Next to the extent and richness of the gold mines, the most important
inquiry is as to the character of the climate and soil. And in this
respect the Fraser River settlement does not lose any of its
attractions, for, though seven hundred miles north of San Francisco, it
is still one or two degrees south of the latitude of London, and
apparently with a climate of a mildness equal to that of the southern
shores of England, being free from all extremes, both of heat and cold.
One hundred and fifty miles back from the Pacific, indeed, there lies a
range of mountains reaching up to the regions of perpetual snow. But
between that and the coast the average temperature is fifty-four degrees
for the year round. Snow seldom lies more than three days. Fruit trees
blossom early in April, and salad goes to head by the middle of May on
Vancouver's Island. In parts of this region wheat yields twenty to
thirty bushels to the acre. Apples, pears, pease, and grains of all
kinds do well. The trees are of gigantic growth. Iron and copper
abound, as does also coal in Vancouver's Island, so that altogether it
bids fair to realise in a short time the description applied to it by
the colonial secretary (Sir E.B. Lytton), of "a magnificent abode for
the human race."
When introducing the "Government of New Caledonia bill," on 9th July,
the Colonial Secretary said in his place in the House of Commons:--"The
Thompson River district is described as one of the finest countries in
the British dominions, with a climate far superior to that of countries
in the same latitude on the other side of the mountains. Mr Cooper,
who gave valuable evidence before our committee on this district, with
which he is thoroughly acquainted, recently addressed to me a letter, in
which he states that `its fisheries are most valuable, its timber the
finest in the world for marine purposes; it abounds with bituminous
coal, well fitted for the generation of steam; from Thompson River and
Colville districts to the Rocky Mountains, and from the 49th parallel
some 350 miles north, a more beautiful country does not exist. It is in
every way suitable for colonisation.' Therefore, apart from the gold
fields, this country affords every promise of a flourishing and
important colony."
The _Times_ special correspondent, in a letter from Vancouver's Island,
published on 10th August, says, "Productive fisheries, prolific whaling
waters, extensive coalfields, a country well timbered in some parts,
susceptible of every agricultural improvement in ethers, with rich gold
fields on the very borders--these are some of the many advantages
enjoyed by the colony of Vancouver's Island and its fortunate
possessors. When I add that the island boasts a climate of great
salubrity, with a winter temperature resembling that of England, and a
summer little inferior to that of Paris, I need say no more, lest my
picture be suspected of sharing too deeply of _couleur de rose_."
Of the southern part of this district Lieutenant Wilkes, who commanded
the late exploring expedition under the United States government, says,
"Few portions of the globe are so rich in soil, so diversified in
surface, or so capable of being rendered the happy homes of an
industrious and civilised community. For beauty of scenery and
salubrity of climate it cannot be surpassed. It is peculiarly adapted
for an agricultural and pastoral people, and no portion of the world
beyond the tropics can be found that will yield so readily with moderate
labour to the wants of man."
Perhaps the fullest account of the country yet given is that contained
in "The Narrative of a Residence of Six Years on the Western Slopes of
the Rocky Mountains," by Ross Cox, one of the earliest explorers of
British North America. He says, "The district of New Caledonia extends
from 51 degrees 30 minutes north latitude to about 56 degrees. Its
extreme western boundary is 124 degrees 10 minutes. Its principal
trading post is called Alexandria, after the celebrated traveller Sir
Alexander Mackenzie. It is built on the banks of Fraser River, in about
latitude 53 degrees north. The country in its immediate vicinity
presents a beautiful and picturesque appearance. The banks of the river
are rather low; but a little distance inland some rising grounds are
visible, partially diversified by groves of fir and poplar. This
country is full of small lakes, rivers, and marshes. It extends about
ten days' march in a north and north-east direction. To the south and
south-east the Atnah, or Chin Indian country, extends about one hundred
miles; on the east there is a chain of lakes, and the mountains
bordering Thompson River; while to the westward and north-west lie the
lands of the Naskotins and Clinches. The lakes are numerous, and some
of them tolerably large: one, two, and even three days are at times
required to cross some of them. They abound in a plentiful variety of
fish, such as trout, sucker, etcetera; and the natives assert that white
fish is sometimes taken. These lakes are generally fed by mountain
streams, and many of them spread out, and are lost in the surrounding
marshes. On the banks of the river, and in the interior, the trees
consist of poplar, cypress, alder, cedar, birch, and different species
of fir, spruce, and willow. There is not the same variety of wild fruit
as on the Columbia; and this year (1827) the berries generally failed.
