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Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Stre film6s d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clichd, il est filmd A partir de I'angie sup6rieL<r gaucha, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 > COf 0^^ b\ n ^7 -/ ^/^^r/j,//A^ i i/^'- •^^ ^Q^vcf ^rr ^REP ORT OF E. B. BORRON, STIPENDIARY ilAGISTRATE, 1886, ON THAT PART OK THE BASIN OF HUDSON'S BAY BELONGING TO THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO. PRINTED BY WARWICK & SONS, 2G k. 28 FRONT STREET WEST. 1888. CONTEiNTS, Territory Explored Land Reclamation of Waste Land Timber Minerals , Indians Administration of Justice,. I'AUE 5 S 10 12 13 15 n Cot.LiVGwooD, 30tli April, 1887. Hon, 0. MowAT, Attorney-General, Toronto. Sir,— I have the honour to transmit herewith. Report of last season's explorations in the Provincial Territory lying to the Xorth of tiie Heiglit of l.and and West of Missanaliie River. Tlie Honourable Hudson Bay Company's officers in charge of the posts at Missanabie, ^lichipicoten and Chapleau, have, as usual, rendered me every assistance in their power. I have tlie honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, K. B. BORRON, Stipendiary Magistrate. A P tl fc L J. L RKrORT OK E. B. Borron, Esq., Stipendiary Magistrate, fi.N THAT CAKT iiK TIIK BASIN OF HUDSON S BAY ations est of nabie, lower. HKI.iiM;I\(, xo ite. ) THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO. This season my explorations liave been for the most part confined to the country on the west side of the Missuiabie river, opposite, or nearly so, to the tract exauiinod the previous year. It includes Brunswick Lake and the Hon. Hudson's Bay Company's post, called New Brunswick House, frequently mentioned in former Reports. The fertility of the soil at this post has been long known to the Hudson Bay Company's otticers, and the chmate is believed to be equal if not superior to that which prevails at Port Arthur or Ihunder Bay. All the principal roots anc' r-iins are said to grow well at \ew Bruns- wick, and come to full maturity. Clover, u:i,.,thy and other grasses grow splen.lidly as do, also, currants, strawberries, raspberries, and other small fruits Mr Gladman, an ex-Chief-Factor in the iludson Bay Company's service, who was stationed for somo years at this post, has given satisfactory evidence on these points, the truth of which has been confirmed by my own observations and enquiries ^ ^0 reliable information, however, wus in our possession as to the extent of this lertile tract, nor i<s to the best way of opening it up. Indians had told me at different times that the country on the west side of the Missanabie river-between the Lower Swampy-Cj round, so called, on the south, and the Albany Branch on the north— was of a drier and le.ss swampy nature than in most other parts of the territory they were acquainted with -that the soil was principally clay, and that the timber consisted chiefly of Aspen and Spruce. _ To obtain for the Government fuller and more reliable information on these important points has been the chief object of my explorations this year 111 order to do this, I left Collingwood on the •29th of May for Toronto, and having forwarded necessary supplies, I proceeded from thence to :y[issanabie Station, on Dot Lake, by the Canadian Pacific Railwa;-. Here, as previously arranged, I was met by John Driver, who had come from Sault Ste. Marie bv steamer to Peninsula Harbour on Lake Superior and from thence by the Canadian Pacific Railway, bringing with him a canoe and such part of n,y camping etjuipage and supplies as liad been forsvarded by steamer from Collingwood. ' Ai,.,., H::;'„„:vno*::,l ;;:::„ A,ll;:;v:;;r;;;„":,:2'7i' •■''■■''■■ i-^'- "" '"■« ^;;;::S:r,::s3L^'t;lr'r;i:::';^;;:^;tM;::'''"i^;;;r'"'r J his trayt, bound.-d by the MisHamil.io ,iv„r on Ih.- .'UHt, l.y th« l-a/hu«hk.)otai .,r Hofon, starting out from Dog J.ako it wan n.r.MHary t„ ,,rocuro mn.lefl a..,i also another canoe. I was. coiiseijuently, ol.li.'H,! i,, m, u, th.i ll,.n ll„,l«ln v Tn post at the north.ea.tern extrLity^f ,i.. M >:;;,:: \^r^ the Canmlwu, Pacific Railway station on hoa |,ul,e, ||,.,,. witVeS 1^1,1 „ r !r •;■ :'o?'[h:::^':" '''-'''' ''r -"'r- "■ "'-«"■ ■ -^ -''-'^ - < "i^'i- -- r loU rainr^8 3 «uues.oue of whom ((fee.h.n) ha.l accoinpanie.l me down tne Di.a in ISht, and \Na.s also with me for a Nhort time in iHHf) .s .o,t'sriV.T S'ii:,™iiL:r;;^ii;;':;,:T:;:;: T the ,an,« .if "TT^ ^^ t'^'=."^\«it»^'-''- ' '"« I-''l<" 'T MttttHKumi (the two forming one and the same lake at all events in the spring); nor luken WahatonKUHhene and oC Uie for nero which is south and the latter north, of the waternhed.** Th e ^ itt le 1, d ht for cultiva ion on any of these lakes, although hen, a,.d there areas of limit dextet may he found. The whole surface, however. suppor.H a growth of mixe mber con si ing of pine, spruce, tamarac, cedar, aspen, poplar, halsam and birch neihic « though poor as compared with that found in loe'ali'tieH more favourably si uate l n're p t The river Uba, from its source to the forks, a dJNtunee of about thirtv-five mile? pursuesa north north-easterly cou.se. The descent or fall is roughly esim 3 a Lve ay or eighty feet and four portage.s are necessary, varying i.i length from 2 to 4( ya ^ to 1 .V >T '''• °K ^ °"f '/'^""'V ^"^^^ '"'" ^''" '""^ ^i*'' """i'^i'-nt depth of water to be navigable even by a light, medium-sized .