{"AIPUUID":[{"label":"AIP UUID","value":"931bf2eb-a6ae-456c-be55-2ca7e55cea39","attrs":{"lang":"en","ns":"https:\/\/open.library.ubc.ca\/terms#identifierAIP","classmap":"oc:DigitalPreservation","property":"oc:identifierAIP"},"iri":"https:\/\/open.library.ubc.ca\/terms#identifierAIP","explain":"UBC Open Collections Metadata Components; Local Field; Refers to the Archival Information Package identifier generated by Archivematica. This serves as a link between CONTENTdm and Archivematica."}],"AggregatedSourceRepository":[{"label":"Aggregated Source Repository","value":"CONTENTdm","attrs":{"lang":"en","ns":"http:\/\/www.europeana.eu\/schemas\/edm\/dataProvider","classmap":"ore:Aggregation","property":"edm:dataProvider"},"iri":"http:\/\/www.europeana.eu\/schemas\/edm\/dataProvider","explain":"A Europeana Data Model Property; The name or identifier of the organization who contributes data indirectly to an aggregation service (e.g. Europeana)"}],"AlternateTitle":[{"label":"Alternate Title ","value":"REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF LANDS.","attrs":{"lang":"en","ns":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/alternative","classmap":"dpla:SourceResource","property":"dcterms:alternative"},"iri":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/alternative","explain":"A Dublin Core Terms Property; An alternative name for the resource.; Note - the distinction between titles and alternative titles is resource-specific."}],"CatalogueRecord":[{"label":"Catalogue Record","value":"http:\/\/resolve.library.ubc.ca\/cgi-bin\/catsearch?bid=1198198","attrs":{"lang":"en","ns":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/isReferencedBy","classmap":"edm:ProvidedCHO","property":"dcterms:isReferencedBy"},"iri":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/isReferencedBy","explain":"A Dublin Core Terms Property; A related resource that references, cites, or otherwise points to the described resource."}],"Collection":[{"label":"Collection","value":"Sessional Papers of the Province of British Columbia","attrs":{"lang":"en","ns":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/isPartOf","classmap":"dpla:SourceResource","property":"dcterms:isPartOf"},"iri":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/isPartOf","explain":"A Dublin Core Terms Property; A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included."}],"Creator":[{"label":"Creator","value":"British Columbia. Legislative Assembly","attrs":{"lang":"en","ns":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/creator","classmap":"dpla:SourceResource","property":"dcterms:creator"},"iri":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/creator","explain":"A Dublin Core Terms Property; An entity primarily responsible for making the resource.; Examples of a Contributor include a person, an organization, or a service."}],"DateAvailable":[{"label":"Date Available","value":"2016-02-15","attrs":{"lang":"en","ns":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/issued","classmap":"edm:WebResource","property":"dcterms:issued"},"iri":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/issued","explain":"A Dublin Core Terms Property; Date of formal issuance (e.g., publication) of the resource."}],"DateIssued":[{"label":"Date Issued","value":"[1921]","attrs":{"lang":"en","ns":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/issued","classmap":"oc:SourceResource","property":"dcterms:issued"},"iri":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/issued","explain":"A Dublin Core Terms Property; Date of formal issuance (e.g., publication) of the resource."}],"DigitalResourceOriginalRecord":[{"label":"Digital Resource Original Record","value":"https:\/\/open.library.ubc.ca\/collections\/bcsessional\/items\/1.0224489\/source.json","attrs":{"lang":"en","ns":"http:\/\/www.europeana.eu\/schemas\/edm\/aggregatedCHO","classmap":"ore:Aggregation","property":"edm:aggregatedCHO"},"iri":"http:\/\/www.europeana.eu\/schemas\/edm\/aggregatedCHO","explain":"A Europeana Data Model Property; The identifier of the source object, e.g. the Mona Lisa itself. This could be a full linked open date URI or an internal identifier"}],"FileFormat":[{"label":"File Format","value":"application\/pdf","attrs":{"lang":"en","ns":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/elements\/1.1\/format","classmap":"edm:WebResource","property":"dc:format"},"iri":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/elements\/1.1\/format","explain":"A Dublin Core Elements Property; The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource.; Examples of dimensions include size and duration. Recommended best practice is to use a controlled vocabulary such as the list of Internet Media Types [MIME]."}],"FullText":[{"label":"Full Text","value":" ANNUAL REPORT\nOF THE\nMINISTEE OF LANDS\nOF THE PROVINCE OF\nBRITISH COLUMBIA\nfor the\nYEAR ENDING 81ST DECEMBER\n1920\nPRINTED by\nAUTHORITY OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.\nVICTORIA, B.C. :\nPrinted by William H. Ccllin, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.\n1921. Victoria, B.C., February 5th, 1921.\nTo His Honour Walter Cameron Nichol,\nLieutenant-Governor of the Province of British Columbia.\nMay it please Your Honour :\nHerewith I beg respectfully to submit the Annual Report of my Department for\nthe year ending December 31st, 1920.\nT. D. PATTULLO,\nMinister of Lands. Victoria, B.C., February 5th, 1921.\nThe Honourable T. D. Pattullo,\nMinister of Lands, Victoria, B.C. ''\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the Annual Report of the Department of\nLands for the twelve months ending December 31st, 1920.\nI have the honour to be,\nSir,\nYour obedient servant,\nG. R. NADEN, '\nDeputy Minister of Lands. PART I.\nDEPARTMENT OE LANDS. TABLE OF CONTENTS,\nPage.\nteport of Office Statistics 7\nPre-emption Records, 1920 S\nLand-sales, 1920 8\nCrown Grants issued, 1920 8\nReport on Coal Licences, Leases, etc., 1020 9\nPre-emptions inspected in 1920 9\nStatement of Revenue 10\nSummary, 190S-1920 10\nReport of the Superintendent of British Columbia Soldier Settlement 11 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS.\nREPORT OF OFFICE STATISTICS.\nVictoria, B.C., February Srd, 1921.\nO. B. Naden, Esq.,\nDeputy Minister of Lands, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the Annual Report of the Lands Branch of the Department of Lands for the year ending December 31st, 1920, containing a summary of the administration of Crown lands in the Province. The various statements herewith are self-explanatory\nand show clearly the business done under the \" Land Act\" in the shape of pre-emptions, purchases, and leases granted and dealt with, and also transactions under the \" Coal and Petroleum\nAct,\" as well as the cash receipts brought to account in the Department.\nIn addition, there is a statement of the applications completed under the \" Townsite Proportionate Allotment Act.\" The administration of this Act has entailed considerable correspondence and taken up a great deal of time of a portion of the office staff during the past year.\nConsiderable advancement has also been made towards winding up all the land transactions\nunder the \" Soldiers' Homestead Act.\" A number of these, however, are of such a complicated\nnature as to render their completion very difficult, but it is expected that the final adjustments\nunder this Act will be made in a short time.\nSteps have also been taken towards closing outstanding agreements in connection with town\nlots and subdivided lands disposed of at auction during the past several years, and in respect\nto which the payments are still in arrear. Notice calling for payment has been published in\ncompliance with section 70 of the \" Land Act,\" following which individual notices have been\nsent out to delinquent purchasers before final action is taken.\nFollowing the tax sales of 191S and 1919, certificates of forfeiture have been filed in the\nDepartment by the various Assessors throughout the Province, containing lists of the lands\nwhich have reverted to the Crown for unpaid taxes, consisting of district lots and subdivisions\nof all kinds in all parts of British Columbia. .\nQuite a number of sales have been made of these forfeited lands during the year, and\nnumerous adjustments have been made in connection with repurchases by former owners and\nthe cancellation and setting-aside of erroneous and incorrect forfeitures.\nI have, etc.,\nH. Cathcakt,\nSuperintendent of Lands. PRE-EMPTION RECORDS, ETC., 1920.\nAgency.\nPre-emption\nRecords.\nCertificates\not\nImprovement.\nCertificates\nof\nPurchase.\n21\n240\n20\n1\n381\n388\n5\n35\n101\n1\n17\n3\n24\n124\n14\n3\n\"32\n49\n21\n115\n14\n15\n3\n1\n48\n16\n1\n27\n27\n3\n12\n42\n4\n11\n8\n33\n19\n3\n26\n12\n\"26\n5\n1\n18\nAtlin\t\n1\n163\n10\nFernie\t\n3\n50\n58\nGolden\t\n7\n13\n77\n10\n8\n10\n42\n89\nOsoyoos \t\n24\n1\n29\n36\n20\n68\n428\nYale \t\n2\nTotals\t\n1,624\n328\n1,067\nLAND-SALES, 1920.\nSurveyed (first class) ..\n\u201e (second class)\nUnsurveyed ..\nTotal\nCROWN GRANTS ISSUED, 1920.\nPre-emptions \t\n\" Pre-emptors' Free Grants Act \" \t\nPurchase \t\nMineral\t\n\" Soldiers' Homestead Act \" \t\nTown lots \t\nReverted lands\t\nReverted mineral \t\nTownsite Proportionate Allotment Act\" \t\n\" Dyking Assessments Act \" \t\nMiscellaneous \t\n\" Schools Act\" \t\nLand settlement \".\t\nSoldier Settlement Board \t\nAcres.\n1,690\n26,633.2\n28,323.2\n6,054\n34,377.2\n443\n396\n122\n283\n150\n118\n174\n43\n16\n6\n11\n4\n23\n38\nCrown grants written up 1,827\nApplications for Crown grants\nCertified copies of counterfoils\n2,014 11 Geo. 5 Office Statistics. G 9\nTotal Acreage deeded.\nPre-emptions 131,457.77\nMineral 8,180.22\nSurveyed 30,475.30\nUnsurveyed 45,251.21\nTotal 215,364.50\nREPORT ON COAL LICENCES, LEASES, ETC., 1920.\nCoal-prospecting Licences.\nNumber of licences issued, 275; area, 126,500 acres.\nCoal Leases.\nNumber of leases issued, 12; area, 7,680 acres.\nSundry Leases.\nNumber of leases issued, 11.3; area, 12,761 acres.\nPRE-EMPTIONS INSPECTED IN 1920.\nAlberni \t\nAtlin \t\nCariboo 44\nCranbrook 42\nFernie 7\nFort Fraser 224\nFort George 409\nGolden 1\nKamloops 24\nLillooet 24\nNanaimo \t\nNelson 10\nNew Westminster 5\nNicola 9\nOmineca 139\nOsoyoos 20\nPeace River\t\nRevelstoke 3\nSimilkameen 72\nSkeena 113\nSlocan 10\nStikine\t\nVancouver 169\nVictoria 6\nYale 8\nTotal 1,345 G 10\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nP\n\u2022A\nm\n>\n&\n(A\nP\nO\nEH\ni*H\nS\n1\/2\nCDf-OO-tfOcMCOCD-'i'O'OiO\nt-f COOCOOM-WCCWCOH\nff.gS\nSa.S\nCO \u00ab id .\u25a0g ^ M M t>] iM \u25a0* ii\nS 5J\nCD i\n>i\no\nIs\n CM \u25a0 CO - \u25a0\n\u2022n\nPh\nefe\na\nO at\nJ\" e? \u00b0\nOO\u00a9 \u2022 -O\t\no\n00\n^\u00a9\nCh\nJ i\nlogf\no\no\n5 \u00a7 \u25a0\n\u00ab*\ncj to\nOOOOOOOC'OCOO\no\nci C cy\n5 ^\nlO^MCOH^^fOIMOX\ni-H i-H HtNHHHriMH\n\u00a9\n\u00ab=\niO \u00a9 \u00bb0 rH OO O NN CO\u00a9 \u25a0\n\u00a9\nC**re\nCO IO CM i ~ I ~ X CC < ~ CO CO CO \u25a0\nCO\n2^\nCJi-H\ncm\"\n9^\nm\ncMioio-Hu\";i^c:c;-M0\no\n6& rH\nJ\nIs\n\u2022fl\no\nT\n&\n*\u00ab\n' =\n- H-\n- a\n*C3\nO\nH\nm &H Kf\n<\nfe\ni-\n-. 4\noaOlziQ\n-3j\nP\"\nW\nm\nCO G-l -* O CM\nC5WO CO ^\nCM\no\niO\nCM\n00\nCM\n.-.\nrH rH IO IO CO\n*-~ co i>- oo ^\n<-\u2022\n; CO O\nas\nOS\nCO\n\u20ac&\nCOCStMCMOCMCOCOrH oo\nCM \u00bb.\u00bb\nCO\nco\nO\n_j\nt^\nI-1\n-rf> i\u2014i rH\nOS\nCO\n\u25a0S&\nCDO^MH-OfM^OCOO 1- tt\n^\u25a0*^\u00b0\u00b0tM\nrH\nj *^.**\nCD\nOS\n#3?\nI-H -H\ncm \u00a9 OS t- ir:\n\u20141\nO CS o\n\u20ac^\n.-\nCO O CO CO -\u2022\nUJ\ni-: \u00b0-ll\\\n-*\nIO\niOtD'VHMO'fCI-1 COO\n^i05 B\u00bbrl\u00abi\nN ^ *> \u00ab\n22\nCO\nOS '\nKliQWt-OMr-iOO! : w\u00ae\nCM\n\u00ab\u00a9\u2022\n\u25a0 rH <\u00a3 CO\nCOCD^HtO^\nOJ\nrH ' \"^\n\u00a3\neo\nIO -* CM\ncm\nIO\n; io\n\u00a9 \u25a0** \u00a9 \"O ^\nH\n'. CD *\"!\no\nIO\n8\n\u25a0 CO\nrsi\n\u00ae M M-^os-\no\n:co ^\nOS\no\n.\u00a9 >o\n1-1\nco\n\u25a0 w\nuitOCOr-uSOJK\n\u25a0 CO OS \u25a0\n-f\n:j \u00ab=\nCO\no\nIO\nI-H CO\nCM\n\u25a0 \u00b0\n- co\"\n4&\nCJ\nf S.1 :|\nCUD\n-\n-0\n1) 0\nCD (\/\u25a0\n\u25a0 a\na)'a\n>\no c\nCJ c.\nS\nCC CD\n-z\nPhQCUHUo:\n_\u25a0'.\nH^\n- 11 Geo. 5 Report op Superintendent of B.C. Soldier Settlement.\nG 11\nAPPLICATIONS COMPLETED UNDER THE \"TOWNSITE PROPORTIONATE\nALLOTMENT ACT.\"\nLots .\ncompleted.\nLots\nresumed.\nAmount\ntransferred.\nCash\nreceived.\nAmount\nforfeited.\nPrince George 1\n19\n7\n11\n7\n5\n8\n28\n12\n40\n19\n$42,224 60\n3,924 77\n7,747 11\n15,040 70\n516 25\n$67 20\n29 25\n1,206 35\n570 35\n164 45\n$2,365 00\n43 98\nFort George J \t\n54 61\n9 30\n49\n107\n$69,453 43\n$2,037 60\n$2,472 89\nREPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA SOLDIER SETTLEMENT.\nArictoria, B.C., February 10th, 1921.\nQ. R. Naden, Esq.,\nDeputy Minister of Lands, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit herewith summary of operations for the year 1920 under\nthe \" Soldiers' Land Act,\" chapter 80 of the Statutes of British Columbia, 1918, amended by\nchapter 76, 1919, and chapter 85, 1920; and the \" Better Housing Act,\" chapter 8 of the Statutes\nof British Columbia, 1919.\n\" Soldiers' Land Act.\"\nSurveys and construction have been actively continued throughout the year. Detailed\ntopographical surveys of the project have now been completed and the plan of subdivision\nworked out for the whole area. The Townsite of Oliver has been laid out and upwards of\n3,000 acres north and south of it have beeii posted on the ground.\nExcavation of the main canal has been completed and the necessary concrete culverts\nconstructed for about 12% miles. The diversion-dam, concrete lining of the main canal and\nsiphons have been completed for about 8 miles, with some structural work for flumes beyond\nand the flume-metal delivered.\nA concrete-lined main lateral over 4 miles in length up the west side of the valley above the\nTownsite of Oliver has, with the exception of a short length of pipe and flume, been completed.\nThe Okanagan River has been rediverted to its original channel at a point about 3 miles\nabove the townsite, and the surface level of Tuculnuit Lake lowered about 3 feet, with the\nconsequent drainage of adjacent low lands, while drainage-ditches have been opened for other\nlow-lying areas.\nDistribution-works are in progress and a cement-pipe plant has been installed and is\noperating.\nThe lumber required for camps, timber structures, forms, and general construction has been\nsupplied by a sawmill built and operated at a point about 11 miles east of Oliver. The total\ncut has been 2,922,000 feet B.M., of which 613,000 feet is in stock.\nThe labour conditions have been much as they were in 1919. Every effort was made to get\na sufficient number of men for the work, but not until fall was this accomplished.\nThe total expenditure on the whole project works to December 31st was $1,403,521.78.\nThe nursery and demonstration plot has been visited by many prospective settlers during\nthe year. Excellent results have been obtained from the French stock which arrived last spring,\nand also from local apricot-seed. This should enable the nursery to have approximately 17,000\nfruit-trees of the best commercial varieties of proved bearing qualities acclimatized to the\ndistrict and available for the settlers next spring. Of this number, 8,000 seedlings were obtained\nfrom France and the balance were raised from local seed, all of which have been budded during\nthe past season. Twenty thousand seedlings have been ordered again from France for delivery\nthis spring.\nThe total expenditure on the nursery and demonstration plot to December 31st was $21,900.49.\nIt is expected that as the nursery stock matures, with corresponding increase in value, and\nthe propagation of larger quantities of young stock will now be possible without further overhead\nexpenditures or increase in acreage, together with economy in operating costs of the water-\nsupply, it should be possible to show a credit balance after another season's work. G 12\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nSouth Vancouver Housing.\nIt is satisfactory to report that of the eight houses built under chapter SO, Statutes of 1918,\n\" Soldiers' Land Act,\" with the exception of a month's arrears in one instance, all are in good\nstanding.\nAreas of Land conveyed to the Soldier Settlement Board of Canada.\nThe following lands have been reserved and conveyed to the Soldier Settlement Board of\nCanada for soldiers who have applied for loans to the Board:\nS.W. % ; Lot 31S3, N.W. % Lot 3797, S.E\nFrac. S.\n8286, N.\nCoast District,\nCoast District,\nLot 3S02, S.W. Vi ; Lot 3958, N.E.\nFrac. N.E. % ; Lot 6124, S.E. % ; Lot 6134,\nLot 8003, S.W. % ; Lot 8006, Bk. B; Lot 8284, W. % ; Lot\nRange .'\/.\u2014Lot 693, W. %.\nE.\nLot 1116;\nLot 2006; Lot 2030, W. % ; Lot 4230,\nKamloops Distriet.-\nKootenay Distriet-\n-Lot 752-L; Lot 42S2.\nLot 7696, S. y2.\nLillooet District.\u2014Lot 2S41, Frac. N.W. % ; Lot 40SS, S.W. % ; Lot 4509; Lot 4640.\nNew Westminster District.\u2014Lot 4821, Gp. 1.\nOsoyoos District.\u2014TV. % of N.E. %, Sec. 4, and W. V2 of S.E. 14, Sec. 9, Tp. 6.\nOtter District.\u2014-Lot 28, Bk. A; Lot 28, Bk. B.\nYale District.\u2014Lot 975.\n\" Better Housing Act.\"\nTotal amount of allotment to British Columbia from Dominion Government, $1,361,521.59.\nMunicipality.\nBurnaby\t\nCourtenay \t\nDuncan\t\nEsquimalt\t\nKamloops\t\nKelowna\t\nLangley\t\nMatsqui\t\nNanaimo\t\nNew Westminster\t\nNorth Vancouver (City)...\nNorth Vancouver (District)\nOak Bay \t\nPenticton\t\nPoint Grey\t\nPort Alberni\t\nPort Coquitlam\t\nPrince George \t\nPrince Rupert\t\nSaanich\t\nSalmon Arm\t\nSouth Vancouver\t\nTrail\t\nVancouver \t\nVernon\t\nVictoria\t\nWest Vancouver\t\nTotals\t\nAmount\nadvanced.\n$ 25,\n35,\n3,\n21,\n60,\n25.\n10,\n2,\n30.\n60.\n65.\n74,\n16\n23,\n94.\n7.\n11\n51\n100\n44,\n3\n90\n15\n300\n20\n140,\n25\n500\n000\n500\n000\n000\n800\n000\n000\n,000\n,000\n000\n,500\n450\n,000\n,000\n,000\n,200\n,000\n,000\n,000\n,500\n,000\n,000\n000\n000\n000\n,000\n,354,750\n6\n3\n1\n6\n17\n1\n9\n17\n19\n5\nS\n20\n38\n14\n1\n34\n3\n80\n4\n23\n312\n0 =\u00ab\n& 333 '333 c\n1\n8\n2\n10\n2\n40\nm m \u00b0 \u25a0< r\na 3 & \u2014\u25a0 .c\nSSII1\n21\n3 as o\n1\n6\n17\n8\n3\n1\n9\n16\n18\n14\n5\nii\n4\n7\n14\n1\n20\n4\n27\n291\n0^2\n5^ S\ng 212 ^\n5 23 2-\n<^3 br.\n$ 2,400\n300\n1,800\n5,100\n2,400\n900\n300\n2,700\n4,800\n5,400\n4,200\n1,500\n3,300\n1,200\n2,100\n4,200\n300\n6,000\n1,200\n26,400\n7,800\n$83,300\nI have, etc., J. W. Clark,\nSuperintendent, B.C. Soldier Settlement. 1 . ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^*\\^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^-~\n\u25a0\nPART II.\nSURVEY BRANCH. TABLE OF CONTENTS.\nPage.\nReport of the Surveyor-General 15\nReport of the Chief Draughtsman ..' 20\nReport of the Chief Geographer 25\nReports of Surveyors\u2014\n55th Parallel of Latitude 30\nRanges 4 and 5, Coast District 39\nFraser Valley, Quesnel to Prince George, Cariboo District 43\nPeace River District 46\nFraser Valley, Quesnel to Soda Creek, Cariboo District 47\nQuesnel and Cariboo Lakes, Cariboo District ' 51\nNazko and Chilcotin Valleys, Cariboo District 54\nSouth-west of Big Creek, Lillooet District 58\nVicinity of Horsefly and Williams Lake, Cariboo 59\nVicinities of Bradley Creek, Bridge Creek, and Timothy Mountain 61\nSouthern Lillooet District 64\nUpper Deadman River and Criss Creek 69\nNicola District 70\nVicinity of Princeton, Similkameen, Kamloops, and Yale Divisions of Yale District .... 73\nVicinity of Princeton, Hedley, and Keremeos, Similkameen Division of Yale District .. 76\nVicinity of Lower Similkameen Valley 77\nVicinity of Okanagan Lake 78\nVicinity of Lumby, Osoyoos Division of Yale District 79\nKettle River Valley and Vicinity 81\nVicinity of Grand Forks, Similkameen Division of Yale District 84\nArrow Lakes, Kootenay District 87\n.Slocan Valley and South-western Kootenay District 93\nVicinity of Kootenay Lake 96\nUpper Columbia Valley, Kootenay District 99\nVicinity of Cranbrook 100\nHowe Sound, Sechelt Inlet, and Jervis Inlet, and New Westminster District 101\nRanges 1 and 2, Coast District 104\nVicinity of Fisher Channel, Coast District, Range 3 105\nCoast, Range 1, and Sayward District 107\nVicinity of Powell River and Myrtle Point 10S\nTriangulation Survey, Gardner Canal and Vicinity, Ranges 3 and 4, Coast District . .. 110\nGrenville Channel and Vicinity, Ranges 3 and 4, Coast District 115\nConnection and Reconnaissance Survey, Ootsa Lake to Dean Channel 118\nVicinity of Barkley and Clayoquot Sounds 121\nVicinity of Fisherman Bay and Georgie Lake, Rupert District 123\nPhoto-geographical Survey, Upper Nicola Valley, Kamloops Division of Yale District . . 126\nPhoto-topographical Survey, Ashnola Valley, Similkameen Division of Yale District ... 129\nSurvey of the Boundary between the Provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. 130 REPORT OF THE SURVEYOR-GENERAL.\n\u2022 January 1st, 1921.\nTo the Hon. T. D. Pattullo,\nMinister of Lands, Victoria, B.C.\nSir.\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report on the operations of the Survey\nBranch of the Department of .Lands for the year ending December 31st, 1920:\u2014\nThe appropriation for Crown land surveys for the fiscal year ending March 31st, 1921, was\n$231,000 as compared with $110,000 for the previous year. This increase has permitted the\nBranch to carry out during the past season the most extensive survey programme since the\nbeginning of the war.\nWeather conditions unfortunately during the season were somewhat abnormal. After a\nlate spring July and August were unusually hot months, and the fly and mosquito pests were\nreported extremely annoying from many points in the Interior of the Province. September,\nwhich is usually the month depended upon to furnish ideal weather conditions for surveying\noperations, this year proved to be an extraordinarily wet month throughout the whole Province,\nand the field-work was consequently considerably retarded. The remainder of the season,\nhowever, was comparatively favourable.\nOwing to the high cost of equipment, supplies, labour, and transportation, it wTas recognized\nthat survey costs for the year would be greater than any previous year. In order to keep these\ncosts at a minimum it was decided in the spring to depart somewhat from the methods of\norganization followed in previous years by arranging stronger parties for a longer season, thus\nreducing as much as possible the relative overhead charges. In some instances a qualified land\nsurveyor was appointed as assistant in order to permit the surveyor in charge to cruise ahead\nof the party, laying out the work to best advantage, and finding the original corners of previously\nsurveyed lands, thus preventing any delay in the actual line-work.\nA total number of fifty-three duly qualified British Columbia land surveyors were employed\nduring the season for various periods, sixteen of whom were acting as assistants. Of these,\nforty were men who had served in the Army during the late war.\nThe responsibility of employing labourers and other assistants was, as usual, left with the\nsurveyors in charge. They were instructed, however, in all cases to co-operate as much as\npossible with the Provincial Government Labour Bureau and to give a preference to returned\nsoldiers.\nCrown Land Surveys.\nThe area of Crown land surveyed totals 124,927 acres. Of this, about 50 per cent, was\nalienated as uusurveyed pre-emptions prior to the amendment of the \" Land Act\" in 1918\npermitting the pre-emption of surveyed land only. Practically all the land so alienated has\nnow been surveyed, including, as far as is known, all hut a very few of the outstanding preemptions held by returned soldiers, who are, under the provisions of the \" Pre-emptors' Free\nGrants Act,\" entitled to free grants to the lands so held.\nThe total number of lots surveyed was 872; 153 being pre-emptions held by returned soldiers,\n236 pre-emptions held by others than soldiers, and 454 parcels of vacant Crown lands which will\nbe available for settlement when the surveys are accepted.\nCertain logged-off and expired timber licences were subdivided on the Coast, in the Coast\nand Sayward Districts, and at Powell River.\nIn the vicinity of Powell River the areas of the parcels range from 20 to 40 acres, according\nto the nature of the soil and the proximity to transportation. In the portions Of this area\nadjacent to the Pulp Company's property a further subdivision into 1-acre parcels has recently\nbeen made. Approximately 1G5 lots of this size have been laid out, and the surveyor is now\nengaged in laying out some thirty or forty 5-acre parcels in the same locality. It is expected\nthat this work will be completed in a couple of weeks. These parcels, it is anticipated, will\nbe in active demand as home-sites, and it is hoped to have the surveys completed and accepted\nat an early date, so that the reserve covering same can be cancelled and the lands made available\nfor occupation. G 16 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nA number of squatters are already in occupation of various portions of this area and in\nsome instances have made valuable improvements.\nOne of the problems of the Branch has always been the difficulty of obtaining in convenient\nform for reference detailed and authentic information with regard to the physical characteristics\nand suitability for different agricultural and other purposes of the various parcels surveyed.\nDuring the past year special instructions were issued to all Government surveyors to make a\nmore systematic examination of all lands surveyed by them, and to furnish the results of such\nexamination on a special form provided for this purpose.\nThe results obtained by this departure appear to be highly satisfactory, as the surveyors\nhave invariably responded very ably, and a large amount of valuable information has been\ncollected in a form which will make it much more readily available to the interested public.\nAfter the surveys are gazetted, the tracing of the official plan sent to the Government Agent\nfor the district in which the land is situated will be accompanied by a copy of the form containing the surveyor's description, and in this way information as to the nature of any particular\nparcel will be available at the local land offices. A sample copy of this form filled out\naccompanies this report as Appendix A.\nOwing to what may be termed the \" individual lot system of survey\" existing in this\nProvince, it is necessary, in order to properly correlate all surveys for mapping and other\npurposes, to carry out, as conditions warrant, what are known to this office as control surveys.\nThese may be divided into three different classes, viz.:\u2014\n(1.) Traverses between individual isolated lots or groups of lots. These a-re usually made\nalong a road, trail, shore-line, or generally along the lines of least resistance.\n(2.) Base-lines, usually run along a parallel of latitude, a meridian of longitude or some\ndistrict boundary-line.\n(3.) Triangulation surveys. This is the most accurate method of establishing control, but\nin the Interior, where triangulation stations are necessarily on the tops of the mountains, it is\nusually difficult and expensive to make connection between the triangulation survey and the\nland surveys which are in the valleys. On the British Columbia coast-line, however, presenting\ninnumerable channels and inlets, triangulation stations can be established on the shore-line and\nan accurate and inexpensive means of control effected.\nDuring the past season 556 miles of traverses were run. This work is generally incidental\nto the usual lot-survey work, as it is the aim of the Branch to definitely tie in all new lots,\nand also to tie in previously surveyed unconnected lots which may be situated in the localities\ncovered by our parties.\nBase-line surveys were rather extensively carried on several years ago, but owing to\ndecreased survey appropriations during the war this work had to be postponed.\nDuring the past season one party was employed in running the 55th parallel of latitude,\nforming the boundary between Coast District, Range 5, and Cassiar District; 39 miles of this\nline were established between the 124th meridian and Middle River. The line runs' through\nterritory previously more or less unexplored, and the surveyors' reports on this work contain\na considerable amount of new geographical and other data.\nTwo parties were employed for the season on the continuation of the triangulation of the\nCoast channels and inlets. One other party was employed part of the season on this class of\nwork. In all, 667 miles of coast-line were so surveyed. This net of triangulation now extends\nfrom Smith Inlet, near the north end of Vancouver Island, to the north end of Grenville Channel,\nor within 15 miles of the mouth of the Skeena River, and including all the main inlets. All\nexisting surveys en route have been tied in to the triangulation.\nA special form of monument was designed in the spring to perpetuate the more prominent\nand important triangulation stations. These consist of a %-inch iron bar 10 inches long squared\n6 inches from the top, on one of the square faces of which the number of the station is stamped\nwith a die. The lower portion of the bar is split to permit the insertion of a steel wedge by\nmeans of which the bar is securely driven into a 1-inch hole 5 inches deep drilled into rock.\nA cairn of rocks is built over the post; thus a conspicuous and convenient point of reference\nwith which to connect future surveys. These monuments are, where possible, erected in such\na manner that at least two may be intervisible, so that a surveyor may readily determine bearings\nas well as position, provided he is in possession of a copy of the triangulation plan. 11 Geo. 5 Report of the Surveyor-General. G 17\nIn addition to the above, 160 miles of Quesnel and Cariboo Lakes and 170 miles of triangula-\ntion ties in the vicinity of the 53rd parallel were established.\nBy arrangement with Dr. Otto Klotz, Chief Astronomer of the Department of the Interior,\nOttawa, astronomical determinations of latitude and longitude were made at Squamish, Sechelt,\nMerritt, Lardeau, and Windermere. The stations thus established were tied to adjacent land\nsurveys and in this manner the geographic positions of these surveys determined for mapping\npurposes.\nAcknowledgment is also due to the officials of the Geodetic Survey and the Geological\nSurvey for furnishing information in connection with the geodetic and trigonometric work\nundertaken by them in the Province.\nField-work.\nFor the purpose of reporting on the work done by the various parties, the Province has been\ndivided into the following main sections, viz.: Central and Northern Interior; Southern Interior-\nDry Belt; Southern Interlor-Kootenay District; Mainland Coast and Vancouver Island.\nThe following paragraphs give the names of the surveyors in charge of the various parties\nand the locality and nature of the work done by them in the various sections:\u2014\nCentral and Northern Interior.\nThe term \" Central and Northern Interior \" is applied to that portion of the Province lying\nnorth of the Dominion Government Railway Belt and east of the Coast range of mountains.\nThe following surveyors were engaged in this section of the Province:\u2014\u25a0\nSurveyor. Locality.\nR. P. Bishop 55th parallel of latitude.\nV. Schjelderup Coast, Ranges 4 and 5.\nJ. F. Campbell Fraser Valley, vicinity of Prince George.\nA. R. Barrow Peace River District.\nE. J. Gook Fraser Valley, vicinity of Quesnel.\nR. W. Haggen Quesnel and Cariboo Lakes.\nW. C. Merston Nazko and Chilcotin Valleys.\nG. R. Bagshawe Vicinity of 150-Mile House.\nW. S. Drewry North-eastern Lillooet District.\nG. M. Downton Southern Lillooet District.\nJ. E. Ross Deadman River Valley.\nMr. Bishop's party was engaged on the survey of the 55th parallel of latitude, forming the\nboundary between Coast, Range 5, and Cassiar Districts. The remaining parties were engaged\non the survey of vacant Crown lands for settlement and unsurveyed pre-emptions. In addition\nto this, Mr. Campbell subdivided a number of lots in the vicinity of Prince George which reverted\nto the Crown under the \" Soldiers' Homestead Act.\" Mr. Haggen made a triangulation survey\nof Cariboo Lake and a portion of Quesnel Lake.\nSouthern Interior-Dry Belt.\nIn that portion of the Province lying south of the Dominion Railway Belt, including portions\nof the Kamloops and Vale Divisions and all of the Similkameen and Osoyoos Divisions of Yale\nDistrict, survey operations were carried on by surveyors in charge of the following surveys:\u2014\nSurveyor. Locality.\nO. B. N. Wilkie Nicola Valley.\nP. W. Gregory Vicinity of Princeton.\nA. E. Humphries . Similkameen and Ashnola Valleys.\nC. iE. Shaw Vicinity of Keremeos.\nA. P. Augustine Southern Okanagan Valley.\nJ. C. Agnew Vicinity of Lumby.\nR. C. Farrow Main Kettle and West Fork Rivers.\nA. H. Holland Vicinity of Grand Forks.\nAll of these men were engaged on the survey of land for pre-emption purposes, either as\nvacant Crown land, for future settlement or land already held under record. Messrs. Farrow\nand Holland made extensive cruises in the blocks included in the Columbia and Western Land\n2 Grant, and repurchased by the Crown in 1912. All areas found to be suitable were surveyed\ninto lots for settlement purposes, and these lots will be available for entry as soon as the surveys\nare plotted and gazetted and the reserve now covering them is cancelled. It was found that\nthese blocks in general did not contain any very large areas of agricultural land. Such as w:as\nfound consisted of small patches and usually widely scattered. They do contain, however,\nextensive areas of good grazing land which are far from being utilized.\nSouthern Interior-Kootenay District.\nThe following surveyors were in charge of parties in the Kootenay District:\u2014\nSurveyor. . Locality.\nH. H. B. Abbott Arrow Lakes.\nW. J. H. Holmes Slocan Lake and South-west Kootenay District.\nL. F. Grant Upper Columbia Valley.\nJ. T. Laidlaw Vicinity of Cranbrook.\nThe work of these parties was confined chiefly to the survey of existing pre-emptions and\nadjacent vacant Crown lands suitable for settlement.\nMr. Laidlaw also subdivided a number of logged-off and expired timber licences. In addition\nto the above, A. H. Green and H. D. Dawson were employed for a few weeks each on scattered\nsurveys in the vicinity of Kootenay Lake.\nMainland Coast.\nSurveyor. Locality.\nJ. A. Walker New Westminster District.\nG. K. Burnett Vicinity of Powell River.\nH. M. T. Hodgson Lasqueti Island.\nJohn Davidson Say ward District.\nJohn Elliott Range 1, Coast District.\nT. II. Taylor Vicinity of Fisher Channel.\nJ. T. Underbill Gardner Canal and vicinity.\nA. E. Wright ' Grenville Channel and vicinity.\nF. C. Swannell Eutsuk Lake and Kimsquit.\nMr. Walker's party was organized by H. H. Roberts, who was obliged to quit field-work on\naccount of ill-health. The work of this party consisted of a number of control triangulations\nand traverses on Howe Sound and the survey of scattered pre-emptions in New Westminster\nDistrict. Messrs. Davidson and Elliott surveyed pre-empted land in various sections of the\nCoast and subdivided logged-off timber licences.\nHr. Hodgson completed the resurvey of Lasqueti Island, commenced last year, and made a\nfew small surveys on Texada Island.\nMr. Burnett was employed on the subdivision of logged-off lands in the vicinity of Powell\nRiver and Lang Bay. These lands are from an agricultural standpoint probably the most\ndesirable of any vacant lands on the Coast. The area is extensive, thus ensuring the prospective\nsettler of community advantages in the future. The climatic conditions are good, the rainfall\nbeing considerably less than at Vancouver. The district would appear to be particularly suitable\nfor truck-gardening and small-fruit growing. Experiments with tree-fruits are apparently\nsuccessful, and when a sufficient amount of land is cleared and brought under cultivation to\nprovide feed, dairying should prove a profitable occupation. As previously stated, these lands\nhave been divided into 40-acre tracts, and those in closer proximity to Powell River into 20-acre\nparcels. Immediately adjoining the Pulp Company's property a number of 1-acre and 5-acre\nhome-sites have been surveyed.\nMessrs. Taylor, Underbill, and Wright were employed on triangulation-work, while Mr. Taylor\nalso surveyed a number of pre-emptions in the vicinity of Namu and Bella Bella.\nMr. Swannell established a tie by triangulation and traverse between the western extremity\nof the survey of the 53rd parallel and the triangul.ation of Dean Channel at Kimsquit, carrying\non at the same time a reconnaissance survey of the areas traversed. His report and map when\ncompleted will convey a considerable amount of new information regarding this district previously\nonly slightly explored. 11 Geo. 5 Report of the Surveyor-General. G 19\nVancouver Island.\nSurveyor. Locality.\nF. E. Leach Barclay and Clayoquot Districts.\nJ. II. Gray Rupert District.\nMr. Leach was employed on miscellaneous surveys on the west coast of Vancouver Island,\nwhile Mr. Gray surveyed a few scattered pre-emptions in Rupert District during the latter part\nof the season.\nPhoto-topographical Surveys.\nDuring the season of 1919 the photo-topographical survey, of the entire watershed of\nOkanagan Lake and Okanagan River between the south boundary of the Railway Belt and the\n49th parallel .of latitude was completed. This work was commenced in 1914 and the field-work\nwas confined to one party each season under the direction of R. D. McCaw, B.C.L.S.\nThe results obtained have been very satisfactory and the maps produced have been found\nto be of great value, especially in the administration of the Water Rights and Grazing Branches.\nIt was accordingly decided to carry on this class of work more vigorously during the season of\n1920, and two parties were organized\u2014one in charge of Mr. McCaw, who worked in the area\ndrained by the headwaters of the Nicola River, and G. J. Jackson, B.C.L.S., who covered portions\nof the drainage areas of the Ashnola and Similkameen Rivers. The total area covered by surveys\nand of which maps are now being prepared is approximately 585 square miles.\nWhen it was decided to organize the additional party it became necessary to obtain two\nnew surveying cameras, which are of special design and construction and manufactured only\nto order. Inquiries sent to manufacturers in London, England, elicited the information that\nthey could not be obtained in time for use during the past surveying season. A camera of the\nlatest design was thereupon obtained from the Surveyor-General of Dominion Lands, and with\nthis as a pattern two instruments were manufactured in Victoria by local craftsmen, which have\nproved entirely satisfactory. It is interesting also to note that the total cost of the instruments\nwas slightly less than the London quotation.\nAlberta-British Columbia Boundary.\nThe Interprovincial Boundary Commission, consisting of A. O. Wheeler, the British Columbia\nCommissioner, and R. W. Cautley, representing both the Dominion and Alberta Governments,\ncontinued work during the year. Mr. Wheeler's surveys were confined to the mapping of that\nportion of the boundary between Fortress Lake and a point south of Yellowhead Pass.\nMr. Cautley ran 43% miles of the 120th meridian, running south from a point about 12 miles\nsouth of Swan Lake to the intersection of the line with the Wapiti River.\nThis work is being carried on by an agreement between the Governments of the Provinces\nof Alberta and British Columbia and the Dominion, each Government bearing one-third of the\ncost.\nSurveyors' Reports.\nGeneral reports prepared by the various surveyors employed during the season are appended\nto this report.\nPrivate Surveys.\nSurveys of Crown lands made at the instance of and paid for by private parties, such as\nsurveys of pre-emptions, applications to purchase or lease, coal licences, timber licences, mineral\nclaims, etc., are known departmentally as \" private surveys.\" During recent years private surveys\nhave been chiefly confined to the survey of timber licences and mineral claims. There are\nindications, however, that in future there will be an increasing number of applications to\npurchase and lease, and that surveys of this nature will again increase.\nUnder the \" Forest Act \" the time for the survey of timber licences expired on December\n31st, 1920. Contrary to expectations, the number of licences surveyed during the past year was\nless than in 1919, field-notes of only 435 licences having been received, as against 525 received,\nduring the previous year. If the Legislature extends further relief during the eomiug session,\nit is estimated that there are still nearly 1,900 licences which might be renewed and which are\nstill unsurveyed.\nThere has been a steady increase from year to year since 1914 in the receipt of mineral-\nclaim surveys; during 1920 field-notes of 432 claims were received, compared with 259 in 1919.\nThis would indicate a healthy growth in the mineral industry of the Province. G 20\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nOffice-work.\nThe office staff is divided into two main divisions\u2014viz., the Survey Division and the\nGeographic Division. Very few changes have taken place in the personnel of the Survey\nDivision during the year, but additional men were added to the staff of the Geographic Division\nto take up the work of the standard base map.\nBoth divisions have been able to increase their output of work to a considerable extent,\nas shown by the reports of the Chief Draughtsman and Chief Geographer, hereto attached.\nI have the honour to be,\nSir,\nYour obedient servant,\nJ. E. UMBACH, \u2022\nSurveyor-General.\nAPPENDIX A, SURVEYOR-GENERAL'S REPORT.\nSample Surveyor's Report on Examination of Lot S88, S.E. %, Yale Division,\nYale District, 29 Acres.\nDate of Survey, June 15th to 24th, 1920.\nTimber.\u2014The merchantable timber on this parcel is confined to about 7 acres, being fir up\nto 36 inches diameter and yellow pine and running about 3,000 feet per acre.\nSurface.\u2014The surface consists of gently sloping land.\nSoil.\u2014Sandy loam and black loam 18 inches deep.\nVegetation.\u2014The land is well covered with grass, with here and there patches of peavine\nand vetch. There are clumps of poplar, willow, and alder scattered throughout.\nWater.\u2014A small creek about 2% feet wide flows near the south-west corner and across\nthis parcel.\nRoads.\u2014A wagon-road passing near the east boundary of this parcel and running northerly\nconnects with the highway to Princeton, about half a mile distant.\nLocation.\u2014Situated about 10% miles by road from Princeton in a south-westerly direction,\nand on the slopes adjoining the west bank of the Similkameen River.\nElevation.\u2014About 3,400 to 3,500 feet above sea-level by barometer.\nGeneral.\u2014About 15 acres of this parcel could be cultivated; the remainder affords good\npasture. It is bounded on the east by a group of surveyed mineral claims.\nP. W. Gregory, B.C.L.S.\nREPORT OF THE CHIEF DRAUGHTSMAN.\nDecember 31st, 1920.\nJ. E. Umbaeh, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report on the work of the Survey Division\nfor the year ending December 31st, 1920:\u2014\nOffice-work.\nAs in previous years, the majority of the work done has consisted of the examination and\nacceptance of the field-notes of the surveys of Crown lands throughout the Province, together\nwith the preparation of new departmental reference maps, and the clearance of all land applications and Crown grants. There has been a considerable expansion in nearly all the branches\nof the work, as will be seen from the following tables. In addition, the work in connection\nwith the issuance of instructions for surveys, both to surveyors employed by the Department\nand also to private surveyors, has largely increased, aud includes the preparation of plans and\nfield-notes for the use of surveyors in the field. ^^\u2014\n- -.\n11 Geo. 5 Report of the Chief Draughtsman. G 21\nField-notes.\nDuring the year 1,117 field-books were received, as against 1,090 received during 1919. The\nvarious surveys contained in these field-books consist of 799 land lots, 432 mineral claims,\n435 timber licences, and 102 traverse connections or triangulations.\nDuring the same period 1,598 lot surveys were plotted and found to be in order. Notice\nof their acceptance duly appeared in the Gazette. Tracings of these lots were prepared and\nforwarded to the respective Government Agents.\nThe following table gives an analysis of the acreage of the various kinds of surveys\ngazetted during the year:\u2014\nAcres.\nPre-emption surveys 8,172\nPurchase surveys 5,992\nMineral-claim surveys 12,580-\nTimber-licence surveys 347,729\nCoal-licence surveys 22,143\nLease surveys 3,227\nGovernment surveys 63,505\nTotal 403.34S\nA comparison of these figures with those of previous years, as far back as 1900, may be\nfound by reference to Table A attached to this report.\nThe acreage of timber-licence surveys gazetted during the year shows a large increase over\nthat of the previous year, as is also the case in connection with coal and oil surveys, while the\ntotal acreage is nearly double that of last year.\nTimber Survey\/s.\nField-uotes covering the survey of 435 licences were received during the year, as compared\nwith 525 during 1919. It is estimated that of the timber licences in good standing or renewable\n(provided the Statute is amended), 11,568 have been surveyed, leaving 1,871 still unsurveyed.\nRight-of-way Plans.\nThe examination of the plans of railway rights-of-way, logging-railways and pole-lines has\nbeen carried on as heretofore.\nIt is estimated that during the year 220 miles of Grand Trunk Pacific Railway right-of-way\nplans were examined and finally cleared for Crown-granting purposes. In addition, before\nCrown-granting the plan of each lot crossed by a railway has been examined in order that such\nright-of-way may be properly deducted or included, as the case may be.\nClearances.\nAs in previous years, clearance- reports have been furnished by this Branch on all applications for lands dealt with by the Lands Department. These include 1,624 applications for\npre-emption, 351 applications to purchase, 275 coal licences, 113 misceljaneous leases, 2,014\nCrown-grant applications, together with 959 timber-sales and 325 hand-logger licences.\nDepartmental Reference Maps.\nThe work of keeping these maps up to date and compiling new ones has been actively carried\non. Ten maps were recompiled and drawn on projection, while three were retraced.\nInformation supplied to Surveyors and others.\nA nominal charge is made for the preparation of copies of field-notes, blue-prints, etc.,\nrequired by surveyors and others. The revenue derived for the copying of field-notes is included\nin the amount of $1,373.70 received for photostat (see Chief Geographer's report), while the\nsum of $2,037.70 was paid in for the prints. It is calculated that over 11 miles of blue-print\npaper was used during the year. G 22\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nThe following is a statement of the number of blue-prints made:\u2014\nMail and counter orders 2,074\nSurveyor-General's Branch 2,268\nForest Branch 12,473\nOther branches of Government service 11,963\nSundry , 1,603\nTotal 30,381\nThere were also prepared 1,827 tracings (in duplicate) to be attached to Crown grants and\n96 tracings (in duplicate) to accompany land leases.\nCorrespondence and Accounts.\nDuring the year 6,261 letters were received and 5,007 sent out, which includes interdepartmental memoranda.\nAccounts amounting to $229,490.10 have been checked and dealt with by the Accountant.\nTalile B attached to this report gives a summary of the office-work for the year 1920 and\ncomparative figures for 1919.\nGeneral.\nThere has been practically no change during the year in the personnel of the staff, the\nnumber employed in this Division being twenty-two, which is the same as at the beginning of\nthe year. Of these, eight are men who served overseas during the war, and it is a source of\ngreat satisfaction to me to be able to report that without exception the manner in which they\nhave readjusted themselves to the sedentary routine work of the office is most commendable,\nespecially from the fact that draughting involves closer and more tedious application than the\nusual office-work.\nA list of departmental reference maps is attached to this report as Table C.\nI have, etc.,\nF. O. Morris,\nChief Draughtsman.\nr\nAPPENDIX TO REPORT OF CHIEF DRAUGHTSMAN.\nTable A.\u2014Showing Acreages of each Class of .Surveys gazetted each Year since 1900.\nYear.\nPre-emptions.\nPurchases.\nMineral\nClaims.\nTimber\nLimits.\nCoal\nLicences.\nLeases.\nB.C. Govt.\nSurveys.\nTotals.\nAcres.\nAcres.\nAcres.\nAcres.\nAcres.\nAcres.\nAcres.\nAcres.\n1900 ....\n22,873\n4,419\n33,441\n59\n664\n10,057\n71,513\n1901\t\n26,493\n16.401\n33,400\n2,027\n. . .\".\n593\n79,094\n1902 \t\n35,297\n29,652\n31,057\n1,040\n626\n1,026\n98,698\n1903 \t\n37,615\n26,787\n18,115\n127,992\n2,003\n800\n213,312\n1904 \t\n48,124\n36,468\n20,549\n155,279\n48,670\n3,009\n179\n312,278\n1905\t\n42,660\n58,705\n15,535\n214,841\n137,218\n806\n107\n469,872\n1906 \t\n33,573\n66,668\n9,894\n77,829\n41,312\n9,566\n238,842\n1907 \t\n50,460\n162,218\n10,017\n83,016\n20,367\n4,387\n113,968\n444,433\n190S \t\n66,788\n147,980\n14,607\n167,925\n9,821\n2,580\n97,072\n506,773\n1909 ....\n71,316\n145,325\n10,744\n426,121\n8,310\n15,239\n512,373\n1,189,428\n1910\t\n79,273\n455,356\n12,499\n509,201\n43,363\n5,864\n302,536\n1,407,912\n1911\t\n89.485\n1,352,809\n21,325\n686,909\n120,938\n6,500\n948,644\n3.226,610\n1912\t\n99,461\n1,011,934\n16,645\n804,730\n99,236\n8,560\n826,362\n2,866,997\n1913.:....\n55,202\n508,062\n18,043\n1,181,355\n72,719\n4,740\n1,014,366\n2,854,487\n1914\t\n45,551\n234,580\n7,546\n1,105,635\n36,098\n4,209\n1,078,579\n2,512.198\n1915\t\n22,746\n41,551\n8,339\n512,628\n29,245\n841\n705,170\n\u20221,320,520\n1916\t\n14,335\n8,771\n7,677\n302,903\n10,983\n5,145\n124,953\n474,767\n1917\t\n12,632\n802\n8,386\n275,538\n2,843\n2,960\n111,256\n414,417\n1918 \t\n10.S35\n1,634\n9,247\n223,768\n953\n2,342\n60,311\n309,090\n1919 \t\n8,514\n153\n10,264\n165,289\n160\n1,495\n. 77,121\n262,996\n1920\n8,172\n5,992\n12,580\n347,729\n22,143\n3,227\n63,505\n463,348 11 Geo. o\nReport of the Chief Draughtsman.\nG 23\nTable B.\u2014Summary of Office-work for the Year 1920 and Comparative Figures for 1919.\nNumber of field-books received \t\nlots surveyed \t\nlots gazetted and tracings forwarded to Government Agents ..\nmiles of right-of-way plans dealt with \t\napplications for purchase cleared\t\napplications for pre-emption cleared \t\nreference maps compiled\t\nCrown-grant applications cleared \t\nTotal number of letters received by Branch\t\n\u201e Crown-grant and lease tracings made in duplicate \t\n\u201e blue-prints made \t\nTotal revenue from sale of blue-prints $2,\n1919.\n1020.\n1,090\n1,117\n1,049\n1,231\n1,174\n1,598\n435\n220\n76\n351\n1,752\n1,624\n4\n13\n1,806\n2,014\n3,938\n6,261\n1,956\n1,923\n20,432\n30,381\n161.85\n*$2,037.70\nTable C.\u2014Departmental Reference Maps.\nPrice-list of Blue-prints.\n1. West Coast, V.I. (Barkley Sound, Southerly) 1\n1a. West Coast, V.I. (Barkley Sound, Northerly) \t\n2. West Coast, V.I. (Nootka District) \t\n3. Belize and Seymour Inlets and Smith Sound \t\n3a. Quatsino Sound and West Portion of Rupert District\t\n3b. Gilford, Cracroft, and Broughton Islands \t\n3c. Nimpkish River Valley and Lake\t\n3d. Central Portion of Rupert District \t\n4. Knight, Bute, and Loughborough Inlets \t\n4a. Sayward District, Thurlow, Valdes, and Redonda Islands and Powell\nLake and Toba Inlet\n5. Texada Island and West Portion, New Westminster District\t\n5a. Jervis and Sechelt Inlets \t\n5b. Howe Sound and Cheakamus River Valley \t\n5c. Harrison Lake and Lillooet River Valley \t\n6a. Nicola Valley \t\n6b. Princeton and vicinity \t\n6c. Ashnola and South Similkameen River Valleys \t\n7. North Okanagan and Mabel Lake\t\n7a. South Okanagan Lake and Kettle River Valley \t\n7b. Similkameen District (Keremeos, Fairview, and Greenwood)\t\n11. Clearwater and Murtle River Valleys \t\n11a. North Thompson River Valley\t\n\u00bb 12. Dean and Burke Channels and Bella Coola Valley \t\n12a. Dean (Salmon) River Valley \t\n13. Rivers Inlet and Fitzhugh Sound \t\n14. Banks and Pitt Islands and vicininty \u25a0.\t\n14b. Gardner Canal and vicinity y2\n15. Moresby Island, Northern Portion 1\n15a. Moresby Island, Southern Portion %\n16. Graham Island, North-east Portion 1\n16a. Graham Island, South-east Portion\t\n16b. Graham Island, West Portion \t\n17. Portland Canal and Observatory Inlet\t\n17a. Skeena River Valley (vicinity of Hazelton) \t\n17b. Nass and Kitwancool River Valleys\t\n18a. Tete Jaune Cache and Upper Fraser River Valley\t\n19. Lower Skeena and Zymoetz River Valleys \t\n19a. Skeena and Kitsumgallum River Valleys \t\n19b. Prince Rupert, Mouth of Skeena and Nass Rivers\t\n20. Bulkley River Valley (Hazelton to Moricetown) \t\n21. Barkerville, Willow, and Bowron River headwaters \t\n21a. Fraser Lake and Endako River \t\n21c. Douglas Channel and Kildala Arm\t\n22. Bowron River and Upper Fraser River Valley (vicinity of Hutton)\n2<2a. Fort George and vicinity \t\n22b. Portion of Nechako River Valley and Cluculz Lake'\t\n* The figures of total revenue for 1910 include total receipts for maps, blue-prints, and other information, while those for 1920 cover blue-prints only.\nScale.\nPrice.\ninch\nii\nto\n1 mile\n12\n..$1 00\n.. 1 00\n. . 1 00\n.. 1 00\n. . 1 00\n. . 1 00\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n. . 1 oo\n.. 1 00\n. . 1 oo\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n. . 1 00\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n. . 1 00\n.. 1 00\n. . 1 00\ninch to 1 mile\n.. 1 00\ninch\nto\n1 mile\n... 1 00\ninch to 1 mile\n.. 1 00\ninch\nto\n1 mile\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n. . 1 00\n. . 1 00\n.. 1 00\n. . 1 00\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n. . 1 00\n.. 50\n.. 1 00\n.. 50\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00\n.. 1 00 Table C.\u2014Departmental Reference Maps\u2014Continued.\nPrice-list of Blue-prints\u2014Continued.\nScale.\n22c. Blackwater and Mud River Valleys 1 inch to 1 mile.\n22d. Fraser River Valley, vicinity of Quesnel ,, ,,\n22e. Goat River and Upper Fraser River Valleys \u201e \u201e\n23. Quesnel Lake (East Arm) y2 inch to 1 mile. .\n23a. Quesnel Forks and Swamp River 1 inch to 1 mile..\n24. 150-Mile House and Harpers Camp \u201e \u201e\n24a. Anderson and Seton Lakes, Lillooet District .. \u201e\n24b. Lillooet District (Clinton, Big Bar, and Bridge River Valley) .... \u201e \u201e\n25. Mainland Coast, Princess Royal Island to Campbell Island ,. ,,\n26. Porcher and Adjacent Islands ,. \u201e\n27. Fraser River Valley (Williams Lake, Soda Creek, and Alexandria) ,. \u201e\n27a. Fraser and Lower Chilcotin River Valleys and Lac la Hache .. \u201e\n27c. Green Lake and Canoe Creek Valley ,, \u201e\n28. North Part of Babine and Takla Lakes % inch to 1 mile. .\n28a. Stuart an# Babine Lakes 1 inch to 1 mile..\n29. Chilcotin, West 124 Meridian \t\n29a. Anaham and Abuntlet Lakes .. ,,\n29b. Nasko and Chilcotin River Valleys\t\n30. Bonaparte River Valley and Canim Lake \t\n31. Bulkley Valley\t\n31a. Francois and Babine Lakes\t\n32a. Tatlayoko Lake \t\n32b. Homathko and Klinaklini River Valleys \t\n34. Lot 4593, Kootenay District, West Portion, Flathead River 2 inches to l mile.\n34a. Lot 4593, Kootenay District, East Portion, Flathead River\t\n35. Saltspring, Gabriola, and Adjacent Islands 1 inch to 1 mile..\n36. Upper Fraser River (vicinity of Hansard and McGregor River ,. \u201e\nValley)\n38a. Groundhog Coal Area, East of Meridian ,. \u201e\n38b. Groundhog Coal Area, West of Meridian .. .. ,.\n38c. Upper Nass River Valley \t\n40. Euchiniko and Tetachuck Lakes\t\n41. Upper Nechako River and East End of Ootsa Lake\t\n42. Big Bend, Kootenay District ,. ,,\n42a. Adams Lake and River\t\n42b. Canoe River Valley \t\n42c. Columbia River Valley (vicinity of Bush River) \t\n43. Peace River, South of Dominion Government Reserve '. \u2022\u2022\n45. Foreshore of Vancouver Island (E. & N. Railway Belt) \t\n46. Saanich District and Islands ,.\n47. Peace River Valley, West of Dominion Government Reserve\t\n48. Crooked and Parsnip River Valleys\t\n49. Pine River Valley, Peace River District \u201e .,\n50. Parsnip and Peace River Valleys ,. \u201e\n51. Finlay River Valley \u201e ,,\n52. Atlin' Lake and vicinity % inch to 1 mile..\n53. Telegraph Creek and Stikine River Vidley ,. .,\n54. Upper Nass River Valley and Meziadin Lake 1 inch to 1 mile. .\n18-9s. Rossland and South End of Lower Arrow Lake ,. ,,\n17-9s. Nelson, Salmon River Valley, and South End of Kootenay Lake ... ,. ,',\n4-6. Moyie River Valley ,.\n115-49. Elko vicinity\t\n15-9N. Fernie and Crowsnest vicinity ,.\n1\u20ac-9n. Cranbrook and Kootenay River Valley\t\n17-9N. Kaslo and Kootenay Lake ,-.\n17-15. Edgewood. Lower Arrow Lake, and Slocan River Valley ,.\n15-0. Upper Elk and White River Valleys\t\n21-23. Kootenay River, Columbia and Windermere Lakes ,.\n18-20. Nakusp and Upper Arrow Lake ,.\n27-29. Columbia River Valley, Wilmer and Spillimacheen ,.\n30-32. Trout and Upper Arrow Lakes \t\n17-0s. North End of Kootenay Lake and Duncan Lake ,. \u201e\nPrice.\n?1\n00\n1\n00\n1\n00\n1\n00\n1\n00\n1\n00\n1\n00\n1 50\n1\n00\n1\n00\n1\n00\n1\n00\n1 00\n1\n00\ni\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\noo\nl\n00\nl\n00\n50\n50\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\noo\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\ni\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\ni\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\nl\noo\nl\n00\nl\n00\ni\n00\ni\n00\nl\n00\nl\n00\ni\n00\nNote \u2014These reference maps show lands alienated and applied for, \" Timber Limits, Coal Licences,\netc surveyed and unsurveved. They are compiled from all available data and are constantly being amended,\nand their accuracy is therefore not guaranteed. They were prepared originally for departmental use, and.\nhaving proved ot value to the public, blue-prints of same are now on sale.\nVictoria, January 1st, 1921. . _ >\n11 Geo. 5\nReport of the Geographic Division.\nG\nREPORT OF THE GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION.\n\u25a0 January 11th, 1921.\nJ. E. Umbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the report of the Geographic Division for the year\nending December 31st, 1920.\nDuring the period of this report important additions were made in the scope and volume of\nthe work of this Division. The recommendations for a Standard Base Map System and Central\nIndex, referred to in my report of last year, were proceeded with immediately upon entering\nthe new fiscal year in April last.\nThe requirements for republication of the pre-emptor sheets were not so pressing nor so\nmany as last year, and it was consequently possible to proceed in correspondingly greater degree\nwith the compilation and preparation of required new map-sheets in accordance with the\nprogramme we already had outlined.\nThe industry, co-operation, and interest of the staff have maintained the highest standard\nof quality and effort in our works and upheld the steady flow of mutual inspiration. The staff\nas now composed is divided into two sections, the Geographic section and the Standard Base Map\nsection. The former comprises two senior map-writers, one compiler, one junior.map-writer,\none general draughtsman, and one apprentice, six in all, together with one map-mounter and\nphotostat operator and assistant. Early in the year Major W. G. H. Firth returned from overseas\nservice and resumed his position, whilst W. G. Thorpe was engaged in the beginning of the\nfiscal year to fill one of the three vacancies which had occurred through former members of the\nstaff taking up other positions upon their return from overseas.\nThe Standard Base Map staff comprises one map librarian, one computer, three compilers,\none checker, one apprentice, with one special assistant compiling geographic gazetteer.\nPre-emptors' Maps.\nTete Jaune. Compiled to projection\t\nNechako. Corrected and revised \t\nLillooet. Compiled to projection .-\t\nIn Course of Preparation, 10%1.\nChilcotin. Compiled and drawn to projection. In\nhands of printer\t\nPrince Rupert. Corrected and enlarged. Ready for\nprinter\t\nNo. of Copies.\n3,000\n5,000\n4,500\n4,000\n5,500\nDate of Issue.\nNo.\nFeb., 1920\nApril, ii\nMay, ii\n3n\n3B\n3k\nFeb., 1921\n3f\nMarch, n\n3m\n3 m. to 1 in.\nArea in Sq. Miles.\n6,000\n9,000\n11,000\n9,000\n10,000\nThere are now six of our pre-emptors' series completed upon the polyconic projection.\nThe development of the Standard Base Map System enables a beginning to be made in laying\ndown the control for the recompilation of the area covered by the Fort George, Nechako, and\nStuart Lake Pre-emptors' Sheets. These three maps were roughly compiled in plan in 1912 and\nhave been corrected and reissued as became necessary from time to time. It is now possible to\nprepare and reissue the sheets of this area in a permanent form upon geographical projection,\nand this work will proceed as rapidly as may be possible.\nDegree Sheet Series.\nName.\nDate of Issue.\nNo.\nScale.\nArea in Sq. Miles.\nIn Course of Preparation, 1921.\nVernon. Sheet compiled to projection, comprising1 land surveys,\nJuly\nAugust\n4.T\n4k\n2 m. to 1 in.\n2,000\n3,100\nKelowna. Sheet compiled to projection, comprising- land surveys, G 26\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\nIn conjunction with the progress obtained in the preliminary work of the Standard Base Map\nSystem, commencement was made upon the suggestion of last year for the extension of our\nDegree Sheet Series to embrace the Okanagan area covered by the photo-topographical surveys\nmade by R. D. McCaw since 1914.\nIn these new sheets it is proposed to institute combination mapping which will show the\nsurveyed land-lot lines, together with selected \" culture\" features, and rivers, etc., in black,\nwhilst the relief shown by contour-lines will be in brown, and blue colour will be used, as is\nour usual custom, in solid colour for lakes, etc.\nIt is anticipated that these maps, showing the land lots with the contoured relief superimposed to fit, will be greatly in demand and will receive appreciation.\nLand Series Maps.\nName. *\nDate of Issue.\nNo.\nScale.\nAreainSq. Miles.\nSoutherly Vancouver Island. Kecompiled ; large portion redrawn\nwith enlarged information ; 14,500 copies\t\nIn Course of Preparation.\nPowell Lake. To be compiled to projection, drawn, and published\nSept., 1920\n2a\n2d\n4 m. to 1 in.\n4 m. to 1 in.\n16,000\nThe map of Northerly Vancouver Island extends eastward as far as longitude 124\u00b0 45',\nwhilst Map No. 2u, New Westminster and Yale Districts, extends westward to longitude 123\u00b0 30'.\nThe territory lying between the two longitudes is oue that is likely to attract increasing interest,\n\u2022 and a sheet (Powell Lake) has been planned to cover this portion. To obtain a permanent\nstandard for the map a control-line was worked out, based on Campbell River astronomic determination, and on the two astronomic stations, Sechelt and Squamish, which the (Dominion)\nAstronomical Branch of Ottawa observed at our request during the summer of 1920. The work\non this sheet, however, was postponed in October, and cannot be proceeded with until the latitude\nand longitude determinations are received from Ottawa. Survey ties were made from the\nastronomical piers at these two places to our land .surveys, and also during the summer the\nnecessary survey ties were obtained in order to provide a continuous control-line between the\nastronomically fixed points.\nDistrict and Division Series.\nIn Course of Preparation.\u2014Map of British Columbia; scale, 30 miles to 1 inch.\nThis work has been well advanced during the year and the major portion of the key colour\n(black) has been completed. The plotting has been made upon the scale of 1:1,000,000, which\nis the international scale adopted by the representative nations at the Congress of 1913. This\nscale was adopted for the reason that it will give a good ratio of reduction to the scale of our\nfour-sheet map of the Province, 17.75 miles to 1 inch, or 1: 1,125,000. The map-work and lettering\nhas been designed and drawn to allow of reduction also to the scale of 30 miles to 1 inch,' which\nis the map required at present, whilst should a new wall-map of the Province be demanded, the\nsame original with the addition of further detail will provide this publication.\nIn conjunction with this 30-mile map of the Province, a review of records of the departments\nhas been made with the object of obtaining a complete index of all existing topographic (contour)\nsurveys of the Province, and, from this, publishing the contour portions on this scale. By the\nmethod of showing this information, such map, besides showing the relief, will also be an index\nto the more detailed data available.\nIt is hoped that when the base map on the scale of 30 miles is completed it will be possible\nto make complete up-to-date issues of the various administrative boundaries and divisions of\nthe Province.\nGeographic Series.\nNo new work in this series has been undertaken. Should there be an opportunity in the\ncoming year, it is suggested that a general geographic map should be proceeded with covering\nsouth-western portion of the Province, and extending northward to cover as much as possible\nof the Mainland coast-line. 11 Geo. 5\nBeport of the Geographic Division.\nG 27\nMiscellaneous.\nPeace River Oil. Reconnaissance by John A. Dresser, -j\nMap of B.C. Change in Rule of the Road\t\nPrince George. Settlement Area No. 5\t\n1 in. to 1 in.\n5 m. to 1 in.\n100 m. to 1 in.\n1 m. to 1 in.\nFor whom prepared, printed, etc.\nWater Rights Branch.\nDrawn for photo reproduction.\nPublic Works Department. Prepared and published.\nLand Settlement Board. Compiled and drawn for photo\nreproduction.\nSeveral small maps, illustrations, drawings, etc., were prepared in additon to the above.\nIn past years the publication of our map-sheets has been done with the object of covering\nthe maximum amount of territory on one sheet, this being the mode of economy and speed in\nproduction, and also advantageous from the fact that our pre-emptors' sheets were on no\ngeographical projection, but straight plan. With the advent of the Standard Base Map System,\nwhich gives a standard uniform control of survey-lines throughout the Province, and also the\nplacing of our pre-emptors' series upon geographic projection, it will be possible to consider the\nadvantage and economy in publishing a smaller sheet, and that governed by and upon a regular\ndegree system of issue. The advantages referred to are that the smaller sheet would be more\neasily brought up to date and republished, the present wastage in map area would be conserved,\nthe smaller sheet would be more easily handled, and easier and better printing conditions would\nbe obtainable.\nGeographical Naming and Gazeteer.