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 -r 
 
 IlEI>ORT 
 
 C^J* 
 
 E LINE OF ROUTM 
 
 t"f>. 
 
 Ii JJ T w ji; R ;v 
 
 f"- 
 
 iM8 Si;i»E!tIOa ATO THE BEft 81*E8 SEmEMKST. 
 
 ';)a 
 
 >;-». 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 »'.;« ^■fijj. 
 
 iSt^ 
 
 '•^.?J 
 
 By 6, J. Dawson; Esq., 
 
 
 
 [ 
 
 riirNT3D BX rifjNTEia, nosE & company. 
 
 1868. 
 
 :r/y 
 
 S-£^BCli%#=^<bS^^^%<--^B^^ 
 
 i'jj>t.« 
 
^k¥''- 
 
 '' iffp, /Al^ti 
 
 REPORT 
 
 ON 
 
 THE LINE OF ROUTE 
 
 'U- 
 
 
 « E T W E E N 
 
 m 
 
 WM 
 
 lAKE SLTEBIOR m THE IIEl) RIVER SETTLE1IE\1 
 
 Br S. J DAWSON, E«q, 
 
 CIVtL ENOINEER. 
 
 Irinteli bir <®i^tr of \\t |0«st of Canmons. 
 
 P*Ai 
 
 ' 1^ 
 
 m 
 
 
 pi 
 
 ©ttatua: 
 
 PRINTED BY HUNTER, ROSE & COMPANY. 
 
 IHtJH, 
 
1 8 rj 'I '-' 
 
 f:; •/ 
 
 ' ; - 
 
 /£ ^.: 
 
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 ^*W(t-»».»*-3«W»-"-^'*i^'*" " 
 
 ^^r^iV» ■*T>-««s«m-»*t'=*'^ 
 
RETURN 
 
 To an Address of the House of Commons, dated 4th May, 1 8G8 ; for Copies 
 of all Reports since the 1st July, 1867, to the Government of the late 
 Province of Canada, or the Government of Canada, which may have 
 been made by the Surveyors or other officers employed to construct 
 Roads and other works for the purpose of opening communication 
 between the head of Lake Superior and the Red Kivcr. 
 
 By Command. 
 
 HECTOR L. LANGEVIN, 
 
 Secretary of State. 
 
 Department of the Secretary of State, 
 Ottawa, Uth May, 1868. 
 
 ! 
 
 „',«» "K*^«S**V»«CT*tc 
 
INDEX OP SUBJECTS. 
 
 ) 
 
 PAQE. 
 
 Red River Expedition (reference to) 7 
 
 Lake Superior Section 10 
 
 Luke Region , 13 
 
 Lake of the Woods Division 17 
 
 Fort Garry Section 18 
 
 Estimate Cost of Works 20 
 
 Probable Traffic 21 
 
 Means of Transport 22 
 
 Resources; Timber, Minerals, &c 24 
 
 Other methods of opening communication 25 
 
 System of work by contract or otherwise 26 
 
 Indian Element 27 
 
 Agricultural Resources 29 
 
 The Work of Last Summer 31 
 
 Mr. J. W. Bridgland's Report (reference to) 31 
 
REPORT 
 
 oir 
 
 THE LINE OF ROUTE 
 
 BETWEEN 
 
 LAKE SrirERlOR AND THE RED KIVEK SKTTLEMENT. 
 
 Ill n^portint; iis tc) thr Ix'nt ii.';iinM of opcuinu' .i liO'' (iCc'iiiiinunii'.'itidii, Ijctwicii l.akn 
 Supcjrior and tlu' U»j(1 Uivit SciiKnH ni, 1 lict i' he jitiinitti'd, in lln" fir^t j.l.icr, tn rcl.T 
 liiicfly to tlic ii[)t iJiiidiiH of tlic Kcil Hivi'i KxjK'iliiitiii, iJirriiil en tor wmtuI )i;ir- uiulrr 
 my dii'wlinn, to. it will, I duulit net, he .-;itislucli'ry t.. tlic <ji>tv<TUiiifrit to know tliiil, tin- .-ui; 
 ^oi^tioHH which I havi.' the buuor tc submit, are not thu cxpreasion "fnierft theoretical view-*, Imt 
 th>' result of lonj; continueiJ iiivfStiL'ation, iindi r "tlicuil instructions I'rom the Canndiau 
 <ic>veriii!i(!nt. 
 
 Tin' earlier Kt'porls of the KxpiMlilinn wore printed li> onliT of the lii'f.'islature, hui those 
 .sent in dtiriujr tie la.st yearof its o|)eratiou.-i have never hi/en juhlislied The jiresent Report 
 will eontaiii ill that is believed to bo ot in.niudi.ite iinjiortanee in tlu.'se doeumciit.s; that is, 
 in rctrard to Ihi 8ubjei;t under eonsidrrntion. 
 
 The following' Maps nre annexed !(>i ennvenienee of rel'crener — 
 
 1. A J'lan, on a scale of two miles to one ineh, shewin.' the country between Thunder 
 Bay and Lae des Mille Laev, \^.,^r l.ake line of ri.id jHisitinn i.f datn, \<- 
 
 '_*, A IMmi if the L.ik> Keu'ioti.on .• >eal', ul f('iu mile.- t^ -me mch, ^hi winj^ tlu country 
 between th(; H<e_'l.t of f„ind and J'-irt Frances. 
 
 []. A plaii on a scale often miles to '"le inch slicwinj.' the eouniry between I'ort Frnnees 
 and Fort, (iarry. 
 
 ■i. A Map, in profile, shewin'j; tiie nlaiive altitud' .if the Routeis by J'igeon River and 
 the Kanilnista-piia. 
 
 Plan No. :i niiu:ht be li'lmirnipbed it .^mall -'ost. oid I tiiink it wouM bo advisable to 
 have it publislied as it i- the ir.l} eorreet one ot the •^e.-iion uhieli it 'xhibits. 
 
 The Red lliver Kxpi ililimi eonsist''d !it it.-! oursi't ol'tbni distiret parties, reeeivinir their 
 instructions I'rom {Iirec diHenn; DejiMitmeiits (d' (nuerument. One of the.-^e wiis nmler my 
 dinetion, om uiide; Mr. Ntpiei's. while Mi. <«lailmaii, a retired olfioii of the Hudson.-; FJay 
 Company, who had the u'uidauee of iho lixpedition ou the ji-nrney to |{ed River, liad a 
 separatt party of lii-' own. 
 
 The |.'drtie< llms orL^ani/ed .mI out in .Iniv I -^r)?, aed proi'i-cilint; by the usual eaiiiH? 
 route from Fort Williinn. made numerous explorations determined the lev<'ln as they went, 
 and eventually arrived at th'' Ued Ri»Hr Settlement in the fall ol' tlio s:mn \i^ar 
 
 Mr (ii.idmaii, after a short stay, returmd oy tin way he had eiime to Toronto, wliere 
 his eorineetion wi*li ihi' Hxp'ditiiii soon ifterw.irds i'ea.>i('d. while 1'roffs.vor Hind, who ( 
 should have incn'ioued had been attaci>ed to tin party as ^eolnirist. proceeded by way of the 
 Red River over the prairii^s to St. Paid. 
 
 My a,«sist.int!s at this time wi n- Mr Lindsay :\ lUis-s<'ll, ^\r J F, Oandet, Mr. Alex. 
 W. Wtllfl and Col. C. de JSulaberiy. Th*- ihiee tirsl-nmued geutleiu'-n were- surveyors, all 
 
MJ" whdiu uro of hiRh htiiudin^ in thrir iirof'iwinn, while Cnl. i|c SnlilnTry nctoil ••hiofly rm 
 ('nmiiii-'sury — mh ini|Mirt:ii)t uiriri' in i r<i.'iiiii wIhtc pi'ni.Hinnf. win- ni t ilwu^- viry (iliumlaii*. 
 
 Till' winter til' |h."»7 -;')>"< Wii« I'lmfly (M'ou|)io(l iii ixjilnriim llic cinintry L* twfrn tlic Liiku 
 of till) W()0(l>i iiiiil [{i'<l HivtT, II rtviiiu at llint t'nuv Init iitilr kriMwn nwd n fM»rt«'il to In im 
 piisKiiM"' ill MJTurii' r, mi ;i('i miiif nt mwuihiim wliii'h wrii' wii'l to covi i ilir crriiiiT {Mirtiini "r its 
 ari'ii. At till huiiii' tiuii . mi iiixtriiiin'iiti.l -iirvoy w.•l^ iiiikK- mo iih to riiiiiint l''nrt Oiory wnli 
 the Hurvi-y iiiiuli' timiiy year!* (invioiLHly jij the Mniinilar) ('oiiiiiii^'ioticr.-. uii'li r ilir Trcuiy 
 itfOliotit. 'I'liis cri.iMrd iiN lo ctaMi^li with iiccrracy llic li iiirituilt' <il' Turl (iarry. wliii.li, 
 on lln» iiiajis till II ill iHc, wan rw t cliiuii a> iiiucli a.x iWiTiiy 'inr luiiiiitt's too litr to thf we^t. 
 
 Till' party wtTc Jilso ahli', iM'tiin- thu 'iiMinm.' nl' navij/iiti.iii, In i xfijori' flu' JtuHiaii IliviT 
 ami iiiak' an mstruinontal Hurv«'y 'I' tin- lUd 1U\ r ami Liki' Winiup^'. ltotw<iii Fort 
 .\lrxaii(l<r, ,t ilii' inoulli of tlio V\'iiini'|i«;j Hi\(T. and ihi; H niiiilary Lint- lit I'nnbiiia. 
 
 Iiiiiiiiiiiaii'ly alter IIk' •i|t('iiiii^ ••!' tlic imviuatinn, liiivin!.' nriiaiiizcil a party nl liiilflirrcd 
 Iililiaii> ami |iro('Ui'cil caimcri, we |ir(iei)eili'<l hy wa^ of llic M:iiiitiilia ami \\'iniie|'("_'oiiH Likes 
 to tlie larval Sa.skiileliewan lliver, ami examined tin.' rapids iiid inipedinientH tu the luiviu'ii- 
 tion lietween Tiiu; Bourlmn and Luke Wiiuiepe;.'. The levi U were .|et'Tniiiie<l with eare, and 
 the •' Track Siirviy which we had madi nl' ihe Lake ('naMlr-, •!> we prmu'eded. wah currectcd 
 a» orte.n ;i>< |v>->il)|e l.y .ibservati'in> Inp latitude and lutcil'ide. 
 
 Separatin;.' onr party at the Mon.sy I'lirlap;, the uaiiie liy which tli.' pulli Ixitwoi'ii Lako 
 Wiiint'lH^unow and Lac Hourhon is (iiiiled, I "ent Mr. WiillH to extilnro Lue haiipliin, and ^<ur- 
 vey the route li\ wav of the Little SaNkaiehewaii and L.ikc \\ iiiiieiHt: !<■ ihi' mouth ol' iLu 
 lied ili'.cr, apixiintin^ the !,-( ut'.luly liillowini; ti> meet hini at the Mtileiiicnt. 
 
 Tiikiiij with nil! my an«it^tHnts. Mr. (iniKiil and Mr. de S.daberry, and a lew IndiaiiH, 
 I asceTide(l Swan Uiver. i-rof^ed Ironi theme to Korr I'elly, ami dehceiided hy the As^inihoino 
 to Fort (tarry, lia\iiii;on tlrs c,xeur>ion olitauied much iid'orm.'itiiin, i.* to the snil untl climato 
 of it very e.'4tfin>ivc district, and made nuch obnurvutionft uh enabled n>- ti> deline.ato its {;co>,'ra- 
 phy with toleriihle act uracy 
 
 'I'liroimhout the entire iwrioil durinij which our head (Quarters wero at the Red Rivor Sctlle- 
 incnt, a Mett!uriiliij;ioul IL-uixter wa.^ kept, ve.jnl.ai'v, und-'r ilic -.iipervi-i'in nf Mr. Ru'^sfll, and 
 it lia.s .sinuo hecn of cMU.-'idcrahle value as, taken in eonnectioii with .some leliaMe ol^^;<'rvatiom< 
 made hy ollicrs, it hui served not a little te di.«p(.l the absurd ideut* whieh at one time pre- 
 vailed in regard to the .severity (pf the eliumte uu"l tlie duration <>l the winters 
 
 On the ttj, it'.luiy, 1*^5^, .'iir party 'va,'' eiiee more assembled at the lied River Hcttle. 
 mont. and liivim; with .>orae dlfheully piMeured supplies, we naont with all ixissih'i: disyinteli, 
 fur a mure tliorouirii exploration of the country li>.tvoeii Rainy Lake and liako Sujierior, 
 Anion^' the instructions rcooivod from the (iovernmenl ui this linie wore the followin'..; . — 
 
 "8kcrf,t\uv's Okfiok., 
 
 •'Toronto, Itith April, 1M5S. 
 
 '•Sir,— .Vdvertini? to the last pnrairrnph in niv letter to y.in tlii.s day I have the honor to 
 inforni you. th;it it i> not tliuu^'ht neees.-iry to nuke any ,i!leratii.ii.« ii, the instructions Ibr 
 your future oiKration.s. eont.'ined in the ( inier in Council if w"lili January hiht. 
 
 •• You will therefore eon.sider these iu.structioiiS, .solar asymr osiiloralione are couecmed, 
 still in force. 
 
 • 1 iin to add, however, that if time allows it, ynu will emieavor to survey th" road be- 
 tween (Jiin Flint J,ake and I'mrite de Meuron, and when rcfurninu' i'n'm the North west Cor- 
 ner of till Lake of the Woods and pn.ssini: throuirh l\ainy Lake, make iiceasiiin.d traverses 
 when print leabl' with a view to a.seertain the extuit ni' liraM ■ land in that Ideality. 
 
 "1 am further to st-ite tha! His K.xcclleticy. haviie.' ev.w coufidenei in yciv judpnent. 
 does Mil (hink it ii'.'ht to tianimel y<ur movements b;> detailed instrueti ins, ind tlwt you are 
 thorel'ore at liberty to make any other explorations in .-idditiori to those particularly mentioned 
 ill the iiL-truetion,-* already conveyid to you, .•^htiuh' ,■111, upon the iidbrmation obtuluod in 
 the locality, deem it desirable y(>u should do so 
 
 •• ( have the lionci lo lie, Sir. 
 
 " Yoiii obedient servant, 
 (Signed,) • T. J. J. Lor.\.n<ier, 
 
 '•S. ,L Dawson, Esi| . <■!■ iiardarif." 
 
 " Civil Fmrinei r in eomin.'iml, 
 
 the j^ooil 
 
 d' llle Red |!i\el Kx 
 
 [X-iliUOU. 
 
 it coul 
 
 than t 
 
 A 
 
 whole 
 The fa 
 had left 
 T( 
 summer 
 ously at 
 —the 
 
 of the 
 
 areas, r< 
 
 A 
 Expedi 
 explora 
 so that 
 informi 
 
 II 
 my dir( 
 out, 
 adoptiii 
 
 F( 
 lied R 
 
 T 
 referrei 
 
 T 
 the 
 

 
 ." ■ »J-. 
 
 •(I)' tlN 
 
 iilnhiii*. 
 
 III itii 
 
 III "I* lis 
 
 ry Willi 
 
 'i if.iiy 
 
 wli'n li, 
 
 Wl ^1 
 
 111 UiViT 
 
 ■II Kiirl, 
 
 ill' lirii tl 
 . I, ik.N 
 !i:iviL'u- 
 .'iri', Mini 
 urrci'totl 
 
 ■Till Lnkii 
 ■iii'l sur- 
 II li ol rliu 
 
 liiilhiiii', 
 s>iiii|M)ine 
 
 1 cliniuU) 
 ts f;co).'ra- 
 
 or Hcttle- 
 ii^scil, iind 
 isiTvutions" 
 
 • time jirc 
 
 vcr HcttliN 
 : (liHpatcii, 
 
 • SujH-rior, 
 rin-.— 
 
 1H5S. 
 
 10 lidiior to 
 
 uction^ lor 
 
 coucorm cl, 
 
 111' road bc- 
 1 west ('or 
 i\ traverses 
 
 jiuljjrment, 
 
 •u'l you arc 
 
 tiiciilidiit'd 
 
 obtuiuod in 
 
 rctary. 
 
 From llijit tiiiin ("Drwiird, \\,v tin- n'liriindi'r nl' tlio hoiisou, and diirinu tlu' wiiiti'r ' 
 lHr»S-r»ll, our cxploralioiiM wen; coiitiiicd (iliicfjy. 1 m.iy Miy cxilii.-iiM-ly, <<i llic rouiitiy i ;- 
 tWfcii Uiiiiiy liiiko imd L;ikt) Hiiporior. Two wt II ii|i|Hiiiili'i| purtici wcn- kept .•onot.iiitly at 
 work, and .soiiititiiiu's tlircf. Iii'.triinii'iit.il Hiirvcy.s wrrc carrii'd IVom Ijakf SiiimtIi'V, wir-lward 
 
 tliroii;rli l)o>,' lialc, |)ii'4 |{ivir, Lac den MiJK' |' 
 
 iacH aiii 
 
 1 til 
 
 Niiiir, to vv'tliiii a ?<li'irt distaiicu 
 ol' llaiiiy jjaki'. TIki li'Viis wcro taken Irom .loiudain 's Uapid to iJin.' liakf, and I'roiii that 
 hake acroMs, l»y tlie jinii laid out as a road, to hakf Superior. 
 
 In the .Hpriir^' of I K.')l>. having; learni'd that ii party lilted out l.y the people of Ked 
 River, who at that linie took a j,'reat deal of interest in promoting' the development of the 
 country, had been balHed in an utlemja lo take horses Ihroii'^h to the Lake of the Woods, 
 hud in fact ^;ot bewihlcrod in hwamps, from which they had ixperiineed iiiiieh dillieiilty in 
 cxtricatini; thomsolveM, and as tho impnissioii as to that section of the country beiiii? 
 iiiipnicticahli! for roads was thus ^.'aiiiini.' confirmation, I hastened to the liake of tho 
 Woods, with the most active of my assistuits, and procccdini,' to its western extremity had 
 the ^'ood fortune to secure thi^ survi • of an Indian (.'hief, who undertook to show us uroiind 
 on which tJie country couM be crossed, 
 
 Leaviii;,' my assistants to tind their way across wilh the Chief, I proceeded by way of 
 till) Winnipei; t(» tho Ued lliver Settlement, when! I bad not loiiir to wait lor their arrival. 
 Thoy n!piirtcd that tho Chief had led them to a ijiiavclly rid'.'c which extended, with but 
 
 few breaks, f 
 
 till 
 
 -f th 
 
 d th 
 
 loni^ distance ac 
 
 remains of Indian oncampiiients shewed that it had been much used as u pathway, in times 
 loni» past, 
 
 A number of men were immediately en^'a^ed in the Si.'ttlement and sent to open tho 
 lino which had been traced, in such a way as to render it passable for horses ; and over this 
 line otir purl)/ nnh' civnr throuijli lo //if Ao/.v of f/ir Wniii/.'i, <iii horsihtii/,-. 
 
 The line thus opened was used afterwards as a Post road for the eouveyaiice of Mails on 
 hors«ibaih% and it requires but slii,dit knowlediro of eni^ineeriiii^ to understand that ground, 
 over which horses can bo ridden, is not so swampy as to be impracticable for roads. 
 
 lleturninj^ uu'ain to Uuiny Jjake, wo made u more thorough examination of tho Lakes, 
 by tho old canoe route, than wo had previously had an opportunity of doin^', and the result 
 led 1110 to the conclusion that, consideriiiir the lone; reaches of iiavii.'ablo water on that route, 
 it could bo rendered available, in the first instance, to f,'reater advanta^'c and at less outlay 
 than tho lino by tho Seine, which had been examined and refiorted on the previous year. 
 
 Arrivin;^ at Jiako Superior, I was joined by my assistant, >ir. Wells, who had .spent tlic 
 whole summer in examinini; tho country about the Ileieht of Jjand and J^ac des Mille Lacs. 
 Tho fall beini; now I'ar advanced, the parties were .rradualiy withdr, wn, such of them us wo 
 had loft at the Lake of tho Woods returning; only in the beirinniiiu; of November. 
 
 To sum up, the explorations and surveys were thus continued, uninterruptedly, for three 
 summers and two full winters, There were uenerally three well-apiiointod ])arties simultane- 
 ously at work, in different sections, and, whether at Lake Superior or the Lake of the Wood-; 
 — the one a swampy and tho other u hilly reirion— they always availed themselves of the aid 
 of the natives, who.so occupation of luuitin;:, pursued from youth to a;j:e, withiu particular 
 areas, rendered their local kiiowledire of the irrcatest value, 
 
 A considerable period of tune has now elapsed since tho operations of tho Ked lliver 
 Expedition were brout,dit to a close, and since that time there has been no further 
 exploration whatever in the country between Lake Superior and the Red River Settlement, 
 .so that such of our preliminary lleports as have been published are the only sources of 
 information <renerally av.ailiible. 
 
 Havini; thus briefly alluded to the surveys and explorations made by me, or under 
 my direction, I proceed to describe the different sections of the c(juutry in detail, pointinj* 
 out, as consisely as possible, the works and improvements re(juired, and tho reasons for 
 adoptinj^ particular lines of route or startiuLC points. 
 
 For tho sake of convenience, in description, the country between Lake Superior and the 
 Red River Settlement may properly be ret^arded as formini,' four divisions. 
 
 The first, embracini,' the region to tho cast of the water-shed, or Height of Land, will be 
 referred to as the •■ Lake SuperiiU' Section," 
 
 The next, oxtendiu;:; from the Ileii^ht of Land to Fort Frances, I propcsc to designate as 
 
 the '• Lake Kej^ion," 
 o 
 
 i 
 
10 
 
 The navigable reach, extending from Fort Frmccs to the north-west angle of the Lake 
 of the Woods, will be called the " Lake of the Woods Division." 
 
 While that between the north-west angle and the lied liivcr Settlement may not inap- 
 propriately be known as the " Fort Garry Section." 
 
 LAKE SUPERIOIl SECTION. 
 
 The country between the Boundary Line, at Pigeon llivor, and the head or cistern end 
 'if Thunder Bay, wjis carefully examined with the view of liuding a practicable route from 
 Lake Superior to some one of the water systems leading from the Height of Land, westward, 
 to llniny Lake. 
 
 On all the routes, proposed or suggested, I had at various times during the progress 
 of the expedition reported to the Government, .so that, here, I need only state the leading 
 advantages or objections which attach, respectively, to each. 
 
 The Pii/con River Route. 
 
