Professor Macoun had then already spent ten years study, theoretical and practical, of botany, natural history and physical geography. In the year 1875 he was appointed botanist to the expedition which, under the leadership of the Director of the Geological Survey, explored Peace river and Rocky mountains. Two years later he was asked by the Dominion Government to write a report on the Northwest territories and availed himself of all reliable information regarding the country. The summers of 1879-80-81 were spent by Professor Macoun in traversing the least known parts and investigating the fauna, flora, meteorology and physical phenomena of the country. During the years 1878-79 Doctor G. M. Dawson, of the Geological Survey, in conjunction with a Canadian Pacific Railway survey party, made an examination of the region between the mouth of Skeena river on the Pacific coast and Edmonton, including Pine river pass and its approaches, Smoky river and the fertile country north and south of Peace river. The vast extent of country covered left but little time for details, and caused the expedition to assume the character of a rapid reconnaissance survey. In 1873, Charles Horetzky, C.E., was commissioned by Mr. Sandford Fleming to make a reconnaissance survey through Peace river country and Peace river pass to assist the government in reaching a decision as to the route of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Mr. Horetzky, who was accompanied by Doctor Macoun, botanist, proceeded via Edmonton, Lesser Slave lake, the confluence of Smoky and Peace rivers, Dunvegan, McLeod’s lake, etc. Besides his official report, Mr. Horetzky wrote a popular account of this trip under the title “Canada on the Pacific,” which contained much interesting information as to Peace river district. In 1875, Doctor Selwyn, Director of the Geological Survey, mapped and reported upon the upper part of Peace river, as far down as the mouth of Smoky river, and in the same year Professor John Macoun, who accompanied him in the capacity of botanist, proceeded down the river to Lake Athabaska, and returned east by the Athabaska-Clearwater route, while Doctor Selwyn reascended Peace river, and returned by British Columbia.