,,the ,,unexploited ,,west ,a ,,compilation of all of the authentic information available at the present time as to the ,,natural ,,resources ,,of ,,the ,,unexploited ,,regions of ,,northern ,,canada ,by ,major ,,ernest ,j4 ,,chambers1 ,corps of ,guides ,gentleman ,usher of the ,black ,rod ,published under the direction of ,f4 ,c4 ,c4 ,,lynch ,superintendent of the ,railway ,lands ,branch ,department of the ,interior ,hon4 ,w4 ,j4 ,,roche1 ,minister ,,ottawa ,printed by ,j4 de ,l4 ,,tache1 ,printer to the ,king's ,most ,excellent ,majesty #aiad ,,department ,,of ,,the ,,interior1 ,ottawa1 ,september #ai1 #aiac4 ,,honourable ,w4 ,j4 ,,roche1 ,minister of the ,interior1 ,ottawa4 ,,sir1--,i have the honour to transmit herewith the manuscript of a compilation of all available information on the ,unexploited ,west by ,major ,ernest ,j4 ,chambers1 ,gentleman ,usher of the ,black ,rod4 ,this work1 which was undertaken by ,major ,chambers under instructions from this ,department1 is drawn from all known sources4 ,the information contained herein covers the whole of the unexploited portions of ,canada1 west of ,hudson bay1 and it is intended to fill a growing demand for complete information regarding this territory4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,sir1 ,your obedient servant1 ,f4 ,c4 ,c4 ,,lynch1 ,superintendent of ,railway ,lands4 ,,preface4 ,the stream of immigration steadily flowing westward in ever-increasing volume is rapidly exhausting the reserves of vacant land in that part of the ,canadian west which used to be known1 to the detriment of the territory farther to the north1 as 8,the ,fertile ,belt40 ,already settlement has overflowed the northern frontier of the 8belt of supposed limited fertility0 and many thousands of acres of agricultural land have been surveyed by the ,dominion ,government immediately north of the ,north ,saskatchewan and in the ,peace river valley1 and the surveys are being rapidly extended to keep up with the pressure of advancing settlement4 ,while the trend of immigration is turning northward1 the eyes of the capitalist are attracted in the same direction4 ,information concerning the resources of the country once ignored is now sought for4 ,facts about the climate1 the soil1 the timber1 the rivers1 the lakes1 the minerals1 the fish1 the game obtained at the risk of life and limb by fur trader1 explorer1 missionary1 geologist and sportsman1 even those facts regarded not so long ago as merely interesting1 have now a practical value4 ,the once prevalent notion that the whole of the immense territory north of the ,north ,saskatchewan was a sterile1 frost-bound waste destined for all time to remain a wilderness1 is now largely a thing of the past1 and the opportunities which the latent resources of the silent places of the unexploited northwest afford to the enterprising and adventurous at the present moment challenge the attention of the world4 ,with interest powerfully attracted to the more easterly sections of the country under review by the recent extensions northward of the limits of the prosperous provinces of ,ontario and ,manitoba1 and with easy means of communication with the larger divisions farther west assured1 thanks to the progress of the construction of railways northward to ,port ,nelson on ,hudson bay and to ,mc,murray in the ,athabaska country1 it certainly looks as though the long neglected ,northland were coming to its own at last4 ,by connecting with the three thousand miles of almost uninterrupted steamboat communication on ,athabaska1 ,peace1 ,slave and ,mackenzie rivers1 and ,athabaska and ,great ,slave lakes1 the railway being pushed into the ,athabaska country will place the whole of ,mackenzie basin within easy reach of the prospector1 the explorer1 the sportsman and the tourist4 ,the line being constructed to ,hudson bay1 as soon as steamboat connection is established therewith1 will lay the very heart of that alluring ,el ,dorado which we call the ,barren ,lands1 with its herds of musk-oxen and caribou and its mineral wealth1 open to the prospector and the sportsman1 for1 via ,chesterfield inlet1 ,baker lake and the ,thelon1 there is a splendid1 uninterrupted waterway from ,hudson bay for a distance of five hundred and fifty miles into the interior4 ,the exceptional attractions which the ,northland holds out to the sportsman are certain to contribute largely towards the discovery and development of the natural resources of the country4 ,a couple of years ago ,mr4 ,w4 ,t4 ,robson1 ,general ,advertising ,agent of the ,canadian ,pacific ,railway1 submitted to a convention of railway men a thoughtful paper on the value of the tourist sportsman as a means of publicity for undeveloped country1 in which he pointed out that the cultured business men who find their greatest pleasure1 relaxation and physical benefit from trips into the wilds1 are quick to discern the commercial value of water powers1 timber and minerals1 and he related a number of instances where hunting trips had resulted either in the discovery of unexpected natural resources or in large investments in the country visited4 ,the object of the present publication is to present1 with some degree of systematic arrangement1 all of the authentic information available at the moment as to the natural resources of the less-known and unexploited portions of northern ,canada lying west of ,hudson bay and ,james bay and east of the main range of ,rocky mountains4 ,this general definition of area brings within the scope of this volume the whole of that portion of the old provisional district of ,keewatin recently divided by act of parliament between the provinces of ,ontario and ,manitoba1 those portions of the provinces of ,saskatchewan and ,alberta north of the unsettled and unsurveyed territory1 the basin of ,mackenzie river1 and that immense country north of the new provincial lines extending from ,mackenzie basin to ,hudson bay1 which has apparently1 undeservedly1 come to be known as 8,barren ,lands0 or 8,barren ,grounds40 ,in these immense regions there are wide areas of which we in this year of grace #aiab know as little as was known of ,bow river valley in #ahab1 and that was nothing4 ,on the other hand considerable is known in a general way about certain portions of every one of the great districts which form this vast territory1 or1 to be quite exact1 considerable has been written about them4 ,the subject matter has been so widely distributed that no one could be expected to be familiar with it all4 ,practically the first authoritative data as to the natural resources of ,canada's unexploited northland was contained in the published evidence of a ,british parliamentary committee which sat in #agdi to enquire into the resources of the country administered by the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4 ,with this as a nucleus1 a considerable amount of information on the subject has gradually accumulated4 ,the journals of officials of the big fur-trading companies have contributed to this fund of information and so have the writings of missionaries1 the reports of ,british1 ,canadian and ,united ,states official government explorers1 the narratives of sportsmen and adventurous travellers1 and the patrol records of that inimitable and ubiquitous body the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police4 ,a very wide range of information regarding the various sections of these territories1 too1 has been placed on record as a result of several ,canadian parliamentary investigations4 ,some idea of the large amount of literature relating to the great northland which has accumulated1 can be obtained from the fact that in the preparation of the present book nearly three hundred publications have been consulted1 necessitating an amount of reading which was not anticipated when the task was undertaken4 ,much of this reading was absolutely unproductive1 a considerable portion of the books written by men who have lived in or travelled through the country being merely narratives of travel and adventure1 containing no direct information of any value as to natural resources4 ,for various obvious reasons many books written by scientific and observant men who have visited the still new west are of little value in throwing light upon the questions of the natural resources of the country4 ,one of these reasons is referred to by ,sir ,alexander ,mackenzie1 who states in the introduction to his narrative3--8,i could not stop to dig into the earth1 over whose surface ,i was compelled to pass with rapid steps2 nor could ,i turn aside to collect the plants which nature might have scattered in the way1 when my thoughts were anxiously employed in making provision for the day that was passing over me40 ,the distances to be travelled in the far ,northland are generally so great that the slender stores of supplies carried by the explorer and traveller do not permit of time being devoted to thorough investigation by the way4 ,again1 much of the travelling in the unsettled north has been done in winter1 when the surface of the ground was covered with snow1 making an examination of the soil and rocks impossible4 ,nevertheless1 the literature relating to the new ,canadian northwest is so voluminous that it contains1 scattered throughout it1 an aggregate amount of practical information regarding the resources of even the more remote sections of the country that1 as assembled within the two covers of a single volume1 will probably astonish most readers4 ,the present volume1 according to the instructions the undersigned received from the ,department of the ,interior1 is purely and simply a compilation4 ,care has been taken to avoid the temptation to try and produce a work of original literary merit1 and in the following pages it will be found that the compiler has introduced only as much original writing as is necessary to introduce intelligibly the various quotations1 or to establish the connections between them1 his aim being to present all the data available in the original text1 or as near to it as the exigencies of compilation and space would permit4 ,with the object of properly introducing some of the chief authorities quoted and of placing the reader1 from the beginning1 au fait with the circumstances under which the principal information regarding the resources of the country was obtained1 the presentation of the data has been prefaced by a brief historical chapter4 ,at the end of the book a list of the written authorities from which quotations are made will be found4 ,it will be observed that1 to avoid confusion1 the vast region under review has been divided into five distinct territorial units1 and that the matter relating to each unit is in turn divided into four sections1 relating respectively to the resources in the way of arable land1 timber1 minerals1 and fish and game4 ,the compiler found that this system of classification was satisfactory in his two previous volumes of a somewhat similar type1 8,canada's ,fertile ,northland10 and 8,the ,great ,mackenzie ,basin10 and a continuation of the system will facilitate reference between the present volume and those which were its forerunners and its inspiration4 ,perhaps ,i might be permitted here a word of personal explanation4 ,i have had only a slight acquaintance with any part of this great waiting ,northland1 having campaigned a little over its southern margin between ,north ,saskatchewan and ,beaver rivers1 in ,fort ,pitt district1 during the operations against ,big ,bear's ,indians in #ahhe2 but what ,i saw of the country then1 with its park-like groves of fine trees1 its valleys covered with luxuriant grasses1 its sylvan lakes teeming with fish1 and every prospect a gem of nature's own perfect landscape gardening1 made such an impression on my mind that ,i have ever since felt a personal interest not only in that particular section but in the vast regions beyond which have not the charm of the soft and lovely scenery of ,loon lake and ,beaver river4 ,having this feeling towards the country ,i have followed as a hobby the literature relating to it1 and it has been naturally a pleasure to contribute my mite in helping it along towards its ultimate destiny4 ,the idea of the present volume was not mine but that of the late ,mr4 ,robert ,e4 ,young1 ,d4,l4,s41 ,superintendent of ,railway ,lands and ,chief ,geographer1 the most enthusiastic believer in the ,northland who ever lived1 probably1 and whose untimely death was a grievous loss to the country4 ,if this book possesses any merits it is due altogether to his original suggestion1 to his wide knowledge and to his enthusiastic and kindly co-operation4 ,,ernest ,j4 ,,chambers4 ,the ,senate1 ,ottawa4 ,may #aa1 #aiab4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,historical4 8,the ,fertile ,belt40--,influence of a ,catchy ,expression4--,northern ,canada ,still a ,terra ,incognita4--,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4--,early ,explorations4--,kelsey1 ,hearne1 ,mackenzie1 ,franklin1 ,back1 ,simpson and ,dease4--,the ,more ,recent ,explorers1 ,official and ,unofficial4--,parliamentary ,investigations4 #a ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,keewatin ,,area4--,agriculture and ,arable ,land4 ,early ,agricultural ,experiments and ,their ,success4--,evidence ,before the ,parliamentary ,committee of #agdi4--,testimony of ,official ,explorers and ,residents4--,many ,areas ,fit for ,agriculture ,described4--,wild ,fruits ,grow in ,profusion4--,successful ,gardens4--,much ,country ,capable of ,improvement by ,drainage4--,climate ,inland ,warmer ,than ,farther ,east4--,natural ,hay ,meadows4--,the ,clay ,belt4 #cj ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,keewatin ,,area4--,tree ,growth and ,timber ,resources4 ,considerable ,areas of ,good ,timber4--,the ,range of the ,more ,important ,trees4--,the ,banskian ,pine4--,forests of ,trees in ,many ,places that ,would ,make ,good ,logs1 and ,much ,pulp ,wood4--,occasional ,beautiful ,forests of ,aspen ,poplar4--,magnificent ,coniferous ,forest ,northwest of ,lake ,winnipeg4--,water ,power on the ,nelson4--,destruction ,wrought by ,forest ,fires4--,ample ,supply of ,timber ,for ,fuel4 #fd ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,keewatin ,,area4--,economic ,minerals4 ,the ,rocks in ,many ,cases ,highly ,magnetic4--,norite ,rock ,similar to ,that at ,sudbury ,about ,trout ,lake4--,peat in the ,district ,north of ,lake ,winnipeg4--,a ,large ,district ,underlain ,by ,keewatin and ,huronian ,rocks 8,has ,large ,possibilities40--,gypsum4--,building ,granites4--,quartz ,veins on ,grassy ,river ,below ,reed ,lake4--,a ,possibility of ,nickel ,occurring4 #ha ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,keewatin ,,area4--,game1 ,fur-bearing ,animals and ,fish4 ,flocks of ,wild ,fowl ,that ,obscure the ,sky4--,six ,species of ,seal in ,hudson ,bay4--,stocked with ,animals of ,various ,kinds4--,white ,fish ,abound in ,most of the ,lakes and ,streams4--,saw ,eleven ,moose in ,one ,day4--,the ,commercial ,value of the ,sturgeon ,fisheries4--,future ,summer ,playgrounds4--,barren ,lands ,caribou at ,churchill4 #hh ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,northern ,,saskatchewan4--,agriculture and ,arable ,land4 ,an ,early ,scientific ,explorer's ,enthusiastic ,description of ,part of the ,country4--8,capable of ,any ,extent of ,cultivation40--,an ,old ,hudson's ,bay ,company ,official ,who ,considered it 8,a ,splendid ,country to ,settle in40--,mr4 ,crean ,reports ,that 8,it is ,no ,experiment0 to ,raise ,wheat in ,north ,saskatchewan4--,missionary ,farmers and ,their ,accomplishments4--,capable of ,supporting 8,a ,dense1 ,thriving ,population40--8,a ,splendid ,ranching ,country40--,heaviest ,rains ,just ,when ,they ,are ,needed4 #ie ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,northern ,,saskatchewan4--,tree ,growth and ,timber ,resources4 ,a ,rare ,bit of ,sylvan ,beauty4--,ash-,leaved ,maples ,successfully ,grown ,from ,seed4--,notes ,by the ,way on ,available ,water ,powers4--,much ,country ,covered with ,small ,timber ,not ,generally of ,commercial ,value4--,some ,areas of ,good ,timber ,which ,will be ,invaluable ,to the ,settlers4 #aag ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,northern ,,saskatchewan4--,economic ,minerals4 ,large ,amount of ,iron ,ore ,in the ,northeastern ,corner of ,the ,region1 ,on ,the ,north ,eastern ,side of ,lake ,athabaska4--,indications ,favourable ,for the ,discovery of ,coal4--,nickel and ,traces of ,cobalt on ,reindeer ,lake4--,medicinal ,waters4--,bituminous ,springs and ,pit ,coal on ,cree ,river4--,tar ,sands ,near ,buffalo ,lake4 #abd ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,northern ,,saskatchewan4--,game1 ,fur-bearing ,animals and ,fish4 8,so ,fine a ,country ,for ,the ,chase ,that ,it ,may ,be ,regarded ,as ,an ,extensive ,preserve40--,the ,wood ,buffalo ,used ,to ,roam ,over ,it1 ,but ,do ,not ,now4--,moose and ,caribou ,plentiful4--,the ,indians ,kill ,the ,moose ,for ,their ,hides4--,fish of ,various ,kinds in ,abundance4--,sturgeon ,that ,weigh ,a ,hundred ,pounds4--,one ,indian ,killed ,eighteen ,moose ,during ,one ,season4 #abg ,,chapter ,x4 ,,northern ,,alberta4--,agriculture and ,arable ,land in the ,eastern ,section of 8,athabaska ,country40 ,a ,section of ,the ,west ,where ,officials of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company ,were ,directed to ,cultivate ,gardens4--,some ,points ,where ,wheat has been ,grown1 ,including the ,sample ,which ,took ,first ,prize at the ,philadelphia ,centennial ,exhibition4--,crude ,indian ,gardens at ,cowpar ,lake4--,livestock ,grazing ,out in ,december and ,january4 #aca ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,northern ,,alberta4--,agriculture and ,arable ,land in the ,western ,section or 8,peace ,river ,region40 ,where ,wheat ,has ,been ,grown with ,remarkable ,success for ,many ,years4--,scientific ,explorers ,early ,recognized ,this as a ,wheat ,growing ,country4--,a ,head of ,cabbage ,fifty-three and a ,half ,inches in ,circumference4--,livestock ,live ,out of ,doors in ,winter4--,according to a ,church of ,england ,missionary1 ,peace ,river ,enjoys the ,finest ,climate in the ,world4 #adc ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,northern ,,alberta4--,tree ,growth and ,timber ,resources4 ,an ,abundance of ,timber in the ,vicinity of ,chipewyan4--,much of the ,country ,has ,been ,swept ,by ,fires4--,most of the ,timber is ,along the ,rivers4--,millions of ,cords of ,pulp ,wood4--,spruce and ,black ,bark ,poplar the ,principal ,varieties4--,the ,water ,power ,possibilities ,described as ,tremendous4 #age ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,northern ,,alberta4--,economic ,minerals4 ,travellers1 ,explorers and ,prospectors ,describe the ,country as a ,veritable ,store ,house of ,mineral ,wealth4--,gold ,found in the ,bars in ,peace ,river4--,indications of ,plentiful ,supply of ,iron4--,lignite ,found in ,abundance4--,historic ,deposits of ,salt4--,the ,famous ,athabaska ,tar ,sands4--,their ,commercial ,value4--,indications of ,petroleum4--,boring ,experiments4--,natural ,gas ,under a ,wide ,area4--,travellers ,use ,natural ,gas ,jets to ,boil their ,camp ,kettles4 #ahj ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,northern ,,alberta4--,game1 ,fur-bearing ,animals and ,fish4 ,the ,land of the ,wood ,buffalo4--,where the ,last ,remnants of ,american ,bison ,living in a ,wild ,state ,roam4--,a ,splendid ,moose ,country4--,the ,home of ,numerous ,fur-bearing ,animals4--,the ,prolific ,fisheries of ,lake ,athabaska and ,other ,waters4 #aie ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,mackenzie ,,river ,,region4--,topography1 ,agriculture and ,arable ,land4 ,mackenzie ,river a ,king of ,northern ,waters4--,over ,three ,thousand ,miles of ,water ,way4--,domestic ,cattle ,have ,succeeded4--,barley ,always ,ripens at ,fort ,simpson4--,potatoes and ,other ,vegetables have for ,many ,years ,been ,grown at ,fort ,good ,hope1 a few ,miles from the ,arctic ,circle4--,wheat and ,barley ,grown at ,liard for ,many ,years4--,interesting ,comparison ,with the ,russian ,province of ,tobolsk4--,a ,large ,town as ,far ,north as ,fort ,wrigley4--,why ,better ,results in ,grain ,growing ,may ,be ,expected in the ,future4 #bjh ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,mackenzie ,,river ,,region4--,tree ,growth and ,timber ,resources4 ,forests ,about ,great ,slave ,lake and ,slave ,river4--,remarkable ,extension of ,forest ,growth ,northward ,down the ,mackenzie4--,wide ,distribution of the ,economically ,important ,canoe ,birch4--,magnificent ,forests of ,spruce and ,big ,cottonwood ,trees in ,liard ,valley4--,useful ,birch and ,large ,spruce ,grow ,within the ,arctic ,circle4--,trees that are ,centuries ,old4--,northern ,tree ,growth ,may ,be ,hastened by ,drainage4 #bfa ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,mackenzie ,,river ,,region4--,economic ,minerals4 ,the ,territory ,has ,never ,been ,thoroughly ,examined for ,minerals4--,tar ,springs on the ,north ,shore of ,great ,slave ,lake4--,the ,devonian ,rocks ,throughout ,mackenzie ,valley are ,nearly ,everywhere ,more or ,less ,petroliferous4--,lignite ,discovered in ,many ,places1 ,also ,gypsum4--,large ,deposits of ,excellent ,salt4--,indications of ,gold and ,copper4--,indians ,report ,finding ,mica4 #bha ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,mackenzie ,,river ,,region4--,game1 ,fur-bearing ,animals and ,fish4 ,over ,forty ,moose ,killed in ,one ,season ,near ,fort ,simpson4--,caribou of ,both ,woodland and ,barren ,lands ,varieties ,plentiful4--,pass ,great ,slave lake in ,countless ,numbers4--,mountain ,sheep ,plentiful in the ,mountainous ,districts4--,incredible ,numbers of ,geese1 ,swan and ,ducks in ,season4--,inexhaustible ,supplies of ,fish4--,the ,speckled ,trout1 ,lake ,trout1 ,grayling1 ,herring1 ,inconnu1 etc4 #bhh ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,barren ,,lands ,,or 8,,arctic ,,prairie40--,topography1 ,soil1 ,climate and ,flora4 ,explorers ,declare ,the ,term ,barren ,lands a ,misnomer4--,some ,notes about the ,chief ,rivers and ,known ,lakes4--,an ,inland ,waterway for ,steamers ,via ,chesterfield ,inlet a ,distance of ,five ,hundred and ,fifty ,miles ,into the ,interior4--,the ,progression of ,the ,seasons4--,the ,country ,similar to the ,tundra of ,siberia4--,a ,limited ,amount of ,agriculture ,may ,be ,possible in ,places4--,natural ,prairies in the ,valley of the ,thelon4 #cjc ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,barren ,,lands ,,or 8,,arctic ,,prairie40--,tree ,growth and ,timber ,resources4 ,phenomenal ,extensions of ,tree ,growth ,within ,barren ,lands ,along the ,valley of ,thelon ,river4--,black ,spruce1 ,larch1 ,white ,spruce1 ,banksian ,pine and ,birch4--,valuable ,timber ,along the ,thelon1 ,about the ,east ,end of ,great ,slave ,lake and ,between ,great ,bear ,lake and ,coppermine ,river4 #cag ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,barren ,,lands ,,or 8,,arctic ,,prairie40--,economic ,minerals4 ,deposits of ,native ,copper in the ,far ,north4--,several ,areas ,west of ,hudson ,bay ,contain ,rocks ,similar to ,those at ,sudbury4--,belts of ,huronian ,rocks that are ,expected by ,geologists to be ,eventually of ,great ,economic ,importance4--,vast ,probable ,mineral ,bearing ,country in the ,interior ,which ,can ,now be ,reached ,via ,chesterfield ,inlet4--,iron1 ,gold and ,silver in ,small ,quantities ,north of ,lake ,athabaska4--,free ,gold in ,melville ,peninsula4--,lignite and ,soft ,coal ,along the ,arctic ,coast4 #cbd ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,barren ,,lands ,,or 8,,arctic ,,prairie40--,game1 ,fur-bearing ,animals and ,fish4 ,where ,millions of ,caribou ,roam at ,large4--,actual ,value of ,these ,immense ,herds ,very ,great4--,can ,they ,become ,domesticated or ,replaced by the ,lapland ,reindeer8--,the ,home of the ,musk-,ox and ,many ,fur-bearing ,animals4--,the ,polar ,bear4--,where the ,wild ,geese ,nest4--,lakes1 ,rivers and ,sea ,coasts ,teeming ,with ,fish4--,the ,arctic ,salmon1 ,trout1 ,white ,fish and ,grayling4 #cdb ,,bibliography #cfb ,,index #cgj ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations4 8,wheat field at ,stanley1 ,churchill river0 8,oat field at ,ile la ,crosse0 8,winter travel--,dinner time0 8,portage near ,long ,spruce rapids1 ,nelson river0 8,farm at ,mount ,nebo on ,green lake trail1 #fe miles from ,prince ,albert0 8,prairie ,land on lower ,nelson river0 8,portaging canoe at ,long ,spruce rapids1 ,nelson river0 8,portage on ,moose river0 8,typical country on ,hudson ,bay ,railway ,survey0 8,log jam on ,limestone river0 8,moose crossing ,limestone river0 8,haying near ,green lake0 8,flowers at ,ile la ,crosse0 8,potatoes at ,anglican ,mission1 ,lac la ,ronge0 8,oat field at ,anglican ,mission1 ,lac la ,ronge0 8,oat field at ,la ,plonge0 8,potatoes at ,buffalo river0 8,green lake settlement0 8,oat field at ,meadow lake0 8,prairie along ,clearwater river0 8,landscape in ,clearwater valley0 8,s4 ,s4 ,grahame at ,mc,murray0 8,indian camp near ,fort ,smith0 8,indian ,family arriving at ,mc,murray for ,treaty0 8,flour ,mill at ,fort ,vermilion0 8,view on ,halfway river0 8,sheridan ,lawrence's ,farm at ,fort ,vermilion0 8,vegetable ,garden #ae miles west of ,fort ,st4 ,john0 8,view of ,pouce ,coup prairie0 8,saw ,mill near ,fort ,smith0 8,the #bcrd ,base ,line between ,townships #hh and #hi1 ,range #ad1 ,west of the #fth ,meridian0 8,oil ,well at ,mc,kay1 ,athabaska river0 8,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police ,barracks at ,smith ,landing0 8,looking ,across ,slave river from ,fort ,smith0 8,roman ,catholic ,mission at ,chipewyan0 8,a ,typical #8,husky' dog0 8,an ,eskimo ,boy at ,arctic ,red river0 8,oat field at ,fort ,simpson0 8,potatoes at ,fort ,simpson0 8,mission ,garden at ,fort ,providence0 8,view on ,peel river0 8,eskimos in ,kyaks on ,arctic ,red river0 8,staff and ,pupils1 ,church of ,england ,mission1 ,hay river0 8,slave river near ,fort ,smith0 8,spruce ,timber on ,peel river inside the ,arctic ,circle0 8,anglican ,church1 ,school and ,rectory at ,fort ,simpson0 8,roman ,catholic ,mission at ,fort ,resolution0 8,a ,fur ,shipment of ,one ,season from ,mackenzie basin1 estimated value over two million1 five hundred thousand dollars0 8,the #8,conny' or #8,inconnu'0 8,the ,midnight ,sun0 8,some of the ,difficulties of ,northern ,transportation3--,crossing a ,swamp0 8,a ,survivor of ,sir ,john ,richardson's ,arctic ,expedition wearing the ,arctic ,medal given him for that ,expedition0 8,an ,indian ,dance ,lodge0 ,illustration3 ,,dominion ,,of ,,canada ,,chapter ,i4 ,,historical4 8,the ,fertile ,belt40--,influence of a ,catchy ,expression4--,northern ,canada still a ,terra ,incognita4--,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4-- ,early ,explorations4--,kelsey1 ,hearne1 ,mackenzie1 ,franklin1 ,back1 ,simpson and ,dease4--,the ,more ,recent ,explorers1 ,official and ,unofficial4--,parliamentary ,investigations4 ,when in #ahfg the four principal ,british provinces in the eastern portion of ,north ,america were confederated under the ,british ,north ,america ,act and became the original ,dominion of ,canada1 the vast regions of the west vaguely known under several designations such as the 8,hudson's ,bay ,territory10 the 8,northwest ,territory0 and 8,rupert's ,land10 and extending from the ,united ,states boundary to ,arctic sea1 and from the western frontier of ,ontario1 ,james bay and ,hudson bay to ,rocky mountains1 remained under the rule of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4 ,the ,fathers of ,confederation had in view1 however1 a union of all the ,british possessions on the continent1 and one of the measures passed at the first session of the first parliament of the new ,dominion provided for the opening of negotiations for the union of the ,hudson bay territory with the confederated provinces4 ,thanks largely to the diplomatic offices of the ,british government1 the rights of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company were eventually bought out by ,canada1 and this vast territory1 estimated at upwards of two million three hundred thousand square miles1 was transferred to the ,dominion of ,canada in the year #ahfg4 ,the cash consideration obtained by the company from the ,dominion for the relinquishment of its rights and titles was the sum of three hundred thousand pounds sterling2 but there was also a provision for the retention by the ,company of blocks of land adjoining each of its stations2 and the right was allowed the company for fifty years1 from #ahgj1 to 8claim in any township or district within the fertile belt in which land is set out for settlement1 grants of land not exceeding one-twentieth part of the land so set out40 ,for the purpose of the agreement the 8,fertile ,belt0 was described therein as being bounded as follows3--8,on the south by the ,united ,states boundary2 on the west by ,rocky mountains2 on the north by the northern branch of the ,saskatchewan2 on the east by ,lake ,winnipeg1 ,lake of the ,woods1 and the waters connecting them40 ,,the ,,term 8,,fertile ,,belt40 ,there is some uncertainty as to the origin of the term 8,fertile ,belt01 thus arbitrarily defined in the historical agreement with the ,hudson's ,bay ,company2 but this much is certain3--the term came into general use after the publication of the reports of the official exploratory expeditions of ,captain ,john ,palliser of the ,british ,army1 of ,s4 ,j4 ,dawson1 ,c4,e41 and ,professor ,henry ,y4 ,hind of ,trinity ,college1 ,toronto4 ,captain ,palliser was commissioned by the ,british government to explore 8that portion of ,british ,north ,america which lies between the northern watershed and the frontier of the ,united ,states1 and between ,red river and ,rocky mountains and to endeavour to find a practicable route through them40 ,the ,dawson-,hind expeditions 7there were two7 were under the auspices of the government of ,united ,canada 7,upper and ,lower ,canada7 and were for the purpose of inquiring into the resources of ,red river colony and the ,assiniboine and ,saskatchewan countries4 ,the ,british expedition extended over parts of four years--#aheg1 #aheh1 #ahei and #ahfj1 while the ,canadian ones covered two years--#aheg and #aheh4 ,in the preface to his report1 published in #ahfj1 ,professor ,hind wrote3--8,the establishment of a new colony in the basin of ,lake ,winnipeg1 and the discovery of a ,,fertile ,,belt of country extending from the ,lake of the ,woods to ,rocky mountains1 give to this part of ,british ,america a more than passing interest40 ,in another place ,professor ,hind wrote3--8,north of the great ,american desert there is a broad slip of ,,fertile ,,country1 rich in water1 wood1 and pasturage1 drained by the ,north ,saskatchewan1 and a continuation of the fertile prairies of ,red and ,assiniboine rivers4 ,it is a physical reality of the highest importance to the interests of ,british ,north ,america that this continuous ,,belt can be settled and cultivated from a few miles west of ,lake of the ,woods to the passes of ,rocky mountains1 and any line of communication1 whether by waggon road or railroad1 passing through it1 will eventually enjoy the great advantage of being fed by an agricultural population from one extremity to the other40 ,illustration3 ,wheat field at ,stanley1 ,churchill river4 ,the terms 8,fertile ,belt10 8,fertile ,strip0 and 8,fertile ,land0 appear many times in ,captain ,palliser's report1 published in #ahfc1 the first of these expressions being used no less than three times in one paragraph of the report4 ,the influence of a 8catchy expression0 in attracting the world's attention is wonderful4 ,whatever the origin of the term 8,fertile ,belt0 in this connection1 its emphatic application by these independent official reports to the particular strip of territory between the ,united ,states boundary line and ,saskatchewan river had immediate and lasting effects4 ,it arrested public attention in ,england and in ,canada4 ,that which had often been asserted by independent travellers1 and more often stoutly denied by those whose sole interests were centred in the fur trade#a1 had been found by scientific explorers of unquestioned veracity to be an actual fact4 ,as ,captain ,palliser put it in his report3--8,the whole of the region of country would be valuable not only for agriculturists but also for mixed purposes4 ,i have seen not only excellent wheat1 but also ,indian corn 7which will not succeed in ,england or ,ireland7 ripening on ,mr4 ,pratt's farm at the ,qu',appelle lakes in #aheg40 ,professor ,hind1 in his report1 quoted interviews with enthusiastic settlers1 who1 on their prairie farms in ,assiniboine valley1 had for years been successfully raising prime wheat at a yield of thirty to forty bushels to the acre1 8corn1 barley1 oats1 flax1 hemp1 hops1 turnips1 tobacco and anything you wish40 ,he showed that similar conditions of soil and climate extended far to the westward1 and1 quite naturally1 he wrote of this area as the 8,,fertile ,,belt40 ,,the ,,older ,,influences4 ,the ,right ,honourable ,edward ,ellice1 one of the oldest governors of ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 asked1 when being examined before the ,british ,parliamentary ,committee of #aheg1 what probability there was of a settlement being made within the southern territories of the company1 replied3--8,none1 in the lifetime of the youngest man now alive40 78,the ,great ,company01 p4 #dhj74 ,sir ,george ,simpson1 who was for forty years governor of the ,hudson ,bay territories and had visited every portion of them1 was examined before the select committee of the ,british ,house of ,commons appointed in #aheg at the instance of ,mr4 ,labouchere1 on the eve of the expiration of the license for exclusive ,indian trade issued to the ,hudson's ,bay ,company in #ahch1 to investigate the state of the ,british possessions administered by the ,company4 ,sir ,george1 being asked his opinion as to the general fitness of ,rupert's ,land for colonization1 replied3--8,i do not think that any part of the ,hudson ,bay territories is well adapted for settlement2 the crops are very uncertain40 ,by officially establishing the existence of this rich1 arable area in the southern part of the territories governed by the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 and by associating it with such an apt designation1 the ,palliser and ,hind expeditions brought strong popular support to those who in ,britain and ,canada were at that particular period actively working to secure the introduction of ,canadian jurisdiction over the whole of the western part of ,british ,north ,america1 and materially contributed to the success of the protracted negotiations which resulted in the ultimate surrender of its rights of government1 etc41 by the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4 ,if any other proof was required to establish in the popular mind the attractiveness of the 8,fertile ,belt0 as a desirable section for settlement1 it was furnished by the written agreement under which the country was handed over to the ,dominion of ,canada1 the term 8,fertile ,belt0 therein receiving the stamp of the highest official recognition1 and by the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 famous as a shrewdly managed corporation1 stipulating that the grants of land to be made them were to be located within the area so designated4 ,,settlement ,,of 8,,the ,,fertile ,,belt40 ,the term 8,fertile ,area0 proved a very loadstone to the settler and the capitalist4 ,ever since the settlement of the troubles which accompanied the transfer of the great northwest to the ,dominion of ,canada there has been a stream of immigration flowing into the country1 and up to the past few years the ,fertile ,belt has been the settler's ,mecca and ,el ,dorado4 ,in the summer of #ahgd the region west of the original province of ,manitoba was #8opened up' by the ,northwest ,mounted ,police as far as ,macleod in the south1 and ,edmonton in the north4 ,in #ahhe the completion of the ,canadian ,pacific ,railway main line gave western ,canada direct communication with the eastern provinces1 and a fair chance to develop her natural resources1 particularly in the ,fertile ,belt1 through which the line was constructed4 ,in #ahgj the population of the whole region east of ,rocky mountains over which the ,great ,company had so recently relinquished its rule as ,lord ,proprietor amounted to but a few hundred2 at the present time 7census of #aiaa7 it amounts to no less than one million1 three hundred and forty-eight thousand1 one hundred and seventy two4 ,and with the exception of the partially settled areas in ,beaver1 ,athabaska and ,peace districts1 and a few small1 isolated posts on ,hudson bay and along ,mackenzie river1 the whole of this population is located within the 8,fertile ,belt0 as defined in the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's agreement of #ahfi4 ,this is not to be wondered at considering the undoubted natural attractiveness of the zone1 its rapidly developed advantages in the way of railway communication1 and the benefit it derived from being originally introduced to the world as a future paradise of agricultural enterprise under such an apt and alluring designation as 8,the ,fertile ,belt40 ,but while the united energies of the capitalist1 the railroad builder and the agriculturist have been devoted to the exploration of the ,fertile ,belt1 the much larger area of virgin country extending from the northern limits of the strip in question to ,arctic sea and lying between ,hudson bay and ,rocky mountains has been neglected4 ,this 7not including the ,yukon71 the most northern section of the vast western region formerly ruled by the big fur-trading company1 comprises no less than one and one-half million square miles of country1 or considerably more than the combined territory 7on ,march #a1 #aiab7 of the provinces of ,ontario1 ,quebec1 ,nova ,scotia1 ,new ,brunswick1 ,prince ,edward ,island and ,manitoba4 ,its very vastness1 coupled with its remoteness from the great centres of population1 has tended to keep it1 as far as the world at large is concerned1 comparatively ,a ,,terra ,,incognita4 ,the word 8comparatively0 is used advisedly1 for while it is true that the greater part of the unexploited northland is unexplored and unknown1 we have in one way or another obtained considerable useful information about it4 ,now and again word has come from some missionary station or trading post somewhere up in the far north1 hundreds of miles beyond the northern limits of the 8,fertile ,belt10 of root crops1 barley1 oats1 and even wheat being raised during a long succession of years with phenomenal success4 ,explorers returned from the great north have related how they were regaled upon potatoes and other vegetables grown a few miles from ,arctic ,circle4 ,a sample of wheat grown at ,fort ,vermilion in north latitude #ehd1 three hundred and fifty miles north of ,edmonton1 was awarded ,first ,prize at the ,centennial ,exhibition at ,philadelphia1 in #ahgf1 in competition with the whole world4 ,geological explorers have reported vast deposits of coal and other minerals underlying immense areas in the far north4 ,adventurous travellers1 back from the least promising regions of ,canada's great northland have disclosed the existence of timber areas and of game and fish preserves of fabulous richness4 ,and this great northern country long ago had its champions who challenged the attention of the world by predicting for sections of it1 at least1 an agricultural and industrial future4 ,mr4 ,malcolm ,mc,leod1 formerly of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 and1 as a son of the ,north1 jealous of its reputation1 stirred up the thought that in the glamour attached to the original exploitation of the 8,fertile ,belt0 the natural resources of the vaster country to the north would be overlooked1 and in the preface of his book1 published in #ahgb1 on ,sir ,george ,simpson's canoe voyage from ,hudson bay to the ,pacific in #ahbh1 wrote3--8,the object of the present brochure1 at this juncture1 is to direct attention--by an account of a canoe voyage through the region--to the fact that beyond that belt of supposed limited fertility1 which is implied in the term 8,fertile ,belt10 there is1 in our north west1 an area1 continuous in every direction and easily accessible to its utmost limits1 containing over three hundred millions of acres of wheat and pasture lands1 with forests of finest timber1 and the largest known coal and bitumen1 and also probably the richest gold areas in the world--a land teeming with animal and vegetable life1 extending to the very ,arctic ,circle1 and owing its wealth in that respect to exceptional causes4 ,i refer to that area--comprised entirely of ,silurian and ,devonian systems--watered by the great ,athabaska1 ,peace and ,mackenzie rivers1 with their countless affluents40 ,the very year of ,confederation the attention of the reading public of the world was forcibly drawn to the latent natural wealth of the northland4 ,the writer of an article published in the ,westminster ,review of ,july1 #ahgf1 78,the ,last ,monopoly07 pointed out that 8nature marching from east to west1 showered her bounties on the land of the ,united ,states until she reached the ,mississippi1 but there she turned aside to favour ,british territory4 ,to the north the good land of the western states is prolonged beyond the forty-ninth parallel1 where it enters ,british territory as the ,fertile ,zone4 ,the fertile zone curves towards the north as it proceeds westward1 so that the western extremity of the belt is several degrees of latitude higher than the eastern1 the curves apparently corresponding pretty closely with certain isothermal lines4 ,the forest zone extends to latitude #fa on ,hudson bay4 ,coal crops out at intervals in seams of ten or twelve feet thick from the ,mackenzie in the far north to the ,saskatchewan4 ,ironstone has been discovered in the ,athabaska4 ,sulphur abounds on ,peace and ,smoky rivers4 ,salt is plentiful near ,great ,slave lake2 plumbago and mineral pitch on ,lake ,athabaska2 copper1 native and in the form of malachite1 on ,coppermine river40 ,,the ,,northland',s ,,first ,,champions4 ,to find the first champions of the great ,northland as a prospective theatre of enterprise and development1 and to trace the history of the exploration of the region from the beginning1 it is necessary to go back many years1 to a date1 in fact1 only two years more recent than the founding of ,quebec by ,samuel de ,champlain4 ,henry ,hudson1 the great ,english sea captain1 was engaged in the search for a northwest passage1 when on ,august #c1 #afaj1 he rounded the northwestern shoulder of ,labrador and entered the bay which he thus discovered and which now bears his name4 ,the exploration of this great inland sea was begun1 not for the sake of gaining a knowledge of the country surrounding it1 nor for the development of its resources1 but in the delusive hope of finding a passage through it to the western ocean4 ,in #afab1 ,captain 7afterwards ,sir7 ,thomas ,button1 commissioned to search for ,hudson and to look for a northern passage1 entered the bay with two ships1 and1 holding on his westward course1 encountered land at about #fj #dj north latitude4 ,being a ,welshman1 he called the land 8,new ,wales10 a name which afterwards gave place to 8,new ,north ,wales0 for the northern part1 and 8,new ,south ,wales0 for the southern2 but all three designations1 as applied to the ,hudson bay coast1 are now only of historic interest4 ,button wintered at ,port ,nelson1 which he so named in memory of a shipmaster who1 with many of the sailors1 died there4 ,when the ice broke up he went northwards past ,cape ,churchill and landed at a place about #fj north which he called 8,hubbart's ,hope40 ,the southern coast of ,hudson bay1 east from ,port ,nelson 7,york ,factory71 was visited and explored by ,captains ,luke ,foxe of ,london and ,thomas ,james of ,bristol in #afca1 and again visited by ,james in #afcb4 ,these two navigators met off the coast near the mouth of ,winisk river on ,august #bi-cj1 #afca4 ,each had given a name to the country to the southwest4 ,foxe called it 8,new ,yorkshire0 and ,james 8,the ,south ,principality of ,wales10 probably on account of the previous name 8,new ,wales0 given by ,button in #afab to the land southwest of ,port ,nelson4 ,these two navigators sailed together to the eastward1 to the entrance to ,james bay1 and there separated1 ,foxe to go north and ,james to the southward1 to winter4 ,foxe called the bay he had left 8,wolstenholme's ,ultimum ,vale40 ,james1 after rounding the cape1 determined its latitude 7#ee #e7 and called it 8,henrietta ,maria ,cape10 after the ,queen1 and also after his own ship4 ,illustration3 ,oat field at ,ile ,la ,crosse4 ,in #affh ,captain ,gillam entered ,hudson bay with a pioneer fur-trading expedition under the patronage of some influential ,londoners1 at the head of whom was ,prince ,rupert1 ,duke of ,cumberland1 ,count ,palatine of the ,rhine and cousin of ,charles ,,ii1 ,king of ,england4 ,thus was inaugurated the regime of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 but the ,royal charter to ,prince ,rupert and his associates1 constituting them 8,the ,governor and ,company of ,adventurers of ,england trading into ,hudson's ,bay01 was not granted until #afgj4b 8,,the ,,hudson',s ,,bay ,,company40 ,the company was organized to prosecute the fur trade1 and not for colonizing purposes4 ,the few explorations into and from the company's first posts on the bay were made solely in the interests of the fur trade4 ,when in #afhc ,governor ,sargeant was urged to send men to penetrate into the country1 the object was distinctly stated to be 8to draw down the ,indians by fair and gentle means to trade with us40 ,this was the burden of many letters of instruction sent out to ,hudson bay in those days1 but the response was not very promising4 ,the company's servants were not easily induced to imperil their lives1 particularly as they complained of lack of encouragement4 ,in #afhh ,governor ,george ,geyer1 who himself1 in #aggc1 had volunteered to do some exploring1 was instructed to send the boy ,henry ,kelsey to ,churchill river for an exploring trip 8because we are informed he is a very active lad1 delighting much in the ,indians' company and being never better pleased than when he is travelling amongst them40 ,thus began the adventurous career of one who may be regarded as the pioneer explorer of the region under review4#c ,in #afij ,kelsey 8cheerfully undertook a journey up into the country of the ,assiniboine ,poets1 with the ,captain of that ,nation40 ,the following year he accompanied the ,indians on a journey he computed at four hundred or five hundred miles1 penetrating as far as the buffalo and grizzly bear countries4 ,a diary of this trip was published1 but it contained no references to the natural resources of the country4 ,there followed a period of some activity in the matter of exploration by sea1 the discovery of a northwest passage being aimed at4 ,between #agai and #agcg the ,hudson's ,bay ,company alone fitted out nine vessels to participate in this discovery1 but these voyages added nothing to the scanty knowledge then available as to the resources of the territory ruled over by the company4 ,soon after the ,hudson's ,bay ,company obtained its monopolistic charter1 antagonism to it arose in ,england1 and this hostility steadily developed1 the legality of the charter being flatly challenged4 ,one of the bitterest opponents of the company was ,mr4 ,arthur ,dobbs1 a gentleman of means and scientific attainment1 intensely interested in the subject of the northwest passage1 who became embittered because he considered the ,hudson's ,bay ,company had not furthered the exploration projects as he thought they should have done4 ,in #agdd he published a volume on the countries adjoining ,hudson bay1 in which he arraigned the company for keeping the country back4 ,he declared that the company would not allow their servants to make any improvements at the posts except it be to plant turnip gardens4 ,he proceeded3--8,there might be comfortable settlements made in most places1 and very tolerable1 even in the worst and coldest parts of that continent1 which are the northeast and northwest sides of the bay2 but in the southern and western sides of the bay1 there might be made as comfortable settlements as any in ,sweden1 ,livonia or the south side of the ,baltic1 and farther into the country1 southwest1 the climate is as good as the southern part of ,poland and north part of ,germany and ,holland40 ,,an ,,early ,,parliamentary ,,inquiry4 ,in #agdh1 ten years before the capitulation of ,montreal to ,general ,amherst1 a motion was passed in the ,house of ,commons 8to enquire into the state and condition of the countries adjoining ,hudson bay and the trade carried on there1 and to consider how those countries may be settled and improved1 and the trade and fisheries there extended and increased1 and also to enquire into the rights the ,company of ,adventurers trading into ,hudson's bay pretend to have by charter to the property of lands and exclusive trade to those countries40 ,the result was an investigation1 which produced a considerable amount of evidence throwing the first official light upon the natural resources of ,canada's great northland4 ,up to this time the territory about ,hudson bay had been commonly supposed 8to be a mere waste and howling wilderness1 wherein half-famished beasts of prey wage eternal war with a sparse population of half-starved savages2 where the drought is more than ,saharan1 the cold more than ,arctic1 and that woe would betide the mad and unfortunate individual who might be so far diverted from the path of prudence as to endeavour to settle in those parts40#d ,evidence heard before the committee revealed the fact that intelligent men who have lived in the country several years considered that it possessed decided attractions as a field of settlement1 and held that nothing but the policy of the fur-trading company kept settlement back4#e ,some of the evidence as to the resources of the country and as to the conditions of the very slim white population is still edifying4 ,the attack upon the legality of the company's charter1 however1 came to nothing1 and the revelations made as to the suitability of the country for settlement had no practical result1 which is scarcely to be wondered at considering the conditions prevailing in both ,europe and ,america--conditions which in the course of a few years were to result in momentous changes in the map of this continent4 ,no additional data as to the resources and geography of the great northland were produced until the years #aggj and #agga when ,,hearne ,,made ,,his ,,historical ,,trip of discovery4 ,many of the witnesses examined during the enquiry of #agdh-di had spoken of the statements of ,indians regarding the rich copper mines existing on a great river many miles to the northwest of ,churchill4 ,the ,indians who visited that post in #agfh so impressed the governor1 ,mr4 ,moses ,norton1 with their version of the richness of the copper deposits along the river they called the ,neetha-,san-,san-,dazey 7the 8far-off metal river071 that being in ,london the following season he induced the ,company to send out an exploratory expedition4 ,the man selected for the command was ,samuel ,hearne1#f a capable and experienced mariner1 then serving as mate on the ,company's brig 8,charlotte40 ,hitherto all of the exploratory expeditions from ,hudson bay towards the northwest had been in search of the northwest passage1 and by sea1 but now it was decided to undertake exploration by land4#g ,hearne really made three trips1 two of which were unsuccessful4 ,the first failed because of the lack of provisions1 and the second because ,hearne was plundered by his ,indian companions and broke his sextant4 ,on these trips he attempted to penetrate to the northwestward through the so-called ,barren ,grounds or ,barren ,lands1 but on the third venture1 leaving in ,december1 #aggj1 he kept more to the westward and1 being in the wooded country1 was able to provide himself with provisions and to travel with much less discomfort4 ,as he was accompanied by a number of ,indian families as bearers and hunters1 his progress was necessarily slow and indirect1 on account of the difficulty of crossing lakes and large rivers1 and of providing food for so large a party4 ,his general line of travel was at first a little north of west to ,clowey lake1 which was reached ,may #c1 #agga1 and thence a little west of north to the eastward of ,great ,slave lake1 probably passing ,artillery lake 7his ,catt lake87 and ,clinton-,colden and ,aylmer lakes 7his ,thoy-noy-kyed lake87 to the stream since called ,coppermine river1 which was reached probably near ,sandstone rapid4#h ,during the eighteen years or so following ,hearne's discovery of ,coppermine river1 considerable knowledge was acquired as to the resources of the more southern portions of the still unexploited north country by the activities of the ,canadian fur traders1 including the ,northwest ,company1 in ,north ,saskatchewan1 ,clearwater1 ,athabaska and ,peace river regions1#i and the resultant extension southward of the trading operations of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4 ,,mackenzie',s ,,trips ,,of ,,exploration including the discovery of the great river of the north which still bears his name1 were notable events in the history of the north country2 momentous events1 in fact1 in view of the knowledge first obtained through them of the vast natural resources of the great ,mackenzie basin4 ,illustration3 ,winter travel--,dinner time4 ,mackenzie set out on his first voyage from ,chipewyan1 at the head of ,lake ,athabaska 7a ,northwest ,company's post71 ,june #c1 #aghi1 and proceeded in canoes via ,slave river1 ,great ,slave lake1 and ,mackenzie river as far as ,whale island in the estuary of that stream4 ,on ,july #af1 he started on the return trip by the same route1 and reached ,chipewyan on ,september #ab4 ,on his second trip1 in #agib1 ,mackenzie proceeded from ,chipewyan to the summit of the ,rockies via ,lake ,athabaska1 ,peace river1 and its affluents1 making his way to the ,pacific through the passes of the mountains1 and down the streams on the western slope as best he could4 ,david ,thomson1 an energetic but little known traveller1 made a track survey in #agii of ,lesser ,slave river1 and of the ,athabaska from the mouth of the ,pembina to ,clearwater forks4 ,in #ahjc he filled in the gaps between the forks and ,athabaska lake1 and in #ahaj ascended the river and crossed the ,rockies by ,athabaska pass4 ,,sir ,,john ,,franklin4 ,with the first journey of ,lieutenant 7afterwards ,captain ,sir7 ,john ,franklin1 ,r4,n41 in #ahbj1 began a series of explorations which extended over a period of about thirty years1 in connection with which the study of the natural history and geography of the far north country was carried on more systematically than had hitherto been possible4 ,franklin was fully equipped by the ,british ,government for scientific work1 and was accompanied by ,doctor ,john ,richardson1 ,lieutenant ,george ,back and ,lieutenant ,robt4 ,hood--men of acknowledged skill and ability4 ,the expedition left ,york ,factory on ,september #i1 #ahai1 and1 travelling by way of ,oxford ,house and ,norway ,house1 arrived on ,october #bb at ,cumberland ,house where they went into winter quarters4 ,in order to arrange in advance for the further progress of the expedition1 ,franklin1 accompanied by ,back1 left ,cumberland ,house on ,january #ah1 #ahbj1 and1 travelling by way of ,carleton ,house1 ,ile la ,crosse and ,methye portage1 arrived at ,chipewyan on ,march #bf4 ,finally the party again set out on ,august #b1 #ahbj1 from old ,fort ,providence1 on the north side of ,great ,slave lake1 to ascend ,yellowknife river1 and on ,august #bj he reached ,winter lake1 near which he established his winter quarters4 ,here wooden houses1 dignified with the name of ,fort ,enterprise1 were erected4 ,in ,june the following year the party descended ,coppermine river1 covering a distance of three hundred and thirty miles to the sea1 and paddled along the coast eastwards1 exploring the coast as far eastward as longitude #aji #be west and latitude #fh #ai north1 thus exploring ,bathurst inlet and ,coronation gulf4 ,the story of the dreadful hardships endured by the party on the return trip1 one-half of the whole number1 including ,lieutenant ,hood1 dying of starvation and exposure1 forms one of the most ghastly chapters in the history of ,canadian exploration1 and its publication did much to deepen the popular impression that the whole of the great northland was a hopelessly inhospitable region4 ,as a matter of fact the disasters which overtook this expedition were due to its commissariat being inadequately outfitted4 ,the ,admiralty1 who planned the expedition1 knew practically nothing about the conditions of travel in the regions that they proposed having explored1 and depended for aid upon the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4 ,that corporation did its best1 but was unable to extend to ,franklin any official aid after he left ,great ,slave lake or to supply him with proper provisions4 ,the bitter fight between the two big fur-trading companies had reached a climax2 every officer of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company was needed in the ,company's service1 and supplies at the frontier posts were at the lowest ebb4 ,so the expedition plunged into the unexplored wilderness without enough food and inadequately supplied with ammunition4 ,in spite of the disasters attending the return of this expedition1 the ,british ,government1 determined upon completing the exploration of the ,arctic coast line of the continent1 satisfied itself that the route overland was the best for the explorers to follow1 and ,franklin1 having been successful on this first trip in surveying a long stretch of coast to the east of ,coppermine river1 was appointed to the command of the second expedition to explore the coast to the west of that river4 ,the exploring party spent the winter of #ahbe-bf ,,at ,,fort ,,franklin at the west end of ,great ,bear lake1 and on ,june #bb1 #ahbf1 set out in boats along ,bear river and ,mackenzie river for the coast4 ,the principal members were ,captain ,john ,franklin1 ,lieutenant ,george ,back 7second in command72 ,doctor ,john ,richardson1 surgeon and naturalist2 ,thomas ,drummond1 assistant naturalist2 ,e4 ,n4 ,kendall and ,p4 ,w4 ,dease1 a chief trader of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 who was afterwards associated with ,thomas ,simpson in explorations west of the ,mackenzie and east of the ,coppermine4 ,at the delta of the ,mackenzie the party separated1 one detachment under ,doctor ,richardson turning to the east and completing a survey of the coast as far as the mouth of the ,coppermine4 ,in the meantime ,franklin and ,back explored the ,arctic coast to the westward of the ,mackenzie for three hundred and seventy-four miles1 passing beyond the northernmost spur of ,rocky mountains and returned to ,fort ,franklin1 reaching there ,september #ba4 ,franklin remained there until ,february1 #ahbg1 when1 leaving ,back to follow him in the spring1 he left for ,cumberland ,house1 where he joined ,richardson on ,june #ah1 #ahbg4aj ,some time before this expedition set forth1 the crisis which had developed in the rivalry between the ,hudson's ,bay ,company and the ,northwest ,company#aa had resulted in the union of the two companies under the name of the former and the reorganized company1 when called upon by the ,admiralty for assistance1 was in a better position than the original one had ever been to assist in the work of exploration4 ,consequently ,franklin's second expedition was properly provisioned and attended by experienced and reliable men4 ,as a result it was unaccompanied by any of the tragic occurrences which marked the former trip4 ,meanwhile explorations were being prosecuted by sea among the ,arctic islands and channels to the far north1 and some of the expeditions were indirectly to contribute to the world's knowledge of the northern part of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's continental territory4 ,captain ,john ,ross left ,england in the 8,victory0 in #ahbi and with his ship's company was compelled to abandon the vessel in the ice in ,regent inlet4 ,they spent altogether four winters within the ,arctic circle and were finally picked up in their boats in ,lancaster sound by a whaler4 ,the prolonged absence of this party caused great anxiety in ,england1 and in #ahcc a search expedition was organized at the cost of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company and ,captain ,ross's friends with government assistance4 ,at the head of the searching party was ,captain 7afterwards ,sir7 ,george ,back1 ,r4,n41 who had instructions to descend ,thlew-ece-cho-dezeth or ,great ,fish river to the coast1 exploring the river and adjacent country1 as far as possible1 as he proceeded4 ,some months after he had started1 ,back was notified of the return of the ,ross expedition1 but was ordered to proceed with his trip for exploratory purposes4 ,captain ,back built as his winter quarters ,,old ,,fort ,,reliance on a beautiful spot at the north east extremity of ,great ,slave lake4 ,his explorations extended over parts of ,great ,slave1 ,artillery1 ,clinton-,colden and ,aylmer lakes as well as the whole of ,great ,fish river1 and from the ,indians ,back obtained some interesting information regarding the adjacent country4 ,captain ,back1 in #ahcd1 descended ,great ,fish river1 since called ,backs river1 to its mouth4 ,he also surveyed the coasts of its estuary as far as ,cape ,britannia on the one side and ,point ,richardson on the other1 leaving but a small space of coast line unexamined between his northern extreme and the limits of earlier explorations4 ,the return journey began on ,august #af4 ,back reached the mouth of ,great ,fish river ,august #ba1 the head of it on ,september #ag1 and ,fort ,reliance on ,september #bg4 ,the next journey of exploration in this region was that of ,thomas ,simpson and ,peter ,warren ,dease1#ab officers of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4 ,while the object of their expedition was to complete the survey of the ,arctic coast so nearly completed by ,franklin1 ,richardson and ,back1 they made some notes on the natural resources of the far northern country4 ,simpson left ,fort ,garry1 the site of the present city of ,winnipeg1 on ,december #a1 #ahcf1 and1 travelling on snowshoes1 arrived at ,chipewyan on ,june #a1 and1 descending ,slave and ,mackenzie rivers1 explored the ,arctic coast westward to ,point ,barrow4 ,they then returned to the ,mackenzie1 ascended it and ,great ,bear river1 and1 crossing ,great ,bear lake1 built a post near the mouth of ,dease river1 naming it ,fort ,confidence1 and there spent the winter of #ahcg-ch4 ,they left here ,june #f1 #ahch1 and1 after ascending ,dease river as far as was practicable1 portaged to the ,coppermine4 ,they then descended that river to the sea and explored the coast to the eastward as far as ,point ,turnagain1 the farthest point reached by ,franklin in #ahba4 ,being unable to proceed farther1 they returned to ,fort ,confidence1 where they arrived on ,september #ad1 and again wintered there4 ,an expedition which was to mark the beginning of a most notable epoch in the explorations of the ,arctic regions sailed from ,england1 in #ahde4 ,sir ,john ,franklin1 with two ships1 the ,erebus and the ,terror1 with crews numbering one hundred and twenty-nine persons1 left ,england on ,may #bf1 to complete the survey of the north coast of ,america and to accomplish the northwest passage4 ,the ,erebus and the ,terror were last seen by a whaling captain ,july #bf1 #ahde1 moored to an iceberg1 waiting for an opening in the ice to cross to ,lancaster sound4 ,as time passed without any word of the missing expedition being received1 the interest and sympathy of the world were powerfully aroused1 and not only ,england1 but ,france and the ,united ,states also despatched ,,search ,,expeditions to the ,arctic4 ,from northwest ,canada some historical expeditions made their way overland4 ,in all thirty-five ships and five overland expeditions were engaged in this search4 ,the entire northern coast line of ,america and the shores of the ,arctic#ac were explored with minute care1 and much scientific knowledge of value relating to magnetism1 meteorology1 the tides1 geology1 botany and zoology was accumulated4 ,several of the sea expeditions and all of the overland expeditions contributed to our store of knowledge as to the resources of far northern ,canada4 ,for the purposes of this volume the most important of these expeditions1 because the most productive of data regarding the natural resources of the region under review1 was that dispatched overland from ,athabaska district via ,mackenzie river in #ahdh and #ahdi4 ,from the rapids of ,slave river1 ,doctor ,john ,richardson and ,doctor ,rae 7both subsequently knighted7 pushed on with all possible speed1 leaving the heavier boats to follow with the winter supplies1 and skirted the ,arctic coast eastward to the mouth of the ,coppermine river4 ,thence they travelled overland to the mouth of the ,dease river on ,great ,bear lake4 ,near this point1 on the site of ,fort ,confidence1 established by ,dease and ,simpson1 ,rae1 whose detachment had ascended ,great ,bear river and crossed ,great ,bear lake for this purpose1 had erected houses1 and here the entire party passed the winter of #ahdh-di4 ,as early in the spring of #ahdi as the season allowed1 the party divided on ,arctic sea1 and ,richardson returned to ,england1 while ,rae made an attempt to reach ,wollaston land4 ,failing in this1 he returned to ,fort ,confidence1 and ascended the ,mackenzie to ,fort ,simpson4 ,in the summer of #ahed1 under the auspices of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 ,rae made a journey of exploration along the southern coasts of ,wollaston and ,victoria lands1 still searching for the ,franklin expedition4 ,in #ahec1 when no trace of ,franklin could be found elsewhere1 ,rae again turned his steps in the direction of ,gulf of ,boothia4 ,first he sought a short cut to the south of ,backs river by ,chesterfield inlet and ,quoich river1 which he ascended in a boat for two and a half degrees of latitude 7up to #ff north71 but finding the river full of rapids and impracticable for his purpose1 he returned and hastened north to ,repulse bay4 ,the reports of these expeditions contain several references to the natural resources of the country1 but they are not so valuable as would have been the case had time been less a consideration1 or had the investigation of mineral deposits and other natural wealth of the country been the chief objective4 ,some information as to the resources of the north country was obtained by the ,british ,parliamentary ,committee of #aheg already referred to 7,see p4 #c71 but most of the evidence had reference to the southern part of ,hudson's ,bay ,company's territory now comprised within the settled parts of the provinces of ,manitoba1 ,saskatchewan and ,alberta4 ,,canadian ,,parliamentary ,,investigations4 ,april #ab1 #ahgj1 the ,senate of ,canada appointed a select committee on the subject of ,rupert's land1 ,red river and the ,northwest territory1 with a view to collecting information respecting the condition1 climate1 soil1 population1 resources and natural products of the country1 its trade1 institutions1 and capabilities and the means of access thereto1 with power to send for persons and papers4 ,the committee reported on ,april #be1 #ahgj4 ,this report with the report of the evidence was printed1 in extenso1 as an appendix to the ,journals of the ,senate 7#cc ,victoria74 ,none of the witnesses examined before the committee had ever been in the district north of the ,north ,saskatchewan4 ,one1 ,joseph ,monkman1 explained that he had been up the ,south ,saskatchewan as far as ,moose lake1 and up the north branch of the same river as far as ,carlton4 ,he testified that although the country along the ,saskatchewan looked promising from an agricultural standpoint1 there were 8no farms along the river40 ,most of the witnesses were asked if they had any information as to the 8far northwest10 and all who had heard anything definite regarding that region testified that their information was favourable4 ,since the transfer of the northwest from the ,hudson's ,bay ,company to the ,dominion ,government1 a vast amount of reliable information regarding the great northland has been obtained by ,canadian ,government explorers1 generally engineers reconnoitring in advance of railway construction1 members of the staff of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 or expeditions despatched to various defined areas by the ,department of the ,interior for the express purpose of investigating their natural resources and determining their suitability for agricultural or industrial developments4 ,more or less extensive trips through sections of the great northland by adventurous sportsmen and naturalists have also contributed considerably to our knowledge of the country4 ,a very brief account of some of the more productive of these expeditions1 with special reference to the routes followed1 is necessary to enable the reader to appreciate intelligently the references to the information obtained to be made in the succeeding chapters4 ,,scientific ,,investigation ,,of ,,the ,,country4 ,in #ahgb1 ,professor ,john ,macoun was sent from ,edmonton by ,mr4 7now ,sir7 ,sandford ,fleming1 who was then exploring for the ,canadian ,pacific ,railway1 to explore ,peace river and see if there were a pass there4 ,professor ,macoun's report attracted much attention to this district4 ,professor ,macoun had then already spent ten years study1 theoretical and practical1 of botany1 natural history and physical geography4 ,in the year #ahge he was appointed botanist to the expedition which1 under the leadership of the ,director of the ,geological ,survey1 explored ,peace river and ,rocky mountains4 ,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 country4 ,the summers of #ahgi-hj-ha were spent by ,professor ,macoun in traversing the least known parts and investigating the fauna1 flora1 meteorology and physical phenomena of the country4 ,during the years #ahgh-gi ,doctor ,g4 ,m4 ,dawson1 of the ,geological ,survey1 in conjunction with a ,canadian ,pacific ,railway survey party1 made an examination of the region between the mouth of ,skeena river on the ,pacific coast and ,edmonton1 including ,pine river pass and its approaches1 ,smoky river and the fertile country north and south of ,peace river4 ,the vast extent of country covered left but little time for details1 and caused the expedition to assume the character of a rapid reconnaissance survey4 ,in #ahgc1 ,charles ,horetzky1 ,c4,e41 was commissioned by ,mr4 ,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 ,railway4 ,mr4 ,horetzky1 who was accompanied by ,doctor ,macoun1 botanist1 proceeded via ,edmonton1 ,lesser ,slave lake1 the confluence of ,smoky and ,peace rivers1 ,dunvegan1 ,mc,leod's lake1 etc4 ,besides his official report1 ,mr4 ,horetzky wrote a popular account of this trip under the title 8,canada on the ,pacific10 which contained much interesting information as to ,peace river district4 ,in #ahge1 ,doctor ,selwyn1 ,director of the ,geological ,survey1 mapped and reported upon the upper part of ,peace river1 as far down as the mouth of ,smoky river1 and in the same year ,professor ,john ,macoun1 who accompanied him in the capacity of botanist1 proceeded down the river to ,lake ,athabaska1 and returned east by the ,athabaska-,clearwater route1 while ,doctor ,selwyn reascended ,peace river1 and returned by ,british ,columbia4 ,doctor ,robert ,bell1 ,f4,g4,s41 ,f4,r4,s4,c41 etc41 in a period of active service in the ,geological ,survey extending over more than forty years1 contributed very largely to our knowledge of ,northern ,canada4 ,he was medical officer1 naturalist and geologist on the 8,neptune10 the 8,alert0 and the 8,diana0 expeditions to ,hudson bay1 and his reports of those voyages1 as well as of his overland trips1 are very valuable4 ,three of his exploratory trips1 two in the eastern division1 the other in the western part of the country under review1 are especially interesting4 ,in #ahgh he made a track-survey and a geological examination of the boat-route from ,lake ,winnipeg to ,hudson bay by way of ,oxford and ,knee lakes1 and the rivers thence to ,york ,factory4 ,he also made topographical and geological surveys of the lower part of ,nelson river1 and of the upper part of the same stream1 from ,lake ,winnipeg nearly to ,split lake1 leaving unfinished the central part4 ,between #ahgh and #ahia he explored ,nelson river1 the lower part of ,grass river1 and parts of ,churchill and ,little ,churchill rivers4 ,in #ahgi1 ,doctor ,bell1 assisted by ,mr4 ,cochrane1 completed his survey of ,nelson river and ,churchill river basins2 the country covered in that region included altogether ,gull lake1 ,grass river1 ,sipiwesk lake1 ,jackfish river1 ,knee lake1 ,god's lake1 ,island lake1 ,split lake and the coast of ,hudson bay for a few miles on either side of ,churchill4 ,these explorations practically re-opened a section of country which must have been familiar to those engaged in transportation via the old route between ,hudson bay1 ,red river and ,saskatchewan river districts4 ,before reaching ,norway ,house1 although diligent enquiry was made by ,doctor ,bell1 no reliable information could be obtained of the ,churchill1 or the central part of the ,nelson1 or the country lying between these two streams4 ,and even at ,norway ,house very little was known on the subject4 ,this arose from the fact that both these rivers had long before been abandoned as 8voyaging0 routes by the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 and also that no ,indians lived at or near the parts to be examined4 ,in #ahhb1 a track survey and geological examination of ,athabaska river below the mouth of ,lac ,la ,biche river1 was made by ,doctor ,bell4 ,in #ahhf1 ,doctor ,bell conducted an exploration of portions of ,attawapiskat and ,albany rivers1 and of the country between ,lonely lake 7,lac ,seul7 and ,james bay4 ,doctor ,bell reached the ,albany from ,wabigoon via ,lake ,minnietakie1 and crossed the watershed to the ,attawapiskat from the highest of the chain of lakes on the ,eabamet1 which flows into the ,albany about ninety miles in a straight line below the outlet of ,lake ,st4 ,joseph4 ,the ,attawapiskat was followed to ,james bay4 ,a micrometer survey of the lower part of both ,peace and ,athabaska rivers was made by ,william ,ogilvie1 ,d4,l4,s41 in #ahhd1 and in #ahhh1 ,mr4 ,ogilvie1 having completed some surveys in the ,yukon1 arrived at ,fort ,mc,pherson via ,peel river to make ,,an ,,exploration ,,of ,,mackenzie ,,river1 ,great ,slave lake and river1 and ,lake ,athabaska4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie ascended this great waterway and prepared a report which is still much consulted4 ,in #ahia ,mr4 ,ogilvie1 under the direction of the ,surveyor-,general1 again made an exploratory survey in the same region4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie's instructions were to make a thorough exploration of the region drained by ,peace river and its tributaries1 between the boundary of ,british ,columbia and ,rocky mountains and to collect any information that might be of value relating to that region4 ,as it was desirable that he should1 if practicable1 connect the end of his micrometer survey of ,mackenzie river made in #ahhh with that made on ,great ,slave river in the same year1 which he was then unable to accomplish on account of high water1 ,mr4 ,ogilvie took with him the necessary instruments1 but he found it impossible to complete this work4 ,this time1 he descended the great northwestern waterway from ,athabaska to ,fort ,simpson1 and1 ascending the ,liard and 8,east ,branch0 or ,nelson river1 as it has since been officially called1 reached ,port ,nelson on ,september #ae1 ascending ,nelson and ,sikanni ,chief rivers and portaging through the woods to ,st4 ,john on ,peace river4 ,another interesting report was the result of this really hazardous trip4 ,in #ahhf1 ,mr4 ,a4 ,p4 ,low of the ,geological ,survey1 accompanied by ,mr4 ,j4 ,m4 ,macoun1 crossed ,lake ,winnipeg from ,red river to ,berens river and ascended the latter to a portage to the head waters of ,severn river1 making an exploration of the country from ,lake ,winnipeg to ,hudson bay4 ,in #ahhg1 ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell1 ,b4,a41 of the ,geological ,survey1 descended to ,mackenzie river from the ,yukon via ,liard river1 and during that year and the following one explored a considerable part of ,mackenzie basin including ,slave river1 ,salt river1 ,hay river1 part of the western end of ,great ,slave lake1 etc4 ,the result was embodied in a most interesting official report 7,part ,d4 ,annual ,report1 ,vol4 ,,iv41 #ahhh-hi1 ,geological ,survey of ,canada47 ,the country between ,peace and ,athabaska rivers north of ,lesser ,slave lake1 comprising an area of about forty-four thousand square miles1 remained entirely unknown until ,mr4 ,mc,connell's exploration was undertaken4 ,in the years #ahhh1 #ahhi1 #ahij and #ahia1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell effected a most important exploration of the unexplored country between ,peace river and ,athabaska river and in the basin of the ,athabaska4 ,he investigated as thoroughly as he could the phenomena of the so-called tar-sand deposits and the ,,oil ,,springs ,,of ,,athabaska ,,region1 about which the few hunters1 traders and travellers who had hitherto penetrated so far had brought back such astonishing tales4 ,his report1 printed in the annual report of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada for #ahij-ia 7,new ,series1 ,vol4 ,v1 ,part ,i71 excited much interest at the time throughout the scientific world1 and is still regarded as the standard authority on the subject4 ,in the summer of #ahhi1 a well-known ,english sportsman set out upon a trip to ,great ,slave lake district with the object of making some explorations4 ,this was ,mr4 ,warburton ,pike1 and his book 8,the ,barren ,ground of ,northern ,canada01 describing his trip1 gives a great deal of interesting information about that part of the 8,barren ,lands0 just north of ,great ,slave lake and the region about the headwaters of ,backs river4 ,mr4 ,pike1 who combined the qualities of a good writer1 a trained explorer and a keen sportsman1 proceeded during the summer of #ahhi via ,great ,slave lake and the canoe-portage route by ,francois1 de ,mort1 ,nez ,croche1 du ,rocher1 ,camsell1 ,mackay and de ,gras lakes to the headwaters of ,coppermine river4 ,he spent the winter in camp just south of ,mackay lake and at ,fort ,resolution1 and the following summer proceeded via ,great ,slave lake1 and a chain of lakes to the east of those he had traversed on his canoe-portage route the previous season1 to ,aylmer lake4 ,thence he proceeded down ,backs river to ,beechey lake1 south of ,bathurst inlet4 ,he came out via ,clinton-,colden and ,artillery lakes1 and from ,athabaska district made a trip up ,peace river4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,burr ,tyrrell1 of the ,geological ,survey1 explored the country bordering on the east shore of ,lake ,winnipeg in #ahij and #ahia4 ,in #ahib1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 assisted by ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling1 made an exploration of the country between ,athabaska and ,churchill rivers and north of the latter waterway4 ,the routes covered included a course from ,prince ,albert northward through ,cree lake and down ,beaver river to ,churchill river1 and north across the country by ,cree lake to ,black river1 thence through ,wollaston lake and up through ,geikie and ,foster rivers to the ,churchill4 ,in #ahic and #ahid ,mr4 ,tyrrell conducted two important exploration parties4 ,in #ahic the route taken was via ,chipewyan1 ,lake ,athabaska1 ,fond du ,lac1 ,black lake1 ,chipman lake1 ,selwyn lake1 ,daly lake1 ,dubawnt river and lake1 ,aberdeen1 ,schultz and ,baker lakes1 ,chesterfield inlet1 ,churchill1 ,york ,factory1 ,norway ,house and ,west ,selkirk4 ,in #ahid the route followed was via ,cumberland ,house1 ,sturgeon-weir river1 ,churchill river1 ,reindeer river and lake1 ,cochrane river1 ,kasba lake1 ,kasba river1 ,ennadai lake1 ,kazan river1 ,kathkyed lake1 ,kazan river again1 ,ferguson lake and river to ,hudson bay4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell and party came out via ,split lake1 ,norway ,house and ,selkirk4 ,,the ,,vast ,,wilderness1 through which the lines of exploration upon these occasions passed1 lies for the most part north of latitude #ei1 and extends from the coast to ,hudson bay1 westward to ,lake ,athabaska1 comprising an area of not less than two hundred thousand square miles4 ,the work of the party embraced a survey of the north shore of ,lake ,athabaska1 ,chipman1 ,cochrane1 ,telzoa or ,dubawnt1 ,thlewiaza1 ,kazan and ,ferguson rivers1 in whole or in part1 ,chesterfield inlet1 and the shore of ,hudson bay from ,chesterfield inlet to ,churchill1 as well as a line overland in winter1 from ,churchill to ,york ,factory1 and another from ,churchill to ,split lake4 ,illustration3 ,portage near ,long ,spruce rapids1 ,nelson river4 ,the distance travelled in #ahic was three thousand two hundred miles1 one thousand six hundred and fifty of which had not been previously surveyed or reported on in any way4 ,the whole distance of six hundred miles from ,churchill to ,lake ,winnipeg was covered on snowshoes4 ,during the trip of the following year ,mr4 ,tyrrell travelled two thousand nine hundred miles1 one thousand seven hundred and fifty by canoe and seven hundred and twenty-five on snowshoes1 most of this distance being through unexplored country4 ,jas4 ,w4 ,tyrrell1 ,c4,e41 ,d4,l4,s41 who formed part of this expedition1 subsequently published a popular account of the trip of three thousand two hundred miles in a book entitled 8,across the ,sub-,arctics of ,canada40 ,during the summer of #ahif ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 travelling by canoe1 made a survey of the northeastern portion of the old district of ,saskatchewan and the adjacent parts of the then district of ,keewatin1 since annexed to ,manitoba1 the territory covered comprising an area of rather more than twenty-five thousand square miles1 lying between north latitude #ej #dj and #ef1 and west longitude #ig #bj and #abb #cj4 ,james ,macintosh ,bell1 ,f4,r4,g4,s41 of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 made a geological reconnaissance of the north arm of ,great ,slave lake in #ahii1 wintered at ,fort ,resolution1 and in #aijj1 accompanied by ,mr4 ,charles ,camsell1 travelled to ,great ,bear lake1 made a geological exploration of its northern shores1 and returned by a chain of lakes to the north arm of ,great ,slave lake1 proceeding to ,edmonton the same winter4 ,in the summer of #ahii1 ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling of the ,geological ,survey explored the upper part of ,burntwood river from ,three ,point lake to its head near ,reed lake1 ,kississing river1 from the north end of ,athapapuskow lake to its mouth on ,churchill river1 and the ,churchill from above ,sisipuk lake to the end of the long arm running from ,nelson lake4 ,during the summer of #ahic ,mr4 ,dowling conducted an exploration in that part of southern ,keewatin just to the east of the then eastern boundary of ,manitoba1 and north of the then northern boundary of ,ontario4 ,the area covered1 now forming part of the province of ,ontario1 extends from ,english river and ,lac ,seul northwards to ,berens river1 the eastern branch of which forms approximately the northern limit of the area4 ,to the east the exploration included the heads of streams flowing eastward to ,cat lake1 and on the west ,white river1 a southern branch of ,berens river1 with the western end of ,red lake1 confines its extent in that direction4 ,in #aijj1 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell1 ,c4,e41 ,d4,l4,s41 who had been assistant to his brother in #ahic1 conducted an important exploration of the country between ,great ,slave lake and ,chesterfield inlet on ,hudson bay4 ,in all1 one thousand seven hundred and twenty-nine miles of survey were accomplished1 and in the performance of this four thousand six hundred miles were travelled ,,with ,,sleds ,,and ,,canoes4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell proceeded via ,resolution1 ,great ,slave lake1 old ,fort ,reliance1 ,lockhart river1 ,pike's portage1 ,artillery lake1 ,clinton-,colden lake1 ,smart lake1 ,sifton lake1 ,hanbury river and ,thelon river to a point near the confluence of ,dubawnt river4 ,hence a portion of the party under the direction of ,c4 ,c4 ,fairchild1 ,c4,e41 was despatched to survey ,aberdeen1 ,schultz and ,baker lakes1 while ,mr4 ,tyrrell returned up the ,thelon to devote his attention to the upper part of the river and the divide between the upper ,thelon and ,artillery lake1 traversing1 unattended1 the one hundred and sixty miles between a small branch of the ,thelon and ,artillery lake4 ,the party was reunited at ,artillery lake1 and returned to civilization via ,resolution1 ,chipewyan and ,edmonton4 ,in #ahih1 ,mr4 ,david ,t4 ,hanbury tried to reach the unexplored tract between ,chesterfield inlet and ,great ,slave lake via the ,norway-,house--,york-,factory--,churchi ll route4 ,finding that he arrived too late at the latter place1 he decided to spend the summer on the ,hudson bay coast and make preparations for an early start the following year4 ,in #ahii1 he made an interesting trip from ,churchill to ,great ,slave lake via ,chesterfield inlet1 ,thelon and ,ark-i-linik rivers1 ,clinton-,colden and ,artillery lakes1 and ,lockhart river4 ,as he was the first white man to explore ,ark-i-linik or ,thelon river1 its most western affluent has since been called ,hanbury river4 ,in #aija1 ,mr4 ,hanbury travelled from ,edmonton to ,depot island in the northern part of ,hudson bay1 via ,fort ,resolution1 ,great ,slave lake1 ,artillery lake1 ,hanbury1 ,thelon and ,dubawnt rivers1 ,baker lake1 ,chesterfield inlet and ,marble island4 ,he spent most of the winter in an ,esquimaux camp near ,baker lake1 and in ,february started on an adventurous trip back to civilization via ,aberdeen lake and ,thelon river1 thence overland to ,buchanan river1 down that stream to ,backs river1 thence to the coast1 westward along the coast to the mouth of the ,coppermine1 up the ,coppermine to ,kendall river1 via ,dismal lake1 ,dease river1 ,great ,bear lake and ,great ,bear river to ,fort ,norman4 ,mr4 ,hanbury gives an interesting account of these trips in his book 8,sport and ,travel in the ,northland of ,canada40 ,the ,united ,states ,biological ,survey1 in the early spring of #aija1 determined to send ,mr4 ,edward ,a4 ,preble1 ,assistant of the ,survey and one of its trained field naturalists1 to obtain representative collections of the mammals1 birds and plants of the great interior region west of ,hudson bay drained mainly by the ,mackenzie and described in the reports of the ,survey as the most neglected large area in ,north ,america4 ,as it was evident that only part of the region could be examined satisfactorily in a single season1 it was determined to make first a reconnaissance of the region about ,athabaska and ,great ,slave lakes4 ,the route followed by ,mr4 ,preble's party was via ,great ,slave lake1 including the north arm1 to ,fort ,rae2 the chain of lakes and rivers by way of ,lake ,st4 ,croix to ,mac,tavish bay2 ,great ,bear lake and ,great ,bear river to the ,mackenzie4 ,it had been the intention of ,mr4 ,preble1 who was accompanied by his brother and ,mr4 ,james ,mac,kinley1 formerly of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 to cross by one of the ,indian routes to the upper ,coppermine and to descend that stream1 but various circumstances rendered this impossible and he was obliged to take the shorter and more westerly route4 ,in the spring of #aijc1 the results of his work in #aija having been elaborated but not published1 ,mr4 ,preble was sent to complete his investigations in the ,mackenzie region4 ,this was especially desirable1 since on the previous trip he had penetrated only as far as ,great ,slave lake4 ,upon his second trip the survey was carried from ,great ,bear lake to the ,arctic coast line4 ,the result of these trips was embodied in a very complete and altogether admirable report--8,north ,american ,fauna1 ,no4 #bg40--published by the ,united ,states ,biological ,survey in #aijh4 ,in #aije1 ,mr4 ,alfred ,h4 ,harrison1 one of that large class of adventurous ,englishmen who love to penetrate into the less known and totally unknown portions of the world for the very love of sport and perilous adventure1 made a trip of exploration down ,slave and ,mackenzie rivers1 and remained for nearly two years in the country ,,about ,,the ,,delta ,,of ,,mackenzie ,,river and ,herschell island1 and returned home in #aijg by the same route4 ,mr4 ,harrison1 before he made this trip1 had considerable knowledge of the ,northland1 for he had made a trip as far as ,great ,slave lake in #aijb4 ,mr4 ,harrison is1 moreover1 the son of a former officer of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 who in #aheb was stationed at the company's post at ,fort ,good ,hope4 ,mr4 ,harrison1 upon his return to ,england1 wrote a book which he entitled 8,in ,search of a ,polar ,continent0 which contains a large amount of interesting information regarding the ,mackenzie country4 ,during the seasons of #aijc1 #aijd and #aije1 ,mr4 ,william ,mc,innes of the ,geological ,survey made explorations in that portion of the southeastern section of this region drained by ,winisk river and by the upper branches of ,attawapiskat river4 ,these explorations extended from #ea #aj to #ee #aj ,north latitude and from #hf to #ij ,west longitude4 ,the result was embodied in a report printed in #aiji and numbered #ajhj4 ,messrs4 ,wm4 ,mc,innes and ,owen ,o',sullivan of the ,geological ,survey were employed during the summer of #aijf to explore the region along the proposed route of the railway between the ,saskatchewan and ,churchill4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes explored the country between the ,pas and ,split lake2 ,mr4 ,o',sullivan1 the country between ,split lake and ,churchill4 ,their reports were published in the summary report of the ,geological ,survey for #aijf4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes's route ran from ,lake ,winnipeg via ,nelson river to ,split lake and thence along ,burntwood river and ,file river and lake to ,reed lake1 across ,wekusko lake to a point between ,grass and ,burntwood rivers1 back to ,reed lake and thence along the ,nelson4 ,mr4 ,o',sullivan's route was from ,split lake via ,assean lake1 ,outawi river and lake1 ,waskaiowaka lake1 ,little ,churchill river1 ,recluse lake1 ,great ,churchill river1 ,deer lake and river1 and ,great ,churchill river again4 ,the return trip was made via ,york ,factory1 ,hayes river and ,fox river4 ,in #aijf and #aijg1 ,w4 ,thibaudeau1 ,c4,e41 acting under the instruction of ,doctor ,deville1 ,surveyor-,general1 made some explorations in ,churchill district and along the route of the proposed ,hudson ,bay ,railway from ,churchill to ,the ,pas on the ,saskatchewan4 ,on his trip over the route of the railway ,mr4 ,thibaudeau proceeded from ,churchill in a straight line to near ,deer river4 ,crossing the river he followed a route between it and the ,churchill1 recrossing the ,deer at a point a little more than a hundred miles from ,churchill4 ,thence he travelled in a straight line to the ,little ,churchill1 and followed the course of that river to ,waskaiowaka lake4 ,thence he crossed to a point near ,assean lake and continued his route via ,split lake1 ,pipe lake1 ,grass river1 ,landing lake1 ,sipiwesk lake1 ,grass river1 and ,cormorant and ,atikomeg lakes4 ,mr4 ,joseph ,keele of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada made a reconnaissance across ,mackenzie mountains on ,pelly1 ,ross and ,gravel rivers1 in the mountain region lying between the ,pelly and the lower reach of ,mackenzie river in #aijg and #aijh4 ,during the summer of #aijh1 ,inspector ,e4 ,a4 ,pelletier1 of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 with a corporal and two constables1 patrolled the country between ,,great ,,slave ,,lake ,,and ,,hudson ,,bay4 ,they left ,fort ,resolution on ,great ,slave lake on ,july #a and travelled via ,pike portage1 ,artillery lake1 ,hanbury river and ,thelon river1 to ,hudson bay at ,chesterfield inlet1 where they arrived on ,august #ca4 ,no natives or guides were employed from ,great ,slave lake to ,hudson bay and this portion of the journey was made without any mishap whatever4 ,inspector ,pelletier estimated the distances travelled on this patrol as follows3-- ,miles4 ,fort ,saskatchewan to ,athabaska 7teams7 #ij ,athabaska to ,mc,murray 7scow7 #bhj ,mc,murray to ,graham's ,landing 7steamer7 #bij ,graham's ,landing to ,fort ,smith 7teams7 #ab ,fort ,smith to ,fort ,resolution 7canoes7 #ahj ,fort ,resolution to ,fort ,reliance 7canoes7 #bdj ,pike portage route between ,great ,slave lake and ,artillery lake 7portage and canoe7 #be ,artillery lake to height of land 7portage and canoe7 #ajj ,height of land to ,thelon river 7portage and canoe7 #agj ,thelon river 7canoe7 #bbj ,beverly lake and river 7canoe7 #ce ,aberdeen lake 7canoe7 #fj ,river between ,aberdeen and ,schultz lakes 7canoe7 #bj ,schultz lake 7canoe7 #be ,schultz or ,lower ,thelon river 7portage and canoe7 #ce ,baker lake 7canoe7 #fj ,river foot of ,baker lake 7canoe7 #be ,chesterfield inlet1 ,hudson bay 7canoe7 #acj ,total #a1iig ,of the canoes used on this patrol1 one was an eighteen foot length1 forty-two inch beam1 the other eighteen and one-half foot length1 forty-three inch beam2 both were eighteen inches deep1 longitudinal strip cedar1 varnished1 fitted with oars for hard pulling against strong winds on the lakes4 ,inspector ,pelletier had a good stock of paddles and fifty-five foot lateen sails4 ,each canoe weighed one hundred and twenty pounds portaging weight4 ,the portage from ,great ,slave lake towards ,artillery lake was found to be about six miles from the site of ,fort ,reliance1 of which historic establishment a stone chimney alone remains standing4 ,some interesting topographical information regarding the region between ,hudson bay and ,the ,pas was obtained through the surveys made under the direction of ,john ,armstrong1 ,c4,e41 for the ,department of ,railways and ,canals in #aijh and #aiji1 for the purpose of determining a projected location for a railway to ,hudson bay from ,the ,pas1 the nearest point on the ,saskatchewan then having railway connection4 ,from ,the ,pas to a point north of ,pipestone lake a single route was laid down2 thence two routes1 one to ,port ,nelson1 the other to ,churchill1 were surveyed4 ,mr4 ,armstrong1 in his report 7,sessional ,paper ,no4 #bj d4--#aiaj71 makes some interesting references to the natural resources of the district covered by the surveys4 ,all the expeditions which have been thus briefly passed in review made additions to the knowledge we possess of the natural resources of the great unsettled ,northwest1 but it will be observed that the acquisition of geographical knowledge only was the object for which most of these expeditions were equipped and sent forward4 ,the trained explorers of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada have given us a fair idea of the geological features and natural resources generally along the more accessible lines of travel1 particularly in the southern and western parts of this vast unsettled and unsurveyed region1 but it is only within the last few years that systematic surveys have been undertaken there to determine the adaptability of certain areas to agricultural development and settlement4 ,in #aijh1 ,frank ,j4 ,p4 ,crean1 ,c4,e41 of the ,railway ,lands ,branch of the ,department of the ,interior1 was commissioned to explore and procure all the information possible about that tract of country lying to the east of ,beaver river and ,green lake1 ,illustration3 ,farm at ,mount ,nebo on ,green lake trail1 sixty-five miles from ,prince ,albert4 ,,south ,,of ,,churchill ,,river1 and extending east to the old canoe route from ,cumberland ,house via ,frog portage to ,stanley ,mission4 ,mr4 ,crean was instructed by ,mr4 ,r4 ,e4 ,young1 ,superintendent of the ,railway ,lands ,branch1 to pay particular attention to obtaining information about the character of the country away from the travelled routes1 and to ascertain the value of the district to be traversed for farming1 lumbering and mining purposes4 ,mr4 ,crean left ,prince ,albert ,august #bj1 #aijh1 and returned there ,january #f1 #aiji4 ,he proceeded by team to the south end of ,green lake1 and after reaching that point travelled chiefly by canoe1 making side trips inland1 where it seemed desirable to do so4 ,after the ice formed he procured dog trains to continue the exploration4 ,on this trip ,mr4 ,crean explored the district bounded on the west by a line from ,prince ,albert to ,stanley mission2 on the north by ,churchill and ,clearwater rivers2 on the west by ,green lake1 ,beaver river1 the western arm of ,ile la ,crosse lake1 ,buffalo lake1 ,methye river and ,methye lake2 and on the south by the surveyed territory along the north bank of the ,saskatchewan4 ,mr4 ,crean gave the following statistics in his report3--8,the gross area explored1 and about which some information has been collected1 is approximately sixteen million acres4 ,the water covered area in this tract 7area of lakes and rivers7 may be set down at approximately three million acres--the remaining land area at thirteen million4 ,i would estimate that an area of fully three million five hundred thousand acres is suitable for settlement as soon as surveyed and made accessible by roads1 and an area of about eight million acres of swamp or land probably too wet at present for successful cultivation could be reclaimed at a moderate expenditure4 ,all swamp will1 however1 eventually repay the cost of reclamation4 ,the above figures are1 of course1 the result of an exploration extending over only a few months1 and must be considered to be only approximate4 ,the distance travelled was about three thousand miles1 of which one thousand two hundred was made running behind dog trains40 ,in #aiji1 ,mr4 ,crean was again sent out to carry on his exploration of the country north of the surveyed area in ,saskatchewan and ,alberta and extending west from the territory covered the previous year4 ,he was instructed to cover as much of the country west to the ,athabaska and ,,north ,,to ,,the ,,clearwater as time would permit4 ,he left ,prince ,albert on ,june #ag1 #aiji1 completed his season's work at ,mc,murray1 and thence proceeded to ,edmonton1 reaching there ,december #aa1 #aiji4 ,from ,green lake1 ,mr4 ,crean travelled principally by canoe1 making numerous portages1 some of considerable length4 ,on some occasions he hired horses and used them as a means of transportation4 ,the total area explored1 or about which information was thus obtained1 is approximately twenty-one million acres4 ,mr4 ,crean reports3--8,of this tract1 not over two million acres is covered by water--lakes and rivers4 ,a conservative estimate of the land available for settlement in its present state1 when means of access are provided1 would be about ten million acres4 ,the greater portion of the remaining area1 say nine million acres1 could be drained1 and1 in my opinion1 would well repay the expenditure4 ,throughout the tract there is ample fall which would allow of drainage being successfully carried out4 ,a portion of the tract lies on the head waters of ,churchill river1 and all the streams contain numerous rapids and falls4 ,on the west side of the height of land sloping towards the ,athabaska and the ,clearwater there are also excellent facilities for drainage4 ,this tract is well supplied with timber1 some of which may be suitable for export40 ,mr4 ,crean1 during this exploratory trip1 visited the country between ,green lake and ,meadow lake1 ,birch lake and ,loon lake to the westward2 ,waterhen lake and ,island lake2 ,canoe lake and ,burnt lake2 ,white ,fish river and lake1 and ,watchush lake2 ,gipsy lake1 ,gordon lake and ,mc,murray2 ,gregoire lake4 ,pembina river4 ,cowpar lake1 ,winefred lake1 ,ipiatik lake1 ,heart lake and ,lac ,la ,biche1 all to the westward of the area investigated in #aijh4 ,mr4 ,crean's report of his exploration in the season of #aijh was printed for public information1 but owing to the great demand for copies the edition was soon exhausted and it was decided therefore1 to issue the two reports in one new publication4 ,the gross area covered by the two reports1 and as to which some information was gathered1 might be stated at approximately forty million acres4 ,inspired with the wish to see for himself the country for the administration of which he was responsible1 the ,hon4 ,frank ,oliver1 then ,minister of the ,interior1 in #aiaj made the trip from ,edmonton via ,athabaska1 ,athabaska river1 ,lake ,athabaska1 ,slave river1 ,great ,slave lake1 and ,mackenzie river1 to ,fort ,mc,pherson1 thence passing over to the ,yukon by trail to ,lapierre's ,house4 ,mr4 ,oliver left ,edmonton ,june #b and reached ,fort ,yukon on ,july #ad4 ,from ,athabaska to ,grand rapids 7one hundred and sixty miles7 and from ,mc,murray to ,chipewyan 7two hundred miles7 the ,minister and his private secretary made the trip alone in a ,peterborough canoe4 ,the result of the ,minister's observations1 as communicated to the press1 aroused considerable interest in the newest northwest throughout ,canada4 ,the reports of explorers and travellers as to the character and resources of the great northwest have been supplemented by a considerable amount of information received from ,hudson's ,bay ,company officials1 and others engaged in the fur trade1 missionaries1 prospectors and pioneer settlers4 ,certain ,,recent ,,parliamentary ,,inquiries resulted in the placing upon record of some of the most instructive of this class of information4 ,much data of a most valuable character was obtained by two select committees of the ,senate which sat during the sessions of #ahhg and #ahhh1 under the presidency of the late ,honourable ,senator ,schultz1 who was mainly instrumental in having the said committees appointed4 ,the reports of these committees1 with the evidence taken1 were printed as appendices to the ,journals of the ,senate 7#ast ,session1 #fth ,parlt41 #ej ,victoria1 and #bnd ,session1 #fth ,parlt41 #ea ,victoria74 ,during the parliamentary session of #aijf-g1 the ,hon4 ,senator ,t4 ,o4 ,davis1 of ,prince ,albert1 was instrumental in having a select committee of the ,senate appointed to enquire as to the value of that portion of the ,dominion lying north of the ,saskatchewan watershed and east of ,rocky mountains1 comprising the northern parts of the provinces of ,alberta and ,saskatchewan and ,mackenzie territory1 and the extent of navigable waters1 rivers1 lakes1 and sea-coast contained therein2 also similarly to enquire and report from time to time as to the value of the portions of the ,dominion on both sides of ,hudson bay1 including the territories of ,keewatin and ,ungava1 and the extent of navigable waters1 rivers1 lakes and sea-coast contained therein4 ,the committee1 in accordance with the authority delegated to it1 sent for persons1 papers and records bearing upon the subjects submitted for its consideration1 and examined a number of gentlemen possessing special knowledge1 through personal experience or otherwise1 of the regions named as the special subject of enquiry4 ,the evidence thus obtained was1 under instructions from the ,senate1 edited1 condensed and arranged by the compiler of the present volume1 and published1 first in the journals of the ,senate 7#crd ,session1 #ajth ,parliament71 and subsequently in the book published under the direction of the ,department of the ,interior1 entitled 8,canada's ,fertile ,northland40 ,it aroused much interest in the subject1 not only in ,canada1 but throughout the civilized world4 ,taking advantage of this1 the ,minister of the ,interior gave instructions for the preparation of a summary or digest of the ,schultz committee reports of #ahhg and #ahhh1 at that time out of print1 the work being entrusted to the same compiler1 under the direction of the late ,mr4 ,r4 ,e4 ,young1 ,superintendent of ,railway ,lands and ,chief ,geographer4 ,the result was the volume 8,the ,great ,mackenzie ,basin01 the first edition of which was published in #aijh4 ,altogether1 from one source or another1 during the three centuries which have elapsed since the ,british flag first appeared in ,hudson bay1 a vast amount of reliable information1 covering many widely-separated districts of the territory under review1 has been obtained2 but hitherto much of the practical value of this useful data scattered through the pages of publications of various descriptions has been lost for ,,lack ,,of ,,systematic ,,compilation4 ,in bringing all this information together and compressing it within the limits of one volume1 a difficulty presents itself in the tremendous extent of country concerned4 ,in arranging the matter of this volume1 with a view to enabling the reader to follow more readily1 the whole area under review has been divided into certain arbitrary geographical sub-divisions4 ,in a region so vast1 the differences of climate1 soil and general physical character of the country in the various districts are very considerable1 and emphasize the necessity of treating certain geographical sub-divisions separately4 ,a glance at the map is necessary to enable the reader to understand the divisions of the country which it has been deemed advisable to make in projecting this volume1 to permit of the intelligent treatment of the subject4 ,the region designated 8,the ,keewatin ,area0 comprises that part of what was formerly the provisional district of ,keewatin which lies east of the province of ,saskatchewan1 south of the #fjth parallel of north latitude1 west of ,james bay and southwest and west of ,hudson bay4 ,its southern limits are defined by the former 7up to #aiab7 northern boundary of ,manitoba and the former 7up to the same date7 northwesterly boundary of ,ontario4 ,during the first session of the #abth ,parliament of ,canada 7#aiaa-ab7 the whole of this territory was annexed to the two provinces lying immediately to the south of it1 ,ontario and ,manitoba4 ,the dividing line between the portion of the former district of ,keewatin annexed to the province of ,ontario1 and that annexed to the province of ,manitoba1 is described in the legislation extending the boundaries of the two provinces as a line from the extreme north end of the eastern boundary of the province of ,manitoba as it existed at the time of the extension of boundaries1 8thence continuing due north along the same meridian to the intersection thereof with the centre of the road allowance on the twelfth base line of the system of ,dominion ,land ,surveys2 thence northeasterly in a right line to the most eastern point of ,island lake1 as shown in approximate latitude #ec #cj and longitude #ic #dj on the railway map of the ,dominion of ,canada1 published1 on the scale of thirty-five miles to one inch1 in the year one thousand nine hundred and eight1 by the authority of the ,minister of the ,interior2 thence northeasterly in a right line to the point where the eighty-ninth meridian of west longitude intersects the southern shore of ,hudson bay2 thence easterly and southerly following the shore of the said bay to the point where the northerly boundary of the province of ,ontario as established under the said ,act intersects the shore of ,james bay40 ,at the date of the final revision of these pages for the press1 the division of the territory was too recent to permit of effective separate treatment of newest ,ontario and newest ,manitoba as separate territorial units1 and any attempt to effect such separate treatment1 it was felt1 would only result in confusion4 ,the 8,northern ,saskatchewan ,region0 comprises the whole of the province of ,saskatchewan1 north of the surveyed area4 ,the 8,northern ,alberta ,region0 comprises the whole of the province of ,alberta1 north and east of the surveyed area4 ,the 8,mackenzie ,river ,region0 includes all the territory in the great ,mackenzie basin1 north of the province of ,alberta1 extending northward to ,beaufort sea1 west to the boundary of ,yukon territory1 and eastward to the basin of ,coppermine river1 that of ,yellowknife river1 a line in prolongation of the latter stream across ,great ,slave lake and following the right bank of ,slave river to the northern boundary of ,alberta4 ,the area comprised within the designation 8,the ,barren ,lands0 includes the immense territory extending eastwards from that last defined to ,hudson bay1 and including the bare1 treeless1 but wrongly called 8,barren ,lands40 ,with this brief and general outline of the various districts before him1 the reader will more readily follow the attempt to present in a systematic and intelligible form all the data of practical value available regarding the varied natural resources of this vast territory4 ----- #a ,at the ,semple murder trials at ,york in ,october1 #ahah1 ,sherwood1 the ,northwest ,company's counsel1 ironically described ,red river valley 7,manitoba7 as the 8land of milk and honey1 where nothing1 not even a blade of corn1 will ripen40 #b 8,the nations of ,europe had adopted the principle that discovery gave title to the government by whose subjects or by whose authority it was made1 against all other ,european governments1 which title might be consummated by possession40 7,chief ,justice ,marshall47 #c ,this was the same ,henry ,kelsey who showed conspicuous bravery at the capture of ,fort ,nelson by the ,french under d',iberville in #afij1 and who subsequently became a ,deputy ,governor in the ,hudson's ,bay service4--7,e4 ,j4 ,c474 #d 8,the ,last ,great ,monopoly40 #e ,joseph ,robson1 who had been employed as a stone mason and engineer in the construction of ,fort ,prince of ,wales at ,churchill between #agcc and #agdh1 and had been up ,nelson river for a distance of forty or fifty miles1 was one of the chief witnesses4 ,being asked as to the number of ,british subjects in the ,company's settlements1 he said that the first year he was at ,york ,fort there were #cf persons there1 and at ,churchill #dd or #de2 that he never saw any ,british subjects there1 except the ,company's servants1 nor any other people desirous to 8fix0 there1 or that the ,company had ever offered encouragement to ,british subjects to 8settle0 there4 ,he expressed the opinion that some of the country about ,hudson bay might be settled and inhabited1 if people would go up the rivers till they found a better climate1 and there erect settlements4 ,he declared that he did not doubt that he himself could find three or four hundred ,british subjects1 who would willingly go there to live winter and summer1 and1 he added1 he would go for one4 ,he added that speaking from his own experience1 the cold of the ,hudson bay winter might be endured without any inconvenience1 their clothing being adapted to the climate4 ,he had suffered more from cold in ,england1 than ever he did at ,hudson bay4 ,it was true that flesh will freeze1 but he never knew any person to lose his fingers from frostbite at ,churchill or ,york4 #f ,in #aggc ,hearne established ,cumberland ,house as a southern outpost of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4 ,it was ,hearne1 the hero of this daring trip of exploration1 who1 as governor of ,prince of ,wales fort 7,churchill71 in #aghb1 ignominiously surrendered that stronghold to the ,french squadron under ,la ,prouse1 without firing a shot4 #g ,governor ,morton's instructions to ,hearne set forth the object of the expedition in detail4 ,they included the following3-- 8,the ,indians who are now appointed your guides1 are to conduct you to the border of the ,athapapuscow 7,great ,slave lake7 and ,indians' country1 where ,captain ,matonabbee 7an ,indian chief7 is to meet you in the spring of one thousand seven hundred and seventy1 in order to conduct you to a river represented by the ,indians to abound with copper ore1 animals of the fur kind1 etc41 and which is said to be so far to the northward that in the middle of the summer the sun does not set1 and is supposed by the ,indians to empty itself into some ocean4 ,this river1 which is called by the ,northern ,indians ,neetha-,san-,san-,dazey1 or ,far ,off ,metal river1 you are1 if possible1 to trace to the mouth1 and there determine the latitude and longitude as near as you can2 but more particularly so if you find it navigable2 and that a settlement can be made there with any degree of safety1 or benefit to the ,company40 8,be careful to observe what mines are near the river2 what water there is at the river's mouth2 how far the woods are from the sea-side2 the course of the river2 the nature of the soil and the productions of it2 and make any other remarks that you may think will be either necessary or satisfactory4 ,and if the said river be likely to be of any utility1 take possession of it on behalf of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 by cutting your name on some of the rocks1 as also the date of the year1 month1 etc40 #h ,a synopsis of the account of ,hearne's journey was published in pamphlet form in #aggc and re-published in #aggh-hj1 the complete account being published in book form in #agij4 7,beckles ,wilson47 #i ,the history of the ,peace and ,athabaska country commences in #aggh1 when ,peter ,pond1 subsequently a partner in the ,northwest ,company1 pushing northwestward in search of new fur districts1 reached the ,athabaska by way of ,methye portage and ,clearwater river1 and descending it1 founded a fort known as 8,the ,old ,establishment10 about thirty miles above its mouth4 ,in #aghh this post was abandoned1 and a new one built on the south side of ,lake ,athabaska1 on what is now known as 8,old ,fort ,point40 ,still later1 this site was also deserted and a better one selected on the north shore1 near the outlet of the lake4 ,a general map of the ,northwest was published by ,peter ,pond in #aghe4 ,peter ,pond's venture proved extremely remunerative1 and he was followed by other traders who gradually spread themselves over the then unknown country to the north and west4 7,j4 ,m4 ,mc,connell's report47 #aj ,in #ahbg ,franklin returned from the northwest via ,lake ,winnipeg1 the great lakes and ,ottawa river4 ,in passing ,ottawa1 in ,august1 he laid the cornerstone of the lowest tier of locks on ,rideau canal4 #aa ,the ,english ,government1 in #ahba1 after the union of the ,northwest ,company with the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 granted the reorganized company a license of exclusive trade over the country to the west of the watershed of ,hudson bay1 or ,rupert's ,land4 ,the license was renewed in #ahch4 #ab ,dease was one of the ,company's chief factors2 ,simpson1 who was a cousin of ,sir ,george ,simpson1 was an accurate astronomical observer4 #ac ,in all1 #ba1ejj miles of coast line of which #e1ghj miles were previously unknown1 had been examined4 78,cruise of the #8,neptune'407 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,keewatin ,,area ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,keewatin ,,area4 7,newest ,ontario and ,northern ,manitoba47 ,agriculture and ,arable ,land4 ,early ,agricultural ,experiments and ,their ,success4--,evidence before the ,parliamentary ,committee of #agdi4--,testimony of ,official ,explorers and ,residents4--,many ,areas ,fit ,for ,agriculture ,described4--,wild ,fruits ,grow in ,profusion4--,successful ,gardens4 --,much ,country ,capable of ,improvement by ,drainage4--,climate ,inland ,warmer ,than ,further ,east4--,natural ,hay ,meadows4--,the ,clay ,belt4 ,the region west of ,james bay and southwest of ,hudson bay1 being the southern portion of the area known up to the time of the creation of the provinces of ,alberta and ,saskatchewan as the district of ,keewatin1 and comprising the territory recently 7#aiab7 annexed to the provinces of ,ontario and ,manitoba1 was the first part of the still unexploited northwest with which white men came into touch4 ,some years elapsed between its discovery by ,henry ,hudson and ,sir ,thomas ,button in #afaj and #afab and the establishment of the first posts therein by the ,hudson's ,bay ,company at the mouths of ,albany1 ,severn1 ,nelson and ,churchill rivers4 ,these posts were established and have since been maintained entirely for the purpose of the fur trade1 and consequently no settlements have sprung up around them1 and there has been no systematic attempt to exploit the agricultural possibilities of the adjacent areas4 ,nevertheless1 it was some of the older servants of the big fur company who first drew attention to the fact that this region had agricultural possibilities1 and it was from the posts on the bay that the first explorations of the interior were made4 ,of recent years1 much information as to the agricultural possibilities of this area has been obtained by explorers of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 and through the explorations attendant upon the surveys for the location of the ,hudson ,bay ,railway1 which is projected to run in a northeasterly direction across this region from ,the ,pas to ,port ,nelson4 ,the main object of those who secured the appointment of a select committee of the ,british ,house of ,commons in #agdi1 to inquire into the condition of the ,hudson bay territory and the trade carried on there 7,see page #h71 was to secure the cancellation of the ,company's monopoly and to throw the country open to settlement4 ,with this object in view much evidence was produced to show that the territory offered inducements to colonists1 and1 as inscribed in the pages of the official report1 this gives us the earliest account of pioneer agriculture in this region1 and an idea of the possibilities of the country from the old timers' points of view4 ,mr4 ,richard ,white1 one of the witnesses examined before the committee1 said that he went to ,albany ,fort in the year #agbf1 as clerk to the ,company1 and remained there seven years1 and that he had been ten years at ,churchill1 which was the northernmost fort4 ,he testified that 8the ,governor at ,albany had a garden in which peas1 beans1 turnips and salad grew as well and plentiful as in ,england1 but he never knew of seed raised in that country to have been sown again4 ,he saw a small quantity of barley growing near ,moose river in ,august1 which is about two months before the cold weather1 which barley was in the ear1 but not full1 but as he has never been used to tillage1 he is a very indifferent judge in those matters40 ,mr4 ,white stated that 8he apprehended the countries adjoining to ,hudson bay might be settled and improved1 and that in the southern parts1 oats1 barley and peas would grow1 but if persons were allowed to settle1 he did not apprehend they could at first subsist by the cultivation of lands only he did not know why the ,company did not grow their own corn1 nor whether any proposal had been made to them for that purpose1 for he really thought corn would grow there1 which certainly would tend much to the advantage of the ,company1 as well as to the security of persons residing there4 ,their common provisions were fish and fowl1 and they had no bread but what came from ,england2 that all grain kept there very well1 except peas2 that in a general way they had two years' provisions beforehand in their forts1 especially of bread40 ,being asked if the ,indians could not cultivate corn for one-third of the price it costs in ,europe1 this witness said--8,the ,indians are in general a slothful people and cultivate no corn40 ,,soil ,,good ,,and ,,climate ,,mild ,another of the witnesses examined before the committee1 ,mr4 ,matthew ,sergeant1 stated that while in the ,company's service he had been twelve miles up the country at ,york ,factory1 thirty miles up the river from ,albany ,fort1 and had travelled by land from ,moose river to ,albany ,fort1 one hundred miles along the coast4 ,the soil was good and produced good turnips1 the climate for four months in the year being mild4 ,the record of the evidence continues3--8,the good soil is not quite two feet deep1 when you come to a stratum of loam and sand4 ,in some places the frost is never out of the ground1 but you may dig through it4 ,the turnips he has eaten there are as good as ever he ate in ,england1 but he does not know whether seed raised there would produce the same4 ,it is the general opinion at ,york ,factory that the soil is proper for wheat1 barley1 rye or oats4 ,he has seen very good peas and beans grow there1 but he never saw any corn grow there1 except some wild oats2 and that his mess-mate did sow some corn there1 which1 though it grew a good height1 never came to perfection2 but1 in the opinion of the witness1 oats would ripen at ,albany1 where he has seen a cherry-tree bearing black cherries4 ,he has seen the ,indians bring down currants1 which1 they said1 grew in their country4 ,they also brought down sugar1 which was very black1 and made from the tree of which their paddles are made2 that the ,indians informed the witness that there are large lakes behind the factory2 that the witness had been in a lake ten miles long1 without any fall going to it4 ,illustration3 ,prairie ,land on lower ,nelson river4 8,it begins to thaw at ,albany about ,april #h or #aj4 ,there is a good soil there for six or eight inches1 which may be gained within about a fortnight after the beginning of the thaw2 that in two or three weeks more1 as the weather happens1 it thaws to the depth of two feet1 commonly by the beginning of ,may4 ,the frost sets in again about the beginning of ,october1 and when the witness was there1 ,october #d1 it came in very hard4 ,the witness believes there is time enough to grow wheat1 for if summer grain were sown early in the southernmost parts1 he thinks there would be time for it to ripen and to gather it in1 but the frosts break sooner up in the country and come in later4 ,there are vast tracts of land fit for cultivation1 and the witness has seen very good lettuce1 spinach1 dewberries1 strawberries and black cherries4 ,the ,indians very rarely eat any bread1 nor do they live long enough in one place to raise corn1 nor have they any yams or potatoes1 their provisions being fish and flesh1 which they preserve by drying it1 not having the art of salting4 ,in case they were interested in the arts of tillage1 he does not know whether they would stay in a place long enough to raise corn1 for though they love bread dearly they would rather go hunting than cultivate land4 ,the wild oats he mentioned before never came to seed1 being little better than a species of grass4 ,grass grows there sufficient for the support of cattle1 and they have made hay at ,albany4 ,if the ,company were to grow corn1 they apprehend the ,french would come and take it as they did their sheep in the last war1 but they might protect their corn from the ,indians4 ,witness does not think it to the benefit of the ,company to grow corn1 because they must have a house built at a distance from the factories1 and men to watch it1 to prevent the home ,indians from stealing it4 ,they must also have men to cultivate it1 which would be very expensive4 ,the witness cannot determine whether it would not be more so than having their corn from ,europe1 and he thinks the ,company would sow it1 if it were for their advantage40 ,mr4 ,john ,hayter1 another witness1 said that he had been house carpenter to the ,company six years at ,moose river1 three years at ,churchill1 and six months at ,albany1 and knew that no other trade was carried on there but that of furs4 ,he had seen good barley grow at ,moose river1 and helped the person who grew it to dig his ground and sow it4 ,it produced about the quantity of half a bushel1 which he saw rubbed out4 ,the ear was large1 and yielded as well1 in the opinion of the witness1 as the barley sown on common ground in ,england4 ,some of the seed was sown the next year1 and it grew again but the witness did not see the produce of it4 ,the person who grew this corn told him the reason why he discontinued sowing corn was that the ,governor hindered him4 ,witness further said that he had made hay at ,moose river4 ,mr4 ,edward ,thompson1 who had been three years at ,moose river in the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's service as surgeon1 being required to give an account of the commodities1 soil and climate there1 before the committee1 said that the chief commodities were the furs of the beaver1 the marten1 the fox and the bear4 ,he testified that he had seen better barley and oats grow at ,moose river than ever he saw in the ,orkneys1 but the quantity sown was but very small4 ,the seed would bear sowing again1 but diminished in goodness4 ,there was suitable enough ground for this corn1 but never any encouragement given for sowing it1 but quite the reverse1 the ,governor absolutely forbidding it1 for no other reason1 as the witness apprehended1 but that if corn had been sown1 a colony would soon have been erected there1 and he could not say whether that would be for the advantage of the proprietors4 ,the witness himself sowed about half a dozen corns of wheat1 for a trial1 in ,october1 which lay in the ground all winter covered with snow and came to perfection in ,august4 ,it was sown in a piece of good ground near the foot of a tree1 which was in some measure a fence to it4 ,the witness thought that beans1 peas1 barley and oats would grow there4 ,he never tried it anywhere but at ,moose river1 but apprehended that corn would grow in the inland countries at a hundred miles distance1 even as far north as ,port ,nelson1 for he had found the climate warmer the further one goes inland4 ,enoch ,alsop1 who had been armourer to the ,hudson's ,bay ,company at ,moose river1 informed the investigating ,committee of #agdi that he had sown barley and oats there1 the same seed three years successively1 and that it grew very well4 ,he sowed a handful or two of barley and oats at first1 mixed with dust and ashes1 which produced two or three quarts or a gallon of barley1 and he thinks in the third year he had above half a bushel4 ,governor ,stanton then ,,forbade ,,him ,,to ,,sow ,,any ,,more but gave no reason for such prohibition4 ,robert ,griffin1 another of the witnesses1 stated that he had been informed that the soil one hundred miles up the country would produce corn4 ,he had seen oats grow to perfection at ,albany4 ,he had also seen peas1 beans1 turnips1 salading 7sic7 and cabbage1 and some few carrots4 ,the beans were generally blighted1 but the turnips1 peas and cabbage1 were 8in great plenty and perfection40 ,they had fresh seed sent over every year4 ,the land was then cultivated for about a mile round ,albany1 being dug with spades upon the breaking of the frost1 which generally happened from ,april #bj to #bg4 ,in his evidence1 ,mr4 ,joseph ,robson1 perhaps the principal witness1 explained that there was grass in abundance a yard high in the most northern parts of ,hudson bay region he had seen4 ,he did not believe corn would grow in the far north but grain would grow over large areas4 ,he had eaten peas and beans which had been grown at ,york ,factory1 in latitude #eg1 but he never knew any other corn tried there4 ,the quantity of peas and beans he spoke of was as much as six or eight people could eat1 but there were a thousand acres of ground in latitude #eg1 which1 if cultivated1 would produce the same1 and there was a much larger tract to the southward4 ,the peas and beans grew by common cultivation1 without any force1 but the produce was not so large as in ,england4 ,being asked if it would not be a great advantage to the ,company to grow corn at ,york ,factory or their other settlements1 ,mr4 ,robson said it would doubtless be so1 and it was reasonable to think they would do it1 but there were many things not done which would be of great advantage besides that1 and there must be some secret cause for it to which the witness was a stranger4 ,it had been demonstrated that the soil about ,hudson bay would bear roots1 such as carrots1 radishes and turnips4 ,it also produced coleworts1 and all of these roots and greens grew in as great perfection as they do in ,england2 yet he did not think that there were two acres cultivated at both the factories where he had resided4 ,being asked how long the frost was out of the ground at ,york ,factory1 ,mr4 ,robson said it was hardly ever quite out of it1 for he had dug three feet and a half deep1 and then found a shell of ice under which the ground was all soft4 ,the hole he dug was in low ground1 about thirteen feet from high water mark4 ,he never had an opportunity to dig up in the country1 but the surface of the ground was free from the latter end of ,may to the latter end of ,august1 and in the summer they had ,,eighteen ,,hours ,,sunlight ,,at ,,churchill4 ,by the accounts of the people coming down1 the frost breaks some months sooner up in the country4 ,mr4 ,robson said he had seen oxen and horses belonging to the ,company at ,fort ,prince of ,wales 7,churchill7 which were brought from ,england and fed with hay and corn1 the hay being got there and made into stacks4 ,robson1 who first went to ,hudson bay in #agcc1 and finally left there in #agdg1 serving for some time as a mason1 and later as 8mason and surveyor10 in the construction of ,fort ,prince of ,wales at ,churchill1 published his book 8,an ,account of ,six ,years' ,residence in ,hudson's ,bay0 in #ageb4 ,in this volume he mentions going out in the 8,mary0 frigate1 and says1 in writing of ,churchill3--8,we had brought over in the ship a bull1 four heifers1 ten oxen and a horse4 ,there was an ,orkney bull there before4 ,some of the heifers afterwards calved1 and ,i think with care they would have increased and done well1 though this place is in #ei1 and the most northerly settlement in the bay40 ,on page forty-two of his book1 ,mr4 ,robson states3--8,it is not to be imagined that the most northerly settlements in the bay should have as good a climate as the southerly settlement1 there being so great a difference of latitude1 as from #ei to #ea #cj4 ,i was no farther up ,churchill river than eight or nine miles but can say that the soil is very good1 and that there are gooseberries and black and red currants growing near the sea upon points that appear almost barren4 ,those ,i have seen grow so low that the grass covers them4 ,the marshes and low grounds are full of good grass1 and there is a patch of ground near the fort on ,eskimo point 7near ,churchill7 which1 though exposed to the north and northeast winds1 produces good radishes1 coleworts1 turnips1 small carrots1 and lettuces1 and other salading2 blackberries also grow upon the heath4 ,upon clearing away the snow in the spring1 we generally found the under part of it congested to ice1 three or four inches thick1 lying hollow from the ground4 ,whether this was caused by the snow melting and thawing downwards1 and then congesting from the coldness of the earth1 and moistening the snow which was afterwards congested again1 ,i am not able to determine4 ,i am inclined to believe the latter1 because the top of the snow was formed into a hard icy crust1 and within was heavy1 though soft4 ,however1 beneath this arch of ice we found green vegetables growing up an inch or two above the ground4 ,cattle here would live and do well1 if the same care were taken of them as is generally taken in ,england4 ,the horses ,i found among them had been kept several years1 and were constantly employed in drawing stones and other materials for the use of the fort4 ,and if they can subsist and be fit for service at ,churchill river in #ei they would surely subsist and increase also at the bottom of the bay in #ea #cj1 and in all the more southerly settlements4 8,the soil at ,york ,factory1 which is in #ge #aj1 is much better than at ,churchill river4 ,most kinds of garden stuff ,,grow ,,here ,,to ,,perfection1 especially peas and beans4 ,i have seen a small pea growing without any culture1 and am of the opinion that barley would flourish here1 and consequently in much greater perfection at ,moose and ,albany rivers1 which are #ea #cj and #eb4 ,gooseberries and red and black currants are found in the woods1 growing upon such bushes as in ,england4 ,up the river are very good patches of grounds1 and bottoms under banks1 so defended from the north and northwest winds that there is a fine thaw below when the top is freezing2 here whole families might secure a comfortable subsistence1 if they were as industrious as they are in their own country4 ,upon ,hayes river1 fifteen miles from the factory1 is such a bank as ,i have just mentioned1 near which ,i pitched my tent4 ,after paling in some ground for a covey-warren1 and for oxen1 sheep1 goats1 etc41 ,i should expect by no more labor than would be proper for my health to procure a desirable livelihood1 not at all doubting of my being able to raise peas and beans1 barley1 and probably other kinds of grain40 ,on page sixty-three1 ,mr4 ,robson expresses the opinion 8that the lands are capable of tillage1 affording a good pasture for horses and cattle in the summer1 and good hay for their subsistence in the winter4 ,at ,churchill1 the most northerly factory1 horses and cows have been kept in winter1 though greatly exposed to the frost and cold4 ,all sorts of garden stuff flourish at the factory1 and where barley and oats have been sown1 they come to perfection4 ,at ,moose ,factory at the bottom of the bay1 sown wheat has stood the winter frosts1 and grown very well the following summer1 though the cold is greater and continues longer than within land2 black cherries planted here have also grown and borne fruit1 as would other trees if propagated40 ,reverting to the subject of climate1 ,mr4 ,robson states3--8,i perceived that the garden ground at ,york ,factory and ,churchill river thawed much sooner and deeper in the space of one month than the waste that lies contiguous to it1 and the same is to be observed in ,england4 ,by the heat therefore which the earth here would acquire from a general and careful cultivation1 the frost might be so soon overcome that the people might expect regular returns of seed-time and harvest40 ,,an ,,excellent ,,farming ,,country4 ,ed4 ,umfreville1 in his volume 8,eleven ,years in the ,service of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company and ,four ,years in the ,canada ,fur ,trade01 published in #agij1 speaking of latitude #ee1 says3--8,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company servants have tried ,indian corn and barley by way of experiment which came to perfection4 ,potatoes1 carrots1 radishes1 onions1 etc41 have been reared and found as good as those in ,canada 7,quebec74 ,the natives collect vast quantities of wild cherries and bring them to the fort4 ,raspberries1 strawberries1 currants1 cranberries1 and an infinity of other kinds of which ,i do not know the names1 are to be found everywhere4 ,the grass grows to a great height which fattens our horses in a short time4 8,the late ,chief ,factor ,archibald1 in his journal of ,sir ,george ,simpson's trip from ,york ,factory to the ,pacific in #ahbh1 speaks of having had1 on ,july #ab1 two days after leaving ,york1 8a peep at the ,rock1 an old establishment with its gardens40 ,the ,rev4 ,john ,semmens1 who spent many years as a missionary in the north country1 went to live on the banks of ,burntwood river1 at ,nelson ,house1 in the year #ahgd4 ,he remained there two years1 and for a number of years thereafter paid occasional visits to the locality and made journeys through the adjacent country4 ,he writes3--8,the most of my tripping was between ,norway ,house and ,nelson ,house1 though ,i have been as far north as ,indian lake1 as far west as ,nelson lake1 and as far east as ,split lake4 ,the information ,i have to offer1 therefore1 concerns the lower reaches of the ,burntwood after its junction with ,rat river at ,nelson ,house4 ,much of the country specified is hilly1 with frequent outcropping of granite rock1 and some large tracts of muskeg or swamp land1 but there are found large areas of open country1 and valleys of tributary rivers1 where the soil is rich and deep and where grazing and stock raising could be very successfully carried on4 ,the sheltering forests1 and the abundant water courses1 the numerous beaver dams1 and the rich native grasses would indeed make this locality ideal to sheep raisers and general ranchmen4 ,the absence of anything like a market has hitherto kept this country from being reported of1 but if a railway becomes an actual fact1 ,manitoba will add very much to her available resources1 when extension comes1 and settlers will find that in soil1 in wood1 in grasses1 and in waters1 this unknown land will afford comfortable homes for thousands4 ,it will be seen by the map that about one hundred miles down the ,nelson all the branches of that noble river unite in one4 ,from that point we are accustomed to strike across country to ,landing lake1 ,wintering lake1 ,pipestone lake and thence into ,burntwood river4 ,this short cut has along its course many thousands of acres1 such as ,i have described1 and for fishermen as well as ranchers must some day be a paradise4 8,the cold at ,nelson ,house is no more intense than that of a winter in northern ,manitoba as at present constituted1 but the frost sets in rather sooner1 and tarries rather longer than it does at the north end of ,lake ,winnipeg4 ,roots and vegetables planted about ,may #bd do well and are gathered about ,september #ae4 ,the presence of so much water so regulates the temperature that there are few frosts either early or late to make growth uncertain1 yet1 in my experience1 wheat is not a sure crop4 ,all depends on the season4 ,oats and barley will do well any time40--7,j4 ,a4 ,j4 ,mc,kenna's report on the ,hudson ,bay ,route74 ,,split ,,lake ,,region4 ,the ,reverend ,doctor ,john ,mc,dougall1 one of the pioneer missionaries of the west1 has thus expressed himself regarding the region to the south of ,split lake3--8,the summer begins early1 and the growth and vegetation are almost of a tropical character4 ,this is attributable to the longer hours of sunshine that prevail1 and to the proximity of streams of living waters everywhere in the district1 each of which is conducive to plant nourishment4 ,there is considerable rock throughout the section which indicates in the near future a season of development for the mineral prospector but there are also countless acres of good land which can be easily made to yield fruitful returns to the farmer1 as has been the case southward in ,manitoba and westward in ,saskatchewan and ,alberta4 ,the soil is of clay sub-strata with sandy loam on the surface1 and1 although wooded to a considerable extent1 is a far more enticing agricultural proposition than that which faced the early settlers on the bush farms of ,ontario and other eastern provinces fifty years ago1 and1 with the advent of railways1 a better market than the eastern settler had would be always available4 ,the district in which are situated ,norway ,house1 ,cross lake1 ,oxford ,house1 ,island lake1 ,nelson ,house and ,split lake1 covers a wide area1 and at each of these places garden vegetables and grain for personal requirements have been successfully grown for a term of years4 ,summer frosts are practically unknown and the germination of vegetation1 owing to the long hours of sunshine1 is exceedingly rapid40 7,mc,kenna ,report47 ,doctor ,robert ,bell1 in the report of his exploratory trip from ,lake ,winnipeg to ,hudson bay in #ahgh 7,see p4 #ag71 states3--8,along the direct overland route from ,churchill to ,york ,factory the timber is reported to be generally small1 and large prairie-like openings are said to occur1 in which the ground is dry and covered with grass or other herbage4 ,i saw very good potatoes and turnips growing in the gardens at ,churchill4 ,previous to the advent of ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,spencer1 the cultivation of potatoes had not been attempted1 and the possibility of raising them at ,churchill when suggested by ,mrs4 ,spencer was ridiculed by the oldest inhabitants4 ,however1 in spite of predictions of certain failure1 the ground was prepared1 seed planted1 and a good crop was harvested4 ,the experiment has been repeated successfully for seven consecutive years1 so that the question of the practicability of cultivating potatoes on the shores of ,hudson bay in this latitude has been pretty well solved4 8,hay can be cut in abundance in the neighborhood of ,churchill1 and cattle thrive well1 yet the same ignorance or obstinacy1 as the above referred to1 formerly prevented any attempt being made to breed stock on the spot1 so that every fresh animal required had to be brought from some other place4 ,now1 the small herd which is kept at the place is recruited by raising the animals calved at the fort itself4 ,the open grassy land near the sea is practically of unlimited extent4 ,much of it is dry and undulating1 affording abundance of pasture for the cattle4 ,the butter made by ,mrs4 ,spencer could hardly be excelled for quality and fineness in any country40 ,,lake ,,st4 ,,joseph ,,section4 ,in the report 7,part ,g41 ,geol4 ,sur4 ,report1 #ahhf7 of his exploratory trip in #ahhf 7,see p4 #ah71 ,doctor ,robert ,bell1 speaking of the country in ,lake ,st4 ,joseph section1 in the extreme southern side of the region under review1 writes3--8,the climate1 in the immediate vicinity of the lake at all events1 appears to be sufficiently good to admit of the growth of a variety of crops4 ,at ,osnaburgh ,house1 near the east end1 where the soil is of a sandy nature1 the principal crop cultivated at present is potatoes1 but early ,indian corn1 peas1 beans1 and a variety of roots and other vegetables1 to say nothing of a profusion of flowers1 were in a flourishing condition at the end of ,july4 ,in former years1 when cattle were kept at the post1 barley was said to have been a regular crop4 ,hay grows very luxuriantly4 ,i was creditably informed that pumpkins and muskmelons had frequently ripened at this establishment40 ,doctor ,bell1 before the ,senate committee of #ahhg1 testified3--8,potatoes and all such vegetables would grow in ,hudson bay district1 but the immediate influence of the sea is unfavourable for gardens4 ,gardens close to the sea do not flourish as well as gardens inland4 ,the frequent change from heat to cold and the fogs from the sea prejudicially affect them1 and cause a sort of blight on vegetation close to the sea shore4 ,but a few miles inland vegetation is more rank1 and you can grow potatoes and the ordinary root crops4 ,there are plenty of grasses there to keep cattle and sheep4 ,there are many kinds of grasses there1 also sedges1 wild peas or vetches and lentils4 ,they would make splendid feed for cattle40 ,mr4 ,fawcett 7,annual ,report1 ,dep4 ,interior1 #ahhe1 pt4 ,,ii1 p4 #cg71 speaking of his descent of the ,wenassago to ,lac ,seul1 says3--8,in a few places ,i noticed soil of vegetable mould and clay loam1 which would be well suited for the growth of grain and vegetables should the climatic conditions be favourable4 ,i also observed here that the best soil generally produced a growth of poplar1 and wherever it appeared large and thrifty1 good soil might be looked for1 comparatively free from rock4 ,on the rocky ridges1 as usual1 scrubby pine was the prevailing timber1 while the flats and muskegs were invariably covered with spruce and tamarack4 ,the good land noticed seemed to be in belts three or four miles wide and extending north and south for a considerable distance1 as might be expected from the geological formation1 the depressions and elevations succeeding each other in very regular order and much in the same direction40 ,on ,big ,black river1 which flows into the east side of ,lake ,winnipeg1 ,mr4 ,a4 ,s4 ,cochrane1 of the ,geological ,survey1 who surveyed that stream in #ahhb1 reports the soil as 8excellent1 being a light-gray friable clay4 4 4 4 4 ,the land up to ,pelican portage is first class1 but above this there is a low and swampy country1 which extends to #8,rapids-close-together'4 ,a border of good land1 on which some fair-sized timber grows1 runs along both sides of the river40 ,,favourable ,,lake ,,and ,,severn ,,lake4 ,mr4 ,low1 in the account of his trip in #ahhf1 reports that along the shores of ,favourable lake 7which is from two to five miles in width7 8there are considerable areas of good land1 the best being on the peninsula and along the southern part of the lake1 where the underlying rocks are hornblende and chloritic schists2 the northern part is more barren1 the soil resting upon gneiss4 ,the soil is a fine1 rich sandy loam1 quite suitable for growing good crops1 and summer frosts seem to be the only drawback to successful agriculture4 ,these are said to not occur at ,trout lake1 though situated further to the northeastward4 ,at the end of the peninsula the foundations of several old houses were discovered1 out of which trees twelve inches in diameter were growing4 ,these ruins evidently mark the site of some old ,hudson's ,bay ,company or more probably ,north ,west ,company trading post4 4 4 4 4 8,there is much good land about ,sandy lake4 ,indeed the greater part of the land around these lakes would make good farms40 ,a short distance above ,severn lake1 according to ,mr4 ,low1 there is a considerable area of country 8almost flat1 with good timber and soil40 ,mr4 ,low describes ,trout lake 7east of ,severn lake7 as being forty miles long by twenty miles wide4 ,he states in his report that ,mr4 ,tait1 the officer in charge of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's post at that point1 8says that good crops of peas1 potatoes and other roots are raised here yearly1 and are very rarely injured by summer frosts4 ,this being the case1 the country to the westward1 between ,severn and ,sandy lakes1 which is more favourably situated1 having all the appearance of a better climate and a richer soil1 must undoubtedly be well suited for agriculture1 and will at some future time prove valuable land for settlement40 ,mr4 ,low reports the soil around ,fort ,severn as a heavy clay and very swampy4 ,nothing but a few small turnips are with difficulty grown there4 ,on ,august #h1 strawberries1 then beginning to ripen1 were picked by ,mr4 ,low on clearings around the post4 ,mr4 ,low was examined at length before the ,senate committee of #aijg 7,see p4 #bg71 and stated in his evidence that the country between ,norway ,house and ,hudson bay is not very elevated4 ,the highest points in it are probably somewhere in the neighbourhood of one thousand feet above sea level4 ,for about half the distance to ,hudson bay it is practically a rolling plain1 and the rocks are ancient rocks of the ,laurentian and ,huronian ages4 ,beyond that there was an ancient deposit of limestone and sandstone1 extending in a wide line around the northern part about half way across4 ,these are large limestones1 and they are lying almost flat4 ,the country for about half