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benumbing influence of monopoly. ‘‘From Bed j River to the Rocky Mountains, along the banks of j the Assiniboine and the fertile belt of the. Saskat- j chewan, at least 60,000,000 of acres of the richest; soil lie ready for the farmer when he shall be j allowed to enter in and possess it. This glorious \ country, capable of sustaining an enormous popu-j lation, lies utterly useless except for the support of j a few Indians and the enrichment of the share- ■ holders of the last great monopoly.” Since the; time of the travellers7 visit the company has passed ; into other hands. The fact that the new directors j sent out Dr. Rae to survey a route for a tele- i graph line through their territories into British \ Columbia redounds greatly to their credit, and induces a hope that their policy wilt be more liberal than that of their predecessors. The writers give a very animated description of the Spring and Fall Hunt, which are the great events of the year at Red River. Finding that they could not cross the mountains before the winter, they decided to travel westward and winter at some convenient poiut on the River Saskatchewan, a resolution which procured for them a series of exciting and memorable adventures, and for their readers several delightful chapters containing the. pleasantest possible narratives of sport and exploration. The journey from Red River to Fort Ellice was monotonous but pleasant in its strangeness, and from that poiut to the south branch of the Saskatchewan it afforded considerable and valuable sport. The reader will do well to study the very clear and convenient map which accompanies this volume; it adds much to the interest of the book to watch the gradual lessening of the landmarks, the cessation of the old names, the distinguishing of the stages of the journey by familiar appellations, such as Fort Milton, Mount Cheadle, c., proving that terra incognita had indeed been reached. The establishment of the winter hut at La Belle Prairie ; the storing of the travellers’ provisions ; the precautions which they were obliged to take in order to hide their supply of “fire-water” from the insatiable Assiniboines ; the selection and purchase of horses ; the daring attempts made by the Indians to steal the bea3ts which they had just sold to the pale faces ; a number of amusing anecdotes about their aboriginal friends, and some capital hunting stories, bring the narrative to a temporary pause, and afford an opportunity to the writers for indulging those among their readers who have a taste for natural history with some very interesting zoological details. They confirm the general belief in the gradual extinction of the beaver, for though they came upon a beaver swamp it was ancient and deserted. At one place they found a long chain of marshes, formed by the damming up of a stream which hadj now ceased to exist. On Dog River, a I small tributary of the Saskatchewan, a colony of these curious animals still survive, but it is evident that they are conscious of their weakness, aua never attempt any of the giant undertakings familiar to their forefathers. Martens, foxes, wolves, and “ grizzlies” figure in these entertaining pages, but the most curious and iuter-estingof the facts relating to the animal kingdom are those told of the wolverine, or North American glutton, the fur hunter’s most implacable and cunning foe. This curious animal is larger than an English fox, with a long body, stoutly and compactly made, mounted on exceedingly short legs of great strength. His broad feet are armed with powerful claws, and hi3 track in the• i - % * ■ a «ri mi I
Newspaper Details
London Morning Post
London, Middlesex, GB
Wed, Aug 23, 1865
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
CA 29 Jul 2020
Other Publications Near London, Middlesex
Bingleys Journal
Arminian Magazine
London Daily Mail
London Stars and Stripes
London Daily Universal Register
