NORTHERN INTERIOR OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

north, where lines of snow-capped peaks intersect the
whole country between the two main ranges. Endless
forests, mostly of coniferous trees, and deep lakes, whose
length generally exceeds considerably their breadth, cover
such spaces as are not taken up by mountains. The only
level or meadow lands of any extent within that district lie
on either side of the Chilcotin River, where excellent bunch
grass affords lasting pasturage to large herds of cattle and
horses.

The Douglas fir preponderates in the southern half of
the country, but cannot stand the cold prevalent north of
54°40, while the three different species of spruce which
cover the northern part of the district hardly appear within
its more temperate zone. The black pine is fairly common
all over the country, and it is always indicative of a dry,
sandy, and usually level ground, just as the poplar and the
aspen betoken a moist and rather rich soil. Apart from
the animals to which they give shelter, these woods afford
but very meagre resources adapted to the wants of man.
These are reduced to some varieties of berries, prominent
among which is the service berry, the fruit of the Aelan-
chier alnifolia, which the aborigines compress into flat
cakes and keep in their larder for use in any emergency.

Lakes and rivers are practically numberless. The most
important among the former are: Lake Stuart, with its
tributaries Lakes Rey, Soullier, Tremblé and Tatla; Lakes
Babine and Augier ; Lakes Morice, Dawson, and Emerald,

1. H. H. Bancroft, in his ‘‘ History of British Columbia,” asserts that
“the lake country from Chilcotin to Fort Fraser and beyond is generally
open” (p. 37), a statement which is far too comprehensive. The lakes of that
country, and those immediately to the north of it, R. Greenhow gravely
declares to be ‘‘ frozen over more than two-thirds of the year” (‘* History of
Oregon and California,” p. 29), which assertion will seem strange to people
who, like the present writer, have annually navigated their waters from the
middle of May to the middle of December, practically ever since the year 1885.

2