170 EARL DE GREY'S ADDRESS. [May 28, 1860. 



the Soutli Saskatchewan River, following the course of Eed-Deer 

 River. By reaching within a few miles of the point from which 

 he turned in his first season's explorations, and thence proceeding 

 westward to the Rocky Mountains, keeping between the Sou^h 

 Saskatchewan and the Boundary line, he thus completed the survey 

 of the great and hitherto unknown Prairie region. His Report 

 shows that the arid tract which is known to occupy the centre of 

 the North American continent extends for at least 2^ into British 

 territory. The greater portion of the country adjacent to the South 

 Saskatchewan and Red-Deer River he found to be deficient in 

 moisture, and only supporting a very scanty pasture. At the 

 Cypree Hills, however, which lie about 40 miles north of the 

 frontier line, in long. 111° w., there is abundance of wood, water, 

 and grass. 



After thus spending the early part of the summer in completing 

 the exploration of the eastern prairie country, he despatched Dr. 

 Hector to traverse the mountains by a northern route, while, accom- 

 panied by the Astronomer, Mr. Sullivan, he himself crossed by the 

 Kutanie Pass to Fort Colvile. 



From that point Mr. Sullivan explored eastward towards the 

 Rocky Mountains, and describes a succession of transverse vallej's 

 by which a road, striking the valley of the Kutanie River by either 

 the Kananaskis or Vermilion Pass, could be continued westward 

 within British territory. At the same time Captain Palliser con- 

 tinued an examination of the country to the west of the Columbia, 

 likewise keeping within British territory, until he met the Boundary 

 Commission and also Lieutenant Palmer, r.e., whose reconnaissance 

 of a trail from Lower Frazer River to Fort Colvile has also been 

 laid before this Society. As likewise, by the valley of the Okanagan 

 River, there is known to be an easy communication wdth the gold 

 mining region, the connection of the Saskatchewan plains east of 

 the Rocky Mountains with a known route into British Columbia 

 may be considered as one of the chief results accomplished by the 

 expedition. Dr. Hector, after leaving Captain Palliser, followed up 

 the South Saskatchewan, and crossed the mountains by a " pass" in 

 the neighbourhood of the 52nd parallel, when, after striking the 

 Columbia and within 60 miles of his exit on Thompson River, his 

 exploration was closed by the advance of winter and the want of 

 provisions, while forcing his way through timber so dense that he 

 could not penetrate faster than from three to four miles a day. He 

 reports, however, that he encountered no physical obstacles to the 



