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Les disgrammes suivants illustrant le mithode. by errata led to )nt ine pelure, a^on A ;--:'T^-. 2 fE 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 32X REPORT — OF ■ EXPLORATORY SURVEY TO HUDSON'S BAY in W^ILLIAM OGILVIE, D.L.S. REPORT OF EXPLORATORY SURVEY TO HUDSON'S BAY BY WILLIAM (HilLVIE, D.L.S. Ottawa, 20th Jummry, 1891. The Honourable The Minister of the Interior, Ottawa. Sir, — I submit the following report of my opei-ations for tiie past season, nniler instructions dated 18th March, 1890. The object of the work entrusted to me. as set forth in those instructions, was three-fold : — First, to make a traverse survey of that part of the Ottawa River above Mattawa, and of Lake Temiscamingue, so as to connect some point in Mattawa with the southern end of the line marked on the ground at the north end of Lake Temis- camingue as the boundary between the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The latitude and longitude of the point in Mattawa being accurately determined, the the latitude and longitude of the end of the above line becomes known through the traverse. Second, if practically convenient, to connect the north end of the above Inter- provincial boundary line, situated on the watershed between the waters of the Ottawa and Abitibi Rivers, by micrometer traverse with some point on James Bay, and also to make a micrometer traverse of part of the shore line of this bay. Third, to determine, by a series of moon culminations, and occultations of stars b}' the moon, the longitude of some point on the bay, also by zenith telescope the latitude of the same point. The first and third of these objects I accomplished, but owing to very high water it was practically impossible to accomplish the seconil. As the shores of the streams and lakes along which I would have to make the survey were all sub- merged, landing from canoes would be difficult, and in making a survey it would be neces.sary to clear away quite an amount of brush and trees at each station, which would have caused so much delay that unless I remained there all winter the lime would have been too short to complete the third and principal part of my work. I was therefore compelled to abandon this, and content myself with making a track survey between the head of the Quinze River and Bast Main on James Bay. In all this distance, with the exception of a few miles at Moose, Rupert's House and East Main, the courses are magnetic, and the distances estimated from the time taken to travel over each of them. At each of the three points excepted, a few miles of survey were made with astronomical azimuths and micrometer distances. This could not be continued around the bay on account of the shallowness of the water, which, in many places between Moose and Rupert's House, is less in depth than the rise and fall of the tide, thus making a great difference in the position of the shore line at the different stages of tide water. The water is always muddy, and as one cannot see where to steer to keep off the bottom, much delay was caused in keeping close to shore, as had to be done when making a survey; thus, the time taken up in going from one point to another was so long that the incoming tide flooded the place around the station, making it impossible to set up a transit. For this reason 1 had to abandon altogether the idea of making an instrumental survey of the shore line of the bay, and simply look the magnetic coui-so from point to point, and estimated the distance between them from the time and rate of travel. An instrumental survey was made from Rupert's House along the beach as far as the mouth of Pontax Creek (about ten miles) and the position of seveial points iiround Rupert's Bay was fixed by azimuth from other points of the survey. The n moHt prominont point thus fixed was a hii^h hill on the enst xhoro of the hay, Itnown UH "ShoiTick'rt Mount." This was so connected with the survey that its Intitiido and longitude referred to Rnperfs Jfouse c:in he deduced from it. From East Main I mode an astronomical and micrometric survey from the Hudson's Bay Company's post down to the mouth of the river, and a short distance along the coast to the top of a high rocky island called " Dilly-dally," from which " iShorrick's Mount" could be seen, and the azimuth of the latter was determined from this point. As it stands not far from midway between Rupert's and East Main, the shore line between those two points can he very closely laid down. ASTR0N0.MICAL OBSERVATIONS. At Abitibi, Moose and Rupert's House observations were taken for latitude and time, the latter in order to approximate to their longitude by chronometer ditter- eiices of time between the several points. 1 had intended to get a series of observa- tions for lime at some point on my survey of Lake Temiscamingue, to enable me to interpolate tho error of my chronometer between two well-defined points at the extremities of my surve}', one on the traverse from Mattawa and the other at my astronomical observatory at East Main. On my way up, piessure of time and cloudy weather prevented this, and on my way down stormy, snowy weather precluded all attempts at that kind of work. This necessitates the assumption that the chro- nometer rate was uniform over the whole journey, which is very likely not correct, and in that case there will be an undiscoverable error in the longitude of those three places as referred to Kast Main. At East Main I had some difHculty in getting my astronomical transit mounted. As I took only the telescope and the auxiliary V's, made by Foster, of Toronto, to be used in mounting on a stump or other substitute for the tripod or stand, and I could not find anywhere near this point a tree large enough either to utilise the stump or part of the body for a post, 1 had to pi-ocure two pieces of timber, about 8 inches square and 10 feet long, from the Hudson's Hay Company there, and put them tightly together in the form of a St. Andrew's Cross, by a bevelled half mortise strongly fastened with screw bolts and heavy nails. The mortise was so placed that the distance from centre to centre of the ends of the arms was at one end 18 inches and at the other about 4 feet. The long end was placed in a hole in the ground about 5 feet deep ; stones were then packed around it in such a way as to make it as steady as possible, the hole then filled in with gravel, and the transit mounted and adjusted. This proved, I think, as good a stand as any other would on the same kind of ground, which is a small, sandy ridge, surrounded by a swamp or quagmire. Unfortunately for the accui-acy of my observations in the August-September luna- tion, the support was not satisfactorily steady, owing to the settling of the stones and gravel in the hole dug to receive the stand. The observations taken at this point during the August-September lunations for the determination of longitude consist of three complete and one partial moon culmination observations, and two occultations. The latter, however, cannot be relied on, as they were observed under veiy unfavourable conditions — one of them in strong twilight in the morning; and as the star was less than the 4th magnitude, and only the immersion was visible, and that by the bright limb of the moon, it is at once apparent that the actual time of disappearance could not be vevy closely obtained. Add to this the difficulty caused by a strong gale of wind blowing all night at the time of observation, which caused much vibration in the telescope used, and necessitated holding the chronometer in the hand close to the head, and it must be seen that this can hardly be called an observation at all. The other was taken under much better conditions, but the haziness of the atmosphere rendered the star, when within a few seconds of disappearance, very dim, and altogether I cannot regard this one either as satisfactory. The culminations, five in number, observed during the September-October