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 PREFACE, 
 
 ■cj-jm^-X'* 
 
 TO THE CANADIAN PEOPLE: 
 
 Much has been written and spoken ahont the North West, but a vast 
 deal of the most important information is iocketi up in offn-ial reports and 
 l)hie hooks, which are open to compar.itively few. It is also a fact that the 
 popular idea is, that when the Northwest is spoken of, it means only the 
 Province of Manitoba, or at most the country contiguous to the line of the 
 Canada Pacific Railway. I have therefore in my humble way tried to bring 
 before your notice tLs much vaster country, which is the heritage of Canada 
 — "'I'he New North West" — in the ho[)e that before long the railway I allude 
 to will be built and this vast and rich reijion be added to our civilization and 
 cominerce. I have condensed and com|)iled these pa^es from the writings 
 of Mackenzie", Butler, Hewson, the repoits of the geological survey of 
 Canada, and .Mr. Sandford Fleming's reports on the railway surveys, besides 
 extracts from various newspapers, so that all that is placed before you in this 
 little biochnn', may be considered as having been taken from the most reliable 
 and independent sources. 
 
 Your obedient servant. 
 
 W. J. MORRIS. 
 
 Pkri'H, January, 1887. 
 
THE 
 
 ORTHWEST. 
 
 A few years ago Capt. lUitler published two interestin^j; books on ihe 
 North Western parts of Canada, the one called the "(Ireat I-one Land," and 
 the other the "Wild North Land." The first referred chiefly to the region 
 south of the Saskatchewan, and the name '•(Ireat. I -one Land no longer 
 belongs to it. The C.P. Railway traverses it from the Red River to the 
 Pacific, and the few straggling houses around Fort (laiiy have grown into 
 the enterprising city of Winnipeg, and towns and villages dot the landscajje. 
 But to the north of the Saskatchewan the "Wild North Land" still remains 
 unchanged, with its vast and fertile prairies, its noble forests, grand rivers and 
 magnificent lakes, rich in all that goes to build up a nation. 'I'his great land, 
 the "New North West," but awaits the coming of the Winnipeg and North 
 Pacific Railway to awaken from the sleep of long ages, and at the sound of 
 the steam whistle to pour out with ilo stinted hand the enormous riches which 
 she claims as her own. This is not only the opinion of the writer but also of 
 some of the foremost journalists of the world, as being iilready a necessity, 
 not merely to afford room to the thousands of agriculturists who would flock 
 to its fertile valleys, l)ut also to capitalists looking for profitable investments 
 in coal, sail, oil, copper, and many other industrie-, while the great prairies, 
 now so silent when contrasted with the time but a few years since, that count- 
 less herds of buffalo wandered over them, will again resound to the bellowing 
 of thousands of domestic cattle or the tnimpling of the hoofs of numberless 
 troops of horses, but also as affording in addition to all these a still shorter 
 route between Asiatic countries and Europe than is possible by any other 
 way, as may be seen further on, and at same lime have its Pacific terminus 
 more distant from danger of any foreign power than at present. 
 
 1 shall now enleavor to give some idea of the region which such a road 
 will open, and in evidence that the time for action is noiv come will cpiote a 
 recent article in the London Times, which says : "Cantda, our correspondent 
 tells us, is beginning to doubt whether it has not been i)usliing matters a 
 little too fast, but when we read hi? statement of the vast and varied capal)il- 
 ities of the region into which the railway has been pushed, the fertility of the 
 soil, diversified, when this fails, by stores of timber, which he pronounces 
 seemingly inexhaustible, and by mineral wealth in the lorm of gold, iron and 
 copper, with coal in abundance near then, we can hardly question the coirect- 
 ness of his conclusion that the disappointment now Jrlt can be no more than 
 temporary, and that in a short time the doubt will be not whether the Canadian 
 Pacific Railway has been successful, but whether there is not room for a parallel 
 line to do a like work to the north of the present line." Thus wrote the London 
 
