The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-15

l1ahoed was to proceed from TIE month e vs Asoar
along the coast ofthe Ochosk Sea TO Ayan ,eor No.
sss 2 mpssntsnd IN person q: s.pooos bsswss.
Lieutenant Mahoqd the frst a the sasaern and the
second It the weslsrn end Of his own route.
u not expected that anything 81 Importance could
BE- accomplished before the fal Of snow in 1855. In
nusssn america Siberia the winter y
the streams often swollen p summer ofSr no impede
mont and the ans all inequalities and furnishes
youd the small section north Of New westminster were
nxed for the winter aud preparations pushed forward
that everything could be in readiness At the first fall OF
snow. In the northern portion OF British America the
explorations were to be made shoes, Indians
being employed to carry the provisions and other
teria in the journeys through the wilderness
In Russian Amerca the party would rely upon dogs and
sedges but was tn take to snow shoes in case
the dogs should fail In Kamtschatka and Siberia DOES
and reind9er would bo used but the dogs would he the
chief reItance, ss they more popular With the ma
tves and can mako long journey moro quickly and
with less fatigue than tho reindeer.
In British America Captain Conway and Major Pope
succeeded Ia reaching the upper extremity OF Lake
I is before the end q autumn From New West.
there is small village, the route followed
the valley Of Frazer river, ana was rapidly
Captain Conway. Above the mouth Of Qussne river the
course Of Frazer river torturous and u dec
ded TO abandon the valley and take to chain of lakes
and smaller streams That in general northwestery
direction An additional reason for leaving Frazer river
was the very heavy timber that filled me valley render
ing II work Of great labor to trail for the tele
graph, there being road OF any kind in existence,
This chain Of lakes lies to the west OF river and
comparatively to transport material for building
the line When the lakes are not connected by streams
there IS generally RIDGE OF land sparsey covered with
timhered valley of the Frazer. Along this route II was
necessary to cross two rivers the Blackwoter
and the Neehako--the former about fifty yards
in width, aud the latter about Ave times
as broad Soon after crossing the last mentioned stream
tn, line reaches Fort Frazer post Of the Hudson Bay
COmuanV foot of FraXar lake From this OOut
II turns abruptly to the northeast crossing ridge OF
mquntans TO Fort st. James at the foot Of Stuart lake.
Captan Conway found the existing Of the country
imperfect and very inaccurate in the little infbTma
ton they pretended to give 1t has been 70 the
interest Of the Hudson Bav Company to have the terri
tory where its trade is carried submitted thorough
exploration The less known about tho country the bet
yer LOT Ine whose soie OBJECT was 70 Keep an
undsurbsd except when their skins wanted by the
employees OF the fur traders consequently there have
been no accurate maps OF the country and person at
tempting TO make oud have received assistance
or encouragement Captain Conway and Major Popo
have already learned about the country where the
TELEGRAPH TO be bult than il known nv he agents OF
the company at Victoria or New Westminster. This
ignorance does not speak well for monopoly that was
chartered in 1850 has had ample opportunities to be-
come thoroughv informed
From Fort st. James tho explorations were pushed
along the shores OF Stuart Lake Lake Trembe and Lake
Tataia. and through the that connect these
bodies OF water For the most Of the wav the ronte was
found practicable for the construction Of the telegraph
line, though difficulties were anticpated. Along
the shore OF Stuart Lake there high bluffs where
telegraph could not he easily constructed that 1t was
found necessary to 20 back level country
raj miles from the lake. Lake Tremble found favor
able, having wide s!oping beach, whore pnlcs could be
set Along Lake Tataa sixty miles In length, ridge
OF mountains either side, that have slope mar.
row fat at their base There s sufficient quantity OF
poles along this portion but there occasional places
where the rock is entirely BARE aud holes must be
drilled for setting the poles Along the that con-
meet these lakes the valleys generally well wooded,
and some Of them heavily tmbered The streams follow
very tor'uons course, that considerable distance
can DO saved by leaving them for portion Of the route
Another route partially explored s from Fort - James
by the west shore OF Stuart Lake. along Babine Lake
10 Babpe Fishery, distance of hundred and lttv
miles. This country Is undergoing more thorough
exploration and reports arc expected from It during the
present summer.
