, 1883-03-08

mates that in the triangular portion
of Whatcom county north OF What
com and Lummi, there are one-hun
dred square miles of land suitable in
every way for agricultural purposes,
The Nootsack valley comprises most
of this land. Some of it is owned by
spectators, much is settled upon by
Il hardy, pioneer population, and
enough for hundred families or
more still remains south of the Brit
ish Columbia line; this last is being
rapidly gobbled up by the incoming
population. Alighting at Mr. Cow
den's hotel in Ferndale, we find a
party of brawny laborers devouring
supper with gusto after days cruise
up the river, where they have been
running lines and taking the num-
bers of land preparatory to filing
homestead or pre- emption claims.
Their conversation is freely inter
spersed with township corners, odd
forties, section lines etc. Mr.. Cow
den is erecting new and commo-
dious building into which to move his
hotel. Mr.. Rogers, one of the enter
prising store keepers of the place,
promises Il steamer to run regularly
up the river in few weeks. From
here u road leads through the rolling
river bottom and beaver dam land to
Semiahmoo, about twelve miles dis
tant where placid bay is quietly
waiting to compete with Bellingham
Bay, southeast of us, for railway ter
minus honors. This wonderful flat
and fertile country extends north
with more or less variations clear
across the British Columbia line into
the Frazer river region. From Fern
dale it is twelve miles up the river to
Lynden, the highest point reached
thus far by steamboats,. The settle
ments reach for miles above Lynden,
although there are still a few vacant
claims between Lynden and Fern
dale on the east side of the river.
From Ferndale it is about five miles
nearly due south to the Lummi In.
dian reservation, situated at one of
the mouths of the Nootsack. Be
tween Lummi and Birch Bay and
Semiahmoo is large, triangular
shaped body of land in which is a
lake around which large amount of
exceedingly fertile land lies unim-
proved because owned principally by
spectators. We remain over night
at Ferndale, and next day, after a
tramp few miles across the river,
we return for tussle with our con
stitutionally tired horse and the mud
dy roads back to Whatcom. Like all
roads across rich bottom lands, this
one is varied winter season only by
being muddier in some places than
in others.
On the way we stopped to exchange
little pleasant chat with uncle
JOHN BENNETT, THE NURsERyMAN,
Who is veritable child of nature.
His cabin is in pleasant spot about
q miles west of Whatcom, from
which one can have an excellent view
of the bay and the waters beyond.
Mr.. Bennett has a nursery filled with
fruit trees, shrubbery, ornamental
plants, etc. Here he worships the
beautiful and grand in nature with a
child-like simplicity that is touching
in its unaffected sincerity. He is a
genius, too, in his way, giving evidence
of literary diamond in the rough.
We were entertained by his recital Of
original poems upon the Snoqualmie
Falls and Deception Pass-the for
mer, though somewhat faulty in con
struction, giving evidence Of excel
lent conception. But this is digres-
sion. We arrive in Whatcom again
to collect, condense, prepare and di-
gest for the benefit of cur readers.
CHARACTER OF SOIL.
The country described varies but lit
tie in appearance, value and capabil
ity of soil. Much of it is a rich,
brown, alluvial deposit capable of pro-
ducing in abundance any kind of veg
citation that the weather will permit;
occasional slight ridges are covered
with heavy growth of fir or cedar,
or both on a clay or sandy soil; the
low places have growth for the
most part of vine maple, alder, ash,
etc, Beaver dams are not uncommon,
causing small patches of fern covered
prairie or marsh. Near the river are
sloughs and occasional fens. Gen
orally speaking, the land is not rery
difficult to either clear or drain.
About four milessto the eastward of
Whatcom is q beautiful fresh water
lake something like nine miles long
and varying from one to two miles in
width; the land surrounding it is
mostly of the high dry kind, covered
with fir; in the water are said to be
mountain trout in abundance. 1t will
be popular summer resort some