Timeit on 25th Oct. last, and about the same time the Scientific American 
 said: "The rountry north of us (the L'nitcd States) is not all Arctic, how- 
 ever, for from it those who know best hardly realize how vast is the new 
 domain of arable land which has just been opened by the completion of the 
 (.'atKuhan I';i( ifn KaiKv.i)-, ami how much more remains to cuter — a new north, 
 I'ast in resouros of alt kinds stands ready tor occupation. Wheat is raised 
 fifteen hundred miles beyond the l)oundary of the United States. Nv)r is it 
 wheat alone that (lourishes in the New North. The grinilcur of the Cana 
 dian forests is probably the one salient feature known to everybody. The 
 latest discoveries indicate that the greatest sur|)iises may prove to be in 
 regard to the mineral wealth of these northern regions." I'hus it is seen 
 that the leading thinkers of iMigland and 'he United States are beginning to 
 understaml what a rich empire (Janada possesses, and it is time that ('ana- 
 di.m enter|)rise should show itself worthy ot such possessions and not leave 
 them neglected or at best to be kept solely as a hunting ground for trappers 
 and fur traders. I am glad to add that prominent capitalists in our midst 
 have also begun to think that it is time the New North West is opened to 
 commerce, and last session of the Dominion I'arlianient they obtained a 
 charter to build a railway which will I trust soon change the "Wild North 
 Land" into the land which will be the desiied haven to millions who will 
 make their homes in the New North West. As the country is so well known 
 close to Winnipeg I will begin my remarks at the Narrows ot Lake Manitoba, 
 trusting my readers will kindly accompany me across the continent, and find 
 that as we go westerly both climate and country imjjrove, although along the 
 whole route we shall find no desert or sage plains, and if we do meet with 
 some swamps in the easterly portion, they can in almost all cases l)e reclaim- 
 ed and made excellent arable lands. At the "Narrows' the railway would 
 first touch on the waters of Lake Ahinito!)a, which can be used for naviga- 
 tion southwards to the rich prairies of tiie first prairie level, and extending 
 northwards connects via the Fairford river with the great Lake Winnipeg. 
 Lake Winnipeg is also justly celebrated for the ([uanlities and cpialities of its 
 white fish, and in the immediate vicinity of the Narrows are to be found 
 abundant supplies of marbles, gyi)sun, <S:c. .\ little further on and it crosses 
 the Dauphin river, which empties a considerable lake of the same name, 
 which lies to the south and also enteis the southerly end of Lake VVinni- 
 pegoosis, which last stretches its waters 130 miles to the north and reaches 
 within about four miles of the Saskatchewan river, from whicli it is' separated 
 by the Mossy Portage, at a point which it has been [jroposed to canal in 
 order to extend the navigation into th it great river, liy the navigation of 
 Lnkes Dauphin and Winnipegoosis and the streams entering them, consider- 
 able quantities of si)ruce and other timber suitable for railway construction 
 would be made available, and large tracts of fertile land, specially on Lake 
 Dauphin, would be accessible, wiiile the numerous sal', springs on Salt Point 
 in Lake Winnipegoosis, and in the slopes of the Duck and Porcupine moun- 
 t.iin, near which the railway would pass, would soon be utilized and shortly 
 make this section as important to the Manitobans as are the salt works near 
 Syracuse to the State ot New York. Further on the valleys of the Swan, Red 
 Deer and Carrot rivers would be reached, all of which from their fertile soils, 
 as well as the ease of obtaining suiiplies of timber, and good wa^er, are 
 certain to attract numerous settlers. I may specially mention the Swan river 
 valley, where one tract of land of some sixty miles in length by about twenty 
 in width is noted as being exceptionally rich and specially suited for agricul- 
 
