miles by six, which is fed by the St. Joseph, St. Mary and Coeur d’Alene Rivers, and which flows through a vast plain until it empties its waters into the Columbia, the Mississippi of the Pacific Coast.  From its point of junction with the Spokane, the Columbia makes a big bend in its course until the Snake River is reached, when it turns once more westward, and flows on to empty into the Pacific Ocean.  South of the city, stretching westward for some distance from the mountains, and extending in a southerly direction to the Clearwater and Snake Rivers, is a vast country comprising millions of acres, through which the Palouse River and its tributary streams meander, and which is known as the Palouse Valley, a country of unlimited agricultural resources.  In the center of all this immense territory is located Spokane Falls, like the hub in the center of a wheel.  The word immense is not used unwittingly, for the mountains and plains and valleys make up a country that in Europe would be called a nation, and in New England would form a State.  Only a far-off corner of the Union, it may seem to some readers, yet there are powerful empires which possess less natural resources than it can call its own.  The city itself lies on both sides of the Spokane River, at the point where that stream, separated by rocky islands into five separate channels, rushes onward and downward, at first being merely a series of rapids, and then tumbling over the rocks in a number of beautiful and useful waterfalls, until the several streams unite once again for a final plunge of sixty feet, making a fall of 157 feet in the distance of half a mile.  This waterfall, with its immense power, would alone make a city; engineers have estimated its force at 90,000 horse-power, and it is so distributed that it can be easily utilized.

[Illustration:  A fish wheel, Columbia river.  On the Union Pacific Ry.]

* * * * *

Fourth Tour.—­To

Alaska.

The native islanders called the mainland “Al-ay-ek-sa,” which signifies “great country,” and the word has been corrupted into “Alaska.”  This immense empire, it will be remembered, was sold by Russia to the United States October 18, 1867, for $7,500,000.  The country was discovered by Vitus Behring in 1741.  Alaska has an area of 578,000 square miles, and is nearly one-fifth as large as all the other States and Territories combined.  It is larger than twelve States the size of New York.

The best time to visit Alaska is from May to September.  The latter month is usually lovely, and the sea beautifully smooth, but the days begin to grow short.  The trip occupies about twenty-five days.

As the rainfall in Alaska is usually very large, it naturally follows that an umbrella is a convenient companion.  A gossamer for a lady and a mackintosh for a gentleman, and heavy shoes, and coarse, warm and comfortable clothing for both should be provided.