way down from ,norway ,house to ,churchill slopes very gently towards the bay1 so that the grade is not more than eight or ten feet to the mile1 if it is that4 ,the northeastern part is practically a plain4 ,there are considerable areas of low swampy lands4 ,the surface going down into ,hudson bay after reaching the ,wolstenholme country is fairly swampy4 ,the rivers have thrown up banks1 and it is only at an occasional place that a break through those banks occurred to let out the drainage4 ,in many places the river banks are from five to ten feet higher than the surrounding country1 and in consequence the land beyond is drowned more or less1 very often extending back for a distance as far as one can walk in a day4 ,mr4 ,low considered that probably half the country due east from ,norway ,house1 say for one hundred miles1 would be ,,fit ,,for ,,agriculture4 ,he would rank the agricultural possibilities there as fair4 ,of course there are very few settlements in there now1 and the only one ,mr4 ,low visited was a ,hudson's ,bay post at ,trout lake1 and they were growing peas and garden truck of all kinds1 also potatoes and fairly decent looking crops4 ,they were not bothered very badly with summer frosts1 as ,mr4 ,low could see from the crop of green peas4 ,the climate seemed quite favourable for hardy crops4 ,the soil areas that are fit for agriculture are fairly large2 the rocky hills crop out only at intervals1 and there is quite a large area there that ,mr4 ,low thought would be fit for future settlement4 ,the low flat plain1 southeast of ,nelson river1 appeared to be largely covered with muskeg and small spruce4 ,he would suppose that there was more muskeg and spruce land than hay areas4 ,the subsoil is clay largely4 ,down in the lower country near the bay there is a certain amount of sand on top4 ,there was a fair amount of vegetable growth4 ,mr4 ,low remarked that he would not consider this low-lying area a good agricultural country at present1 but with some drainage he thought a great deal of that country around ,james and ,hudson bays is going to make a good agricultural country4 ,with regard to that territory north of ,lake ,winnipeg and east of ,norway ,house and in the country southeast thereof1 ,mr4 ,low thought it would be a somewhat rocky country1 but probably not more than one-third would be of that nature4 ,most of the land not rocky would be timber land4 ,this would run up to about the eighteenth degree or probably more4 ,mr4 ,low1 speaking as to the climate of the region west of ,hudson bay1 explained that in the southern part1 south of the ,nelson1 it is fairly good1 he thought1 for settlement4 ,the summer frosts are rare1 and he thought with the opening up of the country it would probably improve4 ,he considered that settlers in there would not have any more difficulty in summer than they would in the settled part of the northwest4 ,the summer is probably equal to that of ,saskatchewan4 ,the length of the summer days is an advantage4 ,they get more sunlight during the summer than do the people of older ,ontario or other points farther south1 and that is a distinct help to vegetation4 ,illustration3 ,portaging canoe at ,long ,spruce rapids1 ,nelson river4 ,in the summer of #ahif1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell explored the country north of the mouth of ,saskatchewan river4 ,as a result of the exploration he states in his report3--8,from ,nelson river westward to longitude #ajj #cj1 and from the north end of ,lake ,winnipeg northward to beyond latitude #ef1 the country is generally covered with a coating of stratified clay1 varying in thickness from a few feet up to fifty1 sixty1 or even one hundred feet4 ,this clay is of much the same character as that of ,red river valley1 having been1 like it1 deposited in the bed of the old post-glacial lake that once occupied the basin of ,lake ,winnipeg4 ,the rivers have1 as a rule1 cut down through this clay to the underlying rock1 but away from the water-stretches rock exposures are not of any frequent occurrence4 ,the ,,soil ,,is ,,rich ,,and ,,fertile1 and the country will doubtless produce in abundance all the hardier roots and cereals grown in the province of ,manitoba2 and cattle1 sheep1 and horses could be successfully raised4 ,if the country were made accessible by a railway passing through it to ,hudson bay1 it would certainly support a considerable agricultural population40 ,at page seven of his report 7,part ,f4 ,geol4 ,sur4 ,rep41 #aijj1 ,vol4 ,,xii7 ,mr4 ,tyrrell states3--8,much of the land is well adapted for agriculture4 ,at ,norway ,house some fine barley had been sown and ripened in the garden1 and all the ordinary vegetables grown in ,manitoba have been raised for many years past4 ,at ,cross lake many of the ,indians had good large gardens of potatoes and other vegetables1 and ,mc,leod and ,mclvor1 two fur traders1 had excellent gardens in which were growing potatoes1 turnips1 carrots1 parsnips1 radishes1 cabbages1 cauliflowers1 onions1 lettuce1 beans1 peas1 etc4 ,at ,nelson ,house in the extreme northern part of the district explored1 many of the ,indians regularly grow potatoes1 and both the fur traders and the missionaries cultivate small patches of ground on which they raise abundant crops of all the vegetables mentioned as growing at ,cross lake4 ,it is probable that the hardier varieties of grain would also ripen here1 but at present there is no object in growing grain of any kind for it could not be readily utilized40 ,in a foot note1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell states 8,wheat ripens well at ,norway ,house and ,cross lake on the ,nelson40 ,on page eight of his report ,mr4 ,tyrrell says3--8,during the summer of #ahif no frost occurred until ,august #bi4 ,at ,nelson ,house we were informed that1 during the preceding seven years at least1 no frost that would injure garden produce had occurred at an earlier date40 ,at page thirty-four of his report ,mr4 ,tyrrell states3--8,wuskwatim lake is a very pretty sheet of slightly murky water1 six or seven miles long and three miles wide1 surrounded by sloping clay-covered hills wooded with white spruce and poplar4 ,its surface is varied by a few islands composed of clay overlying a floor of gneiss4 ,the two falls above mentioned1 at and near its outlet1 would furnish a large amount of ,,power ,,for ,,driving ,,mills or machinery of any kind1 while a supply of timber for building and fuel could be obtained from the surrounding country1 and the soil would grow any of the ordinary roots or more hardy cereals1 so that it is not improbable that before long when this fertile country is made accessible by the advent of a railroad from the south1 one of the most prosperous towns in the district may grow up on the shore of this now secluded lake4 8,footprint lake1 on the northern shore of which the ,hudson's ,bay ,company have had a trading post for a number of years1 and the ,methodists have a small church and mission house1 has somewhat the shape of a rude cross1 seven miles long from east to west1 and six miles from north to south4 ,the latitude of the trading post was found to be #ee #dh #bf north4 ,the lake is surrounded by banks of light grey friable clay from thirty to forty feet high1 through which rise rounded hills of gneiss up to two hundred feet or more in height4 ,the clay extends over the lower portions of these hills1 but some of the higher summits appear to rise above it1 possibly having risen above the surface of ,lake ,agassiz where the surrounding clay was deposited on its floor4 ,when the lake was visited in ,august last both the trader and the missionary had excellent gardens in which they were successfully growing potatoes1 cabbages1 cauliflowers1 onions1 radishes1 lettuce1 peas1 beans1 turnips1 carrots and other vegetables1 and many of the ,indians had patches of potatoes sufficiently large to assist materially in the support of their families throughout the winter4 8,i enquired from the ,indians who were living around the lake1 how far the fertile clay-covered country extended towards the north1 and they told me that it extended as far as ,indian lake on ,churchill river1 north of which the surface is either of sand or rock40 ,mr4 ,tyrrell reports that many of the smaller fruits grow on the clay-covered country explored in great profusion4 ,among those that he reports as especially abundant were raspberries1 gooseberries1 red and black currants1 strawberries1 blueberries and headberries 7,rubus ,chameomorus74 ,strawberries were growing 8in great profusion0 in the tract about ,muhigan rapids on ,muhigan river4 ,the country above ,wuskwatim lake1 according to ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 8seems to be a great clay plain1 cut through by the sloping trough of the river1 and trenched by wide lateral gulleys4 ,the surface is generally covered with small poplar1 with some spruce in the valleys1 and there are no signs of rocky hills1 or of rock1 except here and there at the water's edge40 ,mr4 ,tyrrell reports that ,mc,laughlin river1 throughout its whole course from the long narrow lake to its mouth1 flows through a level1 clay-covered country1 the rock merely rising here and there in knolls and ridges above the general level4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 reporting 7,summary ,rep4 ,geol4 ,survey1 #ahij-ia7 on his survey of the district about ,lakes ,winnipeg and ,winnipegosis1 mentions a cliff at ,limestone bay1 in the extreme northwest of ,lake ,winnipeg1 rising in some places to a height of forty feet1 composed at the bottom of a stiff1 blue alluvial clay1 and at the top of a mossy peat1 and further on in the report proceeds to say3--8,a deposit of clay similar to that on ,mossy point extends all along the east shore of ,lake ,winnipeg1 and the waves washing against the soft cliffs become charged with the mud from which the lake derives its name4 ,this clay is also of great economic interest1 for instead of the east shore of the lake being an uninhabitable rocky wilderness1 as is generally supposed1 it is largely covered with ,a ,,rich ,,blue ,,alluvial ,,soil1 and the area of rock surface is relatively small4 ,much of this land is covered with forests of poplar and spruce1 while on account of the retentive1 impervious nature of the clay soil much of it is also boggy and wet1 but when it is cleared and drained it will form rich agricultural land4 ,at ,badthroat river1 ,mr4 ,wood1 the local ,inspector of ,fisheries1 had cleared a beautiful farm out of the midst of the poplar forest1 and he informs me that he grows successfully all the crops ordinarily raised in ,ontario4 ,mr4 ,mc,kay1 the ,indian ,agent at ,berens river1 has also a clearing situated on the south side of the river in the midst of what was a dense forest of small spruce4 ,he has under cultivation a nice garden1 and this year the potatoes were not cut down by frost till the middle of ,september40 ,during his examination before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell described the whole stretch of country extending from ,lake ,winnipeg and ,split lake on the east to ,churchill and ,athabaska on the west#ad as a 8country essentially suited for agricultural purposes40 ,he could not say what there was beyond the limits mentioned as he had not been there4 ,this was a forest belt4 ,the eastern side of this tract would be ,nelson river4 ,not having been east of that river with the exception of twenty or thirty miles1 he could not speak of the country beyond4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell declared3--8,that belt of forest is for the most part excellent agricultural land40 ,as far as the observations of ,mr4 ,tyrrell went1 he believed that that country1 while a little harder to settle up1 and not so attractive to settlers who are going in and looking for farms ready made and cleared for them and ready to put the wheat in1 would be as fine an agricultural tract of land as there is in the ,northwest4 ,everywhere in travelling through it1 the evidence of rich vegetation was abundant1 and everywhere where gardens or any kind of agriculture or horticulture had been attempted in this forest belt1 it had been eminently successful4 ,it is a forest country1 a spruce covered country1 and lies southwest of ,hudson bay1 west of ,nelson river1 north of ,saskatchewan river1 and extends to ,mackenzie and ,athabaska rivers4 ,it would be about two hundred miles wide from north to south4 ,witness did not remember the length of it4 ,it is land similar to that of ,ontario1 and will grow practically everything that will grow in that province1 except possibly down in the southern peninsula4 ,the summer is warm4 ,the winter does not count1 because things do not grow in winter4 ,there is a good rainfall4 ,a small part of the district is park country1 half wooded4 ,it is a continuation northward of the ,saskatchewan country4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell said he had seen growing in that country all the garden products that they grow in ,ontario--potatoes1 carrots1 turnips1 cabbage1 cauliflowers and all the ordinary garden produce4 ,he saw excellent potatoes in the district around ,nelson ,house4 ,he could not say what time they were planted1 because he was not there4 ,the ,indians constantly1 when hunting1 plant little patches of potatoes here and there in the spring and leave them all summer and dig them up when they go back to their hunting grounds in the fall1 and use them for their winter supply4 ,the witness had gone out and dug a pail of beautiful potatoes on several occasions out of these little ,indian patches buried in the woods4 ,they had never been hoed or cultivated in any way4 ,they were not looked after from the time they were planted in the spring until they were dug in the fall4 ,the potatoes seem to be able to grow sufficiently to keep down the weeds4 ,as a protection against wild animals these potato patches are usually planted on islands4 ,witness had not actually seen wheat1 barley nor oats grown in that country4 ,he has fairly good evidence that they are grown there1 but as far as he remembered he had not seen any himself4 ,he had been told and believed that they grow there4 ,there is no doubt whatever that the country described will support quite a large population4 ,north of ,lake ,winnipeg there is another magnificent area of from five to ten thousand square miles of as fine country as there is in ,manitoba or anywhere else4 ,when ,mr4 ,tyrrell came out of that district in #ahif1 after spending a summer there1 and said there was ,a ,,rich ,,agricultural ,,country ,,north ,,of ,,lake ,,winnipeg the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's men and the people in the southern country pooh-poohed the idea4 ,they said they had been up at the head of the lake and knew there was not a foot of good land there4 ,but ,mr4 ,tyrrell emphatically declared that there is a magnificent stretch of country there1 which extends westward along the ,churchill4 ,these lands north of ,lake ,winnipeg are clay lands1 an extension of the same basin as the ,manitoba clays4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 in his evidence1 pointed out that 8the effect of the large body of water in ,hudson bay and ,james bay on the temperature1 summer and winter1 of the surrounding country1 was the equalizing of it very much1 making the summers colder and the winters milder4 ,there is a foggy climate around the bay4 ,it is without much sunlight1 so that it has not a chance to dry4 ,the mean temperature of the summer within one hundred miles of the bay will not be so hot as it is back of that4 ,the thermometer does not fall very low in winter at ,churchill4 ,at the same time any person will find it terribly cold on that coast1 although the thermometer does not fall very low4 ,there are a great many different matters in connection with temperature and climate that have to be taken into consideration4 ,there is the amount of moisture in the air2 whether the barometer is standing low or high2 there are a great many of those things that have to be taken into consideration in any question of frost or of climate that arises4 ,you may have frost with a north wind1 while if that north wind were blowing up over a wooded country1 where all the leaves were giving out their vapour from the ground into the air1 you would not have a sign of frost40 ,as to the climate of the great belt of arable land1 that he had described to the ,senate committee of #aijg1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell said that at ,nelson ,house the snow leaves the ground in ,may4 ,there is little or no summer frost in that wooded country4 ,he understood gardening commences the end of ,may1 and the frost does not appear in the fall until about ,september #bj4 ,he had never known the potato crop to be lost through summer frost4 ,asked as to the isothermal line1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell remarked that the isothermal is a line connecting points that have the same mean temperature for the year round4 ,it has nothing whatever to do with vegetation4 ,things do not grow in the winter time4 ,people have got to put the winter temperature absolutely out of the question4 ,the summer temperature is the only temperature that counts for growth in the northern country where there is frost4 ,in dealing with that1 you have to take into consideration as between two places in different latitudes1 the length of the day and the amount of sunlight1 in order to get at the summer temperatures4 ,of course the sunlight has a great effect on the growth1 and where the days have eighteen hours' sun a plant will grow faster than where the day has only fourteen hours4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell submitted to the committee a memorandum from ,mr4 ,r4 ,f4 ,stupart1 ,superintendent of the ,dominion ,meteorological ,service1 comparing the temperature conditions of the district between ,lake ,winnipeg and ,split lake in the several months1 ,may to ,september1 with ,european countries1 as follows3-- ,may--#ej-dj1 with north of ,scotland and southern ,norway4 ,june--#ef-ed1 with ,scotland4 ,july--#fc1 with south of ,england4 ,august--#ege-ee1 with ,scotland4 ,september--#ej-de1 with northern ,norway and ,sweden4 ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling1 reporting 7,part ,f4 ,annual ,rep4 ,geol4 ,sur4 ,vol4 ,,vii7 on his #ahic explorations 7,see p4 #ai7 states3--8,the agricultural possibilities of the valley of upper ,berens river seem to be limited1 and the areas suitable for cultivation are only to be found in isolated patches4 ,these are principally in the neighbourhood of the larger lakes4 ,the ,indian reserves have been located with this end in view as they seem to cover about the best land seen4 ,the soil is a light grey clay with a little vegetable mould1 and the gardens made by the ,indians produce potatoes of fair quality1 the only vegetable grown4 ,in the southern part of the district1 better land is found and in greater extent than in ,berens river valley4 ,on ,lac ,seul1 at the mission and trading post1 there are ,,several ,,very ,,good ,,gardens in a flourishing condition1 with all the ordinary vegetables growing very satisfactorily4 ,the ,indians appear to care little for any gardening except a very primitive attempt at raising potatoes4 ,land suitable for gardening was seen at ,mattawa1 and indeed the best and largest extent for this purpose is to be found between ,lac ,seul and ,shallow lake40 ,mr4 ,dowling1 writing of the northern branch of ,berens river1 states3--8,the land reserved for the ,indians on the upper part of this branch of ,berens river1 is a small tract situated on the north side of a long arm or narrows1 running to the eastward1 from a lake to which the name ,pekangikum is given4 ,the river enters at the eastern end of this area1 coming from ,sturgeon lake by a short stretch of river half a mile in length1 in which there are two rapids4 ,the ,indian reserve appears fairly well timbered--principally with ,banksian pine of slender growth and some spruce4 ,the ,indians have been able1 in building their houses1 to obtain timber of suitable size for the walls and rafters1 and spruce of a diameter of fourteen inches is fairly plentiful4 ,the shores of the lake are rocky1 but strips of country inland appear1 on which there is probably a fair quality of soil1 though the surface is generally sandy4 ,on one of the islands in the larger part of the lake1 soil of good quality 7clay7 was seen1 on which the ,indians were growing potatoes4 ,no doubt there is better land for this purpose on the reserve they have selected1 but as they make their summer camp on a small island near the deeper part of the lake for the purpose of fishing--by which they mainly subsist--they naturally utilize the nearest land for their summer gardens40 ,mr4 ,dowling1 writing in his report of the country north of ,lake ,winnipeg and south of ,burntwood river1 says3--8,as the area is situated so far north of the boundary of ,manitoba1 it might be presumed that much of it is unfitted for settlement1 but it is discovered that over a large part there is good soil1 and ,,the ,,evidence ,,of ,,several ,,gardens at various posts shows that for all the ordinary vegetables and coarser grains the climate is not too rigorous4 ,splendid gardens were found as far north as ,nelson ,house1 which is in the northern part of the area here mapped4 ,proper drainage is needed1 however1 to bring much of the surface into a condition fit for agriculture4 ,along the river banks this is evident1 for while the strip bordering the streams produces a great variety of grasses1 shrubs and trees1 a short distance back this is replaced by a swamp covered by moss and stunted spruce4 ,this is more noticeable in the western part of ,nelson valley1 where the country is thickly covered by a coating of clay1 and the surface is so uniformly level that its gradual slope to the east is not sufficient to drain it4 ,the areas to which it would be possible to introduce a system of drainage1 would at first be restricted to a narrow margin along the streams4 ,the northwest corner of the district for present purposes may be classed as without a sufficient soil for agriculture4 ,this may roughly be outlined as being composed of all the country lying to the west of a line from the outlet of ,burntwood lake to that of ,reed lake1 and north of the escarpment which shows the northern limit of the ,trenton limestone4 ,in this the surface is rolling and hilly1 the rocky ridges having a scanty coating of boulder clay and an occasional thicker deposit in the depressions4 ,it will probably remain the home of the hunter and the trapper4 8,to the south the country1 underlain by limestone1 has many of the characters of the northern part of old ,manitoba4 ,in the valley of the ,saskatchewan there are large areas of rich soil formed principally by the river itself1 which has brought down an enormous amount of silt from the upper part of its valley4 ,the western part of the valley of ,nelson river is covered by a thick lacustral deposit which reaches west to ,burntwood lake and east to the channel of ,nelson river4 ,in this area good soil is found in almost every part and where drained would no doubt make fair farming land40 ,mr4 ,wm4 ,mc,innes describes the country about ,winisk and ,attawapiskat rivers1 explored by him in #aijc1 #aijd and #aije1 as consisting of three areas1 the first a limestone area1 along the bay shore1 the second a boulder clay area1 behind it1 and the third in rear of it again1 a high interior plateau4 ,as to the latter area1 he says3--8,although1 considered as a whole1 the central1 elevated region cannot be spoken of as generally adapted for agriculture1 there occur basins covered by heavy deposits of stratified sand and clay that seem to have been laid down in lakes held in between barriers formed by the walls of the retreating glacier and ridges of drift4 ,an examination of some of these clays by ,doctor ,hoffman shows them to be highly calcareous and somewhat siliceous1 a composition that with the admixture of the surface vegetable mould should produce an ,,excellent ,,soil ,,for ,,general ,,agriculture4 ,the question of climate1 which is1 of course1 of the utmost importance when considering the agricultural possibilities of a district1 will be referred to more particularly in another place4 ,it may be said here1 however1 that the climatic conditions are1 if somewhat adverse1 not by any means prohibitory to the general cultivation of suitably situated tracts4 8,muskeg1 alternating with low ridges of gravel and boulders1 covers wide tracts4 ,it was noticed that the surface drainage became more perfect in that part of the region extending westerly towards ,trout lake4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 8,the tract referred to as the boulder clay area consists of a broad belt of country1 about one hundred and fifty-nine miles in width1 lying between the ,archaean highlands and the edge of the limestones of the basin of ,hudson bay1 overlapping the latter1 however1 so that the surface features of the two are generally quite similar4 ,gently undulating1 and with a slight slope northerly and easterly1 its general surface aspect is that of a great swamp1 sparsely covered with stunted and deformed trees1 that reach a growth approaching their normal only along the immediate banks of the rivers where drainage is afforded by frequent short gullies into the trenches that constitute the river valleys4 ,the interior1 to within a chain or two of the river-banks1 owing to the impervious character of the till1 ,,is ,,quite ,,undrained1 and consequently covered by a thick deposit of sphagnum moss from two feet to ten feet deep1 the surface layer still growing1 and even the bottom only bleached a little1 but not at all oxidized4 ,the short cool summer season1 and consequent low temperature of the water that saturates the moss1 is probably the principal reason for the absence of any of the visible effects of decay4 ,the rivers flowing through this region have no real valleys1 that is to say1 they occupy trenches but little wider than the immediate channels in which they flow1 cut down through the stiff1 tough till1 which stands up in nearly vertical walls that rise from the freshet mark on either side4 ,at low stages of the water a slanting beach1 often paved with boulders1 slopes gradually from the foot of the bank to the edge of the diminished channel4 ,a more or less continuous layer of marine clay1 rich in fossil shells1 overlies the boulder clay1 ensuring1 wherever it is present1 a soil of good quality4 ,the absence of other than swamp vegetation must be ascribed1 then1 to the almost total absence of drainage1 and to the generally unfavorable climatic conditions4 8,in the matter of the actual cultivation of these northern areas we have little to go upon4 ,at the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's posts at ,fort ,hope and ,osnaburgh potatoes have been grown and small gardens maintained from the time of the establishment of the posts1 and little difficulty has been experienced in maturing the common garden vegetables of ,ontario1 though occasionally the frosts of late summer have cut off all but the hardier kinds4 ,as the posts were located with a view to their favourable situation for the purposes of the fur trade with the ,indians1 neither one is situated on ground well suited for cultivation1 and much better results might reasonably be expected were trials made on more favorably situated tracts4 ,an ,indian cultivating a small garden plot at the head of the ,pineimuta branch of ,attawapiskat river succeeds in raising good crops of potatoes and turnips40 ,as to this part of the country drained by ,winisk and ,attawapiskat rivers1 ,mr4 ,mc,innes in his report says3--8,the climate1 as would be expected in these latitudes1 and in a wilderness country approximately a thousand feet above sea-level1 is somewhat severe4 ,the summer temperature1 though on occasional days rising as high as #he ,fahr41 averages very much lower1 and the nights are practically always cool4 ,frosty nights often continue into the early summer1 and recur again in the autumn before most grain-crops would be ready for harvesting4 ,temperatures were taken with the thermometer during two seasons1 and these1 averaged1 gave the following results for the months of ,july and ,august on lower ,winisk river1 and for ,july1 ,august and part of ,september on upper ,winisk and upper ,attawapiskat rivers3-- #f a4m4 noon4 #f p4m4 ,lower ,winisk river #eg #fi #eg ,upper ,winisk and ,attawapiskat rivers #dg4e #fa4f #eh 8,the only points in the region where any attempts at cultivation of the land are made are the two ,hudson's ,bay ,company's posts at ,osnaburgh1 near the foot of ,lake ,st4 ,joseph1 and at ,fort ,hope1 on ,eabamet lake4 8,at these posts small kitchen gardens and potato-fields are maintained with some success1 though neither place is favourably situated for the purpose1 the soil in both cases consisting of an almost pure sand4 ,timothy and clover grow luxuriantly1 and all the common ,,garden ,,vegetables ,,thrive ,,at ,,both ,,places4 ,indian corn1 however1 is not sufficiently filled out for table use when caught by the frost4 ,barley has been successfully grown at ,osnaburgh1 and the potato crop1 wherever a suitable tract of land has been utilized1 has been generally fairly good at both places4 8,the first killing frost in #aijc occurred on the night of ,september #c1 and in #aijd on the night of ,august #cj40 ,mr4 ,mc,innes 7,geol4 ,survey ,report for #aijf1 pp4 #hg and following7 describes the region explored by him in that year as follows3-- 8,it is bounded by north latitude #ec #ej and #ef #aj1 and by west longitude #ii #ae and #aja #ae4 ,its general elevation above the sea is between seven hundred and nine hundred feet4 4 4 4 4 ,for purposes of general description it may1 in a broad way1 be divided into three areas2 the limestone area embracing all the tract underlaid by the horizontal or gently undulating1 magnesian limestones or dolomites of northern ,manitoba2 the ,archaean area1 a somewhat broken and rugged country extending from the northern edge of the limestone escarpment northward and eastward until covered by the lacustrine sediments of the third or clay area4 ,the latter1 a gently rolling1 clay-covered country1 extends from the valley of ,nelson river on the east to a contour1 westerly1 where the general elevation of the land is in the vicinity of nine hundred feet above the sea1 or to approximately west longitude #ii #cj4 ,the northern edge of the clay basin was not reached1 but the ,indians of ,burntwood river region agree in saying that ,churchill river valley forms its most northerly extension4 ,the last of the three divisions is1 generally1 well suited for cultivation1 but throughout the first two the areas suitable for agriculture are of limited extent4 ,no part of the region is prairie though along some of the valleys1 and here and there on the uplands1 are found extensive hay marshes1 with only occasional small clumps of willows1 that1 with drainage1 would become virtually prairie lands4 4 4 4 4 ,northwest of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's post at ,split lake the country is generally low1 swampy and intersected by a network of small lakes2 near ,waskaiowaka lake1 however1 an extension northeasterly of the clay land of lower ,burntwood valley forms a comparatively dry ridge40 ,a ,,garden ,,in ,,new ,,manitoba4 ,speaking of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's trading post at ,norway ,house1 ,mr4 ,mc,innes said3--8,the chief factor in charge of the district cultivates a large garden1 where1 on ,june #aj1 peas1 beans1 beets and other vegetables were well started4 ,wheat had been successfully grown here as well as at ,cross lake farther down the river1 in latitude #ed #dj4 ,there are many tracts of land along the river suitable for cultivation1 though for long stretches the banks show only rounded surfaces of biotite gneiss1 smooth and glaciated4 ,the cultivable areas are confined to tracts overlain by lacustrine clays which alternate along the shores with glacial gravels and the bare rock surfaces devoid of any soil cover40 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,mc,innes also reports3--8,below ,cross lake no land is under cultivation until ,split lake is reached1 just north of latitude #ef1 where the postmaster for the ,hudson's ,bay ,company raises potatoes and the commoner garden vegetables40 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,mc,innes reports that1 ascending ,burntwood river a few miles above ,odei or ,hart river1 there is much land 8apparently well adapted for cultivation4 ,the clay is entirely free from boulders1 and mixed near the surface with enough vegetable humus to produce a friable and seemingly productive soil4 ,the gentle slopes give good natural drainage1 and the open character of the forests makes it a country easily cleared4 ,for the next nineteen miles the river valley and neighboring country present the same general aspect4 ,where the valleys of the main river and the ,odei approach one another they are separated only by a dividing ridge a little over a mile across1 and a hundred and fifty feet high4 ,the ridge is clay covered to the flat summit1 where knolls of gneiss project4 ,beyond the valley of the ,odei1 to the north1 is a rolling forested country with hills clay-covered to the tops1 rising by gradual slopes to about a hundred feet above the intervening valleys1 that are themselves from twenty to fifty feet above the river level4 ,for the next twenty-eight miles the river1 flowing in a rock-bound basin1 has the character of a long1 narrow lake from half a mile to over a mile in width4 ,covering the well-rounded ledges of gneiss that form the immediate shores is the same thick mantle of clay forming ,a ,,country ,,of ,,very ,,attractive ,,appearance4 ,rising gradually from the river level to heights of from twenty to fifty feet1 a flat or gently sloping plateau extends back from two to three miles to another rise1 where the general level is increased to about a hundred feet4 ,recurring forest fires have not only denuded this section of its trees1 but the stumps have for the most part been burned away1 so that it is now covered only by an open growth of small white birch1 poplar1 willow and ,banksian pine1 with an undergrowth of vetches1 grasses and small shrubs4 ,just above is ,manasan falls where the river pitches over a ledge of gneiss with a vertical descent of thirty feet4 8,above ,manasan falls10 ,mr4 ,mc,innes continues1 8the river expands again to form a long1 narrow lake for the next ten miles of its upward course4 ,the same rolling clay plateau extends back from both shores of the lake1 rising gradually to an undulating1 higher tract1 perhaps one hundred feet above the lake level4 ,the forest growth is still very open1 allowing a good surface carpet of grasses1 vetches and other vegetation4 ,diversified here and there by small open tracts where the grass-covered surface is free from trees1 this country often presents quite a park-like aspect4 ,throughout all the clay-covered region the absence of erratics is striking2 for miles no perched boulders nor transported materials of any kind2 other than the lacustrine sediments1 are seen1 and even the country rock is deeply hidden under the heavy clay deposits that seem to be very homogeneous throughout1 not laid down in thin layers as in the case of many clays of apparently similar origin in eastern ,canada1 but1 if stratified at all1 only in very heavy beds that seldom show their bedding planes4 ,for the next fifteen miles to ,wuskwatim lake1 the river has a quicker descent and its course is broken by several small rapids4 ,the surrounding country is slightly higher1 rising in places about two hundred feet above the river1 and more steeply from its shores4 ,from the south shore a clay-covered bench a quarter of a mile wide rises to a comparatively steep slope to a height of one hundred and thirty feet1 and extends back for miles at about that level1 with a gently undulating surface1 free from boulders or rock1 excepting very rare exposures4 ,as a matter of fact1 but one small knoll of the underlying rock was actually seen1 rising through the clay at a point about two miles back from the river4 ,the ,indians report that this plateau-like country extends right across to the valley of ,grassy river with only gently swelling ridges and no high hills40 ,mr4 ,mc,innes estimates the size of ,wuskwatim lake as eight miles by four1 with a long bay extending to the west from its southern end4 ,he states that 8on all sides of the lake are large tracts of ,,nearly ,,level ,,clay ,,land extending back for several miles at heights of from fifteen to fifty feet above water level1 and beyond that continuing at a level of a little over one hundred feet4 4 4 4 4 ,the grass-covered slopes that rise with very gentle gradients from the shores of the lake1 make this a country of most attractive appearance and one that apparently would be well suited for cultivation4 ,the ,indian inhabitants of this section cultivate with success small garden patches of potatoes40 ,country of the same general character1 ,mr4 ,mc,innes states1 extends for thirty miles up the valley of the ,burntwood above ,wuskwatim lake4 ,on the shores of ,footprint lake1 in latitude #ee #de1 small fields of potatoes planted by the ,indians were looking remarkably well1 the vines being eleven inches in height and about ready to blossom when this locality was visited by ,mr4 ,mc,innes1 ,july #aj1 #aijf4 ,above the lake broad flats extend back from the river on both sides1 rising1 from half a mile to a mile back1 to fifty feet above the river4 ,the greater part of the flats and practically all the high land has been burned over within twenty years1 and is clothed now with an open growth of small mixed timber2 the land is free from boulders and gravel and has a good carpet of native grasses1 including such good meadow forms as the blue-joint 7,calamagrostis canadensis1 ,calamagrostis hyperborea7 and the wild rye 7,elymus dasystachum74 ,the open character of the forest permits a somewhat luxuriant growth of these grasses1 mixed with vetches1 strawberry vines1 etc41 and with currant1 gooseberry and other small shrubs and bushes4 8,the land lying to the southward of the most southerly bend of the river was found to rise with a comparatively steep slope to a height of sixty feet above the river1 and to extend back as a level clay-covered plain with about five inches of clay-loam soil well mixed with vegetable matter gradually merging downwards into pure clay4 ,the plateau has a gently rolling surface1 the bottoms of the hollows1 where small areas of muskeg often occur1 having a deviation forty feet lower than the slopes of the ridges1 and the highest land reaching not more than one hundred feet above the river4 ,for six miles back1 the areas of muskeg that are not sphagnum swamps1 but rather grassy marshes1 are comparatively insignificant in extent1 the higher land1 wooded with ,banksian pine1 poplar and spruce and diversified by many open grassy glades1 largely preponderating4 ,beyond this1 however1 a broad belt of wet1 grassy marsh land extends southwesterly across to the heads of brooks running into ,grass river below ,wekusko lake1 and forms practically the western limit of the clay-covered uplands1 though in the river valleys and along the flanks of their bordering hills the clay land extends much farther west4 8,of the whole of this extensive plateau land1 extending from the valley of the ,nelson river westward to near ,burntwood and ,wekusko lakes 7west longitude #ij #de71 northerly to beyond latitude #ef1 and southerly to the limestone escarpment1 an area of ,,about ,,ten ,,thousand ,,square ,,miles1 it may be said to be characterized by a heavy clay soil entirely free from boulders4 ,lacustrine clays1 composed of the rock flour once held in suspension by glacial streams and deposited by them as they reached the quiet waters of a great lake1 are essentially the soils of this region4 ,there is no distinct surface soil clearly separable from the clay subsoil2 the one merges gradually into the other1 the clayey character of the soil being strongly apparent at the very surface where merely the shallow cover of decaying leaves and other vegetation is scraped away4 ,generally1 for from five inches to over a foot down1 the clay is deep brown in colour from the admixture of vegetable matter1 and quite friable1 and rootlets of even the smaller surface vegetation reach down far below this level1 though on the tops of many of the ridges the light-buff coloured clay1 without any appreciable coloration from vegetable matter1 comes quite to the surface4 ,the rolling character of the plateau generally provides fair drainage1 but over considerable areas in its central portion1 far from the valleys of the larger streams1 there are large tracts that have not sufficient gradients for the proper flow of the surface water1 and which could be made available for agricultural uses only by being artificially drained4 ,the western limit of the good country is about longitude #ii #de40 ,illustration3 ,portage on ,moose river4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes reports that the country lying to the south of ,reed and ,wekusko lakes1 and stretching to ,saskatchewan valley1 contains very few tracts of land suitable for settlement4 ,practically only the river valleys1 a few tracts adjoining some of the lakes1 and parts of some of the slopes flanking the limestone ridges1 can be considered as affording land suitable for cultivation4 ,the upland is generally almost bare of soil1 flat-lying limestones forming its actual surfaces1 and the slopes1 though covered to a good depth by clay1 are for the most part too bouldery for tillage4 ,limited tracts occur here and there1 suitable for individual holdings notably near some of the principal lakes4 ,of the agricultural possibilities of the country south of ,reed and ,wuskwatim lakes1 ,mr4 ,mc,innes writes3--8,experimentally but little is known of its capabilities1 though we have instances here and there throughout the area1 to beyond its northerly limit1 of the cultivation of all sorts of garden vegetables1 including1 at ,the ,pas1 ,,tomatoes ,,and ,,indian ,,corn4 ,on ,september #f of this year 7#aijf71 ,indian corn well headed out was seen in ,mr4 ,halcrow's garden at the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's post1 the ears large and full and quite fit for table use4 ,the ,indian1 never a very enthusiastic agriculturist1 succeeds everywhere in getting good crops of potatoes1 and at the homestead of an old settler named ,george ,cowan1 on ,cormorant lake1 an exceptionally good yield of very large potatoes was being dug in ,september40 ,mr4 ,mc,innes1 during his explorations in #aijf1 gave particular attention to the question of climate1 which he rightly considered of vital importance in connection with this region4 ,he kept a careful record of temperatures1 and from the time it was begun1 on ,june #ai1 until the night of ,september #bi1 when the thermometer fell to #bf1 there was no frost that affected even tender vegetation4 ,on the night of ,august #aj the temperature fell to the freezing point1 but did not get low enough to do damage1 at least not in the valley of ,grassy river1 though some of the potato vines on the summit of the high ridge north of ,the ,pas were slightly touched4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes said he was convinced that the district is not at all too cold for general agricultural operations4 ,the longer daily duration of summer sunlight in these high latitudes1 he points out in his report1 must be taken into consideration1 and1 for purposes of comparison with more southerly localities1 yearly averages of temperature are of no value4 ,a region lying in a higher latitude1 though showing a lower yearly average temperature1 may1 during the growing months1 owing to its longer hours of sunshine1 have quite as good an average as one farther south4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes's record showed that during ,july the temperature at #f o'clock p4m4 was equal to or higher than the noon temperature on fifteen days2 during ,august on nine days2 during ,september on eight days4 ,the #f p4m4 averages for these months were lower than the noon averages by only #a1 #a and #b respectively4 ,for the purpose of comparison1 ,mr4 ,mc,innes procured from the ,director of the ,meteorological ,service at ,toronto an abstract of the same summer's temperatures at ,minnedosa1 ,stony ,mountain1 ,hillview and ,brandon1 and1 comparing them with his record1 he concluded that the country along the route of the proposed railway to the bay ,,is ,,conspicuously ,,warmer than the same latitude four hundred miles further east4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes1 examined before the select committee of the ,senate in #aijg1 declared that the whole region from ,split lake to a line about forty miles north of the ,saskatchewan is a clay-covered country4 ,after leaving ,split lake1 ascending the river1 this clay-covered country shows absolutely no boulders and no gravel4 ,even the shores of the lakes1 until you reach a height of about eight hundred feet1 show no gravel bars at all4 ,there is absolutely nothing to interfere with the cultivation of the soil there4 ,it is a country that has been burnt over4 ,the witness assumed that ,burntwood river got its name that way4 ,it has been subject to repeated burns4 ,at the present time it is covered by a very open forest4 ,grasses grow fairly luxuriantly4 ,there are two species of this1 blue joint grass and a wild rye1 that are the prevailing grasses4 ,he understood from ,professor ,macoun1 though he was not very familiar with the grasses himself1 that these are very excellent meadow grasses1 and make excellent fodder4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes left ,norway ,house in the second week of ,june1 and made the circuit and came out at ,the ,pas on ,september #f1 so it was in ,june1 ,july and ,august he was there4 ,he saw grass growing from eighteen inches to two feet high4 ,the witness computed the area of this country at about ten thousand square miles4 ,he did not mean to say1 he explained1 that all of that ten thousand square miles is good land1 but the basin characterized by this deposit of clay has an area of about ten thousand square miles4 ,it is bounded on the north by ,churchill river4 ,the witness was at about the centre of the basin4 ,the ,indians told him it extended north to the basin of ,churchill river4 ,beyond that1 northwards1 mud and gravel took the place of clay4 ,starting at ,the ,pas and proceeding towards ,churchill1 the witness first passed through about one hundred and forty miles of country underlaid by the flat limestone of northern ,manitoba4 ,he walked for miles over ,,hills ,,of ,,almost ,,bare ,,limestone with hardly any soil4 ,beyond that--that is1 about the contour he had spoken of where this clay was deposited1 there is about one hundred and seventy miles to ,split lake 7,split lake is about two hundred and fifty miles from ,the ,pas71 possibly in a straight line about as the railway is projected1 that is characterized by these clay deposits4 ,as to the flat country in ,keewatin1 beyond this clay area1 it is a country of a different character4 ,the witness proceeded from the ,albany one hundred miles across country by the portage route to a large lake on ,agnooski river and then another one hundred miles across to ,winisk lake1 and down ,winisk river to the sea1 and he crossed through the country between ,agnooski and ,winisk by three different routes1 perhaps forty or fifty miles east and west from one route to the next1 and the country is very much the same character4 ,it is a country that is very much denuded4 ,the country generally is characterized by hills of boulder and gravel and intermediate valleys very largely muskeg4 ,except in the immediate valleys of the larger rivers there is very little land that would be suitable for agriculture4 ,from one hundred and fifty miles inland down to the sea1 the country is of an entirely different character again2 that is to say1 it is country that is originally overlain by from a very few feet at its edge to one hundred feet or more1 a very tough impervious boulder clay1 which holds up the water1 and on which the drainage1 up to the present time1 is of a very imperfect character4 ,the present drainage of that area is comparatively recent1 and imperfect4 ,an instance of its imperfection is seen in ,winisk river4 ,there is a lake near the head of the ,winisk from which the main river flows1 and from which the west branch flows north4 ,they come together at a point 7following the main stream7 two hundred and fifty miles below1 inclosing an island two hundred and fifty miles long4 ,there are two other islands of this character ,,along ,,winisk ,,river1 one eighty miles in length and the other about fifty4 ,the ,winisk is a good large river4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes estimated the flow at some twenty-five thousand cubic feet per second4 ,it runs in size somewhere between the ,gatineau and the ,ottawa1 not quite so large as the ,ottawa1 but larger than the ,gatineau4 ,over the whole of the country in the last one hundred and fifty miles down to ,hudson bay1 granting the proper climate and proper drainage1 this green clay would make an excellent soil4 ,in fact it is quite the same as the clay in the vicinity of ,ottawa1 practically clay of the same soil1 and is very impervious4 ,there are little streams running into the sides of the river1 but they cut very sharp-walled trenches1 as steep as boulder clay will stand1 and that means an angle of say sixty degrees1 eighty to ninety feet high4 ,you get on top of these banks and you have a mossy place1 sometimes six feet of moss4 ,it is never peat1 never having turned into peat4 ,it is simply a green moss which is pressed into layers of a couple of feet in thickness at the bottom of the six or ten feet1 but never apparently oxydized or never carbonized at all1 practically unchanged4 ,the growth is going on still4 ,it is merely the successive layers which are pressed down by subsequent layers on top of them1 so that in places the thickness is quite ten feet4 ,there are no grasses in that mossy district in the valley of the ,winisk4 ,a river of that size in places has some shores1 perhaps a quarter of a mile1 here and there1 beyond the actual shore of the river1 and it is grassy there4 ,that is1 there are occasional bottom lands1 but there is no extent of them4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes did not think there is an agricultural country in that eastern district4 ,it is entirely different from the country of which he had been previously speaking4 ,upon ,nelson river wheat has been grown successfully at ,norway ,house1 and also at ,cross lake4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company grow no grain at any of their ,keewatin posts nowadays4 ,in the old days they grew it and ground it in hand mills4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes saw potatoes that were grown about fifty miles north of ,the ,pas4 8,they were quite showy potatoes1 great large fellows like those you see exhibited in fairs--tremendously large1 grown on practically new land1 and they had a very large crop of them40 ,there are no settlers in ,nelson district4 ,the ,indians1 however1 grow potatoes at several points1 even in the northern part of it1 as far north as ,nelson ,house1 about latitude #ee #ej4 ,on ,july #aa1 when ,mr4 ,mc,innes arrived at ,nelson ,house1 the ,indian potatoes had vines about eleven inches high1 and were almost ready to flower4 ,when he got out on ,september #f to the ,saskatchewan1 at the ,hudson's ,bay post there1 at ,the ,pas1 ,indian corn was very well headed out1 with very large fine ears quite ready for table use1 and there was no frost until ,september #bi4 ,he knew that because he stayed there until then4 ,with eighteen hours of the daylight1 and no frost in the summer1 vegetation is rapid4 ,in a country where you can ripen ,indian corn you can grow practically anything4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes explained that he could not closely indicate the isothermal line on the part of the country he had explored the previous year1 but he could say that the country averaged in the summer months from four to five degrees higher temperature than the same latitude farther west4 ,he thought that ,,the ,,isothermal ,,line which would go past the north end of the country he had been speaking of1 would come down as far as the north shore of ,lake ,superior1 which would be a very long distance south4 ,he had records kept during all summer of the temperatures through that western country1 and he had a summary of the record kept in the preceding summers4 ,he was rather surprised at the warmth of that western country in summer1 and at the way heat kept up in the evenings4 ,he kept the thermometer readings morning1 noon and six o'clock in the evening1 and found the six o'clock temperatures were almost as warm as the noon temperatures4 ,that country has a very long day in summer4 ,the day in those high latitudes is very much longer1 and the growing time proportionately longer4 ,in ,june they have about eighteen hours of daylight4 ,as to the district where he found the one hundred and seventy miles of agricultural land he had described1 he reached there only about the middle of ,june4 ,there was no frost in the balance of ,june or in ,july1 and no frost in ,august1 excepting once1 on1 he thought1 the #bith1 when the thermometer dropped just to freezing point4 ,there was not enough frost to touch vegetation at all in the valley of the river where he was4 ,he noticed when he got out to the ,saskatchewan there was rather a high ridge on which there were a lot of half-breed settlers4 ,he got there on ,september #f1 and noticed on top of the hills where they had potatoes that they had been touched just on the tops1 but down in the villages the potatoes in the garden of the ,hudson's ,bay post had not been touched at all4 ,he presumed that was the frost on ,august #bi4 ,owen ,o',sullivan1 ,c4,e41 of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 was one of the witnesses before the ,senate committee of #aijg4 ,he explained that in #aijd he was engaged as assistant to ,mr4 ,wilson in examining the west coast of ,james bay4 ,they went up the river ,kapiskau for one hundred and fifty miles and surveyed it1 and found mostly swampy ground1 right to about the headwaters of the ,kapiskau1 longitude #hf4 ,his impression was that the whole coast from the southern extremity of ,james bay1 at the mouth of the ,hurricane1 up to ,cape ,henrietta ,maria1 for an average of one hundred miles in depth1 is mostly swampy ground4 ,it is partly peat and wet spagnol 7wet moss74 ,there is a bluff of small spruce isolated here and there4 ,in #aije he was sent to survey the coast between ,york ,factory and ,cape ,henrietta ,maria4 ,the shore between these points was swampy as far inland as he could walk in two or three days4 ,mr4 ,o',sullivan testified that during the summer of #aijf he started from ,split lake1 on the ,nelson1 and made for the headwaters of ,little ,churchill river1 going down the ,little ,churchill to the ,big ,churchill4 ,the country between ,split lake and ,big lake is mostly swampy4 ,the country about ,big lake is a good loamy soil1 with easy slopes surrounding the lakes4 ,from ,big lake to the ,big ,churchill the country is rocky and swampy1 with a good deal of good loamy soil in places--a rich clay loam4 ,the rock is mostly granite and gneiss4 ,it is very hard to find out whether the land is suitable for agriculture on such an expedition4 ,it is hard to know the extent of the soil1 but ,mr4 ,o',sullivan thought ,,the ,,climate ,,was ,,suitable ,,for ,,agriculture4 ,there are lots of boulders all through the country1 but it is possible to cultivate what there is of the land4 ,there are places where the land extends to the size of a dozen townships1 and then there would be three or four times that much without having in it enough arable land to make a good-sized township4 ,in the vicinity of ,churchill there is grass in the valleys of very good quality4 ,it occurs about half-way down the ,little ,churchill4 ,good potatoes are raised at ,split lake4 ,mr4 ,o',sullivan had obtained a bag of potatoes grown there4 ,they were rather small1 but very palatable4 ,that was in ,june1 and they were grown the previous year4 ,split lake from the coast1 by the ,nelson1 would be about one hundred and seventy-five miles4 ,he went down ,nelson river and north to ,churchill4 ,the general character of the country from ,james bay farther north is good1 agriculturally4 ,the country from ,split lake rises to ,wabishkok about two hundred feet4 ,that is about thirty miles in a straight line4 ,besides potatoes1 he had seen turnips1 cabbage and lettuce growing1 and all appeared to be very good4 ,the potato vines in ,september were touched with frost rather severely4 ,the potatoes were taken up on ,august #bc and #be1 #aijf4 ,mr4 ,o',sullivan stated that he had been up near the head of ,lake ,winnipeg1 where the river leaves the lake4 ,there is good agricultural land around there4 ,he never had such good potatoes as at ,cross lake4 ,he did not see them growing1 but had them in ,june and also in ,september4 ,the ,june potatoes would be the previous crop1 and the ,september ones possibly the new crop4 ,they do not grow any grain there2 they have no cattle1 and there are no settlers in there4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay factor raised the potatoes4 ,he had just enough to keep his own family4 ,he had them in three or four different quarters4 ,mr4 ,o',sullivan saw lettuce and turnips growing at ,churchill4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,mc,laggan1 of ,strathcona1 ,alberta1 in #aijg1 made an exploratory trip over a portion of the same country as ,mr4 ,mc,innes1 but going farther west4 ,he left ,prince ,albert on ,august #b and reached ,the ,pas on ,august #ae4 ,on ,august #be he crossed ,clearwater lake4 ,he describes the country he passed through as low and swampy1 and ,,wild ,,berries ,,of ,,all ,,kinds as plentiful4 ,the land north of ,cormorant lake he found to be of good clay loam1 and capable of being farmed successfully on a small scale after being cleared4 ,a garden of potatoes1 turnips1 carrots and cabbages looked well1 and on ,august #bg ,,showed ,,no ,,evidence ,,of ,,frost4 ,on upper ,cowan river there are small hay meadows2 the rest of the land is poor and hard to clear4 ,approaching ,reed lake the soil is a clay loam which could be farmed if drained4 ,the country about ,herb lake and river is rocky1 with patches of fair land1 suitable for raising vegetable and garden produce4 ,when the rapids of ,grass river are passed the country becomes low1 but in places there is good soil of clay loam with sand1 and towards ,setting lake there are good hay meadows4 ,although the country between ,setting and ,paint lakes is very rough and rocky1 there is some good land4 ,to the north of ,paint lake there is a limited quantity of good land2 about ,methy lake ,mr4 ,mc,laggan considers the land of little value for farming4 ,between ,reed lake and ,elbow lake there are some small spots of good land1 but as a general thing the country is rough1 rocky and swampy4 ,the country between ,elbow and ,cranberry lakes is mainly muskeg4 ,there are some patches of good land towards the lower end of ,cranberry lake4 ,there are some small hay meadows between ,cranberry and ,athapapuskow lakes1 but the ground is generally rocky with some muskeg4 ,there are some stretches of fairly good land along the lower part of ,goose river but the country generally is rough and rocky4 ,the country about the upper end of ,goose lake was found to be boggy and of very little use4 ,,along ,,goose ,,river1 ,,below ,,the ,,lake1 there is quite a tract of fairly good land1 and there is another on the ,sturgeon1 between the mouth of ,goose river and ,cumberland lake4 ,the soil is a clay loam mixed with a little sand4 ,it is covered with brush and small poplar and would be easy to clear4 ,mr4 ,mc,laggan1 after his trip1 stated that the growing season seemed to be satisfactory1 8and where good land is found there should be no trouble to raise good crops of all hardy grains and vegetables1 but the greatest drawback to farming would be the difficulty of making waggon roads from place to place1 as the country between the spots of good land is rough and rocky40 ,the climate seemed good to ,mr4 ,mc,laggan4 ,in the first week of ,september the foliage was green2 there was no sign of severe frost1 and butterflies1 hornets and other insects were numerous and active4 ,the first frost noted was on ,august #ca1 8but not enough to damage wheat40 ,the weather was fine in the morning and it rained in the afternoon4 ,on ,september #ac he noted that the weather was fine but cold1 with a heavy frost in the morning2 that the leaves were falling1 and that it began to look like autumn4 ,considerable rain followed1 which1 on ,october #d1 gave place to snow1 to be followed again by rain4 ,the night of ,october #g is noted as the first really cold one of the season1 but the morning brought rain4 ,there was snow again on ,october #h with high wind and ice on the water along the shore of ,goose lake4 ,it was 8fine and warm0 on ,october #aa1 and 8clear and cold0 on ,october #ac when he reached ,the ,pas on his return4 ,w4 ,thibaudeau1 ,c4,e41 states in his report 7,see p4 #bc73--8;,at ,churchill1 potatoes1 turnips and other vegetables have been successfully raised at the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's fort4 ,for many years cattle and horses have been successfully kept and bred at the ,hudson's ,bay post2 excellent butter was also made4 ,splendid pasture and hay meadows are found on both sides of the river above the harbour for a known distance of thirty-five miles4 ,at the head of ,button bay there is an area of two thousand acres upon which ,,good ,,hay ,,can ,,be ,,cut1 which has been pronounced by ,professor ,macoun as affording excellent forage4 ,wild black and red currants and gooseberries are found in great quantities1 and are equal1 if not superior in flavour1 to garden produce4 ,barrels of black currants can be picked around ,fort ,prince of ,wales4 ,cranberries exist in great abundance everywhere4 ,other berries which are indigenous to the climate abound40 ,as to the region examined in his exploration trip from ,churchill to ,the ,pas1 ,mr4 ,thibaudeau states3-- 8,about thirty-five per cent4 of the country travelled through is marshy and swampy2 more or less hay is grown4 ,under marsh or swamps the soil is generally clay4 ,i have no doubt that when the swamps and marshes are drained1 and the moss is stripped1 they will be susceptible to farming operations between ,churchill and ,the ,pas1 and at a later period1 after the northwest is settled1 this land will become valuable40 ,mr4 ,john ,armstrong1 in his report of the preliminary survey conducted under his direction in #aijh and #aiji for the proposed railway to ,hudson bay1 mentions that as the greater portion of the survey work was completed during the winter months when the ground was frozen and covered with snow1 it was impossible to obtain much information on the subject of agricultural land and minerals4 ,he continues3--8,it may be remarked here1 however1 that although these lands may require more or less improvement in the way of clearing and drainage1 the fact that they are situated within a few hours' run of an ocean port may give to these lands a value not hitherto thought of1 and may cause a more rapid settlement than expected4 ,at the inland ,hudson's ,bay ,company's posts all kinds of grain and vegetables have been grown successfully for years4 ,a study of the records of the ,meteorological ,office indicates that the climate is quite as favourable for farming operations as that of ,prince ,albert40 ,illustration3 ,typical country on ,hudson ,bay ,railway ,survey4 ,during the summer of #aiaj1 an inspection of the timber along the line of the proposed ,hudson ,bay ,railway from ,the ,pas to ,split lake was made by ,j4 ,r4 ,dickson1 ,b4,s4,a41 ,m4,s4,f41 ,assistant ,inspector of ,dominion ,forest ,reserves1 and his report was printed by the ,forestry ,branch of the ,department of the ,interior1 as a ,special ,bulletin 7,no4 #ag7 in #aiaa4 ,mr4 ,dickson's exploration covered a distance of some two hundred and thirty-five miles along the line of railway4 ,the line of inspection followed was along the waterways on the northwest side of ,,the ,,proposed ,,line ,,of ,,railway1 from which men were sent in at intervals of a few miles in each direction so as to locate the timber4 ,on the return journey the waterway route to the south of the line was taken and similar inspections made from it4 ,the special object was to locate and estimate the areas of commercially valuable timber that could be made use of in the work of constructing the railways1 and as a result a good idea of the character and location of the timber along the line has been obtained4 ,the route followed by the party was from ,the ,pas to ,moose lake1 thence by portage to ,mitishto river1 down that stream and via ,setting1 ,paint1 ,wintering1 ,landing and ,sipiwesk lakes to ,cross lake4 ,from the last mentioned lake the party crossed to ,minago river1 and via that stream1 ,moose lake and the ,saskatchewan returned to ,the ,pas4 ,the area covered was estimated by ,mr4 ,dickson at eight thousand square miles4 ,in addition to the information about the timber of this district given in this report there are many facts as to the topography of the country and its natural resources4 ,mr4 ,dickson's party found that except for a varying percentage of rock outcrop usually in the form of low ridges covered by stunted jackpines1 there is a great muskeg extending northeast along the whole course of ,mitishto river1 and appearing in fact to blanket the entire watershed in the region between ,saskatchewan and ,grass river systems4 ,mr4 ,dickson's exploring party1 in passing from ,setting lake to ,cross lake1 by way of ,paint1 ,wintering1 ,landing and ,sipiwesk lakes1 traversed part of the so-called 8clay-belt0 which1 according to ,mr4 ,dickson's report 8contains upon the whole from fifty per cent4 to seventy-five per cent4 of arable land and probably has ,a ,,good ,,agricultural ,,future40 ,the report as to the rocks and soils of the area explored says3--8,the bedrock for one hundred miles northeast of ,the ,pas is limestone--probably largely dolomite--and it frequently obtrudes through the muskegs or shallow soils which blanket it4 ,these outcrops form low1 narrow1 flattened ridges1 rising just above the general level of the muskeg1 and nearly always running northeast and southwest4 ,the line of contact between this limestone area and the ,laurentian granite 7upon which it rests conformably7 runs northwest and southeast from a point ten miles east of ,limestone bay on ,lake ,winnipeg across the southwest end of ,hill lake on ,minago river to ,cameron falls on the ,mitishto1 thence passing in a westerly direction along the south shores of ,reed1 ,wekusko and ,cranberry lakes4 ,along this line1 especially in the vicinity of ,hill lake1 there is a zone of deep clays of very promising agricultural value4 ,in the area of granite farther north1 the whole future1 so far as agriculture or forestry is concerned1 depends upon the general depth of the boulder clay4 ,from the mere fact that it is a drift deposit1 this depth constantly varies1 but only a detailed soil survey of each township could show where and how much4 ,there are large areas of almost pure rock outcrop and muskeg of little or no value even for timber production4 ,but in general1 over the great clay belt1 the soil1 which is almost uniformly ,a ,,very ,,tenacious ,,boulder ,,clay 7nearly free of boulders1 however71 averages between four and twelve feet in depth1 quite deep enough1 therefore1 for cultivation4 ,it must be understood that no hard and fast boundary line can be laid down as showing the confines of this clay belt4 ,the change is often so gradual1 and so many as yet unknown factors enter--as1 for instance1 soil depth and possibilities of drainage--that any estimate of the bounds1 area and average arable content of this belt can1 with our present very limited knowledge1 be given only in general terms4 ,i estimate the area of that portion included from north to south between ,wintering and ,cross lakes1 and from east to west between ,setting and ,sipiwesk lakes at two thousand square miles4 8,with regard to soil conditions1 drainage is the great necessity everywhere4 ,to render the soil fertile for cropping1 the heavy stiff boulder clay must be opened up to the action of the air4 ,probably the use of a subsoil plough might obviate the necessity for underdrainage over large areas4 ,but however secured1 aration is necessary to change the present cold1 dead1 impervious soil to a warm1 porous1 friable one1 full of bacterial life1 available plant food1 and resulting fertility4 ,the soil is exactly similar to that around ,cochrane in ,new ,ontario1 which yields such large returns under right treatment40 ,mr4 ,dickson says in his report3--8,the climate and the soil conditions are the two basic factors which determine farming value4 ,where frequent or recent fires have not resulted in the formation of purely #8temporary' or #8fire types'--as e4g41 young jackpine on heavy clay--a study of the existing flora answers many questions as to the climate and the soil4 ,on well-drained spots as far north as ,split lake the flora is almost identical with that of similar sites in ,riding mountains of ,manitoba1 proving that during the growing season these localities lie under one and the same isotherm1 or nearly so1 ,and yet ,riding mountains are nearly four hundred miles southwest of ,split lake4 ,two other factors which help vegetation in this northern clay belt are the low absolute elevation--only five hundred to seven hundred feet--and the large proportion of sunlight during the growing season1 because of the long day4 ,no doubt also the large proportion of the country covered by water has a tendency to prevent late spring and early fall frosts4 ,in the absence of weather records1 it is impossible to say whether the summer of #aiaj was an average season or not1 but certainly it was favourable for farming operations4 ,there were showers every week and the growth of the native vegetation ,,was ,,amazingly ,,rapid4 ,the total annual precipitation1 including two or three feet of snow1 would appear to be about the same as for western ,ontario1 to wit1 thirty to forty inches4 ,at ,cross lake no damaging frosts occurred between ,june #h and ,september #aa1 an interval of ninety-three days4 ,but as a #8sixty-day' oat or barley in ,ontario will mature in that region in forty-five or fifty days--a general rule which applies as well to fruits1 roots and vegetables--there would appear to be no difficulty from a climatic standpoint in growing all the hardier products of the temperate zone4 ,the size and the quality of the wild fruits between ,setting and ,split lakes were first-class4 ,during the last week of ,july we enjoyed ripe raspberries1 gooseberries1 black and red currants1 blueberries1 saskatoons and strawberries 7late ones74 ,the first three mentioned were especially fine--the bushes loaded down with fruit as large and juicy as many tame varieties in ,ontario4 ,the average temperature of the growing season is about #fj ,fahrenheit4 ,certainly vegetables will grow to perfection anywhere between ,cross lake and ,nelson ,house4 ,at the former we ate potatoes weighing a pound and a half each1 dug on the last day of ,august1 and when we left on ,september #aj the corn and tomatoes were still untouched by frost4 ,i would respectfully point out the advisability of the ,dominion ,government placing several small experimental stations at suitable points within the limits of this clay belt to make careful test of its seasonal variations and cropping possibilities4 ,when the railway is completed such information will be of the utmost value to intending settlers4 ,the winters are quite as enjoyable as in ,manitoba--probably more so4 ,mr4 ,clifford1 one of the railway location engineers1 who has spent two years between ,the ,pas and ,split lake1 assured me that he ,,liked ,,the ,,winter ,,season ,,there much better than the summer4 ,whereas in many parts of the continent the summer of #aiaj was a peculiarly dry one1 in ,keewatin it was just the opposite4 ,rain fell frequently1 and high winds1 especially nor'easters from ,hudson bay1 were almost constant and occasioned us some loss of time on the larger lakes40 ,mr4 ,william ,beech1 for many years back1 and still1 a resident of ,churchill1 in a communication to the press in #aiaa1 wrote3--8,the opinion generally entertained concerning the country around the bay and at ,churchill is that it is a barren waste1 covered with ice and snow for the greater part of the year1 and devoid of any vegetation whatever4 ,the opinion is an erroneous one4 ,at the head of the bay there is an area of from two thousand to three thousand acres where in the summer months good hay can be cut1 and which ,professor ,macoun has pronounced as affording excellent forage4 ,there are many other places also where the same condition exists1 and where the country is covered with a rich thick growth of grass4 ,it would surprise you1 wouldn't it1 if ,i should tell you that there are at least half a dozen different species of wild fruit which flourish in great abundance in the rocks and among the mosses throughout the country round the bay4 ,wild black and red currants1 gooseberries1 cranberries1 crowfoot berries1 and baked apple berries may be gathered by the bushel in season1 and make the very best of preserves1 so that we don't really have to depend on dried apples up there as many of you imagine4 ,as for vegetables1 ,i have seen radishes1 lettuce1 and turnips raised right at ,churchill4 8,of course it is generally understood that the winter climate of the country round the bay is usually very severe4 ,the lowest temperature ,i have experienced there1 however1 was #ci below zero on ,nov4 #bi1 #aijf1 with a strong wind blowing from the bay1 which intensified the cold4 ,it is exceedingly rare to have winds off the bay in the winter months4 ,in winter the wind is generally from the west and northwest1 while in summer it is generally from the east and northeast4 ,i have always found the thermometer lower one hundred and fifty miles inland4 ,it can never be called dark in the north1 even in the depth of winter40 ----- #ad ,it will be observed that part of this evidence treats of other districts than the one immediately under consideration2 but it cannot conveniently be eliminated here without awkwardly dislocating ,mr4 ,tyrrell's evidence4--7,e4 ,j4 ,c474 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,keewatin ,,area4 7,newest ,ontario and ,northern ,manitoba47 ,tree ,growth and ,timber ,resources4 ,considerable ,areas of ,good ,timber4--,the ,range of the ,more ,important ,trees4--,the ,banskian ,pine4--,forests of ,trees in ,many ,places that ,would ,make ,good ,logs1 and ,much ,pulp ,wood4-- ,occasional ,beautiful ,forests of ,aspen ,poplar4--,magnificent ,coniferous ,forest ,northwest of ,lake ,winnipeg4--,water ,power on the ,nelson4--,destruction ,wrought by ,forest ,fires4--,ample ,supply of ,timber ,for ,fuel4 ,there is considerable evidence showing that there are1 in different sections of the territory immediately west and south of ,hudson bay1 considerable areas of useful timber4 ,mr4 ,richard ,white1 one of the witnesses examined before the ,hudson ,bay ,investigation ,committee in #agdi 7,see p4 #h71 stated that he saw fir-trees on the banks of ,albany river thirty-five or forty feet long1 and fourteen or sixteen inches square at the bottom1 and ten at the top1 and here and there a small stick of birch2 that there were a great many other small pines2 but he did not know whether pitch or tar could be made from them1 never having seen a trial4 ,rev4 ,john ,semmens 7,see p4 #cf7 writes3--8,there is a good deal of timber in the valleys and on the islands and lakes of ,burntwood river course1 though it is sprucy and inclined to be small4 ,i have cut timber as large as two feet in diameter at the butt and fifty feet in height1 but this is exceptional4 ,from ten to fifteen inches near the ground is a better estimate of the average size of the trees4 ,the very name of this river suggests the historic fact that the natives of the country deliberately and habitually set the woods on fire1 their object being to attract the deer which are known to be fond of the sweet grass which springs from the ashes of a fire swept surface4 ,the result is that large tracts of country are denuded of their rich first growth of trees1 and young forests are just coming into the middle stages of growth1 while many of the hills stand bald and bare1 giving silent evidence of the severity of successive visitations of the devouring flame4 ,yet the charred stumps and tangled roots here and there speak of a deep and fertile soil1 as well as of possibilities of growth which few have associated with a so-called #8frozen north4' ,however1 all the timber necessary for railroad purposes and for the use of settlers in building or for commercial cordwood can be found almost anywhere1 the latter in illimitable quantities40 ,doctor ,robert ,bell of the ,geological ,survey1 in his report of his explorations in the ,,valleys ,,of ,,nelson ,,and ,,churchill ,,rivers in #ahgi1 states3--8,spruce and tamarac timber are found growing near the sea coast1 in favorable situations as far as ,seal river1 beyond which their northeastern limit curves inland4 ,the spruce1 although not growing as a continuous forest quite as far north as ,churchill1 is still found of sufficient size in the neighborhood of this post to be used for building houses1 boats1 etc4 ,the balsam poplar is rare and of small size at ,churchill4 ,white birch which was found on the main river1 eighteen miles above the forks1 is said to occur at about sixty or seventy miles west of the mouth of the river40 ,doctor ,bell proceeds in his report to describe the range of the most important trees over the area covered by his exploits as follows3-- 8,white ,spruce--7the #8,pine' of ,rupert's ,land71--,this is the most northern coniferous tree4 ,on the east side of ,hudson bay the last of it is seen on the coast a short distance north of ,richmond gulf4 ,on the west side it terminates about ,seal river4 ,thence its limit runs northwesterly1 and is reported to cross ,mackenzie river about two hundred miles below ,peel river4 8,tamarack1--7also called #8,juniper' and #8,red ,spruce'7--,on the east side of the bay it accompanies the spruce almost to the extreme limit4 ,it is abundant at ,york ,factory4 ,along the lower part of ,nelson river it is of fair size1 but on the ,churchill it becomes small towards the sea4 ,its northern limit runs northwestward to ,mackenzie river which it is said to cross below ,peel river4 8,balsam ,fir3--7also called #8,single ,spruce' and #8,silver ,pine'7--,abundant around the southern part of ,james bay and on good dry soil along ,albany river4 ,mr4 ,cochrane reports it as common around ,island lake1 but scarcer on ,god's lake4 ,it is rare and of small size on ,knee lake4 ,in going down ,nelson river1 it is scarce below ,sea ,river falls1 and the last tree which ,i observed was at the outlet of ,sipiwesk lake4 ,on ,grass river some good-sized trees were seen as far north as ,standing ,rock rapid4 8,balsam ,poplar3--7#8,rough-barked ,poplar'1 #8,cotton ,tree'1 #8,balm of ,gilead'1 etc47--,on the west side of ,hudson bay1 this is the most northern species of poplar4 ,it is abundant around ,york ,factory1 and attains a fair size along the lower part of ,nelson river4 ,in descending the ,great ,churchill it becomes smaller and scarcer until the mouth of the river is reached1 when it is rare4 8,aspen3--7#8,trembling-leaved ,poplar'7--,this tree1 which is so abundant and of such a thrifty growth around the southern part of ,james bay and on the border of the prairie regions of the ,northwest territories1 does not extend as far north as ,york ,factory4 ,in ascending ,nelson river it was not met until within a few miles of lowest ,limestone rapid4 ,it extends northward nearly to the junction of ,little ,churchill with ,great ,churchill river4 8,white ,birch3--7#8,canoe ,birch'7--,this species terminates on ,hayes river1 a few miles below ,steel river4 ,on the ,nelson1 the first tree was met with at seven miles before coming to lowest ,limestone rapid1 or at seventy from ,point of ,marsh4 ,in descending the ,little ,churchill it disappeared about midway between ,recluse lakes and the mouth1 and in ascending the ,great ,churchill1 it disappeared at eighteen miles above the forks4 ,along ,burntwood river and the upper part of the ,nelson it is large enough for building canoes1 but becomes better for this purpose to the northwestward1 and it is said to be of very good quality around ,lake ,athabaska40 ,doctor ,bell states in his #ahhf report 7,see p4 #ah73--8,the timber all ,,around ,,lake ,,st4 ,,joseph has suffered greatly from forest fires at many different times1 from about a century ago to the present year4 ,parts of the main shores and many of the islands1 especially in the neighborhood of the ,grand ,traverse1 have escaped the fires1 and here full-sized timber may be seen4 ,the second growth woods are of all ages1 from seedlings of a year ago1 up to trees nearly as large as those of the original forests4 ,as elsewhere in these latitudes1 where the old forests of spruce1 tamarack1 balsam1 white birch1 etc41 have been burnt1 they are succeeded by a growth of mixed aspens and white birch1 with a sprinkling of spruce1 or else by one consisting entirely of ,banksian pine4 ,in regard to relative abundance1 the trees found around the lake may be mentioned in the following order3--white and black spruce1 tamarack1 aspen1 white birch1 ,banksian pine1 rough-barked poplar1 balsam1 white cedar1 pigeon cherry1 rowan and black ash4 ,the ground or mountain maple 7,acer spicatum71 which is interesting as an indicator of climate1 is common1 and it was traced for a long distance down the ,albany4 ,of the above kinds of timber1 the white spruce and the tamarack are the most important commercially4 ,the cedar is confined chiefly to the immediate shores of the lake1 where it often forms a continuous but narrow border4 ,about twenty spruce logs1 for sawing into boards1 were lying at ,osnaburgh ,house at the time of our visit4 ,they would average eighteen or twenty inches in diameter at the butts1 the largest being about two feet4 ,the six largest showed the following number of rings of growth3--one hundred and thirteen1 ninety-seven1 one hundred and twenty-one1 one hundred and sixteen1 one hundred and seven1 and one hundred and twenty1 or an average of one hundred and twelve1 these rings indicating1 it is supposed1 a corresponding number of years4 ,a new tamarack flag-staff1 which was about to be erected1 measured about eighteen inches in diameter at the butt and showed two hundred and forty-four rings of growth40 ,doctor ,bell reports that on the dry ground along ,boulder river the timber consists of black spruce1 tamarack1 balsam1 aspen and white birch1 but on the wet1 level tracts1 it was principally black spruce4 ,all the rapids in ,boulder river were overhung by thick groves of good-sized white cedar1 and the same tree was met with in groups in some of the swamps at a distance from the river4 ,doctor ,bell1 reporting on the country around ,lake ,lansdowne1 says3--8,except where forest fires have run1 large spruce and tamarack trees and some cedars were observed on the islands and on the mainland near the lake1 and also along the river between it and ,nolin island40 ,doctor ,bell writes in his report that ,,along ,,the ,,attawapiskat1 8except where the timber has been destroyed by fire1 there is a good growth of spruce1 tamarack1 balsam1 poplar and white birch1 but it does not extend far back1 the country generally being open sphagnum swamps with small scattered tamarack and black spruce trees40 ,doctor ,bell1 at one of his examinations before the ,senate committee of #ahhg1 produced as an exhibit a branch of the ,banksian pine 7,pinus ,banksiana71 often called the jackpine and scrub pine4 ,this is about the only tree in ,north ,america which we can call strictly ,canadian4 ,both its northern and southern limits are practically in ,canada4 ,it extends thousands of miles from the southeast in ,new ,brunswick to the northwest1 in a belt1 throughout the ,dominion4 ,in height this tree grows one hundred feet and upwards4 ,doctor ,bell had seen them six feet in circumference4 ,the largest trees that he had seen of this species were on the upper waters of the southern branches of ,albany river4 ,in general1 trees attain their greatest perfection in the centre of their geographical distribution4 ,sometimes they degenerate into brush1 at the outside edge of the territory in which they grow4 ,as you go north1 south1 east or west1 they may become smaller and smaller until they die out1 but this is not the case with all kinds of trees4 ,the ,banksian pine is not particularly valuable for lumber4 ,it resembles the red pine2 it has a coarse1 distinct grain and can be used for many purposes4 ,in ,england it would be used for the manufacture of fashionable bedroom furniture4 ,it is something like the pine of ,florida and ,georgia1 which has been used for some years past in ,england in the manufacture of furniture4 ,it would ,,become ,,an ,,article ,,of ,,commerce if means of communication with the northern forests were provided4 ,the ,banksian pine would make good ties1 telegraph poles1 and timber for general purposes1 besides fuel4 ,in groves it grows very straight1 but it is more likely to be branchy than red pine4 ,doctor ,bell had seen hundreds of them in groves1 affording logs of from twenty to twenty-two inches in diameter--two or three logs to a tree4 ,it grows very rapidly4 ,he had seen it1 in his own experience1 within fifteen years1 growing to be useful trees2 whole tracts had been covered with good timber4 ,asked while giving evidence before the ,senate committee of #ahhg whether the shores of ,james bay and ,hudson bay are wooded1 ,doctor ,bell explained that on the west side to ,seal river1 a little beyond ,churchill1 commercial timber could be obtained from all the rivers flowing in from the south1 and jackpine from some1 and spruce and tamarack from all the rivers of ,james bay4 ,this would be all of merchantable size1 not extraordinarily large1 but plenty of it4 ,the spruce might be described as generally of a small size1 but making up in quantity in the number of logs that might be obtained4 ,the tamarack1 though1 is large4 ,in the course of his #ahhf report 7,see p4 #ah7 ,mr4 ,a4 ,p4 ,low of the ,geological ,survey states3--8,the trees around ,favourable lake consist of white and black spruce1 aspen and balsam poplar1 white birch1 balsam and tamarack1 many of which exceed eighteen inches in diameter40 ,on the shores of ,sandy lake ,mr4 ,low saw many trees of white spruce1 poplar1 birch and balsam exceeding eighteen inches in diameter4 ,between this lake and ,severn lake there is a considerable area supporting a growth of black and white spruce1 tamarack1 poplar and birch1 slightly smaller than those seen around the lakes4 ,as ,severn river descends towards ,favourable lake 8the surrounding country gradually becomes smoother and the timber larger until within three miles of the lake1 when the stream passes through low1 swampy land1 covered with thick1 wet moss and a small growth of black spruce and tamarack40 ,mr4 ,low reports the soil about ,deer lake as being 8very thin and the timber correspondingly poor1 except on a few low points where some white spruce1 balsam and poplar exceed fifteen inches in diameter40 ,mr4 ,low 7at the time ,director of the ,geological ,survey71 in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 as to the resources of the more southern sections of ,keewatin which he had explored1 namely1 between ,norway ,house and ,hudson bay1 stated that the forest1 as in a great many other parts of ,canada1 had been largely destroyed by fire1 but around some of the large lakes and on the islands and other places1 ,a ,,fair ,,growth ,,of ,,timber is found in that region1 with white and black spruce1 pine1 aspen1 poplar and white birch of eighteen inches diameter4 ,the trees are fairly clean1 and a great many of them would probably make two or three logs1 so that what remains of the timber there is fairly decent and good1 except on the low swampy land where the growth is confined to black spruce and tamarack of no great size4 ,throughout the more southern region described by ,mr4 ,low1 there is a good deal of wood that could be used in the manufacture of pulp4 ,all of the rivers in the region have waterpowers4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 in the report of his explorations in the southern part of this region in #ahif 7,see p4 #bj71 wrote3--8,the surface is generally forested1 though most of the valuable timber has been destroyed by fire4 ,on ,grass1 ,muhigan and ,minago rivers1 as well as on the shores and islands of some of the lakes1 there are still some forests of excellent white spruce1 but on the northern part of ,burntwood river white spruce is rather scarce1 and at ,nelson ,house timber for house logs has to be collected from scattered groves and brought several miles up or down the brooks or across the lake4 ,black spruce and canoe birch grow on the more level and imperfectly drained tracts1 and ,banskian pine may be seen here and there on the drier hillsides4 ,canoe birch grows to a good size beside the lakes and streams1 but aspen 7,populus tremuloides7 is the commonest deciduous tree1 as it grows on the drier uplands everywhere1 ,,occasionally ,,forming ,,beautiful ,,forests1 but more often1 and especially towards the north1 partly covering the surface with scattered groves of small trees4 ,among the smaller trees or shrubs1 the rowan tree 7,pyrus ,americana7 may be mentioned as growing freely and having an abundant crop of berries along the face of the limestone escarpment1 especially around ,wekusko and ,reed lakes1 and the wild cherry 7,prunus ,virginiana7 grows beside most of the lakes4 8,the forests surrounding ,reed lake are mostly of poplar1 but there are some good groves of fine large spruce up to twenty-five inches in diameter40 ,mr4 ,tyrrell states that on the southeastern shore of ,athapapuskow lake 8considerable areas are covered with large white spruce40 ,almost all the country surrounding ,cranberry lakes has been swept by fire1 but many of the islands are still wooded with white spruce of fair size4 ,at ,wintering lake1 8the surrounding shores rise gently from the water1 and are densely wooded with a close forest of white spruce1 growing on the rich clay soil40 ,mr4 ,tyrrell describes finding the site of an old fur station near ,setting lake 8completely overgrown with large spruce trees1 quite indistinguishable from those of the surrounding forest40 ,he adds3--8,in many other instances the sites of the ancient fur-trading posts could be recognized as small1 usually rectangular1 poplar-covered areas1 in the midst of or on the border of the adjoining forest40 ,mr4 ,tyrrell reports the banks of the south branch of ,gunisao river1 which flows into the northeast side of ,lake ,winnipeg1 as being 8wooded with beautiful tall white spruce1 apparently forming ,a ,,magnificent ,,coniferous ,,forest but how far back from the river this forest extends was not determined4 ,there is certainly here a large quantity of valuable timber1 much more than was seen anywhere else in the country immediately east of ,lake ,winnipeg40 ,spruce up to twenty-four inches in diameter was noted4 ,in the report of his explorations in #ahii ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling of the ,geological ,survey states3--8,in the southern part of the district1 north of ,lake ,winnipeg1 spruce of both the white and black species is found of fair diameter1 but in going north the size materially decreases4 ,over the major portion of the rocky country ,banksian pine is the principal tree1 which1 though not large enough in general for timber1 might in the future be of use for pulp wood4 8,the hilly country to the south of ,sisipuk lake and northwest of ,loon lake is not well timbered but the lower land between the two and on the islands is fairly well covered by groves of small spruce40 ,mr4 ,dowling1 in his report of #aija on ,ekwan district 7,see p4 #ba71 states3-- 8,the timber along the coast gradually becomes smaller as we go northward and the tree-line recedes from the shore1 leaving it finally at the ,opinnagow so that the country behind that cape is more or less an open plain4 ,the shore1 where the trees are at a distance from the beach1 is generally an even mud slope1 covered above high tide with grass1 followed by a wide belt of stunted willows 7gray7 which look somewhat like the sagebush of the western plains4 ,behind this1 a few isolated spruces of small stature appear before the tree line is reached4 ,in sailing along this coast1 it is impossible to know which way to steer so as to run parallel with the land1 as nothing can be seen ahead by which to shape one's course40 ,as to the timber in the interior of ,ekwan river district1 ,mr4 ,dowling reports3--8,along the streams there is a narrow fringe of timber1 but in approaching the tree-limit this becomes very small4 ,back from the immediate slopes of the rivers the surface is nearly level1 and moss-covered1 with scattered groups of small spruce and tamarack4 ,the greater part of the interior is reported to be muskeg 7open bog74 ,a small collection of about forty species of shore plants was made at the mouths of ,ekwan and ,albany rivers4 8,mr4 ,dowling found the surface of the terrace of ,ekwan river to be covered with a thick coating of moss1 and the timber on it is mostly small spruce and tamarack4 ,some of the trees might be from six to eight inches in diameter1 but the average is much less4 ,at the edges of the bank a fringe of larger trees occasionally appears1 but it does not extend far from the stream40 ,,red ,,lake ,,river ,,and ,,red ,,lake4 ,in his report of his #ahic explorations ,mr4 ,dowling says the timber on the banks of ,red lake river 8is mostly poplar of a fair size with a sprinkling of birch and black spruce4 ,the birch average twelve inches in diameter1 but only a few of the spruce trees were found over eighteen inches40 ,mr4 ,dowling says the forest about ,red lake 8is somewhat varied1 spruce and ,banksian pine alternating as the dominant trees4 ,on all the dry and sandy ground a thick growth of slender ,banksian pine is found1 and no trees of large size are apparently to be seen in such areas1 but in the valleys and near the lakes black spruce is occasionally met with1 forming small groves scattered through the forests of deciduous trees4 ,individual trees of larger size are common on the islands and points over which forest fires have not run1 and such trees may attain in some instances a diameter of twenty inches1 but the average is under eighteen inches4 ,birch and poplar are almost always present wherever the soil admits4 ,on the richer and lower ground1 between ,red lake and ,gull ,rock lake1 and farther down the river1 the poplar trees are well grown and appear in groves in which nearly all trees average eighteen inches in diameter near the base4 ,farther to the westward on the higher ground1 the soil being sandy1 the ,banksian pine is more abundant1 and near the western end of ,pipestone bay1 some trees of red pine form a small grove1 which appears to be the northern limit of the species in this basin40 ,mr4 ,dowling says the trees near ,trout lake river are mostly poplar1 with slender spruce on the lower land just behind4 ,occasionally ,banksian pine is seen on the drier parts4 ,mr4 ,dowling mentions a tall forest of poplar and birch as bordering the western branch of ,white-mud river4 ,speaking of the country explored by him about ,lac ,seul1 ,mr4 ,dowling says3--8,the country is well covered by timber but of small average growth4 ,the sandy tracts are generally wooded by ,banksian pine1 but in the river-valleys and on the heavier land1 poplar1 birch and spruce are abundant4 ,white and red pine are found in small groves south of ,lac ,seul and are of good average size for timber4 ,on the lake are scattered trees of both varieties4 ,the northern limit of red pine extends to ,red lake1 where a few trees were observed4 ,cedar of inferior growth occurs in isolated localities and extends northwest to the height-of-land1 but none seem within ,berens river basin40 ,,basins ,,of ,,the ,,winisk ,,and ,,the ,,attawapiskat4 ,according to ,mr4 ,mc,innes's report of his survey of the region drained by the ,winisk and the ,attawapiskat in #aijc1 #aijd and #aije 7,see p4 #bc73--8,the average size of the trees growing within the country explored is not great4 ,on exceptionally favourable tracts the spruces attain sizes quite large enough for commercial use as sawn lumber1 and large areas would afford good pulpwood4 ,evidences of the constant recurrence of forest fires over the area are everywhere plainly seen4 ,the brul areas1 varying from quite small patches to large tracts1 are of every age2 some are so old the forest has attained the full height of the old growth and the newer age of the trees can only be ascertained by a reference to their rings of growth1 and others so recent that no vegetation covers the blackened surface4 ,these fires are generally the result of the carelessness of ,indian travellers1 but may sometimes be traced to the igniting of a dry1 standing tree-trunk by lightning4 ,the oldest trees found in the whole area were growing on a till-covered island1 about fifty miles from the mouth of ,winisk river4 ,the complete isolation from the mainland by broad channels ensured its protection from fires having their origin outside its own borders4 ,the spruces growing here were found by their rings of growth to be between two hundred and seventy and two hundred and eighty years old4 ,the diameters and ages of trees1 growing in a number of different localities throughout the region1 were noted1 and are given in the list below3-- ,diam4 ,age in in4 by #c ft4 rings1 from of ground4 growth4 ,tamarack1 ,winisk river1 #cb miles from #i #ajj mouth ,black spruce #cb #ab #abe #cb #ab #aec #cb #h #ge #ej #aj #bge #fe near bank #h #acj #fe #f #aae #fe #aj chains back #c #aje ,tamarack #fe #c #hj ,black spruce below ,wapikopa #aj #acj lake ,wapikopa lake #i #ade #f #ace ,nibinamik lake #i #ge #e #ge above #ae #acj ,nibinamik lake ,aspen poplar #ae #acj ,note3--,it will be observed that this paragraph and other portions of this testimony really refer to the ,athabaska country treated of in the preceding chapter2 but to save an awkward dislocation of ,prof4 ,macoun's testimony1 it has been kept intact4 7,e4 ,j4 ,c47 ,as to the region explored by him in #aijf 7,see p4 #bc71 ,mr4 ,mc,innes reports3--8,though a wooded country throughout1 there are but limited areas where the forest growth is of a size to be commercially of much value4 ,there are no hard woods1 the only deciduous trees that attain merchantable measurements being the canoe birch1 the aspen and balsam poplars and the tamarack4 ,black spruce is the most abundant coniferous tree and grows to a size sufficient at least for pulpwood4 ,associated with tamarack1 it covers all the more marshy tracts1 giving way where the land becomes drier to white spruce1 which is the timber tree of the region1 and on the driest ridges to ,banksian pine4 ,forest fires have been widespread and most destructive throughout the whole region sparing only the very wet muskeg areas and a few tracts isolated by surrounding water or marsh4 8,white and black spruce1 tamarack1 aspen1 balsam and canoe birch form the forest surrounding ,cross lake1 the deciduous trees for the most part growing only in a fringe along the immediate shores4 ,,trees ,,of ,,suitable ,,size ,,for ,,sawing into eight and ten inch boards are found on the islands1 along the stream valleys and in places near the lake shores1 but the general average size of the trees inland is smaller than this40 ,mr4 ,mc,innes has the following to say of the timber he noticed in his ascent of ,burntwood river3--8,above ,odei river the forest is mainly spruce and tamarack of about sixty years growth1 the larger trunks reaching diameters of from eight to ten inches1 but the general average not more than six inches4 ,in the valleys occasional white spruces and tamaracks attain diameters as great as eighteen inches4 ,these are trees that have escaped when the surrounding forest was burned and are sufficient evidence that1 but for the repeated fires1 there would be large areas covered with good timber4 ,in the fifteen mile stretch of the ,burntwood below ,waskwatim lake1 the low flat along the river is covered by sixty years' timber growth1 mainly of ,banksian pine and spruce4 ,the higher plateau is wooded principally with spruce from six to eight inches in diameter1 with scattered ,banksian pine1 poplar and white birch succeeding an earlier burned forest4 ,a mixed second growth forest1 mainly aspen poplar1 covers all the uplands round ,waskwatim lake1 while on the islands and on low flats bordering bays of the lake are found white spruce and poplar of diameters up to one foot4 ,the country north of ,footprint lake is described by ,mr4 ,mc,innes as being covered for the most part with a mixed second growth from ten to thirty years old1 but with here and there clumps of white spruce1 with tall and straight trunks a foot or more in diameter4 ,as to the region just north of the ,saskatchewan1 ,mr4 ,mc,innes says the areas of forest1 where the trunks are large enough to be of commercial value1 are limited4 ,the principal tracts of large standing timber are situated to the north of ,moose lake1 to the west of ,atikameg1 in lower ,grass river valley and on the ridge separating ,cormorant and ,yawningstone lakes4 ,the last named tract contains white spruce of exceptionally large size with tall clear trunks4 ,smaller areas are found on islands and points in the various lakes1 along the upper valley of ,cowan river1 and in clumps along all the stream valleys in the district4 ,smaller timber1 mainly black spruce1 that would be of value for pulpwood1 is much more widely distributed over large areas40 ,mr4 ,mc,innes made a computation of the age of the trees in the area he explored and found that the ,,annual ,,growth ,,is ,,slow4 ,they run from four to fourteen inches in diameter4 ,they would furnish1 he thinks1 very strong and firm lumber1 and the smaller trees1 owing to their closely packed fibres and the comparative absence of open cellular matter1 would be especially well adapted for the manufacture of pulpwood for paper making4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes1 in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 stated that the western part of ,keewatin has evidently been a country of good timber generally1 but unfortunately it has been almost all burned over1 so that the only areas of good timber that he knew of were the area north of ,moose lake1 the area west of ,clearwater lake1 and the area between ,cormorant and ,yawningstone lakes4 ,he made cross-sections in that country several times1 and he found white spruce1 and the largest tree he found was thirty inches in diameter4 ,he would say most of these trees make about three fourteen-foot logs because they were growing thickly1 and it was a regular white spruce timber limit4 ,there were a great many from ten inches up to twenty-three inches4 ,that is an area about six miles long by two or three wide1 and going through that there are areas of swamp4 ,he cross-sectioned through it1 and would come to a quarter of a mile of good trees1 and then perhaps a mile of swamp land with black spruce1 and half a mile of good trees right across4 ,north of that point there are only a few isolated areas of timber that had escaped the fire4 ,on the islands and lakes there were pretty good timbers1 and on some little peninsulas that are nearly cut off2 otherwise it had all been burnt4 ,,about ,,waterpowers4 ,specially referring to waterpowers1 ,mr4 ,mc,innes1 in the report of his explorations in #aijf 7,see p4 #bc71 says3--8,between ,lake ,winnipeg and ,split lake1 a distance of about two hundred and twenty-five miles1 the ,nelson river has a descent of approximately two hundred and seventy-five feet4 ,the current between the numerous lake expansions is generally swift1 and upwards of a dozen falls and rapids occur1 some of the former offering magnificent sites for water powers4 ,the aggregate power that could be generated along the river is enormous1 as the amount of water passing over the various falls is very great4 ,the volume of the river can be appreciated by a consideration of the extent of its drainage area1 which embraces all the country westward to the mountains between the watershed of the ,churchill and ,athabaska on the north1 and the ,missouri on the south1 and eastward to the head waters of ,albany river1 and within fifty miles of ,lake ,superior40 ,mr4 ,owen ,o',sullivan1 in his #aijf report 7,see p4 #bc71 states that the shores of ,assean lake1 which is about twelve miles long and a mile wide1 are 8well wooded with black spruce1 tamarack1 and white birch40 ,the forest growth at ,waskaiowaka lake is chiefly black spruce and white birch of from four to fourteen inches in diameter4 ,mr4 ,o',sullivan describes a hill of drift 8covered mostly with black spruce averaging eight inches in diameter0 as rising for two hundred feet above the level of the water on the east side of the expansion of the ,little ,churchill below ,waskaiowaka lake4 ,as far down as the junction of ,switching river the country on both sides of the ,little ,churchill produces black spruce1 white birch and tamarack of small size4 ,from a point eighty miles down the ,little ,churchill northward1 the country1 which was overrun by a fire that occurred some forty years ago1 is now partly covered with bunches of second-growth black spruce1 tamarack and white birch4 ,bunches of spruce and tamarack that escaped the fires were frequently met close to the water's edge4 ,in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 ,mr4 ,o',sullivan stated that in his trip in #aijf1 the only timber he saw was at ,split lake--spruce1 poplar and white birch1 from four to eighteen inches in diameter4 ,the country between there and ,big lake is swampy and bears black spruce with small spruce averaging four to six inches in diameter1 which would make good pulpwood4 ,then around ,wabishkok there are birch and white spruce1 and so on4 ,they are a little larger1 as large as six to eighteen inches in some places1 occurring in isolated groves4 ,the black spruce would average in the nice terraces and level clay slopes from the lake about eighteen inches4 ,they grow that size and more4 ,north of that1 between there and the tree limit or the open barren ground1 the country was ,,run ,,over ,,by ,,fire about forty years ago1 and probably there was another fire which occurred about five years ago1 so there are no trees4 ,going down the ,little ,churchill there are no trees to be seen on the heights1 except in the valleys of the river1 where groves of spruce and poplar which escaped the fire are standing4 ,these spruce and poplars which are in the valleys are sometimes twenty inches in diameter4 ,the cottonwood grows to about fourteen inches4 ,it is tall and very healthy looking4 ,the spruce trees grow pretty long1 and quite a number of sawlogs could be taken out of each tree4 ,the soil is pretty good1 but the area is small4 ,after leaving ,big lake1 all the way down there is no timber at all4 ,in the valleys of all the streams there is timber1 consisting of bunches of spruce and tamarack4 ,at the ,big ,churchill the clay hills are mostly covered with moss4 ,it has been burned over1 and there are good large spruce in the valleys of ,little ,churchill river away up to about eighteen or twenty inches in diameter1 but they are very few4 ,they are all very healthy looking trees4 ,in #aijb1 ,mr4 ,alfred ,w4 ,g4 ,wilson1 of the ,geological ,survey1 made a reconnaissance traverse across the southern part of the unexplored area lying to the north of ,lac ,seul and east of ,trout lake1 visiting ,slate1 ,marsh1 ,gull1 ,smoothbrook1 ,cat and ,st4 ,joseph lakes4 ,he states in his report3--8,the forest growth is found chiefly around the lakes and streams4 ,the sands1 sandy gravels1 or clays1 usually of glacial origin1 are generally forested1 the trees varying with the character of the soil4 ,there are large areas of nearly bare rock1 where only a few stunted conifers or poplars grow in the crevices4 ,where the soil is sparse1 and the country low-lying but yet fairly well drained1 there is an open forest1 chiefly black spruce1 and the ground is covered with a dense mat of moss interlaced with fibrous roots4 ,the soil covered1 and the swampy areas1 are usually thickly overgrown with small shrubs1 mostly alder4 ,in general the timber is rather small1 in most parts of the district at present too small even for pulpwood or ties4 ,occasionally along streams the trees are larger1 especially north of the east end of ,lac ,seul4 ,another area of good timber1 chiefly black spruce and tamarack1 occurs along ,root river between ,lac ,seul and ,lake ,st4 ,joseph40 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,mc,laggan1 in the account of his trip in #aijg 7,see p4 #eh71 describes the country between ,the ,pas and ,clearwater lake as covered with small1 mixed timber4 ,on the north side of ,cormorant lake1 and along the creek which connects it with ,lake ,yawningstone1 and on the south side of the latter lake1 he saw from three to five million feet of good milling spruce timber4 ,along ,cowan river the country is described as low and flat1 with small quantities of good spruce timber in spots until within a few miles of ,black ,duck lake when bunches of good spruce1 estimated at ten million feet1 come into view4 ,after crossing ,black ,duck lake the country continues low and marshy1 with scattered bunches of spruce and tamarack of a size suitable for ties or pulpwood4 ,as ,mr4 ,mc,laggan approached ,reed lake he passed through low and swampy country covered with scrubby timber4 ,to the south of ,reed lake about a million feet of medium sized spruce were sighted4 ,the country back was found to have been burned over and now growing poplar1 which1 in a few years1 will make good pulpwood4 ,on the north side of ,herb lake there are spruce and poplar fit for railway ties and pulpwood1 and along the river to the rapids there are small bunches of jackpine and tamarack and of merchantable spruce1 but back from the lake and river the country appeared all burned4 ,mr4 ,mc,laggan expresses the opinion that there must have been a good timber area bordering these waters1 and that1 if fire can be kept out1 ,,reforestation ,,will ,,soon ,,be ,,effected4 ,along the shores of and on the islands in ,setting lake there is1 ,mr4 ,mc,laggan estimates1 about ten million feet of young1 sound1 clear spruce timber1 averaging from twelve to fourteen inches in diameter4 ,between ,setting and ,paint lakes are two falls of thirty feet1 where splendid power can be developed2 the banks of the river become higher and there are small bunches of spruce and poplar1 but back from the river has been burned over4 ,on the south side of ,paint lake there is a fairly good bunch of spruce1 suitable for railway ties or pulpwood4 ,back from the lake the country has been burned over but is growing up again with poplar and other trees4 ,on ,methye lake ,mr4 ,mc,laggan found the timber to be mainly jackpine and tamarack of small size1 a limited portion of which would be fit for railway ties4 ,traversing ,file river1 with the exception of a bunch of spruce of about half a million feet1 averaging twelve to fourteen inches in diameter1 there was seen nothing but small1 scrubby mixed timber of but little value4 ,the country back from the river has been burned over4 ,between ,reed lake and ,elbow lake he saw about two million feet of good spruce and poplar1 averaging from twelve to fourteen inches in diameter4 ,towards the lower end of ,cranberry lake there are bunches of good spruce4 ,it is estimated that there are a million feet in all4 ,the country continues rough and rocky1 with patches of good land and some muskeg4 ,in the country between ,cranberry and ,athapapuskow lakes there is a poor growth of scrubby timber4 ,some small bunches of spruce were seen along ,athapapuskow lake near the portage1 and by ,goose river1 but the country has all burned over1 leaving only small clumps of spruce4 ,speaking generally of the timber in the area explored1 ,mr4 ,mc,laggan reported3--8,the fires seem to have burned over nearly all the country and ,i was not able to walk far enough into the interior to find any land not burned1 and from information gathered from ,indians and trappers1 would conclude that this burned land reached from ,grass to ,burntwood river1 with the exception of small pieces along the lakes and rivers4 ,there is a growth of young timber coming up1 since the fire1 which may be of value in time40 ,w4 ,thibaudeau1 ,c4,e4 7,see p4 #bc71 states in his report that although there is no merchantable timber in the vicinity of ,churchill1 there is abundance of fine building stone and limestone to be found everywhere1 and there is also an ample supply of timber for fuel purposes for many years along both banks of ,churchill river and around ,button bay4 ,he continues3--8,between ,october #bd1 #aijf1 and ,november #i1 #aijf1 ,i made an exploration of the country between ,north river and ,churchill river for a distance south of ,button bay1 of about twenty miles4 ,on the ,,east ,,side ,,of ,,button ,,bay ,i found a strip of good timber1 consisting of spruce and tamarack six to ten inches in diameter1 about half a mile wide and extending three to four miles in length on the east side1 between the southern ridge of ,churchill peninsula and the bay1 and about three miles south of ,churchill4 ,at the head of ,button bay 7and parallel with it71 there are a number of parallel ridges extending to ,north river4 ,these ridges are timbered with spruce and tamarack four to ten inches in diameter4 ,close to ,north river there is a good spruce timber ten to thirty inches in diameter in small scattered bunches1 covering a distance of about four miles4 ,at the southern end of the south ridge of the western peninsula at ,churchill1 there is a strip of good spruce timber1 six to twelve inches in diameter1 extending about two miles by four miles2 also on the east side of the same ridge about one and one-third miles south of ,mosquito point1 there is a strip of good timber for a distance of about four miles4 8,between ,december #g1 #aijf1 and ,december #ag1 #aijf1 ,i made an exploration of the country between ,churchill and ,owl rivers4 ,four miles from ,churchill river in a southerly direction ,i crossed a ridge1 running in a northeast and southwest direction at about one and one-half miles from ,hudson bay1 extending opposite to ,mosquito point4 ,from the point of crossing to the bay1 on the sunny side1 the ridge is well timbered with spruce six to twelve inches in diameter4 ,twenty-five miles from the starting point1 ,i crossed another sandy ridge with scrubby timber4 ,two miles west of this point there is a barren hill known as ,white mountain1 three hundred feet in height by one mile in length4 ,at the eastern woods there are a few square miles of spruce and tamarack averaging six to eight inches in diameter4 ,close to ,white ,whale lake ,i crossed another gravel ridge having no timber4 ,on each side of ,salmon creek there are scrubs1 willows and small spruce1 with grassy meadows4 ,at ,broad river to the left of the place of crossing1 for about four miles there is a strip of timber one-third of a mile in width1 eight to fourteen inches in diameter1 consisting of stunted black spruce40 ,the section about ,waskaiowaka lake is fairly level and dry1 with some scrub timber4 ,the banks are steep and covered with very thick mossy peat1 probably ten feet thick4 ,the timber consists of black spruce and white birch from five to sixteen inches in diameter4 ,from the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's post on ,split lake to the mouth of ,grass river1 the country on the east side of the lake is undulating1 and part of the banks and islands is fairly timbered with spruce4 ,part of the shore of ,landing lake and the islands are well timbered with spruce six to ten inches in diameter4 ,travelling from ,landing lake to the head of ,sipiwesk lake1 the country was found dry and well timbered with spruce from eight to fourteen inches in diameter4 ,the islands of ,sipiwesk lake are well timbered with spruce1 some being thirty inches in diameter4 ,on ,reed lake1 the islands are well timbered with spruce six to fourteen inches in diameter4 ,from ,reed lake to ,station #faf the country is level1 forty per cent4 being swampy4 ,there is some spruce and tamarack timber four to eight inches in diameter4 ,on the north side of ,cormorant lake1 there is a strip of timber1 four miles wide by ten miles long4 ,illustration3 ,log jam on ,limestone river4 ,,this ,,timber ,,was ,,the ,,best ,,seen while exploring around that country4 ,mr4 ,thibaudeau describes the country from ,split lake and extending to ,the ,pas1 ten miles in width on each side of the proposed route of the ,hudson bay railway1 as 8a pulpwood belt04 ,he says in his report3--8,on this area1 assuming one-sixth to be covered by pulp wood1 the balance being river1 lakes1 ponds1 swamps1 etc41 and assuming ten cords per acre of an average of six inches in diameter1 there would be five million seven hundred and fifty-six thousand six hundred and sixty cords4 ,this is a very low1 but safe estimate40 ,mr4 ,thibaudeau makes the following reference to the water powers in the region explored by him3--8,deer river at its mouth has a minimum flow of seven thousand cubic feet per minute4 ,a dam1 eighteen feet high1 can be built at reasonable cost and would generate one thousand six hundred horse-power4 ,two dams of the same height could be built within ten miles of the river mouth1 which is twenty-five miles from ,churchill4 ,north river1 which is three hundred and fifty feet wide during ,december1 had a flow of not less than two hundred and fifty thousand cubic feet per minute4 ,with a fifteen-foot dam1 it would generate about five thousand horse-power4 ,on ,churchill river1 within sixty to eighty miles from ,churchill1 large waterpower could be developed and transmitted to ,churchill4 ,nelson river1 ,burntwood river and ,grass river have a number of falls which could be utilized for the development of power for use in pulp mills or other industries40 ,that portion of ,mr4 ,j4 ,r4 ,dickson's report 7,see p4 #fj7 referring to the timber of the district between ,,the ,,pas ,,and ,,cross ,,lake explored by him in #aiaj is especially valuable4 ,he states3--8,in the region we traversed1 only five species1 namely1--spruce1 poplar1 tamarack1 birch and jackpine have any possible commercial value1 and of these1 speaking generally1 only one1 spruce1 is large enough for sawmill purposes or railway tie material4 ,the poplar1 birch and pine are invariably too short1 spindly1 limby and crooked for any use save fuel or pulpwood1 and what mature tamarack there was is now standing dead from insect attack4 ,we did not find over two hundred green tamarack above ten inches in diameter all summer4 ,this remnant is on the northeast end of ,bear island in ,sipiwesk lake4 ,black spruce is easily the predominant species in all that region1 and1 except on very occasional well-drained tracts of spruce-flat type1 where it reaches ten to fourteen inches in diameter at breast height1 it is a small spindly tree1 only four to eight inches diameter breast height at maturity1 useless even for second class ties4 ,this is the condition in which the jackpine also occurs4 ,the white spruce1 therefore1 is the only species large enough to furnish construction timber1 sawlogs1 or even railway ties1 and the supply is very limited4 ,in the first place1 this species occurs only on the best drained spots1 such as river and lake margins or on the small islands2 in the second1 the fires of the past one hundred years have destroyed nearly all the old stand4 ,to sum up then1 only a mere fraction of one per cent4 of the area we surveyed now carries merchantable timber--a fringe along lower ,mitishto and upper ,minago rivers1 and on a few of the islands and peninsulas in the larger lakes--as shown on the map4 ,there is probably enough timber available to build the rough construction work of the ,hudson ,bay ,railway4 8,from the mere size of the country and the density of the oncoming second growth stands1 the possible supply of firewood is enormous4 ,because of its remoteness from settlement1 however1 it has no present commercial value4 ,owing to the killing by bark beetles of practically all the larger tamarack 7or possibly killed by larch sawfly previous to beetle attack1 though we found no trace of the sawfly71 there is almost no green pile timber of any value in the whole region4 ,hence1 unless by importation1 the only choice left is between dead tamarack and the largest of the close-grained black spruce4 ,the latter would remain sound in soil contact for about ten or twelve years1 which would satisfactorily cover the first initial experimental stage in the operation of the new road4 8,just at the present time1 within the area we inspected1 the timber is too young and small upon the whole to be cut at a profit even for pulpwood4 ,but in the absence of fires for twenty years the now eighty-year-old stands of four to eight-inch timber can be profitably cut for this purpose1 and it is probable that within the next quarter of a century part of the ,,enormous ,,energy ,,now ,,running ,,free in the falls and rapids of ,nelson and ,grass rivers will be harnessed to drive pulp and paper mills4 ,the age of the reproduction is in nearly every case a measure of the time which has elapsed since the last destructive fire occurred4 ,as a general rule1 to which1 however1 there are endless local exceptions and variations--the young growth is approximately either forty or eighty years of age1 the former being now one to four inches in diameter1 and the latter four to eight inches1 but none yet large enough for making railway ties4 ,it will1 however1 soon be suitable for pulpwood4 ,scattered trees from older stands occur in this second growth1 but not in sufficient number to repay the cost of lumbering4 ,the rate of growth in the very dense stands that are usual in that latitude is decidedly slow except where the soil and drainage conditions happen to be just right4 ,black spruce on semi-muskeg1 a site of average quality for that species1 is only four to five inches in diameter breast height at one hundred years4 ,white spruce is rather fastidious regarding moisture conditions and only appears on fairly well-drained spots1 attaining there a size of eight to twelve inches diameter within a century4 ,poplar in that time reaches eight to ten inches4 ,as for jackpine1 occasional trees reach twelve to sixteen inches1 but only after long immunity from fires1 and such trees are too limby for use4 ,i saw no jackpine stand where the trees would average even six inches in diameter4 ,if the general drainage conditions could in some way be improved so as to partially replace the unprofitable black spruce with the white species1 ,,the ,,wealth ,,producing ,,power ,,of ,,the ,,region would be immeasurably greater40 ,mr4 ,william ,beech of ,churchill1 in his communication to the press referred to in the preceding chapter 7,see p4 #fc71 writes of the timber resources of ,hudson bay region3--8,another valuable asset of the district is the timber which everywhere dots the regions around the bay4 ,the most northerly species is the spruce1 which extends north of ,churchill about forty miles1 as far as ,seal river1 and which attains the height of about thirty feet and an average diameter of from twelve to fifteen inches4 ,the balance of the timber is pulpwood and this exists in unlimited quantities4 ,when you consider that the best of water power is available all along the rivers for the manufacture of this product1 it will be seen that this is but another of the valuable resources of the district40 ,as to the water powers available1 ,mr4 ,beech writes3--8,there are a great number of magnificent water power sites1 within very easy access of the surveyed route of the railway1 all of which can be easily developed to furnish almost unlimited electrical energy4 ,hydro-electric energy could be developed at any one of these sites within a distance of thirty miles from the road1 which would make transmission to points along it1 or possibly operation of it actually1 by electricity4 ,it certainly assures cheap power for any manufacturing or milling centre which may develop4 ,all these power locations must inevitably become very valuable4 ,a few years ago1 no one1 with the exception of one or two far-seeing and experienced individuals1 believed in the power propositions on ,winnipeg river where so much development is now taking place4 ,to-day what are they worth8 ,they cannot be bought at any price4 ,i believe the same will be true of the sites contiguous to the ,hudson ,bay ,railway40 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,keewatin ,,area4 7,newest ,ontario and ,northern ,manitoba47 ,economic ,minerals4 ,the ,rocks in ,many ,cases ,highly ,magnetic4--,norite ,rock ,similar to ,that at ,sudbury ,about ,trout ,lake4--,peat in the ,district ,north of ,lake ,winnipeg4--,a ,large ,district ,underlain ,by ,keewatin and ,huronian ,rocks ,which 8,has ,large ,possibilities40--,gypsum4-- ,building ,granites4--,quartz ,veins on ,grassy ,river ,below ,reed ,lake4--,a ,possibility of ,nickel ,occurring4 ,the evidence contained in the report of the ,british parliamentary investigation of #agdi shows that from the establishment of the first trading posts along the shores of ,hudson bay1 the attention of the officials and servants of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company was attracted by the statements of the natives as to the existence in the country of deposits of economic minerals4 ,the earliest authorities of the trading company appear1 however1 not only to have abstained from investigating the mineral resources of the region1 but to have discouraged their employees from prospecting1 desiring them to concentrate all their efforts upon the fur trade4 ,many of the witnesses before the committee repeated in their evidence statements obtained from the ,indians as to the existence of deposits of lead1 and particularly of copper1 in the north1 doubtless referring to the then unknown ,coppermine district4 ,the only evidence heard before the committee1 unquestionably bearing upon the mineral resources of the territory immediately under review in this chapter1 was given by ,alexander ,browne1 who had been six years in the company's service as surgeon at the bay1 and who stated that he had seen large quantities of red earth1 which was obtained about thirty-six miles to the southward of ,churchill river2 that he had tried some of it in a crucible1 and found it to contain a heavy metallic substance like cinnabar1 and a fluid like quicksilver4 ,this trial was only to satisfy his curiosity1 having received no orders to make it2 but the ,,governor ,,was ,,present ,,at ,,the ,,experiment1 and upon the witness presenting his surprise to him that the company did not endeavour to improve these discoveries1 the ,governor answered that he was likewise surprised that they did not4 ,rev4 ,john ,semmens 7,see p4 #cf71 writing of his observations while on service as a missionary in the ,burntwood district1 says3--8,it was not my business to seek for minerals1 but having been a miner in earlier years1 ,i had my eyes open1 and found many indications of deposits which1 in my opinion1 at no distant day will contribute largely to the commercial development of the north4 ,i shall be surprised if one of these lodes is not found at or near the southern outlet of ,beaver ,dam lake4 ,and there will be many others40 ,doctor ,robert ,bell1 of the ,geological ,survey1 describes the rocks of the eastern part of ,lake ,st4 ,joseph as 8corresponding with some of those of the ,huronian series4 ,on the northern side1 three miles from ,osnaburgh ,house1 there is a grey mica schist40 ,on the ,albany1 two and a half miles below ,shabushquaia river1 8,huronian rocks make their appearance4 ,they consist of light-greenish1 rather finely crystalline hornblende schist2 black1 with some light-coloured schist1 together with fifteen or twenty feet of fine-grained banded magnetic iron ore1 with slaty partings4 ,a specimen of this ore was analysed by ,mr4 ,kenrick of the ,geological ,survey1 and found to contain #dbji per cent4 of metallic iron1 and to be free from titanic acid4 ,along with the magnetite is a band of iron pyrites1 a few inches thick1 with traces of copper40 ,a dark green hornblende schist occurs at two miles before coming to ,shabushquaia river4 ,it holds patches of calc-spar and quartz running with the cleavage4 ,specks of copper pyrites were found in small quartz veins in the schist at the foot of the falls at the eighth portage below ,lake ,st4 ,joseph on the ,albany4 ,at the eleventh portage ,doctor ,bell examined a number of veins of quartz holding epidote and hornblende1 but no ores could be detected4 ,doctor ,bell1 before the ,senate committee of #ahhg1 referring to his first voyage to ,hudson bay1 explained that lignite had been found inland in the country south and west of ,james bay4 ,it belongs to a more recent geological formation than the lignite in the vicinity of ,edmonton4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,p4 ,low1 in his report of his examination of the country between ,lake ,winnipeg and ,hudson bay1 says 8,the rocks in several places ,,are ,,highly ,,magnetic1 and probably contain large quantities of iron ore1 both disseminated in small crystals through the rock1 and in large masses40 ,when being examined before the ,senate committee in #aijg1 ,mr4 ,low1 then ,director of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 drew attention to the fact that the map of ,keewatin showed a large number of lakes1 like ,gas lake1 ,island lake1 ,favourable lake1 ,severn lake1 ,trout lake1 etc41 and remarked that wherever these patches of water are seen it indicates softer rocks than the other parts4 ,these rocks are usually ,huronian1 and in many places they carry good indications of minerals1 copper pyrites and different sulphides of that kind4 ,at ,trout lake there is a large area of what is called norite rock4 ,these are the rocks in which the nickel deposits of ,sudbury occur1 and there is great probability of a small deposit being found up there4 ,there have been no indications of coal discovered in ,keewatin1 but ,mr4 ,low explained that on hurried trips such as he had made it was impossible to examine mineral deposits very much1 and one is liable to lose many of them4 ,the general character of the southern part of ,keewatin as regards mineral resources is good4 ,in the bank of ,nelson river1 opposite the mouth of ,pine creek1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell reports a dark grey1 rather fine-grained diorite or uralitic diabase1 probably forming part of a large dyke cutting the gneiss4 8,near the north end of ,little ,playgreen lake is a light reddish-grey massive biotite-granite cut by veins1 a foot or more in width1 of red pegmatite containing crystalline masses of molybdenite1 with occasional crystals of pyrite and magnetite40 ,mr4 ,tyrrell reports copper and arsenical pyrites in a diabase dyke exposed in an island in ,pipestone lake two miles and a quarter from the mouth of the river4 ,he reports the cliffs on the lower part of ,burntwood river as being 8occasionally overlain by a small thickness of peat40 ,he reports other deposits of peat in the district north of ,lake ,winnipeg4 ,before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell explained that the primary object in all his explorations was the mineral development of the country1 and any other information that he collected was incidental4 ,he stated that there is a district from ,cumberland ,house northeastward towards ,nelson river which is underlain by what are known as ,,keewatin ,,and ,,huronian ,,rocks1 the same kind as those in which minerals are found in northern ,ontario at the present time4 ,the very existence of those rocks was barely known4 ,there had been practically no exploration of them1 no prospecting1 so that no one could say as to whether they were to be a barren portion of those rocks which are rich elsewhere1 or whether they were to be like the ,huronian and ,keewatin rocks elsewhere1 rich in mineral of some of the kinds so much desired4 ,comparing them with the rocks in other places1 they have large possibilities4 ,from that point there is an area of sandstone in the vicinity of ,cree lake which may contain copper1 but nothing much was known of it4 ,it is about the age and character of the rocks that are rich in copper around ,lake ,superior1 but no mineral wealth has yet been found in it4 ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling1 in his report on the survey of ,burntwood-,nelson-,lake ,winnipeg district in #ahii1 predicts that the several large areas of ,huronian rocks which he outlines will at some future time be thoroughly prospected1 and1 as has been the case in nearly all such areas1 ores of the useful and precious metals are likely to be found4 8,as it is at present1 a very hasty visit has shown that many quartz veins and intrusive dykes cut these rocks1 and indications of the precious metals are not wanting4 ,in the ,pipestone area on ,nelson river1 mispickel and copper pyrites are recorded by ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 as well as a promising showing of mica on the south side of ,indian ,reserve island1 on ,cross lake40 ,in ,severn district1 in the southern part of the old district of ,keewatin 7now part of ,ontario71 there is a large region lying to the southwest of ,cape ,henrietta ,maria1 that had never been geographically explored before #aija4 ,in the year named1 ,mr4 ,dowling was entrusted to do this work1 and was instructed to make an instrumental survey of ,ekwan river1 the largest stream in this region4 ,a micrometer survey of the river was made to the mouth of the ,washagami branch1 a distance of one hundred and fifty miles4 ,the general valley was found to be a narrow cut through clay1 with cut banks on either side for most of the distance to the first branch4 ,as directed by his instructions1 ,mr4 ,dowling ,,looked ,,for ,,gypsum between ,moose ,factory and ,albany1 and found some loose pieces of it in the vicinity of ,nomansland4 8,it is quite likely that this mineral occurs in situ in the vicinity10 ,mr4 ,dowling states in his report4 ,in another part of his report ,mr4 ,dowling states3--8,silurian limestone is found on ,trout river1 draining ,mill lake1 as well as in the bed of this lake just north of the trap rocks4 ,the rocks at the narrows of the lake1 described in the maps1 as #8high and romantic' are cliffs one hundred and fifty feet in height of trap1 capping horizontal beds of probably ,animikie age4 ,the trap overflow covers the uneven surface of these rocks1 in much the same manner as ,nipigon bay in ,lake ,superior4 ,the underlying rocks are dark slates impregnated with iron ore1 and interbanded with beds of jasper4 ,some of the beds seem to contain a high percentage of magnetite and hematite4 ,on the east shore a section of about ninety feet of these jasper and iron-bearing slates is exposed above the lake1 but on the west side they have been brought down to below the water level by a series of north and south faults and the exposures there are of trap alone4 ,these rocks form an east and west ridge reaching to the lakes on the ,washagami and eastward to a large lake on a branch of ,trout river1 which1 as before stated1 drains ,sutton ,mill lake and runs to the north40 ,mr4 ,dowling reported iron ore in the vicinity of ,sutton ,mill lake1 west of ,james bay1 and south of ,hudson bay4 ,on the east coast of ,james bay and ,hudson bay abundant evidence of iron ore had been discovered2 in fact1 two large islands1 ,taylor and ,gillis islands1 are said to be almost pure iron ore4 ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling1 in his report of #aijb 7,part ,f4,f4 ,geol4 ,sur4 ,report7 says3--8,small deposits of peat are to be found in various places1 but the most important1 from an economic point of view1 is the area north of ,lake ,winnipeg described by ,mr4 ,tyrrell4 ,along the valley of ,burntwood river1 where it is cut through the thick clay deposit1 the general surface of the terrace is quite level4 ,the drainage near the river is general1 but back from the edge of the valley1 on the more level parts1 there is very often a wide expanse of swamp covered by a stunted growth of spruce and carpeted by heavy layers of moss4 ,these swamps may at some future time supply peat for fuel40 ,according to the report of ,mr4 ,wm4 ,mc,innes1 who explored in #aijf 7,see p4 #bc7 the basins of ,reed and ,wekusko lakes and ,grass river1 there are areas of intrusive granite1 some of which1 below ,reed lake1 are of even texture and bright red colour and would furnish very beautiful stones for monumental work and ornamental building4 ,palozoic limestones cover all the country between the ,saskatchewan and an east and west line cutting the southern ends of ,reed and ,wekusko lakes4 ,the rocks are1 as far as examined1 magnesian and are probably all dolomites4 ,they occur in flat-lying or gently undulating beds1 varying in thickness from six feet or more to quite thin and shaly1 the latter occurring near the base and the heavy beds forming the mass of the formation4 ,many of the heavy beds are even-grained and uniformly bedded so that they can be readily taken out in blocks of even thickness and of any required size4 ,many of the low cliffs near the lakes are so situated as to be admirably adapted for quarrying4 ,quartz veins are plentiful throughout the ,keewatin belts1 but1 with the exception of arsenical and iron pyrites and traces of copper 7near ,file lake71 no valuable minerals were found in them1 though their character1 particularly where exposed on ,grassy river below ,reed lake1 was ,,considered ,,promising ,,enough for the occurrence of the minerals that are so often associated with these rocks4 ,the prevailing rocks exposed along ,nelson river are biotite gneisses4 ,only at two places on the shores are other rocks seen1 at ,pipestone lake and on the southern shores of ,cross lake1 where a belt of ,keewatin rocks crosses1 and for some miles follows the river valley4 ,the exposures at ,cross lake are promising looking for the occurrence of gold1 resembling closely1 as they do1 the gold bearing strata of the district east of ,lake of the ,woods4 ,they are cut by intruded masses of the same crushed granite with blue opalescent quartz1 known locally in the eastern region as ,protogene4 ,mr4 ,william ,mc,innes1 in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 stated that in the region just west of ,hudson bay there are only two or three belts of what is known as the ,keewatin rocks4 ,these are the rocks which in western ,ontario hold gold4 ,the witness found no minerals in commercial quantities4 ,he found traces of copper on ,file lake4 ,at ,cross lake there is an area of these ,keewatin rocks cut by intrusive granite of the same character as the protogene of western ,ontario1 which are almost always gold-bearing1 but nothing has been found there4 ,the limestones would make excellent building material4 ,there are some intrusive granites on ,grassy river which are of fine texture and beautiful red colour1 which would make very fine monumental stone trimmings for buildings1 etc41 and would quarry very well4 ,that would be along the projected line of the railway4 ,,nickel ,,may ,,be ,,found4 ,an occurrence1 which seemed to ,mr4 ,mc,innes to be of particular interest1 was his discovery on upper ,winisk river of a large area of so-called norite rock4 ,that is the rock in which the nickel of ,sudbury occurs4 ,it is quite a characteristic rock4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes examined samples under the microscope1 and they are not to be distinguished from the ,sudbury rock4 ,that led him to hope that there was a possibility of nickel occurring there too1 but he did not find any1 although he examined as well as he could4 ,but he had not much time1 and was too far away4 ,there are two or three areas of these ,keewatin rocks occurring unfolded in the ,laurentian1 but ,mr4 ,mc,innes found no minerals in economic quantities in them at all4 ,near ,eabamet river1 a tributary of the ,albany1 he saw crystals of mica in the granite1 two and a half inches in diameter4 ,of course that is not large enough to amount to much1 but it shows a possibility that there might be something better there4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,w4 ,g4 ,wilson says of the district north of ,lac ,seul explored by him 7,see p4 #gd73--8,there seems to be little prospect of finding valuable economic minerals in the region in paying quantities4 ,in almost all the bands of basic schists small1 less often large1 veins of quartz occur4 ,at the surface these veins and the associated schists present the usual rusty appearance due to the decomposition of the pyrite4 ,the granites are occasionally cut by pegmatitic dikes4 ,near the head of ,cross lake1 a rock1 apparently of this character1 carries a small amount of molybdenite in crystals varying in size up to an inch and a half across2 it is uncertain whether the mineral is of economic importance1 but the small size and the poor character of the specimen seen1 and the difficulties of transportation point to the deposit being economically unworkable4 ,the extent of the vein is not known4 ,near the inlet into ,slate lake1 about three-quarters of a mile from its northeast end1 on the eastern shore1 is the only place where magnetic minerals were found sufficiently segregated to produce a noticeable local variation of the compass4 ,here1 stringers of a metallic mineral1 probably magnetite1 were found4 ,though this metal is sometimes a constituent of the basic rocks1 the more common occurrence of iron ore is in the form of ilmenite4 ,no hematite was noted in the district40 ,in his report 7,see p4 #fj7 ,mr4 ,j4 ,r4 ,dickson speaks of the mineral deposits of the area explored by his party south of ,cross lake as follows3--8,judging by such necessarily superficial observations as the members of the party were able to make1 the region we covered is not well supplied with economic minerals4 ,,traces ,,of ,,copper were found at ,wekusko lake1 and samples of iron ore at ,sipiwesk lake1 and careful prospecting might perhaps disclose deposits of commercial value1 but everywhere else so far as observed1 the obtruding bedrock was either pure granite or limestone4 ,the latter1 however1 is mostly dolomite1 the variety used as a flux in the reducing of iron ores1 and future ore discoveries may give rise to such demand4 ,this dolomite also will prove a valuable building stone for prairie towns1 when made available by the ,hudson ,bay ,railway40 ,according to ,mr4 ,mc,laggan 7,see p4 #eh7 the section of country about ,reed lake is very rocky4 ,dark coloured granite1 streaked with white quartz1 extends along the lower end of the lake and for six miles along the river4 ,four miles farther ,mr4 ,mc,laggan found indications of iron and saw a good water power4 ,above ,herb lake he saw another splendid water power1 very easy to develop1 and along the river below rapids in five places from which fair power could be generated4 ,at the lower end of ,herb lake and along the river1 granite mixed with white quartz was seen1 and at the falls in the river1 about twenty miles below the lake1 good slate was found4 ,on this lake ,mr4 ,mc,laggan noted indications of iron4 ,in places along and back from ,grass river1 on either side1 quartz was seen4 ,the country has been burned over1 leaving only a few bunches of spruce1 and the surface of the rock has been well exposed1 so that prospecting would be easy4 ,mr4 ,mc,laggan thinks that this part of the country may prove rich in mineral4 ,on ,september #aj1 ,mr4 ,mc,laggan reached ,paint lake4 ,quartz was still in sight1 but not so frequent in occurrence4 ,there are a number of islands in the lake with rocky shores and small1 mixed timber4 ,below ,elbow lake the river banks are high1 the country becomes rougher1 and fire has bared the rocks of soil4 ,white quartz crops out in considerable quantities4 ,along the banks of ,cumberland lake there are considerable quantities of limestone1 which may 8become very valuable in time40 ,speaking of the region explored1 as a whole1 ,mr4 ,mc,laggan considered that as a mineral country it offers a wide field for prospectors4 8,in the country travelled over there are indications of gold1 silver1 iron and limestone1 and ,indians and white men from the north tell wonderful stories of a place called ,indian lake1 north of ,nelson ,house1 and of an island on ,burntwood river where various minerals and oil are said to exist40 ,in his report on the preliminary surveys for the ,hudson ,bay ,railway1 ,john ,armstrong1 ,c4,e41 states3--8,our definite knowledge of minerals is limited to limestone and marble4 ,the limestone occurs in the southern portion of the line a short distance from ,the ,pas1 in unlimited quantities favourable for quarrying1 and will probably prove the future source of supply for the greater part of the provinces of ,saskatchewan and ,manitoba4 ,marble of a very high grade occurs on ,marble island in ,hudson bay1 and is also found of a fair quality at ,churchill4 ,iron ores1 gold1 silver1 galena1 mica and other minerals have been discovered by the ,geological ,survey at various localities on the bay1 all of which are fully described in the reports of that department4 ,various specimens of the precious metals have been shown to our engineers1 but their origin was preserved in so much mystery that they could not be treated as evidence of the existence of the metal in that territory1 and might have been used with equal effect to demonstrate the richness of a deposit in ,colorado or ,johannesburg40 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,keewatin ,,area4 7,newest ,ontario and ,northern ,manitoba47 ,game1 ,fur-bearing ,animals and ,fish4 ,flocks of ,wild ,fowl that ,obscure the ,sky4--,six ,species of ,seal in ,hudson ,bay4--,stocked with ,animals of ,various ,kinds4--,white ,fish ,abound in ,most of the ,lakes and ,streams4--,saw ,eleven ,moose in ,one ,day4--,the ,commercial ,value of the ,sturgeon ,fisheries4-- ,future ,summer ,playgrounds4--,barren ,lands ,caribou at ,churchill4 ,the immense resources of this territory in the matter of fur1 fin and feather1 are traditional1 but the testimony of residents and explorers as to distribution1 present conditions1 etc41 are interesting and important4 ,doctor ,robert ,bell1 in his #ahhf report 7,see p4 #ag71 