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TirTMTi4tii iiLiiiT litiiiriit iititf irtiiii iliii II Ki.iirtiiiLittiir ihititztiixalj 1 i-itji ij-iiti Hi iIxA^J.i-lt.LiJ.ii-itJLj_jjXi.n.Iii I I i 1 1 I i 1 1 lu iLti ixixiif ? ' ? .it 1 1 1 1 ihi ui li I ' t rhlLni'-^*-
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ITM t tl 1 I I ll t r I 1 tU> - ' i IJ I .'li 1 I tl I I I I't l4 Lillll I I if 1 1 1 1 I [ Hi 11 t I 1 1,
BAViS STRAIT
^
{"■/SiuMJfi Sly ^Tt,
Showing the track of the %
S.S.S.AUSRT
Hudson's bay expe^iqn
18 8 6.
ISrJohn't
A:fx«ndfr& Cabt(,l;th Tsrontt
1
I
St.
I
f
I
HU
I
REPORT
OF THE
HUDSON'S BAY EXPEDITION OF 1886
UNDINE THE COMMAND OP
LIEUT. A. \l GORDON, K.N.
HI
The Hor
t "
Sib,
Ezpcditi
The
N4
In 1
meeting
ship, and
On 5
I you the 1
I "To Lie
"Sii
[ formed u
j guided b;
general ^
under no
I oircamst
to you pi
own disc
at your c
16
I
i;
Pt E P O Pt T
01" THE
HUDSON'S BAY EXPEDITION OF ISSC).
UNDKR THE COMMAND OF
Lieut. A. R. Gordon, R.N.
I Toronto, 18£h March, 1887.
The Hon. Geo. B. Foster,
■A Minister of M arine and Fisheries,
I Ottawa.
I Sib, — I have the honour to submit herewith the report of the Hudeon's Bay
Expedition of ltt^;6.
The report is divided under the heads of: —
Narrative,
Ice ObHervations,
Notes by Observers,
Eesources of the Hudson's Bay Region,
Meteorological Observations,
Report by Mr. F. F. Payne on the Flora and Fauna of Stupart's B^y,
Report by Dr. R. BeH on Economic Minerals, &c..
Concluding i-emarks on the Navigation of the Straits.
NARRATIVE OF THE VOYAGE OF THE DOMINION STEAMER
" ALERT," 1886.
In accordance with your instrnctionp, I left Toronto on Ist June, and after
meeting you in Ottawa, proceeded to Halifax to sai)erintend the fitting out of the
fihip, and the purchase of ill the necessarj' stores, jiroviHions, ko.
On 24th .Tune, all stores being on board, and the crow shipped, I received from
you the following letter of instructions : —
" Ottawa, 22nd June, 1886.
" To Lieut. A. R. Gordon, R.N.,
" Halifax, N.S.
" Sib, — With reference to the voyage of the ' Alert ' and the work to be per-
formed under your charge for the present season, it is desirable that you should be
guided by the following instructions, which are intended rather as an index of the
general wishes of the Department, than as an absolute direction from which you are
nnder no circumstances to deviate. Changes that may be rendered necessary, by
oircamstances now unforeseen, and other work than that indicated whioh may appear
to you proper to be done during the course of your voyage, are to be within your
own discretion, always bearing in mind the purpose of the expedition, and the time
at your disposal.
1271D8
I
" It 18 desirable that you should proceed to the mouth of Hudson's Straits with
as little dolaj' as ])Ot.sible, hO as i^i avail yourself of the very first feasible opportunity
to m:\ko the jkii'Sd^o through. If you are prevented from at once entering tLv, Straits,
you will occupy your time in tukirg accurate observations of, the extent and condi-
tion of iho ice, the prevailing wind.-', uud tho currents at its mouth.
"At the curliest possible period consistent with tho safely of the expedition yea
will push through thf Straits, in order to deraonstrato the earliest date of opening
navig!i;ion and tht- time required to pass through tho ice, noting carefully all the
incidonlH of the passage.
" Unless nece^'sity exists for visiting any of tho stations, of waich you will be
advised by tho hystern of signals agreed upon, you will not lose any- time in visiting
them during your outward voyage.
" After having made your way through the Straits and taken all necessary
observaiion?. it will be advisable for you to push forward to tho western coast of the
bay, ar.d employ the time at your disposal with carefully examining Churchill Har-
bour and the Nelnon Eiver, flowing into tho ba", taking all necessary soundings and
observing the lead of this river up to Seal If'iand, with a view to ascertaining the
suitability of these harbours, lor the reception and security of vessels and tho purposes
of tiado.
"In oddition to this, any information, hydrographical, geological or with rofor-
enf'o to tho tishcrios of tbat ngion, which you can gather, bhould be as carefully and
(.;onip!otely coHccied an opportunity permits.
"It would be well to delay your homeward voyage through tho Straits to as
late a period as is consistent with safety and the labour involved in gathering the
men and plant of tho observing stations, in order to gain whatever data you can as
to tho condition of tho Straits at the latest period of navif^ation.
"The ob.-crvtrs, the houses and all portable and valuable articles at tho stations
you will take on board tho ' Alert' on your return voyage, and bring them with you
to Halifax,
" You will bear in mind that it is the wish of the Department to demonstrate as
far as possible the navigability of tho Straits, for purposes of commerce, in point of
time and facility, and anything that will conduce to thai end the Djpartment relies
upon you to do to the limit of tho means placed at your disposal.
" I am. Sir,
" Your most obedient servant,
" GEOKGE B. FOSTER."
On receipt of this letter, I immediately prepared for sea, and sailed from Hali-
fax, leaving tho Departmental whai-f at 3 p.m. on the 24th of Jane.
There were borne ou tho ship's book at this dato :—
1 captain,
a mates,
1 meteorological assistant,
1 boatswain,
20 able-bodied seamen,
1 lamp trimmer,
5 stewards and cooks,
2 engineers,
2 oilers,
t) stokers.
Capt Markham, R.N., also accompanied tho expedition aa tho representative of
the Wmnipeg and Hudson's Bay Railway Company, making 43 persons in all ou
board at the date of sailing.
f
Straits with
opportunity
? th^, 3traitH,
It and condi-
pedition yea
of opening
ifully all the
yoa will be
in visiting
11 necessary
coast of the
urchill Har-
undings and
irtainiog the
the purposes
with rofer-
arefully and
Straits to as
ithering the
1 you can as
the Btations
sm with yoa
nonstrate as
, in point of
Lment relies
3TER."
fi-om Hali-
■ientative of
as in all ou
We commenced this voyage with every hope of making an early and successful
passago of Hudson's Straits, as the news from Newfoundland was that the iuo had
left the Labrador coast, and that the season, so far as the movements of the ico were
concerned, wiis an unusually early one. Our subsequent experience showed that
certainly, all along the Labrador coast, and to a less extent in Hudson's Straiis, the
season was earlier than last year.
We were hardly clear of Halifax harbour, when a dense fog settlec* down, which
necespitatotl keeping the engines at half speed, the ship making about 4J knots per
hour ; with oeoasioual slight lifts, in which any objoct, such as a ship, conl i have
been seen at a distance of half a mile to a mile. This fog continued till 5 p.m. of the
26th.
On the 27th we bad strong head winds and a heavy sea, against which the ship
only made about 2 k'ots per hour.
On the 28th we bad light fair wind, and smooth water, which gave us an oppor-
tunity to test the speed of the ship under steam. Working with the expansion gear
OD, cutting oJ steam at ^ stroke on the high pressure cylinder, and burning 4 )0 lbs.
of Welsh coal per hour, the ship nade 7 knots p jr hour; which, considerini; her
then deeply loaded condition, was a most satis a'tory result. The qualitv of the
coal was excellent, the ahhes were all burned over, and in the six hour^' steaming
trial, when nearly 2,f)00 lbs. of coal were consumed, the final ash residuum wa-< only
iiboat 2-0 lbs. This fuel gave, according to this test, aconsumption approximity of 4^
tons per 100 miles of distance, so that even if I allowed 5 tons, I felt satisfied that L
wan Carrying coal sufficient for a distance of nearly 8,500 miles in clear wate:-, and
as I estimated my total distance for the voyage at about 6,40) miles, the reserve for
delays by ico was ample.
On the -i^th, at 8.30 a.m., we arrived off B'anc Sablon, and, stopping for a short
time, sent away a boat with letters for homo. These wore given in charge of a boat's
crew, employed by Captain Blandfojil, of Blanc Sablon, who had kindly offered to
see to the forwarding of any mail matter which we might at any time leave there.
At 9.30 a.m. our boat having rotnrned lOadol with a vei-y aocepiable supply of tine
fresh codfish, we proceeded on our course, keeping close in und<3r the north f-hore.
The day was misty, with occasional showers of lain, but the wind being light and the
8ea smooth, the speed of 7 knots was kept up all day. At 4 pm. within our limited
horizon, 20 icebergs wore counted, most of them aground near the north shore of the
Straits.
On the 30th of June, while steaming up the Librador coast, large numbers of small
icebergs, called growlers, were passed, but very few large ones. These growlers are
the fragments of large bergs which often break up when they go ai; round about thia
part of the coast. All this day we had a fresh breeze from the N.P]., with cold
wei.ther. The wind was bitingly keen, and it was very noticeable that there was no
■swell, the sea being as smooth as possible though the wind was strong enough to have
raised a Aiirly heavy sea — about 10 p ra. the sea bugan to got up, and the appearance
of the faky to the eastward, when the weather cleared up in the evening, convinced
, me that we had beer ^-issing to leeward of a considerable body of field ice, which
must have extended over tiO miles of latitude, and have been of considerable breadth
to have prevented the sea from getting up.
On Ist July, passed the Bull Doy^ Island about 3 a.m., had a fine fair bree/.3 all
day, the ship running eiyht knots under steam and sail. A number of icebergs were
passed to-day, some were very large, one particularly so, towering up to a hei.L^^t of
160 or 170 feet above the eca.
July 2nd. At 7 a.m. the wind shifted to north, accompanied bv thick woather
and sviow showers. Loose field ice was now seen ahead ; but, in the then cond tion of
the weather, I thought it best to lie off the edge of the ice till it should clear uj. At
7 p.m., tacked ship and again stood to the north ; by midnight the wind had abated,
and the ship was making good way on her course, having passed the ice which was
sighted in the morning. Quite a number of bergs were passod to day. At 10 p.m.
ibere were nine very large ones, all close together, near the bhip.
1
July dvil. At noon arrived off' Capo Miii^for.i, and met the fi jIJ ico. It was Ior)Ho
and rouon, tho whip making nix knots without much yawing; steaming along tho
coast throut^h this ioone ico alt duy ; woathor fine and clear.
Sunday, 4lh. About 3 a.m. arrived <A\ Gulch Cape, and found the Bay between
this promontory and While Boiir Capo full of tightly packed heavy ice, through
which it would h:ivo beoa irapossihlo to force the whip. I was, therefore, roluctaatly
pompollod to abandon tho attempt to (!all at ilie Xachvak Post, and, heading the^hip
out to tho earitward found comparatively clear water about fifteen miles off" the land,
when course was altered to thu northward, for the entrance of Hudson's Straits.
Mondiiy, 5ih July. Tlio weiither sot in thick, a dense fog hanging over the land;
at one time the -^hip was clo-^oly beset for a couple of hours, tho ice having run tight
together with the tide. While the ship was fast, I had the thickness of u number of
the p-ms measured, they ranged from 5 to 12 foot; occasionally pieces of much greater
thickness were met with, but the estra depth in these cases was due to the " rafting "
or piling of pan on pan, a process which i-* almost contir ually in <»peration whenever
the ice takes ai^ainst tho shore, or against other ico, under the influence of wind or
tide.
July 6th. The weather continued thick all day till 4..S0 p.m., and no progress
was maiio, ship being benet most of the time. Mcusures of the thickness of the ice
wore again made; one piive to which tho ship wag tied up for the great part of the
day, was 300 yards by iriO yards, and the thickness measured at many points on its
edge averaged 12 feet. At 4 30 p.m. the fog lifted a little ; steamed N.W. for 16
miles when ita^^'aiii closed down and we had to stop and make fast to a floe piec-a.
July 7th. Tue fog continuod till 9 3) a.ra , when heavy snow sot in, turning to
sleet after a short time, the weaihor clearing again about 11.20 a.m. There was,
however, no opportunity for obtaining obsei vations lor position, and though the land
was siirhitd cl>so to. the fna hung over it so close down to tho water that ' was
imponMtJic U) idoiilily any part of it.
8th. The woulhor to-day continuei thick up till noon, when it cleared up, and
showed us thai tho ship had been carried south, abiut 30 miles. The soundings taken
whilst steaming off tho land show a depth of less than 101) fathoms up to 10 miles ofT
shore, a rosul'.. somowbat unexpected, as the const hero is high and precipitous, at
some places rising atwuptly from the water's edge to heights of 1,'J(0 or 1,500 foet.
At 1 p.m. cast off fVom tho pin to which we were fast, and steaming out to the
eastward got into clear water and headed to the north vvard following the edge of the
ice.
fUh At 5 30 a m got round the northern odgo of tho ice and entered Hud.ion's
Straits at 6 a.m. The fog again shut down densely thick ; this continued with an
occasional lightening up till noon, when the weather cleared for a short lime, but
only to shut down again. All this day wo have been passing heavy loose ice, steam-
ing either half speed or dead slow.
10th. Another foggy morning, bat clearing up for good at 7 a.m. At 9.30 a.ra.
met a stream of loose ico extending north and south as far as coal I bo seen; at 10.30
a.m. got into perfoftly clear water and shaped course for North Bluff. All this day
heavy ice was visible lying to tho south of our track, tho late northerly winds having
apparently packed tho ice down on the south side of the Strait. A shift of wind to
the southward would speedily have brought it back and checked our progress. We
6UW to-day the first " right whale " of the season.
llth. Arrived at Ashe Inlet at 4.55 a.m., and found Mr. Tyre! 1, P.L.S., tho
obisorvor in charge, and his assistants, Messrs. Mills and Creelman, in excellent health ;
they had been iileulifiilly supoliod wUh fresh meat by tho natives all through tho
winior. and had a largo quantity of fuel still unused. [ took Mr. Tyrell on board as
surveying asf-istant, leaving Messrs. Mills and Creelman to carry on the observations,
and proceeded to sea again at 6 a ra. Mr. Tyrell informed mo that the SS, " Arctic,"
Capt. G;iy, owned by the Messrs Stephen, of Dundee, had arrived at his station on
the 5lh of June, being then throe weeks out from St. John's, i^fld.
bility
t was lo'no
^ along tho
ly between
je, throuijh
roluctiiQtIy
nnr tbei«hip
Bf the laad,
StraitR.
r tho land ;
i^ run tight
number of
uch greater
J " rafting "
n whenever
of wind or
ID progress
of the ica
])art of the
oints on ita
N.W. for 16
oe piec'3.
turning to
There was,
i<h the land
that * was
rod up, and
idings lalsen
10 miles off
3ci pilous, at
r 1,500 foot,
out to the
odgo of the
d HuJaon's
ed with an
»rt lime, but
ice, steam-
\.t 9.30 a.m.
m\ at 10.30
All this day
inds having
, of wind to
jgross. We
P.L.S., tho
lent health;
through tho
on board as
•bsorvations,
S, " Arctic,"
s station on
I h.avo Hinco hoard from Capt. Guy, and tho aucorapanying ice chart shows the
track ho followed.
On the 25th M:iy, when to tho oast of Monuniontul Irilani, tho "Arctic"
was bo^ot by tho ico atiJ carried haiplos-'iy roiitnl Iia«t )lution Island, only being sot
iroo on tlio 2nd June, when nouitho L)\\or Savji^os Island, and this, though sho is
cno ot the most powerful of tho D.indoo whiilinLj 11 el. This is tho same region in
■which tho " Alort " was cauirht l:i,st yoar, hor drift Ijcing shown in tho chart accom-
panying tho Hudson's Buy Expedition Koport, 18a5.
O-ipt. Guy statod to Mr. Tyroll tliul hn intondod on leaving Ashe Inlet to, ff
poseiblo, procood westward through Hudson's Stiaiis. audio pat^s between Mansell
and SDuthatnpton Islands, then to cruise in Hudson'.* il.iy, and passing up Iho Koo'a
Welcome, to go throuijh Prozf^n Strait into Fox Cnannol, thonco through Fury and
Hecia Straits into ihe Gulf of Boothia, and homo by Lancaster Sound. Capt. Guy,
in fact, reached Ropul.-o Bay on let August, but found Froiion Straits fast the whole
summer, and had to return by way of Hudson's Straits.
After leaving Anho Inlet, I intended going across tho Straits to, if possible,
communicate with Mr. Payno at Stupart's Bay, but about six miles off the north
shore the ico lay in one compact mass, which it would have boon useless to attempt
to fone a passage through. Headirg to the westward, I followed the edge of the
pack for about twenty-five miles, and as thcio was no apparent change, anii tho edge
of the ico here trended north, following the lay of the land, I took the yiack and
began working through.
Eroiits subsoqnentljr showed that there lay, at this time, between tho ship and
the open waters ot Hudson's Bay, a body of ico fully 200 miles in width. Much of
this ice was very heavy and tho sheets of groat extent, several were ujjwards of a
milo in length, and though tho upper crust of snow was soft and overhung the ico
below, tho latter was as hard as flint. I had taken tho pack, and commenced boring
through at this point in preference to following tho Icid of open water to tho north,
bocau-e I had found previously that near tho contro of tho Straits, at this point, the
ico almost invariably slacks about the turn of the tide for a longer or shorter time.
A glance at tho chart shows, that as the current fljws most strongly westward on the
north i'hopc, and eastwai'ds on the southern, with Charles Island right in tho eddy
between these currents, tho geographical conditions are favourable to this movement,
whil^i to the north or south, once well into the ))ack, the whole swings with each
tide almost as immovable as a single sheet.
Capt. Guy says in his letter : '* But after leaving there (Ashe Inlot) wo found it
(the ice) of a much heavier nature, boiutr from 15 to -0 foot thick ;|; * *
and woro afterwards sto.iming between Capo Queen and Charles Island from tho 20th
June to ■.;5lh July trying to got into Hudson's Bay."
Capt. Guy tried loo fur north at first. Had ho worked through on the same
track as the "Alert" I think it, judging from the reports of the stations at Notting-
ham and Digires, not unlikely that ho might have got through early in July.
l?th. At l.HO p.m. to-day, whilst ramming at a taut bar of ice, tho screw struck
a piece of ice, and one blade was broken otf. Got propeller on deck and shipped a
new blade, goinii ahead with tho engines again at 4.40 p.m. Ice continued heavy all
day, f-Iacking off and tightening up attain apparon'.ly with the phases of tlio tide.
rub, 14th. Ico continued heavy, and 1 hero (juote from my journal of tho 14th
the opinion then written, which tiubsequont events only tended to confirm: —
" The ioo mot with tonight, in my opinion, settles the question of tho practica-
bility of tho navigation of tho Straits ; up to this date, at any rate, tho Straits are
not navigable for this season, because no ordinary ship that could be used as a freight
carrier, even if strengthened to meet tho ice, could have stood tho pounding, which
this ship has had this afternoon."
15th, IGth, 17th, 18th. Working as opportunity offered to tho westward.
lv)th. At 10 p.m. got close up to the outer Diggos Island, whore tho station of
Port Laperriare is situated, but tho shore was lined with heavy ice, the board ico
being still fast to tte rocks, and, as the weather was unpromising and the tide about
to turn, I hauled off for the night. . . n
20th. This morning, after considcrf.Mo difficulfy, succeeded in getting into 1 nrt
Laperridre. The nhip was tied up for two hours to the shore ice under the loo of a
point whiJBt the luniiing ice was pcirg ya^t at the rate of four knots an hour, occa-
sionally striking the ehip heavily. Alter two hours, tho breeze having freehened,
the board ice parted from the rocks. Fortunately for us tho tide had boon running
long enough to leave a little open water hf iwoen tho running ice and the rocks, and,
slipping the lines, wo steamed up this narrow lead and got safely into harbour.
Mr. Percy Woodworth and his two assistants, Mo-srs. Bissott and Bowditch. who
had been at this station, came on beard over the ice. They had all enjoyed excellent
health, and they reported having spent a pleasant and comfortable winter. Mr.
Woodworth stated that the harbour ico hud only broken up a few days before our
arrival, and it is worthy of note that this occurred nearly a month earlier this year
than last year, thus showing that both at tho eastern and western ends of the StraitH
the eeason was a full month earlier than that of 1885.
The 20th, 2l8t, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th were spent in haibour here, to enable tho
engineers to make some necessary repairs to tho engines. Observation for position
and observations of the magnetic elements were also taken.
25th. At 5 a.m. weighed and proceeded out of harbour, having previously
examined tho condition of the ice from one of the hills. Wo wore, however, only
able to make about nine miles when the ship was closely beset, remaining fast all
day, tho ico swinging with the tide.
26th. At 7.40 a.m. the ico suddenly ran abroad, and by 9 a.m. we wore steam-
ing full speed. Dense tog continued till lato in tho afternoon, which was most
unfortunate, as from tho position given on tho " Arctic's" track tho two ships must
have been within a few miles of each other on this day* At 6 p m. no ice was in
sight, except a few scattered pars on the horizon. As soon as tho ship was clear of
the ice, the regular series of soundings were commenced, and every possible observa-
tion taken to determine with accuracy the position of the ship.
27th. — A little loose and rotten ico was met with this morning, but nothing
"which in any way interfered with our progress, nor were wo at any time seriously
delayed by ice throughout the remainder of tho voyage. About 7 p.m., passed Capo
Southampton, but as the weather was somewhat thick at tho time it was not sighted.
I had now to decide, whether to follow my original intention of visiting the
north-west portion of the bay, or to go direct to Churchill and York Factory, to per-
form the surveying work, which you hud desired me to undeitake at thoHO places.
After careful consideration, I finally decided to make for Churchill, as I was of opin-
ion that the chances of fine weather for this work were more favorable in the early
part of August than they would be later on. The run from Capo Southampton to
Churchill was an excellent one, the ship making eight knots nearly tho whole time.
A little loose ice was met with early on tho morning of the 28th, but otherwise there
was nothing of interest occurred, and we arrived and anchored in Churchill llarbour
at 5.15 p.m. on the 29th, having made the run from Cape Southampton in forty-six
hours.
From 30th July to 3rd August we were engaged in mr.kirga eurveyof Churchill
Harbour, a copy of this plan has been forwarded.
The Barbovr at Churchill is formed by the mouth of tho Churchill Eiver, which
empties itself into Hudson Bay at that angle in the coast lying between Cape
Churchill and Seal Eiver. Between these poiuts the older rock formations come
right down to the sea,
At its mouth the Churchill Eiver flows nearly north (true). Tho estuary itself
is narrow, being only about 600 yards in width. At this point the tide runs with
very considerable velocity — estimated at half-tide to run about six knots. Tho basin
• Note.— This was written before the final examination of the station records. The " Arctic" was
wen passing Digges' Island on the 27tU and so was a full clay behind us. Captain Guy in dating his
track has misdated this noon position.
♦HI.
^
tide about
into Port
) loo of ft
loni'; occa-
fresh en ed,
1 running
ockB, and,
)our.
litch. who
I excellent
itor. Mr.
before our
!• this year
the StraitH
)nable the
r position
previously
over, only
ing fast all
)re steam-
was most
ships must
ice was in
is clear of
le observa-
ut nothing
e periously
issod Cape
lOt sighted,
npiting the
5iy, to per-
lOHG places.
7aH of opin-
the early
a rapt on to
s'hoie time.
rwise there
ill llarbour
in lorty-six
)f Churchill
iver, which
tweon Cape
itions come
tuary itself
ruiiH with
The basin
' Arctic" was
in dating bis
I
I
1**1^ x/*»w» n> %\^ lUV H'MJ iji mg UU>.TfV/VU v^upv
tV/UULxa UL1\& iuvi X^Virjv/u KJU
'jah
The
-•tMI
•^'w^
^t.,^-
^
I
Ul^
I ID i,\J 1*1U t-'fj Jjriug UTOl
lOaTs. The
H>
bei
to
aio
th(
lot
di]
h«(
hei
W<
an
tbf
tli(
eni
ani
•s
abl
isfl
aid
S.1
wli
den
8o«
am
Hw
ion
pu
m
a;
'wai
lioi
:
T
H«
em
Chi
»igl
is I
vei
nen
track nas nisaated tbfg noon position. -^"
500 yards
U of from
rthor, and
> tide runs
" the land
to tWi)Iv«
in W.h.S.,
np to tho
arJ, li mo-
soft mud,
will bi'ins*
shoal tho
'er cnn bo
d there is
3d.
ajy (locks
mill coMt.
nd nature
)ort fit for
c Fuctory.
ind Hubno-
ig cloudy
■) the 8hip
soundinfjs
lo to keep
very fair
ce, and as
lad nf tho
with the
n
p.m. with
no broezo
I dill not
foro made
le of their
idition, r,8
•e left tho
with your
md purty,
iry of the
z at a dig-
I ^j %/«*••*
bo formed
diicsfrom
y, yet but
I it, with
ide at the
»e Admir-
SarrM Crech
Cooks Creek
ni\.y c
I
Woo€lcock
mid Goose (>1v
Black Bear Greet
noOC Creek) ' ' ,tj, » a „tSMmmm1
IfcaiL Quartern Camp/ *'*,'* "*> —"^
Vote i- Sotinding depths are nt
.Koreme/u^ C?litA, Ot/a»n<0»l
zs Creeks
n
f t
k
V
M f
" ». '» "
K
r
«
m
<»•'»*
«
- *
* '% ^ HmH a
IT
B
I*
tt
n
a
»
n
to
W
»
I*
«
*
T
fi
i
a
2
e
3
a
t
^ o iv w^^ r £-i«?
1
tdinc/ deptlis are noted in feel at LW
%yE^T. A.R.€<vi^P^l*^, ^ N.
- Ass! by J.W. Tyrrell, P L.S.
" Scale: I m= 12000 n
t
miloH.
I,
■ *"; .■
\navix l»D UUDU
~'»!*H
■■A.
M
for archorago, wiih a depth of over four fathoms at, low witer, is about 1,500 yards
north and noulh, by about 1,000 yards ea*t and west ; at two p'iiat:^, loads of from
100 to 200 yards in width carry this depth up for a considorublo distance further, and
it is in llio oastorn one of thc-e that I have always anchored.
The holdinw ground is excellent, the bottom boing mud, and though the tide runs
very rapidly this harbour is an eminently safe one.
The approaches to Churchill are well raaiked, and in clear woathcr the land
stands out bold and hi^h, boing easily identified at a diatanco of from teii to twelv«
miles. In thick weather the rule for making this harbour is to btoor in W.b.S.,
keeping m 20 fathoms of loater. If shoaler water than this is mot with haul up to the
north at once, till the water deepens to 20 again. At first the bottom is hard, limo-
Btone, coral and gravel. Keep on this W.b.S. course till the lead shows soft mud,
when yon are in the load of the river ; then niter course to S i W., which will bring
you right down on Mosquito Point. Koap the lead going, and lo not shoal the
water to less that ten fathoms. The soft botto'u in the lead of the river can bo
readily distinguisbod, oven at a distance of eight miles from its mouth, and there is
no danger in approachinir to this di.stance when the above rules are observed.
I This harbour is sdrairablj' Kuitod for a railroad terminus. The ntcessaty docks
could be easily and cheaply built, and the deep-water' ba>*in enlarge 1 at small cost.
Stone is lying at the water's edge ready to be laid into docks and piers, and nature
seems to have loft little to be done in order to make this a capacious port fit for
doing a business of groat magnitude.
On the 4th of August at •.' ?.m. weighed and stood out of harbour for York Factory.
On first leaving the harb )ur soundings were made at five minute intervals, and subse-
quently throughout the entire trip every half hour. Tho aftornoon boing cloudy
with a freshening easterly breeze and a falling barometer, I had to keep the ship
further off the coast than I should otherwise have done ; and though the soundings
are thus, perhaps, of lo«is value than they would have been had we been able to keep
the coast in sight the whole way, they are siill of value as showing the very fair
degree of ac(iurary of this part of the chart.
August 5tb. This morning during thick fog came up with a lot of ice, and as
the weather continued thick wo had to lie off all day.
August 6th. The vveather w.ns bright and clear ; steamed in for the lead of the
Nelson River at daylight, and at S am. anchored in 5 fathoms of water with the
Point Marsh lieacon boarirg S b.W. about 10 miles.
Lowered tho steam cutter and left the ship for York Factory at 1..30 p.m. with
whale b'>at in tow of steam cutter. Hefore getting into the Hayes River the breezo
had freshened oonsidorably and the cutter shipped so much water that I ditl not
consider her safe (or UjO as a sounding boat in an open roadstead. I therefore made
arrangements with the agent of iho Iluds-on Bay Company for the hire of one of their
large schooner rigged boats.
Captain Maikliam. li.N^, who had up to this time accompanied the expedition, as
representative of the >yinnipog and iliid>on Bay Railroad Company,^ere left the
ship, goirg to Winnipog via the Hayes River canoe route, In accordance with your
instructions, I fnrni^hcil Captain Markham with provisions for himself and party,
and procured for him the uso of a canoe.
I was now engaged in making a reconnaissance survey of the estuary of the
Nelson River. I fixed my headquarters camp at the mouth of Koot Cre<.k at a dis-
tanc of nearly 17 miles from Iho ship.
Some idea of the diffi ulUes encountered in performing this work may be formed
from the following : The ^hip was lying miles bom the nearest land, li miles from
headquarters camp and 28 miles from the proposed terminus of the railway, yet but
little more than a railo from iho point shoal, with only 6 feet of water on it, with
a tide of nearly '^ knots. The following is the report on the survey made at the
BO called Port Nelson: —
Port NeLson is now misnamed, the name being applied at present on the Admir-
alty chatts to the bay lying between Capo Tatnam and the Nelson Shoals. Tho
«6
10
uamo was originally given by Sir Tliomiis Button to tho rivor itself, the bay into
which tho riverrt flow he called BiiUotrH B.iy. Sir Thomas Button wintero.l hisKhipa
in tho Nelson Rivor near tho month of a small creek; his winter quarters must have
boon abovo FiamhoroiiiJih Head, as ho describes tho rivor at that placa as being less
than one mile wide. Port Nelson was so named after tlio master of ono of his ships
who <lied (luring the winter. Tho fact of tho name hciiig thus entered on tho chart
may Iiuve led iioopio to b olievo that 8omo harbour exit^tod at this point. The Nelson
and Tlnyos Rivers hero empty their waters into IIu;l.-^on's Buy, and on the tongue of
land lying between the mouths ot those rivers is built York Factory, tho groat entrepdt,
in years gono by, of the Hudson's Bay Company.
The site was nolectod by tho company, not on account of tho existence of any
harbour for tho securi'.y of their shipping, but beeause the Hayes River was the best
boat and canoe route to and f'ora the interior.
Formerly this route was the great, if not the only, moans of communicatiou
with tho early settlers of the Red River and Selkirk Sottleraonts, and it at one time
required two ships of considerable size to carry out the goods, not only for the com-
pany's trade, but for the use of the settlors. At that time tho company's ship did
not come in to the fort, but tho freight was discharged in tho outer roads into
schooners, which tho company kept in tho bay ; these took tho freight up tho river
to the Fautory, taking out the return cargo in tho same way.
Ot lato years, other means of communication with the North West Territories
having been establiehed, the freight requirements of tho compary's trade at this post
have been much lecrca8ed,and for several years past ri small l)riguntino,drawing from
9 to 1 1 feet of water, has done all tho work for tho Tork and Cliurchill district, and
this smalt vessel has frequently taken the ground both going in and coming out.
Tho outer ai.chorago in tho lead of tho Nelson rjvor is ton miles from the nearest
land, which is so low as to be out of eight from tho deck. Tho tidal currents at this
point runs from two to two and a halt or oven three knots per hour, the direction
varyinur with the time of the tido. The only distinguishable obj -ct is the Point
Marsh Bi-acon, which towers up SO feet above high water, and with')ut wtiich it
would be almost impo^^ible to make the a'ichora:»o oven in char woathor.
In thick weather a ship must keep light (.ut in thirty fathoms of water, or she
may find luMself carried in by the tido, whoii she cnnnot get out again.
A ^h(■nI (Point Marsh Shoal) extends out for over eight miles, arid has less than
six feet ot water on it ; and when it is b tnio in mind thut the surrounding land is
unifonnlj- low and level, with no natural features which cituid bo used as loading
mark-j, some idea of the difficulty of taking a ship into thii ])laco may b(^ realized.
It is nndoub'.edly true that a channel does exi-t in ih-j lead of the Nelson River,
but it is both narrow and somewhat tortuous, and would have to bo closely buoyed
thronu'hout its entire lergth from tho anchorage to Seal Island, :i distance of about
twenty-sovon nautical miles. The Indians say that tho channel thifts from year to
year, ami I havo no doubt that thoir statement is c irroct.
The moirth of the rivor from Sam's Creek to Point Harsh lioacon is ton miles
across, and the channel at this point lass than a mile in width. It narrows oppo.-ito
Black B'iar Crook to about 2,000 foot, and tw.» miles ea^t of Flamborough H«ad, where
the river is sti I between two and three miles wide, tho channol has narrowed to
200 feet.
In order to make a channel and basin capablo of accoramoJating freight-carry-
ing vessels much drcdiring would havo to bo done, and b sides tho 27"railos of closely
buoyed channel a 1 ghtship wou'd havo to bo moored some distance from the outer
anohorat,'e to enahlo ships to corao in if tho wearhor w.ts partially clear.
A areat deal of fog hangs ovor tho bay in tho months of July and August, and
much delay, if not disaster, would be sure to ot'.eur if vessels were to attempt to
make this port in anything but the finest clear woiithcr, and as wo mot a lot of loose
ice, which was very heavy, off tho mouth of tho river on tho 5th of August, tho
Iight^hil) could not be placed in position till all danger from this cause was gone.
Tho cost of tho constraotion and mainteaanco of a harbDur at this place together
4 with
'-i. done
11
)ay into
list have
ing less
lis ships
chart
5 Nelson
itiguo of
entrepot,
of any
the best
inicatiou
one time
the com-
ship did
yais into
the river
srritorieB
this post
■in£» from
trict, and
ling out.
e nearest
ts at this
direction
be Point
which it
er, or she
less than
ig land is
i» loading
ulized.
<jn Kiver,
y buoyed
of about
I year to
ton miles
u oppo.-ito
ad, where
irrowed to
ghtcarry-
of closely
the outer
iLjust, and
ttoropt to
ot of loose
ugust, the
s gone,
e together
1
with tho inevitable risks of navigation in approaching it, even after all had been
done that could possibly be done, to render it safe and aoce-siblo, would, in my
opinion, far outweigh tho oon-tniotion ot' tho necessary additional mileage of railway
required to roach the port of Uhurchill.
The channel which I have been considering is one of 18 feot at low water,
which as tho line and fall avorjges 12 foot, would permit the papsagoof a 2,000 ton
steamer, drawing 19 to 2\i foot at half tido, as the distance from tha aticlioiuga to tho
proposed port is so great ihut a vessel could not afford to wait and go in at the top
of high water.
1 consider that the OHtuary of the Nelson Klvor is one of the most dangerous
places in tho world for t-lii|ipirig to go to. At the outer anchoragMiho sea in a north-
east galo breaks from th^ boitcnn, and the captains of ibo tlud-oa's Kiy ships, it tho
barometer is falling and the weather threatening, will go to se^ in the aftoinooa and
lie off till the weather cloars again.
Tho •• Alert" lay in tivo fithoms at low water with 35 fathoms of chain out, bat
Bteara was roady for instant use the whole time and the c:ible buoyed and ready for
filipping. One night during m\ oa->torly gale which .she rode out at her anchors, Capt.
Barrie, my tirst otficor, wh > was in command at the time, reports, that had it not
been for the whip being lined with tanks and lubes for running oil he would have
been compelled to slip and go to sea. The tido carried the oil to windward and kept
the sea fioin bioakiug ever tho ship, thout;h she was straining heavily at her chains
and rolling the boats to tho water all through the night.
I can (jnly now repeat my prnvinnsiy expressed opinion, that the Nelson River
is no port, nor would the expenditure of any amount of money make it a desirable
place for (shipping.
August ]4ih. lliiving now completed the eurviy so far as it was in my power
to do so, 1 leit York f a<'.toiy.
I do^iro to acknow'oilgo the courtesy and ass-islance which T received from tho
oSiocrs of iho Hudsor's Bay Company, both at Churchill and York. At York Mr.
Mathc-on ehurtored to mo one o! his largo schooncr-rigg-id boats, and also furnished
me with an intorprotor and two ludiafi pilo.s, who had a thorough knowledge of tha
channel of the river, and thus saved me mu> h time.
August i5th. Steaming round the coast to C.-mrchill. woat^.T fi-io aid clear.
August l()cli. Anchored in Churchill at 8 p m. I had determined to remain
here alow days to hhift coal, take in biUast, &;o., «fe'3., and also to obtain sights for
time, which, with these t.ikon here in July, gave mo the rates of my chronometers.
VVhon wo anchored here this morning, the tido was runnini; out ntiong, and tho
chain fouled the anchor stock, the result being that the ship dragged U<u- anchor and
took tho bottom, at 1 1 30 a.m. ; t>ho sat on the mud till 5 p.m., when, as she floated, I
weighed anchor and btearaing out auciiored again.
We remained here till Friday, tho 20th, at 3 a.m., on waic'i day we left fo''
Marble I,-land, steaming up the western shore of Hudson's Bay, sounding regularly
and j)iottirig such portions ot tho coast line as wo approached near enough lor that
purjio-H. i-jskirao Point was [las-icd a-< closol}' as was deemed consistent with sifety
on the morning of the 2lst, and tlion as tho weather was thickening up and some-
what threatening in appearanco, hoiided off for Marble Island. All this night and
the following morning had a groat deal of trouble mth the compasses — the steer-
ing comjiass, a U.S. Navy spirit compass of the host manufacture, and comparsr
tivoly now, was to sluggish as to be u-oloss, and tho Sir Wm. Thompson standard
■was at limes much disturbed, at one lime swinging to S.S.VV., and staying thoro fjr
a time, our course then being north (magnetic.)
On the morning of tho 2Jnd the same thing occurred. Tho disturbance on the
night of the 21st was co-incident with the sudden outburst of a very brilliant aurora,
that on the morning of tho .2r;d, happoned after sunrise, so that no aurora coo id
have boon seen even had one existed. As the sun wns shining at tho tirao of tho
second dihturbance, I at once removed all the correcting magnets of the Sir Wm.
w
a
12
Thompson compass, and readjusted it, after which it for a time worked fairly well^
though on theocctanion of our leaving Marble Island trouble again arose.
22nd, \rrivod and anchored in outer harbour at 10 a m. Oo the Doadman's
Island 1 1 i a letter f.om Capt. A. P. iJeiiton, of the baric " Wave," which read as
follows : —
"Marble Island, 1st August, 1886.
" Wintered in the outer harbour in company with the ' George and Mary,' Had
a mild winter, but cold and backward spring, the thermometer not reaching 80° till
19th May. Commenced cutting trenches I8ih March, but did not get out till 16th day
of June. The ' G. and M.' got out I2th June.
" Cruised all over Hudson's Bay the rest of June and July. Saw only one cow
and culf, got her, 145 brls. Spoke 'George and Mary ' 16ih July, cluau, bound to
Bepulee Bay ; she saw one whaie but did not get him.
*'* Welcorao' full of ice; did not see a whale there. On 16th July the ico
«^stended from Whale Point across to Cape Harding. The whale I saw was on 2Dd
day of Jnlv; saw nothing in June.
'•In February scurvy began to come on the crew. First natives came to the
Khip 2lBt April ; bought one deer, afterwards bought five more deer. In middle
of May things looked blue. The 28th of May we were sawing ice in nine fathoms of
water, and the ice was on iho bottom. We used between the two barks nearly forty
bomb lances to blow the bottom of the ice out. The pack was fast to the floe, 1^
miles, ever sirco January; could not do anything with it. The Ist of June the pack
broke ofl" from the end ot Deadman's inland and afterwards we got along quite well,
sawing. The ice in the harbour was 7^ feet thick. Nearly one-half of the crew of
both vessels were down with scurvy and the remainder more or less afHicted with it;
but we got along quite well iifter we got out. All are in good health now.
" I leave here to-morrow for a bhort cruise and home.
" ANTHONY BENTON,
" Master of the Bark " Wave," New Bedford, Mass"
This letter shows that two whaling vessels wintered in Hudson's Bay for the
purpose of prosecuting the whale tishery, and as only one had wintered there in each
of the two preceding winters it would appear, that the New England whalers have
not in any way lost confidence in Hud^O[^'8 Bay as a whaling ground. Curiously
enoucrh the letter omilH all mention of the death of one of the sailors whose newly
made grave and neat wooden cross is now one of the first objects to meet the eye
when landing on the island.
This harbor is very email, and gives no shelter from E. or S. E., but is
the best ballasting station that 1 have found anywhere in either the Bay or
Strait. Some idea of it may be gained from a knowledge of the fact that,
working with three boats, we took in i.early eighty tons of ballast between
5 a.m. and 3 p m. of the •23td August. As soon as this ballast was on booid I put to
sea, the weather having a very threatening appearance and the wind freshening from
the S. B. with a steadily falling barometer and a heavy swell bea*; ing into the
harbour which as before staled is completely exposed to winds from this quarter.
Observations made here this year confirm those made in 1884, both as to lati-
tv and longitude, and alter the position of the island by nearly the length of itself.
On leaving Marble Island, I intendei to go north to Roes Welcome, and to have
v: i Chostetfie! ilet, but when clear of the land I found a heavy nea, and the
coui;, .^se8 were working very badly, swinging through arcs of bO° or 90°, that they
were for the time unelees, and I had to keep out in the open and wait for clear weather.
The weather continued thick and dirty all day of the 24th, and as the time for
taking up the more important work in Hudson's Straits was fast approaching, we
bore up for Cape Southampton, though, as events shaped themeelves, wo were fated
not to see it for several days.
1
13
ling, we
re fated
1
August 25th. This morning was clear and fine, and observations for position
were obtained, but eliortly after noon donso foij; set in, turning to niin, and by mid-
night or early morning of the 26th it was blowing a gale, with the ship lying to,
under lower topsails and F. T. staysml ; at 4 p.m., blowing very hard, took in the
topsails and F. T. staysail and eet the maii) i-poncor, bringing the ship closo up to the
wind under easy steam. This gale contieiued till 8 a.m. of the 27th, at which time
the ungiuos were started fall speed and the oocrso shaped for C^po Southampton as
nearly as the carrying of fore and aft canvas would permit.
28th. This morning was beaatifuliy fine, and at 11.30 a.m. anchored under the
Cape and got sights for latitude and longitude. Whilst at anchor Loro cur'-ont obser-
vations were taken, and the maximum velocity found to be 1 J knots per hour ;
direction of the flood, west (true).
We loft Capo Southampton in the uffernoon and made a running survoy of the
coast, fiom the Cape to Cary's Swans No.st. I found tho Capo considerably out oi
position, and extensive shoals running out from both it and the Nest.
29th August. The weather was Jigain thi^k to day, and by 5 p.m. a dense cloud
of fog and fmoko had envelo'^ed the ship. This came down at firrft in showers, lust-
ing fifteen or twenty minutes, and gave rise to very peculiar liiminou>< (ffects; in the
intervals between the showers the d:i) light wa»i yoUow and the water appeared of a
pale giecnish hue; at G p.m. it was so dark thai lamps had to bj lighted. The night
which followed was one of intense d-.rkiie^.-j, such as 1 have never before witnessed,
the hand held six inches from the face could not bo seen, and men walked up against
each other on the deck. The smell of e^raoko w.is as strong as if th« fire had been
closo to ui?, and at Stupart's Bay, nearly-30'J miles distant. Mr. Payne informs ma
that the rain water collected on this occasion was much discoloured, and when filtered
through blotting paper left a very considerable dopodit of datk coloarud sediment.
With us at the ship the wind was blowing fnsh all night, and wo lay to on the
starboard tack, allowing her to drift to the northward, but keeping the lead going the
whole time. On the morning of the yfllh some heavy showers of rain helped toclo:u'
the atmo-phere, and shortly after daylight Nottingham Island was sighted. T'im
enabled mo to determine our position ap))roximately and 1 at once headed the Miip
across the Straits for DiggeSjIsland. Tlu5 weather continued thick and dirty all duy,
but at 6.40 p.m. we arrived safely in Port Laperriere, the barometer still falling
rapidly and the wind increasing in forco.
On tho Blst August and the Ist and 2nd September, the gale continued. On the
3lst and let it blow so hard that the boa's could not work getting off stores, and cm
the 2nd the boats could only work billu.st on the wostern side of the harbour. All
hands were now employed in shifting oals from hold.s to bankers, and in getting off
J[)allast and generally preparing the ohip for tho rough weather of tho autumn.
On the 3rd I sent away a party under Messrs. Tyrell and Skymcr over to the
mainland to finish some coast outlining there and to try and got some fresh venison
from the Eskimo who are generally to be found there. The party returned on the
4th, having satisfactorily completed the work, though they had been unable to obtain
any fresh meat.
