Manitoba and the Great North-West ... An encyclopedia of information in regard to the Great North-West, etc

Front matter

L p si 31 1 !". 7< S, ri k.. BIRDS' EYE V I E \A PHOTO LITH BY THE BJRLANO L1TH CO MONTREAL <f OF WINNIPEG. MANITOBA AND THE GREAT NORTH-WEST: THE FIELD FOR INVESTMENT; THE HOME OF THE EMIGRANT, BEING A ffttll aud Complete gistovvj of the Œoxtutaj, ITS GEOGRAPHY, AREA, SITUATION, AND BOUNDARIES; ITS EARLY HISTORY AND PROGRESS; INCIDENTS OF THE SETTLEMENT FROM THE EARLIEST PERIOD UP TO THE PRESENT TIME; TOPOGRAPHY AND GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY — ITS CLIMATE, TOGETHER WITH TABLES OF TEMPERATURE AND CLIMATIC CHANGES ; FUEL SUPPLIES — COAL, TIMBER, ETC. ; THE SOIL— ITS WONDERFUL RICHNESS AND FERTILITY; NATURAL PRODUCTS — GRAIN, FRUITS, GRASSES, AND FLOWERS; NATURAL HISTORY, WITH ENUMERATIONS OF ITS MAMMALS, REPTILES, INSECTS, BIRDS AND FISHES; STOCK RAISING — SPECIAL ADVANTAGES AND ADAPTABILITY; MINERAL RE- SOURCES AND PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPEMENT ; THE WATER SUPPLY — RIVERS, LAKES, ETC. ; STEAMBOAT AND INTEKPROVINCIAL COMMUNICATION ; THE RAILWAY SYSTEM — ITS RISE, PROGRESS, AND DKVELOPEMENT ; THE INDIANS — THEIR PAST HISTORY AND PRESENT STATUS ; THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY AND ITS RELATIONS WITH THE COUNTRY— ITS PAST AND PRESENT HISTORY.

BY JOHN MACOUN, M.A., F.L.S., Dominion Field Naturalist and Botanist, and/or nine years past Government Explorer of the North- West, formerly Professor of Botany in Albert University , Belleville, TO WHICH HAS BEEN ADDED THE EDUCATIONAL & RELIGIOUS HISTORY OF MANITOBA & THE NORTH-WEST, By GEORGE M. GRANT, D.D., Principal Queen's University, Kingston, Ont., Author of" Ocean to Ocean'' &>c, &*c. HISTORY OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONS IN ST. BONIFACE, contributed by His Grace the ARCHBISHOP TAC HE'S Secretary; also MONTANA AND THE BOW RIVER DISTRICT COMPARED FOR GRAZING PURPOSES, By ALEXANDER BEGG, who spent the season of 1881 examining both sections with a view of establishing a Ranche ; also SKETCH OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF WINNIPEG, By J. C- McLAGAN. The whole profusely Illustrated with Lithographs and Engravings, City and Town Plans, and the most complete system of Maps yet issued.

AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF INFORMATION in regard to the Great North-West. FIEST EDITION. publiattil is THE WORLD PUBLISHING COMPANY, GUELPH, ONT. 1882. MONTREAL : Stljt JSurlano iLitfjo graphic €ompang, ELECTKOTYPERS A PRINTERS. TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE RIGHT HON. Mx gottn gottotas J-uthcvlanct ©ampfrell, plavqnis of gorne, K.T., G.C.M.G., GOVERNOR GENERAL OF CANADA, etc-, etc., etc. f ooh IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY SPECIAL PERMISSION-

Preface

. Frequent demands upon my time and patience for information regarding the North-West have compelled me to put in book form the gleanings of the past ten years. In the volume now offered to the public I have attempted to give a truthful description of the greater part of the country suitable for the habitation of civilized man. Several chapters are devoted to its Natural History and Botany. These may be considered as a compendium of our present knowledge. In the chapters on the capabilities of the soil, stock-raising, climate, &c, I have spoken from my own knowledge and on my own authority. Where my own knowledge of any matter was considered insufficient, I have quoted from other writers of known ability and truthfulness. Statements from actual settlers are in their own words, and as their addresses are given these can be verified.

