546 GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. 
has already, since the beginning of the present century, been the object of many 
explorations, the most prominent of which are those of Astronomer Thompson, * 
Lefroy, Richardson, Lord Selkirk, Blodget, and others. They all agree that the 
Saskatchewan district is well adapted for cultivation. It comprises an immense 
area, and as early as 1805, Lord Selkirk said that it could give bread to at least 
30 millions of people. In regard to the climate, Blodget, who is most thoroughly 
acquainted with the subject, says that the average temperature in winter 
is not below that of St. Petersburg and Moscow; in summer it equals that of 
northern Italy and New York. The temperature increases, just as in Hurope, as 
you go from east to west. Spring commences at all points almost at the same 
time. There isno want of rain; grass, forests and buffaloes abound. Useful tim- 
ber is abundant ; coal is found in many places, but particularly rich deposits exist 
at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and near the Little Sauris River. The 
country is level and appears so even, that Blakistone remarked that for the con- 
struction of a railroad nothing was required but to put down the rails. Its numere 
ous lakes and rivers can easily be connected for internal communication, and afford 
even now the only means of transport between the different stations of the Hudson’s 
Bay Company. The Saskatchewan district can also be easily connected with the 
new gold region by means of commodious roads through Palliser’s passage across 
the Rocky Mountains. This new colony will, by reason of its very favourable 
situation, its beautiful harbors, but particularly by reason of its wealthin gold, 
surely rise as speedily as Southern California ; and, as it is less capable of agricul- 
ture, would naturally become the great market for the products of its eastern 
neighbors, in the Saskatchewan district. ; 
We may therefore well be justified in prognosticating for this district a prosper 
ous future in regard to agriculture, but we cannot agree with such opinions ex- 
pressed some time ago in the Montreal Pé/ot, that by a regularly established road 
fyom Lake Superior to Lake of the Woods, Red River, Lake Winnipeg, Saskat- 
chewan River, across the Rocky Mountains to the rivers of British Columbia, 
thence to Pacific, all commercial intercourse between Europe and China, Japan 
and India would take this route. A road which changes so often between land 
and water can never become a general commercial road for such a distance, not to 
mention the almost insurmountable difficulties for vessels of a larger draught, 
such as sudden bends, rapids, falls, shallow waters, ete., and the entirely unculti- 
vated state of the country, 
After these few remarks we return to our subject proper. We can give but 
a brief synopsis, and refer those who desire a detailed account of the Canadian 
expedition, to the “Reports on the exploration of the country between Lake 
Superior and Red River Settlement.” A still more minute account is given 
in the “Papers relative to the Explorations of the Country between Lake 
Superior and the Red River settlement, presented to both Houses of Parliaments 
* Thompson was from 1790, over 30 years, in the employ of the Hudson’s Bay Company, 
and the reports of his explorations (87 vols.) are deposited in the Archives of this Company, 
From fragments of them it appears that Thompson possessed a great knowledge of the 
country, but it is doubtful whether these reports will ever be accessible to such as are not 
connected with the Company. Until now the Company has kept them back. 
