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CROWN LAND SURVEYS.
Sessional Papers of the Province of British Columbia
British Columbia. Legislative Assembly
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BKITISH COLUMBIA. CROWN LAND SURVEYS YEAR ENDING 31ST DECEMBER, 1894. VICTORIA, B. 0.: Printed by R[chard Wolfenden, Printer to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty. 1895. r.8 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 777 CROWN LAND SURVEYS. 1894 To His Honour Edgar Dewdney, Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of British Columbia. May it please Your Honour: Herewith I respectfully beg to submit the following Reports on the Surveys of Crown Lands during the year 1894. G. B. MARTIN, Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works. Lands and Works Department, Victoria, B. C, May, 1895. 58 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 779 SURVEYS. SURVEYOR-GENERAL'S REPORT. Lands and Works Department, Victoria, B.C., January 25th, 1895. The Hon. G. R. Martin, Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works, Victoria, B.C. Sir,—I have the honour to lay before you the individual reports of the different surveyors who have been engaged upon the various Crown Land Surveys throughout the Province, and in accordance with the custom which has prevailed in the Department for several years to add a general statement giving an outline of the business of this branch of your office down to the close of the calendar year 1894. Important Change. The most important change which has taken place in this Department since the date of my last report consisted in the retirement from the Ministry of Lands and Works of the Honourable Forbes George Vernon, and your own assumption of the portfolio, which took place on the 8th of November last. Maps. A supply of general and sectional maps sufficient to meet the probable demand for some time to come being now on hand in the Department, less attention is devoted by the members of the staff to this branch of work than has been found necessary to bestow upon it in former years. This class of work, however, is not entirely neglected, but engages the services of at least one draughtsman in collecting and compiling information for the subsequent editions of those maps, the supply of which is becoming exhausted. The following maps have been prepared in the Lands and Works office, and have been lithographed by the Colonist Printing and Publishing Company, Limited, of Victoria, in a highly satisfactory manner :— (a.) Map showing surveys in the Bulkley Valley 200 (6.) Map showing surveys in the Nechaco Valley 200 (c.) Small map of B. C, showing Meteorological Stations 4,000 (d.) Map of the Big Bend Country (Columbia River) 100 The draughtsman engaged upon the preparation of the new map of the Province of British Columbia, referred to in my last report, was instructed to devote his time to other duties pending the receipt of certain desirable information necessary to render the compilation as full and authentic as possible. This, coupled with the fact that a very serious illness deprived the Department of his services for a period of nearly two months, was the means of postponing the final completion of the map much beyond the time at which it was anticipated the work would be finished and in the lithographer's hands. Under the head of " Surveys," reference was made last year to a useful map of the southern portion of Vancouver Island, published in 1880 and now out of print. To supply the constant demand for reliable information respecting this section of the country, a somewhat similar map has been prepared embodying Mr. Burnet's recent surveys to date, including the road traverse work lately performed by Mr. Peter Leech. This work is now in the hands pf the lithographer, and will shortly be ready for general distribution, 780 Crown Land Surveys. 1894 Duplicate Field-books. Sub-section (16) of section 4 of the "Land Act" requires the "field-notes and duplicates" to be duly attested before they can be accepted by the Department. The duplication of the field-notes is cumbersome and quite unnecessary, besides adding considerably to the cost of the survey and the time required in preparing the returns thereof for this office. The original notes made by the surveyor are very seldom forwarded to this Department for the reason that they are taken in all kinds of weather under circumstances so unfavourable to keeping a note-book clean that often it would be impossible to decipher them without the aid of the individual who performed the work. And, further, for the economical prosecution of his work in the field, the surveyor rarely runs the lines upon the ground in the same order that he adopts in plotting his plan, consequently his notes have to be re-arranged and placed in such an intelligent shape that the draughtsman can grasp the survey in all its details with the least possible loss of time. It follows, therefore, that one fair copy thus prepared from the originals, duly attested by the surveyor, accompanied by a neat plan drawn on tracing linen, would fill all the requirements of this office, and would be in conformity with the regulations adopted in the other Provinces of Canada, and by the Dominion Lands Branch of the Department of the Interior. Work in the Draughting Office. The routine work involved in the careful examination and plotting of all the field-notes received in this Department from the different surveyors throughout the country requires constant care and intelligence. When it is borne in mind that the field-notes of every parcel of land, from the smallest school site to the largest timber limit, have to be carefully checked and official plans prepared therefrom, some idea may be acquired of the character and volume of work annually passing through the office. The survey notes in a great many cases, before they can be accepted, are returned for additional information, or for such corrections as are required to make them comply with the rules of the office, or with the provisions of the Acts relating to the character of the work performed.- This entails a large amount of correspondence, which, from its nature, requires considerable skill and judgment. It is somewhat difficult to satisfactorily show by means of a schedule the comparative volume of business annually passing through the office. It is not fair to assume that, because one year shows a larger receipt of field-books, the necessary work connected with their examination and plotting is greater, and occupies more time than that consumed in similar work connected with a less number of volumes. With this fact in view, the following table and subsequent matter will indicate, to a certain extent, the amount of work which has been performed in the draughting office during the past year. No. of Field- books. No. of Claims. Area of Pre-emption Claims. Area of Mining Claims. Area of Timber Leases. Area of Subdivision, "Land Amendment Act, 1894." Area of Coal Claims. 171 239 Acres. 36,131 Acres. 2,381 Acres. 12,430 Acres. 3,030 Acres. 6,309 Number of Crown grant tracings—320. Number of tracings for Government Agents—160. Plans of Bridges, School Houses, and Gaols situated at various points throughout the Province. It will be noticed that work in connection with the survey of pre-emption claims has been attended with less activity than in former years, as indicated by the fact that the number of field-books received during the past year is not so great as that of 1893 by twenty-two volumes. This falling off is doubtless due not only to the inactivity in immigration circles, but also to the general depression which has been experienced in almost all branches of business throughout the country. A map in two sections, showing the coast line and adjacent country extending from the North Arm of Burrard Inlet to Forbes' Bay, on Homfray Channel, a distance of one hundred 58 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 781 and twenty miles, has been prepared for office reference, and is found to be very useful in locating at a glance any parcel of land which has been surveyed, the official plan of which is plotted in many cases upon isolated sheets. This map includes all the recent surveys in the valley of the Squamish River, and is drawn upon a scale of one mile to an inch, showing all lands and timber claims in their relative positions, besides the numerous Indian Reserves scattered throughout the country included within the limits of the sheets. A similar map of the Sayward District, drawn upon the same scale, has also been prepared, showing fifty miles of the coast line of Vancouver Island extending from the fiftieth parallel of north latitude to the mouth of Salmon River, and includes V aides, Cortez, and Read Islands, with the location of all alienated lands, besides those which have been recently surveyed for settlement purposes. The Department having received numerous requests for information respecting the country covered by this map, it has been considered advisable to reduce the plan to such a scale as would allow it to be lithographed in a single sheet. This work is now in hand, and will shortly be published. Surveys. The work of laying out the Crown lands has not been so extensively prosecuted as in former years, for the reason that the appropriation devoted to that service has not been so great, and in view of the fact that large areas are now surveyed in different parts of the Province and ready to meet the requirements of intending settlers, a portion of the vote has been disbursed in extending the photo-topographic system of survey inaugurated two years ago. The appended reports of the different surveyors engaged upon Government work during the past season speak for themselves, and will doubtless prove of some interest to those at least who make a practice of reading departmental blue books. The subdivision of certain Crown lands into small holdings under the provisions of the "Land Amendment Act, 1894," has been performed in two sections of the Province, with the result that considerable difficulty was experienced in making the award to the proper applicant, on account of the number who wished to avail themselves of the opportunity thus afforded of commencing farming on a small scale. Mr. Peter Leech subdivided section 42, Lake District, into twelve lots, each of about 6| acres, all of which, with one exception, have been leased, according to Statute, for a period of five years. Mr. E. B. Hermon similarly laid out the Government Reserves situated in the New Westminster District, which are adjacent to the highway and electric tram-car line connecting the cities of New Westminster and Vancouver. These Reserves were divided into sixty-three small holdings of from five to eight acres each, and up to the present time the majority of them have been applied for and leases issued. The operations conducted by Mr. Palmer were in continuation of those commenced last year, and consisted in the work of laying out into sections the available land situated upon the islands lying between Vancouver Island and the Mainland of the Province. He noticed ■ a marked influx of settlers upon the territory covered by his last season's operations, and speaks in the highest terms respecting the advantages of this favoured locality. He draws attention to certain lagoons and bays in which the Olympian oyster is to be found of a size much above the average of those found elsewhere, and in such quantities as to warrant some enterprising person in opening up the industry of making regular shipments to the cities throughout the Province. Representations having been made to this Department that the valley at the head of Toba Inlet contained a large tract of land suitable for settlement, Mr. A. F. Cotton was instructed to thoroughly explore that section of the country, and if he found the reports concerning it to be correct to make such subdivisions, in accordance with the provisions of the Land Act, as the configuration of the valley would permit. His report, herewith appended, does not, however, hold out very strong inducements to the prospective settler, and thoroughly exemplifies how a casual observer may be deceived when viewing a portion of country from a canoe or boat. Having completed this exploration Mr. Cotton made a stadia hair traverse of the greater portion of the shore line of Powell Lake, and in doing so connected together all the timber limits located in that section of the country. The remainder of the season was devoted to subdivision work situated at Loughborough and Kingcome Inlets, where it was stated large areas of land suitable for settlement existed, but which upon examination were found to have been overestimated, similarly to that at the head of Toba Inlet. As numerous inquiries are constantly being made for lands adjacent to the City of Victoria, it was deemed advisable to subdivide all the unsurveyed portions of the Districts of 782 Crown Land Surveys. 