Nearly every matter pertaining to the country has been touched upon, and where thought worthy elaborated. To give the work that completeness to which it aspires appendices have been added by other writers on matters for which their knowledge specially fitted them. As qualifications for writing the work I may mention a twenty years study, theoretical and practical, of Botany, Natural History, and Physical Geography. After ten years study of these subjects I accompanied, as botanist, Mr. Sandford Fleming, and the author of " Ocean to Ocean," on their celebrated expedition across the continent. In the year 1875 I was appointed botanist to the expedition, which, under the leadership of the Director of the Geological Survey, explored the Peace River and Rocky Mountains. Two

PREFACE.

. years later I was asked by the Dominion Government to write a report on the North-West Territories, and availed myself of all reliable information regarding the country. The summers of 1879-80-81 have been spent in traversing the least known parts and investigating the forma, flora, meteoro logy and physical phenomena of the country. It will thus be seen that my opportunities have been ample. Of the imperfections of the book I need not speak. The critics will point out these. In writing I have had the delight of revisiting in imagination many a cheery camp-fire, and many a scene of vast and lonely beauty, on which memory loves to dwell, and of feeling that I was endeavoring to describe to my fellow-countrymen, with simplicity and truthfulness, a portion of that magnificent heritage of which as yet they know so little. JOHN MACOUN. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

General Geography. The Dominion as a whole — Its Extent and Area — Nova Scotia — New Brunswick — Prince Edward Island — Quebec — Ontario — Keywadin — Manitoba — North-West Territories — British Columbia — North-West and Manitoba a vast Plain — Southern or Prairie Section — Middle or Partially Wooded Section — Region of Continuous Forest — Basin of Lake Winnipeg — Its Rivers and Lakes — Mackenzie River Basin — Th» Churchill and Nelson Rivers — General View of the Rocky Mountains.

Chapter II

Physical Geography of Manitoba. Its Situation and Boundaries — Area — General Characteristics — Red River Prairie — Pembina Mountain— Wet Country along its Base — Riding Mountain — View from its Summit — Dauphin Lake — Duck Mountain — Lake Winnipeg — Lakes Manitoba and Winnipegoosis — South Western Manitoba — Turtle Mountain — Red River — Graphic Picture of the Prairie near Winnipeg — Fort Garry — Assiniboine River — Land on Assiniboine — Souris River — Snake Creek— Oak Lake — Vicinity Suited for Stockfarming — Sand Hills, at Snake Creek — Little Saskatchewan — Land on Little Saskatchewan — Settlements in its Valley — Shoal Lake — Bird Tail Creek — Surrounding Country — ShellRiver — Country North to Fort Pelly — Indian Farm — General Character «f Soil — A Deeert changed to a Paradise — Timber for Building Purposes — Wher« Located — Building Stone— Brick Clays — Wate/ Supply near Winnipeg.

Chapter III

Character of Country between lat. 49° and 50° west of Manitoba. Description of Moose Mountain — Plain from its Top — West side of Moose Mountain — Timber on the Mountain — View from High HU1 — Souris Plain — West of Moose Mountain—Character of Soil— of Vegetation — of Surface — Great Clay Plain — Its Rough Surface — Scarcity of Water — Wild Roses — A Visit to the Coteau — Cactus Plain — Wood in the Coteau — Description of Coteau — Resemblance to Turtle Mountain— Absence of Wood — Plateau of Lignite Tertiary — Wood Mountain — Disappearance of the Buffalo. CONTENTS.