\nRegular progress has been obtained in conjunction with the British Columbia representative\nof the Geographic Board of Canada in the naming of the various geographical features of the\nProvince which have come forward for decision. This work, whilst it receives at present very\nlittle outstanding appreciation, will be the source of much satisfaction in years to come in the\nlucidity of our records and the ease with which the geographical features of this Province can\nbe distinguished and located.\nIt was suggested in our last report that at present no complete up-to-date Geographical\nGazetteer was obtainable for administration and public use, and that it would be a work of merit\nfor us to undertake the compilation and publication of such a work. This suggestion was\nendorsed and a commencement was made early in the New Year. The system of compilation\nwas designed to combine with the Standard Base Map and Central Index,, being based upon the\ngeographic quadrilateral system. Besides furnishing the location of each known geographical\nfeature with its preseut-day name and supplying general data of every-day usefulness, attempt\nwill be made to furnish the two, three, or more names by which numerous features of the\nProvince have been known in past years.\nOnly one assistant has been engaged upon this work during the whole year, with slight\nadditional help in copying of the cards in the latter part of the year.\nDuring the period of this report 12,721 geographical features have been listed on the special\ncompiling-cards, and it is estimated that there will be a total in the neighbourhood of 20,000\ngeographical features embraced in this work.\nMap-mounting.\nThe requirements in map-mounting have exceeded those of former years in volume and have\nbeen augmented in special degree with fitting and mounting turned out by our photostat machine.\nIn connection with this latter, experimenting and with much skill, numerous new and extremely\naccurate and useful results have been obtained.\nIn addition to the following summary of work completed, there was a large quantity of\nsmall miscellaneous work which cannot be conveniently detailed.\nThe room occupied by the map-mounting was found inadequate in wall-space, so that speed\nin production was impossible. A rearrangement of accommodation was obtained, and the present\nmap-mounting room was fitted up to allow of wall-space\u2014i.e., map-mounting space\u2014for all\npossible requirement. The new arrangement has worked admirably and speed in operation\nand production has been effected. As the result from the system of charging which was inaugurated at the beginning of the\nfiscal year, it is gratifying to report that the cash receipts and credits for map-mounting have\nshown margin in excess of the cost of materials and operation.\nLoose-leaf map-books prepared 10\nMaps cut to fold and mounted 710\nBlue-prints mounted 230\nOfficial maps repaired and remounted 25\nPhotostat prints mounted 298\nMiscellaneous, binding field-notes, repairing files, etc.\nIn addition to carrying out the map-mounting requirements of the Surveys Branch, the cash\nreceipts and departmental credits for period April 1st to December 31st amounted to $1,400.\nPhotostat.\nIn the reorganization which took place early in the year the photostat section was placed\nunder the charge of this Division, and when the rearrangement of accommodation took place\nmore efficient space was obtained for the photostat machine, and it was possible to construct\na direct copying-board which allows of reductions to a ratio 8:1, whilst the machine originally\nwas constructed to allow only of reduction 2:1. With experiment and careful workmanship a\nmuch higher standard of precision and quality of result has been evolved. The actual receipts\nand credits for this work have almost paid for the cost of operation during the year, whilst if\nthe saving effected in draughting, etc., and time saved through the possession of this photostat\nequipment is considered, the amount above cost of operation would -be large indeed. So far as\nis known, this is the only photostat equipment operating in the Province, and as the advantage\nand the availability of this service become known to the public it will undoubtedly be increasingly\nin demand.\nOfficial plans copied 288\nField-books copied 394\nCrown grants copied 78\nTracings copied 65\nBlue-prints copied 146\nWhite-prints copied 12\nPhotostat negatives prepared 80\nMiscellaneous 379\nUnder miscellaneous are listed such work (\"copy\") as: Photographs, typewriting and\nother letters, newspaper extracts, extracts from books, reports, plans of boats and machinery,\nsketch-plans of surveys, diagrams, certificates of birth, marriage, and death, naturalization,\ndischarge, etc.\nPhotostating, departmental and public, for the year totalled $2,045.95.\nMap Stock and Distribution.\nIn the early part of the year change was made in the map-distribution. Owing to the\nadvanced cost of paper and printing the prices of our maps were revised and arrangement was\nmade whereby all applications for printed maps were referred to the Chief Geographer. This\nhas entailed considerable additional work, but since commencement has miuimized correspondence\nand each application has been dealt with within twenty-four hours of receipt.\nIn.addition to maintaining the stock of our own publications, we have maintained small\nstocks of some 250 different Dominion Government map publications covering British Columbia\nterritory. This stock has proved a great saving in time and correspondence by the public and\nvarious departments, as otherwise these would have required to transmit each application to\nOttawa. Approximately 300 separate requests were attended to in connection with these\nDominion Government publications.\nThe total number of maps issued to departments and public during 1920 was 20,051. Maps\nreceived into geographic stock totalled 27,358. A large portion of the issued maps was embraced\nby single map requests.\nWith the beginning of the new fiscal year, by establishing a simple system of accounting\nand crediting, receipts were obtained for the Branch which would defray a very good proportion\nof the cost of production; this being satisfactory in view of the fact that every encouragement\nwas given in free map-sheets to those applying for land. t\n11 Geo. 5 Eeport of the Geographic Division. G 29\nPrevious to this year much difficulty had been experienced and much correspondence\noccasioned through lack of a comprehensive list of bulletins, pamphlets, and general printed\ndata furnished by the Department upon application. Such ',' publications\" list covering all\nthe literature of the branches of the Department was prepared by this Division and, for convenience, was printed upon the back of our list of maps. This has proved of great advantage\nin reducing correspondence and in enabling us to give, efficiently, available information to the\npublic.\nLetters received and answered during the year, 965.\nCash receipts for printed maps for nine months, April 1st, to December 31st $2,718 31\nCredits (Lands Department) for printed maps for nine mouths, April\n1st to December 31st 726 20\nTotal $3,444 51\nStandard Base Map.\nReference was made in the report of last year to the proposal for the establishment of a\ncomprehensive system for the co-ordination of the land surveys and including the formation\nof a central cross-indexed record of data pertaining to all surveys of the Province. In the\nsubsequent arrangements the writer was requested to bring these proposals into effect, organize\nand direct the work of the staff, which was engaged shortly after the beginning of the fiscal year.\nThe first work undertaken was the preparation of the skeleton traverses comprising the\ncontrol routes between geodetic or astronomic established points, based on the strongest chain\nor chains of lot surveys available; these to be compiled, computed, aud balanced to establish\ntwo or more positions of latitude and longitude in every 30-min. quadrangle wherever such\ntraverses were available. It was arranged that whenever this initial work had progressed\nsufficiently additional staff would be furnished to carry on the second operation, which was to\nplot referred-to control traverses between the computed positions, and from these plottings obtain\ntwo or more control stations for every ten-minute quadrangle. The third operation would then\ncommence, that of plotting each 10-min. quadrangle of the Province, in accordance with the\ndetails which have since been worked out on the scale of 20 chains to 1 inch, upon the polyconic\nprojection. These 20-chain scale sheets, when completed, would be the Standard Base Map\nsheets, comprising all the available data of each area in correct relationship to its geographical\nposition on the surface of the earth, and give the utmost accuracy as far as existing surveys\nallow, i.e., ensure equal accuracy to all maps instead of the great variation that at present exists\nbetween the different plottings, will facilitate work in the field, and minimize work in the\noffice, etc. It will, if carried properly to fruition, provide economy and dispense with the\ntriplication in draughting which has resulted through lack of such systematizing.\nWith the staff now operating, the first operation has advanced even more successfully\nthan was anticipated. Within the time estimated sufficient work had been done for the\ncommencement of the second operation. Whenever the recommended additional staff should\nbe available, progress can be made with the second and third operations. It is, however, proposed\nthat, with the present small staff operating, the laying-down of the skeleton traverses, the\ncompiling, computing, and balancing, the fixing of the main control positions, shall be proceeded\nwith as the first essential, until as much as possible of this work throughout the entire Province\nis completed.\nThe progress to date is as follows: 9,342.10 miles of traverses have been laid down, which\nis a creditable showing, considering the difficulties encountered in the old surveys and the searching of records for information to ensure accuracy in the system. The area south of the Railway\nBelt is almost completed. Main control-lines have been laid down in the central sections between\nSquamish and Fort George, with offset-lines to Ashcroft and Fraser Lake; and this section is\nwell advanced as far as connected lines of survey are now established, although to complete its\ncontrol strength will not be possible until necessary survey connections are obtained. In the\nnorthern section a connected control-belt has been established from Prince Rupert to Yellowhead\nPass. .\nThe computing and balancing is comparatively slow work in order to obtain the very best\nand permanent result, but so far as it has proceeded has provided proof that our scheme is . G 30 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\npracticable, and the resulting differences from the surveys to be balanced have been even much\nsmaller than anticipated; this, of course, being a demonstration of the effect of the law of\ncompensation in error throughout the various surveys.\nIll the geographical map compilations undertaken in the Okanagan, Powell Lake, and\nChilcotin areas, construction along standard method was employed, so that such would be\navailable in form to be incorporated into the scheme of the Standard Base Map.\nCentr.al Index.\nWork on the central cross-index for all available survey records of the Province was begun\nin the middle of the year, but already about 15 per cent, of the plans on file in the surveys vault\nhave been examined and recorded. Moreover, since instituting the method, the following departments\u2014Mines, Works, Water, and Forest Branches\u2014seeing the advantages of this indexing over\nthe old alphabetical and numerical system, have decided not only to co-operate in the central-\nindex system, but to adopt and install our quadrangle geographical system to supersede the\nsystems they have been using. It is gratifying to have received this endorsement, and, moreover,\nit will reduce both the time and difficulty of establishing the central system through having each\ndepartment and branch interested complete its own central record in uniformity.\nI have, etc.,\nG. G. Aitken,\nChief Geographer.\n55th PARALLEL OF LATITUDE.\nBr R. P. Bishop.\nJ. E. ZJmbaeh, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to report on my season's work for 1920 on the 55th parallel of\nlatitude.\nThis line, which forms the boundary between Cassiar and the Coast Districts, had in 1914\nbeen run west for 17 miles from the 124th meridian, which in this Province serves the purpose\nof an initial meridian.\nThis year I produced the parallel west to Middle River, beyond which a range of snow-capped\nmountains prevented further progress at the time of year. I also carried a subsidiary triangulation to the south as far as Fort St. James in order to tie in surveys lying along the shore of\nStuart Lake.\nThe 55th parallel west of Babine Lake was run out in 1913 by A. Holland, who ran east to\nwithin 4 miles of Babine Lake from a point on the line of the Grand Trunk Pacific at Moricetown,\nthe position of which had been astronomically determined under the direction of the Dominion\nAstronomer, Ottawa. I will refer later to the question of connecting these two portions of the\nline by triangulation over the mountains.\nGeneral Report on the District.\nA good deal of attention has been recently directed to the Stuart Lake country on account\nof the possibility of an extension of the Pacific Great Eastern towards the Peace River passing\nin this direction. As these reports are largely for the guidance of intending settlers, and as\nthe survey-line cut this year lies for the greater part along the high land of the Pacific-Arctic\nDivide, I will first of all give a description of the country around Stuart and Trembleur Lakes,\nwhere the bulk of the agricultural land is situated. This account will necessarily be brief and\nincomplete, as this portion of the district was visited en route only.\nIt is well to point out at the start that at the present moment there is practically no\nGovernment land now open for settlement,' and that the country has not yet been opened up\nas far as transportation conditions are concerned.\nThe entire question of transportation will probably remain in abeyance until full reports\nare available on the merits of the various routes possible for the Pacific Great Eastern extension,\nwhich may or may not come near Stuart Lake. The subject is not within the scope of this\nreport. 11 Geo. 5 55th Parallel of Latitude. G 31\nIt will thus he seen that the Stuart Lake District is undergoing a transition stage and that\nany remarks on present means of travel will probably be out of date in a very short time.\nFort St. James.\nThe social, political, and business life of the district centres in Fort St. James, at the\nsouth-eastern end of Stuart Lake. This post is, with the exception of Fort McLeod, the oldest\nin the Province. It was established in 1806 for the North-west Company by Simon Fraser on\nwhat he thought were the headwaters of the Columbia River. As everything at first came overland from Eastern Canada, Fort St. James was for a long while the distributing centre for the\nother posts. For a time it was supplied from Fort Vancouver via Kamloops. Later ou, until\nthe construction of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, the fort still kept its position as distributing\ncentre to a certain extent, supplies being sent in by the Skeena River to Hazelton, pack-train\nto Babine, and thence by scow down Babine and Stuart Lakes, the intervening portage being\ntraversed by a wagon-road. Transport along these old fur routes was reduced to an almost\nperfect system, so that to this day the expression \" Hudson's Bay \" is used in the Far North as\na synonym for speed.\nAt present there are three stores, a large Indian village with Roman Catholic Mission, and\nseveral white residents mainly interested in the purchase of fur. There are a few farmers in\nthe district who are roughing it out under pioneer conditions, but nevertheless seem to like\nthe country-\nAccommod2Vtion.\nThe Hudson's Bay Company has a limited amount of accommodation and will do its best\nto put one up, but it is best to arrange about this beforehand by telephone.\nBoats and Canoes.\nThere are several motor-boats at Fort St. James, but as gasolene is extremely expensive\nmost of them are not in use. D. Hoy was this year running a boat which in the spring towed\nthe survey outfit as far as Trembleur Lake. As a rule, however, most boats do not go beyond\nthe first rapids above Tachi, for which canoes are generally used.\nIndians.\nThere are plenty of Indian canoes on the lake, but if an unfavourable wind springs up the\ntraveller is liable to get held up, especially when in a hurry. There is a small Indian village at\nPinchi, a larger one at Tachi, two families at Grand Rapids, and two at Trembleur Lake village\nat the mouth of Middle River. There is also a village at Nancut, whence the old wagon-road\nruns to Babine Lake. A motor-boat runs up here once a fortnight in summer with the hatchery\nmail, calling at Tachi on the way. The road is said to be in good condition, the local Indians\nclaiming that they keep it in repair, but I have no knowledge on this point. I have not visited\nNancut village, but am informed that there is no difficulty in hiring wagons there for hauling\nfreight across the portage to Babine Lake.\nStores.\nThe Tachi Trading Company, managed by A. G. Hamilton, has a store on a small island\nopposite the Tachi Indian village, at the mouth of the river of that name. The store has a large\nstock of luxuries as well as the necessaries of life, and carries on a considerable trade with the\nIndians. In October Mr. Hamilton usually makes a trip to the Indian village at the head of\nthe North-west Arm of Takla Lake, where he buys dried salmon which has been packed over the\nhorse-trail from Babine. where these fish are more plentiful than* in the depleted lakes of the\nFraser River watershed.\nMain Physical Features.\nIn order to explain the possibilities of the district, it is best first of all to outline the lake-\nbasins and other physical features which control the lay of trie agricultural land, and which\nshould, if taken intelligent advantage of, greatly affect the question of cheap transportation and,\nconsequently, the development of settlement.\nThe Pacific-Arctic Divide, which is a little to the north of the 55th parallel, runs approximately in an east-and-west direction until within a few miles of Middle River, where it swings\noff to the north-west, roughly paralleling North Takla Lake. South and west of the divide lies the basin drained by the lakes and rivers of the Stuart River system, which provides remarkable\nstretch of almost unbroken navigation for a distance of 125 miles north-westerly from Fort St.\nJames. Paralleling the Stuart River system, and about 25 miles to the west, lies the 90-mile\nlength of Babine, the largest lake in the Province.\nLow passes at the west end of both Stuart and Trembleur Lakes connect these two main\nvalleys. These passes contain excellent tracts of agricultural land and both have been traversed\nby wagon-roads in the early days, when such things were somewhat of a curiosity in the north.\nThe Trembleur Lake Road was part of the route to the Manson Creek diggings in the days\nwhen the gold excitement was at its height. At the east end of the road lies the hull of a\nsteamer\u2014the old \" Enterprise \"\u2014which during the rush plied along Trembleur Lake and up\nthe Middle River to connect with the trail at Takla Lake. The remains of the steamer have for\nmany years provided the local Indians with a supply of iron, which they have not been slow\nto take advantage of. This steamer was built at Soda Creek, whence she came by way of the\nFraser, Nechako, and Stuart rivers under her own steam to her destination.\nThe other portage, connecting the south end of Babine Lake with Stuart Lake, until recently\nformed part of the Hudson's Bay Company's supply route already referred to.\nNorth of the Trembleur Lake Pass, and between the two main lake systems, are some\nsnow-capped mountains known as the Middle River Range. Generally speaking, the country\nto the north of the parallel, along the shores of North Takla Lake, is mountainous. To the south\nit is more or less flat, with rocky hills rising about 2,000 feet above the general level.\nSoil-distribution.\nThe Stuart Lake basin is aptly described by J. H. Gray as \" an old glacial lake, probably\n200 miles long, with numerous arms and variable\" width, probably 100 to 200 feet deeper than\nthe present lake, and containing numerous islands which are now hills, the silt area being all\nthe space between the present lake and the old basin-rim.\" This description is well borne out\nby,observations made this year. Wherever soil occurs on the higher levels it is usually glacial\ndrift and unsuitable for cultivation.\nAs the greatest portion of the arable land has been surveyed into sections, a good general\nidea of the shape can be obtained from Pre-emptors' Map No. 3c. There are, however, two\nlocalities where blocks of unsurveyed land are reported\u2014viz., to the north-west of Tezzeron\nLake and south of Stuart Lake, along the headwaters of Sowchea Creek.\nIn addition to the surrounding unsurveyed laud, a tract of about 60,000 acres around the\nsouth-east end of Stuart Lake was during the war placed under reserve by the Provincial\nGovernment under the \" Soldiers' Land Act.\"\nAn extremely interesting account of this land and of the general possibilities of the district,\nwritten by J. H. Gray, appears in the Annual Report of the Minister of Lands for 1918. Mr. Gray\nquotes reports by a specialist from the United States to the effect that the soil ranks among the\nbest in North America. The expert attributes its properties to the great percentage of windblown volcanic dust mingled with the original lake deposit. The soil is certainly of excellent\ntexture, and carries more vegetable matter than the Nechako silts and a certain amount of clay,\nbut nowhere in the locality did I see any of the hard clay which crops up in places around the\neastern end of the Nechako Valley, and which is so hard to work up into good condition.\nIn this connection it is interesting to note that the jack-pine land in the Nechako Valley,\nwhich was generally condemned in the early days, has been found to give good results wherever\nthe soil approaches the nature of sandy loam, but is disappointing where the soil is clayey.\nThe Mines Department Report for 1905 gives the analysis of several soils taken from different\ndistricts of the Northern Interior. The sample from Stuart Lake appears to be somewhat\ndeficient in lime. There will be no trouble, however, in obtaining a good supply of this locally,\nas there is an abundance of limestone around the shores of the lake, from which lime has been\nburnt for many years.\nClimate.\nI canuot say very much about this from personal observation, except that there were no\nsummer frosts this year. As regards rain, the words \" exceptional year \" are so hackneyed that\nI hesitate to use them, but am at a loss how otherwise to describe the latter part of this summer,\nwhich was very different from any I have experienced before in the north. Numbers of farmers\nin the Nechako lost their crops, but other parts of the Province had similar bad luck this year. 11 Geo. 5 55th Parallel of Latitude. G 33\nThe bad weather started in the middle of the hay harvest, so that those who stacked theirs\nearly were fortunate. Silos, which are coming very much into fashion around Vanderhoof, will\nprobably do a lot to ensure farmers against heavy loss of feed in the rare event of auother fall\nlike that of 1920. Judging from the vast area of burnt-over forest, the summers here should\nnot as a rule be very wet.\nThe winter of 1919-20 was exceptionally long and feed very scarce towards the spring.\nOne settler who had brought in a large quantity of stock without taking the precaution of\nsecuring his winter feed lost heavily. New-comers should get in before hay harvest and make\ncertain of the winter's feed. Quotations for wintering in the autumn of 1920 varied from $20\nto $30 per horse.\nThis may seem to be a gloomy account of the climate for the year, but one must describe\nvariations of climate as they occur. The thing that impressed me most was that in the spring\nI was able to pick up cayuses around Fort .St. James and Tachi more cheaply and in much\nbetter shape than in the Nachako Valley.\nIn the Mines Department Report for 1905 W. Fleet Robertson includes, in a comprehensive\naccount of his trip through the district, a series of meteorological observations of temperature,\nrainfall, etc., covering the period from 1895 to 1903, as well as a phrenological report for 1905.\nThe observer was A. C. Murray, who is still in charge of the meteorological station at Fort\nSt. James.\nAgricultural.\nThe Hudson's Bay Company are the only people around Stuart Lake who have gone in for\nfarming on a considerable scale for any length of time. Their results have already been reported\non. Several other settlers have farms under way, but as I did not stop very long in the settled\nparts I was unable to visit them. Potatoes do very well in the silt soil around the lake, and\nI heard some astonishing accounts of their size and weight. Excellent vegetables were procurable\nfrom the Indians at Tachi Grand Rapids and Trembleur Lake villages.\nDairying.\nThe co-operative creamery established this year by the Provincial Government at Vanderhoof\nwill have a far-reaching effect in encouraging and demonstrating the dairying possibilities of the\ncountry. So far the creamery seems to be a success. This is extremely important, as it seems\nthat agriculture here will depend largely, if not entirely, on the success of the dairy business.\nThe district will probably find it difficult to compete with the Prairie in growing grain on\naccount of the expense involved in clearing land; furthermore, it cannot be called a good range\ncountry, as the natural vegetation, although luxuriant on the good soil, does not reproduce freely\nenough after heavy grazing. There will probably always be some scattered grazing on the poorer-\nland and possibly eventually in the summer on the'higher hills.\nAs the dairy business develops throughout the north and milk routes have to be evolved,,\nthe question of good transport will become more pressing than ever and will tax the resources\nof the country to the utmost.\nScenery.\nSo many capable pens have dealt with the beauty of British Columbia that one hesitates to\napproach the subject. Much has been written of the more mountainous parts of the Province,\nbut little has been said of the Northern Interior Plateau, which to my mind possesses, even in\nits more featureless parts, a peculiar beauty of its own; especially in the fall of the year,\nwhen its great stretches of yellow poplar and the deeper orange of the Cottonwood form a vivid\ncontrast with the dark green of the spruce and pine.\nWhere this plateau merges with the rugged country to the -north, it combines with lake,\nisland, and mountain to form yet another type of scenery. Although the mountains which border\nMiddle River and Takla Lake cannot well be compared with the higher ranges of the Province,\nI gathered from the alpinist of the party that some of the rougher parts would afford quite\nreasonable neck-breaking facilities to any mountaineer who didn't feel like doing things in style\noil the higher peaks. Be this as it may, the' ranges form a remarkable background for the rest\nof the scene, especially the white mass of Mount Blanchet, which viewed from Middle River\nappears to be floating on Takla Lake, the arms of which nearly surround it.\nThe few hills near Stuart and Trembleur Lakes are comparatively low, rising about 2,000\nfeet above the water. The view from these, however, gains greatly in character from the number\n3 G 34 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nand size of the lakes in the country, no fewer than forty of these being reported visible from\nMount Pope, a few miles from Fort St. James.\nA succession of wonderful panoramas are seen during the trip up the great waterway, which,\nstudded with islands to the south and everywhere abounding with fish, will undoubtedly, with\nbetter access, prove a great pleasure resort.\nGame.\nMoose are now common throughout the district, although in some parts they are much more\nplentiful than in others. The Indians depend on them almost entirely for their supply of meat\nand hide. Moccasins and gloves are now all made of moose-hide, whereas deer generally\nfurnished the raw material some years ago, before the moose moved into the district in such\nnumbers. The Indians are inclined to kill them off somewhat recklessly, apparently being under\nthe impression that the- supply of these animals is inexhaustible. It is to be hoped that they\nwill not share the fate of the caribou on the Middle River Range, which are, I believe, now\nextinct. There are said to be some caribou on the hills to the east of the 124th meridian.\nDeer are found in varying quantities throughout the district.\nBlack bear are found everywhere and a few grizzly in the mountains. The Indians seem\nto hold the latter in great respect and don't like invading their territory. This was particularly\nnoticeable one evening at tea, when a noise was heard in the distance which alarmists declared\nto be a hungry grizzly oil the warpath. Others said it was only a loon, but optimists and\npessimists alike became suddenly interested in the surrounding timber, which, being only second\ngrowth, naturally came in for some disparaging remarks.\nTwo parties of American big-game hunters came in after grizzly this year and got as far\"\nas Takla Lake, but unfortunately struck the worst part of the wet weather and didn't bag any.\nPerhaps in one case the plan of action adopted had something to do with the bad luck, as the\nNimrod's idea of having his grizzly driven down to the shore of the lake to be shot at did not\nmeet with enthusiasm on the part of the \" beater \"\u2014that worthy being unprovided with a tank.\nFur-bearing animals of all kinds abound and the unusually high price of fur, culminating in\nthe autumn of 1919, caused an active competition among the local stores for the trade of the\nIndians, who were not slow to take advantage of \" jawbone \" when offered. The fall in prices\nthis year hit everybody pretty hard in consequence.\nThere are plenty of grouse and fool-hen everywhere and ptarmigan on the Middle River\nRange; also any quantity of ducks and geese on Middle River in the fall before the freeze-up.\nRabbits vary greatly in numbers according to the season, as in other parts of the north.\nThe \" big year,\" which is said to occur once in seven, is expected in about two years' time.\nFish.\nTrout and whitefish are very plentiful, especially in the more remote lakes, and form the\nstaple diet of the Indians, who split and dry a large stock for winter use. The netting and\ndrying are attended to by the women, who excel at this business.\nSome sort of an industry will probably develop here when there is good enough communication with the outside world to place the fresh fish on the market.\nThe whitefish will not take a spoon and so have to be netted. Trout, on the other hand, will\ntake a fly, spoon, or piece of tobacco-can impartially when in the mood. The only trouble then\nis to get a line strong enough to hold the fish, which run to a considerable size. At Inzana Lake,\nwhen we had run out of bacon and were depending largely on fish to eat, the trout asserted their\nindependence by breaking all the lines and making off with the spoons. (All, of course, were of\nprodigious size!) The pack-train turned up at last with the cheering news that there was no\nbacon in the country, as the Grand Trunk Pacific longshoremen at Prince Rupert had goue on\nstrike. Luckily a net arrived in camp, so that we were able to get plenty of whitefish in lieu.\nOne of the lake-trout caught here measured just under 36 inches in length. The rainbow\nare usualy smaller, but put up a much better\u2014or worse\u2014fight, depending on your point of view\nas sportsman or pot-hunter. There are said to be plenty of sturgeon in Stuart Lake and a few\nhave been caught there by the Indians. A white man at Vanderhoof this year brought in some\nlarge sturgeon-nets with the idea of going into the business seriously on the Nechako River.\nSalmon are practically a thing of the past. A supply of dried salmon is brought over from\nBabine, which lake drains into the Skeena and has in consequence a better supply of these fish. 11 Geo. 5 55th Parallel of Latitude. G 35\nTimber.\ni\nThere is plenty of fir on Stuart and Trembleur Lakes and a good stand on Tezzeron, north\nof which it ceases suddenly. I saw only one specimen on the north shore of Inzana Lake and\nnone to the south as far as Hatdudatehl Lake.\nThere is a fair growth of spruce on the north shore of Inzana Lake, which extends for a mile\nor so inland; beyond this most of the country has been burnt over and is covered with fallen\nlogs and second growth extending to the hills in the neighbourhood of the line. Here there is\na growth of spruce and balsam, which, though heavy and thick in the butt, is gnarled and\nstunted and of no use for merchantable lumber. There is a very good stand of spruce extending\nfor some miles along the parallel east of Kazchek Lake, and some to the north-east of Rice Lake,\nlocally known as Natazutlo.\nTo the south of Inzana the country has been burnt over as far as Tachi, the windfalls being\nvery difficult to get over or cut a trail through. The burnt-over country here seems to have been\nmainly pine, and the dead logs run to a considerable size for that kind of tree. There is still\na good stand of pine just to the west of Tchentsut Mountain, along the trail connecting Inzana\nwith the north-east corner of Trembleur Lake. Spruce, balsam, and pine spring up after a burn,\nthe last-mentioned species usually being on the highest and driest tract. Poplar comes after the\nburns on the better class of soil, but as one get? farther north or higher up it only appears in\nany quantity on slopes which have a southern aspect.\n*\nThe Manson Creek Trail.\nThe Manson Creek country was until recently generally reached by way of Hazelton and\nTakla Lake. In the days of the mining excitement, when it paid to keep a steamer on Trembleur\nLake, advantage was taken of the water route down Babine Lake to the Wright's Bay Portage,\nthence by steamer to Takla Lake. Later this part was replaced by the trail from Babine to\nTakla Lake, where the crossing was made by a scow whenever the somewhat uncertain habits\nof the ferryman fitted in with the programme of the traveller.\nThis route is now abandoned and the country is approached by trail running north from\nFort St. James. The southern portion of this trail, which had been little used for some years,\nwas put in shape by Mr. Milligan for the Nation Lake surveys of 1912 and 1913.\nAt the beginning of this year the trail was in very poor shape and impossible at high water,\nas most of the bridges were washed out. Since the spring a good deal of^work has been done on\nit by the Public Works Department, W. Steele, of Manson Creek, being in charge. I understand\nthat another year's work will put it into good shape right through to Manson Creek, a distance\nof 117 miles. Mr. Steele has, on request, kindly furnished me with a statement of the camps,\nfeed, distances, and other particulars of the trail. As this work is not yet complete, and a\nportion of the old trail which passes through windfall country may have to be relocated, I am\nnot submitting Mr. Steele's account for publication. I am, however, attaching it to the report,\nso that anybody going into the country can be supplied with a copy on payment of cost of typing.\nIt is a very good thing that the work was taken in baud this year, as several parties\ninterested in the mineral resources of Manson and Germanseu Creeks made the trip this year.\nAlthough I can say nothing of that part of the country from personal experience, it seems evident\nthat the northern territory is attracting a good deal of attention in certain mining circles, and\nthat the completion of the trail will help considerably to foster this. There are proposals on\nfoot to take heavy machinery into this part of the country from the west, making use of the\nwaterways from Fort St. James to Takla Lake. These proposals would, of course, become more\nfeasible if these waterways were connected with the outside world by a system of cheap\ntransport.\nWork on Line.\nRoute adopted.\u2014The party fitted out at Fort St. James, where the Hudson's Bay Compauy\ngave every assistance. Arrangements had been made beforehand through the company's headquarters at Victoria for horses to pack the outfit to Inzana Lake by way of the Manson Creek\nTrail, also for information as to the probable date of feed on the trail, etc. Mr. Fraser, the local\nmanager, went to a good deal of trouble in procuring horses and rigging, which take a certain\namount of hunting-up nowadays since the advent of roads has put the large pack-trains out\nof business. It was arranged to leave Fort St. James about June 10th, as the season was about a month\nlate. The rain, however, had been so bad, and such gloomy reports came in about the high floods\nand washed-out bridges on the Manson Creek Trail, that I decided to go by water via Trembleur\nLake and cut a trail to the west end of Inzana. I heard later from the trail crew that this was\nthe only possible way to go in at that time.\nThe new way was somewhat roundabout and it took a long time to cut the trail, but this\nwas useful later on, as it afforded a short route to the middle of the work. Another advantage\ngained was that we were able to reconnoitre and locate stations for the subsidiary triangulation\nwell ahead of time, and were accordingly able later on to take observations on to these ns the\nwork proceeded on line.\nThe original pack-train arrangements had all to be cancelled in view of the change of route,\nso fresh horses were procured at Tachi and driven up to Trembleur Lake.\nTachi River\u2014The Tachi River was in full flood, so that the motor-boat had a bit of a\nstruggle to tow the two skiffs in places. These had to be lined up the rapids, a somewhat slow\nprocess, as there were a lot of bushes and small trees on the bank around which the line had to\nto be passed.\nThe main obstructions to navigation are two sets of rapids a few miles above Tachi and\nthe Grand Rapids, which are at the mouth of Klizkwa River close to Trembleur Lake. The first\nrapids could probably be made navigable at all times for shallow-draught steamers if a few\nrocks were blown outlaid the stream confined to a narrow channel. At Grand Rapids there is\nan abrupt drop of 2 or 3 feet at low water, but as the worst rocks have been blown out there\nis now a straight run with no complications. .\nInzana Lake.\u2014From Trembleur Lake the trail cut to Inzana followed an old foot-trail which,\nseemed to take the easiest route through the windfalls and muskegs, both of which are very bad\nthere. The cutting was heavy and the work slow, but the trail will probably be useful later on.\nAbout 2 miles west of Inzana Lake the trail crosses Inzana Creek, a stream of considerable size,\nbut not navigable.\nInzana Lake is about 14 miles long, its shores are well wooded on the north, but hideously\nburnt over to the south as far as the eye can see.\nWe moved camp down the lake by a raft and two canoes, the latter belonging to Benoit\nPrince, of Fort St. James. This enterprising half-breed has canoes in most of the lakes round\nabout and has cut a good horse-trail to the east end of the lake.\nThe end of the parallel had to be located from the Manson Creek Trail and a back-pack\ntrail cut down to Inzana Lake. The line passes at first through a very broken country mostly\nburned over, covered with fallen logs and second growth, and altogether a tough proposition\nfor back-packing. Half-way down the lake we gave up camping near the line and walked to\nwork from the lake-shore. Generally speaking, there is a good stand of spruce along the shore,\nwhich about half a mile inland changes to a mixed second growth of spruce, pine, and balsam,\nwith a good deal of hardhack and willow. I deal with the subject of timber elsewhere. About\nMile 25 there are some open spots supporting luxuriant mountain vegetation in summer, but\nthese are rather too inaccessible for grazing purposes. At the west end of Inzana Lake are a\nfew pockets of soil which may eventually be used, but these are too scattered to be worth\nsurveying at present.\nAn extensive tract of flat country extends south-easterly from Inzana Creek to Tachi.\nViewed from Tchentsut Mountain, it seemed capable of holding a good deal of agricultural land.\nThis tract'proved very disappointing when our trail passed through it, and most of the\n\" meadows \" seen from the hill turned out to be muskegs which proved serious obstacles~to\nthe pack-train.\nMeadows and Feed.\u2014Incidentally, I may remark that we found very few natural meadows\nanywhere near the line, far fewer than in the country traversed by the 53rd parallel. Near the\nnorthern line when the beaver have abandoned a swamp it soon gets covered with willows\ninstead of turning into a hay meadow. In October, after the feed on the side-hills was frozen\ndown, we drained a few swamps to provide feed for the horses, but couldn't get them to eat\nthe grass. There was excellent \" goose-grass,\" however, on the Middle River flats. As peavine\non the side-hills shrivels up and the dry pods are not sufficient to provide feed as is the case\nfarther south, it seems best to avoid pack-train work after the first week in October. 11 Geo. 5 55th Parallel of Latitude. G 37\nThis apparently does not apply to all parts of the country, as W. Steele bought some horses\nat Fort St. James which he proposed to pack up the Manson Creek Trail to the Omineca country\nwell after November 1st.\nKazchek Lake.\u2014The trail to Kazchek Lake was difficult to cruise and hard to cut out, as\nthe country was strewn with heavy windfalls intersected by numerous muskegs. The line runs\nthrough an extensive stand of good spruce before reaching the lake. There is a large flat around\nthe north-eastern side of the lake, but this seems to be under water in the spring.\nThere are a few small patches of good-looking poplar country north of Kzachek Lake.\nFrom the north shore a foot-trail runs to Alexander Lake, known to the Indians as Klochchaw\nor Big Whitefish Lake. The Trembleur Lake Indians have canoes here as well as on Kazchek\nLake.\nA low-lying tract of land runs from these lakes towards the west end of the Nation Lakes.\nThis appears to contain a certain amount of timber, is well watered, and may contain some\ngood land, but judging from the rest of the country I should say that this is not very probable.\nWest of Kazchek Lake is a limestone hill known as Kazchek Mountain. This is separated\nby a valley from the hill shown by this name on the reconnaissance map which overlooks\nKlochchaw Lake and known as Klochchawius. \"The suffix \" ius \" denotes a'wooded hill, while\n\u25a0 a rocky snow-capped mountain is described by some word which I am unable to pronounce, but\nwhich sounds like \" Tsutl.\" . \u2022\nA rough triangulation was made of the west end of Kazchek Lake, as a couple of points\nwere tied in by sights from the line where it crossed the mountain. The creek flowing out of\nthe lake is of considerable size and should furnish a good supply of power some time.\nThe best meadows struck during the trip were on the trail cut between Kazchek and Eagle\nLakes. These would probably produce some good hay if the beaver-dams were cut.\nEagle Lake.\u2014At Eagle Lake, locally known as Natazutlo, we tied on to some sections which\nhad been surveyed on the north shore. These sections, where crossed by the line, did not come\nup to our expectations either as regards agricultural land or \" good running.\" The surface was\nbroken and the soil mainly glacial drift until the line got into the bottom lands, about 2 miles\nbefore reaching Middle' River itself.\nMiddle River.\u2014The soil in this bottom seems to be good sandy loam, rather lighter in quality\nthan that around Stuart Lake. There are some large willow bottoms in the valley of Natazutlo\nCreek and the remainder of the country had been burnt over about forty-five years before and\nis now covered with a dense second growth of \" Christmas-trees.\" The north bank of the creek,\non the other hand, grew only a few scattered poplar and looked very well. The beaver cuttings\nhave been very extensive and looked like a slashing. We were shown the site of a garden which\nwas reported to have produced good crops of potatoes, carrots, cabbages, etc. It belonged to\nan Indian called O'Ne-ell, who died a few years ago. His cabin is on the bank of the river a few\nchains above the parallel.\nThe western side of the river is here covered with heavy spruce and willow which rises\nshortly to the foot-hills of the Middle River Range.\nThe horses had been sent out as soon as we reached Natazutlo Lake, and camp moved later\nby raft to its western end, whence we back-packed by a foot-trail running in a south-easterly\ndirection to the river through some nice-looking poplar country.\n\u2022 After the line had crossed the river and had been well marked on either bank we packed\nup with all speed and started down-stream for home on October 30th. High time, too, as there\nwas only half a day's grub left and another storm brewing.\nWeather and Conditions.\u2014For the last month the weather had been comparatively open, the\nsnow melting off the trees every few days. The state of the ground made it extremely difficult\nto run the line straight, as the back-sights warmed up with the sun and tended to lean over\ntowards the south. To prevent this we had to drive a hole in the ground and hammer in a\nstake with an axe, setting a nail on top for a back-sight. Azimuth observations were very hard\nto obtain throughout the summer, as the sky was usually cloudy. These observations, although\nobtained in daylight, usually meant a long walk over windfalls in the dark for the observer, who\narrived in camp any time up to midnight.\nSubsidiary Triangulation.\u2014M$ instructions were to make all possible triangulation and other\nties to existing land and reconnaissance surveys, with a view to the preparation of a map of G 38\nIeport of the Minister of Lands.\nthe district on the scale of 1 iuch to the mile; also to show main topographical features where\ntime allowed.\nThe size of the party did not permit the execution of any detailed contour-work along the\nline as in certain previous surveys of this nature. Furthermore, in this particular piece of\ncountry such work would not have been of much practical value, so any time which could be\nspared from work on line was devoted to making ties rather than lesser topography.\nThe only surveys close to the line were the Middle River sections and Swanuell's triangulation of Inzana Lake. These were tied to in due course.\nTo give shape to the map to the south it seemed necessary to fix points to govern the position\nof the somewhat varied collection of surveys extending along the Stuart Valley from the 124th\nmeridian to the 55th parallel on Middle River. This could best be done by making ties to the\nkey surveys\u2014viz., the more extensive blocks and the detailed triangulation.\nThe more important existing surveys were: (1) Swannell's triangulation of Trembleur Lake,\nextended by Butterfield to the west end of the lake, and thence connecting by the Wright's Bay\nsurveys to Babine Lake; (2) the Tachi-Pinchi block of surveys on Tachi River and Stuart Lake;\n(3) the Fort St. James block of surveys extending from Stuart Lake to the meridian.\nTies already existed from (1) and (3) to' Swannell's adjoining reconnaissance stations on\nTchen-tsut and Pope Mountains, so that by fixing these points from the parallel it was possible\nto tie in the reconnaissance-work at the same time as the detailed surveys. Connection with\nthe other block (2) was effected by a tie to Tachi Church, situated on the Indian reserve at the\nmouth of the Tachi River. The church is visible from most pointsof Stuart Lake and will make\na good monument for placing in position future surveys made in this neighbourhood.\nThe positions of the triangulation stations were fixed by taking shots from line on to beacons\nerected at Tchentsut and Chuius (Tezzeron Mountain). The rays thus obtained were subject\nto any uncertainty in the azimuth of the parallel at the various points of observation ; so it\nwas arranged, on completion of the work, to set up on these.beacons and read the angles between\nthe various points on line. An accident to the writer and, later on, weather conditions prevented\nthe completion of the programme, but it is considered that sufficient data has been obtained to\ncarry out the main object of the work and that the points obtained can be plotted without\nperceptible error on a scale of 1 inch to the mile.\nTo the north of the line are the land surveys on Nation Lakes by Milligan and a series of\nlake triangulations by Swannell, all pivoting on a cairn of the reconnaissance survey located on\nNation Mountain. This cairn may now be placed roughly in its position on the map, but can,\ntogether with several other stations of the reconnaissance survey, be accurately intersected if the\nconnection of the parallel with the line west of Babine Lake is made by triangulation over the\nMiddle River range of mountains.\nCompletion of the Parallel.\u2014In view of the high and broken nature of the Middle River\nRange, it is submitted that accurate chaining over them would be a very difficult matter;\nfurthermore, as the country adjoining the uncompleted portion of the parallel does not appeal-\nto be of sufficient value to justify the expense of cutting out and posting the line, the better\nplan would be to make the tie by triangulation. A good base for this purpose can be obtained\nby using the line between Kazchek Mountain and Middle River, as there is a good view of the\nhill-tops from each end of this section. By its use the tedious process of expanding from a\nshort base through a series of triangles can be avoided.\nLake Surveys.\u2014I have referred to the survey of Inzana Lake by Mr. Swannell. As there\nare a good many lakes still unmapped in this part of the world, I would suggest that, when\nsurveyed, these be dealt with on similar lines, as the method adopted is particularly suited to\nthe country.\nThe features peculiar to the Inzana Sheet are: (a) It shows particulars of all bearing trees\nand reference marks of triangulation stations; (6) it gives rectangular co-ordinates (northings\nand eastings) of the same.\nIn default of a complete survey of the country an extension of this system to the lakes\nremaining unmapped would at a very low cost serve two purposes by furnishing at the same\ntime: (1) A supply of geographical information; (2) a system of monuments on the ground.\n(1.) A survey of the lakes would quickly give the inforuaation most urgently required for\nmapping purposes. Furthermore, a basis would be provided for accurate topographical maps\nwhich could be completed as wanted, first of all by trail and river traverse or possibly aeroplane \u25a0\n11 Geo. 5 Ranges 4 and 5, Coast District. G 39\nphotographs, and, later on, by complete contour detail where required by the Forestry Branch\nor any other department.\nAn additional importance is given to the mapping of the waterways by the fact that in a\nwild country these afford aviators the only means of checking their position, apart from dead\nreckoning or astronomical observations. The pilots engaged in the flight from New York to\nNome this year felt the lack of good maps, particularly farther north.\n(2.) As regards the question of monuments, these are required for forestry and other cruises\nand for tying in land, timber, mineral, and other surveys.\nAs the great part of the land and timber is on the low land adjoining the lakes, monuments\non the shore-line are generally located in the most useful position. Furthermore, they are easily\naccessible and have the advantage over section-posts buried in the woods, in that they are easily\nfound even after many years, the features of the shore-line acting as way-marks to their position.\nThe disadvantage, in comparison with section-lines, that the posts are not placed at regular\nintervals, is overcome on the Inzana Sheet by the tables of northings and eastings, so that\ncruisers or surveyors starting at one point can check up their reckoning on the next. A photographic reduction of the plan referred to, made in the Department on a scale of 1 mile to the\ninch, condensed all information into a form suitable for us in the field.\nThese lake surveys are at low water very cheaply and quickly performed, as paddling a\ntransit about in a canoe is cheaper and more comfortable than walking along a line or staggering\nup a hill with the machine on one's back only to find that clouds obscure the view.\nThe lakes.in this part of the country can generally be placed in their relative position on\nthe map without any trouble, as a good view can nearly always be obtained from their shores\nof the many bare-topped hills peculiar to this country, which are so well adapted to the purpose\nof triangulation control.\nI have, etc.,\nR. P. Bishop, B.C.L.S.\nRANGES 4 AND 5, COAST DISTRICT.\nBy V. Schjelderup.\nBurns Lake, B.C., November 24th, 1920.\nJ. E. TJnibach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report of the district in which I carried\nout the survey of Crown lands under your instructions:\u2014\nThe total acreage surveyed was 14,433 acres. The bulk of this area lies west of Burns\nLake, in the vicinity of Decker Lake, Rose Lake, and Topley, on the Grand Trunk Pacific\nRailway. Some 2,700 acres were surveyed near the west end of Cheslatta Lake and a number\nof scattered surveys made east of Burns Lake, near Tintagel, Priestley, Savory, and Fraser\nLake. One small parcel was also surveyed in the Greer Valley, some 25 miles south of Fort\nFraser. While at Cheslatta Lake a trip was made to the east end of Murray Lake, where a\ntie traverse was run for some 5 miles to connect the surveys on the Upper Nechako River with\nMurray Lake, the latter having been triangulated and connected with Cheslatta Lake and surveys\nin Francois-Ootsa Lake District.\nVicinity of Palling and Decker Lake.\nThe surveys made in this locality are skirting the old surveys on the east and take in all the\nland left in this vicinity suitable for settlement. The land comprised in the survery made by me\nis not as a whole of the same standard as that of previous surveys made in this section of the\ndistrict, but compares favourably with other land surveyed in the district which has been taken\nup under pre-emption record or purchased. A number of settlers are awaiting the gazetting of\nthese surveys with intention of filing on same as soon as open for pre-emption. This section of the district contains an extensive body of first-class agricultural land, most\nof which was purchased from the Government some years ago and is yet undeveloped. The Land\nSettlement Board's experienced land-cruisers have this year thoroughly examined this area and\nwill no doubt have settlers on the land in due course, as the quality of the soil is excellent, the\nclearing comparatively easy, and there is an ample supply of good water.\nThere is a general store and post-office at Palling Station and school at Decker Lake. The\nmain Government wagon-road parallel to the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway runs through this\narea and settlers have cut their own roads out to it, which makes the whole of this section\nreadily accessible.\nSouth of Rose Lake.\nIn this vicinity nearly 3,000 acres were surveyed lying between Rose Lake and previous\nsurveys to the south of the lake. The quality of the land surveyed is as a whole good. With\nthe exception of a few open poplar slopes and willow bottoms, the larger portion of the area is\ncovered with pine, some of which is excellent tie-timber. The soil is good and clearing not too\nheavy.\nIt would be well worth their while for intending settlers to look this area over, especially\non account of its close proximity to the railway. There are a number of settlers on the land\npreviously surveyed south of Rose Lake and a fair wagon-road leads from the station south.\nThere is a general store and post-office at Rose Lake and quite a few settlers along the main\nGovernment road, both east aJid west of the lake.\nEast of Topley.\nSome 4 miles east of Topley Station 1,600 acres were surveyed immediately north of lots\nsurveyed some years ago, and practically all the latter is held under pre-emption record. The\nland embraced in my survey is generally good, with some exceptionally good quarter-sections.\nPractically the whole area surveyed was swept by fire some years ago, which also has the whole\narea lying north of my surveys, giving it a rather dry and desolate appearance. A considerable\namount of the land could easily be cleared.\nThere is a Government wagon-road running east and west through the lots adjoining my\nsurvey on the south which makes the land accessible to Topley Station. The nearest general\nstore, post-office, school, etc., is at Forestdale, some 6 miles to the south. Both the vicinity of\nTopley and Forestdale has seen quite a number of new settlers this last couple of years and\nnext year will no doubt bring more.\nNorth-west of Cheslatta Lake.\nThe land here is to a great extent open and consists of more or less rolling bench land\nrising to quite a height above the lake-level. The benches and southern slopes are covered with\na luxuriant growth of wild grass, peavine, vetch, cow-parsnip, and fireweed, interspersed by\npoplar and willow groves. On the higher benches and northern slopes pine prevails and the\nsoil is more sandy. This part of the district is well adapted to .cattle-raising, as it affords an\nexcellent range and there is an abundance of wild hay to cut for winter feeding on the extensive\nopen benches. The locality is well watered.\nCheslatta Lake is very beautiful and fascinating and abounds with all kinds of fresh-water\nfish. Some lots were surveyed fronting on the lake from the west end eastward.\nAt present this section of the district is not easy of access. By a roundabout route it can\nbe reached by wagon-trail cut out by the settlers, but the shortest route for any one travelling\n\" light \" and not afraid of a few mud-holes and windfalls is the old pack-trail by way of Takysie\nLake. By the latter route the distance from Francois Lake is some 30 miles. The nearest post-\noffice and school is Ootsa Lake, some 16 miles in a westerly direction.\nMurray Lake-Upper Nechako River.\nAs mentioned above, a trip was made to this part of the district- for the purpose of running\na tie-line. The country through which I traversed is hilly and rough and densely timbered with\npine and spruce of no commercial value. The soil appears to be light and stony. From one high\nridge the surrounding country can be seen for miles, and judging by general appearances it\ncontains no arable land and no valuable timber. 11 Geo. 5 Ranges 4 and 5, Coast District. G 41\nSouth of Savory and Priestley.\nSouth of Savory a couple of quarter-sections were surveyed, being all the unsurveyed land\nleft here suitable for settlement. South of Priestley four quarters were surveyed immediately\nto the north of the surveys on Tchesinkut Creek and covering the last strip of arable land there.\nA considerable amount of the land in this vicinity is- held under pre-emption record. Some\nnew settlers have come in this last year, but as yet this locality has not proven its agricultural\npossibilities, there being but a few acres here and there under cultivation. The nearest post-\noffice, general store, and school is at Endako. The trunk road, which is under construction, to\nconnect the east with the west follows closely to the lines of the area surveyed by me, and when\ncompleted will be a great advantage to settlers on these parcels of land. \u2022\nGeneral Aspect of the District.\nThe whole of the district is essentially that of one of moderate rainfall, forest areas\nalternating with open stretches of land generally covered with luxuriant growth of wild grass,\npeavine, vetch, cow-parsnip, and fireweed. It presents the appearance of a low undulating\ncountry with ranges of hills which occasionally rise to an elevation of 500 to 1,000 feet above\nthe level of the larger lakes, generally by easy slopes, while more rarely they are broken and\nrugged in contour. On the southern slopes poplar and willow groves alternating with open\npatches prevail and the soil is carpeted with a luxuriant growth of vegetation. The northern\nslopes are characterized by a greater preponderance of pine and spruce and in certain localities\nbalsam and fir. Pine generally prevails where the soil is more sandy and slopes less prominent.\nAlong the streams and what appears to be ancient lake-beds extensive hay meadows and willow-\nand spruce-covered bottoms exist. Lakes and small streams abound throughout the district.\nThe elevations of the larger lakes are as follows: Ootsa Lake, 2,740 feet; Cheslatta Lake, 2,800\nfeet; Francois Lake, 2,375 feet; Fraser Lake, 2,200 feet; Burns Lake, 2,300 feet.\nSoil.\nA sandy clayish loam is prevalent all through the district, varying in texture from fine silt\nto coarse granular soil mixed with gravel and sand. Where pine prevails the soil is often more\nsandy and on the higher benches very stony. In the natural hay meadows and ancient lake-beds\na deep vegetable mould overlies the alluvial soil. On the poplar slopes and the willow- and\nspruce-covered bottoms the soil has a good dressing of vegetable mould varying in depth from\n2 to 12 inches, which is generally absent where pine prevails. The great fertility of the soil is\nevidenced by a remarkable growth of wild grasses, peavine, vetches, cow-parsnip, fireweed, etc.,\nwhich attain a height of 5 to 6 feet, and grows so densely in places that one can scarcely force\none's way through.\nClimate.\nThe climate is one of moderate precipitation. The summer is short, but owing to the long\nhours of sunshine the rapidity of growth is something almost unbelievable and excellent crops\nmature throughout the district. The nights are generally cool, with a heavy fall of dew. The\nwinter is not very severe and a remarkable amount of sunshine is experienced. The thermometer\nregisters from 30\u00b0 to 50\u00b0 below zero occasionally during the night, but this is the exception'\nrather than the rule. The snowfall varies a great deal with locality and different seasons, but\nis generally between 1 and 2 feet on the shores of the big lakes and increasing with elevation.\nLight summer frosts may occur at nights during any part of the summer, but do not seem\nsufficiently severe to injure the crops. The big lakes generally freeze over by the end of\nDecember or early January and open up again the last week of April or the first week in May.\nTimber and Mineral Resources.\nThere are sufficient quantities of mill timber to supply any local demands in the district,\nand there are also large tracts of pine suitable for railway-ties. Tie cutting camps are located\nboth east and west of Burns Lake. There are sawmills at Fraser Lake, Francois Lake, Ootsa\nLake, and Palling.\nTo my knowledge no minerals in paying quantities have been located inside the district, but\nthere has been great activity both south-west and north, with Burns Lake as a centre. The\nTaltapin Mining Company is developing a mine some 24 miles in a northerly direction to Burns\nLake, which indicates great expectations for the future. Report of the Minister of Lands.\nFish and Game.\nThere is a great abundance of fish in most of the lakes and streams; the species include\ngrey, rainbow, and other varieties of trout, whitefish and other species of fresh-water fish.\nFishing is beginning to develop on commercial lines on some of the larger lakes, and will no\ndoubt prove a great source of revenue to those interested in this departure. Small game is\ngenerally plentiful and there is a fair number of deer and black bear, with occasional moose\nand caribou.\nFarming Possibilities.\nOpen grass land and meadows can be put under cultivation with little or no clearing. There\nare extensive lightly timbered areas that are practicable for grazing purposes, as are also the\ngrassy southern slopes of the hills. Timothy and other tame grasses do exceptionally well, while\noats, barley, and wheat produced give very good results. Potatoes and other root-crops generally\ngive very satisfactory yields, as does also all garden-truck. Berries and bush-fruits are not\ngrown to any extent in the district, but judging from experiments that have been made they\ngive an excellent yield both in quantity and quality. Strawberries, raspberries, black and red\ncurrants, gooseberries, blueberries, cranberries, and saskatoons grow wild in great abundance,\nand this is probably the reason why so few settlers interest themselves in the growing of small\nfruits and berries. There is no reason why apples should not be grown successfully in most\nparts of the district. J. H. Keefe, on the south side of Francois Lake, picked his first crop of\napples off his experimental orchard this year; the varieties grown were Transcendents and Red\nSiberians. Excellent timothy-seed is grown by several farmers, and no doubt great quantities\nof seed will be grown and shipped from this district ere long. On the whole, the district is\neminently suitable for mixed farming and dairying, but the outlying parts, lying too remote from\nrailroads and other modes of transportation, are better suited to stock-raising.\nTransportation.\nBurns Lake, on the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, is the natural outlet for the Francois-\nOotsa Lake District, as also the Babine country. The townsite was laid out by the Government\nin 1917 and has since then rapidly grown into a prosperous little town. There are two hotels,\nthree general stores, a drug-store, a hardware-store, two pool-rooms, a restaurant, two meat\nmarkets, and a garage. The Royal Bank of Canada has an office here, as has also the Dominion\nTelegraph Line. A branch telephone-line was this year installed to Francois Lake. The Burns\nLake two-roomed school has some fifty children in attendance. There is an Anglican Church\nwith resident clergyman, and other items which must not be overlooked are Provincial Police\nStation and two real-estate offices.