General Characteristics of Climate.

The fine climate should be known everywhere—variable, but healthful and agreeable—nights cool, very suitable to the Anglo-Saxon constitution, and, indeed, to all races and temperaments—the altitude, irregularity of surface, serene air and absence of marshy plains, promise health and long life to the settler—no malaria or ague—good in cases of functional and nervous debility—makes people feel vigorous and wide awake—the climate of a large part of the East Cascade region not unfavourable for chest affections. Over a great portion of the province the climate is that of England, with rather agreeable page 14 differences—no biting east winds, for instance. Over another portion, the climate resembles that of France. The larger lakes do not freeze over, nor do the large rivers ever close entirely up. Severe winters seem to come about once every eight or ten years, but what we call "severe winters" are less severe than the ordinary winters in Eastern Canada or the Northern States of the Union. Elevated districts, of course, have the climate that everywhere belongs to them, but even the roughest mountain climate in British Columbia is healthful.