September 5th and 6th. Anothir heavy gale with a eea heaving into the har-
bour that makes the ship roll heavily.
The house had now been taken down and brought on board, together with all
stores and provisions which were unused, and as the weather continued very ansettled
I hoisted the steam launch in on dt.ck and secured it there.
Mr. Woodworth addressed me a letter stating that he had found his supply of
provisions ample and of good quality. Inasmuch as during the winter of lb85-84>,
reports were circulated that the stations were insufficiently provisioned and coaled.
I give below tho list of fuel and provisions which we took on board for Mr. ^*' — '
worth's station, of the other stations, some of them returned more and some
less.
NVood-
a littla
14
List of articles recoived on board from Station No. 6. Mr. vVood worth :—
21 flacks coal, 180 lbs. each.
3 barrels purk.
4 J-barrclH do
2 barrels beef.
^ barrel sugar.
^ do oatmeal.
6 sacks flom*.
1 do beans.
3 bags bread (No. 1 Pilot).
1 box f^oap.
1 do evaporated vogotables.
2 boxef; canned mutton.
1^ do do beef.
^ tub butter.
6 eases kero.»ono.
1 keg vinegjir.
15 lbs. ovuporafcd onions.
10 do do corn.
^ qntl. codfifh.
I bag rice.
37 lbs. evaporated cabbage,
do trround coflFee.
box fluid beef,
lbs. tea
boxes lime Juice«
cauH peaches,
lbs. evaporated turnips,
do do apples,
box canned pears,
tins mustard,
lbs. currants,
box cocoa.
46
1
3.5
3
8
3.5
98
1
3
40
1
^ box do pears.
1 do evaporated potatoes.
3 barrels No. 1 Pilot bread.
f barrel beans.
^ do flour.
^ do syrup.
The above list shows what was returned unused, and is the best possible answer
to the etatementfl which were made, that the stations were insufficiently supplied.
September 7ih. At 5 p.m. left Port Laperriere for Nottingham Island, steaming
dead slow. At 11 p.m. weather rather foggy ; met u lot of loose ice, otf the edge of
'which we lay till daylight.
September 8th. At daylight sighted Nottingham Island, and at 8 a . arrived
in Port de Bouchcrville and anchored. All hands wore immediately put to work
getting off the stores and taking down the house, the whole work being completed
and the ship at sea again at 6 p m. the same evening.
We found Mr. McKenzie and his two assistants, Messrs. Gooley an^ Fleming,
in excellent health ; they had an ample supply of provisions to have lasted through
another winter, aod for fuel had thirly-five sacks of coal, besides some two cords of
wood. Mr. McKenzio, in bis letter, says in regard to the temperature maintained in
his station-house : — " A temperature of between 50* and 60° could be kept up when
th« temperature outside was 45'^ below zero (our coldest), with quite a light fire."
At the time of our arrival Mr. McKerzie and his assistants wei'o engaged in
collecting and d(ying turf for fuel in anticipation of spending a second winter there.
This turf dried, and burned with a little seal oil or fat of any kind, makes an excel-
lent fire.
^ Mr. McKenzie and h*s party had been very successful hunters, and during their
entire stay on the island they had larely been out of fresh meat—deer, ptarmigan,
dncks and geese, having been shot in considerable numbers.
About Nottingham Island there was a good deal of loose ice, which, though
nothing to seriously affect navigation, was heavy old ice, and was undoubtedly the
advance guard of the pack of old ice coming down from the north, but appearing
«omewhat earlier than in 1885.
September 9th. After leaving Nottingham Island the wiad again began to
freshen from the eastward, with a rapidly falling barometer; it blew fresh all day of
the 9th, and before midnight it was blowing a whole gale. This continued all day
of the 10th and up to the evening of the 11th, the weather being thick with occa-
Bional snow showers. At 10 p.m. of the 11th the wind died down very suddenly,
and at 9 a.m. of Sunday, the 12th, we arrived in Ashe Inlet.
At this place I had a large beacon erected on the top of a high bluflf close to the
shore. This we named Tyrrell's Bluff and Beacon. It is an excellent mark, as both
from east and west the hill top shows against the sky line, and the beacon stands
out in bold relief.
I
16
September 13th. All hands employed in getting off the atoros, unused provis-
ion b, &o.
14th, 15th. Dense fog in the Straits, and as our next port was Stupart'n Biy,
on the south »ido, it was useless to go out till there was a reasonable certainty of
having clear weather to make the land over there.
Sopterabor Ifith. This morning the weather boing clear loft Anho Inlot at fi a.m.
and steamed acro'^s the Straits, arrivod and anchorotl in StuparL's Bay at i p.m.
Wo found Mr. Payne and his two ast-istants, Mepsrs. Paul sind Boutellicr, in
excellent hoahh. Thoy had experienced no serious difficulty in dealing with the
Eskimo, .ind had t^carcely touchoJ their salt provisions, so ])loniituI had seals and
game ot various kinds been with them. Shortly before tho arrival of the " Alert "
Mr. Payne had hirat-elf shot some feventy geese in one day.
Bebides carrying on iho regular series (>f meteorological and tiJal observations,
as well as those required to bo made in regard to the movements of the sea. Mr.
Payne hns made very careful observations of tho flora and fauna. Ho has complete
collections of plants with dates of budding, leafing, flowering, seodini,', and withering,
he has also carefully preserved specimens of marine fauna in alcohol. Mr. Payne
reported that salmon and trout had been very plentiful and he sent on board for our
use a b.nrrcl of salted salmon, which, with the geese ho had shot, made a very pleasant
and wholesome change of diet for us.
llth, 18th, lith. The wind blowing a fresh gale throughout, causing such a
heavy suit that it was impossible to got off any of the stores.
September 20th, Ssnt Mr. Tyrioll down in one of tho whalo boats to make a
track survey of tho lower part of the Sound.
September 2lbt. Mr. Payno having reported to me that he had seen at a spot
Fomo ten miles distant four small cast iron cannon and a large mooring anchor, I sent
Capt. Barrio down with a boat's crew to examine and if possible to bring away the
guns.
Capt. Barrie reported that there was a large stone beacon on one of tho hills
close by, and that tho guns and anchor were up above high water mark and had no
appearance of having boen cast up by a wreck. There were no signs of any building
and the small gun, which Capt. Barrie brought back must have been of great age as
tho year marks are completely eaten away by rust and the iron deeply pitted and
this although the guns wore lying well up clear of any possible contact with the sea
water.
Mr. Tyirell reported that some of the small islands in this Bay were full of
magnetite ; at one place on a high bluff in rear of where the guns wore found, the
compass was utterly useless.
Towards the evening of this day (21st) the weather again became thick and rain
commenced with increasing winds.
September 22nd. I had intended going to sea this morning at daylight, but
before then it was blowing a strong gale, accompanied by snow at intervals, and
continued to do so up to 10 p.m. of the 24th.
During our stay hero I had secured fairly good observations for position. These
place the observing station, which is 300 feet north (mag.) from the weed-covered
landing place at high water, about the centre of the sandy beach, in
Latitude, approximate, 61° 34' 48" N.
Longitude do 71° 31' 30" W.
On tho morning of the 25th, left Stupart's Bay for Port Burwell, and made a
running survey of the coast from Neptune Head to Long Island.
This gives approximately lae true position, in latitude and longitude, of the
coast line, but "owing to the distance which the ship was from tho shore it was
impossible to work in any details. The coast line east of Prince of Wales Sound
is laid down on the Admiralty Charts much further north than it really is.
After leaving Long Island I steered for a point some little distance to the north
of the position of Green Island, as laid down by Captain Parry. On the following
morning at daylight I was abreast of the position, and but little to the north of it*
16
The morning was clear and bright, and no sign of land was to bo seon from tho mast-
head. , , ^, . ,
I got good Mights for position at a.m. and noon, and conHoqiiontly cannot have
been much out of tho position laid down. 1 am thoieforo forcod to eoncludo that
Groon Island, as laid down by Parry, has no oxiHtonco, ocpociiilly as ho marks it
(high). Moreover, I did not kco it on tho pns.-*:i.'0 in, though iho fliip passed within
ton miles of it. on a fine cloar morning. I huvo thoroforo tiikon it off tho chart.
Sunday, 26th. Arrived and anchored in Port Burwoll, at 4 p.m. Wo horo found
Mr. ShawMitrering from a ►ovcro attack of bcurvy. llo was very low, fainting at
once if ho sat up for raoro than three or four miiiuicd, and this fuiniing occun od with
such frequency that I greatly feared for nis life.
Sron afttr he camo on board a marked improvement was vi.Mblo in his condition,
and by tho time .- ■ urrivod in Ilulifix h») had nearly recovered.
It is ncodlcKH to way that for Komo time prior to ihn arrival of th ) fhip Mr. Shaw
had boon completely incapacitalod for duty, but I am happy to ho iiblo to state that
the observations were very 8iti>-fuctoriiy taken by his a-histantH, Telespboro and Jean
Mercier.
September 27lh. Employed in takirg down tho house and receiving on board all
tho unexpended Hlore.s and provit-ions
Tho MecHtf*. Mtjrcier had kiilcd and dried some cojlisb, which though small wore
very fine and wore well " made." Ttiiy roporlc 1 that tho co iti^h had ntruck in in
confidorablo numbers, and ihat if they had boon able to afford tho tirao they ooald
have cajiturcd many more.
Mr. ShiiW reported to mo an incident of Tskimo administration of jusLico, which
wai'. to put it mildly, somewhat (-ummiiry in its procedure.
Thoro lived belwcen tho Cape and Aulalhivick, a good Eskimo hunter, whose
native name is not given, but who was christened by our station men " Old Wicked."
He was a passionate man and was continually threatening to do some bodily harm
to tho other more pcaueably inclined natives. Finding himself su guceessful with
tho iiatives, he, after persuading one or two others to accompany him, came to tho
station and dcrp.andtd food and tho big station boat, but was somewhat surorised to
be Heiz'id by tho neck and kicked out of tho house. He then altered his tactics and
became very subservient to our people, but his arrogance and potty annoyances to
the other natives became at length unbearable. It appears that these unfortunates
held a meeting and decided that " Old Wicked " was a public nuisance which must be
abated, and they therefore decreed thai he should be shot, and shot he wa^ accordingly
one afternoon when be was busily engaged in repairing the ravages which a storm
had mu'io in his *' igloo " or snow house. Tho executioner shot him in tho back,
kill iiiT him instantly. The murderer or oxecotioner (one hardly knows to which title
ho is tho more justly entitled) then takes both of" Old Wicked's" wives and all hU
children arid iigroes to keep tbom. Tho last act in this drama is when the now
muehly married executioner reports the wholo cato to the Hudson's Bay officer at
Nachvak, merely mentioning that he will keep the women and childrea so that they
bhall be no burden on the company.
September 28th. Blowing a fresh easterly gale. All stores and lumber are now on
board and we only wait for the weather to clear up before going to sea.
September 29th. Loft Port Burwell at 9.30 a.m. and passing through Gray
Strait made running survey of the Button's Islands and the Cape Chndleigh coast,
takint; goundings regularly every half hour, and although on the passage to Naoh-
vak Bay we were at one time more than 30 miles off the coast, at no time did the
water deepen to as much as 100 fathoms.
This showed that the bank which we discovered here on 8th July extends off
Eclipse Harbour to nearly 30 miles offshore- A bank situated as this one is, on tho
south side of a deep water channel, is of the greatest value to ships making the
Strstits in thick weather. The bank can be made and then steering north, true, a
sufficient distance to clear the Button's Islands steam in fearlessly about tho parallel
^f61°N.
Th^
of Cape
Chidley
beyond
fog set
the wen
abroad
Th
ship wt
tho fog
ship, ai
Oi
Chidlei
the lOi
Oi
coast, 1
Inlet V
one c(
workei
sheets
leni,'th
tho 81
ani g
T
so met
run tc
are fit
chang
speed
IT
Cons'dcring tho importnnco of this diecoveiy, I shoald have likod to havo boon
able to ouihue tho bank, but fears for Mr. Sbuw'H hoalth oompollod mo to push for
home, \vhore ho would have the advantage of proper medical advico and attendance.
Sep'craber 30th. Arrived in Nachvak arid wont up the lulot to tho Hudson's Bay
Company's post. I arranged with Mr. Ford, tho agont of the company, for the sale
of the station house left hure ; having coin pletod those arrangements, we loft the
poet shortly after noon and anchored in Skynnor's Cove for tho night.
I did not at tirst shape course directly down the coast, but stoored east until we
reached a depth of 100 fathoms, at which lime we were more than 70 miles off the
land.
The remainder of the voyage was unevontful, we had a fine run down tho
Labrador coast and got into the Straits of Hollo isle early in the morning of ftth Oct.
When off Fortoau Point on this afternoon, the wind, which was blowing from
S.W., had now increased to a gale, againnt which we made little or no headway. I
therefore ran into Fortoau Bay for t-helter, aochoring there about 6 p.m. The gale
continued all the next day, but at 5 p.m. it shifted to N.VV., when 1 at once put to
sea, and passing Bay of Islands about noon on the 7th, reached Meat Cove and made
our number on the 8th, then passing down the west side of Cape Broton Island and
through the Gut of Canso, arrived in Balifax and made fast to tho Departmental
Wharf at 4 p.m. of Sunday, tho lOth OctKbor.
All hands were at once discharged, and only such men re-engaged, at port
wages, as were necessary for the performance of the work in hand.
ICE OBSERVATIONS.
ICE MET WITH ON TUB VOYAOB OF TUK " ALERT," 1886.
The first field ice made this yoar was on the 2nd of July, about 60 miles south
of Cape Mugford. It was heavy, but mac-h Hcatterod, and from this point to Cape
Chidley the ice lined the coast, being tight for about 15 miles off shore, and
boyond that, slack, for about 10 miles more, ^ftor getting round the Buttons, dense
fog set in, and the ship was beset, finally drifting about 30 miles to the south before
the weather cleared on the 8th; the ship was only boset at times, the ice running
abroad frequently, so that progress could have boon mado had tho weather been clear.
This ice was heavy, old ice, much broken up, tho largest piece to which the
ship was made fast was about 300 yards by 200 yards ; at the time this was measured
tho fog was so dense that the men engaged in the work were out of sight from the
ship, and we had to keep the whistle blowing to guide them back.
On tho 9th, we found that the pack of ice which extended to the east of Cape
Chidley shore about 18 miles, ran 14 miles north uf the Buttons, and all this day and
the lOih heavy ice lay to the south of tho thip.
On July llth found that the ice trended to the north, following the lay of the
caast, leaving only a narrow load of open water along under the shore from Ashe
Inlet wostwiu-d. From -this station to the western end of the Straits, the ico was
one continuous pacic, with little water holes here and thero showing up as we
worked through. At the western end of the Straits the loo was heavier and in larger
sheets than that off Asho Inlet, some of the floe pieces were upwards of a mile in
length and formed of hummooky o'd ice, now worn a dirty brown colour. Many of
the smaller pans assume a crater-like shape, a pool of water forming in the centre,
and gradually rotting through in this way.
To those who have never experienced it, the uncertainty of ice navigation is
something almost incredible. At one time the ship may be fast, and the ice all tight
ran together ; so that, ovun from the mast-head, no water at all can be seen, and yoa
are firmly convinced that the ship will stay where she is till the ioe melts : some
change of tide or wind occurs ; and in less than half an hour, the ship is steaming fall
speed, only hitting once in a while as she twists about in the spreading pack, and
16a-2
18
per contra Horaotimes, ^vhon/all things look well, tho pack cIobos, and there is nothing
to be done but wait patiently till it Hhall, m nuddonly, open again.
From the llth to the 19th July tho ice covered tho Straits from " Rmma Inland "
to Cape DiggoH, and through this 200 milcH wo worked, every time tho ice opened
gaining eomothing, if only hn'' a milo. Much of this ice wuh heavy old ice, and of
Buch a nature that no ordinary .itenmor which could bo UHod an a freight carrier, oven
if Btrengthenod and sheathed for ico, could, in ray opinion, have pasncd through at
this time without injury.
On leaving harbour of Digges Inland on the morning of the 25th tho nhip was
again beset and only got clear on tho following morning. After this date wo mot no
ice which would in any way have interfered with navigation.
Captain Guy, of the stean^cr " Arctic," ono of tho most powerful of tho Dundee
whaling fleet, has kindly furniched mo with notes, from his experience in Hudson's
Straits this year, and tho follosving iri taken from his communication : —
"Tho 'Arctic' left St. John's, N(ld., on IClh May, and proceeded northwards,
making the ice at tho fouth side of Cumberland Gulf on 25th Muy, intending to go
into the gulf; tho ship was, howover, besot about ten miles from Monumental
Island, wind being from tho eastward, and drove from there round iho south side of
Resolution Island into Hudson's Straits, still fast in tho ice, and only got free at the
Lower Savage Islands on 2nd June."
Capt. Guy found the S.W. ico extending to tho east of Kosolution Island and Cape
Chidley, about 40 to 50 miles tight, with from 10 to 20 miles of slack beyond that.
From tho Lower Savage Islands to Aehc Inlet, Capt. Guy says, they had no
trouble, but tVd voyage occupied from 2nd to 5th June, and the distance is only 160
miles ; we must admit that tho progress of tho " Arctic " was not very rapid.
After leaving Ashe Inlet, Capt Guy states that he found the ico much heavier,
being now from 15 to 20 feet thick ; proceeding north-westward, ho got up into Pox
Channel as far as Capo Queen ; here, howover, ho found an impassable barrier of ice,
and tried to cro(>s tho channel to tho wchlward ; this was also impossible, and so the
'• Arctic " headed south, watching for a black place to enter tho barrier of ice. From
tho 2(Jth June to tho 25th July, the " Arctic " was steaming between Cape Quocn and
Charles Island, trying to get into Ludson's Straits, and only reached the western end
of tho Straits on 26th July, or five days after the " Alert " had got through and into
harbour at Port Laperriero.
Capt. Guy ascribes the fixed condition of the ico to tho fact that there was no
Eoutherly wind during tho whole time ho was trying to get through, but our records
at Port Laporridro show that winds between S.E. and S.W. prevailed on twenty-one
days out of the thirty-five ; the winds were, however, light, and the breadth of tbe
pack so considerable, that winds, unless long continued, would have but little effect,
besides which, Capt. Guy was trying to work through too far to tho north. Capt.
Guy, on his voyage home in October, tried to pass up through F'>iier Strait, but
found it full of heavy old ice, into which ho would not put his ship, but, though he
was halfway through the Strait, turned and, pas&ing south of both Southampton and
Mansfield Island, met loose ice again ofV Capo Digges, after which, with the exception
of the East Greenland pack, which was sighted off Cape Farewell, no more ice was
Been on tho voyage.
STATION No. 1.
POET BURWELL.
ICE OBSERVATIONS.
October, 1885.
No field ice reported here in this montb*
21st,
23rd,
30tb.
No r(
No r(
20th. First field ice seen.
November, 1885.
26th.
oxtording
extended.
27th.
2Dd.
ice as far
4tb. <
7th. :
1st. ]
last monti
3rd. I
5th.
oat of the
20lh.
25th.
N.W.; in
26th.
27th.
28th.
30th.
1st. I
16th.
23rd.
24th.
25th.
a large sh
26th.
29th.
broken op
30th.
S.W. near
31st.
2nd.
3rd.
6t' .
6th. I
7th. I
15a
19
2l8t, 22nd. Light field ico an far out as can bo seen from Bouoon Hill.
23rd, 24th, 2!)th. Ice oxtondn as far as can bo rtojn,
30tb. Solid deld of ice oxtonds to the horizon.
December, 18S3.
No report made on the ioe io this month.
Januaru, 1886.
No report on ioe.
February, 1886.
26th. From the Beacon Hill waw open water about two miles from the shore,
extending from N. to S.W. ; atmospboro hazy ; could not bee how far the open water
extended.
^Tth. Harbour ice 3 feet 7A inches thick.
March, 1886.
2Dd. Clear water extends from S. to S W. ; in a northwest direction loose field
ioe as far as can bo Heon with the telescope.
4tb. Olear wutor to S.W. ; field ice from N. W. to N. as far as can be seen.
7th. No opek! crater visible.
April, 1886.
1st. Harbour ice now 3 foot 9 inches thick; has increased only 1^ inches in the
last month.
3rd. Open water for abr ut 3 miles from shore ; field ice beyond.
5lh. An iceberg visibli :ibout 5 miles off, beating W, S.W. (true) ; it is moving
out of the Straits.
20lh. A little open water to the S.W. some distance off shore.
25th. A sheet of clear water near the shore ; ice beyond extends from S.W. to
N.W.; in the N.W. a little open water shows.
26th. A little field ice visible about west; elBewhere clear waJer to the horizon.
27lh. Open water near shore ; field ico beyond.
28th. Loose field ice in S.W. and west ; ico is closely packed north of this bearing.
30th. Ice tightly packed, bat much broken.
Matf, 1886.
Ist. Ice in the harbour is 3 feet 10^ inches thick.
16th. Open water nhows toS.W., and a little also shows here and there,from W.toN.
23rd. A large sheet of water shows to the south.
24th. Open water close to shore; weather hazy; could not see out far.
25th. Open water to the S.W. as far as the horizon ; air very clear ; can also see
a large sheet of open water from S.W. to N.W. ; ice beyond.
26th. Open water close to the shore ; ice from S.W. to N.W.
29th. Open water same direction as yesterday ice beyond seems much
broken up.
80th. Ice tightly packed as far out as we can see ; a small lake of open water ia
S.W. near the shore.
31st. Small lakes of open water show through the pack in every direction.
June, 1886.
2nd. Lanes ofopen water in S.W. close to the shore; field ice beyond seems loose,
3rd. Ioe same as yesterday.
6t^ . Large sheet of open water in S.W.
6th. Ioe tightly packed.
*Iih. Ice tightly packed bat mach broken ; small atreak» of open water.
15a— 2^
20
8th. Streaks of open water to the south, and in the S.W. field ice is closely
packed as far as bo seen.
9th. Field ice to S.W.
10th. Open water extends out for two miles.
llth. Same as yesterday.
13th. C)|.on water in every direction ; a little loose ice showing in the oflflag.
14th. Foggy; no ice visible.
Kith. Opou wutor in every direction ; a little loose ice in the offing.
20Lh. Ice tight along the she-" and extends to the horizon. Water sky to
theN.W.
21f-t. Heavv close ioe in everj direction.
22nd, 23rd," 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th. Same as 2l8t.
28th, 29th. Foggy, open water shows near the shore.
30th. Ice very much broken up, with open water showing in considerable quan-
tities.
My, 1886.
let. Ice continues about the same.
2nd. Ice loose close to the shore, but seems tighter further out.
3rd. Ice loose to southward, bat now closely packed in N.W. Lakes of open
water show everywhere.
4th. Ice same as yesterday.
5th. Foggy.
6th. Fog hanging oflF outside.
tth. Snowing nearly all day,
8th, 9th, 10th, lltii. Open water close to shore. Field ice beyond, most closely
packed from W. to N. but lanes of open water show in places.
12th, 13th. Open water in S.W., but from west northwards closely packed
field ice. Eighteen icebergs are in sight to day.
14th. Harbour ico is breaking up today, outside the ice is looser.
15th, 16th, 17lh. Open water near shore; field 'ca in the offing.
18Lb. A little open water shows to souih ; oise where field ice, which looks very
solid though having some water holes in it.
19tb. The harbour ico havng gone, the harbour is now full of heavy field ico.
20th. A little ice near shore, but preity clear as far as we can see through
the haze.
21st, Clear water in the south, but from S.W. to north heavy field ice; harbour
is still full of ice.
22nd. No ice visible.
23rd. Some field ice some distance off to N.W.
24tb, 25th. Open water in south ; tiold ice from west to north.
26th, 27th, 28th, 29ih. A good deal of ico shows in diflferont directions, bat it is
loose, and the area of clear water showing is very considerable,
30th, 31st. No ico in sight. Heavy sea outtiide.
August, 1886.
1st. No ice in sight.
2nd. Some scattered field ice shows tc the northward*
3rd. No ice in sight.
4th. A little 'GO shows to the westward.
5th, tith, 7th, 8th. A little ice shows to N. W.: clear water in every other
direction.
9th. Foggy.
10th. Fog continues, but loose field icr; is near the shore.
llth. Small scattered ice extends from S. W. to N. W.
21
12th. Clear water to the sooth ; from S. W. to N. loose field ice, bat opon water
shows beyond the ice in many placos.
13th, 14tb. Field ice from S. W. to N. W , a long distance off shore ; clear water
in all other directions.
15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, llJth. No ice in sight.
20th. A little ice close to the shore, and soma cume into the harbour to-day.
21st. No ice in sight, nor was any seen after this date, up to the time the
station was relieved.
STATION No. 3.
ASHE INLET.
ICE RECORD.
September, 1885.
20th. No field ice in sight. Ice on ponds one inch thick. Eleven icebergs in
eight. No field ice seen during the month, but numerous icebergs passing westward.
October, 1885.
2tiLh. First field ice observed from Lookout Hill, lying on the horizon to the
westward. Ice forming in the harbour and on the rockn along the shoio.
27th. No ice visible, but a white line shows along the wontorn horizon.
2«th, 29th, 30th, 3lBt. No field ice visible, but a number of icebergs seem to have
taken the ground on the shoals.
November, 1885.
Ist. No ice in sight except the bergs.
3rd. The Inlet is nearly covered with newly formed ice about three-quartors of
an inch thick.
th. Ice two inches thick in the harbour.
8th. Field ice is visible to the southward, but clear water between the shore and
puck, at least twelve miles.
9 th. Foggy.
13th. No trace of field ice.
15th. Large field of.^oung ice extending from north to west, and 5 to 10 miles
off there.
16th, 17th, 18th, 10th, 20th. Straits nearly covered with young ice.
2lHt. Most of the ice has been driven off the shore by the wind.
22u«l. Young ice still about. Harbour frozen over.
23rd. Harbour ice broke up and passed out of the Inlet.
29th. Straits frozen as far as visible, some Ihree miles. Dense fog beyond,
probably over open water.
30th. Snowing and drifting, cannot see out into the Straits.
December, 1885.
Ice is five or six inches thick on the Inlet ;
snow obscures the view of the
Ist.
Straits. , , ,.,.
2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th. Snowing and drifting ; Straits completely hidden.
6th. Straits frozen solid for eight or ten miles ; beyond that lOose ice shows.
7th, 8th. Straits obscured by snow drifting.
9th. Ice covering straits as far as visible.
10th, nth, 12th, 13th. Straits frozen over as far as visible from look out.
14tb. Examined the straits from summit of " Tyrell's bluff." 450 feet aboTO
M.S.L. Ice covers the Straits in every direction, but is somewhat broken.
22
22nd. Ice visible in every direction, but much broken.
23rd. Snowing ; Straits obscured.
24th to 31st. StraitH generally obscured, but wheu opportunity offered and
observation made, no change was apparent.
January, 1886.
"•st to 20th. No change observed in the condition of the ice.
2 1st. Ice much broken and running.
22nd, 23rd, 24th. Straits obscured.
25th. Eskimo state, that the White Straits, to the north of this island are frozen
over solid, and the ice is stationary.
26th, 27tb, 28th, 29l,h, 30th, Slst. No change observable in the conrlition of he
Ice in the Straits.
February, 1886.
no change in the ice so far as can be seen.
iHt, 2nd, 3rd. Weather thick,
4th. Ice much broken.
5th, 6th. Ice much broken and masses of vapour rise from the water.
7th to 15lh. No change in the Ice.
16th. Ice is still much broken, bu^. now very compact.
17th to 28th. Straits much obscured ; no change in the ice reported.
Mcjch, 1886.
1st. Open water as far as visible to south-east; to the south and west the ice is
only two or throe miles from shore.
6lh. Ico \<ivy loose and running; water horiron in S.E. and S.
7th, 8th. Foggy.
9th. Ice still loose and moving freely with the tide.
10th. Much open water shows amongst the ice.
12th, 13lh, 14th, 15th. Misty over Siraits ; snow drifting.
18th; 19th, 20th. Ice much broken up and swinging with the tide.
2l8t. Water appears to be on the horizon, to the S. W.
23rd. Foggy.
24th. Ice loose, moving with the tide.
26th, 26th. Snow drifting all day.
27th. Ice loose, much open water shows.
2".th. The heavy ice has bsen driven off shoi'e several miles.
23th. Ice still off shor-;. New ice forming on the open water.
■20th, 3l8t. Snow drif ing. Straits cannot be seen.
April, 1886.
1st, 2nd. Ice tight in every direction.
3rd. Ice loosened a little t' lay.
4th. Open water shows.
6th, 6th. Ice loose and open.
7th, 8th. Ice loose, swinging with the tide.
9th, 10th, 11th. Snowing and dritti ^; Straits obscured.
12th. Ice closed up tight this afternoon, opening again in the evening.
Ic'^h. Ice tight.
I4th. Ic? loose off shore.
16th, 16th. I^nowir.g end drifting.
18th, 19th. x\ considerable extent of open water off shore.
20th. Ice has come in shore again, tight.
2l6t, 22nd, 23rd. Ice slack.
23
24th, 25th, 2Dth. Open water extends several miles off shore ; ice is barely visible
from the btation,
27th. Ice driven in tight on the sL"''e.
2 th. Ice slack.
29th, 3Utb. Open water extends for miles off shore.
May, 1886.
Ist, loo well off the shore.
2nd. Ice in shore again, but long leads of open water show in places.
3rd. Ice close in shore and tight to the wcstwaid, clc^" water as far as can be
seen to the eastward,
5th. Ice slack, but near the shore.
6th. Snow drifting. Straits obscured.
Ith. Open water extends for several miles.
8th, 9ih, lOtb, 11th, 12th, 13th. Ice tight and close in on the shore.
14lh. Snow drifting, cannot see the Straits.
16th. Ice tight, no water visible in any direction.
17t.h, 18th. Mist and snow obstruct our view of the Straits.
19th. Ice slack.
20th. Ice tig'it in the morning, slackening again at night.
21et, 22nd, '<i'ird. Ice tight in every direction.
24tL. rsnowing; ice slackened off in the evening.
'J'tb, ::h. 27th, 28th. Ice tight; no water visible.
2 ;,, . : -u. Mist and rain obscure the view of the Straits.
3l6t. Ice the same as formerly as far as can be seen.
June, 1886.
Ist, 2nd. Weather misty. No change in the ice as far as can bo seen.
3rd. Ice close on the shore, not moving perceptibly.
4th, 5th. Open water along shore. At 3 p.m. of the 5th the ice was several
miles off, a id on the 6Lh steamship "Arctic," Captain Guy, made fast at the entrance
of the harbour, the harbour ice being still solid.
7th. Foggy. *' Arctic " left at 8 a.m. Ice again in on the shore, but quite slack.
8th, 9th, lOtb, nth. Ice slack and swinging off and on the shore. Plenty of
open water showing.
12ih, 13th, 14th. No ice visible to the eastward.
loth. Foggy.
16th. Floaty -r cuen water showing.
17th. Ice ci' >i o . shore, slacking off again at night.
18th. Mietv, ./ «f Straits obscured.
19tb, 20th. :\f -M.- the eafetward, bat to south and west the pack is from five
to ten miles off shore.
2 Ist, 22nd. Still opou water to the eastward.
2Hrd. Very little ice visible.
24th. No change in the appearance of the ice in the Straits. In the harbour the
ice has melted away a great il il, and is quite through in some places*
25th. A little scattered ice in the east. Ice in harbour rapidly breaking up.
26th. Dense fog.
27th, 2dth, 29th. No ice to the eastward. The body of the pack lies about eight
miles oft shoro. to the S.W., gradually receding.
30th. Har.. ur ice generally breaking up.
July, 1886.
Ist. Foggy.
2nd. Ice Irom eight to ten miles off nhore
the harbour ice is broken up.
to the S.W. About three-fourthe of
24
Ice cloBing in on the shore.
The whole body of the ice is tight in
3rcl. Harbour ice completely broken up.
4th. Harbour filled with heavy pack ice.
on the shore.
ftth, 6th. DenFe fog.
8th. Open water aud slack ice to the east. To the west the ice is close in.
9th. Plenty of open water, with scaltered ice ooly showing.
10th. Scattered ice about.
11th. " Alert " arrived at 4.50 a.m., sailed again at 6 a.m. The ice apparently
abont eight miles off shore.
12th. Plenty of water along the shore. The body of the ice a little closer than
yesteiday.
13th. Foggy to the westward. No ice showing to the eastward.
14th. Foggy.
16th. Still foggy, but the ice has come in on the shore again.
16th. A little scattered ice along the shore, is all that is in sight.
39th. Some loose ice coming into the harbour, none visible outside.
20th. Ice shows to the west in the iorenoon ; a heavy swell set in from thft
sonth in the afternoon ; fog shut down thick.
2l8t. Ice again closing in rapidly on the shore. No water to bo seen in any
direction.
22nd. Ice still tight.
23rd. Ice slack outside.
24th. Fog very dense.
26th. Ice close as far as the Straits are visible.
26th, 27th, 28th. Dense fog.
29th. Ice looser and moving, bat no water showing.
cOth, 31st. Ice loose again.
August, 1880.
1st, 2nd. Ice tight, till 11 p.m of the 2nd, when water begins to make along the
shore.
4th. Ice loose and running.
5th. Plenty of open water shows.
6th. Loose ice outside.
9th, 10th, 11th, 12th. Dense fog over the Straits.
13th. A very little loose ice shows.
14th. A heavy swell heaving into the harbour.
16th. No field ice in sight ; eight icebergs can be seen from the look-out.
17th, 18th. Foggy. No field ice seen after this date.
STUPART'S BAT.
ICE RECORD.
From 22nd August to 28th September there was no ice seen.
September 28th. Ice is forming at mouths of small streams, and after breaking
up carries with it far to sea quantities of seaweed, shells and gravels which adhere
to it.
October.
17th. No change has taken place since 28th September. Largo mass os of hard
packed drifted snow on the shores are continually being carried off by rece ding tides.
18th to 23rd. Ice continues to break off the shores and drift away, carrying sea-
weed and small stones
23rd* A small iceberg was seen to-day.
25
; m
26th. During last night a thin tilra of ico formed on the Bay. A ridgo of snow
and ice ':! feet high has formed along the shore, over which the increasing tiiles rise.
A long line of field ice can be seen lying between north and south near tlio horizon.
27th. Field ico seen yesterday appears to be approaching in spite of a contrary
wind. Ice again formed over the Eay, and is breakirg up and piling, forming quite
thick ridges.
29th. All ice in the bay has broken into small pieces, which at lo'v lido rest upon
the bouldors, to which much of it adherea, the tide rising over it. Field ico appears
stationary.
30th. The wind blowing .shly from the north-wett during the night; all the
ice that was in this and neighbouring bays, has drifted to sea.
thft
any
the
fing
bere
lard
ides.
sea>
Novevxber, 1886.
Ist. The field ice now extends all along the horlaon, and appears to be about 10
miles from shore to the north eastward.
3rd. To-day a ])oition of the field ico moved directly sou-hward, and is gradually
closing in. The Bay i^ open.
4th. As fast as'ice forms in the bays it drifts to eca, and now covers the water
between the lard and the field ice which is quickly approaching.
6th. The field ico, though loose, if now close upcn the lar,d, ar.d has filled most
of the larper hays, driving and piling the thin native ice in front of it.
7th. At the time of high tide largo masses of ice over which the water rii^es
occasionally come to the hurfacc carrying immense stones with them. These pieces
of ice with their freight of stones often rest upon the ice slill adhering to the boltom
as the tide falls. Field ice is more open. _ . r ,u
10th. The prevailing south-westerly wind has driven the ice out ot all bays ex-
cepting the smaller onos, and large patches of open water can be seen throughout the
field ico.
11th. Fog and mist covered tiic Straits to-day.
12th. All the ice in the bay facing the station drifted to sea and now large
stretchos of water can bo seen in every direction.
13th. At 8 a.m. there was a great deal of open water to bo seen ; towards after-
noon, however, an unbroken raa-s of field ice coald be teen quickly appoaching from**
the northward. „ , , . ^, i. .^ ^u n
14th. The Strait is now packed with heavy field ice throughout, the smaller
bavs only being open. , . r ^ u
15th 16th Field icfi is more open and long narrow leads ot water can be seen.
18th.' As far as can bo seen the ico is very loose. A large berg can be seen to
the E.S.B. . . 1 i J • c
19lh. All the ice has drifted out of the bays excepting isolated pieces, many ot
which measure 16' foot in thickness. ' . « « j
20th. During tho night all open water between the ice floes was frozen and now
only ice can be soon. . „ ^ u
2l8t, 22nd. li;c in tho buys is firmer. Long lanes of open water can be seen
throughout the pack. ui^-r —
23rd. To the northeast tho field ico appears to be tighly packed, whi.st from
that puint alon<r tho shore to the south-cast it has moved several miles from land.
25th. Icoistightly packed to the northeastward and much more to the south-
eastward. Several bergs aro seen to the eastward.
26th. All bays aro again open, and the prevailing strong north-westerly wind
Las driven all ico, some miUs from the shore. , . , ^^ i 4U
30th No pnccptiblo charge has taken place during the past few days, there
being a wide belt of open water round the land ; now, however tho ice appears to bo
olosing in again.
26
December, 1885.
1st, 2n(l, 3rd. Owing to snow falling and foggy weather no observation of the
strait clould bo made.
4th. The ice is very open thronghont.
6th. During the night the ice in the bay, which was 10 inches in thickness,
again broke up and by the afternoon the bay was again free of ico, there also boing a
wide bolt of open water, round the coast.
7th. Again the ice has returned and now this and neighbouring bays are filled
with heuvy ice, Komo of which is 15 foot in thickness.
8th. The Strait and bays are row tightly packed with ico, there only boing some
small pieces of open water here and there.
9th. P'^g completely hides the Strait.
11th. There is a wide belt of water round the shore, and the ice appears more
open throughout.
12th to Itth. Little change has taken place. No open water can now be seen.
18th. A decided movement has taken place in the ico to day, the prevailing
Bouth-westcrly wind drivinsc it oflf the shore, while to the eastward and south-east-
ward large stretches of open water can be seen.
21 et. During the past few days mist has hung over the Strait, so that it has
been impossible to see far beyond the shore. The ico, though opening occasionally,
is compact throughout.
22nd. A good view of the Strait was obtained to day ; ice is compact throughout.
24th. Small pieces of open water can be seen throughout the pack, especially so
near the horizon, where leads, some miles in extent, can bo seen.
2Slh. Open water seen during the past few days is now frozen.
29th, 30th. Misty weather has prevented any observation of the Strait being made.
January, 188fi.
2nd. During the morning the ice was still compact, but in the afternoon
a number of small pieces of water could be seen throughout the pack.
. 4th. There is now a wide belt of open water round ^he shore, beyond this it is
too misty to see.
9th. Owi -'• 'o foggy weather, it has been im]tos8iblo to sco beyond the shore
during the past ToW days. To-day large stretches of open water can be seen, and to
the eabt and south-east all the ice has moved sotno distance from the shore.
12th. Until this afternoon, owintj to dense mist hanging over the Strait, it has
been impossible to see any distance beyond the (shore. A largo ai-ea of open water
could be seen to the south-east.
i:-?th and 14th. A few small pieces of open i^ator can bo seen.
1 5th. Open water from north to east-north-east as far as can be seen, also large
stretches of water in east-south-east.
19th. Since the 15th inst., vapour rising from water near tho shore has com-
pletely hidden the Strait. To day the ice is comparatively compact throughout.
20th, Snow falling; cannot see beyond the shore.
22nd. The horizon is misty. The ico is very much broken throughout the
pack, and is all moving to the eastward.
28th. It has been impossible to see beyond the shore since 22nd instant owing
to fog. Where rough ice was a few days ago, is now smooth new ice, showing the
former must have broken up and drifted out.
29th. Small pieces of water may be seen throughout the pack, and all ico is
moving north-eastward.
30tb, Slat. Misty ; no observation of the Strait.
27
February, 1886.
Ist. A good V, 'V of tho Strait was obtained to day. A few small patches of
water can be seen -o tho north-east,
2nd, 3i*d. Misty; cannot see beyond the shore.
4th. There are still a fow patches of water to be seen to the eastward.
5th. There is a largo lake of water in tho south east, and some smaller ones to
tho eastward. All ice is moving eastward.
9th. No change has taken place during the past few days. Tho ice is now com-
pact tbroushout.
10th. At 2 p.m. sorao largo pieces of water were to bo seen to the south-east-
ward, and all tho ico was moving slowly eastward.
11th. The ice continued to open and close at short intervals of time during
the day.
12th. At 2 p.m. there was open water along the shore from N.B. to E., and all
ice was moving slowly eastward.
16th. Since 12th instant it has boon impossible to see the Strait owing to
misty woathor and snow falling. To-day tho weather being clearer, it was found all
the ice had drifted about ten miles from the shore, and now new ico is forming on
the comparatively calm wator.
17th. All open water i^cen yesterday is now frozen, and in places is breaking up
and piling as it drifts to the eastward.
18th. All the newly formed ice within a few miles of the above is much broken,
and a great deal of water can bo seen.
21st. A bank of fog has continued to hang over the Strait for several days, and it
has been impossible to see far from the t-hore. Thero is now a wide belt of water
all round the shore. . , v
2ird. Fog continues. Can see about ten miles from shore. Largo stretches
of open water can be seen in all directions.
23rd to 28th. Misty weather ban continued so that it has been impossible to see
further than a few miles from the shore. The ice continues much brokon, and thero
are large pieces of water to be seen.
March, 1836.
2ad. The ice is compact throughout, and there was no perceptible movement in
3rd.' Can only soo about three miles from the shore. The ico appears to be
breaking up to the eastward. ^u •
4th. The ice is generally compact, excepting near the shore, where there la
some water. , ^ i • i a.
5th. The hotiaon is clear, at 2- p. m. all ice was loose and much Droken, and
there is a belt of water all round the shore. .
8th. Since tho 5th inntant it has been impossible to soo far from shore owing to
fog. To-day the ice is compact throughout, excepting near the shore, where thero
is a little open water. At 2 p.m. is moving eastward.
9th. Ice is compact, and at 2 p.m. it was all moving eastward.
llth. Ice continues in the same condition.
13th. Ice is much broken and more open water can be seen
2 p.m. all ice was moving northward.
14th. Extensive patches of watsr can bo seen in all directions.
15th to 18th. Ice in same condition as on the 14th instant.
18th. Only a very few spots of open water can now be seen.
19th, 10 a.m. A great deal of open water can be seen from north to casit.
doe appears loose, and is moving east.
than usual. At
All
28
20th. Owin? to fot', can only eeo about ten miloB from the shore. loo is com-
pact to the northward while to the eastward there is open water as far as can be
seen.
2 let. The ice to the eastward has again closed in but is loose, excepting to the
northward where it remains compact.
23rd. Ico icmains in about the name c ^ndition as on 21st inst.
24tb. Ah far as can bo (seen there iw a i^roat deal of open water, and at 10 a.m.
and 2 p.m. all ico was moving westward.
28th. Stormy weather and fog have ])rovented any observation of the Strait.
To-day the ice is compact throughout.
30th. A wide lead extends from N. to N.B., also some water to the south-
eastward.
3l8t. The ice is now much looser in every direction, and leads of open water can
be seen throughout the pack.
April, 1886.
let. No change has taken place in the condition of the ice.
2tid, Snow drifting, cannot see beyond the shore.
3rd. 'J be ice is compact throughout excepting near the shore where there is a
little open water.
4th. There is now a great deal of open water near thoshore, while some distance
beyond the ice is compact.
9ih. No perceptible change has taken place since 4th inst.
10th. Only a narrow belt of water can be seen round the shore, and at 2 p.m.
all ico was moving eastward.
13th. No charge has taken place since lOih inst.
I4th. The ice is now compact throughout.
16th. No change during the pabt two days.
17th. Since ycbterday a great change ha? taken place in the condition of the ice
which is very loose and quite navigable, excepting near the horizon where it is
rather more compact.
25th. The ice has continued loose and quite navigable since 17th inst., and long
leads of water could bo seen.
26th Again the ice has closed and now only a little water can be seen near the
shore.
27th. Not much change has taken place since yesterday, tho ice remaining
generally compact, but occasionally opening here and there, nw it is affected by a
change of tide.
28th. The ice appears loose near tho shore, and compai^t beyond.
30th. Snow falling and drifting, completely obstructed the view of the Strait.
May, l8Se.
let The ice is very compact, and shows little sign of breaking up. As far as
can be seen it is now an irregular mass of small pans, quite unlike that seen in the
earlier part of the winter.
Mrd. Not much change has taken place until this afternoon, when all the ice
became mmth looser.
4th to 7th. The ice continues to open and close alternately ovory a few hours
as it is affected by the tides, and the rapid movement along tho ghore, tends to show
there is more room to move than usual.
8th. Ail the ice continues loose, and all that ico held between tho shore and out-
lying reefs, which has remained firm throughout the winter, is now cracking in
many places. Accumulated snow and ice of tho winter now forms a cliff, in many
places 30 feet in height; large portions of this now occasionally break off and float
away as miniature bergs.
29
IB
le
>e
rs
t.
n
y
9th. The ice is still very loose, and there is a wide belt of wutor round the shore.
lOth. The ico has closed in again ; nevertheless there is navigable water round
the hhore.
lltb. The ice is fast closing in upon the land.
