Sketch of the North-West of America ... Translated from the French, by ... D. R. Cameron, etc

Front matter

SKETCH . r_._ NORTH-WEST OE AMERICA. BY MGR. TACHE, 1 OF 3 '«E, ■ al: SKETCH OF THE NORTH-WEST OF AMERICA BY MGR. TACHE, BISHOP OF ST. BONIFACB, 1868. TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH, BY CAPTAIN D. R. CAMERON, ROYAL ARTILLERY. Poatwal: PRINTBD BY JOHN LOVELL ST. NICHOLAS STREET. 1870. The deep interest which now attaches to everything connected with the North-west Territories, induces the Translator to hope that this work may not be unacceptable to the public. Few, if any, have had so good opportunities as Bishop Tache for obtaining information regarding the country his Lordship describes ; and, although he may not be so sanguine as many others are about the capabilities and future of the North-west, the facts, which his Lordship's long residence there enables him to give from personal experience, shew conclusively, that the climate, soil and mineral resources of the country are such as must render it highly attractive to the emigrant.

Ottawa, April, 1870*- \ SKETCH or THB NORTH-WEST OF AMERICA. When writing " Vingt Ann.es de Missions," we were aware how imperfect the work was, and that, to render it interesting, there were wanting, amongst other things, explanations touching the char acter and history of the country which had been the theatre of the missionary labors we described. We did, indeed, promise to supply explanatory notes on these points, but frequent long jour neys and other business prevented our then carrying out the intention to which we now apply ourselves. Neither the church nor geographical division of the country supplying us with a single name by which to designate it, we shall adopt its commercial title, that is to say the name by which that part of British America is known in the great mercantile organization of the Honorable Hudson's Bay Company.

" The Northern Department" includes all that will be treated of in this sketch. _ All ULllO OU\._ll. _ This vast country is bounded to the south by the United States, or the 49th parallel of latitude, to the west by the Rocky Moun tains, to the north by the Arctic Sea, to the east by the straits and gulfs which connect Baffin's Bay with Hudson's Bay, 2ndly by Hudson's Bay itself, (not including James's Bay), 3rdly by a line connecting Cape Henrietta with the 40th parallel of latitude, following the watershed between Hudson's Bay, properly so called, and James's Bay with Lake Superior, or, for simplicity's sake, let us consider 90° W. long, as the eastern boundary. The continental portion of this vast Department includes, then, the country between 49° and 70° N. lat. In the south it stretches from 90° to 115° W. long., and in the north from 90° to 140° W. long.

Chapter I. Resources Of The Northern Department

Regarding the resources and future of the Northern Department, the country may be divided into two very dissimilar portions which we shall distinguish as the Northern and Southern Divisions. The division may be marked by a diagonal line drawn from the south eastern extremity of the country to Mount Traffic near 64° N. lat., and 128° W. long. Of course nature has drawn no such geometrically straight line ; yet, the accuracy with which the • The maps referred to have not been published with the Bishop's pamphlet. imaginary line divides the country, in accordance with the view we are taking of it, is surprising. NORTHERN DIVISION Three ranges of mountains appear to have determined the geometrical figure of the great continent on which we live. The great chain of the Rocky Mountains — which, although undulating, has no break — follows the longest line which can be drawn on North America, and stretches from the Arctic Ocean, in which it bathes its first links, to South America, laying down in its ramifications the boundary which establishes the parallelism of the western coast of our continent.

A second chain, that of the Alleghanies, not so extensive as the former, establishes, on its side, the direction of the eastern coast. This chain starting from the Gulf of St. Lawrence stretches across the United States to Alabama. There it leaves power to the fury of the Atlantic waves to hollow out the Gulf of Mexico, until checked by the Rocky Mountains. The latter line that Gulf into which the Mississippi pours the tribute of streams that water a great portion of the vast plain lying between the two mountain ramparts. A third chain of mountains determines the eccentric form which the continent assumes at its northern extremity. It perfects the embankments of the mouths of the giant rivers of the north and east, and borders the north and east of some of the largest lakes in America. It is the chain of the Laurentides forming the bank of the great Canadian river from its mouth to Cape Tourmente, near Quebec, and which, satisfied with having held the great river in check, leaves it at this point to make room for the magnificent lands that border it above.

