462 ASSINNIBOINE AND SASKATCHEWAN EXPEDITION. 



experienced voyageurs ;) and he expressed a hope that the 

 long talked of steamers would soon make their appear- 

 ance on Lake Winnipeg, to replace the present tedious, 

 toilsome, and expensive mode of conveyance. 



In reply as to whether there would be sufficient 

 business to warrant the placing of steam vessels on these 

 north-western waters, (irrespective of the establishment of 

 a continental route to the Pacific, through British terri- 

 tory ;) I was informed that there would be plenty of 

 freight to carry for the present requirements and traffic of 

 Eupert's Land ; as during the year (1858) no fewer than 

 167 freight boats of the largest class, (four to five tons 

 each) belonging to private traders and merchants, as well 

 as the Hon. Hudson's Bay Company, (many of them 

 loaded with valuable furs,) had passed Norway House, at 

 the northern outlet of Lake Winnipeg, en route to York 

 Factory ; and returned with heavy cargoes of merchan- 

 dise brought by sea to York, consisting chiefly of the 

 usual supplies for Selkirk settlement, ammunition, and a 

 variety of goods for the prosecution of the Indian trade 

 both by the Company and " Freemen." The aggregate 

 quantity of freight transported by this fleet of boats from 

 the seaboard to Lake Winnipeg, and thence distributed 

 along its principal feeders would be upwards of 800 tons. 

 It is well known that there are large quantities of goods 

 imported by other lines of communication — chiefly 

 through the United States territory at present ; and as 

 the York Factory route is to be partially abandoned, 

 a large portion of the importations of Eupert's Land will 

 have henceforth to enter the Winnipeg Basin from the 

 south, so that there will doubtless be sufficient commerce 

 in view of the great water facilities afforded by the 

 country, to encourage the initiation of steam navigation. 



After remaining at Mr. Christie's encampment about 



