence with the European plains in like gedgr.iphical position — those of eastern (iermany and Russia — is quite complete in this respect, if a ditl'erence exists, it is in 88 fiivor of tlio Aiucrinin i»laiiiH, wliich li;iv(' !i ;,Trat«'r pioi'oi-tiou of Hurfaco watorH, both an liikt'M and riviis." ' " After rciuarkiug on tin- rcj^inu west of the Rooky Mountains, ho goes ou to say :— ' " Ni'xt is tho area of tho plains rast of the IJocky Mountains, not h'ss remarkalii«> than the first for the al»seni!e of attention hci-etufon' j,'ivt'n to its intrinsic vahie as a |>ro- (hu'tive and euitivalile reiiion, within easy reaeh of einiu'i'ation. Tins is a \ve(l;L,'e shaped tract, ten di-^n cs (tf KMii^'itmie in width at its hase alt»n;,' tiie }7th parallel, inclined north- westward to conform to tin' trr'n, which still t. '■"Mids ahmij the >[ackenzie for thre(! or four de;,'rees of latitiith , in a climate harely tolcrai •. . I^onl Selkirk l)ej,'an his ell'orts at colonization as early as l.sd."), aiid from pei-sonal ki ywled^'e he then claimed for this ti-act a capacity to support thii-ty millions of iidialiitants. All the "grains of the cool teniperato latitu(h's anr produced ahnndantly. Indian corn may lie ;,'rown on lioth branches of tho Saskatchewan, and the cr|-ass of the [ilains is singularly abundant and rich. Not oidy in the earliest exploration of these plains, liut now, they are the ;.;reat resort for buffalo herds, which wiih the (hunestic herds, and th<* horses of the Indians and the colonists remain on them and at their woodlani! borders througho\it the year, ' " The simple fact of the |)resonco of these vast lierds of wild cattle on jdains at so hit;h a latitu t degrees north, the e.vtreme northern limit of tho region to which my descriptions refer." Occiin to Ocrdii, hi/ A'- r. O'i'd. Jf. Grant, p. 171. " Speaking generally of ^Manitoba and our Xor'west, along the lino we travelled, it is impossible to iloubt that it is one of the tinest pasture countries in the world, and that a greiit part of it is well adapt(!d for cereals. Tho climatological conditions are favoral)le for both stock raising and grain produ'.-ing. The sprint; is nearly as early as in Ontario ; the summer is more humid, and therefore the ^'rains, gras.ses and root crops grow better ; tho autumn bright and on '{ less "^■1. About the i!Oth of April ploughing can commence on Peace River, and from data in my possession tho same may be said of the .Sa.skatchewan regions generally. •• It « a curious fact that spring seems to advanct' from north-west to .south-east, at a rate of about l-'.')0 miles per day, and that in the fall winter begins in Manitoba tir.st and goes westward at the same rate. " Q. Ifave you any knowledge of the temperature aiul how the thermometer ranges tluring the year ( " .1. The following data s(dectcd from various sources will throw considfa-ablo light on this (jue.stion. It is worthy of note that Halifax, on the .sea coast, is nearly as cold in spring and summer as points more than twelve degi'ces further north. " Spring, summer and autumn temi)prature at various points, to which Is added the mean tempei-atun; of J uly antl August, the ttnu n/ieniwj month.'*. Latitude Summer. Spring. Autumn. July north. and Au;L:us't. " (!umberland House r^lVM r)L>-r.2 X'riH I'.L'TO (\\-2r> " Fort SimiKson + :)!)-i)l 'Mi'u :57-S() V,0-rr2 "Montreal 4.");il 07-lM) : ■■{7-.")S 4(l(J7 (U>-[:\ «' Halifax 44-3!) 01-00 :U(17 4007 OG-.l.') " Belleville 44-10 tem]icrature nearly that of Toronto. " Dunvegan, Peace River. . . . 50-08 average sununer six months. " Rdmonton n.'V-'U .... :5'J-70 " Carleton r)->--)U .•'.VTO " Winnipeg 4U-r)2 0470 ■Ml•l^^ 35-2!) 05-32 " Any unprejudiced person making a careful evinination of the above figures will bo struck with the Ligh temperature ol)tained in the interior. Edi um ion has a higher ,;*pring temperature than Montreal, and is eight degrees farther noiiit .nd over 2,000 het 40 ;il)ovt' the sea. Tim ti'iiiju'ratmos of Carlctou ami Ktlmoiitou are taken from Captain I'alliscr's cxjiloratioiis in tlic Sa.skati'licwau cuwntrv, diiriiiL,' tlit- years lf. Do you eonsider the country uilajited for stork raisiuL', ami how many rnonths in the vear is it ii'-eessarv to kefp stock luuler shelter / '• .1. Tin! country, in my opinion, is well suited for stock-raisini^ throu;,diout its whole extent. The winters ai'e certainly cold lait the climate is dry, and the winter snows art; lij^ht, lioth as to di'pth and weiijht. All kinds of animals have thicker coats in cold climates than in warm ones, so 'hat the tliicker coat counter-lialances the ".greater cold. Dry snow never injures cattle in Ontario — no other kind ever falls in Manitoha or the Noith-West, so that there can he no troidile from this cause, t'atth' winter just aa well on the Athabasca and I'euce llivers as they do in Manitoba ; ami Mr. Grant, who has been liviujL,' on Hat Cnn'k, ]\Ianitol);i, for a nundier of years, .says that cattle give less ti'owble then! than they do in Nova Scotia. Horses winter out without feed other than what tliey pick up, fiom I'eace liivi!r to Manitoba. Sheep, cattle, and hoi-ses will reipiire lt!ss attention and not reijuire to l)e fed as long as we now feed them in Ontario. Owing to th( li^Iit lain fall the inicut grass is almost as good as hay when tht; winter .sets in, which it docs without the heavy rains of the (!ast. This grass ivmains good all winter as the dry sn(jw does not rot it. In the spring the snow leaves it almost as goo. II. " (J. What parts of the cmritry have you travelled over in the Northwest, and have you made particular oii.^ervations of the soil I '• .1. 1 have travelled over the country, fmiii ."iO miles east of li.at J'ortago, Lake of the Woods, to the summit of the iJocky Mountains, aiiout l,J."i(t miles, and have imuh' daily iceords of the (piality of the soil travelled over. Taking the country from Winnipeg to I'ort I'clly I'y the usuid trail, and from Fort Felly to Lac Ste. Anne, o(> miles west of I'Mmonton, along thi' line of the Pacitic iJailway, 1 estimate that the proportion of soil siiital)le for wfttlement is \'.\ per cent., moderately fair soil IT) per cent., and poor sandy, cl;iy and gravel, li* per cent. The liiml I consider suitabl(« for settlement is very much KUp.rior to any lands now to bi! had in Ontario; the lu.vuriance of the gra,s.s and pea vim! to the south and eiust of Kdmonton, excct! Is anything 1 ever saw. The soil consists of rich black Inam of various depths, overlying clay and gravel. I have lieen told by settlei's from Ontario, that they picfer the natural gras.ses for hay to the best timothy ;"they siiy that stock thrives better ii|n)ii the natural hay. IMy horses UvimI entirely upon the gra.ss found every d;iy, fmm the end of May to the middle of October, and diti their daily work of fiom l.'i to :'.0 miles. Ilei'me and after those ilates they got a few pounds of oats or liarloy — only thive horses wer(> lost, and that on the return trip from the itocky Mointaiiis. The clay and sandy .soil is si\itable f,,r gr.i/ing; 1 s.iw mi jiart of the country entirely delicient of pasture. " Q. |)o you onsiiler the climate healtiiy and 'uv igoruLiiig ; oris it subject to fever uml epidemics f 41 m Captivin I Ksr)8. It early ctiuiil ■ rent Slave IlK )iiU IS lU It its whole • snows art! )ats ill cold rt'ator cold, jlia or till- ust as well ;, wlio has le give less Dtlicr than vill reiiuire c Owing er sets in. 1 winter as as ever, so is is alioiit fanner." , and ha\e re, Lake of lave made Winnipeg l(^s west of ion of soil >oor sandy, \ ery nnich (I |teu vin(( consists of by settlers ; they siiy II the grass ilaily work of oats or ,hu Jlocky he country ct lo fever )ots, )0ll " .1. r consider the climate of the North-west Territories to l»e most healthy and far superior to many parts of Ontario and tiuehec. Although very cold in winter, there are no su(l(l(!n changes — there is .seldom u thaw from autunwi till spring. The .sunnner is very enjoyable, and the all- on the plains very fine. There were some cases of fever in Winnipeg, Imt there is no doul)t that they were caused by want of drainage, through the compact underlying cli'.\, and fiom want of proper sanitary regulations." " 77('' CannilhiH Di/iiii/nuii,'' bij C/tiir/>\s AfarttJidf/, p. 170. '•To assist distinctness of apprehension, the old ITudson's I'ay and Nortli-west Territories may be divi(h'd int(^ tliice great .sei-tions : - First, the barren, frost-bound, polar north. Second, eastw.ird of llett Ki\ei'. a wide region oi Ldvcs, swani})S, disjoinLed streams, den.se woods, and wilderues.ses of ro(;k full of ore, esteudi-ig bi'yond l.,ake Superior. Third, the fertile i-egii)n of plains extending west of Itcd Kiver for l.UOO miles to the ba.st! of the Jtocky ^lountaius ; the country destined to be the granary <»f the Dominion. ''Th(! coiMitry contained in lliis last division is of \ast extent. From its eastern bouiulary, the Lake of the Woods, to tlu^ sources of the Saskatchewan in tlas west, it stretches SSO nules. Its lireadth, reckoneil from the Biitish boundary line, is 7(iO miles, it includes an are.i of lS(),(tOO sipiare miles, an e.vte?it of ciamtry ei[Mal to th.at of (Ire.it I'ritaiu, France and I'russia united. TIk! greater proportion of the land a)ipeai"s to be well littcd for cultivation : many great districts possessing a richness of soil tin]>aralleli'd. "Till' soil is a tine alluvial deposit, or frecpiently a i>lack vegetal)le compost. Jlot vegetaitles, melons, and certain fruit.s, grow with an extraordinary luxuriance. (I( crops of liarley, oats, and rye are raiseil even 1)V the poorest skill where any .-ittempts at farming havt; been nuide. Wheat will yield lifty bushels to the acrt>, but reijuires more cai-e than the [teople know how to give. " .Ml the rivers from the Ih'itish l)oundaiT line flow northwards. Thi^ whole country tilts that way. Lakes .Vthabj-.sca ami Winnipeg^ at the noitli and northeast of this division, are estimated at but (JdU feet alio ve the sea. The ell'ect of this depression of level on tilt! climate is very great and wholly favorable. The isotherm.d lines stiike directly upwai'ds from the Lakt! of the Wt)ods as far as Peace lliver and .Athaliasca Lake. The rigour of a northern winter is mitigated. The increased heat of summer rapidly ri;ir'ns all grain. It is jjossible that the warm current of the I'acilic, striking upon the ( 'ohiiuliiaii coast may aid in modifying the climati- of the north-west of America, us the (luif Stream is popularly supposed to temper that of Kngland. .\t any rate, the resem- blance holds, that in the north-west of America, as in the north-west of Furope, the climate is naturally less severe than in the eastern extremities of these continents in the same degree of latituile. in Keil Liver, and in other districts oidy IS inches of snow fall. lL)rsi!s and cattle keep in good condition through thi! winter without shelter. No snow ilrifts tH'cur to imjiedt! railway comnmnication. "We have in a very great iiait of this centnd prairie country an open nr summer season of seven months." Hi'IKiii oj (In: Select CoitnntttC'' On liin)i!i/nil!on (tml ColonrjiliDii, Ifaitsr nf ('oniimunt, ('(oiihla, b'*?.''). Jfr. .Udlroia McL'od's Kri'lrnn; jiji. IS-L). " Assuming it to be unnect\ssary to luaki! any specilie statement as to the cl!m:ile of the Ifudson Fiay Fiasin -no part of which, to any extent large enough for settleuient, can be well consideriHl as fit for agricultural purposes—l almll merely say, that though severe a 42 it is not unlu'altli' , and is i|uit(! (■luliiraMf liy persons ('iit,'ai^e(l in tlic Hudson Bay ("oni- l>any's service— no worse, in I'aet, than that ol' (.'anaihi, east of tlic meridian of Quel)ee. "Tiie \Vinrii|)e;^ Uasin, escn at Norway i louse, at its north end, and of lif(! at wliich I liavo distinet roeoUeetiou, is on the ^\ hole not more severe than that of Lower Canaiiu between Montieal and Qneliec, " In tlie SaskalcJK wan N'alley — say the North Sasi;atehcwan — at Fort Carlton I know that my ^'rnndfather (matpvnal <,'randfather), Chief Kaetor i'ruden, who huilt Vovi Carlton, and for many years held ehar;,'e of that district, raised easily all ordinary kinds of jjarden vegetables rai.M'd in ohl Canaila, and all ccicals, and, (with some diliieulty, how- ever, owing to occasional summer frost) e\;n Indian corn. " As to irlti'iit, it has foi' many years past— ahout til'iy, as I see liy letters to my fiither from an unch; of mine (Chief Trader Harriot), who liifit took it there, and according,' to sulise<|iient reports lieen constantly raised, cNcn at Lake .\ini, Keyond Kdmonton, Mliere there is a i'onsid('i'al>le m ttlenirnt of old retired servants of the <'onipany. On the Athnhasea, further north, at loci l)i(r Lake, where then; is an old and eonsideralile .settlement, it has never failed, and llie climate and locality are uuKst favorulile for it. "Still fmther north, nn tlu! Piaee lii\er, tliife hundred ndles nearer the North iVile, it is raised, and I'rofessor Macouii has just l)roui,dit )is a specimen of it, ' OS llis to the hushel,' which is one pound and three-(pi;irters more than the wheat (from «)ur own ('ounty of I'ontiac) which took the secoml i)iizo for wheat at thi' World's Kxhihition at I'aris in lJ?."» Cctoher 1(1 " Me.-m r)|S7 " Mean of ."1 summer months (iL'-ol) Mean of winter M-I'J -Mean of the vear '.\')\>\ " .\s to the peiiod of cultivation (from Ajiril to Octolier) it is a fact worth noting that Hunvegan, Toronto and (.Jueliec do not vary niorc^ than lialf a di-gree in mean tem- peratiM'e, and that as to Halifax, the dillerenco is only I" (ill' not far from two degn'cs in iavor of hunvegan. .\s to the winter cold of Dun vegan, its steadiness und drynesii inv, for hoth man and lieast, liett(!r than that of .any other place in the Dominion. I never waw any ]ier.son irom that region hut who was improved and .strengthened in health and body, and i may say mind, by the life; a re;^on of essentially strong life. 48 Bay Coiii- ['(! at wliic'li or CiUiiulii CmiUoii I Imilt Koit iiiiry kinds Jiilty, liow- tors to my I accoiiliii;,' lulinontoii, ,'. OiitliP )nHi(lfruliI(' lur it. the North it, ' t;s ihs III our DWii iiihitioii iit I'S ranitol(a and tlie Kocky Moun- tains, hy I'eace lliver as to t\w winter anil the snow fall, can railroads he ojierated a.H well as ill the Province of Ontario I " .1. i liolieve that the snow dilViculty will ///•/•(/• he so great as in Ontario, hpcause (he snow fall is more than one half less throughout th" whole region, and the evaporation of the snow cau.sed I ly the increased dryne.ss of the u r more than coniiieiisiites for the occasional thaws in ( dilario.'" Ilinl. Iloii. Mr. SiilIii'ilituif.-< lu-'ttli'iici', {>. ',)',). '"We have on-asional frosts; generally one frost ahoiit tlie first, of .Fiine, hut seldom severe enough to do any material injury to the growing crops, and showers are freipient during spring and summer. The average depth of snow throughout Manitoha is ahont ■JO iiiche.'\ and is ipiile IIl,'!!) and loose."' I'.ojMNc Oi'i:;; vrroNs. Givh'jicd! .S'ff/tcy, 1^74-'), ;i. .3. ,iinniii(ir^/ ll'.jjort bj Mr. I'^'uliri/n. * * * "The localities where the-e operations were carried out arc at Rnt 'reek, (1) and in the vicinity of Fort P^lliee, on the .-Vssinihoine, and on Swan Itiver near Fort l'(d]v. So far as they have gone, they Ifad to the conclusion that (I) Rat Cree'ri i8 GH niili'S west nf Fot (i;uiy, "it tln' llr.'ial esert,' lu; utilized for sheep grazing or any other agricultural purpose ? "J. Ijiramie Plains, ui Wyoming Territory, aro spoken of by all American writers as eminently fitted for sheep and cattle farming, and our (ixteiision of the 'Dt'sert' has, from all accounts, a lietter climate — is at least I.OdO feet lower in altitude, and from the able JiejKn-ts of Mr. (Jeorge Dawson (lf^7t) and ('aptain Palliser (IS.jS), 1 am led to in- fer that o(tr jiart of t 'Desert,' besides being first-class pasture latid, contains nuuiv depressions well suited for raising all kinds of grain. Mr. Dawson spcicially remarks that its soil i.H generally go<»d, but that the rain fall is light. Speaking of the worst part, he says, ' It scarcelv supports a sod,' but tills tract is not fifty mil(\s wide. This is the winter home of the liutl'.do. ami hence catMe jind slieep imii li\(! on it in the winter with- out difliculty. I have seen the Jiaramio I'lainsand the cattle upon them— I have exami- ned the lk)ra of both ri>gions. and believe ours is warmer in wintei' and ceilainlv not so dry in summer, "Mr. Ceorge Dawson, speaking of this region, says: 'In July of last summer, (b'^Zn), I .saw a iiand of cattl< in the vicinity of the liine. soutii of Wood ]\Iountain, which had strayed from one of the I'nited States forts to the south. They were quiti; wild, and almost as i (•'. M. Dan'^nn, (/eoloijint to lite B. X. A. IloHiilari/ ('o)n>mi>sio)i, 1^7"), p. 2S'.t. /'= * * "The explorations in connection with the boundary survey hav(^ served to show that this country, formerly considered almost absolutely desert, is not — witli the exce])tion of a limiteil ar(>a — of this character ; tliat a part of it may be of future importance agriculturally, and (liat a great anni is well suited for p;istor;il oreupa- tioii ami stock farming. "The fertile region at the b.ase of th(> llocky Mountains, according to Palliser ami other explorers, narrows somewhat al)OUt TiO miles north of tin; line, but tin i spreads eastwanl, while the mounlaiiis trend to the west, and include a great jueu of fertile country in the vicinity of the North Saskatchewan, the more northern position of which is nion? than compensateil for, by its decreased altiluile, and the lower and more o]ieii mountain passes to the west. "This fertile belt to tin' north must form *" liasis for the seltleiiiciu. ;is I utilization of the w(>stern plains. Tiie cm'tus-cuvered de.s' tract does not seem ti< slictch far to the north of the lino ; l>ut tlnMv is an extensiv« n'jjton of the third jirairie .steppe south of the fertile belt which is de.^.'nlied as havin i ])i>or snil. with scanty lierbag<>, and no wood, <'\cept on northern exposures." Wxn 'Tl'LV. pi lit ions of r .any that found is a n,id, i>. 280. * * '•!' '• The ijuctioii of w.iti supply :.eemed some years ago a ditlicnlt one in th" Ked River Valley. Great areas <.f le\el and fertile prairie, lie far from any stream, or are only tra\erscd by coulees, whi< h diy up louiph'tely during summer. Tlio structure of the country re'iders the existence of surface springs almost an impossibiUty. This ap|)arent difliculty is, however, being soN -d in the most satisfactory manner ; as it is 46 fouii'l tli.'it tlic'i'o !iv«' fi'W ro!,'iniis vlicic (M'lliii.uT wi'lls of infidcnitc tl(']>tli do not siicfocd ill tiiiiliiii; iUiipU' sii|i|i!i('S :/ Visroiiii/ M!/f()ii and Dr. <'lif(ir (lie farnici' when lie shall Ke .'dlowed to enter in and jiossess it." Ii!()N-Stone.s. (,'i'iil(iijir of iron-stones." Vv.vr. 1 1 'hi I', ^i'.t. '■' "■•' •' A fi'w iiiiKs licinw the Crossini; on Swan River, two lieds of peat are exposcil in the liank. the thickest of whi-h measure IS inches. AI)ov(> it is afoot of cl ;y, and then '..• incite;-, more of prat, (he lattei' liein.^' Imricd Iiy a few tcet of snrface soil." Salt. //'/./, /'. (V.). '•Salt was foi'aierly made from t!ie l/iine spriiiifs near the month of I'lell Rivt r. The salt sprinL,'s ;it tli(^ SiUtli end of Lake \Vinni|iei,'oosis have lieen worked f tr a ion^ (iiiie. .\( these sprin;,'s tlie saline waters percolatt^ t,hroiij,di (he drift, which in (his re<.;ioii covers lint tl'inlv the Devonian limestones and d''sti-ovs ves^'eintidu for soni" distai:'-i' amnnd." aliout 47 lot suocpcd •('n<, Imt in lillilv lower CUAPTElt IV '. II. ilioiiic aii'l I'st soil lie F1!()M TliK sorriT SASK ATciriiWAX ciiossrxc to Till-: J J ( ) C K V .M (> L N r A 1 N S. my iiotioo Ikivcr and iuT('tii>n;iry )ii'' U) the t'ds (if |it'at is ii foot of irfacc soil." i\t I-. I he ioii^ liiiif. ;i/ J'ri>(jir.:i, Canadttiii J'adjir lliti/trcn/, 1S7I,/'. .">S. '•'riic crossing; of tin; Soiilli SMslcaLfhcwaii is al»>ut, li.'iO v.-irds wide, tlic liauliaiilished. Uetweeii tho two rivers, the eoiiiitry as- snnies the a|i|iearanoe of a le\el platean elevated aliont ."UXI feet altnve the streams. 'I'he soil, aithonnh li,:,dit, is of ;^iiod <'haraetei' ; thi; no'.-th river at this jioint is somewhat iin.adei- than the south liriiiieh. 'i'he streams unite near the l').")ih (h"free of loii'dtude and diselrir/^e into Lake Winiiipejj. ( Inly one rapid ot" any i,'reat importance is met in this dislance. Itolh these streams seem to form natural arteries of comnHinieation tiirou^h the country where they ha%t' their ccair.-^e. "The eouiitiy on the North Saskatchewan is l>ut little wooded, l>ut it aliounds in ^r.'isses, and the soil appears to he j,'ooil, in sonu' places somewhat sandy and arii!. The t'ontour of the land is ii'rcLjular, with ]n]\:, < f eonsidci'alde elevation, at the l)a.-.e of which lakes are freuuenllv to lie met, j'eneralr-' r-jfcof extcmled area. '• From I'ori I'itt eontinuin;,' idoni; the Noiih Saskatehewan. the soil iin|)roves, and We met white sprne<-, tam.irae, and po[ilars, with thii'k and luxui-iant j,'rasses. I''ire- had piis.setl over nuich of the country. As we came within a hundreil miles of Kdmontnn, the coiintrs liecanu^ more hilly, and tin- hillsiili's were eovereil with heavy wooil. The lloia continued ihe sam ■ as on the i-astern prairii-s, Ijut it was here snmewhat more lux- uriant; a ^'ood deal of low birch ami seruh pine, plans /lankaiinia, is met in this locality. At Kdmeniun the (|'ie>,tion of coal lirst presents itself; some fratjments wei'c du'j; out of the river Imnk. Aithoui,'h they hurned in a hlacksmilli's forL,'e, evidently they were of an inferior ([Uality; lietlei" samples were reported 1 y the ollicers of the lluilson's l>ay I'ort, as havin;,' Keen found luLfher up the rivfr. "All the rivrrs we cros.sod lietwotrn I'rairie Torta,i,'o .and Kdmonton are marked hy the charaoteristii- of rnnniu'^ in wide nnd deep \ alleys; this pi'culiarity would appear to extend Lfenerally to the prairie re,i,Mon of the noith west, except, perhaps, the lower por- tions of it arountl Lake NVinuipe,;,'. However small th«i stream which runs throui,di them, the vallevs have the same charaeteristicri. The circumstance su,t,''^ests no speci.il engiiieerin;^' dillicully, hut it points to heavy expen.se in construction where rivei's are to he crossed, and the necessity of care and judgment in layiiii^ ilwwn the route, so as to keep the expense within as i.iodi'iati' limits as jiossihle. "Look in;,' hack over the thousand ndles of pi'airie country travelled since 1(m vim,' the wooded district east of .Manitolia, it is worthy of note, that alisolutely level plains furmeil no jijreat proportion of (he vast area which came under our ohservation. We v.t re agreeahly surprisod to lind that hy far tho larger proportion was uudidatiu.i,' and in 49 tliis K'SjH'ct not unlike iiuicli of the* Proviiico of ( >iitari(>, wliilc cniineuccs of foiisidoralilt' cN'vation, not ;^ri'iilly infcrioi' to the nioiintiiin at Montreal, wen' occasionally niot willi. In many plan's small j,'iovfs and fringes of trees adorned the [tniirie ami gavo lln; land- s('aj)e iin ayroeuldc and park-like a|i]icarance. '•IJoforo reacliinj,' Kdmonton we received from fjeutlemen connected with the Jludsoii I'ay Company and from others enj^agod in missiomxiy laltors, most favorahhs accounts of the cninitry on I'eace lliver to thi; north, and still more^dowini; ilescriptions of th's heauty of the landscajie and t'erlility of the soil over hroad distiicts stretching away to the south towards the international lionndary line. "A few weeks after we left Kdmonton, Col. Ilohert.son IJoss travelled southerly throuLth the s(!ction referred to. He reported the co\intry for about .'lOO miles in h-nj^tli alon^,' the eastern hase of tla; IJocky ^lountains, towards the liMli parallel, and from (iO to N(l miles in !>i'eadth, to lie of i,'reat natural iieauty, with soil of surjtassing richness. Here is found the tavnrite wintering grounds for great herds of liullalo. ■•(>n leaving Kdmonton we passed through a eouniry inter.sper.sed with hillocks, and we likewi.s(! occasionally met with swamps, many of which weie covered with swamp hav. (Jradually the country liecomcs more wooded, and the \uuhdations assume a more marked chaiactcu". More creeks were I'rossed, running in most cases through narrow valleys. The vegetation Mas pailicnlarly luxiii iaut, aning betls of coal. It proved much better than the Kdmonton speci- men, and we heard from our guides that abundance of this fuel was present ut other localities, some of it of still better ([uality. ■ " ()cca.sionally the countiy becomes more open with groves of spruce, aspen, and )>o]ilar, increasing in size. N'evertheless much of it is densely wooded, while iu (jther places the liml)cr is thin and of iufeiior ipiality. "The ascent u|i the Mcl.eod Kiver was continued for 70 mili>s. There was no reg- vdar trail, and the route of the })arty was through inuumeralile windfalls. Much of tlu^ soil is bog, and the banks of the river are rouLrh and rugged. I'nshing across the inter- mediate suuunit th(! Athabas''a River was reached. This stream runs through cliHs of ^^andstone, shale and clay, and the \allev widen.-, by a svicce.ssion i)f terraces, rising one above the other. They are very di>tim'tly marked on both sides of the stream. * The ground alternated iu its character. The trail gradually ap]ir(»aclies the river and pa.sses up the valley, which is hei'e about tlve miles with'. KoUowing the wiuf ihe nuniutains. So easy an ingress could never even have bi'cn hoped foi'. " Jasjtei' TIouHe is b\it .'{,.3()0 feet above the sea. .\fter leaving tii(> "Rlvei- Athabasca the path of the expedition lay along the Kiver Miette. I'he nanu; of Caledonia VaUey has been given to this locality (at the junetion of the Miette with the Athaliasca). It is rocky and rough, and the i-iver itself is a series ol falls and ra])i g ru'liiu'ss. iUocks, iiiul itli s\viuii|i mil' it iiiDrc igli iiaiTow I which wo llltoll SlMH'i- iit ut other iispoii, :iii(l lo ill other tviis no rosj- liich of the s the iiitcr- I'^'h rlilfs of rising one ic stream. i|>]iro!U'heH h)win,u; tlie .•Ii we were have been Atliahascii mia Valley ,ca). it is ground of The trail ss itself '\- Report of Pro'jrcnti, Caiiaduiti Pacljic liailicai/, 187 i. Projessor Macoan's licport, p. G'). '•The distiviico from the South Bmncli to Curlto.' on the North Driuu-h is aliout 18 miles. For tlio lii-st fow milos after leaving the river the soil is aandy and of poor ijua!- ity ; hut for the remaining distance it is excellent. Many lakes are scattered at inter\als over the plain, and the-se together with asjieiia aud willow.s, ^ive the ooiiutry a very pictureaattl(^ IJiviT. ir»0 mih'H at its middh- i-oiirsc, and ahmit 70 at its source ; lii'voiiil whicli thf licit of fertile pniirie coiiiiti-v liccomcs <,'radually narrower, and turnini; to the Houthward. up tho course of the lied Deer Itiver, hccomcs merged in the fcrlilo re:,'ion on the skirt of th(* motintains heiow l>o\v Fort on tlu) Soutii JJrancIi. It in lioimdcd on the north \HS of succes- sive tires which are gradually pnoroacLing on iht; forests, or partly wooded country, and converting it into treeless piairie, unless where clumps of young aspens and poplar, growing up, escaju^ the ra\ages of succeeding tires." Citptaiii, PuWiKtrii l\.r^>/i>riilii>ii i.i /I. X. Ainrrica.Julto, jiji. lO-ll. "The North Saskatchewan has its siiurce iVoni glaciers in the llocky .Moiiutains in hititllde .""tli >»', and longitude 117.1 \V.. and from the same ico lilled valleys also ris(! hranclM'S of tlie South Saskatclieuau and the Colundiia. At lirst the Ncu'th Saskatch- ewan lias a north-easteily course until i! reaches the Snake i'oi'tage in latitude ") 1 and h)ngitude 1 1 1 , half way lietwecn Kort Kdnionton and Fort Pitt. It then changes to a south-east, direction, which it pursues inilil it I'caehes ."ill 20' at its ' KHmiw,' when it changes its course again with a sudden lieiul, and llo.vs to the north I'ast. "From the Rocky ^rountain Tfouse to Fort a la Corue, the North Saskat<-hewali traverses tho jilaiiis iu a valley that varies in deiith from lO(» to ;>(«> feet, and never rxceeds two miles in width. The alluvial flats, which form the finest (piality of land in this ]iart of the country, ar.' often well timhcred, hut from tlm manner in which tlie iiv(!r winds from side to side of the valley, the points,' as they art; teiined, are seldom more than two or tliri'c miles in extent, " Hy inspecting the map it will he ol)served that tho general course of the liver is hounded liy hills which sometimes recede to a consideralth^ distance. These hills rise two to four hundred feet aliove the general level, and skirtini; along tlx'ir liase thei'e is often to he found areas of land of fine (juality, while the whole distance, sometimes erpi.al to .'{(• miles hetween the hills and the river, is fine grazing land, and as it all lies within the limit of the partially wooded lielt of country, thert; an- Milufl's' that will afford shelter to stock. "'I he richnes.-, of the natural jiasture iu many jilaces on tin; ]irairies of the second level along the North Saskatchewan, iind its trihutary, Matth? Kiver, can hardly lie ex- agg(!rated. Its value does not consist in its being rank oi- in great (piantity, hut from its fine (luality, comprising nntritions species of grass(!s and oarices, along with natural vetches in great varit>ty, whicli remain throughout the winter .sound, juicy, and fit for th<' nourishment of stock. "Almost everywhere along the coui-se of tho North Saskatchewan are to he found eligilih; situations for agricultural scittlenuiiit, a surticiency of good soil is everywhere to lie found, nor are thes<; ailvantages confined to the neighborhood of the river ; in .several districts, such as N. W., of Carlton, we traver.sel to I'll nirviii;,' lakes between Koils I'itt and ijliuonton. "lualnioHt evt>iy direi'tion round Kdnionton the land is line, cxei'ittini,' only tlio hilly e()untry at the higher levels such as the Meiiver Hills. Kveu there, howt^ver, there is nothiiiLC like sterility, only the surface is too mui-h lirokiMi to he occupird while more le\('l counlry can he oiitaiiied. * # * " 111 the upper part of the S,i.skatcli"wan country coal of fiir ipiality orcnrs alaiiid- aiitly, and may hereafter lie found vtMy useful ; it is ipiite lit to he tMiiployed in the smelt ini^ of iron from the ores of that mi-tal, which also o(;curs in lai^^'c (piantitics in the same strata. Ihiildini,' stone is wholly al>seiit till (piite close to tlnj Kocky -Mountains, liiit Itrick earth and potter's clay may he ohtaiiied in nrmy parts of the country. The climate is more irre;{ular than that of Ked Kiver. The winter is much tlu' same in its duration, hut the amount of snow that falls decreases rapidly as we ap[troach the mountains. "The Noi'th Saskatchewan frec/cs i,'eni'i'ally altout the iL'tli No\ emlic;-, and hreaks ii|) from till! I7th to the •JOth of .AiU'il. l)iirin'..( tlm winter season of live months tht! means of travelling,' and transport are yreatly facilitated hy the snow, the ordinary di'pth of which is sullicicnt tor ihc use of sleighs, without at the same time itcini,' too ,i,'rcat to im[K'ile horses. " Hetwcen Carlton and Ivlmoaton there i.s no valualde timh'i" to he fjund soutii of the rivcsr, the only trees ;(rowiiiii there heing small aspiui poplars To tho north, however, and alon;,' the river ahove and Iteiow these points, the spruce, fir, pine and l)in'h occur at)undantly. There is neither oak, ash, elm, maple, or any of the hardwood trees that are found at lied llivcr in any part of the Saskatchewan. Only a few trees of the fal.so sui^'ar ma[)le, from which the Imliaiis make a coarso kind of su;,'ar, heini,' found in certain places." T/ie (.'r>-'(t Lonr. Lxwl, h.j Ctpt. /■'. W. Ihul,,; F.h'.C.S., Clmptcr XW, p. '-':^<>. " Two thinf,'s strike the new comer at Carlton. First, he sees evidences on every side of a rich and fertile eonntry : and. secondly. In- sees hy many si<,'ns that war is the normal <'onditioii of the wild men who have pitched their tents in the land of tlie Sas- katchewan. '■'■'■ '■'•'• * Its l)oundaiii'S aie of tho hiin])lest ilescriptioii. It has (;n the north a hu'.^i> forest, on th" west a hw^i- mountain, an the south an imini'iise desert, and on the east an immense marsh. I'rom the forest to ihe desert there lies a ilisiance varyin;? from 41) to laU miles, and from tho marsh to tho mountain, SOI) miles of land lie s|)read in every varyinif jiliase of undulatins,' fertility. This is the Fertile Uelt, the laml of the Saskatchewan, lln! winter home of the hullalo, the war country of the Crecs and Ijlackfeet, the future home of millions yet unliorn." CoAI. AND LioMTr, I)!',i'osns. (Itolorjical Sitrr'ii, 1S7I)- 1. Oli^crriitlons In/ Mr. S base of these hills to C.irlton very few are seen. As the mime ini|)lies the country is comparatively well wooded, and grass is everywliere abundant. * * There is but little change to note iu the general aspect of the country. * * * The ridges and hills arc composed of sand and gravel; the soil is generally light and \»mv, grassy margined lakes and [lools, many of tht ni salt, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // {•/ y ^ /!/ L^^ f/. ''^ 1.0 I.I 12.2 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 ^ 6" — ► m §m. ^l ■m ^ V >^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. M580 (716) 872-4503 62 abo\iu(.l, ami the surface is very ivregiilar and broken, -oresenting a succession of saucer- shaped dejiressions witli intervening low marmaloid iiills and rounded ridges of drift, with grairsy or occasionally ])artially wooded slopes, and on the surface scattered l)locks and boulders of gneiss and buff-colored, fossiliferous limestones * At a rich black loam on a Jackfish Lake the soil for many miles is of the finest fjuality blueish-gray clay. The surface is thrown into large hillocks l)y the moles, and gophers, or marmots. Fiom Jacktish Eiver westward, the country is tolerably level and thickly dotted Avith patches of copsewood." Ihkl. p. 3S. * '■= * " Examined the left bank of the river (North Saskatcliewan) for a mile and a half below Fort Edmonton. Found two thin seams of coal Avith a black earthy shale and layers of gray clayshale between them, the former made up of indistinct plant remains looking like grass and sedges. Immediately above the coal seam is a hiyer of brown greasy clay six or eight inches thick. Tliis clay works into a lathor-like soa]), and Dr. Hector says it was used by the women at the Fort for washing blankets. A sample of it, analysed by Dr. Hoffman in the Survey Laboiatory, shows it to be a hydrous silicate of alumina. * * '■'■■ The strata are generally horizontal, though occasionally presenting a slight dip, tliree or four degrees, to IS. 29" E. A nodular clay iron ore occurs in layers associated with shales. * ■•• * Striking nearly due south in about 12 nules we ciuue to tlic crossing of White Mud Creek, a small stream which empties into the Saskatchewan about 2^ miles above Edmonton. The trail we aj'o now following is much better than that between Victoria and Edmonton. Tlie general character of the country unchanged. A rich black soil ; numerous swampy lakes, open richly grassed prairies with belts and patches of co2)sewood with sj)ruce and p()2)lar trees. '■' * * "We reached IJattle River, crossed it. Battlt^ Wwqv is here fjuite a shallow stream, 20 yards wide, witli stoney bed and gravelly banks about ti'U to iifte(ni feet higli. From tliis point to its junction with the North Saskatchewan below Fort Pitt, its general course is nearly east through live and a half degrees of longitude, and for a great ])ai-t of the distance, accoixling to Dr. Hector, it runs iji a valley from 150 to 270 feet below tlie l)lain. No change in the character of the country, a drift-covcn'cd surface the prevailing feature." Ocohujical Survey, 1873-1. Obsrrva/ion.