THE CHINOOK 139 



habitat of the fur-bearing animals was thousands of 

 miles removed from the wheatfields of Alberta. The 

 heat during the summer is equally distributed through- 

 out the province. The rainfall takes place in May, 

 June and July ; and during the harvesting months 

 dry weather may be reckoned on unhesitatingly. It 

 is a common mistake to judge climate by latitude. 

 Other forces materially affect it. Wind currents 

 from land and sea, and thousands of square miles of 

 high barren plains have a modifying effect over the 

 entire province as far as the Arctic Circle. The line 

 of greatest heat passes over Port Vermillion, 500 

 miles north of Edmonton, and 800 miles from the 

 States boundary-line. 



The Chinook, a delightful breeze from the sea, 

 is said to have a beneficial effect on the crops. In 

 proof of the friendly climatic conditions, the official 

 reports pointed out that the Indians lived for ages 

 in these northern regions, and pitched their wigwams 

 on the banks of the Athabasca and Saskatchewan, 

 and wintered their horses on the unsheltered plains. 



The North-West Mounted Police, which were 

 organized in 1874, and are intimately acquainted with 

 the province, confirm these reports. Two members 

 of the force, whom I met on my homeward journey, 

 described it as the finest climate in the Dominion. 

 From the first of June to the first of August there 

 are only two hours of darkness in the twenty-four. 

 Wild grass is so good that there is no need to 



