19

_ ‘The vegetation here seemed to be further advanced at this date, May 14th, than
in any other portion of the valley. Some families of Indians are living at the lake, and
were engaged in catching and smoking trout, which abound in all the lakes in this part
of the country, and which would average about two pounds in weight. The country on
the west side of the lake, towards the river, is partly burnt, and the balance covered
with a light growth of pine, poplar and spruce. ‘he altitude of this lake is 1,900 feet.
After leaving the lake the trail passes through Section 21, Township 6, which is rolling,
with patches of open prairie. e

Section 20 is also high and rolling; about half of this section is open, and is all
good grazing. Section 19 is partly open, and covered with heavy grass and pea-vine.
There is a marsh of about 100 acres on the 8. E. quarter of Section 30, which could be
easily converted into a first-class hay meadow. The north half of this section is high
land and good grazing. The trail now enters Township 5, going through the N. E.
quarter of Section 25, which is partly open, the balance being covered with poplar and
spruce. The country here slopes towards the west. The trail next passes through the
east half of Section 36, in Township 5. The south half of this section is low, rich soil,
covered with poplar and willow thickets. The N. W. quarter is open prairie, and
touches on Aldermere Lake. The altitude here is 1,700 feet.

** Aldermere Lake, along the east and north sides of which the trail passes, is a
beautiful sheet of water, about two and one-half miles long and over a mile wide. There
are rich hay meadows in the immediate vicinity of the lake, some of them over 100 acres
in extent. The country to the east for about five miles is partly open, and of the same
character as that through which the trail passes. There is good grazing everywhere, and
the land not entirely open could be easily cleared by the aid of fire. The soil is mostly
a black loam. Spurs from the Babine Range extend in some places nearly to the river
on the west. On these hills the soil is rather light, though good feed grows everywhere.

“The Telegraph Trail, after leaving Aldermere Lake, goes almost due north for
several miles, passing through Section 10, in Township 4, which is level, open country,
with scattered thickets of poplar and spruce. Section 15 is rolling, and covered with
poplar and spruce. The west side of Section 22 is low meadow land. The east side is
a high rolling country, with a light soil. The S. W. quarter of Section 27, in Township
4, is open prarie. The rest of the section is mostly covered with small pine, averaging
about 10 inches in diameter. Section 28 is all covered with timber. The soilis good.
On the north side of Section 28 the trail crosses the Quinoqua River, or Canyon Creek,
as it is called by the white men. It is a stream of fair size, and here flows through a
canyon. It is here spanned by a good serviceable bridge, built by the men engaged in
the construction of the telegraph line.

“©The east side of Section 33, in Township 4, is mostly open prairie, covered with
rich grasses. The west is half-timbered. The north half of Section 34, in Township 4,
is open prairie. The south half is badly cut up by the Quinoqua River.

“ We now enter Township 2 at Section 4, the trail passing through the east half of
the section. ‘The south-east quarter of this section is open, the balance is covered with
small spruce and poplar. The soil is very good. ‘The south half of Section 16, in Town-
Ship 2, is open, with good grazing. Driftwood Creek crosses the S. W. quarter of this
section, cutting it up badly. There is here situated a ranch which is worked by men in
the employ of the Hudson’s Bay Company, and which embraces Sections 16, 17, 19, 20
and 21, and is a fine place for stock. Section 25, in Township 1, is mostly timbered
and the soil is rocky ; 35 and 36 are of the same general description. The mountains on
the east side here approach quite close to the river, and there is but very little good land
between this point and Moricetown, a distance of 12 or 15 miles.

Oruer Fine GrazineG Districts.

“The lines of Mr. Poudrier’s survey, made in 1891, were easily traced, and we were
able in the most of cases to find the section posts sought for, although in several places
we found that his survey did not extend as far east as shown by the shaded lines on his
map. In hardly any place, throughout the entire length of the valley, can a person go
more than three miles east of the trail without striking the foot-hills of the Babine
Mountains. The widest portion of the valley is on the west side of the Bulkley, but on
account of the high water we were unable to cross and examine the county, but, looking
at it through a large telescope one of the party carried, it appears to be of the pains
ceneral character as that on the east side of the river. Indians whom we met infor mec
us that the country on the west side was fully as good as on the east side, and that there