\nThe Public AVorks Department has shown great activity in this district during the past\nseason, which has improved transportation conditions to a notable extent. A good wagon-road\nruns south from Burns Lake to Francois Lake, a distance of 14 miles. A free Government ferry\noperates across Francois Lake and the road continues south-westerly about 24 miles to Ootsa\nLake, whence it runs westerly along the north shore of the lake for a distance of about 10 miles\n'to Wistaria, where it connects with the road to Houston, on the Grand Trunk Pacific. The\ndistance from Wistaria to Houston is some 50 miles. The east end of Francois Lake is connected\nwith Fraser Lake Station, on the Grand Trunk Pacific, by a wagon-road some 7 miles in length.\nFrom Francois Lake ferry-landing a road follows the north shore of the lake in a westerly\ndirection for some 20 miles to Colleymount Settlement. From the landing on the south shore\na road runs south-easterly some 8 miles to the Uncha Lake Settlement. From Burns Lake and\nparalleling the railway a good road runs north-westerly and connects with the Bulkley Valley\nRoad. There is also a sleigh-road (passable for wagons at certain times of the year) running\nnortherly from Burns Lake to Babine Lake. A new road is being built from Endako to Burns\nLake, which when completed will connect the latter with the Nechako Valley and the east.\nThere are a great number of sleigh-roads and trails throughout the district which link the\ndifferent parts together and allow of ready communication between these and the railway.\nAt Francois Lake there are two hotels and two general stores, as wTell as post-office and\nschool. A maternity hospital with resident doctor has this year been opened on the south side\nof Francois Lake. 11 Geo. 5 Fraser Valley, Quesnel to Prince George. G 43\nAt Grassy Plains there is a general store and post-office, and at Ootsa Lake there is an\nhotel, post-office, and school. Other post-offices in the district are Colleymonnt, Danskin, Bickle,\nWistaria, Palling, Rose Lake, Houston, Endako, and Stellako.\nI have, etc.,\nV. Schjelderup, B.C.L.S.\nFRASER VALLEY, QUESNEL TO PRINCE GEORGE, CARIBOO DISTRICT.\nBy J. F. Campbell.\nNovember 20th, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Eeq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit herewith general report on the surveys made and the\ncountry covered by me during the season of 1920. The surveys made were principally isolated\npre-emptions and subdivisions of lands reverted under the \" Soldiers' Homestead Act.\" The\ncountry covered extended from the Blackwater River, Cariboo District, north to Summit Lake,\nand on the east and west sides of the Fraser River.\nBlackwater River.\nThe Blackwater, a clear, swiftly flowing river, is formed by the junction of the Euchiniko\nand Nazko Rivers, and flowing eastwards empties into the Fraser in latitude 55\u00b0 20' north.\nFor a distance of 12 miles from the Fraser River (to where the Yukon Telegraph Line crosses\nthe Blackwater) the river flows through rocky, narrow canyons and the valley is narrow. From\nthis point (the Telegraph Cabin) the valley widens to a width of from 2 to 3 miles and is lightly\nwooded with small pine and poplar. Small meadows varying in size from 5 to 20 acres are\nscattered throughout the valley. In places, especially on the southern slope, open fir timber is\nencountered running from 15,000 to 20,000 feet per acre. These patches of fir timber seldom\ncover more than 20 acres. The land in the valley is level and rises by terraced benches to\n400 feet above the river. The country extending to the south is broken by the Telegraph range\nof hills and ho agricultural land in large areas is available. To the north, between the Chilako\nand Fraser Rivers, is a large plateau, undulating in character, and the timber, principally lodge-\npole pine and scattered poplar averaging 8 inches in diameter, is very open. The soil is sandy\nor clayey and the hollows are swampy, with a growth of heavy willows and alders. The Black-\nwater River is the northern limit of bunch-grass, and this grass grows in abundance on all open\nhillsides. Sage-brush was noticed on the northern slope, this being an exceptional distance north\nfor this particular growth. Along the river to the west the country assumes a more open aspect\nand is ideal for stock purposes. Many ranchers are located on the Nazko and Euchiniko Rivers\nand are making a success of stock-farming. A short distance from the Euchiniko River is\nPelican Lake. There are many large meadows in this vicinity and quite successful stock-ranches\nare in operation. The snowfall is not excessive, but quite sufficient to supply plenty of moisture\nfor the soil. Cattle will in an ordinary winter feed on the hills all winter, but it is usually the\ncustom to put up a certain amount of hay in case the winter is unduly severe. Hay and grains\nhave been fairly successful, but no great attempt has been made to grow grain on a large scale.\nThe easiest and quickest way to get into the stock country of the Upper Blackwater is via\nQuesnel. From this point a road runs to the Nazko River, a distance of 60 miles. The road\nfrom Quesnel to Prince George branches at the Blackwater River; one road goes to Fraser Lake,\none to the Euchiniko River, and the other to Prince George. At the river is located a telegraph-\nstation of the Dominion Government.\nBeaverly Creek.\nBeaverly Creek flows north-westerly from West Lake and empties into the Chilako River.\nWest Lake is about 16 miles south from Prince George and the creek crosses the Blackwater-\nPrince George Road 12 miles from Prince George. The creek is from 30 to 50 feet wide and the\ncurrent slack. Half a mile north from the lake marshy meadows extend a quarter of a mile ou\neither side of the main water-channel. These meadows are very fertile and support a luxuriant\ngrowth of wild grasses. In many places the grass grows to a height of 5 feet. If drained, which\nI believe could be easily done by breaking some of the old beaver-dams, at least 1,000 acres of\nmeadow land lying along the creek, between the lake and the road, could be made excellent agricultural land. The land on either side of the meadows is open poplar with plenty of grass\nfor grazing purposes. Farther along the creek on the west side of the road are a number of\nfarms that have from 50 to 100 acres under cultivation. The road from Prince George parallels\nthe meadow land half a mile to the west, and there are a number of roads branching off the\nmain road and running west to the farms in operation.\nChilako River.\nThe Chilako, locally called the'Mud River, is a sluggish stream meandering through a narrow\nvalley. The valley nowhere exceeds half a mile in width, but the land in the bottom is exceptionally fertile. The river empties into the Nechako River about 25 miles above Prince George.\nFor 20 miles from its mouth it is well settled and the majority of the farms are producing\nexcellent crops. The valley is level and wooded with Cottonwood, spruce, and alder.-' There are\npatches of meadow that can easily be increased to a considerable acreage by very little clearing.\nThe clearing of the large Cottonwood and spruce stumps is rather hard, but can be made much\neasier by the use of powder, something that has not been used to any great extent in this area.\nThe open patches produce a luxuriant growth of wild grasses, with a good sprinkling of vetch\nmixed in, making a very high-grade feed, which is preferred to timothy by dairymen. The price\nof hay ranges around $30 to $40 per ton, the yield being about 2V2 tons per acre. Alfalfa grows\nwell, yielding from 1% to 2 tons per acre, and can be cut twice and the field pastured. Red\nclover, alsike, and other clovers grow well. Timothy in the rich bottom lands grow from 3 to\n4 feet in height and yields from 2 to 4 tons per acre. Brome-grass, which grows about 5 feet\nhigh and then falls down, can be cut twice in a season and the field pastured. The soil in the\nvalley is a sandy silt, built up of different kinds of earth, with a large percentage of decayed\nvegetation and mould of different kinds, and is very rich and productive, so rich that farmers\nare inclined to seek the short- and strong-strawed varieties of barley, oats, and wheat so they\nwill stand up to mature. Potatoes, beets, mangels, etc., all do well under cultivation.\nThe valley is surrounded by bench land with a sandy or clayey soil, and some settlers prefer\nit to the valley lands. The timber on the benches is a light-growth poplar and clearing iu the\nmajority of cases is fairly light. There are large stretches of good land to the west of the river,\nbetween the Telegraph range of hills and the river. There are good roads to the Chilko River.\nThe main wagon-road from Prince George to Fort Fraser crosses the fiver a few miles from its\nmouth. A good road branches here and continues up the river for about 15 miles. A school is\nlocated in the valley and the settlers hope to obtain a post-office shortly.\nEast of Fraser River.\nThe country on the east side of the Fraser along the line of the Pacific Great Eastern\nRailway, now building, is being rapidly settled. Most of the country has been burnt over and\nsecond-growth poplar and willow is the principal growth. Where not burnt the timber, spruce\nand fir, is fairly heavy and a number of small sawmills are in operation, supplying the settlers\nwith building-lumber. Most of the farmers are within a few miles of the Fraser River, and\nalthough there is no road communication they are able to haul their produce to the river and\nthen by steamboat to the market. A road, Prince George-Quesnel, is now building on the east\nside of the river, and this, with the completion of the railway, will aid the farmers enormously\nand bring them within a few hours of a ready market.\nFrom Fort George Canyon south the winters are noticeably less severe and the snowfall\nlighter than a few miles farther north. This has induced many settlers to locate in this area.\nThe crops are generally excellent; the wheat especially noticeable for its heavy yield per acre.\nWest of Eraser River.\nThe country paralleling the river on the west side and extending back a few miles is more\nor less rough and broken. The whole country has at one time been burnt and is now wooded\nwith small poplar and willow. There are many patches that escaped the fire, and green timber,\ngenerally spruce, grows to a diameter of 30 inches. In places the river-bench is about half a\nmile wide and practically open, with very little timber except a few cottonwoods. These river-\nflats are excellent in every way and are noted for their heavy crop-producing qualities. The\nbench from the river-bottom to the top is about 250 feet high, and the country for a few miles\nback is usually very broken, the soil being either very sandy or gravelly. There are exceptions\nto this, and in places a few hundred acres in extent the land is all that could be desired. The 11 Geo. 5 Fraser Valley. Quesnel to Prince George. G 45\ncountry is well watered; the creeks, however, generally being in deep gullies. These gullies run\nback from the river about 2 miles, when the top of the bench is reached.\nA road parallels the river about 10 miles to the west and is in fair condition for loads not\nexceeding 1,500 lb. A few sleigh-roads branch from the main road and runs towards the river.\nWith very little labour these could be\u00bbput in first-class shape.\nTimber.\nLumbering is one of the principal industries of this area. Many sawmills are located along\nthe line of the Grand Trunk Pacific and give employment to thousands of men in the open\nseason. No doubt, when the Pacific Great Eastern Railway is completed south from Prince\nGeorge, many mills will be located along the line, as there are large areas of merchantable timber\nparalleling the Fraser River that can be profitably cut. There is a great deal of timber that is\nnot satisfactory for lumber, and I have no doubt that in time this will be converted into pulp,\nfor much of the waste or scrub timber that is at present wasted can be used by pulp-mills.\nTransportation.\n, The country is gradually being opened up by new roads or else improving the existing roads.\nThe past year, due to the heavy and unexpected rains, has been very hard on the roads, and in\nmany cases a road that has for years given satisfaction has this summer been turned into a\nquagmire. A new road is now building from Prince George to Quesnel, and this will give the\nsettlers on the east side of the Fraser River direct means of transportation between both towns.\nThe Pacific Great Eastern Railway is also under construction and will shortly be in operation\nbetween the Coast and Prince George.\nClimate.\nWinter may be considered to last from November 15th to April 1.5th. Some years winter\nsets in early, and in other years, like the present year, after a stretch of cold weather in the\nlater part of October and early November, the temperature rises and bright sunny weather lasts\nuntil well into December. The average snowfall is from 2 to 3 feet and this quickly disappears\nin the spring. The average mean temperature for the winter months is about 22\u00b0 F. above\nzero. The average summer and fall temperatures and rainfall for the years 1916-17-18 are\ngiven here:\u2014\nTemperature. ggg&\nJune 50 1.34\nJuly 57 2.37\nAugust .' 58 1.44\nSeptember 52 0.79\nOctober 42 1.49\nMinerals.\nThere is very little mining activity in this area. On Stone Creek and Hixon Creek, both on\nthe east side of the Fraser River, there are two small camps that are working on quartz-gold\nprospects. Farther up the Fraser, near Giscome Portage, considerable work has been done on\na claim held by O. Eden, and very good results have been ohtained, especially from galena\nindications. On the Blackwater River, near the present Forest Ranger Station, there are\nindications of coal. In one place a seam about 18 inches wide is exposed, the coal being a\nshaly nature. Most of the rock in the vicinity of the Blackwater River is marked by iron-rust,\nand in one or two places low-grade galena was noticed.\nGame and Fish.\nThe game, especially near the Fraser River and on the benches close to the river, is very\nplentiful. Moose and deer are in abundance and it takes very little skill as a hunter to obtain\na supply of fresh meat. Bears are very numerous, many of the settlers having considerable\ndamage done to their berry-crops by the black bears. Fish are also plentiful, and there is\nhardly a stream or lake that will not supply a good catch of trout.\nI have, etc.,\nJ. F. Campbell, B.C.L.S. G 46\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nPEACE RIVER DISTRICT.\nBy A. R. Barrow.\nPouce Coupe, B.C., November 16th, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq., \u2022\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.G.\nSir,\u2014The country to the south of the Dominion Peace River Block is drained by the South\nPine River and by the Kiskatinaw, which is shown on old maps as Mud River, but is known\nlocally as the Cutbank. The West Branch of the Pine, heading in the Pine Pass, is usually\nconsidered to be the main stream, although the volume is little larger, if any, than that of the\nSukunka (Middle Fork) or of the Murray (East Pine). These various branches are all\nmountain streams, whose volume is determined more by the melting snow at the headwaters\nthan by local rainfall. The current is swift, but in low water good canoemen can pole up; it is\nprobable that stern-sheet steamers could ascend from the Peace during two months of high\nwater as far as the confluence of the West Pine and Murray. There is a difficult canyon in the\nWest Pine, some 12 miles above the forks, and others far up the Sukunka and East Pine.\nA new and interesting feature of the East Pine is a landslide below Wolverine Creek,\nwhich occurred in August. This slide blocks the entire width of the river-bed, about 350 feet,\nand is as long up and down stream. The river is diverted through the timber into what was\na meadow of wild hay.\nGenerally the rivers are extremely crooked, running between cut-banks, and leaving considerable flats at the mouths of the creeks.\nThe Kiskatinaw heads in some marshes and is comparatively sluggish. A feature of all\nthese rivers and the tributary creeks is the great depth of the valleys as they approach the\nmouths. Ascending the creeks, one finds small areas of open land with excellent soil, but\nnowhere is there room for a settlement of more than 100 to 200 people without clearing off the\ntimber. Excluding these fertile areas up the creeks and the flats at their mouths, with occasional\nnarrow strips in the river-valleys, the country is occupied by mountain ranges of no great\nelevation, the highest summits being between 5,000 and 6,000 feet.\nThe largest of these small areas for settlement is the group of lots known as the Burns\nBlock, situated near the south-west corner of the Dominion Peace River Block. This land can\nbe reached by canoe from the Parsnip River up the Misinchinka; the portage at the Pine Pass\nis about 7 miles long. An alternative is to descend the Peace to the Rocky Mountain Canyon;\nfrom thence by wagon-road 14 miles to Hudson Hope, from which there is a good pack-trail\nof 40 miles. An easier but more circuitous route from other parts of the Province is by railway\nto Edmonton and Peace River; thence by steamer to Hudson Hope. The only practicable way\nto bring in machinery or heavy freight is by railway to Spirit River; thence by wagon-road to\nthe East Pine Forks, 113 miles, and 60 miles up the West Pine River on the ice, which serves\nfor several weeks between January and March. The nearest town, post and telegraph offices,\nand school are at Hudson Hope, 40 miles.\nI'here is no settlement on the Sukunka River; on the East Fork there are small communities\nat Cowic (Prairie) and Wolverine Creeks. From Prairie Creek, the nearest town, post and telegraph offices and schools are at Pouce Coupe, 72 miles, where there is also a Government Agent,\nexercising all the numerous functions of his useful calling. The route from Pouce Coupe is by\nwagon-road to East Pine Forks, 53 miles, and a mountain pack-trail of 19 miles. As on the\nWest Pine, the East Fork and Prairie Creek serve in winter for heavy transport. The countour\nof the land lends itself to the eventual construction of a shorter road, eliminating the mountain\ntrail.\nTo Wolverine Creek from Pouce Coupe is 80 miles by a poor trail, and ISO by the winter road\nfrom the railway at Spirit River, by East Forks, and thence on the ice.\nThe very indifferent railway service afforded by the Edmonton, Dunvegan & British Columbia\nRailway is likely to be improved by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, which now operates\nthe road; but settlement on any considerable scale cannot be expected until there is direct railway connection with the rest of the Province. At present the sources of supply are necessarily\nin Alberta.\nThe only industry in the district under consideration, apart from farming\u2014or rather\ndeveloping farms\u2014is trapping, which fluctuates with the price of fur. It will necessarily 11 Geo. 5 Fraser Valley, Quesnel to Soda Creek. G 47\ndecrease with settlement, but at present it is sufficiently important to bring fur-buyers to all\nparts of the district.\nOn the open areas up the creeks, as among the scattered poplar and willows, the soil is\na rich black loam from 2 to 10 inches deep, with a sandy clay subsoil. On the flats in the\nriver-bottoms the soil is similar but lighter, with gravelly subsoil. Wheat ripens and oats are\na sure crop, but as no threshing is possible with the present means of transport, the wheat\nis useful chiefly for chicken-feed and the oats for green feed to cattle and horses. Excellent\npotatoes are grown, but a judicious choice of location is necessary to insure them against frost.\nAll the ordinary garden vegetables do well in the short but hot summer, and there is a variety\nof wild fruits which, excellent as they are, improve by cultivation. The open spaces afford good\nwild hay, red-top predominating, and where the meadows can be irrigated they can be cut\napparently year after year.\nSeeing that the settlement areas are small, and apart from the present want of transportation, it is probable that profitable wheat-raising cannot be expected; and as cattle must be fed\nin winter, the conditions point to mixed farming as the most likely industry. The period of\nwinter feeding can hardly be determined in the absence of records extending over several years.\nIn 1919 feeding was necessary from October 20th, but this year there is still good grazing in the\nmiddle of November. Range horses will feed through all but the hardest winters.\nThe same absence of records makes it difficult to w7rite anything definite of the seasons.\nGenerally speaking, there is a cold dry winter, with less snowfall than in many parts of Southern\nBritish Columbia, and there are occasional Chinook winds, which clear the snow off the open\nspaces. The summers are short and warm, and the rainfall, which may come in any month,\namounts to a short rainy season before or after the hot weather. Summer frosts affect the\nbenches more than the river-flats, but on the smaller creeks the reverse is said to be the case.\nGrizzly bears are not rare, but getting farther from the settlements; black bear and moose\nare plentiful and there are some caribou on the higher reaches of the river. Timber-wolves are\noccasionally seen, but no damage by them has been reported. Coyotes are few and no goats or\nsheep are found. Beaver are increasing with the protection afforded them. Of fur-bearing ani-\n. mais, there are also fox, marten, wolverine, and lynx.\nWhitefish are plentiful in Rocky Mountain Lake, the only considerable lake in the district.\nGrayling are the most generally distributed fish. There are large bull-trout up to 10 lb. in the\nrivers of the Pine basin, and rainbow trout, the latter not plentiful. In the Kiskatinaw there\nis an absence of edible fish.\nI have, etc.,\nA. R. Barrow, B.C.LS.,\nFRASER VALLEY, QUESNEL TO SODA CREEK, CARIBOO DISTRICT.\nBy E. J. Gook.\nQuesnel, B.C., November 26th, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to report on this season's survey operations, which consisted chiefly\nin the survey of scattered pre-emptions recorded throughout that portion of the Cariboo District\nlying from Soda Creek north and east of the Fraser River. Some of these records were of long\nstanding, and with the exception of two, which were temporarily inaccessible, and a few\nunoccupied and unimproved not considered suitable for settlement, the area above mentioned\nis now clear of pre-emptions recorded on unsurveyed land. Any vacant Crow-n land found\nsuitable for agriculture was surveyed into quarter-sections, and in many cases settlers were\nwaiting to take them up. Sections of land previously held under application to purchase, but\nnow lapsed to the Crown, were subdivided by being cut into quarter-sections.\nThe physical characteristics of the large area covered by these many small surveys may be\ndescribed as a long strip of land about 25 miles wide running north and south between the\nFraser and Quesnel Rivers, with the latter's tributary, Beaver Creek, both of which flow to the\nnorth, whilst the Fraser River flowrs to the south. This strip of land rises from each river-\nvalley in varied slopes with benches, forming on top a plateau, in parts broken up by creeks, G 48 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nmeadows, and swamps which drain to their respective valleys. This plateau attains a maximum\nelevation of about 3,000 feet above sea-level, although there are peaks about 500 feet higher.\nTransportation is favourable and varied: Steamboat service on the Fraser River between\nSoda Creek and Prince George. Roads down each valley, with several crossing over between\neach. Rail service is provided by the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, the steel of which is\nrapidly approaching Quesnel, and its operation will no doubt produce addition and improvement\nto the wagon-roads as feeders thereto.\nThe area under report is adjacent to the famous Cariboo gold-mining district, Barkerville,\nKeithley Creek, Hydraulic, etc., and a revival of the mining industry will undoubtedly resuscitate its agricultural development.\nThere are several small areas of timber that the advent of the railway will render\nmarketable, but there is insufficient to promote the lumber industry to any great extent.\nTo characterize generally the soil of such a large area as that operated in this season\u2014\nsome 2,500 square miles\u2014might be misleading to settlers unacquainted with the changing variety\nof soils met with in the Upper Country of this Province, so this feature has been dealt with\nlater on in reporting particularly on the localities in which surveys were made. Being an old-\nsettled district, the possibilities for farming and stock-raising have been long established, and\nthe vigorous policy of removing encumbrances from unoccupied and unimproved surveyed land\nis beginning to transform into bona-fide settlers' homesteads pre-emptions hitherto looked on as\nsantoria by jaded trappers and prospectors. The combination of meadows and pasture land with\ncreameries (one already established by the Government) and a convenient railway form an\noptimistic prospeot indeed.\nThe timber on lands suitable for cultivation is not heavy, and consists for the most part\nof scattered poplar, small spruce, and upland willow, amongst which wild grasses, peavine, and\nvetch grow in profusion. Open fir, occasionally reaching 3 feet in diameter, prevails on hillsides, and sufficient timber for building, fencing, and fuel can be depended on everywhere. Many\nparts have been burnt for a number of years and the second growth consists of light poplar and\nwillow. With the present high prices of labour, etc., the cost of clearing is hard to estimate,\nbut from $30 to $50 per acre might be taken as some indication. Bearing in mind the corresponding increased value of a resulting crop, with hay at $50 to $80 per ton, clearing is undoubtedly\nprofitable.\nThe climate is moderate. Summer from May to September. Warm days with cool nights,\nwith the possibility of light summer frosts which may affect garden crops only at the higher\naltitudes. In the lower valleys there is practically little risk. This fall was exceptionally wet,\nrain prevailing from about September 9th for a month, delaying the getting-in of hay and affecting roads. To date there has been no snow and the weather has been very mild.\nMoose, deer, and bear signs are numerous. Grouse are plentiful, whilst trout abound in\nstreams and lakes, particularly Mud (McLeese) Lake and Big Lake.\nSoda Creek.\nSeveral pre-emptions were surveyed on the high ground north and east of Soda Creek on\nthe other side of a ridge of timber which separates McLeese Lake from the Fraser River. One,\nunoccupied, consisted of a strip of spruce bottom interspersed with small meadows on the\nAlexaudria-Beaver Lake Road, some 9 miles from Soda Creek and 2 miles from the Pacific\nGreat Eastern Railway. The valley in which this is situate looks as if at one time it might\nhave been the outlet for Sheridan Creek. There is an old mining-ditch dug by Chinese along\nthis valley to the Fraser River which is still in a fair state of preservation. The bottom land\nsurveyed is black muck soil, but clearing will be heavy, as there is a dense growth of spruce\nand willow. A few clean spruce up to 14 inches are to be found. There is no other agricultural\nland adjoining. Southward the ground rises to the timber ridge above mentioned. Northward\nit rises in stony burnt-over slopes covered with light poplar to a bench which extends towards\nCuisson Lake and the headwaters of Cuisson Creek. On this bench the growth is very open\npoplar up to 10 inches, with scattered bluffs of spruce. In parts there is a good black soil\nfrom 6 to 12 inches in depth, beyond which the soil is mixed with small sharp pieces of stone.\nAt present this affords good range, but it should be easy to clear and cultivate. There are a\nnumber of sloughs and meadows on this bench. One such had been staked as a pre-emption and\nwas surveyed. It lays about three-quarters of a mile directly north of Mud Lake. There is a\nsteep shale-slope from the bench to the lake, but eastward about a mile up Sheridan Creek a 11 Geo. 5 Fraser Valley, Quesnel to Soda Creek. G 49\ngood grade has been used to cut a hay-road. The meadow could be drained and when cleared\nof willow should afford 30 acres of hay land.\nAnother old pre-emption surveyed consisted of a meadow with a good deal of willow, about\n5 chains wide, along Soda Creek, some 8 miles east of the village of that name. There is\nexcellent summer range in the vicinity but apparently little use is made of it.\nBeaver Lake-Alexandria Road.\nThis road leaves the Cariboo Road at Mile-post 177, some 12 miles north of Soda Creek.\nAt present it is only a second-class road, but as it is the shortest way to the railway from the\nBeaver Lake-Quesnel Forks country it will no doubt increase in importance. Toward Beaver\nLake a number of settlers have taken up land, and a block of three lots was surveyed on White-\nstone Lake, 12 miles west from Beaver Lake. The elevation is 2,600 feet, but the land is easy\nclearing and there are many open spaces that woidd stand cultivation. Around the end of the\nlake to the south about 20 acres of wet slough was included in one lot. By cutting out beaver-\ndams at the north end of the lake it could be sufficiently lowered to transform this area into\nmeadow land.\nAbout 6 miles north-west of Whitestone Lake and west of Fredy Creek a lot was surveyed\nconsisting of a meadow at the foot of what was named Philemon Lake. This place had been\nsquatted on and hay cut some years ago. A returned soldier was prepared to take it up.\n, Beaver Lake.\nFrom Whitestone Lake to Beaver Lake the road runs along what is known as Peavine Ridge,\nand two lots were surveyed here for waiting pre-emptors, one of whom had commenced improvements. The soil is black and when cleared of open poplar should prove profitable to cultivate.\nClose to Beaver Lake the ridge lias been burnt and there is a growth of small poplar. The soil\nbecomes lighter and more stony, but should afford good pasture for the valley holdings, especially\nfor sheep, which are on the increase in this part of the country. There is good water on the\nridge; the elevation averages about 2,600 feet above sea-level.\n\u00ab\nBig Lake.\nSix pre-emptions were surveyed at the east end of Big Lake. Most of them have been\nreported for cancellation, as they appear to have been abandoned. These lots are strung out\nalong a chain of lakes which drain into Big Lake, which latter drains to Beaver Creek. The\nelevation is about 2,500 feet and the growth is fairly open and clearing not difficult. The surface\nis undulating and the grassy slopes afford good pasture. It is well watered and the soil varies\nconsiderably from black peaty muck iu the portions of willow bottom to gravel on some of the\nridges. The medium-coloured loam soil that prevails should, when the land is cleared, be suitable\nfor the cultivation of grain, as has been successfully demonstrated on similar land around Big\nLake. There must have been good crops produced in that neighbourhood at one time, but the\ncultivated lands lying idle evidence the general complaint against the high cost of and the\nuncertainty of labour that is hindering agricultural production.\nOne pre-emption was surveyed at Marguerite Lake, some 6 miles from Big Lake on the\nroad to Soda Creek. It lay between two occupied holdings, and although improvements had\nbeen started it had apparently been abandoned. Good oats and garden produce were raised on\nadjoining land, and the country affords good range.\nKersley.\nThree lots were subdivided at Kersley, some 12 miles south of Quesnel on the Cariboo\nRoad, where there is provision for a railway-station. Each quarter is held under pre-emption\nand most of them are occupied and being improved. The soil is a good loam and clearing is\nnot heavy, most of the country having been burnt over and the second growth is but light\npoplar. This place should become a thriving settlement.\nCottonwood.\nThree miles north from the 10-Mile House on the Quesnel-Barkerville Road a small meadow\nheld under pre-emption was surveyed. Slough-hay had been cut on it during past seasons, but\nit had not been occupied for some time.\nTwo miles farther north on the Cottonwood River a good piece of bottom land was surveyed.\nrrbe only present means of access is by trail, but a road is being cut. Good garden produce is\n4 G 50\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nraised and washing for gold appears to be profitable. There are several mining prospects at\nvarious points on this river receiving attention.\nNorth of the river the.country rises to a lightly timbered bench that extends north and\nwest to the North Fork of the Cottonwood River, indicating a favourable extension eastward in\ntime of the surveys at present existing from 10-Mile Lake north.\nAnother record was surveyed at the junction of Boyd (Chisholm) Creek and the Cottonwood\nRiver, some 3 miles below the Quesnel-Barkerville Road Bridge and Post-office. It is reached\nby means of the Allbau Lake and Willow River Trail. The lot comprised about 35 acres of\nriver-bottom, with a silt soil timbered with scrub spruce and cottonwood. The balance is poplar\nside-hills. There did not appear to be much agricultural land in the vicinity along the river,\nand the plateau above is high, with stony and gravel soil.\nOn the Quesnel River, about 5 miles south from the 13-Mile House on the Barkerville Road,\nwas a pre-emption staked on an abandoned mining claim. The soil is silt along the river and\nproduces grain and vegetables. The side-hills with several small benches slope to the south\nand should raise hay.\nThere appeared to be a stretch of poplar bottom on the other side of the river opposite worth\nsurveying, but the river was too high to cross for a closer inspection. 9\nQuesnel River.\nAt Sardine Flats, 17 miles from Quesnel, on the road to Hydraulic, an additional area was\nsurveyed to a pre-emption and one full lot subdivided. Several settlers have taken up land'in\nthis vicinity the last year or two, and more land suitable for settlement could be found from\nhere up to Beavermouth and on to Beaver Lake. One or two wanted to take up land in the\nvicinity of Joan Lake, but it was found impossible to survey same on this season's schedule.\nOn Beedy Creek, a tributary to Beaver Creek, one pre-emption was surveyed. There is a\ngood piece of poplar bottom partly burnt over along the creek, but the valley here is narrow and\nthere is not much bottom land available. On the bench above the creek there are several open\npatches with good soil. It is well watered. There is no road at present connecting Ben Lake\nwith Beavermouth, only a trail, but one will undoubtedly be opened ere long.\nCottonwood Canyon-Fraser River.\nThree lots were surveyed here on a level bench overlooking the mouth of the canyon about\n150 feet above the Fraser River. A road to the Tertiary Mine passes through each lot. It is\nunderstood that this project, on which considerable money has been spent, has only been\ntemporarily suspended, and its revival should make these lots attractive for settlement. The\nsteamer plying between Prince George and Soda Creek has a stopping-place half a mile away.\nThe growth on these lots is light poplar, pine, etc., with peavine and vetch. The soil is sandy\nloam in places, in others a good dark loam of from 2 to 3 feet in depth. The subsoil is gravel.\nThere is a small creek that runs from a muskeg through willow bottom, eventually reaching the\nFraser River.\nSix-Mile Lake.\nEight full-sized lots were subdivided here. There is every prospect of a good settlement at\nUiis point, as it is only 6 miles from Quesnel and the land is comparatively easy clearing, a\ngreater portion of the area having been burnt over about ten years ago. The elevation is about\n2,400 feet above sea-level and the soil varies, being chiefly a clay loam over clay and gravel subsoils. The growth is poplar, pine, spruce, birch, etc., with many patches of willow bottom. It\nis well watered and to the north there is a large muskeg. Grain and vegetables are raised\nsuccessfully on adjoining holdings. There are a number of pre-emptions recorded on the various\nquarters, but only one is doing anything, and the others are in line for cancellation proceedings.\nThere is good summer range, but on account of the deadfalls in the burut-off portions it is\ndifficult for stock to gain access thereto.\nI have, etc.,\nE. J. Gook, B.C.L.S. 11 Geo. 5 Quesnel and Cariboo Lakes, Cariboo District.\nG 51\nQUESNEL AND CARIBOO LAKES, CARIBOO DISTRICT.\nBy Rupert W. Haggen.\nQuesnel, B.C., November 14th, 1920.\nJ. E. TJmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I beg to submit the following report in connection with surveys made during the past\nseason:\u2014\nThe first work undertaken was a small survey near Soda Creek, after which I moved to\nHarpers Camp, surveying one parcel which was suitable for settlement near the mouth of Horsefly River.\nThe main work consisted of a triangulation of Quesnel Lake, with ties to surveyed timber\nlimits thereon, and a tie to limits on the Upper Clearwater. Upon completion of this I made a\ntie from existing surveys in the vicinity of Quesnel Forks to Kelthley Creek, surveying two\nparcels of land on Cariboo Lake and plotting in the lake. The final work was the survey of\nthree parcels of land, two of which were held by returned soldiers, on Maud and Victoria Creeks,\nin the section of country lying between Quesnel River and the Cariboo (Barkerville) Road.\nThese three sections have not heretofore been dealt with in surveyors' reports. For a\nnumber of years I have heard tales of the great timber wealth of Quesnel Lake, and from the\nnumber of limits staked there some fifteen years ago one would naturally assume that there\nmust be a splendid body of virgin timber. It was a decided disappointment to find this was not\nthe case. Looking at the hillsides from the lake, one sees a dense forest of cedar, spruce, and\nhemlock, the trees ranging from 18 inches to 4 'feet in diameter, so that, from a casual glance,\na cruise of from 10,000 to 20,000 feet per acre might reasonably be anticipated. Upon closer\ninspection it is seen that the tops of the trees, especially the cedar, are dead; and it is strange,\nbut nevertheless true, that practically all the timber is hollow along the entire length of the\nlake. I do not think that any of the cedar is suitable for logging, as the shell is rarely over 6\ninches thick; while a dry-rot appears to develop in the heart of the spruce and hemlock. Whatever timber is available will be of the latter varieties, with patches of fir. I would not care\nto hazard a guess as to what merchantable timber there is in the aggregate along the lake. The\ncruise per acre would nowhere be high, though, and it is doubtful whether, with the amount of\ncull existing, logging could be carried out profitably. I do not know what is the cause for this\npeculiar condition; it can hardly result from insufficient rainfall or from climatic conditions\u2014\nthe altitude of the lake is only 2,250 feet; possibly some necessary ingredient is lacking in the\n\u2022soil. A botanist might be able to deduce the cause; unfortunately the effect is beyond human\nremedy. This condition seems to be quite local, confined to Quesnel and Horsefly Lakes, as the\ntimber on the Clearwater slope, and also on Cariboo Lake, is of good quality.\nThe shores of Quesnel Lake are everywhere hilly, the mountains rising only a few hundred\nfeet at the westerly end; on the North Arm they rise to an altitude of about 7,000 feet, while on\nthe East Arm they attain in the Clearwater Mountains an altitude of 8,500 feet, the summits\nbeing snow-capped and a few small glaciers being visible. The mountain scenery at the head\nof both the North and East Arms is beautiful, though it has not the rugged grandeur of the\nRockies; the Clearwater Mountains compare with the Gold Range in altitudes and general\nappearance.\nThere is no agricultural land along the lake above Horsefly Bay, though the few trappers\nwho live there have nice garden-patches in pockets of rich loam. During the past few seasons\nsplendid catches of fur, chiefly marten and beaver, have been made. The prevailing high prices\nof marten have enabled these men to live comfortably. Trapping is the sole means of livelihood,\nas, although considerable prospecting has been done at different times, no mines have as yet\nbeen discovered. Considerable work has been done on one property on Big River, a tributary of\nthe Clearwater, but it has not been proved. So far as I have been able to see, the prospecting\ndone heretofore has been rather haphazard and insufficient to afford any knowledge as to whether\nthe country is mineralized.\nThere are two water-powers available along the lake; the best of these would be developed\nfrom the dam across the outlet of the lake. Niagara River, near the head of the East Arm,\nhas a flow of 1,000 cubic feet per second, and at the edge of the lake has a fall of 130 feet.\nThis waterfall comes over the upper portion of the rock wall in one body, then divides into five \t\nG 52\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nstreams, and is indeed a pretty picture. However, as a practicable water-power it is too remote\nto be of value. There are also smaller powers available on Roaring River, Grain Creek, and\nSkookumchuck Creek, on the North Arm.\nAs a pleasure resort the lake is spoiled to a considerable extent by having a dam across\nthe outlet; the gates in this dam are of insufficient size to carry the high water, and as a\nconsequence the lake-water extends into the timber along the shores for a considerable portion\nof the summer, covering the beaches and continually washing away the soil from the roots of\nthe trees, these falling and lining the shores of the lake. In the fall, when the water drops,\nthere are some nice beaches along the main lake and the North Arm. The East Arm is more\nprecipitous, the sides of the lake being steep and rocky, with few places at which it is practicable\nto land a boat in stormy weather; and for a surveyor making a triangulation survey a very\ndifficult place to get stations. It was sometimes necessary to take the stations not where most\ndesirable, but in any place where it was possible to land and set an instrument.\nThe East Arm is a bugbear to most people who have travelled the lake. Until this year\nnone of the trappers had boats that were suitable for lake-work, and the lake is inclined to be\nstormy at all seasons. On the East Arm there is nearly always a wind sweeping through the\ngaps in the mountains, and terrific storms will develop in a few minutes, giving no time to reach\nshelter; the precipitous shores sometimes afford no landing-place for several miles, and it is not\nto be wondered at that those who know the lake best are always in a hurry to get through that\nportion lying between Hurricane Point and Niagara. However, with a good boat there is no\noccasion for getting into difficulties.\nQuesnel Dam is renowned as a fishing resort and several well-known people come there\neach year after the trout. In the lake itself there are plenty of fish, varying iii weight from\n2 to 30 lb. There are a few bear, deer, and moose, but it is not a game-hunter's paradise.\nQuesnel Lake is accessible from the 150-Mile House or Williams Lake, or Quesnel, by road,\nand cars can be taken to the dam. There are four motor-boats on the lake now. From the\nhead of the East Arm a good trail leads to Upper Clearwater Lake, 6 miles away. There is only\na low pass, about 200 feet in height above Quesnel Lake, between the two lakes.\nConsiderable areas of forest have been destroyed by fire; after every thunder-storm some\nfires start and the accumulated burns are now of considerable area.\nKeithley Cheek, Cariboo Lake.\nKeithley Creek, the original \" rich diggings\" of the Cariboo, lies 17 miles from Quesnel\nForks, on Cariboo Lake. I traversed the road from the existing surveys to Keithley Creek, and\nalso traversed Cariboo Lake sufficiently to plot it. As is usual in this locality, there is very\nlittle arable land, the country being mountainous, and the only land suitable for crop production\nbeing on the, old wash at the mouths of the creeks. The largest of these deltas is that at the\nmouth of Keithley Creek, where Robert Borland, a pioneer of 1861, himself conducts a store and\nranch. He raises some 30 tons of hay annually and always has a good crop of vegetables,\nKeithley potatoes being famed locally for their excellence, and this in a district that declines\nto take second place to Ashcroft as a producer of mealy tubers. Vegetables grow well on the\nBorland Ranch. Frank Hunter, a returned soldier, has a place at the mouth of Goose Creek,\nacross Cariboo Lake from Keithley Creek, where he also raises a good garden crop. One drawback to farming in this section, however, is the high cost of clearing land; the growth is very\nthick, large spruce-trees rising from a tangle of alder and red willow, while there is a very\nlimited local market for produce. At the present time, with the Kitchener Mine doing considerable construction-work, there is a brisk demand, but ordinarily the market is limited\nindeed. *\nFrom Quesnel Forks the Keithley Road, really a widened trail only, follows the North Fork\nof Quesnel River, of which Cariboo Lake is a widening. There is a nice-looking body of timber,\nconsisting of cedar, spruce, fir, and hemlock, on the south side of the river, this extending into\nCoquette Pass and on to the mountain between the North and South Forks. There is also good\ntimber on Cariboo Lake and, I am informed, along the river above the lake. It seems to be of\ngood quality, the trees where cut being generally solid; there would not be the high percentage\nof cull in this section that there would be on Quesnel Lake.\nThe natural outlet for this timber would be via the Quesnel River to Quesnel, on the Pacific\nGreat Eastern, and sixty-five miles distant. At the present time the question of necessary river-\nimprovement for driving logs is being investigated. 11 Geo. 5 Quesnel and Cariboo Lakes, Cariboo District. G 53\nThe sole industry at Keithley Creek is hydraulic mining. The creek has been a good producer and at present work is progressing on the Kitchener Mine. Heretofore this ground has\nbeen worked as a drifting proposition, but now a large water-supply system is being constructed.\nFrom Keithley Creek trails, run to Harvey Creek, where a mine was at one time operated and\nalso up the Creek to Snowshoe Creek, and thence to Barkerville. The miners who live around\nKeithley have faith in the camp\u2014no man would be in a mining camp if he did not\u2014and there\nis always a certain annual production.\nA few years ago some pre-emptors staked swamp meadows at the head of Cariboo Lake.\nHowever, these were never occupied, and I do not consider that they are suitable for settlement,\nowing to the long duration of flood, lack of accessibility, and impracticability of draining them\nfor cutting hay. They are very boggy and the sedge-grass on them is of very poor quality. I\ndid not feel justified in surveying these as lands suitable for settlement.\nClimatically, Cariboo Lake has much heavier precipitation than Quesnel Lake or the Quesnel\nValley, the snow being deep every winter and usually lying for over five months.\nCariboo Lake and the North Fork of Quesnel River are good places for big game, moose\nand caribou being very plentiful. The former are easily hunted with boats, while the caribou\nare usually high on the hills. Beaver appear to be numerous. I do not know how the fur-\ncatches have beeu latterly, but marten would in all probability be quite plentiful. Bear and\nmoose are frequently in the field at Mr. Borland's; in fact, one moose made the ranch her\nhome this spring and summer. The moose is as tame as the domestic cow during a considerable\nportion of the year, and about as interesting to hunt. The photographer will be able to get\nsome genuine sport and some very interesting big-game pictures in this locality or at Bowron\nLake, near Barkerville.\nCariboo Lake is very poor for fish. There are falls on the river that seem to be impassable\nand prevent them reaching the lake.\nThe mountains around Keithley Creek extend to an altitude of about 7,000 feet, the summits\nbeing above timber line and generally rounded and easy to travel. There is a post-office, with a\nweekly mail service at Keithley Creek.\nMaud and Victoria Creeks.\nSome 12 to 15 miles along the water-conduit from Swift River to Hydraulic there are\nnumerous patches of open hillside where the soil is a rich loam; these hillsides facing to Chiaz,\nMaud, and Victoria Creeks. One settler, Alfred Sundberg, has built a good home on Victoria\nCreek and raises 30 to 50 tons of timothy-hay annually.\nA road runs from Hydraulic to Sundberg's and also to the dam on Swift River; a trail leads\nto Maud Creek, thence to Quesnel Forks; another trail leads from Victoria Creek to Cottonwood,\n27 miles distant on the Barkerville Road, and a third trail, now fallen into disuse, from Swift\nRiver to Stanley.\nThe section is subject to severe summer frost, some years proving fatal to the potato-crop,\nbut hardier vegetables are grown successfully. There is sufficient precipitation to make irrigation unnecessary.\nHowever, it must be borne in mind that the locality is remote; there is no dependable market\navailable, and it is not a locality that is suitable for agriculture under present conditions. Stock\nwould do all right, but there would be a long season in which to feed, and a hay-crop of 1%\ntons per head would be necessary. There is excellent summer range, a luxuriant growth of\ngrass and vetches covering the country. At the present time the moose is making good use of\nit, and we saw moose every day in the locality.\nOwing to the floods\u2014the creeks exceeded the spring level\u2014I was unable to get to Redwater\nCreek to survey a pre-emption there. Swift River and Victoria Creek were both in high flood.\nIn general, the past season has been a busy one in all lines of work in the district.\nUnfortunately the heavy rains in the fall were responsible for severe crop losses among the\nfarmers and a sudden drop of about 25 per cent, in the price of beef was felt severely by the\nstockmen.\nWith the'opening-up of the Cariboo by the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, outside markets\nare becoming accessible, and the necessity of producing finished products in the industries for\nwhich the district is suited is apparent. A creamery has been erected in Quesnel, to be operated under Government supervision\nduring the coming year, and through the arrangements of the Department of Agriculture the\nsettlers have been enabled to obtain dairy stock. Dairying as the base of mixed farming is thus\ngiven an opportunity to develop, and the district is well suited for it If this proves successful,\npresumably other dairies will be erected and an inducement thereby given to settlers throughout\nthe district to produce and make good on their places. A number of returned men have taken\nup farms in the Cariboo under the Soldier Settlement Board and are doing well. Agriculture\nand stock-raising will be the permanent industries employing most people; mining and lumbering\nwill undoubtedly also develop to a certain extent.\nI have, etc.,\nRupert W. Haggen, B.C.L.S., D.L.S.\nNAZKO AND CHILCOTIN VALLEYS, CARIBOO DISTRICT.\nBy W. C. Merston.\nVictoria, B.C., October 26th, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report on the surveys made by me in the\nCariboo District during the past season:\u2014\nEarly in June I proceeded by way of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway to Quesnel. The\njourney was interesting from a pioneer point of view, but at that time speed was a secondary\nconsideration. I outfitted at Quesnel, hiring local men for team and axe work. My party left\nQuesnel on June 3rd and spent the first month surveying wild-hay lands around the headwaters\nof Baker Creek. The second and third months were spent surveying grazing lands in the Nazko\nValley, and the last month, September, was devoted to running tie-lines in the Chilcotin country.\nIn all, 3^311 acres and 56 miles of tie-line were surveyed, and topography was taken over 2,000\nsquare miles of country.\nThe Headwaters of Baker Creek.\nAbout 25 miles from Quesnel, on the Nazko Wagon-road, a branch road forks to the south,\npasses by Quandstrom's pre-emption (Lot 9506), and runs to Tibbie's Pre-emption (Lot 9511).\nFrom the south-east corner of the latter lot I commenced my season's work.\nThe country between Tibbie's pre-emption and the headwaters of Baker Creek consists of\na plateau some 12 miles long by 8 or 9 miles wide. This plateau is bounded on the east by a\nrange of hills running back from and parallel with the Fraser River; on the west by the main\nhills of the Nazko Divide, rising to an elevation of approximately 7,000 feet; on the south by\nundulating hills which divide the headwaters of Baker Creek from the headwaters of Narcosli\nCreek. Three main tributaries run in a northerly direction through this plateau, and are locally\ncalled: South Creek, which is the main South Fork of Baker Creek, rising a few miles from\nthe headwaters of Narcosli Creek; Middle Creek, which runs through the centre of the plateau\nand heads from a large lake marked on the maps as Tzenxaicut Lake; and Mountain Creek,\nwhich runs along the eastern edge of the plateau. This creek is not as large as either Middle\nor South Creek.\nThe valley of South Creek is in most places narrow. To the west pine-covered hills rise\nsteeply and run back to the main Nazko Divide. To the east the hills rise less steeply to a low\ndivide between South and Middle Creeks. In places the valley widens, leaving natural wild\nhay meadows through which runs the creek. Two quarter-sections were surveyed in this valley.\nFurther work was made impossible by the high water which prevails in June. Ten miles below\nTibbie's pre-emption the South Fork turns to the west, running in this direction some 5 miles\nbefore again turning to the south. Running down South Creek is an old Indian trail, in many\nplaces very difficult to follow. This trail follows South Creek to its headwaters; then crosses\na low divide to the headwaters of Narcosli Creek and runs on to Alexandria. Along the trail\nare numerous hay meadows which at present have not been taken up or surveyed. Altogether\nabout 750 acres of open swamp-bay meadows were found along this trail. The best of these\nwere on the headwaters of Narcosli Creek. 11 Geo. 5 Nazko and Chilcotin Valleys, Cariboo District. G 55\nMiddle Creek runs out of Tzenxaicut Lake and runs parallel with and about 2 miles to the\neast of South Creek, joining the South Fork of Baker Creek about 2 miles to the west of\nPuntataenkut Lake.\nTzenxaicut Lake lies at an elevation of approximately 2,850 feet and is some 8 miles long\nand 3 miles wide. Steep jack-pine covered hills rise from the lake-shore to an elevation of\n400 feet, or 500 feet above the lake. From the east end of the lake a trail runs to Kersley and\nfrom the west end a trail follows down Middle Creek. There is no trail around the lake, but\nthe Indians who use this lake extensively for putting up their winter supply of fish have canoes\ncached at either end. Middle Creek where it flows out of the lake is approximately 15 feet wide,\n1 foot deep, and flows over a pebbly bottom at about 5 miles an hour.\nThe formation of the valley of Middle Creek is very similar to that of South Creek. The\nvalley, generally speaking, is narrow and in 'places widens, leaving good hay meadows in the\nbottom. Of these, five were surveyed this season and there are still three meadows growing\ngood hay which could be surveyed in the fall. During the past years the hay of several of these\nmeadows has been cut by settlers living on Baker Creek.\nAbout 3 miles to the east of Middle Creek runs Mountain Creek, which drains the eastern\nside of the plateau and runs into Baker Creek about 4 miles east of Puntataenkut Lake. Along\nthis creek and on some of its smaller tributaries are good hay meadows, the best of which were\nsurveyed this season. In all, approximately 2,600 acres of good swamp-hay meadow were\nfound around the headwaters of Baker Creek, or which 1,634 acres were surveyed. The\nremainder should be surveyed in the fall of the year, when the waters are low.\nThe plateau is served by a good wagon-road which runs from Cooper's pre-emption (Lot\n9512) south along Middle Creek for a distance of about 8 miles, when it crosses Middle Creek\nand runs to Townsend Lake. Trails radiate from here to the various hay meadows in the\nlocality.\nThe headwaters of Baker Creek form essentially a small cattle country, growing plenty of\nhay to winter some 2,000 head of cattle; its chief drawback is lack of a good spring range. There\nare several settlers in this part of the country; two of these, Quandstrom and Tibbie, are married\nand have large families. At present there are not sufficient children to have a school in the\ndistrict, but it is expected that a school will be started next year, which will be attended by\nsome of the children from the Nazko Valley. Supplies for this part of the country are easily\nobtained from Quesnel over a second-class Government road.\nThe settlers, besides raising cattle and horses, have gone in to a certain extent for small\nmixed farming. Quandstrom has cleared a few acres of jack-pine land and now grows good\npotatoes and vegetables, besides keeping chickens and cows for domestic purposes.\nGame of all kind is very plentiful. Several moose, deer, and black bear were seen, while\nfresh tracks of all kinds were seen daily. Trout and whitefish are plentiful in South and\nMiddle Creeks, but will not take a fly in June, when the water is high.\nBaezaeko Valley.\nOn completing my work around Baker Creek I moved to the Nazko, and then on to the\nBaezaeko Valley, where I surveyed a pre-emption belonging to A. McKenzie. Around the junction of the Coglistico and Baezaeko are several good hay meadows which at present are occupied\nby Nazko Indians, who have erected some miles of fencing and have put up log cabins. Any\nwhite man attempting to take up these lands w^ould receive considerable hostile treatment from\nthe present Indian squatters.\nThe Baezaeko at its junction with the Coglistico is about 150 feet wide, and in July had an\naverage depth of 2% feet. The river flows at about 6 miles an hour over a hard pebble bottom.\nFrom the junction of the Coglistico down, the Baezaeko runs for about 10 miles through a barren\nvalley which is useless for any sort of agriculture. Some 4 miles before the Baezaeko enters\nthe Blackwater the valley widens, leaving some large tracts of level land on either side of the\nriver. Some of this has been used by Joe Spiers, a settler lower down the Blackwater. He has\nerected fences and has built a wagon-road from the Nazko to a cabin he has erected on the\nBaezaeko. He is waiting for the land to be surveyed to make application for a pre-emption\nrecord. Two good quarter-sections could be surveyed here. The soil is a rich brown loam, at\npresent growing peavine and wild timothy. Spiers has cut hay here for the last few years for\nwinter feed for his stock. G 56 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nThe Baezaeko River above the Coglistico runs through a flat about. 2 miles long by half a\nmile wide, the greater portion of which is held under Indian Lease No. 175. Above this the\nriver runs through a barren country and no land fit for agriculture was found.\nCoglistico Valley.\nA tie-line was run from the Baezaeko Valley, following the Kluskus Sleigh-road up the\nCoglistico Valley to the 124th meridian, some 10 miles distant. The valley throughout this\ndistance is narrow; the sides slope up steeply and are heavily covered with small jack-pine.\nNo horse-feed was found between the Baezaeko Valley and a small meadow lying at the 124th\nmeridian, and this piece of country is valueless for agriculture.\nRed River Valley.\nFrom the juuction of the Baezaeko and the Coglistico a trail runs to Lot 6715 (McKenzie's\npre-emption). It follows through the meadow on this pre-emption; then crosses a low divide\nto Red River Lake, about half a mile away. This lake is about 1% miles long by three-quarters\nof a mile wide and is extensively used by the Indians for fishing. Running out of the east end\nis Red Creek, which flows into the Nazko. A good trail follows down the creek and about half\na mile from the lake passes through a good natural hay meadow which has not been surveyed.\nA good quarter-section could be put in here. Some 3 miles farther down the creek passes through\nmore open laud, where another good quarter-section could be surveyed. The valley here is wide\nand to the north the side-hills are open and grow good feed, chiefly wormwood. Cattle from\nthe Nazko come up into this valley for the spring feed.\nA 3-foot seam of soft bituminous coal crops out on the side-hill here and is used by the\nsettlers for blacksmith-work and heating. There is also a small outcrop of iron ore, which stains\nmost of the country and covers the water of Red Creek a ruddy brown.\nNazko Valley.\nOn completion of my work in the Baezaeko country my party moved back to the Nazko and\nsurveyed 1,620 acres of hay and grazing lands into quarter-sections. The Nazko Valley, in which\nthese surveys were made, was described in detail in my report of last, year (see Annual Report\nMinister of Lands, 1919). ' From Lot 6718 a tie-line was run to a meadow taken up by Mrs. Went-\nworth some 5 miles to the east of the Nazko Valley. An old wagon-road was found leading to\nthis pre-emption. It was much blocked by deadfall and took us two days to cut out. This preemption was surveyed as Lot 6720. The country to the east was explored as far as the Nazko-\nBaker Creek Divide and several open tracts were seen from the hills. These ou closer examination all proved to be large muskegs and of no use for agriculture. It would be an easy matter\nto construct a wagon-road from Mrs. Wentworth's pre-emption through to the headwaters of\nBaker Creek, thus linking up the hay meadows of the headwaters of Baker Creek District with\nthe good spring and summer grazing lands of the Nazko Valley.\nThe country between Mrs. Wentworth's pre-emption and the hills of the Baker Creek Divide\nis undulating and is covered with small jack-pine, through which are scattered many large open\nswamps and muskegs. This area is quite valueless, as the soil has been burned away by\nnumerous bush fires, leaving a rocky surface with practically no soil.\nOn completion of the survey of Lot 6720 my party returned to the Nazko Valley. A new\nwagon-road has been cut up the valley to Lot 6720, and I continued this road some 6 miles to\nthe foot of a lake known locally as Nazko Lake. This is not the same Nazko Lake as is shown\non the maps, the latter being at the headwaters of the Nazko River. From the end of the wagon-\nroad we built a raft and moved to the top end of the lake, where we completed our surveys in\nthe valley. In places this lake is very shallow, with a hard bottom, and good progress was made\nby hitching our team of horses to the raft and towing it up the lake.\nNazko-Chilcotin Road.\nAt the end of August we left the Nazko and proceeded some 100 miles to Chezacut. An old\nwagon-road follows the Clisbako River for some miles and then continues on to the Chilcotin.\nThe first 40 miles of this road had not been used by a wagon for six years and took us two days\nto cut out. The road makes no attempt to follow any particular grade and was originally located\nup and down hills, where was the least amount of chopping. Four horses were just able to pull\na load of about 1,400 lb. over this road. 11 Geo. 5 Nazko and Chilcotin Valleys, Cariboo District. G 57\nAt Lot 3431 another wagon-road branches to the east and runs down to Christie's Preemption (Lot 3435). The Christie Bros, have cut out a road from here in a north-easterly\ndirection for about 10 miles to a large hay meadow, where they have erected a log house and\nhave put in numerous improvements. This meadow is approximately 4 miles from the Nazko\nValley. The Christies are waiting for this piece to be surveyed in order to take it up. Along\nthe 10 miles of wagon-road that they have built are several smaller hay meadows; in all, approximately 600 acres well worth surveying. The country as a whole is valueless, excepting for the\nhay meadows which are scattered between the low-lying jack-pine covered ridges.\nOn leaving the Christie's place (Lot 3435) the Chilcotin Road crosses a flat for about a\nmile and then commences to climb the hills of the Nazko-Chilcotin Divide. The road winds\nthrough a natural pass and at no place is the grade excessive. Four miles from the commencement of the climb the summit is reached at an elevation of approximately 5,000 feet. Beyond\nthe summit the road falls steeply, and at a distance of about 3 miles passes through some good\nhay meadows which have been surveyed as Lot 4756. Here a wagon-road forks; one branch to\nthe left passes by Loomis and Goring's pre-emption (Lot 4799) and continues to Alexis Creek;\nthe other forks to the right and runs to Chezacut. This road passes through some miles of open\nflat hay land which has all been taken up and on which settlers put up many tons of hay each\nyear. Four days were spent in the Chezacut country running tie-lines between existing surveys.\nPuntzi Lake Country.\nOn completion of this wrork I moved to Puntzi Lake, where I commenced running a tie-line\neast, connecting previous surveys. A valley runs from Puntzi Lake in a north-easterly direction\nfor a distance of about 10 miles to a large plateau which runs back to the foot-hills of the Atchi\nMountains. This plateau is fairly level. Low jack-pine covered ridges divide the numerous\ncreeks which flow from the foot-hills and eventually drain into the Chilcotin River. Along many\nof these creeks are good hay meadowls, all of which are cut each year by the Redstone Indians,\nwho have done much work in this part of the country and rather consider it as their own.\nThe majority of the meadows have been fenced and cabins erected by the Indians. The plateau,\nwhich lies at an elevation of approximately 3,500 feet above sea-level, is valueless, excepting for\nits hay meadows. The only timber seen was small 3- to 4-inch jack-pine and a small quantity of\n9- to 12-inch bull-pine.\nThis country is honeycombed with good Indian-built wagon-roads. All the meadows are\nconnected and roads have been built down the creeks to Chezacut and Puntzi Lakes. Another\ngood wagon-road connects Chezacut and Puntzi Lakes and runs to the main road near the\nRedstone Indian Reserve. Outside the Indians there is only one settler in this country, a\nGerman, who lives on Lot 261.\nMany cattle were seen grazing on the open flats, chiefly Indian, with a few owned by white\npeople. The difficulty of cattle-raising here appears to be that the country is so large that it is\nvery difficult to round up the beef when they are required. While I was in this country several\nIndians were met who had been hunting their cattle and horses for some days without success.