says the ,indians around ,lake ,st4 ,joseph 8live principally upon fish in summer and rabbits in winter1 but these resources are supplemented by geese and ducks in the spring and autumn1 and occasionally by larger game1 such as caribou and bears at any season4 ,the fishes of the lake comprise whitefish1 grey trout1 sturgeon1 pike1 pickerel1 yellow-barred perch1 grey and red suckers1 besides some smaller species4 8,at seven miles before joining the ,attawapiskat1 ,boulder river falls into a lake three miles long1 which the ,indians call ,sturgeon lake1 from the abundance of this fish to be found in it4 ,while in the act of setting our gill net1 the evening we camped on its shores1 a sturgeon1 measuring upwards of five feet in length1 was caught in it40 ,doctor ,bell reports that several lakes abounding in fish are said to occur on the course of ,henley river1 which flows into the ,albany ten miles below the ,forks4 ,doctor ,bell1 in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #ahhg1 said he had seen wild fowl in the region about ,hudson bay in large numbers1 and if one were close enough up to them1 and surprised them in a marsh1 they would rise in such clouds that ,,they ,,obscured ,,the ,,sky for a few moments until they got away4 ,they would not darken the land in their flight1 but they would prevent one seeing the sky or the sun for a few seconds4 ,on the shores of ,hudson bay and straits are found nearly all the sea birds that live in the northern part of this continent1 and some of those of ,europe4 ,some species are abundant2 surf ducks1 scoters1 eider ducks1 etc4 ,the eider duck is valuable on account of its down4 ,of geese1 the grey goose and the blue and the white wavies are very abundant in the spring and autumn on the shore of ,hudson bay--and especially towards the southern parts of ,james bay4 ,swans are common4 ,they breed on the islands1 and some on the shores of ,hudson bay1 and their skins are an article of trade4 ,in former years swans' down was used for trimming ladies' garments1 and swans' skins formed an item of export for the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4 ,white bears are found in the northern part of ,hudson bay1 and there are plenty of black bears around the southern part4 ,there are valuable fisheries1 too4 ,there are codfish in ,hudson bay4 ,the variety the witness had seen is called the #8rock cod1' which is not of so good a quality as the common variety of the ,atlantic1 but he understood that it is the same species4 ,the variety of fish known as sea trout is found in the mouths of the rivers running into ,hudson bay and ,james bay4 ,they do not go far up the stream2 they are never found beyond the first fall in a river4 ,there are sea trout in both ,hudson bay and ,james bay1 at the mouths of the rivers4 ,they are the same variety as that found on the ,atlantic coast4 ,they have the same habits4 ,there is also the speckled trout4 ,the marine animals--fishes and mammals of ,hudson bay--have precisely the same habits as similar species have on the ,atlantic coast4 ,the fur seal is not found here1 but the seals of ,hudson bay are valuable for their oil4 ,they are tolerably abundant4 ,there are ,,six ,,species ,,of ,,seal ,,in ,,the ,,bay4 ,there is the bearded seal1 for instance1 which grows to the length of thirteen feet1 the ringed seal1 the ,greenland seal in ,hudson strait1 the grey seal1 and the harbour seal1 which is quite common in those waters1 also the spotted or fresh-water seal4 ,the latter run up the rivers after salmon and whitefish4 ,it is a large spotted species with an almost white or light grey coat1 with distinct black spots thickly scattered over its body4 ,this seal ascends the rivers for long distances inland1 sometimes as much as two hundred miles4 ,they live on fish1 and they sometimes remain in the lakes in the interior4 ,the skins of these seals are valuable1 making very good coats4 ,as to ,james bay1 the best fish there is a variety of whitefish1 apparently identical with the large whitefish of ,lake ,superior1 only the fish grow larger in the cold waters in the north4 ,the whitefish live equally well1 if not better1 in salt water4 ,they run up the rivers also4 ,they belong to the salmon family4 ,then there are trout of different kinds1 and at the northern part of ,james bay there is ,hearne's salmon4 ,they are small salmon1 but of very fine quality4 ,the flesh is equal to that of the common salmon1 perhaps better4 ,it is firm and red and well flavoured4 ,hearne's salmon seldom exceeds ten pounds in weight4 ,it is also found all around ,hudson bay1 and on both sides of ,hudson strait4 ,the porpoise1 or more properly speaking1 the small white whale1 is abundant in ,james bay4 ,doctor ,bell expressed the opinion that the fisheries of ,hudson bay will1 no doubt1 be very valuable4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,p4 ,low1 before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 stated that the fish in the inland waters of ,keewatin are like those in the other northern parts of ,canada1 and fairly abundant especially in the larger lakes4 ,the chief fish are the whitefish and the lake trout4 ,in ,hudson bay the whitefish and the ordinary river trout have sea-going habits1 and the ,indians take quite a number along the shores in nets1 more especially in ,james bay4 ,mr4 ,low reported sturgeon as being plentiful in ,favourable lake4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell in his report speaks as follows of the game and fish in that area in the southwest of this region 7,see p4 #ai7 explored by him in #ahif3--8,the country is stocked with animals of various kinds4 ,moose are abundant in some of the more thickly wooded tracts4 ,black bears are somewhat numerous1 and beaver1 otters1 martens1 mink1 muskrats and red foxes are killed by the ,indians in considerable numbers in the aggregate every year4 ,,whitefish ,,abound in most of the lakes and streams1 while the lake trout seemed to be moderately plentiful in the clear lakes near the head of ,grass river4 ,of the other fish1 the sturgeon and pickerel 7,stizostethium vitreum7 are the most important4 ,the region was known among the early fur traders as the ,muskrat country4 ,trout and whitefish are said to abound in ,reed lake40 ,illustration3 ,moose crossing ,limestone river4 ,near the forks of the ,muhigan large game was very plentiful1 and ,mr4 ,tyrrell saw eleven moose in one day4 ,as to his survey of the ,ekwan district in #aija1 ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling reports3--8,the principal fur-bearing animals of this region are foxes1 otters and beavers4 ,of the larger mammals few appear to be taken by the ,indians4 ,in the interior the game birds are all very scarce1 the fall hunt for ducks and geese being confined to the shores of the bay4 ,the rivers afford a small supply of whitefish4 ,the streams running to the north into ,hudson bay in this region are1 at certain seasons1 well stocked with speckled trout4 ,sutton ,mill lake is well supplied with a slender variety of lake trout1 and at the narrows1 speckled trout were also caught40 ,mr4 ,dowling mentions that at the foot of the first fall met with ascending ,trout lake river from ,little ,shallow lake1 the ,indians form large camps in the autumn to catch whitefish as they are ascending the river to the spawning grounds4 ,,the ,,best ,,food ,,fishes4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes1 in the report of his explorations about ,winisk and ,attawapiskat rivers 7,see p4 #bc71 says3--8,whitefish and sturgeon are the best food fishes1 and occur in most of the lakes4 ,both are taken in nets1 and the latter also by spearing from scaffolds built out over rapids in the river4 ,dor and pike are also generally distributed over the whole area1 and form an important source of food supply1 though the sucker among the fishes1 like the rabbit among the mammals1 holds the most important place1 as it can be caught everywhere1 not only in the larger lakes but also in the smaller ponds and streams4 ,brook trout were actually caught only in ,winisk river near its mouth1 and in the streams running into ,albany river1 but were seen in the rapids below ,weibikwei2 the ,indians assert that they occur also in the lake itself4 ,lake trout were caught in large numbers in ,trout lake at the head of ,severn river1 but are not found in either the ,winisk or ,attawapiskat waters4 8,the moose 7,alces americanus7 has been found as far north as the southern shore of ,weibikwei lake1 in north latitude #eb #ej1 though tracks were actually seen during our exploration only as far north as ,attawapiskat river4 ,even here it is not nearly so plentiful as farther south in the belt of country lying near the ,canadian ,pacific ,railway and extending for about one hundred and fifty miles north of it4 ,caribou 7,rangifer caribou7 range all over the district4 ,no red deer are found anywhere throughout the region4 ,the fur-bearing animals1 though not so plentiful as they once were1 are still fairly abundant throughout the district2 the otter and the beaver from long-continued trapping are less numerous1 perhaps1 than any other species40 ,bears1 ,mr4 ,mc,innes says1 are taken in good numbers1 and foxes1 including the red1 silver1 black and cross varieties are numerous4 ,otters and pine martens are taken in good numbers and beavers occur more sparingly4 ,minks and muskrats are plentiful4 ,that the raccoon occasionally strays as far north as north latitude #eb is shown by the fact of one being taken by an ,indian woman on upper ,attawapiskat river in #aijc4 ,mr4 ,mc,innes describes ,atikameg 7locally known as ,clearwater71 ,cormorant and ,reed lakes as 8very beautiful sheets of clear water1 well stocked with fish1 including lake trout and whitefish40 ,mr4 ,mc,innes1 in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 expressed the opinion that if the region lying west of ,hudson bay were opened up by railways there would be a considerable business in exploiting the fisheries1 because the sturgeon is valuable4 ,they would get the sturgeon on the lower ,nelson and part of the ,churchill4 ,big lease-holding companies put steamers on the various lake expansions on the ,nelson1 so that they reached down to within a few miles of ,split lake1 and marketed sturgeon in that way4 ,they put tramways on all the portages4 ,they ran that way for a couple of summers1 but the distance was too great and it did not pay4 ,the larger lakes have good whitefish and sturgeon4 ,the head of the ,adawadskit was particularly full of sturgeon4 ,going out ,mr4 ,mc,innes's party was short of pork and stopped one day to get supplies4 ,in one night's fishing the ,indians caught so many sturgeon that they had enough to carry them for one hundred and fifty miles to the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's post4 ,one of the sturgeon ,,was ,,three ,,feet ,,long4 ,at the mouth of the ,winisk the ,indians were catching speckled trout and whitefish in very large numbers4 ,in fact the ,indians of all that interior country live on fish4 ,they smoke and dry them to a limited extent1 and late in the autumn catch them before the larger lakes are frozen over1 when the temperature is low enough to freeze the fish4 ,they catch enough to put by for the winter4 ,some are sent to ,chicago frozen4 ,in his report 7,see p4 #fj7 of the survey made by his party in #aiaj of the area south of ,cross lake1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,r4 ,dickson states3--8,the deeper lakes all abound in whitefish of the finest size and quality4 ,in ,paint lake during the mayfly season 7,july up there7 their dorsal fins could be seen cutting the water everywhere4 ,pickerel1 and of course jackfish and suckers are likewise very abundant4 ,we had no sturgeon net1 but we saw quite a number jumping in ,sipiwesk lake4 ,altogether the fishing industry should be a decidedly profitable one after the railway goes through4 ,much of that region is suited only1 and admirably1 to producing a permanent revenue from this source4 ,the beaver have been almost exterminated1 but mink1 fisher1 muskrat and other fur-bearers are still fairly numerous4 ,as to large game1 moose and caribou are plentiful1 but we saw no elk or bear4 ,more stringent game laws will shortly be necessary with the opening of the country to white hunters4 ,nearly all those northern lakes are thickly studded with beautiful islands--quite a similar ,laurentian country to ,muskoka1 but on a more extensive scale4 ,some future day these large island-studded lakes will become popular summer playgrounds for the people of the prairies1 for the ,july and ,august weather is delightful4 ,as yet of course1 they are almost inaccessible40 ,mr4 ,mc,laggan1 who explored the country in #aijg1 describes the waters between ,the ,pas and ,clearwater lake as abounding in trout1 whitefish1 jackfish and pike4 ,reed lake is studded with many islands and replete with large trout1 whitefish1 pike and pickerel4 ,grass river1 where it broadens into the long stretch known as ,setting lake1 is described by ,mr4 ,mc,laggan as one of the most beautiful sheets of water he has ever seen and quite comparable to the ,st4 ,lawrence where it passes through the ,thousand islands4 ,he looks forward to it becoming a great summer resort4 ,goose river is very shallow and so teems with whitefish that they seem to cover the bottom and can be killed with sticks4 ,generally1 along his route1 ,mr4 ,mc,laggan 8found game in great plenty and immense waters teeming with fish40 ,w4 ,thibaudeau1 ,c4,e41 states in his report 7,see p4 #bc73--8;,in ,september1 ,october and part of ,november large shoals of white whales 7,i counted thirty-five in one shoal7 could be seen going up river at ,churchill at every tide4 ,salmon1 trout and whitefish are taken in the river and harbor all the year1 but are more abundant in the spring4 ,,within ,a ,,few ,,miles ,,of ,,churchill1 in the fall and winter1 large herds of barren lands caribou were encountered4 ,these herds supply fresh meat of an excellent quality for the residents of ,churchill4 ,polar bears are occasionally shot in the vicinity of ,churchill4 ,along the western peninsula ,eskimo congregate in the spring for the purpose of seal hunting1 these animals frequenting these shores in the spring in large numbers4 ,among the fur bearing animals are found black fox1 silver fox1 red and white fox1 marten1 and wolves both black and gray4 ,swans1 geese1 ptarmigan and many species of duck in large numbers1 and some spruce grouse are found along the shores of ,churchill harbour and river4 ,referring specially to his exploration of that part of the country between ,churchill and ,owl river in ,december1 #aijf1 ,mr4 ,thibaudeau states3--8,for one whole day we passed through an immense herd of barren lands caribou4 ,there must have been thousands of them40 ,reporting on the fish and game along the route of his exploration trip from ,churchill to ,the ,pas1 ,mr4 ,thibaudeau says3--8,from timber line on ,hudson bay to ,the ,pas are found moose and caribou in fair quantities4 ,rabbits are scarce throughout the country explored4 ,saw a few spruce grouse2 ptarmigan are found plentifully1 but not further south than ,grass river4 ,whitefish abound in all the lakes from ,churchill to ,the ,pas2 also in some lakes are found trout1 pike and suckers4 ,indians and travellers rely upon this source of supply for dog feed40 ,mr4 ,william ,beech1 of ,churchill1 in his communication to the press already quoted1 writes3--8,fur-bearing animals exist in large quantities1 and in many varieties1 throughout the woods and along the shores and rivers4 ,i have seen enormous white polar bears three hundred yards from my house as early as ,august #i1 and at times they are very aggressive4 ,wolves are numerous1 and very bold at times1 so bold in fact that ,i have frequently heard them running round upon the roof above my head4 ,white1 red and black foxes1 and a few of the rare silver variety are to be found at all seasons1 and are ,,valuable ,,for ,,the ,,fur ,,they ,,bear4 ,caribou roam in herds1 and are very good eating1 while seals1 ducks1 ptarmigan1 geese and swans abound throughout the districts round about4 ,curlew1 snipe1 and loons also provide good shooting4 ,of fur-bearing animals besides foxes there are beaver1 otter1 mink1 ermine1 and wolverine1 innumerable4 8,great sport is afforded to those who are so inclined in harpooning whales4 ,i have counted as many as twenty in one school1 going up the river at almost every tide1 and an impressive sight it is4 ,in summer at ,churchill the ,hudson's ,bay ,company capture many white whales1 from ten to fifteen feet in length and weighing from one thousand to two thousand pounds1 by the use of extra strong nets4 ,the flesh is cut up and kept to feed the dogs in winter1 while the blubber is boiled down at the factory and the hides are sent to ,england4 8,it will surprise you1 perhaps1 when ,i tell you that we fish on dry land at ,churchill4 ,that is a fact1 nevertheless4 ,the natives of ,churchill1 both ,indians and ,eskimos1 and also the white men1 set their nets on dry land4 ,they set their nets1 which are about fifteen feet long1 with three upright posts placed vertically on the shore4 ,when they have set them they simply wait for the tide to come in1 and when it has come in they simply wait until it has gone out1 and there are their fish all ready to be taken out without any trouble4 ,the catch consists chiefly of whitefish1 salmon trout1 and pickerel1 all of good quality4 8,when the ,hudson bay route is completed1 one of the best fishing trades in the world will be opened up4 ,there are five lakes1 in all1 in the district1 all full of fish1 and the farthest teaming which is necessary would be about forty miles4 ,on lake ,winnipeg at the present time1 fish are hauled a distance of one hundred and forty miles1 and they are teamed into ,edmonton from ,lesser ,slave lake1 a distance of one hundred and seventy-five miles and made to pay4 ,the salmon of the north averages from four to ten pounds in weight1 and is of good quality2 the whitefish is not so large as that of ,lake ,winnipeg1 but it is of fine flavor1 and very firm4 ,the caplin1 a small fish resembling the sardine1 is found in such quantities at some seasons of the year that they are left in thousands upon the shore when the tide goes out4 ,fishing usually commences at the latter part of ,june and finishes at the end of ,august40 ,illustration3 ,,northern ,,saskatchewan ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,northern ,,saskatchewan4 ,agriculture and ,arable ,land4 ,an ,early ,scientific ,explorer's ,enthusiastic ,description of ,part of the ,country4--8,capable of ,any ,extent of ,cultivation40--,an ,old ,hudson's ,bay ,company's ,official ,who ,considered it 8,a ,splendid ,country to ,settle in40--,mr4 ,crean ,reports ,that 8,it is no ,experiment0 to ,raise ,wheat in ,north ,saskatchewan4--,missionary ,farmers and ,their ,accomplishments4--,capable of ,supporting 8,a ,dense1 ,thriving ,population40--8,a ,splendid ,ranching ,country40-- ,heaviest ,rains ,just ,when they are ,needed4 ,to obtain a correct idea of the resources of that part of the province of ,saskatchewan north of ,north ,saskatchewan river1 one has to consider that great extent of territory as consisting of two very distinct areas1 one to the south1 the other to the north of ,churchill river4 ,while the area to the south of the ,churchill is a well-wooded1 park-like country1 with great agricultural possibilities1 the soil of the region north of that river1 so far as explorations up to this time have shown1 is mainly sandy and sterile4 ,thanks to its being crossed by the old fur traders' portage routes from ,cumberland ,house1 ,fort la ,corne and ,fort ,carlton1 on the ,saskatchewan1 to ,frog portage on the upper ,churchill and ,methye portage on the ,clearwater1 the southern part of the region immediately under review has been known and written about for many years1 but there is very little indeed in the ancient writings worthy of notice in this chapter4 ,the first white travellers over the long and toilsome water routes of this beautiful country of swift-running rivers and isle-studded lakes were the enterprising fur traders from ,montreal1 who in course of time combined to form the ,northwest ,company4 ,their interests were all centred in the fur trade1 and while travelling through the country1 business1 time and the exigencies of the commissariat combined to ,,prevent ,,them ,,from ,,exploring the country with a view to investigating its natural resources1 even if they had any inclination to do so1 which is doubtful4 ,at any rate such of these pioneer travellers through this country as ventured to write about their travels devoted their literary efforts to describing their adventures en route1 their camps1 the methods and habits of the voyageurs and ,indians1 the ,indian camping places1 and the rivers1 lakes and overland trails traversed4 ,generally very minute details were given in these old books of travel as to the geographical features of the country1 distances1 bearings1 the direction and currents of the rivers1 the size1 shapes and relative situation of the lakes1 etc41 but one reads over page after page1 and book after book1 without finding a single reference to the soil1 or to the possibilities of the country from an agricultural point of view4 ,in the course of time the opening up to the fur trade of the farther northwest on the banks of ,athabaska and ,mackenzie rivers resulted in a greatly increased amount of travel over the old canoe routes1 but it did not attract attention to the natural wealth of this region1 and until recent years the attractions this country offers to the agricultural settler have remained unrecognized4 ,sir ,alexander ,mackenzie1 in his book 7#ahja71 states that 8no part of this country has ever been cultivated by natives or ,europeans1 except a small garden at ,ile la ,crosse1 which well repaid the labour bestowed upon it40 ,examined before the ,british parliamentary committee of #aheg1 ,richard ,king1 ,m4,d41 surgeon and naturalist to the expedition in #ahcc in search of ,sir ,j4 ,ross1 was asked3--8,are you under the impression that there is any portion of the territory which you then saw that would be available for the purpose of settlement80 ,he replied3--8,yes1 ,i found a very large country1 as it appeared to me at that date4 ,i hold in my hand one of ,arrowsmith's very best and recent maps1 he being the great authority upon that country1 and the square piece of country which ,i always looked upon as a very fertile valley is there distinctly shown4 ,it is bounded on the south by ,cumberland ,house1 on the ,saskatchewan4 ,it is an enormous tract of country4 ,cumberland territory is1 according to ,sir ,j4 ,richardson1 ,i find1 several thousand square miles4 ,then it is bounded by ,athabaska lake on the north4 ,i am not now exactly giving it north and south4 ,i may state that ,i passed through a great portion of that country1 but of course what ,i am saying as to the larger portion that ,i am now speaking of1 is not only from my own personal observation upon it1 but from an inquiry upon the spot1 seeing the nature and extent of that country4 ,this large portion which ,i have described as within this area ,i looked upon as the ,,most ,,fertile ,,portion ,,which ,i ,,saw4 8,on this map it is very clear4 ,you will see the country entirely surrounded by water40 ,asked if he meant to express an opinion that the whole of that territory was suitable1 as regards soil and climate1 for the purpose of cultivation1 ,doctor ,king replied that he was told by the traders there generally that it was precisely the same land as that which he passed through1 namely1 a rich soil1 interspersed with well-wooded country1 there being growth of every kind1 and the whole vegetable kingdom alive4 ,doctor ,king impressed upon the committee the fact that in going through that country his position was that of a naturalist2 he 8came away certainly with the impression that it was a very magnificent country in many parts of it2 of course there were barren portions1 but upon the whole1 up to ,athabaska lake1 it appeared to me to be capable of any extent of cultivation40 ,doctor ,king said that some time previous to his visit to that locality there had been some agricultural activity at the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's post at ,cumberland ,house due to the enterprise of ,governor ,williams4 ,doctor ,king found capacious barns1 and implements in fields which had evidently been placed under culture4 ,on approaching ,cumberland ,house1 he had found a little new colony of thirty persons established1 a ,canadian1 an ,englishman1 and half-breeds4 ,they had their fields divided out into farms1 and other things4 ,it was described to him that they had formed a little colony at ,cumberland ,house but had been ,,ordered ,,from ,,the ,,immediate ,,vicinity by the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4 ,the settlers told ,doctor ,king that 8at the time they were ordered off1 the ,company would not allow them to go on cultivating2 that it was against the ,company1 and that therefore the thing was to be broken up1 etc41 etc40 ,as to the little new settlement1 ,doctor ,king stated that it appeared to him1 in going over the colonists' farms1 that they were very highly cultivated4 ,there was corn1 wheat1 and barley growing4 ,he bought a calf from them2 he gave seven shillings for it4 ,a fat bullock sold for twelve shillings4 ,illustration3 ,haying near ,green lake4 ,doctor ,king testified that when he went on to ,cumberland ,house1 he found that the settlers were really borne out in what they had stated1 for he found that the barns and implements were in the fields1 and that the cows1 oxen1 and horses had all gone wild4 ,he enquired the reason of it and was told that ,governor ,williams had a penchant for farming and that the ,company had ordered him off somewhere else4 ,hon4 ,william ,christie1 formerly ,inspecting ,chief ,factor of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 before the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 explained that there was a vast extent of splendid country from ,prince ,albert on the whole north side of the ,saskatchewan1 going away up until the traveller came near ,fort ,pitt1 keeping a little to the north4 ,then1 when he would come to the route of ,green lake1 there was two days' journey through a magnificent country1 beautifully timbered1 well watered and supplied with abundance of fish4 ,as he once travelled through it1 he remarked to one of his men1-- 8,,what ,a ,,splendid ,,country ,,to ,,settle ,,in40 ,green lake1 witness explained1 is north of ,carlton1 about eighty miles4 ,one crosses at ,carlton and for two days can travel through a prairie country with bluffs here and there1 and lakes2 it is a splendid country4 ,then he would travel for two days through a forest to ,green lake4 ,professor ,john ,macoun1 in the ,dominion ,government ,canadian ,pacific ,railway ,report of #ahgg-h1 says3--8,i was at ,ile la ,crosse 7almost due north of ,battleford7 on ,september #bb1 #ahge1 and saw potatoes still green as they were in ,july4 ,i was told by ,mr4 ,cummins that these potatoes hardly ever were killed by frost in ,september4 ,here there was a flour mill driven by horse-power and ,i am told that all kinds of grain ripen successfully40 ,professor ,macoun in his book 8,manitoba and the ,great ,northwest10 published in #ahhb1 made the following reference to the northern portion of ,saskatchewan as an agricultural country3--8,about fifty miles north of ,carlton the #8,star ,mission1' in connection with the ,church of ,england1 is situated4 ,this ,mission was established in #ahgd1 and placed in charge of the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,hinds1 who1 besides being a minister1 was a practical farmer4 ,he at once commenced to teach the old men farming and the children ,english1 and in less than one year had a number of small farms commenced1 and the children well advanced in the knowledge of ,english4 ,since then he has been very successful1 and in #ahgi ,mr4 ,o',keeffe1 ,d4,l4,s41 writes of the ,mission3 #8,at ,sandy lake the ,indians under the supervision of the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,hinds1 ,church of ,england ,missionary1 were cultivating successfully fine fields of grain and raising vegetables4' ,of the country in this vicinity the same writer says3 #8,no finer country could be desired than the section above described4 ,the water is pure and abundant1 and the land extremely rich4 ,pea vine1 vetches1 grasses1 and1 in fact1 all herbaceous plants were luxuriant4'0 ,in the report of his explorations during the years #ahic and #ahid1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,burr ,tyrrell gives the following general description of this area3--8,the country between ,saskatchewan and ,churchill rivers is very different from that north of the latter stream4 ,from ,prince ,albert1 situated on the banks of the ,north ,saskatchewan1 at an elevation of one thousand four hundred feet above the sea1 the surface rises with a gentle slope northward to a heavy stony moraine ridge1 the highest point of which1 on ,green lake trail1 was found to have an elevation of about two thousand two hundred and twenty feet4 ,from this high ridge the country slopes gradually northward1 at first with a gentle rolling1 and afterwards with a more even surface1 to the chain of lakes and extensive swamps that lie along the edge of the district directly underlain by ,archaean rocks4 ,this country has very much the general appearance of that portion of northwestern ,manitoba to the west of lakes ,manitoba and ,winnipegosis1 including ,duck and ,riding mountains1 previously described by the writer40 ,between ,churchill and ,saskatchewan rivers two lines were examined by ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 one from ,prince ,albert northwestward by ,green lake to ,ile la ,crosse1 and the other from ,stanley ,mission southwestward by ,montreal lake to ,prince ,albert4 ,writing of some of the more noticeable geographical features of this area ,mr4 ,tyrrell says3--8,churchill river from its northern source at ,methye portage1 following its windings1 has a length of four hundred and eighty miles to the mouth of ,reindeer river4 ,it is a long series of very irregular lakes filled with clear blue water1 connected by short and usually rapid reaches4 ,some of the rapids are produced by rocky barriers1 while others are over boulders and between banks of till1 such as is underlying much of the surrounding country4 8,the largest tributaries flowing into the ,churchill from the south are ,beaver1 ,sandy and ,rapid rivers4 ,illustration3 ,flowers at ,ile ,la ,crosse4 8,beaver river rises on the ,cretaceous plateau1 not far from ,lac la ,biche1 and1 flowing1 first eastward for two hundred and fifty miles1 and then northward for a hundred miles1 empties into the south end of ,ile la ,crosse lake4 ,its course northward was alone surveyed4 ,here it is a rapid stream from one hundred to two hundred feet wide1 flowing between low clay banks1 beautifully wooded with spruce and poplar4 ,much of the land along the course appeared to be well adapted for agricultural purposes1 and the rank vegetation gave ,,promise ,,of ,,abundant ,,harvests40 ,the ,venerable ,archdeacon ,j4 ,mc,kay1 one of the best known ,church of ,england ,missionaries of the ,canadian west1 was examined before the ,senate committee of #aijg4 ,he stated that he was born on the eastern shore of ,james bay1 near ,rupert's ,house4 ,his father was a ,hudson's ,bay ,company's officer4 ,witness had his education in ,manitoba in the early days4 ,he had been more in the old country than in eastern ,canada4 ,he lived at ,moose ,factory until he was eighteen4 ,archdeacon ,mc,kay explained that he had been forty-five years in the west1 in charge of missions of the ,church of ,england1 and was ten years at a place on ,churchill river1 a little north of ,lac la ,ronge4 ,the nearest point to ,lac la ,ronge on the map is where the ,anglican mission is situated1 about ten miles north of ,lac la ,ronge1 on ,churchill river4 ,this is about due north from ,prince ,albert1 and in a straight line it would be considerably over two hundred miles from ,prince ,albert4 ,he had been for some time superintendent of the ,anglican missions4 ,for the two years preceding his examination he had been at ,lac la ,ronge4 ,he had been as far north in this country as ,lake ,cariboo4 ,in fact he had been away to the north end of ,reindeer lake4 ,it is very poor country up there1 and the trees are not very large4 ,from the ,churchill he had been down to ,hudson bay1 and he had been as far west as ,ile la ,crosse lake and on to ,methye lake1 which is not many miles south of ,clearwater river and in an east-southeasterly direction from ,mc,murray4 ,the land between ,lac la ,ronge and ,prince ,albert in some places is very good4 ,it is all forest practically until to about thirty miles from ,prince ,albert1 or perhaps twenty or thirty4 ,then the open country begins where it is not heavily timbered4 ,to the west of ,lac la ,ronge the country is very much the same4 ,it is not rocky1 some muskeg and some pretty good land1 but all timbered--in some places heavy timber4 ,there is spruce and poplar4 ,the spruce is good enough for lumber1 and of course it would do for pulpwood4 ,the witness had travelled the country about ,lac la ,ronge pretty thoroughly1 and if it were cleared of timber it would1 in his opinion1 be generally ,,fair ,,agricultural ,,land4 ,the rocky country is north of that4 ,so far as agriculture at ,lac la ,ronge is concerned1 ,archdeacon ,mc,kay said he had raised good wheat at his former mission on ,churchill river for seven years in succession without having it frosted4 ,the climate is good4 ,it is a rocky country1 and there is not a great deal of good land2 but so far as the climate is concerned it is all right for raising anything that can be raised in ,saskatchewan generally4 ,potatoes grow splendidly4 ,illustration3 ,potatoes at ,anglican ,mission1 ,lac la ,ronge4 ,he could not describe what the grasses are1 but they are grasses that grow mostly in moist land1 something like slough hay1 grasses that grow on the margins of lakes1 and along the rivers4 ,there was not much stock there1 but he had stock when he lived on the mission on ,churchill river1 fifteen head of cattle and two horses4 ,that is a little north of ,lac la ,ronge1 and is practically the same country4 ,as to the ,lake ,ile la ,crosse country1 he considered it fairly good4 ,it is not rocky and there is plenty of timber and plenty of hay as a rule--some prairie hay and some swamp hay1 and the soil is fairly good--better than ,lac la ,ronge4 ,it gets better as you go west4 ,it is certainly better about ,ile la ,crosse than at ,lac la ,ronge1 and there is no rock country about ,ile la ,crosse4 ,the hay is long4 ,it is very much the same as the natural hay in ,manitoba4 ,the only whites in the country he had described north of the ,saskatchewan were the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's officials and traders4 ,there is no agricultural settlement at ,lac la ,ronge4 ,there are only ,indians there1 and they have not gone into anything in the direction of agriculture more than raising a few potatoes4 ,archdeacon ,mc,kay stated that it is a peculiarity of that part of the country around ,lac la ,ronge that the frosts are very late4 ,on a small island in the lake ,archdeacon ,mc,kay has seen potatoes in the beginning of ,october with the ,,vines ,,untouched ,,by ,,frosts at that late season4 ,that was of course on account of the large body of water that equalized the temperature4 ,on the mainland that would probably not be the case1 but two years ago he was at ,lac la ,ronge when ,mr4 ,chisholm1 the ,indian ,inspector1 came out to make treaty payments towards the end of ,august1 probably ,august #bj1 and the potato vines were not touched at all either on the mainland or on the islands4 ,the snowfall is not very heavy4 ,it is generally a little heavier than in ,prince ,albert section of the country1 but not always so4 ,three feet on the level would be considered deep snow4 ,as a rule the first frosts come some time in ,september4 ,in #aijf the potatoes were touched with frost about ,september #ae1 but not seriously4 ,in the spring one can put in grain from ,may #e as a rule4 ,he used to sow wheat ,may #e generally1 and plant potatoes from ,may #bj on4 ,the lowest temperature in winter1 judging from his own sensations1 was about the same as ,prince ,albert4 ,in the summer time it is quite as hot at ,lac la ,ronge as at ,prince ,albert4 ,it is farther north and the days are longer4 ,the weather at ,lac la ,ronge is moderately dry4 ,generally there is sufficient rainfall for the crops4 ,in the summer of #aijf there was quite a long spell of dry weather1 which affected the wild fruits4 ,it was an exceptional spell of dry weather1 but generally there is a good rainfall4 ,the rainy season would be quite equal to ,manitoba4 ,richard ,s4 ,cook1 ,esq41 ,mayor of the city of ,prince ,albert1 ,saskatchewan1 was examined before the ,senate committee of #aijg4 ,he stated that he had at the date of his examination by the committee been engaged in farming at ,prince ,albert for fifteen years4 ,he had a large stock and dairy farm1 operated it successfully1 and had made it pay every year4 ,mr4 ,cook stated that he had travelled considerably over the country about ,prince ,albert1 particularly to the north and northwest of that city4 ,he had gone north from ,battleford and down ,beaver river4 ,little is known of that country4 ,it has always been travelled by canoe4 ,stanley ,mission was the farthest north he had been1 two hundred and fifty miles north of ,prince ,albert1 and about the same distance north of ,battleford4 ,the country in that northern district is fit to be an empire in itself1 and a wealthy one4 ,people knew little of it yet1 but it was going to prove an excellent country for agriculture4 ,it was such an immense country it was hard to grasp the possibilities of it4 ,one might travel over it for years and know very little about it4 ,there is very little open country there1 except where the fire has gone1 but about seventy-five per cent4 of the soil in that country is good1 capable of being cleared up and becoming good agricultural land4 ,the area must be at the least about two hundred and fifty miles by two hundred and fifty miles4 ,in travelling about the country1 he had examined the region about ,fort ,pitt1 ,beaver lake1 ,moose lake and ,cold lake4 ,for a considerable distance immediately back from ,saskatchewan river the soil is light2 not a very good country4 ,the country immediately behind ,fort ,pitt1 however1 ,,is ,,fit ,,for ,,raising ,,grain4 ,illustration3 ,oat field at ,anglican ,mission1 ,lac la ,ronge4 ,the further north one goes in that country the better it is4 ,the altitude is gradually getting less1 and on ,chipewyan reserve1 south of ,cold lake1 there is as fine land as he had ever seen in his life4 ,the grass is four and one half feet long1 and people had been known to grow one hundred tons of hay the first season4 ,mr4 ,cook doubted whether wheat would grow the first year4 ,around ,cold lake the fires had been very destructive4 ,there had been timber there1 and where it had been burnt over the grass was good4 ,the soil was all right and the pea vine growing1 and good rich grass1 so that he thought the country down the ,beaver would be a fairly good agricultural country4 ,this district is one hundred and fifty miles north of the ,saskatchewan4 ,it would be northwest of ,battleford about one hundred and fifty miles4 ,at ,stanley and ,churchill1 two hundred and fifty miles north of ,prince ,albert1 they were raising all kinds of stuff4 ,there was a sheaf of wheat in the ,board of ,trade in ,prince ,albert which was brought from there1 and it was certainly a very fine specimen4 ,mr4 ,cook thought that in the area he had visited in the north there was a country that would be settled up and sustain a large population4 ,the fires had been very destructive in parts of the ,stanley country4 ,the soil throughout at one time was a good soil1 but where the fires were very heavy and hot it burnt the top of the soil4 ,he would judge that seventy-three per cent4 of that country would have good agricultural soil as soon as it was cleaned out4 ,settlements had been started twenty miles north of ,prince ,albert1 and some years ago an ,american went in there and he now has a beautiful farm4 ,the witness brought in a collection of vegetables from that country1 and he never saw a better lot of farmers' produce in his life4 ,this original ,american pioneer was growing ,turner raspberries1 and anyone will tell you that where you can grow ,turner raspberries1 fall wheat will grow1 and where fall wheat will grow the climate is fit for anything4 ,the settler in question got the ,turner raspberries from ,mr4 ,cook in ,prince ,albert4 ,it takes a certain climate to grow that raspberry1 and they claim the same climate will grow fall wheat4 ,it is not the wild raspberry of the country1 but a variety sent out from the experimental farm in ,ottawa4 ,wild raspberries grow all through that country4 ,that one man starting out demonstrated that the climate was all right1 and others followed suit1 and there are now one hundred and fifty or two hundred settlers in that country1 which was considered a few years ago as no good4 ,the same remarks apply to the country clean out to ,candle lake4 ,that country is fairly clear and open1 and there is some hazel brush1 and where hazel brush will grow the land is considered good1 and where poplar will grow it is also considered good soil4 ,mayor ,cook expressed the opinion that ,,lack ,,of ,,means ,,of ,,communication was all that kept the tide of settlement from flowing into that northern country4 ,he went on to explain that the people out on the ,saskatchewan and north of it anticipate being able to ship by the ,hudson bay route4 ,they are all expecting it4 ,they consider that there is not a question of doubt but that it will be successful4 ,they expect an open route via ,hudson bay for half of ,july1 all of ,august1 ,september1 ,october1 ,november and part of ,december4 ,witness was speaking from the information received from people who spent their lives on ,hudson bay4 ,many of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's officials came in to ,prince ,albert district to settle1 after they had been superannuated4 ,from information obtained from these old ,hudson's ,bay ,company's men1 his honest opinion was that it was a perfectly feasible route for the months he had given3--half of ,july1 all of ,august1 ,september1 ,october1 ,november and a part of ,december4 ,mr4 ,cook1 concluding1 remarked3 8,when you are shipping out your cattle1 you are sending them by the short route1 and the shrinkage will be light4 ,one feed1 and probably none at all1 would last to ,churchill4 ,the short route would also make it possible to ship out at least one-third of the crop before the frost sets in1 which would be a great relief to the settlers40 ,w4 ,f4 ,bredin1 ,esq41 member of the ,legislative ,assembly of ,alberta1 for the ,division of ,athabaska1 and residing at ,lesser ,slave lake1 was examined before the ,senate committee of #aijg and stated that at the date of his examination he had resided ten years in the country north of ,edmonton4 ,he had been from ,edmonton north to ,fort ,wrigley1 and he had been on ,peace river from ,fort ,st4 ,john1 thirty miles inside the ,british ,columbia line1 to about five hundred miles down the ,peace--from that point4 ,ten years previous to his examination he went down the ,athabaska to the ,mackenzie in boats4 ,mr4 ,bredin referred briefly to a trip he made east from ,athabaska district during the summer of #aijf1 when he travelled from ,mc,murray up ,clearwater river and thence across to ,prince ,albert4 ,the land on ,clearwater river for one hundred miles1 in the bottoms1 is very good4 ,it appeared to him1 from the river1 however1 to be very sandy back on the high rocks4 ,he should think there would be a good deal of rock and muskeg4 ,from where he left ,clearwater river in to ,prince ,albert1 on the ,north ,saskatchewan1 the country was more or less of a sandy nature4 ,there were beautiful lakes all the way1 filled with good whitefish and trout4 ,the whole northern country is that way4 ,in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 ,mr4 ,h4 ,a4 ,conroy remarked3--8,there is some good country along the ,clearwater--very nice country from an agricultural point of view40 ,,the ,,crean ,,reports4 ,a great amount of invaluable information as to the natural resources of the region south of ,churchill and ,clearwater rivers is contained in the report by ,frank ,j4 ,p4 ,crean1 ,c4,e41 of his explorations 7,see p4 #be7 in #aijh and #aiji4 ,it is interesting to note that this work of exploration was the first ever undertaken in a systematic way to ascertain the agricultural possibilities of ,canada's northland4 ,the late ,mr4 ,r4 ,e4 ,young1 ,superintendent of the ,railway ,lands ,branch of the ,department of the ,interior1 under whose direction1 and at whose instance1 these explorations were conducted1 in forwarding ,mr4 ,crean's first report1 wrote3--8,mr4 ,crean's report gives a great deal of useful information about the district1 and the results of his observations appear to shew that mixed farming may confidently be expected to prove successful over a large area4 ,when the country is made accessible by roads a considerable settlement of agriculturists may1 ,i think1 be looked for4 ,the country is also shewn by his report to be rich in natural resources40 ,in forwarding ,mr4 ,crean's second report to the minister1 ,mr4 ,young wrote3--8,the exploration in the year #aiji shows results even more satisfactory as to the possibilities of the country for settlement than the exploration of the previous year4 ,a very considerable proportion of the area explored is shewn by ,mr4 ,crean's observations to be well adapted for mixed farming and to have natural resources of timber1 hay1 fish and game which will be of much value to incoming settlers4 ,results of actual operations in cattle raising are of a most encouraging nature4 ,at and in the vicinity of ,meadow lake over one hundred miles north of ,battleford1 there are herds of cattle aggregating over three hundred1 and over fifty horses1 all of which are described as in a thriving condition4 ,at ,cowpar and ,winefred lakes towards the western part of the track explored and in ,clearwater valley to the north1 conditions seem also most promising for stock-raising4 ,it may be of interest to note here that recent reports of investigations in ,siberia1 ,mongolia and northern ,manchuria by the ,bureau of ,plant ,industry of the ,department of ,agriculture of the ,united ,states1 give accounts of the discovery of three varieties of yellow-flowered alfalfa which are found growing and thriving in a wild state under conditions of climate much more severe1 both as to cold in winter and snowfall1 than are to be found in any part of northwestern ,canada as far north as there are any claims made as to possibilities of settlement4 ,it may therefore be considered reasonably probable that whatever advantages alfalfa has over our native grasses as fodder are assured for all habitable parts of our north country40 ,as to the district about ,lac la ,ronge1 ,mr4 ,crean says in his report of #aijh3--8;,besides the mineral wealth supposed to be available there is also considerable land to be found capable of being tilled4 ,,it ,,is ,,no ,,experiment to endeavor to raise wheat in this section4 ,it has already been done4 ,stanley1 or as it is sometimes called ,stanley ,mission1 is worthy of special description4 ,it appears that ,stanley is one of the best known spots in the north4 ,the village or settlement is situated on a most picturesque point jutting into ,churchill river4 ,the country surrounding it is rolling1 and this adds considerably to the beauty of the locality4 ,from an agricultural standpoint the land is good4 ,the soil is a rich loam and the subsoil is sandy clay4 ,the loam1 however1 attains a great depth4 ,i put one hole down almost four feet and had not then struck a subsoil4 ,this1 however1 was exceptional4 ,stanley's fame rests altogether on the energy and initiative of ,reverend ,mr4 ,hunt1 a ,church of ,england clergyman1 and the founder of a ,church of ,england ,mission there about #ahea4 ,mr4 ,hunt1 as far as ,i could ascertain1 not only built the celebrated and beautiful church1 but also planted some wheat and barley4 ,this he found would grow successfully1 and he established a small mill to grind the wheat4 ,at first he used a hand mill1 which is still standing at the ,mission ,house4 ,later on1 however1 he built a small water power mill and for a number of years this was in operation1 used not only by the ,mission but also by the ,hudson's ,bay ,company40 ,,what ,a ,,missionary ,,is ,,doing4 ,on the north shore of the bay at the southwest end of the lake1 the ,church of ,england ,mission have a large school not yet completed1 and also an open air saw mill4 ,the ,reverend ,mr4 ,brown is in charge of the ,mission and is endeavouring to establish a farm in order to teach the natives to work4 ,he has some cattle1 pigs1 and poultry4 ,reverend ,mr4 ,brown has a good garden1 nothing in it suffering from frost4 ,at ,little ,hills1 just at the mouth of ,montreal river1 wheat has been grown successfully and ,mr4 ,brown intends putting in a crop this year4 ,i might here be permitted to say that the ,reverend ,mr4 ,brown1 who is materially assisted by his wife in his ,mission work1 is deserving of the most unstinted praise for his zeal and industry in the building up of the ,mission4 ,under somewhat disadvantageous circumstances he fills the several positions of minister of the gospel1 farm instructor and mechanic to his flock1 cheerfully and with good effect4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company had a good garden last year1 but most of the ground here is stony4 ,revillon ,frres have a post here and they1 too1 raise all the vegetables they require4 ,mr4 ,crean reports that on ,deer lake 7,montreal lake section7 8just east of the narrows a white man lives and he has a first class garden4 ,around ,deer lake the land is good and ,i see no difficulty in its development4 ,the soil at ,deer lake is a good light loam inclined to be sandy1 with a blue clay subsoil4 ,muskegs occur1 but they are generally small4 ,there is ample hay everywhere4 ,i fancy this country might profitably be surveyed and opened for settlement4 ,i did not travel to the east of ,montreal lake1 but from information obtained there is not any great difference in the country from the west side40 ,mr4 ,crean goes on to say that there has been no attempt at agriculture in ,snake lake and ,sandy river section4 8,the height of land dividing the water sheds of ,ile la ,crosse and ,sandy river is not very high but is clearly marked by a clay ridge4 ,this ridge has been burnt off in recent years and is covered with fallen timber and brul4 ,a poplar growth is springing up now4 ,this part of the section should make good agricultural country4 ,there is1 however1 a vast area of swamp in this section2 ,i cannot say if it could be drained4 ,sandy river flows through vast hay meadows4 ,these are not too wet and are by no means swamps4 ,of course most of the meadows would be improved by clearing of scrub bush40 ,illustration3 ,oat field at ,la ,plonge4 ,mr4 ,crean reports having seen wheat and oats growing at the ,roman ,catholic mission at the junction of ,beaver and ,la ,plonge rivers on ,september #d1 #aijh4 ,mr4 ,crean says in his report3--8,the wheat was a first attempt1 but will be tried on a much larger scale this year4 ,the small patch sown last year must have been put in late in the spring4 ,it appeared well matured but frosted2 this ,i fancy was due to its being planted close to the river4 ,the priest has cleared a good sized patch1 perhaps about ten acres1 which he intends sowing in wheat4 ,the oats were splendid and grew to a great height4 ,the vegetables were especially good4 ,the variety astonished me4 ,almost every vegetable was represented and appeared to thrive4 ,potatoes1 cabbage1 cauliflower1 lima beans1 green peas1 carrots1 turnips1 onions1 lettuce1 beets1 parsnips1 and tomatoes all growing splendidly4 ,i ,,never ,,saw ,a ,,better ,,garden1 and indeed ,i don't remember seeing as good in the west4 ,this garden is indicative of what can be done4 ,the land around the mission is all good and easily cleared as it is covered with poplar4 ,mr4 ,crean reports that in #aijh the priests at ,ile la ,crosse had about three acres in use as a garden4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's post had about thirty-five acres ploughed and five acres in oats1 which sell at that point at a dollar per bushel4 8,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company grows potatoes for sale1 but the native1 being almost entirely a flesh eater1 looks on vegetables with contempt40 ,mr4 ,crean stated that there were some good gardens at ,canoe lake4 ,one ,chipewyan grew some barley but cut it too soon4 ,at the southwest of ,canoe lake the country rises considerably1 and the soil is good4 ,there is no settlement but the country is adapted to farming4 ,illustration3 ,potatoes at ,buffalo river4 8,at ,buffalo river there is quite a large settlement of ,chipewyans4 ,they grow quite a little barley and some oats4 ,the ,chipewyans and some half-breeds seem not to care for flour when left alone and so they grow barley in preference to any other grain4 ,it is easier to cook1 being just thrown in soup4 ,the land on the northerly side of ,buffalo lake is good but there are no people living there4 ,the ,chipewyans at ,buffalo river told me that they never heard of the crop of barley being a failure for the past fifty years40 ,at ,methye lake1 according to ,mr4 ,crean's report1 there is a ,roman ,catholic ,mission near the east end1 and a priest1 ,father ,pinard1 is in charge4 ,he has a small garden and had a little patch of barley4 ,both did well4 ,at the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's post1 ten miles away1 on the west side of the lake1 there is a garden of about an acre4 ,it looked splendidly on ,september #ag4 ,the potato tops were not touched by frost4 ,the swamp through which ,methye river flows1 though very wet1 produces ,a ,,large ,,quantity ,,of ,,hay4 ,the winter supply of feed for the cattle on ,methye portage in its palmy days was grown at ,methye ,post and at ,buffalo lake at the mouth of ,methye river 7hence called ,bull's ,house71 but now there is no necessity for raising grain or fodder1 the ,hudson's ,bay ,company having abandoned this route to the ,mackenzie about the time of the ,riel ,rebellion in #ahhe4 ,mr4 ,crean says3--8,from conversation with the natives1 the priest and the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's manager1 ,i feel sure that the climate here would be quite favourable to wheat raising4 ,i am informed by the residents that this section is not affected by early frosts1 and the gardens which ,i saw certainly bear out their statements4 8,pigs will1 ,i firmly believe1 thrive well in the north1 and sheep will at any rate not suffer from the raids of the coyote4 8,although the north may never seriously compete with the more southerly latitudes in the wheat market1 still1 by judicious mixed farming1 it will eventually be equally productive and ,,support ,a ,,dense1 ,,thriving ,,population4 ,mr4 ,crean thus described ,clearwater river and valley3--8,the ,clearwater is a stream varying from one hundred to three hundred feet wide4 ,it is fairly rapid1 and generally about four feet deep4 ,at several points along the river there is a considerable fall where a substantial amount of power might be developed4 ,the valley is from half a mile to three miles wide1 and generally contains magnificent soil4 ,in the upper region the timber is large and almost completely covers the valley4 ,on the slopes of the valley1 which are from two hundred to six hundred feet long and rather steep1 the timber still continues1 poplar and some spruce1 but once the bench land is reached there are some large openings1 and hay meadows to be found4 ,when the railway reaches ,mc,murray1 there is no doubt that a large agricultural settlement will take possession of this beautiful valley40 ,mr4 ,crean writes in his report3--8,the valley of ,clearwater river would1 in my opinion1 be a magnificent cattle range1 and should be a farming country4 ,there are large open prairies1 and the grass is splendid4 ,vetch and pea-vine grow everywhere4 ,i was greatly impressed with ,clearwater valley2 it is quite similar to ,north ,saskatchewan valley4 ,the soil is a good loam with a sandy clay subsoil4 ,i had ample opportunity to observe it carefully as the whole place in the vicinity of the portage is pitted with prospect holes4 ,the loam would be about a foot deep on an average40 ,as to natural pasturage and hay in the area explored by him in #aijh1 ,mr4 ,crean states3--8,along ,big river in the southern portion of the tract is ,a ,,splendid ,,ranching ,,country4 ,hay abounds1 and water and shelter is easily obtained4 ,the country is principally open1 dotted with bluffs of poplar1 and hay is to be had everywhere4 ,the grass cures here and the rolling hills would be blown clear of snow which would afford a winter range for stock almost equal to the ,porcupine hills in southern ,alberta4 ,farther north1 however1 the country is too flat until ,methye portage is reached4 ,the valley of ,clearwater river below ,methye portage would furnish a cattle range that to my thinking would be hard to beat4 ,i am informed that there is even a better cattle range in the valley of ,pembina river1 southwest of ,methye portage1 but ,i did not see it4 ,generally speaking1 in my opinion mixed farming would be the industry best adapted to the entire tract explored4 ,everywhere ,i travelled there was an abundance of hay and along the main routes hay was stacked in quantities in many places but always with an eye to proximity to the trail4 ,sometimes the meadows would be small but always numerous4 ,at ,green lake there were particularly fine meadows1 and ,i am told to the west of it is even better40 ,mr4 ,crean1 in the report covering ,green lake1 ,ile la ,crosse1 ,methye portage1 ,snake lake and ,lac la ,ronge sections1 writes3--8,it may be said that the whole tract though not exactly fitted for agricultural settlement throughout in its present state1 is still capable of producing large quantities of cereals and farm produce and supporting a large population4 ,the over abundance of water and lack of natural drainage1 causing large swamps and muskegs1 might in my opinion be easily remedied by clearing out some of the rapids on ,churchill river and providing outlets for the surplus water where natural outlets are lacking40 ,mr4 ,crean has the following general remarks to make as to the soil of the district covered by his explorations in #aijh3--8,the soil throughout the district varies so much that a general report of it would be inadequate4 ,in the southeasterly portion the soil is good1 being a light loam1 with a blue clay subsoil2 towards the west the soil is light loam with sandy clay subsoil4 ,north of ,montreal lake the soil is still good but large stones occur more frequently till at ,lac la ,ronge rock outcrop is met with4 ,there are of course fertile spots where the soil attains a considerable depth1 but no large compact areas of land occur in the northeastern part of the tract explored1 except at ,stanley1 where perhaps three thousand acres of arable lands may be found in one block4 ,to the west of ,lac la ,ronge though rock outcrop continues2 fertile spots occur more frequently1 till at ,trout lake there is no sign of rock4 ,the soil around ,trout lake is light and rather sandy4 ,muskegs occur frequently until ,snake lake is reached4 ,sandy river flows through a large hay meadow1 bounded on the west by a muskeg or peat bog1 extending westerly to ,ile la ,crosse lake4 ,this hay meadow varies in width from one quarter of a mile to three miles4 ,abundance of good hay might be cut along this river4 ,this whole country between ,snake lake and ,ile la ,crosse lake1 ,,needs ,,drainage and there are few high spots in it except along the shore of the lakes or rivers4 ,on the west side of ,ile la ,crosse settlement there is practically no land fit at present for cultivation1 the country being all low and almost a muskeg4 ,i explored this side pretty thoroughly for a distance of about sixty miles and found it to be practically all the same1 and almost the same level as the lake4 ,along what is termed ,deep river1 connecting ,ile la ,crosse lake and ,little ,buffalo lake1 the banks are higher and the land good1 but this is only a fringe along the river1 seldom extending more than half a mile inland4 ,these muskegs could1 of course1 be easily drained4 ,the soil around ,buffalo lake is light1 but appears to be fertile4 ,it is generally a light loam rather inclined to be sandy1 with a sandy subsoil4 ,in some places the soil is much heavier and is very fertile4 ,methye river flows through an immense swamp1 which extends for miles on each side1 no ridges being even in sight4 ,at ,methye lake the soil is very much better1 being a heavy loam varying from eighteen inches to almost any depth4 ,once the height of land at ,methye portage is crossed on the portage1 the whole country towards the west takes on a far better aspect1 and the soil appears to be as good as could be desired40 ,with special reference to climatic conditions1 ,mr4 ,crean1 in the report of his explorations in #aijh1 says3--8,the climate seems well adapted for raising any cereal4 ,in fact1 wherever wheat has been tried it has grown successfully4 ,at ,methye portage1 which is considerably north 7,latitude #ef #ce #aa71 oats and barley have been grown4 ,wheat was not tried1 but ,i feel sure it would grow successfully1 notwithstanding the relatively high altitude4 ,methye portage has an altitude of about one thousand six hundred and seventy-seven feet as compared with one thousand three hundred and ninety-eight feet at ,prince ,albert4 ,it is very much above the general level of the country to the south and east40 ,,low ,,altitude ,,and ,,long ,,summer ,,day4 ,mr4 ,crean quotes ,professor ,john ,macoun's remark that 8in considering the possibilities of agricultural development of all this modern country1 one fact to be kept steadily in mind is the advantage of the low altitude and the long day1 which are fixed conditions and will always remain the same10 and gives a table verified by ,doctor ,w4 ,f4 ,king1 ,chief ,astronomer of the ,department of the ,interior1 to compare the hours of sunshine on specified days during the summer at ,ottawa1 ,prince ,albert1 and ,methye portage4 ,on ,may #a the length of the day between sunrise and sunset at ,ottawa 7#de north latitude7 is #ad hours1 #d minutes2 at ,prince ,albert 7#ec north latitude7 #ad hours1 #df minutes2 at ,methye portage 7#ef4cf north latitude7 #ae hours1 #ab minutes4 ,june #bj1 the hours of sunshine are as follows3--,ottawa1 #ae hours1 #bf minutes2 ,prince ,albert1 #af hours1 #db minutes2 ,methye portage #ag hours1 #cj minutes4 ,for ,august #bj the figures are3--,ottawa1 #ac hours1 #db minutes2 ,prince ,albert1 #ad hours1 #ag minutes2 ,methye portage1 #ad hours1 #cf minutes4 ,mr4 ,crean states that in #aijh 8,the first frost registered by my thermometer was on ,october #b1 when the thermometer fell to #bd degrees ,fahr4 ,i was at ,methye portage on ,september #ag1 and the potato tops were not frozen in the least4 ,the garden was also quite untouched4 ,nor had ,i seen any frozen vegetables on the way up4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,the lakes began to freeze on ,october #bj1 but remained open for perhaps two weeks1 the weather turning quite mild again4 ,there was not sufficient snow to travel with dogs until ,november #bj1 and the snow was not deep until ,december #ae4 ,the rainfall in this district is ample1 though not excessive1 and its uniformity from year to year is a valuable feature4 ,as far as ,i could learn the heaviest rains occur in the early summer ,,just ,,when ,,rain ,,is ,,most ,,needed for agricultural operations4 ,the snow fall is not generally heavy1 seldom exceeding eighteen inches1 and1 as with the rainfall1 is uniform40 ,illustration3 ,green ,lake settlement4 ,as to agriculture1 actual and possible1 in ,green lake district1 ,mr4 ,crean reports3--8,at and around the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's post on the north end of ,green lake there is a considerable settlement of half-breeds4 ,a ,roman ,catholic mission is established here4 ,revillon ,frres have also a post4 ,the priest has a good garden having all kinds of vegetables1 and also a small fruit garden growing currants1 gooseberries1 raspberries and strawberries4 ,these all thrive and mature4 ,green lake is important as a stopping place for freighters in winter and consequently large quantities of hay are stacked4 ,some oats and barley are grown but no real effort has been made to farm4 ,father ,teston of the mission says that he has grown oats and barley for fifteen years in succession and so far has not had a failure4 ,i interviewed a native named ,morin1 who said that he had grown potatoes1 oats and barley in small quantities for thirty-five years and could not recall having ever had a failure4 ,he has never kept a record of when he sowed or when he harvested1 neither has the ,reverend ,father4 ,morin owns thirty-five head of cattle and twelve head of horses4 ,he has sown wheat on six or seven occasions and it always ripened4 ,in his opinion there is no doubt that wheat could be raised anywhere in the locality4 ,the ice in ,green lake goes out early and it is generally very late before it freezes4 ,the summers are always warm and there is ample rain4 ,the gardens1 which ,i saw here1 were certainly fine although they were not cared for as they should have been4 ,weeds were allowed to grow in profusion40 ,in his report of his explorations in #aiji along the west side of ,green lake1 ,mr4 ,crean wrote3--8,the crops were not very far advanced when ,i was there1 nor indeed did any resident sow grain to any extent4 ,there was a small field of oats1 a small field of barley and the usual gardens4 ,the gardens1 as is customary in the fur country1 are neglected2 but yet the vegetables seem to grow in profusion4 ,lettuce and radishes in fourteen days grow from the seed to a size fit for table use4 ,on ,sunday1 ,july #ad1 ,i saw some radishes one and one-half inches in diameter1 fourteen days' growth40 ,,meadow ,,lake ,,district4 ,illustration3 ,oat field at ,meadow lake4 ,mr4 ,crean reports most favourably on ,meadow lake district1 west of ,green lake4 ,he says3--8,this section of the country is practically prairie and contains1 in my opinion1 some of the very finest farm land in ,canada4 ,the soil is exceedingly rich1 there being in some portions twenty-four inches black loam1 with clay subsoil4 ,the open prairie country is perhaps twelve miles wide1 and extends from ,meadow lake almost to the fourth meridian4 ,at the ,indian ,farm ,instructor's house there was a plot of about five acres of the finest of banner oats4 ,i could not obtain any data as to when these oats had been planted1 but saw it on ,august #a1 when it looked very well with good promise of ripening in plenty of time before the frosts4 ,a settler named ,evans is situated on the northern boundary of the ,indian ,reserve4 ,in his garden ,i saw beans1 tomatoes1 peas1 cauliflower1 onions1 carrots and parsnips1 all doing very well4 ,mr4 ,evans came into this country last winter1 at least just before the spring1 broke this land1 harrowing it as well as possible1 and planted a garden on the sod on ,june #ab4 ,at ,meadow lake there are two or three large herds of cattle which are thriving well4 ,the grass at ,meadow lake grows perfectly1 and is of the very finest quality for feed4 ,the snow may be deep here1 but hay is so easily procured that ,i am of the opinion that it would balance the scarcity of winter range4 ,there was considerable disagreement amongst the people living in this country as to whether the grass really ripened4 ,i satisfied myself later on 7in ,october7 that it really does ripen4 ,the few settlers agree that two loads of hay will winter one animal1 that is1 two loads for each head of stock1 whether yearling or full grown4 ,hay grows in such profusion that two loads to the animal could easily be obtained for even a large herd of cattle4 ,there is little doubt that cattle fed and finished make better beef than range cattle1 and the opportunity of procuring finishing food 7ensilage7 is always present in the northern latitudes4 ,hay here is by no means slough grass1 but it is the ,,finest ,,of ,,northern ,,upland ,,hay40 ,professor ,john ,macoun speaks in the highest terms of the nutriment contained in this kind of hay4 ,that there is ample of it is a certainty4 ,an old settler in this country is ,cyprian ,morin1 who is a fine specimen of the old half-breed or native2 born at ,methye portage in #ahcd1 he is now as active as a man of thirty4 ,morin's mother died four years ago at the age of one hundred and nine years4 ,she was at that time quite capable of doing a good deal of work2 in fact1 ,i am told1 attended to all the baking4 ,morin who runs a trading post and has raised barley and garden vegetables every year for twenty years1 has also eighty head of cattle and some thirty five horses2 he has never tried wheat4 ,he says that the grass must ripen in this country 7and it does71 as the horses remain fat all winter4 ,about eight miles to the west of ,morin1 a man named ,fiddler has located1 who has one hundred and fifty head of cattle and sixteen horses4 ,last winter his losses were extremely heavy4 ,he told me that he lost seventy head of cattle1 but said that it was because the cattle had not recovered from their travelling over the trail from ,battleford4 ,william ,la,ronde who also lives in this locality1 his place being situated on ,meadow lake1 has fifty head of cattle1 all doing well4 ,reverend ,father ,cochin has lately opened a mission here1 and has a rather nice little church1 which is not yet finished4 ,he has a good garden this year40 ,with reference generally1 to the whole area of country explored by him in #aiji1 ,mr4 ,crean stated in his report3--8,in estimating the area of land available in its present state for agriculture1 ,i do not wish it to be understood that it is one large tract1 but that ten million acres of land in large and small tracts out of the total is capable of producing crops1 which will enable settlers to make a comfortable livelihood4 ,the land is almost entirely covered by a growth of small poplar4 ,there are some open places and a good deal of swamp4 ,i will1 however1 refer to this when dealing in detail with the tract4 ,the climatic conditions prevailing throughout offer no obstacle to farming1 and wherever experiments in agriculture have been attempted they have always been successful40 ,,whitefish ,,lake ,,district4 ,mr4 ,crean has this to say of ,whitefish lake district 7southwest of ,methye lake71 which he explored in #aiji3--8,this section lies almost upon the height of land between ,arctic ocean and ,hudson bay4 ,the land is drier and of a better quality than that to be found at or around ,buffalo lake2 still1 as is often the case in this north country1 one finds muskegs1 almost impassable1 either on top of1 or very often half way up a considerable hill4 ,there are a great number of muskegs between ,methye portage and ,whitefish lake1 the country being flat and in need of draining4 ,whitefish lake is two hundred and forty feet higher than ,methye lake1 that portage which leads from it to ,gypsy lake 7eight miles in length7 crossing the actual height of land4 ,from ,gypsy lake the water empties into the ,clearwater1 thence to the ,athabaska and ,arctic ocean4 ,the natives at ,whitefish lake grow turnips1 carrots1 parsnips and potatoes1 but lack seed of any other kind4 ,the potatoes are completely worn out and change of seed is certainly necessary4 ,going southwest from ,whitefish lake towards ,pembina river1 the land improves1 some very fine semi-open country being encountered4 ,the ,indians at ,whitefish lake1 who travel a great deal1 use horses rather than canoes4 ,the horses which ,i saw were not noticeable either for their condition or their breeding1 the former being extremely poor1 and the latter being absent1--,indian cayuses of the common type40 ,,waterhen ,,lake ,,district4 ,as to ,waterhen lake district north of and across ,beaver river from ,meadow lake district1 ,mr4 ,crean1 in his #aiji report1 states3--8,the country surrounding ,waterhen lake is for the most part good1 especially that portion which lies to the west of the lake1 where there is some very fine land4 ,hay grows everywhere1 and though the country can generally be considered wooded there are large openings4 ,the land around ,island river and ,island lake 7,lac des ,isles7 is included in this tract4 ,from ,island lake to ,beaver river there is a portage of twelve miles1 which passes through the finest semi-open country4 ,pea vine and vetch are found in abundance4 ,this good land extends to the fourth meridian1 perhaps beyond1 but ,i did not go any farther4 ,no crops are grown4 ,indians there depend entirely on game1 fish and fur for a somewhat precarious living4 ,waterhen river passes through a very large hay swamp shortly after flowing out of ,waterhen lake4 ,as it approaches ,beaver river1 however1 the land becomes more of a muskeg1 and although there are ridges containing arable land1 the whole country may be taken to be sorely in need of drainage40 ,mr4 ,crean did not go into the region north of ,clearwater river1 but he made enquiries regarding it1 and has the following to say about it in his report3--8,the country to the north of the ,clearwater has not been explored even by fur-traders or ,indians4 ,occasionally one meets a half-breed who has travelled through it1 and the rumour current amongst the fur-traders is that the country contains nothing but small lakes1 jackpine and rock outcrop4 ,still1 the ,indians who trap in this country kill nothing but beaver1 which1 it is well known1 live upon poplar2 therefore ,i concluded the country must be a poplar country and of some promise agriculturally40 ,,north ,,of ,,the ,,churchill4 ,most of the information we possess as to the most northern portion of the region under review1 namely the country north of ,churchill river1 is contained in the report by ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell of the exploration conducted by him in #ahib4 ,this report covers an area of about sixty thousand square miles1 bounded on the south by ,churchill and ,clearwater rivers2 on the west by the lower portion of ,athabaska river2 on the north by ,athabaska lake1 ,stone river1 with its expansions1 ,black and ,hatchet lakes1 ,wollaston lake and ,cochrane or ,ice river2 on the east by the lower part of ,cochrane river1 ,reindeer lake and ,reindeer river4 ,it lies between north latitudes #ee #bj and #ei #cg1 and east longtitude #aja and #aaa #cj4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 in his report1 gives some interesting information as to the great lakes and the rivers which are such conspicuous topographical features of this area4 ,reindeer lake1 from which ,reindeer river flows1 has an area of about two thousand two hundred square miles1 and an elevation above the sea of one thousand one hundred and fifty feet4 ,its water is very pure and clear4 ,wollaston lake is a large body of beautifully clear transparent water lying in a general north-and-south direction1 with a greatest length of about fifty-five miles and an approximate area of eight hundred square miles4 ,though smaller than ,reindeer lake1 it is very similar to it in general character4 ,very many rocky islands rise abruptly out of its clear blue water4 ,wollaston lake is the dividing line between the waters flowing to ,churchill river and those flowing to the ,mackenzie1 for it is not only drained by ,cochrane river1 toward the ,churchill1 but ,stone river flows from its northwestern side1 towards ,lake ,athabaska4 ,lake ,athabaska lies in a general east-northeasterly and west-southwesterly direction1 its southwestern end being in northern ,alberta4 ,this lake has a greatest length of one hundred and ninety-five miles1 a greatest width of thirty-five miles1 a shore-line of four hundred and twenty-five miles and a total area of two thousand eight hundred and fifty square miles4 ,its depth has not yet been determined4 ,cree lake is a large elongated body of pure transparent water lying in a general northeast and southwest direction1 with a greatest length of forty-nine miles and a width as yet undetermined4 ,cree river discharges its waters towards ,lake ,athabaska4 ,geikie river is1 as far as is known1 the principal tributary of ,wollaston lake4 ,it rises in some small lakes near the source of ,foster river1 and flows northeastward through a thickly drift-covered country4 ,for long stretches it is straight and without current1 giving the appearance of a wide1 quiet river1 or a chain of long narrow lakes4 ,the principal tributaries of the ,churchill river on the north are ,mudjatik1 ,haultain1 ,foster and ,reindeer rivers4 ,mudjatik river is a swift1 winding stream about eighty miles in length1 generally flowing in a shallow channel through a sandy plain1 in the bottom of a wide depression between ridges of granite4 ,it is obstructed by comparatively few rapids1 and these are for the most part over ridges of boulders4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 and his assistant1 ,mr4 ,dowling1 considered the whole of the far northern part of this region as ,,absolutely ,,unsuitable ,,for ,,agriculture4 ,it is mentioned1 in the report1 that1 under the trees at ,white ,spruce rapid1 on ,geikie river1 pembina berries1 raspberries1 etc41 were growing in profusion in ,july1 but no areas of arable land were found4 ,all references to the soil are unfavourable1 these for instance3--8,there is no soil of any value for agricultural purposes along ,mudjatik river40 8,the country surrounding ,cree river is sandy and very barren40 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,northern ,,saskatchewan4 ,tree ,growth and ,timber ,resources4 ,a ,rare ,bit of ,sylvan ,beauty4--,ash-,leaved ,maples ,successfully ,grown ,from ,seed4--,notes by ,the ,way on ,available ,water ,powers4--,much ,country ,covered with ,small ,timber ,not ,generally of ,commercial ,value4--,some ,areas of ,good ,timber ,which ,will be ,invaluable ,to the ,settlers4 ,the wide belt of territory north of the ,saskatchewan as far northward as ,churchill and ,clearwater rivers1 is pre-eminently a wooded country1 its resources in the way of timber being very valuable1 and its forest-clothed mounds1 river valleys and lake basins imparting to it a beautiful park-like appearance in marked contrast to the more monotonous scenery of the great prairie country south of the ,saskatchewan4 ,there is little doubt that the scenic beauties of the region1 by attracting travellers1 will1 when there is railway communication1 contribute materially to the development of the natural resources of this extremely promising portion of the1 as yet1 unexploited northwest4 ,included in this territory is the famous scenery of ,methye portage1 which for upwards of a century has excited the admiration of explorers and travellers as perhaps the most superb natural panorama of forest scenery in ,north ,america4 ,of the many books and diaries of men who have had the privilege of enjoying this view1 there is not one which omits to pay tribute to its beauty4 ,alexander ,mackenzie1 in the account of his trip of #aghi1 describes the height of land overlooking the ,clearwater from ,methye portage as commanding 8a most extensive1 romantic and ravishing prospect4 ,from here the eye looks down on the course of the little river1 by some called ,swan river1 by others ,clearwater or ,pelican river1 beautifully meandering for upwards of thirty miles4 ,the valley1 which is at once refreshed and adorned by it1 is about three miles in breadth and is confined by two lofty ridges of equal height1 displaying a most beautiful intermixture of wood and lawn1 and stretching on till the blue mist obscures the prospect4 ,some parts of the inclining heights are covered with stately forests1 relieved by promontories of the finest verdure1 where the elk and buffalo find pasture4 ,these are contrasted by spots where fire has destroyed the woods and left a dreary void behind it4 4 4 4 4 4 4 40 ,mackenzie1 further1 declares this 8enchanting scenery0 to be a 8wonderful display of uncultivated nature40 ,,most ,,delightful ,,natural ,,scenery4 ,harmon1 writing in #ahjj1 gives us the following as his impression of this view3--8,about a mile from this end of the portage is a hill1 which towers majestically to the height of a thousand feet above the plain below1 and which commands a most extensive and delightful prospect4 ,two lofty and extensive ridges enclose a valley about three miles in width1 which stretches far as the eye can reach4 ,little river1 which is also1 by different persons1 denominated ,swan1 ,clearwater1 or ,pelican river1 winds in a most delightful manner along this charming valley4 ,the majestic forests1 which wave upon these ridges1 the delightful verdure of the intervening lawn1 and the beautiful stream which wanders along through it1 giving a pleasing variety to the scene1 until these objects become blended with the horizon1 form1 on the whole1 the most delightful natural scenery that ,i ever beheld40 ,sir ,john ,franklin1 in his account of his expeditions1 writing of the view from the heights above the ,clearwater at ,methye portage1 describes it as 8the most picturesque and romantic prospect we had yet seen in this country4 ,two ranges of high hills run parallel to each other for several miles until the faint blue haze hides their particular characters1 when they slightly change their course and are lost to the view40 ,captain 7later ,sir7 ,george ,back makes enthusiastic references to this beautiful view1 for instance the following3--8,a thousand feet below1 the sylvan landscape lay spread before us1 to the extent of thirty-six miles1 in all the wild luxuriance of its summer clothing4 ,even the most jaded of the party1 as he broke from the gloom of the wood on this enchanting scene1 seemed to forget his weariness1 and halted involuntarily with his burden ,,to ,,gaze ,,for ,a ,,moment1 with a sort of wondering admiration1 on a spectacle so novel and magnificent4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,there is something appalling in the vastness of a solitude like this40 ,sir ,george ,simpson1 in his narrative1 speaks of 8that noble view of ,clearwater river which has been drawn with so much truth and beauty by ,sir ,george ,back40 ,bishop ,tache1 in the accounts of his travels1 writes of the ,clearwater3--8,this delightful little stream1 rising to the east of ,methye portage has1 up to the present time1 and in spite of the difficulties of navigation1 enjoyed almost the exclusive privilege of supplying a route to ,athabaska-,mackenzie4 ,on descending the heights of ,methye portage one takes boat on this little river which1 in order to keep the traveller in the midst of the beauties it presents to his view1 places obstructions in the way1 necessitating the portages of ,white ,mud1 the ,pines1 ,bigstone1 the ,horse and the ,cascades40 ,the early travellers were also impressed with the fine trees in this section of the northwest1 and occasionally mention extra fine groves which attracted their attention4 ,for instance1 ,simpson speaks of 8firs of great size0 on a projecting point in ,methye lake1 and1 referring to one of his camps in ,clearwater valley1 says3--8,one of the pines1 under shelter of which we took up our night's lodgings1 measured three yards in girth at five feet from the ground40 ,as in other parts of ,canada1 forest fires have wrought dreadful havoc in parts of this belt1 but there still remains considerable areas of good timber4 ,the ,venerable ,archdeacon ,mc,kay1 in his examination before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 stated that as to the country around ,lac la ,ronge there is timber all through it1 wherever it has not been destroyed by fires4 ,he explained that he put up a sawmill operated by water power at ,lac la ,ronge in #aijf4 ,the logs that are sawn there are the kind of timber found in that part of the country4 ,they average seventeen logs to the thousand feet4 ,they would be logs fourteen or fifteen feet long4 ,the diameter would be about two feet across at the butt--good1 large logs1 clean timber1 very much the same timber as at ,prince ,albert4 ,this good timber is scattered all over the country1 sometimes for miles4 ,it depends on the nature of the country4 ,asked how far this timber area would outskirt to the east1 west and north1 the ,archdeacon replied he would say that kind of country extended all the way through right down to ,lac la ,ronge1 and down all the way to the border of the province4 ,although he had not been through it1 he had travelled backwards and forwards on it a good deal1 visited ,indian camps and so on1 and it is very much the same kind of timber all through4 ,in some places it is muskeg1 and in some places heavy timber4 ,reindeer lake is not north of the tree limit4 ,there are trees there1 but they are small4 ,they do not grow so large as farther south4 ,it is a good way north of ,reindeer lake before the barren grounds are reached4 ,the ,archdeacon had never been farther north than ,reindeer lake4 ,,timber ,,about ,,lac ,,la ,,ronge4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell describes the country immediately north of the ,saskatchewan as a thickly wooded belt1 8which contains a large quantity of timber1 chiefly white spruce1 trees up to eighteen inches in diameter4 ,it is a wooded country with trees from twelve to eighteen inches in diameter1 tall with clean trunks--good1 nice timber4 ,of course1 the timber does not grow as large on high1 dry1 sandy ridges as it grows in the valleys4 ,most of the timber is in good soil in the valley bottoms1 but there is more or less land all over4 ,the poplar and birch affects the higher land1 and the spruce and hemlock the valleys40 ,mr4 ,dowling states that the sides of ,green lake are 8densely wooded with poplar and spruce40 ,,pioneer ,,arboriculture4 ,speaking of his visit to ,ile la ,crosse lake1 ,mr4 ,dowling states in his report3--8,some ash-leaved maples had been planted in the garden of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's post1 which are now from ten to fifteen feet high1 quite healthy and bearing abundant seed40 ,according to ,mr4 ,dowling's report 8,the timber in the rocky country bordered by the southern shore of ,lac la ,ronge is not large or abundant4 ,southward there is some improvement1 and large individual spruce trees occur occasionally4 ,the #8lob sticks' at ,big ,stone1 ,hudson's ,bay ,company's post1 are fine examples of these4 ,on ,montreal river1 small ,banksian pine cover the eastern slope of the sandy plateau4 ,no large timber1 spruce or pine1 is seen till near the lake1 where at the southern end some groves of large spruce occur4 ,on the watershed south of ,montreal and ,deer lakes the largest timber is seen4 ,here the formation of the country is evidently morainic1 but southward the country slopes gently towards ,saskatchewan river40 ,,some ,,merchantable ,,timber ,,areas4 ,mr4 ,crean reports that a considerable quantity of merchantable spruce timber is to be found in ,methye lake section4 ,there is some remarkably fine spruce along the banks of ,whitefish river1 and it extends in not very dense forest across to ,methye lake1 a distance of about eight miles4 ,summarizing the results of his explorations in #aijh1 ,mr4 ,crean reports4--8,although numerous prairie openings occur1 this tract may be spoken of as practically covered with small timber not generally of any commercial value4 ,the poplar is the principal growth1 and1 following the rule so well known throughout the western prairie country1 indicates good land4 ,some spruce is found and large quantities of small second growth jackpine4 ,there is some tamarack4 ,there is1 of course1 no white or red pine4 ,the poplar in some places would make fine pulpwood or barrel staves4 ,generally speaking it is of no commercial value4 ,there are several small groves of good spruce along ,churchill river1 and at ,methye portage there is a large quantity of good spruce4 ,along ,whitefish river the timber is large and of good quality4 ,on both the east and west side of ,green lake some good timber is found but it is scattered4 ,generally there is ample timber for settlers' use1 but not enough to supply any lumber industry4 8,throughout this district there are many points where a large amount of water power could be developed1 and there are numerous small power sites4 ,the district might be utilized so as to create great industrial centres4 ,the great advantage of the numerous water powers is the fact that sufficient power can be obtained at many points to supply the needs of a fair sized community4 ,on almost every stream there are sites where small powers could be easily developed and grist mills1 saw mills1 lighting and pumping plants could be operated at the minimum of expense4 ,i did not gauge or measure the possibilities of any of the water powers1 but made rough estimates of a few prominent ones4 ,on ,beaver river at what is termed ,grand rapids probably ,,ten ,,thousand ,,horse ,,power ,,could ,,be ,,developed4 ,rapid river1 which enters the ,churchill about seven miles below ,stanley1 falls seventy feet in one cascade4 ,this should afford a large amount of power4 ,churchill river between ,ile la ,crosse lake and ,knee lake1 a distance of about twenty-five miles1 has a fall of eighty feet4 ,this fall is practically all in three rapids1 all of which have sharp descents4 ,at one rapid there is a cascade eight feet high4 ,all the tributaries on the north side of the ,churchill afford ample opportunity of development of power4 ,mudjatik river is a series of water-falls40 ,mr4 ,crean1 in his report of #aiji1 says3--8,waterhen river is very rapid1 and along it are several small falls and steep descents4 ,these would be ample to develop power for a small community1 but not enough for any commercial proposition4 ,on ,clearwater river occurs one of the best commercial water powers which ,i have seen4 ,it could be easily and inexpensively developed40 ,all reports agree in saying that there are numerous water powers susceptible of development throughout the area under review1 but there is not much detailed information given on this point4 ,illustration3 ,prairie along ,clearwater river4 ,mr4 ,crean reports that along ,whitefish river there is a considerable quantity of good tamarack1 but explains that although this timber would be extremely useful to any settler going into the country1 he did not think there was sufficient for any commercial project4 ,there is a considerable quantity of timber north of ,waterhen lake and river4 ,there are several scattered clumps of fine spruce in this locality which are passed on the string of small portages when one is travelling from ,waterhen lake to ,island river4 ,the diameter would average perhaps twelve inches1 but running up to twenty-four inches4 ,,the ,,native ,,timber ,,trees4 ,mr4 ,crean incorporates in his report the following description1 with comparative values1 of the most common kinds of timber found in the north3-- 87#a74 ,white ,spruce 7,picea canadensis 7,mill7 ,b41 ,s4 ,p47 ,the wood is light1 soft1 not very strong1 straight grained1 light yellow1 with hardly distinguishable sapwood4 ,this is the best tree for lumber purposes in the northern forest1 and is also one of the best for pulpwood4 ,it usually grows on higher ground than the black spruce4 87#b7 ,black ,spruce 7,picea mariana 7,mill71 ,b41 ,s4 ,p47 ,the wood resembles closely that of the white spruce1 and as lumber or pulpwood no distinction is made between them4 ,the wood has a slight red tinge and has paler sapwood4 ,the black spruce grows usually in muskegs and low places and owing to the coldness of the soil does not grow fast1 and is usually small1 not usually over six or eight inches in diameter4 87#c74 ,jackpine 7,pinus ,banksiana1 ,am47 ,the wood is light1 soft1 not very strong1 close grained and dark1 nearly brown in colour1 with light thick sapwood4 ,this tree is used mostly for railway ties and fuel1 but is manufactured into lumber to some extent4 ,it is not equal in colour or smoothness to the wood of the spruce4 ,it is used for pulp1 but has not so fine a fibre or colour as the spruce4 87#d74 ,tamarack 7,larix americana1 ,michx47 ,the wood is light brown1 heavy1 hard1 strong1 rather coarse grained and very durable4 ,it is used for railway ties1 posts and dimension timbers4 ,it is not sawn into lumber1 being more useful for other purposes1 and is not used for pulp4 87#e74 ,poplar1 ,aspen or ,white ,poplar 7,populus tremuloides1 ,michx47 ,the wood is light brown with almost white sapwood4 ,it is smooth and easily worked4 ,it is used for pulp and is cut into lumber for inside finish4 ,as it is a widely extended and quick growing tree it is used largely for fuel4 ,next to the spruce it is the most valuable tree for pulp4 ,it is manufactured largely into finer grades of paper by the soda process4 87#f74 ,balsam or ,black ,poplar 7,populus balsamifera74 ,the wood is light brown1 with thick sapwood4 ,it is rather coarse and not strong4 ,it is chiefly used for fuel1 though sometimes cut into boards where other lumber is not available4 ,it is not so valuable as the aspen poplar4 87#g74 ,birch 7,betula papyrifera1 ,marsh74 ,the wood is light1 strong1 tough1 hard1 very close grained1 light brown1 tinged with red1 with thick1 nearly white sapwood4 ,it is used for spools1 lasts and turned work generally4 ,birch fibre is short and brittle1 and not easily bleached1 and is not suitable for pulp40 ,,reindeer ,,lake ,,and ,,river4 ,the district north of ,churchill and ,clearwater rivers1 authorities agree1 is only thinly wooded1 the growth becoming smaller towards the northern limit4 ,according to ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 the banks of ,churchill river from ,methye portage to the north of ,reindeer river are low and thickly wooded with spruce and poplar4 ,white spruce 7,picea ,alba7 forms some groves of fair size in the bottom lands along ,reindeer river near ,churchill river1 but farther north it is rarely seen except in some particularly favorable localities4 ,one small isolated grove of white spruce was found in a high sandy island in ,hatchet lake1 standing out conspicuously in the midst of the surrounding forest of small black spruce4 ,poplar 7,populus tremuloides7 and ,birch 7,betula papyrifera7 are the only remaining trees of any importance4 ,they are chiefly found in the vicinity of ,churchill river1 though small scattered trees were seen on the banks of ,stone river4 ,the rocky shores and islands of ,reindeer lake are generally thinly covered with a sparse growth of small1 black spruce4 ,the irregular shores of ,wollaston lake are chiefly composed of thinly wooded1 rocky hills4 ,geikie river flows between low1 sparsely-wooded banks4 ,the banks of ,mudjatik river are thinly wooded with ,banksian pine and spruce4 ,as to ,cree river1 surrounding country is sandy and very barren supporting but a scanty growth of black spruce and ,banksian pine1 with very little underbrush4 ,some fine1 large1 white spruce were noticed at spots on ,geikie river4 ,,near ,,lake ,,athabaska4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell mentions that along the northeast shore of ,lake ,athabaska1 8,some good white spruce1 up to fourteen inches in diameter1 is growing on the points40 ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 in speaking of the forests of the country north of the ,churchill1 explained that far in the north there is the tract of country that has no trees on it2 then a belt of country from one to two hundred miles in width1 with small ,banksian pine1 spruce1 larch1 poplar and some white birch4 ,he would not consider any of those woods valuable for timber purposes1 except locally4 ,they would serve for pulpwood1 but the growth is not thick4 ,still over considerable areas there might1 of course1 be a large quantity of timber for pulpwood4 ,in that belt the trees would average probably six inches4 ,occasionally you would find some a good deal larger4 ,the poplar grows on the drier lands4 ,it is not an indication of good land in an extremely northern country4 ,it indicates a dry1 sandy soil1 but further south it indicates excellent soil4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,northern ,,saskatchewan4 ,economic ,minerals4 ,a ,large ,amount of ,iron ,ore in the ,northeastern ,corner of the ,region1 on the ,north ,east ,side of ,lake ,athabaska4--,indications ,favourable for the ,discovery of ,coal4--,nickel and ,traces of ,cobalt on ,reindeer lake4--,medicinal ,waters4--,bituminous ,springs and ,pit ,coal on ,cree river4--,tar ,sands ,near ,buffalo lake4 ,in the report of his explorations in #ahib and #ahic1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell notes the occurrence of several areas of ,huronian quartzite along the northeast side of ,lake ,athabaska4 ,in one case1 he states3--8,at a distance of a mile and a half from this island 7four miles and a half east of ,beaver ,lodge island7 in a direction north #ff east1 a conspicuous red hill rises one hundred and twenty-five feet above the water1 its abrupt red cliff standing out boldly towards the southwest4 ,on its northeastern side1 at its base1 it is composed of thinly fissile quartzose schist1 very much reddened1 striking north #cj west1 and dipping south #fj west1 at an angle of #aj4 ,farther up the side of the hill the rock is a quartzite1 interbedded with layers of hematite1 which in some places forms the larger part of the mass4 ,the summit of the hill1 several hundred yards in length1 is composed of a highly hematitic quartzite1 mingled with a large quantity of limonite1 especially on the higher points4 ,in places the rock is a conglomerate1 with quartz pebbles1 and a matrix of limonite4 ,other similar red hills can be seen in the distance on the strike of the rocks1 and the total amount of iron here and in the vicinity is doubtless very large40 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 stated that from a line at ,cumberland ,house1 on ,saskatchewan river1 northwestward to ,churchill river1 and westward along ,churchill river1 the country to the south is underlaid by the more recent clay rocks of the plains1 and the mineral wealth that is to be looked for there is ,,coal ,,and ,,iron4 ,he had considerable confidence in both those most useful products being found in that country4 ,coal is found on ,saskatchewan river at ,edmonton1 and on ,pembina river1 west of ,edmonton1 and there are several more outcroppings of coal down ,saskatchewan river as far as ,prince ,albert4 ,most of the country north of ,saskatchewan river had not been explored for coal4 ,it is a country of gentle slopes covered with grass and wood1 and the coal outcropping in such a country is certain to be covered4 ,there is no possibility of seeing it as a natural outcrop4 ,it has to be looked for1 but it has not been looked for in that country sufficiently to find it1 so he was perfectly confident that the same seams that outcrop on the ,saskatchewan1 in the west at all events1 would be traced much further north4 ,writing in his report of his survey of the west shore of ,reindeer lake1 ,mr4 ,dowling states3--8,from ,priest's point 7proceeding southward71 the lake gradually narrows from a minimum width of four miles1 to a narrow inlet less than a mile wide at the outlet1 and the course of this part lies very nearly southwest and northeast following in a general way the strike of the rocks4 ,a band of dark mica-schists is crossed1 reaching from near ,priest's point to twenty miles southwest1 and along the course followed through the islands many small dykes of a quartzose fine-grained granite were found1 in which iron pyrites is freely developed4 ,the beds of fine-grained gneiss on ,camping island1 ten miles south from ,priest's point1 are also found with many veins of pyrites and on the hill in the centre of the island many of the beds are very much rusted and decomposed4 ,the pyrites are found to contain a small percentage of ,,nickel ,,and ,,traces ,,of ,,cobalt4 ,at the north side of a small creek on the west shore1 southwest from ,camping island1 the ,indians report a soft soapstone or serpentinous rock from which they make pipes1 but a visit to the locality did not result in finding this rock1 which was then said to be obtained in small pieces from the shore and generally under the water4 ,the rock there was1 however1 a light green sericite-schist1 and it is possible that unfoliated or less cleavable portions of this might be soft enough for the purpose named4 ,the stratigraphical relations of this band with the surrounding gneisses1 could not in the time at the disposal of the party be made out1 so that it is problematical whether this may be a small area of highly altered ,huronian beds or not4 ,the next rock occurring to the south is a dark garnetiferous gneiss1 followed by reddish granitic gneiss to the outlet of the lake40 ,mr4 ,dowling mentions that in descending ,reindeer river his attention was attracted by the red colouring of a hill near the river1 below the mouth of ,stump river4 ,he states3--8,on a nearer view1 this red colouring is found to be due to the debris of a decomposed band occupying the crest of the ridge4 ,the rock has been very highly charged with iron oxides and pyrites4 ,the strike of the beds is south #aj east1 with dip eastward at angles varying from #fj to #hj4 ,several large seams of red granite cut into the hill and break up the beds somewhat4 8,a section of the hill shows a light1 coarse gneiss near the bottom1 with a dark mica-schist1 followed by a bed of light1 rusty coloured gneiss having a thickness of about five feet4 ,this in some places seems to have been very rich in pyrites and is weathered out to a reddish ochre4 ,the outcrop is just below the crest of the ridge1 and from it the ochre falling down1 stains the whole face of the hill4 ,above1 on the summit1 the rock is mostly a dark-red gneiss40 ,archbishop ,clut1 examined before the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 stated that he had seen sulphur springs on ,clearwater river4 ,asked if he had ever heard of the existence of valuable minerals in any part of the country northeast of ,lake ,athabaska1 ,bishop ,clut explained that he had seen a man named ,mc,carthy1 at ,fond du ,lac1 ,lake ,athabaska1 who told him that he had discovered gold1 but as he was not an educated man1 the bishop did not know whether he was mistaken or not4 ,the man said he would not show it to anybody1 but that he was almost sure that he had found a gold mine4 ,nobody had brought to him specimens of gold1 silver or anything of that kind from that region4 ,,bituminous ,,springs ,,and ,,pit ,,coal4 ,chief ,factor ,a4 ,mc,donald chronicles in his journal having passed bituminous springs on ,cree river1 south of ,lake ,athabaska1 just above the junction of the ,pierre au ,calumet or ,pipestone river 7,mc,leod's 8,peace ,river074 ,he also reports having passed1 the same day1 8,large strata of pit coal all along either side of the river40 ,mr4 ,alfred ,von ,hamerstein informed the ,senate committee of #aijg that 8on ,clearwater river there are first class medicinal springs4 ,the natives have been using the water right along1 and it acts very well on the bowels4 ,it is like the well known ,hunyadi mineral water4 ,it is a very nice1 picturesque country1 and the natives go up there and doctor themselves40 ,in the course of his examination before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 ,mayor ,cook1 of ,prince ,albert1 explained that nobody in the region north of the ,saskatchewan bothers about the coal4 ,coal had been discovered at ,lac ,la ,ronge--there was no doubt about that4 ,good samples had been brought in1 but nobody bothered with it yet because wood was so plentiful4 ,w4 ,f4 ,bredin1 ,m4,l4,a41 stated before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 that on his way from ,mc,murray to ,prince ,albert1 he found that the tar sands appeared on ,buffalo lake1 which is on the ,churchill system of water1 and that1 in his opinion1 showed that the tar sands are both on the ,mackenzie water system and on the ,churchill system1 on both sides of the divide there4 ,mr4 ,crean in his #aijh report says3--8,at the narrows between ,little ,buffalo lake and ,buffalo lake1 there is a tar sand outcrop4 ,the ,indians use it to pitch their canoes40 ,mr4 ,crean also says3--8,lac la ,ronge district is claimed to have great possibilities as a mineral district4 ,the ,laurentian range of rock crops out here and is easily traced to the northwest4 ,whether this outcrop really contains mineral of economic value is still unsettled4 ,numerous claims have been staked at ,nickel island in ,lac la ,ronge and on the mainland close by1 also on ,churchill river above ,stanley4 ,i had not time to prospect the country1 but from casual observation ,i should think that it would repay a closer investigation4 ,the vein on ,nickel island is very distinct and about eighteen inches wide on the outcrop4 ,several small companies have been formed and development work in a limited way is progressing40 ,so far there has been very little systematic prospecting for economic minerals in the portion of the province of ,saskatchewan north of the river of that name1 but the people of ,prince ,albert and ,battleford and the pioneers settled in the wilderness north of those towns1 have for years believed that coal1 iron and other minerals will be found in the vicinity2 trappers1 traders and ,indians often return from the wilderness with stories of mineral discoveries4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,northern ,,saskatchewan4 ,game1 ,fur-,bearing ,animals and ,fish4 8,so ,fine a ,country for the ,chase ,that ,it ,may ,be ,regarded as an ,extensive ,preserve40--,the ,wood ,buffalo ,used ,to ,roam ,over ,it1 but ,do ,not ,now4--,moose and ,caribou ,plentiful4--,the ,indians ,kill the ,moose for ,their ,hides4--,fish of ,various ,kinds in ,abundance4-- ,sturgeon ,that ,weigh a ,hundred ,pounds4--,one ,indian ,killed ,eighteen ,moose ,during ,one ,season4 ,as fish has always been the staple food of the inhabitants of that part of the province of ,saskatchewan north of the river of that name1 and the fur trade their only industry1 it goes without saying that the country abounds in fish and game4 ,a very few quotations from travellers and explorers is all that is required to give an idea of the species of fish and animals to be found in this region1 and of their occurrence4 ,in his account of his passage through the ,clearwater country1 ,simpson writes3--8,this is a fine country for the chase1 and so little frequented in winter1 that it may be regarded as an extensive preserve4 ,we saw three moose deer on the top of one of the hills1 and their tracks and those of the wood buffalo were numerous in every direction4 ,the valley of the river is entirely sheltered from the inclement north and northwest winds1 but its exposure to the east usually rendered the snow deep and soft1 as we found to our cost4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,just before breakfasting we saw1 on the northern hills1 a large moose1 and a band of five wood buffalos sunning their fat sides--a sight sufficient to make the mouths of the pemmican eaters water1 but they were beyond our reach1 and1 taking the alarm1 quickly disappeared4 ,the declivities of the hills seemed1 as we passed along1 completely chequered with the tracks of these and smaller animals40 ,mr4 ,h4 ,j4 ,moberly1 chief trader of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company at ,rapid river1 7,lac la ,ronge7 ,cumberland district1 forwarded the ,senate committee of #ahhg evidence in writing regarding animal life in the far northwest4 ,he explained that he knew ,saskatchewan 7north7 river and valley from the mouth of the ,saskatchewan on ,lake ,winnipeg up to its source in ,rocky mountains4 ,he also knew ,athabaska river and valley from its source down to its mouth in ,athabaska lake1 and was well acquainted with all the country between those two rivers1 from ,rocky mountains down to ,carlton1 and from there1 taking a line via ,green lake1 ,beaver river1 ,ile la ,crosse lake1 ,deep river1 ,buffalo lake1 ,methye river and lake1 ,methye portage and down the ,clearwater to its junction with ,athabaska river1 as an eastern line and ,rocky mountains as a westward4 ,he knew well all the country between ,athabaska and ,peace rivers1 from their mouths to their sources4 ,as to wood buffalo1 at the time ,mr4 ,moberly wrote1 there was a band1 probably about two hundred1 between the ,saskatchewan and the ,athabaska4 7,there are none there now74 ,they kept on the mountains between ,lac la ,biche and ,mc,murray4 ,another band1 probably three hundred strong1 was between ,athabaska and ,peace rivers on ,thickwood and ,birch mountains4 ,a third band1 probably seven hundred strong1 was scattered through the mountains between ,liard and ,peace rivers1 and from ,salt river to the foot of ,rocky mountains4 ,,moose ,,run ,,all ,,over ,,the ,,wooded ,,country north of the prairies and east of ,rocky mountains4 ,the distribution of other game and fur animals in far northwestern ,canada was given by ,mr4 ,moberly as follows3--,reindeer 7cariboo71 large--all over the wood countries from ,saskatchewan1 to the barren grounds of the north2 reindeer1 small--all over the barren grounds in the north1 and come south in winter as far as ,lac de ,brochet1 ,athabaska lake and ,peace river1 close to ,rocky mountains2 red deer--,athabaska and ,peace river valleys2 black tail deer1 jumping deer and chevreux--same country as the red deer2 black and brown bears--all over the wooded country and ,rocky mountains2 grizzly bears--,rocky mountains1 valleys of the ,peace1 ,athabaska1 ,liard1 and ,fraser1 but seldom farther than two hundred and fifty miles from the foot of the ,rockies2 beaver--,athabaska1 ,peace river and in fact all over the wooded country4 ,in his report of his exploration of the country between ,churchill river and ,lake ,athabaska in #ahib1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell writes3--8,the moose 7,alces ,americanus71 roams through the more thickly wooded parts of the country as far north as ,stone river1 which is probably near the northern limit of its range4 ,seven individuals in all were seen during the course of the summer4 ,the woodland caribou 7,rangifer caribou7 is said to occur in the more southern portion of the district1 near ,churchill river1 but none were seen4 ,the barren ground caribou 7,rangifer ,grnlandicus7 comes south in winter to the south end of ,reindeer lake and the upper portion of ,mudjatik and ,foster rivers4 ,it travels north in spring to the ,barren ,lands1 but a very few animals are occasionally left behind1 one having been shot in ,july near the north end of ,cree lake4 ,the ,canada lynx 7,lynx ,canadensis7 is moderately abundant in some seasons in the more southern part of the district4 ,the gray wolf 7,canis lupus occidentalis7 roams over the country1 but is not plentiful4 ,the coyote 7,canis lisatrans7 is found occasionally as far north as the height of land1 one having been shot by the writer on one of the small lakes near the source of ,foster river4 ,it is1 however1 certainly not common in the district4 ,red1 black and cross foxes 7,vulpes vulgaris71 wolverine 7,guloluscus71 marten 7,mustela ,americana71 weasel 7,putorius vulgaris71 mink 7,p4 vison7 and skunk 7,mephitis mephitica7 are all found in greater or less abundance in the rolling wooded country underlain by ,archaean rocks4 ,the otter 7,lutra ,canadensis7 was found on all the streams north to ,stone river4 ,the black bear 7,ursus ,americanus7 roams over the whole country4 ,a few beavers 7,castor fiber7 may still be met with in many of the streams4 ,a considerable colony was found in the untravelled country near the source of ,geikie river1 but our canoemen brought back word of this 7to the ,indians7 important discovery1 and doubtless the beaver were killed during the following winter4 ,the muskrat 7,fiber zibethicus7 was seen swimming in all the streams4 ,the rabbit or ,american hare 7,lepus ,americanus7 is found everywhere in the denser woods1 but it did not seem to be anywhere abundant4 ,,fish ,,in ,,abundance4 8,fish seem to be everywhere abundant in the lakes and streams1 but the number of species is very limited4 ,the lake trout1 7,cristivomer namaycush7 is1 however1 the largest of any of the finny tribes4 ,one was caught near the mouth of ,stone river weighing twenty-five pounds4 ,the whitefish 7,coregonus clupeiformis7 is found everywhere throughout the district1 but more especially in the shallower lakes4 ,the blue fish or ,back's grayling1 7,thymallus signifer7 was caught in ,stone river at the foot of the heavy falls below ,black lake4 ,pike1 7,esox lucius71 pickerel1 7,stozostethium vitreum71 methy1 7,lota lacustris7 and two or three species of suckers1 7,catastomus teres and ,myxostoma macrolepidota7 were found in almost all the water stretches4 ,mayor ,cook1 of ,prince ,albert1 when examined before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 explained that at that time he held the appointment of inspector of fisheries4 ,he testified that once1 some years previously1 on ,beaver river1 he had seen thirty-two thousand whitefish caught in two nights1 which would average about two or two and one-half pounds each4 ,they put up the winter supply of fish in three or four nights4 ,these fish were caught by half-breeds and ,indians4 ,the fish were coming down after spawning1 and those catching them set the nets right across the river4 ,this happened in close season1 8but they did not bother about that2 it was the fish they were after40 ,there are whitefish1 trout1 jackfish and some sturgeon in ,torch and ,saskatchewan rivers4 ,reindeer lake and the small lakes all around it are full of fish4 ,they fish up there until ,december #a4 ,sometimes the lakes are open until ,december #ae1 and break up again about ,may #ae to #bj4 ,it depends upon the size of the lake4 ,if it is a very large lake it will take a little longer4 ,witness had seen the lakes open on ,december #ae4 ,those lakes are teeming with fish1--whitefish1 sturgeon and trout4 ,the trout run as high as fifty pounds4 ,the sturgeon run from ten to one hundred pounds4 ,witness had never seen one over one hundred pounds4 ,he had seen one whitefish that weighed seventeen and one-half pounds1 and trout that weighed fifty4 ,he had them for the exhibition in ,ottawa1 but the train was blocked and did not get through4 ,the biggest jackfish he had ever seen weighed forty-five pounds4 ,they have some little bits of things but they range up to that4 ,in other places they have big fish from ten to forty-five pounds in weight4 ,according to ,mr4 ,crean1 ,methye lake is a fine body of fresh water and is well stocked with fish4 8,wild fowl of every kind abound here4 ,moose and caribou are plentiful4 ,the result of ,nature's bounteousness1 is that the native1 content with ,nature's provision1 grows nothing4 ,he kills the moose for its hide40 ,in his report on the area explored by him1 in #aijh1 ,mr4 ,crean stated3--8,the staple food of the native north of the ,saskatchewan is fish1 and with this commodity he is amply supplied4 ,whitefish are found in all the lakes and rivers4 ,green lake is stocked to repletion with as fine whitefish as will be found anywhere4 ,ile la ,crosse lake is also amply supplied4 ,canoe lake1 ,marten lake and all the immense water area comprised of the numerous lakes in this district are well stocked with this valuable food4 8,game of all kinds abound1 the principal species being the moose1 the caribou1 the deer1 the black bear1 the cinnamon bear1 the lynx1 the wolf 7timber71 the fox1 the wolverine1 the otter1 the beaver1 the mink1 the marten1 the muskrat1 the rabbit1 and the squirrel4 ,among the principal birds found are swans1 geese1 ducks1 partridges1 ptarmigans1 gulls1 jays1 7whiskey jacks71 kingfishers1 crows1 robins and loons4 ,,moose ,,are ,,still ,,plentiful but are being killed in large numbers by the natives and the wolves4 ,the same remark would apply to caribou of the woodland variety4 ,the barren land caribou or reindeer come down as far as ,cree lake 7one hundred miles north of the ,churchill7 in numbers1 and a few stray farther south4 ,i shot one in the muskeg just north of ,lac ,ile la ,crosse40 ,illustration3 ,landscape in ,clearwater valley4 ,mr4 ,crean states that an ,indian living on ,snake lake at the mouth of ,sandy river killed eighteen moose during the autumn of #aijh4 8,game1 particularly moose10 according to ,mr4 ,crean1 8is plentiful in the ,meadow lake district1 and easily obtained4 ,beaver are plentiful in one or two districts1 particularly along ,clearwater valley and the rivers tributary to the ,clearwater from the north4 ,they are1 of course1 very easily killed1 and consequently form a large portion of the fur in the north4 ,when other fur is scarce1 the ,indian devotes his attention in particular to the killing of beaver4 ,muskrat were extremely numerous and were taken in very large numbers4 ,early in the fall1 however1 before the fur could possibly be of any use they were being killed in great numbers40 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,athabaska ,,country ,,chapter ,x4 ,,northern ,,alberta4 ,agriculture and ,arable ,land in the ,eastern ,section or 8,athabaska ,country40 ,a ,section of the ,west ,where ,officials of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company ,were ,directed to ,cultivate ,gardens4--,some ,points ,where ,wheat has been grown1 ,including the ,sample which took ,first ,prize at the ,philadelphia ,centennial ,exhibition4--,crude ,indian ,gardens at ,cowpar lake4--,livestock ,grazing out in ,december and ,january4 ,a glance at the latest 8,railway ,map of the ,dominion of ,canada10 published by the ,department of the ,interior1 will show that the surveyed1 and consequently fully-explored1 part of the province of ,alberta extends considerably farther north than do the lines which mark the northernmost limit of the surveyed territory in ,saskatchewan4 ,the areas of arable land in ,northern ,alberta are admittedly so extensive and important1 and there has been such a large accumulation of evidence as to the latent agricultural wealth of the actual agricultural experiments in this most promising region1 that1 with the object of enabling the reader the more readily to follow the text1 and to assist him in locating the geographical points mentioned1 it has been deemed advisable to divide the material referring to arable lands and agriculture in this territory into two separate chapters1 corresponding with two divisions of the area immediately under review4 ,the country readily lends itself to such a division2 in fact1 invites it4 ,the region west of the #aadth meridian has long been known and designated as 8,peace river country10 and possesses characteristics1 and to some extent1 a history quite its own4 ,the remaining or eastern half of the territory1 at least as far north as the lower reach of ,peace river1 is the main basin of the ,athabaska and1 as such1 will be treated as a distinct area in the present chapter1 the one immediately following to be devoted to the subject of the arable lands and agricultural possibilities of ,peace river country4 ,athabaska river1 which is the most southerly of the three great tributaries of the ,mackenzie1 rises in ,rocky mountains near ,mount ,brown1 at an altitude of about five thousand seven hundred feet1 and pursues a northeasterly and northerly course for nearly six hundred miles to ,athabaska lake1 falling in this distance some five thousand feet1 and being interrupted by several series of rapids4 ,in the first three hundred miles of its course it falls about four thousand feet1 and receives in succession ,baptiste river from the west1 the ,macleod and ,pembina from the south1 and the ,lesser ,slave1 draining the large lake of that name1 from the west4 ,below its confluence with the last named stream1 the ,athabaska turns southeastward for some fifty miles and then resumes its northerly course4 ,in the course of the next one hundred and fifty miles it receives1 in succession1 ,la ,biche river from the east2 ,quito or ,calling river from the west2 ,big ,mouth brook from the east2 ,pelican river from the west2 and ,house river from the east4 ,just below the mouth of the last river the ,athabaska strikes a range of low hills1 and in forcing a passage through them is deflected eastward1 and for a distance of about seventy-five miles contains many rapids1 falling in this distance some four hundred feet4 ,at the lower end of this stretch it receives the waters of ,clearwater river1 its principal tributary below ,lesser ,slave river4 ,the ,clearwater rises on the height of land between the ,churchill and the ,athabaska1 and pursuing a nearly straight easterly course for some one hundred and fifty miles1 mingles its limpid waters with the sediment-laden flood of the latter stream4 ,in the lower part of its course the ,clearwater occupies a deep valley and is very rapid4 ,thirty or forty miles above its mouth it is joined by the ,pembina1 a stream of about equal volume4 ,below the mouth of the ,clearwater the ,athabaska pursues a nearly direct course northward1 receiving ,red1 ,moose1 and ,bar rivers from the west1 and enters ,athabaska lake through a number of channels including alluvial islands4 ,lake ,athabaska was known to the pioneer fur-traders and explorers as 8,lake of the ,hills10 and it is so described by ,mackenzie and others4 ,the country drained by the ,athabaska is ,,mainly ,a ,,rolling ,,plain and with the exception of a few areas of semi-prairie land1 is well wooded1 with a forest composed mainly of spruce1 fir1 pine1 tamarack1 poplar1 birch and willow4 ,a large part of its surface is occupied by mossy swamps1 called muskegs1 and hundreds of ponds and lakes1 of which ,lesser ,slave1 seventy miles in length1 is by far the largest1 occupy its shallow valleys4 ,immense areas have been swept by fire1 sometimes repeatedly1 and in some places the original forest covering has been destroyed and small prairies have succeeded4 ,the first information we obtained as to the agricultural possibilities of ,athabaska basin came from explorers and travellers passing through the most northern portion of it on their way to ,peace river1 ,great ,slave lake and the ,mackenzie via the old canoe route by ,methye portage and the ,clearwater4 ,in more recent years1 particularly since the inauguration of steamboat communication along the long navigable stretches of the ,athabaska and ,mackenzie1 the favourite route to the far northwest has been down the ,athabaska from ,athabaska1 and1 as is only natural1 our knowledge of the resources of the country has increased greatly4 ,sir ,alexander ,mackenzie1 as far back as #aghg1 saw at a trading station of ,peter ,pond1 on ,elk or ,athabaska river1 8as fine a kitchen garden as he ever saw in ,canada40 ,it might be explained here1 that in the spring of #aggh1 a number of the ,saskatchewan traders put their goods into a common stock1 and placed ,mr4 ,peter ,pond in charge of them1 directing him to proceed to the ,athabaska and trade with the ,indians4 ,he took the present ,hudson's ,bay ,company's route1 by ,cumberland ,house1 ,frog portage1 ,ile la ,crosse1 and on to ,methye portage and down ,clearwater river to the forks of the ,athabaska4 ,here he built a house1 and in the spring of #aggi planted garden seeds4 ,as a general thing1 at the early trading posts1 agriculture of any kind1 even the making of gardens1 was neglected1 and1 rightly or wrongly1 the officials of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company got the credit of discouraging such ventures4 ,if this had ever actually been the settled policy of the company1 it was officially abandoned some time previous to the year #ahbf1 for1 writing in the year mentioned at ,chipewyan 7north latitude #eh #dj7 of improvements in the country1 the ,,result ,,of ,,judicious ,,arrangements then recently effected by the directors of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 ,sir ,john ,franklin writes3--8,they 7the directors7 have also directed1 where the soil will allow1 a portion of the ground to be cultivated for the growth of culinary vegetables at each of their establishments1 and ,i witnessed the good effect of this order1 even at this advanced post1 where the ground is rocky2 the tables of the officers being supplied daily1 and those of the men frequently1 with potatoes and barley4 ,such luxuries were very rarely found beyond ,cumberland ,house on the route that we travelled during my former journey40 ,sir ,john ,franklin also mentioned a phenomenon which has a considerable bearing upon the agricultural possibilities of this country1 namely the quick change from winter to summer and the rapid growth of vegetation4 ,he wrote of the advent of spring at ,chipewyan in #ahbg3-- 8,there can scarcely be a higher gratification than that which is enjoyed in this country in witnessing the rapid change which takes place in the course of a few days in the spring4 ,scarcely does the snow disappear from the ground before the trees are clothed with thick foliage1 the shrubs open their leaves1 and put forth their variegated flowers1 and the ,,whole ,,prospect ,,becomes ,,animating40 ,sir ,john also mentioned that the first flight of swans northward was noticed at ,chipewyan on ,april #ae1 the first geese on ,april #bj1 the first robins on ,may #g1 and the first house martins on ,may #ab4 ,barley was sown at ,chipewyan on ,may #ae1 potatoes on ,may #ba and garden seeds on ,may #bb1 and it was expected that all would be ready for use by the close of the following ,september4 ,sir ,george ,simpson's party were regaled with 8new1 but very small potatoes10 on ,august #aa1 #ahbh4 ,sir ,j4 ,richardson1 before the ,british parliamentary select committee of #aheg1 asked to state to the committee any general opinion which he had formed of the capabilities of any considerable portion of the country which he had traversed1 for the purpose of settlement and colonization1 replied3--8,with regard to the production of cereals1 wheat may be grown up to the #ehth parallel of latitude 7same latitude as ,fort ,vermilion7 in favourable places1 but only in parts40 ,the report of the ,dominion ,government's survey parties sent out in advance of the ,canadian ,pacific contain important references to agriculture in the country4 ,in the report for #ahgg-gh 7p4 #ccb7 appears the following reference to ,chipewyan 7latitude #ehg73--8,professor ,macoun there obtained in #ahgf1 fine samples of wheat and barley--the former sixty-eight pounds to the bushel and the latter fifty-eight pounds4 ,at the ,french mission1 two miles above the fort1 oats1 wheat and barley were all cut by ,august #bf40 ,in #ahhj report it is stated 7p4 #ajb71 8,reverend ,gordon said in #ahhj that wheat and barley raised at ,chipewyan received a medal at the ,philadelphia ,centennial ,exhibition of #ahgf40 ,in the report of #ahgg-gh 7p4 #cbf7 there is this reference to ,mc,murray 7latitude #efg73--8,professor ,macoun on ,september #h1 #ahge1 found tomatoes1 cucumbers1 wheat and barley1 under cultivation together with all vegetables found in kitchen gardens in ,ontario4 ,he spent ten days there and obtained specimens of wheat and barley which ,,have ,,astonished ,,everyone to whom they were exhibited2 many of the ears contained one hundred grains and the weight of both wheat and barley was nearly ten pounds above the ordinary weight per bushel4 ,these grains had been raised on soil comparatively poor--very poor for the district--and lying only a few feet above the level of ,lake ,athabaska40 ,in a report of his then recent trip through this country written by ,william ,oglivie1 ,d4,l4,s41 in #ahhd1 he writes3--8,a great deal of the soil along the bank of the ,athabaska was of very fair quality4 ,at ,mc,murray1 where there are a couple of small prairies or meadows1 the soil is good1 and the root crops and garden produce raised there are generally very good4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company have a garden at ,mc,murray of upwards of an acre in extent1 and the ,episcopal mission one of smaller area1 but the soil is very sandy4 ,the ,roman ,catholic mission have a garden also1 most of which they obtained by draining a bog into the lake4 ,in the season of #ahhc 7which was a pretty favourable one in that district1 being free from summer frosts7 the ,hudson's ,bay ,company raised about four hundred bushels of potatoes1 the ,episcopal mission thirty bushels on a small patch1 and the ,roman ,catholic mission about five hundred bushels4 ,many of the retired ,hudson's ,bay ,company's servants also have small patches which they cultivate1 potatoes and fish being the principal articles of food used during the winter40 ,doctor ,robert ,bell1 before the ,senate committee of #ahhg1 testified that they grew cucumbers and melons as far north as ,lac la ,biche4 ,he had seen them there himself1 and he was not sure but that they grew pumpkins1 too4 ,he pointed out that where cucumbers and melons grow pumpkins will grow also4 ,it is hard1 ,doctor ,bell pointed out in the course of his evidence upon this occasion1 to induce the ,indians to grow anything4 ,even potatoes1 which they all know to be a safe crop1 they will not grow unless encouraged by supplying them4 ,if supplied with seed in the autumn they will not preserve any over the winter4 ,they would not take the trouble to dig a pit or build a cellar in which to preserve the seed1 but in the spring1 when the time comes for planting1 if anyone were to give them the seed they would plant it4 ,artichokes would be very suitable to introduce amongst the ,indians1 because they are very hardy and productive2 the seed remains in the ground and the ,indians could not destroy it all4 ,mr4 ,alfred von ,hamerstein1 who has lived in ,athabaska district since #ahig1 trading and prospecting1 was examined before the select committee of the ,senate of ,canada in #aijg4 ,illustration3 ,s4 ,s4 ,grahame at ,mc,murray4 ,the agricultural resources of the ,athabaska district1 as far as this witness could understand1 were indicated by the farming that was then actually being conducted ,,with ,,fairly ,,good ,,success at ,athabaska4 ,at ,baptiste lake there was1 when the witness first went there1 no agriculture attempted4 ,he was the first man to introduce farming there4 ,he kept a trading store1 and the natives insisted on having different kinds of seeds4 ,amongst others he got some flower seeds1 and some lovely flowers were raised4 ,the people raise some crops there now4 ,it is a very good ranching country--first-class4 ,several people went up there with cattle4 ,a man named ,mailloux took one hundred and twenty head of cattle1 and they were in good shape4 ,the kind of grass there is a red top1 a very big grass4 ,the country has all been burnt over and the timber has fallen1 so the grass cannot be cut with a mowing machine1 but in some places they have cleared away the fallen timber and can use machinery now4 ,vetches and wild pea vines grow all over that country1 but there is no bunch grass to be found2 it is mostly red top4 ,how far north it grows witness could not say4 ,he had traced it up in very large quantities on ,slave river4 ,about a hundred or two hundred yards from the river there is a big slough1 and this grass grows all along there very luxuriantly4 ,there is no place along the northern shores of ,lake ,athabaska where grass can be grown4 ,it is mostly rock and muskeg4 ,at ,mc,murray1 according to ,mr4 von ,hamerstein1 the land is good1 and between the junction of the ,clearwater and the ,athabaska there is a flat of land about three miles long1 and from a quarter of a mile to a mile and a half or two miles wide1 which is very fine soil2 but the rest of it is all hills covered by an inch and a half of moss1 under the moss being the limestone rock4 ,they raise good garden stuff at ,mc,murray4 ,a party there had good crops for three years4 ,where there is soil to be found it is very good1 mostly old river beds or where eddies have accumulated soil2 but the rest is sand and muskeg4 ,east of ,mc,murray there are several lakes1 the centre of what is described as fine hay country4 ,the natives there have from sixty to eighty horses1 and there are reported to be ,,good ,,grazing ,,patches round the lakes4 ,it is probably a better ranching country than an agricultural one4 ,to the northwest of this district are some muskeg lakes1 where the natives have quite a few horses and cut considerable hay4 ,from ,fort ,smith1 going in a southerly direction to a place called ,salt river they have a very fine large prairie1 and it extends right through to ,peace point4 ,the people there are not given to farming4 ,it is against their interests1 because they could make a living much more easily by hunting4 ,people often ask why they do not farm1 but it must be remembered that in order to raise a crop of potatoes they would have to stay by it the whole season2 and there is more variety in hunting4 ,but some of them do farm and raise a few cattle4 ,the country is difficult of access2 they do not get any new stock1 and it has become badly inbred4 ,as a result he had seen cattle there having the head of a bull and the body of a calf4 ,there are not very many cattle in there2 only certain natives have them1 and a man with four or five head of cattle is a very rich man4 ,some patches of land are very good4 ,mr4 ,elihu ,stewart1 who had travelled over the northwest while ,superintendent of ,forestry1 stated before the ,senate committee of #aijg that along the ,athabaska the country is composed of a succession of rolling hills1 and there is a good deal of light soil4 ,the valleys are very good1 and ,mr4 ,stewart understood that the country through by ,lake ,waubascow1 all the way to ,lesser ,slave lake1 is through a good district of country4 ,through this district there is good land--perhaps not all the way through4 ,along the ,athabaska the country is light1 second-class land1 but ,mr4 ,stewart found at ,calling river1 some sixty miles below ,athabaska1 a man ,,raising ,,wheat ,,there4 ,he says he raises as good wheat as can be grown1 but ,mr4 ,stewart would not consider from the appearance along the banks that there were the same alluvial deposits that are found farther north4 ,mr4 ,h4 ,a4 ,conroy of the ,indian ,department informed the ,senate committee in #aijg that the ,indians and half-breeds told him that the country between ,great ,slave river and ,hay river is covered with buffalo grass1 excepting a little timber that grows in a fringe around ,great ,slave lake4 ,he had information from ,indians living in that country that it is an open country covered with prairie grass4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,burr ,tyrrell1 in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 remarked as to the country immediately north of ,lake ,athabaska that it could not be considered as being within the arable area4 ,the arable belt1 however1 as one goes west from ,hudson bay to ,athabaska river1 widens enormously4 ,he spoke generally of the vast country west of ,athabaska river to ,peace river country1 and said there is certainly a large tract of agricultural land there4 ,however1 one or another may differ about the value of any particular part of that country4 ,in the country1 going west into ,peace river region1 there is certainly a large area of good land that ,mr4 ,tyrrell would not attempt to confine inside of such a belt as he had been speaking of4 ,w4 ,f4 ,bredin1 ,m4,l4,a41 in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 said that descending ,athabaska river from ,mc,murray1 where ,clearwater river goes into the ,athabaska1 the elevation of the plateau above the river is very much less than it is on the upper river4 ,it looks like a great alluvial plain1 from the river all along from ,mc,murray to ,lake ,athabaska1 two hundred miles4 ,that country is more or less timbered1 and the soil is excellent4 ,going down ,slave river to ,great ,slave lake1 for a distance of three hundred miles1 on the east of ,slave river1 it is all rocks2 while west of the river the country is all alluvial1 and the soil is generally very good1 right down to ,great ,slave lake4 ,at ,chipewyan on ,athabaska lake the ,roman ,catholic priests have a farm which was originally a muskeg1 right amongst the ,laurentian rocks1 and they grow wheat there that was awarded a ,,medal ,,at ,,the ,,centennial ,,exposition4 ,the muskeg between the ,athabaska and the ,peace can all be drained and cultivated4 ,these muskegs are from a foot to three feet deep until you strike hardpan4 ,the moss keeps the heat of the sun out4 ,in fact there is ice in some of those muskegs all the year round1 covered with moss4 ,mr4 ,frank ,crean1 in his #aiji report1 gives the following information regarding the country west of ,methye and ,buffalo lakes and south of ,clearwater river3--8,along ,pembina river there are fine hay meadows which should enable anybody who desired to keep cattle to procure ample feed for the winter4 ,to the west of ,cowpar lake there is a large prairie which would certainly afford magnificent summer range1 though ,i am informed that in winter the snow is too deep for cattle to range out40 ,northwest of ,cowpar lake ,mr4 ,crean saw some horses grazing in ,december4 ,their owner had made no arrangement to winter them1 and ,mr4 ,crean was told that the horses thrived4 ,cowpar lake lies just south of latitude #ef4 ,it is a small lake1 and of itself of no great importance4 ,the surrounding country1 however1 is exceptionally good farming land1 and to the east and south at about ten miles distance is found the commencement of a large prairie about forty miles long and varying from twelve to fifteen miles in width4 ,this prairie is in its present state fitted for agriculture4 ,the ,indians from ,cowpar lake go there in the spring and plant gardens1 leaving them until the fall when they bring the produce to their homes at ,cowpar lake4 ,mr4 ,crean continues3--8,pembina river flows through the south end of this prairie1 and several small lakes touch it4 ,the prairie is watered by small creeks draining into these lakes1 and altogether it is ,,an ,,ideal ,,spot ,,for ,,the ,,pioneer1 as hay1 water1 wood and fish are to be found in abundance throughout its extent4 ,the land adjoining ,cowpar lake on the east and south is all arable1 being open and rolling4 ,to the northeast1 towards ,whitefish lake1 the land is also good4 ,it is easy to predict that ,cowpar lake will some day be a centre of a considerable settlement1 although at present the only occupants are about four families of ,chipewyans40 ,winefred lake1 according to ,mr4 ,crean1 is a large body of water amply stocked with fine whitefish1 and ,indians both from the south and north come to ,winefred lake to catch fish in the fall4 ,the country surrounding the lake is mostly swampy hay land1 but might1 he thought1 be easily drained4 ,a good deal of muskeg is found in this vicinity1 indeed1 more than anywhere else that ,mr4 ,crean travelled on the watershed of the ,athabaska4 ,about ,heart lake the land is all good though somewhat rolling and inclined to be broken4 ,there is no more obstacle to farming around this lake than there is anywhere else between it and ,edmonton4 ,the country is identical with that passed through en route to ,edmonton4 ,in fact the country is almost prairie1 some bluffs of poplar being the only pretence of woods4 ,with reference to the northern portion of the area explored by him in #aiji1 ,mr4 ,crean states3--8,in the matter of attempts at agriculture the fact that there is no demand for agricultural produce in the north prevents people who live there from carrying on even experimental work4 ,wheat has been grown successfully at ,mc,murray1 which was about the most northerly point touched by me4 ,here1 too1 all the ordinary vegetables grown in the more southerly portions of the province are grown with the greatest success40 ,mixed farming would appear to be an industry which most readily adapts itself to northern conditions4 ,wheat can be grown in almost any part of the north which ,i have explored4 ,it is undeniable that northern latitudes increase the likelihood of summer frosts4 ,if1 however1 live stock is kept1 the larger yield of grain to the acre1 even if slightly frosted1 will pay quite as well converted into beef or pork as a smaller yield of the better quality grain in more southern latitudes40 ,the officers of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police have contributed considerable valuable information regarding the northern section of the country under review in this chapter4 ,in his #aiji report1 ,inspector ,d4 ,m4 ,howard1 of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 referring to the northern section1 wrote3--8,in the northern part of the district1 ,chipewyan and ,smith ,landing1 very little grain is grown4 ,the ,roman ,catholic mission at ,fort ,smith have put in a small crop of about fifteen acres under oats and barley this year as an experiment4 ,there are about thirty-five head of cattle all told in ,chipewyan sub-district1 but the stock is not very good1 being too much inbred4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company brought in ten head of horses this year from ,edmonton and the ,roman ,catholic mission brought four from ,vermilion2 this1 with the three police horses1 makes a total of about forty head40 ,during the winter of #aiji ,sergt4 ,r4 ,w4 ,macleod1 of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 made a patrol across country from ,fort ,vermilion to the mouth of ,hay river on ,great ,slave lake4 ,in his report 7p4 #agh1 ,annual ,report of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police for #aiji71 he states that from ,fort ,vermilion for about sixty miles the country is prairie with small poplar bluffs scattered over it1 and the next twenty-five miles is mostly pine bush with here and there a small prairie1 then on into ,hay river at ,horse track is prairie with poplar bluffs and willow scrub1 a total distance of one hundred and ten miles from ,fort ,vermilion4 ,in #aije the government had a road cut out1 corduroyed1 and graded the entire distance suitable for a wagon road4 ,previous to that time an ,indian pack trail was the only way to travel4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company and ,revillon ,brothers each built a sales shop and residence at the end of the wagon road on the south bank of ,hay river1 and have been doing business there in the winter only1 for fur4 ,there are no white people in the country closer than ,fort ,vermilion4 ,the country between ,hay river and ,fort ,vermilion is nearly ,,all ,,apparently ,,suitable ,,for ,,farming1 with a splendid supply of wood and water4 ,hay river is about one hundred yards wide at the ,horse trace 7local name7 and is fed by numerous muskegs to the north of ,dunvegan on ,peace river1 and the southeast slope of the divide between ,peace and ,liard rivers4 ,when ,sergeant ,macleod and his patrol were at ,alexandra falls on ,january #bi1 they found that three small bands of ,indian horses were wintering out on the portage1 which is a prairie with poplar bluffs4 ,corporal ,mellor 7of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police7 in ,september of the same year1 made a patrol with horses into the buffalo country southwest of ,smith ,landing4 ,in his report the ,corporal states that from ,salt river 8we proceeded northwest through about eight miles of small poplar1 and then across a large stretch of prairie country4 ,this is not prairie country in the generally accepted term1 but simply ground of a marshy nature1 perfectly flat1 and covered with a luxuriant growth of grass4 ,this would doubtless afford splendid land were it not that the water thereon is intensely salty and quite unfit for use4 ,these prairies are of large extent stretching from ,peace river1 in the south1 ,i am told1 to ,buffalo river1 in the north1 a distance of over one hundred miles4 ,they are dotted all over with thick clumps of willows1 the only trees growing thereon40 ,illustration3 ,indian ,camp near ,fort ,smith4 ,in the last annual report of ,superintendent ,g4 ,e4 ,sanders1 ,d4,s4,o41 commanding 8,n0 ,division at ,athabaska1 and dated ,october #a1 #aiaa1 that officer describes the area from ,athabaska river to ,great ,slave lake and west to the ,rockies as an agricultural country4 ,he states3--8,the general state of the district from an agricultural and business point of view is one of great development and progress4 ,the stream of settlement into the country round about ,athabaska and to upper ,peace river and ,grande prairie has continued to a much larger extent during the year4 ,with the influx of settlement traders have followed and a general ,,air ,,of ,,prosperity ,,prevails1 with very optimistic hopes for the future4 ,the homestead entries at ,athabaska for the first three months of this year exceeded the entire number for #aiji1 and for the past months the entries are upwards of one hundred and seventy-five in excess of those received during the whole of #aiaj4 ,the homestead entries at ,lesser ,slave lake and ,grande prairie have increased at an even greater rate4 ,at the latter place1 the first day the ,land ,office opened there1 seventy-five entries were received40 8,it was generally expected that the railway would reach ,athabaska in ,november1 but the contractors have met with so many set-backs1 due to the weather1 shortage of labour and1 lately1 sickness amongst their horses1 that it is extremely doubtful when the work will be completed4 8,as a consequence of the coming of the railway the town of ,athabaska has experienced quite a boom in real estate1 and the prices for lots in the townsite and for land adjoining have become very high1 lots that sold for three hundred dollars last year are now exchanging hands at three thousand dollars1 and land within a mile has been sold for one hundred and seventy-five dollars per acre4 ,a great deal of building is going on and every one predicts an important future for the place on account of its many natural advantages1 and its situation making it the distribution point for the vast country to the north40 ,in an interview1 ,hon4 ,f4 ,oliver1 ex-,minister of the ,interior1 stated1 after his long trip in #aiaj 7,see p4 #bg7 that along the rivers passed through proceeding from ,edmonton to the delta of the ,mackenzie where the banks are high the soil and climate conditions are perfectly good for agriculture4 ,so far as ,mc,murray1 conditions are entirely good for agriculture1 judging from what he saw himself and from what people told him4 ,the minister explained this statement by pointing out that the difference in latitude is neutralized by the great drop in altitude and the ,,influence ,,of ,,the ,,warm ,,chinook ,,wind4 ,illustration3 ,indian ,family arriving at ,mc,murray for ,treaty4 ,mc,murray1 while two hundred miles