CHAPTER IX.

Climate of the North-West.

Notes from Blodgett's Climatology-Its Great Value-Lake Superior Compared with North-West-Summer Heat Decisive of Climate-Thermal Lines Curve NorthwardSpring opens Simultaneously on a Northwest line Between St. Paul's and Mackenzie Rivers-Deserts not Found North of Lat. 47°-Rain Sufficient on the Northern Plain-Buffalo more Abundant in the North-Peace River Compared with Germany and Russia-Canadian North-West the Better-A Prophecy Thirty Years Ago-Size of our North-West-Lord Selkirk's Opinions Seventy Years Ago-500,000 Square Miles with a Mild Climate.

THE region to which the following remarks will mainly apply is bounded on the south by parallel of lat. 49°; on the north by parallel of lat. 60°; on the east by meridian 95°; on the west by the line of the Rocky Mountains. An area, in round numbers, of 667,600 square miles.

For many years this vast region was almost a blank on our maps-little was known of it, either by Englishmen or Canadians, beyond the fact that furs were obtained therefrom. More than twenty years ago, however, Americans recognized its value, and foretold its great future and even described it as the prospective granary of the world.

In 1857 Capt. Palliser was commissioned by the British Government to examine the country south of the 54th parallel. Commencing his examination at the interna tional boundary, in the vicinity of the Red River, he made a few traverses and reached Fort Ellice late in the season. Proceeding up the right bank of the Qu'Appelle to its head, he crossed the South Saskatchewan and proceeded northward to Carlton, where he wintered. In June, 1858, he turned southwest and spent the summer on the Great Plains, wintering that year at Edmonton. at Edmonton. In the follow

ing spring he again proceeded south to the boundary, but afterwards passed to the west into British Columbia.

He reported in very favorable terms of the northern portion of the country that he had traversed, but of the southern portion he spoke much less favorably-alleging that running water was very scarce; that no wood was to be seen except in the river valleys; and that, owing to the enormous herds of buffalo which covered the plains at that time, feed in many places was poor.

As far as public opinion was concerned the only immediate result of this exploration was that a certain district in the north became known as the "Fertile Belt," and that the southern part, about which so little was said, was set down, or assumed to be, arid and of slight value; an opinions till generally prevalent and mainly fostered by writers whose views have been based on a misinterpretation of Capt. Palliser's remarks.

The survey of the International Boundary and the establishment of the Mounted Police Force in 1874, tendered in some degree to dispel the cloud which hung over the south. Frequent journeys have done much since in the same direction, yet in the minds of the general public, and even of many others who should be better informed, the old prejudice, in a measure, exists.

In this case the past only repeated itself. How many are the instances of wealth unknown having remained for centuries under the eye of the dwellers on the spot, unappreciated and untouched?

In our day the growth of the Dominion, demanding a through communication from east to west, and the exigencies of the over-populated countries of the old world, have been the means of enlightening the world as to the extent of the resources of the "Great North-West," thus fulfilling the beneficent intentions of the all-wise Creator.

Explorers have traversed its length, settlers have here

and there dotted the new land, and the reports of one and the other only stimulate us to further research.

Amongst those sent out to explore, I was first commissioned by Mr. Fleming in 1872, to examine the flora of the prairies between Winnipeg and Edmonton. The same year I was despatched in company with Mr. Charles Horetzki, to explore the Peace River and examine the country on its banks. The journeys resulted in the discovery of the low passes through the Rocky Mountains, and of an extensive tract of fertile country, since known as the Peace River District.

In 1875, I accompanied Mr. Selwyn, Director of the Geological Survey, in the capacity of botanist, to British Columbia and from thence by the Peace River Pass to the east of the Rocky Mountains. Circumstances compelled me to descend the Peace River from the Rocky Mountains to Lake Athabasca, and I was thus enabled to see the country as far north as lat. 59°. Turning eastward at this point a journey of 1200 miles brought me to Winnipeg.

The general conclusions which I arrived at from my explorations of 1872 and 1875 were: 1st, That as there was but one flora common to the region extending from eight to twelve degrees of latitude, or as far north as 60°, and as that flora required a high summer temperature for its existence, the thermometer would be found to show a correspondingly even distribution of heat throughout the whole district. 2nd, That exceptional or special conditions must exist to produce that high and even distribution of heat discovered as ranging over so great an area.

These conclusions have since been established as facts by the recorded observations sent in from the Meteorological stations at Winnipeg, Fort McLeod, and Fort Calgarry in the south, and Fort Rae and Fort Simpson in the north. (See Meteorological Report for 1878.)

In 1879 my attention was mainly directed to an investi

gation of the causes of the supposed aridity of the district lying to the south. I found a parched surface, dried and withered grasses, and in short every appearance of the existence of such aridity; but closer examination showed that these indications were illusory. At the point "Blackfoot Crossing" lat 50° 43' where the consequences of aridity appeared the strongest, I came upon ground broken up in the spring, bearing excellent crops of all kinds-oats being four feet high, while on the land outside the fence the grass was burnt up and all other vegetation withered. From this I argued that the rain-fall in the district was evidently ample for the requirements of vegetation, but that, until the baked crust was broken, it could not percolate the ground as rapidly as it fell and so a great portion was evaporated by the dry atmosphere and lost. Thus the apparent aridity vanishes before the first efforts of husbandry. Next to the question of aridity was that of the high and even temperature of climate. On this point I simply accumulated data bearing on the observations of former years, all of which tended to prove that the great plain to the northwestward, and north of lat. 49° extending along the Saskatchewan and other rivers between the 100th and 115th Meridians, and the narrow strip of coast north of Montery, California, present decided features of difference from other districts of the American continent. These differences and peculiarities I shall now deal with seriutim.

TEMPERATURE.

It was long ago asserted as a principle by Geologists that "land in quantity situated to the southward of lat 40° north, very materially raises the temperature of lands lying to the north of such parallel." (Sir C. Lyell). To the expression "land in quantity," I would add, when its character is that of a desert or arid nature. Another maxim is thus laid down by a well known writer on American

Climatology (Blodgett) "that high arid plains are indicative of great summer heat, of an arid atmosphere, and of little rain or snowfall." Now the conditions required to test the accuracy of both these propositions are presented in the position occupied by the North-West Territory. South of our boundary, within the United States, lies a vast tract of land, generally arid or desert, of which at least 500,000 square miles are embraced in a plateau which has a general level of 6000 feet. At Laramie City in lat. 42° it is about 7000 feet above sea level, thence northward it rapidly falls off so that when it reaches our boundary in lat. 49° at Pembina, it is considerably under 1000 feet. At the base of the Rocky Mountains it is under 4000 feet. From the boundary the plain extends far to the north and only terminates at the Arctic Sea. In such a wide range of latitude it might well be expected that a considerable difference of temperature would be found. The following Table, however shows the temperature as being wonderfully uniform. (See Meteorological Report, 1878):

PLACE

JUNE.

JULY.

MEAN OF AUGUST. SUM. MOS.

Winnipeg......49.53......97.07......59.2......65.8......63.3.......62.8

In the same parallels of latitude in Europe the tempera

ture is recorded as follows. (See Blodgett):

Penzance, S. W. England......50.08......59.5......62.1

We see that the summer temperature in the North-West Territories is exceptional. Believing, however, that in addition to the quoted causes, there are others which contribute to this result of exceptional temperature, I purpose for the present, to reserve the fact for further comment,