The North-West Passage by land: Being the narrative of an expedition from the Atlantic to the Pacific, undertaken with the view of exploring a route across the continent to British Columbia through British territory, by one of the northern passes in the Rocky MountainsMilton, William Fitzwilliam, Viscount
History
The North-West Passage by land: Being the narrative of an expedition from the Atlantic to the Pacific, undertaken with the view of exploring a route across the continent to British Columbia through British territory, by one of the northern passes in the Rocky Mountains
Milton, William Fitzwilliam, Viscount
British Columbia -- Description and travel; Northwest, Canadian -- Description and travel
A few miles below Tête Jaune Cache the Fraser, after running almost due
west from Moose Lake, receives a tributary from the south-east, then
suddenly turns almost due north; and, according to Indian report, is
joined a little lower down by an important branch from the north-east.
The Cache is situated in a valley of triangular form, with the apex to
the south, and enclosed by lofty mountains. The valley is some fifteen
miles in length, and not more than five in width at the broadest part.
Across the base runs the Fraser, from east to west, turning north,
when it meets the range of hills which forms the western side. The
commencement of a bold range of mountains, running nearly north and
south, and dividing the watershed of the Columbia from that of the
Thompson, closes up the point of the valley. The main chain of the
Rocky Mountains forms the eastern boundary. Part of the valley of The
Cache appears to be rich; but immediately to the south is a stretch
of sandy, undulating country, partially covered by small spruce, and
terminated by the range of hills mentioned as dividing the watersheds.
Then commence the dense forests of the North Thompson.
The view from The Cache looking westward is, we imagine, one of the
most wonderful in the world. Away as far as the eye can reach, north,
south, and west, are mountains packed behind mountains, separated
only by the narrowest valleys, most of them snow-clad, and apparently
stretching away to the Pacific.
Although we had crossed the main chain of the Rocky Mountains, and were
now in British Columbia, we were surprised to find we were still really
in the midst of Rocky Mountains. For, in truth, the mountains which
rise like a wall from the prairies of the eastern side extend to the
western ocean. The exact reverse of this view may be seen from the Bald
Mountain in Cariboo, and we were assured by Mr. Fraser, of Victoria,
who had visited both the Andes and Himalayas, that nothing there could
compare with these hundreds of miles of mountains in British Columbia.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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