Ln

33

north and south, the surface of the country slopes rapidly northward towards a low,
level horizon. The ridges, which do not here appear to have any very definite direction,
are composed of well-rounded shingle, and the hollows intervening become larger in
proportion, with a clayey soil, and support a dense growth of black spruce, with occa-
sional large birches, balsam poplars and Douglas firs. There is coatinued evidence of
approach to a region with greater rainfall in passing from Blackwater to Fort George. °
Mosses and various species of Lycopodium begin to grow abundantly in the woods, and
a few miles before reaching Fort George specimens of Ledum latifolium were seen for
the first time.

‘Surrounding Fort George is an area of probably from 2,000 to 3,000 acres, elevated
only about thirty feet above the Fraser River, and bounded to tht south and west by
the escarpment of the high-level plain above. Such crops as have been tried succeed
well. ,

“VALLEY OF THE BLACKWATER NorrH oF THE CLuscus LAKE.

“This part of the Blackwater Valley, like most of its length between this place and
the bridge at the Lower Canyon, has much resemblance to that of the Eu-chan-i-ko above
described, but is on a larger scale. The north slope is generally bare, or but lightly
tree-clad, with. bunch-grass, wild onions, bearberry, vetch, strawberry and Galium
borealis, while thickets of willow and dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa) fringe the stream.
The south bank presents a somewhat similar assemblage of plants, but is much more
thickly timbered with serub pine and poplar and ocedsional groves of black spruce.
The appearance of the river valley is pleasing, and there is abundance of good grazing
for animals, which the winter snows can not be deep enough entirely to cover, as the
Indians of Cluscus Lake own a number of horses which are allowed to live as best they
can at all seasons. The sloping sides of the valley are generally steep, but show little
rock, being covered with terraced drift material. At this place a very conspicuous bench
may be traced running for miles along the valley at an elevation (at Cush-va, sometimes
called Upper Eu-chen-i-ko Lake) of 296 feet above the river, or 3,476 feet above the sea.
The river itself flows rather rapidly between the long lake-like expansions which here
characterise it and add greatly to the beauty of the landscape. Whether these lakes
are held in by rocky barriers or dammed merely by drift material, I have been unable
to satisfy myself.

“<The Blackwater is crossed at several places by the Indians when on the way to
Cluscus Lake, but of these the best known is at the junction of the Cluscus Stream.
At high water the river can only be crossed in this vicinity by rafting, but this is easily
effected. The Cluscus Stream was estimated on June 15th to lave a width of twenty
feet by two feet in depth and slope of about one to ten, Its water has a temperature of
61.5°; that of the Blackwater being 53.5°. The trail follows the stream southward
for about half a mile and then turns westward along the northern border of the lakes.
The lower lake has an estimated total length of about six miles, with a width of less
than half a mile at its upper end and quite narrow and river-like at its lower. It is
separated by a stream of about a mile and a half in length from the upper lake, which,
with a length of scarcely three miles, has a width of about three-quarters of a mile at its
upper end, and holds two small islands. The water feeding these lakes must enter me
upper on its southern side, and from its high temperature is probably derived from other
shallow lakes or extensive swamps. The country along the north side of the first lake
is of very pleasing appearance, sloping gently with an undulating surface to the water
and dotted with groves of aspen and spruce, where not covered with luxuriant SEARS,
The northern slope of the upper lake is similar but steeper, and showing a smaller area,
of grazing land. The lower lake stands about forty feet higher than the Blackw ater
River. A terrace estimated at 100 feet to 120 feet above it is visible, and a second near
its lower end at an elevation of about 300 feet. The valley which contains the lake is
seen to continue eastward beyond its outflow. At the west end of the first lake an
Indian house is situated, and this has for a long time been a rendezvous fon the natives,
the site of an old establishment of the Hudson’s Bay Company being visil le pea at
hand. The trail now described was that followed by Sir Alexander Paceene hen on
his way to the sea, the name obtained by him from the natives of the oca ity being
There were at the time of his visit two houses at the upper end of

Sloua-cuss-dinais.

the first lake, which, as he says, ‘occupied a most delightful situation.’