\nNo game were seen on this plateau, chiefly owing to the number of Indians who shoot both\nin and out of season.\nOn completing my work I proceeded to Alexis Creek, where my work for the season\nterminated.\nI lvave, etc.,\nW. C. Merston, B.C.L.S. G 58 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nSOUTH-WEST OF BIG CREEK, LILLOOET DISTRICT.\nBy G. R. Bagshawe.\nWilliams Lake, B.C., January 7th, 1921.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit report on surveys made in the early summer to the south\nand west of Big Creek, Chilcotin.\nOur first work was the tying-in of some meadows surveyed by myself the previous fall and\nknown as \" Tretheway's Meadows.\" They are situated on Tete Angola Creek, a tributary of the\nWhitewater (Taseko River)- One of the claims is occupied by Louis Vedun as a pre-emption.\nOur instructions were to connect this survey to Lot 3233, Lillooet, the most westerly survey of\nthe Big Creek system. It was also desired to run the tie-line along a road connecting these\nmeadows with John Robinson's ranch, Big Creek, the most outlying farm in the settlement.\nA road has been built by Robinson to Lot 3233, on which his wife had pre-empted some years\nago, and in the summer of 1919 Vedon cut a road from his pre-emption to join Robinson's road\nabout 6 miles out from the latter's ranch. Leaving Robinson's house, the road runs through oat-\nfields for a mile, and then climbs through the timber to descend later in a long steep hill to the\nWest Fork of Big Creek, locally known as Robinson Creek, which it follows. About 6 miles\nfrom the ranch the creek forks, the South Fork coming from Lot 3233, due south, whilst the\nnorth valley continues south-west. Vedon's road commences here and follows the latter valley\nto a cabin 3 miles farther on, where our traverse-line struck it. Robinson's road swings south\nand the party followed it to camp, about a mile below Mrs. Robinson's pre-emption.\nWe commenced our tie from the north-east corner and ran a line north-westerly to hit\nVedon's road as soon as possible. The north-west corner would have been nearer, but we were\ninformed that the running was bad and the country unsuitable for pack-horses. We afterwards\nfound this to be incorrect. Our line hit Vedon's road close to the cabin above mentioned, known\nas Halfway Cabin.\nA narrow meadow runs along the bottom of the valley and here the road crosses from the\nnorth to the south side. There is also a blind trail blazed on the north side, but this should\nbe avoided.\nStriking through the timber for a mile, the main road debouches on the edge of a second\nlong meadow, along the north side of which it follows for iy.2 miles to enter the timber again at\nthe foot of a long hill. Two miles farther the summit is reached. The mountain-top a little to\nthe right gives an extensive view of the surrounding country. Down below to the left of the road\nis Fish Lake, about three-quarters of a mile long.\nFor 3 miles the road descends till it reaches a large flat, skirting the south side of a chain,\nof meadows to Vedon's homestead. The largest of these meadows is about 1% miles square,\nwith smaller ones at the south-west and easterly ends. There is about 2,000 acres of open land\naltogether. Vedon's claim at the south-west contains some fine hay land lying on Tete Angola\nCreek. The large central portion is mostly peat-swamp, with patches of good land. A lake\nat the east end has some good meadow on its shore which would be suitable for settlement.\nOn the swamp the grass grows in bunches, or \" nigger-heads,\" which rise above the snow\nand make good winter feed for stock. There is a lake at the north edge of the large central\nswamp and a smaller one half a mile south-east.\nFish Lake drains into them and they in turn drain into Tete Angola Creek. The latter\nwinds a slow course along the western edge of the meadows.\nThe land here is probably 4,000 feet elevation, but we had no reliable means of estimating\nit. To the north-west the land falls away to the Whitewater River and is timbered with pine\nand poplar, with large open spaces. It is purely a stock country, being too high for grain to\nripen. Vedon has a small vegetable-garden. Potatoes were a failure last year.\nTete Angola Creek is full of trout and Indians come in the fall to catch and smoke them.\nWith a basket trap 70 lb. were taken out in one night.\nCopper Creek.\nA claim was surveyed here for A. Piltz, who is located on a large meadow, with a lake to\nthe north end. The ranch is about 20 miles south of Big Creek Post-office, from which there is 11 Geo. 5 Vicinity of Horsefly and Williams Lake. G 59\na good wagon-road. The farm is well planned with corral and good buildings and a considerable\namount of ditching and fencing has been done.\nFrom here we ran a traverse to some meadows 7 miles to the south-west. A rough wagon-\nroad gives access to them, crossing Big Creek 4 miles from Piltz's ranch. These are small hay\nmeadows which were surveyed into 40-acre lots.\nFour miles down Cooper Creek from Piltz's ranch is a chain of three small meadows of 15\nto 20 acres each, which we also laid off in 40-acre lots.\nThe valley of Cooper Creek runs through a rough mountainous country, the lower lands\nbeing rolling and timbered with jack-pine and occasionally poplar. In the valley itself are a\nfew meadows, all of which are now surveyed. Above Piltz's ranch, where our traverse crossed\nit, Big Creek cuts a deep valley, almost a canyon, and has a heavy fall.\nThe district is of high altitude and is essentially a stock country.\n, I have, etc.,\nG. R. Bagshawe, B.C.L.S.\nVICINITY OF HORSEFLY AND WILLIAMS LAKE, CARIBOO.\nBy G. R. Bagshawe.\nWilliams Lake, B.C., January 5th, 1921.\nJ. E. Umbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit report on surveys made by me in the vicinity of Horsefly\nand Williams Lake, Cariboo District.\nThe work consisted in the survey of land held under old pre-emption records and also of\nparcels upon which intending settlers wished to file. The operations in the Horsefly were carried\non in August and September, from Harpers Camp as base. The weather was very unsettled.\nMoffat Creek.\nThe first survey was made for L. Walters on Moffat Creek, about 13 miles south from\nHarpers Camp, or 19 miles following the road. The land here is high and rolling, covered with\njack-pine and poplar, interspersed with peat-swamps and occasional hay meadows. The best\nway in is by the road to 108-Mile House. About a mile above Mcintosh Lake a road leads off\nto the east, past Mikelson's ranch, for about 5 miles; from the end of this wagon-road a trapper's\ntrail leads to Walter's pre-emption 2 miles farther in. At the north-east corner of this claim\nis a small lake out of which flows Moffat Creek. There is a small stand of pine and spruce\nsouth of this lake, but we did not examine its extent.\nBells Lake and Skunk Cref.k.\nTravelling the 150-Mile House Road from Harpers Camp for 5 miles, a wagon-road leads off\nto the left to Bells Lake, about a mile distant. There are three ranches round the lake, located\nin good hay meadows. One of these we surveyed. Farther back are several small meadows of\nvarying size. Whilst staying here we were requested to survey a lot on Skunk Creek for a prospective settler.\nSkunk Creek parallels the Horsefly Road on the north side in a deep valley, in the bottom\nof which is a strip of meadow 3 to 4 chains wide. Across the valley is a rolling country timbered\nwith poplar and jack-pine. Half a mile below our survey Skunk Creek joins Gravel Creek in\nan open meadow upon which hay was being cut. I am informed that in this valley the snow\nmelts considerably earlier than in the surrounding country.\nUpper Horsefly River.\nIt heing necessary to go up the Horsefly River to amend a survey on Woodjam Creek, we\nwere .requested to survey three parcels for intending pre-emptors. The river at Harpers Camp\nis some 200 feet wide. Following up-stream for the first 2 miles, it runs through a wide valley\nwith meadows on each side, in a horse-shoe bend, concave to north.\nThis land has long been settled and farmed. Continuing up-stream, the river bends to the\nright, thus making a complete letter S, and the valley narrows down, with high benches along\nthe sides, till Sucker Creek is reached, some 3 miles farther. For the next 3 miles the river G 60\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nflows with a heavy fall through a deep canyon. Above the canyon the valley opens out again\nto a width of quarter to half a mile and continues thus for 8 miles, as far as the party went.\nWoodjam Creek enters the main river from the south a mile above the canyon, forming a\nlarge meadow flat at the junction. The bed of the main valley is almost level and forms one\nlong meadow about 30 chains wide, through which the river flows at 3 miles an hour (September).\nThe soil is a deep fine silt, in which the stream has cut a channel some 8 feet deep and 100 feet\nwide. The course of the river takes many turns, making a traverse 40 per cent. longer than a\ndirect line. Of this more later. There are also numerous horse-shoe sloughs leading from and\nback to the river, showing the position of old channels. At the time of survey the river was\nabout 5 feet deep and fords at intervals. There are several ranchers in the valley, Mr. McKenzie,\nof the Woodjam, owning the largest. The main crop on the bottom lands is hay, the soil being\ntoo cold to grow grain successfully on account of floods. On the benches above, however, can\nbe grown excellent oats and garden produce. Albert Patenaude, 6 miles above Woodjam, has a\nfine garden, in which we saw potatoes up to 3y2 lb. weight.\nIrrigation is not necessary, but may be employed to advantage in dry seasons. The greatest\ndrawback to the whole valley is the backing-up of the river at high water, and of still more\nconcern is the slowness with which it escapes again. Our attention was called to this several\ntimes, and the ranchers are most anxious that an examination be made to see if it cannot be\nremedied by cutting a deeper channel at the top of the canyon.\nFrom my own observation there appeared to be two matters for consideration: First, the\ntrouble in the upper reaches seems to be that the water cannot drain away fast enough owing to\nthe very slight fall of the river, which, judging by the flow, is some 2 to 3 feet per mile along its\ncourse. This, owing to the many turns, would give a fall of 4 feet if the river were straightened.\nIn one place it travels three-quarters of a mile around a bend, the ends of which are only a\nquarter of a mile apart. If a straight ditch were cut through the soft silt the water would soon\nwash a new channel with three times the fall of the old one. By an extensive use of this method\na great improvement could be made in all but the lower part of the valley, some 3 miles above\nthe canyon or 2 above the Woodjam Ranch, which would be in a worse position than at present.\nTo allow the water to escape it would be necessary to open a deeper and wider channel at the\ntop of the canyon.\nThe valley appears to have been at one time the bed of a lake, clammed up by a slide of rock\nthrough which the river has now cut to form a gorge. This slide forms a wall of rock over which\nthe river flows as over a dam, the bed below falling away on a grade of about 0.6 per cent. For\nthree-quarters of a mile above the water is almost stagnant, some 7 feet deep on a silt bottom.\nAt the request of the settlers I took,, on my way back to Harpers Camp, levels for a distance of\n200 feet above and 500 feet below the top of the canyon, with a view to seeing the feasibility of\ncutting a deeper channel. A profile and cross-section will be forwarded as soon as prepared.\nI consider this one of the finest stretches of meadow land in the district and one which\nwould well repay expense in improving. The valley is about 2,400 feet elevation.\nWoodjam Creek.\nWoodjam Creek drains into the Horsefly about 9 miles above Harpers Camp by river or\niy2 by road. There are some good open flats along the lower mile or two, some of which have\nbeen ploughed and cropped with grain. The valley becomes narrower farther up, but there is\nstill some fair bottom land vacant. .Three miles above the mouth a pre-emption was surveyed\nby J. B. Patenaude. Above this the creek runs through a rough timbered country.\nNorth Side of Horsefly River.\nThere is a stretch of good land on the north side of the Horsefly Valley, drained by the\nSucker and Marten Creeks. Some of this is surveyed, but there is still a large unsurveyed area\nsuitable for settlement, containing a number of hay meadows. One of these was surveyed by\nT. R. Greer. I understand that there are other locations equally good.\nRoads.\nThere is a newly constructed road from Harpers Camp to a mile above Woodjam. This is\nnot shown on the map, but follows the Marten Creek Road for 3V2 miles before striking off to\nthe right along the high benches north of the river, to which it descends opposite Woodjam. A 11 Geo. 5 Vicinities of Bradley Creek and Timothy Mountain. G 61\nferry at this point, under construction last September, should now be completed, giving access\nto Woodjam Creek. The main road follows the side-hill north of the river and a mile farther\nup the completed road ends. A wagon-road built by settlers continues up the valley.\nTowns, Schools, and Post-offices.\nHarpers Camp is the nearest town and consumes all the produce raised. It has a settled\npopulation of about 100, besides being the headquarters for the district. The school, postal and\ntelegraph office are located here. A stage runs weekly with mail to Williams Lake, on the Pacific\nGreat Eastern, 46 miles distant by way of 150-Mile House.\nClimate.\nThe Horsefly country has a greater rainfall than that farther west and irrigation is not\nnecessary. There is a somewhat heavy snowfall which remains late in spring. The moist\nclimate makes a thick vegetation and the heavy growth of grass and peavine give excellent\nsummer range for stock. The heavy snowfall makes winter feeding necessary.\nThe Horsefly and Beaver Valleys are well adapted for dairying and mixed farming, but\nthe high land to the south is essentially a stock country.\nGame.\nBear-tracks were seen continually, but few deer. On several occasions the lines ran through\nnew beaver-workings, the beaver being plentiful along all the creek flats. Harpers Camp is a\nbig trapping centre, the furs being mostly mink, marten, red fox, and coyote.\nWilliams Lake.\nIn October the party moved to Williams Lake and surveyed three pre-emptions some 7\nmiles to the north on the old Soda Creek -Road. These consisted of hay meadows about 2,700\nfeet elevation.\nFraser Valley.\nA pre-emption was surveyed for M. Duffly between the mouths of Williams Lake Creek and\nChimney Creek. It contains some good bench land and a spring, but is difficult of access, the\nbest route being via a trail along the river from Isnard's ranch at Chimney Creek. I am\ninformed that there is a trail direct over the mountain from AVilliams Lake, but it is very\nrough, descending some 1,000 feet down to the Fraser.\nMeldrum Creek.\nA survey was made for E. B. Stowell a mile south of Meldrum Creek, in a poplar and jack-\npine country, with occasional small meadows. A wagon-road is under construction along the\nriver-side from near the mouth of Meldrum Creek to the Chimney Creek Suspension Bridge. At\npresent about 4 miles are completed.\nI have, etc.,\nG. R. Bagshawe, B.C.L.S.\nVICINITIES OF BRADLEY CREEK, BRIDGE CREEK, AND TIMOTHY MOUNTAIN,\nNORTH-EAST LILLOOET DISTRICT.\nBy W. S. Drewry.\nVictoria, B.C., January 7th, 1921.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014In conformity with your instructions dated May 26th, 1920, a party was organized\nand we proceeded to Bradley Creek Valley, in North-eastern Lillooet District, by way of the\nCariboo and Canim Lake Roads. At about Mile IS from 100-Mile House a road branches from\nCanim Lake Road and leads northerly 2% miles to Ruth Lake. From this point the road has\nbeen continued about a mile, again reaching an arm of Ruth Lake, from which point a trail leads\nnorth about 2 miles to Bradley Creek, into which Ruth Lake discharges at the trail crossing\nthrough a small creek about a mile long. 62\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nBradley Creek is in the gutter of a great trough which extends from near the west end\nof Murphy (Eagle) Lake, southerly and easterly to the valley of Murphy Creek, about a mile\nabove its debouchment into Canim Lake, some 7 miles from its easterly end.\nThe whole trough is, however, not occupied by Bradley Creek, which has its sources on the\nnorth and east slopes of Little Timothy Mountain, and enters the trough about 13 miles from\nMurphy Creek, flowing into a shallow pond formed by a beaver-dam. A creek also comes into\nthis pond along the trough, but is small and only some three-quarters of a mile long. At the\nhead of this stream there is a flat divide, north of which the water apparently runs to Murphy\nLake.\nFrom the beaver-pond mentioned above Bradley Creek flows south about a mile and forms\nBedingfield Lake, about a mile long and half a mile wide, occupying the whole width of the\nvalley. Thence the stream flows southerly and easterly about 9 miles to Hawkins Lake, which\nin turn discharges into Murphy Creek through a channel somewhat less than a mile long.\nAbove Hawkins Lake for about 2 miles the valley is about a quarter of a mile wide, beyond\nwhich it broadens, attaining half a mile in width in places.\nThere is considerable first-class black loam bottom land, partly in willow swales and meadow,\nwith open poplar and pine flats adjoining. The hill-slopes on either side rise quite sharply from\nthe valley in some parts; but at many points the slopes are easy, all being generally covered\nwith a luxuriant growth of grasses and plants, including bunch-grass, peavine, aud lupine, among\nthe scattered firs which usually grow on the ridges.\nTaken as a whole, it is considered that this valley is eminently suitable to dairying and\ngrazing; while its altitude of about 2,700 feet above sea permits the growing of grains and\ngarden vegetables, such as potatoes, peas, beets, carrots, turnips, lettuce, radishes, etc., which\nare successfully growii on Lots 3920 and 4993, the former at the east end of Hawkins Lake and\nthe latter about 5 miles above.\nIf the wagon-road constructed to Ruth Lake is extended about 2 miles to Bradley Creek,\nthere is little doubt that most of these bottom lands would be settled in a very short time, as\nduring the period of survey several prospective settlers looked over the country and expressed\nthemselves as satisfied with its character, but complained of present difficulty of access by trail.\nFrom Lot 4993, where the proposed wagon-road would reach the creek, a sleigh-road passable\nfor wagons has been cut by settlers for a distance of more than 5 miles up the valley.\nThe water of Bradley Creek is very good, and several small spring creeks flow in on either\nside, the sources of which are probably small lakes lying in higher-side-valleys.\nAt Hawkins Lake the timber and brush is quite dense, and this condition obtains for about\n2 miles, from which point it becomes quite open, consisting largely of small poplar and some\npine, with willows along the creek. In places there are groves of pine growing tall and straight,\nfree from limbs for from 20 to 40 feet, affording excellent building-logs.\nThe ridges are clad with pine and large scattered fir, considerable of which is balsam fir;\nbut the timber generally is open, and there is luxuriant grazing throughout.\nAbout the west end of Hawkins Lake there is a fine stand of clean-growing balsam fir which\nwould make good saw-timber, while about a mile up the valley on the south side of the creek\nthere is an area of large spruce.\nThe natural conditions for successful settlement apparently exist, but continuation of Ruth\nLake Road is essential to secure their immediate use by settlers.\nOwing to narrowness of the valley and its direction, it was found necessary to survey it\nin 160-acre lots to avoid including too much land suitable for pasture only. This entailed an\nextra amount of line-running; but it is thought that the result justified it, as every lot surveyed\nis believed to be suitable to settlement.\nWork was somewhat delayed by the extreme rainfall in September, during which month we\nhad nineteen days in which it rained all day or in frequent heavy showers, some of them\naccompanied by violent electrical manifestations.\nWhile in the vicinity Ruth and Hawkins Lakes were surveyed, partly by traverse and\npartly by triangulation where no agricultural land lay along the shores. Ruth Lake was found\nto be larger and of quite different shape to that shown on existing maps. It lies north of Lot\n4992 and has deep bays or arms included within an area of 3 miles north and south by 2 miles\nbroad. It is a very beautiful lake, particularly in autumn, with clear sweet water and in part\nbold shores, making many charming bits of scenery. 11 Geo. 5 Vicinities of Bradley Creek and Timothy Mountain. G 63\nHawkins Lake is slightly over 2 miles long, with an extreme width of half a mile, and lies\nin an east-and-west direction. The hills rise steeply from part of the shore-line and are of no\nvalue for cultivation; but along the north shore excellent pasturage is found on the tops,\nconsisting of bunch-grass and peavine. Rainbow trout of fair size are fairly plentiful and rise\nwell to a fly, except when the water is glassy.\nLands Adjacent to Bridge Creek Valley.\nThe Forest Grove Farmers' Institute having reported considerable land fit for settlement\nin the vicinity of.Lot 4203, a short distance north of Canim Lake Road at Indian Reserve No. 2,\nan exploration was made, resulting in the later survey of 1,280 acres of land; Lot 4207 containing\n640 acres lying north of Lot 4203, and Lot 4204, of the same area, east of it. The land lying\nnorth and east is mostly rough with high fir-clad ridges and unsuited to settlement.\nThe easterly portion of Lot 4207 is occupied in part by a lake which discharges into another\nlake wholly within Lot 4204, about both of which there is considerable meadow. The stream\nflowing from the lower lake crosses Canim Lake Road on Indian Reserve No. 2, where it has been\nused for irrigation purposes. Possibly, if these lakes were improved as reservoirs, the beneficial\nuse of water for irrigation and otiier purposes could be extended to other lands in Bridge Creek\nValley, the lakes being, I believe, spring-fed.\nThe lots surveyed are traversed by a fairly good road leading north-westerly from near\n13-Mile post on Canim Lake Road to what are known as the \" Indian Meadows \" on Lots 4208\nand 4209. It appears that this road was constructed by Indians, who also built cabins at the\nmeadows, on which they made hay. They, however, lost possession after survey of the lands,\nwhich are now, I believe, held under lease.\nThe uplands on Lots 4207 and 4204 rise very gradually from the lakes, and for the greater\npart are timbered with quite open poplar and some pine. There are numerous willow and alder\nthickets, but generally the clearing would be light. The northerly portion of Lot 4207 is rough\nin part, the balance of the Kind being gently rolling, with black loam soil and clay subsoil. That\npart of Lot 4204 lying along the road west of the lake is similar in character to Lot 4207;\nbut the north-east quarter of the lot is somewhat rough and better adapted to grazing. The\nvegetation throughout both lots is luxuriant and affords fine pasturage, especially on the poplar-\nflats. . While these lands are considerably higher than Bridge Creek Valley, it seemed that frost\neffects in October were less noticeable than on the lower lands. The location and conditions\nseem quite suitable to dairying and grazing, as good fodder crops could be grown.\nExploration about Timothy Mountain Lake.\nDuring the summer an exploration of the country about Timothy Mountain Lake was undertaken with the purpose of ascertaining approximately the extent of arable land in that section.\nFine poplar-flats were found to extend along the north shore of the lake, but on the south side\nthe ground is rough, rising sharply to a fir ridge which extends some 3 miles in an east-and-west\ndirection. The ridge, however, is narrow, and south of it for about 3 miles is a fine country,\nmuch of which is open poplar-flats with some pine. Only two meadows of consequence were\nobserved; but it is quite possible that there are others which escaped notice owing to the\nnecessarily hurried nature of the exploration.\nThis tract may be reached by road either from Lac la Hache or 111-Mile House on the\nCariboo Road. A hay-road has been made from the west end of Timothy Mountain Lake some\n2 miles south, and if this were continued east about 3 miles through flat, easy country to Lot\n4989 at.the south end of Dempsey Lake, connection could be made to a road about 1% miles\nlong leading down to the wagon-road in the valley of 111-Mile Creek near Chub Lake. In this\nway the whole tract might be rendered easily accessible to prospective settlers, it being only\nabout 8 miles east of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway at Lac la Hache, from which point there\nis a passable road.\nThe soil is black loam with clay subsoil, mostly free from stone. On Lot 1151 at the end\nof Chub Lake an excellent garden was visited, showing that the agricultural possibilities are\ngood. The area seems well worthy of attention for settlement purposes.\nClosing Operations.\nHaving completed work in the vicinity of Indian Meadows, the party moved to 100-Mile\nHouse, where a lot of 160 acres was surveyed south of Lot 2139 for pre-emption purposes. Report of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nA camp was made at 93-Mile Creek and a lot of 160 acres lying about a mile to the west\nalong the creek was surveyed. The laud in the vicinity outside the meadows is generally\nworthless for cultivation, being very stony. There are, however, a number of meadows which\nit would probably be advisable to survey, as some are of good size. Meadows in this section\nof country are in demand; but absence of definition by survey militates against occupation,\nwhich would mean revenue from lands now unproductive.\nBy this time, the end of October, the weather was commencing to break with flurries of\nsnow, so no further survey operations were attempted. The' horses and outfit were placed for\nthe winter near 100-Mile House and the party taken to Ashcroft by motor and paid off.\nGame and Fish.\nThere seemed to be considerable game in Bradley Creek Valley, especially near Hawkins\nLake. Deer were plentiful, sometimes coming among the horses grazing near camp. Black bear\nwere numerous throughout the valley, especially about Hawkins Lake, where they fed regularly\nin a raspberry-patch near camp. On Upper Bradley Creek, and south of it, moose-tracks were\nobserved at various points. Tracks were also seen on Lot 4207 near Indian Meadows. Coyotes\nappeared to be few in number, probably owing to scarcity of rabbits, on which they feed.\nMuskrats seemed to be quite plentiful along Bradley Creek, some being killed among our food-\nstores, which they damaged considerably. Beaver were present in the creek, as fresh cutting\nwas frequently noted. Willow-grouse were fairly numerous in all parts visited. Sharp-tailed\ngrouse were first noted at Indian Meadows. These birds are commonly known as prairie-\nchickens, and several bands of from fifty to a hundred or more each were encountered in Bridge\nCreek Valley. At 93-Mile Creek and along the Cariboo Road as far down as 70-Mile House\nnumbers of these birds were seen, appearing to be more plentiful than were before noted.\nVery few wild ducks or geese were observed in the country operated in. They were also\nreported as being scarce about 70-Mile House, where usually abundant.\nHawkins Lake and Bradley Creek contain rainbow trout, as also does Ruth Lake, in which\nlatter water they are apparently not numerous, but of large size and difficult to catch. Bridge\nCreek affords line sport in some localities, the fish being up to about 1 lb. in weight.\nI have, etc.,\nW. S. Drewry, B.C.L.S.\nSOUTHERN LILLOOET DISTRICT.\nBy G. M. Downton.\nJ. E. Vmbaeh, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, S.C.\nSir,\u2014Acting under your instructions, I organized a survey party in Lillooet on June 7th\nwith a view to commencing the season's programme in the Southern Lillooet District.\nThe work this season \"consisted of the survey of certain pre-emption records still remaining\nunsurveyed, which were staked before the amendment to the \" Land Act,\" and also the survey\nof Crown land suitable for settlement should such be found in the immediate vicinity of my\noperations.\nThe above-mentioned pre-emption records were widely scattered over a very large area,\nand this fact, combined with the difficulty of transportation, rendered it impossible to carry\nout the entire programme mapped out at the commencement of the season. It was originally\nhoped that the pre-emption records in the Pemberton section and in the area immediately\nadjacent to the town of Lillooet would be handled, but as the season progressed it was found\nthat these areas could not be included in this year's programme. The work actually carried out\nwas therefore confined to four distinct areas\u2014viz., the Bonaparte Plateau, the Bridge Lake area,\nthe Bonaparte River Valley, and the Bridge River Valley.\nI left Lillooet on June Sth\" with my party with a view to commencing operations on the\nBonaparte Plateau and in the adjacent country, and arrived the same day by the Pacific Great\nEastern Railway at the 70-Mile House on the Cariboo Road. The next day I moved in to' a\nnoint about 9 miles due east of the 70-Mile House and commenced operations. 11 Geo. 5 Southern Lillooet District. G 65\nThe Bonaparte Plateau.\nThis area consists of a fairly level plateau, situated at an elevation of about 3,700 feet above\nsea-level. It is covered for the most part with a fairly dense growth of lodge-pole pine (Pinus\ncontorta) averaging about 6 to 10 inches in diameter, while on the numerous small ridges and\nelevated points of the plateau there is a stunted growth of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga mucronata).\nOwing to the dryness of the climate, the annual rainfall not exceeding about 15 inches, the\nDouglas fir presents a very different appearance to the same, species in the Coast region. The\ngrowth is infinitely slower, and the trees, being scattered, have a chance to develop their lower\nlimbs. The result is a comparatively short, thick, gnarled, and knotty growth of no commercial\nvalue and of little use for anything except fuel.\nIn addition to the above-mentioned timber, there is a fairly general growth of cottonwood\nin the damper spots, which even in the most favoured localities seldom reaches a larger size than\nabout 6 inches in diameter on the stump, and when it attains this size appears to fall a victim\nto a disease which rapidly destroys it. Long-leafed and black willow complete the general forest-\ngrowth, and these grow for the most part aloug the edges of the shallow lakes with which the\ncountry is dotted.\nThese lakes derive their supply of water from the winter snowfall, the depth of which\naverages about 2 feet 6 inches throughout the winter, and on account of the uniform level of\nthe plateau are mostly rather stagnant and in many cases quite strongly alkaline. The surplus\nwater from these lakes in the spring gradually flows away along some definite watercourse, and\nin this way irrigates the depressions and even forms temporary lakes along its course. During\nthe summer these dry up and produce fairly large crops of swamp-hay.\nIt is on the hay which these swampy meadows produce that the settlers in this area depend\nfor the feeding of their stock over the long winter. It may be said that on an average one-half\nto three-quarters of a ton\u00bbper acre is all that these meadows will yield, and intending settlers\nshould realize, therefore, that the area is, first of all, only suited for stock-raising, and, secondly,\nthat the supply of winter feed is very limited. The cattle have regular runs along these meadows\nand the settlers at present pursue the rather precarious method of cutting the meadows which\nare not on these runs to supply their winter needs.\nThe soil over the whole of this area, with the exception of that iu the above-mentioned\nmeadows, is a light sandy loam. This lies in a subsoil of glacial drift and boulder-clay of an\nunknown depth. The higher portions are very unproductive, and with the exception of a sparse\ngrowth of peavine and willow-herb there is practically no vegetation to support animal life.\nA uniform covering of pine-grass grows all through the timbered parts, but this is so bitter that\nstock will not touch it.\nA great many of the higher ridges are very rocky, and it would appear as if these had been\nworn bare by the same glacial action which deposited the gravel in the lower parts. This area\nmay be said to extend right from the Marble Mountains on the west to Young Lake and Eagan\nLake on the east, but it is only with that portion lying east of the Cariboo Road that this\nreport deals.\nThe Bonaparte River and its tributary streams flow in narrow valleys, considerably below\nthe general level of the plateau described above, and the actual river-bottom lands come under\nrather a different category. A certain amount of such valley land is, or could be, brought under\ncultivation by irrigation and good crops of hay raised.\nThe first month of the season (June Sth to July Sth) was spent on the plateau above\ndescribed, but on July 9th I moved eastward to the watershed of Bridge Creek by a road which,\nbranching from the Cariboo Road at the 70-Mile House, traverses the country south of Green\nLake and drops into the valley of the North Bonaparte at about 16 miles from the 70-Mile\nHouse. After following this valley for 5 miles the road climbs the slope on the east side, and\ngradually rising for S miles reaches a point on the highest part of the jack-pine plateau at about\n4,600 feet above sea-level, from which an extended view to the north and east can be obtained.\nThis point is about 30 miles from the 70-Mile House. At this point we were on the northeastern extremity of the extensive plateau between the North and South Forks of the Bonaparte\nRiver, and, as it were, on the rim of a remarkable basin which is bounded on the east by the\nfoot-hills of the mountain range lying along the west side of the North Thompson River. This\nbasin stretches far to the north towards Canim Lake. The view obtained here is, however,\ndeceptive, as it fails to reveal the numerous lakes which lie in the basin above described. G 66\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\nDescending from the plateau the road crosses a fairly level stretch of jack-pine country\ndotted with swampy meadows, some of which yield large crops of hay, and crossing another\nstretch of rather rough, stony country, reaches Crystal Lake at the 34-Mile post.\nBridge Lake Area.\nAt Crystal Lake the appearance of the country undergoes a marked change. The interminable stretches of lodge-pole pine are left behind and cottonwood and spruce take their place,\nwhile the luxuriant vegetation is most striking. Douglas fir still crowns the higher ridges,\nwhich become rocky and abrupt. There is every indication here of a very much increased\nrainfall, and the soil, which ou the plateau farther west is sandy and unproductive, changes\nto a black loam. Here are wild flowers of infinite variety and pasture knee-deep on the hillsides.\nPea-vine, vetch, and lupine grow in abundance, the latter giving the whole country a blue sheen\nwhich contrasts vividly with the white trunks of the cottonwood.\nThe watershed in this area is most complicated and unexpected. Numerous lakes lying\nwithin an area of a few square miles supply four distinct streams, all flowing in different\ndirections. Thus, Crystal and Emerald Lakes discharge into the North Bonaparte, which flows\nfirst north-west and then south-west to the main Bonaparte River. Bridge Lake (or Great Fish\nLake) is practically the source of Bridge Creek, which flows north-west to Canim Lake, and\nthence to Mahood Lake and the Clearwater River. Numerous smaller lakes, notably Crooked\nLake, Whitley Lake, and West Twin Lake, drain into Bridge Lake about mentioned, but East\nTwin Lake, separated from its western twin by only a hundred yards, discharges south to Eagan\nLake and the South Bonaparte River. Muddy Lake and Lac des Roches are drained by Nekal-\nliston Creek direct into the North Thompson River. I arrived at Bridge Lake on July 10th,\nand commenced by surveying some land suitable for settlement on the north side of Crooked\nLake. I also made several trips with a saddle-horse^to examine land in the vicinity.\nAny attempt to describe more than the salient features of this section of the country would\nbe to assume the possession of a greater knowledge than can be gleaned in the short period\nI spent in the area, but I am prepared to emphasize my general impression, that the whole of\nthe area, of which I only touched the southern fringe, given good roads, which are a vital\nnecessity, should be a first-class dairying country.\nI am informed that the same type of country stretches north for a considerable distance\nto Canim Lake. The average elevation above sea-level is about 3,900 feet, gradually lowering\ntowards the north. The eastern limit of the area is defined by the Lillooet-Kamloops boundary-\nline, east of which the country is very mountainous and rough nearly to the North Thompson\nRiver. Mr. Drewry, B.C.L.S., in his report on the running of the boundary-line in 1913, speaks\nin encouraging and prophetic terms of the area to the west of his line. He describes it as:\n\"... containing innumerable lakes set like inlays of polished silver in broad valleys rimmed\nby fir-crowned hills; a great silent country waiting the advent of road and rail to bear the\npopulation whose footsteps are even now approaching it.\"\nOne of the most interesting facts from the farmer's point of view is the possibility of raising\ntimothy without irrigation on any of the upland country which is now covered with a sparse\ngrowth of cottonwood and a rank growth of wild pasture. Mr. Macdonald, who has a large\nproperty on the north side of Lac des Roches, has about 300 acres under timothy on the mountainside, and though the dryness of the past two years has reduced his crop, he has fully demonstrated the possibility of raising enough hay without irrigation to supply dairy stock over a\nsix-months winter. Mr. Macdonald is also very successful over the raising of horses. One\nsettler told me that he cut large crops of hay off the wild pasture; this can undoubtedly be\ndone, but I question the advisability of such a course, since it appears that if this is done the\nstrongest of the wild herbs\u2014namely, the willow-herb, or fireweed, as it is commonly called\u2014\npredominates the next year to the detriment of the rest.\nMy observations have led me to the conclusion that tame grasses should be cultivated as\nmuch as possible and cut for hay, the wild pasture on the more inaccessable portions being left\nfor summer pasture. I believe that in this way sufficient hay can be raised to feed dairy stock\nthrough the longest winter.\nThe question of root-crops is still, I think, experimental, but Mr. Hanson, at Crooked Lake,\nhad a good garden in July, containing string beans, cabbages, carrots, and rhubarb, at an\nelevation of 3,900 feet, while Mr. Naff, at Montana Hill, at an elevation of 4,300 feet, had quite 11 Geo. 5 Southern Lillooet District. G 67\na large crop of turnips, which, however, had not come to maturity at the time of my visit.\nMr. Hanson also ripened his small field of oats this year.\nIn addition to the road from the 70-Mile House to Bridge Lake, a road is now in course of\nconstruction from Roe Lake to 83-Mile on the Pacific Great Eastern Railway (Lone Butte).\nThis road is being undertaken by private enterprise and owes its conception and preliminary\nconstruction to the energy and enterprise of Mr. Holland, of Roe Lake. This road will reduce\nthe distance from Bridge Lake to the railway by at least 15 miles and a good grade is being\nsecured. Mr. Holland is being assisted in his undertaking by the voluntary labour of a large\nnumber of settlers.\nMy operations then took me south from Bridge Lake to Eagan Lake, and I estimate that\nthere is an unsurveyed area of some 3,000 or 4,C00 acres south of and adjoining Montana Lake,\nand running through almost to Machete or Bear Lake, which might be profitably brought under\ncultivation. It is possible to obtain good drinking-water at about 6 feet below the surface over\nthis area by sinking wells in the depressions.\nAll along the north side of Eagan Lake there is a strip of country about a mile wide which\nwould grow good hay when cleared and brought under cultivation. There is a light growth of\ncottonwood on this land, and springs on the hillside, when developed, would yield additional\nwater if the rainfall is not sufficient here. Cleveland Bros, have a ranch at the western end\nof Eagan Lake and are raising large crops of timothy, and have developed springs in this way\nto supplement the rainfall.\nFrom this point I penetrated some miles south of Eagan Lake to survey a pre-emption for\nMr. Brown on Red Creek. I found that he had converted a large willow-swamp, by draining\nand judicious damming, into a meadow in which the timothy was standing waist-high and very\nthick, but here again outside the actual bottom land the jack-pine predominates, and it appears\nthat the sandy soil of the Bonaparte Plateau covers all but the actual meadow lands. I had no\noportunity of going as far as Bonaparte Lake, but from all the inquiries I made I gather that\nthe country round the lake is mostly dense jack-pine.\nI had no time this season to visit the east end of Machete Lake, but I am informed that\nthere is in all about 320 acres of good cottonwood land in the vicinity of where the Lillooet-\nKamloops boundary crosses the east end of the lake. Some of this lies east of the boundary\nand some west.\nAfter returning from Eagan Lake I surveyed some land suitable for settlement near the\nEast Twin Lake and near Toby Lake, and another piece between Bridge Lake and Lac des\nRoches, but had to cut my operations short owing to the extensive programme still to be handled.\nSettlement appears to be taking place fairly rapidly in the Bridge Lake area, and two\nfamilies moved in during the six weeks that I was in the neighbourhood.\nCamp was then moved 20 miles west again to survey a pre-emption and a lease which it\nhad been inconvenient to survey earlier in the season, and then on August 18th and 19th camp\nwas moved out to the 70-Mile House, and thence down the Cariboo Road to the vicinity of\nClinton and the Lower Bonaparte River.\nThe Lower Bonaparte River.\nHere some ten pre-emptions in all were surveyed, most of which lay in the Lower Bonaparte\nValley or on the plateau above it. This locality calls for little description, as there is now\npractically no land suitable for settlement remaining unsurveyed, with the exception of about\n320 acres on Loon Lake Creek and about 160 acres on the Bonaparte River, about iy2 miles\nnorth of the junction of Loon Lake Creek with the Bonaparte River. This area is essentially\nsuitable for stock-raising, and the small holdings surveyed this year on the Bonaparte River\nmight form home-sites where enough hay might be raised to feed a few head of stock during\nthe winter.\nThe lands in the valley of the Bonaparte in the vicinity of the mouth of Loon Lake Creek\nare situated at a height above sea-level of about 1,500 feet, this being the lowest level of any\nland which I surveyed this season. Such an elevation renders it possible to carry on market-\ngardening and fruit-raising in this locality, and I see no reason why the settlers in this limited\narea should not be able to supply the Clinton market with the hardier fruits, particularly apples.\nFrom this area I moved on September 28th to the Bridge River Valley. G 68\n?ORT OF THE MINISTER OF LANDS.\n1921\nBridge River Valley.\nThis valley is reached from Shalalth Station, on the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, situated\non Seton Lake at an elevation of 780 feet above sea-level and about 16 miles west of the toivn\nof Lillooet. From this point a road climbs Mission Mountain, and crossing the divide at 3,800\nfeet, descends steeply again into the valley of Bridge River. This road, which crosses Bridge\nRiver near the foot of Mission Mountain, continues up the valley on the north side for about\n30 miles, and thence to the mines on Cadwallader Creek, and is the main route of travel to and\nfrom the valley. The only other means of access is by a rough trail up the Bridge River Canyon.\nThe Bridge River Power Company is at this date making extensive surveys in the vicinity\nof Mission Mountain, and is carrying on rock tests with the aid of diamond-drills with a view to\ndeveloping power by diverting the water of Bridge River through Mission Mountain by a tunnel\n2 miles long and dropping it into Seton Lake, This will give a head of about 1,200 feet. It is\nestimated that the maximum horse-power which can be thus developed will approximate 400,000\nhorse-power, thus establishing it as the largest power project in Canada west of the Niagara\nFalls.\nMy operations this season in the Bridge River Valley consisted of the survey of pre-emption\nrecords, either in or adjacent to the valley, and with the completion of these operations practically\nall the land suitable for settlement in this area has been surveyed. Most of the land in the main\nvalley is subject to flood in the summer months owing to the fall of the valley not being sufficient\nto carry off the enormous quantity of water discharged into it from the surrounding glaciers, and\nonly the land which in time past has been raised above the general level by the deposit of\nsilt from the creeks is immune from such flooding. It appears probable that, in the course of\noperations now being undertaken by the Bridge River Power Company, a very large portion of\nthe main valley will be converted into a reservoir to conserve the surplus summer flow for winter\nuse when the river is low.\nThe pre-emptions surveyed consisted of two at Tyaughton Lake, 1,100 feet above the main\nvalley on the north side, one at the point where Hurley River enters the main Bridge River, and\none on the shore of Little Gun Lake, the lake being situated on a plateau between Gun Creek\nand the upper reaches of the main river at a height of 3,005 feet above sea-level.\nTyaughton Lake above mentioned is a narrow lake about 3 miles long and averaging between\none-quarter and one-half mile in width. The only land suitable for settlement is now covered\nby two pre-emption records. At Little Gun Lake, in addition to the land covered by Lot 4934, a\nsurvey covering a pre-emption held by Matthew Forster, there is about 50 acres of land lying\nbetween Gun Lake and Little Gun Lake which might be profitably brought under cultivation.\nMr. Forster raises splendid potatoes and vegetables and had a good crop of oats this year.\nIt may be generally stated that the Bridge River Valley can never become an agricultural\narea, but the settlers who have land in favourable locations will probably be able to market\ntheir produce to the industries which the mineral wealth and natural resources of the area will\nundoubtedly call into being in the near future, and, this being the case, it is not the area in\nwhich intending settlers should look for favourable agricultural opportunities. The post-office\nis Rexmouut, situated IS miles from Shalalth, on the Bridge River Road, and there is a weekly\nmail service.\nRegarding postal facilities in the areas reported on this season: The Bridge Lake area is\nserved by a post-office at Roe Lake with a weekly mail service. The 70-Mile House Post-office\n\u2022is the nearest to the Bonaparte Plateau area and has a bi-weekly mail service; while Clinton\nserves the Bonaparte River Valley within a radius of about 12 miles and has a daily mail service.\nAll the country reported on this season can be reached from the Coast by the Pacific Great\nEastern Railway, ^which has a semi-weekly passenger service. This railway connects with\nVancouver by means of the steamers of the Terminal Steamship Company, which ply between\nVancouver and Squamish, the Coast terminal of the railway, situated at the head of Howe Sound.\nDistances by rail from Squamish to points in the district above mentioned are approximately\nas follows : Shalalth, on Seton Lake, 105 miles; Lillooet, 120 miles; Clinton, 167 miles; 70-Mile\nHouse, 188 miles. There is a cattle-shipping point wThich serves the Bonaparte Plateau area and\nBridge Lake area at the Chasm, 12 miles north-east of Clinton.\nThe seat of the Government Agent for the district is situated at Clinton, and this is the\nLand Recording Office for the district. 11 Geo. 5 Upper Deadman River and Criss Creek. G 69\nThe minimum winter temperature in the Bridge Lake area and Bonaparte Plateau is about\n45\u00b0 below zero, but it is seldom as cold as this, and when this temperature prevails there is no\nwind. The minimum temperature in the Bridge River Valley is about 30\u00b0 below zero.\nI closed down my operations on October 21st, and returning to Lillooet, my point of\norganization, disbanded my party on October 23rd.\nI have, etc.,\nG. M. Downton, B.C.L.S.\nUPPER DEADMAN RIVER AND CRISS CREEK.\nBy J. E. Ross.\nKamloops, December 30th, 1920.\nJ. E. Umbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\n\u2022Sir,\u2014My operations this season being confined entirely to the extension of previous surveys\nin the upper.portions of the Deadman River and Criss Creek Valleys, any report on them must,\nto a large extent, be nearly a repetition of former ones. These lands lie just outside the Railway\nBelt and are distant from 25 to 40 miles in a northerly direction from Savona and Copper Creek\nStations on the Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railways respectively. The wagon-road\nwhich leads from either station has a good hard road-bed, but is rather rough and rocky and\nsufficiently steep in places to test the climbing powers of an ordinary motor-car. The rise in\nelevation is close to 3,000 feet. Most of the lands in question have been surveyed and taken up\nwithin the last ten years. About one-third of the settlers are making good headway, one-third\nappear to be at a standstill, and the remaining third were away from their places. The absence\nof the settlers is probably due to the exceptionally dry weather of the last two seasons and the\nhigh wages offered for labour.\nOwing to the high altitude the only branches of farming that can be carried on here successfully are stock-raising and dairying. There is abundance and a great variety of summer feed,\nconsisting of pine-grass, peavine, vetches, wild beans, and several kinds of succulent weeds.\nThe difficulty is in securing hay to keep the stock over winter. In consequence the numerous\nsmall wild hay meadows scattered throughout the district are much sought after. Viewed from\nthe surrounding hills, these green level tracts appear very attractive, and by some sort of optical\nillusion are greatly magnified in size. In several instances meadows reported to be 50 or 60\nacres in extent were found on a close survey to con-tain from 20 to 25 acres. Some of these\nso-called meadows are so lumpy, mossy, peaty, or wet that they are not worth improving. On the\nwhole they are rather disappointing. It is obvious, if the farmers here do not get down to\nclearing and cultivating the land so that they can grow hay for winter feed, the settlement will\nnever be very prosperous.\nThe general character of the two valleys is very much alike, but the Deadman is more\nextensive, extending northerly to the Bonaparte Valley. There is very little broken surface, but\na considerable part is so hilly or hummocky that it is not suitable for cultivation. The only\nmerchantable timber is fir and the quantity is negligible. Jack-pine largely predominates;\npoplar, willow, spruce, and alder come in the order mentioned. The woods are so open that a\nperson by picking out his way could ride or drive from one end of the valley to the other.\nThe bottom lands which lie along the streams, around the lakes, or in some basin which is filled\nwith water for a part of the summer have a rich black loam soil. The soil on the high lands\nvaries from a sandy loam and gravel to a lighter clay loam and is rather poor, especially where\nthe jack-pine grows. It requires to be cultivated for several years before being productive and\nis much improved by a coating of manure or other fertilizer. Very little timothy, clover, or\nalfalfa is grown. Experience goes to show that timothy does well for about two years and then\nruns out. A Mr. Place recently bought several of the best farms on Criss Creek with a view\nof going into general farming\u2014dairying included\u2014on a large scale. Should he succeed in\ncarrying out his intentions it will be the best test yet made of the farming possibilities of this\nsecton. Both valleys are well watered by streams, lakes, or springs.\nThe climatic conditions are not so unfavourable as might be expected at this altitude. The\nsummers are pleasant. The greater cold and length of the winter season is compensated by the G 70\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\nabsence of winds which usually prevail in the lower valleys. Potatoes are not generally grown\non account of the summer frosts, but all the roots or vegetables I saw had grown well. The\nsnowfall is not excessive, seldom exceeding 18 inches.\nMany of the stockmen on the Thompson take advantage of the surplus vegetation in this\ndistrict by placing their cattle and sheep here for the summer months. Among the herds this\nseason was one band of 2,500 sheep.\nCriss Creek has a school and post-office. There is no school, post-office, or store in the\nDeadman Valley. The large number of bachelor residents here explain the absence of a school.\nThe Dominion Government has promised a post-office as soon as a location is decided on, and also\nthe long-distance telephone.\nGame continues to get scarcer, but there is no trouble in getting the number of deer that the\nlaw allows. Ducks and grouse were fairly plentiful, and the fool-hen was much in evidence,\nno ammunition being required to get one. Rabbits were scarcer than usual. Some residents\ndevote most of their time to hunting and trapping. Small trout abound in all the streams or\nlakes. The ease with which the larder can be filled probably accounts for the small amount\nof time giyen to the more onerous duties of farming.\nFrom a surveying point of view there is no fault to find with this section of country. The\ntwenty-three lots I surveyed during the two months in the field were either adjoining or adjacent\nto previous surveys. There still remains a large tract of land apparently fit for farming, but\nuntil more signs of prosperity are shown on the lands already taken further surveys would be\nscarcely justified.\nI have, etc.,\nJos. E. Ross, B.C.L.S.\nNICOLA DISTRICT.\nBy O. B. N. Wilkie.\nMerritt, B.C., December 31st, 1920.\n\u25a0\/. E. Umbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victor-la, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report of the country covered during the\npast season's work :\u2014\nI organized my party at Merritt on May 10th, 1920. Merritt is the principal distributing\ncentre of the Nicola Valley and is a thriving little city on the Kettle Valley Railway. It is\nabout 40 miles in a southerly direction from Spences Bridge, a point on the main line of the\nCanadian Pacific Railway, and 30 miles from Brookmere, a point on the main line of the Kettle\nValley Railway. The Kettle Valley operates trains through Southern British Columbia, connecting at Princeton with United States railway-lines, and giving a direct route to travel from the\nStates through Spokane by way of Princeton to Merritt.\nMerritt has a population of about 2,000 inhabitants. It has two first-class hotels and several\nsmaller ones. Business is represented by two large department stores, general stores, two meat\nmarkets, a furnishing-goods store, and one drug-store; also a large book store, caf\u20acs, garages,\nand two blacksmith-shops. It has two banks and owns its own water and electric-lighting plants.\nThere are good schools and churches of different denominations and the Government offices are\nlocated here. Its principal industries are its coal-mines, which furnish employment for a large\nnumber of men, and the Nicola Pine Mills. A large force of men is employed at this mill and\nits tributary logging camps.\nAgriculture.\nMerritt is the centre of a growing agricultural community, with good Government roads\nradiating from it and serving the farmers. General farming is successfully practised, the land\nrequiring irrigation to produce good crops. There is a dry-farming experimental station, which\nhas been in operation for the past seven years, above Quilchena, at the head of Nicola Valley,\nat an elevation of 3,800 feet. Good cereal crops have been produced there under scientific dry-\nfarming methods. 11 Geo. 5 Nicola District. G 71\n\u2022\nAll the staple varieties of vegetables do well in the valley and all small fruits can be grown\nsuccessfully. It is not a fruit district, but hardy varieties of tree-fruits can be grown. The\nGovernment has a small experimental orchard at Lower Nicola and the trees are doing fairly\nwell. Splendid crops of wheat, oats, barley, and rye are produced, and it is a remarkably good\ntimothy-hay country. The different varieties of clover do well. Alfalfa is being tried out and,\nalthough it seems a little hard to get a good stand, does well when established. Poultry-raising\nis carried on and it is an ideal climate for turkey-raising.\nStock-raising.\nIt is primarily a cattle country and there are several large cattle-ranches in this vicinity,\nwhile all the ranchers go in for stock-raising to a greater or less extent. Until recently the\nraising of dairy cattle has been more or less overlooked, farmers generally raising beef cattle.\nBut that branch of the industry is picking up and it is found that dairying is a good source of\nincome here. There is a good market for dairy products, the demand being greater than the\nsupply at the present time. Some sheep are raised and from all indications they do well and\ncould be made an important industry. Considerable pork is produced and pigs are raised here\nvery easily, hog-cholera being practically unknown in this locality. There are also some good\nheavy horses being bred by a few of the large ranches, and these are gradually taking the place\nof the native \" cayuse \" raised by the Indians.\nThere is the best of grazing for stock in the hills surrounding the valley and they run out\non the open range till well in the winter. The Government has set aside several large tracts for\ncommon grazing lands.\nAltitude.\nThe altitude of the valley within a radius of 15 miles of Merritt is from 1,500 to 2,000 feet,\nwhile the upper part of the valley reaches to an altitude of about 2,600 feet. Farming is carried\non at an elevation of around 4,000 feet in the mountainous sections surrounding the valley, but\nthese ranches make stock-raising and the growing of hay their principal industries.\nClimate.\nThe climate of the valley of the Nicola is one of its greatest assets. It is truly a valley of\nsunshine and its clear, bracing atmosphere makes it an ideal dwelling-place for those in search\nof health. The summers are mild, with cool nights, while the winters are clear and cold, with\na medium snowfall. Motor-cars continue on the roads most of the winter season. Summer\nfrosts seldom occur. It is in whafis called the \"Dry Belt,\" the average rainfall at Merritt and\nNicola being 12 inches.\nMining.\nIn addition to the coal-mines spoken of, considerable interest is taken in the development\nof mining for gold, silver, iron, copper, gypsum, etc., in the adjacent territory. A large deposit\nof bentonite has recently been located.\nDescription of Season's Surveys.\nOur first camp was established about 5 or 6 miles north of Lower Nicola, on the Aberdeen\nMine Road, Lower Nicola being the name of the village adjacent to the railway-station of\nCoyle, ou the Kettle Valley line. Here there is a good school, post-office, telephone service, with\nstores and meat market. There is also a church. The road leading to the Aberdeen Mine, about\n11 miles north of Lower Nicola, and which serves the settlers, is a well-travelled, gravelled road.\nIn this locality we surveyed some pre-emptions and one Government lot. The land surveyed\nhere was principally rolling, bench land, timbered with scattered fir and bull-pine, with an\noccasional small meadow and poplar-flats. The settlers along the Lower Nicola-Aberdeen Road\nare developing their places, growing good crops and raising stock. The elevation in this district\nis from 2,400 to 3,000 feet.\nFrom this point we moved to 8-Mile Creek, on the east side of the Mamete Lake Road, and\nlater to Sheep Creek, where we surveyed several pre-emptions and one Government lot. This\nis rolling, timbered mountain land, with occasional flats which have good black loam soil.\nMr. Winnie, who has resided in this valley for many years, has a large ranch in this vicinity\n, and is raising both sheep and cattle with success. A fair road serves this section and connects\nwith the Mamete Lake Road. G 72 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nAfter completing surveys in this vicinity we proceeded to Midday Valley, about 7 miles in a\nsoutherly direction from Merritt and reached by a fair wagon-road. Here some pre-emptions\nwere surveyed and also some Government lots. The land surveyed lies along the valley, which\nis first-class bottom land, with some good cultivable land covered with poplar-growth on the\ngently rising hillsides. There is splendid timbered pasture land open for grazing purposes\nadjacent, and in the summer hundreds of cattle and horses range here.\nOur next camp was made on Clapperton Creek, where we subdivided several large lots,\nsurveyed some pre-emptions, and laid out one Government lot in Coyote Valley. We also\nconnected and tied in some isolated surveys. The country surveyed in this vicinity rises from\nan elevation of about 2,900 to 4,500 feet. The general character of the land makes it more\nsuitable for grazing than for agricultural purposes, it being timbered mountain country, with\nonly occasional poplar and willow flats.\nFrom Clapperton Creek we moved, by way of Nicola and Quilchena, along the shores of-\nLake Nicola, the main Merritt-Kamloops automobile highway following the lake for about\n17 miles to the Stump Lake District.\nNicola Lake is a beautiful fresh-water lake, noted for the fine fishing it affords. At the\nlower end of the lake, about 7 miles in a north-easterly direction from Merritt, is the town\nof Nicola, which has the distinction of being the oldest town in the Nicola Valley. The Nicola\nstock-farm, owned by Major Goldman, recently of England, has its headquarters here and is\none of the large stock-farms of the district. An extension of the Kettle Valley line from Merritt\nserves Nicola.\nQuilchena, 9 miles farther along the lake-shore, is the headquarters of the Triangle Ranch,\nowned by the Guichon family, which is one of the most important of the large cattle-ranches\nin this section. Here there is a store, post-office, and telephone service; also a good hotel.\nAlong the road between Merritt and Kamloops are several large ranches growing hay, grain,\netc., and running large herds of cattle.\nIn the vicinity of Stump Lake several mines have been opened up, chief of which is the\nDonohue and the Mary Reynolds, the minerals found being principally gold, silver, lead, and\ncopper. The land surveyed in this locality has an elevation of about 3,500 feet and has a fair\namount of good bottom land, the remainder being rolling, lightly timbered pasture land with\nclumps of poplar and willow-brush. The pre-emptions surveyed here were held by returned\nsoldiers.\nFrom this point we returned along the lake-shore road to within 4 miles of Quilchena, where\nwe took the Douglas Lake Road to near the headwaters of Salmon River.\nThe country lying between Quilchena and Douglas Lake is rolling, open country, covered\nwith bunch-grass, affording excellent grazing. Douglas Lake is the home ranch of the Douglas\nLake Cattle Company, one of the largest cattle companies operating in British Columbia. They\nhave their own store, post-office, and telephone service.\nFrom our new location near the head of Salmon River we made a flying trip in to Fish Lake,\nwhich lies between Quilchena and Douglas Lake, where we surveyed some pre-emptions and one\nGovernment lot. The country around Fish Lake has an average elevation of about 3,900 feet,\nand by reason of its altitude is best adapted to the growing of hay and cattle-raising. In the\nterritory adjacent to the head of Salmon River we also surveyed several applications and one\nGovernment lot, tying in old isolated surveys. The open bunch-grass country beginning at\nQuilchena practically terminates here.\nWe moved from here to establish camp at Minnie Lake, about 40 miles distant in a southwesterly direction; the crew taking a side-trip to Island Lake, where we surveyed an isolated\napplication, tying same to the general system of surveys. There is considerable good willow-\nbottom land in this vicinity, but owing to the lateness of the season it was not surveyed.\nMinnie Lake is situated about 10 miles south from Quilchena and is reached by wagon-road\neither from Douglas Lake or Quilchena. The work here consisted mainly of the survey of old\npre-emption records, held chiefly by returned soldiers. The general elevation of the section is\nabout 3,600 feet, and except for an occasional hay meadow it is mostly timbered, mountain\npasture land. Most of the land in this locality was taken up years ago. The Government\nExperimental Dry Farm lies betwen Quilchena and Minnie Lake.\nUpon leaving this district we surveyed a pre-emption adjoining Beaver Ranch, near the head\nof Nicola Lake; thence proceeding to the lower end of the lake near the town of Nicola, we 11 Geo. 5 Vicinity of Princeton, Kamloops, and Yale. G 73\nsurveyed a piece of land bordering the lake, reserved by the Government. After which we\nreturned to Merritt, where we made a tie to the astronomical station established by Mr. Swinburne, of Ottawa, under your authority, to determine the latitude and longitude.\nWe closed our season's work with the survey of the South Half of Section 3, Township 91.\nGeneral Information.\nI have only attempted a general description of the work done during the season, as full\ninformation in detail is attached to the field-notes of each lot surveyed.