HIS FIRST JOURNEY ACROSS THE PRAIRIES 63 



separate expedition to Peace River, by Fort Dunvegen, to report 

 on the flora of that country and on the nature of the northern 

 passes through the Rocky Mountains. We parted, with 

 regret, for men get better acquainted with each other on ship- 

 board, or in a month's travel in a lone-land, than they would under 

 ordinary circumstances in a year." 



The quotations from "Ocean to Ocean," written by Dr. Grant 

 and published in 1873, are now followed by quotations from Mr. 

 Horetzky's book, named "Canada on the Pacific," published in 

 1874, dedicated to Mr. Mackenzie, who was then Premier of 

 Canada. Mr. Horetzky's descriptions and observations of cer- 

 tain parts of our trip are freely given and I put in a few of my own 

 observations to fill up the hiatus. The first quotation I make is 

 a part of the Preface. 



"To the officers of the Hudson's Bay Company, without 

 exception, the best thanks are due for the hearty welcome and 

 aid extended to Mr. Macoun (my colleague), and myself, during 

 our journey. Mr. Macoun, Botanist, of Belleville, Ontario, has 

 also contributed very important data regarding the flora and 

 growing capabilities of the Peace River country. In the section 

 covering Lesser Slave Lake to the Fraser River the reader will 

 kindly bear in mind that absolute correctness is not to be 

 expected." 



The next quotation is in regard to the start to the Pacific: 

 " 'Hurrah for the Peace River!' Such was the joyous exclama- 

 tion of our Botanist, as, after waving an affectionate adieu to our 

 late travelling companions, he turned upon his heel and remarked 

 to me in a manner peculiarly his own, 'Now we shall soon settle 

 McLeod's theory!' It must here be remarked, by way of explana- 

 tion, that, in the early part of 1872, a pamphlet, styled The Peace 

 River' had been published in the City of Ottawa, setting forth 

 the possibility of a line of communication between the Eastern 

 and Western parts of the Dominion of Canada, by the Valley of 

 the Peace River. The author of the article in question had been 

 aided by extracts from an old Hudson's Bay Officer's Journal and 

 Diary. The Chief Engineer of the Canadian Pacific Road, struck 

 by the possible advantages of such a highway, chose the writer 