luna- tion, were much more satisfactorily obtained, but the two occultations obsej'ved were tay, known tH Intitiulo from tho irt (liHtanco rom which determined Knst Main, titudo and eter (litt'or- of obnerva- lable mo to ints at tho ther at my and cloudy •ocliidod ail the chio- not correct, those three it mounted. Toi'onto, to tunii, and I utilise tho of timber, Y there, and jvelled half ftise was so i at one end hole in the ^^astomuke lit mounted )n tho same • quagmire, imbor luna- the stones r lunations irtial moon cannot be )ne of them magnitude, moon, it is Qvy closely blowing all scope used, md it must was taken i5d the star, r I cannot tober luna- erved were unfavourably situated, being too near tho hori/.on, so that altogether the longitude ileduced from them will not be ho valualile as that from the culminations. Twice 1 observed the re-appearance ti-om eclipse of Jupiter's satellites; one of them (the second satellite) gave mo a result agreeing clftsely with that deduced from the culminations, but the result obtained trom the other (the tirst satellite) differs considerably from this. When we consider the rate of motion and size of those bodies, which is such that it takes the first 'A'l minutes, the second 4'."{, the third 87 and the fourth It'S to move over their own diameter, we see at a glance how very irregular the results of any observations for longitude dependent on their motion must be. Not only are tho idiosyncrasies of vision of the person observing, and the light-gathering power ot tho telescope, important factors in tlie result, but also the light-transmitting condition of the atmosphere and the altitude above the horizon ot the bodies under observa- tion. It may bo added that the last two conditions are hardly ever similar on two or more different occasions, so that any given fraction of any one of the satellites which would be just visible witli any given light-gathering power of glass might not be visible at all with the same glass under different atmosi)heric conditions or at a different altitude. The most prolmblo result cannot be reduced from my observations until after I have made a series of observations of lunar culminations on both limbs at Ottawa or elsewhere, which I purpose doing as soon as possible. 4'his arises from the fact that all but one ot my culminations observed at East Main were taken on tho moon when waning, or on its second limb. This necessitates observations on both to determine my "personal equation," and enable mo to apply it to my results at East Main. At East Main I was only able to get one night's work with the zenith telescope for latitude, and in this night could only get three pairs of stars. This was owing to the fact that I had but one instrument which was provided with a movable micro- meter thread parallel with the transit threads. To a' 27", and the chronometer roferreil to Kust Main places it in 78^ 45' west longitude; but when the most probable longitude is finally determined for East Main I shall bo able, from the connection between those two places by the survey already described, to locate liupert's House imlopendently of the chronometer. fl| nKSORIl'TION OK TtIK ROUTE FROM MATTAWA TO EAST MAIN. Although nearly all the route travelled over is situated in the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and a partof it at least is only a few hours journey from Ottawa. it appears to me that a general description of it and some reniiirks on its ditficultioH J will be of use, if for nothing else, at least to help any one who may have to go J over the same route. I know such a description would liavo been of great assistance I to me. Between Mattawa, on the lino of the Canadian Pacific Hallway, and the foot of Lake Tomiseamingue (about thirty-flve miles) the Lake Tomiscaminguo Colonization Hallway Company have a line of boats and a railway. The railway was built in order to pass rapids in the river, and is in f»mr parts; the first, about four miles above Mattawa, somewhat less than half a mile in length ; the second, about eight and a half miles from Mattawa, about half a mile long; the third, about twelve miles from Mattawa, and about one-fourth of a mile long. Over these throe sections the cars are drawn by horses. The fourth section is botwoon the head of Seven League Lake (which is simply an expansion of the Ottawa River) and the foot of Lake Tomiseamingue, and is six miles long. Over this the cars are drawn by a small locomotive engine. From the end of this road steamboats take us without a break to the head of Luke Tomiseamingue. On this lake there are half a dozen or more steamboats, of which two are of good size. The time from Mattawa to the head of Lake Tomiseamingue, utilizing those means of transport, is two days: one to the foot of Lake Tomiseamingue, tne next to the head. The scenery is beautiful, and, were it more generally known, I think many would make a holiday trip over this route, and find it as pleasant as any in Canada. As far up as Fort Tomiseamingue this lake is seldom more than a mile wide; but above that point from two to five miles. In the lower (narrow) part it is said to be very deep. Tho banks are very stoop and high on this part, but on the upper end not bo much so. We leave the head of the lake by a part of the Ottawa River, locally known us the Quinze River, from tho fact that fifteen portages have to be made on it to get to the lake at its head, known as Quinze Lake. ik.ll this is avoided now by a waggon road from Bale do P^re, on Lake Temisca- mihguo, to a bay on Quinze Lake. The length of this road is said to be about twenty miles. I was unable to get my canoes and all my supplies through by this route, and had to go by the Quinze River. This caused two and a half days of very heavy work. A few notes on this part of the journey will not be out of place. The first portage going up the river is on the south side, and about 120 yards long; tho second, on the same side, about 250 yards long; tho third, on the north side, about half a mile long, and over some rough ground. Those three are all within sight of each other. Above the third there are about three miles of slack current to the fourth portage, which is on the north side of the river, and more than two miles long. In the ordinary height of water this is broken into three shorter ones by crossing tho river, but m}' guides thought tho current too strong and the water too rough to do this with my canoes. About a mile above this the fifth portage occurs on the north side of the river; it is only 100 yards long, but is over a sharp hill. Two hundred yards or so above this is the sixth portage, on the y roll lid north side ot an island ; it is about 150 yards long. In coming down stream, with medium height of water, both of these can be safely run past in ordinary canoes. Three-fourths of a mile above this is the seventh portage, on the south side of the river. It is over a very I'ough, rocky surface, and leads us from the river to a small lake, over which we sail about half a mile to another portage, over rough, rocky ground to the river again. The first of those is about 300 yards long, the other about 40(», hut in high water the latter is reduced about half. These two portages cut off a sharp bend in the river, in which there is said to be some very rough ""Yater, A mile or so of easy water in the river brings ud to the ninth portage we made. It is )n the north side of the river, is upwards of 1,000 yards long, and passes over rough in low water this is cut into two or three by crossing the river. The next portage is also on the north side, is 650 yards long, and on tolerably good ground. There arc about three fourths of a mile between it and the last. A mile or so above this, on the north side, is the el jventh and last portage we had to t^iako on this part of the river. It is 450 yards lon;:^ and is on level ground, A mile above this puts us into Quinze Lake, up the north arm of which we go on a nearly north course about thirteen miles. The