farther north than ,edmonton1 is but eight hundred and fifty feet above sea level1 while ,edmonton had an altitude of two thousand two hundred feet4 ,mr4 ,oliver here made reference to conditions which are to-day recognized by men of science4 ,according to ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble1 of the ,u4,s4 ,biological ,survey 7,see p4 #bb71 8,the climatic conditions of the various parts of ,athabaska valley vary considerably1 according to location4 ,the more open portions of the upper part of the valley1 though lying at a considerable altitude1 enjoy the #8,chinook' winds1 which so temper the climate that it compares favourably with more easterly regions lying much farther south4 ,lack of detailed data precludes the possibility of comparing absolutely the climatic conditions of the upper and the lower ,athabaska2 but the effects of the #8,chinook' winds are felt to some extent throughout the course of the river40 ,according to the same authority--8,the climate of ,athabaska lake is not radically different from that of other parts of the ,mackenzie region which are practically removed from the influence of the warm ,pacific winds4 ,though it lies at a low altitude1 the proximity of the lake to the 8,barren ,ground10 from which winds are frequent1 keeps its average temperature rather low4 ,an occasional warm west wind slightly tempers the winter climate4 ,the ,peace and the ,athabaska break up at their mouths about ,may #a1 but the neighbouring part of the lake usually does not open until about the middle of ,may1 and the eastern part probably not before ,june4 ,the lake usually closes at ,chipewyan some time in ,november40 ,mr4 ,h4 ,a4 ,conroy informed the ,senate committee of #aijg that he had travelled through ,athabaska-,peace river country once when for twenty-one days in ,january he did not need his coat in the middle of the day4 ,the cattle were all out in the pasture fields4 ,he had been going in there every year for eight years1 and had been there for five winters4 ,mr4 ,conroy stated that he never saw a very deep snowfall in that country4 ,he felt pretty sure that the #8,chinook' winds go through to ,athabaska lake4 ,he remarked that in that country in the winter he did not suffer as much from cold as he had suffered in ,ottawa1 and he slept out every night1 sometimes under a tent and sometimes in the open4 ,he travelled once with a dog train and afterwards with ponies1 and got along very well with them4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,peace ,,river ,,country ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,northern ,,alberta4 ,agriculture and ,arable ,land in the ,western ,section or 8,peace ,river ,region40 ,where ,wheat ,has ,been ,grown with ,remarkable ,success for ,many ,years4 --,scientific ,explorers ,early ,recognized this as a ,wheat ,growing ,country4--,a ,head of ,cabbage ,fifty-three and a half inches in ,circumference4--,livestock ,lives ,out of ,doors in ,winter4-- ,according to a ,church of ,england ,missionary1 ,peace river ,enjoys the ,finest ,climate in the ,world4 ,the more westerly 7or ,peace river7 section of northern ,alberta is attracting much attention on account of its remarkable agricultural possibilities2 and the numerous settlements which have1 during the past few years1 been established1 have practically demonstrated that the glowing accounts which have from time to time reached the outside world as to the fertility of ,peace river country1 have not been exaggerated4 ,peace river1 which has lent its name to the country along its banks1 whether in ,british ,columbia or in northern ,alberta1 is formed by the junction of ,finlay and ,parsnip rivers1 two transmontane streams1 and is the largest and longest of the tributaries of the ,mackenzie4 ,it rises in and drains a large district west of ,rocky mountains1 and then continuing eastwards1 intersects the axis of that range and drains the country lying along its eastern slopes1 through four degrees of latitude4 ,its length1 from the confluence of ,finlay and ,parnsip rivers1 to the point at which it unites with the waters flowing from ,lake ,athabaska to form ,slave river1 is seven hundred and fifty-seven miles1 but measuring from ,summit lake1 the source of its principal branch1 it is approximately nine hundred and five miles4 ,from the confluence of the ,finlay and the ,parsnip1 the ,peace flows in a general easterly direction for some three hundred miles to its junction with the ,smoky1 falling in this distance a little less than eight hundred feet4 ,the country through which it flows may be considered as a plateau in which it has excavated ,a ,,rather ,,deep ,,valley4 ,a number of streams1 ,pine river from the south being one of the largest1 discharge their waters into it4 ,back from the river the country is mainly level or rolling1 and is thinly wooded4 ,smoky river is the largest tributary of the ,peace4 ,its principal branches rise on the eastern slope of ,rocky mountains1 and it drains a large extent of thinly wooded and prairie country4 ,below the mouth of the ,smoky1 the ,peace turns and pursues a winding though general northerly course nearly to ,fort ,vermilion4 ,it is bordered at first by steep sandstone cliffs1 but its valley gradually becomes wider and shallower4 ,extensive plains comparatively level and clothed with grass or a sparse growth of poplars1 border it on both sides4 ,north of ,fort ,vermilion this character of country is said to extend to the valleys on ,hay and ,buffalo rivers4 ,the country between ,peace river and ,great ,slave lake1 however1 is very imperfectly known4 ,one of the first records we have of successful agriculture in ,peace river country is in the famous diary of ,daniel ,williams ,harmon of the ,northwest ,company's service1 who spent several years there4 ,he speaks favourably of the situation of ,dunvegan 7north latitude #ef1 west longtitude #aai71 where he found himself located in ,october1 #ahjh4 ,he goes on to say in his diary3--8,our principal food will be the flesh of the buffalo1 moose1 red deer1 and bear4 ,we have a tolerably good kitchen garden1 and we are in no fear that we shall want the means of a comfortable subsistence40 ,in an entry in his diary dated ,may #f1 the following spring1 ,harmon states3--8,we have planted our potatoes1 and sowed most of our garden seeds40 ,under date ,june #b1 the same year1 we find the entry3--8,the seeds which we sowed in the garden1 have sprung up1 and grow remarkably well4 ,the present prospect is1 that strawberries1 red raspberries1 shad-berries1 cherries1 etc41 will be abundant this season40 ,july #ba ,harmon writes3--8,we have cut down our barley and ,i ,,think ,,it ,,is ,,the ,,finest that ,i have ever seen in any country4 ,the soil on the points of land along this river is excellent40 ,under the date of ,september #a1 the same year1 ,harmon noted the commencement of the annual migration of wild fowl southward1 and on ,friday1 ,october #fth1 he wrote in his diary3--8,as the weather begins to be cold1 we have taken our vegetables out of the ground1 which we find to have been very productive40 ,in his diary for the following year1 ,harmon records a summer frost on ,june #bc1 writing3--8,the last night was so cold1 that the tops of our potatoes were frozen40 ,the frost in question does not seem to have damaged the crops1 for on ,wednesday the #crd of the following ,october this observant diarist wrote3--8,we have taken our potatoes out of the ground1 and find that nine bushels1 which we planted ,may #aj last1 have produced a little more than one hundred and fifty bushels4 ,the other vegetables in our garden have yielded an increase1 much in the same proportion1 which is sufficient proof that the soil of the points of land along the river is good4 ,indeed1 ,i am of the opinion1 that wheat1 rye1 barley1 oats1 peas1 etc41 would grow well in the plains around us40 ,it is very evident that all of the officials of the fur trading companies who were on duty in ,peace river country did not devote the same intelligent attention to agriculture that ,harmon and his colleagues did4 ,when ,charles ,horetzky1 ,c4,e41 was at ,dunvegan in #ahgc 7,see p4 #ag7 there was no bread used1 and the only vegetables served at meals were some 8very diminutive potatoes40 ,mr4 ,horetzky comments as follows on this subject3--8,owing to the fact that the ,company's agents are liable to be suddenly removed from one post to another1 those people are1 not unnaturally1 averse to the expenditure of time and labour necessary for farming experiments2 hence the absence of farm produce at these posts4 ,but the natural advantages of excellent soil of unlimited extent1 and the proverbially early disappearance of the snow in spring1 would lead one to believe that good crops of barley1 potatoes1 and fall wheat might be successfully raised in this part of the ,northwest40 ,one of the strongest arguments advanced by ,mr4 ,horetzky in his advocacy of ,peace river pass route for the ,canadian ,pacific ,railway was that a line built via this route would open up ,a ,,vast ,,fertile ,,region situated to the south of ,peace river--8a region probably comprising an area equal in extent to ,manitoba1 well wooded with abundance of fresh water1 of excellent soil1 and in all probability possessing unlimited quantities of good coal4 ,the climate is most salubrious1 and1 by all accounts1 as mild as1 if not milder than1 that of ,red river4 ,on the extensive plains bordering upon ,peace river1 both north and south of it1 snow rarely exceeds two feet in depth1 and never packs40 ,the travellers and traders who have been in ,peace river country are as enthusiastic about its picturesque appearance as about its apparent fertility4 ,mr4 ,horetzky reached ,peace river a few miles above the mouth of the ,smoky ,september #cj1 #ahgc1 and thus describes the scene3--8,we feasted our eyes on the glorious landscape now mapped out before us4 ,a strong westerly gale was blowing1 but the air was so warm and balmy1 that to recline on the beautiful grassy sward1 full face to the blast1 was positively delicious4 ,for several miles1 to the southwest1 the noble river1 flowing eight hundred feet below us1 on its silent course to ,arctic ocean1 could be distinctly traced as it meandered through its mighty valley4 ,several large and wooded islands dotted its surface here and there1 causing eddies and whirlpools1 which in their turn made long and faint streaks of foam1 barely visible in the distance4 ,from our position1 and embracing an angle of fully one hundred and thirty degrees1 or1 in other words1 from the northwest round to south1 a boundless and nearly level expanse of country could be taken in at a glance1 the only breaks being the great valleys of ,peace and ,smoky rivers1 than which nothing we had ever seen could be more beautiful1 the former especially1 in its magnitude and depth1 surpassing all we had anticipated40 ,the pioneer missionaries attached to the ,church of ,england and ,roman ,catholic missions appear to have done more towards demonstrating the agricultural possibilities of ,peace river country1 and the whole ,mackenzie basin1 than the fur traders4 ,in the 8,mission ,field0 of ,january #b1 #ahhb 7a ,london monthly publication of the ,society for the ,propagation of the ,gospel71 the ,right ,reverend ,bompas1 ,bishop of the ,church of ,england in ,athabaska and ,mackenzie districts 7his diocese comprising the centre ,arctic watershed of ,british ,america71 published the following3--8,the excellence of the land in ,peace river country for farming purposes is well known2 the ,,soil ,,is ,,rich ,,and ,,productive1 and the climate most salubrious4 ,a mission station is established at ,fort ,vermilion under the charge of the ,reverend ,arthur ,garrioch1 and a church is fast approaching completion4 ,other mission stations have been started at different parts of the river1 and in #ahgh a mission farm was begun which the bishop hopes will in time obviate the necessity of procuring all the supplies of flour1 etc41 from ,red river1 the expense of which1 from heavy freights1 is so great that every bag of flour by the time it reaches the missionaries north of ,athabaska costs upwards of #e40 ,it was as superintendent of the mission farms that the head of the ,lawrence family1 the originators of farming on an extensive scale and by scientific methods in ,peace river country1 was attracted there4 ,besides the satisfactory pioneer attempts at tilling the soil of ,peace river country1 the raising of live stock was many years ago demonstrated to be successful4 ,as early as #ahbc there was an infant ranching industry there1 ,sir ,george ,simpson's party having noted a small band of half a dozen horses when approaching ,dunvegan4 ,in the reports of the government explorers a great deal of interesting information will be found as to the soil1 climate1 and agricultural possibilities of ,peace river country4 ,professor ,john ,macoun was the first scientific explorer to draw attention to the agricultural possibilities of ,peace river country1 after making a thorough examination of the natural flora1 the soil1 climatic conditions1 etc4 ,mr4 ,macoun had accompanied the first ,canadian ,pacific ,railway survey expedition1 and had subsequently been botanist to the geological survey party appointed to investigate this very country4 ,there was much information as to the agricultural possibilities of the country in ,professor ,macoun's official reports1 and he summarized his conclusions in his book 8,manitoba and the ,great ,northwest10 published in #ahhb4 ,he defines a tract lying between the upper reaches of ,athabaska river and the fifty-seventh parallel of latitude1 in ,peace river basin1 which he considers 8may be classed as fertile10 and estimates its area as about thirty-one thousand five hundred and fifty square miles4 ,speaking of this tract1 he states3--8,its average elevation may be stated as little over two thousand feet1 and this is maintained with considerable uniformity1 for though the general surface slopes slightly from the north and south toward ,peace river1 the region as a whole may be considered as a plateau through which the great gorge-like valley of the ,peace has been excavated4 8,the northern banks of ,peace river valley are also very generally open grassed1 and parts of the valley of the ,smoky and other rivers have a similar character4 ,the total area of ,,prairie ,,land1 ,,west ,,of ,,smoky ,,river1 may be about three thousand square miles4 ,the remainder of the surface is generally occupied by second-growth forest1 occasionally dense1 but more often open and composed of aspen1 birch1 and cottonwood1 with a greater or less proportion of coniferous trees4 ,some patches of the original forest1 however1 remain1 particularly in the river valleys1 and are composed of much larger trees1 chiefly coniferous1 among which the black spruce is most abundant4 ,handsome groves of old and large cottonwoods are also to be found in some of the valleys4 ,where the soil becomes locally sandy and poor1 and more particularly in some of the more elevated parts of the ridges before described1 a thick growth of scrub pine and black spruce1 in which the individual trees are small1 is found1 and in swampy regions the taramack is not wanting1 but grows generally intermixed with the black spruce4 8,though the prairies are most immediately available from an agricultural point of view1 the regions now covered with second growth and forest1 where the soil itself1 if not inferior1 will eventually be equally valuable4 ,the largest tract of poor land is that bordering the valley of the ,athabaska on the north40 ,professor ,macoun was examined before the ,senate committee of #ahhh and gave a considerable amount of information1 all valuable at the time1 and much of it still so1 as to the character of ,peace river country from ,macleod in latitude #ee1 to ,lake ,athabaska1 up the ,athabaska to the ,clearwater1 and up the ,clearwater to its head4 ,starting from the ,parsnip and through ,rocky mountains1 the good country for agriculture commences1 according to ,professor ,macoun1 at ,rocky mountains portage at ,hudson ,hope 7in ,british ,columbia7 or ,the ,hope of ,hudson1 as ,capt4 ,butler puts it4 ,from that point down the country is suitable for agricultural purposes1 the whole distance2 on the prairie1 not on the slopes of the river1 but on the prairie above4 ,the north bank of the river1 that is the one facing south1 has hardly any wood1 but is covered with berries1 and witness found the cactus growing there4 ,the other side of the river1 facing the north1 was covered largely with spruce down to the river's edge1 the whole upward slope4 ,it was only the banks of the river that were wooded2 above1 all was prairie1 with poplar and willow in clumps4 ,it was of the same character as the ,north ,saskatchewan1 but with much taller grass4 ,said ,professor ,macoun3--8,while at ,fort ,vermilion1 on ,peace river1 in latitude #eh #bd1 ,i was informed by old ,mr4 ,shaw1 who had charge of that post for fifteen years1 that ,,indian ,,corn ,,would ,,ripen well every year there1 and at ,battle river corn ripened three years in succession1 and that frost never injured anything on this part of the river4 ,the whole country at ,fort ,vermilion is a plain1 not elevated at its highest point more than a hundred feet over the river1 but the greater part of it is less than fifty feet4 ,the soil is wonderfully like that of the second prairie steppe1 in the prairie region1 as the surface is composed of black loam1 mixed apparently with limestone gravel4 ,from ,fort ,vermilion1 ,caribou mountains are visible about forty miles off4 ,these may have the effect of keeping off the cold winds from ,great ,slave lake1 and hence the country is permanently warm4 ,both days and nights have been warm down on this part of the river1 whereas on the upper parts1 where high banks are1 the cold was even felt at night in ,august4 8,the grain at ,fort ,vermilion was sown on ,may #h and #bj1 and was cut on ,august #f4 ,wheat growing among the barley and by the fences was almost ripe ,august #ab1 when ,i was there4 ,at ,rocky mountain portage 7,british ,columbia71 where ,peace river issues from ,rocky mountains1 latitude #ef degrees1 we found a first rate garden with vegetables far advanced1 ,july #ba2 new potatoes1 onions1 and carrots were part of our bill of fare4 ,that was in #ahge4 ,five days later1 at ,fort ,st4 ,john 7,b4,c47 vegetation was even further advanced1 and all kinds of garden stuff were in the greatest perfection4 ,nigger ,dan's barley was colouring on ,july #bf1 and would be cut the first week in ,august4 ,his potatoes were large1 and enough for fourteen men were dug on ,august #b4 8,i may mention that strawberries were fully ripe on ,july #f1 at ,hudson ,hope 7,b4,c474 ,at ,dunvegan1 barley was almost fit to cut ,august #d4 ,cabbage in the priest's garden were closing1 and all his garden vegetables far advanced4 8,at ,battle river pease were getting ripe ,august #h4 ,at ,fort ,vermilion potatoes were very large and many heads of barley contained sixty grains1 others many more4 ,i never saw such fine barley before4 ,barley was sown on ,may #h and cut on ,august #f--that is at latitude #eh #bd4 ,at ,red river 7a small fort1 fifty or sixty miles below ,fort ,vermilion71 they have no ploughs1 and the ground was broken up with a spade or hoe4 ,the garden stuff ,,was ,,wonderfully ,,luxuriant1 pease1 ,windsor beans and potatoes being far advanced2 cucumbers started and raised in the open air1 a very large crop1 and a number of them were ripe on ,august #ad4 8,at ,chipewyan mission1 two miles from the fort1 there were wheat1 oats and barley1 a good crop as regards grain4 ,windsor beans were ripe and pulled up on ,august #ag4 ,wheat and barley were in stock ,august #bf1 and specimens of these1 which ,i brought to ,ottawa1 are here on the table4 8,at ,red river fort a ,frenchman named ,st4 ,cyr had a garden1 and he told me he had a particular thing growing in the garden that he did not know anything about4 ,i went out to look at it1 and there was a splendid patch of cucumbers1 many of them ripe4 ,that was in ,august4 ,i said3 #8,these are cucumbers2 how did you start them8' ,he said3 #8,i got the seed from ,england and put it in the ground1 and that is what has come from it4' 8,i passed down the ,athabaska 7from ,chipewyan7 to the ,mission1 and ,i found growing on soil that would be of no value here whatever1 sand and muck1 an old swamp where they had planted wheat on ,may #e1 and ,i found it in the stook on ,august #bf1 and brought away from it the grain that was awarded the bronze medal at ,philadelphia in #ahgf4 ,it was forwarded to me1 but ,i said that it did not belong to me1 but to the missionaries at ,athabaska4 ,i exhibited this very lot of grain in ,manitoba before ,consul ,taylor and many other gentlemen1 and the matter of the number of grains in the fascicle was then discussed and made public4 ,they took a quantity of the wheat from me and shelled it1 and ,mr4 ,gouin1 ,inspector of ,inland ,revenue1 weighed it1 and it showed a weight of sixty-eight pounds to the bushel4#ae 8,the wild pea or vetch grows all through ,peace river valley1 but was particularly noticed on the plateau above ,fort ,st4 ,john 7in ,british ,columbia7 in latitude #ef4 ,here it was actually measured by myself and was found to attain a height of eight feet1 while the weeds1 such as the purple fire weed of the east 7,epilobium angustifolium7 attained a height of seven feet4 ,these are given in illustration of the wonderful luxuriance of the commoner plants on that high plateau4 ,the vegetation throughout the whole ,peace river valley is of the most luxuriant character1 and it seems ,,more ,,like ,,that ,,of ,,the ,,tropics than a country drawing near the ,arctic ,circle40 ,professor ,macoun explained that in ,peace river country1 the snow passes off so easily that as soon as it is off the ground and a few inches of the soil thawed1 the ground is ready for seeding1 because the soil is friable and the snow of little depth4 ,the character of the month of ,september is almost identical with that of the very best ,septembers in ,ottawa--a smoky atmosphere with occasional white frosts in the morning1 but generally a calm atmosphere4 ,in ,october the frosts get more severe towards the last of the month4 ,about the #beth at ,chipewyan ice begins to form and the rivers and lakes soon close4 ,professor ,macoun furnished the committee with some data from notes kept by ,daniel ,williams of ,fort ,st4 ,john1 commonly known as 8,nigger ,dan40 ,these notes showed that from #ahgb to #ahge the date for planting potatoes varied from ,april #be to ,may #aj1 and for sowing barley and oats from ,april #bb to ,may #g4 ,after ,september #bb1 in #ahgd1 ,williams dug over one hundred bushels of potatoes4 ,william ,ogilvie1 ,d4,l4,s4 7,see p4 #ah7 in his report of #ahhd1 wrote3--8,opposite ,fort ,vermilion1 on the north of the river1 there is an extensive tract of prairie and poplar bluff country1 which extends from the ,peace to the watershed between ,peace and ,mackenzie rivers1 southwestward along the ,peace for about forty miles or more1 and northeastward along the river a few miles1 until it merges into the country already described4 ,this is said to be a first class country in every way1 well wooded and watered1 with a rich1 deep1 black loamy clay soil2 and if the life of flowers and berries be any indication of freedom from frost1 this district is favoured in this respect1 as the berries ripen here when they are killed in the surrounding parts4 8,the country southwestward from the end of this tract to ,battle river is described as woods and swamps1 alternating with patches of prairie and open woods1 and from ,battle river to the prairie near ,dunvegan1 generally drier and with more prairie4 8,it appears1 therefore1 that from ,dunvegan1 on the north side of ,peace river1 down the river to ,peace point1 and thence to ,salt river on the ,great ,slave1 there is a tract of country about six hundred miles in length and forty miles wide1 of which a large percentage is fit for immediate settlement1 and a great deal more could be very easily closed4 8,of the country southeast of the ,peace1 between it and the ,athabaska1 very little is known4 ,it was described by all whom ,i met1 who had seen any portion of it1 as a rolling surface1 the ridges heavily wooded with fair timber1 and many of the basins containing swamps and lakes of considerable size4 ,out of one of the latter1 ,lake ,wapisca1 ,loon river flows into the ,peace1 and another stream called by the same name into the ,athabaska1 at ,grand rapids4 ,some of the ridges rise into high hills1 and in some of these1 rock exposures are said to be visible4 8,at ,dunvegan1 notwithstanding the severity of the frosts1 the crops were very good1 both in quality and quantity4 ,when ,i was there1 the ,roman ,catholic missionaries ,,had ,,threshed ,,their ,,grain1 samples of which ,i brought back4 ,the yield was as follows3--,fifty pounds of wheat were sown on ,april #af and reaped on ,august #bj1 and twenty-seven bushels threshed of good clean grain2 fifteen pounds of ,egyptian barley sown on ,april #ah and reaped ,august #bj1 and fifteen bushels threshed1 weighing fully sixty pounds to the bushel4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company and the ,church of ,england mission had not threshed1 and could not give their returns1 but they were well satisfied with their crops of all kinds4 ,the ,reverend ,mr4 ,brick1 of the ,church of ,england mission1 was already using bread1 when ,i was there1 made from wheat of the present year's growth40 ,mr4 ,ogilvie in his #ahia report wrote as follows3-- 8,for a distance of six or seven miles back from ,peace river valley there is much prairie and meadowland1 with some woods and swamps scattered over it4 ,the soil is an excellent black clay loam as rich as any ,i ever saw1 and the growth of hay and grass bears testimony to this fact4 ,the dip of the valley from this plain is very sharp and the banks very steep1 falling about eight hundred feet in a mile4 8,at ,fort ,st4 ,john the ,hudson's ,bay ,company have a small patch on which they raise potatoes and garden stuff along with barley and oats4 ,the grain always ripens and the vegetables are as good as one would wish to use4 ,mr4 ,gunn1 the officer in charge here1 has been in ,peace river district since #ahhc1 and in the interval he has wandered around the adjacent country a good deal4 8,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company have several bands of horses in the vicinity of ,fort ,st4 ,john1 only a few of which have ever been broken4 ,these animals live on the prairie on the north side of the river1 winter and summer1 and ,,very ,,seldom ,,are ,,there ,,any ,,losses1 except by wolves1 or when the ,indians are starving they may quietly dispose of one or two and report them lost4 8,at ,dunvegan1 the ,company has grown wheat1 barley1 oats1 potatoes1 and garden stuff generally for many years with astonishing success4 ,when ,i was there in #ahhc-hd1 ,i saw grain and vegetables fully equal in quality and quantity to any ,i have ever seen anywhere1 the garden vegetables being especially fine4 ,last year everything was harvested and stored when ,i got there1 but what ,i saw of the produce was excellent4 ,i saw two sunflowers which measured fourteen inches across the disc4 ,with the corolla attached1 these flowers would have been nearly two feet in diameter4 ,the seeds of each weighed fourteen ounces and measured nearly a quart4 ,a head of cabbage was shown from which ,i stripped off all the loose leaves leaving it fit for cooking and then measured and weighed it4 ,it measured fifty-three and one-half inches in circumference1 and weighed twenty-eight and one-half lbs4 ,this was an exceptionally large head1 of course1 but the general run of both cabbage and cauliflower was large and would be considered so anywhere4 ,mr4 ,round1 the officer in charge of the post1 told me he two years ago made a departure from the old fashioned method of growing these plants1 and instead of developing them in hot beds1 he simply planted the seed once for all in drills in the garden1 and when they arrived at the proper stage1 pulled out the superfluous ones4 ,he found this method just as satisfactory and much less troublesome4 ,the other garden vegetables were just as large and good as one would wish to see them4 ,mr4 ,round informed me he planted fifteen bushels of potatoes last summer1 and after using them freely for the sustenance of his family 7five members7 and the servants1 in all eight or ten1 from the time they were fit for use1 until they were harvested1 he harvested upwards of two hundred bushels4 ,he sowed about four bushels of wheat1 and though the dry season much affected the result he would have about sixty bushels4 ,this grain is used in various ways1 some of it being ground into flour by the aid of small hand mills4 ,he sowed four bushels of oats1 and though part of the crop was destroyed by a hail storm1 one hundred bushels were threshed4 ,in #ahij he planted twenty-five bushels of potatoes1 and though they were freely used from the time they were fit for use until harvested1 seven hundred and twelve bushels were harvested4 ,the ,anglican and ,roman ,catholic missions here also successfully raise both grain and vegetables1 the latter depending for much of their subsistence on the results of their agricultural labours4 8,this post has been in existence for the greater part of a century1 and more or less farming has always been done at it during that time40 ,mr4 ,ogilvie embodied in his report a number of extracts from the ,dunvegan post journal which are interesting as conveying an idea of the ,,climate ,,and ,,the ,,growth ,,of ,,vegetation4 ,some of these extracts are worth requoting here3-- 8#ahbi4 ,ice began to move in the river ,april #ab4 ,sowed barley ,april #ag2 planted potatoes ,april #cj2 cut barley ,august #aj2 cut wheat ,august #be2 harvested potatoes ,september #bd2 first snow ,october #ba2 first drift ice ,october #bd4 8#ahcj4 ,ice broke up ,april #bh2 sowed thirty quarts of wheat ,may #c2 sowed garden seeds ,may #d2 planted potatoes ,may #e2 cut wheat ,september #ad2 commenced digging potatoes ,september #bg2 first drift ice ,october #bi2 ice set fast ,november #be4 8#ahhf4 ,ice started to break up ,april #ac2 sowed barley ,may #ab2 planted turnips ,may #ac2 planted potatoes ,may #ag2 began harvesting operations ,august #bj2 cut buckwheat ,september #b2 harvested potatoes ,september #bc2 stored nine hundred and eighty-four bushels2 slight snow ,october #ab2 first ice drifting ,november #aj2 ice set fast ,november #cj4 8#ahhg4 ,ice started ,april #bg2 sowed oats ,april #bi2 sowed other seed ,may #b2 commenced planting potatoes ,may #e2 sowed garden seeds ,may #i2 sowed peas ,may #aa2 finished planting potatoes ,may #bh2 planted fifty bushels2 severe frost ,june #g1 injuring young vegetables1 etc41 severe frost again on ,june #be1 cutting down everything to the ground1 potatoes and all2 ,july #bi new potatoes for the first time2 first snow fell on ,september #af2 commenced taking up potatoes ,september #bj2 harvested six hundred and eighteen bushels2 took up turnips and carrots ,september #e2 first drift ice in river ,october #bd1 but it cleared out again and returned ,november #ab2 set fast ,november #bi4 8#ahhh4 ,ice moved ,may #a2 began sowing barley ,may #i2 began planting potatoes ,may #aj2 sowed oats and wheat ,may #ae2 sowed garden seeds ,may #af2 sowed turnips ,may #bh2 slight frost ,august #a1 injured garden stuff2 cut barley ,september #e2 cut oats ,september #g2 started taking up potatoes ,september #bg2 finished ,october #c1 five hundred and twenty-nine bushels2 took up turnips ,october #e2 first snow ,october #ae2 first ice in river ,october #bg2 ice set fast ,november #bg40 ,mr4 ,ogilvie continues1 in his report3-- 8,i would now call particular attention to the mention of frost in ,june1 #ahhg1 and to the fact that it cut down vegetables to the ground4 ,alone there is nothing very wonderful about the statement1 as it is just what we would expect frost to do2 but in conjunction with using new potatoes for the first time on ,july #bi1 just one month after the frost1 and the further fact that ,,six ,,hundred ,,and ,,eighteen ,,bushels ,,were ,,harvested1 it is most astonishing4 ,mr4 ,round1 the officer who made the entry1 was a witness of the event1 and he is a gentleman whose sanity ,i would as soon doubt as his word4 ,i questioned him about it and he assured me emphatically of its correctness4 ,he can offer no explanations1 if it is not that a fog generally settles on the river valley after a frost and shields plants from the direct rays of the sun a good part of the day2 but even that does not account for this case1 as he assures me the potatoes were cut down1 black1 to the ground4 8,the ,reverend ,j4 ,g4 ,brick1 ,anglican missionary1 who spent some time at ,dunvegan1 combining farming with mission work1 in #ahhf started what might be called a branch farm at ,old ,wives lake1 about thirty-six miles from ,dunvegan1 on the cart trail1 between the latter place and ,smoky river crossing1 on the plateau above the immediate valley of the river4 ,reference will be made to this later4 8,in #ahhi1 he established himself in the valley of the river on the north side1 about five miles above the mouth of ,smoky river4 ,here he has established a mission and a school for the education of the young1 on which he bases all his hopes for the improvement of the natives4 ,he keeps this school open during the winter months1 and as an inducement to attend1 he gives all the children who live at a distance their dinner4 8,this gentleman took in with him a large outfit of farm implements and stock4 ,he has a small grist mill and threshing mill1 with which he threshes and grinds his grain4 ,by grinding his wheat twice it makes a fair article of flour1 but his facilities for bolting it are not quite up to the times1 consequently his flour is not quite so white as our high grade flour1 but it makes good bread1 nevertheless4 8,he is well satisfied with his success agriculturally4 ,he furnished me with the following information relative to his doings in #ahia3-- 8,began ploughing ,april #aa2 sowed first wheat ,april #ae2 ice broke up ,april #bj2 river cleared ,april #bf2 commenced harvesting ,august #bj2 cut wheat ,august #bg2 about nineteen acres under grain1 total yield six hundred and ninety-eight bushels4 ,,wheat ,,two ,,hundred ,,and ,,fifty ,,bushels ,,on ,,six ,,acres2 oats two hundred bushels1 barley two hundred and twenty-six bushels4 ,after all the grain was removed he raked the field and got twenty-two bushels of grain from the rakings4 ,he sowed two varieties of wheat1 ,ladoga1 and wheat he got in ,manitoba1 which he thinks is ,red ,fife1 but is not sure2 both are beautiful specimens of grain4 ,he has some two-rowed barley which he procured while in ,england in #ahhh1 when he obtained one pound4 ,the yield in #ahia was six hundred pounds of as fine1 clean1 bright and plump grain as could be seen elsewhere4 8,his ,ladoga wheat was sown ,april #ba and harvested ,august #bd1 but he allowed it to over-ripen1 and thinks he lost at least four or five bushels while harvesting4 ,he sowed ninety pounds and threshed one thousand five hundred4 ,he obtained a sample of black ,norway oats from ,webb and ,company1 ,england1 which he sowed on five-eighths of an acre of ground1 last year4 ,when harvesting it was all drawn off the field in one wagon load1 and when threshed it turned out sixty-four bushels of first-class grain4 ,last year he tried ,indian corn2 it did not ripen1 but yielded excellent green corn2 cucumbers were grown successfully1 but did not ripen4 ,yet ,i saw as good pumpkins fully developed both here and at ,dunvegan as one would wish for4 8,mr4 ,brick has about forty head of cattle1 and several horses2 last fall on my arrival there he had about forty pigs1 but killed some during my stay1 and only intended to winter about twenty-five4 ,he employs a good deal of local labour1 and pays for it with food to a very large extent2 in fact it is the only way it could be paid for in the country4 ,the hay for wintering the cattle and horses is cut on the plateau about seven miles from the farm4 ,he generally allows his cattle to run out until ,christmas1 the grass on the meadows being enough for them to feed on it after the early snows have fallen4 ,the horses not kept in for use are wintered out4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company at ,dunvegan have about one hundred and fifty wild horses1 and the ,roman ,catholic mission and the ,indians also have many which always winter out on the plains north of the ,post1 which affords them both food and shelter1 as the country between ,dunvegan and ,smoky river1 crossing on the north side1 is particularly park-like prairie to a distance of twelve to twenty miles back from the river4 ,the woods afford them shelter and on the prairies the rich grasses grow4 ,there are also large areas ,,where ,,excellent ,,hay ,,grows4 ,illustration3 ,flour ,mill at ,fort ,vermilion4 ,no other attention is1 or has been1 given to these animals than to occasionally send a man out to hunt them up and count them4 ,this is not so difficult a task as it would seem1 as they run in bands2 each band consists of mares and a stallion1 who will give fight to the death for his mares4 ,each band is known by the name of its stallion1 and as each keeps pretty well in the one locality1 it is not so difficult to keep track of them as it would appear4 ,i saw several bands on my way from ,dunvegan and all were very fat1 notwithstanding that the cold winter weather had set in a month before1 and the snow had been a foot deep for ten or twelve days4 #8,chinook' winds occasionally visit this part of the country and carry the snow off2 here also they blow from the southwest4 ,the approach of one is known some little time before it arrives by the roar it makes4 ,many people in the country call them the #8high-winds' they blow so strongly4 ,they often visit ,lesser ,slave lake40 ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell of the ,geological ,survey1 in the report of his visit to the country1 wrote in #ahhh3--8,vegetables of various kinds are grown yearly without difficulty1 at ,fort ,vermilion1 ,lesser ,slave lake1 ,whitefish lake and ,trout lake1 while potatoes are grown by the ,indians even on the summit of ,birch mountain1 at a height of two thousand three hundred feet above the sea4 ,wheat and other cereals have been fairly successful at ,lesser ,slave lake and at ,fort ,vermilion1 the only places where they have been tried4 ,the prairie country round ,fort ,vermilion equals in fertility the famous ,edmonton district and appears to enjoy an equally good climate1 its higher latitude being compensated for by its more western situation and by its lower elevation4 ,this district is about one thousand feet above the sea4 ,in the interior1 narrow strips of aspen-covered1 but excellent land1 are usually found along the main rivers1 and surrounding many of the lakes1 and numerous areas1 often ,,equal ,,in ,,size ,,to ,,eastern ,,counties1 might be selected1 which appear well adapted for cultivation1 but the numerous swamps1 muskegs and marshes which separate these areas detract greatly from their value4 ,the western1 and especially the northwestern1 portion of this district contains the most promising agricultural lands40 ,mr4 ,mc,connell1 before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 explained that his exploratory work in ,peace river country had been mostly along the streams4 ,he had1 however1 been over quite a bit of the tableland4 ,he had nearly always gone back from the river quite a bit1 twenty or thirty and forty miles in places4 ,from ,lesser ,slave lake he started on foot with a couple of men packing1 and went through all the country between ,lesser ,slave lake and ,big ,knife lake1 a distance of about one hundred and fifty miles4 ,his mission was specially to look for minerals1 but1 of course1 he was supposed to keep his eyes open for anything4 ,as to the extent of land suitable for cultivation in ,peace river country1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell said there are aspen ridges all through that country which may be good1 but they are separated by muskegs everywhere1 except on the table prairie4 ,these muskegs occur with solid ground in between them1 and in those places aspens grow1 and where those poplars are found the land is nearly always good4 ,but the poplars do not grow to any size4 ,the aspen is not on the prairie2 it is on the wooded country1 in between the muskegs4 ,besides there are occasional patches of prairie at ,fort ,vermilion1 following ,peace river down1 and also ,grande prairie4 ,there is no large continuous prairie thirty miles from ,edmonton towards the north4 ,there are occasional patches of prairie tableland with only small areas of bottom land4 ,the tableland decreases in height as going northward4 ,farther down the ,vermilion the prairie begins again4 ,at ,fort ,vermilion the country is not so much subject to frost as in the higher land4 ,wheat has been grown there a great number of years4 ,in the valley of the river the low land on each side is fertile4 ,there is no great quantity of it on either bank4 ,there are just these flats4 ,taking the aggregate it is a large quantity because it is a tremendously long river4 ,the valley is probably a mile wide on both sides of the river4 ,grande prairie1 in upper ,peace country1 which is ,,about ,,seventy-,,five ,,miles ,,across1 is probably the largest area of open country1 and there is a prairie following ,peace river about twenty-five miles4 ,that disappears going down ,peace river1 and the country is wooded and partly muskeg as far as ,fort ,vermilion4 ,then there is another small prairie area4 ,taking the upper stretches of the country1 northward forty miles from the river1 the country is partly muskeg4 ,travelling across it with horses1 one would run into a muskeg every couple of miles1 and there are ridges only a few feet higher than the muskegs1 and they are nearly always covered with poplar1 and those ridges seem to be fairly good agricultural land4 ,but they are always separated by these muskeg lands4 ,this muskeg is very deep4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell had had horses go down in it4 ,along all the streams there is a certain amount of good land4 ,there are a great many streams in that country1 and in the aggregate the amount of water is large4 ,as to ,grande prairie1 or north ,peace river country1 the soil is very good there4 ,there is a subsoil4 ,it is a good wheat country1 and in ,june and ,july it is looked upon as the best wheat country in the world4 ,he had noticed the pea vine growing in that section1 and so far as he could judge from going over it1 the country is a good agricultural one1 except for frosts4 ,there happened to be some frosts both times he was there1 but apart from that the country is certainly good4 ,there is swamp grass growing about the margins of the small lakes4 ,it was after the middle of the month of ,august that he experienced frost there4 ,he did not know much about the growing of vegetables in ,peace river country4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell considered that at that date the value of ,peace river country as a whole as far as wheat-growing was concerned1 was entirely problematical4 ,if one went there in ,june or ,july he would come to the conclusion that it is the finest country in the whole wide world1 but he himself had been there twice in ,august and found a heavy frost on each occasion4 ,things changed very rapidly about the end of ,august4 ,he did not know if there would be frost about the same time around ,edmonton1 but the two years he happened to be in ,peace river district there would be about fifteen degrees of frost at night4 ,that was in the elevated1 cattle country1 which is considered higher than the surface of ,peace river4 ,there were no crops there at that time4 ,the soil in that district is splendid4 ,it is precisely the same as the country around ,edmonton4 ,it might be good for the growing of hay1 or in fact anything4 ,there is no question that the soil is good1 and in ,june and ,july it is a ,,most ,,attractive ,,country4 ,he went down ,loon river1 and found much of the country in there partly muskeg2 in fact1 the greater part of it is muskeg2 but there are patches of country covered with aspen1 which is probably good for agriculture4 ,he went all the way down ,loon river and ,red river1 which flows into ,peace river1 and another unnamed stream1 and found it was a prairie country down there4 ,there is a grist mill at ,vermilion1 and a large quantity of wheat is sent there4 ,the wheat is all grown in that vicinity4 ,that country is too good a country to be wasted4 ,the valleys are protected from the wind1 and the theory is that it is less liable to frost on account of the wind being kept away4 ,there is a magnificent growth of grass on the plateau1 and there is hay in the marshes4 ,it is very much the same country as that around ,edmonton4 ,it is a good place for raising cattle1 but they probably would have to feed them in the winter time1 as they do at ,edmonton4 ,sheep ought to do well4 ,they appeared to have a fair rainfall4 ,he thought that as far as the country is concerned it is very much the same as ,edmonton4 ,it is well watered4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell concluded that a farmer might succeed there even if he could not grow wheat1 if he could get a market4 ,that was the only thing that would prevent him from succeeding1 he thought4 ,much evidence as to the agricultural possibilities and climate of the ,peace country was taken by the ,senate committee of #ahhh 7,see p4 #bh74 ,hon4 ,william ,christie1 formerly ,inspecting ,chief ,factor of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 in his examination before the committee1 expressed himself sanguine about the agricultural possibilities of ,peace river country1 which he considered 8is one of the finest countries that you would wish to see4 ,upper ,peace river country is as fine a country as ,i ever saw40 ,he did not think ,peace river country subject to droughts at all1 but the winter snow disappeared much more rapidly than it did in ,manitoba4 ,the vegetation in ,peace river country is very luxuriant2 the grass is more like that of ,manitoba than that of ,saskatchewan4 ,he thought the wheat crop would be as certain in upper ,peace river district as in the ,saskatchewan district4 ,farther down1 at ,lac la ,biche1 they never have wheat frozen2 that may be affected by the temperature of the lake water4 ,on upper ,peace river they are less subject to frost4 ,he had always understood that wheat grew well at ,dunvegan4 ,at ,fort ,vermilion there was a splendid country4 ,he once rode with ,governor ,dallas sixty miles through a most magnificent country4 ,the soil was a beautiful dark loam1 as they could see by the mole hills1 and they were struck with the charming appearance of the country4 ,there were more bluffs than were found on the ,saskatchewan1 and it was a beautiful country all the way up to ,dunvegan4 ,where the country was open1 the grass was higher than on the ,saskatchewan4 ,it was not very long--about the same as in ,manitoba4 ,as to the testing of the capacity of the country for agriculture1 he explained that a good deal had depended upon the characters of the officers in charge of the various forts whether the capacity of the country in the vicinity for agriculture was tested4 ,in the journals of long ago he found that they used to raise splendid wheat crops at ,dunvegan1 and cattle4 ,another officer1 without any taste for agriculture1 going in there might find it very difficult to live4 ,if he had no taste for gardening or agriculture1 nothing would be raised4 ,a great deal depended on the officer of the post whether he lived well or not4 ,if he was active and energetic he would always live very well4 ,witness agreed with the remark that there is enough good land in ,peace river country ,,to ,,make ,a ,,new ,,province4 ,g4 ,m4 ,dawson1 ,m4,d41 ,,ll4,d41 at the time ,assistant ,director of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 was examined by the committee and explained that he had personal acquaintance with the ,athabaska from ,athabaska to ,baptiste river2 with ,peace river valley from ,smoky river to the headwaters2 and with the country between the above designated portions of rivers4 ,quoting from a report he had prepared in #ahgi-hj1 on the extent of arable and pastoral lands in the region of ,peace and ,athabaska rivers1 ,doctor ,dawson showed that ,peace river basin comprised an area of about thirty-one thousand five hundred and fifty square miles4 ,its average elevation may be stated as a little over two thousand feet1 and this is maintained with considerable uniformity1 for though the general surface slopes slightly from the north and south towards ,peace river1 the region as a whole may be considered as a plateau1 through which the great gorge-like valley of the ,peace has been excavated4 ,this valley has in general a depth of six hundred to eight hundred feet below that part of the plateau bordering it1 with a width of two or three miles from rim to rim4 ,its tributary streams1 at first nearly on the plateau level1 flow in valleys of continually increasing depth as they approach that of ,peace river4 ,those from the southeastern portion of the region rise either in ,rocky mountains or near the ,athabaska1 the tributaries received by the latter stream1 in this part of its course1 from the north and northwest being--with the exception of the ,baptiste--quite inconsiderable4 ,the ridges and hills by which this region is occasionally diversified1 appear in all cases to be composed either of the generally soft rocks of the cretaceous1 or of arenaceous clays containing erratics and representing the boulder clays of the glacial period4 ,these elevations are generally slight1 and with exceedingly slight1 and gradual slopes1 the scarped banks of the streams constituting much more important irregularities4 ,these ridges1 however1 often resemble detached portions of a higher plateau1 and spread widely enough to occupy in the aggregate a considerable area1 of which the soil is not so uniform in character as elsewhere4 ,with these exceptions1 the soil of the district may be described as a fine silt1 resembling the ,,white ,,silts ,,of ,,the ,,nechacco ,,basin1 and not dissimilar from the loess-like material constituting the subsoil of ,red river valley in ,manitoba4 ,this silt at a short distance below the surface1 is greyish or brownish in colour1 but becomes mixed superficially with a proportion of vegetable matter to a varying depth4 ,it has evidently been deposited by a comparatively tranquil body of water not loaded with ice1 probably toward the close of the glacial period1 and has either never been laid down on the ridges and undulations above referred to1 or has been since removed from them by processes of waste4 ,as evidenced by the natural vegetation its fertility is great4 ,west of ,smoky river1 both to the south and north of ,peace river1 there are extensive areas of prairie country1 either entirely open1 and covered with a more or less luxuriant growth of grass1 or dotted with patches of coppice and groves of trees4 ,the northern banks of ,peace river valley are also very generally open and grassed1 and parts of the valley of the ,smoky and other rivers have a similar character4 ,the total area of prairie land west of the ,smoky may be about three thousand square miles4 ,though the prairies are most immediately available1 from an agricultural point of view1 the regions now covered with second growth and forest1 where the soil itself is not inferior1 will eventually be equally valuable4 ,the largest tract of poor land is that bordering the valley of the ,athabaska on the north4 ,this rises to an elevation considerably greater than most of the region to the north and west1 and appears1 during the submergence to which the superficial deposits are due1 to have been exposed to stronger currents which have prevented the deposition of fine silt1 causing it to be replaced by a coarser silt which passes in places into actual sand1 and alternates with ridges of boulder clay4 ,this region is often swampy1 and1 for a width of twenty to twenty-five miles on the trail from ,sturgeon lake to ,athabaska1 is quite unsuited for agriculture1 though still in many places capable of yielding good summer grazing when the forest has been completely removed by fire4 ,to the northward1 more particularly to the east of ,smoky river1 peaty and mossy swamps occupy part of the surface1 and these may be regarded as permanently unsuited to agriculture4 ,there is also a sandy tract1 though of small width1 along the lower part of ,wapiti river near its junction with the ,smoky4 ,deducting as far as possible all the areas known to be inferior or useless1 with about twenty per cent4 for the portions of the region under consideration of which less is known1 the total area of land1 with soil suited to agriculture1 may be estimated as ,,at ,,least ,,twenty-,,three ,,thousand ,,five ,,hundred ,,square ,,miles4 ,in the absence of complete maps1 such an estimate cannot be otherwise than very rough1 but may serve to give some idea of the fact4 ,doctor ,dawson expressed the opinion that 8the truly wonderful luxuriance of the natural vegetation in ,peace valley prairies indicated1 not alone the fertility of the soil1 but the occurrences of a sufficient rainfall40 ,he went on to explain that the summer season of #ahgi was an unusual one1 characterized by excessively heavy rainfall1 with cold raw weather in the early summer months4 ,these conditions did not extend to the west of ,rocky mountains1 but appeared to have been felt over the entire area of the plains to ,red river valley4 ,as a result of this1 the crops generally throughout the ,northwest were later than usual1 and the mean temperature of even the latter part of the summer appears to be rather abnormally low4 ,notwithstanding this1 on ,doctor ,dawson's arrival at ,dunvegan1 on ,august #af1 small patches of wheat and barley in the garden of the fort presented a remarkably fine appearance and were beginning to turn yellow4 ,on his return to the fort on ,august #ca1 these were being harvested1 their complete ripening having been delayed by overcast and chilly weather which prevailed between these dates4 ,at the first-mentioned date potatoes were quite ripe1 with the balls formed on the stalks1 and the garden contained also fine cabbage1 beets1 carrots1 onions1 lettuce and turnips4 ,dwarf beans1 cucumbers and squashes were also flourishing and1 though these plants are particularly tender1 showed no signs of frost4 ,the two last-named1 having been sown in the open ground1 did not appear likely to perfect their fruit4 ,a few stalks of ,indian corn were also growing1 though it is improbable that this cereal would ripen in this district4 ,when this garden was again visited1 on the last day of ,august1 the beans1 cucumbers1 and squashes had been cut down by frost1 but not completely killed4 ,the potato tops were also slightly nipped4 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,tessier1 who had been at ,dunvegan as a missionary for some years1 had always been ,,able ,,to ,,ripen ,,small1 ,,black ,,butter ,,beans1 but in some seasons not without difficulty1 owing to frosts4 ,he had also tried a few grains of oats1 which he procured accidentally1 and obtained a return of astonishing abundance4 ,about the date just referred to1 the potato plants of ,smoky river post 7,the ,forks7 were badly cut down by frost1 the tubers being1 however1 quite ripe1 fine and large4 ,illustration3 ,view on ,halfway river4 ,doctor ,dawson pointed out that ,mr4 ,horetzky had been told that the plains were often nearly bare up to the month of ,december1 though the winter usually sets in with the month of ,november4 ,sir ,alexander ,mackenzie remarked the same absence of snow in the early winter months of #agib4 ,it was entirely gone on ,april #e1 #agic1 and gnats and mosquitoes were troublesome on ,april #bj4 ,horses almost invariably wintered out well without requiring to be fed4 ,hay should be provided for cattle1 to ensure perfect safety1 for a period of three or four months1 though in some seasons it was necessary to feed the animals for a few weeks only4 ,the ,indians of #8,cree ,settlement' on ,sturgeon lake wintered their horses without any difficulty round the borders of a neighbouring lake1 the shores of which were partly open4 ,from ,hudson ,hope1 the horses were sent southward to ,moberly lake to winter1 and according to ,mr4 ,selwyn1 did well there4 ,lesser ,slave lake1 with its wonderful natural meadows1 has long been known as an excellent place for wintering stock1 and was referred to as such by ,sir ,j4 ,richardson4 ,from such comparison as could be made1 according to ,doctor ,dawson1 it would be premature to allow that the climate of ,peace river was inferior to that of the region about ,edmonton on the ,saskatchewan4 ,it was true1 he admitted1 that in both ,saskatchewan and ,peace river districts the season was none too long for the cultivation of wheat1 but if the crop could be counted on as a sure one--and experience even then seemed to indicate that it might--the occurrence of early and late frosts might be ,,regarded ,,with ,,comparative ,,indifference4 ,the season was at least equally short throughout the whole fertile belt from ,peace river to ,manitoba1 though early and late frosts were not so common in the low valley of ,red river4 ,the almost simultaneous advance of spring along the whole line of this fertile belt1 ,doctor ,dawson pointed out1 was indicated by the dates of the flowering of the various plants1 a point referred to by him in some detail elsewhere4 ,it was further unquestionable that the winter was less severe1 and not subject to the same extremes in ,peace river and upper ,saskatchewan regions as in ,manitoba4 ,scientists1 ,doctor ,dawson remarked1 had already found reason to believe that the early and late frosts1 and not the absence of a sufficient aggregate amount of heat1 constituted the limiting condition of wheat culture in the ,northwest1 but that neither ,saskatchewan nor ,peace river countries lay upon the actual verge of the profitable cultivation of wheat appeared to be proved by the fact that oats succeeded on the ,saskatchewan1 and also--in so far as one or two seasons could be accepted as evidence--on ,peace river2 while it was well known that this cereal is less tolerant of summer frost than wheat4 ,this1 ,doctor ,dawson remarked1 is further proved by the fact that at ,fort ,vermilion and ,athabaska lake1 one hundred and eighty and three hundred miles1 respectively1 northeast of ,dunvegan1 ,professor ,macoun had found wheat and barley ripening well1 but in this instance the fact was complicated by the circumstance of the decreasing altitude of the country1 which introduced a new condition4 ,,doctor ,,dawson',s ,,striking ,,illustration4 ,to give some idea of the value of a tract of generally fertile country1 such as that described1 ,doctor ,dawson remarked3 8,let us assume1 as above1 that the area of actually cultivable land is twenty-three thousand five hundred square miles1 or fifteen million one hundred and forty thousand acres4 ,let us suppose for simplicity of calculation1 that the whole area were sown in wheat1 the yield1 at the rate of twenty bushels to the acre1 would be three hundred million1 eight hundred thousand bushels40 ,the ,reverend ,j4 ,gough ,brick1 for many years in charge of the ,church of ,england mission at ,dunvegan on upper ,peace river1 submitted some interesting evidence in writing to the committee4 ,he stated that on his mission farm he had ploughed on ,april #h1 and sown wheat on ,april #ab1 and that wheat was cut about ,august #bj4 ,wheat was generally sown from ,april #ab to ,may #a1 and harvested at the end of ,august4 ,the barley was sown from ,may #aj to ,may #bj1 and harvested at the end of ,august4 ,the time for sowing and reaping oats was the same as wheat4 ,potatoes were planted about ,may #af and dug in ,september4 ,turnips planted at same date were gathered ,october #aj4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company had done a little farming1 in connection with other posts1 at ,dunvegan1 ,fort ,st4 ,john1 ,hudson ,hope and ,fort ,vermilion1 for very many years4 ,witness supposed that at ,dunvegan they had raised wheat1 barley and potatoes for seventy-five to one hundred years1 and seldom had the crops turned out a total failure4 ,in #ahhd1 he went up on to the height of the prairie country1 some thirty-six miles from ,dunvegan1 and broke up about three acres for an experiment4 ,in #ahhe the crop on the land1 only once ploughed1 was fairly good4 ,in #ahhf there was a magnificent crop of wheat1 barley1 peas1 potatoes1 turnips and all other vegetables4 ,in #ahhg1 he was sorry to say1 the crop there was a total failure4 ,a frost on ,july #bf killed out everything4 ,the ordinary prairie grasses1 with wild vetches and pea-vine1 were found in abundance1 growing more or less all over the country4 ,the soil was a black loam1 a large percentage he considered fit for grain1 the rest for pasturage4 ,they had no insect pests in upper ,peace country4 ,the ,indians were raising a considerable quantity of potatoes4 ,a few were raising a little barley and wheat4 ,mr4 ,brick informed the committee that he considered the climate of ,peace river country as ,,the ,,finest ,,in ,,the ,,world4 ,the usual snowfall in ,peace river is from eighteen inches to three feet4 ,ice begins to run in ,peace river about ,november #e1 but some seasons remain open until ,december #bj4 ,it generally breaks up about ,april #aj to #ae4 ,the prevailing wind is from the southwest1 and during the winter the ,chinook winds prevail in upper ,peace river country4 ,the three growing months are very dry until about the middle of ,july2 then some seasons they get considerable rain4 ,there were summer frosts some seasons2 but still they were not so destructive in ,peace river country as farther south4 ,these frosts were purely local1 and witness thought that were the country settled they would be less likely to occur4 ,the early part of the summer is generally dry1 while the weather in ,september and ,october is very pleasant indeed4 ,some interesting information was communicated to the committee by ,mr4 ,frank ,oliver1 then editor of the ,edmonton ,bulletin and member of the old ,northwest ,council4 ,mr4 ,oliver explained that most of his information was acquired from ,mr4 ,murdock ,mc,leod formerly of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's service4 ,peace river country1 according to this witness1 was especially noted for its abundant supply of berries of excellent quality4 ,although berries of all kinds mentioned were plentiful in the upper ,saskatchewan1 ,indians used formerly to travel to ,peace river1 some two hundred and fifty miles1 to avail themselves of the supply there4 ,successive years of experiment had demonstrated the practicability of the growth of wheat1 barley1 oats and potatoes1 at ,dunvegan1 ,fort ,vermilion and ,chipewyan1 the two latter in latitude #eh4 ,there has been considerable exploitation of the agricultural possibilities of ,peace country since #ahhh1 and we now have data which tend to show that the faith of the pioneer farmers of the country was not misplaced4 ,much interesting information1 as to more recent agricultural enterprise in the country drained by the ,peace1 was obtained from witnesses examined before the select committee of the ,senate of ,canada in #aijg4 ,fred ,lawrence1 ,f4,r4,g4,s41 ,justice of the ,peace1 etc41 of ,fort ,vermilion1 gave some detailed and interesting evidence4 ,mr4 ,lawrence explained that his father went out to ,peace river from ,montreal in #ahgi1 in the employ of the ,church of ,england missions1 becoming at once interested in the problem of making the missions and ,indian schools in ,peace river1 and the whole of the northern country1 self-sustaining4 ,the settlement of ,fort ,vermilion is in latitude #ehcj1 almost as far north as the northern part of ,labrador4 ,the place in #aijg 7it has since increased considerably7 consisted of about five hundred people1 white people1 and ,english-speaking half-breeds4 ,the total production of wheat there in #aijf would be twenty-five thousand bushels1 the average being ,,about ,,twenty-,,one ,,bushels ,,to ,,the ,,acre4 ,of oats and barley about ten thousand bushels1 mostly barley1 was raised4 ,the wheat was ground and used to make bread for the people out there4 ,the first market was at ,fort ,vermilion and the surrounding points1 and whatever surplus there was was shipped down ,peace river into ,mackenzie river district4 ,illustration3 ,sheridan ,lawrence's ,farm at ,fort ,vermilion4 ,mr4 ,lawrence stated that in #aijf he had cut spring wheat1 fully matured1 in eighty-six days4 ,the time of cutting was the end of ,july4 ,wheat grown at ,fort ,vermilion is harder than grain of the same variety grown in ,ontario4 ,he explained that the river bottom proper only consists of points or flats in the bottom of the bed of the river1 which 8bottom0 is practically about two miles in width1 whereas1 what is properly called ,peace river valley1 is in reality a broad tract of country4 ,when you once get on to the height of land1 this so-called 8valley0 covers three hundred miles in width1 and extends from ,rocky mountains on to ,lake ,athabaska4 ,peace river makes great bends1 and on alternate sides of the river you find wide flats1 where there is probably the richest soil there is in that northern country1 made up of alluvial deposits all of black soil4 ,there are places on the lower part of these points which get flooded1 perhaps once in seven or eight years4 ,nearly all the points1 however1 are above the high water mark1 and when these flats are cultivated the soil yields the heaviest of crops4 ,on these flats cultivation of the soil was first undertaken in that part of the country1 and it was supposed by many that they comprised the only part of ,peace river country that was suitable for cultivation4 ,people supposed that when they undertook the cultivation of grain on the height of land they would get into the muskeg and swamp that adjoined the river in many places1 and grain could not be raised2 but this has been proved to be a fallacy4 ,the tableland is sometimes called 8bench land10 and this bench land in some places is very wide4 ,there are places in it1 as at the south of ,fort ,vermilion1 and to the north and west1 where there is one hundred miles of this land on each side of the river4 ,this land is not all suitable for cultivation4 ,it has its swamps and its muskeg1 and its ,,low ,,patches ,,of ,,land1 that are found in almost any country where there is a large growth of scrub timber2 but the larger part of this land1 as ,mr4 ,lawrence had found by travelling over the country away from the river1 is suitable for settlement4 ,mr4 ,lawrence drew the attention of the committee to the fact that some years ago1 ,doctor ,dawson1 after going through ,peace river country1 reported that a large part of it was covered with muskeg and would be permanently unsuited for agriculture4 ,in #aijc he took a trip from ,fort ,vermilion through ,lesser ,slave lake1 through an unknown country two hundred and fifty miles4 ,later than that he travelled away from ,peace river about fifty or sixty miles1 and saw something that gave him an idea of these muskegs4 ,the muskegs had covered some large patches of that country1 and the moss was about three feet in thickness4 ,there had been large tracts of this moss burnt out4 ,forest fires had been running through there1 and ,mr4 ,lawrence supposed that the fire burnt thousands of acres that had formerly been muskeg1 as shown by these large patches of moss1 sometimes a few feet across and sometimes larger1 which were left standing1 where the muskeg had been4 ,on this burnt area he saw grass from four to five feet in height4 ,there were thousands of acres of it covered with the red-top grass1 which is the standard grass of the west4 ,the reason these muskegs had been there for so many years was that the moss formed a great sponge and retained the moisture4 ,but when all that land is drained and the moss removed1 it will certainly raise good crops of grass1 and where grass can be grown1 grain can be raised4 ,mr4 ,lawrence stated that he would say that about one-tenth of the district to the north is covered with moss4 ,to the south of ,grande prairie there is a large proportion covered with moss1 and ,doctor ,dawson may have intended to refer particularly to that district4 ,mr4 ,lawrence produced photographs of the grain raised on the soil that was formerly covered by timber--low land and timber4 ,he explained that he had farmed at ,vermilion for over twenty years1 and had ,,never ,,had ,a ,,failure ,,in ,,wheat during that time1 although he had as low as five and one-half bushels to the acre4 ,there was one very dry season which reduced the average1 but there was always a certain amount of grain raised there that was good for seed and grinding purposes4 ,there has never been a complete failure from frost or any other cause4 ,they have no rust on the wheat up there4 ,he had raised as much as sixty-six bushels of wheat to the acre4 ,that was the biggest yield1 and accomplished without any fertilizer whatever4 ,the heads of wheat at ,fort ,vermilion often would grow to the length of six inches1 and at times he had counted sixty-five kernels in one head of wheat4 ,barley sown after the middle of ,may is usually ripe in the last week of ,july4 ,the continuous daylight with about eighteen hours of sunlight accounts for the rapid growth of all vegetables in these parts4 ,during the month of ,july1 ,mr4 ,lawrence stated1 they have at ,fort ,vermilion an occasional frost that sometimes cuts the potato vines down1 but never puts them back seriously--just enough to show the effect of the frost on some of the top leaves4 ,the potato vines1 however1 often show no sign of frost until they are ripe1 and the potatoes obtain their full size and are matured4 ,they had never had ,july frost severe enough to ruin the potato crops4 ,these frosts are very slight4 ,in #aijf he planted his garden during the week following ,may #bd1 and he planted tomatoes1 cucumbers1 peas and other vegetables4 ,in the fall1 during harvesting1 his family had squash pie that was made from squash ripened in their own garden4 ,the squash were raised just the same as the peas and other vegetables and took their chances1 no hotbed and no special care1 and he also raised cucumbers and tomatoes4 ,the tomatoes did not ripen1 but before they had a chance to freeze they were taken up4 ,he thought that with care such as is given to these things in ,manitoba and other parts of the ,northwest1 planting these tender vegetables early in hotbeds1 and giving them care1 the same success could be had in raising tomatoes1 squash or other things of that kind as is had in ,manitoba and other districts4 ,at ,peace ,river ,landing tomatoes were ripened in #aijf in the open garden4 ,other garden vegetables1 such as cabbages1 and so on1 grow very well4 ,he had raised cabbages at ,fort ,vermilion eighteen and one-half pounds in weight1 and swede turnips are raised in the open field4 ,out of a three-acre patch ,,he ,,had ,,selected ,,turnips1 and a great many of them weighed from eighteen to twenty-five pounds4 ,they were of the purple-top variety4 ,they had no special attention or care1 and they were good sound turnips4 ,another of the witnesses examined before the same committee of the ,senate was ,mr4 ,w4 ,f4 ,bredin1 member of the ,alberta legislative assembly for the district4 ,mr4 ,bredin1 in his evidence1 stated that as regards ,peace river valley1 he would judge that from the mountains to ,peace point1 a distance of between seven and eight hundred miles1 following the winding of the river1 there is an average of seventy-five miles in width on each side of ,peace river that is equal to the soil on any similar length of the ,saskatchewan4 ,that would make ,peace river country about one hundred and fifty miles in width1 and extending from the mountains to ,peace point1 a distance of seven or eight hundred miles1 which is all equally good for agricultural purposes with the ,saskatchewan valley4 ,that would extend considerably beyond the bottom lands of the river1 including also the table land back of the river4 ,a great deal of it is clean prairie1 on the north especially4 ,there is more of it covered with scrub and small timber than there is clean prairie1 but the soil is equally good where the timber grows4 ,mr4 ,bredin stated that he had a ranch at ,grande prairie for six years1 and raised oats and vegetables every year there4 ,he had cattle there for five winters1 and the average length of feeding them during those five years was six weeks of each winter4 ,that is south of ,peace river1 but within this belt of one hundred and fifty miles4 ,in that ,spirit river country he knew there were some white settlers1 as well as half-breeds1 who were making their living by ,,raising ,,stock ,,and ,,farming4 ,that seven hundred or eight hundred miles of good country1 of which he spoke1 would extend right to the foot of the ,rockies4 ,as to the question of the uniformity of the quality of the soil1 he had only been down to what they call ,wolverine point1 near ,fort ,vermilion4 ,he would say the country is uniformly good from ,rocky mountains to that point4 ,at ,wolverine point the valley is much lower and perhaps the soil may be blacker1 and the black soil may be deeper on the lower stretches of the ,peace4 ,all of that country would be good for stock4 ,both slough and upland hay is abundant4 ,the pea vine and all the small fruits that grow anywhere else in the northwest grow up there1 and all the wild flowers that he knew of in the northwest grow there4 ,this area in ,peace river country would compare on the whole with any part of ,canada4 ,in reply to a question1 ,mr4 ,bredin stated that after his ten years' experience of the country north of ,edmonton he would consider that to be quite as good a place for a man to settle in as the ,saskatchewan valley was twenty-five years previously4 ,during the debate on the capital question in the ,alberta legislative assembly at ,edmonton1 ,mr4 ,bredin remarked1 he had made an estimate of the good land north of ,edmonton in ,alberta1 and it figured up more than the good land south of that city4 ,if you were to add all the good land north of the ,alberta boundary to ,alberta1 you would have about twice as much good land in the province north of ,edmonton as there is south of that city4 ,,one ,,hundred ,,million ,,acres ,,of ,,good ,,land4 ,mr4 ,bredin submitted what he said he considered a careful estimate of all the good land north of ,edmonton1 east of ,rocky mountains4 ,he stated3--8,my estimate of the area of the agricultural lands that will be available in northern ,alberta--say north of the #eeth parallel of latitude--and in the unorganized district of ,mackenzie1 is not less than one hundred millions of acres40 ,mr4 ,bredin informed the committee that one spring1 when he left ,fort ,st4 ,john on the upper ,peace1 the grain there was up six or seven inches4 ,he must have been at least a month going to ,edmonton1 and when he got there the grain there was just in the same stage of growth as the grain had been when he left ,fort ,st4 ,john2 so the season must be earlier at the latter place4 ,they very often sowed seed at ,fort ,st4 ,john in ,march1 and invariably no later than ,april4 ,in #aijf they began cutting the wheat at ,peace ,river ,landing on the last day of ,july1 and the wheat was ready to cut five or six days earlier than that4 ,as a matter of fact1 ,mr4 ,brick1 the member for ,peace river district in the ,alberta legislature1 started to cut on the last day of ,july1 and he told ,mr4 ,bredin that the grain was ready to cut a week earlier4 ,mr4 ,brick cultivated there1 that year1 three hundred acres of land in wheat1 oats and barley4 ,illustration3 ,vegetable ,garden #ae miles west of ,fort ,st4 ,john4 ,stockmen west of ,peace ,river ,landing would have to feed their cattle1 taking one year with another1 an average of seven weeks1 and east of that probably more4 ,mr4 ,elihu ,stewart1 of the city of ,ottawa1 at the time ,superintendent of ,forestry for the ,dominion ,government1 since retired from the public service to engage in private business1 was one of the most important witnesses examined before the committee4 ,he explained that his knowledge of the country beyond the ,saskatchewan has principally been derived from two trips that he made1 one in #aijb to ,peace river1 and one during the season of #aijf down the ,athabaska1 down ,slave river1 and down the ,mackenzie to the delta1 and thence across to the ,yukon1 and back by the way of ,dawson4 ,mr4 ,stewart produced before the committee samples of some of the grains that are grown at the end of ,lesser ,slave lake4 ,one was a sample of hulled barley1 grown for the use of the mission schools2 another1 wheat from ,lesser ,slave lake2 a third1 another quality of wheat from the ,roman ,catholic mission at the end of ,lesser ,slave lake1 grown that year 7#aijb74 ,these exhibits were principally from the farm at the end of ,lesser ,slave lake4 ,the ,roman ,catholic mission there has ,a ,,very ,,large ,,farm ,,and ,,stock1 and grain is grown there by others as well4 ,mr4 ,stewart said he had noticed in discussions on ,peace river that there was not enough distinction made between the valley of ,peace river and the tableland above4 ,there is a high level country1 and all at once it drops down some six hundred feet to a valley4 ,he thought the difference between the height of the banks and the water at ,peace ,river ,landing is something like six hundred feet4 ,in that valley there is no question at all about the wheat ripening4 ,he produced some specimens of grain grown in the valley near ,peace ,river ,landing1 also some tobacco grown there4 ,the width of ,peace river valley is very narrow1 not over two miles at the crossing4 ,the soil is good1 perhaps a little heavy1 with the exception of a few miles which is light and covered with jackpine4 ,the rest is good agricultural land4 ,there would not be a great quantity of it in the valley of the river at that part4 ,the altitude is pretty high1 but down the river towards ,fort ,vermilion it lowers1 and probably the elevation of the upland there would not be greater than the level of the water at ,peace ,river ,landing4 ,the grain-growing capabilities of that plateau all depend on the elevation4 ,peace river district is an immense country extending some six hundred miles from the mountains to the lake4 ,down at ,fort ,vermilion crossing they raise large quantities of wheat4 ,of course1 at a very high altitude the same result cannot be expected1 but wheat he saw on the plateau above ,peace river was uninjured on ,september #bj4 ,but there was frost that night4 ,he did not know whether it was enough to kill the grain4 ,however1 if they had no frost up to ,september #bj1 there should be ,,no ,,trouble ,,ripening ,,grain ,,there1 because it ought to be fit for harvesting before the end of ,august4 ,the wheat in question was sown by an ,indian and put in very late4 ,wheat grown at ,fort ,vermilion took the first prize as the best wheat shown at the ,centennial ,exhibition at ,philadelphia1 in #ahgf4 ,mr4 ,henry ,a4 ,conroy1 ,inspector for the ,indian ,department under ,treaty ,no4 #h1 gave some very interesting evidence as to the agricultural resources of ,peace river country before the committee4 ,mr4 ,conroy stated that he had been annually travelling through this northern country for about eight or nine years4 ,he starts in along ,athabaska river1 from ,athabaska1 which is about one hundred miles from ,edmonton and goes up the river to the junction of ,little ,slave river1 thence visiting all the ,indian reserves in the treaty district4 ,when ,peace river district is reached via the route taken by ,mr4 ,conroy1 the altitude is very high4 ,it is certainly over one thousand feet from the top of the bank down to the bottom of the river--tremendous banks4 ,the country1 as he understood it1 is very fine4 ,bunch grass grows all along the north side extending through to ,hay river4 ,he had information as to this country from ,indians and half-breeds1 and they say bunch grass grows all along the way4 ,shortly after striking the ,peace1 ,dunvegan is reached4 ,the country north of ,dunvegan2 all along the river is1 in the opinion of ,mr4 ,conroy1 fit for agriculture on both sides and for any distance back4 ,of course one would have to go up to the top of the banks to get the land4 ,fine buffalo grass grows in the district north of ,dunvegan up to ,peace ,river ,landing4 ,as to the country running across from ,dunvegan to ,fort ,st4 ,john1 it would not take a man very long to cross it if he had a road4 ,a ,,startling ,,comparison4 ,illustration3 ,view of the ,pouce ,coup ,prairie4 ,mr4 ,conroy stated emphatically that he was of opinion there is a large area of valuable agricultural land on ,peace river4 ,taking the whole country there as far as he knew1 there is as much agricultural land to be settled as there is settled at present west of ,winnipeg4 ,mr4 ,conroy uttered a word of warning against some of the settlers 7old-timers74 ,he remarked3--8,old-timers in there do not want anybody to come in1 and they tell people the country is no good4 ,they have the whole country to themselves4 ,one man grows two thousand or three thousand bushels of wheat every year and gets for it from one dollar to one dollar and seventy-five cents a bushel from the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 and he does not want anybody else to come in and compete with him40 ,continuing his evidence1 ,mr4 ,conroy explained that from ,fort ,vermilion northeasterly the limit of the agricultural country is reached1 but below that it could be made an agricultural country4 ,there were no settlers there at all then 7#aijg74 ,at ,fort ,vermilion there had been a settlement for many years4 ,mr4 ,conroy said he had been there many times1 and knew all the settlers in that section4 ,some of the finest wheat he ever saw1 he saw growing in that settlement4 ,he saw it only after it was harvested2 it was threshed4 ,they had a roller mill there1 an up-to-date mill4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company manufactured flour at ,fort ,vermilion to send north4 ,while at ,peace ,river ,landing with the ,indian ,treaty ,expedition in #ahii1 ,mr4 ,charles ,mair 78,through the ,mackenzie ,basin10 p4 #hi7 made enquiries as to the fertile areas of the upper ,peace from the ,indians1 half-breed hunters1 and the few prosperous farmers and stockmen of the district4 ,the nearest farmer and rancher to ,dunvegan1 at that date1 ,mr4 ,c4 ,brymner1 who had lived for ten years on ,spirit river1 told ,mr4 ,mair that during seven of these1 though frost had touched his grain1 particularly in ,june1 it had done little serious harm4 ,mr4 ,brymner informed ,mr4 ,mair that it was a fine hay country1 even the ridge hay being good4 ,mr4 ,brymner1 himself1 had at the time over a hundred head of cattle1 which1 thanks to the ,chinook winds1 fed out late in the autumn and early in the spring4 ,mr4 ,mair states that southeast of ,fort ,st4 ,john there is a considerable area known as ,pouce ,coup prairie1 which was well spoken of4 ,the 8,grande prairie10 to the southwest of ,peace ,river ,landing1 which connects with ,spirit river country and is drained by ,smoky river and its branches1 is a much more extensive open country4 ,this is an extensive district suitable for immediate cultivation1 and containing valuable timber for lumber1 fencing and building4 ,mr4 ,mair states that ,rev4 ,father ,busson told him in #ahii that at the ,dunvegan and ,st4 ,augustine mission farms ,white ,russian and ,red ,fife wheat had been raised since #ahha1 and during all these years it had never been seriously injured whilst the yield had reached as high as thirty-five bushels to the acre4 ,seeding began about the middle of ,april and harvesting about the middle of ,august4 ,,present ,,conditions ,,and ,,settlement4 ,in his annual report 7see annual report ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 #aijh71 dated ,athabaska1 ,october #h1 #aiji1 ,inspector ,d4 ,m4 ,howard of 8,n0 ,division of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police gives much interesting information regarding conditions at that recent date in ,peace river region4 ,it will be observed that some of the ,inspector's references are to districts immediately north and east of that directly under review in this chapter1 but they are none the less instructive here on account of the similarity of climate and other conditions4 ,those portions of the report referring directly to the districts treated of in this volume are extremely interesting4 ,the principal settlements in the district at that date were stated to be as follows3-- 8,lesser ,slave lake1 known as ,grouard1 so called after the ,roman ,catholic bishop of the diocese1 a well known pioneer of the country1 is situated six miles from the west end of ,lesser ,slave lake and has a population of twenty-five whites1 and one hundred and twenty-five half-breeds1 who make their living by hunting1 fishing1 and freighting in the winter time4 ,most of them have a few head of cattle and horses1 and small gardens where they raise vegetables for their own use4 ,the ,roman ,catholic mission has a school1 hospital and convent4 ,the ,church of ,england also has a mission school for the ,indian and half-breed children4 8,salt ,prairie and ,heart ,river 7settlement7 has a population of twenty whites and one hundred and seventy-five half-breeds4 8,prairie ,river 7settlement7 is considered one of the best settlements in the district1 the land being very good4 ,it has a population of eighty-five whites 7,canadians1 ,americans and ,swedes7 and twenty-three half-breeds4 8,sturgeon ,lake 7settlement7 has a population of nine whites and two hundred and ninety half-breeds and ,indians4 8,in ,peace ,river ,landing district there are six actual settlements3--,peace ,river ,landing1 ,shaftesbury1 ,silver ,springs1 ,cold ,springs1 ,bear ,lake and ,little ,prairie40 ,the inspector proceeds to give some particulars about these pioneer settlements4 ,silver ,springs 7settlement7 is situated about five miles from the farm of ,t4 ,a4 ,brick1 on a high bench at the head of a spring named by the settlers1 ,silver ,springs4 ,bear ,lake 7settlement7 is used only as a winter camp1 and for haying in the summer4 ,the lake from which it is named is about twelve miles long by eight wide4 ,it is very shallow and muddy1 although the land about it is very good and will make a good grain country1 but as yet no one has done anything in that line4 ,there are no fish in this lake4 ,little ,prairie 7settlement7 is about twenty-two miles out from ,peace ,river ,landing on the way to ,lesser ,slave lake4 ,this prairie is about ten miles long and one wide1 but can be extended in all directions by clearing the bush4 ,the land is very good1 and the little grain sown has done very well this year4 ,two white men and a number of half-breeds are the only settlers at present4 ,peace ,river ,landing 7settlement7 is what is known as round the crossing of ,peace river1 extending about ten miles up on the north side of the river1 taking in the ,roman ,catholic mission1 known as ,smoky ,river mission on account of its being opposite ,smoky river where it joins the ,peace2 this part is all surveyed with free grant lots to both whites and half-breeds who had settled there before the treaty known as ,no4 #h was made with the ,indians4 ,shaftesbury is the name given to the upper part of ,peace ,river ,landing settlement1 round the ,english ,church mission1 extending some sixteen miles up the river1 and comprising the balance of ,peace ,river ,landing settlement4 ,,the ,,post ,,office ,,for ,,this ,,district is situated at ,peace ,river ,landing1 and serves for all these settlements4 ,cold ,springs 7settlement7 is located on high land about thirty miles from ,peace ,river ,landing1 near ,old ,wives ,lake ,indian reserve2 several settlers have taken up land there this year1 and grain of all kinds has done well4 ,peace ,river ,landing settlement1 including ,shaftesbury1 ,bear ,lake and ,silver ,springs settlements1 has a population of about two hundred and forty2 twenty-nine ,french-,canadians1 thirty ,canadians and ,english1 forty ,indians and one hundred and fifty half-breeds4 ,little ,heart ,river has a population of forty half-breeds and two whites 7,americans74 ,as to industries and transportation1 ,inspector ,howard stated in his report3--8,steam sawmills are in operation at the following points in the district3--,athabaska1 ,lesser ,slave lake1 ,peace ,river ,landing1 ,prairie ,river1 ,fort ,vermilion1 ,chipewyan and ,fort ,smith2 one is also to be in operation at ,saskatoon lake in the ,grande prairie country this winter4 ,the mill at this point does a good business1 as a number of new houses have gone up in the village this year1 and a considerable quantity of lumber is used annually in the building of the scows for the river transport2 few of these scows are brought back up the river1 but are broken up down below1 and the lumber used for building purposes1 scows being built new at this point every year4 ,grist mills are also in operation at ,lesser ,slave lake1 ,peace ,river ,landing and ,fort ,vermilion4 ,at ,sawridge two lime kilns are in operation and a good quality of lime can be obtained at a reasonable price4 8,the ,northern ,transportation ,company has built a new steamer at this point 7,athabaska7 this summer for use on the run between here and ,moose portage4 ,this steamer is smaller than the #8,northland ,sun' and of lighter draught and will enable the company to run much later than in former years4 ,the river gets very low in the autumn before the freeze-up4 8,until the country has a railway affording the settlers entrance to the markets1 the grain acreage will not increase beyond sufficient to supply the settlers' own wants1 and to meet local demands1 but the advent of a railway will change all this40#af ,,present ,,day ,,agriculture4 ,inspector ,howard gave the following information as to agriculture in his district3-- 8,the general state of the district is satisfactory1 and most of the settlers1 having had good crops1 seem well pleased with their prospects in this new country4 ,in some parts of ,peace river country a few suffered loss from hail1 and want of rain in other parts has affected the crops of a few injuriously1 but on the whole the crops were a very fair average4 ,in most cases threshing is not over1 but in one case where the crop has been threshed a ,mr4 ,l4 ,h4 ,adair1 of ,baptiste lake1 about twelve miles west of ,athabaska1 really in the ,athabaska country1 threshed five thousand bushels of oats from one hundred and twenty acres of land4 ,nearly all the new settlers coming into the country this year have settled at ,grande prairie1 in ,peace river country1 where the land is very good4 ,most of these settlers were from ,eastern ,canada and the ,united ,states1 and in nearly all cases were supplied with a fair amount of capital1 stock and farm implements4 ,nearly all of them have put in gardens1 and have vegetables enough for their use in the winter1 and from reports ,i have received from the detachments1 in no cases should there be any shortage amongst the new settlers during the coming winter4 8,mixed farming is chiefly carried on in this district1 oats and barley being the chief grain grown4 ,there is practically no market for wheat at present owing to the want of railway communication4 ,potatoes and all other kinds of vegetables are successfully grown1 most of the farmers having small vegetable gardens for their own consumption1 but practically none are grown for market4 8,in ,peace ,river district1 ,red ,fife wheat was sown last spring from seed supplied by the government4 ,the wheat principally sown in this district in former years was ,ladoga1 an early ripening grain1 but the ,red ,fife appears to have done just as well this year4 ,the amount of grain raised this year in ,peace ,river ,landing district is about3--,wheat1 five thousand bushels2 oats1 four thousand bushels2 barley1 one thousand two hundred bushels4 ,threshing was not finished at the time this report was made1 so the above is only an estimate4 8,there are about three hundred head of horses of all kinds and three hundred and fifty head of cattle owned by settlers in ,peace ,river settlement1 practically ,,every ,,farmer ,,owning ,a ,,few ,,head of each4 ,in ,lesser ,slave lake district there are approximately six hundred and one horses1 seven hundred and fourteen cattle and one hundred and forty-five pigs2 in addition to these there are the following registered stock3 three stallions1 five bulls1 thirteen cows1 four boars and six sows4 8,the crops through ,peace ,river ,landing and ,lesser ,slave lake subdistricts have been a fair average4 ,the grazing lands about ,lesser ,slave lake1 ,grande prairie1 ,peace ,river ,landing1 ,fort ,vermilion and other sections are very good1 and hay is very plentiful and a supply for the winter can easily be put up4 8,the acreage under crop in ,lesser ,slave lake sub-district is about seven hundred and thirteen acres of oats1 three hundred and one acres of barley1 twenty-three acres of spring wheat1 nineteen acres of fall wheat1 twelve acres of fall rye4 ,one acre of sugar beets and mangolds were grown this year as an experiment and turned out very successfully4 8,the crop all round was good2 only one farmer suffered any loss1 about twelve acres of his barley being damaged by hail4 8,next year there will be a much increased acreage under crop1 a lot of breaking having been done this summer and autumn40 ,a ,,pleasant ,,country ,,to ,,live ,,in4 ,not only does the climate of the ,peace country appear to be satisfactory from the view point of the farmer1 but it is also described by travellers as exceptionally pleasant to live in4 ,mr4 ,warburton ,pike1 in his book 7,see p4 #ai7 refers enthusiastically to the beautiful autumn of the ,peace country4 ,he writes3--8,we reached ,fort ,vermilion late in ,september1 in the full glory of the autumn2 the sharp morning frosts had coloured the poplar leaves with the brightest golden tints1 and the blue haze of an ,indian summer hung over prairie and wood4 ,away on ,great ,slave lake a half-breed had told me of the beauties of ,fort ,vermilion as a farming country1 and had explained that all the good things of the world grew there freely1 so that ,i was prepared for the sight of wheat and barley fields1 which had this year produced a more abundant harvest than usual2 potatoes and other vegetables were growing luxuriously2 cattle and horses were fattening on the rich prairie grass1 and it seemed that there was little to be gained by leaving such a fertile spot in the face of the winter that would soon be upon us40 ,speaking of his trip up the upper ,peace between the date mentioned and the end of ,november1 ,mr4 ,pike wrote3--8,i do not remember to have ever seen in any other part of ,canada such a fine autumn as we enjoyed between ,vermilion and the ,rockies4 ,there was hardly a day's rain the whole time1 and1 although a sharp white frost usually made a cold camp1 the days were bright and at times almost too hot for tracking40 ,that the climate of ,peace river country is exceptionally healthy is declared by all the white people who have lived there1 and their declaration appears to be borne out by the fact that a considerable portion of the inhabitants have attained a very old age4 ,mr4 ,charles ,mair in his book 8,through the ,mackenzie ,basin0 mentions that when the ,indian ,treaty expedition was at ,lesser ,slave lake in #ahii his attention was drawn to the number of people of extreme old age among the inhabitants4 ,he especially mentioned the case of an aged half-breed woman1 ,catherine ,bisson1 who was born on ,new ,year's day in the year #agic4 ,she was blind at the time ,mr4 ,mair saw her1 and scarcely able to walk1 but was able to talk1 and even cracked jokes with those about her4 ,in a footnote ,mr4 ,mair states that this very old woman died in the spring of #aijh at the remarkable age of one hundred and fifteen years4 ----- #ae ,it will be observed that this paragraph and other portions of this testimony really refer to the ,athabaska country treated of in the preceding chapter1 but to save an awkward dislocation of ,professor ,macoun's testimony it has been kept intact4 7,e4 ,j4 ,c47 #af ,the railway is now being constructed1 and there has been a remarkable development in this section since ,inspector ,howard penned this report4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,northern ,,alberta4 ,tree ,growth and ,timber ,resources4 ,an ,abundance of ,timber in the ,vicinity of ,chipewyan4--,much of the ,country ,has ,been ,swept by ,fires4--,most of the ,timber is ,along the ,rivers4--,millions of ,cords of ,pulp ,wood4--,spruce and ,black ,bark ,poplar the ,principal ,varieties4--,the ,water ,power ,possibilities ,described as ,tremendous4 ,the timber resources of northern ,alberta1 according to the evidence in hand1 are very considerable1 a matter of not a little importance in a new country4 ,we will deal first with the eastern1 or ,athabaska division of this section4 ,in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 ,professor ,john ,macoun1 ,botanist to the ,geological ,survey1 said3--8,there is an abundance of timber in the vicinity of ,chipewyan on ,lake ,athabaska4 ,there are as fine spruce in the ,athabaska delta as are to be found in any part of the northwest4 ,i have measured trees on the ,embarass river that were two feet and a half in diameter and were very tall4 ,on ,peace river1 likewise1 especially on islands1 there are many large groves of spruce and poplar1 which attain extraordinary dimensions40 ,mr4 ,alfred von ,hamerstein informed the ,senate committee in #aijg that from ,mc,murray up in a westerly direction1 for about twenty miles1 there is very good timber4 ,he had seen trees that would make one thousand feet of lumber4 ,from ,athabaska to ,house river there is timber standing yet4 ,there had been some fires raging1 but they had not burned it yet4 ,the timber consists of some patches of spruce of a fairly good size1 and the rest is poplar4 ,from ,house river to ,mc,murray there is no timber left4 ,it is all burned out4 ,there are patches here and there along the river1 a couple of trees left standing1 and there is some very fine timber in that4 ,there is some timber which ,mr4 von ,hamerstein used for his oil well boring work1 and he had taken out strips sixty-four feet long1 out of which he had cut his walking beams4 ,there are only patches of this timber2 the rest had been burned4 ,a little further east there is some fine timber at ,chipewyan4 ,from the mouth of ,peace river to about ,fort ,vermilion there is some good timber4 ,timber of the same quality ranges north for a considerable distance4 ,there will be a range of timber four or five miles long1 and then muskeg4 ,from the ,vermilion down there is no timber left2 it is all burned up4 ,there is no young timber growing up to speak of--at least ,mr4 von ,hamerstein did not see any1 except in a few places where a little young timber is starting to grow4 ,indeed it is mostly poplar1 with patches here and there of spruce1 but mostly poplar4 ,illustration3 ,saw ,mill near ,fort ,smith4 ,mr4 ,h4 ,a4 ,conroy of the ,indian ,department1 in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 stated that he had been east of ,lake ,athabaska as far as ,fort la ,corne4 ,all along the rivers there is good timber1 particularly on ,great ,slave river4 ,on the lower levels of the ,athabaska1 through to ,athabaska lake1 there is heavy timber all the way along4 ,mr4 ,conroy did not know what was behind the timber belt1 but believed it was pretty muskeggy4 ,that was what the ,indians told him4 ,he had been up the river by boat every year for eight years4 ,taking the country as a whole1 there is quite ,a ,,lot ,,of ,,marketable ,,timber4 ,all the rivers and lakes could produce good timber4 ,there are millions of cords of spruce for pulpwood4 ,mr4 ,conroy1 in a report to the ,superintendent of ,forestry1 ,january #ag1 #aiaj1 wrote3--8,that part of ,athabaska river north from ,mc,murray to ,smith landing is fringed with a heavy growth of spruce and black bark poplar4 ,the spruce is quite large1 and from an economical standpoint will be of great value in the future4 ,a considerable part of this country is also excellent for agricultural purposes4 ,from ,mc,murray southwest to ,athabaska there is quite a quantity of valuable spruce and poplar which has been saved by the watchfulness of the guardian1 ,william ,biggs1 who makes his trips up and down that section of the river4 ,he is one of the most useful men in the north4 ,during the summer of #aiaj ,mr4 ,w4 ,hayes1 a capitalist and manufacturer of ,duluth1 ,minnesota1 made an exploratory trip through the ,athabaska country with ,a4 ,violette4 ,mr4 ,hayes stated in an interview on his return to ,edmonton that there was timber enough in ,athabaska district to supply western ,canada for the next half century4 ,agricultural prospects1 he declared1 could not be better1 while copper1 iron and gold had been found1 and also petroleum1 asphalt1 limestone and oil4 ,fishing could be developed into quite an industry4 ,interviewed in ,edmonton after his long trip in #aiaj 7,see p4 #bg7 the ,hon4 ,frank ,oliver1 ,minister of the ,interior1 stated3--8,all the way from ,edmonton to ,fort ,macpherson the country1 along the rivers at least1 is level and forested4 ,there is no prairie4 ,on the upper part of ,athabaska river the banks are from one hundred to two hundred feet in length1 and the country is well wooded4 ,there is a considerable amount of spruce of good size1 but the timber is chiefly poplar4 ,the country has at one time been altogether under spruce1 but fires have wrought havoc in it4 ,the explanation of these fires is that all freight for the north country goes down ,athabaska river and the men who steer the scows down walk back along the banks4 ,they are careless with their camp fires and the result is a continual danger of further destruction by fire40 ,,valuable ,,water ,,powers4 ,with such knowledge as we now possess it is safe to say that within a few years the water powers of the section of country under review will constitute one of its most important natural assets4 ,mr4 ,william ,ogilvie1 in a letter published in the ,ottawa ,journal1 ,february #ai1 #aiaj1 writing of the water power susceptible of development on ,slave river1 stated3--8,when making my survey in #ahhh1 ,i deduced the total fall in the river in this stretch by observing the angles of depression or elevation of each survey station from the preceding one1 and with the distance from each station to station deducing the rise and fall2 in this way ,i found the total fall to be two hundred and forty-seven feet4 ,the instrument ,i had to use was not of a high order of precision for this purpose2 nevertheless1 ,i feel safe in saying the fall is between two hundred and thirty and two hundred and sixty feet4 ,all the drainage basins of ,peace and ,athabaska rivers1 and ,lake ,athabaska1 are in one here1 and with this fall in so short a distance the power possibilities1 when required1 will be tremendous40 ,mr4 ,ogilvie1 upon another occasion1 speaking of ,athabaska river1 said3--8,the current averages well over four miles an hour1 but the rate varies much with the height of water4 ,at ,grand rapids falls1 the fall is about sixty feet in one quarter of a mile4 ,they are a fine sight and will1 when required1 develop a lot of power2 ,i would say in the average season fully as much as ,chaudiere falls at ,ottawa 7say eighty thousand horse-power740 ,,peace ,,river ,,section4 ,as to the timber resources of the western or ,peace river division of the section under review1 ,doctor ,g4 ,m4 ,dawson1 before the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 after describing the prairie country1 showed that the remainder of the surface was generally occupied by second-growth forest1 occasionally dense1 but more often composed of aspen1 birch and cottonwood1 with a greater or less proportion of coniferous trees4 ,some patches of the original forest1 he said1 remained1 however1 particularly in the river valleys1 and were composed of much larger trees1 chiefly coniferous1 among which the spruce was most abundant4 ,handsome groves of old and large cottonwoods were also to be found in some of the valleys4 ,where the soil became locally sandy and poor1 and more particularly in some of the more elevated parts of the high ridges above described1 a thick growth of scrub pine and spruce1 in which the individual trees were small1 was found1 and in swamp regions the tamarack was not wanting1 and grew generally intermixed with the spruce4 ,east of ,smoky river1 and southward toward the ,athabaska1 the prairie country was quite insignificant in extent1 the region being characterized by second growth forest1 which was only beginning to struggle up4 ,whatever theory be adopted1 and may have been advanced to account for the wide prairies of the western portions of ,america further to the south1 the origin of the prairies of ,peace river was sufficiently obvious1 ,doctor ,dawson thought4 ,there could be no doubt that they had been produced and were maintained by fires4 ,the country was naturally a wooded one1 and where fires had not run for a few years1 young trees began rapidly to spring up4 ,the fires were1 of course1 ultimately attributable to human agency1 and it was probable that before the country was inhabited by the ,indians it was everywhere densely forest-clad4 ,that the date of the origin of the chief prairie tracts now found is remote1 was clearly evidenced by their present appearance1 and more particularly by the fact that they were everywhere scored and rutted with old buffalo tracks1 while every suitable locality was pitted with saucer shaped 8buffalo wallows40 ,illustration3 ,the #bcrd ,base ,line between ,townships #hh and #hi1 ,range #ad1 ,west of the #fth ,meridian4 ,in its primitive state the surface was probably covered with a dense heavy growth of coniferous trees1 principally the spruce 7,picea ,engelmanni and ,p4 alba71 but with scrub pine 7,pinus contorta7 in some localities1 and interspersed with aspen and cottonwood4 ,these forests having been destroyed by fire1 a second growth1 chiefly of aspen1 but with much birch in some places1 and almost everywhere a certain proportion of coniferous trees--chiefly spruce--had taken its place4 ,the aspen being a short-lived tree1 while the spruce reached a great age and size1 the natural course of events1 if undisturbed1 would lead to the re-establishment of the old spruce forests4 ,mr4 ,charles ,mair 78,through the ,mackenzie ,basin01 p4 #ia71 estimates the prairie areas of upper ,peace river at about half a million acres1 8with much country in addition1 which resembles ,dauphin district in ,manitoba1 covered with willows and the like1 which1 if they can be pulled out by horse power1 as is done there1 will not be very expensive to clear40 ,mr4 ,mair notes a wide and beautiful table-like prairie1 begirt with aspens1 at ,peace point4 ,mr4 ,fred ,s4 ,lawrence explained to the ,senate committee of #aijg that in the valley of ,peace river1 the bottoms of the river1 the islands--and there are large islands in the river--and the points1 are largely covered with a heavy growth of spruce1 which grows to a large size4 ,the largest he had ever measured was four feet four inches in diameter4 ,a tree of that kind would carry its trunk well up1 clear of branches for forty or fifty feet4 ,of course that is an unusual size1 but timber three feet in diameter is common on the hills1 and in the lower part of the bottoms4 ,there is no oak1 but there are spruce1 birch and poplar4 ,the poplars grow to a large size4 ,the cottonwood often grows to four feet in diameter1 and the poplar grows to a diameter of two feet4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,northern ,,alberta4 ,economic ,minerals4 ,travellers1 ,explorers and ,prospectors ,describe the ,country as a ,veritable ,store ,house of ,mineral ,wealth4--,gold ,found in the ,bars in ,peace river4--,indications of ,plentiful ,supply of ,iron4-- ,lignite ,found in ,abundance4--,historic ,deposits of ,salt4--,the ,famous ,athabaska ,tar ,sands4--,their ,commercial ,value4-- ,indications of ,petroleum4--,boring ,experiments4--,natural ,gas ,under a ,wide ,area4--,travellers ,use ,natural ,gas ,jets to ,boil their ,camp ,kettles4 ,northern ,alberta1 according to the reports of travellers1 geological explorers and prospectors1 is a veritable storehouse of mineral wealth1 its natural richness in this respect including gold1 iron1 coal1 gypsum1 salt1 sulphur1 galena1 natural gas1 petroleum1 tar sands or asphaltum1 etc4 ,in his report of #ahhh1 ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell of the ,geological ,survey 7,see p4 #ah7 states3--8,gold was found in many of the bars in ,peace river1 and in several places in sufficient quantities to deserve attention4 ,three miles above the mouth of ,battle river1 a large bar nearly a mile long on the left bank was examined1 from which we obtained fifteen to twenty colours of fine gold1 by washing a few handfuls of the mixed gravel and sand in an ordinary frying pan4 ,we tried the bar at several points1 and always with the same result4 ,a small stream descends from the plateau on the opposite side of the river1 and by leading its waters across the river1 which is here about one thousand feet wide1 the bar might be easily and inexpensively worked on a large scale4 ,twelve miles farther up the river1 another bar was examined1 which yielded from twenty to forty colours when washed in the same way4 ,numerous other bars occur in this portion of the river1 which would probably give as good results as those examined4 8,the presence of fine gold in some quantities in the bars above the mouth of ,battle river is probably due to the diminution in the strength of the ,peace river current which takes place here1 and its consequent loss of transporting power4 ,the same fact is shown in the gradual substitution of sand bars for gravel bars which occur at the same point4 8,besides the gold on ,peace river1 two colours were also washed out of a bar on ,loon river1 an eastern tributary of the ,peace40 ,mr4 ,alfred von ,hamerstein1 a ,german gentleman who has lived in the ,athabaska country for many years1 latterly devoting his attention wholly to prospecting for petroleum1 was examined before the ,senate committee of #aijg and explained that before beginning boring operations for oil1 he had been engaged in gold mining in ,athabaska and ,peace river districts4 ,he had inspected ,mc,leod river at a place called ,assiniboia4 ,a half-breed took out one hundred and fifty dollars from a bar there4 ,he himself ,,took ,,out ,,gold at a little bar right opposite the mouth of ,lesser ,slave river in the ,athabaska4 ,he worked it for part of two summers4 ,he would take out enough to last him for the winter1 and then quit4 ,it is hard work4 ,the ,indians and natives have gold and diamonds on the brain4 ,they had taken to him rocks containing very nice garnets1 but they were very mysterious about them4 ,mr4 von ,hamerstein explained he had also worked for gold on ,peace river4 ,there is very good mining there1 a little below ,battle river1 but the gold is so very fine that for every dollar you save there1 about four and a half go away1 and there are some peculiar things that no one can account for4 ,after you have got it there is trouble with the quicksilver1 which does not take up the gold4 ,the method he adopted was to run the quicksilver1 and then before running it over again1 to roll it in acid4 ,before the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 ,bishop ,clut stated that in ,peace river and ,liard river1 certainly there was gold in large quantities4 ,on ,peace river1 twelve or thirteen years prior to #ahhh1 miners made from fifteen dollars to twenty dollars a day washing1 but in the winter and when the water was high they could not work1 and they abandoned the mines4 8,if the country were settled10 the bishop remarked1 8those mines might be worked to better advantage1 because the miners could find other occupation in the winter and when the water was high40 ,according to ,mr4 von ,hamerstein1 at ,black bay1 on ,lake ,athabaska1 there is first-class galena--none better4 ,it carries gold1 silver and copper4 ,they assayed some of the product at ,chipewyan1 and found that it carried roughly about six dollars or seven dollars worth of gold1 and some copper4 ,there is a big seam near ,black bay1 and one can follow it up right along until it comes to an island4 ,that is a very fine country for gold1 and there have been several attempts to make something out of it1 but the time is not ripe4 ,,indications ,,of ,,iron4 ,indications of the presence of iron have been found on ,peace1 ,clearwater1 and ,athabaska rivers4 ,a specimen rock from near ,pelican rapids on ,athabaska river contained #ab4d of metallic iron4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell found indications of iron in ,churchill river district1 and also north of ,lake ,athabaska4 ,according to ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell's #ahhh report3--,clay ironstone in nodules and thin beds1 is of universal occurrence in the ,cretaceous shales of the ,peace region1 but is especially abundant in some of the outcrops of the ,fort ,st4 ,john shales on ,peace river1 between ,battle river and ,smoky river4 ,the ironstone1 here1 owing to the rapid erosion of the soft shales1 has been silted out1 and in many places forms thick accumulations at the foot of the cliffs lining the valley1 some of which may prove to be of economic value4 ,the ,pelican sandstone on the ,athabaska is usually capped with a bed of hemitiferous sandstone varying in thickness from a few inches to four or five feet4 ,a specimen of the rock was examined in the laboratory of the ,geological ,survey1 and found to contain #abd per cent4 of metallic iron4 ,mr4 von ,hamerstein1 in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 stated that there are indications of iron along ,clearwater river4 ,he found some very nice pieces of iron1 and he found limestone in the centre of ,athabaska4 ,once1 in ,peace river district1 on the way from ,lake ,chipewyan1 he found a deposit of red stone2 he did not know whether it was ochre or hematite of iron4 ,he had any amount of it1 but upset with his canoe and lost it4 ,a large amount of ochre is found on the eastern bank of the ,athabaska1 between ,athabaska and ,grand rapids4 ,he had also observed what seemed to him a large amount of hematite of iron between ,athabaska and the mouth of greater ,slave river1 while on ,slave river itself1 at a certain point1 large bodies of magnetic ore are indicated by the action of the compass1 which gets entirely out of order4 ,,coal ,,and ,,lignite4 ,mr4 von ,hamerstein informed the committee that there is a fine seam of coal at ,mc,kay1 and went on to say that he had taken out1 the season before his examination by the committee1 about twenty tons1 right on the river bank4 ,there was a good quantity of bituminous coal1 which could be used for common blacksmithing1 but not for welding4 ,where exposed and worked1 this seam goes down about five or six feet deep1 and it seems to be getting larger4 ,there is quite a bit of coal taken out every year by the people who live at ,chipewyan4 ,there is1 according to ,mr4 von ,hamerstein1 another fine seam of coal at a little creek named ,horse creek1 which is about a mile and a half south from ,mc,murray on the east side of ,athabaska river4 ,coal may also be found in other places4 ,there is a seam1 for instance1 about two miles below ,stony island4 ,w4 ,f4 ,bredin1 ,m4,l4,a41 confirmed ,mr4 von ,hamerstein's evidence as to the deposits of coal near ,mc,kay1 which is about twenty miles north of ,mc,murray4 ,in his report of #ahhh1 describing his explorations the previous season1 ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell stated3-- 8,lignite was found in ,peace river sandstone in ,peace river in several places1 but in seams too small to be workable4 ,it also occurs in the plateaus south of ,lesser ,slave lake4 ,in one section at the latter place1 four seams1 ranging in thickness from one to four feet1 besides a number of smaller ones1 was found1 distributed through about a thousand feet of sandstone and shales4 ,drift lignite was also found in ,marten river near the base of ,marten mountain1 but it was not traced to its source4 ,on the ,athabaska1 the ,grand rapid sandstone is lignitiferous1 some of the seams being from four to five feet thick1 but the quality is usually inferior4 ,several small seams also occur imbedded in the tar sands40 ,,deposits ,,of ,,gypsum4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell states in his report that 8,gypsum is deposited in small quantities by the mineral springs at ,la ,saline1 and it also occurs on ,peace river between ,bouill rapid and ,peace point1 where beds ten to fifteen feet in thickness are said to exist4 ,blocks of gypsum several feet in diameter were found on ,peace river above its confluence with ,loon river1 and on ,red river a few miles above its mouth4 ,they have probably been derived from the ,peace point exposures1 and carried up the valley of ,peace river by ice during the ,glacial period40 ,mr4 ,alfred von ,hamerstein gave evidence to the same effect before the ,senate committee of #aijg4 ,he stated that there 8are large deposits of gypsum on the southern bank of ,peace river1 near ,peace point1 which is situated somewhere near the mouth of ,peace river4 ,very large deposits of the same economic mineral are in the neighbourhood of ,salt river40 ,,salt ,,mines4 ,harmon1 writing in his journal at ,chipewyan as long ago as #ahjh1 wrote3--8,about sixty miles from this1 down ,slave river1 there are several places where almost any quantity of excellent1 clean1 white salt may be taken1 with as much ease as sand along the sea shore4 ,from these places1 the greater part of the ,north ,west is supplied with this valuable article40 ,before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 ,mr4 von ,hamerstein stated that at ,salt river1 salt was found right on the surface4 ,there is a spring which comes out of the ground1 and the water is so salty that it cannot take up any more4 ,right at ,mc,murray one hundred and fifty feet of rock salt was found4 ,the traders and ,hudson's ,bay ,company's people come down and take it with shovels1 and they sell all the salt that is used along there4 ,it is taken from ,salt river4 ,witness did not know what they got for it4 ,in his report of #ahhh1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell writes3--8,at ,la ,saline1 on the ,athabaska1 twenty-eight miles below the ,forks1 and about two miles above the mouth of ,red ,earth creek1 several mineral springs occur about half a mile east of the river on the edge of the valley there1 sixty feet deep4 ,the deposits from the springs1 consisting principally of calcareous tufa1 cover the face of the escarpment and have also built up a cone on the top of the bank ten to fifteen feet high and about two hundred feet wide4 ,the water is strongly saline1 holding a considerable percentage of sodic-chloride4 ,sulphuretted hydrogen gas escapes from the bank in several places and taints the air for some distance from the springs4 ,besides the calcareous tufa the cone contains small deposits of common salt1 gypsum and native sulphur1 while pure tar1 derived from the tar sands beneath1 issues from the bank in two places4 ,the springs feed a shallow lake which is situated at the foot of the escarpment1 and is surrounded by a clay flat partly bare and partly covered with coarse grasses40 ,,sulphur ,,beds ,,and ,,springs4 ,while giving evidence before the select committee of the ,senate in #aijg1 ,mr4 von ,hamerstein explained that there are sulphur beds and springs between ,mc,murray and ,lake ,athabaska4 ,extensive sulphur deposits are found on the east side of ,athabaska river between ,mc,murray and the lake4 ,it is inland about two miles1 and in some places it is found in large quantities1 and beyond the lake1 at several places on the east shore1 as well as the west shore of ,great ,slave river4 ,in some places there is a very large amount of sulphur4 ,it comes from an old crater1 in the shape of saline water1 containing a large amount of sulphur4 ,this saline water at spots runs over three or four acres1 the water evaporates1 and the sulphur remains4 ,mr4 von ,hamerstein also stated that on 8the lower part of the ,athabaska the limestone which is exposed all along the river is of a very good quality4 ,there is also found clay fit for puddling and for making brick40 ,he added that sand of the very best quality for making glass is abundant1 and this industry ,mr4 von ,hamerstein said he believed was bound to come into existence and be profitable through the existence of cheap fuel1 and intense heat in the shape of natural gas in the country4 ,,the ,,famous 8,,tar ,,sands40 ,the occurrence of huge deposits of an oily bituminous or tarry substance along ,athabaska river was referred to in the journals of the pioneer explorers of the region4 ,in the account of his historical journal in #ahgi1 ,mackenzie mentions that the exudation of the 8bituminous fountains01 as he called them1 when mixed with gum or the resinous substance collected from the spruce fir1 was used by the natives and voyageurs to gum their canoes4 ,after investigating the character of these deposits1 geologists have agreed in describing the black plastic mass as 8,tar ,sands40 ,mr4 ,mc,connell described these deposits as resting on the limestone and well exposed in high cliffs on both sides of ,athabaska river4 ,at ,cascade rapid1 this formation is one hundred and fifty feet thick and is so saturated that pure tar oozes out of the bank in several places and streams down the slope4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell proceeds in his report to say3--8,the tar-sands mentioned above belong to the ,dakota formation and constitute in this region the basal member of the ,cretaceous system4 ,they rest unconformably on the ,devonian limestones4 ,lithologically they may be described as soft sandstone1 the cementing material of which is a bitumen or inspissated petroleum derived from the underlying limestones4 ,the sands are siliceous and usually rather fine-grained1 but also grade occasionally into a coherent grit4 ,the eastern boundary of the tar-sands was not precisely defined1 but their outcrop was estimated to have a minimum distribution of fully one thousand square miles4 ,in thickness they vary from one hundred and fifty to two hundred and twenty-five feet4 ,the tar is unequally distributed through the sands1 in some places merely staining the grains1 but in most of the sections examined it is present in sufficient quantity to render the whole mass more or less plastic4 ,an analysis by ,mr4 ,hoffmann of a specimen collected some years ago by ,doctor ,bell gave by weight3-- ,bitumen #abdb per cent4 ,water 7mechanically mixed7 #ehe per cent4 ,siliceous sands #hagc per cent4 ,a cubic foot of the bituminous sand rock weighs1 according to ,mr4 ,hoffmann1 #aage lbs4 ,this figure multiplied by the percentage of bitumen1 #abdb1 gives #adei lbs4 as the amount of bitumen present in a cubic foot1 or #adei_/fcg #bbi per cent4 in bulk1 taking #fcg pounds as the weight of one cubic foot of rock4 ,at the minimum thickness of one hundred and fifty feet1 and assuming the thickness as given above at one thousand square miles1 the bituminous sand rock in sight amounts to #bhdj cubic miles4 ,of this mass1 if the preceding analysis is taken as an average1 although this is probably rather high1 #bbi per cent4 in bulk or #fej cubic miles is bitumen4 ,this calculation can1 of course1 only be regarded as an approximation1 but will serve to give some idea of the enormous outpouring of bituminous substances which have taken place in this region4 ,the amount of petroleum which must have issued from the underlying limestones required to produce #fej cubic miles of bitumen cannot be estimated1 as the conditions of oxidation and the original composition of the oil are unknown4 ,it must1 however1 have been much greater than the amount of bitumen4 8,a few miles west of the ,athabaska the sand rock1 still saturated with tar1 passes below the higher divisions of the ,cretaceous1 and its extension in this direction can only be ascertained by boring4 ,it was not recognized on ,peace river nor on the lower part of ,red river1 and must disappear somewhere in the intervening region4 8,in ascending the ,athabaska the tar-sands1 after an exposure of over twenty miles1 pass below the surface at ,boiler rapid and are not seen again40 ,,commercial ,,value ,,of ,,the ,,tar ,,sands4 ,as to the actual value of these deposits1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell has this to say in his report3--8,the commercial value of the tar sands themselves1 as exposed at the surface1 is at present uncertain1 but the abundance of the material1 and the high percentage of bitumen which it contains1 make it probable that it may1 in the future1 be profitably utilized for various purposes1 when this region is reached by railways4 ,among the uses to which it is adapted1 may be mentioned roofing1 paving1 insulating electric wires1 and it might also be mixed with the lignite which occurs in the neighbourhood1 and pressed into briquettes for fuel40 ,before the ,senate committee of #aijg ,mr4 von ,hamerstein was examined at length regarding these beds of tar sands1 or 8asphaltum10 as he called it1 and as it is generally called in the district4 ,he described these beds as occurring where petroleum seemed to have broken through the surface and soaked the ground for miles around4 ,this substance1 ,mr4 von ,hamerstein remarked1 could scarcely be termed asphaltum4 ,it is oil gum--something the nature of tar4 ,he produced a piece of this material which he had taken out himself4 ,he also produced a bottle containing liquid taken from springs in the ground4 ,he described it as nothing else but a heavy petroleum1 which comes out of the ground4 ,there are inexhaustible quantities of that4 ,it has formed pools over the land which are of considerable size in some places4 ,in summer time it comes out in large quantities1 but it hardens in the winter1 and of course the springs take time to get started again4 ,it is not flowing continuously1 but flows whenever it has a chance4 ,the cold seems to draw it together and bake it4 ,this is the largest quantity of petroleum witness had ever seen in the world4 ,this area extends from ,mc,murray for fifty miles along the road4 ,mr4 von ,hamerstein said he thought there was ,,nothing ,,like ,,it ,,in ,,the ,,world4 ,he had been in ,texas1 ,kansas1 and ,indian ,territory1 and had looked over the asphalt beds in ,california1 but had found nothing to compare with it4 ,this 8asphalt0 does not resemble ,trinidad asphalt1 for the latter comes from a crater1 and the substance is not the same4 ,the ,athabaska substance is not straight asphalt2 it is nothing but oil gum1 out of which asphalt can be made4 ,there is a large amount of petroleum in it4 ,he tested it himself1 and got some paraffin out of it4 ,if he could obtain transportation1 he could apply it for practical purposes4 ,after it is refined1 and all the foreign substance taken out of it1 it can be used for road making4 ,lubricating oil can be made out of it1 and in fact he made cylinder oil for his machinery out of it1 and also got some paraffin out of it4 ,the rest he used for making tar paper4 ,this product would certainly become valuable as soon as there was transportation4 ,the area covered by this substance amounts to about twenty square miles4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 in his evidence before the same committee1 referred to these outcrops of tar sands4 ,there is1 he stated1 an enormous amount of sandstone there impregnated with hard thick petroleum of tar4 ,the probability is that when one gets back from the outcrop in some places this substance will be found as a liquid oil instead of a hard tar that is found there on the ,athabaska4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell said he thought it quite a fair and reasonable supposition that one would find good fluid oil in the beds of the same geological age as the tar sand of ,athabaska river4 ,this tar sand is very strongly in evidence along the river1 and an enormous amount of tar has actually gone to waste1 as it were--floated out and hardened there4 ,the tar sand area extends for quite a number of miles along the river4 ,as you descend the river you get to those tar-bearing beds1 and then they are in evidence right along for a number of miles down the river4 ,then you leave them altogether1 and they do not occur again4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell considered it highly probable that the petroleum or liquid would be found in close proximity4 ,of course the sandstone or tar would not have a marketable value at the present rates of transportation1 but1 outside of that1 probably it would be used as paving material if it is ever needed in that vicinity4 ,he thought it ,,could ,,be ,,used ,,for ,,making ,,pavement4 ,r4 ,w4 ,ells1 ,,ll4,d41 ,f4,r4,s4,c41 in the ,geological ,survey report on 8,the ,bitumen or ,oil ,shales of ,new ,brunswick and ,nova ,scotia1 also on the ,oil ,shale ,industry of ,scotland10 says3--8,the celebrated tar-sands of ,athabaska river in ,northern ,alberta may at some time furnish material for distillation1 since all attempts to find oil by boring have hitherto been unsuccessful4 ,these tar-sands have been well described by ,doctor ,bell1 and other officers of the ,geological ,survey who have visited the area4 ,doctor ,bell1 after describing the immense amount of tarry matter found along the river1 states that #8the pitchy sand itself may be useful for a variety of purposes4 ,when chopped out of the bank in lumps like coal it was found to burn freely1 with a strong smoky flame1 if supported in such a way as to admit of the free access of air4 ,as the bitumen became exhausted the fine sand fell to the bottom4' 4 4 4 4 ,a very superior lubricating oil may be manufactured from it4 ,doctor ,hoffmann of the ,geological ,survey1 ,mr4 ,isaac ,waterman1 the well known petroleum refiner of ,london1 ,ontario1 and ,lieutenant ,cochrane1 ,instructor in ,practical ,chemistry at the ,military ,college1 ,kingston1 have found it to contain twelve to fifteen per cent4 of bitumen4 ,although this proportion may appear small1 yet the material occurs in such enormous quantities that a profitable means of extracting the oil and paraffin which it contains may be found4 ,the high banks of the river and its branches offer an easy means of excavating it1 and as it burns readily one part might be consumed to extract the oil from another1 there being practically no limit to the quantity which may be obtained for the digging40 ,illustration3 ,oil ,well at ,mc,kay1 ,athabaska river4 ,doctor ,bell1 in a paper before the ,american ,institute of ,mining ,engineers1 ,toronto1 ,july1 #aijg1 said3--8,different experiments made with the tar-sands show that while they yield some good illuminating fluid1 their principal value consists in the large proportion of ,,fine ,,lubricating ,,oil which they afford4 ,this oil was found to remain liquid in the cold winter temperatures of the ,canadian prairie provinces1 and therefore1 it is very suitable for car wheels and machinery working in the open air40 ,mr4 ,crean in the report of his explorations in #aiji states3--8,the outcrop of tar-sand commences about thirty miles south of ,mc,murray on ,athabaska river4 ,it continues to about forty miles below ,mc,murray on the river4 ,it extends to the east and west for at least thirty miles1 and varies in thickness from twenty to two hundred and twenty-five feet1 with probably an average of one hundred and fifty feet thickness4 4 4 4 4 ,the value of this immense deposit on the ,athabaska is not known4 4 4 4 4 ,during the past season representatives of interests in ,england and ,france have made examinations of it on the ground4 ,should it be found to be capable of being converted to any commercial use1 the enormous extent of it would ensure that industries of considerable public importance would be established in connection with it as soon as railway communication is provided4 ,since ,mr4 ,mc,connell's report was published1 several other outcrops of the mineral have been reported4 ,a4 ,w4 ,ponton1 ,d4,l4,s41 reports an outcrop near the fifth meridian1 which is about ninety miles west of ,mc,murray4 ,i reported an outcrop of tar-sand in my report of last season on ,buffalo lake which is one hundred and twenty miles southeast and in the province of ,saskatchewan4 ,that these outcrops are part of the same field is probable40 ,,indications ,,of ,,petroleum4 ,apart altogether from the commercial value of the tar sands themselves1 they are regarded by many geologists and practical operators as chiefly important as indicating the existence of deposits of petroleum4 ,for instance1 as long ago as #ahhh1 ,doctor ,g4 ,m4 ,dawson of the ,geological ,survey stated before the ,senate committee3--8,the pitch found along the ,athabaska may probably be of considerable value in the future2 but in the meantime was most important as giving reason to believe that extensive deposits of petroleum existed in the country in which it occurred4 ,the quantity appeared to be practically inexhaustible40 ,mr4 ,mc,connell1 in his report1 enters very thoroughly into this phase of the question4 ,he writes3--8,the tar sands evidence an upwelling of petroleum to the surface unequalled elsewhere in the world1 but the more volatile and valuable constituents of the oil have long since disappeared1 and the rocks from which it issued are probably exhausted as the flow has ceased4 ,in the extension of the tar sands under cover the conditions are different1 and it is here that oils of economic value should be sought4 ,in ascending the ,athabaska1 the tar sands are overlaid at ,boiler rapid by a cover of shales sufficient to prevent the oils from rising to the surface1 and in ascending the river1 this cover gradually thickens4 ,the geological attitudes of the shales is not the most favorable1 as the beds dip away from the outcrop at the rate of five to ten feet to the mile1 and it is possible that a part1 or even the whole of the oil may have flowed northwards and eastwards through the sands1 and escaped where these come to the surface4 ,it is unlikely1 however1 that all the oil has escaped in this manner1 as small anticlinals in the covering beds are almost certain to exist1 and a differential hardening of the beds themselves may serve to enclose reservoirs or inverted basins of large capacity4 ,it is also possible that the sands at their outcrop may1 by the deposition of tarry substances1 be plugged tightly enough to prevent further egress4 ,favourable indications of the presence of oil in the vicinity of the ,athabaska are also afforded by the existence of the natural gas springs40 ,,tar ,,springs ,,reported4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell proceeds to show that 8,indications of the presence of oil in the district are not confined to the tar sands1 as on ,peace river and ,lesser ,slave lake inspissated bitumen was found in a number of places lining cracks in nodules1 and at ,tar island in ,peace river small quantities of tar are brought to the surface by a spring4 ,tar springs are also reported from several other places1 but their existence lacks verification40 ,in his ,summary ,report of the operations of the ,geological ,survey1 for the year #ahid1 ,doctor ,g4 ,m4 ,dawson1 the director1 referring to ,mr4 ,mc,connell's explorations and report1 wrote3--8,the occurrence of great quantities of bitumen or maltha along a portion of ,athabaska river has long been known1 having been noticed and commented upon by the very earliest travellers in the region4 ,beds of sand or very soft sandstone of ,cretaceous age1 varying from one hundred and forty to two hundred and twenty-five feet in thickness1 are there found to be more or less completely saturated with bitumen1 for a distance of some ninety miles along the river4 ,these beds are known as #8tar sands4' ,more recently a number of smaller occurrences of bitumen in the form of #8tar springs' as well as sources of combustible gas1 have been found at different places over a very extensive district4 ,all these circumstances point to the probable existence of a great petroleum field1 of which possibly some parts have already exhausted themselves in saturating the lowest ,cretaceous sands1 but of which probably the greater portion is still effectually sealed by the thick covering of overlying rocks4 ,it is believed that the source of the petroleum which has given rise to the deposits of bitumen is in the ,devonian strata1 which here immediately underlie those of ,cretaceous age40 ,,experimental ,,borings4 ,in #ahic1 at the suggestion of ,mr4 ,mc,connell and ,doctor ,dawson1 the ,dominion government began experimental borings for petroleum in the ,athabaska region4 ,the importance of actually ascertaining by means of boring operations1 the existence or otherwise of economically valuable bodies of petroleum in the region had been recognized for many years1 but the remoteness of the region and the apparent impossibility of immediately utilizing any discoveries which might be made1 had hitherto prevented the necessary experiments4 ,a vote of seven thousand dollars was obtained from ,parliament for the purpose of initiating this work1 the arrangements for which were entrusted to the ,geological ,survey4 ,after careful consideration1 it was determined that a bore-hole should in the first instance be sunk at ,athabaska1 at which place the depth of strata to be passed through in order to reach the horizon of the 8tar sands0 had been estimated by ,mr4 ,mc,connell at approximately from twelve to fifteen hundred feet4 ,on ,october #bd the bore-hole had reached a depth of one thousand and eleven feet1 when it was found necessary1 owing to the incoherent character of the rocks1 to stop work pending the arrival of more casing4 ,this was placed in the hole during the winter1 but the drilling itself could not be resumed till the spring1 as the great quantity of gas met with rendered it dangerous to keep a fire in the derrick or anywhere in the vicinity of the well4 ,this first boring was unavoidably abandoned at a depth of one thousand seven hundred and seventy feet1 without reaching the probably oil-bearing beds at the base of the ,cretaceous formation but within a short distance of attaining these beds4 ,during these particular boring operations1 according to the engineer in charge1 at three hundred and thirty-four feet a large flow of gas was struck4 ,the roaring of the gas could be heard half a mile away from the works4 ,the foreman who had seen the big gas well at ,kingsville1 ,ontario1 stated that the flow of gas was as strong as in that well4 ,,second ,,and ,,third ,,borings4 ,the second and third of the experimental borings in search of petroleum in the northern part of ,alberta were begun early in the summer of #ahig near the mouth of ,pelican river on the ,athabaska and at ,victoria on the ,saskatchewan below ,edmonton1 respectively4 ,the sites selected for these borings were determined largely by the knowledge of the stratigraphical succession and the thickness already gained in the first bore-hole at ,athabaska4 ,the borings at ,pelican and ,victoria had reached depths of eight hundred and twenty and seven hundred and five feet respectively before winter4 ,operations were resumed at both places in the spring of #ahih1 as soon as the requisite arrangements could be made4 ,work had been suspended at ,pelican in #ahig because of a very large flow of natural gas1 under great pressure4 ,it was hoped that most of this gas might blow off during the winter1 and it was found1 in fact1 to be considerably reduced in amount when the locality was again reached by the engineer in charge in #ahih4 ,work was resumed1 but additional and very strong flows of gas were soon met with in the underlying beds1 and after exhausting every method of mastering them and continuing the boring1 it became necessary again to suspend operations4 ,in regard to the actual existence of petroleum1 the results of the government borings have not up to the present stage been satisfactory4 ,the boring near the mouth of ,pelican river penetrated the lower sandy beds of the ,cretaceous for some distance and demonstrated the existence in these beds of a thick tarry petroleum or maltha1 besides that of great reservoirs of natural gas4 ,it proved impossible to carry out this boring to the very base of the ,cretaceous and into the underlying formation1 in which the existence of a more fluid and merchantable oil was still to be hoped for4 ,doctor ,dawson1 reporting upon the result of these operations1 stated3--8,the bore furnishes additional evidence of the existence in the ,northwest territories of a vast gas-field4 ,the seemingly uniform continuity of the ,cretaceous beds1 makes it almost certain that gas-wells may be obtained by boring1 over a great area4 ,unfortunately the ,pelican boring1 like the boring at ,athabaska1 did not penetrate deep enough to furnish reliable information as to the existence or non-existence of petroleum of a high quality4 ,the presence of low-quality petroleum--maltha--is demonstrated1 but as the more liquid oil may very probably underlie this1 and as we did not reach a sufficient depth to determine the point1 the result is unsatisfactory40 ,,why ,,the ,,boring ,,was ,,stopped4 ,the following extracts from the report of the engineer in charge of the boring operations at ,pelican river1 ,mr4 ,a4 ,w4 ,fraser1 are interesting1 and show how and why the operations came to an abrupt termination3--8,i used some of the heavy petroleum or maltha which flowed from the well in raising steam1 and it made an extremely good fuel4 8,if the hard slate stratum at eight hundred and twenty-one feet six inches had been pierced1 a great flow of petroleum might have1 in my opinion1 been encountered4 ,indeed it is altogether possible that at that depth we were within a few feet of a large body of petroleum4 ,had it been struck while the flow of gas was in an unconquered condition1 the result would have been disastrous1 as there might have been no possible means of checking the flow4 ,the flow of gas was so great that a cannon ball could not have been dropped down the pipe4 8,at seven hundred and seventy three feet a heavier flow of gas was struck4 ,it made a roaring noise coming out of the bore1 and had quite a pronounced petroleum odour4 ,increased quantities of petroleum in the cuttings at these depths were encountered4 8,at eight hundred and twenty feet a tremendous flow of gas was struck1 which blew every drop of water out of the bore4 ,the roar of the gas could be heard for three miles or more4 ,soon it had completely dried the hole1 and was blowing a cloud of dust fifty feet into the air4 ,small nodules of iron-pyrites1 about the size of a walnut1 were blown out of the hole with incredible velocity4 ,they came out like bullets from a rifle4 ,we could not see them going1 but could hear them crack against the top of the derrick4 ,it was impossible to do anything with the bore that day1 so we were forced to let it stand just as it was4 ,there was danger that the men would be killed if struck by these missiles4 ,the next day a long stick was put on the tools1 so that the men could turn them without getting too close to the bore4 ,in this way we succeeded in penetrating through eighteen inches of a conglomerate mass of these iron-pyrites nodules embedded in heavy petroleum4 ,as we drilled through this the gas blew out the nodules of iron-pyrites embedded in oil4 8,at eight hundred and twenty-one feet six inches a very hard stratum of slate was encountered1 which we penetrated about three inches4 ,we could get no water down the well on account of the strong flow of gas1 so we could make no further progress with the drill in this hard cutting4 ,the danger to the men was so great that they refused to work longer over the bore4 ,we then put the four and five-eighths inch casing down to the very bottom1 hoping to shut off gas1 but it failed to do so40 ,,terrific ,,pressure ,,of ,,natural ,,gas4 ,work was resumed here in #ahih 7,geological ,survey ,report1 ,vol4 ,,xi1 page #cc;a74 ,it was thought that the flow of gas might have decreased1 but on work being resumed and the hole being cleaned out 8the gas which had increased in power with the cleaning of the hole cut the walls down and blew great clouds of sand and gravel higher than the derrick40 ,subsequently at eight hundred and thirty-seven feet such a strong flow of gas was struck that they were obliged to suspend operations4 ,mr4 ,fraser further says in the same report3--8,i proved the general excellence and utility of the gas during the season1 using it for my boiler1 cookstove and for lighting4 ,i had only a one inch pipe1 tapped into the side of the casing1 and probably did not use the one-hundredth part of the gas coming from the bore1 but there was sufficient to make all the steam necessary on my twenty-five horse-power boiler1 keep fire in the stove1 and also to supply a strong flare-light4 ,the gas burned beautifully clean4 ,in working at the bore1 the screeching and hissing of the gas1 when at all confined by the presence of the tools inside the casing1 or from other causes1 was so great that the men complained of pains in their ears and heads40 ,,begged ,,to ,,be ,,excused4 ,when giving his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg ,mr4 von ,hamerstein begged to be excused from divulging results of his work in boring for petroleum in the ,mc,murray district1 as other people had entrusted their money with him in the enterprise4 ,he said he felt at liberty to state that their works so far made him very confident that they were going to have one of the biggest petroleum fields in the world4 ,there was no doubt he said1 petroleum would be found all through that country1 from ,athabaska river to ,peace river4 ,he remarked that when his party was boring once they struck natural gas1 and one hundred and fifty feet of salt4 ,they went down through a hundred feet of salt1 and then they abandoned it4 ,at this particular place they went about eleven hundred feet altogether4 ,they never went lower than eleven hundred feet4 ,mr4 von ,hamerstein added3 8,as far as petroleum is concerned1 ,i have all my money put into it1 and there is other people's money in it1 and ,i have to be loyal4 ,as to whether you can get petroleum in merchantable quantities1 that is a matter about which ,i would not care to speak4 ,i have been taking in machinery for about three years4 ,last year ,i placed about fifty thousand dollars worth of machinery in there4 ,i have not brought it in for ornamental purposes1 although it does look nice and home-like40 ,in the winter of #aiaj1 ,corporal ,a4 ,h4 ,schurer1 of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 made a patrol from ,athabaska to ,mc,murray4 ,in his report he states3--8,i