-anoe. Thi« is called "Coat river "It occurs on the east side, and about half way, or nuy neveenteen miles below Ike Oba 'r:!^S:^'^z:^X:^^:^:^'"'''' '" '"" 'thaditssourcoifa^^^, on the south side of the river, and is about COO yard* ii le.ig h. TheSlft e ve a this point IS roughly estimated at about thirty -five feflt Three miles below this, a small stream enteri on the north ; and about five miles below the portage, or say eight miles froi:. tho forkn. a larger tribut;ry, called the Be"ver T f This was ascondetl, as far us navigaMe, and th** i 1 tanniiif; river, fulls in on tho south side, adjacent country explored. We tiien resiiMied our voyage flown the Oha, and seven miles more hrought us to tin- .second portage. This is on tho north side of tho middle channel, the river h.ro lien.s; split or divided into three branches or 'channels. It is abcut 500 yards in length, und the fall in the n c-r at this point, inclusive of the rapids below the portage, i." not less than forty-hve feet. The country on both sides was examined in the vicinity of this portage The third portage was met witli about four miles from the above. It is about •'7,5 yards in length, and situated on the left, or north, bank of the river. The fall here is about twelve feet. In little over half an hour, or say 1 .', miles from the third, we came to the fourth portage. This is on the .south side, and -.TiO miles in length ; and the fall in the rauids is about ten feet. ' The oth, C.th, 7th and 8th portages all occur in the next five miles. Including rapids, which were run, the fall is not less, I think, than 140 feet in this stretch. The longest of these portages was about a <iuarter of a mile. _ A mile .ir so below the eighth portage we arrived at the junction of the Wan"o river, which Hows into this east branch of the Oba from tho south. This is the only navigable tributary, with the exception of the Heaver-tanning river, on this bnincli houghly estimated, the distance, by the river, between tlui.se two tributaries is about nineteen miles, and from the forKs of the Oba to the Wango, about twenty-seven miles. I ascended the Wango as far as navigable; in all al)out fifteen miles. It was verv shallow, however, in many places, and at others ol)Structe(l with fallow and drift-v.ood huch portages, too, as were necessary, had to be either made anew or enlarged for our canoes. 1 was able, however, to penetrate at this point, and to examine the interior of the tract of country I was specially anxious to see. Returning to the junction, we descended the Oba, or Albany branch, as it is called to the Missanabie, examining the land, from time to time, on both sides. Tliis stretch of the river is full of rapids, and although only one more j)ortage was necessary, the total descent or fall is considerable. The shallowness of the river, and number of lockv reefs and boulders retarded our progress greatly, and caused our speed to be so irregular that It was impossible to estimate the distance from the Wango river to the Missanabie in the usual manner. I think, however, that the length of this stretch is about ten mile.s^ making the whole distance, from the forks of tlie Oba to where the eastern branch pours its waters into Missanabie river, about thirty-seven miles. From this junction the Missanabie river was followed upward to where the Bruns- wick river enters it, when we ascended up that river to Brunswick lake, r..xaminin<^ the country at intervals, more particularly on the west side. " The :.'■,; on Brunswick lake was next explored, and all the streams which empty their wai rf into that lake were ascended as far as practicable in a light canoe. None of them were found, liowever, to be navigable more than a few miles at that season (July). Thereafter I crossed over to the Missanabie again, and ascended what Dr. Bell calls the Paahushkootai river, which enters on the west side, between the porta.'e to Brunswick lake and Thunder-water rapids. My guide calls this river " Mazaskoda " But while willing to retain such Indian names as can be readily pronounced by white men, or which may be singularly appropriate, it would not be amiss, I think, in our Provincial maps, to curtail many of these names, if not change them altogether. This stream is twenty or thirty yards in width near the junction, but diminishes of course, as we proceed upward toward its source. I succeeded in ascending it about twenty-four miles, and was enabled to obtain important information in reference to the section of the country drained by it. Explorations, however, up this and other tribu- taries of the main rivers, should be entered upon as soon as possible after the ice leaves them in the spring, and prosecuted in the months of May and June when the water is high. In July and August many of them are almost, if not altogether, dry. On completing this exploration, I descended the Missanabie river to the portan^e which leads to lake Opazatike, being anxious to aScend " Grassy river," the principal c.l..lructi„,„ Vy t„ , tnJJZm^S m,''j""""'r','"' »••"■'. I'M chirfly to .l.i. «.,,,,„ .I,„„, ,„„ ,„i|,.. „„„v„ ^.'S prlv .u.;".fi,.:,' '■• f °"'°™' '° •"""» Rf.turn iiL' to the Missa.ijil.i.. rivL. ''»"'^;'0"«'>' attained 1,^ Dnvpr. exHinin,.,! at a nu.nl/orZ^^^^^ ''"''' «'<'- '>f that riv.,. wa« Co.n,,any'8l>osto„Lak«>lisla,'al!i, '^l-'^^'^fk'^ P"rtage and the Hudson Day seeing ,itt,e p,ol.al.i,ity of 1 Sng aM. to Zla th, Kf ^'u '''"''' ''"■"'>'« K'-ounds. til., snmller rivers Laving now l.