62 HIS FIRST JOURNEY ACROSS THE PRAIRIES 



practically meant the whole distance between the North and 

 South Saskatchewan and other vast regions to the east, north and 

 west, especially a broad belt along the bases of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains to the south of Edmonton, two hundred miles long by fifty 

 broad, the home of the Blackfeet, and pronounced by many to be 

 the garden of the North-west. Others maintained that, as far as 

 the Saskatchewan country was concerned, only a narrow belt 

 along such rivers as the Battle, Vermilion and Red Deer could be 

 cultivated with success. It is not necessary to decide between 

 those views now. We knew, at this time, on the authority of 

 Captain Palliser, who crossed and re-crossed the plains several 

 times, that the central American desert extended a short way into 

 British Territory, forming a triangle, having for its base the forty- 

 ninth parallel from longitude 100° to 1 14° W., with its apex reach- 

 ing to the 52nd parallel of latitude. But the first emigrants would 

 naturally select land along the courses of streams, especially the 

 navigable rivers, and they would soon find out all about the inter- 

 vening districts. 



While at Edmonton, I found quite a number of miners at work 

 on the bars of the river. From one of these miners I bought an 

 ounce of Saskatchewan gold and, on my return to Ottawa, had it 

 made into a ring for my wife, which she still wears. 



While we were crossing the prairie we read "Butler's Lone 

 Land" and discussed a pamphlet which was published by a Mr. 

 McLeod of Ottawa immediately before we left. 



When we reached Edmonton, Mr. Fleming decided that it was 

 important that this pamphlet should be taken into account and 

 asked Mr. Horetzky and myself if we would try and reach the 

 Peace River and come through the mountains to Fort McLeod 

 this autumn, and we said that we would try. It was decided that 

 as soon as Mr. Fleming's party left for the West, Mr. Horetzky 

 would arrange the outfit for our trip. The following is from 

 "Ocean to Ocean.": 



"We had to say good-bye (Mr. Fleming's party) not only to 

 the Indians who had come from Fort Pitt and to Mr. McDougal 

 and the gentlemen of the Fort ; but also to Horetzky and to 

 our Botanist, as the Chief had decided to send these two on a 