 T'ue nature of tliis route and the objections to it will be found pretty fully stated in my 
 preliminary reports, printed by order of the Legislature. — Pages 7 and 27. 
 
 The starting point is entirely within the United States territory, and, lor a distance of 
 onchundreJ and fifty miles, the canoe route forms the Boundary Line. But this is far from 
 being the only objection. The ascent from J^iuke Superior is very rapid and .steep, and at the 
 Height of Land, and far to the westward thereoi, the route leads over a very high and broken 
 region. The lakes at the sunnnit of tlie water-.shed are 1,058 feet above the level of Lake 
 Superior, and, even at that elevation, are embosomed in rocky hills which rise to the height of 
 several hundreds of feet around them. Moreover, the supply of water is so inadequate as to 
 forbid the idea of improving the navigation, and there is no source from whence a supply can 
 be obtained. The route it«elf is at the summit of supply, and touches in its course on the 
 head waters of no less than four different rivers. 
 
 Between Pigeon lliver and the Kaministacjuia, there are several good harbours on the 
 coast, but from these access to the interior would be exceedingly difficult and could only be 
 provided at enormous outlay. 
 
 It was at one time suggested that a practicable line might be found, by which to cross 
 the country from Pointe de .Meuron. .so as to join the Pigeon River Eoute to the westward 
 of the Height of Land. This point 1 was instructed to investigate, and accordingly des- 
 patched Mr. L. A. Russell, with a AVcll-appointed party, to explore in the direction which liad 
 been indicated. He ran a line from Pointe de Meunm to Gun Flint Lake, a distance of 
 some fifty-four miles, and examined the ground on either side thereof, but his report and field 
 notes .shew that the country which he traversed was too rough and impracticable to admit of 
 an available line of coniniunieatiou. 
 
 In concluding my notice of this route, I may say that, for a distance of one hundred and 
 thirty miles from Lake Superior, westward, it cannot be made in any way available as a line 
 of water communication, except for small caiiues; that the c(mntry being for a great part of the 
 distance rugged, mountainous and cut up with lakes, it is next to impracticable for road.s, and, 
 finally, that there being a nmeh better route to the eastward, entirely within British territory, 
 there would be no object in attempting to open this line, or spending further sums in its 
 exploration. 
 
 Kdmiiiislaqui'ti lioutv. 
 
 This is the old canoe route of the North-west and Hudson's Bay (,'omiianics. On tliis 
 line the supply of water is ample, and the elevation of the country at the summit of the 
 water-shed less, by some two hundred feet, tlian on the IMgeon River lloute, while it is at tlie 
 same time, that is, at the turn of the water-shed, comparatively level and practicable for 
 roads. Dog Lake, a large sheet of water on the Kaministatjuia, twenty-four miles inland 
 from Lake Superior, extends for a distance of some twenty miles in a direction nearly 
 parallel to the western coast of Thunder Bay. To the westward of tliis lake, the principal 
 stream which sup2)lies it with w.itcr — Dog River— can be made navigable nearly to the Height 
 
 seasons, 
 
 requiret 
 what I 
 
of the Lake 
 lay not inap- 
 
 c.i.stcrn cud 
 route from 
 id, westward, 
 
 the profrross 
 the lor.diuLT 
 
 f^tutcd in my 
 
 a distance of 
 
 is is far from 
 
 p, and at the 
 
 h and broken 
 
 level of Lake 
 
 I the height of 
 
 dcquate as to 
 
 ) a supply can 
 
 course on the 
 
 irbours on the 
 could only be 
 
 tthich to cross 
 the westward 
 eordingly dcs- 
 ion whicii had 
 , a distance of 
 'port and Held 
 le to admit of 
 
 : hundred and 
 [able as a line 
 cat part of the 
 for roads, and, 
 tish territory, 
 ir sums in its 
 
 ies. On this 
 ummit oi' tlie 
 lie it is at the 
 iraiticable fur 
 
 miles inland 
 eetion nearly 
 
 tlie principal 
 to the Ileiyht 
 
 11 
 
 of Land (and it will be so when a dam now in progress of construction is completed), so that, 
 between river and lake, an available reach of some thirty-five miles could be commanded. It 
 became therefore a matter of importance to find access to this navigable reach, and with this 
 end in view, the levels of the Kaminista(juia were determined and the country between Dog 
 Lake a- d Lake Superior explored. 
 
 Log Lake was found to be at an elevation of 718 feet above the level of Lake Superior, 
 and the intervening country proved to be extremely mountainous and rough, while the 
 difficulties by water were of a still more formidable ciiaracter. 
 
 The Kaministacjuia, after leaving Dog Lake, runs nearly south to its confluence with 
 Fish lliver, then eastwardly to I'ointe de Meuron and thence north-east to its discharge, 
 making a sweep of sixty miles before it reaches Lake Superior ; and as it has in that distance 
 to get down a declivity of 718 feet, its character, in regard to its capacity for navigation, may 
 be easily imagined. It aflords, however, an available, althougli a difficult, route for canoes, 
 but, for large craft, it could only be made navigable at an outlay which no circumstances 
 likely to arise would warrant. 
 
 A land road to Dog Lake, therefore, became indispensable, and, after much careful 
 investigation and exploration, an available pass was found and a line laid out, and on this 
 line during the past summer a fair connnencement was made and six miles of road, reckoning 
 from Thunder liay, completed. 
 
 The starting point is at a place called the Depot, on Thunder Bay, about three miles to 
 the eastward of the mouth of the Kaministacjuia, and at this point there is, in my opinion, 
 every facility for constructing wharves and forming a perfectly safe harbour. 
 
 The Kaministaquia, itself, has been strongly recommended as a liarbour, but, in its pre- 
 sent state, it is inaccessible to vessels drawing more than five and a half feet of water, on 
 account of a bar or shoal of great extent at its mouth. Its adoption would involve the 
 dredging of a channel, and the construction of extensive piers or walls of heavy crib work, on 
 either side thereof, to prevent it from being tilled up by the action of the ice which, at certain 
 seasons, ploughs over the bar. Another consideration, which should not be lost sight of, is 
 that the causes which produced the shoal arc still in operation. Quantities of sediment arc 
 brought down with every freshet, more especially in the spring, and tlie dredging would have 
 to be repeated at intervals to keep the channel, once formed, open. 
 
 Everything considered, therefore, I would not i'or the present reconnnend the Govern- 
 ment to undertake the dredging of the Kaministaquia, and the construction of extensive 
 works to keep the channel so ibrmed from filling up. The first great objoot is to open the 
 communication with Fort Garry ; and, when that is accomplished, there will be no lack of 
 means, from private source.'!, or of enterprise, to render the Kaministaciuia an accessible har- 
 nour. In the meantime, it might .seriously alfect the enterprise if large sums were to be 
 expended at its very outs';t on min/i/ local works. 
 
 Fort William is, however, even at present, accessible to the smaller class of schooners or 
 fishing vessels which navigate Lake Superior. It is, besides, a place of importance as being 
 the centre of such trade as is carried on. and it will gradually become of increased conse- 
 quence as the mines in the vicinity arc developed, and the fertile portion of the valley of the 
 Kaministaquia fills up with settlement. For these reasons, it is expedient to connect it by a 
 branch line with the Dog Lake Poad, as shewn on the accompanying plan, and, for this pur- 
 pose I have included a sum of .seven thousand dollars (87,000) in the estimate, which I have 
 now the honor to submit. 
 
 Before concluding this subject, I would call attention to the fact, that many persons 
 who take a. deep interest in that part of tiie country are under the impression that by going 
 up the Kaministaquia to Pointe dc Meuron, or as far as the navigable water extends — a 
 distance of some ten or twelve miles — the length of land road, which would then be required 
 to reach Dog Lake, would be by so nmch shortened. But this is a mistake. Pointe de 
 Meurcn is, in an air line, somewhat further than either Fort William or the Depot from Dog 
 Lake, and there would, consequently, be no object in taking cargoes up a narrow channel to a 
 point which brought them no nearer to their destination. The branch line should, therefore,, 
 start from Fort William and not from Pointe de 3Ieuron. From the former place, the Dog 
 Lake Road can be reached in six or seven miles, while, from the latter, ten at least would bo 
 required, with corresponding increase in the outlay. A glance at the map will shew clearly 
 what I have endeavoured to explain. 
 
12 
 
 118 
 
 It has been objected to the Depot as a starting point, that it is shelterless and that the 
 ice will tear away any wharves that can be built. 
 
 Now, on reference to the map. it will be seen that Thunder Bay is itself a harbour, 
 althouirh of .somewhat larj^e dimensions, completely land-locked and sheltered from every 
 wind ;' any swell, therei'ure, which can bo I'elt must ari.^e within the bay itself. Tlio huge sur|ics 
 of Lake Superior do not roll into it at all, and it may be re.uardcd, to all practical puyitoses 
 in relation to the subject under consideration, as an inland lake. Lookinf-- upon it in thi.' 
 lip;ht, the startiuL' point at the Depot is in a bay of moderate depth, completely sheltered I'rom 
 the prcvaiiint? winds, which arc westerly. A jrlance at the map will show that it is safe from 
 winds blowing from the west, south-west, north and north-west, and, I may add, that a wind, 
 blowing from a direction fifteen or twenty i)oiiits to the east of north, would not affect it. 
 East, or south-easterly winds, alone, would blow in upon tlie harbour, but the extent of their 
 sweep would bo limited to the width of Thunder Bay, and the surge which could arise in that 
 distance may easily be guarded against. That the swell lias no great effect in Thunder Bay, 
 at any time, is demonstrated by tlic fact, that the trees grow clear down almost to the level of 
 the water, indeed, in .some places dipping their branches into it. AVhereas, in exposed parts of 
 Lake Superior, the wave-lashed shores are destitute of vegetation. 
 
 It hits been said, moreover, that the ice would carry wharves away, and, as convincing 
 proof of this, a boulder was pointed out to me which had been shoved ashore by the ice. I 
 merely notice this to show the sort of arguments which have been advanced to disparage 
 Thunder Bay and promote the Kaministaciiiia. If wharves cannot stand in the tranquil 
 waters of a land-locked bay they can stand nowhere, and those who object to them in Thunder 
 Bay, on the score of ice, can have had but little experience of such a river as the St. Law- 
 rence, where wharves are built to resist ice rushing against them in immense fields, with the 
 full force of the spring floods, as is the case at Three llivers when Lake St. Peter is 
 breaking up. 
 
 Among the advantages which the Dcp6t at Thunder Bay possesses, may be mentioned 
 the facility of approach or departure to sailing vessels, as they would have ample sea-room to 
 beat in or out, which they could not have in a narrow river like the Kaministaquia, with a 
 shoal at its mouth extending a full mile from the coast, and a very important point to be 
 considered is that Thunder Bay, as compared to the Kaministaquia, opens earlier in the spring 
 and remains open later in fall. As an instimce of this, it may be remarked that, in the fall 
 of 18(JG, when the Steamer Ahjoma made her last trip, the Kaministaquia is said to have 
 been frozen over, and that so strongly that the people of Fort William were skating on the ice. 
 
 From the Depot, eastward along the shore of Thunder Bay, the ground for a distance of 
 several miles is practicable for a road, and there are facilities for the construction of wharves, 
 in various places, more especially at a point a little to the eastward of Current River, where 
 there is a small natural harbour, which, by means of piers, might be sufficiently extended. 
 
 It was at one time believed that the upper or eastern end of Thunder Bay, affording as 
 it docs an excellent natural harbour, would have been a favorable point from which to run a line of 
 road to Dog Lake, but a careful examination shewed such a line to be impracticable, within 
 any reasonable limit of expenditure, on account of the rugged nature of the country over 
 which it would have had to pass. Moreover, to have adopted the head of the bay would have 
 increased the distance to be navigated by some forty miles, that is, including the addition both 
 ii< Dog Lake and the bay. 
 
 Referring, again, to the locality which has been chosen as the starting point at Thunder 
 Bay, it is admirably adapted for the construction of wharves. The water deepens uniformly 
 and gradually from the .shore until, at a distance of five hundred feet, it lias a depth of three 
 fathoms and a half Timber suitable for the work is very abundant on the Kaminista((uia, 
 whence it could be easily floated down, and on various parts of the shores there is abundance 
 of loo,sc stone for filling the piers, and the fixed rock, clo.sc at hand, is of a nature to be easily 
 blasted. 
 
 At present, it is proposed merely to sink an isolated pier or breakwater, at which ves.scl8 
 can discharge their loads, doing in fact no more than is necessary to facilitate the landing of 
 material and .supplies for the works, leaving it to future consideration whether the wharves 
 sliu.ll be extended at the public cost, or left to private enterprise. 
 
 I conclude this part of the Bubjcct by noticing still another route which has been advo- 
 cated namely; the 
 
 : 
 
 ransre 
 
 rr"^) 
 
 or conf 
 works 
 
 r 
 
 rising 
 part p 
 
 n 
 
 as con 
 .smalle 
 which 
 
ind that the 
 
 [■ a harbour, 
 iroiu every 
 huge surfics 
 cal purjxisi's, 
 )ou it in this 
 cltered i'roui 
 is sale I'miii 
 that ii winil, 
 not ail'cct it, 
 itont of their 
 arise in that 
 lunder Bay. 
 
 the level of 
 osed parts of 
 
 as convincing 
 )y the ice. I 
 i to disparage 
 
 1 the tranquil 
 ni in Thunder 
 i the St. Law- 
 iolds, with the 
 ; St. Peter in 
 
 be mentioned 
 )le sea-rooui to 
 taquia, with a 
 imt point to be 
 r in the spring 
 hat, in the fall 
 s said to have 
 ing on the ice. 
 )r a distance of 
 ion of wharves, 
 t River, where 
 y extended, 
 ly, affording as 
 I to run a line of 
 jticable, within 
 ic country over 
 my would have 
 le addition both 
 
 int at Thunder 
 pens uniformly 
 depth of three 
 Kaminista(iuia, 
 re is abundance 
 ure to be easily 
 
 it which vessels 
 ; the landing of 
 ler the wharves 
 
 has })ccn advo- 
 
 18 
 
 Nlpegon Bay Route. 
 
 Among the many schemes recommended for opening the North-west Territories, the head 
 of this bay has been suggested as a p)int of departure, chiefly on the ground that it affords 
 an excellent harbour, and that, by its adoption, the distance to be navigated in Lake Superior 
 would be somewhat shortened. 
 
 It is not, however, without its objections, and a conclusive one will be found in the fact 
 that it is too far to the eastward of the lino which it is propo.sed to open to render its adoption 
 in any way expedient. It would, in fact, involve at the outset a land road of ninety or a 
 hundred miles to roach the nearest ])oint beyond the water-sheJ, without any conipensating 
 advantage. Moreover, Nipegon Bay, being completely land-loeked, is said to be very late of 
 opening in the spring, and the access to it is reported to be so intricate as to re(|uire light- 
 houses and beacons to render it safe. Whereas, Thunder Bay is remarkably easy of access, 
 and has been for many years aiiproached, night and day, without the occurrence of an accident. 
 
 I may further state that a road from Nipegon Bay, to connect with the propo.sed line 
 west of the water-shed, would pass over a region as yet unexplored and only known to be 
 exceedingly mountainous and rough, and, as it would run in a direction transviTso to the 
 valleys, more than one mountain range would have to be crossed and several considerable 
 rivers bridged. 
 
 THE Lx\KE REGION. 
 
 Westward of the Height of Land, on the streams tributary to Rainy Lake, there is a 
 section of country renrirkable from the fact that a very con.sideriible portion of its area 
 is occupied by lakes. Those on the various routes which have been followed, are set down on 
 the annexed map, but these give only a faint idea of their number. Every river and rivulet 
 has its lakes. Go iu whatever direction he will, the explorer, on passing over a mountain 
 range, is sure to stumble on a lake. The Indians, with their little canoes, seem by means of 
 these lakes to travel in almost any and every direction. So numerous are they that it would 
 be diflScult to say whether the country would be better described as one vast laki; with ridges 
 of land running through it, or as land intersected by water. On ascending any of the bare 
 rocky bluffs frequent in the country, mountains are seen stretching away in tumultuous 
 and broken ridges to the horizon, with lakes gleaming from every valley which the eye can 
 reach. 
 
 Such a region is but ill adapted for railways, but nature has made up for the deficiency, 
 by providing such means for canals as exist in but few regions of so mountainous a character. 
 Between the hills and mountain ranges, tlun-e are long reaches of tran(|uil water which could 
 be connected together by means of lock and dam, with but little excavation. The 
 country, however, in its present state, is not in a condition to admit of such projects as either 
 railwjiys or canals, but, even if it were, the very primitive and moderate way in which I pro- 
 pose to open the communication would still be necessary, as a preliminary step, to render the 
 different points accessible. 
 
 A very marked characteristic of the region is that the streams are not subject to sudden 
 or considerable floods, and this is a feature which the engineer, who has to provide for water 
 works of whatever description, will look upon witli unmixed satisfaction. 
 
 This very favorable circumstance is due, primarily, to the lakes which .serve as reservoirs, 
 rising slowly during freshets and subsiding gradually when they have pa.s,sed. It is in 
 part produced, al.so, by the character of the country which is. in general, den.sely wooded. 
 
 The rain fall is excessive, and as a consquence the streams carry a very heavy volume, 
 as compared to the area which they drain. 
 
 The lakes arc everywhere studded with wooded islands, and so sheltered that the 
 smallest canoes arc rarely wind-bound. 
 
 The first considerable sheet of water westward of Height of Land, on the the route 
 which it is proposed to follow, is 
 
 Lac des Mille Lacs. 
 To render this Lake accessible from Dog River, all that is required is a road of ten 
 
14 
 
 miles across the water-shed, between Jourdain's Rapid and the navigable water of the Sa- 
 vane River. 
 
 This line would pass over very easy ground, presenting no engineering diffieulty what- 
 ever, except for about two miles near the i:)avane River, where the ground is low and swampy, 
 requiring to be well ditched and fascined. 
 
 Two routes have been Ibllowed from Lac des Millc Lacs to Rainy Lake ; one by its 
 discharge, the River Seine, and the other by the old canoe route. A description of the former 
 will be found in my printed report, pages 28 and 29. Subsequent to the publication of that 
 report, the old canoe route, marked in yellow on the accompanying plan, was more thoroughly 
 surveyed than it had been before. 
 
 Either route can be made practicable in the way I have recommended for the Seine, at 
 a moderate outlay, but, after duly weighing their respective advantages, I am satisfied that 
 the old canoe route will be, both as to economy of work in rendering it available, and facility 
 of managing and navigating it afterwards, the best. 
 
 The Canoe Route. 
 
 The canoe route, to describe it more particularly, leaves Lac des Mille Lacs at Baril 
 Bay, by a portage of sixteen chains leading to Baril Lake, which is eight miles and a half in 
 length. 
 
 This Lake is again left by the Brul6 Portage f of twenty-one chains), leading to Wimle- 
 goostegoon — a seri'S of Lakes, connected by a small stream and having an aggregate length 
 of twelve miles. — The water is in some places shallow, but it can easily be rendered of 
 sufficient depth. 
 
 Then comes the Great French Portage of one mile and sixty chains, the descent in that 
 distance being 99 ,'',.|'„ feet; succeeding which the Kaogissikok Lake, presents an unbroken reach 
 of fifteen miles, ending at the Pine Portage. 
 
 Then follow two portages in close succession — tlie Pine and the Deux Riviiires — in length, 
 respectively, twenty-six and thirty chains, but a road of two miles, to the navigable water 
 leading to Sturgeon Lake, would pass them both and a small pond between them. 
 
 Sturgeon Lake with a pond above it, presents IG miles of navigable water, but the river 
 below it, for eleven miles downwards to Island Portage, makes a descent of only 32 ,''„°(, feet ; 
 a dam of sufficient height at Island Portage would, therefore, add eleven miles of navigable 
 water to its length, making a reach of full twenty-seven miles. 
 
 Island Portage is about thirteen chains in length, with, in its present .state, a fall of 
 10|f,„,feet. Immediately below it the Sturgeon River is somewhat shallow, but navigable, 
 nevertheless, and, at two miles from the Portage, Nequaquon Lake presents a magnificent 
 expanse, navigable for fifteen miles, making, with the river at its inlet, a reach of seventeen 
 miles. 
 
 From the lake just named to the Nameukan Lake, there are three routes. The northern 
 one, by Snake Falls, always followed at low water, is considered dangerous, as maybe inferred 
 from its name, the " Maligne." 
 
 The southern, or high-water roulc, is easy of navigation for canoes, the total fall being 
 overcome in three short portages. The third, at present only used with light canoes, avoids all 
 the rapids by a portage of two miles into JNameukan, as shewn on the plan, overcoming in 
 that distance a descent of about seventy-two feet. 
 
 Then follows a traverse of ten miles, through Nameukan Lake, to the Bare Portage, 
 which is but eleven chains in length, with a fall of 8 •>^^Q feet to Rainy Lake. 
 
 The following table shews the distances, with the fall, at each carrying place, in a more 
 concise form: — 
 
 
 100 
 
 to the 
 would 
 miles— 
 by land 
 have to 
 being re 
 construe 
 but woi 
 Nameu 
 T 
 portanc( 
 
 A 
 
 ing the 
 the hit 
 the twc 
 
f the fa- 
 ulty what- 
 swampy, 
 
 ne by ita 
 the former 
 ion of that 
 loroughly 
 
 Seine, at 
 tisfied that 
 ind facility 
 
 cs at Baril 
 1(1 a half in 
 
 • to Windc- 
 ate length 
 rendered of 
 
 cent in that 
 )roken reach 
 
 —in length, 
 ['able water 
 
 )ut the river 
 32, so, feet; 
 of navigable 
 
 itc, a fall of 
 
 t navigable, 
 
 magnificent 
 
 of seventeen 
 
 ^he northern 
 f be inferred 
 
 ;al fall being 
 !S, avoids all 
 
 arc Portage, 
 
 c, m a more 
 
 15 
 
 Table shewing Portages and Navigable Reaches between Height of Land and 
 
 Fort Francos. 
 
 PORTAUES. 
 
 Baril Portage 
 
 15rul6 Portage 
 
 Dcsceut ir> Wiudegoostcgoon lakolcts and strcum. 
 French Portage 
 
 Land Carriage 
 
 Miles. Chains 
 
 a 
 
 Navigable Rencbci. 
 
 Pino and Deux Riviircs Porta;;«E 
 
 leland Portage and Fall, Sturgeon River 
 
 Portage between Nequaquon Lake and Nameukan 
 
 Lake 
 
 Buro Portage 
 
 Laud Carriage 
 Off 4- ... 
 