-i h// Mr. Srln-jjn, F. /!J,'.S., p. I'J. " From the Mountain House to Edmonton, and thence to a short distance; below Victoria, there are fair exposures of the strata at comparatively short intervals alouf tlu; river ; soft friable green, gray and brown concretionary sandstones, alternating with blue and gray arenacious and argillacious shales, with layers and beds of lignite, and bright jet-like brown coal, are the i)revailing features in their exposures. In the shales there are layers of nodular clay iron ore, liolding numerous fragments of ))lants, and contain- ing an average of 34.9iS per cent, of ii-on, but I ilid not see these anywhere in sufficient abundance to be of economic importance. At one |)lace on the right liiwik of the river, about 40 miles l)elow the confluence of the Brazeau Eiver, I found a seam of this jet-like coal, which measured from 18 to 20 feet thick. It occurred of equal thickness "in two exposures rather more than four miles a[iart. In the first exposure, Avhich extends from !)0 to GO yards in length, Imt which owing to the swiftness of the current running at its base, is not easily examined, the seam is almost flat, and rises from the water in a nearly vertical cliff", exposing 18 feet of apj)arently excellent coal. The ))ottom of the seam liei'o was beneath the water, and could not )»e exiindned ; above it the cliff was not accessible, and the rocks were concealed by slides of earth and other debris. The second exposure, 68 [)f s.'uicer- of drift, 0(1 l)locks * At oam on a goj)liors, thickly cl whicli is no tlouht on tlio continuation of the same seam, riice and )w stn^am, h. From ts general !at ])ai"t of below the prevailing I 'J. ice below along thv^ with blue nd bright ales tliere I contain- surticient the river, is jet-like ss in two Ltnds from ing at its I a nearly ioam liero iccessible, exposure, " Dr. Hector has sejiarated the Edmonton coal rocks from those in the vicinity of the ^Mountain House by an intervening area which he considered to be occupied by a some- what higher section or division of the Cretaceous series. He did not api)arently see tlie thick seam of coal which I found, as above stated, below the Brazeau River, about eighty-six miles from Rocky Mountain House ; and another seam of five feet six inches thick, which I found at a jiointsome 15 miles higher up the river, as well as the numerous indications of seams which occur between the outcrop of the 18 feet seam and Edmonton, probably also escaped his notice, as he travelled partly dui-ing the night, and in the winter, on tlui ice, when many of the exposures along the banks must have been con- ceaksd by snow. TIk; observations which 1 was able to make descending the river do not enable me to say whether the seams retain their thickness or are connected for long distances, or whether the very numerous cxposui-es and indications seen in the clitf sections rojn-esent only more or less lenticular shaped and isolated ])atches, repisated at different horizons and over large arras. Dr. Hector api)e;. to incline to the latt(!r idea, and, in a note referring to the seams at Rocky jMountain House, he states: •The coal l)(!ds are not continuous for long distances.' Wheth(!r this is actually the case or not, there can be no rpiestion that in the region west of Edmonton, bounded on the north by Athabasca Riv(!r and on the south by the Red Deer River, tliere exists a vast coal Held covering an area of not less than 25,000 scpiarc miles, and beneath a large portion of this area we may cxixict to find workable seams of coal at depths seldom exceeding 300 feet, and oft(ai, as in the case of the thick seams above described, very favorably situated for working by levels from the surface. *' Below Victoria the river valley widens considerably, and often ris(>s by successive broad steps or broken terraces to the level of the prairies on either side. Sometimes, as in the vicinity of the St. Paul R. C. Mission Station, 'J7 miles below Edmonton, these terraces are very regular and quite bare, while at others they are thickly clothed with brushwood of v/illows, alder and other shrubs mixed with [loplar trees, and here and there small clumps of s[)ruces or pines. Occasionally the banks abutt steeply on the river, and afford imperf(!ct exposures of the strata, wliich differ considerably from those met with at and abo\e Victoria, Hard flaggy sandstones, and impure limestones, associated with soft Ithu; and gi'ay clay shales, with layers of largo concretionary, olivcv brown coinent stones or scptaria, si'amed m itli \eius of yellowish-white calc-spar, and holding fossil sIkjUs ( Inoiu-noiinx, ((.■i'.,) are here met with, l)ut no thick bedded sandstones, and without associated coal or lignite beds, or, so far as 1 observed, any plant remains. Whet'ier these marine Cri^taceous IxmIs are above or ))elow the Edmonton coal bearing beds I am at pv(:;;ent unable to say. \ am, however, disposed to take the former view, not with stand '.ng that the plant remaius associated with the coal beds are of modern types. "Dr. Hector divided the (,'rctaceous strata of the prairies into an upper, middle and lower group, and in the latter he placed the Rocky Mountain and Edmonton coal series, at the same time remarking : 'In my next and lowest group I have (with great hesitation) classed the largo deposits of coal or lignit(> of the prairie country, that are sufSciently compact to bo of value as fuel, but which ha\ e hitherto been generally dasaed as of tertiaiy age.' 64 ''Tlicro is no doubt tliat ill Ihitisli Coluiubia, as sliown by Mr. Ficbardson in his last report — (Report of I'rogress, 1862-0.'},) tlio coal seams belong to the lower part of the Cretaceous series and are overlaid by more than 4,000 feet of st)'ata holding hioc- craini, Anunonitcti, Bacrdltes, wwC. other marine Cretaceous fossils. *' Hhould there ])rove to be a similar arrangement of 'he formation in the Saskatch- ewan valley it Mould very greatly enlarge the area ov(ir ^\Uicll workable seams of coal may be cxjjected to occur. ■■'• * In the vicinity cf Fort Pitt and thence, wheix'vcr sections occur, the whole distance to the Elbow, similar Cretaceous clays Avith Scptarian nodules are seen. "At the Elbow the river leaves tlio eastern limit of the third or uppermost pi'airie level formed Ity the Eagle Hills on the south side, and by the Thickwood Hills on the north side of the valley, and making a sharp liend to the north-east more or less parallel to the trend of the eastern slopes of the hills named, it flows across the second prairie level, making for the nearest point of its e iStern limit, Avhi(;h it reached about 45 miles below Fort a la Corne. Between the Elbow and this point, and especially below Carlton, the immediate banks of the river are either low and flat, or rise in well Avooded slopes, broken into more or .less rounded hills and i-idges, or showing a succession of terraces, to the prairie le\el, some 200 or oOO feet above the river. * * '■'■ ''Blocks and often cnornuius rock mass(!s of the buff or cream-colored saluriar lime- stone holiling cliaracteri.stic fossils are widely and abundantly distributed over the flrst and second prairie stei)pes. Tlu; ascent to the third prairie level, which has an average elcA-ation of froiu 1,900 to 2,000 feet above the sc^i, commences at the Thickwood Hills, 20 miles west of Carlton, and on it the limestone boulders do not appear to have reached further west than the longitude of Eort Pitt, and between Fort Pitt and Edmonton not a single bould(M' of limestone was observed, either along the Ha.skatchewan Biver ov on the ]ilains. On the rivei', above the conihieuce of the Brazeau — a large tributary coming in from the west about midway between th(i IMountain House and Edmonton- — there are no Itoulders and very few ^^ebljles of granite, gneiss or mica schist. At the Mountain House, thc! pebbles and boulders in the tlrift. which is there seen in contact with the coal bearing rocks as well as those s(;en along the river bed are nearly all of either coal measure sandstone or conglomende, or varieties of hard quartzose rocks. * ''' * The tirst gold washing which we saw in descending the river wei'e ratlu^r more than 40 miles IksIow the nioutli of the Brazeau; and thence to Edmonton, aiu I for s(mie miles further down, more ov less gold has been found on tlu; bars and in the river banks, but always in a verv tiiiely divided state, showing evidence of having been transported from afar. Even as low down as Carlton, gold can I believe be found, though not in ipian- titics suHioient to pay for working." Jlcpdrt of Pro;/rr.-:t. ('aii't'Iirni Faclfic liaUiray, 1874, ^>. 12. "Captain I'.dliser reported the existence of large deposits of iron ore in several quarters between the two Haskatchewans. Tlio discovery of this ore in conjunction with coal at some one or more points, which could conveniently bo reached b}' the railway without taking it much out of tlu; direct course, would render the manufactiu'e of rails near the middle of the lino jiossible, and thus oliviate the immense cost of a long land transportation. Moreover, tli(! e.stablislniunit of local manufacturing industries would bo assured." Occrlanank, however, sections aro dis- jilayed which exhibit their structure. They are composed of horizontal beds of arinaceous clays, sometimes p.' .sing into true sandsione, generally in spherical concri^ti(Mis, and at others into clay shale. Many of these beds aro highly ehai'ged with nodules of clay iron- stone, which, when broken, aro found to be full of commiiuited fi'agiuents of vegetable matter. Included in these Ijeds are various seams of coal or lignite, which seem to be of 66 a very useful quality, as it is usod to tlie oxolusiou of all othor fuel iu the forgo at tlio Foi-t. - •■■■■ •-'■■ "Under the Fort there are two scams of about IS iuclios each, but on the ojiposito side of the river, close to the water edge, there is a l>ed six feet thick, and again another four feet a little higher up the bank." Approach to the PtociKV Mountains, 77/'! Xor/h-]Vi'ti( Paxxctf/e hy Land, hj Viscount M'dkni and Dr. CJieadle, //. 201. " The road to Lake >St. Ann's (from Edmonton) passed through a fertile and i)ark- liko country for about 50 miles, but at St. Ann's the thick forest commences, which extends far to the north and westward to the mountains. 8t. Ann's was, doubtless, chosen iis the site for a settlement on account of the immense number of the covgomis, or ..•bi'to llsh, furnished liy the lake, forming the staple food of the inhabitants ; but it is ill vda[)ted for I'arming, on account of the timber, which has been very ))artially cleared away f(n- little fields of potatoes and grain. The lake is a pretty sheet of water, several miles in length, its slun'es dotted on the western side by 40 or 50 houses and a church. * * * " When we left St. Ann's the track led us immediately into the densest forest, where the ground Was boggy and rotten, thickly covered with fallen timber. On the second day after we left Lake St. Ann's, the road become rather l)etter, there being a few ] latches of ojiun country, and the timber smaller, clustering in the swells of the low un- tlulatious. At noon we reached a lai-ge lake and travelled along its banks for the remainder of tlie day. It a})i .od to be well stocked with wild fowl and fish. " On the 11th June wo struck the Pembina River, a cleai*, shallow stream flowing to the N. E., over a pebbly bed, between perpendicular banks of some HO feet high. These showed the section of a magnificent coal bed, from If) to 20 feet in thickness. Coal has also been discovered on the McLood, Athabasca, Peace and Mackenzie Rivers to the north ; and on the Saskatchewan, Battle and Red Deer Rivers to the south. A section of it appears in the cliff of the river bank at Edmonton, where it is used for the forge. The lignite strata have been thus observed at numerous points, scattered over more than ten degrees of latitude, but invariably in nearly the same longitude. "A line drawn from Mackenzie River to the point where the Red Deer River joins the South Saskatchewan would give the line of coal formation observed with tolerable accuracy. These coal fields are of enormous extent, and will doubtless one day form a large element of wealth in this richly endowed country of the Saskatchewan. ''After investigating the coal, we set to work to wash for gold in the sand bars, and were rewarded by finding what miners call 'the colour,* t. e., a few specks of the finest gold dust which remaiii with the black sand left behuid when the rest of the dirt is Mashed away. " For the next two or thrcfi days the country presented the same slightly undulating character, thickly wuodcd with hardly a single break, and without any eminence from wliich a view could bo obtained. The only sound ground was on the low nari'ow ridges which se])arate(l the wider shallow valleys. These latter are occupied by 'muskegs' or level swamps, the surface of which is covered with a mossy crust five or six inches in tliickness, while a thick growth of pines and the fallen timber add to the dilliculty of th(> road. « foi'ge at tho tlio o]iposito uiu another //. 201. "Oil the tliird day afttu- leaving Pembina River, we rcstwl to dine at a marshy meadow formed by tho damming up of the stream by beaver. Th(y -were very common along our track, the grassy mound and bank across showing the old beaver house and dam in most cases. Nearly every stream between the Pembina and the Athabasca — ex- cept the large river McLeod — appeared to have been destroyed by the agency of these animals, 'J'he whole of this region is little more than a succession of pine s\Tam])s, separated by narrow ridges of higher ground, and it is a curious (question whether that enormous tract of country, marked 'swampy' in tho maps, has not been brought to this condition by tho work of beavers, who have thus destroyed, by their own labor tho streams necessary to their existence. * * * and park- nces, which f, doubtless, ori'gonus, or but it is ill [dly cleared iter, several )uses and a sest forest, ;r. On tho being a few the low un- ka for tho !am flowing feet high. . thickness. nzie Rivers south, A ised for the ttered over iiver joins ill tolerable iay form a I bars, and the finest tho dirt is undulating lenco from row ridges mskegs' or : inches in ilKculty of "The Mclicod is a fine stream, about 150 yards broad, flowing over a rocky, pebbly lied and clear and shallow like the Penil)ina. The channel of the latter where we crossed it was clean cut through soft strata, with perpendicular clitis on either side ; while the bauki? of the IMcliCod are wider apart, rising steejdy but not vertically, to a great height, and richly clothed with pine and aspen. The iSIcLeod is subject to great floods at certain seasons, as evidenced by the gi'Oiit boulders strewn high along the shore, and the collections of drift wood accuumlated at tUflereut points and turns of tho river. * * n; "Following tho river valley, we travelled through thick timbei", marshes and boggy ground, pleasantly varied occasionally by beautiful jwirk-like oasis of an acre or two in extent, and crossed several small streams, swollen into muddy torrents. *" * "'■'• Passed on along a well marked trail, which ascended abruptly, to avoid a precipitous olitT overhanging tho river at this point. Higher and higiier still it led, along rocky ledges or u[) steep, green, slippery slopes, until it reached the point where vegetation ceased, 8ei)arated by a rocky precipice from the hight of per{)etual snow. '■■ * * On every side a succession of peaks towered up, of strange fantastic shnpe. To the west, the Priest's Rock, a p^-ramid of ice, shone brightly above a dark I)ine-clad hill, to the east the remarkable Roche Miette ; in front and behind, conical, pinnacled, and rugged mountains. Hundreds of feet immediately beneath rushed the torrent of the Athabasca. Emci-ging from the heart of tho mountains through a narrow gorge into the wider valley, the river expands into a lake three or four miles in length ; then again narrowing, flows in several channels round wooded islands, to open out once more into a second lake, smaller than tho first. On the further bank of the river, be- tween the two lakes was Jasj)cr House." CouxTUY Eetweex Rocky Mountain House and Edmonton. Captain, Palliscrs Exploration of B, X. America, /uUo, /*. 77. " Starting at 9 o'clock this morning wo found tho ice smooth and sound. * * * As the views, or straight portions of the river (Saskatchewan) valley between each bend, are of good length, and tho angles they make with one another are decided, I had no (lilfieulty in mapping the river with compass as I wont along. During the first 20 miles we passed frequent sections of tho sandstone and clay strata with lignite, but gradually the main valley got wider, and the immediate silt banks increased in elevation till they were 50 feet al)ove the river, and formed extensive well wooded flats. " In the afternoon the coal group, with tho same characters as at tho Rocky Moimtain House, were seen, dipping with a considerable angle to the N, E. A section of those one mile in length, showed the group of sandstones and shales to have a thick- ness of 300 to 400 feet. " Before camping wo passed tho mouth of the Baptisto River, which is a lai-go B tril)iitary from tlic S. W., tlio cuur.so of the river all ilay liavlni,' hccii uortlii'i'ly. It is vory irregular in its width, at times wiilo ami Ktiulded with alluvial islands, and at others contracted to 158 to 20iJ feet, and confined l»y high hanks. * * * " Passed a numhcn- of sandstone cliffs, with ledges that cans(! rapiils. * * Thcs(! sandstones have a s'ight dip to the S. W,, and after ten miles we again came to the lignite or coal grou|). TJiese were ex[)os(vl in a cliff 140 feet high, the npper 50 feet heing of light yellow sandstone witliout any lines of l)cdding. Below this a groii]) of sliales and earthy greer. sandstones the latter predonunating more towards tlie lower part. The lowest 50 feet is entirelv concretiouarv sandstone. '•We lialted at noon after making 20 miles upon an enormous island of driftwood. * * * Five miles further on the i-iv(>r liecinie hemmed in hy lofty preci[(icea of sandstones, ahout 150 i'vt>t high and which I called 'Ahram's (Jates,' after my guide, who had been talking of this wonderful place ever since we started. The sandstoiu; is coarse- gi-ained in thick stiata that jtresent nuich false bedding. Two miles further brought us to th(! junction of tlu; North Fork, or Brazean's River, a stream 140 yards wide at its mouth, and which is said to ri.se in the llocky Alountains. In the sections along tlio river liank tiie sandstones are getting nioi(! rare, and the strata are more frecpiently composed of clay .shales. * * * " Soon the high river banks riitirc^l to a distance from the river, and the immediate river banks became low and swamjiy, and the tortuous course of the channel made it aj)j)ear as if we were traversing an ancieni (!stnary or lake bottom. * '•■ * I'assed the old White Earth Fort. The country is very beautiful here, and it is a favorite place for tlie half breeds sending their horses to spend the winter. The; river below this jjoint takes a small benil to the S. E., and suddenly becomes confined in a narrow valley with lianks 200 to 'M)0 feet ir> ">eight, and exhibiting sections of the same nature astho.se at Edmonton. There ai ^ and shale in the upper part, with ironstone bands, then con- cretionary sandstone. o one ]X)int in this IkmI occurred a seam of very fine compact coal, three to fonr feet thick, which was traced for a considerable di.stance. ''"'■ * * "Tlie track (to St. Ann's) runs nearly due west from Edmonton through low willow and poplar copse and occasional pine woods for 50 miles." Beaver Hills. (.'aplaia l'alUser\s Explorutlon in B. N. America, folio, p. 79. "After crossing the Saskatchewan on the ice, our course wiis at first easterly over the Beaver Hills, which are covered with willows and i)oplar, but do not rise to any great height. After ten miles we tiu-ned to the south-east, and commenced to traverse a very inviting country, more so, indeed, than any I have seen since leaving Carlton. Hitlierto we had passed over swampy ground, but now the snrface was dry and undulating, and in the hollows are lakes, some of which are of good size. * * * "Started on my return to Carlton. The coal was still seen ci-oiiping out in the I'iver l)anks for five bends below Edmonton, associated with the shales and gi'(;en sandstone as before." Ibid, p. 82. " I have thus been able to see and niaj) the river (Saskatchewan) the whole distance from the Eocky Mountain House to Carlton. The valley, which is nearly 300 feet deep so ■ly. It is Is, iiiul at lucaiiio to ov no feet pof sliiilos wt'P part. Iriftwood. cipicea of iiide, wLo is coarso- ronght us nde at its along tlio i'ccpiently mnicdiate ■1 made it ' I'assed ii'itc place tliis point dley with s tliose at then con- ' compact * # \v willow at Fort Pitt, coiiliuwns to havn high alinipt banks for 70 miles, when those on tho left side hocame low and sloping. Tiien^ are many licautifu' spots, anil tlie scenery in early spring, when tho poplars wer.; unfolding tlicir briglit green foliage, was exipiisite. Tho most beautiful part of tho river is n(Mr tlie mouth of IJattle River. At Kagle llill tlie banks on tho right side are very high, but when not woode.d the soil is covei'ed with an etHorescence of sulphate of soda and lime in largt; ipiantities, often n'seiuliling a sprinkling of snow. In this part of its course the river is very wide and sha'low, and the elianuel is obstructed with islands." Dr. Hector's G colojirjt! B.vTTr,!: Tlivnii Countrt. liiijiort in (Jiqif. P.'^fiser'.i Ej'j>/ora of li. X. America, ji. 218. "Tho higliest ]ioiut of t!ie great plateau that is in P.riti.sh territory, is to be found when at the base of the ]\Ocky Mountains that chain is intsrsected by the I'Jth ])arallel of latitude, where it is elevated •1,,'')00 feet al)ove the .sea. If followed into tho United State.?, to tho south, it is found to reach a still gr(-at(;r elevation along the base of the mountains, until it merges with tho groat table land of Mexico, which has an altitude of 7,000 feet. From the above point of intersection to the nearest ])oint of the Laui-entian a.xis, which is a line from near the source of Belly lliver, in a N.E. direction, to Ciimbor- land House on the Saskatchewan, the distance in an air lino is over 500 miles ; and tho ditTeronee of elevation of these two points gives a moan slope of G feet in the m le. The general level of the eastern base of tho liocky Mounti'ins also declines rapidly to the north, for in latitude 51° 9', at where tho Bow River emerges on tht; plains, tho elevation is 3,900 feet, and at where the Athabasca, the most southern tributary of the Mackenzie, leaves the chain, in latitude 53' 12', it is only 3,300 feet above the sea. (1) The alopo of this plateau is not, however, uniform, but is broken by ste[)pes, whicli have been formed by the erosion of the surface of the country, and which mark beautifully difierent grades in the elevation of the continent during later epochs. Tliese steppes are boldly marked, sometimes increasing t) e altitude of the prairies, as the traveller follows a westerly course, by an abrupt rise .amounting to 600 feet. They have a very irregular outline, and are cut through by the rivers in many cases so as to form isolated masses of broken tableland. erly over any great so a very Hitherto i;, and in cropping lales and distance feet deep "The liocky Mountains, fornung the western limit of the great plateau, rise from it very al)ruptly, the eastern range often presenting sheer clitfs, 2,0()0 to 3,000 feet in height. Those are, however, cut by transverse valleys, into which the superabundant deposits of tlui prairies penetrate, and have been pi'eserved more or less perfectly as terraces in tho mountain valleys." FuoM THE South Kluow ok Saskat(;iiewan to B.vrTr.E Rivek Junction. Captain falliser's Exploration in B. X America, /olio, pp. 83-89, "Juhj 1st. — The valley of the Wignatinon, (2) extending north-east and south-west, sinks iipwards af 200 feet below the prairie level, and, like the numerous valleys Ave have met with last week, is dotted with saline lakes. The north end of this lake is clothed (1) Note nv Drt. IIf.i^tor. — " As the Rocky Mountains arc cut through by valleys almost to tlie depth of the plateau on which they stand, this depression of tho chain towards the north has a roinarkablo iiiQucnoe on the climate in some localities, especially uiitigatint^ the severity of the spring months, hy admitting the intlueuce of the mild cUmate of the we-steru seaboard, at a time when the eastern part of the Continent in the ncighborhooLi of the great lakes is utill icebound." (2) This name is spelt in two ways, as here gi^en, in the report, p. 85. 60 principally \>y aspens; Ncjundct fraxUil /oUinn (a kind of sucrav maple), and JiituJn pdjyijraccd, although fountl, are only in sniall (piantities ; while the side which faces tho south supports only a low growtli of wilh)ws, and in many ])laces is cpiito bare. Tho aspens are the tinest sjiccimens of the species wo have seen in the country. At the south ond of the valley, three miles distant from the camp, was a largo grovo (jf the ash-leavtMl maple. "''' "*• •'■ The scenery in the neighborhood of the Wignatinou is very beautiful and diver-sitled. Fine IjIuH's of wood and open glade.s, hills with bold outlines, rising sometimes 450 feet above the level of tho valley, al)ru|it (vscarpmeuts of whito chalky strata with ferruginous streaks, desolate wastes of blown sand, and beautiful lakes with clear limpid water aro all combined within a small compass in thi.s neighborhood. Thci'o are a few .s])ots where the soil is rich, but as a rule this region i.s barren and desolate. The dilferenco in the luxuriance of vegetation in northern and southern ex- posures is not peculiar to tho Wignatinon valley, on the contrary, it seems to hit general everywhere in this country. " The whole country to the north presents tlie same in(\gular fcatui-es ; tho soil is for tho most part sandy, and to tho south and west lies a ilat (ixpanso of i)rairie, extending to the very horizon. miles, and ciicaniped in a deli;;htful "Jul// 2;i(/.--We moved on hereabout eight valley of about ten miles scpiare in extent, with a soil of an exc(,'llent quality, c(jmposed of a rich black vegotaljlc mould 2h fc'ct deo]i, over a layer of very iini' yelhnv sand. About a mile from our encampment wo crossed a small tributary of the I'attle Jiiver running duo north. It is called the Ambush Coulee. * * * Tliis valley is l)Ounded on the north-west by a rang© of hills, called the ITigh I Fills. To the south and west, aftei* an abrupt ascent of 210 feet, a lino level prairie stretches away to the south as far as the eve can reach. " Jul// Gth. — At 9 miles from this ])laoc we crossed a mudily creek only two feet in depth, which takes its rise in the Noao Hills, and, flowing northward to join tho Battle lliver, is styled Nose Creek. Our course through these nine mihis, as well as in tlui afternoon, lay through what was once forest land, but is now dotted with small poplar clumps and several salt lakes. The soil, consisting in many parts of a foot of black vege- table mould, supports an excellent crop of nutritious grasses. * * * Q^jj^ greater part of the country with these features is tit for immediate settlement, and wants but little culture to yield splendid fruits. Tho state of the flowering plants as this date shows that spring is early, and our notes on the weather prove that the summer here ia not too dry, "Juli/ dlh. — We encamped again in th<; valley of Battle Uiv< r. Many curious sec- tions of soft sandstone and clay strata were here ex})osed, and thii;k beds of fossil shells were found by Dr. Hector extending in the same direction. The northern exposure of the river valley, as usual, was tho wooded side, containing jtojilar, s[)ruce, fir, ash-leaved maple, and birch, while tho siihs of tho valley by wliich we ajiproached it was almost entirely bare of wood. The river hen^ flows through a dee]> valley with a widf! bottom ; the sides of tlus valley are white ami chalky from the easy erosion of tin; strata, but the banks of tho river throughout its tortuous courst; are often covered with jjretty patches of green wood. In the bed of the stream wo found pieces of coil, and some of our i)arty observed it farther up the stream. * * # " Jiifi/ 2ith. — Arrived now at tho edge of the woods, it is necesaai'y to give a general description of the country ]>assed over since we entei-ed upon tho Wignatinon Valley ; and to do this let us imagine a line drawn from (iO miles south of Fort Carlton, which is on the Wignatinon, and thence proceed to the site of old Bow Fort. This line marks Th 111(1 Illfllf'.t h I'iiocs tlio l)an'. Tlio t tlie south a.sli-lt>avi'(l loii is very il outliiu^s, '^ of wliito itiful lakes L,'lil)()r]ioo(l. jai'K'ii and mtlicrn cx- bo general soil is for ctendini; to I delighlfiil , composed d. Aliout luuiini,' duo ounded on "vvest, after far as tin? wo feet in tho Battlo as in tli(! lall poplar ilack vego- * Tho and wants s this dato lor here is uriouK sec- 'ossil shells xposure of ash-leavod I'as almost If bottom ; a, l.ul; the pali.'lies of our party } ti .n^enoral n Valley ; , which is itie marks (!1 th(^ lioundary of two natural divisions cf the country, viz. : — Tho ancient forest lands and the truo prairie district. 'I'o tlie north of this liiK! i^enerally there is tiinlu'r, a jjood soil for agricultural jiurposes up to nt north latitude, and superior pasturage; to tiiu south then! is no tiin'ier, the soil is sandy, with litth,' or no admixture of eartliy matter, and tho l)asture south is iidrrior. Exceptions of course may l)e found, as for example in tho neighborhood of swamps and gullies, whero tho soil and i)asturo are better." /Jr. lIi'dorK (iKifojicd! /I'lj^orf !/i Cnjifdin l'(i!li-'u, and whicli is hemmed by scconlary banks, often '.iO to H) f'(!t high. Tho silt and alluvium Is in general ivgularly siraiilied, and almost every rivei- point con- tains one or more lagoons, showing the frequent, though slow change in the river channel. 62 " At tli(* (listanco of 90 niilr^ from tlio V\ icky Moimtains, the vnllcyH of tlm rivors llowiii;; to tlii' iNist cioimiii'iici! to t'xliil)it t(!rriu'i/.s composotl of roimdtMl fnigint'iits ot •juartziti' iiml limostoup, siicli as wouM form tlio rouiuliitl shim^lo oil a rocky shore. * * " Until \v(! ap[iro;ieli to tho niouiitiiiiiH theso terrace (l(!posits aro coiifiiioil to tho vaHoy.s of tho larf,'«!r streaius, but j^railiially they Hproad out, and at last cover tho wholo country alont,' tins liasc of the; mountains, filling up tho hollows and valleys of the outer ranges to the depth of Htsvcu'al hundred feet. This feature was observed at every point where we approached the mountains from the east, from the 4*Jth }>arallel northwards, and indeed being better markt^d on tho Athabasca River than on any of those further south. * -y- •» "Within tlie mountains the terraces expand so as to fonn level prairies ah. ng the North Saskatchewan, of which the Kootanio IMain is the principal. It is many miles in extent, and coni|)oaed of shingle and incoherent sand, the wiilest terrace being l.')U feet abov(> the river. The river is, howevc!'. skirted by terrac((s at still higher levels, especially on tho south or right siilt^ of tiie valley. Above I'ine Point the calcareous matter of thes(! terraces so inci-eases as to replace altog;.'ther the pebbles, Avhen it becom(!S a fine, gritty calcareous nnid of glistening whiteness. If followeil into the higher valleys, the terrace deposits lu'come confused with the detritus of ancient glacier moraines, which, however, are easily distinguished by tho angular blocks which they contain. "On the Athal)asca River, at 1.") miles from the mountains in a direct line, the terraces were found ut IT), 100, 210, and .'570 feet above the river level. Within the mountains this valley, which is more dilated than oven that ot the North Saskatchewan, has also the terraces better developed than 1 have elsewhere observ(i(l them on tho east side of the chain. The river also dilates into t'xtensive hikes at different points of its course, in which the re-arrangement of the material of the terraces is seen to be going on, the wat(!r separating tlu; calcareous mud from the pebbles, Avhile the winds, which aro extremely violent in this vaUey, sift out tho fine mud, and pile it in tracts of sand dunes, which cover largo areas. " The terraces may be considered as ranging on the east side of tho Rocky Mountains from 3,500 to 4,000 feet al)f)ve the sea. Whcu-ever they prevail they support a growth of a jieculiar stunly ])ine, which, in common with tho Banksian pine, is known to tho llud- .son's Bay Conijiany's hunters as tho cypress. " Often the surface of a terrace is ({uite free from timber, the trees being easily thrown out of th(! loose gravelly soil, and it is then genemlly clothed with ' bunch grass,' which at onc(! catches the eye as ditlerent from the grasses of tho eastern plains. The country occupied i>y the terraces is easily passed through, as tho forests there aro free from under- wootl, and ihe oidy ol)stacle to the traveller arises from his so oft(!n having to mako a steep descent to the base of the deposit, which is cut through by every little stream, and then to climb again the opposite bank. When jiassing along tho side of a valley, the numerous cross gullies from this cause would render the construction of a road a veiy dillicult matt(u-, although nothing could be firmer or more level than tho surface of tho terraces themselves. 'J'Jiis remark ai)plied e(iually to tho valleys on the west side of tho Rocky Mountains, where the terrace deposits have a much greater development. ■■'• * " On the North Saskatchewan, -10 miles above the Elbow, and a little way above tho Eagle Hills, on tho left bank of the river, there are clifis of a very incoherent sandstone, rising 40 to GO fe(;t above the water's edge, and worn into caves, which often communicate with tho plain above. * * Eight miles below the Elbow of the same river, near Birch Gully, the banks rise abruptly on either side to the height of 210 feet. till) rivei-s ii<,'m«'iits of oposlts ai'() mid iit lust ollows and I'jitiU'o was m the tlttli or than on s iilcng till! [ly miles in ig ir)U f.'ot H, CHpocially tor of tlies(! tiue, gritty the terraco h, liowcvcr, ct lino, tlio Witliiu tho katchewan, on tho cast loiuts of its le going on, which arc sanil dunes, Mountains I growth of o the llud- sily thrown ass,' which le country oui under- to make a tream, and ralley, the oad a very ace of th(! side of tiie =:: ::: * above the sandstone, iiinuinicate the same f 210 feet. 03 when the lovol )il;iin is roaoliod, at tlu; point whore tlio grrat orratio masses of limestone rest on its surface. At tlu^ liase of the Itank at this poiiit all the way down to Carlton, a distanci! of 10 miles, springs of wa'fr escape higlily charged with iron and zinc, whioh dt'posit a light yellow ochre. '■'■'■ * * "Nearly the whole great area of prairie country from the eastern axis of tiie Kooky Mountains is ()C('U|)ied liy cretaceous strata, which have attained an onormniis lics'olopment throughout the whoh^ of the central portion of tin' North American Continent. ■■ '•At the Mll)()w of tho Sciith Saskatchewan, wlu-'n^ that river cuts tlii'nu!,'h tho groat prairie ciUeau, the boulder drift is seen to rest on strata, of purplt^ clay with nodular masses of iron-stone, with veins or cavities filled with calc-spar. Those soptaria are in groat numl)ei-s, and, when broken, ai'o found to iuoludo fragments of fossils. The outci()|) of these .soptaria clays has a dear n^lation to the groat prairi(^ ridge, which is cut by tho South Saskatchewan at this point, and then is contiiniod to the north-w(!st by the Kagle Hills and othei's to near Fort i'itt, where it hems in the North Saskatchewan in like manner, the lianks having an altituih; of ")()() ftuH, and also dia})laying .sections of the strata with the same fo.ssils. They w(.'re also observed at the base of the Eagh^ Hills, and wh(!rover they prevail they form lofty and ruinous banks, the strata breaking away in great slices, while these slide forward successively at sonu; points. 1 have counted as many as 1;5 of such .shales on tht^ bank of tho river, tins oldest, though now close to the water level, still lioaring ])art of the original prairie surface, supporting the same turf ihat onc(! grew liOO or ."500 feet above its present position. The result of this is, that it is seldom that anything can bo learnt of the strata which form the full thickness of tho rist'i- banks, the more superficial beds being repeated again and again in each slip, so as to give a very exaggerated idea of this development. •■• =■= ■''• "At Fort Edmonton the beds of the river valley ;ire from 1 IM) to 250 feet high, and at most }>laces dcmsely wooded seven to ten miles back from this valley on either side, a lino of high ground rising from 200 to 300 feet above a willow covoi((d ])lain, and consisting, as far as I could learn, of wliite marly clays ; but the coinitry in this neighborhood is much obscured by superficial deposits, ami by small copse- wood. Tho river valley has a -wide, flat bottom, through which the river winds in a channel W to GO feet deep, and wherever this present channel sweeps close under the higher valley l)an.ks, sections are displayed disclosing horizontal strata of cretaceous clays, sometimes passing into true sandstone with spherical concretions, but at others into clay shales. Many of these beds are highly charged with nodules of clay iron-stone, which are filled with comminuted fragments of vegetable matter. Tlu; lignite occurs in the clay strata and varies greatly in purity. It Is used in tho forge at the Fort, and is fomid to answer very well, excejiting that it 'burns' the iron more than ordinary coal. It ignites with difticidty, but keeps alight for a very long time, and if left to itself without a draught, smoulders away into an abundant orange-coloured ash. It contains a quantity of water in its conn»osition, as, although generally compact, like fine bitumenous coal, when first excavated, it soon splits up into fragments, which have dull earthy surfaces. Thtn-e is a great difference in the quality of the lignite, according to the bed it has been procuretl from, and also the distance from the outcrop to Avhicli the seam has been worked. " The fort stands about 100 feet above the water level, and below it in the bank there are two seams of 18 inches each ; but on tho opposite side of the river a little dis- tance below, sections occur where there are several seams exposed, the principal of which, close to the water's edge, is six feet in tliickness, and another a little way, where it is four feet, with others less pure. " The gravel and shingle deposits are seen to rest oi the cut edges of the lignite- (11 bi^u'iin; luvls. ;uiil i\\\\ tlu'nM*on\ of m(in< i\vtMi< tl;»lt\ 'I'liov Oimtaiii tVai^Juoiii < of iioiluli's (li'i-ivod i'vonx l\\o uruliM'lviiii; sinit.'i. .iloujj with |h"1i1i1<'s of tiuart/aiul otlu'ritH'ks that muj^t havo 1hh>ii ilorivoil from »>lso\vliriv. * ■ * " I'\ir '.'(^ mill's up till' Noidi S.iskairhi'uan a'KUi' I'.irt Ivliuouton. (ho u'i">v aii'iiaiViMis oiays provail, i'oi-miuL;' (ho hanks of (lio v'lscv, w hioh. aro hi^li anil j'.iHH'ipidnis, tiio \aUoy for (hi^ ili.s(anoo niakiu;:; a tiiioi'ossion of a'onipt bonds «t'(«>r ovory fow tnih'S liy a stiaii;li( otnirso. its main liiroi'don Ix-im; (o (ho nordi. Tho sooomlary banks an' also y;failuaily htst, till al lom:l h. I'rom ilu- \alloy naiaow in;;', (ho rivor ooi"n|>ii's its fnll wiilth. Ahovc tliis point, iiowovor. tho valloy stuMonly wiilons out, ami ju-osorvos on thowholoa sdMiiJilU oourso (Vom tho west, inilopomloni o( tho \Ninilin:;s of tho rivor itsolf. whioli lias a vory (ordious fourso lu'(\\oon st'oomlaiy hanks, orossinu; from siilo (o siili' of (ho 1,'roat valloy. rouml hoavily (imhorod (la(s Wl./n tho rivor swoi'ps iimU'r iho hii::i( hanks, sootions .ahout L'OO t'oo( lii_i;h ai'o o\|h>.-oi1. o\' \vhi(o v.ariopUoil marls, whii'h aio out ii\ tiio mo'.t ro^ular niannor hy s;'ullios into pyiamiils. with a most artitioial a|>|io;ir anoo, as soon from (ho I'ivor. (lioir hris^lu i-halky snrfaoi's hoin-:: (hrown into s(ronL; roliof In (ho ilark groon pinos liiat olo'.ho tho ravinos anil low rivor h.mks. " KiUoon mill's holow {]\o moudi iA' Hra/.oan's l\i\i«r. whioh is ,a lar^o tributary of tho North S:is];atoho\van tVoni tin' \vo>t, wo apiin n-ot widi (h(> liL:;ni(o hoarini; aronaooons. ;inil from (ho poiu( (iioy woro (i-aooil nuuUorrupd'illy (o (lu- haso o\' (ho nuiuu(ains. Tiu' t'orma(ion now prosrius vory ilitlortMU oharai'(ors tVom (hoso at Milmouton, ha\ in^' nioro (ho appoaranoo of shoro iloposit. 'l"ho mineral i'onipiisi(ion is \ory varioil, ami laruo iloposiis i>t' sanilsl ill' oi'iair, whioh is lino or -oarso m'aim'il, hut no\ or uialvos any aiijiroaili to a 1'ouj.louu'ralo. ^ ■*■ "(hi tho A(li.:h;;soa Kivor (lio valloy tVimi l''or( Assiiiihoiuo. U|i (<> (ho oiKor ran^o of tlio mouiuaius at noailiuan's IJapiiJ. outs (i.roii^h ar^ilku'oous saui! s(onos. with hoils of ohiy aiul liijuiio ol" (ho same kiuil as (hoso o( Mounlain llouso. Tho saiulsdnios aro in murh i;roa(or pro]H>r( ion. iiowovor, aiul (ho lii;ni(t< hoils .-iro more rarely .soon than in tho Si'otums ah>!iu; tho Nordi Saskatohowan. .\t Noailiuan's Kapiil (hoso stra(;i aro suooooilo.l hy yrits auil I'lay slialo in roi,Milar IhvIs. uinlist\irhoil at lirs(. laK, on .•tpproai'hiui;; (ho luoiuuaius. t'ouuil to ho implioad'it in (ho la(or u|ihoa\a!s. * * "On na( do Kivor (ho liiuii part o\' tho l>anks was oomposoil oi' (iio hauiloil olays aloiu;' with ooui-rotionary masses o[' saiuly linios(on<\ Over tho haiiilod elays is tho layer o( silieitioil wooil. while at the haso o( (ho seetion, aiul under (he vNator oi' (ho riser, (lie heils of lignite erop out. " iii i of noilulos .s tliat in\i!^t I'Minoulon. (< liiiih anil lU"ltM- I'MM'V o siH'oiulaiy vi>r iu\'U]>ifs \il jn'("s<'rv("s Dt" till' river Voiw ^i^ll' to >s iiuilor llio Maris, wliii'h ["u-ial api'iar St roll i: n-lii'f mtarv of llio ; aroiiai'ooiis, > nunintains. uiow, lia\ iui;- i>il, aiul lar^o iii_\ a|>i)roai'li ilioino. up to lU'oous saiiil House. Tlio m»Mi' raii'lv Kapitl tlu's.' list. Imt. on \ olays aloin: tho la\or o( \or, tlio lirtls t'HAPl'KK V. •nil'. r.i;i nsii rtM.rMp.i \ siution. Ow tlu' ^^ll\^^i^•al riMluovs L;iMiorall\ o( tliis |iortion oi' tlio eonntrx, iiu-liulinc; tlio oiiLi'inooriii^ diiru-ultics to bo (MK'ountoroil, llioro is le-s int\>rnialion a\ailal'lo than i>\ists of tluMouto oast of tlu> Koekv Mountains, as tlioro lias Ihh'u \oiv liltlo tra\ol in this iliroetion. l'"oi' siu-h infonuation. tlioii"t'oro. as is olitaiuaUlo. oiu|iiirors ai\' n'fci'n'd to tlic n'i>ort of tho Chief l'',n>;iuoor. pnl'lishoil in 1S7!. in whieh. with tho appouilieo.s ann(>\Oii. |ii'otl\ tull |>artienlars arc ^iv on. Tho tolKiwiui;- o\.tr;u'ls are t'roin iiuloponilont authoi'itit>s on suoli points as wouhl soom to lio i>f i^onoral intoro>l. aiul oonsov a fair iiii prossiou of tho olru'aotor o\' tlio oountvv. T/w CiiudJIiin lh)miiiioii, 1)1/ C'l.trfr.-i MiirslhiJ!, p. '_'01. * " Hv .a liapi>}' t'ooontrioil y in tho formation of tho Hooky Mountains a wiilo. :u'>l oasy. aiul romirkahly liuv pass has hoou sooopoil out, almost iinmoiliatoly in tho iliroot airlin< ii^ t'luiia. Tho ijiva tost olovation, !>,7tU) foot al>ovo tho soa. i'^ loss th.m half tho luMijht of tho p,issi>s \vhii
