itself in the Saskatchewan, a third post’:  should be formed, after the lapse of a year, at the junction of the Medicine and Red Deer Rivers in latitude 52.18 north, and longitude 114.15 west, about 90 miles south of Edmonton.  This position is well within the Blackfeet country, possesses a good soil, excellent timber, and commands the road to Benton.  This post need not be the centre of a settlement, but merely a military, customs, missionary, and trading establishment.

Such, Sir, are the views which I have formed upon the whole question of the existing state of affairs in the Saskatchewan.  They result from the thought and experience of-many long days of travel through a large portion of the region to which they have reference.  If I were asked from what point of view I have looked upon this question, I would answer From that point which sees a vast country lying, as it were, silently awaiting the approach of the immense wave of human life which rolls unceasingly from Europe to America.  Far off as lie the regions of the Saskatchewan from the Atlantic sea-board on which that wave is thrown, remote as are the fertile glades which fringe the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, still that wave of human life is destined to reach those beautiful solitudes, and to convert the wild luxuriance of their now Useless vegetation into all the requirements of civilized existence.  And If it-be matter for desire that across this immense continent, resting upon the two greatest oceans of the world, a powerful nation should. arise with the strength and the manhood which race and climate and tradition would assign to it—­a nation which would look with no evil eye upon the old mother land from whence it sprung, a nation which, having no bitter memories to recall would have no idle prejudices to perpetuate then surely it is worthy of all toil of hand and brain, on the part of those who to-day rule, that this great link in the chain of such a future nationality should no longer remain undeveloped, a prey to the conflicts of savage races, at once the garden and the wilderness of the Central Continent.

W. F. Butler, Lieutenant, 69th Regiment.  Manitoba, 10th March, 1871.

APPENDIX A

Settlements (Half-breed) in Saskatchewan.

Prince Albert.—­English half-breed.  A Presbyterian Mission presided over by Rev. Mr. Nesbit.  Small post of Hudson Bay Company with large farm attached.  On North Branch of Saskatchewan River, 35 miles above junction of both branches; a fine soil, plenty of timber, and good wintering ground for stock; 50 miles east of Carlton, and 60 west of Fort-a-la-Corne.

Whitefish lake.—­English.  Wesleyan Mission—­only a few settlers—­soil good—­timber plenty.  Situated north-east of Victoria 60 miles.

Lac la BICHE.—­French half-breed.  Roman Catholic Mission.  Large farm attached to mission with water grist mill, etc.  Soil very good and timber abundant; excellent fishery.  Situated at 70 miles north-west from Fort Pitt.