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Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dfe fiim^s A des taux de reduction diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film* d partir de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche d droite. et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 1 2 , 3 4 5 6 . ■ ^ t. (M LL A J Uj^' Orv\ NIPISSINU & .lAMES' BAY RAILWAY. A I)KS(^KIPTION OF THK COUNTRY TRAVHRSKP HY THIS KAII.VVAY MKTVVKKN LAKE NIPISSINGS JAMES' BAY GIVTN(J THK RKSOIJHCKS OF THE SAME, AS WKI.L AS THE DISTRICTS ADJACKNT THKRKTO, TOGETHER WITH OI'HKk USEFUL INFORMATION KEl \(J lO HUDSON'S BAY AND STRAIT, fijf^.:\. % " ®mnc eolum forti pattia C6t.'" V*^' '•-^ ^ ^ T ( ) R ONTO: COPP, CLARK & CO., PRINTERS, 07 & m COLBORNE STREET. 1884. •'•l»»'»*JP',^ , I / NIPISSING & JAMES' BAY RAILWAY. A DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY TRAVERSED BY THIS RAILWAY BETWEEN LAKE NIPISSING & JAMES' BAY GIVING THE RESOURCES OP THE SAME, AS WELL AS THE DISTRICTS ADJACENT THERETO, lOGETHEK WITH OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION RELATING TO HUDSON'S BAY AND STRAIT. ^^■^^^fl^ " (Dmne eolunt fottt {ratrta tet." -K'i TORONTO: OOPP, CLARK & 00., PRINTERS, 67 A 69 OOLBORNE STREET. 188 4. NIPIS8ING AND JAMES' BAY RAILWAY, i HBAD OFFIOB TORONTO. ^irector0. WILLIAM HENDRIE, WILLIAM THOMSON. JAMES WATSON, JOHN MACNAB, W. B. McMURRICH, JOHN C. BAILEY, PETER A. SCOTT, ALEXANDER KIRKWOOD^ ALEXANDER NAIRN. (DtCfcere. W. B. McMURRICH Presidbnt. ALEXANDER NAIRN Vice-President. JOHN C. BAILEY Chief Knginber. JULIUS MILES Secretary. I r M e o tl a w sa th< to the Ms ero NIPISSING AND JAMES BAY RAILWAY. This Railway which was granted its Charter in April, 1884, by the Dominion Legislature, is designed to be built between Lake Nipissing and James Bay (the southern prolongation of Hudson's Bay), and will be in length about three hundred and fifty miles. It will start from a point on the Canadian Pacific Railway at or near the intersection or crossing of the Gravenhurst and Callender Railway (Ontario Pacific Junction R.) now under construction — not far from Callender Station — thence northerly, skirting Lakes Temiscaming and Abbittibbe, thence following as closely at possible the Valley of the Abbittibbo River, until Moose Factory, on James' Bay is reached. Moose Factory is an old Hudson's Bay Station or trading place and is situated upon an island six or seven miles above the open bay or mouth of river, or twenty-five miles from the open sea, the channel on the east side of the Factory is one mile in width, the average difference between high and low water marks in the Moose Uiver and its branches is. not more than ten feet. From Lake Nipissing to within thirty miles of James' Bay there is land of excellent quality, this is particularly noticeable in the neighbourhood of Lake Temiscaming, and is well adapted for farming, grazing and dairy pur- poses, also splendid forests of red and white pine, black birch, jack pine, maple, ash and other marketable timber, all of which will, when this rail- way is in operation, prove a mine of wealth, not only to the active and enterprising lumberman, but to the Province at large ; and the land now occupied by this primeval fore.st will be brought under cultivation as the timber is taken away, and make place for those who with small capital cannot afford to purchase farms in the more settled districts. Stock raising will be a special feature and no doubt will be carried on extensively. Besides the land and timber — are the mineral resources — Professor Bell says : — Around James Bay and up the eastern side of Hudson Bay lie great deposits of iron and coal, so close together that, with the cheap water freights which the region may afford, the district along James Bay may yet become another Pennsylvania. And after referring to the soil, climate and forests, says : " Minerals may, however, become in the future the greatest of the resources of Hudson Bay ; large deposits of rich iron-stone on the Maltaeami River, in 1877, have been found ; inexhaustible supplies of gcKxl manganif* erous iron ore were discovered on the islands near the east main coast of James Bay, and promiting (iu*ntitim of nltn*, \nerhap« on the continent." Anthracite and iron are found along the rivem kouth of Jarne* Hay. Again Mr. Horron, .Sii|>endiar7 Magiktrate of Ijtke Nipiuing Dixtrict, who ban made a great many trips hetwecn Lake Nipluing and Jamea Itay, rc|M>rls to the Ontario (ioveinment : " There arc also in the neighliourhood of James Bay, north of the Heights of land, enormous (WAt l>e«ls, per* haps the largest in the world, ami which will average from eight to twenty feet in th!ck> neas ; aneds of p)>at, and deposits of porcleain or china clay, of superior quality." There are other re{>orts made bv several surveyors who have l>een employed in that dis* trict, and who corroborate all titat is said by those quoted above. All this, with the large business to be anticipated from the fish and oil products of Hudson's Bay should convince the most obstinate and indiffer- ent as regards Ontario's future welfare, that this work— in fact a National work —should no longer be delayed, as it will be par txcellencty a Colonization Road in every sense of the word, and will do more for Ontario than any railway yet built within the last fifteen years, to the contrary, notwithstand- ing — the promoters of such a scheme therefore hope and expect the coop- eration of all those immediately interested in Ontario's trade, to^'ether with the liberal subsidies expected from the Dominion and Local Legislatures — the very word railway is now synonymous with progress and v/ealth, and the want of railway facilities is acknowledged by all, and the only valid reason why any locality is without such is simply a financial question. In Norway, Sweden and Russia, where only a few lines exist but with no com- plete system, the Governments have turned their serious attention to the business, seeing they were being outstripped by much younger countries, and appointed Boards of Commissiont^rs who have thoroughly investigated the railways of the world, to report on the cheapest and best methods of building the same, so anxious are they to have their several "ountries opened up and fully developed, and strange to say, countries almv.ot similar in every respect to the one we propose penetrating and for the same purposes, to bring forward the timber, fish, oil, minerals, etc., etc. With such varied and bountiful gifts then firom nature, and so lavishly bestowed upon our own country, the projectors of this Enterprise have undertaken to construct this " Thoroughfare" in the shape of a railway, which will be the means of bringing within the reach of all, those, now hidden treasures, for without this channel of communication, the country •les, ted of ries ilar me ily ive to all intent* and purposen i* nothing better than a primitive wildemeM— but when brought to light, will contribute in no imall degree to the wealth and prosperity of the Province and no effort ihould be spared *o aecure for Toronto ->the chief city of the Province of Ontario her Just share of the tnde north of Lake Nipissing, and by the completion of th<: Ontario Pacific Junction Railway — now under construction, and with which line we immediately connect, we shall have direct communication lH.tween Toronto and Hudson's Ray, Toronto being the terminus, as it should be, for such an important railway. The distance from Toronto to Gravenhurst via Northern Railway is 1 1 5 miles, thence to our starting point near Callander as per surveyed route no miles, thence to James' Bay 350 miles making the total . fame be- tween Toronto and James' Bay 575 miles. As already mentioned, the district traversed by the iway conta''i8 everything that tends to create a traffic for the sam • — in Ian' timber, minerals and mngp'i •; at water powers and taking only sixty mile-, on each side of the line which will be tiibutary to it, this alone a'tiounts to thirty- six thousand square miles — but there will be twice this area, the pi oducts of which in the form of traffic must and will find its way to our railway — the stone flagging with other economic minerals found in the initnediate vicinity of Lake Temescaming will amount to no small item as freights — these flags range in thickness from six inches up to eighteen inches and from six by eight to ten by twenty feet area. It 13 also well known to all those conversant with the internal economy of railway building and railway management, that railways create a traffic and springs up very often where least expected — not alone in freight but with passengers as well. Looking at this territory again as a field for emigration — we might say that no emigrant or indeed Canadian farmer, but would recoil from the idea of pushing his fortune in such an apparently outlandish country — in fact could not be induced to take the land as a free gift unless convinced in his own mind or actually assured that some means of ingress and egress would be provided for him in the shape of a railway no matter how cheaply built, for notwithstanding how fertile the land may be or how propitious the seasons or whatever other inducements are brought to bear, the farmer or settler can make no profits for his labour unless he has a ready and reliable market, in fact, the disadvantages sustained by a man fifty or sixty miles back from any railway or market town will suggest itself at once, who, ill supplied with the actual necessaries for himseif and family, has to labour 8 in clearing his farm from three to five years before he is fairly independent of extraneous assistance, contrasts strongly with the man who settles on, or takes up land in the vicinity of some railway, where he is comparatively independent and is at all times within easy reach of work. The railway is the great agent and pioneer of civilization, the locomotive must precede the plough and the farm the town, the building of this rail- way will at once tend to settle the whole distiict north and south and on each side of the track, and so foster the rapid growth of a new population, and it will be readily understood that these great lumbering and mining enterprises which will commence immediately on the completion of the railway, will be of paramount importance to the settlers or farmers ; the millions of dollars invested in these add much to the taxable property, but their chief value lies in the fact that thousands of persons and domestic animals employed by, and connected with these operations become con- sumers, of the very products and articles the farmers have to sell or dispose of. Taking a commercial view of the whole project as here submitted for the first time in its present shape to the public— and weighing the facts carefully and calmly — it gives great promise of an important future. In winter the climate between Lakes Nipissing and Temiscaming is colder than it is at Toronto, almost similar to the weather in Montreal, but the cold is accompanied by a drier and brighter atmosphere which causes a much less disagreeable feeling of cold than a warmer temperature accom- panied by a dampness and it is well known that, owing to this drier cold in winter, people suffer much less than they would in Southern Ontario. Durmg the winter too, in the north, the snow which falls, remains on the ground and packing under foot makes it very favourable for teaming and lumbering operations ; both in summer and winter the climate is pleasant and healthy — a healthful climate and country imply good water and this is found in abundance all over, in the shape of lakes, rivers and streams — many of the lakes possessing great natural beauty, the water in all cases being pure, clear and cold throughout the year, teeming with valuable fish of a superior quality, such as salmon trout, white fish, maskinonge, speckled trout, bass, pike, pickerel, sturgeon and other kinds — the flesh of which is sweet and firm, the scenery is beautiful and without any doubt whatever this country will be a noted resort for tourists, invalids and others and will possess many other advantages to those inclined to seek homes in a new and fertile country, and hundreds of people from all parts of Canada and the United States, will gather here every summer to enjoy the scenery, to renew their health and strength in its invigorating atmosphere, and indulge in the sports in the way of fishing and hunting which the greatest part of this country a^ords, no doubt summer hotels will be erected at Lakes Nipissing, Temiscaming and other places— north and south, the air being so dry and cool malaria or ague is unknown, a disease so prevalent in some of the low lying lands of Southern Ontario. The following is taken from a phamphlet lately published by the Crown Lands Department written by Messrs. Kirk wood and Murphy, who from personal observations can testify to some of the facts already stated on the " Undeveloped Lands of Northern and Western Ontario," from which the following facts are condensed : — North and west of Lake Nipissing the land is good, and there is more fertile arable land in the country on the west hank of the Ottawa above the Mattawan, than on the banks below it. A line drawn from Lake Nipissini; to the lower end of Lake I emiscam* ing with the Ottawa lo north and west, and tht; Mattawan to the south would form a rouyh triangle, enclosing an extensive area of good hardwood land, in every way well adapted for settlement, touching on one side a great navigable reach of the Ottawa, and on the other a large lake which at small c<>st could be rendered easily accessible from Lake Huron, and on the very route which must be used ft>r the timber trade now extending to Lake Temiscaming. Lake Temiscaniing with its tributary the hianche, which enters at its northern end, presents more than 120 miles of unbroken navigation. It is the great basin f the Ottawa and drains an area of over 19,000,000 acres. The Blanche is navigable 60 miles above the like and (or that ilisiance the country is level wiih very good land as far inland .is has been expioreti. It is a valley extending to an unknown distance with a rock foundation the >ame as the most productive lands in Canada, and a climate fully equal to any on the north shore on the St. Lawrence. Hetween Lakes Temiscaming and Abbitfibbe (80 miles in a straight line), the soil is tienerally a level alluvial over a limestone formation with a heavy growth of hardwood timber and within the latitude of 49'. Mr. Marcus Smith, says in his Report of Exploration 1876 : — " Near the west end of Lake Nipissing, there are extensive flats of good land. Up the River Beuve which flows into the nor'.h side of the lake near the west end, he travelled two days, and foun < very fine land covere I with soft maole, birch, ash, &c. The land in the valley of the stream appeared very rich, covered with maple and other hardwoods." South of Lake Nipissmg from the head waters of the Mattawan, westward, there is tract of land of good wheat growing quality, extendin;^ 6j miles. South-east from Lake .Nipissing to Lake ()pe)n.;o — the fi'st twenty miles is all good arable land, and about two-thirds of the remiinder is good with hardwood timber. Ascending the South Kiver of Lake Nipissing, land of excellent quality is found tar into the interior. All of the interior countiy is well watere , with valuable water powers and interspread with groves of white pine of the best description. nd to ge , EXTRACTS . FROM A PAMPHLET JUST PUBLISHED BY THE CROWN LANDS DEPARTMENT OF ONTARIO— MARCH, 1884. The Algoma District is one of the most important divisions o' he Province of Ontario.