  • w Heail or l,;\ither llffad l\iss is. tVom tlu' e,nst siinply a Urailnal upw.'inl sloping «m" the vast pr.iirie plains. Tho vle:.eeiit into British ('oUunhia is pertoi'tly praetie.-iMo I'or r,iilri>ails,'' Thd Wi!J Xi^rth /.itiiJ, b;i C>ssion. or slope, of the ]irairii> le\ol tow.ir.lstho norlii I'oiitiiiues. with inarke.l i\'ijularit\ , tl\rous;'hont. the wluilo of British .\inoiie;i ; thus at the I '.'ih parallel ^the houiulary line hetwotm the I'nitt'il States^ the mean elexation of the pl.iins is jihoiit l,tHi() feet. Two huiuh'Oil ;.ihl tifly miles north or in tiie .">,')ril p.ir.illel. it is ahout ;?,t)(H) foi>( ; juiil iUH) mih>s still further north, or aliout tlii> entiaiuv tf I'eaee luvor I'.iss. it has fallen to something;- like I.TtH^ t'oet alnne the se,a level. " l>iit these oiov.itions have* riM'eronei' only to the pr.iiries at th;> e.istern li.iso of the Kooky Mountains. \\"o must now t^laneo at tlu' mountains tln'insehes, whii'h t'orm the real ohstaolo to inter oeeanit- lines of railroaJ. "It miu;hl he inferroil from this ^radiuil slope i*f the j'laiiH norlliw .ir.ls. that tlu' nionnlain ranges follow eil tho s;une l.iw, ;iiul iltvroasoil in a oiuresp.nuliu^' iloiiroe, after llio\ passoil the I'.'lh par.illol, but siieh is not tlu> e.ase ; so fir iVom it, tlit\\ mily attain their maximum (>le\alion in o'J north latitiulo, w lic>m t'lMiu an altituile of lt>.('iU) fi>i>(. (ht< summits of Mounis Hrown ami Hooker look down on the fertile plains at the soitivos of the Saskatehewau Kiver. * * * " r>ut tliou'^h tho summits of the niuiio iuv'reast' in heis^'hl as wo go north, tho lovoU of the vallovs or passes, lUvroa.so in a most romarkiihlo de^jreo." i) 66 Report of rrotjvcisc, Canadian Pacific llailiraij, 1874. Iieporl by Mr. Marcus Smith, 2), 103. "The surveys made up to tlie present time through the great inountaiu zone running jiarallel to the shores of the Pacific Ocean, sliow tliat a favorable line for the railway can be oltained from the summit of the Yellow Head Pass in the llocky Mountains eastward to Fort Edmonton on the North Saskatchewan Iliver. "The distance between these two points is estimated at 288 miles, and on the first 50 miles from the summit oi the i)as3 easterly there will be a considerable number of rock cuttings, but none of them very deep, and but very little, if any tunnelling will be I'equii'ed. The grades throughout this length will be easy. "Thence across the Foot Hills to Fort Edmonton the grades will be undulating, and none of them need exceed 53 feet per mile; with excavations at no great depth, in sand and clay loam, and only a few cuttings through soft sandstone. The most important works on this section will be the bridging of the Athabasca, McLeod, Pembina and Saskatchewan Hivers." TxiE PiocKY Mountains. Overland Bailway through 11. N. America, h)j Alfred Waddington, p. IG. " The I'oad now enters the Rocky Mountains, and turning soiith, passes for several miles between a small lake to the east, and the Athabasca, a stream 200 yards wide, swollen and turbid with glacier water, which rises in the llocky Mountains, some DO miles above, and iiins here nearly due north at the bottom of a wide, flat valley. A little higher up, the river expands into two small lakes, the lower one bathing the foot of a ]iorpendicular limestone (?) blufi' forming part of the lioche a Miette, a singularly shaped mountain, 6,000 feet from its base, or i),400 feet above the sea. Immediately beyond, the road enters on a little sandy plain ; opposite which, and in a lovely expanse extending some 5 miles on the left bank of the river, between the two lakes, lies Jasper's House, in long. 118° 10', hit. 53° 12'; 3,372 feet above the sea. The road now crosses several fordable mouths of a stream from the south, and continues in a southerly direction for about 18 miles iip the narrowing valley, along the right bank of the Athabasca, and over easy ground, requiring, at most, an occasional cutting or embankment." Ibid, pp. 17,18,19. " The summit of the Yellow Head Pass forms the limit of British Columbia. It presents a comparatively open and level space for about 3 miles ; after traversing which, the road would pass over easy ground along the north side of Cow-dung Lake, and at the foot of verdant, swelling hills ; the lake consisting of two portions connected by a short narrow channel, and in all about 7 miles long. It would tlien folio vv the direction of tlie sniall stream issuing from the western extremity of the Lake for several miles, down to where the Eraser, flowing through a narrow gorge fi'om the north-west, sweeps round into the valley. The road would run for the next four or five miles along the ni^ith side of this stream, between the river and the steep hill sides of the straitened valley, over level but low ground, subject to be overflowed and encumbered with fallen timber ; till it reached Moose River, a rapid stream falling in from the north. Two or three nn'les below, the Eraser expands into Moose Lake, 12 to 15 miles long by 2 to 3 wide. The mountains on the south side of this lake rise jierpendicular to a height of 2,000 feet. On the north side, tJiough less abrupt, they still come down in many |)laces to the water's edge, and close in. on the road, thus necessitating several miles of side cutting along the lake. The valley now begins to acquire a more rapid and continuous descent, and, changing direction. 67 itk,2h 193. lilway can 3 eastward n tlie first number of iig will bo ating, and h, in sand important "mbina and IG. for several ards wide, some DO A little foot of a rly shaped ly beyond, extending L''s House, ies several 'ection for , and over imbia. It ug which, and at the ly a short ;ion of tlie I, down to 'otnid into lide of this • kivel but it reached below, the mtuins on the north edge, and ike. Tlio direction, runs nearly due west for the next 30 miles. Four or five miles below Moose Lake, it opens somewhat, after which it is much encumbered by largo timber, till the mountains close in once more, and the road between them and the Fraser is obstructed by lofty cliffs of crumbling slate rock, the first met with beyond the Summit. Four or five miles below this, or about 15 miles from Moose Lake, a considerable branch called the ' Grand Fork' enters the Fraser at right angles from the north, through five separate mouths, which would have to be crossed. At this point the Fraser runs through a narrow rocky gorge : after which the valley, for the next 10 miles to opposite the Indian camp at the ' Cache,' becomes much more open, and the ground easier, though intersected by several streams from the north, and obstructed by fallen timber of gi'eat size. " The latter half of this distance is heavily timbered, and the descent between Moose Lake and the Cache rapid and continuous, but nowhere steep ; averaging less than 45 feet to the mile, and probably never exceeding 70. There would also be some con- siderable side cuttings and eml)ankments, but not a sirgle tunnel in the whoh- length of the Pass. The continuation of the road in a straight line to the Pacific is now interrupted by a barrier of mountains, beginning some five miles below the Cache, and running north and south. These present the most extraordinary accumulation of mountains behind mountains as far as the eye can reach ; whilst they arrest the course of the Fraser, which turns suddenly north. * * * " The proposed i-ailroad must therefore necessarily follow the valley of the Fraser to the north ; or else take the line travelled by Milton and Cheadle down the Thompson to the south. But the latter, besides continuing for 120 miles below the Cache to run through a mountainous, uninhabitable region, covered with dense forests, and being costly in proportion, would lead to nothing definite beyond the opening up of a small portion of the colony ; since, in spite of every eflbrt, no really available line for a railroad between Fort Kamloops and New Westniinster has as yet been discovered through the Cascade or Coast Range. " The road down the valley of the Fraser, on the contrary, though describing a circuitous route, would turn the Cariboo or Gold Mountains, and communicate immediate- ly, either below Westroad River, or lower down at Quesnel Mouth, with the Chilcoaten or Great Western Plain of the colony ; whilst below the mouth of Bear River, the valley opens ujjon a fine tract of rolling country, with a climate considerably milder than that of (Canada, and ready for immediate settlement ; instead of the interminable mountains aiid forests on the Thompson Route. The Fraser, moreover, (whatever may have Ijcen said or wi-ittcn to the contrary), oilers a valuabh* water communication, and one inuncdiately available, through the whole of this cultivable distinct. "Nor nui^:t it l)i' forgotten that the gold diggings, together with the mining po]»ula- tion, are constantly moving on towards the northern limit of the colony, and that this is the direct line of )'oute to Poare Ivivcr, and all the latest gold discoveries." Ovran to Ocean, hij Ikv. ii. M. Grant, p. 233. " There is a wonderful i'ond)ination of beauty about these mountains. Great miwjses of bohlly defiueil bare rock iire unitinl to all the licauty that variety of form, color and vegetation give. A nolile river witli many tributaries each defining a ilistinet I'linge, ami a beautiful lake ten miles long, embosomed three thousand three hundred feet above the sea, among mountains three times as high, otter innumerable scenes, seldom to bo found within the same compass, foi- the artist to depict and for every traveller to delight in. 68 " Valad informed us that the winter in this r|uarter is -wonderfully mild, considering the height and latitude : that the Athabasca seldoni if ever freezes here, and that wild ducks remain all the year instead of migrating south, as birds faither east invariably do. The lake freez(!s, but there is so little snow tliat travellers prefer fording the river to trusting to the glare ice." Ibid, p. 238. " The valley (Athabasca) still averaged from two to five miles Avide. * '■'■'• What a singularly easy 02)ening into the mountains, formed by some great convulsion that hail cleft them asunder, crushed and piled them up on each side like cokes of ice. * * The Athcabasca finding so plain a course had taken it, gradually sluiped and finished the valley, and strewn the bas-fonds, which cross torrents from the hills have seamed and broken uji. It looks as if nature had united all her forces to mako this the natural highway into the heart of the Rocky Moimtains." Ibid, ]>. 2r)2. * * '■''■ " Our throe ranges ai'c tlie Rocky jMoxmtains proper ; the Selkirk and Gold, which may be considered one ; and the Coast Range or Cascades. The passage from the east through the first range, is up the valley of the Athabasca and the Miette, and Ave have seen how easy it is, especi. Uy for a railway. The aveiMge height of the mountains above the sea., is 9,000 feet ; but the Yellow Head Pass is only three thousaiul seven hundred feet. On each side of the valley are mountains that act as natural snow sheds." Ibid, p. 254. " Moose Lake is a beautiful sheet of water, ten or eleven miles long, by three wide. It receives the Eraser, already a deep strong river fully 1.^)0 feet wide, and also drains liigh mountains tliat enclose it on tlie north and south. * * * ''pjio hillsides and the coiuitry beyond supjKU't a growth of splendid spruce, black pine and Douglas fir, some of the spruce the finest any of us had ever seen. So far in our descent from the Pass, the difficulties in the way of railroad construction arc not formidaljle, nor the grades likely to be heavy." Ibid, 2h 255. * * * " W« caniii to tli(! 'Grand Forks of tlie Fiascr,' wIkuo the niiiiu sti'cani reccixos from the north-east, a ti'iluitary important enough to bo considered ont^ of its sources. It flows in threes gieat di\isions, through a meadow two miles wide, from round the bases of Robson's Peak." Ibid, p. 25S. '" '•■ * "The trail follows down the •"'rasor to 'Tote .Tanne Cache,' where it leaves the river and turns south-east to go to the north 'I'honipson, at right angles to the main course. * * * ';['i,,, p,..^|^pv ^t the same ]ioint changes its westerly for a north-westerly couise to Fort (Jeorge wliere it sweoj)s round and comes south to rec(!ive the iniited waters of the North .vud South Thom})son, before cutting through the Cascade Ranges and (an])tying into the ocean. Tete Jauno Cache is thus a great centre point. From it the vall(>y of the Fi'asor extends to tlu; north-west, and tlio same valley extends south by the banks of the Cranberry and nf the Canoe Rivers to the head of the Columbia, — a continuous valley being thus formed i)arallel to the east range of the Rocky Mountains, and separating them from the (lold and Selkirk Ranges," Four considerint' 1(1 that wild aricably do. he rivor to convulsion vkos of ice. ■iha))ed and liills Lave ^- this the the Selkirk fhe paK.sage ilie Miotte, sight of the >e thousand itural snow Airoo wide, also drains * Tho c i)inc and 3ur descent idaljlc, nor tlie main or/ Commander 11. (J. * * ' " The Fra«cr Elver rises in the Ptocky Mountains, a little to the northward of the Athaljasca Pass, and in a straight line less than .300 miles fi'om its niccting with the waters of the Pacific in tlie Gulf of (ieorgia. From its source it takes a north-westerly direction for about 160 miles, when it is turned soutliward by a spur of the llocky IMountaius, which runs east and west nearly to Stuart J^ake, where it turns northwai'd and assumes the name of the Peak Mountains. On the other si(l<' of this spur rises the Peace lliver. * * This mountain si)ur turns the Fraser sharply round to the south, and it tlion forces its way through the several great parallel valleys that intersect this region in a direction a little east of south for oOO miles, till it reaches Hoi)e, from tlionce it run ; nearly east ami west for about (SO miles to its mouth. * * * " Fort St. George, a Hudson P> ly Post, is situated on the west bank of the Fi-aser Jllver at its junction with the Stuart llivei*." Canada on the Pacijic, by Chas. Iloreizhj, j). 79. "Lake Stuart is a very beautiful sheet of water, about 3."> miles in length, with an average width of five miles, and is, I should think, about 1,800 feet above the sea levtil. Jta waters with those of Lakes Trembleur and Tacla, both very largo lakes, find their way, by the Nakosla or Stewart lliver, to the Fraser, which they join at Fort George. To the north and west the lake is flanked by high hills, and along some portions of the northern side pn^cipitous rocks rear tliemselves high up from the very water's edge ; but the southern extremity is bordered i)y very low and level laud, which continues, I am told, to the Quesnel." Tha North-West Pa^;sa(je hij Land, Jiy Lord Milton and^ Dr. ClicadU, p. 321). ■'' * '■'■'■ " We may sa.'.'ely state, with the exception of one or two rocky and precipitous bluffs, tliere arc uo engine ering ditUculti(!S of any importance. From the Ped Jliver settlement to Edmonton, about oOO miles, the road lies through a fertile and park- like country. From Filmonton to Jas])ei- House, a distance of al)0ut 400 miles, the surface is slightly nndiilating, the low(!r grouud universally swampy, and everywhere covered with thick forests. A better trail than the one at ])resent used may l>e found for this portion of the way, by kee[)ing to the higher ground. From Jasper House to the Tcte Janne Cache — the i)ass through the main ritlgt' of the; Pocky ^Mountains, about 100 or 120 miles in length — a wiile break in tlu^ chain, running nearly east and west, offers a natural roadway, unobstructed except by timbL-r. The rivers, with the exce[»tiou of the Athabasca and the Fraser, are small and ford.ible ; even at their highest. Tho ascent to the height of land is very gradual, and, indeed, hardly peroeptilile ; the level only 3,700 feet above the sea ; and the descent on the westei'u slope, although mon; I'iipid, is neither steep nor diilicult." Tlie Red Uicer Count n/, Jladsmtx llmi and Xvrtlt-Wc!ia. * * * Tho height of this pass is nearly the same level as the elevated sloping plain, on the east side, from which the Rocky Mountains rise. Passes Timouoir the Rocky Mouxtaixs. llcport of I'i'O'jress Canadian Pacific liaiJtoay, Appendix E. Esq., 2>p- 1 ti-2. Z?_y Jfurcus Smith, * * * " There are several passes through the Rocky Mountain Chain, giving access from the North- West Territory to British Columbia ; some of these are too far south to be eliuible for a line of I'aihvav to the Pacific coast within the boundaries of that province. "Of those which are more favorably situated, I give the following with their a];)proximate altitudes above the level of the sea, commencing with the most southerly and taking them in consecutive order northward, viz ; — " 1 Howso Pass, " 2 Athabasca, " 3 Yellow Head, " i Smoky River, altitude 4,.'i00 feet. " 6,025 " 3,7-tG " " not known 5 Pine River or Indian Pass ' ' u [Since ascertained to be very easy, and under 2,000 feet.] " G Peace Jiiver, altitude under 2,000 feet. '' Tho eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, from tho foot of the main rocky ranges is a long gently iiiclined plain or series of steppes, and either of the above passes could probably b(! reached from the east with moderate grades. But on the western slope the country is much more difficult. Tho Athabasca Pass is too high to be considered eligible for a i-ailway route. The Howse I'ass debouches on the Upper Columbia valley, almost at right angles to it and with a very rapid descent, as shown by the surveys made of this ])ass in l^*?! ; and as there is little pi-obability of a pass being found across the Selkirk Jiange between the ujjper and lower arms of the Columbia River, a line of railway through the Howse Pass woulil, on entering the Columbia valley, have to turn at a sharji angle and follow the course of that river on a north-west course about 100 miles to the great l)cnd, at the Boat Encampment, and there make another sharp turn, and run in an almost op])osite direction for al)out 85 miles to the Eagle Pass, through the Columbia or (iold Range, by whicli a connection could be made with the valleys of the Thompson and Eraser. •'The situation of the y<>llow Tfead Pass is much more favorable. It is entereil from the (>ast l)y the valley of tho Athabasca to Jasper House ; it then follows up th<; .same valley nearly due south to its junction Avith the Caledonian valley, thence up the latter, due west to the sunmiit of tho })ass. Beyond this tho valley continues westward by a gentle d(;sccnt to Yellow Head and ]\Ioose Lakes. These lakes receive tho first ti-ibutaries of tho Eraser, and from Moose Lake that river issues in a stream 50 to CO yards wide, which is joined l)y another branch of greater magnitude from the north before it readies tlie 'J'ete Jaune ('ache. Here it encounters the Selkirk Range, or an apparent continuation of the same, .sometimes called the (Jariboo Range, by which it is deflected to a north-west ooui'se, in which it continues nearly 20t) miles through a deep valley, completely severing this range *Voin the main chain. Having turned this at the great bend, the river then Hows almost duo .south for nearly 100 miles, thence westward till it enters the Strait of ( b.'orgia lielow New Westuunster. no room * # u the oast nis Sinit/i, ain Chain, these are boundaries with their t southerly icky ranges Lsses could [ slope the considered bia valley, veys made across the ! of railway at a sharp ilos to the run in an jlumbia or mpson and is entered ws up the nee up the wt;stward B the first n 50 to 60 jrth before 11 apparent lefleoted to H'p valley, t the great 'ard till it 71 "Standing on an elevated point near Teto Jauno Cache, the deep valley of the Fraser is seen stretching away to the north-west as far as the oyo can reach ; then, facing round to the opposite direction, tlie valley is continued almost in a sti'aight lino by the Canoe River to the great bend of the Columbia, at the Uoat Kncampment ; thence up the Columbia in the same directicjn to its source ; and thus the great chain of the Itocky Mountains is cleft longitudinally by a continuous line, of deep valleys over 400 miles in length. "The portion thus severed from tho main range is scarcely inferior to it in altitude, and is equally rugged and broken; it is that terrildo snow peaked range seen str«!tcliing away from Tete Jaune Cache, so graphically described iu Milton and Cheadle's 'North- west Passage by land.' " On tho westerly Hank or foo-Q hills of tliis range are the gold bearing rocks, extending south-easterly to the boundary of British Columljia, and north-westerly iu the same line as f;U' at least as the 5Gth parallel of latitude." Four Years in British Cohunbia. Bi/ Comtna)uler li. C. Mayw:, R.X., F.Ii.G.S., p. 84. * '■' * " Fort St. George, a Hudson Bay Post, is situated on the west bank of the Fraser Iii\'er at its junction with the Stuart Hiver, which latter flows in a like direction from Stuart Lake, which is the southern post of a chain of three or four lakes which sti-etch northward 100 miles to the head waters of the Bear River, at the foot of the Peak Mountains. At the head of the upper of these lakes stands Fort Connolly." The Dominion at the West. Bi/ Alex. Caulfield Anderson, J. P., IS 72, 2)p. 2-3-4. "The three princii)al streams of British Columbia are, the Columbia, the Fraser, and the Peace. The last-mentioned, rising in the angle formed by the Peak Range with tho Rocky Mountains and tho Coast Range, after receiving the important gold-bearing tributary, Findlay's Branch, breaks through the main line of the Rocky Mountains, and, passing onwards, joins the gi'eat River Mackenzie; the united flood, after a course of some two thousand miles, eventually falling into the Frozen Ocean. " The Columbia, rising in the Rocky Mountains, pursues a southerly cour.-ie, and after receiving several important tributaries, and feeding the two extensive sheets of water called the Arrow Ijakes, enters the United States Territory in latitude 41)" after a course of neai'ly a thousand miles, falls into the Pacific in latitude 40" 20'. and " Fraser River, comparatively the smallest, but in its relation to the Province by far the most important, Hows entirely through British Columbia, entering the Gulf of Georgia a few miles north of tho boundary line of 4'J ', and iu about 122" 40' west longitude; its course throughout being nearly [)arallel with that of tho Columbia. TIu! main, or central, branch takes its rise in the Rocky Mountains in lat. 53'> 4-5' N., long. 118" W., there heading with the Riviere de Miette, a tributary of tho Athabasca, which afterwards unites with Peace River in its course towards tho Frozen Ocean. Fraser River was first discovered by Sir Alexander Mackenzie of the North-West Com- j)any, who, designating it as tho Td-cout-chc Tesse, or River of the TacuUy nation, descended it for some distance on his way to the. Western Coast in 1703. Afterwards, in 1808, it was navigated to its mouth by Mr. Simon Fraser and Mr. John Stuart of the North- West Comjtany ; from the former of whom it has its present name. Fraser River, a few miles from its source, flows into a lake some miles in length called Cow-dung Lake, below which, considerably increased by a tributary from the north, it enters Moose Lake, a beautiful sheet of water some nine miles in length. Thence the river continues ra[)idly to Teto Jaune Cache, being joined midway by a second feeder, likcwiso from the north. 72 *' Teto Jiuino Caclio, distant a])Out 70 miles from tlio .summit of tho Ilocky Mouutaiiis ami T.'JO fi'om tho sou, is the limit of canoe navigation on tho Fraser. About tliro(! miles lower down, the stream is joined by the Cranberry Fork, a tributary flowing from the Houth, svliii'h heads in with the Ncn-th Branch of the Thompson, to be l)resently noticed, and the Canoe Fork of tlu^ Cohnnbia. '• r.rtwecn 'Pete Jaune Caclie and 1'ld<'-et-lch, wliere thf^rt! is a post of th\v til is in Ik! Fraser ;no\vn as 1()1U1)S011 s extensive L'lanhcrrv seaLoai'tl, tes. Tlio ive Vale : loiiiitains. most partu iitennixed ay Company. At the former place, especially, these limited 0])crations were invariably successful, i'otatoes, turnips, and otlier v(;getables throve wonderfully. Darley yielded invarial)ly a heavy return ; and tli ■ igh wheat was culti- \'ated occasionally only, on a very small scale, and rather exjierinientally than as a crop, it ripened well in favorable j)Ositions. The pasture in these vicinities is of the most l.ixuriant descri[)tion, consisting of fine natural grasses iutca'iuixed with a nutritious kind of Avild pea, oi- vetch. Cattle and horses of course thrive well ; but the necessity of providing fodd(>r against the lengthened winter of these elevated parts, discourages their being raised beyond a limited extent. "This upper region, however, is to be considered more especially as the vili'lmj diti- Iric.t : and any partial cultivation that may be attem[)tod to meet an extemh'd iirirkct in connection with the mines, must b(; regarded only as subsidiary to the main supply, de- rived from a remoter source." GeoloijicdJ Survei/ of Canada, 18"-t-5. Il'itorl hij Mr, J'lines Hkhardsnii, jip. 71-5. * =■= * " Deposits of stratified clay, sand, and gravel ar(! of rare occur- rence ; but around the shores and on the lower parts of the mountains, the rocks me for the mosti)art overlaid by a thin layer of l)lack vegetable soil, which supi)orts a tolerably thick forest, consisting of white spruce, white j)ino, and cedar, many of the trees measur- ing from two to three feet at the base, and running up from 40 to GO feet without a branch. The great extent of those forests, and their proximity to navigable waters, ar(( ehiinents which at no distant date will probaldv make them of very considerable value find importance." lii'pon of the Select Committee on Immigration and Coloni::ation, Ilou-fi of Cutnmon.'^, Canada. Professor Macoun's Evidence, 2>p- 34-5. " Q. How do the volleys in British Columbia compare in extent witli our general views of valleys I " A. The British CoUunhian valleys arc more of the nature of ravines (I sjieak of those in the dry country) than anything else, but there are many level terraces, ('benches') which may be termed valleys, scattered all over the country ti'aversed by me. lliver valleys in British Columbia, except in the third district, have no existence. Every river seen by me in the middle region ran at the l)ottom of a gorge, usually called a Canyon, and had not one foot of a valley. The valley of the Low(!r Fraser is a true valley of de- ]'-ositiou, and is altogether composed of the alluvium brought down by the river ; one drawback in connection with it, is the destruction caused every year by the river cutting into its banks and wasting the land along them. At Sumas this is going on so last that houses have Iiad to bo removed alreadv. 10 " Q. Wliat is tho nature of the soil in tlio v.illoya ] Do you find rich alluvinl do- l)08it8 iu tho valleys, or are they covered with the debris of rocky fragmonta washed from the mountains ] *' A. Tho soil in tho valleys, whether they are narrow or wide, ('benches') or other- wise, is always good. The valleys are ])artly alluvium and partly the detritus Wfushed down from the hills. Apparently there was a time when the rivers stood much higher than tlu;y do now, and the (' benches') which show along their sides were then about on a Hood level with the river. 8ince then the ri\ er has successively broken through the bar- rii;rs which confined it, and left tliese terraces (' benches ') at various heights. The slopes of all tho kills are more or less grassy, and tlie valleys along their base have scarcely any loose stone ujjon them in con.se(|uence. " Q. Have you a knowledge of the tein))erature ] If so, how does the thermometer range during tho summer and winter months both on the coast and inland ( Are summer frosts prevalent and injurious to crops { " xi, I was in Victoria from the 1:2th to I'Sth December, 1872, and from the 2nd to 14th May, last year. While I was in Victoria in 1872, a fall of snow and slight frost took place, arul the papers came out next day with an account of the extraordinarily cold weather, and I was led to infer from that, that such weather was not common in winter. Jessamine, roses, and violets were iu llower, and everything betokened a mild winter. The summer on the coast is everything that can be desired, being dry and pleasant. " In the arid region the spring is about as early as on the coast ; the winter is com- paratively cold, with very little snow, and tlie summer is dry and hot. Summer frosts can do no harm iu these regions. " From Clinton upwards the winter is very cold with a considerable snow-fall and frosts extending through the numth of May, and possibly into June. I lieard of no in- jury from frosts at Quesnelle or any pouit on the Fraser, lait noticed frost on the grass on the 27th May, at or near Soda Creek. From this date until the 4t]i June, tho weather kept cold, but there was no frost. On tho 28th June at MacLeod's Lake, lat. nS", there was a severe frost, and many wild tlowers were injured, but nothing was liurt in the garden. board ? What are the facilities fo'r reaching the cultivable i)latoaux from the sca- " A. From Victoria to Westminster and Yale by steamboat ; then by v/aggon road along the canyons of the Fraser and Thompson to Spence's Bridge on the latter river. From here a 'trail' leads up the Nicola Valley for an unknown distance. Thirty-two miles beyond this point, at Cache Ci-eek, a road leads to Karaloops and tho waggon road passes on to Barkerville in Cariboo. Except a branch road passing froTu Clinton to Lilloet on the Fraser, I know of no other roads in the country." CliNTUAL PlATKAU. Four Years in British Columbia. By (Jommamler R. C. Mai/nc, li.A\, F.li.G.S.,pp. 3823. * * ■•' " The natural resonrci.'s of iiritish Columbia, independently of its mineral w«alth, are such aa to make it well worthy of the corisideration of agricultui-al Bettlers. 75 lluvinl (1(«- sliod from or otlior- is w.'ushod 1 higlier it)Out on a li the ba»- riie sloi»e,s ucoly any jrnionieter ■e suniiner " After the Cascade Ranpjo is passed, tlio country assumes an entirely diflcront aspect from tliat of the coast. The dense j)ine-forcst3 cease, and the land heconies open, clear, and in the spring and siimmer time covered with bunch-grass, which aflbrds excellent grazing for cattle. Although this country may rightly he called oj)en, that word should not 1)0 understood in the sense in which an Australian settler, for instance, wouUl accept it. There are no enonnous prairies here, as there, without a hill or wood to break the monotony of the scene far as the eye can reach. It is rather what the Californians term 'rolling country' broken uj) into pleasant valleys and sheltered by mountain ridges of various height. These hills are usually well clothed with timber, but with little, if any, undergrowth. The valleys are generally clear of wood, excej)t along the banks of the streams which traverse them. * * ■''■ The timber upon the hills is very light compared with its growth upon tlie coast. * * '■' »' Governor Douglas, speaking of this di:^trict says : — ;he 2nd to ight frost larily cold in winter. Id winter, ant. '"The district is exceedingly beautiful and picturesque, being composed of a .suc- cession of hills and valleys, lakes and rivers, exhibiting to the traveller accustomed to the endless forests of the coast districts the unusual and grateful spectacle of miles of green hills crowning slopes and level meadows, almost without a bush or tree to obstruct the view, and even to the very hill tops produciiig an abundant growth of gi*ass. ♦ * # It lias certainly never been my good fortune to visit a country more pleasing to the eye, or possessing a more healthy and agreeable climate."' ;er is com- mer frosts w-fall and of no in- the gi-ass June, the Lake, lat. I was hurt I the sca- ggon road iter river, riiirty-two ggon road 'linton to pp. 382-.'}. tly of its ricultural lieport hij Lkut. 11, SpPMcer Palmer, Royal Engnieerx, on tin; Xorth Jii.ntbich Ann (uul the route thence through the Caxeade ehain of viountai )i.s to the interior of Ih'itiulb Columbia. * * * " The belt of country lying between the Summit J.ak{! and the Chilcotin Iliver, presents more attractive features than any other portion of the route. Ranges of rolling hills of as much as 1,000 feet in height enclose broad, open valleys watered by gentle streams, and embellished with chains of j)icturesque lakes. Although considerable tracts of dense forests are met with on the heights and on ti.e mountain slopes, this gives way in the lowlands to an open-timbered grassy country, such as is met witli in the Similkameen and other well known districts of British Cohnnl)ia, and the valleys also embrace numerous compar.itively level, open pr.aries of various extent, which aHbrd bunch-grass, pasturage in fair abundance and will probably be found to be con- venient wintering posts. * -v- * <' A.