THE 



CANADIAN NATURALIST 



AND 



^uiutcvly dfouvnal of Science. 



NOTES ON A JOURNEY THROUGH THE NORTH- 

 WEST TERRITORY, FROM .MANITOBA TO ROCKY 

 MOUNTAIN PIOUSE/!^ 



By a. R. C. Selwyn, F.G.S 

 Director of the (reological Survej' of Canada. 



Having during the past summer made a rapid journey through 

 a very considerable portion of the north-western territories of the 

 Dominion, I thought it would perhaps be interesting to the So- 

 ciety to hear a brief account of how we travelled, and what we 

 met with in those distant and as yet but little explored regions. 

 If in relating my experiences I should refer to matters with 

 which doubtless many members are already familiar, either from 

 personal experience or from having read the narratives of pre- 

 vious travellers in the same region, my excuse must be that with- 

 out doing so, I should probably have little if anything to relate 

 which has not been dwelt upon and described, either by Palli- 

 ser. Hector, Blakiston, Bourgeau, Hind, Milton and Cheadle, 

 Butler, Ross or Grant, and is consequently more or less known 

 to all who have read the interesting and detailed narratives which 

 have been published by these travellers in the north-west. 



The explorer of these vast western regions, so appropriately 

 designated by Captain Butler The Great Lone Land, leaves 

 behind him hotels, railroads and stages, as well as all other ordi- 

 nary facilities for travel. He is thrown entirely on his own re- 

 sources; and therefore before starting has to provide himself with 

 everything requisite for the subsistence, transport and shelter of 

 himself and his companions during the entire journey. 



* Kead before the Natural History Society, Jan. 26th, 1874. 

 Vol. VII. N JN^o. 4. 



