Hope, Yale, and Lytton.

Hope, 95 miles from mouth of Fraser River, was formerly an active little place, but the gold-bearing Similkameen country, to the east, having been page 68 neglected, owing to the greater attractions of Cariboo, Hope has not thriven as was expected, though it again shows signs of life. The silver mines (which are likely to be worked near Hope) will tend to increase its importance, which, prospectively, must always be considerable, as Hope is the natural outlet to the Fraser River from the fine farming and mining country of the Similkameen.

Yale., the head of navigation on Fraser River, 110 miles from its mouth, is a most picturesque and thriving little town, situated in a narrow gorge of striking grandeur. Large quantities of goods and not a few passengers pass through it daily, in the summer, to the upper country. The Fraser River "bars," near this town, yielded a large quantity of gold in 1858, and have since been reworked to advantage.

Forty-three miles above Yale the aspect of the country completely changes. The underbrush and cedars are left behind; there is much less moss upon the trees; shrubs begin to appear which belong to a drier climate. Here also begin the peculiar "benches" or terraces which mark the course of the Fraser River and its tributaries (see page 10). On one of these flats, 200 feet above the stream, is the town of Lytton, named after Lord Lytton. Lytton is situated at the junction of the Thompson with the Fraser, 43 miles below Lillooet and 57 miles above Yale. It is a pretty town, already something more than a wayside town. The population is increasing, owing to mines and farms in its neighbourhood. The wheat ground at the Lytton mill makes very fine flour. There is a good market for all produce. In the upper part of the town there are a school, two butcher-shops, two hotels, two livery-stables, three shops two bakers, a sawmill, blacksmith, and shoemaker. In the lower part of the town, which is chiefly inhabited by Chinese, there are four bakers, five shops, four restaurants.