106 Bircl-Nesting 



neatly enclosed and decorated with banners, streamers, and all 

 manner of carved " totems." 



A gleaming white cone rises towards the south-east. It is 

 Mount Baker, sixty miles away, and fourteen thousand feet 

 high. We cross large rivers flowing into the Fraser, all mov- 

 ing slowly here as if resting after their tumultuous passage 

 down between the mountain ranges. As the valley widens, 

 farms and orchards become more and more frequent, and our 

 hearts are gladdened with the sight of broom, and other shrubs 

 and plants familiar to English eyes, for as we approach the 

 coast we find a climate like that of the south of England, but 

 with more sunshine. Touching the Fraser River again we 

 see Indians in their canoes all engaged in catching salmon, 

 which visit these rivers in astonisliing numbers, and which 

 when caught are frozen and sent eastward by the railway, or 

 canned in great quantities and shipped to all parts of the 

 world. 



Passing through a forest of mammoth trees, some of them 

 over twelve feet in diameter, and nearly three hundred feet 

 high we find ourselves on the still waters of the Pacific at the 

 eastern extremity of Burrard Inlet. Following down the shore 

 of this mountain-girt inlet for half an hour the train runs into 

 the station at Vancouver, and our journey terminates. 



Vancouver has a population of 15,000, until May, 1886, its 

 site was covered with a dense forest, from May to July its 

 growth was most rapid, l)ut in July a fire spreading from the 

 surrounding forests, swept away every house but one in the 

 place, and every building now seen has been erected since that 

 time. The situation of the city is fine, and it has splendid 

 harbour facilities and commercial advantages. It has already 

 extensive wharves and warehouses, many hotels, churches, 

 schools, etc. It has many buildings of granite and brick, and 

 some of its private residences would do credit to a city of a 

 centurys' growth. 



The scenery all around is magnificent, and the opportunities 

 for sport are unlimited — mountain goats, bear and deer in the 

 hills, trout fishing in the mountain streams, and sea fishing in 



