342 Str R. I. Murchison on the Pailiser Expedition. 
region, as watered by the North and South Saskatchawan rivers 
and their affluents. Collaterally, it was resolved, if possible—and 
mainly at the instance of this Society—to determine the elevation 
of the Rocky Mountains in those parallels of latitude, and to 
point out the passes in them by which communication might be 
opened out between the vast country occupied by the Hudson 
Bay Company and the great British seaboard on the Pacific. 
In the award of the Patron’s Medal to Captain Palliser, allu- 
sions have been made to some of the principle results obtained 
the researches of the expedition under his orders. But 
should not do justice to the leader and his associates, nor to my 
own feelings, were I not to add a few words of explanation and 
comment. The first year’s labors were necessarily of more im- 
portance to the Government than they could be to geographers 
and naturalists. The great object was to determine the capa- 
magnetical observations of considerable importance were made 
—these countries being: to a great extent known before, and 
their outlines being monotonous—that portion of the survey cre- 
ated but slight interest among us. 
Not so when the Rocky Mountains, to which we bad specially 
directed attention, came to be surveyed.* On proceeding from 
three parties. Leading one of these himself across the Kananaski 
Pass, and returning by the Kootanie Pass in north latitude 494°, 
erly or boundary Pass, he sent Dr. Hector to traverse the chain 
by the Vermilion Pass, and to explore, as a geologist and natu- 
ralist, the much loftier mountains into which the chain rises 10 18 
trend to the N.N.W. This division of his forces well merited, 
therefore, the expressions. used in the award which has been 
sanctioned by t il. . 
_ The marked success of the survey accomplished by my young 
friend Dr. Hector has been peculiarly gratifying to me, inasmuc 
as I had answered for the capacity he would exhibit in applymg 
his scientific knowledge. Thus, in addition to the determination 
of latitade, longitude, and the altitude of the mountains and two 
4 Dt Hector had, by directions of his chief, made a successful foray in dog sledges 
. edge of the Rocky Mountains during the winter, in which he pro- 
pea a Fei 