At tho head of boat navigation lake Tataa Major
Pope established headquarters aud erected building
OF logs twenty bv thirv-oue feet, which he named
Buckley House, ia honor OF the EnginecrinChief This
was designed as base for failure explorations. and
quantity of supplies gathered there during the
autumn before the close OF navigation. From Qnesnel
10 B1lklev House, distance by the course Of the
COMPANY has boep accns,omed IL ssnd lis sba,feanx
or boats which about four tons EACH The bat
teaux are about thirty feet long and seven feet wde
drawing about twenty fonr inches Of water They
propelled by oars In smooth water md by lines drawn
along the bank when the current is rnpd. A. several
places alone The frazer river and its tributaries IL ia
TO unload the boats and carry their contents
around the rapids. while the ghtenod boat IL by
stout line through the wntcr All through British
America the water abundant 10 afford
great facility FOR the Hudson Bay COMPANY 10 transport
supplies to The Indians and to take back their return
fer as practicable by the telegraph company.
The Indians along the route. between Quesnel aud
Buckley House, found to be friendly though "
not expected that they would lie of mach service in
building the telegraph line. thew not particu
larry fond OF work and are not solicitors TO lay stores
Of great wealth. -Four different tribes found in this
region, the Carriers, SiccaiInes, Atuas and Naham
mics. The Carries number in all but about two hundred
persons aud the Siccaunies about TWENTY-FIVE persons
but the other tribes quite numerous and
siderable extent of country. Though the Indians
not expected 20 work IL hoped that they can be made
In he N * will
be the policy OF the company u treat the Indians with
uniform Kindness, and by making them dependent for
supplies 10 keep up constant intercourse The Hud.
son Bay Company has uniformly Kept the Indians in
subsection by making impossible for the latter 70 subj
get powder lead guns blankets and trans only at the
company's posts and always In such small quantities
never 70 have more than few weeks supply at single
time. BY making the Indians dependent for supplies
the telegraph company will be able TO establish amicabe
relations throughout the wild regions Of She north.
Game isqute plenty along the telegraph route. but II
hardly probable that it will continue when the
panys employees have leisure to turn their attention 10
mun,,ns G ne pnps s sn ss c are oe'
Foxes abound but they have been hunted 20 much bv
the Indians that they have become very shy and dcnlt
TO approach and the Is the with nearly all the
animals of this region Tho rivers pretty well stock
cd with sh the principal among then being salmon and
white fish, The salmon ascend Frazer river early In the
spring and pass into all its tributary streams They srs
caught BY the Indians IN great numbers during their up
ward passage and dried for winter use forming almost
tho only subsistence OF both Indians and white
ing large portion of the year They as0 ascend the
Nasse Sticecn and skeena rivers In large numbers and
taken in abundance by the natives OF that region
white fish are excellent and abundant They are taken
the lakes from November until the ice covers the
water. Trout may be taken In the lakes
and large rivers the sprinT months There are very
few birds in this portion OF British America but their
scarcity n partially compensated by The abundance Of
insects snch az mosquitoes ond black flies and small ants
with which the country literally during the
summer months In camping at night "srnudge y or
fire made Of green boughs Ia usually kndcd before the
tent The dense smoke 10 keep off, in measure
these troublesome pesta
Fifty miles north OF Lake Tntla s Fort Connolly,
situated the eastern shore Of Connellys Lake Ths
4 por1 OF the Hudson Bay Company and has besn 10
times past the scene OF highly profitable trade CAP
tam Conway, with small party, pushed his elplora
tons through the forest far Fort Connolly ana
found the county favorable for the object view The
route was along valley between two chains Of
talns, the country being open and somewhat uneven.
telegraph line Around Fort Connolly the country Ia
qnite rough and completely closed Ia by mountains.
Captain Conway was informed that the country north OF