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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 47

West Cascade Region

West Cascade Region.

British Columbia—Mainland portion; vast country—really not much known yet—length from corner to corner 800 miles; length by straight north and south line, about 420 miles; greatest breadth, about 400 miles.

The Rocky Mountain Range forms the eastern boundary of the province.

The Cascade Range is almost parallel to Rocky Range, between Rocky Range and coast (see Map); very ramified, its own average breadth from 15 to 50 miles; average height, 7000 feet, with towering volcanic peaks; sends down in westerly and southerly directions nigged mountain spurs to the sea; deep, gloomy sea inlets run up between these giant spurs; inlets on coast braced together by high mountains, sometimes called a "Coast Range." Fine scenery on the whole Mainland coast; the overflow of lakes pours down the steep declivities; avalanches have cut lines down the forest from mountain summits to water's edge, green timber growing where the descents are old; crevices here and there filled with snow; through rifts and gorges on the elevated shores are seen mountains far inland, some domed, others peaked.

The Cascade Range runs south into American territory, is broken up in Oregon and Northern California into spurs, known as Siskiyou Range, then extends to the east by connecting ranges, and forms the famous Sierra Nevadas of California.

The reader will be good enough to fix his eye upon this Cascade Range (see Map), for, as already said, it divides British Columbia into two grand divisions—the humid forest region, west of the Cascade Range (that is, between the Cascade Range and the sea), and the dry grazing region, east of the Cascade Range (that is, between the Cascade Range and the Rocky Range).

The West Cascade Region, particularly that portion lying opposite to Van-couver Island, is similar in climate and productions, and also in contour to the island, but has grander features. The island is, in fact, a piece broken off from this Mainland Region. The soil of the West Cascade Region is moist and loamy, with luxuriant vegetation.

The East Cascade Region is more open, with extensive plains and valleys, though mountainous still; climate dry, timber scarce and rather poor; soil light; herbage excellent.