*! regaids routes from the coast, the iuiju'cssion ccmveyed l)y this glimpse at a very lai'ge tract of country is that on emerging from the Cascadt; Fbiiige, the principal ditiicidties of travel are [lassed .and that, thence, there is no impracticability in making a road .across th(^ pl.iteau to strike lli(! Fi-aser at almost any point. * * 'i'lie dettu-mination of the best line through so extensive a district would necessarily Im a labor involving weeks oi- even months of exploration, the main object of course being to avoid as far aspossible the lakes and swamps, and, guided by the relative geographical position of the termini, to lay out as stiviight a road as the natural features ot the country admit of. * * '■ * '• IJt'cui-ring once jnore to the ront(> across the plateau, T must notice, as one of its most prominent features, the almost entire absence of hills between the Piccipice and Alexander', the vall(\vs of the I'oot/coako and the Chilcotin, and tlie final descent to the Eraser being the only jioints wlien; hills worth mention occur. Swamps arc very general^ 76 juolialily, in nil, tluf iictuiil extent of Hwamiw travcvHeil, in [lit'CcH from '20 to 100 yanlH in li'iiLjtIi, does iioL exceed ten miles. •'• " t)f tho climate of tlilateaii I can not give any leliiiMo data, tliou{,'li it is |)rolnible that owint,' to its threat altitude, Avliidi from the slide eastwards nearly everywhere exceeds J,0(t() feet, and reaelies to more than 1,I)()(J feet ahove the the levi'l of the sea. " I'eiitinck Arm I'onte is unlikely, for the jtrcsent at least, to a('((nire importance aH r.n arterial hi;,diway. * * iJute Inlet appears to possess far greater advanta^^es of ideographical jiositlon, and we learn from the admiralty survey that thero is a passable anchorage at its la'ad," Pii'port of Sch'ct Connn'ittof, llovso. of Commons, Canada, on Iiiuii'Kjitilion (.kiI Coluitrjh f!o)i, 1S70, Prof'. Macoiin's Eciilcaec, p. 3."». "Between Quesnello and Kort St. J.-imes, on Stewart'H Lake, is a wide extent of coun- try (liSO miles) with a very divei-sitied aspect, and a cool, moist climate. Tho valley of the Neehaco River is very wide and pei'fectly level. On l)oth sides of tho river are heautiful prairies and poplar eojjsewood, ami at the time wo passed (Juno [("ith) through it, everything look(!(l hciiiitiAil and inviting. "I cannot speak with certainty of the ahsenco or occnrronco of summer frosts, Imtif they should not he severe this woiild he one of tho liiiest tracts. (Neehaco N'alley) in all British Columhia. ''The whole countiy ahove (^juesnelle seems to have a cool, moist climate, and to he nioro like C^Miehec in its jjroiluctions than Ontiirio. l<\)rt St. James, on Stewart's l^ake — the highest point in the disti'ict — Jias alway.s heen known to ; odiU'c garden. vegetal)les, jiotatoes, liarley and o;itH, Imt whether wheat has ever been raised or not I am unable to say. All this region is an elevated pl.ateau with broken, rocky hills at intervals, but scarcely anything wliich could be called a mountain. Should the railway pass as far north as the Ncshaw, many tine settlements would spring up along the river. FoKV Yiiirs ill Brlthli Colitinhkt. Jli/ Coiinndndcr J!. C. May no, 11. X., F.h'.CS. j>. lit). * " AVheu Sir Alexander JIacken/.ie explored this part of the country, he appears to have ascended the West Iload Jliver from the Krascn', and then, crossing the ridgt! foiining the watershed, to have descended to the .sea. His I'oute has never been exactl}' followed ; but in iNdO Mr. Colin McKen/ie ciosseil from Alexandria to the same ]ilace on the coi. ', viz : Ifascals' Village or J5eUa-lioida J!ay, in thirteen days by way of Chilcotin Lake. His party travelled the greater portion of the way on horseback. Mr. McKenzie told me that they might have taken their animals all the May by changing the route a little. On their way back, indeed, they did so. The ascent to the watershed was, lie said, so gradual, that they only knew tlay had passed the summit by finding that th(* streani.s ran we.'^t, instead oi' east." Jl,hl, I' lis. * * * ""J'he trail runs tla^ mIioIi! distanci^ fnan Ahv\andria to Coast iiange on a kind of tableland, which is studded in every direction with lakes and meadows. The streams are numerous but small and shallow, in fact, mere creeks. 'J'here are sonai swamps. '■■ * * There is plenty of fallen timber ; but it is light and could easily be cleared." ) viiiil.s in .s iirohalilu )i'tiinct! ii.s tliat (Ikmu ('ulunl'.a- it of couu- ViiUcy of riv»'r iir(i ) tlirougli )sts, l»ut if Viilloy) in iind In 1m! irt's Liikti W';,'('tiililcs, unable to vvals, lull ass as far ■.,V. ;/. lie. liecountrv, I'ossinjjj the IL'VCf llCOll u the same >y way of ai'k. Mr. an^fing tlio ■rslicil -was, I-' tliat the ast JIaiigc incatlows. iuo soni« I oasily Ijc (lirn'tioii. '■' Tl Proitosed Ovii'land liidh'oad. liif Alfi'cd U'oddhi'jtoti, ji. 10. '•' " 'I'lif road wiiiilil cross tlio rich (Jhilcotiu plain in n soutli-wcHtorly ■■•■• .'•• This slightly roiling, ft-rtilo plain olU.-rs every facility lor a rail Trtircii ill lU-iii Ji Cii/iiiiifiiii. /»'// Cd/if. ('. A'. /liir)'etl-L''iiuttfd, />. i.'KS. * '■'■'• '•'■'■ " So far as reaching the I''raser from the coii.st is coneerneil, the Ihitt! Inlet route has the atlvanl.ige of licjng the shorter vv.iy hy 'JO miles, which is much more uccossihle from Victoria tliiku Denliuck Ann." Coast o|' r>itiTisi[ ('oLCMniA. Tim Domiuiou at tlir. ]Yent. lii/ A1i>x, Criv/jirhl Aitdrrsoii, -J. P., p. •'». ■''' ■■' * "The coast range (/. f;. the chain of niountiiins lying hotweeu interior of the )>i'ovince and llui Hoaboanl) connnonces ahovt; New Westmuistcr, and tends jiaiallel with the ceast, as far as Mount St, Eliiis at the northern cxticmity. =•■ " A rt'furonco to tho map will show that tlio North-west Coast from San Francisco upAvards as far as the Strait of Fuca, presents a line nMiiarkaltly free from indentation, 'i'iienco northward, however, the coast is liioken n[» into a perfect maze of iidds, forming in tlieir ramifications countless islands of greater or less extent. The minute exploration of this extraordinai'v ai'chipelago l>y Vancouver, in the years 1701-'j:5, has given ns nnips the accui'acy of which under the circumstances has excited the admiration of succeeding navigators. Outside of tin; archipelago lie two principal islands, Vancouver and ueen ( 'harlotte, divided from each other by a broad scanwl, and extending from the Sti'ait of Fuca on th(! South to the frontier of Alaska on the North. The southern island, named by tho t'xplorer (Juadra and Vancoiwer's hldiitl, after the S[ianisli t'onnnander then on the station and himself, formed originall)', with its de]ien(h'ncies, the (.'olony of V^ancouver Island. It extends in a north-western direction from lat. IS" L'U' to hit. 01", in length nearly iMO geographical miles ; its greatest breadth, opposite to Nootka, I'cing about seventy. Victoria, the seat of (Jovernment and Capital of the I'rovince, is situated near tho south-easti'rn extremity of tho island, where the adjoining Strait of Fuca is about soventt;en nules in lireadth. This strait, extending into the United States Territory by the inlet terminating in I'uget Sound on the south, expands northw.ird into the (bdf of (icoigia, whi;h extends to lat. •)()", This ])orti(m of the dividing channel in no part ex- ceeds lH) miles in width ; contracting afterwards into .Johnstone's Stiait, w liicli, at the nari'owest part, does not exceed two miles." Till- I/iid.ihi's lUiji Tirrih'riri--. J'>;i 1\. M. Murtiii. j>. '27. * " The coast aliounds with harbors, inlets and islands, of which latter that called "N'anconver, or (^Miadra is tho largest anil most imjiortant to Great r>ritain, from its ])osition at the termination of tho United States boundary, iu the 4'Jth jiarallel of hititude, and frinn its tine harljors, there l)eing no haven bctwiH'n the Straits of Juan d(; Fuca ami San Francisco, in California. * * * "The islands within the British (h)minions are tif various sizes ; tho lnrge.st, named '(i)uet!n Claudotte's Island,' is somewhat of a triangular form, lying nearly north and south; the south ])oint iu the parallel of 5l'". The sui)eriicial area is less thau that of Vancouver Island, it has sc\ oral good harbors. '■' ''' * Tho country 78 around some of tlieso harbors is said by the Americans to bo fertile, and the climate comi)aratively mild. " The Princess Royal Islands lie niarer to the mainland between the parallel of 51" and 54" north latitude. * * '■' The adjacent coast is of very irregular outline, with numerous bays, inlets, tortuous channels, forming a labyrinth of i)ass}iges. Simpson's River, on our north-west l>oundaiy, has a deep inlet and communicates with Babine Lake." IhiJ, p. 33. Cowlitz River fine. '' " Tliere is coal in the neighborhood of Puget's Sound, and on the "The specimens of lead found in the mountains on the coast are apparently veiy "The fisheries (salmon and sturgeon) are inexhausLible, and game of all descriptions are said to abound. "The timber is extremely luxuriant, and increases in value, as you reach a more no'thern latitude — that in 50" to 54" being considered the best. Pine, spruce, red and wliite oak, ash, cedar, arl)utus, po])lar, maple, willoAv, and yew, grow in this section of country, north of the Columbia River. The cedar and pine become of immense size." Ihid, 2>- 35. Report of Lieut. Yavmour, R.E. * '■''• * "The Straits of Juan de Fuca, which separate Vancouver Island from the mainland, may be safely navigated ; the shores are straight and bold ; on the south composed of perpendicular clifls that run back in high and rugged peaks, on the north rocky, and in some places of reddi-ih granite." NAVIGATrOlT. Factx dr.d /'v/urr^s rdat'mj to Vancouver Island and British Columbia. Pemlierton, p. 0. />'// ./. Despard ■■' * * " It appears far from improbabhi tliat this strait (San Juan de Fuca) will ultimately become the great commercial thoroughfare for the commerce of the north PaciUc, and that Juan de l*\ica, when lie discovered it 260 years ago, was right in his conjecture that ho had found the north-west passage. This idea is strengthened by an cxauiination of tlie ports whicli lie between San Francisco and the strait. That this coast line, nearly fiUO miles ii\ length, should not possess a single respeotal)lo harbor is a vt'rv rt'inarkablc fact." Ihid. p. }\. * " Thi! Strain of San Juan de Fuca is, on an average, eleven miles wide, and is frfc from sunken rocks or shoals ; its direction is east to west for about 70 miles to its junction with the channels, wliicli lead by a northerly course into the Gulf of (reorgia, which separates Vancouver Islaiul from the ('ontinent. The approach is safe for all dc. criptions of vessels, Ix'ing lialile to no other dangci-s than those incident co gales from the south-east, which, with eonsidciiildt^ intci'vals of tranijuil wi-atiier, arc, in winter, not uncommon, and to fogs, or rather dense smok» arising from foiests on tiie in autunin. Although in the latter case soundings are a safegtiard, inid good anclumige can generally be found within a juile of either shore. 79 he climate llel of 51'> r irregular passages, cates with and on the ently very eacriptions ach a more e, red and section of io size." ivcr Island aid ; on the ks, on the Despurd " The facility for entering nnd navigating this strait has been greatly increased by the erection of lighthouses on the south shore by the United States Uovernment, and on the north by the British." JbUI, p. 12. * ■■'■ * " Once within the strait, on both coasts safe anchorage ami gooil harbors are everywhere met with. * That harboi-s such as these should occur at the limit of sailing navigation is a \Qry happy circumstance for these colonies. The ■waters of the Gulf of Georgia are well adapted for stoam6>rs, but, there, uncertain tides and variable winds, fogs, currents, hidden dangers and detention, practically exclude sail- ing vessels." Ibid, p. 13. "That these harbons are connected with upwards of 100,000 acres of aral)le hind in the background is a strong recommendation for them. * ■'" "If a ship, ruuiiiug from a storm in the Pacific, having entered the strait, sliould be balHed in her endeavours to reach the harbor or anchorages on the north shore, the winds preventing must be fair to take her into Neah Bay, Calum Bay, Port Angelos, or Port Townsend, on the south shore. * * "■' "Enough has perhaps been said to show that the facilities for navi- gation in the vicinity of these colonies is unrivalled, and that there is no want of harbour accommodation. " Of those deep saltwater inlets, with which the coast al>ounds, f may here mention two peculiarities. At the head of every one of those that I have ever visited a fresh water stream is found. The second peculiarity is the fre(piency in them of gorges or con- ti'actions." Ibid, pp. lG-17. * * * " The interior of British Ciolumbia is eveiywhere intoraected by natural water communications, in which respect it greatly resembles the Canadas." ti Juan as those of tlie («ulf of 8t. ]jawreuc(>. Desolation Souxd. lieport iif Jfr. WUliani Downic to Gocc.raur Jantcs Doiiylax. * * * "\ye arrived safe in De.sohition Sound, wliich does certainly look .somewhat desolate in a snow-storm ; but I am well pleased with the prospect of .this section. This is the lirst time I liave seen pure veins of suljdiuret of iron, which looks very nuichliko silver. I came across a nuuiber of seams of the same kind. It lies in the quartz, the same as gold. * * * "Bute Inlet (Homatlico), that runs so nuich furtiu;r north than this inlet, has a largo river emi)tying into it from the north-west. * ■■'• We went up the river about five miles. The Indians told me it would take live days to go to th»> liead of it. Judging from the way a canoe goes up such rivers, the distance would bc! about 60 miles. * ''■ * It is very evident there is a pass in the Coast Range here that will make it preferable to Jervis Inlet or Howe Sound. '''' * It will not be diliicult to make a road along the banks of the river."' Soil, Cllmate, Piioductions, &c. Tim lino El Dorado : or British Culumbid. Bj KuiaJuiii CoruumUi.-^, Cap. V, p. 37. * * * "The soil (of IJritish ColumI)ia) varies from a deep black vegetable loam to a light brown loam}' earth. The hills are generally basalt, stone, and slate. The sm-face is generally imdulating, well watered, well wooded, and well adapted for agricul- ture and jjastnrage. The tindjer consists prhicipally of [(ine, lii", .spruce, oak (white and red), ash, yew, arlmtus, cedar, arborvitic, pojjlar, maple, willow, cherry, and tea. All kinds of grain, including wheat, may bo raised in abundance." Jbid, p. 42. * * * " In November the winter sets in, mildly freezing the lak(>s and smaller river.s. The cold, however, is not so intense as might be imagined in such a country, being far less severe than that of any part of Canada." Ibid, p, i3. * "' "' "Coal aljounds over the whole of the north-eastern teri'itoiy ; from latitude 50 deg. .TO m., to Cape Scott at its southern (>xtrcmity." Ibid, p. 44. ^'- * " The coal can be woi'ked at a comparatively small expense over a field of such extent. Some of it has l)een brought to England, and answered exceedingly well in forges." Fu b,. anil (ivovy OS, lu'siilcs ,u ' — whicli I'ijor an. l'.)-'2(). * * * "The soil, where it is richest, in the river deltas, the valleys, ami the plains, usuidly consists of Idack vegetable mould, six inches to three feet in deptli, overliiying a deep substratum of clay, gravel or sand. * * " The fertility of the soil in the neighborhood of flie goU-licaring rocks is very remarkable, and is indicated rather by the production from ordinary sei'd of gigantic roots and \egetable%, anil fruits, than by crops of grain." Report iij' Si'ltct Coiminttci' on Tnimigratiou and Colonization, JTonxi' qfCitnnnnii^, ('mnijii, IST'l. J'roJ". MacouH^s Evidence, p. ."(li. " (,>. Are the extremes (»f cold and lieat inconvenient or op])ressive to Caniidiin or Kurojican setth^rs, or injurious to heiilth t Is the climate conducive to longevity t " A. The climate of the coast is so much like that of England, that there should lie no better climate for natives of Great Britain; while that of the mainland aliove the Cascades ought to be exactly suited to Canadians, as the climate is nearly the same as we have in the east, excei)t that it is drier for the most part. I think that on the whole British Columbia has a very liealthy climate, and one that would tend to long life. " (J. What natural fruits have you discovered in British Columbia; and conld fniit l»e cultivated successfully { "A. Various species of raspberries, currants, gooseberries, strawberi-ies, ami blue berries are found througliout the country. The Oregon grajte {Jkriierls ('(/iii/n/hnii and ncrrosa) extends all the way from Vancouver to lat. 'hv> in the interior, aiul to Alaska along the coast. " Perhaps there is no better place in tho worhl for raising fruit tlnin Victorin. Apples and j)ears of a very large; size are produced in such abundance that the former can hardly be sold at any price. The orchards are all in the low wet grounds and will begin to decay in a. few years, whereas if they were planted among the rocks where the oak grows, the trees would live longer and probably produce better fruit. I can see no reason why grapes could not be produced in abundance on any part of Vancouver, if the summer temperature is high enough. After the railway is built Vancouver will send immense quantities of fruit into the interior as it can be raised to any extent and of every kind." 11 82 //;/(/, 2^- '^''• " Q. Do you know from actual observation whetlier any intertropical currents and prevailing winds flowing along the coast of Vancouver and British Columbia have a tendency to ameliorate the climate in a similar manner as the Gulf Stream affects the ^laritime T'rovinc(!s ? •J. 1 know nothing of it from actual ol)servation. but that it is so is a demonstrated fact. " Alioiit the island of Foi'mosa, on the eastern coast of China, a ciurent analogous to the Culf Stream is observed moving to the north-east. It passes Japan, and part of it enteiv Bfihring's Sea and warms the northern part of Alaska, while the other part is deflected farther to the east and passes down the West Coast of America, cari-ying with it the heat necessary to produce the exceptionally warm climate of Vancouver and the West Coast generally. It is this stream which gives the heat and moisture that are the cause of the magnificent forests found from Alaska southwards. The forests of Norway and those of Western Auierica are the ])roduct of the two great currents — the '(lulf Stream' on the east and ' Kiiro Siwo' on the west, and sceptics nniy rest assured that tlic vahic of tlie \V(!st Coast tiiiib<>r far exceeds that of the Eastern I'l'oviuces." CioLI) Ktl'.I.DS. /'i((7.v II II (I /■'iijvri's irlaiiiuj til Vancouver Ishutd and British (Juhinihia. liij ./. Di-xjiaril I'emOerton, p. 3G. ♦ * '■" " The wide distribution of gold in British Columliia is very strik- ing : traversing the country diagonally from north to south, the Fraser River every- where pass(>s through a gold country. The same may be said of the Thompson River, and of the CoInml)ii> north of 4y'\ * As a I'ule, the gold is found in unu-ji smaller particles, and less in (juantity ncarei- the mouths ofthes(! rivers, and both si/ciiiid i|ii:nitity iiici'casc as we ascend them." Trufi'lx in liritish (Jolumbia. liy Capt. C. K. Barrett Lennanl, j). 173. '■'' * "The gold I'egions of Bi'itish Columl)ia lie between these (tlu^ coast) ranges of mountains and the great central chain of the North American Continent, (lie Uocky Mountains, in i\\i\ more level districts between these various mountain i-anges we meet with vast areas of fertile land, destined hereafter to become important agrif'ultuial and jiastoral countries." Hiinirl III' Sri 'ri Cinnniilt'i'. on / in mic/rtdion and Coloirizntion, llitusi' of ('oinnninx, (Jauddo, 1870. Prof. Macouu's Evidence, p. 'M. ''(J. What ai'o the miner.il 'uterests of Ib'itish CJolurnbia ! Ai'i^ they developi'd to any extent ? Woulil cneouragenK'nt to mining interests ch'velope agricultural interests and increase immigration tr, the Province i •'A. Gold has been found in paying (juantities at Okanagan on the American Boundary, — at Shuswap Lake — at Cariboo- -on the (.)minica — on the Slickeen — and latterly at Cassiar, and an examination of the map will show that all this gold is jn-o- duced from mountains lying between the Bockies and the Cascades. Co[)per, iron, and silver have been found at various points in the Cascades, and coal is abundant on Vancouver and Queen Charlotte's Islands. 1 just mention these and ask : Are tiiese 88 MiionstnittHl lllliiin/is. all, or are they merely indications of what is to come? After having travelled over 1,000 miles through British Columbia, I can say with safety that there will yet Ite taken out of her mines wealth enough to build the Paeitlc Railway. Consider that gold has beeix found in paying quantities, at various points, along a north-west line for more than ten degrees of latitude, before you decide that the foregoing statement is that of an enthusiast. " Cariboo is really the only point where the gold interest has been developed. Coal is mined at Nanaimo, and these constitute the dovelopcnl mining interests of liritish Columbia. Gold has been found on Vancouver itself, and there is no renstni Avliy it sliould not pay for the working." Kxi'oiri' or Gom). Tke J)(iiiiiiii))ii (it tlie ]\e'. Britlsfi Colamh'm. Bif Comiaander R. C. MayiiP, ll.X. p. ")80-l-'2. '■' * * "All the north end of Vancouvei" Island contains coal measiiit?s, and soiiu> (jUMiitity has hoen taken out a little way to the noi'thward of Fort Kuport. * '■'■'■ It is uo exai,'mrration, indeed, to say, that coal exists all along the shores of both colonies (I). Coliiniltia and Vancouver Island). ■•'■ * ■■'• '■ For eoononiic imrposes these beds are wvy valuable. * * "It 'uay be remarked that the deeper the workings at Nanainuj ai'e carried tlie l)etter the quality of the coal becomes." U'eoloijlrttJ Siiffi'ii o/' ('(i/nnht, 1872-.">, /'/'. 80-1. Aj/in'ml!.'' hif ])r. /furrhuifon fo Mr. llichardwiiH lieport. ^' * "The coal itself is bright, tolerably hard, and not unlike some of tlu' best ((ualities of English or Welsh coal in appeaiance. It burns freely with a good iieat, but produces a greiit amount of ash. It is universally used by all Her Maj(!sty's sliips on the coast, and by all tlie colonial and other steamers l)lying on the coast. It is highly valued as fuel for domestic jairposes, both in Victoria, San Francisco and other towns. Oas is manufactured from it in Victoria of good illuminating (juality. * * * "The Vancouver coals are for the most part true hitumlnonH cimh, and the name of 'lignite' which has been applied to them liy a number of writers, is altogether a misnomer. * " 1 liav(i recently examined specimens (of Queen Charlotte Islands coal) collected by Mr. Richardson and found them to be true anthracites. Ik()\ Orks. fr)i)fi)i/if(i/ Surrri/ (i/ ( 'tuiiiilii, 187'M. /i'tj)ur( li// Mr. Iiic/nirdsiui, />. lOO, * ■* * " These ores c:ould scarcely be more favorably situated than they nri", either as regards mining, smelting or shipment. There is deep water close to the shore, and wharves might be easily and cheaply constructed, at which vessels couhl always load in safety. ••' * The site of the ore is 18 miles from Comox Harbor, Ul nules from Deep Bay, and about "23 miles from Fanny Bay. Thes(^ are all good and saff^ harbors, and are only a short distance from the productive coal seams of the Comox area. ' ■ " Iron or(( is reported to occur also in the following localities : "1. Fifty yards from the Yale and Cai'iboo waggon I'oad. * * ^'^ It is ii magnetic ore, and is stated to occur in a vein eight feet in thickricss. " 2. About one mile up the river at the head of Knight's Inlet. " 3. Six miles west from Menzle's Bay, V. I., near Seymour Narrows, close to some of the coal seams of the Comox area. " 4. On the west side of Fitz Hugh Sound, at the entrance to River's Inlet. " 5. Iron ore is said to occur on the shores of a bay to the south-cabt of Cape Ciimmerell, at the north-west end of Vancouver Island." pp. ;]80-l-2. lal measures, Ruport. * '••• otli colonics at Nauaiuu) iijloii. to Mi\ nlike some of with a yood .er Majesty's coRst. It is CO ami otlicr 7iihwns cofi/s, of writers, is lotto Islands KM). id than they r close to the couhl always niox Harlioi-, all good and f the Coniox It is ;lose to some nlet. jast of Cape 85 Attractions for Settlkment. 'I7w, D(»ii!ii.lo)i lit the Wfst. Bji \. ( . Anchrmn, J.J'., p. •'^7. "The <;eneral advantages of British Coluiabia as a held lor immigration may l»t' brieily summed. " A temperate climate, remarkably salubrious in its character ; a fertile soil easily brought into cidtivation ; rich and extensive pastures ; abundant natural resources for ])rocuring food ; land cheaj>ly, if not gratuitously, attainable by the industrious ; good government inider a liberal constitution ; secui'ity of life and property und<>r rigi be enormously increased by the progress of tlie Canadian Pacitic Kailway and other concomitant enterprises. " Tl! ADK AM) C0.M.\1KIU'E. Ti'KrfJx ill. /Jriti-s/i (.'ultiiiihin. Hi/ Ciipf. ('. E. Ijurntt Li niiunl. p. h"^!. • * * * " The situation of lU'itish Colinubia and Vancouver Island, on the Pacitic, is admiral)ly adapted for cariying on a trade with Cliina. Japan, India, and Australia, and it is not too nuich to supposes that these colonies must become the great highway for tvalHc between the above-mentioned coinitries anbly not occupy more than a month or live weeks while Vancouver itself would be inc/Ught, some five or six thousand miles nearei' to this country (England) than ever by tlie short overland route of Panama." Jhhl, p. l,sj. * * * "What a grand future would the cdnstruction of such a line of raihoad open foi- these remote dependencies of the British (Aown on the Pacific ! What a glorious day would that be foi' iJiitish Columbia, when, vessels sailing from India, China, and Australia should meet at sona; point on her coasts, to land their passengers and discharge their cargoes, returning again laden with articles of our own manuiacture ! Numbers of those passengers to India, Chhia, and Australia, who now go by the way of the Cape of Good Hope, or by Suez, wouhl in preference select the inter-oceanic railway of Canada, as both cheaper and more expeditious. The saA ing in the time of transit to China, especially to the more nortlnnn portions of that empire, and to Japan, would be very great, and the mercantile connnunity, l)oth in England and in the east, wouhl be greatly l)enetited I)y tli(> establishment of a constant, speedy, and safe tneans of connnuni- cation jiassing throtigh I'iritish territory. " Another groat advantage to be derived from the establishment of z. line of com- munication between the Atlantic and Pacific through British temtory, would be the facilities it would aflbrd for the transjjort of troops, stores, and artillery to any point along the frontier line or on the const of the Pacific." Ihhl, p. 184. entire sen'ici; beinj: "The advantages that would accrue to Groat Britain from the performed through British territory are incalculublo. The con- structiou of the railway would not luoroly opoii to civilization a large territory in British North America, hitherto uhnost unex})lore(l, but it would open uj) to the cultivators of tiie soil, in that territory and in Canada, a means of transit to all the markets of the Pacific, and an open ])assage to the China seas, and to our possessions in the East Indies ; in every aspect, whether viewisd politically, socially, or commercially, tht^ crstahlishment of the j)roposed railway would j,'ive a progressives impidse to the affairs of the world, which in its results, woidd efli[)se anything that has been witnessed even amid the extraordinary achievements of the present century." n,id, p. isr». * *' An attempt Mill be niad(; to carry out tlit^ long projecteil id(>a of an overland communication from Lake Superior by the 1Uh\ Itiver, Lake Winnipeg, and the Saskatchewan, to the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and finally across thcnn into British Columbia. The opening up of this i-oute would not only confer an immen.si^ benefit on the last-mentioned place, but would tend greatly to develop(» the nat.tral resources of the country thrt»ugh which it passes, which are evidently \ery great. 'Ihe climate if? by no means so severe as might be expected from the latitude, herds of buffalo being found as far north as ])aralit'l tiO". Indian corn ripens on fhe Saskafchewan. Tlie rivers are free from ice on the Iteginniug of May ; wheat sown shortly after in the valley of the Red River may be gathered in the month of August. In addition to these natural advantages of soil ami climate, gold is known (o exist in the valley nf tlie Sa>skatchewaii, as well as in that of the Atlial)asca.'' T/ie /''ii/>h>i/)nejif. of the rrapfi' (oi'l tin' Vapital of (1 rval llntmn . a lf America eihlle with coinmencc- 11(1 woaltliy Aniei'ican heir minds iilwav." e not para- 2 contrary direction-— the follosvinq consideration may bf> noted. Ass\uning Yokohama, in Japan, for n starting point, the direct distance to Es(piimalt may he taken, in round nundirrs, at ul)0>it 4,L'00 geograpliical miles ; eipial to about a month's voyage of a .sailing vessel, (y'anton is prol)ahly al)0\it a fortnigiit farther, in point of time. Moasui-ed across the map, San Francisco may he regarded as e([uidistant. The actual distance; necessary to be traversed l)y a sailing vessel in ordei- to reach that jtort is, however, considerably greater; as will appear from the following remarks which I hml ([uoted from a rccoguisc^l authority of th(i highest stamling — Professor Maury, of Washington. 'The trade winds place Vancouver Island on tlas wayside of the road from China and Japan to San Francisco so eonipletely, that a sailing vess(d trading under canvas to the latter ]>lace, would take the same route as if she were bound for Vancouver Island. So that all I'ctui'u cargoes would naturally come there in order t»» save two or three weeks, besides risk and expense.' Hence it is manifest that the Canadian I'acihc Railway, terminating at Ks(|uimalt- and in a minor degree the projectotl Northern Pacilic Kailway, owing to the perversities of the inland navigation necesstiry to reach its proposed terminus — would possess a great advantage over the line, now in operation, from San Francisco to New York. The last- naTued port, moreover — about equidistant from Liverpool or London with jNIontreal — is consido-ably farther than Halifax, to whicli point it would bo necessary to extend the traiisp(n't during th(* i)eriod of closed -navigation of the St. Lawrence. This necessity would involve a further land-transport of 48J miles, by the Intercolonial llailway now in operation : l>ut then the shii)ping point on the Atlantic would be some five hundred miles nearer to England than is New ^'ork. Hence it is ob\ ions that the route now under process of survey, if the foregoing estimates be nearly correct, presents the advantage, as i'rom China to England, of some seven hundred miles over the projected Northern Pacific Hail way ; and, under the considerjition advanced by Professor Maury, of more than a ihousand over the present route by San Francisco." Sxow Fall. Tlif, JJiinihtioii (if tlir Wfsf. liij Ale.f. C AnderHOn. .LP., fip. (Jil-T. '• The Pass by the heads of the Miette and the Eraser is so gradual of ascent, with so few ob.stacles wortliy of consideration, that it may be characterized almost as a natural road. Its shortness and dh'cctness with regard to the probable terminus on the Pacific ( 'oast, give it moreover an advantage over any other line of apjiroach : and although the de))th of snow at the summit, during winter, is nuich greater than I have seen gra\'ely stated, there is far less than by any other Pass with which I am acquainted, either from personal ol)servation or rei)ort. The snow, too, through the effects of certain natural phenomena which here })revail, and for which I do not profess to account, becomes, more compacted, consequently does not drift in an eqiial degree, and is therefore in all resi)et'ts more manageable than elsewhere. The importance of this consideration is material ; bearing in mind that the stoppages upon the Union Pacific Railway during the jiast winter arose chiefly from (h'ift. " It is a curious fact that, in the valley of the Athabasca, upon this line of transit, for a distance of thirty miles or more both above; and below Jasper House, the r.now n(n-er accunudates. I'lasre is constant grass : and the large herds of horses formerly kept there by the Hudson's Bay Company, for transport over the mountains, wintert^d there, fat, upon the natural pasture. Crossing by this Pass many years ago, on his way from the Saskatchewan, the writer found, in the month of January during a- winter of almost unexampled sevei-ity, that the snow had entirely disappeared from the immediate baidcs of the river, at the 'mouth of the Cranberry Fork, near Tete Jaune Cache ; and, for a distance of some forty miles down the Eraser, the ice was perfectly denuded of snow. A warm winel prevailed. accon)i)anied at intervals l>y a gentle rain. It could only be 88 inferred that this warm current, exteiuling through the Pass, exorcised a modifying iiifhictice there ; and, spreading aft(>r\vards tlirough tlie Jasper's Valley, produced the etfccts noted. As these eth'cts, however, are known to be constant in tlio latter-named locality, wo uiay infer that tlu; same cause is likewise constant. I may remark, ]iassingly, that similar etl'eets ni-e iilsc> produced in a iniirked degree in other jiarts of itritisli ( 'ohniil>ia." i'.lll.lUMi Si'um:. .N'o/'-.v ri'/iin/i'iKj f/if Sfn)iP ipmri'n at ydnnDnu. Fnnii tlw ]'!cti>riii, V. I. ( 'ofn/ilsf " Xowioint of quality to any yet quarried, and of almost any conceivable dimensions. Columns fifty feet loUj., (or one lun\dred if necessary) by four and a half feet thick can be su])plied, without flaw or fault." 8U modifying jdueed tli<' .ttftr-iiiinicil \y roiimrk, IT ](!ll'ts (if " /lr!t!'.] Hfjiorl III .\f 11 reus •)}iiut/t, -/i'-v/., on thi' iij)r,'ii/iiii/'< of I si" I. (Jaudnkii Cn.\.NNi;r, K()( tk. " I'hitering tlus Plumper Channel we soon passed tiie end of tli(' Liuua Passage and about 5 p.m., reached Bella Jiella on IMcLanghliu Bay, C'ampbcll Island. I Fere the Hud- son Bay Company have a trading post and tlie Quokolt ti'ibe of rn(ii:ins a village and tishing station. ■' After an hour's delay we proceeded on our com-se, leasing the Cnn'un.it Channel on our right, we rounded the north end of Cam])bell Island and entered tiie Seafortli Channel on a westward course. In two hours more we wei'e in JMilliiauk Sound which we crossed and got fairly into Finlayson Channel before niglit set in. "The islands around Millbank Sound are generally low, intersecteil with broken ranges of hunimocky hills covered with firs and cellars. In crossing the sound we had an extensive view to the north-east. Over the low hills and far in thedistance rose a bold range of dome-shaped snow-clad mountains; apparently crossing the heads of the Dean and ( Jardner Channels, not less than seventy to eighty miles from us. Even at this distance we could perceive by the aid of our tield glasses the dark chasms which intersect the rajige, looking like huge stone walls stretching across the snow line. '^Sunday, Jane. 7th. — Having steamed all night, through the Finlay.son Channel, Hiekish Narrows, Graham and Fraser Beaches anil the Ursula Channel, we found our- selves at 8 a.in., running past the largo island in Gardner Channel shewn on Vancouvei's chart but not named, and in another hour wc found the slooj) 'Triumj)!!' anchored in a bight on the north side of the channel, with Mr. llichardson and the men and stores on board. We took the sloop in tow till we reached the mouth of the Kemano Kiver, which enters the north side of the channel about twenty-five miles from its head, where we left the party to commence the survey. 12 !)() '•Tlni Gardner Channel from tlic island up to this point is from one to two nxilos in breadth, anil of great depth ; hemmed in by mountains two to three thousand feet in heijiht and covered to their summits with timber of little value, presenting the sani'' sondire hue that had wearied the eye for several days past. " As wo aHeend tho channel the rocks become more ex])osed and rise to a greater altitiid*', tlie slopes are steeper, and for long stretches j)er|)endicular clitl's abut on the channel. The Kemano Valley is a half to three qiuvrters of a mile wide where it joins the channel and covered with fir and cedar trees of good size. The river is small but navigal)lo for cajioes ten miles u]» from its nu)uth. INlr. lloretzky commenced his siirvey here, (he lesult of which is fully described in his report. " Frotn tliis point upwards the shores of the channel become more irregular in outline, and tho mountain slopes ri.se nuu'e abruptly ; they are partially covered with timber to a height of about "J,0(J() to .