CHAPTER IX.

BRITISH COLUMBIA AND VANCOUVER'S ISLAND.

The Rocky Mountains: their Extent, their Altitude, their Passes-British Columbia: Early Discovery, Boundary-line, Lakes, Rivers, &c.; Gold and the Goldmines; Discovery of the Gold; Testimony of Governor Douglas, G. Forbes Macdonald, Esq., and the Times Correspondent-Gold on Fraser RiverRichness of the Mines-Mines on Thompson River-Lillooett Gold-minesCariboo Gold River-Steele's Company-Labour in British Columbia-Export of Gold in 1863- Fertility of Soil in the Gold Neighbourhood-Progress of the Colony--Vancouver's Island: its Agricultural Resources, Coal-beds, Importance as a Naval Station, Imports and Exports; Prospecting, Panning, and Washing Gold.

THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.

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THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS stretch from north to south of the North American Continent for a distance of 3000 miles. They are a succession of centres of disturbance, rather than a continuous range of backbone dividing the continent. Their greatest altitude is attained at Mount Brown, which is 15,000 feet above the sea. their arctic termination they are about 1000 or 2000 feet in height; they then increase in altitude as they go southward, averaging 7000 to 8000 feet; while Mount Brown, Mount Hooker, Fremont's Peak, and Long's Peak attain a much greater height.

The general width of the Rocky Mountains is from 40 to 100 miles. South of 42° there is no route across the mountains capable of being traversed; but north of this there are two passes, called the North and South Passes, within the boundaries of the United States, and averaging 7000 feet in height. In British America the passes are numerous. Those at present discovered are

1. Cow-Dung Lake Portage, or Leather Pass.
2. Boat Encampment, or Original Athabasca Portage

3. Howe's Pass

4. Kicking Horse Pass

5. Vermilion Pass

6. Kananaski, or Emigrant Pass

7. Crow-Nest Pass

8. Kootanay Pass.

Lat. 54° 0'

53° 45'

51° 45'

51° 25'

51° 10'

50° 40'

49° 40'

49° 25'

These passes will be more particularly referred to when we consider the subject of a railway across the continent.

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

British Columbia occupies an area of 225,250 square miles. It is about 420 miles long, and 300 miles broad. It comprises "all

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such territories within the dominions of Her Majesty as are bounded to the south by the frontier of the United States of America, to the east by the main chain of the Rocky Mountains, to the north by Simpson's River and the Finlay branch of the Peace River, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean," and all the islands adjacent to these territories.

EARLY DISCOVERY.

Early in the sixteenth century, the Spaniards, who had explored a great deal of the shores of the Pacific, and planted several small colonies, extended their adventures gradually northward, and discovered the coasts of British Columbia. The Straits of Juan de Fuca were discovered by a Spanish pilot, who had visited its shores. In 1578, Drake touched at Vancouver on his voyage round the world. In 1792, Captain Vancouver, an officer in the English Navy, who had been sent to settle some difficulties with the Spaniards in reference to the seizure of some English ships, arrived at Nootka; but not finding the Spanish admiral there, he sailed through the Straits of Fuca, entered the Gulf of Georgia, and, forcing his way through, passed at length into the Pacific by Queen Charlotte Sound, giving his name to the island he had thus circumnavigated.

Sir A. Mackenzie, in 1792, explored the shores of the Peace River for a distance of 200 miles.

In the year 1806, Mr. Fraser, a gentleman in the employ of the North-West Company, crossed the Rocky Mountains at Leather Pass, from Canada; descended the river which bears his name, until he arrived at a lake, which he also christened after himself; and here he erected a fort, and established a trading post, at the 54th parallel of latitude. In 1810, an American company, called the Pacific Fur Company, under the superintendence of John Jacob Astor (who afterwards became the wealthiest merchant in America), a German merchant of New York, formed other trading communities.

BOUNDARY-LINE.

At a later period, difficulties arose as to the right of possession between various governments. Russia claimed certain territory west of the Rocky Mountains and north of 54° 40′, including Sitka and its neighbourhood. In 1823, President Monroe announced his celebrated Monroe doctrine, that further colonization by European Powers would be opposed. From this time forward, up to 1844, matters between England and the United States wore a threatening aspect. "Fifty-four, forty, or fight," was the rallying cry of the American Democratic party. Fortunately, negotiations and diplomatic arrangements were not controlled by the rabble. The line of the 49th parallel, from the Rocky Mountains to the sea, was the basis of settlement for this vexed question; but, alas! no human

foresight can prevent contingencies. The line was to continue through the centre of the Gulf of Georgia, and thence southward, through the channel which separates the continent from Vancouver Island, to the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Now, subsequent exploration proved there were three channels instead of one. Of course the Americans claimed the furthest north as the boundary-line, the British the furthest south. Thanks to nature, there is a centre one; and it is to be hoped both parties will amicably arrange this matter, at the earliest possible moment.

LAKES AND RIVERS.

The surface of the whole country is intersected with mountains, hills, lakes, rivers, and plains. There is a range of mountains called the Cascade Mountains, between the coast and the Rocky Mountains: further south they are called the Sierra Nevada.

The principal lakes are Stuart's Lake, in lat. 54° 50', long. 124° W. This lake is fifty miles in length, and from three to four miles in breadth. Fraser's Lake is fifty miles west of this, and about eightyfive miles in circumference. M'Leod's Lake, in latitude 55°, is in circumference about fifty-five miles. Further south we have Lakes Quesnelle, Chilcotin, and Axe, all connected with Fraser's River. Green Lake, Shoushwap Lake, Kamloop's Lake, and Harrison's Lake are all connected with Thompson River.

The Okanagan Lake, Upper and Lower Arrow Lake, and Flat Bow Lake are all connected with the waters of Columbia River, which crosses the boundary-line at 49° lat., and extends its branches northward and westward as far as 52° 40′, and along the western base of the Rocky Mountains.

Mr. Hazlitt, in a useful little volume, entitled "The Great GoldFields of Cariboo," speaking of the rivers, says :-" The principal rivers of British Columbia are Fraser's River, Salmon River, Thompson's River, Quesnelle's River, Chilcotin River. The head waters of the chief of these, Fraser's River-called by the natives Tatoutche Tesse-rise near those of Canoe River, the most northern branch of the Columbia. After a western course of about 150 miles, it receives the Salmon River from the north, and somewhat lower the waters of Stuart's River are added from the north-west. The stream is then swollen by the Quesnelle River, rising from a ridge of the Rocky Mountains, and running west into the main river of the district. Next comes the Chilcotin River, so called from a cognominal lake, in which it has its source. This stream, which is shallow and full of rapids, runs in a S.S.E. direction from Fort Alexandria; its course is serpentine, and its whole length 180 miles, the breadth varying from forty to sixty yards.

"Further on, this main stream is joined, on the left shore, by Thompson's River, which, rising near the source of Quesnelle's River, flows at the base of the mountains which bound the Columbia to the