THE ROUTE ACROSS THE CONTINENT. 393 



coimtiy lies but a step as it were from tlie gold 

 fields. It is the very supplement required to 

 British Columbia. That communication could be 

 easily established has been already demonstrated. 

 Why, then, should not the miners be supplied with 

 provisions from British territory, instead of from 

 California, and the gold of British Columbia enrich 

 British subjects rather than Americans ? 



We would not, however, stop here. The advan- 

 tages of a route across the continent of America, 

 which passes entirely through British territory, seem 

 palpable enough. The Americans, ever in advance 

 of us in like enterprises — not from individual supe- 

 riority perhaps, but having a more liberal and less 

 lethargic government — have constructed a road, and 

 laid a telegraph line across the continent to Cali- 

 fornia, and -have commenced a Pacific Eailway. 

 Greater difficulties had to be encountered in carrying 

 a road over more barren prairies, where wood and 

 water are scarce, and which are infested by hostile 

 Indians. The pass through the mountains in American 

 territory is abrupt and high, unlike the easier gradients 

 of the Vermilion and Jasper House passes. But all 

 these obstacles were overcome, and San Francisco is 

 now in daily communication with the Atlantic States 

 by both post and telegraph ; the latter ha\4ng paid 

 the cost of its construction in a single year. The 

 principal obstacle to be overcome in caiTying a road 

 across the continent which shall pass entirely through 

 British territory, appears to be in the district between 

 Lake Superior and Fort Garry. This region consists 