visited the oil wells sunk by ,baron ,a4 von ,hamerstein at ,poplar island1 six miles below ,mc,murray4 ,i could see very little with the exception of the machinery1 as the snow had covered everything up4 ,a ,mr4 ,falkner1 supposed to be representing a party of eastern capitalists1 has been staking out claims between ,mc,murray and ,mc,kay for oil1 during the past two months1 and ,i understand that he is also to prospect ,clearwater river east of ,mc,murray for petroleum and other minerals4 ,in ,december last ,mr4 ,julius ,alteschul1 a ,german1 claiming to be a representative of a ,london1 ,england1 financial house1 visited ,mc,murray1 and after having been there for a few days1 stated that he had found a mineral more valuable than radium1 and that as soon as ,athabaska river was navigable1 he would place one hundred workmen and their families at ,mc,murray1 where he intended to start an industry2 what this industry was to be ,mr4 ,alteschul did not make clear4 ,it is the general impression that ,alteschul was merely paying a visit to a much talked of place in order to find out what minerals actually existed1 but did not want his mission to be known40 ,,natural ,,gas4 ,corporal ,mellor states 7,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police report of #aiji7 that when patrolling the buffalo country near ,peace point he came across 8a large natural gas spout burning in a muskeg and was informed it never goes out40 ,during his examination before the select committee of the ,senate in #aijg ,mr4 von ,hamerstein drew the attention of the committee to the waste of natural oil gas at the government bore hole at ,pelican portage or ,pelican rapids4 ,it was still burning4 ,when ,mr4 von ,hamerstein went up in the month of ,june1 #aijf1 it blew about eighteen or twenty feet4 ,about four years previously he found it was about forty feet1 a vertical stream4 ,it exploded with such force that not a hundredth part of the gas had a chance to be inflamed4 ,the ground all around it had fallen in4 ,mr4 von ,hamerstein expressed the opinion that this is the biggest gas well on the face of the earth4 ,he had a gas expert1 a ,mr4 ,chamberlain1 from ,petrolia1 who told him that it was the biggest well in the world4 ,mr4 ,chamberlain operated in ,indiana1 ,kansas1 and all over the ,united ,states1 and was the largest operator in the natural gas business4 ,in connection with their prospecting1 mining and boring operations in ,athabaska district ,mr4 von ,hamerstein's parties use quantities of natural gas for lighting purposes4 ,they light their camps with it1 and do their blacksmithing with it1 and it comes in very handy4 ,they get the gas at all kinds of depths1 and get several veins of it4 ,they never get petroleum without gas1 as they have to strike gas before they strike petroleum1 so there must be a large quantity of petroleum there4 ,according to ,mr4 von ,hamerstein's evidence upon this occasion1 on ,peace river there is evidence of natural gas also1 small amounts of tar and also evidence of petroleum4 ,that would be sixteen miles from ,peace ,river ,landing1 on an island called ,tar island4 ,the natural gas springs there throw out small amounts of tar1 and about thirty miles from the mouth1 on the north shore1 there is also a spring4 ,it is what ,mr4 von ,hamerstein called an oil spring or tar spring4 ,w4 ,f4 ,bredin1 ,m4 ,l4 ,a41 before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 stated that for miles along ,athabaska river the natural gas is all the time escaping from the clay banks of the river and in the river itself1 because all across the river you can see the bubbles rising4 ,the witness had lighted some of the gas vents1 and boiled his tea pail by hanging it over the flame4 ,,more ,,important ,,gas ,,springs4 ,according to ,mr4 ,mc,connell1 the most important natural gas spring in the district occurs on the ,athabaska at the mouth of ,little ,buffalo river4 ,the gas here forces its way up from the tar sands1 through two hundred and fifty feet of the ,clearwater shales and issues from the surface in numerous small jets distributed over an area fifty feet or more in diameter4 ,some of the jets burn steadily when lighted1 until extinguished by heavy rains or strong wind1 and afford sufficient heat to cook a camp meal4 ,a second spring was noticed on the left bank of the ,athabaska about thirteen miles below the mouth of ,pelican river4 ,the volume of gas escaping here is less than at the mouth of ,little ,buffalo river1 and in order to reach the surface it is obliged to penetrate five hundred and seventy feet of shales and sandstone which here overlie the tar sands4 ,escaping jets of gas were also noted at several points farther up the river2 but these were mostly small and may possibly be due to decaying vegetable matter4 ,on ,peace river natural gas issues from the tar springs on ,tar island1 in small quantities4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell adds3--8,the natural gas springs have less value in themselves at present than in the indications they afford of the existence of petroleum beneath40 ,in his introduction to ,mr4 ,g4 ,a4 ,young's descriptive sketch of the geology and economic minerals of ,canada 7#aiji7 ,mr4 ,r4 ,w4 ,brock1 ,director of the ,geological ,survey1 wrote3--8,petroleum and natural gas are obtained in ,ontario2 ,alberta is also producing a large quantity of gas1 and will probably develop petroleum fields4 4 4 4 4 ,the interior plain 7of the ,canadian northwest7 is underlain for the most part by sedimentary rocks1 chiefly of ,cretaceous age1 and containing coal1 building stones1 clays1 and cement materials4 ,natural gas over wide areas and under great pressure has been tapped1 and there is every indication of a large oil field in the northern portion1 at least1 of ,alberta40 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,northern ,,alberta4 ,game1 ,fur-bearing ,animals and ,fish4 ,the ,land of the ,wood ,buffalo4--,where the ,last ,remnant of ,american ,bison ,living in a ,wild ,state ,roam4--,a ,splendid ,moose ,country4-- ,the ,home of ,numerous ,fur-bearing ,animals4--,the ,prolific ,fisheries of ,lake ,athabaska and ,other ,waters4 ,as the northernmost portion of northern ,alberta includes a considerable part of the range of the herds of wood buffalo 7,bison athabascae71 which are the sole remnant1 living in a natural state1 of the countless millions of ,american bison which existed when the northwest was first opened up1 it is a country of especial interest to the naturalist and sportsman4 ,it seems to be agreed that the wood buffalo is exactly the same species as the buffalo of the plains1 being descended from herds or individuals which drifted into the wooded country to the north for pasturage or protection1 and finding conditions congenial remained there4 ,within the memory of living men the wood buffalo of northern ,alberta and beyond were immeasurably more numerous than they are to-day1 and they would probably have suffered extermination before this had the ,dominion government not stepped in and enacted laws to protect closely the remaining herds4 ,the wood bison formerly ranged over immense areas north to ,great ,slave lake and ,liard river1 but it is now restricted to a few small herds inhabiting the region north of ,peace river4 ,the bison was first recorded from this region by ,samuel ,hearne1 the first traveller to penetrate its unknown wilds4 ,after crossing ,great ,slave lake 7his ,athapapuskow lake7 from the north1 in ,january1 #aggb1 he entered the level country to the eastward of ,slave river1 and there 8found buffaloes very plentiful40 ,he travelled southward for some days and then left ,slave river and proceeded to the eastward1 still finding the animals abundant until he reached a point near the longitude of the eastern end of ,great ,slave lake4 7,preble47 ,hon4 ,william ,christie1 ex-member of the ,northwest ,council1 and late ,inspecting ,factor of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 examined before the ,senate committee of #ahhh stated that at that date the wood buffalo roamed over the ,athabaska country1 chiefly in the woods2 but in the summer they came down to lick the salt at the salt springs in the valley of ,salt river1 which flows into ,great ,slave lake4 ,he understood that these wood buffalo were in small bands of four or five4 ,mr4 ,christie considered the wood buffalo to be identical with the plains buffalo4 ,long ago the latter species was found as far north as ,peace river in great numbers1 and the plains ,indians1 the ,sarcees and others1 were then in ,peace river country4 ,there is a place called ,battle river in ,peace river valley1 where these plains ,indians had a tremendous battle1 and it is called ,battle river from that circumstance4 ,the plains buffalo were in that country then in thousands1 just the same as they were in the plains4 ,as they got hunted by the ,indians1 they moved out1 and the ,indians moved out of ,peace river country also after this great battle and went into the plains4 ,the battle in question was fought perhaps one hundred years previously4 ,a number of the plains buffalo got into the woods and bred and remained there and were still living in the woods there4 ,,they ,,had ,,grown ,,larger in some way1 but they were just the same as the plains buffalo4 ,those who had killed some of them said they had increased in size in the woods1 possibly from not being disturbed so much and not having to move about as the plains buffalo had to do4 ,the wood buffalo lived in the woods1 on the grasses that they found4 ,the buffalo does not scrape2 he breaks the snow with his nose and eats that way4 ,unless the grass was pretty long he could not get his living there in the winter4 ,about four or five hundred pounds would be the weight of a wood buffalo4 ,a buffalo cow in the plains1 after being dressed1 would weigh about three hundred pounds2 one of these wood buffalo would weigh about three hundred and fifty to four hundred pounds dressed4 ,mr4 ,christie1 speaking of the possibility of using the wood buffalo for hybridization purposes1 explained that as far back as #ahdb1 the ,hudson's ,bay ,company had at ,edmonton a herd of buffalo4 ,they began by taking some calves1 and from these the herd increased until they had some thirty altogether4 ,these used to herd out with the other cattle and come in with them4 ,all at once the buffalo came near ,edmonton and this herd went off with the others4 ,it was the impression then1 from their mixing with the other cattle1 that they would not cross1 because there were not any signs of it4 ,mr4 ,h4 ,j4 ,moberly1 another ,chief ,factor of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 submitted a statement in writing to the ,senate committee of #ahhg in which he stated that as to wood buffalo there was a band1 probably about two hundred1 between the ,saskatchewan and the ,athabaska4 ,they kept on the mountains between ,lac la ,biche and ,mc,murray1 and another band1 probably about three hundred strong1 was between ,athabaska and ,peace rivers on ,thickwood and ,birch mountains4 ,a third band1 probably seven hundred strong1 was scattered through the mountains between ,liard and ,peace rivers1 and from ,salt river to the foot of ,rocky mountains4 ,a ,,tale ,,of ,,slaughter4 ,mr4 ,william ,ogilvie1 in his report of #ahhh wrote3--8,the wood buffalo which formerly roamed around all the upper waters1 is now nearly a thing of the past4 ,a few still remain scattered over a wide district4 ,could some means be devised to protect them for some years they would probably soon multiply and become a source of food supply and revenue to the natives4 ,mr4 ,mc,dougall 7of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company71 who has for some years past been gathering information concerning the number of these animals and their locality1 has kindly given me the following notes3--,in the winter of #ahhg-hh1 on the head waters of ,hay river1 which flows into point3--8,rumours that the wolves were destroying the buffalo were current everywhere4 ,some went so far as to say that these wolves were a new and larger race come in from the barren grounds1 to prey on them4 ,such rumours were repeated at every point in much the same words1 without details4 ,this aroused my suspicions40 ,at ,smith ,landing1 where the party arrived ,june #g1 the ,inspector met ,pierre ,squirrel1 chief of the ,chipewyans1 and arranged for a meeting of the chiefs and hunters who knew the buffalo country near there4 ,at the meeting next day1 ,mr4 ,jarvis told them he had come to investigate the buffalo question1 and if necessary1 to take steps for the destruction of the wolves2 that he must go in person to the buffalo country1 and if possible see the buffalo and the wolves4 ,countless objections were raised to his plans4 ,the whole country was under from one to five feet of water1 according to one statement4 ,the party would not get a dry spot to sleep on1 according to another4 ,they would be devoured by flies2 would die of rheumatic fever2 it was impossible to find the buffalo2 they might be hundreds of miles off at that moment4 ,illustration3 ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police ,barracks at ,smith ,landing4 ,on the thirteenth1 ,inspector ,jarvis left ,smith ,landing and after a long day's march in a west-southwest direction reached ,salt river4 ,none of the swamps so much talked of proved very serious1 and it was evident that all were dry in late summer4 ,at one point only was a true bog seen and it extended for only half a mile4 ,the following day1 following the course of ,salt river downward1 the first buffalo were sighted4 ,inspector ,jarvis writes in his report3--8,the trails1 wallows and chips of buffalo became noticeable1 but as they were old we gave them only passing note4 ,but when two perfectly fresh ones appeared1 we dismounted to follow them on foot4 ,i took charge of the horses as the flies were very thick4 ,great ,slave lake1 and west of ,battle river1 a tributary of the ,peace1 the ,indians saw three bands containing seventeen1 ten1 and four1 respectively2 they killed five1 but ,mr4 ,mc,dougall did not ascertain whether or not these were in addition to the above numbers4 ,the same winter three bands were seen between ,salt river and ,peace point on ,peace river1 numbering fifty1 twenty-five1 and about twenty-five1 respectively4 ,none of these are reported to have been killed4 ,during the winter of #ahhf-hg1 between the north end of ,birch and the south end of ,thickwood mountains1 distant about one day or thirty miles from ,mc,murray on ,athabaska river1 one band of about thirteen was seen4 ,since then five of this band have been killed4 ,below ,red river1 a tributary of the ,athabaska1 and between ,birch mountains and ,athabaska river1 and ranging down to ,poplar point on the ,athabaska1 another band said to contain about twenty was seen4 ,altogether we have only about one hundred and eighty head of wood buffalo in this vast extent of territory4 ,the paucity of their number is1 to some extent1 a protection to them4 ,if they escape epidemics and such a winter as almost exterminated them on the upper ,peace some years ago1 they may possibly increase4 ,whenever the ,indians come across a band they try to exterminate them whether they need them for food or not4 ,they try to drive them into a bog1 if one be convenient1 and1 if they succeed in this their object is soon accomplished1 for the poor brutes mire in the bog and are quickly killed4 ,the ,indian feels1 after accomplishing a feat of this kind1 as if he had won a battle1 and never thinks of a reduction in his food supply40 ,since ,mr4 ,ogilvie's report was penned2 and partly as a result of it1 steps have been taken to protect the wood buffalo1 and for years back1 the few members of the gallant ,northwest ,mounted ,police in ,athabaska country have devoted considerable energy to enforcing the law which prohibits the hunting of the buffalo4 ,the most authentic portion of the more recent information we have as to the present extent and condition of the herds of wood buffalo is obtained from the reports of officers and non-commissioned officers of the distinguished force mentioned4 ,,present ,,condition ,,of ,,wood ,,buffalo4 ,in #aijg ,inspector ,a4 ,m4 ,jarvis1 ,c4,m4,g41 was specially despatched from headquarters at ,regina to the ,athabaska country#ag to ascertain the existing numbers and condition of the wood buffalo and to recommend means for their protection4 ,inspector ,jarvis1 accompanied by the well known naturalist1 ,mr4 ,e4 ,thompson ,seton1 left ,mc,murray for the north on ,june #bi4 ,he wrote in his report at this and sent ,mr4 ,seton on with his camera4 ,beaulieu stalked them exactly as he would a moose1 and in about an hour led ,mr4 ,seton to an open glade where in plain view was ,a ,,herd ,,of ,,thirteen ,,buffalo1 two big bulls1 one calf of this year1 and the rest cows and yearlings4 ,their photograph was taken three times at sixty yards1 before they became alarmed and ran off4 8,bear tracks abound everywhere1 and that night ,beaulieu shot an old bear and two cubs within fifty yards of our camp40 ,the ,inspector reports as follows as to the next day's operations3--8,beaulieu and myself started out at #f3de a4m4 and travelled around the west side of ,salt mountain until #aj3dj p4m41 following fresh tracks of two buffalo1 until we came upon fresh tracks of what appeared to be a large herd4 ,we tied our horses in the woods and followed along for about a mile through wet1 swampy ground1 until we came in sight of a bunch1 all of which were lying down except three large bulls4 ,they were on a large salt lick4 ,we crawled up to within 7which we afterwards measured7 fifty paces of them1 through the brush4 ,i took out my glasses but owing to our position1 could not get a correct count of them4 ,after resting for a little while we both walked into the open4 ,i took out my pocket book and wrote down as follows3--#8,four big bulls1 one yearling1 four little calves1 three two-year-olds1 and eight cows4' ,they then saw us and got up one by one and stared at us1 showing how easily they can be approached and killed4 ,beaulieu then shouted and they galloped into the woods4 ,the bulls were magnificent looking animals4 ,they had not yet shed all their winter coat1 but the cows were sleek and fine looking4 ,before going into the open1 ,beaulieu1 who had his rifle along1 said1 #8,mon ,dieu1 major2 let me kill him one cow4' ,i explained to him that we would be fined five hundred dollars and that ,i would lose my position4 ,he then said1 #8,let me kill him one for the ,government4' ,but ,i would not permit it4 ,we returned to the camp where we had left ,mr4 ,seton and that evening moved our camp to a spot where we thought these animals might pass4 ,but we saw no more of them4 ,as we ,,had ,,seen ,,thirty-,,three ,,of ,,these ,,animals1 and the fresh tracks of ten or twelve more1 possibly bulls1 in the woods1 we concluded that we had seen all the buffalo in this particular district4 ,and as there was no time to go to ,peace point and rapid de ,beaulieu1 and keep our word with the guide1 ,i decided to return1 to go to ,fort ,smith and arrange if possible to see the band reported to be in the ,caribou mountains1 near ,hay river4 ,we looked everywhere for buffalo bones1 but found only four very old skeletons1 with nothing to tell how they had been killed4 ,at all drinking places1 muddy lakes1 marshes and salt licks1 we looked particularly for tracks of wolves and found very few4 ,i got a glimpse of one small wolf1 or possibly coyote1 in the woods1 and heard one coyote calling1 just as we were leaving the mountain1 he having smelt the bear we had killed4 ,we found the skull of one wolf killed years ago1 but ,i am forced to conclude that wolves are scarce here1 and ,i found ample justification for my suspicion that the constant cry of #8wolf' is a mere ruse to divert attention from the two-legged depredators1 who are really doing the mischief4 ,illustration3 ,looking across ,slave river from ,fort ,smith4 8,other game abounded4 ,bear tracks were seen on every side4 ,caribou are said to be plentiful in winter4 ,moose are common4 ,i saw one without doing any hunting4 ,this is important for the buffalo1 as several well known hunters claim this region as their hunting and trapping grounds4 ,they go in ostensibly to kill moose and come out abundantly supplied with pemmican1 but bring out very few moose skins4 ,i am informed by the traders here1 that a few years ago these hunters begged sale for moose skins1 but of late years scarcely any have been brought out4 ,this is very suspicious1 to say the least of it4 ,these men did all they could to prevent my going in1 and ,i consider it no longer doubtful what is destroying the buffalo4 8,the following morning the guide announced that his time was nearly up and he wanted to return to ,smith ,landing1 which we did1 arriving there at #d p4m4 on the afternoon of ,june #af4 ,it will be seen by the map1 that we barely entered the buffalo country1 so were fortunate in seeing so many head4 8,in case it were desired to capture some calves for the purpose of infusing fresh blood into other national herds1 it could1 ,i think1 be easily done1 as in the early summer1 when the calves are young1 they could be run down and roped4 ,a fresh cow could be taken out from ,smith ,landing or some other point1 calves captured1 and weaned on to the cow4 ,i consider this feasible4 8,to sum up ,i conclude3-- 87a7 ,that it is impossible for me or any one else in this country to give you an intelligent report as to the numbers of the buffalo1 without first making a thorough patrol of the country1 which would take from two to three months with a complete pack outfit4 87b7 ,that the buffalo are in danger of extermination not by wolves1 but by poachers2 87c7 ,these poachers are all known and live at the village of ,smith ,landing in the summer time2 87d7 ,they could easily be controlled by a local police patrol2 87e7 ,without some protection the buffalo will not last five years longer4 ,therefore ,i strongly recommend1 as ,i did some ten years ago1 that1 if it is the wish of the ,government to protect the buffalo1 resident guardians be placed on the grounds40 ,,wolves ,,not ,,the ,,destroyers4 ,inspector ,jarvis started from ,fort ,smith for his second trip on ,june #bd4 ,the party proceeded in a westerly direction for about nine miles through a level1 dry country1 covered with jackpine and poplar1 following nearly the course of ,slave river to ,gravel point1 where they turned southwesterly to ,salt river1 which they reached in another nine miles4 ,the party proceeded as far west as ,little ,buffalo river which flows into ,great ,slave lake west of ,slave river1 but saw no signs of buffalo beyond some old trails and wallows4 ,reporting on this trip ,major ,jarvis wrote3--8,although we found no fresh buffalo signs1 we learned a great deal about the range and were glad to hear that the main herd is the one we expect to reach by ,canoe river4 ,we saw no signs of wolves1 not even a trail1 and ,i am confirmed in my suspicion that the wolves are not the destroyers of the buffalo4 ,in conclusion ,i would point out that the range of the buffalo herds is very limited2 that it has certain natural boundaries2 that the buffalo do not attempt to leave this area2 that it is removed from any village or permanent habitation2 and that1 finally1 it would be an efficient and easy measure of protection if the whole area in question were at once turned into a ,national ,park4 ,animal life was not abundant4 ,we saw no big game whatever1 and but few signs of moose or bear4 ,mr4 ,preble was fortunate to find the nest and eggs of a very rare bird1 the ,bohemian ,waxwing1 but we saw no game birds in the woods1 and only a few ducks on the ponds40 ,,the ,,little ,,buffalo ,,country4 ,major ,jarvis1 accompanied by ,mr4 ,thompson ,seton and ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble1 naturalists1 made a third trip by canoe into the buffalo country from a point on ,slave river below ,fort ,smith4 ,a water and portage route of five and a half miles took them to the ,little ,buffalo1 down which they paddled to its mouth4 ,on this trip fresh signs of buffalo were seen1 but no buffalo4 ,the ,inspector writes in his report of this trip3--8,we saw three bear1 three beaver1 and some duck along this part of the river1 and all along we saw numerous signs1 and fresh1 of beaver1 rat and mink4 ,we also saw an exposure of limestone on the left bank during the afternoon4 ,we found the river abounding with jackfish1 ,mr4 ,preble catching four with a troll in a very short time4 ,during the night ,buffalo river seemed to be alive with mink swimming forwards and backwards across it40 ,as a result of ,major ,jarvis's report more stringent regulations regarding the protection of the buffalo were put into force4 ,a system of occasional patrols by selected non-commissioned officers and men of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police into the buffalo country was inaugurated1 and some resident hunters were engaged as special constables4 ,a ,,band ,,of ,,seventy-,,five4 ,corporal ,mellor1 ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 on a patrol into the buffalo country southwest of ,smith ,landing in #aiji1 found buffalo tracks very numerous at ,beaver lake and also on the 8,big ,salt prairie0 at ,hay lake and about ,peace point4 ,in the district last named ,corporal ,mellor was able to get within five yards of a band of about seventy-five buffalo1 and obtained a good look at them4 ,he says in his report3--8,owing to the fact that many of them were hidden from view in the bush1 ,i was unable to count them correctly4 ,those nearest to view were nine large bulls1 all splendid animals and rolling fat4 ,i saw only four calves in the band1 although there may have been more in the bush1 but the guide1 after examining the tracks1 told me that there were no more4 ,we tried to get around to see them all1 but something alarmed them and off they went4 ,this band was evidently composed of the different small bands whose tracks we had been following at times40 ,in the summer of #aiaj ,sergeant ,mellor1 accompanied by ,constable ,johnson1 ascended ,big ,buffalo river from ,sulphur point on ,great ,slave lake to ,buffalo lake4 ,the main object was to determine as far as possible the northern boundary of the wood bison habitat4 ,as a result of his exploration ,sergeant ,mellor concludes that the wood bison never range as far as ,buffalo lake1 nor across the ,caribou hills1 neither do they reach ,great ,slave lake at any point2 on the other hand1 they come close to ,slave river from a point about fifty miles below ,fort ,smith right up to ,peace river1 and also reach ,peace river1 at any rate1 as far as ,jackfish river4 ,their habitat would therefore appear1 he says1 to be bounded on the west by ,caribou mountains1 on the south by ,peace river1 on the east by ,slave river1 and on the north by an imaginary line drawn from ,caribou mountains on the west to ,slave river on the east1 touching the latter at about ,point ,ennuyeuse1 and the former about fifty miles south of ,buffalo lake4 ,the buffalo have1 as far as he could make out from careful inquiry1 never been seen for many years north of these two points4 ,a ,,tremendous ,,animal4 ,mr4 ,h4 ,a4 ,conroy of the ,indian ,department1 in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 said that he believed that there were then approximately three hundred and fifty wood buffalo still roaming wild at that date4 ,he obtained a specimen for the ,department of ,agriculture in #aijf to be mounted4 ,the ,indians got it for him4 ,this herd are the only wild buffalo on the continent1 he believed4 ,they are very large1 much larger than the plains buffalo4 ,one old ,indian told the witness that years ago they found a herd of buffalo between ,liard and ,hay rivers1 and one time they got a herd of them at ,fort ,providence1 and they slaughtered all that were in there4 ,there had since been a close season for buffalo for a good many years4 ,the skin of the buffalo that the witness procured for the department was a tremendous size1 and he would say that the animal must have weighed fourteen or fifteen hundred pounds4 ,mr4 ,conroy in his evidence said3--8,you do not require to enforce the law to protect the buffalo4 ,the ,indians will not kill them4 ,they want to preserve them as much as any one else4 ,they are the ,wood ,cree ,indians in the country north1 as far as the #fjth parallel1 and the ,chipewyans north of latitude #fj degrees1 until you come to the ,aleutians or ,esquimaux4 ,the ,indians think if the buffalo are gone they will have nothing left4 ,the ,wood ,crees are benefiting by the errors of the ,indians south of the ,saskatchewan4 ,they know that the buffalo are all gone1 south of them1 and they want to protect the wood buffalo40 ,sergeant ,r4 ,w4 ,macleod1 ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 in the report of his long patrol across country in ,december #aiaj from ,fort ,vermilion to the mouth of ,hay river on ,great ,slave lake1 corroborates the final statement of ,mr4 ,conroy4 ,the sergeant states3--8,the ,indians ,i met were familiar with the regulations for the protection of the buffalo and protested strongly against a white man being permitted to kill any4 ,the ,indians told me the extreme western range of the buffalo is thirty-five or forty miles east of ,buffalo lake1 and there is certainly no feed for them in any part of the country ,i passed over40 ,during the summer of #aiaa the special supervision of the wood buffalo was taken out of the hands of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 and transferred to a government agent who is stationed at ,smith ,landing4 ,,other ,,game ,,and ,,fish4 ,some interesting evidence as to the general fish and game resources of the whole north1 and more particularly northern ,alberta1 was submitted in writing to the ,senate committee of #ahhg by ,mr4 ,h4 ,j4 ,moberly1 a chief trader in the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's service4 ,this gentleman1 through long residence and frequent travels therein1 was quite familiar with this country4 ,according to his statement lake trout is found in almost all the large lakes all over the country1 and river trout in ,athabaska and ,peace rivers and other streams close to ,rocky mountains4 ,speckled trout and mountain trout are found in waters on the east and west slope of ,rocky mountains2 whitefish1 all over the country from the ,saskatchewan north1 in lakes and most rivers2 pickerel1 in most lakes2 jackfish or pike in most lakes2 suckers1 in all waters2 gold-eye1 ,athabaska river1 ,peace river and their tributaries2 a peculiar kind of salmon 7doubtless the inconnu71 in ,mackenzie river as far up as ,salt river rapids1 above ,great ,slave lake4 ,ducks are found all over the country and geese and swans along the ,athabaska1 the ,peace1 and the ,mackenzie and the shores of ,hudson bay2 cranes1 along the ,athabaska1 the ,peace and the ,mackenzie2 prairie chickens1 ,athabaska and ,peace river countries2 ruffled grouse and spruce partridge all over the ,northwest ,territories2 ptarmigan1 ,athabaska1 ,peace river1 ,hudson bay2 plover and snipe1 all over the ,northwest ,territories4 ,according to ,mr4 ,moberly1 moose run all over the wooded country north of the prairies and east of ,rocky mountains4 ,the distribution of other game and fur animals in far northwestern ,canada was given by ,mr4 ,moberly as follows3--,reindeer 7cariboo71 large1 all over the wood countries from ,saskatchewan1 to the barren grounds in the north2 reindeer1 small1 all over the barren grounds in the north1 and come south in winter as far as ,lac la ,brochet1 ,athabaska lake and ,peace river1 close to ,rocky mountains2 red deer1 ,athabaska and ,peace river valleys2 black tail deer1 jumping deer and chevreux1 same country as the red deer2 black and brown bears1 all over the wooded country and ,rocky mountains2 grizzly bears1 ,rocky mountains1 valley of the ,peace1 ,athabaska1 ,liard1 and ,fraser1 but seldom farther than two hundred and fifty miles from the foot of the ,rockies2 beaver1 ,athabaska1 ,peace river1 and in fact all over the wooded country1 ,,back',s ,,grayling4 ,professor ,john ,macoun1 before the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 said he had caught ,back's grayling in the tributaries of ,peace river1 in ,rocky mountains4 ,it is both an ,arctic and a mountain fish1 and delights in clear water4 ,it is very gamesome and takes all kinds of bait4 ,when it took the bait it would jump clear out of the water1 many times a couple of feet or so1 and of course1 the beautiful colours 7more beautiful than those of the mackerel even71 glistening in the sun1 made the anglers thrill with excitement4 ,they are a white fleshed fish1 and not anything like as hard as the trout4 ,writing of the immense quantities of fish caught in ,lake ,athabaska1 ,mr4 ,wm4 ,ogilvie states in his report3--8,at ,chipewyan1 the ,hudson's ,bay ,company required1 in the fall of #ahhh1 thirty-six thousand fish for the use of the post2 the ,roman ,catholic mission1 twelve thousand2 and the rest of the population at least thirty thousand more4 ,most of these were caught in three weeks1 while ,i was there4 ,sometimes they are numerous in one place and sometimes in another1 so that long journeys are often necessary from the place where they are caught to the place where they are to be used4 ,this necessitates a large number of dogs to haul them home1 which is a very poor method1 though it is the only one in use4 ,to overcome this inconvenience1 ,mr4 ,mc,dougall1 at ,chipewyan1 has built an ice-boat1 but has so far met with indifferent success1 as the ice has been unusually rough during both of the last two falls40 ,as to the fish and game in the district explored by him in #aiji1 ,mr4 ,frank ,crean reports that the principal fish to be found in the north is the whitefish4 ,the chief use made at present of this valuable fish is for dog feed1 large numbers being caught for this purpose in the annual 8fall fisheries10 as they are termed4 ,beside the whitefish1 the jackfish is also found in most of the lakes1 and indeed in that country which lies to the west of the height of land and on the watershed of ,athabaska river this is the principal fish4 ,although extremely good food in these cold northern waters they are1 of course1 not to be compared with the whitefish4 ,the perch1 or as the natives sometimes call them1 the dor1 are found in most of the rivers and lakes4 ,during the summer months they form the staple diet1 as the whitefish apparently go into the deep holes in the lakes and are not caught by the natives1 who rarely fish in deep water4 ,illustration3 ,roman ,catholic ,mission at ,chipewyan4 ,describing an ascent by him of ,big ,buffalo river1 in #aiji ,sergeant ,mellor states3--8,the cutbanks are riddled with sulphur springs 7the odour of which overhangs the whole river71 interspersed in peculiarly intimate proximity with streams of beautifully fresh water4 ,the river was literally alive with #8coneys1' a species of fish somewhat resembling a salmon1 and which attains a large size2 the name is a corruption of the ,french name for the fish #8poisson inconnu1'--#8the unknown fish4' ,they were apparently ascending the river for spawning purposes2 it was quite unnecessary to use a net or line to catch them1 as it was a simple matter to throw them on land with a paddle or stick4 ,for the next twenty miles the river1 while still running with great velocity1 has not so many rapids to encounter1 and the going is considerably better4 ,the banks are lower1 and in many places were clothed in berry bushes of all kinds1 and simply riddled with bear tracks4 ,we did not have the good fortune to kill one of these latter1 although we saw them several times40 ,a ,,moose ,,country4 ,sergeant ,r4 ,w4 ,macleod1 ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 in a report of a patrol in #aiji from ,fort ,vermilion to ,hay river1 states that while descending ,hay river on ,january #bg one of his men shot a two-year old bull moose about one hundred yards from the river bank4 ,after the patrol got almost one hundred miles down the river from the ,horse track they saw moose tracks all the way as far as within twenty miles of ,great ,slave lake1 and they saw three moose1 but did not shoot1 as they did not need the meat4 ,they did not see a snow-shoe track in the whole distance of two hundred and thirty-eight miles1 which accounts for the moose being so plentiful4 ,one fox track was all the indication of fur to be seen4 ,between ,december #b and #bd1 #aiaj1 ,sergeant ,macleod made a patrol from ,fort ,vermilion across country to the post at the mouth of ,hay river on ,great ,slave lake1 a distance of five hundred miles4 ,sergeant ,macleod took advantage of some ,indians travelling through to make the trip1 which was a very hard one1 particularly on the dogs1 as the snow was deep4 ,no white man is known to have made this journey before1 and it was twenty years since ,indians had attempted it4 ,the country is quite unexplored4 ,the width of ,cariboo mountains is about one hundred miles and the country is mainly moss-covered muskeg and lakes4 ,sergeant ,macleod made enquiries regarding a large unmapped lake he saw the previous year and found that it is called ,fish lake by the ,indians4 ,it is as large as ,lesser ,slave lake and is in ,cariboo mountains4 ,this is believed to be the lake which a ,mr4 ,radford1 an ,american naturalist1 claimed he discovered and reported to the ,department of the ,interior as ,lady ,grey lake4 ,sergeant ,macleod reported that all the lakes he passed during this long trip seemed to be deep for their size1 and in the sergeant's opinion they no doubt contain whitefish and lake trout4 ,in ,fish lake there is good fishing4 ,there were three half-breed families belonging to ,fort ,vermilion and two ,chipewyan ,indian families living on ,deer ,mountain creek four miles southeast of ,buffalo lake1 it being a good place for fall fishing4 ,caribou were plentiful on the mountain4 ,moose were plentiful on the north side1 and there were considerable fur tracks on the north side of the mountain4 ,sergeant ,macleod's party 8tracked0 four wolves4 ,the latest data available as to fish and game in the region immediately under discussion appear in the annual report for #aiaa of ,superintendent ,g4 ,e4 ,sanders1 ,d4,s4,o41 commanding 8,n0 ,division1 ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 with headquarters at ,athabaska4 ,in his report ,superintendent ,sanders writes3--8,the fur catch during the past season has improved2 lynx were plentiful in the far north2 they have been very scarce for some years and are now reappearing with the rabbits4 ,the value of the fur which passed through ,athabaska this year on its way out of the country is estimated at three hundred and fifty thousand dollars4 ,moose were scarce in some parts where they are generally plentiful and appeared in large numbers at points where they are not usually seen2 this is accounted for by the wolves moving them about4 ,wolves are reported thick in all directions and at ,peace ,river ,landing a small pack chased a moose through the settlement4 ,chicken and partridge are numerous in the southern portion of the district4 ,this year the chief game guardian of the provincial government has notified that the close season for beaver will remain in force4 ,hitherto it has been the custom to open the season during the winter for a short time4 ,the effort to preserve the beaver by having a close season in this country fails entirely1 and ,i would repeat what ,i said last year in regard to this subject about which ,i made careful inquiries4 #8,i am strongly of opinion there should be an open season for beaver4 ,i found during my travels that ,indians kill more beaver when there is no open season than when there is4 ,when they do not kill for the fur1 and there is no reason in their minds to preserve the animals1 they exterminate whole families for food1 whereas if they have an open season1 and the fur is thereby more valuable1 they are careful not to destroy certain colonies1 but leave some to breed4 ,they kill only when the fur is prime4 ,the majority of the hunters and trappers whom ,i consulted agreed that between ,october #ae and ,december #ae would be the most suitable time for an open season4'0 ,corporal ,s4 ,g4 ,clay1 ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 made a patrol through ,grande prairie country in ,august1 #aiaa1 and in his report states3--8,indians in this locality are in fairly good shape1 moose and bear being plentiful1 and consequently there has been practically no destitution amongst the ,indians40 ----- #ag ,a considerable portion of the wood buffalo range lies immediately beyond the northern boundary of ,alberta and is consequently within the limits of the region particularly treated of in the later chapters especially devoted to the 8,mackenzie country40 ,on reference to the map 7and the map must necessarily be consulted frequently by the reader of these pages7 it will be noticed1 also1 that much of the data quoted here really refers to those sections of the wood buffalo range within what is arbitrarily defined in this volume as the ,mackenzie country2 but as the southern part of the range is in northern ,alberta1 and as the wood buffalo1 probably on account of its scientific designation1 is associated in most people's minds with the ,athabaska region1 it was considered advisable to treat the question of the wood buffalo1 as a whole1 in the present chapter4 ,e4 ,j4 ,c4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,mackenzie ,,river ,,region ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,the ,,mackenzie ,,river ,,region4 ,topography1 ,agriculture and ,arable ,land4 ,mackenzie ,river a ,king of ,northern ,waters4--,over ,three ,thousand ,miles of ,waterway4--,domestic ,cattle have ,succeeded4--,barley ,always ,ripens at ,fort ,simpson4--,potatoes and ,other ,vegetables have for ,many ,years ,been ,grown at ,fort ,good ,hope1 a few ,miles from the ,arctic ,circle4--,wheat and ,barley ,grown at ,liard for ,many ,years4--,interesting ,comparison ,with the ,russian ,province of ,tobolsk4--,a ,large ,town as ,far ,north as ,fort ,wrigley4--,why ,better ,results in ,grain ,growing ,may be ,expected in the ,future4 ,northern ,alberta1 including the ,athabaska and ,peace countries treated of in the chapters immediately preceding1 is generally considered1 and properly1 as forming part of the ,great ,mackenzie ,basin1 and that it has been in this volume considered as separate from the immense region on both sides of the ,mackenzie1 surrounding ,great ,slave lake1 and on both sides of ,slave river from ,fort ,smith to its mouth at the lake in question1 is due to the purpose1 previously expressed1 of treating as separate geographical units regions possessing particular characteristics either of location1 soil1 climate or natural resources4 ,the region discussed in the present and immediately succeeding chapters as 8,the ,mackenzie ,river ,region0 includes the country north of the ,alberta and ,british ,columbia boundary line 7the #fjth parallel of north latitude7 extending as far north as ,beaufort sea4 ,to the westward it is bounded by the ,yukon territory boundary line1 and to the eastward by the height of land east of ,slave river1 the height of land between the valley of ,coppermine river and the lake and river system extending from the north arm of ,great ,slave lake to ,great ,bear lake1 and a line in prolongation thereof northward to the sea4 ,there might be some question as to the advisability of considering the country north1 south and east of ,great ,bear lake as part of the country lying more immediately adjacent to the great river of the north4 ,it is true that the slight knowledge of the country north1 south and immediately east of ,great ,bear lake tends to show that it is a region far less inviting than the immediate valley of the ,mackenzie1 and that it practically forms part of the so-called 8,barren ,lands0 which extend as far eastward as ,hudson bay4 ,but this unfavourable evidence is not quite conclusive1 and after all1 the whole of the country within the limits decided upon is in the ,mackenzie watershed1 and has been considered in a broad sense as part of the ,mackenzie region by the explorers1 missionaries1 traders1 and travellers who have written of the country4 ,so the adoption of the limits decided upon should simplify the geographical situation for the reader1 and that is an important thing in considering a territory so vast as that immediately under review4 ,a ,,king ,,of ,,northern ,,waters4 ,mackenzie river is one of the longest and broadest streams in the world4 ,according to ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell1 of the ,geological ,survey1 one of the first to attempt a scientific survey of the river1 the ,mackenzie 8drains an area of six hundred and seventy-seven thousand1 four hundred square miles1 and has an approximate discharge at a medium stage of the water1 according to some rough measurements made by the writer1 of five hundred thousand cubic feet per second4 ,its basin is traversed for nearly one thousand three hundred miles by ,rocky mountains1 and the ,mackenzie is probably unique among the rivers of the world in the fact of having a large proportion of its basin situated on the farther side of a great mountain chain4 ,two of its principal tributaries1 ,liard and ,peace rivers1 pierce ,rocky mountains and drain large areas beyond1 while the third1 the ,athabaska1 originates in the heart of the same range1 and is confined entirely to the eastern slope4 ,the country from which the ,mackenzie draws its supplies is of the most varied description and includes part of the broken plateau region west of ,rocky mountains1 ,rocky mountains themselves through fifteen degrees of latitude1 the northern part of the prairie district and the wooded and moss-covered country which succeeds it towards ,arctic ocean1 while tribute is also drawn from a wide belt of rough ,laurentian country on the east1 and from portion of the 8,barren ,lands40 ,from ,great ,slave lake to the sea the ,mackenzie is an imposing stream1 averaging about a mile in width with occasional expansions for long distances to twice this size4 ,it is characterized by the comparative purity of its water1 by its long straight reaches and by the absence of sudden bends4 ,its valley1 usually shallow1 follows closely all the sinuosities of the stream without the intervention of large flats4 ,clusters of islands obstruct its channel in a number of places1 and are met with at intervals all the way down1 while ranges of lofty mountains run parallel with it for part of its course1 and form a fitting background to this king of northern waters40 ,,silent ,,sweep ,,of ,a ,,mighty ,,river4 8,opposite ,fort ,simpson10 according to ,mr4 ,mc,connell1 8the main channel of the ,mackenzie is almost exactly a mile wide1 and it maintains and often exceeds this width for many miles below4 ,its course1 as far as the ,great ,bend1 a distance of seventy miles1 is north-northwest1 and its current in average stages of the water has a velocity of about four miles an hour4 ,the banks of the valley appear low owing to the great size of the river1 but in reality have often a height of two hundred feet or over4 ,the appearance of this part of the ,mackenzie and of the unending spruce forests which border it is monotonous and uninteresting1 and is only relieved by the majesty inseparable from the silent sweep of a river of its magnitude40 ,slave river1 which discharges the water of ,lake ,athabaska and ,peace river into ,great ,slave lake1 is practically an upper reach of the ,mackenzie1 its course being in the same general direction but the name 8,mackenzie0 is given only to that long stretch of navigable water from ,great ,slave lake to the sea4 ,as ,mackenzie river itself is the outstanding geographical feature of the country1 as it is the main channel of communication1 and as all the settlements are situated upon its banks or those of its tributaries1 a table of distances along this gigantic waterway may prove to be a useful guide to those readers of these pages1 who are not familiar with the geography of the country4 ,the table is compiled from the report by ,wm4 ,ogilvie1 ,d4,l4,s41 of his survey1 and the figures cover the route from ,fort ,smith1 on ,slave river1 practically on the ,alberta boundary line1 to ,fort ,mc,pherson on the delta of the ,mackenzie3-- ,,miles4 ,fort ,smith #j ,fort ,resolution #aije ,buffalo creek #bjbe ,buffalo river #bdie ,hay river #bgfe ,great ,slave lake #caae ,fort ,providence 7lat4 #fad7 #cege ,little lake #chae ,yellowknife river #dagi ,head of ,line #dddj ,fort ,simpson 7lat4 #fah7 #eaej ,nahanni river #eijb ,willow lake river #fjfe ,river between ,two ,mountains #fdee ,fort ,wrigley 7lat4 #fc7 #fdij ,le ,vieux ,grand ,lac river #gbcj ,gravel river #gfdb ,fort ,norman 7lat4 about #fe7 #hbic ,great ,bear river #hbie ,carcajou river #idee ,mountain river #iejb ,sans ,sault rapids #iejh ,beaver river #ihgh ,ramparts #ihii ,fort ,good ,hope 7lat4 #ffaf7 #iihh ,hare ,indian river #ajjaa ,loon river #ajbbg ,large river entering on east side1 name unknown #aaecj ,red river #abacd ,delta of ,mackenzie #abdad ,fort ,mc,pherson 7lat4 #fgbf7 #abgce ,the ,dominion census of #aiaa gives us the following figures of the population of these places1 and of one or two other posts which will be referred to later3--,fort ,good ,hope1 #dcd2 ,fort ,liard1 #acf2 ,fort ,mc,pherson1 #chg2 ,fort ,norman1 #cae2 ,fort ,providence1 #dgc2 ,fort ,rea1 #ggd2 ,fort ,resolution1 #gff2 ,fort ,simpson1 #cge2 ,fort ,smith1 #ej2 ,fort ,wrigley1 #gi2 ,hay river1 #adf4 ,these figures do not represent only the local population at the posts1 but in addition the inhabitants1 white and red1 of the surrounding districts4 ,,mackenzie ,,navigation4 ,for many years the ,hudson's ,bay ,company have maintained steam communication on the ,mackenzie from ,fort ,smith to ,fort ,mc,pherson by means of steamers4 ,the pioneer steamer 8,wrigley0 is one of the historical associations of the country4 ,according to ,mr4 ,william ,ogilvie1 the 8,wrigley's0 log shows the following average between ,fort ,smith1 the most southerly part of her run1 and ,fort ,mc,pherson1 the most northerly1 the distance between these points being about one thousand two hundred and seventy miles4 ,from ,fort ,smith to ,fort ,resolution1 nearly all on ,great ,slave river1 average running time1 about eighteen hours2 between ,resolution and ,providence about seventeen hours1 of which twelve and a half are in ,great ,slave lake2 between ,providence and ,simpson about fourteen hours2 ,simpson to ,wrigley about ten and a half2 ,wrigley to ,norman1 about fourteen hours2 ,norman to ,good ,hope1 about thirteen hours2 ,good ,hope to ,mc,pherson1 about twenty-four and a half hours4 ,the total running time is one hundred and twenty-three and one-half hours1 somewhat over ten and a quarter miles an hour4 ,illustration3 ,a ,typical 8,husky0 dog4 ,on 8up0 runs the following averages have been made3--,mc,pherson to ,good ,hope1 forty hours2 ,good ,hope to ,norman1 thirty-four hours1 ,norman to ,wrigley1 thirty-nine hours2 ,wrigley to ,simpson2 nineteen hours2 ,simpson to ,providence1 about twenty-eight hours2 ,providence to ,fort ,rae1 not certain1 appears to be about thirteen hours2 ,providence to ,resolution1 about twenty hours2 ,resolution to ,smith1 about thirty-five hours2 ,resolution to ,rae1 about fifteen hours and a return about the same1 as it is all lake water4 ,the duration of these runs varied somewhat by the force and direction of the wind4 ,the total running from ,mc,pherson to ,smith as shown above is two hundred and fifteen and one-half hours1 which give a rate of #ei miles per hour4 ,the mean of the up and down times is a fraction over eight miles an hour1 which is said to be her normal speed4 ,a ,,long ,,navigable ,,stretch4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie1 in his report1 points out3--8,excepting a short distance at the head of ,mackenzie river1 where it is doubtful1 it is certain that vessels drawing at least seven or eight feet of water can navigate from the delta of the ,mackenzie to the rapids on ,great ,slave river1 a distance of one thousand two hundred and seventy-three miles4 ,if ,mackenzie delta also allows that draught1 we have about one thousand three hundred and forty miles of navigable water from the rapids to ,arctic ocean40 8,wherever possible the width of the river was determined by triangulation4 ,between the narrows and ,fort ,good ,hope it is never less than a mile wide and is often more than two1 even reaching three miles at some points4 8,since ,i followed the shore1 ,i cannot speak of the depth of water from personal observation4 ,captain ,bell1 of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's steamer #8,wrigley1' informed me that the shallowest water found by him in any part of the river1 in what he considered the channel1 was eleven feet4 ,but as1 when ,i saw him1 he had made only two trips on the lower river1 he could not speak very definitely as to its depth4 ,sir ,alexander ,mackenzie1 who discovered the river and descended to its mouth in ,july1 #aghi1 had a lead line with which to make soundings2 but in the swift current a short distance above ,fort ,simpson his lead caught in the bottom1 the line broke and the lead was lost4 ,i have the depths according to him1 and will give them in their proper place4 ,one would expect1 in such an expanse of water as this1 to find some of it shallow1 but it appears from all the evidence ,i could gather that vessels drawing from eight to ten feet of water would find no difficulty in navigation as far as ,great ,slave lake4 ,although the river is reported to be shallow where it leaves this lake1 doubtless a channel could be found affording the draught above mentioned4 8,in the fall of #ahhg1 a whale made its way up the river to the ,ramparts1 remaining there the whole season1 and before the river froze over it was often seen blowing4 ,at first the ,indians were afraid1 but they soon became accustomed to the sight1 and shot at the whale whenever it approached the shore4 ,in the spring its dead body was beached by the ice on the west shore seven or eight miles below ,fort ,good ,hope1 and the ,indians used part of it for dog meat4 ,i enquired its dimensions of several who had seen it4 ,they described it as being about twice as long as one of their canoes and thicker through than their own height4 ,this would mean a length of from twenty-five to twenty-eight feet4 ,i have often heard it stated that all the channels of ,mackenzie delta are shallow1 but the presence of this whale assures us that one of them at least is over six feet deep40 ,,over ,,three ,,thousand ,,miles ,,of ,,waterway4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie claims that there is a grand total of three thousand three hundred and sixty-nine miles of water in ,mackenzie basin1 all navigable1 except for eighteen miles1 at but two points1 one a rapid two miles long on ,peace river1 and the other ,sixteen ,mile rapid on ,great ,slave river4 ,a thorough knowledge of the two great lakes 7,great ,bear and ,great ,slave7 with all their tributary streams would probably increase this vast length of navigable water by several hundred miles4 ,this does not take into account the ,mackenzie delta and sea near its mouth1 of the navigability of which nothing very definite is known at present4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie1 writing in #ahij1 figured out these distances in this way3--8,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's steamer #8,grahame' traverses the waters of ,peace and ,athabaska rivers1 the former from the falls to the rapid at ,fort ,smith1 and the latter up to ,mc,murray4 ,the distance from ,chipewyan to the post at the falls on ,peace river is two hundred and twenty-two miles40 8,during the last two years the ,hudson's ,bay ,company has had another steamer1 the #8,athabaska1' plying on upper ,athabaska river1 between ,little ,slave river and ,grand rapids4 ,both this steamer and the #8,grahame' on the lower river are flat bottomed stern-wheelers1 drawing1 when loaded1 not more than two and a half to three feet of water4 ,they can each carry about one hundred and forty tons40 8,upper ,peace river is navigable for steamers drawing three or four feet of water1 and1 with a little improvement at two points1 a draught of five to six feet could be utilized4 ,this upper ,peace river affords a navigable stretch of five hundred and fifty-seven miles1 which1 with two hundred and twenty-two miles on lower ,peace river1 and two hundred on ,lake ,athabaska1 and1 say1 two hundred on the lower ,athabaska1 together with the distance given in the above table1 gives us two thousand five hundred and sixty-nine miles of navigable water40 8,from our present knowledge1 meagre as it is1 ,i think we may assume that ,great ,slave lake affords us at least five hundred miles more1 considering its length and its many deep bays4 ,to this we may add two hundred and forty miles on the ,liard1 and at least sixty on ,peel river40 ,,the ,,season ,,of ,,navigation4 ,as to the length of the season of navigation on the ,mackenzie1 ,mr4 ,wm4 ,ogilvie1 in his report1 publishes some tables showing dates at which the ice formed and broke up at ,fort ,norman 7latitude about #fe71 and ,fort ,simpson 7latitude #fa #eb north74 ,these tables were compiled from figures taken from the journals kept at all ,hudson's ,bay ,company's posts4 ,from these figures it appears that the first ice1 between #ahgb and #ahhh1 never formed earlier than ,october #g at ,fort ,norman1 and in #ahhc did not form until ,october #bd4 ,the earliest date at which the river was closed by the ice was ,november #b1 in #ahgi1 and the latest ,november #ah1 in #ahgd4 ,the earliest date at which the ice broke up was ,may #i1 in #ahgi1 and the latest ,may #bd1 in #ahhg4 ,at ,fort ,simpson1 during the decade of #ahgf-ahhf1 the drift ice was seen as early as ,october #aa1 in #ahhd1 and as late as ,november #ab1 in #ahgi4 ,the earliest date at which the river closed was ,november #ag1 in #ahgf1 and the latest was ,november #cj1 in #ahhb4 ,the earliest date at which the ice broke up was ,may #a1 in #ahhc1 and the latest ,may #ad1 in #ahgf4 ,,landmarks ,,along ,,the ,,mackenzie4 ,some notes culled from ,mr4 ,ogilvie's report as to the principal tributaries of the ,mackenzie between ,great ,slave lake and the sea1 and as to a few of the more remarkable stretches of the main river1 will prove interesting at this point4 ,seventy miles below ,great ,slave lake is ,little lake1 which is about twelve miles long and ten to twelve miles wide1 being merely an expansion of the river1 like ,lakes ,st4 ,francis and ,st4 ,peter in ,st4 ,lawrence system4 ,thirty-six miles lower down1 ,yellowknife river enters the ,mackenzie from the south4 ,it would appear from the statements of ,indians to ,mr4 ,ogilvie that this is the largest tributary of the ,mackenzie between the ,liard and ,fort ,providence4 ,twenty-seven miles below the confluence of the ,yellowknife1 and continuing to a short distance above the confluence of the ,liard1 the ,mackenzie narrows to an average width of a little over half a mile1 with a generally swift current4 ,this continues for seventy and a half miles or nearly as far as ,fort ,simpson1 near the mouth of the ,liard and causes this part of the river to be called 8,the ,line10 from the fact that large boats cannot be rowed against the current1 but have to be hauled by a line attached to them1 and pulled by men on shore4 ,this is the common mode of navigation on all the northern rivers where there are no steamers1 as it is less laborious than rowing against a current4 ,by the survey it is seven hundred and fifty-eight and one-half miles from ,fort ,simpson to ,fort ,mc,pherson4 ,the former fort is situated on an island just below the junction of ,mackenzie and ,liard rivers4 ,ninety miles below ,fort ,simpson1 on the west side1 a river flows in from the southwest4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie had seen its name spelled ,na-hone1 but remembered that it is spelled by the ,reverend ,father ,petitot1 ,na-hauner4 ,it is1 however1 now known as ,north ,nahanni river4 ,this stream1 as seen from the opposite side of the river1 seems about two hundred yards wide1 but it is shallow and rough at the mouth as was ascertained by the noise of its waters being plainly heard across the ,mackenzie1 here a mile wide4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie could get no information as to what it was like for any distance above its mouth1 but it pierces the range of mountains to the west1 which here come close to the river4 ,the valley thus formed can be seen extending southwesterly through the mountains for many miles4 ,the banks in the stretch of the ,mackenzie from ,simpson to this point are alternately low and swampy and moderately high1 consisting of gravel and sand4 ,,some ,,tributaries4 ,sixteen miles below the confluence of the ,north ,nahanni1 but from the opposite or eastern side1 ,willow lake river enters the ,mackenzie4 ,it is a quarter of a mile wide1 deep with a slack current4 ,it is said to flow out of a lake of considerable extent1 not far from the ,mackenzie4 ,thirty-nine miles lower down1 and three and a half miles above ,fort ,wrigley1 a stream known to the ,indians as 8,the ,river between ,two ,mountains0 discharges into the ,mackenzie from the east4 ,it is about one hundred and fifty yards wide and shallow4 ,seventy-four miles below ,fort ,wrigley1 on the west side1 a river discharges a large volume of clear1 black water1 which rushes bodily half way across the ,mackenzie1 and preserves its distinctive character for several miles before it mingles with the main stream4 ,the name applied to this river by the people at ,fort ,wrigley was 8,la ,rivire le ,vieux ,grand ,lac40 ,it is said to flow out of a lake of considerable extent lying not far from the ,mackenzie4 ,many peaks can be seen up its valley4 ,a little more than thirty miles lower down1 on the same side of the river1 another stream enters1 apparently not more than a hundred yards wide at its mouth4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie saw it from the opposite side of the river only1 and heard nothing concerning it4 ,a small stream enters the ,mackenzie opposite this place1 and up its valley1 about two miles eastward from the river1 a sharp peak rising one thousand five hundred feet above the water was noted by ,mr4 ,ogilvie4 ,,gravel ,,river4 ,forty-one miles below the confluence of le ,vieux ,grand ,lac river1 or sixty-five miles1 by the survey1 above ,fort ,norman1 a large river enters from the west4 ,it is shallow at its mouth1 as it is throughout its course1 according to the reports of the ,indians4 ,the current1 they say1 is swift4 ,they ascend it a long way in the winter to hunt1 and descend in the spring on rafts4 ,how far they go up1 ,mr4 ,ogilvie could not learn1 their unit of distance being the unknown quantity of a day's travel1 but they go much farther than on any other tributary of the lower river4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie obtained the name from some ,indians who had travelled it and they called it 8,pecat-ah-zah40 ,this translated means ,gravel river1 by which name it is known to all the white men in the vicinity1 on account of its shallowness and numerous gravel bars4 ,mr4 ,keele1 reporting upon his descent of ,gravel river in #aijh1 wrote3--8,on ,gravel river the high mountains approach to within a distance of about fifty miles of ,mackenzie river1 and are then replaced by a belt of foothills about three thousand feet in height above sea-level4 ,these foothills in turn decline in elevation and finally die out in a broken1 wooded plain1 about six hundred feet above sea-level1 bordering ,mackenzie river4 ,gravel river has built up an alluvial flat at its mouth1 and several alluvial islands in the ,mackenzie below this point are probably due to the great load of sediment carried in at flood-time4 ,on account of the long period of sunshine during the days1 nearly all the snow disappears from ,mackenzie mountains before the summer ends4 ,vegetation advances very rapidly in summer1 and where the soil is good1 vegetables of many kinds may be grown along the river banks in the principal valleys40 ,,fort ,,norman4 ,fort ,norman is situated on the east bank of the ,mackenzie just above the entrance of ,great ,bear river4 ,this river is from two to three hundred yards wide at the mouth1 with a moderate current1 but a short distance up becomes shallow and the current increases4 ,the color of the water is a beautiful greenish-blue1 although when ,mr4 ,ogilvie passed it was somewhat turbid4 ,ten miles below ,great ,bear river1 a stream about one hundred yards wide comes in on the westerly side4 ,eighty-three miles below ,fort ,norman1 or six and one-half miles above ,sans ,sault rapids1 ,carcajou river empties its waters into the ,mackenzie from the west4 ,nearly five miles lower down again1 a river called ,mountain river flows in from the west4 ,it is from one hundred to one hundred and fifty yards wide1 and shallow4 ,,sans ,,sault ,,rapid4 ,less than a mile farther down ,sans ,sault rapid is reached4 ,this is all on one side of the river1 which is here a mile and a quarter wide4 ,as ,mr4 ,ogilvie went up the west side1 and the rapid was on the other1 extending but little more than a third of the way across1 he did not see anything of it4 ,he heard the roar plainly enough1 but saw nothing except a swift current4 ,it is caused by a ledge of rocks extending partially across the river4 ,captain ,bell of the 8,wrigley10 reported deep water in the channel at the end of the ledge1 and the steamer has no serious trouble in ascending4 ,in very low water it is said that this rock is scarcely covered4 ,about a mile above the ,ramparts there is a similar rapid when the water is low1 but when ,mr4 ,ogilvie passed there was no sign of it4 ,thirty-seven miles below ,sans ,sault rapid and twenty-one miles above ,fort ,good ,hope1 ,beaver river joins on the west1 but as ,mr4 ,ogilvie continued only on the east side he saw only its mouth1 which appeared to be about one hundred yards wide4 ,an ,indian with him said that it took its name from the number of beavers formerly found on it4 ,this stream rises in the mountains1 but does not seem to be of any importance4 ,somewhat less than two miles from ,beaver river1 and only a short distance above the ,ramparts1 a river flows into the ,mackenzie on its west side4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie saw it only across the river1 but it appeared to be about two hundred yards wide at its mouth4 ,all he could learn about it at ,fort ,good ,hope was that it came from far up in the mountains4 ,,the ,,ramparts ,,of ,,the ,,mackenzie4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie remarks in his report that in the more southwesterly part of the country the ,ramparts would be called a 8,caon40 ,here1 for a distance of seven miles1 the river runs between perpendicular and occasionally overhanging walls of rock4 ,at the upper end they rise fifty or sixty feet above the water1 but their height increases towards the lower end1 at which point they are not less than one hundred and fifty feet above water4 ,at the upper end the caon is not more than half a mile wide1 but its walls gradually expand three miles down1 and the width gradually expands to nearly a mile at the lower end4 ,sir ,alexander ,mackenzie when passing through sounded at its upper end1 and found three hundred feet of water1 which accounts for the fact that1 although the caon is so narrow1 the current is not perceptibly increased4 ,according to ,mr4 ,mc,connell's description3--8,the ,ramparts form one of the most interesting features of the ,mackenzie4 ,for some distance above1 the river is expanded beyond its usual size1 but here suddenly contracts to about five hundred yards in width1 and bending to the east runs for three or four miles between vertical walls of limestone and shale4 ,at the upper end of the gorge the bounding cliffs are a hundred and twenty-five feet in height1 but increase towards the lower end to about two hundred and fifty feet4 ,the current is steady and runs at the rate of four or five miles an hour4 ,in high water there is no sign of a rapid1 but in low water a considerable fall occurs near the head1 and it is only with difficulty that ,york boats are taken up4 ,the ,ramparts are frequently the scene of great ice jams in the spring and the dammed-back water is stated to have risen on one occasion over a hundred feet1 and on its recession left a boat stranded on the heights above40 ,,fort ,,good ,,hope4 ,fort ,good ,hope is situated a couple of miles or so below the lower end of the ,ramparts4 ,according to ,mr4 ,preble 7,see p4 #bb71 ,fort ,good ,hope probably existed in effect as a ,northwest post early in the nineteenth century1 but accounts differ as to the precise location1 both ,sans ,sault rapid and the foot of the ,ramparts being given as the earliest site4 ,a temporary post was built in the summer of #ahje at 8,bluefish river10 about sixty miles below the mouth of ,bear lake river4 7,masson1 ,les ,bourgeois1 ,,ii1 p4 #ajd1 #ahij74 ,it was established as a ,hudson's ,bay ,company's post on the west bank of the ,mackenzie1 about one hundred miles below the ,ramparts1 about #ahbc1 after the union of the rival companies1 being spoken of by ,franklin in #ahbe1 as 8but recently established40 ,it was removed about #ahce to ,manitou island1 below the ,ramparts1 where its site may still be seen on the eastern shore of the island nearly opposite the present establishment4 ,it was destroyed in ,june1 #ahcf1 by a flood caused by an ice jam in the ,ramparts1 and was rebuilt on its present site in #ahcg4 ,,the ,,grand ,,view4 ,the 8,grand ,view0 is a name given to an expanded portion of the ,mackenzie below ,fort ,good ,hope1 about twenty miles in length4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell writes3--8,the river here is almost straight1 but curves gently to the north1 and is from two to three miles wide4 ,its great width gives it more the appearance of a lake than a river1 and in no other part of the ,mackenzie is the magnitude of the mighty volume of water which this river carries to the sea1 impressed so forcibly on the mind4 ,the banks are low and the sinuous shore-lines show a succession of wooded points stretching out until concealed by the haze of the atmosphere4 ,the bordering plains slope gently down almost to the water's edge1 and are covered with a scattered growth of willow1 spruce and tamarack1 with here and there patches of aspens on the drier ridges40 ,a little over two miles below ,fort ,good ,hope1 ,hare ,indian river flows into the ,mackenzie on its east side4 ,it is about two hundred yards wide at its mouth1 and is said to preserve this width for a long distance4 ,the ,indians report that this stream rises in a range of hills on the northwest side of ,great ,bear lake1 but about its navigability ,mr4 ,ogilvie could learn nothing4 ,twenty-two miles lower down ,loon river enters from the east4 ,this river is from eighty to one hundred yards wide4 ,an old man whom ,mr4 ,ogilvie met at ,fort ,good ,hope had explored this stream for some distance and gave him the following notes3--,for eight miles there is good navigation1 then a rapid half a mile long occurs1 at the head of which is a lake about three miles long and one broad1 in which the ,indians catch many fish4 ,this is called 8,rorrie lake0 and1 some distance above it1 is another some two miles in diameter1 and called 8,round lake0 from its shape4 ,above this again is a succession of lakes for many days' travel4 ,illustration3 ,an ,eskimo ,boy at ,arctic ,red river4 ,one hundred and thirty miles below ,loon river a stream one hundred yards wide enters from the northeast4 ,this is a river which the old man at ,fort ,good ,hope described to ,mr4 ,ogilvie as one up which a ,hudson's ,bay ,company's officer went many years ago to its source1 which he found to be not far from the head waters of ,anderson river1 which flows into ,arctic ocean4 ,it would appear from the old man's statement that several trips up it have been made since1 but this information was vague1 and ,mr4 ,ogilvie afterwards met no one who could give him a reliable account of this river4 ,sixty miles lower down1 ,red river enters the ,mackenzie on its west side just at the foot of the ,narrows4 ,it is about two hundred yards wide at its mouth and appears to be shallow4 ,as far as ,mr4 ,ogilvie could learn from persons acquainted with the river1 it comes from a flat1 swampy country4 ,,where ,,the ,,river ,,branches4 ,where the upper end of the branch of the ,mackenzie channel on which ,fort ,mc,pherson is situated connects with ,mackenzie proper1 according to ,mr4 ,ogilvie3--8,the channel is three-fourths of a mile wide1 but it is only one of four1 there being four large islands there4 ,the whole width of the river cannot be less than three or four miles4 8,looking northward down the westerly channel the view is bounded by the sky and widens in the distance so that one can fancy he is looking out to sea4 ,this can hardly be so2 but1 from the altitude of the bank where ,i stood1 added to my own height1 the horizon must have been six miles away1 and a bank in the channel of equal height to that on which ,i stood would have been visible twice that distance4 ,now1 if the supposed bank was timbered1 as was that on which ,i stood1 it would be visible ten or twelve miles farther1 but none was in sight4 8,from the entrance of the small channel of ,peel river to the head of the upper island in the ,mackenzie is nine miles4 ,from the west shore to the southerly point of this island is a mile and a quarter2 from the island to the east shore the distance is nearly as great1 showing the river to be more than two miles wide at this point4 ,however1 it gradually narrows1 and five miles above this is a little over a mile wide1 which it averages up to the narrows1 about sixty miles from ,fort ,mc,pherson1 or twenty-eight from where we entered it4 8,a north wind raises quite a swell here and the salty odour of the sea air is quite perceptible above the delta40 ,,agricultural ,,possibilities4 ,alexander ,mackenzie and the explorers who immediately followed him down the great river of the north1 being fur traders1 devoted no space in their published journals to a discussion of the agricultural possibilities of the country1 and as their time was necessarily restricted they took no time on their journeys to examine any part of the territory1 contenting themselves with noting the main features affecting the navigation of the main stream1 the mouths1 the tributaries1 the occurrence of game1 ,indian camps1 etc4 ,following close upon the establishment of permanent trading posts and missions1 came the pioneer attempts at agriculture in ,mackenzie valley1 and we find members of the first exploring parties sent to the country for scientific research commenting upon the crude experiments of the pioneer agriculturalists4 ,doctor ,john ,richardson1 who accompanied ,franklin's expedition in #ahbf 7,see p4 #ac71 in his volume 8,the ,polar ,regions01 in a general description of the resources of the country at that date1 wrote3--8,wheat has not been raised within the ,arctic circle in ,america1 nor indeed within six degrees of latitude of it4 ,it requires a summer heat of one hundred and twenty days1 but it is said to be cultivated up to the #fbnd or #fdth parallel on the west side of ,scandinavian peninsula4 ,barley ripens well at ,fort ,norman on the #feth parallel1 in the valley of the ,mackenzie1 after the lapse of ninety-two days from the time of its being sown4 ,all attempts to cultivate it at old ,fort ,good ,hope1 two degrees farther north1 have failed4 ,sixty-six degrees of latitude may therefore be considered as the extreme limit of the barley in ,norway4 ,oats do not succeed so far north as barley here4 8,at ,fort ,good ,hope1 on the ,mackenzie 7the new fort71 in latitude #ff degrees north1 a few turnips and radishes1 and some other culinary vegetables1 are raised in a sheltered corner1 which receives the reflection of the sun's rays from the walls of the house1 but none of the cerealia will grow1 and potatoes do not repay the labour40 ,,domestic ,,cattle ,,introduced4 ,doctor ,richardson again referred to the same subject1 after his return from his trip with ,doctor ,rae in #ahdh in search of ,sir ,john ,franklin's missing party1 and we find in his book published after his return to ,england1 8,the ,arctic ,searching ,expedition0 7,vol4 #a41 p4 #aec71 the following3--8,we reached ,fort ,resolution at #aj a4m4 and having received some supplies of fish1 and two or three deals for repairing the boats1 we resumed our voyage1 after a halt at the ,fort for an hour4 ,domestic cattle have been introduced at this place1 and at the posts generally throughout the country1 even up to ,peel river and ,fort ,good ,hope and within the ,arctic circle4 ,at this season the moschetoes 7mosquitos7 prevent them from feeding1 except when urged by extreme hunger1 and fires are made for their accommodation near the forts1 to which they crowd1 and lying to leeward amidst the smoke1 ruminate at their ease40 ,at page #afe1 regarding ,fort ,simpson 7#fa #ea #be north #aba #ea #ae west7 ,richardson in the same book writes3--8,barley is usually sown here from ,may #bj to #be1 and is expected to be ripe on ,august #bj--ninety-two days4 ,in some seasons it has ripened on ,august #ae4 ,oats do not thrive quite so well1 and wheat does not come to maturity4 ,potatoes yield well and no disease has yet affected them1 though early frost sometimes hurts the crop4 ,barley in favorable seasons gives a good return at ,fort ,norman1 which is farther down the river2 and potatoes and various garden vegetables grow there4 ,the #fjth parallel of latitude may1 therefore1 be considered as about the northern limit of cerealia in this meridian2 for though in good seasons and in warm sheltered spots a little barley might possibly be reared at ,fort ,good ,hope1 the attempts hitherto made there have failed4 ,illustration3 ,oat field at ,fort ,simpson4 8,a number of milch cows are kept at ,fort ,simpson1 and one or two fat oxen are killed annually4 ,hay for the winter provender of the stock is made about one hundred miles up the river1 where there are good meadows or marshes1 and whence it is rafted down in boats in ,september40 ,,lapland ,,reindeer4 ,the occurrence of immense numbers of caribou in the ,canadian ,northland 7see chapters ,,xviii and ,,xxii71 and the fact that this animal in its appearance and habits is practically identical with the ,lapland reindeer1 which has been successfully introduced into ,labrador and ,alaska1 have led to the belief that the last mentioned animal might be introduced with splendid results into the country1 and the ,department of the ,interior has inaugurated an experiment to ascertain if the plan is feasible4 ,in ,september1 #aiaa1 three carloads of reindeer were despatched to ,fort ,smith1 where they are being taken care of4 ,as these animals serve as beasts of burden1 as well as provide meat1 milk and leather1 this experiment might have an important effect upon the future development of all these northern areas4 ,,grain ,,growing ,,at ,,fort ,,liard4 ,at page #agj in the same volume1 referring to ,fort ,liard1 ,richardson states3--8,though this post is more elevated than ,fort ,simpson1 by at least one hundred and fifty feet1 and is only ten degrees of latitude to the southward1 its climate is said to be very superior1 and its vegetable production of better growth and quality4 ,barley and oats yield good crops1 and in favorable seasons wheat ripens well4 ,this place1 then1 or the #fjth parallel1 may be considered as a northern limit of the economical culture of wheat40 ,whatever the discouragements of the pioneer agriculturalists in ,mackenzie valley may have been1 there was sufficient encouragement to induce the missionaries and employees of the fur companies stationed in the country to persevere4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,isbister1 a native of the ,west1 who had lived for three years in ,mackenzie river district1 but left that country when under twenty years of age1 examined before the ,british parliamentary committee of #aheg1 stated that he had himself raised barley1 oats and potatoes as far north as ,fort ,norman on ,mackenzie river1 upwards of a thousand miles from the ,united ,states boundary and near the ,arctic circle4 ,on the ,liard1 large crops could be raised1 as the soil is better on that river1 and wheat had been occasionally raised there4 ,it was possible that settlement might extend to ,great ,bear lake4 ,there would be sufficient territory in the north to make 8a very large state indeed40 ,asked if he thought that the whole country on ,mackenzie river was all adapted to the wants of civilized man1 ,mr4 ,isbister remarked3--8,the climate is very severe there1 but the soil1 so far as ,i have an opportunity of judging1 is tolerably well adapted for cultivation4 ,you can raise barley and potatoes very well indeed1 without any risk whatsoever40 ,,barley ,,always ,,ripened ,,there4 ,in the ,dominion ,government ,pacific ,railway report of #ahgh it is stated 7p4 #ccc73--8,mr4 ,hardisty1 late ,chief ,factor in charge of ,fort ,simpson in latitude #fah1 informed ,professor ,macoun that barley always ripened there2 that wheat was sure four times out of five4 ,melons if started under glass ripened well1 frost seldom doing them much harm40 ,in the #ahhj report ,reverend ,d4 ,m4 ,gordon is quoted 7p4 #ajb7 as authority for the statement that 8wheat is grown as far north as ,fort ,simpson40 ,in the report of #ahgh 7p4 #ccc7 it is also stated3--8,chief trader ,macdougall1 in #ahge1 said all kinds of grain and garden stuff always come to maturity at ,fort ,liard 7latitude #fjbe740 ,in #ahhb ,doctor ,bompas1 the heroic ,church of ,england ,bishop of ,mackenzie river1 in the course of a report to the ,society for the ,propagation of the ,gospel1 wrote3--8,the ,english schoolmaster at ,simpson has made successful experiments of farming in that northern region1 and through his energetic labours a good crop of barley was raised in the mission fields2 also some wheat and potatoes1 beans1 pease1 beet roots and other vegetables40 ,the evidence taken before the select committee of the ,senate of ,canada in #ahhh as to agricultural possibilities in ,mackenzie valley1 excited general interest4 ,,many ,,natural ,,prairies4 ,the ,right ,reverend ,isidore ,clut1 ,o4,m4,i41 missionary ,bishop of ,arindele1 whose diocese included ,mackenzie basin1 and whose name is still held with reverence throughout this country1 examined before the ,committee stated that in several places in the basin of the ,mackenzie there were a great number of natural prairies1 those with round hay and those with flat hay4 ,the round hay1 in certain places1 grew from three to five feet in height4 ,the flat hay was also very fine but a little shorter4 ,it grew everywhere in the low and wet places4 ,at the ,roman ,catholic mission at ,providence1 the residence of the bishop1 one year he had one thousand four hundred and forty barrels of potatoes--7one barrel1 ten gallons7--from sixty kegs of seed1 but this was a very favourable year4 ,they had been greatly favoured by the heat and by rain at opportune times4 ,on two or three occasions they had had a thousand and twelve hundred barrels of the same roots4 ,at the ,providence mission there was an excellent clay1 which was very good for cultivation4 ,throughout the country in general the bishop found all sorts of land1 black soil1 loam1 clay1 sand1 marl1 etc4 ,generally they harvested their potatoes at ,providence from ,september #bj to #cj4 ,turnips1 carrots1 beets1 etc41 they harvested a little later4 ,wheat on the banks of ,peace river and ,liard river was ripe towards the end of ,august2 at ,athabaska and at ,providence from ,september #ae to #be4 ,barley was ripe a little sooner throughout4 ,rye does not ripen any sooner than wheat1 but witness had not made many experiments1 for the reason that they like wheat better than rye4 ,oats they harvested at the same time as wheat1 but they had sowed them only once4 ,potatoes they harvested at ,athabaska and at ,providence1 from ,september #bj to #cj4 ,turnips1 carrots1 beets1 radishes1 etc41 they harvest later4 ,indian corn generally cannot get ripened below ,athabaska or on the ,mackenzie4 ,strawberries commenced to ripen towards ,july #ae2 gooseberries ripened towards the end of ,august1 and at the commencement of ,september4 ,raspberries and currants come after the strawberries4 ,there were also in places many blueberries1 cranberries1 and other small fruits1 such as poires sauvages 7,saskatoon71 etc4 ,barley ripened at ,fort ,norman1 at the mouth of ,great ,bear lake river4 ,consequently it grew at ,fort ,wrigley1 ,fort ,simpson1 and at ,fort ,providence4 ,in ,liard river and ,peace river countries it succeeded also very well4 ,brother ,kearney and the ,hudson's ,bay ,company had grown potatoes at ,fort ,good ,hope 7,arctic circle74 ,at the mission at ,providence1 and at all the ,roman ,catholic missions on ,mackenzie river1 ,liard river1 ,peace river and ,slave river1 etc41 potatoes and other vegetables were ,,cultivated ,,very ,,successfully4 ,wheat grew1 according to the ,bishop's evidence1 at ,providence mission1 and at ,fort ,simpson1 but it rarely arrived at perfect maturity4 ,it ripened much better on the borders of ,liard river and ,peace river4 ,at the mission of the ,nativity 7,chipewyan at ,lake ,athabaska7 they had often grown fine wheat4 ,at the mission of the ,nativity 7,athabaska71 at ,fort ,resolution 7,great ,slave lake71 at ,fort ,smith1 at the mission of ,fort ,providence1 they sowed from the time the land began to thaw1 that is to say1 from ,may #ae until ,june #h or #aj4 ,throughout the length of ,liard and ,peace rivers1 sowing began a little earlier4 ,at the end of ,august they had already harvested barley and wheat4 ,plants which were deep in the ground1 such as potatoes1 took a good deal of time to spring up because of the ground being frozen below1 but those which were near the surface of the ground commenced to grow very soon1 and the nearer one approached the north1 for example at the ,arctic circle1 the more rapidly did the vegetation begin1 because of the greater length of the days1 or the days being without nights4 ,in #ahhf the bishop observed the matter at ,good ,hope4 ,towards ,june #g or #h1 vegetation commenced1 and in five or six days the leaves of the trees had reached their natural size4 ,it was because it commenced to be warm then1 and very warm1 and that continued1 save when sometimes north winds set in1 which would bring back the snow and cold and sometimes injure the crops4 ,it was difficult1 ,bishop ,clut remarked1 to say the extent of country fit for pasturage1 and the cultivation of cereals or other plants1 for the reason that cultivation had not been tried1 except by the missionaries1 and a little by the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4 ,during his examination before the committee1 ,bishop ,clut was asked3--8,how far north has the potato been grown to your knowledge80 ,he replied3--8,we raise potatoes even as far north as the ,arctic circle1 at ,fort ,good ,hope1 but they are very small4 ,we have no bread there1 and an ,irish brother has ,,raised ,,potatoes ,,every ,,summer4 ,once ,i passed a winter there and they had very little potatoes4 ,out of five bushels planted they got only six bushels4 ,two years ago ,i passed the winter there1 and out of ten kegs planted they got twenty-five40 ,the bishop added that there were then at nearly all of the missions gardens in which were raised potatoes1 carrots1 beets1 onions1 cabbages1 turnips and lettuce4 ,even at ,fort ,good ,hope they raised turnips and carrots4 ,wild roses grew in abundance as far north as ,good ,hope4 ,horses1 at that date1 had not been taken farther than ,great ,slave lake1 but cattle had been taken as far north as ,fort ,good ,hope4 ,they were found at the principal establishments of the missionaries1 and at the forts of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4 ,bishop ,clut stated that he was certain that if ,mackenzie country became settled and cultivated on a large scale1 the occasional white frosts of the summer months would be much less frequent4 ,that was the result which they had already observed at their principal mission posts2 the more they cleared to any extent the less were the fields susceptible to frost4 ,the months of ,september and ,october were generally dry1 and the blue sky made them charming4 ,in general they had a clear sky without a cloud and that is what makes the climate so healthy in the basin of the ,mackenzie4 ,people could live there to a greater age than in any other part of the globe4 8,,chinooks0 ,,at ,,the ,,arctic ,,circle4 ,at ,arctic circle the southwest 8,chinook0 wind often made its effect felt1 even in winter4 ,the ,rev4 ,father ,sguin and ,brother ,kearney1 who had been at ,good ,hope for twenty-eight years had observed its effect4 ,the bishop had observed it also himself during the winters of #ahhe and #ahhf4 ,this wind modified the temperature a good deal4 ,the missionaries had not remarked that the intensity of the frost had any effect on the native trees of the country4 ,the bishop had not kept account himself of the degrees of heat in summer1 but he was able to say that it was excessively hot2 and the farther one went towards the north the warmer he would find it becoming2 and that heat lasted the twenty-four hours of the day1 without sensibly diminishing in its intensity from #aj p4m4 to #c a4m4 ,ex-,judge ,malcolm ,mac,leod1 ,q4,c41 of ,aylmer1 ,que41 a northwesterner by birth1 on examination before the committee produced a number of letters received by his father while he held the appointment of senior officer of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company in the northern district4 ,among these letters was one which showed that the original explorers of the country between the ,mackenzie and the ,yukon described it as 8a land of milk and honey40 ,judge ,mc,leod added3--8,we know for certain that at ,fort ,liard1 wheat is a reliable crop for four years out of five1 at any rate40 ,hon4 ,william ,christie1 ex-member of the ,northwest ,council1 was at one time inspecting chief factor of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company service4 ,this witness was examined before the committee and explained that as inspecting factor of the ,hudson's ,bay service he was in charge of all the districts from ,red river to ,fort ,simpson--from ,fort ,garry northward--,red river district1 ,swan river district1 ,english river district1 ,athabaska river district1 and ,mackenzie river district4 ,all of these were ,,under ,,his ,,supervision4 ,he had travelled over the whole of them and descended ,mackenzie river as far as ,fort ,simpson4 ,he did not think that any authoritative attempt had ever been made up to that time to collect statistics1 etc41 as to resources of this region4 ,the business of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company was confined to the fur trade1 and if there were any scientific investigations in the old days these were conducted under the authority of the ,british government4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's posts on ,mackenzie river were established at convenient points for the fur trade all the way down the river4 ,fort ,simpson was at the head of the whole ,mackenzie river district4 ,illustration3 ,potatoes at ,fort ,simpson4 ,there was no settlement around any of the company's forts4 ,the white men in the forts were largely from ,england and ,scotland--gentlemen's sons--and some were married to ,indian girls and ,french half-breeds4 ,traders1 other than those of the company1 were at that date going in for furs1 up as far as ,great ,slave lake4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company opposed them the best way they could1 but had sold the country to the ,canadian government4 ,the ,church of ,england1 as well as the ,roman ,catholic ,church1 had missions throughout the region1 and had had them for many years4 ,mr4 ,christie informed the committee that he did not think there would be any difficulty in navigating with suitable steamers the ,mackenzie from its headwaters to ,arctic ocean1 because the year before his examination they had had the experience of a successful voyage of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's steamer from ,fort ,simpson down ,mackenzie river nearly to its mouth1 below ,peel river4 ,they could have gone through to ,arctic sea if they had wished to do so1 but having no pilot1 and not knowing which of the channels they should take1 they did not like to venture4 ,it would have been a disastrous thing to the company if that steamer had met with any accident which would have prevented it from returning to ,slave river that season4 ,,reached ,,the ,,mackenzie ,,from ,,the ,,north4 ,as to outside communication via the north1 ,mr4 ,christie considered navigation by ,hudson bay more certain than by ,behring strait4 ,during the search for ,sir ,john ,franklin's lost expedition1 however1 ,commander ,pullen1 of ,h4,m4,s4 ,plover1 sailed from ,honolulu for ,behring strait and ,mackenzie river4 ,he went as far north as he possibly could get with the ,plover4 ,then with ,lieut4 ,hooper and some sailors he took to the boats and coasted along to the outlet of ,mackenzie river4 ,the party ascended that river with their boats to ,fort ,simpson the same fall--tracked their boats4 ,the ,plover returned to ,honolulu that same season4 ,donald ,mc,ivor1 farmer1 of ,kildonan ,east1 ,manitoba1 who had been sixteen years in the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's service1 and had been stationed in ,mackenzie river district for over six years1 communicated in writing to the committee a very interesting series of answers in response to a schedule of questions submitted by the committee4 ,witness explained that he considered he had fair knowledge of the district watered by ,mackenzie1 ,athabaska and ,slave rivers4 ,the soil is black loam chiefly1 sometimes a little sandy4 ,witness considered three-fourths of the country fit for pasturage or coarse grains4 ,barley and potatoes had been grown successfully as far north as ,fort ,norman4 ,he saw some wheat1 very fine1 at ,methye portage1 grown by an ,indian1 but did not know of its being tried further north then4 ,he never saw any ,indian corn during his stay in the district4 ,at ,fort ,athabaska1 barley sown the middle of ,may was ready the first or second week in ,august4 ,farther north1 at ,fort ,norman1 barley sown the middle of ,may could be reaped the middle or the last week in ,august4 ,in cases where wheat was grown it ripened about the last week in ,august1 potatoes the first of ,september4 ,the ground was usually fit for seeding about three weeks after the first spring flowers showed4 ,the summer rains began about the latter end of ,may4 ,at the time witness was in the country nothing was done to any extent in agriculture4 ,stock raising was carried on at most of the forts1 and succeeded admirably4 ,,ten ,,years ,,at ,,fort ,,liard4 ,written answers to a set schedule of questions prepared by the committee were submitted by ,mr4 ,william ,james ,mc,lean1 chief trader of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 ,lower ,fort ,garry1 ,manitoba4 ,witness explained that his personal knowledge of the country under investigation covered trips over the following routes3--,from the watershed of ,mackenzie river basin at the height of land whence ,clearwater river takes its rise1 down the aforesaid river to its confluence with ,athabaska river1 thence down ,athabaska river to ,lake ,athabaska and from there to ,great ,slave lake down ,slave river1 and out ,lake ,athabaska1 and on through that lake down ,mackenzie river to ,fort ,simpson1 thence up ,liard river to ,fort ,liard1 where he was stationed for ten years1 from #ahfc to #ahgc4 ,he stated that he planted potatoes and barley at ,fort ,liard generally about ,may #aj1 and reaped barley about ,august #bj4 ,potatoes were fit for use about that time1 but were generally taken out of the ground about ,september #bj4 ,turnips were planted and dug about the same date as the potatoes4 ,wild flowers first appeared in the spring about ,may #be at ,fort ,liard1 and ,june #aj at ,fort ,simpson4 ,wild strawberries were ripe about the first week in ,july1 gooseberries about the first of ,august4 ,other small fruit came in from the middle of ,july to ,august #aj4 ,the wild vetch or pea grew at ,fort ,liard1 but not to any great extent4 ,good barley grew at ,mc,murray1 ,chipewyan1 and at ,forts ,resolution1 ,simpson and ,liard4 ,,wild ,,berries ,,plentiful4 ,among some information as to the fertility of ,mackenzie basin communicated in writing to the committee by ,mr4 ,frank ,oliver of ,edmonton was the following3--,berries of various kinds were the only considerable natural food product of ,mackenzie river country4 ,they were plentiful in their season throughout the whole of the wooded region which extended to within one hundred miles of the ,arctic coast4 ,the blueberry was the most plentiful and was found throughout the whole region4 ,it resembled the huckleberry of the east4 ,the blackberry and mossberry come next in quantity in the far north4 ,the former was not the blackberry of ,ontario1 and the latter somewhat resembled the strawberry4 ,from ,liard river south to the ,saskatchewan1 the raspberry1 strawberry1 ,saskatoon berry1 gooseberry1 high and low bush cranberry1 chokeberry1 and black and red currants flourished as well1 besides numerous minor varieties of berries4 ,in some years berries were much more plentiful than in others4 ,in plentiful years they formed an important item of the ,indians' food4 ,there was every reason to believe that the varieties found there which were cultivated profitably in other countries could be as satisfactorily cultivated there1 at least from the #fast parallel southward1 between the main streams of the ,mackenzie and ,rocky mountains4 ,mr4 ,oliver explained that the information communicated was chiefly acquired from ,murdock ,mc,leod1 of ,edmonton1 who spent the years #ahfb-fc and part of #ahfd in the ,hudson's ,bay ,company service at ,fort ,anderson1 since abandoned1 east of the ,mackenzie and about eighty miles up ,anderson river from ,arctic coast4 ,in the summer of #ahfc he accompanied an expedition undertaken on behalf of the ,smithsonian ,institute1 along the ,arctic coast from the mouth of ,mackenzie to that of ,coppermine river4 ,in #ahfe he was at ,fort ,liard4 ,mr4 ,mc,leod stated that in the summer of #ahfe1 while in the ,hudson's ,bay employ1 at ,fort ,liard1 latitude #ei1 he sowed about three acres of wheat on ,may #bf2 this was in the stook on ,august #a4 ,it was good grain1 though somewhat smutty1 and had not been frosted2 barley sowed at the same time did equally well1 also potatoes4 ,during several summers' residence at ,fort ,liard1 ,mr4 ,mc,leod never saw summer frost4 ,he also stated that at ,fort ,simpson1 in latitude #fb wheat1 barley and potatoes had done well4 ,this was borne out by the statement of ,reverend ,mr4 ,spendlove1 missionary at ,fort ,simpson1 except that in #ahhg the barley was frosted4 ,,professor ,,macoun',s ,,testimony4 ,professor ,john ,macoun 7,see p4 #af71 ,botanist to the ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 examined before the committee stated that barley ripens at ,fort ,simpson1 latitude #fb1 every year between ,august #ab and #bj4 ,barley and potatoes had been grown at ,fort ,norman at the mouth of ,great ,bear lake river1 about latitude #fe1 and even at ,fort ,yukon1 in the ,arctic circle1 barley is a sure crop4 ,these are not particular points noted for their good soil1 but located solely for the fur trade4 ,five-sixths of the country is just as good as these points1 and will in future produce as good crops4 ,there is no point east of the ,mackenzie suitable for agriculture4 ,professor ,macoun said he had been informed by ,chief ,factor ,hardisty1 brother to ,senator ,hardisty1 who had charge of ,mackenzie river district for many years1 that wheat was a sure crop at ,fort ,simpson four times out of five1 but that the country around ,fort ,liard1 on ,liard river1 was much superior to ,fort ,simpson for agricultural purposes4 ,all kinds of garden produce succeeded well1 and melons1 after being started in a hot bed1 ripened well4 ,according to ,professor ,macoun's evidence ,mackenzie valley and the whole of the northern prairie country has a soil that is largely composed of what is called alluvium2 and passing northwards farther down ,peace river to the ,mackenzie the surface1 from all he could gather from what he had read1 is precisely of the same character as the second prairie steppe1 which is the surface of black mould mixed with limestone gravel and deeper down there is more gravel and sand in the subsoil4 ,the whole of the country from ,edmonton northwesterly to ,arctic ocean in ,mackenzie valley1 ,professor ,macoun explained1 is underlain by ,devonian or cretaceous rock1 and by the disintegration of these rocks good soil is produced always4 ,from everything he could gather1 the whole region naturally out to the ,arctic coast1 west of ,mackenzie river1 has a good soil4 ,easterly is a land of barrenness4 ,the line of the ,mackenzie is not exactly the line4 ,geologists know that there is a portion of the valley east of the river and up to the base of the ,laurentian rocks where the land seems to be good--as regards the soil4 ,professor ,macoun said he was decidedly of opinion that domesticated animals would in the future be raised in ,mackenzie basin4 ,sheep1 horses1 pigs and cattle could and would be raised there4 ,it is a law of nature that they cannot fatten cattle in southern ,texas because it is not cold enough to solidify the fat1 as it were1 and they have to drive the ,texan cattle north and fatten them4 ,as you go north you find that the cattle ,,produce ,,more ,,fat1 and are more easily fattened1 because it is a law of nature that in cold climates fat should be laid up4 ,asked as to the native grasses1 ,professor ,macoun remarked3--8,as to the natural grasses of this country1 having just completed an examination of the whole grasses of the ,dominion1 ,i am safe in stating that they are the grasses best suited for pasturage of any known to stock men or farmers4 ,the grasses referred to are those known as red-top and ,kentucky blue grass1 or1 scientifically1 ,poa ,pratensis and ,poa ,seratna1 ,poa ,tenniflora and ,ceasia4 ,these four species are well known to ,american stock men and are considered of the highest value4 ,they are the commonest of the grasses in our northern forest region and along the foot hills of ,rocky mountains4 ,three of these species are known in the eastern provinces4 ,one of them is exclusively western and the greater part of the common pasturage of ,ontario is altogether composed of ,poa pretensis 7,kentucky blue grass1 or red-top740 ,,expert ,,investigation4 ,while a committee of the ,senate was hearing this evidence as to the natural resources of ,mackenzie country1 two experts1 scientific explorers1 ,messrs4 ,mc,connell and ,ogilvie 7,see p4 #ah7 were enquiring into the subject on the spot on behalf of the ,dominion government4 ,the publication of the official reports of these gentlemen1 in due course1 strengthened the impression made upon the public mind by the evidence taken by the ,senate committee1 but the practical result was not much1 for there was at that date still plenty of free land to be had in the so-called 8,fertile ,belt01 and lack of communication effectually prevented any deflection of the tide of immigration towards ,mackenzie river4 ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell in #ahhg explored ,hay river from its mouth at ,great ,slave lake as far as ,alexandra falls1 about thirty miles in a direct line up4 ,he reports that for some distance up and while passing through the delta1 the river is wide and encloses a line of alluvial islands1 but on getting above these it contracts to about one hundred yards in width4 ,its banks are low and grassy1 and the country on both sides is thickly forested4 ,proceeding up the river the general elevation of the country increases1 and the valley becomes higher and wider1 and bordering flats make their appearance4 ,grassy and partly wooded plains skirt its southern shores and extend southward towards ,peace river1 and ,hay river may be regarded as practically the northern limit of the prairie country1 although small isolated plains occur much farther north in the vicinity of ,slave river4 ,,picturesque ,,water-,,falls4 ,as to ,alexandra falls1 so named by ,bishop ,bompas in honour of the then ,princess of ,wales1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell states that they present a clear unbroken sheet of falling water1 and are exceedingly picturesque in appearance4 ,the gorge through which the river below flows here suddenly ceases1 and the river precipitates itself over the hard limestone band through which the latter is cut1 with a sheer descent of about eighty-five feet1 as measured by a single reading of the aneroid barometer4 ,from the base of the falls the river flows along rapidly for about a mile1 and then makes a second leap of about fifty feet1 below which are three miles of rapids4 ,at the lower falls the cliff is broken down near the centre1 and the descent of the water is interrupted by projecting ledges4 ,above the falls the river loses its valley almost altogether1 and has failed to produce more than a feeble impression on the hard limestone beds which floor the surrounding country4 ,near the foot of the rapids below the falls 8a graceful effect is produced by a couple of small streams which fling themselves on either hand over the brow of the cliffs bounding the valley and make one clear leap to the floor beneath40 ,,agriculture ,,at ,,resolution4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell reported the western arm of ,great ,slave lake 8bordered all around by a flat wooded country1 which has been proved to be adapted to cultivation of barley1 and of potatoes and other vegetables4 ,the soil is usually a loam1 but in the ridges is often sandy1 and in low places passes into a clay4 ,the alluvial lands along ,slave river and the grassy plains on ,little ,buffalo river are the best sections of the district1 and deserve the first attention4 ,at ,fort ,resolution a few acres of land are farmed every year with good results by the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4 ,mr4 ,flett1 who has charge of this post1 informed me that barley is usually sown on ,may #ae1 and requires about one hundred and ten days to reach maturity4 ,potatoes are planted about the same date1 and are dug about ,september #ae2 wheat1 according to the same authority1 has been tried three times with only one failure4 ,at ,hay river1 sixty miles west of ,fort ,resolution1 some potatoes are annually grown by the ,indians1 and even at ,fort ,rae1 which is situated on a bleak island in the northern arm of the lake in latitude #fb #ci1 some gardening has been attempted by the energetic ,roman ,catholic missionaries who are stationed there4 ,the soil at this place is very stony1 and much difficulty was experienced in removing the boulders1 and in bringing the ground into a proper state for cultivation4 ,when this was once effected several kinds of vegetables were grown without trouble4 ,potatoes planted on ,may #be are dug in the middle of ,september1 and yield twenty fold1 and the list of garden vegetables raised here includes turnips1 onions1 cabbages1 carrots1 radishes1 beets and peas4 ,wheat and barley have not been tried on a large scale1 but a few grains were sown at the end of ,may one season1 and became mature1 the latter on ,august #bf1 and the former four days later4 ,a less favourable spot for farming purposes1 than this rocky island1 could scarcely be obtained1 and the successful raising here affords a promise that the more fertile lands to the west and south will one day be utilized40 ,mr4 ,mc,connell in his report on the exploration of ,slave river states that the soil there 8is often sandy1 but good crops of potatoes and other garden vegetables are grown at ,fort ,smith1 and also by the ,indians on the east side of the river40 ,,wheat ,,at ,,fort ,,providence4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell referred specially in his report1 also1 to the agricultural operations at ,fort ,providence 7where he wintered71 ,fort ,simpson and ,fort ,good ,hope4 ,he wrote3--8,fort ,providence is surrounded by flat arable lands of good quality1 and capable of producing excellent crops4 ,agriculture is engaged in here both by the ,hudson's ,bay ,company and the ,roman ,catholic ,mission1 and large quantities of farm produce are annually raised4 ,wheat has been sown at the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's farm for nine years1 and1 according to ,mr4 ,reid1 has never been a complete failure1 although on some occasions it has been slightly touched by summer frosts4 ,it is usually sown about ,may #bj1 and requires about three months to ripen4 ,as much as twenty-nine bushels have been obtained from one bushel sown4 ,barley is a sure crop4 ,it is sown at the same time as the wheat1 and is ripe almost a week earlier4 ,potatoes are planted between ,may #af and #be1 and are taken up about ,september #bj4 ,turnips1 cabbage1 beets and numerous other garden vegetables are grown with scarcely greater difficulty than in latitudes ten degrees farther south4 ,the soil is a stiff clay1 with in some places surface beds of sand1 and is seldom thawed out to a greater depth than six feet4 ,the muskegs which cover a considerable proportion of the country back from the river are permanently frozen at less than two feet from the surface4 ,it must be borne in mind1 however1 in this connection1 that the histories of other districts have shown that when the country is cleared and the moss burnt off1 the penetrative powers of the summer thaw is at once greatly increased1 and lands have become productive1 which at first appeared hopelessly barren4 ,a number of cattle are kept at ,fort ,providence1 but require to be fed about seven months in the year4 ,hay of excellent quality is obtained in abundance from neighbouring marshes40 ,,the ,,farm ,,at ,,fort ,,simpson4 8,like the other posts ,fort ,simpson has its farm1 and according to some statistics which ,i received from ,mr4 ,laviolette1 the various crops raised1 with the exception of wheat1 which does not ripen1 and the dates for planting and reaping are much the same as those previously stated for ,fort ,providence4 ,potatoes are usually planted between ,may #ae and #bj1 but this season 7#ahhh7 were not put in1 owing to the unusually late spring1 until ,may #bh1 and require about four months to mature4 ,in the ordinary year forty bushels of seed will yield from six to seven hundred bushels1 but the crops are sometimes injured by summer frosts4 ,barley1 which is the only cereal grown1 is sown about ,may #bj1 and is usually ripe by ,september #bj4 ,no difficulty is experienced in raising such garden vegetables as cabbages1 turnips1 beets1 etc41 and ,mr4 ,camsell seemed sanguine that even melons and tomatoes would ripen if properly tried4 ,the soil here is a stiff clay loam4 4 4 40 ,illustration3 ,mission ,garden at ,fort ,providence4 8,fort ,good ,hope is situated a short distance below the ,ramparts and is the lowest fort on the ,mackenzie4 ,it was originally built over one hundred miles lower down1 and has been moved several times before the present site was finally selected4 ,it is situated only a few miles south of the ,arctic circle1 but this does not prevent some gardening from being attempted4 ,potatoes1 turnips and other garden vegetables are raised in some quantity1 and even barley has occasionally been ripened1 although the ground is permanently frozen three or four feet from the surface4 ,cattle and poultry are kept at the fort1 but the former have to be fed over seven months in the year4 4 4 40 ,,can ,,furnish ,,local ,,food ,,supply4 ,in summing up the result of his explorations1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell stated in his report3--8,at all the posts of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 along the ,mackenzie and its tributaries1 with the exception of ,fort ,mc,pherson1 small plots of land are annually cultivated and large quantities of potatoes1 turnips1 beets and other vegetables are grown for use in the district1 while at ,fort ,liard and ,fort ,providence1 the two most southerly posts in the district1 both wheat and barley have been tried with success4 ,there is1 however1 little reason to hope that ,mackenzie river district as a whole1 or even the southern part of it1 except in limited areas1 will ever be able to support a purely agricultural community1 or that its products will ever be able to compete in the open markets of the world with the produce of more favoured regions4 ,its agricultural development will depend on a local market being obtained4 ,when the time comes1 as come it must1 when the undoubted mineral resources of the region are drawn upon1 the food required by the mining population1 or the greater part of it at least1 can be supplied locally4 ,the amount of arable land is small compared to the total area1 and is mostly confined to the vicinity of the larger streams4 ,away from the rivers1 frozen marshes and muskegs and shallow lakes cover the greater part of the surface4 ,the alluvial lands along ,slave river1 the upper part of ,mackenzie river1 and the country bordering the ,liard for some distance above and below ,fort ,liard and west of the mountains1 are the best parts of the district40 ,,climate ,,of ,,mackenzie ,,region4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell1 in his report of his explorations of both #ahhg and #ahhh1 makes the following references to the climate along ,mackenzie river3--8,the warm weather which commenced at ,fort ,simpson on ,may #a1 continued throughout the month1 and under its influence the snow quickly disappeared1 and the spring advanced with astonishing rapidity4 8,in the lower part of the river the ice was broken up at ,fort ,wrigley on ,may #ah1 at ,fort ,norman on ,may #ai1 and at ,fort ,good ,hope on ,may #ba4 ,the ice on the river above ,fort ,simpson1 between the mouth of the ,liard and ,great ,slave lake1 did not1 however1 move until after ,june #a40 ,may #ca1 #ahhh1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell found ,anemone patens1 the first flower of the season1 in full bloom above ,fort ,wrigley4 ,when ,mr4 ,mc,connell left ,fort ,norman ,june #ab1 #ahhh1 the trees were still leafless1 but the various species of willows and birches had hung out their catkins1 and the early flowering anemones and other flowers brightened the valley with colour4 ,june #ah1 when ,mr4 ,mc,connell left ,fort ,good ,hope1 anemone patens and other early flowering plants were in bloom1 but the general forest still remained leafless4 ,,the ,,liard ,,district4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell's report gives us occasional comprehensive glimpses of the territory on either side of the ,mackenzie4 ,he says that the surface of the country bordering the ,mackenzie in the latitude of the ,liard1 on both the lower and higher levels1 is usually more or less undulating1 and is diversified by innumerable shallow lakes of all sizes1 while a large proportion is underlaid by muskegs and marshes1 covered with sphagnum or bog-moss1 which remain frozen throughout the year4 ,the higher lands and ridges separating the lakes and marshes are usually rather densely forested1 chiefly with white spruce 7,picea alba71 the ,banksian pine 7,pinus ,banksiana7 and the aspen 7,populus tremuloides74 ,as to the basin of the lower ,liard itself1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell mentions the following facts3--,on his way down to the ,mackenzie in #ahhg he arrived at ,fort ,liard1 fifteen miles below the mouth of the ,nelson1 on ,july #bi4 ,in the reach from the ,nelson to ,fort ,liard1 the river is generally wide and filled with sandbars and wooded islands4 ,it is bordered in many places with wide alluvial flats1 covered with tall1 straight cotton wood1 large spruce and canoe birch4 ,its valley is wide and shallow and lined with gently sloping1 spruce-clad banks4 ,on some of the flats the ,indians have built houses1 and fenced in small plots for farming purposes1 for which the greater part of this section of the district seems well adapted4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell passed one small ,indian farm about thirteen miles below the mouth of the ,nelson1 and another one at the mouth of ,fishing creek1 a few miles above ,fort ,liard1 while others were noticed in the lower part of the river4 ,,fort ,,liard ,,and ,,its ,,environment4 ,fort ,liard is situated on a fertile flat1 part of which has been cultivated for years with unfailing success4 ,wheat and barley are grown here year after year1 while potatoes1 cabbages1 turnips1 and other vegetables are raised without the least difficulty4 ,at the time of ,mr4 ,mc,connell's visit1 ,august #a1 8all the crops were well advanced and in good condition2 the barley was just turning colour1 and the potatoes were almost large enough to eat4 ,there is no reason1 either climatic or otherwise1 why the whole country bordering the ,liard1 from ,beaver river to near its mouth1 should not1 when needed1 support an agricultural community40 ,mr4 ,mc,connell climbed one of the mountains near ,fort ,liard to a height of three thousand feet and 8obtained an extensive view from the summit1 over the plains to the eastward4 ,the country in that direction rises gradually from the river in easy undulations1 and appears to culminate at a distance of twenty-five or thirty miles in a low plateau through which ,black river has cut a wide gap4 ,a dense forest1 relieved in places by gleaming lakes and light green marshes1 stretches to the horizon40 ,mr4 ,mc,connell also states in his report that the valley depression for some distance below the fort is insignificant in size1 and farther down disappears altogether1 and the river undulates through a low1 level plain1 elevated only a few feet above its surface4 ,liard river is over a mile wide at its mouth4 ,a ,,mackenzie ,,valley ,,plateau4 ,ten miles above the ,blackwater1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell1 in his descent of the ,mackenzie in #ahhh1 made a visit to a small plateau which there borders the river at a distance of three or four miles4 ,the valley of the ,mackenzie there has a depth of two hundred feet4 ,after leaving it ,mr4 ,mc,connell crossed a level plain which stretches eastwards to the foot of the plateau4 ,this plain proved to be exceedingly wet and swampy1 and most of the way across he was walking knee-deep through yielding moss or ice-cold water4 ,it is partially wooded with small pine1 spruce1 aspen and tamarack1 none of which had a diameter exceeding six inches4 ,from the top of the plateau1 the main range of ,rocky mountains1 which is here too far from the left bank of the river to be seen from the valley1 came into sight to the west1 while in an opposite direction a good view was obtained of the rocky range which borders the river to the east4 ,the plain between these ranges1 through which the river flows1 has a width of sixty or seventy miles4 ,it shows numerous lines of wooded heights running parallel with the river1 but possesses no conspicuous elevations4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell explains that rugged limestone ranges are visible along the reach below ,fort ,norman on both sides of the river1 but seldom approach within thirty miles of each other4 ,the plains between1 and lower slopes of the mountains1 are continuously clothed with forests of small spruce and aspen4 ,the depression in which the river flows has a depth of from one to four hundred feet and a width of from two to three miles4 ,river flats are seldom present1 and the banks of the valley slope more or less steeply up from the edge of the water4 ,,mr4 ,,william ,,ogilvie',s ,,report4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie1 in the splendid report of his survey in #ahhh 7,sessional papers1 #dth ,ses4 #fth ,parlt471 made a special and most comprehensive reference to the agricultural capabilities of the ,mackenzie country4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie's reputation as an experienced and most accurate observer justifies an extended quotation from this section of the report4--8,everywhere1 the ,mackenzie basin01 he wrote 7p4 #hb71 8is quite as capable1 so far as quality of soil is concerned1 of supporting an agricultural population1 as the greater part of the provinces of ,ontario and ,quebec4 ,the soil1 as seen from the river1 is generally good1 and the probability is that it continues so at least as far back from the stream as the woods extend4 ,this extent is said to vary from twenty to forty miles on the east side1 where no stream flows in1 but where there are streams the distance is much greater1 as the timber follows the valleys4 ,beyond the fringe of timber we come to the so-called barren lands1 on which nothing but mosses and lichens grow and which1 except as the pasturage of the musk-ox and a few other animals1 are practically useless1 so far as known at present4 ,on the west side of the river the woods extend to the timber line on the mountains4 8,assuming the limits to be as above1 the area of the fertile soil can readily be found4 ,speaking only of that portion of ,mackenzie basin extending from ,athabaska lake to ,arctic ocean1 we have a strip of land nine hundred and forty miles long1 and something over sixty wide4 ,this gives in round numbers sixty thousand square miles of land1 the agricultural capabilities of which we may reasonably discuss4 ,i think the above area is less than that actually wooded1 but on the west side much of the surface is probably at such an elevation1 being near the mountains1 as to be outside the limits of our discussion4 ,theoretically1 the points involved are the prevalent temperatures during the growing months1 the period of vegetation and the duration of sunshine4 ,,temperature ,,and ,,sunlight4 8,i do not know of any regular record of temperature having been kept at ,fort ,mc,pherson1 the most northerly point at which anyone is permanently settled in the district4 ,the only information which ,i have is my own record for the last ten days of ,june while ,i was camped in the valley near the fort4 ,the lowest temperature during that period was #cg4c ,fahr4 on ,june #bj1 and the mean minimum from ,june #bj to ,june #cj was #dc4c ,fahr4 ,the highest observed temperature during the same period was #gd ,fahr4 at #a3cj p4m4 on ,june #ba1 and the mean temperature at that hour for the ten days was #fb ,fahr4 ,the lowest of these temperatures would not injure vegetation4 ,the mean minimum for the whole month would be below this1 probably two or three degrees1 but even that would not arrest vegetable growth4 ,when1 in connection with the temperature1 we consider the number of hours of sunshine in ,june and ,july1 it seems evident that ,fort ,mc,pherson has all the essentials for the successful cultivation of most cereals and vegetables4 ,at this northern point refraction extends the time during which the sun does not set1 so that there are about twenty-four hours of sunshine each day from ,june #a to ,july #ae4 ,on ,may #a1 the sun is up for about seventeen and one-half hours1 and during ,august the hours of sunlight vary from nineteen on the #ast to fifteen on the #cast4 ,the total hours of sun are seven hundred and six in ,may2 seven hundred and twenty in ,june2 six hundred and eighty-four in ,july2 and five hundred and twenty-seven in ,august2 in all two thousand six hundred and thirty-seven hours of sun out of the total1 day and night1 of two thousand1 nine hundred and fifty-two hours in the four months4 ,as twilight continues while the sun is less than eighteen degrees below the horizon there is actually no darkness during this period4 ,when the temperature is suitable1 vegetation under these conditions thrives to an almost incredible degree1 as the following shows4 ,when ,i arrived at ,fort ,mc,pherson on ,june #bj1 the new buds on the trees were just perceptible1 and on the evening of ,june #bb1 the trees were almost fully in leaf4 8,the mean minimum temperature for the month of ,july was #de4d ,fahr4 ,the mean temperature for #a3cj p4m4 was #fd4g ,fahr41 but on two occasions the thermometer went to #gh in the shade1 and ten times to #gj4 ,these temperatures were noted along the river1 at different points of course1 although during the greater part of the month my latitude did not change very much4 ,illustration3 ,view on ,peel river4 8,this combination of favorable temperature and long hours of sunlight promises well for vegetable growth1 but there are interfering causes4 ,unfortunately snow storms are apt to occur at any time during the year at ,fort ,mc,pherson4 ,on ,july #b1 five inches of snow fell and the thermometer went down to #be 7#g below freezing point71 yet1 strange to say1 the frost did not appear to hurt anything4 ,a northeast wind continuing for a day or more1 lowers the temperature in a few hours from pleasant1 summer heat to what reminds one of the approach of winter4 8,as far as ,i could learn1 no attempt at cultivating cereals or roots has been made at ,fort ,mc,pherson4 ,but at ,fort ,good ,hope some of the people grow potatoes and other garden produce1 and1 as the difference of latitude is not much over a degree1 the same things ought to grow nearly as well at ,fort ,mc,pherson4 ,the potatoes grown at ,fort ,good ,hope are small1 averaging about the size of a large hen's egg4 ,those which ,i tasted were bad1 as if they had been frozen1 but they were of the previous season's growth1 and it was then the middle of ,july4 ,even in ,ontario potatoes of that age are not very palatable4 ,this tuber appears to have always vitality enough to increase1 as at ,fort ,good ,hope they have had ,,no ,,change ,,of ,,seed ,,for ,,several ,,years4 ,this tends to show that the frosts are not very severe1 during the time potatoes are growing and ripening4 ,when ,i passed1 the onions1 lettuce and other things planted in the gardens were pretty well advanced1 the onion stalks being about as large as pencils4 ,no cereals had been sown1 but ,i think barley would succeed fairly well4 ,i am not aware of any continuous record of temperature at ,fort ,good ,hope1 so ,i cannot say whether the climate at that place is suitable for the growth of plants during ,june1 ,july1 and ,august4 ,while ,i was there the days were pleasant and warm and the nights not unpleasantly cool4 ,nor1 if we omit ,july #b1 when snow fell1 did ,i anywhere note any temperature below freezing during ,july and ,august4 8,it may be said that my observations extended over too great a range of latitude1 to be of any value in indicating the temperature any period or any place1 as while they were being taken we were constantly moving south4 ,this is true1 but it must be remembered that in moving south we were leaving the area of constant sunlight and getting to where night has a cooling effect1 so that the objection has not the same weight it would otherwise have4 8,the statement given below of the duration of sunlight in the months of ,may1 ,june1 ,july and ,august1 serves to show that a difference in latitude has not the same effect in changing the summer temperatures of places in high latitudes as it has in more southerly localities4 ,unfortunately1 the records at posts in the district are too few and meagre to either confirm or disprove this theory1 and to use the records of such places as ,fort ,franklin1 on ,great ,bear lake1 and ,fort ,rae1 on ,great ,slave lake1 is hardly fair4 ,these points are over three hundred miles apart in an air line1 and the temperature at either or both may be influenced by the local conformation of the ground1 or other unknown causes4 ,however1 taking the records at these places1 we have the following comparison3-- ,mean temperature ,fort ,franklin1 ,fort ,rae1 during lat4 #fe #ab lat4 #fb #dj ,may1 #ce4b ,fahr4 #bg4g ,fahr4 ,june1 #ea4d #ea4d ,july1 #eb #fa4b ,august1 #ej4f #ef4e 8,the ,fort ,franklin data are given in ,professor ,loomis's ,meteorology1 published in #ahge4 ,he gives as his authority ,dove's tables in the report of the ,british ,association for #ahdg4 ,who the observer was is not stated1 but it was probably ,franklin4 ,the ,fort ,rae statistics were furnished by ,mr4 ,carpmael to the ,senate committee appointed to inquire into the resources of ,mackenzie basin1 and cover the same months as those given for ,fort ,franklin4 ,these statistics1 as far as they go1 confirm the theory1 for the extremes at ,fort ,franklin differ #af4h1 while at ,fort ,rae the difference is #cc4e1 and the monthly differences at the former place are much less than the latter4#ah 8,i have computed the following table which shows comprehensively the different durations of sunlight for the latitudes of ,ottawa1 ,chipewyan1 and ,forts ,simpson1 ,good ,hope and ,mc,pherson4 ,ottawa4 ,chipewyan4 ,simpson4 ,good ,hope4 ,mc,pherson4 ,latitude #de #bf #eh #dc #fa #eb #ff #af #fg #bf ,h4 ,sun4 ,h4 ,m4 ,h4 ,m4 ,h4 ,m4 ,h4 ,m4 ,h4 ,m4 ,may #a3 #ad #jh #ae #cd #af #je #ag #jf #ag #cj ,june #a3 #ae #af #ag #cf #ah #ci #ba #jd #bd #jj ,june #ba3 #ae #cj #ah #dd #ai #ad #bb #dh #bd #jj ,july #a3 #ae #bd #ah #cf #ai #jb #bb #jd #bd #jj ,aug4 #a3 #ad #cb #af #af #af #ef #ah #af #ai #bd ,aug4 #ca3 #ac #jh #ac #eb #ad #jh #ad #cf #ad #dd ,h4 ,sun4 ,h4 ,h4 ,h4 ,h4 ,h4 ,may3 #def #ead #ech #eib #gjf ,june3 #dfb #edi #egj #ffb #gbj ,july3 #dfd #ecj #eeh #fbe #fhd ,aug43 #dbc #dfg #dha #eai #ebg ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ,totals4 #ahje #bjfj #badg #bcih #bfcg 8,the number of hours of sunlight in each month has been obtained from the mean of the numbers at the beginning and ending of the month4 ,this does not give a strictly correct result1 as the sun's declination1 on which the length of the day depends1 does not change uniformly1 the daily change in ,june1 when the sun has attained its greatest declination1 being small as compared with that of ,september1 when the sun is near the equator4 ,were the light of each day separately computed1 the difference would be even more decidedly in favor of the north4 ,in computing the above table1 refraction has not been taken into account except in the case of ,fort ,mc,pherson4 ,allowance for refraction would increase the duration of sunlight at all the other places1 but much more in the north than in the south4 ,as the table now stands it assigns to ,fort ,mc,pherson eight hundred and thirty-two hours1 or thirty-four and two-third days more sunlight than ,ottawa1 during a total period of two thousand five hundred and fifty-two hours4 ,a better mode of comparison is to reduce the number of hours of sunlight at each place to days4 ,it stands thus3--,ottawa1 seventy-five days1 five hours2 ,chipewyan1 eighty-five days1 twenty hours2 ,fort ,simpson1 eighty-nine days1 eleven hours2 ,fort ,good ,hope1 ninety-nine days1 twenty-two hours2 ,fort ,mc,pherson1 one hundred and nine days1 twenty-one hours1 and this out of a total of one hundred and twenty-three days4 ,,agriculture ,,at ,,fort ,,norman4 8,at ,fort ,norman1 the ,hudson's ,bay ,company had a garden planted with turnips1 potatoes and other garden produce4 ,i was at that point during the last days of ,july1 at which time potato vines were from six to ten inches long1 and did not promise a good yield4 ,the ,roman ,catholic mission had two patches1 together about an acre in extent1 planted with potatoes4 ,the soil here was much better than in the first patch1 being a warm clay loam1 while in the other it was nearly all decaying vegetable matter1 commonly called #8muck'4 ,the mission potatoes were much stronger in the vines than the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's1 and1 at the time1 nearly covered the ground4 ,the ,anglican mission had planted a small piece of ground near the river on a sheltered bench below the top of the bank and facing the south4 ,here the growth was much stronger than at either of the two other places4 ,some barley had been sown in it1 and was well grown1 the stalks averaging from two to two and a half feet high1 and the heads being long and just beginning to fill4 ,the growth of grass on this flat is luxuriant1 and nettles grow as strong and large as any ,i have seen elsewhere4 ,near the edge of the woods wild vetches grow as long and vigorous as they do near ,edmonton4 ,everyone complained of the cold1 wet weather which prevailed during the summer and much retarded vegetation4 ,the ,roman ,catholic missionary in charge of the mission here1 told me that in twenty years' residence at the place he did not recollect such a cool1 damp1 cloudy summer4 ,,at ,,fort ,,wrigley4 8,at ,fort ,wrigley some slight attempts had been made at cultivation1 but ,i do not consider them a fair test of the capabilities of the place4 ,when ,i was there1 on ,august #ae1 the people were gathering blueberries1 then fully ripe and as large and well-flavored as they are in ,ontario4 ,ripe strawberries were found on ,august #i ninety miles below this1 and a few raspberries soon afterwards4 ,above ,fort ,wrigley wild gooseberries and both red and black currants were found in abundance1 some of the small islands being literally covered with the bushes4 ,the gooseberries were large and well flavored1 and the currants would compare favourably with the same fruit as cultivated in the vicinity of ,ottawa1 the black currants being especially large and mellow4 ,this was the middle of ,august1 latitude #fc4 ,,one ,,thousand ,,one ,,hundred ,,and ,,fifty ,,miles ,,farther ,,north ,,than ,,ottawa4 8,at ,fort ,simpson the ,hudson's ,bay ,company has a large plot of ground planted with turnips1 potatoes1 onions1 and other garden produce such as is generally grown without artificial means in ,ontario4 ,on ,august #bd1 when ,i visited this place1 the growing vegetables looked almost as good as the same kinds seen at the ,ottawa market at the same date4 ,lettuce particularly was very large and fine4 ,there was also a large area of barley1 which looked well and promised an abundant return if allowed to ripen4 ,the grain was then full and plump and just beginning to harden1 but fears were entertained that a frost might come and spoil it4 ,the people there claimed that the prevailing cool1 cloudy weather had retarded its growth1 as otherwise it would then be out of danger from frost4 ,this cereal has been grown with success at ,fort ,simpson for many years4 ,i understood that wheat had been tried1 but with indifferent success4 ,the garden altogether presented an appearance hardly to be expected at a point eleven hundred and fifty miles farther north than ,ottawa4 ,it is situated on an island in the river1 and the presence of the large body of water may moderate the climate and account for the fine appearance of the garden4 ,whether the same fine result can be attained a mile or more away from the river can only be decided by trial4 ,i am strongly of the opinion that it cannot4 8,on the high river bank below ,fort ,providence wild gooseberries and currants were very plentiful1 though on the eighth of ,september they were somewhat over-ripe4 8,at ,fort ,providence the usual garden produce is grown every year and generally turns out well4 ,barley is also grown with success1 but in #ahhh it was1 as everywhere else in the valley1 much retarded by cool weather4 ,up to my departure from the post1 the lowest temperature1 exclusive of ,july #b1 was #ca4h on ,august #bi4 ,the mean minimum for the month of ,august was #dc4 ,when ,i was at ,fort ,providence the barley was beginning to change color1 and1 unless a very severe frost came soon after1 would ripen4 ,wheat has been grown here for many years by the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 generally being fairly ripe before it is touched by frost and sometimes escaping altogether4 ,the wheat is ground in a small hand mill1 and the flour used in the ordinary way by the people of the fort4 ,while there ,i ground a few pounds of the crop of #ahhg1 and had the flour made into a cake1 which1 though not quite so good as that made from #8,,xxxx' flour1 was palatable1 and would probably sustain life as effectually as any other1 those using it appearing as well and strong as could be desired4 ,i brought home a sample of this wheat for inspection4 ,,pea ,,vines ,,still ,,green ,,in ,,september4 8,at ,fort ,resolution the ,hudson's ,bay ,company were growing potatoes1 turnips and barley4 ,the first were of good quality and size1 but there would be no yield of the last4 ,the ,anglican missionary also had a garden in which were potatoes1 cabbage1 cauliflowers1 turnips1 onions and peas1 the latter still green on ,september #ba4 ,the potatoes and cauliflowers were both good in size and flavor4 ,i was informed that small potatoes were grown in a garden at ,fort ,rae1 situated on a long arm of ,great ,slave lake1 but1 according to report1 there is not much land around the lake available for farming1 even were the climate suitable1 as it is nearly all rock4 ,at ,fort ,smith nothing of importance from an agricultural point of view had been done1 and the autumn frosts were very severe4 8,in conclusion1 ,i may say that ,i do not wish to be understood as representing this country as suitable for agricultural operations1 as ,i do not think it is4 ,i have merely presented the results of the attempts which have been made4 ,these results are doubtless much more favorable than might be expected1 but how far they would hold good elsewhere than in the immediate vicinity of the river is not known4 ,it is probable that the presence of such a large body of water1 with a temperature of about #ee1 has a beneficial influence on vegetation4 8,before that part of our territory will be required for settlement1 there will be ample time to determine by experiment exactly what it is worth for agriculture4 ,,european ,,comparisons4 8,in looking over the world for countries lying in the same latitude to compare with it1 we find ,norway extending from latitude #eh to #gj #cj1 with an area of one hundred and twenty-three thousand two hundred and six square miles1 and a population of one million eight hundred and six thousand nine hundred4 ,of her territory only about one-thirtieth is under cultivation1 one-fourth being covered with forest1 and the rest barren mountain land4 ,but as ,norway is exposed throughout its whole length to ,atlantic ocean1 the comparison is hardly apposite4 ,better suited for comparison is that division of ,russia known as ,finland1 lying between #fj and #gj north latitude1 with an area of one hundred and forty-four thousand two hundred and fifty-four square miles1 and a population of two million one hundred and forty-two thousand and ninety-three4 8,this shows us that we must not regard the district as altogether useless nor despair of its ultimate occupation to at least the same extent as the countries named4 ,when we take into consideration also the adaptability to settlement of ,athabaska and ,peace river valleys1 which are parts of the same great drainage basin1 we may look forward with confidence to its ultimate occupation by several millions of inhabitants40 ,in the report of his trip in #ahia1 ,mr4 ,ogilvie gives the following notes on agriculture in ,mackenzie valley3-- 8,fort ,providence was infested with grasshoppers to such an extent that every bit of grain sown there was cut to the ground1 nothing but the stubs of the stalks being visible4 ,wheat has been grown there with varying success for many years1 and the fact that in latitude #fa #bj #ch it has been completely devoured by grasshoppers is itself worthy of record4 8,at ,simpson the garden stuff1 although very nice in appearance1 was not up to what ,i saw there in #ahhh1 just at the same time of the year too1 though it would compare very favourably with the appearance of those in places ten and fifteen degrees farther south4 ,at that date 7,august #be to #bh71 garden stuff was well advanced1 green peas were in use1 as were cabbage1 potatoes1 carrots and other vegetables1 all large and well flavoured4 ,the barley sown was short and stunted looking from drought1 but of fair quality4 8,in #ahhh the ,company's officer in charge planted ash-leaved maples sent in from ,manitoba to see how they would stand the climate1 eleven degrees farther north than their native home4 ,last year they were quite large and seemed to flourish as well as they would have done in their native soil4 ,many head of cattle were kept here1 which seem to thrive as well as they would anywhere else in our country4 ,the hay for their winter subsistence is cut on the hills south of the fort4 ,,at ,,liard ,,in #ahia4 8,at ,fort ,liard the same drought seems to have prevailed1 and prevented the usual development of what was planted4 ,at the date 7,september #d7 of my arrival1 the barley had been harvested some days1 and though the straw was short the grain was plump and hard and of fair yield4 ,potatoes were of good size and of fair quality4 ,wheat had often been grown here successfully1 but as it can only be used whole1 it is considered better to grow barley1 which can be1 and is1 used as cattle food4 ,cattle are kept here1 and seem to thrive as well as they do in other places of the country4 ,at this post the soil is a rich1 black loamy clay1 and the surface is thickly wooded all around4 ,as seen from the high ground on the opposite side of the river1 the country to the south and east appears undulating1 rising into extensive ridges all heavily wooded4 ,this condition is said to continue through to ,hay river4 ,in the valley are many lakes1 some of considerable extent1 and many large swamps4 ,i could not learn anything of the character of the soil1 but it is fair to assume from the general character of the woods1 that it is of fair quality4 8,while at this fort ,i examined the daily journal of events kept at every post1 for the purpose of getting some information as to the times of the general run of farming events1 opening or closing of the river1 or any other fact of agricultural1 meteorological1 or general interest4 ,i will here make a few explanatory remarks with regard to these journals4 ,it is a standing rule in the ,company's service that a journal of daily events be kept at every post1 but each officer seems to have a different idea of what a daily journal even is1 and there seems to be a want of continuity1 so to speak1 in the records when there is a change of writers or officers1 some officers aiming at making it what it was intended or ought to be1 a chronicle which could at any time hereafter be consulted with confidence regarding historical1 meteorological and agricultural events in particular1 and information generally4 ,unfortunately1 many seem to have considered it an unpleasant duty1 and put it off from day to day1 until a long interval had elapsed1 then went at it in desperation and made the best record they could from memory1 of course often omitting many items of interest and general importance4 ,in many of the journals ,i have seen there are great gaps1 the officer at the place being absent on a journey1 or sick or otherwise unable to write the journal at the post4 ,,notes ,,from ,,liard ,,journals4 ,the journals at ,liard gave me the following dates and facts3-- #ahgh4 ,planted seed ,may #i2 reaped barley1 omitted2 first ice drifting in the river1 ,october #ah2 ice set in river1 ,october #bi4 #ahgi4 ,planted seed ,april #bb2 reaped barley ,august #ad2 first ice in river ,october #ae2 ice set fast ,november #g4 #ahhj4 ,planted seed ,may #g2 reaped barley ,august #ad2 first ice in river ,october #be2 ice set fast ,november #i4 #ahha4 ,planted seed ,may #e2 reaped barley ,august #ab2 first ice in river ,october #aj2 ice set fast ,november #ac4 #ahhb4 ,planted seed ,may #i2 reaped barley ,august #bb2 first ice in river ,october #af2 ice set fast ,november #g4 #ahhc4 ,planted seed ,may #c2 reaped barley ,august #aj2 first ice in river ,october #bi2 ice set fast ,november #i4 #ahhd4 ,planted seed ,may #a2 reaped barley1 omitted2 first ice in river ,october #aj2 ice set fast ,october #bi4 #ahhe4 ,planted seed ,may #bb2 reaped barley ,august #aa2 first ice in river ,october #bc2 ice set fast1 omitted4 #ahhf4 ,planted seed ,may #g2 reaped barley ,august #ai2 first ice in river ,november #i2 ice set fast ,november #bj4 #ahhg4 ,planted seed ,may #c2 reaped barley1 omitted2 first ice in river ,october #bb2 ice set fast ,november #i4 #ahhh4 ,planted seed ,may #i2 reaped barley1 omitted2 first ice in river ,october #bj2 ice set fast ,november #e4 #ahhi4 ,planted seed ,april #af2 reaped barley1 omitted2 first ice in river ,october #bh2 ice set fast ,november #ad4 #ahij4 ,planted seed ,april #cj2 reaped barley1 omitted2 first ice in river ,october #ae2 ice set fast ,november #ad4 ,potatoes are generally harvested about ,september #bj4 ,the ice generally breaks up in the river about ,may #a4 ,,between ,,the ,,liard ,,and ,,the ,,peace4 8,on the west side of ,liard and ,east ,branch rivers it is not very far to the mountains1 consequently the area of land which might be utilized agriculturally is not very extensive on that side4 ,on the east the same character of surface holds ,i believe from the ,liard southward to the ,peace watershed1 high dry ridges with many intervening swamps and lakes1 many of the swamps being very extensive4 ,this is as the ,indians and one or two white men who have made journeys into it have said of it4 ,the soil is generally of fair quality1 some of it good4 ,on my return from ,sikanni ,chief river to ,peace river ,i found the same general characteristics1 ridges with swamps between4 ,i am afraid the elevation above the sea level along this route 7the average reading of the barometer being about #bg4jj inches while ,i was on it7 is too high to allow farming in the sense in which we understand it4 ,on the streams flowing into the ,peace1 there is much prairie1 but it is confined mainly to the immediate valleys of the streams2 much of it is springy and wet1 evidently the water from the adjacent swamps percolating through4 ,the soil is all good1 and if the climatic conditions were suitable1 a very large percentage of good country would be found in this section4 ,many of the swamps could be drained as the natural facilities for drainage are good4 ,although it was in ,october ,i passed over it ,i witnessed no severe frosts1 very little ice being visible anywhere1 and the flora giving no evidence of having been much injured by the frosts4 ,in the prairies along the creeks1 the grasses and plants are generally of as luxuriant growth as in places much farther south and east4 ,the grass was generally long and meadow-like1 but as we approached ,peace river it became more like true prairie grass1 until extensive areas of true prairie were passed over along the tributaries of ,peace river4 8,the weather for some days previous to my arrival at ,nelson 7,september #ae7 had been showery and unsettled2 this culminated on ,september #af in a very heavy rainfall which changed to snow on ,september #ag and #ah4 ,this was damp and stuck to and loaded the trees in the forest to such an extent that the weight broke thousands of them4 ,the snowstorm