13th. No perceptible change has takea place. There in still navigable water
several miles wide round the shore, while the ice beyond is compact and stationary.
14ih. Cracks in the ice held between roofs and tha shoro are wilening.
17th. During the past few days the ice has beoome much looser, and now is
quite navigable from the shore to the horizon.
18th. With the exception of a long regular line of compact ice near the horiBon,
there are now only a few loose pans between it and the shore.
19th. The ice appears to be closicg in upon the land again.
20th. The inner edge of the pack is now about ten miles off.
2^nd. No change appears to have ttiken place.
23rd, 24th. Foggy ; cannot see beyond the shore.
25th. Loose ice now occupies most of the water seen recently, bat it is still
quite navigable.
26th, 27th. No change.
28th to 31st. The ice has remained very loose throughout, sometimes closing
a little, but soon after opening again.
Juyie, 1886.
1st. Only scattered pieces of ice can now be seen between the shore and the
horizon, the water being quite navigable for the srnallesi craft. A hirgi portion of
the ice between the reefs and the shore gave way to-day, so that it would now be
possible to bring a ship within a mile of the observatory.
2nd and 3rd, Fog covered the Stra.t all day.
4th. The prevailing strong northerly wind is driving the ice to this side of the
Strait, and the inner edge of the pack is now fast approaching.
5th. Once more the ice has closed in upon the shore, and as far as oan be seen
the pack is unbroken.
6th to 13th. No change has tt>en place. Not the smallest lead of water bus
been seen. The ice is now getting very soft, and wherever there is an acoumulatioa
of dirt on the ice, such as dust blown otf the shore, the ice is melting very fast.
14tb, 15th. The ice is rather looser.
16 th. Foggy over the Strait.
17th to 21st. The pack, though occasionally opening, is not navigable,
22nd, -3rd. The ice is much loohcr, and a few small leads of open water can bo
setn.
24th, !i5th, 26th. The ice is compact throughout.
27th. Ice is still compact. Eound the edges of the shore the ice is melting very-
fast, and in a great many of the bays it is breaking up near high water mark.
28th, 29th. The ice remains compact, but the pans are rapidly becoming smaller
as they break up with the force of the tides.
30th. The wind shifting to the S.W., the ice became much looser, and now small
leads can be seen here and there.
July, 1886.
1st. The ice has again packed vory tightly.
2nd. Towards evening the ice became much lo )ser in all directions.
3rd to 7th. The pack has continued comparatively open, but at no time has been
navigable. '^ . ,«
8th. Ice is again compact. A long line of what appears to bo a " water 6K.j
can be seen on the horizon.
9th, 10th. No change in the condition of the ice.
:-.o
11th. The pock iH now open to the caHtward, othcrwiHO no chnnijo hns taken
place. There is a lonf; dark lino near the horizon that looks much like open water.
124h. The ice iw much looser.
13th. The ice \h open and almost navigable from the shore to the horizon. All
the ice loft the harbour to-day, and now all bajH are open.
14th. The pack closed in a^'ain to-day, filling all the bays with loose ice.
15th. Ice remains compact, excepting to the eastward, where it is more opom
16th to 19th. No change hm taken place during the past few days.
20th, 2Ist, 22nd. Owing to fog hanging over the Strait, it was impossible to see
beyond the shore.
23rd. A good view of the Strait was obtained today. The pack is now very
open and is (juito navigable throughout. Eskimo think this is the last of the ice.
24th. Along the shore there is now only some scattered ice, pieces of which
came iato the bay, and appeared to be quite foreign to the ice formed here. Some
pieces measured fifteen feet in thickness, and at their base leaves were found
imprisoned in the ice, from which 1 should suppose these were nothing more than
hardened snow that had drifted from the shore.
26lh, 26th. No change has token place.
27th. Fog completely hid the Strait today.
28th. Now only small quantities of loose ice can be seen, floating freely to the
eastward.
29th to 3l8t. Dense fog during the past three days.
August, 1886.
Ist. Owing to fog, could only see a few miles from shore. There only appeared
to be a little Ioobo ice hero and there.
2nd. The prevailing strong north-westerly wind is driving what little ice there
is in the bays out to pea. A little ice can bo scon near the horizon.
3rd. The Strait remains open to the northward and north-eastward, whilst loose
ice extends from the shore to the horizon. Blocks of ice, twenty-five feet in thick-
ness, have stranded in this and neighbouring bays.
4th, 5th, 6th. Only very scattered ice can now bo seen.
■jtb. Fewer pieces of ice are to be seen. These shift about with the tides and
eventually drift to the eastward.
8th and 9th. Misty weather has quite hidden the Strait.
10th. It row may be said this part of the Strait is free of ice, excepting a few
pieces that drift olf the shore. These are so few that they might easily be counted,
11th. An unbroken line of ice can bo seen along the horizon.
12th. The field ice scon upon the horizon has moved nearer the coast. A bark
can be seen nearer the inner edge of the pack, apparently looking for an opening.
13th. Fog has hung over the Strait all day. The bark is in sight.
14th. The ice seen during the past few days proves to be only a belt, both sides
of which can now be seen. It is quickly moving to the eastward. The bark was
last seen this evening.
15th, 16th, 17th. Only a few scattered pieces of ice can now be seen.
18th. A long line of ice can be seen near the eastern horizon.
19th. The ice seen on the eastern horizon has disappeared.
20th, 2l8t. Only some very small pieces of ice were seen.
22nd. A small berg seen to the north eastward.
23rd to 27th. No ice has been seen during the past five days.
28th. A large iceberg seen on the horizon to the north-e»«tward.
29th, 30th. No ice to be seen,
September, 1886.
Ist to I5th. No ice has been seen.
Sali
BOUt
aryJ
betV
81
PORT DE BOUGH ERVILLE, NOTTINGHAM ISLVND.
ICE RECOttD.
September, 1835. *
1st to lith. No ico haa been seen.
11th. A largo iceberg is moving cast; it appeared to corao from tho direction of
Salisbury Island.
18.,h. SS. "Alert" called, homeward boucd.
20th. All Irenh water ponds are frozen over.
26th. At 'Z p.m. saw field ice for tho first time since landing. It extends from
southeast northward, and lits some six or eight miles offshore ut its southern bound-
ary, approaching nearer tho shore to tho northward, and seems to bo continuous
between Salisbury Island and Nottingham.
2'7th. Ice all round, and has come close to shore to tho northward. No open
water visible to north-east or east.
28th. Ico formed on the harbour ; field ice covering the Straits in every direc-
tion, with small spots of open water showing.
29th. Some pieces of tho broken floe came into tho harbour and grounded at low
tide; they are from 15 to 20 feet thick.
30th. The ice has all drifted off to the eastward. At 5 p.m. tonight, no ice in
sight except a few scattered pieces and the faint line of white on the horizon.
October, 1886.
1st. Tho pack has drifted back again, and is to-day nearer the shore to tho north-
ward than yesterday.
3rd. Tho ice is now tight and compact in every direction ; from the top of a hill
some distance inland, a little open water shows near the horizon between south and
east ; elsewhere no water to be seen. Tho bay to tho north of tho station is frozen
so that the seals can lie on it.
4th, 5th, 6th, 7th. Ice in every direction, slackening and tightening with the tide ;
at times large lakes of open water show.
8th, 9th. Ice still generally covers the whole of tho Straits as fur as can bo seen,
but the amount of open water showing is greater than before.
10th, llih. Not much change in the ice.
12th. Open water to the east and north-east; extends to the horizon.
14th, 15th. Ice lines the shores of the island, and extends out for seven or eight
miles ; beycnd this, open water reaches to tho horizon.
17th. Open water can just bo seen on tho horizon between oast and south-east ;
inshore there are a few small patches of open water ; with these exceptions, my whole
sea view is covered with pack ice. Harbour all frozen over today.
18th. A belt of ico from 5 to 8 inches wide lies along shorOi Open water gliow-
ing beyond.
19th. Open water only shows on tho horizon.
20th, 2l6t, 22nd, 23rd. Ice slack ; a good deal of open water showing up.
24th. Foggy.
25th. In the morning tho ice had been driven oflf to the horizon, but by 4 p.m.
had returned to within a mile of the shore.
26tb, 27th. Ice to east and N. E. is tight, but slack ice and open water show to
sooth and S. W.
28th, 29th. Ice tight in every direction.
30th, 3l8t: Ice still covers the Strait in every direction^ but spots of open water
show in some places.
83
i
Nooember, 1895.
iKt, 2nd. WoHtorly winds ha/o driven the pacU off slioro leaving open water
with a few stray pieces of floe flj.iling here and there in it. The body of the ioo otin
just bo Hoen on thi> horizon.
3rd. Ice lias come back to the shore ajjain, but in very slack. Appearance of
the SiraitH is about half ice and half water.
4th. Ice has aijain tightened up, leaving only a few narrow leads of open water.
5tb. Ic'O irt e^ain slack.
6th. At 3.15 p.m., with the exception of a narrow load of open water close in-
shore, ;hero is nothing but clo-ioly packed ice to be neon to seaward.
7tb, 8ih, !>ili, 10th. Ice opens out and occasionally swings off , the shore a few
miles and then rolurning, packs tight on the shore; this goes on with shifting of
wind and chaiigos of tide.
11th, 12tli, (.Uh, 14th. Ice has remained close. No open water has boon seen.
15Lh, Ifilh. No open water.
17th. Water sky to south, but no open water visible.
18lh. Snowing and drifting; cannot see any distance.
19tli, 20ih. I< e still tight. No oj)en water visible. An iceberg which was to
the N. E. has heori carried south, and now boars south of oast.
2l8t. Ico still tight for three or four miles from shore; slacker beyond. The
iceberg i?een yesterday has passed out of sight to the eastward.
*22Dd. Ice loose to the south ; elsewhere it is tight.
23rd, 24tb. Ico a little looser, generally.
2.'ktb. At 9 a.m. the gale has blown all the ico out to sea, to the eastward.
29th. Stormy but open water; as far as can be seen.
27th. Ice has apparently como in again to the south, bat mist hangs over the
straits.
28th. Ajifair. misty.
29lh. No ico in sight, except on the horizon to the northward.
30Lh. Snowing and drifting. View of straits completely shut out*
December, 1885.
1st, Snowing heavily; cannot see beyond the mouth of the harbour.
2nd. Ice hab again closed in, and there is no open water to be soon in any direction.
3rd, 4th. No open water in sight.
5th, 6th. iSiorm and mist; cannot see out int;> the Straits.
7th, •:i\\, 9ih, luth. No open water visible.
lltb, l.'th, 13lh. Open water near shore, but dense vapour, which rises, prevents
my f-eeing more than a mile.
14tl). Open water on the horizon to the south ; there is also a lead of water in
shore, running north as far as I can see, becoming wider as it gets farther north, at
N. K it txtends clear to the horizon.
15th. The ice has come closer in to the south ; to the northward, not much change.
16th. Not much change in the ice.
17th, 18th. Ice remains about the same.
19th, 20th, 21st. Cannot see any great distance owing to vapour rising from the
open water.
22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th. There is evidently much open water in the neighbour-
hood, though L cannot see any great distance, except at intervals ; the ice moves
freely with « ind and tide.
26th. Weather clear to-day ; saw the south coast and the Straits and Salisbury
Island for the first time for a number of days. Comparatively clear water in every
direction.
27th, 28th. Snowing and drifting; cannot see out into the Straits.
29th, 30th. Snowing and drifting still.
33
in^ open wator
Y of the ico otm i
Appearance of i
of open water.
water close in-
the shore a few
^ith shifting of :
has been seen.
g which was to
• beyond. The 1
astward.
bangs over the
a
It.
Jur.
a any direction.
1 rises, prevents
ad of water in i
irbher north, at
t much change.
rising from the
the neigh boar-
the ioe moves ;
and Salisbury ;
vater in every
Slflt. Weather hazy, and cannot see more than 3 or 4 miles. There is open
wator tin far um we can see to N.E., and a small patch near the mouth of the harbour j
elsewhere the ice covers the Straits as far a^ visible.
January, 1886.
Ist to 7th. From snowdrift and vapour, have not been able to see any distance.
8th. Open wator t^hows about three miles otf the shore and parallel to it.
There is no change in the appearance of the ice.
9th. Unable to see any distance from the shore to-day.
10th 10 I6th. Have never seen clear to the horizon; there is generally some
open watei' in sight, altering^ itH poMition with the wind and tide.
I7th. The only open water in sight, is a few small patches to S E., although the
view is good, Salisbuiy Island being distinctly visible. Jce is packed very tightly.
18th, 19th. A few small strips of open water show. Vapour bands again obstruct
the view of the horizon.
20th to 24th. Unable to see any distance.
26th. Ice moves with the tide, opening and closing the land to the N.E., south
of this the ice remains tightly packed.
26th, 27ih. Cannot see out into the Straits.
28th, ^9th. Ice is looser, but the usual heavy clouds of vapour obstruct the view
of the Straits.
30th. View good to-day. To the south, the Straits seem to be tightly filled with
field ice, to the horizon. Between N.E. and S.E. the heavy ice lies not less than 5 or
6 miles off shore. Between Noihingham and Salitibury no open water shows.
31st. View again good. Ice seems u little loose to the south, otherwiijo no
change.
February, 1886.
. , ^iid. Cannot see any distance.
3rd. From high ground inland the Straits are packed tightly with heavy ice, the
only exception is to S.E , where a few small lakes of open water show.
4th, 5th. Cannot f-ee any distance.
(jth. Can see nearly to horizon. Ice generally tight.
7th, 8th. Large patches of open water show.
9th, 10th. View of Straits interrupted.
12th. There is a strip of water between here and Salisbury Island, elsewhere the
ice is solid.
13ih. Ice tight everywhere.
I4tb, 15th, 16th. Heavy gale and snow drift.
I7th. Ice has moved out some 4 or 5 miles and swings in again.
18lh. Cloudy horizon again.
20th. No open water to be seen.
2 Ist, 22nd. Ice tight everywhere.
23id. View obstructed.
24ih. Large patches of open water south of the harbour some three or four miles
from shore, to the north the ice is packed tightly to the horizon.
25th, 26th, i^7th. Not much change in the ice.
28th. Large patches of open water to E. and N.E. View is, however, somewhat
poor.
March, 1886.
Ist, 2nd. Ico packed tightly to horiz )n. No open water visible.
3rd, 4th. No open water.
5th. A little open water to N.E., but cannot see any great distance owing to
vapour banging over the ice. To the south no open water shows.
156—3
34
6th. A lano of open water runs north and south, some flvo miles off shore.
7th, 8th. }-.li. Ice generally tit^ht, small loads of water only showing occasionally.
lUtli. This morning about 79 por cent, of the Straits is clear, the ico having ran
abroad very freely. In the altcrnoon the ico packed in tightly again on the shore.
11th, 12th, 16ih. Cannot see any distance.
14th. No open water in sight.
15lh. Snow drifting. View of Straits obscured.
16th. Ico is packed tightly, to thi) south, and also botweon here and Salisbury
Island, but east of thib largo lakes of open water show some five or six miles from
shore.
nth, 18tb. View poor. No open wjitcr visible.
19th. View good. No open water in sight.
20th to 2Glh. Ice moves u little with the tide and small patches of open water
show at times.
27th, 2Sth, 29th, 30th, 31st. Ico tight, no open water to bo soon.
April, 1886.
Ist, Snd. No open water in sight.
-rd. Ice slackened oft' a little today.
4th, 5lh. Ice tight, no open water.
7tb. Ice loosened today, long lanos of opon water running parallel to the shore,
alternate with bolts of ice &r. far as can bo seen.
8th, ^th, 10th, 11th. Not much chango in the ice.
12th. The ico remained close all day,
13th. No chango of any importance, small leads of water show at certain times
of tide.
14th. A good deal of open water shows to S E.
1.5th, 16tT], 17ih. "Weather stormj', Straits obfccured.
20th, 21st. Ico has moved oft bodily to the ea8t\ urd leaving clear water in all
flhections ; south of east tho ico boLweon Nottingham and Salisbury remains intact.
22nd, 23rd. Loose ico in every direction swinging with tho tide.
24th, 25th, 26th. Ice tight. No open water.
27th. Ice has again slackened, and leads of open water .show through it.
28th, 2J)th, 30tb. Not much change in tho ice ; at times it is tight, and again,
occasionally it will slaeken oft'.
Mai/, 1886.
Ist. To u scath tho ico has moved otTand clear water extends to the horizon,
about S.B. ije ice just shows on tho hori/on, and to tho north of this it comes cloBe
to shore.
2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th. Weather stormy, Straits obscured.
6th, 7th. A little open water shows occasionally- ; on the 7th some of the
birds put in an appearance for tho first time.
8lh, 9th, 10th. No chango in the ico.
lltb, 12th, 13th. No open water, ice tight on tho shore.
14th. Ico slackened off a little to day,
15th, 16th. Snow drifting, view of Straits ob.scured.
17th. No open water, but the ice seems much broken up by the late gale.
19th. A little opon water to the south.
20th, 2l8t. The Ice has been blown otVthe shore and has come back again,
remains loose, with a good deal of opon water showing.
22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 2eth, 27th. Ice tight, no open water visible.
28th. Foggy all day.
29th. Visibility good, no open water can be scon from tho top of the hill to north
of station.
30th, 3l8t. No open water visible.
sea
but
35
shore.
Dccasionally.
• having ran
the shore.
id Salisbury
: miles from
open water
y the shore,
tain times
ater in all
ns intact.
it.
and again,
horizon,
imes close
•f the sea
•
de.
gain, but
II to north
June, 1886.
Ist to 6th Ice tightly packed the whole time , no open water shows except a
small pond or two in the eddy under a point.
7th. Could not see any distance.
8th. Ice slackened off considerably.
9th, 16th. No open water of any extent has been seen.
17th. A good deal of open water shows up to-day.
iKth. In the morning the ice is slack, aud a good deal of open water'shows, but in
the afternoon it again came in tight and no open water was to be seen.
19th. No. open water.
20th. Ice looscnod out to-day again, and moved off the shore some four or five
miles to the south ; large patches of open water extend to the horizon.
22nd. Harbour ico begins to look shaky, and water appears at head of tide, here.
24th. Ice to tno south continues quite s'uck, about 50 per cent, of open water
shows there; to the north of east the ice is still tight.
25th, 26lb, 27th, 2Sth. No change in the ice.
29th. Prom south round to N.B. the ice has been blown off shore and appears
quite loose ; north of N.£. it remains tightly packed.
30th. Harbour ice is all broken up, leaving only a narrow strip a ^ew hundred
yards wide across at the shoals.
July, 1886.
1st, 2nd. Ice loose as far as can be seen.
3rd. Easterly wind has brought the ice in and it is row a good deal tighter,
though open water shows in places.
4th. Foggy.
6th. Open water shows to the south.
8th. Ice apparently rem 'ins iiboutthe same; compact between hero and Salisbury
Island, but quite loose to thu south, where occasionally the open water extends to the
horizon.
9lh, lOtb, lltb. No open water in sight.
12th. S.W. wind. has 1 'own the ioe off shore.
13th. Joe to the northward and between hero and Salisbury seems compact, but
the Straits to the south must be nearly clear as we could hear the sea breaking on
the outer edge of the ice near the shore to the south.
14th. View poor.
15th, 16th. Ice tightly packed in on the shore; no open water.
17th. Ice loosened out a little and some open water shows in places.
18th, 22nd. Ice remains loose , much open water.
23rd, 24th. Open water along shore, but ice visible on the horizon,
25th, 26th. Ice swings in a little occasionally, but it is always loo&a and much
broken up.
28th, 8 p.m. Ice packed tightly in all directions.
29th, 30th. Not a particle of open water to be seen. Ice packed lightly to the
horizon.
31st. Could not see any distance ; the wash of the sea could bo he ,rd plainly to
the south.
August, 1886.
Ist. About fifty per cent of open water, mostly to the south,
2nd, 7th. Comparatively open water nearly all the time.
9th, Ice was running N.E. to-day, at 7 p.m. the only open water visible ie a lead
olose in to the shore and a few spots on the horizon.
10th. Ice slackened off again today.
lltb, 16th. Ice quite loose at all times.
17th« Cannot see any distance, but the ice naust be all gone as a heavy sea is
breaking on the shoals.
18tD. View good ; no ice visible out at sea.
156-3i
36
PORT LA.PERRIERB.
r^
ICE OBSERVATIONS. — OBSERVER, MR P. 0. WOOD WORTH.
October^ 1885.
1st. Firnt tield ice seen [today at 4 p.m. The ice is loose and thoro are some
bergs driving with it. The pack is apparently movinj? S.E.
2Qd, 4th. The Strait is covered with loose ice. It is heavy old ice, some of it
being aground here in the harbour.
8th. Harbour packed tightly with heavy old ice and it can be seen in the Strait
and Bay as far as the eye can reach. It is apparently moving north.
14th. No ico visible in Bay or Strait.
29tb. About 2 inches of ioo formed on tho harbour last night but broke up again
in the morning.
November, 1{:85.
1st. No ice in sight.
3rd. A narrow belt of old field ice extends from N.W. to N.E., and about eight
miles off shore.
5th. Some field ice in the Strait. Harbour is now frozen over.
7th. Field ice has passed out of sight, only a few stray pieces being seen to-day.
12th. Young ice formiugover Bay and Strait.
13tb, 14th. Pack of old ice, which has moved down from the north can be seen
in the Strait to-day.
15lh. Old ice ha.s pa-ssed eastward; none now in sight.
11th, 23rd. New ice forming in Bay and Strait.
24th. Straits closely packed with ice.
1:9th. Bay and Straits fall cf ice. It is, however, loose and swings with the tide.
Stri
in t
ofl
I
the
she
to-<
December, 1885.
Ist. Could get no view of Bay or Strait to day ; blinding snow drift.
2nd. The ice jippenrs closely packed in the Bay and Strait. I am quite certain
that all the ice that l have seen in the Strait, and Bay is heavy old ice, the separate
floe pieces having boon cemented together by young ice.
3rd, 4th. Ice in Bay and Strait compact.
6th. Snow drifting.
6th. A little open water shows at one place in the Straits; elsewhere the ice
remains solid.
Ith, 8th. No open water visible anywhere.
9th, 10th. A littlo open water in the Bay ; none visible in the Straits.
11th. Open water in the Buy extends as fur as can be 3eea. A goad deal of open
water also shows in the Strait.
13th. No open water visible in the Straits.
14th, 1 5th. Ice remains the same.
16th. Small spots of open water are numerous in the Straits.
Itth. No open water in sight to day from the station.
20th to 31st. Ice remains much the same ; a little open water showing oco»>
Bionally in both the Bay and Strait.
January, 1886.
Ist to 3l8t. Very little movement in the ica ; great banks of vapour oonstantly
rise from what are apparently cracks in the ice ; this vapour prevents our observing
the movement of the ice at any distance out. Near shore no change has taken plaoe.
frc
th
an
in
n
S
IT
37
re some
mo of it
e Strait
p again
it eight
to-day.
be seea
he tide.
certaia
eparate
the ice
>fopen
oco»<
itantly
orving
1 plaoe.
February, 1886.
let to 10th. Yapoar banks obstruct the view of both Bay and Strait.
11th. Some open water is visible, apparently aboat twelve miles off, in both
Strait and Bay.
12th. Ice seems to have loosened, as numerous small pools of open water show
in the Straits.
13th to 15th. No open water in eight. ,
16th. A. little open water visible in the Strait.
18th, 19th. Banks of vapoar »gain obstruct the view of the Straits.
20ih. A little open water irhows near the shore.
22nd to 26th. Clouds of vapour, rising some distance off shore, obstruct the view
of the Strait.
^ 27th. A little open water, apparently about fifteen miles off shore.
March, 1386.
3rd. Some narrow leads of open water are visible about five miles off shore on
the Bay side, but come within half a mile of the island on the Strait's side.
5th to 16th. View obstructed by dense banks of vapour rising from the ice.
17th. A narrow strip of open water a fewmilenout in the Strait tu-night at 11 p.m.
18lh. A little open water in both Strait and Buy.
VJih to 2l8t. Ice remains unchanged, the same narrow strip of open water still
showing in both Strait and Bay.
22od, 23rd. Ice moving with the tide ; open water showing occasionally.
24th. Ice off the shore, open water clear in to the western side of the island
to-day.
26th, 26th. Stormy, with driftinir snow; view of the Straits obscured.
27th to 29th. Hazy in Bay and ^^ traits.
30th. There i* a strip of open water in the Strait about two miles off shore,
which is about four miles in width, extending east and west, as far as can be seen.
3l8t. Foggy over the Bay and Straits.
April, 1886.
2nd, 3rd. More open water than before ; it is now, I estimate about ten miles
from ice to ice, ani the open water extends from the north-west . iho Bay round to
the eastward in the Straits as far as can be seen.
4Ui. The open water reported yesterday is now all closed, but t.ho ice '» loose
and moves freely with the tide ; spots of open water show in different places.
6tli to 9th. A little open water always seen in both Bay and Strait.
10i>^>. No open water in the Straits to-day.
lith. Weather thick ; cannot see any dibtance.
12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16tb. Only aUttle open water shows occasionally.
20th, 23rd. More open water than has been seen for some time, but principally
in the Bay ; very liitle in the Straits.
29th. Very heavy ice in both Straits and Bay ; no opon water in the Strait.
30th. No open water in sight.
May, 1886.
2nd. A little open water shows in both Bay and Strait.
3rd to 5tb. Snowing and drifting.
6th to lith. Open water is seen every day in narrow leads, shifting as the ice
moves with the tide.
16th. Very stormy.
17th to 20th. Narrow leads of open water in the Bay. None reported in the
Straita.
;8
2l8t. Tho ice in the StraiU is looser, and some open water shows there in places,
but the ice i** very heavy, and of a deep blue "-clor.
22nd. From the lop of one of the hills open water gqows in the Bay, about 15
miles in width ; this extends into the Strait, where it i'« apparently from 10 to 12 miles
in width.
23rd to 3l8t. Open water in narrow leads is seen every day ; they open and
close with the phasus of the tide.
June, 1886.
iHt to Stb. Streaks of open water seen every day, in both Bay and Strait.
8ih. A long narrow load of water in tho Straits to day.
17ih. Ice in Straits is very loose; a great deal of open water shows.
18th, 19th. Ice continues loose.
20th. Tho ico near the shore, is getting quite thin and is full of holes.
2l8t at 3 a.m. Tbo fi )e broke away from the harbour's mouth and drifted to tho
westward, leaving clear water for a considerable distance.
22nd, 2/ird. Ice quite loose. There would, I think, be now no difficulty in a
steamship making a pabsage into the Bay.
2fth, 26th. Ice continued loose.
27th. Ice has closed up again completely ; no open water is visible.
28ih to 30th Ice loosened out in the Siraits again, but not to any great extent,
only small pools of open water showing. In the Bay the ice swings right off to th^
horizon, and comos back with the tide.
aboi
are
July, 1886.
Ist. No open water visible in the Strait.
2nd. Ico in Straits much the same, thoiuh a few small pools of open water show
some distance out. In the Biy tho water sky extends from S.W. nearly to N.W.
and tho freedom with which tho pack swings off, indicates that there is not a great
breadth of ice,
3rd. Ico in tho Bay remains heavy, but thero is a narrow load of open water
formed under ihe shores of the island which extends woU out into the Bay.
4th. At :i sLra. tao water still showed close to tho island, bat at 11 a.m. it ha(t
closed up agtiin.
5th to i)th. Weather thick over the Straits, could not soo any distance.
J.Oth; Icio in the Strait i,s quit > slack, and by no means ho heavy as it wag.
llth. Examined the Straits i.om the top of a high hill to north of harbour. Ico
compact for a long distance out, and then a lead of open water bhows, apparently
extenaiiigto Nottingham Island.
12th. A bank of fog rests on the horizon, apparently whore tho ope i water waa
seen yesterday.
I3th, 14th. Ice in the Straits remains compact.
15th. Harbour ice begins to break up.
16th. Stiails full of heavy ice. No open water is visible.
17tb, 18th. Ice loosened a good deal, and now on tho night of tho 18tli. our har-
bour ico is completely broken up, and heavy ice from tho Bay has drifted in.
19lh. A good deal of open water shows in tho Straits to-day, tho run of tho
belts of ice being about parallel to the shore. At 1.45 p.m. saw the "Alert**
away to N. E.
20th. Foggy to-day. *' Alert" got into the harbour and anchored, a little baforo
Doon.
2tth. More open wator visible in the Straits today than I have yet seen;
25th. Ice out in the Strait seems quite loose; the "Alert" left this morning
but at 2 p.m. was seen ; apparently stuck fast in the pack. ;
26th. Foggy.
39
places,
about 15
12 miles
27th. A largo ship, supposed to be a whaloi', [last-od today. Ice quite slack all
about.
28th, 30th. The araoant of ice in both Say a^d Strait diminishes daily. Eskimo
are coming over from the mainland in their kayaks.
August. ,
2nd. There is now more open water to bo seen in both Strait and Bay than there
is ico, and the ice is very slack.
3rd. Harbour drifted nearly full of heavy ico.
4'h. Open water as far as can bo t^oon.
13th. There now appear in the Straits two narrow belts of ice, about one mile
in width, and apparently from 10 to 15 miles in length.
22nd. Not a particle of ice visible in any direction, nor was any more soon from
this date to the end of the month.
31st. "Alert" in the harbour, house being taken down; all observations dis-
continued.
SUMMARY OF ICE REPORTS OP THE STATIONS.
Fur tho bonodt of those who cannot affoid the time to examine and compare the
ico reports of the two years, I give tho following summary of the facts observed in
both seasons.
. vt Port Laperrloro, in the spring of 18^5, a good deal of open water was seen
during tho early part of the month of June, but tho Straits are not reportel as at all
clear until 17th July ; the last of the ice disappearing on 22nd August, just as the
fresh water ico begins io form, on the inlinl lakes. In 1SS(), sorno opon water
showed in the month of March. On 17th Jimo tho observer rcporn tho ico quite
loose, and thinks S.raits navigable. On tho TAvi the ice however closoi in again
almost at onco, and up to and including 16th Ju^y the Straits are full of heavy ice,
which gots loose on the 19lh, and by tho 2()th tho S'raits are considoroi navi£;able;
the fi'"st d'.y on which no ice in sight is reported, being 22Dd August, tho same date
to a day, as in 1885.
On tho other side of thr Scraits, at Port do Bnu-herville, on Nottingham Island;
in tho spring of 1S85 ; 11th Jnlj' is the first day that any considerable amount of
open water is reported ; 24th July, tho ice is loose in every direction ; and the last
ico IS soon on 13th August. In ISSfi, on 13th July, first hoard the wash of tho sea,
and though tho ico closed in again on the 9th Aug-.ist, it had a'l left by 17th August.
At Stupart's Buy in 1835, on 3rd June, Eskimo report that water could be
seen, l)ut up to 20ih July no largo amount of opon water is reported ; tho last ice
was seen on 8th Augu-it. In 1886 ; 2.{rd July, ico reported quito loose, the observer
remaikini,' "Straits now navigable; " tho la-tt ico soon was on 19th August. I may-
add that in 1884 tho last ice was seen hero on iho 8t'i of Soptember.
At Ashe Inlet, in 1835, from lOth to 2oth Juno, tho ico was loo.-o, but about
tho latter date it came in on tho whore again, roni lining with scarcely a brcik up
to 2l8t August ; there was, howovor, clear water reported some 10 or 12 miles oflf
shore during a great p:irt of July. In 188f), a good deal of open water was soon in
April, and on 5th June the i".e moved offshore, remaining clear several days, subse-
quently going off again about llth July. On 2ist July, it is reported, ice in tight
again, no opon water in s'cht. The ice finally di>:ippeared on IGth August.
At Port Biirwell, in 1885 ; there was a deal of open water seen duting Jaly, bat
tho ico alwa^-s chy-^ed in again, Tho " Alert " got into harbour here on 4th August.
Ice finally disappeared on 20th August. In l«8<i, from 13th to 20llt Juno tho ico
was loo-so, hut from the latter date to the end of .Inly a great deal of ice was seen.
3rd August is the first day on which tho entry is ma le, *'• no ice in sight."
40
The comparison of the closing of the two seasons, in the fall of the years 1834
and 1885, id given below.
Port Lapen iere and NottiDgham Island. During the season of 1^S+, the field ice
never left the Nottingham Inland, but remained there, swinging to and fro with the tide,
all summer. On 2nd October, at Nottingham Island, the Straits are reported fall of
ioe af^ far as can be seen, and the date of the final closing fixed by the observer thero
was 26th October. At Port Laponidre, first ice lath October. Straits closed, appar-
ently full of ice, 22nd October.
In 1885, at Nottingham Island, liret ice 2»'.th Soptembor. Straits full and finally
closed on '/6th October. At Port LaperriAre, on the opposite side of the Straits, the
first ice was seen on 1st October ; it came down in considerable quantity, but owing
to heavy weather and westerly gales did not set tight till 2nd December.
At Stupart's Bay, in 1884, first ice 22nd October, but ob^-erver does not consider
Straits closed at that point until 7lh December.
In 1885, temporarily closed I4lh November, but this ice moving east, were
finally closed 6th December.
At Ashe Inlet, in 1884, first ice i? reported I4th November, and Straits finally
closed 21st November. In 1885, first ice ?6th October, but Straits not closed till
6th December.
At Port Burwell the observer reports, in 1884, first ice 4th November ; Straits
apparently full on 12th November. In iU85, first ice 20th November; Straits appar-
ently closed 30th November.
N0TE3 ON THE ICE IN HUDSON'S STRAITS AND BAY.
In considering the question of the quantity and movements of the ice in Hudson's
Straits, the first point that arises is whether the only ice to bo met with there is that
formed in the immediate locality, or whether there are sources of supply bej'ond.
We have now had voyages on three years to UudBOu's Stiaits, and it is certainly
legitimate to assume that we have mot with nil the kinds of ice which are at any time
to be found in these regions. I consider thnt they may be divided into three types
or classes: — First, there are in Hudson's Straits at all times of the year, icebergs;
second, np to the end of July or beginning of August there is much young flie ice, by
this is meant the ioe which has been form'd during the winter immediately preced-
ing. Its thickness is variously reported from 7 feet 6 inches at the harbour on Mai bio
Island to 3 feet 10 inches at Port Burwoli, iu the eastern entiance of the S raits A
mean between these two measnns wouM bo, I consider, a fair average, for the thick-
ness of this class of ice, when met with in Hudson's Straits, say somewhere about 5
feet of solid blue ice; covering this ice is a sheet of snow packed solid and as hard
as the ice itself, and, like the ice, of vatying depth. In the month of July 2 feet
would probably be the average depth of ihi« cup or crust of snow, thus making the
total depth of ice and snow together from 7 to 9 foot. This ice honeycomb* very
qaickly, and in July is generally full of water holes, which occasionally are so exten-
Bive that they give a floe of this description the appearance of boing made up of a
number of detached pieces. I have indeed more than once, forced the ship into a iloe
of this kind, only to find that there was no give to it at all, and nothing to be done but
to pull astern, and go on coasting round the sheet.
The third type of ice is what I called in my first year's report the " heavy Arctio
ice." This ice is of every thickness, from 10 to 40 foet ; it is the product of many wi nters
in which it has been growing in tbit kness, both below by freezing, and above by iho
accumulation of the successive winters' snows.
In early July large masses of this heavy old ice are met with in Hudson's S; raits,
it can be readily distinguished from the young flie of the single winter's production
by its surface being always rough and hummooky ; it also quickly discolors, turning
a foxey color, and, besides being hummocky, the surface is covered with crat jr like
41
were
!,
holep, full, in most instances, of tho finest fresh water. It was indeed quite a common
occarrence to put tho ship alongside a piece of old ice and putting out tho suction
hose to fill tho tanks with fresh water in a few minutes by moann of tho steam pump.
We have then these three kinds of ice, viz.. (1) iceburgs ; (2) young fljo ioo, of
single winter's growth ; (:^) heavy Arctic, or old ice.
Our observations made now during three seasons show that icebergs are present
at all times of tho year; that y^ung ice makes to a considerable thickno-s before the
Ist December, and that tho old ice is occasionally present in tho Straits, at the-
western end, during tho whole season; that at other times its final disappearance
takes place at some da»e in August, and that it rolurns in force usually about the '
latter part of October.
In considering tho quantity and movements of this ico during the season in
which navigation is possible, it is desirable thai 1 should again point out, that the
physical and geographical features of the region, are of a most unpromising nature.
First, in regard to temperature, I am convinced ihit the mean monthly temperatures
proven now to exist preclude all ideas of tho pot-sibility of navigating tho Straits
from November to April, infilusivo. In May, June and July, large quantities of ice
are present in the Straits, and as the average temperature ot tho western end of tho
Straits in May is 23*^ Fah., or S^'' bjlow tho freezing pointof salt water, tho ice does not
begin to give way in this month. By the months of Juno and July tho temperature
here has risen to :^5° and 40° respectively, and the ice honeycombs and melts
rapidly ; but judging from the reports of tho stations and our own experience it
takes all of Jane, and generally part of July, to reduce tho quantity sufficiently, to
permit of the Straits being navigated for tho purposet* of commei-co.
The general direction of Hudson's Straits at the eastern end, is about N.W.
and S.E. (true), and across the mouth of the Straits, flows persistently the great
Arctic current, carrying with it, not oniy the giant bargs, from the Humboldt and
other glaciers, but field ico from the Arctic S.m coming down tho East Greenland
coast, together with all that comes down Davis' Straits and from out of i*8 many
bays and fjords. The quantity of this ice, which passes down across tho mouth of
Hudson'j Straits is enormous, nor does it all pass across; a great deal of it is carried
right into Hudson's Straits to the south of Kotolution Island ; more comes in through
Gabriel Straits and thence flows westward along the north shore of Hudson's Straitsi
This westerly set apparently terminates about the eastern side wf Salisbury Island,
because the bergs are seen to como in tho Straits, and to pass up the north side going
west beyond Ashe Inlet; but at Nottingham Inland only ono is reported as having
been seen ; at Stupart's Bay they are irequently reported going east. It is therefore
a legitimate conclusion, that tho current from Davis' Straits flows west along the
north shore of Hudson's Straits, and east on the south side. The breadth of ice out-
side of Hudson's Straits varies greatly from time to time. I have been told of its
being 120 miles off in March, and this year, in the end of Miy, Cipt. Guy, of the
" Arctic," says: '* We found the south-west ice extending off Kesolution Island from
40 to 50 miles of tight ice, and outside of this from 1 to 20 miles of slack ico " ; show-
ing up to the 25th of May, this year, an impenetrable barrier of 50 miles of tight ice
between navigable water and the entrance of Hudson's Straits. This mass of ice
outside, pens up the ice in Hudson's Straits, and it is only aff^r a westerly blow of
some duration, that it moves off to the eastward and permits of the ice moving out.
About the end of June or beginning of July, the bulk of the northern ice has passed
south of Cape Chidley, and the Hudson's Straits ico is free to pass out, but at this
season of the year tho westerly winds form only about 30 per cent, of tho total, hence
the discharge is kIow and vast quantities of this ice disappear in the Straits and
Ungava Bay under tho influence of the rising temperature of both air and sea.
It will be admitted that with the experience extending to centuries, which the
Hudson's Bay Company have if it were possible for them to get their ships in earlier
they would endeavour to do so ; inasmuch as the detention of one of their ships over
a winter in the bay, entails loss of markets, more or less undue wear and tear of
vessel, and the additional expense of wages and maintenance of the crew. I have
42
examined Iho records of 116 consoculivo arrivals at York Factory and find (hat the
avorngo date is Soptomber 4th. Ot tko 11(5, 4S arrived in Au'^asl; oarlio-tt date,
6th Aufiust. The latest arrival was the 7th Jtober, on which occasion the ship
wintered in the bay.
Tnere in no question, bat that the year in which the ship arrived 6th
Augu'it, must have been an exceptionally favourable one, because of all the August
arrivals only 13 arrived prior to tho 2 ith of the month, and in considering the
question of the navigability of the Straits by steamships for the ordinary purposes
of commerce, 1 am of the opinion that steam will not lengthen the (-eason at the be-
ginniiig more than a month to five woek<i. so that our own experience, and that of
the Hudson's Bay ships, points to the first half of July as being the earliest date at
which the Straits may be considered navigable for the purposes of commerce, by
steamships fortified for ice navigation, and at the same time capable of being used
profitably as freight carriers.
It has been held by some that the ice in Hudson's Straits was so light and so
much broken up that there was no risk of an ord nary vessel being crushed in it. I
am informed that one of the American whaling vessels was crushed in 1885, and the
Hudson's Bay Company sorao years since lost a vessel by the ice in the Strait.
The Hakluyt Society have published a work entitled " The Geography of Hud-
son's Bay," by Capt. Coats.
Capt. Coats was an cfficer in the Hudson's Bay Company, who commanded vessels
sailing into Hudson's Bay from 1727 to 1751. During this time he was twice crush-
ed in the ice, and in his geography he says : "In the year 1727 when near the
meridian off Cape Farewell, when running through the ice with small sail, two
pieces of ice shut upon us and sunk our ship. Again in 173G, being entangled in the
ice six leagues within Cupt, Resolution when the ico shut upon us by the tides only
(for it was dead calm) and crushed our sides in and sunk her in 20 minutes."
The tidal currents in the Straits flow with groat rapidity, especially at the
eastern end of the Strait, round and about the Button's Islands, and at the western
end near the Digges Islands ; anj' vessel getting entangled in the running ice in these
currents is sure to meet with hard usage, if not with actual disaster. The ioe does
not move with uniform speed, but wheels and whirls in every direction the heavier
floe pieces, some of them approaching the size of small bergs tearing through the
pack, leaving a wake ('f clear water for a short distance in rear of them which is
al-nost immediately filled again, the ice rushing together, and the smaller pieces
crushed or lifted out of the water as the opposing linos meet. It is on account of
these currents, that Capt. Coats advises the raariuor navigating Hudson's Straits not
to enter the Straits till the first wqek of July, by which time, he says, the ice is
usually suflSciently broken up to make it safe for u ship. I cannot better show how
the uncertainties of these tidal currents dety the calculations of the navigator than
by instancing the case of Capt. Parry's expedition with the " Fury" and " Hecla"
in 1821. Capt. Parry arrived off Resolution Itsland oa 2nd July, and from this date
the 'Fury" and "Hecla" were drifting in the ioe, working as opportunity
offered. They reached the Lower Savage Islands on 18th July. On 6th July the two
ship^ were close together, and were tightly beset in the ioe, the weather thon shut
down thick, but neither ship was released from the clo-to grip of the ico. On the
following day when the weather cleared, the " Hecla " had drifiod eleven miles away
from her consort. I have examined the published records of a lumber of voyages
made by the early explorers of the seventeenth century, and those of later date. In
all the testimony is the same, that there is a large quantity of ico in Hudson's Straits
during the month of July, more or loss broken up, still it is always there.
In concluding these notes on the ice, it may not be out of place to state that
whilst I am of opinion there will always be moi-e or less fluctuation in the date of
the opening of practical navigation for the purposes of commerce, the ship owner
who sends in a freight-carrying steamer before the 15th of July, will almost certainly
be subjected to such delays as will add very seriously to the cost of the voyage ;
indeed it is by no means unlikely that given two similar steamships, one entering
43
Hudson's Straits, on 5th July and tho other on the 15th, the second steamer might
pass the first, ar.d get through with little delay.
In regard to the closing of the season so far as obstruction from ice is concerned
the end of October seems to be tho time when the heavy old ice comes down in force
and although in 1886 this ice was driven eastwards by a heavy gale and the Strait
remained open for some time longer, tho temperatures have ir> November fallen so
low, and the days have become so short, that the risks of navigation aro seriously
agamented. In estimating the period of navigation of an ordinary year I should
say from 15th July to 15th October with a possibility of navigation from let Jalv
to Ist November, but in the first half of July and indeed occasionally in the latter
half there will always bo delays, and later than 15tli October tho rinks of ^navigation
are so increased, that tho question of insurance would in all probability settle the date.
NOTES BY OBSERVERS.
Station No. 1, Port Burwell— Mr. G. Shaw.
November, 1886.
Ist. Up to this date there has been no steady snow storm, it falls in short
showers and is continually drifting.
10th. Heavy gale to night; squalls upwards of 65 miles an hour.
17th. Snow does not ecom to et«y on the land, it is literally blown out to sea, the
ravines and hollows filling up level.
19th. Temperature fell bolow zero to-night for the first time.
December, 1885*
6th. Wind to-day a perfect hurricane,
•Zth. Brilliant aurora to-night.
15th. I estimate total snowfall at about two feet; it has been j)€rfcctly impos-
eible to measure it.
19th. Parhelia visible at 11 a.m.
25th, 2Gth. Lunar halos. Eskimo visited us on the 25th.
3l8t. Heavy snow in a.m.
January, 1886.
10th. Heavy gale, but squally.
14th. Brilliant aurora morning and evening ; parhelia at 11 a.m.
l?th, 18th. Hesvy gale ; snow drifting.
22nd. Aurora bright at 7 and 11 p.m. Class 4.
23rd, 24th. Heavy gale.
3 Ist. Our first feathered visitor for some time; a raven was flying about the
station all day.
