212 ASSINNIBOINE AND SASKATCHEWAN EXPEDITION. 



CHAP. XXXIY. 



THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CANADA AND RED EIVER. 



The Winter Communication. — Character of the Country on the North 

 Shores of Lakes Huron and Superior. — Probabilities of a Road being made. 

 Country north of Lake Huron. — Mr. Salter's Survey. — Mr. Murray's 



Survey. The Summer Communication. — Route proposed by Mr. 



Dawson. — The Pigeon River Route. — The Old North- West Company's 

 Route. — Cost of improving and opening the Fort William and Arrow Lake 



Route. Communication via the United States. — Arrangement of 



the Hudson's Bay Company. — Arrangement of Messrs. Rurbank and Com- 

 pany. — Captain Palliser's Opinion respecting the Canadian and Ameri- 

 can Routes. — Objections to his View. — Advantages of the Pigeon 

 River Route. 



WINTER COMMUNICATION. 



A road between Canada and Eed Eiver through British 

 territory is at present impracticable for commercial pur- 

 poses during the winter season, that is, from November to 

 April, both inclusive. A rocky wilderness, almost destitute 

 of civilized inhabitants, and throughout a considerable 

 part of its area not susceptible of cultivation, extends 

 from the 79th to the 96th meridian. The shortest line of 

 road from the limits of settlement in western Canada via 

 the north shores of Lakes Huron and Superior, to the 

 north corner of the Lake of the Woods exceeds 1000 

 miles in length, and would traverse a region where the 

 mean winter temperature does not rise higher than 

 fifteen degrees above zero. When the mineral wealth 

 of the northern shores of Lakes Huron and Superior 

 forms the basis of speculative enterprize on an enlarged 

 scale, a winter communication with those regions will 