1894 Otter, Sooke, Metchosin, Goldstream, and Highland lying to the south of the line drawn from the head of Saanich Inlet to the mouth of Muir Creek, which line, as defined upon the ground by Mr. Ralph, forms the south-easterly boundary of the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway Company's land grant. Mr. Hugh Burnet was entrusted with this work, and although it was late in the season when operations were commenced, he succeeded in completing the work allotted to him, with the exception of a few sections situated in the District of Highland. Since the country embraced in this survey is of a rather rough character comparatively small areas of good agricultural land were met with, still a very large portion of the whole is reported as being suitable for cattle or sheep runs. An inexpensive reconnaissance survey was made towards the close of the season by Mr. C. D'B. Green, with a view of ascertaining the nature and extent of the lands adapted for settlement purposes, together with the character and quantity of timber situated in the valleys of the Kettle River and its main tributaries. Owing to the advanced state of the season, and to impediments resulting from forest fires, he was unable to make as extensive an examination as was intended, still his report states that within the limits of his survey there are some seventy-five thousand acres of fair agricultural land, besides numerous patches of valuable timber, which only require a cheap means of outlet to bring it into a ready market. Photo-topographic Survey. The season's operations carried on by Mr. W. S. Drewry and his assistants in the photo- topographical branch of the service are fully set forth in the appended reports, which give a short synopsis of the country passed over, and include a description of the main geological features met with. In order to expedite the work and enable the parties engaged upon this survey to cover as great an area as possible, it was considered advisable, as intimated last year, to place a camera at the disposal of the triangulation party in order that views of a certain portion of the surrounding country might be secured at the same time the triangulation operations were being performed, and thereby save a considerable amount of heavy mountain climbing. A second camera was in consequence ordered early last winter from Dallmeyer & Co., London, also thirty dozen isochnomatic plates from B. J. Edwards, all of which arrived in time to be of immediate service in the season's operations. Closing Remarks. Several of the surveyors in their reports mention the fact that forest fires have swept over large portions of the country covered by their operations, causing, on account of the smoke, considerable delay in the progress of the work, besides doing immense damage in the destruction of valuable timber. The question of the wanton destruction of our forests and its concomitant evils is a subject the full discussion of which is far beyond the limits of a departmental report; but a few remarks, supported by authentic statistics, may not be here out of place. It is but natural that the first note of warning in this direction should come from the surveyors carrying out Government work throughout the Province, because these gentlemen, of necessity, must come face to face with the character and circumstances of the wilds through which they traverse, and more than most persons have an opportunity of giving their individual opinions upon facts coming within the range of their observation. Mr. W. S. Drewry, P. L. S., in his report on last season's operations of the photo-topographical survey of which he had charge, calls attention among other things to the damage done by forest fires in the Kootenay District, and his remarks are certainly worthy of perusal by every person who has at heart the best interests of this Province. Mr. Drewry, however, relates his experience in but a small section, situated in the eastern part of the Province, still it is a fact that scarcely any district within its boundary has escaped the ravages of forest fires, and especially is this true on Vancouver Island and the Lower Fraser River country, where they have raged to such an extent as to give rise to the greatest apprehension. It may be said without exaggeration that British Columbia possesses a belt of forest land which in immensity of area and quality of timber is not surpassed by any country in the world, with perhaps the single exception of portions of Siberia. Sanguine individuals, therefore, are loud in pronouncing the supply inexhaustible, while they ridicule as alarmists those 58 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 783 who venture to believe in the possibility of a " wood famine " arriving at some future time. While there may be no immediate danger from the devastation of our forests, and while this disastrous end may not even be witnessed by the present generation, still it must be borne in mind that the length of time required to grow a forest tree to maturity conclusively proves that the timber was never intended, in the order of nature, exclusively for the use of any single generation. The experience undergone by Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin has established the fact that no forests, however grand they may be, are inexhaustible. These States, according to American authorities, will, at the present rate of consumption (or destruction), be depleted of their merchantable timber in ten years hence. Now the forest fires which, as mentioned, took place last year, may be regarded as of almost annual occurrence. They may occasionally originate from causes beyond the control of human hands, but, as a rule, they can be traced to downright carelessness, such as the injudicious burning of slashed land for clearing purposes, the lack of care in thoroughly extinguishing camp fires, from sparks of locomotives and other engines, all of which causes admit of almost perfect control. Fires are at the present time perhaps the chief danger to the forests of this Province, but there are other causes which go hand in hand with them, and may in time, if not restricted, lead to results similar to those found in countries once rich in timber. One noticeable feature in this connection is observed in the adjacent State of the Union, where the injudicious cutting of valuable timber to gain land for agricultural purposes has been carried on in portions of the country totally unsuited for remunerative farming purposes. All the timber upon one claim after another has been slashed and burned, and, after a short and vain attempt at agriculture, the locations have been abandoned, on account of their unsuitability for the purposes intended. The charred remains of half-burned trees stand as a monument of wilful waste, while the land is useful neither for the support of man nor the remaining timber for the shelter of beast. Such land should, of course, have been reserved for timber growth, for which it was eminently fitted, and not, even in the best agricultural districts, can it be judicious to entirely destroy all the timber on any claim. The United States, in the ten years between 1860 and 1870, permitted the utter destruction of 20,000 square miles of pine forest lands, to give room for farming, while not one-twentieth part was restored in the shape of new plantings throughout the whole country, with the one exception of Nebraska. The prevailing method of fencing farms and ranches cuts an immense hole in our cedar forests, and the magnitude to which it may reach is best seen by referring to the experience of the United States. There, it is a fact, according to General Brisbin, that the fences have cost more than the farms. In the State of Kentucky alone the fences are valued at $75,000,- 000, which cost annually $10,000,000 to keep in repair. The whole value of fences in the United States, the same authority says, may be put down at $2,000,000,000, requiring an annual outlay of $100,000,000 for repairs. Railroad ties similarly levy a heavy tax on the forests, and these draw the very life-blood of the timber, as they are generally cut from the young trees. By these and other means the forests of the United States are destroyed at the rate of about 13,000 square miles a year, and as the demand for timber is increasing annually at the rate of 25 per cent, it consequently requires no mathematician to figure out the result. No statistics of this kind are available for our Province, as actual investigations have not been made in this field. The figures in our case may not now reach dimensions proportionate to those of our American neighbours, hut it is not unlikely that their vicious practice of forestry will be followed by our Province if remedial action is not introduced in time. In view of this experience in the States, and bearing in mind that annually immense tracts of magnificent timber valued at millions of dollars, and large areas of improvements amounting to many thousands of dollars, besides the lives of human beings, are lost through causes which we to some extent have power to control, does it not therefore plainly suggest itself that here exists an evil highly dangerous to the community, which, even if it cannot be utterly subdued, calls for intelligent legislation ? This cursory glance at a few of the causes of and consequences arising from the wholesale destruction of the forests of this Province does not include the effects which such depletion must necessarily have upon the climatic and meteorological state of the country, and through these the utility of the soil. Some of these effects are tersely stated by Marsh, in speaking of the now devastated forest country around the Mediterranean Sea, which at one time was the 784 Crown Land Surveys. 1894 most populous portion of the world. " The vast forests have disappeared from the mountain sides and ridges. The vegetable earth accumulated beneath the trees by the decay of leaves and fallen trunks, the soil of the alpine pastures which skirted and indented the woods, and the mould of the uplands, are washed away; the meadows, once fertilized by irrigation, are waste and unproductive, because the cisterns and reservoirs that supplied the ancient canals are broken, or the springs that fed them are dried up ; rivers famous in history and song have sunk to humble brooklets; the willows that ornamented and protected the banks of the lesser water-courses are gone, and the rivulets have ceased to exist as perennial currents because the little water that finds its way into their old channels is evaporated by droughts of summer or absorbed by parched earth before it reaches the lowlands; the beds of the brooks have widened into broad expanses of sand and gravel, over which, though in the hot season one may pass dry shod, in winter time sea-like torrents thunder; the entrances of navigable streams are obstructed by sand-bars, and harbours, once marts of extensive commerce, are now shoaled by the rivers at whose mouths they lie." From nearly all the European countries the same experience is derived. West Russia, Finland, the southern part of the Scandanavian Peninsula, Denmark and North Germany once had magnificent forests of fir, oak, and beech. These were wantonly cut down or crippled, until at the beginning of the present century scarcely any forests remained except the game parks belonging either to the Crown or to large estate owners. Then, born by necessity, a regular system of forestry was introduced, giving regulations for cutting and encouragement for planting of forest trees, which, up to the present time, has had the result of invigorating, and in many places nearly doubling, the forest area, while the effect upon the country in general has been a greater humidity of the atmosphere, a more rapid evaporation from the soil, a greater regularity of rainfall, and a largely diminished force of the prevailing winds, with a corresponding increase in the fertility of the agricultural tracts adjacent to the forests. Before passing to other subjects I would direct attention to the statements of the Dominion Forestry Commissioner, Mr. J. H. Morgan, whose valuable and interesting reports contained in the Department of the Interior Blue Book for the years 1888 and 1889 are well worthy of careful perusal, and in view of the disastrous floods experienced last year in the New Westminster District, the following short quotation from him may prove of interest:— "In British Columbia the ravages by fire during the past year (1888) have been greater than any hitherto known, caused almost entirely by sparks from locomotives. On each side of the railroad track is a belt of felled timber, which, on account of its extreme dryness, ignites easily and acts as a medium or train for conveying the fire to the forest. My reports from there estimate the loss during the year at over $1,000,000. This could have been avoided had the smoke-pipes of the engines been properly screened. On the other hand, it is satisfactory to be able to report that in many places which in former years had been swept by flames the forests are reproducing themselves. " One correspondent, a man thoroughly conversant with lumbering in all its branches, writes :—' British Columbia contains more timber to the square mile than any country in the world, and with careful management would yield an unlimited supply for all time.' None but the mature trees should be cut. The growing trees would mature more rapidly and young seedlings spring into life. This applies more particularly to the interior and the eastern slopes of British Columbia than to the vicinity of the coast, where rains are much more frequent and the atmosphere humid. Owing to the mountainous character of the country, the total denudation of hills by the axe would be ruinous to the land, as the heavy rains which always follow a protracted drought would wash down all the soil, leaving only bare and rugged rocks. "The forests which cover the head waters of all rivers that originate in the mountains should be carefully protected from destruction. If not, the accumulated snows of winter, under the influence of the chinook winds, the hot sun and spring rains, will melt rapidly, causing disastrous floods at one season of the year, while at others the volume of water will be so reduced as to materially lessen the availability of the river for navigation or other purposes. At the recent Congress of the American Forestry Association, at Philadelphia, the Hon. Carl Schurz gave particular emphasis to the paramount necessity of protecting the forests that guard the rivers :—' There is a mountain region in the far north-west which demands the earliest possible attention of our national authorities. It is the great area of mountain forest covering the head-waters of the Missouri and the Columbia. The Government cannot too soon take effective steps to protect these forests, which are the most important in the United States, against destruction, by making them permanent reservations, and having them carefully 58 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 785 guarded.' These warning words of the venerable statesman speak with equal meaning to us. The Fraser and many other Canadian rivers are exposed to the danger that threatens the Missouri and the Columbia." Victoria and Sidney Railway. In accordance with the provisions of Chap. 39, Statutes of 1892, and of Victoria City By-law, No. 164, the right of way, construction, and equipment of the Victoria and Sidney Railway were required to be inspected from time to time by the City Engineer and the Surveyor-General. Mr. Wilmot and myself consequently, in company with Mr. J. H. Gray, the Chief Engineer of the railway line, made frequent inspections of the road during its progress and passed such estimates as the work warranted. The railway has been completed in a manner which thoroughly fulfilled all the requirements of the contract, and has been in successful operation during the past few months. Geological Examination. West Coast Vancouver Island. In view of the fact that some very rich specimens of magnetite, hematite, and especially of coal procured in the vicinity of Nootka Sound have recently come under my notice, it seems a pity that the Geological Survey Branch of the Department of the Interior have not yet considered it advisable to complete the geological examination of Vancouver Island