lure. Ilev(»n(l 'his the country is lar^i'lv «()niposo(l o\ undulating prairie, 
 Willi lrt'<|uent sir,. ill lakes, and rid);es wliu li are f;ent;rally well wooded, and 
 this is said to be the characler of the countrv in this section as far nf;rth as 
 il has hern opened. I'urther west and I'ort a la Come i» reached on the 
 Suskaichewan river, a fi.'w miles helow the point where the two i^ri^.n streams 
 unite, and thus would hrin),' the railw.iy in eontact with the navigation of 
 these rivers which enclose between them an immense amount oJ v.duable 
 laud, and as a (iovernment ^,'eolojj;i<:al explorer announced a short time ago 
 in tiic Toronto Afti// "these lands cont.iin in achlition to their value lor 
 farminj,' purposes, billions of tons of excellent coal." 'I"he land at Fort a la 
 (,'orue is of excellent (|ualitv and for many years past a considerable amount 
 of wheat and other c:ereals h.ue been raised there with unvaryinj^ suc< ess, 
 and a lew miles to the south lies the tlourishini,' settlement of I'rince Albert, 
 the |)roduce of whose rich grain fields would without doubt add to the freight 
 traffic of this new Northern railway. The next important stream that would 
 be reached is the Beaver River, which flowing northwards to the Churchill 
 river would develoj) a vast tract of country w th heavily wooded valleys, and 
 whose rocky ranges are believed to be riih in iron and other minerals, while 
 the numerous lakes teem with iish of the finest ([uality. Next the \ery 
 important settlement of I-ac la Hie he would be reac:hed. Here there is a 
 large half-breed po|)ulation and a K. C. Mission, with church, convent, iVc. 
 All around the lake are to be seen comfortable dwellings and Wf^U-cultivated 
 fields, which yield abundant supplies of the best wheat, while the lake gives 
 an unlimited cpiantity of white fish. Westerly from this and the Athabasca 
 river is crossed. This fine navigable river which rises in the Yellow Head 
 Pass of the Rocky Mountains is the beginning of the most im|)ortant section 
 of the "New North West," as in its course nordiwards from the point of 
 crossing by the Winnipeg and North Pacific railway, it traverses a great 
 region of most unusual value, whose mineral and agricultural riches would 
 alone be sufficient to warrant the construction of the railway ; but I can best 
 describe it by tne following extract from a Winnipeg newspaper : "// land 
 -'■'■where petroleum runs to waste, and miiurals ,/ all kinds are plentiful." The 
 "following is taken from a lecture delivered in Winnipeg by Cajjtain William 
 "Kennedy, of St. Andrews, the Arctic navigator : "I would also call attention 
 "to the region al)out Athabasca, which only awaits development. Petroleum 
 "is there running to waste, the oil springs have overflowed the surface of the 
 "country for a space of more than forty miles, and running along to the river 
 "the oil is carried into the lake where it floats on the surface. The only use 
 "at present made of it is by the Indians boiling it to the consistency of pitch 
 "and using it for coating their canoes, &c. In the same region the finest and 
 "purest salt is thrown from a sort of fountain ; it is nearly as fine as flour 
 "and brilliantly white. In this same section is found coal, sulphur, copper, 
 "a^ibestos, and other valuable minerals. A letter just issued from that 
 "quarter dated January ist, says : 'We have abundance of milk and cream, 
 "two of our cows having already calved, and some of our hens, of which we 
 "have thirty, have begun to lay already and give us from six to eight eggs 
 "daily. We have fresh ducks and geese, deer meat, moose meat, fresh 
 "tongue, beef, also delicious whi'e fish and trout.' Not a bad bill of fare if 
 "we add to it the wild fruits with which the region abounds, and the vege- 
 "tables which cultivation produces. Amongst the wild truits that I know of 
 "are rasj^berries, strawberries, cranberries, gooseberries, currants, salmon berry, 
 "&c., and rhubarb, turnips, carrots and cabbages grow luxuriantly. At the 
 
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 "H.B. Co.'s post here aiul at (Jhurchill, wIik h is on nearly the same p.irallcN 
 ''they raise cattle in suttuient ninibers to Minply thetn with href, butter and 
 
