Palliser Expedition

The Palliser Expedition was a British expedition that explored and surveyed the open prairies and rugged wilderness of western Canada from 1857 to 1860. The expedition was led by John Palliser. The party consisted of:

• James Hector, geologist, naturalist, and surgeon
• Eugene Bourgeau, botanist
• Thomas Blakiston, magnetic observer
• John W. Sullivan, mathematician and sextant observer

After three more years of publishing the details of the expedition, Palliser presented his report to the British Parliament in 1863. A comprehensive map of the surveyed areas was published in 1865. Palliser's Triangle was first explored by this expedition and they reported back that this region was too arid for agriculture, a finding that was overruled by later officials much to the detriment of those who have tried to farm there.