^,000 feet, above which the rocks are bold, scarred and weather stained, and the deep gulches that separate the mountain domes are filled with immense glaciers, " \\'e wei-e evidently ai)pr(jachiiig the core of the cascade chain for the mountains liccamc more ,i;loomy and sterile, rising H.OOO to S,000 feet and cap])ed with permanent snow. •• W(> reached the head of the channel about noon, and anchored. This resembles the heads of all the inlets we have surveyed. There is a large flat of sand and detritus bi'ought down by tho river from tho mountains, which is only partially coverengag('d for the survey. Tlip little information they could give us sbont the sources of the Kitlope was not very ]>romising for a passage through the mountains. "These Indians are an outlying branch of the Chimsains and their rsiiig with tlicm. yiv. Seymour made the chief a present of a shirt with tobacco and pipes for himself and the others, with which ll-ey were well satisfied, ami th'^y promLsed to jussist the surveving jiarty all they cimld. "The (rardncr Channel has great depth of water throughout, then! are tew shelten.'d places where a largo vessel could anchor and lie in safety, and for long .stretch(!s the shores are rocky clifls where no landing couM bo etlected, and they are generally impractical ile for a line of railway. " Siiturdai/, Ji'iir 1 lii/t.— At 10..']0 a.m., we left Bella Bella, the weather thick, with drizzling rain; within an hour we entered the (lunboat Channel, which is very crooked and at places so narrow between rocks and reefs, covered at high tide, that it is not a safe passage for ocean steamers. "Soon after noon wo enterrd the Dean Channel, but it rained nearly all lliver lU-lla Coola, or W'oodhalk, which enters at its head is about 4(l(» feet widi^ at its mouth; but a short way up it is dividtul into several branches and sloughs. "A i)arty of us went by canoe about a mih' up tiie I'iscr to the Indian Village and lliulson Bay Comj)any's trading ]X)st. In the garden were tine crojis of turni[»s, carrots, potatoes, itc, but the soil a])pears rather light and sandy. The valley is covered with tir, hemlock, 1. . • and a good deal of unch'rbrush. "1 ii .'e reason to believe that the descrijition of the pass through the Cascade Mountains, y Lieutenant I'ahuvr hi his report of survey is in the main correct, and that uo farth'^i j-urvcy is necessary. " ISIillbank Sound is the be^t entrance from the I'acitic t)ccan, to the Cardncr and 1 )ean Channel ; for, thougli it is o|pen to heavy gales from the south-west, the oihng is cleai' of I'ocks and a verv short time Avill sutlice to wt into .sheltered waters. 'Phis is not the case with I'ither the Fitzhugh, Loredo, or Nepean' Sounds; all of wliich liave dangerous rocks at their entrance, and are scarcely less subject to gales than Millbank Somid. From Millbank Sound, the course to (Gardner Channel is by the Finlayson and Ursula ( 'liannels- -all good navigation on our outward trip we passed through these in the uiglit when there was no moonlight. '' l''r(im .Milli>ank Sound to the i»eau Cliauuel the most direct course is Ijy Seafortli ( 'liauuel anu the CJuuboat Passage: but the latter is crooked and narrow, with many rocks and reefs, bare'y covered at high tide, 'i'he better course is by the Laura Passage farther south ; or, leaving, Seaforth ( 'hanuel on a north-east course there Ls a good passage north of that of the Cunboat." l'-.\.\.MIX.\Tli)X OF rA.->si;> Tuiiiui.ii iiii; CxscADK Moint.vi.ns ri!()M Tin; l!i\r.i! FitASKi; 111 TiiK Si.\iii.ka.mi;i;n. '•lief' \'ictoria on t'K! ''Jth June, J.S71, on a journey through the districts in the southern part of the province, at Fort Hope I met M(,;srs. Trutch and Camlue, and received their I'ejtort of an examinatioi of the Passes through the Cascade Mountains. Itetween \\.x: Pavers Fraser and Siiniikame(ii. "They commenced at Fort Hojie and tuilowed up to the Nieolanme Valley, by tlie old waggon road, to Suiinnit l^ake 12 miles; rising in that distance 2,021 f(!ot or KUlAfeet pel- mile. Tlienco they descended by the Sumallow A'alley to the Biver Skagit 10^. miles, falling about 21 feet per mile. The heiglit of Ihe last point is 1,1)00 feet ai)o\e sea le\cl. L'is of a iiiilo took Ji party lung stiition. od down the Mitinck Arm, umtains worci ^semblance to )k HO broken on tlio iirni nlct, and tliis construct a dhalk, wiiidi it is (livi(lc(l n Village and mi^is, carr(.)ts, vfred ^vitll tir. L the ('ascadc reel, and that c (lardncr and e olMng is clear Ills is not (he avo dangen)us. llbank Sound, on and Ursula ISC in tho niijlit i>s by 8oat"orth ith many rocks .\issagc farther assaije north of •iiir. Iti\i:ii listricts in the d C'ambie, and i(lo Mountains. V^Uley, by the lot or" I Wh feet agit lO^l miles, buve sea level. 03 "Thev followed u]) the main stniam of tho Skamt .seven miles, risinu" !•() feet per mde; theneo up a tru)utary of that river to tho summit of Allison's Pass 1.'$ miles, rising 141 feet per mile. Tiie sunuuit of the pass is 4, 100 feet above ,sea level. A few hun(h-ed feet beyond tlii^, they st.Mck the south biMueh of the Kiver Similkameen which Hows on a south-easterly course. . "This line was considei'ed impracticable for a railway ; so the party returned to the Coiiuihalla Valley anr mile for .">."i mil(!s, but at the cost of excessively heavy works, including a gi-eat length of tunnelling and massive .snow-sheds, for avalanches of snow roll dcnvn the steep siiles of the valhy, l)ringing with them masses of timber and loo.se rock. " IJiit the pass is so rugged that the. magnitude of the worhs in iIk^ coiistruclion of a railway through it can only l»i^ determineil by a careful instrumental survey, which it was not expedient to make at that time. Therefore 1 instructeil IMr. Tiutch to form a Division (V) anil make an instrumental survey from Fort Hope to ihirrard Itilet, cross- ing tho I'rascr at tlic most favorable place." .Joni.sm IKOM Four Hon: to im; \'ai,i.i;vs ok tiii; Simii.u \Mi:r,\, (Mxwscw. \M) oTiii:i;s IN Tin: Soitiii:i;n r.\i;r oi- rui: riioviMi:. ••J had a sm.all pack tr.iin .sent to meiit me at Fort Hope and \\itli this I <'oiniiienced my journey on the 2'.lth of dune. Following the waggon road by the NieolauiiK^ and Sunuidow Valleys to the I'dver Skagit, 1 took the Grant Trail u]) the valley of the latter, the slojK's of which are in many places stee]) ami rocky, to the sninmit of the mountain whicli the aneroid indicated to be ."),(iO(J feet above sea level, '•There were siill some patches of snow on the trail as wc cro.s.sed tho brow of the mountain, but as we began to dwcend the eastern slope the groit id was covered with wild llowwrs, and thence the descent was easy. After a plea.sant ride down the Whijtsaw Valley we arrived on thi> evening; of the 1st July at the Nine ISIile ('r<'ek; so called from its being that distance from i'riiiceton at the coiillui'iice of the two l)ranehes of liie Similkamcen. Here we had entered on bunch-grass country, and the slopes of the moiintaina, gentlv undulating and (IoUimI wiih clumps of lirs, presented the most charm- ini,' landscai>e. .\s far as the eye could reach it looked lihe one immense deer ])ark. "The v.illey of the south bnnich of the Similkameen as it issue) from the mountains is narrow and tortuous, so that cmmi if the Allison Pass had been |U'acticable there would have been a consideral)lc (piiintiiy of heavy work in constructing the railway on the oast side of the motnitains. " Princeton is now simply the ranclic or I'tirm of Messrs. Allison & Hays, large stock raisers, but it was once laiil out for a large town when gold was found on the tributaries of the 8imilkanieen. "I proceeded down the Siinilkauieen to ueai' the boundary lino; thence eastward by a pass tlu'ougli the hills to Ossoyas Lake in the Okanagan Valley. " The Similkameen Valley is narrow and bounded by high hills, principally of trajt rock, bare in places, but wlierever there is soil it ])roduccs a luxuriant growth of bunch- grass. The valley is in some ])laces a mei-e canyon, in others it widens out from a few hundred yards to one or two miles, in which tliere are flats on both sides of the river fit for agiicultine but most of them would require ii-rigation. The river is a clear rai)iil stream varying from 100 to 200 feet wide. Altitude at Princeton 2,300 feet. '• x\.l)out twenty miles below I rinceton there is an Indian i-eservation comprising sevei-al hundred acres, fenced in, some of which is cultivated with potatoes and other vegetables, anc. the greater j)ortion of it does not require irrigation. "Around Kereness, some forty miles below Princeton, lately a Hudson's P>ay Company's post, there is some fine grazing laiid ; and just below it a low wet flat several miles in length, and one to three miles in breadth, some of which is occupied by white settlers. There is an Indian village or camp at Kereness, " ( Irossing the heights to Os.soyas Lake there is fine bunch-grass. (.)n the margin of th(! lake near the lioundary line is the farm of Mr. liaynes, who is said to have ov(>r :\ thousand head of horses and about two thousand head of cattle. "The valley here is one to three miles wide, including the benches at the foot of the hills, but thei'e is not much agricultural land as the benches are arid and no water near for irrigating them ; there is however I'ich grazing land even to the tops of the hills. " We arrived here on Saturday evening, the 4th of July, rode up the trail on the west side of the lake and river about ten miles, to a latei'al stream called Tea Eiver, where wo camped till IMonday morning. The weather was veiy hot and the mosquitoes feroci- ous and irrei)rcssil)le. Altitude 1,500 feet above the sea. " Between (,>kanitgan Lake and this point the river, 100 to 150 feet wide and rather deep. Hows through and connects a chain of small lakes, nearly due north and south but the sides of tlie valley are very irregular, rocky bluffs sometimes abutting cv. the water. " The trail leaves the main valley and travei-ses a series of parallel valleys and basins, all covered with the richest bunch-grass, till nearing the foot of t)knnagan Lake it re-enters the main valley, hugging the steep sides of high sandy bluffs. " Towards the end of our day's jouniey we reached the foot of the Lake, where, on the west siilo of the river, there is an extensive low Hat covered with willows iuid alders, which I miderstand is an Indian I'eservation, on this there arc a number of neat substantial log houses. Hei*e v.-o crossed the river by a bridge lately erected, and soon after jia.ssed the residence of Mr. Ellis, an extensive stock raiser. This is the only white settlement we had seen since leaving tin; boundary line at Ossoyas Lake. About three miles further on we camjied by a spring half a mile from the lake. "The slopes of the hills abut on Lake Okanagan in many rocky bluffs, and the trail Ibllowing the eastern ^hoi-e was reported so rough and miry that wc took the trail leading large stock tributaries CO eastward illy of trajt 1 of buncb- from a few Le river fit ; clear rapitl comprising s and other ulson's Bay flat several B(l by white the margin o have over fuot of the water near hills. on the west r, where wc itoes feroci- 3 and rather 1 south but die water. ! and basins, ;an Lake it f the Lake, ith willows number of irected, and is the only About ke. id L trail 10 trail leading i 96 over the mountain which at the summit is nearly 3,000 feet above the lake, and Ave found it a hard day's travel of 30 miles, to the Mission Valley Athere we camped not far from the Roman Catholic mission ; most of the Indians were away hunting or fishing, but Father Grandidier told us those under his charge numbered about 400 souls. "This is a very fine valley; the bottom, a low flat of excellent agricultural land, (extends four or five miles along tlie Okanagan Lake and is j)artially cultivated by white settlers for several miles up; we saw excelJeitt crops of wheat, oats, potatoes. &e. Altitude of lake by aneroid 1,120 feet above sea level. '' The trail follows up the valley which takes a north-easterly direction for a few miles; it then takes a course nearly due north and parallel to the Okanagan Lake. A chain of lakes extends through this valley, the largest of which is about 17 miles long. Portions of the bottom lands are fenced in for agriculture, and the slopes produce the most ii.xuriaiit bunch-grass. " There is a divide in the valley, and the outlet of these lakes is at the north end of the largest of them where the Coldstream Valley comes in from the east. About four miles up the latter is the ranche of Mr. Charles Vernon, which comprises a large quantity of fine agricultural and grazing land, partially timbered and a considerable portion of it under cultivation. The adjoining hills are covered with the richest bunch-grass. " Thursday, Juli/ dth, — ^We wei'e now about seventy miles from the foot of Okanagan Lake and ten miles from the head of it, which we reached by a fine open valley of rich grazing land, so smooth that waggons and buggies have been driven ovtU' the natural sur- face. Here Mr. F. J. Barnard has a ranclie on which a large number of hors(*s are pastured. " From the head of Okanagan Lake there is a waggon road to Kamloops, o\ cr sixty miles distant, following the Balmon .River to Grand Prairie, thence by a narrow valley to the south branch of the River Thompson and down the left l)ank of the latter to Kam- loops. About twenty miles of this is through timbered lands, the rest is park like rolling land like that about Kamloops. The road, for miles together, is simply a track on the natural surface of the ground and there is no heavy excavations on any part of it. "The most remarkable feature on the road is Grand Prairie; -i beautiful low basin .among the hills containing several thousand acres, a great portion of which is fine agri- cultural land on which there are several settlers. I was informed that the depth of snow there rarely exceeds nine inches and that 1,700 head of cattle have been pastured in the basin throughout the winter and come out fat in the spring. " There is a low viiUey running north-easterly from the head of Okanagan L:ike con- necting with Shuswap or Spillemeechene River. Through this valley there Is a chain of ponds mid swamps so little above the level of the lake and river at either end that ;i canoe has been taken through from the one to the other. The distance is probably under twenty miles and a canal could be cut across, at a very moderate cost, which would form a lin;. in a line of navigation for small steamers, over 300 miles in length, through the most fertile portions of this district; viz : — " From Savonna's Ferry on the Tliompson River at the foot of Lake Kiiiulooi)s, up the latter and the Thompson River to Kandooi»s, from which there would lie a branch u]. the North Thompson to Clearwater 75 miles. iiO '• From Kamloops up the soutli branch ot' the Thompson, on which there are niiiny fine farms, to Lake Shuswap. Traversing the latter to any point desired we would then pass n]) the Spillemeochone River and throu.i,'li the canal to Lake Okanajfan, thence to liny point on the same and down its outlet, as far as navigalilc towai'tls < )ssoyas Jiake. " With this the i-ich district of Nicola Valley could be connected, at small cost, by a good waggon road to Kamloops, and there is already an excellent ti'ail thi'ough a fine o])eii bunch-grass country from the Nicola VaUey to the Similkameen; thus traversing and connecting some of the fairest portions of Bi-itish Columbia, and which comprise tlic grazing districts par excellence." I Exploratory Journey on the Central Plateau between the Coast Chain ok Mountains and the Kiveu Fkaser, from the Chilicotin Country north- wards, TO Lake Francois and the Rivers Nechaco and Stewart. '"' We arrived at the mouth QuesnelU^ on the !29th of August, with my own little j)ack train, and a heavy ti'ain with sup])lies for Divisions iVI, N and X. Here we found Mr. tSeymour, our interpreter, and the Chilicothi chief Aunahimr, whom he had engaged as guide and mediator in case any diHiculty should arise with the Indians of the district, who formerly bore a bad charactei-. " Oui' course was north-westerly, by a series of valleys over an luididating country, covei'ed witli firs, s)>ruce and aspens and seldom exceeding an altitude .'5,000 feet above st>a level. On our left lay a range of hills rising 4,000 to 5,000 feet above sea level and forui- iiig a divide between the streams flowing north-cnusterly into the Fraser above Quesnellr and south-westerly into the sanu; river lielow that point; or into some of the inlets of the; Tacltic Coast. On the fourth day we reached the River Blackwater, 45 miles from (.,|uesnelle. Our aneroids gave the height of the bridge crossing the Blackwater 2,110 feet aliove sea level. • "The \ alley is here narroAv at the bottom and the slopes, covei'ed with bunch-gi-ass, wild vetches and ]iea vine, rise by a series of benches to the level of the plateau, which on tlie southern side is 400 to 500 feet higher, and on the noi'thern '500 to 400 feet; the lattei- lieing the lowest part of the divide between the Ulackwater and Chilacoh Ri\ers. At the bridge the river eutei-s a rocky canyon through which it flow^s eastward on its course to the Fraser. ■'The Blackwater has its sources in a nund)er of lakes on the central plateau, GO to 1 00 ndles westward of this point among the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. It is j)lentifully stocked with line s])cckled trout, and the groves of asi)enand spruce which adorn the softly \indulating grassy slopes of the sunny side of the valley supplied us with alnuidance of grouse. We afterwards found that this, the 5.'5rd parallel of north latitude is essentially the northern liuut of the bunch-grass. From this northward the ({uantity of rain fall greatly increases, and drainage rather than i negation is reipiired. " Mondai/, Amimt 31*7. — We started from the Telegraph trail on the north side of the valley of the Blackwater, and followed the edge of the valley nearly due west for eight miles, on to a range of hills running in a north-westerly direction where the valley makes a bend to the south-west. " From an elevated position we had a line view up this valley for over L'O miles, on the direct line to Chisicut Lake and the llomathco Pass. But we afterwards found that only about twehtt nules of this was the Blackwater Valley, the rest being that of the U7 aro many would then u, tlionci? to 11 cost, by a 1 a fine o]iPii versing iiuil ompvise the r Chain ok NOKTH- UiT. y own little •e "svo foiiiiil liatl eugap;o(.l the district, ing oouutr\ . 3et above sen rel aud form- ,'Q QuosnflK' iub'ts of tlic niilos from er2,110fert buncli-grasK, au, which on et; the latter Kivers. At 11 its course au, GO to 1(10 is ])lentifully )rii the softly dtundance of s essentially of rain fall lorth side of vest for eight valli'V nii(kes 20 miles, on 3 found that itr that of tlie \ Niizco which enters this aV)out twelve miles up and continues in the stnuo line: wliile the former makes a sharj) bend almost to a right angle taking a north westerly course. "Our trail did not follow the sinuosities of the \ulley, but k(>pt a course nearlv vcuiiig we camped l)y a small str.'am ten miles iVnm tlie 'i'elegiajih trail. " I'lifsi/ai/, S>'/)/. I x/. -Following a course a little south of west, at ilie thirteenth mile we entered a fine broad aud open valley; crossing t'lis obliquely, in three miles mor(! we came to a clear stream, 40 feet wide, flowing soutji-easterly into tiie r>lncl:watei-, about tiiree miles distant. The stream makes a bond heiv and takes a course nearly duo west — looking up stream. We followed this on its southern baidc for six miles where we crossed it, as it there takes a north-west course, and the valley expands into a plain of several miles in breadth. The Indian name of this stream is Is-cul-taes-li, (Blackberry liiver.) In the evening we reached Trout Lake, a line sheet of water over a mile in length, and half a mile in lireadth, abounding in sjieckled trout. On a grassy slope on its eastern margin we camped (No. (i) twenly-iive miles from the Telt-givqih line. " Next ilay about noon we crossed the spur of a hill 2,'.lS0 feet above sea level and a few mil&s further on, the trail again struck the left bank of the Blackwater which had made a bend to the north-west from its junction with the Nazco. The river from where we struck it for four miles up is expanded into a laki'. Wi^ camped (No. 7) Iiy a small stream, estimated distance from Telegraj)]! trail \'2 miles. " Thnr.'id((i/, Seplt'iuhcr '.]>'(/. — Mr. ILuutor and my.self made ;in excursion iiorthwanls to the crown of the taltle-land i^j.'iOO feet above ,seii level. The ascent was easy, few rocks appearing on tlie suriace which was thickly covered with small firs, which a tire had swept through. The wliole cotinlry round was rolling and covered with similar useless timber. " Re-tracing our stejis we reached the trail at 1 jLin., and in two hours more came to the foot of a beautiful lake, an expansion of the river, about eight miles hmg and three (piarters wide, across its broadest j'art, and dotted with islands. Its southern shore is high and being on the shady side of the liill is densely covereil witli dailc spruce ami cedar trees. '"But on the other side the uiiduhiting slopes of the valley rising L'dO to oOO feet above the lake, are covered with bunch-grass, vetches and ])Ga vine, and groves of asjien, forming a cliarming l.and.scape. In the evening w(> reached the ford where tlu' trail crosses the river, sixty miles from the Telegraph line and campcij (No. S). .\ltitnde of lirer ;{.l }."• feet. " Next day Mr. Hunter and myself accomjianie.l by our Kluskus Indian ascended to tli(^ summit of a range of hills, crossing the river and bearing in a north-west direction. Our altitudi! was about l,.")(iO feet, from wliit'h we had a vt^ry extensivi^ \iew of the country all around and could trace the vaUey of the J]lackwatt>r twenty-five miles up, nearly due west. At the foot of tlu^ range on which we stood, and north of us lay a large, horse-shoe sliajied lake, which tlu; Indians told us flows into thi; Necliaco. 'I'lie men were eng;ig<'d all ilay ratting the stores and baggage across the river wliicli was too deep to ford. "Saturday/, September Btlt.—'Wc got across the river and, following u]> a ^ alley three mih'S, we arrived at Kluskus Lake, where the Ifudson's Bay Company formerly had a fort, but not a vestige of it is now to be found. This is still iiowever a favorite resort of the fudians. Altittuh' of the lake liy aneroid .'5,500 feet: it is about three miles long and half a mile broad, with nniddv bottom, a light breeze makes the water unfit to drink. 13 n« •• Three miles lartlici' on we eainped by ii s|priti!j;, near luiotlior small lake where we reiiiiiiu'il oM'i- Sumlay. Mcainvhilo we had .scut an Imliau to liml out jMr. Ganisl)y, aud ou Sunday al'teruuon Iw arrived (Voui liis eaui}), distant aliout -0 mile;? westward. ^' Jfomnii/, ,Sr/>('i}i/j!r 7//i. -W\' followed th(^ ti-ail wliieii still kejti oii the same eourse a little to the south of west, ou a heueli [larallel to the iMackwater. Towai-ds eveniu^^we I'eaehed Thracha Lake aud. following its southern shore, we eauu' upon the eani|> of Division X aud iiitclied our (cuts alouL>side. "The position of this eamp was touud from observations of the sun's meridian altitude and the iustruuiental surveys cf this Division (X) carried from the coast, to he lat. "(.'i' north lon.^. I L' 1", 'to' west, and the hei.^ht of Lake Thiacha ;'),;> U) feet aijove sea level. N'otint,' the variation of our instruments we took this as a new point of departure and on the iUh Sept., we eontinucnl our journey; oiu- trail keeping,' the same general course, a little to the south of west, thi'i'adini; -a line of small lakes and ponds ami cutting oil" the lieudsofthe lilackwater. •'In aliout six miles the t. •.'.■! liivlded into two hranches, that on our left takimj a soutli-west eounsi' apparently directly across a high range of hills capped with snow, hut the Chilicotiu ('hi<'f Auunhime. toM us that there is a depression in the range liy which the trail goe^ to Ji.ake X,'icoont!oo:i where his pi'incipal camp is, thence uj) the stream sdiitherly to Lake Nimpoh ^\ here it joins the iSella Coohi trail from Ale.viuidria to the I'.riitiuck Arm. This is the liuf t;i!;i'U liy Sir Alexiuider ^!ackeuxi(> in 1 7'.l.">. " We toolc th(( trail to the right, aiul at twelve miles crossed the Bliickwater IMO feet wide !ind less than li feet deeji ; altitude ."»,(>()0 feet. AVo were now in a wide valley almost an ojien plain through which the i'i\'er tlows only a few feet aliove the geu(>ral le\'el. At the fourteenth mile we came to a small lake, altitude ."•.TIH ffit. near whit-h we camped (So. in. '■ TkuV'^Jdij, Si'iif. lO^/i. — On rising this morning we olmerved that the mountains to the south of us had rcN'eived a fresh coat of snow during the night extending farther dov.n their slopes. Our trail now ran through small hurnt timber which impeded our progress: but at noon we canu; upon a wide well cut trail, having the appearance of white men's work, but were told it was the work of an Indian who had recently died of fever ; in isnother houi' we came upon his houst- and grave; a lovely s|)ot on a grassy knoll at'tli(> outlet of a lake, four miles long and two miles wide acro.ss the widest part, altituch- .■>.(') I (I f'rt. and '1\ miles from oui- starting ]>oint at Lake Thracha. '• Tills is called Eliguck Lake ; tlie .stream issuing out of it ll! feet wide is the Black- water, at this a large black bear was drinking but on seeing us he made oil' before we could get a shot at him. From this we followetl a well cut trail on the north side of the Lake, till we struck a small stream running into the west end of it. where we cam|ted (N'o. ll'). " l''rom our cauii» the trail took a nortli-wost course and in a nule we came to the foot of a small lake, altitude ;5,(il)() feet. We were now" evidently near the watershed : there were low lum]iy hills all around, w ith rocks appi^ariug on their siunmits. A nnl(! fartlnu- on we wt>re on a hill •],t)(MI feet above sea level. From this we could see Ihrough an oj)ening at th(! head of the lake into a lower b.asin extending away to the north-west: the rocks on the .shore of the lake, near its hoa aj)pearcd in tlu' distance like basalt. "Continuing on this high ground, on a generall}'' westerly eourse, at the thirtieth mill' tli(^ trail went ovei' the crown of a lai'ge gloladar rock of granite, altitude Ijil.")!! feet. •wiion,' -we insl>v, iiiul iLiiut; course C'VcniiiLC we nt" l)i\ isioii s inci'idiaii lO coast, to t illjOVC SCit f tlopiirtiu'c oral course, inir ofl" the 'ft takiiiLj i! snow. Imt 1 hy wliicli tlic st renin (ifiii to till' terlOOl'fc) illcv iilliiost l('v..i. At wc cainped ouutaius to iirtlicr down ur progress ; white men's of fever; in nioll at the ttude :!.(;io ;tlie Uhick- il' l)ffo:'e we 1 sl(h! fif tlie wc- camped .(» the foot of : there were fartli'M- on I an ojieuinn' h(! rocks on lie thlrtietli 1,050 feet. 99 Wo were now .sure w. were on tlio divide, for on a course south Itl" cast, wo liad a nia;;- niticent view up a vaUey between the liiijh range of hills that liad heen on our left tin- last two day's, and the main ranges of the cascades. This is the valley of the Salmon liiver, at the head of wliich, lies Lake Xacoontloon. '■ From this point keeping the same general course we liegan to d<'scend M'vy giadu- ally hy a chain of marsh meadows, ])onds and lakelets, ami at lU miles ^\e came to an Indian house and grave on a beautiful grassy hill close to. and commanding a tine vii^w of Ijako N'ghaco, which is of an irregular shajie, l',', miles long aiul one mile wide; altitude .'i.-jOO feet. 'I'he Indian liouse is large ami we canipeuilt but now Inlet, appeai'i^d sulticiently favor.dih^ to warrant an instrumental survey. " T thought this <'ou1d be done the most satlsfaclorily and in the shortest time by tracing the watershed or di\ide between the Racitic Coast and tlu^ Jliver Fraser from Fort iicorge to Qucsnello ; and following as near to the di\ide as practicatije so as to cross the head watcni of all the ris'crs Uowiii'^ tMi-lerlv. inn '• Tliis lifi.-^ l)Ct;n iiC(Oni|ili.Nlu'(l uiid tlio I'lvsiiHs l.iid down we found a stream S feet wide flowing into the lake from the east. This puzzled us, for looking westward down the lake, the view was terminated at no very great distance, by the snow-clad peaks of the Cascade JVlountains. The overflow of the lake unist, however, fall into the Salmon River, .as its altitude. '2.f^'2^) feet, is less than that of the next stream we crossed falling eastward, " We now followed a coui\se noi'tli IV'wcht, to carry us over a de|iression in the range of dark-looking hills ahead of us, A tire had pass(^d over this and we struggled slowly tlu-ough piles of small burnt flrs till we i-eached the summit, 3,400 feet, beyond which, on the shady side of the hill, the fallen timber became larger, the piles higher and more continuous, and it took us thi'ee hours to cut our w.iy a litth; over a mile to a small pond in a swamp, round which there was a litth' feed for the animals. Near this we cauiped, !•"> miles iVom our starting j)oint at tlie Salmon !>'i\() feet wliic" we liasin inter- ilio river, )n we caint' . .about four wo miles to n tlu! east. at no very of the lake lian that of •iisiou lu tlie e struy^'lc'd eet, beyond higher and p to a small I'ar this A\e feet. Fiaser. and Mountains, us inornin;^' t timber to a ed and dis- irse, as the, Hsible to eu( eourse, the intains. his aceount timber in a Aanced ami lake to the t, whore we L the snowy latod leiu>th JUl-SO of till- (.)ur startnig ily direction 11 house iind gH, wearing I 'ur Indians toll! us that it had belonged to an Indian chief named MustfUe, who died a, year ago. The house is hirge and in good rejjair ; in it wo found several lioxes ot goods, cooking utensils, a robe made of rabbit skins, two jiairs of beautiful made snowshoes of ilitl'erent si/os, for man and woman, a curiously cut woodtui ladh;, and a finely shaped liark canoe quite new. Those are always held sacred and never touched by Indians, but left to natural decay. This part of the coiuitrv is said to have l)een once ihicklv ])Opulated with Indians, whicli is prol)ab|e. as it abounds in ganii- ■.\ni\ tlsh ; there is now little trace leftof tiiem but their gi-aves. » ••The bottom tlat of the valley, from the foot of the lake, widens out to fully half a mile, co\ered with good grass, l)ut two or three nales down it beconica marshy, probalily the result of beaver tlams, '■ To avoid a high hill that lay (lir'';lly in our cour.se, we foUoweil down the edge of the \ alley on the north side four nales, where we found an Indian trail, leading round the tlank of the hill. Tiiis we followed and made good progress till wc got on the north side of the hill, where oui' ditiiculties with fallen timber increa.sed and the country L.-came sterile and dreary. After a hard day's struggle we readied the head of the south arm of Lake Tetachuck an hour after it was dark. This is a trefoil or "J" shaped lake, sur- rounded by high sterile hills of bhaly limestone, ri.-5ing to a height of nearly tjUUO feci above sea level. It took us the whole of next day clambering I'ound on the steep slopes of these hills to cross the angle between this arm and the outlet of the lake, a distance of eight miles. " I''r(.im the.M' heights we took a general bem-ing up the lake ami valley, south 7'-" Wist, (!\temliiig u]i to the (Cascade Mountains. ,\t sunset we readied the foot, of th(> lake, IS miles from our starting ]ioint. and camped, (Xo. \'.K) .\ltitiidi' of lake, 1'.770 iVet. •• The outlet of this lak's is a ileep and rapid river liOl) feet wide, which \v(^ werir una'ole to ford, .so wc had to luake a raft to carry our stores and l»aggage across the foot of the lake, and the animals Lad Lo swhn nearly a (piarter of a mile. This wasted half a day, but on the sunnj- slopes of the hill, on the other side of the river, we found plenty of grass, pea vine and .servv-c berries in the aspen groves; and as the animals had had l)ut little feed for the last two days we were glad to give them half a day to recruit, on good pasture, as well as to rest ourselves, so we camped (No. ■JH) on a sunny glade near the margin ot the lake. '• From this it took us another hard day's travelling to get aci'oss the next divide, nearly a thousand feet above the level of the lake, with much fallen timber on the north side to the valley of the Kueuchu, which we struck at the head of the lake on a grassy flat a mile wide. The river llo\^■s on the north side of this and was then only 60 feet wide where we forded it ; Vmt the channel is l.'tO foot wide and the driftwood on its bar.ks showed that it is subject to high Hoods. Here we camped ( No. 21), distance Gl miles, altitude l.',700feet. '•About 3 miles above where wc crossed, the valk-y contracts and is thin-o divided into two branches which rajiidly head up to the Ic'vol of the jilateau. The slo])es or benches on the sides of the valley, broken by lateral gulches, apjioar like a chain of rounded hills, risinii to a height of .'{do'ur KM) feet ; those on tlu* north side of the valley, mere exjiosed to tiie sun's rays, are covered with grass, vetcla^s and pea vine. " From one of these hills wc took a bearing eastward to a remarkable pe.ik in the high range of hills that we had seen on our right the last three days. It is a high dome 102 Avitli a peak risiiiL,' ii]i in tlic rciitiv. not luilikn a .s|iikfil liflnict. Wr cilli'il it l''auiiy's Mountain, after oni- Kliiskus Indian, to whom it was a landmark slii-wini,' wiicn.' the ri\rr Nccliaco cnjs tliroiiuh tli(> van.t two days, and the lirst part of lliis day's journey was the phasantest w(> had since I(Mvim,' tlie Sahiion l!i\er. We followed up the north side ol" the Eueuchu N'alley two miles, thence northward liy a small stream flowing into it through a latei'al valloy. Tlus woodson thu slopes ofthehills on each side opened out al intervals iutograssy ,udades. '^Phis continued till we got on the north side of the hill, when we had oui' usual dillioulties with fallen limli(>r, Imt at last mc icached the long looked for Nechaco, which wo struck at the foot of 'rdiuta/ely Lake, an expansion of the river fully fifteen miles in length. The I'iver at tliis ]>laee is fully .'iOO feet wide and too deep to ford, so v>'v camped, (No. -!l!), distance from Salmon I!i\er 71 miles: altitude, L'.iiSO feet. " riie !Nocliaco, fimu this poinl eastwards, e\[iands at intervals, forming u s(^ric» of lung narrow lakes, and it receives all the streams we had crossed befoi'o it cuts through the range ahove-mentionech UUa all the country wo Ii.ad cro8S(>d, the south side of the \ alley, heing the shady side of the hill, is Meik and cdid, with much fallen tindier uii<|i' cayed : )nit on the hottoiu flats thatoccin'at iutei-\als l.etwccn tln'rivii' and the slopi.-i (here is lar-,'"' fim'i"r with gra>s anil ]ii a \iiie. '•<>!i the UDi'lh .•■ide nf" the ri\r;- ^\Ilere we crossi'd il tln' lianks rise from lie' water's I'dgc very steeply to a leaght of liOl) feet, but i>y the piocess of denudation these are sei'rafed and rounded into a sei'ies of liumnuJi'k}^ hills ; and being nioi'e expcjsed to the sun's rays vegetation is more activi? and the fallen timber more de(;ayed. so that gi'ovcs of aspen liav c s|truiig up, with luxui'iaut grass, vetches and pea a inc. From Ihese heights we got another bearing to fanny's Mountain. •• It tiiok half of next day to get our stoi-es and baggage rafted across, and the nniles packed. Wi> had just lunched and weio puzzled about what direction to take, for across our course lay a high range of trap and basalt, I'eing the same wi; had seen at starting from Salmon lliver. •• While in this dilemma wc were sur|aiMMl to hear the bark of a dog, and imme- diately after a canoe, shot romid a point of land : this contained an Indian family, man wife, and three children, with all their goods and chattels packed in that long narrow dug-out. We could understand but little of each others sjieech, but they ])roved to bo remarkably intelligent, especially the woman, who in fi'oiu a sisiies of ;ts tlirouL;li sitic of tlif iiiIht midi'- llir slii[pr.% the Wiltcl'.s ii'f sfiTiiteil sun's ruys asjH'ii lias (• lits v>r ''ot 1 till' mules [\ fuc iHTosN at startiim- and innnc- iiniily, mail ang narrow •ovcd to 1)0 Icrstooil the f villago is : greed to cro } margin of id groves of ht of 4 feet 'stoons from ss. til ')'■'>" we^fc. , among t lo ik regularly k1 50 to (ib lo;) " In aliont tliree miles our eoursi^ changed to north and wc passed througli a gaji In the rang.: at an altitudo of ."..''((M) feot above sea level. Our course was then nearly north east, and rapidly desecnding we soon reaelied the litth; Lalce Kiiz. idtiHidi' ;;.(i.")i.t feet, distivneo '/S iiiile-; jVimi Saiinnn llivec. where wc eainped. | \o. ■_':!). •' U'ediiri^dKii, Si pi. •2:',r./. — \\V started early and in ihive miles reached the hoine cf an In.Iian chief named Nehlie, at the head of Lake Teliestatta. The range of hills north of us. though high and studde0' west, whiv.ii we were now leaving liehind. Jii the afternoon we travelled liy a chain of marsh meadows, and ponds or bea\cr dams, passing sever.al Indian camping grounds, and had a good deal of bridging and brush- ing to get the animals across .soft ground. Towards evening w'(! crossed some heights of trap rock, from which we had a view of Lake Kthliuhsly lying before us, about .'5 miles long, and 1^' miles across its widest jiarl. We travelled on the north shore of this and camped on a tlat near tln^ loW'Cr (Uid >if it. distance* from Salmon l!i\er 1|S miles. Fstimated altitude of lake L'.UOO feet. '' Sadirddi/, Si'pf. 