upper three or four miles is siiiillow. We leave this lake by a small river, called Eivii^re Barrier, of an aver- ago width of 100 to 150 yards, and a slack current, up which we go about 2f miles to a portage 300 yards long, which passes i> series of shallow, rooky rapids. At the head of this portage we enter Lac Barrier, up which we go on a course nearly north-west about fifteen miles to the mouth of a small river, called Lonely Eiver, on the west side of the lake. This is the first stream of any noticeable size entering on this side. Beyond it there is a large island in the lake, which has the appearance of being the end of the lake. Junt past this island the lake narrows, and then bifur- cates — one arm running nearlv west, the other nearly east. The westerly arm extends about six miles, and I do not know how far the other reaches. This lake is in no place that I saw much more than a mile wide. Its lower end is shallow and weedy. The route follows Lonely River, up which wc go about eight miles to Long Lake. The river is about 100 yards in average width, and has a moderate current. At one point it is only 2^ to 3 feet deep for a distance of 100 yards, but all the I'est seemed to be upwards of five feet deep in low water. It is serpentine in its course, and the distance between the two lakes (Lake Bari-ier and Long Lake) I would not esti- mate at more than five miles in a direct line. The arm of Long Lake, which we enter from Lonely Eiver, is about a mile wide, 2^ long, and is generally shallow and weedy. The course up it is a little south of west. The main body of the lake where this arm joins it lies nearly noi-th-west and south-east. South-east it extends six or eight miles, and is surrounded by high, rocky hills. Xorth-west we go about 3:^ miles to a narrow part of the lake, about 60 yards wide and 100 long, in which there is quite a stitt' current during high water. These narrows continue for more than a mile, when the lake again widens. About ten miles above the narrows a deep bay extends from the south-westerly shore for several miles in a south-westerly direction. Looking down this bay, many high hills can be seen. Prominent among these is one named " Shew-me-ness," which is said to be the highest hill in that part of the country ; its top is bare of timber. I was told the natives formerly (and to some extent still) considered it a holy hill, and it was customary for their medicine men to occasionally retire to its summit to fast and meditate. Two miles and a half or so past this bay, on the south-westerly shore, and soon after passing a couple of small rocky islands, we reach the mouth of a creek. Here there is a portage of about 300 yards to a small lake nearly a mile long and one fourth wide. A sail ovtr this south-westerly to iis extremity brings us to the east end of the height of land portage, over which we go in a westerly direction about half a mile to a small lake, the waters of which flow by the Abitibi Biver northwards to James Bay. In high watei" it flows both to the Abitibi and Ottawa, and it is said the channel giving vent to the Ottawa is yearly growing deeper. This will be spoken of at greater length later. lake, 1 troani, with lar}- canoes. 1 side of the u* to a small •ough, rocky the other wo portages ough "Yater. made. It is over I'ough r. on tolerably the last. A we had to nd. v'hich we iro ur miles is of an aver- it 2f miles to ids. At the ourse nearly ely Eiver, on > entering on ppeai-ance of then bifur- i'esterly arm This lake is shallow and o Long Lake, •ent. At one i rest seemed urse, and the uld not esti- about a mile a little south y noi'th-west irrounded by t of the lake, ' during high igain widens, luth-westerly is bay, many ew-me-ness," p is bare of )nsidered it a /■ letii-e to its s bay, on the y islands, we ds to a small esterly to iis which wo go f which flow s both to the wa is yearly We cross this lake in a north-westerly direction about 1\ miles, and leave it b}' a small crooked creek, known as Snake Creek, which passes through a grassy marsh. This creek is upwards of a mile long, but in a straight line it cannot be more than one-fourth of that distance from the last mentioned lake (or what we may call Summit Lake), to a very irregularly shaped lake called Island Lake, from the large number of islands it contains. Through this lake we pass nearly due north about eight miles, passing numberless and beautiful islands which are cer pre- senting new aspects of beauty, and revealing viewj of the distant hills around the lake, which, though not grand, are sercnel}' beautiful. Here we enter a deep, narrow bay, which trends eastward, and on about a mile and a half further we enter the river which discharges the water of the lake. Down this for about a mile we come to a portage to pass a ra])id in the stream. This rapid is about 140 yards long, with a fall of six feet or so. Three hundred yards below this again there is a third rapid and portage 170 yards long, with a fall of seven or eight feet ; about 300 yards below this there is another ra)tid and portage 170 yards long, with a fall of ten feet. These three places arc known as the "Three Carrying Places. ' Below this the course of the liver is a little east of north, and somewhat sei'pentine, for a distance of about seven miles, at the end of which is another rapid and portage 40 j'ards long, with a fall of about five feet in low water, but hardly any fall in high water. Beiow this, for about 3J miles, the course is about north-east and serpentine. In this twelve miles of river the current is nowhere swift (except in the rapids). Here we enter a lake called Upper Luke, and keeping close to the west shore we pass between some i-ock islands and enter a deep bay extending southward. We cross this on a north-westerly course about H miles, then continue along the westerly shore about half a mile, when vve cross the mouth of another deep bay on a nearly north-west course about two miles to the northerly shore of the lake. Skirting the shore a little over half a mile we enter a small stream, which in a few yards expands into a small lake, and i-unning along the west shore of this we find an outlet to the j'iver, of which there are several channels which, however, unite just below here. Upper Lake is very irregularly shaped; islands are as numerous in it as in Island ijake, and the scenery as beautiful. These lakes will compare for beauty Avith any places I have ever seen ; and I feel confident, were they easily- accessible, they would soon become places of resort in the tourist season. About 2^ miles from this lake, in a generally north-easterly direction, there is a cataract in the river, and a portage of 40 yards to pass it. Here the stream narrows from 200 yards and upwards to less than a tenth of that, and falls through an opening i-esembling a gateway, in a ridge of granitic i-ock, a height of about twelve feet. Below this the course of the river is nearly north for 5 miles to Lake Abitibi, and from the mouth of the river to the Hudson's Bay Company's trading post on the lake is about 2J miles in a north-easterly direction. The post is situated on a long flat point projecting into the lake, at its extreme east end. Formerly all the supplies for this post were brought from Moose up the Abitibi Eiver, but for some years past they have been taken from Mattawa over the route I have just described, which considerably I'cduces the labour and expense of furnishing the post. LAKE ABITIBI. Like all the other lakes along the route, this lake is very irregularly shaped. It varies in width from a couple of miles to fourteen or liftetn. There are many large bays and numerous islands, most of which are rockj' and many of them of consider- able extent. The route generally travelled from the post down the lake lies along the south shore for about 17J miles, and then crosses to a point on the north shore on a nearly west course. The distance on this course is about 3^ miles, but the lake here is only a couple of miles wide. 