Feb, 14, 1859.] OF PASSES THROUGH THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. 123 



Two from the S. branch of the Saskatchewan to the Kntanie river, 

 viz., the Kananaski and Vermilion. 



Two from the Kutanie river to the Columbia river, viz. the Lake 

 and the Beaver Fork. 



One between the S. and the N. branches of the Saskatchewan, viz. 

 the Little Fork. 



One from the S. branch of the Saskatchewan to the Columbia, 

 viz. the Kicking Horse. 



In addition to these, the Northern Kutanie Pass has been laid 

 down, and found to be within British territory. 



The most promising of all the routes, for the purpose of crossing 

 the Rocky Mountains, appears to be that laid down by Dr. Hector. 

 He followed the Bow River tributary up to the water-parting of 

 the continent ; then continued forward until he reached a transverse 

 water-parting, which divided the waters of the Columbia and N. 

 Saskatchewan on the one hand from those of the Kutanie and S. 

 Saskatchewan on the other. There he found the facilities for 

 crossing the mountains to be so great as to leave little doubt in his 

 mind of the practicability of connecting the plains of the Saskat- 

 chewan with the opposite side of the main chain of the Rocky 

 Mountains, even by means of a railroad. 



As regards the scenery of the Rocky Mountains, there is a re- 

 markable absence of peaks. Fine glaciers fill the upper hollows of 

 the range ; and from different arms of the same large glacier pro- 

 ceed the N. and S. branches of the Saskatchewan. The snow-line 

 appears to have been between 6000 and 7000 feet above the sea. 

 In lat. 51° 40', at a height of 6300 feet, snow was lying in patches 

 under the shade of trees, notwithstanding a clear midday sun. 



There is very little game about the mountains ; the most remark- 

 able animal of those that exist is the white goat. It lives on the 

 highest parts of the range, and seldom descends. As a consequence 

 of the absence of game, Indians are rarely met with, and none of 

 them possess other than very vague knowledge about the passes. 

 The Kutanie Indians are a wretched set, though rich in horses. 



The country of the Upper Saskatchewan was found to be far less 

 fertile and well timbered than had been supposed. There are large 

 tracts of worthless soil, and constant prairie fires have utterly 

 destroyed the greater part of the timber — so much so, that the 

 travellers were usually in difficulty owing to the want of firewood. 



About Fort Edmonton wheat is raised, and cattle remain out of 

 doors the whole winter. Potatoes grow excellently. 



The President. — In retumiug thanks to Captain Palliser, Dr. Hector, 

 Lieut. Blakiston, Mr. Sullivan, and the other gentlemen employed in this 