'l(\th. — From the course we had travelled tin; last tiiree days 1 f'll, eertain that we must be fully as far cast as tin; foot of J^ake Francois; so we left the trail and made a desperate attempt to cut our way direct north; but after two liours labor we had not made half a mile and had to give it up and return to the trail w]ii<'h was hard to tiiid among piles of fallen timber and loose rock. " \Ve were now crossing a range of Imld granite hills, app.ucntly a continuation ol the .same range we hail seen on our right for more than a week past. About ."> p.m., we cross(^d the summit by a depression in the range, estimated altitude 3,<)00 feet al)0ve sea level, and had a very extended vimv over a rolling country ti the south-east in which we caught a glinip.se of the Necliaco liiver and .several lakes. Wending our way shnvly down the north-eastern slo]ie. ovei' very rough ground strewed with fallen timber, we i'(aclie(l 101 a aiiiitll Idl.o just as ii was ;,'oLtui'; lUu'k, altitiulc 'J, 900 Ci'ct, utai' wliirli we (-iiiiUMil (No. L'T). "Next day wc startt'tl early. wiiKliiiiJt luir way llii'oiiijli a liilly ami tiiickly tiiiiltorcil i-ountiy. fn two inileH we passtHl a small laki'lrt. oiil nl" wliifii issiiccl ii Hlrcaiii llowill^ iioitliwaiil wliicli t(il(l us w(> woi"(! not f'ai' from Lake KiaMcoisoi- Lake I'Vascr; iiiid shortly after, passiiij,' tlirouffli a dcfilo avo oanic to a point on a Idll-sido commaiidiiijL; a ma,i,'nilii,'pnt view to the north west overlook ini,' the valley of Fraser 1/ike, and thi> Stelaeoh IlLver; the head of tlie lake appearing' tl or 7 miles distant from >is. From this I stMit a messen;j;er on to Fort Fraser for a canoo and crew to meet us at tlu; hpa()(> feet iil)0vc sea level ; and that the streams from the foot of the Cascade .ALmntains take a general course, varying from east to north east : all con\erging on the Nechaco IJi/er. which then cuts through a range of hills running genei'ally parallel to the Cascade chain. •'This range is very irregular antl broken, imt the line can l»e trace mouth of that rivei*; thence on a generally northwest course, crossing the IJlackwater below Lake Kluskus ; thence to Lak(( Francois and up its south margin to the Cascade ^lountain . The range forms ,i dam or weir which checks the fall of the streams from the Cascades and they ex[iand into the numerous lakes we have passed over in oui- journey. "The timl)er throughout is .spruce, black fir, and cedar, goufu-ally small and of little value. There is only a little agricultural land in the bottom Hats of the valleys, with good grazing land — grass, vetches and ])ea vino — on the slopes facing tlu; south. We saw no .stratillcd rock except the shaly limestone on the margin of lv.'ke 'I'etachuek. " Sei'L '2St/(. — A canoe had arrived from Fort Fraser, and wi; hired another here. 1 then gave instructions to the packers to go on and wait for me at the Stewart's J^ake trail, ci'ossing the Neehaco, and Mr. Hunter and niysclf started with the canoes up the IJiver Stelaeoh. "Haifa mile up from the Telegraph line a stream 10 feet wide comes in fi-om th(> north, this is the Nettacoh ; on the o])]»osite side of the Stelaeoh there is an Indiiin village. Above this the Stelaeoh is a ra])id stream GO to 100 feet wide where we found the Indians spearing salmon — 000 miles from the sea — but they were of a pink coloi- ami inferior in Havor to those nearer the coast. It took us thi-ee hours hard jnilling, three and a half miles to the falls, where we camped for the nighti •' Next morning we made a short j)ortage with our b.aggage, .anil hauled the canoes up the rapid, on which there is a perpdndicuUir fall of four or live feet. We had rajuds Wt' c;imi»'(l y timlifrcil ;iui tlowili^ and sliortly iiKiuiiilicr'iit llivcr; t.lic )!• which we 1 wostwai'd tliomsolvfs we I'Ciichod No, L'S), l.v us IVoiii the ;t'S Ix'twct'ii oni the foot •th-Oiist : all lis ruiiiiiii'' 1 the I)o,i;li|) vor ; thfiicc Iviis ; tht'in'O in,i(e forms a licy fxpniid uul of little 'alloys, with 1. \\'(i S!IW lotlicr la'Tc, Wiivt's Jjakc moos n|) till" ill from till' dian village, tlio Indians 1 iiiforior in } and a half [ the I'anooH e had lajiids 10.-, nearly all thu icst of tho way to tho foot of Lalio Francois, seven niiloi; fruni the Teli-graph trail, which wo roachod at I )..ui.. and « anipod. Altiludo '2,'>\(^. NVt,' oinployod the re;t of tho d:iy iMtchin-,' lino • jiofklrd trout on tho ra|.i.h. wliilo tiic Indian , ti.illr.riho l.iLr for \\ hitf'lish, l>y wliich moans wo add^d i-oiisidoralijo to our other siaiit Nii|i|ilies. '■.S'«/i/. I'.ii///. - -i. I vim,' Mr. liimli oni' of th(> canoes and crow to niak.- a siir. or of Lake Francois. I went i»aok with the ot.. m- and loachod tho Indian village at noon, thir course then lay down Lakti Kraser, of whioi- I ni;ido a rough survey from tho canoe, land ing at several )»oints to got hotter iioarings ; ,-. c reached Fort Frascr iiefore it, was d.u'k. '• Lake Fra.ser near its lower end is bounded by high hills of trap and huHalt on each si(h'. the slopes of which at some ))oiat^ come to -ho water's edge ; at others there are intervals of Hat land between the lake ami tho hills, '''lie Hudson's Day Company's Fort is at the .south-east angle of the lake and two miles from this, at the outlet of tho l.iko. there is an Indian village. '• Tknrxihni, Oct. \>y time, doii' .A course a little south of ea.st. "The valley i.s generally narrow, witli high l)anks, sometimes of rock, at iutci-valsit wichnis out a little and tlioro arc low flats between the river and the liigli lianks. \\\' catiipod at sunset. " Next day wo wore mostly in still water and the valley widened out more. At noon wo reached tho Stewart Lake trail where wo fouml our two [lack trains camped. ''There is not much to be seen from a canoe on a river w'th liigii banks, and so far as I had seen, very little land lit for cultivation; and certainly the banks of tho river are not ^ery favorable for a line of railway, but they get lower near the Stewart's Lake trail, and there is a tlat country extending away to the south-east. On our way down the river we saw numerous and large tlocks of geese and ducks, they were, however, very wary and dillicult to get near. "• Saturdui/, Or', .'bv/. — Directing the packers to liiifl their way down with the trains, by an Lidian trail to the rnoutli of the ( 'hilacoh lliver, 1 started — with another canoe and crew I had hired- -down the Necliaco; we were on still water and the valley .soon o])ened out from half a mile to a mih^ in breadth, with low tl.its through which tlie riyor meanders, striking the high banks on either side alternately. " But as we neared the Stewart River the valley again contracted and there were high hills on each side of us ; the river striking the base of these has caused heavy land slides where the material is clay or loam. Li some places there are rocky canyons. Wo camped (No, 31.) at the confluence of the Nechaco and Stewart Itivcrs. Thes(> two rivers ap]ieared of about equal volume. U 100 '• October ii/i. — It raiiicil all the morning but cleai'cd up at noon, ;incl wo started down the Stpwart River'; the stream llowintr slowlv and varying from 250 to 1,000 feet in ItT-eadtli. " In about 10 to 12 miles we ajipeared to be crossing through a range of high hills; +lie highest points estimated fully 1,000 feet above the knel of the I'iver. The valley is lieie contracted, and very soon we entei-ed a rocky canyon, through which the rapids wen- veiy strong for a mile and a half, and the slopes of the hills are very rough. " At about li miles there is a dangerous rajuil, where wc had to make a short port- age. From this the rapids and swift current continue— with the exception of about three miles of comparatively still water — to the mouth of the t'hilacoh Eiver; near which are the worst ra[)ids on the river, where a belt of basalt crosses it, and we had to make a portage of half a mile. " The bottom Hat of the valley is from half a mile to a mile wide, and varies from 20 to -iO feet above the level of the river ; and is covered with small timber — s])ruve, scrub ]iine. and aspen. There are .some low flats very little above Hood level. 'The C'hilacoh, or Mud Kivcr as it is popularly called, enters the Stewart liiver fi-om the south about 20 miles above the conHuence of the latter with the Fi-aser near Fort corge. '* The banks of this portion of Oi-cwart P.iver arc generally high, varying from 20 to 80 feet to the bottom Hat of the valley, the slopes from each side of which rise in a succession of benches lOO to 300 feet above the level of the river; and there are some vciy large land slips where the river strikes tlu; foot of these. "On the right there is a high range of hills stretching away to the south, parallel with the Fraser; and on the north an elevated plain extends to the (iiscome I'ortage, or divide between the Fraser and Parsnip Ivivers; this is densely covered with tindier. "The liiver Stewart widens (mt at its conHuence with the Fraser, and the channel is divided by several siiuill islets so that we were not a little puzzled to know when we had filtered the Fniser. " Fort t!eorge is on the west bank of the Fraser, about a mile lielow the mouth of the Stewart Kiver, on an extensive Hat of a])parently good land. There is, as usual, an Indian village near the fort. We arrived there at 1 )).m., on the Hth October. "The lower half of the Chilacoh Valley is fioni a ijuarter to half a mile wide, on the bottom Hat, which is a d(>ej» loam covered with groves of spruc(. ]tine and as|)en, with o)»en glades of vorv rich grass, red toj) and blue joint over four fei^t high, with vetches and \)(",i vine (jii the slopes of tlut hills having a southern aspect. "Tlie valley is bounded b\ high benches and a rolling platcuui on the west, iind on the t>ast bv the liigh range of hills lying between it and the Fraser. "Abovit twenty uiih^s up, a range of liills cro.s.ses the valley wliere the latter is con- tracted to a canyon for a ipmrter of a mile, but there will be no diHiculty in getting a line of railway through this. One of tlie higluist hills in this range is doubln headed and lies close to the valley. It is tlie samtj we had seczi from the Telegraph line two month.s before and served us as a landmark. and wo started ) to 1,000 fcoL ) of high hills ; The valley is the rapids wori' li. c ii short port- i of about three near which are ; had to make a l1 varies from 20 ~s])ru<;e, scnd» Stewart lUver •^I'aser near Fort ing from 20 to ivhich rise in a [ there are some 107 " Ahovo the canyon, the \ alley expands at [ilaces to fidiy two niili's in lucadLli, and some wide lateral valltiys come in from the jiorth-wcst. The lower part of this, by the river, from a quarter to half a mile wide is covered with long gi-iiss; then there, is a steji u\) from f)() to 100 feet, and tlie upper Hats to the slopes of the bounding hills are covered w ith spruce, small ]nue, and aspens. In some places the ground is s\vanii)y nnd would reipiiro draining for cultivation. "The valley ranges iroui •_',00(» to •-',:}()») feet above tlie level of the mm ; soil a iiglit loam very deep and free from stones. The river is a sluggish stiHMiin 100 feet wide witii deep water, muddy bottom a,nuesnelle liy the end of the month; whence they would have a waggcm road on which they could pur- chase hay and grain if necessary for the animals— to winter (piartcrH near Kaudoojis 20<> miles fartlu^r south. "I went on ahead with my own and the .supi)ly train and we readied the I'loulh nf tiuesnelle on the 23rd of October. Here 1 found Division IM. encamped; they had com- pleted the survey up the Stewart lliver Valley to the mouth of tli(> ('hilacoli and come down the Fraser — bringing all their stores and luggage, in the boats which they had con- structed at Tcte Jaune Cache and used on the Frasi r JUver all the season." e south, ])arallel me I'ortage, or th timber. •*« and the channel ow when we had the mouth of the is, as usual, an obei'. die wide, on the line and asjten, • feet high, with e west, and on latter is con- in getting a line headed and lies ■o nioidhs before 108 ; I (U'Ki;A'no.\s Driu.Nd Report till, till' Snrvfi/.i iii British Coluinhid dnrimi tJic iji:irr \x~t'). llij Mam's Sniil/i, ICxij. * * * "Ou the li'tli June wo iirrived at tlie crossing of the Chi lectin lliver whence my pack train and the Indians proceeded westward to the Chihicoh Depot and Mr. Heymour and myself rode on to Puntzeo Lake, where we found Division li encamped. 1 spent two days with i\Ir. Jennings examining the rather l)roken and rough country on the divide between the Chilacoli and Chilcotiu Rivers. About 15 miles of line had been located, which from the ]irofile, appeared generally satisfactory. "On the ;5rd July wo arrived at the cam]> of Division S, Mr, J I. J. Cainbiu in charge. They had completed about 14 miles of location and their trial line was sonm miles in ■■ Jvance on the east shore of Eagle Lake, which lies about 5 miles to the south of Lake Tatla in a trough in the side of the hill which bounds the lattei-. '•Eagle Lake is about (i miles lung, and a mile from ils west end is the watershed, from Avhich a rather broail valley descends nearly due south into the Cascade ^lountains. jn this valley there is a chain of small lakes which are the sources of the east branch of the Homathco River, which flows througli these mountains into Dute Iidet. "^fhe last and largest of these lakes is Tathiyaco, which is 15 miles long and a little over a mih M'ide ; it lies at thi' entrance of the i>ass, and the east branch of the Homathco l!ivei' rushes out of it in a rapid current about 100 feet wide. "It had been proposed to maki^ the location survey by this^'oute in tlie hope of lind- ing a better line through the mountains than that surveyed in bS7J by Lake Tatla and the west branch of the Homathco River. And the object of my journey was to go through and examine this route in advance of the surveyors to ascertain if it had api)arent advantages that would warrant the survey being carried that way in pn.-ference to the line of the former survev. " We left Eagle jjake on the ')tli J uly and travelleil on the east side of the valley, by an Indian trail; in the evening we encamped iiCcar an Indian Raricherie, on the margin of the small lake Cochin, and the next day ou the slope of the mountain that bounds the east side of Lake Tatlayaco. "Tl>e view southward, from a point near our camp, was very gi-aml ; the silvery lake lay at our feet, several hundred feet beneath us; from its west bank rises a mountain of dark jaggeii>i;Ii 5 iiiik'H of lin(< .). Cainbii! in lino wjis Honit! to the .soutli of tliu wutoi'shod, k". ]Mountam.s. ast branch of dot. The Last thi ovci- a mih', utnatiu'o I'ivfi' ic hope of liiiil- iiko Tathi and loy was to go t liad ai>])arout (•ft'i'ouco to thy 10 valley, by an I' margin of tlu^ ounds the oast ''Tho distance to this ])oint from th(^ River Chilaneoli, near -which r)ivision S com nuiicod tlit'ir surveys, is a littl(> over 4ridging as would in- required in tlie neighborhood. " Tiie latter half oflhe distance is on the slojies of the valley l)y tlie margin of the string of lakes which feed the Homathco itiver. 'I'hese slopes are broken with sohk! deep lateral ravines ami tho line will have to run across the faces of some ivither steep I'ocky bluffs on the shore of Lake Tatlayaco. IJut, so far, this route ap])eared on the whole tolerably favoraltle for the lin(! of railway, with yilenty of timber suitatde for works of construction. •' We could not take the pack tmln beyond this point, so 1 sesnt it back in charge of .Mr. C. Seymour to join the Y Division on the line from L>lackwai"r to Dean Inlet, and to be ready for my use on a comtemjilati'd joui'ney that way latei- in th > season. •• J>y noon on the Sth July we had got our supj)iies and iiaggagc! rafted across the loot of tho lake, and made a caelum of [irovisions for use in case we failed to get through i,o the coast and Ik; forced to return, or for the use of Tiedeman and Horetzky's party wlioui wo had expected to meet us here. We then eonimeneed our tramp, my p;irty con- sisting of live Lillooet Ijidian packers and one Chilcotin Indian hunter as gnid«'. "About a juile below the mouth of [..ike Tatlayaco, a largo glacial sti'eam comes in from tlie north-west. Th(> weather liad been very warm for a week jiast, and from the melting snow in the mountains, this str<'am was now very high, couung down with trenunidous force, bringing trees and huge boulders from tho mountain sides. Following this uj) a mile to where the stream is divided bv a .small islet, we succeeded iu falling large trees across, by whicli we cliunberod over safo'v. Haifa mile further down a large .stream comes in on the other side of the valley \'' < u ihe south-east. Hei-c wo are fairly in the mountains, and th(! valley is contracted almost to a canyon, tliere being oidy a narrow flat with a fringe of trees liy the side of the rivei-, which is iu fact |)art of tlie old river bed silted up with detritus washed down liy the stream. This Hat is broken at intervals by rocky spurs shooting down from the mountains and almtting on thi; river. "The coui'.S(i of the valley from thi,^ downwards turns to within a i'vw points of due west and is tolerably straight for about "JO miles, at which the view was terminated l>y an immense glaciei-, high up on the side of a mountain range which appoaroiT to cross the line of the vallev. he silvery lake a mountain of diuy. On the a great height, tlie vicAv was •each the high ( had to cut a leial stream on let of the lake, "There was no tinil down this valley, as the Indians get to the coast by a way over the mountains failher south, so that our pi'ogrcss was very slow, being im[ieded by l)rush- wood, larg(! triudcs of fdlen trees, and fragments of rijck which hail rolled down from the elill's near the summit of thf momitnin. " Wo travelled on till' right bank of the I'ivor, which here flows botwicn two well I le!ined ranges. The slopes on the south side of that on which we were travelling were the most uniform and nul)rokou ; closely resembling from a distant view tho buck of a huge wave at the moment of its breaking on thebisach, while the other side cf tho parallel range was rugged, perpeniliculai' and broki ii. like the hollow or lee side of tl.e. wave. " It took us Uvo days and a half to reach the bend of the I'iver ;il)out !■"> iiules from the. foot of Lake Tatlayaco, where wc camiicd on Saturdav e\cniug, Julv ItUli, and remained over Suiuhiv. 110 '• Down to tliis point tlioro a}ii)e;ii'0(l no \ovy serious ongiuecriug difficultios, tlic fall of the valley being tolonibly uniform and estimated at the rate of about 1 per lUO. But here the river takes a bend to the south-west, apparently cutting through several l)roken ranges of mountains, the noses of which at intervals abut on the Homathco Itivcr in jterjiendicular cliffs. The narrow Hat belt by the river side has disappeared, except in small patches, and the \alloy has contracted to a narrow deep detile, but, as far as we could see, there was no canyon of pei-pendicidar rocks on both sides of the river at once. "Two days aiid a half more we toiled along the face of these rugged mountain slo|)es ; the weather had become excessively wai'iii, and from the unusual quantity of snow that had fallen the jirevious winter, the mountain streams W(>re now roaring torrents which wo had great dilKculty in crossing ; and at points where rocky s])urs abut on tlu^ main river, leaving no ])assage Ijetween, we had to climb up on hands and knees several hundred feet, at one place 1,500 above the level of the river and descend again on the othei- side of the spur ; such journeys sometimes occupying several hours, though the distance across the face of the cJiif would not exceed a few hundred yards. But the; mountain slopes are so steep and rocky that sometimes our Indian guide had to make a detour to reach safe footing and fasten a rope to a tree, throwing us the other end to assist us in getting up with some degree of safety. "At noon on the 1-lth July we reached the junction of the east and west branches of the Homathco iiiver. The last seven nulcs of our journey undoubtedly presented grave engineering tlilliculties. But however difficult we found it to travel, owing to the high floods and there being no trail, I had reason to think that a careful survey would probably show it to ])ossess advantages over the line formerly surveyed by the west branch ; there- .' "e I thought it advisable to let the survey j)rocced by that route, and accordingly pre])ared topographical sketclies and instructions for Mr. Cambio which I sent back by the Indian guide on his return journey. " I was much concerned at the non-a])peurance of the trail \ydvty under Mr. Tiedeman, who had been landed at Waddington Harbor on the .'?rd June, and four days canoeing should have brought them to within 12 miles of where we were now encamped, with the Waddington ti-ail ov(,'r half the distance. "Jn two hours we succeeded in throwing a bi'itlge over the canyon on the west branch of the Homathco and I sent some of my Indians ahead to make a reconnoisance and fire off rifles to attract the attention of the trail jiarty, whom, we supposed could not be far oil". " In three hours th(;y returned, reporting that they could not succeed in l)ridging the iarg(! stream that comes down from Tiedeman's glacier ; they had thrown across it six of the largest trees they could find standing on its l)anks, whidi were whipped away I)y the torrent like so many chips. "Our case Mas uuw becoming sei-ious, \\r had but four or live days supplies left and feared that the trail jiaity might have been detained liy some difViodty with the Indiana. We he'd a consultati(jn to decide whether t« go on or return, when our Indian guide said he could take us to the Waddington trail by a detour of one day's journey up the bank (jf Tiedeman's I'iver, ami crossing the glacier out of which it issues. " (.)n Thursday, the l.")th July, we started at fi a.m., and in two hours arrived at the glacier. We had some ditiieulty in ascending the face, which is an irregular slope covered with loose rock and boulders. It is al)Out 200 feet high at the face, and, as far as w«* could see, was fnl'v I.'? niilt'S in length, ami from half a mile, at the foot, to three miles in ios, tlic fall 100. But ei'al broken ICO ] liver in d, except in as far as wc r at once. I momitain itity of Kuow nng torrents ibut on tli(! tieos several i<];ain on the though the s. But the to make a other end to est hranelies seated grave to the high uld probably ancli ; there- accordingly ent Ijack ])V v. Tiedemaii, ays canoeing 3d, with the on the west econnoisance led could not l)ridging the wn across it hipped away [)lics left and the Indians, m guide said p the bank of rrivcd at the ilojie covered , as far as we hrce miles in 111 breadth. The river rushes out of three tunnels, and the glacier is serrated lengthwise with ridges and crevasses ; the latter partly filled up with boulders and detritus from the mountains. In fact it has the appearance of having broken away in u body from the mountains l)ringing part of the latter with it. Its altitude is about 2,000 feet above the level of the sea. We succeeded in crossing safely by intricate windings on the broken surface to avoid oi)en crevasses, in which we could luiar the water gurgling Ijeneath the lioulders with wliicli they were j)artially tilled \\\>. The sharp riilges were clear ice, along which we crept on hands and knees, " Ascending the south-western slope of this glacial valley we travelled the rest of the day on an elevated plateau well timbered and dotted with several small lakes. 'l\)wards evening we descended with difficulty by a lateral valley to that of the Homathco, where we found Mr. Tiedeman in charge of the trail party encamped on the same spot where the late Mr. Waddington's men were murdered by the Indians in 18G1. .Since our survey of 1872, the Indiauti have removed all traces of the nxurdi-red men's camp and burnt the timber and brush which then grew there. " Mr. Tiedeman had misunderstood the nuiin object of his work, which, according to my written instructions, was to push forward as rapidly as jwssible to meet me, throwing log bi'idges across the larger streams while the water was low, '^nd improving the trail on th(; return journey. Instead of which lie liad niadi'^ only a few miles ot trail with trestle liridges six feet wide for pack animals. As the survey parties woukl not get into the mountains before the rivers were low, I desired Mr. Tiedeman to lireak uj) the trail party and join Division X to take the toi)ogra])hy of the country. "On Friday, July IGtli, we continued our tramp down the Homathco Valley, follow- ing the Waddington trail ; the weather continued excessively warm and the streams were still rising. On reaching the head of the Grand Canyon we found the river had carried away the bridge which Mr. Tiedeman had constructed round the face of the clifl", so wn liad to climb uj), by a crevasse in the rock, 100 feet, to reach the trail, which, crosses over the shoulder of a mountain. In like mainier we found all the bridges he had made carried away, so we had a rej)etition of climbing precipices and l)ridging tori'ents as tho\ rushed out of the canyons in the mountains. ''We had expected to reach the camp of Division X in two days, but on Saturday evening we came to a torrent over which we could find no practicable means for throwing a bridge. 8o we had to camj) and, as we were out of meat, 1 sent the Indians out to hunt ; they soon returned with a large black bear which relieved us of all apprehension on the score of provisions. "Kext dav at 7 a.m., we commenced to constnict an Indian liy bridge, but, as w« liad only one axe left and but little spare rope, w(^ had to make lashings from the inner bark of 'cedar, so that it took us .seven hours to comi)letc the bridge which looked like a fishing rod and line hanging over the torrent, the butt end resting on the ground and loaded with boulders. We managed to crawl over this and drop down safely on the other side of the stream. Six hours more of a hard struggle among tangled creepers, o^er hug(i trunks of fallen trees and masses of detached rocks, brought us to the camp of Division X. This ])arty had completed 18 miles of trial location. I remained with them two days, examined their plans and profiles which showed the jine to be generally satisfactory and a great improvement on the preliminary survey of 187'J. " On the 20th we dropped down the river in a large canoe to Waddington Harbor, where the steamer 'Sir James Douglas,' with Mr. Hol»son and a fpiantity of supjtlies arrived next morning. 112 "After discharging cargo the steamer started back lor Victoria, arrived at Departure Bay and took in coal; on tiie ^fith July wo arrived at V^ictoiia much bruised and shaken by ouo of tlio li.'inlcst journoys yet nuxih' on the surveys. '■ ^reanvrhile !Mr. Jarvis and party, wiio left b'ort (xeorgc in I)i'ci'nd)er, 1S71, to e.xaniiup a route aerass the Tloeky Mountains by tlie north branch of the Fraser l{ivci- and the Smoky River Pass, had arrived at Winnipeg, and reported unfavorably of that route. It was therefore decided to make the trial location surveys from Fort George eastward via the Yellow Head Pass, and a party was formed in Ottawa, with Mr. George Keefer in charge, to execute a portion of this survey, commencing at the summit of the A'ellow Head Pass, iind working Avestward to 'J etc Jaune Cache, thence down the Fraspr to meet another party working up. " j\Ir. Keefer and party reached Victoria on the 18th July, and before T arrived tiiey Avere on theii' way to tlieir apjjoiuted work, but 1 sent a messenger after them with detailed instructions for the practical carrying out of the surveys committed to their charge. The messenger overtook th(^ jtarty in the valley of the North Thompson, and Mr. Keefer has suice advised me of their arrival in the Yellow Head Pass and tlie commence ment of tl? survevs." .)i>ri!N('.v iMioM Dkan r.VI.F.T At'lloSS THE CaSCADK .Salmon Itivnii Pass. "MotXTAiNs iiv Tin: " T had estimated that the Divisions V and Y W(mld connect their surveys on the Salmon iliver before the end of August. So on the 23rd of that month 1 left Victoria on the s'.eamer 'Sir James Douglas' with a quantity of supplies. We called at Waddijigton I farbov on T'ute Inlet and landed supplies for the X Division and on tlie 2Sth we ari'ived in K.aniS(piot Pay on the Dean inlet, wJiere we found Mr. Trutcli aiul jiarty (Division 'I',) encani])ed on the spit of land that fo)-ms the soutli side of the liarbor. '•They had joined their surveys with those of Division V a week before, about r>li miles lip the Salmon River, and had then returned to the coast for instructions. " I imnu;diately had the jtartj re-organized for the survey from Kemauo Hay, on the (iardner Inlet, across the Ca.icade Mountains, towards Lake Francois, sending some of the men home to Victoria and replacing tliem with Indian packers whom I had broughl with me by the Honiathco Pass. ''The sti'amer left with the party on the 1st September, and on the l\vd arrived iit Kanisnuot Bay, whea-e the ])arty disembarked to commence the surveys. "Tn n)y re])()rt of the work of 1^7-1, Kams(piot Bay is described as biung formed on one side l)y a tongue of land about two nules in length, projecting into the Dean Channel ; tlie Kamscpiot or Salmon River flowing into the channel on the other side of the tongue. This tongue has been foi-med by the debris brotight down by the I'iver, which lias burst lln-ough a curtain or saddle of roi'k about 40il fei^t high, which stretches .across the mouth of tlie vallev. ''I engage I Mr. George mmit of tlio I the Fraspr )ro I arrived them with (hI to tlieir son, and Mr. coniniriH'c ;v THE rveys on the t Victoria on Waddington til wo an"iv(Hl (Division T,) J re, about .")(( lis. ) l)ay, on the idiiii; some of had brouirht d arrixcd at g formed on eaii Channel : the tongue. „'h has burst iss the mouth tains, and on I through the niburked in a 11:] "The stream varies from 150 to 300 feet in breadth, is very rapid and the caiioe was forced up by poling. In some jdaces the rapids were so bad that we had to get out, ami the Indians, Avading in the water, lifted the canoe up by liand. We made about 12 miles the lirst day and at noon on the second d;iy we were at tin' liciid of I'lnioe navigation. nciir the I'.tth mile of ttie survey. •'The valley up to this point varies from a navigation, we reached Yeltesse, or the Salmon House, IM miles from the sea on the line surveyt'd. ilore the river rushes through a narrow rocky gorge, the lower leilge of rocks being about 20 feet above the level of the rlrer, over which there is an Indian bridge or platform of round timbers. Immediately below this there is a fall of about 1.") feet, over the lace of which the Indians have con- .siructed a iscreen of wythe.s, to which are hung pockets of network for catching salmon as they endeavour to leap the fall. The salmon striking against the screen fall into the pockets. The upper ledge of rocks on which the Indian (Salmon) llou-se stands is about I GO feet above the level of tho river, and a little higher u)), on the other side of the river, tliere is another house on about the same level. "The river is well named the Salmon iliver as it swarms with that iish. On my way u]) the Indians with the canoe jioles speared what we re(pured for food, some of the tish weighing over 80 lbs., and at the bridge they were constantly carrying away salmon that were caught in the nets. These are called 'Stick Indians,' or dwellers in the forest. They ajijicar to be of the same race as the Chilcotins, or intermarry with them and luider stand their language. I'hey arc mountauiecrs, not large, Init wirey and hav« been of great assistance in packing for the surveying parties. " The me.'^.senger, Avliom 1 had sent olf two days ]nevious to our leaving Kamsciiiot Hay, I found iiere sick, so had to send the message on to the camp of the Y Division, .">.» miles diptiiut, by another man and invait his return. I spent this time making some explorations in the neighborhooil. " At Veltesse avc are clear through the high ranges of the Ca.scade Mount.ains, and the liver comes to this point in a dee[) groove in the central plateau, Avliich is of volcanic formation, the rocks being mainly basalt. The survey followed the river for about 3tt miles above this place, but the trail goes up a parallel valley to the south. In this there are several small lakes; the largest Tanyabunkct, is about six miles in length, 'i'his valley at the lower end near Yeltesse, is about 1,000 feet abo\'e the Ica'cI of the river; at the u])})er end, 30 miles distant, they are nearly of the same level, and there the trail leaves the valley and crosses the Salmon lliver to the north side at the jioint which we reached in our exjiloration of 1)^74. 15 Ill "On tho ythJuly, I started with my pack train eastward from Yoltcsse, to exaniiiio ilio line of survey in the Salmon llivor valloy and arross tlio Divide to tlio Rlackwatoi'. llicnco down tho same to its junction with tiie liuf from IJutc Inlet, ••'I'lie wlioU'of this |)orUon of the line is in a depression of the eentral plateau, ami )tivsents no eimineiriii;:,- diHii'ulties till .'d'ter its junction with the line from I'.ntc Inlet. "On ilic istli Septemlior, we reached Mr. iicll's camp (Division N), on the r.larl, water, ahout seven miles id'ove this point the I'iver is crossed liy the telegrajth trail. " Ml-, r.ell and myself spent several days examining the nitlier rough country that forms the watershed between the jilackwater and Chihu-oh. Wo followed up the valley of the latter "JO nnles ahove the imint M-hero th(( line of survey loaves it, and found that it widened as we ascended. A liranch of the liver, coming in fiom tho Avest hy a hi-oad valley, ai)])ears to turn tho north end of the range which divides it from tlu; l>lackwati'r. and gives facilities for a deviation of the line to Dean Fnlot. hy which nnu'h heavy woik would [ii-(M.alily he avoihical sl<(>t : JR, which I had nuide on my May up* and gave instructions respecting thech.singnf 1 he season';^ wuik and the return <,f the ])arty to Victoria. " We travelled on the trail U]) the Nazco Valley to the lakes on the central plali'aii which form the sources of the river, then crossed to the Ale.xis jjakes and down to the ( 'hilicotin Valley, which w(^ followed down near to its junction with that of ihe {'"raser. then up the latter to Soda Creek which we reached on the 7th of ( >ctobei-. " I left my party at Soda Creek to take the train to Avinter ([uarters near Kamltop . and T travelled by .stage ami steamiioat for Victoria where 1 arrived Kith Octobei-. " On the l.'ith October, the Divisions S., and X., connected their surveys on the east bi'anch of tho llomathco Valley, on th(> line IVom Ihite Inlet to the ^'ellow Head Pass, and ivtunied to Victoria. "On the 2l)th Octol)er, the Di\isions K.. and N., connected their surveys on the same lino, near the mouth of tho Nazco Kiver. I'he former party returned to Victoria, and the latter went to Fort (leorg(> to complete fheir plans and continue the surveys east- ward (hu'ing the Avintor, "The Division \, completed a trial survey of a line from the Kemano Hay on the ( lardner Inlet, up the valley of the Kemano J'd\or and aei'oss the Cascade Mountains, tay on the Mountains, to -o liiver. and ■'About the end of Octoher, the Division M, under the eharye of Mi-. (Icorgo Kcefei-. liad to .stop the location Hurvoys from Yellow Mead I'ass westward, and tliey went into wiuttir (|uarters at 'iete .Fauiie Ciclip. from which lo iuak(^ trial survcyK. in advance of the location .survey, iluriii!.' the wiiitci* '.vheneviM- tlie weather would |ieriiiit." KWMINATION Oi' Mil: < 'llAN.NKI.S nKTWKKN 'I'lli: lsl..\M)S A I TUi; IvNII! \N( i: l- IUti; fNl.KT. "On the L".)th Octolier, I left. V'irtoria in the Hudson's Day ( 'o's steamer '< Hter,' and next day arrived at (Jape Mud;;-e, wliere f en,i,'a<,'ed a canoe and a j^'ood crew of [nmall islands that lie .at the entrance to IJute Inlet. •• I spent ten days on this work, made, a track survey of tiie ciiannels that divide the. Valdez Jsliinds, to replace in some measuro the |)lansof ISTli that had lieen destroyisd hy lire. \Vc crossed the Arran Uapids, between Stewart Island and t\u', maiidand, when the [\d(' was runniut; very swiftly, then went U[> to the Kstero IJ.isin, of which I made a r(;u,L,'li survey. This basin is at tht; head of the Frederic Ai-m, and the tide Hows in and out through a channel about a thiri^co\cry i'as.sage to (.'ape Mndgi- where we were (h'tained two days by adverse winds couiingup the Sti-ait of (jlcorgia. ( >n ihe storm abating wi; coasted down to Comox, Avhere 1 took passage in the steamboat f ■ Victoria. ()i- " This work was done in a canoe in the worst season for navigation, when, as we aft(>i-wards learned, the Pacific (.'oast was strewn with wrecks. We had fog and rain in a iiundance, and, by the scudding of the clouds, there w.as evidently storm without: lait we had no ditliculty in finding our way through rain and mist, and the wind did notaffccl. us, so completely are tliesc channels sheltered I)y the high land and rocks which they separate. '•I ft^el eonfidenl that a steamboat prupcrly conslrucicd could lab- a railway ti'ain on board and pass safely at all seasons of the year from any convenient point on Bute Inlet to a good landing on Vancou\er Island near Seymour Narrows. The only ditliculty would be tlu! swiftness of the current at a cert.