* Its boundries, as originally defined, were as follows : — " Com-nencing on the north shore of the Georgian Bay of Lake Huron at the most westerly mouth of French River, thence due north to the northerly limit of the Province, thence along the said northerly - • Ontario— A poetic Indian name, signifying a Ixjantllul p OHpert of liills wn 1 waters. The word " Alguiiia" means " Lake and Laud of Al^oiud," or Algonquin tribe uf Itidiani. 10 limit of the Province westerly to the westerly limit thereof, thence along the said westerly limit of the Province southerly to the southerly limit thereof, thence along the said south* erly limit of the Province to a point in Lake Huron opposite to the southern extremity of the vjreat Manltoulin Island, thence easterly and north-easterly so as lo include all the Islands in Lake Huron not within the settled limits of any county or district, to the place of beginning." By Proclamation of 13th May, 1 871, the Territorial District of Thunder Bay was defined as "All that part of the District of Algonia lying west of the meridian of 87" of west longitude." This meridian is a little to the east of the Slate Islands in Lake Su- perior, and near the mouth of Steel River. NORTHERLY AND WESTERLY BOUNDARIES OF ONTARIO— AWARD OF THE ARBITRATORS. To all to whom these Presents shall come .• . The undersigned have been appointed by the Governments of Canada and Ontario as arbitrators to determine the northerly and westerly boundaries of the Province of Ontario, do hereby determine and decide that the following are and shall be such boundaries ; that is to say : — Commencing at a point on the southern shore of Hudson's Bay, commonly called James' Bay, where a line produced due north from the head of Lake Temiscaming would strike the said south shore ; thence along the said south shore westerly to the mouth of the Albany River ; thence up the middle of the said Albany River, and of the lakes thereon, to the source of the said river at the head of Lake St. Joseph ; thence by the line to the easterly end of Lac Seul, being the head waters of the English River ; thence westerly through the middle of Lac Seul and the said English River to a point where the same will be intersected by a true meridional line drawn northerly from the international monument placed to mark the most north-westerly angle of the Lake of the Woods by the recent lioundary Commission ; and thence due south, following the said meridional line to the said international monument ; thence southerly and easterly following upon :the international boundary line between the British possessions and the United States of America, into Lake Superior. „ But if a true meridional line drawn northerly from the said international boundary at the said most north-westerly angle of the Lake of the Woods, shall be found to pass to the west of where the English River empties into the Winnipeg River, then, and in such case, the northerly boundary of Ontario shall continue down the middle of the said Eng- lish River to where the same empties into the Winnipeg River, and shall continue thence on a line drawn due west from the confluence of the said English River with the said Winnipeg River, until the same will intersect the meridian above described ; and thence due south, following the said meridional line to the said international monument ; thence southerly and easterly, following upon the international boundary line, between the British possessions and the United States of America, into Lake Superior. Given under our hands, at Ottawa, in the Province of Ontario, this third day of August, 1878. Signed and published in the presence of E. C. Monk. Thomas Hodgins. RoBT. A. Harrison. Edwd. Thornton. F. Hincks, This vast territory is about 760 miles in length, with a breadth of 370 miles, and is situated principally between the 46th and 51st parallels of north latitude, and the 76th and 95th of longitude west from Greenwich. 11 It contains about 200,000 square miles, or 130,000,000 of acres of land and water. Its endless variety of hill and valley, river and lake, rapid cascade and waterfall, is unrivalled in the world. But not only is it great in respect to its area. Its soil furnishes unparalleled diversity of wealth. The miner is invited to the development of its mineral riches, hidden for ages ; its plains and fertile valleys bid the husbandman welcome ; and industries, in their manifold branches, stand waiting the command of intelligence and energy, without respect to nationality or social condition. It is only of late years that attention has been directed to this new field for enterprise and development. In a very short time it will be traversed throughout its length from Lake Nipissing to Rat Portage, by the main line of the Canada Pacific Railway, with a branch from Sudbury Junction to Algonia Mills on I.aUe Huron ; and other lines are projected from Michipicoten and Lake Nipissing to James iJay. This region is drained by two grand water systems having their source in what is known as the Height of Land, which extends from Lake Abbittibbe on the east, to Lake St. Joseph on the west, and varies from 1,000 to 1,500 feet above the level of the sea. Those rivers running southward flow into the Great Lakes and the River St. Lawrence, and those running northward empty their waters into Hudson's Bay. To intending settlers this country possesses many important advantages over the more distant praries of the west — proximity to leading markets ; the abundance and purity of its waters ; the ample supply and cheapness of timber for building, fencing and fuel ; and the greater cheapness of implements, clothing, etc. lay cf and is 76th SURFACE OF THE COUNTRY. The whole of the territory south of the Height of Land is watered by numerous large and small rivers, and innumerable lakes and lakelets. The characteristics of these rivers are much modified by the nature of the geological formations through which they pass, and the different powers of resistance of these formations to the transporting and eroding effect of the water. In a formation composed of the harder crystalline rocks which obtrude themselves above the surface, the waters have not the same power 'o form for themselves channels as in a country based upon sedimentary deposits. The irregular depressions and clefts in the surface of the Huronian formation become filled with water, and form lakes, whose overflow tumbles in cascades and rapids, and finds its way into other lakes lying at a lower level, until it is received into Lake Huron or Superior. In this district the country is dotted with lakes, and the connecting rivers are generally short. The navigation, in this northern river system, consists of stretches of deep and still water, interrupted by rapids and falls, around which the light canoes of the voyageurs are portaged by hand. This river system, fortunately for us, is thus furnished with a series of reservoirs, which cannot be destroyed, in the lakes themselves. These lakes receive the waters from rain and the melting of the snows in the spring, and hold them stored up against the summer heat. Through the rocks of this region run numerous bands of crystalline limestone or marble, which from their softness give rise to valleys with a fertile soil. The hill -sides are gener- ally covered with vegetable mould which sustains a growth of trees, giving them an aspect , If of luxuriant vegetation. But when fire has passed over thexe hills, the soil is in great part destroyed, and the rock in iooi laid bare. In the valleys and lower parts, however, there are large areas of good land, having a deep soil and l)earing heavy timber. These are the chienumbering districts of the country, and constitute a great source of wealth to the Province. In the.se regions the occupations of the lumberer and the farmer are a great encouragement to one another, as the wants of the lumberman afford to the farmer a ready market for his produce at high prices. There are many reasons why the forest-region of the hills should be protected by the settler. The vegetation an.es from the presence of reddish feldspar, which is the jirevailing constituent mineral. The feldspar, however, is often white, and frequently o( a bluish grey. The rock is in no case without quartz. Hornblende is seldom absent, and mica very often present. The prevailing colour of the quartz is vvliite, but it is often transparent or tr.inslucent. 1 he hornblende is usually black and sometimes green. The mica is often black, frequently brown, and generally of a dark tinge. The rock (carefully diKtinguished from dykes), is almost universally small grained, and though the constituent minerals are arranged in parallel layers, no one constituent so monopolises any layer as to excludt- the presence of others ; but even in their subordinate arrangement there is an observable tendency to parallelism. A thick beil of reddish feldspathic rock, for example, will in section present a number of short dashes of black homb'ende or black mica, all drawn in one direction, destitute of ar- rangement, apparently, except in regard to their parallelism ; or it will be marked by parallel dotted lines composed of these minerals. The continuation of these lines will be mterrupted irregularly, and before one ends another will commence above or below it, the lines interlocking among one another. .Sometime^ thin continuous parallel black belts will run in the rock for considerable distances ; or it will be barred by parallel streaks of white quartz or whire feldspir, in which, as well as the red (lart, these dark and dotted lines will occur. The same description of arrangement will be found where the whole ground of the rock is white instead of red, and then the red feldspar will occa- sionally constitute streaks. There is no end to the diversity of arrangement in which the minerals and the colours will be observed. While the subordinate contents of beds will be thus arranged, masses will be divided into beds shewing nearly as great a diversity. The beds will be .sometimes very thick, and these usually are of the red variety of rock ; at others they will be thin, and the in in great , however, •r. These r wealth to rmer are a the farmer ted by the ost impor- . But for se, would, ve torrent! this great , must not PISSING. iwa, and a an Rivers, real South- Ontario has obably run crystalline tamorphic may be ter is that •resence of ;y weyer, is ut quartz, our of the is usually generally niversally ayers, no but even A thick r of short ute of ar- larked by les will be below it, lei b!ack y parallel ese dark nd where Iwill occa- hich the |e divided sry thick, and the 1.1 hornblende ur the mica, or l)oth, will lie the dominant minerals, or equal the others in quantity. In this case the mass will present a light or dark grey colour, and the mica, rendering! the rock fissile, v/ill cause it to yield )>ood flagging or tile stones. The rt-ddish feldspathic masses are stronger and more solid than the others, yielding less to the influ- ence of the weather, and when their bulk is cun^derable they rise into hills, and largely prevail in all the ranges met with. The thin bedded rocks often constitute the valleys. Thedip of the strata is usuallv at high angles, and towards the Mattawa it appears to point more generally southwatd. But there evidently exist many undulations, often accompanied by contortions. .Some of the undulations give northern and sometimes eastern dips. It is not suppo-i>Kl, however, that these undulations have any dependent connection with the anticlinal axis, or, that its position will be peculiarly marked by any of them. The arch is ot too gentle a nature to have pr(Kluceeasures, dipping towards the water at a small angle, and are followed by the slates which come from behind them, and continue in a straight line for nine miles to the western bay at the head of the lake, form- ing high perpendicular clifls for part of the way and rounded hills for the remainc'.er. The limestones constitute the two large islands near the head of the lake, the two smaller ones between them, the island ai the entrance of the eastern bay and a very small one on the west coast, as well as the jiromontory which separates the east bay from the west. The strata lie in the form of a shallow trough, based sometimes on the sandstones and sometimes on the slates, occupying the breiulth of the lake— from five to six miles — and extending from the south si ie of the southern great island to some unknown distance northward, being either a projecting point or an outlier of some more extended calcareous area. The largest and best quality of flagging slabs is found on the east side of Lake Temis- caming, about seven miles above the Liaiere, where five miles of the coast present a suc- cession of cliffs which would yield a great abundance of almost any dimensions. Roofing slates exist about five miles up the Montreal River. Lakes, Rivers and Agricultural CapabiliiieK. On the north bank of the Mattawa a range of hills, of no great elevation, runs nearly the whole way from Trout Lake to the mouth, and between their base and the margin of the water there are good mixed wood flats, with elm, ash, maple, and a few oaks ; but the slopes produce s()ft woikIs chiedy, the prevailing species being red pine. To the north of Upper Trout Lake there is an extensive spread of flat hard-wood country running in an east and west direction, possessing a goo height of Lake Nipissing above the waters of the .St. Lawrence at Three Rivers, 665 feet. The ascertained height of the surface of l^ke Huron above the sea, according to the .Michigan surveyors, is 578 feet. ' Townships 22, 23, 27 and 28 contain a large percentage of good land, with consider- able pine. Townships i, 5, 9, 13 and 18 also contain a fair percentage of gooinK 643 Lake Huron 585 Lake Superior 637 Lake Nipij»on 879 Lake Wmniiiey 710 Lake Krie 561 Lake .