8 
not a fair specimen of our northern salmon, as it is much softer. 
The “ Chincook salmon,” found in the lower Columbia, are 
very large, solid and fat. Several establishments are located 
along the banks of this river devoted to the catching and 
pickling of this fine fish. We noticed two or three fishing sta¬ 
tions on the Washington side of the river in which salmon were 
prepared and put up in tin cans, hermetically sealed. The 
salmon fishery on the Columbia is profitably developed. Several 
varieties of salmon are taken around the shores of Washington 
territory, and a number of rivers emptying into the Pacific ocean 
teem with this fish. During ten years voyaging on Puget Sound 
we observed the annual advent of silver salmon into those 
waters. This species ranges from eighteen to twenty-four inches 
in length, and present a white, shining appearance, solid and 
very fat, and when properly dressed and pickled, command re¬ 
munerative prices. They take the hook, and are thus taken in 
great numbers by the Indians, with whom it forms the principal 
staff of life. Several white people have engaged in developing 
this branch of industry. We have good faith in the enterprize 
and earnestly recommend it to the most favorable attention of 
energetic fishermen. 
British Columbia, its romantic eoast and lucrative fisheries, 
deserve notice. The fishing resources of this colony being 
opened to Americans by the “ Treaty of Washington,” we cheer¬ 
fully present the visible treasures latent in those waters, in the 
fond hope that that domain will ere many years shall roll around, 
become a part of our own great Republic. This appendage of the 
British Empire is already “ sandwiched in between the territories 
of Washington and Alaska.” Its coast presents varied land¬ 
scape, craggy mountains, bleak headlands, green valleys and 
clear, pebbly beaches ; in romantic scenery and beautiful views 
this colony may safely challenge any other portion of God’s 
green earth. In June, 1862, we sailed along this coast in a 
small sloop for hundreds of miles through the interior chain of 
islands extending from Olympia, at the head of Puget Sound, 
to the Stickine river — the south boundary of Alaska. We 
traverse the very region of romance, high cliffs overhanging 
deep sheen waters, frequent bays, meandering shores fringed 
with dense forests — every tree more stately than the “ Cedars 
of Lebanon.” Of this labyrinth of waters Prof. Davidson re¬ 
marks ; “ From the head of Puget Sound, in lat. 47° 05, to the 