\nThe season this year was an uncommonly dry one during the spring and summer, but rains\ncame on about September 1st and the whole fall has been marked by more rain than usual.\nFine fall weather continued on until Christmas, with no really cold weather and practically\nno snowfall. Stock have been running on pasture and feeding is only beginning at this time\n(December 31st).\nIn the Nicola Valley most of the land was taken up years ago by settlers and are now\nproductive ranches. The new settler looking for Government land will have to go farther afield.\nThroughout all the mountain districts there is bench land and small valleys which make good\nfarms when cleared and put under cultivation. Settlers who have taken up such places are\ndoing well with them. The soil is good and the many small streams and lakes furnish ample\nwater for irrigation. Springs abound that provide the best of water for domestic purposes and\nfeed small spring creeks that often run the year around.\nIn the winter season hunting and trapping is carried on in the mountains and along the\nstreams. Deer is plentiful, as well as bear, lynx, and coyote. Beaver, mink, and ermine are\nfound along the streams. There are ruffed and willow grouse in abundance, and upon the lakes\nand along the watercourses ducks and geese are plentiful in the fall of the year.\nDuring the past year two fox-farms have been established, one near Merritt and one near\nLower Nicola. The foxes appear to be doing well and considerable interest is being taken in\nthe new venture.\nI have, etc.,\nO. B. N. Wilkie, B.C.L.S.\nVICINITY OF PRINCETON, SIMILKAMEEN, KAMLOOPS, AND YALE DIVISIONS\nOF YALE DISTRICT.\nBy P. W. Gregory.\nPrinceton, B.C., November 27th, 1920.\nJ. E. Umbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit herewith the following report upon the lands embraced\nin my surveying operations during the past season:\u2014\nThe work allotted to me comprised the survey of twenty-eight parcels held under pre-emption\nrecord, the subdivision of two 640-acre blocks into quarter-sections, and the survey of any new\nlands in their proximity thought suitable for settlement purposes. Field-work was commenced\non June 1st and terminated on October 23rd. In all, nineteen of the twenty-eight pre-emptions\nwere surveyed; the remainder, being unoccupied, unimproved, and unsuitable for settlement,\nwere omitted. Twelve new parcels, nearly all 160 acres each, were laid out. In the case of\neight of these, settlers met with expressed themselves ready to make applications for pre-emption\nentry as soon as possible, whilst I-understand that three applications have already been made for\nallotments on the subdivisions of the 640-acre pieces.\nThe lands surveyed are widely scattered throughout the Princeton District and my\noperations necessitated much travelling. In most cases the lands are within reach by road\nand a motor-car was found particularly useful. In a few instances we were obliged to employ\npack-horses, as to the South Similkameen south of Princeton, to Red Creek, and to Missezula\nLake.\nAdditional unsurveyed areas suitable for settlement were noted\u2014namely, south-west of\nMissezula Lake, south-west of Chain Lake, and on Red Creek, which is a tributary of the\nSimilkameen River north-east of Princeton. On this latter creek J. Collett has made great G 74\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nimprovements on his pre-emption, and his thriving garden and crops illustrate the agricultural\npossibilities of this particular section of the country. There are a few tracts of land in the\nvicinity of the town of Allenby, formerly held under timber leases, that have now been logged\noff and which should be subdivided for settlement.\nRegarding the physical characteristics of the areas dealt with, no general description to\nmeet all cases is possible. The lands surveyed along the Similkameen River south of Princeton\nrange in elevation from about 3,300 feet above sea-level to 4,000 feet, and consist, some of fairly\nlevel jack-pine bench lands adjoining the river; some of rolling grassy hill-tops indented writh\nfrequent sloughs or wild hay swamps, poplar, willow, and alder bottoms, and skirted by steeper-\ntimbered slopes, on which fir from 12 to 40 inches in diameter predominates. \u25a0 Extensive patches\nof second-growth fir, pine, and spruce occur throughout. The wild grasses on some sections\nare enriched with an abundant growth of peavine and vetch and many descriptions of wild\nberry-bushes are to be found in profusion.\nThe lands surveyed on Red Creek lie at an elevation of between 3,400 to about 4,000 feet\nabove sea-level. They are mainly jack-pine flats bordered by low hills. A considerable area\nof this land was burnt over by forest fires which raged through the locality in 1914, and it is\nfor that reason capable of easy clearing. It can also be readily brought under irrigation from\nRed Creek.\nThe lands surveyed in the vicinity of the Otter Valley lie at an elevation of about 3,200 feet\nabove sea-level or about 500 or 600 feet above the Otter Creek. They consist of rolling hill-top\nlands, ou which lie some wild swamp-hay meadows and which break downward to the valley\nbelow in steep and somewhat rugged slopes more or less densely covered with second-growth fir\nand pine.\nA few pre-emptions were laid out in the neighbourhood of the Tulameen Townsite, varying\nfrom flats along the river-bank of a light sandy soil and sandy loam to hill-top land of a richer\ncharacter, carrying a growth of grass and peavine, with frequent clumps of heavy poplar, willow,\nand alder.\nAs to the accessibility of these lands, if not within easy reach by one or the other of the\nseveral roads leading from Princeton, they lie in most cases but a few miles beyond by trail.\nPrinceton, the principal town of the Similkameen, lies at the confluence of the Tulameen\nand Similkameen Rivers, and roads passing from it up and down each of their valleys, and up\nseveral of the valleys of their tributaries near Princeton; make the town in effect the converging\npoint of the district and a natural trading centre. It has a population of about l,0CO, with\nschool, four churches, two banks, three hotels, fraternal hall, garages, and all the usual stores.\nThe highway, which was surveyed nine years ago as the Trans-Provincial Highway, passes\nthrough Princeton, and proceeding in a south-easterly direction down the Similkameen Valley\nthrough Hedley and Keremeos it connects with all the main roads of the Interior leading northward, and with those proceeding southerly into the State of Washington. In view of this it\nbecomes an easy matter for the motor traveller to reach such equally important places as Merritt,\nKamloops, Penticton, Kelowna, and Vernon. Both Kamloops and Vernon may be reached fairly\neasily in a day's drive from Princeton. An important road which has recently been opened for\ntravel is the one running northward from Princeton along the 1-Mile Valley to Merritt. This\nnew road reduces the distance between these points to 55 miles, effecting a saving over the old\nroute via Otter Valley of 16 miles, and what is perhaps of greater importance, eliminating the\nsuccession of forbidding-looking hills that occur on the old highway, one of which, apart from\nbeing lengthy, has- a gradient of about 19 per cent, and is in a like proportion dangerous.\nIn the matter of railway facilities Princeton is well provided, being situated ou the main\nline of the Kettle Valley Railway and nine hours' journey over that system to Vancouver.\nBy its means the Okanagan, Boundary, and Kootenay Districts are brought within easy reach,\nwhilst the Vancouver, Victoria & Eastern Railway Company, using Princeton as its northerly\nterminus for the time being\u2014it is expected that it will at some future date inaugurate an\nextension of that service over the Kettle Valley Railway to Hope, and thence over the Canadian\nNational Railway to Vancouver\u2014runs a tri-weekly service to Oroville aud Spokane. A branch\nof the Kettle Valley Railway runs from Princeton in a southerly direction to Allenby, 4 miles,\nand Copper Mountain, 14 miles. These points are respectively the milling and mining towns\nestablished by the Canada Copper Corporation, Limited. 11 Geo. 5 Vicinity of Princeton, Kamloops, and Yale. G 75\nMining is an important industry of the district. The Princeton Coal and Land Company,\nLimited, is operating a coal-mine near to the town, employing about eighty men. It ships its\nproduct to Vancouver, Victoria, Wenatchee, Spokane, etc., besides most towns in the Okanagan\nand Kamloops Districts. There is another coal property adjoining the town under development,\nand at Coalmont, 13 miles west, the Coalmont Colliery is mining and shipping, besides carrying\nout an ambitious scheme of development intended to increase its output to 1,000 tons per day.\nThe copper-mine at Copper Mountain and the concentration-mill at Allenby will probably employ\nin the neighbourhood of 400 men. Eight years have been spent in development and construction\nand operations have only recently commenced. Power for the undertaking and the light and\npower for the town of Princeton is furnished by the Okanagan Power and Light Company (West\nKootenay Light and Power Company), which has just recently completed the erection of its\n200 miles of transmission-line from the Bonnington Falls, West Kootenay.\nWith regard to farming, there is a good market locally for most produce. Cream is shipped\nto Grand Forks, as there is no local creamery. Cattle-raising, dairy-farming, and mixed farming\ngenerally are engaged in. Root-crops do very well and most varieties of garden produce are\ngrown successfully. Some of the local ranchers have made good returns from the growing of\nstrawberries, for which there is a good local market. Potatoes raised are the equal of the best\nAshcroft varieties.\nThere is good grazing to be found, particularly so in the mountain section between Princeton\nand Hope. A local syndicate this year imported a large flock of sheep which they turned out\nto graze in that district. Although the venture was not especially profitable this first year,\nI understand that with the necessary experience gained its possibilities are apparent and the\nexperiment will not be allowed to drop.\nWith regard to timber, the merchantable varieties consist of fir and yellow pine, usually\nrunning from 12 to 40 inches in diameter. Yellow pine has for the past four years been in good\ndemand, and many settlers have, with the additional advantage to themselves in the clearing\nof their lands, logged off their pre-emptions, selling the timber to the local and Merritt mills.\nThere are four mills taking 4ocal logs\u2014namely, the mills of the Summerland Lumber Company\nat Allenby, the mill of the Coalmont Colliery at Coalmont, a small mill at Princeton, and the\nNicoa Pine Mills at Merritt. There is a good local demand for mine-props and railway-ties,\nwhilst of added importance to the pre-emptor is the fact that he usually has timber in plenty\nfor the erection of farm buildings and rails for fences. Generally the cost of clearing land runs\nfrom about $25 to $50 per acre.\nRainfall and snowfall are both moderate. During December, January, and February snow\nusually covers the ground, its greatest depth varying from 18 to about 30 inches. This condition\nextends through the month of March at the higher elevations.\nIn regard to game, grouse and duck are usually plentiful; grouse were especially so this\nyear. Both deer and bear were seen on several occasions during our operations. Good fishing\nis available within a short distance. Blue Lake, 13 miles from Princeton on 1-Mile Creek, was\nthis season stocked with trout-fry by the authorities and the lake has been closed for fishing for\na few years.\nDuring the month of September we experienced unusually frequent rainfalls, and as a\nconsequence the rivers were flooded to a capacity almost equal to the spring freshets. In the\nvicinity of Tulameen, where placer-mining is carried on, the placer-miners were obliged to\nsuspend operations for several weeks.\nI have, etc.,\nP. W. Gregory, B.C.L.S. G 76 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nVICINITY OF PRINCETON, HEDLEY, AND KEREMEOS, SIMILKAMEEN DIVISION\nOF YALE DISTRICT.\nBy A. E. Humphreys.\nChilliwack, B.C., December 4th, 1920.\nJ. E. Vinbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014Acting on your instructions, I proceeded on July 9th last to make surveys of\npre-emptions in the vicinity of Princeton, Hedley, and Keremeos. This area is reached by\ntaking the Kettle Valley Railway through Hope to Princeton. From there the Great Northern\nRailway runs a mixed train every second day through Hedley, Keremeos, and south. There is\na good wagon and automobile road from Princeton to Keremeos, following the Similkameen\nRiver.\nWork was started on two pre-emptions on Coldwater Creek, about 7 miles south-east from\nPrinceton. It would appear that land in this locality would be most suitable for ranching and\nthat the better land has already been taken up. It is necessary to irrigate to raise field or\ngarden crops. Business conditions appear quiet at Princeton, but with coal-mining at Coalmont\nand copper-mining at Copper Mountain, 12 miles south, there should be a ready market for any\ncrops or stock grown. A branch railway-line has been completed from Princeton to Copper\nMountain and hydro-electric power has been brought from Bonnington Falls, and this should\nnow be a large copper-producing property.\nFour pre-emptions were surveyed in the vicinity of Hedley. This land was at an elevation\nof 1,200 feet above the Similkameen River and is suitable for growing hay and furnishing range\nfor stock. Summer frosts have destroyed gardens for the last four or five years, but potatoes,\netc., were grown this season.\nThe valley of the Similkameen River is narrow, but if water can be had for irrigation\nsplendid crops can be grown, which find ready market in Hedley, where the Nickel Plate Goldmine is in operation. This mine has since closed down temporarily.\nTwo pre-emptions were surveyed on Paul Creek, about 4 miles west from its junction with\nthe Similkameen River. This is good land and suitable for hay and range. There is good range\ncountry adjoining on the west. There is a pack-trail in from the river and the land is mostly\nopen rolling country.\nThe remainder of the season was spent on the Ashnola River, which joins the Similkameen\nRiver about 7 miles above or west of Keremeos.\nA fair wagon-road has been constructed up the Ashnola River about 9 miles to the forks, and\nthen farther up the Ewart Creek. This road is closed at 5 miles by rock and gravel slides,\nbut could easily be put in good shape. A pack-trail continues on up the Ashnola River to the\nInternational Boundary, which it crosses about 32 miles from the Similkameen. The last\n3 miles of this trail is closed by windfall.\nThere is no mining activity here at present; some claims, apparently copper prospects, have\nbeen staked about 5 miles up the Ashnola, but little or no development-work done. Tungsten\nis said to have been discovered up Ewart Creek, and it was for this reason the wagon-road was\nconstructed. No ore was shipped and no work is going on now.\nThe valley of the Ashnola is narrow generally, less than half a mile in width, sides being\nsteep gravel or rocky hillsides. The soil in the valley is mostly sand loam and suitable for hay\nor field crops, but requires irrigation. This valley is most suitable for cattle-ranching, there\nbeing some excellent summer range on the hills, while the valley will supply winter feed. About\nS00 head of cattle were on the ranges this year.\nThere are small quantities of merchantable timber, consisting of scattered fir and red pine,\non the hills and benches and fair spruce in the creek-bottoms. Land could be cleared for about\n$30 per acre.\nThe rainfall in this area is very light, there being only three light showers during July and\nAugust, and there is no evidence of excessive snowfall. Snow fell at the International Boundary\n(elevation 4,500 feet above sea-level) on September 25th and there was quite a heavy fall on\nthe higher ranges. This was earlier than usual. No summer frosts were noticed, but it is\nprobable that they occur in the upper part of the valley. During July and August the highest\ntemperature recorded was 104\u00b0 in the shade. 11 Geo. 5 Vicinity of Lower Similkameen Valley. G 77\nGame is rather scarce; a few deer were seen, but they were reported to be considerable in\nnumber on the higher levels;' also some mountain-sheep. Cougar-tracks were frequently seen\nand a few black bear in the upper part of the valley. Grouse were seen, but are not plentiful.\nSplendid fishing, speckled trout, may be had in the Ashnola.\" The lower 5 miles appears to be\nfished out, but above that the fishing is good.\nI have, etc.,\nA. E. Humphreys, B.C.L.S.\nVICINITY OF LOWER SIMILKAMEEN VALLEY.\nBy C. M. Shaw.\nCawston, B.C., December 15th, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report on surveys made by me in the Lower\nSimilkameen District during the season of 1920:\u2014\nIn all, thirty pre-emptions were surveyed; of these, four belonged to returned soldiers; the\ntotal area amounted to 4,780 acres; in addition to this, four tie-lines were run, the first near\nAldergrove, the second at Yellow Lake, the third on the Lower Similkameen River, and the\nfourth on the International Boundary-line at Osoyoos Lake. The work was very scattered,\ninvolving a large amount of travelling over in many cases exceedingly hilly roads.\nThese pre-emptions were all high up in the hills, as all the good land in the valleys has\nbeen taken up for some years; and as a sequence to a long succession of dry seasons most of\nthe springs and creeks were dried up, it meant many long walks and hard climbs from the camp\nat the nearest spring to the work, besides having to carry all the water required during the day.\nAt the request of several intending settlers a number of pre-emptions were surveyed on\nthe summit between Cawston and Fairview; most of these were on the western slope of the\nmountain. The soil is of the very finest quality, deep black loam, and the luxuriant growth of\ngrass and weeds remained green until the end of the season, while in the valley below everything was burnt and dried up by August. It is a remarkable fact that all through the district\nthe finest soil\u2014usually a deep black loam\u2014is high up in the hills, while that in the valleys\nusually consists of clay or sandy loam, often with gravel or boulders for subsoil.\nThe season was a very unusual one for this district; a cold, backward spring followed by\nintensely hot, dry weather in July and August, while the months of September and October'\nwere the coldest and wettest ever known in the Similkameen, with the result that a large\nproportion of the tomato-crop failed to ripen, not much over a third of the usual quantity being\npacked; this was a very serious loss, as tomatoes are very extensively grown in the district.\nHowever, the fruit-crop was large and of very fine quality.\nWhile the rains in the fall made surveying operations very disagreeable and caused\nconsiderable delay in the work, they were of immense benefit in other ways, as they put out\nnumerous bush fires\u2014one of which, on the east side of Osoyoos Lake, had driven us from the\nwork\u2014and have replenished the sources of the dried-up springs, thus greatly improving the\nprospect for next season's crops, and lead one to hope that the long succession of dry seasons\nthis district has suffered from is broken.\nDeer were frequently seen during the progress of the work. Blue and willow grouse were\nquite plentiful, and the Chinese pheasants which were introduced into the Similkameen Valley\nabout eight years ago have become very numerous.\nI have, etc.,\nC. M. Shaw, B.C.L.S. G 78 Report of the Minister of Lands.\nVICINITY OF OKANAGAN LAKE.\nBy A. P. Augustine.\nPenticton, B.C., December 22nd, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq., ,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I beg to submit the following report of the surveys and examination of land suitable\nfor settlement in the vicinity of Okanagan made during the summer of 1920:\u2014\nMy operations consisted of the survey of twelve pre-emptions and five parcels of Crown\nlands deemed suitable for settlement, and one beacon-site on the Okanagan Lake shore, comprising altogether some 2,920 acres. Of the twelve pre-emption records surveyed, only three\u2014\nLots 2723s, 2725s, and 4772\u2014have been developed. There is a shack on Lot 2730 which was\nbuilt by contractors during the construction of the Kettle Valley Railway. However, the holders\nof these pre-emptions, which have no improvements, appear to be returned soldiers.\nThe country generally consists of undulating land timbered with fir and yellow pine,\ninterspersed with beaver meadows, sloughs, alder and willow bottoms. On the higher levels\nthere are large areas covered with jack-piue varying in size from 2 to 8 inches in diameter.\nSome of the recorded pre-emptions have portions on high hills, but in every case parts are\ncapable of being brought under cultivation, although I have my doubts as to the emolument\nemanating from such work.\nThe soil on the lower parts of Lot 4772 is volcanic ash, but sandy loam, with'black loam in\nthe bottoms and beaver meadows, prevails elsewhere. \u2022\nAll the portions outlined as being possibly lit for settlement were investigated with a view\nto surveying for future settlement, but very little wras deemed suitable on account of its being\ntoo rough or because it carried too much timber.\nLand lying to the south of Pre-emption Record 3398 is too steep for settlement and too\nrocky, and that to the east of the same pre-emption, while suitable for settlement, has a stand\nof good yellow pine in places which in my estimation would run over 8,000 feet per acre. The\nSouth-west Quarter of Section 17, Township 28, is for the most part a bald rocky hill, rising\nabruptly from the shore of the Okanagan, and is worthless from an agricultural standpoint.\nLand lying in the vicinity of Squally Point, between Lots 2521s and 1158s, is very precipitous,\nrocky, devoid of soil, and useless, although one lot was surveyed in the Squally Point Canyon,\nnorth of Lot 115Ss. This lot, though badly broken on the north-west and south-east corners\nby the walls of the canyon, has some good level sandy loam in the bottom. It is through this\ncanyon that the proposed Penticton-Kelowna Public Highway runs for 4 miles at a practically\nlevel grade, and if constructed this road will form the main automobile artery joining the two\ntowns.\nUpon examination of the land lying to the south of Sub-lot 27, Lot 2711, I found that there\nwould probably be one parcel suitable for settlement, but was in doubt as to the stand of timber\nand reported accordingly. Land in the vicinity of Sub-lot 4, Lot 2711, was not surveyed, as it\nwas found to be without access by wagon-road, over 3,500 feet in elevation, and limited to one\npre-emption.\nAt Adra, on the Kettle Valley Railway, are possibly two parcels suitable for settlement, but\nat a greater height than 3,500 feet. At Chute Lake three lots were surveyed\u2014namely, Lots\n2732s, 2733s, 2734s. The soil on these lots is the typical light sandy loam, with black loam in\nthe beaver meadows. The timber is thick jack-pine, with the bottom lands for the most part\ncovered with willow and alder. Irrigation is not practicable on these lots, but owing to the\nheavy snowfall at this altitude (4,000 feet) it is doubtful if irrigation would be necessary.\nIt has since been reported to me that there are four or five parcels of unrecorded, unsurveyed\nCrown lands south-west of Lot 3780, Osoyoos District, suitable for settlement, and according\nto the same report this land would be eagerly sought after if surveyed and thrown open.\nConsiderable time was lost in transportation from one job to another, the party having\nmoved by motor-launch 25 miles, steamboat 68 miles, by wagon 25 miles, by auto-truck 40 miles,\nand by railway 135 miles, making a total of 293 miles, mostly in short stages, in addition to\nmotor-boat and rowboat travelling from camp to work.\nI have, etc.,\nA. P. Augustine, B.C.L.S. 11 Geo. 5 Vicinity of Lumby, Osoyoos Division of Yale District. G 79\nVICINITY OF LUMBY, OSOYOOS DIVISION OF YALE DISTRICT.\nBy J. C. Agnew.\nVernon, B.C., December 3rd, 1920.\nJ. E. TJmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report regarding the areas in which I was\nengaged surveying during the past season:\u2014\nThe work consisted of surveying detached pre-emptions, chiefly in the watershed of the\nShuswap River, only three places being outside that area. The season was remarkable for the\nheavy rainfall and the number of mosquitoes and gnats, which considerably retarded the progress\nof the work.\nOn June 21st operations were commenced 12 miles north of Vernon, where one pre-emption\nwas dealt with. From there camp was moved to the east side of Long Lake, 7 miles south of\nVernon, where two places were surveyed.\nOn July 13th we moved east into the Shuswap area and arrived at Trinity Valley, which lies\nto the south of the Railway Belt and east of Mabel Lake. Owing to the plague of mosquitoes\nthere we were forced to abandon the survey commenced and return later to complete it.\nTrinity Valley.\nTrinity Valley contains a large area of farming land, nearly all of which appears to have\nbeen alienated. At one time there was quite a number of settlers, but now only a few of these\nremain. The chief cause of this is the rather long winters obtaining there and the absence of a\nschool. There is a good road all the way from Lumby through the valley to Enderby. The\nelevation of the valley is approximately 2,500 feet, but the snow appears to lie there longer than\nin other parts of the Shuswap River watershed. A post-office is situated near Bobbie Burns\nMountain and the mail is carried once a week to Lumby. When the Canadian National Railway\nbranch is in operation at Lumby this valley may have more attractions for settlers.\nCreighton Valley.\nOn leaving Trinity Valley camp was moved to Creighton Valley, the entrance to which lies\nabout 4 miles south-east of Lumby. Here we surveyed two pre-emptions. This valley is only\nabout 20 chains wide at the most and narrows considerably as the eastern end is approached.\nA considerable quantity of hay is grown in the bottom land and the settlers appear to be\nprosperous. There is good bunch-grass range all along the slopes north of the creek. The\nclimate is warm and dry in summer and the valley has a very moderate snowfall, generally\n2 feet.\nHarris Creek (South-west of Lumby).\nOn completion of the pre-emptions in Creighton Valley camp was moved to another preemption, 4% miles south-west of Lumby, on Harris Creek. Around this part the land appears\nto be well settled. After the war several soldiers took up land in this neighbourhood under\nthe Soldier Settlement Board and are apparently getting along satisfactorily. The proximity\nto the Lumby branch of the Canadian National Railway, together with the productive soil,\nmakes this part a desirable location for those who wish to be near transportation.\nIreland Creek.\nFrom Harris Creek we moved to Ireland Creek, south-east of Mabel Lake, and there\nsurveyed one claim. Ireland Creek lies in a small valley .about 300 feet above the Shuswap\nRiver, which the creek flows into. Here the chief product is hay, but owing to the distance\nfrom transportation cattle are raised, as there is some good range on the east side of the creek.\nMost of the land in this valley is taken up. The climate is dry in summer. The winter commences in November and lasts till April. The snowfall is usually about 3 feet. The school\nis at Mabel Lake Post-office, close to the junction of Ireland Creek and Shuswap River Road.\nShuswap River.\nFrom Ireland Creek we proceeded up the Shuswap River 15 miles to Township 45, 3 miles\nwest of Camagna, where we were engaged in retracing old section-lines. At this part of the\nriver the mountains rise abruptly, giving room for a few small benches of very limited extent. The climate here is very dry and without irrigation the land is of little use, and the range is\nalso poor, being of the timber-grass variety. Lumby, where the nearest store is, is 15 miles\naway. A rural delivery route supplies mail facilities. There is also a post-office at Camagna,\nwhere the local school is situated.\nFerry or S-Mile Creek.\nOn leaving Shuswap River we proceeded up Ferry or 8-Mile Creek, iy2 miles south of the\nCreighton Valley Road, where we surveyed two lots. Ferry Creek lies in a gorge. At the\npart we were working in the mountain rises abruptly on the west side. Although steep, the\neastern side of the creek affords some good bunch-grass range. Very little of the creek-bottom\ncould be utilized. The nearest road is that passing through Creighton Valley, from 1% to 2 miles\nnorth of the lots. At present the only means of access is a trail along the eastern mountainside, but a road could be made up the creek-bottom at reasonable cost. In elevation this part\nof the creek is in the neighbourhood of 3,000 feet. There is not a very heavy snowfall, about\n4 feet. The climate is warm and dry in summer. To Lumby the distance is 19 miles. A rural\ndelivery, twice weekly, passes along the Creighton Valley Road. The nearest school and post-\noffice are at Camagna, 9 miles away.\nHarris Creek (South-east of Lumby).\nOn September 4th we moved camp to a place 2 miles south of the eastern end of Creighton\nValley, in the Harris Creek area. Here we surveyed three claims. These are all beyond road\ncommunication. The first two claims are adjacent and occupy a high bench above Creighton\nValley. The third claim lies on Bear Creek, a tributary of Harris Creek. The land in this\nvicinity is rather rough and broken. This area has been taken up chiefly for timber and range,\nleaving little room for pre-emptions. There are no actual settlers where we were working.\nThe places were occupied prior to the war, but are now deserted. The climate is dry in summer,\nbut there is a heavy snowfall, commencing as a rule early in November and lasting well on into\nApril. Good trails connect the places surveyed with the nearest road, from where it is not\nmore than 5 miles to Lumby, where the nearest school and post-office are situated. -The trail to\nthe Bear Creek claim is about 6 miles long.\n-viz., fir, tamarack,\nTimber.\nThe timber throughout the areas dealt with is all much alike in kind-\ncedar, and spruce. White and yellow pine are occasionally met with.\nGame.\nThe game hardly varies throughout these areas, the animals comprising mule-deer and\nblack and grizzly bear. The game birds are blue and willow grouse, prairie-chicken, and\nfool-hen, and duck of many varieties. The Shuswap River contains rainbow and silver trout\nand in some of the smaller streams brook-trout are abundant.\nGeneral.\nWith the exceptions already noted, the whole of the area dealt with is well supplied with\ngood roads. Reasonable post-office facilities are available to all settlers. Excepting in Trinity\nValley, schools are suitably situated throughout the district.\nLumby, the marketing village, will shortly be in railway communication with Vernon, which\nwill no doubt give considerable impetus to the development of this district.\nI have, etc.,\nJames C. Agnew, B.C.L.S. 11 Geo. 5 Kettle River Valley and Vicinity. G 81\nKETTLE RIVER VALLEY AND VICINITY.\nBy K. C. Farrow.\nVancouver, B.C., December 28th, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report on the area embracing my season's\nwork in the Similkameen District:\u2014\nThe lands surveyed are scattered over a large extent of country, and all lie either in the\nvalley of the Kettle River or on creeks tributary thereto. Taking the little town of Rock Creek\nas the centre, the following table gives a rough idea of the scope of country covered and the\ndistances to the various localities in which the work lay:\u2014\nMiles.\nRock Creek south to Myncaster 6\nRock Creek west to Johnson Creek 8\nRock Creek west to Camp McKinney 25\nRock Creek north to Lakevale (up the West Fork of Kettle River) 62\nRock Creek north to Christian Valley (up the main Kettle River) 45\nRock Creek north-east up Nicholson Creek 14\nRock Creek east to Greenwood 20\nThe roads to all the above places radiate from Rock Creek, with the exception of the Main\nRiver Road, which leaves the West Fork Road at Westbridge, 9 miles north of Rock Creek.\nPhysical Characteristics.\nThe main river flows south and a little west from the Christian Valley to its confluence\nwith the West Fork at Westbridge; thence east to Midway, where it turns south and crosses\ninto the State of Washington. The West Fork flows nearly south from its source at the Kelowna\nSummit, where the Kettle Valley Railway breaks through into the Okanagan Valley. The main\nriver-valley where it is known as the Christian Valley\u2014that is, from the East Fork for about\n8 miles south\u2014is flat and averages a mile wide, with high and more or less rocky mountains\nrising on either side. The valley-bottom here is about 2,500 feet elevation and the mountains\nrise some 2,500 to 2,600 feet higher on either side; below here and down as far as Westbridge\nthe valley alternately narrows (in many places to a mere canyon) and widens to about half a\nmile in width; the mountains on either side continuing about the same height, but becoming less\nrocky and their slopes broken by benches. From Westbridge through Rock Creek and on to\nMidway the valley varies in width from three-quarters to a mile, and the hillside benches become.\nmore frequent and larger. At Rock Creek the valley has an elevation of 1,950 feet west from\nRock Creek to Bridesville; after climbing sharply out of the valley for about 1,000 feet there\nis an undulating belt of country gradually rising to Bridesville at an elevation of 3,500 feet.\nThis area is cut by Rock Creek, which for 5 miles above its confluence with the Kettle flows\neast through a picturesque canyon some 500 feet deep.\nBoundary Creek (upon which Greenwood is situated) flows into the Kettle at Midway; its\nvalley is narrow, widening only in a few places to about a quarter of a mile; there are, however,\nconsiderable areas of bench lands on either side. This area is considerably marred by the\nsulphur-fumes from the Greenwood and Boundary Falls smelters having killed off most of the\nvegetation, particularly standing timber, which gives it a particularly desolate appearance.\nClimate.\nThe climate through this area varies considerably. Midway appears to be the hottest in\nsummer and coldest in winter, with Rock Creek next and Greenwood and Bridesville following;\n35\u00b0 below zero and 105\u00b0 in the shade appear to be midwinter and midsummer temperatures at\nMidway, although these extremes are only reached for short periods. Farther up the river the\nextremes are not so great; Christian Valley having recorded 25\u00b0 below zero when Midway was\n40\u00b0 below. The snowfall from Greenwood to Westbridge averages about 18 inches in the valley,\nwith, of course, more on the surrounding hills. From Westbridge up both the West Fork and\nmain river there is considerably more snow, averaging 3 feet in Christian Valley. The rainfall\nis also much heavier from Westbridge north up both the main river and West Fork; this is\n6 G 8S\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nplainly evident from the vegetation, which becomes sparse below Westbridge, with large expanses\nof open bunch-grass hillside, while above Westbridge the growth is heavy, with considerable\nwillow, maple, and alder.\nTimber.\nThere are considerable areas of merchantable timber\u2014fir, tamarack, and yellow pine\u2014\nprincipally up the West Fork and main rivers from Westbridge. Last winter about 3,000,000\nfeet were cut and in the spring driven down the Kettle to the mills at Grand Forks. This gives\nemployment to a considerable number of men. There is also a good deal of tie-timber which\nprovides employment to many ranchers before they get their pre-emptions on to a paying basis.\nThe Canadian Pacific Railway and Great Northern Railway take all the ties that can be\nsupplied; apparently these are all hewn in the woods.\nRoads.\nThis whole area is blessed with good roads compared to most other parts of the Province.\nThe Trans-Provincial Highway runs through Bridesville, Rock Creek, Midway, and Greenwood\nand is a good motor-road. Up the river there is a good motor-road through Westbridge and up\nthe West Fork to Carmi; from there on through the pass to Penticton is only an indifferent\nwagon-trail, which is, I understand, being gradually improved. Up the main river the road\nbecomes gradually w-orse above Westbridge until in Christian Valley it is merely a pioneer\nwagon-trail. It is passable for cars; in fact, I took my outfit up as far as Copper Creek by\ncar, but there was little pleasure in the achievement. Many tributary roads\u2014for the most part\ngood\u2014act as feeders to the main roads; in particular Johnson Creek, Nicholson Creek, and Rock\nCreek to Myncaster.\nGame.\nGood trout-fishing can be had anywhere in the Kettle River and up most of the larger\ntributary creeks. Deer and bear were scarce this year close in to the settled areas, but abounded\nfarther up the river above Westbridge; grizzly are found up the Christian Valley;- blue and\nwillow grouse were not plentiful, but spruce-hen were found in numbers in many places.\nEarly Development.\nThe southern and eastern portion of this territory is one of the earliest-settled districts in\nBritish Columbia. Apart from scattered stock-ranches, this early development was largely due\nto mining activities, out of which the towns of Midway, Greenwood, Phoenix, and, farther east,\nGrand Forks grew to considerable size and importance. The Canadian Pacific Railway built\ninto Greenwood in about 1900 and the following year extended to Midway; this line a few\nyears ago was extended .via Penticton, Princeton, and Hope to the Coast, and is known as the\nKettle Valley Railway. The Great Northern Railway also touches Midway and passes close to\nGreenwood and Rock Creek, so that the district is well served with railways.\nMining.\nCopper was the mineral mined to the greatest extent in this district until two or three\nyears ago, and large smelters operated at Boundary Falls, Greenwood, and Phoenix. Of recent\nyears, from various causes, these smelters have closed down and been dismantled, likewise the\nmines which supplied them. This has been a serious blow to the district in general, and many\npeople are now looking to the agricultural possibilities of the country to repair their fallen\nfortunes. Not that it is mined out by any means; old-timers\u2014miners and prospectors\u2014are\nconfident of a mining revival sooner or later, and a number of small silver-mines are operating\non a very paying basis at the present time and mineral indications exist everywhere.\nAgriculture.\nTo turn now to the agricultural development and possibilities of the district: Much pioneer\nwork has been done and many flourishing ranches exist, especially between Midway and Rock\nCreek and Bridesville. They are mostly stock-ranches, where hay and oats are naturally the\nprincipal crop, though a considerable amount of grain is raised and threshed, particularly in the\nBridesville area, and in normal years the crops are good. Three successive dry seasons have\nmade the farmers look closely to the possibilities of irrigation, which hitherto has only been 11 Geo. 5 Kettle River Valley and Vicinity. G 83\ncarried on here and there. It is increasingly evident, though, that a comprehensive system of\nirrigation will be needed before the Kettle Valley can attain to a full agricultural development.\nThe soil is there and the water also, but it remains for the individual efforts of isolated ranchers\nto be co-ordinated and a system installed which will benefit the entire valley. This could, of\ncourse, best be done by the Government and is certainly worthy of its consideration. The raising\nof apples has been tried between Midway and Rock Creek, but spring frosts have been found\nfatal to the blossom. Judging, however, from the wild strawberries and raspberries found\neverywhere, small fruits should do well. The foregoing applies particularly to the valley-bottom.\nThe benches as a general rule are favoured by a certain amount of sub-irrigation and appear\nto be less affected by dry years than the valley-bottom. Many good ranches are dotted about\non these benches. Most of the lands surveyed by me this season were back from the valley\nitself on benches or tributary creeks; the valley itself having been taken up and surveyed in\nsome cases many years ago.\nLocalities surveyed.\nI will now deal more particularly with the local areas in which the work lay and the\nsequence of the work itself. I arrived at Rock Creek, my point of organization, on the evening\nof Saturday, June 12th, having motored in from the Coast, bringing two men in with me. I\ncommenced at once to organize my party and commenced actual field-work on Tuesday, the\n15th, in the vicinity of Myncaster, where I surveyed three pre-emptions. These lie on a more\nor less steep mountain-side and are suitable only as range; they adjoin several prosperous farms\nwhich lie in the valley of Myers Creek. Having completed these, I moved up to Carmi, 45 miles\nup the West Fork of the Kettle River along the Kettle Valley Railway. In this locality I\nsurveyed two pre-emptions and three Government \"lots. The country here is less suited for\nagricultural development than farther south, the valley being narrow and for the most part\nstony and the arable lands scattered and of small extent.\nThere is considerable mining development going on in the vicinity, several small silver-\nmines operating on a paying basis. There is also considerable tie-cutting and logging.\nI next moved up to the Arlington Lakes, 17 miles above Carmi. I had to make this move\nby rail, as the wagon-trail was not passable at that time owing to windfalls. Here I surveyed\ntwo pre-emptions and a Government lot. The country here is similar to that about Carmi, but\nhas a heavier rainfall.\nI then moved south again, retracing my steps as far as Beaverdell, 10 miles south of Carmi,\nwhere I surveyed a Government lot. I had a pre-emption to survey here, but found it had been\nabandoned. I then moved on south and'camped at Bull Creek, where I surveyed a pre-emption.\nUp till this time I was considerably hampered through having no assistant; while at this camp,\nhowever, Mr. Agassiz arrived and assumed his duties.\nContinuing south, I camped at the mouth of Conckle Creek, 4 miles above Westbridge, where\nI surveyed three Government lots, all on benches above the main valley and each containing a\ncertain amount of arable land, the balance of the area being range. I then made a move of\nabout 35 miles through Rock Creek and Bridesville, and camped about 8 miles from the latter\nplace and between it and old Camp McKinney on the old Camp McKinney Road. I had previously made a two-day's trip into this area by myself and looked it over. I surveyed nine\nGovernment lots here in a block. They lie in a basin which forms the headwaters of Rock\nCreek, and which lies at the foot of Mount Baldy, the highest peak in this district, S,000 feet\nhigh. Old Camp McKinney lies on the slope of this mountain, one of the oldest mining camps\nin this district; it is reputed to have produced over $1,500,000 in free-milling gold in its time,\nbut has long since closed down and been deserted as a settlement, although several small properties are being worked. The old road upon which I camped is in fair condition and passable for\nwagons to within 2 miles of McKinney. The basin is undulated and traversed by several small\ncreeks. The soil throughout is a good sandy loam, naturally moist. There is a dense growth of\nwillow and alder, a considerable amount of fir and tamarack, and occasional patches of jack-pine.\nThe clearing would be heavy and more or less expensive at present costs. The elevation is about\n4,000 feet, about 200 feet higher than many of the farms about Bridesville, which is the centre\nof a prosperous farming community.\nI then moved back towards Rock Creek and camped up Johnson Creek. In this locality I\nsurveyed one pre-emption and eight Government lots. Later I returned and under instructions\nfrom you surveyed another pre-emption and Government lot. These lie for the most part on an G 84\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nundulating plateau between Johnson Creek and Kettle River. The soil varies from a loam to\nsandy loam and is naturally moist. There is a heavy growth of willow, alder, and maple\nthroughout and a certain amount of fir and tamarack. The clearing would be heavy, but when\ncleared the land would produce good hay-crops. From Johnson Creek I moved over 50 miles\nup to Christian Valley on the main river, stopping en route at Williamson Creek to survey a\npre-emption and a Government lot, both situated on benches above the river.\nIn Christian Valley I surveyed some pre-emptions and one Government lot. The valley\nhere is wide and the soil a heavy loam, varying to an alluvial silt and naturally moist. There\nare six families in there now, though it is still more or less of a pioneer settlement, being 35\nmiles from the railway at AVestbridge. There is a school and they are applying for a post-office.\nIt is by far the most promising area that I visited this season from an agricultural standpoint;\nin my opinion it is superior to the older-settled districts farther south, and has the advantage\nof considerable areas of arable land still vacant and unsurveyed. The clearing is not so heavy\nas in other parts and the rainfall is considerably greater.\nAfter I returned to the vicinity of Rock Creek I had many inquiries as to the possibilities\nof the district. One rancher, who is at present working a rented ranch, told me that as soon as\nhe heard that further Crown lands were open for pre-emption up there he would move up with\nhis two sons and also send for a brother and two friends, who are on the Prairies and to whom\nhe had promised to look out for good land. This was after he had asked me about the district\nand then gone up to look it over. He was most enthusiastic about it. I should like to have\nsurveyed some vacant Crown lands here, but unfortunately was too pressed for time. Game\nabounds in the district, deer being more plentiful than for many years.\nI then moved back down to Johnson Creek, where I completed the work under instructions\nthere, and then proceeded up Nicholson Creek, where I surveyed four Government lots. Nicholson\nCreek flows into the Kettle River from the north almost opposite Rock Creek. There are several\nprosperous ranches situated on it. A fairly good road runs down to Rock Creek. Three of the\nlots I surveyed, when cleared, would be arable; the fourth is more suitable for range.\nMoving west to Boundary Falls, I surveyed a pre-emption and a Government lot, both\nsituated on benches high above Boundary Creek. Then moved on to beyond- Greenwood up\nBoundary Creek, where I wound up-my season's work by surveying a Government lot.\nMy chief difficulty throughout the season's work was picking up the old lines and corners,\nin many cases almost wholly obliterated. In most cases as much time was taken up in getting\na start as in making the survey itself.\nI have, etc.,\nK. C. Farrow, B.C.L.S.\nVICINITY OF GRAND FORKS, SIMILKAMEEN DIVISION OF YALE DISTRICT.\nBy A. H. Holland.\nVancouver, B.C., December 4th, 1920.\n\/. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014The season's work covers the survey of scattered pre-emptions for 30 miles east, west,\nand north of Grand Forks, together with small areas of Crown land which have been under\nreserve for years, being parts of a large tract in this district which had originally been alienated\nas part of the land subsidy for the construction of the Columbia & Western Railway and now\nreturned to the Crown by purchase. Only the portions of this latter which are adjacent to\nwagon-roads or trails were touched, and there are still large tracts which must be examined\nand reported on as to their agricultural, timber, and mineral possibilities before settlement can\nbe encouraged or surveys made.\nFollowing your instructions, a party was organized in the field with headquarters in Grand\nForks, but as the work was very scattered no permanent means of transport could be arranged\nfor, so advantage had to be taken of wagons, trucks, or motor-boats, as was convenient, and\nactual field-work was started in the early part of June on Morrissey Creek. Morrissey Creek.\nThis stream is 4 miles east of Grand Forks, and though there is a large flow of water in\nthe spring and fall, there is no storage system and the ranches in the valley holding the water\nrecord have to augment their supply for irrigation by electric pump from the Kettle River.\nThere is only a very limited area of vacant Crown land which is lit for agriculture, and\nthis is at an elevation of from 2,200 to 2,500 feet and is timbered with pine, fir, and tamarack,\nof which only 80 acres was considered as milling-timber,'the balance being suited for ties or\ncordwood. The few settlers already here are raising good crops of hay, grain, and roots without\nirrigation, and are getting employment and something towards the cost of clearing by selling\ncordwood in town, where the demand is good and the price high.\nSand Creek.\nAcross the summit to the north and accessible from Grand Forks by an old wagon-road and\ntrail is the drainage-basin of Sand Creek and Snowball Creek (locally known as Halliday Creek),\nwhere there is quite an area of arable land, together with good summer range for a number of\ncattle, but as the road and trail was blocked by windfalls and there were no pack-horses\navailable, the survey of this had to be left for the present.\nGilpin Creek.\nOur next move was across the headwaters of McConnell or Dan O'Rea Creek (whose waters\nalso should be stored for use in the dry season), our wTork being on the open range above Gilpin\nCreek. This range extends eastward to Cascade and is high and rocky, but the bunch-grass is\nabundant and at the present time is understocked. The bottom land here along the Kettle River\nhas been settled for years and all the ranches have cattle on the range, while the orchards and\nfields show plainly the fertility of the soil when water is available, and if the present Government plan for an irrigation area is approved by the owners\", many acres which are now only\npasture will become as productive as any in the valley.\nEast of here is the settlement of Billings, where the Forest Mills have a large sawmill which\nobtains its logs chiefly from the upper waters of the Kettle River and the North Fork, from\nwhence this year about 7,000,000 feet were driven for a distance of from 50 to 100 miles in two\ndrives. Besides, there are logging camps on Moody Creek, about 6 miles from the mill, and also\non branches of Sutherland Creek, but the latter limits were badly burnt by a forest fire this\nyear, which raged in that valley during the early part of August.\nThe British Columbia Power and Construction Company also has an auxiliary station,\ngenerating power from the Cascade Falls on the Kettle River, which here breaks through a\ncanyon, to be joined by the waters- from Christina Lake before flowing south into American\nterritory.\nDeep Creek.\nOur next move was by wagon to Deep Creek, and to reach there we had to cross into the\nUnited States and re-enter Canada 5 miles to the east, but this disadvantage will soon be\neliminated, as the Works Department have already surveyed the right-of-way of a road from\nthe foot of Christina Lake, following in a general way the Dewdney Trail, which was the pioneer\ntrail of the Province, and doing away with some miles of sandy road on the American side which\nwas in very bad condition when we used it.\nThe country here is high, reaching an altitude of 3,500 feet near the summit, but as wild\nfeed is plentiful, and as the soil is clay and sub-irrigated from the surrounding hills, it raises\nsplendid crops of clover, alfalfa, and timothy when cleared. The hillsides are timbered with\nspruce, fir, and cedar, making heavy clearing, but there is a small sawmill here which ships its\nlumber, together with ties and cedar poles, by wagon to the railroads at Cascade.\nThe settlers have gone in for dairying and send their cream twice a week to the creamery\nat Grand Forks. They have a school, but their post-office and supply-point is Cascade,\nIn 1896, at the height of the mining boom in Rossland District, there were many mineral\nclaims staked in this area and considerable development-work done and good values obtained,\nbut with the exception of a chrome-ore deposit near Cascade there has been nothing shipped,\nand this latter property has not been worked since 1918. G 86\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nSutherland Creek.\nA splendid example of the work of the hardy settler was seen on our next move to the\nsettlement on the high timbered country near the head of Sutherland Creek at what is locally\nknown as Hill-top. This is reached by a steep but good wagon-road from Fife, a station on the\nCanadian Pacific Railway above Christina Lake, and the farms have literally been chopped out,\nand there is a prosperous community which finds employment all the year around, either on\nthe land or in the woods, for the little siding of Fife has shipped many ties and cedar poles\nin the last ten years, and the camps are still operating, and each year sees larger clearings and\nmore land brought under cultivation. They have their own school, but their post-office is at\nFife, 3 miles away, and their nearest store at Cascade.\nThe arable land is very limited and has now been all taken up either by pre-emption or\nunder timber licence, and the surrounding hills are rocky and have mostly been fire-swept.\nHigher up Sutherland Creek there is a considerable area of timber, chiefly spruce, fir, and\ncedar poles, and also one or two small areas of bottom land, but there is no road or even a\ntrail, and no attempt has been made to take it up.\nChristina Lake.\nDuring the month of July the weather had gradually been growing warmer, reaching 110\u00b0\nin the shade, and we were glad to move to Christina Lake, which is about 16 miles long, with\nan average width of three-quarters of a mile, and is at an altitude of 1,450 feet. It is surrounded\nby high hills rising from the water, and there is little agricultural land except at the mouths of\nthe several creeks which flow through narrow valleys, where there is little bottom land, but some\nfair stands of pole and tie timber on the slopes.\nMcRae Creek is one of the largest of these streams and the wagon-road to Paulson follows\nits course, while the railway ascends to its headwaters before crossing to the slopes of Arrow\nLake.\nThe arable land along the lake has been settled for some years and fine fruits and vegetables,\nincluding apples, plums, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, and tomatoes, were shipped from here\nthis season.\nThe lake has become quite a favourite resort, and there are many summer cottages built\nalong the shores and numerous visitors spend a few days trying for the elusive trout or black\nbass, with which the lake is stocked. Its beauties will be appreciated by many motorists upon\nthe completion of the Inter-Provincial Highway, which will follow the shore-line for about 7\nmiles, and at the present time there is a fair motor-road for that distance, which continues up\nMcRae Creek to the mining camp near Paulson.\nThis work completed our programme east of Grand Forks, and we moved by motor-truck\nback through Grand Forks and up through the Donkhobor Settlement on Fourth of July Creek\nto Eholt. This drive is one of the attractions of the country, and the magnificent orchards and\nfarms extending from the valley to the hill-top make a wonderful picture and prove the fertility\nof the soil and the richness of the district.\nEholt.\nThis village was in the past a busy junction-point on the railway, from which the mining\ncamp of Phoenix was reached by a branch line, but now has relapsed into a deserted village,\nwhere only a few ranchers obtain their mail and supplies. It is at an elevation of 3,100 feet\nand the surrounding country is rolling, rising to a height of 6,000 feet on Roderick Dhu and\nPelly Mountains on the north. The lower elevations are covered with a growth of scrub timber,\nfrom which many fir and tamarack ties have been cut, and wherever clearings have been made\nand water is obtainable the clay or silt raises fine hay, clover, and alfalfa, but its altitude and\nthe prevalence of summer frosts makes grain-growing an uncertainty, but fine fall wheat was\nseen this year.\nOn the higher levels, where the timber-growth is more park-like or entirely absent, there\nis splendid summer range, and within 4 miles there are at least 1,000 acres of bunch-grass which\nare not grazed, though there is easy access by means of a good wagon-road, which was built\nto some mineral claims which have not been worked for years. 11 Geo. 5 Arrow Lakes, Kootenay District. G 87\nContinuing westward, the motor-road follows the valley of Eholt Creek through some\nsplendid hay-ranches to Greenwood (2,450 feet), which is the centre of a rich mineral-belt\nand the supply-point for the adjoining ranching country.\nNorth Fork of Kettle River.\nOur fifteenth move and camp was about 12 miles north of Grand Forks on the North Fork\nof the Kettle River, which is about 60 miles long, but only the lower 20 miles has so far attracted\nmany settlers. The bottom averages about three-quarters of a mile in width and was originally\nheavily timbered with spruce, cedar, tamarack, and pine, but this has all been logged off and\nnow there are prosperous ranches on both sides, raising fruit, grain, roots, and hay, while the\nhills on each side provide limited range for a considerable number of cattle. The mountains\nrise to a height of about 1,000 feet on both sides, and in the valleys of the numerous small\ntributaries there are still good stands of timber, chiefly pine and tamarack, which on the upper\nslopes are quite open, affording good grazing.\nThere has been considerable mining development done in these hills, especially on Volcanic\nand Pathfinder Mountains, and work on the latter is continuing this winter.\nThe climate here varies from 15\u00b0 below to 100\u00b0, and in the normal season the precipitation\nis sufficient for agriculture, but the continued dry seasons of the last three years have made\nirrigation necessary on all but the river-levels.\nThe settlement is easy of access, having a good motor-road on each side of the valley for\nthe first 17 miles, besides having a semi-weekly train service for the same distance to the mine\nand mill of the Candy Mine, a fluorspar-deposit being operated by the Smelting Company of\nTrail. There are two schools in the lower valley, but the nearest post-office and supply-point\nis Grand Forks.\nThere is a sawmill at Lynch Creek and logging camps are working here and on the main\nriver for about 10 miles above this point, but from here up the valley is hardly more than half\na mile wide, and there is no land open for settlement until the timber has been logged off, but\nthe soil in the bottom is silt or clay, capable of raising good crops, and there is considerable open\nrange on the hillsides.\nBeyond this point the wagon-road is built 30 miles to Franklin Creek and Gloucester mining\ncamps, where this year the Government diamond-drill was operating, and if a sufficient body of\nore is proven the railroad will no doubt be extended, as the surveys are already made.\nThe soil throughout the area examined this year varies from silt and sandy loam to heavy\nclay loam, with open subsoil of gravel and rock, though in some places there is a hard-pan or\nclay; also the need of irrigation varies with the altitude, for the precipitation is plentiful in the\nmountains, and at elevations of from 2,500 to 3,000 feet good crops are raised without it, while\nin the valleys, where the precipitation is hardly more than 18 inches annually, irrigation is a\nnecessity.\nI have, etc.,\nArthur H. Holland, B.C.L.S.\nARROW LAKES, KOOTENAY DISTRICT.\nBy H. H. B. Abbott.\nRevelstoke, B.C., December 17th, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\ngIR>\u2014My programme of surveys for this season consisted of the survey of all unsurveyed\npre-emption records in good standing in the vicinity of the Arrow Lakes and the survey of any\nvacant Crown lands found to be suitable for settlement. In regard to the latter, my attention\nwas particularly directed to the possibility of finding suitable vacant lands in the two blocks\nof \".railway lands \" recently reverted to the Crown on the Lower Arrow Lake, and also at the\nhead of Fire Valley and near the head of Kettle River, where some fourteen sections have\nreverted under the provisions of the \" Soldiers' Homestead Act.\" Owing, however, to unforeseen\ndelays in progress, due mainly to weather conditions and to the fact that lands suitable for\nsettlement were found in the Whatshan Lakes neighbourhood which it was considered advisable '\nReport of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nto survey on our way down the lakes, it was found to be impossible to make the surveys of the\nother vacant lands this season. A rough reconnaissance, however, was made of these several\nlocalities with a view to subsequent surveys, and separate reports are being submitted with\nregard to them.\nAs regards the pre-emptions surveyed this season, the outstanding feature has been the low\nstandard of the land taken up during the last ten years in this district. The explanation of this\nis apparently to be found in the fact that the amount of agricultural land is comparatively small,\nand, climate and other conditions being very favourable, the locality was completely settled much\nearlier than other equally accessible parts of the Interior. For the most part, too, the good\nfarms are still held by the original owners, and this has tended to keep the price of what land\ngoes on the market much above real values, and there is a general keenness to get on the land\nthroughout the locality. This is not confined to new-comers in the district, as several of the\nplaces surveyed this year were recent pre-emptions by men resident in the country for twenty-five\nand thirty years.\nIt is, however, likely that two or more large tracts held by syndicates and lying idle may\nsoon revert to the Crown; if so, this and the gradual opening-up of logged-off lands will alleviate\npresent conditions.\nThe general formation of this district is that of mountains rising immediately from the\nlake-shores and reaching an average summit of some 7,000 feet above sea-level in an average\ndistance of 4 miles. These mountains are of general rocky formation, carrying little mineral\nand mostly second-growth timber; benches are infrequent and of small extent. With four\nexceptions, the tributary creeks do not carry valleys for more than 3 miles back from the lakes.\nThe arable soil is mostly a brown sandy loam. Particularly on the Upper Arrow Lake the\ncreeks mostly carry a considerable amount of timber, mainly cedar and hemlock.\nArrowhead.\nArrowhead, at the head of Upper Arrow Lake, is 28 miles south of Revelstoke and the\nterminal of a branch line of the Canadian Pacific Railway connecting with the main line at\nRevelstoke. It is also the head of navigation of the Canadian Pacific Railway steamship route\non the Arrow Lakes, which operates between this point and West Robson, a run of 134 miles.\nThere is also a daily mail and passenger service on the North-east Arm of Upper Arrow Lake\nbetween Arrowhead and Comaplix and Beaton, giving access to the Camborne and Trout Lake\ncountry. The Columbia River between Arrowhead and Revelstoke is navigable at high water\nfor the larger lake-boats and at all times, except during the winter, for smaller draught. There\nis a Government road under construction between Arrowhead and Revelstoke, .which when completed will give road communication between Arrowhead and the Central Interior; about 8 miles\nat each end have been constructed.\nArrowhead has a population of 200, with railway-station,. Dominion Express office, post-office,\nbranches of Imperial and Molsons Banks, school, hotel, and three stores. Two shingle-mills\nwere operating all summer, with a daily cut of about 225,000, and employing thirty men in the\nmills and fifty men in the woods. There have been two large lumber-mills at Arrowhead, but\nthe last one ceased operating nearly ten years ago and is partially dismantled. Most of the\ntimber immediately tributary has been logged, but in the opinion of many lumbermen Arrowhead\nis the natural milling-site for the big tract of timber in the Big Bend of the Columbia River.\nColumbia River Valley between Arrowhead and Revelstoke is wide and for the most part\ngood agricultural land. It has been very heavily timbered, but is now pretty well all logged\noff or burned. The land is all privately owned, though only 25 per cent, of it is occupied, and\nagain only a small percentage of this is cleared. Clearing in this valley costs above the average\nfor the Province. Mixed farming is carried on profitably and a share of this product is tributary\nto Arrowhead.\nNorth-east Arm of Upper Arrow Lake.\nThis arm, 9 miles in length, extends north-easterly from Arrowhead to the mouth of Fish\nCreek. The villages of Beaton and Comaplix are situated at the head. For nearly twenty years\none of the largest and best-paying mills in the Interior operated at Comaplix, and this caused\nquite a little settlement here. The mill and two hotels burned down in 1914, and from then till\nthis year Comaplix has been deserted. This year a small tie-mill has been working and there\nis a possibility of a shingle-mill starting. 11 Geo. 5 Arrow Lakes, Kootenay District. G 89\nBeaton, which is the old Thompson's Landing, has been the distributing-point for the Trout\nLake, Ferguson, and Camborne mining \u25a0 camps. It has a fluctuating population, but present\npopulation is about sixty. It has a post-office, school, two stores, and hotel, and daily service\nwith Arrowhead, Camborne, and Trout Lake. The lower part of Fish Creek Valley contains\nabout 1,000 acres of really first-class agricultural lands, all privately owned. A car-load of\npotatoes is exported annually. Fish Creek has been logged as far as the Railway Belt boundary,\nbut above this point contains a fine stand of timber.\nGalena Bay.\nGalena Bay, on the east side of Upper Arrow Lake, immediately below the North-east Arm,\nhas been the scene of extensive logging operations since 1892. Some of the logged-off lands are\nnow being cleared and it is becoming a thriving farming settlement. It has its own school, but\notherwise is dependent on Arrowhead, with which it has a daily launch service. There is\nlikelihood of more logged-off lands here being available for settlement in the near future.