•\l»l)itil.i)e 857 [!ci|;ht of Land, where we propose crossing I, luo Height of Land, between Lake Winnipeg and Lake Superior.. 1,400 Lake Michigan 587 LAKK ABBITl'lBBK AND THE tJUUN'rUY SOUTH OF IT. White and red pine are found scattered over the whole region between Lake Temis- caniing and Lake Al)bittil)be. Tliey are (|uite abundant and of ( xceilent quality on the sUtpeii of the hills along both sides of the Height of Land. On the hill rising to the height of 700 feet above Lake Matawago;;ig on the north side of the Height of Land, several trees have been measured and fuund to be from eight to nine feet in circumference, at a height of four or five feet from the ground ; and from the summit of the hill giovei of white pine are observed in all lirections. White spruce, yellow birch and cedar are also tolerably abundant and of good size. Fine specimens of the latter tree, tall and straight, are observed, chiefly in hollows antong the hills, on the south side of Lake Abbittibbe. Sugar maple is tolerably plentiful round the head of Lake Temiscaming, but is not seen further north. The same remark applies to swamp maple and white oak. Large numbers of these grow on low level land near the mouth of the Blanche, and also in smaller quantities at the mouths of other rivers falling into the same lake. The most abundant tree in this region, north of the limit of sugar maple, is aspen, after which c )me canoe birch, spruce, Hanksian pine, and Canada balsam. Elm and ash occur occasionally on low flats as far north as Lake Abbitubbe. The whole region, extending northward from the mouth of the Montreal River, which is alxjut thirty miUs south of the head of Lake Temiscaming. may be corr;;;;tl> described as a level clay plain, with a great number of rocky hills and ridges protruding through it. The height of th^ clay appears to be pretty uniform throughout the whole region. Around Lake Abbittibbe it is about thirty feet above the level of the lake, which is estimated to be 245 feet higher than Lake Temiscaming. On the Blanche, the highest clay plains, about thirty-five miles up the river, are about 275 feet above Lake Temis- caming. The Height of Land Portage is about 60 feet above Lake Abbittibbe, or 305 above Temiscaming. Taking the mean of these heights, and adding it to 612 feet, height of Lake Temisciming above the sea, we find that the height of this clay plain above the sea is about 900 feet. The largest areas of arable land are on the Blanche, and around Lake Abbittibbe. This lake is surrounded on all sides by level clay land. At a good many points, however. 17 wa, it 69U portat;e. U 710 735 643 585 627 879 710 857 ,liiO ,4\ng to the t of I^nd, ;u in Terence, hill ({lovei |;l ced.ir are tall and e ol' Lake but is not Large nd also in IS aspen, m and ash fcr, which described irough it. re(;ion. which is e highest LC Temis- e, or 305 612 (eet, ay plain bittibbe. however, the rock r\*e% tbove the level of the city. To the north, «nd e*|>«:i«lly to the north- westward, the clav level itcemi almost unbroken, and it it well known that it extend* in this dirrction to the khores of James' Bay. Several acres of this clay soil nre cultivated at the Hudson's Ray Company's Post at Abbittiblte with satisfactory results, and some of the residents are inclined to insist that all the ordinary cereals can be cultivated as successfully there as on the St. Lawrence. Indian com is grown at more than one locality near the head of I^ike Temiscaming, and is said to ripen well. THE TERRITORY NORTH OF THE HEIGHT OF LAND. Between the (treat Lakes and Jjtmes' Ray the country is of a very different character in each of the two geological areas which it embraces, namely, the Laurentian and Huronian plateau ; nnd paKxozioc and tertiary basin of James Bay. The former is somewhat elevati-d, undulating, and ilotted with great numbers of lakes ; while the latter is low, level, swampy, anut half that dittance. The Moo^e River divider into the Mattagami And Miisinibi branrhei. Fragments of lignite are »trcwn, often in abundancr, along the bed of the river to Coal Hrook, where it is teen in situ, during very low water. Similar lignite is found on the Albany Kiver. CLIMATE, AiJRKJULTUUAL RESOURCKS, STOCK-RAISING, Ac. Throughout the whole of the region from Lake Nipissing to the Lake of the Woods, the depth of snow is generally less on an average than it is at the (-'ity of Ottawa. Only in one locality between these two points is the snow found generally so deep as at this city, namely, in the immediate neighbourhood of Lake Sii|)erior, where the lake appears to have a local influence on the humidity of the atmosphere, and, in cunse(|uence, on the amount of snow-fall. In going northward, from the Height of Land towanls James' Hay, the climate does not ap|)ear to get worse, but rather lietter. This may bu due to the constant diminution in the elevation, more than counter balancing for the increased latitude, since in these northern regions a change in altitude alTects the climate much more than the same amount of change would affect it in i)laces further south. The water of James' Hay may also exert a favourable influence, the bulk of it being made up in the summer time, of warm river water, which accumulates in the head of the bay, and |)ushes the cold sea-water further north. The greater |)roportion of day to night during the summer months may be another cause of the comparative warmth of this region. The rain-fall at Moose Factory forms no criterion as to what it is on the southern high- lands, where, without being too wet, there is sufficient rain and dew to support the most luxuriant vegetation. The snow fall at Moose Factory is not nearly as heavy as it is south oi Lake NipisAing and French River, The following tables of temperature and rain-fall at Prince Arthur's Landing and Moose F.ictory are taken from the Report of the Meteorological service of Canada, for the year ending 31st December, 1881. I ort. Its •* White, the river, the south* iataitce. gmentt of oU, where my Uiver. ko. le Wootls, va. Only ) as at this {.c appears ice, on the [mate does liminution ic ill these ne amount Iso exert a ver water, her north, ther cause lern high- the most vy as it is uling and anada, for 19 PRINCE ARTHUR'S LANDING. 1881. Mc»n temperature of the several months . . Highest temperature in ench month Lowest temperature in each month Rainfall in inches in ench month Numi)er of days on ) which rain fell in / each month ) 05 298 366 O'OO 107 as 8 34a 504 384 455 7«'8i70-8 354 130 31 000 0*00 076 003 30'3 323 B 565 807 395 174 10 8 67 • 644 537 40'6 8P-6 jv6 7a 3 698 43 a 3'7I 8 380 397 33 9 498 3i-a 4a 8 330 15 3 >3*3 «9'4 7 38 3 66 I 00 "5 O'OO 530 MOOSE FACTORY. I88I. 1 Si 1 u < i6'l J ,r6 482 47 "4 5 64-0 i s 608 s a S 00 51-5 i 6 32 6 i 12-3 1 Mean tempcratuke of the several months. . IO-6 6-9 80 Hij^hest temperature in each month 201 36-1 44a 568 790 830 90-5 88-5 768 71 -2 52 37- « Lowest temperature in t each month \ 39*6 34-5 143 179 140. 2() -8 41 5 382 350 125 29'I 22-2 Rainfall in inches in ) each month \ 000 0'20 010 016 1 052 3Si 2-35 2-82 480 1-52 0-90 000 Number of davs on 1 which rain fell in > each month j I 2 5 II 14 16 13 17 5 I 20 KKSIILTS OF METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS AT MOOSE iliii Mean temperature . , Iligheit temperature Lowest tempemture Munthly ran(;e Mean daily range . , Mean temperature ut warmeit day Mean temperature uf coldest day •877. Amount of rain in inches o'85 Greatest fall in one day 0-35 Number of days' rain 5 Amount of snow i 08 Greatest fall in one day ' 0*3 39*. o 440 80 360 ll-l 40 'o 16-3 Number of days' snow Number of fair days P'lrcentage of cloud . . . 6 73 30*. 7 384 "98 48-3 in 36 1 0*29 029 I 0-5 0'2 9 21 80 3 i ri I i iM 337 13* 3 ao*-4 4a 5 ! 481 359 ai7 68-6 198 30 o 36 7 R I 03 0'3 9 a3 53 64-3 3o'9 368 71 o"oo o 0'3 0'3 5 23 33-4 705 3I'0 37-6 ro I 35* .6 661 8-9 573 16-6 61-3 237 0'04 I '23 004 I o'37 I o'8 0'3 IS 16 47! 61 6 01 O'l 3 22 65 47-.3 76-5 191 564 16-4 73*5 231 195 o'4i II 0-8 07 4 17 76 47'.3 76$ J-9 191 r» 564 >-6 16-4 •a 73-5 7 33"» 13 1-95 57 0-41 6 II I 08 I 07 2 4 2 17 5 76 II rAcrroRY , cnMFii.Br> AT THE MKTF0R0I,0(JICA1 L OFFICK, TORONTO . 1878. 1879 1 1 4 1 ! 1 5" i 1 i j i 1 57'.o 66».9 63*. 51-7 4o*-9 a6\5 7'.6 7-9 6'-.7 la'.i 24* a 39*-9 50-.3 6o'.3 9ai 91*6 813 739 66-8 408 3a 9 340 191 46'3 53a 73'3 817 848 a6'9 41-8 34 9 31 I 7(. '•3 ^•4 4o'3 4i'3 33'4 70 33-3 37-0 357 6s'a 498 464 4a'8 59a JO'S 5«-3 643 604 797 59a 511 547 591 ao-3 ara 168 17-6 156 iro •32 194 ara a6'o 146 199 190 31*6 «8i 84-a 749 680 63-4 381 284 20-6 165 395 44a 599 708 76a 3a 4 5a '4 508 40a ara II-8 115 38-a 306 107 10 38-5 34 a 436 164 2 79 6'il 5-46 «74 R R O'O O'O o'6o roo a 08 3 47 S'4» 0*56 1*33 123 I '06 051 • • • • .... .... 0*30 075 I'lO 087 3'ia 9 la 17 19 14 3 I 3 5 7 16 18 S • • • • 3"o 25 '5 27-4 9-6 81 98 158 3 50 • • • • • • • • • > • • • • t • ■ • • • 30 70 40 3 2-0 4.0 70 10 47 • • • • 1 • ••• • • • • S 19 23 16 10 '3 13 5 3 • • • • 21 18 H II la 9 7 15 18 'S 13 20 12 >3 63 59 70 75 71 79 78 61 55 63 69 67 68 56 22 TABLES Shewing the MorUhly Mrnn Temperature (Farnh. Therm.) for (foo yeart, at the Hudson Bay Company's Post on Lake Teviisruming, Lat. JfT 19' North; Long, 79* Si' West ; 030 feet above the level qf the tea. — From a liegiater kept by Mr. Severight. 1843-4. MONTH. w M » 1 3 i I 1 S g m a 00 « i s> S 4 at 1 10 10 5 i 1 8 4 8 6 7 8 i 3 i 1 ! «843- November . . December . . 1844. January .... Feltruary .... March April May une July August September . October .... 24 S/30 18 26/31 — I 12/31 8 24/29 13 18/31 33 «7/3o 42 4/31 56 2/30 58 5/3' 56 26/31 48 34 6/31 29 6/;>o 26 5/31 12 24/31 28 6/29 53 23/30 57 14/31 70 22/30 72 11/31 'I 9/31 63 15/30 46 27 22 25/31 10 2/31 19 22/29 25 10/31 45 2/30 50 14/3" 61 6/30 66 15/31 63 25/31 56 15/30 42 9/3 « 26 2/3 22 1/2 7 1/6 19 23 1/3 44 50 62 2/3 65 2/3 64 56 40 5/6 3 2 13 7 14 23 12 II 9 10 13 1 S >3 6 6 5 2 3' 3 I I 2 I • • • • ■ • • • 4 II 12 II 15 9 10 5 7 7 4 1844-5- iiiN MONTH. 1844. November December 1845. January February March . . April . . May June. . . . July.... Ajgust September October . 24 16/30 " 23/31 8 19/31 n 15/28 19 26 19/30 38 16/31 51 18/30 5! 58 48 38 7/30 31 4/30 19 14/31 17 23/31 24 25/28 34 25/31 43 16/30 56 69 25/30 75 7/31 76 16/31 58 5/30 50 r. a GO 28 16 4/30 8/3' 13 18/31 20 4/28 28 20/31 36 49 62 6/30 67 27/31 67 9/31 53 14/30 46 o 28 15 5/6 13 1/3 185/6 27 1/2 35 1/3 47 5/6 61 1/6 67 67 1/3 53 1/3 44 2/3 u ■A s 1 H ' 3 D 3 ^ 4 • w M t: >> « a g a < ■* b a S 2 ? i « ! 4 7 8 3 9 8 8 • • ■ ■ 6 15 3 I 7 8 5 3 9 10 3 2 5 II 8 13 7 5 6 12 7 5 6 8 12 II 15 ID « • » • 6 I 8 2 19 II 10 3 7 I X CO a o o ij o 8 6 6 5 7 6 tKf Hudson ong. 79* 31' V. Severight. i s 1 ! 5 2 10 3 I 5 5 .... 7 } .... 7 ) .... 4 ! 4 . II J 12 } " • IS 9 5 "e' 1 ^" (2 1 « « >• >• § § J S 3 8 6 I 6 3 5 2 7 8 6 6 6 II 6 19 7 Farming and gardening have been successfully carried on by the officers of the Company at their posts on Lakes Mattagami and Misxiiiihi. .Vt the latter, spring wheat has been found to ripen well. At Moose Factory, although the soil is a cold, wet clay, with a level, undrained surface, farm and garden produce, in considerable variety, are raised every year. Oats, barley, beans, peas, turnips, beets, carrots cabbage, onions, tomatoes, &c., are grown without any more care than is required in other parts of Canada. Wheat may be s..v.^essfully grown where the soil is suitable in all that part of this territory lying to the south of the fiftieth parallel of latitude. The mean temperature of the summer south of tli.it parallel is sulTficient to ripen this cereal. Indeed wheat has been grown at Abbittibbe House, l^'lying Post, and New Brunswick, on or about the forty-ninth parallel, and at Lac Seul, between the fiftieth and fifty-first parallel. Indian corn, a more delicate plant than wheat, has come to maturity at Osnaburgh House on Lake St. Joseph, north of the fifty-first parallel. Barley, oats, rye, pe.is and beans succeed well. The Invariable e.xcellence of the crops of the Windsor bean and the kidney-beau at Moose Factory is surprising. The vetch grows wild everywhere, but nowhere is it so abundant as on the coast of James' Bay. There is probably no food plant that i" likely to be of 'more importance to the inhabit tants of this territory than the potato. There is none the cultivation of which has been so successful in every part. The fitness both of soil and climate for its growth has been established beyond dispute. Whether viewed in reference to size, quantity or quality, the cr>ips at Moose F.ictory and Mataw.agamingue (260 miles further south), will compare favourably with those in the best potato-growing districts in Ontario. Peaty soil is p..rticularly well suited to the growth of potatoes. 