10 1'' Skirting the south shore for a distance of nearly five miles we reach the "Narrows," which are abou' two miles long, and in parts not more than 300 yardn wide. At the west end of the " Narrows " a large island makes two channels ot exit — the one to the north avoids a portage across a long peninsula, which projects from the south shoi-e many miles northward. By this route, however, there is a large expanse of open water to be crossed, which in windy weather becomes too rough for ordinary canoes, and thus causes much delay. The south channel passes through a bay with numerous islands in it, which afford such shelter that it can be- crossed almost at any time. The course is generally between south-west and west for about 5^ miles, when we reach the peninsula already mentioned. At this point we make a portage of about one fifth of a mile on a westerly coux'se to a small lake- about 300 yards across, from which another portage of about 150 yards brings us again to Lake Abitibi. Here we can in moderate winds cross straight to the head- of Abitibi Eiver, which, as seen from the portage, is just south of a small rocky island about two miles out, and nearly due west. The distance across is about 5^ or 6 miles^ In windy weather, with a southerly or westerly wind, we can skirt the south and west shore of the lake to the same point, but with a northerly or north- westerljr wind the water is too i-ough for an ordinary canoe. ABITIBI RIVER. At its head this river averages about 150 yai-ds wide, with a moderate current. For the first five miles it runs generally south-westerly to the first portage, which i» on the south side, and we pass a fall and rapids. The fall I should say is about twenty-eight feet high, and the total difference of level thirty-five feet. The portage is about a quarter of a mile long, and is not rough. The course of the river is now for some distance nearly west. About two miles below the first fall there is a swift rush through a veiy nai row passage in a ridge of rock. Here the water is rough, but can be safely run in a good-sized canoe. Beyond this the water is smooth, with an easy current for about ten miles to a short rapid, easily nin ; then there is a mile of smooth water, and ihen about a mile of swift, rough water, which only requires watchfulness in keeping off the rocks to be safely run in any canoe. About a mile below this a considerable stream comes in on the north side. My fiiide told me it was called " Mis-ta-ago Sipi," but he had not command of enough nglish to tell me what it meant, nor did I afterwards learn. Two miles or so below this there is a small rapid, easy of descent, and about 4j miles further a fall of four or five feet, and a portage on the south side 100 yards long. Two hun- dred yards below this there is another fall of seven or eight feet, and u portage on the south side also about 100 yards long. For about the next four miles the river runs between south and south-west to a river which enters from the south. I under- stood the guide to say that this stream has its head near the Rividre Blanche, which flows into Lake Temiscamingue close to the Quinze River, and that Indians some- times go through to Lake Temiscamingue that way. This stream is 60 to 70 yards wide at the mouth. Here the river turns to a northerly direction, and about five miles from the last stream we come to a fall of about fourteen feet, which I understand is called " Iroquois Falls." It is said it derived this name from an adventure of pome Iroquois Indians many j'eurs ago, who wei-e raiding the countiy, and com- pelled two native women to act as their guides. The women, to save their own people, lulled the suspicions of the raiders when they heard the noise of the fall, by assuring them that the noise they heard was caused by the entrance of an affluent stream over a high fall, believing which they went on to their destruction. Another version of this story which I heard was that the enforced guides were men who assured their captors that the rapids could be easily run by keeping in a certain part of the channel, and to prove their sincei'ity took the lead in a canoe, but so acted that all their enemies went over the falls, while they, from their local knowledge, were able to escajio, II each the 00 yai'drt annoli!i of projects jcre is it comes too nel passes it can bo and west this point mall lake- )rings us the head cky island )r 6 miles^ south and westerly te current. i, which is- y is about le portage two miles I a ridge of 5ed canoe. \ to a short It a mile of rocks to be I side. My of enough niles or so further a Two hun- portage on 8 the river . 1 under- che, which lians some- 70 yards 1 from the erstand is venture of ', and com- their own )f the fall, an affluent n. uides were seping in a 11 a canoe, their local The first version seems to be a stock story, and is told of several other cataracts ; and to speak for myself, I do not think either version very probable, as Indians, as a rule, are not apt to run much risk, certainly not in a strange country. The portage past this is on the south side, and is about 140 yards long. The course of the river is serpentine, and ranges from about north-west to noi-th- east, and about 9J miles below Iroquois Falls we come to a rapid half a mile or so in length, with a fall of four or five feel. The only danger in this is from rocks, of which there are many, and it requires a sharp lookout to avoid a collision with them, especially in low water. The general direction of the river below this rapid is a little west of north, and the current is smooth and easy for about 18J miles, when there is a small ripple 40 or 50 yards long. After passing this the general direction is the same for nearly seven miles, when it turns sharply to the west, and we imme- diately enter the Long Sault Eapids. The first three miles of this is only a very swift current, which ends at a barrier of granitic rock, through a narrow opening in which the river tumbles down about seven teet. The portage here is about 40 yards long, anil is on the south side. Below this there is about three eighths of a mile of rough water, with very large rocks in it, when the water again takes a plunge of about five feet. The portage here is on the south side, and is 100 yards in length. This is succeeded by over half a mile of bad rapids, rough and stony. I camped at the head of this part in the evening, and in the morning found that my guide had deserted me, though for what other reason than inherent ugliness I cannot say. To search for him would only entail loss of time without any benefit, so I made an examination of the rapid fi'om the shore, and ran down it without mishap other than taking a little water into the canoes. Below this for two or three miles there is swift and shallow but not dangerous water. In all this rapid I would estimate a fall of about 40 feel. In the bad partof this rapid the course of the river turns from west to generally north, and continues so for about 7^ miles, when it again turns sharply to the south- west. Just at the turn a stream 50 to 60 yards wide enters on the north side. As my guide was gone I could not learn anything concerning it. About 5i miles from this stream there is a short i-apid, midway in which is an island. Fair sized canoes can safely descend this rapid, but there is a portage on the island about 60 yards long. Continuing on a south-westei'ly course about 3f miles brings us to the next rapid and portage. The portage is on the southerly shoi-e, and is 100 yards long. Like several of the falls alreadj' mentioned, this one is only a contraction of the river by a ridge of granite rock, the water-way through it being only one sixth or one eighth of the average width of the river. The fall is only about three feet, but it is much too rough for any canoe to pass through. The river here begins to change from its south-westerly direction and gradually curves around to a course nearly north. About a mile below this rapid a river quite