Chapter IV

Character of Country between lat. 50° and 51* West of Manitoba. Assiniboine below Brandon — Brandon — Assiniboine Rapid — Land near Brandon — Brandon Hills — Land along the C.P.R. — Flat Creek — Gopher Creek — Land West of Gopher Creek — Pipestone Creek — Weedy and Wolf Hills — Rich Country along the C. P. R. — Qu'Appelle River — Navigation of the Qu'Appelle — Country North of the Qu'Appelle — Pheasant Plain, Leach Lake — Very rich Land in this Region — Long Lake — Fish in Long Lake — Waterfowl — Creeks at the Head of Long Lake — Country West of 102nd Meridian — Wood for House building and other Purposes— Country West of Touchwood Hills— Estimate of good Land in Qu'Appelle Valley — Unequalled tract for Wheat — Early Ripening of Grain — Absence of Summer Frosts — Early Spring— Moose Jaw Creek —Dry Country in its Vicinity — Sand Hills West of it — The Coteau — Old Wives Lakes — Country West of Lakes — Excellent Pastures — Nutritious Grasses— Their Distribution — Sage Brush and Cactus no Proof of Aridity — Bullrush Lake — Strong Current Creek — Want of Wood — High broken Country — Appearance of Cypress Hill*.

Chapter V

Character of Country between lat. 51° and 52° West of Manitoba. Country West of the Assiniboine — Beaver and Touchwood Hills — Heavy Forest — Rich and Lovely Country — Great Salt Plain — Immense Plain to the South — Tract North of the Qu'Appelle— Rich Soil and Rank Grass — Last Mountain — Water Scarce on Surface — Broken Country, Twenty-two Miles Wide — Fine Pasture Lands — No Bad Soil in Eighty Miles — Lines of Boulders, near Humboldt — Cause of Wood at Certain Points — Extensive Plain Southwest of Touchwood Hills — Salt Marshes — Little Touchwood Hills — Mission at this Point — File Hills — South Saskatchewan, Voyage Down It— Moose Woods — North of Moose Woods — Land East of River — Soil of Great Depth — Aroline, or Telegraph Crossing — Rich Land — Country West of River — Fine Level Tract— Eagle Creek — Eagle Hills, Fine Country for Stock

Chapter VI

Character of Country between lat 52° and 53" West of Manitoba, Porcupine Mountain — Country on Red Deer River— Soil very Rich— Exhaustless Fertility of the Carrot River Country — Prince Albert Settlement — Its Early History Wonderful Progress in a few Years — Description of the Settlement — Many Houses in Course of Erection — Fall Sowed Wheat a Success — No injury from Frost— Duck Lake Settlement — Fort Carlton and its Vicinity — Country between the Rivers — Eagle Creek The Bear and Eagle Hills— Land South of Them— Description of Battleford and Vicinity Its Futnre Sketched Out — Land in the Neighborhood — Character of Soil — Police Farm at CONTENTS. IX Battleford— The Government Farm— Remarkable Vitality of Seeds— Depth of Roots in the Soil — Plain South of Battleford — Coulees of the Plain — Their Origin — Country North oi Bear Hills — Splendid Pasture Land — Water Abundant — Grasses of the Plains — Cau e of Absence of Wood — Constant Prairie Fires — Why the South side of a Hill is without Wood — What Causes Aridity — Description of Hand Hills — Cactus not a Proof of Aridity of Climate — Fine Rich Land South of Battleford — Immense Area of Good Land — Manito Lake — Sounding Lake — Neutral Hills — Fine Pastoral Land to the Southwest — Land around Sullivan's Lake — Fine Land West of Sounding Lake — Rich Country at the Head of Battle River — Millions of Tons of Hay in This Re gion — General View of the Country — Lakes Filled with Fish — Beaver still Numer ous — All Lakes and Ponds Filled with Birds in Spring and Fall — Bears and Wolves Numerous some Seasons, but Never Injurious Except to Small Stock.