 "milk. I do rot know it any attempt Ins yet lieen ni.itle to raise wheat at 
 •'Athabasca, but the l'ea( e River is i lone by and ne'rly in the same parallel, 
 "and we all know that the finest wheat jjrown «)n the continent j'onies from 
 "the valley of Peace river, a river whr»se outlet is at the Xlhabaska Lake. 
 "'I'hat this rcj,'ion with its vast wi'.ilth will much lonuer remain unnoticed and 
 "unknown is nf)t [o bo drp.imcd of." I'he .\th.il)is< a river region is also 
 similarly described in various reports made by Ptofessors .Macoun and Hell 
 of the },'.'oloi,'i< jl survey as well as by the jxplorers for the C.l'. Railway, 
 when the noriiiern line was proposed. Hy the .\tli.ib isca rivt-r a« cess can be 
 had as well to the threat lake ot the "-an-.e name, which extends its waters in 
 an easterly dire( tion lor over two humlrcd miles, with a width of from 
 hfteen to thirty, and while its tisheri.'s .ire likelv to prove of ureal v.Uiie, its 
 northern shores are said to !>•• like tlvtsj of Like Huron, rii h in copper and 
 other met lis; besides all this its outlet, ihe Siiv.- Riv.r, will aff irlbv itsnivi- 
 g;ition easy access to the mii^hty .\Iackeii/ie River, whi< h flows from the 
 (ireat Slave lake to the .Xrc'.ic sea. traversin;; an immense district suitable for 
 a^^riculture, grazing ami luinl)ering, /hr //lis 7'<is/ <<'////// r /\ not Arctic in its 
 clhiractct , but is a region where the cereals, wheat, oats, rve, vVc, come to 
 their greatest |)erfeclion, in proof of which we havi- only to note that wheat 
 grown at Fort I.iard, on the river of liie .Mountains some hundreds of miles 
 north of Duiivegm, has been pronounci-d the finest L;ro\vi) in .\merica, and 
 all that is needed is human enierprisj to demand of the virgin soil a sur- 
 render of its latent wealth, to eii- ure a favorable answer and an ample 
 reward. ("he basin of the M.ickenzie, which includes in it th<; valleys of the 
 Athaba'ca, Peace and many other large rivers, has an area of 550,000 stpiare 
 miles, and of this vast ex»ent fully 9-10 is suitable for the occupation of 
 civili/.ed man, the climate being similar to that of eastern Ontario. Dr. 
 King, naturaliit to the expedi'ii'U in search of Sir John I'Vanklin, stated to 
 tlie committee of the Pritish House of (Common ;: "Speaking of the very vast 
 region of which the Athabi>ica is tiie .southern boundary, I believe the 
 temperature to be al)out the same as Montreal in Canaili." .And in i<S74 
 Mr. Horetsky, in the C. P. K. explor.iiion reporis, says : "I'lie climate of this 
 region and of the Peace River valley generally is somewhat similar to that of 
 Red River, but the extremes ot heat and cold are not so great, and the 
 climate is dry and salubrious, and is tempered by the westerly winds which 
 here prevail and are mild." This is the region which extends, bounded on 
 ihe west l)y the Rocky .Mountains, far to the north where the Great Slave 
 Lake expands its lonely waters, swarming with fish, and whose shores are 
 known to be rich in flowing wells of petroleum and large deposits of excellent 
 salt, while the vast Mackenzie River, a second St. Lawrence, flows north 
 some 1,200 miles to where it debouches into the .\rctic Ocean, and makes 
 easy of access what is s.iid to be the best whale fishing ground of that far olT 
 region. I have however snid enough to show that without going so far North 
 there is in the valley of the river and Lake Athabasca ample attraction to 
 tempt the agriculturist, the capitalist and the miner, and only the construc- 
 tion of this railway is reiiuired to develop the vast wealth now lying dormant 
 and useless to mankind, so will proceed westward from the crossing of the 
 .Xthabasca over a slightly more elevated country, eminently adapted for 
 gr.izing when the L';;sser Slave Lake is reached. This fine sheet of water, 
 about 75 miles long and 6 or 7 wide, is lined for miles, specially on its 
 