by extending their explorations and giving the West Coast similar treatment to that received some years ago by the East Coast of the Island. Doubtless if suitable representations were made to the proper authorities this desirable work would receive due consideration. Board of Examiners. The resignation of Mr. Kirk, as intimated in my last year's report, and the subsequent retirement of Mr. Pinder, necessitated the appointment of two gentlemen to fill the vacancies thus created on the Board of Examiners. By Gazette notice, dated March 22nd, 1894, James F. Garden, of the City of Vancouver, and William S. Drewry, of the City of Victoria, were appointed respectively to fill the positions vacated by the former gentlemen. Meetings of the Board of Examiners were held, as provided by the " Provincial Land Surveyors' Act," in the months of April and October. At the spring examination four gentlemen, after due notice, presented themselves as candidates for the commission of Provincial Land Surveyor. Of these three were successful in reaching the required standard and were granted commissions to practice. An examination for students, as provided by section 6 of the Act, was held at Nelson in the latter part of August. Mr. T. O'Farrell was the only candidate who presented himself, and succeeded in passing satisfactorily, but thus far has neglected to forward the required fee for his certificate. One candidate for commission came forward at the October meeting, and after undergoing the full examination was authorized to practice One gentleman gave notice, as required by Statute, that he would present himself for the preliminary examination held last fall, but neglected to put in an appearance when the proper time arrived. The following are the names of the gentlemen added to the authorized list of surveyors for the Province :— R. L. Laffere New Westminster. J. H. Bushnell Vancouver. F. J. O'Reilly Victoria. W. D. McKay The Board of Examiners meet, according to Statute, at the office of the Honourable the Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works, but, owing to want of accommodation there, are compelled to adjourn to one of the rooms in the Legislative Assembly Building, or to a room in the Court House when the former building is occupied. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, TOM KAINS, Surveyor-General. 786 Crown Land Surveys. 1894 PHOTO-TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY OF WEST KOOTENAY. o BY W. S. DREWRY, P.L.S. T. Kains, Esq., Surveyor-General, Victoria, B. C. Sir,—I have the honour to present the following report on the topographical survey of Kootenay District, to which are attached the sub-reports of Mr. J. H. McGregor, P.L.S., and Mr. D. R. Irvine. The first-named gentleman had charge of a portion of the total force engaged in triangulation and topographical work, while Mr. Irvine made as close an examination of the geology of the country passed over as circumstances permitted. In addition to a general supervision of other work done, I personally directed the balance of the party engaged in exploring, signal setting, making the minor triangulation, and photographing for mapping purposes. It had been planned to commence field operations early in June, but the great floods prevented access to Kootenay Lake until July 1st. The new triangulation instrument ordered from Cook & Son, of York, England, did not arrive until July, and was brought forward by Mr. McGregor, who had remained in Victoria for that purpose. Having examined and adjusted the theodolite, the base expansion work was carried on by the united force until completed, after which my own party worked along the West Arm of Kootenay Lake to Balfour, being much delayed by smoke. From Balfour we packed south into the mountains, and camped 7,200 feet above the sea. From the neighbouring peaks it was observed that apparently most of the surrounding country was on fire, great volumes of sinoke rising from Slocan District, both sides of Kootenay Lake, Sixteen-Mile Creek, Salmon River, and Slocan River. During the greater part of three weeks the smoke was so dense as to be painful to the eyes, even at our height above the sea, and to render photographic work of any description impossible, while at lake level not even the ordinary line work of surveys could have been carried on. Finally a violent gale and snowstorm cleared the atmosphere, so that work could be actively continued. As the lowest peaks occupied were upwards of 6,000 feet above Kootenay Lake, or 7,750 feet above the sea, the remainder of our season's work was performed in snow, except when travelling from point to point on the lake. Moving from our main camp, south of Balfour, we mapped the large basin of Sixteen-Mile or Midge Creek, and the adjoining basins at the heads of Saw-mill, Narrows, Siwash, and Wilson Creeks. At from six to seven thousand feet above the sea, the first- named tract contains several thousand acres of good grass land, which might be made available for summer pasturage by a trail up Saw-mill Creek from the West Arm about half-way between Nelson and the main lakes. Nearly all the timber has been destroyed by fire, except in the lower portion of the valley, which is extremely rough and narrow. An excitement was caused by the reported finding of rich gold quartz on this creek, but the rush was soon over, with no other apparent result than the burning over of a considerable tract of country, presumably with the intention of making it easier to prospect. From Balfour we moved to the head of Crawford Bay, whence we packed up the creek of the same name for about three miles, and then climbed the mountains north of the creek, camping about five thousand feet above the lake, in snow eighteen inches deep, at the head of a tributary of Crawford Creek. We occupied four mountains north of the main creek, while Mr. McGregor's party occupied some of the peaks to the south. The labour was very severe, but the photographs secured cover the country as far north as Mount Loki, a very high peak nearly opposite Kaslo, and in the divide between East and West Kootenay. The mountains 58 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 787 of this region are very steep and rugged, but contain more game than was noted elsewhere in the district. Mr. McGregor's party subsisted on caribou meat, while we had venison. Near the mouth of Crawford Creek is a quantity of good land, of which probably upward of 500 acres might be classed as excellent tillable soil; while a further 500 acres would do for fruit growing, the whole tract being irrigable. I am strongly of the opinion that the climate in this vicinity will be found very suitable to the growth of apples, pears, and some varieties of small fruits, which would find ready sale at Pilot Bay, but four miles distant, or at other points along the lake. I notice that a portion of this land is shown on the maps as occupied by a timber limit. There is no milling timber on it, in fact little more than enough exists for building purposes and fuel should the land be taken up by settlers. On two or three branches of Crawford Creek is a considerable quantity of fine timber, some of which might be floated down the main stream. Copper ore, very rich in silver, has been discovered on Hoover Creek, one of the branches, by Mr. Proctor, of Balfour, who is engaged in development work. If the ore proves to exist in sufficient quantity a waggon or tram-road to the mine might also be utilized for the timber; or it might be manufactured near where it grows and flurned down to Crawford Bay. The valley of Crawford Creek has been talked of as a railway pass; but the lowest summit seen by us is about 6,000 feet above the sea. The route, however, is the shortest into East Kootenay from the lake, and a trail up it would afford easy access to the upper St. Mary's River. After completing our work at Crawford Bay we moved our main camp to Ainsworth, from which point we worked up the lake to within a few miles of Kaslo and back to the divide between the waters flowing into Kootenay Lake and those discharging into Slocan River. The highest ascent was about 5,500 feet above the lake, the last 2,000 feet being accomplished on snow shoes, the snow lying four feet deep on the summit. We also visited the east side of the lake in the neighbourhood of the Bluebell Mine and secured a fine panorama of photographs for mapping purposes. The captain of the mine very kindly conducted us through it, and showed us the largest body of ore I have ever seen outside an iron mine. The ore is low grade, but a large quantity can be mined at very low cost, which fact, in conjunction with the erection and operation of a very fine smelter at Pilot Bay, probably means the active development of this as well as other mines in the vicinity. Much time was lost through bad weather, which finally compelled us to break camp and return to Nelson, in which vicinity we climbed some of the lower hills. After completing our work the camp outfit was stored and we returned to Victoria. General Remarks. The instrument received from Cook & Son proved to be a very fine one, and as it has been designed for a special purpose and is probably unique in some respects, it may be worthy of a general description. It is a reiterating theodolite with an azimuth plate of six inches diameter, divided to 15'. This plate is read by micrometer microscopes placed 180° apart; five revolutions of the micrometer screw measures one of the divisions on the azimuth plate, while the circumference of the drum or micrometer head is divided into fifty equal parts, thus measuring the azimuth plate to 0.001 or 3". 6 The divisions on the drum are, however, of such length as to be quite accurately estimated to quarters or 0".9. The standards using in triangulation work (which also carry the microscopes) are not of sufficient height to allow the transiting of the telescope, but are so formed as to permit additional standards being clamped firmly to them of such height that the telescope can be completely revolved on its axis. The telescope is of about eighteen inches focal length, with an object glass of two inches clear aperture. The eye pieces for terrestrial work are of powers of twenty and thirty diameters. The axis is hollow, having a reflector placed in the cube so as to throw light on the cross hairs from a lamp placed at the end of the axis. The axis of the telescope also carries the vertical circle, which is read by vernier to 30". A diagonal eye-piece for observing stars of high altitude is provided, having eye-pieces of 20, 30, and 70 diameters. The instrument can therefore be used, not only for fine triangulation, but also for astronomical work of considerable precision. The assembled parts are supported by three foot screws resting on a solidly built tripod. The attachable parts not used in triangulation work are packed away in a separate box, so as to render the instrument as light as possible for carrying up the mountains. 788 Crown Land Surveys. 1894 Marking of Surveys. At all the main triangulation stations holes were drilled in the solid rock and cairns built to serve as signals in the triangulation and for the future reference of mining claims. In this connection it may be remarked that in surveying mineral claims they should always be connected with a permanent mark, known as a mining or mineral monument, whose position can be easily found. Where the marks of the triangulation exist within two miles they could be so used ; but where such marks are more distant then the surveyor laying out a claim should be required to establish a mining monument in a permanent manner. The experience of many years has taught the mining states to the south that such a course is necessary to prevent vexatious litigation and other evils. How much more then is it required in British Columbia, where the wooden posts of claims are generally surrounded by inflammable bush and timber. In Colorado the laws require the establishment and use of mineral monuments, and in several respects are, in the public interest, more severe on both owner and surveyor than those of this Province. The instructions for the survey of mineral claims are issued by the Surveyor- General, presumably to a surveyor selected by the owner ; the owner is required to bear the cost of a standard survey and the permanent marking of the same for public information and his own protection, while if discrepancies or mistakes beyond certain limits are found in adjoining or any claims the surveyor in error is required to rectify such error at his own expense and bear all costs. Mountain Nomenclature. Dr. Dawson, of the Geological Survey of Canada, has applied names derived from Scandinavian mythology to several of the mountain ranges and peaks in Southern Kootenay. Where no cogent reasons exist for giving other names it might be well to follow the lead given and designate the principal peaks by Scandinavian names. The Valhalla Mountains, west of Slocan Lake, form a magnificent mass of lofty rugged peaks rising from great ice fields and glaciers, which somehow convey an impression to the beholder that they can be surmounted only by giant effort, and that if once a mortal becomes involved in their labyrinths he vanishes for ever from mortal ken. "Balder," "Odin," and "Thor" are other familiar examples. Forest Fires and some of their Effects. The great fires of last year, which ran over hundreds of square miles, destroyed an immense amount of valuable timber, in addition to houses and personal property. Nearly all forest fires originate either from lightning, from the rubbing together of trees by the wind, or are caused through human agency. So far as I could learn, the fires whieh overran the southern portion of West Kootenay during last summer were attributable to the last-named cause, most of them having apparently been started through sheer carelessness and in violation of the law. The damage done cannot now be measured in money, for it will be felt most in years to come, when those who wantonly caused it have disappeared. The subject of Forestry is such a comprehensive one that, with my limited knowledge, I approach it with great diffidence. The various important bearings of the subject have been brought before the people of the Province by Dr. Hugh Watt in an able speech delivered in the Legislative Assembly in February, 1894, but I feel it my duty to call attention to some features of the matter, because, for the past seven years, I have been traversing the mountains, chiefly in the south-western portion of British Columbia, not only along the main routes of travel, but often in the very heart of the mountains seldom visited by civilized man, and have, perhaps, been afforded better chances than fall to most men for observing what is taking place in our mountain forests. I do not think I am going too far in saying that at least one-fourth of these forests have been destroyed, much of it beyond redemption. It is not proposed to here enter into the subject of forestry at length, but simply to call your attention to action taken in other countries, and to point out a result toward which I am convinced this deforestation largely contributes. The proper management and preservation of forests has engaged the attention of nearly all modern civilized nations. Germany, Austria, France, and Norway have gone deeply into the subject, and have found it necessary to educate a body of men in this branch of knowledge for the proper use of the public domain. 