1 here are millions of acres of peat mosses in this frritory, very extensive are.is of which. can be easily reclaimed, and when the country is settled and means of transport provided, hundreds of thous.inds of tons of potatoes may be grown and sent away to supply the wants of other countries. The fitness of the soil and climate for the growth of root crops will make the breeding of cittle and dairy husbandry important resources of this territory. Among these crops the turnip is entitled to a plnce in the front rank. The carrot, beet, and parsnip can also be grown. Cabbages, spinach, lettuce, mustard, cress, and radishes are grown without any diffi- culty. Rhubarb also grows well. The cauliflower appears to be one of the surest crops at Moose P^actory, and is sometimes ready for the table as early as the first of August. Whatever doubts exist as to the agricultural value of the country north of the Height of Land in resjiect to its grain-growing c.ipaljilities, there can be none in regard to its fit- ness to produce the more important roots and grasses. F'roui the Height of I„and north- ward to the coast of James' Bay, nothing on the north shores of Lake Huron or Superior can exceed the luxuriance of the native grasses. Cows and oxen are kept at all the principal Posts, and they are invariably found to be healthy and in fin.? condition ; a good evidence of the salubrity of the climate, and excellence of the pasture. At Moose Factory where some sixty head are constantly kept, a certain number are slaughtered every Fall, and are quite fat, although then taken straight from the grass. The only fruit.« that appear to be cultivated in the garden are the red and black currant and raspberry. The red currant is remarkably prolific. The strawberry and gooseberry migb* be raised with little trouble, for they are found growing wild in many places, and nowhere more plentifully or of finer quality than on the coast. The huckleberry or blueberry is found in great profusion from the long portages to the Height of Land. Indeed it may be said to abound from the coast of Hudson's Bay to the shores of Lakes Huron and Superior. It is nowhere in greater profusion or of finer quality than on the Height of Land itself. 24 There is a;iofher wild fruit which may be noticed. This is a hush or tree not unlike the wild cherry in appearance.* North of the Height of Land, it attains a height in some places of ten to twelve feet, but is generally about six feet. The fruit grows singly, not in bunches or clusters on the tree. It is an oblong or peir shape, larger than the blueberry, but smaller than the grape. When ripe it is of a purple or blue color. It is sweeter and has more flavor than the huckleberry, and is preferred by the natives to it. It is to be found all the way from James' Bay to Lake liuron, but nowhere in greater perfection than on the Mattagami River. The fruit is not only pleasant and wholesome, but the juice would make an excellent wine, and the tree is worthy of cultivation and a place in our orchards and gardens. GENERAL ACCOUNT OF HUDSON'S AND JAMES' BAY. In the popular mind Hudson's Bay is apt to be associated with the polar regions ; yet no part of it comes within the Arctic Circle, and the latitude of its southern extremity is south of London Few people have any adequate conception of the extent of this great Canadian Sea. Including its southern prolongation, James' Bay, it measures about one thousand miles in length, and is more than six hundred miles in width in its northern part. Its total area is in the neighborhood of 500,000 square miles, or upwards of half that of the Mediterranean. Pit ! i I ! i I m The resources of Hudson's Bay and the country immediately around it are varied and numerous, although, as yet, few of them are at all developed. The fur trade is the prin- cipal and best known business which has hitherto been carried on in these regions ; but a considerable amount of oil, derived from the larger whales, the porpoises, walruses, whif; bc.rs and various species of seals which frecpient the northern part of the bay, has beei. carried to New England, and small quantities, principally of porpoise and seal oil, have from time to time been taKen to London by the Hudson's Bay Company. Tiie trade in oil might be greatly extended in these quarters. Other articles have been exported from the bay, but hitheito only in trifling quantities. They embrace whalebone, feathers, quills, casloreum, lead ore, sawn luml.er, ivory, tallow, isinglass, and skins of seals and porpoises. The fisheries, properly speaking, of Hudson's Bay, have not been investigated. Both the Indians and Eskimo find a variety of fish for their own use, ami fine salmon abound in the rivers of Hudson's .Strait. Water fowl are very numerous on both sides of the bay. But perhaps the most important of the undeveloped resources of the country around the bay are its soil, timber and minerals. To the south and south-west of James' liay, in the latitude of Devonshire and Cornwall, there is a large tract m which much of the land is good, and the climate sufliciently favourable for the successful prosecution of stock and dairy farming. Some of the timber found in the country which sends its waters into James' Bay may prove to be of value for export. Among the kinds which it produces may be mentioned white, red and pitch pine, black and white spruce, balsam, larch, white cedar, and white birch. The numerous rivers which converge towards the head of James' iJay offer facili- ties for " driving" timber to points at which it may be shipped by sea-going vessels. In view of the completion of the railway from Lake Nipissing to James' Bay, minerals may become in future the greatest of the resources of Hudson's Bay. Little direct search has been made for the valuable minerals of these regions. A large deposit of rich iron- stone has been found on the Mattagami River. In 1877 inexhaustible supplies of good manganiferous iron ore were discovered on the islands near the Eastmain coast, and pro- mising quantities of Galena around Richmond Gulf, and also near Little Whale River. Traces of gold, silver, molybdenum, and copper have also been found on the Eastmain coast. Lignite is met with on the Missinibi, gypsum on the Moose, and petroleum-bear- ing limestone on the Abbittibbe River. Soapstone is abundant not far from Musquito Bay on the east side, and iron pyrites between Churchill and Marble Island on the West. Good building stones, clay and limestones exist on both sides of the bay. A cargo of miea is said to have been taken from Chesterfield Inlet to New York, and valuable de- posits of plumbago are reported to occur on the north side of Hudson's Strait. * This is probably Amelaachier Sanguinea, a variety uf the Canadian Medlar. 25 EXTRACTS FROM MR. DAWSON, M.P. FOR ALGOMA DISTRICT. Hansard, March, 1884. RKOION NORTH OF LAKE SUPERIOR. Mr. Dawson, in moving for a return of all reports not hitherto puhlishetl, relatinjj to the character and probable resources in agricultural lands, forests, minerals and other- wise of the country through which the Canadian I'acific Railway is being constructed to the north of Lakes Huron and Superior, embracing all information in p(jssession of the Government in respect to th.- whole of the region intervening between the Great Lakes and the southern coast of Hudson's Hay, said. In making this motion, it is not my intention to press for very voluminous return of papers. Last year I made a motion for certain papers, and explained that what I wanted was a synopsis of the information. Well, that synopsis came (U)wn, it w.is not at all voluminous, and it contained all the actual information re(|uired and all in the possession of the Government ; whereas, if they had sent down all the papers, they would have filled a volume. I want something of the same kind now. I do not wish to have a voluminous return brought down, but the pith and substance of the reports that have been sent in. The country to which this motion relates embraces a third part of the entire distance across the continent. It has been represented very often as a sterile and barren country, and, if such is the case, if all this is true, then the I'acific Railway would be a most unfortunate undertaking ; but I have information, and I am satisfied from what I have seen myself and from the reports of others, that that country is very far from being a barren country, that throughout its entire extent of 1,000 miles from the Ottawa through to Rat Portage, to the verge of the prairies, there are immense tracts of very good land, that the whole country is covered with forests ai^ nutritious grasses, cattle that range through it get fat in summer, and the forests of lumber are practically inexhaustible. An Hon. Member. Timber limits. Mr. Dawson. For my part, I possess no limits, but there is room for the lumber trade to be carried on there in regions which have not yet been touched by the lumbermen. There are many parts of that country more especially in the valleys among the hills, where the soil is exceptionally rich, and to form an idea of that country I would only ask hon. members to look across the Ottawa, to look to the valley of the Gatineau. The Gatineau runs through a country of the same kind. A country entirely composed, or nearly so, of different forms of Laurentian rock, and the hon. member for Ottawa tells me that he has a population in his constituency of over 50,000, 30,000 of whom are in the valley of the Gatineau. The county of Pontiac is precisely the same, the same sort of rock, the same sort of cour.try as that north of Lakes Huron and Superior, and in that county there is a very large and thriving population. With regard to the country imme- diately nortii of Lakes Huron and Superior and extending back to the Pacific Railway, as a proof that it is not unfit for settlement, I may say that we have now 20,000 settlers along the Georgian Bay and up to Sault Ste. iMarie, all living comfortably, cultivating the soil to the north, and they grow most beautiful wheat. It is an admirable country for growing wheat where the land is good. I do not mean to describe it as a paradise, but I do say there are large tracts of excellent land in it, and the settlements now extend along the Thes-^alon and back to the Hruce Mines — which, looking from the shore, seems to be the most dreary part of the whole country — 40 miles already, and the settlers all express themselves highly pleased with the land. In the valleys ot the Mississagua and Thessalon to the east and Goulais River to the west of Sault Ste. Marie there are also large tracts of good land, tens of thousands of acres, in many places, room for a dozen townships, with sufficiently level land equal to that of the prairies of the west, and with a climate far milder in winter, and I think, just as good in summer. Now, .Sir, as you proceed west of Lake Superior you find an equally good country in the valleys of the rivers. Along the coast of the lakes the country is very rough and broken, but when you get inland to these river valleys you find excellent soil. Then as regards the Pays Plat River which flows into Nipigon Bay, a gentlemen connected with the Pacific Rail- way, and a most intelligent man, told me he had been through it and that there was room enough for at least half-a-dozen townships, of the most magnificent land, all level, or nearly so, between the ranges of mountain on each side. The same may be said of the .Black Sturgeon River which flows into Black Bay, a large river with very extensive flats ill at the mouth where there is room for several townships. In the valley of the Kaminis- ti(|uia, ajjain there is (|uite a larye extent of good land. A thriving sctilement has already sprung up there where they grow wlicat and ceicaU of all kinds, and the people are highly j>leascd and satisfied with their lands. (.loing further liack, away from the inunediate coast of the lake, and westward from Lake Nipissing there is a considerable tract of fair land between Lake Nipissing and the west hrancli of the tireat French River. 