HOUthcrn shorts, with iriitii«*n<.,« hcldi r»f hhir joint kt.is'i, wliu h wc are told 
 i"* fre<niL'ntly hi^hL-r thin a inui's head, and of whi« h <|iiantiiifH are cut to 
 servo as iodU-r for tiic (.itlU* kopi ,it ii.c H. U Cos post .it thi- westorn fnd 
 of thf I.ako. I'.issiny on fiorn llii> like a firdle prairk- is Collowt'd cither 
 throiiKh thi- valli-y i>f ihf Ili-art or lattlc Smoky Kivi-r till the (Ireat I'eare 
 River is rea< hc<l. This ^'rand sticam rises on the ;/'/•»/ </i^r of the Ro« ky 
 MoiiMfainH ;in<l llows .irioss them, and llowinj; n(.rth\v,ir(ls finally enters the 
 Slave kiver « lo-.e t(» Lake Atli il.ase.i Tins river whose i;reat valley in often 
 «allt<l the "(iirileti of the North,' (ompri^inj,', as I'rofcssor Macoiin estimated 
 in iS8o. aiioiit i6..^5J. oo stiii.ire .i< rts of' j^ood land, rei|iiires a more 
 extended notu e, as it is vahialtle not only lot its vast rici' prairies, its wide, 
 deep, naviy.ilile stream, whi( h will riirry steamers 900 miles from its esr.ipc 
 from the iiioiinl.iins. away down its stream, in'fore ineetinf» a sin^^le ohstriie. 
 lion to navi^a'ion, Imt also .is 11 alfords in Us u iper ( onrse tiie louifst auil 
 easiest fiit^s iicross the main ranjie of the Rocky Mountains. In the ('. I*. R. 
 report for 1.S74 I'rol'cssor Ma«iiun says : "As far as I (oiild jiKl^e the whole 
 "of the land from lattie Slave l,ake to Smoky River, and on up to the hasc 
 "of the mountain, is of the very best (|uahty. As I did'iujf travel over the 
 *'wh(»le tract I » annot say from ai tiial ohsL-r.ation that this is so, hut what I 
 "saw (at least 200 miles in length) of it was the lust hiiui I had sren anywhere. 
 '•There was luither inarsli nor swiinp to any extent, hut one rich exleiidid 
 "expanse of rich soil altotjether devoi I of stones. My observation hears oit 
 "all lh.it has been said of the fiitility of tlu' lami alonj; tlu- Peace River, 
 "altlioii^h I am much disap|ioitU';d to fiiitl scarcely any ;.iL;ns of finninj,' at 
 *'l)unve>,'in. Two small fields se'iii all that hive been cultiv.iied th tc. one 
 "for barley and the other tor potatoes. This goes on from year to year. 
 "The same seed is proL'ably usjd year after y.;ir, as it certaiulv is with the 
 "[)Otatoes; game is still too plentiful for much attention to he invert to agii- 
 "culture. The stream is ai)()Ut 400 yards wide at this |)()int. It will be seen 
 "that this region of country alon^' the Peace his more of the prairie vegeta- 
 "tion than the wooded country a Slave Like. Its flon indicates both a 
 "drier and a wanner climate than they have at the latter place. The prairie 
 "vegetation is almost identical with that at ICdmonton, except a few eastern 
 "species. That the Peace River country has an exceptional climate, any one 
 "seeing it must confess. While we were travelling through it the constant 
 "recortl was 'warm sunshine, west wind, bahny atmosphere and skits of the 
 "brightest blue.' Kven as late as i5'.h of Oct. the thermometer was 48 ^ at 
 "daylight and 61 ° in the shade at noon." The foregoing is enough to 
 satisfy my readers of the great v. due of the Peace River Valley, but I cannot 
 refrain from i|uoting in addition from the Toronto (//o/>e of 27th Nov. last, 
 which i)ul)lishes an interview with the Rev. Mr. l!rick. a missionary near 
 Hunvegan. Mr. Hrick said : "It would have to be a very good offer thn 
 "would teini)t me to live away from the Peace River, althougli my stipend is 
 "only $750 a year, and if I buy Hour I have to i)av over $i5 a bag of ;oo 
 "lbs. Peace River has been truly siid by Oglivie, the Dominion Land 
 "Surveyor, to be the only river, worth calling a river, w. st of the St. Law- 
 "rence. It is a grand river, and at Peace River crossing is nearly halt a mile 
 "wide. Some sixty miles below Vermillion there is a fall in the river of about 
 "eight feet. But for tins fall the river is navigable for a distance of a thou- 
 "sand miles from the Rockies, and the Dominion Surveyor told me that the 
 "matter of the fall could be got over without much difticully. The banks of 
 "Peace River form a very gradual slope upward, some two and a half miles 
 