\nHalcyon and St. Leon.\nBoth these places have long been known as health resorts, and medical men seem to consider\nthese sulphur springs Superior to any other in the Province. At both places there is a hotel and\nfully equipped baths, and at St. Leon many families spend much of the summer camping on the\nbeach.\nPingston Creek.\nA lumber-mill has operated at Pingston Creek intermittently for the past fifteen years. Till\nthis fall the mill was owned by the Revelstoke Lumber Company, which cut close on 4,000,000\nfeet of lumber this summer and employed thirty-three men.\nFosthall Creek.\nThere is a small farming community at\" Fosthall Creek and a considerable amount of good\nagricultural land. This is held privately and mostly by non-residents and very little of it\nis cultivated.\nNakusp.\nNakusp, the principal town on Arrow Lakes, has population of 700 inside a 3-mile radius.\nIt is the terminal of the Canadian Pacific Railway branch line between the Arrow Lakes, Slocan\nLake, and Kootenay Lake. During the winter it is the foot of navigation on the Arrow Lakes\nand traffic between Revelstoke and the Nelson boundary and Crowsnest country is routed through\nby Nakusp and Slocan Lake instead of via West Robson.\nNakusp has a Provincial Government office, Dominion Express office, post-office, hospital,\ndrug-store, branch of the Canadian Bank of Commerce, two hotels, and six stores, and is also\nthe headquarters of the Government telephone service on Arrow Lakes. The Nakusp Lumber\nCompany's sawmill has been working double shift from the middle of March till the end of\nSeptember and shipped 111 cars of lumber and twenty-three cars of ties. Last year it shipped\n203 car-loads. The mill employs fifty men and has kept two logging camps in the woods all\nyear. There is also an extensive shingle and pole business done in this neighbourhood and\napproximately 3,000,000 shingles and I07j,000 poles have been shipped during the year. The\nneighbourhood of Wilson Lake and the upper part of Kuskanax Valley contains large stands of\ncedar, hemlock, and fir timber of good quality, and as yet no attempt at logging these tracts\nhas been made. The Lower Kuskanax Valley has been timbered, but most of it has been logged.\nThe soil here is of a sandy nature and does well for any hardy varieties of fruit. Irrigation\nis very little practised, but water can be comparatively easily put on this valley and on the\nbenches behind the town and the production thereby increased. This land is all divided into\nholdings of 10 to 20 acres, but the majority of these are lying idle or practically so. Many of\nthe settlers are content with small gardens and depend on work locally in the mills, camps, or\non Government roads, rather than make any determined attempt to make their holdings self-\nsupporting. In the exceptional cases where they have given all their attention to' the land it has\nbeen a very uphill struggle, but where, as in the case of J. H. Stevenson, there has been optimistic\nperseverance these places are now well repaying the effort and stand intensive farming methods\nof cultivation. In the neighbourhood of Brouse and the Nakusp Creek Valley the soil is mostly\na rich clay loam and there are several first-class farms here which are on a good paying basis. G 90 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nApart from supplying local demands, there is a steadily increasing shipment of dairy produce\nto Revelstoke and Nelson, and last year five cars of beef went out of this district. The apple-\ncrop this year suffered as elsewhere in the Province, and while there is a steady increase in the\nnumber of bearing orchards, the crop was only 60 per cent, of what it would have been had the\nyear been normal. The 1919 shipment was 50,000 boxes and this year's was probably a little\nover 40,000. Complaints have been general as regards non-facilities for shipping, and small\nfruits seem especially to have suffered therefrom. Poultry are raised extensively and, in spite\nof high cost of feed, profitably. The most of the pre-emptors in the locality depend upon trapping\nas much as, and in many cases more than, anything else for their means of livelihood. The past\ntwo winters, with the extraordinary high price of fur, gave this a tremendous impetus, but the\nresult is that the district is now practically trapped out, and with the market very unsettled few\ntrappers are going out this winter.\nSurveys of a water system to supply Nakusp and neighbourhood were completed this year,\nand the system, largely financed by Government aid, will be installed next year, as will also an\nelectric-lighting system. Only a limited number of Nakusp town lots were originally sold and\nsince then the balance were withheld from sale. This year they have been reopened for sale\nand thirty lots and two complete blocks were sold at a relatively low figure. There has been\na steady increase of settlers coming in, mainly from Prairie points, and a consequent large\ndemand for land already cleared. Cleared land has been selling at all the way from $200 to\n$500 an acre and uncleared about $100.\nNakusp has a comparatively equable temperature, with a snowfall of about the average for\nthis elevation in the Kootenay. During the last twenty years the lowest winter temperature\nwas 16\u00b0 below zero, for one night only. Normally the temperature only goes below zero three\nor four nights each winter.\nWest Demars.\nThis is a farming settlement of some fifty population, situated on the Columbia River\nimmediately below the foot of Lower Arrow Lake. Between this and Arrow Park the mountains\ncome down to within from half a mile to a mile of the river and on the south side in places to\nwithin a#quarter of a mile. While the north side is better adapted to farming, the best farm\nin this locality is that situated at Rock Island, on the south side of the Columbia, where Louis\nBorgat, as a result of years of hard work, has brought some 80 acres under cultivation. The\nnorth side of the river is all logged-off lands and much of it can be cleared at much below\naverage cost; but little clearing has been done here since the first few years of settlement.\nThe soil here is for the most part clay and good sandy loam to a considerable depth and is well\nadapted to either fruit or general-farming purposes.\nArrow Park.\nWest Arrow Park is a settlement of 175 population at the mouth of the Mosquito Creek\nValley. There is a post-office, general store, school, and hotel here. Settlement is at present\nconfined to a radius of 1% miles, as the main valley of Mosquito Creek is entirely covered with\ntimber licences. Although forest fires are continually making appreciable inroads on this timber,\nthere is a fine stretch particularly of virgin cedar and spruce throughout this valley. As compared to most .creeks in the Interior, this is a very wide and long valley, extending as it does\nalmost into the valley of Fosthall Creek, and there will be a considerable acreage available for\nsettlement after the timber has been taken off. In view of the quality of this timber and its\naccessibility it is to be wondered that it has not been already logged off. One berth near the\nmouth of the valley has been completely logged off this year and will shortly be available for\nsettlement.\nAcross the Columbia from West Arrow Park is the settlement of East Arrow Park, the centre\nof a small and thriving farming community. There is a post-office, farmers' co-operative store,\nschool, and church here. An almost continuous chain of farms stretches from above East Arrow\nPark to Burton, and this is about the best farming land on the lakes.\nBurton.\nBurton Townsite is ideally situated at the mouth of Cariboo Creek and on the swiftest part\nof the Columbia between the two Arrow Lakes. It has a population of about 200 inside the\nschool district, with three schools, church, post-office, hotel, and two stores. Having started as .\n11 Geo. 5 Arrow Lakes, Kootenay District. G 91\na mining camp, it has gradually become a farming settlement and there are from thirty to forty\nfamilies living on farms in the immediate vicinity. Three of these farms are of 320 acres each\nand the remainder are from 20 to 160 acres. About six or eight car-loads of fruit are shipped\nfrom here annually and the area coming under crop is steadily increasing. Last year four carloads of cattle were shipped out.\nAbout 1894 there was a stampede on Cariboo and the adjoining creeks, and Mineral City,\n7 miles up Cariboo Creek, came on the map, as did so many other \" cities \" in the Kootenay\nduring this time, but building did not go beyond one frame hotel, long since burned down. There\nare at present some half a dozen good silver-lead prospects in this vicinity. H. E. Forster has\nbeen doing good work on the Millie Mack, which is a high-grade silver-lead proposition running\nhigh in silver values and sometimes as high as 3 oz. in gold. During the past four years he has\nbeen shipping about a car-load of ore annually and this year is shipping some 10 to 12 tons.\nOther properties which are being worked are the Chieftain and the Canadensis on Cariboo Creek\nand the Tillicum on Canyon Creek.\nWhatshan Lakes.\nOn the east side of Upper Whatshan Lake is a bench 300 to 500 feet above the lake-level,\nwith a general sandy loam soil, alternating with clay bottom land and outcropping rock and\ngravel. We found 585 acres of unsurveyed vacant land on this bench, most of which had at\none time been covered by pre-emption records which were abandoned for lack of transportation.\nWe surveyed this vacant land into eight lots of a maximum area of SO acres. Some of the\nadjoining land which is under cultivation shows good results in fruit and vegetables, particularly\npotatoes. The ground is comparatively open and clearing is much easier than in other parts\nof this district. The great handicap has been the absence of any access by road, but there was\na good location made for a wagon-road from the Arrow Lakes to Upper Whatshan Lake eleven\nyears ago, and this location either passes through or close by all these new surveys. In the\ninterests of the settlers already in this vicinity and of prospective settlers on these lands, it *\nis to be hoped that the construction of this wagon-road will be commenced as soon as possible.\nThere is also a considerable area of good agricultural land immediately about both Whatshan\nLakes that is held under private ownership, but is unoccupied.\nThe Needles and Fauquier.\nThe Needles, with a population of about 100, is at the mouth of Whatshan River, and\nFauquier, with a population of seventy-five, is on the east side of the Narrows, directly opposite\nthe Needles. Both are small fruit-growing settlements and each has its own school, post-office,\nand general store. The amount of arable land at either place is somewhat limited, but some\ntwelve cars of fruit are shipped annually from these points. Captain Forslund has a good farm\nhalf-way between'the Needles and Edgewood and ships a considerable quantity of fruit, as wrell\nas supplying the Canadian Pacific Railway lake-boats.\nEdgewood.\nEdgewood is a relatively new town, replacing the old townsite of Killarney, and is situated\non the west side of Lower Arrow Lake at the mouth of Fire Valley. It has a beautiful site\nand many prettily laid-out homes, somewhat on the pattern, of Victoria. It has a population of\n300, with post-office, Dominion Express office, hotel, church, school, general store, and drug-store.\nThis year there are three camps in the vicinity taking out poles, but otherwise fruit-growing\nand mixed farming are the main industries. Edgewood is the natural outlet and supply-point\nfor Fire Valley and the Wauchope country.\nFire Valley, Wauchope, and the Kettle River.\nFire Valley is a wide valley on the Inonoaklin River and at the lower end carries mostly\ndeep black loam soil which is very well adapted for dairy and mixed farming. Some twenty\nfarms of varying size are at present being worked, but there is still a large area of land privately\nowned and lying idle. The climate in this valley is much milder than elsewhere in the district,\nand it is only a matter of time till the valley becomes a heavy producer. This good land, all\nof which is privately owned, stretches some 9 miles up the valley, after which the soil becomes\nsandy, and farther up very dry and gravelly. About 14 miles up the mountains close in on the Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nriver and there is very little valley or bench till about 23 miles up. From here to Wauchope,\nabout 26 miles from the Arrow Lakes, there are scattered beaver-ponds and meadows which can\napparently be easily drained and covering an area of some 400 acres. This is all unsurveyed\nvacant Crown lands. Wauchope had a very short-lived mining boom in the nineties. A sample\nfrom John Lodge's claims on the creek which enters the Inonoaklin at this point was returned\nwith an assay of tellurium and started a stampede. Working under considerable difficulty, a\ncar-load of this ore was rushed over the old trail some 60 miles to Vernon before the result\nof a check assay arrived, showing nothing but iron values. The ore was used to grade a length\nof street in Vernon, and to-day the cabin which marks Wauchope is visited only by hunters\nand trappers. -\nFrom Wauchope to the head of the Inonoaklin, and thence down Slow Creek to within a mile\nof its entering the Kettle River, there is a chain of wild hay meadows and beaver-ponds,\naveraging nearly a mile in width and 7 miles in length, all of which, except 160 acres, is vacant\nland. This land can be drained naturally by blowing out the beaver-dams, which are more\nnumerous here than I have ever seen them, and in the matter of clearing there are only these\ndams and willow-brush to contend with. There are similar wild hay meadows and beaver-ponds\non the Kettle River, both above and below which is known as the Kettle River Bar. On the\nKettle particularly there is a considerable extent of bench land, but this is a dry, gravelly soil\ncovered with second-growth pack-pine, and, in my estimation, it has no agricultural or horticultural value. All of this section of country lies at an elevation of 4,000 feet above sea-level,\nwhich practically limits it to hay-growing and stock-raising propositions. According to my\nestimate, a system of survey along these valleys, taking in the minimum of barren land, would\nembrace an area of approximately 4,500 acres. \u2022\nOn the summits on the south-west side of Fire Valley and about 10 miles from the Arrow\nLakes there Is a large plateau known as Glen Paige, consisting of the finest open pasture land\n\u00ab and supposed to cover several thousand acres. Opinions vary greatly as to its elevation, but\nas near as I can find it is not more than 5,000 feet above sea-level. The settlers in the lower\nvalley generally consider the prospects are favourable for combining the advantage of this\nsummer range with the hay-growing possibilities of the vacant meadows above Wauchope to\ndevelop a profitable stock-raising industry.\nIn the vicinity of Wauchope and the Kettle River there has been more or less mining activity\nsince the sixties, when this country was comparatively well prospected. At that time considerable placering was done on the two creeks north of Wauchope and on the Kettle River from the\nbar up. Later, particularly around the bar, a good deal of gold was taken out by some Chinamen,\nand about 6 miles above the bar a man called Marsh has been placer-mining for the last forty\nyears.\nOn the mountain north-west of Wauchope Mr. Paige and the Olds Bros, have a good free-\nmilling gold proposition, and south-west of Wauchope and at the head of the East Fork of the\nmain Kettle River is the Lightning Peak country, containing at present nineteen claims. These\nare principally silver-lead properties with high silver values, but also show gold and copper.\nThis summer the principal work was on the Waterloo, where G. A. Rendell took out some 10 tons\nof high-grade ore by pack-train. On the Lightning Peak Group, though nothing was done this\nyear, a 60-foot shaft and 2S0 feet of tunnel have been driven and some three or four car-loads\nof ore shipped. More or less development has been done of late years on the other groups, but\nA. H. Green has this year made a road-location from the Lightning Peak to the proposed Vernon-\nEdgewood Road, and the construction of these roads will give this camp a big impetus.\nRoads.\nThe Vernon-Monashee Road was extended to the Kettle River by interned alien labour\nduring the war, and this summer A. H. Green, B.C.L.S., located the gap between the Kettle River\nand the end of the present Fire Valley Road, some 9 miles from Edgewood. Construction was\nnot commenced on this till late in the year, but close on 2 miles of road was completed. It is\nprobable that this gap will be completed about 1922. This will connect at Edgewood with the\nexisting road from here to the Needles.\nA ferry service will likely soon connect across the Narrows here with the end of the existing\nroad at Fauquier, which joins Fauquier, Burton, and Nakusp. This is a fair automobile-road\nbetween Burton and Nakusp, but is at present in poor condition between Fauquier and Burton. 11 Geo. 5 Slocan Valley and South-western Kootenay District. G 93\nThere is at present a road from Nakusp to the head of Slocan Lake, and construction has been\ngoing on or is contemplated on several short gaps to make this continuous to Nelson. The\nprospects, therefore, are that two or three years will see a continuous highway between Vernon\nand Nelson, passing through some 70 per cent, of the agricultural localities of this district.\nAs already mentioned, Arrowhead will shortly be connected by highway with the Central\nInterior, but it will be many years before there will be anything to justify the heavy cost of\nconstruction to extend this down the lakes.\nParalleling the main road between Fauquier and Nakusp are several stretche_s of road\nconstructed on the west side of the lakes. There is some 3 miles of road north from the Needles,\nand it is contemplated continuing this road another 5 miles to Oatscott (Christie's) Landing,\nthe starting-point of the road located into Whatshan Lakes. From here to the end of the existing\nroad from West Arrow Park and Graham's Landing is about 9 miles, and the cost of construction\nwould be too great to justify this extension for some time. The Graham's Landing-Arrow Park\nRoad is built for 7 miles and there is again a gap of 5 miles to meet the road from West Demars.\nThe cost of construction of this gap would be relatively low, and as it would pass through good\nfarming iand it is to be hoped this road will be carried through.\nDominion Government Telephone Service.\nWith headquarters at Nakusp, this telephone, service links up all points from Nakusp south\nand also connects with Nelson.\nGame.\nThis is a fairly good game country. The lower part of Fish Creek Valley has perhaps the\nfinest black bear in the Province, and farther up and throughout the high summits above\nCamborne is ideal ground for silver-tip, sheep, and goat. All down the lakes black bear are\nfairly numerous, and silver-tip can be found on the higher ranges, particularly about the\nWhatshan Lakes and Fire Valley. About 3 miles down the lake from Burton is some good\ngoat country, but difficult of access; goat are also fairly plentiful around Upper Whatshan\nLake, the Upper Whatshan River, and Barnes Creek. Deer are remarkably thick in Fire Valley\nand surrounding country and fairly numerous around Whatshan Lakes; but they are also to\nbe found anywhere along the lakes. No moose have been seen in this district for nearly twenty\nyears and caribou are very scarce. Most species of duck are to be found, but they are far\nfrom plentiful. Geese are even less common. Grouse are fairly numerous.\nAs to fishing, the Whatshan Lakes are equal to the best lakes in the Province for all kinds\nof trout and also char, and are larger and more easy of access than most of the good lakes,\nthere being an automobile-road from the Needles to the foot of the Lower Whatshan. Most of\nthe larger creeks are well stocked with trout and trolling is fairly good on the main lakes;\nthis fall remarkable success was achieved with the fly on the Lower Arrow Lake.\nI have, etc.,\nH. H. B. Abbott, B.C.L.S.\nSLOCAN VALLEY AND SOUTH-WESTERN KOOTENAY DISTRICT.\nBy W. J. H. Holmes.\nVictoria, B.C., November 12th, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report upon my work of the season 1920:\u2014\nMy surveys this year were located throughout the valley of Slocan Lake and Slocan River\nand near the headwaters of Big Sheep Creek in the vicinity of Paulson, on the Kettle Valley\nbranch of the Canadian Pacific Railway, all in West Kootenay District, and consisted of the\nsurvey of unsurveyed pre-emptions that were located prior to the amendment to the \" Land\nAct\" restricting pre-emptors to surveyed lands, and also of any unsurveyed Crown lands that\nI might discover in these localities and which would be suitable for settlement. G 94 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nI commenced operations by surveying two pre-emptions\u2014one immediately east of the town\nof New Denver and the second about 4 miles south of the town of Silverton, on Slocan Lake\u2014\nafter which I moved to Wilson Creek, on which I surveyed two pre-emptions and two pieces\nof vacant Crown land totalling 640 acres.\nWilson Creek is the largest stream flowing into Slocan Lake and is about 100 feet wide and\n8 feet deep at the mouth, with a current 8 to 10 miles per hour when in flood and which at the\ntime of low water falls to 1 to 2 feet deep. On looking at the map it will be noted that the\ncreek takes its rise in several tributaries in the range of mountains along the southern border\nof the watershed of Lardeau Lake and River and flows almost south, entering Slocan Lake near\nits north end at the town of Rosebery, or about 3% miles north of the town of New Denver.\nIt is a typical mountain stream, the mountains for the most part sloping steeply down to the\nwater's edge; for the first 8 or 10 miles or more from the mouth there is little or no width to\nthe valley-bottom. The valley at one time was heavily timbered with cedar and fir ranging up\nto 4 feet in diameter and even more, interspersed with hemlock. As you ascend the mountainsides the timber is lighter, and you also find tamarack, spruce, and pine to 2 feet in diameter.\nPeriodical fires have destroyed much of this valuable timber, but much still remains.\nThe land I surveyed is on a bench on the west side of the creek about 7 miles from the\nmouth and is some of the best I have seen in the district. This bench varies in width up to\nthree-quarters of a mile, is about 2 miles long, and slopes gently to the east, falling 1 to 4 feet\nin 100. Soil is a light sandy loam about 10 inches deep, the sub-soil being a blue clay under\nmost of the surface and sand and fine gravel under the remainder. Nearly all the ground-\nsurface is entirely free of stones, even small ones.\nThe elevation of this bench is about 500 feet above the main creek-bed, or 1,150 feet above\nSlocan Lake or 2,915 feet above sea-level. Ample water for irrigation purposes is provided by\na stream flowing across the bench, carrying about 1,500 to 2,000 gallons per minute at the time\nof my visit in June, and there are many springs and small streams along the mountain-sides\nabove, but which sink and so disappear as soon as they reach the bench-level. There are probably\nother benches suitable for agricultural purposes farther up the creek, but the whole seems to be\ncovered and held by timber licences.\nA good trail leads up Wilson Creek from Rosebery for several miles, used principally by the\nowners of the pre-emptions I surveyed and by prospectors, hunters, timber-cruisers, fire wardens,\netc.; I, however, doubt if horses can be taken over this trail higher than about 8 miles because\nof lack of bridges. A wagon-road up the creek could be built at a reasonable cost, as any large\namount of rock-work would not be involved. The Canadian Pacific Railway provides a daily\npassenger and freight service each way between Slocan City at the south end of Slocan Lake\nand Rosebery, the steamer calling at all way-points on the lake and at any point desired. The\nKaslo-Nakusp branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway provides a tri-weekly passenger service\neach way between Kaslo and Nakusp, meeting the boat at Rosebery and transferring passengers\nto or from Nelson and way-points to the south, to or from Nakusp and Revelstoke and way-\npoints on the Arrow Lakes to the north, and to or from Sandon and Kaslo and way-points to the\neast. A daily train service is provided by the Canadian Pacific Railway up the valley of the\nSlocan River between Nelson and Slocan City, connecting with the steamer on Slocan Lake.\nOn June 23rd I moved south to Slocan City and proceeded to survey two pre-emptions\nadjoining the town, after which I moved over to the west up Goat Creek and surveyed another\npre-emption.\nThe valley of Goat Creek is a narrow gash in the mountains which rise precipitously on\neach side. While there may be a few acres of agricultural Crown lands remaining in the valley,\nI saw none of sufficient extent to justify a survey. Most of the remainder of the valley is held\nby timber licence, and a small mill is in operation about 2% miles up the creek, the sawn lumber\nbeing sent down by flume to a loading-point near Slocan River. There is a fair wagon-road up\nGoat Creek as far as the sawmill.\nOn July 9th I moved by train from Slocan City south to Perry Siding and proceeded to\nsurvey three pre-emptions on the west side of the river and a fourth about 2% miles south of\nPerry, near a settlement called Appledale. This part of Slocan Valley, including Perry and\nAppledale, is fairly well settled and under cultivation, although considerable areas of good land\nstill remain to be cleared up. The valley here is 1% to 2 miles wide, with excellent land for\nproduction of grains, most kinds of fruit, and garden produce. In winter the climate is mild, ;\n11 Geo. 5 Slocan Valley and South-western Kootenay District. G 95\nwhile in summer July and August are usually hot (sometimes 100\u00b0 F. or more in the shade), with\noccasional thunder-storms. Altitude is 1,730 feet above sea-le-vsel. There is a general store and\npost-office and school at Perry and the same at Appledale.\nThere is a good wagon-road throughout the whole length of the valley on the east side, with\ngood bridge crossings at all important points, such as Slocan City, Perry, Appledale, Passmore,\nCrescent Valley, etc., with unconnected stretches of road from the bridges north or south as\nrequired by settlers on the west side. Motor-cars are often on the road between Nelson and\nSlocan City.\nIt is my opinion that no unalienated Crown lands suitable for agricultural purposes remain\nin the locality, or indeed in any part of Slocan Valley, including Slocan Lake, unless there be a\nfew acres here or there back against the mountains or at much higher levels.\nAfter completing my work at Appledale I moved south to Passmore and surveyed another\npre-emption. This is a flag-station on the Slocan Valley branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway.\nThe valley is narrower here, but contains some excellent farm land, much of which is under\ncultivation.\nAt Koch Siding, about 2 miles south of Passmore, a small sawmill is in operation, turning\nout two to three cnr-loads of lumber a day.\nOn August 5th I moved by train to Crescent Valley for the purpose of surveying a pre-emption\nabout 3 miles north on the west side of the Slocan River and two others about 3 miles west up\nGoose Creek. Crescent Valley is a thriving little settlement with a good general store, post-\noffice, church, school, etc. It is on the main highway between Rossland, Trail, and Nelson, which\nroad crosses the Columbia River by ferry near Castlegar; thence follows up Pass Creek for\nabout 6 miles and swinging to the east follows down Goose Creek and crosses the Slocan River\nat Crescent Valley; thence along the Kootenay River past Bonnington Falls to Nelson. The\nsoil in the vicinity of Crescent Valley is a light sandy loam and wherever water can be got on\nto the land is highly productive. There are, however, several thousand acres of excellent land\nin the vicinity lying idle because of the lack of water. The Doukhobors are large land-owners\nin the valley of Goose Creek and are putting in an irrigation pumping plant, but installation was\nnot completed at the time of my visit.\nI then moved by wagon to near Bonnington Falls, where I surveyed two pre-emptions against\nthe mountain north of the wagon-road. Practically all land suitable for agriculture in this\nvicinity appears to have long since been taken up; much has been cleared and put under\ncultivation, principally fruit, apples, cherries, strawberries, etc., but several thousand acres\nstill remain on which nothing has been done. The main cry seems to be for water, to supply\nwhich an irrigation system of some extent would be required, as the streams shown on the map\nas flowing south into the Kootenay River are in most cases practically dry during the hot\nweather in July and August.\nOn August 27th I moved my party to Farron, on the Kettle Valley line of the Canadian\nPacific Railway, and there surveyed another pre-emption. Farron consists only of a roundhouse\nand telegraph-station at the summit of the pass between Arrow Lakes and the Columbia River\non the north-east and the valley of the Kettle River on the south-west. The altitude of the pass\nis 3,984 feet above sea-level and the mountains on either side are steep and rocky and mostly\nbare of timber, which has been burnt off. I saw no land in the vicinity suitable for agriculture.\nMy next move took me 4 miles south of Farron to the head of Hamlin Creek, east of Paulson\nStation, on the divide leading easterly to the headwaters of Big Sheep Creek. At Paulson there\nis only a hotel with general store and post-office on the ground floor and very comfortable rooms\nand good board are provided for travellers. There is a fairly good wagon-road between Cascade\nand Paulson, and this road continues up Hamlin Creek to the Inland Empire Mine. Motor-cars\nfrequently go up this road to the mine with hunters or parties to pick huckleberries, which grow\nin abundance on the mountain-slopes in the vicinity of the mine.\nSeveral timber licences straddle the divide, but are now practically logged off, the timber\nhaving been sawn at a mill which was located near the head of Hamlin Creek, but now entirely\ndismantled and the machinery removed. There are about 2,500 or more acres of very excellent\nagricultural land on this divide, although high, its altitude being about 4,500 feet above sea-level.\nAfter surveying three pre-emptions at the head of Hamlin Creek I moved eastward about\n3 miles by road to a small tributary of Big Sheep Creek and there surveyed two other preemptions. I cruised the upper valley of Big Sheep Creek as far as Sheep Lake, and found an .\nG 96\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nattractive valley almost level for nearly 6 miles and varying in width to over half a mile.\nThere are numerous grass meadows, one being nearly half a mile wide and a mile long, between\nwhich are stretches of open pine and spruce 6 to 10 inches in size. The mountains on either\nside slope more or less gently away, and while many fires have run over the hills, are in places\nstill covered with pine and spruce up to 12 inches in diameter and some cedar. Before the fires\nthe timber was in places as large as 3 and 4 feet in diameter on the mountain-sides. I estimated\nthere were over 2,000 acres of flat bottom lands, while much of the land on the mountain-slopes\nwould provide good range for cattle. Sheep Lake empties into Blueberry Creek, which flows\neasterly, the divide between it and the head of Big Sheep Creek being about 2 miles west of\nSheep Lake. Altitude of Sheep Lake, 4,120 feet; that of the divide west of Sheep Lake, 4,290\nfeet; and of Meadow Lake, at the head of Big Sheep Creek, 4,250 feet. From Meadow Lake\ndown, the valley of Big Sheep Creek falls about 150 feet in 3 miles, beyond which it falls more\nrapidly and soon enters a narrow deep valley, the mountains rising abruptly on each side.\nAn old trail from Cascade-to Rossland runs through the upper valley of Big Sheep Creek,\nbut the bridges all need renewal. A wagon-road could be built into the valley with little trouble\nand at no great expense by improving the rough road which runs from near the old sawmill at\nthe head of Hamlin Creek to Michener's place, which is one of the pre-emptions I surveyed as\nLot 12809, and then extending \"this road eastward.\nDeer are numerous and I saw signs of caribou. Black bear are numerous also, and grizzly\nand silver-tip are to be found on the higher mountains. There are some mink and marten,\nthough I am told they are rapidly becoming scarcer. Grouse are plentiful and also rabbits.\nOf course, as is usual in such places, coyotes are numerous and much in evidence after nightfall.\nThe lateness of the season and bad weather made it advisable for me to bring my party in\ninstead of proceeding with any further surveys this year, although, as I have indicated, there\nare several thousand acres that should be surveyed in the locality last mentioned.\nI have, etc.,\nW. J. H. Holmes, B.C.L.S.\nVICINITY OF KOOTENAY LAKE.\nBy H. D. Dawson.\nKaslo, B.C., January 26th, 1921.\n<\/. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report on that portion of Kootenay Lake\nDistrict extending from the West Arm of Kootenay Lake in the south to Poplar, on the Lardeau\nRiver, and Morgan Creek, a tributary of Duncan River, in the north, in connection with my\nsurveys of pre-emptions, Government lots, and ties during the 1920 season:\u2014\nThis is a portion of what is geologically known as the Purcell Trench and was probably\nformed by tremendous and long-sustained glacial action. On the east is the vast mass of the\nPurcell Range, extending for over 100 miles north and south and 30 miles wide, forming an\nimmense table-land of alpine peaks and ice-fields varying from 7,500 to 10,000 feet above sea-level\nand forming an almost impenetrable barrier between this valley and that of the East Kootenay.\nOn the west is the Selkirk Range, not quite so high and not so extensive, being cut by several\ndeep cross-trenches, such as the West Arm of Kootenay Lake Trench; the Kaslo River Trench,\nthrough which\u00bbthe Kaslo and Slocan branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway runs through to\nthe Slocan Lake and then on to the Upper Arrow Lake; and in the north is the Lardeau River\nand Trout Lake Trench running through to the North Arm of the Upper Arrow Lake.\nIn the bottom of this main Purcell Trench lies the Kootenay Lake at an elevation of\n1,760 feet above sea-level, the lower reaches of the Lardeau River, and\" the Duncan River\nand Howser Lake.\nThe precipitous slopes of the mountains generaly rise direct from the level of the lake, or\nwith sometimes small benches close to the lake. The summits, being so close, necessarily cause\nthe creeks to be very short and swift and not of big volume. Most of them emanate from snow-\nfields and glaciers and emerge into the lake from between deep and precipitous canyons with\nmany falls. Trails run up most of these steep sides and hanging valleys with many switchbacks, 11 Geo. 5 Vicinity of Kootenay Lake. G 97\nbut unless they are serving prospectors actively engaged in their work the trails are little used\nand quickly become impassable owing to slides, fallen logs, wash-outs, etc.\nBoth the Lardeau and Duncan Rivers are good-sized streams. The waters of the former,\nin addition to being \" filtered\" by Trout Lake, are in themselves clear and the fall is very\nrapid. In the 32 miles from Trout Lake to the Kootenay Lake there is a fall of 650 feet. The\nriver is therefore scarcely navigable, although its bed is ~ well scoured out. Fishing is fairly-\ngood\u2014salmon, trout, and in the late season abundance of redfish. The Duncan and Its tributaries, ou the other hand, nearly all have their.sources in huge glacial fields and their waters\nare thick and muddy, so that there are no fish. The fall of the main river is not nearly so\ngreat and in consequence mud and sand bars abound. During the spring and summer the river\nis navigable as far as Healey's Landing, about 20 miles up from Howser, but during the fall\nand winter the water is too low to permit this.\nThe amount of agricultural land in the district is very small. There are no extensive areas\nof flat or gently sloping land fit for settlement, and what there is has mostly been taken up\nduring the thirty years that the district has been settled, dating back to the time when the\nnumerous high-grade silver-lead ores of the Ainsworth and Slocan and to a lesser degree the\nLardeau and Duncan River Districts were first discovered.\nThe chief areas where there are a few hundred acres of agricultural land are as follows:\nQueen's Bay, Mirror Lake, Kaslo City, and Shutty's Bench on the west side, and Crawford Bay,\nRiondel, Johnson's Landing, and Argenta on the east side of the lake, the flat lands lying at the\nmouth of the Lardeau River both above and below its junction with the Duncan River, along\nthe southerly shores of Howser Lake, and narrow strips along each of the rivers.\nThere are many thousands of acres\u2014said by some to amount to as much as 7,000\u2014lying\nalong the Duncan River and between Howser and Kootenay Lakes which are flooded during\nthe summer months owing to waters from the spring freshets being unable to escape from\nKootenay Lake quickly enough, and so backing up. It is believed these lands would be very\nfirst-class agricultural lands if steps were taken to keep them from being flooded, for they are\ncomposed of mud and silt eroded from the limestone mountains by the great, ice-fields. They\nare covered at present by very rank growths of reeds and marsh-grasses.\nThe flooding of these lands during the hot season affords opportunities for enormous\nswarms of mosquitoes, which during June, July, and early August make life in the vicinity\nalmost unbearable, and cattle and horses must be driven to the benches from 500 to 1,000 feet\nup the mountains in order to escape the pests.\nThe lands at the mouths of the side-creeks entering Kootenay Lake are unsuited for\nagriculture. Their areas are not large and are mostly covered or formed by glacial drift and\nboulders. There is no soil and the growth at present on them is scrub brush eking out a bare\nexistence on the barren gravel-deposits.\nWith one exception, all the pre-emptions and Government lots I surveyed are situated\ncontiguous to one or other of the above-mentioned settlements, that exception being Lot 12834,\nsituated close to Lockhart Beach on the east shore of the lake. Along the shores here, however,\nthere are at intervals settlers who can be reached by boat or trail.\nOf the six pre-emptions included in my instructions, I surveyed five, the sixth never having\nbeen in occupation, having no improvements on it and being quite unfit for settlement. The\narea consisted partly of almost inaccessible mountain-side to the west of the Duncan River and\nof land flooded during the entire summer every year on the east of the river. There are, however, narrow \" shells \" of land along each bank of the river on which grow very excellent cedar\nup to 72 inches diameter and splendid birch up to 36 inches diameter. The value of this timber\nprobably constituted the real object of pre-empting the land, possibly combined with the hope\nthat at some future time means might be taken to prevent the annual flooding, when that portion\neast of the river would become a very fine piece of land especially adapted for grazing and\nthose crops which would not suffer from late summer frosts.\nOf the five pre-emptions surveyed, one is in actual occupation by the pre-emptor and his\nfamily, and he now has a very nice self-supporting ranch. One is in partial occupation by a\nbachelor who spends a good deal of his time trapping in the winter and occasionally fire-fighting\nin the summer; one is used for grazing purposes; and two are unoccupied, but have had some\nwork done on them, and, if judgment and faith are used, present possibilities for the future.\n7 G 98\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nOf the three Government lots surveyed, Lot 12820 at Argenta and Lot 12834 near Lockhart\nBeach present opportunities for profitable mixed ranching on a small scale, and Lot 12833\nbordering the lake between Queen's Bay and Coffee Creek has a few acres on the bench that\ncould be made into a small ranch.\nOf the six ties required, one\u2014viz., from Lot 9292 to Lot 197 near Lockhart Beach\u2014I incorporated in with the survey of Lot 12834, but in no other case is there any land suitable for\nagriculture or settlement. Four of the ties were along the wildest parts of the lake-shores, with\nprecipitous cliffs rising shear out of the water to heights of from 500 to 1,000 feet. In two\ncases the lowest altitudes at which it is possible to safely pass over are over 1,000 feet above\nthe lake-level, and in another 550 feet. An old post to which we were required to tie on to\nis situated at an elevation of l,OS0 feet above the lake, this being the nearest point on the line\nthat the former surveyors could get to the lake.\nIn the case of three of the very old surveys\u2014viz., Lots 185, 187 (in which I tied in the\nastronomical pier) and 197, to all of which ties were required\u2014not a single old post nor\nevidences of corners could be found. The corners in one case were assumed by comparing the\nshore outline with the copy of original field-notes, and also in the other two cases, but aided\nby certain very doubtful evidences. Forest fires and floods appear to be the' chief destroying\nagents in destroying traces of these old surveys, but even then their work could not have been\nso thorough if the practice of building substantial stone cairns had been carried out. It might\nbe well, too, if contractors, etc., putting through roads, railway-grades, etc., should be made to\nexercise more care when finding it necessary to move corner posts.\nThis district is in the Interior \" Wet Belt\" and the climate is consequently milder than in\nmany other parts. The precipitation amounts to an average of 30 inches annually, of which\nabout one-quarter to one-third is snow. Even in January the temperature seldom falls below\nzero, and for weeks during the winters the thermometer readings will hover between 25\u00b0 to\n35\u00b0 F. Rain wil often fall during these periods. The warm summer weather will usually set\nin during June, and from then on during July and early part of August temperatures of 90\u00b0\nor 92\u00b0 F. may be experienced during the heat of the day, but by 4 or 5 o'clock cool breezes from\nthe mountains will so lower the temperature that throughout the year it will be necessary to\nuse blankets for sleeping. During this period there are usually frequent electric storms and\nheavy rain-storms, which always cool the air for a day or so. These electric storms are, however,\ndangerous, for they frequently start up forest fires, which sometimes assume large proportions\nbefore burning themselves out or being got under control. Frosts may be expected in September,\nespecially in the northern part, and snow-flurries in October and November, but the snow will\nnot usually stay on the ground until near Christmas and then will last until March. Generally\nno continued spell of cold weather will be experienced until the ground is well protected by snow,\nalthough in such a mountainous country there are always exceptions and variations, and against\nthese one should always be on the watch.\nThe chief agricultural products are the fruits, of which the apples and cherries take first\nplace. The district produces some of the finest cherries I have ever seen, and the apples compare\nvery favourably with those from other better-known and larger districts. Pears, plums, berries,\netc., do well, but the climate is not suitable for peaches or apricots. On the deeper soils most\nroot-crops are successful. Where possible the settler should endeavour to raise at least a few\nhead of stock, not only for the profit in themselves, but for the enrichment of his soil. He will\nbe able to raise all or nearly all their winter feed. There is very little, if any, grain grown.\nThe many small prospecting and mining camps and logging outfits will buy produce in small\nquantities, and in larger quantities fruit by the car-load may be shipped to the Prairies. At\npresent this is mostly done by way of Lethbridge, Alta., as a distributing-point. The berries are\nsomewhat at a disadvantage at present owing to the difficulty of securing sufficient pickers.\nThe soil on the lands I surveyed is generally good, but rather shallow. The settler should\nhave no difficulty in ranching successfully along the lines suggested, but as the soil readily dries\nout by drainage and evaporation, and as there is not depth enough to hold moisture against a\nlong dry spell, he should specially consider those crops, such as cherries, etc., which come in early\nand are marketed before suffering from lack of moisture. Generally all the land must be\nirrigated, and the settler's first attention must be directed towards obtaining an ample supply\nof water. There is no lack of water in the district, the vast snow-fields and glaciers affording\nnever-failing reservoirs, but the water is not always just convenient to the parcel of land\nin question. 11 Geo. 5\nUpper Columbia Valley, Kootenay District.\nG 99\nThe Canadian Pacific Railway Company runs a daily (except Sunday) boat service on the\nlake from Nelson north to Kaslo, and including Sundays from Nelson south to Kootenay Landing.\nTwice per week the boat runs north to Lardeau from Kaslo and once per week calls at Johnson's\nLanding and Argenta. Once per week the train runs from Lardeau to Gerrard, on Trout Lake,\npassing through Howser and Poplar. The boats will generally call at almost any landing on\nthe lake on being signalled, but at some of the smaller places will only call when special\narrangements have been previously made.\nGenerally communication from settlement to settlement must be by boat, for the shores are\nvery rugged and roads are difficult to build. The Government departments are, however, steadily\ngoing ahead with road-construction and are gradually linking up the different settlements.\nThere are public schools at the following places: Queen's Bay, Princess Creek, Ainsworth,\nArgenta, and Meadow Creek, whilst in Kaslo City there are very good public and high schools.\nThere are churches in Queen's Bay and Kaslo. Practically every settlement has its post-office,\nand in addition the following places are able to communicate by telephone or telegraph to outside\npoints: Queen's Bay, Ainsworth, Princess Creek, Mirror Lake, Kaslo, Lardeau, Shutty's Bench,\nMeadow Creek, Howser, and Poplar.\nI have, etc.,\nH. D. Dawson, B.C.L.S.\nUPPER COLUMBIA VALLEY, KOOTENAY DISTRICT.\nBy L. F. Grant.\nJ. E. Umbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General\nNorth Lonsdale, B.C., November 11th, 1920.\nVictoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I beg to submit the following report on my work during the season of 1920 in the\n.Upper Columbia Valley between the Southern limit of the Railway Belt and Lake Windermere:\u2014\nOriginally explored in 1806 by David Thompson, surveyor to the North-west Company at\nMontreal, the valley may be considered, from the point of view of settlement, as one of the\noldest in the Province.\nUntil comparatively recently the settlers in this district depended entirely upon road and\nriver transportation\u2014the first expensive and the latter available for only half the year\u2014and\ndevelopment was consequently slow. In 1905, however, work was begun on the Kootenay Central\nRailway, a subsidiary company of the Canadian Pacific, and in 1915 construction was finished\nbetween Golden on the main line, and Lake Windermere.\nThe altitude of the land along the river varies from about 2,580 feet at the edge of the\nRailway Belt to about 2,620 feet near the lake. The land surveyed by the writer was nearly all\nhigher than this.\nThe climate of the district is subject to a range of temperature from about \u201430\u00b0 F. to\n90\u00b0 F. during ordinary years. Early frosts are not uncommon, and this season one was. first\nnoticed on September 1st, when the writer's party was camped at an altitude of about 2,600 feet.\nPrecipitation varies somewhat and decreases steadily as one ascends the Columbia, until at Lake\nWindermere it is only about 11 inches. Judging by the vegetation, a much heavier rainfall is\nfound up the tributary creeks, probably due to the greater altitude. But in general it may be\nsaid that irrigation is necessary anywhere in the region under consideration.\nThere is a very large area of summer range available for ranching, but the number of cattle\nis, of course, governed by the amount of hay that can be grown for winter feeding. This is at\npresent somewhat limited. Dairying has not been developed to a very great extent in the valley,\nalthough there is a ready market for all dairy products. In general root-crops do very well,\nas do most of the legumes. Mr. Newton, of the Dominion Experimental Station at Invermere,\ntold the writer that there is a very good opportunity in the cultivation of field peas, for which\nconditions are well suited and which command a good market in the Prairie Provinces. Tree-\nfruits have not been very successful, but excellent small fruits are grown, although they ripen\nsomewhat late to command the best markets. The colonies of bees at the Experimental Station\nhave given results which compare very favourably with those at any of the stations throughout\nCanada. G 100 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nWith the completion of the Banff-Windermere Motor-road, which may be looked for in two\nor three years, it is reasonable to expect that a large number of motor tourists will visit the\nvalley every summer, and that there will be a much bigger local market for fresh fruit, vegetables,\neggs, and dairy products than at present exists. In this connection it is of interest to note that\nthe Canadian Pacific Railway has established a large summer camp at Invermere, which it is\nhoped will become a very popular summer resort.\nWith special reference to the land surveyed during the past season, it may be said that it\nvaries greatly. With the exception of the tract on Horsethief Creek (Lots 12870 to 12876),\nmuch of it is held under pre-emption record and is therefore not open to new settlers. There\nis a limited amount suitable for general farming in those lots opposite Brisco, though the clearing\nis fairly heavy. The same may be said of Lot 12S62, which is the only unalienated land surveyed\nin the vicinity of Edgewater.\nThe Horsethief Creek land is especially well suited for hay. This land is nearly all logged\noff and clearing will be comparatively cheap, and as the land lies along the Valley of the creek\nthe problem of irrigation will be easily solved.\nLiving conditions in the Columbia Valley are good. The roads are for the most part\nexcellent, schools are numerous, and the climate, except when at its extremes, a most pleasant\none. The Dominion Government operates a telephone system through the valley, and the\nservices of the Experimental Farm at Invermere should be of the greatest value to settlers.\nA number of returned soldiers engaged in beating their bayonets into hoes and their machine-\nguns into spiked-toothed harrows (if one may paraphrase the Scriptural expression) have settled\nin the valley, and all of these whom the writer had the opportunity of interviewing were\noptimistic as to the future.\nAs in most other parts of the Province, the settler of limited capital will need to work for\nwages from time to time until he can make a farm pay, and it is of interest to note the\nconditions as regards development in the district.\nBesides agriculture, the most active industries are lumbering and mining. Both of these\nemploy large numbers of men at good wages, but it must be pointed out that activity iu these\nlines of production is uncertain and depends upon their respective market conditions outside the\nProvince, and indeed outside of Canada. Cutting railway-ties is quite a flourishing little industry,\nand at the price of 70 cents for No. 1 ties and 60 for No. 2, very fair earnings can be made by\nmen familiar with this class of work.\nRoad-building and, it is regrettable to add, fire-fighting furnish a good deal of employment\nduring the summer, and indeed, so far as the past season is a criterion, there has been more\nwork of various kinds in hand than could be successfully carried out by the labour available.\nWages paid for road-construction and similar work averaged $4.50 a day and $9 for teams with\nteamster. During the winter many of the settlers do very well in trapping. It may be added\nthat this section is one of the best game countries in British Columbia.\nI have, etc.,\nL. F. Grant, B.C.L.S.\nVICINITY OF CRANBROOK.\nBy James T. Laidlaw.\nCranbrook, B.C., December 29th, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report of the work done near Cranbrook,\nEast Kootenay:\u2014\nCranbrook is the principal town and distributing centre of the district. The work consisted\nof the survey of pre-emptions and of expired timber licences. Taking Cranbrook as the centre,\nthe lots are within a radius of 40 miles of here; from Waldo and Kingsgate to the south, Wolf\nCreek to the east, north to Skookurnchuck River, and west to St. Mary Lake. A good road runs\nbetween these points.\nThree timber licences were divided into fourteen blocks of 80 and 160 acres. These are at\nTata Creek, 5 miles up the Kootenay River from Wasa, which is on the Kootenay. Central 11 Geo. 5 Howe Sound, Sechelt Inlet, and Jervis Inlet. G 101\nRailway, where there is a general store, post-office, and school. Tata Creek is 19 miles from\nCranbrook, to which is a good road. From these lots the merchantable timber has been cut,\nleaving some small pine, tamarack, fir, and spruce suitable for fencing and domestic purposes;\noccasional patches of willow and alder occur. These lots are on rolling bench lands, distant\nfrom the Kootenay River 1 to 2 miles, and at an elevation of 2,700 to 2,800 feet, or 200 feet\nabove the river.\nThe soil is a- sandy loam, which is of a heavier character near the creek-bottom. A portion\nof three of these lots has been cultivated, and a good crop of potatoes, vegetables, and several\nkinds of grain obtained. Berries and young orchards are doing well. All of the lots have a\ngood growth of pine-grass with some peavine, making a suitable summer range.\nThree pre-emptions were surveyed on the west bank of the Kootenay River a mile west of\nWaldo. These consist of a portion of the bottom lands and the^balance on the benches, which\nrun from 100 to 200 feet above the river. The land is easily cleared and consists of sandy loam,\nand the work done shows it to be productive. Waldo has a general store, two lumber-mills, and\nis on both the Canadian Pacific and Great Northern Railways.\nThree pre-emptions and three blocks were surveyed on Gold Creek, which is 16 miles southeast of Cranbrook. There are some small meadows on Gold Creek which would furnish a settler\nwith wild hay, enabling him to winter his stock; the balance of the land is rolling bench and\nis good grazing land. From Cranbrook to these lots is a good road, continuing as a trail down\nGold Creek.\nTwo pre-emptions and a Government block were surveyed in the vicinity of Wolf Creek,\nwhich is 10 miles from Wasa, on the Kootenay Central Railway. The land, though lying in\nthe foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains, is of a good sandy loam, and what work has been done\non the pre-emptions shows it to be productive.\nThree pre-emptions were done at Goatfell Siding, which is 4 miles west of Yahk, the\njunction of the Crowsnest Pass and the Spokane International Railway. These lots contain\na small part of the valley land near the railway, the balance being side-hill rising steeply.\nAt Kingsgate, on the International Boundary, and on the Spokane International Railway three\npre-emptions were surveyed. These were mostly on the side-hill, timber-covered, and difficult\nto clear. Any settlers on the valley lands of the Moyie River, however, appeared to be doing\nwell.\nI have, etc.,\nJas. T. Laidlaw, B.C.L.S.\nHOWE SOUND, SECHELT INLET, AND JERVIS INLET, AND NEW WESTMINSTER\nDISTRICT.\nBy J. A. Walker.\nVancouver, B.C., December 31st, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit herewith my report, descriptive of the territory in the\nvicinity of Howe Sound, Sechelt Inlet, and Jervis Inlet, New Westminster District, in which I\nhave carried out survey operations during the past season.\nThe work consisted of the tying-in by traverse and triangulation various surveyed lots and\nthe survey of pre-emptions in the above localities. H. H. Roberts completed the Howe Sound\nwork, including the tying-in the Dominion Geodetic Survey Station on Mount Gardner, Bowen\nIsland, and the Astronomical Pier at Squamish. I relieved Mr. Roberts on September 3rd, took\nover his outfit and party, and proceeded by launch to Sechelt Inlet.\nHowe Sound.\nAlthough Howe Sound is well known, a few remarks in passing may not come amiss. There\nis a daily boat service to Squamish; these boats make connection with the Pacific Great Eastern\nRailway, which maintains a tri-weekly service to the Cariboo. In addition, there is a daily boat\nservice in summer to points on Bowen and Gambier Islands and west shore, chiefly for the\naccommodation of the summer residents.\n- The chief industrial activity is, of course, centred at Britannia Beach, where the huge plant\nof the Britannia Mining and Smelting Company is in operation. There are two pulp-mills, one\nof the Whalen Pulp and Paper Mills, Limited, at Woodfibre (Mill Creek), of 100-ton daily\ncapacity, and the other of the Western Canada Pulp and Paper Company at Port Mellon (Rainy\nRiver), of 20-ton capacity. Besides the above, there are gravel and crushed-rock plants and\nseveral logging camps. Mixed farming, especially sheep-raising and the growing of small fruits,\nis steadily increasing. Fishing is carried on more or less. There are numerous summer hotels\nthroughout the district and in the summer months Howe Sound presents a very animated\nappearance indeed.\nSechelt Inlet.\nSechelt Inlet is about 20 miles long and from 1 to 2 miles wide, and is bounded on the west\nby the Sechelt Peninsula and on the south is separated from the Strait of Georgia by Sechelt\nIsthmus, which is a little over half a mile in width. On the east are two inlets, Salmon Arm\nand the Narrows Arm, which bodies of water stretch into the mainland approximately 12 and\n10 miles respectively. On the north is the only means of access to Sechelt Inlet\u2014viz., Skookum-\nchuck Narrows. There is a great tide-rip here and the narrows may be negotiated only at either\nhigh or low slack water. There is no difficulty then for any power-craft or tugs. Tows of logs\nor scows are taken through continuously.\nSechelt is a well-known summer resort on the isthmus, and on account of its strategic\nsituation is the distributing-point for Sechelt Inlet and therefore maintains a considerable\nactivity in winter trade. A daily boat service is maintained by the Union Steamship Company,\nexcept in the winter months, when there is no tip-Coast boat from Vancouver on Sunday.\nThere are in Sechelt a general store, hotel, Dominion Government telegraph-office, post-office,\nand numerous summer cottages. On the inlet side of the isthmus there is a good wharf, also\na shingle-mill. It is understood that a sawmill is about to be built. Sechelt is connected to\nGibson's Landing and other points by a good highway. There are also several trails leading\nout from Sechelt. East of Sechelt Townsite is a large Indian reservation, and to the east of\nthis is another summer resort, Selma Park, which has a wharf at which the steamers call in the\nsummer months.\nThe mountains on the east and west rise to a height of from 2,000 to 5,000 feet, those on\nthe east being, as a whole, higher. A few peaks lying between Narrows Arm and Salmon Arm\nand at the head of these arms are over 7,000 feet. Numerous creeks of various sizes, though\nmostly small, flow into the inlet, and the general character of the country is therefore rather\nbroken and the actual soil is found in pockets.\nThere are a considerable number of settlers, but chiefly along Sechelt Inlet proper. They\nare gradually getting the best of their holdings under cultivation. They are able, as a rule, to\naugment their incomes by fishing or logging near their homes. As yet very little produce is\ngrown outside of roots and garden-truck.\nThe chief industries are logging and fishing. At the head of Salmon Arm, at Clowham Falls,\nthere is a large shingle-mill. Numerous logging camps of various sizes are in operation on both\nNarrows and Salmon Arms, as well as Sechelt Inlet. A great many men are engaged in hand-\nlogging on their own account. Fishing is carried on, but mostly towards the Skookumchuck.\nCod, herring, and various species of salmon are the chief catch.\nThe timber is chiefly fir and at various points there are some good stands of cedar. There\nis also considerable hemlock, a small amount of balsam, a negligible quantity of spruce, and some\nmaple,,alder, and dogwood.\nSalmon Arm is usually quite choppy, especially in the autumn and winter, while Narrows\nArm is comparatively calm. Sechelt Inlet is usually quite calm, being well sheltered, but\noccasionally becomes choppy, especially off Salmon Arm and below Skookumchuck. There is\ncomparatively little tide-rip at the narrows in Narrows Arm. There are a few good anchorages\nin Sechelt Inlet and Narrows and Salmon Arms outside of wharves or floats, chiefly in Porpoise\nBay, below Skookumchuck Narrows on the east side and Storm Bay in Sechelt Inlet, at the head\nin Narrows Arm, and across from Siwash Creek in Salmon Arm.\nThere are a post-office, giving a weekly service, a Dominion Government telegraph-station,\nand a school at Dorriston, a little south of the Skookumchuck on Sechelt Peninsula.\nAt Sechelt the Dominion Government Astronomical Pier was tied in to au original lot corner,\nand two pre-emptions near Porpoise Bay, one near the head of Narrows Arm and one at the 11 Geo. 5 Howe Sound, Sechelt Inlet, and Jervis Inlet. G 103\nsouth end of Skookumchuck Narrows on Sechelt Peninsula, were surveyed. In addition to the\nabove, ties by triangulation and shore traverse were made in Salmon Arm, Narrows Arm, and\nSkookumchuck Narrows. Narrows Arm was triangulated from near the narrows to the head.\nJervis Inlet.\nJervis Inlet stretches inland, winding in a northerly and easterly direction for a distance\nof about 40 miles from Malaspina Strait at Scotch Fir Point and the north-westerly point of\nSechelt Peninsula (Pender Harbour). Nelson and Hardy Islands lie in Jervis Inlet off Malaspina\nStrait.\nFor the most part the shore-line of Jervis Inlet consists of bold rock bluffs, in some cases\nrising abruptly several hundred feet from the water. The mountains on either side rise to a\nheight of from 3,000 to 5,000 feet and towards the head there are a few peaks from 8,000 to\n9,000 feet. There are, however, innumerable small parcels of good agricultural land at tidewater most of which are held either by Indian reserves or taken up by settlers.\nPender Harbour is the chief distributing-point for the inlet. This harbour is well sheltered.\nIn Pender Harbour there are three stores, a hotel, and a school. A daily boat service similar to\nSechelt is given. There is also a post-office (Irvine's Landing) and a telegraph-station. Here\npractically the total catch of fish in Jervis Inlet is transhipped to Vancouver.\nFrom Pender Harbour a large gas:boat gives a weekly (on Saturday) passenger, mail, and\nfreight service to Egmont and other points towards the head of Jervis Inlet. The Union Steamship Company's boats give a weekly service to Hardy Island and a bi-weekly service to Nelson\nIsland.\nEgmont, on the mainland, at the north end of Skookumchuck Narrows, is a secondary\ndistributing-point for Jervis Inlet. There is quite a fleet of fishing-boats here. There are a\nstore, school, and Dominion Government floating wharf at Egmont.- About 1% miles below on\nthe mainland there is a post-office. The Dominion Government established a telegraph-station\nhere in November. Near the post-office there is a small gas-boat repair-shop with marine ways.\nAcross from Egmont there is a machine-shop.\nThe greater portion of the country is covered by timber licences. Owing to the nature of\nthe country the settlers, of whom there are considerable number, are more or less isolated.\nIt would appear that most of the settlers are engaged in logging and fishing and have taken up\nsmall areas where suitable, chiefly to have homes for themselves. The social amenities at first\nwould seem almost nil, but as most of them have gas-boats they are enabled to overcome the\ndrawbacks of their isolation and to provide for themselves more or less social intercourse and\nentertainment.\nNorth and east of Pender Harbour on Sechelt Peninsula, adjacent to Sakinaw, Ruby, and\nKillarney Lakes, there is a considerable area that will, when cleared, be good agricultural land.\nThe most important industries are logging and fishing. There are a great many logging\ncamps situated along the entire stretch of Jervis Inlet. Fir and cedar are the chief output.\nThere is a great quantity of hemlock which could be utilized by the increase of the tannery\nindustry on the Coast. Fishing is largely carried on out from Pender Harbour and Egmont.\nHerring, cod, and salmon are the chief fish taken. There are two canneries on Agamemnon\nChannel. All along Jervis Inlet, and in Princess Louise Inlet especially, dogfish abound in\nunlimited quantities. There would appear to be a paying proposition in the establishment of\na plant to extract the oil and to make fertilizer from this species. There are several quarries\nalong the inlet, the most important probably being the granite-quarry on Hardy Island. It is_\nunderstood that this quarry is to be reopened shortly. There is an abandoned slate-quarry south\nof Deserted Bay.\nJervis Inlet provides very little good anchorage for the craft on its waters, except in the\nbays, which are few and far between. Although inland, it gets very choppy at times; the worst\nseas perhaps are off Egmont Point at the intersection of Jervis Inlet, Skookumchuck Narrows,\nHotham Sound, and Agamemnon Channel. It also gets very rough at times off Vancouver Bay.