^con e u mlv 1 "";"',' ?'^'"''' '" ■*" ^''i'al'le, and the Michipicofn river and I k^Wwr '^^';»^-'Klecl to return. This I di(, l,y intended, if practical.ie, re u .iL r^o' l.eT^ , / l"" ' "? ''"''""^ «"' ^his seaso.^. (;oulaisriver:,,utonen;,uir3 wS ^7 to 1 e! ^e , a°t tl""' '? ^".^^ ""P'^""'"' '^°-^ is only so very ear,y in the seaso 1. fo ■« / ^Y , ^" '"«"»«'. *f P'-acticahle at all. upper po..t.jns of thi/river r:„sni ^'S^v: ':tnt; t^i:.: '"^ «P^^"« "«• ^^^ give:;;fir.;;;u:n-rf;::;ja7oS;5td ^:] ---'' '-' -p— - in reference to the country, umler the usuarl.'eJds. °P'"'"" '^' ' ""^>' '"'^*' ^'^"'"^'l Land. As fre(inent,y mentioned in former rennrtu f»,„ * -ii- surface above the rivers by w].ch t fd aTnec 'a,d %r"l,"^ '^''*'°" °^ '^' '^'^'^^'^^ northern territory, are p,iysica feature, velv' 7 ^^ ^' "^ '"^«' ci.araoter of tin's the land, and to the spontCo ^ pXt ^ o^ '"T^'l '? *''° "'^*"'-'^' ^^^tility of apparently, if not really. o[ Z g eatea "lue ^J f °^ /^'°'' P'^"'^ '^'"^ '^"'"'■^'^ features are more especially noticeaWe in thai-, , H '"'^^J^'^^^f to mankind. These on James' Bay, from near Rupert's Ho, L to Z"' ^^7 Albany river, and extending iZnd from ,,e coas'.^T .1''°''^' '',' *''^ '"""^^ °f '^^^ hundred to two hundred miles The loose surface f '"?"'^-^^f -'^^ly direction from one horizontal beds of limestone, sands one and ofo'fT^' '" \^'' 'f''''''" ''''' ^^^ "^^^ly at no groat depth. The soil or t Hui'sd, s a n n I '^ '"'•''f', ^^'''^' "'' '^'^^ ^0""^ alumina, fonning with .silicia and 1 me 0^; and LrT'n '^ '''T"''\ '^'^'^y ^'^ retentn-e of n.oisture. This eircun.stan e, ooupred wZ LT'' ""li ''' '"^^^">'' '^"'^ country, is unfavourable to good natural dr2!e Ir,.,. T'- "f "^'"''^ °^ ''^^ cold and wet, unless situated "on or ilr t he hankfof Th J '""'r/' ''''"°-^' universally favoured the growt,. of s,.hagnumoT W mo « u- '"■'•. ^''"'^ conditions have mo,ses or bogs," which now coS "o iLc f nron. ?' "/ A"- ''''^ '°^">'^*'°" °f t'^*^ Peat- Theyarecal,i,n,uskeego,orn"sC,t.;he';r^^^^^ °^ *'- -•^^-•" -« or i,t. ^sw^p,>?r^^e^::;:u:t;fieSt,:'^^t^rs^r^^^^^ '^^ *»- *-- kegs may, and in fact generally do occunv tl e bfl, ^""'tory, the j.eat mosses or mus- which are rarely, if ever, flooded o^TZdatd V 1 e waZ 7 K°"- P'^'"*''' '^ '^'^ ^^^'"'^ on the other hand, usually occudv th Inwlr Jr. "'^ ^''^ ''"'^'■«- '^^e swanips, liable to be flooded to a grea er 'Jr less dentb n r " m' "'^^ '''''' '^"^^ ^'^''' ^'"^ "^e of the spring freshets, ocSned by tie melt n^f'T^' '' ™r P^'-*'«"'-rly at the time on the ground and in'the woocsdurin "th v infer ThTZf "^ ^"f ""'^ ^<=''"«>ul«tes carpeted with bog-n,oss, and with the^moss may be found a fet^'Jan T!" ^ ^^'^P'^ as are generally seen growing on peat bo^s elsewhere TffL.P'' ^''^ '''''"'''• ^^^'^^ of stunted and sickly looking trmarac^^m TprS thinly^l^te^ed'LT'f' *''^ '''''''' use or value whatever. The soil in the ^wmLu Juu i. ^'"'^"^ <^a a"d of no econom c often supports a vigorous and hellthy gr^wTh oTL t tS Sflt 'r^^^%^^o,, and and ,f not overcrowded or situated too'near the c.oS:^^ ::ret'alru;e^;r siS.'"^"^^ I I J 'enera; t I I .liHtant from Moos^Ka S? «' id T i If ■'■^ /'T' ''""'''^■'' ''""' ^^^'-''y'ivf mil.s Kiver. (^nnn..Mc.in,MtT ;s^^ 1 of I^^^ T' or ...ar ch« ...outl. of Mous.- ri8..8 Bo.u.. 3(.U f.M.t i?, th "next t..i ill ll T f'°''"'«"'' ^''" '°""''"-^- ^"' "'" '^'^'"»' tlu- central plau.au of thst/rwJv^ T" "'"'■'' "f'°" ^^l-ut I l.uv,. .hII...! here forn.s L su fl h^ m ,^iV. ,o T ^'''f .' '"'"" '"""''■'':' """^">- '''''^^^ ^^•''^•»' portions of thin Dlntt-au tliat TnL-..M n^ i ''>^fV V "* '" *'"' "PP'''' '"' houthfiii hei«i:r:!::vr.,, ';":„::;■ :,t,''3;. :',''''? p'«'»-.' !«.•„„.„, „:■ .„ .„, „„ „,,,„ ami 01. th. ,l,orp, „ni," kk, r '^ '""m'-ntly n.ot «,ll, i„ ||, „,k, „,. „„, ,iv„s ccir-eor Iwirinu; Ih/lJ rock n,^il,i ., '"l" ■» I"'" I'""'!! Wi.'T.illy a nonlierl, But there ,. uUoLbSZ,; l?". H li'K'' '° '""'"f """'' ™""'«'«' f'P"'? """"''l- Notwith,ta,°"i,,K thi, a, , .a il,; t"';'' ."i ' 'T^f"'' '" "" '""""-"esl !»'«. of the counrr;!: " fX°"nfirr^^^^^ I have thought it\etter to lay cl,wn on a n,ap to the land in^H pa;; of tL te";^^^^^^^^^ "'"'^ ' ""''' '^^^^ "''^^ ^° P'™ - -ferenc^ torriton-Tthe*?anud:f '' TEs'fet'rtn?' ''"' ''' '"J ^°'-^ '"'•^' -«'-->-'- in this it is llooced for a lon^'tr or Lrlr 1 ^ ^ T''' °" '''" "^'''' '^°"o"'^. '"'^l '""^'h of rapidly after the s^^X n elt d aLl^I Vn'. "' ." ?""«; 'f,'"' "'^*'-''' '^°^^'«^-"^'-' ""''"ides the .rreater part of th s bo tonfir „f i)!'*" f "l'^^'^^'"'^'''^ ^''OP^ ^an be raised f.on, botton. lands is u dvers.ll ckv ^^ ,1T 1 .' """^ •'''' " '"*"^' '^*^^^ «"''-^°'l °" t''^^^ sandy-Io.v„> soil of '-SSthicL's ' "* '°""^"""^ *'^""^ ''''■^^^ °" "^ '"^ -'<Jy o^' the sX^or'&f ro' ftf oTir^rit'tf"* ^•^^^^ T '-'''' '''''^' "-'-^-^^'>- ^^t soil, which has proved rofertleVnl ' ,?'^«,«^"^e '^L"^« '^^-'^l^ O'' 'ight coloured ch.y places the soil Cfound to t a i, , 'f''''''^}^^' ^^. ^ew Brunswick Post. In so,,.; lepose, at no grea den on clav n/arf f'-'^".' ''"' "^^ ^'^^''^ 8^"^™"^ ^^^^^-'^^ ^^ metwithinafew oSL One^ri • l}^'""l"^ Yf? "^ '''y ^^S'^* sandy soil were up the Pazhushkooiai iver (of d" Be?!' " i'pr iTts J t°n"^' ^'°".* twent/four miles river and forms ridges, or rXr Luni S - v -. » '*' • ""J *^*^ '*'^ ^''^'^ °^ '^' which a better view of the"su;rounTnr'.!