 21 
 
 'S'lvane River and Lao dcs 
 
 I Mille Lacs Baril Portage 
 
 + 1.86 JBaril Lake 
 
 -47.02 Windogoostegoon Lakes... 
 
 ; -y.50 I 
 
 OU -S9.71 jLittle Frenoh Lake aud 
 
 Kaogaseikok Lake 
 
 Sturgeon Lake and River 
 
 .a 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 42 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 11 
 
 41 
 
 DilT. k'vcl between Lao dcs Mille La'^s and 
 Rainy Lake 
 
 124.12 
 f lO.Ort 
 ( 32.50 
 
 72.00 
 8.55 
 
 403.46 
 l.SG 
 
 i: 
 
 27 
 
 [ Nequaquon Lake ' 17 
 
 Nameukan Lake 
 
 Rainy Lake and River.. 
 
 Navigable 
 Land Curriaso. 
 
 10 
 46 
 
 177i 
 CJ 
 
 401.80 1S4 
 
 Thu.s, between the head of the Sctvaue llivor and Fort Frances, the extent of navigable 
 water would be one hundred and seventy-.sov('u and a half miles, in eight ruachcs, divided by 
 .seven portages, the latter having an aggregate length of six miles and fijrty -one chains ; in round 
 numbers, six miles and a half At a very little outlay, however, over what I am about to 
 propose, the navigable reaches could be souiowhat extended and the number of carrying places 
 reduced to five. 
 
 For example, the diiference in level between Lac des Mille Lacs and Baril Lake is hardly 
 two feet, the latter being by so much the highest. If, tiierel'ore, hue des Mille Lacs were 
 raised by means of a dam to the level of Baril Lake, and a cut made between the two, eight miles 
 aud a half would be added to the navigable reach of Mille Lacs, aud one portage done away 
 with. 
 
 In like manner, the difference in level between Nameukan and Rainy Lakes is but 
 
 Q ,'>o 
 °l 00 
 
 feet, which might be overcome by a wooden lock, thus addinji some ten miles 
 
 to the navigable water of Kaiiiy Lake, and avoiding another trans-shipment. There 
 would then remiiin only five portages, in a distance of one hundred and eighty-four 
 miles — One hundred and severty-seveu and a half miles being })y water and a little over six 
 by land— On three of the portages, averaging about two miles each, horses or oxen would 
 have to be maiutained, while, on tiie remaining two, namely : Brule and Island Portages, 
 being respectively but twenty-one a"d thirteen chains in length, wooden-ways might be so 
 constructed as to admit of hand cars being drawn over them with facility. I point this out, 
 but would not recommend, for the present, either a cut at Baril Lake or a lock to connect 
 Nameukan and Rainy Lake. 
 
 The following arc the works which I ci insider of the most pressing aud immediate im- 
 portance in this division : — 
 
 Dnm at Little Falls, Riviere La Seine 
 
 A dam at (his point, if of sufficient height, say forty-two feet, would have the effect of rais- 
 ing the water of Lac des Mille Jiaes tn a level eipial with, or a little higher than Baril Lake, 
 the latter being 1 ,",,"0 feet above the level of 3Iille L:ies, so that, by a mere cut, 
 the two could be eounocted, and, iu the event of more extensive works being undertaken 
 
16 
 
 at some future period, it would bo no small matter to have the water of Mille Lacs at command, 
 for, until after passing French Portage, the supply of water on the canoe route, although ample 
 for the works now proposed, is not sufficient for the more extensive improvements whit h 
 will doubtless be required in the future. 
 
 Among the further advantages of this dam would be the additional depth which it would 
 give over an extensive shoal just at the mouth of the Savnne River. 
 
 Moreover, in the event of a land road all the way between Lac dcs Mille Laos and 
 Rainy Lake becoming necessary, a dam at the Little Falls would extend the navigable waters 
 of Mille Lacs to within a distance of seventy miles of Rainy Lake. The construction of such 
 a road has been strongly urged by various parties who have manifested a deep interest in open- 
 ing the communication, chiefly under the idea that it would greatly expedite the conveyance 
 of mails. 
 
 It must be borne in mind, however, that taking into account the character of 
 the country, .seventy miles of road, made in such a way as to be really useful, in 
 a region so remote, would cost not less than one hundred and twenty thousand dol- 
 lars. It is, therefore, a matter for consideration whether for the present the less 
 expensive way would not be the best, and whether if such a sum, instead of being ap- 
 plied to making a road, Averc expended on the construction of locks to extend the navigable 
 reaches, it would not have a better effect, even as regards the transport of mails, inasmuch as 
 steamers might then be placed to advantage on reaches now too short to admit of their being 
 used. 
 
 The situation at the Little Falls is admirably adapted for a dam, the river at that point pa.ss- 
 ing through a cut in the rock with high rocky banks on either side. To have the desired effect 
 of raising the water of Lac des JVIiile Lacs to the extent of about three feet over its present level, 
 the dam would reijuire to be forty-two feet in height. From a rough estimate made by me 
 when on the ground, I have set down its co.«t at twenty thousand dollars. If, however, the 
 mere raising of Lac des Mille Lacs were the only object in view, it could bo attained by a 
 much less costly structure at its immedi.'ite outlet. 
 
 Taking the works proposed in their regular order from Lac des Mille Lacs to Rainy 
 Lake, the improvement next required would be at — 
 
 Baril Portaye. 
 
 This is the portage or carrying place, between Lac doa Mille Lacs and Baril Lake, 
 in lengtli sixteen chains. For the present it is merely proposed to improve the portage and 
 place a tramway upon it for liand cars. Baril Lake is, as stated, 1 ,^jf„ feet above the level of 
 Mille Lacs, and, when the latter is raised by means of the dam propo-sed, a cut might easily 
 be made to connect the two lakes and do away with the portage, as already said. 
 
 r>ruU Portage, 
 
 Here, also, it is proposed to place a tramway. The present length of the portage is 
 twenty-one chains, but the brook forming the Ji.'^charge of Baril L.ako cim bo so improved as 
 to reduce the distance to ton chains. IMie ditference of h\d between the water of Baril 
 Lake and tlii; lower end of the portage is 47,;-;^ feet. 
 
 I)(nn at luuid of French Pntivje. 
 
 The cflfect of this dam would be to raise the water of the Windcgoostegoon Lakes, 
 which is in some places shallow, and do away with a little rapid where there is a fall of three 
 feet. The channel, where the dam is to be "built, is of solid rock, eighty feet in width, with 
 rocky banks on each side. Tlie structure would be an ordinary flat dam, built of unhewn 
 timber and covered in front with timbers hewn to six inches, raised to the height of twelve 
 feet, with a flood gate fifteen feet in width, provided with stop logs and the means of raising 
 them, in the same manner as at the head gates of a slide. A work of this extent would cost 
 in ordinary circumstances about twelve hundred dollars, but considering the remoteness of 
 the situation and the cost of getting men, supplies, etc., [ have set it down at sixteen hundred 
 dollars. 
 
 French Portoge. 
 
 This carrying-place is one mile and sixty chains in length, and the fall from its eastern 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 Tl 
 lenjrthl 
 
 I 
 
 of the I 
 
17 
 
 )f' 
 
 command, 
 mgli amplo 
 cuts which 
 
 ih it would 
 
 Laos niid 
 ;iiblo waters 
 lion of sucli 
 est in open- 
 conveyanco 
 
 laractflr of 
 useful, in 
 ousand dol- 
 thc less 
 bcinj^ ap- 
 ho navifijablo 
 inasmuch as 
 f their bcin;^ 
 
 it point pass- 
 desired efiFcct 
 present level, 
 made by nie 
 however, the 
 ittained by u 
 
 acs to Rainy 
 
 Baril Lake, 
 3 portage and 
 the level of 
 
 might easily 
 
 he portage is 
 ) improved as 
 iter of Baxil 
 
 egoon Lakes, 
 a fall of three 
 n width, with 
 ilt of unhewn 
 ght of twelve 
 ans of raising 
 nt would cost 
 remoteness of 
 itoon hundred 
 
 Dm its eastern 
 
 b 
 
 end to the Little Lake at its western extremity i)0,''„'j Au't, a difference of level whieh 
 forbids any attempt to encounter the river lor the present. Tiicre is nothing tor it, therefore, 
 but a road, and for this the ground, altliouv'h soinev/liat hilly, is not unfavorable. French 
 Portage is succeeded by a navigable reach of lifteen miles, emlM-ai;iiig Kaogaskok Lake and 
 ending at Pine Portage. 
 
 Fine Portii'je and Deux liivilres Purlar/es. 
 
 These two portages may be considered as one, and have to be passed by a land road of 
 two miles at a Frencli Portage, as the river could only be rendered available at an outlay 
 which must form a subject for consideration in the future, the fall being 124 '-^ feet. At 
 present, a land road of the required distance (two miles) can be made over ground somewhat 
 rough, but on the whole favorable. This road would end at the navigable water leading to 
 Sturgeon Lake, and the next work required would be the 
 
 Dam at Island Portaje, 
 
 This is one of the must important works on the whole line of route, as its construction 
 would give an unbroken reach of twenty-seven miles of navigable water, through the very 
 roughest section of the Lake Region. Sturgeon Lake, which would iorni a link in this stretch, 
 is sixteen miles in length, navigable throughout. From its discharge to Island I'ortage, the 
 distance is eleven miles, and the aggregate fall ''VI i\\\^ I'eet. T lie carrying-place is on an island 
 just at the brow of a fall of ten feet. Sturgeon River is, at this point, three hundred and 
 thirty-feet wide, with a bottom of solid rock, and rocky banks on either side rising with a 
 moderate ascent. Here it is proposed to construct aflat dam of the simplest form, but, at the 
 same time, the strongest, and, in this instance, I see no object in going t« the expense of 
 making flood gates. The height of the dam would be not less than thirty-five feet. The 
 quantity of timber used in its construction will reach eighty thousand lineal feet, and timber 
 of the finest description, both red and white pine, is available ; but, considering the remote- 
 ness of the locality, its cost, built into the work, cannot be reckoned at less thr.n seveu- 
 teeu cents per foot, equal to Iburteen thousand lour hundred dollars, add to which lor filling, 
 &c., three thousand six hundred dollars, making eighteen thousand dollars as set down in the 
 estimate. 
 
 Dams at Nequaquon. 
 
 Inuuediately below Island Portage, Sturgeon River is sliallow, but deepens, gradually, 
 till, at a distance of some two miles, itopensout in Ne(iua([Uon ]iake. The main or northern 
 outlet of this lake is over a rocky bottom, and, across this, T propose to run a low flat dam, 
 so as to give a suflicicncy of water below Island Portage, at the shoals just mentioned. The 
 southern outlet is smaller but would also require dam, and for these works I have included 
 in the estimate a sum of four thousand dollars. 
 
 Portaije between Nequaquon and Nameukan. 
 
 This Portage leads from the smooth water, at the western ?nd of Nequaquon Lake, to 
 a bay of the Nameukan Lake— its length is two miles and the descent from one lake to the 
 other about seventy-two feet. The ground is rough and difficult, but in the estimate I have 
 included it with the other portages, and taken a general average for the whole. From thia 
 Portage a reach of ten miles of navigable water ends at 
 
 Bare Portage. 
 This is the last carrying-place to Rainy Lake 
 
 The the descent is 8,''„^o 
 
 feet, and the 
 
 length of the portage — eleven chains — can be much reduced by a little excavation. 
 
 LAKE OF THE WOODS DIVISION. 
 
 This comprises the navigable reach extending from Fort Frances to the northwest angle 
 of the Lake of the Wood.s, a distance of one hundred and twenty miles. 
 
 At Fort Frances, there is a complete and sudden chanue in the appearance of the coun- 
 3 
 
18 
 
 try, ami an cvulcnt improvciiicnt in tlio olimuti'. The ever recurrintr rocks ami hills of tlio 
 lake n'^'ioii (iis.ippciir, and, ill contrast to these, ans ooinniodiou.s huiUlinjrs, a iiiriu of Mtiiic 
 extent, and cattle ^rrazinu' in tlie tields, with a broad river Hwecpin},' westward between bankn 
 of deep alluvial soil. 
 
 llainy River is, here, a stream of jrreat volume, nearly a i|uarter of a mile in width. 
 The Kails (1^2,",,';, lect in liei::iit) are just opposite tiie Fort, and from tliis ])oint to the 
 northwest ande of the Luke of the Woodn (a distance of one hundred and twenty miles, as 
 stated ), tlie navi.i;ation is uninterrupted. 
 
 Then; arc, liowcvcr, two little rapids on llainy River, the Manitou and the Lon^' llajiids, 
 ooeurrin;; about halfway tn the Lake of the Woods, as set down on the aeeompanyimr map. 
 The first, with a I'all of 2/;,"„ Icet, ha.s ^reat dejith of water, and eould easily be stemmed by 
 a .steamer of moderate power: The Lonu' Rapid may have a fall of iJJ to 4 feet, distributed 
 over a distance of some thirty chains. In this rapid the water "glides smoothly, but is in 
 some places shalluw. I think, however, that, even at the lowest staL'e of water, a vessel 
 drawini,' i'our fiet could ])ass. In any ease, the bottom is of a nature to be easily deepened, 
 if required. Tl, i strength of the current presents no serious obstacle, as canoes can bo pad- 
 dled up. reipiirinu' the use of the settinjj; poles at only two points. At the Manitou the 
 tow line has, irenerally, to be used. 
 
 Any impediment in thes:e rapids, therefore, would be so easily overcome, that it is hardly 
 worth estiiuatiuL', and, to all practical purpo.ses, the navigation in this Ion}.; reach may be re- 
 tianlcil as uninterrupted. 
 
 In my preliminary repurt, as already said, before the later explorations were made, in the 
 country westward of the Lake of the Woods, Lac Plat was sut:L,'csted as the startinjij point 
 of a road to l'\)it (iarry, chiefly because it was supposed to be the jtoint which would in- 
 volve the making of the smallest extent of road. The western extremity ol' Lac IMat is, 
 however, one hundred and lifty-eiiiht miles from Fort I'^ranecs, while the northwest angle, 
 which is now adopted as the starting jioint, is but one hundred and twenty miles; a saving of 
 thirty-eight miles is thus efleetcd in navigating the Lake of the Woods. 
 
 Before concluding this part of the subject, I would draw attention to the fact that two 
 locks at Fort Frances, where the fall is 22,^,|'|, feet, would have the effect of adding Rainy 
 Lake to th(! navigable reach which I have just been describing, giving one hundred and sixty- 
 six miles without a trans-shipment. 
 
 FORT GARRY SECTION. 
 
 As already explained, a good deal of difficulty was experienced in finding a line prac- 
 ticable for a road, by which to get through the marshy region intervening between the Lake 
 of the Woods and the prairie eastward of the Red River Settlement. 
 
 This .section of country presents to the eye, in its general character, the appearance of 
 an undeviating flat. From the Lake of the Woods, for a distance of twenty-five or thirty 
 miles westward, swamps of great extent, covered with mo.ss and stunted evergreens, arc of 
 fref|uent occurrence. Tn other sections, considerable areas ;ire occupied by marshes or 
 shallow lakes, with bull-rushes and other aquatic plants standing out of the water. Tn the 
 latter cases, the bottom, after a certain depth is attained, is generally firm, while, in the swamps, 
 in some instances, the surface covering is itself afloat, and heaves and undulates beneath the feet, 
 presenting a quagmire or peatbog, on an extensive scale. This description applies more par- 
 ticularly to the section nearest to the Lake of the Woods. On approaching the prairie, the 
 swamps arc less extensive and the ground in general more favorable. In the swampy sec- 
 tions, however, there are some areas of dry ground and good soil, and, where the bogs are 
 deepest, they are intersected by low gravelly ridges which ri.se but a few feet over the general 
 level. These ridges arc firm, and their direction can be traced by the heavy growth of wood 
 which they carry. Flat and level as the country appears to be, it is susceptible of being 
 drained. The section most .swampy, although but slightly higher than the Lake of the 
 Woods, is at an elevation of over three hundred feet above the valley of Red River, and, 
 wherever a run of water is met with, except in the lake-like swamp?, it is seen gliding on 
 with a speed which indicates a suflicicnt fall for drainage. 
 
 ^ 
 
liills of tlio 
 
 rm t)f'KOiiit' 
 
 twi'cii baiik^ 
 
 V. ill width, 
 mint ti) tlio 
 y mile.-", mm 
 
 jdii^ llai)iils, 
 anyiuir map. 
 stomiiiecl by 
 , distributed 
 but i.s in 
 ;er, a ve.«scl 
 \y ilecpeuod, 
 can bo pad- 
 Manitou the 
 
 t it is hardly 
 h may be re- 
 made, in the 
 ;tartin<^ point 
 ieh would in- 
 Lac Vhit is, 
 tluvest angle, 
 s; a saving of 
 
 fact that two 
 idding Rainy 
 red and sixty- 
 
 iig a lino prac- 
 rccn the Lake 
 
 appearance of 
 -five or thirty 
 rgreens. are of 
 f marshes or 
 rater. In the 
 in the swamps, 
 neath the feet, 
 )lios more par- 
 he prairie, the 
 swampy scc- 
 c the bogs are 
 cr the general 
 rowth of wood 
 )tible of being 
 ! Lake of the 
 cd lliver, and, 
 een gliding on 
 
 The principal wtroams in the region are the lirokon Head Hiver, tin; White Mouth 
 lliver, ami the lloseau or Uiver of Uo.ses, 
 
 The latter takes its rise in the Ignited States Territory and runs westward, at a slmrt 
 distance from, and nearly parallel to, the Boundary J^ine, till it joins the Red River, ii little 
 to the north of IVmbina. This stream forms a link in the ancient war-]iatli of the Saulteux 
 Indians to the country of their enemies — the Sioux. The {{roken lleail runs north to Lake 
 Wiimepeg, while the White Mouth falls into the Winnepeg Jtiver, just above the Seven Port- 
 ages. The section which I have just been describing, except in the swamps and marshes, i.s 
 densely wooded. Westward of this is the Prairie, having a depth of thirty miles to the i-a.st- 
 ward of Red River. This I'rairio does not meet the woudeil region, as nii-'ht be supposed, 
 gradually merging from prairie to woodland, but abruptly and at oner. It .seem to be an 
 ancient lake bottom, still nearly as level as u lake, and geiii'rally without wood. Bordering 
 on this is the wooded region, with points stretching into the ])lain, like the headlands of :i lake, 
 tlust where the prairie and woodland meet, there are, in some places, banks ol' gravel which 
 will eventually becom of importance, as material for forming roadways over the .<oft and 
 yielding soil of the plams. 
 
 From Fort Garry to the north-west angle ol' the liak(! of the Woods, a road line has been 
 laid out, and its practicability proved by the I'uct that, for several years, it was used as a post 
 road aud the mails carried over it on horseback. Wlu'cled vehicles, except in very wot 
 weather, can already travel over the Prairie, and, taking the line altogether, its average cost, 
 to form a first class country road, will bo rather under than over the general avcrago of such 
 works. 
 
 Todcbcribo it more particularly, starting from the north-west angle ol'the Lake of the 
 Woods, the ground, for a distance of fifteen miles, is low and swampy, re(|uiriiig deep and ex- 
 tensive outs for draining, added to which the roadway lor several inil(>s, will renuire to be 
 fascined — no large bridges on this section. 
 
 J'roceediug westward, there is a niarked improvement in the next ten niiles, but the 
 ground is still very swampy. Material lor faseining and bridging aboinids, and two small 
 bridges have to be made, on tributaries of the White Mouth lliver. Taking the above as one 
 section of twenty-five miles, reckoning *rom the Jjake ol'tlu; Woods, T set its .-iviTage cost at 
 sixteen hundred dollars per mile, cnuai cO fiu-ty thousand dollars; still pro(;eeding westward 
 for thirty-five miles (which may bo regarded as one section) the groinid is inucli improved in 
 character. For some four or five miles, near die White Mouth lliver, nothing better could 
 be desired. Then follows a series of low gravelly ridges, over many portions ol' which little 
 more has to be done than to grub out the trees. An oecasinnal intrusiou from an adjoining 
 swamp has to be fa.scined, and bridges will be rcijuired over the Broken Head and White 
 ^fouth Rivers. For this .section,! have set down one thousand dollars per mile, i;i all thirty- 
 five thousand dollars. 
 
 The nest section is over low prairie embracing a di'^tanee of ,tbout thirty miles, from a place 
 where there are a few Indian huts, called '• Oak Point Settlement," to Fort Garry. For 
 this section, I have set down four hundred dollurs jier mile, which mny appear to be a Uav 
 estimate for a road, but all that can I)o done for if, without going to a very great outlay, is 
 to drain it thoroughly, and, if this were done, it would be as L'ood as tlu' roads at Red River 
 generally are. A road on a prairie has this advantage, that when the turf cuts and the wheels 
 begin to sink in one track, another is always available, the width being ([uite uidimited. 
 
 To render the section under consideration ])ractic;dple in this way. one deep diteii is 
 necessary, with a little faseining ami raising of tlie roadway in the lower pai'ts. Lateral cuts, 
 of considerable length, will have to be made to drain the water from the main treneh. All 
 which can be accomplished at an average cost of four hundred dollars per mile, making in all, 
 twelve thousand dollars for the Prairie Section. 
 
20 
 
 2utal Length of h'outc by Land and Water. 
 
 Lnn.l Miles. Chiiin*. 
 
 T)o<^ L;ik(' Tlnnil -5 
 
 Dipi; liuk(! anil Uivor 
 
 lKi>;lit oI'Lanii I'orttifri! 10 
 
 Lac (IcH Millo Jiacs and /Savant llivor 
 
 Baril I'ortairo 16 
 
 Baril Lake 
 
 Brulu I'ortajio 21 
 
 Win Jojino.sti'KOfiii 
 
 Froiic'li 1 *ort auo - 
 
 Kiiuahsikok 
 
 Deux Kivi^ro - 
 
 Stiirfrcon Lako 
 
 Island I'orta-o 18 
 
 Ne(|ua(|Ui)ii 
 
 N('(|ua(|urm Tortafrc '- 
 
 Nouu'ukan Lako 
 
 Bare IVtat^o 11 
 
 llainy Luki; 
 
 Fort Frances 10 
 
 llainy River and Lake of the Woods 
 
 Fort Gurry i'<> 
 
 131 71 
 
 Water Mil8«. 
 
 4-' 
 
 12 
 If) 
 27 
 17 
 10 
 46 
 120 
 
 3:^2i 
 13r 
 
 4^]^ 
 
 ESTIMATE. 
 