Further on, the range, after crossing the Ottawa, bends towards the south as if again to look on the St. Lawrence near Lake Ontario. Thence the Laurentides stretch towards Lake Huron, which they border on the east, then they reach Lake Superior, whence they pass towards the Arctic Ocean by the North-west route, forming in the latter part of thencourse a portion of the contour of the great Winnipeg, Athabaska, Slave and Bear Lakes which they leave on their west. As is apparent, the curve described by this chain of mountains is very analagous to the parallelism of the northern coast of the continent, even including the extensive and eccentric encroachment of Hudson's Bay. From what has been said, it appears that the chain of Lauren tides traverses the whole of the Northern Department. It does not retain, however, the elevation which distinguishes it on the banks of the St. Lawrence ; but it is still the same range, and of the same formation.

This collection of hills, — here they are but 3aiUs, — has a general direction from south-east to north-west ; and this is the explanation of nature herself having traced the all but straight line to which we alluded as separating the Northern from the Southern Division of the Northern Department. The Lauren tides, however, do not exactly follow the straight line. Here is their divergence : From the south-east extremity of the Depart ment they stretch towards the east, encroaching upon the Lake of the Woods and the two banks of River Winnipeg as far as the lake of the same name, which they skirt to the east and the north. Thence they run west-nor'-west, and passihg to Beaver Lake seize on Rapid River (a la Rente) and further on possess themselves of the whole of Churchill River ; leaving the last river at Lake Prim „eau they there curve with a more marked inclination to the north.

These hills then reach Lake Athabaska, which they almost entirely surround, and to which they give the English name " Lake of the Hills." The Laurentides then continue the same direction to form the northern and eastern shores of Great Slave Lake, and, further on, of Bear Lake. The diagonal fine to which we referred follows this general direction except at its two extremities ; for on leaving Great Slave Lake the chain passes in a straight line to Mount Traffic, and in the south the diagonal strikes the Lauren tian formation, and brings it into the Southern Division. We thus cut off from the northern division the angle formed by the lines which we have just traced, and this because its advantages connect it with the Southern Division. On the other hand we have cut off from the Southern Department a section which the Laurentian range would leave to it, but which, from a profitable point of view, would naturally be rejected on account of the severity of its climate.

In short, we consider the boundary of the Northern Division to be an imaginary line drawn, as we have said, from the south-eastern extremity of the Department to Mount Traffic. This portion of the country is perfectly waste, covered for the most part with primary rocks of the Laurentian system. It includes, too, the " Bar ren grounds," and the Silurian formation of Hudson Bay, and of the banks of Mackenzie River, as well as the lignite beds of the latter. It can never be otherwise than a field for hunting and fishing. The climate is everywhere very severe, cultivation impossible, pasturage entirely wanting, and the timber of inferior quality and of miserable growth. There are, of course, exceptional spots, but these are few. And I think there need be no boldness in asserting that this part of the country will remain as it is, and will never be inhabited except by Indians and by hardy and ven turesome fur-hunters.

It is quite possible that great riches lie in the midst of this desolate waste ; but of what use, particularly in places where frost of eight successive months and more makes the earth almost as hard as the heavy masses of granite that generally cover it ? Some lakes abound in fish. Animals with the richest furs move about there in great numbers, displaying in the midst of desolation the silky richness of their covering. The two seaports of the countiy, of which only one is used, are in the Northern Division. It will presently be seen that this advantage is very much diminished by difficulty of navigation. If the Southern Division becomes populated, if communication becomes easier, if many things, which do not exist, spring up in the course of time, then, perhaps, the desolation which reigns over those lands may lose some of its sternness.

With the information I possess, — the changes which I dream of, as others do, for this Division, appear to me to be impossible in the Northern Division. I cannot imagine anything there different from what it now is ; the Indian, hunting, fishing and starving ; the trader collecting rich furs ; the poor missionary laboring for the salva tion of abandoned souls, and — if you will— some factories, provis ioned with imported supplies at great cost. This Northern Division then, at once deprives about two-thirds of the Northern Department of any prospect of a brilliant future, or even of any probable change. To such as desire to engage neither in hunting nor in trading for furs amongst the Indians, the Southern Division is alone worthy of attention. SOUTHERN DIVISION. While including in this Division all the country which is not included in the preceding, I could not forget that here, too, there are several spots or even districts of considerable extent little favorable to the clever combinations of economists.

I included them, however, in one division, because a portion offers real agricul tural advantages. There are, it is known, mineral riches in it, and great ways of communication : what is wanting at one point may sometimes be found at another ; the less advantageous places must be passed over to reach those which are more advantageous ; and in short taken altogether they form a whole, at least in some respects, Yet, for the sake of clearer apprehension, I shall subdivide the Southern Division of the Northern Department into three sections,. which I shall call " desert," " prairie," and " forest." 1st. Tke desert. — This word will not surprise those who have studied the western part of North America. Every body has heard of the great American desert, but all may not know that it extends into British possessions, passing the boundary at 100° W. long, and 49° N. lat., then following a line more or less winding, in a general nor. 'westerly direction, passes still further towards the north and bends again to the north-west at 113° W. long, and 52a N. lat. ; thus forming an area of at least 60,000 square miles.

