GOLD-BEARING   RIVEB    SANDS    OF    N.  E.  WASHINGTON.  57 
boundary  for  about  90  miles  to  its  junction  with  Spokane  River,  where 
it  turns  sharply  and  flows  westward  for  80  miles  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Okanogan,  which  has  a  southerly  course  from  the  Canadian  line  and 
forms  the  western  boundary  of  the  Reservation.  Sanpoil  River  flows 
across  the  reservation,  also  in  a  north-south  valley,  joining  the 
Columbia  about  halfway  between  the  Okanogan  and  Spokane.  At 
the  mouth  of  the  Okanogan  the  Columbia  again  turns  to  the  south  and, 
a  short  distance  beyond,  to  the  east,  flowing  in  that  direction  to  its 
junction  with  Snake  River  and  partially  surrounding  an  extensive 
plateau  region  known  as  the  Big  Bend  country. 
The  Colville  Reservation  comprises  about  2,000  square  miles,  a  large 
part  of  which  is  agricultural  and  timber  land,  nearly  all  of  the 
remainder  being  valuable  for  grazing.  It  is  only  partially  settled  by 
Indians,  is  ill  supplied  with  wagon  roads,  and  is  not  reached  by  rail, 
though  an  electric  line  is  under  construction  from  Spokane  to  the 
Columbia  at  the  mouth  of  Spokane  River,  and  several  surveys  have 
been  made  and  rights  of  way  located  for  a  railroad  through  the 
Sanpoil  Valley. 
Columbia  River  below  Kettle  Falls  is  navigable  by  steamboat 
except  for  a  rapid  at  the  mouth  of  Spokane  River. 
The  Big  Bend  country  south  of  the  reservation  is  nearly  all  in  culti- 
vation. It  is  traversed  by  the  Great  Northern  and  Northern  Pacific 
railways.  The  region  east  of  the  reservation  is  also  well  settled  and  is 
reached  by  the  Spokane  Falls  and  Northern  Railway.  The  country 
between  the  Colville  Reservation  and  the  Canadian  boundary  was 
formerly  included  in  the  reservation  and  lias  been  open  to  settlement 
for  only  a  few  years.  Republic,  its  principal  town,  is  at  the  head  of 
Sanpoil  River  and  is  the  terminus  of  a  branch  line  from  the  Canadian 
Pacific  Railway. 
TOPOGRAPHY. 
The  Big  Bend  country  which  lies  south  of  Columbia  and  Spokane 
rivers  is  a  plateau  2,000  to  3,000  feet  above  the  sea,  characterized  by 
slightly  rolling  topography  and  here  and  there  traversed  by  dry 
canyons  called  coulees.  This  plateau  is  mantled  by  fine-grained, 
light-colored  soil  and  comprises  a  large  part  of  the  wheat  lands  of 
Washington." 
North  of  Columbia  and  Spokane  rivers  the  topography  is  more 
diversified.  Although  upland-plain  surfaces  are  not  lacking,  these 
are  surmounted  by  two  ranges  of  higher  hills  which  extend  north  and 
south  on  either  side  of  the  Sanpoil  and  which  attain  maximum  eleva- 
tions of  about  9,000  feet  near  the  northern  boundary  of  the  reservation. 
Columbia,  Sanpoil,  and  Okanogan  rivers  all  flow  in  deep  canyons 
from  1,500  to  2,500  feet  below  the  general  level.     Grand  Coulee,  a  dry 
a  Calkins,  F.  C,  Water-Sup.  and  Irr.  Paper  No.  118,  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey,  1905,  pp.  45-49. 
