The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-11-18

plore the territory, and much scattered in.
formation has been collected Sir John
Colburne sent party to penetrate into the
Nipissing country, but the arrangements
were defective. The travellers stated from
Lake Simcoe, and reached the southeast
banks Of Nipissing Lake, but they suffered
SO severely from fatigue and privation that
their narrative was colored with the painful
recollection OF their misfortunes. Mr.. Tho
mas Simpson journeyed from Fort Garry TO
Athabasca, and reported favorably OF many
districts he traversed, and many others have
borne testimony to the fertility OF the soil,
the abundance Of the minerals, and the val.
ne Of the timber. The latest intelligence is
contained in blue book published by or.
der of the Canadian government, entitled
a Report on the Exploration of the Coun.
try between Lake Superior and the Red
River settlements" and it is the first stats
tical contribution Of the Government Sur
veying Expedition, under the charge of
Messrs. Gladman and Dawson and Professor
Hind. Under the auspices Of these highly
competent gentlemen. copious aud accurate
information will be obtained respecting the
Northwest Territory, which offers unrival,
led facilities for settlement. Mr.. Dawson,
speaking OF the Saskatchewan country says
There ia not. perhaps, on the globe so
great an extent OF territory so little broken
by barren tracts; there is not in the uni.
verse finer field for colonization; so mild,n
the climate in the south branch of this
great river, that the Indians hunt the bulfl-
10 on horseback all winter and 30 little
snow is said to fall that snow shoes are sci
dom used The Assineboin river enters
Red river at Fort Garry, and flows over
hundred miles of the richest prairie soil.
The valley Of the Red river is described as
boundless level plain. elevated about
thirty feet above Lake Winnipeg, uud for
Il distance Of about one hundred mi,s. in
due south direction, -"rising 90 impcrcrpt
bly, that, except by instrumental MEASURE.
ment. its inclination was not apparent"
Both the rivers, the Red and the Assine
boin, are heavily timbered on both their
banks for a quarter Of mile deep. On the
Assineboin Professor Hind says that sugar
is made from the maple; that u species Of
grape grows in profusion, while melons and
Ol'u bNHt tuNlS
ought to disabusc the English mind OF the
prejudse entertained against the climate Of
Canada.
Half way between Lake Superior and
Red River IL Rainy River, where the coil is
described a. rich, black loan, aud the veg.
citation was so abundant that the progress
OF the surveyors was impeded by the densc
growth Of graSsa. The whole valley is
marked by fertility aud beauty. The pop
lar measures sixteen and hail feet in cir
conference, the elms are three ieet IN diam.
eter, the oak aourishes, and in some districts
the yield of wheat averages thirty bushels
per acre. The settlements already formed
on the Red River run for about fifty miles
on its immediate banks, the houses being
generally quite close to the stream the
farms, Of from fifty to two hundred acres,
stretching backwards in long strips into
the prairie, 10 what il called "the boundary
line Of the lots" The members Of the gov
ernment expedition observe that "many
hundred thousands Of acres, which cannot
be surpassed for fertity-rich prairie mould
from eighteen inches to two feet deep--le
free and unoccupied on the banks Of the
Red River and its Tributaries inviting set.
tement.' To the facts contained in the
blue book Of the Canadian Legislature VIC
may add the remarks Of o private traveller,
published in the Hamilton Spectator, the
result OF q tour oil six 10 seven hundred
miles through the Swan river region. After
describing the general features oi the coun-
try as rich prairies, interpreted with belts
Of heavy oak and elm, be says, am afraid
that in describing the rich valleys OF Swan
River and the Azineboin, have been 10
dulgiDg in romance, when the fact is that
have, 10 reality, fallen short Of the truth.
All the banks and bracs that have bern
written Of could not excel those Of swan
River, and all the groves lawns and panta-
,ions ever laid out by genius and art woaId
find something even more beautiful in the
winding slopea Of the Assineboin."
The more en,erprisng Of the Canadian
merchants are now earnestly cRs.dering
how they may beat utilize the Northwest
Territory. and as commeDcefnent the
Northwest Transportation Company bas
been formed. The frs' improvement 70 b.
Effected is the general communication h..
tween Red River and Lake superior by "a
cilitating the transit over the portages. II
the company slamoeT over their dl,ics,
their claims are forfeited by the tertas Il
the charter, 40 that no obirusiye monopoly
has been created and Others will he allowed
10 saperse5e those who have hiIed This
precan,ion shows that the LegislA,gre are
lull intsn, upon opening the passage, and
i,s completion can BE- only work Of time
The benefi to b. derived from its execution
i. now fully appreciated. The Canadians
are asking ttemselyss Can We have a
West as valuable 10 "a a. Illinois cas- prov
ed to have Dsen To New YORK" This
question they suser 10 the Affirmative, ih-
ss,ing 'ha, the Red River. the 5san, the
As.iniboin, and the SSkaebe~an have