appears to have been local1 as ,i afterwards learned that it had not extended to ,peace river nor more than one hundred miles south from ,nelson4 ,the weather cleared on ,september #ai40 ,in a communication to the press in #aiaj1 ,mr4 ,ogilvie wrote3--8,from ,fort ,vermilion to ,fort ,liard on ,liard river1 where wheat has been successfully grown for more years than many people would credit1 is three hundred and ten miles2 by trail1 say three hundred and fifty4 ,on this stretch just across ,peace river ,hay river prairies are highly spoken of1 and certainly look well from the river4 ,a railway line would probably follow down ,black river valley to ,liard1 and extensive meadows in this valley were reported by natives when ,i was there in #ahia40 ,,evidence ,,before ,,the ,,late ,,senate ,,committee4 ,the select committee of the ,senate of ,canada which sat in #aijg devoted considerable attention to the agricultural possibilities of ,mackenzie valley4 ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell of the ,geological ,survey was examined before the committee and said he did not happen to be in places where there was any farming going on1 but was at ,fort ,providence in the autumn and wintered there one winter1 and ate potatoes1 turnips and other vegetables like that all winter that had been grown there4 ,that is north of ,great ,slave lake4 ,going down the ,mackenzie1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell explained1 once you get away from the river flat you get into a rolling country partly with muskeg1 with hard ridges between4 ,the only possible part of that country suitable for agriculture1 he thought1 would be the large flats down ,mackenzie river4 ,it is a wide valley1 but there is the same thing there3 you never know exactly beforehand what is going to happen4 ,certainly it does not look like a favourable country for agriculture once you get away from the river4 ,the prairie on ,liard river is a little north of the #fjth degree of latitude4 ,there is a lot of marsh hay growing around ,great ,slave lake4 ,it would be good for feeding stock4 ,along ,great ,slave lake itself there is a large tract of flat country which may come in some time4 ,most of the grass ,mr4 ,mc,connell saw there was a heavy marsh grass4 ,it is not jointed1 though there is some of that kind4 ,he remembered seeing patches of it on ,hay river4 ,asked as to the extent of good agricultural land in the country1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell said it depended on what was called good agricultural country4 ,he knew that at ,fort ,good ,hope1 right down on the circle1 they can raise good potatoes1 because he saw them1 and there is no reason why they cannot raise vegetables all the way down the ,mackenzie as far north as that4 ,the land on both sides of the river suitable for agriculture does not extend far4 ,there are flats two or three miles wide--bottom flats of the ,mackenzie a mile to a mile and a half wide4 ,once you get up out of the valley the country is rolling and partly muskeg4 ,there is a large tract of that sort of country extending as far north as ,fort ,good ,hope4 ,it is about a thousand miles altogether from ,great ,slave lake to the sea1 and that flat would be six or eight hundred miles in length4 ,,intense ,,summer ,,heat4 ,mr4 ,elihu ,stewart 7,see p4 #acf71 describing his trip to the far north before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 said that after leaving ,lake ,athabaska there is rock along the ,athabaska1 but there are plains1 said to be good land1 extending from ,slave lake down to ,peace river4 ,below ,fort ,smith there is a deposit of alluvial soil very similar in appearance and in character to that of the prairie1 extending as far as ,rocky mountains1 below ,fort ,simpson1 and even along the valley then all the way down as far as ,mr4 ,stewart went4 ,it was a surprise to him4 ,mr4 ,stewart was at ,fort ,providence on ,july #ae1 #aijf4 ,fort ,providence is near ,slave lake1 on ,mackenzie river1 in latitude #fabe4 ,this is nine hundred and seventeen miles by travelled route from ,athabaska1 but1 as near as ,mr4 ,stewart could calculate it1 about five hundred and fifty miles farther north than ,edmonton4 ,he saw there on ,july #ae wheat in the milk1 potatoes in flower1 peas fit for use1 tomatoes1 turnips1 rhubarb1 beets1 cabbage1 onions1 and other garden vegetables4 ,the tomatoes were not fully formed1 and ,mr4 ,stewart did not think they ripened4 ,they grew them under glass4 ,the strawberries ripen at any time2 in fact they had ripe strawberries before that1 also raspberries1 currants1 gooseberries and saskatoons4 ,the wheat that ,mr4 ,stewart saw there was just in milk4 ,he inquired when it was sown1 and was told ,may #bj4 ,it seemed incredible1 until it was remembered that there is scarcely any darkness during summer there4 ,there were about twenty hours' sun each day1 and the heat was greater for several days than anything ,mr4 ,stewart had ever experienced in ,ottawa4 ,along the lower ,athabaska and at ,chipewyan1 ,mr4 ,stewart and his fellow travellers had it over one hundred in the shade for several days4 ,there was a thermometer on the steamer in the shade4 ,perhaps the heat was greater on the boat than it would have been ashore4 ,certainly it was exceedingly hot weather1 and continued all night4 ,there was very little night at that time4 ,the hot wave extended down to the ,arctic sea as ,mr4 ,stewart ascertained from ,indians who had come from ,rampart ,house1 near the ,alaskan boundary1 to meet the steamer1 the 8,wrigley40 ,he returned with them instead of coming back with the boat1 and they lost two of their dogs from the heat1 and that in the ,arctic circle4 ,from his observations along the river1 that portion of the ,mackenzie he travelled through presented a better appearance than ,athabaska basin4 ,he did not see much hay around ,slave lake4 ,he was not travelling through the country there4 ,,nine ,,hundred ,,and ,,seventy ,,miles ,,north ,,of ,,edmonton4 ,fort ,good ,hope1 in latitude #ffaf1 is nine hundred and seventy miles farther north than ,edmonton1 yet ,mr4 ,stewart saw cabbages1 onions and other garden vegetables growing in the gardens there4 ,beyond ,fort ,good ,hope the frost is so near the surface of the ground that it is pretty hard to raise anything4 ,at ,fort ,macpherson1 and in that neighbourhood where the portage is crossed1 there is frozen soil4 ,the vegetables at ,fort ,good ,hope looked as good as any others4 ,the soil there was very fertile4 ,the fort which is nearest to the mouth of the ,mackenzie is 8,point ,separation40 ,it is not on the ,mackenzie1 and was so named because it was there that ,sir ,john ,franklin and ,doctor ,richardson separated on ,franklin's memorable second trip4 ,there were no evidences of vegetation along the river that far north that would lead the witness to conclude that agriculture could be carried on there4 ,as far as ,fort ,good ,hope1 on this side of that place1 and around ,providence the country is a fine one4 ,it is a wooded country4 ,in ,mr4 ,stewart's #aijf official report 7p4 #ac7 he writes3--8,on ,july #ae1 the garden at ,fort ,providence 7latitude #fad7 contained peas fit for use1 potatoes in flower1 tomatoes1 rhubarb1 beets1 cabbages1 onions4 ,besides vegetables1 there were cultivated flowers and fruits such as red currants1 gooseberries1 strawberries1 raspberries and saskatoons4 ,but most surprising thing of all was a small field of wheat in the milk1 the grain being fully formed40 ,this was stated to have been sown on ,may #bj and harvested before ,july #bh1 slightly over two months from sowing4 ,,sit ,,out ,,all ,,night ,,and ,,read4 ,mr4 ,h4 ,a4 ,conroy of the ,indian ,department 7,see p4 #acf7 informed the ,senate committee that he had been down at ,fort ,providence mission in #aijb4 ,the missionaries had a splendid farm about latitude #fbcj1 and he saw beautiful crops of wheat1 oats1 barley and peas4 ,he left there on ,july #bh1 and their barley was fit to cut1 and they were cutting it4 ,their oats and wheat would be ready to cut in a day or two from the looks of it1 and the priest later told him all their grain was cut without a bit of frost4 ,they have lots of sunlight4 ,one could sit out all night and read4 ,the altitude is low1 and you can see the reflection of the sunset and sunrise4 ,w4 ,f4 ,bredin1 ,m4,l4,a41 7,see p4 #ajd7 in his evidence before the committee1 remarked that the southern shore of ,great ,slave lake seems to have good agricultural prospects4 ,one notable place there is ,hay river4 ,there they raise barley and all the common vegetables4 ,at the mouth of ,great ,slave river and at the mouths of all the rivers running in there1 large quantities of hay grow4 ,in fact there is a very rank growth of grass along all those streams as far north as one likes to go4 ,where the ground along the river is not covered with trees1 grass grows4 ,at ,fort ,providence1 about forty miles down the ,mackenzie from ,great ,slave lake1 they raise barley and all the vegetables every year1 and some years wheat and oats4 ,one hundred and seventy miles below1 north of ,fort ,providence1 is ,fort ,simpson1 where ,liard river comes in4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company for many years have raised barley and vegetables at that point4 ,in some years they might raise wheat1 but not every year4 ,at all those ,hudson's ,bay ,company's posts they always raise vegetables4 ,they do not pretend to raise any other grain regularly but barley1 because ,,they ,,use ,,barley ,,for ,,soups4 ,they pound the hull of it in a hollow piece of wood and use the grain for soups4 ,at ,fort ,simpson he saw cauliflowers1 cabbages and cucumbers growing under exactly the same conditions as they would grow them in northern ,alberta4 ,the cucumbers were simply planted in a hotbed1 and allowed to remain there protected in the early spring from the frost1 and then allowed to grow in the hotbeds1 with the sashes off1 in the summer time4 ,one hundred and forty miles north of ,fort ,simpson is ,fort ,wrigley 7north latitude #fc74 ,that is where ,mr4 ,bredin stated he once wintered4 ,in the spring they put in a garden there4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company officials plant gardens every year at that point4 ,the spring that ,mr4 ,bredin was there they got their seed potatoes from ,fort ,good ,hope1 which is fourteen miles south of the ,arctic circle4 ,they went there for seed because they had none1 having used up theirs during the winter4 ,mr4 ,bredin saw those potatoes4 ,they were a played-out seed1 a white-blue variety4 ,they were not the improved potatoes but they were a fair size4 ,they had the same class of potatoes at ,hay river1 but since that they got in new seed 7the ,early ,rover7 from outside1 and they grow very much better crops4 ,the season at ,wrigley is quite long enough1 because the sun shines there during all the growing season4 ,that is the great secret of the growth in that country4 ,there is not much fertile land at ,wrigley4 ,down there ,rocky mountains are on both sides of the river1 and there is a great deal of muskeg4 ,the garden at ,fort ,wrigley ,,was ,,originally ,,muskeg and covered with moss4 ,as soon as the timber is cut off a muskeg the moss dies1 the frost comes out of the ground1 and gardens can be cultivated4 ,the trees throw out their leaves in ,mackenzie basin about the middle of ,may1 before the ice goes out of the river4 ,the year ,mr4 ,bredin was there the ice went out of the ,mackenzie at ,fort ,wrigley on ,may #bc1 and the trees were all out in leaf before that time4 ,on ,mackenzie river the trees leaf out almost in a few hours4 ,the quickness with which the leaves appear on the trees in the spring is simply marvellous4 ,mr4 ,bredin was never up ,liard valley1 but heard a great deal about it at ,fort ,simpson1 and he had seen the journals of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company that were kept at ,fort ,liard1 two hundred miles up ,liard river4 ,from these sources he gathered that they raised all the cereals there1 such as wheat1 oats and barley1 as well as all the vegetables of the commoner varieties4 ,mr4 ,bredin informed the committee that the spring he was at ,fort ,wrigley the months of ,march and ,april were the finest he ever saw4 ,he was there just one spring1 and it was as pleasant weather as he ever saw in his native province of ,ontario1 for those two months1 while the winters were no worse than he had seen them in ,manitoba4 ,mackenzie river closed on ,november #ai that year and there was a little snow then--and it lasted until ,march4 ,practically all the snow went off the latter part of ,march4 ,mr4 ,edward ,a4 ,preble of the ,united ,states ,biological ,survey 7,see p4 #bb71 speaking of his trip down the ,mackenzie in #aijd1 states that the country about ,fort ,providence is level and is mainly grown up to poplars 7,populus tremuloides74 ,back from the river are many muskegs1 with their characteristic tamarack and spruce forests4 ,the ,roman ,catholic mission established is now one of the largest in the north4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's post was established there in #ahfh1 and the post at ,big island was abandoned4 ,both establishments cultivate large fields of potatoes and the various root crops4 ,mr4 ,preble reports that on ,june #ag1 below ,fort ,norman1 a small quantity of snow fell4 ,on ,june #ba1 at ,fort ,good ,hope1 the leaves on most of the trees were about half grown4 ,on the same date the sun was visible at midnight from a low hill near the post1 and many birds were in full song at that hour4 ,for the next three weeks1 north of this point1 the sun was continually above the horizon4 ,vegetation now advanced rather faster than ,mr4 ,preble's rate of travel northward1 but was not at its height when he reached the delta of the ,mackenzie on ,june #cj4 ,,united ,,states ,,official ,,report4 ,mr4 ,preble in his published report 7,north ,american ,fauna ,no4 #bg7 presents a map of the ,northland1 showing the 8life zone40 ,what he calls 8the ,canadian zone0 extends from the southern margin of the map to an irregular line trending in a northwesterly direction from a point about #ebcj north latitude1 just south of ,hudson bay1 to a point about #ehcj north latitude at ,rocky mountains4 ,the main irregularity in the course of the northern boundary of this zone is due to a wedge shaped projection into the zone to the north1 due to the well known northern trend of the isothermal lines from a point in eastern ,saskatchewan4 ,the line from about longitude #aej runs direct across ,lake ,athabaska1 cutting it in half practically1 then to the mouth of ,slave river on ,great ,slave lake1 thence in a sweep to where the #feth parallel of north latitude strikes the ,mackenzie4 ,thence the line runs back southeast to the ,liard1 following that stream to the western margin of the map4 ,north of the 8,canadian0 zone1 the 8,hudsonian0 zone is represented1 its northern limit being an irregular line running northwesterly from north latitude #eeaa on ,hudson bay to the delta of the ,mackenzie4 ,this zone is represented as extending northward in wedge shaped projections for some distance down the valley of the ,dubawnt1 down that of the ,coppermine1 and into the lake country north of ,great ,bear lake4 ,all of the country north of this is described by ,mr4 ,preble as the 8,arctic zone40 ,mr4 ,preble remarks in his report3--8,the northern border of the ,canadian zone in the ,mackenzie region limits the successful cultivation of barley1 potatoes1 and the more hardy root crops1 although with special care most of them are raised in certain favoured localities in the southern part of the ,hudsonian4 ,even in the ,canadian1 however1 an occasional failure occurs1 in the case of the less hardy crops1 because of the occurrence of unusually late spring or early autumn frosts4 ,in most parts of ,peace river valley1 and even in lower ,liard valley1 wheat is a successful crop4 ,peas1 potatoes1 radishes1 turnips1 beets1 carrots1 cabbages1 lettuce and onions are raised with a considerable degree of success as far north as ,fort ,norman1 near latitude #fe1 near the northern extremity of the ,canadian strip4 ,nearly all of these meet with a fair amount of success at ,fort ,rae and also at ,fort ,good ,hope1 in the lower ,hudsonian1 but at ,fort ,rae the situation is specially favourable as regards slope exposure1 and the permanent frost1 which remains near the surface in most parts of the ,hudsonian1 probably retreats to a much lower depth4 ,at ,fort ,good ,hope the almost continuous sunlight of summer probably compensates in part for its extreme northern position40 ,the importance of these extracts from ,mr4 ,preble's report lies in the fact that this is an official report of a trained1 scientific explorer who has lived in the north country for months1 who has travelled extensively1 and whose sole object as a responsible salaried official of a foreign country is to provide indisputable data for scientific study4 ,,an ,,english ,,traveller',s ,,testimony4 ,illustration3 ,eskimos in ,kyaks on ,arctic ,red river4 ,mr4 ,alfred ,h4 ,harrison1 the ,english traveller and explorer 7,see p4 #bb71 in his volume 8,in ,search of a ,polar ,continent0 relates that just as he was leaving ,fort ,simpson in #aije for the descent of the lower ,mackenzie 8,pre ,vacher appeared with a sack of potatoes which he had grown in his own garden1 and which were as good as any we can get at home40 ,when ,mr4 ,harrison reached the post at the mouth of ,arctic ,red river on ,october #d1 he found that that tributary had been frozen fast for three weeks1 and it was reported that a few miles lower down the ,mackenzie itself was ice-locked4 ,in his account of his return trip up the ,mackenzie in #aijg1 ,mr4 ,harrison writes 7p4 #bfh73--8,on ,july #be we arrived at ,fort ,good ,hope1 where ,i was glad once more1 to meet ,mr4 ,gaudet1 who1 it will be remembered1 was in charge of this post4 ,i was particularly impressed here by the gardens which ,i visited4 ,they produced fine crops of nearly every kind of vegetable that we grow at home4 ,i did not1 indeed1 see either pease or beans1 but ,i noted how very fine the potatoes and cabbages were1 as also the onions1 beet root1 lettuces1 and turnips4 ,we took some of these vegetables on board1 and they tasted every whit as good as they looked04 ,mr4 ,harrison devotes several pages of his book to what he describes as the commercial geography of the country extending from ,athabaska to the delta of the ,mackenzie4 ,he writes3-- ,,as ,,to ,,illinois1 ,,iowa ,,and ,,missouri4 8,the natural resources of this country are very great4 ,i remember once hearing my father say that the states of ,illinois1 ,iowa1 and ,missouri were commonly believed1 when he was a young man1 to be barren wastes1 where agriculture was impossible1 and where no white men could live1 but that by the few who knew of the capabilities of that region great hopes were entertained of its future4 ,to-day these very states are the most productive in the ,union4 ,in like manner one might be tempted to hazard a prophecy as to the importance and prosperity of that country1 so vast1 but so little known1 which lies to the north of the new province of ,alberta2 and1 accordingly1 ,i will venture briefly to submit an estimate of the commercial prospects of what may well be a career of immense industrial expansion which seems to await the great region now known as ,mackenzie river basin4 8,canada1 be it remembered1 has an area greater than that of the ,united ,states1 and at the last census 7that of #aija7 the smaller country showed a population of eighty millions1 as against the mere five millions at which the larger was registered4 ,if1 therefore1 the resources of the larger of these two countries are relatively as great1 the scantier population will admit of being increased fifteen times4 ,the question of resources thereupon emerges1 and before speaking of these in detail1 it may be noted 7#a7 that the soil here is as good as in other parts of the ,dominion2 and 7#b7 that the winters are not more severe than those which are undergone in other portions of ,canada4 ,six months1 moreover1 of open water may be reckoned upon--from the beginning of ,may to the beginning of ,november4 ,the lakes and rivers abound with fish2 there are inconnu1 or ,mackenzie salmon1 whitefish1 pike1 and suckers1 dor1 trout1 and herrings4 ,the large inland sheets of water--such as ,great and ,lesser ,slave lakes1 ,athabaska and ,bear lakes--teem with fish1 which forms to-day the staple food of the scanty inmates of these tracts4 ,the fishing1 indeed1 would of itself be no slight asset were there any means of shipping the produce out of the country4 8,this brings me to the subject of transport4 ,population will not merely increase with1 but will itself enable the increase of1 ,,the ,,means ,,of ,,communication4 ,the two will advance1 like a couple of boys playing at leap-frog1 each by the aid of the other--and will advance1 like those youngsters1 #8by leaps and bounds4' ,as the settlers become more frequent the great waterways will be rendered navigable1 and their banks1 like the land abutting the railways that will make a trellis-work of the country1 will be dotted with noble cities and with prosperous towns4 ,there are at the present day three huge tracts that would quickly be inhabited were they invaded by the locomotive4 ,a railroad from ,edmonton to ,athabaska river would give access to two hundred and ten miles of waterway1 in one direction1 up to ,lesser ,slave lake1 and one hundred and sixty-five miles of stream running down to ,grand rapids4 ,a railroad from ,edmonton to ,peace river would open up six hundred miles of a river yet finer1 and running through a finer country1 than that approached by the first-named line4 ,the third railway to be looked for would connect ,athabaska river at ,mc,murray with ,prince ,albert1 hereby giving easy access to the name-sake lake from this fort4 8,it might be objected that there are no markets in this country1 but this objection we have already virtually forestalled4 ,given the spread of railways and the inflow of settlers1 the establishment of markets will follow as a matter of course4 ,let me conclude my statement of the country's capabilities by mentioning its lime and stone1 its oil and gas1 its asphaltum1 coal1 and salt4 8,in cherishing these sanguine hopes as to its future1 ,i do not think ,i am alone4 ,they are shared by a few who have gone off the beaten tracks1 and made themselves acquainted with the country4 ,when the immensity of these northern lands is realized1 one cannot wonder that few men should be familiar with them4 ,in my travels there ,i have met with only one man who really knows the country from end to end1 and if asked whether he did so1 he would doubtless answer that he did not4 ,i refer to ,mr4 ,conroy 7of the ,indian ,department7 who has traversed its entire length year after year1 has departed from the beaten tracks1 and has in many places penetrated far into the interior4 ,how1 then1 in the absence of railways1 can men whose enterprise and qualifications are less eminent than his obtain in a lifetime an adequate knowledge of this outlying region80 ,,mounted ,,police ,,reports4 ,we get some interesting information regarding unknown or little known sections of the ,mackenzie country from recent reports of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police4 ,inspector ,jarvis1 ,c4,m4,g41 in the report of one of his patrols in #aijg into the wood buffalo country about ,fort ,smith and the ,little ,buffalo1 wrote3--8,we went westerly from ,fort ,smith through a level dry country1 covered with jackpine and poplar for about nine miles1 following nearly the course of ,slave river to ,gravel point1 where we turned southwesterly through a region of swamps and muskegs for nine miles more4 ,this brought us to ,salt river where we camped for the night4 ,the next day we went northwesterly along the banks of ,salt river1 in a region of extensive prairies1 some of them wet1 some dry1 but all covered with a fine growth of grass and capable of supplying unlimited quantities of hay4 ,after three miles we came to the crossing of ,salt river1 and went up the thickly wooded slope of ,salt mountain1 which is here1 as farther south1 a plateau of no great elevation4 ,from there on the country was beautiful1 the ground was slightly rolling with occasional lakes1 the soil rich1 and the timber1 spruce1 poplar1 jackpine and tamarack4 ,the pasture was of the richest description1 so that the horses fared well in spite of the swarms of the mosquitoes and bulldogs 7flies74 ,we now left the mountain to cross this open stretch and at noon reached the east side of this prairie1 where we camped4 ,thence forward we travelled through dry poplar woods of scattered large trees1 under which the richest grass abounded4 ,the whole of this region seemed ideal for stock4 ,about #c p4m4 we once more reached ,salt river1 and followed its banks through the same dry poplar country to its junction with ,slave river1 which we reached at six o'clock4 ,a boat was handy so we put all baggage in this1 and swam the horses1 camping for the night4 ,on ,june #bh we broke camp at #h a4m4 and rode southerly for two miles through a dense growth of spruce1 varied with a few stumps4 ,this gave place to the open poplar woods with rich pasture which continued for seven miles1 bringing us to ,gravel point4 8,there is a good deal of swamp in this region4 ,there is1 however1 much land that is dry1 rich1 and eminently suited for ranching and mixed farming40 ,the inspector relates how1 northeast of ,little ,buffalo river1 8we came to the top of the mountain and had a clear view of a great extent of country below us4 ,to the north were some muskegs1 but northeast were the open plains of ,salt river stretching away for many miles40 ,,liard ,,in #aiji4 ,sergeant 7at that date ,corporal7 ,a4 ,h4 ,l4 ,mellor1 ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 made a patrol from ,smith ,landing to ,fort ,liard in #aiji4 ,in his report he says3--8,fort ,liard enjoys a much more temperate climate than this country 7,fort ,smith7 and splendid gardens are raised there4 ,the ,roman ,catholic mission has been growing wheat and barley there for a considerable time1 always with success4 ,i am sending herewith a sample of their last year's wheat40 ,sergeant ,mellor ascended ,buffalo river from ,great ,slave lake in #aiaj and made detours inland on foot at several points for the purpose of getting some idea of the nature of the country1 and found the whole region to be of a swampy nature1 with here and there a sandy stretch4 ,along the southern shore of ,buffalo lake is a 8dreary muskeg country1 thicketed with dwarf spruce and riddled with innumerable streams of water1 both sulphur and clear40 ,,hay ,,river ,,and ,,resolution4 ,sergeant ,r4 ,field1 in charge of the ,chipewyan sub-district1 under date ,august1 #aiji1 reported3--8,the gardens at ,hay river and ,resolution look very promising1 especially the potato crop4 ,the ,reverend ,vale at ,hay river informed me that he grew one thousand bushels of potatoes last year on three acres of land1 and also splendid cabbages and cauliflowers1 besides all other kinds of vegetables4 ,the potato crop at ,chipewyan is going to be very poor this year owing to the extremely hot weather and very little rain40 ,in his annual report for #aiaj-aa1 ,superintendent ,g4 ,e4 ,sanders1 ,d4,s4,o41 commanding at ,athabaska1 gives this interesting reference3--8,as regards weather conditions the winter of #aiaj-aa was one of the coldest known1 the thermometer at different times in ,january and ,february registering #fj below zero at ,athabaska1 ,lesser ,slave lake and ,fort ,vermilion4 ,in the far north the same months were cold1 but the thermometer did not go as low1 #eh being the severest at ,fort ,mc,pherson and #dj at ,herschell island4 ,forty below on the coast1 however1 would be much more trying than #fj below inland4 ,it is interesting to note that ,athabaska river and ,mackenzie river1 one thousand eight hundred miles farther north1 froze over within four days of each other1 the former on ,november #h and the latter on ,november #d4 ,the ice left the ,athabaska on ,april #bb1 and the ,mackenzie on ,may #ac40 ,,to ,,the ,,east ,,of ,,the ,,mackenzie4 ,it will no doubt be remarked that so far very little has been said with reference to arable land and agriculture in that section of the territory to which this chapter is devoted1 east of the actual valley of ,mackenzie river itself4 ,this is easily explained4 ,in the first place1 except at ,fort ,rae on the north arm of ,great ,slave lake1 no attempts at practical agriculture have been made in the eastern division of the region being treated of1 for there are no posts there4 ,fort ,confidence and ,fort ,franklin on ,great ,bear lake1 and ,fort ,enterprise near the head waters of the ,coppermine1 were never ordinary trading posts1 being merely winter headquarters1 deserted by their tenants as soon as travelling was practicable4 ,illustration3 ,staff and pupils1 ,church of ,england ,mission1 ,hay river4 ,in the second place1 the question of the country's agricultural possibilities have not been considered by the few lightly equipped explorers who have hurried through sections of it intent upon some special mission or other4 ,the only references we find in the journals of such travellers as have ventured through this region in summer1 are such as we get in ,mr4 ,preble's account of his trip via the lake1 river and portage route from ,great ,slave lake to ,great ,bear lake1 when he states that on ,august #bd 8,currants 7,ribes rubrum and prostratum7 were abundant and ripe0 along the route4 ,doctor ,richardson 7,see p4 #ac71 commenting upon the observations made by himself and colleagues of the ,franklin expedition at ,fort ,franklin at the southwest corner of ,great ,bear lake1 gives the following notes regarding the progression of the seasons3--8,the relative temperatures of ,december1 ,january1 and ,february differ considerably2 any one of these months may be the coldest in different years4 ,in some years snow exposed to the sun thaws very slightly during these months2 in other winters there is no thaw whatever4 ,the snow attains its greatest depth1 about three feet1 in ,march4 ,by ,april #aj1 the snow begins to thaw decidedly in the sunshine4 ,from ,may #a to ,may #f1 the earlier waterfowl arrive4 ,the small streams break up about ,may #aj or #ab4 ,between the middle and the end of ,may1 most of the small birds arrive4 ,at the end of ,may or early in ,june1 the earlier shrubs and herbaceous plants flower and sprout their leaves4 ,frogs are heard at the same time4 ,by the last week of ,may there is ,,bright ,,light ,,at ,,midnight4 ,no snow1 excepting the remains of deep drifts1 is left4 ,on ,june #h 7#ahbf71 the small lake was clear of ice1 having been frozen for two hundred and forty days4 ,by the middle of ,june the summer is fairly established4 ,great ,bear lake begins to break up about ,june #bj1 and drift ice sometimes obstructs navigation until the first or second week in ,august4 ,by ,july #be blueberries 7vaccinium uliginosum7 are ripe4 ,at the beginning of ,august or first of ,september snow falls4 ,several frosts set in by the last of ,september4 ,in ,october1 when the soil begins to freeze1 the summer thaw has penetrated about twenty-one inches1 beneath which the ground is perpetually frozen4 ,the small lakes are frozen over by ,october #aj or #ab1 and the last of the waterfowl depart4 ,the bays of ,great ,bear lake are filled with new ice by the end of ,october or early in ,november1 but the centre of the lake does not freeze over until ,december4 ,the ice attains a thickness of about eight feet40 ,bear river opens at its head early in ,may1 the result 7according to ,richardson7 of its being fed by warm water from the depths of the lake4 ,probably from the same cause the lake remains open at the outlet until very late in the autumn1 or throughout the winter4 ,at the rapid of ,bear river the ice forms from the bottom and sides and finally completely blocks the stream4 ,the resulting overflow continually adds to the volume of ice1 which reaches an enormous thickness4 ,the heat of an ordinary summer is insufficient to melt this mass entirely1 and great quantities of it usually exist on the south or sheltered bank throughout the season4 ,this vast accumulation of ice probably prevents the lower part of the river from opening as soon as the early disruption of its upper part would seem to justify4 ,richardson states that the lower part usually opens in ,june1 while ,petitot gives the usual time as the last of ,may4 ,in #aijd it was already open when the ,mackenzie broke up at ,fort ,norman on ,may #ba4 ,great ,bear lake1 according to the ,geological ,survey1 has an area of approximately eleven thousand four hundred square miles and lies three hundred and ninety-one feet above the level of the sea4 ,its shores1 with the exception of parts of ,mac,tavish bay1 are rather low4 ,the area between ,great ,bear lake and the ,arctic coast is said to be fifty thousand square miles1 or about equal to ,england in size4 ,it is nearly all to the north of the ,arctic circle1 and it is doubtful if it has any agricultural value1 unless ,doctor ,grenfell's idea of introducing reindeer ranching as a commercial enterprise develops4 ,,anderson ,,river ,,country4 ,according to ,mr4 ,mac,farlane's description of ,anderson river region1 north of ,great ,bear lake1 the greater part of the ground is every season covered with short grasses1 mosses1 and small flowering plants1 while patches of sedgy or peaty soil occur at longer or shorter distances4 ,on these1 as well as along the smaller rivulets and river and lake banks1 ,labrador tea1 crow-berries1 and a few other kinds of berries1 dwarf birch1 willows1 etc41 grow4 ,large flat spaces had the honeycombed appearance usually presented in early spring by land which has been turned over in the autumn4 ,there were few signs of vegetation on these1 while some sandy and many other spots were virtually sterile4 ,the area between ,great ,bear lake1 the ,mackenzie and the western part of ,great ,slave lake1 represents some thirty-five thousand square miles4 ,with respect to this region1 the indefatigable missionary1 ,abb ,petitot1 made numerous journeys through it1 of which he subsequently published an account4 ,they are1 however1 merely valuable on geographical and geological grounds4 ,references to these reports will be found elsewhere4 ,mr4 ,preble states in his report3--8,to the westward of the northern arm1 and north of the main body of ,great ,slave lake1 lies a low1 broad plateau1 dotted with many lakes and muskegs4 ,it contains no rivers of consequence and is mainly rather thinly wooded1 though a number of large prairies occur in the western part1 north of the outlet of ,great ,slave lake40 ,,russian ,,provinces ,,in ,,the ,,same ,,latitude4 ,reference has already been made in this chapter to an interesting comparison made by ,wm4 ,ogilvie1 ,d4,l4,s41 between the ,mackenzie country and ,finland and ,scandinavia4 ,in his examination before the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 ,doctor ,g4 ,m4 ,dawson instituted a comparison between parts of northwestern ,canada and a province of northern ,european ,russia as follows3--8,i have a few notes here worth considering while we are dealing with the question of this northern country4 ,i looked up the circumstances of the northern provinces of ,russia and ,i found that the province of ,russia which seemed to compare most nearly with that shown on this map1 both in its relation in ,russia to the ,atlantic1 corresponding to the relation of this country to the ,pacific1 and also in its latitude1 is the province of ,vologda4 ,that province has a total area of one hundred and fifty-five thousand1 two hundred and sixty-five square miles1 and it is chiefly drained to the north like the country shown here4 ,it lies between latitudes #eh and #fe4 ,it is about seven hundred and fifty miles in greatest length and three hundred miles greatest width4 ,it is drained by the ,dwina river chiefly4 ,its products are carried by this river to ,archangel and exported thence in vessels by ,white sea in the same way that we hope this northern country of ours may be served by the ,mackenzie and ,arctic sea4 ,the mouth of the ,dwina is in latitude #fe1 only a little south of the latitude of the mouth of the ,mackenzie4 ,the climate of the two countries is very similar4 ,the winters are severe and the summers warm4 ,there is no very heavy rainfall1 such as we find near the western coasts bordering on the ,atlantic and on the ,pacific4 ,the exports from that province of ,vologda are oats1 rye1 barley1 hemp1 flax and pulse4 ,the mineral products are salt1 copper1 iron and marble4 ,horses and cattle are reared1 while the skins of various wild animals1 as well as pitch and turpentine1 are exported4 ,this province supports a population of one million1 one hundred and sixty-one thousand inhabitants4#ai 8,that province is not in ,siberia but in ,russia proper4 ,now1 we have areas to the north which may make several provinces like ,vologda1 and for the purpose of illustrating this point ,i have made a very rough calculation here1 which as it is founded largely on suppositions1 is perhaps scarcely worthy of being presented to the committee1 but may serve to give an idea4 ,with reference to the agricultural area of ,peace river1 ,i confine myself to a tract roughly marked on the map as to which ,i have some personal knowledge4 ,without going over what ,i have already written in reply to that question and which is largely embodied in a report published some years ago1 ,i may say that the area which is included in the upper portion of ,peace river country1 is about thirty-one thousand five hundred square miles4 ,the proportion which ,i estimated as arable land is twenty-three thousand1 five hundred square miles4 ,that would give ninety-four thousand quarter-sections if it were subdivided4 ,reckoning a family of five persons on each1 that area would be capable of supporting a population of four hundred and seventy thousand1 or in round figures say five hundred thousand4 ,i do not think it would be at all beyond the mark 7though ,i am speaking now from the report of others1 because ,i have not been farther down ,peace river myself7 to assume that there is another area at least equally great of arable land in ,mackenzie valley to the north of this4 ,that will give another population of say five hundred thousand4 ,now1 if we take the headwaters of the ,mackenzie and the ,yukon west of the mountains1 ,i think we shall be well within the limits of probability if we say that we have there thirty thousand square miles of that region which may be cultivated with advantage4 ,this1 on the same basis as before1 would support a population of six hundred thousand persons1 or a total of say one million1 five hundred thousand persons in ,mackenzie valley1 and adjacent tracts1 to the north altogether of the ,saskatchewan watershed1 and on the west of the mountains1 north of ,british ,columbia4 ,i think we might1 without exaggeration1 by including miners1 fur traders1 hunters1 lumbermen and those engaged in transport or trade1 besides those in outlying fertile sections not included in this--double the total just arrived at4 ,this will give us a population of three million people in that part of the ,dominion alone4 ,as ,i am not personally familiar with lower ,mackenzie region east of the mountains1 ,i may have underestimated its value4 ,a ,,siberian ,,province4 ,along the same lines the late ,robert ,e4 ,young1 ,d4,l4,s41 at that time ,superintendent of ,railway ,lands and ,chief ,geographer1 giving evidence before the select standing committee of the ,canadian ,house of ,commons on ,agriculture and ,colonization1 ,march #aa1 #aijh1 instituted in a graphic manner a comparison between ,mackenzie basin and the ,siberian province of ,tobolsk4 ,mr4 ,young had prepared a map of the province of ,tobolsk drawn to the same scale as a map of ,canada hanging in the room1 and attached the small map to the larger1 overlying part of the valley of the ,mackenzie1 taking care that the lines of latitude corresponded exactly4 ,this demonstrated that rather more than half the province of ,tobolsk is north of the #fjth parallel1 which is the southern limit of the country immediately under discussion1 although the southern portion of the ,russian province extends in a narrow point as far south as #eb #ae1 its general southern boundary is1 in latitude1 about ten miles north of ,athabaska or one hundred miles north of ,winnipeg4 ,mr4 ,young proceeded to point out on the map of ,tobolsk1 the location of the chief cities of the ,russian province3--,tobolsk1 with a population of twenty thousand1 four hundred and twenty-seven1 situated at exactly the latitude of ,fort ,vermilion on ,peace river2 and ,omsk1 on the line of the great ,siberian ,railway1 with a population of thirty-seven thousand1 four hundred and seventy1 situated at a spot corresponding with a point ten miles north of ,athabaska1 and about a hundred miles north of ,edmonton4 ,mr4 ,young also pointed out the situation of the city of ,tomsk1 with fifty-two thousand and five population1 a province adjoining ,tobolsk1 situated at about the same latitude as ,chipewyan on ,lake ,athabaska1 or a trifle farther north4 ,mr4 ,young went on to explain that in #aijj the population of the province of ,tobolsk was one million five hundred thousand4#bj ,a ,,large ,,town ,,north ,,of ,,wrigley',s ,,latitude4 ,asked how far north the line of habitation extended1 ,mr4 ,young replied3--8,i might say that two-thirds of the way up we find a road marked on the map which would indicate settlement1 ,i suppose4 ,i also have figures here of the population of some eight or ten towns in the province of ,tobolsk4 ,there is one of one thousand1 another of three thousand1 another of seven thousand1 one of eight thousand1 and so on4 ,the farthest north is the town of ,bere-zoff1 with a population of one thousand two hundred and in latitude #fcej0 7some ten miles north of ,fort ,wrigley74 ,mr4 ,young1 being asked as to the number of convicts who had been sent into ,tobolsk1 replied3--8,i do not know as to that4 ,whether they were convicts or not1 in #aijj they raised six million1 four hundred and eighty thousand bushels of wheat1 three million odd bushels of rye1 nine hundred and seventy-two thousand bushels of barley1 and ten million1 six hundred and seventeen thousand bushels of oats4 ,these figures are contained in the ,encyclopedia ,britannica40 7,in #aijf the figures were3--,wheat1 eleven million1 seven hundred and seventy-nine thousand bushels2 rye1 four million1 three hundred and forty-four thousand bushels2 barley1 eight hundred and twenty-nine thousand bushels2 oats1 thirteen million1 eight hundred and eighteen thousand bushels74#ba ,asked if it was not the southern portion of the province in which most of these crops were raised1 ,mr4 ,young replied3--8,it certainly would be4 ,i think there is no question that it would be in the most southerly portion4 ,all the information ,i have would go to show that settlement would not extend to the most northerly regions4 ,still the fact that there were towns of one thousand people in the northern portion would go to show that there must be something being done there that would support a town of that size4 ,i have tried to work out some parallel between the climatic conditions there and our own country1 but ,i am not able to give it to you exactly4 ,i think that the figures given by the ,russian government would probably be the most favourable that they could furnish4 ,the mean temperature for the period from ,september #a to ,june #a1 which would include the winter months--,i think that is all it is necessary to discuss--would for the province of ,tobolsk be practically the ,,same ,,temperature ,,as ,,at ,,fort ,,simpson4 ,it is a very striking thing that a million and a half of people live in that province1 and that they raised six million1 four hundred and eighty thousand bushels of wheat in #aijj4 ,surely if our country is as good as we think it is1 we ought to people it to as great and even a greater extent1 and to complete the parallel between the two1 ,i think ,i can say without any hesitation that we have something which they have not got1 and that is the benefit of ,british institutions40 ,mr4 ,young1 later on in his evidence1 remarked that there are a great many other statistics about ,siberia that are interesting4 ,for instance1 from a province adjoining ,tobolsk they exported forty thousand pounds of honey in #aijj4 ,,samples ,,of ,,northern ,,grown ,,wheat4 ,mr4 ,young1 during his examination upon the occasion here referred to1 gave a great deal of information regarding agricultural development and possibilities in the ,mackenzie country4 ,he showed the committee a sample of ,ladoga wheat grown at ,fort ,simpson1 and in producing it said3--8,i got it from ,doctor ,saunders1 ,director of ,experimental ,farms4 ,fort ,simpson is the farthest north of these red points#bb just short of latitude #fb or just about it4 ,i showed that wheat to a gentleman who is accounted an authority on the subject1 and ,i think you could not get a better authority2 ,i am referring to ,senator ,finlay ,young4 ,i said1 #8,mr4 ,young1 would you please look at that wheat1 but do not refer to the label on the bottle1 and tell me what you think of it8' ,mr4 ,young examined the sample in the way that men who are experts on wheat often do4 ,i think he saw nearly every grain of it2 he took good care to do so4 ,he said1 #8,it is very nice wheat1 ,i would call it good wheat4 ,it has been slightly frosted1 but ,i think that wheat would go about sixty-four pounds to the bushel4' ,well1 the label on the sample says #8,ladoga wheat1 grown at ,fort ,simpson on ,mackenzie river1 sixty-two pounds to the bushel4'0 ,producing another sample of grain1 ,mr4 ,young remarked3--8,now gentlemen1 here is a sample of wheat from ,fort ,vermilion40 ,i showed that also to ,senator ,young and got his opinion on it4 ,in both instances he expressed his opinion before he knew where either of the samples came from4 ,he said1 8,that is pretty nice wheat4 ,it is not so nice a wheat as the other1 but ,i think it would make first rate flour2 it is good wheat40 ,,better ,,results ,,expected4 ,mr4 ,young1 in his evidence1 drew attention to the fact that the posts in the far north at which grain had been grown had not been selected for wheat raising1 but because they were convenient locations for the fur trade4 ,he proceeded3--8,i want to discuss that point a little further4 ,i say there are three reasons why we can expect better results in wheat raising in our northern country than has been accomplished up to the present time4 87#a7 ,i will quote what ,professor ,macoun has stated in a pamphlet relating to the ,yukon3--#8,when grain ripens in the country and is again sown there1 it will take on the conditions of its environment and mature earlier1 and early frosts like those attributed to ,manitoba will have no effect1 as the crop will mature before they come4 ,i may remark here that the wheat in the northwest ripens earlier now than it did twenty years ago1 and many people believe that it is the climate that has changed1 whereas it is only that the wheat has adapted itself to its environment4' ,i think that any gentleman who has been following the trend of affairs in the northwest will agree with me that the conditions are better with respect to possible injury by summer frosts than they were twenty years ago4 ,i think that cannot be questioned4 ,that is one reason that is given4 87#b7 ,now1 a few days ago1 ,i asked a gentleman who is better able to express an opinion on the point than ,i am1 what he thought of that statement of ,professor ,macoun's4 ,he said3--#8,i don't altogether agree with that statement4 ,i do not hesitate at all in saying that the improvement is marked1 but ,i will account for it in another way4 ,if you raise wheat on virgin soil on the prairie it will grow to perhaps about the height of a man's shoulder the first year4 ,the next year it will not be quite so high4 ,the third year it will be perhaps not so high as the second year1 but it will mature earlier4 ,devote that land to some other use for a year or two and then go back to the cultivation of wheat again1 and you will get the wheat growing to the height of about the second or third year1 but it will mature earlier4 ,the soil is sharpened4' ,he explained to me that in ,red river valley1 where the land is heavier1 it would take very many years to bring about that result1 and it would not be of so much value to this generation1 but in the lighter soil1 farther west1 it has a marked effect1 and1 as he argued1 there is no question about it4 87#c7 ,the third reason why we can expect better results in that north country is because the staff at the ,experimental ,farm have been steadily carrying on experiments with a view to obtaining a variety of wheat that will ripen a few days earlier1 and if they can shorten the term for the ripening of wheat by four or five days or a week1 it will bring into the certain line1 as to wheat growing1 an enormous area of land4 ,there is no question about it4 ,they have accomplished some good things already1 and they expect to accomplish a great deal more40 ,mr4 ,young stated before the committee on this occasion that 8there is no question about it that in the north country there are grasses of the greatest possible value to cattle raising1 finer grasses than there are in other parts of the northwest40 ,,professor ,,macoun',s ,,estimate ,,still ,,holds4 ,speaking in his evidence generally about the suitability of the far northwestern country for agricultural pursuits1 and specially discussing the climatic condition1 ,mr4 ,young remarked3--8,about three weeks ago ,i wrote to ,professor ,macoun and gave him a list of questions about that country to which ,i asked him to give me answers4 ,i think it is a very remarkable thing that in his reply he says3 #8,in my report to ,mr4 ,alexander ,mackenzie in #ahgg1 just when ,i was fresh in the northwest1 ,i gave details about certain districts of the northland which ,i could not give in a letter1 but ,i would suggest that extracts from this report may be taken and placed upon file with this letter1 as my statements and conclusions as printed thirty years ago still remain without impeachment at the present time4' ,i think it is a remarkable thing that with respect to the country through which ,professor ,macoun went in #ahgb and #ahgc1 and which excited his enthusiasm--this is the country that ,i am trying to tell you about--he now says of it3 #8,my statements remain without impeachment at the present time4' ,now1 he speaks in this letter of two facts that ,i think are very striking4 ,he says1 #8,in conclusion1 ,i may say that the climate of the whole northland is a stable one1 and as local conditions change it will improve1 and where small spots are now called good land1 whole areas will take that term4 ,the low altitude and the long day are fixed conditions and will always be the same4 ,the forest will be cleared and the muskegs drained1 and as the land becomes drier the frosty conditions will pass away and a good country will result4'0 ----- #ah ,franklin 78,narrative of a ,journey1 etc407 relates that the thermometer during the month of ,october1 #ahbj1 at ,fort ,enterprise 7headwaters of the ,coppermine7 never rose above #cg but never fell below #e4 ,the mean temperature for the month was #bc4 ,the highest temperature at the same place in the following ,april was #dj above zero1 the lowest #cb below4 ,the mean was #d above zero4 ,may #i1 the snow had disappeared from the ground4 ,the first robin appeared ,may #ad4 ,the average temperature for ,may was nearly #cb above zero2 the greatest heat #fh and the lowest #h4 ,at the end of the month there was constant daylight4 ,when the ,franklin expedition was at ,fort ,franklin 7west side of ,great ,bear lake7 in #ahbf1 the first flower was gathered on ,may #bg4 78,narrative of a ,second ,expedition1 etc407 #ai ,the population of ,vologda1 in #aiaj1 the latest available1 was one million1 five hundred and ninety-seven thousand1 five hundred1 or ten per square mile4 7,e4 ,j4 ,c47 #bj ,the figures for #aijf were3--city of ,tobolsk1 twenty thousand1 eight hundred2 ,omsk1 forty-three thousand1 four hundred2 province of ,tobolsk1 one million1 six hundred and fifty-six thousand1 seven hundred4 ,in #aiaj1 the total population of the province of ,tobolsk was given as one million1 seven hundred and sixty-nine thousand1 eight hundred4 ,according to latest statistics available the population of the four million1 eight hundred and seventeen thousand1 six hundred and eighty-seven square miles comprising ,siberia is eight million1 two hundred and twenty thousand1 one hundred4 ,siberia in #aiaj raised one hundred and seventy million poods of cereals4 ,a pood equals thirty-six pounds4 ,e4 ,j4 ,c4 #ba ,according to a blue book issued by the ,board of ,trade of ,great ,britain in #aije1 the province of ,tobolsk in #aija contained three million1 eight hundred and four thousand1 eight hundred and forty-seven head of life stock1 and from one district alone1 viz3 ,kurgan 7about the latitude of ,peace river7 there was exported in #aijb1 nineteen million1 seven hundred and eleven thousand1 four hundred and forty-six pounds of butter1 which was largely marketed in ,great ,britain4 ,e4 ,j4 ,c4 #bb ,referring to the map produced by ,mr4 ,young before the committee1 on which he had shown the position of places where wheat had been grown in northwestern ,canada by a scheme of red discs appearing on the map4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,mackenzie ,,river ,,region4 ,tree ,growth and ,timber ,resources4 ,forests ,about ,great ,slave lake and ,slave river4--,remarkable ,extension of ,forest ,growth ,northward ,down the ,mackenzie4--,wide ,distribution of the ,economically ,important ,canoe ,birch4-- ,magnificent ,forests of ,spruce and ,big ,cottonwood ,trees in ,liard valley4--,useful ,birch and ,large ,spruce ,grow ,within the ,arctic ,circle4--,trees that are ,centuries ,old4--,northern ,tree ,growth ,may be ,hastened by ,drainage4 ,the splendid forests along the banks of ,slave and ,mackenzie rivers have been remarked by all who have ever travelled along the truly magnificent waterway of the far northwest1 and the fact has been abundantly established that the growth of timber extends1 along the rivers at least1 far beyond the ,arctic circle1 and well down the delta of the ,mackenzie4 ,it is true that there are large muskeg and rocky areas in the basin of the ,mackenzie which support no tree growth1 but the aggregate forest wealth of the country is immense4 ,mr4 ,elihu ,stewart1 formerly ,superintendent of ,forestry1 testified before the ,senate committee of #aijg that the principal tree between ,rocky mountains and the plains is the spruce1 mostly the white spruce1 and from its position near the prairie there is no doubt that it will be more sought after to meet the increasing demands from that quarter4 ,the country along the upper waters north of ,saskatchewan1 ,athabaska and ,peace rivers1 is partly prairie and partly wood4 ,the varieties of timber are principally aspen and balsam poplar1 the former predominating1 and white spruce4 ,the poplars1 as we go north1 seem to increase in size and height4 ,below the junction of the ,smoky they grow very clean and straight1 not over a foot or fourteen inches in diameter1 but reaching a height of seventeen or eighteen feet1 making excellent building timber1 as well as fencing and fuel4 ,in some parts there are stretches of good spruce well adapted for lumbering purposes4 ,there has so far been but little destruction from fire in this quarter4 ,the land is mostly level1 soil excellent1 and if the summer frosts do not prevent it1 the country will begin soon to settle up and there will be an ample supply of timber for local uses1 if not for export to the adjoining prairie regions4 ,mr4 ,stewart said he never saw as fine poplar as he saw there4 ,a considerable number of poplars were over a foot1 but a foot would be a fair average4 ,he had seen poplar in all parts of the prairie country1 but never saw anything growing up as straight4 ,,limit ,,of ,,tree ,,growth ,,far ,,north4 ,mr4 ,stewart explained that spruce suitable for commercial purposes grows to ,arctic sea4 ,he was astonished to find that the limit of tree growth extended as far north as it does4 ,he thought it extended probably ten degrees farther north in this district than in ,labrador4 ,the different kinds of trees that grow in ,mackenzie basin include white spruce1 black spruce1 the larch or tamarack1 which is found as far north as the spruce1 the jackpine and the balsam4 ,mr4 ,stewart did not see any balsam in the ,arctic circle2 aspen1 white poplar1 balm of ,gilead and birch are all found down as far as ,fort ,mc,pherson4 ,the natives make their canoes out of birch bark at ,fort ,mc,pherson4 ,the size of the timber becomes less towards the north4 ,there is timber probably fourteen inches in diameter growing near the junctions of ,peace and ,slave rivers4 ,below ,fort ,good ,hope the timber is smaller4 ,some of it has been made into flooring1 and lumber is made from the timber there4 ,there is a large supply of spruce suitable for pulp as far north as that4 ,mr4 ,stewart1 replying to a question1 said he thought it possible to use this poplar wood for commercial purposes4 ,it is very good poplar4 ,it will make pulp1 and where it is large enough it can be sawed4 ,it makes excellent flooring4 ,the white poplar in the north is of a better quality than the poplar in ,ottawa district4 ,in ,saskatchewan district and in the far west it is different4 ,in a colder climate it grows more slowly4 ,as to the extent of the forests1 ,mr4 ,stewart remarked that wherever there was a stream there would be a belt of timber4 ,along ,athabaska river there is a very big waterpower4 ,there are ,grand rapids and various other points eighty miles north4 ,on ,slave river there are about sixteen miles of rapids1 which constitute the interruption to navigation1 and it would make excellent waterpower4 ,there is no waterpower on the ,mackenzie below ,fort ,smith1 on the main stream4 ,from ,smith ,landing to ,fort ,smith the timber is jackpine1 some of which is quite large enough for railway ties4 ,the timber on the heavier soil consists of black and white poplar1 spruce1 birch and willow of small size and of little value4 ,,timber ,,along ,,slave ,,river4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell states 7,geol4 ,survey ,report1 #ahhg-h7 that on both sides of ,slave river below ,salt river are level plains1 which extend without any evident elevation as far as the eye can reach1 and support extensive forests of white spruce and ,banksian pine mingled with larch and rough and smooth barked poplar4 ,the spruce frequently attains a diameter of eighteen inches and makes excellent timber4 ,in the vicinity of ,slave river rapids the country is mostly level1 and is covered with white spruce1 ,banksian pine1 the rough and smooth barked poplars and various species of willow and alder4 ,the ,mackenzie river steamer 8,wrigley0 was built here in the winter of #ahhg1 and the timber used in construction was all obtained from the surrounding forest4 ,mr4 ,wm4 ,ogilvie says in his report3-- 8,the level country surrounding the lower half of ,great ,slave river is all well timbered with fine large spruce1 equalling in this lower ,athabaska and ,peace rivers1 and ,i think1 when the time comes1 that here will be found this district's principal supply lumber4 ,on the high1 light soil round ,fort ,smith1 the trees are small and generally of no value except for fuel4 ,along the river1 between the rapids and ,lake ,athabaska1 there are many small areas of flat1 swampy ground which would supply some very fair timber4 8,the varieties of trees along the lower part of the river are few1 spruce1 with a few small tamarack1 some small birch1 and a few poplar constituting the bulk of the forest4 ,the spruce far outnumber all the rest4 ,on some of the islands there is much shrubbery1 willows1 and alders growing in profusion in the swampy places2 but1 in general1 the undergrowth is stunted and thin1 especially on the uplands40 ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble of the ,united ,states ,biological ,survey1 describing ,slave river in his report writes3--8,here the willows and poplars which border the stream alternate with stretches of fine white spruce 7,picea canadensis71 some of which attain a diameter of three feet and rear their summits to a height of one hundred and fifty feet40 ,the aspen poplar 7,populus tremuloides71 according to ,mr4 ,preble1 occurs nearly throughout the wooded region4 ,in favourable places along the ,athabaska and ,slave it attains a large size1 and this is the case also about ,fort ,simpson4 ,illustration3 ,slave river near ,fort ,smith4 ,,the ,,white ,,spruce4 ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble states that the white spruce 7,picea canadensis7 reaches its perfection in the alluvial bottoms of ,slave river valley3--8,in favourable places along ,slave river it attains a diameter of three feet1 and a height of nearly one hundred and fifty4 ,this species1 usually called #8pine' in the north1 is the commonest timber tree of the region1 and occurs north to the limit of the forest4 ,along certain rivers which enter the ,barren ,grounds from the southward1 the range of this species is extended far beyond its general limits1 and sometimes the isolated colonies are of large extent4 ,most of the lumber used in building and general constructive work throughout the region is furnished by this species4 ,its wood is soft and easily worked1 and though admirably adapted for some purposes1 is used for others only from necessity4 ,its slender fibrous roots1 split into long strips are used by the natives to sew together the pieces of birch bark in the constrution of canoes and various utensils4 ,its bark1 stripped from the trunks in early spring1 forms the usual roofing material1 taking the place of shingles throughout the region1 except at a few favoured posts40 ,mr4 ,preble states that the ,banksian pine 7pinus divaricata7 is the only species of pine north of the ,athabaska4 ,he reports that along ,slave river it appears only occasionally1 usually where high gravelly banks approach the river4 ,it is common1 however1 on the rocky hills about ,chipewyan and ,smith ,landing1 and is the predominating tree on the rolling sandy plains on ,smith portage and about ,fort ,smith4 ,a ,,comprehensive ,,summary4 ,a very comprehensive summary of the evidence available as to the timber resources of the ,mackenzie was prepared by ,r4 ,e4 ,young1 ,d4,l4,s41 and submitted by him to the ,house of ,commons committee on ,agriculture and ,colonization in #aijh4 ,in this document1 ,mr4 ,young had his information classified according to valleys1 a very convenient arrangement considering that the best of the timber growth is in the valleys1 and that the rivers are the only routes of exploration as yet generally available4 ,some additional data have since been obtained which will be incorporated with ,mr4 ,young's statement1 or substituted for portions of it1 this being according to a suggestion made by ,mr4 ,young himself shortly before his most regrettable death4 ,the succeeding pages of this chapter consist largely of ,mr4 ,young's own statement 7see report of committee1 pages #aei to #ahh74 ,of the excellence of the forests from ,salt river down there can be no doubt4 ,as long ago as #aggb ,samuel ,hearne1 the first white man to reach ,great ,slave lake on his return journey from the mouth of the ,coppermine1 entered the mouth of ,slave river and went up it some distance before starting inland on his journey back to ,hudson bay4 ,it is very interesting to note what ,hearne at that distant date said3 8,the woods around this river1 particularly the pines and poplars1 are the tallest and stoutest that ,i have seen in any part of ,north ,america4 ,the birch also grows to a considerable size and some species of the willow are likewise tall1 but none of them have any trunk like those in ,england40 ,on the island of the lake near the mouth of the river1 ,hearne saw great quantities of driftwood4 ,he says3 8some of this wood is large enough to make masts for the largest ships that are built4 ,the woods through which we were to pass were in many places so thick that it was necessary to cut a path before the women could pass with their sledges1 and in other places so much of the woods had formerly been set on fire and burnt that we were frequently obliged to walk farther than we otherwise should have done1 before we could find green brush enough to floor our tents40 ,bishop ,clut1 ,o4,m4,i41 before the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 stated that from ,fort ,smith to ,fort ,resolution there is a great quantity of beautiful forest1 white spruce or ordinary larch4 ,spruce from two to three feet in diameter is found4 ,the birch of the country is very hard and would make good furniture4 ,it is from birch that they make traineau1 buggies1 chairs and snowshoes4 ,in the country lying to the south and west of ,great ,slave lake there is a good deal of forest of beautiful coppice wood1 ordinary spruce1 and black or red spruce4 ,,the ,,timber ,,about ,,great ,,slave ,,lake4 ,hay river flows into the southwest part of ,great ,slave lake4 ,of the country around1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell says3 8,grassy and partly wooded plains extend northwards from ,peace river and skirt its southern shores4 ,it is the northern limit of the prairie region4 ,near its mouth the country on both sides is thickly forested with ,banksian pine and white spruce to ,alexandra falls40 ,the country from here east to ,slave river is known to be well wooded1 but strange as it may seem1 the country from ,slave river east has never been explored since ,samuel ,hearne passed through it in #aggb1 one hundred and thirty-six years ago4 ,somewhere southeast of the lake1 ,hearne spoke of a long narrow lake 8entirely surrounded with high land which produces a vast quantity of fir trees1 but none of them grow to a great height in those parts4 ,their branches1 however1 spread wider than those of firs three times their height and thickness do in ,europe1 so that they resemble an apple tree in shape4 ,they seem rich in tar as the wood of them will burn like a candle and emit as strong a smell and as much black smoke as the staves of an old tar barrel4 ,the under woods were so thick in these parts as to render travelling through them very difficult40 ,of the part of ,great ,slave lake where ,hearne crossed it1 he says3 8,the point where we crossed it is said to be the narrowest4 ,it is full of islands most of which are clothed with fine1 tall poplars1 birch and pines1 etc40 ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble1 in his report1 has this to say of ,great ,slave lake3--8,great ,slave lake lies wholly within the forested region1 though some of its eastern affluents drain large areas of treeless country4 ,its southwestern shores1 being watered by rivers coming from the south and southwest1 are well wooded1 while the northern shores1 exposed for most of the year to cold winds from the north and watered by colder streams1 are poorly wooded4 ,the soil conditions1 also1 being more favourable on the southern side of the lake1 exert a marked influence on the foresting4 ,the eastern arm of the lake1 however1 is largely removed from these modifying influences1 and the conditions on its northern and southern borders are more nearly uniform40 ,,forests ,,north ,,of ,,the ,,lake4 ,the country to the north of ,great ,slave lake has been much more thoroughly examined4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell 7,geol4 ,rep41 #ahhg-hh7 wintered at ,fort ,providence on the ,mackenzie and made a winter journey northeast to ,fort ,rae1 on the long arm of the lake that reaches out to the north4 ,from ,fort ,providence to ,birch lake1 half the distance across1 he crossed the ,grand ,brul1 the scene of a former destructive fire1 wherein he says there were three wide prairies with the intervening timber belts4 ,from here on he crossed first a well wooded country where some excellent spruce was seen1 then a more scantily clad country with groves of spruce1 poplar1 birch and alder1 and thence to ,fort ,rae a thick spruce forest4 ,j4 ,m4 ,bell 7,geol4 ,rep41 #aijd7 describes the country along ,martin river and chain of lakes emptying into the long northern arm of the lake as thickly wooded with aspen1 balsam poplar1 canoe-birch1 white spruce and ,banksian pine4 ,mr4 ,preble made the trip from the north of ,great ,slave lake to ,great ,bear lake via the lake1 and portage route4 ,august #be1 a few days after passing the height of land1 he reports3--8,the portage track led over rocky ground on the left bank4 ,favourable spots at the rapid supported a good growth of spruce1 with a luxuriant undergrowth of ,viburnum pauciflorum1 ,rosa acicularis1 ,rubus strigosus1 and ,vaccinium uliginosum4 ,since leaving ,lake ,hardisty ,i had observed an increased luxuriance in the forest growth1 evidently the result of a more favourable soil and the slightly decreased altitude40 ,mr4 ,preble states that the ,banksian pine 8occurs commonly about the northern arm of ,great ,slave lake4 ,on my route to the northward of ,fort ,rae it was seen in many places on ,grandin river1 reaching a diameter of eighteen inches1 but not growing very tall4 ,north of the height of land it was rare1 but ,i saw many trees on a portage a few miles north of the outlet of ,lake ,hardisty40 ,mr4 ,preble states that on the canoe route between the north arm of ,great ,slave lake and ,great ,bear lake the white spruce is common1 varying in luxuriance according to the local conditions4 ,,the ,,canoe ,,birch4 ,the canoe birch 7betula papyrifera71 according to ,mr4 ,preble1 is a common tree throughout the wooded region4 ,it reaches its perfection in the southern part of the country and northward gradually decreases in size4 ,on the canoe route north of ,fort ,rae1 it was found to be common1 reaching a diameter of nearly one foot as far north as ,lake ,st4 ,croix4 ,a tree five inches in diameter1 examined near that lake1 had sixty-five annual rings4 ,another specimen one and three-quarter inches in diameter1 on the shores of ,lake ,hardisty1 had been growing twenty-five years1 and one three-fourths of an inch thick was fifteen years old4 ,this tree is of great economic importance to the natives of the region4 ,its wood1 though soft when green1 is rather hard when seasoned1 and takes a high polish4 ,the frames of snowshoes1 the runners of sleds and toboggans1 and the handles of axes and other tools are usually made of it4 ,in addition to furnishing the covering for canoes1 its bark is used in the construction of baskets1 and various household utensils1 and to some extent for constructing shelters4 ,the natives gather up the sap in spring and boil it down into syrup4 ,an incision is made with the axe on the side of the tree1 and the sap gathers and drops from a projecting point of bark4 ,at ,fort ,simpson in #aijd1 the sap was running freely from ,april #bj to ,may #a4 ,yellowknife river flows into the eastern side of the north arm of ,great ,slave lake coming from a northern direction4 ,sir ,john ,franklin1 who ascended and descended this river in his journeys of #ahai-bb1 says that this river flows between high rocky banks on which there is sufficient soil to support pines1 birch and poplars1 but in the upper stretches the country has a very barren aspect4 ,from here to ,fort ,enterprise the country is much the same4 ,mr4 ,back 7afterwards ,sir ,george ,back71 one of his party on his winter journey back from ,fort ,enterprise1 wrote that after passing ,reindeer lake 8the scenery consisted of barren rocks and high hills1 covered with lofty pine1 birch and larch trees4 ,there was a visible increase of wood1 consisting of birch and larch1 as we inclined to the southward40 ,,fort ,,enterprise4#bc ,in his journal of ,august #ai1 #ahbj1 ,sir ,john ,franklin1 speaking of his winter quarters known as ,fort ,enterprise1 says3 8,the trees were numerous and of a far greater size than we had supposed them to be yesterday1 some of the pines being thirty or forty feet high and two feet in diameter at the root40 ,near by was the ,winter river1 whose banks1 he says1 were well clothed with pines4 ,on the same day they unfortunately set fire to the woods4 8,a fire was made on the south side of the river to inform the chief of our arrival1 which1 spreading before a strong wind1 caught the whole wood1 and we were completely enveloped in a cloud of smoke for the three following days40 ,their winter quarters were made from wood cut in the vicinity1 though of the size of the logs no mention is made4 ,from here to ,coppermine river the only trees were scattered dwarf pines4 ,mr4 ,wm4 ,ogilvie states that on the flats between ,great ,slave lake and ,fort ,simpson1 as well as those adjoining the lake1 8there is much forest that would yield a large amount of good sized spruce and poplar40 ,mr4 ,elihu ,stewart says that the land at the entrance to ,mackenzie river is low and covered with spruce and tamarack of small size4 ,islands covered with green timber are numerous and the appearance is suggestive of the lower ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,the timber along the ,mackenzie to ,fort ,simpson is smaller than that found along ,slave river1 but nevertheless it is of sufficient size in some cases for lumber4 ,sir ,john ,franklin 7,journey1 #ahai-bb7 says that around ,fort ,providence the surface of the hills is generally naked1 but in the valleys between them a few spruce1 aspen and birch grow4 ,sir ,alexander ,mac,kenzie 7#aghi7 also speaks of the country north of the ,mackenzie after leaving ,slave lake as follows3 8,he 7an ,indian7 at the same time informed us that a river falls in from the north1 which takes its rise in ,horn mountain1 now in sight1 which is the country of the ,beaver ,indians1 and that he and his relatives frequently meet on that river4 ,he also added that there were very extensive plains on both sides of it1 which abound in buffaloes and moose deer40 ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell 7,geol4 ,survey ,rep4 #ahhg-hh7 says that from ,fort ,providence southwest along ,beaver river to ,lake ,bis-tcho is a desolate looking plain scantily covered with spruce and tamarack4 ,lake ,bis-tcho is surrounded by a flat country1 wooded with spruce1 birch and tamarack of fair size4 ,,about ,,fort ,,simpson4 ,james ,anderson of ,winnipeg left ,fort ,simpson in #aheb when eleven years old 7,senate ,report #ahhh74 ,he says3 8,round ,fort ,simpson itself1 ,i remember the timber was very large4 ,it was fir1 poplar and birch40 ,he calls the fir hemlock but no doubt means the spruce4 ,poplar and birch he says were the other varieties4 ,he says that the fir was a very large kind4 ,the men used to square the timber to about one foot square1 for building their houses1 and the fort itself was built of squared timber4 ,he says the way he remembers the birch was that it was used so much in the making of snowshoes and other things4 ,mr4 ,stewart 7#aijf7 says there is a small-sized sawmill at ,fort ,simpson1 not now running1 in which lumber twelve inches in width was cut and used in buildings at this post4 8,one cannot but be struck10 he says1 8with the vast quantity of spruce along the route traversed 7from ,fort ,providence to ,fort ,simpson71 which is a little under size for lumber but would make excellent pulpwood40 ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell1 in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 stated that the timber about ,fort ,simpson is confined to large spruce4 ,white spruce is the main tree all through that country4 ,spruce from a few inches up to two feet through occurs all the way along the ,mackenzie1 on the flats1 and on nearly all the tributary streams4 ,reporting upon the ,banksian pine ,mr4 ,preble states3--8,on the ,mackenzie it is common north to about latitude #fd degrees4 ,about ,fort ,simpson1 in suitable localities1 it forms groves of well-grown trees reaching a diameter of eighteen inches4 ,a tree eleven inches in diameter near the base1 examined at ,fort ,simpson1 had one hundred and two annual rings4 ,on the north slope of the ,nahanni mountains1 seventy-five miles below ,fort ,simpson1 the species ascends to about one thousand feet and then becomes a dwarfed shrub and disappears4 ,on the southern slopes of the same mountains it occurs as a fairly well-grown tree about two thousand feet near the summit40 ,as to the balsam poplar 7,populus balsamifera7 ,mr4 ,preble reports3--8,the balsam poplar inhabits the entire length of ,athabaska1 ,slave1 and ,mackenzie rivers1 reaching its greatest perfection of habit on ,athabaska1 ,slave1 ,peace1 and ,liard rivers4 ,on the ,mackenzie1 at ,fort ,simpson1 it is a stately tree1 but below that point it rapidly decreases in size1 and on the lower ,mackenzie and ,peel rivers occurs only as a small tree4 ,its wood is put to very little use except for fuel1 and even for this purpose it is not well adapted40 ,,the ,,tamarack ,,and ,,its ,,uses4 ,mr4 ,preble reports the ,koch tamarack 7,larix ,laricina7 8is common at ,fort ,simpson and reaches a good size4 ,on ,june #a1 #aijd1 the leaves were just beginning to appear1 tinging the swamps with their beautiful shade of green4 ,as ,i descended the river the progress of vegetation kept pace in a general way with my rate of travel4 ,at ,fort ,norman1 on ,june #aa1 the leaves and cones of the tamaracks were just appearing and at ,fort ,good ,hope1 ten days later1 they were about half grown4 8,the tamarack is found throughout the region north to the limit of the forest1 occurring mainly in muskegs where it is sometimes the predominating tree4 ,since its wood is tougher than any other native to the region1 it is used to a considerable extent to form the keels and gunwales of boats1 and for other purposes where extra strength is required40 ,according to the evidence of ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell before the ,senate committee of #aijg3--8;,along the ,liard there are good bunches of timber1 and it is the same with all these tributary streams4 ,once away from the flats the timber is sparse and the trees are small4 ,small black spruce grow on the muskegs4 ,the timber is simply on the flats and extends back two or three miles from the river4 ,that is not solidly timbered on either side of the river4 ,the poplar does not grow to a large tree as it does down here4 ,it runs about three to six inches through4 ,the rough bark poplar grows up to a foot or more40 ,,magnificent ,,forests ,,of ,,spruce4 ,bishop ,clut1 before the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 stated that on ,liard river1 the south branch of which he had ascended often1 and on ,peace river also1 there were magnificent forests of spruce4 ,the trees were from eighty to one hundred feet high on the islands4 ,the branch of the ,liard which extends south is called the ,nelson4 ,william ,ogilvie explored this whole region across to the ,peace1 coming out at ,fort ,st4 ,john4 ,across the height of land the timber is very poor4 ,on the ,nelson above the forks where the ,sikanni ,chief branch flows in1 it is heavily timbered4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie passed many extensive flats covered with beautiful spruce trees4 ,the valley is quite wide and clothed with fine timber for a distance above the forks of about thirty miles4 ,farther down1 above ,fort ,nelson1 there are many extensive areas of open woods which almost might be classed as prairie1 no doubt the result of forest fires4 ,of ,fort ,nelson1 ,mr4 ,ogilvie says it is surrounded by dense1 high forest1 and as the clearing around it is only a few acres in extent1 much of the sun's warmth is lost during the day4 ,the surface is all heavily wooded and there are many very large trees1 both spruce and balsam poplar4 ,he selected the average sized balsam poplar at ,fort ,nelson1 cut it down and made the following measurements of it3--,diameter at stump1 exclusive of bark1 twenty-nine inches2 at first limb1 exclusive of bark1 seventeen and one-half inches2 stump to first limb1 ninety feet2 number of growing rings1 one hundred and forty-five4 ,the bark would add at least four inches to the diameter4 ,,large ,,trees ,,of ,,liard ,,valley4 ,entering the valley of the ,liard1 from the ,mackenzie1 ,mr4 ,elihu ,stewart says1 there is a good deal of fine large spruce1 which would make better lumber than most of the spruce used in the settled part of the territories1 but as it is on the ,arctic water system it is practically out of reach4 ,the balsam poplar1 or as it is called here1 cottonwood1 is very plentiful and very large1 trees nearly four feet in diameter being often seen1 though between two or three feet is the average diameter of the trees4 ,these two trees constitute the great mass of the forest4 ,a few small white birches are occasionally seen and more frequently the aspen or poplar4 ,there are also1 sometimes1 a few balsam pines on the top of sandy knolls4 ,a man who had explored the ,liard told ,mr4 ,stewart that he had never seen finer saw-log timber anywhere4 ,he also said that good birch1 which is highly prized by the ,indians for bark for their canoes1 was found there4 ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell1 in his report of his explorations in #ahhg1 stated that along the lower ,liard the trees observed consisted of white spruce1 aspen and tall1 straight cottonwood1 with some ,banksian pine and canoe birch1 and an undergrowth of willows and alders4 ,according to ,mr4 ,ogilvie the country about ,wrigley is wooded4 ,he noticed a spruce log near the post that was twenty inches in diameter4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie states in his report3 8,it may1 in short1 be said1 that away from the immediate vicinity of the river1 there is no timber of value in the sense in which the term is used in the east4 ,below ,fort ,wrigley1 and even above that point1 in some places the banks are low1 flat and swampy1 with trees much larger than those on the higher lands1 many of them being fit to make fairly good lumber40 ,mr4 ,joseph ,keele reported in #aijh3--8,the timber resources of ,gravel river 7which flows into the ,mackenzie from the westward above ,fort ,norman7 are very moderate1 the white and black spruce trees of any importance being confined to the alluvial flats1 which on this river are very limited in extent1 and the best white groves average about ten inches in diameter4 ,generally very few trees grow higher than about one thousand feet above the river1 owing to the steep slopes of rock and talus of the valley walls40 ,,fort ,,norman ,,region4 ,according to ,mr4 ,preble1 the white spruce on the ,mackenzie does not attain the size reached farther south1 but is still a stately tree4 ,one measured by ,richardson on the ,mackenzie above ,fort ,norman was one hundred and twenty-two feet in height4 ,on the alluvial banks and islands of lower ,mackenzie and ,peel rivers it attains a diameter of eighteen inches4 ,on the northern slopes of the mountains near the mouth of the ,nahanni this tree ascends to timberline1 but above an altitude of five hundred feet seldom exceeds a height of twenty-five feet4 ,as has been already said1 the general aspect of the forest does not alter in the descent of the ,mackenzie4 ,the white spruce continues to be the chief tree4 ,in the ,fort ,norman quarter 7speaking generally7 it attains a girth of four or five feet1 and a height of about sixty in a growth of from two to three hundred years1 as shown by the annual layers of wood4 ,one tree1 cut down in a sheltered valley near ,clark's hill1 south of ,great ,bear river which flows into the ,mackenzie at ,fort ,norman1 measured the unusual length of one hundred and twenty-two feet1 but was comparatively slender4 ,most of the timber is twisted1 particularly where the trees grow in exposed situations4 ,the ,banksian pine was not traced to the north of ,great ,bear river1 but the black spruce1 in a stunted form1 is found on the borders of swamps as far as the woods extend4 ,great ,bear river is described by ,j4 ,m4 ,bell 7,geological ,survey ,report #aijd7 as follows3--8,the clear waters of ,great ,bear river join the ,mackenzie through a deep wooded valley4 ,for the first forty miles the banks are well wooded with white spruce1 canoe birch1 aspen and balsam poplar4 ,mount ,charles rises to a height of one thousand five hundred feet on the left side of the river4 ,in climbing the hill ,i was surprised at the size of the trees around its lower slope4 ,white spruce of about twenty inches diameter were quite common as well as fine specimens of canoe-birch1 balsam1 poplar and aspen4 ,at the lake the country is quite destitute of trees1 as they have all been used for fuel by the ,indians40 ,doctor ,dawson stated before the ,senate committee of #ahhh that ,richardson had described the white spruce as attaining a girth of four or five feet1 and a height of sixty feet in ,mackenzie valley as far north as ,bear lake river4 ,one tree in that locality measured one hundred and twenty-two feet in height4 ,it appeared that the white spruce was the most prevalent tree throughout ,mackenzie valley1 and its wood was fairly good for all constructive purposes4 ,,the ,,black ,,spruce4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell 7,senate ,committee ,report1 #ahhh7 says that jackpine occurs in places as far north as ,fort ,good ,hope4 ,although not growing very large some of the trees would be big enough for railway ties4 ,he explained that the country is not forest continually as it is here 7,ontario71 but most of the country is open wood4 ,nearly all the muskegs are covered with1 or surrounded by1 black spruce4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell agrees with other travellers of this region in saying that very little change in the character of the forest was observed in descending the ,mackenzie1 and with the exception of the ,banksian pine1 which disappears south of ,bear river1 the same species as previously noticed by ,richardson are found from ,great ,slave lake to the mouth of ,peel river4 ,the ,mackenzie has no rapids suitable for waterpower1 but the streams flowing into it must have4 ,mr4 ,preble says of the black spruce 7,picea ,mariana73--8,the black spruce extends northward to the limit of the forest1 but is confined mainly to the muskegs1 seldom growing on the alluvial bottom lands1 where the white spruce attains its perfection4 ,it furnishes a poorer quality of lumber than the white spruce1 and is put to fewer uses4 ,i noted it in places all along the main route to the mouth of the ,mackenzie and on my canoe route to the eastward1 nearly to ,great ,bear lake40 ,mr4 ,mc,connell 7,geol4 ,survey ,report #ahhg-hh7 reports that along part of the reach of the ,mackenzie below ,fort ,good ,hope the banks are low1 and the bordering plains are covered with a scattered growth of willow1 spruce and tamarack1 with here and there patches of aspen on the drier ridges4 ,the spruce along part of this reach presents a remarkably stunted and dwarfish appearance1 but this is due more to the marshy character of the ground than to climatic severity1 as the same tree1 straight and well grown1 was found much farther north4 ,,below ,,fort ,,good ,,hope4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell reports that the ,mackenzie below the site of old ,fort ,good ,hope1 where the stream takes a sharp turn to the west-south west1 as far as the mouth of ,red river1 is bordered by wooded plains4 ,groves of white spruce were seen along this reach1 containing trees measuring over fifteen inches in diameter1 but the average tree does not exceed six inches4 ,mr4 ,stewart says that on an island near ,fort ,good ,hope very good spruce timber is cut into lumber by whipsaws4 ,below this the timber seems to get poorer1 although it improves again farther north4 ,mr4 ,stewart says that below ,fort ,good ,hope the timber is smaller although some of it has been made into flooring and lumber is made from the timber there4 ,there is a large supply of spruce suitable for pulp4 ,northeast of ,fort ,good ,hope1 through a chain of lakes to the headwaters of ,iroquois river1 ,r4 ,mac,farlane 7,canadian ,record of ,science1 vol4 ,,iv47 says that the country appeared to be well timbered in every direction with pines1 juniper1 several species of willow1 and a few small groves of poplar and birch4 ,on the ,mackenzie itself the forest continues to within a comparatively short distance from the ,arctic ocean4 ,the following extract is from ,sir ,john ,richardson's journal in #ahdh3--8,the agency of man is working a change in the aspect of the forest even in the thinly peopled north4 ,the woods are wasted by extensive fires1 kindled accidentally or intentionally1 which spread with rapidity over a wide extent of country1 and continue to burn until they are extinguished by heavy rains4 ,these conflagrations consume even the soil of the drier tracts1 and the bare and whitened rocks testify for centuries to the havoc that has been made4 ,a new growth of timber1 however1 sooner or later springs up1 and the soil1 when not wholly consumed1 being saturated with alkali1 gives birth to a thicket of aspen instead of the aboriginal spruce40 ,,within ,,the ,,arctic ,,circle4 ,mr4 ,elihu ,stewart explained before the ,senate committee of #aijg that spruce suitable for commercial purposes grows to ,arctic sea4 ,he was astonished to find that the limit of tree growth extended as far north as it does4 ,he thought it extended probably ten degrees1 or nearly seven hundred miles farther north in this district than in ,labrador4 ,the different kinds of trees that we have in ,mackenzie basin include white spruce1 black spruce1 the larch or tamarack1 which is found as far north as the spruce1 the jackpine and the balsam4 ,mr4 ,stewart did not see any balsam in the ,arctic circle1 but aspen1 white poplar1 balm of ,gilead and birch are all found down as far as ,fort ,mc,pherson near the delta of the ,mackenzie4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie states in his report3--8,on the lower ,mackenzie1 the timber large enough for commercial or manufacturing purposes is all in the river valley4 ,on the plains above1 the trees are small and unfit for anything except for fuel or the few uses to which trees six to seven inches in diameter can be applied4 ,there is some fine material for lumber on some of the islands in the river1 but many are bare1 with the exception of a few willows40 ,according to ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell's report3--8,from the head of the delta of the ,mackenzie the coast is low and sandy1 and is exposed to the full rigour of the arctic storms1 and the general vegetation of the bordering plains is stunted and diminutive in appearance1 but is relieved by the presence of a few large spruce trees1 which look like survivors from an ancient and more luxuriant forest4 ,some of these trees have a girth of over six feet1 and are tall and well shaped1 while the average spruce in this latitude does not exceed six or seven inches in diameter40 ,illustration3 ,spruce ,timber on ,peel river inside the ,arctic ,circle4 ,,timber ,,of ,,the ,,delta4 ,sir ,john ,richardson descended the delta to the ocean in #ahdh1 and the following is his account of the timber3-- 8,most of the islands constituting the delta of the ,mackenzie are alluvial and many of the smaller ones are merely a ring of white spruce trees and willows on a sand or mud bank4 ,twenty-two miles below ,point ,separation the banks of the river and the numerous islands are well wooded4 ,the balsam poplars rise to the height of twenty feet and the white spruce to forty or fifty feet4 ,at the creek which bounds ,harrison island on the north1 the valleys and borders of the river are well wooded1 but the summits of the eminence present only scattered spruce firs1 with stunted tips and widely spreading depressed lower branches4 ,the canoe-birch is frequent1 and the trees we measured were about five inches in diameter4 ,the balsam poplar grows to the height of twenty feet4 ,in latitude #fh #ee north1 the trees disappeared so suddenly that ,i could not but attribute their cessation to the influence of the sea-air4 ,beyond this line a few stunted spruces only were seen struggling for existence and some scrubby canoe-birches clinging to the bases of the hills40 ,according to ,mr4 ,elihu ,stewart's official report 8,at ,point ,separation1 which lies between the junction of ,mackenzie and ,peel rivers1 and where ,franklin and ,richardson were camped1 are two spruce trees1 which were marked as lob-sticks at the time of their separation and in commemoration of that event4 ,both are still standing 7#aijf71 though one of them is dead4 ,judging from their appearance at a distance1 ,i would say that they are about sixteen inches in diameter and seventy feet in height1 and this nearly one hundred miles beyond the ,arctic circle4 ,i have been very much interested in the tenacity of life shown in the growth of trees under the adverse conditions prevailing in this north country4 ,since crossing the ,arctic circle we have seen no vegetation1 but trees such as the spruce1 birch1 tamarack and willow are seen all the way40 ,mr4 ,stewart adds that as his boat rounded ,point ,separation and ascended ,peel river he noticed that spruce lined the banks4 ,mr4 ,alfred ,h4 ,harrison1 in his book 8,in ,search of a ,polar ,continent10 describes a visit to these lob-sticks in ,september #aijf3--8;,after leaving ,point ,separation1 we came to a very shallow place about half-way between this point and what are called the ,lob-,sticks4 ,at the last-named spot the river turns sharply to the east4 ,these ,lob-,sticks1 which are supposed to have been trimmed by ,commander ,pullen some sixty years ago1 are two pine trees4 ,the branches have all been cut off1 but the tops remain4 ,one of them is a very fine old tree1 and the other1 which is much younger and smaller1 stands directly in front of its nobler brother40 ,,arctic ,,grown ,,birch4 ,mr4 ,preble points out that along the ,mackenzie the canoe birch occurs as an economically important species even north of the delta4 ,according to ,mr4 ,stewart1 birch about the delta of the ,mackenzie attains a size of twelve to sixteen inches and is used at ,fort ,mc,pherson not only for their log buildings1 but it is also whip-sawed into lumber for general use1 and the birch bark here is used by the ,indians for their canoes4 ,for a distance of a few miles from the ,peel the country is partially wooded with spruce1 birch1 balsam-poplar and willow1 but after this the only timber is that found skirting the shores of the small streams on the way4 ,a fringe of timber1 mostly small spruce1 lines the banks of the ,bell1 but apparently does not extend far back4 ,mr4 ,malcolm ,macleod1 in his statement to the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 said3--8,as to the wood of that far north ,i would observe that it is remarkably hard4 ,i have a pair of snowshoes of peculiar shape1 made right and left1 of birch for frame1 like iron in texture1 and though perhaps about a hundred years old1 perfectly sound40 ,the frozen subsoil of the northern portions of the woodland country does not prevent the timber from attaining a good size1 for the roots of the white spruce spread over the icy substratum as they would over smooth rock4 ,as may be expected1 however1 the growth of trees is slow in the high latitudes4 ,on the borders of ,great ,bear lake1 four hundred years 7according to ,sir ,john ,richardson7 are required to bring the stem of the white spruce to the thickness of a man's waist4 ,when the tree is exposed to high winds1 the fibres of the wood are spirally twisted1 but in sheltered places1 or in the midst of the forest1 the grain is straight and the wood splits freely4 ,,great ,,bear ,,lake ,,country4 ,as to the country about ,great ,bear lake and its tributaries1 ,sir ,john ,richardson1 in #ahbf1 reported that there were pine trees in clumps on ,dease river1 and the valley to the north was well wooded4 ,mr4 ,malcolm ,macleod informed the ,senate committee of #ahhh that in a letter of ,thomas ,simpson to his father he says that the wood at ,fort ,confidence had been found suitable for house and boat building4 ,doctor ,j4 ,m4 ,bell says that the location of ,fort ,confidence was one of the few well wooded spots in ,great ,bear lake and the trees are fine specimens worthy of a more southern latitude4 ,between ,keith bay and ,smith bay1 ,doctor ,j4 ,m4 ,bell found a small lake well wooded with white spruce1 willows and alders1 but none of them of great size4 ,here he saw the most northern specimen of white birch4 ,the surrounding country was wooded in the valleys4 ,it was1 he says1 a pleasing change from the cheerless1 gravelly1 treeless shores1 to reach ,limestone point thirty miles west of ,fort ,confidence1 with its pronounced shore-line and white spruce in the bay4 ,west of ,fort ,confidence along the coast of ,dease bay for some distance the deep bays are well wooded1 but towards ,cape ,mc,donnell the land gets barren and continues so till the coast turns east again where the trees improve4 8,some forty-five miles east of ,cape ,mc,donnell10 says ,doctor ,bell1 8a good sized river enters1 probably the ,takaatcho4 ,near its mouth10 he says1 8we found great quantities of driftwood among which were some good-sized trunks4 ,i was rather surprised to see these1 but learned afterwards that in the interior the valley of this river is well wooded4 ,all the eastern shore of ,mc,tavish bay is wooded4 ,in the valleys in the interior and around the bays and sheltered channels this timber may be of economic importance4 ,white spruce is the prevailing forest tree1 although canoe-birch is found as far north as ,eda ,travers bay1 and is sufficiently large in ,klarondesk bay to permit of its bark being used for making canoes4 ,tamarack and both balsam poplar and aspen abound in ,klarondesk bay1 although not of any great size40 ,south of this1 the eastern part of the lake1 ,doctor ,bell describes ,camsell river and chain of lakes as all well wooded4 ,at ,lake ,ray ,banksian pine was noticed4 ,,trees ,a ,,hundred ,,and ,,thirty ,,years ,,old4 ,sir ,john ,franklin1 in his description of the country around ,fort ,franklin on ,great ,bear lake 7#ahbe71 wrote3--8,the trees at some distance from our fort consisted of black and white spruce1 and larch1 generally small1 though a few of the better grown measured from four to five feet in girth1 and were from fifty to fifty-five feet high4 ,doctor ,richardson ascertained1 by counting the annual rings1 that some of them1 in a sound state1 were upwards of one hundred and thirty years old1 while others which were not much greater in size1 had two hundred and fifty rings1 but these were decayed at the heart40 ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble of the ,united ,states ,biological ,survey1 the most recent scientific explorer of ,great ,bear lake and its basin1 in his report1 states3-- 8,the northern shores of ,great ,bear lake are mainly low and thinly wooded1 although the country at some distance inland is better wooded4 ,the tributaries of ,great ,bear lake are comparatively few in number4 ,dease river1 which discharges into the northeastern extremity of the lake1 is probably the best known of its feeders4 ,it rises on the treeless height of land between ,dease bay and the lower ,coppermine4 ,several important streams enter the lake from the north4 ,several others draining a very large extent of country to the southward enter ,mac,tavish and ,mc,vicar bays4 ,the latter receives also the waters of a chain of large lakes lying north of ,marten lake1 which discharges into ,great ,slave lake4 ,the country drained by the southern tributaries is very rough and rocky1 though fairly well wooded1 and is traversed in various directions by ranges of low mountains4 8,the southern and western shores are well wooded1 while its northern and eastern borders are more thinly forested4 ,the immediate shores are mainly of sand or gravel and are usually devoid of trees1 but are well clothed with willows and various ericaceous shrubs and herbaceous plants4 ,in most places along the south shore this treeless stretch is only a few hundred yards in width1 and in the bays the forest extends to the water's edge4 ,in the vicinity of ,leith point1 however1 a treeless area stretches from near ,mac,tavish bay to ,mc,vicar bay1 and extends inland for several miles4 ,on this area the faunal and floral conditions are practically those of the ,barren ,grounds40 ,,the ,,spruce ,,of ,,great ,,bear ,,lake4 ,according to ,mr4 ,preble1 along the southern shore of ,great ,bear lake1 the white spruce 8forms the bulk of the forest4 ,in exposed situations near ,leith point it is somewhat dwarfed1 seldom exceeding a diameter of one foot and a maximum height of forty feet4 ,a few miles back from the shore1 in slightly more favourable locations1 trees two feet in diameter at the base were seen1 but none of these exceeded thirty feet in height4 ,a tree twelve inches in diameter growing in an exposed situation near the shore had two hundred and fifty-seven annual rings4 ,in this specimen the outer layers were exceedingly thin and could be counted only by the aid of a fine-pointed needle4 ,at this rate1 the age of a tree of twice this diameter can scarcely be estimated at less than one thousand years4 ,farther west along the shore the species attains greater perfection of habit1 especially in some of the sheltered bays4 ,at ,fort ,franklin it is the commonest tree1 but at present is represented by scarcely any individuals of the original forest1 which has been removed for building purposes4 ,trees over eight or nine inches in diameter are rare4 ,a sapling four feet in height and one inch in diameter1 on the site of ,fort ,franklin1 had been growing for thirteen years40 ,,the ,,site ,,of ,,fort ,,franklin4 8,the country about ,fort ,franklin 7which ,mr4 ,preble visited ,september #af1 #aijc7 is slightly undulating1 and except for certain semibarren points near the shores of the lake1 is well wooded with spruce1 tamarack1 willow1 and the usual sub-arctic vegetation4 ,much of the ground is covered with lichens of the genus ,gyrophora and various mosses4 ,at the time of our visit the leaves of the tamaracks1 willows1 and other deciduous trees were falling4 ,the site of the post itself is the summit of a rather steep bank elevated about fifty feet above the shores of the lake4 ,the buildings have long since been destroyed1 and only the debris of the stone chimneys and the faint outlines of the sills of the principal houses now remain to mark the spot4 ,the original clearing is partially grown up to willows1 but much of the ground supports only a growth of grasses and herbaceous plants4 ,the site overlooks1 to the southward1 the broad expanse of ,keith bay1 at the extremity of which at a distance of four or five miles1 ,bear river has its efflux4 8,the banks at the head of ,bear river are low1 but rapidly increase in height4 ,the bordering country is mainly swampy and is well wooded4 ,the more gently sloping banks are grassy or wooded1 and a dwarf willow 7,salix reticulata7 is a conspicuous shrub for some distance below the lake40 ,mr4 ,preble reports the ,koch tamarack 7,larix ,laricina7 as 8rather common along the southern shores of ,great ,bear lake1 where the large stone seen1 near ,leith point1 was about twelve inches in thickness at the base1 but was not over thirty feet in height4 ,while travelling along this shore in the autumn of #aijc1 ,i first noted the leaves of the species beginning to change colour on ,september #ab1 near ,mc,vicar bay4 ,two days later its yellow foliage gave a decided impress on the scenery4 ,on ,september #ah1 at ,fort ,franklin1 its leaves were dropping1 and soon afterwards the trees were bare40 ,mr4 ,preble states that along the southern shores of ,great ,bear lake the canoe birch occurs only in a somewhat dwarfed state1 but it reappears as a fair sized tree on ,bear river4 ,,the ,,basin ,,of ,,anderson ,,river4 ,mr4 ,r4 ,mac,farlane1 chief factor ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 was sent in #aheg by ,james ,anderson to explore ,anderson river4 ,the report of his trip was published in the ,canadian ,record of ,science1 vol4 iv41 and the following notes therefrom give some idea of the timber along the rivers and lakes draining the country north of ,great ,bear lake into ,arctic ocean3--,at ,canoe lake1 the headwaters of ,iroquois river1 the main tributary of the ,lockhart1 the country is tolerably wooded4 ,the batiks of the ,iroquois seem to be all wooded1 as ,mr4 ,mac,farlane found the navigation impeded by immense quantities of driftwood1 and he says the ridges on both sides were well covered with pine and willow4 ,the country along ,lockhart river below the ,iroquois is better timbered4 ,on the banks of the ,anderson below the ,lockhart1 there is timber of medium size gradually disappearing towards the north4 ,on his return trip ,mr4 ,mac,farlane proceeded up the ,anderson from the ,lockhart and found the banks well wooded4 ,further on1 near a succession of rapids1 he found the banks tolerably wooded4 ,he says3--8,the country along the ,anderson was latterly very well wooded1 and some goodly pines were seen4 ,the tract of country embraced by a line drawn west from the borders of the woods on the ,anderson to the ,mackenzie1 southward to ,peau de ,livre river 7,hare ,indian river71 at ,good ,hope1 is very well timbered4 ,he says the banks of ,ross river are partially timbered4 ,a chain of well wooded hills1 ,mr4 ,mac,farlane says1 encircle ,colville lake or more probably the large lake west of the lake marked ,colville4 ,the banks of ,simpson lake are well timbered4 ,from here southwest towards ,hare ,indian river1 ,mr4 ,mac,farlane found the country well wooded4 ,he says 8the timber consists of pine1 juniper1 fir1 willow1 and a few groves of poplar and birch4 ,some of the pines were of a large size4 ,the belt of timber which at ,fort ,anderson extends for over thirty miles to the eastward1 rapidly narrows and becomes a mere fringe along ,anderson river1 and disappears to the northward of the #fith parallel of latitude40 ,running parallel with ,anderson river is ,mac,farlane or ,wilmot ,horton river4 ,mr4 ,mac,farlane says that one or two intersecting affluents of ,wilmot ,horton or ,mac,farlane river flow through valleys in which a few stunted spruce1 birch and willows appear at intervals4 ,on the banks of one of these1 near its mouth1 he observed a sheltered grove of spruce and willows of larger growth4 ,they met with no more spruce to the eastward4 ,mr4 ,preble passed up ,lockhart river1 and thus describes the stream and its banks3--8,our route lay up the left fork4 ,the shores here are low and the channels winding1 and much obstructed by fallen trees4 ,above here we paddled through several small marshy ponds and portaged past a small fall4 ,we then passed through a rocky defile above which we made four portages1 and ascended several small riffles with paddles or with the help of the line4 ,on ,august #c we avoided eight falls or rapids by making portages and ascended several others with the line4 ,at the last rapid1 where we encamped1 the river rushes for a hundred yards through a rocky gorge4 ,the spruce woods about here have escaped the fires which have devastated most of this section4 ,some of the small ponds and channels passed through were bordered by banks of clay1 clothed mainly with white birch40 ,mr4 ,preble states that the belt of timber which at ,fort ,anderson extends for over thirty miles to the eastward1 rapidly narrows and becomes a mere fringe along ,anderson river1 and disappears to the northward of the #fhth parallel of latitude4 ,mr4 ,hanbury reports that he found ,dease river 7east of ,great ,bear lake7 to be completely concealed by a heavy belt of spruce4 ,,how ,,to ,,increase ,,northern ,,tree ,,growth4 ,in a letter published in the ,ottawa ,journal on ,february #ai1 #aiaj1 ,mr4 ,william ,ogilvie1 the well-known surveyor and explorer1 and ex-governor of the ,yukon1 wrote1 in speaking of ,athabaska and ,mackenzie regions3--8,as time goes on much increase to the commercial timber area might be made by draining the swamps1 and drying the moss on the surface which now keeps the ground beneath cool1 indeed preserving the frost in it during the whole summer4 ,once dried the moss would die1 and instead of keeping the ground cool would absorb heat and help to warm it4 ,anyone who has travelled in the north cannot help noting the difference in the size of the timber on mossy ground1 as compared with that where there is no moss4 ,on mossy ground you will see trees from one hundred to two hundred years old1 according to the annual growth rings1 only three1 four or five inches in diameter1 while only a few yards away where there is no moss or moisture1 trees of seventy and eighty years' growth will be nearly a foot in diameter1 and of a different quality of lumber40 ,illustration3 ,anglican ,church1 ,school and ,rectory at ,fort ,simpson4 ,in the same communication ,mr4 ,ogilvie wrote3--8,those who have never seen a northwest forest1 when told of it1 naturally compare it with others they have seen1 but one from the eastern parts of ,canada would find a great difference between his native woods and those of the northwest4 ,the varieties of trees are fewer1 and smaller in size1 than those in the east and south4 ,of varieties the principal are spruce and poplar2 of the poplar there are two kinds1 one of which1 the balsam poplar1 in some places grows to be a very large size4 ,on the lower stretches of ,liard river ,i have seen them well over four feet in diameter1 stump high1 but generally such large ones are unsound and full of cracks4 ,the other kind seldom grows more than a foot thick1 and the trunk is seldom suitable for turning out lumber4 ,,the ,,spruce ,,bears ,,the ,,palm4 8,when dry it makes good fuel but is not comparable as a heat producer with the eastern hardwoods4 ,as commercial lumber the spruce bears the palm1 metaphorically1 as well as literally4 ,it seldom grows to more than fifteen to seventeen inches in diameter near the ground1 and where it stands thickly together grows to a good height with straight tapering trunk1 but where scattered it is not so long nor so graceful1 consequently less useful4 ,it supplies all the lumber for local demand all over the northwest1 and north1 and is found from the forty-ninth parallel of latitude to ,arctic ocean1 and on the alluvial flats of ,mackenzie delta ,i have seen specimens about as large as any ,i have noticed elsewhere in the territories4 ,the other varieties of trees are so few and far between that they are hardly worth mentioning except white-birch which is found all over1 but is seldom of sufficient size or shape to be useful4 ,i have seen a few tamaracks at odd spots1 and on the ,athabaska ,i saw a small grove of ,canada balsams1 the only place ,i ever saw them in the northwest4 ,they seemed as vigorous as any ,i ever saw1 which proves that they would grow there if given the opportunity1 and if they1 why not other specimens of our more southern trees4 ,it has often occurred to me that it would be well to try planting our white pines and other commercial trees in those northern forests1 to see if they would naturalize1 and if so1 increase greatly the value of the northern domain4 ,it would cost very little to do it1 and a fostering care of them might by selection at last make a success of the experiment1 if it did not succeed from the start40 ----- #bc ,fort ,enterprise is a little east of the eastern limit1 of the tract of country defined in a preceding chapter2 but as it is in the ,mackenzie watershed1 it may well be treated of in this chapter4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,the ,,mackenzie ,,river ,,region4 ,economic ,minerals4 ,the ,territory ,has ,never ,been ,thoroughly ,examined for ,minerals4-- ,tar ,springs on the ,north ,shore of ,great ,slave lake4--,the ,devonian ,rocks ,throughout ,mackenzie valley are ,nearly ,everywhere ,more or ,less ,petroliferous4--,lignite ,discovered in ,many ,places1 ,also ,gypsum4--,large ,deposits of ,excellent ,salt4--,indications of ,gold and ,copper4--,indians ,report ,finding ,mica4 ,ever since ,sir ,alexander ,mackenzie first passed down the river which now bears his name on his famous voyage of discovery in #aghi1 and described the burning beds of coal and the salt springs along its banks1 the district now under review in these pages has excited the interest of the geologist and the prospector1 but on account of the remoteness of the country from civilized settlement and the difficulties of transport1 very little1 comparatively1 is known of the actual extent of mineral wealth of this immense area of country4 ,true1 expert explorers like ,sir ,john ,franklin1 ,sir ,john ,richardson1 ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell1 ,mr4 ,william ,ogilvie1 and ,doctor ,j4 ,m4 ,bell have conducted scientific surveys along the chief waterways and over some routes overland1 and their reports have been splendid and valuable1 but from scantiness of their equipment and the omnipresent necessity to economize time1 these surveys1 from a geological point of view1 can be considered only as reconnaissances4 ,comparatively brief summaries of what some of these explorers and some others have written and said as to the mineralogy of ,mackenzie valley below the #fjth parallel of latitude1 will suffice to give an idea of what we really know on the subject4 ,during his explorations about ,great ,slave lake in #ahhg1 ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell1 of the ,geological ,survey1 inspected the tar springs on the north shore4 ,the springs are situated a couple of hundred yards from the shore1 at the base of a low limestone cliff1 which runs inland from the lake1 and are three in number1 each of them being surrounded with a small basin1 three to four feet in diameter1 filled with inspissated bitumen1 while the soil and moss for some distance away is impregnated with the same material4 ,a small quantity of pitch is annually taken from these springs and used for boat building purposes1 while a much larger supply could be obtained if needed4 ,a sulphur spring resembling those at ,sulphur point on the south shore of the lake1 but much more copious1 issues from the foot of the cliff in close proximity to the bituminous springs1 and feeds a considerable stream4 ,the rock through which the petroleum ascends here is a heavily bedded greyish1 rather coarsely crystalline cavernous dolomite1 and is entirely unlike the bituminous beds south of the lake and down the ,mackenzie1 which in most cases consist of calcareous shales4 ,the dolomite is everywhere permeated with bituminous matter1 which collects in the numerous cavities1 and oozing up through cracks1 often forms small pools on the surface of the rock4 ,it was also reported to ,mr4 ,mc,connell that sulphur and tar springs occur at a point half way between the springs he visited and ,fort ,rae4 ,on the south shore bituminous shales and limestones outcrop at several points1 and it would thus appear1 according to ,mr4 ,mc,connell1 that the oil-bearing beds underlie the whole western part of the lake4 ,,promising ,,indications ,,of ,,oil4 ,the ,devonian rocks throughout ,mackenzie valley1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell reports1 are nearly everywhere more or less petroliferous1 and over large areas afford promising indications of the presence of oil in workable quantities4 ,he states that he noticed1 in descending the ,mackenzie1 that bituminous limestones outcropped at the 8,rock by the ,river ,side01 at ,bear ,rock1 at the ,ramparts1 and at numerous other places4 ,near ,fort ,good ,hope several tar springs exist1 and it is from these that the ,hudson's ,bay ,company now obtain their principal supply of pitch4 ,the springs are situated at some distance from the river and were not examined4 ,still farther down1 in the vicinity of the site of old ,fort ,good ,hope1 the river is bordered for several miles by evenly bedded dark shales of ,devonian age which are completely saturated with oil4 ,the possible oil country along ,mackenzie valley1 he concludes1 is almost co-extensive with that of the valley itself4 ,on the ,mackenzie1 the ,tertiary beds at the mouth of ,bear river hold several seams of lignite1 ranging in thickness from two to four feet1 and one seam which was concealed at the time of ,mr4 ,mc,connell's visit is reported by ,richardson to be nine feet thick4 ,the lignite there is of inferior quality1 and has been burnt in many places for some distance from the surface by fires which have been in existence since the river was first discovered4 ,gypsum occurs in large quantities in the ,devonian rocks of ,bear mountain at the mouth of ,bear river4 ,,deposits ,,of ,,excellent ,,salt4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell also explored part of ,salt river in #ahhg4 ,he reported3--8,several salt springs drain into ,salt river1 near ,fort ,smith1 about twenty-five miles above its mouth4 ,the springs are enclosed by small evaporating basins1 the largest of which is about fifteen feet in diameter1 and is crusted with a remarkably pure deposit of sodic chloride4 ,the salt obtained here is of excellent quality1 and has been used in ,mackenzie river district for many years4 ,salt is also reported to occur on the headwaters of a small stream which enters the ,mackenzie about fifteen miles above ,fort ,norman40 ,mr4 ,mc,connell in #ahhg examined the ,nahanni ,butte at the junction of ,nahanni river with the ,liard1 below ,fort ,liard1 and he states that copper stains were noted in a number of places1 but no specimens indicating deposits of economic value were obtained4 ,in his #ahic report regarding his investigation of the ,athabaska tar-sand-petroleum deposits1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell mentioned1 as indicating the presence of petroleum deposits over an immense area1 that north of ,athabaska district 8tar occurs at intervals in the ,devonian limestone exposed along the valleys of ,slave river and the ,mackenzie1 all the way to ,arctic ocean40 ,,some ,,notes ,,by ,,rev4 ,,father ,,petitot4 ,professor ,robert ,bell submitted to the ,senate committee of #ahhh a letter received from ,rev4 ,father ,petitot1 ,o4,m4,i41 of ,fort ,good ,hope1 dated ,august #af1 #ahgc1 in reply to a letter from ,professor ,bell1 written ,may #cj1 the previous year4 ,the reverend gentleman explained in his letter that he had travelled extensively through this vast region1 and proceeded to give a most interesting geological account of the country1 although he undoubtedly disclaimed any merit as a geologist4 ,points of practical interest to which attention was drawn in this communication were the following3-- 8,to the south and to the east of the banks of ,great ,slave lake are flats1 composed of alluvium and gravel4 ,on the islands off shore asphalt is found1 the hardened debris of which is strewn on the beach4 8,six miles above ,fort ,norman1 and for an extent of from eight to ten miles1 the ,mackenzie is bounded on its right bank by a precipice which reaches at first about one hundred and fifty feet in height1 and gradually diminishes to a height of thirty feet4 ,it is a vast ,tertiary deposit composed of alternate stratifications of friable schist1 lignite1 pipe-clay and vegetable mould4 ,the schists are in a state of combustion winter and summer1 but the subterranean fire which shows itself on the surface through smoke holes1 stinking of bitumen1 is intermittent1 and breaks out sometimes at one point1 sometimes at another4 ,it is not always visible at the surface1 but at others is very active4 ,the soil is very hot1 damp and movable in the neighbourhood of these smoke holes4 ,,crude ,,forms ,,of ,,lignite4 8,the lignites are not fit for forging work4 ,sometimes even the trunks of the trees which form the beds of it have been transformed into clay2 however1 all this debris has evidently undergone the action of fire4 8,great ,bear lake river1 or ,franklin river1 presents alternations of granite1 limestone1 and coal-bearing sandstone4 8,traces of fire are visible in the mountain range at the mouth of the discharge of ,great ,bear lake4 ,a little lower down1 below the rock1 the beaches of the ,emir present unequivocal traces of other schistose holes which have been extinct for a long time1 but which the writer of the letter found in combustion in #ahfi4 8,the left bank of the ,mackenzie1 opposite ,rocher ,rouge1 exudes ferruginous water1 which stains all the water-borne shingle of the beach with oxide of iron4 ,three or four leagues below ,fort ,good ,hope1 iron pyrites is found on the beach1 and the ,peaux de ,livre ,indians formerly used it in striking fire4 8,on the right bank opposite the site of the old ,fort ,good ,hope1 there are natural ramparts of limestone or schistose sandstone at the mouth of ,thunder river4 ,one finds there hematite1 or oxide of iron2 sulphate of iron and sulphate of magnesia2 alum1 which exudes from the fissures in the stone2 and red ochre4 ,it was here that the ,peaux de ,livre ,indians discovered in ancient times the hematite1 which on account of its colour1 resembling the dung of the black bear1 they called ,sa-ts-anne1 that is to say1 bears' excrement4 ,,exude ,,alum ,,and ,,saltpetre4 8,the second ramparts of the ,mackenzie1 called the ,detroit or ,narrows1 are composed of lias and limestone1 which exude alum and saltpetre4 ,lower down are schistose sandstones of which the ,esquimaux make the heads of their arrows4 8,on the sea coast and the right bank the ,esquimaux have told me that there are caves containing fossilized bones of large antediluvian animals1 particularly of the mastodon1 of which they have shown me pieces of tusks of the finest ivory which they call killagvark1 and which they know how to distinguish from the ivory of the walrus1 or turark4 ,they have also told me that there are1 upon the sea shore to the eastward1 ,tertiary deposits in combustion1 similar to those at ,fort ,norman40 ,writing in his report of the information he had obtained as to the deposits of economic minerals in ,mackenzie valley1 ,william ,ogilvie1 ,d4,l4,s41 wrote as follows3--8,on the ,mackenzie1 the first coal ,i heard of was a seam of which ,mr4 ,mc,dougall at ,chipewyan told me1 and which is situated in the base of the mountain just above ,rapid ,sans ,sault1 on the east side of the river4 ,he could not give me any details concerning its extent1 more than that he believed it to be about four or five feet thick1 and that it was in the limestone rock of the mountain4 ,if this is true1 it indicates that this coal is older than the lignite coal of the country1 and probably much harder and better4 ,i did not know of its existence until ,i got to ,chipewyan1 or ,i would have tried to have had a specimen sent out after me4 8,about three and a half miles above ,fort ,norman1 on the east bank of the river1 two extensive exposures of lignite crop out4 ,the upper one is overlaid by about fifty feet of clay and a few feet of friable sandstone1 and is about fifteen feet thick4 ,the other seam is probably forty feet below this4 ,when ,i was there it was nearly all under water4 ,it is said to be as thick as1 if not thicker than1 the upper one4 ,,on ,,fire ,,for ,,over ,a ,,century4 8,the upper seam has been on fire for over one hundred years1 as it was burning when ,sir ,alexander ,mackenzie passed in #aghi4 ,the place is locally known as le ,boucan4 ,the fire extends at present about two miles along the river1 not continuously but at intervals4 ,when ,i passed1 it was burning in three or four places4 ,after it has burned a certain distance into the seam the overlying mass of clay falls down and1 to some extent1 suppresses the fire4 ,this clay is in time baked into a red colored rock1 in which are found innumerable impressions of leaves of plants4 ,some specimens of these ,i brought home1 and handed to ,doctor ,dawson4 ,traces of this red rock were noticed on the bank fourteen miles below ,fort ,norman1 but no trace of lignite was seen near it1 having probably been all burned4 8,the burning seam appears to be of poor quality1 containing much shale and sand1 which is converted by the heat into scori4 ,it did not appear to me that it would be difficult to cut off all the burning places1 and thus stop the further advance of the fire1 which is destroying what yet may be of use4 ,in order to find if the combustion could be checked ,i took a shovel at one place and soon had all the burning coal for a short distance cut off completely1 so that the fire ceased for a time at that spot4 ,it is a pity that at least an attempt to put out the fire is not made4 ,many persons in that district have an idea that it is subterraneous1 and that the seat of it cannot be reached4 ,this is a mistake1 as at the point mentioned ,i cleaned off the fire from the face of the seam to its base and found underneath no trace of burning4 ,the lower seam appears to be of better quality1 there being no shale or sand mixed with it1 so far as ,i could see4 ,heavy rain detained us here for two days1 and we burned a good deal of lignite from the lower seam1 as we could not reach the top of the bank to procure wood1 and could find only a log or two of driftwood4 ,the coal burned well in the open air1 and threw out a much stronger heat than a wood fire4 ,these seams are visible at frequent intervals along the bank for eight and a half miles1 after which not a trace of them appears for seven miles1 where there is another small exposure at the water's edge4 ,this seam appears1 from the reports of many travellers1 to extend up ,great ,bear river for a considerable distance4 ,no other traces of coal were observed on the river4 8,while at ,fort ,good ,hope ,i noticed that many of the outbuildings and fences were painted with a dull red coloring matter1 which1 on inquiry1 ,i found consisted of the ashes of wood that had lain in the river for some years4 ,it was said poplar trees yielded the best paint and that logs that had been in the river long enough were known by the dull blue color of the wood4 ,a sample of the ashes ,i brought home1 and handed to ,doctor ,dawson4 ,it may be that the color is due to the presence of oxide of iron2 if so1 this would indicate the existence in the water of iron in solution4 ,but where the iron comes from is a mystery1 as none of this peculiar wood was seen or heard of in the upper river4 ,the inference is that the iron occurs far down in the river1 but whether in the soil or in the beds on some of the tributary streams1 or whether it is iron at all1 has yet to be determined4 ,,indians ,,report ,,mica4 8,the ,indians report very large deposits of mica on the south side of ,great ,slave lake1 and have brought small samples of it to ,fort ,resolution4 ,while there ,i tried to get a specimen1 but none was available4 ,it is described as being very abundant4 8,no other minerals of economic value were seen or heard of1 except bitumen4 ,on the way up 7from ,fort ,providence to ,chipewyan7 the first indication of this was seen on ,great ,slave lake1 in the form of the bituminous limestone which has already been referred to4 ,tar springs1 as they are called in the vicinity1 exist on the lake4 ,i do not know of any of them on ,slave river1 but they abound on the ,athabaska from near the delta for over two hundred miles up1 and one is reported only a few miles from ,athabaska1 less than one hundred miles from ,edmonton40 ,mr4 von ,hamerstein1 in his evidence before the select committee of the ,senate in #aijg1 stated that up the rivers that flow into the ,mackenzie there are large quantities of native salt thrown up4 ,it is mostly underground1 and there seems to be a crater4 ,the salt appears to be close to the ground in large quantities4 ,illustration3 ,roman ,catholic ,mission at ,fort ,resolution4 ,mr4 ,keele1 in the report of his explorations in #aijh1 states3--8,drift lignite is found on the lower part of ,gravel river1 which is no doubt derived from the ,tertiary coal-bearing areas of ,mackenzie basin4 ,hematite occurs on ,gravel river about ten miles below the mouth of ,natla river4 ,this iron ore is coarsely laminated with red siliceous slate1 having a thickness of from fifty to one hundred feet1 and is interbedded between conglomerate and dolomite4 ,an assay of an average sample of this ore was made at the assay office of the ,mines branch1 and gave only twenty-five per cent4 of iron40 ,,two ,,hundred ,,square ,,miles ,,of ,,coal4 ,mr4 ,brock1 ,director of the ,geological ,survey1 in his report for #aiji1 quoted an estimate made by ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling that the known available coal area in ,mackenzie district is two hundred square miles1 representing five hundred million tons of lignite4 ,tertiary coal is known to exist in large quantities along the ,arctic coast east of the ,mackenzie and in the ,arctic islands4 ,doctor ,armstrong found it on ,banks ,land and ,doctor ,richardson mentions that 8the ,garry islands1 lying off the ,mackenzie1 contain beds of a ,tertiary coal which takes fire spontaneously on exposure to the atmosphere4 ,higher up the ,mackenzie1 at the junction of ,bear lake river1 on the #feth parallel of latitude1 there is a ,tertiary coal deposit of considerable extent1 which yields hand specimens entirely similiar to ,garry island ones40 ,in his annual report for #aiaa1 ,superintendent ,saunders1 ,d4,s4,o41 of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 commanding the force in the ,athabaska1 ,peace and ,mackenzie countries1 wrote3--8,very little progress has been made over last year in the development of the mineral resources of the country4 ,three companies are boring for oil near ,mc,murray but ,i cannot ascertain that they have met with much success4 ,no work is being done in connection with the tar sands although very favourable reports have been made as to their value for asphalt and street paving1 probably the lack of transportation facilities is the reason of the delay4 8,from ,mackenzie river sub-district ,i have reports of a few prospectors in different parts1 but of no success4 ,mr4 ,d4 ,f4 ,mc,rae1 however1 who went down the ,mackenzie in #aiaj and went out the same year1 has returned again with a party and well equipped outfit1 consisting of a powerful gasoline launch1 three scows with provisions1 two horses1 etc4 ,he and one of the other members have their wives with them1 and are wintering near the mouth of ,herschell river4 ,the fact of his having gone back in this manner would indicate that he has made a discovery of some kind1 the nature of which has not been disclosed1 as the whole party are very reticent40 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,the ,,mackenzie ,,river4 ,game1 ,fur-bearing ,animals and ,fish4 ,over ,forty ,moose ,killed in one ,season ,near ,fort ,simpson4--,caribou of both ,woodland and ,barren ,lands ,varieties ,plentiful4--,pass ,great ,slave lake in ,countless ,numbers4--,mountain ,sheep ,plentiful in the ,mountainous ,districts4--,incredible ,numbers of ,geese1 ,swans and ,ducks in ,season4--,inexhaustible ,supplies of ,fish4--,the ,speckled ,trout1 ,lake ,trout1 ,grayling1 ,herring1 ,inconnu1 etc4 ,everyone who has visited ,mackenzie river region seems to have been much impressed with the variety and the quantity of the fish and the game there1 all the books written by the explorers1 traders1 missionaries and sportsmen who have visited the country1 containing numerous references to its wonderful resources in this respect4 ,as a matter of fact the fish and the game of the country have hitherto been and still are the support of the slender resident population1 and will play a very important part in the ultimate development of the region4 ,without discussing the commercial value of the apparently inexhaustible inland and coastwise fisheries1 it might be pointed out that once settlement begins to flow into the country the fine waters and immense game ranges of this huge country will contribute most usefully towards the support of the pioneer settlers during the critical period when the local agricultural1 lumbering and mining industries are in their early experimental stages4 ,undoubtedly1 too1 the game and fisheries will contribute1 as they have done elsewhere1 to the ultimate development of the country by attracting to more remote sections sportsmen who by reason of their natural intelligence1 world experience1 education and influential connections1 are sure to discover and to attract attention to natural resources at present unthought of4 ,illustration3 ,a ,fur ,shipment of ,one ,season from ,mackenzie basin1 estimated value over two million1 five hundred thousand dollars4 ,frequent references have been made in the preceding chapters to the work accomplished by ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble1 of the ,united ,states ,biological ,survey1 in the ,mackenzie country in #aija and #aijc1 and to his report 8,north ,american ,fauna1 ,no4 #bg10 published by the ,biological ,survey at ,washington in #aijh4 ,in no respect is this altogether admirable report more instructive than in its complete references to the game and the fisheries4 ,mr4 ,preble naturally devotes much attention to that monarch among northern game animals1 the moose4 ,,the ,,majestic ,,moose4 ,mr4 ,preble points out that 8,hearne was the first to record moose from the ,mackenzie region1 finding them #8very plentiful1' on the south side of ,great ,slave lake1 east of the mouth of ,slave river1 during the winter of #agga-gb1 while on his way back to ,churchill during his famous journey of exploration40 ,harmon noted their occurrence on the plains of ,peace river in #ahjh4 8,during ,franklin's first northern journey a moose was killed near ,fort ,enterprise in the spring of #ahba40 ,during his second expedition moose were killed on ,ellice island1 near the mouth of the ,mackenzie1 in the summer of #ahbe1 and near ,fort ,franklin in ,september of the same year1 and in ,february1 #ahbf4 ,during the spring of #ahcd1 while ,back's expedition was wintering at ,fort ,reliance1 a moose was killed on 8,fish river0 7in all probability the ,thelon1 or ,ark-i-linik7 several days' travel east of ,great ,slave lake4 ,simpson reports that tracks of moose were seen on ,mac,tavish bay1 ,great ,bear lake1 during the winter of #ahcg-ch4 ,ross recorded specimens taken at ,fort ,good ,hope and ,fort ,simpson4 ,lockhart1 writing in #ahfe on the habits of moose1 states that they were rarely killed in the vicinity of ,fort ,rae1 though they were quite numerous at ,big island and along the south shore of ,great ,slave lake1 and that the moose of ,peel river and the ,yukon are much larger than those in ,great ,slave lake region4 ,while exploring in a country between ,athabaska lake and ,churchill river in the summer of #ahib1 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell found that the moose occurred throughout the more thickly wooded parts of the country as far north as ,stone river1 near the eastern end of ,athabaska lake4 ,russell states that a moose was killed near the mouth of ,yellowknife river1 ,great ,slave lake1 in ,august #aijc4 ,a4 ,j4 ,stone records the moose from several points in lower ,mackenzie valley1 giving evidence as to the large size of the animals found there1 and from the headwaters of ,nahanni river1 where they abound4 8,during the early autumn of #ahie a moose was killed by a member of ,loring's party near the headwaters of ,mc,leod river4 ,in the autumn of #ahif1 fresh tracks were seen almost daily along the trail between ,smoky river and ,jasper ,house4 ,,found ,,to ,,be ,,rather ,,common4 8,in the spring of #aijc1 while descending ,athabaska and ,slave rivers to ,great ,slave lake1 we saw tracks of moose occasionally1 but observed none of the animals4 ,during their return trip in the fall1 however1 my brother and ,cary saw a young one on the ,athabaska above ,athabaska4 ,in the lake country between ,fort ,rae and ,great ,bear lake1 during my northward trip in the same autumn1 the moose was found to be rather common1 and became more abundant as we approached ,great ,bear lake1 owing to the country being better suited to its needs4 ,tracks were often seen on the portages1 and a large bull was observed on an inlet of ,mac,tavish bay on ,august #be4 ,along the southern shore of ,great ,bear lake we found it a common and in some places an abundant species4 ,even in the exposed and semibarren country in the region of ,leith point a few are found1 and a female was killed there by my ,indian canoeman on ,september #a4 ,owing to the rocky nature of its haunts1 the hoofs of this animal were much worn and blunted4 ,west of ,mc,vicar bay1 especially along the base of ,grizzly ,bear mountain1 the species was found to be abundant and numerous fresh tracks were seen wherever we landed4 ,its abundance here is partially explained by the fact that there are immense areas abounding with its proper food4 ,a party of natives seen near ,manito islands had repeatedly started moose without killing one1 while my ,dogrib 7,indian7 canoeman1 in a far more difficult country1 had secured the only animal he hunted4 ,moose are seldom found about ,fort ,franklin1 owing doubtless to the place having been a favourite resort of natives since time immemorial1 but they are said to be common along ,bear river4 ,while ascending the ,mackenzie in ,october we frequently saw fresh tracks4 ,,over ,,forty ,,moose ,,killed4 8,during the winter of #aijc-d upwards of forty moose were killed within twenty-five miles of ,fort ,simpson1 and moose meat comprised an important item of our food4 ,during a trip down the river in ,january ,i saw the tracks of a band of four or five about thirty miles below ,fort ,simpson4 ,an area of considerable size on the sloping side of the valley1 grown up to willows1 had afforded a fine feeding ground1 and was well trampled4 ,the animals had wandered out on the snowy surface of the river also1 and had trotted about apparently with no particular aim1 perhaps in play40 ,mr4 ,keele1 in the report of his reconnaissance across ,mackenzie mountains1 and down the valley of ,gravel river to the ,mackenzie1 in #aijg and #aijh1 says3--8,there are a few moose scattered along the valley of ,gravel river1 but it is not a good moose country1 as there are no small lakes1 and on account of the narrow valleys1 and low timber line1 the area over which they can feed is restricted40 ,mr4 ,preble observed numerous tracks of both moose and bear along the left fork of ,lockhart river1 a tributary of the ,anderson4 ,,the ,,caribou ,,or ,,cariboo4 ,mr4 ,preble also devotes considerable space in his report to information about the caribou 7often spelled 8cariboo071 another of the notable larger game animals of this region4 ,he writes3--8,mr4 ,brabant1 of ,fort ,smith1 informed me that caribou were unusually common in that vicinity during the winter of #aijb-c4 ,captain ,mills1 of the steamer ,wrigley1 told me that he saw one on ,slave river1 near ,mc,connell island1 on ,july #e1 #aijc4 ,the ,dogribs say that a few are found in the country between ,fort ,rae and ,great ,bear lake4 ,along the lower ,liard the animals are occasionally detected in small bands and are often killed4 ,caribou meat was several times brought in to ,fort ,simpson during my residence there1 but all my efforts to secure a specimen failed4 ,the natives about there distinguish between the wood caribou of the lowlands and those of the mountains1 and say that the former is smaller and lighter in colour than the mountain animal4 ,woodland caribou still occur along the ,saskatchewan near ,edmonton1 and ,e4 ,e4 ,whitley1 who lives on ,sandy creek1 twenty miles south of ,athabaska1 ,alberta1 stated that he had seen a few in that vicinity4 ,,the ,,woodland ,,caribou4 8,the presence of the woodland caribou in this region was first noted by ,hearne1 who refers to the species as #8,indian ,deer4' ,during his journey southward from ,coppermine river he saw many in the sparsely wooded country north of the eastern part of ,great ,slave lake in ,december1 #agga4 ,while crossing the lake on the ice he found the wooded islands #8well stocked' with the same species4 ,deer 7caribou7 are enumerated by ,richardson among the animals said to inhabit ,birch mountain west of lower ,athabaska river4 ,while exploring in the region between ,athabaska lake and ,churchill river in the summer of #ahib1 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell ascertained that the woodland caribou was reported #8to occur in the more southern portion of the district1 near ,churchill river1 but none were seen4' 8,r4 ,mac,farlane1 in a letter to the ,united ,states ,biological ,survey1 written in ,january1 #aijb1 states that the woodland caribou inhabits the country between ,lake ,winnipeg and ,athabaska lake1 and though nowhere in large numbers is more abundant on the southern than on the northern shores of this lake4 ,between ,athabaska and ,great ,slave lakes he states that 8the animal is chiefly met with on the west side of ,slave river1 and through all the country lying between ,peace river and ,great ,slave lake4 ,,the ,,migratory ,,herds4 8,along the southern shore of ,great ,bear lake1 especially at the point where we reached it on ,mac,tavish bay1 numerous well-worn trails testify to the great numbers of caribou that pass back and forth in spring and fall4 ,they arrive from the ,barren ,grounds about the time of the first deep snows1 usually by the middle of ,october1 and sometimes extend their migration west to the outlet of the lake1 though they are not common in that vicinity4 ,in the spring the greater number return1 though a few remain through the summer on the semibarren areas near ,leith point1 and westward to the vicinity of ,mc,vicar bay4 ,we saw fresh tracks of a number near our camp east of ,leith point during the early days of ,september4 8,the ,hare ,indians living about the southern and western shores of ,great ,bear lake1 repair to its eastern end about the end of ,july1 usually coasting the southern shore1 and spend a month or two among the caribou on the treeless country between the eastern end of the lake and the lower ,coppermine1 returning to their winter hunting grounds early in ,october4 8,during the winter of #aijc-d1 caribou reached the ,northern ,arm and the eastern part of ,great ,slave lake in great numbers and some were killed within a short distance of the buildings at ,fort ,rae for the first time in several years4 ,,west ,,of ,,the ,,mackenzie4 8,mr4 ,john ,firth1 of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 for many years stationed at ,fort ,mc,pherson and on ,porcupine river1 informed me that the herds of caribou west of the ,mackenzie have a semi-annual movement to and from the sea-coast4 ,in their journeys they head toward the prevailing winds1 and consequently occasionally pass to the eastward of the mountains1 though usually to the westward4 ,the southward movement commences in ,august1 and extends only about four hundred miles4 ,they start to return in ,march4 ,though the bulk of the animals then proceed to the coast1 a few remain throughout the summer in the elevated and semibarren country between the ,peel and the ,porcupine4 ,the ,indians from ,la ,pierre ,house1 who arrived at ,fort ,mc,pherson during my stay there early in ,july1 #aijd1 having crossed the mountains on foot1 had killed a few of these animals on the way4 ,,the ,,barren ,,ground ,,caribou4 8,during ,franklin's first northern journey1 the ,barren ,ground species was first met with on the upper part of ,yellowknife river1 about the middle of ,august1 #ahbj2 toward the end of ,september it had become common about ,fort ,enterprise2 on ,october #aj an estimated number of two thousand were seen during a short walk in the vicinity2 by ,october #bf1 they had departed southward1 but about the middle of ,november1 on account of warmer weather1 they returned to the neighbourhood4 ,during the following summer1 while the party was exploring the ,arctic coast to the eastward of ,coppermine river1 caribou were found to be rather common at the mouth of ,hood river1 and were noted also on ,parry bay and at ,point ,turnagain4 ,during ,franklin's second journey1 reindeer were killed near ,fort ,franklin1 ,great ,bear lake4 ,j4 ,c4 ,ross states that great numbers were seen about the ,isthmus of ,boothia4 8,during ,richardson's journey along the ,arctic coast east of the ,mackenzie1 in the summer of #ahdh1 he observed the species near ,liverpool bay in ,august1 and on ,darnley bay later in the same month1 and saw many at ,bloody fall1 on the lower ,coppermine1 on ,september #e4 8,west of the ,mackenzie they are still abundant along the barren coast and in the mountains south of it4 ,they migrate southward in autumn1 but how far is not known4 ,rampart ,house was a #8deer post1' being situated in a pass traversed semi-annually by the caribou4 8,the whalers reported that the caribou were abundant among the islands between the mouth of the ,mackenzie and ,cape ,bathurst in ,july1 #ahid40 ,,game ,,at ,,fort ,,confidence4 ,ex-,judge ,malcolm ,macleod1 in his evidence before the ,senate committee in #ahhh1 referred to a very interesting letter his father had received from ,mr4 ,thomas ,simpson1 the ,arctic explorer1 dated from ,fort ,confidence at the northeast end of ,great ,bear lake4 ,fort ,confidence was1 at the time this evidence was given1 the most northerly habitation on this continent that was inhabited by white men4 ,it was within the ,arctic circle 7#fg degrees #ec minutes and #cf seconds74 ,simpson spoke of the food resources of ,fort ,confidence as being abundant4 ,the distances between posts were so great that even ,dease and ,simpson's1 which was a ,hudson bay expedition thoroughly equipped1 could carry food barely sufficient for use on the way4 ,they were there three winters 7those of #ahcf-cg1 '#cg-ch and '#ch-ci71 nearly three years1 and never failed a single day to have an abundant supply of food4 ,franklin suffered more1 because his party was not so well equipped at times1 but it is a striking fact that1 notwithstanding the severity of the climate1 especially in #ahch1 when the letter was written--an exceptionally severe season--they never ran short of food4 ,they had abundance of fish1 deer 7caribou71 musk ox1 and meat of other kinds at all times4 ,fort ,rae1 on the northern branch of ,great ,slave lake1 according to ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell1 who visited it in #ahhh1 is surrounded by a deer country1 and is looked on rather as a provision post than as a fur post1 although it also ranks high in the latter respect4 ,in the winter1 thousands of the 8,barren ,lands0 caribou1 which have been driven south by the severity of the climate1 are slaughtered in its vicinity1 and their flesh is converted into dry meat for use in the district4 ,mr4 ,keele says in his report3--8,caribou were observed only at one locality on ,gravel river1 near the edge of the first timber1 about twenty miles from the divide40 ,,in ,,countless ,,numbers4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,h4 ,harrison1 writing of his first visit to ,great ,slave lake in #aijb and #aijc 78,in ,search of a ,polar ,continent071 makes the following statement3--8,the first winter that ,i spent on this lake ,i went out after