14 THE PRAIRIES AND THE FORESTS. 



prairies stretch for hundreds of miles between the 

 white settlements at Winnipeg and the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, broken here and there by isolated hills such as 

 the Touchwood, Two Peaks, and Eagle Hill. 



Forests of immense extent clothe some districts, 

 while others are pleasantly diversified by an admix- 

 ture of wood and prairie, which gives a park-like 

 aspect to the scenery. Such is the case in the country 

 comprised between both arms of the Saskatchewan. 

 From the junction of these streams, stretching north- 

 ward for several hundred miles, to Lake Athabasca, is 

 perhaps the largest forest-covered section in the Terri- 

 tory. This is the great preserve of the Hudson Bay 

 Company, for within the gloomy recesses of these 

 woods fur-bearing animals are plentiful, while the pelts 

 are of the first quality. 



In the west, the Rocky Mountains rear their snow- 

 clad peaks among the clouds, while their lower slopes 

 are clad with dense forests, which extend along the 

 chain for many hundreds of miles. 



Among these grim mountains numerous rivers take 

 their rise; of which some find their way eastwards 

 across the prairies, after cutting a passage through 

 tremendous canons, the summits of which frown three 

 thousand and four thousand feet above the foaming 

 torrent below. Such are the Peace, the Athabasca, and 

 Saskatchewan. Others find their way westward to the 

 warm waters of the Pacific through alternate plains 

 and mountains the former often fertile and adorned 