Chapter VII

Description of the Country Drained by the North Saskatcheivan and Athabasca Rivers Extensive District South of North Saskatchewan — One Solid Block of 13,000,000 Acres — Laige Area of Fertile Land North of River — Star Mission, its Success — Multitudes of Whitefish — Lac La Biche Mission — Farmingjat the Lake — Wheat, Barley, &c. — — Victoria Mission — Small-pox Ravages — Rev. George McDougall his Death, the Edmonton Pioneer — Former Lawlessness at Edmonton — Change Caused by the Police — Edmonton, its Mills, Churches, Stores — Coal and Iron at Edmonton — Review of the Country — Ninty-six per Cent. Good Soil over a Vast Area— Lands for the Irish without Rent — St. Albert Mission, its History and Success — Catholic Missionaries, their Work and Success — Rocky Mountain House, Fine Timber — Gold Washing — Beaver River, very Rich Land — Green Lake, Abundance of Fish — ■ Chipweyan Indians — Athabasca River and Country — Size of the River and its Tributaries — Little Slave River — Pembina River, Coal in its Banks — The McLeod — Baptiste's River — Jasper House and Valley — Climate of the Valley, Snow Fall very Light, Warm Winds, Dry Climate, Spring Weather — Horses Living out all Winter —Source of Warm Winds— Fertile Belt— Richness of It— Where Located— Prairie still Better— Wet Lands— Summer Frosts — Late Sowing— Fall Sowing, its Success.

Chapter VIII

Peace River. Position of the Lands Described— Area of the Region in Question — Character of Rocks and Soil — Its Composition and Disposition — Peace River Prairie— Location of Prairie— Sandy Soils along Athabasca— Origin of Peace River Prairie— Wonderful Vegetation— Climate of Peace River— Summer of 1879— All Sorts of Grain and Vegetables Mature— Ripening of Grain at Dunvegan and other Points— Depth of Snow — Setting in of Winter— Opening of Spring— Breaking up of the Ice— Difference in Climate of Valley and Plateau — Occurrence of Fro^t— Comparison of Temperatures — Peace River Spring as Early as in Manitoba — Cause of Exceptional Climate — Chinook Winds— Length of Day and Increased Sunlight give Warm Summers— X CONTENTS. Immunity from Grasshoppers— Description of Little Slave Lake— Ripening of Grain at this Point— Whitefish in the Lake— Abundance of Beaver— Climate Unchanged to the North— Soil of the Northern Plain— Ripening of Grain at Vermilion— Summer Climate of that Region— Milder Climate Farther North at Little Red River- Vicinity of Fort Chipweyan— Extraordinary Wheat on Poor Soil— Crops at Fort Simpson on Mackenzie's River— Climate and Crops at Fort Liard, Lat. 61°— Barley Ripens under the Arctic Circle— Farming on Peace River a Success— Lakes Teeming with Fish— Birds in Countless Flocks— Rocks of Peace River, Limestone, Gypsum- Abundance of Salt Bituminous Shales on Athabasca River— Tar Springs—Descrip tion of the River— Appearance of its Banks— Land Between the Athabasca and the Peace Rivers.

Chapter IX

Climate of the North-West. Notes from Blodgett's Climatology— Its Great Value— Lake Superior Compared with North-West— Summer Heat Decisive of Climate — Thermal Lines Curve Northward — Spring opens Simultaneously on a Northwest line Between St. Paul's and Mackenzie Rivers — Deserts not Found North of Lat. 47° — Rain Sufficient on the Northern Plain— Buffalo more Abundant in the North — Peace River Compared with Germany and Russia— Canadian North-West the Better — A Prophecy Thirty Years Ago— Size of our North-West— Lord Selkirk's Opinions Seventy Years Ago— 500,000 Square Miles with a Mild Climate.

