Stuart and Babine Lake Districts. North of the Canadian National Railway, which traverses the Endako and Nechako Valleys in Fort Fraser Land Re- cording District, is an extensive lacustrine basin with con- nective lake systems, Stuart, Trembleur, Takla, Pinchi, Tezzeron, and other lakes draining through Stuart River to the Nechako and Fraser, while Babine, Tatalpin, and others drain to Skeena River. Surveys made in different parts of this region are shown on pre-emptors’ maps, Nechako, Stuart, and Bulkley sheets. Vacant and unre- served surveyed Crown lands may be pre-empted and recorded, also applications made for purchase and lease of lands, at office of Government Agent, Fort Fraser. This northerly portion of Fort Fraser District is described in this bulletin. That part near the railway is dealt with in one entitled ‘‘ Nechako and Endako Valleys,” and the lake region south of the railway in another entitled “* Francois-Ootsa Lake District.”” It is reached principally from Vanderhoof, a well equipped town, 69 miles west from Prince George, 398 miles from Prince Rupert, on the Canadian National Railway. A good motor-road, 41 miles, reaches Fort St. James, foot of Stuart Lake, whence travel northward is by the water route or trails. From Burns Lake, 82 miles west of Vanderhoof on the railway, a road, 24 miles, traversible by wagon, but broken at Pinkut Lake, where scow-ferry is used, reaches Donald Landing on Babine Lake. Fort St. James is a trading-post with Hud- son’s Bay Company’s and two other stores and small sawmill. Motor-boats and canoes, pack-horses and guides can be obtained. A tourist resort, Douglas Lodge, is operated on an island a short distance away on Stuart Lake. “ Social, political, and business life of the Stuart Lake District centres in Fort St. James, an historic and interest- ing trading-post, established in 1806 for the Northwest Fur Company by Simon Fraser on what he took then to be headwaters of Columbia River. Excepting Fort McLeod, it is the oldest of fur-traders’ posts. It was supplied from Eastern Canada originally as distributing centre of many interior posts, then from Fort Vancouver, and later from Fort Victoria, via Fort Kamloops and overland trails. A still later route of access was from the seaboard via steamships on Skeena to Hazelton, pack-trail to Fort Babine, scows on Babine Lake, connecting by wagons on a portage-road with scows plying on Stuart Lake to Fort St. James. With the building of the Canadian National Railway and the motor-road to Fort St. James, Vanderhoof was used as the railway connection and goods taken by 2