its harbours. Esquimault Harbour, on which Victoria is
situated, is equal to San Francisco. The salmon and other fisheries are
excellent; but this advantage is shared by every stream and inlet of the
adjacent coast. The climate is frequently compared with England, except
that it is even warmer. The winter is stormy, with heavy rains in
November and December; frosts occur in the lowlands in January, but
seldom interrupt agriculture; vegetation starts in February, rapidly
progressing in March and fostered by alternate warm showers and sunshine
in April and May--while intense heat and drought are often experienced
during June, July, and August. As already remarked, the island has an
area of 16,200 square miles.

FRASER AND THOMPSON RIVERS.

Northward of Vancouver's Island the coast range of mountains trends so
near the Pacific as to obstruct intercourse with the interior, but
"inside," in the language of a witness, "it is a fine open country."
This is the valley of Fraser River. Ascending this river, near Fort
Langley, "a large tract of land" is represented as "adapted to
colonists;" while of Thomson River, the same witness says that it is
"one of the most beautiful countries in the world"--"climate capable of
producing all the crops of England, and much milder than Canada." The
sources of Fraser River, in latitude 55 degrees, are separated from
those of Peace River (which flows through the Rocky Mountains, eastward,
into the Athabasca) by the distance of only 317 yards.

SOURCES OF THE COLUMBIA.

A glance at the map will shew how considerable a district of British
Oregon is watered by the Upper Columbia and its tributary, the
McGillivray or Flat Bow river. It is estimated above at 20,000 square
miles, and has been described in enthusiastic terms, by the Bishop of
Oregon--De Smet--in his "Oregon Missions." The territory of the
Kootonais Indians would seem, from his glowing description, to be
divided in favourable proportion between forests and prairies. Of
timber, he names birch, pine of different species, cedar, and cypress.
He remarked specimens of coal, and "great quantities of lead,"
apparently mixed with silver. The source of the Columbia seemed to
impress him as "a very important point." He observes that "the climate
is delightful"--that the extremes of heat and cold are seldom known, the
snow disappearing as it falls. He reiterates the opinion "that the
advantages nature seemed to have bestowed on t