Chapter X

Practical Remarks on Climate. 3Ir. Anderson, of Listowel, Ireland, on Climate — Great Heat Causes no Inconvenience — Intense Cold Hardly Felt — Manitoba Winter Climate Better than that of Ontario — Snow Seldom over Twenty Inches in Depth — Seasons in Manitoba — Manitoba in the Middle of the Continent — Long Days of Summer — Autumn Weather — Snowfall — Heat and Humidity — Comparison of Summer Temperatures — Warm Summers and Dry Cold Winters — Table of Mean Temperatures— Summer Temperatures Compared — Peace River Climate — Manitoba Climate — Hardness of Wheat — Grains in the Cluster — Min - nesota nowhere — Peace River Wheat— Isothermal Lines — Corn and Wheat Zones — Temperature Necessary for Successful Wheat Culture — The Wheat Zones — Probably Three-fourths of the Wheat Lands of America in the New North-West— 200,000,000 Acres — Extent of the Territory — Lord Selkirk's Opinions Seventy Years Ago — Great American Desert— Its Effect on Climate — Changes Observed Passing North — How the Isothermal Lines Curve — Where the Heated Air comes From — Two Currents passing North —Summer Temperature the same over 300,000 Square Miles — Moisture in Summer, its Absence in Winter — Rainfall of the Year — Progress of the Seasons — Fall Frosts not Injurious, Climate Unsurpassed for Farmers — Its Possibilities Unlimited — Depth of Winter Frost— Its Beneficial Effects on Soil— Table of Rainfalls for 1879 and 1880 — Rainfall and Cloudlessness — Testimony of Settlers Regarding the Healthiness of the Climate. CONTENTS. XI

Chapter XI

Natural Products of the Soil. Comparison of Floras — Peace River Flora Compared with that of Ontario— Forest Flora — Flora of the Prairies— List of Species — " Sugar Maple"— Syrup from the Birch- Wild Plums — Cherries— Service Berries — Their Value — Berries in Pemmican — How Pemmican is Made — Berries for Breakfast — Strawberries— Currants and Gooseberries — Black Currants very Valuable — High Bush Cranberries — Raspberries of Many Species — Jam from the Cloud Berry — Common Cranberries — Blueberries — Wild Sarsaparilla — Silver Berry — Buffalo Berry — Beautiful and Valuable Shrubs — Wild Hops — Hazel Nuts — Flowers aud Shrubs at Brandon — Their beauty and Utility — Strawberries at Brandon — Shrubs of the Prairie — Moose Mountain Flowers— Flowers at the Saud Hills and Flat Creek — Line of C. P. R. — Pipestone Creek — Flowers of the Plain — Great Souris Plain — Acres of Lilies — Gardens of the Prairie — Roses Fill the Air with Perfume — Flowers at Moose Jaw Creek — Flowers of the Cypress Hills — Wild Lupines Covering Square Miles — Mushrooms, their Great Value and Enormous Size and Numbers — Mushrooms over 200 Miles of Country — Lycoperdons (Puffballs) not Poisonous — Flora at Long Lake, Lilies, Anemones, Pentstemons, Potentillas and many Others — Common Poplar a Remedy for Intermittent Fever. «

CHAPTER XII. Raising Wheat

Red River Prairie, Description of its Soil — An Old Countryman's Views — Extent of the Wheat Lands — 150,000,000 Acres of Wheat Lands— Manitoba Excluded from the Calculation — Good Land Continues for 100 Miles at a Time — Fixed Laws Regarding the Growth of Wheat — Northern Limits of Wheat Zone — Northern Wheat more Prolific — The Cause Explained — How Wheat Grows in Spring and Summer — Why Manitoba Wheat is Hard — Roots Penetrate to a Great Depth — Analysis of Soil, far Superior to the Best Wheat Land in Europe — Best Soil in the World in the North-West — Manitoba Formerly an old Lake Bottom — Soil of the Second Prairie Steppe — Soil of the Third Plateau — Gypsum very Abundant — Cactus no Proof of Aridity — Setter's Farm Described — Wheat Growing amongst Cactus — Appearance of the Land — Results of 1880 — of 1881 — Seed Bought in Minnesota in 1876 — Progress since Then — Manitoba Wheat Admitted Duty Free into Minnesota — Opinions of Pioneer Press of St. Paul's, Minnesota, regarding North-West Wheat — Statements of Residents — Average Crop for Four Years — Average Yield of Canadian North-West Compared with the best States in the Union — Great Weight of the Grain — Qu'Appelle Region as a Wheat District — Prince Albert and Edmonton as Wheat Districts — Description of Edmonton — Cust's Farm at Edmonton — Country on Peace River — Excellent Wheat Lands far to the North — Cucumbers Ripen in Lat. 60° — Wheat in Lat. 61° First-class — Spring Frosts not Hurtful— Fall Wheat not Suited for the North-West— Fall Sowing Recommended — No Doubt of its Success — Instances of Fall Sowing — Fall Sowing the True Policy of Settlers on the Prairie — Wheat Production of the Future beyond Calculation — England should Realise that we have the Greater part of the Wheat Lands of America — England's True Policy — Farmers Testimony Regarding the Soil.