>r^ seventy reet in height, from the top of that section of the country '"'"""^''"^ '=°""*'-y '""^ ^e obtained than anywhere else in 10 the North-Wer TuikTk^^^^^^^^ '^" Manitoba, or probably any other part of <u.p"e, „L of thf :,'° ''i' . ThS si'Ti' r'™"' ""■', p'""" •"J"'"' -f""'' »' Reclamation of Wapte Land. 11 ^ .,.. 11 such a descent oi-fall as we find north of the Height of Land, the country could ardly have faded to have been well drained. The volume of water g ven off by the , i verl 18 80 great, especially in the spring; and early summer, that the rapidity and fbce o the current nu.st have excavated, in any loose n^aterial, channels severa hundred feet below e genera surface; and this territory would (in all probability, I think) have been 1 u ally i^ well drained as most parts of the western prairies The depth of the glacial and post-glacial deposits on the palaozoic plain lying to the southandwes of James Bay, does not appear, however, to be very g^eat at aifvDO nt where I have had an opportunity of seeing and judging. Nowhere on fl e coa'ft fTom o\"r astern 1 oundary near Rupert's river, to the Albany river, (our Western BouuivKler he award of the Arbitrators) does this loose surface material appear to bf nToJv han thirty or forty feet in thickness, and in many places it is much less It increase^ how ^"Sy'orseTe, ^7 elr"*'""' '"" ^'^^ '"''''' '''' ^'^^^-'^^ '^« thick^rmay'n;" e.xceed six y or seventy feet on an average, it is sometimes, near the southern edge of the plain, no less than 200 feet in thickness. This latter depth would appear to bfattained on the Abit ibi rirer near New Post, and the material there is princiSy a drab co oired calcareous clay. ]. the western part of the territory the thiLess^SietZslZeU and sands as seer. the Albany and Kenogami or English rivers, I cons 5er;bly [e tlian on he eastern or Abittibi side. As the rivers crosshig this Hat ountry i ave a readv reached the underlying 1 mestone and sandstone strata throughout te^reat^- part of slow as to be altogether unappreciable even in a lifetime. While little or notMnl tle.l ore, can be expected from such deepening of the channels in thi se on a great fl'oa ca" be accon.phshed by the artificial drainage of the .surface soil, and m^ch land may be reclaimed even in the inost northerly part of the territory. See R;port for 881 82.3 6 ...I 1^1 l';g''er central plateau the loose material rests upon Huronianand Laurentian at in eS' XIT^' T''^ ''''V'' ''^?''' *^^ ^'''''^' ^^^-^ ' ^ut cross the r!rs at intcnals, m the form of narrow reefs or ridges. It is at these points where the ranids and falls are met with, and where portages have to be made. Now, a though there may be extensive river bottoms and a great depth of clay or sand in the Zfalfbetween IS for thp most part either wet and swampy, or liable to be flooded. Only as these reefs are worn away by the s ow action of the water, can the intermediate bJds of the river however soft the material be deepened and such lands reclaimed. These rock reefs o^ce removed, the current in the stretches above would be so increased that the wate.voud ThnrtV°r'"? ''/;!= "•^^'^ '^^ ^°^* ^^^ '°°«« '"'^*^"^1 -^ich usually formsX bo tom resulUf'thfSLnirr '^^ drainage would be precisely similar to those which would result If the adjacent land were raised above the general level of the rivers Nor would the drainage of the land situated on the banks of the main rivers be theonly advai^tLe e^S'and tti7;r' ''•^" *'/ '"'fr '' the tributaries, would in some inlncerbel ;; erect and their efficiency as drains thus greatly increased. It IS, therefore, to the destruction and removal of these reefs of rock and in some nstances of boulders only, which obstruct the flow and dam back the wate'r of the nm n rivers, that the attention of the Engineer should.be directed thi, .S 71" "'*'"^; ™*ny "-apids and falls in this territory, and more particularly on this cantral plateau, where e^^ery dollar thus expended would yield a very large return and Che time is not so remote as many think when, if the Government fhould be unwilling, private individuals and companies will undeUake this S ewoik I all i h2f^^o7"jV-^^-T' '^'^'^^^ -ho plants a tree is entitled to be regarded a a benefactor of his kind, much more is he who by his enterprise, skill, labour and capitaf reclaims from utter waste, thousands of acres of fertile land, ^hich f needful window whole forests of tree'^ ; or afford *nod fnr nsimomnu fa- -i: t "^'^^^^h win grow .come. -B , ur _nora .noa Tor numerous families of men for generations to In some instances, blasting alone is all that would be necessary in my opinion to 12 ^S^^f^^J^.S;:!io Jtt^:! ^:^:^^-:^j- -- — once into eSoro?th rSnd^\'i 1 'ell^S pt^T', ^I^e IfpSture to launch out of lanS in the Don^inion fit for i m^dTate aStleren^^^^ p f'T'' ""' ,°' ^'^^ ^'^^^ ^'"^'^^-^ tion the fact that the great natZrforol, W t * "^^ T^^'' "^^ *=*^^ i"^*" considera- tion of this land is to TeffecLd in onTv' J^.'^^'^^f °.^ ^^^^f^ "»« drainage and reclania- or " dams" are removed and ft'pff ^i ^'"^^S^^*,"^*" P^^y '^Aeu these rocky l.arriers in operation i;7;e:;iit?tr,U?a;e^t^^^^^^ nearly coninJeted or t)iP a,i„o„+o "jiuie me \asc labour to be performed can be ndges, can hardly fail to be seen nnrl '^^'7'^?' *°";«ak through and remove these rock progress and sett^em nt of the counttv ■^'^ T'' y^l *^'°'' ''^° ^'""'^ '"^^ ^'^^'^ in the Canada or the United States an acJf if )Z i!^ ^'''!,' ^' ^ ''"' ''•^*^ '^'"'^ ^' "°t in yield a hundred bushels of potat^or atn of h^^^^^ "l!"