Worcester daily spy., 1872-11-14
Tho Great LONG T.nnd.

BY the title above gwen, the English writer's
designate the northwestern territory on this
continent formerly held by the Hudson Bay
company. Some thirty years ago, Sir George
simpson, an adventurous English traveller! in
cluded this region in his route round the world.
He chose, as his path of travel, the Siberian dis
trict Of the east, and the little known wilderness
OF British America, Sir Georges travels, though
very interesting, have long been out Of print;
for journals Of travels in this era Of change,
progress and adventure, are nearly as soon
superseded as almanacs. new spur TO British
interest in these great American solitudes has
been given by the publication, in LondOns OF
a Narrative of Travel and Adventure in the
Northwest of America, by Capt w. I. Butler,
F. r. G. S.
While the western and northwestern portions
of this continent within the limits of the United
States territory have wonderfully changed since
Simpson trayerSed the continent, the British
northwestern possessions remain much as they
were thirty years ago. Few settlements have
been made, and while United States territory
has been opened 10 travel and settlement, the
Hudson bay monopoly kept the British territory
sealed. That monopoly has now ceased, and
large expectations are entertained of the future
OF the Saskatchewan valley. Captain Butler is
very sanguine upon the subject, and thinks i'm
migration will be diverted "to the fertile soil Of
the Saskatchewan, from the bare, burning plains
Of the hal settled northwestern states Of the
American Union" We refer this libel on their
region to our western contemporaries. 1t may
be remarked however, that it there are spots
less attractive than others in the United States
territories, immigrants have found other dlrec-
hOaS in which they can "push along and keep
moving without crossing the line into her mai
eSty's possessions. The Saskatchewan may he
peOpled when British railway shall "stTetch
across the continent Meanwhile enterprise in
the United States has already made that stretch,
and will triple it, at least, before traveller can
90 by rail from Quebec TO the Pacific without
leaving British territory.
While the traveller of today has not many
changes to notice since Sir George Simpson
travelled across the continent, the changes winch
have occurred are at present anything but pleas
ant. No doubt the Hudson bay monopoly was
thing to be abolished. But changes prospec-
| lively bentcent are while the transition is in
| progress, anything but satisfactory. Wnen the
| despOtism of the great fur company lasted, its
| authority, summarily exercised, was for the
most part unquestOned by whites, half breeds,
| and Indians. Tine country was grand game
| preserve" and, in securing furs for the present
| market, the preservation Of the various species
| was considered "Now "free hunters" not only
| trap" but poison game, and slaughter with
| out regard TO the future. The stations which
| the company still keep up, under q modified
control, are said to be maintained at a loss, The
company retains, it would seem, its absolute con-
| trol over vast district to the north Of Sdskat.
| chewan. 1t is only to preserve this that the
present posts are Kept up in the track over
| WHICH lllClI llOIbpuiN mas GedSGNl. 10 4lNb tue
| borderers entirely free sweep over part, would
| endanger the whole.
The AboHgines are source OF anxiety. In
| der the rule of the company they were faithful
| servants, in their way, and, being ''to the man
| ner born" were judicious and profitable hunt
| ers. Now they see the game cut off nselesslY,
| and, what is worse, find their main dependence
| for living abridged. A Buffalo herd is TO the
| Indian what drove of cattle is TO farmer. 1t
is stock to be used as wanted, and never wan
| tonly wasted In the territories of the Union
| attention has been forced to the needless waste
| Of the buffalo. In the British possessions the
| difficulty is probably even greater. The white
| traders consume immense qudntiueS of "pem-
| mican," or poted flesh. They have massacred
the Buffalo wholesale, to preserve the careasses,
and the consequence is that the creature has
| almost entirely disappeared from the SaSkat-
| cheWan district. This is worse to the Indian
| than the cattle disease" in civilized regions
| The farmer finds relief by complaint; the
| Indian will not be long in seeking relief in
| his way, which is a much more dangerous one.
While the small pOX has been alarming our
| communities, even under its modified forms, re-
strained by civilized appliances, amOug the In.
dians in the Saskatchewan it has ragged learlully
The tribes are vanishing fast before its ravageS.
| British observers, who have seldom passed Sc
| we're comments on the fate Of the "pOor Indian"
| in the United States are themselves beginning
| to look with complacency on the ''entire disap-
| pearance" of the Indians in British America as
| a solution" of the troublesome question witch
| make their existence an embarTass snocnt. Other
| troubles meet such authorities as eXis. in the
| "Great Lone Land" Notorious crimes 90 uu-
| punished in the very vicinity of the forts. The
officials are met with defiance. Lawess border
men confess no rule. In the lamentabe present
state OF affairs still worse is apprchended. 1t is
in no spirit OF rejoicing in eyil' that the citi-
zen Of the United States coutemplates these difi-
culties -four neghbors, But out Of them the con-
| yctlon may rise in the European mind that
| there are serious obstacles in the way of con-
trolling border settlements, and in dong justice
| to wild men. Judge Lynch may even rise yet
in Saskatchewan.-Pha Phaadelphja Ledger.