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.

CHAPTER THREE.

ROUTES, ETCETERA.

For some time to come, the great line of route to the new El Dorado will
likely be by water from the different settlements along the coast of the
Pacific. Steam communication has long been established between Panama
and San Francisco, and a line of vessels is now regularly plying between