as large as the Abitibi joins it from the south. It is known as Frederick House Eiver, and is said to have its source in a lake not far fi-om the head of Montreal River, which flows into Lake Temiscamingue. The course of the river from here down for about eighteen or nineteen miles is a little west of north, when it again takes a short turn to the west and passes through another granite ridge, forming two very bad rapids. To pass these there are two por- tages on the north side of the river — the first 170 yai-ds long, the second 190. The fall in the first is about ten feet, in the second four or five ; between them there is a pond about 200 yards across. After passing these the course is again northerl}*, and for a mile or two the current is smooth and easy, but after that the presence of many granitic islands in the river renders it swiflt, but not rough. About two miles of this bring us to anothei* I'apid, where again the course changes from northerly to westerly, and we pass through a granite ridge. The first portage is on the westerly shore, about 100 yards long, and over level ground. The next is across an island in the river, and is about 100 yards long, and is known as the Island Portage. The distance between them is 50 or 60 3^ard8. I ran past the first one in my canoe. It is easy to run down, but somewhat difficult to stop at the island befoi-e you are swept 12 into the next rapid, which would quicicly engulf a canoe. The fall in this rapid is seven or eight feet. The course of the river is again northerly; the current is very easy, and the width about 200 yards. About fourteen miles from Island Portage a small river joins from the west, known as Red Whitefish River. Three miles further down, the river again turns westerly, and passes over a succession of rapids, of which I got the following description from an employ^ of the Hudson's Bay Com- pany : Two miles below the turn is the first rapid, which is a very bad one. The portage past it is on the easterly side of the river, is about half a mile in length, Avith level, good roadway, and is called the Lobstick Portage. The next one is a little more than half a mile below this on the westerly side of the river, and is known as the Bui'iit VVood Portage. It is about 300 yards long and over a very rough, rocky surface. The rapids are very bad. This is succeeded by about a mile of calm water to the next portage, on the westerly shore, about 100 yards long, and over a rock. It is only 100 yards again to another portage, which is on the easterly side, to avoid what is called the Clay Falls. It is along the face of a clay slope, and is close to the water's edge in high water; it is about 200 yards long. Next comes the Birch Portage, about 100 yards below the Clay Falls. It is on the easterly side of the river, about 300 3'ards long, an 80 yards lel is wide, cannot say 1 from the ss through ictured for rend. The at difficult, ther pond- 8 long, and 3ot, as it is north and •'s trading 1 generally ion a little west of north, when its navigability is again interrupted by a succession ot rapids, which necessitate a portage (on the east side) of fully two miles, with two bad hills at the north end. This portage is sometimes divided into two (one about a mile, the other less than a quai-ter), but it does not appear that the diifei'ence is considered of much advantage. About a mile below this portage is anothei*, also on the east side, 000 yai-ds long. The rapid here is not very rough, and can be run in light canoes, but mine were too heavily laden. Below this portage there is about a quarter of a mile of swift rough water to run before we get into smooth water again, which, however, only continues about two miles, when there is another portage, also on the east side, anil about 900 j'ards long. Parties going up sometimes ascend this and the preceding rapid in their canoes by keeping in shore and poling. Nearly all the Indians in this district are adepts in poling, and two or three of them will take a canoe up a rapid that the uninitiated would hardly think it possible to ascend without the aid ot a line. On one occasion a small Indian, named Samson, whom I considered only a boy from his size and appearance, asked my two men who were with him in my largest canoe to get out at the foot of a rapid about 200 yards long. They not know- ing what he wanted did as he requested, when he immediately got into the stern, pushed out and poled up the I'apid apparently with ease, though the current at the place could not have been less than ten miles per hour and the water four feet deep. So quickly did he handle his pole that one could hardly see him lift it and take a fresh stroke, and so true did he keep the canoe to her course that she never swerved an inch from it. Had she done so she would have turned and gone broadside down again. At the same time and place five other men in a birch bark canoe had to make two attempts before they succeeded in getting up, while two Indians in my other canoe exhausted themselves trying to get up, but did not succeed, and we had to haul them up with a line from the shore. Samson afterwards carried one of the canoes on his shoulders over a two mile portage. It weighed over 170 lbs., and con- sidering its bulk this was quite a feat. 1 learned that his father was famed for his portaging abilities, and so injured himself in trying to place on record the heaviest load over a portage that he died from the effects of it. It is said that the load he carried was 060 lbs. for a distance of one stage (about 400 yards). Their 2)ole8 are eight to ten feet long, stout enough to be rigid, and, whenever possible, pointed with iron ; otherwise they soon become bruised, and will not hold on a stony bottom. Five miles below the last mentioned rapid we come to the head of a long rapid, in which the river widens to about 600 yards, or about three times its average width, and is correspondingly shallow. This rapid is not very rough, but is some- what dangerous, by reason of its shallowness and the numerous rocks in it. The first part is about three miles long, after which it gets smooth, but is still swift and shallow for about 2^ miles, when it again becomes a rapid resembling the upper Sirt, and continues so for about 3^ miles. This rapid is sometimes called Long apid, but oftoner the " Pudding," from the resemblance some islands standing in it bear to a plum pudding. In this rapid the course of the river is about north, but below it it swerves a little eastward. A river called by the Indians " Abitibi Shi-sipi," or " Little Abidbi Eiver," flows in from the east about four miles below this. It is upwards of 100 yards wide at the mouth, but is shallow. Continuing the same course about seven miles brings us to a shallow rapid of no especial importance, called Blacksmith's Eapids. One partj' told me it was so named because a drunken blacksmith was drowned here some years ago, but othei's gave as the origin of the name the existence of a bed of lignite coal here, which latter derivation I suppose to be the true one. About a mile below this a river enters from the east, 20 yards or so wide ; and about 2^ miles from this another i-iver, about 40 yards wide at the mouth, enters from the west. My guide called it "0-nak-o-whan-i-Sipi," but could not, owing to his ignorance of English, tell me what that meant. About a mile below this, what appeared to be a small river was seen on the east side. 14 The f^enoral course of the river hero is nearly north-eaet for many miles back; but its eharactoi- ehanj^cH, in that there are now numerous islands in it, and it is wider and often shallow, with some swift currents in the shallow places. The same course and character continue for about 29 miles below O-nak-o-whan-i-Sipi, when it spreads into three or four branches and passes dctwn shallow rapids to the Moose, or, as the Inc'ians there call it, the '' Mi-tag-ami " Iliver. One of these branches can be run in canoes when the water is high enough, but in low water