February, 1886.
6th. A dark, smoky-colored circle surrounded the sun to-day.
14th, 15th, 16th, 17th. He.avy gale of wind, with scarcely any intermission.
iflfn T'arViAlin in a m
18th. Parhelia in a.m.
heavy gale ; wind 70 milei an hour in squalls. The raven
1 fkia m<^nfli
28th. Another very -^ j ^~..^,
has remained with us all this month.
44
March, 1886.
12tb, 13th. Parhelia in a.m. each day.
14tb. Lately wo have aeen quite a number of ravens.
17th. Parhr lia at Bunn^e.
20th. 2tHt. Brilliant solar haloa, with priamatio colors, showing distinctly.
22nd. Pdrholia at 9:30 a.m.
23rd. Three ptarmigan seen to-day; this is the firat appearanei^ of these birds.
30tb. Solar uorona at 9 a.m. to-duy, brilliant aurora at night.
3lBt. Snowing and drifting ; cleared at night ; aurora : Class 3.
April, 1886.
2nd. Heavy gale from 6 p.m. of 1st to 6 p.m. to-day. Wind averaged nearly 60
miles per hour.
Iftth. Brilliant aurora at 11 p.m.
16tb. Solar halo at 11 a.m.
17th. Throe heavy showers of rain fell to day.
2r>th. Snow birdb tseen to-day for the first time.
2Cth. Ptarmigan are now getting plentiful. Saw an owl to day. Snow melt-
ing with the southeast wind.
May, 1886.
1st to 4th. About a foot of fresh snow has fallen this month.
13th. Temperature in the sun by ordinary thermometer 66°, shade tempera*
tnre 33".
18th, 19th, 20th. Hail fell on each day.
25th. First sign of sea birds, saw one gull today.
28th. Geoso passing north in flocks.
31st. Firht tigns of vegetation coming to life; some of the plants are coming np
green in sheltered places.
June, 1886.
4th. A very heavy North and N.B. i^ale and snow storm.
16tb, 17th. Brilliant aurora in X. and N.B; Parhelia visible at 7:30 p.m. on
17th.
19th. Very heavy snow from 9:30 p.m of 18th to 3:30 p.m. to-day.
21st. Brilliant aurora in N. and N.B. ai 1! p.m.
22nd. Tho ground is drying up very rapidly.
26th. Solar halo at 430 p.m.
30th. Solar halo at 1:30 p.m , very distinct and bright in coloring.
July, 188b'.
Ist, 2nd. Auroras at 1 1 p m each ni«jht.
5th. Thunder storm between 3 und 4 a.m., the first that we have had.
10th. Silav corona at 8 p.m.
15th. Weather very dark and gloomy. Heard distant thunder to-day.
19th. Thermometer in the sun this forenoon showed 79°; shade temperature at
the same time 5V*.
25bh. Easterly galo to-night, wind reaching 45 miles per hour.
August, 1886.
6th. Large numbers of sea birds in the harbor to-day.
7tb. Thunder and lightning, but appears to be some distance off.
>0th. Heard distant thunder this morning.
28th. Flurries of snow falling again. Tops of the hills are covered.
45
September, 1886.
tth. Ground is frozen hard this morning.
26tb. Fresh water ponds and lakes arc frozen over.
ASHE INLET, STATION NO. 3.
Mr. J. W. TraiLL, P.L.S., Observer.
September, 1885.
n o/?^^**' Twopealsof thunder heard to-day; wind blowing 60 milea an hoar at
11:30 p.m.
October, 1885.
2nd. Brilliant aurora.
12th. First natives arrived.
17th. Lamps lighted at 4.40 p.m.
22nd. Eleven more Eskimo arrived to-day.
November, 1885.
5th. Tide staff destroyed by ice.
20th. 3 p.m. Observation was taken by lamp light to-day.
December^ 1885.
8th. Lamps lighted at 2 p.m.
22nd, 23rd. Lunar halos.
January, 1S86.
10th. Five Eskimo arrived, having walked over White Straits on loose ica.
20th. Faint double lunar halo.
February,
llth* 3 a.m. Mercurial thermomoters frozen.
16th. Lunar halo visible.
18th. Lunar halo with large bright cro-is in the centre.
20th. Captain Nipgin, Agent of the R. S. Williama Company visited station
to-day. His station is at Spicor Harb )r, wo^t of this island.
March, 1836.
3rd. By base line, moa«!ured on the harbor ice determined the height of Look
Out Point, and the station door sill. The heights obtained are — Look Oat. 247 feet,
Station door sill 40 feet above M. S. L.
21st. Shot a bear at the door of the station house this morning at 6 o'clock.
22nd. First appearance of ravens.
23th. Brilliant aurora at 11 p.m.
April 1886.
1st. Two snow birds seen for the first time this morning.
3rd. Ptarmigan have returned, first Hoen <his afternoon.
7th. A number of walrus are off the mouth of the harbor to-day.
46
May 188«.
4th. A number of nativos arrived to-day.
14th. First full of rain.
16th. Heavy rain.
26th. Snow disappearing rapidly.
30th. The two days rain buti nearly removed the snow — it has all gone from
the highlands.
June, 1886.
6th. Steamer "Arctic" arrival and made fast to the ice at the entrance of the
harbor.
9th. Twenty-throo Bikimo assisted us in building a beacon on the bluff,
25tb. The river which runs into the head of the inlet is rapidlv bneakinff no
the ice there. ^ "^ ^ *^
July, 188C.
11th. "Alert" arrived at 4 a.m.
20th. Heavy swell heaving in from the south.
28th. Snow fell tc^day.
August, 1886.
September, 1886.
2nd. Wild geese are flying south in large tlockp.
5th. Snow nearly covers the ground
12th. " Alert " arrived; station relieved.
STUPART'S BAY-NOTES BY OBSERVER.
Mr. F. F. Payne.
August, 18&5.
82nd. Arrived at Stupart's Bay and took charge of station.
26th. Meteorological and other observations commenced to-day.
29th. A great number of Eskimo about the house begging for food
30th. Bathed in the sea to-day. All Eskimo left for the deer hunting ground.
• September, 1885.
5th. Some specimens of birds, fishes and insects taken to-day.
10th. Eskimo seen collecting large quantities of shell fish.
14th. Eskimo returned from the deer hunt bringink' several deer.
15th. The first wintry day.
SIk* wu **n l°'S"«)".H®^ ''.?^ '^ * ^''*^'®' 0^^" i^t'l^ in thickness.
20th. The D. S. S. " Alert " arrived, homeward bound.
24tb. The D. S. S. " Alert " left here to-day.
29th. A strong gale is blowing.
4t
October 1835.
8lb, Eskimo seen eating quantities of setiwoed.
13lh. A great naraber of Enkimo hero today.
15th. A warm and most enjoyable day. Flies numerous.
2l8t. A enow wall was buiit r^and the house.
25th. Lunar halo fcen.
2Hth. Some Eskimo forcibly attonpled to enter the house but were put out with-
out much trouble.
November, 1885.
6th. A bright solar halo seen.
1th. A largo seal was Hhotand given to the EskiMO.
8tb, Ice on lakes now measures I foot 2 inches.
16th. Some large walrus were seen today.
16th. Some fine salmon brought to the station by Euk'mo.
19tb. Lunar halo Boen.
21st. Solar halo seen.
27th. Solar halo was seen.
December, 1885.
3rd. We still continue to draw water from a neighboring spring.
5th. At 12.50 p.m. wind suddenly fell from 45 miles to 8 miles per hour.
12th. Lunar halo at 4 HO p.m.
14th. Ice on lakes measures 22 inches.
16th. Solar halo at 11 a.m.
All fresh water springs aro now Irozon up.
Lunar corona at 10:15 p.m.
Chrretmas Day. Lunar corona seen.
Ice on lakes measures 26 inches.
yolar halo at 10:30 a.m.
2lBt.
22nd
25th,
27th.
3iPt.
January, 1886.
8th. A perfectly clear sky bore a purple color at 3 p. m.
19th. Lunar halo at 11 p.m.
^Oth. Lunar corona at 11 p.m.
21st. Lunar halo at 11 p.m.
22nd. Lunar halo at II p.m.
23rd. Heavy gale.
28th. Eskimo are badly off for food.
February/, 1886.
let. Bright halo and " sun dogs " seen to-day.
3rd. An exciting game of football with the Eskimo.
6th. An Eskimo burglar captured today.
9th. Solar halo at 11 a.m.
12th. Lunar halo at 11 p.m.
13th. The sun felt unusually warm to-day.
I4th. Some venison was brought to the station by Eskimo.
15th. Lunar halo at 11 p.m.
16th. Solar halo, 3 p.m.; lunar halo, 11 p.m.
17th. Lunar halo 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. Meteor seen at 11:07 p.m. Fell toward
S.S.E.
2l8t* Lunar halo 11 p.m.
22nd. Solar halo 11 a.m.
43
23rd. At 10 a.m. there wan an oxtraordiaary bright rod sky to the soathward,
this was followed by a Class iV aurora in the eame positioD at night. 8:30 a.m.
solar halo.
2-Hh. Exactly the pamo phenomena as noted yesterday was seen to-day.
25ih. Red sky at 9: 15 a.m.
27ih. A heavy gale all day.
03
March, 1886.
2nd. Sok\r halo at 3.20 p.m. Dense fog 7 a.m.
3rd. Don so log.
.5th. Kod hkjr ut 10.20 a.m., S.S.E. Bright aurora at night. Fog.
10th. Brick-.'od sky seen at 9 a.m.
20th. Lunir corona at II p.m. A number of Eskimo made a most daring
•burglary upon the utorebouso during the night, carrying off* quantity of provisioias.
2l8t. Soiar halo at 2.30 p.m.
zind. Lowest temperature ^i9°.5 occurred to-day.
26th. Another attempt was made at midniajht by tho Eskimo to take provisions.
The door of iho storehouse was smashed, but the thieves wore put to flight.
27lh. Solar halo at 3 p.m.
28tb. Solar halo at 11 a.m.
April, 1886.
1st. Letters ^ent to Fort Chimo by an Eskimo to-day.
4th. Solar ha o 12.15 p.m.
5th. A number of Eskimo starving.
bth. An Khkimo wfs drowned to day. *
12tb. Solar halo at 1 1 a.m.
13th. ^olur halo at 5.40 p.m.
IHih. S.)lar halo at 10.45 a.m.
17ih. Ico on lakes measuves six feet and half an inch.
iiVih. .S')lar halo 7 a.m, to 3 p.m.
30tli. Was informed of the existence of an immense lake some miles inland,
where many Eskimo live.
May, 1886.
Ist. Anolhci" attempt to force an entrance into my storehouse by Eskimo dui'ing
last night wan fVustratod, a watch being kept day and night.
3rd. Sea water ice in an almost land-lockad bay, measures 66 inches.
4th. Eskimo are now leaving for the deer hunting ground. Solar halo at 11 a.m.
5th. Solar halo at 12.05 p.m.
7th. Solar halo at 3 p m.
8th. Solar halo at 11 a.m.
10th. Four Eskimo found in a dying condition from starvation.
12th, All but those Eskimo reduced to helplessness have left this part of tho
country.
14th. Lunar corona at 10 p.m,
15th. An PJskimo, though well fed with such food as coold be procured for him,
died this afternoon.
17th. Solar halo at 7 a m. Some Eskimo returned bringing venison and rein-
deer tongues.
21st. Letters received from Fort Chimo.
26ih. Peas, turnips, spinach and cresfi were sown to day.
Sal
^^- L
49
athward,
3:30 a.m.
at daring
irovidious.
>rovi8ions.
t.
ilas inland,
dmo dai'ing
oat 11 a.m.
part of the
ired for him,
tn and rein-
June, 1886.
2nd. Buoys were put out near dangerous ehoalf.
4th. An Eskimo child, saved from death by starvation some time ago, died from
exposure to cold to-day.
14th. Solar halo at ? p.m.
17th. Frost is to be found four feet below the surface of the ground-
18th. Two large seals were shot to-day.
30th. Lightning was seen for the first time to-day.
July, 1886.
Isti Beacon on Signal Hill rebuilt.
2nd. Birds, flowers and insects ar^ now numerous.
3rd. Solar halo, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
13th. Harbor opened to-day.
17th. Some fine trout were caught today.
August, 1886.
11th. A barque seen a few miles from shore.
12th. Barque is still opposite the station and every means have been used to signal
her.
13th. Great disappointment. The barque, unheeding our signals, sailed away this
afternoon.
15th. Solar halo at 3 p.m.
16th. Lunar corona at 11 p.m.
23rd. Two very old iron cannon and a ship's anchor were found on the shore
to-day.
29th. Extraordinary meteorological phenomena noted to-day, evidently caused by
immense bnsh fires in the heart of I^abrador.
30th. Water taken from a stream, after a fall of rain, tasted so strongly of
ftnoke it was unfit to drink.
September 1886.
8th. The surface of the ground is now froaen. Seventy wild geese were shot
during the past three days.
10th. Solar halo at 11 a.m.
13th. Solar halo at 7 a.m.
16th. Belief ship "Alert" arrived, and was saluted with one of our cannons.
25th. Abandoned station.
NOTTINGHAM ISLAND.
Gknkral Notes at Port De Bouohbrville, Bt Mr. John MoKenzie.
August, 1885.
24th. Landed.
25th. Piu-tailod ducks numerous in harbor.
26th. Barque seen inward bound. Walrus seen off port.
27th. Temperature of sea, 36°.0. Barque to S.SE.
30th. Flock of ^n-fse flying East.
3Ist. Tomponiluio of woa, 33'».0. Geese, loon^, and other wa'er fowl on lakes.
Saw one door.
156-4
50
September, 1885.
2nd. 5 p.m. Beautiful halo — colore distinct.
1 1th. Large flocks of swans. Butterflies. Walrus at entrance to port, but did
not succeed in shooting any.
15th. Numbers of white porpoises to be seen occasionally in the harbor.
16th. Half inch ice on pools.
18th. "Alert" «alled homeward bound.
20th. Brooks and lakes frozen over — no geese or swans to be seen. Ptarmigan
plentiful — partly white,
23rd. Onc-quartor inch ice on pools. Thin broken ice on shallow coves. Con-
Bidorable old snow remaining in places. Tried for trout through the ice on lakes,
but was unsuccessful.
26th. Strong gale of wind from west (56 miles) — first appearance of ice. Mean
temperature of 6oa lor month, from observations taken, 33®.5; maximum, 38°.0 ;
minimum, 29°.8, A few seals were seen during the month around the shore.
October, 1885.
Ist. 5.1 inches ice on ponds. Sheltered bays frozen over, Ptarmigan very
plentiful along the flats near the shore. Considerable snow inland; drifts very
compact.
3rd. Bay north-west of station frozen over, strong enough to boar Reals.
9th. Beautiful solar halo, arcs, with parhelia ; colors as distinct as an average
rainbow.
I4th to 24th (inclusive). What would bo called " Indian summer " further
south appeared to bo well marked. Mean temperature for 11 days 29°.43 only 2^.7
below that for September, 6''-22 above that for the previous 13 days of October, and
6°. 39 above that for the whole month with light variable winds and a mean cloudi-
ness of 8 54.
27th. First deer shot.
November, 1885,
1st. Ptarmigan assumed their winter plumage some time ago and have nearly
aH disappeared.
6th. Ico crystals. Also on 8th quite common.
nth. Lakes and brooks covered with half-melted snow ; this was noticeable
until late in the month. Tops of hills bare with crevices in rocks full of tightly-
packed snow. This was the case all winter.
2;^.rd. Colo*« of a lunar corona well defined — red, yeilow, green and blue.
27th. Fifteen iuchosof ice on lakes. A mean depth of snow on wide valleys, 9
inches. Tops of hills bare. Belndeer were verf numerous duiing the month. V/«
eeoured a winter supply of fresh meat. The weather was not at all unpleasant during
this month.
Heeembttg^ 1885,
3rd. A raven comes around station for food.
17th. Deer disappeared and were not again seen until the middle of February.
Seals were not to be deen for some time on shore ice.
31st. 12 to 17 inches snow on valleys, 10 inches ice on lakes under 8 inches of
haj'd-packod bnow. Winter set in, in earnest, eai-ly in this month, A few white
foxes am the only form of animal life visible; towards the latter end of the
montii, rarhelia with colours well defined are very frequent in the vapour hanging
ovcf the c] :c\'! \v!i',ci' to south.
61
Mean
38°.0 ;
January, 1886.
6th. Brilliant metoor fell from N.E. at *7:5l p.m.
Optical phenomena very common during the month. Nearly every night when
dear beautiful auroral displays took place— notably on 19th and 30th. Snowfall
very light, but drift severe.
February, 1886.
Ist. Hills in the mornings often have a misty appearance.
2nd. \'i inches snow on plains. Some 2 feet or more on rough ice at head of bay.
10th. Saw a couple of reindeer — first siuce early in December.
llth. Two ravens.
15th. Most severe storm of the season, tO miles of wind from S.W. Snow on
open level ice, if laid in a series of parallel waves or ridges. Deposits of sand,
mosses, liehons, &c., found on snowdrifts to leeward of hills from winter storms.
Optical phenomena very frequent during the month.
March, 1886.
12th. For the last fortnight or so on cold and toltrably calm days, in the morning
it is fice and clear, but towards noon becomes hazy, followed in the evening by
a light fail of snow dast.
30th. In the middle of harbor, far from shore, cracks, &c., and under 5 inches
snow (but the amount of the latter was variable during the winter^, 61 inches ice.
temperature of sea was 29°. (Faht.).
Optical phenomena numerous during the month.
April, 1881
Ist. Deer have shed their antlers — new ones beginning to grow.
5th. Found shallow lakes frozen to bottom.
7th. First appearance of snow melting in shelter of station, also around ashes
and other debris.
13th, First of migratory birds — a small snow bird.
20th. Very light silver tnaw last night, ifoticod for the first time that the
edges of the patches of ice in shallow depressions on the bare rocks facing the south
were thawing.
28th. 14 ins. snow on big plain to S.W. of station. Small puddles of water
form on the rocks during the day. The weather for most of the month was quite
pleasant, but particularly the latter part of it. A few bears seen ; wo have now
secured more deer meat iban we can use.
May, 1886.
1st. First appearance of eca birds— raers.
15th and 16tli. Big snow storm and gale from N. Snow at its max. depth.
18th. Gulls arrived.
20th. Thousands of eider ducks and loons arrived.
21st. Geese flying lortb.
26th. Snow melting rapidly. Streams of water running down the sides of
rocky hills. 6 ins. of sand on valleys N. of station where snow lodged, thawed out ;
but under the ieaat sod, only an inch or two. Numbers of seafe around cracks on
shore ic.e,,
27tli. First appearance of iosoot life. A small fly on iiiosi^y corners of the
rocks.
olsl. Snow very soft with lu- ;o qaan'.itujs of watof undornoaLh. There are
(itill 15 (M' 1(] ins. on j>!a:ns :i;id S.W. o: btutloa, bill latu liioiiaJ Uio hi'la and on the
156-li
62
ice has melted very much this last week. The blue ice on harbor can now be seen,
though still covered with 4 or 5 ins. of water and half melted snow* Ptarmigan are
still white, bat ai'e losing their feathers; snow birds are now numerous and havo
changed color a good deal.
The month of May was particularly stormy, at least for the first twenty-five
days, and when not actually stormy the sky was overcast and gloomy ; mean cloudi-
ness for the month was 9 • 3. It was the most windy month of the year.
June, 1886.
1st. Flocks of geese are now passing north ; the grass is beginning to sprout,
but is not over the ground yet, some varieties of moss have become green, and small
ponds on top of the rocks, from one to two feet deep are nearly thawed out.
2nd. The Arctic willow is opening its buds.
3rd. Sandpipers seen to-day for the first time.
7th. Small purple flowers are coming into bloom.
10th. Spiders first seen.
14th. The plains are now well clear of snow.
21st. The ice on inland lakes is still two feet or more in thickness ; grass has
run up in places over two inches. Hawks, all kinds of water fowl, and small birds
have nests with eggs in them.
30th. The weather with few exceptions was delightful during the whole
month, with but little fog and some light rain. The wind for the most part was light
and variable, increasing in velocity during the day, and dying down again during
the night. This has been by far the finest month of the year.
Jul^, 1886.
3rd. Harbor ice all broken up.
5th. Twenty-three inches of barren sand has thawed out; under a very light
sod frost still present at eighteen inches, and in the wet, peaty valleys the ice can
still be felt under foot whilst walking.
8th. Light cumulus clouds were eeen over the mainland to the south for the
first time to-day.
12th. Some varieties of grass are in blossom.
18th. Peculiar smoky atmosphere with smell of burning peat.
15th, 20th. Mean temperature of sea water 33°.5.
21st. Used lamp to read the thermometers at the 11 p.m. observation for the first
time since early in May.
22nd. Young ducks are in the salt water.
27th. Harbor is full of " herring bait;" tried a couple of times for codfish but
got none ; sculpins and smelts are in the harbor in abundancot
29th. Found ice under 4 inches of moss, in a big valley to S.W. of station.
30th. Sand is thawed out tor 27 inches, but under a light sod, only 22 inches.
August, 1886.
12th. A thin coating of ice formed on the harbor last night ; temperature of
the sea this a.m. 34°.
17th. Total and final disappearance of field ice.
18th. A small piece of a rainbow was seen to-day; this is the first seen since
landing.
19th. The first and only thunderstorm ncoiu'red to-day.
22nd Saw a brigantino to S.W. of port at 10 a.m. She put about, sorao six or
seven miles from here at 10.80 a.m.
24th. A number of walrus seen to-day.
63
26th. Yegetation Las for some time assumed its aatumn tint,
leaves of the Arctic willow coloured two weeks ago.
28th. To-day made another unsuccessful attarupt to find codQ^h.
I noticed the
September, 1886.
Ist. Temperature of the tea 33°8. Flurries of snow.
2nd. Geese are going south in flocks. Under bare saud 30 inches of soil is
thawed, but ice is found at 5 or 6 inches un ler turf,
7th. Half an inch of ice formed on fresh water p^nds.
8th. Station abandoned.
NOTES BY OBSERVERS.
Station No. 6— Port LAPEBiijRK.— Mr. P. 0. Woodworth.
September, 1865.
2nd, 6thi Large flocks of wild geese flying south daily^
Vth, 21st. The geese and ducks had all left by the 7th, and from this date to the
2lBt the gulls remained.
October, 1885.
This was quite a wintry and boisterous montht
November, 18S5.
Ist. The high winds which we have had lately, seem to have blown away a great
deal of snow. The average depth now does not exceed five inches.
8th. Auroral display this evening; commenced by a gradual brightening up of
the eastern sky, resembling the dawning of day.
29th. Fresh gale this afternoon and the anemometer broke down.
30lh. It if mpossibie to measure the snowfall, fyv it blows at onco off the rocks
on to the harbor ice or out to sea, and that on the harbor ica gets swept out occa-
sionally altogether.
December, 1885.
5th. The snow to-day drifted right into the thermometer sheJ almost, filling it.
7th. We have to keep constantly cleaning the snow out of the thermometer
shed, It seems to drift unceasingly.
16th. Lunar halo at 10:10 p.m.
January, 18S6.
10th. A raven was seen flying north to-day, first bird of any kind since Doc. 1st.
5th. Brilliant aurora at 11 p.na.
20th. Snowing to-day, but no matter how much snow falls, it doos not seem to in-
crease the quantity on the islands; this romiiins practically the same, and the snow
is blown out to sea.
29th. Parhelia seen today at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
30th. Parhelia again at 3 p.m.
54
February, 1886.
A raven was seen here to day.
5tb. Solar halo at 3 p.ia.
9th. Mercury frozen.
10th. Very distinct solar halo*
14th. Solar halo and parhelia.
17th. Lunar halo and very distinct parselenae.
March, 1883.
5th. Got a freshly-killed deer from the Eskimo here to-day. This is the first we
have got, and was shot on or near this island.
8th. Double solar halo at 3 p.m. to-day.
9th. Ptarmigan arrived today. Shot two, and found what I thought was green
spruce buds in their crops.
13th. A peculiar optical phenomenon was noticed to-day at 3 a.m. The moon
being about 10° above the horizon a pillar of bright copper-coloured matter appeared
resting upon the horizon and extending upwards about 18° to 20** It passed right
through the moon's centre, and its breadth was a little less than the moon's diameter.
17th. Large lunar halo.
30th. Two ravens were seen to day.
m(
April, 1886.
5th. Ducks seen today for the first time. They all seem to be flying northward.
6th. Hard hail falling at 11 p.m., with the stars clearly visible at the same time.
9th. First snowbird seen to-day.
16th. Hail falling nearly all day.
25th. More ducks flying north at 11 p.m. to-night.
27th. Saw a Polar bear and two small cubs to-day. Also saw some gulls for
the first time this year.
?.8th. Animal life begins to show abundantly. Numerous walrus, seals and
flocks of sea birds are to be st^n out in the Straits.
30th. Saw a flock of ptarmigan at 10 a.m. to-day.
May, 1836.
2nd. Enormous flights of ducks seen out in the Bay to-day.
3rd, 4th and 5th. The most stormy weather since my arrival at the station last
AugUBt.
7th. Saw a large right whale to day.
15lh, 16th. Heavy gales and snow storms; average velocity of the wind forty
inJles an hour, taking miles run by the anemometer.
17th. Large flocke of loons passing north.
21et. First shower of rain at 8.30 a.m. to-day.
27th. Saw some wild geese to-day flying north.
29th. More geese going north, one flock of white waveys, and another seen at a
distance are, I think, the grey Canada goose.
June, 1886.
9th. Saw a swan today, this is the first that has been seen this year.
10th. Eskimo came over from the mainland in their kayaks to-day.
23rd. Ice looked so loose to-day that I think a steamship could have made her
way through .
55
July, 1886.
19th. Saw a steamer in the offing to*day.
20th. «' Alert" arrived.
27th. Saw a large barque rigged vesael oat in the Straits, working S.W.
28th. Eskimo arrived here today in their kayaks.
August, 1886.
2nd. Two Eskimo arrived to-day.
5th. Heard the wash of the sea to-day.
22nd. Shot three bears to-day, they were swimming in the harbour.
23rd. Saw a sraall brigantine about five miles oflf the Beacon Light.
26th. A large flock of geese flying south to-day at 3 p.m.
29ih. Dense smoke and tog, intense darkness at night, with heavy rain on th»
morning of the 30th. Th > rain water was tainted and discoloured.
30th. Dominion ^s' ' =r» «« Alert" arrived.
3l8t. Station clos3<'
i
Slst. Snow storm.
FORT CHURCHILL.
Obsertxe— BfB. John R. Spinosr.
August, 1885.
September, 1885,
19th. Frost recorded.
23rd. Thermometer 29° at 10 p.m.
24th. Ice forming.
October, 1885.
let. Severe snow storm with easterly gale.
16th. Thunder storm during the night.
28th. Thermometer fell below zero.
November, 1885.
3rd. River frozen over below Mosquito Point.
13th. Raining at the Old Fort, 4 miles north.
December, 1885.
4th. River frozen over.
18th. Brilliant meteor at 7.40 a.m.
19th. Mercury frozen.
12th. Very deep snow.
January, 1886.
Februarg, 188(3.
66
Marchy 1886.
24tb. Snow birds have returned.
April, 1886*
5tb. Sdow is beaped in mountains round tbe fort.
15tb. First shower of rain. Glazed frost.
22nd. First goose seen going north.
May, 1886.
4th. The weather has been very bad and peculiarly stormy for the season.
JwM, 1886.
10th. Biver open up at Mosquito Point.
15th. Snowing.
17th. Biver open to the mouth.
22nd. First thunderstorm. Temperature 70*^.
27th. Thunderstorm. High winds«
29th. Thunderstorm, with large hail.
My, 1886.
4th, &th, 11th. Thunderstorms,
llth; Dense smoke.
18th, 23rdi Thunderstorms.
29th. " Alert " arrived.
A.ugust, 1886.
4th, lObh. Thunderstorms.
NOTES BY OBSEBVEES.
Station, Belle Isle Island LiaHiHonsE. — Observer SIb. Colton.
November, 1885.
4th. Fresh gale; wet snow and fog.
10th. Fresh gale ; hail and heavy rain.
24th. Newfoundland steamer, bound south, was the last vessel seen.
December, 1886.
4th, Fresh gale from north, with snow.
8th. Strong gale and dark, gloomy weather.
28th, Fresh gale with heav}-^ rain ; temperature fell 49" in twenty-four hours,
January y 1886.
6th. Gale from east, with heavy rain.
15th. Strong gale ; landing wharf carried away \ and the spray is frozen 100
feet above high water mark.
5»
March, 1886.
Ist. Strong galo, with squalls of wet snow.
4th. 4 p.m., fog bow from N.E. to E.S.B.
9th. Largo quantities of heavy ice and 200 icebergs in the Straits.
April, 1886.
4th. First sealing steamer seen to the south.
May, 1886.
Ist. Heavy jam of Arctic ice in the Straits.
16th. Straits still full of ice.
24th. Straits clear of ice.
June, 1886.
10th. 1 a.m. Thermometer 32°.
16th. Hoarfrost.
28th. Mid-day thermometer 35**.
July, 1886.
2nd n p.m. Suddea shift of wind to north, with heavy squalls and rain •
tearu7to6'::^^&3M "'^'^ -'^^— ^^ »^-yrL; 509 inches'
August, 1886.
4th. Strong gale and heary rain.
14th, Frost during the night.
urs*
>n 100
NOTES BY OBSERVERS AT YORK FACTORY.
1846.
March 9th. Began hay hauling.
16th. Began cutting schooner out.
April 4th. Raining.
11th. Finished hauling wood.
May 1st. First goose killed.
5th. River began breaking up.
Tth. River full of broken ice.
Jane 8th. Mosquitoes numerous.
July 26th. Thunderstorm.
September 18th. Snowing.
19th. Ship left for England.
October 16th. Rivor full of ice.
November 25. River fast.
58
1847.
April 24th. Rain.
May 9lh. First goose killed.
June 2nd. Ico in river broke up.
12th. Snowing.
24th. Thunder.
July 7th. Thermometer read 90.6''
AugUBt 25tb. Ship arrived.
September "'nd. First mow.
November 15th. Biver fast at Fort.
1848.
May 21pt, River broke up.
28th. Raining.
June 2..'nd. Heavy snow Btorm.
28th. First thunder.
September 8th. Snowing.
iith. Frost.
October 2tith. Raining.
April let. Snow birds sees.
May 5th. First goose seen,
6th. First rain.
18th. River breaking np.
Juno 4th, Last snow.
AugUBt 15th. Ship arrived.
17th. Thunder storm .
September 27th. Snow showers.
October 30th . First ice on river.
November 9th . No ice on river.
15th. Last rain.
26th. River set fast.
1849.
1842.
Sept. 8th. Frost this morning. Temperature 8 a.m., 29°.5.
15th. Ship left.
20th. Snowing.
October 18ih. Ice in river.
November 5th. River nearly clear of ice.
nth. River set fast.
1843.
April 6th. First rain.
May 22nd. River commenced breaking up.
29th. River ice broken up.
June 14th. Snow.
19th. Frost.
23rd. First thunder storm.
July 16th. Heavy thunder storm, beacon struck by lightning.
19th. On« canoe with three passengers started.
August 19th. Haying finished. Twenty-two^boats start for fishing.
September 17th. Snow showers.
October 7th. North goose boats arrived.
19th. River full of ice.
November 11th. River set fast.
1844.
April iBt. First thander.
lltb. Lightning, thander and hail.
May 13th. Biver began brealiing up.
14th. Choked with ioe.
20th. Biver clear below old factory.
30th and 31st. Snowing all day.
Jane 8th. Snowing all day.
9th. Light snow.
Jaly 2nd. Snow.
September 14th. Ship started.
19th. Frost.
October 15th. Snowing.
1845.
April lltb. Bnining.
May 9th. First goose seen.
22nd. Biver opposite Fort broke up.
June 14th. Snowing.
26th. First thunder.
August Slst, Light snow.
September 11th. Ship left for England,
November 24th. Biver set fast.
1850.
May 13tb. First goose seen.
14th. First rain.
27th. Last snow.
28th. Biver breaking up.
June let. Biver clear.
21st. Thunder stcrm.
July Slst. Hay stacks made.
August 8th. Ship arrived.
September 26th. First snow.
October 22nd. Last rain.
2tth. Biver full of ice.
November 28th. Biver set fast.
May 5th. First goose seen.
2l8t. Biver broke up.
Jane 9th. Last snow.
18th. Bain.
August 9th. Hay stacks built.
12th. Ship arrived.
September 9th. Ship starts.
October 8th. Last rain.
14th. First snow.
December 10th. Biver set fast.
1851.
April 30th. First goose killed.
May 9th. First rain.
17th, Biver broke up.
1852.
60
1852
Juno 7th. Last snow.
July I4th. Thunder storm.
August 16th. Ship arrived.
September 7th. Finished hay making.
12th. First snow.
16th. Ship started.
October 17th. River full of ice.
November 8th. Kiver fast.
1863.
May 12th. First rain.
26th. Biver breaking up.
30th. River clear.
June 14th. First thunder.
22ud. Last snow.
September 11th. Ship started.
12th. First saow.
October 2Srd. Ice in river.
November 9th. River fast.
1864.
April 17th. First rain.
May 9th. River began breaking up.
20th. Last snow.
23rd. River clear.
THE RESOURCES OF HUDSON BAY AND STRAIT.
THB FISHERIES.
Having now completed my third voyage to Hudson's Bay, Idesire to draw your
attention to the value of the fisheries in that part of the Dominion of Canada. The
Government of Newfoundland exercises jurisdiction over that part of the Labrador
which lies to the eastward of a line joining Cape Chidley with the mouth of the river
running into Blanc Sablon Bay, in the Straits of Belle Isle ; to the west of this line
lies all the coast line of Ungava Bay, Hudson's Straits and Bay.
The fish and mammals possessing commercial value in thes) waters are the
right whale, the white whale, the uni or narwhal, the porpoise, seals of several kinds,
the walrus, and tbe polar bear ; of the fish, salmon and trout only are at present
exported, although a very fine species of white fish is found in the Nelson River.
The whale fishing in Hudson's Bay has for many years past been actively prosecu-
ted by citizens of tbe United States, chiefly from tho ports of New Bedford, Mass.,
and New London, Conn. The voyage is generally made in comparatively small
sailing vessels and occupies about eighteen months ; leaving their New England port
early ia June of each year they make the best of their way to Marble Island in the
north-west of Hudson's Bay, generally arriving some time in September, and
going into winter quarters in the outer harbour there. As many as four ships have
wintered together at this place, and the long row of graves on Dsadman's Island
bears strong but silent testimony to the trials and hardship, that these men undergo
in the pursuit of their calling. After speading the winter in harbour here, the ships
are sawn out of the ice early in June, and cruise about the Hudsons Bay till the latter
part of July or beginning of August, they then go up Rowos' Welcome and generally
return leaving the Bay for home early in September.
iaia/»'^--.-
61
That the purBuit of tho whalo fiahing has been fairly profitablo may bo presumed
from the fact that the Bhrowd citizens of Now England continue to proHocuto it.
In tho winter of 188J.86 two vessels belonging to Now Bedford, Mass , wintered
at Marble Island. This winter 1886-87 two vessels are in tho Bay, and I iim informed
that two more are now fitting for tho fishing thoro to sail from Now London early in
Jane.
The following is a table showing the number of ships sent by tho New Engiundors
to Hudson's Bay and Cumberland Uulf, in oach year from 1846 to 1876, with their
catch : —
Table showing number of United States Vessels sent to the Whalo Fishery of
Hudson's Bay and Cumberland Gulf.
Year.
your
The
rador
river
3 line
re the
lads,
esent
1846 ...
1847 ...
1849 ...
1860 ...
1861 ...,
1863 ...
1856 ...
1866 ...
1867 ...
1858 ...
1860 ...
1861 ...
186'i ...
■ ■••••• !••••• •••#•■
1863 ...,
1864 ....
1866 ....
1866 ...
1867 ....
1868 ...
1869 ...
1870 ...
1871 ...
1872 ...
1874 ...
1876 ...
Number
of
Ships.
Average, 25 yeara |
1
1
1
1
1
a
2
2
2
2
10
2
6
9
17
6
16
6
8
6
3
6
3
3
a
Total
Tonnage.
113
4 or 6 ships pt^r
year.
376
376
376
376
376
281
491
394
281
626
3,449
863
1,397
2,601
3,896
1,324
2,601
992
1,201
820
609
1,123
380
666
485
Average per
ship.
Oatcb.
Sperm.
Brls.
Whale Oil.
50
60
70
38
368
366
37
95
10
237
220
20
60
1,620
Brl9.
110
1,111
600
450
268
1,269
181
606
710
2,163
2,160
2,795
3,765
4,016
9,146
3,782
5,316
2,276
2,893
2,623
1.765
443
1,058
1,950
630
14-3
66,019
496
Bone.
Lbs.
15,000
12,000
7,000
4,900
24,000
2,200
12,200
33,000
126,800
43,900
64,280
64,150
147,145
62,000
90,800
32,589
36,395
36,305
27,040
5,100
16,259
28,000
9,000
900,063
7,965
(Prom Petermann's Mitteilungen explorations of D. P. Boas).
In the period 1846-76 sixteen ships engaged in the trade were lost, but if we
take the above catch and consider that the average size of the ships is only 240
tons the margin for profit is still very ' irge. , ^ v
Looking at these cargoes with ihe prices obtainable to-day the fishery is a
most valuable one.
This average cargo yields to-day :— * .aa aa
2 tons sperm * 401) W)
62 tons whalo oil 5'?^^ 00
3£- tons bone, say 40,000 00
$47,220 00
62
Bosides the legitimate pursuit of whalea, each one of these ships is an unlicensed
trader, competing with the Hudson's Bay Company for the trade with the natives.
The Hudson's Bay Company pay the full duty called for by the Canadian Protective
Ta ff on all the artisles imported by them for the trade of Hudson's Bav region.
The duly on the ships invoices for 1885 amounted to twonty-iwo thouband dollars,
paid at York and Moose, thus forming a direct tax on their trade with the natives.
It appears unjust that the company should pay this very considerable sum to
the Canadian Treasury, and then have to compeie against these unlicensed traders,
who are exchanging tobacco and occasionally alcohol, from the bonded stores of the
Now England States, for the furs which would otherwise fall into the hands of the
Hudson's Bay people. In order tx) compete fbr this traffic the Hudson's Bay Com-
pany now send a squadron of boats, up the west coast of Hudson's Bay nearly to
Chostorfiold Inlet, and they have established regular trysting places, with the natives
who each spring bring in ,heir products of musk ox robes, otter skins, blubber, ivory
and seal and walrus skins.
But these enterprising whaling captains not content with the trade they can maka
from their vessels have established regular trading stations on the north shore of
Hudson's Straits and in the Frobisher Bay and Cumberland Gulf. At the station in
Hudson's Strait the staff consisted of Capt. Nipgin and four other white men — they
are the representatives of the well known whaling firm of C. A. Williams & Co., o^
Now London, Conn* They have several complete whale boats thoroughly equipped,
and have trained the Eskimo of the district until they have now becorao quite expert
as both oarsmen, harpoonecrs and boat steerers. Three boats crews of Eskimo are
^hus employed by Capt. Nipgin ; they are stationed at points on the coast some little
distance from each other and are thus in a position te follow any whale which may
come into the open water, that shows here in the beginning of May, when the ice is
driven off the land by the wind. Their watch is kept up all through May, June and
July, from the time the ice first begins to open until it has all gone.
For the last three years they have not succeeded in captuiing any whales at tbis
station, but the expenses are small, and the eapkire of a single right whale once in
three years, addea to the profits which must accrue from the trade done with the
Eskimos would make the venture at this station a financial success. The station is
visited each year by the relieving vessel called the " Era," though the station hands
remain at their posts for two or three years. The " Era " also visits the other
stations in Cumberland Gulf, returning feo New London in October each year.
The SS. " Arctic," of Dundee, wont in this year to fish in Hudson's Bay, and, as
stated in the preceding pages, went up Eowes' Welcome to Repulse Bay, One of the
Dundee newspapers, of date 5th November, 1886, publishes the results of the year's
fishing by the whaling fleet; in it we find the "Arclio" credited with 11,000
seals on first trip, 600 old seals second trip, 2 right whales. The latter yielded no
lees than two tons of whalebom^. and at the end of the article it is stated that sellers
■were holding out for $12,500 per ; ")n ; it, will be seen that from whalebone alone the
" Arctic's " northern voyage was '^eorth $?<6,00^.
The right whale (^Balaena Myiticttui) is, in consequence of the high price of
whalebone, by far tLe richest prize Which the whaler can captaro, and it is unques-
tionably true tbftt of late years their numbers have been sadly diminislted. To such
an extent is this tte case that no new ships are at present being buiit for the *rade,
notwithstanding the fact that four, viz., the "Recolute," the "Jan Mayen," the
"Triutoe" and the "Star" were lest durifcg the season of 188t>. The sailing brig-
rigged whaler " Catherine," ef Peterhead, was also lost last season, and I am thankful
to be able to add, that in no one of the above five cases of wreck, was there a singio
life lost.
Twenty years ago the Dundee fleet used to load regularly in Cumberland Gulf
or tbo southern part of Davis' Straits, but now thoy havo to follow tho ice, sometimes
going right down throu/^h Lancaster Sound into "^tho (Julf of Boothi'i, and many of
tbom even then return Ci'cr/w, or with but partially paym:.' loals. In llud-o;i's Bay
and Straitib wo ouly saw two or throo whales i\u-< year. IJul ^.(JVcrul wore scou at the
altog
profit
r
aeeu
tho
thoiiJ
^1
08
different stations, and it is to be feared aat unless some eydtem of protection is
adopted this valuable marine mammal m-.y become extinct.
Before concluding this section I would btato for your iDf:)rTnation a few
facts in regaid to this the most valuable of all marine mammuls. In size they vary
Jery greatly, and different individuals yield, irrespeciivo of sizo or ago, the moqj
ifferent amounts of oil and bono. What whalers call a good '• pay tish " would
run from 50 to (iO feet in length, and the tdzo b jne, i. e , the central laminae in
the mouth must be up to 12 feet in length. Such a one would yield upwards of a
ton of bone, and might, according to his condition, giro auything li-om 20 to 40 tons
of oil, the blubber varying in thickness iu the individual Bpocirnens from six to
eighteen inches. A fish of this description would, at present prices of oil and bone,
be worth about $18,000. The question has frequently been a-^kel mo as to what use
the whalebone is put which gives it the great value it has. Much of it, especially
the long bone, is worked into the better claf-s of silks to stiffen the fubri'!, and on this
account alone, as the demand considerably exceeds the supply, thus keeping the price
at its present figure.
The bottle nose whale is a comparatively small animal, reckoned to average a
ton of oil apiece. They are seen in large numbers o'^.C the edge of the ice pack, at
the mouth of Hudson's Straits in June and July.
The White- whale (Beluga Catodon), is, beyond all question, the whale of the
Hudson Bay. On the Churchill River, the York and Mclson Eivorn, they go up with
the tide each day in great numbers ; they were also soon at the stations in the Straits,
At Churchill, the Hudson Bay Companf^ prosecute this fishery by moans of trap nets
as described in former reports. The fishery there was very succossiul this year, so
much so ♦hat they had to take the nets up though th« whales wore still pfosent in
great numbers, as they had already tilled every available package with oil. The
skin of this animal is also valuable, fetching from $7 to SIO each, and as each whale
will average about 40 gallons of oil, they are worth from 820 to §25 each. I was
much struck when surveying the ohauuel chq the Nelson lliver, by the almost in-
credible number of these animals which were passing up and down the estuary; they
were quite tamo, occasionally bobbing up and blowing, within twenty or thirty feet
of the boot. The Indians employed by the Company here, drive a row of stakes into
the mud at low water, and then sitting on their little platforms, which are built out
on the flats by themselves, of four posts and a board, they shoot the whales as they
come up, the carcase sinks and taking against the row of stakes is grappled for and
buoyed and anchored at low tide. As soon as a load is secured, the large blubber
boat is sent round which brings the carcases to the factory, when they are flenched
and the blubboa' tried out, the skins cured, and tho carcase put by, for the food of the
dog trains in the winter. Tho use of the rifle as a method of capture is, in my opinion,
Tory wasteful, for many of the carcases are lost or only cast up on the boach, when
putrefaction sets in to such an extent as to render it valuoloss, unless for wolf-hait.
I believe that these animals can bo profitably hunted and at small cost, at many
places in Hudson Bay. One of tho whaling captains has told mo of their being seem
in Frobisher Bay, in thousands, but it would bo difficult to imagine them more
numej'ous than I have seen them in the Nelson River.
At Little Whale River the Hudson Bay Company formerly carried on an extoi-
sivo fishery, bu* lately, owing, I am informed, to the silting up of the channel, at the
mouth of the river, the whales pass by to the northward, without going into tho
harbour there.
At Ungava (Fort Chimo) large numbers of these animals are also secured, and
altogether this fishing cannot be regarded as other than a considerable source of
profit to the Hudson Bay Company.