 The probaliio cost of oponinj.' tlic coninmnication. in the way I have proposed, from 
 Joiirdain's Rapid, at the head of the naviirable water on Dog River, to Fort Garry, would 
 be as foUowp: — 
 
 Lake Rcijiov. 
 
 Roads and iniprovenicnts at Tleiiilit of Land, between D02 River 
 
 and L .(• de>- Mille Lac.-; .' 811,000 00 
 
 Dam, with flnod-Lrates. at eastern end Great Frencli I'ortape... . 1,(100 00 
 Dam, thirty-tivc feet hiuh, across ^turizeon River, at Island 
 
 rortail'e '. '. 18.000 00 
 
 Two low flat dams, at Ne(|ua(|non Lake 4,000 00 
 
 Dam, at Little Falls (Two F.'ills Porta-(' on tlie River Seine)... 20,000 00 
 Six and a half miles road and tramway over portages, between 
 
 Lac des Mille Lacs and Rainy Lake 10,400 00 
 
 §05,000 00 
 
 Land Roads (Fort Garri/ Scctmi). 
 
 Ninety miles land road, between north-west ani.de 
 of the Lake of the Woods and Fort Garry, 
 would cost for twenty-five miles. Eastern Sec- 
 tion, at 81,600 per mile 840,000 00 
 
 Thirtv-fivc miles, Middle Section, at 81,000 per 
 
 mile 35,000 00 
 
 Thirty miles, Western Section, over low prairie, at 
 
 8400 per mile 12,000 00 
 
 87,000 00 
 
 8152,000 00 
 
SI 
 
 liter Milea. 
 
 ^5 
 12 
 
 8J 
 12 
 15 
 27 
 17 
 10 
 46 
 120 
 
 lar 
 
 463i 
 
 ropoBcd, from i 
 Garry, would J 
 
 100 00 
 ;oo 00 
 
 100 00 
 00 00 
 100 00 
 
 00 00 
 
 00 00 
 
 00 00 
 
 100 00 
 
 Olhir Wiir/ii {Lii/ie Sup>rlur Strlion). 
 
 A i>ier rcf|uiriMl at the Di'pOt, Tlimidrr IJay, Laki' 
 
 Superior 82,r)(»0 00 
 
 Seven iiiiK's land road, to coniiccf Fort William 
 
 with J)o|r Lake Jiiiie 7,000 00 
 
 ?!»:)()(» 00 
 
 eitii,r)0(» 00 
 
 yuporinteudeuco and coiitin;,'cucics r),00(» 00 
 
 8100,500 00 
 
 TIio above doiM not iricludn such nf the works, in tlie hake Siipt-rior .section, im were 
 provided i'or in the -^rant of llt'tylivc tlidusand nine hundred dollars made la,>-t year, except a 
 road at the IIei;,ditof Land, which is allowed tor in the present estimate. This was necessary, 
 inasmuch as the total ^'rant of last yi'ar will he rei|uin:d to enmpiete the road to Doj; Jiake, 
 and finish the dam, which latter was I'mmd to invnlve a little iiKiro work than anticipated, ou 
 account of tiie necessity which has arisen of ruunin^ an additional dam. almi',' a rocky ridge 
 of low };round, south of the outlet of Dog Lake. 
 
 rKOBAHLK TUAri'lO. 
 
 Within the la.st few years, since the North-west Territories have begun to uttract .so much 
 attention, many .schemes liave been !i(lvMnced and many snguestinns made, as to the best means 
 of ofHining the communication. Without going, for the present, into the merits of these .schemes, 
 I would draw attention to the fact that the country between liake Superior and the Ked River 
 Settlement is a wilderness, as yet in a stateof nature; that, except to the canoe of the Indian 
 or the voyager, it is quite inaecessihle in its presi'iit state, and that until some way of getting 
 through it is devised, there can be no means of taking even th(! initiatory steps in the con.strue- 
 tion of works of groat magnitude, such as railways or canals. A line (if cemmunieatiou such 
 as I have propo.sed would render the country accessible, and, when it is completed, it will be 
 time enough to entertain i:reater projects. 
 
 Hut, while taking this view ol' its utility. 1 nui^t .-iI-d dr.".w attentiiiii to the fact that the 
 opening of the communication, even in this simple \^ ly, would have the immediate effect of 
 drawing the trade of the North-west Territories to Canada. 
 
 The people of Red River, at present, jiurchase their goods in St. Paul, and take them 
 from thence lull six liundred iiiilos. nn r/,nii/, to the Settlement ; sometinics, indeed, there is a 
 small steamer Vi'hieh runs on Red liiver during liigh water, but, as a general rule, the goods 
 which the settlers re(|uire are c.irted all the way through, and the cost of freight is generally 
 reckoned at from four and a half to live doll.irs per KMi i! -. 
 
 Now, from an estimate which T. h.ive m;i(le, 1 lid eonfident that if liie conuiiunication 
 were opened, even in the primitive way suggested, the eo.-t of transport from Lake Superior 
 to the Rod River Settlement W(UiliI not exceed ^l.T.') ])er 100 lbs., but. supposing that it shcmld 
 cost as much as two <lolIars. it would still beless. l»y o\er one-half, than the cost of freight from 
 St. i*aul, and, when the vastly cheaper rate at wliieii gor.ds can be purchased in Canada, as 
 compared to Minnesota, is coiisiilered, it is but re.ison.able to sujipo.se that the trade must 
 (!onie this way. 
 
 I have only .alluded, so f;ir, to tlie trade of the Settlement, or rather of the settlers, apart 
 from that of the Hudson's Bay Company, but I think the latter might be looked ibr, also; for 
 the able oificera who manage that ancient and honorable corporation, as soon as they saw that 
 they could get their .supplies cheai)er by Lake Superior than l)y Hudson's Bay, or St. Paul, 
 would at once adopt the route. It is clear, therel()re, that by opening the communication, in 
 the manner proposed, a trade, amounting to several millions of dollars annually, would be at 
 once transferred to Canada. Even as a matter of speculation, without reference to political 
 considerations, or the vast Held which would be opeiuHl to colonization, it would be a safe 
 enterprise to open the line. 
 
•35 
 
 It is (I rirciiniHlntK fin* Hiuall iinportnnci', in rcconinioncHng the oxiiomlituro of money 
 
 oil II pulilif work, til Im' iilili^ lo show tliiit, wlitii i'oiii|il('ti'(l, it will at once li(';.'iii to yield ji 
 return. In tiie jm^ent, in,>.t;m('i'. tiio return would not, ip|'eour«e, he in the Mliiipe oftollM nn 
 the works, liut in the wiiy el" inereiisin;,' tnide, find eoiise(|uently iiiereasin^' the revenue, tlie 
 layiiiL' open of extensive Iraet.s of fertile territory for settlement, and the development of a 
 distriet now known to lie rieh in mineral re.nourees. 
 
 The State of Minnesota has, ol' late, heiiiL; doiie,' a piod deal to facilitate intereourse and 
 trade with tin- Ked Uiver Settlement. PurinK »!>'' summer now iipproaeliintr. ii tri-weekly 
 line (if >ta'_'es will he e.slahlislieil, mails will lie delivered every ^^eeond day, and the people, cut 
 olf from Canada, will n.iturally draw closer to the only iieiLihiiors with whom they can Imld 
 intereoiirhe, and, if this state of thiiiL's eoniinms Ion.', they must become a community of the 
 I'nitcil States, rather than a Uritish (lohmy. 
 
 Now, it is evident, tint if the trade of the North-West .Territories ii* of Viilite to .Miniie- 
 Hotn, it ouLrht to he of some importance to Canada, and, if the people of a new st.ite see 
 iidvanta!.'e in taxinj; their scanty rcMiurees, to make roads .iiul keep u|) lines of sta^'cs to 
 attract that trade. ov> r/umf, Hurely the |)ominion, with much fireater facilities and more 
 (iinple resources midit (hi a little to ohtaiii it, wlien nearly two-third* of the distance wouhl 
 be liy na\iirahle water. 
 
 TIIE MKANH OF TUANSPOKT. 
 
 When till traflie of the lied River Settlement and the North-wcHt Territories iuw onco 
 fairly he;,'un to take the mute by Lake Superior, private enterprise will j-oon fall upon tho 
 means by which transport can be mo.st ea.-ily effected. 
 
 Land C'lirriiii/'. 
 
 In .0 meantime, I may .suL'uest the mode, whicli, in the lirst instniiee, must be resorted 
 to. At Lake Superior, of course, when the communication is once completely opened, there 
 will, no doubt, be ample competition I'or tlie eonveyaneo of articles over the road to Doi^ Lake, 
 ;n there jjrobably will be at the Ileiu'lit "f iiand Portafre also. 
 
 .\t three of the portajres in the interior, however, namely, the Kreueh, Deux Riviere.^ 
 and Ne<|uai)Uon I'ortaircs, averairini; two miles each, horses and oxen will have to be main- 
 tained for a time. At the IJaril, Brule, Ishmd and Rare Portages, tramways will be arran,u;ed 
 ii>r hand ear.^, the 1 itter lieini; short. 
 
 liutwerii the Xortli-west anule of the Laki' of the Woods and Fort (larry, no provision 
 would have to bi^ made, a.s the means of conveyance .arc abundant at the Red River Settle- 
 ment. 
 
 On the shorter reaches, bmt.-, sucb as tbe riudson's Ray Company use in the tr.uisport 
 of j^oods from York F.-ictory to thi; Red River Settlement, woulil be thi; best. They cirry 
 about live tons, and are easily drawn over a jiorlaue. Such l)oats would answer well between 
 Ijae lies Millo Lacs and Fort !•' ranees. Once the conimuiiieation was fairly established, a 
 relay of boats mif;ht be kept on each reacb, and then nnicli larirer ve.ssi Is mi^ht be onphiyed. 
 
 In the loni:(>r reaches, steamers nuLdit be useil to advaiitaue. jiml would probably — most 
 eert.iiiily, if the tratrie Ineanie extensive — be more eeonimiieal th:e,i boats. 
 
 There would be in all five reaches in which I think it would lie desirabli! to have small 
 steamers, namely : — 
 
 On Doh; Lake and River ;>r> miles navigable. 
 
 .S'uofjflxr River and Lac den Millo Lacs 42 " 
 
 Sturireon Lake and River 27 '" 
 
 Rainy Lake 4(; '• 
 
 Fort Frances to North-west Anule 120 " 
 
 I 
 
 or s;i 
 
 270 miles. 
 
 Thus, in five reaches, amountlnjr in the ajriireirate to two hundred and .seventy miles, 
 the shortest of which wouhl be twenty-seven miles in Icnjith. small steamer.-', of a cheap class, 
 
 pound.'' 
 have .sel 
 the St. 
 hundret 
 pounds, 
 per 100 
 In 
 .Vniile ai 
 20(')0 j; 
 In 
 Suv'iuv 
 cipial ti 
 can ixo ii 
 boat wit 
 be, Ibr II 
 relay of 
 f;ons on 
 per 100 
 Foi 
 pounds, 
 is a verj 
 In 
 
til yii'lil II 
 
 (if toll.i 1)11 
 
 voiiiu', the 
 iiiM'tit t'l" a 
 
 tri wi'ckly 
 |ii'(i|)lt', cut 
 y ciiii liciM 
 nity 111" tlii^ 
 
 til Miiiiu'- 
 V stiito set' 
 I' st!i;^cs to 
 
 Mild iiiiirc 
 nice would 
 
 (.'s liiiB onco 
 11 tiixm tlio 
 
 bo rnsortcd 
 MMicd, there 
 ) Ddi^ Lake', 
 
 iix Uivit'ivs 
 ti> lio main- 
 he arrauifed 
 
 no provision 
 .liver Settle- 
 
 he transport 
 They carry 
 well het\V(!en 
 itablishod, a 
 )e einphiyed, 
 hahly — most 
 
 II have small 
 
 ^•lU' 
 
 ;il)le. 
 
 3venty miles, 
 I cheap class, 
 
 28 
 
 luinht b»i used to advaiita'^'e. (Jnidiially. as iiiiproveiiieiit advanced, the reaches mi'^ht ti« 
 
 eiiiinected loplhiT liy means ol' locks, and then, of course, la r;:er vessels would come into jijiiy. 
 
 In the live shorter navi;.'ahle reielie< of the '• Lake Ue;;ioii," boats i^ueh ii> I ha\e ou^. 
 ^csleil. or indeed ,-eow-> or Itoals of any kind, mijiht lie used, m, I'or inslMiiee. in 
 
 Uaril Lake s J milcH, 
 
 Win(K'j;(iostepioii 12 " 
 
 Kao'jiassikok I,'> >• 
 
 Nci|iia(iuiiii liiike 17 " 
 
 Nuiiieiikaii 10 •' 
 
 , Ci-J miles. 
 
 Five roaches, j,'iviii^ sixty-two miles and ii hall' I'ui unliniry row-boats and scows. 
 
 (■'osf ('/ Fn I'ljhl. 
 
 With these arraii,u;emeiits on tiie carrying;' places and iiavij,'able reaehes. the cost of 
 IVeiiilit woulil be nearly as follows : — 
 
 li'i miles land carria;;e, to Don Lake !'."> cents. 
 
 Iir) miles water earriaj,'!!, throiiLth Uo^r Uiver and Jiake H " 
 
 lt> miles land carriage, Height of Land IJ 
 
 IHI miles, to Fort Frances, land and water , (H> 
 
 120 miles, Fort Frances to Lake ol' Woods, in stj-aiiuiv or barges 
 
 carryini;- say tit'ly to one hniKlred tons H " 
 
 90 miles. Northwest Aiij^le to Fori <.larry, hy land SO 
 
 401 miles, !?I '.IIJ " 
 
 or say e-ven two dollars per lOO lbs. 
 
 This would be h'ss than half the cost of freiL:ht IVoiii St. i'aul, whiili is .fl.r)0 per 
 10(1 lbs., and, .<iiiiietinies, live dollars. 
 
 I have set down the cost of transport purposely hi;;h, aithoni;h in some placi.s it may 
 appear low; for example, between the North-west An.^le and Fort (iarry, I have put down 
 eij^hty cents pt'r one hundred pounds, a.-; the cost, in a distaiieeof ninety miles. In estinialinj^ 
 the accuracy of this, it must, in the lirst |ilaee, be considered that horses ami carts are ahiin- 
 daiit at Red River. Horses are very numeroas and there is hut little employment for them, 
 and the people make their own carts and harness, which althoutrh very servii'eablt;, are very 
 cheap; they licsides brinj,' articles six hundred miles from St. Paul for j? L.'iO jier 100 
 pounds, which would be but eipial to sixty-seven and a hall' (leiits on ninety miles, and [ 
 liave .xet down I 'jrhty ecnt.s, ii fair allowance in any country. Hven in liower Canada, on 
 the St. Maurice, where there is a '_'oih1 deal of eoiiipetitioii in winter, loads can be sent mu! 
 hundred and twenty miles into the interior for from seventy-live to ei'/hty cents per 1 00 
 pounds, and, between Three Rivers iind .^Iontl•eal. adistanet; of jii.-t ninety miles, sixty cents, 
 per 100 jiounds, would be considered, at Three Uiveis, a liiiih rate. 
 
 In the loiiLT navi^'able reach of one hundred and twenty miles, between the North-west 
 -Vn^ile and Fort Frances, I have |iut eiirht cents jier 1(10 pounds, eipial to §1.(!0 jier ton oi' 
 liOOO pounds, one dollar per ton would be ample, as lar^e vessels can be used. 
 
 In the reach of broken naviization, of one hundred and ciirhty-four miles, between the 
 Saumic or Ileiirht of Laiul I'ortaL'eand Fort Frances. 1 have put sixty cents per 100 jiounds, 
 eipial to twelve dollars per ton of iJ. 000 pounds. Now five men with a boat carryinir five tons, 
 can tro in five days from the S'lrmir, to Fort Frances, .and return in fliur days, takin;i; the same 
 boat with them all the way. Allowini:; one dollar per day fiir each man, tlieir expenses would 
 be, for nine days, forty-five'doliars. whereas, 1 have allowed sixty dollars ; but, if there were a 
 relay of boats and scows capable of carryiiiii; fifty tons, on each reach, with horses and wajr- 
 
 iL'cs, it could be done for six dol 
 
 KOiis on 
 
 the three h 
 
 per 100 pounds 
 
 porta 
 
 per 
 
 ;ay 
 
 i-ty 
 
 For the Ilei^rht of Land carriage of ten miles. I have set down twelve cents per 100 
 pounds, or say 8li.40 jur ton of 'JOOO pounds. It requires no explanation to shew that tliis 
 is u very ample cstinuite. 
 
 In the Dot; Lake and River reach of thirty-live miles, I have put dowu eiglit ccntiJ, 
 
24 
 
 I'lliial to ^l.tlO |nr toil, iiiul liir tlic l.ind fiiiria^f of Iwfiity live iiiilfH, iVom 'rimndiT May 
 t(i l)o,u; Lake, 1 .'siiiiiali' twenty tivi' fciits prr l(l(t llis., or f.:is , li\c tlollaiM per ton ol' L'.dlMMIps. 
 'I'hi'M' fstiiiiati'^ will ill be coii.-iilriiil aiii|p|(' , Imt, .sii|>iM»iiii; llio (•oiiiimiiiiratioii to lie 
 wi'll opi'iutl, ami till' apiiliaiu'cs lor tiMii>[ioit in lull o|»'i':itioii, the lollowiiii;' would lu^ a lair 
 I'stimatc : — 
 
 li") iiiiK'S laiul road, 'riiimdir May to I'ot; Lakf '_'.'» ci'iits, 
 
 ;{.") niili'M watir carriami |)o^' Kivor and Ijakc (I 
 
 l(t miles land carriage, lleiglit ol' hand it) " 
 
 ISl miles. Fort iMMiice.s, (i'l lieiii^ liy land ... itO 
 
 1 -II miles, Fort Kraiiees to North west Aiiiile in Ualleaii.v.oridll tons (i '■ 
 lUI miles land earriat.'e, North we>t Aii-le to ImmI (larry 7f» 
 
 It; I miles. *l.r)'J|.i'r lOOllis. 
 
 That is, *;!(),',;;, jier toll oi' J.dDII Ihs., Iioiii 'riiiinder Uay to I'ort (lany. ISiit, iis 1 
 said before, makini; e\ery allowaiiee, and takill^ (he eo>t at ."jL! per lIKI lbs., eijual to forty 
 dollars per ton, at the outset. From York l''aetory to Ivi'd Itiver, the eontraet priee n.M'd to 
 bi' tweiitv pounds sterlim;, or one hundred dollar.-^ per ton, while the pri'si'iit rate, by the 
 l'rairie.> ami lied lvi\er, is ninety dollars pi'r ton of :i,(lll(( lb.-.. 
 
 Ui^oiid this, it surely require.-, no armiinent to shew th.it, if the eoiiiiiiiiniealioii were 
 ojieiled, the whole trade of the lud lki\er Settlement, both that of the Hudson IJay Com 
 pany and the ^ettlel•.-, would pa.ss by liake Superior, A sa\ iiiij of lifty dollars |ier ton on Iri'i^lit, 
 would eerl.iiiily tleejde the matter. Milt this is not all, the priei^ of .-^ueh artii'h'S as the peo 
 pie of Ked lti\er rei|uire. beiiiu.'; ehietly dry lioods and i^roeeries, is liilleh lower in Canada 
 than ill any ol' the remote western Iowiin of MiniieMPta. If l''ort William wei'e a^aiii iiiade a 
 free port, as i( reeeiill) Was, and, alw.iys ^ll|lpo.^in^■ the eommunieatioii to be opened, the 
 people i<\' the Ked lii\er Settlement Would be in po.silion lo supply the mutiielll seltlelimnts 
 of Miiine.-ot:i with iiiereliamlize, instead of beiiiL; dependent on liiem, as at pre.seiit. 
 
 liKSOUUCKS— T1MI5KU, kr. 
 
 When the eoiunninleation is opened, ami settlement be'jin.s In advanec in the ]irairies of 
 tiu' We^t. tlier' will be a demand for Wood liir biiildiiiL; and other purposes, iiierea.sim; i^radually 
 until it has atlainetl |iidportioiis eomnieiisurate with the iiieans of transport. Westwanl of the 
 lli'iirht of liMiid, on the ^treaiur- llowiiii.' towards Itainy Lake, there is an abundanee of timber, 
 such as red ,iiid white |iiiie, of a lari;e ^i/.e and i:iiod ijiialily. This .seel ion would compare, 
 not unfa\oralily, with some of the bo.^t lumber leeions on llit^ I pper (tttaw i. 
 
 'I'he prairies are nearly destituti' of timber, and lieii' is a .Mipply wliieli, to all praetii^al 
 purposes, may ln^ said to be illimitabh', and, looking' to the future of the western terrilorics, 
 and haxiiiL:- rcL'^ard to the probable tralVie whieb is lo support a line of (•omnmnieatioii, there 
 are, in the fore.^ts of the Winnipeg' slope, the eleinenls of ;i trade which should be kept in \iew. 
 
 Another article of economic value, which should be taken into jiecount, i.s iho vast. (|uan 
 lily of peat which miL'lit be obtained in the ^wajiipy rcLiioii near the l^ake of the Woods; 
 sonic of the .^wainps are very deep, and hold in .sioic, i:rcat i|Uantitics of fuel of ihi.-s dcM'rip 
 tion, for a nrioii further to the west wiien^ there is but little wood. In a \ery short time 
 the people of Med UiviM' Settlement will lilid peat cheaper than wood, altbollL'll, dollbtlcs.s, 
 tlicy have for the proeiit a considerable supjily of the latter article. 
 
 The country has, however, other valuable resources, of which but little is as \ct kiiowu, 
 and no doubt, in the future, allention will be directed to its 
 
 Mineral lusditrcfs. 
 
 It is now Well known that silver mines of siirpassinu' ricliiie.xs were discovered at 
 Lako Superior la.-l summer, but it is not >o u'cni'r.illy understood that a formation, of the 
 name a^'e :u< that in whicli they occur, e.\tcmls with more or lc>^ interruption to the 
 Lake of the Woods, and that, for a ^rcat p.art of the way, the line wliicli it is proposed to 
 oinai will pa.ssovcr Schists of the Lower Silurian period, such as yield silver at Lako Suj>crior 
 aad Oold in ^'ovil Scotia. 
 
 ilcce.'cul 
 
 M 
 
 « 'i 
 
 lii'Kniii 
 
 IIVi'll || 
 have ij 
 
 tlCi'Il III 
 
 toriiH 
 t'liliiiiil 
 Miaviiil 
 ttiill BJl 
 
ImiidiT Hay 
 
 ,.r '-'.oiio iiis. 
 
 lii'iitiiiii to 111- 
 uld W a lair 
 
 ■uts. 
 