it is too shallow for an ordinary canoe. I passed down the westerly shoi'e, the water barely floating the canoe, though it only drew ten or eleven inches. This continues for nearly a mile, when just above a rocky point, which throws the water outwards and makes a bad swell (and on account of rocks a passage can hardly be made anywhere else), there is a portage of about 500 yards. Melow this there "are still about 300 yards of rapid, which must to be descended carefully and slowly on account of shallowness and rocks. Just below this we enter Moose liiver. MOf)SE RIVER. From its confluence with the Abitibi the course of this stream is about north- east. It is about a mile Avide, and is, as a rule, shallow. The greater part of the channel, for son>e miles near and below the Abitibi, is not more than two to four feet deej), with many gravel bars, and two or three small rapids. From the mouth of the Abitihi to Moose Factory, the Hudson's Bay Company's trading post, is about twenty miles. A history of this place would hardly serve any useful purpose in a report such as this, and I will only remark that the post ha8 been in existence about two centuries, and has been for many j'ears and is now the port of entry for the whole of James Bay district. Here the company* has several good buildings, a gooil garden and potato field. A meteorological record is kept by one of the company's officers for the Meteoro- logical Service of the Dominion. The company also has a small portable saw mill bore, made by Waterous, of Brantford, Ontario. This manufactures all the lumber required by the company here, and some for the other posts on the bay. Here, also, is the episcopal see of the Chui'ch Missionary Society's diocese of Moosenee. The ship which brings out the company's supplies for the district sails to within nine miles of the factory once every year, arriving in the latter part of August, and departing as soon thereafter as she can be unloaded. This generally takes about three weeks, and is performed by two small schoonei's and a sloop the company keeps here. One of these afterwards distributes the supplies to the various ])Osts around the bay. Further on I shall make some remarks on the navigability of the bay by large vessels. Moose is situated on the east side of an island, the surface of which rises about twenty feet above high tide. The top soil is generally a mixture of silt and vege- table mould. The island i< about half a mile in width and about two miles long. Owing to its position, the many islands in the river here, and the fact that the deep water is in the westerly channel, sti-angei-s would very likely pass on to the bay without noticing the factory. To write down a description of the route to be fol- lowed would be somewhat tedious. The only wa}* to do it comprehensively would be by courses and distances, which I am not in a position to give exactly. It is said the channel on the easterly side of the islands, although shallow, will float a canoe well enough, and b}* that route it would hardly be possible to pass the factorv without seeing it. From the easterlv side of Moose Island to the east shore of the river, at right angles to the general course, is 81 chains (1,782 yards), but in this distance there are two extensive sand bars. Between Moose Island and the westerly shore there are several islands, and the westerly channel, exclusive of them, appears to me to be as wide as that east of Moose Island ; so altogether, the river here must be considerably over two miles from shore to shore. The easterly, or South Channel, as it is locally termed, is the one by which all the traffic is carrioil on. for bott thei aboi Ittl abou chaI few 15 miles icIh in » allow below paBBes ami " noiigh, vn the ten or point, ocks a yards. cendecl e enter Irom Moose Factory to where the shore line of James Bay turns sharply east- ward is 12i miles. This part of the river is between two and three miles wide, with many timbered islands and sand bars. .FAMES BAY. The course of the shoi-o of James Bay from the above point is about east south-east for sixteen or seventeen miles to a point which I take to be the westerly limit of Hannah Bay, but as F had no guide with me hero, and saw no one near who could define the limits of the bay to me, I am not sure, as there is very little difference in the trend of the shore iine between the mouths of Moose River and Hannah Bay River. If this point is the westerly limit of the bay it is about twenty miles along its south-western shore to the mouth of Hannah Bay River, and if its westerly limit is the next point eastward its south-western shore is cnly about eleven miles long. In referring to those places as " points " the word is, as generaUy accepted, somewhat misapplied, as there is no point, but only a ditfer- ., ' ^ the din taking its general outline for some distance each way. CJ »/ I I II f — ence of a few degrees (the greatest about seven degrees) in rection of the shore. From the mouth of Hannah Bay Rivei- the shore is nearly due north for about three miles. It then changes a little to the east for about four miles, to the mouth of a river, the Indian name of which as given to me by an intelligent Indian who has travelled around the bay a great deal (being the company's dog teamster), is Mis- ish-shi-koope or Big Skunk Man River, though why it was called this he could not tell me. Fiom here to East Point (about ten miles) the course is about north. This is called the north-eastern limit of Hannah Ba}'. From this point the shore ti-ends more and more to the east as we advance, until at Point Comfort (about thirty-three miles from East Point) it turns south-east. I have tied Point Comfort to my micrometer survey on the east side of Rupert's Bay by astronomical azimuths from several stations, by which it can be connected with my astronomical station at East Main, and thus it can be accurately located. East of Point Comfort there is an extensive bay, known as Cabbage Willows Bay, so called, it is said, from the resemblance which bunches of willows on its shores bear to heads of cabbage. It is called by the Indians " Is-to-a-cow," or soft mud holes, from the marshy nature of its shores. The winter trail frojn Rupert's House to Moose passes this way, and overland to another bay called Gull B.'iy, which makes the distance much shorter than that by canoes. Cabbage Willows Bay is about 4^ miles across at the mouth, at the oast side of which is Black Bear Point. From here, if it is not too windy and rough, canoes can ci'oss straight to Rupert's House ; if it is, they have to coast around Rupert's Bay. The distance between Moose and Rupert's House by the shore is about 120 miles, but this may be lessened ten or twelve miles if it is calm enough to cross the bays instead of keeping inshore. Nearly all this distance the water is so shallow near shore that, though it may be windy and rough outside, the waves are broken and lost in the shallows, and a canoe can proceed in the shallow water without difficulty. Rupert's House is situated on Rupert's River, less than a mile above where it expands into the bay. From it all the trading outfits for the company's posts around the waters of Nottaway, Rupert's and East Main Rivers are distributed. From the mouth of Rupert's River the shore line southward is nearly due south for a distance, I should estimate, of not less than ten miles ; but, as I did not go to the bottom of the bay, this is only a guess based on the appearance of the timber seen there. Northwards from the mouth of the river, the general trend of the shore is about 20° west of north for a distance of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight miles. It then turns shai-ply to the east, and the course to the mouth of East Main River is about 30° east of north. CHARACTER OF THE SURFACE AND AGRICULTURAL CAPABILITIES ALOXG THE ROUTE. From Mattawa to Fort Temiscamingue the surface is all rocky and hilly, with a few slopes and flats of cultivable soil interspersed on the hill sides and in the valleys. 