The area of this continent, north-west of Minnesota, and known as the
Saskatchewan district, is estimated by English authorities to comprise
368,000 square miles. North-west from Otter Tail Lake, the geographical
centre of Minnesota, extends a vast silurian formation, bounded on the
west along the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains by coal measures.
Such a predominance of limestone implies fertility of soil, as in the
north-western States, and the speedy colonisation of Saskatchewan would
be assured if the current objection to the severity of climate was
removed. On this point a few facts will be presented.
The Sea of Azof, which empties into the Black Sea, forming the eastern
border of the Crimean peninsula, freezes about the beginning of
November, and is seldom open before the beginning of April. A point
less than one hundred miles north, but far down in southern Russia,
namely, Catherineoslay, has been found, from the observation of many
years, to be identical in summer and winter climate with Fort Spelling.
Nine-tenths of European Russia, therefore, the main seat of population
and resources, is further north than Saint Paul. In fact, Pembina is
the climatic equivalent of Moscow, and for that of Saint Petersburg,
(which is 60 degrees north), we may reasonably go to latitude 55 degrees
on the American continent.
Like European Russia, also, the Saskatchewan district has a climate of
extremes--the thermometer having a wide range; but it is well understood
that the growth of the cereals and of the most useful vegetables depends
chiefly on the intensity and duration of the summer heats, and is
comparatively little influenced by the severity of winter cold, or the
lowness of the mean temperature during the year. Therefore it is
important to observe that the northern shore of Lake Huron has the mean
summer heat of Bordeaux, in southern France, or 70 degrees Fahrenheit;
while Cumberland House, in latitude 54 degrees, longitude 102 degrees,
on the Saskatchewan, exceeds in this respect Brussels and Paris.
The United States Army Meteorological Register has ascertained that the
line of 70 degrees mean summer heat crosses the Hudson River at West
Point, thence descends to the latitude of Pittsburg, but, westward, is
traced through Sandusky, Chicago, Fort Snelling, and Fort Union, near
latitude 49 degrees, into British America. The average annual heat at
Quebec is experienced as far north as latitude 52 degrees in the
Saskatchewan country.
Mr Blodget states that not only all the vicinity of the south branch of
the Saskatchewan is as mild in climate as Saint Paul, but that the north
branch of that river is almost equally favourable, and that the
ameliorating influence of the Pacific, through the gorges of the Rocky
Mountains, is so far felt on Mackenzie's River, that wheat may be grown
in its valley nearly to the 65th parallel.
In the foregoing account of the districts of the _interior_, we have
given faithfully, as in duty bound, the _fact_ that have been elicited
in the various investigations, public and otherwise, that have taken
place. At the same time, we think it but fair to state, that large
portions of these fine districts, especially the Athabasca and
Saskatchewan, are at present very far beyond the reach of any civilised
market, and overrun by hordes of warlike Indians.
We have thus given a brief survey of the position and resources, of the
territory surrounding the new El Dorado. One observation we may be
permitted to hazard. Perhaps there is no more striking illustration of
the wisdom of that Providence which presides over the management of our
affairs, than in the fact that emigration was first led to the eastern
coast, rather than to the slopes or plains of the west. Had the latter
been first occupied, it is doubtful whether the rocks and lagoons of the
seaboard would ever have been settled. No man would have turned from
the prairie sward of the Pacific to the seamed elopes of the Atlantic
edge. As it is, we have the energy and patience which the difficult
soil of the east generates, with that magnificent sweep of western
territory, which, had it been opened to us first, might, from its very
luxuriousness, have generated among those occupying it, an ignoble love
of ease.