The next Zone we will consider as commencing at the Gulf of Saint
Lawrence. Westward extends an elevated region, rising in many places to
a considerable height, and forming the water-shed of the rivers which
flow on the south side into the Saint Lawrence, and on the north into
Hudson Bay. Proceeding up the Saint Lawrence, we arrive at a great lake
district, which embraces Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan, and
Superior, to the extreme west. On the north-western shores of that lake
we find an elevated district with several small lakes and streams
flowing through valleys. This is the water-shed also of two systems.
The streams to the east, flowing into Lake Superior, ultimately enter
the Saint Lawrence; while those to the west make their way into Lake
Winnipeg, the waters of which, after flowing through a variety of
channels, fall into Hudson Bay. To the west of this water-shed range
the first lake we meet with is known as the Lac des Milles Lacs. Two
rivers flow from it, expanding here and there into small lakes, till
another expanse of water is reached called Rainy Lake. This in the same
way communicates by two streams with the still larger Lake of the Woods,
the whole region on both sides being thickly wooded. From the Lake of
the Woods flows the broad and rapid Winnipeg River, which finally falls
into Lake Winnipeg. This large and long lake is connected with several
others of smaller size,--Lake Winnipegoos and Manitoba Lake to the west
of it. Into the southern end of Lake Winnipeg flows the Red River,
which rises far-away in the south in the United States, taking an almost
direct northerly course. Towards the north, about twenty miles from the
lake, is situated the well-known Selkirk settlement. To the west of the
Red River commences a broad belt of prairie land which extends here and
there, rising into wooded heights and swelling hills, with several large
rivers flowing through it, to the very base of the Rocky Mountains. As
we advance westward we find it extending considerably to the north,
where the large and wide river Saskatchewan, rising in the Rocky
Mountains, flows eastward into Lake Winnipeg. Along the southern border
of this region the Assiniboine River, also of considerable size, flows
into the Red River at Fort Garry, in the Selkirk settlement. The
prairie country indeed extends further than the Red River, up to the
Lake of the Woods. The name of the Fertile Belt has been properly given
to it. Commencing at the Lake of the Woods, it stretches westward for
800 miles, and averages from 80 to upwards of 100 miles in width. The
area of this extraordinary belt of rich soil and pasturage is about
40,000,000 of acres. Including the adjacent fertile districts, the area
may be estimated at not less than 80,000 square miles, or considerably
more fertile land than the whole of Canada is supposed to contain. It
rises gradually towards the west, so that the traveller is surprised to
find how speedily he has gained the passes which lead him over the Rocky
Mountains into the territory of British Columbia on their western side--
often indeed before he has realised the fact that he has crossed the
boundary-line. The Fertile Belt is considerably more to the south than
the British Islands, though, as the western hemisphere is subject to
greater alternations of heat and cold than the eastern, there is a vast
difference in temperature between the summer and winter. While in
winter the whole region is covered thickly with snow, in summer the heat
is so great that Indian-corn and other cereals, as well as all fruits,
ripen with great rapidity. The whole of this fertile region, which now
forms part of the Canadian Dominion, is about to be opened to
colonisation; and through it will be carried the great high road which
will connect the British provinces on the Pacific with those of the
Atlantic.