58 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 789 In Great Britain, the remaining forests are in private hands, and are carefully guarded and used by men educated for that purpose. In the United States, some reserves have already been made, and public attention is now being forcibly directed to the preservation and use of their forests. The current number of the " Century " magazine contains several letters from leading men whose opinion has been solicited on certain points, and I beg to quote here a portion of the remarks of Mr. Theodore Roosevelt, of Washington, D.C.: "It is almost needless to say that this country needs a thoroughly scientific and permanent system of forest management in the interests of the people of to-day, and, above all, in the interests of their children and grandchildren. There is need of this in the east, but the need is greatest in the Rocky Mountain regions, and it is precisely in these regions that the destruction of the forest is most reckless. Many of the people in these imperilled regions are not permanent inhabitants at all : they are mere nomads, with no intention of remaining for any length of time in the locality where they happen to be for the moment, and with still less idea of seeing their children grow up there. They, of course, care nothing whatever for the future of the country; they destroy the trees and render the land barren, often from sheer brutal carelessness, often for a pecuniary reward which is absolutely trivial in comparison with the damage done ; yet their selfish clamour is allowed to stand in the way of a great measure intended to benefit the whole community. The damage from deforestation is often severely felt in lands remote from the deforested region." The quotation above given might very well be applied to this Province, although, in our mountain forest regions, the cleared area required for the use of the population is such a small percentage of the whole that the most urgent need is the preservation of the forests apart from settlements. A large proportion of the population of this area may be classified as nomadic, who may carelessly work incalculable damage, not only in their immediate vicinity, but also at great distances, for the forests not only superinduce precipitation, but also conserve it and regulate distribution at points far distant from them. While it is probable that the great floods of 1894 were the result of a very unusual combination of circumstances, it is also probable that the partial deforestation of our mountains was an important factor. For many hundreds—probably thousands—of years nature has been at work excavating various channels for unwatering the country under certain conditions, and if man changes one of these he must affect the result. Nature made these drainage works to perform their task within a certain period; so that if, through the destruction of the forests, they are forced to do their work in a very much shorter time, the result in a country such as ours must be a succession of floods and droughts, alternately devastating and parching the valleys ; for the surface being denuded of trees, the accumulated snows of winter will be exposed to the direct rays of the sun, and, melting quickly, will rush off, surcharging the streams, causing them to overflow their banks and overwhelm the valleys, while in summer the greater part of the rainfall will pass off by evaporation from the surface on which it falls. Thus the successful use of the valley lands largely depends on the preservation of the mountain forests, which in this fair Province exist principally where but little of the soil can be cultivated, and most of the inhabitants are engaged in or depend on mining, and therefore the conditions under which the waterways work need not be dangerously changed, and are only so altered by the utter indifference of the people. I believe the great body of prospectors and miners are careful about setting out fire, but, undoubtedly, there are some who are utterly reckless, and even wantonly burn over tracts of country difficult of access that they may more easily prosecute their search for minerals. Settlers on the lands, engaged in clearing them, sometimes set out fires in midsummer, contrary to the law, often doing damage in comparison with which their gain is absolutely trivial. But these people also very often have no intention of making permanent homes for themselves and descendants, and consequently have no great interest in the future of the country. So great an area has already been denuded of timber as to warrant the employment of drastic measures for the preservation of what is left; and this nomadic population should be required to refrain from injuring not only those now occupying lands distant from them, but also posterity, for an increasing number of the people are devoting their energies to the making of homes for themselves and children, and do not regard the public domain as something to be carelessly exploited, but as an asset to be so used as to revert unimpaired to those coming after. 790 Crown Land Surveys. 1894 In the absence of any authorized officer whose duty it is to report upon the subject herein treated, I trust that the urgency of the case may be a sufficient excuse for having introduced a question not generally discussed by a surveyor, though, strictly speaking, coming under his purview. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, W. S. Drewry. MR. MCGREGOR'S REPORT TO MR. DREWRY. Sir,—The following is a short report on the work which I carried on in West Kootenay during the season of 1894, according to your instructions :— Leaving Victoria on the 3rd day of July with a party of four men, I travelled by the Canadian Pacific and Nelson and Fort Sheppard Railways, reaching Nelson on the 7th day of the month, pitching camp the next day with your party about one mile east of Nelson. After purchasing the necessary camp supplies, adjusting instruments, etc., I commenced operations by re-measuring and marking over last year's base line, setting signals on the adjacent hills for first and second expansions from the base line, and occupying the same with instruments. During the fortnight spent at the Nelson camp I made five climbs of from 2,000 to 4,000 feet each, besides occupying both ends of base line and spending three days on the measurement of same. Engaging an extra man at Nelson, I then moved my party by the Columbia and Kootenay Railway to a point on the Kootenay River near the mouth of the Slocan River. Starting at 4 o'clock the next morning, six in number, we commenced a climb of the long mountain lying north and south to the east of Slocan River, known as Slocan Ridge. We packed 30 pounds each, consisting of one pair of blankets per man, 80 pounds surveying instruments, axes, two days' provisions, etc. We camped that afternoon well up the mountain, a mile above our starting point and five or six miles to the north. After a good night's sleep in the open air, we made an early start, leaving our blankets behind. Five hours' travel brought us to the highest point on the ridge, where we drilled a hole in the rock and built a cairn 6 feet high, after having taken the necessary readings and views with transit and camera. From this point we could see Nelson quite clearly, some 20 miles to the east, while north of us the lower half of Slocan Lake was visible. Returning to the Kootenay River camp, where we were tempted to remain on account of the wonderful rainbow trout fishing to be had at that point, we returned by train (freight) to Nelson. From Nelson I moved my camp a few miles up Cottonwood Creek, from where I climbed up one of the shoulders of Toad Mountain for a series of views, and also occupied your last year's main station on Mount Atkins. I had great difficulty in doing the necessary work at this point owing to the smoke, which was fast making the use of camera or transit an impossibility. Leaving our main camp at Cottonwood Creek, we packed in to Ymir Mountain, using horses for the first day's journey. We camped about two miles north of the main peak of Ymir, in a small cafion half full of snow, which was rapidly melting under the August sun and flowing east and west into Kootenay Lake Arm and Salmon River. In this camp we remained for nearly three weeks, the incessant smoke preventing me from occupying a station until on the 1st of September rain fell and the fires began to subside. We made many trials to occupy Ymir Peak, but day after day the rain, clouds, and snow, which now began to fall quite freely, drove us back with our work unfinished. Finally, however, after one particularly long and hard day's work, we succeeded, and the next day occupied another station on a peak about three miles east of Ymir. We then packed our camp back to Cottonwood Creek, and after procuring boats, supplies, etc., at Nelson, we moved six miles along the West Arm of Kootenay Lake to a point on the opposite shore, where we pitched camp and were kept for four days by bad weather. 58 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 791 From here we climbed some 4,500 feet, packing 60 pounds each, up a very steep hillside, camping at night on a small divide between the waters of Kootenay Arm and Grohman Creek. We were camped here for three days before the weather cleared, snow and rain falling frequently. Taking advantage of the first clear day, we successfully climbed the main peak at the head of Grohman Creek, and the next day packed back to the lake shore, from where we moved camp by water towards Balfour. At Balfour I received your instructions to carry on the survey on and about Crawford Mountain before returning to the mountains south of Balfour. Crossing to the east side of Kootenay Lake, we pitched our main camp at the head of Crawford Bay, and started the next morning with heavy packs to travel in an easterly direction along Crawford Creek, camping at the point where Hooker Creek enters Crawford Creek from the south, seven or eight miles distant from Crawford Bay. Up to this point almost the whole valley of the creek had been run through by this summer's fires, many hundreds of acres of good firewood, prop and building material, easy of access from Kootenay Lake, having been totally destroyed. On Hooker Creek, however, up which we travelled the next day, there is much valuable timber, which, if the bush fires do not reach it too soon, will be felled and milled before many years. We packed four or five miles up Hooker Creek, camping beneath a bark lean-to, where we spent the following day, as the weather was very bad, with snow falling heavily. A few miles more brought us to the summit, where we camped (by permission) in a cabin on Mr. T. Proctor's mineral claims. At this point the snow was about a foot deep, and after one day of good weather, during which we successfully climbed a peak of about 8,000 feet altitude, we were confined to our camp by a heavy snowstorm, which continued almost without a stop for four days and nights. As we had only one pair of blankets each, we were obliged to keep large fires going all night. Fortunately the supply of firewood was ample, and our axes were kept busy. We made several unsuccessful attempts to occupy Crawford Peak, but snow, clouds, and mist invariably stopped us before we were half way to our destination. The 8th of October was a bright, clear day. We made an early start, and reached the eastern slope of the peak about 11:30. After a good deal of risky travelling, we were stopped by a precipitous wall of snow, topped with a huge drift which made passage impossible. We were forced to return to camp, but the next day, starting before 7 a.m., we reached the peak by the farther or western slope. It was a long, hard tramp, through deep snow, and very cold, but the photographs obtained from there paid well for the trouble. To the west, and more than 6,000 feet below us, was Kootenay Lake, lying north and south, the west arm stretching straight away from us, until with many twists and curves it was lost to sight among the hills which crowded it in on either side. To the north of us several small creeks were running into the valley of Crawford Creek, across which were huge broken masses of snow-capped rocks, culminating in Mount Loki, an inaccessible looking peak of 9,000 odd feet. To the east, some 3,000 feet below us, was the basin of one branch of the River St. Mary, the valley of which could be traced for many miles until it reached the great valley of East Kootenay, across which in places we could see the blue and white of the distant Rockies ; and to the north-west, partially hidden by the Kokanees or Saw-Tooth Mountains, back of Ainsworth, stood the wonderfully beautiful Valhalla Range, which keeps watch over the western shores of Slocan Lake. But a cloud shut down on us before we were well through our work, and before it lifted we were half way back to camp, which we reached with great difficulty about half an hour after dark. The next day we started to pack back to Crawford Bay, and reached there in a day and a half, glad of a change of diet from the caribou meat, on which we had been subsisting for several days. On the 13th we moved camp by water again to Mr. Proctor's ranch, opposite Balfour, and the next day being Sunday we rested, i.e., washed and mended clothes, wrote letters, cleaned rifles and instruments, etc. The next two days we spent in packing two weeks' provisions and all necessary articles up to the summit south of Proctor's ranch. We camped for one night on this summit, in one foot of snow, and the next day moved south several miles, occupying a station overlooking Wilson Creek and leaving a small cache. The day following we moved the rest of our camp forward, and pitched our tent by a small lake in the Wilson Creek basin. There were about three inches of snow on the ground at this point, but at 3 p.m. the snow