'I'here is some very gocxl land in that section. In the valley of the Spanish River again, according to the surveyors' reports, from the point where the line crosses that river to Lake Huron, there is a consideral)lc tract ut good land ; and to show that f)eoi)le appreciate the land there I am told that a company is now being organized to orni an extensive cattle ranch on the Spanish River where they think the conditions are as favourable as in the North-West. Large sections of the land have been burned over and are almost like prairies. In the valleys of the rivers the soil is very rich and produces all that is retjuired for the support of cattle ramhes. As you proceed still fuither west and still furtlier to the north, the country bectnus more level ; as to that country not being valuable there never was a greater mistake. Mr. Dymond, who was formerly a member of this House, a highly accomplished gentlemau, and whose statement would not be called in question, a gentleman well qualified to describe the country, visited that region and collected a large amount of inforn)ation for the Government of Ontario ; and I may say that that Government values the timber in that country as worth $150,000,000. Now, Sir, if I may be permited, I wish to read a few extracts describing the country between the Height of Land which runs from the neighbourhood of Lake Temiscaming and the Ottawa River westward, all the way to the vicinity of '1 hunder I^ay and beyond that. Now, in that country, after you ) iss the Height of Land, according to the de- scription I have of it, there is an immense tract of level country where the soil is good. It extends westward from Abbittibbi along the slojies of the Moose for 350 miles, and ilien on the slopes of the Albany River and alopg nearly its Whole extent, the country is very little broken by hilly ground. Last year Dr. Hell, describing this country before the Emigration Committee, said : "To the southward of James' Bay, the southern prolongation of Hudson's Bay, and to the scmth-westward, there is a long tract of land which, sooner or later, will be, I believe, of value for agricultural purposes. It extends for a distance of nearly 200 miles in a southerly and south-westerly direction. The immediate shore of James' Bay, towanls the south end, is very low ami level, and the country lor some distance back is covered with sphagnum moss, but this does not exist far inland. The greatest extent is between the lower parts of the Albany and Moose Rivers, but beyond that, there is a level tract of excellent land, well wooded ; and southward and south- westward of that again, the country rises pretty rapidly for a short distance and we come upon a plateau which extends inland for another 100 miles, and over the greater part of that the land is excellent as far as I could judge. I have surveyed all the principal rivers and lakes and canoe routes of tliat country, and made excur- sions inland to see the rocks and the soil, and it would be what we should consider, in Western Canada, good land. On the eastern side of James' Bay, there is a narrow strip extending about 100 miles from the southern extremity, which would be useful for cattle raising. It is already used by the Hudson's Bay Company for that purpose, and they have shown that sheep and cattle can be reared there successfuly." Again he says in respect to the timber : " On the head waters of the Moose River, white pine is abundant and of good size. Red pine also exists and extends rather further north than the white. Then there is 'Jack pine' or 'cypress,' or more properly the Banksian pine, which, though not & timber tree in its southern extension, becomes so in the northern region, which is its home. In the Albany region I have seen large groves of this tree, quite different from the ordinary scrubby variety." As to climate he says : " In regard to the climate for agriculture, the country that I have spoken of, south and south-west of James' Bay, lies in the latitude of Cornwall and Devonshire, in England, and southward of that, it is in the same latitude as the northerly parti of 27 Kaminis* las already people are from the msiderable at French le Spanish ne crosses show that '1,'anized to (litions are urned over d produces irther west Duntry not (ormerly a lent would visited that rio ; and I o,ocx),cx». he country miscaniing ind lieyond to the de- li 1 is gootl. miles, and country is before the son's Bay, later, will of nearly of James' le distance le greatest ond that, nd south- ce and we over the surveyed ade excur- consider, a narrow- be useful t purpose. good size. u there is ugh not a hich is its diflferent of, south, tnshire, in y parti of Franuc ; and while these countries onjoy exceptionally favourable conditions, there is no peculiarity of climate that would make th« district I have referred to, worse than the average of the face of the earth in those latitudes, and, therefore, I think it ii likely to be of value for agriculture, aa tar as climate is conceruod. " As to the dates of the opening of the river he remarks as follows : " When I was at Martin's Falls, on the Albany, I collected the ilatcs of the open- ing and closing of the All)any River for about forty years preceding my visit, and since that 1 have obtained the ilates for over ten years, so 1 liave an exact record of the opening and cl'sing of the Albany for tifty years, and the average time that it is open IS fully six months." In respect to the fishery resources of the Hudson's Bay he says : " In regard to the whale llahery, the l.irgo whales are confined principally to the north-west part of the bay. The Americans from New Bedford and New Loudon have resorted to the north-west part of the bay to Hsh whales for twenty years or upwards, and have generally been very successful. From one to three or four or five vessels go every year, and according to the Ueportof the United States Conmiissioner of Fisheries, the returns have been very large." Then, in answer to the question. " What is the liability to summer frosts in the country around Hudson's Bay ? " he says : " In the larger area of agricultural land south and south-west of James' Bay, I think not very great. In 1S77. on my homeward journey, I left Moose Factory on the 1st October, and at that time all the tender plants — the tobacco plant, castor oil, bean, common beans, cucumbers, balsams and other tender plants, were perfectly green, standing in the open air, and probably remained so for some time after 1 left, as we had no frost. And at the posts of the Hudson Bay Company, inland, they are not often troubled with early autumn frosts. I think the sowing is done on an aver- age at the same time as in corresponding latitudes in Lower Canada. " Again, speaking of iron ore, he says : " Iron ore is very abundant on the east coast of Hudson's Hay and on the islands northward from Cape Jones. At the commencement of Hudson's Bay proper, there is an inexhaustible (juantity of rich and valuable ore — valuable from the fact, that it contains a great amount of oarbonate of manganese, making it available for the manu- facture of Bessemer steel." A country with all these resources, with forests and iron ore and lying alongside a great highway, easy of access, surely cannot be calleil a barren country ; and yet not many years ago, not a hundretl years ago, an hon member of this House said : " That railway north of Lake Superior runs for 700 or 800 or 1,000 miles through the most inhospitable country on the face of the globe — I do not speak now of Mani- toba, but north of Lake Superior, from Callender even to Winnipeg. It is question- able in my mind whether there are 10,000 acres adapted for settlement along the whole line of the route, and, if you carry on a railway through a country not adapted for settlement, it strikes me forcibly it will be carried on with a very large expense to., the country, and will not be remunerative to the contractors. Unless there is some, way-freight for a railway, it is utterly impossible for it to be a paying concern." This wholesale denunciation of an immense region like that described, has a very bad ett'ect when it comes from such a high authority as this did. Sometimes hon. gentlemen in their argument, to carry out a particular view, express themselves with- out reflection as to the character of a country. I do not know whether that hon. gentleman did so or not, but he spoke as if he did, because I believe he is very much better informed. It is a great pity that sr.ch reports should go abroad about a very I III extoimive portion of the country. From the ascortnined sources of the Moose at Lake A))hittil)t)i to the Rourco of its westerly hnitich north of liiike Superior, the dis- tance IS .'JoO nnioH, K'ving "Ver MO.OOO H(|iiftr«) niilcH of territory on the waters of the MooHo wliern the noil is in gn^iit part very good -that i» a country as larue us Scotland or Ireland and containing, according to the estimate which I have olitained, upwanla of '20,000, 001 • acrcH of very fair land. I may be permitted to read from a paper which I have o))tainod from an oHicer of the (Jovernment appointed to explore that country — Honio information fnrniHlied hy I'rofessor Bell. He Hays : " As to the position and extent of this basin (of the Moose) which is one of the largest and most important drainage areas in the Dominion. It lies between the parallels of 47' and .'tl^ north latituile and 78' and Hiilj' west longitude. Its outline is ai)pn).xiniately circular, measuring .'J.'JO miles from east to west, or as far as from Toronto to .Vlontreal, by 'AOO miles from north to south. As much misapprehension exists in regard to its climate, etc., 1 may here compare its general position aH to lati- tude with huro|)(win countries with which we are more familiar. Its mostnorthern parts correspond with the extreme south of England, while the bulk of it is in the latitudes of the northern parts of Franco, the southern parts of ( } ermany, the central parts of Austria and the great wheat districts of Southern Russia. It is far removed from the cooling inHuence of the Arctic current of the Atlantic coast and may be considered to enjoy an average climate for its latitude as compared with the rest of the world. As might have been expected, wheat ripens well in this district as we know from the testimony of those who have tried it, while Indian corn comes to maturity in the southern parts of it. Timothy and all other kinds of hay as well as root crops and vegetables thrive remarkably well. The region seems to be admirably adapted for stock raising and dairy produce. The abundance of wood and the purest of water are important considerations. "As to soil, elevation, etc., the greater part of the region may be described as a tolerably level plateau with an elevation of less than 1,000 feet above the sea. The southern part is more broken than the northern, and the whole area has n gentle slope towards the north. "'J'he Moose River has upwards of a dozen principal branches, rising near the Height of Land, flowing often for long distances parallel to each other, but gradually converging towards the head of James' Bay. The western branches unite to form the Moose River proper, which is only about forty miles in length, and this receives the eastern branches on its way to the sea." Dr. Bell goes on to say : " The late Walter McOuat — a thoroughly reliable authority — in speaking of the south-eastern part of the region in question, says in his (Jeological Report for 1872 : 'The whole region, extending northward from the mouth of the Montreal River, which is about thirty miles south of the Jiead of Lake Temiscaming, may be pretty correctly described aa a level clay plain, with a great number of rocky hills and ridges protruding through it. * * The height of the clay appears to be pretty uniform throughout the whole region. * * Taking the mean of all the heights * * we find that the height of the clay plain a])ove the sea level is about 900 feet. * * Lake ^Mjit'-i^bi is surrounded on all sides by level clay land. * * To the north an'' i' ^hf "lorth-westward, the clay level seems almost unbroken and it is T-- p ort» on tlie ■uhject, ami inoro particularly tho reports of Mr. Borron, a for- iiior lueiiilifr of tluM FloiHt', who in ttniployoil hy tlii! nnturio 'sire to misreprciont or decry tiio country and wnuld not do it under any circunrntances. My object \h to Ace the country Bottled and aid in its Bcttlomoiit and progrcMH to the bc^t of my ability. tl h Mr. White (Henfrew) - 1 am glatl the lion, member for Algoma (Mr. Dawson) ban drawn tlie attention ot the Houho to ^iie (pieHtion now under cmmideration and I think after tlic 8]>eech which h;is been dtdivered l)y my hon. friend from South I'orth (Mr. Trowl the Mouse must admit tip' value of the motion which h i.s l)e<'n nubmittod by the hou. membur for .\lgoina. I was, I confers, considonibly .iiirpriHcd on reading the statement made \>y the hou. memlier for South Perth in the diseu.ssion which took pla;o on tlie (.'anadiaii Pacific I'jiilway Ueaolutions. I was greatly surpriseil to learn that that hou gentlemen liad stated that tiiere were not, in his opinion, I(),Unth in the Proviiiuu of Ontario ami tliu frovitua of Quelxto, whuat of tliu vury Ixtnt ((irilitv han >K)on (jrowii ; ami tlient ia at proHiMit a grint mill in tlut vicinity of that lako winch ia \invd for thu ^rinitiiig of wheat grown hy thn HottlurM. It ia alio a wt-U known fact that at thu htiad of Liiliu 'I'lMniaciiiniMg them aro great clay tlatt covered with N]ili'mli(l oak tinihur. 1 might go on rcailing extracta at great length to ahow the fertility of the aoil in the aection of country referred to ; hut I will content mvaelf with leailing one atatenient inade by a gentleiiiaii who in now a nieniher of thia Houae ; I refer to the hon. uieinher for Selkirk (Mr. Sutherlaml), hi 1S7H he appeared before the (Jominittee on Iininigration and Ctdtni/ation, and in the uourae of an examinatiun aa to the character of the country lying hetween the hoail of Lake .Superior and Rat Portage, he waa aaked the following (|ueation : — " By Mr. McNah I wiith to aak the character of the Land along Rainy River, and whether it ia likely to he aettled ? Ih that outlay of money likely to be of benetU to the c(Uintry, asHumiiig our all-rail route m c(mipleted ? " The outlay of money here referred to waa for tho conatruction of a nystem of tram ways proposed to connect the waters of Lake Superior with thoae of the Lake of the VVooda. The anawer waa an foUowa : — " I contend that if tho railway ia not built for four or five years — and I don't think it ia possible to build it in less time than four years if this route is not opened up, there ia no chance of settling the fertile belt here on llainy River, as there would be no opiiortunity of settlers seeing the country, and they wouhl not go There are seventeen townships surveyed there, with about 'JH,()(M> acres in each township. I have talked tiie matter over with Col. Dennis, and from the tiehl notes of the sur- veyors he estimates that there are at least l.")0,()<)0 or 'iOO.OOO acres of excellent laml there. There are about 4(M»,00() acres altogether. I am satisfied he is under the mark, and I have seen a g<»od part of the territory along Rainy River, and have heard a good deal about it from otliera." In view of all tlie statements which have been made as to tho fertility of a larj^e portion of that country lyin^; between tht; eastern terminus of the < anadian I'aeitic Railway, at Callender and Winnipeg, and in view of the great mineral and timber rescmrces in that lartie extent of territory, I think that my lion, friend from .South I'erth (Mr. Trow) must admit tliat the (iovernment were wise in deciding to push througli the road north of Lake Superior as rapidly as possible, and 1 think it is an advantage to this House and to the country that the lion, member for Aigonia has submitteil this motion, which 1 have very much pleasure in seconding. Mr. Cockburn. — I have been very much interested in tho discussion which has taken place on this subject. Some of my remarks have been antieipateil by the hon. member for North Itenfrew (.