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 '•wido, where thoy run into a tabic hinrl alxnit Hoo fctt .ibove the Icvol of the 
 "river, The soutiu-rn li.ink of the I'c.ht River is excellently titnbcroti, and 
 "on the northern Hhore is ibiind a ruh and splendid prairie country. The 
 "choic est pr.iirir ( ountrv in the district is a strip of aluHit seventy five miles 
 "loiij,', a\\(\ iVoin lilteen to twenty miles wide, hut there is an iinlimiied 
 "amount of land hack of thnt, mf)re or less limheretl, whi< h the surveyors 
 "who went throii^^lt the country in iHS^ tell lur is as well ad.ipted lor farming? 
 "purposes as the pr;iirie itself, ami is raMly cle.ired. I'lie soil is a rich hiai k 
 "loam of tniin twelve to sixteen inches in depth, having a hlue clay Huh-ioil 
 "underlie. nil. perh.ips two fci.t deep. ')ti the hi;;h uroiind there i* K*-'"*^''''"y 
 "seven or cinlu iiu lies of s.ind hetweeii tlie two soils. » * * ♦ 
 "The. 11. H. (!o.'s ottuers for the list tsvenly years have heen growinj; wheat 
 "on tlie h.inks— ihe low Ivin^ liiul. Hut the supply of this land is limited, 
 "while that of the hi^li land is praclic.illv unliiniteil. Vi'// lOiild tiikf our h<tlf 
 ''t/ir />,>/>niiitiO!i of ///(• uliole Doii.inioi; lift lhii,\ aitd />/<tif t/iini on ^ood ta>'>>i^. 
 "I planted my seed on the hi^^hest ;;roun<l i could find and the result was 
 "most satisfactory, as you can see hy these specimens of hailey and wheal." 
 
 The Cil:be<\\ss the "samples \\cre well ^rown, larpe and very /lani, and 
 "fit to compare with that ^towm am where. althoiiL^h several varieties were 
 "mixed together." Mr. Uri( k ( oiumiud to say that the 'S limate is good, 
 "and is iiuu h milder than tint nt' M.uiitoha and the lower Iving portions of 
 "the Northwest Provinces." lie has |)loiij^lied as late as the jStli of Octo- 
 ber, and sown as e.irlv as the uth of .April, ("ontiiiuing, Mr. lirick said, 
 "We do not iiee<l to feed our horses at all ; they are out all winter, and p.nv 
 "through the iS inches of snow (we rarely ^^et it deeper) down to the ri( h 
 "|)rairie |.',rass. The liorned cattle we hi/use during the period I named. In 
 "sumiiicT we suffer far less from th,' smrmer fronts than die people of .\I.ini- 
 "toha." The above i.s the opinion ot a gentleman wlu) has now been a 
 reMdent of the Peace River country for some years, and has had a pr.ictical 
 trial of its cajjahilities tor farming, and comment is unnecessary. So as the 
 above cpiotations cover the general aspect of the whole Peace River country 
 eastwards from the moimtains and north to the Mackenzie River, I shall 
 now briefly call attention to ihe easy means this great river affords for cross- 
 ing the main range of the R'<kies. .\lr. Saiulford Kleniing in his report for 
 i8<So says : — "The Parsnip and I'"inlay Rivers are each about 500 feet wide 
 "at their contluence, and below that p :)int the united stream is known as the 
 '•Peace Riv.'r. and immediately enters the pass of that name. This pass is 
 "bounded tor thirty miles by mountains rising from 4,000 to 5,000 feet above 
 "the water on e.ich side, leaving a valley about half a mile wide between their 
 •'bases, thiough which the river (600 to 800 feet wide) winds from side to 
 "side, leaving benches first on one side then on the other. * * * * 
 "Th-.' only place where the actual mountain slopes abut on the river is for 
 "three ipiaiters of a mile at the base of Mount Selwyn, which is there bold 
 "and rocky, and rises at an average slope of one in three." 
 