 V UlOlhs. 
 
 y. Will, as I 
 fciuiil to t'orl.v 
 : jn'io' u.sftl to 
 it liiti', liy till! 
 
 llllicatinll Wt'li' 
 
 Imiii Ua.v ^'"'" 
 tiiii (111 tn'i^lil, 
 ,-li's as lilt' 1»'<| 
 iwor ill ("aiiaila 
 1 ii|j;aiii iiiatli- a 
 
 lit! Ojll'lU'll, till' 
 
 nil Mittlfllldllth 
 •Sl'lll. 
 
 II tin- jivaii'ifs of 
 .•ii>iiii:- ^raihially 
 SVfstwanl III' llic 
 ilaiicc 111' tiiiilii'i', 
 would foiiiiiaic. 
 
 I, to all iiractical j 
 stfiii Imitorifs, \ 
 iimiicatinii, tlit'i'i' 1 
 III,' kciit in Ni''W. 
 is lilt; vast .jiiaii 
 ki' ul' llic Woods, 
 A of lliis dcMTip 
 n vi'i-y short tinu' 
 lioiiirii, doiihtlfss, 
 
 .• is as y{ kiiowu, 
 
 cro discovoi'i'd at 
 I'onuatioii, of tin' 
 lornilitioii to '1'"' 
 I it is |)ro)iosi'd to 
 r at Luke Suporioi' 
 
 :25 
 
 That part of the line, iiovvovor, I'xtendiiii; from a litlli- eastward of Poi- i.ikr i.< lli.' 
 NaiiiiMikaii Laki', will In' iiliiio^t wholly on Ijaiiri'iiliaii iriu'is.s —Silurian rocks iluu : !i. s\ i'., i . 
 .idvi's, ami ill!' Sclii^ls o i Itiiny Lake aii' iili'iilil'iiUy inti'r.M'ilid willi lodo ol'ciniii.-. W ;.,,.■ 
 at l''olt William, la^t Mlllllli.f, I was ^lll■Ull niIiii" very tilU' .--iM'rilMfii-^ ol' ( lold i|il O'l ■ lil.j 
 I'roiii Kaiiiy l<ak.'. I u a^ al.-n nitoniu'd, nu what I liclii'Vi'il lo Im' >'<MMt aiitlmi'li \ , i h.ii .i!|u\ : il 
 (iold had lii'cii diM'ovt rod, luit thai llic I'art w.is luiiiu ki']it as sci'rcl a.< |Ml^^l^i^' Tli.' ■ 
 n'|iorls uaiii I'lailiriiialion I'roiii tho I'ai't that on \ ii'inillioii Ijakc, in Miiinr.Miia wiiu'i i 
 Irihutary to Uainy liakc, and only at a short dislam'-t' iVoiii il, Hold i|uail/. Iia> Ii.th ale. >\\ 
 worki'il and xarimis claims taken ii|i. The ooiniiinnicalioii which il i> |iiii|iO'cd lo op. ii mi lii , 
 ihcnd'orc, he liic mcaii^ ol' dcvclii|iiii^ an American as well as a Canadiaii Hold t'irld 
 
 At the Lake of (he \V<i.idM, chloriiic and taicoM' ^clii^l>, ul' Slliiiiaii ;\.:<\ .-iiiilkir lo llinr 
 ol' the (J old districts ol' the Chaudii'rc, are t're(|iieiit on the I .lands, and I lies are tra\ .i.., <l hi 
 what appear to he very proiiiisiiiL'; (piart/. lodes. 
 
 I'poii the whole, the indie. ilioiis :nid actual di.■^co\ cries, throiudioiil the ii'. inn ,i;e i|.li 
 as to warrant the e.\|icclatioii that there ar.' nimeral rcvoiirees, as \el uiideycloped, v, lueli will 
 eveiitiiallv lead to a liailc which will jMcatly aid in Mi^Iiiniii'.: .a line d' comnomii ii len 
 
 OTlli;!! .MKTII01»S Ol' Ol'llMM; Till'. Co.M.Ml Ml ATloN 
 
 It has hecii ui'l'.ciI thai a luiilroiid I'loin I. ike Snpciiei lo Kcil Kuer would aUoid ilie 
 \>cA and easiest, iiicaiis ol' conuiiuiiicalioii, imd that il would loriii a link in the rreal K.nlw w 
 system which it is helieycd will, at no di-<laiil day, r\>:\n the continent iVoin llie All.iniie lo 
 the I'acitie, within Urilish Territory. 
 
 Now, while admit till;;; the f;real ad\anta!;es which wonlil rc^iill iVoni a work olio knid, 
 it must lie horiie in miiid that the means lor its coiihti iielinii cannot at present he olii.tniiJ 
 Tliere is no iiniounl ol' arguiueiil, as to pitispcctne aihanlaee.s, which lould pro. nii ilie 
 iuvi'stmeiit of Iwiaity millions ol' dollars, which would he ahout it.< cost, in an iinde\e|.ip d 
 rc'j ion, such as that throiieh which il would pav,. Thcorelli'alK . tin- idea iii,i\ lie j , .A 
 one, lull priictically, il is ai least prematnii'. 
 
 Moreoyer, a railroad hclweeii the poiiiN indn'ated would he i- olalisl .i'. re .ud . olh. r 
 ruilways, ami heiuu, ayailahle only diiiiii;.' the ^ca-mi ol' na\ i;.'!iiion, woiihl he withoni oii(' oi 
 the eliiel' adyaiitam's of a railroad, which is llial il rn\i he kept in opeial ion. indi pendeii'U 
 of the iiayioatioii 
 
 Il has heeii .'lUi^m'.'-ted that, whatc\ei ohn'cllon,-. ini^lil altacii lo the pro|ccl ol .a laiiu.iv 
 all the way lo Hed Ki\er, a comparatively short line \miuIiI hoi overcome Ilie i.>neli lud 
 ditlieiill Mcction iiilerveiiiiii.', In'twei'ii Lake Siipi rior and IJaiiiy Lake, Uni the ..line i.l,|,, 
 lions which present lheinselve.< in re'.ard lo the t'oiinei, apply lo ihe l.ittei, 
 
 lt..i leiielh, that it ol' a line I'rom Lake Superior to Kaiiiy Liki\ .iHowine I'.ir .hv i.n ion-., 
 would not hi' ^really le.s-i than two hundred mile-,, and il'i lara would lir e.\i-red .iiiv ill. 111". 
 wliith tin re is a plohahillt\ of ohlainiii;'. 
 
 It Would aliMorh an ainoiiiil ol' i-api(al more tli.'in . illlicieiit lopid\ideloi llie |..ek.i.e 
 rc(|Uired to eoiineel the iiavii::ihlc reaehc. In'twci ii l>oi; Lake and LaU' \\ iniicpeL.', and linin 
 a eiiiial, which, in the pre:tcn; .st:ilc ol' the counti;,, or any staee ii| dev clopmeiii lo whnli ii 
 CUM attain for ;i cotc.iderahlc jieriod, vsould he ol'!.'rcalcr iililily than a raiho.i,! 
 
 I''iiiiill>, liefore Mich a w.ek w;.- uuilertakeii, the coiiiitiy would h.iveloh.' iei,.leied 
 aceessihle, as I have already .laid, hv '.oiin^ such incaiii of I'oiiiniiinicalion a< I have .■ iie: .• .led. 
 
 It will Hot he luidervlood, howevci, from what I have ^aid, llial a railway i- iiiipi .id lea 
 
 • 'I'lui lellovvinn ixlnel .-li.'sii lliiil llu- iiiiiii':t in lliu \ ci uiillieii ili-ili icl, iicnr lliiinv l.al.i', ;oe 
 hogniiiiiii; til alti'iei Hiiciilieii ■ • 
 
 "Tliu liAhi; .Sri'Kiiiiii; Cn .•< iiiv . Tim (•',ic<','/(' (Sinu'rloi, W'i i.,) .h:i v .i 't'el llemv '!'>■■. I. ui .o- 
 nvnl licru Iroiii llir \ fiiiiillHiii ili.sliii'l liitr last I'veiiiim, iiiul sliuU'il lor M. i'uiil lco:i hum iiihj;. I\- t-i 
 liiivc lifcu inadii Hoai .several mI llie vhim.h, nil with llm iniiil I'avDriilile ic^uilli, I'lie •(Uaiilily ol' reek 
 li'Stoil ill eiicli cl -e. vva . 'j'i Ic-... Ilirui live lininhril iHiiiiiil..). In iiverv e\| i riini'iit mo hir, the v ii M luii 
 lit'Kii Irtufclv ovi'r$lon per Ion ; nil. I som, tit' llu'in Imve |{oiiii li|i In lliou-aii.ls. A |aiviile Uliei iu- 
 t'ornn IIS iit'oiie iiisUiii-t' w Imri' oiio liiiiiilrcil luiil lillv poiiinirt ol' roeU tu'Mi'iI ii ikiiiucI ami oiic-lmir nl 
 Inillioii. Col. Tuiiltill pioiioiiiicis liiii couiitrv rich, iiiiil in lliii utiili'iiii'iil liii i'l lioiiieoui liy llie 
 ttiiivinit of biillKni wlikli liu I'rliitf* viiili liim, amouiitini; to liotvvoen tievon uud oi'.al i>oiiiol4 uf ^^ilii 
 and silyer.' '' 
 
'^6 
 
 hit'. In fact, witli exemption oCtlie Ht'<;tion betwcHsri Laku .Superior and Rainy Lake whieli is 
 rougli and brolccrt and has never yet Ixrn cxploiod with a view ti> a wnik of the kind, the 
 ground is not uniavorabh;, but, as I liavo said, thi; idea of such a work is [jrcuiuturc. 
 
 ( \ni(i/i!. 
 
 On reference to what I liavc already slated, it will lie seen tliat.lroni Do^' hake north-west 
 ward, to the Lake ol' the Woods, liuejiiaviiiable reaches occur in continuous succession, separated 
 by short intervals of rapid water or other iinjiedinients. l"'r()in liie Hciuhl of Land Portaj^e, 
 where it. strikes the Snrane Itivcr, to the North-west Anule of the liake of the Woods, the 
 distance is three hundred and four miles, and tlie total amount cd' loekajre that would be re- 
 <(uired, four hundred and twenty-live feet, licin'^ somewhat less than that of the Kidcau 
 (.'anal. By means of lock and dam. the whole of this distance mii^ht be rendered navigable 
 without a break, at comparatively small cost, i I' wooden locks were adopted. The river chan- 
 nels between the naviiiable sections, are every Aviiere of rock, and generally favorable for the 
 construction (if such works as would be re(|uin'd. 
 
 With this extent of' navigation miiiht be eonnecti'd the i\avi;j,able wati'r, east of the 
 Heifiht of Land, havint;' a lennth, in Dol; Jiake ai:d liiver, of thirty-live miles. 
 
 When the dam now in progress at Doi^ Jjake is completed, the difference in level be- 
 tween the waters of Don Itivcr and the iS'(Hv(//(; will be about a hundred fi-et, and a Canal 
 with locks, by way oi" Muskait:: Lake, miuht be eonstructed to connect the two. Jjac dcs Mille 
 Lacs would be the summit level, and it has suiKcient water i'or a Canal both ways. 
 
 This would <;ive three hundred and lifty n;ile> of unbroken naviuation, approachinj^' ut 
 its eastern extremity to within twenty-iivc mil(M>!" Lake Superior, and at its western to with- 
 in ninety miles of Fort (larry. 
 
 All the lockage re((uired would cost less than woidd a railroad of two hundred miles to 
 Kaiuy Luke, and it would bo of vastly "greater \itility. 
 
 A .short Kailway of twenty-live miles, from l>oi; Lake to Thundt'r Hay, would connect 
 the nuviu-atioa with Lake Superior; while a similar wiu'k of ninety miles, IVom T'ort Garry 
 to the North-west Anjile of the Lake of the Woods, would join it to the IJed liiver Settlement. 
 The latter Railway would lie over very even i^i'iimid. 
 
 f have offered these suijiiestioiis, not witii a \i(;w of eonvcyint:' tlie impression that they 
 should be immediately acted upon, but to shew what is practicable, and what would be the 
 true way of opeuinu,' a line adapted for heavy trallie, wluai the country has attained a staije 
 of development to warrant the expendituie which it wouKl involve. 
 
 SYSTKM OF WOHK 15V CONTHACT Oil OTHKHWTSE. 
 
 The work is of that nature, which, from luu'r e\p<:rieiici! in carrying (in similar operations, 
 in remote sections, I believe could be better perfornu'd by enuaiiiuii iiood workmen and com- 
 petent over.seers than by contract. 
 
 (,'ontraet work is all well enouuli In a settled eountry, where, if one man fails in accom- 
 plishing an undertakin^r others are always n.'ady t.i take it \\]i; but, in such a region as that 
 in which the works under consideration would be carried on, the (Jovernnu'iit would be, in a 
 measure, at the mercy of the contractor, as tiir iiihlanee, if lu; should not make provision for a 
 particular work, or Irom any cause break off, it would throw tlii; enterprise back for a full 
 year, (.''ontractors, as a lieneral rule, would only undert;ike work in a ref.'jou so remote in 
 the hope of larj^e ]irolits. which the comparatively ^mall sums set down for each jiarticular 
 section would not bear. They would, as usual, have endless bills I'or extras, where every 
 little continL'cncy could not Ik; foreseen ; and, il' it apjieared to be a losinj^ business, would 
 delay and petition ilir inereaKc in their rates, and mii:ht, indeed, abandon the works altogether. 
 Moreover, the Indians, in some of the seetions, have to be very earel'ully dealt with. At such 
 a distance from the restraints of law, none but men of -rolid character should be broufiht 
 amonp; them, and spirituous li((nors should be strictly prohibited. 
 
 Ihider a system oi' contract, the (oiv.rnnient would have little to say as to the class of men 
 to be employed, and tile othecrs in charijv of t!ic works miL'.ht be unable to prevent liquor 
 from beiuji' Muiujifiled in. The Indians sonn'tinies assemble at Kort Frances and on Kainy 
 River, to the number of live or .-i.v hundred, and if a lew barrels of whisky were rolled 
 amongst thorn the consequences might, undoubtedly would, be serious. 
 
 pome 
 
 to 0X[ 
 
 better! 
 cfiursr 
 no frrfl 
 ploratl 
 comnil 
 
 wouhll 
 this iJ 
 the n.l 
 will al 
 eoutaJ 
 
 prcssfl 
 
 piousl 
 
 whiclf 
 
 hold 
 
 indicJ 
 
 Btatoq 
 
io whicli is 
 kind, tliu 
 re. 
 
 IKlVth-WCHt 
 
 separated 
 
 III I'ortanv, 
 
 Woods, till! 
 
 Isould ho re 
 
 till" Kidt^im 
 
 d uuvigablti 
 
 river chaii- 
 
 ble Tor tin; 
 
 oast oi' till! 
 
 in level bo- 
 :ind a (.'uiial 
 lai! des Mille 
 
 ,'S. 
 
 proachiiig at 
 tern to witli- 
 
 dred miles to 
 
 lOiild eonnoet 
 1 l''ort Uarry 
 ir Suttlemeiit. 
 
 iion that they 
 would be the 
 tained a stage 
 
 lar operatious, 
 men and coni- 
 
 I'ails in aeconi- 
 renioii as that 
 rt'ould be, in a 
 )rovision for u 
 back for a full 
 I so remote in 
 'aeh particular 
 1, where every 
 lusiness, would 
 rks altogether, 
 with. At such 
 iild be broufiht 
 
 le class of nieu 
 
 ] ire vent liquor 
 
 and on Rainy 
 
 iky were rolled 
 
 i 
 
 27 
 
 Moreover, cfmtractnrs, m- tlicir ciniiloyee.--, wuiild not consider themHelves in any way 
 bound to refrain from iiitcrlrrini; in tiic for trade, and their doin^i m woulij irritate and ren- 
 der hostile the employees ol' the Hudson s Hay (!oiiipany, who have been so friendly and 
 obliginjj; in the past, and whose uood otiiccs will, I have no doubt, be e(|ually at the disposal 
 of the country in the I'litinc, if tiny nicil, with the courtesy they are always ready to extend. 
 
 In my allusions to (he contract system, I wi>li it to be chinrly understood that I speak 
 from my own experience of such a system in I lie wilderness, and, nicaninf; no reflection on 
 contrucUirs in ucneral, i would say that if sudi a system is a<lopte<l in the liaiuy Lake Sec- 
 tion of country, a military force will lie rcijuireil to supjiort it, and this would soon occnsion 
 !i jrreater outlay than tlu! full amimiit. nf my estimate fur the work. 
 
 For the works on the Lake Superior Section, and the Luke Heirion, the head-quarters, 
 I'rom whence supplies nw. to be s(.'nt in, must be at Fort William ni- 'I'hundcr Bay. The 
 latter, of counic, after the Doi;; liake road is compleled. 
 
 For the road, between tin; Northwest .Xnde ol'tlie Lake oi'the Woods and Fort 'larry. 
 supplies and men must Ih; obtained at the lleil b'ivtM- Settlement. Workmen, in sufficient 
 numbers, cau be had there, an<l, from ictt<r,> i have recently received, I am led to believe 
 that provisioDb also will be abundant, such a^ thiur, beef, etc. 
 
 TIIK INDIA.N Hlii'lMKNT. 
 
 In openinj^ the communication to l{cd Uiver, the country will be bronirht, to some extent, 
 into contact with the Indians, who have their hnntinu; unmnds on the line of route. 
 
 Hitherto, Canada has bc(Mi fortunate in <le:iliii.; with the Indian clement; and, in the 
 present case, I see no reason ti;)r anticipatini^ ^'reaier dilficu!* ' than has arisen in the past. 
 
 The only localities where the Indians are .it all uimerons, arc at the Ijake of the Wood?; 
 and Rainy River, but the entires ])opnlation doe> not ;:re.'itly exceed three thousand. They 
 can, however, collect in sunnncr in larj^er numliers thai; Indians usually do, from the fact 
 that they have abundance of t'ood This is alloriled by the wild rice of the country which 
 they collect, and by the fish wliieh literally swarm in the li;ik(s and Rivers, some industry 
 practiced on their own part, too, in raisiiiL; Indian Corn, serves to supply them to a small 
 extent. I have seen as many as livt^ or six Mundicd of them collecterl at one time, at the 
 rapids on Rainy River, en!xa;.'ed in catehini: Si urL:eon, the flesh ol' which they preserve by 
 drying it like J'emican and tlien ponndinu it up nnd pnttinu' it, with a due mixture of oil, into 
 bags made of iStur<::;con.s' skin. 
 
 They have a rude sort of (lovernment, ami tin n'unlalions made, by their Chiefs arc obser- 
 ved, it is said, better than laws usually are wIhiv then; are no great means of en forcing them. 
 
 They are very intelligent and are exlrcmcly jealous as to their right of soil and authority 
 over the country which they occupy. 
 
 Yhen the Red River i-Ixpeililion fu>l cniie in (ontact with tliem, they manifested 
 some displea.sure, and were not slow to express it, at parties being sent through tlii'ir country, 
 to explore and examine it, withonttheircon.sent being first asked ami obtained. On becoming 
 better acfpiainted with them, we found it to oiir ,idvaiit.ige to kee]) up a little friendly inter- 
 course with the Chiefs, calling n)ion iliem as we passed, and interclianging a few presents of 
 no great value. When we had adopted this eoiirse. all difliculties vani.-hed, and, ero the ex- 
 plorations were brought to a close, they manifested and expressed ;in earnest wish to see the 
 communication opened. 
 
 The chief danger which ((udd arise of coming into unfriendly relations with the Indians, 
 woulil be from having large parties of workmen in the vicinity of their encanjpments. Now, 
 this is a contingency not likely to arise, from the I'aet, that, wliere the Indians are numeT(nis 
 the navigation is unimpeded ;iml but little work reipiired ; but, as ;i rule, extreme prudence 
 will always have to be observed by the ollicors !m charge of men to keep them from coming in 
 contact with the Indians, 
 
 These Indians are all h(,'athcMs ;ind never seem to have been in the slightest degree im- 
 prcfwcd by the Missionaries who have attemjited their conversion. They are, however, very 
 piouH in their own way, and much of their time seems to be occupied in religious observance.-?, 
 which have their manifestation in lonij,' fasts and nights of watching, when they pretend to 
 hold familiar intercourse with Spirits whose presence, in the secret recesses of their lodges, is 
 indicated by drum beating, chanting, incantations .and many unearthly noises besides. At 
 stated intervals, the gicutcst and most solemn cerciaouy of the tribe, the Mystical Feast oi' 
 
till' W'liitc UfiLV, is l.cld at Fort Frnnoopi, and, at such times, the f;riivity nnd terviblo eanipst- 
 ni'.ss iii'tlu'ir (icnifaiinr. would do no dlHcrcdit to more civilized coiiu;reL;iiti()iis. 
 
 in ajipeMraiKr, these Indians arc tall and well (brniedand. in bearing, indeivMident ; Home- 
 (iiiH ;;. cvi'ii :i little saney, but, in their intercourse with strangers, they are hospitable and kind, 
 'riuir niDralily is said to be of a high order, as compared to tlsat of (he Indians ol'tlic Plains. 
 
 Tl'ty are. in general, keen traders, and seem to know the value of what they get and 
 ;.',i\i'. a. wrl! ;is any people in the world. Some of those who asseml)le at Kainy Kivcr 
 I'or the sturgeon filling, in summer, c(unc Ironi Kcd Lake, in the neighlwring State of Minnc- 
 mta. wluie they possess hunting grounds; and, among tlie.-se latter, are some who Lave been 
 |i;iitii'- to treaties with the United States tor relinquishing certain tracts for Hcttlcmont, for 
 wliii !i they .are now in the receipt of annual payments. The experience they liavc thus 
 u iiiicd. has rendered tlicm expert diplomatists, as compared to Indians who have never had 
 :-ueli mlvaiitages. and they have not failed to impress (in their kindred and trilic, on Kainy 
 Kivcr. the value of the lands which they hold on the lino of route to Kcd River. 
 
 -Viiy one Avho, in negotiating with these Indians, should suppose lie had mere children to 
 (leal witii. would find himself mistaken. In their manner of expressing themselves, indeed, 
 llu'v liu'.Lc use (il'a great deal of allegory, and their illustrations may at times appear chil- 
 (ilsi, riiou.'h, but, in their aetual dealing), they are slirewed and Huflieicntly awake to their 
 iiv,!! i!it( ri'st:i, and, if the matter should be one of importance, affecting the general interests 
 di'iv' liibe, they neither reply to a proposition, nor make one themselve.'j, until it is fully 
 di,-ei!: .-I'd ;i:id dciibi rated upon in Council of all the Chiefs. 
 