commenced to fall again, and continued falling intermittingly until it was nearly three feet deep around our tent, and much worse on the peaks and ridges. On the 25th we travelled south until noon, breaking a passage through deep snow all the way, and " cooning " over some very dangerous ridges, which were very unsafe, owing to the large drifts of new snow. Returning to camp, and while descending a very steep slope, two of my men were carried off their feet by a snow-slide, one of them being carried about a hundred yards before the mass of snow left him behind, and hurrying down the slope dashed itself to powder on the rocks below. Fortunately, neither of these men were injured, though considerably shaken up and bruised. We remained at our Wilson Creek camp for two weeks, during which time I succeeded in taking photographs and transit readings from three different peaks, but, owing to the great depth of new snow, I was unable to reach the main peak at the mouth of Sixteen-Mile or Mosquito Creek. The return trip to Proctor's ranch was a very hard one to make, and we arrived at the shore of Kootenay Lake pretty nearly played out. After obtaining a fresh supply of provisions and clothing from Nelson, I occupied the station at Balfour Mountain and obtained a good panorama of photographs. Then travelling south by boat, we camped at the mouth of Wilson Creek, and climbing some 3,500 feet obtained a series of readings and views of the east shore of Kootenay Lake. Crossing to the eastern side of the lake and travelling south, we camped at the mouth of Lockhart Creek, from which point a good trail to the White Grouse Mountain mines is nearly completed. From the mountain sides here I obtained readings and views of the west shore of Kootenay Lake. I also made two or three attempts to reach and take readings from the mountains at the mouth of Mosquito Creek, but the weather continuing to be very bad and my stock of provisions being almost exhausted, we packed up and started for Nelson, reaching Proctor's " en route " on November 23rd, where we spent the night, finding several inches of snow at the lake level in the morning. Reaching Nelson shortly before your party arrived, I obtained the use of a vacant house, which was used as a camping ground by both parties. While camped here, as you are aware, we occupied the several points near Nelson which were necessary to the completion of the season's work. My party was disbanded and paid off on the 5 th December, and after obtaining storage for my tents and camp tinware, etc., I returned to Victoria with you via the Northern Pacific Railway. J. H. McGregor, P.L.S. W. S. Drewry, Esq., Provincial Land Surveyor. MR. D. R. IRVINE'S REPORT TO MR. DREWRY. Sir,—The section of country covered this year by the party to which I was attached extends from Nelson, on the West Arm of Kootenay Lake, eastward to Hoover Creek, a branch of Crawford Creek, and to the head of Tam O'Shanter Creek, which enters Kootenay Lake near the Bluebell Mine; and north and south from Woodberry Point, three miles north of Ainsworth, to Sixteen-Mile Creek, half-way between Balfour and the south end of the lake. The geology of the Kootenay Lake country is extremely complicated, and it would be necessary to work it out in detail, and over a much wider area than that embraced in this report, before attempting definitely to state the age of the various classes of rock and their relations to one another. All that could be done this year was to carefully examine the limited area embraced by the survey and keep notes and sections, full enough and exact enough to enable the geology, as seen on the ground, to be filled in on the topographical maps when published. The character and nature of various rocks can easily be determined, and the areas occupied by different groups, such as schists, quartzites, granites, &c, shown on a map, while their age, and even their relative positions, are yet uncertain. It is only by connecting the detailed work done over a wide area, and putting together the evidence found in different ocalities, that the complete structure of such a country as this can be worked out. 58 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 793 The whole of this district is occupied by granite and stratified metamorphic rocks. The large area of granite which was noticed last year as covering an area of many miles round Nelson, is found on both sides of the West Arm to within three miles of Balfour, and as far north and south as the survey work reached. The main mass of this granite is a grey and often very coarse-grained rock, with large crystals of orthoclase felspar and black and white mica. In many places it contains a large quantity of hornblende—as on the south side of the Arm opposite YuilPs Point, at the head of Saw-mill Creek, near the junction with the bedded rocks west of Ainsworth, and other places. Indeed, the whole mass may be described as hornblendic, as some of this mineral was found in almost every locality visited. The granite in some places passes into a dark grey diorite A large mass of this rock was seen on a mountain to the east of Seven-Mile Creek (West Arm), near its mouth, passing insensibly into the surrounding granite; both diorite and granite traversed by quartz veins. In this locality one or more patches of bedded rocks, schists and quartzites are seen caught up in the granite. The main mass very often shows a decidedly schistose structure. Several dykes of felsite, porphyrite, basalt, elvanite, and a very coarse whitish granite, were also noted traversing the granite. No sharp line of demarcation can be drawn between the east edge of the granite mass south of Balfour and the bedded rocks. This area is intensely metamorphosed, and detached areas of granite, metamorphic in its origin, but lithologically true granite, are so mixed up with the bedded schists, gneisses, and quartzites, that in separating granitic from bedded rocks it would be necessary to leave a zone a mile or more wide and call it "granitic and lightly metamorphic area." In mapping the country on a large scale, each detached granite mass could be shown separately, but this would require long and detailed work. Roughly, the last edge of the granite area, south of the West Arm, may be described as running south from between the First Narrows and Saw-mill Point—some three miles west of Balfour—to the divide between the head of Second Narrows Creek and N. W. source of Sixteen-Mile Creek, and from there in a southerly direction towards the east slope of Ymir Mountain. Between this line and the west shore of Kootenay Lake several detached granite areas occur, some of considerable size. The more important of these lie about five or six miles south of Balfour, between Proctor's Creek and what has been named Eight-Mile Creek. Here some of the high ridges are formed of two large masses of granite, while numerous veins and patches occur among the surrounding bedded rocks. These masses, each at least half a mile wide and over a mile in length, are grey, much finer grained than the main granite area, very schistose, and contain black and white mica and some hornblende. It is evidently a metamorphic granite, and shows traces of bedding in places, and weathers into the same features as the surrounding stratified rocks. The general direction of strike of the bedded rocks is north and south, with a dip to the west, giving the ridges a slope westerly, with an almost precipitous fall to the east. The same features occur along the ridges occupied by the granite, the slope being to the west and a precipitous fall to the east. One patch, different in character from those just described, was seen at the head of the north-west fork of Sixteen-Mile Creek. It is very coarse, whitish, with large orthoclase crystals, and very large lenticular crystals of quartz, and no trace of schistose structure. This is doubtless an intrusive mass. Another detached area of intrusive granite was noticed at the mouth of Sixteen-Mile Creek. It is extremely coarse, with very large crystals of quartz and flesh-coloured felspar, and shows no trace of schistose structure. As this was only touched at along the lake shore, its extent is not yet known. On the north side of the West Arm, the last edge of the granite was traced as far north as Woodberry Creek, about eleven miles. The same zone of granite and highly metamorphic rocks as occurs south of Balfour extends north about three miles to Coffee Creek; beyond this the granite mass begins to swing round to the north-west, and the junction, where it could be seen through the heavy covering of snow, was sharp and well-defined. This was well seen just above the Skyline Mine, west of Ainsworth, and near the sources of Krao Creek. The peninsula between Pilot Bay and Crawford Bay is another granitic and highly metamorphic area, which was only touched on along the lake-shore. It seems to be a mixed up section of fine-grained grey and very coarse flesh-coloured granites, gneisses, schists, crystalline limestones, and dolomites. With the above exceptions, all the area embraced by this year's survey work is composed of stratified rocks. 794 Crown Land Surveys. 1894 No fossils of any kind have yet been found in any of these beds, and it is therefore impossible to exactly determine their age and proper place in the geological horizon. Some prospectors from Balfour reported having found some fossils in a band of limestone, ten or twelve miles up Crawford Creek, but, unfortunately, did not think of bringing any away, and could not locate the place where they were found. If the numerous prospectors who are so thoroughly examining this whole district would realize the importance of preserving and localising any fossil remains they may find, a starting point might soon be obtained for working out the geological structure more exactly, and comparing it with other districts, especially mineral-bearing areas, where the age of the beds has been determined. A striking feature about the stratified rocks of this district is the almost unbroken westerly dip of all the beds, so far as seen, on both sides of the lake. This would infer a steady conformable succession of lower and lower beds going east for several miles. That such is really the case is very doubtful, but as yet no evidence to the contrary has been noted. It will be sufficient this year to describe the best sections visited, and notice the groups in which ore-bearing deposits occur, without attempting to theorize as to the relative age of the different sets of beds. The rocky cliffs which form both shores of the lake from Woodberry Point to Sixteen- mile Creek, and from Galena. Bay to Crawford Bay, consist of a set of coarse mica schists, crystalline gneisses, and quartzites, with bands of crystalline limestone generally altered into white marble and dolomite or magnesian limestone. These beds strike north and south and N.N.W. and S.S.E., nearly parallel with the lake shores, and have an almost unbroken dip to the west. They are often much crumpled and disturbed by minor foldings, and are broken here and there by small faults. The peninsula south of Pilot Bay has been mentioned as a complicated area of great metamorphism, and the beds on the opposite shore south of Balfour are broken by numerous granite veins and intrusions. The best section of this series, which underlies all the bedded rocks seen on the west side of the lake, is found along the shore from Balfour to Woodberry Point. This promontory gives a good section across the beds for over half a mile. At the Point are some very massive grey gneiss beds, weathering brown, with bands of grey crystalline flaggy-looking mica schists. Above these a bed of schists, greyish, sandy, micaceous, with gneiss bands, the latter often quartzoze. Some of the schists show a calcareous crust, and all the beds dip west at angles of from 30° to 50°. Towards the west end of the bay some more massive gneisses come on, and then baked schists, broken and contorted, with quartz veins, dipping west at a low angle, about 20° to 25°. Above these are more regular grey mica schists, with calcareous coatings on surface. The last 600 or 700 feet of these are very baked and massive looking, having more the appearance of thick limestones from the lake. They are often full of garnets. The mica is mostly white, and some beds are full of talcose-looking plates. Above these are the beds seen on the shore at Ainsworth—crystalline limestone and marble, glittering coarse mica schists, often showing garnets, and some gneiss beds. A good exposure of the same series is shown at Galena Bay, on the east side of the lake. There the rocks are coarse glittering mica schists, and greyish quartzites, and gneiss bands, contorted and folded, striking about N 30° W., with a low westerly dip, averaging about 40°. Some beds of white and bluish crystalline limestone are seen at the Bluebell mine. White marbly limestone, or dolomite, shows on the mountain side just above the low flat east of Bluebell mine, covering a considerable area. Round Crawford Bay the rocks have been much broken up, and metamorphic action has been intense. At the N. W. corner of the bay bands of white crystalline limestone are seen, with mica schists and patches of coarse whitish granite, with large white mica plates, and very large felspar crystals. Going east up the valley of Crawford Creek the ground examined lay chiefly on the north side. The general direction of this stream is from east to west, but near the mouth it turns at right angles, and for the last two miles runs south through a wide flat into the head of Crawford Bay. The west point of the ridge north of this bed of the stream is formed of a capping of very coarse, whitish, intrusive granite, extending in an unbroken mass towards the lake shore, which it must nearly reach north of Pilot Bay. Proceeding east the side of the ridge is traversed by numerous veins of this granite. They often lie along the bedding plains, but sometimes cut across them. Beds of very crystalline schist, full of small hornblende crystals, are seen caught up in the veins and masses of granite. Then a set of greenish schist, generally micaeous, gneisses, and a band of quartzites fully sixty feet thick, come on dipping towards the granite. Under these is a thick mass of whitish dolomite, generally coarse and granular, 58 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 795 sometimes fine grained, and 400 to 500 feet thick. These beds strike towards the east end of Pilot Bay, where rocks of the same kind crop out on the beach beside the saw-mill. They probably are the same, but the intervening ground has not been examined. Dipping below these there is