16 Above this point the surface is more level nnd less rocky. Around the hoatl ot'Lako Temiscamingue and Quinze Lake the greater part of the soil, as seen ft-om the lake, could bo cultivated. At present there are quite a few farmers on both sides of Lake Temiscamingue who have come in from the earlier settled parts of Ontario and Quebec, and most of them declare themselves satisfied with their venture, and state positively that they are not visited by summer frosts, and that as good wheat can be grown there as in the settled parts of the Provinces. On Quinze Lake there are a couple of farms which are cultivated by lumber firms for the benefit of their shanties in the vicinity, on which are raised potatoes, hay and oats. They appear to be fairly successful with these crops, but as there are no grist mills anywhere in the vicinity no attempt is made to grow wheat in quantity. Along Barrier River, Lake Barrier, Lonely Biver and the southerly end of Long Lake, the surface, though not level, is not rough, and the quality of the soil along the shore, as seen and evidenced by the growth of timber, is fairly good. The surface about the middle and the upper end of Long Lake is rocky and hilly and only a small proportion of the soil is fit for cultivation. The surface around the watershed is generally hilly and rocky, but there are many parcels of fairly flat surface, and soil good enough for farming pui-poses. Around Island and Upper Lakes the above description applies, as it does pretty well to the country between them. Between Upper Lake and Lake Abitibi, and especially around the latter, the surface soil is generally good enough to admit of a large percentage of it being classed as fair farming land. The Hudson's Bay Company have a gai'den attached to their post at Lake Abitibi, in which are grown all the potatoes and garden stuff used by the officers there. The potatoes compare well, both in quality and size, with those grown in the countiy around Ottawa ; yet the quality of the soil is not favourable to the develop- ment of that tuber, being a white cla}', impervious to moisture, and very hard when dry. No attempt is made to grow gi-ain here, as no use could be made of it, and whether the season would permit its full development is questionable. The ice becomes pretty thick on the lake, and remains on it rather late in the spring, as will be seen from the following extract from the company's journal at the post : — 1887 — Lake clear of ice 6th Ma\'. Planted potatoes 2 Ist May ; took them up 24th September. First sign of ice on the lake 23rd October ; lake closed 25th October. 1888 — Lake nearly clear of ice 27th April ; ice gone and navigation open 15th May. Planted potatoes 5th June; harvested them 1st October. Thin ice on lake 11th October; lake closed 21st October. 1889 — Ice beginning to break up 19th April; lake and river quite free 6th May. Commenced farming operations 6th .Tune. Planted potatoes 12th June ; harvested potatoes 23id September. First ice visible 2l8t October ; lake closed 22nd October. 1890 — Ice became unsafe 2.Srd April. Still plenty of ice in lake, but navigation open 15th May. Planted potatoes and sowed turnip seed 14th June. Harvested potatoes 25th September ; harvested turnips 2l8t October ; quality good, but quantity small owing to cut worm. The presence of such a lai-ge mass of ice and cold Avater so late in the spring must assuredly have a detrimental effect on vegetation, and must go far to neu- tralize the benefit of the same body of water in the summer when it is warm. The country all around this post is described as swampy, with many small lakes, so that very probably there is no part of it in which the spring would be any earlier, and consequently this may be considered a fair tost of the agricultural worth of this section. The potatoes and garden vegetables I saw there were of fair size and good quality ; yet I would not advise anj-one to seek a home there — at least, for some time to come. Along the Abitibi Eiver the country', judging from what can be seen from the river, is not rough enough to interfere sei-iously with cultivation. The soil along the river is fair, but on the uplands it appears to be sandy wherever I had occasion year. f Lako m the ides of hitario and ro wheat clonr clt'ar Hth May clear of ice /JOtli Apii fiist snow 121 h November; river sot 22nd ; lirst snow 15tl! October; river set 5tii to inH])ect it there. The valley in not deep until we approach New i?oRt, where wo olton Mee terraced iiills risin.i^ upwai-ds of 100 tW-t above the water. The soil on these lulls i.s generally a sandy or gravelly loam. At New Post the company have, on the first tcirace above the river, several garden patches, in which they grow what vegetables they require, and of v«'ry fair <|uality, the potatoes being goo(l and of medium size. Ol the other garden slutf grown there, not very much could bo said that would be favourable. The uplands around here woie described to me as swampy, with many ]»onds interspersed and some sandy riilgos; and this agrees pretty well with the appeai-anee of the Little Ijakes portage route already described. The officer at present in charge nf the post has only been there a little over a year, and his experience is too short to warrant him in saying anything definite about the agricultural value of the district. I[e was good enough to permit me to make the followdng extracts from the Journal kept at that place. The post has boon in existence since 1867, and i went over the whole of the period since then ; but going, say, twelve years back will give as good a general idea as a longer period, 80 I will begin with 187H. 1878— River hei-o clear of ice 20th April; first snow 18th October; river set 11th December. 1870 — River clear of ice 2nd May; first snow 18th October; river sot 1st December. 1880— River November, 1881— River December. 1882 — River clear lltb May; first snow HOth October; river set ;jrd Dacember. 1883 — River clear 12th May; first snow 1st November; river set KJth November. 1884 — River clear (date not stated, but appears to have been about 1st May) ; first snow 18th October; river set 7tb December. 1885 — River clear 4th May ; first snow 20th October; river set 24th November. 1886 — River clear 20th April; first snow 15th October; river set (not stated). 1887 — River clear 3rd May; first snow 24th October; river set (not 8tateronounced by an Orkney man, anio, and brought in dining (lio winter on ox sU'ds. T|jo stacks liavo to Ik- orcott'd on staging, to provunt tlioir licing llnodtMl in vorv liigh tidos. 'riicn- aro many m»'ado\v> aroiiiul tlu) bay which could be utilized in the same way. and doiil.tlcss thcri' are many other places on the slreams flowing into the bay which would -crve the -lanie piirnoso equally well, It is futile lorany mie to ihink ofeinbarking in this enterprise at the present lime, but the fact of its jiossibility is worth recording. TIMItEIl IIKSOUIU'KS. It is needless to say anytliing of the timber resources of the Upper Ottawa, they being well-known, but the country near the watershed we aie not so familiar with. Ifere, tlicie is much rod and white pine, with some fair spruce available, whi(di will comiiare well in size and (luality with a great deal that is now taken out. Timber on Marrier Lake, Lonely Uiver and Long Lake, and its aHliient streams, can be directly floated into the Ottawa. That beyond the watershed, around Island Lake and its allliionts, can with very little trouble be floated into the waters of the Ottawa as follows: I liavo already mentioned that in higli water the water from Summit I;ako flows both to the Ottawa and Abitibi. Xow it appears to me that a few hundred dollars judiciously a])plied would make this exit to the Ottawa available for the passage of timber through it and down to Long Lake. By deepening and straightening Snake Creek, which could bo easily done, and placing a tug ('such as is now on (juinzo Lake), on Summit and rsland