CONTENTS. XII

Chapter XIII

Cereals, Root Crops, Seed Time and Harvest, Roads, &c. Barley — Its great Weight in the North— Bay of Quinte Barley — Additional 100,000,- 000 Acres Suited to Barley North of the Wheat Belt— Uses of Barley in the West — Testimony Regarding its Culture in Manitoba — Average Yield for Four Years — Compared with the United States — Enormous Yield of Oats — Testimony of Residents in Manitoba — Average sixty Bushels per Acre — Nearly Three Times Greater than Ohio — 100 Bushels per Acre often Raised — Potatoes a sure Crop to the Arctic Circle — Rotten ones Unknown — Chipweyans as Potato Cultivators — Remarkable size of Potatoes at Hay Lakes — Late Growth of Potatoes — Feeding Stock an Easy Matter — Pumpkins, Melons, and Cucumbers in the North — Melons Grow and Ripen North of St. Petersburg, or 1,200 Miles Northwest of Winnipeg and 900 Miles North of the Boundary — Extent and Capacity of the Country Beyond the Range of Average Comprehension — Testimony of Residents Regarding the Productive Powers of the Soil — Timothy an Excellent Crop — Good Fall Pasture — Wild Hops — Clover — Flax — Hemp — Why all Crops Succeed so Well — Southern Russia a Parallel Case — Commencement of Spring — Setting in of Winter — Seed-time in the North-West — Varies in Certain Localities — Harvest Time — Earliest in the Qu'Appelle Valley — Always Free from Frost — Qu'Appelle Valley Compared with Saskatchewan — Time for Taking up Roots — Testimony Regarding Seed Time and Harvest — Roads of the West merely Cart Trails — No real Roads other than Railways in the Country — Description of Leading Trails — How Trails are Formed — Where they Lead to — No Attempts made to Improve them — Travellers Tell of their Own Incapacity — Experienced men Never get "Stuck" — How to Cross a "slew" with Loaded Carts — Trails or Roads of Ten Years Since — How they were Formed — Indian Trails — Roads of the Future.

Chapter XIV

Grasses of the Plains, Forests, and Mountains. Pastures of the Prairies— Their Value in Various Sections— Design of the Chapter— List of Grasses, their Habitats— List of Cyperaceæ, their Habitats— List of Rushes— List of Leguminosæ (Pea Family)— Why Certain Grasses have Various Names— Effects of Burning the Grass— " Wild Oat" of Southwestern Manitoba a Bugbear— Sheep Killing by its Awns a Myth— Description of the Grass— How it Injures Man or Beast— Hay made of this Grass— Its Effects on Horses— Really the best Grass on the Plains— Hay Grasses— Manitoba Hay— Practical Remarks on Manitoba Hay Testimony of Residents Regarding the Hay Crop— Sand Hill Grasses— Bunch Grasses- Buffalo Grasses— " Grama-grass "—Grasses of the Alkali Lands— Valuable Grasses- Grasses of the Bow River Country— Spring Food of Horses— Summer Food Winter Grass of the Prairie — Winter Pasture in the'Forest — Only one Poor Grass in Ninety-six— Value of the Pea Family— Artemisia Frigida as a Forage Plant— Eurota lanata Analyses of Grasses. CONTENTS. XIII

