270 ASSINNIBOINE AND SASKATCHEWAN EXPEDITION. 



communicated to you last year, and which, so far as this point is 

 concerned, will serve for your guidance for the present season. 



6. There are, however, two matters to which I am to request 

 you to direct your particular attention, namely, the salt region 

 in the neighbourhood of Lake Manitobah, adverted to in your 

 report for last year, and the deposit of Tertiary coal or lignite, 

 reported to exist in the valley of Mouse Eiver. 



7. It is most important that you should ascertain, by actual 

 examination, as far as possible, the existence, extent, and char- 

 acter of these deposits. 



8. In ascending or descending the different rivers you may 

 have occasion to explore, it is advisable that you should note 

 with care, their breadth, depth, rate of current, and the probable 

 quantity of water discharged by them at different points, and at 

 different seasons of the year; their facilities for navigation by 

 boats or steamers, and whether they overflow their banks to any 

 extent at any season of the year. 



9. The general aspect of the whole region should be carefully 

 described. The character of the timber and soil observed, and 

 the general fitness of the latter for agricultural purposes ascer- 

 tained as far as may be from observation and inquir}^. 



10. It is desirable that your meteorological observations should 

 be made with the maximum and minimum thermometer, and 

 with the wet and dry bulb. The temperature of the rivers, lakes, 

 and springs should also be recorded, and the rainfall observed. 



Any reliable information you can obtain as to the quantity of 

 snow precipitated during the winter, would also be of interest. 



11. Your topographical explorations should be made with 

 reference to the construction of a map (as complete as possible) 

 of the region explored, on a scale of two miles to one inch — and 

 your operations should be conducted in view of a possible ex- 

 tension, at some future time, of the exploration, so as to embrace 

 the entire valley of Lake Winnipeg and its feeders. 



12. With a view to illustrate the natural history of the country, 

 you will avail yourself of such opportunities as may present 

 themselves to collect any objects tha£ may be useful for that 

 purpose. 



13. Any geological or natural history specimens which you 



