Jan. 25, 1858.] BRITISH NORTH AMERICAN EXPEDITION. 
151 
of sending the expedition hack in time to reach St. Panl in the fall 
of 1858. 
# # # m # 
The President. — You will agree with me, Gentlemen, that Captain Paliiser 
is admirably qualified for such a difficult enterprise as the one he is proceeding 
on. He is a capital buffalo hunter, thoroughly inured to everything that a 
man can suffer in North American travel, well practised in all the sports of the 
country, and a man of great strength and endurance. I am sure he will 
realise all those objects which the Royal Geographical Society had in recom- 
mending him to Her Majesty’s Government. I am in hopes that next year this 
expedition will proceed towards the Rocky Mountains, and come into direct 
communication with the other expedition under Captain Hawkins, r.e., which 
the Government is about to send out to explore the boundaries between the 
United States and the British territories. We have among us on the present 
occasion gentlemen who are acquainted with this territory, and among them 
my old and distinguished friend Mr. Feathers tonhaugh, who, with Colonel 
Mudge, was employed on that frontier in 1846. 
Mr. Featherstonhaugh. — I did not know on entering the room that this 
Paper was to be discussed ; but Sir Roderick having called upon me, I rise to 
observe that I have been at various times in different parts of the country 
laid down in the map, but have never penetrated west of Lake Winnipeg, in 
the direction of the Rocky Mountains, where Captain Paliiser proposes to 
go next year. I have, however, crossed from the Mississippi to Red River, 
and thence to its junction with Lake Winnipeg. Lord Selkirk planted a 
colony of Scotchmen at Pembina : those I saw appeared to me to be industrious 
and meritorious men, -fitted to contend with a rigorous climate, and who by 
ingenuity and economy could flourish in despite of it. They had ploughs and 
other agricultural implements, and had barns full to repletion with barley, but 
could get no market for it. The potatoes were excellent ; I never ate better. 
Beef cattle they had not as yet, as they could supply themselves with buffalo 
meat. Hereafter they will have cattle ; for where you can have barley and 
potatoes you can have domestic animals. Some of these men spoke to me 
of the coal they had found in the neighbourhood ; and, as an old geologist, X 
should certainly have gone to the locality, but winter was at hand, and I w ? as 
obliged to hasten out of the country. 
Before I take my seat I will, if I am permitted, briefly allude to some con- 
siderations of a more general character. It is known that, under the domi- 
nion of Great Britain, in North America, there is a vast region, extending 
from the United States frontier north, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. 
This immense territory, including the Canadas, Labrador, and the possessions 
belonging to and frequented by the Hudson Bay Company, is much larger 
than the United States. This expedition of Capt. Paliiser, sanctioned by Her 
Majesty’s Government, and so cordially encouraged by the Royal Geographical 
Society, leads naturally to the discussion of a question of great public interest, 
viz., whether this imperial domain is capable of sustaining an industrious 
population? For several degrees beyond the most northerly part of the 
frontier of the United States this question maybe answered in the affirmative. 
In the valleys I remarked a great fertility of soil, proper to the cultivation of 
barley, oats, a peculiar kind of Indian corn that ripens in eight weeks, called 
Mandan corn, and potatoes. Nothing is more nourishing to cattle and sheep 
in the winter than the sweet fodder of Indian corn. Farther north the short 
summers are not favourable to cultivation ; but wherever settlers are in pos- 
session, they will soon find their way to the deposits of copper and other 
valuable minerals; and such is the facility of water communication, that 
these will in time be brought to the settlements and exchanged for provisions 