Chapter XV

Stock Raising. Method of the Chapter — Cypress Hills — General Description, Altitude, Wood, Water, Grass — Value for Summer Pasture — Winter Pasture North of the Hills — Shelter in the Coidics — Plain North of the Hills — Its Description and Character — Bow River and Cypress Hills Compared — Summer Pasture Everywhere — Enumeration of Localities — All Equally Valuable — Ponies can Winter Anywhere — The Reason of This — Prairie Grass real Hay in Winter — Why Canadian Horses Die — How to Remedy This — Mr. Mackenzie's Opinion — Canadian Horses must be Fed — Cattle Succeed Well as they are always Grass Fed — Ponies use the Hoof ; Cattle the Nose to Procure their Food in Winter — When Cattle must be Fed — Incidents on the Prairie in Winter — Mr. Selwyn's Testimony — Dr. Dawson's Testimony — Wild Cattle Winter out — Winter Shelter a Necessity — Other Locations as Good as Bow River — Country West of Cypress Hills — Hand Hills as They are Now — Description of the Hills — The "Store "—Country West of Sounding Lake— Tail Creek- Remains of Former Fights — Bow River Country — Natural Hay — Country Better Suited for Pasture than Farming — Description of the District — Root Crops easily Raised for Cattle Feed — Winter Storms Never do Harm if Food is Abundant — Sheep Raising — Keeping Hogs, easily Fattened — Animals easily Fattened in the North — Illustrations of this Fact — Riga Exports Hides and Tallow — Our Plains of same Character as Russian Gnes — Food Abundant Everywhere — An Irish Delegate's Views on Stock Raising — Mr. Spence's Opinions Regarding the same Matter — Testimony of Settlers Regarding Cold.

Chapter XVI

Stock Raising in the Bow River District compared with Montana. [This Chapter was Written by Alex. Begg, Esq.1 American Writers Ignore our North-West, or Speak of its Sterility — Bow River District Defined — Montana Stock-raisers Testify to the Superiority of the Bow River District — Description of North-Western Montana — It Improves as We Go North — Cattle now in the Bow River Country — No Loss from Winter Storms — Renting Grazing Lands — Statistics of Stock in Montana — Chinook Winds — Description of the Rocky Mountains — How to Stock a Ranche — Sort of Cattle to Choose — Comparison of Varieties of Stock — Capital Necessary to Establish a Ranche — Size of a Ranche — The Rate of Increase — Profits on the Investment — Will There be a Market? — Another Estimate of Cost and Profit — Is it Wise to Lay in Some Hay — Sort of Men for Herdsmen — Men and Cattle Should be Comfortable — The C. P. R. to cross the Bow River District — Sheep-farming as a Future Business — Every Requirement in the Region in Question — A Perfect Sheep's Paradise — No Sheep Ever Lost by Severe Weather in Montana — Little Disease among Sheep — Profit from Sheep Farming in Colorado — Equally as Good in Bow River Country — Breeding and Rearing Horses — Conclusion. CONTENTS.

Chapter XVII

Water Supply. Supposed Insufficient Rainfall— Souris Plain Thought to be a Desert— Settlement Proves the Contrary— Brackish and Pure Water— Where Saline Lakes and Ponds are Situated— Want of Running Streams Accounted for — Rainfall quite Sufficient — Prairie Fires the Cause of Apparent Scarcity— Surface Water Scarce in many Localities — Brackish Water always Preferred by Horses and Cattle — Moderately deep Wells Supply good Water — Cause of Poor Water on the Manitoba or Red River Prairie — Artesian Wells a Success at Winnipeg — How to Obtain good Water in any Part of the Country — Statements of Actual Settlers Regarding the Water Supply.

Chapter XVIII

Fuel Supplies. Scarcity of Fuel not Real— Views of the Canadian, the Englishman, and the Yankee — Supply of Southwestern Manitoba — Turtle Mountain — Moose Mountain a Source of Supply — Scarcity of Wood West of This — Cypress Hills — Government Reserves Fuel — Fuel Generally Sufficient in Manitoba — Supply for Pheasant Plain — Scarcity of Wood West of Touchwood Hills— Eagle Hills Supply — Fuel Abundant North of the Prairie — Peat Deposits Abundant— Their Distribution — Peat on nearly all Farms now — Mineral Fuels near the Boundary — Analyses of Coals — Value of the Lignites — St. Mary's River Coal — Analyses of Coals by Prof. Haanel — Souris Coal Field — Coal at Cypress Hills — Coal on Bow River — Its Value as Fuel — Red Deer River Coals — Crawling Valley Coal — Saskatchewan Coal — Eighteen feet Seam above Edmonton — Analyses of these Coals — 211 Miles of Coal Exposures on the Saskatchewan — 25,000 Square Miles of a Coal Field — Edmonton the Centre of this Coal Field — Coal on the Pembina River — Peace River Coal — Coal at the Arctic Sea — Extent of Coal Field — No want of Fuel in the Future.

