and he now compiles a pleasant and readable volume out
of the notes which he made by the a ay, adding to its value by photographs and maps that contain the most recent geographical information. Mr Gordon does not spend mach time or space on preliminaries. By the thirtieth page be has accomplished his journey from Ottawa to Victoria ; the second chapter takes him from Victoria to the Skeena River, which drains the northern district of British Columbia. The Skeena was ascended in canoes. Like other rivers of the west coast, it abounds with salmon, but the wretched creatures will not rise to a fly. It is a curious fact that they never pay more than one visit to the sea. At least, the common belief is that, having spawned, they die. The next point, after quitting
the Skeena, was Lake Babine, a sheet of water one hundred miles in
length. This region contains a considerable population of Indians, of whose condition throughout the Dominion Mr. Gordon gives, on the whole, a favourable account. He mentions, by the way, a curious fact,—that half-bred children, when the father is a Frenchman, com- monly sink to the level of their Indian mother ; but when he is Scotch, are raised by him to something like a white man's status. Mr. Gordon's book will repay perusal, and if any one has leisure to follow his steps, may be made useful as a guide.
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