caribou and when we got among them1 after six days' hard travelling1 they were in countless numbers4 ,this is no exaggeration4 ,they were on a lake ten miles in length and five in width1 and it was packed so closely with deer that you could not catch a glimpse of the ice-flooring anywhere4 ,we started from ,fort ,resolution on that occasion with thirty sledges1 but only five of these arrived4 ,the mode of hunting employed was curious4 ,clad in deerskin1 the hairy side of which was outermost1 one ,indian walked right through the deer to the other end of the lake1 without any of them taking much notice of him4 ,this surprised me very much1 nor was the cause for surprise at an end4 ,two more ,indians1 clad in the same way1 followed at a distance of about two miles behind the first1 one on each side of the lake1 and each of these was similarly followed by yet another1 whilst ,i myself remained where ,i was at the lower end of the lake4 ,when the foremost ,indian had reached the other end1 he began to shout1 and the deer1 not knowing which way to go1 started running round and round the lake4 ,i killed half a dozen myself1 and my companions each brought home a load4 ,had ,i cared to do so1 ,i could have killed many more4 8,at the north end of ,great ,slave lake lies ,christie bay and thirty miles northeast of this bay is a second bay1 of considerable size1 enclosing an island1 on which1 upon another occasion1 ,i had pitched my camp4 ,i was just cooking my midday meal1 when a herd of deer passed within a few yards of the camp fire1 and ,i killed five of them in as many minutes4 ,in this locality ,i stayed for a whole month1 with one ,indian1 and after catering for ourselves and for our dogs1 ,i made a cache of fifty deer1 some of which ,i gave to the mission1 and some to ,mr4 ,gaudet1 in charge of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's post here4 ,the end of ,november and the whole of ,december is the best time of year for going from ,fort ,resolution after caribou40 ,mr4 ,harrison also mentions that his party1 while camping or travelling about the country around the delta of the ,mackenzie in #aije and #aijf1 often shot caribou4 ,,other ,,big ,,game--,,the ,,mountain ,,sheep4 ,in a previous chapter lengthy reference has been made to the wood buffalo1 the most northern port of whose range lies in the southern part of the country immediately under consideration4 ,besides the moose1 caribou1 and buffalo1 the game animals of the ,mackenzie include the red deer1 bears of several kinds1 the lynx1 the hare1 the wolverine1 the mountain sheep1 etc41 etc4 ,mr4 ,keele1 in his report of his reconnaissance across the ,mackenzie mountains in #aijg and #aijh1 states that mountain sheep are plentiful on parts of ,gravel river1 particularly on the low mountains between the ,sayunei and the ,tigonankweine ranges4 ,among the hundreds of sheep seen by the writer in this locality none but those with pure white wool were observed4 ,the sheep are highly prized for their heads1 and on account of their flesh1 which is the best of all the wild meat2 consequently they are hunted to extermination in any of the accessible localities4 ,as to the smaller fur-bearing animals1 the beaver1 mink1 otter1 marten1 ermine1 fox1 etc41 they exist in great numbers and sustain the only present industry in the country1 the fur trade4 ,,feathered ,,game4 ,as to the feathered game there are grouse and ptarmigan1 and in season ducks of all kinds1 geese1 etc4 ,in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 ,bishop ,clut stated that ,mackenzie river1 where it leaves ,great ,slave lake1 and the mouths of ,athabaska1 ,peace1 ,salt and ,great ,slave ,lake rivers1 were places where the imperial birds 7outardes71 the grey goose1 the white goose1 large and small1 and the swan prefer to stop to fatten themselves4 ,they were there in such numbers sometimes in the spring and the autumn that one could hardly sleep when camping near them4 ,these fowl remained there nearly six weeks each spring and as long in the autumn4 ,the ducks passed all summer there4 ,the outardes1 the grey goose1 white goose 7large and small71 swans1 ducks of numerous species and varieties are of great value1 and constitute the greater part of the people's food in the spring and the autumn4 ,these fowl are very numerous4 ,the number of them is incalculable4 ,,inexhaustible ,,supplies ,,of ,,fish4 ,the wealth of the ,mackenzie country in fresh water fish may be said to be a tradition4 ,one of the most interesting sections to sportsmen1 of that part of ,mr4 ,preble's report referring to the fish of the ,mackenzie basin1 is that under the heading 8,speckled ,trout10 in which he says3--8,under this general heading ,i include a few notes collected from various sources regarding the occurrence of speckled or brook trout1 probably of several species1 in a number of widely separated localities in the ,mackenzie basin4 ,mr4 ,john ,firth1 of ,fort ,mc,pherson1 assured me that speckled trout are found in ,west ,rat river1 a tributary of the ,porcupine west of ,fort ,mc,pherson4 ,it is probable that these are either ,salmo mykiss or ,salvelinus malma1 both of which are known to occur in ,alaskan streams4 ,in ,east ,rat river1 also1 which is connected with the westward flowing stream 7and therefore may contain trout of the same species71 but which flows eastward into the ,peel1 he said that speckled trout are common4 ,mr4 ,firth also informed me that a form of speckled trout is found in the stream which enters the sea a short distance west of the mouth of the ,mackenzie4 ,mr4 ,mac,farlane states that speckled trout have been taken in lower ,anderson river4 ,as anadromous trout of the ,salvelinus alpinus type are known to occur in the ,coppermine1 these records may refer to the same species4 ,i also learned from several independent sources that speckled trout occur in ,tawattinaw and in one or two other tributaries of the ,athabaska1 but ,i was never able to procure specimens40 ,,the ,,arctic ,,grayling4 ,before the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 ,doctor ,g4 ,m4 ,dawson stated that in all the waters tributary to the ,mackenzie1 the ,arctic grayling1 or ,back's grayling1 which is an excellent fish1 was to be found4 ,it is a fish resembling the trout in appearance and size1 but has a very large back fin4 ,it is a very game fish very much like the trout1 takes the fly and is excellent eating4 ,that fish witness found in the headwaters of the ,mackenzie1 as far up as the very source of ,peace river1 and also that of ,liard river4 ,it also occurs in ,nelson river to its headwaters4 ,it is a purely fresh water fish1 and a two-pounder would be a fair sized one4 ,mr4 ,keele1 speaking of his reconnaissance explorations in #aijg and #aijh1 says that grayling1 herring and a variety of brook trout were found in ,gravel river1 there being an abundance of grayling1 but herring and trout were rarely taken4 ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble has the following to say in his report with reference to this fine fish3-- 8,the ,arctic grayling1 usually called bluefish in the north1 has a very extensive range4 ,it occurs throughout the region from ,peace river and ,athabaska lake northward and northwestward to ,arctic ocean4 ,i can not find that it has been detected in the ,athabaska4 ,as it prefers clear streams it is somewhat local in distribution1 occurring but seldom in the main rivers1 which are usually muddy1 but being abundant in many of the clear tributaries and the lakes which they drain4 ,during my explorations ,i met with the grayling in the lake country between ,great ,slave and ,great ,bear lake and at a number of points on the ,mackenzie4 ,it was especially abundant in the rapid stream which ,i descended to ,mac,tavish bay in ,august1 #aijc1 and ,i caught many while fishing for trout with a spoon hook4 ,it was common also in ,great ,bear lake near ,fort ,franklin a little later1 where many were being taken in the whitefish nets4 8,the grayling is said to be scarce in the ,liard below the mouth of the ,nelson1 but to be common above that point4 ,it is also found in most of the tributaries of the ,mackenzie1 several of which have local names referring to its occurrence4 8,as an index to the distribution of this interesting fish ,i have selected the following references3 ,back recorded it from the mouth of ,hoarfrost river1 ,great ,slave lake2 from the head of ,backs river2 and from ,lake ,pelly on the same stream4 ,doctor ,g4 ,m4 ,dawson reported its capture in upper ,peace river1 and in the ,finlayson1 a tributary of the upper ,liard4 ,mac,farlane has recorded it from ,anderson river4 8,i am not aware that the grayling has been recorded from any stream tributary to ,hudson bay1 except in one instance4 ,doctor ,bell mentions that it was taken in tributaries of the lower ,churchill1 and that a specimen was identified by ,professor ,gill as ,thymallus signifer4 ,a possible explanation of the occurrence of this fish in the ,churchill is suggested by the fact that there is a direct water connection between ,churchill river and ,athabaska lake4 ,the grayling occurs in ,black or ,stone river1 which flows from ,wollaston lake into ,athabaska lake4 ,the waters of another outlet of ,wollaston lake1 ,cochrane river1 flow by way of ,reindeer lake into the ,churchill1 thus affording to a torrent-loving species like the ,arctic grayling a ready means of communication40 ,,great ,,slave ,,lake ,,fisheries4 ,the marvellous productiveness of the fisheries of ,great ,slave lake and many of the rivers in its vicinity have been time and time again commented upon by travellers4 ,in the account of his journey in #aggb1 ,samuel ,hearne1 writing 7p4 #bdi7 of the fish in ,great ,slave lake 7his ,athapapuskow71 states3--8,the fish that are common in this lake1 as well as in most of the other lakes in this country1 are pike1 trout1 perch1 marble1 tittameg1 and methy4 ,the two last are names given by the natives to two species of fish which are found only in this country4 ,besides these1 we also caught another kind of fish1 which is said by the northern ,indians to be peculiar to this lake2 at least none of the same kind have been met with in any other4 ,the body of this fish much resembles a pike in shape1 but the scales1 which are very large and stiff1 are of a beautifully bright silver colour2 the mouth is large1 and situated like that of a pike1 but when open it much resembles that of a sturgeon1 and though not provided with any teeth1 takes a bait as ravenously as a pike or a trout4 ,the sizes we caught were from two feet long to four feet4 ,their flesh1 though delicately white1 is very soft and has so rank a taste1 that many of the ,indians1 unless they are in absolute want1 will not eat it4 ,the trout in this lake are of the largest size ,i ever saw2 some that were caught by my companions1 could not1 ,i think1 be less than thirty-five or forty pounds weight4 ,pike are also of an incredible size in this extensive water4 ,here they are seldom molested1 and have multitudes of smaller fish to prey upon4 ,if ,i say that ,i have seen some of these fish that were upwards of forty pounds weight1 ,i am sure ,i do not exceed the truth40 ,,multitudes ,,of ,,fish4 ,richardson in his 8,arctic ,searching ,expedition0 7,vol4 #a1 p4 #afj71 speaking of ,demarais's fishery on ,great ,slave lake1 writes3--8,during the whole summer1 in the eddies between the islands of this part of the lake1 multitudes of fish may be taken with hooks1 and by nets1 such as trout1 white fish1 pike1 sucking carp1 and inconnu4 ,in spring and autumn wild-fowl may be procured in abundance at several places in the neighbourhood which are their accustomed passes1 and the fishery on the north side of ,big island seems to be inexhaustible in the winter4 ,with good fishermen1 and a proper supply of nets1 a large body of men may be wintered here in safety and plenty4 ,in no other part of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's territories1 with which ,i am acquainted can so many people be maintained1 with so much certainty1 on the resources of the country40 ,,the ,,ordinary ,,fishing ,,season4 ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell reports that during the ordinary fishing season on ,great ,slave lake1 which usually lasts from ,september #bj to ,october #aj1 the fish leave the deeper parts of the lake and migrate in vast numbers to certain favored waters where almost any quantity desired can be obtained4 ,the ,big island fishery supplied ,fort ,simpson and ,fort ,providence in #ahhg with about forty thousand fish1 besides affording constant support to a number of ,indians4 ,at the mouth of the ,beaver about twenty thousand were taken1 and the fisheries at the mouth of ,hay river1 in the bay in front of ,fort ,rae1 and near ,fort ,resolution1 besides other places1 yielded corresponding quantities4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell estimated the total yield of the lake for the year #ahhg at about half a million pounds4 ,the most abundant and valuable of the fishes of the lake is the widely distributed whitefish 7,coregonus clupeiformis74 ,with the whitefish are associated the lake trout 7,salvelinus namaycush71 which often attains a weight of over fifty pounds1 the inconnu 7,stenodus ,mackenzii71 the pike 7,esox lucius71 and the sucker 7,catostomus longirostris71 besides others of less importance4 ,a stray salmon was captured about forty miles below the outlet of the lake1 and was described by ,mr4 ,reid of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company as being identical with the common ,yukon salmon1 probably ,oncorhynchus ,chouicha1 but visitors of this kind are very rare4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell informed the ,senate committee of #aijg that there are great quantities of whitefish in nearly all the lakes4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell wintered at ,fort ,providence1 just below ,great ,slave lake1 and in ten days there were about one hundred and forty thousand fish caught4 ,they come into the shallow part of the lake about ,september #ae4 ,they are caught by the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 the missions and some ,indians1 and are used to feed the men and dogs4 ,it is the staple food of the country1 or was the year witness was there4 ,they catch the fish at all seasons1 but late in the fall is the particular time for catching them for the winter supply4 ,they get salmon trout there also4 ,at the ,fort he had had them weighing fifteen to twenty pounds1 and they told stories about catching them forty pounds in weight4 ,there was one king salmon caught at ,fort ,providence--only one4 ,they also get pike or jackfish4 ,mr4 ,mc,connell did not know about pickerel4 ,the inconnu is a fine fish1 and is caught all the way along the ,mackenzie and up ,slave river as far as the rapids4 ,it is a large fish weighing from ten to twenty pounds4 ,a ,,specimen ,,haul4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,h4 ,harrison says 78,in ,search of a ,polar ,continent4073-- 8,most of the small streams which run into ,slave river come from large lakes that abound with fish4 ,to these lakes we often went up in a small canoe1 and set a net1 which1 as a rule1 if left out all night1 contained a couple of dozen fish the next morning2 or1 to give the component weights of a specimen 8haul01 we had on one occasion two pounds of whitefish1 twenty-five pounds of inconnu1 ten pounds of trout1 and twenty pounds of pike4 ,we had always1 in fact1 to throw back a great number keeping only two or three for immediate eating4 ,in the spring of #aijc ,i had taken an ,indian and his family with me on to this river to shoot duck and geese1 and before a fortnight was out we had killed sixty-three geese and a great quantity of duck4 ,i had trouble1 however1 with this ,indian1 who was but a poor spirited fellow1 and he left me by myself at the mouth of a small river that ran down from a lake about sixty miles from ,fort ,resolution4 ,here for a whole month ,i was encamped alone1 and had no difficulty in keeping myself--fish1 wild-fowl1 and black bear being plentiful4 ,i had a net in the water1 thereby securing1 as ,i have already intimated1 some two dozen fish a day1 the bulk of which ,i threw back4 ,in ,slave river itself1 which is very muddy1 ,i have never caught many fish1 but the lakes off the river swarm with them4 8,fort ,resolution is a delightful place4 ,i spent a winter there in #aijb-jc1 making many excursions into the surrounding country4 ,there are three trading posts there1 also a ,roman ,catholic mission1 where ,bishop ,breynart makes his headquarters1 and a convent in which about forty native children are educated4 ,everyone relies upon fish and reindeer for subsistence4 ,i heard a story of a trout weighing eighty-four pounds having been taken in ,great ,slave lake1 but though ,i saw many trout that were caught during my stay there1 ,i never set eyes upon any weighing more than forty-five pounds4 ,while passing through on my recent journey ,i offered fifty dollars1 or ten pounds1 sterling1 to anyone who should bring me a trout that scaled fifty pounds1 but when ,i came back ,mr4 ,harding of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company said that he had not in the meantime seen any which weighed over forty-three pounds4 ,even this1 of course1 is a large weight for lake trout4 ,the whitefish1 however1 rather than the trout1 is the chief food4 ,it weighs about two pounds1 and is caught in great quantities4 ,the dogs never get anything to eat except fish1 and they thrive on the diet4 ,two pounds of fish apiece daily is barely enough to keep them alive1 but two fish weighing two pounds each are an ample ration for a dog4 ,,bishop ,,clut',s ,,testimony4 ,during his examination before the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 ,bishop ,glut emphasized the fact that an important natural resource of the ,mackenzie basin lay in immense quantities of fish found in the great lakes1 the ,athabaska1 ,great ,slave and ,great ,bear4 ,east of those lakes there were many other great lakes which were full of fine fish4 ,the bishop had not been at ,great ,bear lake1 but from reports of ,fathers ,petitot1 ,o4,m4,i41 and ,ducot1 ,o4,m4,i41 he knew that the lake was immense and abounding in fish4 ,there was an abundance of small fish1 which he believed to be herring4 ,to the eastward of ,mackenzie river1 separated from it by a chain of mountains1 running in the same direction as the great river1 a succession of beautiful and magnificent great lakes1 full of fish1 was found4 ,they had named them 8,pius ,,ix01 8,demazenod0 and 8,tache04 ,these were the three largest lakes4 ,the bishop had crossed them in winter from ,fort ,good ,hope to ,fort ,norman4 ,lakes were innumerable in the basin of the ,great ,mackenzie1 and nearly all of them abounded in fish of different kinds4 ,the regions east1 northeast1 and north1 above all1 abounded in lakes of all sizes1 and were very rich in fish4 ,lake ,athabaska furnished a very great quantity of whitefish1 of small and large salmon trout1 of pike1 of pickerel1 of carp1 of large loches1 etc4 ,the whitefish weighed at least three pounds2 the small trout from four to ten2 the large trout from ten to thirty-five2 the pike from four to twenty pounds2 the carp the same4 ,in ,clear lake pike were caught weighing from twenty-five to thirty-five pounds4 ,whitefish1 pike1 pickerel1 carp and trout were caught in nets in which the meshes were four and a half inches in size4 ,great ,slave lake produced the same species of fish that ,great ,athabaska lake did1 and also in much greater quantity4 ,they find there also the inconnu1 a species of salmon which came from ,arctic ocean4 ,it was undeniable that it comes from the sea4 ,it was found all the way up the ,mackenzie as far north as the river at ,fort ,smith4 ,there the rapids and the cascades prevented it ascending higher4 ,it was a beautiful and fine fish--the shape of the whitefish1 but much larger4 ,it weighed from eight to thirty pounds4 ,,herring ,,and ,,the ,,inconnu ,,in ,,the ,,mackenzie4 ,w4 ,f4 ,bredin1 ,m4,l4,a41 in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 stated that herring from ,arctic ocean ascend the ,mackenzie to about ,fort ,wrigley4 ,they are good fish4 ,he said he had been told that ,great ,bear lake just teems with that same herring4 ,in his report1 ,william ,ogilvie1 ,d4,l4,s41 gives the following information about the chief fishes of ,mackenzie river3--8,fish are numerous in the ,mackenzie1 the principal species being that known as the #8,inconnu4' ,those caught in the lower river are very good eating1 much resembling salmon in taste1 being also firm and juicy4 ,the flesh is a light pink in color1 but as they ascend the river and become poor1 this turns white and the flesh gets soft and unpalatable4 ,they average ten or twelve pounds in weight1 but have often been caught weighing thirty or forty4 ,they ascend as far as the rapids1 on ,great ,slave river1 where they are taken in the fall in great numbers for dog-feed1 being then so thin that they are considered unfit for human food1 if anything else is obtainable4 ,this fish is not fed to working dogs1 unless scarcity of other fish compels it4 ,there is a small fish known locally as #8herring' somewhat resembling the inconnu in appearance1 and which does not grow larger than a pound or two in weight4 ,the staple fish of the district1 and for that matter1 of the whole northwest1 is the whitefish4 ,they abound in many parts of the river1 but especially in all the lakes discharging into it1 and form the principal article of diet during the greater part of the time1 as very little food is brought into the country4 ,this fish is caught in large numbers everywhere40 ,,fish ,,in ,,great ,,bear ,,lake4 ,mr4 ,hanbury mentions that one ,august night his party's nets in ,great ,bear lake caught sixteen whitefish1 8some of them very large1 seven or eight pounds2 none of them under four pounds4 ,this was the largest average of whitefish of which ,i had heard4 ,in ,great ,slave lake their average weight is three pounds40 ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble describes the lake trout so often referred to 7,cristivomer naymacush7 as a beautiful fish inhabiting nearly every body of water in the north1 but abounding in the larger sheets of water1 including ,great ,bear lake1 and as the water is there beautifully clear the traveller frequently sees them pursuing their prey in the depths1 or lying motionless near the bottom4 ,a trout taken by ,simpson's party at ,fort ,confidence1 ,great ,bear lake1 measured four and one-half feet in length and twenty-seven inches in girth1 and weighed forty-seven pounds4 ,richardson states that ,franklin's party1 during eighteen months' residence at ,fort ,franklin in #ahbe-bf1 took three thousand five hundred trout weighing from two to thirty pounds each4 ,,the ,,lower ,,mackenzie4 ,writing of his visit to the small post at the mouth of ,arctic ,red river on the lower ,mackenzie in the autumn of #aije1 ,mr4 ,harrison 78,in ,search of a ,polar ,continent07 remarks3--8,before starting we loaded up nine sledges1 at the mouth of ,arctic ,red river1 with dried fish1 which was now to be obtained in abundance4 ,on reaching this post1 indeed1 ,i had calculated that there were about twenty thousand dried fish hanging up there1 which had all been caught in nets and smoked over the camp fires4 ,this industry of catching fish is busily and extensively carried on each year upon ,mackenzie river4 ,the natives begin operations in ,august and continue as long as the river is open2 few fish are taken after the ice has set fast4 ,the chief kinds of fish which are caught are the inconnu 7or ,mackenzie river salmon1 though it would seem rather to be a sort of herring71 the white fish and the trout4 ,the inconnu1 which turns the scale at anything between twenty and forty pounds1 is excellent provender alike for men and for dogs2 when dried1 it becomes1 of course1 much lighter by shrinkage1 and can conveniently be carried on sledges4 ,the whitefish1 as ,i have previously stated1 average about two pounds a piece2 the heaviest ,i saw here weighed eight pounds4 ,the whitefish1 moreover1 furnish a more toothsome repast than any other kind obtainable in these waters4 ,there are numerous trout in the surrounding lakes1 but ,i seldom procured any of them40 ,illustration3 ,the 8,conny0 or 8,inconnu40 ,mr4 ,harrison mentions that in #aijf in the country between ,point ,separation on the ,mackenzie delta and ,liverpool bay on the ,arctic coast1 at the mouth of a small river1 his ,esquimaux caught several huge pike1 one of which he weighed and found to scale forty-two pounds4 ,they were excellent eating1 but they tore the nets to pieces4 ,this stream1 ,mr4 ,harrison says1 is fifty yards wide1 and is thickly timbered on both banks4 ,,the ,,whaling ,,industry4 ,it is not proposed to discuss here the fisheries of ,arctic ocean and of the islands which lie therein1 but having come down to the mouth of the ,mackenzie we might well devote a couple of paragraphs to a fishing industry actively prosecuted in the immediate vicinity4 ,in his annual report dated ,fort ,macpherson ,february #af1 #aiaj1 ,inspector ,g4 ,l4 ,jennings makes the following reference to the whaling industry in northern waters3 8,in ,august1 #aiji1 the steamer ,karluk arrived at ,herschel island4 ,she is an independent whaler1 the stock of the venture amounting to thirty-two thousand dollars1 being owned by the captain1 the officers1 and some merchants of ,san ,francisco4 ,the ,karluk cruised in the neighbourhood of ,baillie island and ,banks ,land until the close of navigation4 ,she returned to ,herschel island on ,september #bc1 having killed eleven bowhead whales1 eight of which ,i understand were taken in ,canadian waters1 north and east of ,cape ,parry4 ,the value of this cargo of eleven head is1 by an estimate at the present low price of bone1 eighty-five thousand dollars4 ,the ,karluk is wintering at ,herschel island and will return to the eastward by first open water4 ,as she will have the field to herself for at least six weeks before any other ships can arrive from the westward1 the chances are that she will make another large catch1 and will no doubt leave in the fall of this year for ,san ,francisco with a cargo of bone valued from one hundred and fifty thousand dollars upwards4 ,the value of the trade of the ,karluk in pelts will also be several thousand dollars4 ,i think it is greatly to be regretted that no ,canadian whaling ships or traders from our ,pacific coast come into this territory1 instead of leaving everything to the ,americans4 ,with a good class of trade goods1 no cheap trashy stuff1 and having no duty on these goods1 selling or trading at a reasonable profit1 the whole trade of our ,arctic coast could easily be secured4 ,i think it is but a matter of a very few years before ,american trading concerns open stations at ,herschel island1 ,kittigazuit and ,baillie island4 ,if a ,canadian firm was established first there would be no opposition40 ,in a later report the same year1 ,inspector ,jennings states that the ,karluk had killed nine whales during ,july1 making twenty in all for two seasons with an approximate value of one hundred and thirty thousand dollars4 ,he had also fur to the value of ten thousand dollars received in trade4 ,on leaving ,baillie island on ,august #ad1 the ,karluk cruised along the south and west coast of ,banks ,land1 north of ,cape ,kellett1 to north latitude #gbca4 ,she left ,herschel on ,august #bf and reached ,nome1 ,alaska1 on ,september #c4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,arctic ,,prairie ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,the ,,barren ,,lands ,,or 8,,arctic ,,prairie04 ,topography1 ,soil1 ,climate and ,flora4 ,explorers ,declare ,the ,term 8,barren ,lands0 a ,misnomer4--,some ,notes ,about the ,chief ,rivers and ,known ,lakes--,an ,inland ,waterway for ,steamers via ,chesterfield ,inlet a distance of ,five ,hundred and ,fifty ,miles ,into the ,interior4--,the ,progression of the ,seasons4 --,the ,country ,similar to the ,tundra of ,siberia4--,a ,limited ,amount of ,agriculture may be ,possible in ,places4--,natural ,prairies in the ,valley of the ,thelon4 ,most of the recent explorers and travellers who have visited the vast sub-arctic region extending from the present boundaries of the provinces of ,manitoba1 ,saskatchewan and ,alberta to ,arctic sea1 and lying between ,hudson bay and the heights of land defining the eastern limits of the watersheds of ,mackenzie river and of the rivers flowing into the ,arctic sea1 north of ,great ,bear lake1 have protested against the application to the country of the term 8,barren ,lands40 ,for instance we find ,mr4 ,david ,t4 ,hanbury 7,see p4 #ba7 in his well known volume 8,sport and ,travel in the ,northland of ,canada0 writing3--8,i have always maintained that #8,barren ,ground' is a misnomer for the northland of ,canada4 ,no land can be called #8barren' which bears wild flowers in profusion1 numerous heaths1 luxuriant grass1 in places up to the knee1 and a variety of moss and lichens4 ,it is barren only in the sense that it is destitute of trees1 hence the name #8,dechin-u-le' 7no trees71 which is the ,indian name for it40 ,in #aijg1 ,mr4 ,ernest ,thompson ,seton1 the author and artist1 made a trip into the barren lands via ,athabaska river1 ,lake ,athabaska1 and ,great ,slave and ,great ,bear lakes4 ,describing his trip in a course of lectures1 ,mr4 ,seton declared that the barrens were not in reality barren in any sense of the word4 ,nature had seized every available cleft in the rock1 and had massed it with anemones1 ,athabaska roses1 and beautiful flowers of all hues4 ,between the vast flower stretches the bare rock was covered with rich mosses of varying colours4 8,in fact10 he said1 8it seems that nature began at the barrens with a full palette1 and when she got down to the tropical regions there was nothing left in her tubes but green4 ,the scenery surpasses that of the central west in the beauty of the hills and the manifold variety of wild flowers40 ,,term 8,,barren ,,lands0 ,a ,,misnomer4 ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble gives us this sketch of the scenery of the ,barren ,lands eastward of the ,coppermine3--8,thousands of lakes dot its surface1 and they are often bordered by grassy plains and gentle slopes1 on which1 during the short summer1 the bright flowers of a profusion of shrubby and herbaceous plants lend their beauty to the landscape1 and prove the appellation 8,barren ,grounds0 to be a misnomer1 though in many parts1 from the nature of the soil1 there is little plant life4 ,alders 7,aldus alnobetula7 occur in a more or less dwarfed condition in favourable places well into the treeless area1 and several species of willows1 some of which here attain a height of five or six feet1 border some of the streams as far north as ,wollaston ,land4 ,these are the only trees which occur even in a dwarfed state on the barren grounds proper40 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 in one of his reports1 describes the ,barren ,lands as consisting 8very largely of rolling plains1 underlain by stony till and covered with short grass or sedge40 ,he adds3--8,doubtless the ground is permanently frozen a great distance below the surface1 and the surface in summer is almost constantly wet1 like the plains of ,assiniboia and ,saskatchewan in early spring4 ,rounded rocky hills rise here and there through the clay1 and on these1 as well as often on the more stony parts of the till1 the surface is dotted with a thick growth of lichens1 such as ,alectoria ochroleuca1 ,a4 divergens1 and ,centraria ,islandica4 ,many flowers brighten these plains during the short summer months40 ,as the country has been so long known as the ,barren ,lands1 it would at present scarcely be recognized by any other designation1 although when the exploitation of its mineral wealth once attracts population1 it will some day be known by some other and more suitable name--8,hearne10 for instance1 after the cognomen of the first white man who undertook to explore its natural resources4 ,authorities differ in their definitions of the limits of the ,barren ,lands4 ,some consider the territory coming under that designation as extending much farther south in the vicinity of ,hudson bay2 others include in the ,barren ,lands most of the area immediately north of ,great ,bear lake4 ,mr4 ,preble1 the most recent scientific explorer to report officially upon the country1 under the heading 8,the ,barren ,grounds01 includes the area lying to the northward and northwestward of ,great ,bear and ,great ,slave lakes4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,sc41 ,f4,g4,s41 in a paper read before the ,british ,association at its ,toronto meeting in #ahig entitled 8,natural ,resources of the ,barren ,lands10 confined himself to a roughly triangular area bounded on the north by the ,arctic ocean1 on the east by the west coast of ,hudson bay and ,fox channel1 and on the southwest by a line extending from the vicinity of ,churchill on ,hudson bay1 northwestward1 roughly at right angles to the magnetic meridian1 crossing ,kazan river at ,ennadai lake1 ,telzoa river at ,boyd lake1 passing south of ,clinton-,colden and ,aylmer lakes1 across ,point lake and down the east side of ,coppermine river to within fifty miles of its mouth1 and thence striking westward across ,anderson river till it reaches the ,arctic coast near the mouth of ,mackenzie river4 ,,mr4 ,,tyrrell',s ,,definition4 ,according to ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 this line follows very closely the line of the mean summer temperature of #ej ,fahr4 south of which some of the most hardy trees can grow and ripen their fruit1 while north of it the summer is not sufficiently long or warm1 to allow even the most hardy trees to bring their fruit to perfection4 ,this portion of the ,barren ,lands1 according to ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 has a greatest length from the southeast to northwest of twelve hundred miles2 a greatest breadth from southwest to northeast of seven hundred and fifty miles1 and an area of four hundred thousand square miles1 a region twice as large as the province of ,ontario1 or more than three times as large as the whole ,united ,kingdom4 ,it will be observed that ,mr4 ,tyrrell leaves out of consideration in this paper a couple of areas included in the term 8,barren ,lands0 as used in this chapter1 namely the country south and southeast of the eastern arm of ,great ,slave lake1 and a triangular piece of country in the angle between the same sheet of water and ,yellowknife river4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell also considers the ,arctic strip of country north of ,great ,bear lake to the mouth of the ,mackenzie as forming part of the ,barren ,lands4 ,in this paper1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell makes the following comprehensive reference to the physical geography of this extensive region3--,he says3--8,in general character the country is a vast undulating plain1 underlain by a stony clay1 and covered with a short grass or deciduous ,arctic plants4 ,in certain sections no rising ground can be seen for miles around1 and in other sections rocky hills rise through the general covering of clay4 ,the whole land reminds one forcibly of the great plains of ,western ,canada1 the chief points of difference being caused by the differences in the underlying rocky-floor4 ,the boulder-clay underlying the plains is deposited on a floor of soft ,cretaceous shales and sandstones1 and even where the soft rocks crop out at the surface they rarely form conspicuous hills2 the boulder-clay underlying the ,barren ,lands is deposited largely on a floor of igneous1 or hard1 highly altered rocks1 which1 wherever they appear at the surface1 form rocky knolls that stand up distinctly above the surrounding clay1 while the boulder-clay itself1 being formed out of material derived from the hard granitoid rocks1 is much more stony than the clay of the more southern plains4 ,,no ,,high ,,altitudes4 8,no part of the country rises to any great altitude above the sea1 the highest point being probably the ridge of rocky hills called ,stony mountains1 which run along the east side of ,coppermine river1 and are said to rise about fifteen hundred feet above the sea4 ,ennadai lake lies eleven hundred feet above the sea1 ,dubawnt#bd lies five hundred feet1 and the ,yathkyed lake three hundred feet4 8,the country may conveniently be divided into two distinct portions1 namely1 the ,interior ,upland and the ,coastal ,plain4 8,the ,interior ,upland includes all those parts of the country lying above the highest ancient shore-line1 either of ,hudson bay or of ,arctic ocean1 and has a mean elevation of from nine hundred to one thousand feet above the sea4 ,its surface is composed largely of sandy boulder-clay1 and rounded boulders or broken fragments of the underlying rock4 ,low ridges and rugged1 irregular hills are common over the surface1 while eskers1 or long straight ridges of sand or gravel1 extend in uninterrupted courses over hills and valleys alike4 ,here and there some ancient beaches mark the positions of small lakes which have long since disappeared4 ,,the ,,coastal ,,plain4 8,the ,coastal ,plain lies between the highest ancient post-glacial seabeach and the present seashore1 sloping gradually from a height of five hundred to six hundred feet down to the sea-level4 ,much of this plain has a stony surface1 like that of the ,interior ,upland1 but it is diversified with sandy plains1 and on all the steeper slopes gravel terraces or coast cliffs mark the lines of the old seashore4 ,many of the terraces fill narrow gaps between adjoining hills1 and the lower ones are often strewn with shells such as are found in ,hudson bay at the present time4 ,the waves have reduced the surface irregularities of this portion of the country to some extent1 but the more rocky districts1 such as those in the vicinity of ,chesterfield inlet are still1 except for the presence of the little terraces1 as rough and rugged as before they were covered by the sea1 and the highest parts are probably barer1 for any loose material that had been left on them by the ice-sheet of the glacial period has been washed by the waves into the depressions4 ,the breadth of the plain in the vicinity of ,churchill is about fifty miles4 ,farther north it becomes broader1 until1 in the latitude of ,yathkyed lake1 it has a breadth of one hundred and twenty-five miles1 and at the north end of ,dubawnt lake extends westward for three hundred miles4 ,north of ,dubawnt river its extent is not yet known1 but many of the old sand plains and terraces reported from the banks of ,backs river probably mark old shore-lines on this ,coastal ,plain1 there sloping northward toward ,arctic ocean4 8,in a few places the coast-line is fairly high but as a rule it is low1 and slopes gently down into a shallow sea4 ,the whole country has a fairly general slope northeastward1 and the three principal streams which drain it have a more or less parallel course in that direction1 while other smaller streams flow more directly towards the coast1 northward to ,arctic ocean and eastward to ,hudson bay4 ,,the ,,three ,,principal ,,rivers4 8,these three streams are ,thlew-e-cho1 ,great ,fish or ,backs river1 ,telzoa or ,dubawnt river and ,kazan river4 8,backs river rises in ,sussex lake about fifty miles within the edge of the ,barren ,lands1 in a basin surrounded by sandy hills1 at an elevation of about five hundred and fifty feet above the sea1 and after a course of six hundred miles empties itself into ,arctic ocean a short distance south of the magnetic pole4 ,this stream will always possess a melancholy interest for every man or woman of ,british stock1 for at its mouth the crews of the ,erebus and ,terror1 the two ships taken out by ,sir ,john ,franklin on his last ill-fated expedition1 dropped in their tracks and died as they attempted to reach a place of safety and plenty4 8,telzoa or ,dubawnt river rises in ,daly lake a short distance south of the ,barren ,lands1 and flows northeastward1 roughly parallel to ,backs river1 until it strikes the wide valley which extends inland from ,chesterfield inlet1 where it turns abruptly eastward and flows into the west side of ,hudson bay1 its total length1 including ,chesterfield inlet1 being eight hundred and seventy-five miles4 8,kazan river rises in ,kasba lake1 fifty miles east of ,daly lake1 and flows approximately parallel to ,telzoa river for about four hundred and ninety miles to enter the south side of ,baker lake though the exact position of its mouth has not yet been determined4 ,of the smaller streams the ,anderson1 ,ferguson and ,coppermine are the only three which have been explored40 ,,dubawnt ,,lake4 ,in his official report of his trip of exploration in #ahic1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell gave some particulars about ,dubawnt lake1 situated a little south of the middle of the ,barren ,lands4 ,he writes3--8,dubawnt lake is a body of clear cold water of unknown extent1 the southern and eastern shores indicated by dotted lines on the map1 having been laid down from rude sketches made by the ,eskimo4 ,its western and northern shores were surveyed for one hundred and seventeen miles1 but from the summits of the highest hills the opposite shores were nowhere distinctly seen4 ,its approximate altitude above the sea level is five hundred feet4 ,by the ,chipewyan ,indians it is called ,tobatna or ,water-shore lake1 possibly from the fact that the main portion of the lake is always covered with ice1 and that in summer there is a lane of water between this ice and the shore4 ,its ,eskimo name is ,tulemalugua4 ,judging from subsequent ,eskimo reports1 it has two principal affluents4 ,one of them flows into its southern side1 and has scattered groves of white spruce on its banks4 ,the other is ,dubawnt or ,telzoa river which we had descended4 ,before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell explained that the outline of the lake as he sketched it still appears on the maps4 ,he added that the most recent government maps of the ,barren ,lands do not pretend to be complete4 ,they merely show the lakes that are known4 ,there are thousands of others that we know nothing of1 because nobody has been through there4 ,some of the larger ones are sketched in4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell sketched in many1 from the reports of the ,esquimaux1 and they still appear as he so sketched them on the map4 ,the whole country is studded with lakes4 ,,water ,,routes ,,via ,,chesterfield ,,inlet4 ,from the reports of ,messrs4 ,tyrrell and ,hanbury and ,inspector ,pelletier1 we have obtained a pretty good idea of the outstanding features of the great system of inland waterways which find their outlet at tidal water at ,chesterfield inlet4 ,in his report1 speaking of ,thelon river1 which he discovered during his trip in #ahij1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell describes it as 8one of the finest in ,canada1 navigable for river steamers and other boats of light draught all the way from ,hudson bay to the forks of the ,hanbury1 a distance of five hundred and fifty miles1 excepting perhaps at two rapids on the river above ,baker lake1 where some improvements to the channel may be made40 ,he continues3--8,just what length of time this route may be open for navigation ,i am unable to say precisely1 but would judge that the river portion must be open for at least five months1 and the inlet and larger lakes about a month less1 that is during the months of ,july1 ,august1 ,september and ,october40 ,mr4 ,c4 ,c4 ,fairchild1 who was attached to ,mr4 ,tyrrell's expedition and surveyed the waters between ,baker lake and ,chesterfield inlet1 writes in his report3--8,i am unable1 owing to the short time at my disposal1 to make anything but a cursory examination of the general depths of the water traversed1 but ,i took soundings enough to satisfy myself that vessels ,,drawing ,,ten ,,feet ,,of ,,water would have no difficulty in travelling from ,hudson bay to the west end of ,baker lake4 ,here boat navigation must end as far as the river between ,schultz and ,baker lakes is concerned1 owing to rapids at either end of the river that would in low water not permit of the passage of any craft larger than a ,york boat40 8,chesterfield inlet in the main channel exceeded five fathoms in depth at all points tried1 and soundings were only taken when ,i could see bottom1 which was plainly visible at thirty feet and even more40 ,inspector ,pelletier of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 who went down that river on his way from ,great ,slave lake in #aijh1 describes the lower reach of ,thelon river just above ,beverly lake as flowing through 8low lying country with willows and grass4 ,a high ridge of bare hills is seen in the distant north1 running east and west4 ,the river follows along the range1 winding through what ,i would call foothills1 until it opens on ,beverly lake4 ,the country there is low lying40 ,beverly lake to ,hudson bay is a stretch of barrens4 ,no wood grows on that stretch but a few small willows in some very scattered spots and far between4 ,beverly lake is surrounded by comparatively low lying sandy country4 ,at the lower end the land is higher4 ,just entering into ,aberdeen lake the shores are rocky and immediately give place to low sandy soil4 ,this extends for about thirty miles1 when the country again takes a rocky appearance and the ridges get higher and higher to the lower end where hills of from four hundred to five hundred feet in height are seen1 with solid rock formation4 ,the north shore of ,schultz lake is of high rocky ridges1 in places four hundred feet high4 ,when getting to the lower end it alters to sand and gravel and becomes low lying4 ,at the outlet of ,schultz river it again becomes rocky4 ,below the last rapid1 near ,baker lake1 the country immediately becomes low lying and sandy and gravelly4 ,the north shore of ,baker lake is high and rocky2 in places the bare rocky ridges advance and run into the lake1 forming rough1 bare points4 ,the lower end of ,baker lake is high1 the ridges being about four hundred feet4 ,baker river flows between high banks of solid rock4 ,the formation of the country along ,chesterfield inlet is mostly rocky1 and is quite low lying1 with here and there a prominent rocky point1 but none above two hundred feet1 except at the lower end1 near ,deer island1 where there is a collection of fairly high ridges4 ,,upper ,,reaches ,,of ,,the ,,thelon4 ,as to the higher reaches of the ,thelon1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell says in his report3--8,about two miles below the junction of ,hanbury river1 where we made camp1 some measurements of the ,thelon were made1 from which the volume of the flow at the time was found to be over fifty thousand cubic feet per second4 ,the width of the stream measured one thousand two hundred and twenty-seven feet1 depth of channel five feet1 and velocity three and a third miles an hour4 ,these measurements being taken near the forks1 show a less depth but greater width than exists at most parts4 8,eight miles farther down the stream soundings were taken1 showing a depth of fourteen feet in mid-channel4 ,at this point well grown spruce trees were plentiful on both banks4 8,about thirty or thirty-two miles below the forks1 two slight rapids occur where ridges of rock project into the stream1 but they are so slight as not to seriously interfere with the navigation of the river either by canoes or large river boats40 ,,artillery ,,lake ,,region4 ,in the report of his #aijh patrol1 ,inspector ,pelletier thus describes ,artillery lake1#be northeast of ,great ,slave lake1 and the portages thereabout3--8,the south end of ,artillery lake is rocky1 the ridges are of solid rock1 and hills do not rise above three hundred to four hundred feet above the lake4 ,farther up the general character of the country changes into rolling plains of sand1 with more or less vegetation4 ,in places bare sand ridges are seen of fine yellow colour4 ,this again changes at the upper end of the lake4 ,there the formation is more broken1 solid rock ridges are few1 but large boulders are numerous1 and sand gets coarser1 ,i might say gravelly1 a mixture of clay and gravel1 with boulders more or less numerous4 ,all the country is comparatively flat2 there are no high hills anywhere more than two hundred to three hundred feet above water4 ,at the northern end of ,artillery lake are some sand ridges1 also at the northern end of ,kasba lake4 ,at the portages the ground is clay1 with gravel and boulders1 and in places1 if one walks over the same spot a while to and fro1 he will find that the ground will move under his feet and become dangerous4 ,in poking a stick through the crust1 water1 air and mud immediately rush out4 ,the whole country is covered with these places2 they are usually bare of vegetation1 and level and free from stones1 affording good camping ground1 but one has to be careful not to bustle too much or he will find himself sinking into a mud hole40 ,mr4 ,pelletier1 in his report1 speaking of his route from ,artillery lake to ,hanbury river1 says3--8,the stretch from ,height of ,land to below ,lac du ,bois is not considered as a stream4 ,it is only a succession of lakes separated by short1 shallow and turbulent streams of no size4 ,hanbury river proper begins from below ,lac du ,bois1 where it takes the appearance of a river4 ,above it can only be called the headwaters of ,hanbury river4 ,the general conformation of the country is low1 and only ridges of gravel1 or stones1 not exceeding eighty feet in height1 are seen4 ,there are no cutbanks of any account4 ,the slopes are gradual in most cases4 ,a few notes1 as to the progression of the seasons in various parts of the ,barren ,lands1 taken from the journals and reports of a number of explorers1 will prove interesting4 ,a ,,smart ,,thaw ,,early ,,in ,,may4 ,back records 8a smart thaw0 at ,fort ,reliance at the extreme eastern end of ,great ,slave lake1 on ,may #f1 #ahcd1 and mentions that patches of green were daily becoming visible4 ,he farther on states3--8,on ,may #ac1 a single goose1 the harbinger of summer1 flew past the house1 and during the day it was followed by five more1 all of which took a northerly direction4 ,this was six days later than they had been seen in #ahcf at ,fort ,franklin1 though a higher northern latitude4 ,a fly and a flock of small birds appeared in the evening1 and during the three succeeding days we had gulls1 orioles1 grosbeaks1 yellow legs1 robins and butterflies4 8,on ,may #ah1 the catkins of the willows were half an inch long1 and the snow was fast disappearing from the ground4 ,,sultry ,,towards ,,the ,,end ,,of ,,may4 8,towards the end of the month 7,may7 the weather became sultry1 the temperature in the sun being #ajf--;an extraordinary contrast to that of ,january #ag1 when it was #gj below zero4 ,the snow was all gone1 except that which had been drifted to a great depth in the narrow valleys1 and under steep precipices1 and the ,al-hel-dessy1 to the westward1 had burst its icy fetters1 and opened a clear channel to the portage opposite the house2 loons1 gulls1 and ducks took possession of the water1 and seemed to contend which should make the most noise2 some small birds also1 very prettily marked1 hovered about a short time1 and then both they and the ducks suddenly deserted us40 ,mr4 ,hanbury1 writing specially of the region northeast of ,chesterfield inlet1 states3--8,there is never much snow on the #8,barren ,grounds'1 and a few warm days suffice to lay the country bare4 ,if spring overtook us far inland on rough ground1 we should have an almost impossible march over bare ground to the ,arctic coast4 ,i therefore decided to begin that long journey not later than ,february40 ,,spring ,,at ,,chesterfield ,,inlet4 ,mr4 ,warburton ,pike1 writing of ,may #a1 #ahhg1 at a whaler's camp on ,hudson bay in the vicinity of ,chesterfield inlet1 states3--8,water was standing in pools over the ice in the bay2 the snow had disappeared except in the drifts2 a light rain was falling1 and the first goose was killed from the door of the master's house2 small bands of wild-fowl were passing frequently1 and cranes were calling in the swamps to the southward2 daylight lingered in the sky all night1 but there was always a sharp frost while the sun was down40 ,mr4 ,hanbury1 after crossing from ,chesterfield inlet to the ,arctic coast1 writes3--8,june is the one perfect month in the northland4 ,the temperature is just right2 there is not a fly or mosquito to trouble one4 ,the land is clear of snow1 with the exception of a few deep drifts and banks1 and the walking is good1 for the land dries with wonderful rapidity4 ,the ice is still good to travel over4 ,plenty of salmon are now running40 ,mr4 ,warburton ,pike1 on his canoe and overland trip in #ahij1 when north of the east end of ,great ,slave lake on ,june #af1 wrote3--8,a few warm days made a great difference in the appearance of the country4 ,leaves began to sprout on the little willows1 and the grass showed green on the hillsides2 sober hued flowers1 growing close to the ground1 came out in bloom1 and a few butterflies flapped in the hot sunshine1 while we were still walking on eight feet of solid ice4 ,mosquitoes appeared in myriads2 in the daytime there was usually a breeze to blow them away1 and the nights were too cold for them1 but in the calm mornings and evenings they made the most of their chance to annoy us40 ,on ,june #be1 ,mr4 ,pike's party planted their lodges on a high ridge overlooking ,lake ,mackay4 ,,ice ,,on ,,aylmer ,,lake ,,june #be4 ,at that same date the ice on ,aylmer lake was still solid4 ,in #ahba1 when ,franklin's party started to descend the ,coppermine on ,july #a1 the lakes on its upper course were still covered with ice4 ,apparently the river had opened only a short time before4 ,in #ahdi1 ,doctor ,rae noted the breaking up of the same river near its mouth on ,june #bh4 ,at this time the leaves of the dwarf birches were out1 and the leaf buds of the willows had begun to develop4 ,the lower part of the river remained blocked with ice until ,july #ac4 ,mr4 ,pike relates that about ,july #aj the weather in the neighbourhood of the headwaters of ,backs river 8was variable in the extreme2 two or three hot days would be followed by a snowstorm and once we were visited by a hurricane that did much damage to lodge-poles1 and caused us to shift camp hurriedly to the lee-side of a steep cliff hanging over the river4 ,july #aj was exceptionally hot in the morning1 with the mosquitoes at their worst2 in the middle of the day there was a thunderstorm1 and at five o'clock the ground was covered with snow4 ,the ice now began to show signs of rotting1 and the channel of open water round the weather edge of the lake grew rapidly broader40 ,,sunset ,,at ,,half ,,past ,,eleven4 ,on ,july #ai1 according to ,franklin1 the sun set at the mouth of ,coppermine river at half past eleven4 ,from the official report of ,inspector ,pelletier we find that at ,artillery lake on ,july #bc 8the atmosphere was quite smoky and warm40 ,on the morning of ,august #ab on ,thelon river the ground was white with frost1 and the ice on a kettle of water was a quarter of an inch in thickness4 ,the sun got up warm1 and the weather during the day was perfect4 ,august #ac 7,beverly lake7 was 8a warm still day04 ,august #ca 7,chesterfield inlet7 was 8a nice still day1 very warm40 ,while on their way from ,york to ,lake ,athabaska1 and descending ,cree river1 ,sir ,george ,simpson's party1 in #ahbc1 picked 8a good many ripe raspberries1 currants and gooseberries on the portages0 on ,july #cj4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell reports snow banks on the hillsides and great piles of rafted ice on the shore at ,markham lake on ,dubawnt river1 south of ,dubawnt lake1 on ,august #c1 #ahic4 ,as to the close of the ,barren ,lands summer1 ,back mentions that while ascending the river which has since been given his name1 on ,september #d1 #ahcd1 8a hard gale from the northwest indicated the commencement of the fall weather1 and1 while we were travelling1 many hundreds of geese flew high past us to the south40 ,mr4 ,hanbury mentions that one year during his travels two inches of snow fell during the night of ,september #ah and ice formed on the smaller lakes north of ,baker lake4 ,he remarks3--8,on my journey in #ahii we travelled on the ice with dogs the last days of ,june1 and were beset by ice on ,schultz lake on ,july #ca4 ,now in the middle of ,september we had ice again1 and it looked as if it had come to stay4 ,we had not gone far when we were obliged1 by the state of the weather1 to put ashore and camp4 ,the rest of the day was spent in repairing our tent1 which had suffered considerably during the recent storm40 ,warburton ,pike states 78,the ,barren ,ground of ,northern ,canada07 that the ice on ,great ,slave lake is usually not safe for travel till the middle of ,december4 ,,ultimate ,,development ,,of ,,the ,,country4 ,in his paper read before the ,british ,association at ,toronto1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 referring to the temperature of the ,barren ,lands and its bearing upon the question of the ultimate development of the country1 had this to say3-- 8,in this connection it may be stated that while the mean summer temperature 7which is below #ej on the ,barren ,lands7 determines the limit of the forest and the possibility of the growth of trees1 the mean winter temperature would probably determine the habitability of the country by human beings4 8,now ,churchill is the coldest inhabited place on this continent1 with a mean winter temperature of -#bj4e ,fahr41 and it is not likely that any part of the ,barren ,lands has a mean winter temperature of -#cj ,fahr41 while ,yakutsk1 a town of about five thousand inhabitants in ,siberia1 has a mean winter temperature of -#dj4d ,fahr41 and many other places in ,northern ,asia have a still lower mean1 one place having a mean winter temperature of -#ej4b ,fahr4 ,most of these places have1 however1 a higher summer temperature than is found in the ,canadian ,barren ,lands1 and are therefore within the limit of woods4 8,it can thus be seen that ,europeans and ,asiatics live and thrive in a much more rigorous climate than is found even in the most inhospitable parts of northern ,canada1 and that therefore the climate does not offer any insuperable objection to settlement in that country40 ,,present ,,inhabitants ,,two ,,thousand ,,eskimos4 ,according to ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell 7paper before the ,british ,association73 8,the permanent inhabitants of the ,barren ,lands are about two thousand ,eskimos1 who live either along the coast or on the banks of ,kazan and ,dubawnt rivers4 ,they subsist entirely by hunting and fishing1 and the animals on which they live are chiefly the ,barren ,land caribou and several species of seals4 ,besides these1 about five hundred ,chipewyan ,indians usually penetrate a short distance into the ,barren ,lands from the south during the summer in their annual deer-hunt1 but they retire southward into the forest to spend the winter40 ,,like ,,the ,,tundra ,,of ,,siberia4 ,doctor 7later ,sir ,john7 ,richardson was one of the first explorers to draw attention to the resemblance of the ,barren ,lands to the tundra of ,siberia4 ,in one place the learned scientist writes3--8,the general character of the tundra of the east of ,siberia is like that of the ,american barren grounds40 ,again he writes3--8,in character the ,siberian tundra is very similar to the ,american ones4 ,thus ,wrangell says1--#8,when one coming from the naked1 frozen moss-tundra reaches the valleys of the ,aninuik1 which are sheltered by mountains from the prevailing cold winds1 and where birches1 poplars1 willows1 and low creeping junipers 7,juniperus prostratus7 grow1 he thinks himself transported to ,italy4'0 ,all who have visited the ,barren ,grounds agree that the prospect of agriculture ever being successfully followed there on a large scale is very slight1 unless it is proved possible to develop the breeding of the ,lapland reindeer and make of it a profitable meat raising industry1 or is found practicable to domesticate the native reindeer or caribou4 ,some of the scientific explorers1 however1 think there is a prospect of a certain amount of barley agricultural produce1 even grain of hardy varieties being raised in one part--the valley of the ,thelon4 ,,limited ,,agriculture ,,possible4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell says in his report3--8,the ,thelon valley1 though affording good grazing ground for musk-oxen and caribou1 can scarcely be looked upon as a desirable agricultural district1 although ,i judge from the growth and great variety of plants observed there1 that some of our cereals and most of our hardy vegetables could be grown in the ,thelon valley40 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 brother of ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell1 in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 stated that to the west of ,hudson bay and north of the line of the forest which runs from ,churchill northwestward through ,ennadai lake1 and a short distance south of ,dubawnt lake1 there is practically no agricultural land4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell would not consider that any of the land north of the limit of forest growth was of any value for agriculture4 ,the tree line starts practically at ,churchill and runs northwesterly4 ,south of that there are trees1 and north there are none4 ,the country north of the tree line is partly rock1 but the greater part broken rock and boulders1 a rough stony country without any great elevation1 and very little vegetation of any kind1 except a great many ,arctic plants and sedges4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell believes the country is permanently frozen4 ,it did not appear to him that there would be any possibility whatever of growing anything on it4 ,that1 in ,mr4 ,tyrrell's opinion1 eliminates from an agricultural standpoint that portion northeast of that line4 ,to the west of ,hudson bay and south of the line of the treeless land which runs from ,churchill northwestward through ,ennadai lake1 and a short distance south of ,dubawnt lake1 there is a belt from one to two hundred miles in width of country that is sparsely wooded4 ,it is not a forest country1 but it is wooded along the streams1 and in the more protected places1 but there is comparatively little wood of any value upon it4 ,in that country there are1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell said1 some low lying areas along the streams and in odd places that would support a northern vegetation1 but it is not eminently suited for agriculture4 ,the ordinary plants that are grown in many northern countries could doubtless be cultivated in many places4 ,there is very little humus1 very little decomposed soil there1 except just in the valleys4 ,inspector ,pelletier1 speaking in the report of his #aijh patrol of his route from ,artillery lake to ,hanbury river1 says3--8,there are large stretches of arid country covered with boulders4 ,nevertheless all over is good feeding ground for deer40 ,the country surrounding ,hanbury river1 ,inspector ,pelletier states1 alternates from rocky ridges to sandy stretches and rocks broken up1 with country scattered with boulders4 ,moss and grass grow very poorly down to ,dickson canyon4 ,from there on vegetation improves gradually until when1 below the last fall1 it becomes most luxuriant4 ,the contrast is very noticeable4 ,,good ,,pasturage ,,along ,,the ,,thelon4 ,august #i1 while descending ,thelon river1 ,inspector ,pelletier's party camped for the night on a big grassy flat with a clump of trees at the back of it on a little mound4 ,the inspector says in his report3--8,i got to the top of the mound1 and with my glasses ,i could see an immense tract of prairie country growing good grass with a few little low trees in the far distance4 ,this tract of land1 if situated in a more accessible spot1 would certainly make the very best ranching country1 and there are many more stretches like this on ,thelon river40 ,the day previous they had passed places where the banks of the river had washed away 8showing very good and fertile soil40 ,towards evening of ,august #aj1 the country1 which had got quite barren about noon-time1 resumed again a green and fertile appearance and became well-wooded40 ,the following day another section 8barren in places0 was passed1 while later again quoting the inspector's report3--8the country assumed a better appearance1 and timber became larger and thicker1 until it became a continuous forest alike on both banks1 and as thick as on any river in the timbered belt4 ,this kept on for about ten miles1 and we camped near a bluff about eighty feet high1 at the edge of the timber4 ,the country then alters to low lying ground1 and timber again grew1 but very stunted1 and only in bunches1 which gradually became more scattered1 and after fifteen miles disappeared totally to give place to long willows along the banks with large grassy flats farther in40 ,,hardy ,,vegetables ,,might ,,grow ,,there4 ,in his summary of observations on this section of his trip ,inspector ,pelletier states in his report3--8,there are large stretches of prairie country 7along the ,thelon7 growing grass profusely4 ,the soil seems to be most fertile4 ,i am told the river opens in ,may4 ,if such is the case ,i would judge that some of the hardy vegetables would grow there4 ,the days are very long in summer40 ,accounting for the absence of native settlements from this valley1 ,inspector ,pelletier says the ,eskimos do not like timber on account of the flies in the summer and soft snow in the winter4 ,they like the open barren coast1 where the wind has full sweep1 where the snow packs hard in winter and where game is permanent4 ,the ,indians1 on the other hand do not inhabit this tract because it is far from trading posts1 and because there is no birch for them to make their canoes4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell1 in his book 8,through the ,sub-,arctics of ,canada10 says 8,agricultural development is not to be expected anywhere in the northern parts of the district1 but throughout the more southerly wooded portions there are great possibilities in this direction40 ,illustration3 ,the ,midnight ,sun4 ,,the ,,natural ,,flora4 ,as to the natural flora of the country1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 in his expedition of #ahic across the ,barren ,lands1 collected one hundred and twenty-four species of plants exclusively of algae and fungi4 ,reference has already been made to some observations made by explorers as to the flowers and other natural vegetable growths4 ,inspector ,pelletier1 ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 reports that between ,beverly lake and ,hudson bay 8grass grows in favoured spots1 but the balance of the country is bare40 ,describing the country at ,bloody fall on the ,coppermine1 ,franklin writes in his narrative3--8,the ground is well clothed with grass and nourishes most of the shrubs and berry-bearing plants that we have seen north of ,fort ,enterprise1 and the country altogether has a richer appearance than the barren lands of the ,copper ,indians40 ,mr4 ,a4 ,p4 ,low1 of the ,geological ,survey1 passed a winter in the far north near ,cape ,fullerton in the 8,neptune04 ,he expressed the opinion before the ,senate committee of #aijg that the whole northern region about ,chesterfield inlet and ,fullerton is unfit for agriculture4 ,the tree line ceases on the coast close to ,churchill and crosses off to the northwest towards the ,mackenzie4 ,the country on the mainland about ,chesterfield inlet is quite low4 ,the hills never extend more than three hundred or four hundred feet4 ,there are no forests up there1 and the only natural resources would be probably the minerals1 the furs1 and the sea and lake fisheries4 ,,the ,,lure ,,of ,,the ,,barren ,,lands4 ,mr4 ,hanbury1 describing a view in the ,barren ,lands on ,july #bc1 writes in his book3--8,artillery lake looked very picturesque in the bright sunlight2 the water1 which was of a beautiful blue1 was fanned into ripples by the gentle summer breeze4 ,the #8,barren ,ground' lay on either side beautifully green1 and decked gay with a variety of wild flowers4 ,its charm1 and the sense of freedom which it gives1 are very impressive1 but cannot be described40 ,the following is a pretty descriptive bit from ,mr4 ,warburton ,pike's book 8,the ,barren ,grounds of ,northern ,canada03--8,to the man who is not a lover of nature in all her moods the ,barren ,grounds must always be a howling1 desolate wilderness1 but for my part1 ,i can understand the feeling that prompted ,salatha's answer to the worthy priest1 who was explaining to him the beauties of ,heaven4 #8,my father1 you have spoken well2 you have told me that heaven is very beautiful2 tell me now one thing more4 ,is it more beautiful than the country of the musk-ox in summer1 when sometimes the mist blows over the lakes1 and sometimes the water is blue1 and the loons cry very often8 ,that is beautiful1 and if ,heaven is still more beautiful1 my heart will be glad1 and ,i shall be content to rest there till ,i am very old40 ----- #bd ,the ,geographic ,board of ,canada has adopted 8,dubawnt0 as the standard spelling of this lake and the river of the same name4 ,the name is a corruption of the ,indian name 8,tobatna01 meaning 8water shore04 7,e4 ,j4 ,c47 #be ,so named by ,captain ,george ,back in #ahcc1 out of respect to the ,royal ,artillery1 to which distinguished corps some of his crew who joined him in ,montreal belonged1 8and from a grateful remembrance of the deep interest manifested by its officers for the success of the expedition1 and of their friendly courtesies0 to himself4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,the ,,barren ,,lands1 ,,or 8,,arctic ,,prairie40 ,tree ,growth and ,timber ,resources4 ,phenomenal ,extensions of ,tree ,growth ,within the ,barren ,lands ,along the ,valley of ,thelon river4--,black ,spruce1 ,larch1 ,white ,spruce1 ,banskian ,pine and ,birch4--,valuable ,timber ,along the ,thelon1 ,about the ,east ,end of ,great ,slave lake and ,between ,great ,bear lake and ,coppermine river4 ,in his valuable report1 ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble1 of the ,united ,states ,biological ,survey1 states that ,coppermine1 ,thelon1 and many of the smaller rivers of the ,barren ,lands are wooded to some extent on their upper portions1 but by far the greater part of the area drained by them is treeless4 ,mr4 ,preble traces the northern boundary of the great transcontinental forest from the western shore of ,hudson bay to the mouth of the ,mackenzie as follows3--8,starting from the mouth of ,churchill river1 ,hudson bay1 the tree-line follows the shore closely for a few miles and then curves gently inland4 ,thence it extends northwesterly crossing ,nueltin1 or ,island lake1 ,ennadai lake on ,kazan river and ,boyd lake on the ,dubawnt4 ,just north of #fc degrees on ,artillery lake is the next point where we have a definite dividing line4 ,between the ,dubawnt and ,artillery lake is the valley of the upper ,thelon or ,ark-i-linik1 along whose banks the forest extends in a narrow line far into the general treeless area4 ,from ,artillery lake the line extends northwestward to ,point lake1 curving toward the southwest in the interval and crossing ,lake ,mackay1 south of latitude #fd degrees4 ,from ,point lake1 whose shores are practically devoid of trees1 nearly to latitude #fg degrees the banks of the ,coppermine are so thinly wooded that the river may be taken as the approximate boundary of the woods4 ,spruces occur on the ,coppermine as far north as the mouth of ,kendall river1 but are absent from the summit of the divide between there and ,great ,bear lake and reappear on lower ,dease river4 ,between ,dease river and the lower ,anderson the boundary of the woods is not well known40 ,it will be remembered by those familiar with the subject1 that1 in defining the eastern end of the forest line1 ,mr4 ,preble has closely followed the definition laid down by ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell in the official report of his exploration of the country south and east of ,dubawnt lakes and ,chesterfield inlet4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell states in his report3-- 8,the region may be divided into ,forests1 and ,treeless ,plains or #8,barren ,lands'1 by a line which curves around the bottom of ,button bay1 and then continues within sight of the shore as far as ,hubbart point1 beyond which it strikes northwestward almost at right angles to the magnetic meridian1 crossing ,kazan river at the southern narrows of ,ennadai lake1 and ,telzoa river about the middle of ,boyd lake40 ,,black ,,and ,,white ,,spruce ,,and ,,larch4 8,the forested country is chiefly wooded with small black spruce 7,picea nigra7 and larch 7,larix ,americana7 while the lowlands are almost everywhere covered with deep mossy swamps4 ,proceeding northwards1 the woods become confined to the lowlands and the tops of the hills remain treeless4 ,such are the conditions of the surface around ,kasba and ,daly lakes4 ,farther northward the wooded plains give place more or less suddenly to level or rolling grassy plains1 which constitute the ,barren ,lands4 ,as the forest disappears1 much of the surface is covered by deep frozen mossy bogs or tundras1 but these occur only along the edge of the forest1 and do not form part of the ,barren ,lands proper4 8,besides the two species of trees above mentioned1 the white spruce 7,picea alba7 grows to quite a large size on some of the dry estuaries1 and on the stony1 well-drained banks of ,telzoa river4 ,it extends northward almost to ,dubawnt lake1 forming a larger tree than either of the others4 ,at ,churchill1 near the shore of ,hudson bay1 small white spruce were found to have entirely replaced black spruce in the swamps4 ,a few miles farther inland1 black spruce again takes its normal place in similar swamps1 and white spruce almost disappears4 8,banksian ,pine 7,pinus ,banksiana7 grows on the sandy plains along ,stone river1 and northward1 on dry sandy ridges1 as far as ,selwyn and ,theitaga lakes1 but it does not extend as far north as either spruce or larch4 ,canoe ,birch 7,betula papyrifera7 grows to a fairly large size at the head of ,thlewiaza river but as a rule it is a small tree in this region4 ,it gradually decreases in size and disappears at the edge of the ,barren ,lands4 ,some small aspen trees 7,populus tremuloides7 were seen as far north as ,daly lake on ,telzoa river1 latitude #fj1 on the headwaters of ,thlewiaza river1 and at the mouth of ,churchill river on ,hudson bay4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell's expedition of #ahic did not find much timber along ,dubawnt river4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell 78,through the ,sub-,arctics of ,canada07 mentions that the party found a little clump of white spruce trees on the north shore of ,carey lake on the ,dubawnt in latitude #fb #ae north4 ,two feet above the ground the trunk of the largest tree measured eight feet in circumference4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell also states that the southern affluent of ,dubawnt lake 8has scattered groves of white spruce on its banks40 ,,timber ,,along ,,the ,,thelon4 ,there is considerable timber along the ,thelon and the main tributary of its upper reach1 the ,hanbury1 so named from the original explorer of both streams4 ,mr4 ,hanbury1 describing his exploratory trip1 writes3--8,the peculiarity of the ,ark-i-linik 7the ,indian name then applied to the ,thelon and its tributary the ,hanbury7 is that1 though so far north1 it is wooded on either bank1 and in places one might even say heavily timbered1 spruce trees1 with butts measuring one and one-half to two feet across1 being by no means uncommon4 ,it is a long way north of the limit of trees marked on the maps1 and there is a large extent of country to the south of it destitute of trees4 ,i can find no explanation of this peculiarity from the geological formation1 for the same red and white sandstone which prevails nearly the whole length of the river occurs at places which are without trees4 8,the woods as a whole amount only to a rather deep fringe1 the trees for the most part being scattered and not continuous4 ,here and there along the banks are spots and short stretches quite bare of timber4 ,after a short walk away from the river on either side one reaches the outer edge of the woodland fringe beyond which the land is typical prairie4 ,along the creeks and effluents1 however1 the growth extends to a considerable distance1 in places as far as the eye can reach the trees diminishing in size until the spruce is mere scrub40 ,ascending the main branch of the ,thelon1 ,mr4 ,hanbury describes the timber as beginning about fifty miles above the mouth of the river at ,beverly lake4 ,that far northeast he states 8spruce of fair-size growth is to be found1 and the woods then increase in size of timber and in extent until the river divides1 the larger branch coming in from the south1 the smaller--which we followed up--joining from the west40 ,,of ,,great ,,value ,,to ,,canada4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell1 in the official report of his exploration along ,hanbury and ,thelon rivers for the ,dominion government in #aijj1 remarks3--8,the timber supply of the ,thelon should be of great value to ,canada40 ,mr4 ,tyrrell mentions a grove of spruce on the ,thelon1 two miles below the junction of ,hanbury river1 and relates that eight miles farther down stream 8well grown spruce trees were plentiful on both banks4 ,here1 and for many miles below1 the ,thelon is a really fine and beautiful river1 having grassy banks--well wooded in places by spruce trees--some of which measured some fifteen inches in diameter4 8,the wooded or partially wooded banks of the ,thelon extend altogether for a distance of about one hundred and seventy miles below the forks of the ,hanbury4 ,this distance is not to be understood as a continuous stretch of timber1 but over that distance many fine spruce groves1 as well as more or less continuous thinly scattered trees are found4 ,the largest trees measured from twelve to fifteen inches in diameter1 but would average about six inches40 ,in his book 8,through the ,sub-,arctics of ,canada0 ,mr4 ,tyrrell again refers to the timber along the ,hanbury and the ,thelon1 writing3--8,in the valleys of the ,thelon and some other rivers there are valuable belts of spruce and tamarack timber for local supply when required40 ,in the official report of his long patrol in #aijh ,inspector ,pelletier writes3--8,a good amount of wood for fuel is available on ,hanbury river4 ,in places timber is of fair dimension4 ,in one or two ravines near ,dickson canyon ,i would judge the timber to be of sufficient size to erect a comfortable log camp4 ,a ,,sixty ,,mile ,,stretch ,,of ,,spruce ,,timber4 8,the banks of the ,thelon are very well stocked with timber4 ,of course there are fairly long stretches on which wood is very scarce1 principally at the lower end1 but still fuel is found everywhere1 either drift or standing4 ,the best stretches of solid timber are from about twenty miles below the ,hanbury and extend for sixty miles4 ,the stretch is nearly without interruption4 ,there is another stretch of about ten miles1 fifteen miles below ,lookout point1 and at numerous other points good timber1 but in small quantity1 is seen4 ,this timber does not extend very far inland4 ,it varies from a few yards deep to two or three miles4 ,in some parts1 the timber extends still farther inland4 ,lumber of fair size from six to ten inches in diameter is abundant4 ,all the timber is spruce40 ,inspector ,pelletier speaks of a ten mile stretch on the ,thelon1 where there 8was continuous forest on both banks1 and as thick as on any river in the timbered belt40 ,inspector ,pelletier also reports3--8,on ,beverly lake 7,thelon river7 any amount of driftwood is to be found1 on ,aberdeen lake very little1 and below none at all40 ,,the ,,thelon ,,spruce ,,groves ,,phenomenal4 ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble1 of the ,united ,states ,biological ,survey1 in his report has this to say as to the growth of timber along the ,thelon3--8,the northern extension of the coniferous forest along the banks of northward-flowing rivers has already been referred to4 ,the most remarkable example of this phenomenon is found on the ,thelon or ,ark-i-linik1 a stream tributary to ,hudson bay4 ,it was first explored by ,hanbury in #ahii1 and by ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell during the following season4 ,from a point near latitude sixty-two and one-half degrees1 which is as far south as the river has been explored1 and which is within the main area of the ,barren ,grounds1 a more or less continuous belt of spruce borders the river as far north as latitude sixty-four and one-half degrees1 a distance of over two hundred miles by the river4 ,a few species of woodland-breeding birds follow these extensions of the forest to their limits40 ,,eastern ,,part ,,of ,,great ,,slave ,,lake4 ,inspector ,pelletier also gives us some information as to the timber resources of the eastern part of ,great ,slave lake and along the canoe and portage route to ,hanbury river4 ,he writes3--8,on the south shore of ,great ,slave lake much good timber was met4 ,on the north shore timber diminishes very perceptibly in size1 and the farther one proceeds the more it gets stunted and scattered2 only in some favoured spots is timber of any size1 but no large area4 ,it consists chiefly of spruce1 birch1 poplar and jackpine4 ,at the upper end of the first portage from ,great ,slave lake timber gets very scarce1 at ,french lake a large open spot and at ,acres lake we are practically at the beginning of the ,barrens1 although there is a good lot of wood close to the shore and in sheltered spots4 ,at north end of ,burr lake is a nice grove of good sized trees4 ,the country gets rocky and barren1 grass growing only in favoured spots4 8,at the southern end of ,artillery lake1 along the small ravines on the east bank1 is a fair amount of wood good for fuel and building dog sleighs1 but as soon as one crosses ,lockhart river where the lake gets wider1 wood is seen here and there only in small bluffs4 ,it is small1 bent and dwarfed by the wind storms and snow4 ,there is very little substance in the soil1 and vegetation must be very slow4 ,trees grow mostly in the shelter of a bank1 whether stone or sand4 ,at about half way up the lake on the east side the last woods are met2 on the edges they are low1 bent and creepy1 as if in readiness to grasp the soil for support to resist the force of the elements4 ,nothing further grows but some grasses in favoured spots1 and at the rapids1 where there is a lot of dampness1 willows grow between the crevices of upturned boulders4 ,above ,kasba lake on the route followed even willows do not grow4 ,in the eddies at the foot of the rapids on ,kasba river ,i have seen sticks1 some of which had been cut with an axe or other tool4 ,those pieces of wood were small but of a size which leads me to believe that somewhere on ,clinton-,colden or farther west on ,aylmer lake1 timber of some kind is to be found4 ,these sticks or pieces of wood were very old as if they had been tossed up and washed by water for a long period4 ,moss grows in places and for fuel purposes a few experiments with the different kinds will demonstrate which is the best4 ,we found the black thick sort1 which grows on the stones1 is very light and dry and burns the best4 ,one makes a tunnel with stones and places the door towards the wind1 the more wind and draught the better40 ,,scattered ,,timber ,,east ,,of ,,great ,,slave ,,lake4 ,in the report of his trip in #aijj1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell also gives us some glimpses of the timber about the east end of ,great ,slave lake and the lakes and river to the east and northeast of that locality4 ,according to ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 8,fairchild point 7near old ,fort ,reliance71 which is about ten miles in length1 is well wooded with white spruce from six to twelve inches in diameter and is notable as being the source of timber in that locality4 8,the shores of ,carlton harbour are sparingly wooded with small spruce and a few ,banksian pines4 ,it might be noted here that on ,fairchild point a few black poplars were observed1 the last seen on our outward journey4 8,at ,fort ,reliance1 here and there1 are to be seen the charred remains of large stumps1 indicating the apparent recent destruction of the original forest4 8,the largest young trees1 which showed thirty-four to thirty-five years' growth1 were from four to six inches in diameter two feet from the ground1 and were not of stunted appearance4 8,at the north end of ,burr lake there is situated a nice grove of white spruce timber1 containing trees of ten to twelve inches diameter4 ,it proved to be the last timber of any consequence met with before entering the barren lands1 excepting some on the west shore of ,artillery lake near ,timber bay4 8,on the western side of ,artillery lake1 about ten miles from the south end1 the shore is quite well timbered with small spruce and they continue northerly1 although thinly scattered1 for a distance of twenty miles1 eight miles farther north than the last grove on the east shore4 ,there the woods cease entirely40 ,it is interesting to recall that ,back pointed out that 8the pines are said to disappear along ,artillery lake40 ,mr4 ,warburton ,pike thus describes the same country at the time he passed through it3-- 8,scattering timber1 spruce and birch1 clothed the sloping banks to the sandy shores of the lakes2 berries of many kinds grew in profusion2 the portages were short and down hill2 and caribou were walking the ridges and swimming the lakes in every direction4 ,a perfect northern fairyland it was1 and it seemed hard to believe that winter and want could ever penetrate here40 ,,timber ,,of ,,the ,,far ,,north4 ,the first reference to the timber of the northern part of the ,barren ,lands we find in the report of ,samuel ,hearne1 who in #agga1 speaking of his discovery of ,coppermine river1 writes3--8,before ,i proceed farther on my return1 it may not be improper to give some account of the river1 and the country adjacent2 its productions1 and the animals which constantly inhabit those dreary regions1 as well as those that only migrate thither in summer1 in order to breed and rear their young1 unmolested by man4 ,that ,i may do this to better purpose1 it will be necessary to go back to the place where ,i first came to the river1 which was about forty miles from its mouth4 ,near the water's edge there is some wood1 but not one tree grows on or near the top of the hills between which the river runs4 ,there appears to have been formerly much greater quantity than there is at present1 but the trees seem to have been set on fire some years ago and1 in consequence1 there are at present ten sticks lying on the ground for one green one which is growing beside them4 ,the whole timber appears to have been even in its greatest prosperity of so crooked and dwarfed a growth as to render it of little use for any purpose but firewood4 8,besides the stunted pines already mentioned1 there are some tufts of dwarf willows2 plenty of ,wishacumpuckey 7as the ,indians call it1 and which they use as tea72 some jackatheypuck1 which the natives use as tobacco2 and a few cranberry and heathberry bushes2 but not the least appearance of any fruit4 8,the weeds grow gradually thinner and smaller as you approach the sea1 and the last little tuft of pines that ,i saw is about thirty miles from the mouth of the river1 so that we meet with nothing between that spot and the sea-side but barren hills and marshes40 ,sir ,john ,franklin on his first journey1 in #ahai-bb1 reached the upper part of ,coppermine river at ,point lake just east of the southern arm of ,great ,bear lake4 ,he found the 8valleys on its border intersected with clusters of spruce trees4 ,on the borders of such of these lakes as communicate with ,coppermine river1 there are a few groves of spruce trees1 generally growing on accumulations of sand40 ,,coppermine ,,valley4 ,sir ,john refers as follows to the timber growths on the small lakes or expansions of the ,coppermine as observed during the descent of his party3-- 8,red ,rock lake is in general narrow1 its shelving banks are well clothed with wood1 and even the hills1 which attain an elevation of four hundred or five hundred feet1 are ornamented half way up with stunted pines40 8,at ,rock-,nest lake 7just north of ,red ,rock lake7 the only wood is the pine1 which is twenty or thirty feet high1 and about one foot in diameter4 8,at ,fairy lake the river flows between banks of sand thinly wooded1 and as we advanced the barren hills approached the water's edge40 ,west of that part of ,coppermine river which is nearest to ,great ,bear lake1 ,sir ,john ,richardson in #ahbf said that they met with wooded valleys and saw much wood in the valleys far to the west4 ,from the height of land between ,coppermine river and ,great ,bear lake they had an extensive view of a lower and well wooded country4 ,of the country above ,bloody falls1 on the ,coppermine1 ,sir ,john ,franklin writes3--8,in the existence of many scattered stumps of decayed spruce fir trees1 and the total absence of young plants1 one might be led to infer that of late years the climate has deteriorated and that the country was no longer capable of supporting trees so near the sea coast as it had formerly done4 ,the largest tree in the clump in which we bivouacked had a circumference of thirty-seven inches at the height of four feet from the ground4 ,its annual layers were very numerous and fine and indicated centuries of growth1 but ,i was unable to reckon them40 ,,fine ,,spruce ,,northeast ,,of ,,great ,,bear ,,lake4 ,in #ahdh1 writing of the area between ,dease bay 7the extreme northeastern arm of ,great ,bear lake7 and ,coppermine river1 ,sir ,john ,franklin states3--8,at two we came to another branch of the ,kendall1 which runs through a ravine of red and spotted sandstone1 under whose shelter there grew a remarkably fine grove of white spruces4 ,the best grown tree measured sixty-three inches in circumference and did not taper perceptibly for twenty feet from its root4 ,its total height was from forty to fifty feet4 ,other trees of equal girth tapered more1 and one decayed trunk1 which lay on the ground1 looked to be considerably thicker40 ,hanbury mentions that along the north shore of ,barry island in ,bathurst inlet he 8picked up some drift sticks which evidently must have come from ,hood river0 which flows into ,arctic waters some distance east of ,coppermine river4 ,sir ,george ,back describes the banks of ,backs river as being rocky and treeless 78without a single tree on the whole line of its banks074 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,the ,,barren ,,lands ,,or 8,,arctic ,,prairie04 ,economic ,minerals4 ,deposits of ,native ,copper in the ,far ,north4--,several ,areas ,west of ,hudson bay ,contain ,rocks ,similar to ,those at ,sudbury4--,belts of ,huronian ,rocks that are ,expected by ,geologists to be ,eventually of ,great ,economic ,importance4--,vast ,probable ,mineral ,bearing ,country in the ,interior ,which ,can ,now be ,reached ,via ,chesterfield ,inlet4--,iron1 ,gold and ,silver in ,small ,quantities ,north of ,lake ,athabaska4--,free ,gold in ,melville ,peninsula4-- ,lignite and ,soft ,coal ,along the ,arctic ,coast4 ,from time immemorial tradition has ascribed to the great northern wilderness which we have come to know as the ,barren ,lands or ,barren ,grounds1 untold mineral wealth1 and what tradition has so long asserted is substantiated by the testimony of scientific experts4 ,the original exploratory expedition despatched into the country1 that under ,samuel ,hearne in #agga1 was inspired by the desire of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company to locate the copper mines in the far north of which the natives spoke to the pioneer traders4 ,many of the principal witnesses examined before the ,british parliamentary committee of #agdi referred to the prospective mineral wealth of the country northwest of ,hudson bay4 ,mr4 ,joseph ,robson1 at whose instance largely the investigation was held1 testified that he had seen copper worn by the ,indians about their necks and arms4 ,he had also seen about a pound and a half of copper ore1 which he understood from the ,indians they had brought from a great distance4 ,another witness1 ,alexander ,browne1 who had been six years in the company's service at ,hudson bay as surgeon1 informed the ,committee that he had seen both copper and copper ore at ,prince of ,wales' ,fort on ,churchill river1 which the northern ,indians informed him they brought from an isthmus of land which lies by a lake at the farthest extent of their country4 ,it was hard to ascertain the distance from the accounts of the ,indians1 but he judged it to be about three or four hundred miles4 ,he never heard the ,indians say whether there was a passage to this place from ,hudson bay by water1 but they informed him their river ran by it4 ,they brought down the copper for ornaments1 and the ore at the request of ,governor ,norton4 ,witness had seen about four or five pounds of it1 both before it was smelted1 and after1 and he ,,took ,,it ,,to ,,be ,a ,,rich ,,ore1 but did not understand metals4 ,he had heard of lead ore at ,hudson bay1 but never saw any4 ,he never saw the ,indians smelt the copper1 but they informed him that the earth was washed from the ore by showers1 and that they smelted it on a fire until it ran1 and then beat it1 it being very malleable4 ,witness never heard of a copper mine on the large arm of the sea1 but the ore was brought down by canoes to the open sea1 and the rivulet which washed the said copper is not known to have any communication with ,hudson bay1 the mine being about fifteen miles from the open sea1 by the accounts of the ,indians4 ,he believed that the ,indians came a little to the northward of ,whale cove1 8which bears a point or two to the west of the north from ,churchill40 ,if the ,indians were encouraged they would bring great quantities of ore1 as well as smelted copper to ,whale cove1 but if persons were sent up to the mine they would labour under a difficulty for want of fuel1 the country producing no wood1 and what the ,indians smelt1 they do in small quantities with moss4 ,doctor ,thompson1 another of the company's surgeons1 testified that he had heard the natives talk of a sea to the westward1 which1 by their accounts1 is not far distant1 and of a copper mine1 which lay on the side of a 8,streight01 which takes them five days in crossing4 ,they described the water of this 8,streight0 to be very deep1 and they could not reach the bottom with two deerskins cut into thongs4 ,if a sloop could be brought alongside this copper mine1 they say they could fill it1 in a little time1 and by their account1 this 8,streight0 has a communication both with the bay and the south sea4 ,doctor ,thompson further informed the ,committee1 8that he went with ,captain ,middleton on the discovery of the ,north-,west-,passage1 and likewise with the last adventurers40 ,christopher ,bannister1 who had been armourer and gunsmith to the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 and had resided in the bay about twenty-two years1 informed the ,committee that he had seen lead ore at ,moose river1 which came from the northward1 but he could not say whence4 ,he had seen a good quantity of it1 and some of it was tried by ,mr4 ,longdon's apprentice1 and it seemed extraordinary good lead1 the boy ,,making ,a ,,pair ,,of ,,buckles ,,of ,,it4 ,the witness could not say what proportion the lead bore to the ore4 ,the boy put in a piece of ore as big as a man's fist1 and got lead enough to make a pair of large buckles4 ,the witness was sure nothing was put in but the ore1 none being present but himself1 and the boy who brought it down4 ,that was about three years previous to the investigation and witness never saw any lead ore at any other time4 ,he had seen copper frequently brought down by the northern ,indians1 a piece of which he produced before the committee4 ,he said he had seen great quantities of it there1 and was informed by a young man1 who is now at ,hudson bay that the ,indians told him that it was brought from a mine1 in search of which the young man would gladly have gone40 ,,hearne ,,at ,,the ,,copper ,,deposits4 ,in the record of his famous trip 7pages #agc to #agf7 ,hearne makes the following references to his investigation into the subject of the traditional copper mines of the ,indians on ,coppermine river3--8,after a sleep of five or six hours we once more set out1 and walked eighteen or nineteen miles to the south-southeast when we arrived at one of the copper mines1 which lies1 from the river's mouth about south-southeast1 distant about twenty-nine or thirty miles4 ,this mine1 if it deserve that appellation1 is no more than an entire jumble of rocks and gravel1 which has been rent so many ways by an earthquake4 ,through these ruins there runs a small river1 but no parts of it1 at the time ,i was there1 was more than knee-deep4 ,the ,indians who were the occasion of my undertaking this journey represented this mine to be so rich and valuable1 that if a factory were built at the river1 a ship might be ballasted with the ore1 instead of stone1 and that with the same ease and despatch as is done with stones at ,churchill river4 ,by their account the hills were entirely composed of that metal1 all in handy lumps1 like a heap of pebbles4 ,but their account differed so much from the truth1 that ,i and almost all of my companions expended near four hours in search of some of this metal1 with such poor success1 that among us all1 only one piece of any size could be found4 ,this1 however1 was remarkably good1 and weighed above four pounds4 ,i believe the copper has formerly been in much greater plenty1 for in many places1 both on the surface and in the cavities and crevices of the rocks1 the stones are much tinged with verdigrise4 8,before ,churchill river was settled by the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 which was not more than fifty years previous to this journey being undertaken1 the ,northern ,indians had no other metal but copper among them1 except a small quantity of iron work1 which a party of them who visited ,york ,fort about the year one thousand seven hundred and thirteen1 or one thousand seven hundred and fourteen1 purchased1 and a few pieces of old iron found at ,churchill river1 which had undoubtedly been left there by ,captain ,monk4 ,this being the case1 numbers of them from all quarters used every summer to resort to these hills in search of copper2 of which they made hatchets1 ice-chisels1 bayonets 7sic71 knives1 awls1 arrow-heads1 etc4 ,the many ,,paths ,,that ,,had ,,been ,,beaten by the ,indians on these occasions and which are yet1 in many places1 very perfect1 especially on the dry ridges and hills1 is surprising2 in the valleys and marshy grounds1 however1 they are mostly grown over with herbage1 so as not to be discerned4 8,the ,copper ,indians set a great value on their native metal even to this day1 and prefer it to iron1 for almost every use except that of a hatchet1 a knife1 and an awl2 for these three necessary implements1 copper makes but a very poor substitute4 8,there is a strange tradition among these people1 that the first person who discovered these mines was a woman1 and that she conducted them to the place for several years1 but as she was the only woman in the company1 some of the men took such liberties with her as made her vow revenge on them1 and she is said to have been a great conjurer4 ,accordingly when the men had loaded themselves with copper1 and were going to return1 she refused to accompany them1 and said she would sit on the mine till she sunk into the ground1 and that the copper should sink with her4 ,the next year1 when the men went for more copper1 they found her sunk up to the waist1 though still alive and the quantity of copper much decreased1 and on their repeating their visit the following year1 she had quite disappeared1 and all the principal part of the mine with her1 so that after that period nothing remained on the surface but a few small pieces1 and those were scattered at a considerable distance from each other4 ,before that period they say the copper lay on the surface in such large heaps1 that the ,indians had nothing to do but turn it over1 and pick up such pieces as would best suit the different uses for which they intended it40 ,sir ,alexander ,mackenzie is authority for the statement that there was a tradition among the ,chipewyan ,indians that their ancestors first reached the continent of ,america at ,coppermine river4 8,where they first made land1 the ground was covered with copper1 over which a body of earth had since been collected to the depth of a man's height40 ,the tradition is interesting as indicating the fact that the ,indians knew of the famous copper deposits for many generations4 ,illustration3 ,some of the ,difficulties of ,northern ,transportation3--,crossing a ,swamp4 ,,sir ,,john ,,franklin',s ,,visit4 ,when ,sir ,john ,franklin's party in #ahba visited ,copper mountains they found only a few small pieces of native copper4 ,franklin says in his narrative 7p4 #cdj7 8,the annual visits which the ,copper ,indians were accustomed to make to these mountains when most of their weapons and utensils were made of copper1 have been discontinued since they have been enabled to obtain a supply of ice chisels and other instruments of iron by the establishment of trading posts near their hunting grounds4 ,that none of those who accompanied us had visited them for many years was evident from their ignorance of the spots most abundant in metal40 ,doctor ,g4 ,m4 ,dawson1 director of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 examined before the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 stated that as to the ,barren ,lands1 it was a fact that an immense district--nearly half a million square miles of country--was at that date1 except along its watercourses1 as utterly unknown as the interior of ,africa4 ,coppermine river runs through the ,barren ,lands and so does ,back's ,great ,fish river1 on which there are mineral indications4 ,there was every reason to believe that there is a repetition along ,coppermine river1 and in its vicinity of those rocks which contain copper1 on ,lake ,superior and which have proved so rich there4 ,at the time ,doctor ,dawson gave his evidence1 he stated1 it seemed to be beyond the reach of the prospector4 ,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company sent ,hearne up there in the latter part of the preceding century to discover where the copper found in the hands of the natives came from1 but he could do nothing but report that he found copper there4 ,the sea to the north was ice-bound1 so he did not see his way to utilizing it4 ,hearne travelled the barren grounds more than any one else1 but he was not a scientific explorer4 ,he travelled with the ,indians in winter under circumstances of great hardship1 and ,doctor ,dawson said he believed we had not yet got sufficient information up to that date about these 8,barren ,grounds40 ,what mineral discoveries might be made there it was impossible to say4 ,bishop ,clut informed the same committee that copper was found on ,coppermine river in great pieces4 ,witness had seen little crosses made of it by the savages themselves when they were not able to have other metal4 ,,similar ,,to ,,lake ,,superior ,,deposits4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 in his paper read before the ,british ,association for the ,advancement of ,science at its ,toronto meeting in #ahgi1 mentioned that the descriptions of ,doctor ,richardson1 who visited the locality of ,coppermine river in #ahba and again in #ahbf1 show that some of the rocks which occur on the banks of the ,coppermine are precisely similar to those on ,dubawnt and ,baker lakes1 though they also indicate the occurrence of the underlying ,animikie series1 and they also show that the conditions under which the copper there occurs are very like those under which it occurs on the south side of ,lake ,superior4 ,the ,keewenawan rocks 7so called from the district so named on the shore of ,lake ,superior7 would appear1 according to ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 to have been first seen by ,doctor ,richardson on ,red ,rock lake1 a short distance below ,point lake1 on ,coppermine river1 and thence they occupy the banks of the river through most of the distance down to its mouth4 ,continuing to discuss ,doctor ,richardson's report1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell proceeds in his paper to say3--8,at #8,rocky ,defile1' #8the walls of the rapid' are said to #8consist of a very dark purplish red1 compact felspar rock1 alternating with a rock which is composed of a light reddish and greyish felspar and quartz1 the former indistinctly crystallized1' evidently referring to different varieties of quartz-porphyry or porphyrite4 #8,this rock is everywhere exposed in the bed of the river for ten or twelve miles below the rapid4' 8,in the beds of the torrents flowing into the main river he 7,richardson7 found many rock fragments1 most of which were probably derived from rock in places in the vicinity1 and the list might readily be duplicated from the copper-bearing rocks of ,lake ,superior2 he mentions #8fragments of reddish grey1 granular1 foliated limestone1 of deep red sandstone1 of gray sandstone1 of red syenite4 ,there also occur fragments of pale red sandstone1 composed principally of quartz and a little felspar1 with imbedded circular concretions of quartz1 and of reddish quartzite sandstone4 ,fragments were also found of dark-greenish felpathose trap1 of greenstone1 of dark flesh-red felspar in granular concretions1 with imbedded patches of hornblende1 of red felspar partly coloured with hornblende1 and containing amygdaloidal portions of prehnite4' ,,copper ,,mountains4 8,copper mountains consist principally of trap rocks4 ,the great mass of the rock in the mountains seems to consist of felspar in various conditions2 sometimes in the form of felspar-rock or claystone1 sometimes coloured by hornblende and approaching to greenstone1 but most generally in the form of dark reddish brown amygdaloid4 ,the amygdaloidal masses contained in the amygdaloid are either entirely pistacite 7epidote71 or pistacite enclosing calc-spar4 ,scales of native copper are very generally disseminated through this rock1 through a species of trap tuff which nearly resembles it1 and also through a reddish sandstone on which it appears to rest4 ,the rough1 and in general rounded and more elevated parts of the mountain are composed of the amygdaloid but between the eminences there occur many narrow and deep valleys1 which are bounded by perpendicular mural precipices of greenstone4 ,it is in these valleys1 among the loose soil that the ,indians search for copper2 masses of epidote containing native copper2 of trap rock with associated native copper1 green malachite1 copper glance or variegated copper ore1 of greenish gray prehnite in trap with disseminated native copper2 the copper in some specimens was crystallized in rhomboidal dodecahedrons4 ,we also found some large tabular fragments1 evidently portions of a vein consisting of prehnite1 associated with calcareous spar and native copper4 ,the ,indians dig wherever they observe the prehnite lying on the soil1 experience having taught them that the largest pieces of copper are found associated with it4 ,the ,indians report that they have found copper in every part of this range1 which they have examined for thirty or forty miles to the northwest4 ,we afterwards found some ice-chisels in possession of the ,esquimaux1 twelve or fourteen inches long and half an inch in diameter1 formed of pure copper40 8,the surrounding country is underlain by a light-brownish red sandstone and gray slate clay in horizontal strata1 cut here and there by dykes of greenstone4 8,it is hardly possible to imagine two more similar sets of conditions in such widely separated localities1 as in ,copper mountains and on ,keewena point 7,lake ,superior71 the native copper occurring in both places associated with prehnite and epidote1 chiefly in an amygdaloid1 cut by dykes of greenstone4 ,,long ,,range ,,of ,,copper-,,bearing ,,rocks4 8,the copper-bearing rocks would seem to extend along the ,arctic coast1 both east and west of ,coppermine river1 for about five hundred miles in all1 and probably many of the smaller islands off the coast are also of the same rocks and the total area covered by these rocks undoubtedly amounts to many thousands of square miles4 8,comparing the early account of the occurrence of native copper on ,lake ,superior with the accounts which we now possess of the copper on ,coppermine river1 and considering the enormous extent of the northern deposit1 we have reasonable grounds for hope that before many years the ,coppermine area will produce as much copper as is now mined in northern ,michigan4 ,the amount mined there in #ahif was one hundred and forty-four million pounds1 valued at between fifteen and sixteen million dollars1 or about a sixth of the total amount of copper mined in the world that year40 ,a ,,recent ,,visit ,,to ,,the ,,copper ,,country4 ,in the spring of #aijb1 having spent the winter with the ,eskimos1 ,mr4 ,david ,t4 ,hanbury made an examination of some of the places along the ,arctic coast where the natives obtain copper for their implements4 ,he was first informed that the copper deposits were to be found on ,dease strait1 but later ascertained that the islands in ,bathurst inlet are the source of supply1 and proceeded thither4 ,mr4 ,hanbury from the natives on ,fitzgerald islands obtained a good many copper articles1 such as snow-dags1 ice-chisels1 etc4 ,they appeared to be rich in copper implements4 ,they stated that some of their copper had been obtained in ,victoria ,land1 and some from the islands to the north4 ,shortly after landing on ,barry island in ,bathurst inlet1 two small fragments of copper were picked up by one of his ,eskimos4 ,mr4 ,hanbury proceeds1 in his book1 8,sport and ,travel in the ,northland of ,canada03--8,the next day we devoted to examining the rock formation and searching for copper4 ,we were successful in finding the copper1 which appears to be abundant and widely distributed4 ,whether it would ever be worth working is another matter1 and one on which ,i am not competent to give an opinion4 8,the underlying basalt dips west at an angle of about twenty-five degrees1 and it is in this rock that the native copper occurs4 ,the copper is plentiful1 for the quantity we obtained was found after but a brief search1 and on a neighbouring island1 ,kun-nu-yuk1 a mass of copper had just been found1 so large that a man could hardly lift it4 ,there also copper is found in the tide-way4 ,the whole of the lower levels on ,barry island are covered with debris from the basalt1 and where the rock has been disintegrated by weathering1 ,,copper ,,has ,,fallen ,,out1 so that flakes of the metal may be found along the seashore4 ,in many places1 too1 green patches indicate that nuggets or flakes of copper have recently fallen out from their matrix4 8,the copper-bearing rock also contains crystalline quartz some of which forms beautiful amethystine veins1 of which some specimens were taken4 ,there is here some further evidence of coastal elevation in the occurrence of saucer-shaped lines of water-worn debris at from twenty to forty feet above the present level of high tides4 8,the question whether it would ever pay to work the native copper of these regions remains for the consideration of experts4 ,i have always understood that native copper occurring in small flakes or nuggets and sparsely distributed1 is of but little practical value1 and that copper can only1 as a rule1 be successfully worked from ores that are rich and easy of access4 ,much depends doubtless on its abundance and regularity of distribution4 ,this island1 ,barry island1 or ,iglor-yu-ullig1 is several miles in length1 and perhaps three or four miles across4 ,the island to the south-southeast1 ,kun-nu-yuk1 is still larger1 besides which there is an island to the southwest which has given much copper1 and there are copper-yielding islands to the north4 ,the copper-bearing formation holds good everywhere except on the summit cappings of the islands40 ,later ,mr4 ,hanbury examined a part of ,lewis island also in ,bathurst inlet4 ,he relates in his book3--8,at the northwest point of ,lewis island1 ,bathurst inlet1 we stopped to smoke4 ,the formation of rock being similar to that on ,barry island we commenced to search for copper1 which proved to be plentiful4 ,first of all only a few flakes could be found1 but the longer we searched the more plentiful did the copper become4 ,finally ,,it ,,got ,,too ,,common and we resumed our journey4 ,the metal occurred in flakes and small chunks2 the former were wedged in the rock always vertically4 ,the rock was easily knocked to pieces by a light tap with the axe1 the cleavage being both vertical and horizontal4 ,between two and three pounds of this native copper were picked up in the course of half or three-quarters of an hour1 while we rested4 ,the metal appeared to be very persistent in its occurrence in the partly decomposed basalt of which all the islands we passed that day consisted4 ,the flakes of copper seemed to be always vertical when in their rock matrix4 ,the rocks of this island1 where they are not disintegrated1 are well smoothed by glacial action1 and the stri are numerous and distinctly trend south and southeast40 ,writing of a more northerly point on ,lewis island1 also visited1 ,mr4 ,hanbury 7p4 #bff7 writes3--8,although we did not find so much copper here1 the green marks on the rocks were more numerous1 but we did not spend an hour altogether in the search4 ,one of our ,eskimos knew of a large mass of copper on the southwest shore of the island1 which he stated to be as much as five feet in length and three inches thick4 ,it protruded from the rocks under the water1 it was said1 but there was too much ice for us to find the copper4 ,a piece of quartz with copper ore and native copper was picked up on the seashore4 ,another specimen of the copper-bearing rock here is a decomposed basalt1 fine grained1 and vesicular40 ,ascending ,kendall river on his way to the headwaters of the ,dease1 whence he descended to ,great ,bear lake1 ,mr4 ,hanbury relates3--8,we had the good luck to meet the ,eskimos from the ,arctic coast1 who resort to this river to obtain wood for their sleighs4 ,these natives had never set eyes on a white man before1 and had no articles of civilization whatever4 ,they were all dressed in deerskins1 and armed with long bows1 arrows and spears1 ,,beaten ,,out ,,of ,,native ,,copper4 ,the use of tobacco was quite unknown to them1 and firearms they had only heard about4 ,they gave me a good deal of information about their country and the copper deposits along the ,arctic coast1 and ,i obtained from them several copper implements1 such as dags1 spear and arrow-heads1 needles1 etc41 all beaten out of native copper1 giving them in exchange knives1 files and needles1 which last appeared to have by far the most value in their eyes10 ,mr4 ,wm4 ,beech of ,churchill1 in a communication to the press in #aiaa1 stated that he had noticed that the ,eskimos who visit ,churchill yearly have nearly all their tools1 such as snow-knives1 ice-chisels1 and fish-hooks1 made out of native copper4 ,they use copper tops over their pipes while smoking1 and any break in their guns is usually mended by a strip of native copper4 ,so much for the deposits of native copper along the northern sea coast of the ,barren ,lands and on the islands off the coast1 which were the means of originally attracting attention to the mineral wealth of this vast region4 ,unquestionably the most comprehensive review of the geological features of the ,barren ,lands with respect to the prospective development of the country's mineral resources was that made by ,mr4 ,j4 ,burr ,tyrrell in his paper read before the ,british ,association for the ,advancement of ,science at ,toronto in #ahig on the resources of the ,barren ,lands4 ,the review in question was so thorough that no excuse is needed for quoting it here at length4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell wrote3--8,it is to the minerals of this region that we must look for any large contributions to the national wealth1 and failing these it is difficult to see how the country can be any thing but a serious burden on those ,canadians who live in the midst of more congenial surroundings4 ,what are the prospects of finding minerals of sufficient value to induce people to open easy means of communication with that northern country1 and to settle in it8 ,let us examine this question ground for hope in the future of ,a ,,sub-,,arctic ,,mining ,,province4 8,the western arm of the ,archaean horseshoe1 around which the remainder of the ,american continent has been built up during successive geological ages1 strikes the west coast of ,hudson bay near ,churchill1 and thence extends northward1 with an average breadth of from five hundred to six hundred miles to ,arctic ocean4 ,this ,archaean belt is composed chiefly of ,laurentian and ,huronian rocks1 but in the depressions are some large areas of rocks of a later age4 8,as the only exact geological information at present available is that collected by the two expeditions sent out by the ,canadian ,geological ,survey in #ahic and #ahid which ,i had the honour to lead1 ,i shall describe the rocks as seen on those two expeditions and afterwards attempt to bring together such other information as has been recorded by others1 and assign to it such value as it would seem to possess4 8,the ,laurentian system1 as here seen1 consists almost exclusively of crystalline1 massive1 or altered crushed and contorted rocks of the #8,basement ,complex'1 consisting of granites and diorites1 and granite and diorite gneisses4 ,as a rule1 the massive and foliated rocks are very similar in composition being probably different phases of the same fluid or semi-fluid magma4 ,these rocks are so similar to the ,laurentian rocks of the northern ,ontario1 which are familiar to any one who has spent a summer in ,muskoka or in ,thousand islands1 that it is unnecessary to describe them in greater detail here4 ,they are not usually rich in valuable minerals except where they come in contact with the overlying ,huronian rocks4 8,on ,dubawnt river they underlie the country northward from ,daly lake1 and thence continue northeastward along the west shore of ,dubawnt lake and down ,dubawnt river to ,lady ,marjorie lake1 over which distance they were often seen in contact with overlying ,huronian and ,cambrian strata4 ,north of ,lady ,marjorie lake they disappear under the ,cambrian sandstones1 and they were not again seen until the ,cambrian belt was crossed and the north shore of ,schultz lake was reached4 8,on ,kazan river they extend from ,ennadai lake to beyond ,yathkyed lake1 with the exception of a small ,huronian area near ,angikuni lake4 8,on the low flat shore of ,hudson bay1 between ,seal river and ,cape ,eskimo1 the few rock exposures seen were of granite and gneiss of typical ,laurentian aspect4 ,for forty miles north of ,cape ,eskimo no rock in place was seen1 and thence northward to ,baird bay some of the points were seen to consist of granite and gneiss1 though the shore generally was underlain by ,huronian rocks4 8,on the upper portion of ,ferguson river ,laurentian rocks prevail and similar granites and gneisses occur along the north shore of ,baker lake1 and down both shores of ,chesterfield inlet to its mouth1 whence they extend southward along the shore of ,hudson bay to a short distance north of ,baker's foreland4 ,any information which we possess about geology of ,great ,fish river and ,coppermine river would seem to show that the ,laurentian granites and gneisses outcrop with greater or less frequency along their banks1 so that we may safely infer that the ,barren ,lands are largely underlain by these ancient igneous rocks1 and consequently there are large areas which will not produce valuable minerals4 8,but as farther south we find quartzite1 greywackes1 and highly altered eruptive rocks of ,huronian age1 folded in here and there with typical ,laurentian rocks1 so in the far north we may confidently expect to find the same set of conditions prevailing4 8,such is to be found the case in the country lately examined immediately west of ,hudson bay1 where several areas of ,huronian rocks1 precisely similar to ,,those ,,found ,,at ,,sudbury1 ,lake of the ,woods1 and at many places around ,lakes ,huron and ,superior1 have been discovered4 ,the largest of these areas extends more or less continuously for one hundred and twenty miles along the west coast of ,hudson bay1 from near ,baker's foreland to a point forty-five miles north of ,cape ,eskimo1 and from the bay shore for seventy miles inland on the course of ,ferguson river4 ,a smaller area crosses ,dubawnt river between ,schultz and ,baker lakes1 a third occurs on the ,kazan river below ,angikuni lake1 a fourth was recognized in the basin of ,ennadai lake4 8,two more areas are represented by outcrops of white clastic quartzite on the north shore of ,dubawnt lake1 and on the east shore of ,wharton lake4 8,the rocks constituting the system in this region have been divided into three more or less distinct groups1 viz3 ,marble island quartzites2 the greenish quartzites and greywackes2 and the more or less highly altered and often schistose diabases and gabbros4 8,the ,marble island quartzites are composed of hard white quartzite1 consisting of more or less rounded grains of quartz1 of fairly regular size1 cemented together by interstitial silica4 ,they are distinctly stratified in thick and thin beds1 and the surfaces of the beds are often covered with beautiful ripple-markings4 ,the thicker beds also often show distinct false bedding4 ,they are usually in a more or less inclined position1 but they were nowhere seen to be very much crumpled or squeezed into minute folds4 ,these quartzites on the north shore of ,quartzite lake dip regularly northwestward1 away from a hill of diabase which lies to the south1 and the latter therefore probably underlies the quartzite1 though it is not necessarily older than it4 ,in other places very little evidence was obtained of the relative ages of the white quartzite and the other parts of the ,huronian4 ,however1 it would seem probable that1 in the region near the shore of ,hudson bay1 this quartzite is ,,the ,,oldest ,,part ,,of ,,the ,,huronian1 and that the diabases1 and other basic eruptions which are associated with it1 have been intruded beneath it1 and have also flowed over it4 ,that ,marble island quartzites were once spread over a large portion of the region under consideration is shown1 not so much by the few scattered outlines here mentioned1 as by the fact that the overlying ,cambrian conglomerates1 which cover large areas between ,dubawnt and ,baker lakes1 are composed chiefly of pebbles of this white quartzite4 8,dark green eruptive rocks1 chiefly diabase1 are largely developed in the ,huronian1 composing a considerable proportion of the rocks of the system4 ,in many cases these rocks have been crushed and sheared1 a slaty cleavage or schistose structure has been superinduced1 and the original minerals have been broken and altered1 both in their shape and composition4 ,in other cases the rock remains massive1 or there is developed in it a concretionary or bomblike structure1 the bombs1 often a foot or two in diameter1 being usually separated by somewhat schistose bands1 which differ slightly in colour from the rest of the rock4 8,on the east side of ,hudson bay this rock was found to have1 disseminated through it1 a large amount of both iron and copper pyrites1 while these minerals were often found collected somewhat more closely together in the numerous veins of quartz and calc-spar which almost everywhere traversed the rock4 ,no large deposits of the sulphides were seen1 but when they are so freely distributed through the mass of the rock it is not at all improbable that large masses may be found segregated out along the zones where these green schists are in contact with masses of eruptive granite or gneiss4 ,very little of the vein rock has been collected for assay1 but some pieces of vein quartz1 picked up by ,doctor ,rae near the south side of ,corbett inlet1 were found to ,,carry ,a ,,small ,,amount ,,of ,,gold4 8,on ,great ,fish river1 ,mr4 ,pike speaks of the ironstone formation1 of dark fissile slates or schists1 probably belonging to the ,huronian system extending down the river from ,musk-,ox lake to ,beechey lake1 a distance of seventy-five miles4 8,the shores of ,point lake1 one of the expansions of ,coppermine river1 have been described by ,sir ,john ,richardson1 who passed through that country in company with ,sir ,john ,franklin in #ahba1 and from his descriptions there is no difficulty in recognising the ,huronian rocks4 ,the following is his description of the rocks1 slightly condensed3--,greywacke passing into greywacke slate1 greywacke with small imbedded crystals of hornblende1 dark greenish or blackish grey clay slate4 ,several of the islands in the lake consist of greenstone4 ,a rock standing apart from the neighboring hills on the border of the lake1 having a rounded summit1 but bounded on three sides by mural precipices about two hundred feet high1 is composed of compact earthy greenstone1 containing disseminated iron pyrites1 covered with layers of greenstone slate4 ,on the north side of the lake there is a high bluff hill with a precipitous side1 which seems to consist principally of a conglomerate4 ,the basis is earthy-clay slate4 ,the embedded masses have an ellipsoidal form and smooth surface1 are from one to two feet in diameter and appear to consist of the same material as the basis1 but impregnated with much silica1 and not showing evident slaty structure4 ,when broken they present an even fine-grained fracture4 8#8,during our first and second days' journey down ,point lake from the above mentioned encampment1 being eleven and one-half miles on a west-northwest course1 the rocks we had an opportunity of examining consisted of greenish grey clay-slate1 generally having a curved structure1 and splitting into slates of very unequal thickness4' 8,from these few isolated and widely separated occurrences it may be seen that1 as in the ,archaean areas of northern and western ,ontario1 so on the ,barren ,lands1 ,huronian rocks occur at more or less frequent intervals1 squeezed in between adjacent areas of ,laurentian granite and gneiss4 8,that these belts of ,huronian rocks will eventually prove ,,of ,,great ,,economic ,,importance1 there can be no doubt whatever4 ,in ,ontario the wonderful general richness of these rocks is just beginning to be recognized1 but from them were taken in #ahif gold to the value of one hundred and twenty-one thousand dollars1 nickel to the value of one million one hundred and eighty-nine thousand dollars and copper to the value of three hundred and twenty thousand dollars2 while in the states adjoining ,lake ,superior the total production of iron ore in #ahie from these rocks was ten million two hundred and sixty-nine thousand long tons1 valued at about twenty million dollars4 ,this was #fbca per cent4 of the total amount of iron produced in the whole ,united ,states4 ,the rapid progress with which these mines are being developed is shown by the fact that the ,mesabi range was first opened up in #ahib1 and in #ahie the product of the mines in the range was two million eight hundred thousand tons4 ,thus you will see that in these rocks there is a prospect of discovering extensive deposits of valuable minerals4 ,,the ,,lower ,,cambrian ,,rocks4 8,but perhaps the most interesting rocks known in the ,barren ,lands are those which are regarded by the ,canadian ,geological ,survey as being of ,lower ,cambrian age1 and which are very similar in character to the ,nipigon or ,keewenawan rocks of ,lake ,superior4 ,illustration3 ,a ,survivor of ,sir ,john ,richardson's ,arctic ,expedition wearing the ,arctic ,medal given him for that ,expedition4 8,in the exploration of this country recently made these rocks were first met with about the centre of the west shore of ,dubawnt lake1 whence they were found to extend north-northeastward for one hundred and twenty-five miles to the forks of ,dubawnt river4 ,from this point they were traced eastward for one hundred and seventy-five miles to the outlet of ,baker lake1 at which point they veered off to the south4 ,towards the west this series probably extends a long distance up the valley of ,thelon river1 and may perhaps cross the low watershed and connect with similar beds on the shores of ,great ,slave lake4 8,the basal portion of this series is here represented by reddish thick-bedded sandstones and conglomerates1 which are comparatively unaltered and undisturbed over large areas4 ,in some places1 as on the islands near the northwest shore of ,dubawnt lake1 they dip regularly at a moderate angle4 ,the pebbles in the conglomerates are well rounded and water-worn1 and consist almost entirely of white clastic quartzites like that of ,marble island 7,huronian7 beds4 ,the occurrence of quartzite pebbles1 to the almost total exclusion of pebbles of ,laurentian or other rocks1 would indicate that these ,cambrian strata were deposited off a shore composed very largely of ,huronian quartzites4 ,the sandstones and conglomerates are cut by dykes and masses of both acid and basic eruptive rocks4 ,the acid eruptions were first met with on a hill of red quartz-porphyry at ,teall point1 on the west shore of ,dubawnt lake4 ,a similar massive quartz-porphyry forms a heavy east and west dyke1 some distance farther north on the shore of the same lake1 and in the vicinity of the dyke the surrounding conglomerate is very hardened1 so that it breaks indifferently through the matrix or through the pebbles4 8,towards the north end of ,dubawnt lake the orthoclase in the rock is replaced by plagioclase1 the porphyry thus becoming a porphyryte4 ,this porphyry is largely developed1 and seems to underlie a large tract of country1 along ,dubawnt river between ,lady ,marjorie lake and the ,forks1 and again it was found on the island towards the east end of ,baker lake4 8,dark-green basic eruptions1 chiefly1 or perhaps exclusively1 in the form of dykes1 are extensively developed throughout the area covered by the rocks of the ,cambrian system4 ,on ,dubawnt lake and on ,dubawnt river near the ,forks1 most of these dykes ,,are ,,of ,,typical ,,diabase1 with interlocking lath-shaped crystals of plagioclase1 between which are crystals1 or crystalline masses of augite1 often altered to chlorite4 8,a heavy diabase dyke1 crossing ,dubawnt river at ,loudon rapids1 cuts the surrounding acid eruptions1 and is clearly newer than they4 ,it is also interesting to note that the rocks in this vicinity are very freely stained with green carbonate of copper1 indicating the presence of a considerable amount of copper disseminated through the rock1 just as copper occurs under similar conditions in similar rocks south of ,lake ,superior4 8,lithologically the whole of this terrain presents a remarkable resemblance to the red sandstones and quartz-porphyries of the ,keewenawan 7copper-bearing7 rocks of ,lake ,superior4 ,this resemblance is so strongly marked that small hand-specimens of the rocks from the shore of ,dubawnt lake are usually indistinguishable from specimens from ,lake ,superior4 8,native copper was nowhere found1 but it is not unlikely that it may occur in the vicinity of some of these basic dykes40 ,mr4 ,tyrrell then proceeds to discuss the deposits of native copper in the far north as already quoted in this chapter and continues3-- 8,besides copper a narrow vein of pure galena has been found on the shore of ,bathurst inlet4 8,whether any other metals but copper and lead will be found in that region remains to be discovered1 but the evidence of the presence of ,animikie slates and limestones would indicate the possibility of the occurrence of silver1 such as was found at ,silver islet on ,lake ,superior4 8,this northern country1 which1 as we have seen1 gives abundant evidence of rich mineral wealth1 has up to the present been very remote from any settlements1 but now it can actually ,,be ,,reached ,,with ,,very ,,little ,,trouble and expense either from ,mackenzie river or from ,hudson bay1 and its general even unmountainous character would render the building of roads across it a matter of comparatively little difficulty4 8,from ,mackenzie river to ,great ,bear lake is only sixty-five miles1 and from that lake to ,coppermine river only another sixty-five miles1 while the ,keewenawan rocks on ,baker lake may be reached by ocean-going steamers which can ascend ,chesterfield inlet to its head1 which is open for three months of the year4 ,from the head of ,chesterfield inlet it is only four hundred miles1 over a gently undulating country1 to the east end of ,great ,slave lake1 or five hundred and eighty miles to ,copper mountains west of ,coppermine river4 8,south of ,chesterfield inlet good harbours exist1 from which the ,huronian rocks could readily be explored1 or1 if rich mines were discovered1 would serve as means of access and outlet to and from these mines4 8,churchill1 at the southeastern extremity of the ,barren ,lands1 has long been known as an excellent harbour1 having been surveyed by ,joseph ,robson1 an engineer1 as long ago as #agdf4 ,on an average it is open five months of the year1 from ,june #ai1 to ,november #ah1 the shortest open season known being four months and eight days1 and longest season five months and eighteen days4 8,it is true that in going to live in that northern land1 one would leave far behind the forest1 meadows1 and pleasant orchards of this beautiful province 7,ontario71 but the wealth torn from the rocks would enable the people to procure all the products of more genial climates1 and with the health and strength derived from a well-fed1 but active and energetic existence1 the country would be covered with homes as happy as could be found in any part of the world40 ,,iron1 ,,gold ,,and ,,silver4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell was examined before the select committee of the ,senate in #aijg and in his evidence upon that occasion stated that north of ,lake ,athabaska1 for a certain distance1 there are ,huronian and ,keewatin rocks which certainly contain iron and small quantities of gold and silver1 but larger quantities have not yet been discovered4 ,ore being a mass of mineral that can be worked at a profit1 no ore has yet been found there1 but there are precious minerals4 ,the country north of ,lake ,athabaska is one of the most likely looking mineral countries that ,mr4 ,tyrrell had ever been in4 ,after leaving the ,huronian rocks north of ,lake ,athabaska1 one then strikes through a granite country for seven hundred miles on the routes that he travelled which does not show much evidence of minerals4 ,then as he got to ,dubawnt lake he got on copper-bearing rocks similar to the copper-bearing rocks of ,lake ,superior1 and those are undoubtedly the same copper-bearing rocks which extend across ,coppermine river1 and which have there been known to produce native copper--at least the ,esquimaux bring in the copper from ,coppermine river to make implements4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell said he would not expect to find silver in connection with the copper4 ,they do not find silver in any quantity with the copper of ,lake ,superior4 ,they do find silver in places1 but not on the ,calumet peninsula4 ,the silver appears in a slightly different formation4 ,while it occurs in rocks of somewhat similar age1 still it is not immediately associated with copper1 and the rocks that one finds from ,dubawnt lake northward1 covering quite a large area1 are very similar to the copper-bearing rocks on ,lake ,superior4 ,taking a set of specimens from the copper-bearing rocks of ,lake ,superior1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell declared he could duplicate them almost exactly from a set of specimens from these northern rocks in all the peculiar minerals--and there are a great many of them4 ,he saw a small amount of copper in many places in these rocks1 and we know that it occurs in the rock1 because the ,esquimaux pick up native copper and make their implements from it4 ,so that he looked for a large development at some time of a copper industry in that country between ,chesterfield inlet and ,coppermine river4 ,he had never been at ,coppermine river himself4 ,really the principal exploration of ,coppermine river1 he explained1 was done nearly one hundred years ago1 and there has been very little exploration of it since4 ,it was visited by ,doctor ,j4 ,m4 ,bell some three or four years previous to #aijg1 but he just barely touched it1 and ,sir ,john ,richardson1 in the early part of last century1 really furnished all the information that is known about ,coppermine river4 ,a ,,large ,,area ,,of ,,mineral ,,country4 ,in the far northern region1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell stated upon this occasion1 there is a large area of mineral bearing country4 ,as you come out to the mouth of ,chesterfield inlet there is an area of ,keewatin and ,huronian rocks1 similar to the conglomerates of northern ,ontario1 which have been found to be so rich there1 and these rocks are known to contain a certain amount of gold and copper4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell saw them himself there1 and he had1 he said1 every confidence that that area too will produce minerals of value--workable ores4 ,there was no indication of nickel in any part of the country4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,p4 ,low1 of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 who was a witness before the same committee1 stated that he had spent one winter at ,cape ,fullerton1 north of ,chesterfield inlet4 ,he explained that on the mainland where there are marked indentations1 there is a large development of ,huronian rocks1 which contain four per cent4 of copper pyrites4 ,these rocks have not been properly prospected yet1 and there have been no claims taken up on them4 ,they have not been proven in any way4 ,between ,chesterfield and ,fullerton there are several fairly decent deposits of iron pyrites1 and some of these contain small deposits of gold4 ,gold was found by ,doctor ,wright somewhere in ,whitcher inlet1 but beyond those discoveries nothing of a definite character is known of the minerals of the far north4 ,the island of ,southampton east of ,fullerton is formed of limestone1 and a band of ancient ,huronian ,laurentian rocks1 which crosses at the north side of it4 ,,free ,,gold ,,in ,,melville ,,peninsula4 ,examined before the select committee of the ,senate in #ahhg1 ,doctor ,robt4 ,bell of the ,geological ,survey stated that free gold had at that date been found in quartz in ,repulse bay1 south of ,melville peninsula1 which is the extreme northeastern point of the continent1 and considerably north of ,fullerton4 ,the free gold he spoke of as coming from ,repulse bay was noticed by ,professor ,james ,tennant1 of ,king's ,college1 ,london1 ,england4 ,plenty of copper had been found up there4 ,witness had found it in small quantities himself1 and it had been found as occurring in large quantities among specimens brought from the west coast of ,hudson bay by others4 ,speaking of his voyage by sea to ,hudson bay1 ,doctor ,bell said he had not had an opportunity to satisfactorily investigate the mineral resources of the country4 ,his own opportunities for discovery had been limited on account of the fact that when he was at the most likely places for finding gold or silver he had very little chance to get ashore4 ,he had to take just what opportunity he had when going ashore with boats for ballast or to land materials at the stations4 ,the main object of all the expeditions was to establish and supply the stations4 ,if he had had an expedition under his own control1 fitted out for that object1 he had no doubt he could make valuable discoveries of minerals4 ,he saw some quartz ledges himself4 ,they varied in size4 ,he could not look entirely for economic minerals1 for in the few hours he had at any place he had to ascertain as much as possible of the geological structure of the country1 and incidentally1 if he found anything worthy of notice1 he brought away specimens4 ,he saw many large veins of quartz1 but those from which he brought the specimens which happened to contain gold and silver were not so large as others he had seen4 ,some were several feet wide4 ,he did not find visible gold at all4 ,as to the gold prospects in the central part of the ,barren ,lands1 ,inspector ,pelletier1 ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 states in his report3--8,in many places along the ,thelon1 great sand bars are prominent1 creeks flowing into it do so over gravel beds and when this country is prospected ,i expect to hear of placer gold discoveries4 ,it is a good country for prospectors4 ,a prospecting outfit going there would find plenty of good timber to build their camp1 and any amount of fuel4 ,they would have to carry only certain kinds of provisions1 for fish is abundant4 ,musk-ox and deer at certain times of the year are very numerous40 ,,lignite ,,and ,,soft ,,coal4 ,large areas of lignite and soft coal have been discovered along the shores of ,arctic sea between the ,mackenzie and the ,coppermine and in the islands off the coast4 ,doctor ,richardson in #ahbf found the ,arctic coast east of ,cape ,bathurst to consist of precipitous banks1 similar in structure to the bituminous shale cliffs at ,whitby in ,yorkshire4 ,this shale was in a state of ignition in many places4 ,according to the same authority 8carboniferous limestone exists on the northwestern coast of ,banks island1 on ,melville and ,bathurst islands4 ,at ,village point1 in latitude #gf #dj and longitude #ig west1 at ,depot point1 ,grinnell land 7of ,belcher71 latitude #gg #e north1 and at various other places in the carboniferous limestone tract there are coal beds4 ,these coal beds are considered by ,professor ,houghton to be very low down in the carboniferous series40 ,in a valley in ,banks island some distance from the coast and three hundred feet above sea level1 ,richardson relates that ,captain ,mc,clure and ,doctor ,armstrong visited a carboniferous deposit4 8,the ends of trunks and branches of trees10 says the last-named officer1 8were seen protruding through the rich loamy soil in which they were imbedded4 ,on excavating to some extent we found the entire hill to be a ligneous formation1 being composed of the trunks and branches of trees1 some of them dark and softened1 in a state of semi-carbonization40 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,the ,,barren ,,lands1 ,,or 8,,arctic ,,prairie40 ,game1 ,fur-bearing ,animals and ,fish4 ,where ,millions of ,caribou ,roam at ,large4--,actual ,value of ,these ,immense ,herds ,very ,great4--,can they ,become ,domesticated or ,replaced by the ,lapland ,reindeer8--,the ,home of the ,musk-,ox and ,many ,fur-,bearing ,animals4--,the ,polar ,bear4--,where the ,wild ,geese ,nest4--,lakes1 ,rivers and ,sea ,coasts ,teeming ,with ,fish4--,the ,arctic ,salmon1 ,trout1 ,white ,fish and ,grayling4 ,the fish and game resources of the ,barren ,lands have hitherto been the sole support of the small human population1 and unquestionably they could support an infinitely larger number of people than have hitherto resided in the far northern wilderness4 ,as every explorer of the region from ,hearne until the present date has had to depend primarily practically wholly upon fish and game for sustenance while in the interior1 we know much more about the resources of the country in those respects than any of the others4 ,the occurrence of fish and game has been a matter of life or death to the explorers1 and naturally they have all dwelt upon the matter in the narratives of their trips4 ,that so many adventurous and lengthy trips through the country have succeeded testifies to the abundance of fish and game even in the far north of this vast region4 ,the chief source of the food supply of the natives and of explorers in the ,barren ,lands is the ,barren ,lands caribou1 ,rangifer arcticus 7,richardson74 ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble of the ,united ,states ,biological ,survey1 in his report so often quoted in the preceding pages1 says3--8,this famous animal1 usually in the north called #8deer1' and often mentioned in the narratives of ,arctic travel1 occurs more or less abundantly on the barren grounds of the region treated of1 and on the large islands to the northward4 ,it is the caribou1 more than any other animal1 which renders human residence in this desolate region possible4 8,within this great area it is probable that there are two or more races1 perhaps distinct species1 since the animals are separated by the physiographic conditions of the country into different herds1 or aggregations of herds1 which never associate with each other at any time of the year1 and which have somewhat different habits4 ,a series of skins and skulls will be necessary to a decision as to the number of recognizable forms4 ,for the present1 however1 all the caribou of this region1 excepting the woodland species1 may without violence be ,,considered ,,as ,,one ,,species1 for which the name arcticus1 applied by ,richardson to the animal inhabiting the main area of the ,barren ,grounds between ,great ,bear lake and ,hudson bay1 may be used4 ,it is reasonably certain that within this latter area but one species is represented40 ,one of the recent explorers1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 and his brother1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell1 give us perhaps the most complete first-hand information as to the caribou4 ,in notes of the fauna of the country lying between the eastern part of ,athabaska lake and ,churchill river1 explored in the summer of #ahib1 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell says3--8,the ,barren ,grounds caribou4 4 4 4 4 4 comes south in winter to the south end of ,reindeer lake and the upper portion of ,mudjatik and ,foster rivers4 ,it travels north in spring to the ,barren ,grounds1 but a very few animals are occasionally left behind1 one having been shot in ,july near the north end of ,cree lake40 ,fort ,fond du ,lac 7east end of ,lake ,athabaska7 is stated by ,mr4 ,tyrrell in the same report to be 8on one of the principal lines of travel of the ,barren ,ground caribou1 in their regular migrations north and south40 ,in the report of his expedition down the ,dubawnt valley and ,chesterfield inlet in #ahic1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell mentions that his party first saw caribou 7he calls them ,rangifer ,grnlandicus7 on ,july #bh on ,barlow lake1 8and on ,july #bi1 we met a vast herd of ,barren ,ground caribou collected on a good feeding ground on the eastern shore of ,carey lake40 ,mr4 ,tyrrell gives the following details3--8,four miles below ,barlow lake1 the river ,dubawnt enters the south end of ,carey lake1 so called in honour of the ,reverend ,doctor ,carey of ,st4 ,john1 ,n4,b4 ,after paddling up the lake for five miles1 directing our course towards a high point with a large boulder on its summit1 afterwards called ,cairn point1 we saw ,,an ,,immense ,,herd ,,of ,,caribou 7,rangifer ,grnlandicus7 moving along the east shore4 ,we at once paddled towards the land1 and found the deer standing on low wet grassy land near the water1 at the foot of a long stony slope4 8,the following extract from my daily journal1 with the photographs in the front of the report1 will give a fairly clear idea of the number of deer seen3-- 8,july #cj4--,yesterday was the first clear warm day that we have had for a long time1 but to day is also clear and warm1 with a gentle breeze blowing from the west4 ,we spent the day skinning and cutting up the fattest of the bucks we killed yesterday4 ,our camp is a hundred yards from the lake1 near the edge of a bog1 with a scattered grove of larch and black spruce just behind us4 ,all day the caribou have been around us in vast numbers1 many thousands being collected together in single herds4 ,one herd collected in the hill behind our camp1 and another remained for hours in the wet bog on the point in front of us4 ,the little fawns were running about everywhere1 often coming up to within a yard or two of us1 uttering their sharp grunts as they stood and looked up at us1 or as they turned and ran back to the does4 ,about noon a large herd had collected on the sides and summit of the hill behind us4 ,taking the small hand camera with which we were supplied1 we walked quietly among them4 ,as we approached to within a few yards of the dense herd1 it opened to let us in1 and then formed a circle round us1 so that we were able to stand for a couple of hours and watch the deer as they stood in the light breeze or rubbed slowly past each other to keep off the black flies4 ,the bucks1 with their beautiful branching antlers1 kept well in the background4 ,we obtained a number of photographs1 which show the animals in many positions2 later in the afternoon a herd of bucks trotted up to us1 and stood at about forty yards distance4 ,this was a most beautiful sight1 for their horns are now full grown1 though still soft at the tips1 but unfortunately we had not the camera with us4 ,we did not shoot any to-day40 ,in his paper before the ,british ,association in #ahig ,mr4 ,tyrrell said that this herd at ,carey lake must have contained between one and ,,two ,,hundred ,,thousand ,,head ,,of ,,caribou4 ,they were migrating southward towards the edge of the woods1 where they would spend the winter4 ,illustration3 ,an ,indian ,dance ,lodge4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell1 who was with his brother upon this occasion1 in his book 8,through the ,sub-,arctics of ,canada01 speaks of the caribou seen at ,carey lake as forming 8many great bands literally covering the country over wide areas4 ,the valleys and hillsides for miles appeared to be moving masses of caribou4 ,to estimate their numbers would be impossible4 ,they could only be reckoned in acres or square miles4 ,we walked to and fro through the herd of caribou1 causing little more alarm than one would by walking through a herd of cattle in the field40 ,near the head of ,dubawnt lake the ,tyrrells1 in ,august1 noticed scattered bands of deer1 also two or three wolves and a wolverine4 ,in #ahid1 when ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell's party was descending ,kazan river1 they first fell in with the ,barren ,lands caribou on the west side of ,ennadai lake about latitude #fa1 on ,august #ad4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell in his report says the deer were travelling southward in large numbers4 ,the country was open and treeless1 and the deer were rather difficult to approach1 but twelve were shot and cut up1 and their meat was spread out to dry in the sun and wind40 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell mentions seeing some caribou and many signs of them during his exploration of ,hanbury and ,thelon rivers in #aijj4 8,while descending ,hanbury river1 to the eastward of ,great ,slave lake1 during the early part of ,july1 only an occasional straggling caribou was met4 ,on ,july #bc1 however1 on the ,thelon1 he observed a large band moving southward4 ,in his report ,mr4 ,tyrrell states3--8,the ,thelon was evidently frequented on both sides by numbers of caribou1 as their tracks were everywhere to be seen1 though few of the deer were met with1 until the lower stretches of the river were reached1 their migration having preceded us40 ,back relates that on ,july #ae1 #ahcd1 while his party was descending ,backs river1 at ,beechey lake the swampy prairies1 8which near the cascades might be called plains10 were 8all thickly inhabited by deer40 ,back calls the caribou 8,cervus tarandus0 7,linn74 ,mr4 ,david ,t4 ,hanbury found large bands of caribou1 comprising adults of both sexes and their young1 proceeding southward along ,hanbury river about the last of ,july4 ,,migration ,,of ,,the ,,caribou4 ,writing of the migratory habits of the caribou1 ,mr4 ,hanbury states3--8,there is no doubt that caribou migrate4 ,they go south in large herds in autumn1 and north in spring4 ,they cross the country east of ,great ,slave lake1 round ,artillery lake1 and some distance east of it4 ,they do not appear on the main ,ark-i-linik river1 but between ,aberdeen and ,schultz lakes they pass with some regularity4 ,the migration takes place on such a large scale1 and over such a wide tract of country1 that it has been assumed that all caribou migrate2 the fact seems to be that the majority of animals remain in the north throughout the year4 ,i have myself shot caribou in winter along the west coast of ,hudson bay1 and inland from the bay2 along the north and south coasts of ,chesterfield inlet2 in the country north of the head of the inlet as far as ,garry lake on ,backs river1 and along ,backs river4 ,i have also killed them to the north and south of ,baker1 ,aberdeen and ,schultz lakes in winter1 and ,i know others who have killed them in winter in the country about ,wager river and ,repulse bay4 ,on the ,arctic coast1 at ,white ,bear point1 and on ,kent peninsula1 and at other places which will be mentioned later1 caribou are always to be found during the winter4 ,thus1 ,i think it may be held as proved that very great numbers of caribou do not migrate40 ,mr4 ,hanbury1 in another part of his book1 mentions that on ,october #bf1 #aija1 he hunted caribou near ,baker lake1 west of ,chesterfield inlet4 ,he writes3--8,on looking out ,i could see deer in thousands away to the west4 ,they seemed like small black stones in the distance1 but with the glass their movements could be distinctly seen40 ,mr4 ,hanbury announces that he was informed by the ,eskimo of ,ogden bay that caribou are found on ,kent peninsula1 at ,cape ,barrow1 and near the coast of ,victoria ,land1 throughout the winter1 but that none remained during that season between ,cape ,barrow and the ,coppermine or near ,ogden bay4 ,mr4 ,warburton ,pike 7,see p4 #ai7 in his book 8,the ,barren ,grounds of ,northern ,canada0 makes frequent and interesting references to the caribou4 ,he mentions that during his journey northward into the ,barren ,grounds from the eastern part of ,great ,slave lake1 in the autumn of #ahhi1 caribou were first met with on ,lake ,camsell1 about seventy miles north of ,great ,slave lake1 on ,september #ae4 ,the animals were then on their way south1 and many were seen during the remainder of ,september as the party travelled northward4 ,,description ,,of ,a ,,migration4 ,mr4 ,pike encamped for the winter on the south shore of ,mackay lake and while there witnessed the migration southward1 which he thus describes3--8,scattered bands of caribou were almost always in sight from the top of the ridge behind the camp1 and increased in numbers until the morning of ,october #bj1 when little ,baptiste1 who had gone for firewood1 woke us up before daylight with the cry of #8,la ,foule6 ,la ,foule6' and even on the ledge we could hear the curious clatter made by a band of travelling caribou4 ,la ,foule had really come and during its passage of six days ,i was able to realize what an extraordinary number of these animals still roam in the ,barren ,ground4 ,from the ridge we had a splendid view of the migration2 all the south side of ,mackay lake was alive with moving beasts1 while the ice seemed to be dotted all over with black islands1 and still away on the north shore1 with the aid of the glasses1 we could see them coming like regiments on the march4 ,in every direction we could hear the grunting noise that the caribou always make when travelling2 the snow was broken into broad roads1 and ,i found it useless to try to estimate the number that passed within a few miles of our encampment4 ,we were just on the western edge of their passage1 and afterwards heard that a band of ,dogribs1 hunting some forty miles to the west1 were at this very time in the last straits of starvation1 only saving their lives by a hasty retreat into the woods1 where they were lucky enough to kill sufficient meat to stave off disaster4 4 4 4 4 ,the caribou1 as is usually the case when they are in large numbers1 were very tame1 and on several occasions ,i found myself right in the middle of a band with a splendid chance to pick out any that seemed in good condition4 4 4 4 4 ,this passage of the caribou is the most remarkable thing that ,i have ever seen in the course of many expeditions among the big game of ,america4 ,the buffalo were for the most part killed out before my time1 but1 notwithstanding all the tall stories that are told of their numbers1 ,i cannot believe that the herds on the prairie ever surpassed in size #8,la ,foule' of the caribou40 ,,no ,,danger ,,of ,,starvation4 ,on his way north1 the following spring1 ,mr4 ,pike first fell in with the caribou in ,june4 ,in his book1 8,the ,barren ,grounds of ,northern ,canada01 referring to this event1 ,mr4 ,pike states3--8,from this time1 all through the summer1 till we again reached ,great ,slave lake late in ,august1 we had no difficulty about provisions2 although there was many a time when we could not say where we might find our next meal1 something always turned up1 and we were never a single day without eating during the whole day4 ,i really believe it is a mistake to try to carry enough food for a summer's work in the ,barren ,grounds1 as the difficulty of transport is so great1 and after the caribou are once found there is no danger of starvation4 8,we were now travelling with the bull caribou1 which had just left the thick woods1 and made easy marches from lake to lake in a northeast direction2 the weather became cold again for the last time1 and ,june #g was like a bad winter's day with a strong north wind and snowstorms4 ,then the summer came suddenly1 and on ,june #aa we were obliged to camp on a high gravel ridge to await le grand dgel1 which rendered travelling impossible1 till the deep water had run off the ice40 ,when descending ,lockhart river on his way from ,artillery lake to ,great ,slave lake1 on his way back to civilization1 ,mr4 ,pike remarked 8caribou walking the ridges and swimming the lakes in every direction40 ,a ,,migration ,,near ,,artillery ,,lake4 ,inspector ,pelletier1 ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 in the report of his patrol from ,great ,slave lake to ,hudson bay1 makes special reference to the numbers of caribou1 then migrating southward1 seen during the passage of his party from the eastern end of ,great ,slave lake1 to ,thelon river4 ,he writes3--8,as we were approaching the portage from ,burr to ,toura lake we sighted a large herd of deer coming out behind the grove of trees4 ,this was the first we had seen4 ,they were mostly does1 but a few young bulls were scattered amongst them4 ,we killed a small one which proved a great addition to our larder4 ,they were not much frightened by us although they kept at a distance4 ,they were in sight all the while we were portaging4 ,from ,burr lake to ,artillery lake we were practically surrounded by deer4 ,we camped for the night of ,july #ba at the fifteen yards portage north of ,toura lake and during the night deer kept passing to and fro close to our tents in large numbers4 ,on ,july #bb near the foot of ,artillery lake we saw thousands and thousands of deer1 mostly bulls1 coming over the ridge behind our camp1 making for the water and crossing where it was no more than half a mile wide4 ,gradually the ridges on each shore and the traverse itself were alive with them4 ,it was a wonderful sight seen late at night4 8,at the south end of ,artillery lake countless deer were seen2 the bucks and does seemed to belong to separate herds4 ,they were crossing and recrossing at that point where the lake is quite narrow1 ranging from a quarter mile to one and a half miles in width4 ,for a distance of about two or three miles the hills were covered with them and the water was bridged in two or three different places at a time4 ,this might appear to be exaggerated2 ,i would never have believed there were so many deer in the north1 only now that ,i have seen them1 ,i must4 ,the natives we met at that place told us what we had seen was not the main herd but part of it1 that the main body was a few miles up the lake on the west shore2 they had just been there in their canoes the previous day4 ,if what we had seen was not the main herd ,i wondered how large the main herd could be4 ,,caribou ,,along ,,the ,,thelon4 8,deer were seen in good numbers along ,sifton lake1 near ,timber rapids1 and at ,timber rapids2 they also were sighted in other places4 ,at the high sand ridge1 about twelve miles below ,sifton lake1 a large herd was feeding on an island4 ,at the lower end of ,timber rapids the stream scatters and gets shallow1 full of boulders1 and while winding around little channels a herd of deer was crossing1 we could not possibly stop without getting into some mix up4 ,luckily the deer sighted us and heard us 7we were making all the noise we could to frighten them74 ,they rushed through1 leaving our little channel open4 ,we could have touched them with the paddle1 they were so near4 ,we grazed one rock1 and that was due to our attention being diverted by the deer4 8,no game was seen on the ,hanbury but a deer or two at the upper end4 ,innumerable paths beaten by them were very distinct all the way1 but we saw no fresh tracks denoting recent passage40 ,writing of ,thelon river itself1 the ,inspector states in his report3--8,at the lower end deer are very numerous at certain times of the year4 ,at their favourite traverses or crossings the ground is netted with deep1 well-defined deer trails4 ,we saw only one deer on the whole of the ,thelon4 ,i am told by natives that deer in the fall and spring are seen by the thousands on their migrations north and south40 ,,west ,,of ,,chesterfield ,,inlet4 ,as to the series of lakes through which the waters of the ,thelon and ,dubawnt are discharged into ,chesterfield inlet1 ,inspector ,pelletier reports3--8,from ,beverly lake down to ,hudson bay deer were met almost daily1 but not in large herds4 ,most were seen along the lower end of ,schultz lake1 ,schultz river rapids and along ,baker lake4 ,at ,beverly lake we met a camp of ,eskimos1 a few men and women4 ,they were well provided with everything in the line of arms1 ammunition1 clothing and necessaries of life4 ,at the foot of ,baker lake is another camp of natives1 numbering about twenty-five4 ,they were well stocked with everything1 killing a good number of deer1 and laying in a stock of meat and deerskin for the winter40 ,a few notes from journals or reports of other travellers as to the distribution and migration of this remarkable animal are instructive4 ,during ,anderson and ,stewart's journey down ,backs river in the summer of #ahee caribou were found to be numerous about ,clinton-,colden and ,aylmer lakes1 and the species was observed on ,adelaide peninsula in the far north4 ,in the summer and autumn of #ahgi the party of ,frederick ,schwatka1 searching for relics of ,sir ,john ,franklin1 found large numbers of caribou on ,king ,william island and on the lower part of ,backs river4 ,,fourteen ,,days ,,in ,,passing4 ,frank ,russell1 who passed the winter of #ahic-id at ,fort ,rae on the north arm of ,great ,slave lake1 says1 concerning the ,barren ,ground caribou3--8,a few years ago they were often killed from the buildings and throughout the winter might be found near the post4 ,in #ahgg an unbroken line of caribou crossed the frozen lake near the fort4 ,they were fourteen days in passing and in such a mass that in the words of an eye witness #8daylight could not be seen through the column'4 ,they were now seldom seen within several miles of ,rae40 ,during the winter he spent there only one small band crossed the lake towards the west4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,j4 ,mc,lean states that in #ahii the caribou arrived in the neighbourhood of old ,fort ,reliance1 at the extreme east end of ,great ,slave lake1 on ,august #ab4 ,doctor ,j4 ,m4 ,bell states that on his trip eastward along the north shore of ,great ,bear lake1 in #aijj1 he first met with caribou sixty miles west of ,fort ,confidence late in ,july1 and later found them fairly numerous between ,fort ,confidence and the lower ,coppermine4 ,,actual ,,value ,,of ,,the ,,caribou4 ,as to the actual value of the caribou to the country1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell stated in his paper before the ,british ,association3--8,their flesh is excellent eating1 and the animals will doubtless furnish an important food-supply for explorers and pioneers in that country4 ,whether they can be tamed1 and thus brought permanently into the service of man or whether they must disappear like most of the other denizens of the wilderness1 remains to be seen2 but even if they should be doomed to disappear1 it seems quite possible that they might be replaced by tame reindeer from ,lapland who would feed in summer on the vast grassy plains1 and in winter would take kindly to a diet of ,canadian lichens40 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell considers the ,barren ,ground caribou 8is the same as the reindeer of ,lapland40 ,he states in his book 8,through the ,sub-,arctics of ,canada03--8,as a source of venison it cannot be excelled1 especially in the autumn season1 when it is in prime condition4 ,during ,september and ,october the males are rolling fat1 and as food their flesh is then equal to the finest beef4 ,of all the meats ,i have ever tasted certainly reindeer tongues takes the first place for daintiness and delicacy of flavour40 ,captain ,back1 writing in #ahce1 stated of the reindeer or caribou3--8,it furnishes food and clothing to the ,dogrib and ,copper ,indians1 the ,chipewyans1 the ,swamp or ,coast ,crees1 and to the ,esquimaux1 but none of the ,american tribes have domesticated it like the ,laplanders4 ,every part of the animal is eaten1 even to the contents of its stomach1 and the half-dried tongue when roasted is perhaps the greatest delicacy that the fur countries afford4 ,reindeer meat1 when in the best condition1 is not only superior to that of the moose deer and bison1 but1 in my opinion1 it surpasses the best mutton or ,english-fed venison40 ,mr4 ,ernest ,thompson ,seton1 lecturing on his trip to the ,barren ,lands in #aijf1 stated while in the region of perpetual day or night1 his party had a caribou at hand whenever they wanted one for a meal4 ,when they pitched tents near trail1 the shaggy animals loped along during the night and tripped over the guy-ropes4 8,cutting in half the estimates of explorers who went before me1 and making a most conservative estimate there are not less than ,,thirty ,,millions ,,of ,,these ,,caribou letting the wind blow through their whiskers in that northern country10 said the lecturer4 8,there is absolutely no destructive war on them1 and no possibility of their destruction4 ,when the great northland is opened up1 it will be for ,canadians to decide what is to be done with those animals1 and how is that beautiful country to be opened up8 ,some say that the reindeer will be the medium1 but ,i hold that it will be the yak1 which roams through the north of ,china4 ,this animal is strong and sturdy1 can bear the heaviest burdens1 and can stand any extreme of climate40 ,,the ,,experiment ,,in ,,alaska4 ,in view of the suggestions that have been made as to the domestication of the ,barren ,lands caribou1 and recalling the fact that through the agency of ,doctor ,grenfell of ,labrador1 ,lapland reindeer have been recently 7#aiab7 sent out to the ,athabaska region as an experiment1 the following paragraph from the 8,christian ,herald0 of a recent date is interesting3 8,it is only a few years since the ,united ,states ,government1 as an experiment which it was hoped would help the ,eskimos and ,indians of northern ,alaska1 imported a few score reindeer from ,norway1 with a number of ,lapps skilled in their care4 ,subsequently other reindeer were brought from the opposite coast of ,asia1 and although it was known that the particular form of moss or lichen on which these animals live1 and which flourishes under the snow1 was abundant within the ,american ,arctic circle1 the attempt to introduce reindeer was regarded by a majority of our citizens as being quite as wild and visionary as was the purchase of ,alaska by ,secretary ,seward in #ahfg4 8,the few score reindeer have grown to twenty-seven thousand three hundred and twenty five distributed in forty-two herds4 ,more than one-half1 or fourteen thousand nine hundred and ninety-three1 is owned by natives who before the advent of the reindeer were in a state of the most wretched poverty4 ,of the remainder three thousand seven hundred and thirty are owned by the ,united ,states1 four thousand one hundred and ninety-four by missions and four thousand four hundred and seven by ,lapps4 ,the total income of the ,eskimos from the reindeer industry during the last year reported was twenty-four thousand six hundred and thirty-six dollars40 ,,future ,,supply ,,of ,,cheese1 ,,meat ,,and ,,leather4 ,a newspaper despatch is authority for the statements that the first shipment of reindeer meat has been shipped from ,alaska to ,seattle1 and that the gentleman in charge of the reindeer in ,alaska for the ,united ,states government says that in a quarter of a century there will be three million beef reindeer in ,alaska1 and that they will thrive and multiply and fatten on the ,arctic vegetation where even a goat could not live4 ,their flesh1 he asserts1 is more palatable than either beef or mutton4 ,in view of the success of this experiment in ,alaska it is predicted that in the far north of ,america1 as in the far north of ,europe1 the reindeer will be the principal domestic animal1 supplying the people not only of the northland itself1 but of more southerly latitudes1 with cheese1 and meat1 and leather4 ,,the ,,musk-,,ox4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell is authority for the statement that besides the caribou1 musk-oxen 7,ovibos moschatus7 are the only other large herbivorous animals that live in the open plains of the north1 and they scorn the shelter of the forest even in winter1 their long shaggy coat of hair furnishing sufficient protection against the severest gales4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell in his report of his explorations along ,dubawnt and ,kazan rivers states that the habitat of the musk-ox seems to be confined to that country north of the portion of ,dubawnt river between ,dubawnt lake and ,hudson bay4 ,none were seen in the course of either of the two expeditions mentioned1 but ,eskimos met with at the head of ,chesterfield inlet had a number of fresh skins4 ,the ,eskimos on ,kazan river reported to ,mr4 ,tyrrell that there were no musk-oxen in their neighbourhood4 ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble states in his report3--8,this famous ruminant within historic times ranged over the entire extent of the ,barren ,grounds1 from the mouth of the ,mackenzie to ,churchill4 ,it has now become extirpated over large areas at the eastern and western extremities of this range1 but still exists in great numbers in the less accessible parts of its habitat40 ,captain ,back records on ,july #ac1 #ahcd1 while descending the river which now bears his name1 he noticed two or three hundred deer1 and1 apart from them1 herds of musk-oxen were either grazing or sleeping on its western banks1 which there 7above ,beechey lake7 looked green and swampy1 and were all more or less cloven by inconsiderable ravines1 with a clayey surface4 ,back mentions that his party killed a musk-ox on ,montreal island1 off the mouth of ,backs river1 ,august #c1 #ahcd4 ,while ascending that river on his return trip1 on ,september #a1 ,back near ,lake ,pelly noticed a herd of musk-oxen and a few straggling deer quietly feeding on the sand-hills1 8and many of the white1 brown1 and laughing geese were flying about1 and seemed to be collecting for their southerly migration40 ,,the ,,meat ,,of ,,the ,,musk-,,ox4 ,back states that the musk-ox 8feeds1 like the reindeer1 chiefly on lichens1 and the meat of a well-fed cow is agreeably tasty and juicy1 but that of a lean cow and of the bull is strongly impregnated with a disagreeable musky flavour1 so as to be palatable only to a very hungry man40 ,in his evidence before the select committee of the ,senate in #ahhh1 ,hon4 ,william ,christie1 formerly ,inspecting ,chief ,factor of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 stated that the company at that time got a few--a very few--musk-ox hides at ,churchill and ,fort ,rae4 ,this animal kept pretty well in the open country along the ,arctic coast4 ,witness was four years at ,churchill1 and was asked by a friend to get a musk-ox robe for him1 and was two or three years before he obtained it4 ,hon4 ,frank ,oliver informed the same committee that ,mr4 ,murdoch ,mc,leod1 a retired ,hudson's ,bay ,company's official1 told him that a musk-ox bull which he helped to kill weighed fourteen hundred pounds1 dressed1 and the robe measured fifteen feet from nose to rump4 ,the musk-oxen were found generally in bands of ten to forty4 ,some winters they were more scarce than others1 which could not be explained4 ,mr4 ,d4 ,t4 ,hanbury1 writing of the original exploration by him of ,thelon and ,hanbury rivers1 states3--8,after ascending the main ,ark-i-linik 7,thelon7 river for about thirty-five miles1 musk-ox tracks commenced to get very numerous4 ,the muddy shores in places were so ploughed up with their tracks as to give the idea that a drove of cattle had passed along40 ,in this vicinity the explorer saw several herds of musk-oxen4 ,a ,,musk-,,ox ,,preserve4 ,in another place in his book 8,sport and ,travel in the ,northland of ,canada01 ,mr4 ,hanbury writes3--8,on the main ,ark-i-linik 7,thelon7 river there is a stretch of country about eighty miles in length into which no human being enters4 ,the ,eskimos do not hunt so far west1 and ,yellow ,knives and ,dog ,ribs from ,slave lake do not go so far east4 ,to penetrate this country in the dead of winter would be simply to court starvation4 ,then the deer have all departed1 and to depend on finding musk-oxen at the end of the journey would be risky indeed4 ,thus there remains the spot in this ,great ,barren ,northland which is sacred to the musk-ox4 ,here the animals remain in their primeval state1 exhibiting no fear1 only curiosity4 ,i approached several herds within thirty yards1 photographed them at my leisure1 moving them round as ,i wished1 and then retired1 leaving them still stupidly staring at me as if in wonder4 ,when the deer were not procurable a musk-ox was killed4 ,the height of a large bull which ,i killed in #ahif at a spot about fifty miles farther north was fifty-five inches2 horns twenty-seven inches40 ,a ,,midnight ,,musk-,,ox ,,hunt4 ,in the official report of his exploratory trip from ,great ,slave lake to ,chesterfield inlet via ,thelon river in #aijj ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell states that his party first encountered musk-oxen among the lakes in the vicinity of the height of land between the basin of ,great ,slave lake1 and that of the ,thelon4 ,he thus refers to this event3--8,whilst sailing northward into ,sifton lake we encountered a gale1 which drove us ashore at the focus of the four arms4 ,thus finding a little leisure time thrust upon us1 ,mr4 ,fairchild and ,i1 providing ourselves with compasses and field glasses1 made an exploratory tramp of a few miles4 ,the season had now advanced to ,june #bg1 and at such time in our latitude 7#fc #dd71 we had no darkness1 although the sun dipped below the horizon for a short time4 ,the hours of night were1 therefore1 as suitable for travel as those of day1 and hence it was ten p4m4 when1 scanning the valleys and hillsides with my powerful stereoscopic field glasses1 ,i observed a band of musk-oxen feeding a mile or two to the northward4 ,fifteen of them were counted in all1 and this with genuine surprise1 as we had not expected to see any of these animals for some time to come4 ,they were none the less welcome1 for our camp was much in need of fresh meat1 and stimulated by this knowledge we procured two rifles from camp and set off in one of the canoes with two ,indians1 on a midnight hunt4 ,the lake had now become quite calm1 and the northern sky a glow of lurid light1 making the scene a most enchanting picture1 such as can only be seen within the shadow of the ,arctic4 ,for three miles our light canoe glided over the glassy surface of the lake in perfect silence1 excepting for the faint rippling of the water against its sides1 until when near the shore there suddenly appeared over the adjoining ridge the huge black forms of nine musk-oxen40 ,,musk-,,oxen ,,in ,,thelon ,,valley4 ,the following paragraph from ,mr4 ,tyrrell's report is also interesting under this head3--8,as we glided quickly and quietly down ,thelon river1 one of the most interesting features met with was the occurrence of numerous bands of musk-oxen feeding upon the luxuriant grass or sleeping on the river bank4 ,attempts were made to obtain photographs of some of these noble brutes1 but such were not very successful for two reasons2 first1 because of the wariness of the animals1 and second1 because of the weariness of the photographers4 8,it was observed that when bands of cows with their young were met with1 they were usually very timid and fled at first approach of danger1 but in the case of straggling bulls1 which were frequently seen1 they were much more fearless and allowed us to approach as closely as prudence and their defiant attitudes would permit4 ,on one occasion1 when ,mr4 ,fairchild climbed the river bank in order to photograph a fine specimen1 he had no sooner snapped his camera and turned his back1 than the brute charged and followed him to the bank4 ,he was at once covered by our rifles1 but as ,fairchild stepped safely into the canoe1 no shots were fired4 ,indeed day after day we passed numbers of musk-oxen1 without molesting them in any way except by trying to photograph them4 ,a notable fact in regard to the musk-oxen was that every one seen was on the north side of the ,thelon1 or on islands on the river4 ,on one occasion when three musk-oxen were met with on an island they immediately plunged into the water and swam rapidly to the north shore1 after gaining which they could be seen galloping across the plains for miles40 ,in his report ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell classes the herds of musk-oxen as among the resources of the country 8which are of great value to ,canada40 ,he adds3--8,for the preservation of the musk-oxen--which may be so easily slaughtered--and are already rapidly diminishing in numbers1 ,i would suggest that the territory between ,thelon and ,backs rivers1 be set apart by the ,government as a game preserve40 ,,appearance ,,of ,,the ,,musk-,,ox4 ,in his interesting volume 8,through the ,sub-,arctics of ,canada10 ,mr4 ,tyrrell writes3-- 8,the musk-oxen are claimed as relatives both by the sheep and ox families1 though they perhaps more properly represent a distinct family by themselves4 8,in general appearance they may be said to somewhat resemble a huge brown1 horned sheep1 but in size and weight they much more nearly resemble the ox1 or better still1 the buffalo1 the monarch of the prairies a generation ago4 8,like the buffalo1 the musk-ox 7,ovibos moschatus7 is gregarious in its habits1 but where the former existed in thousands the latter is found only in tens--a band of twenty or thirty being as many as are commonly found together4 ,the above comparison of numbers may also be taken as approximately representing the whole existing musk-ox family as compared with that of the buffalo in his palmy days4 8,in prehistoric times1 as shown by the exhumed remains1 the musk-ox occupied a very wide area of the earth's surface1 both in ,europe1 ,asia and ,america1 but now his range is limited to the northern parts of ,canada and ,greenland4 ,from personal observation ,i have found the southern boundary of the musk-ox habitat to-day to be ,hudson strait and bay1 ,chesterfield inlet1 ,thelon river1 ,clinton-,colden and ,aylmer lakes2 whereas in the time of ,samuel ,hearne1 one hundred and fifty years ago1 we have his assertion that musk-oxen frequented the vicinity of ,churchill1 four hundred miles south of their present haunts4 8,it is no doubt a fact1 not only have the musk-oxen been driven farther and farther from the haunts of men1 but that their numbers have been correspondingly reduced from year to year by natives who have long pursued a policy of systematic slaughter in quest of the princely robes so much in demand by the fur-traders40 ,,musk-,,ox ,,robes ,,stacked ,,like ,,hay4 8,the musk-ox is one of the noblest and most valuable animals of the northern shore of ,hudson bay and adjacent territory4 ,it is found in very considerable numbers and affords most luxurious robes4 ,i have seen musk-ox robes stacked by the ,eskimos like hay-cocks1 along the shore of ,chesterfield inlet1 awaiting the opportunity to market them40 ,on ,thelon river1 from the junction of the ,hanbury down for over half its length or about one hundred and fifty miles1 ,inspector ,pelletier1 during his long patrol already several times referred to1 saw innumerable tracks of musk-ox1 some fairly fresh and on both banks4 ,in his official report the ,inspector states3-- 8,on ,august #i 7the day after the descent of ,thelon river was begun71 we sighted our first musk-ox4 ,he was on a small island1 lying down asleep1 and looked very much like a large overturned sod until suddenly he rose and we were astonished at his size4 ,i had always heard a musk-ox was not a large animal4 ,this one we saw was a large bull of not very great height--perhaps1 ,i would judge1 about thirteen hands1 but of immense size and weight2 he would have scaled very close to fifteen hundred pounds4 ,the long hair was coming down nearly to the ground1 and when he decided to run away the fur on him was of such thickness and length that it waved up and down at every gallop as the wings of a bird flying4 ,a few miles farther down about noon we sighted another musk-ox4 ,he was on the north shore1 sleeping on the top of a grassy bank4 ,we made much noise to attract his attention4 ,he suddenly rose1 and looked straight at us4 ,while doing so ,i took a snapshot of him4 ,i was hurrying another exposure in place when all at once he turned right about and disappeared over the bank4 ,he was a large animal1 but not so large as the first one4 ,we were on the lookout for more1 but saw none that day4 ,we sighted one musk-ox on the morning of ,august #aj4 ,it was the third and last we saw4 ,we saw innumerable tracks though1 and at certain times of the year large herds must frequent the shores of this river40 ,,the ,,moose ,,and ,,fur-,,bearing ,,animals4 ,the moose 7,alces ,americanus7 being a woodland animal1 is not found in the interior of the ,barren ,lands1 but it is found in places in the sparsely timbered margins of the country and in the narrow wooded strips and points which extend from the forested areas along the rivers and lakes well into the treeless plains4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell states that during his party's exploration of the upper ,thelon in the summer of #aijj1 on two occasions moose antlers were found embedded in the sand of the river banks4 ,hanbury states that moose are found in ,thelon river1 below its junction with the ,hanbury1 and mentions seeing numerous fresh tracks and places where the animals had browsed on the willows4 ,in ,august1 #aijb1 while descending ,dease river1 northeast of ,great ,bear lake1 he found tracks along its banks4 ,inspector ,pelletier1 speaking in his official report of the game along the ,hanbury and ,thelon1 states3--8,there is good fur to be had in winter besides musk-ox1 such as foxes1 wolves1 wolverines1 brown bears1 and perhaps mink and marten4 4 4 4 ,many wolves were seen at the foot of ,ford falls 7on the ,hanbury74 ,five were in a pack40 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell in his paper before the ,british ,association at ,toronto stated3--8,the white wolf and the wolverine are the two most common predatory animals in the interior1 while the white bear and white fox are common in places along the coast40 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell 78,through the ,sub-,arctics of ,canada07 states3--8,black and red as well as white foxes are also commonly found in the country north of the timber line4 ,i have seen and handled a single black foxskin which realized for its owner the sum of one thousand six hundred dollars40 ,,the ,,polar ,,bear4 ,as to the polar bear1 which is found all along the shores of ,hudson bay1 and the northern coast1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell 78,through the ,sub-,arctics of ,canada07 states3--8,in the animal world the polar bear is admittedly the monarch of the north4 ,he is the bear of bears1 being described by all ,arctic travellers as possessing enormous strength and great voracity4 ,of the score of polars whose more or less intimate acquaintance ,i have had occasion to make1 ,i have seen at least two whose tracks in the snow measured fifteen by eighteen inches1 whose length measures over nine feet1 and whose slain carcases tipped the steelyard at from fifteen to sixteen hundred pounds40 ,in the same volume ,mr4 ,tyrrell states3--8,of feathered game there is a great abundance1 particularly of waterfowl1 the most important of which are3--,brant1 ,hutchins and snowy geese2 northern1 ,american and king eiders2 squaw ducks1 swans1 loons1 nurres1 guillemots and many other sea fowls4 ,in many places ,i have seen geese in such numbers that they could be killed by hundreds with sticks4 ,ptarmigan1 also1 are found in great numbers in many places in the open country4 ,they are commonly caught by the natives with nets1 and form a staple article of food40 ,,where ,,the ,,wild ,,geese ,,nest4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell mentions that two young broods of geese were seen on ,dubawnt lake on ,august #ae1 #ahic4 ,he adds3--8,it is commonly said that the breeding place of the wild goose has never been discovered1 but here1 at any rate1 was the breeding place of these40 ,in the official report of his trip in #aijj1 ,mr4 ,tyrrell states3--8,many broods of geese were observed on the low grassy banks of the ,thelon4 ,they were of a small grey species1 with black necks and heads and white bands around the latter4 ,later in the season great numbers of moulting geese were met with1 and thirty or forty of them were knocked over with sticks for supplying our kettles4 8,ducks and ptarmigan were also met with1 though not in great numbers1 whilst the spruce woods were enlivened by the songs of singing birds1 notably ,american robins40 ,hearne 7p4 #agj7 thus refers to the feathered game in ,coppermine river region3--8,when at the sea-side 7at the mouth of ,coppermine river71 besides seeing many seals on the ice1 ,i also observed several flocks of sea-fowl flying about the shores1 such as gulls1 blackheads1 loons1 old wives1 ha-ha-wies1 geese1 ,arctic gulls1 and willicks4 ,in the adjacent ponds also were some swans and geese in a moulting state1 and in the marshes some curlews and plover2 plenty of hawkes-eyes 7i4e41 the green plover71 and some yellow-legs2 also several other small birds that visit these northern parts in the spring to breed and moult1 and which doubtless return southward as the fall advances4 ,my reason for this conjecture is founded on a certain knowledge that all these birds migrate in ,hudson bay1 and it is but reasonable to think that they are less capable of withstanding the rigour of such a long and cold winter as they must necessarily experience in a country which is so many degrees within the ,arctic circle1 as that is where ,i now 7,july #agga7 saw them40 ,,flight ,,of ,,the ,,waterfowl4 ,back mentions the fact that while at ,artillery lake on ,september #e1 #ahcc1 8impending storms were threatened by the cackling of hundreds of geese1 which at an immense height were winging their flight to the southward4 ,ranged according to their families1 the grey1 or bustard1 the white and the laughing geese came past in quick succession1 vying in swiftness1 as if anxious to escape from the wintry horrors of the north40 ,speaking of his exploration of ,thelon and ,hanbury rivers1 ,mr4 ,hanbury 78,sport and ,travel in the ,northland of ,canada071 referring to feathered game along the route1 states3--8,ptarmigan are very numerous in the willow beds all along the river4 ,excellent sport might be had by any one with time and ammunition to spare4 ,on a journey small game is not interfered with unless other meat and fish give out4 ,the ptarmigan were very handsome at this time of year 7summer74 ,but for a few white feathers in the wings1 they might easily have been mistaken for grouse1 the colour1 flight and call 7both in the early morning and when flushed7 exactly resembling that of the red grouse4 ,the young birds were strong on the wing1 fully forward as grouse in the north of ,scotland about the middle of ,august40 ,inspector ,pelletier states that when he descended the ,thelon waterfowl were seen only on ,baker lake1 and then only a few1 while on the other lakes and rivers none were seen4 ,ptarmigan were fairly plentiful in places all along the lower stretch from ,schultz lake down4 ,,inexhaustible ,,supplies ,,of ,,fish4 ,the resources of the ,barren ,lands in the way of fish are tremendous4 ,we know that the salt1 tidal waters which lave the eastern and northern shores of this huge area teem with fish and that the same can be truthfully said of the lakes and rivers which have been explored and are indicated on the map4 ,we also know that the country is dotted with innumerable lakes and drained by many rivers and streams which have never been visited by white men1 and which consequently find no places on any map4 ,and these too contain fish4 ,hearne's journal contains many references to the fish supply of the region he travelled through in #agga between ,churchill1 the mouth of the ,coppermine1 ,great ,slave lake1 and ,lake ,athabaska4 ,one of the pioneer explorer's fish stories is particularly interesting4 ,at pages #aeh1 #aei and #afj of his book he relates that his party1 in retreating up the ,coppermine after the brutal massacre by his ,indians of the ,eskimos at ,bloody falls 7as he called the spot after the massacre71 saw an old woman1 almost blind1 8sitting by the side of the water1 killing salmon1 which lay at the foot of the fall as thick as a shoal of herrings40 ,hearne proceeds3--8,it may appear strange1 that a person supposed to be almost blind should be employed in the business of fishing1 and particularly with any degree of success1 but when the multitude of fish is taken into account the wonder will cease4 ,indeed they were so numerous at the foot of the fall1 that when a light pole1 armed with a few spikes1 which was the instrument which the old woman used1 was put under water1 and hauled up with a jerk1 it was scarcely possible to miss them4 ,some of my ,indians tried the method1 for curiosity1 with the old woman's staff1 and seldom got less than two at a jerk1 sometimes three or four4 ,those fish1 though very fine1 and beautifully red1 are but small1 seldom weighing more 7as near as ,i could judge7 than six or seven pounds1 and in general much less4 ,their numbers at this place were almost incredible1 perhaps equal to any thing that is related of the salmon in ,kamschatka1 or any other part of the world4 ,it does not appear that the ,eskimos have any other method of catching the fish unless it be by spears and darts1 for no appearance of nets was discovered either at their tents1 or on any part of the shore4 ,this is the case with all the ,eskimos on the west side of ,hudson bay2 spearing in summer and angling in winter are the only methods they have yet devised to catch fish1 though at times their whole dependence for support is on that article40 ,captain ,back mentions having observed grayling rising to flies at the outlet of ,pelly lake on ,backs river1 ,july #ae1 #ahcd4 ,back also mentions that while descending ,backs river in ,july1 #ahhc1 his party met a party of ,eskimos who were camped at the foot of a fall below ,pelly lake1 where they had come to get a supply of fish4 ,thousands of whitefish and small trout1 caught in the eddy below the fall1 lay about1 split1 and exposed to dry on the rocks4 ,back's party caught an inconnu 7which he calls ,salmo ,mackenzii7 with a number of other fish in the eastern arm of ,great ,slave lake ,august #ad1 #ahcc4 ,,the ,,arctic ,,salmon4 ,before the ,senate committee of #ahhh1 ,mr4 ,christie1 ,chief ,inspector of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 stated that salmon were found in large numbers on the ,churchill1 as soon as the ice cleared out of the river1 about the middle of ,july4 ,they entered the river and went out of it with the tide4 ,they did not run up the river to spawn4 ,he thought these salmon quite as large as those he had seen in ,scotland4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,p4 ,low1 ,director of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 examined before the ,senate committee of #aijg1 stated that in the far northern waters there are no true salmon1 but there is the ,arctic salmon1 which is found along the east side of ,hudson bay from ,cape ,jones1 and on the west side1 north of the mouth of ,churchill river4 ,these are in many places very abundant and are caught freely in the summer time when they are out in the sea4 ,they go into the sea about ,july and return to the rivers and lakes again some time in ,september4 ,they are only out there about two months4 ,this ,arctic salmon is an excellent fish1 beautifully coloured1 a very fine salmon colour1 and it is not so rich a fish as the ,atlantic salmon4 ,it resembles the western salmon more than it does the eastern or ,atlantic salmon4 ,the salmon fishery on ,hudson bay would no doubt have commercial value were there an outlet to a market4 ,the whitefish of ,hudson bay is a very fine flavoured fish4 ,the portion of ,hudson bay in the vicinity of ,southampton island is where the whale fishing is done4 ,formerly it extended to ,marble island4 ,in reply to various questions1 ,mr4 ,low said he had no knowledge of herring or mackerel going into ,hudson bay1 but there are some cod there4 ,he had taken them up near ,cape ,fullerton and along that coast1 but they have not been found very plentiful yet4 ,in the report of his explorations in #ahic and #ahid1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell says3--8,it is probable that some of the true salmon ascend the inlets and streams west of the northern part of ,hudson bay1 but the fact was not definitely determined40 ,before the select committee of the ,senate in #aijg he stated he did not know what fish there are along the shores of ,hudson bay4 8,the ,eskimos report that there are salmon and other fish there1 but ,i did not see them myself40 ,,plenty ,,of ,,salmon ,,running4 ,mr4 ,hanbury1 speaking of his trip across country from ,chesterfield inlet to the ,arctic1 reported 8plenty of salmon running0 in the northern rivers in ,june4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell 78,through the ,sub-,arctics of ,canada07 states3--8,salmon of the very finest quality are found in abundance both in ,hudson bay and strait4 ,i have several times procured them from ,eskimos and can testify as to their superior quality40 ,mr4 ,tyrrell does not state whether any of these salmon were caught on the west side of the bay4 ,we find the following interesting paragraphs as to the fish along the ,arctic coast in 8,sport and ,travel in ,northern ,canada0 7,hanbury73--8,on ,may #bi1 after travelling about ten miles1 ,i obtained an observation for latitude which gave #fh #be north4 ,three miles more brought us to the east coast of ,kent peninsula1 or rather to a small inlet of the coast1 where several ,huskies were fishing with their copper fish-hooks through holes in the ice4 ,in the evening they brought me seven of the fish they had caught1 which proved to be codling1 the same in appearance and size as those we have found around the coast of ,great ,britain4 ,i was surprised to see these fish1 for the ,hudson bay ,huskies had always denied the existence of any sort of cod in ,hudson bay4 ,the ,arctic ,husky name for these codling was u-wuk1 and they were reported to be very plentiful along the coast at this time of year40 ,according to ,doctor ,richardson3--8,trout of various kinds and of large size inhabit the rivers that fall into ,arctic sea1 and on the coast near the mouth of ,coppermine river1 a species closely resembling the sea-trout of ,england was abundant in the shallows40 ,,fish ,,in ,,the ,,dubawnt ,,and ,,the ,,kazan4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell in the report of his exploratory trips down ,dubawnt and ,kazan rivers in #ahic and #ahid states3--8,fish seemed to be everywhere abundant in the lakes and streams though very few were caught4 ,the lake trout 7,cristivomer namaycush7 and whitefish 7,coregonus clupeiformis7 appeared to be the most abundant and valuable food fishes1 the latter being especially abundant in ,dubawnt lake4 ,pike 7,esox lucius7 and one or more species of suckers were also seen4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell states in his evidence before the ,senate committee of #aijg that as far north as ,dubawnt lake 7#fc north latitude7 the whitefish and trout were plentiful in all the streams4 ,mr4 ,tyrrell caught them in ,dubawnt lake4 ,farther northwards he did not catch any4 ,there are great quantities of fish4 ,the fact is there are all the fish the lakes will hold--they are as full as the water can supply food for them4 ,while ,mr4 ,tyrrell's party was descending ,dubawnt river in ,august1 #ahid1 they made a big haul of trout and whitefish below ,markham lake2 according to ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell 78,through the ,sub-,arctics of ,canada073--8,the whitefish ranged from six to ten pounds in weight2 the trout went up to twenty-five pounds40 ,in his paper before the ,british ,association ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell stated3--8,whitefish and lake trout are plentiful in the lakes and streams2 but as yet very little is known about the character and distribution of the denizens of most of the water stretches40 ,,fish ,,plentiful ,,in ,,the ,,thelon4 ,mr4 ,hanbury in describing his exploration of the ,ark-i-linik 7,thelon and ,hanbury rivers7 states3--8,fish were plentiful all along the ,ark-i-linik2 in fact1 ,i never saw such a grand river for fish4 ,trout1 whitefish1 and toolabies 7very similar to whitefish7 abound1 and large numbers can be taken with nets of from three to four and one-half inch mesh4 ,there are few rivers equal to the ,ark-i-linik for food fishes40 ,all travellers agree that there are large numbers of fish in the eastern arm of ,great ,slave lake and in the lakes between that sheet of water and the ,thelon4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell in the report of his trip in #aijj states3--8,the resources of ,artillery lake and vicinity1 outside of any mineral wealth it may possess1 lie in its fisheries1 its furs and meat supplies4 ,in regard to the fisheries1 ,i can testify that its deep1 cold waters abound with the finest specimens of lake trout as well as whitefish1 pike and carp4 ,at one place in about fifteen minutes1 with a single spoon hook1 one of my men pulled out eighteen fine trout1 some of which were brought to camp1 strung on a pole and photographed by me4 ,some of these fish were from sixteen to twenty pounds in weight4 ,in regard to the fish of ,artillery lake1 ,i was told ,a ,,most ,,astonishing ,,story by the ,indian 8,pierre ,fort ,smith0 and his companion4 ,they affirm that they have frequently seen fish of from twenty to thirty feet long in the water1 and described them as being of black colour1 with long slender horns or feelers4 ,they say they have never killed one of them--being afraid of them--but that they are frequently seen in the deep waters when crossing the lake4 ,when ,i smiled at their story with some expression of doubt1 they became very indignant and with one accord stoutly declared every word of it to be true4 ,i offered them #8one hundred skins' if they would capture or kill one of these fish for me1 but they only said they could not do so2 they were too big1 and they were afraid of them40 ,in the report of his patrol from ,great ,slave lake to ,chesterfield inlet1 ,inspector ,pelletier gives us the following notes on fish and game along his route3--8,we saw no game along the lake 7,great ,slave lake7 such as deer1 bears1 etc41 no water fowls1 partridges or ptarmigan4 ,fish1 on the contrary1 are very plentiful4 ,large lake trout weighing up to twenty-five pounds take well to the troll1 but this trout is not a game fish1 and is very coarse food4 ,the smaller trout are better in every way4 ,whitefish is abundant1 and of splendid quality4 ,we saw no #8,inconnus'1 the season being too early40 ,,artillery ,,lake ,,teems ,,with ,,trout4 ,artillery lake teems with trout1 some of large size1 and at the foot of the rapids on 8,kasba river trout are taken by the troll1 some weighing eighteen and twenty pounds4 ,there must be larger ones but we did not secure any4 8,at the foot of every rapid on upper ,hanbury river trout and grayling can be caught4 ,some trout are very large1 over twenty-five pounds4 ,the best eating are the small ones about two pounds1 the flesh of which is very red4 ,they do not rise to the fly1 but catch the spoon very well4 ,the ordinary maskinonge pattern proved the most successful40 ,as to ,thelon river1 the ,inspector states3--8,fish are abundant4 ,anywhere where nets are set whitefish of splendid quality are caught40 ,as to the long reach of lakes above ,chesterfield inlet he says3--8,fish are plentiful in all the lakes4 ,on ,baker lake we saw some very large trout jumping near the mouth of a small river emptying into the lake40 ,the ,indians and the few white travellers who have been there report a plentiful supply of fine fish in all the large lakes north of ,great ,slave lake and about the headwaters of ,backs river1 which used to be known as ,great ,fish river on account of the large fish caught in its waters4 ,mr4 ,warburton ,pike was at ,aylmer lake in ,june #ahij and writes in his book 78,the ,barren ,grounds of ,northern ,canada073--8,at the head of every bay a stream ran into the lake1 and the open water at its mouth was always a sure find for trout2 forty or fifty large fish were often caught in a day with a hook and line at these places1 and1 as we could always kill caribou1 even the dogs were getting fat in this land of plenty40 ,we have this testimony from ,hanbury 78,sport and ,travel in the ,northland of ,canada07 as to the fish life of the lakes still farther north and on the height of land dividing the ,coppermine watershed from that of ,great ,bear lake3--8,we all regretted leaving ,teshi-er-pi or ,dismal lake4 ,it certainly did not appear #8dismal' to us1 but quite the reverse4 ,i do not remember ever having come across a lake where fish were so numerous4 ,large trout1 some of which ran up to twenty-five pounds1 could be seen swimming in the clear water as we paddled along4 ,the tollabies we caught averaged nearer five pounds than four1 and as before remarked1 were most excellent eating4 ,arctic trout were numberless40 ,,bibliography4 ,the reader of the preceding pages will have observed1 from the variety of publications from which quotations have been made1 that the literature relating to the far northlands of ,canada is considerable--quite extensive in fact4 ,below is a partial list of written authorities consulted in the preparation of this book4 ,it does not pretend to be a complete bibliography of the country by any means1 many publications which were carefully read through not being mentioned because they do not throw any direct light upon the natural resources of the region1 being merely books of adventure1 or publications relating wholly to those topographical features of the country which are clearly indicated in present-day maps4 ,the following list includes works from which enquirers for additional knowledge of the country are likely to obtain serviceable information4 ,,adam1 ,g4 ,,mercer4--8,the ,canadian ,northwest1 its ,history and its ,troubles40--,rose ,publishing ,co41 ,toronto1 #ahhe4 ,,ami1 ,h4 ,h41 ,d4,sc41 ,f4,g4,s41 ,f4,r4,s4,c4--8,resources of the ,country between ,quebec and ,winnipeg1 along the line of the ,g4,t4,p4 ,ry40--7,sessional paper #adc71 ,king's ,printer1 ,ottawa1 #aijc4 ,,anderson1 ,,james4--8,extracts from ,chief-,factor ,james ,anderson's ,arctic ,journal40--,journ4 ,roy4 ,geog4 ,soc41 ,vol4 ,,xxvii1 pp4 #cba-cbh1 #aheg4 ,,armstrong1 ,,john4--,report of the ,preliminary ,surveys for a ,proposed ,railway to ,hudson bay1 7,sessional paper ,no4 #bj d41 #aiaj74 ,king's ,printer1 ,ottawa4 ,,back1 ,,captain ,,george1 ,r4,n4--8,narrative of the ,arctic ,land ,expedition to the mouth of the ,great ,fish ,river1 and along the shores of the ,arctic ,ocean1 in the years #ahcc1 #ahcd1 #ahce10 by ,captain ,back1 ,r4 ,n41 ,commander of the ,expedition4 ,zoological ,appendix by ,john ,richardson4 ,london and ,philadelphia1 #ahcf4 ,,bell1 ,,james ,,macintosh1 ,m4,a4--8,report on the ,topography and ,geology of ,great ,bear lake and of a chain of lakes and streams thence to ,great ,slave lake40 ,part ,c41 ,annual ,report1 ,vol4 ,,xii1 ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 ,king's ,printer1 ,ottawa1 #aija4 ,,bell1 ,,robert1 ,i4,s4,o41 ,m4,d41 ,c4,m41 ,d4,sc41 ,,ll4,d41 ,f4,r4,s4--,reports in the ,annual report of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada particularly from #ahgg to #aijh4 ,king's ,printer1 ,ottawa4 ,,bell1 ,,dr4 ,,robt41 ,i4,s4,o41 etc4--,special reports in ,geol4 ,survey ,reports #ahgg-gh1 #ahhb-hd and #ahhe4 ,,bell1 ,,dr4 ,,robt41 ,i4,s4,o41 etc4--,reports on ,hudson bay and some of the lakes and rivers lying west of it4 ,report ,progress ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 #ahgi-hj1 pp4 #aj-aac-;,c4 ,queen's ,printer1 ,ottawa1 #ahha4 ,,bell1 ,,dr4 ,,robt41 ,i4,s4,o41 etc4--8,the ,geology of the ,hudson's ,bay and ,strait10 in the report of the ,hudson's ,bay ,expedition1 #ahhe4 ,department of ,marine1 ,ottawa4 ,,bell1 ,,dr4 ,,robert1 ,i4,s4,o41 etc4--8,geology and ,economic ,minerals of ,hudson's ,bay and ,northern ,canada10 7abstract7 in ,trans4 ,royal ,soc4 ,can41 vol4 ii1 sect4 iv41 p4 #bda1 ,ottawa4 ,,bell1 ,,dr4 ,,robert1 ,i4,s4,o41 etc4--8,report on an ,exploration of ,portions of the ,attawapiskat and ,albany rivers1 ,lonely lake to ,james' bay40 ,part ,g41 ,annual ,report ,geol4 ,survey1 #ahhf4 ,dawson ,bros41 ,montreal1 #ahhg4 ,,bernier1 ,,captain ,j4 ,e4--8,report on the ,dominion of ,canada ,government ,expedition to the ,arctic ,islands and ,hudson ,strait on ,board the ,d4,g4,s4 #8,arctic4'0 ,ottawa1 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 #aiaj4 ,,boulton1 ,,major ,c4 ,a4--8,reminiscences of the ,northwest ,rebellions40 ,grip ,printing and ,publishing ,co41 ,toronto1 #ahhf4 ,,brown1 ,,hon4 ,c4,p4--8,report of the ,select ,committee of the ,legislative ,assembly of the ,province of ,manitoba appointed to ,procure ,evidence as to the ,practicability of the ,establishment of a ,system of ,communication with the ,province via ,hudson ,bay04 ,printed by order of the ,legislative ,assembly4 ,winnipeg1 #ahhd4 ,,brymner1 ,,douglas--8,reports on ,canadian ,archives for #ahhh and #ahij10 ,notes ,e4 and ,c41 respectively4 ,queen's ,printer1 ,ottawa4 ,,butler1 ,,captain ,w4 ,f41 ,f4,r4,g4,s4--8,the ,great ,lone ,land2 a ,narrative of ,travel and ,adventure in the ,northwest of ,america40 ,london1 #ahgb4 ,,chambers1 ,,captain ,e4 ,j4--8,the ,book of ,canada40 ,montreal and ,toronto1 #aije4 ,,chambers1 ,,captain ,e4 ,j4--8,the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police4 7,a ,corps ,history70 ,the ,mortimer ,press1 ,montreal and ,ottawa1 #aijf4 ,,chambers1 ,,captain ,e4 ,j4--8,canada's ,fertile ,northland40 ,containing the evidence heard before the ,select ,committee of the ,senate of ,canada of #aijf-jg and the report based thereon4 ,ottawa1 ,government ,printing ,bureau4 #aijg4 ,several later editions4 ,the last under the title 8,the ,new ,northwest40 ,,chambers1 ,,captain ,e4 ,j4--8,the ,great ,mackenzie ,basin40 ,a ,summary of the ,reports of the ,schultz ,committees of the ,senate of ,canada 7#ahhg-hh7 and of the evidence heard before said ,committees40 ,ottawa1 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 #aijh4 ,,coues1 ,,elliott4--8,new ,light on the ,early ,history of the ,greater ,northwest4 ,the ,manuscript ,journals of ,alexander ,henry1 ,fur ,trader of the ,northwest ,company and of ,david ,thompson1 ,official ,geographer and ,explorer of the same ,company1 #agii-ahad10 in three volumes4 ,francis ,p4 ,harper1 ,new ,york1 #ahig4 ,,crean1 ,,frank ,j4 ,p41 ,c4,e41 ,f4,r4,g4,s4--8,the ,new ,northwest4 ,report of ,exploration40 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 ,ottawa1 #aijh4 ,second edition1 #aiji4 ,,dawson1 ,g4 ,m41 ,d4,s41 ,f4,g4,s41 ,f4,r4,s4,c41 etc4--8,notes to accompany a ,geological ,map of the ,northern portion of the ,dominion of ,canada1 ,east of the ,rocky ,mountains10 ,queen's ,printer1 ,ottawa1 #ahhg4 ,,dawson1 ,g4 ,m41 ,f4,g4,s41 etc4--,numerous reports in the annual reports of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada4 ,king's ,printer1 ,ottawa4 ,,dawson1 ,g4 ,m41 ,d4,s41 ,f4,g4,s41 etc4--8,on some of the larger unexplored regions of ,canada40 ,paper contributed to the ,ottawa ,field ,naturalists' ,club4 ,,department ,,of ,,the ,,interior--8,annual ,reports10 more particularly #ahhd1 #ahhh1 #ahhi1 #ahib 7,sessional paper ,no4 #ac1 ,vol4 ,,vii17 #aijj-ja 7,sessional paper ,no4 #be1 ,part ,,iii1 ,appendix #bf to ,surveyor ,general's report71 #aijc 7,summary of the ,reports on ,peace river74 ,king's ,printer1 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 ,ottawa4 ,,dickson1 ,j4 ,r41 ,b4,s4,a41 ,m4,s4,f4--8,report on ,timber ,conditions1 etc41 along the proposed route of the ,hudson ,bay ,railway40 ,forestry ,branch--,bulletin ,no4 #ag4 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 ,ottawa1 #aiaa4 ,,dobbs1 ,,arthur--8,account of the ,situation1 ,climate and ,trade of the ,countries adjoining to ,hudson's ,bay1 etc40 ,london1 #agdd4 ,,dodds1 ,,james--8,the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 its ,position and ,prospects40 ,london1 #ahff4 ,,dowling1 ,d4 ,b41 ,b4 ,ap4 ,sc4--8,report on the ,country in the vicinity of ,red ,lake and ,part of the ,basin of ,berens ,river1 ,keewatin40 ,part ,f41 ,annual ,report 7,vol4 ,,vii71 ,geological ,survey of ,canada4 ,queen's ,printer1 ,ottawa1 #ahif4 ,,dowling1 ,d4 ,b41 ,b4 ,ap4 ,sc4--8,report on an ,exploration of ,ekwan river1 ,sutton ,mill lakes and part of the ,west ,coast of ,james' ,bay40 7,annual ,report ,geol4 ,sur4 of ,canada1 #aija1 ,part ,f41 ,vol4 ,,xiv1 ,new ,series74 ,king's ,printer1 ,ottawa4 ,,dowling1 ,d4 ,b4--8,report on the ,geology of the ,west ,shore and ,islands of ,lake ,winnipeg40 7,geol4 ,survey report for #ahih1 ,vol4 ,,xi74 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 ,ottawa1 #aija4 ,,dowling1 ,d4 ,b4--8,report on the ,east ,shore of ,lake ,winnipeg and ,adjacent ,parts of ,manitoba and ,keewatin4 ,from notes and ,surveys by ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell40 7,geol4 ,survey report for #ahih1 ,vol4 ,,xi74 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 ,ottawa1 #aija4 ,,dowling1 ,d4 ,b4--8,report on ,geological ,explorations in ,athabaska1 ,saskatchewan and ,keewatin ,districts40 ,part ,f4 ,f41 ,annual ,report 7,vol4 ,,xiii71 ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 ,king's ,printer1 ,ottawa1 #aijb4 ,,dowling1 ,d4 ,b4--8,report on an ,exploration of ,ekwan ,river and ,sutton ,mill ,lakes and ,part of the ,west ,coast of ,james' bay40 ,part ,f41 ,annual ,report 7,vol4 ,,xiv71 ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 ,king's ,printer1 ,ottawa1 #aijd4 ,,franklin1 ,,captain ,,john1 ,r4,n41 ,f4,r4,s4--8,narrative of a ,journey on the shores of the ,polar ,sea1 in the years #ahai-bj-ba and -#bb40 ,zoological ,appendix2 ,mammals and ,birds1 by ,joseph ,sabine2 ,notice of the fishes1 ,botanical ,appendix1 by ,john ,richardson4 ,london1 #ahbc4 ,,franklin1 ,,captain ,,john1 ,r4,n41 ,f4,r4,s41 etc4--8,narrative of a ,second ,expedition to the ,shores of the ,polar ,sea in the years #ahbe1 #ahbf and #ahbg40 ,london1 #ahbh4 ,,fisher1 ,,hon4 ,,sydney--8,some ,economic ,aspects of ,agriculture in ,canada40 ,address before the ,canadian ,club1 ,ottawa1 ,jan4 #bb1 #aiaj4 ,,geological ,,survey ,,of ,,canada--8,annual ,reports10 more particularly the following3 #ahgb1 #ahgh1 #ahgi1 #ahhj1 #ahhd1 #ahhf 7,part ,r71 #ahhh 7,vol4 ,,xi1 part ,a71 #ahij-ia 7,vol4 ,v41 part ,d71 #ahid 7,vol4 ,,vii1 part ,a71 #ahif 7,vol4 ,,ix1 part ,f71 #ahig 7,vol4 ,x1 part ,a71 #aijj 7,vol4 ,,xiii71 #aija 7,vol4 ,,viii1 part ,d74 ,king's ,printer1 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 ,ottawa4 ,,grant1 ,,george ,m4--8,ocean to ,ocean1 ,sandford ,fleming's ,expedition through ,canada in #ahgb4 ,being a diary kept during a journey from the ,atlantic to the ,pacific with the ,expedition of the ,engineer-in-,chief of the ,canadian ,pacific and ,intercolonial ,railways40 ,london1 #ahgg1 and ,belford ,bros41 ,toronto4 ,,hanbury1 ,,david ,t4--8,sport and ,travel in the ,northland of ,canada40 ,new ,york1 ,the ,macmillan ,company4 ,london1 ,edward ,arnold4 #aijd4 ,,harmon1 ,,daniel ,,williams--8,a ,journal of voyage and travel in the ,interior of ,north ,america4 ,between the #dgth and #ehth ,degrees of ,n4 ,lat4 extending from ,montreal nearly to the ,pacific1 a distance of about #e1jjj miles4 ,including an account of the principal occurrences during a residence of nineteen years in different parts of the country40 ,by ,daniel ,williams ,harmon1 a partner in the ,northwest ,company4 ,with introduction and ,map4 ,andover1 #ahbj4 ,,harrison1 ,,alfred ,h4--8,in ,search of a ,polar ,continent40 ,london1 #aijh4 ,,hearne1 ,,samuel--8,a ,journey from ,prince of ,wales ,fort in ,hudson's ,bay to the ,northern ,ocean4 ,undertaken by ,order of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company for the discovery of ,copper ,mines1 a ,north ,west ,passage1 etc41 in the years of #agfi1 #aggj1 #agga and #aggb40 ,london1 #agie4 ,dublin1 #agif4 ,london1 #ahjg4 ,,hector1 ,,james1 ,m4,d4--8,physical ,features of the ,central part of ,british ,north ,america10 in ,edinburgh 8,new ,philosophical ,journal10 #ahff4 ,,heer1 ,,prof4 ,o4--8,on the ,miocene ,plants discovered on the ,mackenzie ,river10 ,proc4 ,royal ,soc41 ,london1 ,vol4 ,,xxx1 #ahhj4 ,,henry1 ,,alexander--8,travels and ,adventures in ,canada and the ,indian ,territories40 ,new ,york1 #ahji4 ,,hind1 ,,henry ,,youle1 ,m4,a41 ,f4,r4,g4,s4--7,professor of ,chemistry and ,geology in the ,university of ,trinity ,college1 ,toronto1 in charge of the ,assiniboine and ,saskatchewan ,expedition47--8,narrative of the ,canadian ,red ,river ,exploring ,expedition of #aheg1 and of the ,assiniboine and ,saskatchewan exploring ,expedition of #aheg40 ,in two ,volumes4 ,london1 #ahfj4 ,,hooper1 ,w4 ,h4--8,ten ,months among the ,tents of the ,tuski1 with incidents of an ,arctic ,boat ,expedition in search of ,sir ,john ,franklin as far as the ,mackenzie river1 and ,cape ,bathurst40 ,london1 #ahec4 ,,horetzky1 ,,charles--8,canada on the ,pacific40 ,montreal1 #ahgd4 ,,isbister1 ,a4 ,k4--8,some ,account of ,peel ,river1 ,north ,america40 ,journ4 ,royal ,geol4 ,soc41 ,london1 ,vol4 ,,xv4 #ahde4 ,,isbister1 ,a4 ,k4--8,on the ,geology of the ,hudson's ,bay ,territories and of ,portions of the ,arctic and ,northwest ,regions of ,america01 ,quart4 ,journ4 ,geol4 ,soc41 ,vol4 ,,xi in ,am4 ,journ4 ,sci4 and ,arts4 ,second series1 col4 ,,xxi1 #ahef4 ,,laut1 ,,agnes ,c4--8,the ,end of the ,free ,land40 ,canadian ,collier's1 ,jan4 #ad1 #aiaa4 ,,low1 ,a4 ,p41 ,b4,sc41 ,f4,r4,g4,s4--8,preliminary ,report on an ,exploration of ,country between ,lake ,winnipeg and ,hudson ,bay40 ,part ,f41 ,annual ,report ,geol4 ,survey1 #ahhf4 ,dawson ,brothers1 ,montreal1 #ahhg4 ,,low1 ,a4 ,p41 ,b4,sc41 ,f4,r4,g4,s4--8,the ,cruise of the ,neptune10 ,dominion ,government ,expedition to ,hudson bay and the ,arctic ,islands on ,board the ,d4,g4,s4 8,neptune10 #aijc-aijd4 ,ottawa1 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 #aijf4 ,,macbeth1 ,,rev4 ,r4 ,g41 ,m4,a4--8,the ,making of the ,canadian ,west40 ,wm4 ,briggs1 ,toronto1 #aije4 ,,mackray1 ,,rev4 ,,robert4--8,life of ,robert ,mackray1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d41 ,d4,c4,l41 ,archbishop of ,rupert's ,land1 ,primate of ,all ,canada1 etc41 etc40 ,the ,macmillan ,company of ,canada1 ,ltd1 ,toronto1 #aiji4 ,,mackenzie1 ,,alexander4--8,voyages from ,montreal1 on the ,river ,st4 ,lawrence1 through the ,continent of ,north ,america1 to the ,frozen and ,pacific ,oceans2 in the years #aghi and #agic4 ,with a preliminary account of the rise1 progress and present state of the ,fur ,trade of that country40 ,london1 #ahja4 ,,macoun1 ,,prof4 ,,john1 ,m4,a4--8,report of ,professor ,macoun1 ,botanist to the ,expedition10 addressed to ,alfred ,r4 ,c4 ,selwyn4 7,accompanying a report by ,selwyn entitled 8,report on ,exploration in ,british ,columbia074 ,report ,progress ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 #ahge-gf1 pp4 #aaj-bcb4 ,montreal1 #ahgg4 ,,macoun1 ,,prof4 ,,john1 ,m4,a4--8,manitoba and the ,great ,northwest40 ,london1 #ahhb4 ,,macoun1 ,,prof4 ,,john1 ,m4,a41 ,f4,r4,s4,c4--8,the ,forests of ,canada and their ,distribution40 #ahie4 ,,mair1 ,,charles4--8,through the ,mackenzie ,basin1 a ,narrative of the ,athabaska and ,peace river ,treaty ,expedition of #ahii40 ,simpkin1 ,marshall1 ,hamilton1 ,kent ,co41 ,limited1 ,toronto1 #aijh4 ,,mcconnell1 ,r4 ,g41 ,b4,a4--8,report on explorations in the ,mackenzie ,basin40 7,part ,d1 ,annual ,report1 ,vol4 ,,iv1 ,geol4 ,survey of ,canada1 #ahhh-hi74 ,queen's ,printer1 ,ottawa4 ,,mcconnell1 ,r4 ,g41 ,b4,a4--8,report on a ,portion of the ,district of ,athabaska1 ,comprising the ,country ,between ,peace river and ,athabaska river1 ,north of ,lesser ,slave lake40 7,appendix ,d4 to annual report of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 #ahij-ahia74 ,ottawa4 ,,mcinnes1 ,,wm4--8,report on a ,part of the ,northwest ,territories ,drained by the ,winisk and ,attawapiskat ,rivers40 ,geol4 ,survey ,report ,no4 #ajjh4 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 ,ottawa1 #aiaj4 ,,mckenna1 ,j4 ,a4 ,j4--8,the ,hudson ,bay ,route2 ,a ,compilation of ,facts with ,conclusions40 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 ,ottawa1 #aijh4 ,,mcleod1 ,,malcolm4--8,peace ,river4 ,a canoe voyage from ,hudson's ,bay to ,pacific4 ,by the late ,sir ,george ,simpson1 ,governor ,hudson's ,bay ,company in #ahbh4 ,journal of the late ,chief ,factor1 ,archibald ,mc,donald 7,hudson's ,bay ,company7 who accompanied him40 ,edited1 with ,notes1 by ,malcolm ,mc,leod1 ,barrister1 etc4 ,ottawa1 ,published by ,j4 ,durie and ,son4 ,montreal1 ,dawson ,brothers4 ,toronto1 ,adam ,stevinson and ,company4 #ahgb4 ,,meek1 ,f4 ,b4 7,chicago ,academy of ,sciences74--8,remarks on the ,geology of the ,mackenzie river1 with ,figures and ,descriptions of ,fossils from the ,region1 in the ,museum of the ,smithsonian ,institution1 etc40 ,chicago1 #ahfh4 ,,milton ,,and ,,cheadle1 7,viscount ,milton1 ,m4,p41 and ,w4 ,b4 ,cheadle1 ,m4,a41 ,m4,d474 8,the ,northwest ,passage by ,land2 a ,narrative of an ,expedition from the ,atlantic to the ,pacific40 ,london1 #ahfd4 ,m',,lean1 ,,john4--8,notes of a ,twenty-five years' ,service in the ,hudson's ,bay ,territory40 ,two vols4 ,london1 #ahdi4 ,,morgan1 ,,henry ,j4--8,sketches of ,celebrated ,canadians and ,persons connected with ,canada from the ,earliest ,period in the ,history of the ,province ,down to the ,present ,time40 ,hunter1 ,rose ,co41 ,london1 #ahfb4 ,,mulvaney1 ,,dr4 ,,charles ,p4--8,the ,history of the ,northwest ,rebellion of #ahhe40 ,a4 ,h4 ,hovey ,co41 ,toronto1 #ahhf4 ,,natural ,,history ,,society ,,of ,,montreal4--8,canadian ,record of ,science40 ,various volumes1 particularly that of #ahij1 7,vol4 ,,iv74 ,montreal1 #ahia4 ,,ogilvie1 ,,william1 ,d4,l4,s4--8,exploratory ,survey of ,part of the ,lewes1 ,tat-,on-,duc1 ,porcupine1 ,bell1 ,trout1 ,peel1 and ,mackenzie rivers1 #ahhg-ahhh40 ,report of the ,department of the ,interior1 #ahij4 ,sessional ,papers1 ,vol4 #aa1 #dth session of the #fth parliament4 ,queen's ,printer1 ,ottawa4 ,,ogilvie1 ,,william1 ,d4,l4,s4--8,report on the ,peace river and ,tributaries1 in #ahia40 ,annual report of the ,department of the ,interior for the ,year #ahib4 ,sessional ,papers #ahic1 ,vol4 ,,viii4 ,queen's ,printer1 ,ottawa4 ,,paget1 ,,amelia ,m4--8,the ,people of the ,plains40 ,toronto1 ,william ,briggs1 #aiji4 ,,palliser1 ,,captain ,r4 ,a4--8,exploration--,british ,north ,america4 ,the ,journals1 ,detailed ,reports1 and ,observances ,relative to the ,exploration by ,captain ,palliser1 of ,that ,portion of ,british ,north ,america which in latitude lies between the ,british ,boundary ,line and ,height of ,land or ,watershed of the ,northern or ,frozen ,ocean ,respectively4 ,and in ,longitude1 between the western shore of ,lake ,superior and the ,pacific ,ocean1 during the years #aheg1 #aheh1 #ahei and #ahfj40 ,presented to both ,houses of ,parliament by ,command of ,her ,majesty1 ,may #aith1 #ahfc4 ,london1 ,printed by ,george ,edward ,eyre and ,william ,spottiswoode4 ,printers to the ,queen's ,most ,excellent ,majesty1 for ,her ,majesty's ,stationery ,office4 ,,petitot1 ,,rev4 ,,emile4--8,gographie de l',athabaska-,mackenzie et des ,grands ,lacs du ,bassin ,artique1 par l',abb ,e4 ,petitot40 ,bulletin de la ,socit de ,gographie1 ,paris1 tome ,x1 #ahge4 ,,petitot1 ,,rev4 ,e4--8,autour du ,grand ,lac des ,esclaves40 ,paris1 #ahia4 ,,petitot1 ,,rev4 ,e4--8,explorations de la ,rgion du ,grand ,lac des ,ours1 etc40 ,paris1 #ahic4 ,,pike1 ,,warburton4--8,the ,barren ,grounds of ,northern ,canada40 ,london1 ,macmillan and ,co41 #ahib4 ,,preble1 ,,edward ,a41 7,u4 ,s4 ,department of ,agriculture1 ,bureau of ,biological ,survey47--8,north ,american ,fauna1 ,no4 #bg4 ,a ,biological investigation of the ,athabaska-,mackenzie ,region40 ,prepared under the ,direction of ,dr4 ,c4 ,hart ,merriam1 ,chief of ,bureau of ,biological ,survey4 ,washingston1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a41 ,government ,printing ,office1 ,oct4 #bf1 #aijh4 ,,rae1 ,,dr4 ,,john4--8,narrative of an ,expedition to the ,shores of the ,arctic ,sea in #ahdf-dg40 ,london1 #ahej4 ,,rae1 ,,dr4 ,,john4--8,journey from ,great ,bear ,lake to ,wollaston ,lake1 and ,explorations along the ,south and ,east coast of ,victoria ,land40 ,journals of the ,royal ,geog4 ,soc41 ,vol4 ,,xxii1 pp4 #gc to #hb4 #aheb4 ,,rae1 ,,dr4 ,,john4--8,recent ,explorations along the ,south and ,east ,coast of ,victoria ,land40 ,journ4 ,roy4 ,geog4 ,soc41 ,vol4 ,,xxii1 pp4 #hb-if4 ,being ,dr4 ,rea's official report to the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 communicated by them to the ,royal ,geographical ,society1 concerning his expedition by boat from ,coppermine ,river eastward along the ,arctic ,coast and on the coast of ,victoria ,land in the summer of #ahea4 ,,rattray1 ,j41 ,b4,a4--8,the ,scot in ,british ,north ,america40 ,toronto1 #ahhc4 ,,richardson1 ,,sir ,,john4--8,arctic ,searching ,expedition1 a ,journal of a ,boat ,voyage through ,rupert's ,land and the ,arctic ,sea40 ,london1 #ahea4 ,,robson1 ,,joseph4--8,an ,account of ,six ,years' ,residence in ,hudson's ,bay from #agcc to #agcf1 and #agdd to #agdg40 ,london1 #ageb4 ,,robson1 ,w4 ,t4 7,general ,advertising ,agent1 ,c4 ,p4 ,ry47--8,the value of ,the ,tourist ,sportsman as a means of ,publicity for ,undeveloped ,country40 ,montreal1 #aiaj4 ,,ross1 ,,sir ,,john4--8,a ,voyage of ,discovery1 for the ,purpose of ,exploring ,baffin's ,bay1 etc40 ,london1 #ahai4 7,geological ,appendix by ,dr4 ,mc,culloch47 ,,royal ,,northwest ,,mounted ,,police4--8,annual ,reports40 ,king's ,printer1 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 ,ottawa4 ,,royal ,,society ,,of ,,canada4--8,transactions01 particularly ,vol4 #aa1 ,section ,,iv4 ,ottawa4 ,,schroter1 ,c4--8,note on the ,microscopic ,examination of some ,fossil ,woods from the ,mackenzie ,river10 by ,c4 ,schroter1 ,proc4 ,royal ,soc4 ,london1 ,vol4 ,,xxxi1 #ahha4 ,,senate ,,of ,,canada4--8,appendix to the ,journals for #ahgj 7#cc ,victoria740 ,report of ,rupert's ,land ,select ,committee4 ,queen's ,printer1 ,ottawa1 #ahgj4 ,,senate ,,of ,,canada4--8,appendices to the ,journals for #ahhg and #ahhh40 7evidence taken before select committees74 8,appendix to the ,journals for #aijg10 7evidence taken before select committee74 ,king's ,printer1 ,ottawa4 ,,simpson1 ,,sir ,,george4--8,narrative of a ,journey ,round the ,world during the years #ahda and #ahdb40 ,london1 #ahdg4 ,,simpson1 ,,thomas4--8,narrative of the ,discoveries on the ,north ,coast of ,america2 effected by the officers of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company during the years #ahcf-ci40 ,london1 #ahdc4 ,,strange1 ,,lord4--,in the name of this nobleman was presented to the ,parliament of ,great ,britain the 8,report from the ,committee appointed to inquire into the ,state and ,condition of the ,countries ,adjoining to ,hudson's ,bay and the ,trade carried on there40 ,london1 #agdi4 ,,tuttle1 ,,charles ,r4--8,a ,narrative of the ,hudson ,bay ,expedition of #ahhd40 ,toronto1 #ahhe4 ,,tyrrell1 ,,joseph ,,burr1 ,c4,e41 ,m4,a41 ,f4,g4,s41 etc4--8,a ,brief ,narrative of the ,journeys of ,david ,thompson40 ,proc4 ,canadian ,institute1 #ahhg-hh1 #crd series1 ,vol4 ,,vi4 ,,tyrrell1 ,j4 ,,burr1 ,c4,e41 ,f4,g4,s41 etc4--8,report on the ,country between ,athabaska river and ,churchill river1 by ,j4 ,burr ,tyrrell1 assisted by ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling in #ahib1 to which is added a survey of the north shore of ,lake ,athabaska1 made in the summer of #ahic40 ,annual report1 ,geol4 ,survey1 for #ahic4 ,king's ,printer1 ,ottawa1 #ahid4 ,,tyrrell1 ,j4 ,,burr1 ,c4,e41 ,f4,g4,s41 etc4--8,report on the ,dubawnt1 ,kazan and ,ferguson rivers and the ,northwest ,coast of ,hudson ,bay40 ,part ,f41 ,vol4 ,,ix4 ,reports of the ,geological ,survey of ,canada1 #ahif4 ,king's ,printer1 ,ottawa1 #ahig4 ,,tyrrell1 ,j4 ,,burr1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,sc41 ,f4,g4,s41 etc4--8,natural ,resources of the ,barren ,lands40 ,paper before the ,british ,association1 ,toronto1 #ahig4 ,published in full in the ,scottish ,geographical ,magazine1 #ahii4 ,,tyrrell1 ,j4 ,,burr1 ,m4,a41 ,b4,sc41 ,f4,g4,s41 etc4--8,report on ,explorations in the ,northwestern ,portion of the ,district of ,saskatchewan and ,adjacent ,parts of the ,district of ,keewatin40 ,part ,f41 ,annual ,report 7,vol4 ,,xiii71 ,geological ,survey of ,canada4 ,king's ,printer1 ,ottawa1 #aijb4 ,,tyrrell1 ,,james ,w41 ,d4,l4,s4--8,exploratory ,survey between ,great ,slave lake and ,hudson ,bay40 ,appendix ,no4 #bf to the ,report of the ,surveyor ,general4 ,sessional ,papers1 #aijb1 ,vol4 #aj4 ,king's ,printer1 ,ottawa1 #aijb4 ,,tyrrell1 ,,james ,w41 ,c4,e41 ,d4,l4,s4--8,across the ,sub-,arctics of ,canada40 ,william ,briggs4 ,toronto4 ,last 7revised7 edition1 #aijh4 ,,westminster ,,review4--,anonymous ,article in ,july volume1 #ahfg1 entitled 8,the ,last ,great ,monopoly40 ,london4 ,,white1 ,,james1 ,f4,r4,c4,s41 ,f4,r4,g4,s41 7,secretary of ,conservation ,commission74--8,place ,names of ,northern ,canada40 ,ottawa1 #aiaj4 ,,wilson1 ,,alfred ,w4 ,g4--8,report on a ,traverse through the ,southern ,part of the ,northwest ,territories from ,lac ,seul to ,cat ,lake in #aijb40 ,geol4 ,survey ,report ,no4 #ajjf4 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 ,ottawa1 #aiaj4 ,,young1 ,r4 ,e41 ,d4,l4,s4--8,evidence before the ,select ,standing ,committee of ,forests1 ,waterways and ,water ,powers of the ,house of ,commons40 ,parliamentary ,paper4 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 ,ottawa1 #aiji4 ,,young1 ,r4 ,e41 ,d4,l4,s4--8,evidence on #8,canada's ,fertile ,northland' before the ,select ,standing ,committee of the ,house of ,commons on ,agriculture and ,colonization40 ,parliamentary ,paper4 ,government ,printing ,bureau1 ,ottawa1 #aiji4 ,,young1 ,r4 ,e41 ,d4,l4,s--8,the ,new ,north ,west40 ,pamphlet1 #aiaj4 ,,index ,agnooski and ,winisk rivers1 description of country between1 #ee ,agricultural country1 rich1 north of lake ,winnipeg1 #dd-de ,agricultural ,experiments1 early1 and their success1 #cj ,agricultural land1 good1 around head of lake ,winnipeg1 #eh ,agricultural possibilities of the country south of ,reed and ,wuskwatim lakes1 #ec of the country from ,prince ,albert to ,fort ,pitt1 #ig-ih at ,ile la ,crosse1 #ih at ,lac la ,ronge1 #ajj-ajb around ,deer lake1 #ajf at ,methye lake1 #ajh-aji in ,green lake district1 #aab-aac at ,chipewyan1 #acc at ,baptiste lake1 #ace at ,calling river1 #acf at ,mc,murray1 #acf at ,chipewyan1 #acg around ,cowpar lake1 #acg-ach in country west of ,methye and ,buffalo lakes and south of ,clearwater river1 #acg-ach around ,heart lake1 #ach around ,winefred lake1 #ach in ,peace river country1 #add at ,fort ,vermilion1 #adg-adh at ,red ,river fort1 #adh at ,fort ,st4 ,john1 #aej at ,dunvegan1 #aej-aed at ,grand ,prairie1 #aee-aef at ,fort ,vermilion1 #aeg1 #afc-afd around ,edmonton1 #aff-afg of ,mackenzie river region1 #bjh1 #bai ,alluvium on banks of ,great ,slave lake1 #bhc ,alsop1 ,enoch1 testimony of1 #cc ,anderson river1 basin of1 #bgg fairly well wooded1 #bgg ,animals1 fur-bearing1 in ,keewatin area1 #hh about ,winisk and ,attawapiskat rivers1 #ia in the area south of ,cross lake1 #ib at ,churchill1 #ic of ,clearwater country1 #abg in the far northwest1 #abg-abh in the country between ,churchill river and lake ,athabaska1 #abh-abi ,arable ,land of ,mackenzie river region1 #bjh ,arctic grayling in ,peace region1 #bif ,armstrong1 ,mr4 ,john1 report of1 on the preliminary survey of #aijh and #aiji for the proposed railway to ,hudson ,bay1 #fj on the preliminary surveys for the ,hudson ,bay railway1 #hg ,artillery lake1 #cji ,aspen3--7#8,trembling-leaved ,poplar'71 #fe ,asphalt on ,great ,slave lake1 #bhc ,athabaska lake1 #aaf timber on the shores of1 #abc minerals near lake1 #abd evidence of ,archbishop ,clut before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh as to minerals in country northwest of1 #abe-abf ,athabaska river and tributaries1 #aca-acb basin1 ,sir ,john ,franklin's report of the agricultural possibilities of1 #acc valley1 climate conditions in various parts of1 #ada-adb water power on1 #agg iron found on1 #aha general description1 #bde summers very hot on1 #bde timber1 #bfa water power along river1 #bfb country has fine balsam poplar1 #bfh petroleum1 #bhb moose1 #bij woodland caribou1 #bia fish1 #bii ,attawapiskat river1 #ff-fg ,attawapiskat and ,winisk rivers1 basins of the1 #gj-ga ,attawapiskat and ,winisk rivers1 fish of1 #ia ,aylmer lake1 #caa ,back1 ,captain1 explorations of1 #ac1 #ad impression of the view from the heights above the ,clearwater at ,methye portage1 #aah report on timber of ,reindeer lake1 #bfg ,back's grayling in the tributaries of ,peace river in ,rocky mountains1 #bjd 8,balsam ,fir0 also called 8,single ,spruce0 and 8,silver ,pine01 #fe ,baptiste lake1 agricultural possibilities of1 #ace ,barley and oats grown at ,chipewyan settlement on ,buffalo river1 #ajh ,barren ,lands1 the1 area comprised in1 #bi topography1 soil1 climate1 flora1 #cjc tree growth and timber resources1 #cag ,battle river1 gold found in the bars above the mouth of1 #ahj ,bears1 white1 in the northern part of ,hudson bay and black in southern part1 #hi ,bear and ,moose along ,lockhart river1 #bia ,bear river1 birch on1 #bgg gypsum1 #bhb ,bear lake settlement1 #aga ,beaver plentiful along ,clearwater valley1 #acj ,beech1 ,mr4 ,william1 description of1 of the country around ,hudson bay and at ,churchill1 #fc of the timber resources of ,hudson bay region1 #gi-hj of the water power available in ,hudson bay region1 #hj of fish and animals at ,churchill1 #ic-id ,bell1 ,doctor ,robert1 ,f4,g4,s41 ,f4,r4,s4,c41 exploratory trips of1 #ag1 #ah report of his exploratory trip from lake ,winnipeg to ,hudson bay in #ahgh1 #cg1 #ch testimony before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhg1 #ch report of his explorations in the valleys of ,nelson and ,churchill rivers in #ahgi1 #fe-ff #ahhf report1 #ff before ,senate ,committee of #ahhg1 #hb description of the rocks of the eastern part of lake ,st4 ,joseph1 #hb #ahhf report as to fish1 animals and game in ,keewatin area1 #hh evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhg as to fish1 animals and game in ,keewatin area1 #hh-hi evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhg as to agriculture in ,athabaska district1 #acd-ace opinion of the tar sands in ,athabaska river in his paper before the ,american ,institute of ,engineers1 ,toronto1 in #aijg1 #ahg ,bell1 ,james ,macintosh1 ,f4,r4,g4,s41 exploratory trips of1 #ba description of country along ,martin river1 #bff description of ,great ,bear river1 #bga fine timber at ,keith bay1 #bge ,birch1 #abb canoe birch at ,fort ,rae1 #bff grown within ,arctic circle1 #bgd on ,bear river1 #bgg ,bituminous ,spring on ,cree river1 #abf ,bitumen from ,fort ,providence to ,chipewyan1 #bhe ,black bay on lake ,athabaska1 galena found at1 #aha ,bompas1 the ,right ,reverend1 opinion of1 of the soil in ,peace river country1 #ade-adf ,boulder river1 timber along1 #ff ,bredin1 ,w4 ,f41 ,esq41 evidence of1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #ajd evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg as to tar sands on ,buffalo lake1 #abf as to agriculture in ,athabaska district1 #acg as to agriculture in ,peace river country1 #afe-afg as to the natural gas along ,athabaska river1 #aic ,brick1 ,reverend ,j4 ,gough1 evidence of1 before the ,senate ,committee1 as to agriculture and climate in ,peace river country1 #afa-afb ,british ,north ,america ,act1 #a ,brock1 ,mr4 ,r4 ,w41 opinion of1 of petroleum and natural gas in northern ,alberta1 #aid of coal deposits1 #bhf ,browne1 ,alexander1 evidence of1 on the mineral resources of the country around ,hudson bay1 #ha ,buffalo lake tar sands1 #abf ,burntwood river1 timber along1 #gb ,button1 ,captain ,thomas1 #g ,button bay1 timber on1 #gf ,calling river1 agricultural possibilities on1 #acf ,canoe lake1 good gardens at1 #ajh ,caribou in country between ,churchill and ,owl river1 #ic south of ,athabaska1 #bia between ,fort ,rae and ,great ,bear lake1 #bia between ,athabaska lake and ,churchill river1 #bia west of the ,mackenzie1 #bib pass ,rampart ,house semi-annually1 #bic of the ,barren ,lands1 #bib1 #cdc value of1 #cdi an experiment by ,dr4 ,grenfell1 #cej ,cereals in ,mackenzie river region1 #bba ,champions of the north1 #e1 #f ,chesterfield inlet1 water routes via1 #cjg spring at1 #caj 8,chinooks0 at ,arctic circle1 #bbd ,chipewyan settlement1 #ajh advent of spring at1 #acc agricultural possibilities at1 #acc1 #acg timber in the vicinity of1 #age ,christie1 ,hon4 ,william1 evidence of1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh as to the agricultural possibilities of the country from ,prince ,albert to ,fort ,pitt1 #ig1 #ih as to the agricultural possibilities of ,peace river country1 #aeg as to wood buffalo in northern ,alberta1 #aie1 #aif ,churchill and ,owl rivers1 timber in the country between1 #gf1 #gg ,churchill1 fur-bearing animals near1 #ic fish1 #ic1 #id ,churchill river1 #ii country north of1 #aae1 #aaf tributaries1 #aaf waterpower1 #abj timber along the banks1 #abj1 #abb timber north of1 #abc ,churchill and ,clearwater rivers1 resources of the region south of1 #aje timber north of1 #abb1 #abc ,clay ,belt1 the1 #fa ,clay1 ,corporal ,s4 ,g41 report of1 of his patrol through ,grande prairie country in #aiaa1 #bjg ,clearwater lake and ,pas1 timber in the country between1 #ge1 #gf ,mr4 ,mc,laggan's description of the waters between1 #ib ,clearwater river1 country good along1 #ajd1 #aje river and valley as described by ,mr4 ,f4 ,j4 ,p4 ,crean1 #aji1 #aaj ,clearwater valley from ,methye portage1 description of the height of land overlooking1 #aag1 #aah described by ,bishop ,tache1 #aah water power1 #aba sulphur springs on1 #abe1 #abf animals1 #abg beaver plentiful along1 #acj iron found on1 #aha ,climate of the country lying south of ,reed and ,wuskwatim lakes1 #ed of district explored by ,mr4 ,crean in #aijh1 #aaa in various parts of ,athabaska valley1 #ada1 #adb in ,peace river country1 #adi at ,dunvegan1 #aea1 #aeb at ,fort ,vermilion1 #afe in ,peace river country1 described by ,mr4 ,warburton ,pike1 in his book1 #agc1 #agd of ,peace river country exceptionally healthy1 #agd ,clut1 ,archbishop1 evidence of1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh as to minerals in country northeast of lake ,athabaska1 #abe1 #abf as to gold in ,peace and ,liard rivers1 #aha as to timber1 #bfe1 #bfi on feathered game1 #bid ,coal found south of ,saskatchewan and ,churchill rivers1 #abd on ,saskatchewan river1 #abd along either side of ,cree river1 #abf at ,lac la ,ronge1 #abf at ,mc,kay1 #ahb along ,mackenzie river1 #bha two hundred square miles1 #bhf ,cobalt found on west shore of ,reindeer lake1 #abe ,cold ,springs settlement1 #aga ,conroy1 ,mr4 ,h4 ,a41 evidence of1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg as to agricultural possibilities in ,athabaska district1 #acf1 #acg as to the climate conditions in ,athabaska-,peace river country1 #adb as to the agricultural resources of ,peace river country1 #afh1 #afi as to timber in ,athabaska country1 #agf his report to the ,superintendent of ,forestry1 ,january #ag1 #aiaj1 as to timber in ,athabaska country1 #agf ,cook1 ,richard ,s41 ,esq41 evidence of1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #ajb1 #ajd as to mineral in region north of the ,saskatchewan1 #abf as to the fish in country north of the ,saskatchewan1 #abi ,copper around ,file lake1 #he found at ,wekusko lake1 #hf at the junction of ,nahanni and ,liard rivers1 #bhb in ,barren ,lands1 #cbe deposits rival those around lake ,superior1 #cbh ,cowpar lake1 agricultural possibilities around1 #acg1 #ach ,crean1 ,frank1 ,j4 ,p41 ,c4,e41 explorations of1 #be1 #bg natural resources of district south of ,churchill and ,clearwater rivers1 #aje1 #aae description of ,clearwater river and valley1 #aji1 #aaj report on water powers1 #abj1 #aba reports on timber areas1 #abj1 #abb as to minerals in country north of the ,saskatchewan1 #abf as to fish and game in country north of the ,saskatchewan1 #abi1 #acj as to agriculture in the country west of ,methye and ,buffalo lakes and south of ,clearwater river1 #acg1 #ach as to the tar sands on ,athabaska river1 #ahg1 #ahh fish and game in district explored by him in #aiji1 #bjd1 #bje ,cree lake1 #aaf ,cree river1 timber on the shores of1 #abc bituminous springs on1 #abf coal along either side of1 #abf minerals reported by ,chief ,factor ,a4 ,mc,donald on1 #abf ,cross lake and ,pas1 timber of the district between1 #gh1 #gi ,dawson-,hind expeditions1 #b ,dawson1 ,doctor ,g4 ,m41 exploration of1 #ag report of #ahgi-hj as to agriculture in ,peace river country1 #aeg-afa evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh as to timber in ,peace river country1 #agg-agi description of petroleum along the ,athabaska in his ,summary ,report for #ahid1 #ahi reports spruce as far north as ,bear lake river1 #bga on ,back's grayling1 #bie ,dease1 ,peter ,warren and ,thomas ,simpson1 ,exploration of1 #ad ,dease river1 #bgh ,deer lake1 timber around1 #fh agricultural possibilities good1 #ajf ,deer at ,fort ,resolution1 #bic-bid ,dickson1 ,j4 ,r41 ,b4,s4,a41 ,m4,s4,f41 inspection by1 in #aiaj1 of the timber along the line of the proposed ,hudson ,bay railway from ,pas to ,split lake1 #fj-fa report as to climate and soil conditions of the area between ,pas and ,split lake1 #fb-fc report on the timber of the district between ,pas and ,cross lake1 explored by him in #aiaj1 #gh-gi report of the mineral deposits of the area explored by him south of ,cross lake1 #hf report of the area south of ,cross lake as to fish1 animals1 and game1 #ib ,distances estimated on the patrol of ,inspector ,e4 ,a4 ,pelletier of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 #bd ,dowling1 ,mr4 ,d4 ,b41 explorations of1 in #ahii1 #ba report of his explorations in #ahic1 #df-dg report of his explorations in #ahii1 #fi report of #aija on ,ekwan district1 #fi-gj report of his #ahic explorations1 #gj explorations of ,severn district in #aija1 #hc-hd report in #aija of the game1 animals and fish in ,ekwan district1 #ij-ia report on the timber in the country around ,green and ,ile la ,crosse lakes and ,lac la ,ronge1 #aai-abj ,dubawnt lake1 #cjg ,dunvegan1 agricultural possibilities at1 #aej-aed ,economic minerals1 report of ,mr4 ,wm4 ,ogilvie on1 #bhd ,edmonton1 agricultural possibilities around1 #aff-afg ,ekwan district1 timber in1 #fi game1 animals and fish1 #ij-ia ,ells1 ,r4 ,w41 ,,ll4,d41 ,f4,r4,s4,c41 opinion of1 on the tar sands of ,athabaska river as stated in the ,geological ,survey report1 #ahf-ahg ,explorations1 ,dawson-,hind1 #b ,explorations of ,doctor ,john ,richardson and ,doctor ,rae1 #ae ,explorations of ,doctor ,selwyn1 ,director of the ,geological ,survey1 and ,professor ,john ,macoun1 #ag ,explorations of ,doctor ,g4 ,m4 ,dawson1 #ag ,explorations of ,captain ,back1 #ac1 #ad ,explorations of ,thomas ,simpson and ,peter ,warren ,dease1 #ad ,explorations of ,arctic ,regions by ,sir ,john ,franklin1 #ad ,explorations conducted by the ,canadian ,government1 #af ,explorations of ,mr4 ,a4 ,p4 ,low of the ,geological ,survey1 #ah ,explorations of ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell1 ,b4,a41 #ah1 #ai ,explorations of ,doctor ,bell1 ,f4,g4,s41 ,f4,r4,s4,c41 #ag1 #ah ,explorations of ,mr4 ,william ,ogilvie1 ,d4,l4,s41 in #ahhd and #ahhh1 #ah ,explorations of ,great ,slave lake district by ,mr4 ,warburton ,pike1 #ai ,explorations of ,mr4 ,j4 ,burr ,tyrrell1 #ai1 #bj ,explorations of ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling of the ,geological ,survey in #ahii1 #ba ,explorations of ,mr4 ,david ,t4 ,hanbury1 #ba1 #bb ,explorations of the country between ,great ,slave lake and ,chesterfield inlet on ,hudson bay1 by ,j4 ,w4 ,tyrrell1 ,c4,e41 #ba ,explorations of ,james ,macintosh ,bell1 ,f4,r4,g4,s4 #ba ,explorations of ,mr4 ,edward ,a4 ,preble of the ,united ,states ,biological ,survey1 #bb ,explorations of ,mr4 ,william ,mc,innes1 #bc ,explorations of ,w4 ,thibaudeau1 ,c4,e41 in ,churchill district1 #bc ,explorations of ,frank ,j4 ,p4 ,crean1 ,c4,e41 of the ,railway ,lands ,branch of the ,department of the ,interior1 #be1 #bf1 #bg ,explorations of ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,mc,laggan of ,strathcona1 ,alberta1 in #aijg1 #eh1 #ei ,explorations of ,w4 ,thibaudeau1 ,c4,e41 in #aijf1 of the country between ,churchill and ,owl rivers1 #gf1 #gg ,explorations of ,mr4 ,wm4 ,mc,innes in #aijf of the basins of ,reed and ,wekusko lakes and ,grass river1 #hd1 #he ,explorations for minerals of the district north of ,lac ,seul by ,mr4 ,a4 ,w4 ,g4 ,wilson1 #he1 #hf ,european districts compared with northwestern ,canada1 #bda ,evidence before the ,parliamentary ,committee of #agdi1 #cj1 #ca ,evidence of ,doctor ,bell before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhg1 #fg ,evidence of ,mr4 ,low before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #fh ,evidence of ,mr4 ,mc,innes before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #gc ,evidence of ,mr4 ,owen ,o',sullivan before the ,senate ,committee of #aijf1 #gd ,evidence contained in the report of the ,british parliamentary investigation of #agdi1 #ha ,evidence of ,mr4 ,wm4 ,mc,innes before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #he ,evidence of ,doctor ,bell before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhg1 as to fish1 animals and game in ,keewatin area1 #hh1 #hi ,evidence of ,mr4 ,a4 ,p4 ,low before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg as to fish in inland waters of ,keewatin1 #hi1 #ij ,evidence of ,mr4 ,mc,innes before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to fish in region lying west of ,hudson bay1 #ia1 #ib ,evidence of ,richard ,king1 ,m4,d41 before the ,british ,parliamentary ,committee of #aheg1 as to the agricultural possibilities of northern ,saskatchewan1 #if1 #ig ,evidence of ,hon4 ,william ,christie before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh as to the country from ,prince ,albert to ,fort ,pitt1 #ig1 #ih ,evidence of the ,venerable ,archdeacon ,j4 ,mc,kay1 ,church of ,england ,missionary of the ,canadian ,west1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #ii1 #ajj ,evidence of ,w4 ,f4 ,bredin1 ,esq41 member of the ,legislative ,assembly of ,alberta for the ,division of ,athabaska1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #ajd ,evidence of the ,venerable ,archdeacon ,mc,kay1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to the timber in the country around ,lac la ,ronge1 #aai ,evidence of ,mr4 ,tyrrell1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to the forests of the country north of the ,churchill1 #abc ,evidence of ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to minerals along ,saskatchewan river1 #abd ,evidence of ,archbishop ,clut1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 as to minerals in country northeast of lake ,athabaska1 #abe1 #abf ,evidence of ,mayor ,cook1 of ,prince ,albert1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to minerals in the region north of the ,saskatchewan1 #abf ,evidence of ,mr4 ,alfred von ,hamerstein1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to medicinal springs on ,clearwater river1 #abf ,evidence of ,w4 ,f4 ,bredin1 ,m4,l4,a41 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to tar sands of ,buffalo lake1 #abf ,evidence of ,mr4 ,h4 ,j4 ,moberly1 chief trader of ,hudson's ,bay ,company at ,rapid river1 ,cumberland district1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhg1 #abg1 #abh ,evidence of ,mayor ,cook1 of ,prince ,albert1 before the ,senate ,committee of #agij1 as to the fish in country north of the ,saskatchewan1 #abi ,evidence of ,sir ,john ,richardson1 before the ,british ,parliamentary ,select ,committee of #aheg1 as to the capabilities of the country traversed by him1 for the purpose of settlement and colonisation1 #acc ,evidence of ,doctor ,robert ,bell1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhg1 as to agriculture in ,athabaska district1 #acd1 #ace ,evidence of ,mr4 ,alfred von ,hamerstein1 before the ,select ,committee of the ,senate of ,canada in #aijg1 as to the agricultural resources of ,athabaska district1 #ace1 #acf ,evidence of ,mr4 ,elihu ,stewart1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to agriculture in ,athabaska district1 #acf ,evidence of ,mr4 ,h4 ,a4 ,conroy of the ,indian ,department1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to agriculture in ,athabaska district1 #acf1 #acg ,evidence of ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to the country immediately north of lake ,athabaska1 #acg ,evidence of ,w4 ,f4 ,bredin1 ,m4,l4,a41 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to agriculture in ,athabaska district1 #acg ,evidence of ,mr4 ,h4 ,a4 ,conroy1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to the climatic conditions in ,athabaska-,peace river country1 #adb ,evidence of ,professor ,macoun1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 as to the character of ,peace river country1 #adg-adi ,evidence of ,mr4 ,mc,connell1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg as to agriculture in ,peace river country1 #aee-aef ,evidence of ,hon4 ,william ,christie1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 as to the agricultural possibilities of ,peace river country1 #aeg ,evidence of ,reverend ,j4 ,cough ,brick1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 as to agriculture and climate in ,peace river country1 #afa1 #afb ,evidence of ,mr4 ,frank ,oliver1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 as to agriculture in ,peace river country1 #afb ,evidence of ,fred ,lawrence1 ,f4,r4,g4,s41 ,justice of the ,peace1 of ,fort ,vermilion1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to agriculture and climate in ,peace river country1 #afb1 #afe ,evidence of ,mr4 ,w4 ,f4 ,bredin1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to agriculture in ,peace river country1 #afe-afg ,evidence of ,mr4 ,elihu ,stewart of ,ottawa1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to agriculture in ,peace river country1 #afg1 #afh ,evidence of ,mr4 ,henry ,a4 ,conroy1 before the ,senate ,committee1 as to the agricultural resources of ,peace river country1 #afh1 #afi ,evidence of ,mr4 ,charles ,mair as to the agricultural resources of ,peace river country1 #agj ,evidence of ,mr4 ,charles ,mair in his book 8,through the ,mackenzie ,basin01 as to the climate of ,peace river country1 #agd ,evidence of ,professor ,macoun1 ,botanist to the ,geological ,survey1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 as to timber in ,athabaska country1 #age ,evidence of ,mr4 ,alfred von ,hamerstein1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to timber in ,athabaska country1 #age ,evidence of ,mr4 ,h4 ,a4 ,conroy of the ,indian ,department1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to timber in ,athabaska country1 #agf ,evidence of ,doctor ,g4 ,m4 ,dawson1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 as to timber in ,peace river country1 #agg-agi ,evidence of ,mr4 ,fred ,s4 ,lawrence1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to timber in ,peace river country1 #agi ,evidence of ,mr4 ,alfred von ,hamerstein1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to gold in northern ,alberta1 #ahj1 #aha ,evidence of ,bishop ,clut1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 as to gold in ,peace and ,liard rivers1 #aha ,evidence of ,mr4 ,alfred von ,hamerstein1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to iron and coal in northern ,alberta1 #ahb ,evidence of ,mr4 von ,hamerstein1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to minerals in northern ,alberta1 #ahc-ahf ,evidence of ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to the tar sands on ,athabaska river1 #ahf ,evidence of ,mr4 von ,hamerstein1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to petroleum in country from ,athabaska river to ,peace river1 #aib ,evidence of ,w4 ,f4 ,bredin1 ,m4,l4,a41 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to the natural gas along ,athabaska river1 #aic ,evidence of ,mr4 von ,hamerstein1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to natural gas in northern ,alberta1 #aic ,evidence of ,hon4 ,wm4 ,christie1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 as to wood buffalo in northern ,alberta1 #aie1 #aif ,evidence of ,mr4 ,h4 ,a4 ,conroy of the ,indian ,department1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to wood buffalo in northern ,alberta1 #bjb1 #bjc ,evidence of ,mr4 ,h4 ,b4 ,moberly1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhg1 as to game and fish in the north1 #bjc1 #bjd ,evidence of ,professor ,john ,macoun1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 as to fish in the north1 #bjd ,evidence of ,mr4 ,mc,connell before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #bfh ,evidence of ,bishop ,clut before ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 #bfi ,evidence of ,mr4 von ,hamerstein1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #bhf ,evidence of ,ex-,judge ,mac,leod1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 #bia ,evidence of ,mr4 ,w4 ,f4 ,bredin1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #bii ,extracts from ,mr4 ,robson's book 8,an ,account of ,six ,years' ,residence in ,hudson's ,bay01 published in #ageb1 #cd1 #ce1 #cf ,extract from ,mr4 ,ed4 ,umfreville's volume 8,eleven ,years in the ,service of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company and ,four ,years in the ,canada ,fur ,trade01 published in #agij1 #cf ,extract from the writings of the ,reverend ,john ,semmens1 #cf1 #cg ,extract from ,mr4 ,j4 ,a4 ,j4 ,mc,kenna's report on the ,hudson bay route1 #cg ,extract from ,doctor ,robert ,bell's report of his exploratory trip in #ahhf of the country in lake ,st4 ,joseph section1 #ch ,extract from the ,annual ,report1 ,department of the ,interior1 #ahhe2 what ,mr4 ,fawcett says of his descent of the ,wenassago to ,lac ,seul1 #ch1 #ci ,extract from ,mr4 ,john ,armstrong's report of the preliminary survey in #aijh-i for the proposed railway to ,hudson bay1 #fj ,extracts from the report of the engineer in charge of the boring operations at ,pelican river1 ,mr4 ,a4 ,w4 ,fraser1 #aij-aib ,fathers of ,confederation1 the1 #a ,favourable lake1 #ci vegetation around1 #fg sturgeon1 #ij 8,fertile ,belt01 the1 #a ,fir trees 7splendid7 near ,great ,slave lake1 and in the country east to ,slave river1 #bfe ,fish in ,sturgeon lake1 #hh in ,keewatin area1 #hh in lake ,st4 ,joseph1 #hh in ,hudson bay1 #hi in ,james bay1 #hi and game in region explored by ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell in #ahif1 #ij in ,winisk and ,attawapiskat rivers1 #ia in region lying west of ,hudson bay1 #ia-ib in the area south of ,cross lake1 #ib in the waters between ,pas and ,clearwater lake1 #ib between ,churchill and ,pas1 #ib-ic staple food of inhabitants of country north of the ,saskatchewan1 #abg in the lakes and streams in the country between ,churchill river and lake ,athabaska1 #abi in ,torch river1 #abi in ,saskatchewan river1 #abi in ,reindeer lake1 #abi in ,methye lake1 #abi in the north in general1 #bjc-bjd in ,big ,buffalo river1 #bje and game of ,mackenzie region1 #bhh of the ,mackenzie country1 #bie in ,athabaska river and ,great ,slave lake1 #big of ,mackenzie river1 reported on by ,mr4 ,wm4 ,ogilvie1 #cjj in the 8,barren ,lands01 #ceg the arctic salmon1 #ceh in the ,dubawnt and the ,kazan1 #cei in the ,thelon1 #cfj ,flour manufactured at ,fort ,vermilion1 #afi-agj ,footprint lake1 #ea1 #eb ,fort ,enterprise1 description of country surrounding1 #bfg ,fort ,franklin1 #ac trees a hundred and thirty years old1 #bge country is well wooded1 #bgf ,fort ,good ,hope1 #bag fine tamarack1 #bfh fine jackpine according to ,mr4 ,mc,connell's report of #ahhh1 #bga tar springs reported by ,mr4 ,mc,connell1 #bhb ,fort ,liard1 #bba1 #bbf1 #bcc1 #bda ,fort ,norman1 #bae1 #bch fine tamarack1 #bfh fine spruce1 #bgj soil1 #bhc ,fort ,providence1 bitumen near1 #bhe ,fort ,nelson is all prairie land1 #bfi ,fort ,rae and surrounding country1 canoe birch at1 #bff ,fort ,resolution1 #bdj deer1 #bic1 #bid ,fort ,st4 ,john1 agriculture at1 #aej ,fort ,simpson1 #bbj in #aijd1 the sap was running freely from ,april #bj to ,may #a1 #bff to ,great ,slave lake is all forest according to ,mr4 ,ogilvie's report1 #bfg fine tamarack1 #bfh moose1 #bij ,fort ,smith1 salmon up ,mackenzie to1 #bii ,fort ,vermilion1 agriculture at1 #adg-adh1 #aeg1 #afc-afd climate at1 #afe flour manufactured1 #afi-agj ,fort ,wrigley1 #bci ,foxe1 ,captain ,luke1 #g ,franklin1 ,sir ,john1 #ab exploration of ,arctic regions1 #ad impression of the view from the heights above the ,clearwater at ,methye portage1 #aah report of the agricultural possibilities of ,athabaska basin1 #acc in his journal of ,august #ai1 #ahbj1 on ,fort ,enterprise1 #bfg reports on ,yellowknife river1 description of soil and timber1 #bfg ,franklin river1 granite along1 #bhc ,galena found at ,black bay on lake ,athabaska1 #aha ,game in ,keewatin area1 #hh plentiful near forks of the ,muhigan1 #ij between ,churchill and ,pas1 #ib1 #ic plentiful in ,meadow lake district1 #acj in the far north1 #bjc1 #bjd at ,fort ,confidence1 #bic feathered1 on ,mackenzie1 ,athabaska1 ,peace1 ,salt and ,great ,slave lake rivers1 #bid and fur-bearing animals in far northwestern ,canada as given by ,mr4 ,moberly1 #bjc1 #bjd ,geikie river1 #aaf timber on the shores of1 #abb1 #abc ,gillam1 ,captain1 #g ,gold found in a bar on ,loon river1 #ahj in the bars above the mouth of ,battle river1 #ahj in the bars in ,peace river1 #ahj in ,repulse bay1 #cdj ,grande ,prairie1 agricultural possibilities at1 #aee1 #aef 8,grand ,view0 on ,mackenzie river1 #bag ,gravel river1 timber along1 #bgj plenty of moose1 #bij fish1 #bie1 #bif ,great ,bear lake1 black spruce around1 #bga timber1 #bgf1 #cbc soil of the surrounding country1 #bfe fish1 #cjj ,great ,bear river1 description of1 by ,mr4 ,j4 ,m4 ,bell1 #bga ,great ,slave lake to ,fort ,simpson is all forest according to ,mr4 ,ogilvie's report1 #bfg tar springs1 #bha soil1 #bhc asphalt1 #bhc moose1 #bhh woodland caribou1 #bia fisheries1 #bif timber1 #cbj ,great ,slave river well timbered like that of lower ,athabaska and ,peace rivers1 #bfb ,green lake district1 agricultural possibilities of1 #aab1 #aac timber1 #aai fish1 #abi ,griffin1 ,mr4 ,robert1 testimony of1 #cc1 #cd ,grouard1 #agj ,gypsum in vicinity of ,nomansland1 #hd near ,peace river and ,slave river1 #ahc at the mouth of ,bear river1 #bhb ,hanbury1 ,mr4 ,david ,t41 explorations of1 #ba1 #bb on the ,barren ,lands1 #cjc on copper deposits of the north1 #ccj ,harmon1 ,mr4 ,daniel ,williams1 impression of1 of the view from the heights above the ,clearwater at ,methye portage1 #aag1 #aah on the agricultural possibilities in ,peace river country1 #add ,harrison1 ,mr4 ,alfred ,h41 trip of exploration of1 down ,slave and ,mackenzie rivers1 #bb on ,mackenzie basin1 #bdj ,hayter1 ,mr4 ,john1 testimony of1 on ,hudson bay region1 #cc ,hayes1 ,mr4 ,w41 opinion of1 of timber in ,athabaska country1 #agf ,hearne1 ,mr4 ,samuel1 historical trip of1 #i1 #aj1 #aa fine timber on ,coppermine and in other northern parts1 #bfd ,heart lake1 agricultural possibilities around1 #ach ,hind1 ,professor1 report of1 #b1 #c ,horetzky1 ,charles1 ,c4,e41 reconnaissance survey of1 through ,peace river country1 #ag report as to agricultural possibilities in ,peace river country1 #add1 #ade ,howard1 ,inspector ,d4 ,m41 #aiji report of1 as to agricultural possibilities in northern part of the district1 ,chipewyan and ,smith ,landing1 #ach1 #aci as to agricultural possibilities in ,peace river country1 #agj-agc ,hudson1 ,henry1 #f1 #g ,hudson bay1 timber on the shores of1 #fg fish1 #hi seal1 #hi ,hudson bay and ,norway ,house1 timber between1 #fh ,hudson bay region1 timber resources of1 #gi-hj water powers available in1 #hj ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 #g1 #h ,ile la ,crosse1 agricultural possibilities at1 #ih garden at1 #ajh timber in the country around1 #aai 8,inconnu01 the1 #cja ,industries and transportation in ,peace river district1 #aga1 #agb ,investigations by the ,canadian ,parliament1 #af ,iron ore on ,taylor and ,gillis islands1 #hd at ,sipiwesk lake1 #hf south of ,saskatchewan and ,churchill rivers #abd found by ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell in ,churchill river district and also north of lake ,athabaska1 #aha found on ,peace1 ,clearwater and ,athabaska rivers1 #aha found along ,clearwater river1 #ahb on ,mackenzie river1 #bhc ,iron1 gold1 silver1 north of lake ,athabaska1 #cci ,jackpine1 #abb ,james1 ,captain ,thomas1 #g ,james bay1 west coast of1 #eg timber on the shores of1 #fg fish1 #hi ,jarvis1 ,inspector ,a4 ,m41 ,c4,m4,g41 report of1 as to wood buffalo in ,athabaska country1 #aig1 #bjb ,jennings1 ,inspector1 reports of1 #cjb ,keele1 ,mr4 ,joseph1 reconnaissance across ,mackenzie mountains on ,pelly1 ,ross and ,gravel rivers1 #bc reports on timber of ,gravel river1 #bgj on his explorations1 #bhf on moose in ,gravel river valley1 #bij fish in ,gravel river1 #bie ,keewatin region1 the1 #bh1 #bi first part of the still unexploited northwest with which white men came into touch1 #cj diameter and ages of trees growing in different localities throughout1 #ga timber in the southern part of1 #fh1 #fi timber in the western part of1 #gc mineral resources1 #hb geological formations1 #hc game1 fur-bearing animals and fish1 #hh ,keith bay1 timber around1 #bge ,kelsey1 ,henry1 #h ,king1 ,doctor ,richard1 evidence of1 before the ,british ,parliamentary ,committee of #aheg as to the agricultural possibilities of northern ,saskatchewan1 #if1 #ig ,lac la ,ronge and ,prince ,albert1 country between1 #ajj ,lac la ,ronge district1 agricultural possibilities of1 #ajj mineral possibilities1 #abf coal1 #abf general1 #aje1 #ajf ,lac ,seul1 timber in the country about1 #gj ,lansdowne1 lake1 timber around1 #ff ,lawrence1 ,mr4 ,fred1 ,f4,r4,g4,s41 evidence of1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 as to agricultural possibilities and climate in ,peace river country1 #afb1 #afe evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg as to timber in ,peace river country1 #agi ,liard valley from the ,mackenzie has fine large spruce1 #bfi ,lignite found inland in country south and west of ,james bay1 #hb in its crude form1 #bhc ,little ,prairie settlement1 #aga ,lockhart river well timbered1 #bgg bear and moose1 #bia ,low1 ,mr4 ,a4 ,p41 exploration of1 #ah personal account of his trip in #ahhf1 #ci evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #ci1 #dj1 #da his report of #ahhf1 #ci evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #fh report of his examination of country between lake ,winnipeg and ,hudson bay1 #hb examination before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #hb evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg as to fish in inland waters of ,keewatin1 #hi1 #ij ,lumber for building1 fine1 along ,mackenzie1 #bgd ,mac,farlane1 ,mr4 ,r41 ,hudson's ,bay ,officer1 report on ,anderson river by1 #bgg timber1 #bgh on woodland caribou between lakes ,winnipeg and ,athabaska1 #bia ,mair1 ,mr4 ,charles1 evidence of1 on agricultural resources of ,peace river district1 #agj climate of same1 #agd timber in same1 #agi ,mackenzie1 ,mr4 ,alexander1 trips of exploration of1 #aa overlooking the ,clearwater from ,methye portage1 #aag country north of the ,mackenzie after leaving ,slave lake1 #bfg ,mackenzie river region1 area comprised in1 #bi agricultural possibilities1 arable land and topography1 #bjh extent of watershed of1 #bji table of distances1 #baj navigation1 #baj open season on ,mackenzie river1 #bac tributaries of ,mackenzie1 #bad ramparts of caon of ,mackenzie1 #baf the 8,grand ,view01 #bag cattle1 #bai reindeer1 #bba cereals1 #bba root crops1 #bba ,professor ,macoun's testimony1 #bbg stock-raising1 #bbh ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell1 #bbi ,william ,ogilvie1 #bcd timber1 #bfa1 #bfb muskeg and rocky areas1 #bfa fine balsam poplar1 #bfh waterpower1 #bga timber1 #bgd coal1 #bha salt springs1 #bha salt1 #bhb iron1 #bhc fish and game1 #bhh caribou1 #bib feathered game1 #bid fish1 #bie ,macleod1 ,sergt4 ,r4 ,w41 report of1 on country between ,fort ,vermilion and ,hay river1 #aci-adj on buffalo in the country between ,fort ,vermilion and the mouth of ,hay river in ,great ,slave lake1 #bjc reports of his patrols in #aiji and #aiaj from ,fort ,vermilion to ,hay river1 #bje-bjf ,macleod1 ,mr4 ,malcolm1 before ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 #bgd1 #bge ,macoun1 ,professor ,john1 report of1 on the ,northwest ,territories1 #af and ,doctor ,selwyn1 expedition of1 #ag reference of1 to northern portion of ,saskatchewan as an agricultural country in his book 8,manitoba and the ,great ,northwest01 #ih opinion of the agricultural possibilities of ,peace river country as stated in his book 8,manitoba and the ,great ,northwest01 #adf-adg evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh as to the character of the ,peace river country1 #adg-adi evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh as to the timber in ,athabaska country1 #age evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhh as to fish in the north1 #bjd on ,mackenzie basin1 #bbh ,manasan falls1 #ea ,marble found on ,marble island in ,hudson bay and also at ,churchill1 #hg ,mc,connell1 ,r4 ,g41 ,b4,a41 explorations of1 #ah1 #ai report on agricultural possibilities of ,peace river country1 #aed-aee evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg on agricultural possibilities in ,peace river country1 #aee-aef report on gold in northern ,alberta1 #ahj on iron in ,peace region1 #aha on minerals in northern ,alberta1 #ahb1 #ahc1 #ahe on petroleum in the tar sands1 #ahh-ahi opinion of the natural gas along the ,athabaska river1 #aic-aid report on ,mackenzie basin1 #bbi on the ,mackenzie1 #bfe from ,fort ,providence along ,beaver river to lake ,bis-tcho1 #bfg-bfh timber about ,fort ,simpson1 #bfh timber along ,liard river1 #bfi1 #bgj jackpine grows as far north as ,fort ,good ,hope1 #bga timber below ,fort ,good ,hope1 #bga1 #bgb tar springs about ,great ,slave lake1 #bha indications of oil throughout ,mackenzie valley1 #bhb fish in ,great ,slave lake district1 #big ,mc,donald1 ,chief ,factor ,a41 report of1 on minerals of ,cree river1 #abf ,mc,dougall1 ,the ,reverend ,doctor ,john1 opinion of1 of the region to the south of ,split lake1 #cg ,mc,innes1 ,mr4 ,william1 explorations of1 #bc description of the country about ,winisk and ,attawapiskat rivers1 #dg-ed report in #aijc1 #aijd and #aije of his survey of the region drained by the ,winisk and the ,attawapiskat1 #gj-ga report on region explored by him in #aijf1 #ga-gc evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #gc explorations in #aijf of the basins of ,reed and ,wekusko lakes and ,grass river1 #hd-he further evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #he report of his explorations about ,winiskand ,attawapiskat rivers1 as to game1 fish and animals1 #ia evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg as to the fish in region lying west of ,hudson bay1 #ia-ib ,mc,kay1 ,the ,venerable ,archdeacon ,j41 evidence of1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 on ,lac la ,ronge district1 #ii-ajj evidence given on the timber in the country around ,lac la ,ronge1 #aai ,mc,kay1 coal found at1 #ahb ,mc,laggan1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w41 exploratory trip of1 #aijg1 #eh-ei account of his trip in #aijg1 #ge-gf explorations for minerals1 #hf-hg description of the waters between ,pas and ,clearwater lake1 #ib ,mc,murray1 agriculture at1 #acf ,meadow lake district1 #aac-aad game plentiful1 #acj ,medicinal springs on ,clearwater river1 #abf ,mellor1 ,corporal1 report of1 on the country south west of ,smith landing1 #adj the buffalo country in northern ,alberta1 #bjb fish in ,big ,buffalo river1 #bje ,methye lake1 district1 agricultural possibilities1 #ajh-aji famous scenery1 #aag timber1 #abj fish1 #abi ,mineral resources of the country around ,hudson bay1 #ha observations of ,rev4 ,john ,semmens in ,burntwood district1 #ha-hb extensive rich deposits in southern part of ,keewatin1 #hb ,missions1 ,church of ,england1 #ajj1 #ajf ,moberly1 ,mr4 ,h4 ,j41 evidence of1 before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhg regarding animal life in the far northwest1 #abg-abh statement in writing to ,senate ,committee of #ahhg as to wood buffalo in northern ,alberta1 #aif evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhg as to game1 fur-bearing animals and fish in the north1 #bjc-bjd ,monkman1 ,mr4 ,joseph1 testimony of1 #af ,moose north of prairies and east of ,rocky mountains1 #abh on ,snake lake at the mouth of ,sandy river1 #acj a moose country1 #bje-bjf ,great ,slave lake1 #bhh ,mackenzie region1 #bhi ,athabaska and ,slave rivers1 #bij around ,fort ,simpson1 #bij ,barren ,lands1 #cee ,mounted ,police1 ,royal ,northwest1 reports on ,mackenzie basin1 #bea ,mudjatik river1 timber along1 #abb-abc ,musk-,ox1 the1 #cea ,natural gas on the ,athabaska at mouth of ,little ,buffalo river1 #aic1 #aid ,navigation on ,mackenzie river1 #bji open season on ,mackenzie1 #bac ,nelson ,house1 potatoes grown as far north as1 #ef ,nelson river country1 #ef ,nickel found on west shore of ,reindeer lake1 #abe may possibly be found on ,upper ,winisk river1 #he ,northern ,alberta region1 area comprised in1 #bi ,northern ,saskatchewan region1 area comprised in1 #bi ,northland's first champions1 the1 #f ,norway ,house and ,cross lake1 wheat grown successfully at1 #ef ,norway ,house and ,hudson bay1 timber between1 #fh ,ogilvie1 ,william1 ,d4,l4,s41 exploratory trips of1 in #ahhd and in #ahhh1 #ah report on agricultural possibilities in the ,athabaska basin1 #acd on soil and climate in ,peace river country1 #adi-aed on waterpower on ,athabaska river1 #agg on waterpower on ,slave river1 #agg on wood buffalo in northern ,alberta1 #aif1 #aig on fish in lake ,athabaska1 #bjd on ,mackenzie basin1 #bcd much forest between ,great ,slave lake and ,fort ,simpson1 #bfg dense forest around ,fort ,nelson1 #bfi on timber on lower ,mackenzie1 #bgb on deposits of economic minerals in ,mackenzie valley1 #bhd on fish of the ,mackenzie1 #cjj ,oil springs of ,athabaska region1 #ai ,oil throughout ,mackenzie valley1 #bhb ,oliver1 ,hon4 ,frank1 trip of1 made in #aiaj1 #bg his opinion of the agricultural possibilities of the country between ,edmonton and the ,mackenzie1 #ada evidence before the ,senate ,committee as to agricultural possibilities in ,peace river country1 #afb opinion of timber in ,athabaska country1 #agg ,o',sullivan1 ,owen1 ,c4,e41 on the west coast of ,james bay1 #eg testimony before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #eg1 #eh #aijf report1 #gc1 #gd further evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #gd ,owl and ,churchill rivers1 timber in the country between1 #gf1 #gg ,pallister1 ,captain ,john1 report of1 #b1 #c ,parliamentary inquiry1 an early1 #h1 #i ,parliamentary inquiries of recent date1 #af1 #bg ,pas and ,cross lake1 timber of the district between1 #gh1 #gi ,pas and ,clearwater lake1 ,mr4 ,mc,laggan's description of the waters between1 #ib ,patrol of the country between ,great ,slave lake and ,hudson bay by ,inspector ,e4 ,a4 ,pelletier of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 #bc1 #bd ,peace river district1 #aca river and tributaries1 #adc-add climatic conditions1 #adi settlements1 #agj1 #aga transportation and industries1 #aga1 #agb climate exceptionally healthy1 #agd timber1 #agg-agi gold found in the bars in river1 #ahj iron1 #aha timber1 etc41 #bfa1 #bfb fine balsam poplar1 #bfh woodland caribou1 #bia feathered game1 #bid arctic grayling1 #bif ,peat deposits in the area north of lake ,winnipeg1 #hd ,pelletier1 ,inspector ,e4 ,a41 patrol of1 of the country between ,great ,slave lake and ,hudson bay1 #bc1 #bd ,petitot1 ,rev4 ,father1 ,o4,m4,i41 of ,fort ,good ,hope1 evidence of1 before ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 #bhc ,petroleum1 indications of1 in the tar sands found along ,athabaska river1 #ahh borings for1 in ,athabaska region1 #ahi-aid all over ,athabaska district1 #bhb ,pike1 ,mr4 ,warburton1 explorations of1 of ,great ,slave lake district1 #ai description of the climate in ,peace river country1 in his book1 #agc1 #agd ,pine 7,banksian71 #fg ,mr4 ,preble's report1 #bfh ,point ,separation and country surrounding is well wooded1 #bgc1 #bgd ,polar bear1 the1 #cef ,poplar1 ,balsam1 ,rough-barked poplar1 ,cotton ,tree1 ,balm of ,gilead1 etc41 #fe aspen or white poplar1 #abb balsam or black1 #abb around ,athabaska1 ,slave and ,peace rivers1 #bfh ,potatoes grown as far north as ,nelson ,house1 #ef fifty miles north of ,pas1 #ef at ,split lake1 #eh ,prairie land around ,fort ,nelson1 #bfi ,prairie ,river settlement1 #aga ,preble1 ,mr4 ,edward ,a41 of the ,u4 ,s4 ,biological ,survey1 exploratory trips of1 #bb report on climatic conditions of various parts of ,athabaska valley1 #ada1 #adb on ,mackenzie basin1 #bdg on the ,barren ,lands1 #cjc description of ,slave river1 #bfc report on ,great ,slave lake1 and its affluents1 #bfe on timber along ,athabaska1 ,slave1 ,mackenzie and ,peace rivers1 #bfh on ,banksian pine1 #bfh on tamarack and its uses1 #bfh black spruce found up to ,great ,bear lake1 #bga describes ,lockhart river and its banks1 #bgh reports on game and fisheries1 #bhh on fish of ,mackenzie basin1 #bie ,prince ,albert1 settlement north of1 #ajc1 #ajd ,pulpwood belt1 a1 #gg ,quartz veins plentiful throughout the ,keewatin belts1 #he ,rae1 ,doctor1 and ,doctor ,john ,richardson1 expeditions of1 #ae ,range of growth of various trees in western ,canada1 #fe ,red lake river and ,red lake1 timber on the banks of1 #gj ,reindeer lake1 #aaf cobalt found on shore of1 #abe ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling's report on minerals1 #abe nickel found on shore of1 #abe fish1 #abi ,reindeer in ,mackenzie region1 #bba ,report on the ,northwest ,territories by ,professor ,john ,macoun1 #af ,reports of ,mr4 ,frank ,j4 ,p4 ,crean1 ,c4,e41 on northern ,saskatchewan1 #bf1 #bg ,report of ,doctor ,robert ,bell of his exploratory trip from lake ,winnipeg to ,hudson bay in #ahgh1 #cg1 #ch ,report on the country north of the mouth of ,saskatchewan river by ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell1 #da1 #db1 #dc ,report of ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling on upper ,berens river district1 #df1 #dg ,report of ,w4 ,thibaudeau on agricultural possibilities in ,churchill district1 #ei ,report of ,mr4 ,john ,armstrong of the preliminary survey of #aijh and #aiji for the proposed railway to ,hudson bay1 #fj ,report of ,j4 ,r4 ,dickson1 ,b4,s4,a41 ,m4,s4,f41 on the rocks and soil of the area between ,pas and ,split lake1 #fj1 #fa ,report of ,mr4 ,j4 ,r4 ,dickson on the climate and soil conditions of the area between ,pas and ,split lake1 #fb1 #fc ,report of ,doctor ,robert ,bell of his explorations in the valleys of ,nelson and ,churchill rivers in #ahgi1 #fe1 #ff ,report of ,mr4 ,a4 ,p4 ,low1 on timber in ,favourable lake district1 #fg1 #fh ,report of ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell of his explorations in the southern part of ,keewatin in #ahif1 #fh1 #fi ,report of ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling on timber north of lake ,winnipeg1 #fi ,report of #aija of ,mr4 ,dowling on ,ekwan district1 #fi1 #gj ,report of ,mr4 ,dowling on his #ahic explorations in ,red lake district1 #gj ,report of ,mr4 ,mc,innes of his survey of the region drained by the ,winisk and the ,attawapiskat in #aijc1 #aijd and #aije1 #gj1 #ga ,report of ,mr4 ,mc,innes on region explored by him in ,cross lake district1 #ga1 #gc ,report of ,mr4 ,mc,innes on his explorations in #aijf1 with reference to waterpowers1 #gc ,report of #aijf of ,mr4 ,owen ,o',sullivan1 on timber in ,keewatin area1 #gc1 #gd ,report of ,mr4 ,alfred ,w4 ,g4 ,wilson in #aijb of a reconnaissance traverse across the southern part of the unexplored area lying to the north of ,lac ,seul and east of ,trout lake1 #gd1 #ge ,report of ,w4 ,thibaudeau1 ,c4,e41 on ,churchill district1 #gf1 #gh ,report of ,mr4 ,j4 ,r4 ,dickson on the timber of the district between ,pas and ,cross lake1 explored by him in #aiaj1 #gh1 #gi ,report of the ,british ,parliamentary investigation of #agdi1 #ha ,report of ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling on the survey of ,burntwood-,nelson lake ,winnipeg district in #ahii1 #hc ,report of ,mr4 ,wm4 ,mc,innes1 who explored the basins of ,reed and ,wekusko lakes and ,grass river in #aijf1 #hd1 #he ,report of ,mr4 ,j4 ,r4 ,dickson on the mineral deposits of the area explored by him south of ,cross lake1 #hf ,report on the preliminary surveys for the ,hudson bay railway by ,john ,armstrong1 ,c4,e41 #hg ,report of ,doctor ,bell in #ahhf on fish1 animals and game in ,keewatin area1 #hh ,report of ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell on the fish and game in the south west of region explored by him in #ahif1 #ij ,report of ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling1 in #aija1 on the game1 animals and fish in ,ekwan district1 #ij1 #ia ,report of ,mr4 ,mc,innes on the game1 fish and animals about ,winisk and ,attawapiskat rivers1 #ia ,report of ,mr4 ,j4 ,r4 ,dickson on the fish1 animals and game in the area south of ,cross lake1 #ib ,report of ,w4 ,thibaudeau4 ,c4,e41 on fish and game between ,churchill and ,pas1 #ib1 #ic ,reports of ,frank ,j4 ,p4 ,crean1 ,c4,e41 on region south of ,churchill and ,clearwater rivers1 #aje1 #aae ,report of ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell on his explorations of #ahib1 #aae1 #aaf ,reports of ,mr4 ,f4 ,j4 ,p4 ,crean on timber areas1 in northern ,saskatchewan1 #abj-abb ,reports of ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell of his explorations of #ahib and #ahic1 minerals near lake ,athabaska referred to in1 #abd ,report of ,mr4 ,dowling of his survey of the west shore of ,reindeer lake1 reference to minerals in1 #abe ,report of ,mr4 ,crean in #aijh on minerals in country north of the ,saskatchewan1 #abf ,report of ,chief ,factor ,a4 ,mc,donald of minerals on ,cree river1 #abf ,report of ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,tyrrell of his explorations of the country between ,churchill river and lake ,athabaska in #ahib as to animal life1 #abh1 #abi ,report of ,mr4 ,crean in #aijh on fish and game in country north of the ,saskatchewan1 #abi1 #acj ,report of ,sir ,john ,franklin on the agricultural possibilities of ,athabaska basin1 #acc ,report of ,dominion ,government survey parties sent out in advance of the ,canadian ,pacific railway with reference to agricultural possibilities of the country1 #acd ,report of ,william ,ogilvie1 ,d4,l4,s41 of his trip in #ahhd1 with reference to agricultural possibilities in ,athabaska basin1 #acd ,report of ,mr4 ,frank ,crean in #aiji on agriculture in country west of ,methye and ,buffalo lakes and south of ,clearwater river1 #acg1 #ach ,report in #aiji of ,inspector ,d4 ,m4 ,howard of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police on agriculture in the northern part of the district about ,chipewyan and ,smith ,landing1 #ach1 #aci ,report in #aiji of ,sergt4 ,r4 ,w4 ,macleod of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police on the country between ,fort ,vermilion and ,hay river1 #aci1 #adj ,report in #aiji of ,corporal ,mellor1 of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police1 on the country southwest of ,smith ,landing1 #adj ,report of #aiaa of ,superintendent ,g4 ,e4 ,sanders1 ,d4,s4,o41 on agricultural possibilities in the country from ,athabaska river to ,great ,slave lake and west to the ,rockies1 #adj ,report of ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble of the ,u4 ,s4 ,biological ,survey on the climatic conditions of various parts of ,athabaska valley1 #ada1 #adb ,report of ,charles ,horetzky1 ,c4,e41 on agricultural possibilities in ,peace river country1 #add1 #ade ,reports of ,william ,ogilvie1 ,d4,l4,s41 on soil and climate of ,peace river country1 #adi-aed ,report in #ahhh of ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell of the ,geological ,survey on agricultural possibilities in ,peace river country1 #aed1 #aee ,report of ,g4 ,m4 ,dawson1 ,m4,d41 ,,ll4,d41 in #ahgi-hj on agricultural possibilities in ,peace river country1 #aeg-afa ,report in #aiji of ,inspector ,d4 ,m4 ,howard of ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police on agricultural possibilities in ,peace river country1 #agj-agc ,report of ,mr4 ,conroy to the ,superintendent of ,forestry1 ,january #ag1 #aiaj1 on timber in ,athabaska country1 #agf ,report of ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell of the ,geological ,survey1 in #ahhh on gold in northern ,alberta1 #ahj ,report of ,mr4 ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell in #ahhh on iron in ,peace river region1 #aha ,report of ,mr4 ,mc,connell in #ahhh on minerals in northern ,alberta1 #ahc-ahe ,report of ,mr4 ,mc,connell on petroleum in the tar sands of ,athabaska district1 #ahh1 #ahi ,report of ,doctor ,g4 ,m4 ,dawson on petroleum along the ,athabaska in his ,summary ,report for #ahid1 #ahi ,report in #aiaj of ,corporal ,a4 ,h4 ,schurer1 of the ,royal ,northwest ,mounted ,police as to minerals in the country between ,athabaska and ,mc,murray1 #aib ,report of ,mr4 ,william ,ogilvie in #ahhh as to wood buffalo in northern ,alberta1 #aif1 #aig ,report of ,inspector ,a4 ,m4 ,jarvis1 ,c4,m4,g41 on wood buffalo in ,athabaska country1 #aig-bjb ,report of ,sergeant ,r4 ,w4 ,macleod in #aiaj on buffalo in country from ,fort ,vermilion to the mouth of ,hay river in ,great ,slave lake1 #bjc ,report of ,mr4 ,william ,ogilvie on fish in lake ,athabaska1 #bjd ,report of ,mr4 ,frank ,crean on fish and game in the district explored by him in #aiji1 #bjd1 #bje ,reports of ,sergeant ,r4 ,w4 ,macleod of his patrols in #aiji and #aiaj from ,fort ,vermilion to ,hay river1 #bje1 #bjf ,report of ,superintendent ,sanders in #aiaa on fur-bearing animals in the far north1 #bjf1 #bjg ,report of ,corporal ,s4 ,g4 ,clay1 of his patrol through ,grande ,prairie country in #aiaa1 #bjg ,reports of ,mr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,preble1 of the ,u4 ,s4 ,biological ,survey1 #bfc1 #bfe1 #bff1 #bfh1 #bgh ,reports of ,mr4 ,r4 ,e4 ,young1 ,d4,l4,s41 on timber of ,mackenzie region1 #bfd ,reports of ,r4 ,g4 ,mc,connell1 #bfe1 #bfg-bfh1 #bgj1 #bgb1 #bha1 #bhb ,report of ,sir ,george ,back on timber around ,reindeer lake1 #bfg ,report of ,mr4 ,william ,ogilvie on timber and coal of ,mackenzie river region1 #bfg1 #bhd ,report of ,sir ,john ,franklin on timber along ,mackenzie river1 #bfg ,report of ,mr4 ,e4 ,stewart in #aijf on timber of ,mackenzie region1 #bfh1 #bgd ,report of ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 #bfh ,report of ,mr4 ,ogilvie1 on country around ,fort ,nelson1 #bfi ,report of ,mr4 ,joseph ,keele on timber on ,gravel river in #aijh1 #bgj ,report of ,mr4 ,j4 ,m4 ,bell on timber along ,martin and ,great ,bear rivers1 #bff1 #bga ,report of ,dr4 ,dawson before ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 #bga ,report of ,mr4 ,macleod before ,senate ,committee of #ahhh1 #bgd1 #bge ,report of ,mr4 ,brock on coal area of ,mackenzie district1 #bhf ,report of ,supt4 ,saunders on ,athabaska1 ,peace and ,mackenzie rivers1 #bhg ,report of ,mr4 ,keele on moose1 #bij ,reports of ,bishop ,clut1 ,o4,m4,i41 before ,senate ,committee1 #bfe1 #bfi ,resources of northern ,saskatchewan1 #ie1 #if ,resources of the region south of ,churchill and ,clearwater rivers1 #aje ,richardson1 ,doctor ,john1 and ,doctor ,rae1 expedition of1 #ae ,robson1 ,mr4 ,joseph1 testimony of1 #cc1 #cd ,ross1 ,captain ,john1 #ac ,ross river partially timbered1 #bgh ,russian provinces1 comparison with1 #bee ,st4 ,joseph1 lake1 section1 #ch ,salmon at ,fort ,providence1 #bih up ,mackenzie to ,fort ,smith1 #bii ,salt found at ,salt river1 #ahc salt springs on ,mackenzie river1 #bha in ,mackenzie river district1 #bhb at ,salt river near ,fort ,smith1 #bhb ,salt ,prairie and ,heart ,river settlement1 #agj ,salt river1 feathered game along1 #bid ,sanders1 ,superintendent1 ,d4,s4,o41 report of1 on agriculture in the country from ,athabaska river to ,great ,slave lake and west to the ,rockies1 #adj fur-bearing animals in the far north1 #bjf1 #bjg report on ,athabaska1 ,peace and ,mackenzie countries1 #bhg ,sandy lake1 timber around1 #fg-fh ,sans ,sault rapid1 #baf ,saskatchewan1 resources of the northern part of1 #ie1 #if ,saskatchewan and ,churchill rivers1 description of country between1 #ih1 #ii ,saskatchewan river1 coal found on1 #abd fish1 #abi ,scenery of ,methye portage1 #aag ,scenic beauty of the country between the ,saskatchewan and ,churchill and ,clearwater rivers1 #aag ,schultz ,committee reports of #ahhg and #ahhh1 compilation of a summary of the1 #bh ,schurer1 ,corporal ,a4 ,h41 report of1 on the minerals in country between ,athabaska and ,mc,murray1 #aib ,scientific investigation of the country1 #af ,seal1 six species of1 in ,hudson bay1 #hi ,search expeditions1 sent out by ,england1 ,france and the ,united ,states1 in quest of ,sir ,john ,franklin and party1 #ad1 #ae ,select ,committee of the ,british ,house of ,commons in #agdi1 main object of the1 #cj ,selwyn1 ,doctor1 ,director of the ,geological ,survey1 and ,professor ,john ,macoun1 expedition of1 #ag ,semmens1 ,rev4 ,john1 opinion of1 of the timber in ,burntwood river district1 #fd mineral observations in ,burntwood river district1 #ha1 #hb ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #bdd ,senate report of #ahhh about ,fort ,simpson1 #bfh ,sergeant1 ,mr4 ,matthew1 testimony of1 #ca1 #cb ,seton1 ,mr4 ,ernest ,thompson1 on the ,barren ,lands1 #cjc ,severn district1 ,mr4 ,d4 ,b4 ,dowling's explorations of1 in #aija1 #hc1 #hd ,severn lake and ,favourable lake1 #ci ,simpson1 ,thomas1 and ,peter ,warren ,dease1 explorations of1 #ad ,clearwater country animals1 #abg moose around ,great ,bear lake1 #bhi ,silver ,springs settlement1 #aga ,slave river1 water power on1 #agg splendid forests1 #bfa timber between ,peace and ,slave rivers1 #bfb country has fine balsam poplar1 #bfh moose1 #bij ,smith bay to ,keith bay1 timber from1 #bge ,split lake region1 #cg description of the country from ,split lake to a line about forty miles north of the ,saskatchewan1 #ed1 #ee between ,split lake and ,big ,churchill river1 #eg1 #eh potatoes1 #eh between ,split lake and ,pas1 #gg ,spruce1 white1 #aba black1 #aba1 #abb fine timber on ,bear lake river1 #bga ,liard valley1 #bfi as far north as ,bear lake river1 #bga on the ,mackenzie above ,fort ,norman1 #bgj ,great ,bear lake1 #bgf ,dease river1 #bgh ,mac,farlane river1 #bgh 8,spruce bears the palm01 #bgi1 #bhj ,stanley or ,stanley mission1 #ajf ,stewart1 ,mr4 ,elihu1 evidence of1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg on agriculture in ,athabaska district1 #acf agricultural possibilities in ,peace river country1 #afg1 #afh timber of upper waters of ,saskatchewan1 ,athabaska and ,peace rivers1 #bfa timber along ,mackenzie to ,fort ,simpson1 #bfg good timber about ,fort ,simpson1 #bfh ,stupart1 ,mr4 ,r4 ,f41 tables compiled by1 comparing the temperature conditions of the district between lake ,winnipeg and ,split lake in the months ,may to ,september1 with ,european countries1 #de1 #df ,sturgeon lake fish1 #hh ,sturgeon lake settlement1 #aga ,sturgeon plentiful in ,favourable lake1 #ij ,sulphur springs on ,clearwater river1 #abe between ,mc,murray and lake ,athabaska1 #ahc1 #ahd about ,great ,slave lake1 #bha1 #bhb ,tache1 ,bishop1 description of1 of the ,clearwater valley1 #aah ,tamarack1 range of1 #fe1 #abb around ,fort ,simpson1 #bfh ,fort ,nelson1 #bfi ,fort ,good ,hope1 #bfi 8,tar sands01 the famous1 #abf1 #ahd1 #bha1 #bhe ,temperature and sunlight in ,mackenzie river region1 #bce ,temperature conditions of the district between lake ,winnipeg and ,split lake in the months ,may to ,september compared with ,european countries1 by ,mr4 ,r4 ,f4 ,stupart1 ,superintendent of the ,dominion ,meteorological ,service1 #de ,tessier1 ,rev4 ,mr41 experiences of1 in agriculture at ,dunvegan1 #aei1 #afj ,testimony of ,mr4 ,joseph ,monkman1 #af ,mr4 ,richard ,white1 #cj1 #ca ,mr4 ,matthew ,sergeant1 #ca1 #cb ,mr4 ,john ,hayter1 #cc ,mr4 ,edward ,thompson1 #cc ,mr4 ,enoch ,alsop1 #cc ,mr4 ,robert ,griffin1 #cc1 #cd ,mr4 ,joseph ,robson1 #cd1 #ce ,doctor ,robert ,bell before the ,senate ,committee of #ahhg1 #ch ,mr4 ,low before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #ci-da ,mr4 ,tyrrell before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #dc-de ,owen ,o',sullivan1 ,c4,e41 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #eg1 #eh ,mr4 ,richard ,white before the ,hudson bay ,investigation ,committee of #agdi1 #fd ,thelon river1 #cjh1 #cad timber1 #cah phenomenal growth1 #cbj ,thibaudeau1 ,w41 ,c4,e41 explorations of1 in ,churchill district1 #bc agriculture at ,churchill1 #ei from ,churchill to ,pas1 #fj between ,churchill and ,owl rivers1 #gf1 #gg timber around ,button bay1 #gf description of the country from ,split lake to ,pas1 #gg fish and game between ,churchill and ,pas #ib1 #ic ,thompson1 ,mr4 ,edward1 testimony of1 on soil1 climate1 etc41 of ,moose river1 #cc ,timber1 inspection of1 in #aiaj1 along the line of the proposed ,hudson bay railway1 from ,pas to ,split lake1 by ,j4 ,b4 ,dickson1 ,b4,s4,a41 ,m4,s4,f41 #fj1 #fa in the valleys and on the islands and lakes of ,burntwood river course1 ,rev4 ,john ,semmens' opinion of the1 #fd areas good south and west of ,hudson bay1 #fd around lake ,st4 ,joseph1 #ff along ,boulder river1 #ff around lake ,landsdowne1 #ff along the ,attawapiskat1 #ff1 #fg on the shores of ,james bay and ,hudson bay1 #fg around ,favourable lake1 #fg around ,sandy lake1 #fg between ,norway ,house and ,hudson bay1 #fh around ,deer lake1 #fh in the southern part of ,keewatin1 #fh1 #fi in ,ekwan district1 #fi along ,trout ,lake river1 #gj on ,red ,lake river and ,red lake1 #gj about ,lac ,seul1 #gj diameters and ages in ,keewatin area1 #ga along ,burntwood river1 #gb in the western part of ,keewatin1 #gc north of ,lac ,seul and east of ,trout lake1 #gd1 #ge between ,pas and ,clearwater lake1 #ge1 #gf on the east side of ,button bay1 #gf between ,churchill and ,owl rivers1 #gf1 #gg between ,pas and ,cross lake1 #gh1 #gi ,hudson bay region1 #gi1 #hj between the ,saskatchewan and ,churchill and ,clearwater rivers1 #aag about ,lac la ,ronge1 #aai immediately north of the ,saskatchewan1 #aai around ,green lake1 #aai around ,ile la ,crosse lake1 #aai along ,churchill river1 #abj around ,methye portage1 #abj along ,whitefish river1 #abj1 #aba in northern ,saskatchewan1 #abj-abb north of ,waterhen river and lake1 #aba north of ,churchill and ,clearwater rivers1 #abb1 #abc on ,churchill river from ,methye portage to north of ,reindeer river1 #abb around ,wallaston lake1 #abb on ,mudjatik river1 #abb1 #abc on ,geikie river1 #abb-abc on ,cree river1 #abc on northeast shore of lake ,athabaska1 #abc north of the ,churchill1 #abc in ,athabaska river valley1 #acb in the vicinity of ,chipewyan1 #age in ,peace river country1 #agg-agi ,mackenzie river region1 #bfa between ,athabaska and ,peace rivers1 #bfa along ,slave river1 #bfb around ,great ,slave lake1 #bfe around ,reindeer lake1 #bfg along ,mackenzie river to ,fort ,simpson1 #bfg about ,fort ,simpson1 #bfh along ,liard river1 #bfi along ,gravel river1 #bgj on ,mackenzie river below ,fort ,good ,hope1 #bgb from ,keith bay to ,smith bay1 #bge around ,fort ,franklin1 #bge timber growth1 how to increase northern1 #bgh ,torch river1 #abi ,transportation and industries in ,peace river district1 #aga1 #agb ,trees1 range of the most important1 #fe1 #ff ,trout ,lake river1 #gj ,tyrrell1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,burr1 exploratory trips of1 #ai1 #bj report on the country north of ,saskatchewan river1 #da-dc testimony before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #dc-de report of his explorations in southern part of ,keewatin in #ahif1 #fh1 #fi mineral report1 #hb1 #hc evidence before ,senate ,committee of #aijg1 #hc report of the fish and game in the southwest of region explored by him in #ahif1 #ij report of his explorations in #ahic and #ahid of country between ,saskatchewan and ,churchill rivers1 #ih1 #ii report on his explorations of #ahib1 #aae1 #aaf description of country immediately north of the ,saskatchewan1 #aai evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg as to forests of country north of ,churchill1 #abc report of his explorations of #ahib and #ahic as to minerals near lake ,athabaska1 #abd evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg as to minerals along ,saskatchewan river1 #abd report of his explorations of the country between ,churchill river and lake ,athabaska in #ahib as to animal life1 #abh1 #abi evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg as to country immediately north of lake ,athabaska1 #acg evidence before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg as to tar sands on ,athabaska river1 #ahf on the ,barren ,lands1 #cjd ,tyrrell1 ,j4 ,b41 ,c4,e41 ,d4,l4,s41 exploration of1 in the country between ,great ,slave lake and ,chesterfield inlet on ,hudson bay1 #ba von ,hamerstein1 ,mr4 ,alfred1 evidence of1 before the ,senate ,committee of #aijg on medicinal springs along ,clearwater river1 #abf on agricultural resources of ,athabaska district1 #ace1 #acf on timber in ,athabaska country1 #age on gold in northern ,alberta1 #ahj1 #aha on iron and coal in northern ,alberta1 #ahb on deposits of gypsum and salt in northern ,alberta1 #ahc on minerals in northern ,alberta1 #ahc-ahf on petroleum in country from ,athabaska river to ,peace river1 #aib on natural gas in northern ,alberta1 #aic on salt in ,mackenzie basin1 #bhf ,waterhen lake district1 #aae waterpower1 #abj-aba ,waterhen river and lake1 timber north of1 #aba ,waterpower of ,nelson river district1 #gc northern ,manitoba1 #gh ,hudson bay region1 generally1 #hj on ,churchill river1 #abj northern ,saskatchewan1 #abj-aba on ,waterhen river1 #abj-aba on ,clearwater river1 #aba on ,athabaska river1 #agg on ,slave river1 #agg along ,athabaska river1 #bfb whaling industry1 #cja ,white ,birch 7canoe birch71 #fe ,whitefish lake district1 #aad-aae ,whitefish river1 timber along1 #abj-aba ,white1 ,mr4 ,richard1 testimony of1 #cj1 #ca testimony before the ,hudson ,bay ,investigation ,committee in #agdi1 #fd ,white spruce1 #fe1 #aba ,wild geese1 #cef ,wilson1 ,mr4 ,alfred ,w4 ,g41 report of1 on a reconnaissance traverse across the southern part of the unexplored area lying to the north of ,lac ,seul and east of ,trout lake1 #gd-ge ,yellowknife river1 soil and timber of1 #bfg ,york ,factory and ,cape ,henrietta ,maria1 survey of the coast between1 #eg ,young1 ,mr4 ,r4 ,e41 report on the timber resources of the ,mackenzie by1 #bfd ,,transcriber ,,notes --,misspelled words and printer errors have been corrected4 --,illustrations were moved to facilitate page layout4 --,inconsistencies in punctuation have been maintained4 ,the use of periods and centered periods varied throughout the original text4 ,in this edition weights1 measurements and time have been standardized as follows3 -,time3 colon 7e4g4 #a3cj p4m47 -,temperatures3 period 7e4g4 #cb4e7 -,per cent43 centered period 7e4g4 #aje per cent47 -,pound_/lbs3 centered period 7e4g4 #aje lbs47 -,miles3 centered period 7e4g4 #de cubic miles7 -,latitude3 centered period 7e4g4 #ehd1 #ef #ce #aa7 ,the end of ,the ,unexploited ,west1 by ,ernest ,j4 7,john7 ,chambers4