Chapter XIX

Timber Supply. Minnesota Considered — Lake of the Woods — Line of the C. P. R. — Varieties of Timber Where Located— Beren's River — No Pine West of Lake Winnipeg — Distribution of White Spruce— Black Spruce— Scrub Pine— " Cypress "—Balsam Poplar— Aspen Poplar— Cottonwood— Oak— Elm— Ash— " Sugar Maple "—Birch, Tamarac and Black Willow— Timber on Winnipegoosis— Supply for Rapid City, Minnedosa, Odanah, Birtle— Riding Mountain— Duck and Porcupine Mountains— Timber North of the Saskatchewan— Athabasca Valley — At Edmonton— On Turtle Mountain- Cypress Hills— St. Mary's River— Timber in Bow River Country— Pheasant, File, and Touchwood Hills— Eagle Hills— Battle River— Red Deer River— Tributaries o'f South Saskatchewan — Conclusion. CONTENTS. XV

CHAPTER XX. Mammals of the North- West

Introduction — Enumeration of the Carnivora, of the Ungulata, of the Chiroptera, of the Insectivora, of the Rodentia — The American Panther, its General Appearance and Range — The Canadian Lynx, its Description and Distribution — Hunting on Peace River — Foxes, Anecdotes Respecting them — Wolves — The Coyote — The Grey Wolf, his Habits — Occurrence on the Plains — When easily Taken — Anecdotes Illustrative of their Cunning and Tenacity of Life — Pine Marten and Fisher — Wolverines, the Enemies of the Trappers — Anecdotes of the Wolverine — Mink and Otter — Skunks — Eaten by Hunters — Badgers and their Habits — Danger of Riding on Horseback — Mode of Killing Badgers — Notes on the Black Bear — Their Habits — The Terrible Grizzly — Fears of the Indians on Peace River — Nearly all Cany Scars Inflicted by Bears — Description of One Killed at the Hand Hills — Indian Woman Killed by a Grizzly — The Cabree or Prong-Horned Antelope — Black Tailed Deer — Wapiti or American Elk, its Distribution — The Moose — Hunting Moose an Art — Starvation on Peace River in 1875 — Caribou Found in the North — Hunting on the Barren Grounds — The Rocky Mountain Goat — Description of It — Hunting in Bow River Pass — The Big Horn or Rocky Mountain Sheep — Measurement of their Horns — Musk Ox of the Barren Grounds — Its general Appearance and Habits — Warmth of its Covering — The Buffalo, its Distribution — Wood Buffalo on the Athabasca — Their Present Scarcity — Buffalo Hunting in the Past — Mode of Camping in the Indian Country — Mode of Running Buffalo — Exciting Scenes — The Charge, Conflict and Pursuit — The Buffalo Pound in Former Days — How the Indians Slaughtered the Buffalo — Doctor Hector's Account — Moles and Shrews, Rich Soil where they Are— Gophers and Prairie Dogs, their Habits — Mode of Catching Prairie Dogs — Beaver — Stories Related of their Instinct — Construction of their Dams — Beaver Houses — Their Construction — Muskrats, their Numbers and Habits — Character of Country they Inhabit — Muskrats as Weather Prophets — The Foolishness of the Prophets — How the Muskrat Builds his House — Pouched Gopher and Jumping Mice — Porcupines and their Habits — The Prairie and Woodland Hares — Great Numbers of the Latter — Rocky Mountain Hare.