a great mass of grey and greenish crystalline mica schists, often very crumpled and sometimes full of garnets, and green hornblende schist bands continuing east to First Creek, entering Crawford Creek from the north. The schists next the dolomite are generally calcareous for a few feet. From First to Second Creek the lower slope of the ridge is covered by debris and boulder clay, and only occasional outcrops of greenish and grey mica schists, quartzites, and limestones are seen in the bed of Crawford Creek. These beds crop out on their line of strike from Crawford Creek north to where the party camped at the head of Second Creek. They all dip west, or 10° to 15° S. of W., at an average angle of 60°. Some very lai'ge boulders, of a highly schistose conglomerate, were noticed in Crawford Creek, near the mouth of Second Creek. The quartz boulders, many of them originally over one foot in diameter, have been drawn out and flattened along the schistose plains to a thickness of four or five inches. These boulders are not ice-worn, and cannot have travelled far. No doubt this rock will be found in place a few miles further up the valley. Another section, from west to east, about five miles north of Crawford Creek, and across the head-waters of First, Second, and Third Creeks, shews the following series, in descending order : The top of the range, between the head of First Creek and Kootenay Lake, is composed of grey, sandy, mica schists, with some quartzites, with a general, high dip to the west, but often vertical. Dipping under these are some whitish, crystalline, limestone beds, with brown and grey glittering mica schists, some beds full of garnets, often foliated, and associated with massive white quartzites. The lowest set of these quartzites seen here must be from 200 to 300 feet thick, and shew signs of having been well examined by prospectors; but they are barren, bedded rocks, in which there is no chance of finding valuable minerals. A large mass of dark green, schistose diabase crosses near the head of First Creek, under the quartzites, which looks very like some of the rocks on Toad Mountain. Then there comes on a thick series of very gnarled and contorted felspathic, micaceous, and chloritic schists, with some hornblendic bands—full of minor foldings—with some gneiss beds, and one or two bands of argillaceous schists, the whole nearly vertical. In some places the dip is to the east, at a high angle, but this is only the effect of local contortion; where not vertical, the general dip is west. On the ridge between Second and Third Creeks, a set of quartzites, about 200 feet thick, dip under the schists, shewing a reddish crust on the weathered surfaces. Below them, more mica schists come on, extremely contorted, often chloritic, with large, white, talcose-looking mica, and quartz veins. Below these, and forming the Signal Mountain, between the heads of Third and Fourth Creeks, is a thick series of quartzites, grey and whitish, with iron stains, weathering with a yellowish, felspathic-looking crust. These extend to the head of Fourth Creek, and have a thickness of 700 feet or more. They all dip to the west, at angles from 45° to 65°. These are the lowest, or at all events the most easterly, set of beds examined this year. Looking north and east from the peaks at the heads of these creeks with a good field- glass, the rocky ridges and cliffs were clearly seen, for a distance of several miles, to be composed of bedded rocks, seemingly various schists and quartzites. Towards Kootenay Lake, large veins of whitish rock, probably granite or crystalline limestone, were noticed on the ridges. The bedded rocks which have been mentioned as occupying the broken-up granitic district some miles south and west of Balfour, form at present a detached area, and will be described by themselves. Though much broken up by masses of granite, they shew an ascending series from near the lake shore west to the main granite at the head of Second Narrow Creek. The lowest set of these bedded rocks forms a high mountain, north of the mouth of Sixteen-Mile Creek and about a mile and a half west of the lake, on which one of the main stations of the survey was planted. Here a good section is obtained along a ridge, running west from the top of the mountain for over two miles, and crossing the head of Eight-Mile Creek. The beds shewn here consist of grey, flaggy, crystalline, mica schists, flaggy gneisses, with some massive bands, and glittering, coarse, grey and brown mica schists, with large plates of talc-like mica, and some bluish quartzites. The beds are a good deal contorted in places, and some of the schists shew much crumpling. The dip is unbroken' to the west. Some of the schists are slightly chloritic. These glittering mica schists, quartzites, and gneisses form the ridge between Eight-Mile Creek and the north-east head of Sixteen-Mile 796 Crown Land Surveys. 1894 Creek, until they reach the south end of the granite masses already referred to. All these beds probably belong to the crystalline series, which fringes both shores of Kootenay Lake, although the absence of limestones and marbles, so noticeable among the latter, is a marked feature of difference. To the west of the granite masses just mentioned, these gneisses, coarse mica schists, and quartzites form a high ridge nearly a mile long, with a prominent peak at each end, running west between the heads of First Narrows Creek and Sixteen-Mile Creek. A few beds of crystalline limestone are seen here, and bands of schistose granite are frequent. The dip is all to the west, 50° to 70°. From the west peak mentioned above, the ridge turns south, and runs down to West Arm, dividing Narrows Creek from Saw-mill Creek. At the bend, a thick mass of grey and fine-grained, massive, greenish schists and blue argellites come on under the coarse mica schists. These beds are very contorted and baked, and full of small, sharp folds. They are much broken up at the ridge, and strike about N. 35° E., dipping N.W. at low angles from 15° to 25°. The greater part of the ridge towards the West Arm is composed of greenish schists and crumpled mica schists, with beds of schistose granite and grey crystalline gneiss—hardly distinguishable from granite—and a few bands of crystalline limestone. These beds are much broken up and faulted. The blue argillites and schists are again well seen to the west in N.E. fork of Sixteen-Mile Creek. Here they have resumed their normal N. and S. strike, dipping west, and are traversed by quartz veins, some of them five and six feet thick. Some of these argillite beds have a rusty iron coating, and are seen running south for over a mile. They also seem to widen out in this direction. From this creek west to the main granite area, the ground is occupied by detached masses and patches of granite, crystalline gneisses, and schists. The largest of these detached masses of bedded rocks was seen at the head of the N.W. source of Sixteen-Mile Creek, extending for about half a mile up to the edge of the main granite mass. This shews a set of coarse mica schists and crystalline gneisses, sometimes almost porphyritic, with marked quartz and felspar crystals, but generally grey and finegrained, with veins of fine granite. Some of the schists are very ferruginous. The dip is a few degrees south of west. The best and longest section of all the beds above the lower crystalline schists obtained this year is seen above Ainsworth, running west for three or four miles to the edge of the main granite mass. This was described by Dr. Dawson in his report of 1889 of the Geological Survey of Canada. When the present survey was being prosecuted in this district, the higher part of the ground was covered with snow, and only occasional outcrops of rock were seen in Krao Creek and along the waggon road. This road was built about two years ago between Ainsworth and the Sky-line Mine, and gives a fairly good, though necessarily winding, section across the beds. Other sections were examined along the old pack-trail, and on the bare mountain between Cedar and Woodberry Creeks. The coarse mica schists, gneisses, and white crystalline limestone of the lake shore extend back to where the waggon road turns south near the powder magazine, about 600 feet above the lake, where they pass under a series of fine greenish schists, with a few gneiss bands and one or two bands of white limestone. These beds, a good deal contorted, and with a few quartzose bands, continue along the waggon road to just below the Little Phil Mine, where a zone of very glittering, brownish, baked mica schists and blue limestone succeed for a thickness of 200 to 300 feet. All these beds strike about N.N.W., dipping W.S.W. at angles of from 50° to 70°. Above these a very hard mass of calcareous siliceous rock, some forty feet thick, is seen crossing the road ; and a little beyond, below the Little Donald Mine, a mass of quartz rock is crossed, which is probably the same as shews on the pack-trail below the Spokane Mine. From here to the Krao Mine there is a succession of fine, greenish schists, with some grey schists and a few quartzose bands, dipping a little south of west from 65° to 40°. Some of these green beds look like diabase schist, while others are hornblendic, and a band of contorted blue limestone is crossed where the road turns west, after a long sweep south. At Krao Mine some bands of white and blue limestone are seen, with a mass of very hard, tough, calcareous, and siliceous rock, shewing honeycombed weathered surface. These limestones must widen out rapidly to the north. Where seen on the old pack-trail, below Sunlight Mine, they are probably 500 feet thick, and on the top of a high bare hill between Cedar and Woodberry Creeks they form an even thicker mass. Near the Sunlight the beds are much crumpled and folded, and it is difficult even to estimate their real thickness. North of Cedar Creek there are fewer foldings, more bands of white crystalline marble are associated with the blue and grey limestones, and the thickness may be estimated at about 700 feet. 58 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 797 Above the limestones there is a succession of fine grey and green schists, with some bands of very crumpled, glossy, dark blue argillites, which continues to within a short distance of Number One Mine. Here a thick mass of gray granitic gneiss, with partly formed garnets in places, shews along the waggon road, and may be 150 to 200 feet thick. All these beds dip a little S. of W., at varying angles. At Number One Mine a considerable thickness of blue and grey limestone comes on, much contorted and folded, with a few quartz veins. This is succeeded, as seen here and there on the road up to Krao Creek, by crumpled blue argillites, fine greenish and grey shists, and flaggy bands dip about 30° south of west, at angles of from 50° to 70°. The section up the creek from the waggon road bridge to the granite boundary shews a succession of blue and grey limestones, generally much-folded quartzite bands, some fine grey and green schists, and bands of dark blue, glossy argillites, very crumpled and full of fine veins and threads of iron pyrites, all dipping steadily a few degrees south of west, at from 50° to 70°. The thickness occupied by these beds, until the map of the ground is plotted to scale, cannot be calculated. A dyke of fine basalt is seen crossing the road above No. 1, and some more, one of considera.be width, were noticed in the lower green schists. A little below the Sunlight Mine a curious knob of very coarse granite rock is seen under the limestones, with very large plates of white mica, quartz, and feldspar crystals, and abundant and very large crystals of black tourmaline. The great majority of the claims located in this mining camp lie in the green and grey schists, between the lake-shore series and the upper limestones and argillites. Only two of these were being worked this season, viz., Little Phil and Black Diamond, but enough development work has been done on many others to shew that they are good properties. The Krao, United, Tenderfoot, Neosho, Highlander, are a few that may be mentioned. Only two mines in the upper limestone series, the Skyline and No. 1, were visited, and though both were shut down while the party was in this neighbourhood, they have yielded some very rich ore. Since the party left, one of these, No. 1, has been reopened, and now has a large gang of men at work. Several claims have been discovered, and some of them worked, though now shut down, in the lower or lake-shore schists, at mouths of Woodberry and Princess Creeks, and at one mile south of Ainsworth, on the west side of the lake. On the east shore the Bluebell Mine is a large and well developed property in the same series. The ore here is low-grade galena, iron and copper pyrites, and is valuable from the extent of the lode and the ease with which it may be worked and shipped. Two claims were seen south of Balfour, at the head of Proctor's Creek, shewing rich galena ore, but in small quantity. These, however, have yet to be developed. The large granite area to the west seems to have received more attention from prospectors this season than in former years, and several good strikes were reported in granite during the summer from the lower end of Slocan Lake. The only gold-yielding properties yet discovered in this district west of the Columbia River are located in granite and syennite, and it is more than likely that this wide granitic area would well repay thorough examination. A loose, earthy, secondary boulder clay occurs in several localities in this district. This is distinct from lower boulder clay or till, and owes its origin to a second or later glaciation, after the disappearance of the great ice sheet which at one time probably covered the whole country east to the Rocky Mountains. This loose drift is found up the valley of Crawford Creek and its tributaries, and forms the lower stratum of the large flat at the head of Crawford Bay, where it is covered by a deposit of sand, gravel, and alluvial soil. The lower slope of the mountains above Ainsworth from Cedar Creek south have also a considerable covering of this drift, and remains of it are found up several of the streams entering Kootenay Arm. Some good examples of glacial stria were seen near the waggon road west of Ainsworth, running from north to south, showing the direction of the ice-flow to be parallel to the line of Kootenay Lake. Some fragments of gravel terraces are seen at the mouths of most of the streams entering the arm and lake, but with the exception of the flat at the mouth of Crawford Creek, these are too stoney to be of much use for farming purposes. D. R. Irvine. W. S. Drewry, Esq., Provincial Land Surveyor. 