The river here is over
four hundred yards in width, and its banks, from the water's edge
to the upper prairie level are some six hundred feet or more in
height; but, as the trail leads, the ascent of the great slope
is about a mile in length.
A number of townships had been blocked here, at one time, by
Mr. Ogilvie, D.L.S., but not subdivided, Fort Dunvegan being
situated, if I mistake not, in the south-west corner of Township
80, Range 4, west of the Sixth Meridian.
The Roman Catholic Mission east of the fort was found to be
beautifully sheltered, and neighboured by fine fields of wheat and
a garden full of green peas and new potatoes. But this was on the
flat. There was no farming whatever on the north side, on the upper
and beautiful prairies described. A Mr. Milton had tried, it was
said, about ten miles east of Dunvegan, but did not make a success
of it.
Near the fort a raft was moored, on which had descended a party of
four Americans. They were from the State of Wyoming, and had made
their way the previous summer, by way of St. John and the Pine
River, to the Nelson, a tributary of the Liard. They had had poor
luck, in fact no luck at all; and this was the story of every
returning party we met which had been prospecting on the various
tributaries of the Peace and Liard towards the mountains. The cost
of supplies, the varying and uncertain yield, but, above all, the
brief season in which it is possible to work, barely six weeks--had
dissipated by sad experience the bright dreams of wealth which had
lured them from comfortable homes.
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