FRASER, the chief river of British Columbia, Canada, ris ing in two branches among the Rocky Mountains near 45' N., 30' W. Length 74o m. It flows north-west for about 160 m., rounds the head of the Cariboo Mountains, flows directly south for over 400 m. to Hope, turns again abruptly and flows west for 8o m., falling into the Gulf of Georgia at New Westminster. The chief tributaries after the two branches join are the Stuart, the Quesnel one hundred miles farther down, the Chil cotin, and about 180 m. from the sea the Thompson. Several of these drain mountain lakes and have deep and impassable canyons. Below Hope the Lillooet flows in from the north. The Fraser is a typical mountain stream, rapid and impetuous through all its length, and like most of its tributaries is in many parts not navigable even by canoes. On its southern course between Lytton and Yale, while bursting its way through the Coast Range, it flows through majestic canyons, which, like those of the Thomp son, were the scene of many tragedies during the days of the gold-rush to the Cariboo district. At Yale, about loo m. from its mouth, it becomes navigable, though its course is still very rapid. Government works have recently been undertaken at the mouth. In the Cariboo district, comprised within the great bend of the river, near Tete Jaune Cache, are many valuable gold deposits. With its tributaries the Fraser drains the whole province from 54° to 49° N., except the extreme south-eastern corner, which is within the basin of the Columbia and its trib utary the Kootenay.