 Tiie Cliiel':- are fond of asking any travellers, whom they believe to be of importance, to 
 ati.o!:(i a <iraiid Council, as it affords them an opportunity of making speeches, which are 
 iiii'iut (|uite as much to swell their importance in the eyes of their own people, as to impress 
 ti'.'' ftrangev; and, with tlieir people, these meetings are popular, as it affords then i an excuse 
 llir ni'ddng a holiday, and coming out in all the varieties of colour, which paint, unspariugiy 
 ajiplicil. can produce. 
 
 At these gatherings it is necessary to observe extreme caution in what is said, as, al- 
 though they have no means of writing, there are always those present, wlio are charged to 
 keep rvcry woid in mind. As an instance oi' the manner in which records are in this way 
 k. I't. without writing, I may mention that, on one oceasi<m, at Fort Frances, the principal 
 I'iiici of the tribe commenced an oration, by rejieating, almost verbatim, what I had said to 
 liim two years previously. 
 
 -VH ibis goes to siiow a certain ,k;tal>ility of eharaetc\-, and a degree of importance at- 
 tachi'd to wiiat they say, on such occasions, themselves, as well as to what they hear from 
 otle rs. Tl'.e word of tiie Chiefs once passed, loo, s^eems to lie ipiite reliable, anil this augurs 
 wi'il tor ilie observance of any tn^aty that may Ite made with them. 
 
 i''or mv own ]iavt, T would liave the fullest reliance as to these Indians observing a treaty 
 ;!1m1 ;;t!iu riii;; most strictly to all its ])rovisions, if, in the first place, it were concluded after 
 J I'll r'ly. iiK:<i(,ii (iitil u/hr all ii'.i jirori.iiuii., ici rr ihonnii/ltlj/ undcrKtood hj/ fhr Indinni', 
 :iii(l If, in (he next, it were never inliinucd upon by the whites, who are generally the first to 
 l.rc'k ihmiigii luilian treaties. 
 
 Tlie Treat,'/. 
 
 I trust it will be seen thai some sort of a treaty f.hould be 
 They arc, as I have stated, desirous of seeing the eommuni- 
 i-iidii MiM'oed, lu'lieviiig tliat it will conduce to their advantaw, and 1 think a treaty with 
 ;:t( !!i ; liould. in Ilieljivt instance, be confined to this one point, namely, imjlTT ov W.\Y. This 
 :!iiy cNiire-siil iheir Avillingness to accord many years ago, but the (lucstion of rclin(|ui.'<hiug 
 h'nd loi' scttleuKiit was always taken by then en (h'Ubrc. In this latter respect, what they 
 a'v ;ii'r:iid of is. that settlers would interfere with the fisheries, from which they derive their 
 ■ ''uieaus of suV)sisterice. and I think it would, in the first instance, be imprudent to intro- 
 
 i' 
 
 Vw'iW what I Jiave said 
 iveil , ! with tiie Indians. 
 
 :-.'.' leiaeut in the particular section which they occupy. The first great point is to get 
 munication o])ened, and the first treaty should be confined, as I have said, simply to 
 
 e'.l|-,'l 
 
 ihin 
 
 the eo!!i 
 
 ri'jht of' vai/. By eoiiibining it with the land (pu'stion, surveys of townships for settlement. 
 
 r:'serves for the Indians, and so forth, complications might arise which would prove embar- 
 
 ras-siiv,''. 
 
 'f here is but one point more, in relation co this subject, to which I would invite attention. 
 It is the necessity of adopting the most rigorousi and strict measures to prevent the conveyance 
 
iblo carneRt- 
 
 iidont ; wmif- 
 blc and kind, 
 if the IMiiins. 
 tlicy get tind 
 Kainy River 
 itc <il' Minnc- 
 ho bavo been 
 ittlcment, for 
 !y have thus 
 ,ve never hnd 
 l)e, on Kainy 
 
 •c ehildrcn to 
 ?lvcs, indeed, 
 i appear ohil- 
 rvakc to their 
 leral interests 
 itil it is fully 
 
 niportance, to 
 es, which are 
 as to impress 
 icui an c'xcupe 
 t, imspariugly 
 
 ;s i*iiid. afi. al- 
 ire chariicd to 
 II! iu tluH way 
 the principal 
 I had said to 
 
 niportance at- 
 oy hear from 
 id this augurs 
 
 rviiig ii treaty 
 
 included nftcr 
 
 fJir IniUnnf, 
 
 ly the first to 
 
 aty f-hould be 
 the eonnnmii- 
 a treaty with 
 ' WAY. This 
 'rcliu(|uishiu^ 
 cct. what they 
 y derive their 
 .ident to intro- 
 point is to lict 
 ^aid, I'iniply to 
 for settlement, 
 1 prove embai- 
 
 ivite attention, 
 the conveyance 
 
 of ardent liquors to the Indian country. This the officer in charge of the works can easily 
 sec to, if he is armed with the proper authority. There is no likelihood of any of the 
 employees of the work:? takiiijj- spirits, in any ((uantity, wfth them, unless contractors are 
 employed ; but there are private traders who would Ibllow in their wake, and would not bo 
 slow to bring li(|uur, if through it they could drive a trade lor furs; and such persons should, 
 if they nuide the attempt, be ,it once arrested. 
 
 The Indians at Kniny lUver and the Luke oi' the Woods are, as a general rule, a.s yet 
 in happy igimranee nf what ardent li(|iior is. On the .Vnurican side, the penalties against its 
 introduction are t-o severe that it rarely makes its apjiearanee, while on the Uriti.sh side its 
 use is prohibited by tlu; Hudson Bay Company. 
 
 To *hese fortunate (ireumslanoes, T believe, arc d<ie the well being and orderly 
 demeanour of the Indians, and the rapid increase in the pupulatinn. wliieh. in ibis section, is. 
 in contrast to the general rule, said to be taking [ilaee. 
 
 The precautions whicli I have recommended will ap|ieiir not t" be nmiecessary. when it 
 is considered that these Indians, notwithstanding their many good (jualities, are still but 
 savages, That they, in eotnmon with all the untutored 1 1 ibes ot their race, are keen to resent an 
 injury, real or supposed ; that a quarrel with one prominent individual would be a (juarrel 
 with the tribe, and that the sole arbiters (if ;i disjiutt! with them are the scalping knife and 
 tomahawk, to the use of which they are well )iraeti')ed in their nnecasing- wars with the 
 Sioux, and when, along with all this, it is roiisideied tluit tliey can mu.«ter five hundred 
 fighting men, accustomed to the woods, tlie ri\ers and every defile in the eoiuitry, the 
 expediency, as well as the justice, of keepimr from ihem, that first pmlifie sonr*^! 'f Indi- 
 an quarrels and Indian demoralization, -Fire \\'ater." will be apparent. 
 
 I have only further to say, that, with onlinary j rudenee. there need be no risk of getting into 
 difficulty with the Indians. They will e.xtenil a waiii! wileinne. in the (irst instance, to 
 the parties sent iu by tiie Government, and it will be lur the latter to ,'^ce that nothing 
 occurs to interrupt a continuance of friendly intereinu>e. 
 
 (See Notices of Indians, in my printed lleport. pagc> 11 and iJti.) 
 
 AGR [CULTURAL RESOTRt'HS. 
 
 Lakf 
 
 tSii))i'.)'n>i' Ai 1 1(011. 
 
 In this section, the cultivable areas are of limited extent, and confined chiefly to the 
 valleys of the streams. There are. however, oeeasional plateaux at a eonsiderable elevation. 
 showing a moderate depth of loam. In the vieiiaty ol' the line el' route, the best locations 
 will be found iu the valley of the Kaniinistaiiuia. and on tlie shores oi' Thunder Hay. The 
 climate of the cotmtry, bordering on the lake shore, is i'avorable to the growth of cereals, and 
 all kindsof vegetables which are usually r.aised in other pa'ts of Canada. When the mines at Thun- 
 der Bay. and on the nin-th shore of Lake Sujierior, -enerally. bec(nne developed, they will 
 create a m.irket for all kinds of agricultural ]ini(hiee, and thi'^ must render of great value 
 such lands as are susceptible of cultivation. 
 
 Around the shores of Dog Lake, there are oeea-ionai pateius of fair land, but the eleva- 
 tion of the country is such as to render the elimate rallier eold. On Dog Kiver, and 't 
 tlic plateaux at the Height of Land, there is any ;iiiioiint of ]iasturage, and oats. potat^J 
 t^c, might easily be raised. 
 
 The eastern section of this region is eold. en aeeount of its great elevation, but on de- 
 scending to the westward the elim.ite rapidly inip.ove.-, and. by the time Sturgeon Lake is 
 reached, the summers are as long as ;it Lake Siiiic-ior. and I tliink somewhat warmer. 
 
 Kastward of Sturgeon Lake, the roek foniiafion is Lanrentian. and. as usual, in regions 
 occupied by that series, the eultivable areas are liiuited in extent, although, where they do 
 occur, the soil is often very rieli. It is sneh a country as that now being settled on the 
 Gatineau or Upper Ottawa", with this dift'erence. that, wiierea:; on the Gatineau and OUawa. 
 the valleys present rivers bordered with alluvial soil, tin,' valleys in this region are occupied by 
 lakes. There are, nevertheless, occasional spots, occurring at intervals throughout the whole 
 region, where the soil ia good and of sufficient extent for farms, but, as a rule, speaking gen- 
 erally, the country never can become an agricultural district. 
 
80 
 
 There arc those, however, who would prefer a mountainous aud diversified region of this, 
 kind, to the level areas which are spread out like oceans, a little further to the west. Anir»n;j 
 the Laurentian hills, and on the borders oi" lakes studded with wooded islands, there arc situ- 
 ations of surpassing; beauty and inaunificence. The forests abound in f:anie, and the rivers 
 and lakes are tecniinp; with fish, water power is unlimited, and timber, which will yet find a 
 market in the prairies of the West, is .Mhundant. 
 
 A farmer who should establish liiniself on any of the carrying; places with horses and 
 wagj^ous, would soon realize an independence, as many have done in similar situations on the 
 Ottawa. The first to locate themselves would have the advantage, and niij:;ht hope soon to 
 see villages ;:rowinp- up around them. No more advantas;eous situations could be desired than 
 Jourdains Uapids. tlie I'.airie l'orta;ie where there is an abundance of <;rass, <tr the French 
 or Deux liiviilsrcs I'ortaues. all of which, until a canal isnuide, must be places of land carriajre 
 and trans-shipment. Here. then, in f lie event of the communication being opened, would be a 
 field for enterprise, to steady and industrious farmers, who could combine the cultivation of the 
 land with the profitable employment of carrying freight over the portages. 
 
 In such situations, too, the growing wants of a new settlemeut wcndd soon create a 
 demand for various hraiiehes of industry. Boat builders, blacksmiths and carpenters, would 
 find ready employment where small craft had lo be provided for such a length of inland nnv- 
 ij:;ation, and saw mills would be re<(uired to supply them with material. 
 
 But, to proceed, in regard to the capacity of the country for agriculture, on getting to 
 Sturgeon Lake, the climate is improved, but the ground is still rough and broken as it is, also, 
 at Nc((uar|n(m aud Nameukan Lakes. Kainy Lake is so much indented with bays, that in 
 passing tlmmuii it only head lands iind islands can be sei;n, and these arc often rocky, but I 
 have heard it reported by the Indians that there are areas of very tine land aliout Rainy 
 Lake. 
 
 A(f/.T of' llir "Wooils aiiil Fort, Gari\y Sa'tii'iis- 
 
 Arrived at Fort Frances, one hundred and ninety miles in an air line from Thunder Bay, 
 the mountaiiKMis region is passed and. commencing here, a beautiful tract of land extends 
 along the bank of }\ainy Uiver to the Lake of the Woods. This tract is of the very richest 
 alluvial soil, and in the wlu'le distance there is not apparently an .-icn^ unsusceptible of culti- 
 vation. Old linliaii gardens, growing vetches and wild gra.»;s, are met Avith at intervals on 
 the banks, and the forests present basswood, oak and elm, with occasional white pines of 
 j.'igantie jiroportimis. 
 
 To this succeeds the J>ake of the Woods, with fifty miles of uavigatioii among islands 
 varying in character, some fertile and others barren, but on some of which the Indians have 
 grown maize from time immemorial. The section which comes next, that between the North- 
 west Angle and the Prairie, as already described, is swampy. 'J'hcre are. nevertheless, occa- 
 sional portions of it well adapted for .•settlement. 
 
 The wooded region ends with the section just referred to, and, from this point westward 
 to the Rocky Mountains and north-westward to Peace River, the prevailing characteristic is 
 prairie. These prairies are. for the most part, of rich alluvial loam, but they are in some 
 places sandy as on the upper portion of the South Branch of the Saskatchewan. So va.st 
 is the region, and the soil throughout the greater part of its extent so good, that it is no 
 exaggeration to say the »•((//«'(;«/*/(' (trenn viiu/ be reckoned bi/ huiK/rcdn o/'miflionn d/'arnx. 
 
 The country is inter.'<eeted by rivers, one of which, the Saskatchewan, drains an area 
 greater than does the St. liawrence. ;ind is navigable for seven hundred miles of its course. 
 From the South JJranch of this great river, north-west to IVace River, the climate is adapted 
 to the growth of wheat. Coal, salt, iron, gold and bitumen, are among the minerals to be 
 found. Over the uutilled fields which nature has spread out, the wild cattle of the plains 
 roam in countless herds, and for hundreds of miles together may be seen grazing like domes- 
 tic e.attlc in a field of pasture. A region which tlms, in a state of nature, supports animal 
 life in profusion, must be naturally rich, as regards its soil aud climate. It is, in fact, fitted 
 to .sustain as d('iise an agricultural population ;is any area of cfiual extent on the face of the 
 globe. 
 
 Such, in a brief view, is the country with which it is proposed to open communication, 
 but to describe it further would be beyond the scope of this Report. 
 
31 
 
 region of thif. 
 vcf*t. Aiiionfi 
 there arc sitii- 
 iiiul the rivers 
 will yet fiud H 
 
 1 htirses ami 
 lalions on the 
 
 lojie ^non to 
 >o desired than 
 or th(! Frcnth 
 ('landciirrinjre 
 cd, would be a 
 tivation of the 
 
 (soon create a 
 icntcrti, wotdd 
 iif inland nav- 
 
 on getting to 
 ;n as it is, also, 
 
 I bays, that in 
 
 II rocky, but 1 
 1 about Haiiiy 
 
 Thunder Bay, 
 {' land extends 
 le very riehest 
 ptible of rulti- 
 at intervals on 
 white pines of 
 
 anionu: islands 
 ! Indians have 
 veen the North- 
 .erthelcss, occa- 
 
 point westward 
 haracteristic is 
 'y arc in some 
 wan. So va.sl 
 , that it is no 
 'tlton.s ol'drns. 
 drains an area 
 * of its course, 
 mate is adapted 
 minerals to br 
 of the plains 
 ing like donies- 
 upports animal 
 S in fact, fitted 
 the face of the 
 
 communication. 
 
 TIIK WORK OF LAST SItMMER, 
 
 In the month of May, last year, at the request of the Hon. Ale.\. Canipbell, tlie then 
 Commissioner of (!rown Lands of Canada, 1 submitted an estimate of tin; probable cost of 
 the works I had proposed in the Lake Superior Section, ;md an appropriation of 85r).lt0() 
 iiaviuu been made, on the same, from the Upper Canada Colonization Road Fund, 
 as my time was greatly occupied by other eiiiraii'-'nents. it was eventually ar- 
 rauficil that .Mr. Itridnland, who had charge of the I'pper Canada Colonization Roads, 
 siiould undertake the road from Tlnnuler Ray to Doi;' Lake, while, in rej^ard to the dam, 
 as he iiad no experieiiee in works of the kind, I undertook to provide for its construction, 
 and was accordinuly instructed to hiy out the work and place over it a competent superin- 
 tendent, who should see to its niana<:;emeut durin;.^ my ab.'<ence. 
 
 Cnder these arranjicments, coi\sidering the lateness of the period of the season at which 
 operations were conunenccd, a fair amount of work was accomplished. Six miles of the road 
 were completed, under the able manaG;ement ol'31r. Snow, who had immediate chari^e of the 
 workiuf; parties, and, at Doa; Lake, under the direction of Mr. tli)se])h Sam.son, a con- 
 siderable quantity of timber was got out for the dam. JJoats and .scows were built lor thu 
 conveyance of stone and material to the work, and a suitable building erected for the accom- 
 modation of the workmen. 
 
 Much of the necessary material and tools for the road and dam, besides a small 
 quuntity of provisions, arc now on hand, and it is greatly to be desired that the operations, so 
 auspiciously commenced, should be proceeded with as early as possible in the .spring, inasmuch 
 us these works, as well as being of paramount and iwrniauent necessity to the line of commu- 
 nication, will, when completed, be of gretit advantage in the iirst instance, in facilitating the 
 conveyance of materials and supplies to works of similar character farther in the interior. 
 
 MR. J. W. BRIDGLAXD\S RKPORT. 
 
 I notice this document to correct an error into which Bridglaud seems, inadvertently, 
 to have fallen. He !>as projected, on a map, a line of Railway i'rom Jiake Superior to Rainy 
 Lake, and, fnnn the information gleaned from a mere preliminary rcj^rt of mine, represents tho 
 country through which it would pa.ss as being imperfectly examined, or wliolly unexplored. 
 Now, the fact is, that the region to which he refers, although not examined exactly, 
 with the view to a railway, has been explored to such an extent as to aftord, at 
 lea.st, a fair knowledge oi' its topography. Messrs. Wells, llussell and (Jaudet, 
 Provincial Land Surveyors, crossed and recrossed it in various directions, as 1. mysell", also 
 did, making surveys and determining levels over extensive .sections, and should Mr. Rrid-;- 
 land ever visit the country, which he has not as yet done, I feel confident that he will per- 
 ceiv 
 t 
 
 •eivo the accuracy of the ilescription contained in my reports, and reproduced in an abridged 
 I'ormin this document, under the heads of •• Lake Superior Section' and •• Lake Region.' 
 
 As regards the railroad, I have, in variims re[)orts submitted to the (.iovernnieut, ex- 
 plained that when the circumstances of the country would admit of woiksof ,Mieh iiiagnitudH, 
 and when the North-west Territories had attained a certain degree of development, a short 
 line, of some twenty-five miles, from Thunder l>ay to Dog Lake, would be of advantage, as 
 would, also, a line from the North-west Angle oi' the Lake of the Woods to Fort tiarry, con' 
 bining with these great works the improvement of the intermediat(! navigation, by nu-aiis ol 
 lock and dam, from Dog Lake to the Lake of the Woods. 
 
 Mr. Bridglaud has adopted the same idea, with this difference, that he proposes a rad- 
 road of no less than ta-o hundred mi/>'S at the ouUd witli vin' loci: at Fort Frances. 
 In either case, it will bo observed, that there must be intermediate navigation. Then, why 
 not bring the navigation as close as possible to Lake Superior, so as to have a shorter rail- 
 road ? A canal, supposing the lockaue to average as much as that of the Rideau has d(ine, 
 would not cost half as much as a railroad of 200 miles in length, which latter, suppo.sing it to 
 involve no greater outlay than similar works in this country have averaged, would cost at 
 le&iit (ijht millions of ilolltirn. ,. • , i ■• i v. 
 
 Such vast projects are as yet premature, in re-^urd to Mr. Bndglands scheme, as ho 
 
32 
 
 professes no personal knowledge of the country, and merely submits it as a supgostion, I shall 
 oflFcr no further comment, than to say, that it would bo useless to expend further sums oi' 
 money in the exploration of the route, which hopioposes, with the view to a railroad. His line, at 
 the summit of the wuter-shed, wouldbeat an el natii)in)f some l.oOU fci'tabove thok;vi>l of Luki- 
 Supcrior.and thut,not in one gradual rise, but over successive hills and valleys. Further to the wvM 
 ward it would be on a sort of dividinu' rid'_e. between '• lonp; and irre!j;nliir_wa(or-eourscs." 
 Its course would be transverse to the striki; of the uneiss which, over a considerable jiart nl' 
 the route, is heaved nj) in mountain chains, or depressed in .sharp valleys lilbnl with lakes if, 
 already described, in this report, under the bend of '' liake Ke^jion." .Al.ireover, a railway 
 •if sucli considerable lenijth sliimld be so placed as to be available, at some future [)eri(td, as ,t 
 link in the exteu.sioii of Canadian llailway.s to the ya.st prairies of the West, and, in this re 
 ^ard. Mr. Bridi^land's proposed line would bo quite ont of tlu- way. 
 
 I fully concur with him in bis views :is to the (ixjiedicney ol" immediate and 
 enefetic action, in opening sue!i commnnieatioii as would attract the trade of the western 
 territories to this country, and T believe the plan whieh 1 have jn-opo.sed would have tiie 
 
 desired effect. 
 
 Kespectfully submitted, 
 
 S. J. Dawson. 
 
 ^\.^^.j-\ /"x^v/* rs f 
 
 1 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 5, 
 6, 
 
;o8tion, I rthall 
 
 irthcr sums oi" 
 il. Ilisline, ;it 
 iclovi'l ofliuki- 
 tliortotho woi( 
 vatoi'-omirsfs." 
 lorahlt' jtiirt nl' 
 I witli l.iki'M II, 
 n-or, ji railwiiy 
 ro [)ori(t(l, as ,t 
 iiul, ill tliis re 
 
 nniediatc ami 
 oi' tho western 
 oulrl linve tlie 
 
 Dawson. 
 
 33 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 PAQE. 
 
 1. Letter, S. J. Dawson, dated 15th April, 18G8 35 
 
 2. Letter, S. J. Dawson, dated 27th April, 1868 3G 
 
 3. Letter, J. W. Bridglaud, received 11th December, 1807 37 
 
 4. Letter, J. W. Bridgland, 2nd December, 18G7 39 
 
 5. Letter and Report, L. A. Russell, Gth December, 18G7 40 
 
 6. Letter, John A. Snow, in respect to Thunder Bay as a Harbour 43 
 
86 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 (Copy of No. :],ono.) 
 
 Ott.uva, 15tli April, ISHS. 
 
 Sill,— I would rospcctlully invite your uttnition to tlio jxtsitioii of tiic works at Lnko 
 Superior, for wliicli a ;,'raiit was, last year, inade from fiio UpjiiT Canada (Colonization Fund. 
 