-dn state of the tide; l)ut the worst rapid could be avoided by using mw of the cross channels that divide A'aldez Islands." 111! ENOINEERINt; CiC.VUACTKU uK TIIK l.INES SUKVKVIU) IN TO UivKii Stewart. IS"."). l5l"rK I.M.'.T "Tho llomatlioo Valley at the head of Bute Inlet is a mile ami a-half or two miles wiilti on th ) bottom Hat which is liouiuled by |>ro"ij>itous mountain slopes. Tho general direction of the valley i.s north and south, and it decreases in breadth as we ascend, till about 150 miles from the Inlet, where the mountains close in and the river nishes thron^li n narrow, I'ocky canyon or chasm. It is a turbid rajiid stream of about ."5(10 feet wide, Imi at places it spreads out to over 1,()()0 feet, divided into several channels by low alluvial islets from the letritus bronght down iiy the river. These islets are eover(r(>poiti()iiale length t)f these alternate sections from the head of But( Inlet to liic foot of tho (jireat Canyon is 22 miles on tlats with light works, aiul eight miles on the face of mountain slopes, requiring heavy rock cutting and four shoi-t tunnels, making altogether a length of at)Out 1,200 feet of tunnelling. The cuttings, however, are short, through narrow rocky spurs, few of them exceeding 30 to 40 feet in depth at the centre, falling ofi' rapidly to each end and latterly tow.-ird.s the river. The gradients in this sec- tion are generally easy, the largest being 58 feet Tier mile for half a mile in length and the sharpest curves hare a detlection of six degrees for chords If id feet long, equal to a radius of 055 feet. "The struanis crossed ou this section arc: the Homatlico IJiver — 300 feel wide,- six lateral glacial i^creams — 20 to 100 feet wide. Hotue of these have brought down large <|uantities of debris fi'om the mountains, raising their 1»eds across the Homatlico Valley considerably higher than the land a few hundred feet from each side of the stream. To avoid this difficulty the line has been canied in some instances to the foot of the mountain slopes, where the bed of the .stream is lower than the adjoining land; in o.iie- cases the stream will have to 1)6 divrted. None of the.se streams are deep itut they are \ piy rapid. '■ From the 30th to the 5Uth mile is throu'di the heart of the Ca.scade ^lountains and, with a few intervals, the river nishes through a continuous canycjii. At the 31)th mile is the junction of the east and west branches of the Ilomathco lUver. The survey of 1S72 follov/ed the west branch, which rises so rapidly for six miles that it was found necos.sary to go back to the 29th mile, and commence rising on the rugged rocky slojics, with a gradient of 100 feet per mile, wliich is continuous to the I Ith mile with excessively liea\y workij. r. Isi.'.T 111- two milt's The gClUTill : UHCT'IkI, till ishes til rough feet wide, liiit low alluviiil with spnirf . of the r(/(k\ 1 WlU("' line c'l ;i (lon'ii of n a little <»vci' crossiii!' tin- s away hiick at it is on ;i shcs the foot ojies for four s iiL'-'xiii on the Butt luk't to i; miles on the nncls, milking 'or, arc short, at the ccntri', s in this soc- cngth and the ill to a linlius ;ct wide, — six ironght down he Homatlifo of the stream, he foot of tl'i' iind ; in o.ue out thev live -ountains ami, ) IJ'Jth mile is rvey of li^7L' d necessary to lopes, with a 'ssivelv lie:i\ \ W '•The jiresent survey follows the cast liniiich of tin- Homuthco. Imt tho trial line showcMJ a rise of 77r> feet on the first d miles. To eiise this gradient a i le has ln-en ]>ro- jeeted from the cross sections, which it is believed will give tiie West gr.idients olilainaide, witliout gr(!atly increasing the roek excavations. This throws us back to ♦he ;5lth mile, between which ami the ."lord mile, the jiroiiie, as shown by the dotted line, is only a|>])r<*Niinate : fur when the trial line was com|ilt't• • 58.08 •• .. o ,,() •• |0.-|.(iO •• of level 0.00 •• '• 2.00 •■ • lo.'i (iO •■ of level 0.00 '• '• 1.40 •• 71.00 •• •• 0..S.-) >• • Jl.SS •• •• L'.or. •• 10.-.. CO •• •• icNcl •• • o.oit •• Total ri.M" 1,7 lii fc-i averaging 87.10 feet [ler mile. ••There will be a lai-ge ipiantity of rock o.vcavation throughout thi.s .si^etiou, including .•,everal short tunnels, but the reduction in heavy works is very considerable coiuparcd with the lin'.< surveyed in 1S7"J, on which the avcrag(? length of tunnelling in the ('a.scade .Mountains was fully three miles, while on the [ircscuL line it will not exceed two miles. " I'roiu the .lOth to the (ilst mile at the foot of Lake Tatlayaco, ilic rise is .")()7 feel. iieing an average of 4G feet per mile. The highest gra8t arc oasy. ••'J'lif svdiks oil tills si'ctioii will l)c iiiodi-ratc; the riiltin^.s arc |iriii(ipal!y in _i,'rav(d and lioidilors, witli a small |iro|«)rtion of I'ock. 'i'li<; iicaviost works will Ix; tlin crossin;,' of tln! ravines, one of tlicm ."i feet wide at lln; top and III feet deep, the other 400 feet wide ami I \'.\ feel de.')i. Iiolh of them slope to only a few feet in lireadtll at the liottom. ■' l''roiii '.»."i lu Itij.' iiuirs till line rnns a!on,i,' the south-east shore of lOa^le Lake witii easy, iindiilutiii!,' u'l'-idieiits. There will he a eonsiderahle (inantity of roek eiitling in this section. •• 'leiiee to the < 'iiilaiui)li \'al!ey the line follows a (!r[)ressioii in tiie plaleait, appa- rently the ancient hod of the lake and river. 'L'he yriidients aro <;eiieially etisy, except I per |00 for fonr miles. They are (h-seendiuL; to the C'hilancoh, which is '_',!)7.') feettdiose sea level where the line crosses the river which is ."iO feet wide. ''This section is liroken with l■id^'e^ of sand, ifiaMl and houlilers, and small div poiids. The works will imt he heavy. " From the ( 'hilancnh to (he crossing of the ( 'hilicotin l!i\cr at tlio loUth mih) tin; line is over a rolling' country. From the iL'Jnd to tlie l-'iOth nnle it ])asKes on the north- west of I'nntzee Lake, well iijj on the Hhij)e, in order to snrmount the ]»latean hetwoen that and the ("hilicotin Valley. The highest ]ioint is at \',V,] mih^s and is M,'l()7 feet above .sea level. The rise is almost continuous from the Chilanooh to tliis point, lint the highest 'gradient is 1 per lOO for a mile and a half. " Hence the line dcsccmls with easy gradient to the (.'hilicotin Valley; cro.s.sing the river- 1 -JO feet wi.h'-ncar the fool .if I he (.'liLsicut Lake at the altitude of .'i.'J'JO feet alio\e scii hnol. " From the Chilicotiu Valley IIJ!) miles - the line reaches the highe-st point of the plateau at ]')o miles. Avitli easy niuhilating gradients. Thi.s point is .'5,(505 feet above .sea level. Hence to the west end nf |,ake Nestacho at l(>'2 miles, the grailients arc very easy, tliat point heing ;>.t7tl feet above sea level. "The whole of this section from 139 to IdL' miles Ls over an arid countrv of sand, gravel and lioulders. and tlie wnik will be very light. ■' From 1(52 miles tlie line runs along the slopes of the \alley by Lakes Nestacho, Zazatee and Tehu sin-il-til to lii7'' miles with ('asy gradients, but on half the distance there Avill be some ratlier heavv rock < tittimj;: the balance will be liirht work. "From the la.st point — lt57i,' mihss— the Nazco lliver, here oidy 'JO feet wide, Hows into a Oi'nvon, the head of which is ;?. Ill) feet abo\e sea level. The descent thronsh the canyon, eight ui.d a-half miles in length, is at a uniform rate of 1 p(>r lOO. Half the distance Is curvature, varying from l,!nO to 1,4133 feet radius. " Tht^ upjier ])arl of the canyon is coinpohcd tif basaltic rock, the lower pait con- ■'loiiierate. There will he some licavv reck rutliii'.'s in (lii.-^ rrrfion. stwanl to the v(!l, and tlir loit stretiliPh lit iiiilfs; till' ly ill xi'ivcl the. rmssiiii^ her 400 ftvt the liottoni. 1(^ Lake with ttiir' in Lliis ateitii, ai>|iii- isy, except I '.") feet ali(i\(' (! small tlrv Dtli milt; tlie a the iiorth- l)et\veen that et iibeve sea the highest ci'ossiiig the >f ;?,2'J0 feet point of ihr jt iil)0\e 8ea 'Uts are \ ery try of Kuud, cs Nestacho, tli<' (Ustaiiee wide, Hows through the ). Half the or part con- 110 " From \7C>1 miles, at the foot of llio canyon, the vaHey widens out so that between (his point and the junction with the lllaekwater. there is'sco|M' for niori< than one line. 'I'iie line h)cated has l)eeii cliosen to shorten the distaiui^ as much as |ira((ical»lc an keep off till' low lands widch are Huliject to overth)W, so that there are points at wliii-h it may Ih; fotiml liesIiMliIi' to inaki- sliort ileviiitions to redm-i' thr i|uantitv nf rmk I'vcavatioii. '■ The altitude at tin- foot of tlic canyon is •_',!)S."» (cft. and at the niontli of tlu> N'a/.ro L'.IiSO feet above sea h;vel— a fall of oO,') feet in lo miles. The highest, gradient 0.."iO per loo. "On some j)ortioiis of this seclido there will be a eon^idir.dde ijuantitv of riM'k cut ting, morc! esjiecially on the shore of Iflke Nazc

    'M feet, giving an average fail of '.i^ feet per mile. 1 5ut the gradients are undulating and there are three jiicccs of I per |H0 making .an light. "The heigiit ot the last point is L'.oOl feet abov(! sea level. Hence tlie line descends the slope by a serpentine coui'se to the Chilacoh Valley, with gradients varying from O.L'O to 1 per 100. There are about four miles of the hitter in several l"ngfhs with stretche'^ of level between. "The formation is sand, gravel and boulders and there are no deep cuttings, but there are several deep ravines to cross. The largest of these is ."lOlt feet at top, 10 feet at bottom and 1 10 feet Stewart at '2S'yi miles. The gradients ai'(> very easy, the altitude at the ( Hiilacoh being •_'/--•'' f''«'t ='"'l "<^^''*' ^^*-'^^''""*^ -■•'•"'•' *"''^^' 12(1 "Oil the I'lrst ]2 miles thv works will Ix- very li,i,'li(, ''nt on Uio next (ivo miles tin' rivor has cut through a nmcje of hills aiul the vallrv is cuiilracl.od ; on this last section there will bo .■^onie tl;H']i etittiiij,'s in s:\iiil ;nul pfrMvel. "The lino at '_'"."> miles is "J.llM) feet alio\e sea iev(>l, mid tlieiie<^ to '2Si> miles the ijnuliont is almost uiiilorm at pii,dit fe. t jier mile, 'i'he works woi.ld lie very li<,'lit liut for several diversions of the rive'i-, making, an n.i,'gregate len;,'th of 4,000 feet. The eiittinL;s for these divei-sioiis will, iiowever, not be deeji. It is a sliii,'i,'i.sli stream risiiii:^ to within a few feet of tho level of the flat throti^^h which it winds. On the last three miles, t(» tlie junction with tho Stewart v;dley, there ;ire some deep enttiiii^s in siind ;ind irravel .'ind three short euttiiiifs in i-ork. •' P>ctween (Im' l.'.'i7th and L'S'.'th nui.' llie liiu' ei-osses the Chilaeoli iJivc r three times and will reipiin* {wo bridijes wiih one sjian nt' I (ID \\-v{. and une liridL.''' \\ith two spans of 1 IK) feet. 'This is the jioiiiL to wiiicli ilie I lial location sui'vey had been carried in Oetolier. I '7-">, anil tho result is to a certain excnt sat isfaetoi-y. The (vxcesslvoly hea\ y works tlii'oni;h the (.'ascade Mountains, re(iuired o/i the line sui'veyed in 187-', have by the last survey Ijeen reduced to practicable limits. Tho len).;th of tuiuiellin;i; by the former Avas fully four miles; now it will not exceed two miles. Th(> rock excavation and bridj^ini; over deep ra\ ines have been redm-od in ])roporiinn, as the foiuiaLiou line is now at a much less height above the level nf ihc llnMailico lvi\ei-. Ilie ^^radienis ai-e aiso ormsiderably imjirovcd. '•On the other hand iln' line by the ITiver Na/.ci.i has nni proved so favorable as antieiiiated. Tho canyo' at the head of the valley is eight miles in length with a contiiuious gradient u( I ])cv 1 00 ami heavy rock cutting throughout. There is also sonic heavy woi'k on two or three .niles in the iJlaokwater Valley. '• Tiie length of line on w iiich very heavy rock exca\atioii and tunnelling occurs Is nbout ;")(» miles viz: — In the ( 'ascade iMountains 40 miles : in the Xazco canyon eight miles, and in thi> valley nf the I'lackwater two to thre<^ miles. " It is not necessary here to enter into a further classillcatinn of the works, as the (piaiititii?s are being taki'ii out from which an ap|ii'oximate estimate of the cost nf con stniction will be obtained both on this and other Jines. '•From Stewart River to Vellow Head I'ass the line will be eomnion to .all those termiuatiug at, or mirth of I Jute Inlet. ''The Divisions M and N have lieen engaged (hiring last winter and spring in continuing the trial location of this jiortion of the liiu'. A report has been received from tho former, dated loth Junuary 1^7(5. aceompanicHl with ])lan and profile of 22.', miles locateil from the summit of Yellow ifead I'ass westw;ird. A sui>sei|uent leport states that the party have been engaged during the wiiitei- running trial lines in advance of location and that they were piepared to resume the latter as soon as the oonnti'y was elfar of snow. "A branch of tlu; lliver Kra.3er rises on the west side of the ^'ellow Head Pass within half a mile of the summit, which is th(^ eastern boundary of the province of iJritish (.'olumbia. Tho river fluws westward through Vellow Head and Moose Lakes, and the line is located on the north si le of these to wthin four miles of the foot (tf the jjitter lake. inilos lilt* liist section S() mill's till' lii,'lit l)Ut fur riic fiittin,ifs >r t(i within niilos, to tiic ll ffl'ilVcl ;il!il tiii'i'C times Wil SliMllS III' 1 ill Oilulier. Iicaw woi'ks by tlio last former was >riil.i,'iii,i,' over L :i much less eiii\si(l('rablv faVDi'iilile as a coutiimous ) Rome lieUN V w' occurs 1- eji'lit miles. works, as the e cost "t" con- II to all (hose 1 spriujLC ill leeu received iroiilo of 22}, n|ueiit repoi'L s ill advaiief' count rv was ,v IJpinl J'liss uco of I'ritish iken, and the le latter lake. 121 '• Jn the distance located— 22 J miles— the fall i., 313 feet. Of this fall 03 feet takes l)lace III tlio two and a-half niilcs from the summit of the pas>,, to Yellow llt>ad Lake in which thci'(» is a f,'radient of 1 per 100 for a mile and ii-half. The rest of tln^ tall is lietsveen the two lakes, on which there are two gradients of 1 per 100 making aitogethei- a leiitrtii of two miles. On tin; shore of th(? lakes the gradients are undulating and easv. "The works on this section will not he heavy; a few of the cuttings will leacii 2(1 to ."lO feet iu depth hut chiefly in sand and gravt^l, with a few short cuttings in rock. "A report from the Engineer in charge of Division M dated May 2nd, 1S7(I, states that the jiarty luid been running trial lines during the winter, but resumed location on the 2'.)th Fi'bruary, and they had i-eached and cros.sed tin- Itiver Fi-aser 20 miles above Kort (fcorge. A plan and profile accompanying the report, show this section to be 2'.' miles in length. "The distance from Bute Inlet to the junction of the ("hilacoli and Stewart Valleys has been stated 289 :| miles. From this iioint the line has lusen continu(>d along the right bank of the Stewart River, crossing the latter near the 297th mile. It follows the left bank to the 302nd mile, when it makes a sharp turn to the north up a narrow valley jiarallel to the Fnvser. At the l^ead of this valley 308th mile— is the sunnnit of tin* divide between the valleys of the Stewart and the F'raser. From this summit the line descends obliquely tlie slo]>e of the latter, and crosses the river at the ;>1S.', mile. "The line on the banks of the River Stewart and the lateral valley u|i to the 3'>lst mile is on fertile Hats, with easy gradients and the work will be light. "The altitude at the crossing of the River Stewart is 1,9."»0 feet aliove .sea level. The river is r)00 feet wide, with 20 feet depth of water and a riipid current. The bridgiiin' of this will be a dillicult piece of work. Tlie ice piles up on the siilcs of the river to a height of five to ten feet. "The sunnnit of the divide is at 307i miles, and. ascending this on the scmoh .side, there are three lengths aggregating three miles of 1 per 100, and, descending the north slopes, there are^ five miles of the same gradient on three lengths, with short pieces of level between. "Crossing the divide from 300 to 313 miles, the country is serrated with sJiarp ridges and narrow deep I'aviues, on which there will b(> very heavy excavations 20 to f.O feet in depth, chiefly in clay. On the rest of the distance the works will be vtM-y light. "The Salmon River is crossed at 310',' miles. It is SO feet wide but subject to overflow its luinks. "The Fraser where the line crosses is 700 feet wide between walls of solid rock; it is 30 feet deep at Hood with a very rapid current. This crossing only appears suitable t'or a suspension iiridge, and it may bt; found necessary to stdect a i-rossing where the river is not so contracted and the current less swift." De.\N InLKI- to Jl XCTION in TIIK. I'.I.Al'KWATER VaLLICV WH'II TIIK LINK IliOM I'.iii; iNf.KT I'o Yki.i.ow IIicAn I'ass. "The line of this preliminary survey runs up the valley of the Salmon River, which rises in the central plateau and Hows nearly duo west through the Cascade Mountains to Dean Inlet, it then cros.ses Uie watershed to the head of the Ulack water, which river 10 U2 Hows nearly clue east to llu; Frasor. Tlio line follows this to tlie intersection of the line fi'oni V,\xU' fillet. Tlience to Yellow Hfiul I'ass is eoiniiion to liotli lines. " Topograph ieal sketehcs ami some cross sections were taken to a sufficient breadth to ]iroject a line for location, and, as a location survey is now in ])ro'k cutting. Tlie line is on the wrong side of the river with a large quantity of rneU eiittiiig and some tunnelling. ()u tlie otiier side are tini1)ered tlats with rock coming to tlie water's edge for a short space at three dill'erent points. Line being located on that side will cross river near l!tth mile. None of tlij cuttings will exceed .35 feet in depth, but will be ehielly in rock Tiinnel half a mile in length through roek. Piest of the cutting moderate. At ^'eltesse or Salmon House, cross river 150 feet above water with bridge !)00 feet long. One span of 200 feet over the chasm and 7 spans of 100 feet with a height of 40 to 50 feet. Heavy roek cuttings. The canyon. Very In^avy work. 'I'o liead of canyon. Heavy rock cuttings. Heavy niek cuttings. '■ At Yeltessc, Oltli mile, is a fixed point ami tlie line cannot be altered. It will be •seen tliat, with the exc(!jition of a half a uule of tiinnelling. there an; no very great dilHcultics up to this jioint and the gradients are not bad. Hen! we an; entirely through the superior snow-clad i-anges of the (.'ascade JNIountains, and, from the head of the Canyon, to this point the riv(U' linds its way in a deeji groove through tlie rolling hills of the central jilateau, and the gi'catest engineering difliculties will be on 1(1 miles fi-om Yeltesse upward. It is possibh? that a uniform gradient of about 81 feet pei- mih; eouhl be obtained with heavy rock cuttings and little, if any tunnelling; but a careful location iirvey can ;iloue determine this. "The altitude at the Ti'Jnd mile is ;),0(l.'» feet above sea hnel. The line follows the north bank of tin; river to ")!).', miles, where it commences to ascend tlu? slopc.-s of the vaUey of the plateau wliicli s the line follows the south shore nf Lake Thracliii, through which the i'llackwitei' Hows, and at I •") 1 miles near the foot of Lake Eucliinico ii re-crosses the river. •'Tn this section the gradients are generally easy, but the ground is more liroken and the work will be rather heavy, as there is a consideraltle poi'tir)n of rock in some of the cuttings. Tt is prob.alile that abetter line could lio found li\ kee|iini;- on the left bank of the river and lakes all th(! way down. ''The altitude at the crossing of tlu- river near the LMtli mile is l,;];}-") feet, thence the line runs on the left bank of the river which flows thrnugh a chain of small lakes to the KiOth mile 'i'ht^ grailients are easy on this section, but tluM'e will lie some rather deep cuttiii'^s on the shores of tlie lakes, which, however, lan be mueh reiluced liy a ciircfiil location of the lin(>. "The last point is :^,0I7 feet aliove .sea lexcl and from it the Blackwater makes u sharp lieud to the south-east till it meets the Na/.co. The combined streams liend to the north east. To cut off this angle the line has been I'un over the i'idg(! which has caused the dellection of the river. The sununit is near the ler 100, eijuul to !)'.• fe(!t p(>r mile, tor ;?,' uules, and another of I ]i(>r 100 for a mileanda half ; but tliis can be improved to a uniform gradient of 1 per KXI for about nine miles, or. ])robablv nmch betttu" by a consideralile deviation of the line to the northward. The excavations on this side of the ridge will be heavy, but principally in sund and gravel or loose rock. "The Iskultasley River, 20 feet wide, is crossed between the 17 lat and 172nd mile ; thence the line follows its left bank to the Blackwater Valley, where it joins the line from Bute Inlet, which entere the Blackwater by the Nazco Valley 10 niiles further up. " The length of the line from Dean Inlet to the junction is 184 miles, and from Bute Inlet 230 miles— a difference of 4G miles in favor of the former with generally lighter works throughout, and it is anticipated that by a deviation of the line so as to form :i junction with tliat from Bute Inlet in the Chilacoh Valley, the heavy work, which is now common to both Imes, between the 230th and 2G0th miles will be much reduced. A survey of this is no^\ being made." From Kemano ['ay, on thk Gauuxkr Ouannkk, to Fiust Lake on Kasteun Sloi'i; oi' THE Cascade Mountains. '• This survey was an attempt to cross tlie Cascade Mountains from the Gardner Channel to Lake Francois in order to take advantage of the comparatively low linn of country stretching from this lake to tlie Fraser near Fort George, by the Nechacoh and Stewart Valleys. I " p]xplorations with heights taken with the barometer in 1874 gave no promise of a practicable line across the Ciiscade IVIountains north of the 53rd parallel of 1 titudo, but this njuto was tliought of so m\ich impoi'tance as to merit a better instrumental survey. "The line conmiences on a bay at the moutl. of the Kemano River, about 20 mih^s from the head of the Gai'dner Inlet, and follows the Kemano Valley nine miles, in -^vhich the rise is 175 feet. The valley Ls naiTOw and subject to overflow during the freshets fi'oui the melting snow in siunmer and the rains of autunui. The mountains ris(^ precipitously from each side of the valley in masses of bare rock. " At the ninth mile ihe lino leaves the Kemano Valley and takes a more easterly coui-se u]) a lateral ravine through which a sti-eam Hows from a small lake near the summit of the mountain. The slopes of the ravine are steep and rugged and avalanches of snow and loose rock roll down them and sometimes choke up the ravine to a gieat depth. •'The summit of tlie mountain Is reached at the 19th mile, where the altitude is 4,019 feet. The gi-adients in the lust ten miles vary from 200 to 800 feet per mile. " At 22 miles th(i lino itiachcs the head of the first lake on the eastern slope of the mountains, from which the water Hows to Lake Francois or tho Nechacoh River. The line was cani(>d alongthe north shore of this lake four miles; its length is estimated 18 to 20 miles and its altitude 2,790 aboTe the sea. "To construct a railway on this route would rcipiire a tunnel from this lake to the Kemano Valley, a tUstanco of 10,7 miles in a direct line, with a continuous gradient of 1 in 22.15, ecpial to 238 feet jter mile. "Any attempt to improve this gradient would only increase tho length of tuiuielling and excessively heavy rock excavation and expose the line to avalanches of snow and rock that roll downi the sides of the ravine;. " This line is so obviously impracticable that the survey has not been extended." and 172iul it joins the lies further 1 from Bute ally lighter to form a •hich is now L'duced. A EUN Si-orK ho Gardner low lino of ;chacoh and roniiso of a ido, but this rvev. it 20 miles es, in which the freshets intiiins riso ore easterly c near the t'alanches of gi'oat depth. e altitude is ■ mile. Uope of the liver. The mated 1IAN TlMItl::^ ANI> TliKATlKS. l!i)Hiil of llir llim. Din-'nl Luinl, Minixfn' of the Interior, 1875,^)^/. r)-0. ••Tlio nuiiiiicr oi sni.ill Imnds into wJiicli jiiost of the rmlliin tril)cs of tlic Dominion of Canaila arc divided, and tlit> ilistaiicc wliich sonic of tlic bands must necessarily lie fi-om any otlicrr of tlic Department, rcndci' it ditlirult to j iroeii re satisfactorily infonnation as io tiicir actnal ecndjtion, * * "It is niatifvini,' Im oKscrvc tjial llie Indians on scncral of tlic (■(•serves are liei;innin,L;- to ae([iiirc individual jirojicrty. They are making small clearances un their allotments, raising |)atches f)f grain and vegetai)los, and procuring farm stock. I'ut the progress is slow. Habits foi-mcd l>y a peoj>l(> generations back are difficult to overcome. The system of li\iug with the vwiXv savage is from hand to mouth. Ho has no inducement to accpiiro property, lieeatise it would only further expose \\i\\\ to the attacks of his enemies. Me is active on the war-path or in the chase; but when danger is over, revenge satisfied, tir his immediate wants ajipcased, he relapses into his accustomed iiulolence. It may 1h> said that this inertia, is the chief legacy which he bequeaths to his children. The great dillicully with the Indian is that he cannot all at once rid himself of this iidieritaiicc. Even under the most favorable circumstances time must be given him to nndei-stand the moti\es and ac(|uire the habits of the white man, who label's to accumidate wealth in order that he may have the means of su]iport in sicktie.ss or old age, or of giving his ollspiiiig a start in life. Ihit when th(>se motixcs come to be understood and acted u])on l)y the I,i dian. the evidence of which is the possession of considerable ]iroperty .-K'liuired by his own industry and thrift, it shows that he may safely be en- trusted with the rights of full citi/en.ship. To grant enfranchisement to the intelligent and well-behaved Jndians would probably train to .still further self-reliance, and encourage their brethren v ho are lagging behind to make greater exertions to overtake the Anglo Sa.Non in the race of progress." Tiir.Ai'iKS. Xo. I. //*'('/' .">/■'' A ":/"■•/. \^7\. Iii'tirii',/ /III- M(ij)'Klji ihc Qiino)i, (IikI tli'i ''I'li'i" >''<' ('i"l Vrvi' I/i'/((ii>>\ of yiuvltolid. ditil co'infi'i/ (iAl!li;s. "The ('hii)]K'wa and ."-svauniy ^'''f' Trilies of Indians, and all other the Indians inhabiting the district hereinjifter described ami df^tined, ilo hereby cede, release, sur- render, and yield up to Jbr Majesjty the Queen, and Successors for ever, all the lands incluiled within the following limits, that is to say : IJeginning at the International Ifoundary line near its juiuliou v itii the liukc of the Woods, at a point dtie north from the 12< tjcntiH! of llostiiiu L!ik(^, tlKmco to mn thxa north to the contro of Roso.v'i Lnko; tlionco iioilliwiiril, to tins (UMitrc of Wliitc Mouth l/ikc, ollicrwij^c cnlli'.l Wliito Mud l.ukc ; th(!iK;o l»y tlio inuldh! of thi! Lake iiiul the iiiiddh^ of th« river issuing tlicivfmiii, to the luoiitli thereof in Winnipeg lliver; tlience l>y the \Viniii|i("4 liiver to its nioutli : thenet^ \V(>st\v-ardly, inidiiding ull tiie Ishmds nr.u- the soutli end of tlie Like, ucrovS the L;ik(^ to the mouth of the Di'unkeu lliver; thence westwurdly, to a point on I/dce ^runitoha, half way lictwecn Oak Point and tlie mouth of Swan (,'ivek; tiienee aei-oss Lake Manitoba, on a line (hic west to its westcn'u shore; thence in a straight line to tlie in'ovsing of the llapids on the Assiniboine; thence duo soutli to the International l)ouii lary line, and thenei! c:istwardly by the said limi to tlie place of beginning; to liuvc .mil to hnld th" same to lier said IMajesty the Queen, and Jler Hucri's-ioi's for eviM-." 'Av.v/.// .Vo. -2, lu'i'/r -n-^f A ''-■/. t-t;. r.ol NDAlllKs. e Dommiou 'ceasarily l)e information icral of the 11 clearances ; farm stock, e difficult to h. Ho lias him to tlio ,'hen danger i accustomed icaths to his id himself of le given him 10 labors to ;s or old age, undei'stood considerable safely be en- ' intelligent id encourage the Anglo /n 11/11 li'(i (I III I the Indians release, siir- all the lands nternational irlh from the "The C!hip)»ewa Tribe of Indians, and all other the Indians iiihaliittiig the district hereinafter described and detiiuHl, do hereby cede, release, surrender and yield up to I lor Majesty the Queen, and Her successors for ever, all the lands inchuled within the follow- ing limits, that is to say: — AH that tract of country lying partly to the north and partly (o th(^ west of a tract of land ceded to Wvr Majesty the Qucimi liy tliri Indians inhabiting the Province of Manitoba, and certain adjoining localities, under the terms of a Treat v niad(! at Lower Fort Garry on i\n\ third day of August last |ia:st, the land now intended to be ceded and surrendered, being particularly descril>cil as follows, that is to say : -begin- ning at the mouth of Winnipeg Jliver, on the north line of the lands ceded l)y said Trciaty, thence running along the tfastern shore of Lake Winnipeg, northwardly as far as the mouth of Benin's River; thence across the said Like to its western shore at the north bank of the mouth of the Jiittle Haskatchewan or Dauphin River: thence up said stream and along the northern and w(!st(,'rn shores thereof, and of St. ^NLirtin's Lake, and along the north bank of the stream flowing into St. Martin's iiake from Lake ^I initolia by the geiKU'al course of such stream to such last-mentioned i^ake; thence by the eastern and northern shores of Lake Manitoba to the mouth of the Waterhen I'iver; thence by tin; eastern and northern shores of sail I river up stream to the northei'most extremity of a small lake known as Waterhen J^ake ; thence in a line due west to and across Lake Winni- ])egoosis; thence in a straight line to the most noi'therly waters forming the source of tins Shell River; thence to a point west of the same, two miles distant from the river, measuring at right angles thereto ; thence by a line parallel with tin; Shell River to its mouth and then crossing the Assiniboine River and running parallel thereto and two miles distant therefrom and to the westward thereof to a. point opposit(> l''ort Kllice ; theue(> in a southwesterly course to the northwesU.'rn point of the Moosi; Mountains; thence by a line due south to the United States frontiei; thenct; by the frontier eastwardly to the W((stward line of said tract ceded by Treaty as aforesaid; thence boundeil thereby, by the west, north-we-st and north lines of said tract to the place of l»eginning at the mouth of Wiiuiipeg lliver; to have and to hold the saiiu^ to Jler ^Miiji^stv the (^leeu and Her successoi's for ever." Rol-ND.YUlKs. '•The Saultenx Tribe of the Ojibbeway Indians, and all otliei' the Indians inhabitim; the district hereinafter described and delintid, do hereby cede. I'elease, surrender, and yiel.l up to the dovernment of the Dominion of Canada, for Her ]\Lijesty the Queen and Hei- successors for ever, all their rights, titles and privil(>gi>s whatsoevei- to the lands includi-d within the following limits, that is to sav; 12H " Comnu'iuun*,' ;it ii |>uiiit on tin; Pigeon Kivor lloutr wlicic (lif Intfrnatioiiul lioiiiul- nvy line between the tei rituries of Unsat Britain and tlio United States intcisoets tlie height of hind separating the waters running to Lake Superior from those (lowing to Lake Winnipeg, thence nortlierly, westeriy and easterly, along th<'i height of lanil aforesaid following its sinuosities, whatever their eonrse may 1»p, to the jjoint at which tJie said height of land meets the summit of the water shed froiu which tlu! streams How to Lake Nepigon, thence northerly and westerly, or Avhatever may he its course along the ridge separating the waters of the Nepigon and the Winidpeg to the lieiglit of land dividing the waters cif the Albany and the Winni[ieg, thence westerly and north-westerly along the height of land dividing the waters flowing to Hudson's IJay by the Albany or other rivers from those running to English lliver and tlu' Winnipeg to a jioint on the said height of land l)earing north forty-tive degrees east fiom l*\)rt Alexander at the mouth of the Winnipeg; tliencc; south forty five degrees west to l"'ort Alexander at the nujuth of the Winnipeg; thence southerly along the eastern bank of •' W' ' )eg to the mouth of White ISlouth Kiver, thence sc.ttVerly by the line describ' '. .>s .1 tJia*^ ,'art foi-niing the eastern boundary of the tract surrendered by tlu; Chippev,. "t! .■ , mpy C'ree Triljes of Indians, to Her Alajesty on the third of August, one tliousa: 1 • :i\ii i nndred and seventy- one, namely, by Whibt Mouth lliver to White Mouth Lake au.i them •• a line, having the general bearing of Whitt? INIonth River to the lorty-ninth parallel 01 .lorth latitude. thenc(! by the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude to the Lake of the "Woods and from thence iiy the International iMuunlary line to the; placi' of beginning. " Th<^ tract coinjirised within the lines alio\i' descriVu'd cmliracing an area of fifty-live thousand square miles be the same more or less. '•To have and to hold tiit; same to Her JMajesty the Queen and fler successors f'or ever." ♦ Tr source of its M-estflrn branch, thence in a straight line to the source of the northern branch of the Qu'Api)elle, thence along and including said streams to the Forks near Lo'ig Lake, thence along and including th« valley of the west branch of the Qu'ApjUille to tlie South Saskatchewan; thence along and including said river to the mouth of Alaph* Creek ; thence southwardly along said creek to a point opposite the western extremity of the Cypress Hills; thence due south to the International boundary; tlience east along ill lidUlnl- rsi'cts till' ir to Lakt' iiforcsiiiil tlic Hiiid to Lako tlic ridj,'*' VuUllg tilt' aloui; thr lii'i' rivors liciLjlit of 111 of tlic ith of the mouth of rining tlio Tiibes of d scvi'iity- 10, liaving 1 latitinU', iuid from ifllftv-livc siic<'<'ssors \ni\nii ihi' I yield 11]) uid Ht'V s iuchidiMl iioitli- loimtains, icuce ill a mouth of )iii, to its nipe^oosis he ccntn> iucludiu,!,' cstwurdly uiiuami to B iiovtheni ^'orkH n«ir Ju'AiiiKillo of Mhi)1o troniity of as4t alon.ir 12!) tlu; .laid boundary to tli • plai-o of coniiiKJiioeinont. Also all tlioir rii,'l Ls, titles and |irivilt'i;(>s wliutsocvor to all otlior lauds wlicreso('\(M- situated svitliin Fl"r M, ji'stv's North- West 'I'enitories. or any of them, to liavi- and to hold llie sium' • . H' '' Majesty tin.' 'j'liei'u and I ler su'-eessoi s I'm- e\er." 7'/V(iM.)\uii;s. "Till" Saultea ;\ and Swampy Cree Tribes of Indians and all other tlie Indians iiiliahttiiii; the district hereinafter doscnI)ed and dotinoil, do hereby cede, release, sui-- render, and yield up to the (Jovernniont of the nominion of Canada, for H< r Majpstvthe Qiipon nnd Her sucoessors forever, all their rights, titles and privileu'e-> whatsoever to tin- lands included within tlie followin;.; limits, that Ih to say; - •'( V)mmeiiciii;4 at the iioith corner or junction of Treaties Ni'. 1 mid .'5, tlieiiee, '•■isterly alonii the liuun lary of Treaty No. .*? to the hei;i;!it of land at the north- 'ast • ■onier of the stiid Treaty limits, a point (lividing tlie waters of the AHiany and Winni|icn itivers, tiieneo due north along the said height of laud to a 'point inter-iected by the ■ )'.\' of north latitude, and thence north-westerly to Favorable Lake, thence following the east shore of the said hake to its northern limit, thence north-westerly to the north end of l/ike WinnipegoosiH, thence westerly to the height of l.ind called ' l.'obinson's Portage,' (hence norLh-westerly to the cast end of ( 'ross Lake, thence north-wc-lerly crossing Fox's Lake, thence north-westerly to the north end of Split Lake, thence south-westerly to ripcstone Lake, on IJurntwood Kiver, thence south-westerly to the western point of John Scott's Lalce, thence ; aith-wcilerly to the north shore of 15eaver Lake, th 'uce south- westerly to the west end of Cumberland Lake, theiic(» due south to the Sasikatchewan iliver, thence^ du(> south to the north-w(\st corner of the northern limiis of Treaty No. \. including all territory within the s.aid limits, and all isl.iuds on all laki-s within the said limits .as above described, and it being also understood that in all cases wlc I'e lakes f)riii till- treaty limits, t^'u miles from the shoi'e of the laki' should b- inehidel ii the Treaty. *'And al.so all tlieir rights, titli!S and privileges •whatsoevi'r to ail other lands wherever situated in the North-We.st Tei-ritories. or in any othei- Province oi- jiurtion of Her Maji'sLy'^i |)t)ininions situated and being within the hominion of < ana .a, "The tract compriueeii and I'-r su<-i-e.ssors lor ever. Trriiiii Xii. Ck Thi.