, 1859-01-07


regard to the main Columbia: "On the
Columbia, between the mouths of the Snake
and Dechutes rivers, distance of about
three hundred and fifty miles, there are but
three obstacles to navigation for steam
boats drawing from twenty to thirty inches
The principal of these are the Priests aud
BuckIand's Rapids. These might proba
bly, be locked, or so modified by art as tc
render them passable by steamboat oil
other craft
Although wood does not grow on the
immediate banks of the Columbia, from the
Dalles to the mouth of the Wenatschapan,
there will be no difficulty in rafting it down
the river for the use of steamers; and in
deed a good supply could be picked up
from the drift which is found along the
shore on the subsidence of the annual
rreshet Above the mouth of the Wenats-
chapan, wood grows in large quantities
and the main Columbia is excellent for
rafting purposes. Wood could also be
RATED down the main Yakima to the
Columbia during the season of the spring
freshets.
Considering, therefore, that steamers
have been for years running on the Colum.
bia, as far as the Dalles, that one is about
being put on from the Dalles to Fort
Walla-walla, and that to get continuous
navigation thence to Colvile, improvements
have only to be made at three points, viz:
Priests Rapids, Buckland's Rapids and
Kettle Falls-the Columbia is entitled to
the distinction Of being river navigaLle
for steamers; and with the portions of
Snake river and Clark's Fork, also naviga-
ble for steamers, we have a system of wat
ers on our western watershed having n
comparatively short aud easy land connec-
tiou with the Missouri.
Looking to Snake river, we have, from
Fort Benton, assumed as the head of
steamboat navigation on the Missouri,
(although steamers can ascend some miles
farther, to the mouth Of the Pelouse by the
Ceur d'Alene trail, J land transportation
of 450 miles.
Looking to Clark's Fork and to Colville,
we have from Fort Benton to the Horse
Plain, o distance by cutoff from the
Bldckfoot Fork to the Jocko river, q dis
tance of 2701 miles, and after passing
down Clark's Fork, we have another land
distance to Colville of sixty miles. The
distance, however, from Fort Benton to
Colville, via the Ceur d'Alene trail, is 4S0
miles.
Reserving, however, to future occasion,
q description Of the several routes from the
Missouri and the two branches Of the Sa-
skatchawan to the corresponding streams
on the west, we will conclude this article
by some remarks on the next considerable
stream of the northwest, to wit: Fraser
river.
Fraser river is navigable 10 Fort Yale-
q distance of 1870 miles. Above this point
its navigation is extremely difficult, even
for canoes; and no use whatever can be
made of it for steamers. De Mofras' de-
scription of Fraser river sngrees with that
of all travellers in that country, and we
give it in fall
" 1t takes its rise on the western slope Of
the Rocky Mountains, near the 55th de-
gree, near the source Of the Canoe river,
the first important tributary Of the Colum-
bia. One Of the principal sources Of the
Fraser is only about a thousand feet from
the Unjiga, or Peace river, which is on the
east of the mountains, Fraser river has q
length of about one hundred aud thirty
leagues, almost parallel to that Of the Ore
gon (Columbia); and receives nearly all
the waters of New Caledonia british Co
lumbia)-the rivers Stuart, ChlcotiR, Pin
klitsa, Thompson and Quesnel
In 1928, Sir George Simpson. Governor
Of the territories Of the Hudson's Bay Com
pany, coming from Canada by way Of the
lakes, decended the whole Of Fraser river;
but found it fpll Of dangerous rocks, rapids
and high cascades, aud consequently unfit
for navigation. There is bar at its mouth
which can be crossed by vessels drawing
twelve or fourteen feet of water; after
which they eau ascend some leagues to
Fort Langley, built upon the left bank Of
the river about twenty-five miles from the
sea- The soil on the lower part Of Fraser
river is fit for cultivation; has 6ne pastures
and thick forests Of birch, poplar, cedar,
pines and other evergreens."
Thompson's river, one Of the principal
tributaries of Fraser river, is also worthless
for purposes of navigation.