Tho Unie or narwhal (Monodon Monoceros). Very few of these animals were
fiEou in Hudson Straits ; they are a good blubber whale for their size, and the horn of
the male is valuable as ivory. 1 have gontriJlv scon them in f-chools of four or five,
thou^'li tho whalers in Davis' Sti-fiits report n;uel; laigor nnmbors together,
The '.v.ilrur. ('ri-Lcli(xh>.s Rcsirorus). This ;h 'auiil i.) l;;ana in ve-ry cjiiaiderablo
64
numbers in bath Bay and Straits. Its commercial value is high; the skin, when
green salted, fetchiDg sometimes as much as twenty cents per pound, and as a fair
sixed walrus would yiold 400 lbs of hide, at say twelve cents per lb., the hide is worth
about forty-eight dollars ; they also yield from three to five hundred weight of blub-
ber, of second rate quality, as it is full of fibrous tissue, and thus yields proportion-
ally less nil; the ivory tusks are worth about one dollar per pound, selected, and
taking all kinds together about seventy-five cents per lb, I estimate that one of these
animals of average size will yiold between sixty and seventy dollars worth of mer-
chantable products. The Eskimo of Hudson Straits continually attack and kill theno
animals, though, rarely if over doing so, single-handed. As a rule, the hunt proceeds
as follows :— The quarry, having been observed lying basking in the sun, upon the
ice, which is par^sing by with the tide, the hunters start in pursuit, each in his
kayak, armed with lances, harpoons and guns ; to each harpoou barb is attached
about 30 or 40 feet of stout hide line, to the other end of which is attached the bladder,
consisting of the skin of a seal blown full of air ; stealthily approaching their prey,
the hunters throw iheir harpoons, and one or two barbs as a rule will get fast, the
wounded animal at once takes to the water, but has now to carry down with him as
he dives, one or two of these largo bladders. Confused and irritated with the pain, he
swims hither and thither, sometimes charging his pursuers, who adroitly keep clear,
and launch in additional spoars or harpoons, only using their guns when they are
sure to take effect — almost the only vital spot is about two inches or rather more
behind the eye, about the base of the skull, a bullet near this spot administering the
cowp de grace. When the walrus is dead great rejoicing is held in the Eskimo
camp, ae his capture insures immunity from starvation for some time. The heart of
this animal cooked and dressed ns an ordinary beef heart was by no moans an
uncommon dish on the '* Alerts " cabin tahle, and was a welcome change from the
routine dishes of salt pork at one end of the table, and salt hoof at the other, which,
with salt cod on Fridays, formed the staple of our meals.
International agreement, having the torceof law, has already, in the case of seals,
restricted the season during which they may be taken^ and I think it would be
eminently wit^o to continue to legislate still further in this direction for the protec-
tion of these their bigger brethren, and also for the cetaceans.
The walrus is never seen far from shore, and in thick weather the sight of two
or three walrus (I do not think I have over soon one by itself) should be warning to
run the lead down at once and keep a bright look-out for the land. In a paper on the
seals of Greenland by R. Brown, published in the instructions for the Arctic expedi-
tion, 18*75, by the British Admiralty, the writer, after discussing the geographical
distribution of the walrus and pointing out how, by the incessant pursuit of man, they
have been driven from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and other southern haunts to the
Arctic regions, states asfollowK: "It is not now found in such numbers as it once
was ; and no reasonable man who »«•« tJ^ slaughter to which it is subjected in Spitz-
bergen and oisewhoro can doubt ii>»t tin days are numbered. It has already become
extinct whore it waa once (//mmon. Its otter extinction is a foregone conclusion."
Seals. — Nearly all the inmi\ie» </f iie»ls seem to be represented in Hudson's Bay
and Straits, but they are never tHfutrU-A, either by our observers or the natives, as
having been seen in large packn, such ah are m<;t with off the Newfoundland coast in
the spring of the year. A largo number are, however, killed, and they form, for a
very considerable portion of the year, the diet of the Eskimo ; at all times their skins
are their clothing and are also used for ^y^vering their nayaks and making tents.
Almost the only way in which these animals could, in the Straits, be made
tributary to commerce would bo by establishing stations .nt points on the south side
and faii'.i.^hing '.h natives with barrels or tanks for storing the blubhor and with salt
for keeping the skins green. A good deal of both oil and hide could bo collected in
this way, and if llio Eskimos knew that a Hhip would call regularly for their produce
at those statiors tlity w luld retain all their furs which thoy now huvo to carry bun-
dreds of miles to the Hudson's Bay poj^ts at Whale IJiver or Ungava.
65
n, when
s a fair
is worth
1 of blub-
Dportion-
ted, and
) of these
of mer
kill therto
proceeds
ipon the
b in his
attached
) bladdjr,
>ir prey,
fast, the
h him aw
I pain, hu
3ep clear,
they are
her more
Bring the
Eskimo
5 heart of
leans an
from the
which,
of seals,
would be
pro tec-
it of two
arning to
per on the
ic ezpedi-
graphical
man, they
nts to the
as it once
1 in Spitz-
\y become
lusion."
son's Bay
latives, as
i coast in
orra, for a
.heir skins
tents.
1, be made
oath side
I with salt
llected in
ir produce
larry hun-
Tho fishes exported fri>m IludHon'.s Siraits and Bay are salmon and salmon-trout.
The codfinh Joes not appear to go vvcf^t tioyond the eastern side of Ungava Bay.
The salmon tishory is at present only prosecuted by the Hudson's Bay Company
in Ungava Bay. Up to this year, laige quantities of salmon caught in the rivers
flowing into Ungava Bay have been sent home fresh, in the company's refrigerator
steamship *'Diaiia." I am informed that they now find it moro profitable to export
the salted salmon, and that they have this year done so. I was also informed that it
wart the intention of the company to extend this branch of their trade. Other rivers
flowing into Hudson's Straits at the south side, havt. '•'.ige quantities of salmon in
them, and for the quality of the fish i can vouch, as I hava never tasted finer salmon
than thone we got freshly killed by the Eskimo at Stupart's Bay.
The Hudson Bay Company are the only people who are at present engaged in
the salmon trade, and the following statement shows how difficult it is to break their
monopoly. A glance at the chart of Hudson's Straits shows that Ungava Bay forma
a deep pocket on the south-east side of the Straits, and, as the current on the south
side of the Straits flows oast, and in July the prevailing winds arc from the north-
ward, we should expect, and our experience shows, that the ice remains in ibis bay
for some time after a channel is clearly open in Hudson Straits; thus, we find tha
Hudson Bay Company's steamer "Labrador" fast in the ice for some days here in
the latter part of August, and the report of the Hudson Bay people, with whom I
have discussed this question, is that it is no use trying to gel into the bay until the
beginning of August at the earliest. Such a condition of affairs shuts out the com-
petition of the Newfoundland schooners, whose hardy crews follow the cod fish to
the Ultima Thule of Cape Chialey. One or two schooners have passed through
the Button Passage, south of Cape Chidley, into the Bay, and have got a few sal-
mon, but none have ever got a paying load, because they cannot get in early enough
in the season.
Trade. — The trade of Hudson's Bay and Straits region should bo called
barter, for it consists in the direct exchange of commodities; in consiJeriug the value
of this trade, the temper and character of the natives is a mo::t important element,
I cannot enter at all into the particulars of tbj fur trade, the secrete of which nothing
short of a railway will lay open; my experience with Hudson's Bay officials being
that no matter how talkative, hospitable, or gonial the official may he, the question,
for I stance, of whether otters were getting scarce, always elicits the same reply,
Oh 1 very scarce, very scarce indeed ; there is no profit at this post, it is kept up for
the Indians. I have never met an official who admitted that his post was run afc a
profit to the company ; so one must, taking them at their words, belie v« that the oom-
jtany is a huge philanthropic and patriotic institution, contributing upwards of
820,000 a year to the Canadian Government, for the privilege of feeding the non-
treaty Indians of Hudson's Bay. Of the character of the Indians, I can say nothing
from my own personal experience with them, but of the Itekimo, especially of those
who have had but little intercourse with their white brethren, I have the highest
opinion, both of their capabilities for development and of the natural goodness of
their dispositions. Whilst perfectly fearless in the chase, they are not quarrelsome
with each othdr. There are, of course, bad characters, such as thieves, and sulky,
lazy men among them, but the great majority are a docile, friendly people, gratified
immensely by a word of kindness, but sufficiently like their white brethren in mental
calibre to appreciate the word, more highly, when accompanied by its tangible com-
panion, the gift, which in this case ge»orally takes the form of a clay pipe or the half
of a small plug o^f tob?cco. I have always found them willing to work and the best
proof of their usefulness is :n the fact that the Williams' Company have, as already
stated, throe organized whale boats creVH, who go every spring to the station and ftsk
during the season. iVom all »'ho information I can gather i do not think that the
number of these people in the Hudson's Straits region can exceed 1,500 of all ages
and sexes, but this ehtiinate is but little more thaw a guess, for their system of count-
ing which generally runs one, tv o, three, a groat many, makes it difficult to got from
them any id^ o»f the numbers of other banJa. They seem to sutfer considerabljjr
156—6
66
from Inng diseases, tho amount of coughing, which I hoard onco in a group of thcso
poor people, Htrucii mo quite painfully as but tho natural result of the hardship of
their livofl. They are very chary of wpouking of thoir religious tupcrHtitionw or
beliefs, ard I have myself never being able to obtain their coDfidcnco. Mr. Tyrcll,
who was tho observer at North Bluifdaiing 18S5-8G, learned to 8])oak thoir language
•with considorablo fluency, and Hoino of them discussed with him their religious
beliefs; he tolls mo that they bcliovo ir a future btato and in a good Spirit, but also
in a great many evil ones. They have also superstitions in regard to the killing of
certain animals which occasionally interferes with thoir work. Mr. Payno, at
Stupart's Bay, found that after killing a walrus few of them would do anything for
thioo days. There is no question in my mind but that the trade with ihcso Eskimo
ca;. bo greatly dcvclo))ed by tho establishment of stations at certain points and by
lotting them know for certain that a vessel w^uld call each year and give thorn
goods for their pelts.
At present the entire trade of tho region, over which Canada has jurihdiction,
is in the hands of the Hudson's B ^y Company ani tho American whaling
companies.
The right of Canada to regulate the fishing and trade of Hudson's Bay and
Straits, is, I think, unquestioned, and it seems somewhat one-sided, coasidering our
relations with United States ti.-hermon, that we should continue to allow thom to
frequent tho Bay and compete with foreign duty-free goods against the Company
which pays heavy duties to our Treasury on all tho articles imported for their trade.
It should bo further insisted on, that we have the right to regulate the method
to be pursued io the capture of tho whales, and to exclude the explosive bomb lanco
irom the list of weapons which may be used.
Experience shows that whales, are timid and rapidly desert good breeding
grounds when much hunted. Thej', like the walrus, have been driven from tho
Gulf of St. Lawrence, and are year by year becoming reduced in numbers and
driven farther into the ice-bound refuges of tbe Arctic Archipelago. Tho Gulf of
Boothia is now their last home and it is rendered comparatively safe, from tho ditH-
culties and dangers attendant on a voyage. Captain Guy, of the " Arctic," had
intended going from tho Eowes' Welcome to Fox Channel and thence to the Gulf of
Boothia, but found the Frozen Straits (Middlt3ton), solidly iced in, all summer, and
hence it may bo taid that it wou'.d bo difficult in tho extreme, if not impossible, for a
ship to pass from Hudson's Bay and Fox Channel to the Gulf of Boothia ; hut
though thero be no means of communication for steam vessels there is no difficulty
in tho way ot the whale, whoso powers of subaquatic existence aro great, ptissing
from tho one place to the other.
I am of opinion that tho right whale is being hunted out of Hudson's Bay as
he has boon from his other southern haunts, and that, not by our own peoplo, or by
tho fellow subjects of the Britibh Crown, but by the citizens of a foreign though
neighbouring State.
It is also worthy of remark that up to th's time no Canadian has «^orived any
profit from the development of the resources of Hudson's Bay, save those few who
may hajjpen to bo shareholders in the Honourable Hudson's Bay Company.
In a previous report I drew attention to the feet that tho Colony of Newfound-
land collects tho duty on articles coneumed in that portion of Labrabor subject to tho
Dominion of Canada. Fort Chimo is clearly within the limits of the Dominion and
is the distributing point lor some other stations, yet the duty on the whole of tho
supply ship's invoice, is collected by the Newfoundland Government, the Corapany
deriving the benefit of the diflorenco, between tho Newfoundland tariff and our own.
I would respectfully submit the following suggestions in reforonceto tho matter
of the trade and tifhories of tho Hudson's Bay and Straits region : —
First. That you should consider whether, in view of tho valuo of tho whale
fishery, and its profent condition in Hudson's Bay, it would not be woU to close alto-
gether for a stated time, say five years, tho whale fishing in these, tho terrritorial
waters of Canada.
67
Second. That if foreigners are to bo permitted to prosocnte tho whalo fishery
i.nd to Irado with tho natives, a heavy liconso should bo charg.d for tho privilege,
and tho use of explosive bomb InricoH prohibited.
Third. That, as in other parts of Canada, u rental should bo charged for the
the oxclusivo use of salmon river.
Fourth. That tho duties which I am informed aro now colloctt,d by tho New-
foundland Governmo«t on goods for consumption in (Jan^'-ia should bo paid over to
the Canadian Government.
Fifth. That any station established at points on this Strait for purpose of trade
&c,, should bo compelled to pay full duties as called for under the Tariff.
If those suggestions aro carried out tho rovonuodorivMhio would, 1 am sure, go a
long way towards paying the costs of maintaining a Government vessel in those
waters during tho season,
I ha\;'o dwelt somewhat fully upon tho fishery and trade resources of this
region, because I am convinced that properly managed ihoy will, iirospcctive of the
question of tho development by railway commuiiicutioo, bo a source of wealth to our
citizens.
Of the mineral resources, Dr. Bell, of he Geological Survey, has already fully
dealt ; he also contributes a chapter to this report, somewhat further elucidating the
Bubject.
Samples of some economic minerals were brought in at some of tho stations by
the Eskimo ; at Ash Inlet, fine wbito mica in fairly largo s zed sheets and pure foliated
graphite were brought in. I would also draw attention to Dr. Bell's strongly ox-
pressed opinion that judging from the information wo h-xvo alreaiy obtained, he
regards the north-west of Hudson,s Bay as ono of the most promising in valuable
economic minerals of the yet unexplored Territories.
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.
The scheme of meteorological observations for the stations in Hudson's Straits
has been continued unchanged, all tho instruments ui^ed wore such as aro issued to
stations in connection with our Dominion Meteorological Service. The station at
Nachvak Buy (Skynnor's Cove) having been discontinued, tho observations taken at
Fort Chimo to a certain extent take the place of those formerly taken by Mr.
Skynner. At York Factory we have through some incomprehon -iblo miscarriage of
the mails, from that post, lost for the second time tho observations from that point.
In the observations as published with this report all tho instrumental corrections
have boon applied and tho corrected readings of tho barometer have been reduced to
sea level.
Tho exposure of the anemometers are all inferior and I am of opinion that tho
actual velocities out in tho Straits would, on the average, bo fu.ly twonty-fivj per
cent, greater than those hero recorded.
The therr jioters, at all the stations in tho Straits, were exposed in the rogala-
tion Meteorolog;.!al Service shelter. This consists of an outer ^lic'l or case having
Louvrg sides and door, and a double roof, with an air space open at tho sides, Tho
bottom ot the shoil is ot largo mesh (2 in.) wire net, and tho Imrk of close half inch
board.
lue inner screen is covered on all sides with thin slats of shoot iron. The whole
sheUxi IB attached to tho north side of a close boarvl double fence, luiving a froo air
space of four inches between tho two sides of the tenco and also holwoon tho north
Bide of the fe joo and the back of tho outer shed. This form of shelter, when tho
fence to which it is attached is erected in nome open space clear of surrounding oh-
jects, is as nearly a perfect exposure as is obtainable, but in'Hudson's Straits on many
ocoasionB the readings of tho thermometer were affected more or less by the sheds
being drifted full of snow.
156— 5^
68
Table I is a general table for the station at Belle lale Island Lighthouse.
Observer, Mr. Cotton. This is one of the regular stations in connection with the
Meteorological Service of the Dominion, and the observations wore taken at 8h.,
7h., llh. of tb'j B'.andard time of tirn linh meridian. Correct time is obtained from a
BUB dial, of tho pattern construct d by this oflSce for outlying stations, which was
adjusted by Mi-. Stupart, Inftpootor of the Meteorological Service, when the station
was last visited in 188;^.
In the series cf observations there are a few breaks of short duration — 3 days in
October, 1885; 1 day in April, 1886; 4 days in May; 2 in July, and 7 days in
August ; and though it is much to be regretted that these have ocoured, I do not
conBider that the value of the series has been greatly aflfeoted.
A comparison of this table, with the results of last year shows that the mean
temperature of the year has remained practically unchanged, although the distribu-
tion in tho months has been considerably altered. The increased amount of stormy
weather in tho season 1885-86 is shown by the increased average velocity of the wind,
the increased cloudiness, and additional rainfall. The number of days of fog has also
risen from 113 to 136, the latter number being average also ofthe twelve years obser-
vations — 1872-83. The fogs of this region have long been noted, but it is a formidable
indictment against this channel to state that on the average of twelve years, in tho
months of June, July, August and September the foggy weather is one-half of the
whole.
Table II gives the abstract of results of observations taken at Port Burwell. The
observations at this and all the other stations consist of a series of six observationo
per day, taken at equal intervals of four hours each, the observation hours being 3h.,
7h., llh., a.m. and p.m., of the standard time of the 75lh meridian. This station is
in latitude 60*24' and longitude 6t° 46' W., approximate. The height of fhe
barometer above mean sea level was 30 feet. The site of the thermometer shed at
this station was about 40 feet east of the house, and about the same distance from
the edge of the cliff; to tho south west of this was a small hill, 26 feet high, and
abr-ut 60 feet olf. The height of tho ground at the thermometer shed above mean
sea level was 27 feet. The hill to the South "West cut off a good deal of sun,
especially during tho winter months. Tue anemometer exposure was poor
between north west and south west, and from the other points ofthe compass only
fair. Nctvithstanding this, velocities of 80 miles per hour were occasioi\ally
recorded; and both Messrs. Burwell and Shaw, in their remarks, speak of the almost
hurri'jane violence to which the wind sometimes attained.
Table III is the absirtict of observations at Ashe Inlet. — J. W. Tyrell, D.L.S.,
observer. This station is situated on tho shores of an inlet of the strait, and is on
the large island, which lies to the south of what has been called on tho charts, North
Bfiy, but which is in reality tho " White Straits " of tho early navigatora. This
idland was called by Schswatka " TaicDno Island," but is known among the natives
as " Big Island." The exposure of all the instruments was similar to that described
above, but the anoraoraetor was considerably sheltered from east and north-eaSt
winds. Approximate i)os-ition of tho station, latitude, 62° 33' N., longitude, 70° 35' W.
Table IV. Abstract of observations tukon by Mr. F. F. Payno, of tho Meteoro-
logical Service. This station is situated near the north west angle of Prinea ot
Wales, Sound. Tho Sound itself is a deep bay, about 30 milos across by about 20
miles deep, with numerous outlying shoals in lino of the coast, but good doop water
inside. Tho approximate position of the observatory was latitude 61^ 35' N., longi-
tude 71'' 32' W. The station, being at tho head of Stupart's Bay, was somewhat
ehelterod from north winds ; otherwise tho exposure was good.
Table V. Abstract of observations at Port do Boucherville, Nottingham Island.
Observer, Mr. John McKenzie, C.E. Tho barometric observations here, are from s
very good Casella aneroid, which was compared with the standard and found to havo
a hcarcoly perceptible temperature correction ; the index correction has boon applied,
and tho nxiding reduced to sea-lovol. Tho anemometer was somewhat poorly ex-
posed, being shelter d, from north-enst to north-west, by tho rocks whioh roao almost
60
perpendicularly behind the house. T
tade fih° W N., longitude 77" 28' W
The approximate position of this station is lati-
Table VI. Results at Port Luperriere. Mr. P. C. Woodworth. observer. Thia
station is on the Outer Digges lalnnd. near the west end of which we found an excel-
lent harbour, on the shores of whioh the'station was erected. Thin suition conimanded
a view of both Bay and Straits. The exposure for the instnimont wa^ gootl though
the anemometer was considerably sheltered from SB. to N li winds; but ihi^ wis,
all things considered, one of the best exposures we had. This station is in iautude
62° 34' N., longitude 78° 1' W., approximately.
Table VII is the abstract of result"* from Churchill. The obsorper here is Mr.
John Spencer, the factor of the Hudson Bay Coinpauy, at whose residence the
meteorological observations are taken. The therraoraotors are exposed on the north
wall of the house, and read through a small window. There is no fire or heating
apparatus of any kind near the room in which this window ie, and the doorn of the
Bhed were opened by ratan^ of cords without opening the window. This exposure
was the best attainable ; and as the thermometers were read without opening the
window, and were constantly screened from direct radiation by the doors of iheshed
being kept cloned, I think the moan temperature may be regarded as approximately
oorrecf.
Table VIII gives the average daily temperature as determined from observations
taken at 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. of local time, at Fort Chimo, the Hudson Bay port on the
Kok-^oak River, near the head of Ungava Bay. Owing to the nature of his other
duties, the observer, who is an officer of the Hudson Bay Company, was not Mblo to
undertake the regular tri daily series; but as observations wore frequently talfen at
2 or 3 p.m., advantage has been taken of them to obtain the highest tern per .'tures^
though they were, of course, disregarded in obtaining the moans. In high uorlhorn
latitudes, during the winter months, the daily curve of temperature almost vanishes,
the changes eeeming to be dependent on the movements of barometric areas and the
consequent direction of windH.
These temperature observations seem to indicate the probability of the existence
here of winds similar to the Fohn or Chinook winds; the mountains lying immedi-
ately to the eastward rise up in an almost unbroken chain to hoiijhts of from 4,000
to 6,000 feet, extending from Capo Chiiiley to Cape Mugford ; over these the east
and south east winds have to rise, and, discharginu: their moisture in the shape of
anow on the eastern face of the range, are warmed again in th«ir descent to the level
of the sea on the shores of Ucgava Bay.
Table IX gives the results of observations taken at York Factory for a long
period of years. These results are the mean monthly, quarterly and annual temper-
atures daring 23 complete years. This table gives a very approximate idea of the
amount of fluctuation in temperature which is likely to occur in the individual sea-
flonffl, though in each of the first two tables, the mean temperatures being derived
from the 8, 2 and 8 series, are considerably above *he true mean of the 24 hours. I
have, therefore, entered also the mean 8 a.m. and 8 pm.
Table X is the mean monthly temperature at 8 a.m., local mean time, from the
series 1842 to 1854.
Table XI is the mean monthly temperature at 2 p.m., and may be regarded,
except in the months of June, July and August, as nearly equal to the mean maxi-
mum reading. Period, 1842 to 1854.
Table XII is the mean monthly temperature at 8 p.m. Same series of observa-
tions as two preceding tables.
Table XIII is the average deviation from mean without regard to sign, between
the mean temperature of each month and year and the monthly and annual averages
of earh group, as given in the preceding tables.
Table XIV shows the highest temperature in each month and year from obser-
vations made in the several groups of yeana. In the first two groups the entries are
taken from the readings of the ordinary thermometer; in the last period a good
maximum thermometer was used, and the readings of this instrument are onteroi.
70
Table XV given the lowest temperatures, in each taonth and year, taken from
ob^^ervations made in the Hovonil t.'roupH of years. In the first two the results are
taken from the recorded romlingH of the ordinary thermometer, at the hours of
observation ; in the last group the readings of a minimum thermometer have been
taken.
Table-^ XV i to XX give the results of the observations of the velocity and direc-
tion of the wind at oach of the stations in Hudson Straits, the number of observations
in each monih from each of the sixteen points, and the average velocity of all the
winds from onch point in each month and in the year.
Table XXI gives tho number of days in each month at each station when the
volociiy of the wind equalled a moderate gale (30 miles an hour) or exceeded this
amount,
Tab'e XXII gives the number of hours' fig reported at Belle Isle Lighthouse, at
the liudson Straits Stations, and at Fort Churchill ; this table, shows
for July and An:xnst the following comparisort : — Belle Isle has 472
hours, or nearly 20 days, of fog; as against this, Digue's Island, near the
warmer waters of the Bay, has 39(j hours, whilst N^oltingham Island, only 30 miles
faither north, has in the name period only 136 hours. The stations Ashe Inlet and
Stupart's Bay give one UsO hours and the other 187 hours respectively, the amount
again increasing, as the eastern end of the Straits is reached, to 2-40 hours at Port
Burwcll.
Table XXIII shows number of hours' snow at the several stations named.
Table XXIV gives the highest, lowest and mean temperatures taken on board
H.M.S. " Fury," under the command of Capt. Sir Bi. Parry, in 1821, la22 and 1823.
Both winters were spent near the head of Fox ('hannol, though tho stations do not
fall within the limits of the Temperature Charts which accompany this report.
Table XXV is a woekiy ab.struct of observations taken on board the " Alert " in
tho cruise of i886 — ihe means aro obttiined from n bi-hourly series of observations;
tho maxim ira an 1 minimum being t ikon, from the highest and lowest readings of the
ordinary thermomoter, recorded. The in-itruments used were, an anei'oid barometer
by Caneila, which had been carefully compared with an Adies' marine barometer, B.
T. Pattern, the error of which bad been carefully determined; the observations have
been corrected for instrumental error aiiJ reduced to sea level. The temperature
was obtained from a Sling psychromeier, madn in the Meteorological Office. It
consisted of two thermometers —Negrelti and Zambra—Kow tested, fastened on a
walnut W(jod frame, with an aperture cut in tho head of it to fit the hand. The bulb
of the wet thermometer projected about two inches below that of the dry, and b Jth
were protected from accident by a light strip of metal being carried in tho form of a
bow beyond the bulbs.
Table XXVI gives the mean dail'^ mperatures of the sea surface from a bi-
hourly series of observations.
The following m Mr. Payne's rep i on the " Flora " and " Fauna," observed at
his station : —
FLOEA AKD FAUNA OF PRINCE OF WALES SOUND, HUDSON STRAITS.
F. F. Payne.
During a stay of thirteen months at Prince of Wales' S )und, Hudson Strait, with
the primary object of taking meteorological obsor^ations, and having some leisure
time, I devoted as much of this time as was possible to tho study of tho natural his-
tory of this region, making collections of the mammals, birds, fishes, insects and
plants ; also, making numerous notes from my own observations, atjd from such in-
formation as I could gather from the Kskimo, who are most keen observers of
nature.
So much has been written descriptive of the habits of the mammals and birds
found in these regions by those who accompanied the expeditions of Brs. Hayes and
tl
Kano, and ly othor able writers, that it wou'd l)o almost usolos^ to «o ovor tho same
gmnnd again; I shall now, thorotoro, only d-.voU hrion7 oa suoli othor itoms of in-
torost as c'lmo undet' my poi-sonal ob^O'-vUi on un I knowloi:^ j, giving tho dates of
grations, &c., of oacli spocios in tho ordor in which thoy stand.
mi
MVM.AI\LIA.
Polar Bear (Ursus Maritimus, Linn) (Nannoj/c, Eskimo).
TtxCi polar boar, tliough numorou:^ 200 miles to tho westward, is scarce in Prince
of Wales' Sound ; and although a sharp lookoat W'ls l<opt for thorn, only four wore
seen, one of which was shot.
Tho Eskimo informed mo it was usoloss to look for i in during tho winter, as
they wore novor soon until Juno, when tho icq is breaking up. They are then occa-
sioTuiUy taken on tho ice-floes, as they drift to" tho oiistwaVd with a regular current
that sots this way, whicb is of groat as-<istanco to tho b3ar in its migrations.
At this season tie seals, on which tho boar mainly sub'^ists, are very numerous,
and are ciptnred while they sleep, the boar creeping to within a short distance, and
then running at full speed upon them.
Though almost a marine animal, the bear occas'onally visits tho land, where it
regales itt-elf on the young grasses, the eggs of tho gull and duck, .'ind has been seen
capturing salmon and trout by driving thorn into a corner in shallow streams.
On tho whol), I do not think it is as tierco as it is generally supposed to be, for
although raa!iy enquiries wore made of tho Eskimo as to this, thoy could not recall
a single instance of its having attacked any of thoir pooplo; nevertheless, it is feared
by the women, who wore careful not to bo alone at tho time several wero seen, and
all of them expressed fear of it.
Wo'f (Cants Lupus OccidentaUs) (Annarho, £sk.)
Little can bo said of this animal, as none wore sojn during my stay hore ; and I
was informed by tho Eskimo thoy wore now seldom taken, though at one time very
numerous.
Thoy are vory troublesome to the Eskimo, often tearing their seal skin boats or
kayaks in pieces and devouring tho skin, whiyli they relish very much.
Their food is very varied, and their appe'it;e is so great there are few animals
they will not attack and devour ; oven the Kskiino dog is occa-'ionally carried off.
Their fur is very much valued by tho Eikirao for clothing, but as a rule goes to
the trader for powder, load and tobacco.
Wolverine {Gulo Luscus) (Kaboie, EsL)
This is the E-^kino's greatest enemy, and shoaM one appear at any time near
their camps thoy will not rest until it has been killei ; and when one is brought in
there is great lojoicing. It is tho most ingenious thief of all tho animals in this
region, and is so strong thas no cache is safe where it exists. It will turn heavy
stones over, and once in tho cache it does not stop to untie tho well ra.ide skin-bag,
but soon tears a hole, and, Eskimo fashion, live< on oil and blubber u itil tho bag ia
emptied, when it turns its attention to tho next f.acho.
The thieving propensities of this animal are so like that of a dishonest human
being, that an Eskimo who is known to bo a thief is always called a " Kubvio " by
his people.
Fortunately this animal is not numerous in the Sounl, though they are often
trapped a few miles to tho westward, where they, liko tho wolf, are seen throughout
the year.
72
Arctic Pox ( Vufpes lagopvs, L.) (Teriin i-ak, Esk.)
Thoro arc two varieties of this animal common in those regions — the blue and
the white — the nabita of which, with a fow oxooption*', are ho like that of tho rod,
black and silver gray foxes, all of which were seen, that it will only be necessary to
epcak of thora as a -^incjlo spooios.
In the early part of September, the white fox began to appear in large numhorH
upon the coaRt, and shortly afterwards those of other colours, which are much rarer,
wore reported as having been seen.
At this time the fur of all tho foxes i-t very short, and that of tho Arctic fox is
or tho most part of slatish colour, though in some instancos almost white, with a
ew scattered blacktippod hairs.
Spring traps wore kept set throughout tho winter, and a number of red and
white foxes were taken, by which means wo were enabled to note the changes in the
colour of the fur.
Late in November the fur was still very grey, especially near the roots of tho
hair, and showed little change a month later. During Junoary, the fur appeared to
grow very fast, and by the middle of that month was perfectly white, with the ex-
ception of small tufts of the old hair, which, in a great many instances, remainod
entangled in the new 'oroughout the winter. It was also generally noted that the
largest and best conditioned foxes had tho best fur.
Daring the winter the fox depends almost entirely upon the lemming (myodes
torqvatus) for subsistence ; but during the seal breeding season it may often be seen
roaming over the ice in search of tho young seal, and when very hungry will attack
the older ones.
On visiting tho traps one day, it was found that a fox had boon caught, but had
by some means gone oflf with the trap. As it was supposed it could not go far, it was
tracked in the snow ; but after walking five miles tho attempt to como up with it
■was given up. Three weeks later this fox was sighted a few hundred yatds from the
observatory, and was given chase by an K«*kimo, who soon captured it, when tho
jaws of the trap were found to bo deeply imbedded in tho leg.
Unlike tho red fox, tho white fox, when caught, will howl most piteously as it is
approached by tho trapper, and upon going up to i', it immediately stands on tho
defensive, and will fight most fiercely for its life.
After Ist February foxes became very scarce, and few woro taken, tho last b ;ing
Been on 10th May. A fow remain on tho coist throughout tho year, but nearly all
migrate to tho interior, where th( y can enjoy the luxuries of young ptarmigan and
other birds, besides tho pleasures of scratching their backs upon small buehes when
undergoing the difficult process of chunge of clothing.
Eskimo Dog (^Canis Familiaris, Linn) ( Kingmik. Esk).
The Eskimo dog so nearly resembles tho wolf (Canis Lupus Occidentalis), it is
difficult to doscribo it as other tbau that aiiimal, excepting when in harness and
under the lash of its master's whip.
When at liberty it may often bo seen roaming over tho country in search of tho
lemming or other food, and appears only to care for its master for tho food it may
get from him.
There is only one redeeming quality in its habits, and that is its simple appetite;
it will live a great lergth of time without food, and is not at all particular whiit it
eats, as the follov'.ng list of articles which I have seen it devour will show: — An old
eloth hat, a boot, part of a flannel shirt, part of a pair cf trousers, without tho but-
tons, and a lot of greasy felt gun wads, which were seen tho next day carefully
placed beside a stone undigcted. It may be added, en passant, these gun wads \v ore
eubsequently used by an Eskimo for his gun.
As might be supposed, the dogs do no', grow vory fat; nevertheless, thoy are
often slaughtered for food during hard times, and their skins are made into clothing.
w
In harness the Eskimo dog appears as a dlflferont animal. It is then fod occa-
sionally upon the skin of tho walrus and other refuse; but woo betido tho dog that
refuses to pay for this fnod by pulling too lightly upon tho load that is given it;
thrashing is then too good for it, it must pay with a part of its bo iy ; and carelessly
going up to it, tho quiet though enraged Eskimo will take his knifo and cut a small
piece off its tail or ear, and will as coolly return to tho sleigh with tho call,
" Whoots !" which moans, got on.
Having a large Newfoundland dog with mo, which was brought up on the ship
from the Labrador coant, it was very interesting to watch its treatment of and by its
Eskimo neighbours. Prom first to last ihe males wore doaily enemies, my Newfound-
lander disdaining to have anything to do with them, but with tho females ho was a
pnrticolar favourite, thereby oansing some most terrible rows in tho camp.
Reindeer, Itang'fer Tarandus (Linn, Baird) (Took-too, Esk.)
The reindeer is only a summer visitor to tho coast, arriving in tho early part of
April, and leaving again for tho interior in November.
The horns of those taken about 10th April wore soft, and a groat many wore
covered with velvet.
At this time of tho year, a great stir is noticed among the Eskimo, and in a few
days all leave for the hunting grounds, a few miles inland, whore tho deer are most
plentiful, returning to the shore again about six weeks later.
The reindeer is undoubtedly the most useful animal to tho Eskimo that is found
in these regions, its hide being used for clothing and bedding, its horns for spoar and
arrow heads, and tho lining of its belly for sewing thread, while tho fat, which is
usually melted down, is one of tho greatest luxuries tho Eskirno possess.
In Juno tho young are dropped, and during this month and .July tho deer is not
molested, as tho B>ikimo is then too busily engwgod in seal hunting. In August tho
hunt again commences ; and at this time tho Eskimo secures nil tho skins ho can for
winter use ; unfortunately, however, owing no doubt to tho lai'^o number that are
killed annually for their tongues, which are shippnd to tho London market, they aro
not so numerous as formerly, and many a poor Eskimo has to make shift with a few
thin skins for his bed, and tho samo for his clothing, throughout tho wintci-.
While exploring one day a natural deer-trap was found, in tho shupo of a wide
crevice in the side of a hill that had, doubtless, been formed by tho action of frost.
Tho sides were perpendicular and about twelve foot high ; and in it wore tho
skeletons of several doer, and one that had recently fallen in.
Polar Hare (Lepus Glacialis, LeacK^ {Ookaluk, Esk)
Like other varieties of tho samo species, tho polar hare is a mopt timid animal,
and is so watchful of its enemies that it can seldom bo seen to any advantage, and is
only shot as it passes like a ball of snow in its swilt retreat ; nevertheless a few line
specimens were taken and added to my collection.
Although it undoubtedly remains here throughout tho year, none wore seen
until the month of December ; and from that time until tho end of xMay in tho fol-
lowing year, its well-known tracks could bo sof-n in tho snow in ovory direction. Its
food consists of a number of HmaM plants especially tho knotty roots of certain
grasses which it obtains by burrowiug in tho snow and moss.
Hudson's Bay Lemming
(Myodes Torquatus Pallas — Mas Hudsonius, F^rster)
(Avinghnk Eik.)
This is the smallest of tho quadrupeds found in these regions, and apparently
only inhabits the coast, where it is so numerous, that by turning over a few stones,
one or more are sure to be found.
^,
f^"^-
"¥
k^^W
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)
1.0
1.1
11.25
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S 114 ■"
!f L£ 12.0
itUt.
iy&
^1^
6"
^
? "l
Photographic
Sciences
Corporation
2? MIST ^^tAIN STREET
WItSISr.N.Y. 14510
(rii) 372-4503
^
74
On a Htill winter's night, when ovorylhing appears hushoi in sloop, th's inter-
eating litllc animal may bo hoard in ovory dirocLion, bjring through the snov ; ovjry
now and then stopping as if to tako broath, and again raturaiag to its labours.
Then is the tinae its enemy (tho fox) stands aad listens, and then pounoiag upon tho
spot where the boring is heard, cuts off its retreat, aad, with little trouble, secures
its i)i'oy.
Tho fur of tho lomrniiig is of a greyish colour in tho sutnmor tinao, gradually
turiiinLT whiter as the winter approaohos, but never bocoming parfeotly so. In somo
cases the skin was found perfectly hairless in parts that hud boon affected by a para-
site, which infests this animal.
tValfus (Trichechus Eosmarus, Linn) (loiuk, Esk.)
Tho walrus is not numerous at any timo in the S jund, and disappoars altogether
in July, notroturning again until about tho middle of November; it is then eagerly
looked for by the Eskimo, who may bo seen exploring tho ice from a neighbouring
hill with their telescjpes, and occasionally walking oat to the open water when one
is sighted.
During ray stay here very few of these anima-Is wore seen, and of thoso takun
only ono was an adult specimon, tho others all boing very young.
Tho tusks of the walrus are of g re It value to tho Eskimo tor spear heads, and
for many other purposes, the ivory often being sawn into lengths and used in shoeing
their eloighs.
Great Seal (Phoca Barbata, 0. Fab.) (Oogjook Esk.)
This is tho largosL of all the soals found in thoie waters, and next to the deer, it
is perhaps tho most valuable animal to the Eskimo.
It arrives in tho Sound soon after tho ice his broken up, ab)ut the end of June,
and although never very numerous, they are takou from that timo until the Strait
again fills with ico towards tho end of October.
In common with othor seals, they are shot or karpoonei either while they sleep
on tho ico or while swiu^ming in the open water.
Tho Eikimo say the great seal hus never been known to breed here, and all
thoso ta!<on during my stay must havo boon over five months old.
Tho skin of this soai is u^ed in making kayaks or boats, and harpoon lines of
great length uro made from it by cutting the skin in a narrow strip round the bady
as you would pool an apple. It is also used for the solos of bojts, the hair " "
f St scraped otf and tho skin then drioi in tho sun, aad afterward* going thro
1 -ocoss of chewing by tho female Eskimo.
being
going through a
Harp Seal (Phoca Gramlandica) (Ki^ro-Uk, Esk.)
Tho harp seal, so named from a distinct harp shaped mark upon its
back, nrrivo-i in tho Sound a littlo later than the great seal, and is much more
numerous, leaving again as soon as the ice approachos in Octibor. It does notoften
take to the ico, but may bo seen Pwimming a short distance from land, and is seldom
aloDo. there almost invariably boing several together.
With tho exception of ono or two, all those taken woro aduU seals, the youngest
being about four months old.
The skin of this seal which is very large, is used in making wigwams, and for
tho upper parts of Eskimo boats.
Bough Seal {Phoca Fivtida, Fab, ) (Natchiik. Esk.)
This is tho most numerous of all tho soals found in theso waters, and ooastitutes
the principal part of tho Eskimo's food. It remains hero throughout the year, but is
scarco during tho months of February, Match and April.
75
takua
The 6rst young seal takon was on 5lh March, and about this tirao Hovoral more woro
r'lcn. They are born on itio ico whoro the snovv in dojp, tho piront Hoal miking a
inoHt comfortable h mse urnJor the Hnow- Those houses are not easily foand and aro
only iletoctod by a small mound i^lightly above tho level of tho snow.
It is often wondered how the seal may bo noon to appear on the ice where only
anhorttirae before not a hole could bo soon, and some writers on tho subject have
declared the seal makes a hole from tbo under side of tho ico by keep ng its warm
nose pressed against it This appears so ab-«'ifd, thut during my stay here a carofal
examination was made of all tho seal holos that wero soon, and in o^ory instanco
they were found along tho line of wide craoks that are constantly boio;^ formed by
tho evor-chanp ing tides. As will be readily understood, the wator botweoa thaaa
cracks soon freezes and becomes covered with snow and the soal koeps a hole opoa
by constantly diving and returning again to broattie, until, by tho ajoumulation of
ico caused by the seal splashing, the hole becomes too small when it again shifts its
position to the nearest crack in tho ice.
Many are the arts the Eskimo resorts to capture this seal and perhaps tho
host is by two hunters, one of whom lies down at the oigo of tho ico near some opea
water, while his companion remains about ninety yards further from the edge. Ilore
he scrapes upon the ice with his spear and whistles in a low note whilst the charmed
seal, if there is one anywhere near, slowly swims towards the objoot at tho odgo of
the ico, and when near onoagh is surprised with a charge of shot, a ballot, or a spear.
Right Whale (Balvena Mysticetus Linn.)
Only two of these whales were seen and as the Eskimo seldom moddio with:
thom, little coald bo learned of their habits.
They apparently only pass here on their way to or from Hudson Bay, and will
not attempt to make tho passage while thero is much ice in the strait.
PortioDS of what undoubtedly wore tho skeletons of three of those animals wero
found on tho shore, and the Eskimo inforintvl me that at one lime when thore were
more of their people living here, they would not hesitate to surround one of those
huge monsters iu thoir kayaks and with harpoon and floats wjuld soiuotimos succeed
in killing one.
being
)ugh a
Narwhal (MonoJon Monoceros, Linn.) (ITylungivar, Esk)
Ck)mmonly known as the unicorn. The narwhal is often met with in the
Strait, and is much valued for its large ivjry tusk, which often mouHuros &vq feet ia
length. Only one of these animals wan, seon late in the summer, and the remains of
another was found on the shore, the tu k of which measured four and a half feet.
Wh'te Whale (Beluga Calodon, Gray), (ICelleluak, Esk.)
The white whale, though indigenous to the Strait, does not come near the coast
until tho ico begins to open, the first scon boing on 26th April, when thero was some
open water about five' miles from the shore. From this timo they woro often seou
throughout the summer, somotime-i singly, but oftoner in small schools following the
line of the coast. Then the Eskimo may bo seon standing motionless at some prom-
inont point, with gun ready, waiting patiently for a shot. To one acoustomod to
extremely quick shooting, a white whale might seem an easy mark to hit, bat with
the unexperienced, to make the best of it, the bullet never seems to strike anything
else than the place where the whale's head was.
During the summer this animal forms a large part of the Eskimo's food and is
eagerly hunted by them.
76
Birds.
Stone Chat (Saxicola oenanthe, L.).
This is, peihaps, the most valuable zoological specimen that was taken daring
my stay in the Strait. It was the only one seen, and is described by Mr. Wbiteaves,
Fusontologist of the Geological and Nutinal History Survey of Canada, who iden-
tified all the birds in my collection, as being an "adult male of a European species
2U>fc previoaaly recorded as occarring in Canada, though found in Greenland.
This active little bird was shot, afier a long chase, on l^th May.
Shore Loik (Eremoph^la Alpestris, Forster).
Arrived 17th May ; mating let June ; young fledged 15th July ; was last seen
on 10th August.
This bird was very numerous daring the summer.
Water Thrush (^Siurus ncevius, Bodd).
Arrived 20th May ; mi&ting Ist June ; young fledged 25th July. Last seen oo
Ist October. A great number of these birds were seen.
Lapland Longspur: Laplani Bunting (^Pleclrophanea Laponicus, L )
Arrived 14th May. This was the only specimen seen and taken.
Snow Bunting ( Plectrophanes nivalis) (Copenoir, Esk).
The first snow banting seen was on let April, and shortly afterwards they were
Tery numerous. They were mating about 25th May. Young were fledged about
16th July, and about 23rd Auajust the adult birds appeared to leave, returning again
a month later, and by 2 let October all had disappeared.
Baven (Corvus Oorax, L.) (Tooloouk, Esk).
The raven is indigenous to the country, and although most of them appear to
migrate southward, a few were e^een throughout the winter. They were mating
about 25th May, and yourg were fltdgcd 15th July.
This bird is the Eskimo's companion, following him everywhere in his hants,
and when a seal is shot will perch only a few yards from him and " caw " most
vociferously.
They do not seem to understand the mechanism of a fox-trap, and are often
caught in the act of taking the buit.
Qyr Falcon {Falco sacor, Forster).
Airived 6th September. They wore not often seen until about 15th September,
when a number were obi>erved apparently flying south. The last seen was on 20th
September.
Bough'legg&l Buzzird (^Arch' bates lagopus, Brunnick),
Arrived on 15th May. Were rather numerous throughout the summer. Fledg*
lings seen on 20th August. Last seen on 30tb September.
