iit

mate area of 700,000 acres of farming land. Of this, three-fourths is wooded and the
rest is either cleared or covered only with light thickets. Of the higher land, exposed
to the summer frost, and where wheat could not be grown, and of high pasture land,
there are several scattered areas. Around Kit-wan-coole, the higher benches on the
Upper Skeena and Naas, the high plateau lying between the different branches of the
Naas and between its watershed and the Stikine, can all be utilised as grazing land and
classified as such. One and a half million acres would be about a correct estimate of the
grazing land available. All the area west of the Cascade Range is damp and rainy.
Near the sea the snowfall is not great, but at some points up the river it is more than
six feet. After crossing the mountain the climate gets much drier, but in no part of.
the country explored by me would irrigation be necessary, unless it would be in some of
the valleys of the head of the Skoot. The climate of winter about Hazelton and at the
corresponding point of the Naas is very cold, but the cold is not so prolonged as it is
east of the Rockies ; there are always one or more thaws during the season. Observa-
tion of thé gardening done by the Indians shows that, although their lands are very
poorly cultivated, they yield well, while the season is about the same as in the west of
the Province of Quebec. In no part has the timber been found in very large quantity
as would in the future warrant the hope of exportation, except perhaps the giant cedar
and the spruce; but everywhere it is sufficient for every local use when once the country
is settled. No doubt the balsam, poplar, the aspen, the cottonwood and the birch will
some day be of value for the manufacture of wood pulp.”

Mryeran WEALTH.

Respecting the mineral resources of the country explored by him, Mr. Poudrier
says :—

““Gold has been found formerly, and is yet found, on Lorne Creek, on the Skeena.
Colours have been found on the Skeena proper, in the Zimoetz, the Kitsegue-cla, the
Kit-sum-galum, in several small streams falling into the Naas. Small pieces of platinum
are found in the Kitsegue-cla, with the gold.  Gold-bearing quartz was brought from
the Upper Skeena and from the Upper Naas. Copper was found on the Kemano River,
and on the Pund-il-delay, on the Skeena, on the Tsi-ax, and on the upper branch of the
Naas. (Galena-bearing silver was found on the Tsi-ax, and more abundantly in a small
creek coming into the Naas a short way below. On the Skeena, below Lakelse, some
good ore of the same kind was also located. Lignite, in places, was seen in abundance
on the Skeena and branch of the Naas, and on many creeks falling into the Skeena.
On the Kitsegue-cla some coal, of an apparently good quality, was located. It has not
yet been analyzed. Iron nodules are lying in abundance on the Kitsegue-cla, on the
Skeena, and on the Naas. Hematite, of good quality, is plentiful on the Kemano, the
Kitimaat, the Extall, the Skeena, and the Naas. Volcanic tuft of different species.
some of them appearing valuable, are abundant on the Naas. A kind of pitch, resem-
bling bitumen, is also found at the same locality. _Infusorial earth was seen near Hazelton.
Good mica was found on the Upper Skeena and on the Naas. Slate, some of it very
good, is abundant on the Tsi-ax and the Naas. Specimens of very rich cinnabar, coming
from Kitimaat, were seen, and some of the same ore was seen on the Kemano.

A Fine Carrie Country.

Mr. Gauvereau made his entrance to the scene of his work by way of Quesnel,
whence he followed the courses of the Endako and Bulkley Rivers to the Susquwah
Valley, and by the Babine Trail to Babine Lake, Frying Pan Pass, North Tatla Lake,
Dakaraedl and Middle Rivers, Tremblay Lake, Thatcher River, Stuart Lake ; thence to
McLeod, Crooked River, Giscome Creek and Omineca. The valley of the Endako,
which has an average width of four miles, contains many open spaces of good land and
hay meadows, though most of it is covered with black spruce, black pine, cottonwood
and willow, which would be easily cleared. At the headwaters is a fine tract of country
which would make excellent cattle ranges, as the grass is very rich and pea vines and
vetches grow in profusion. The Bulkley Valley, which is described elsewhere, was
next traversed and the Susquwah Valley entered. This is described as heavily timbered