Here is a desert, — an immense desert. It is certainly not every where a plain of moving sand, and quite dried up ; but it is quite vain to think of forming considerable settlements on it. Prairie hay (Systeria dyctaloides) is almost the only plant which is seen growing on its arid soil. A narrow border of alluvial soil marks its water courses, and these are dry nearly throughout the year. The prairie hay supplies pasturage of the best kind : not only the buffalo delights in it, but horses and other draught animals are very fond of it. This herb, barely six inches high, of which the plants grow so sparsely as to leave the sand or gravel on which it grows everywhere visible, preserves its flavor and nourishing power, even in the midst of the rigors of winter, to such an extent that a few days grazing on one of these remarkable pasturages suffices to restore horses worn out by work to good condition.

Beyond this advantage, and the game to be found there, I don't. know of anything on this vast plain which could attract the atten tion of economists. The wearied eye seeks in vain for a shore to this ocean of short hay. The weakened traveller sighs in vain for a stream or a spring at which to quench his thirst. The heavens, dry as the earth, hardly ever grant their dews and beneficent showers. The dry ness of the atmosphere aids the aridity of the soil ; some places of which the geological formation would appear to favor vegetation, produce no more than the naturally sterile ground. One travels across this desert for days and weeks without seeing the smallest shrub. The only fuel procurable by the traveller or hunter is buffalo dung, which our Half-breeds call " bois de prairie " (prairie wood.)

Then this desert has its winters, — severe winters, with violent wind, and a temperature often below 30° centigrade. Very distinguished men in the United States do not fear to wound national sentiment by proving the small real advantages of a great part of the west. Here is what Professor Henry says : — " The whole extent of country to the west between the 98th meridian and the Rocky Mountains, called " the great American Plains," is an arid desert over which the eye may wander to the horizon without seeing anything to relieve its monotony . . . And perhaps we shall surprise the reader by drawing his attention to the fact that this line, which is drawn southward from Lake Winnipeg to the Gulf of Mexico, divides the surface of the United States into two very nearly equal parts. When properly understood this statement will serve to dissipate some of the dreams, regarded as realities, about the destiny of the western part of the continent of North America ; but truth in the end takes precedence of praise worthy patriotic sentiment."

This opinion, so frankly expressed, is corroborated by that of Major Emory on the frontier commission of the United States : " Hypo thetical geography is pushed sufficiently far in the United States. In no other country has it been carried to such a point, or has it been followed by such disastrous consequences. This pernicious system was commenced under the eminent auspices of Baron Hum boldt, who, because he had made some trips to Mexico, attempted to describe the whole of North America. He was surrounded by people who had personal ends in view. In this manner it happened that, — without other proofs than such as were furnished by men travelling on mules, at full gallop across the continent, — the opinion of the country was held in suspense on the subject of a suitable route for a railway, and there was even created in the public mind a preference in favor of a route which explorations had demonstrated to be the most impracticable of all the routes between the 49th and 32nd parallels of latitude- On the same kind of ill-founded infor mation, maps of the whole continent have been engraved and pub lished in the very best style of art, and sent to receive the approba tion of Congress and the praise of geographical societies here and abroad ; while those who have really contributed to sound geography have seen their works robbed and disfigured, and themselves -neglected and forgotten- Whatever may be said about them, these plains to the west of the 100th meridian are quite incapable of sup porting an agricultural population so long as you do not go sufficiently to the south to meet the tropical rains."

So much for the American desert in the United States. It is the same desert which does not fear to cross the 49th parallel to stretch over British possessions up to the 55nd parallel — following, however, the diagonal we referred to in tracing its limits. The plateau of the Grand Coteau (watershed hills) du Missouri which extends into our desert, preserves its geological character there. Apart from its elevation, its tertiary strata attract attention while the rest of the desert belongs rather to the cretaceous system . Very high downs and rocks of various ages everywhere bear wit ness to the violent action to which the land has been subjected. This desert then deprives husbandry of one tenth, at least, of the Southern Division, and here already is a shadow clouding the bril liant picture which often presents itself to the minds of those who look towards the Far- West, and who, seeing the sun going down behind the Rocky Mountains, easily conclude that the land gilded by its setting rays must all be, some day, covered with abundant crops. 2nd.