^'^*^^"' -^ '- -de to eagerly sought for and highly valued ^' '"'" "°'' '°°''"'' °'' ^^t*^''- '*« Timber. able groves of it, a^d UTf^w Xe pfnrmaVbrfo^^^^^^^ of this plateau ; consider- " Flying Post," on the Groundhog rive^riTof that 1^°-''"^ -n ^''."^'Shborhood of in greater or less quantity at intervals ^^ ^^ ' ^ ''^"'^''''' probably there may le als'^^atl^r^o Ln'o'f Se'pi^e" CtZ 'T> T' been made and almost nothing is known nf f L 7 I ^ u ' "° exploration has Abittibi rivers. Banksian pi^e is found 1 ^ ""^ ^T^' the Mattagami and a good size, but it is not Tsye^tb demand f^? an^^ ^"''' .f 'H^^^^''^'' """^ *"^>"« .ust become of use and conL^TnUrvSuabi^^nTheC^^^^^^^^ ' '"^^^ ^'' ^^^^-^'^ ^^ good s?^: es'p'IcLSy'tn iTrt::rTti:n.TZn\r' ?^'' ^'^^^ T"' ^^^ -« ^-"^1 of favourable sftuatioL fine S sprue fa^'found IroS^^^ '' ^^" ^''\T' ^^^ "^ are aspen, poplar, balsam and white or canoe Wriri^; The other principal forest trees the exception of spruce, aspen is more plent fu on 'th n f >^\t"^'" ^ Sood she. AVith A market for mos of the kinds of Hm£ u P'^t^au than any other wood, in the United States. But Lti? opened unbvrlV"'"".'^^' will ultimately be found completely cut ott" from that nia let ^r tde^d Ly otK'- ir H ''"''''V^ ''" ^^^'^^''^ '« value. When rendered accessible L rn 11!^' ^ !l '. '^^ ^^^ meantime it is of little the H,=ght of Land pla e^u a o will^ultTm'a eir?!^^^^^ ^°"n °" '^'' P^**^^"' "^"^ ^ valuable to the Province • foi I ivit Iff ^^ I am thoroughly persuaded, prove very kind, size or quality%rtLt LwnTl - "1^^ ^li ^- "" "'""^ ^'' ^°"' i» respect of the finer descHptio/s and bettroualSs of ni, VTv. '' ^""'^'^^^y approaching when the teeming millions in th so^ h' vfl b ea^ to Itl'' "rt- "/'' '^ ^"'""«*'^' '^"'^ territory, not inexhaustable but in very l3 a Lt^tv V ' . ""^^ ^' ^"! ^"^ ^" ''^'^ some attention were given to selection thinninr 1 ^' °' ^^^ ^ """J' '^^"'^^ *'"** if «res,even if the planting more vaCwe Z^t "'^f/f^*^^ prevention of bush able timber, as weS as thf sizeTnd^X ^i htTe^Xin^^"^^^^^^ °^ •"'^'•'^'- valu/:;rtr t ZrS:; ^£^- ^^pJ^baTS^re importance and extract from Mr. Alex. J. Kusse IWm-k '< On' the Hn?""' r""'\^^^'^^ ^'''' ^ ^^^^^^ s:wS^S;-b^-;=-"^^^^ Hussell(whowas^ornreS;SLt^i^^^^^^ 13 MTpTajiLTaX'S '? '^T^r '^'. '"^J'*'* """'^ °* '""^ ^"-^ *'™^«'-) «t»te8 as follows : in piairie lands the abundant supply of timber which entirely wooded countries afford pu po": '"Th'ev"a "hoH w""" f P^^' PoP^f -d spruce hive to be used for buSg purposes. They are both inferior to pme in value, but in a great part of Lower Canada spruce only is to be had, and much of it is exported as sawn lumber to Europe Ponlar J. .We,.W„.. through prejudice in a great degree. Of all the deJlZsZTsU isoneZ tie wl U S f' '^■' ^■^"'' "^ ^'^"^ "^ <'°°""g ^'^'^ fi">«»^i"g houses, and for build n. u^wrrd nf r i"^', '* '^ ''^'^ ''"'■'^^'^- I ''^^'« «^^» « house built of poplar that tood nStao O..H ^7"'''•'''' y^^^-f- P-^-f^^tly «o»nd to the foundation when cSt open t may ^CZt Pr"'"' '^/^' *" '^>' «°' ''"* b^f''^^ *!'« P'"« °f t''« Ottawa b comes bl7ttntrus:.-'''""" '""^^ °' "°P'" -•" ^« ^^'-^ ^-- l->^--g purposes^S and it?s"trrJr wm T.^^''^"' T"'' ?'"^"'' T "'='•'""* °^ ^'« ''g''*"«««' ^^^ straightness, ana Its strength, will take the place of pine for engineering purposes • and birch o, fine wtd w I'"'"" n *' f *'" '^"'' ''' '''•'''^^> ^'^ ^e servi^ceable for Citure anS foun? ' ''^'"''"^ "' '''' "°''''>'"' '•^^S^''"'' ^'^^'••' "^"^ '^"^l '"^Pl^ are not to be fi.. "^''V'"'^'*'' °f V'® interior i-, of a smaller growth than with us. probablv owin<r n, and San7""' 1 the summer and cold in the tinter ; it is therefore probably srro4;r aiui perhaps inore durable. In these respects woods of the same kind difffer much with the pa trj IwV Jid °f f •?•' """'"^ ^^^'^«^« °"^y ''^'^ *^« «'- °^ that of the w St n fn parts of C^ladrn ' \T '* '' • "P"""'' '^ '' '"^ ^*''^"g*^'' ^"'^ '^' '^^^'^ ^hich grows nterW T^T ^ T-J^'"" t? '' ™°''^ ^"''^'^'^ ^^^'^'^ *""ber of the same kind oi the interior. In bridge bnilding I have found it to last nearly twice as long txreatsize giv-es squared timber an increased value in European markets, but the small hnberrb ° "^''^ T '"'■«' """""^ *''"'^«'- ^« ^'^^•^"-l^'y «=-*. in Feparing saw lu liber for home use and exportation, .hoivs that great size is of no impoLL aenemll Jor honievte, excepting for the greater quantity it gives generally w),pn" ^^h'*^ «'?''7?J-? harder to saw and work up than pine, and with us it is less durable bu'ilJi^g^timLs"' '' " ^'""^"' "^' ''' '^"-^'^ ^"^ ^*^^^^^*-- "-^« i* ver; suitabrfd: writf?n'' rf ^^'^^ ^^^'^ r"" *''^'^°'^ ^••^™ ^h^°h **»« foregoing extract is taken was sTated bv Air' Elf' ''V^«^*«„^""%' ^''^^ time goes to confirm"^ the opinions so alfy stated by Mi. Lussell, and so fully concurred in by myself. Pine lands or timber Iimii-« aio owZ. ^''' ^'" 'f'""^'^ ? ^■'^^"^^ '' "«* -*i-'y -°^*hless thiity orToSy yea ago owing to reniotness from markets, inaccessability, or inferiority of size and a u ill f I prLesThaT''^ rr'^'^' ^?' "''"^ ''^^^^^ f-- -'« «-i*« keen'comp tTtCbriifg aTsuLlitutr?or " ^"" ''^°"^^' f"^"'?"