Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 29).djvu/87

 It then pursues a southerly course, receiving the waters of the Chilcotin, Pinkslitsa, and several smaller streams, from the west, and those of Thompson's river, Quisnell's[102] and other streams, from the east, (these take their rise in lakes, and are navigable in canoes, by making portages); and under the parallel of 49° it breaks through the Cascade range in a succession of falls and rapids, and, after a westerly course of seventy miles it empties itself into the gulf of Georgia, in the latitude of 49° 07['] north. This latter portion is navigable for vessels that can pass its bar drawing twelve feet water; its whole length being three hundred and fifty miles.

The Chikeelis is next in importance. It has three sources among the range of hills that intersect the country north of the Columbia river. After a very tortuous course, and receiving some small streams issuing from the lakes in the high ground near the {287} head-quarters of Hood's canal and Puget's Sound, it disembogues in Grey's harbour;[103] it is not navigable except for canoes; its current is rapid, and the stream much obstructed.

southwest through several lakes, of which Stuart Lake is the largest, into Nechaco River. The latter comes from the west along the fifty-fourth parallel, and carries the waters of Stuart's River into the Fraser, sixty-five miles farther east at the site of Fort George.—]
 * [Footnote: honor of his companion, John Stuart. It rises near latitude 56° north, flowing