Service berries, choke-cherries, gooseberries, strawberries, and red
whortleberries are gathered; but among the Indians the service-berry is
the great favourite. There are various kinds of roots, which the
natives preserve and dry for periods of scarcity. There is only one
kind which we can eat. It is called _Tza-chin_, has a bitter taste, but
when eaten with salmon imparts an agreeable zest, and effectually
destroys the disagreeable smell of that fish when smoke-dried. Saint
John's wort is very common, and has been successfully applied as a
fomentation in topical inflammations. A kind of weed, which the natives
convert into a species of flax, is in general demand. An evergreen,
similar to that we found at the mouth of the Columbia, with small
berries growing in clusters like grapes, also flourishes in this
district. Sarsaparilla and bear-root are found in abundance. White
earth abounds in the vicinity of the fort; and one description of it,
mixed with oil and lime, might be converted into excellent soap. Coal
in considerable quantities has been discovered; and in many places we
observed a species of red earth, much resembling lava, and which
appeared to be of volcanic origin. We also found in different parts of
New Caledonia quartz, rock crystal, cobalt, talc, iron, marcasites of a
gold colour, granite, fuller's earth, some beautiful specimens of black,
marble, and limestone in small quantities, which appeared to have been
forced down the beds of the rivers from the mountains. The
jumping-deer, or chevreuil, together with the rein and red-deer,
frequent the vicinity of the mountains in considerable numbers, and in
the summer season they oftentimes descend to the banks of the rivers and
the adjacent flat country. The marmot and wood-rat also abound: the
flesh of the former is exquisite, and capital robes are made out of its
skin; but the latter is a very destructive animal. Their dogs are of
diminutive size, and strongly resemble those of the Esquimaux, with the
curled up tail, small ears, and pointed nose. We purchased numbers of
them for the kettle, their flesh constituting the chief article of food
in our holiday feasts for Christmas and New Year. The fur-bearing
animals consist of beavers; bears, black, brown, and grizzly; otters,
fishers, lynxes, martins; foxes, red, cross, and silver; minks,
musquash, wolverines, and ermines. Rabbits also are so numerous that
the natives manage to subsist on them during the periods that salmon is
scarce. Under the head of ornithology we have the bustard, or Canadian
_outarde_ (wild goose), swans, ducks of various descriptions, hawks,
plovers, cranes, white-headed eagles, magpies, crows, vultures,
wood-thrush, red-breasted thrush or robin, woodpeckers, gulls, pelicans,
hawks, partridges, pheasants, and snow-birds. The spring commences in
April, when the wild flowers begin to bud, and from thence to the latter
end of May the weather is delightful. In June it rains incessantly,
with strong southerly and easterly winds. During the months of July and
August the heat is intolerable; and in September the fogs are so dense
that it is quite impossible to distinguish the opposite side of the
river any morning before ten o'clock. Colds and rheumatisms are
prevalent among the natives during this period: nor are our people
exempt from them. In October the falling of the leaves and occasional
frost announce the beginning of winter. The lakes and parts of the
rivers are frozen in November. The snow seldoms exceeds twenty-four
inches in depth. The mercury in Fahrenheit's thermometer falls in
January to 15 degrees below zero; but this does not continue many days.
In general, I may say, the climate is neither unhealthy nor unpleasant;
and if the natives used common prudence, they would undoubtedly live to
an advanced age. The salmon fishery commences about the middle of July,
and ceases in October. This is a busy period for the natives; for upon
their industry in saving a sufficiency of salmon for the winter depends
their chief support. Jub, suckers, trout, and white-fish, are caught in
the lakes; and in the month of October, towards the close of the
salmon-fishery, we catch trout of a most exquisite flavour. Large-sized
sturgeon are occasionally taken in the _vorveaux_, but they are not
relished by the natives."
Mr Dunn, in his valuable "History of the Oregon Territory," thus
describes the country and climate:--"After the Columbia, the river next
in importance is Fraser River. It takes its rise in the Rocky
Mountains, near the source of Canoe River, taking a north-west course of
eighty miles. It then turns to the southward, receiving Stuart's River,
which rises in a chain of lakes in the northern boundary of the
territory. It then pursues a southerly course, and after receiving many
tributaries, breaks through the cascade range of hills in a series of
falls and rapids; and after a westerly course of seventy miles, empties
itself into the Gulf of Georgia, in latitude 49 degrees 7 minutes north.
This latter portion is navigable for vessels that can pass its bar
drawing ten feet of water. Its whole length is 350 miles. There are
numerous lakes scattered through the several sections. The country is
all well watered; and there are but four places where an abundance of
water cannot be obtained, either from lakes, rivers, or springs.