\nSouth of Hardy Island in Blind Bay is a favourite shelter for tugs with their tows when caught\nin Malaspina Strait. There is very little tide-rip at the narrows of Princess Louise Inlet.\nPre-emptions at Egmont, Princess Louise Inlet, and on Sakinaw Lake were surveyed. Ties\nby shore traverse were made on the north shore of Jervis Inlet, north of Hardy Island. Ties by\ntriangulation were made from Hardy Island to the mainland north of Scotch Fir Point and from\nHardy Island to Nelson Island. G 104\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nGeneral.\nPender Harbour, including Sakinaw and other lakes, Nelson Island and Sechelt, offer\nsplendid inducements to the summer camper. There are hotels and cottages at these points\nand rowboats and canoes may be rented from the management.\nGenerally speaking, the soil on the pre-emptions which were surveyed is of sandy or gravelly\nloam with clay subsoil. In a very few instances a mixture of peat with black and clay loam\nwas noticed. However, the majority of the pre-emptions were, as a rule, quite rocky and broken,\nand, as stated before, the soil is found only in comparatively small areas.\nTo the writer's knowledge there are no actively producing mines, outside of development-\nwork, in the country covered by this report. (This, of course, excludes Howe Sound.) Copper\nand silver and gold and galena in small quantities have been found, chiefly in the area between\nJervis Inlet and Narrows Arm.\nAbout the only water-power developed at present is on Clowham River at the head of Salmon\nArm. Hotham Falls on the east side of Hotham Sound would appear to be a likely source of\npower, having above it, as it bas, Freil Lake for storage. Romona Falls near the head of\nNarrows Arm would develop a small amount of power for possible local requirements. There is\na good flow during the autumn months, and although there is not a very large watershed it is\nunderstood the creek maintains a good volume in the low-water period.\nDeer were the most plentiful game seen and occasionally a few bear were encountered.\nDucks of various species were very numerous; a few songbirds were noticed near the Coast.\nIn fresh water trout was the most important catch.\nThe most striking phenomena in the climatic conditions In this territory during the past\nseason were the abnormal amount of rain, especially during September and October, and the\nhigh temperature maintained. From September Sth, when the rain set in, to the end of the\nmonth there were nineteen days in which rain fell, the total amount being about 10y2 inches.\nThere were nineteen days in October, twenty in November, and nine to December 11th in which\nrain fell. Severe gales raged from November 26th to December 10th, with few cessations.\nAbout the end of October and the first part of November, there were a few light frosts, but on\nthe whole the weather was quite mild. When we left on December 11th for Vancouver there\nhad been no snow at sea-level, although some sleet fell for a short time in Salmon Arm early\nin October and again in Jervis Inlet late in November.\nI have, etc.,\nJ. Alexr. Walker, B.C.L.S.\nRANGES 1 AND 2, COAST DISTRICT.\nBy Jno. Elliott.\nVancouver, B.C., October 27th, 1920.\nJ. E. Umbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following general report on surveys made by .me in\nRanges 1 and 2, Coast District, during the past summer:\u2014\nI commenced operations in the vicinity of Taknsh Harbour, on Smith Sound, where a large\nnumber of pre-emptions had been taken up about seven or eight years ago. At the time of my\nlast visit, in January, 1916, there were, including those at Millbrook Cove (on the north side of\nthe sound), about thirty settlers in the district. It is true that a great many of them lived on\nfloats in Fly Basin and were pre-emptors in name only; still, most of them had built some sort\nof a house on their land; one or two had horses and goats; they had a post-office, a fortnightly\nsteamboat service, the Government had built about 4 miles of trail, and there was every indication of the establishment of a permanent settlement. I was therefore surprised on my return\nthis summer to find none of these settlers on the land. Judging from evidence found in the\nvarious deserted houses which I examined, a general exodus took place in the summer of 1916,\nsince which time the district has been practically unvisited. This is rather peculiar, because of\nall districts I have seen during five seasons on survey of pre-emptions on our coast-line this is the\nmost likely looking spot for the establishment of a community. The country, though generally\nhilly, is interspersed with considerable areas of level and practically open land, of the class I\n11 Geo. 5 Vicinity of Fisher Channel, Coast District, Range 3.\nG 105\nusually described as muskeg, but this description is generally a misnomer here, as I found that\nusually the top layer of peat or moss was comparatively shallow. The soil underneath appears\nto be generally a compact mixture of clay and sand, with occasionally very narrow streaks of\ngravel, but I noticed that along all the larger creeks, and extending for a short distance from\nthem on either side, the soil was either blue clay or pure sand. Moreover, as these creeks are\ngenerally in fairly deep ravines, the draining of the land should not be a very difficult matter.\nAgainst these seeming advantages must be set the district's isolation, its inaccessibility, being\nover 200 miles by water from any permanent and extensive market. Of course, during the\ncontinuance of the salmon-fishing there will always be a small local market and field of employment for a short time each year, and this will no doubt be augmented when, with the exhaustion\nof the more accessible supplies, it becomes necessary to utilize the timber in this district. While\nI have no positive information as to climatic conditions, I would judge by appearances that this\ndistrict is one of heavy precipitation and scanty sunshine, the latter condition being, in my\nopinion, the greatest drawback to the country and responsible for such faults as have been\naccredited to the soil, and which, together with the exposure to the ocean breezes, is no doubt\nresponsible for the stunted forest-growth on this portion of the coast.\nFinding conditions as I did, I decided to survey only such pre-emptions as were held by\nreturned men and such others as could be readily done in conjunction with them, and leave\nthe balance of this district for further consideration. In this way I surveyed in all ten preemptions, eight on the mainland and two on Table Island, which lies in the mouth of Smith\nSound, practically in the open Pacific, and which, although it is level, low-lying, and easily\ncleared, and has apparently very fertile soil, consisting of from 1 to 3 feet of peat on disintegrating rock, is nevertheless so exposed to every storm that blows and is so lacking in shelter in\nwhich to keep a boat that I do not think its occupation should be encouraged.\nFrom here I moved down to Blunden Harbour, where I surveyed two small islands held\nunder application to purchase by residents in the vicinity who desire them for home-sites.\nThence proceeding down the coast, I surveyed a number of widely scattered pre-emptions, which\nI will not describe in detail, as they are all very much the same; and while I do not consider\nany of them as suitable for agricultural purposes, because where there is any area of soil it is\ngenerally covered with such a heavy growth of timber as to make the cost of clearing prohibitive,\nyet they are all suitable for the purpose of providing a home or headquarters for men engaged\nin hand-logging or fishing in the vicinity, and it was for this reason that they were taken up\nand are now occupied.\nI also subdivided an expired timber sale on Blinkinsop Bay into five lots of approximately\n20 acres each. This land has been logged over and most of it will be heavy clearing, but as it is\njust as good of any of the pre-emptions surveyed, there will no doubt be a demand for it for\npurposes mentioned in paragraph above.\nThe weather this season was abnormal; it rained almost continually in June and September,\nbut in July and August I felt more really warm days and saw more bright sunshine, with less\nfog and wind, than I ever remember on this portion of the coast.\nI have, etc.,\nJno. Elliott, B.C.L.S.\nVICINITY OF FISHER CHANNEL, COAST DISTRICT, RANGE 3.\nBy T. H. Taylor.\nVancouver, B.C., November 15th, 1920.\nJ. E. TJmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report of the work done by me in Range 3,\nCoast District, during the past season :\u2014\nMy work consisted chiefly of a triangulation survey of Fisher Channel and Gunboat Passage,\nbesides a few scattered pre-emptions, tie-lines, and two lighthouse-sites for the Dominion\nGovernment at Pointer Island and Driad Point.\nAs the fishing season was at its height, I had considerable difficulty in securing a launch\nat Namu, but eventually managed to secure one, which, although not as good as I would have\n2' G 106\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nliked, answered the purpose. Unfortunately the launch which I had hired at Vancouver broke\ndown on its way up the coast.\nMy first work consisted of two pre-emption surveys near Namu, two pre-emption surveys at\nKoeye River, and several tie-lines connecting up surveyed timber limits.\nI then proceeded to Safety Cove and made a tie survey from Lot 13 to old triangulation by\nC. C. Smith, B.C.L.S.\nFisher Channel Triangulation.\n. This body of water lies in a northerly direction and is about 20 miles in length, averaging\nabout 2 miles in width. It connects Fitzhugh Sound with Dean and Johnson Channels, Gunboat\nPassage, and Cousins Inlet. Several good harbours affording splendid anchorage and shelter lie\nalong this channel. The shore-line is rocky and precipitous, covered with cedar, spruce, hemlock,\nand larch, and is valuable for pulp-wood. Several logging camps are in operation.\nI commenced my survey at Walker Point, where C. C. Smith, B.C.L.S., had left off the\nprevious season; thence running northerly to Johnson Channel, connecting to the survey made by\nA. E. Wright, B.C.L.S. Considerable difficulty was found in establishing a base-line, as the\nshore-line is rough as a rule. However, I managed to establish a base some 110 chains in\nlength by a traverse, carefully chaining all courses and checking same by stadia. Iron posts\nwith stone mounds were planted at all important points by drilling a hole in the rock, theii\ninserting a wedge and driving in the iron post, which was split. Station numbers were marked\non same. This makes a very permanent monument which will last for years and which can\nbe readily located. A great many of the old triangulation points have disappeared, and I would\nsuggest that iron posts be planted at the few remaining ones next season if any surveyor is\nworking in the district.\nPointer Island lighthouse-site was surveyed. This is a small island situated at the easterly\nend of Lama Passage. All the large boats to and from the north pass this light, as it is on the\nregular route.\nAll surveyed lots were tied on triangulation except I.R. No. 11; not having enough information, I was unable to find any of the old posts.\nSeveral tracts of good pulp-timber lie along this channel.\nGunboat Passage.\nThe next portion of the coast to be triangulated was Gunboat Passage from Fisher to\nSeaforth Channel, where I connected with the triangulation made by A. E. Wright, B.C.L.S.\nGunboat Passage is a narrow tortuous channel at the easterly end, widening out at the westerly\nend. A great many reefs are seen at low tide. This passage is rarely used by the larger\nboats. The Union Steamship Company sometimes uses it as a short cut from Bella Bella to\nOceaii Falls. A good base-line was secured at Johnson Channel by the survey of the Oscar\nBainbridge pre-emption (Lot 1334).\nA lighthouse-site was surveyed at Driad Point, at the northerly end of Plumper Channel,\nalso one pre-emption on Cunningham Island, besides tying in all existing surveys. Iron posts\nwere planted as on the Fisher Channel triangulation. Pulp-wood timber of a fair quality was\nseen along this passage.\nGame.\nThe game in this part of the country consists chiefly of Coast deer, geese, and ducks, which\nare fairly plentiful in some localities. We were always able to procure a supply of fresh salmon\nfor our own use, either by trolling or from one of the numerous fishing-boats plying in the\nneighbourhood.\nClimate.\nFrom July 1st to about September 10th the weather was delightful, the days being generally\nbright and sunny, very little rain falling. The following month it rained almost every day, but\nI believe this was the case all along the coast.\nGeneral.\nThe majority of the pre-emptors live by fishing in the summer; hand-logging for the pulp-\nmills and trapping in the winter. The fishing season has been a very successful one. Cultivation of the land is limited to a very small area, as the soil is mostly rocky and muskegy and the\nclearing heavy. 11 Geo. 5\nCoast, Range 1, and Sayward District.\nG 107\nThe chief settlements in the district are Bella Bella and Namu, where supplies can be\nobtained at reasonable prices. Large canneries are engaged at both places in the salmon-\ncanning industry, also sawmills for making boxes and supplying the local market with lumber.\nThe Union Steamship Company's boats call there twice a week during the fishing season and\nonce a week during the balance of the year. These points also have postal facilities.\nNo outcroppings of mineralized rock were encountered of any commercial value. Several\nledges of good lime-rock have been staked at Koeye River and Gunboat Passage. This lime is\nused, I believe, for pulp-making purposes.\nI have, etc.,\nT. H. Taylor, B.C.L.S.\nCOAST, RANGE 1, AND SAYWARD DISTRICT.\nBy John Davidson.\nVictoria, B.C., December 31st, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report on the past season's survey operations\ncarried on by me in Coast District, Range 1, Sayward District:\u2014\nThe work consisted of the survey of lands held under pre-emption and vacant Crown lands\nat various points along the Coast, including Chatham Point, Johns Point, Horn bay, Church-\nhouse, Seymour Narrows, Sutil Channel, Henry Point, Plumper Bay, etc.\nTriangulation surveys were made in Range 1, Coast District, between Johns Point and Henry\nPoint, tying in Channel Island, Owen Point, Hall Point, Gomer Island, Denham Island, and the\neast shore of Cardero Channel from the south-west corner of T.L. 34679 to the north-west corner\nof S.T.L. 43761. In the Sayward District triangulation ties were made between Brown Bay,\nMount Lolo, Plumper Point, and Separation Head. Hill Island was tied to Burwood Bay, Viner\nPoint, Camp Island, and Whaleton Bay. The boundaries of Indian Reserve No. 4 at Orford Bay,\nBute Inlet, were defined on the ground.\nThe areas surveyed during the season lie on the coast-line, and having well-protected natural\nharbours are readily accessible by boat from the nearest port of call of the regular weekly\nservice of the steamers from Vancouver. The average journey from Vancouver to any place in\nthis vicinity is about thirty hours. At the port of call there is, as a rule, a good general\nstore, a post-office, school, and in many cases a telegraph-office. All of the areas surveyed are\nwithin easy reach of these conveniences. The coast-line is rough and rocky, with small bays\nof shingle beach. The land lies on side-hills, sloping more or less steeply to the sea, and\nonly a small percentage of the areas surveyed is suitable for cultivation. This is found on the\nflats and in the draws draining into the bays and on the flatter slopes. The soil varies from a\nblack muck and loam on the flats and in the draws to a light sandy loam on the lower slopes.\nThe subsoils are varied, the most common being a hard-pan and rock.\nThe district is suitable for the raising of vegetable-truck, the small fruits, apples, and for\npasture. Several settlers are now breeding sheep with a fair amount of success. On the land\nsurveyed, wherever cultivation has been attempted it has been successful. Notable examples\nare P.R. 2984, apples, berries, red and black currants, and vegetables. P.R. 118, potatoes,\nvegetables, strawberries, and hay. P.R. 362, potatoes and vegetables. A ready market is found\nfor all produce in the various logging camps throughout the district.\nTimber.\nMost of the merchantable timber has been removed from the areas surveyed, but there still\nremains on an average about 150,000 feet of hemlock, cedar, and fir on each of the lots.\nTo clear ready for cultivation costs from $200 to $600 per acre, depending on the number\nand character of the stumps. The usual practice is to slash and burn the underbrush and second\ngrowth, leaving the stumps to be dealt with later. By this means the settler can readily place\nunder cultivation a garden-patch and obtain sufficient hay and pasture land for his immediate\nneeds, and at a low cost. G 108 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nThroughout the district there is an abundance of good creeks and there is a plentiful\nseasonable rainfall. Summer frosts are unknown and the snowfall is light and of short\nduration.\nGame and Fish.\nA few of the settlers make a livelihood by trapping mink and marten, cougar and bear.\nDeer are fairly plentiful on the mainland and on Vancouver and Quadra Islands, Ducks are\nplentiful in the season, especially around Bird Cove. Blue grouse and a few willow-grouse are\nfound everywhere.\nWhile not as plentiful as in former years, the salmon run attracts many settlers and provides\nthem with a fair living. Some settlers fish cod.the year round and sell their catch to the nearest\nlogging camp.\nI have, etc.,\nJohn Davidson, B.C.L.S.\nVICINITY OF POWELL RIVER AND MYRTLE POINT.\nNew Westminster, B.C., December 26th, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report on survey operations during the past\nseason:\u2014\nThis season's work was similar to that carried out last year, and consisted chiefly of dividing\nlogged-off timber lands in the vicinity of Powell River and Myrtle Point into 20- and 40-acre lots.\nThe party was organized in New Westminster and proceeded by steamer to the town of\nPowell River. This town is situated on the east side of Malaspina Strait, about 80 miles northwest of Vancouver. It has a population of some 1,500 people, 900 of whom are employed by the\nPowell River Company in their paper-mills. This company is preparing to enlarge its present\nmill and in addition to erect a separate lumber and shingle-mill. It intends also to erect a\nnumber of new houses for the use of its employees. There is no doubt that the population, and\nconsequently the demand for farm products, will be considerably increased in the next three or\nfour years. In addition to the paper-mill, there is at present a small sawmill in the town and\ntwo shingle-mills in the immediate vicinity. There is a good hotel, post-office, telegraph-station,\npublic and high school, two churches, two general stores, and a number of small stores.\nThe Union Steamship Company operates a daily boat service between Vancouver and Powell\nRiver. These boats stop at all way-points, including Lang Bay and Myrtle Point. The trip\ntakes from eight to ten hours on these boats, depending on the amount of freight handled. In\naddition to the above, both the Union and Canadian Pacific Railway Steamship Companies have\nboats calling at Powell River at regular periods during the week. There is telegraphic communication to Vancouver and Victoria and also to points in the vicinity on the Coast.\nLands surveyed.\nOur first camp was located on the sea-coast, 2% miles south of Powell River, and the first\nwork carried out consisted of dividing Lots 5099 to 5131 (inclusive) into half-lots of 20 acres\neach. These lots lie between 2% and 4 miles from Powell River.\nOn the completion of the above work we commenced the subdivision of T.L. 10619P, T.L.\n31602 and Lot 3039. This land adjoins the south and east boundaries of the Powell River\nCompany's property and is composed of logged-off timber lands. This area was divided into\nsixty parcels of approximately 20 acres each.\nAs the sea-shore adjoining the Powell River Company's property was much in demand for\nbuilding-sites, it was thought advisable to Lay off some small lots. Fourteen 1-acre lots were\ntherefore laid out in the best location.\nOur next camp was located at Myrtle Point, about 12 miles south-east of Powell River, and\nT.L. 39611, T.L. 39990, and Lot 3825 were subdivided. Twenty-one lots, varying in area from\n40 acres to 140 acres, were surveyed here. This area is situated' on Malaspina Strait, about\n2 miles from the wharf at Myrtle Point, which is the terminus of the Bloedel, Stewart & Welsh\nlogging-railroad. This company carries on extensive logging operations in the vicinity of Haslam\nLake and expects to operate from this point for the next seven years. There are two squatters 11 Geo. 5\nVicinity of Powell River and Myrtle Point.\nG 109\non this area who have made considerable improvements. These men have been in occupation\nfor a number of years and were dealt with in accordance with your instructions. A lot 15 acres\nin area was surveyed for the Forestry Department and is being used as a district headquarters.\nOur next camp was located in Lots 2742 and 2743, about midway between Myrtle Point and\nLang Bay and about \\y2 miles from Malaspina Strait. From this camp we laid out fifty-two\nlots, varying in size from 40 to 50 acres. This area has been logged off and recently burnt\nover, the north-east corner being burnt over during this last summer. Wolfsohn Creek, which\nflows from Haslam Lake to Lang Bay, runs through this area. No squatters were found on\nthis area. One man has a small clearing and garden, but is living at Lang Bay.\nSurface.\nThe general surface of all areas surveyed is gently undulating, with a gentle slope toward\nthe sea on the west. Wolfsohn Creek flows through Lots 2742 and 2743 in a deep ravine and\ncanyon, but the land on either side is fairly even. For the most part the land lies between sea-\nlevel and 300 feet elevation and the balance between 300 and 450 feet. There are three lots\nwhich rise above 450 feet.\nSoil.\nThe nature of the soil varies so much at different points on the area surveyed that it is\nnot possible to give here any detailed description. It .appears to be of glacial origin supplemented\nby alluvial deposits. As a rule the higher points are composed of a stony sand soil, while the\nlower portions are composed of a fine silt and frequently have a surface of black muck. Some\nportions of the area surveyed appear to be too dry for successful cultivation and are generally\ntoo high for any reasonable irrigation scheme.\nClearing.\nAs mentioned heretofore, the areas subdivided consisted of logged-off timber lands. There\nhas been a good stand of timber on all lots surveyed and consequently there are a large number\nof stumps to be removed. These stumps are chiefly fir and cedar, with a few hemlock and\nspruce, and are found as large as 80 inches in diameter. There is also some fallen timber which\nhas not been removed by the loggers. In addition to this, on certain areas there is a dense second\ngrowth of fir and hemlock, some of Which is 25 years old.\nClimate.\nThe climate is very similar to that of Vancouver, but with probably less rainfall. The\nfollowing is a table of temperature and precipitation and is given by the courtesy of the Powell\nRiver Company:\u2014\nMonth, 1919.\nJanuary\t\nP'ebruary ...\nMarch\t\nApril....' ...\nMay\t\nJane\t\nJuly \u25a0\nAugust\t\nSeptember...\nOctober\t\nNovember ..,\nDecember ...\nTotal\nTEMPERATURE.\nRainfall.\nMax.\nMin.\nBeg.\nDeg.\nInches.\n44.1\n36.8\n6.05\n43.0\n33.7\n4.91\n48.5\n36.9\n2.98\n54.2\n41.5\n3.00\n59.2\n45.2\n1.96\n6S.1\n60.0\n1.76\n71.0\n56.5\n1.31\n71.4\n56.5\n1.03\n86.0\n61.6\n1.75\n51.4\n41.7\n1.56\n46.3\n38.5\n6.23\n42.6\n34.5\n5.56\n36.10\nMonth, 1920.\nJanuary....\nFebruary ...\nMarch\t\nApril\t\nMay\t\nJune\t\nJuly\t\nAugust\t\nSeptember .\nOctober\t\nNovember .\nDecember ,.\nTotal\nTemperature.\nMax.\nMin.\nDeg.\nDeg.\n41.0\n34.1\n45.6\n33.8\n47.3\n37.5\n52.1\n38.0\n57.7\n44.1\n64.8\n51.8\n73.2\n58.7\n72.1\n56.2\n60.3\n50.8\n52.3\n43.3\n48.1\n41.2\nRain-\nfall.\nInches.\n3.20\n0.91\n2.37\n1.73\n2.44\n3.17\n1.22\n3.63\n5.85\n6.68\n6.97\nEleven months.\nProduce.\nThe land already under cultivation produces excellent vegetables and fruit. Strawberries,\nraspberries, and currants do very well. The chief question is one of water, as some of the\nridges are very dry in summer.\nSheep and cattle at present range freely and forage for themselves the year round. G 110 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nMarket.\nAs mentioned before, the town of Powell River has at present a population of 1,500 people,\n900 of whom are on the pay-roll of the Powell River Company. It is certain that the population\nwill increase in the next three years. This town will provide a market for all local farm\nproducts for some time to come, and the large logging companies at Myrtle Point and Stillwater\nshould also take care of large quantities.\nRoads.\nThere is a Government road running from Powell River to a point 4 miles south. It is\nproposed to extend this road half a mile east to connect with a disused logging-railway grade\ninto Myrtle Point. There is also a Government road running eastwardly from Powell River\nto Powell Lake and Cranberry Lake. It is proposed to extend this road southwardly through\nthe land surveyed and so give it access to Powell River.\nIn the areas surveyed at Myrtle Point and between Myrtle Point and Lang Bay there are\nenough old railway-grades to provide cheap roads for practically all lots surveyed. These lots\nwould either have an outlet by road to Myrtle Point or Lang Bay, both of which places have\nwharves and steamship services.\nGame.\nWe had very poor success fishing this year, probably because we were at the Coast during\nJune and August. The deer were plentiful in the earlier part of the season, but went inland\nbefore the hunting commenced. There are large numbers of blue grouse and a few willow-\ngrouse were observed. The pheasants are also becoming more numerous and should provide\ngood sport in years to come.\nTRIANGULATION SURVEY, GARDNER CANAL AND VICINITY, RANGES 3 AND 4,\nCOAST DISTRICT.\nBy J. T. Underbill.\nJ. E. Umbaeh, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014My season's work consisted in the triangulation of Ursula, Devastation, Kitsiway, and\nDouglas Channels, Kildala Arm, and Gardner Canal. The lower portion of Dean Channel west\nof Cascade Inlet, Fisher Channel north of Gunboat Passage, and Cousins Inlet were also\nsurveyed, as weil as two pre-emptions in Kemano Bay, Gardner Canal.\nMy work was conducted in a similar manner to that of last year, but this season I substituted painted-board targets in place of cloth, partly on account of expense, and also I found\nthat the hard flat surface gave a more distinct and clear-cut target to sight upon. It was found\nalso that weather did not affect these targets, whereas cloth suffers considerably in rain and\nwind.\nThe use of monuments of a permanent nature was a distinct step forward in the survey\nof our coasts. These monuments were made of %-inch iron and were split at the bottom and\nprovided with a wedge. They were inserted in holes drilled in the rock and driven in, the\nwedge forcing the split portions apart and thereby holding the monument securely in place. The\ntops were of a square cross-section, allowing flat sides for purposes of marking. Where possible,\ncairns were built over the monuments, but this was found to be useless where they could be\nreached by the sea, as the wave-action quickly destroyed the cairns. In places of this nature\nbearing trees were used. An endeavour was made to have two monuments visible from any\npoint on either shore. This would allow future surveys to be tied in for both distance and\nbearing. Where surveys already existed monuments were not set, as the old surveys, which\nwere tied in this summer, constituted monuments in themselves.\nUrsula Channel.\nThis stretch of water, lying between Gribbell Island and the mainland, lies in a general\nnortherly direction and is approximately 17 miles long, with an average width of \\y2 miles.\nThe shores are generally well timbered and except at the southern end are not unduly steep.\nIn this area there would appear to be several parcels of land suitable for pre-emptions, more 11 Geo. 5 Triangulation Survey, Gardner Canal. G 111\nparticularly at the northern end, where the land flattens out to a gentle slope as it approaches\nDevastation- Channel. Gribbell Island side is notable for the barrenness of the mountain-tops,\nlarge stretches of which have scarcely a vestige of vegetation. Bishop Cove and Goat Harbour\nfurnish two good sheltered anchorages, while temporary anchorage may be obtained in front\nof several of the beaches.\nThe tides in this channel, more especially the ebb, are fairly strong, and are most noticeable\nat its southern and northern end, particularly the latter. Here at the junction with Devastation\nChannel the force of the outrunning water from Gardner Canal and Devastation Channel are\nmost apparent and tide-rips are not uncommon.\nThe sea-life in Ursula Channel bears strong evidence of its nearness to the open Pacific.\nThe presence of sea-anemones, sea-urchins, large mussels, clams, crabs, and other shell-fish, also\ncod, halibut, and many varieties of smaller fish, are everywhere apparent.\nDevastation Channel.\nThis body of water, lying between Hawkesbury Island and the Mainland, is shaped very\nmuch in the form of the letter \" L \" reversed. Approximately 22 miles long and averaging a\nlittle over iy2 miles in width, it is bordered by well-timbered mountain-sides. The greater part\nof its shores have been taken up in the form of timber licences, but -there would appear to be\nroom for a few good pre-emptions on the south shore not far east of its junction with Ursula\nChannel. The shores of Devastation Channel slope back gradually from the water-line, and only\nin a few places do rock bluffs extend to the channel itself. Two islands are situated near the\nnorthern end of Devastation Channel close to the Hawkesbury Island shore. These islands are\n. separated from Hawkesbury Island by Kitsiway Channel, dealt with later in my report.\nThe tides in Devastation Channel are fairly strong, being most noticeable at the junction\nwith Ursula and Douglas Channels and Gardner Canal. At the latter .point the tide ebbing out\nof Gardner Canal appears to split, part of the ebb running to the west and part to the north.\nThis causes a small tide-rip in this area. It is here that most of the fishermen cast their gill-\nnets. The action of the tides, causing a kind of immense eddy, tends to keep the salmon moving\nin a large circle before a final dash for the rivers at the head of Gardner Canal is made. ^\nsimilar but very much more modified effect is obtained at the junction of Douglas Channel. The\nonly reef noticed in these waters is on the north shore opposite the junction of Ursula Channel.\nAt this point a fish-trap belonging to the Western Packers, of Butedale, is in operation.\nThe marine life in this area shows the effect of its greater distance from the ocean. Shellfish particularly are affected, the mussels and barnacles becoming very much smaller-, while clams\ndisappear altogether. Muddy water, due to rivers in Gardner Canal, makes its first appearance.\nLocal inhabitants in this area declare that very bad seas occur at the junction of Gardner Canal\nand Devastation Channel during the winter months, particularly with a north wind.\nKitsiway Channel.\nKitsiway Channel, lying to the west of the two islands in Devastation Channel, is really\na part of the latter channel itself. The portion between Hawkesbury Island and the more\nsoutherly of the two islands mentioned above is locally known as Blind Channel and goes\ndry at low tide, leaving a long stretch of mud-flats strewn with boulders at its northern end.\nBoth ends of this portion of the channel afford excellent shelter for small craft. The shores\nare in all ways similar to those of Devastation Channel. .\nGardner Canal.\nThis channel is approximately 54 miles long, with an average width of 1% miles. About\n25 miles from its head it passes through the Coast Range, and the portions of the channel on\neither side differ very much in general characteristics. To the west the shores are generally\nwell timbered, with quite a number of beaches and bays, two of which, Triumph and Long Bay,\nbeing almost small channels in themselves. The mountains on the west conform to the general\nPacific slope; that is, a general falling away from the Coast Range is quite noticeable, the\nfeatures being less harsh as one approaches the mouth of Gardner Canal.\nThe portion of the channel lying actually in the Coast Range, about 7 miles in extent, is\nmarked by high rugged mountains, badly torn and grooved by glacial action, and is very\nsparsely timbered with stunted hemlock, cedar, and spruce. It would appear that at one time G 112\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nan immense glacier rested in the upper reaches of the canal, and finally, after a long period in\nwhich it tore and grooved the mountain range, burst its way through and proceeded on to the\nocean. In doing so it smoothed off and gave a gradual slope to the west. Some of the grooves\nin this part of the channel are very large in extent and extend up practically to the tops of the\nmountains. To the east of this range the shores are bold and rugged, often being nothing but\nprecipitous rock bluffs and generally sparsely timbered.\nSeveral large cascades are seen in this part of the channel and glaciers on the tops of the\nmountains are common; by far the greater part of the fresh water running into Gardner Canal\ncomes in this section. Besides the two rivers at the head, there are also two rivers flowing into\nKemano Bay, and the Bruin River, which enters the canal immediately to the east of the rugged\nsection before mentioned.\nAt the head of the canal the Kitlope and an unnamed river flow into the inlet. The Kitlope\nis quite a large river at its mouth and is bordered by low-lying land eminently suitable for agricultural purposes. There is room here for quite a few pre-emptions, but the inaccessibility of a\nmarket tends to retard development for some years to come. The other river flowing in here\nis very much smaller and its valley would only permit of a few pre-emptions at most. The\ntwo Indian reserves in the vicinity are entirely deserted, and I understand that the surviving\nIndians have moved to the Kemano Indian Reserve, some 20 miles lower down the channel.\nThe tidal effect in Gardner Canal is considerably affected by the great influx of fresh water.\nEven on a flood-tide the surface water has a slight flow down-channel, apparently there being\na strata of more or less brackish water running above the salt water from the sea. This feature\nis emphasized on an outgoing tide, when the whole volume of water in the canal is moving outward to the sea. This channel appears to be free from reefs and other dangers to navigation.\nThe sea-life in Gardner Canal is less noticeable than in the other channels covered by me\nthis summer. Deposits of silt are quite thick at points 25 miles down-channel, seeming to choke\nout sea vegetation. Shell-fish almost totally disappear before the head is reached, and no fish,\nother than salmon and flatfish, were seen in the upper reaches of the canal.\nIn winter this channel must be the scene of terrific down-channel gales. The stunted\nvegetation, with limbs on the down-channel side only, bear abundant evidence to this fact.\nKildala Arm.\nKildala Arm, approximately 11 miles long and averaging a mile in width, lies between high\nrocky mountains, generally well timbered on their lower slopes. With the exception of the head\nof the arm, little or no level land is available for future development. The timber, and mineral\nif found, would appear to be its only natural resources. The tides are normal and no reefs\nor other obstructions to navigation were noticed. The sea-life here is similar in all respects to\nthat of Douglas Channel, of which this inlet is au arm.\nDouglas Channel.\nDouglas Channel, lying between the west shore of Hawkesbury Island and the mainland, is\napproximately 42 miles long, with an average width of 3 miles. At its upper end it branches\noff into two arms\u2014namely Kitimat and Kildala. At this point the channel approaches 5 miles\nin width, and in this area, owing to the different connecting arms and channels, tide-rips and\nseas are quite often experienced even in summer. In winter this stretch is known for its bad\nseas, particularly when a strong wind is blowing down Kitimat Arm.\nDouglas Channel at its upper end is bordered by well-timbered mountains, the lower slopes\nof which are not unduly steep. As we proceed down-channel the mountains become lower and\nlower and more lightly timbered, until at the southern extremity the shores run out into low-\nlying spurs. The Hawkesbury Island side is on the whole rougher and not so well timbered,\nexcept in patches. Dotted up and down the channel there appear to be several small parcels\nof land that might be suitable for pre-emptions, but as my survey did not extend inland their\nreal worth could not be determined.\nThe tides in Douglas Channel are moderately strong, the ebb being much more so than the\nflood. Driftwood and other floating debris, provided they are not caught on the intervening\nbeaches, are carried out into Wright Sound. Kelp, a general indication of strong tides, is found\nin plenty along both shores. At the junction of Sue Channel, and at the mouth of the lagoon\non the north shore opposite this point, stronger tides than in the rest of the channel are 11 Geo. 5\nTriangulation Survey, Gardner Canal.\nG 113\nexperienced. At both these points tide-rips occur during the ebb tide. With the prevailing\nup-channel wind of summer, choppy seas are almost of daily occurrence.\nThe marine life in this channel is most abundant owing to its proximity to the ocean. Fish\nand shell-fish are plentiful and kelp and other sea vegetation are seen everywhere along the\nforeshore.\nKemano Bay and Pre-emptions.\nKemano Bay, on the north side of Gardner Canal, about 22 miles from the head, is a dirty,\nmuddy, shallow bay at the mouth of the Kemano River. The bay itself is nearly landlocked;\nthe Kemano Indian Reserve, consisting of a long, low-lying spit, half blocks its entrance.\nOriginally, judging by the shore, this bay was a deep inlet off Gardner Canal, but the silt and\nsand brought down by the Kemano and the unnamed river flowing in here has, during centuries,\nmore than half-filled the bay, and will completely do so in time. At low tide great stretches\nof mud-flats and sand-bars are exposed.\nTwo pre-emptions, Lots 1238 and 1239 were .surveyed at the mouth of the Kemano River,\none on either bank. These pre-emptions consist entirely of first-class land and if properly\ndeveloped should make an excellent showing. The profusion of wild flowers growing along the\nbanks of both rivers drew our attention at once. Another striking point immediately noticeable\nwas the difference of the water in the two rivers; the Kemano, being muddy, denoting a larger\nvalley with flat land; the other river, being clear, denoting a boulder valley with no bottom\nland. An attempt was made to go up the Kemano River and explore the lower reaches, but\nowing to high water and a very near accident this was abandoned. However, sufficient was\nseen to know that there is room for more pre-emptions in the valley, particularly on the north\nbank.\nPortions of Dean and Fisher Channels and Cousins Inlet.\nAfter completing the work in Range 4, Coast District, the bottom end of Dean Channel,\nCousins Inlet, and portion of Fisher Channel were triangulated. This work was done in 1918\nby Mr. Laverock, but owing to his untimely end by drowning, and the loss of his notes, could\nnot be plotted.\nThe portion of Dean Channel lying to the west of Cascade Inlet is bordered by steep rocky\nmountain-sides, generally well timbered. Little or no level land suitable for agricultural\npurposes was seen, timber and mineral, if present, being its only resources. Elcho Harbour,\non the north shore, 3 miles west of Cascade Inlet, is one of the few sheltered anchorages in this\nportion of the channel. It is a narrow inlet a little over a quarter of a mile wide and slightly\nover 3 miles long. Lying between high precipitous mountains, it affords excellent shelter to all\ncraft in stormy weather. On the south shore, at the junction of Fisher Channel, the land flattens\nout considerably and is low-lying for some little distance inland. It is possible that room for\na few pre-emptions might be found here.\nThe portion of Fisher Channel to the north of Gunboat Passage is bordered by well-\ntimbered mountains sloping back more or less gently from the shore. The King Island side\nhas a strip of low-lying land before the mountains proper are reached and is somewhat swampy,\nwith here and there small lakes.\nCousins Inlet, running off from the head of Fisher Channel, is a narrow body of water\nlying between steep rocky mountains. At the head is Ocean Falls, where the Pacific Mills have\ntheir pulp and paper plant. The shores of Cousins Inlet are generally well timbered, most of\nthe timber being owned by the Pacific Mills. All land suitable for agricultural or other purposes\nhas already been alienated.\nThe tides in these waters are moderately strong but regular in their flow. With the\nexception of the tide-rip area at the junction of Dean and Fisher Channels, they deserve no\nspecial mention. At this point the ebb tides from Cousins Inlet and Dean Channel meet,\nforming a triangular tide-rip. With an up-channel wind a nasty sea is kicked up here. Rough\nweather is also common opposite the entrance to Elcho Harbour. It is said that this is one\nof the worst portions of the channel.\nThe marine life in this area varies as one gets farther and farther from the ocean. Fisher\nChannel and the lower parts of both Dean and Cousins Inlet abound in sea-life, which becomes\nless and less as one proceeds up-channel. The sea-life in Cousins Inlet is also affected by the\npresence of the pulp-mill at Ocean Falls, the waste products containing sulphur in various forms,\nbeing detrimental to some forms of marine life. ,\n-\nG 111 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nWeather.\nThe country covered by me this season is well known for its damp climate. Considerable\nrain fell during the latter part of May and the early part of June. July and August were\ngenerally fine and very warm. During this period vegetation showed very rapid growth and\nwild berries and flowers had matured before the middle of August. The shortness of the summer\ndetracts from the value of the surrounding land for agricultural purposes. From the middle\nof August and during September we had little sunshine and considerable rain. No summer\nfrosts were experienced, but I expect that the upper end of Gardner Canal is subject to them.\nEven in July the snow in this area was comparatively low down and blocks of ice and snow\nwere encountered floating in the canal.\nI understand that it is not uncommon for the upper end of the canal to freeze over during\nthe winter. Moderate winds, generally westerly, prevail during the summer, but in the winter\nmonths severe east and north gales are more often the case.\nMinerals.\nIndications of mineral were noticed in almost every channel covered, and three parties\nof prospectors, two under the Provincial Government scheme, were run across during the\nsummer. At Drum Lummon, on the north shore of Douglas Channel, development-work is\nbeing carried on. Here they have a very good grade of copper ore. Beautiful specimens of\npeacock copper could be found in almost any of the workings. The Kemano River Valley is said\nto contain some very valuable mineral claims, but as the prospectors we ran across were very\nguarded in their remarks, it was difficult to determine the value or extent of same. Indications\nof copper, mainly malachite, were seen in a number of places in Ursula Channel, Douglas\nChannel, and in Gardner Canal. Some of the stains were large in extent. Bodies of iron ore\nare prominent in two places in particular. On the north shore of Gardner Canal 25 miles\nup-channel is a very large showing; also on the west shore of Hawkesbury Island almost opposite\nKitkatla Bay.\nGame.\nGame is plentiful throughout the area covered and is most noticeable in and around the\nmouths of the streams and rivers flowing into the various channels. Coast deer were seen\neverywhere, with the exception of the upper portion of Gardner Canal. Here mountain-goats\nare found in fair numbers, several being seen close down to the water even in July. Indications\nof bear may be found at the mouth of any stream, and tracks of wolves and cougar were noticed\nin the vicinity of Kemano Bay. Judging by the number of deadfalls run across, this country\nmust be a trapper's paradise, Ursula and Douglas Channels being particularly noticeable in this\nrespect.\nGeese, ducks, and snipe were seen in fair numbers. Geese were breeding at the head of\nGardner Canal in the sloughs and flats at the mouth of the Kitlope River. Most of the ducks\nseen, mainly siwash and sawbills, were in Douglas Channel, particularly at its junction with\nDevastation Channel. At this point they congregated in hundreds, snipe, ducks, and sea-pigeons\nwere breeding on the small rock islet lying south-west of Coste Island in Douglas Channel.\nTrout were found in all streams fished.\nWater-power.\nSeveral creeks and rivers, all in Gardner Canal, are capable of developing considerable\nenergy when harnessed for power purposes. A list of these, with estimated horse-power, watershed, etc., may be found in \" Water-powers of British Columbia,\" by Arthur V. White, published\nby Commission of Conservation, Canada.\nI am, etc.,\nJames T. Underhill, B.C.L.S. 11 Geo. 5 Grenville Channel and Vicinity, Coast District. G 115\nGRENVILLE CHANNEL AND VICINITY, RANGES 3 AND 4, COAST DISTRICT.\nBy A. E. Wright.\nNovember 10th, 1920.\nJ. E. Umbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report on the British Columbia coast\nchannels triangulated this summer. These channels are the main steamboat channels used by\nall boats between Vancouver, Victoria, and the coast of Northern British Columbia and Southeastern Alaska, between latitudes 52\u00b0 47' and 53\u00b0 55'.\nThe following bodies of water were triangulated in the order named: Sheep Passage,\nHiekish Narrows, Graham, Fraser, and McKay Reaches, Wright Sound, Whale Channel, Lewis\nand Cridge Passes, and Grenville Channel. The distance covered amounted to over 180 miles,\nbut includes the following inlets, which were also triangulated: Khutze, Lowe, Klewnuggit,\nBaker, and Kumeolon Inlets.\nThe actual work of triangulation was started at the junction of Sheep Passage and\nMathieson Channel, where a monument was left in 1919. Permanent monuments were put in\nat the entrance to ,aU unsurveyed channels and at 6- to 10-mile intervals along the main channels.\nThis will facilitate the continuation of the triangulation along these channels and passages,\nbesides affording a mark for future surveys to be tied in to.\nSheep Passage.\nSheep Passage, starting from the head of Finlayson Channel, extends first easterly, then\nnorth-easterly to its junction with Mathieson Channel. It forms the north boundary of Roderick\nand James Islands, is 13 miles long, and averages a mile in width.\nFrom a point iy2 miles east of Finlayson Channel Griffin Pass bears away southerly,\njoining Mathieson Channel. It separates Roderick and James Islands and is about 15 miles\nlong, varying in width from one-quarter to a mile.\nThe north shore of Sheep Passage is steep and rugged, with fair hemlock, spruce, and\nbalsam on that part near Carter Bay and on Lot 332 near Mathieson Channel. The slopes of\nthe mountains on the south shore are much gentler, with more timber, but what there is would\nbe of more use for the manufacture of pulp than of lumber. The only flat land has been taken\nup as timber licences, and is so badly scattered that even were the timber logged off it is doubtful\nwhether it could be used for agriculture.\nFinlayson Channel and Hiekish Narrows.\nFinlayson Channel at its head is 2y2 miles wide, with gently sloping sides timbered with\nyellow and red cedar, hemlock, spruce, and jack-pine, with many dead tops. The ground is\nmuskeg.\nHiekish Narrows connects Finlayson Channel with Graham Reach, separating Sarah Island\nfrom the mainland. It is not the main steamboat channel, as there is a bad rock near the north\nend, and the S.S. \" Ohio,\" a large steel ship, lies on the mud in Carter Bay, at the head of\nFinlayson Channel, a reminder of the fact. The shores of Hiekish Narrows are rather well\ntimbered with spruce, cedar, and hemlock, especially on the eastern shore.\nGraham Reach.\nGraham Reach stretches approximately north and south, a distance of 18 miles, from its\njunction with Hiekish Narrows and Tolmie Channel to Warke Island, varying in width from\none-half to three-quarters of a mile. Swanson Bay and the lime-quarry 7 miles to the south\nare the only scenes of activity at present.\nGreen, Khutze, and Aaltanash Inlets reach easterly and Klekane northerly from Graham\nReach. They are each about 6 miles long and half a mile wide and are rather well timbered.\nThe Whalen Pulp and Paper Mills, Limited, have a camp logging off Lot 26 on the north shore,\nand a few hand-loggers are operating here and there.\nThe mountain-slopes of the mainland side of Graham Reach and adjacent inlets are the best\ntimber lands seen during the summer. Hemlock, spruce, and cedar of a very good quality cover\nthe mountain-sides, practically all of it held under lease by the Whalen Pulp and Paper Mills,\nLimited. G llfi\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nFraser Reach.\nThe next shores to be triangulated were those of Fraser Reach, stretching north-westerly\nfor 15 miles. Warke Island, 3 miles long and one-half mile wide, lies at its lower end, with\nButedale Cannery on the Princess Royal Island shore opposite its upper end. North of Warke\nIsland the mountain-sides are very steep, coming right down fo the shore for a distance of 7 miles.\nThere is no timber here, but north of this the mountains become less steep and there is a fair\ngrowth of hemlock, spruce, and cedar.\nPrincess Royal Island, which is separated from the mainland by Graham and Fraser\nReaches, is steep and rugged. It is fairly well timbered with hemlock, spruce, and cedar and\ndotted with a great number of lakes, most of which are unmapped. It is about 50 miles long,\nwith a maximum width of 26 miles.\nMcKay Reach.\nMcKay Reach is in the form of a letter \" S \" inverted, 8 miles long and from 1 to 2 miles\nwide. It separates Princess Royal from Gribbell Islands. Its shores are not precipitous, but\nthe timber is, for the most part, better adapted to the manufacture of pulp than lumber.\nWright Sound and Whale Channel.\nWright Sound is a wide stretch of water at the junction of several passages and channels.\nIt lies immediately west of McKay Reach, and the following channels and passages branch off\nit: McKay Reach and Verney Passage on the east, Douglas and Grenville Channels on the north,\nand Lewis Passage and Whale Channel on the south. It has a maximum width of about 5 miles.\nWhale Channel extends south from Wright Sound for about 14 miles, separates Gil from\nPrincess Royal Island, and is about 3% miles wide.\nLewis and Cridge Passages extend south-westerly from Wright Sound to Squally Channel.\nFir, hemlock, spruce, and red cedar are seen on Hawkesbury, Gribbell, Promise, and the north\nand east portions of Princess Royal Islands, but as the open sea is approached, and the land\nbecomes flatter, muskegs with jack-pine, yellow cedar, and scrub hemlock replace the larger\ntimber of the steep mountain-sides. The whole of Gil, Farrant, and Fin Islands belong to this\nlatter class.\nGrenville Channel.\nGrenville Channel extends north-westerly from Wright Sound for about 51 miles, and varies\nin width from one-half to 2 miles. It separates Farrant and Pitt Islands from the mainland.\nBoth Pitt Island and the mainland opposite are composed of detached mountains from 2,000 to\n3,000 feet in height, with a fair growth of hemlock, spruce, red and yellow cedar, and jack-pine\non their sides. Practically all the surface between the mountains is covered with lakes, all\nunmapped.\nThe triangulation was completed by tying in to Lot 878, leaving monuments so that the\ntriangulation can be carried forward up Telegraph and Arthur Passages and down Ogden\nChannel.\nClimate.\nThe climate is mild and moist, although some parts have a greater precipitation than others.\nOn Graham Reach the maximum is reached in the vicinity of Swanson Bay, Butedale, and a\ncorresponding maximum is reached on Grenville Channel at Lowe and Klewnuggit Inlets. The\naverage annual precipitation at Swanson Bay is 180 inches, but the maximum has reached -280\ninches. Lowe Inlet may be taken at about the same rainfall, but on travelling north and south\nthe precipitation becomes less, the vicinity of Wright Sound being considerably drier.\nThe snowfall varies with the rainfall, those places with the maximum rainfall also having\nthe maximum snowfall. The maximum rainfall occurs during the months of October, November,\nand December, and the minimum during July and August. This year, at Swanson Bay, there\nwas no precipitation whatever for the first twenty-two days, and the weather was delightful\nduring this time.\nIndustries.\nLumbering, fishing, and mining are the only industries at present operating on the portion\nof the coast triangulated this year. 11 Geo. 5 Grenville Channel and Vicinity, Coast District.\nG 117\nAt Swanson Bay, on the east shore of Graham Reach, is the sawmill and pulp-mill of the\nWhalen Pulp and Paper Mills, Limited, cutting about 250,000 feet of lumber and 500 M. shingles\ndaily. The pulp-mill shipped 10,500 tons of pulp in 1919. About 2,500 horse-power of hydroelectric power is developed from the creek flowing out of Yule Lake at Swanson Bay.\nSwanson Bay is a \"closed town,\" and has, besides the sawmill and pulp-mill, a store, post-\noffice, and wireless telegraph station. A large part of the logs used at Swanson Bay are brought\nin Davis rafts from Queen Charlotte Islands, but the Whalen Pulp and Paper Mills, Limited,\nhold the greater part of the best timber and pulp leases in the area triangulated, as well as large\nareas in the vicinity of Gardner Canal. The best quality of lumber is loaded directly into box\ncars at Swanson Bay, the cars being run on to car-ferries holding nine cars each and towed to\nPrince Rupert.\nButedale Cannery, owned by the Western Packers, and Lowe Inlet Cannery, owned by the\nBritish Columbia Packers' Association, are the only salmon-canneries. At Butedale, on Fraser\nReach, there is an ice-making plant as wrell as a cannery, and a large number of halibut-boats\ncall here on their way north and south for bait and ice, as it is in a convenient position for\nthe Vancouver and Seattle boats. The Western Packers are also building a cannery at Crab\nBay, at the entrance to Gardner Canal.\nLowe Inlet is a smaller cannery at the head of Lowe Inlet, Grenville Channel. Both these\ncanneries get all their salmon by means of drag and purse seines operating near the mouths of\nthe larger creeks. No gill-nets are used. Practically all the unskilled labourers are either\nIndians or Orientals.\nMining.\nThe area triangulated lies, for the most part, along the western contact of the Coast batholith\nwith the older sedimentary rocks, the rocks exposed being either white granite or highly metamorphosed sedimentary rocks in the form of schists. Many mineral claims have been staked\nand Crown-granted, especially at Swanson Bay, on Khutze, Aaltanash, and Klekane Inlets, and\non Gribbell and Princess Royal Islands. No mines are producing in the immediate vicinity of\nthe area triangulated, but the TonopalnBelmont on Surf Inlet and the Drum Lummon Mines\non Douglas Channel are only a few miles distant. There are several claims staked on Kumeolon\nInlet for limestone, and limestone is mined on the Princess Royal shore, Graham Reach, 7 miles\nsouth of Swanson Bay, being shipped to the latter place for use in the manufacture of sulphide\npulp.\nMagnetite of a good quality is seen at Stuart anchorage on Grenville Channel, and the\nbehaviour of the magnetic needle on parts of Gil Island go to show that there is a considerable\nquantity of magnetite here also.\nA few miles south of Lowe Inlet,, on Pitt Island, iron-staned bluffs are seen. They looked\nvery tempting and would have been investigated had the season not been so far advanced. This\ndistrict is very easy of access, no part being more than a few miles distant from tide water.\nGame.\nCoast deer are seen all along the coast, being more numerous on the outer low islands than\non the mainland and high rough islands. They are often seen in the water, swimming across\nchannels or inlets, and a 2-mile crossing is not too much for them. One black bear was seen\nswimming across Hiekish Narrows, one-half mile wide at that point.\nPrincess Royal and Gribbell Islands are the home of a species of white bear. They are the\nsame size as the ordinary black bear, but are a distinct species. I am informed that they have\nbeen shot near the Kitsumgallum River, north of the Skeena.\nA few geese nest on the low islands and the black Siwash ducks stay all the year round.\nThe better varieties of duck, such as mallards, etc., do not seem to nest along the coast, but\ncome down from the north to spend the winter along with large numbers of geese who have also\nnested north. No grouse were seen, but a few blue grouse were heard during June. Trout can\nbe caught in practically all the creeks.\nOf sea-life, quite a few whales were seen in the vicinity of Wright Sound, but they seem to\navoid the main steamboat channels and make off when approached by small boats.\nClams are found on all beaches, except those near the mouths of large creeks at the head\nof inlets. I have, etc.,\nA. E. Wright, B.C.L.S. CONNECTION AND RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY, OOTSA LAKE TO DEAN CHANNEL.\nBy F. C. Swannell.\nJanuary 13th, 1921.\nJ. E. Umbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit herewith report on the country mapped in connection with\na triangulation connecting the 93-Mile post on the 53rd parallel north as established by R. P.\nBishop, B.C.L.S., with a triangulation made by J. T. Underbill, B.C.L.S., up Dean Channel.\nTo facilitate reference I shall treat separately the area adjacent to each of the large lakes\neast of the Coast Range, and finish with the valley of the Kimsquit River, which we followed\ndown to Dean Channel.\nLeaving my base at Ootsa Lake on June 10th, I spent June and the most of July mapping\nWhitesail Lake. The remainder of July and half of August were spent in triangulation from\nthe end of the 53rd parallel survey westward along Eutsuk Lake. The Dominion Geological\nSurvey having a party on this lake, they undertook to make a plane table micrometer traverse\nof the shore-line and minor topography, leaving me free to extend the main triangulation. This\narrangement will result in a topographic map more detailed and accurate than either party\ncould have made unaided.\nThe last fortnight in August was spent in cutting trail, packing supplies, and triangulating\nthrough Smaby Pass to the Kimsquit Valley. During September we traversed 30 miles down\nthe Kimsquit Valley to its mouth, and finishing the season's work by triangulating Dean Channel\nto the end of Mr. Underbill's work at the mouth of Dean River.\nWhitesail Lake.\nThis lake is 29 miles long, averaging 1% miles in width, its greatest width being 2% miles\nat 12 miles up from its outlet. The lake is subject to violent winds, almost invariably from the\nmountain passes to the west. The Indians have named it Whitesail (i.e., Whitecap) Lake on\nthis account.\nThere is no agricultural land on this lake, but along the south shore from Portage Bay to\nthe outlet the country is well timbered, spruce predominating. This timbered area extends back,\nas far as could be observed, to the low summits of the hill-range north of the St. Thomas Lake\ncountry. Around the outlet and Whitesail River the country is absolutely worthless, being\nbroken gravel benches and rocky hills, largely burnt over, such timber as has escaped the fire\nbeing scrub.\nTo the north of the lake is an isolated mountain range with rounded grassy summits, there\nbeing scattered areas of good timber on the lower slopes. The western half of the south shore\nrises very steeply, in places precipitously, the main Coast Range thrusting a lofty spur to the\neast, the most conspicuous peak being Mount Chicamon, 7,000 feet, a perfect cone which is an\nexcellent landmark from every direction, and which I therefore utilized as the main triangulation\npoint for the entire survey.\nA narrow gap of half a mile leads from the west of the lake into Little Whitesail Lake,\n3 miles long, T-shaped, and hemmed in by high mountains. North from here a wide trough\nvalley runs through to Blue Lake. The stream descending this valley, which passes through\na canyon about half a mile above Little Whitesail Lake, is joined by a fork from the west\ndraining Coles Lake, a beautiful, deeply indented, island-dotted lake 8 miles long.\nEutsuk Lake.\nAt the bottom of Portage Bay, 12 miles from the outlet of Whitesail Lake, a portage of\n800 paces leads to a small beaver-lake 70 feet higher than Whitesail Lake. Crossing this lake\na further portage of 900 paces brings one to St. Thomas Bay, Eutsuk Lake.\nEutsuk Lake lies 115 feet higher than Whitesail Lake and is 2,840 feet above sea-level. It\nis 50 miles long, the westerly 15 miles being hemmed in by mountains on all sides. To the south\nparticularly the scenery is splendid, the glaciers on Mount Haven stretching almost to lake-level.\nThe mountains hug the shore for half the length of the lake, Atna Bay lying completely within\nthem.\nFrom the peninsula at the entrance to St. Thomas Bay low broken hills run south-easterly,\nat first hugging the shore closely. North of these hills is a wide area of undulating country 11 Geo. 5 Connection and Reconnaissance Survey. G 119\noccupied by the St. Thomas Lakes and draining into the bay of the same name. The only\nagricultural land of the entire region is to be found here. The easterly 15 miles of Eutsuk Lake\nhas been surveyed into sections, but most is gravelly jack-pine country. Fifteen miles from the\noutlet, behind a long sandy beach, lie several sections of meadow traversed by a sinuous beaver-\ndammed creek. Unfortunately these, the only meadows observed along the lake, are too wet\nand cut up by beaver-ponds to be of much value.\nA short stream entering the foot of Atna Bay links to it Pondesy Lake, which is little higher:\nthan Eutsuk Lake, as during high water in the latter lake it backs up until there is only one\nriffle between the lakes. Pondesy Lake is reported to be 10 miles long and lies entirely in the\nmountains.\nAdjacent to the western end of Eutsuk is Surel Lake, 170 feet higher altitude, entirely\nmountain-walled and glacier-fed. The stream draining it is 40 feet wide, very rapid, the last\n90 feet of drop being in two cascades at its mouth. It is the main feeder of Eutsuk Lake.\nSmaby Pass.\nAt the extreme south-westerly end of Eutsuk a low moraine ridge banks back Musclow\nLake, which is 95 feet higher than Eutsuk. The creek joining the lakes is not navigable, but\nan old Indian portage exists.\nMusclow (Little Eutsuk) Lake is a rough oblong 2 miles north and south by three-quarters\nof a mile wide. Its water is greenish, being glacier-fed. From its south end we cut a mile of\ntrail following upwards a shallow creek to Cosgrove (Summit) Lake, 3,020 feet. We got our\ncanoes into this lake, which lies between steep mountains, and is 1V4 miles long. An old Siwash\ntrail formerly ran from here to the Kimsquit River, the Indians formerly hunting on Eutsuk-\nLake having brought their winter's supply of salmon in by this route.\nNot having been used for over fifty years, the trail can hardly be traced, and we cut 12\nmiles of new trail, following the old blazes wherever traceable. One mile south of Cosgrove\nLake is the summit of the pass, 3,100 feet, and shortly beyond this we reached a large creek\nrunning south-west. I have named this Smaby Creek after Mark Smaby (he and the other\nthree timber-cruisers being the first white men to penetrate from the Coast to the Interior by\nthis route). Smaby Creek issues directly from under the huge glacier on Mount Smaby as a\ntorrent 15 feet wide and 1 foot deep. From 2% miles it foams down a wide flood-bed strewn\nwith glacier detritus; then the valley narrows and the creek enters a deep gorge, from which\nit only emerges into the main Kimsquit Valley 6 miles farther, the total fall to this point being\n2,300 feet.\nThe canyon is cut along a continuous mountain-wall to the north-west, the mountain-slopes\nbeing very steep and bluffy, with numerous rock-slides. There is no possible route for a trail\nin the gorge. However, by keeping well back from the gorge we were able to get a fair route\nfor our trail high up along the southern mountain-slopes, following a string of swampy side-hill\nalpine meadows.\nAt Mile 8 from Cosgrove Lake the benches play out, and a bad crossing over a torrent is\nfollowed by a difficult bit of steep side-hill under bluffs, with Smaby Creek some 400 feet directly\nbelow in a box canyon. At Mile 9y2 we faced a very steep descent of 2,200 feet in 1V4 miles\ndown a heavily timbered tongue to the debouchure of Smaby Creek into the main Kimsquit\nValley. This 1% miles is very bad, but the only possible route down the mountain wall. The\ntongue is flanked on one side by the gorge; on the other side by precipices, crags, and tremendous\nrock-slides, leaving no width in which to ease the grade of the trail by zigzagging. This last\n1% miles is so bad that to climb it light and descend with a 50-lb. pack is a hard day's work.\nKimsquit Valley.\nSmaby Creek, now largely augmented in volume, after issuing from the gorge flows southwest and then south-east for 2% miles and joins the main Kimsquit, whose valley is here 4 miles\nwide, the river swift and full of drift-piles, being 100 feet wide and 3 feet deep. Two and a half\nmiles up-stream it forks, the larger branch coming in from the west and heading at about 7 miles\nabove Smaby Creek in a lake reported to be 6 miles long. The North Fork hugs the western\nside of a broad heavily timbered valley, which turns sharply west 6 or 7 miles up. Three-quarters\nof a mile below the mouth of Smaby Creek the main river receives Glacier Creek, a torrent\nheading only 2 miles away in large glaciers overhanging the valley. In June, however, this G 120\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nmust carry a vast amount of water, as its boulder-strewn flood-bed is a quarter of a mile wide,\nand the Kimsquit River for 2 miles below is cut into numerous channels by bars of glacial\ndetritus from this creek.