LAND NORTH AND WEST OF HUDSON HOPE.

North and west of Hudson Hope, on the nearly level plateau about 500 feet above
the Peace River, is a tract of 17,000 acres surveyed for pre-emption in 1912 by G. B.
Milligan, B.C.L.S. This tract, and another containing 40,000 acres in the valley of
the Halfway River, a tributary of the Peace, to the west of the Dominion Block,
homesteads within the borders of which must be secured from the agents of the
Dominion Government, are shown on Pre-emptors’ Map No. 5, Peace River Sheet.
The former tract north and west from Hudson Hope on the west of the Dominion
Block extends between it and the foot-hills to the west. Forest fires have devasted
this country, and the larger timber which formerly flourished has, with the exception

of isolated clumps, entirely disappeared, and under present conditions of brule and

light windfall, with the second growth of small poplar and willow, little labour would
be required to clear the land. As it is, large areas have been almost entirely cleared
by the fire, and grasses of the wild varieties, as peavine, blue-joint, etc., have taken
root, and, as it cures standing, affords considerable winter feed for horses and cattle.

All this country is well watered by the North and South Forks of Lynx Creek,
with their branches, these being excellent mountain-streams flowing easterly into
Peace River. There are also numerous small swamp meadows carrying water for
the greater part of the season.

Chinaman’s Lake, about three-quarters of a mile long and half a mile wide, lies

-in a slight depression about a mile from the foot-hills, the surrounding country being

covered mostly with small willow, poplar, and alder growth, with a few spruce. This
is a very picturesque spot, and the lake teems with trout and would be a boon to
settlers in the district. The top soil throughout varies somewhat, being mostly a few
inches of black loam, and in places sandy loam with clay subsoil.

The country between the North and South Forks of Lynx Creek, Lots 1430 to
1437, inclusive, is chiefly high land lying on either side of the ridge forming the divide
between the South Fork of the Halfway River and Kobes Creek. The top of the
ridge is covered with a dense growth of small jack-pine, alder, and willow, and the
soil is light and gravelly. The south slopes towards Kobes Creek are gradual and
the growth is mostly scattered clumps of poplar, alder, and willow. There is also
an excellent growth of peavine and grass.

LAND ON HALFWAY RIVER.

The tract, containing in the neighbourhood of 40,000 acres, also surveyed by
Mr. Milligan in 1912 for pre-emption, and shown on Pre-emptors’ Map No. 5, Peace
River Sheet, is watered by the Halfway River and its various tributaries. The
southern part has a general slope to the north towards Kobes Creek. The first bench
from the creek is about 60 feet high. From this bench the ground rises gradually
for about a mile to the ridge which forms the southerly boundary of the watershed
of the Halfway Valley.

Ixobes Creek is about 30 feet wide, and at ordinary stages of water would average
about a foot in depth. It flows rapidly in a crooked and tortuous course over the
stony bed of the creek. In many places the soil on this ground is covered with
moss and would appear on the surface to be a muskeg, but when digging down the
soil under the moss was invariably found to be a rich black loam, in places attain-
ing a depth of 18 inches, with a clay subsoil. The growth throughout is principally
second-growth poplar, willow, and alder, with patches of spruce and pine. This land
is drained by small streams originally from the seepage water along the low hills to
the south.

Lots 1440, 1441, and 1442 lie along Kobes Creek, there being some excellent
meadow land along the lower flats, which, for the most part, are open, with light
growth of poplar and willow. The upper benches on either side of the creek are
covered with a heavier growth of small jack-pine, poplar, willow, and spruce. The
soil is all sandy loam.

On the slopes towards the South Fork of the Halfway River the growth is dense
alder and willow, with windfall. The soil is light and gravelly. Good bottom land
is found on Lots 1481 and 1433. The South Fork of the Halfway River is about 5

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