Osoyoos Lake.

Close to the boundary line—connected with Okanagan Lake by a chain of lakes and rivers. Open land between Osoyoos and Boundary Creek (see Map). Famous Rock Creek diggings were in this neighbourhood, and no doubt all this country will be again worked by miners. Good cattle-grazing country; last Reports before me dated autumn, 1872; grain and all kinds of vegetation looking splendid, and cattle in fine condition. One settler had 200 fat steers to sell. A hurricane on the lake; broke a bridge; dismantled haystacks. Mosquitoes troublesome. Trade with Indians good; they seemed to have plenty of money.

With the exception of a few miles, the entire road from Rock Creek to the great prairie at the head of Kettle River is, as already said, through a fine rolling prairie country, thinly wooded, and abounding in bunch grass. Gold and Selkirk ranges then intervene. Fort Shepherd is a wild barren spot—rough-trail thence over the "divide" between Columbia and Kootenay rivers to the Kootenay Valley (south from Kootenay Lake); river broad and sluggish; portion of valley quite level; rich alluvial soil as on Pitt River (New Westminster district); overflowed probably; swamp grass; rich vegetation; going still east up the Mooyie River to the lake, there is thick timber—Purcell range intervenes—beyond this range country opens out; thirty or forty miles farther, the traveller reaches the Kootenay again; grand scenery approaching the Rocky Mountains.