798 Crown Land Surveys. 1894 SURVEY OP VALDEZ ISLAND. BY R. E. PALMER, P. L. S. Vancouver, B. C, December 31st, 1894. Tom Kains, Esq., Surveyor-General, Victoria. Sir,—Having received instructions from your department on the 6th of July last to complete the survey commenced and carried on by me last year on Valdez Island, I at once got a party together and proceeded to the field. The steamer "Comox" landed us in Village Bay, where we spent a short time in rectifying some work over which we had some difficulty last season, through the large number of old survey lines encountered. We then, by means of a portage, conveyed our boats to the system of lakes which extend into the island and empty into the head of the bay. Then we began dividing up into lots all the country on the east side of the lakes, and extending easterly to Hoskyn Inlet. The geology of this part of the island is given in my report of last year, and nothing new as regards this has been noticed since. The part surveyed contains, if anything, more drift material than is to be seen along the shore, and, except for the croppings and more uneven surface, somewhat resembles part of the Cape Mudge Peninsula. The land is somewhat broken, and consists of a succession of low, rolling gravelly hills, between which is to be found some good bottom land, and also a few open meadows, offering good inducements to settlers. The timber is not nearly so heavy as it is on the lower part of the island, while water is abundant, and the finest and sweetest that nature can supply. A complete traverse was made of the lakes, which are connected by narrow and shallow passages. At several places along the shore are to be found good bunches of timber, but not in large quantities. Much of this could be "logged," but could be worked to still better advantage by means of a steam logging machine, which are being largely used now along the coast. These lakes would make a delightful summer resort. They are surrounded by mountains and hills, which slope gradually to the shore, and offer good inducements for canoeing, fishing, and hunting. During the summer the Hastings Saw-mill Co. constructed a dam at the outlet, the object being to raise the level of the lakes sufficiently to overcome the shallows and allow of the towing of logs. They will also construct a flume about a quarter of a mile in length, to carry these logs down from the outlet of the lakes to Village Bay. All the land fit for cultivation in this part having been surveyed, we proceeded to Okisollow Channel, where work had been suspended in the autumn of 1893. Beginning at this point, the shore traverse was carried on to the head of Cah-nish Bay, where a check line was run through to Wi-yat Bay; thence the work was carried southerly to Deep Water Bay, all meander posts being put in as we went along. The primary object of this survey was to make a plan of the unsurveyed channel and get, as nearly as possible, a complete shore survey of the lower part of the island. This has now been attained, and all timber claims and pre-emptions on the island connected with the main system, while all the land fit for cultivation has been surveyed, with the exception of a few isolated patches, which, if ever required, can also be connected with very little work. The westerly shore of the island presents a very broken appearance. The Vancouver series of rocks extend somewhat farther north than was anticipated last season, running almost to Granite Point, where the Hue of contact with the granite rocks is very clearly defined. 58 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 799 At the head of Cah-nish Bay some trappean rocks were noticed, containing unusually large crystals of schorl or tourmaline. Near Granite Point a very fine quarry might be opened for the rock of the same name. The opening might easily be made, and the opportunities for shipment would be excellent. Very little good land is to be found in this locality, and only small bunches of good timber, consisting chiefly of fir, hemlock, and a few cedar. After completing this, we surveyed a few lots on Reade Island, being a continuation of a survey made by J. A. Kirk, P. L. S., in 1891. The geology and general features of this island were well described by Mr. Kirk in his report of that season's work, and needs little addition. Suffice to say, that in the part surveyed this year some very good land was taken in, though in small patches, as also some very good fir timber. The balance of the season's work was taken up in making an extension of Mr. Kirk's survey of Cortes Island. He also describes this island in the report above referred to. The portion surveyed on Cortes Island this season consisted mostly of low, rolling hills of granitic formation, burnt and sparsely timbered. A few small lakes and meadows are scattered through it, and also a couple of large wet meadows, which, if they can be drained, will make excellent claims, but would, of course, be isolated. A survey was also made of the salt lagoon at the head of Carrington Bay. In this lagoon, as well as in Von Donop Creek, are to be found quantities of the Olympian oyster, some of which were this autumn shipped to Vancouver. They are considered to be very tasty, and there should be an opening for some enterprising person to make regular shipments of them to the cities. The weather for the time during which the party was out was as follows :— A, ,, Number Number „ . , Month. , j j Total. days wet. days dry. July, 12-31 3 17 20 August 3 28 31 September 13 17 30 October 14 17 31 During the season we were pleased to note that the southern portion of Valdez Island was being settled up rapidly. Now that the best part of the island has been surveyed, intending settlers have no difficulty in finding the best piece of land suitable to their requirements, and when the character and location of the different parts are known, it will not be long before they are settled upon. No place along the coast offers better inducements to the settler. Though the land is in places hard to clear, yet the advantages are many. It is easy of access by steamer; the waters of the bays and straits abound in fish. Almost any part of the southern peninsula can be easily reached by one of the many old log roads to be found there. The climate is moderate, and there is abundance of good fresh water. Respectfully submitted, R. E. Palmer. 800 Crown Land Surveys. 1894 SURVEY OF TOBA INLET, POWELL LAKE, AND KINGCOME INLET. BY A. F. COTTON, P. L. S. New Westminster, B. O, January 7th, 1895. T. Kains, Esq., Surveyor-General, Victoria. Sir,—In compliance with instructions, dated July 12th, 1894, I proceeded to Toba Inlet and examined the land along the river with the following result:— This valley at the mouth is about two miles wide, and retains this width for a distance of three miles, when the mountains begin to close in on one another until the width is reduced to one and one-quarter miles. It holds this width for a distance of eleven or twelve miles to the First Forks, where a stream comes in from the south-east. The valley then becomes a little wider; the mountains on the north side take a bend to the north. At the distance of nineteen or twenty miles the valley is very narrow, the mountains again closing in. The river during the summer freshets is a swift stream, but free from rapids or falls ; it winds its way through the valley from side to side. The .banks are timbered with cedar, alder, fir, maple, cottonwood, and spruce, with a dense growth of underbrush. The banks are higher than the land a short distance back, being made so by the continual deposit from the river. This ridge varies in width from five to twenty-five chains, when the land becomes low and swampy, with very little timber of any kind standing. Numerous ponds, small lakes, and blind sloughs of great depth exist. These are formed by the snow water from the mountains on either side, it being unable to find an outlet, the banks being higher. The only piece of land fit for settlement is at the First Forks, and at a distance of fourteen or fifteen miles from the mouth. This consists of about two thousand acres of first-class land, the soil being a rich alluvial deposit, with a clay sub-soil. The timber is cedar, spruce, alder, hemlock, maple, and fir; the underbrush is very dense. Anyone ascending the river and camping along the shores would think it a tract of good farming land, but a few chains away from the river the scene changes to one of desolation, it being a large swamp, with small brush in some places. I attach a rough pencil map of the valley as far as I examined it. At the mouth of the river there is an Indian Reserve of over two thousand acres, a good portion of which is open grass land on which are a few head of cattle. I then engaged more men and began the survey of Powell Lake. This is a beautiful sheet of water, about forty miles long and from one to three miles wide. The shores are for the most part very rocky and bluff; there is no extent of agricultural land in the valley. The water is very clear and of a great depth, and is literally alive with trout, both large and small. The woods abound, with deer, thus making it a hunter's paradise. It is easy of access, as there is a good trail from the salt water, distant one and one-quarter miles, with a rise of about four hundred feet in that distance. The outlet of the lake is a rough stream, but one that will eventually have to be improved to admit the millions of feet of timber (cedar and fir) being taken out. It is only a matter of a year or two before this will have to be done either by the Government or private parties. The proximity to the Vancouver and other mills is a great consideration ; the distance is only sixty miles. The danger of bush fires is increasing year by year. This year the fires were in the immediate vicinity, the bush between the lake and the salt water was burnt. The Indians told me it 58 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 801 was started from a camp-fire built by some people going north and not taking the precaution to extinguish it. This was while I was making the survey. The smoke was very dense; some days I could not see ten chains ahead. If this stream was improved and a moderate toll charged it would very soon pay for the improvements, as there are millions of feet of splendid timber waiting for an outlet. I would respectfully suggest that a survey be made with a view of estimating the cost of the necessary improvements. In making the survey of this lake I connected all the timber limits that have been taken up. After completing this I proceeded to Loughborough Inlet and surveyed eight lots, all of which are, I think, taken up by this time, as parties there were waiting for a survey before going on with improvements. Loughborough Inlet is one of the short indentations along the coast, being only eighteen miles long. The west shore is all steep hill side and unfit for farming. The east shore is much more favourable ; it rises with a short and easy slope to a bench, then another slope to another bench, thus affording a very good chance of ascending the hills. The soil is a good clay, with very little or no stone. The timber on the lower slope and bench is principally hemlock and balsam ; on the upper one, fir and cedar. At the head of the Inlet two streams empty into it, one from the north into McBride's Bay, one from the west into Fraser Bay. At the mouth of the north stream is a piece of grass land which I laid out into two lots. This land is low and wet, and at high tides it is flooded. The valley of this stream is very narrow and subject to overflow every freshet. The soil is a good loam, but too low. In the valley of the stream running into Fraser Bay is some good, level land, with a small piece of open grass land at the mouth. This land is higher than that at McBride's Bay. I did not survey any land in this valley. Owing to the fact that the month (September) was very wet, I was unable to do as much as I had calculated on doing, and having made arrangements with the SS. Comox to convey me to Kingcome Inlet on the 2nd October, I was obliged to leave some of it undone. During the month of September we had 19 days' rain. About 12 miles up the Inlet, and on the east side, I saw three men working a ledge of quartz, containing, they claimed, sulphates of gold and silver. I forwarded a specimen of same to your Department. A test of this mineral had been made in Vancouver, but the result was not very satisfactory. These men, nothing daunted, are still working the lead. Mr. Gray, who is living on his farm here and carrying on a logging camp, has been instrumental in locating several men on lots, and says he is bound to make it a good settlement. On the 2nd October, I took passage on SS. Comox, and proceeded to Kingcome Inlet, arriving there in the afternoon of the 3rd. It is a beautiful sail from Alert Bay to Kingcome Inlet—a perfect archipelago, reminding one of the "Thousand Islands" in the St. Lawrence. Anyone going to Kingcome Inlet for the first time, with only the chart for a guide, would look for the river on the east side of the valley. I did this, and found myself in a slough with very little water in it, the tide being low. Mr. Halliday came along and guided me into the river channel, which is close to the mountain on the west side of the valley. I thought the river might have changed its bed since the chart was made, but, upon examination, I could see no trace of the river ever having been there. The Kingcome River flows in a southerly direction through a valley varying in width from a half to one and a half miles. It is very crooked and rapid. The soil is a rich, sandy loam of great depth, as may be seen in the banks of the river at low water. The timber is principally spruce, hemlock, alder, and some cottonwood. The underbrush is very dense in some places. At the mouth of the river, there are about 800 acres of grass land, without timber of any kind ; about 300 acres, partly timbered with crab-apple and scattering spruce. This is cut by a large slough, which is navigable for canoes and boats when the tide is flooding. This extends two miles up the river; after that it is all timber land. The Indian Reserve lies about three miles up from the mouth. In the summer there are about 200 people living here. This is only their fishing station ; here they obtain their supply of oolachan oil and salmon. They also gather a great quantity of roots (clover and others) on the grass land. They do not cultivate any of their large reserve. Below the Indian Reserve, the river flows nearly through the centre of the valley; from that up, as far as I went, the land is nearly all on the west side, The land is all level and of a uniform quality, it being a rich, sandy loam. 802 Crown Land Surveys. 