May 28, I860.] BRITISH NORTH AMERICA— HIND'S EXPEDITION. 171 



construction of road, so far as he explored. The absence of game, 

 and the difficulty of carrying provisions, owing to the luxuriance 

 of the forest growth, appear to render the exploration of the country 

 to the west of the Eocky Mountains an extremely difficult and ex- 

 pensive task. 



The results of this most important expedition will in due time be 

 laid before the Society, and published in its Journal. 



Hind's Expedition. — Great credit is due to the Canadian Government 

 for the energy with which they have pushed their explorations into 

 the vast region lying to the west of Lake Superior and the country 

 drained by the Winnipeg, Eed Kiver, and the Saskatchewan. The 

 reports of the Assinniboine and Saskatchewan expedition under the 

 charge of Professor H. Y. Hind,* introduce us to a large tract of coun- 

 try respecting which comparatively little was known. The great 

 lakes of the Winnipeg basin, embracing a water area exceeding 13,000 

 square miles, are bounded to the west by the abrupt and precipitous 

 escarpments of the Riding, Duck, Porcupine, and Pas Mountains, 

 which bear marks of their having once been an ancient coast line, 

 when the ocean was relatively 1600 feet above its present level; 

 the low region east of these mountains being the result of denuda- 

 tion. On their western flanks these ranges descend in steps and 

 gentle slopes to the fertile valleys of the Assinniboine and Swan 

 rivers, and are densely wooded with valuable forest trees. The 

 area of arable land of the first quality between the Lake of the 

 Woods and the Grand Forks of the Saskatchewan is estimated by 

 Professor Hind to exceed 11,000,000 acres ; and an additional area 

 of equal extent is fitted, even in its present condition, for pasturage. 



Wheat and Indian corn have been grown at all the posts of the 

 Hudson Bay Company, and at the missionary stations scattered over 

 this belt of fertile country. Although the low region east of the 

 Eiding and Duck Mountains, and partly occupied by the Great Lakes 

 Winnipeg, Manitobah and Winnipego-sis, is generally unfit for the 

 permanent habitation of civilized man, yet it has been found to 

 contain an inexhaustible supply of that great necessary of life, 

 common salt. The brine springs occupy a strip of country extend- 

 ing from the 49th to the 54th parallel, and thence towards the valley 



* North-AYest Territory. Reports of Progress ; together with a Preliminary 

 and General Report on the Assinniboine and Saskatchewan Exploring Expedition. 

 By Henry Youle Hind, M.A., in charge of the Expedition. Printed by order of 

 the Legislative Assembly, Canada, 1859 ; also in a Blue-Book, Eyre and Spottis- 

 woode, London, 1860, 