^ '" *^°«^ ^^y«- O^'^- -°«d« ^re beinTu ed as substitutes for an increasing number of purposes where pine is becomin- scarce and oXfrrT/"^'' "J 'r^- '^^'''' is a constantly increasing demand r^tiniber not o i^hen I '.iSb'orn rf i^"*^ engineering operations, but for'purposes almost unthough makW Liz ? ' *^^"'*""^ *°' '■^''^'^y *'««' telegraph and telephone poles, for paper- h^f pavements and many other purposes, large as the consump ion now [, It has sprung up entirely within the last three-score years. In view of an inirease^nThp ffitei" man v^h^n'T' f^ "^•'^'^'"^ ^^"^ '^^^ ^"^° hundreds'oJ mU on" n intelligent man vho studies the question can fail to see that there must surelv be a now?p°;fe^";orTu," ^^^ --"7*- of timber for all the purposTsto wS m: now applied for if it be superseded by iron or other material for some of these nihZ s:s rt^aSi! '°""'' '" " *" ""' '" "°" "»» «°'»p-.tel Sis Minerals. The circumstance that I have in the course of my explorations in thi^ cenfrol plateau, discovered few minerals of such kinds and none^n S q^antSy of mudi f any, economic v.iue-is no proof whatever that they may not exist. Even if the metall ^ veins were both numerous and rich, the proportio^ of bare rock expZd to view fsl" exceedingly small that it could only be by'the'most diligent and protr'acted searc ro^by 14 the merest chance, that any of them would be found. In my opinion, however this rock (mostly gneiss) does not contain many large or weU-developed and Regular veins Nor are such veins as do occur, often charged with valuable minemlsT metals or i?^^^^ ^tZ in quantities too small to admit of their being profitably worked VVp fnnn!i Z^l ' • oneor two places, and also iron sand (magnetfcj but thJqultl y w I n ons1dSe°"It another point mica was seen of good quality and afforded sheets two or three nchessauafe But^nothing else of any apparent value did we meet with in the tract expLre'dS ir.j::^z iffia^st vLiL^rtS' i;rt:c^e:tr & ^.u !V"/' "^ °^^ observations and experience go, the existence of large, regular and well-defined veins is intimately associated with, if not, actually dependent upon such d^s rh^^T\"\ '^''^''"''T' 1 .**'' '"°^°^'"g '**''***> commonly^alfed the country rock Then the state or condition of this " country rock," even when geologically favSSe would SEnl r'?^'' "'T-^'" ^"'' '"^"^""^^ '^^ *^« """^'•^l contents ff the veins I am To ? hopetul when this rock is more or less decomposed, " or rotten," at least at o' nL the ^r/rr^^treTnoViVonfpri^^ ''' -' ''^' -''^^'' ^'^^^-^ -^^' ^^ ^^ • .T^f^.'^'^y >f..and generally are, marked differences between veins in the same rnining field or district, and even those in close proximity to each other They differ "n their general bearng or course, in their size, dip or inclination. The matrix or vefie «JL Th ™°*'"T T'^'u 'T'^ '^' accompanying spars and " soils "may no be the same. They may be close, hard, compact and dry, or as miners say " hungry Ikini^" or so open and porou. as to a low of the free circulation of water w^ith tKne °al coi tents, spars, gossan and ores in such a loose condition, as frequently to al ow noTnTonsid ' Tn? X: ''".T^ °* nining or excavation to beperformed with the pi'kanS shovel' hi hL „ • J-"^ r' '"'""'■ ''-^^'^^^ ^" ^^ judgements, by the knowledge and experSe l;Lt3rraloi4^^^^^^^^^^^^ ''''' ^' ^"*""^ -''' -^-^ be is acquainted, aTrcS Now although it may be thought by some uncalled for or imprudent I feel it mv duty to state for the information and guidance at all events of the Government^J opinion frankly m reference to this territory, seeking neither unduly to exairrSe'and Th. ot£r '™P^r**"'=.« ."^'J.^^V"* «f it "-ruVces on tht one hand, nor^deprecS Jem ^n the other This opinion is, that to whatever cause or combination of causes it ma^ Z owing, there are seemingly few true mineral veins or lodes of large she and runnbg^or any considerable distance or length in this territory, and that those small or Suar veins that do occur, are generally hard, compact and' dry, and if not ent^elv destitute of tZ:;t°serSre;Llror'"^^ ^^'"^' contamthem^nquantities tool^itSr:; This scarcity of true mineral veins in most parts of the territory (even of veins that are barren), IS the more remarkable, in as much as the Laurentian ai d Hu?on?an rocks are traversed by numerous and exceedingly large trap dykes, which, with thTexception of their composition of contents, differ little, if at all frim mineral veins and the existence of which would seem to indicate more or less volcanic disturbance This distur- bance must have occurred, it seems to me, be/ore the deposition of the stratified rocks of the Paleozoic Age, for only in one instance (and that somewhat doubtful) have I found a trap dyke which appeared to cut through or intersect these strata ^ By .far the most promising and desirable portion of this disputed territory in regard th,- v3 ""'TV'' "I™? °P^"^°"' ''"^'^^ commencing a little above and extenXg It is in this belt, at or near the edge or outcrop of the Devonian and Silurian strata :rrit;sr a'nTvS. "«"'" ""'■ "■'-» "-'• -'- -^ -^' °< -'" "^» If the norlhori, boundary of Ihe Province had been determined satisfactorily, I , f 15 it is should have suggegted the desirabihty of ascertaining, by boring or otherwise, the quality and exten>. of the beds of lignite in this territory ; but under the circumstances, however desirable and important, I have felt that it would be useless to do so. Even where private enterprise might have been enlisted in the work of developine the mineral resources of the country, nothing can be done owing to the impossibility of obtaining such titles as would justify capitalists in the expenditure that would be necessary And for the like reason, anything of the nature of exploration by private individuals m this disputed territory