Lakes, all the timber around there could readily be plated at this exit, and thence easily biought ti> the Ottawa, by the aid of a tug on Long Lake, Lonely Kivor and Lake Hairier. As wo ap|)roach Lake Abitibi the pine gradually thins out, until six miles bolow it, on Abitibi River, the last white pine is seen, and thenceforward we have only spruce, poplar and some birch and tamai'ack, of which only the rirst named is largo enough to be of any commercial value, and only a small percentage of that is large enough for lumber, in tho common acceptation of the term. On Moo.se {{iver there are many spruce trees fifteen inches and upwards in diameter, and some balsam and poplar whicdi could be utilize'!, for many purposes. Very few trees were seen around James Hay of largo enough size tor other use than fuel, in the vicinity of Rupert's House some buihiing timber might be found, but not much suitable for any other purpose; and tho same remark applies to East Main, and all tho intervening country. If the timber on all the other rivers flowing into the bay is no more important than that I saw on the Abitibi 1 would hesitate to call the timber resources of that district valuable; for though it is all thickly wooded, only a small percentage of it (along the river at least) is large enough for merchantable lumber. Yet tho time is coining when it will have to bo resorted to, and when this time comes we shall find ample water power on the ground for the cheap manufacturing of all the available lumber there, so that the consumer liero or elsewhere will not be burdened with tho cost of transport of tho refuse part of it, MINERALS. All the rock seen on the route from Lake Temiscamingue to tho foot of the long portage below New Post was granitic. A noticeable fact in connection with tho rock exposures along Abitibi River is that very seldom is rock seen in situ, except at tho rapids and falls, and at nearly all such the course of the river is deflected at right angles to its general course, the rock ridges lying about north and south. The river might be called a succession of rapids and pools, there being very littlo current between tho successive ridges. At the second rapid bolow New Post the rock is a very soft, friable sandstone, of coarse texture and massive stratiflcation. Just below this, on the east bank of tho river, it is not so massive, and is coloured rod, and appears to bo somewhat mixed with clay. In the next rapid the samo kind of grey sandstone is exposed ; and in tho Long Rapids the rock exposed on the west side is a sandy shale, with, near tho foot, a black clay shale, which would load one to suppose from its appearance that 20 li^nito tnifflit \n> flminl not fur otV. Tin* rook ini tlu- oust hIiIc F ilid iidI sco closi-ly, bill it appcaroil titcoiiMirtl ot Htriititiud ar;;illac(M)iiH Hitinl iiuximI with coarNO ^luvol, wliicli prur^onlN tin' appoai-aiico wliieli ;;ivcs risi> tn tlio nun)(> ot'tlie I'lkidin^ Uapiils. Hclow tliiH at a t'uw iioiiitK, ii()tici>al)ly at Hla*'kstiiith'H Kapids, (licro arc Hiiiall oxposiiroK of lilacU HiinU'. At tiio rapids at tliu inoutli of Altitibi UivtM- llio rock is a thinly Htralilicd liinostoiic. Aloii;r the sh(»ro of the hay no lixuil r<»ck was scon, until afl«>i- passiii about tittccn niilos, wIumi i;>'>inilo rook is tiic It itui )f the Hnrfa( pn^ioiiiinant Economic Minerals. — Nothinj;^ was wocn of economic value, with the exception of Hoino lignite <»f very poor (luulity on the westerly side of the river. I du;; out a few small specirnonH of tliiH, and l)rou;i:ht tiiem away with me, and havo handed thorn over to tho deoloj^ical Muueum. The exposure is ko covered with clay and shale that I could not, without more time and labour- than wcro at my command, dotormine the diinonsionH of the scam. I Haw ipiitc a iai'j^e specimen of this lij^nito at iMoose, which an Indian hud procured for some ouo there. It was said ho found it at tho water's edge at very low water. It was of much bettor quality than any [ saw, but was not hard enough to stand ti-unsport any groat (listance. I was told tiiat tho Indians havo re))0itod seeing some similar stuff near tho mouth of the Little Abitibi. When coming up I kept a lof)k out for this, but saw no indication of it, except it be in a scarped clay bank, a short distance uj) that river. It is saitl to bo visible in very low water. I saw some other exposures of clay uhalc, whi(di seemed to mo to indicate the proximity of lignite, notably about tho middle of Pudding llapid. When at Abitibi Post tho officer in charge informed mo that some fndians had reported to him tho existence of coal nomo distiinco east of that place. From the character of tho rock around I doubted tho truth of the report, and askod him to try and procure a specimen. During tlio summer ho did so, but found that it was only some hard black rock, which tho Jndians thought was coal. I neither saw nor hoard of any other minerals of probable economic value, except a very fine reddish-grey gianite, which occurs in massivo betis, and out of which stone of almost any dimensions could be cut. It appears lo me it could be made to look quite as well as much that is now used for monuments and orna- mental purposes. It it known as the " Ked Hock," and is on the oast coast of the bay, about midway between Kuport's House and East Main. As it was not my business to search for mineral wealth, other than what might lie in my way, it is not unlikely that some valuable deposits may exist along the route. I was informed by one of tho company's employes who spent some time at Ungava that a nugget of gold was picked up near tho mouth of that river. I havo not much faith in tho statement as I heard it, but will say it is probable, from the general chaiacter of the geology of the region along the head of tho river that gold may be found in it,* OTHER RESOURCES. Fur. — It might be said fur is the only resource of the district around the bay, as, with the exception of the feathers and down of wild fowl, tho value of which is comparatively small, it is the only one utilized. The pelts collected consist principally of beaver, marten, otter, lynx, fox, mink, black bear, and a few wolf and white bear. Tho Hudson's Bay Company practically collect all the furs in tho district, as the very tew collected by tho traders who occasionally venture down to the bay are hardly worth excepting. The total value of tho trade, of course, varies with the good or bad conditions of the seasons, aniitit'iiliii tlic liiiy, nor aro tliKsr I saw ol' i^ood qiialily w, ,.;/»', Altlii»ii;,'|i inanynotH wcro m'I at |{ii|M'it'M lldiMc, ami lid wih'Ii lIuMoaml ImimI Mftiii, aii Jalici- pnirif, I diil not m'o a lisli that wuiiM \voii,'li moii- than ■t Of I i\»*. I'iiu', pickficl. wliitclisli, trout ami a Hniall H|u'ei«>s of siicUor arn tlio only kiiidH I muw I'aii^lit, with tlic exception ol one very Hniiill Hliirj^ecm, at tite inoiitli of Pontax ('reek. Tlio lar^ost IIhIi (iiMini; the wopI in tlio no|)iilar sonHo) which freijiientK tlio hay in any nnnilKTs is the white jxupoi^e. It visits the southern part of the hay in Juno, ininiodiiiteiy alter the ice lireaUs up, hut doew not remain lonf^, nioviiif^ norihward or out into doop water in July, hurin^' my stay at Kast Main three of them ean>e up •the river |Hist that pcwt. 'I'lieir miikywhilo colour makes a beautiful contrast willi iho tiark water, and as Ihoy rantio i'rom Ion or twelve tt> ei^^hteen feet or nmro in len;^th, they aro euHily discernible when tln'y ri^o to blow. Many years ajjo tho liudson's May Company br<»u;j;ht out the ncccsary appliances to extract tho oil from their blubber, and established works at (rreat Whale Uiver, wheio theanimuls used to resort in /^reat numb(>rs ; but the returns do not seem to have ever amounted to much, and tho project was very soon abandoned. Seals freipient the south end of the bu}', but apparently not in such numbers um to justify one in counting them an asset to the credit of the district. From all I could learn, and I ma