Snowy Owl (^Myctea Scandiaca) (^Ookpi, Esk.).
Only two of these birds were seen in September, neither of whioh were taken.
ft
1 daring
biteavea,
7ho iden-
a apecios
last seen
seen on
thoy were
;ed about
ing again
appear to
e mating
tiis kantfl,
iw '• most
are often
leptembor,
Eks OQ 20th
ir. Pledg-
e taken.
Bock Ptarmigan (Layopus rupestris, ^melin).
fl A ^"iftf? i^*'' ^^^' ??""S 30th Juno, when they were very numerous Yoanir
fledged 18th August, and last seen on 30th Ociober. ^ numerous. loung
Ring-necked Plover {(Eeg!alitis semipahnatus, Bon.)
-.., ^'^«J 'T ••" mH"°®.! matj-.g, lOih Juno ; young fledged, 12th July : last seen
2oth hoptember These birds were very numerous throughout the summer oSo
was seen to ^ick up its young and fly eome distance with it. "«i™er. uno
Med Phalarope (Phalaropus fuUcarius, L.)
First seen on Slat May. Several of these birds were brought to me durins tho
month of June, but after 1st July nono were to be seen. aanng tno
Purph Sandpiper (Tringa maritimi, Brunn)
Only one of these birds was seen and shot on 27th May.
White-rHmped Sandpiper (Bonapartes Sandpiper, Tringa Bonapartii, SchlegeL)
«Knn?^rml°I ^^^''t ^'"^^ T'^ ^2°°.*^ breeding, but a few were seen after bt July, and
about 10th August, very large flocks arrived, remaining until 20th September, when
the last of them were seen. r "^*i "uou
Brant Goose (^Bernicla Brenta, Stephens.)
The Brant Gocxse does not breed hero. A few were seen in company with
Hutchin 8 goose in their flight southward on Septrmbor 15th, and one was brouirhL
to me by an flskimo on December Ist. ^"h""
Hutchin'a Goose (^Bernicla Ilutehinsi, Richardson.)
This bird, in company with the Brant and Snowy Goose, arrived in great num-
bers on September 6th, and remained here flvo days, all disappearing when the wind
shifted to the southward.
Snowy Goose (Chen Eyperloreus.)
Thousands of these birds, in company with those just named, arrived here daring
a gale on 6th September, and were so tame that seventy were shot in a few hours
with very little trouble. They remained here live days, when a steady breeze spring-
ing up from the southward, they ail disappeared withm a few hours, and none were
eeen after 12th September.
Long-tailed Buck (Harelda Glacialis, L)
The first of these birds seen was on lat June, and the first fledglings found wm
on 31st of August.
This is one of the most numerous and certainly the most noisy duck that visits
thesfe regions; its long drawn note of " arar-ow-oo " may be heard in every
direction. ''
Its eggs were found on the margin of ponds, from which small streams ran to
the sea, and through these the parent bird was seen to conduct her brood when about
ten days old.
The last of these birds seen was on 10th November.
18
Harlequin Puck (FLstrionicus TorquUvs L.)
Tho harloqain duck was mo:*t numerous durini^ thn month of Jano, but after
tho <:tid of Ihut month none wore to be Hoan. Apparently this bird does not brood
horo.
King Eider (Somateria Spectnhilis, Leach.)
Jj&rgo flocks of IhoHO birds arrivoi about 5th May, almost darkening a small
piece of water about five miles from tho shore, About 1st June, pairs were seen to
visit small lakes inland, whore, m soon as the ice had moUed round their shores, the
eggs of this birii wore found in nests of down on small moissy islands.
The King Eider lays from four to six e^'^s, and in some instances continued to
lay in the same nests atier ihey had been robbed of tho tirst two or three eggs.
Two nests with egf»s of this bird were found several hundred yards Irom tho
•water, upon a high lodge of rock, from which it would be impossible for a joung
bird to descend without assistance.
The first young seen was on 25th August, and, like the long-tailed duck, tho
parent bird in a few days conducts her brood to the hqh.
The last of these birds seen was on 30th November.
Herring Gull (Larus Arjentatus, BrunnicK), (Nowia, Esk.)
First seen on 20th April; was mating Ist June; young were fledged on 12th
August. Last was seen on 15lh November.
This bird is very numerons throughout the summer, and its nests and eggs were
found beside those of the King Eider, on small mossy islands.
Common Tern {Sterna hirtindo, JD.), {Emo-Cootalia, Esk.')
Eggs and specimocs of these birds were brought to mo by Eskimo on 20th July,
from a small island about six miles from the coast. These were the only ones seen
during my stay here.
Great Northern Diver, Loon (Colymbus torquatus, Brunnick).
The first of the^e birds seen was on Ist June, and the last seen 20th August,
None of the young of this bird were found, and I think that very few breed here.
Bed Throated Diver (^Colymbus Septentrionalis L,), (Coxzow Esk.)
This bird arrived about 20th June, and was often seen during the summer.
Only one nest of this bird was seen, a little above high tide mark ; and the
Eskimo informed me they could seldom bo found.
On 7ta August some fledglings were seen, and all had disappeared by 28th
September.
Black Guillemot ( Uria grylle, L.),
This interesting little bird is seen here throughout the year, being most numer*
OUB during the summer.
Daring the coldest weather it was often taken on small pieces of water whei'O
the iee had been broken by the ever-changing tides.
Quantities )f eggs of this bird were brought to me by Eskimo from an island
Afaont four miles irom the coast, and fledglings were seen on 10th Aaguet.
>, bat after
not breod
ng a Btnall
ero seen to
shores, the
)ntinued to
eggs.
9 Irom tho
r a joung
duck, tho
)d on 12th
eggs wore
20th July,
' ones aeon
h August.
3d here.
)
imer,
k; and the
-ed by 28th
LOBt numer*
Bter where
1 an island
19
Little Auh (Mergulus alle, L.).
A Bmall number of tho?o birds wore Been some distance from the nhoro during
tho summor, but nothing oould bo learned of them. Ono speeimcn wa. lukon ^
BosidoH those in the above hst, several other birdn wore Mocn. in(.!u.iir... variotioH
ofgulls, skuas and a small land bird; but as .pocimcns could net bo H.curcd ami
they could not bo identified, I have not included thorn in this list.
Insects.
The first insects seen were a single species of spider and fly on Ist .Juno iiid it
was not until th.TC weeks later that other forms mLle their ajLarance e''o, n
a humble bc<», which was pccn on 14th June. i^v.«ia>,^w, t. < .j^i.iig
On 30th June the first butterflies were seen, and a little later insect life wns at
Its extreme height, lasting until about 5th A ng„'st, when ii declined lapid ly uul a
weeks ater few insects were to be seen. During this time there would bo pei'ioi of
several days of dull weather when bees only were to bo seen on tho wn" ^
A largo collection of Lcpidoptora, Hymenoptera. Coleoptern and Dintera was
fiTd of Iv^M"" ^«,r«''^^^^.^ ^ ^^^« only sueceedid in getting the butteif ies lontf.
fied, of which the followmg ,8 a complete list, and they aro the only species that
were seen during my stay in the Straits. y "ptuits mat
First seen.
Numerous.
I
Colia3 Hecla, Lef
Coliaa Nastes, Bd ,
Argynnis Polaris, Bd
Argynnis Freya, Thunb...,
Chionobas Semidea, t*ay...
Chionobas Crambig, Frey.
Chionobas Taygeta, Hub..
Lycaena Agnilo, Bd
July 17.
July 17..
June 30.
June 30.
July 1..
June 30,
June 30.
July 26..
July 20 to
July 20 to
July 10 to
July 10 to
July 6 to
July 6 to
July 5 to
July 26 to
Aug.
Auff.
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
4...
5...
1...
1...
30...
30...
30...
8...
Last seen.
August 16.
August 17.
<^ugust 6.
August 4.
August 9.
August 10.
August 10.
August 5.
These butterflicB were identified by W. H. Edwards, Esq , of ^few York.
80
FLOBAi
In adding the following list of plantH to this report I am mach indebted to tho
kindnc^H of Prof. Lawson, of Dalbousie College, HalifiKz, who identified all those in
my collection.
NotCH upon tho growth of each plant were generally made from individual
specimens, and in all cases were made upon those in the same neighboarhood where
exposure, soil, &c., were similar.
Li3t of Plants in Natural
Order.
Ranuneulaceie : —
Ranunculus niralia, L
R. byperboreus, var. pjgini
I us
Papaveracem : —
Papaver alpiaum, L. (nudi-
caule)
Cruei/erm ; —
Draba alpina. L., yar.. ..
Cochlearia officinalis, L-
Cari/jphyllaeeii ; —
CeraBtium alpinum, L
C Tu^atum, L
ijtellaria lon^jipes, var. d
(taeta, Richards)
L,''cbriis apetiila. L
L. apetala, rar. affinis
tSili^ne acaulij, L
Houckeneja ^eploides, Bhr...
Leguminotir : —
A8ti'ai;alu3 alpiuus, L. ..,
Oxytropis arctica, R. Br.
In Bud.
May 20
EosaccH- : —
Dry as integri folia, Vahl.
Potcatilla iiivea, L
P. niaculata, Lehm «
£>ibu3 cbatiia'.morus, L ..
Onngracen : —
Epilobiura iatifolium, L.,
Ilaloreigtii' : —
Uippuris maritima, Eellen.,
Saxi/ragaeeee : —
iiazifaga cernua, L
S. tricuspidata, Retz ....>.,
tS. oppositifolia, L
S. riTuIarrs, L
S. niTalis ...
S nivalis, L. var. B
S. caeapitoBa, L
Parnassia paiustris, L
June 16
Juna 15
In
Le».f.
June 30
June 1
June 26
In
Flower.
July 6
July 25
Seeds
Ripe.
Aug. 18
June 30 Aug. 6
Wither-
ing.
July 1
June 22 June 22
Juna 22 June 30
June 15, June 22
June
May
June
....iJane
16 June
26 June
10 June
July 8
June 20
June 20
June 9
May 26
June 20
June 25
Compontii : —
Bri^eron uniflorus, L
Arnica alpina, Lncst
Antennana alpina, L
Taraxacum officinale, var. I
palustre, D. C >
(B. salinum, E. Meyer) J
MattricAria iaodora,Tar. nana
Jnae 30
May 25
Hay 20
June 23
May 20
July
July
1 July
20 July
Aug. 20
Sept. 1
Remarks.
Co
Growing in Tery damp
soil.
Aug. 18 Aug. 26
Aug.
Aug.
15
Aug.
Aug.
6 Aug.
10 Aug.
Sept.
3eptV
Aug.
14| .iug.
2i Sept.
6 Sept.
June 26; June 30 Aug. 19 Aug. 36
June 26!Jaty 7 Aug. 20 Sept 6
June 18 Jaly 1
Aug. 29
Jane 3 June 22; Aug. 6
July 5 July 7
I
July 1 July 15
June 10
Jane 1
July 1
June 30
June 27
May 26
June 3
Juna 1
June 28
July 5
June 10
Jane 20
July
July
June
July
July
Juna 28
July 10
July 12
June 22
Sept. 1
Aug. 20
Aug. SiSept. 1
3<.>pt. 5 Sept. 9
Aug. 27
Aug. 20
Aug. 16
Sept. 3
Aug. 26
Aug. 25
Aug.
Aug.
27
3«
Sept. 3
Sept. 13
Aug. 35
Sept 8
Sept. 8
Aug. 31
Be
Se
Sept. 16.— Soma laavea
•till green.
Sapt 6.— Some laavea
itill green.
P
P
E
8i
Ji
G
Sept.
Sept.
Aag. 12 Aug. 12
July 4 Aug. ISept 6
July 38l.
• Meaaa**
81
ted to tho
1 those in
individual
[)od where
arks.
very damp
Som* laavei
I.
iome iMves
1.
List <»f Pf^ants — Oon^'ni/f/.
Campanulaeen .•—
Cauipaniilu iiniHora, L
Frieite:i : —
V'Hcruiium iilijiinosum, L . .. i fune ISlJunp 35
V. Vitia-ltlii*, L May 20 June 1
Ca83ioi)e totr<ip''>na I June
ArctoitHjiliylos alpina. Sjir... June
[ieiluTii vnl'Mrp, Ii
U:ape:i7.iit La]ij>uii.ca, L
May
July 7
July 1
AUR.
25 Sept, 10
31 i}e|)t. 10
June ir>'June 25'Au(r
Jun« 22
Tunc 1
Juni' 22lAi.j;{
26
31
Mny 16
16
Pyrol ft minor \,
Rhodo loiiJr. n Liipponicjra.L
Borraoiniic i,v : — I
MiTleniiii inmitima, Don 'Juue
Scropluilnriace:' : —
PediculnriH lltintuoft, L
P. Lf\nK3do!lfii, viir. lanatn
A. Or
P. Iiirsuln, L
P. Lappuuicft, L
Julv llAiig.
20'Juiit; llJulv llAui?.
I I '
May ^fl.Fuly loiAup;.
May 25 June 25 Sept
June
June
July
Plumhag'nac'n : —
Armcria vulgaris, Willd
Polygonacen' : —
UxyriadipyriH, Hill ; (rcnifor-
tnif, Ho' k)
Polygonum viviparum. L ....
Enipctraeex : —
Eojpetrum nigrum, L
June 22
Lei-es ri'main Rrncn
t rnii(:!]..ut tbo wiotiT.
Fruit !i)f8 not tall
uii'il si'iiiij;.
Sept. 5 LenvcH fniain green
dufinif 111- winter.
Ln'i.'" ', 'Virilities of tlie
fruit ot thia plant is
••mI -ri iiy Kdkiiuo.
31 Sept. 6|Soin>r 1. jupj are preen
lLr.uji;h)Ut the winter.
Sept. 61
Sept. 10
Sejit. 11
26 •^('pt. S
July 5 Aug. 25
June 15 June 22
July 5;july 12
Tune JO
Juno 20
July n
June 30
June 10
Jun« 15
July n
Salicacfic :—
Salix herb»c..a, L.
Juncaeem : —
Luzula campestria, Sm. var.
(congcbia) iJune
June
Juue
June
June
Ci/peraceir ; —
Carex alpina, Sw
Eriophorum polystachyon, L.
E. TBginatura. »..•
Oramineir ; —
Poa laxa, R. Br
P. pratensis, var Maj
Elymus mollia, Trin May
Alopecurns alpinus, L jJune
Rierochloe alpina, u^ June
Festuca brevitolia, R. Br. ?.. - June
Trisetnm eubspicatum, ran'
molle, A. Gr ,June
156-3
June 16
June 22
July e
Jnne 15
July 1
July 10
Aug. 20
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
12
Aug. 28
Aug. 25
Aug. 18
10, Aug. 20
2ti
Aug. 31
June 22 July
July 1 July
June 22
July 10
July 16
June 13
June 1
June 20
Juue 22
July 1
Jane 25
July 10
July 16
July 16
July 10
July 16
July 16
Aug. 30
Aug. 30
Aug. 31
Sept. 11
Sept. 1
Sept. 10
Sept. 10
Aug. lOlAug. 28
July 25
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
Sept.
24
28
25
3
Aug. 31
Sept. 5
Sept. 8
Sept. 1
Sept. 10
Sept. 1
Sept. 8
Sept. 8
Wiiere .-flielterod tliie
)ilnnt rt'Uiains green
until St'i.t. 30.
Sept. 20. -Some blades
still green.
82
List of Plants — Concluded.
Lin of Plants ::i Vatural
UrdiT.
In Bud.
In
Leaf
In
Flower.
Seeda
Ripe.
Wither-
ing.
Remarks.
Filictx ■—
Ai>i'iium ^Laitreu) fra>;rara3,
hw.
June 1
June 30
June 1
June 30
Sept. 10. — Leaves still
green.
Sept. 10.— Leaves still
green.
Cystojiteiis franilis, Bomb ....
LjICfJ'O Unc'ir. ,—
l.\'ci):i'>diiitii BplAf^o. L..
• ■■••■••»* •
Al<i:r :-
Fuciia redicHlosiis, L
LaniiriHriu SHOctj'iiina, L
iXlftrmSj).. possibly A. niar-
^'t!!iHtn, I'ostellij and Ru-
Ijrecht
CbeeK.niorpha Piquotiana,
Mont. ...
Pholympnia paliiiata, L
^
Ptilota serriiia
Ulva laiiaaiiua, L
NOTBS.
Sth MaiH h — Licu . xjiobod to the •■iin, new t-how signs of life, thoir colours
bccomi»)>; much brighter.
1st Juno, — GrubbeB have made veiy little growth, find few new blados are to bo
seer, though last year's hltulos have giown above ground, and can bo seen making
slow piogresH with withciod points.
10th June. — Up to the jnesent time vegetation ha.s boon very slow, and little
change has taken place in any of the plants.
Fiom llih to ^2nd June, all plant lilo appeiirod to make rapid strides, but after
the latter date few plants i-howcd any growth until lOlh July wben marked changes
took plac o,
9th ."^^eptembor. — Vorv few plar^ts have put forth un}^ new leaves since their
seeds wore ripe, hut many remained green ULtil the lirst cold nights. Now, however,
nearly all have withered or are withering, the leaves in many instances taking tho
bright au'.umnal tints that ate i^oen in lower latitudes.
It IS very noticeable that tho growth of the plants is very much more forward
at all times, near tho lino of high water along tho coast, than at a distance of several
hundred feet from it.
FlioH, which are very numerous here, evidently share very largely with the beo
in fertilizing, as they may oUon be fcecu crowding about tho blofsoms of different
plants in large numbort-.
On 26th May, by way of experiment, a piece of sandy loam was prepared in a
well-expobcd ( otition, ami peas, spinach, turnips and garden cress wore sown.
On 2 'nd June, peas, turnips and cress were well ubovo ground, whilst the seeds
of tho hjjinach had scarcely germinated.
On 7lh July a few spinach plants wore just ah)vo ground ; tho peas were about
five ii.cbos high, while there was no perceptible change in either turnips or cress.
]So further charges o^ growth of any of these plants were noticeable during the
remainder of the summer.
83
Hekiiits 01" Eskimo.
I iippond tho following hoitjlits of liaUimo us Ihoy rnay bj of ^l^o t) those
intore>lO(i in tho cubject.
When moHHUred, tlio Kikimo wore nativo b).Aii mid HOcks, meusuriiig In all
.il)ont threo-r-ighthsof !iii inch in tiiifkrK"^H.
Men.
Women.
/(.'Pi
Estiiiiiitcd.
Feet.
IncliPS and Half
In lica
Etiiniiteil.
1
F.et. 1
5
4
r.
4
6
laclios and llulf
36
38
45
40
36
37 ,
33
48
88
38
3)
5
fi
B
6
6
5
S
6
6
6
6
P
3
2H
V6
30
1
9
■
9
1-
F. F. PAVNK.
Observer In Charge, Stupart's Bai/ S'alion, and A&sistant
Meteorological Service of Canada,
HEPORT BY ROBKRT BELL, B.\.Sr., M.I>.. LL.D , ASSl.^TANT DIRirjTOR
OF THE GKOLOGICAL SURVKY OF CANADA.
Sin— I havo tho honour to Puhmit tho following report on cortuin scientific
mattcrs'in connection with tho liaison's Buy Expodilion of lS8t!, ami in roi,'ard to
tho rchiill8 of iho examinations which huvo been made (d rocks and ores collecled
around tho Bay and Straits by myself, or which hivo been hardod to rno by olhors
in addition to what waw contained in my roports on th'3 hxpcdition of IhSi ana l»uO
as to tho ideology and oyonomic minerals of theso regions.
I havo tho honour to bo, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
ROBERT BELL.
To Licutenarit A. H. Gordon, R N.,
Commanding Hudson's Bay Expeditions.
ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE GEOLOGY OF THE NORTH-WEST COAST
OF HUDSON'S BAY.
In tho last report which I hal tho honour of Pubmittir.ir to the Minister of \Iarine
and Fisheries, it was stated that from Seal River northward to Hskimo loint, a
distance of about 140 statute railos tho co.tst wa^ low, with tho exception ot an
occasional isolated hill, probably of drift, and thiit the.;o wa. no roa^on t> bolieve
that this interval is occupied by nea-ly horx.ontal Sil.tnan sti-ata, similar to o,e
which uudorliotho section between Nelson Jiiv.r and Capo Churchill. A. iiikimo
156 -6i
84
Pt)ii)t n rocky NhoioiH f^nid to hcgin,ard to extend, with pomo inttirrnptioiiH, north
VMul to ('hotoifkld Iiilt 1, :i (li'tnt.fo of nlioiu ISO ^tatll(o rci'f-^'. It wii-> nN't in"n-
tioncd thut tho ua-Uh of thin |iart of tho coast would nppcnr to conei't pn'ruipnlly of
a variety of ^ohi.stH which caiinot ho distinguinhod from thono wo Imvo clah.-<od with
ah Iltironiai). I have received liuin a iilcrd u nioi-t intcrc.-«lin:: collection of lilhohv
gical hpccimenH, whir-h, at my requcKt, ho had broken from the fixed r cks at iiurnor-
OHM jioints :.K'tig tho const from K^lcimo Point all tho way to Chestorficld Inlot.
Ttikon nt- a whole thoiso ro<k H|;cc.itrionH indicate the lluronian pories, and fiom tho
gicut extent (d <;o:ist whi( h they occupy, it may be inferred thut they al-o extend
inlatui and cover u largo guo^rajihical area. Wo havo HOmc independent evidence
also that ihirt is tho case. Kxamplcs of Lauicntian rocks secra to be ab^ont from the
colKclion, but homo of tlio s)n.'ii:nenH nuiy belong to tho intermediate formation,
which 1 have de^('rlbcd as oju n;r between tho lluronian and iho MuiiItoMtiiick or
Nipigon fcjrmations on the I'^astniain Coa^t. Tho lluronian .seriew is tho principal
rojxJHitory of economic minerals in tho region of tlio Groat Lukes and Hud-(MiVBay.
Marble li-land, lying oil thut part of tho coa^t under coHHicIei^tion, was examined in
18^4, and found to corsint of whiMrli qiiart/,it<. s, liko those of Lako Huron, hh
dctciibed in ray rejiort for that year.
Tho following lint of the rocks in tho colioolion above referred to is conf^ldorod
worth inserting hero, aH it all'ords tho only ovidcnco aw yot avuiiabio in rcgaid to tho
geolog}' of an e::tensivo con.-t, which promisor to bo important from ati economic
poiiit <d'view, iit d well woriliy ot caritul ixanii'ialiKU : —
Chloritic bchi^t, dark grey chorty schist, hard dark argillaceous Hlatc, linely rib-
boned hornblende atd qui.itz sclii'-t, imjiorfocl gllci^:^ dark silicious breccia with
caki-par, daik-gnen cryst.dlinc yyrosero rock,i4urk (diocolato colonrid accouKargill-
ctouH sandstone wilh coiuhoida! lr:;cl\ire, calc^par vcin-Hroncs, scmi-tranHlucont white
qnaitz, rod n]iiitOol' medium t< xtuie. ratl."r liiiegrained grey granite, gTydi(irilo, con-
sisting of liLdil (cln'ircd h l'])ar and dark hrinblendo in small iii.-tin(r! cr^^iaN', giving it
an eveii una fjitii}' sjiockled iip(Kurance, fine-grained ho;nbiendo svbistH, grc'er:stones,
quarlz and opidolo ro^dc, light grey oour.^o-griiined «ands*ono altered to quuttzitc
and hol'iing frjigments of indurated red sbalo, compact banded white quartz rock
with ciystalfl of iion pyrilcs in somo of tho iuycis, light quartzito like that, of Marble
Iwland, grey felsites, cij-stallino hornblcrde- rock, diorito, consisting of compact white
feldspar with l(*ng crys!;;!^ of daik hornblende, banded gi'oy hornblende and (piartz-
lock wilh HOmo layers ajiproachirig chert, miciisi'hists of difi'oiont kinds, mixol horn-
blendo and mica-schist, chocolato-colourcd porphyry with flc,sh-c(dcurcd crystals of
felspar and grains of cloar <iuartz. granulito, re(i jaspar with dull fracture, hard
browcish-rcd sandstone, groy lolsitii- quaitzilo with lenticular patches of daik mica-
Hchist, chloritic schist, tho granular iron pyrites associated with dark greenish schist
above referred to, sovernl hqndreds of cubes of iron pyrites, mostly small, taken from
a dark gloesy schist, quartz veinstone with largo scales of light-coloured mica
together with garnets, calcspar veinstone with embedded crystalH of quartz and hav-
ing groy steatitlc rock adhering to it, also a veinstone of quartz containing silky
radiating aggregates of hornbloude and a few specks of calcspar and iron pyrites ;
some greenish schist is attached lo this specimen. A loose piece of brown-weather-
ing dolomite with reticulating strings of white quartz was found on Marble Island.
Tho bulk of tho primitive Laurontian System in the northern parts of the
Dominion consists of massivo and very crystalline varieties of gneiss, generally much
contorted and seldom exhibiting much regularity of arrangeipent over large areas.
In some of the more northern regions of the country, however, as in the Counties of
Frontenac, Lanark, Renfrew, Ottawa and Argenteuil, certain sub divisions may he
recognized and traced by their persistence and individuality of character for consia-
erable distances. It is in such portions of tho System that economic minerals such
as crystalline limestone, iron ores, graphite, sheet mica, iron pyrites and phosphate
of lime are met with, and hero also we find a variety of species of minerals which
have not been observed among the massive contorted gneisses referred to.
On the north side of Hudson's Straits in the neighbourhood of Turenno Island
85
an
tlu:ro is tijipfi'Tiitly a ivcurr^-rvo cf thoso m )i-o intoi-o-'in.; ami potliap^ iiowor vari-
oliort of Liiiifoiitaii r(K k^. ISpeoiincriH c-f all I'lio ci'omr.ni.- niir oials Jisi. namuil, except
phosphatoof iiinu, liavo Ij'Jimi brought to ii-omhurs of t!i<' Kxiiclit'i'in liy Iho'iialivoH
of lliii vi(-iiiity wli't io])ort llioiu n-* ()CL""rii!:.' in al.nii'li'ii'-3. Tlio ;'iu':hsos ii\.n:,' thiit
purl of tho not'li hh-no oxhibil a rL';,'Ui;.nt,y in tli. ii' .Irlkj utid murkt^i aUoriiliMnH of
cbanic'.oi- in dill'oront bolt-', t^uch as aro not ^'oncrally to bu neon n ibo tun lb. Ft may
bo .vorlh liienlioi.iiii,' in r^'foionco lo tbis suKjvL t!iat .-v cy^t.;! (,f ^) liotio an im b in
diuniotcr wuh obLainud from an K>kimj wb) had l")aiid it vn Ibo mainland opp' -ito
Tiireiuio Island.
If waK mentioned in my i-opori f u- l-St that a s[iL'citnon of ^r,.,.y;;,i, ciy>tar.ino
limoHlorjo wttH pi'dtod up near A.>^b(i'-« Iiilot. Tiiri'tino NIa'd, wliii-.ii lusars a vo v il so
rosoiublaiioo to a variety common in tbo Lmronli'in hnds of tbo Oltuwa Valley.
Since tl at time Mr. IlnlVniinn b'ls carefully cx.'imincd ;bi-i s|»'cin,i.'n a,,d f.Mti I '>{ to
contain roun(b)d strains of a monoelifiic and a tiiclini-' Icl-pui' — iho onca pdtaHfi
fol.-pir, apparently orthoclaso, and tbo otbor u 'ioJadimo t'oispur, pioljably oIi^ocltt.so.
On tub Occi'RKENCK OF GoLi) AND SiLVi'.u i.v IIldson's Dw ,\ni) Stiiaits.
In 1S77 I bioii<;bt specimens of iron pyrite-t from a -m, ill vein c ittini^ f^nciss on
u point about one mile Houth of the month of (Jroat Wba'o li ^'or, on tbo east roast of
tho Hay, about latitude 5r»° 17', in which Dr. Harrinirlon, ibon cbivn st to the Gco-
logiial Surve}', discovered both gold and silver, by asKjty. Ho also found both theso
metals in h-niall qnai.titit'8 in iron pyrites which I took f'lom veins in iho bluish t^roy
doloniito foimiti^ Dog Island, close to tho land, a few miles north of tho Ca))e Jones
of tho Kastm.'iiii Coast. In 1^85 I obtained from tho north west co:ist of Hudson's
Bay, an angular specimen of crystalline granular iron pyrites, containing grains of
quartz and uppatoiitly broken from a largo vein. Thu friend who prosonted it to
mo had obtained it at tho iuij' north of tbo Cajio Jones of that dOKt. and which forms
tho southon horn fd Kankin Inlet, not far south \vo>t of Marble Island. It has been
assayed by Mr. G. C. IloiVmann, now cti>'mist to tho Geologicfd Survey, and found to
contain a trace of gold and '2A}1 of an ounce of silver to the ton of 2,'iUO lbs.
In 18S0 Professor James Tonnant, of King's Collcgo, London. h;id submitte 1 to
him some rock speoimens from Kepulso Buy, at the head (d Roe's Welcome, a north-
ern (xlensi(<n of Hid-on's I'ay. ilechsciibos one of those spociniims as "quartz
coloured by oxiJo of iron and ccntaming minute particles of gold." From Tennant's
doHcription of tho few specimens ho obtained from this locality, I bhould ..adgo tho
rocks thoie to correspond with those of the ordinal y Iluroni.m bands north west of
Lako Superior, in which free gold has albo been found in .several places
On tho Easlmain Coast (as stated in previous reports) a few tons of galena havo
been extracted Irorn tho load-bearing band of dolomito about three mi'os north-east
of tho nudson'tt Bsy Company's trading post at the mculh of Littlo Whale liivop.
This one was found by Dr. Harrington to contain 5 104 ounces of siher to tho ton of
2,000 lbs. Galena occurs in larger masses in similar dolomito on tbo south side of
the entrance to Richmond Gulf. A naraplo of this oro yielded 13 03 ounces of silver
per ton to tho same assay or.
The small island in tho northwestern part of tho Ott.awa Group (lalitudo 50° 48',
longtitudo 80° 14) in tho north-eastern part of Hudson's Bay, on which I landed in
iSftd, was found to consist of a dark grccni.^h grey dioiito. A small vein, consisting
of an intimate mixture of plagiocKaso and calcite with a few specks of iron and copper
pyrites, cuts this rock. A sample fiom it has boon assayed by Mr. G. C. Hoffmann,
chemist to tho Geological Survey, and found to contain distinct traces of gold, along
with Or,!) of an ounce of silver to the ton of 2,000 lbs.
Tho gneiss near tho observatory station at StuparL's Bay (south side of IladsOD's
Straits) is cut by veins of white sub translucent to translucent quartz, carrying iron
pyrites and sometimes much stained with hydrated peroxide of iron. A sample
made up of fragments from some of these veins, assayed by tho same gentleman, con-
tained a trace of gold but no silver.
86
A vein cutting Iho gncissattho obsorvutory station at Port Bur woU was dorcribcd
in my report for 18S4.
Tlio gaugo of thiH vein consists of a greyish-whito trunsluccnt quartz, with which
is associated tv little tjarito, carrying small quantities of iron ]>yritos. Some of thi.
fragment?* colioclcd were stained and coated with hydrateJ peroxide of iron, and
some of the crystals of quirtz ih ihis vein had a Lright rod colour. On assay by Mr.
Hoffmann it yielloJ a Iraco of gold but no silver.
A specimen of quarlz was obtained from a vein said to ho of considerable si/,o on
the soutii side df Nachvak Inlet, opposite Skynncr's Cove, on the northern Labrador
coast, and foun i by Mr, Hoffmann to contain a trace of gold and -Oil of an ounce of
bUvcv to the ton of 2,000 lbs. The quartz was of a white sub-translucent variety,
seamed and in part stained with hydrated peroxide of iron.
The oppr)nunities heretofore aiVorded for the searching after economical min-
erals in Hud- oil's Bjy and Straits, have been few and very limited. For the most
part they 1 avo ben moi'cly casual or else accessory to other explorations. Prom
the examinations of the liiht few yoais, ho\rcvcr, some idea may be formed of the
general geological condi;ior:s of these ro;,'Ions at;(i of the nature and distribution of
the rock fui man'ons ; and these were outlined in my report of last year, published hy
the Honourable ilij AIini>ter of Marir.o and Fi>-hrrics. The localities, and, to some
extent, the diht/ibution of the more like'y rocks to alibrd the precious metals having
now been a>cci tair.od, ai.d their actual j)rohcnce, in a number of cases, demonstrated,
further sofireh may bo jnorc advaritu^eously carried on, and there is little doubt these
metals will hoicaltcr be found in lander quantities in the above regions.
IS'OTES 0\ ICP,1{ER(;S AND FlELD-ICE,
The phenomena relating to ioeborga and fiold-ice are of so much interest and
importance in various wys thut. some ob-iorvations •^:hich I made on these subjects
while connoctod with iho Hudson's B.ty fixpodiiions, and communicated to the Koj'al
Society of Candida at its hist meeting, mav bo considered worth embodying in the
present report.
Icehcrgs. — During the last two summers, the writer, while accompanying the
Government expeditions to Hudson's Strait, made by the steamships " Neptune" and
" Alert," enjoyed excellent opportunities for observing icebergs, which, for weeks,
were the most common objects to bo seen from tho vessels. A stream of bergs,
several hundreds of miles wide and about tw^o thousand miles long, comes constantly
souihwaid. These floating islands of ice are more abundant at some seasons than at
others, but they are never absent. Upwards of one hundred may often bo counted
from a ship's deck at tho same time. When we consider tho mass of each of those
innumcrablo bergs and tho constancy with which they corao floating on, wo must be
struck with tho almost inconceivable amount of ico which is every year brought to
tho edge of tho Gulf Stream. What becomos of this enormous quantity of ice ? Most
seamen will tell j'ou it sinks cm striking tho warm waters. This, of course, is impos-
sible, but tho rapid disappoarantre of the bergs after reaching tho banks of Newfound-
land does not seem to have been fully accounted for. Up to this time they do not
appi ar to have undergone any marked alteration or rapid reduction in size in tho
course of their voyage southward. When one happens to becorao stranded on the
coast of Labrador or Newiounc*land, it will remain for months, even under the sum-
mer sun, with but little diminution in bulk, until some day it starts ofi' again with a
high tide, and a stiong wind favouring its departure.
The temperature of the interior of icebergs is probably a good deal bolow 32'^
Fah. While forming parts of glaciers in the Arctic regions, they have remained for
a^es at the low temperature of these high latitudes, and owing to their great mass,
they would gain heat slowly in the short summers. It is well known that each berg
is surrounded by a wide zone of cold water, and that in thick weather the proximity
of ono of them to a ship may bo discovered by h:iuling a bucket of water on dock
and testing it with a thermometer. As tho berg moves south with tho ocean cur-
rent, it carri^es its chilly z)no with it, like a planet surrounded by its atinoaphore.
8/
do.-c.'ibct;
ivith whicli
)mo of iJu,
iron, and
my by Mr.
b!e &izo on
Labrador
n ounco of
variety,
mical min-
r the most
Qs. From
mod of tho
i but ion of
bliwhedby
d, to sorao
als having
lonstratcd,
oubt these
torcst and
^Q puhjects
the lioyal
^ing in Iho
inying tho
tune" and
for vvcoks,
of berjjfs,
:joiiPta)itly
ns than at
)o counted
h of thoeo
must be
)ronght to
I'e ? Most
, in impos-
rowfound-
oy do not
se in tho
ed on tho
' the riura-
.in with a
olow 32'^
lainod for
oat mass,
jach berg
roximity
r on dock
cean cur-
loaphoro.
The Gulf Stream sproiulu itoolf on tho Rurfaoe of tho Aroiic Cnrront, and t'lwanl'j its
edge it is probably not deep. Tho borg, extending down to a yroiit depth, is b »rno
with comparative rapidity into tho opposite-flowing warm surfaco-curront. Tho
zone of very cold water, which until now has romainod around tho borg, is immedi-
ately swept away, expos «g its surface suddenly to a temperature, perhais 'Mr I'ah.
warmer than it has ever experienced before. This rapid cbango would, no doubt,
cause tho ico to crack and fall to pieces in a very short time. Tho boig, ligh toned
abovo, would rise, and so bring up now parts of tho old ico to bo acted upoa by the
warm water, whifh would alw.iy^ li.-. i -creasing in depth. The frcnh siirf-co ot tho
frairni' nts of the b-^rg, having Um low tcmporaturo of its interior, would bo in\mo-
dialoly acted on in tho stimo wny, imd 'hc-«o woiiM, in ihoir tnrn, bocorro fiactiirod
over :irid over .-igain, until tho wiiolo m;iss was redu(-.'(l to a in.iltiMidu '^rstnull jtiocoH,
floating; on the sniface of'thi! warm wa'.er, with warm air jihivn \t. Ah llioy become
BCatterod .'ib uf, the process of tractming, owin;,' to tho ci)nti ".t in tcmporaliiros,
would continue to ;:o on, atcl t!iu8 ovoi y trace ot th« berif wo'ill ijuickly vani.-h. In
order to te^^t the bohavionr of ice at a low toniiior.iture. wh "i siulilonly itn!ncrm>d in
warm water, tho (ollowlnic exjicimont was p' rtorrTicd in O'a'.va on 'ivih February,
1885 A ]iicoo of ice, wciuliini^ ab')ut ton pmn's, which iia I boon tVo.^ly o:<t'Ortod
to the otitor air, having thou a tomporatuns of 5" Fah,, was hiought into tho houso,
wrapped in a fur rut' to protnct it from the heat, and plunged into a batli of water
at a temperuturc of 81° F;ih. Tnstaiitly, it bc::;a!i to crack i'l all dnectio'if', with dis-
tinct detonations, which could bo heard ;ti all parts of tho vdixti. In explanation of
tho fact that icebergs are occasionally met with far south of thoir u-nal limit, it may
bo sng:r( sled tha* these have bi'cn retarded by stranding or by ^jalos ff wind near
the Nowf'ound'ar.d coast until thoir temperature has loon r^u-'l ; and that then,
flor.tinjij south-westward near tho land, they have afterwards been curried out towards
mid-ocean b)' tho Gulf Stream.
It is supposed by some that ieeb'^riTs have been the moan-i of transporting vast
quantities of earth and rocky materials from north to south in former geological
times, and that this action is still t^oirg on. There does imt, liownver, seem to bo
much foundation lor Rueh speculations. Out of tho threat number of bergs seen during
tho two voyages above rcfencd to, only a few bad any tci-cign matter, or even marks
of discolouration upon them. It was rema-ked that to\vards tho entrance to Hudson's
Strait, cases of tho kirul were most troiiuent am 'njr th.o b.^'gs furthest cast. In the
event of a beru carrying such matter, it would naturally be'O'no more vjsibl o as the
surface molted by tho sun's heat on coming soutli, and if any woro prescrit, it should
be perceptible bv the timo the I>org reached tho latitude of Cap*' Ifjcc ; j-et, oat of
large numln^r whi di may often bo seen from the dc( !v of an Atlantic steamer near
this eaj.e, it is vo?y seldom that one is noticed carrying any oMi-th or stones. It
would, therefore, appear that icebergs have j)^avcd only a small part in tho trans-
jjortation of boulders or oarth during either i'ost-Plioccrio or moii.rii times.
/'Ve/f/ /ct.'.— This, which wo bad amj^Io opportut.itics of ob^civji t,' on tho two
voyages referred to, appears to be a moro important agent in tlie tiu'sportoi (.'arthly
mutter. Tho northern lands of tho Dominion are so divided by 'he ^ea as to give
an immcn.-o length of coast line. Thi-- is all favourable to tho fo'io iiion ot tho vast
quantities (,f ice which cneumt'or the shores in spring. In nianv parts whero the
land iH high ar.d steep, quantitities of du-t and small jiieces of lo k are blown, cut
upon the ico 1 y ihe gales in winter. Landsliiies acd avalanches j.recipita'o (•••arser
debris from the steep mountain sides upon tho ico below. This is tie* ca.-^e, e-pecially,
in tho long fj nds in Northern Labrador. In tho spring, earth, gravel and stones
are carried u]»on it by tlu* ton-ents formed by tho meltini: of siu)v. When the sun
has loosened this ice sulli'-,iently from ttio shore, tho next sp: ins.: t de carries it away.
In shallow bays with high lilies, such as Ungava Biy, tho ice-pans which float in
durin«r the autumn and rest against the low shores, become imprognatei with the
sand and mud. which frteze to the sides at low tide and are incorporated in them as
they inereabo in size during tho winter. In ih^ middle of summer, tho surface hav-
ing i jawed, tho whole of this ico becomes " f j> y," as it is termed, or shows discolour-
88
ati(»n. Many of the pans arc complotoly co7oroi wiUi rauJ. Hand, i^ravol and stones.
Shells and hoa-wooda may also bi ob-<orved on sorno of thera, and all ha70 received
rrioio or lofs du-t, whioh (ronerally gives them a brownish or greyish colour. When
a pan is suddonly ovortui iied, this gives lis-o lo a dense clou i m the clear sea water.
Field i(o would thoroforo ai>j)oar lo be a muro important agent in transporting
earthly matter than icoboi'gs It has been imagined by some that the smoothing
and rounding of tbe rocks, whicli may often bji observeJ on the shores of the Arctic,
and sub-Arctic regions, is largely due to a chating action of ice of this class. There
seems to be little ground, hi)wevor, for this assuinption. When the field-ice pack^
againt-t the shore, it is seldom tossed by the wave-* of the sea, which are entirely
broken down by a compiratively narrow tiuld, no much so, that the sealing vessels
are accustomed to run inio su«h ico t\)v shelter, and alicr they have penotratod a short
distance, they are considered safe. Ice of this kintl does not shove or pile itself on
shore, pushing up the bouldor.•^ and gravel in front of it, like the ice of our rivers
when thoy break up in the spring. On the contrary, it always appears to lie quietly
and easily against the shore. This is probably owing to the fact that the opea
spaces between the pans allow of a great amount of compression aud adjustment,
thus relieving the pressure, which is seldom directly against the shore. Indeed, it
sometimes happens that the ice will unaccountably leave the shore against the wind.
Dr. Franz Boas of Berlin has observed that in Baffin Land the accumulation of
ico in narrow chunnela, through which the tide swoops, incroasos the strength of the
current, which sometimes runs with great velocity. In one place, under sucih cir-
cumstances, he observed that the stones, bo:ilders, and finer debris were sot in
motion and bored out what he calls giant-kettles in solid granite. Similar kettles
were seen at this locality, high above the present sea level, showing that the same
action had be"" going on in past agps. Tbis observation recalled to the writer the
fact that, more than twenty years ago, ho noticed great pot-holes on the top of the
high limestone cliffs on the east side of the isthmus separating Manitowaning Bay
from South Bay on Manitoulin Island, Lake Huron. The s'.irfaca of the rock in the
vicinity is destitute of soil, bat the earth which had accumuUtod in the bottom'} of
these pot-holes, supported trees, and these, growing out of the deep pits^ presented a
very curious appearance.
Notes on the Exthaobdinary Darkness op the 29tii ok August in Hudson's Bay
AND Stbaits.
Captain Gordon has referred to the phenomenal darkness which ocourred on the
night of the :^,'th of August when the *' Alert " was in the vicinity of Gape Wolstao-
holnao. So complete was the obscurity that it was imp>ssib'o lo s.ie objects only a
ft-w inches from one's eyes. Mr. Wood worth reports from Diggos Island that during
the day the air had a smoky or hazy app-sarance. but it was not particularly marked
and on the 29th a heavy rain, lasting from 3 to II p. m., had the effect of clearing
the atmosphere.
Mr. Percy Woodworth, the observer at Laporriere's Harbour, on Di^s;e^ Island,
Station No. 6, informed mo that after this rain, the streams near his station, which
are usually very clear and bright, became perfectly darkened. Ho preserved for me
the water which fell into his rain gauge, between the hours above mentioned, amount-
ing to '5 i of an inch. This water which had a smoky appearance with a greenish
veilow tinge, has been examined both miscroscopically an! chemically with the fol-
lowing results: Mr. Joseph B. Tyrrell, of the Geological Survey reports that under
the microscope it "swarmed with .ffac^ena of the genera SpiriUam, Bacterium and
Bacillus, and contained numerous small round unicellular algse. At the b(itt)m of the
bottle were several masses of mycelial threads. Great numbers of small ciliato in-
fusia were also swarming about through the water."
I am indebted to Mr G. 0. Hoffmann, chemist to the Geological Survey, for the
chemical examination of the water. Ho reports as follows : —
'•Results of a partial qualitative analysis of rain water that fell into rain-gauge
89
Island,
which
for me
ainoant-
roonish
I he fol-
under
urn and
a of the
iate la-
for the
at Station No. 6, between the hourrt of 3 p. ra., and 11 p. m. (about) on the 29th
day of August, 1836.
" The amount 60 c.c, of water was far too tmall to admit of any quantitative
determinations. As handed to mo it had a <.n'oeni8h-yellow colour, a mouldy smell
and contained a pnod deal of suspended matter, apparently organic.
" The suspended matter having been examined by Mr. J. B. Tyrrell, was on
this occasion disregarded. It was filtered off. The filtered water was eicaminod
by Mr. E. B. Keniick and found to contaia vory small quantities of the following
acids and bases :
" Acids — Hydrochloi ic, nitrous.
