232 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



the sea-coast generally effects a cure. The 

 natives who confine themselves to snow 

 water in the winter, and drink of the small 

 rivulets which flow through the plains in 

 the summer, are exempt from the attacks 

 of this disease. 



" These facts are curious, inasmuch as 

 they militate against the generally-received 

 opinion that the disease is caused by drink- 

 ing snow-water ; an opinion which seems to 

 have originated from bronchocele being en- 

 demial to subalpine districts. 



" The Saskatchawan, at Edmonton, is 

 clear in the winter, and also in the summer, 

 except during the May and July floods. 

 The distance from the Rocky Mountains 

 (which I suppose to be of primitive forma- 

 tion,) is upwards of one hundred and thirty 

 miles. The neighbouring plains are allu- 

 vial, the soil is calcareous, and contains nu- 

 merous travelled fragments of limestone. 

 At a considerable distance below Edmon- 

 ton, the river, continuing its course through 

 the plains, becomes turbid, and acquires a 

 white colour. In this state it is drunk by 

 the inmates of Carlton House, where the 