\Ir. Haggart). I caniiotsiieak from personal experieiu-e, in such glowiiii; terms as the hon. iiieiiilie- for .Algoma has done, of that portion of country north of Lake Huron and l/ike Superior ; but I have some jiersonal know- ledge ot a portion of the country, within '_'(>() or ',\W miles of where we now stand, and I know from personal oliservation that considerable belts of laud tit for settle- ment do exist in the northern part ot ( >ntario, and I suppose the same thing is true of Quebec, though I cannot speak of that from perHv fitr tilt' iii'Nt t(iwiiNlii|i ill tlio (tiitirt! awn ixplnriHl. I iicvir Haw tiixr hnnlMoml huMit tliivii iiiniiy |iitrtit ol' it n lV*w liaMMWomi hero iitul tiittn.', iroiiwuoil in iiiaiiy plaotm, AUil Agruvu of uuuuh on tlui vamI houiulnry, a few luilun north of Trout Like. ' Mr. Nivtui iiiMo HiMiiiks of tiiu townnliip of WiiMilielil, in which 1 hnvul)«on niyitulf* It iH in thf v«wnMhi|) of W'iddiiicld in iiimu'ilintoly on tht! north nhori' of I,rtke NipiiininK iind trnvorxod l>y thi> ('nniidiiin i'licitlo Railway. Alioiit twothirdM of the entiru towiiMhip u tit for Huttlonient. " With a railway runniiii.^ thl' entire Icii^'th ol Lake .N'iiiiHHing, and with the construction nf the projioHed railway frmn Lake NipiHMing to Lakt* 'reiniMcaining, there i.s no doiilit that a very rich lountry will he opi ned up. It in a matt' r i ' vt-ry freat HatiHfaction to lind, on cluMr examination, thai the luiithurn [tortionH of the 'rovinctt of Ontario aru [iroving to hu ho valnalile, Mr. Sproulo. T think the hon. inciulier f to that country and the impi'os.sioiis created upon tin* puhlic mind, I think wu mu8t ai'kiiiiwh'dgc that a great ileal of int'ormation regarding it that would he prolit- ftbh* Ni tho piildir 8 yet hidden finm our oliscrvntinu. If wc consider the extent of country, a diKtancc nl' nearly I, OOO mill-, long in one dirci^tion and from 'JOO to otH^ luiliH wide in .'inotlicr, and if we rcincmlier that in Ontario, where there is not per- haps one-third a.s lar;re a territory settled, wu have to-day a contented population of 2,0U(),()(K), I think we muHt admit the importance of this r|uestion. Again, if Wl^ comp.'in) the geographical jiosition of the country with other parts of the world, with refeicnce to its latitude and longitude and its altitude from tiie sea, wo lind that it compares favouralily with other part« of the world that are thickly populat(Ml to-day, that sustain ii contented and happy jmopje ranging from three to forty pcojilc to »'very B(iuare mile. If wc tliink again of its rivers, the leiigtii and iiumlicr of which are, comiiaratively speaking, e(|ual to those found in any other part of llritisli North America, if we rememlier the cicarnes.s and pureness of the waters that llow down its iiclds, we cannot fail to properly estimate its im|ioitance. If we look at itsmiiii'ral resources, we liml the deposits thert^ arc similar to those found in other parts of the country that have liein partially explored, ami are yielding as a return for those explo- rations some of the greatest sources of wealth to he fouml in the Dominion, we nnvy, from that direction too, estim itc its impoi taucc. If w.- look at its soils, wc find thev also compare very favourably with the soils in the richest parts of Ontario, which have been cultivated for years. If we look at its timber, the want of which is being felt very largely at present, botli in this part of the country and the North-West — if we look along its navigable streams, extending hundreds of miles, useful for navi- gation and trausiioitati'in, and sec the largj forests of valuable timber that extend along those streams, which must be very useful at no distant date to this country, we cannot fail to be impressed with it.i iinpoitanee. If we remember its lakes, teeming with as line fish as can be found in any part of the country, from that point of view also we must lie struck with its importance. Then look at its climate. Hon. gentle- men have been pleased to say in tliis House that it has a very inhospitable climate, but measuring its climate from the depth tif the snow, from the length of the summer and the length of the fall, or from the number of mouths during which its rivers are navigable, we find that it compares very favourably with the climate of many other ;t3 parti of thff ooiintry InrKxIv poitiilnti'il nml wi'*lthy today. If wi' limlc at it* trrntiiea •ml it* pUtita (iinl vil«» wo tiiiil tli.kt tli*>y Mm thu ■iiiui ki tlio^v fiiiiinl in ottiur p.trtit of tho (Mtiiiitr,' alitMit wliicli wk kiioHr i\ ^r<>at ilcNil iiinro to il.iv I ■<.tn' only ft yi-iir a^>) a >iiiii{li* |ii)tati> that w.ki liroiii/lit { cut tlirou^lt, ik|i|i<*4tri'>l to h«> nf tht> very hcnt <(ii.ihty ; niit>ri>, hoth .ti rit^nri<. I nay, ooiiHnluriii^ th« im|>ortiuic)' of tli« mihji'ut, no m itttT in whtt liutit von vifw it, it iiiu^t ho a m itti*r of •'on<«i.'4'«itv ot' hriii^iiii; in Home way prominently boforo the ijyi's of tho worM the rcioiircen of the tt-rntoiy that will lie opemil up for auttlttmont tlitTe. 'I'lio hon. iiietnliur for Muxkoka naiil, that, from hin knowle of the country, hn waa inolintxl to lielii-ve there was a ^rtat ileal of lirokcn l.ui>l in it, Itut only a few yearn a^^o I hearil a ^elltlelnan, who apparently had opportunitieM of lK•in^ convernaiit with the i:ouiitry, way there w;n not |(),(MM)>-ru ami su|iport themsidves on its prodncto ; yet, in travtlliii^ through that oiutntry, althouk(h we inunt confesH there is a lar^e amount of luokeii Hoil, that is not an untnixef urain, it in very useful for the purpose of >{ra/.iiig. and some of the tinest cattle of this country that cost the smallest amount ot' money has lit-eii rained in M.'initoulin. From the niea^'re information that we have, we learn that in every part nf it thert- is found Rome of the liest aralile land known in the hominion. If the sod and climate, if itn watiM'N, if its nititude from tin; sea, if its depth of snow, the length of its winters, thu mildnean of its Huminers, are th i same as in other parts of the worM, well known and amply tested, and found suitalde for agricultural pur|iiisi'H, we must admit that it compares favouralily with other known parts of this country. It is impoit.uit that thu inlormation asked for should lie laid lietore the country through this House, liocause any information we have had heretofore has lieeii extiemely niuagre 1 was plu.ised to lind that the hon. nieinhcr for South I'erth was ready to acct.'pt the infor- mation, coining from a source which he would, perhaps, look upon as more valuulde than that coming from any other source — the int'ormation given liy a representative from the Ontario (iovtrment. I am pleased to liml that there seems to l>u every chance of our receiving information which will s itist'y thosu that arc skeptical, as the investigation proceeds, as picuieers reach ditFereiit piirts of the country and send back reports, \' l.lch will only he found to corroborate the repiuts we have as to tho richness ot thu country. I am glad the hon. member for Algoina has |iut this notice on the paper. I hope it is only thu opening up of a great (piestion which will bu ventilated year by year and be brought home prominently before the attention of tlio pcopli' of this ami other countries, and I doubt not that at no distant time this region will be found to be ouu of tho richest sources of wealth to < hitario and thu Uounnion. Mr. O'Brien — I do not propose to add anything to what has already been said, in regard to the value of this country for the purposes of settlement, but what I wish to say is, that that value is, so far, merely tlieoretieal, and will bu of no avail to thu wealth of thu Dominion until more extended railway coniniunication is given to it. Not a ilay jiasses on which I ilo not receive letters from thosu 1 represent, asking, in almost de8|iairing terms, when are they to hav> the benefit of railway coniniunication. There are settlers in some parts of the country who are rais'ng large crops of grain, who are entirely dependent upon the lumber interest for their market, who are flU miles away from any source of obtaining supplies, and who are every day looking most anxiously to see whether the long promised railway is likely to reach them. It ever there was a case in which the interests of tho poorer class of settlers deserve consideration, it is the cases of those men who, at a time when the North- West was not entering into competition with it and under circumstances of the greatest possible hardship, made homes for themselves in what was then almost an unknown wilder- nesd. I do trust that the (iovernmeut will, at the very earliest possible moment, take the claims of these people into consideration and carry out the promises made long ago — promises made only, I might almost say to be broken — to give them the means of obtaining what has become to them a matter of necessity. I only say 3 A :i4 thia, not th»t I Imvi* Any fnnr hut thi%t tli« iix|i<« r«Ali/.r|i|tortiinity, thti Iaii tliAt will (iroliAlily occur, of iin|irtiMRih)( ii|h)|i tlii< < xivvrnniiiit tlm timxt mccaaity thirn la, no| or A< tioii, Itiit litr aixixly Action ; iihil I vi'iitiirf* to any that iicit aiiiiiinar, if tli* oiH'iitiit< of nnxt acANoii iImwh nut iihow tlint at^iia liiivi* Actiiuily liccn tAkvii for tit* ci>in|iUttioii of till* Murk, my plArc in thia Mmiiiiii will )><• a very iiacUma one, for tliar* will Ini aiicli All niiii^i Alion from that roiintiy tliAt I aliall Iiiivk very fi{ to maturity, in twothirda at leaat of thu territory, all the more important ^niiii and root crona, it not tlax, hump, liopa, and otliur oropa of » liku natiiru whicli mv aa yet uiitriud. ' * * oediii)^ of cattle in thu lli^lil.indii and Inlaiida of Scotland, to \w after- ireediii|{ of cattle in thia territory, to hu nfterwariU fattened in Southern Ontario, will he extunaively foUowud, with great advuntagu tu thu puoplu of both Huutiona of our I'rovinue. " My explorationa alao unaltlu me to aay with conddt iice that thu mineral reaonroel of tluH territory proiniHc to ))ecomu of very great value and importance. Iron, lead, and copper oren, cliina clay, gypHum, and tine yellow ami brown ochrea, have been already toiiud, and thia for thu iiioHt [tart in ^rcat abiindancp. Li|^iiite, or brown c«ial, haa been diacovered in hcvcii or eight diti'erent placea, and bed» of thia ooarae but UBuful fuel aru Relieved to underlie large tracta of country. "The peat beds arc 8o extenaive aa to be practically incxhaiiatiblo, and these together with the lignite will in all proiiability prove, aoonur or later of ineatimable value aH fuel, rendering the people of Ontario to a couaiderablu e. ti'it independent of foreigi! service for their aupply of this iudiapeiiaablo neceaaary o; 11 't" • • • With reference to the timber he aaya : "That irreapective altogether of the value of the pino now oa the ground, the proapective value of the timber which neven million acres of g()ortui, of (Htaw:\, who ri'i'«tiitly |>ti«ai«l over tlit< I'licitlc MailwK) to thai mill of th« trick tiinkr .Sinllniry, uivkn tlm nttnwn ('ititfn tlif follnwinn •{•'■•'riptinu of tlio , wliirli I b«tli«ivii uitoiKt* lift««tii mile* itliiii^ tliti liiKi*. I *itw Inrtfi) hircli trci r, kihI w.m told th>ri< WAS ina|ili'. TluM-t' lntil oviili'iittv l»'*'ii ' riltly lU-atnictivo lire* tliriiu({li tliit oniiiitry (ividi iii'ar Sinliiury. tlix tirnlxM* liaviiiK hoiii <'>tiii|>lily ilxntmyi'il, liml tho •oil liiiviii(( liui'ii liiinit tlowii to tint clity liottoiii I'Iik yoiiii|{ tiiiilmr m ofttii not ni<'»-.« tliMi '-'."l y>';ir' Sii|ii>rior at tip* viiniii>{ Miy iktul .'tiiitliwinl to tin- itliori- of Like Miinin. 'I'Iidi will tirolntlily covitr It iliMtitiicii oil till' nutin l'ii>l inilcit. TiiKin^^ tli« (lintniu'ii frotn SiiiUiiiry to Sitiilt Str. NUriu l)y Al^oriin lirnnoli it woiiM liu IM) inilui. At tint Sault I li.ivi' Mi'i'ii thiM clny coimtrv It in |>rol>iili|f ^liat ituvmi^t'* i\il<<|itli tn till) north of l.^tku linron ot fully ■'«><> uiiU'h A k{*>ntlrH t«>ll im thnt thur« ii a ifooil cliiy uoiiiitry on thu AbhittiMii and Moomu ilivura on tliu IIihInoii Mny aloiM. louroet Ifud, been coul, ne but Thuro in A Ntrvtch of very iiiforinr siimly nml rorky lami commenRinu at a point flMt of l.nkfl Nupixoii ami tixtutulin^ alioiit '.'00 niilim to a point I'ant of Miiliipicotca Kiver on 'Superior. Hut thin only to the *outh of tlp^ iTi-nt Itctwtun l^kv Superior and iluiUon Uny. I bclicvu th.it not umlt>r M per ci'iit. of thn land in tin' I'lay country in lit for ncttU'tntMit. Am to tlii< nature of the (tlinintu went and noiih of Lake NipisHini:, I was a ^;ood di-al iliMcourani'd about tin' future of tlio di'.trict when I was told that there ha>l iteiii fnmt every mouth lant nummer I wa.i told that potatoeH and oat^ hid frozen ami faUed Itut I was leaMtuireii when Mr. DueheHiiay, the rexideut iin>;ineer at Sudl)ury, told me that potatoes had ripened well, ami I was aUo told that Mr. Veildiu^, late o*' thi^ city, had Mucce«Hfully raided all kinds of veiftttablcH at .SturL[«on l''alN. .Ml clay lamU iu new ili.itrictB r«!