232 ASSINNIBOINE AND SASKATCHEWAN EXPEDITION. 



longitude, in the occupation of the Company. The con- 

 tinuation of the eastern boundary from the outlet of Lake 

 of the Woods, is proposed to be carried down the Winni- 

 peg and along the east shore of that lake to the 54th 

 parallel, in long. 98° W. By thus limiting the colony in 

 an easterly direction, the valuable pine, spruce, minerals, 

 and water-power of the east coast of Lake Winnipeg and 

 of the Winnipeg River, would be legally cut off from the 

 new colony, whose chief want will be timber for building 

 purposes, and water-power to manufacture it on the spot. 

 The jurisdiction of the new colony should manifestly 

 extend over those parts of the country which, from their 

 natural resources, will first attract a certain class of 

 settlers. The lumberers on Lake Winnipeg will one day 

 become relatively as important a body as the lumberers 

 now are, on the Ottawa and the tributaries, to the St. 

 Lawrence in Canada. 



In order to secure to the new colony a route to the 

 borders of Canada, and the valuable timber of the east 

 coast of Lake Winnipeg and the affluents of the Winnipeg 

 Eiver, the eastern boundary line ought to be conterminous 

 with that of Canada, as far as the north west corner of 

 that province at the head waters of Neepigon and Fire- 

 steel Eivers, in long. 90° 25', lat. 49° 15' (approx.) ; 

 and from this point it should follow the height of land 

 between the Winnipeg Basin and Hudson's Bay, as far as 

 the 54th parallel. The natural boundaries of the new 

 colony might be very simply defined as, " the Basin of 

 Lake Winnipeg north of the 49th parallel of latitude." 

 This determination would give the following limits : — on 

 the south, the 49th parallel from British Columbia to 

 the Lake of the Woods, thence to Canada by the boundary 

 line surveyed according to the treaty of Ghent. The west 

 boundary of Canada stretches from the dividing ridge 