\nTwo miles down from the mouth of Glacier Creek the river runs close below the slides and\nbluffs of the eastern mountain-wall; then runs a mile south towards the western valley-rim,\nenclosing between itself and glacier creek a large flat, mostly open beaver meadow with some\nmuskeg, this whole flat having at one time or another been formed by the continually shifting\nbed of Glacier Creek. The altitude here is 700 feet above sea-level.\nImpinging from the western mountain-slope of the valley, the Kimsquit runs south-east for\n6 miles, the valley narrowing until at a trapper's cabin 19 miles from salt water by trail the\nriver is hard against the mountains on the west, and the bottom land, subject to rapid erosion,\nconfined to flats between river-loops. Above the cabin the river is 90 feet wide, deep, and very\nswift. Rock-outcrops appear and a short distance below boulder-strewn rapids.\nGeorge Creek.\nAt this same point the first affluent to penetrate the eastern valley-wall cuts through as a\n30-foot torrent. This creek penetrates deeply into the Coast Range and heads in lakes at about\n4,500 feet altitude within 5 miles of Eutsuk Lake. Its upper waters were mapped from Mount\nCosgrove. The valley is very deep and narrow, but would give a better grade to the interior\nthan Smaby Pass. No trail exists up this valley. Below George Creek for 8 miles the Kimsquit\nhas frequent boulder-strewn rapids and the valley is narrow. The next large creek to break\nthrough within the Coast Range now enters. We are now by river 8 miles from tide-water.\nDonald Valley.\nFive miles from tide-water a large creek enters the Kimsquit from the north, occupying a\ndeep, heavily timbered valley which parallels the Kimsquit Valley for 12 miles, being separated\nby a long mountain, reaching its highest point in the lofty mountains from whose glaciers Glacier\nCreek emerges. From salt water this valley would be mistaken for that of the Kimsquit, as it\nlies in apparent continuation of the lower part of the latter. The creek occupying it is at the\ntrail crossing 50 feet wide and 18 inches deep at its lowest stage. This valley is reported to be\nthe shortest winter route to the Upper Kimsquit.\nBetween Donald Creek and the mouth of the Kimsquit the river is broken into numerous\nchannels full of bars and sloughs, and during high water most of the bottom is flooded, not alone\nby the Kimsquit water, but by snow-water from several large creeks in deep valleys which enter\nthe Kimsquit by a mass of flood-channels about 3 miles up.\nThe Kimsquit Valley for its entire length is heavily timbered, excepting for large beaver-\nswamps near Glacier Creek and the flood-bed lands at the creek deltas 3 miles up. The soil is\npoor as far as the forks and consists in the valley-bottom of coarse sands overlying glacial drift.\nThe side-hills are sandy loam mixed with loose rock overlying old rock-slides. The beaver\nmeadows are only a superficial layer of muck and peat overlying gravel and drift. The valley\ncannot be said to have any agricultural possibilities, although above the forks the soil improves\ngreatly.\nMeans of Access.\nThe Whitesail and Eutsuk Lake region is readily entered from Ootsa Lake by way of Long\nLake and Whitesail River, only the upper 3 miles of which is swift water. There are a few\nnasty turns which could be rendered safe by cutting out projecting drift-logs. An alternative\nwater route from Natalkuz Lake has only one real obstacle in the shape of the Tetachuck\ncascades and rapids, the short canyon at the outlet of Eutsuk Lake being easily negotiated.\nAn old trail runs up the Kimsquit Valley, but is much obstructed by fallen timber. The trail\nwe cut across Smaby Pass is passable, but the grade out of the valley very steep, and horses\ncould not possibly be taken in over any of these trails.\nMining.\nNothing need be said on this subject, as the Geological Survey had a party on Eutsuk Lake\nall summer, and the prospects on Chicamon Mountain have been reported on by the Provincial\nBureau of Mines. Smaby Pass and the Upper Kimsquit have never been prospected at all, and\nthe possibilities are excellent here, as we noted several good showings of mineralized rock in 11 Geo. 5 Vicinity of Barkley and Clayoquot Sounds. G 121\nthe canyon of Smaby Creek and on Musclow Mountain. Assessment-work is being done on claims\nnear the mouth of the Kimsquit.\nFarming.\nThere is no settlement in this entire area either side of the Coast Range. There is no\nagricultural land bordering on the large lakes, although a large interior area was favourably\nreported on by J. M. Rolston, B.C.L.S., in the St. Thomas Lake basin. The soil above the forks\nof the Kimsquit is good, but the timber is heavy.\nTimber.\nThe Kimsquit Valley has been cruised by the Forest Branch this season, and so need not\nbe referred to in this connection. On Whitesail Lake there is good timber across to the St.\nThomas Valley Divide, as well as smaller areas north of the lake. Most of the timber around\nthis lake is very poor balsam, with much windfall and dead timber accounted for by the rocky\nsoil. There is very little really good timber on Eutsuk Lake, that on the eastern portion being\nmainly scrub jack-pine. There is good timber in Smaby Pass, particularly near Cosgrove Lake.\nClimate.\nThe season was exceptionally late, the snow lying in the mountains until late in July.\nThe maximum and minimum temperatures were read daily. In July, in the lake regions, the\naverages were maximum 71\u00b0 F., minimum 45\u00b0; August, 64\u00b0 and 43\u00b0; in September, in the\nKimsquit Valley, 58\u00b0 aud 43\u00b0. An entire absence of summer frost, even high in the mountains,\nwas most remarkable. The rainfall was normal in the lake region. In the Kimsquit Valley\nduring September and October there was rarely a day without rain. The change to the wet\nCoast climate was very abrupt, obtaining directly we crossed the divide.\nGame.\nGoat were plentiful in the lake region and caribou fairly so in the high mountains. There\nseem to be no deer, except up Cummings Creek on Whitesail Lake. A few moose are found.\nThere was no small game such as grouse, probably due to the abnormal snowfall last winter.\nGrizzly and black bear were plentiful. Excellent fishing was had below the cascades on Surel\nRiver, but the trout on Eutsuk and Whitesail Lakes did not readily take the troll. There was\nan entire absence of game in the Kimsquit Valley, except for bear and goat. Never have I seen\nthe former more plentiful, the bars being tracked and criss-crossed with grizzly-tracks and the\nthickets full of their trails. The Kimsquit is a great salmon-river.\nI have, etc.,\nF. C. Swannell, B.C.L.S.\n\" VICINITY OF BARKLEY AND CLAYOQUOT SOUNDS.\nBy F. E. Leach.\nVictoria, B.C., January 29th, 1921.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq., *\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report on surveys made by me, pursuant\nto your instructions, on the west coast of Vancouver Island in the vicinities of Barkley and\nClayoquot Sounds:\u2014\nThe first locality visited was Pipestem Inlet, a narrow body of water to the east of Toquart\nHarbour, at_ the northern side- of Barkley Sound. Here there is no level land, the mountains\nrising from the sea-level in long regular ridges heavily covered with timber. The principal\nvarieties are cedar and hemlock, but there is also a very considerable quantity of fir and white\npine as well. At the head of Pipestem Inlet is a low pass leading to Effingham Inlet, which is\nfollowed by the Government telegraph-line and trail. This trail traverses a fine stand of timber\nthroughout its length.\nThe head of Pipestem Inlet appears to offer many advantages as a sawmill-site. There is\nsufficient level ground for buildings and yards, a well-protected booming-ground, deep water\ncommunications with Barkley Sound, a large supply of standing timber easily accessible, and\nan ample supply of fresh water in Misty Creek. Islands in Barkley Sound.\nThe survey of a large number of islands in Barkley Sound was next proceeded with. These\nhave in general the same characteristics, which are somewhat modified according as the islands\napproach to or are distant from the open ocean. On the former, especially on those areas\nmore exposed to the ocean winds, spruce forms the predominating timber. This is often gnarled\nand twisted to an extraordinary extent. Farther up the sound there is more hemlock and cedar,\nwith a few white pine and yew.\nOn all these islands there is a dense and almost impenetrable undergrowth of salal, wine-\nberry, and other shrubs. On the larger islands this underbrush may partially thin out towards\nthe centre, but in no place is there any easy going.\nThe soil consists largely of decayed vegetable matter and black loam overlying rock or\ngravel subsoil. In the few places that have been cultivated among these islands excellent\nresults have been obtained, but at present there is no activity in that direction.\nIt was thought that the development of the fishing industry might lead to the use of a\nnumber of these islands as fishermen's homes. Sufficient ground might be cleared to supply the\nnecessary vegetables for a family, and at the same time the location would be convenient to the\nfishing-grounds. In that new development of fishing, the trolling for salmon from power-\nlaunches, the custom is for the smaller boats to operate comparatively close to shore, or even\namong the islands. They leave harbour each morning about dawn and return in the afternoon.\nOn stormy days they do not as a rule operate. Many of these islands afford perfectly secure\nanchorage for small boats, especially during the summer months\", when fishing is carried on.\nThe smaller islands do not appear to have any permanent water-supply, so that it would\nbe advisable for any one contemplating taking up an island to first ascertain whether he can\nsecure a supply by sinking a well. In the winter months an ample supply is generally available\nfrom the rainfall, but there are often long spells of dry weather between May and October.\nIndustries.\nThere are only two principal industries carried on upon this part of the west coast. These\nare fishing and lumbering. Farming is as a rule undertaken only as a side-line and to supply\nlocal needs. The cost of clearing land is so heavy that the returns obtained are not generally\nconsidered commensurate with the effort required to produce them.\nA number of metal-mining ventures have been undertaken from time to time at different\npoints, but hitherto without any permanent success.\nIn the fishing industry probably the largest number of people are employed in trolling for\nsalmon. This can be carried on by one man in a boat of about 25 to 30 feet. Sometimes larger\nboats are employed with several men on board. These can fish farther off-shore and remain\nout longer. Returns are very uncertain, as there is a great variation in season's and also in\ndaily catches. Others fish for halibut off the banks or gill-net salmon in the proper season.\nThe catching of herring and pilchard is mostly carried on by the larger companies, who have\nfacilities for freezing the catch if it is to be used for bait, or for salting or canning it. A\nconsiderable number of Orientals are engaged both in trolling in their own boats and as\nemployees of the canneries.\nThe lumbering industry has been but little developed as yet on this part of the west coast.\nThe logs taken out on Barkley Sound have to be towed to Port Alberni for disposition. At\nMosquito Harbour, Clayoquot Sound, there stands a large and completely equipped sawmill\nwhich has not been operated for a good many years.\nAlmost the whole of the area in the Barkley Sound and Clayoquot Sound Districts is held\nunder timber licences, except for a narrow fringe along the ocean front. All the hills along\nthese inlets and the more level lands along their tributary valleys are covered with \"a fine stand\nof cedar and hemlock timber, while along the river-bottoms are found large areas of spruce.\nAll this timber forms a reserve which will undoubtedly be developed when the need arises.\nBedwell River.\nA traverse was carried up Bedwell River, or, as it is locally called, \" Bear River,\" from its\nmouth to the summit of one of its forks. Some years ago a mining company undertook to build\na wagon-road up this river to its property somewhere near headwaters. This road was built\nand used for a distance of about 8 miles. Two large and well-formed truss bridges were built 11 Geo. 5 Vicinity of Fisherman Bay and Georgie Lake. G 123\nacross the river. Smaller bridges were built where necessary across tributary streams and the\nroad was graded or corduroyed as circumstances required. Beyond this a good pack-tail was\ncut out and graded for 2 miles, and from there a blazed line led for several miles farther.\nSubstantial log houses were built at intervals, and the greater part of the materials for building\nan aerial tramway were unloaded on the beach. On the outbreak- of war in 1914 all this was\nabandoned and nothing more has been done since then. The road is growing up in alders and\nsalmon-berries; some of the bridges have been washed out and everything of value not too\nheavy to be carried away has been carried away.\nThere is no land along the Bedwell River that is suitable for farming, the whole valley\nbeing heavily timbered with cedar, hemlock, fir, and spruce. The river does not appear to\nbe suitable for log-driving, but the valley might be conveniently logged by means of a logging-\nrailroad. The flats at the mouth of the river would make a good mill-site.\nBedwell Sound.\nA triangulation was carried from the head of Bedwell Sound through Race Narrows to\nthe head of Warn Bay. All this country is marked by the same features that characterize\nmost of these inlets\u2014very deep water, steep rock shores without beaches, and high, heavily\nwooded ridges. There is no land anywhere in this area that is suited for pre-emption.\nTofino Inlet.\nThis inlet is in all respects similar to the above-described Bedwell Sound.\nGame.\nThere is but little game to be found in the area covered. A few black bear and deer in the\nvalleys and some ducks in Clayoquot Sound are about all.\nI have, etc.,\nF. E. Leach, B.C.L.S.\nVICINITY OF FISHERMAN BAY AND GEORGIE LAKE, RUPERT DISTRICT.\nBy J. H. Gray.\nJanuary 27th, 1921.\nJ. E. Vmbaeh, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report on the survey of certain parcels of\nland in Rupert District:\u2014\u25a0\nAfter arriving at Fisherman Bay by launch from Fort Hardy on September 7th the first lot\nsurveyed was the S.E. % of S.E. % of Section 25, Township 40. This 40 acres is covered by a\ntree-growth of scattered cypress, mostly dead, ranging from 12 to 30 inches in diameter; here\nand there a good-sized cedar and a fairly thick growth of small cedar and pine; no timber\nvalues. The land is good, a gravelly clay loam, but rough and lumpy, wet in pools, and for\nmost part moss-covered.\nThe old Danish school-house, around which an acre was surveyed, is a frame building in\npoor repair. It is well situated for school purposes, standing on level ground at the apex of\na slight elevation. A wagon-road in fair repair so far as seen extends from Fisherman Bay for\nsome miles southerly. This road bounds the Government reserve on the east, while a crossroad leading, I think, to the west coast extends along its south boundary. Several houses\napparently untenanted and uncared for were noticed along the mile of road walked.\nAt Fisherman Bay is the post-office and a small store. A weekly mail service is maintained\nwith Shushartie, where the Union Line steamers call. This mail service is carried on nearly\naltogether by motor-boat, always at some risk and at great danger in the winter months. A\ntrail follows the coast-line and there is telephone communication with Shushartie and other\npoints.\nFisherman Bay is but a shallow indentation in the coast-line, and while sheltered from the\nsouth-east, it is open to the full sweep of the Pacific when north-westerly winds prevail. \t\nG 124 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nLot 1592.\nLot 1592 is a tract of 280 acres lying half a mile north of the south boundary of shore of\nNigel Island. The only landing approximate is at a small cove, well land-locked, on Lot 1014,\nfrom which access to Lot 1592 for other than a foot-trail would be attended with difficulty. The\ntimber covering consists of dead cypress, cedar, hemlock, and pine, ranging from 10 to 30 inches\nin diameter, standing close in some localities, but I should scarcely consider sufficient live timber\nwould be found to create timber value, especially considering the very broken surface formation.\nCedar and hemlock thicket abounds and heavy salal is the rule.\nA continuous succession of rocky-gravel ridges and small isolated hills constitute the surface,\nreaching on the north boundary an elevation of 200 feet above the general level. Many narrow\nswampy depressions or streaks of good land, for the most part drainable, ramify between these\nridges and mounds; the more extensive of these will be approximately shown on the plan to\nbe submitted. At the present time I think their area would not amount to more than 10 per\ncent, of the acreage surveyed.\nTwo lakes were encountered on the east boundary, the first a quarter of a mile north, the\nother at the north-east corner, both with rocky shores. The water area would not exceed 21\nacres. Our experience on the work at these lakes (we had to cross the last and larger)\nemphasized the fact that cypress is no raft-timber.\nA valley falling and extending northerly from the east end of the lake at north-east corner\nof Lot 1592 was examined for a mile, and although more favourable than the ground we were\nengaged upon, I did not consider it justified survey. This was the only outside area that\nengaged my attention.\nWest Half of Section 35 and East Half of East Half of Section 34, Township 38.\nThe above tract contains P.R. 253, the unoccupied S.W. % of Section 35, and P.R. 698,. lying\nin the valleys of the two branches of the San Josef River, some 3y2 miles south-west of Holberg,\nat the head of the West Arm of Quatsino Sound.\nThe road-bridge across Spruce Creek being \" down\" at the time we arrived, by way of\nwhich it would seem the locality of our work had been usually reached, and further disappointed\nin not being able to procure horses, I was attracted by trail shown on the departmental map\nwhich appeared to cut down the distance by at least one-half. It was adopted for our purpose.\nAlthough more circuitous than anticipated and required cleaning out, etc., I am assured that\nit served us better than the more northerly and longer route. Locally known as the Macaroni\nTrail, it starts from the mouth of 1-Mile Creek, magnetic south from end of Holberg Wharf.\nP.R. 698, Section 34.\nThis area for the most part occupies a mountain-side, being the westerly slope of the valley\nof the West Fork of the San Josef River. The area is for the most part covered with a good\ngrowth of standing timber\u2014cedar, hemlock, and spruce, 2 to 3 feet in diameter, with smaller\ngrowth. Salmon-berry brush abounds on the flat and salal on the hillside. Streaks of dead\nwindfall are found running through this timber, in which nothing of value is left standing;\ngenerally heavy windfall is found everywhere.\nSmall patches of arable land are found at intervals throughout a rock and gravel side-hill,\ndown which flow many streams of varied dimension. An exception to this is found in the north-\n\u2022east corner, on a flat bench of alluvial soil some 30 feet above the river, extending 10 chains\nwest and 20 south, in each case to foot of the hill. The pre-emptor, A. D. O'Kelley, has his\ncabin in this corner, where he has cleared and made a garden.\nP.R. 253, Section 35.\nThe main San Josef River flows through the north-east corner and continues approximately\nto the east boundary for a quarter of a mile, while the West Fork of same stream traverses\nthe quarter through its centre. These streams, to the extent seen, average slightly over and under\n1 chain in width respectively. They flow in a narrow trough 30 to 50 feet deep, which, generally\nspeaking, is filled with an inextricable collection of log-jam, windfall, and willow thicket. The\neasterly or main branch flows much the greater volume.\nThe north half of this quarter-section is good land; that area of this (about one-half) lying\nwest of the West Fork is well timbered, similar in all respects to the north-east corner of\nP.R. 698; that portion between the two rivers is covered with small timber, principally hemlock, 11 Geo. 5 Vicinity of Fisherman Bay and Georgie Lake. G 125\nwith large spruce and hemlock here and there. Very bad windfall extends throughout, excepting\na strip of about 8 chains wide along the north boundary-\nThe south half is gravel and rocky, covered with high, windfall from 5 to 25 feet in height,\namongst which hemlock thicket for the most part grows. Groves of good-sized standing timber\nare to be found at intervals.- The pre-emptor, who is absent, has built his cabin at about centre\nof quarter-section, 10 chains south of north boundary; here is a clearing of 5 acres, remains\nof a garden, and some ditching.\nSouth-icest Quarter of Section 35.\nExcepting some 30 acres, lying along the south boundary, between two large feeders of the\nWest Fork of the San Josef, of moss-covered swampy land, falling northerly and which is clear\nof the general heavy windfall and heavy tree-growth, there is no arable land on this quarter-\nsection. The remainder is rough, gravelly, and rocky, covered with heavy windfall, in which,\nbesides the prevailing hemlock thicket, occur scattered groves of good standing timber.\nApparently abandoned cabins were noticed on the N.E. % of Section 35, Township 38, and\non the two quarter-lots comprising the E. % of Section 2, Township 37, together with considerable\nclearing and one-time garden. These places appeared to offer greater settlement inducements\nthan those I surveyed, especially for stock.\nI am of opinion that in the valley of the main San Josef better country is to be found\nthan the pre-emptions surveyed; in fact, generally to the east of our easterly line of work.\nVicinity of Georgie Lake.\nWest Half of Section 6 and South-west Quarter of Section 7, Township 8.\nThis tract comprises respectively P.R. 1612, P.R. 1558, and P.R. 1450, lying some 8 miles\nnorth-westerly from Port Hardy, in what is locally known as the Georgie Lake country. There\nare two lines of approach to this locality either to follow the Kains Lake Trail, which takes off\nin a westerly direction from the wagon-road boat-landing opposite Port Hardy for about 5 miles,\nfrom which point a cross-trail runs northerly, which followed for a good 2 miles brings you to\nthe Jenkinson cabin on south-west of Section 6. The alternative is by way of a trail along a\ncreek draining Georgie Lake, which reaches the coast 8 miles northerly from Port Hardy.\nAlthough the pack would be double the distance, I decided on the Kains Lake route and made\nheadquarters in the Jenkinson cabin, since the shorter way was contingent upon finding a boat\non the lake and fine weather for landing at so exposed a point. The Kains Lake Trail is good,\na semi-wagon road; the cross-trail a mere footpath. The log crossing at Tsulquate River is wide\nand high; we were able, however, to rig a satisfactory life-line after the snow came down.\nP.R. 1558, Section 6, Township 8.\nThis is a fairly good tract of land, undulating east and west and falling northerly in same\nmanner towards Georgie 0ke. The soil is a good clay loam, for the most part requiring drainage and covered with a growth of cedar, cypress, and hemlock, reaching a maximum diameter\nof 14 inches, with salal-brush; there are no timber values. The pre-emptor has built his cabin\nabout one-third from the south-west corner easterly and close to his south boundary. His\nimprovements consist of 12 acres cleared and partly stumped, nearly an acre of garden which\nis picket-fenced on three sides and through which he has laid down stone-paved walks, besides\na large amount of excellent ditching, particulars of which, with sketch-plan, will be submitted.\nP.R. 1612, lying north of P.R. 1558, is similar in all respects thereto. No occupant was\nfound here, nor could I learn of his whereabouts. I was informed there is a small cabin on\nthe ground, but it was not seen.\nP.R. 1450, S.W. % of Section 7, Township 8, lies north of the quarter-section last described\nand abutting on Georgie Lake, which forms its north boundary. As the lake is approached, in\nfact after leaving Section 6, the timber-growth becomes heavier, although not representing\ncommercial values, the undulations steeper, marking a general greater roughness throughout,\nwhich is reflected in the soil changing to gravel and rock, with moss-covered surface bearing\nIieavy salal. From all I could learn there are no improvements on this quarter-section.\nThe easterly end of Georgie Lake, which extends 30 chains farther east than now shown,\nlies in a depression 200 feet deep; this narrow valley seems to continue easterly from end of\nlake. The south slopes, covered with bad windfall, are timbered to the, for most part, rocky\nshore-line. G 126\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nThe height of land between Tsulquate River and Georgie Lake was made by aneroid 750\nfeet above sea-level, Jenkinson's cabin (P.R. 1558) 700 feet and the lake 600 feet below this;\nthe barometer, however, was not dependable. I formed the opinion from observation, afterwards qualified by Mr. Jenkinson, that the E. y2 of Section 6 is good land, quite on a par with\nthat surveyed.\nDeer, judging from signs, are everywhere plentiful; a few were seen, but none killed;\nwild geese, duck and grouse, fairly so.\nA general complaint is lack of communication. Stock would appear to present, at least,\nan alleviation of the situation. Wagon-roads cannot be here constructed, except at heavy outlay;\nwhereas with good cattle-trails to steamer-points, live stock should be manipulated to create\nan asset that would materially assist during the growing period. Stock do well hereabouts;\nand pertaining to the above, a settler gave me the information that hogs thrive on the roots\nof salal. The fresh pork we had from him emphasized excellent results and there should be no\nshortage of feed.\nOur weather throughout was unfavourable. September and first week in October were\nheavily and continuously wet. From then to end of November, including ten days of fine and\nfrosty weather in that month, it was about one-half fine, although showers every day was the\nrule. December was extremely bad; snow fell on the 4th, which by the 12th had reached a\ndepth of from 14 to 20 inches, according to locality. The snowstorm of the 12th was accompanied with sharp thunder and lightning. Up to the time we left, morning of December 18th,\nthe weather had been a succession of snow, sleet, and rain storms. It was a boisterous season,\nhowever, generally throughout the Coast districts.\nI have, etc.,\nJ. H. Gray, B.C.L.S.\nPHOTO-GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEY, UPPER NICOLA VALLEY, KAMLOOPS DIVISION OF\nYALE DISTRICT.\nBy R. D. McCaw.\nE. Vmbaoh, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nVictoria, B.C., November 29th, 1920.\nSir,\u2014Your instructions under date of July 30th placed the area to be covered by photo-\ntopographical surveys in the easterly portion of the watershed of the Nicola River, adjoining my\nprevious work in the Okanagan Valley. The practice of previous years was to be followed in\ncarrying on the work, the intention being to cover as much ground,as possible south and west.\nBefore going into details regarding my actual field operations, it might be well to state that\nthe photo-topographical equipment which I used this year contained two new surveying cameras\nwith holders and cases complete. These instruments were constructed in Victoria under my\nsupervision after the design of the camera used by the Surveys Branch, Ottawa. Dr. Deville,\nSurveyor-General of Dominion Lands, very kindly loaned one of his cameras for the purpose\nof using it as a pattern. The lenses used are Bausch and Lomb-Tessar anastigmats and were\nmanufactured by the Bausch & Lomb Optical Company. A 3k (yellow) ray filter is used with\nthe lens, being one of a series used with Wratten & Wainwright panchromatic plates. These\nplates were used this season for the first time since 1915. The results obtained are in every\nway more satisfactory than with the plates used formerly. The season's field-work gave the\nnew cameras a rigid test, and, as far as manipulation and general results are concerned, are\nquite all that could be desired. One improvement which may be added is in the form of a better\nfilter made from optically flat glass. This is for the purpose of dispensing with any possible\ndistortion. The filters used are made from selected glass, but are not optical flats.\nActual field-work extended over a period of about two months and a half, some 38 dozen\nexposures being made during this time. The controlling triangulation was carried over from\nthe Okanagan Valley, using stations of the Geological Survey of Canada. Bad weather conditions\nin September and October caused some readings to be very unsatisfactory, insomuch that I\ncannot give a balanced triangulation sheet this year, although it will not interfere with the\ntopographical sheet. Two camera parties were usually operated, although a good deal of my 11 Geo. 5\nPhoto-geographical Survey.\nG 127\ntime was taken up with the system of control alone. Pack-horses were used for moving about,\nas the greater part of the area covered was away from highways.\nSeason's Operations.\nThe party was organized at Merritt at the beginning of August and the first camp was\nlocated north of Chapperon Lake on August 4th. Signals were erected in that locality and some\ncamera-work done at once. My assistant, C. H. Douglas, took charge of the area while I was\nabsent erecting main triangulation signals. I went first to the Geological Survey Station on\nGottfriedsen Mountain and placed new cotton upon the framework which was still standing.\nThe trip was made by way of the settlers' road up Spahomin Creek to Hatheume Lake, then by\ntrail to the top of the mountain. From this point I located other controlling positions for further\nsignals, and on the return trip placed a signal on one of these\u2014namely, the south spur of Mount\nHamilton. This feature is a high isolated timbered ridge west of Douglas Lake. An old station\nof the Geological Survey was found on the north spur of this mountain. On August 13th camp\nwas moved up Sucker Creek, and for the next ten days we were engaged upon the watershed\nof that stream, working east to the Okanagan Divide and connecting with the area mapped in\n1917. A main station was occupied and a signal erected on Tahaetkun Mountain (Baldy Mountain). This is the highest feature in the locality, the altitude being about 6,600 feet. In 1917\nI occupied the easterly spur of this mountain. This mountain is really the main source of\nSucker Creek, which flows in a westerly direction between two high ridges which gradually drop\nto the open hills near Chapperon Lake. The creek is tributary to Chapperon Lake and is more\nor less a sluggish stream, interrupted in its upper portion at frequent intervals with beaver-\nswamps. A couple of small lakes also exist en route. The timbered areas adjoining are totally\ndifferent on each side of the creek. To the north open fir in the lower and open jack-pine in\nthe higher elevations is the order, except in the near vicinity of Tahaetkun Mountain, where\nwindfalls are very thick with thick growth of spruce and jack-pine. The upper portion of the\nmountain has much open area. South of Sucker Creek the growth is a dense tangle of jack-pine\nand spruce, usually with windfalls, and has practically no grazing. North of the creek there is\na good growth of pine-grass and weeds. ,\nFrom Sucker Creek we moved to the bend in the Nicola River at Lot 609, and until the end\nof August were working in that vicinity. We then moved camp up the next main creek south\nof Sucker Creek. This stream has its source near the headwaters of Shorts Creek (Okanagan\nside). The valley is very similar to that just described\u2014namely, open timber and grazing north\nof the creek, while there is dense growth and no grazing to the south.\nFrom September 6th to 27th we were engaged along the Nicola River and its tributaries\neast and north, above the junction of the stream just mentioned. This part of the country\ngradually flattens out into a comparatively level plateau, extending south to Penask Mountain\nand Culmination Point, taking in Penask and Hatheume Lakes, with many smaller lakes as\nwell as various large and small meadows. This year we did not reach these areas with the\nphotographic work on account of unfavourable weather conditions. As a rule there is a good\ndistribution of pine-grass and weeds, except on some north slopes and in the higher elevations\nto the east. The lower slopes along the Nicola River have much open area in bunch-grass.\nMeadows and marshes occur on all streams above 4,000 feet and some are of large extent. The\ntimber is usually jack-pine and the area exceedingly free from windfalls. In fact, large areas\nare quite park-like and a saddle-horse can travel in almost any direction. Higher elevations\nrun into spruce and balsam, with windfalls quite common, while fir grows lower down the river.\nThe high elevation of the plateau country renders it of no utility for farming, but the good\ngrowth of pine-grass and meadow-grass gives it fair value for grazing and wild hay. A large\nnumber of mineral prospects are scattered throughout the upper area and several samples of\nasbestos were picked up. On account of the flattening-out of the Upper Nicola country we were\nforced to use compass and barometer along the streams, as the prominences were not sufficient\nto control the topography.\nOn September 29th I left to get final readings at the Gottfriedsen Signal. My assistant\nwas left in the vicinity of the east end of Douglas Lake to work in the open hills in that locality.\nMy work at Gottfriedsen was spoiled by snow and rain, insomuch that I could not complete the\nreadings I wished to get in the time at my disposal. I could take no photographs and had to\nleave it in order to reach Terrace Mountain, as it was necessary to occupy this station, and G 128 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nweather conditions were not appearing very favourable. I left for Terrace Mountain on October\n7th, and as the upper trails over the divide were very bad from wet weather I decided I could\nmake better time by going via Merritt and Penticton by train and use any means I could arrange\nfor to get up Okanagan Lake to Terrace Mountain, which rises 4 or 5 miles west of Short's\nPoint. The third day after leaving Douglas Lake I took all the readings at Terrace, except a\nsatisfactory one to Little White Mountain. The day cleared at noon and good sights were\nobtained. The next day stormy conditions commenced again, and until we broke camp there\nwas considerable snow in the higher elevations.\nUpon my return to Douglas Lake we carried on our surveys in the vicinity of that body of\nwater. It had been my intention to remain in the field until the end of October, but bad weather\nconditions often made the open hills untenable and photographic work poor. I occupied my last\nmain station on October 15th and 20th under most unfavourable conditions. Camp was broken\nup on October 21st and the outfit moved in to Merritt. The party was paid off the next day\nand I reached Victoria on the 24th.\nGeneral.\nThere is no doubt that the past season has been a poor one for photographic surveys in the\nsouth-central part of the Province. To begin with, the summer was late and the previous\nwinter's snow lay far into the summer in altitudes that should have been free from it. Stormy\nweather extended into July. August came up bright and hot and smoke from forest fires was\nsoon in evidence. Occasional rains held this somewhat in check. The hot, dry weather extended\nto about September Sth, and from that date rain fell every few days, often with snow in the\nhigher altitudes and accompanied by low-hanging clouds. These conditions made camera-work\ndifficult and higher triangulation-work almost impossible. Despite all of these circumstances\nthe photographs obtained are exceptionally good, but the area covered is smaller than it otherwise\nwould have been. Frosts set in near Douglas Lake early in October and were frequent until\nwe left. The actual field-work extended from August 4th to October 20th, and during that time\nabout twelve full days were lost through rain. When it was at all possible to get views we\nalways occupied a station despite the weather.\nThe following stations were occupied during the season: Main triangulation stations, 4;\nphotographic stations, 59; separate camera stations, 136. In addition, five connections were\nmade to land-survey corners.\nThe area covered may be divided into two separate parts\u2014the timbered portion and the\nopen bunch-grass hills in the vicinity of Douglas and Chapperon Lakes. The timbered area\nextends east to the Okanagan Divide. The whole country is smaller of feature than the\nOkanagan and a greater number of camera stations becomes necessary, as well as some traverses.\nStock-raising is the one occupation in the district. The Douglas Lake Cattle Company has\nlarge holdings with headquarters at Douglas Lake. The home ranch is a splendidly equipped\nestablishment and the wayfarer is always most hospitably received by the management. Large\nareas of bottom land are cultivated for hay and grain for winter-feeding the stock. With the\nexception of this company, the only other ranches in the area done this year are Indians and a\nfew settlers near Hatheume and Penask Lakes.\nThe Douglas Lake country is not tapped by railroad, but splendid wagon-roads connect it\nwith Nicola, Merritt, and Kamloops. Other highways radiate to Chapperon Lake, Grande\nPrairie, and Minnie Lake. The Douglas Lake Company has numerous private roads through\nits own holdings, the gently rolling nature of the country making choice of location comparatively\neasy.\nVery little game was seen during the season, although deer seemed to be plentiful, and along\nthe Nicola River black bear are quite numerous. Grouse are plentiful as a rule. Mountain-\nlions and lynx are fairly numerous in the back country, while coyotes are very numerous in the\nopen country.\nThe enlargements from the negatives are almost complete and are showing far better results\nthan I expected, despite the poor weather. Map-work is under way and the usual information\nwill be given, except that the triangulation sheet will be omitted for the present.\nI have, etc.,\nR. D'. McCaw, B.C.L.S. -\n11 Geo. 5\nhoto-topographical Survey.\nG 129\nPHOTO-TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY, ASHNOLA VALLEY, SIMILKAMEEN DIVISION OF\nYALE DISTRICT.\nBy G. J. Jackson.\nVictoria, B.C., December 7th, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014I have the honour to submit the following report on the photo-topographical survey\ncarried out by me in the Similkameen District during the past season:\u2014\nThe area covered consisted of some 400 square miles, bounded on the south by the\nInternational Boundary, on the east by the Similkameen River, and on the north and west by\nthe watershed of the Ashnola River, and was a continuation westward of the area covered\nby R. D. McCaw the previous season.\nThe nearest town to this area is Keremeos, where I made arrangements to get my supplies,\nmail, etc. This is reached in a day from Vancouver by means of the Kettle Valley Railway to\nPrinceton and the Great Northern Railway down the Similkameen Valley to Keremeos.\nThe Ashnola River is of fair size and carries quite a volume of water even in the dry\nseasons. Its source is south of the International Boundary, which it crosses about 30 miles\nwest of the Similkameen River; it then flows northerly for about 12 miles; then easterly for\nanother 12, where it is joined from the south toy Ewart Creek; and it then flows northerly\nfor about 8 miles to the Similkameen River. Along its whole course it is joined by many small\nstreams from both sides. The Similkameen from the mouth of the Ashnola flows easterly about\n10 miles; then southerly to the boundary another 12 miles.\nThe valleys of the Ashnola and its tributaries are very narrow and heavily timbered. Rocky\nhills on both sides rise steeply from 2,000 to 3,000 feet above the river. There is practically no\nsuitable land for agriculture, and although several pre-emptions have been taken up, none are\noccupied at present and very few have had any improvements done on them.\nThe Similkameen Valley from the mouth of the Ashnola to Keremeos is about a mile wide,\nbut south of Keremeos it widens out to about 2 miles. This valley is well settled and, although\ndry, raises good crops with the aid of irrigation, and seems very prosperous. All varieties of\nfruit and vegetables and alfalfa do well. A large acreage is planted each year in tomatoes, and\nthere is a cannery at Keremeos to take care of the crop.\nThere are good roads all through the Similkameen Valley and a Government-built trail up\nthe Ashnola as far as Ewart Creek; also pack-trails up Ewart Creek and the Ashnola to the\nboundary.\n' The area south of the Ashnola between the Similkameen and Ewart Creek rises steeply\nfrom the valleys to an elevation of about 5,000 feet, then has a more gradual slope to the\nsummits at about 8,500 feet. The valleys and side-hills are fairly well timbered to about 5,000\nfeet with fir, spruce, and black pine, and from- 5,000 to timber-line, at about 6,500, with small\nspruce and black pine. In this section there are large areas of open side-hill covered with\nbunch-grass and other mountain grasses. Water is plentiful, making it a good summer pasture\nfor stock. This summer about 2,500 sheep and 300 cattle were pasturing there. This area is\nbadly cut up by creeks, all of which are in valleys or canyons 2,000 to 3,000 feet deep, making\nit a difficult country to get around in. There are several trails leading into it, all very steep.\nOne up Susap Creek from the Similkameen River and another from near the forks of the Ashnola\nand Ewart Creek are the best.\nThe section between Ewart Creek and the Ashnola is very similar to the last, but for the\nmost part more level on top. The highest peaks here are about 8,700 feet. This area is thickly\ntimbered right to timber-line and has very little open grazing, but there is a heavy growth of\ntimber-grass all through the timber, which should toe sufficient for a large number of stock, but\nthey would be difficult to keep track of, and so far no one has tried it. As there are no trails\nworthy of the name through this area, we were forced to cut about 15 miles of pack-trail. We\nalso found the last 10 miles of trail up the Ashnola badly filled in by windfalls and had several\ndays' clearing before we could use it.\nFor 10 miles west of the Similkameen and north of the Ashnola there are many open bunch-\ngrass slopes, which are being used for pasture. Crater Mountain lies in this district, reaching\n9 G 130 Report of the Minister of Lands. 1921\nan altitude of 7,500 feet; along its slopes the pasture was particularly good and about 300\nhead of cattle were on it all summer. From Crater Mountain westward the country is thickly\ntimbered and not suitable for grazing.\nGame was plentiful throughout the whole area. Deer were everywhere, and in some sections\nwe w7ere seldom out of sight of some and often fifty to a hundred were seen in a day. On all\nthe high ranges mountain-sheep were seen in fair numbers. The largest band consisted of\nthirty-five, but as many as sixty-five were seen in one day, amongst them some fine rams. Sheep\nhave been protected for several years in this district, but in spite of that are getting fewer every\nyear, partly due to their being too great a temptation to hunters, but chiefly because of the\ncougars, to whom they are an easy prey in winter. Bear, both black and brown, were occasionally seen, but they seem to be very scarce. Fur-bearing animals were scarce, but there are a\nfew, chiefly marten, mink, beaver, and coyotes. Blue grouse were plentiful on the slopes and\nptarmigan on the peaks, also a few willow-grouse and fool-hens in the valleys.\nIn the Ashnola, particularly from Ewart Creek up, trout were plentiful, but very small;\nnone over 10 inches being caught. The small lakes throughout the district do not seem to contain\ntrout, probably being at too great an altitude.\nThe past season was not particularly good for photographic work. It was a very late\nspring, as the snow did not get off the higher altitudes until after the middle of June. In the\nthree months and a half we were in the field we had twenty days' rain and a lot of cloudy\nweather, particularly in June, July, and September. During the latter part of August we were\ntroubled considerably by smoke from bush fires. During the season the following stations were\noccupied: Main triangulation stations, 6; main photographic stations, 114; separate camera\nstations, 123; land-ties made, 13. The topographical map of this area is now well under way.\nTriangulation, grazing, and timber maps will also be prepared.\nI have, etc.,\nG. J. Jackson, B.C.L.S.\nSURVEY OF THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE PROVINCES OF ALBERTA AND\nBRITISH COLUMBIA.\nBy Arthur O. Wheeler.\nDecember 31st, 1920.\nJ. E. Vmbach, Esq.,\nSurveyor-General, Victoria, B.C.\nSir,\u2014The survey of the Interprovincial Boundary was conducted upon the same lines as in\n1919\u2014viz., R. W. Cautley, D.L.S. and A.L.S., Commissioner for the Dominion and for the Province\nof Alberta, was in charge of the survey of the 120th meridian of longitude where it forms the\nboundary, and A. O. Wheeler, D.L.S. and B.C.L.S., Commissioner for the Province of British\nColumbia, was in charge of the photo-topographical survey of the watershed of the main range\nof the Rocky Mountains where it forms the boundary, and of the mapping of the country adjacent\nto it.\nInstructions.\nIn accordance with instructions received from the Surveyor-General of Dominion Lands,\nMr. Cautley's division continued the survey of the 120th meridian southward from the north\nboundary of Township 73, the point at which it had been discontinued in 1919. In the programme of the survey a somewhat radical change was made: The distance from the north\nboundary of Township 73 to the intersection of the meridian with the summit of the Rocky\nMountains was estimated at 93 miles. Owing to the nature of the country, consisting very\nlargely of old brule and windfall, and the difficulty of transporting material for the concrete\nmonuments, it was considered advisable to spread the work over two seasons. The first was\nto be spent in cutting out the line, selecting the sites for the monuments, and transporting the\nmaterial necessary to build them to the respective sites. In addition, it was required to make\na topographical survey of the country adjacent to the meridian for a distance of iy2 miles on\neither side. The second season was to be spent in accurately fixing the positions of the\nmonuments, in erecting the same, in precise chaining and levelling, and, generally speaking, in\ncompleting the survey of the said 93 miles of the boundary. 11 Geo. 5\nInterprovinclvl Boundary.\nG 131\nThe topographical division was instructed to continue the survey and mapping of the\nwatershed and vicinity northward from Fortress Lake and Pass, where it had been discontinued\nthe previous season, to close up the gap between the starting-point and the point where the\nsurvey had been stopped in 1917 at Tonquin Pass, some 9 miles south of Yellowhead Pass.\nsurvey operations.\nMr. Cautley's Division.\nMr. Cautley reports that he was only able to cut 43% miles of the 93 miles he set out to do,\nand that the southerly extremity of the line cut is left at the top of a 600-foot high cut-bank on\nthe north shore of the Wapiti River, and about 25 chains therefrom, being the site of Monument\n66-5 at chainage 112.552 south from the north boundary of Township 66.\nThe disappointing result is due to two causes\u2014namely, shortness of the working season and\nextraordinarily toad windfallen country. The shortness of the season was due: First, to the\nunusually late spring, which retarded all field operations this year; secondly, to the fact that\nhis packers were unable to get through to Grande Prairie from Entrance with his horses owing\nto the flooded condition of the Smoky River Crossing, but were obliged to turn back when within\n75 miles of Grande Prairie, and that the Edmonton, Dunvegan & British Columbia Railway\nsystem broke down at the time for more than two weeks, so that he was forced to sell his pack-\ntrain at Edmonton and purchase more horses at Grande Prairie, thereby losing ten days of the\nentire party's time; thirdly, to very bad weather conditions, which caused a loss of working-time\nthis season considerably in excess of what is usually met with.\nIn regard to the nature of the country, more than 30 of the 43 miles cut lies through heavy\nbrule windfalls, piled up from 4 to 6 feet high and interwoven with scrub second growth, mostly\njack-pine. This class of country extends for from 1 to 4 miles east of the line and, as far as\nMr. Cautley was able to learn, for an indefinite distance to the west of it\u2014certainly far beyond\nthe limits of his exploration. Of the remaining 13 miles, only 6 or 7, on either side of the\nRed Willow River, were ordinarily good running, the remainder being through extensive muskegs\nsurrounded by brule ridges. His party was a fairly good one and he had from thirteen to\nseventeen men actually cutting line, but for days, and even weeks, at a time his progress was\nlimited to 2 to 3 chains per day for each axeman or sawyer on the line; he himself should not\nhave believed it possible that there was any extent of country in the North-west which could\njustify such a slow rate of progress prior to this season's work. The line had to be cut throughout, not only as an exceptionally good survey-line, cut 6 feet wide to the sky, but also as a good\npack-trail, except across wet muskegs, in which case a circumventing trail had to be cut through\nthe brule. If there had been comparatively open country anywhere near the line it would have\nexpedited the work to locate and cut a pack-trail through it apart from the line, but the whole\ncountry adjacent to the boundary is similar in character, besides which it is an unusual feature\nof the boundary survey that the pack-trail must necessarily touch the line at all monument-sites\nso that the monument material can be delivered at them.\nThe only supply source of gravel for concrete monuments discovered by the season's work\nwas the Red Willow River, and thirty-three sites were supplied with gravel from it, including\nall sites in Townships 73, 72, 71, 70, 69, and the two most northerly sites in Township 68. A\nthin layer of coarse gravel was found on the top of the mud in Steeprock Creek and was supplied\nto some of the northerly sites, but the supply had to be supplemented in all cases by sand from\nRed Willow River. Eleven other sites were located, most of which will have to be filled from\nthe Wapiti River when a crossing has been found and a trail cut to it.\nThe crossing of the Wapiti River is likely to present considerable difficulty from what little\nMr. Cautley saw of it on the last day's work on the line\u2014September 28th. The said date terminated a period of seventeen days in which there had been either rain or snow every day, including seven days and nights of continuous rain or snow, so that the river was very high. He\nestimated that the river on the above date was 160 feet wide, from 3 to 5 feet deep, and with\na current of from 5 to 7 miles an hour; it runs in a deep, narrow valley, hemmed in closely on\nboth sides by cut-banks from 400 to 900 feet high, and the bed is composed of large boulders.\nThe line will strike the Wapiti River at a sharp bend to the east and will apparently cross\nthe river three times, in an up-stream direction, before finally leaving it. There is nothing but\nmuskeg feed for horses anywhere near the line, and not much of that, while there do not\nseem to be any river-bottom lands along the Wapiti, and the half-breeds informed Mr. Cautley\nthat there was no feed to the south. G 132\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nTOPOCRAPHICAL DIVISION.\nThe topographical division organized at Banff, which place is best suited for preliminary\ntests to cameras and photographic plates, by which means the data for mapping is obtained.\nOwing to the large amount of snow fallen during the winter it was found impossible to send\na pack-train to Fortress Lake, where work had been discontinued the previous season, over\nthe trail as had been intended; consequently, on June 15th the party, horses, and outfit were\nsent by rail to Jasper, where they arrived on June 17th. The horses were delayed for four\ndays in transit at Edson and did not arrive at Jasper until the 22nd. The party started for\nFortress Lake on the 23rd and arrived there on the 27th. Travelling was slow on account of\nthe highly flooded condition of the streams.\nFortress Lake.\nIt was first necessary to cut out a trail through thick forest around the north shore of\nFortress Lake over very rough mountain-sides. There already existed a crude trail, cut by\nsome hunting-party, but it was thickly overgrown and encumbered by fallen trees. This work\nwas completed by July 2nd and on the 3rd camp was moved to the lower end of the lake. Here\na station was occupied and exploration made for a route up a stream, referred to as Alder\nCreek, which comes in from the north at the foot of Fortress Lake and joins it outlet, the\nWood River. The watershed lies at the head of the stream and it was necessary to ascend its\nvalley.\nWood River Valley.\nWood River is the outlet of Fortress Lake. At the foot of the lake the valley opens in a\nlong flat some 4 miles in extent, through which the river flows. It is composed partly of gravel\nwash, partly of meadow lands, and in part is covered by forest. Owing to flooding it was found\nnecessary to cut a trail around the flooded parts. Camp was then moved down the flat and\ntwo stations occupied on the north side of the valley.\nOn July 9th camp was again moved to the end of the flat and a base established for operation on the south side of the valley. Beyond this flat the Wood River descends rapidly through\na deep canyon and some 15 or 20 miles below is joined by a stream from the north. In the\nvalley of this tributary is the old fur-trading route from Athabaska Pass to the Columbia\nRiver, but the trail is now almost obliterated.\nSome miles directly behind the base camp is situated an exceptionally high, snow-crowned\npyramid peak of 12,000 feet altitude above sea-level. It is hung with glaciers and a wide\nsnow-field lies at its eastern side. It was necessary to reach the crest of the ridge bounding\nthe snow-field on the south in order to cover country that could not be reached the previous\nseason from the head of the West Branch of Athabaska River. To do this the party bad to\nman-pack a camp up the valley of the stream flowing to the Wood River from the high peak\nreferred to, a most strenuous undertaking, and from such a camp to reach the watershed by\ncrossing the wide snow-field mentioned.\nFive camera stations were occupied in this vicinity and the party got back to the base\ncamp on July 19th. On the 21tst a climb was made from the same camp of Chisel Peak, a very\nprominent peak arising directly above Fortress Lake on the south side, midway of its length.\nAlder Creek Basin.\nCamp was now moved to the junction of Alder Creek and the party started cutting trail up\nthe valley to its head, which was reached on July 29th. Five stations were occupied and the\ncamp then moved back to the east end of Fortress Lake. Two stations were now occupied at\nthe head of a high valley, opening directly north of the east end of the lake, which overlooked\nthe valley of a stream tributary to the Athabaska River.\nWhirlpool River.\nOn August 6th the party started for the Whirlpool River, but before moving up to it supplies\nhad to be brought out from Jasper. August 11th a move was made 15 miles up the whirlpool.\nIt was now very smoky from forest fires and nothing could be done, so camp was moved farther\nup the Whirlpool trail and a raft built to cross the river to a desirable station.\nAlthough very smoky, a climb wTas made on August 15th to a station on the west side of\nthe river and some views taken. The 17th and 18th it rained steadily and cleared the smoke .\n11 Geo. 5\nInterprovincial Boundary.\nG 133\naway, and on the 19th it was possible to occupy a station on the east side of the valley to\nadvantage. Camp was again moved up the river, and on the 20th a good station occupied at\nthe junction of the South and Middle Branches.\nAthabaska Pass.\nOn August 23rd the party moved up the South Branch of the Whirlpool to the summit of\nAthabaska Pass and pitched camp beside the little tarn known as \" The Committee's Punch\nBowl,\" from which the water flows east to the Atlantic and west to the Pacific Ocean. From\nthe 24th until the 28th rain and clouds prevented further work, but on the 29th two stations\nadjacent to the pass were occupied. Next day the much-talked of Mount Brown was ascended,\nbut clouds settled down over the summit and the climb had to be made a second time to get\nthe necessary photographs and observations. The mountain supposed to be Mount Hooker was\nalso ascended. Another station in the vicinity was occupied, and that closed the work at\nAthabaska Pass.\nMounts Broivn and Hooker.\nThe reports of David Douglas, the botanist, first brought Mounts Brown and Hooker into\nprominence. According to his statements they rose to an altitude of between 16,000 and 17,000\nfeet above sea-level. The statements in Douglas's journal are far from lucid, and it is difficult,\nif possible, to adapt them to a more accurate knowledge of the topographical features of the\npass. Subsequent explorations and surveys by Dr. A. P. Coleman reduced the altitude of the\nso-called Mount Brown to 9,050 feet, and the results of observations by the topographical division\nlast summer have placed it at 9,156. The altitude of Athabaska Pass Summit, at the Committee's\nPunch Bowl, has been placed by the Boundary Survey at 5,751 feet above sea-level. Douglas,\nsomehow, seems to have conceived the idea that this altitude was 11,000 feet, which, according\nto his statements, would place timber-line at the pass summit at 13,750 feet. The maximum\naltitude of timber-line in the main range is very close to 7,500 feet above sea-level, which fact\nreduces Douglas's statements to an absurdity. For some reason it seems to have been accepted\nas a fact that Mounts Brown and Hooker are situated on opposite sides of the summit of\nAthabaska Pass, Mount Brown on the north and Mount Hooker on the south. There does not\nappear to be anything in Douglas's reports to confirm this, and no arrangement of peaks as they\nactually are will permit of it. The only possible solution of the difficulty seems to be to select\ntwo peaks close to the summit of the pass that will, as nearly as possible, fill the conditions\nand dispose of the matter by naming one Mount Brown and the other Mount Hooker.\nHeadwaters of Canoe River.\nThe watershed, having crossed Athabaska Pass to the summit of the so-called Mount Brown,\ndescends the same in a northerly direction and follows the western rim of the Whirlpool Valley\nfor some miles before it turns north-west again. In this stretch there are two passes across\nthe main divide, the valleys of which lead westerly to a larger valley holding a stream which\nit was supposed flowed to Canoe River. The head of this stream is at a height of land which\nis a summit of the watershed. On the. opposite side the Middle Branch of the Whirlpool River\nhas its source.\nCanoe Pass.\nOn September 22nd the party moved camp to the summit of the most northerly and wider\nof the two passes referred to, which is here called \" Canoe Pass.\" It is a charming spot with\na delightful little lake near the summit, open grass lands,- and groves of spruce trees. From\nthis camp six camera stations were occupied.\nOn September 6th the party moved down the valley to the tributary of the Canoe River\nand up the same as far as possible. The going was very bad and a trail had to be cut a\nconsiderable part of the way. About 3 miles from the height of land at the head of the stream\na tributary from the north-west comes from a high pass to the headwaters of the Fraser River,\nreferred to here as \" Fraser Pass.\" A trail was opened by a series of zigzags up a very steep\nhill to the summit of the pass, and on September 8th a climbing party occupied a prominent peak\nou the east side of it. On the same date camp was moved to the open lands near the summit.\nRain and snow began on the 9th and continued without intermission until the 20th. Clouds\nwere low down and nothing could be done in the way of photography. G 134\nReport of the Minister of Lands.\n1921\nWhirlpool Pass.\nDuring the interval an exploration was made of the height of land between the Middle\nBranch of the Whirlpool and the tributary of the Canoe River. It is a low pass' and crosses\nthe watershed by a densely timbered valley. It is here referred to as \" Whirlpool Pass.\"\nFraser Valley.\nCamp was struck on September 21st and the party moved down the valley of the Fraser\nRiver. About 2 miles from the pass there was no snow on the ground and the falling snow\nhad changed to rain. Camp was made in a sheltered spot and the party stayed there until the\n25th in the hope that fine weather would set in, but it snowed and rained steadily and no\nphotographing could be done. An exploration was made of a near-by valley which led to a\npass of the watershed. On the eastern side a tributary stream flowed to the North Branch\nof the Whirlpool River. The entire summit of this pass is filled in by a beautiful little lake of\nvivid blue, which has a glacier falling directly into it on one side and an immense rock-slide\non the other; as a route from the Whirlpool to the Fraser it is effectually barred.\nThe Fraser Valley lies nearly north-west and is a wide, densely timbered trough with several\nlarge tributary valleys joining it from the south-west, and three, including the pass referred\nto, from the north-east. There is no well-beaten trail, but evidently it has been travelled by\nIndians and trappers, as shown by the old teepee-poles and the blazes on the trees; a faint\ntrail showed that horses had been taken over it in numbers at some previous time. The going\nis bad in many places owing to marshy ground, and a good amount of chopping had to be done\nto make it passable.\nClose of the Survey.\nThe snow and rain still continued and the former now lay too deep ou the peaks and above\ntimber-line to permit of climbing; moreover, the entire region was now a snowscape, so it was\nrealized that no further work would be possible aud on September 25th the party started homewards. Lucerne, on the Canadian National Railway, was reached on September 28th and the\nsame night camp was made at Yellowhead Pass.\nThe weather began to clear on the 27th and for the rest of the journey to Jasper was very\nfine. Jasper was reached by way of the Miette Valley on the 29th, and on the 30th the majority\nof the party left for Edmonton, where some of the members were paid off.\nThe two packers were sent with the horses back to Banff by the Athabaska, Saskatchewan,\nand Bow River route, a trip that took fourteen days and during which only two fine days were\nexperienced. They got through only just in time, for the snow on the Wilcox Pass had drifted\nin places to a depth of 6 feet.\nThe two assistants returned to Banff and the usual tests of the cameras were made on\nOctober 4th, which closed the field-work for the season.\nGame and Fish.\nTaking into consideration the wide extent of country travelled over, it is surprising the\nlittle game that was seen. Caribou, moose, and small deer were seen infrequently and a few\nmountain-goats and bears. Their tracks, however, along the river-banks and in the woods\nleads one to think that they are more plentiful than appeared.\nNo fish were seen in any of the streams or lakes, except the Athabaska River, where a\nfew were caught by the cook. It is likely that there are fish in the Fraser River, as they have\nbeen caught in Yellowhead Lake.\nGeneral Remarks.\nOwTing to lack of trails on the British Columbia side of the watershed travel is difficult,\nand a very appreciable amount of time was consumed in cutting paths for the pack-train through\nthe forest and in clearing out old paths.\nThe obtaining of camera stations was less difficult than the previous year owing to the\nassistance given by tributary valleys leading to the watershed, which were penetrated to their\nheads, and so the climbs started above timber-line, thus eliminating long ascents through tangled\nforest-growth.\nThe Whirpool River is thickly forested in the valleys of its three branches. The trail up\nthe South Branch can be travelled, but it is a very bad trail, with much wet and treacherous 11 Geo. 5\nInterprovincial Boundary.\nG 135\nfooting. It is difficult to picture it as a main route of the old fur-traders from the Athabaska\nto the Columbia River. Apparently there are no travelled trails up the Middle and North\nBranches.\nThe lay of the Fraser Valley, which parallels the watershed close by, would have made it\npossible to close the gap with the survey south from Yellowhead Pass had the weather been\npropitious. Under the existing conditions it was found impossible to do so, and about 20\nmiles of the watershed still remain to be located and the adjacent country mapped.\nI have, etc.,\nArthur O. Wheeler,\nInterprovincial Boundary Commissioner.\nVICTORIA, B.C. :\nPrinted by William H. Cullin, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.\n1921. 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Library. Sessional Papers of the Province of British Columbia","attrs":{"lang":"en","ns":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/source","classmap":"oc:SourceResource","property":"dcterms:source"},"iri":"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/source","explain":"A Dublin Core Terms Property; A related resource from which the described resource is derived.; The described resource may be derived from the related resource in whole or in part. 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