would be a mere waste of time and labour and money and is therefore utterly discouraged. Indians. In my last report I stated that the Indians of the Brunswick Lake Band, who now for the most part trade at the Hon. Hudson's Bay Company's post at Missinabie, were exceedingly anxious that a treaty should be made with them. I pointed out that the ine of the Canadian Pacific Railway had been located, and runs for a considerable dis- tance through their hunting-grounds ; that treaties had been made years ago with every other band of Indians similiarly situated, and that it was only right a treaty shonld be made with them. That the claims of these Indians and those at Flying Post and Matta- wagaminque in the Kinogamissee district, had been overlooked, or entirely and unaccount- ably neglected by the Indian Department at Ottawa, was also represented. Nothinc however, has been done, so far as I am aware, up to the present time. ^,ru-^V-^®^ o^*^*^""®"^"*'*^ "^^^ ^" "^^^^^ *" unfortunate young" man was shot near White River Station, of the C. P. R., in an altercation with Indians about furs, I would beg respectfully to offer the following remarks and suggestions which, if adopted and carried out by and with the proper authority, would, I believe, greatly diminish the number, if not altogether prevent such deplorable occurrences in future. For generations tha Hudson's Bay Company's officers have been inthe habit of mak- ing advances to the Indian hunters and trappers in their territories during the summer and autumn, on the understanding, of course, that the amount thus advanced is to be repaid out of the proceeds of the following winter's hunt. This is called " their outfit " and the value of the articles thus obtained may be, and frequently is, from one hundred to two hundred dollars if not more, each family. So general has this custom been, and 80 long has It prevailed, that the Indians rely with full and implicit confidence upon its maintenance. Should the Company be obliged to change their policy, and without intimation or warning put an end to this "old custom," it would be a very serious thin-r indeed for the Indians of this territory. It would entail not only a great deal of sufler° mg, but in all probability, a great many deaths. It is to be hoped, therefore, that wherever and whenever th« Hon. Hudson's Bay Company may find it necessary to discontinue this practice of making advances (as they must ultimately) that it may be done as gradually as possible. The construction of railways and progress of settlement is bringing other fur traders into this nortkern territory, and unless the trade with the Indians be guarded or regulated in some way or other, not only will the Company be obliged to cease making the usual advances, with the results above pointed out, but other evils will undoubtedly follow Ihe men who are thus brought into the country and tempted to engage in the fur- trade • in opposition to the Hudson's Bay Company, are not unfrequently possessed of little means and less principle. Sometimes they are neither Canadians nor British subjects • they have no fixed abodes nor places of business ; in fact, they are too often neither respectable nor responsible, but men of the viler sort. Such men stick at nothing with their dealings with the Indians. They visit their camps on their hunting grounds by means of snow-shoes in the winter, and way-lay them in canoes when coming to the Coni- pany s posts with their furs in the spring. As regards "the goods " which such men take along with them to barter or trade with the Indians for furs, they consist largely of whiskey and trinkets, sometimes whiskey straight, or alone ; if other articles of a bulkier or heavier description be employed they are probably adulterated, or of the poorest quality Men of this stamp snould not (if it can be avoided) be allowed to gain foothold in this 16 territory, or under any pretext to engage in trade with the Indians, for trade so con- ducted can only result in violence, bloodshed, and the general demoralization of the natives. Even respectable men (comparitively) who have established little stores on the line of the C. P. II. with the view to trading, chiefly with the employees of the Company, cannot resist the temptation to engage in the fur-trade, and in prosecution of it, to exceed that which is lawful and right. Not contented with simply buying those furs which the Indians bring to them, they must become " peddlers," and on snow-shoes or with dog-trains visit the Indians on their hunting grounds during the winter. The camps of the Indians thus visited may be several days' journey from these men's places of business. After the toil of such a journey they are unwilling, we may be sure, to return empty-handed. They may know that these Indians have received their outfit from the Hudson's Bay Company, and that the Company have, morally speaking, a " lien " on the furs they have caught ; but that con- sideration is as the small dust in balance as against avarice, and if they can persuade them to be so dishonest they will buy every single skin they have got. Or it sometimes happens the trader himself may have made some little advance to the Indian, and demands furs in payment thereof. If eontent with what the Indian thinks right to give him it is well, but if he insists upon having more, or in taking furs which the family are reserving for the Hudson's Bay Company, there is likely to be trouble in the