" Bases — Potash, soda, ammonia, lime.
" Note I. — Changes h«d, doubtless, occuiTod in the water since the time of its
collection.
" Note 11.— (1) Nitric acid is commonly present in rain-water, chiefly in com-
bination with ammonia, (i) Nitrous acid is also present in rain-water. (3) Bain*
water, perhaps always, contains a small amount of organic substance. (4) Rain-
water tomolimes contains a very small amount of hydrochloric acid, sodium or
calcium chloride and other saline 6ub-»tances."
I have received a letter from Mr. William Woods, meteorological observer at
York Factory, on the opposite side of Hudson Bay, dated 10th December, 1886, in
which he remarks : " At York, on 28th August, wo had great darkness, partly owing
to the smoke that was around ; but wo had very little wind lill Monday the 30th,
when wo had a gale of considerable force. Wo had a very high tide, fully 10 feet
above the highest tide that I have seen at York Factory, with one exception, and
then the tide exactly rose to the same height, namely, 10 feet above an ordinarily
high tide."
It may be interesting to remark, in connection with this subject, that \n the
region around Hudson Bay, or between it and the Great Lakes, almost ever" year
since 1869 i have observed a marked disturbance in the weather about the oiid of
August or beginning of September, generally accompanied by a liazy atmosphere
and either rain or enow, the latter always disappearing again. Immediately after
these snow-falls a distinct smell, like that of ozone, could always bo perceived in the
woods. Letters afterwards received from the interior of the Labrador peninsula
gave accounts of corresponding weather which had been experienced there two or
three days later than in the country west of James' Bay.
List op Plants from Nottingham Island, Hudson's Straits.
Collected by Mr. John McKenzie, B.A.Sc, Observer at Station xYo .5, and determined by
Frolessor J. Macoun, Boiaw'st of the Geological Suruey.
1. BanuDCulus nivalis, Linn.
i2. Draba Alpina, Linn.
3. do var. glaciatis, Dickie.
4. Entrema Edwardsii, R, Br.
5. Sllene acaulis, Linn.
6. Lycbinis apetala, Linn.
7. Stellaria longipes var. Edwardsii, T. & G.
8. Cerastium Alpinura, var. Fiacherianum, T. k G.
9. Astragalus Alpinus, Lino.
10. Dryas actopetala, var. integrifolia, Cham. &, Schulet.
11. Saxifraga oppontifolia, Linn.
12. do caspitosa, Linn.
13. do rivuhiris, Linn.
14. do cernua, Linn.
15. do Hirculus, Linn,
16. do tricaspidata, Botz.
17. do ai/.oides, Linn.
90
H. Bpilol)ium latifolium, Linn.
11». Kfi(.;cron unitlorun, Linn.
20. Ory-a'ithemnm integrifolinm, Riohards.
21. Aldtricuiia involiiora, var. nana, Hook.
22. Vacciiiiura uliginoeunn, Linn.
23. Ciissiopo iclraKona, Don,
24. Pyrola rotudifolia, vai-. jiumila, Hook.
25. Mertousia mariliraa, Don.
26. Podicu'aris hirtmta, Linn.
27. Toiyr >Duin viviparuai, Linn.
28. Oxi'j la digyna, Campera.
29. Enti))otrura nig-ium, Linn.
HO. Silin arctica, R Br.
Hi. do lierbacoa, Linn.
H2. Salix chlorophylla, Andora.
:-^3. do reticulata, Linn.
84. Lii/.ala spicota, Dcav.
ti^. Caicx Haxaliii(», Lino.
HG. Alojicm-us Alpinus, Smith.
87. Ferluea ovina, var. brevifolia, S. Wat.
3S. Dupontia Fischeri, ii. Br.
89, Arotogrootifl latifolia, Gris.
40. Triic'tum fiibspicatntn, var. motlc, Gray.
41. Equi<otum scirpoides, Michx.
42. do arvenso, var. seritimus.
43. Lyc'^podium Lela^o, Liun.
4t. Ptilota serrata, KUtz.
EGBERT BELL.
GENERAL REMARKS ON THE NAVIGATION OP HUDSON BAY AND
STRAITS.
HavinEC fi^ w made voyasrcs on Ihroo years to Hudson Straitp, and having care-
fully cxaiiiiii<(l tlio ropons by the obaervers as to the formation and movements of
the ice in ili.d.s(.ii Str.iitw, I have the honour to submit the following statement in
regard to ihc naviginion of these waters.
In discut^i-ini; tiiis quention i think it well to state that I am not required to
repo' I on the ooninu;icial aspect of the caso, and whether Hudson Straits navigation
can lie made to })ay, uor do i, in the seasonal limits given, moan to state that it is
impot<8iblo for a hhip occasionally to get in earlier or leave later; but having care-
fully conbideied the Rubjcd, 1 give the following as the season during which naviga-
tion may, in ordinary years bo regarded as practicable for (ho purposes of commerce;
not, indeed, to the cheaply built Ireight steamer, commonly known as the " Ocean
Tramp," but to ves^sels of about i^,()00 tons gross, fortified for meeting the ice, and
of euch construction as to en.'iblo tiiem to bo fair freight carriers. These vo-^sels must
be well strengthened forward ; should havo wooden sheathing, and be very full under
the counter; the propeller should be of small diameter and be well down in the
water. I place the limit of sizo at about 2,000 tonn, because u larger ship would bo
somewhat unwieldy, could not make such f.,")od way through the loose ice; and
being unable to turn so sharply she would get many a heavy blow, that the smaller
shij) '.v<mld escape.
i consider that the season for the opening of navigation to such vessels as the
above will, on the average, fall between 1st and 10th July. The position and raovo-
ments of the ice I have already discussed, and need not hero repeat. The closing of
the Kcason would bo about th'^ first week in October, partly on account of the descent
of old ice from Fox Channel into the western end of the Straits; this old ice being
91
BELL.
JAY AND
Lving carc-
oraents of
atemont in
•equircd to
navigation
that it is
aving carc-
ich naviga-
commerce ;
be " Ocean
le ice, and
re>;Holfi must
y full under
iown in the
p would be
KO ice ; and
he smallci"
sf^ols na tho
and raovo-
e closing of
(ho descent
1 ico being
rapidly cemortcd into polid floe by the formation of young i':e between tho iKins ; la
each ioe, no ship, however powoii'il, loiild do tmyrhing to free ho-.-se'.f. At this lime,
too, the days are rapi.Jly shortening, urid rtnow-storms are frequent though cot of
great duration,
Tho ti^al current) in Hudson Straitr* add very considerably to tho risk-, of navi-
gation. Those caiTonts vary in velocity from throe to six knots per hour, and the
uncertainty of this effect on ships has already been pcintod out in tho caso ot tho
" Fury " and " Heda." I have myself, when fast in tho ice in thick weather, tried
the ground log, and have made out apparently tho rate and direction in wliich wo
were being carried, but in almost every instance, when wo began to haul in tlio lino,
it fouled some spur of ico beneath, and weights and line together would bo lost.
The last, and indeed the most serious, difficulty that I anticipate is in tbe ftiulty
working of tho compasses, especially about the critical ground off Diggcs Island.
Manscll Island can, under most circuinst;inccs, bo kept clear of by tho loitl, but in
the neighbourhood of Digrgos Idand nothing but the most sleepless vigilance jind the
greatest caution will save a ship from disaster.
Steamships bui.t for the Iludsf a Bay tr.ido would be constructed largely of iron ;
and while it is admitted that it is ' hi^oretically possible to perfectly compensate and
adjust a ship's compass, ho that it shall (provided tho magnetic condition of iho ship
remains unchangid) remain in adjustment, no mutter what magnotic latitude tlie
ship may bo in, in practice it is found not only impossible to so perfectly ailjast tho
standard compass of an iron ship, but that even supposing this to bo done almost
perfectlj'', tho magnetic condition of tho ship is eubjoct to changes, both o.xlonsive
and frequent, arising from so many and widely various causes, that only ropciilod ob-
servations for compass en or can ensure safety.
At tho western end of Hudson's Straits wo are approaching tho Magnetic Polo,
the dip being ?6° at Digges Island. This means great vertical force with Iho hori-
zontal force approaching the vanishing point. Tho horizontal force may bo con
sidored as that portion of tho earth's magnetic force which determines the 'lireclion
of the magnetic needle, when counterpoised so as to hang hori//inially ; tho vortical
force is that which by induction in the iron of tho ship to a great extent titfccts tho
deviation or ship errors. In making a voyage from the United Kingdom to Hud-
son's Bay, tho dip changes from 67° to 81° nearly. The practical meaning of this
is that supposing a residual error of 1° left under corrected on one of tho cardinal
points, when adjusting at Liverpool, this would, inasmuch as tho deviation (^liangos,
roughly speaking, wiih tho tangent of tho di|), havo bo^'ome an orror of G° when the
ship had gone to a place where tho dip was 87°.
Further, in an iron ship any severe concussion chantcos the magnetic condition
of tho bhip, hence when working through ice constant cliaiiges would hj tr.king placo
in the ship's attraction, and, consequently, in tho compass errors.
I am lurther of opinion that in an iron ship, making tho voyaee hetwoon, say
Liverpool and Hudson's Bay, on arrival off tho western end of tho Straits, iho com-
pass will not work.
£ ] jether I consider tho navigation of Hudson's Straits as being more than
ordinarily difficult, with shores inhospitable and bleak, presenting such a i)icture of
loneliness and desolation, that it takes some time to go', a iistoraod to it, Tho only
safety in thick weather lies in the constant uso of the lo.id and keeping; a bright
lookout, as tho dead-reckoning is frequently in error to a considerable extent.
SURVEYINQ.
I have already noticed the work done at York and Churchill thi-^ year, and
plans of these places accompany this report. In addition to this, tho g< o :raphical
position of several points has been determined, and short pieces of coa-t lino out-
lined as opportunities were afforded in tho cour^e of tho voyage. Copies of the
charts and plans, together with the results of tidal observations, will be forwarded
hereafter.
92
Before closing my report, I desire to acknowledge the highly satisfactory way
in which every officer and man belonging to the ship and expedition performed
their duties. Strict discipline was maintained on board, and the work which was
frequently most labourious was at all times performed with alacrity and cheerfulness.
As to future work on Hudson's Straits and Bay I have already pointed out in
the portion of the report dealing with the resources of the region, that it is desirable
a Government vessel should annually visit that region for the purpose of regulating
the fisheries, &o. ; such a vessel enabling the surveying work to be continued for one
or two more seasons would go far to make the charts sufficiently accurate for the
recognition of the coast line, and would probably also get a large amount of valuable
sounding work done in this western end of the Straits, where it would be of the
greatest value to navigation.
I have now to conclude this my third report on Hudson's Bay work, and trust
that my endeavours to carry out your instructions, and the discussion of the results
of our observations, may meet with your approval.
All of which is respectfully submitted
By yorr obedient servant,
ANDREW E. GORDON,
LieuU E. N., Comd'g H. B. Expedition.
tory way
lerformed
hioh was
erfulDoas.
sd oat in
dosirablo
ovulating
)d for one
3 for the
if valuable
i)e of the
and troBt
he resalts
oedition.
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.
94
Table I.— Abstract of Meteorological Observations at Belle lale, Labrador,
Months.
1886.
October ....
November ,
'December..
1886.
January
February ...
March •
April.,
May ,.
June
July -
August
September.,
Temperature.
u
tn
cs
Sola
^1
Year.
38-19
27-20
12-33
14-71
11-55
16-64
2.J 16
37-69
47 21
49-97
46-78
41-71
30-58
35-89
27-52
12-21
14-58
11-34
16-84
24-65
38-18
47-24
50 3T
4T-26
42-17
30-65
B
a
a
H
V
o
49
40-0
39-0
40-0
39-0
39-0
40-0
69-0
590
62-0
6C-0
50-0
32*0
25
— 3-0
— 12
— 16
—11-0
— 14
2-0
19-0
33-0
34-0
39-0
30-0
—15-0
&
a
OS
c&
'3
O
d
m
6-07
8-23
6-38
8-26
8 90
903
9 36
7-26
8 73
8-48
7-09
5-80
7-80
B
O
Ml
CO
a
O
a
■0
Raia.
7-2
6-9
6-9
7-6
6-8
7-0
6
6-9
7-6
8-2
6-8
7 1
7-1
a
9
O
a
O
in
(->
Q
o
a
on
og
Q
o a
1-85
3-77
1-73
2-53
0-30
1-83
0-14
3-41
6-66
10-73
4-51
2-01
39-37
8
4
4
9
4
6
9
10
14
18
6
10
101
5
6
11
13
14
14
9
5
80
84
90
93
93
84
93
87
80
90
86
72
90
1042
7
10
9
8
19
10
12
2
3
5
3
5
93
3
15
8
14
15
37
25
8
10
4
8
10
137
i-5
abrador,
Lat. 51° 53' N., Lonj?. 55° 22' W., from October, 1885, to Soptombor, 1886.
1
10
9
8
19
10
12
2
3
5
3
5
93
3
16
8
14
16
37
25
8
10
4
8
10
137
H
1
1
6
6
6
9
8
6
16
12
8
3
82
Direction of Wiad.
CO
9
3
3
3
18
11
10
1
1
73
m
2
4
3
1
1
8
2
2
3
26
27
17
20
21
6
7
8
14
10
14
12
17
173
20
6
22
10
20
15
14
17
2i
26
30
36
240
18
31
20
22
13
12
15
II
6
13
8
15
187
2
2
3
2
11
u
o
"33
«
14-7
20-5
18
15'0
15
17-0
14-3
7
10
10-0
14-5
11-0
15-92
Velocity of Wind.
No. of Times tha Velocity was
m
30
21
19
21
22
16
o
5
6
10
12
7
8
8
3
17
3
14
3
16
6
23
3
3
f
222
74
3
6
11
6
2
3
1
7
1
53
4
9
4
2
2
3
1
1
4
30
&
3 .
3
1
6
1
1
12
Fogj.
d
13
7
o
12
8
17
2
12
10
25
10
12
136
S5
152
88
33
168
144
312
24
216
248
368
104
136
1993
96
Table 1 1. — Abstract of Obsorvations taken at Port Biirwcll, Station No. 1, Ist
Barometer.
Temperature.
Months.
1
o
fO
•a
5
09
-3
O
il
O
6
to
a
3
m
o
♦J
m
a>
X)
(as
5
m
O
m
o
•J
CO
g
o
5
s
o
o
M
OS
d
d
a
a
OS
a
to
a
1886.
October
29-838
30^312
28 918
1-394
29-99
420
16-6
36-97
18-83
32-60
28-00
4-60
November...
30 C0.>
•454
29 •360
1-094
22-28
38-0
— 6
33-90
1^83
25-84
18-91
6 93
December....
29-70?
■604
28 7oe
1^898
4-80
33-5
—23
25 •SO
—22^70
8 88
— 1-96
10-82
ie8(>.
January
30 -034
•750
29-215
r635
—11-48
17-8
-31-0
13-93
—28 05
—5-53
—18-14
la^ei
February....
29-82i
•015
28-479
2-636
-10-43
27-8
—32 2
35 -48
—27-43
—4-11
—15-97
ir86
March
•POO
•668
28-755
1-813
— -12
33 -2
—24^4
33^43
—20 '57
4-77
— 6-53
10-30
April
■940
•851
-504
•230
29 244
29-^29
1-260
•801
14^54
28-03
390
47-0
-12-4
10-0
34-60
42 07
-6-77
14 7.-^
18-49
31-75
9-79
23 -63
8-70
May
8^07
•770
•783
•703
•244
•106
•lOG
28 863
29^449
29-219
1-381
•657
-887
35 -63
41-56
40-68
45-2
560
67-4
29-0
31-0
40^6J
60^70
64-47
32-32
33-70
35-55
38-65
45-84
44-54
32-14
36-82
3G'69
6^51
July
9^02
August
7-85
September...
•732
•174
29 204
•970
1-352
32-62
18^13
45-6
27^0
41-92
30-06
37-84
33-41
4-43
Year
29-810
30^422
29^070
67-4
-32 • 2
64-47
—27-43
23-29
14-82
8^47
No. 1, l8t
bo
a
4-60
6 93
10-82
12-61
11-86
10-30
8-70
8-07
6-51
9-02
7-85
4-43
8-47
vt
October, 1885, to 31f,t Soptombor, 188R, inclusivo.— Obsoivor, INFr. O. J{. SiiAw.
B
3
1
92-6
88-8
Dew Point. 1
1
Wind.
m
ja
a
v
l-i
2
i
5
Rain.
Haow.
•6
a
1
>
o
8
S
a
"3
o
»— «
>
03
j5
1
la
a
333
45-0
455
63-3
58-8
33-7
48-3
39-2
48-3
66-6
49-2
47-0
>
s
o
§t
11-8
11-7
13-9
24-3
20-8
16-9
17-4
15-4
140
17-7
13-1
10-8
u
ja
u
a
a
ja
*^
&
lA
9
O
m
a
a
o
■a
2
Q
18
18
01
J3
o
a
□
'i
■J i
2-0
8
26
6-0
30
4-0
S.
S.
15-0
i
D
O
a
a
a
o
•s
g
a
Q
g.
&
2
<
m
a
•145
•108
26-6
202
45
65
80
66
68
65
60
60
60
67
66
60
8 1
8-8
6 8
4-6
49
34
7-5
7-3
8-2
5-0
6-6
6*9
•2
•2
60
34
68
8
36
31
3
9
16
4
4
6
10
15
16
89 8
86-1
91-8
84-1
84-4
84-4
13-2
23-3
33-3
36-8
37-2
30-4
•081
3
131
8
•198
•214
-69
1'34
2-04
2-12
14
8
16
12
3
14
•224
3
-145
34
288
4
64-0
87-74
80
u8-8
15-48
6 6
6-69
86
89
156-7
Tvnr.E
Til.-
Abstract of ObservationH takon at AhHo Tnlot, Station No. 3, iHt Sept.
Barometer.
Temperature.
llonthi.
1
■
2
o
o
a
m
O
*^
•a
ja
£
m
O
«
If
O
i
a
V)
O
n
.S
s
o
*
o
^5?
«
is
a -
M
a
i
a
iS
s
1835.
SeiUember...
29-763
30-21
28-75
1-46
33-68
46*9
21-7
41-12
26-56
37'43
30- 19
7-24
October
■802
•36
29-41
•96
26-54
35 ■!
117
32-87
15-72
28 65
20^70
7 86
November ...
30-062
■41
-67
•84
13-61
27-8
— 16
24-36
— 11-22
18-41
7 47
10 -'J4
December....
29-687
■17
28-61
1 66
— -14
29^8
— 26^3
23-08
- 20 93
6-56
- 6-29
1085
1866
January
30 -004
■86
29 01
1^84
—19-34
6^4
—33-2
3^52
— 29 02
—13-25
— 25 29
1204
February. ...
29 824
■95
28-60
236
—it) -27
16-8
-38-1
4-33
- 34-62
-16-24
— 25-41
10-20
March
•889
■982
•70
•47
•99
29-61
1-71
-96
— 7-96
8^37
22-4
28-8
—26-9
—15-0
16 83
26-32
— 23-82
— 9-66
— 1^64
12 90
— 18-37
1 71
14-83
April
11-19
May ...«
-796
•29
•27
I 02
24-64
38-3
2-8
36^77
9 26
28-63
19-17
9-36
Jane
•811
•23
•13
1-10
36-62
46 1
27 5
41-38
33-08
41-31
31-58
9-73
July
•781
•10
-46
-64
41 08
36
32^8
47-33
35 03
46-56
36-72
9-84
August
■669
29-837
■07
•11
-06
40-23
65 2
30 9
49-53
35-63
44-79
19-42
31-61
10 18
Year
30-96
28-60
2-36
14-766
65-2
-33*1
49-63
— 34-52
9-06
10-36
September...
29^604
30-08
28-96
1-08
34-51
40-7
31-1
38-08
32-73
37-37
31-75
5*62
<o
bo
a
7-86
10-04
10 85
5-4J
10-20
J'37
14-83
I 71
1119
)-17
9*36
•68
9-73
.•72
ff-84
■61
10 18
•06
10^36
—
•76 5*62
1885, to 15th
September, 1886, inci
UHivO. —
Obaorvor, J.
W. Tyrell, Esq., P.L.3.
>>
a
ca
'♦J
'o
a,
it
Q
wind.
n
H
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Rain.
Snow.
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1
3
1
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o
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s
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.£fa
a
49 3
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410
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43-
38'
60-
60'
70-
46-
48-
44'
46-
36-
38-
15-84
14-12
1602
17^16
1450
14 29
11 10
16 67
1663
14 95
1612
11-73
72
74
61
6-1
32
3 3
28
6.3
8-5
6-2
7-4
7 8
10
13
48
39
86
48
40
8
30
62
20
5
•130
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4
7
7
1179
•047
•016
•018
5
13
11
16
7
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•070
94
94
85
84
88
45
15
67
168
•134
1-23
•18
1'24
3-46
•184
•214
r^
•321
3
68 •
384
•109
87
70-
1491
6-94
6-21
283
76
•179
88
58-
62
19'52
8-4
•81
16
•76
12
3
166-7i
100
Table IV. — Abstract of Observations taken at Sfupart's Bay, Station No,
•
Barometer at 32°,
Sea Level.
Temperature.
Months.
c
o
be
3
o
1
a
at
DC
a
<u
m
O
m
o
m
<B
O
i
oQ
o
o
o .
g-
24-9
9-1
— 4-0
-22-8
—32-7
-35-1
—26-7
—10-9
8-0
32-9
34-0
35-0
a
a
a
S
a
1
36-04
a
a
■g
ii
a
a>
i
1885.
SfintembGr
33-32
46-9
35-7
27-8
30-1
109
11-5
23-2
40-8
45-4
60-3
68-0
66-5
4-8
37-8
26-95
9-09
October
29-768
30-042
29-^25
29 93C
29 '807
29-871
29-959
29 754
29-792
29-749
29-655
30-337
30-381
30-459
30-809
30-900
30 653
30-487
30-338
30-213
30-691
30-070
29-393
29-462
28-608
29-064
23-724
28-946
29 -513
29-133
29-174
29-366
29-093
-944
■919
1-851
1-745
2-176
1 -707
25-02
15-45
" 2 43
—21-48
—20 -39
K'tK
0,5
-8-0
-28-5
—37-3
-39-5
-31-8
—18-9
0-8
26-5
30-5
29-0
32-2
26-2
23-6
3-0
2-0
13-0
29-6
38-0
60-4
51-9
53-6
29-46
19-94
4-54
—15-12
—14-91
0-28
16-77
30-07
43-84
48-65
49 '16
17-00
8-50
—10-13
—27 -80
—26-72
—15-06
2-84
18-23
33*60
35-06
35-77
12-46
11-44
14-67
12'68
11-81
15-34
13-93
11-84
10-24
13-49
13-39
November
December
1886.
January
February
March
April
1
1
•974 ift-4Q
May
June
July
1-205
1-039
•725
•977
24-87
33-63
41-28
42-55
15-044
35-97
Aueruat
Year-
30 -900
28-608
2-292
68-0
—39-5
53-6
—35-1
20-72
S 19
12-53
Sept'r, 15 days
29 -593
30 -070
28-971
1^099
50-4
21-4
39 3
31-9
41- 00
31-64
9-36
tation No,
s
a
5
a
a>
s
i
26-95
909
17-00
8-50
10-13
27-80
26-72
15-06
2-84
18-23
33*60
35-06
35-77
12-46
11-44
14-67
12*68
11-81
15-34
13-93
11-84
10-24
13-49
13-39
8 19
12-53
31-64
9-36
101
4, Ist September, 1S85, to 15th September, 1886.— Observer, F. F. Payne.
u
i*
S
a
3
u
a
o
Q
Wind.
m
X)
■^^
a
<U
H
a
ra
«
-3
a
o
5
a
03
a>
3
Rain.
Snow.
m
s
l-t
3
<1
O
u
a
3
a
3
o
ca
d
>
■s
s,
3
•3
o
>
■4.-t
m
bo
— *
'3
o
.a <D
MS
D3
33-2
o *^
o
a-©
a
.2 2
go O
|aa
Q
03
a
.S
Oi
Q
_a
is
:= 3
si o
Q
CQ
o
a
a
-a
-^
tiO
o
o
d
_o
s
3
Q
-167
86-0
29-6
65
13-3
7^4
58
-35
86
11-4
9
57
•126
•084
•045
89-7
91-6
97-3
23-5
30
30
53
60
60
48
52
27
40
25
45
60
50
28-7
24-8
41-2
32-2
47-7
43 6
40-3
18-5
32-0
15-5
32-7
11-3
13-4
12-8
12-7
13-6
9-5
13
9-3
11-6
4-6
9-0
7-2
6-4
4-4
3-9
3-3
3-9
6-0
6-9
6-1
7-0
6-6
5-76
12
-15
110
105
144
95
113
76
139
86
45
28-6
23-0
35-1
10-2
11-9
11-9
11-3
9-5
7-5
11
5
16
13
13
17
8
4
13
10
60
43
•034
•072
93-4
90-7
£6-6
81-6
84-2
82-8
74
7
63
62
19
56
•26
■.•2P
1-15
•39
1-69
35
•124
•189
•218
-226
21-7
32-9
36-4
37-3
30-22
59
68
147
160-4
7
40
•1284
88-38
81-7
47-7
11-2
12^4
277
30
5-28
999
103
606
1
•173
30-8
38-2
7-0
1-27
3
-2
3
1
12711)8
103
Tabls v.— Abstract of Observations taken at Port de Bouchervillo, Station No. 5,
Months.
1885.
iSeptember...
October
NoTember...,
December
1886.
January
Pebrnary......
March..........
April
May
June...
Jnly
August
Tear.
Barometer, corrected,
Sea Level.
a
29'S60
•847
30-160
29-683
29-987
•868
•901
30-044
29-742
•869
-740
-664
29-861
O
30-162
•637
•442
-382
30-767
-842
.a
O
<i>
(S
o
29-002
•317
•812
28- 582
29 -327
28-99D
642|29-131
•617
-342
-332
•067
•070
30 '842
•532
-082
-312
-416
28-932
28-582
p
1-160
1-220
0-633
1-800
1-440
1-852
1-511
1-085
1-260
1-020
0-642
1-138
2-260
a
cS
32-14
23-04
14-46
- 6-60
-24-43
-26-17
-10-96
6-22
22-70
37-37
39-07
39-07
12-16
Temf)eratures.
O
a>
.a
bO
a
41-0
32-8
27-3
29-3
8-0
—2-6
16-8
23-1
41-8
54-8
69-7
63-3
60-3
m
.o
O
at
o
13-0
- 2-2
-0 9
-32-8
-38-2
-44-7
-38-1
-21-2
0-8
28-2
32-1
31-2
-44-7
Cm
O
38-01
30-93
25-82
18-30
0-70
- 5-18
12-46
23-46
35-85
45 03
45 -45
m
2
"o
O
9 «
«►
s
44-46
45-45
23-00
3-83
— 9-22
—28-02
—35 02
—40-06
—31-93
-13-20
6-03
32-60
34-77
34-55
— 40 -05
a
s
E
'S
«
s
a
m
35-56
26-24
18-93
- 0-04
-19-24
-22-31
- 5-£0
11-73
2709
43 07
45-23
45-08
17-14
B
a
'3
a
a
26-93
17-69
8-06
-14-73
—30-90
—33-08
-18-76
—2-21
16-91
32-14
34-39
34-54
5-91
3
a
a
S6
26-93
24
17-69
)3
8-06
)4
-14-73
!i
—30-90
tl
—33-08
-18-76
3
—2-21
9
16-91
7
32-14
3
34-39
8
34-64
4
5-91
103
iBt September, 1885, to Ist September, 188U — Observer, Mr. John McKen/ie, C F3.
9
be
a
8-62
8-66
10-86
14-70
11-66
10-76
13-16
13-94
10*19
10*93
10-84
10-54
11-24
o
B.
Id
>
O
£
a
m
s
•1684
•1168
•0826
•0353
•0131
•0111
•0304
•0604
-1216
'1824
•2003
•2063
a
3
DD
85-92
8967
92-58
95 11
-1015
92-93
93 06
82-17
84 '73
86-59
89^i8
o
Cu
28-38
20-51
12 79
Wind.
20-89
32-13
34-69
36-21
o
13-28
8-47
12-09
11-80
12 03
8-73
11 67
11-22
14-52
9-51
10-92
9-70
11-162
c3
Q
<u 03
tits
n
39 72
21^82
29-36
26-65
o
o
>
m
56-0
29 4
420
41-6
H
3
o
o
D3
■♦*
a
CO
a
1
3
?
O
o
a
32-40
45-5
46-95
70-0
28-86
35' 5
27-36
35-4
S9-16
58
21-83
33-0
21-32
30-0
20-92
20-3
46-96
70-0
6-8
7-9
6-7
69
4-2
4-4
4-8
5 9
9-3
6-3
7-7
6'6
6-376
Rain.
JS
u
a
V
O
19-8 0-243
12-25
31-00
72-30
70-26
428
0-492
1-786
2 617
Snow.
3
O
ta
a
o
a
a
55-5
80-5
87-5
203-1
77-5
710
56-5
49-0
114-0
14-6
205-6
5-466
809-2
a
2-5
18 6
14-5
£0-5
110
5
6-0
8
16 8
112 •(•
* Only a trace of anow.
as
a
§0!
10
16
24
13
16
19
15
9
1
11
134
104
Table VI.— Abstract of Observations at Digge's Island, Latitude 62* 34*33
August, 1886. — Observer,
Months.
1886.
September
October. .
Norember.
December.
1886.
January ..
February .
March
ApriL
May
Jane
July
August....
Year.
Barometer (corrected to
Temp. 32'^ and to S a Level.)
a
29*7390
29 '7503
30-0588
29-6365
29-9979
29-8616
29 -8838
30-OUl
29-7088
29 -8484
29-7068
29 6448
29-82072
30-107
30-466
30-346
30-396
m
o
762
847
674
638
•395
-365
■066
■102
30 847
-28-658
29-187
29-740
28-418
29-436
29 008
29-097
29-408
29-062
29-177
29-344
28-786
28-418
to
a
CH
1-449
1-279
■606
1-978
1-316
1-839
1-677
1-230
1-333
1188
•722
1-316
2 429
a
at
33-84
25-44
16-62
— 6-93
—26-39
—26-49
-10-77
7-48
22-86
36-86
40-09
39- 26
Temperatures.
12-81
.£3
61-9
36-7
27-7
23-3
6-4
2-9
21 ■«
30-4
39-4
49-6
60 8
64-9
60-8
o
•J
18-9
5-9
-8-7
-31-1
—37-6
—40-4
—38-3
-19-0
0-9
27-9
29-T
31-3
-40-4
a
at
43 36
34-71
25-91
20-20
- 0-91
- 1-88
16-51
2501
34 81
39 71
63-78
44 45
63-78
O
26-78
14-06
— 6 05
—25-68
—36-68
—36-38
—34 -16
—12-10
6-30
31-95
33-18
36-31
36-38
a
37-46
28-43
20-64
— 0*12
— 20-50
—21-24
— 4-96
13-66
27-87
40-27
45-06
43-91
17-61
a
30-14
21-86
11-37
—11 18
—31-08
—31-09
-17-46
0-62
17-62
31-15
34-14
34-82
7-57
J2«» 34-33
Observer.
a
s
o
»
46
30 14
43
21-86
64
11-37
12
—11 18
50
—31-08
24
-31-09
96
—17-46
66
0-62
87
17-62
27
31-15
06
34-14
91
34-82
61
7-57
105
North, Longitude 78' 1' West, Stalioa No. G, Ist September, 1885, to 3 1st
P. C. WOODWORTH.
s
03
7-32
6-56
9-17
-11-05
-10-58
- 9-68
-12-50
13 02
10-24
9 12
11-91
909
o
09
10-03
-1696
-1240
-0S68
-0348
a
3
ta
a>
03
85-16
86-93
89-94
89-26
o
a.
a
29 87
22-22
14-94
-1210
-1852
•2246
-2203
93-99
88-26
89 69
91-81
21-40
32-61
37-06
36-91
Wind.
O
a lb
1824
13-22
17-J8
19-22
15-88
13 77
16 11
1391
18 90
9-82
10-83
12-36
as
Q
m O
U OS
js a>
5
40-50
29-33
42-33
43-66
32-66
35-50
35-83
26-33
40-33
25-16
30-50
38-33
14 96
43-66
o
to
in
63
37
49
48
43
44
48
40
68
30
40
48
53
a
a)
a
'•5
a
o
5
7-33
8-38
6-91
6-84
4-14
4-46
5-01
7-13
9-49
6-96
8 27
7-11
Rain.
a
o
a
o
3
Q
.a
u
a
-030
28
90
44
6-83 166
-590
3-480
2-420
6-520
* A great deal of vapour around horizon for January and Pebruarj.
Sqow.
3
O
n
a
o
3
68
77
40
57
5
19
95
94
132
12
15
2i
Hi
1
5
16
12
36
577
111
03
l-i
O
u
3
"i
m
t>.
08
a
o
6
4
12
26
n
17
7
0^
Fog.
3
O
a
a
o
09
u
a
Q
80
12
28
8
1«
76
124
188
208
740
106
S
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vq
525 ^
22 «
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1 1 1 1 1
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CO lO CO CO
o o a. o — o _- o
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cow^^eoooso
^-OOOCO<4-CO<OIM
C4 CI i-H e^ -^ lo o
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„co — tocoinasco
■ ooo
e^iflo-' oocoojos
ooscoooc-oooo
l^-Oe>lC«Meoc^cO
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^^ ^OOOSOSC^OO
OOOOOSOSOSA
rt ^ CO *** « rM -^i M
is? 8
^^J5*4 a a 2
09
imim\
107
Table yiir.-Mean daily tomporaturo, October, 1885, to March, 1886, at FortChirao
8 n ,^ Ji. H '. h'""*" .K, • ^«"g't«do . from obsoZ-vatio^s at 7 am S
8 p^m., with the month y average, and the highest and lowest from the ob.orvecl
readings aavantage being taken of occasional obaorvationj at 2 p.m daily
Day.
1....
2...
3....,
4...
5
6....
7
8 ...
9 ....
10
11
12
13 ....
14....
16 ....
16
17
18
19
20....
« t •«•••
22
23
24
35 ....
26......
27
28
29>...
30
31 .. .,
Arerage.
Highest .,
Lowest .,
October.
•5
•5
5
•6
•0
35
35
33
33
31
31
28
26
28
30
32
23-0
20 5
320
36
35-0
3f, -5
3(1-0
3H-0
35-0
31-6
30-0
29-5
29
25
23-6
19-5
23-0
21-5
10-7
9
28-7
41-0
8-0
November.
7
3
5
12
16-0
21-5
22-0
23
22-5
18-5
31-0
33-0
320
19-0
33
28-5
26-0
210
18
iro
125
6-5
9
17-5
2-5
7 5
17-5
- 0-,5
-11
■ 7 5
15-2
36
—16-0
December.
- 2-0
17-5
7-6
- 7-5
-10-0
-9-0
- 60
- 7-0
- 7-0
-7-0
-10
-10
-120
-4-0
-lO-O
- 9 5
-13'0
-18
-18
-19
-18 -0
-10 -0
-22-5
-26
-27 5
-18-0
-26'0
- 6
- 9
-11-3
200
—28
January.
— 90
— 8-6
50
l-O
— 16'0
— 26-0
— 15-5
—14-5
—21-0
—15-6
— 15-0
—23-5
—26-0
— 26-5
—26-0
—20-0
—17-5
— 9-5
-21
—19-
—29
—26-
2-
— 26
—30-5
—32-0
—32
—26
—34
—37
6
-18-9
10
—39-0
February.
6-0
— 20
—23-6
— 29
—26-0
—29 5
—27-5
— 39*0
—37-5
—33-0
— 31'0
16 5
19
250
—17 5
-16'
-16-
—29
-30-
-38-
—39
—37-
—37-0
—32-5
-34-0
14-5
— 70
- 5-0
•5
•6
•0
•0
•6
March.
25-0
iO
12-5
9-5
«-0
0-0
-13-0
-21-5
— 5-
—30-
— 3i
-35-
-36
—36-
— 14-0
— ll-O
— 5
— 9-
— r
•0
•0
•5
•5
5
•5
•0
•0
O'O
10
3-0
20
0-5
- 7-5
-!6'0
-11-5
- 7-5
00
16'0
— 4-3
34'0
-37-0
108
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00000000X000000
110
YORK FACrORY, HUDSON BAY.
Taii' k X. — Mean Temperature of each Month and Year, from 1842 to 1854, at 8 a.m.
Table XI. — Mean Temperature, 2 p.m.
3
s
6
3
u
■c
p.
<
i
3
o
37-03
36 13
40-03
64-67
44-17
40-40
39-57
50-90
41-83
44-95
41-53
55 50
4->
m
a
M
3
Q
•-J
O
a
o
J
a
s
1842
Q
22 '21
24 18
23 98
33-40
27 98
27 05
29-60
26-40
27-66
33 53
27-15
32-27
50-69
60-60
50-16
66 -69
67-76
61 69
56 86
57-18
52 89
C5-18
59-40
66-89
50-15
46-92
51-02
50-92
48-15
45-34
47 73
65-44
47-15
51-89
54 63
51'03
50-03
a
37-87
36-43
37 07
39-90
35-63
40-57
35-67
37-13
40-33
42-83
36-73
83
36-83
Q
24-92
17-69
23-16
20-11
22-44
26-47
35-18
30-34
27-05
23-31
22-15
27 95
26-87
9-00
7-17
0-50
9-67
14-20
7-80
8-00
19-67
15 67
9 70
10-90
—8-40
2-60
— 4-82
— 6-76
— 9-86
-16 85
— 7-66
-11-24
—17-60
-20-82
—16-08
— 9 53
-18-44
—13-47
-18-44
-13-12
o
1843.
1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
1849
1850
1861
1852
1853
1854
—12-69
-2811
—14-73
- 1-76
—23 73
—2186
—1934
-17-27
—19-79
-14-63
— 8-82
-30-18
-26-67
-11-43
—13 71
-22-18
-11-79
— 7 81
-24-89
— 7-14
—18-64
-12 88
—23 75
—26 54
—16-05
— 17-«3
— 1260
1-37
-14-34
-9 95
— 6-56
— 5-53
— 3-11
-12-89
— 5 60
— U-56
10-27
15-37
14-43
9-07
12-63
18-23
2.05
9 67
13-83
22-63
10-87
15-57
14-13
13-91
15-94
20-57
16-95
1619
15 94
19-80
17-76
19-93
16-93
15-90
Average
-17-67
—17-28
— 9-54
12-89
27 95
43-87
54-66
38-29
24 74
8-18
17-00
1842
1843
- 7-66
1844
-22-53
1845
—10-66
1846
1-76
1847
-18-53
1848
-17-27
1849 ....
—12 89
1860
— 11-1&
1851
-12-79
1862
-10 06
1853
— 4 02
1854
—24-08
Average
—12-48
-19-29
- 4-74
- 3-03
-12-61
- 2-39
- 1-29
-15.29
0-53
-12-64
- 3-29
-13 64
-17-46
-12-48 — 8 83
■ 3-76
4 50
0-31
11-60
- 1-50
0-98
6-18
760
8-31
- 2 63
466
1-11
2-37
23 13
29 03
25-13
16-40
17 80
27-47
8-84
14-10
22-60
29-40
20-13
23-37
21-44
31-18
33-27
33-40
39-02
34-73
34-60
36-60
31-69
33-16
38-19
33-60
34-18
34-47
49-00
44-03
47 30
62-13
65-73
46-80
46-67
65-10
48-00
49-67
45-60
68-23
60-67
63-82
59-37
59-89
64-08
66-37
60-21
62-76
61-05
60-82
61-18
64-47
69-86
61-99
63-40
53-93
60-53
60-69
60-18
65-37
56-18
57-16
53-34
68-67
69 21
63-63
67-68
49-00
45-07
45-37
46-13
44-43
49-07
42-13
43-93
46-70
48-43
41-90
45-93
44-03
45-56
31-27
22-85
30-98
26-02
27-92
31-86
31-34
34-79
30-76
33-76
26-47
34-95
30-90
30-30
10-07
11-40
6-30
12-63
17-30
11-57
11-90
21-73
19-60
14-07
13-43
—2-80
5-77
11-69
- 3 37
- 2-31
- 6.66
-10-89
- 4-44
- 7 92
-14-34
-16-24
-10-82
- 7-47
-16-24
-10-60
-16-39
- 9-66
23 08
21-90
23-82
27-36
24-75
23-16
22-85
25-19
24*13
23-93
23*12
21-10
23-70
:, at 8 a.m.
14-13
13-91
15-94
20-57
16-95
16-19
15-94
19-80
17-76
19-93
16-93
15-90
17-00
3 37
2-31
23-08
6.66
21-90
0-89
23-82
4-44
27-36
792
24-75
4-34
23-16
5-24
22-85
0-82
25-19
7-47
24-13
5-24
23-93
0-60
23-12
6-39
21-10
9-66
23-70
in
rORK FACTORY, HUDSON BAY.
Taiji.eXII. — Moan Tomporaturo at 8 p.m.
b
u
3
D
OS
<-»
— 8-10
—24-05
—12-40
— 0-40
—19 98
-1979
-16 34
-15-66
—1511
—13 31
— 6 34
-27-24
February.
■
31
1*
o
25-60
27-79
24-S8
31-27
27 85
28-37
29-24
26 -69
27-50
32 43
27-73
29 -€9
«
a
3
3
3
a
a
o
o
O
a
>■
o
a
X>
a
Q
1842
1843
1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
1849
1850
1851
1862
1853
1864
—19-14
— 826
— 8C0
—17 01
—10-82
— 5-78
—19 2b
— 4-68
— 1G89
— 8 61
—18-50
-22-89
—13-33
-T-18
—9-69
—4 57
6 89
-6 79
—4-44
-0 24
'o-47
231
-611
-1-56
—5 31
-3-10
l;i-63
21-77
1900
9-70
11-97
21-33
1 02
8-93
14-67
21 57
12-2J
17-30
O
40-33
37-67
40-50
64-7!
49 07
41-33
39 83
49-50
42 00
43 -67
40-37
51-30
44-19
62-76
54-08
63-08
58 63
60-27
54-82
66-79
55-21
62-98
03-73
59-50
51-79
56-15
49-11
S9U
53-98
53-69
50-53
52-11
52-76
49-44
51-50
62-34
49-76
52 54
Q
44-37
40-90
41-57
42 37
39-!»0
44-67
38-67
40-53
43-53
44-93
37 60
41-53
38-9'^
29-40
19-60
26 63
23-05
24-66
27 60
28-47
30 '£0
27-60
29-89
22-53
30-37
27-74
o
8-cO
10-10
3-37
10 83
12-77
8-50
8-73
18-63
15 20
11-03
10-40
—5-87
3-28
o a
— 31!
— 2-73 18-95
-7 79 17-68
-12-15 19-65
— 6-82 22-36
—10-31 19-64
—16-24 18-83
—17-40 17-95
— 13-50 1 20-60
— 9-37 19-45
—1808 18-94
—11-11 18-31
—17 05 16-45
-U-93
14 92
28-26
55-22
41-50
26-67
8-87
—11-13
19 06
Tabls XII r.- Average difforonco ■without regard to sign between the Mean Tem-
perutiiro of each Month and Year, and the monthly and annual averago.s of each
grou)» an given in Table.
1842 1
1854 J
1864 1
1868 J
1876 1
1883 J
•
b
S-4
u
Li
X>
QJ
x>
s
3
XI
.
en
3
0)
Xi
a
a
a
4
XI
OS
a,
S"
>.
be
3
a.
o
1-5
O
Ee4
S
<
a
>-i
*^
-<
M
o
a;
a
o
O
o
o
O
O
o
o
6-7
6-1
3-7
4-6
2-0
4-8
2-0
2-2
1-9
2-7
4-4
4-2
0-9
6-4
4-3
4-1
0-6
1-6
"1-7
1-4
1-6
18
6 3
4-9
4-2
8-1
4-6
3-3
2-8
5-6
6-2
2-2
2-8
4-0
6-7
6-6
1-2S
0-87
3-2a
112
YORK FACTORY, HUDSON BAY.
7?ABi,E XIV.— Hi^liost Tomporuturo in onch Month and Year from Observations
made in tho followini^ groups of yoar.s.
(In the two first groups the entriea are from the ordinary ohservation hours.)
1^,
3
J3
«-*
rn
3
a
mber. 1
a
X
•-a
US
*»4
5"
o
a
3
■-5
3
"a
■at
<
a.
c25
5«
a
c
1
1842
— ■--
85
""i'i'b
"'Ve's
"bvh
"'77'6
"ho'-s
"si- "5
60-5
68 6
45-5
44 6
36 '5
27 6
15 5
28 5
1843
85-5
1844
2 5
:-ii-5
i:v5
5<-5
675
73-5
76 5
67 •.">
67 6
CO 5
3.V5
16'6
76'6
1846
l.S'5
29-5
3:{ 5
4(i 5
17-5
77 5
77-5
88-6
63T.