<|uiro draina>{e, aa they ai ' wut ami cohl anil liable to fro«t.s FroMtn were (piite (louimon in Wellington and oounticw in thn pi'i d of early .settlement. No fears art! eiitortaincd by settUfrM. .Sudbury in only M.IO .oet over nea levil. Lake Huron in r)7.'» fi;ot. ami hake NipiMsiiiK do feet higher, or (UO fuet, tlierefiu-e Sudbuiy in only '_'10 feet hikihur. West of S; dbury the lino pias-'.s aloiiij thu heiL(ht of laud bftwuen the Hudnon K.ay and St. I to to to 25 22 19 24 O'l 19 16 14 23 24 25 11 12 16 14 16 19 10 20 15 11 26 to 28 to 29 to to 28 31 Date of Closing. Nov. 15 '• 11 Dec. 2 Nov. '28 26 << ii 22 20 18 29 25 22 19 16 13 " 11 " 16 " 26 " 24 " 25 " 15 " 28 II 27 ' " 28 ! Dec. 9 Nov. 8 " 9 " 16 " 24 " T9 I. ,.. " 24 " Te . •' 19 " 16 •* 24 " 30 26 20 28 24 , 29 6 27 23 20 18 20 15 24 15 to 20 3 23 20 II II II II II II II II II I( " EXTRACT FKOM OTTAWA "CITIZEN." THE UPPER the Sept. Lievres lake, distant eleven miles from the Mattawa. The effect of this would l)e to lower the waters in Lake Temiscaming '21 feet inches. This would have no injurious effect on the lake, as it is one of deej) water, having an average! of over 100 feet, and at some point is several thousand feet. On the other hand, it will give to the (iovernment several tiiousandsof acres of most salulirial soil, unsurpassed for its productive (jualities by even the famed prairie farms of the North- West. The sale of this alone, not to take Kuy notice of the great benefit and advan- tages for carrying on the luml)er trade, and tlie innneuse traffic brought direct into the Ottawa market, wouM far more than jtay the (iovernment for the outlay that would lie incurred in the erection of the dam, at the point named, ami the construc- tion of two or three very siiort canals, connecting our gnat cliaiu of lakes. Passing over the various benefits that would naturally flow through this section of country and the vast aid given in the further developing of our tinilier resource, the matter of colonization is carefully considered. After referring to the many coloniza- tion schemes, he shows that Temiscaming at a far less expense would prove a greater source of wealth than even Lake Ht. John, and that in this region there are vast tracts of territory capable of furnishing good homes to thousands of our Canadians, who to-day are seeking them in other lands. The document shows a deep, thoughtful study, and that the writer has not in a flippant manner gone over the ground. He has canoed it every mile ; penetrated into the solenm depths of the forests, where the foot of the white man has never before trod ; examined the soil, wandered for miles along the banks of the Temisca- ming and its many tributaries, he has gazed upon the rapids, as the water dashes in its seething, foaming torrent, over its rock rent bed, and knows to a positive certainty the correctnesss of every assertion made. A petition is now in the hands of Messrs. Frank McDougal and P. H. Chabot, two gentlemen who take great interest in developing our resources, and building up the capital as a seat of commerce, and is already signeil by nearly all our leading lumber merchants. It is presumed that the petition will be presented to Sir Hector Langevin, Minister of Public Works, to-morrow. hi 'i p 1 The following are extracts taken from an interesting pamphlet just pub- lished by Charles Napier Hell, Esq., of Winnipeg, entitled " Our Northern Waters," (written for the Winnipeg Board of Trade and presented to the Minister of Public Works, Manitoba,) containing a great deal of valuable information regarding Hudson's Bay and Strait, climate, resources, &c., &c. 99 DISCOVERY OF THE BAY. The early discovery ami occupation of the country in and about Hudson's Bay are, as in many other cases, shrouded in a good deal of ol)8curity. Tbu British claim as the first discoverers of the whole coast of this part of North America, in tlie pt-rsons of John and Sebastian Cabot, about the year 1497 ; but it i'? contentleil on the other hand that their discoveries did not extend to the noith of Newfoundland, which still retains the namr* they ixave it. There appears to be only hearsay evidence of what they did, or where they went, told afterwards at second-hand to third parties. The French claim discovery, in 1504, through fishermen of Brittany, and a British geographical work, published in 1671, with a map attached, fixes tlie scene of their operations at Hudson's Strait, but this claim does not seem to be well founded. 'i'he first authentic account we have of the exploration of the Straits and Bay is that of Henry Hudson, wlio, on April l(>th, 1(5 10, sailed in the little DUcurfrie. He ventured through the long straits, discovereil the great bay that boars his name, at once his monument and his grave He and his men wiutereil in its southern extrtimity, and in coming north during the next summer, near the east coast, half way back to the Strait, he, his son, and seven of his men, in a mutiny, were put into a shallop and cut adrift, on Midsummer-day, IGll. He was never again seen. It has been claimed that m 1056 the first exclusively commercial sea voyage was made into Hudson's Bay by a Frenchman named Jean Bourdon, Imt this has been disproveil. The Englishmen, trading as above stated, in 1668, were induced to do so by two French Canadians, De (Jrozelier, and lladisHon, who having been already engaged iu the trade of the Kay, and having failed in procuring from their own government cer- tain privileges tliey desired, went to England, and induceuild forts and establish themselves in the trade, which occasioned a desultory warfare between the English and Frtsnch traders for a number of yeai's. * * Hostilities continued until the Peace of Ryswick, in 16'J7, put a stop to the fitihting, and at that date Fort Albany oiily was in the possession of the British and this posi- tion ii'mained unchanged to the time of the treaty of Utrechtin 1713, by which treaty the whole of the Hudson's Bay was ceiled to the British. For fifty years more the Hudson's Bay Company occupied only the posts on the coast in the ))ay, and as iu 1763, l)y the Treaty of Paris, the rest of Canada was ceded to (ireat Britain, the (Company fjegan to enter into the country towards the Red River, but it was not until 1774 that their first establishment was erected at Lake Winnipeg. It is very eas}^ to fcdlow the business of the Company since 1735, and I have pos- session of the names of the vessels, with the dates of the arriving at and sailing from Moose Factory since then and up to 1883. The same information is also published, covering like data at York Factory between 1789 and 1883, and which furnishes an excellent account of how trade has been carried on with perfect regularity. With the exception of one occasion (1779), Moose Factory has been visited by a aihip in every yeai' since 1735. This shows a very surprising state of regular navagation, and the truth of it can- not be gainsaid, for the list was kindly furnished by the Hudson's Bay Company's officials in Loudon. 40 HUDSON'S BAY. The HuilHon'fl Bay is ji great iiilaml soa extomling between the r)lst and 63r(l degrees of north latitu lo. and is about l,(K)0 inilea in length l»y 000 in width, having an area of about 500, 0tate8, where, intleed, from the same lake source, water flows south to the (iulf of Mexico. Even Lake Superior is nearly tapued to supply material for this great body of water, for the south-eastern watershed is close to ihunder Hay. The southern end of James' Bay is in the same latitufle. as the south of England, ■o that seven degrees length, at least, of the l>ay is in like latitude as from the Eng- lish Channel to the north of Scotland. Hi The average depth of the bay is about seventy fathoms acconling to Chappelle, who made extensive soundings ; this depth is evenly distributed, and there is a singnlar freedom from shoals or uan^jrous reefs, and the approach to the west shore shows a level sandy bottom. On the east side of the Bay, and extending nearly the whole way along the coast at a distance of a hundred miles from it, is a striiii; of islands, Tiie Sleepers, which, however, present .an easy approach, the Moose Factory ship track being to the imme- diate west of these. The east coast h.is bold high shores, while the west and south shores are low, with nearly level land gradually rising as they extend inland. The tides on the west side decrease from twelve or fifteen feet at York to nine or ten at Moose F.actory, at the southern extremity of James' Bay. On the east coast the tides are still lower. Several large islands lie in the northern part of the Bay, amongst which are Marble, Manslield (or Mansel, as the old works have it), and Soutiiampton. On Charlton Island, in James' Bay, several ships' crews have wintered, from the days of Cupt. James, in 1632, to 18.33 and 1873, the latter dates being those on which the ships of the Company rem.aineil there. The vessel which wintered there in 1873, arrived at Moose Factory, from London, on the '21st August. Other islands are : The Sleepers, Nastapoka, Hopewell, Long Island, Belanger's Island and Flint Island, which are about the lower and eastern side of the Bay. JAMES' BAY. James' Bay begins at Cape Jones on the oast side, and Cape Henrietta Maria on the west, and runs south about 360 miles, with an average breadth of about 150 miles. The Bay is named after Capt. James', who wintered there in 1632. The trading schooner starts on her trips along the coast on June Ist, and is generally laid up by the middle of .November ; shore ice forming after that time prevents her running later, though James' Bay does not close at that time. (This is supplied by a gentleman who resided at Moose for seven years.) 41 grees area from , and here, Kven ', for and, Kng- The south end of James' Bay is distant from Michipicoton, T8 miles, of which 270 miles of the Albany River is said by Dr. oell, who has surveyed it, to be, except in very low water, navigable by powerful steamers of light draught, leaving only 198 miles of land carriage to connect the waters of Lake Superior and Jamer Bay. There are several Hudson's Bay Company posts or forts on the east, south and west shores of the Bay, amongst which are Albany, in 62*12 N. lat., 32'16 W. long.; Moose, 51- 16 N. lat., 80'56 W. long. Rupert's House is on the east side. Fort Albany has also been named Fort St. Anne and Fort Chechouan at differenfe times. ''as established in 1864. Fort Moose is also the site of the old French posts, ^ Monsoni and Fort St. Louis. It was built before 1686. Rupert House was at different times called Fort St. Charles and Fort St. Jacques, and was built by Capt. Z. Gillam, in 1668. who ular vn a last ich, ine- uth 3 or tast are ihe on re HUDSON'S STRAIT AND ITS NAVIGATION. Hudson's Strait is about 500 miles in length, and varies from 45 miles to 150 miles in breadth, having an average of about 100 miles. The two narrowest points in the Strait are between Cape Best of Resolution Island, and the Button Islands, at the eastern entrance ; and opposite North Bluff, near the Savage Islands. Between Resolution Island and the mainland, and on the north side of the Strait, there is a wide passage of some 10 miles, calleiova Sootia or NewfouniUand." Dr. Bell also says that the facu that the ice forms along the shores would only inter* feru with the navii^ation of tho Bay, in that vessels could not gut into the harbors, longur than in the (iulf of 8t. Lawrence. The rivers falling into the Ray are open for an average of six months. This is amply proved by the records kept at the variouM posts of the Hudson's Bay CJompany, on the Bay, and which, being kept by the otticials for u.'ui lifty years, have been presented to the Canadian (;}overnmont. Wo have, therefore, undeniable data to sub- stantiate this fact, and even further that the Nelson River is open still longer. Dobbs, writing in 1744, gives a number of dates of the opening of James' Bay, and I may mention one given on page 1.3. There was no frost on the 24th October to freeze the fish they caught, and they had to stop fishing on that account. On the 28th October ice showed in the river and the g»»*pj began to leave. November 1.3th the river (Albany) was full of heavy ice, and on the 18th November it froze over but the weather was " still moderate. " In the following spring (17.31) the ice was gone to sea May 12th. November 10th, 17.31, tb') Albany Kiver was frozen over. Dobbs here closes with the remark, " So far goes this journal." hav mol dad lOtl Til triJ full Dr. Bell informed the House of Coin nor • th, I8.S4: -'* I'hu ice iii MfxMu Kivor breaks up in May from the 10th to the 20th as a rule, uml the river roiiKiiiis open till the miudlu of November. The liayisopen for navigation from lat Juno to Ist December. On 1st .June the trading schooner starts on her trips along tlio coast to gather up the winter's catch of furs, if the Knglijh vesMel is not too late in arriving, the schooner's work ia done and mIiu is laid up by the niiddlu of Noveinbt- r. Shore ice may begin to form any time afucr that date. I Haw but one storm ot any violence while 1 was there, and the little coasting schooner, which happened to be caught out in it, came safely through that, trom what 1 know of Hudson's Hay and its connections with the Atlantic, and I have coasted about in those regions for many vears, I should judge that steam vessels can navigate those waters from June to December in ordinary years without any tlanger orditticulty. The lower St. Lawrence (notwithstanding its coniparative narrowness) is partly open, oven in the middle of winter. But thedithculty, as in the Ciise of the Hudson a Bay, is the apparent impossibdity of getting into harbors. Harbors such as Churchill or York, on Hudson's Hay, woul*l have the advantage over Quebec or .Montreal of connecting directly with the open sea, and hence in autumn vessels would not be liable to be frozen in, as occasionally happens in the St. LawJenco, as, for example, in the autumn of 1880, also in the autumn of 1870, when the outward-bound shipping got frozen in below Quebec, occasioning a loss, it was said, of over a million of dollara. Again, in the sprmg, there might be no more uncertainty about entering from sea than in the (lulf of St. Lawrence, where vexatious delays are not uncommon after the open season is supposed to have arrived.* 1 J The Montreal harbor master, according to the United States report on commercial rclati(ui8 for 1878 (page t)57), furnished a table showing the average opening and closing of that port tor ocean-going vessels for twenty years to be : — Average opening 1858 to 1877, 1 May ; average closing '2oth November. Summary of the opening and closing of Hayes' River, opposite York Factory, for various years from 18;^0 to 1880, according to report of Mr. Wood, (Joverumeut Meteorological Observer at Y'ork Factory : — Datp. of Opbnino. Dats of Closino. 