camp, and somebody hurt, if not killed. It is no uncommon thing for such traders, or their employees and assistants, to bully and intimidate the Indians into parting with their furs, or oven take them by force if they are in a position to do so, and that more especially if the Indian is the least in his debt. Blows once struck the Indians are afraid that they are not only going to be robbed, but murdered, and make use of such weapons to defend themselves nnd their property as may be at hand. It was in a quarrel (thus brought about as I have been told) that the young man alluded to lost his life near White river. Now, what I would recommend is this: that all parties desiring to trade with the Indians in unorganized territory, should be obliged to procure from the proper authority " a license " permitting him so to do. No license should be issued to men of bad or doubtful character. The license should be subject to certain conditions, a breach of which should entail penalties or a revocation of the license, or both. Those trading Wi.. Indians in such unorganized teiJtory as our Northern Territory, should be amenable, on conviction, to forfeiture of furs and other goods found in their possession, or other severe penalties. Another suggestion I desire to make is in regard to the fur-bearing animals, namely : Until treaties are made with the several bands of Indians under which they surrender wholly or partially their rights, no hunters, whether white men or Indians of other bands, should be permitted to trap or otherwise take the fur-bearing animals on the hunt- ing grounds of these non-treaty Indians, or if convicted of doing so without the consent of the band, should be liable to penalties at least as severe as those imposed upon " poachers" in the Mother Country. Indeed, they sliould be much more severely dealt with in some cases. }ilany of the Indians have little lakes or ponds on their hunting grounds, wherein one or more pair of beaver build their lodges and rear their young. Some of these Indians are prudent enough to refrain from killing all these animals during the winter, knowing the vital importance of leaving a suiBcient number to breed. Frequently they do not take or kill any of them until the month cf March, when the fur is at its best, and the food, which the creature's flesh supplies, is most needed. When white men, trespass- ing on the hunting grounds of such Indians, find these " beaver preserves " (for thay are virtually such) they trap or otherwise catch all they can ; they break into the lodges, they tear down the dams, and let off the water, and do not (if they can help it) leave as much as a single beaver, male or female, young or old. In so doing (and I have heard of such •cases on good authority) these trappers from the outside commit an offence (morally at least) much more heinous than that of " poaching" ; they rob the wretched owner of the furs and the food sometimes indispensably necessary for the support of his family. And in addition to that they ruin his prospocts of obtaining any more at that place or spot for years to come, if not for ever. The Indians should be protected as far as possible against such wrongs — wrongs which partake more of the nature of sheep-scealing than of poaching. d g tl a v d C( a ii b a tl t( ci rade so con- tlie natives, on the line B Oonipany, t, to exceed them, they ins on their ted may be h a journey ■ know that nd that the at that oon- rsuade them sometimes id demands ve him it is *e reserving d somebody ployees and r even take le Indian is kre not only themselves it as I have ie with the sr authority n of bad or I breach of ading wi.. ) amenable, 3n, or other Is, namely : y surrender IS of other n the hunt- 3 consent of "poachers" ith in some ds, wherein me of these the winter, lently they ts best, and !n, trespass- for thay are lodges, they Lve as much ard of such (morally at wner of the iiily. And or spot for ible against )f poaching. 17 I look upon the beaver as being of so much importance to the Indiana of the North- West that I think, even when their claims to almost everything else have been surren- dered, that the ownership of at least some of the little lakes and ponds on their huntiug grounds, in wliich beaver are in the habit of breeding, should be reserved to them, and they should be encouraged to take care of and breed these interesting and valuable animals, if not to domesticate them. See Report for 18o4-5, page 27, et seq., for my views on this subject. Administration of Justice. No crimes or serious offences have been committed or, if committed, reported to me during the past year. It is only of such offences which, under the circumstances, I should consider it prudent or even in the interest of the inhabitants of the District, to take cogniz- ance. Necessary as it undoubtedly is to jjunish wrongdoers and criminals, it is quite as important and much more sensible to prevent, as far as possible, wrong-doing and crime by wise and timely precautions. Holding these views, I have regarded it as one of my chief duties to make myself acquainted with the exceptional social condition and the peculiar wants of the people of this territory, in order that I might be in a better position to advise the Government and to offer more or loss valuable suggestions, having chiefly for their object the prevention of crime and the welfare of the people at large. Respectfully submitted, E. B. BORRON, Stipendiary Magistrate. ■2(B.)