208 POOLE ON THE GREAT AMERICAN DESERT. 



In conclusion, I have met only two eagles inhabiting the Pro- 

 vince, the Golden Eagle, the aquila antiquorum ^ the bird of 

 Jove, of Caesar, the type of the white, red, black, and double 

 headed Teutonic family, and of the first Napoleon ; the second or 

 Bald Eagle, our great neighbour has adopted as their symbol. 



We may say that the old world having first choice has the finer 

 bird, yet a great maritime country is well symbolised by a Sea 

 Eagle ; and Nova Scotians may v/ell say, glancing at our plundered 

 fishing grounds — a fishing one. 



Art. III. The Great American Desert. By Henry S« 

 Poole Esq., F. G. S., &c.. Govt. Lispector of Mines > 



{Read Jan. 13, 1873) 



A POPULAR lecturer recently speaking of the Great North- West 

 referred to a map on the wall, and pointing to a great region of 

 country which extends from the parallel of the north fork of the 

 Platte River to the Sierra Nevada, and from the boundary line of 

 British Territoiy to Mexico, spoke of it as the Great American 

 Desert. To the immigrant pushing across the continent to the gold- 

 en state, California, it formerly doubtless did seem to be all desert. 

 For after leaving the rich loomy soil of Illinois and Iowa, and 

 the rolling prairie of Nebraska, bright with many-colored flowers, 

 he entered on a region which grew more and more desolate as he 

 advanced towards its centre, and yet he seldom found any of it so 

 poor but that it afforded sufficient nourishment for his cattle, and 

 enabled him with their aid, after many weary months of incessant 

 toil, to reach his destination. 



But it is not to that immense region, now better known, and no 

 longer spoken of as the desert, that I desire to draw your attention. 

 It is merely to a portion of it that lies nearly in the centre, and forms 

 but a small part of the whole of the country. Without doubt there 

 are in the region referred to by the lecturer, besides tlie desert that 

 is a desert beyond question, extensive tracts of most desohite and 

 forbidding looking country, as equally ill adapted for cultivation as 



