ic.

"The soil of the western section varies from a deep black vegetable loam
to a light brown loamy earth. The bills are generally basalt stone and
slate. The surface is generally undulating, well watered, well wooded,
and well adapted for agriculture and pasturage. The timber consists of
pine, fir, spruce, oaks (white and red), ash, arbutus, cedar,
arbor-vitae, poplar, maple, willow, cherry, tew, with underwoods of
hazel and roses. All kinds of grain, wheat, rice, barley, oats, and
pease, can be procured there in abundance. Various fruits, such as
pears, apples, etcetera, succeed there admirably; and the different
vegetables produced in England yield there most abundant crops.

"The middle section, which is about 1000 feet above the level of the
western, is not so well wooded or fertile; yet in the southern parts of
it, where the missionaries have established settlements, they have
raised excellent crops, and reared large stocks of cattle.
Notwithstanding the occasional cold, their cattle are not housed, nor is
provender laid in for them in any quantity, the country being
sufficiently supplied with fodder in the natural hay, that is everywhere
abundant in the prairies, which the cattle prefer."

Mr Wilkes says, "In comparison with the United States, I would say,
that the labour necessary in this territory to acquire wealth or
subsistence is in the proportion of one to three; or in other words, a
man must work throughout the year three times as much in the United
States to gain the like competency. The care of stock, which requires
so much time with us, requires no attention there, and on the increase
only, a man might find support." He further says, "There will be also a
demand for the timber of this country at high prices, throughout the
Pacific. The oak is well adapted for ship timber, and abundance of ash,
cedar, cypress, and arbor-vitae may be had for other purposes, building,
fuel, fencing," etcetera. He also adds, "No part of the world affords
finer inland sounds, or a greater number of harbours, than are found
within the Straits of Juan de Fuca, capable of receiving the highest
class of vessels, and without a danger in them which is not viable.
From the rise and fall of the tides (eighteen feet) every facility is
afforded for the erection of works for a great maritime nation. The
country also affords as many sites for maritime power as any other."

On the northern coast there are a number of island