The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-05-19
Hadson's Bay Territory.

In the Herald of the 4th inst. find an
article copied from the London Observer Of
the 10th ult., which betrays a want OF ac-
quaintance with the subject treated Of, viz,
Captain Palliser's expedition to the Hud.
sons Bay Territory. Your London con.
temporary, doubtless unconsciously, con-
POUNDS two separate and distinct expeditions
in one He remarks;
A short time since magniloquent de-
spatch from Captain Palliser TO Sir r. b.
Lytton was read at the Geographical Socie-
ty, which gave most iisttering account OF
the discoveries made by the gallant officer ;
but very different accounts reach us from
Canada. So far is the expedition from
being successful, that ia consequence Of
| its utter uselessness and the quantity Of
money expended upon it, the expedition
would appear TO have been brought to
close. A letter from Toronto, dated March
%, says The government exploration OF
the route to Red River has very properly
been stopped. The cost was out OF all pro-
portion TO the value of the results obtained
Fifty thousand dollars will not pay for the
expenses already incurred, and ! believe not
single point has been established
, The expedition referred to in the latter
part of this quotation is not that under the
! direction of Captain Palliser, but the expe-
dition sent by the Canadian government, I'M
der the direction OF Professor Hind, Of
/ Trinity College, Toronto and although the
expenses incurred by Professor Kinds expe-
dition exceeds the amount appropriated by
the Canadian Parliament, the expedition
was recalled, not because the cost was out OF
/ all proportion to the value Of the results OBJ
! tanned, but because the general revenue Of
Canada for the last financial year tell short
Of the expenditure by about five hundred
thousand dollars About three weeks ago
had the pleasure Of hearing Professor Hind
read paper before the Canadian Institute
at TORONTO, giving the results Of his explo-
rations, and may state that all who heard
him were mighty pleased with the very In
teresting and valuable discoveries made by
him. Indeed, one discovery alone made by
him would more than counterbalance hun
bred fold the total expense incurred. al
lude to the discovery Of the old channel OF
the south branch Of the Saskatchewan. 1t
appears that at some former period the
south branch flowed almost due east until
it entered the Assiniboine river, near Fort
Garry but owing, DOUBTLESS, to valcsnic
agency, q ridge Of about sixty feet high
above the water, in the south branch OF the
saskatchewan, at the elbow, was uphsaved,
thereby causing the south branch TO flow in
an. y. +. direction, until It enters the
north branch at point midway between
Carlton House and Fort Nippeween. This
ridge was thrown up about twelve miles east
Of the elbow. Professor Hind states that
by constructing an embankment about a
mile long and about eighty feet high across
the south Saskatchewan, at the elbow, il
will cause the water to flow again 10 the old
channel, thereby giving direct water com
muncation for steamboats, Of considerable
draft OF water from Red River to Chester.
field House, near the east base Of the Rocky
Mountains, and reducing the distance about
400 miles, The old channel OF the south
branch is about mile broad on an average
and the banks vary from $50 to 400 feet il
height; and what is not little remarkable
there are lakes extending along the ole
channel for distance OF more than fifty
miles, some Of them being as much as sixty
six feet deep The report prepared By
Prof mind is now being printed by ordel
and at the expense Of the Canadian gov
eminent. could state many other mpor
tant particulars, but lear have trspasset
too much already on your valuable columns
r.. n.