226 ASSINNJBOINE AND SASKATCHEWAN EXPEDITION. 



day, and for a more detailed account of which I refer 

 you to his report accompanying this letter." * 



Lieutenant Palmer, E.E., explored the country be- 

 tween Fort Hope on the Fraser and Fort Colville on the 

 Columbia Eiver.f His report is not favourable for a 

 road, although the physical impediments are not such as 

 to be insurmountable. 



Lieutenant Palmer states that " westward from the Simil- 

 kameen valley J, and nearly to the coast, extends a mountain 

 region, so rugged and bleak, and so inaccessible and de- 

 void of roads of communication, that this valley is the 

 first point east of the Sumas to which attention need be 

 directed. 



" It and the Okanagan valley are the main thoroughfares 

 to British Columbia from Washington territory, and indeed 

 east of them, as far as Fort Shepherd, the country affords 

 no known practicable means of ingress. 



The main route from Washington territory passes up 

 the valley of the Okanagan Eiver from its junction with 

 the Columbia and forks at the mouth of the Similkameen 

 whence branch the two routes already described. 

 ***** 



" A great question now presents itself as to the means of 

 communication between this district and the interior por- 

 tions of British Columbia. 



" Even if it be practicable at an enormous expense to 

 construct a tolerable waggon road across Manson Moun- 

 tain, or even should a better route be found by following 

 round the valley of the Coquahalla, there still remains the 



* Papers relative to the Exploration of British North America, Aug. I860, 

 p. 17. 



f Papers relating to British Columbia, August, 1860. 

 X The Similkameen rises a few miles north of the boundary-line, in long. 

 120° 40' j it flows into the Okanagan in long. 119° 30 7 , lat. 48° 56". 



