Instrumental work.

Trend of Mining Belt.

Triangulation.

Latitude,

Longitude.

Distances measured.

Table of distances,

Mr. Bowmay’s Report oN Carrpoo Districr. 1886

possession of by the Canadian fur traders in this northern latitude, so the
reflux from west to east of the army of gold miners was northward and east-
ward, by the valley of the Fraser, to the northern Rocky Mountain gold
region, aside from the central and later developed country. Thus, from all
points of view, it has been deemed best to commence detailed surveys of this
mining region first.

By the Canadian Pacific Railway surveys in 1871-6, instrumentally
measured lines were carried almost completely round the Cariboo region,
while the central and mining portion, with the exception of the small part
explored by Lieut. Palmer in 1863, has been only sketched.

To lay the foundation for our geography, the road traverse already men-
tioned, with Barkerville as a centre,-was next extended by means of measur-
ing wheels in the hands of two assistants working independently, along the
principal roads and trails of the mining region. The trend of the richly
auriferous district so covered, embracing 64.7 miles of traverse, from Sugar
Creek on the north to Quesnelle Forks on the south, is from N.N.W. to
S.S.E., or, more precisely, from N. 39° W. to 8. 39° E., running with the
drainage parallels of the Quesnelle, Cottonwood and Willow Rivers, 0 D and
EF. These closely repeat the axial trend A B, of the Upper Fraser and
Columbia River Valleys, as shown on the map.

While this work was in progress, a triangulation and topographical
party occupied the prominent mountains of the mining region with the tran-
sit, and delineated the intermediate and outlying country in sight. The.
plateau surface, 6,000 feet above the sea, surveyed by the topographical
party, and the erosions or valleys followed by the traverse party, are so
unlike each other as scarcely to be recognizable as belonging to the same
country. A series of latitude observations with a good Troughton & Sims
sextant, was taken at Barkerville. And when in September and October
the advancing winter drove us down out of the mountains, the position in
longitude of the whole was fixed by measuring from Quesnelle southwards
along the waggon road, to a connecting point at Lac La Hache with the
Provincial land surveys, which join with the railway surveys and the several
longitude stations recently established by the aid of the telegraph.

The total distances measured with the wheel amounted to 255.5 miles.
This included surveys of the diggings and mining camps, which usually follow
the valley of a stream for two or three miles, and were plotted on a larger
scale, of 124 inches to the mile. In carrying out this work bearings were
taken with the prismatic compass, with frequent observations for variation
of the needle by means of the solar transit. The wheels used were metallic
hoops ; one made of brass with brass hub and wire spokes, by Vipond of
Victoria, the other of iron and wood, contrived with a carriage screw and
washers, by ourselves ; both of them light and strong. These were driven
with one hand, and were so arranged that each revolution represented one-
thousandth of a mile, or 5.28 feet. Revolutions were counted, added up
into miles, and courses were plotted in the field, to enable details to be
recorded on the spot. At convenient times in camp all these courses were
separately calculated by latitudes and departures, to establish fixed points
for the final map.

Following is a table of distances so obtained, and plotted on a scale of 24
inches to one-mile :—

Going eastward from Quesnelle (H. B. Co.’s corner)—

Lo Four-Mile Oreek 2i\.. s;5.527-20 nee 3.8 miles.
ys) Wallace's TANOD, . 5) ui. > once ee eee tS Pe
» Bohannan’s, Cottonwood...............+-+- 20 ».
” Cottonwood Ranch aa lee: <0 be wre, syeipie wie & stein 21.5 ”
» Boyd’s Oold-Spring House ................. 25.2
»:,-Benver’ Pass Honeo: is... /;).j, cach. sack aaeee 38.3 4
9 Stanley, Post-offion :... 6275 5)..400 455 soneiees 44.8 ,,
» eagle: Greek Bridge... «2/5 boise 2.7 eaile 41.6.

vo Darkerville ...2 vce vesvevcs vn suet coveapas CUDe