Oy THE COUNTET. 33 



meat alone. They raise no corn and eat none. Tlieir daily- 

 food in all seasons is meat, the daily rations for a man being 

 7 lbs., and for a woman, 5 lbs. But, wMle Mr. Kitson be- 

 lieved that the valley of this river enjoys a milder winter cli- 

 mate than Montreal, he is doubtful whether Indian corn would 

 ripen in it any more than it does on the Bed Kiver, which is 

 considerably farther south, and where it is only grown as a 

 garden plant. He thinks the route this way, and over the 

 Rocky Mountains to Frazer's Eiver is quite practicable. Indeed 

 the country, as far as the Eocky Mountains, is said to be so 

 level that the journey might be made the whole way in a car- 

 riage. 



ISTor would the fur trade of the Hudson's Bay Company be 

 materially interfered with if their lease of this valley of the 

 Saskatchewan and the Red River should not be renewed. They 

 derive all their best furs from the Mackenzie River, and the 

 vast territory to the north and east. Buffalo skins are their 

 chief produce at present from this rich tract of country, and 

 these are of minor importance. 



But the English people have a duty to perform to them- 

 selves in this matter. If they are to hand over to Caaada the 

 absolute property ia this grL territory, Canada should he 

 made to pay all daims for compensation toVhich the Hudson's 

 Bay Company may be entitled. Why should we be taxed for 

 an object in which they are chiefly interested? If the terri- 

 tory is not worth more than the sum to be paid as compensa- 

 tion, why take it from the Hudson's Bay Company at all? 

 Speaking iu the interest of England alone, it seems to me that 

 it is better for us to have an English Company shanng among 

 themselves in this country the surplus projGlts of that region, 

 than that we should pay a large sum in compensation merely 

 for the pleasure of transferring the property so acquired to 

 Canada. The Canadians are the best judges of its value, and 



