300 » Our North Land. 



govern the main features of the whole country lying between the 

 Rocky Mountains proper and the coast. Babine Lake, for the greater 

 part of its length, lies Nearly parallel to the Watsonkwa valley, but 

 at its southern end bends abruptly eastward, a wide valley running 

 through from its extremity to the head of Stuart Lake. The water- 

 shed between the Skeena and Fraser River systems is situated in this 

 valley : Babine Lake discharging northward by the Babine River, 

 which, after following the general direction of the valley occupied by 

 the lake for some distance, cuts across the line of the Babine Moun- 

 tains and reaches the Skeena ; Stuart Lake discharging by the 

 Stuart River into the Nechaco, and thence to the Fraser. The valley 

 of Stuart Lake opens widely at the south-eastern extremity to the 

 low country of Nechaco and Chilacco. Stuart Lake occupies the 

 south-eastern part of the second or north-eastern of the great valleys 

 above referred to ; and to the north-west of it in the same line lie 

 Trembleur, Tacla and Bear Lakes. Stuart Lake is about forty miles 

 in extreme length, Tacla forty-six miles, and Bear Lake about twelve 

 miles ; while the dimensions of Trembleur, Traverse or Cross Lake 

 are not known. Trembleur and Tacla Lakes discharge south-east- 

 ward into Stuart Lake, while Bear Lake forms the source of the 

 Skeena. With the generally mo,re mountainous character of the 

 country to the north the height of the water surface in the lakes 

 increases, being approximately as follows : Stuart Lake 2,200, Tacla 

 Lake 2,271, Bear Lake 2,604. 



The Tinneh Indians of this interior district are divided by dialect 

 into two great groups known as the Porteurs or Carriers, and the 

 Siccanies. The Carriers extend on the Fraser as far down as Soda 

 Creek, near the mouth of the Chilcotin. They inhabit the valley of 

 the Blackwater, and stretch westward to Gatcho Lake and the Coast 

 Range, Fraser, Stuart, and Babine Lakes and the Watsonkwa valley, 

 north of Fort St. James to Middle River, and east to Fort 

 McLeod and the Fraser River, above Fort George, to about 120° 

 39' of longitude. The Siccanies lie to the north and east of 

 the Carriers, occupying the west part of Tacla Lake and the region 

 about Bear and Connelly Lake. They extend up the North Finlay 

 about seventy-five miles, and down the ma^n stream of the Peace 



