50 
BRITISH NORTH AMERICAN EXPEDITION. [Nov. 23, 1857. 
to the east of the water parting is an important fact, because it shows that there 
is a large district within the present limits of Canada fit for the habitation of 
civilised man. More than this, Mr. Salter, provincial land surveyor, who was 
sent out by the Canadian Government, writes to the effect, that in running an 
exploring line from Lake Nipissing to Backewanaung Bay, on Lake Superior, he 
came on a magnificent tract of country abounding in every requisite for im- 
mediate settlement — well watered, admirably timbered, with maple, beech, 
iron wood, and other hard woods, and easily accessible. I need not say 
how important this territory will be to Canada, but I may remark that 
it entirely bears out the report which Dr. Bigsby made of what he saw 
and heard in passing to the north of Lake Superior, with respect to this 
very region, which he calls, I think, the Sugar-Maple District. Mr. Gladman 
seems to be highly satisfied with the country which he examined. He pursued 
the same route as Palliser, but at a later period of the year, and he reports it 
as extremely fertile and good : he measured trees 9 feet in circumference. He 
also speaks of meeting Indians, as Mr. Palliser does ; and I confess I wish we 
had before the Society an account of what transpired between Palliser and the 
Indians, because from what happened to Mr. Gladman I should be led to think 
that Mr. Palliser had communications of considerable importance with them, 
which may render necessary the immediate interference either of our own 
Government or of the Canadian Government. In connection with this subject I 
may mention that in this morning’s papers there was an account of the 
Mormons stimulating the Indians of the plains to attack and destroy the troops 
of the United States on their road to Utah. This is not on the usual route to 
Utah, but on the northern route by the Missouri, so that the Indians are in a 
state of insurrection, if not on our own boundary, at all events immediately 
to the south of it.* 
A word dropped from you, Sir, which I hope means all that I think it does. 
You spoke of the expedition crossing the Rocky Mountains. I had fears that 
the expedition was to terminate at the Rocky Mountains. 
The President. — N o, no. 
Mr. Nicolay. — I am glad to hear that that is not the case. 
The President. — On the contrary, they have the most minute instructions 
to examine the whole of the opposite face of the Rocky Mountains. 
Mr. Nicolay. — -But not to go much beyond that? 
The President. — They are to go to the sea-board on the Pacific. 
Mr. Nicolay. — My reason for asking is this : — In the evidence lately given 
before a Committee of the House of Commons, a great deal was said about a 
district called “ Thomson’s River District.” Thomson’s River flows into the 
Fraser River about latitude 51. Now the report of that district is, that it is 
one of the most fertile and admirable for settlement in the whole of North 
America. It is very desirable that our expedition should cross that district 
to ascertain whether it is so or not ; and, especially, if it be true that the people 
of the United States are coming from Oregon, and finding gold in very large 
quantities there, as stated in the Blue Book.f For many years 1 have had a 
knowledge of what is now called Thomson’s River District, and I know its 
agricultural value to be great, though probably it is not superior to the country 
between it and the Rocky Mountains : of its mineral wealth I know no more 
than has heen stated in evidence, but surely it is a most important thing that 
the expedition should go and ascertain the fact, if it be so. It is also distinctly 
asserted by those who ought to know that there is no practicable pass in the 
* Here, at the request of the President, the passage of the original document, 
inserted in brackets at pages 41 to 43, was read. — Ed. 
f This is also mentioned in the Report of the Superintendent of the Coast 
Survey of the United States, with reference to the population of the Washington 
territory. 
