STEEP TRAILS 



valleys mark the courses of the Olympic gla 

 ciers at the period of their greatest extension, 

 when they poured their tribute into that por 

 tion of the great northern ice-sheet that over- 

 swept the south end of Vancouver Island and 

 filled the strait with flowing ice as it is now 

 filled with ocean water. 



The steamers of the Sound usually stop at 

 Esquimalt on their way up, thus affording 

 tourists an opportunity to visit the interesting 

 town of Victoria, the capital of British Colum 

 bia. The Victoria harbor is too narrow and 

 difficult of access for the larger class of ships; 

 therefore a landing has to be made at Esqui 

 malt. The distance, however, is only about 

 three miles, and the way is delightful, wind 

 ing on through a charming forest of Douglas 

 spruce, with here and there groves of oak and 

 madrone, and a rich undergrowth of hazel, dog 

 wood, willow, alder, spiraea, rubus, huckle 

 berry, and wild rose^ Pretty cottages occur at 

 intervals along the road, covered with honey 

 suckle, and many an upswelling rock, freshly 

 glaciated and furred with yellow mosses and 

 lichen, telling interesting stories of the icy past. 



Victoria is a quiet, handsome, breezy town, 

 beautifully located on finely modulated ground 

 at the mouth of the Canal de Haro, with charm 

 ing views in front, of islands and mountains 



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