47 -t,
37 5
13-6
h8-5
1846
21 S
75
, :<5-5
h6'5
71-5
HO .'i
79-5
775
61-5
17-6
41«6
13 5
80-5
1847
11-5
13 5
22-5
42-5
57 5
79-5
90 C
73-5
66 .')
4H 6
:!r5
15-5
90 -S
1848...:..
16 fi
:'9 r,
X\ 5
48 5
58-£
74-5
81-5
73-6
60-5
6ff,
2') -5
14-5
84-5
1849
135
3 5
3»6
446
715
69-6
87-5
7J-6
63'5
Cf5
405
18 5
87-6
1850
24-5
31 5
36 5
.t5-5
.53 -5
7G-5
80-5
77-5
78 •:.
51 5
41-5
13 6
80'6
1851
186
13-5
41-6
47 r
68-5
79-6
77-6
71-5
64-6
45 6
30-5
8.5
79-6
1852
185
26 5
15-5
39 -6
C5-5
71-6
80-5
7.V5
5J-6
43-6
295
22-5
80-6
1853
20-6
18-5
33.r,
43-5
*;o-5
76-5
a:) -5
73 -6
67-5
53 5
18-6
27 5
85-6
1854
— 0-6
2-5
30 C
45 6
65-5
83-6
76-6
77 6
70-0
44 5
27-6
9-6
83-5
Mean.
15-8
18
2y-G
45-8
61 -7
76 7
81-4
76-3
63-1
49-4
32-7
13-7
83 6
1864
26 5
?9 5
14-5
45-6
46-5
80-5
86-6
74'5
64-5
37-5
34-5
145
86-6
1866
13 6
205
44 5
62-6
(39-5
78 5
86-5
87-5
63-5
52-5
36-5
10-5
87-5
1866
■'0 6
12 5
29 5
47-6
er6
8>-5
94-5
82-5
60 6
61-5
34-5
22-6
94-6
1867
17 5
22 5
50 5
44-5
54-5
74 5
84-5
78-5
74-5
38 6
36'5
106
84-5
1868
46
14 6
48-5
31'5
t* •
> Ueftn..
185
19 9
37 5
44
58-0
54-5
88
80-7
67-0
48-2
35-3
145
88-2
18^5
- 40
- 10
29-6
43 '5
71-0
79-0
78-0
76-5
66-0
43-0
35-5
220
79-0
1876
23-0
17
24
54
78-0
79-0
99-0
86-0
74-0
420
35-0
24-0
99-0
1877
20 U
44
3G0
54 '0
82
91 -0
104 '0
82-0
8i-r.
570
38
32
104:0
1878
26-5
40
3«-0
53 5
75-0
100-5
106-0
91-5
60-2
38-2
:i5-o
29-0
106-0
1879
00
— 1-5
24
60-0
71-0
101-0
102 '0
86-0
65-0
45-0
34-0
6-0
102-0
1880.
1-6
2
■10-0
46-0
60-0
99-5
100-0
81-0
66-0
40-0
30-0
— 60
lOO-O
1881
— 80
12
35-0
370
70-0
99-0
lOO-C
98-0
69-7
39 8
34-0
25-0
100
1882
00
41
31-0
42-0
81-0
95
89-0
30
73-0
56-0
33-0
15
99-0
1883
0-C
64
90
73-6
98-J
85-1
68-4
34-3
18-3
Mean.
181
31-9
47-5
93-0
45-i
98-6
I
'>ra Observations
n hours.)
o
36-6
27 5
3.<-B
37 5
41-.')
:1T)
2:j-5|
■lO-Bl
41-5
30-5
29-51
18-C
27
11
15 5
28 5
16-6
13-6
1351
15-6
14-6
18 bI
13 5
8.6
22'5
275
9 5
32-7 13-7
85-5
76-5
88-5
80-5
90-5
84'S
87-5
80'6
79-5
80'5
85-8
83-6
3I-6
145
36-5
10-5
34-5
22 6
36-5
106
,
35-3
145 1
83 6
86-6
87-5
94*6
84-5 j
--
88-2
35-5
220
7a -0
36-0
24-0
99
38-0
32
104:0
c'.b-U
29-0
106-0
34-0
5-0
102-0
31) •
— 60
lOO'O
34 '0
260
100-0
i3
15
99-0
J4-3
18-3
,
98-6
118
YOfJK FACTORY, HUDSON HAY.
Table XV.— L went Tomperatmo in oach Month and Year from obsorvations mado
in the followiiiji; groujjn of yoari-.
(In the two first groups the ctitricg are from the ordinary obaervation hours.)
Y«Ar.
1842
1843
1844
1845
1»*46
1847
1848
1849
18S0
1851
1862
1853
1854
Mean,
a
a
0«
-36 6
-46 5
-39
—29
-48
—19
—33
-38
— :-8
—31-6
— 37-6
—47
—37 3
-41 5
-36 B
-46-6
-39 6
-33
-31
-45
-37
-32
-33
-21
-42
-36 8
-37 B
-32 -5
-40 -B
-26 5
-35 5
-3V6
-V9-5
-3H-5
-26-5
-29 -B
-31-'.
-32-6
-11-5
-18 B
■a
-32-8 -
— 12 S
-IS-B
— 05
— '.> 5
— 12'5
-13-7
■ O'B
4 5
- 1 5
12 B
1(5
10
1
13
3-5
19-5
8 S
6 5
7'9
22
26
25
28
27
26
28
31
24
28
29
31
9
36-5
30'5
385
41-B
3H-6
36 6
3fi-6
41-B
27-6
.36-5
38-B
36 T,
40 5
37-7
9
36
38
3*1
37
33
36
:i3
29
38
3H
38 B
37
36 4
a
23
22
-28-
30
2S'
32
24'
'.9
27'
31
21
28
•J 6
o
-2
a
>
o
27-4
6'
- 6-
- 6'
5
4'
- 4'
11'
9-
6
4
1
fi
8
—2 1
fil— 21
:. —32
."1,-30
BI— 21
5'— 33
61-29 5
5!— 24-.'i
5,-lf:.
■5— IH-B
:. — 13-6
51— 3'. •.'i
Q
—36
-37
-30
-3-1
-38
—34
—35
-40
—32
-28
-41
—34
-33-5,- 3'J 6
2 5-27-3
-33 7
-41 R
— »H 5
—4'; 5
—39-5
-48 5
-15 5
— 45-5
— 18-5
-:i8-5
-41 5
—37 6
-47-5
-42-25
1864
—36 5
— 42-B
—37-6
—39-6
—37 '6
—38-7
-49-5
—■18-5
-41-5
—43 5
—£9 5
-42-6
-30-6
-31- B
-36 5
-41-6
— ?>'-6
-33 7
— 3-5
—2.1 5
-11 5
—11 6
— 22-5
-14-9
6-.".
6 5
16 B
5
7 3
28 6
26 5
25-5
28-6
27-2
36 6
34-6
34-5
36-6
40 B
37-5
38-5
39 6
39-0
27 5
.■il-.'i
27 6
1:8 6
28-8
5-5
— 0-5
—5 B
2 5
6
-16-5
-15 5
-18-5
—38-5
—22-2
—42 6
-37-5
— 34-6
-36 5
-37-6
-49-5
1865
1866
—12 5
—41-5
1867
1868
-43 5
Mean.
35-6
—44-25
1876
1876
1877
1878
1879
Mean.
—44-6
—41-0
-38-0
-22-5
9-0
30
40-0
40
28-0
8
-40-0
—40-6
-48-0
-63
-46
-16 5
—15 5
27-0
39 6
29
28
8-0
—25 5
-38-0
—46-0
—32-0
—36-0
-22-0
— 8-6
26-0
380
31-6
24-0
10
-14-0
-28-6
—33-0
-27-0
-18-5
3-5
10 6
25-0
46
38-0
26'0
— 20
-15-0
—28
—43-0
—48-0
-40-6
-21-0
19-5
32
43-0
360
31-0
-16-0
—28-0
— 19*0
-48-0
—48-0
-21
4
26-0
37-0
36-0
270
2
-37 5
—60-6
—61-0
— 38
— 27-('
— ll-O
4-0
27-0
38-0
33
28-0
I'O
— 3i-0
-32-0
—49
— 490
—31-0
-I8-{
00
30*0
46-C
40-0
310
14-0
—18-0
—34-0
-62-0
—46
—42-3
-161
— 46'1
—33-1
29
27 9
40-6
35 4
30-4
6 1
-24-8
-34-9
—44-5
— 53
— 45
-3?-0
—48-0
— 50-5
—51-0
— 99-0
-46V5
166—8
114
Table XVL— Port Barwell
115
[.—Port Barwell
B.S.E.
S.B.
u
«
u
(»
"J
4 37 4
3
9
6-CO 1
40- 2
o
a>
be
3-60
4 33
11-56
20-
27 77
9
17-04
3-00
6-fiO
3-60
6-80
5 68
13*83
4-50
10-SS
8-10
Station No. 1— Wind Table.
8.S.E.
a
26
w
o
«
(30
«
>
12-75
2-66
8-
6-
3-
a)
8
7
10
o
>
bO
08
ID
>
<1
—
6
5-
18
10
11
3-50
'0
—
6
6-85
87
ss.w.
10-17
9-40
19-12
9-71
18-30
6-
4-33
4-28
3-64
4 40
6 '60
8-43
2
6
5
3
1
4
5
5
40
o
0)
bC
<1
s.w.
w.s.w.
be
1-00
17-57
14-
8-50
27-60
6-66
5-
6-50
7-
16 20
12-66
22
2
61
56
46
43
28
30
36
14
36
28
402
,13
a
3
1734
10-
17-96
30-73
24-82
26-88
2104
17 70
7 '60
8-93
16-4V
29 '46
21-02
10
2
10
14
13
11
5
8
15
3
6
8
105
>
ce
u.
w.
W.N.W.
9-90
2-00
12-70
40-85
40-39
33 82
16-
19-88
7 '26
7-66
3-17
34-62
24 45
•
U
o
01
>
&
t,.
x>
CS
-5
a
«
B
3
>■
a
!?;
-<
;s
16
12-31
12
10
18-60
9
6
10-83
4
13
24-39
6
4
25-50
4
10
25-10
—
22
23-70
11
16
16-60
8
16
17-73
6
10
11-
1
15
17-40
7
18
29-39
5
154
18-40
73
u
o
a
M
as
(1
<
13-58
17-89
29 '50
13-66
21-CO
20-
13*
18-50
6-
3-71
18-40
16 00
N.W,
23
50
U
13
4
21
21
6
8
6
21
186
u
o
>
CO
«
>
N.N.W.
10-61
13-88
22 21
16-
27-25
16'90
17-48
19-60
17 88
4-17
20-43
16-
>
o
60
OS
>
13-20
7 54
20-20
50-00
20-
18-
30-
9-20
625
13-
ia-33
155-8|
116
Table XVII.—Ashe Inlet—
117
L — Ashe Inlet —
Wind Table.
E.S.E.
S.E.
u
o
>
60
sS
i-i
a>
8-40
10-26
16 -50
2-1-00
29-00
13-00
19-00
10-00
12-00
13-17
.2
o
6
25
12
8
10
10
4
i
2
6
4
]
bo
<
85
16-80
17-25
22-00
28 •'»a
16-50
11-25
11-50
10-00
10-00
13-50
2-00
12-50
17 14
T>\
118
Table XVIIL-Stuparfs Bay. Station No. 4-
119
tation No. 4^
3.E.
ID
be
S.E.
11-2
2-0
2 3
22-2
II-O
13
16
1
6
<D
10-5
11 6
18-0
16-8
15 5
2
7-5
-
5
17-0
1-9
4-0
5-7
17
12-2
2-3
»-o
2-3
10
3-3
2-6
)1
67
11-5
10 8
Ist September, 1385, to 15th Septembar, 1886.
S.SE.
B
5
10
^ -«
(B.;
I» <
<
S.
a
9
2:
7-4
17 3
4 21-8
-
SS.W.
48-0
8-7
ii>
>
Ol
be .
* t»,
t* ■«-»
(1) —
S.W.
0)
a
3
iro
7-8
2-4
6-3
10
1-3
3 5
43
9-7
30
14-4
15-0
4-4
7-7
3-4
1-0
30
8-2
3*2
11-6
■a!
w.sw.
29
11-0
11-0
4-2
11-6
6*5
3*0
8
6-6
1
7
1
6
11
2
7
7
3
3
5
53
4'0
12-6
20-0
.a
a
3
S5
o
w.
I'
a
3
8-3 11
10-0
1-0
10-4
51
8-7
8-7
6-2
8-8
66
16
16
7
3
12
4
2
14
100
17
8-1
5'0
8-9
14 8
14-9
19 4
4-7
15-8
8
18-0
17-8
13-6
10-6
o
>
W N.W.
J3
a
3
3
22
26
21
35
25
11
11
13
8
6
13
194
12
29-0
8-1
12-5
11-7
17
2t
31
ID
Sir-
> »
N.W.
N.N.W.
27 6
9-4
10*6
19-6 25
7-8
9*3
8-1
11-8
12-0
13-7
11 1
12-3
2S-0
29
13
9
9
8
7
1
207
1»
3i 101
i
7-2
6-7
6-2
6-3
4-4
11-5
80
8-0
01
Si.
go
a
3
be
01 -<
33
30,
32
35
27
30
32
38
21
44
11
36
10*0 369
16-1
11
16-4
13 5
11-6
13 9
17-7
16 4
24-0
U-3
10-6
21 3
U-5
19-1
16-6
12-4
19
22
39
24
22
32
27
60
21
29
13
15
15-5
174
22'4
205
23-4
139
218
12 7
18'3
137
15-1
323 18-6
10-5
120
Table XIX— VVnd Table, Statioa No. 5
Months.
1886.
September .
October....,
November. ,
December..,
1886.
January
February ...
March
April
May
June
July
August
Year.,
a
o
.o
O
180
186
180
186
186
168
186
180
186
180
186
186
2190
a
6
11
2
44
49
47
11
8
9
29
13
24
252
N.
.a
S
a
as
16
23
13
5
6
14
24
26
31
30
6
8
200
>
? •
10-66
9 26
8.77
22-80
14-66
11-71
18 76
16-69
21-48
14-90
8 80
10-88
N.N.B.
14-86
.o
B
3
ir.
31
3
5
6
bo
S.t;
14-87
9-66
3-00
23-83
79
11-00
4-88
16-60
11-00
16-76
10-12
11-00
12 63
N.E.
3J
18
22
18
3
12
25
10
21
23
66
38
1
o
v
>
s,
u
2b
J2
a
tf w
s
•<
'<
290
B.N.B.
>
be .
?-3
11-41
7-23
I0-19J 7
17-56 3
5-33
16 33
10 48
14-60
11-76 3
10-36
11-62
11-29
8 66
11-56
41
10-67
18 00
26-33
25-50
3-00
16-75
19-67
4-00
6-00
6-60
B.
B.SE.
a
3
12-10
7
19
31
11
10
3
2
9
17
10
12
9
140
<u
>
2£?
10-f6
9-47
9-61
24-27
10-20
12-33
5 00
il-89
16-89
4-70
5-25
833
a
3
&5
01
bo
09
4 12 26
11-06
2
1
6
4
2
6
38
14-40
9-00
15-00
7 00
8 50
20-00
14-33
4-26
6-00
4-60
-94
S.B.
7
17
13
5
6
2
6
12
a
16
86
bo .
i4-e6
iO-57
16-38
16-00
13 -CO
11 00
8 00
15-67
3-60
2 50
6-53
10-58
121
Statioa No. 5
— Ist Sjptombor, 1885, to lt*t September, 1886.
01
>
a)
be .
/it ^
12 25
14*40
9-00
16-00
7 00
S.B.
7
17
13
5
8 SO
6
20-00
2
14-33
6
4-26
12
6-00
2
4-60
15
86
C-94
i4«e6
iO-57
16-38
I6-0O
13 -CO
11-00
8 00
16-67
3-60
2 50
6-53
10-58
S.SB.
<
s.
a
3
!S5
U-00
6-00
9-00
12 00
18-00
22-33
2
3
17
19-00
6-00
6-00
12-41
Si?
s.s.w.
9
12
2
14
14
2
2
2
14
4
6
5
86
13-33
9 42
5-CO
22-43
16-43
21-00
21 -CO
14-50
13 00
10-05
9-83
7-00
14-14
o
>
he .
2 £>
> -J
S.W.
a
10
1
6
3
6
5
7
4
62
9-33
10 -oc
18-00
18-20
10-00
18-33
12-00
12-40
14-50
10-86
15 00
14 -ae
>
CI
<3
w.s w.
o
<1
5
13
22
24
36
23
37
20
32
20
31
29
29:
5-60
12-61
18-73
13-33
18-61
17-43
16-16
16 05
17-00
11-65
16-29
15-89
13-59
W.
a
S5
2
5
10
15
11
6
13
8
9
4
6
92
16-00
17-20
12-40
23-80
10-18
16-89
11-15
13-12
13-00
16-75
12-17
11-01
o
>
to
W.N.W.
>
<
N.W.
301 24-16
38
33
36
33
40
33
62
18
19
15
19
366
8-79
14-24
9.67
11-91
8-77
6-85
9 25
10 39
13-47
10-87
14-47
10-42
11-75
5-EO
2-00
1
3
9
9
3
3
2
2
46
6-00
5-67
6-00
6-22
5-00
21-00
16-50
13 50
7-82
NN.W-
12
12
13
3
3
7
6
18
5
7
6
1
93
7-61
13-80
9-14
15-83
5-00
9-06
10-40
5
5-42
3
13 00
4
5-00
1
25-Ou
6-43
1
9-00
2
7 20
667
6 5i>
300
12-00
13 GO
14 00
11 33
13 00
10 CO
8 23
^1
122
Table XX.— Wind Table, Diggo's Island, Station No. 6
Month?.
1885.
September
October...,
November.
December.
1886.
January ....
February ..
March..
April
May
June
July
August ......
Year.
JQ
o
180
186
ise
166
166
168
186
180
186
180
186
186
2190
6
8
9
12
9
14
13
7
4
20
15
i:
133
N.
a>
Xi
a
3
15
13
7
3
3
15
13
21
10
23
6
3
>
tuo .
NNE
132
13-11
10-84
1767
35-33
24-66
11-73
29-07
12-85
15'40
11-99
9 83
4-00
14-88
01
>
be
Si
•«<J
11-71
10-57
6-57
25-80
15-00
1967
15-77
17 00
13-66
8-50
14-44
14-30
N.E.
22
14
17
11
7
12
14
16
13
16
26
16
182
>
«
> w
17-81
13-92
20 35
33 -DD
17-14
16-76
25-92
19-20
22-92
16-00
20 52
25-68
20-63
E.N.B.
S
a
is;
31
1
12
8
4
9
16
8
12
16
15
17
149
>
a)
21-08
5-00
28-58
34-60
17-77
30-83
19-06
13 00
23-75
16-81
18-63
18 94
21-47
B.
a
a
9
9
10
1
6
1
7
6
3
3
3
9
>
>■ "
14-55
14-00
11-60
25 00
13-60
6-00
12-00
24-33
16-66
6-66
7-66
18-44
66
14-63
E.3.E.
6
11
9
7
2
2
6
3
4
be .
^^
a —
S.E.
10
2
16-33
14-81
911
20-71
28-00
22-00
11-83
16-66
16-75
13-20
7-50
o
!-.«
a<
>
X>
<a
t^
a
V
3
t>
S5
-«J
7
12
-28
23
16-21
33
20
-57
27
21
SS'
28
10-
■i9
62
14-79
27
11
9
12
6
20
3
206
9 62
19-27
20-33
32-41
7-0O
8-oa
6-33
1108<
123
Station No. 6
E.
0) — .
.5-33
4-81
911
10-71
8-00
2-00
1-83
6-66
6-75
3-20
7-50
f79
S.K.
a
S5
7
23
33
27
<u.—
12-28
16-21
20-57
21 SS'
28 10•39^
27
11
9
12
6
20
3
206
9 62
19-27
20-33
32-41
7-0O
8-00-
6-33
ll-08<
—let September, 1885, to 31st August, 1836.
SS.B.
x>
6
b
15
9
26
V
it'
21-60
21-40
14-88
2S-26
36
15 S2
30
13-46
49
16-28
13
16-38
18
22-44
17
7 H
28
8-63
18
10-80
2S4
16-46
s.
7
12
7
8.S.W.
x>
a
2£:
24-14
13-75
16-28
20 11-76
33
13
21
14
15
16
22
37
17-06
13-84
14-38
14-07
17-73
7-76
11-13
n-48
217
13-76
2
10
6
16
25
10
7
4
14
2
3
16
S.W.
116
24'SO
13-60
1300
15-62
17-96
23 00
20-15
19-25
18-21
14 00
6-00
17-60
9
13
12
7
16
3
9
3
17
7
2
1
«
w.s.w.
17-311 99
14-22
20-46
20 '5^1
16 28
21 18
27-00
11-33
14 00
15-82
8-71
4-00
7-00
W.
16 79
16-33
7 00
1800
17-22
24-00
9-33
10-83
7-50
10-00
7-00
7
1
7
13
7
5
>
2>.
W.N.W.
15
15
12
1
14
13-60 97
26 71
10-00
17-28
13-76
8-57
17-40
12-00
11-73
11-58
11-00
7 85
12-98
11
18
3
6
M .
2 >>
N.W.
14
4
3
5
6
96
21-45
12-38
12-66
15-80
9-00
10 50
11-14
15 00
5-33
U 80
11-83
13-14
16
20
17
7
4
8
6
10
16
8
15
5
>
bo .
St-
131
19 81
9-65
14-41
17-14
34-25
14-12
7-20
15-20
13-37
11-62
8-66
5-00
S.N.W.
18
6
9
9
3
11
7
26
16
17
8
10
13-54 140
>
bc .
2^
14-72
5 66
21.44
15-65
21 66
1413
14 It
11-5T
25-31
9-62
10-37
8-20
1416.
I
w
124
'Taiu.e XXI. — Showing the number of days in oach month, at each Station where the
Velocity of the Wiud equalled a Gale (30 miles an hoar and upwards.)
•
Months.
03
Port Burwell.
Ashe Inlet.
•
s?
CQ
a
93
Xottingham la-
land.
1
at
to
(30
Q
September
1886.
5
9
12
10
9
4
7
10
9
8
5
8
8
4
3
8
8
8
6
5
3
4
4
6
6
4
3
3
4
4
4
9
October
16
18
22
17
19
21
17
S
7
6
17
4
8
7
12
23
17
16
19
14
12
13
10
17
6
November
6
December
January
1886.
13
February
5
March
April
7
6
May
2
June ^
2
July
4
August
5
September - -
*
year .
169
163
96
61
33
70
Table XXIL — Showing the number of hours of Fog observed at the Stations named.
Months.
. 1885.
October ,
November
December
1886.
January
February
March
April
May
Juoe
July.. ,
Aui^Bt
September ^...
Year
1
TO
5"
OQ
00
t-A
•o
o
4)
hi
.2
.a
00
m
a
a
■*^
bo .
i-rf
ea
H-»
u
C-O
O
aa
a.
s
So
be
n
a>
<i
CQ
m
O
152
8
61
13
12
12
88
28
32
10
168
60
144
43
312
12
74
8
24
28
4
35
4
16
216
24
44
69
12
76
248
204
60
68
20
124
368
44
92
147
56
188
104
196
88
40
80
208
136
26
—
—
—
—
1,992
630
•••••••••••a
J3
48
96
72
48
O
42
44
8
•1«
*l8t to 14th only.
i:s
btion where the
twards.)
Tablb XXIII. — Showing the number of hours Snow at the sovoral Stations naraod.
1
m
<-i
t»
a
s
•«
-^
ja
H^
bO .
SI'S
OS
« s
e«
o-^
(30
!zj
Q
6
9
6
6
6
4
13
3
ti
3
&
4
7
4
6
4
2
2
4
6
33
70
Months.
1885.
September >
October
November
December
1886.
January
February...,
March
April
May
June
July
August
September ■
9)
Year.
71
35
49
9S
136
203
104
25
40
oa
o
04
766
41
60
34
58
8
3(1
31
3
10
15
34
01
"3
0)
296
13
48
39
86
4S
40
8
30
62
20
381
*
a
86
110
105
144
95
113
76
139
86
46
999
a
c—
65
81
87
203
78
71
56
49
114
15
809
'a
a
s>
bo
to
68
77
40
67
5
19
9r,
94
132
577
ations named.
•
T3
a
cS
3
Ol
e>
bO
be
1
O
O
12
48
28
96
72
48
8
16
42
76
124
44
188
8
208
•16
^
—
126
Taule XXI v.— Meteorological Obaorvations, n.M.3. Fury— Oapt. Sir Ed. Parry, RN.
1821.
June
July
August
September.
Oc ober
November. .
December..,
1832.
January....,
February...
M&rcb
April
May
June ,
July
August. ....
September ,
Octobor. .,.,
November .
December. ..
1823.
January....
February...
March
April
May
June
July
August. ...
September..
October
Temperature.
Max.
5U
48-
42-
32-6
28
2
MiQ.
— 6
— 4-
13'
29-
46-
60-
64-
so-
ar-
29-
8-
—10-
+22-
21-
4-
33-
49*6
62
69
65
SI
30'
£9'
28-
20-
—13-
—20-
-29-
— 37'6
-37
—36
-12
— 6
20
30
27
11
— 9
-32
—43
-45-
—43-
—41'
-26'
— 8-
8-
30-
24-
23*
Mean.
SeaW
40'46
36-38
36-60
31-06
12-61
7-76
-12 94
-22 96
-24-9'?
-11-64
5-61
23 09
33-97
36 34
33-68
24-46
12 79
-19-37
-27-60
-17-07
-20-41
-19 76|
- 1-68
24-86
33-16
40-04
37*77
33-76
39-36
31'82
32 22
31-99
PoBitioQ.
England to Hudaon's Straits.
Hudson's Straits.
Upper Hudson's Straits to VanselUrt Isle.
vanseltan Isle to Lyon Inlet.
Winter Harbour.
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
Winter Island to Straits Fury and Hecla.
Straits of Fury and Hecla.
Straits of Fury and Heola to leloolick.
Igloolick.
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do to Winter Island.
Lyon Inlet to Gape FarewelL
127
W. Parry, RN.
Taulb XXV.
tart lale.
1 HecU.
Uck.
-Weekly Abstract of Obsorvationg taken on board Dominion Steamer
"Alert"— Juno to October, 18S6.
Weeks ending;
1886.
July 1
do R
do 15
du 2j
do 29....
Awg. 5 ....
do li
do 19 ....
do 26 ...
Sept. 2 ....
do 9....
du 16 ....
do 23 ....
do 30 ....
Oct. 7 ....
Voyage
Barometer.
Mean.
29 "793
•7B6
•787
•664
•727
•924
•824
•807
• 727
•742
•861
•678
•642
■936
•676
29-762
Highest
Lowest.
30-
29
•160
•070
■V34
•912
•9.5:?
30^192
29-978
3010
•101
29-9S8
bO 1.^4
-066
•07>
•233
•276
30-276
29-492
•509
•420
-390
•fiO.'
•70i
•606
•355
•141
2««^873
29-234
•120
28-857
29 403
-017
Range.
28 857
■668
■561
664
•532
•451
•490
•372
•746
•960
1 • 125
-900
■935
1-217
■830
1 268
1-418
Mt-an
48-84
36-63
38 42
38-63
40 71
= 942
63-68
65-9e
4894
39'ft2
:'6^92
36 •36
46^23
34-49
39-95
Temperature.
42 776
Max.
67 2
48^0
48 8
42-5
63
84-0
710
76-0
6f0
62
44*0
42-3
43 2
45-0
50 (I
84-0
Min.
38-6
33-0
325
.32-0
36-0
39
44-0
43
39
35-6
32-0
32
27-6
2S-6
32-0
27-6
Range
18-7
15-0
16-3
10-6
17-0
46^0
27
33-0
25-0
16 C
12
10
15
16
18
66-4
22
26
18
12
36
14
20
8
14
64
30
14
12
8
22
16
320
10
6
2
2
38
o
66
38
28
22
38
40
2
12
32
38
10
10
18
348
a <a
■«s
6
9
13
20
2:^
7
96
128
Table XXVI.— Tomporature of the Saa.
PoBitioa of SUi'r
,
■
s
Date.
a
Months.
Lat. N.
Long
. W.
=^5
03
o
1
t
Jane
25...
44
64
61
20
5402
do
2*5...
46
05
59
18
51 86
do
27...
47
49
59
46
60..'J2
do
28...
49
23
59
05
4883
do
2'^...
51
30
66
42
44 87
do
SO..
53
22
55
22
39-63
do
31...
July
1...
56
69
69
49
37-93
do
2...
56
59
59
49
34- IH
do
3...
57
52
61
17
35 53
do
4...
3t-76
do
5...
60
46
63
(2
32-30
do
6...
60
58
61
08
32-53
do
7...
60
20
64
00
31 16
do
8...
.0
02
63
33
31 2?
do
9...
61
03
6t
41
32 7ti
do
10...
61
27
67
38
35-58
do
11...
62
22
71
k;
36 06
do
12...
62
52
73
Oi»
33-52
do
13...
63
04
7-1
03
32 35
do
14...
62
56
75
12
32-48
do
15...
6i
00
76
46
31-21
do
16...
63
00
77
01
30 76
do
17...
62
58
77
14
3 .^3
do
18..
63
04
77
05
31-^6
do
19...
6i
48
77
29
;o-43
do
20...
21...
Port Laperricre.
30 3 J
do
31-10
do
22...
31 48
do
23...
• .•■••••«•
33 08
1^0
24...
33-46
do
25...
62
39
78
53
30-82
do
26...
6i
47
78
58
3.^-9}
do
27...
61
45
82
06
34 60
do
28...
36 21
43 12
do
29...
30...
Fort Churchill
«iP
50-31
dn
31...
48-43
Aug.
do
1..
to 17
3...
51 42
do
3...
1 ••••••••« (a
• !•• •«*.>
6575
do
4...
^^^
49 73
do
6...
58
OS
91
30
38 "5
do
6*««
67
11
• ■•
48-67
do
7...
57
11
9i
14
48 OS
do
8...
67
11
92
16
4904
do
9...
„,., ,
,
49'66
do
10...
60-63
do
11...
50-36
48-G!
do
12...
• >•••••• •
•.. ••••••
do
13...
•*•••#••■ ■
•••«•••« •••••■
46 96
do
11...
67
12
*••
• ••
48 18
do
16...
68
60
92
30
42-83
do
16...
17...
Church
ill
• • ••••«•
68 40
65-21
do
Date.
Months.
Aug.
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
Sept.
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
Oct.
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
18...
19...
20...
21...
22...
23...
24...
26...
26,.
27...
28...
29...
30...
31...
1...
o
5...
6...
7...
8...
9...
10,..
11...
12...
13...
14,..
16..
16...
17...
18...
19...
20,..
21...
22...
23...
24...
25...
26...
27...
23...
29...
30...
31...
1...
2...
J...
4...
6...
6...
7...
8...
»,..
10...
Position of Ship.
Lat. N. Long. W.
>32 37
61 !8
61 16
60 58
62 06
62 43
Port Laperricre
89 36
88 09
82 25
85 18
83 44
57 52
Left port ..,
Port DeBoucherville...
62 59 76
62 64 32
06
32
Ashe Inlet
(lunning across Straits
Stupart's Bay
Left the Bay .
60 S9
Port Burweil.
66 39
Left anchorage,,
Skynner'sOove.,
S
Left Skynner's Cove..
68 60
56 13
63 50
61 44
Fortean Bay
49 41
Off Meat Gove
Port Havkesbury.,
Halifax
69
67
65
66
61
10
18
15
58 43
56
54
50
43-
42
41'
44
42
41
40
40
S9
.^7'
37
:^8
36
36
37
35'
33
34
32
32'
33
33
33
32
32
33
33
3t
34'
34
33
34
33
32
32
32
32
32
33
3V
35
62
29
63
74
33
82
35
H
33
08
31
la
46
83
15
€9
14
96
63
^8
93
■46
83
00
02
72
5S
78
18
93
42
57
05
5i
04
57
94
24
49
69
90
41
92
67
34
34
36
37
40
43
44
49
63
64
69
98
•69
60
12
18
33
•31
68
33
i
m
p.
S
56 52
54 29
50 63
43-74
42 33
41-82
44 '35
42-n
41 33
4008
40 31
S9 18
37-46
37 83
:^8 15
3« €9
36 14
37 96
35-63
33^8
34 93
32-46
32-83
33 00
3i 02
33 72
32 5S
32-78
33 18
33 93
3f43
34-57
34 05
33 5^
34 04
33 57
32-94
32 24
32-49
32-69
32 90
33 41
3V92
35 67
34 98
36-69
37-60
40-12
43 18
44-33
49-31
63-68
64 33
f
129
APPENDIX "A" TO HUDSOX BAY HEPORT.
Results of Tidal Observations at the Stations.
The tidal observations taken at the stations in Hudson StriiitH, wore examined
carefully, and periods of fifteen or thirty days selected, in which ihoru wore the few-
est lacunae. These observations were plotted on protilo paper, and curves drawn
representing the tidal wave. The hourly readinj^s wore taken from the curve and
reduced to barometer 28 inches, by adding a correction at the ruto of one foot of
height of tide to one inch of barometer.
The readings so reduced were abstracted in groups aocordir.g *o the system re-
commended by Professor Darwin, in his article on ti>1eK. The hourly means of these
groups were then harmonically analyf^ed, and the tidal constants reduced.
At the two stations in the centre of the Straits, A^ho Inlet and Stupart's Biy,
the periods selected were the months of April and Iklay respectively^ during which
time the Straits were completely covered with ice. At all other staliijns the periods
selected were in the open season.
The following table gives the tidal constants, with the exception of A,, which,
as it only represents the height of mean tide on the gauge, is not noeossury lor tidal
prediction.
M^, is the principal lunar tide (serai diurnal).
fl„, the mean semi-range of this tide.
Xm, the angle of retardat on, called by Darwin the lag.
{S„ the principal solar tide (semidiurnal).
jy,, the mean semi-range of this tide.
Xs, the retardation angle or lag.
K_,, the luL'i solar, semi diurnal tide.
E", the mean semi-range.
K", the retardation angle or lag.
x„ luni-Bolar diurnal tide.
11', mean semi-range.
x', retardation angle or lag.
P, solar diurnal tide.
Up, mean semi-range.
x,„ retardation angle or lag.
O, lunar diurnal tide.
Ho, mean seui range.
xi, retardation angle or lag.
Tidal Constants for Hudson Straits Stations.
Latitnde. ...
Longitude.
M,
S,.
O
lis
H"
H'
K
Fl.
Port Burwell.
60O 24' 45' -2 N,
6t° 46' 00' W.
7.122 ft.
262« 55' 6
2 329 ft.
301° 43 2
6^6 ft.
30 .<=■ 43' 2
0-476 ft.
U^i" 49 6
159 ft.
113" 49' 6
190 ft
157° 3r-8
Asho Inlet*
61° 33' N.
7C9 35' W.
10-f95 ft.
23i° 53 -7
3-978 ft.
2960 23' 7
1-084 ft.
2960 23' 7
0-516 ft.
107° 41' 4
0172 ft.
lOT 4r-4
0-213 ft
SIS" iS'
Stupart'a
Bay.*
61° 35 'Hi.
71" 32' W.
9 022 f»,.
2260 58 1
3 049 ft.
28fi^- 39' -2
8.U ft.
288° 59' -2
4^'8 ft.
IO4O38' 3
156 ft.
102" . 8'-3
0-307 ft.
60 2' 6
NotHngham
IbUud
6^° 12' V.
77- 28' W.
4 7.!6 ft.
259° 34'
1 771 ft,
320° 30'
483 ft.
3.;0° 30'
C 218tt.
91° 24'
0-07 J ft
91° 24'
0-253 ft.
36^ 42'
Port
Laperri6re.
620 34' jj.
78° I' W.
309 ft
2570 25'
1 -24 ft.
315' 58'
0-34 ft
316° 68'
0-14 ft.
6lo 20'
05 ft
64° 20'
004 ft.
126 00'
156-9
• Winter tides, Straits covered with ice.
130
Putting the above table in the form now generally used for the ordinary par-
poses of Eavigation, the results become: —
Port Burwell.
a u
Time of fl. W. F. and C 9 25
Mean iuni'tidal interval. 9 04
Feet.
Moan iiBoand fall 14'24
do springs 18-90
do neaps 9*59
Ashe Inlet.
H M
Time of H. W. F. and C 8 32
Mean luni-tidal interval 8 04
Feet.
Moan rise and fall 22-00
do ppri.jgs 29-96
do neaps 14*03
StuparVs Bay.
H. M.
Time of H. W. F. and C 8 11
Mean luni-tidal interval 7 50
Feet.
Mean rise and fall 18-04
do springs 24-14
do neaps 11-94
Port T>eboucherville, Nottingham Island.
Time of H. W. F. and C 9 30
Mean luni-tidal interval 8 57
Feet.
Mean rise and fall 9 47
do springs ., 1301
do neaps 5-93
Port Laperriere, Digges Island.
H. M.
Time of H. W. F. and C
Mean luni-tidal interval 8 53
Feet.
Moan rise and fall 6*18
do springs 8*66
do neaps 3*70
Nachvak Bay^ Skynner's Cove.
From observations of times and height of high and low water.
H. If
Time of H. W. F. and C 7 08
Mean luni-tidal interval 7 01
D. H. M.
Age, from graphic method 1 12 42
Feet.
Mean rise and fall 3*69
do springs 4*88
do neaps 2*68
NoTK.— No correction for barometric chaoges was applied to these obserrations
\
131
Port Churchill.
H M
Time of H. W. F. and C 7 06
Mean lani-tidal interval 6 44
Feet.
Mean rise and fall 11-7
do springs lft-6
do neaps , 8*0
Marble Island.
Approximate results from two days' observations.
H M
Time of H. W. P. and C 4 TO
Mean luni-tidal interval 3 54
Feet.
Mean rise and fall 9-00
do springs 12'00
do neaps , 600
ANDREW K. GORDON,
I'M
APPENDIX
Goprof Table of Esperiraenta for ascertaining the Depth of Frost and Thaw pane
Height above sea
No.
1 to 7
8 to 10
11 toJ3
14
15 to 20
21 to 486
486
487
488-491
492
-49<
i9t
496
496
497
498
499
600
501
603
603
S04
606
506
507
608
509
6'0
6!1
512
613
Year.
Date.
1879-36
Jan., Feb
and Mar.
1879
Aug. 25...
1880
do !0...
l?8l
July 23..
1882
Sept. 10..
1882-83
Dec, Jan
and Feb
1883
Sept. 10..
1884
July 15..
1884
.\ug. 30..
Description oi Locality
1886
1885
1886
1886
1836
1886
1886
U86
1886
1886
1886
1886
lf>8«
1886
1886
1886
18-!6
lb86
1886
1886
1886
1886
April 14...
June 18...
4pril 28...
May 4...
do 28...
do 28..
do 31..
June 4...
do 4..
do 14..
do 14..
do 14..
do 23,.
do 25..
do 26,.
Aug. 30..
Wet or Dry.
In
do
do
do
Aug. 2
do 2
Depth of ice in channel of River Flayea , m
2C0yd8.W,3f)0yd.->. N. W., and 300 S.of York ; swamp.
100 yds S , 100 S. W., and 300 S of York ; swamp...
400ydii. N, of York, grave, alluvial 20 inches, white
clay, dense blue clay.
SOO yds. N. of York, old Indian burial ground, 6
graves opened, alluvial 4 feet, sandy clay.
MeUon River (mnuth of and 30 miles up) 7 miles from
York, due North ; 486 cross soundings taken by
surveyors to ascertain channel of river j white
clay, sand, blue clay.
(liver Hayes, bank exposed to full intensity of trOE't
Landslip, River Hayes .•
600 yds. N. of York, 4 graves opened, alluvial 40
inches, sandy clay.
400 yds. N. of York, grave, aliuvial 22 inches, white
cla^, blue clay.
Land slip, River Hayes
N. of Yoik, open ground, mossy grass
^00 rds S of York, grave, alluvial 21 inches, &c
York, garden soil
400 yds. N of Yi.rk, grave, alluvial 21 inches, &c....
1,000 yds. S. of York, swsrap
York, grave, aUnvial 23 inches, Acs ►
Swamp around York
Bank of River Hayes, land slip, white clay and mud
Shore of River Hayes, sand and mud
York, garden soil
Grave, alluvial 2 inches, &c
450 N. of York, new lime kiln, sandy clay, 20 feet. ...
jA. clearing
Severn, H B. post, 300 miles S.W of York ; cutting
for jetty (40 feet in length and 16 feet in depth)
shelving backwards and upwards tosuitace.
Within 20 yds. of experiment, 506
Swamp around York.
do (two days' rain)
Within cleaning, experiment 506, fine w.aiher
Swamp around York
Open ground around York
Dry,
do
Dry,
Very dry.
Depth
of
Snow,
[noh'i
Dry
Wet
Wet and dry.
Wet.
do.
Dry.
Wet and dry,
Very dry
Swampy ,
jTf
.Sow dry
Wet
do
Dry
Wet
Dry
16
20
'•••»»«f •
•••••••••
r
fThe above clearing is the most bare and bleak in the neighborhood of York ; it i.? nearly at all
80 that its Hoil is filly t.vp, sed to the kreatest degree of frost penetration possible, not only from above
a trench dug (lO feci ia long h) down to the non-frozen sub-soil with the result detailed in Vo 506.
depth of fruSt penetration in and around York, and may certainly be ranked as perpetual ice, but upon
s;round, I may mention that I had an Indian working hard for three days to ulitain this information.
NoTB — The varying nature of thu instrument sometimes employed (skull and screw augers o(
of the miaiurtments in ihe foregoing experiments.
APPENDIX
d Thaw pene
vht above sea
t or Dry,
Depth
of
Snow,
laoh'i
■**••••••
y dry....
15
20
and dry.
■••••**r*
'«••••*••
aad dry.
rdry ....
mpy
dry ....
*•••••••
is nearly at all
nly from above
iled in Vo 506.
al ice, but upon
iufarmatlon.
icrew augers of
138
B.
tration, York Factory, Hudson's Bay, I,atitudo 57° N., Longtitude 94° 26' W.
lev*'!, 51 Tcot.
FroBt
Penetration.
Avg. 6 ft. 6 in.
38 inches
Avg 5 ft. 10 in,
33 inchei..
48 inchfii.,
40 inches..
30 iiiches..
31 inch a.
3 d> .
8 feet
Superficial
Thaw
28 inches.
36 inches.
mi.
37 in., 29 in...,
.^v^. 1 inch ..
ilo 2 i riches
H fn 9 inchoH
■.J in'h''3 . ....
10 t^ 12 inchi.'S
10 itichf'S.
.-ivg.l^i inches
28 Indies .
lOf^^ei.. ..
Avg 18 inches
do M do
65 inches.. .
It do
tx
c
s o
Feet
33
10
10
IJ
!•>
17
w
"«.'
OS
Rain. Snow
9j
i2-8I
:1'78
43-70
57-80
'ii-»-^0
23-21 39-17
25 -31
24 27
50-18
47 46
21-18 41 86
1
30 inchi^s
Avg. 36 inches
37 inches -
A vg.37J inches
do 48 do
40 inches. ..
21
"15
a z ■-'■
3,5 c
u, ^ ^
17-45
15-75
lb 19
21-90
16 ,')i )
15 03 J
15-01
Abtie f
05
o
a
a
*
c
'3
05
J
I I
o
Explanatory Remarks.
Lowest, 5 ft. 6 in. ; highest, 7
No frost found at 33 feet.
do 33 do
do 10 do
ft.
do
10 do
Inforraation courteously given me by H.
Jukea, Esq , C.E . engineer in charge.
Surveyors employed by Winnipeg and
Hudson Bay Railway Oo.
Vo fro?t found at 12 feet from above down-
■wards, height of bank 34 feet.
No frost found at 16 feet.
do 17 do
37 in. white clay, 29 in. blue clay.
No frost found at 17 feet.
Thaw dependent upon nature of ground ;
wet average 9 in., dry 7J in.
No frost found at 17 feet.
do
do
18 do
10 do
do 18 do
) A lodgement of 3 inches of frozen water
J over clay bed at 65 inches.
•Excavation. No frost at 16 feet.
I
i*slei-ly galei sweeping over Hudson's Bay,
times freed from it. wiuter's suow .by^^.^^j^'^'^Xe^forrhavinK lected this, the most exposed site, I had
downwards, but tVom its position '"^ ^-f ^'^S^^ as I consider it indicates the greatest
This last «^Pf/'°^f V ;.hcll7com^ir e°d wi?h n 10 ^Icre.. To give an idea of quarrying m frozen
a icalo so small hs to be wticlij corap.-. tu «i
. . A In „r,h« ire chisels. 4c.) explHins the somewhat arbitrary appearance of some
different diameten and lengths, ice cnisejB, »^-; f
156—10
f
>
CHART
Showing position. and. estiituited amount of
ice inHuds ons Straits in tKe Ise^iTini n^
of July 18 86
Track ofS^.Ai-cUc _
TrarJc off). S. S, A Iprt.
FieJ/s/y iiye ~ thus
8 5
te»"
Ottawa P a
^
6
LABR>