"The climate of the western division is mild throughout the year,
neither the cold of winter, nor the heat of summer predominating. The
mean temperature is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The prevailing winds,
in summer, are from the northward and westward, and in winter, from the
west, south, and south-east. The winter lasts from about November till
March, generally speaking. During that time there are frequent falls of
rain, but not heavy. Snow seldoms lies longer than a week on the
ground. There are frosts so early as September, but they are not
severe, and do not continue long. The easterly winds are the coldest,
as they come from across the mountains, but they are not frequent.
Fruit trees blossom early in April in the neighbourhood of Nasqually and
Vancouver; and in the middle of May pease are a foot high, and
strawberries in full blossom; indeed, all fruits and vegetables are as
early there as in England. The hills, though of great declivity, have a
sward to their tops. Lieutenant Wilkes says, that out of 106 days, 67
were fair, 19 cloudy, and 11 rainy. The middle section is subject to
droughts. During summer the atmosphere is drier and warmer, and in
winter colder than in the western section; its extremes of heat and cold
being greater and more frequent. However, the air is fine and healthy;
the atmosphere in summer being cooled by the breezes that blow from the
Pacific.
"The soil of the western section varies from a deep black vegetable loam
to a light brown loamy earth. The bills are generally basalt stone and
slate. The surface is generally undulating, well watered, well wooded,
and well adapted for agriculture and pasturage. The timber consists of
pine, fir, spruce, oaks (white and red), ash, arbutus, cedar,
arbor-vitae, poplar, maple, willow, cherry, tew, with underwoods of
hazel and roses. All kinds of grain, wheat, rice, barley, oats, and
pease, can be procured there in abundance. Various fruits, such as
pears, apples, etcetera, succeed there admirably; and the different
vegetables produced in England yield there most abundant crops.
"The middle section, which is about 1000 feet above the level of the
western, is not so well wooded or fertile; yet in the southern parts of
it, where the missionaries have established settlements, they have
raised excellent crops, and reared large stocks of cattle.
Notwithstanding the occasional cold, their cattle are not housed, nor is
provender laid in for them in any quantity, the country being
sufficiently supplied with fodder in the natural hay, that is everywhere
abundant in the prairies, which the cattle prefer."
Mr Wilkes says, "In comparison with the United States, I would say,
that the labour necessary in this territory to acquire wealth or
subsistence is in the proportion of one to three; or in other words, a
man must work throughout the year three times as much in the United
States to gain the like competency. The care of stock, which requires
so much time with us, requires no attention there, and on the increase
only, a man might find support." He further says, "There will be also a
demand for the timber of this country at high prices, throughout the
Pacific. The oak is well adapted for ship timber, and abundance of ash,
cedar, cypress, and arbor-vitae may be had for other purposes, building,
fuel, fencing," etcetera. He also adds, "No part of the world affords
finer inland sounds, or a greater number of harbours, than are found
within the Straits of Juan de Fuca, capable of receiving the highest
class of vessels, and without a danger in them which is not viable.
From the rise and fall of the tides (eighteen feet) every facility is
afforded for the erection of works for a great maritime nation. The
country also affords as many sites for maritime power as any other."
On the northern coast there are a number of islands which belong to the
territory. The largest are Vancouver's Island, and Queen Charlotte
Island, both of which enjoy a mild and salubrious climate, with a soil
well adapted to agriculture. They have also an abundance of fine fish
in their waters. Coal of a very good quality is found there close by
the surface, and they also contain numerous veins of valuable minerals.
All the rivers abound in salmon of the finest quality, which run twice a
year, beginning in May and October, and appear inexhaustible. In Fraser
River, the salmon are very numerous. The bays and inlets abound with
several kinds of salmon, sturgeon, cod, carp, sole, flounders, perch,
herring, and eels; also with shell-fish--crabs, oysters, etcetera.
Whales and sea otters in numbers are found along the coast, and are
frequently captured by Indians, in and at the mouth of the Straits of
Juan de Fuca.
Game abounds in the western section, such as elk, deer, antelopes,
bears, wolves, foxes, musk-rats, martins. And in the spring and fall,
the rivers are covered with geese, ducks, and other water-fowl. Towards
the Rocky Mountains buffaloes are found in great numbers.
From the advantages this country possesses, it bids fair to have an
extensive commerce, on advantageous terms, with most parts of the
Pacific. It is well calculated to produce the following staple
commodities,--furs, salted beef and pork, grain, flour, wool, hides,
tallow, timber, and coals. And in return for these--sugars, coffee, and
other tropical productions may be obtained at the Sandwich Islands.
Advantages that in time must become of immense importance.
Those districts of British America west of the lakes which by soil and
climate are suitable for settlement, may be thus enumerated:--
Vancouver's Island 16,200 square miles.