Swan.] 154 [April 3. 



itation of rain being obserA-ed on the immediate coast than in the in- 

 terior. 



Althougli the temperature at Cape Flattery averages lower than at 

 the stations enmnerated, yetthecHmate is milder in the winter. Snow 

 does not fall to so great a depth, nor does it remain on the ground as 

 long as it does further inland. 



The greatest depth of snow that I have measured was in 1863, and 

 was fourteen inches on a level. In 1865, the greatest depth was eight 

 inches. In neither instance did the snow remain on the ground over 

 a fortnight. 



As may naturally be suj)posed, the gi-eat humidity of the climate in 

 the vicinity of the Cape, makes agriculture a very difficult task. Ce- 

 reals will not ripen, nor has it been found possible to make hay. The 

 only certain crops are potatoes and root vegetables. 



The vicinity of Cape Flattery, however, and all the prairie land on 

 the immediate coast between the Cape and the Columbia River, afford 

 most excellent pasturage for stock, the mildness of the winters allow- 

 ing them to range about for food without their requiring any other 

 shelter than that afforded by the thick foliage of the spruce and hem- 

 lock forests which border and sun-ound all pasture lands. Thun- 

 der storms are of rare occurrence, and are only noticed during the 

 winter months. Thunder is most frequently heard during storms from 

 the southeast; but there is nothing like the summer thunder showers of 

 the Atlantic States. 



This peculiar weather seems to be confined to the immediate sea- 

 coast. For as we proceed into the interior, we find the climate more 

 nearly assimilating with that of the Eastern States, being warmer in 

 summer, and colder in winter than on the coast. Thunder and light- 

 ning also are of more frequent occurrence during the summer months. 



This has been noticed more of late years than formerly, and the 

 climatic change is undoubtedly owing in a great degree to the large 

 tracts of land that have been cleared or burned over in the interior; 

 but as the country in the vicinity of Cape Flattery is in its primitive 

 state, densely wooded with an evergreen forest, and the ground covered 

 with an evergreen shrubbery, (^Gaultheria shallon), the climate has not 

 undergone those changes which are noticed in the interior. 



During the summer and fall months, there is occasionally a dense 

 fog on the Strait of Fuca, sometimes confined exclusively to the strait 

 and at other times covering the land ; and still more frequently assum- 

 ing the form of clouds, too low to be classed among the recognized 

 foi'ms of clouds, and too high to be classed as fog. These have been 

 termed by me in my reports, as fog clouds. They resemble and assim- 

 ilate with the nimbus or rain cloud, and at times are accompanied 

 with a fine misty rain. 



