B34 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS.

runs northerly to the northern boundary of a tract surveyed for returned soldier
settlement in vicinity of Stuart Lake. The distance from the railroad by river is
sixty-seven miles, forty-two of which is in good water. The lower river is swift,
with one rapid, and has been improved for navigation. Boats up to 25 tons, properly
equipped, could successfully and regularly negotiate it during six months in the year.

The Stuart River basin comprises a wonderful system of waterways, embracing
three large lakes—Stuart, Tremblay, and Takla—which form one continuous chain
lying about due north-west for 100 miles. The only obstruction to steamboat nayiga-

tion for this distance is shallow rapids on Tatchi River, only negotiable by steam-~

boat when the water is fairly high. Middle River, connecting Takla and Tremblay
Lakes, has an appreciable current in only one reach, the remainder of its twenty
miles of length being dead water, practically a long narrow lake. A proof of the
availability of this lake system for steamboat navigation lies in the fact that part
of the hull and machinery of a stern-wheel steamer about 70 feet long is beached on
Tremblay Lake. This boat, appropriately named the “ Enterprise,” made the trip
from Soda Creek to Takla Lake about 1871, during the Omineca gold excitement, so
that another 200 miles of navigable water on the Fraser, Nechako, and Stuart Rivers
is immediately tributary to the lake system. ;

The only other large lakes in the Stuart Lake basin are Pinchi, Tezzon, and
Inzana. The first named drains directly into Stuart Lake, while Tezzon and Inzana
drain into Tatchi and Middle Rivers respectively. The outlets of these lakes are not
navigable. Besides these large lakes, the whole region contains innumerable small
lakes varying from a quarter to six miles in length. The Nation River drainage-
basin in the adjoining Peace River Land District empties into the Parsnip River,
which with the Finlay forms the Peace River.

NortH-bASt SHoRE oF Sruarr LAKE.

The north-east shore of Stuart Lake from Pinchi Village to Tatchi River is
poplar country mainly, and with the exception of a few isolated buttes and ridges,
this flat country runs back for fifteen miles, and turning north-west passes through
between Inzana and Kazchek Lakes. Directly north-west of Tezzon Lake the country
is too broken to be of value, but the area along Inzana Creek is exceptionally good
and may be estimated to contain about 100,000 acres of good agricultural land. The
country here is undulating; it has been burnt clean and is now beginning to reforest
with willow and poplar. The soil is loam, and numerous large meadows and several
small lakes exist. Northward the country between here and Upper Nation Lake is
undulating, with numerous lakes, and from report contains considerable agricultural
land.

Mippie River VALLEY.

Between Stuart and Tremblay Lakes is much good land. (See Pre-emptors’

Map 3c, Stuart Lake Sheet.) The valley of the Middle River, which drains between

Tremblay and Takla Lakes, contains 120,000 acres. Undulating country extends clear
across to Nation Lake, north-easterly from Middle River. The valley of the Middle
River is from two to six miles in width, and is a rolling country, broken by rocky
hills and ridges. The soil is almost entirely a light, sandy loam, with a growth of
small poplar, pine, spruce, and willow. The valley is wide at the south end, narrow-
ing toward Takla Lake. The Middle River is a sluggish stream, with very little
current. ‘Che fall between Takla Lake and Tremblay Lake is only a few feet. The
south side of the river has been almost entirely swept by fire, and is covered with
heavy windfalls, with a thick growth of small pine.

Souru or TAKLA Lake.

The country around the south end of Takla Lake is rough and rocky, except for
a tract of fairly flat land along the north-east shore, comprising some 7,000 to 8,000
acres. his tract has been burnt over and has very little timber on it, chiefly small