 If those works are to bo proceeded with duriui' the present season, the time is ap- 
 proaching; when arraiifiements should Ijo made for tlieir vi;;orous prosecution, immediately on 
 the openinj; of navifjation. 
 
 I enclose a copy of a Memorandum, which I suhmitted last year, in re^'ard to the im- 
 portance of havinj.; the road to Doj:; Lake comjiliteil with the least i)ossible delay, as it would 
 have greatly facilitated the c(mveyance of suppli-s for works i'arther to the west. Thi^ .same 
 ari^uments still liold ^'ood, althouirh, from the experience of last .summer, Kind that hy the u.se 
 of the flat-bottomed scows instead of bark canoes, in certain parts the KaminiHtaf|uia, wo 
 could forward limited (|uantities of supplies with tolerable facility. 
 
 As nuittcrs stand at present, I have a dam on hand at l)o<; Jiake, and Mr. Bridf^land, 
 the Superintendent of Ontario Colonization Itoads, lias in change the road leadinj; from 
 Thunder Bay to Do'^ Lake. 
 
 Wiiether a -^rant should bo obtained tliis year or not, for openimj the communication all 
 the way to lied llivcr, it is in any case of the utmf>st importance that the Do^ Lake road 
 and Dam should be couipleted, as they would so much facilitate further operations whenever 
 they may bo undertaken. 
 
 As, in the event of its bein;» decided upon to continue the works now in hand, men have 
 to bo cuf^anjcd and supplies prepared, I would respectfully solicit early inl'ormation lus to the 
 intention of the Government in this ref^ard. 
 
 I have the honor to be. Sir, 
 
 Your most obedient servant. 
 
 Hon. Win. McDougall, C.B., 
 
 Minister of Public Works, &c. 
 
 S. J. Dawson. 
 
 &C., &c,, 
 Ottawa. 
 
 V. S. — My f^cncral report on the lino of commuuication is bein;^' copied, and will be 
 submitted in a few days. S. J. D. 
 
 (Copy. — Memorandum.) 
 
 Ottawa, 1st July, 18G7. 
 
 Tn rep^ard to opcnini; the commuuication with the North-western Territories, I think it 
 highly desirable that work .should be eonimene(Ml and prosccutotl ■'■: tlio eastern .section with 
 all possible dispatch, and, to this end, I would recommend that Mr. Snow, or some other com- 
 petent and active man, should bo at once .''ent oft' to commence operations, and that the force 
 should bo p,Tadually incroa.sed, as it can be advantaijeously I'niploycd, until it has reached .such 
 a number as will ensure the completion of the work during the present season. 
 
 For my own part, I shall be ready at any time after the 20th of this month, to go up and 
 lay off the dam at Dog Lake. In the me.mtime, T can furnish a Memorandum which, as the 
 line of road between Thunder Bay and Dog Lake is already laid out, will enable the first 
 party to go on with preliminary work. Lake Superior is now ctusy of access and there is, I 
 apprehend, ample time during the current season, to expend the present appropriation to 
 advant.agc. 
 
 The plan recommended by ]Mr. Bridgland, to extend the work over the present season and 
 next, has no doubt, much to recommend it, and, if economy were the sole object to be had in 
 view, perhaps it would be the best. 
 
There nre, however, otiier I'dtiKidonitioiis which, iilwiiy.^ hiivini,' ii tlue rej,'iir(I tocooiiomy, 
 I hej; to 8iil)iiiil. 
 
 In till' lir.Ht |p1.ici<, the work I'ur wliii-h a >:r:int li.is boi'ii iii;uli< is rsHiiitinl as a 
 iMiiiiiiiarv kUii ti> worlvs lartlur to tlio went. Tho wetioti hi'tww'ii Jiao th's Milhi Lacs and 
 
 jirr 
 
 Kiiiiiy l,;iki'(Miino;, ill liiL't, In' tduclicil until it is rcniicri'd acccf^sildi- IVoni li.iki- Siipfrinr, 
 liiiadi'd (!iiii(»'s t;iki' nciirly a week to roach l>o;,' L;ikc liy IIk^ K;iiiiiiiistai|uin, and imichtiiiic 
 is (^)iisuiiicd in ncttiiij; over tlic limi: [wirta^cs at tiic Ilci^dil of liMiid, ho tiiat, hy thii time 
 Ija(! dcM Milic FiMcs is rcMcliod. till' crews make a .Ha<l inroad on the small loads which their 
 
 canoi's can cii ly. 
 
 It will llnis Ik" uiidevtood how iK'cei'stry it is to the ;:rc;it object in view — tliiit oropcn- 
 iiiir coniniiiiiication wmIi tlie Ni'ith-wcst Territories— that this iirdiminary work should lie 
 irone on with ; iid ihc L'.'cnt stunihlini; block, or barrier, at Lake Su|ierior, overcome with a ; 
 jiossiliie disp:itc!i, Once at Lac lies Mille Liics, the connnunication is not, even in its existing.' 
 htale, so bad but that l,iri;e-si/i'd bouts or cmikm's can boused in I'orwardiii;,' sujiiilics for the 
 jiroseculion oMurthor works, so tliiit, comparatively small as the nppropriation may appear to 
 be. it- is impossible to overrate the iinporlanco of tho work on which it is to be applied or the 
 ciroct it w!!l produce. 
 
 Another consideration not to be lost sii;lit of is, that it' an cner}.'etic commencement were 
 made at ihe easlern enil of the route, the people of Hod Uivcr would, themselves, in all pro- 
 bability, set to work on the secition nearest them. They would, I believe, have done so hnii!; 
 ai^o had they .'<eeri ,'in c;iriiesL beiiimiim; inadi;. 
 
 [ believe, too, lh;it there will be economy in takim: advantage of time and pu.sliin^ on 
 tho work rapidly, for when enterprises of this kind are extended over lonjj periods, the salaries 
 of the overseers and other otfieers make .serious inroads upon appropriations. 
 
 Any number of men cm, at present, bo had in Jiowcr (!aiiada accustomed to the woods 
 and the nature of tiie wo-k. The lumbermen of the St. Maurice, for instance, are now heinj^ 
 paid off, and would <,'lud'y enirauo for Lake Superior. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 (Signed,) S. J. Dawson. 
 The Hon. A. Campbell, 
 
 Commissiouer of Crown Lands, 
 
 &o., iScc, &c:, 
 
 Ottawa. 
 
 1)ei'.\ivtmknt ok Cuown Lands, 
 
 Ottawa, r)th July, IStu. 
 
 My Pear Sir, — I seat a ei py of your last proposal to 3Ir. Bridj^land, and he ha.s just 
 replied by tele<rram — "No need for Snow* poini; first ; wo can take tents for tho sca.son. If 
 he does not wish tn so. I can in.'ike another selection." 
 
 I am sooverwlielincd with business that 1 can <:ivc neither time uorthouirht to tho.servicc, 
 so pray correspond with Mr. IJrid'zl.'ind, and try to ij;ct him to start a p.irty at once; als»i, try 
 to disabuse his mind of the idea that the road is a "hasty location." 1 think it very de- 
 sirable that he sliould ^o over the line of the road with yon, not to explore for a lietter, Jiut 
 to decide the work to be done on it, and, if time allowed, to <ro over as much of the rest of 
 the route as could be made next year. 
 
 I rep;rct, niore than ever, that you cinnot taki! ch;irij;e of the whole. 
 
 Yours sincerely. 
 S. J. D.'iwson, Es(|.. (Siijned,) A. UtJ.ssEl-l.. 
 
 Civil Engineer, 
 
 Three Rivers. 
 
 Ottawa, 27th April, ISOS. 
 
 Sir, — I be^ loavo to hand you, herewith, a Memorandum explanatory of tho diflerent 
 items specified in the estimate which I had the honor to submit, in respect to the cost of 
 openlnj!; the the communication between Lake Superior and the Red Kiver Settlement. 
 
 ♦Tho Mr. Snow here rnlpnTcl to conflucteJ the working [i.irlics on tbe roail last suniincr. Ifc is 
 an e-iicellent ollicor, and would go up og.iiu. ,S. J. J). 
 
87 
 
 1 toopoiioniy, 
 
 ilKi Lues 1111(1 
 
 ikii Su|)t'rinr. 
 
 Ill iniu'li tiiii(< 
 
 by till? tiiiii' 
 
 wliii'ii tlitir 
 
 lli:it 111' opcii- 
 rk m1i()1i1(I lir 
 'i>mi! witii II . 
 
 ill itsi'xUtiiiir 
 ijilii's lor tlit^ 
 uiiy ii|)|)i'iir to 
 :i|i|ili('(l or tilt' 
 
 iiceiiiciit were 
 ,c'S, ill till pro- 
 i (loiio so lon^ 
 
 id jmHhiiifjj on 
 il><, tlio siiliirios 
 
 , to tlie woo(l.< 
 arc now beinjr 
 
 Dawson. 
 
 ly, 1S(57. 
 
 nd he has just 
 ho season. II' 
 
 tothcsi'rvico, 
 nice; also, try 
 Ilk it very de- 
 r a bettor, but 
 
 of the rest of 
 
 IllSSKI.l- 
 
 wi\, IROR. 
 
 if the dillereiit 
 to the cost of 
 tlement. 
 
 EiiBiiiicr. He is 
 .s. .1. 1). 
 
 The total mnii wt down, as bfiiii,,' re(|ulrcd between .lounlaiii's llapid on I)o^ Uiver 
 and Kort (larry, is ijltil.ridd. 'I'liis, it will be observed, is irrcsjM'ctivi'cf the sum of *r»r),',l()i» 
 approiiriiitcd last yi'ir I'rom the I'liiier Canada Colonization Fund for the Luko Superior 
 section. 
 
 Ill my report, handed in some days auii, T have endeavoured to show, from what I believo 
 to be eoneliisivt! dala, tli.it if the eoiiiiiiiiiiie;iliiiii were n|ieiied in the miiiiner proposed, the 
 trade of the Nortli-we>t 'i'erritories would be jittr.ieled to Liiki^ Superior. 
 
 \l present, tlie cost of tiiiiispoit fi'iiiii St. Paul to Tort (iarry aiiiouiits to ^!l(( per ton, 
 or thereabout. Hy boats from Yi , . Factory, on llnd'on'.s IJiiy, to the ^ame point, the cost 
 is said to be about .?l((l( per tun. Hut, takliiLr the ueiieral averaj^e cost of articles de- 
 livered at Hed l{i\er, whether IVoiii the western towns of Minnesota or from York I''actory, 
 at !*!MI per ton, 1 have shown th. t, if the! eoiiimuiiieat ion were once opened, the coat per ton, 
 from l^ake Superior to Hed Hiver, would be about iir.'lO; but, makiiijx every alliivvaiice, and 
 for the sake of eompaiison, I have set it down at ?|il pi r ton. Now, on every prineijile on 
 which eomiiieree is carried mi, a s.iviiiu' ol' .^riO per ton on iVeiiiht, which is more than lialfof 
 the whole cost, would surely (le<'ide the matter as to which route should be followed. Hut, 
 it is not, alone, in transport, that the lied Hiver settlers would have an advaiita^'e in coniinj; 
 to Tiake Superior. NVith the present hiuli tariff in the I'liited States, and, considering the 
 riiiiioteiiess of St. Haul, where they chiefly purchase their supplies, from any centre of coin- 
 merce, it is not too much to say that they could buy sucli articles us they re(|uire for, iit least, 25 
 percent. less in Canada than they can in St. Haul. 
 
 In re^Mrd to the trade of the North wot Territories, it is diflicult to form a vi'ry precise 
 estimate. That of the Hed Hiver SetlU'ineiit, alone, is \,ilii 'd in St. Haul at four mill'ons 
 of dollars, while the Hudson's Hay Company's trade, by York l''aclory, may ])robably reach 
 two millions of dollars, annually. The ])ublished returns of the revenue of Hed Hiver 
 Settlement would, howt ver, only indicate a trade of two millions of dollars, annually. Hut, 
 as the jieople sometimes do not ackiiowleduc' the authority of the (loveri'iiient to collect 
 duties, and as, in any ease, the (iovernment is not very cxactin;,', it is probable that a 
 ureat deal escapes; but it would, 1 think, be ijuite within bounds to take the entire trade of 
 the territories, both that of the settlers and the Hudson's Hay Conijiany, at from three 
 to four millions of dollars, annually. 
 
 Here, then, is a fair amount of trafhc to occupy the line as soon as it is opened, and, 
 not to speak of the many other iniportiint subjects in connection with this matter, I would 
 |)oint to the fact that, as a specul;itioii merely, it would pay the Dominion of Canada to open 
 the route to the North-west Territories, andhavi their youm: and ^r.iwinu' tnide attracted to 
 the country befin-e it becomes established in channels from whii'h it may, at a future time, be 
 diflicult to divert it. 
 
 1 have the lumor to be, Sir, 
 To the Hon. W. INIcDoup'ill, C.H., Your obedient servant. 
 
 Minister of Public Works, S, J. D.vwsoN. 
 
 of the Dominion of Canada. 
 Ottawa. 
 
 (Copy of No. 1,!)^>S.— Heccived lltli Dec, IHliT.) 
 
 Sir, I bi'i; leave to lay before you a lirief Heport relative to the North-west ■•iml Hed 
 Uiver Country. It is doubtless known to you that, in the niontli of .Inne last, the then 
 (Iovernment of Canada decided to adopt some measures towards the drvclopmeiit ofthe above 
 reL;ion. 
 
 A ■scheme for this purpose had been presented, by Mv. S. .). Dawson, in the year 185!), 
 after two years of previous explor.ition and survey in the cnniitry in ijuestion, founded upim 
 the information thus ohtttined. 
 
 This .scheme proposes a series of improvements, compreheiidiiijr dams, locks and turn- 
 piki; roads. The waters are to be rendered navigable in readies over a certain distance ofthe 
 route from Thunder Hay, on Lake Superior, to Fort Garry, on Red Hiver, connected by 
 means of turn])ike ro.ads, to complete tlie eoniinunie.ition. 
 
 The (Iovernment adopted this scheme on the ISth June last, and ordered the Super- 
 intendent of colonization roads, in I'jiper Canada, to orsranize a party and proceed at once to 
 
88 
 
 ciiiiiriHiicr llir wmk-^. 'I'liiit. (irdcr wmm ribcycd, iiml hh liiiu'li jin)t.'ic^-( iii;iilc willi llir (ir.-l 
 
 Hrclinll (pf till' Wlilk ilM lllf circillllHtlllll'iH tltlll HfllMdll VVOIllll JlCllllil (if. 
 
 |l|i(iii till' Miliii' III' llic iiii|iriivi'iiifn(H ^'ll;.'l.'^•Ml^(l in Mr. S. .1. hiiw.-'iiii'H wliniii', I iln imt 
 iiilt'iiil III ilwrll ruillii'i' tliiiii III niiiiirk llial, in ni^ ii|iiniiin, lliry an' mil. ii(li'i|iiiiti' In iIh' 
 iilijrrl ill \ii'W, vi/., till' (|i\rlii)iiiH'nt iinil ^'l•l.tlt■lnl■lll. nl" llir Idil |[iv<T Cnuiilry. 
 
 Till' uM'iin.ii \ii'W I liiki )l' tlir .stiliji'i't is llii.s: A ciiiiiilry lyini^ live liiimlrril milr- 
 liir-laiil IViijii llii' Ili'Mil 111' li.'iS i'/filimi, mill licilil' liki'wisr M'|iiirili'il liy wli:it is r-lLslicclcil fu lie 
 il ^'rlilTlllly liillTcn llliil liliiki'll iiplllltiy, CIUI IU'Vcr, ln'lii'licilllly, lie Ir.iclli'il I'nr lllf |im'|Hi,Mi'.s 111' 
 
 hi'llli'Mii'Ml, rx('i'|iliii;.' tliMiii</li till' nii'iiiiiin iil' llic nm.^l iiii|iriiM'il iiiuili'i'ii Ini'iiiiiiiliuii ; iicitlicr 
 Clin llii' |ii-iiilurlM nriliiil niiiiilry In- liiiiU!.'lit iVniii il tliiuiiu'li hiicIi iin iiitrrvciiini.' Hrclinn Ity 
 iiny |iv-,~ .-priily iiihI riipalili' liin' nl' Iraflii'. 'I'lii'Si' iirj/iiiiiriits iiii' f<lii'ii;.'tlii'iic(| liy llir riii't 
 llial llir riiiliiliy ill i|lli'^lii>li i.i iillri'iil :i ri\al iiiaikri In inir own liy ii iiilirli r.'isirr iialiiral 
 riilltr/' \silli llir |i|ii^-|iirt ilulllil Ir.-M ul' illi'lra.-rij I'acilil irs. |)|ii|iiirtiiilli'llr lo llir illl^'Iliriil ilij.; 
 MaiitM 111 l!ir riiiiiilry . 
 
 Tlnlr \mII III' litllr lir.-ilaiiry (111 llir lliilnlsiir mil' A llirl irail liri'jliliiplir,-^, illlrr liavili'.' 
 ali'raily |iriiviilnl !;>'ri. (Mill. (IIMMii liiiilil a ;/l'aiii| ('iilitiliriilai railway In llir I'aritir, In ailnjil 
 riillalrral iiiraMirrH III tap llir :-r( I inn ill (|ilrritiiin willi a lil'aiirli railway, Ml MHiii MM llir iiitrir,-l;i 
 iil'trailr |iniiil nut llir liriirlit nl' mhIi an rlitrriiriMr. 
 
 It lirlirr a|i|iiMr.s illlll.-•|M■n^allly nrcr.s.sary in nnlrr I I lirrvrnl llir rnlr.-tallalinll III' till' 
 
 iiiiiiiiiirrr 111' llii.1 |iriinii.'^iiii_' rrjimi tlial niir nwii (invrrmnnil ^Imulil lulniil. iiiiiiinlialr mul 
 aili'ijiialr iiira-uriM In ilrM'|ii|ir ailil iliiliiltr it.s I'rhnlll'i'r.H. 
 
 NnW llir lirnjrcl I Iwurln [i.ii|iii.ir i.-s tlir liilililili;.'- (if a liari'iiW U'lia^r railway t'l'iilll I'nilil 
 ill • Mriimii.^ nil ihr K aliiilli.-l iijll ia Kivrr, alinlll ril'lll lllilrH almVr l''nrl William, In I III' snlll |i 
 
 ra-l rnrnrr 111' Kainy Lakr. 'llir rnrniatiiiii nrniir sliip raiial Ini'k at l''(irl- Si. {'"raiicrs nil 
 llainy Kivrr, anil llir iliciljiii;.' nl'a day liaraltlir iiiniitli nl'tlir KaiiiiniMlii|iiia Ki\rr In ailiiiil 
 
 nl' liavji/al inn In llir alin\r jiiiilil. I )rH Mrlirnll.H. 
 
 I'lniil llir ,-nlllll ra-l rnriiri' nl' Uailiy hake In llirlmrtll Wr.'il nillirrnr liiLu nil lie W'linil.'-, 
 V.r WnilM tlirii lia\r all lllllilnkril lilir ni' liavi'/alilr Wati'l'-i fnl' llir lar;.!r--.l rIaNH nl' »(i'ailit'r,s, 
 
 aii'l lint lIM mil'", wniilil rniiain In rrarli l'"nrl, (Jarry mi llnl Uivrr. Tlir latlrr ili.itaiicr 
 liriii'/iiwi [iriirir laml anil Inw ','rasrlly riik'r:^, nfVri'M im MniniiH im|iriliiiii'nl In turii|iik(^ rnaili 
 
 nr a i|ira)i railway. It mi'jiil lir Irll tn In- illl|iriiVr(l liy lln^ rntrr|iri.sr III' llir M'lllrl'.s llirm 
 
 Milvi.-', nr il llir < invrriiiiiriit. Maw til, lliry rniilil criiitiniii' llii'ir n|irratiiiiis al'lri' any iiirtlnKl nl 
 im{iiiiM'niriit lliry mi'jiil. drrm iiiuiil jiiilii'inii.-i. 
 
 I>y a rrrrri'lirr In tlir map W'llirll arrnmpailir-J lliii lu'pnrt, il, will lir .'rrli llial. llir rnnn 
 try llirnlllll wlii ii il in |irnpn^-ri| In rarry llii.i prnirctnl railway, rmlirarr'^ a cnli^iilrralilr 
 a'.rfafr li|ia<llli . m y ri'niii .'IK In (ill milr.<, lyini' lirlwrrli ! !lr Inil'j; ami i I'l'i".: ill ir walrl' ciilir.-^r ' 
 Imlii'il li\ llir Inn. I l'llll^^|l|r|■,llll'• f-lrraiin ainl Cnlllirrt in;.'' 1 ikr.-i. 
 
 All llli.-i I'rjinii lia« lirrli Vriy iliiprrl'rrt ly , ami I lliillk ill niii'^l rr.-prrt , W linlly, nilr.Xplnrril, 
 aiiil liriirr (illiri llir prnlialiilily 111' ii!ilaiiiiii'_', liy .-inmr iraHiiiialily ilin rl cniir.-ir tliroiit'li it' 
 ciiilrr, a jirai'tirililr liiir iil'inntr I'nr a railway. Siirli an rxplnratini! .'•Imiilil lir an immriliali' 
 pri'liiiiinai V npi-i al inn. 
 
 ( >r I niir.-r il WnliM lir pii iii::tni'i' In nil' r I'nr llir ailnplinll nl' llir ( JiiVrrilllirllt any ilrlailnl 
 .•'"■Irliir liy wliii'li till' llinnry.-^ Iirrr.s.sary I'nr till- Hl|i|i'llakin'_' liiiL'lit lir .'Mrlirnl. 'I'liit Wnlllil 
 III :-nlMi' nir.iilirr lir I'lllril liy llir Valllr ul'llir rnillitl'y I lllnll:.' Il wllii'll llir lilir wmilil pa^^. 
 
 ll'aiiy rnliHiliT.ilili pnl I inn nl' it Wirr rnlllnl In lir nl' a..' lirllll llial nl' lliilirial i lll|iiirl aiirr 
 
 (whicli la-t i.M hijlily |iriilialili', ami llir rnrinri- In Minirr\ti'iil, M-ry pn^.-ill|l■ i, llini a pnrlinii 
 
 nl'll lliii/lil lir imiilr ll-rnl', ill llir -Jiapr nt'rrailt.S In (■ Ipil.lli.'il:', wlin, I'nr I'li- ami nllirr rnll 
 fUili'l' ilinii, nl' I'niiillrri'i.ll pli\l|r;'r, mi';lil lir ilnlm'iil In nmlrllakr llir ri ill:-l I'lli'l inn nl' tlir 
 I'nail. 
 