 This famous "Pass of the Peace River," which is known to be lower by 
 at least 1,000 feet than any other through the mountains, would then con- 
 duct the railway through a region of British Columbia similar to that which 
 is followed by the C. 1'. R., i.i'., well timbered valleys, whose lumber will yet 
 prove of great value, and who?e bordering mountains are known to be rich 
 in metalliferous wealth, such as gold, silver-bearing lead, &c., and finally the 
 
* 
 
 river Skecna is re.ichcd, and its valley would he followed to the upper on d of 
 the 'I'siinpscan I'eiiinsul.i, at the outer extremity of which is placed I'ort 
 Simpson, the jjroposed termimis of the WiimipcLj and Nordi Pacific Railway. 
 Port Simpson is reported on hy competent observers as heini,' one of the best 
 harbor^ on tlie Nortl; i'acific coast, and is most advaiiM^'ously situatetl as 
 the terminus of a i.iilway desiring to compete for a portion of the Asia'ic 
 trade, as it is nearer, as will i)e seen by the subjoined table, to the chief ports 
 of Japan, (."hina, \:c., than any other, while its capabilities as a harbor are 
 succinctly Ljiven in the followinjj; extract from the report of Capt. J. C Hur- 
 ridge in 18.S0 : — 
 
 "During a residence of four months in the locality of Port Simpson and 
 "(Ihatham Sound, 1 did not experience ;-ix hours of fog, and during that 
 "period there were only four jiatts of days and nights in wiiich it would have 
 "been impossible to see to navigate vessels into port. I have no hesitation 
 "in saying that it is one of the best harbors I was ever in. h: :H * * 
 "Shi|)s could lie along side the doc ks at all times, and would refjuirc no tow- 
 "age eitlier in entering or going to sea." 
 
 From Port Simpson to say N'okohama is 
 X Port M(K)dy to n 
 
 II San I"'rancisco to 
 
 3.830 miles. 
 4.242 11 
 4.470 " 
 
 But even when the terminus at Port Simi)son is ranched, there yet 
 remains to be noticed the valualile region of the Queen Charlotte Islands, 
 which lie almost immediately in trout, at a general distance of about 75 
 miles from the mainland. Tiiese islands are at present attracting consider- 
 able attention from their value in hnrd coal, limber and grazi;ig lands, as 
 well as the inexhaustible fisheries of cod. halibut, salmon and other valuable 
 sea products, which will yet make them seconil onlv in value to the coosts of 
 Newfoundland, while but a short distance to the north lie the important 
 mining districts (^f .Alaska, where already our enterprising .\mericaii neigh- 
 bors are carrying on most extensive (lunn/ crushing for gold, on such a scale 
 that it is said one [)arty from San Fnmcisco recently paid one million dollars 
 for a property there, and there is no doubt but that when properly explored, 
 as it can only be when the railway reaches Port Simjjson. that our own terri- 
 tory behind the long narrow southerly extension of .Alaska will prove to be 
 equally rich in metalliferous wealth, as it is known to be in the (juality and 
 extent of its valuable forests of yellow cedar. 
 
 1 trust I have now brought before my readers in an acceptable and as 
 short and concise a manner as possible the value of otir /V^w Nortlnuest, a 
 vast country which only requires to be develojjcd by the building of a rail- 
 way to increase the value of our Dominion tn the eyes of the civilized world 
 a hundred times more than it now occupies^ and with the certaintv of afford- 
 ing to luindteds of thousands happy and contented homes, so that not many 
 years can pass when these now lonely plains will have their towns and cities. 
 and C'anada will be number-d among the great and wealthy nations cf the 
 earth. 
 
 » I 
 
 Printed at The Coikier Office. 
 
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