486 OFFICIAL JOURNEYS. 
its functions and its potentialities for service in young communities in rapidly 
developing territories. Special emphasis was laid on that practical aspect of the 
subject under which geography may be regarded as the science of settlement. 
Wednesday, August 27.—The special trains, having been transferred 
to the Canadian Pacific station at Vancouver, left on the lines of that 
Company in the early morning. Fine views were obtained of the Fraser 
Canyons, and later in the day the journey from Lytton to Kamloops, 
with a brief stop at Ashcroft (3057 m., 1004 ft.), afforded an interesting 
glimpse of a semi-arid country. 
The topography, the vegetation, and the human activities all reflected the influence 
of the insufficient but obviously at times torrential rainfall. The slopes were deeply 
ravined and showed all stages in the development of earth-pinnacles, called locally 
‘hoodoos.’ In places open stands of the bull pine, with its short branches and stout, 
stiff leaves, were observed, but as a rule the incomplete plant-cover consisted of 
sage-brush, a prickly form of Salsola kali, and other grey-leaved plants of similar 
size, with small, spreading, starfish-like mats of prickly pear in patches between 
the larger forms. At Ashcroft, as at the other villages, a small amount of tree- 
planting had been done, poplar and ash-leaved maple being noted. Some irrigation 
work was observed, but near the railway line there were few signs of cultivation, 
though fruit-growing is said to be very successful in some parts of the dry belt, while 
potatoes are grown intensively near Ashcroft. 
The journey now, and until Friday, August 29, continued through 
the magnificent mountain scenery of the Canadian Pacific main trans- 
continental line, and, thanks to the judicious arrangement of travelling 
hours, little was missed. GLAcIER (3273 m., 3778 ft.) was reached on 
Wednesday evening, and the night was spent there. 
Thursday, August 28.—The glaciers and mountains at Glacier were 
viewed in the early hours of a very beautiful morning. 
A joint excursion of representatives of the Geology and Geography sections was 
arranged to visit the Glacier. The party viewed a glacier which is retreating up its 
valley. In front the smoothed pavement was well marked, but the ice itself was 
perhaps more interesting. It was blue to the base, not particularly transparent, and 
with little or no mud embedded into it. On the surface, however, for a height of 
10 to 12 ft. the surface was very muddy. This was no doubt due in part to dust 
blowing along the valley and coming in contact with the wet face of the glacier, and 
in part to the gradual accumulation on the surface of englacial mud which, when it 
thawed out on the surface, likewise adhered to the wet face. 
It was not possible to arrange any official excursion from Field to Mount Stephen, 
but some of the geologists made one by omitting the visit to Lake Louise (below), 
travelling from Field by ordinary train, and rejoining the main party at Lake Louise 
station. To'the geologist travelling in Canada there are certain fixed points round 
which he tries to arrange his itinerary, and one of these is Mount Stephen, the name 
of which has been made famous by the researches of Dr. Walcott. The well-known 
fossil beds of Middle Cambrian age are exposed about the 7000-foot level ; practically 
every slab of rock had specimens of trilobites upon it, and numerous fine examples 
were collected. 
The main party, after crossing the Great Divide (5338 ft.), proceeded 
direct to Lake Louise station (3379 m., 5050 ft.), and were conveyed 
thence to the lake itself (5670 ft.). The late afternoon and evening were 
spent here, and the extraordinary beauties of the lake and its neighbour- 
hood were appreciated to the full, though some of the members recalled 
with regret, from the visit in 1909, the appearance of the northern end 
of the lake before the present hotel building and surroundings were 
brought into existence. The trains stayed for the night at the station. 
A small party proceeded in advance of the main body, to visit the ranch belonging 
to H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, near High River. The motor drive of over 70 miles 