The prairie or plains. Let us leave the desert to enter a more agreeable region, — that of the prairies. These plains about which I am going to speak have, in some places, a little of the arid ity of the neighboring desert without its sterility; elsewhere, this resembles forest land, without its depth; the whole forming a distinct country worthy of the greatest interest, without, perhaps, having all the advantages attributed to it. Our prairies rest on the 49th parallel of latitude and on the desert about which we have just been speaking. To the north they are bounded by -the wooded country ; in other directions they are also bounded by wooded country, on which they yearly encroach and from which they are at present separated by a curved line that, waving irre gularly to the north of the Saskatchewan, crosses it near the mouth of its southern branch, and thence proceeds in a straight line to the foot of Riding Mountains to cross the extremity of lakes Manitobah and Winnipeg, and stops at the height of lands which was formerly the bank of the lake that has been replaced by Red River Valley.

It is difficult to give, even approximately, the area of these prairies. I reckon them as being about equal to the desert country, that is 60,000 square miles. The great expanse of the prairies tells plainly that their geological formation must vary. The prairie which touches the desert includes, like the neighboring country, secondary formation, while towards its extremity it has transition rocks : for example, the calcareous strata of Red River and the coal fields of the Saskatchewan. The Silurian system occurs in its neighborhood and sometimes runs into old red sandstone. Extensive deposits of sulphate of soda are found in the neighborhood of the calcareous strata and elsewhere. The valleys of rivers and the drying up in the forests, everywhere, multiply re cent formations. There are thick alluvial beds there, and these be come covered with vegetable deposit, sometimes also of great depth.

The poor colonist who has labored at clearing the dense forest land of Canada, who can only plant his land after a terrible struggle with the giants that cover it, and after having dug it out to great depth in order to extract innumerable enormous roots — he, no doubt, naturally conceives a hatred for forest land. He has expended too much labor and exhausted too much of his resources to believe in the superiority of this kind of land. It appears to him that open country, where nothing more is necessary, so to speak, than to put the plough in the ground, is a fortunate country. From this point of view, prairie has an unquestionable advantage ; but as nothing here below is perfect, the advantage has its disheartening compen sation in a very great scarcity of timber and firewood. Time, far from bringing a remedy, increases the evil.

Fires, which destroy even forests, rob the prairies of such small advantages as they may have in this respect. I have crossed well wooded districts where a few years afterwards I have suffered from cold, not finding where with to supply the smallest fire. The conflagrations are more mnuerous in proportion to the increase of travellers. They are becoming more difficult to check as they find fuel in greater abundance and more combustible on the scene of their last depredation. To the buffalo hunter, the prairie is a country without equal. Winter and summer — there is his empire, there he finds true happiness in urging his swift steed in pursuit of prey, until recently so abundant and easy ; it is there that without obstacle and, so to speak, without labor, he lays out roads, bounds over space, and enjoys a spectacle often grand although a little monotonous.

Seen in the flower season the prairie is really beautiful, for its verdure-covered ground is quite enamelled with different colors. It is a rich carpet of which the various tints seem to have been arranged by the hands of an artist ; it is a sea which, on the least breath, undulates its scented waves. The plain, sometimes so uniform as to shew an apparently artificial horizon, suddenly changes into rolling prairie. Its beauty then increases ; a thousand little hills now raise themselves here and there, and by their almost regular variety give the idea of waves on the ocean in the midst of a great storm. It appears as if the powerful hand of the Ruler of seas, mocking the fury of the waves, had seized them at the instant of their rising, and by a peremptory order, changed them into solid land.

In many direc tions erratic stumps, seen on the top of downs or hillocks, appear in the distance like the petrified spray of foaming waves. Elsewhere the prairie is planted with clumps of trees and dotted with lakes as pleas ing as they are various in form. Here are basins which one would say were the reservoirs of great rivers, and of which the sides carry visible marks of the levels, once assigned by the Supreme Artist to these dried-up ponds. Excepting the wild and rugged beauty of large mountains, excepting the view of a great sheet of water bathing a "beautiful roadstead, and excepting all natural beauty improved by the art — it is difficult to imagine anything more beautiful, or at least prettier and more lovely, than are some parts of the rolling prairie. One might easily believe oneself to be in an immense park of which the rich proprietor had called into requisition the most skilled talent.

