6

had better remain where they are. Discontented, discouraged, heart-sick settlers will
be the greatest possible drawback to the country, and every person, especially with a
family, should weigh well the step before taking it. Those who are prepared and
quulified to enter the valley with the same spirit that actuated the early settlers of
Hastern Canada will, in all probability, never regret it.

“Similar remarks apply to the whole of the northern interior, as without communi-
cation and without market, except that afforded by local mining development—still in

its infancy—it requires some capital and a good deal more pluck to await patiently the
day when railways will afford both.”

EXTENT AND CHARACTER oF CouNTRY.

With the exception of the Peace River district, which is essentially agricultural
and very fertile, the valleys described are largely pastoral. There are, perhaps, one
million acres of grazing land included in the whole area, with small stretches of bottom
land at intervals, which will afford locations for from 500 to 1,000 ranches devoted to
stock and dairying. In several of the northern valleys summer frosts are more or less
prevalent, but, as in Ontario and Manitoba, that condition may alter with cultivation.

The parts of the country dealt with are in the main in the valley of the Hamalthco
River, the country between Chileo River and Tatla Lake, the Chilcotin Country, the
Nechaco and Blackwater Valleys, the country along and east of the Bella Coola River,
the fertile countrytin the vicinity of Ootsa Lake, the Bulkley and Kispyox Valleys,
bordering on the Skeena River ; the Peace River Country, where the largest available
and compact area of land in the Province exists ; the valley of the Canoe River, into
which Yellow Head Pass opens, and a number of smaller and more or less detached
areas, principally pastoral in character. These are for convenience indicated in red on
the accompanying map. In the aggregate there is much land included in the foregoing
districts which is suitable for agriculture, but, in a general way,
stock-raising will be the principal industries of the future.
and nutritious, and an abundance of pure water
country, especially for dairying purposes.
cattle would require to be fed,

grazing, dairying and
The grass is luxuriant, rich
is found everywhere—an ideal stock
As a rule, for a few months in the winter,
necessitating the growing and storing of feed. The
native grasses are characteristic of the whole country—peavine, vetch, red-top, wild
timothy, wild rye and blue grass. The bunch-grass is confined to the Southern Interior.
Timber sufficient for local requirements is found in every locality, while mineralised areas
extend throughout.

Not sufficient, however

, 1s known of the country as a whole to give definite infor-
mation on m

any points of interest to prospective settlers.
given is unavoidably repeated, but being
important as corroborative evidence,

Much of the information
furnished by various authorities quoted is
Nor, indeed, is sufficient known to correctly map

the country, and in many instances it will probably be found th

at current maps require
extensive revision.

It is impossible, wthout an accurate sury
estimate of the area of land suitable for p
parts of it only a few white men have e
distance from the base of supplies
of any kind,
country h.

ey of the whole country, to give a correct
astoral and agricultural purposes. In many
ver been, and only at long intervals. The
. and the almost total lack of lines of communic:
have rendered exploration very difficult.

ave been attempted from the imperfect data ay

ation
Estimates of the extent of
ailable, which, including the