Excerpt from Reports of Exploration of a Portion of the New Westminster District: The East Coast of Vancouver Island, From Menzies Bay to Fort Rupert, and of the Cassiar District
Although this Report is made from an exploration and actual observation of the country between the City of New Westminster and Fort Hope, embracing both sides of Fraser River, I have, from time to time, availed myself of valuable information received from practical and experienced farmers throughout the district, respecting the country in their immediate neighborhood, the nature and value of the soil, and its adaptation to general agricultural purposes. Therefore, combining these together, I hope in this Report to la before you such information as will enable the public to form correct- conclusions respecting a district which now attracts so much attention; and by doing.2 this to attain the object of the department under whose authority this exploration was undertaken.
On the accompanying sketch, the distances between the principal points along the 2 river, and the direction from these points to the different tracts of land marked on the sketch, are as nearly correct as it was possible to make them with the appliances at hand.
Leaving Langley on the 18th of August, we commenced our exploration through that part of the New Westminster District lying between Boundary Bay and the Langley Settlement. In the general features of the country, very little change was observable. A few patches of swamp, grass land were met with; also two belts of alder land. (See sketch.) With the exception of these, the country is heavily timbered, with considerable fallen timber and thick undergrowth, the soil light and gravelly, and years of labour would have to be expended before even the most favourable parts could be made available for agricultural purposes. A few groves of excellent fir and cedars were passed through; one about three miles east of Halls Prairie, and the other between the latter place and the Boundary Line. Halls Prairie - a tract of fern and grass land is situated west of the southern extremity of Langley Prairie, and about three miles from the Boundary Line. Soil, black loam, with clay and gravel subsoil.
In and about the Langley District, a number of excellent farms are worked with the greatest care and attention, as is apparent from the fine fields of grain, root crops, c., the yield of the latter being in some instances very large.
The Langley Prairie, we are informed, and we have no reason to doubt, is all occupied; but a great part of it is uncultivated a waste covered with fern and other weeds. This is much to be deplored, since, there is no doubt, that were this land in the hands of practical farmers, Langley would be one of the most flourishing settlements in the District.
Between Langley and Matsqui, is situated some of the best land met with during the exploration. Eastward from the southern extremity of Langley Prairie, say five miles, and southward towards the Boundary Line, extends a strip of country where the undergrowth is so thick as to make it very difficult to travel through, yet the soil here is of the best description (black loam) and in placed very deep. The timber has been nearly all destroyed by fire, and fallen timber and matted undergrowth cover the whole face of the country, forming an almost impenetrable jungle, from which the intending settler would be apt to turn away.
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