In the midst of these clumps, of these groves, of the rich verdure, of variegated flowers, of innumerable lakes, one asks : Where is the owner to whom belongs the large herds quietly grazing in the distance ? Who has tamed this gazelle, so fleet, so graceful, that approaches, as if to salute the traveller — that fear startles away, that curiosity turns back again ? These packs of wolves that sport round you, that bark, that howl and snarl in turn, are they the im patient pack waiting for the signal to start in pursuit of game ? Then in autumn what a variety, what a number of aquatic birds cover all these lakes ? Ducks sport themselves in thousands, the swan — that habitue of all beautiful artificial waters — is there swimming about with majestic negligence and cooing its mysterious song. Oh yes ! the prairie is beautiful ; and since we want here only people and homes, there are certain spots that I would gladly point out to amateurs.

I am not surprised at the impression produced on the tourist while he experiences the real delights of a summer excursion over these plains. Men, whose opinion must have weight, have, perhaps, occasionally experienced this delightful influence, and have given a preference to the prairies to which they are not entitled in every respect. Here comes the end of August. Already cold is threat ening ; severe frosts prevent the ripening of cereals and expose them to complete destruction. At other times a similar result may follow drought. We are on the skirts of the desert, its scorching winds rush over the prairie protected by no elevated land. The freezing wind, little less obstructed on its way from the Arctic regions, combats with its violent rival, and the prairie, the scene of this struggle, sees many hurricanes and hail storms very destructive to the crops.

Enormous hail-stones have fallen on the prairie ; over large districts not only is the hay destroyed but the soil is as it were harrowed. Then often, too often, the desert sends out its myriad of grasshoppers over the prairie, and their serried squadrons are devouring pha lanxes that do not hesitate to starve the poor settler. Winter has arrived in the beginning of November and continues more or less in April, and, Great God ! what winter ! One must travel in the .midst of these vast plains and camp out during entire weeks in the midst of these snowy oceans to understand how scarce wood is there, and yet how necessary it is. These clumps, these groves, the strip along the banks of the rivers and of some of the ravines, no doubt, border the space, diver sify the scenery, break the horizon, delight the eye of the tourist who desires only pleasure, and who contents himself with a tuft of grass, because it is pleasing to his sight and shelters him, during his siesta, against the heat of a burning sun.

But how all this beauty fades ! How it dies with the leaves that it beautifies ! I have travelled on the prairies of the Northern Department, I have crossed them frequently, and still I ask myself, what can a large population do on these plains ? I except the prairies of the upper part of the northern branch of the Saskatchewan, where the proximity of the Rocky Mountains insures the supply of some of the wood required in the settlements that might be formed there- I except, also, the valley of Red River and the Lower Assiniboine because there, too, the prairie touches on wooded country. On the rest of the plains I do not see the elements necessary for prosperous settlements. I have read glowing reports upon these plains ; they brought out all the advantages, they particularly described the quantity of wood.

But book in hand I saw the country described, and I asked myself, who is the dreamer ,— the author or the reader ? The only woods of any importance on the prairie, — that is, timber r are the different kinds of poplar, but particularly aspen and some birch. In Upper Saskatchewan, at a very few points on the road, there are also found white spruce and some larch. Out of Red River valley and the Lower Assiniboine there is no hard wood ; it does not exist to the west of 101° W. long., where the few solitary and inferior specimens that are met with could not be regarded as a resource. I say, then, that from the 101st meridian up to the Rocky Mountains, a distance of about 900 miles, there is not wherewith to make a substantial road. Birch is certainly a pretty wood for cabinet work, but it does not withstand the weather, and cannot be used in work requiring solidity.

This kind of wood, too, is not common on the prairie. An exploration was made across these plains with a view to establishing a telegraphic fine. Those who originated the scheme and did not carry it out have been very much blamed. Greater indulgence would have been extended had the report of the con scientious engineer, who made the explorations, been known. The difficulty, or rather physical impossibility, of obtaining telegraph posts caused the project to be abandoned. With these facts before me I am inclined to think that I have ascribed too narrow limits to the desert, for really, from an economic point of view, it occupies nearly half the area of the prairie that is to say all its centre, leaving only its outskirts fit for occupation. It may be truly said in a general way that prairie soil is very fertile ; but the centre is certainly not so fertile as are the out skirts.

I have already said that the climate is severe, yet the severity ■of our winters does not prevent extreme heat in summer. We have extreme heat and extreme cold. Never having had instruments upon whose perfect accuracy I could depend, I do not venture to submit the meteorological tables I have made ; but I have.noted a common centigrade spirit thermometer every day during ten years. Thrice during that period it has recorded 40° below zero, and it has also thrice marked 40° above, and on one occasion even 43°. During whole months in winter we have a mean temperature of 30° below zero in the mornings : while at midday in summer, we have a mean of 30° above zero in the shade. I shall content myself with these few figures: too many would be required to give an exact idea of our temperature, or of its fitness for farming.