Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-04-25
LETTER FROM BRITISH COLIN
DIA..
THOMPSON RIVER. Mar. 81, 1874.

OId.,
THOMSON RIVER, Mar. %, 1874.
To the Editor IF the Journal:
Looking out over the glorious expansc OF
country, seeing mountain rising upon noun
tain, peak upon peak, the snow lying among
tile tops of the dark green pines, looking like
huge boquets of lilies and laurel leaves en-
twined; here and there on the sides of the
Tooth lay little snow, but elsewhere the
valley is bare looking, browr, and sodden with
water, rendering GU. of door exercise Of any
kind. to say the least disagreeable; and over
all the setting sun, sinking slowly behind the
mountains, tingng everything with beauty,
lighting up the hollows, flashing on the frozen
streams, until they look like FURNISHED gold,
leaving the light fleecy clouds of lovely tints,
blue, gold, silver, and all the colors of the
rainbow intermingled; feel the full beauty
OF mountain sunset, than which there is no
lovelier scene, unless it be sunset on the
ocean. Sitting in my western window watch
ing the scene, feeling the last warm rays of
the winter sun, it reminds me Of former scenes
of olden times. 1t has long ago fingered a
moment and then sunk to rest behind the
western hills of Maine, as believe there is
some over three hours difference in the time
at this distance, nearly Ave thousand miles !;
crossing the continent, coming up the Pacific
coast nine hundred miles, thence into the inte-
rior by way ofrivers and by stage three hundred
miles more, bringing US about one hundred
miles from the Pacific coast, and about ten
degrees farther north than Maine lies. But
the climate is no. so severe as would at first
be supposed; the winters are very short, and
generally very little snow, except ia the can
ons, and where it slides from the moutains,
rendering certain localities very dangerous !;
the south winds blow n great deal which rem
ders the air very warm and soon melts the
snow, carrying away more ia one day than
rain would in two or three. We have very
little rain, hardly enough TO lay the dust in
summer, excepting one month when we had
no root on our house, thinking there would be
no RAIN when it raiued every day, which was
probably freak of nature,) The resources
Of British Columbia are too widely known to
need hardly a comment. The black diamonds
Of Nanainro, Gas her deposits of coal are
called, are world renowned. The gold which
is part Of her existence, counts some ear
nest seekers from every cline, who give up
home and friends, toll on year after year, cut
off from civilization, hoping, as only miner
can hope, and perhaps In sight of the long
wished for goal, give up the ghost to rest be-
meath a foreign soil, with no loved one to drop
II tear upon the humble mound. But aside
from her mineral productions, the stately
pines (Which are being shipped to nearly all
foreign countries); the emigrant who reaches
these shores, will find kindly soil, land in
which one can see quick return for his toll.
Its grazing properties are unsurpassed. But
at present there hardly seems inducement
enough TO make the influx of population very
considerable, owing to the one great want,
the golden dream of many Il British Column
bian, the inter colonial railway, which would
remove the one great obstacle, (and probably
many smaller ones viz. the scarcity of the
white population which in all the length and
breadth Of this province, believe is only six
teen thousand, making about one fifth as
many whites as natives. This at first seems
a great disadvantage, q cannot say but it
s) making such preponderance Of heath