5 
Capt. Blakiston’s Explorations in the Rocky Mountains. 333 
Geog. miles. 
Lake Supe:ior to Red River settlement, - - - 320 
Red River settlement, vi@ elbow of south branch of 700 
Saskatchawan to Rocky Mountains, - = - 
Rectiivie, Pak) foes er eee ee 40 
West end of Kootanie Pass to mouth of Frazer's } 300 
River, Gulf of Georgia, —- - : Z 
otal, Lake Superior to Pacific, - - 1860 
Probable length of railroad, 2300 English miles. 
Thus it will be seen that out of the whole distance one-half is 
over level prairies, and but 40 miles through mountai ? 
To resume the narrative of my journey: On the morning of 
the 25th of August, at starting we were obliged to climb the face 
of a steep hill-side for the purpose of keeping on the left bank 
of the Kootanie Fork, which here sweeps in close under an outer 
Tange of the mountains, having a north and south direction, and 
Which I have called ‘‘Galton’s Range.’ We gained a consider- 
able altitude above the river, which ran at our feet, and of whose 
Course I had a view for some distance. The banks were vertical — 
and rocky, and the stream appeared to continue swift. Both 
horses and men had enough to do in climbing up, and then com- 
ing down again from the heights. I was wel repaid for m 
Climb by the remainder of the day’s travel, which was throug 
Magnificent open forests with patches of prairie, sometimes of 
Considerable extent. These forests were the finest it — 
; gp sa fortune to see. A gage species of pine ¢ pes 
arch previously spoken of, with their bright red barks, Fr 
from the ground at ample distances; no brushwood encumbered 
their feet or offered impediment to the progress of wagons, which 
ight move in every direction. a eS 
As w eatebcad ns the p the trail forked, and our 
Indian took the branch which led nearest the river, as from in- 
formation he had received, he believed it to be that which led 
‘o the trading post. Towards evening, according to my reckon. 