18.30 May 17 December 2 1835 " 4 November 18 1840 " IJ " 16 1845 "22 " 24 1850 "31 " 28 18C5 "21 " 24 1860 " 18 " 10 1865 " 16 " 20 1870 "11 " 27 1875 "19 " 15 1880 " 26 " 20 The records of the Hudson's Bay Company, as presented to the (Government in 1880, show that the Hayes' River, at York Factory, fur an average of 53 years was open on the I5th May. Only once in the 53 years did it remain closed till the end of May or first of June. Once (in 1878) the river closed as early as the 3rd of November, but the average closing for 53 years was about the 20th of November. It must be » Dr. ,Bell. 44 borne in mind that the Hnyea' is but a Hmall river in cnmpnrison with itii nniKhhnr, the NeUon, which ii iliatant from it at York about lix milca. The Nelaou oluiei much later than iloea the Hayes', if indeed it can be Maid to close at all. (I on It is intorKstinK, then, to note the comparison betwuen the openinu of the harbors of York anme forty or hfty years ago, it suddenly afflicted people as with a nightmare to hear the matter spoken of, and yet facts seem wanting to prove that any losses had occurred to alarm peoi)le in this manner. It ia evident to anycme, who looks for the cause, that as people had been shut out of any trade in that direction, it was highly desirable to keep any adventurous persons from trying to gain a foothold in the future, and the best means to be adopted were those of magnifying the dangers of the navigation. I believe it is about thirty years s'nce the American whalers with their vessels began to seek their cargoes of oil in the north of the Bay, and the trade has been carried on very quietly ever since. It is a fact that the first vessel that ever floated on the waters of the Bay, after pushing through the Strait, was a little ship of 55 tons burden. Davis, the discoverer of the Strait that bears his name, made his discoveries in 1585, with the Sunshine, of Jt/li/ tons, and the Moonshine, of thirty-five tons, and the following year he took with him in addition to these two vessels, the North Star, of ten tons. Captain Bylot, in lt)15, sailed into the Bay with a vessel of 55 tons, and Ellis is careful to note that this was the fifth voyage of discovery into these northern waters, made by this little vessel. |i»rhor« hr the 40 ('apt. Fox, th« discoverer of Fox Channel, nailod fn)ni I^milon on the 8th of May, 1631, in the ('hnrlrs, a |)iniiaoi< of only 20 tonw hiinUn, anuun, wuro aniall, and thuy niiut have huuu ruiluly oou> ■tructvd. Jive- I tiiose It aoi'uiH almont ahrurd to point out the difficulties encountered hy nailing veMoU t* compared with Hteam th, hut mo niiiny cattcs of iihipH hteiilmed in icu are nit-t with throughout the authurituH that 1 herein tjuute from, that it may he well to ahuw some of them, CLIMATK OF HUDSON'S HAY. "The countries ahout the Hay are cnimlile of great improvement, the lands south- ward and westwanl of the liay are in cood climates, ecjual in their several latitudes to those in Asia and Kurnpe, and the climate improves farther within land."* \\ lii • are IMCO hen are flay di wUl " It is vastly colder at Fort Churchill than a few leagues up the river among woods, where thu fact'xy's men lived comfortahly in nuts or tents all the wii hunting, shooting and li.^iiing the whole season, "t the winter. Kohson, Dohhs, Kllis, Hearne and other writers state that when Europeans have once lived in the country about the Hay, that they aie never content to live out of it again, and this fact is proved in our own Province every day, and the climate during the winter months at York is hut very little colder thau at Winnipeg, and during the summer it is waruier there than in this Province. )m- the the is ly m se ARCHANGEL. The City of Archangel, in Russia, is situated at the head of the delta of the Divina, in lat. G4°. .32' N., and long. 40°. ,38' K. It may he said to date its existence from a visit paid it hy the English voyager Chancelor, in 1553, and indeed, an English factory was established there Dy consent of the Russian Czar in 1584. The total value of exports, in 1874, amounted to £1,2.34, .35)0 in 472 ships, of which 62 were steamers and 220 coasting vessels — a large proportion being carried to England. The harbor is open only from June to October. The best season, however, is from the middle of June to the middle of August. After that period the nights become cold, and in September it is often stormy. Population in 1867, 19,9.36. The exports are flax, flax-tow and cordilla, oats, linseed, wheat, deals, tar, pitch, resin, mats, beef and pork, calf and seal skins, train oil, cordage, feathers and linseed cakea. A ship starting from Archangel, at the south end of the White Sea, for England, must sail north full seven degrees to round North Cape, the most northerly cape in * Robson, page 62. t Dobbs, page S5. 4« Nnrwfty, and thi« for tivniind-ahKlf ({ogreei within the Arrtic Circle, or tn « distanoe of Dver AOO MiiluR farther north than tho track fuUitwjd by rtu«U Miliug out of Hudion'a Struita for Kngliiih porta. It can he «e«n on tho inN(>L>otion nf a chart which rIiowh thu luind of the Gulf Rtroain, that the intliienna of th.it i;runt ciirretit of warm water doon not net eaH of Cane North, nlon^ the Liiiilninl nhore, lietwuen 'J''>th and 4nth de^reeM a. Mooae. 1878 97 1878 93 n 1S79 93 H 18S0 90 If 1881 93 fl The mean averaye temperature for several montha at Mooae. 1878. 1879. 1880. May 47 40 40 June 57 60 65 July 61 60 69 August 63 68 65 September 52 49 62 October 41 45 38 The mean average temperature for several months at York. 1876. 1878. May 38 p June 49 W July 57 74 August 56 00 September 46 ^ October 26 22 The 7nean average temperature for several months at Winnipeg. 1876. 1877. 1878. 1879. 1880. May 53 55 48 53 56 June 60 67 65 64 63 July 67 68 70 68 66 August 64 64 67 64 62 September 53 66 62 51 62 October 37 39 36 44 38 Inl wl e al York. --63 —45 -88 —40 —39 York. t 1881. 48 47 64 61 52 33 1882. 8 m 1881. 67 62 69 66 51 34 * See Maury's oharta. no* hof r;uif It of Itict lith, ■ of 47 From July to October, tbu tein[)«rAtiirii at Mnonit niiil \Viiii)i|>e ice ia broken up al low«*r IcvuN provcM that the cliticktu i'lliind ia more genial, and thia ia thu coae with all the rivura (lowing into the Bay. Acconling to nnllautyne, vegetation in the valley of Hayea' Iliver, thirty nii!i>s from itN mouth, on thf 'j.'frd .lum<, wna found by him to bi> in an ndvanvcd atate, th* trcuH beinx covchmI with folia^^u, ami on tin- 'Joth .lune Im dt^Hcribi'd thu Mill Kivor, " Along ita utjutlu alopiuu Imnka thu country waa tceniiii,,' with vuuctable and animal life."* K. S. Mathoaon, C.K., under tbite Feb. 4th, INM4, writ«!M mo in reply to my quta« tion ivH to hiiw hii atood the cold at the mouth of tin* Ni'Ihod Itivcr, when Hurvrying it, during the winter of INH'J-Nli, »h followa : -" I found the clinnitc much milder than 1 had ex|iuctod. In .November, we built our ahnoty in live or aix daya, ami commenced work, «uil for nearly four nir»nthn we alept out. without tcnta, and there were not more than ten dnyM, during that time, in which we had to remain in camp through inclemency of the weather. When you take into cotiHideration the expuaed place in which we were working, vi/. , on the Neiaon Kiver and the aea conat, you can reat uaaured that the cold would not prevent iiieii or ninchiiiery from wcrking farther inland." " In Humnier, when the wind is .ibout weat-aouth-wcst, it beromoa anltry, and if it happens to blow freah, it comea in hot guata, aa if it blew from a lire, and the hardeat guatH bring the greateat heiita ; but thia ia not thu coau when the wind blowa from any other point. "t Thia waa written in I7.V2 aa a proof that a genial and hnapitable region lay in that direction, for it muat be exi)lained that ut that date nothing waa known ot the in- terior to the aouth-weat of York Factory. It ia most likely that the " chinook" or warm winda from the I'acitic may reach even aa far eaat aa the Hay, ond produce* the " hot guata" mentioned by Kuitaoii. \Ve know that for a certainty a gcuiul and hoBpitablu region iloea exiat in tho poaition indicated by him. ^uperior is 39° Fah. ; along the east shore of Hudson's Bay it averaged 63° in the summer months. * Dallantynt'i Hudton'i Bay. t Robson, page 44. Ztrrtlp'g: 4t Wh»t ii thii linbility to ■iinimnr fnwtii in th« country uroiinil IliiiUon'i lUy ? In thtt UrK«r un'it of Kt(ri<:ultiirul liunl N'Mith ami ■oiith wi'«t of .lauum' liny, I think not Vnry ((ru.tt. In Ih77. l |ii'oli,ililv ruiniiiiiixl ho for mhiik! tiiiiit aftur I lurt, n* wa hail III) fnmt Ami at ttir powU nf tim MmUon'H lUy <'oin|)uny, inUml, tlii-y «r« not otteu truuliltitl with oarly nutuiuu fnjata,* Itow ikltoiit Uto frotta in th« NOi'lnM T \o Intu rroata in thti aprin^. I think th« ■owiti^ ia il'tmi oil un itvioit^u nt tliu N;(im) tinu' hm in <'oinii«|>omiin|^ liititinlt'a in Liwur Cumtila. I liitvti M|iok<'ii of tliii aoiitliiTii n^ion. Kiirthttr to tlu) northwuat, at Norwiiy lioUMo, in IH7l>, th«y hml li fro^t in tliu Inttor part of S«pt«'niltiT, which l)li|{liti'r pliintM, nml it wan n^iiiarkiKl an tlu; tirNt that had Dccurrud there in thirty-four yt-nra. Wheat ripunn purfvctly ovury yuikr in that rt)({ion. Wlioru \n that? Atmut twiinty niilos down lh« Ntdnoii Kivor from the north end of Litku Wiiinipo^. 'rii(< uliinatv, thuru, 1 think, ia im good ah iu Mauitoba, un acuoiiut of curtain fuvourahlo conilitiona. McM>aH F'actory unjoya Uiu moat favurahlu climatu on thu May. You are thoru away from thu inlluuncu of thu opun aua. Jainua' Hay ia far aouth, and uoniparativoly iiarruw, and thu wutur ia waruiur than at York Factory, "t KIlia nifcntiima t.iat in the aprin^ of 1747, "the ice in Rayea' Hivur gave way on thu Kith May, floating gently to aua. On thu .'itli .June, ninn l)ark cano>'$i, latluii with fura piutMud down on tluiir way to York Ka<:tory, and ou thu mixt day, auvunty nioni,"'-a cUwir proof that the rivura inland, hud h«uii opun at luaat a t'ortuight or thruu wuuka pruvioualy.:^ SATAlON FISHKRIES. , It ia not gonorally known that largu (luantitiun ol aalmon are taken in Hndaon'a Bay and .Str.iit, and from one or two of thu rivura of thu Hudaon'a Strait, a comtidur- ahlu numbur of barreh, iu aaltud condition, are exported uvury year by the Hudaun'a Bay (''ompany. Dr. Bull cauqht a spor^ies of aalmon, att;\ining a weight of about 10 lh«., on the eaHt coast of tlio Bay. He found thu Indiana tithing with gill nets, sut iu about two fathoms of watur. They wuru taking thum in considerable numbers, thu fish having a strong rustiublance to thu common salmon (S. Solar) iu outline, tins, head and mouth, and the Hesh the aamo color and Havor. The average size is, however, smaller, the largest which they saw i'X|Hirt«Ml yoRrly liy th« Mudaon'H H»y ('oin|mny in the two or thr«*«i ahipa which ui> to thi* May for the |)Uf |>fNie of tftkiiitc out ^oStatea, via Now Vurk ur Moutrual. TRKDE AND COMMERCE. Aa long ago oa 1748, thia aubjeot waa dealt with ao fully that I c mot do Itetter t^^n aiin((ly (luote the worda then written by a ahip'a captain, after inH return from yage tu Hudauu's Hay. i/iaoovory promotes trade more than anything, not only as it oprna new branohei, and thereby bringH a clear accoaaiou to commerce, without ad'liuo; in (me ahapo what may bu loHt in another, but alao of quickening, improving, anl enlarging many old branches ; since it is visible that tluTC is a circulation in traile, ami whatever create* an exportation on one side, must encourage manufactures, and heighten importations on the other. Kut, above all, it contributes moHt ufTectuaily to the cxtfnding navi- gation. A new trade immediately calls for an increase of shipning, and this exactly in proportion to the demanrls which this new trade creates, either for our own goods ana manufactures, or fur the produce of the new discovered country ; so that the benefits received from thence, are clearly doubled to us in this respect. " After this short explanation of the benelitu that arise from discovery, we need not wonder, that the best friends to commcrcu, who at the same time are the best friends to their country, have always coiiHidercd it in ho favorabb; a light. It must be allowed, that they have Homotimcs met witli opposition, tw what truth is there, that has not been denied 't what useful design, that has not been opponed ''. We may from hence conclude, that no argumentB can be now ottered agaiiiHt discovery, but what are built upon another foundation which, when oxaminuorpoise8 abound, which supply hides and oil. Furs are obtained from the full list of fur-bearing animals frequenting the adjacent country. Large game supports, in a great measure, the Indian iionulation. teuthered game is so plentiful, that at a single poHt, 3(>,()()() geese are killed in the autumn, as the year's supply. Vegetables are raised at all the forts in tlie southern part, and at some of those in the noith. Horses, cattle, etc., are kept, and an abundance of fodder is found for them. At least three harbors are frequented by ships, and for 274 yearti sailing vessels of all descriptions, from the pinnace of iJO tons to the 74-gun man-of-war, nave anchored in them after passing through the Strait and across the Bay. British regular troops and immigrants have sailed through these waters and lande 3,600 00 $9,168 00 Iron Bridging and necessary Trestles $1,250 00 Masonry for Bridges and Culverts 300 00 Culverts and Cattle Guards 200 00 2,640 Ties for Track, at 16 cents 423 00 Track laying 2,000 Cubic yards of Ballast, at 40 cents. $200 00 800 00 Buildings, Tanks and Turn-tables Telegraph line complete Freight on part of materials 88 Tons of Steel Rails, 56 lbs. per yard, at $36 $3,168 00 6^ " Fastenings for same, at $36 225 00 Frogs and Switches 60 00 Engineering Legal and Preliminary Expenses and Purchase of Right of Way . 2,173 00 1,000 00 750 00 50 00 80 00 3,453 00 300 00 200 00 • $17,174 00 Contingencies, 10 per cent 1,717 00 $18,891 00 Toronto, May, 1884. J. O. BAILEY, C'Aie/ EiKjineer. 64 J^XISTJ^N Ol^Xi. NTPIS8ING AND JAMES' BAY RAILWAY. Capital Stock, - _ _ _ $2,000,000.00. SHARES, $100.00. EACH. . Total Length Total Cost 3SO Miles. $6,612,000. Issue of $1,200,000, of ordinary stock in shares of $100 each. Issue of £1,000,000 sterling of 5 per cent, first mortgage. Bonds of £100 each. 6,000 acres per mile, over 150 miles . ... . . .$ 900,000. $4,000 per mile, over 350 miles *. . . . 1,400,000. COFP, CLARK * CO., OXMERAI. PRlKTEBa, COLBOBNB 8TKEET, TORONTO. fei