 At all rU'llti ll.r ( Icuri'lim.n! Wnlllil In- amply i nliiprn.-^alnl i'nr tlir rn,t III' a tlinrnll'..'ll 
 airl .sy.-trmalir r.\aliiliial imi nl'llir rniliitry tlirnil;.'li wliirli tlir linr i.s prnpn.-iril In pa.^H liy tin; 
 
 • I 111 till! l/'liili'il Si ale nilr, llr- ilnliilli'r linlii llin Itcij K.vcr .Srlllfliiflil In lllii lliiv i^'iililn Willri i 
 11' till' .Mi;ii.H-i|.|ii JH II 1. 1,111 CiiO II, ill' , III hill, I. W liiiCHH, 1 III 1111^1, r.iitihii 'I'ciiili.r.v, in I.iiKr Sii|it'i inr, 
 irlimJlitMor nil Iii,r.bil,!i' ilc\ intini, -, il n l.ui .Ji .! imU'M, nl w liiili i:; I huuIiIIic In liniil nnd il,')'.' mill'. 
 
 I I lllintfllhll- ll'lllrl 
 
 II '\ 111' liim- i-viiiiiiail lid ill I null H, willidiit (iiiy liiim in liiv in i,f A niri ii an ll^l^■, iirr i^iiininlly 
 
 1 I lip 111 lull llilU llir iiiiriil;il l.iiililii |,|i'i|i III ill llir i,n llir |■.lill^il t-iilr, ,'-., l,,|, N,|. Ill iilylti 1,(1 lillH i-i Cll 
 ir.llilnt; iiT I illll T niillr, I \r, |,l ii (,( , linn .,1' hix lliiicB ill ll,l- i-liilliir |'i,,lll (f llif ('llliliiliail linr III 
 'riiiiinliT Miiy, nil wliiili l,i: li,i.< ri-|,iirliil ii ^ l.iiii|^ vrry t^oi i| [-i. J. I), 
 
 i'rom 
 
Willi till' lir,-l 
 
 Ik'IIII', I ill) Mill 
 llli'i|li;ill' III llir 
 
 IiiiihIi'i'iI mill' 
 i-ii^'|)ti't(il til III' 
 
 till' |llll'|l(l.'HI'S 111' 
 
 iiiiliiiii ; iicitlii'i 
 iiiii^' Mi'clidii liy 
 iii'il liy llii- liii'l 
 li rii.sirr iiiitiiriil 
 III' iiu^'iiiriilih'.; 
 
 I, iil'li'i' li;i\iiiL; 
 
 icilic, to tll|ll|ll 
 
 I ii.M \\h: inliTi'.'-lM 
 iiliiitiiiii III' till' 
 
 illlllK'lliillc Hill! 
 
 my ri'iiiii I'liiiil 
 
 nil, III lIlI'Miilllll 
 
 St.. I'"i'iiiir('s III! 
 I lti\i'i' liiMiliiiit 
 
 .uuI'iIk' W'liiiil.'-, 
 
 SH III' mIi'i'IIIHTS, 
 
 UtliT lli.itllllCi' 
 
 tlll'li|iikr I'liiiili 
 
 M'lllrr.s tlii'lii 
 
 iiiiy iiit'lliiiil III 
 
 I IIimI. till' niilli 
 :i ('oii>iili'i'iili|i' 
 r uairr i'iiiir.--i ■' 
 
 liy, lllirX|)lii|ii|, 
 : tlinillL'll il • 
 II' iill illillli'iliali' 
 
 I'll! any iliLiiJoi 
 'I'i'n. \M.iiM 
 
 Wnlliil \iH>:^. 
 ral iin|iiil'laiiri' 
 llii'ii a |ii>l'liiili 
 ami kIIk'I' I'liii 
 tnirlimi III' IIh' 
 
 nl' a tlllll'iMI'.'ll 
 Id |ia;-H liy I In; 
 
 iiiivij-'ii'ili' wali'ii 
 lo liiiKi- .Siipn inr, 
 11(1 null ;il!'.' »il/i» 
 
 (' , nil' t^i'iininlly 
 
 I fil^llllid liHH ^' IMl 
 
 'llllliilillll lliv itl 
 
 .S J. I). 
 
 )i!> 
 
 iiii'iirmaliiiii, LTnln^irai ami ii^ricultunii, tliut wniiiil lie. tliu.s dlilaimd, ^^llllulli il. even lie 
 liiimil iiii|ii'a('lii'alili: I'm' the itii'ecl. |iiir|iii.se.H III' till' eX|iliii'atiiiii. 'I'lie priilKibli; (li.sl.-inee t'l'nin 
 I'liiiil. iii',-1 MeiiriiiiH til Rainy l^ake i.t iitimit 170 inile.s, and allnwin^ •ill iiiileH liu- tiie increase 
 III ili.ilaiiii' l;y eiieiiity, il, would make the line L'DO mile-t in li'n;:lli. '{'he diwlanee hence 
 llirou^'li Kainy hake down Rainy River, ami throu^li the Lake ol' the W'ooiIh to thewotr^ide 
 llienot', in estimated to he ahiml. l^U inileH ; and I'roiii ihi.s latter |iiiiiil to i''ort (iariy i.s '.Ml 
 mili'M, ho that the total len;.'lli of the line liy this rmile will he ahoul -Itl) miler<, in>li'ad ulTtOII 
 a.i hy Mr. l)attMon ,i line. The inaiiileNl utility ol' thi-^ im|irii\emenl woulil hi — 
 
 Int. Thai, the ea.itern lioundary of the Red River valley eould he reached in 'JMmui.s, 
 travil rroiii I'oinl de.s iMeuron,",, and with the heavie.-^t. animml ol' I'lcitiht capahle of hein^ 
 tran.'i|iorl<'d hy loeoinotivcH and htcanier.s. 
 
 lind. I'lvery availahh; hcction of the eounlry alon^ the rotile, valuahle lor agricultural or 
 mineral >iur|io.seH, would he at omu) developed. 
 
 ;Jrd. All the jiroductH ol" thu va.st vailey.-i of the Red River and North we.'sl f.'euerally, 
 could he Hpeedily tianH|iorted to our own market. 
 
 I fhall May nolhin^ heri! an to the jirohahli! co.sl of tin: umlerlakiuL', whi<'h (with re- 
 lircnc'- to the railway J will, of eour.'ii;, mainly depend upon the eharaetcr of the line that 
 may he dit-i.'overed. 11", however, the Red River rc^^ion prove.t to he one hail' an rich and 
 exli'iihivo in il.s ai.Mieultural value, a,s it han liciu eonlidenlly reported, it is certain that no 
 ordinary expenditure bhould lor a moment delay tin; mo.-it active measures to rcali/.e the 
 henelit.'j of il.s praelieal acijui.iilion. 
 
 The dredj^^in^ of the bar at the mouth of the Kamini.^lii|uia, althouL.'h an imlispen.sahlo 
 part of the hchi'iiie of improvements, i.H, nevcrlhele.iM, one reipiirint; hut a .small expenditure, 
 wlii<;h, with the lock at l''ort St. |i"rancc,s, will, pinhahly , not co.^t more than !ji>IMMHI. I lor 
 hear lo enlar^^e further on this suhjeet, either to exhihit the drawhacks and disadvanta^i'N 
 of a projei't thateompreliends the traii.shhipment of carL'o, no less than twelve times lieUvccii 
 liake .Superior and l''ort (jarry, and the len;^lli of time that must he expended in compah- 
 hini.' the t<'i'miiii of such a route ; ur the superiority of the one 1 have now the honor to 
 lay hel'ore you, as all this will he immediately manifes;. from iii.-^jieelion of the map accom- 
 ]iahyin).'; this Re[iort, and upon which I have delineated. I helieve, all the Inponriipical ami 
 statisti(;al information neeensary to eon\ey a proper undcr.'-tandiiiL' of liic i|m'^tion imder 
 di.sciission. 
 
 I eonelusioii, I he;,' to ohserve, that the (ipcratiou of last sca.ioii, ,so I'iir as relates to 
 the |)o^ Rake road, may not he considered useless, nor, indeed, of small importance, as 
 the mineral value of the section over which it pa.ssed, demaiiils such an improvement, irrespec 
 live of any considerations c(jnmuMin^ it, as a link on Mr. i>awsiin's roule, to the Red River. 
 
 'i'hat it will he jiniii:iouH, however, to extend su(di works heyoml l>oi^ Rake is ;i i|ucs- 
 lion upon which 1 have douhts, and for the reasons set forth in the forc^oin^ Report. 
 
 Res|ieetfully suhmitted hy, 
 
 Vour obedient servant, 
 (Signed,) Jamiis W. RiuiMii,.\Mi 
 
 To the Honorable William Mel)ouo;all, C.K., 
 Minister ol' I'uhlie Works, 
 
 l>omieion of (.'unada. 
 
 (Copy of No. l,Kr.l.) Tditd.NTo, 'Jnd December, IStu. 
 
 Silt, —I have the lioiior to submit my final report of the season's o|ieraliiins upon llu^ 
 l>i»^^ Rake and Thumler Hay road. 
 
 Ilavin;.'', in my former report (which 1 had the honor of traiismitliu!; to you in the 
 monlh oftjcloher la.-^lj, j/ivini.' a detailed account of the work, performed upon the road down 
 lo the lillh September, at which period I left the ^.'Tound, having; \i\\ti\ the work into the 
 ehar;^'e of my chief assistant, Mr. dohn A. Snow, il only rcniains for me to inform you of the 
 pro^'resH and siKicess of llm '•Xpedition, down lo the cud of October, when the. works were 
 I'loscd, and the parly returned by the last trip of the A'i/(>iii(( sleamer. 
 
 I am happy to be able to slate, that the full amount aiilicipaled in my I'ormei' report 
 has been aeeomplislii'il. Six miles of an excellent road have been eonslrueted, of the same 
 descri|ition throuj-'hout, as that related in my former report, and any reahoiiable load — say 
 I'rum onu to ouu and u half lona— can he safely Iruuwjmrtud over il. 
 
40 
 
 The store-house also fpokcii of, erected at the Thunder Bay terminus of the route, 
 has been well finished. 
 
 All our tools, utensils, and furnishiufrs, are snugly and safely stored therein, and I 
 have, Avith the sanction of the Assistant Connnissioiier of Crown Lauds, left one reliable 
 and capable man in charjj;e thereof. 
 
 In addition also we have cleared, stumped and burned three acres of land around the 
 store-house, and prepared itforearlj plantinj; with potatoes in the spring, which latter labour 
 will be conveniently performed by the man left in charge, who lias instructions to do so. 
 
 The requisite seed can be procured from the Hudson's Uay i'ost at Fort William, and I 
 have made the necessary arrangement with Mr. Mclntyre to this end, and tor the wintering 
 of one yoke of the oxen taken up, so that they may be ready tor our service another season. 
 
 All the party, including the men employed by Mr. Dawson at the dam work on Dop; 
 Lake, with the exception of one man left, as stated above, in charge of the storc-houso and 
 and stores, two who deserted from the works and joined the miners, returned in good health 
 and safety. 
 
 With reference to the operations of Mr. Daw.son and his party, I cannot r>peak confidently, 
 as Mr. Dawson has not yet made hisrepor*^. Mr. Snow, however, made a trip to the locality, 
 before leaving the work, and informed me, that a good deal of timber had been prepared for 
 the construction of the dam and two barges ibr the purpose of floating stones, and other ma- 
 terials had been constructed. 
 
 In conclusion, I begleave to remark that, considering all the disadvantages under which 
 we have laboured in commencing and carrying on this improvement, we have accomplished in 
 he short sea.son of two and a half months, a large amount of labour. 
 
 The men upon the road works have scarcely averaged forty-five in number, as from four 
 to five were generally employed in the necessary work of building the store-house. 
 
 Respectfully submitted by. 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 (Sirncd,) James W. Bridgland, 
 
 To the Hon. Wni. McDougall, C.B., Siq). Col. Eoads, Ontarw. 
 
 Minister of Public Works. 
 
 (Copy of No. 1,924.) Ottawa, Gth December, 1867. 
 
 Sir, — My father told me that you had expressed a wish for information as to the position on 
 Lake Superior of the terminus of the Dog Lake Road Line. I am glad to have the honor of 
 sending the accompanying Memorandum, and hope it may possibly be of use. 
 
 A Copy of Baijji.e[(l's Chart would give you, what I may have failed to convey, a clear 
 idea of the north end oi" the shoal, near which point the road line starts. 
 
 I am. Sir, 
 
 Very respectfully. 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 Hon. William McDougall, C.B., (Signed,) Lindsay A. Russell. 
 
 Minister of Public Works, &c., &c., 
 Ottawa. 
 
 MemoraNDU.M on the loratiun of the Road-line from Thmder Bay, Lake Superior^ to 
 Day Lake, on the route to the Red Rircr and Saskatchewan IWritorics. 
 
 In the winter of 1858-59, 1 was intrusted, as an a-ssistant on the Red River Expedition, 
 with the exploration and preliminary survey of the roa(^ line above mentioned. 
 
 The objects kept in view were: 1st. That the road connecting the navigation of Lake 
 Superior with Dog Lake, should Ix; the shortest possible of construction at reasonable cost. 
 2nd. That the terminus on Lake Superior should be accessible to any sized vessels navigating 
 the lakes. 
 
 The terminus, as I located it, complies fully with the first condition ; it is the nearest 
 point on Thunder Bay to Dog Luke, and is about three miles nearer to that lake than arc the 
 
of the route, 
 
 therein, and I 
 ift one reliable 
 
 [ind around the 
 ch latter labour 
 ins to do so. 
 William, and I 
 r the wintering 
 another season. 
 L work on Bop: 
 storc-houso and 
 1 in good health 
 
 eak confidently, 
 
 to the locality, 
 
 !cn prepared for 
 
 3, and other ma- 
 
 ;es under which 
 accomplished in 
 
 ler, as from four 
 )use. 
 
 LAND, 
 
 luh, Ontario. 
 
 liber, 1867. 
 
 ,0 the position on 
 
 [ive the honor of 
 
 } convey, a clear 
 
 41 
 
 Klver 
 
 laniinistiquia at Point dcs 
 
 Hudson Bay Company's Post, and other places on thf 
 Mcurons and below it. 
 
 The country from the Point dcs Mcurons was found to be rough and impracticable. 
 
 Starting from the Hudson Bay Company's Post, or any point on the Kaministiquia for 
 a considerable distance above it, necessitated the crossing of from three to four miles of bad 
 swampy country, degenerating in many places into '^pon morass. Even had the termini here 
 considered been equidistant from Dog Lake, and that the routes from them led through equally 
 good country for road miiking purposes, the second condition imposed that of accessibility to 
 all craft on the lakes, would have caused them to be rejected, when they were compared with 
 the terminus chosen. 
 
 Aloyg the shore of Thunder Bay, ;it the mouth of the Kaministiquia, lies a shoal ex- 
 tending outward about half a mile ; through it tlie river cuts a channel with six feet on the 
 bar. This channel would recjuire much dredging to admit hike vessels, and it is questionable 
 whether its tendency to fill would not make coutinual work upon it necessary. 
 
 The shoal mentioned runs into land, northward, just before reacliing that point on the 
 shore of Thunder Bay, wlu(!ii is nearest to Dog Lake. Here, clear of the end of this shoal, 
 vessels of cfian draft could lie at an ordinary wh;irf extending 500 feet from the shore at the 
 terminus chosen. 
 
 As to the sheltered mooring ground, it shares the advantage of the mouth of the Kamin- 
 istiquia, and, therefore, in that particular is, at jircscm, on jireeisely the same footing as the 
 Hudson Bay Company's I'ost as a terminus. 
 
 Tlie route, from the terminus chosen, has by I'ar the advantage in the nature of the 
 country througli which it passes; it is not rough, and is iiiueli drier than the lines from the 
 Kaniiuisti(|uia, though in a swampy country ; even in these swamps that it does traverse, 
 further exploration, in the more favorable season of summer, may shew minor deviations that 
 would improve the line on the linal location of it. 
 
 Reference to the Chart of Lake Snprrior, by Admiral Bayfield, will shew the correctnesB 
 of my statements as to soundings and position of shoal, and anchorage, &c. 
 
 (Signed,) Lindsay A. Russell. 
 
 Ottawa, Cth December, 18G7. 
 
 It will be seen by the foregoing, and Admiral Bayfield's Chart, that Fort William is not 
 a harbour accessible to vessels, but that the terminus chosen by me for the road-line is one 
 admitting of their coming close to the shore. 
 
 L. A. R. 
 
 , Russell. 
 
 he Superior, to 
 
 itories. 
 
 liver Expedition, 
 
 i. 
 
 igation of Lake 
 
 reasonable cost. 
 
 essels navigating 
 
 it is the nearest 
 lake than ai-c the 
 
 
 
 I 
 
4 
 
43 
 
 SUPPLEMENTARY RETURN 
 
 To an Address of the House of Commons, dated 4th May, 186S j for 
 Copies of all Reports since the 1st July, I867, to the Government 
 of the late Province of Canada, or the Government of Canada, 
 which may have hcen made by the Surveyors or other Officers 
 employed to construct roads and other works, for the purpose of 
 opening communication between the Head of Lake Superior and the 
 Red River. 
 
 By Command. 
 
 HECTOR L. LANGEVIN, 
 
 Secretary of State. 
 
 Department of the Secretary of State, 
 Ottawa, 15th May, 1868. 
 
 \ 
 
 (No. 2,461.) Ottawa, May 15, 1868. 
 
 Sir, — I have the honor to transmit copy of a report of Mr. Snow to Mr. S. J. Dawson, 
 Copv of 3,415 having reference to the selection of Thunder Bay, Lake Superior, as a harbour 
 oncloaeJ. ' for vessels, with request that it may accompany Mr. Dawson's Report, attach- 
 
 ed to the Return relating to the Red River Route, sent to your Department on the 14th 
 instant. 
 
 I have the honor to be, Sir, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 F. Braun, 
 
 Secrctari/. 
 E. Parent, Esq., 
 
 Under Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c., 
 
 Ottawa. 
 
 THUNDER bat AS A HARBOUR. 
 
 The following letter, from Mr. Snow, the officer late in charge of the working parties on 
 the Dog Lake Road, is important as shewing that, in his opinion. Thunder Bay is naturally 
 well sheltered, and that at the point selected as a harbour, he thinks " an ordinary sail boat 
 might ride sa/ch/ at anchor under any gale." 
 
 Mr. Snow was encamped for about three months at Thunder Bay— from the middle of 
 summer until the close of navigation—and had, therefore, a good opportunity of observing 
 
44 
 
 tlic effect uf the wIiuIh. It will b^' cibsorvcd that ho says there is abundance of material in 
 the vicinity, such a.s timber uud slum.', available I'or the construction of wharves. 
 
 S. J. Dawson. 
 Roain IIous-c, Toronto, Mny, 1 SG8. 
 
 Hum., 23rd April, 18G8. 
 
 My Dkar 8ir, — In reply to your letter of yc'^terdny, askinj^ my opinion of Tiiunder 
 Bay, Lake Superior, as a harbour lor vessels, I may state that, during' tlie whole i)eriod ol' 
 my" stay there last season, I was encamped on tlu' immediate shore of the Uay and could 
 daily observe the effect produeed by the different whids on its waters. 
 
 That part of the Bay, bi'tween Curn.Mit River and the moiitli of the Kaniinista(juia, I 
 observed, was at all times comparatively t|uii!t, being fully protected by tlic land on the 
 north-west, west and south-wi'st, and, on the south, by AVelcome and I'ic Islands. The 
 jrreatest swell in this part of tlie Bay was produeed by east and north-easterly winds, but 
 these winds, here, seldom rise to a i;;ale, beinu', when hiu,ii, diverted from their course by the 
 elevated headlands which flank the eastern side of the Ray. 
 
 I do not think the ,i:reat swell from Lak(! Sujiorior ever enters any part of Tiiunder 
 Bay unbroken, as its course is completely cheeked by the hi^h headlands and islands by 
 which it (the Bay) is nearly surrounded. 
 
 Towards the easterly part of the u'reat bay, ;i very consiih'rable swell is occasioned by a 
 gale from the west and south-west, but, in the vicinity of the Depot, the land in that direction 
 is so near that no swell is produced. At the I)ep6t, what may be termed the Inner Bay is 
 considerably guarded by the land on the east, and completely so on the north-west, west and 
 south-west, and is in an excellent ])osition to be approached by sailing vessels. Here, I 
 think, an ordinary sail boat might ride safely at anchor, under any gale. 
 
 During my stay, T made a survey of the coast from the mouth of Current River to near 
 the Kaminista((uia, and took soundings over a considerable portion of the Bay, in the 
 vicinity of the Depot, opposite wliich, and for some distance east and west, I found twelve 
 feet of water at four hundred feet from the shore. For the present accommodation, a pier, 
 one hundred and fifty feet in length by thirty in width at bottom, erected in twelve feet of 
 water, would be ([uite sufficient. It would re(|uire to be carefully built and solidly filled 
 W'ith stone, so as to resist the action of the ice in winter. Kxeellent pine for wharf building can 
 be obtained, either a little east oi' Current River, or on the Banks of the Kaministaquia, 
 below the falls. Stone is abundant, in tlie shape of boulders of convenient size to be 
 handled, strewn along the shore innnediately east of the Depot, and it could be conveyed to 
 the pier in boats or scows. There is also rock immediately at the Dep6t landing, which can 
 be quarried, if required. 
 
 I shall be glad, at all times, to give you the benefit of any opinion, in regard to any 
 matter connected with the very important work of opening up a communication with the 
 Red River Territory. 
 
 I am, my dear Sir, 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 S. J. Dawson, Esq., (Signed,) John A. Snow. 
 
 Civil Engineer, 
 
 Three Rivers, 
 Quebec. 
 
 m 
 
 W'S. 
 
 Mm 
 
 m.^ 
 
 

 ! of miitcriiJ in 
 Dawson. 
 
 pril, 18G8. 
 
 ion of Tiiunder 
 
 whole {)orio(l oi" 
 
 Hay and could 
 
 auiini.sta(|uia, I 
 lie land on the 
 Islands. The 
 criy winds, but 
 r course by the 
 
 :irt of Thunder 
 and islands by 
 
 ;iccasioncd by a 
 I that direction 
 e Inner Bay is 
 ■west, west and 
 s.sels. Here, I 
 
 t River to near 
 c Bay, in the 
 I found twelve 
 9dation, a pier, 
 1 twelve feet of 
 d solidly filled 
 rf building can 
 Kaministacjuia, 
 mi size to be 
 be conveyed to 
 ing, which can 
 
 regard to any 
 ation with the 
 
 :V. Snow.