-. Treaty wa.s negotiated during the sumuier of ls7'i. i'-y it il ihe eoiintiv west of the territory ceded under the jirovisions of the foregoing treaties, to the lloeky .Mountains, was surrendered to the l)ominion (joveriimeiit, with the exeeption of the eountry of the J51ackfeet lying in the south-west portuiii of the North-West Territories far south of the I'ailroad route. It is expected, however, that a treaty with this tribe will be concluded lu-xt year when the Indian title to tin- whole region will be eNtinguis'jed in favor of the (iovernuient of tlie Dominion. To e:ich and all of the fonMnenticnied treaties the iollmving pro\ ision vaij uttached :- - 17 1;](i llcr Majcstv fiirth il Iiuliium, tliiit witliiii thi: lioiuulai'V of icr .>iiije.siv tiiriiu'i' agrees with hor sum liuliium, una wiiiuu tui,' iioiuuiary oi liitliun Koscrves, until ollioi'wise ilrtoiiiiim'il l>y lier CJovcrntnout of the Domiiiioii of ( aiuula, MO iiitoxicatiii;,' li([iior shall lu' allowrd to be introduced or suM, and all laws r.ow ill foreo, or hen-after to he enacted, to |)resorve her Indian snlijects inhaljitin;; the IJeservos or livm<; elscwhore within Her Xorth-Wfst Territories, from tiio evil inllneneo of the usf* of into\ieatin<,' liijnors. shall lio strii tly enfurcod." J'/ii ('iiidiil 11141 I hull, liKHi, I'lji Clii'i'!'.< Mnr^imlL ft. hi, I. IS * * '■' •• In a rf|iort lo tT* I 'nited States Coni,'ress for the year li^TO it aid: 'It is now an estalilished fart that the Indians of ( 'anada have jiassed through the most ci'itieal era of transition from harliarism to eivilizrition ; and the assimilation of their hahits to those of thi' white race is so far from threatening,' their gi'adual extinction liiat it is jirodncing results directly opposite.' We (Canadians) have followe(l towards tin in an unth^viating policy of conciliation and protection, which ajipears to have won the admiration of some of our friends in America. ''J'iie CJovernnient has assumed a friendly and prinstakim,' ^MiardiaiLsiiip over them,' says the report aliove (pioted. We liMve carefully respected y the sariotis li'ilies, and these engagements have lieen scrupulously I'cspected. Large sums of money are paid annually, in accordance with the terms of these treaties. * "This |iiilicy of peace anil protection tosvards the Indians has |'ii.\ed a wise one. It has cost far less than the aggressKe policy of the United States towards the tribes within their liotmdaries. Kngland is regarded with resjiect and ali'ection by these nnh; savages. 'King (feorge's men,' as our soldiers ai'e called, are spoken of with admiration, and are believed to lie invincilile." //;tri)'hffion t.0 Vof. / 1'., /-. A.V.V.V/ I'. " .Manitolia (('. 1S70) Kstimate of ahnri'.^inal |io]iul,ilii(ii 50(1 " r.ritish Coliniiliia " •• •■ •• l'.'., ()()(> " l,al(i'aili)f, Kii|)eit's | . . „ - •• Land and NertliWest 1 " ■'•''•'•"' ••'{"c.tal 7'^. 'I'M)" Ji'/Hul I'j' l/ti' hiimrlwiid (>/ III'' I id' r'i(ii\ 1^71. I ulrinlai'liiiii. it. IV. " Kstiniated Indian [lojiulation. '• 15ritish Coluniltia .'. l,.">2it '• Manitolia and North-West under ti-caty IS.'.UI " Sioii.c in Manitoba and North-West I,1.')0 " Krom IVace River to IT. S. IJonndary, nmreatied' lO,0<){) '" iJnjiert's Land, Ac .">. 1 7U " Total G2,0S I " Till-; .Mdi .NiKi' I'ni.ifi:. /''■jiorf iij' yidjiii' i!i luriil I'J. Sillii/ Sni'/ili. f 'i)iiiii'n»'h'iirf (^niii-lini MHitin., !"'^7'''. "ToonHU'li \ alue eannot be attaehed to the N'mtli W'l -^t Poliee. Ion tniich Mttrniion eaiinot be [laid to (heir etlieieney. ''We read that not lon^^' acjo these wiM Indian tribes of ihr I''iii' West wi-re aeeustonied to rp^'ard murder as honorable war, i-ol)bery and |iillai,'e as traits most ennobling to mankind; the jjlaekfeet, Ci'ecs, Salteaux, .\ssiboynes, the J'eigauH, amonj; the most savage of the wild races of Western America, free from all restraint and any sort of control, waged indis.i'imiiiate war wiili each otiier and with mankind. '* T^aw, order, and security for life and [n-ojierty were iitth' obsei ved ; rivil and !i'i;al institutions almost entirely unknown. •'To tlay what a revolution e;ui we see: -all these have given jdace to pcacf' ,ind security, ])r()siierity, contentment, and gooil will, il, remains only to satisfy the Indian tribes liv ciiUring into fail- and just treaties, which they mncli desire; but in carrying this into elleet, the utmost caution is necessary to convince them that their spacious hunting grounds are still open lo lle-ni, fojlhi'v will follow t!ie butlalo as long as tli? liutlalo con I iuues to exisl. " T!ie appoinlmiiil of hiagi.lraLes. aiid eiii ijuragtinent of nii.i.aonaiy labour arc 4Uei^^tiuns Azo becoming pruuiiueuL in the d;iwiiiug dovflupuifUt of that noble teirituiy, uot long ago only known to the wild Indians of the tnounlaln, the forest, and the prairie, to the dissipated, nomadic, half-breed, and to the hardy ti'a{![)er, but now silently ami patiently awaiting the approach of the immense wa -e of human life which must shortly overrun the fair and ])r()ductive soil of those remote and beautiful solitudes." •Since this Report was publisheii aunther treaty lias 1 eon coiicluikil by which the ImUaii tithito the whole of the Saskatchewan coimtry has hern ceded to Canada. Tlicrc now remains only the li!a;kfeet ivitb v h'jm a treaty ^vill be negotiated ai the :,ujnmcr of lo77. I'rpnrf of thf llmi. Ddi'll f,ali\L Mhtintcr of thr /iitirlor, |S7fi. '• 'I'he fn-r. stojis talii l>y tlir Dominion (Jovcriiniuiit widi ;\ view lo the iiili-oili.rtiun of Inw iiiid <.|-iltn' in tlm 'i't'rritorics were tlio pashiii!,' of tlio Acts |iroliiliitiii.i^ tlio introduction .f intoxicatini,' litpior into tlio 'I'crritorics iind lor t he cst;i.itlisliini'nt of tlu •Monntrd Police Koire,' the hittor in l\ tilt! iiiiitoil ojitniiioii of tlip.sc nets, t!ir li(|iioi ti-:itlic in thnjr portions of tin Tci i itories wlicfc the .Mounted I'olico Korct; havo tlicir stations lias liccn ctfocttially stamped out. Tli* Aniorican Tradinj,' I'osts have liwm broken up any the l>i minion ( iovornnient ami ascrilie the peace and secnrity they now enjoy mainly to tlir> operutioii of these acts, .nnd to the prcsem '• in t!ip country of the Mounted Police Porce." Port'l.ATION. f'niSHS .f C'IIHI'Ik. |S71. I iih-o'llii-l'tOn In I'liL /I'.. :>. I.XXXIW NaiDCs of Teri'itorial I^i\isions. " Manitoba " P>ritish Columhia " l-alirador, Ilupert's f-aiid and North West. •'Total* v\!>oi'i','iiia lopiilation. .\ui:a.-. I' part o/' >''c( > '(i)/iniitli'r VII liiiiiiii/viiliiiii loiii (Jiiliiii'r.iihnn. Jlnrsr iii' ( 'ninui'iii.t. i'liiKulti. Mr, .]/>■ /.rail's Krldnice, j>p.'-\ I-"). ■'(Jenoral iioiindaricM Prom J.iU' ,'>t'iil (sa\ lomr. '■'-" W.. hit. Tiii" X.) to foot of Porky MouiUains, lat. Cid" .\.; thence alon;,' base of Pocky .Mountains to lal. f)!)'! N.; thence; to the .south bend of Mouse Kiver; thence to the Pake of the Woods, lat. Ai^" N.. then(;e along Paiiiy Piver, ami thence Iaic Scul. This aica, uiiliroken liy mountains or rock to any material extent, with streams and sniidl lakes wliich Imt fertilize, may be stated at 320.000 square miles. •Since the above ccnaua w.as taken thero Ima liccii a large iinini^'ratinn ef Icelanders, Menonites aud others into the territories and the Province of .Manitoba. The ninnber of Icelanders is approxi- inately estimatcil ."IS over 1,000, aud of .Meuonites about o.OOO. Tlie white popiilation of Manitoba alone ib now catimatcd at from od.OOO to 10,000. trn(li,rti>i|i lititii; till) III 1)1° till struck ii, •■ tlip otlif-r I', for tln' f in il.iui 1ms liciil,-it ii'ii. :!:;,r)S(; I'lO.nOO ln»; ,sl 1 I illlUll'lllS, to foot of it. 50" N.; lit. d'J'-N.: uiitaiiiH or '.t', uiav 111- , Menonitus i^ apprnxi- f Manitoba |:i:i •' rVyoiiil it, iiortliwnnN, liowcvrr, arc also arms ot' riflicat \fi,'i'tal)Ii' luoulil, (Imunis) oil wuriii Silurian ami l)i'voiiiaii bases, ami w illi mnrly ilays ot' utmost fi-rtililv. Tln-v an- foiiml on tin- lowor rcatin'S of thfl Ilivfrs IVai-c, liny, ami Aux LianU (Arrti.' stri'Htiis. triliiilarifis of tlir %\Ti\.K MarKonzii- ilivi'ii an ag^'rl•'.;at^•, sav, of at irasf .'id.iMiii Hi|uar(' miles." VK<.i:i\i;i.i: a.m» iiias.^ (i;i mmimh ) .\iii;a.-» li^;^o^|» (and not im i.i iir.n im ti;i; sud^k. Willi .sItliriKNT TIUIIKU. ttr. >'|iiari- Mili'^. ■• 1. IIihImiu'.s l!ay llasin (puriioii Silurun, so tar as Luowu. aiiil fairly prrdii-alile) cast side, ( K. of iiicridiaii NO" \V.) lOii.OiiO s.piare .Miles. \N'esV suk; (W. of meridian NO" \V.) .'500.000 soiiare niilei |ii(i,ii(ii "2. Winiii|iui; Basin, cast side, from KnLflish J;iver to .Ni ismi llivn... mi.imiii " r>. l'>eavor iJiver (iiiiilille and lowei' parts) , .^o.lll)(^ "1. Melhy [,akr and ( 'lear Water lliwr, ami .\tl)ali:iscu IJivrr t'roiu Clear Water Uivpr to Atlmliasea Lake, ea.-.t .siilo : :;o,(}M0 •• .'i. West of .Maekeii/.ie ( I )uvoiiian wiMi eoal im azures) to wlieat line as aliovr .st.ated, and from Kort Cliiiiweviin to |-'.,ti Itt- Dlmion on (Ireat ."skive Lake, .say. from kit. oS" to '"I" N lo.iihu •• •'. Last side of .Maeketi/io River to l''(.rt (omd ! Injie. or sn v kit. •;>■• N irid.Miin •'7. West of tlie AL'ickenzie Ilivi'L- from lat. I'-l" N.. nortliwards. to Amorican (late Jlussian) boniulary, Ion;,'. Ill W., and American I'acilie shore strip, viz: all nortli of lat. fiO" N., e.xifpt area No. .">, aforesaid ICd.oni) '• S. Uoekv .Mountain eastern slope lieyond vvkeutline oU.uiiii '•'.I. Ouliyiuij nroas, amongst others, the oxtonsive but uiulctined ones between ike Hudson's i'ay Silurian, and nnrtkei-n ri'.ers i)f the '•'t. Lawrcnee \' alley : .say from Laki? Mista.'»sini to Lake Nejii'^on lOil.ilOM •• 10. Add, also, tim (by soino caliiul) *Amirir.in |ie:,ert' of .nr latitudes; say, bcivseeii kits. •!".)" and "lO" N., where inai/.e w\. arrows. :iiid buM'alois fatt'ii -;i favoiirito Indian liunting ground lO.iKiO •Total area L(M.)O,000 '■ Tlif barley are.', of llie .iliovf nn.y be tai i| ;i; t.vo thirds. ••Tin; rest ofdii! Xoi'th-Wi'si and Kupiit's Land-. inr!tidin_' the imineiise • IJarieu 'Iroinul.s' of fiur Lauivntian system, and the Labrador Jlocks of our eastern l!u]>eri's Land, and t ho great wilds an I islands of our .\ietie. may be fairly estimated ;it another million souart,! miles. "The above eeiiinniii' ureas are predieatiil on the old eastern lioundary of iJiilish Columliia, throughout its l(Mi;„'th from lat. -I'.' to GO" X., but i»y ireetit statute, the Im- perial Alt L".> and ;'>0 \ic,. rhap. ti", that bo , dary has been i;liani,'ed so as to giv,' about .■'>O,000 .sipiaro miles, oi- a liille more to I'l-n !i Columbia, and a half of wliirii llO.OOO sipiarc miles is viieal land of liest iiiiality. '• .\nd here, as lioldiiig special kii iw le Ige. |ier.-,ou.il ainl doci'.nu'ntary, as to l!ritish Columl>ia, throughout its interior, know a best, if not (until very recently) almost aololy. by the fur trade and the I'uget Sound Agricultural Association, ."u which ii.y fatliiM-, and ou his decease, my .self, were jiartnei's, I would make a stateiueut as to tlie agrinilt ual resources of that country, as having .sonu! rJatioji to, if not in t; sense embraced iri the L'cucral term ' Xorth-Wcsl Tcrriluiic./ uf '.'aiinii. i." IMI BUITISII Cni.rMHIA. " Total ;iio,i (L;co(Icsi(iil) .'l.'in.doo s(|iiai'0 miles. •• \\ ii'-iit nrr.i, Lshiiids iiirlu'lrd, estimate ni l.Jd.OOU sijUiire miles, hciu^ all south of iat. ").")> N.; altlrmgh, it must l>o said, there are fine wlieat valleys far beyoud north- ward. 'I'lie <.;rass, Iiarlcy and vcp'talilc area north of the ahove — thivt is, from Iat, -y')" to tlO" >,'. (uortheni boundary of JJritisii Columbia) and from long. 120" \V. to tlu' .Vmei lean boundary, long. 141" W., I estimate at 1(10,(100 siauire miles. .\ eonsider- ablc |)oi-tion say one-sixtli of tiiesr areas is eovei'cd with lakes, numerous, and, like all the rivers, abounding with w holesome llsh the staple food of the natives, •• Wood .nnd gi'ass are.-. .^00.(t(.IO sipiare miles. ■• llarren I'oek, but with eonsithrable mineral (in eommorcia! quantity and ijuality) sueli .'IS gold, silver, iii|iiiei-. iron, Ae., and coal nf liest kinds in abundanee and readily woK.alile, .")(), (100 s(|nare miles. •■The ti^l* ^\^•,lltIl of ii> >liores (sea) and inland waters is unrivalled in extent ;ind exi'ellenee. " Its fui yield to (lie iradi', in my lime there, as I see by the books unil papers of my father and his stall' of eleve!i <'ierks in ehai'ge of outlying posts in this ilistriet, was pr(iportionat<'ly \:>' ,'>r than tliat of any other trading district in the \vliole IJndson's l'>a\' 'i'eriitories. What now it mav lie, it is impossible to sav. ■• .\s to I lie ydapi.ibility of tiie eountry for stock raising, I may state, — '• li is mure a gra; ing th.'ii an agricultural country, and the horses useil liy the trade (fur) -bands of from •_'• to .'iOO for transport — h.-ul only the jiatural gras.ses, bunch ami oilier, to ficd on the ir/n,'r i/mr roninl, ami in winter, though ever h^ft in the op(>n, even tatteiiefi. and were ready ti '■ their eai'ly spring ;(nd long summer wf)rk. There were no cattle nor e\en a pig there in ili'>"e times, and it was with great ditliculty that ni ISiM) my father managfd, in spiir of opposing indiaus, tc» take tlir tirst calves U]> the Colundiia. Tlie, inere; srd so nipidly that they (ih". Company) had soon more than they i-ei|uirei|, or rould use in anyway, and iliey had to let them run wild. "Nine \i.\iv^ rd'terw.iids. viz., in is;').*, the i'uget Sound Agrienltural As,sociation, with a capital of ,£l'0(I,000 stg., ten per cent paid, was started by a few partners of the Hudson's l!a\ Company, and amongst them my father to tiie extent of I'.'iOO stg. It established a farm, very 'arge, on the I'aeific Coast, I'uget Soun() ("iilunihia. 'Muircd, or kSHOoiation, irrs of the 110 st^'. It MiMisioii (o rir t rail mi;- ir siip|)lic.s lilt paid up (-■lids l:u|i.d lands and iiid for it, the treaty of agricul :at field i;-, "The Company's farms on the Columbia and the Cowlitz (a noithern trilnitaiT near the eoast), constituted, 1 helievc, in their value, th',; principal ])ortion of the four millions of dollars of indeninitr voted to the Company, and jiaid hy the Aiiierioan (lovernment of the United States undei the Oregon Treaty. The terrain of Southei'n Uritish Coliinil)ia -a oomiiarative jilateau — fi'om Kamli)0|>s to the .\mtMiean honndary {}'.*") ri((. the Okanagan Valley, is not a whit less valuable for ;j;ra/.ing, and mueh of it^for asjrieultiiral pur|toaes, than any jiart of the Coluniliia N'alley. C nfortiinately for the eniintry's oredii in this respect, the late railway surveys have been in whal truly may be called a Sea ct Mountains -'its Highlands' — its Alpiuff regions of somewhat rugged mould; but as th«« campagua', the ever fertile jilaius, and vales and mountain foot slo])es of It ' southei'n France, are not to be judged by the neighboiing liciLihts that liut mini their fertilitv, neither should Ibitish Columbia in her iihysiral leiinins in tlii-. respeet il\. or minister to 'So much for Southern Hritish Coluniliia, say from the AmiM-ii'an iioun-iary to latitude T)!" north. I'.eyond that the country is less mountainous, and in fact from the Jiocky Mountains to thft Coast IlangiMs a line rolling plateau of wood and prairie with much hike and river of easy and far continuous navigation, and where, at an .-ivei.ige height of onlv al>out l.'.H)(l feet above sea, the ])re\ailing llora is one indicat ive of heal and moisture, and a fine climate, with no se\-.'rci- winter we.itlier than pre\ liK in .entral Canada, say in the mei'idian of Ottawa. " It is a region little known, saNc to the oA/ fur liadeis nf the NurlJi West, and in their journals and ever faithfully kept and most crediiile diaries -from which in my book, ' I'eace Itiver,' published here four years ago. I ipiole largely we lind record of .i liigh degrei^ of fertility and agiicultural product. "T shall liere present but two extracts, viz., from the laic Chief l';u'tor li.irnion's journal of life, for several years there, aliout <>(» years ago. and which was printed about ."»() voars iin;o. and is now scarce. 'At Fort St. James' (.diont latitude .'il" .",0 norlli. .ind !,,S0() feet aiiove sea. as estimated V)y nie, and as suliseipiently ascertained liy aneroid measurement liv .Mr. Iloret/ky, of .Mr. l""leiuiug's Kluti'). -the tirst barlcs (ll\ " .pi.irts) sown produred live bushels, .say about S| bushels per acre." "'.\t Kort I'laser' (still further west on the slopi" of the Cascade or Coast Kaiige), • I he lirst potatoes planted (about a iiushel) produced forty fold.' " Fort St. James is onlv about ">(! miles, in air line, froii old Fi.rt Ccurge on the Frasfr, and to wiiich jioint, it has just iieeii repoited, the Canadian I'acilie Kailv.ay is being looated. The nearest and best access to ocean from that jioint is by that valley— a fine ojien one according to report — on which old Fort Fraser was built, and whence to ocean — (Jardner's lidet, there is {ai'cording to old fur trade reports in my possession) al least one siUnion stream direct westward to ocean, tuid salmon !>eing unable to leap Ih'VOIkI I'J feet in height, their presence on this ]>l,iteau by sucl. short cut from sim wduld seem to indicate a line of route possibly fcasibh^ for railway to ocean there. "Th(>ro wouhl bo more good land along such a line ilian ai.y other fui'tlicr south, as all south between the Fraser lliver and the west coast is higher and colder. " l''or (.Canadians, accustomed and able to cope with .such winter there, and with the more than ordinary Canadum degree of growing power in climate and soil, this? region is really a good one ;'aud a local market is ever at hand in the gold mining communiiie.s of Cariiioo, Ominica, and CasHiar." 1;!(; An\ AVi'Aci:-; ok tiii; Canvdian i.'m tk. Fiici^ (iii'l Fljiii'i'-^ rr/'tlini/ til VtiiH'Oiirrr l-i'iiiil hikI lliili^li ( 'nhi mlilii. A'// •/. D''-^j>iiril P^'iiiliei'liiii, Sn,'i'ri/ii,--fii-'il(i\iL ] iiiiroi'i'ii' Islii lid . ji. |(i,. * * '■'•' '• ( loviTiiin Sti'vcns. (*) 111" .M iiuicsotii, l.Htlicvps tliiit the must il.'siralili' routo to tlio I'aoiHc will be toiind in tlic piissfssion of (Iroat Iji'itnin. jiml tliiii a urciit intorocoaiiic ooiniuunicatiou is inoro lilcply to Ix* constnictecl thi'otigli tlm Saskat- rlicwaii Basin tliau across tlio Ainoricau dpsrit';, tli' i-rctarcous Hud i'oin[>aiMti\v'ly rainless ar^as of tlu' smitlrTii hit itmlcs." Tni: I'i.A.'i; ];i\ i;i: ( 'm .n r;;'.. Tlf Wild Xnri'i i.iii't. r.nr. \v. /•'. ];i,i!,',; I- n.'i.s. ■I ' "I '.M. '^- ■'■'■ ■■' '• I'nlikr- t!c j>ra.i:\('s of tlic Saskatflicwan. Ibis |t]ali'aii i> iliickly inliTsjiorscd with wools ami tliioki'ls of pine ami |io|>lar. Its many lakes an; fi'i'o frnin alliali. anil t!i'> v.ii'icti i^q-owtli of willows wliirli they snstaiii yield ample su>t('nanri> lc> tiie herds of mouse which still roam the l.ind. 'I'lie deep tnnii^h throuL,'li whieli the rixcr (I'eaoe) flous increases with sinLiulir re,:;n'arity as the traveller ascends the slrcam. 'I'lius at Vennilliou the hanks are scarcely .">'• f 'ct ahove luw water level ; littO miles higher up tiiey rise t() ."J.")!! foot: at Diinvogan tliPj are 72ll ; and lIXl jniles still furtlier we^t tlie\ attain an ele\ ation of !.M)il .and 1 ,d terrace lies betw(v>n the too; of the ridge and the liiiids' of the water, or the land rises to the upper Iev(>l in a .■^eries of rounded .and less abrupt ascLMits. 'I"he soil is a cting the oblitpu^ ray.s of u rising or Hetting sun, added a splendid gaiety to (*) Report of S«l(.'<'t C'))iriiittci' to Ifmi^c :<( IJcprrscntjvtivcs, I-c^'. Minuosota, KS.'iS. 187 '. Dr.i,url;trs of elks ' |il;iiiiM. lilt bear of their i.ie(v to tlie scene, wliicli \\n expressioiis of iiiliio inv (|\iulille<| to ilesciilie. 'I'lie .nsl sl.le nl' tlie river consists of a raiii;e (if liii;li-laii(l covered witli tlie wliile spiiire .iml iIm' soft liiirii. wliilc till" Ii.uiks aliuiiihl witli tlie alder and the \vilio-,\ ." Ihil, iq,. ~,-S. * '* " 'I'lie Itaiiks (if till' ri\'ei' liotli aliovc and liejow rhe riiiiids. were i>;i butli sides covered with the varions kiirls of %v(j()d (•oiiiiiion to tliis comitry : |>articii larly the western si(h\ the hind liiiiii;- hiwer and couslstini:? of a \\A\ lihick soil, 'j'lii^ art itielal ixroiind is carried down by the stream, and rests njion drift-wooil. so as to lie cii^dil oi ten feet dee|i. 'I'iic (Msiei'n liaiiks are iimre elovai-'d, and tlr- soil is yellow cla > iniMil with '^'riu'el : s) tint the trees iirc neither so l;iri;e or nnmerons .-is on rhi- ojijiom'tf slior ■. * '■ "The liiiliiiiis infoiiiieil me th it ;it ;i \cry .^nrill disl.-iiie" frim eith>'i bink of the ii\,'r are very e.\telisi\c phdiis. frei|Uented Iiy larije lier.ls of luill'iloes : while ill'* iiioiKc ;ind reindetM' keep in tin' wooils that li.pnh'r tjii it." CiiiU'hi Oil tin' Piii-ijir. /!/ ('/inifrs /f'ji'' /:/.;/, jiji. '11 iio '"I. '•'■ '•■ * •■ for se\elill miles to tlie southwest, lie liiilpje li'iace) lil\er. llowiiiv; ^"cean, coulil lie distinctly traced as it inean(hIe of miles to the sdiith the Smoky iiixi'i', a very lar^c trilnitiiry. uiiii'^les ii-i w;iters with those of the reace l!i\ci. l''rom our |n>sition, and emliraciiiii' an an^le of fully l.'iii de^jrees, or. in other words, from the northwest round to south, a liouiidh\ss and nearly le\-el e\|itnse of eoiintry could !"■ taken in at a j^hince, the only breaks bein:; the great v.dhns of the I'cmci; and Smok;. Iiiu'i's, tliaii which uothini; tint we had ever seen could lie more iieautifiil. the t'ormcr es|iecinlly, in its iiia,i,'nitiide and th'iitli, sm'i)as.siiig all wts had anticipateim\en;in) is estimated lo be l.lllin frcl, ;diM\i- sea level; heiiee tie' u'eneial elexatinii of th(^ siirroiindiii^' countrN is one t hoiisami se\eii hundred f ■■ • l| is much the same as that of iicsser Sl.i\e Lake. 'i"he s.iine ele\ati(iii holds ;,'oo'l on tiio south side, which is p;irliall\ covered with a .scatrered j,'i.iwtli nf poplar and s]iriiee trees. "The cliloresecnce of sulphate of soda is occasionally k •marked aloii^ ihe sioBes of the sallev in the vicinity of l>uii\ei.'aii, and caimel coal occurs within a do/en miles of the foil, but on the south side. l''rom the Itocky JMoiintain I'^ata^e to the Smoky lliver. a distance of probaldy •-'•"HI miles, the Peace lti\er, after taking' a leaji of 'Jfi feet throU'.:li the last and most easteid of the liocky Mountain l'iiii,i,'<'S, has cut its way (hroiiuli thick strata of clay and sandstone to a depth of 7<»ll and SOO feet, where it Hows -....r an almo-i hori/oiittil strata of limestmie, which stirlehes northward as faras l.ake .\ I liabas.a. w Ihiv I he primitisc system meets the silnrian.'' //»/'/. /'. 1 b * * * " We followed a well defined Indian trail, which led us over the iiicst churrninf^ oouiitry we had yot tmni, fmssin*,' sometimes through small poplars, but cliieHy over tin opoii rolliui; prairie land of the most excellent kind. 18 1 -AH * * * '■ Wo |troct'('d('(l to fxainiiK' tliu section cxixjst'd to viow, wliicli coiisistfd of an iniiiiciiM' layer of t-lay, .samlstoiic, slate aiul foasiliferoiis liincotoue. Mixed up with tliese strata we found an excellent speciiuen of coul. * * * " Aftei- sii|ii>fr tiiis cveiiiiii; I tested tlie (jiiaiities of the coal we had |iieked >i]» at uooii, and found it to Ijurn readily. i,'iviui,'a ,i,^)od, clear t!anu>, with very little asli ; tlie stroiii,' otlor of leal coal was eniittetl. \\'(! had, indeed, found a treasure; and when wo rellect that hundi'eds uf sijuare nuies of this beautiful country in all prolialiilily cover iniiuense lieids of (Ids numeral, liie future of tliis oasis in the ^jreat " \or west ' may 1)0 safely lucdicted. * * ' ■• Tlie whole country passed over durini;' thost^ four days was varied in uj»])earnnc<'. tiie trail jiassinL; through woods and praiiie. pi'inei|ially t lie former, and for I lie last two days thronyh a rouuh <'ounti'v covered with \ery dense forest. A tjoodnianv hirm' ( I'l'i'Us were crossed and they invariably flowed tliroui;h deep (lopressions cut out b\ ihemsehcs in the land, to a depth of .")00 to 'iCO fe(>t, where; we crossed tliom. Some \v\\ lieautiful pr.iirie land was also .seen, but we always kept to tlu; north of tho ' Urand I'rairie,' vhich, unfortunately, we had not time to visit: still the favorabh; apjioaranci? of the country we did pass thrtiuyh .-utiued j^reatly in favor of the moi'c southern section, alii'Ut whicli ue h:id heard SCI niui-!i." * * * •• Immediately beneath, and at my very feet, lay the little Kelt. (St. .i(ihn) the doors and windows b«'in<,' just discernalile in the distance, while behinti it. lo the south, the iii;ih ridye of the rii^ht bank of tia; I'ine llivei- coidd lie ti'aced for many ndles to the south-west. The whoh' countiy in that diicction was one mass of dense forest, extending' liyht up to the outer and most eastern I'aui^e of the l!< ' ali.iNe, we passed ,,\rv sonu- alius iai llats whicli were very densely timbei-ed, .and wo saw sMiue iiiaL:nilicent idui,dil>ark ]io]»Iais. ',\ or 4 feet in diameter, and iiiowini; to a j^reai lieiKhi. We were now L'J juilcs from the lower en was, however, a .scarcity of wood, but the southern banks juul the iiumorous islands, being covered with dense timber, afl'urd iiidimited ipiantities of that material for both fuel and niaiiufacturing purposes. .\k wc approached the l'oit.iL;e the soil bocam<; \pry light and sandy, and the evpress occurred in alnindance.'' It' l^iii'l (ij lln' ^iliil ( 'mil niilli I II,, II, 'III iii-.liijii iiiiil t i,liiiii'.itli(iii. Ildiisi III ( \,iiiiiiui,,y. I'liiHiilii. Prii/'i'.ssiir Miii'iiHii's /•.clifi If. Oil {III F/nrii unil Fiiium n/' l/if I'niiiih'i/. '■ V' 1"^ theif any other wo'd Ida;! j.ophu in the Peace lliver 'oiintrv / " ,1 , l''i\e si\ ;iiK of nil the tic ' > ' .s |io| lai uiiu ! < iuMirialily a si;.ru i)f dry soil ;iiid if Ut!> iow, wliicli lu. Mixcil JOid we liad 1 very littlf :isiii'c ; and |in)lial»ility Wfst' inav Ljudil laiiil. J>alsam i)0|>lar is very altuudant (ni the islands in all (lie iKiilii-woslt'iii rivers, oi'tcii attaiuiiiL; a diamctfi- <»t' fn)iii (i to III tret, (>\<'ii as tar north as Fort Simji^mi. Wliiti- spnici^ grows to a very lari;i' sv.o oii a!I tlii; watcrslicds and tlu- .slojics of the soiiih liauk of tlin IVacc II i\i'r, on islands in all llic rivcis, and vcrv almndiiiitly on tlio lo\ am Is at the \V ' ,t fUt I of l.ak(^ Atli; ioasiM. I liavf often seen it over tln'cc feet in dianicti^', Imt tln' iisnal size is from one to two feet. I'auksiin pine Mas not observed mi Teacct I\i\t'r, ')nt it ocenrs at Lake Athabasca, and is alnnidant as yon a|i|iroafli tlir Saskalclicwan l!i\(rfroni the north. Its iiri'scnre indicatc.'s sandy soil untit for iiilli \iition. was varied iier, and tor ijood many , en( out l)y Some very the ' (irand itoaraneo of ■Ml section, '• White liirrli is not abundant aion;^r t III' Teai-e lliver litit is eonnnon on the Ati isea and Mackenzie itivers. The Norliicin Indians make lar''c ouantities of svrui) fi la- its sap 111 spnuj, roai 'Tl leso ar(! the most imuortaut tre Th wliito ur red pine in I lie conniry. 're are no lieecli. maph'. a.-li, oak, chu 0. What fruit s ^;ro\v spun aneousjv in the Teae'' lliver cointrvand Alhali re''i(jns I Tl le iierrv of AlH'/. iiK-lmi' ( 'uiKi'l' iisis (Service Iierrv ol ( 'aiKidianN, I'oirrs little i-'ort. hehind it. 'd for many !S of dense jNTountains. ^appHl and ' clear and vil>rat<- and upon their her iciiious nd we saw 111 a i^i-eai n I'orta^e. I ope of I he 'ortage, we one. The wheie the at facilities ks and the ies of that I'ol'tau'e t he ' (\>llllllliliS. ivvfri/. rv soil and Kins) IS eollecled in immeii>.(' of the. Ki'cnch halflireeds, and Sas ka tum lierries of the Ind (piantities in the upper Peace Kixcr, and forms ipiili' an article of food and trade. W lien I Wiis at Dunvegan last summer the Indians and llalf-liroeds were cam|M'd out collect ing I tlie lierries wliicli were then in tlieii- prime (.\ugust filli). iJeai's are \i'ry fond of them. and resort to the sunny slopes of tlie I'eace Ki\(>r at this time in great numliers to teed upon the lierries. The Indian women press tliem into s(piare cakes while ficsli and then i di-y tliein for t"ulure n.-^e, liiit. those i,, 'ended for the Hmlson Hay ( 'ompany's posts are diicrl in the. sun and mi.\<'d with dry meal and gri'aso to form pcmmican, or are fried in grease i'oi" a (Ii'isi'rf. '• Strawlierrics and ra.^plicrrii'.-> .ii'c \r\-\ alMiii'liOit in mo,t distriris mi I'cace liivcr. especially at N'ei'nullion. <>. water 1:1 mm! ill tiic I'e.ice l!i\ cr coiintrv ! ••.I. The waters of the Saskatchewan, .\thal»asca and I'eai'e Kivers are n-ver clear, and in the spring of the \car ai'e very nunldy. All other waters in the Teace l.'ivcr "oun'rv are ■,'ouiiirali> is still iniuid lietweeii tlie Atlialiasea ami tiie I'eaee liivcr al>o\it Int. .")7". i'loiii oOO to 1,(11111 liciid is the estimate of the hunters. liiaelc li(\'iis are \c)v nuiueious on the, iip- per jii'.i't of I'eaee Ki\ er, aii.l fiirnislied the ehief food nf the |)e(i|ih' in .Inly and .Kiiunsl. <'arilioo are north and east of f.ake Athal>asea, ami afe tlie eiuef food ot the Indians and llalf-lireeds of that ie^;i()n. iJalihits ar(Mn immense nnndieis win reNcr there is timlier, and are easily taken. Watei-fovv! ar« heyond eomjmtation, diirini; Heptemlier, in the nei^hliiirhood nf Lake .Xtliahasea, and lari;e llocks of ( 'aiiada .^lu'se are found on I'eaee iJixer all snnimer. I.sii.x. Iiea\'er, maitin and fn.\ make np the chief t'luliearin;.,' animals. •• (}. .\re there any nnneral deposits in tin- eonntry .' If .so. .state the dill'i 'rent kinds, •• .1. Lar^'e deposits of coal have lieen oli.served. Iiy .Mr. Selwyn. on the t^askatche'.van lietw.TU the llocky Mountain House and Victoria, a distaiu'e of I'll miles, lie speaks in one ] dace of ha vim,' .seen seams 'JO feet thick, and in his repoit [\\v |S7."> and \^~ I. Iir' ijivcs a ]>li(itoi.'i;iph. lai paL;e II. of this seam. ' lie\. .Mr. (ii.ini. in ■<>eeaii in per cent of asli. ••"Whilf till iiiy tri]* to reace Uiver, in company with .Mr. Horetzky, in the fall of isTll. i diseo\ered coal in V.w^v ((Uantities in the 'mnk of one of the rivers which How iuto Little Slave Lake, it was also seen in small (piantities in a numher of other localities in the. vicinity of the lake. It is also icported fr-ni the upper part of Smoky |{i\ei-. and I have seen it in .sjnall ijUantities on ti.e ujiper part oi I'eaee Itiver ai ' its (I ilnilaries on the ri'j;lit bank. I ohseived no indieatioT.s of coal lielow Smoky l!i\er, luu ^ir dchn llichardson speaks of li^'nil'" ''einy- almndant on tin' Mai-ken/ii'. •• ('lay ironstone is a.s.Miciatcd with the coal wherever it has hei n oliser\cd. althou;,di possil.Iv noat V'oyage to the .\rctii- Ocean,' Vol. I page Ul), that he found this sain(! gypsum associated with the salt deposits ou Salt liivei aliout ?'• ndles N.N. Iv, fr lit I'eacr I'oint. and he infi'is Jiat the countrv hetween is of I he same character. "Sir. John examined the salt deposits at Salt IJiver ami found that they \\ei(' del i\cd from the water of salt springs, of which he fuuiul a numher flowing out of a hill and spreading their waters t,)\vv .i clay llat of .;ome extent. The^ e\ .ipoiai ion of the water lea\'es llie sail incrie.tiiiL' tlii' ;-oil, ,nid in .--oine [dace-, formiii'.'; moimils oul of \\hleh (he pure s;dl is shovelled. " i''or many miles along the .\ dial i.'isca lielow the l'"oiks there are ron floating ou thio v.itcr. l'c:iclci tho;:e mentioned, othci r-priD^fj arc kno" n to c:.i^t on .lie CIeai""--F*.cr, • •?-!.(fli'!ti;ri.ii»i»M«»iw»|!Ut:- UJ tliC \\(1(P(I IVoiii ion nil till! ll|i- il A(lL;il.sl. iili:uis ami is tiinlier, ici-, in the 1 I'll I'l'iii-f i'4 aiiiiiiiils. rent kimls. rkatflic'.vaii lie speaks is; I. li.. I' I'lliil'llia ill^llt ,l\\a\ niitaill l< .,f. iIk' tall ut' wliiili How 1' ot" otlltT , ol' Smoky iNcr ai ' its • l!is cr, lull •(I. altli(ju;,'li i to t'XU'ml ic M'vy lirsi i- a (listaiu'c 11 tliickiu'ss. •an,' Vol. 1 I Salt Itivci twcfii is ot" \(i(' (Icriscil a hill ani-iiigs air fi'iM|iiriil on tin- Cli'iirwatiT, ami lai-a;<' mctalif'Toiis (liposits avo saiil to exist near Foml l)u Lar on tin" north shore of Lako Atliiilpasca. (loiil is foinal in small ijiiantitir.s on tlic np|K'i' ['race liiviT, Imt it isof \fiy littli' aiToiint. Iiiunm^c c|Uantitirs of tiist-t-lass samlstom' occur for ovi'r ."((Ml miles itlont; I'cacc liixcr. aiul otlin- niiiici'als will lie iliscovcied w lien llie conntrv is lieiier Knnwii. '(J. What svas tlie iial iii >■ i.|' \ oiii iil..>ei\ atimi-- mi llielini.i cif reace Ilivei. ami wliat results iliil yon olitain '. "A. At six points, as it weie. 1 m.nle a soclion liy eiiunieratiii,!;; all tlii" tlowcriiiL,' plant.-, in the vicinity. These points were llmlsou's Hope, just east of tlm mountains : St. .lolin's (it) miles lielow : I)unvegan. U'" Uiiles further ilosvn ; then Vermillion, ahoiit .■iot:iiiical examination in a \ei\ coialensed form ; 1)11. ■!..■. \Ve,,t ..f \v, .>t( 111 .Mdimt.iiiis. ri .tins. 17 ti 7n 1 7'.| 41 II :v,i ."ill TmLJ. i;.'il..Mllr •• 1 1 ml, ^ Hup.. ... •_'!! l.!i; ••St. John -^i^ Kil •■ l>nn\i'LCaii 1.' I'i I '''H •' Vermiilion I. ■"•',» 111' •' Little Keil Kiver iL'.s .^•^s •• Lake Atlialp;--.ra. . . . -Jl"' \xi\ ■■ The only plants that show aii\ sJ^i.n ..f m l.oie.il ciiiiiatt/ are those tVum t^'uehi'-. The twi at V'li-niillioii were N'ellow Laiilo ( l!liii>aatli»^ Crlstaijnlli ) ami lli,i,'h J'fiish ^'\;i\\\>vvv\ ( Viliitfiiuni jKaicijforiiiii. ) Th*' most proiiiiiUMit feature in the whole ie'.^ioii was ,1 iii|ines> ill f!ie s,uil ami raiikuess in the vegetation never seen in Ontario." X \\ It; \i jiiN Tiiiioi i.n mi: Itn K^ .Miuntvins. >7..7<-A •:.''//,>' .\',,,ih \V>'-f .liii.rl'". L''i Miir. Tii<},,'. /,. :V.\. * '^ "■ •• I'iMce liiwi is umiuestioiia!il\ mie ol the; most lieaiilifiil in ihe • oiinlrv. perhaps in I he worhl. Its navij,'atioii. at any lale in hoatsof the cmmtry, is mi inti'ri-upleil, except !iy a small fall aiul a few rapiil.>. Tlio.-,e ohstructious mi'^ht lie reniOM'd liy works ot st ndary impoi'tanco, ami iIkmi the ri\cr would he na\ ii^ilde, tliroui,dinut. ils leni'tli. loi lio.ii-. of coiisideralile ,i:'e. ,iiid 'his, loo. nearly throunhvuit the ^almmel . •■ I'lowiii-- tiir')ii;;li a \al!ey .i.-- J.Mnlilul a.-- il is rit h. the stream i i -es iii the Uocky Mountains, tpiite dose to the sources of the ceh.'lirated Kraser Kiver, with which, a i Itiver .\ihaliase,( iLm's w ith ( 'oluiiihia, l!i\er, it foruis a water channel that almost uninternipteilly connects the .\riiic ( >ccan w'ih the I'.uliic "Th'- route IS ctH'taiiily not without ditlicultii.s, hut thobt; are much !i;iis than would II iturally he riuj^p-iscd to lie conuectcd with • roS;>in;; tliu Kocky Mountains by wat'jr. it HMi dbcovtrcd I'v- tJir AleAtndci M.iLl.ciui'. in 17'.'', -ind h.i.i krp. uxd by fm addtio. 11-2 Tlific sue those vlio iiiniiiiaiu that it is the niitiiml ruiwl to the North- W^est. The vulhy wuicrctl liy llio IVacc Itivcr nmiiot Imt iK'tronic jMoidcd, ami thnii many iiujuisitive ami iutt^rcstod imlividuuls will adniiio this giaml stream tliat is now pi-oliaMy icganli'il with iiKlitrcrence l»y the ]>oor t'aiiiily of hoavci-s (1) living on it hanks." ii'cjiiirf. (iiiiiii//ee o/ tlii-. //nn,-"' nj ( 'umiiKuis, ('nnnila, mi 1 ininiji'ulion uml f'o/oHt.i(il!ini, \!>H't: [t. ")ti. Mr. Mdlcum Mr/,i'tMf's /'JrlJeiic. " Tho imist ini|M>i(ant stretches itf iiavi^atiou are Iron i lloil l{i\er to the. month of tlie Siuskatchewan, thence to iMhuonton, and even some miles heyond. This stretch nii^dit li(^ elhu ted withont hreak of bnik, or at h\ast without taking the boat out of water. From a point oji th(! Saskatchewan, say altout Victoria or below, a jxjrtage road of al)ont sixty ndles sliould be, and I am told is lii'ing ma(h', to tlie bend of tlie Athabasca ; thence to thi; mouth of the I'eace IJiver the distance is about '.i')0 mih's; thence to Mountain Kails is aliout 220 nulfs. This stretch of .')7<> r es is of comparatively most gentle current and of evei'-abundant lirimiiiing waters. The ^lountain Falls necessitate a short portage. From them to the foot of tiu^ Kocky iNIountains is a sj)lendiil stretch of 500 miles, com- jiaratively easy river navigation, witlunit a singh- break for i)oats of any si/.(% row, sail or steam. Ileic a portage (not ditlicult) often miles occurs. IJut beyond tlait, and with a semi lacustrine coui-se, across and through tlui vcri/ heart of the Rock i/ Mouidaiu,s to .McLeotl's Lake, and Fort on the Wcsl side, there is unbroken and comparatively easy navigation ftn- boats. al»out 200 miles further, and by the Finlay Branch, alioiit the samt! distance to the Oniinicii (Jolil .Mines, a region witlunit one bad rapid. "The Mclvenzie Imer, from Athal)asca l.ake to the Arctic, has a course of ai'ouL 1,400 miles, in which, in pictty close succession, not far from the l,ake, tliero are only four rapids. 'I'hf* ri'sl nf tli<' stream, wilh a body of water l)ut litth^ less th.iu our St. \ .;\\\ lence, and in current lil\<' that hctwceii .Monlr^'al and '^hubce, is ii lliousand miles and more of ship course. " < 'l.l.M mi: III- I'l \i K lii\ i;i!. Till- l',ir('(>iiiilr//,J/"i!.'.^i//, (,'./:'. •■■ * '•Klovated as Dnnvegiin on I'eace Kixcr is, 910 feet abo\e the sea liy Lefroy, "Tf^ by Kichardson, and under the high latitude of 50" (i' north, it may be interesting to compare the mean temperature of the seven months from April t,> October, inclusively, of the year Ic^O.S. with the ineaii temjierature of Halifax, Nov:i Scot|;i. I.uitude I I" 'My north, as given in tlie tabh's of tem]>eraturcs. " Tt shows the monthly m<'an tempeiature at Dunvegan t