1894 The river, at the time of my arrival, was very low; shortly afterwards, a rain set in, lasting three days. This produced a flood, which lasted over a week and then fell. A few days before I returned, we had a four days' rain ; the river rose level with its banks. Previous to this, a quantity of snow had fallen on the mountains; this was all taken off by the rain, which increased the volume of water to a great extent. The highest water occurs in July and August, when some of the land is flooded. The grass land at the mouth is flooded during the summer freshets; also by the high tides, which occur every month. Messrs. Halliday and Kirby, who have been there for over a year, say a 3-foot dyke is sufficient to protect it against the highest water they have seen. The fame of this valley seems to have been pretty well circulated, for, when the steamboat came up for me, there were five men on board, who had heard of it and came up with the intention of locating. Whether they have done so or not, I do not know. Mr. E. A. Halliday has been living on his farm for 12 months; he has built a very good house, has seven head of cattle, and a small herd of pigs. His crop of vegetables was excellent. H. Kirby has 20 chains of dyke built, and his house must be finished by this time. Five more settlers were expected up in November. One of my party has applied for a piece of land, and has gone up again to build, so it looks as if quite a settlement would be established in a very short time. The great drawback to it at present is the difficulty of getting in and out to steamboat communication. Alert Bay is the nearest post-office, a distance of 50 miles, and in the fall and winter it is not certain how long one may be en route. No doubt, when a sufficient number of settlers establish themselves there, a monthly mail service will be given them. The weather during my stay was very fine, considering the time of the year. There was very little rain, and when I left we had had no frost, and the leaves were still on the trees. From Mr. Halliday's report of the valley, there still remains quite large tract of land to be surveyed. If this is to be done, I would respectfully suggest that the survey be started in the beginning of May, as it would be much easier ascending the river then than later on, when the water is rising. I had made arrangemetts for a steamboat to call for me on the 14th November, which it did. I left there at 6 a.m., and arrived in Vancouver in the evening of the 16th. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, A. F. Cotton, RL.S. 58 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 80S SURVEYS IN OTTER, SOOKE, METCHOSIN, AND HIGHLAND DISTRICTS. BY H. BURNET, P. L. S. Victoria, B. C, February 8th, 1895. Tom Kains, Esq., Surveyor-General, Victoria, B. C. Sir,—I have the honour to submit the following report on the surveys made by me in Otter, Sooke, Metchosin, Goldstream, and Highland Districts during the season of 1894. There is very little land suitable for agricultural purposes included within the limits of my surveys, with the exception of those lots already covered by pre-emption records. Lots 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 49, and 50 in Otter District are very broken and rocky, with dense thickets of second growth fir and salal, with scattered cedar and large fir in the ravines, and are of little value. The remaining portion of the land surveyed in this district, and also that surveyed in Goldstream, Sooke, and Metchosin, is tolerably open in the hills, but very rocky and only suitable for cattle or sheep runs. In Highland District the country is much similar to that in Goldstream, except that it is more heavily timbered on the high land, and very precipitous along Saanich Inlet. The soil, what there is of it, is principally clay loam. With the exception of those lots already pre-empted, I do not think there is more than fifteen or twenty acres of land that could be cultivated on any single lot, and very few lots with even that amount. Water is very scarce during the months of July and August, and is only to be found in the deepest of the ravines and lakes, as owing to the rocky nature of the country it rapidly drains of. No timber of sufficient quality or quantity suitable for milling purposes was found within the limits of the survey. Considerable difficulty was experienced in a number of cases in making connection with the old surveys, forest fires having almost entirely obliterated the old lines. In Otter, Sooke, Goldstream, and Metchosin Districts the formation is principally trap rock. In Highland District the formation is much broken, and consists of trap, slate, granite, limestone, and marble. Deer, willow, and blue grouse and mountain quail are fairly well distributed through the various distrists. The surveys were commenced on the 28th of July and carried on continually until the 9th of December. The number of miles actually run was 121, and the average cost per mile was twenty-eight dollars. For further and more detailed information I would refer you to the plans and field-notes of the survey. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, H. Burnet, Provincial and Dominion Land Surveyor. RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY OP THE NORTH FORK, WEST FORK, AND UPPER KETTLE RIVER. BY C. DeB. GREEN, P.L.S. Osoyoos, B. C, November 14th, 1894. To the Surveyor-General, Victoria, B. G. Sir,—I have the honour to say that, acting under your instructions of September 13th, I left Osoyoos on the 16th to undertake a reconnaissance survey of the North Fork of Kettle River, the West Fork of Kettle River, and the Upper Kettle River country. Engaging one man for the work, Grand Forks was left on the 18th, and three weeks were spent in exploring the valley of the North Fork and tributary streams to ascertain its suitability for settlement and the extent and kind of timber to be found. For 15 miles the trail is good, having been cut out this summer as far as Mr. Brown's mine; after this there is a blazed line for those who know where it is and for those who can find it. This line is probably the best that can be picked out, taking it altogether, but since it is only travelled occasionally by trappers in the winter, there was difficulty in getting pack-horses along. Nine miles beyond Mr. Brown's mine at Lynch Creek is a trapper's cabin and some fairly good bunch- grass, but in these two places alone can horses at this time of year get anything to eat. After Lynch Creek is left, the blazed line is hard to follow, no less than 14 fords of the river having to be made in the next 10 miles, and much travel being done on the gravel of the river-bed. About 15 miles north of Lynch Creek the river forks, the larger branch turning to the west and the smaller heading on north, or slightly east of north. After making about three miles of westing, the westerly fork also turns to the north and runs parallel to what may be called the East Fork. The valley will average one mile in width, with a rich soil nearly everywhere. About one-quarter of this was probably under water this year, and I should say that much of it will be more suitable for hay than for other crops. There are, however, good benches above these low cottonwood lands. The whole valley is densely timbered, about 600 acres at Lynch Creek and 1,000 at the Forks being the only land met with which will be easily cleared. The richness of the timbered lands, however, will insure their rapid settlement as soon as all available land nearer to centres is taken up, and this must happen very shortly. The timber in this valley is chiefly tamarac, some of which has grown to a very large size, 6 feet in diameter. As a rule, however, the timber is small, and there is enough of the right size to provide a second C.P.R. with ties. The next in quantity is the red or yellow pine, sometimes called the bull pine. This is the timber which is used throughout the upper country for lumber, the Douglas fir not growing kindly enough for lumbering purposes. There are several belts of marketable red pine between Grand Forks and the Upper Forks, but at present they are not of enough value to attract attention. There are, however, some valuable belts of cedar. This is the best grown cedar and the thickest upon the ground that I have ever seen. There are, probably, about 200 acres of it, in patches of from 10 to 80 acres. There is valuable white pine about 20 miles up the East Fork, which has been estimated by several trappers at 4,000,000 feet, but the cyclone of last June made it impossible to visit it on this occasion with horses. 58 Vict. Crown Land Surveys. 805 The North Fork has no rapids, and very few log-jams, and I should say that with regard to altitude the land, as far as I went, is as suitable for mixed farming as that at the mouth of Boundary Creek, with a slightly moister climate. The formation along the river is chiefly granite. Lime shows here and there, and I am told that it is not an encouraging country for the prospector. White-tailed deer are very plentiful, but there was a strange absence of mule deer and all feathered game. For reconnaissance survey of the West Fork of Kettle River, Rock Creek was left on October 15th, and two weeks were spent in travelling and examining some 55 miles up this river. For 8 miles from Rock Creek there are settlers, after this there are none, although there are very desirable places up the West Fork. This joins the main river about 10 miles from the mouth of Rock Creek, and for 4 miles the valley is very narrow, but there is good range on the north; then the valley widens, and here there are some very good pre-emptions to be had, the land being good and very easily brought into cultivation. It consists of small prairies, divided from one another by small pine and alder. This continues for about 4 miles, when the valley narrows again and continues narrow for about 8 miles, then some very rich bottom, half a mile wide, begins and continues practically for 20 miles, growing wider the further north, until a stony bench is met and the valley widens to at least a mile. This bench grows the finest sort of bunch-grass, and the horses, now become skeletons, revelled in it. After 4 miles of this, a creek I have called Wolf Creek, from the abundance of wolves there, comes in, and following this up into its own valley, there are about 800 acres of beaver meadows to be seen. Dams are numerous, and there is a good fall in Wolf Creek. On the west of the meadows there is a fine bunch-grass range, and this continues for 15 miles north on the level bench lands. There is a good opening here for a cattle ranch. From this meadow the land is stony, except in places, and grows marketable red pine. There is no underbrush, except small black pine in places, and where the land is not stony there are some very good farms to be had. A trail leads across to Penticton, which is said to be some 15 miles distant. This brings the upper lands of the West Fork within fairly easy reach of a settlement. Deer are plentiful, but feathered game is as scarce as vermin is numerous. The formation is diorite, porphyry, granite, and gneiss. Having returned to the Forks on the 29th of October, a start was made on the 30th to examine the country through which the main stream of Kettle River flows. This, as in the previous cases, has been pretty well travelled by trappers and prospectors from time to time, and for the first sixteen miles the Chinese keep a pack-train running continually to their placer diggings on Cedar Creek. The valley all the way consists of about 50 chains wide of rich bottom land, heavily timbered with cottonwood and spruce, with good bunch-grass range on the west of the river. From Cedar Creek the valley is over one mile wide, and for five miles consists chiefly of level benches, growing red pine of good quality. Then for a mile it grows narrow, and the trail is over a bad rocky side-hill, very steep, which could be avoided by fording the river twice. When this is passed, the valley is open for about two miles, but narrow, being only about 20 chains wide on the level. Then, after a mile of bush, it widens to 60 chains, and consists of rich bottom, densely timbered with spruce and cottonwood. The benches, where flat and well covered with soil, grow black pine about 20 feet high. This land is rich and more easily cleared than the bottom. No feed can be found for horses, except on a few high peaks in one place, until 15 miles are passed, when a small amount of bunch-grass is to be found, through which the trail runs. There is enough here for a temporary camp and no more. From here the country has been so badly burnt this year that progress is of the slowest kind. A whole day was spent in making some six or seven miles, and then it seemed impossible to go further without a party of axemen ; so I returned to Rock Creek, arriving there on November 9th. At the point at which I turned back the valley was nearly a mile wide, and of the same character of bottom land. This valley resembles the North Fork Valley more than the West Fork, being heavily timbered throughout its whole length. There is good bunch-grass range as far as Cedar Creek, all the way from Rock Creek, excepting the last 15 miles on the east of the river. After leaving Cedar Creek the whole country is heavily timbered, both on the hills and in the bottoms. No timber of any value or size was seen. The formation is chiefly diorite. Feathered game is very scarce. Deer of both species are fairly numerous, and goats were seen on the east side of the river. 806 Crown Land Surveys. 1894 I estimate the acreage suitable for settlement to be somewhere nearly as follows :- North Fork of Kettle River 25,000 acres. West „ „ 20,000 „ Upper Kettle River, as far as I went 30,000 n Total 75,000 acres. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, C. D'B. Green, P.L.S. VICTORIA, b. c. Printed by Richard Wolfexdkn, Printer to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty. 1895.
Legislative proceedings
J110.L5 S7
English
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Victoria, BC : Government Printer
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Original Format: Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Library. Sessional Papers of the Province of British Columbia
BRITISH COLUMBIA. CROWN LAND SURVEYS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31ST DECEMBER, 1894.
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