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Les diagrammas suivants illustrent le mOthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 MOOCOPV MSOWTION TUT CHAIT (ANSI and 150 TEST CHART No. 2) Ih 12^ |M tiA Ui lA 111 ■it u |3j2 tarn |2jO tui l£ 1.4 1 11 1.6 ji /APPLIED IM/1GE t653 Edst Main Str««t RochwUr, Htm York U609 USA (716) 482 - 0300 - Phont (716) 2Sa - 5989 - Fa» ^A./^, .-//V OAITADA DEPARTMENT OF MINES •aoMMioAi. nmvBT bbaitok Hou. W. TutuiUH, MiMiMM; A. p. Low. Ovort Mw B. W. Bmoi. Dtiwm MEMOIR No. 4 GEOLOGICAL RECONNAISSANCE Au>ira TBI LiKi or tbi NATIONAL TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILWAY IK WESTERN QUEBEC w. 7. wmov CANADA NATiOfiAi tl?RARr I481:0:>i:QU£ NaTIONALE GOVERN.VXNT PUJiiCATiONS COUECnON DiS PUBUCAIIONS DO COJ\'KNtM.'N7 u OTTAWA OOVERNMBNT PRINTINO BUREAU 1910 No. 1110 .'> CANADA DBPAT?TMENT OF MINES aaoLooioAi. aumTST mwukmam Hob. W. Tihpumaii, MiNiami A. P. Low, Dwmt Mmmmi R. W. Bmci, Dimoim MEMOIB Nu. 4 GEOLOGICAL RECONNAISSANCE ALONO THE LINK or THE NATIONAL TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILWAY in WESTERN QUEBEC W. J. WUSOH OTTAWA OOVERNMENT PRINTING BtKEAU 1910 No. 1110 9»1»-1 i imXB 07 TBATOIITTAI. R. W. Bmck. Director Geological Surrey, Tkr I oient of Mine*. ^w. — I bt'g leave to tubmit the following memoir on a Geological ReoonnaiManoe along the National Tranacontinental Railway line in wMtem Quebec. I hare the honour to be, air. Your obedient lervant, (Signed) W. J. WILSON, Ottawa, May 21, 1908. 0913-1) CONTENTS. Pagp. Historical introduction 7 General description of railway H Area examined 9 Trees and shrubs 9 Forest type* 10 General Geulogy 12 Keewatin 12 Laurentian 13 Petrographic deEcription 14 Description of routes 15 Fly river 15 Kakameonnn river l.'j Makamik lake Iti Lois lake 16 Height of land portage 16 Xawapitecliin river 17 Alonjf railway eastward from Makainik lakv 17 Kinojevis cache, to Seals Home lake IS Seals Home lake 4 19 Harricanaw river lit Askogwash river 20 Natagagan lake and river 21 Along railway eastward from llarriianaw river 22 Wabanoni lake 23 Obaska lake and adjacent railway line 23 Migiskan river 24 Sunday brook 25 Crooked creek 26 Assup river 26 Along railway east and »p>t of Crooked creek 27 Millie lake 27 Smoky creek and Cedar creek 28 The Atik river and adjacent country 28 Durant lake 30 Durant lake to Kekek river 31 Kekek river to Kapitacliuan 32 Whiteshnre lake 33 Description of rock exiHiMires 33 Fly river 33 Along railway eastward from Fly river 35 Kakameonan and Alakamik lakes 35 Height of land portage and Nawapitechin river 35 Seals Home lake and Harricanaw river 36 Askogwash river 37 Natagagan lake and river 37 6 GEOLOGICAL SCBVEY, CANADA Page. Description of rock exposures— ronJiniifrf. Wabanoni river 38 Obaska lake 39 Migiskan river 40 Millie river 42 Atik river 42 Durant lake 44 Durant lake to Kekek river 49 Kekek river to Whiteshore lake 45 Economic geology — Chalcopyrite 46 Molybdenite 47 Gold and bisiiiutlienite 4S Iron 49 Clay 49 Asbestos ,. 49 Timber 49 Glaciation 50 Railway levels 51 Index 52 ILLUSTRATIONS. Plate I. Beaver dam, Nawapitecliin river ^ Frontispiece " II. Fly river, east of Makamik lake 16 " III. Cache No. 9, Nawapitechin river 18 " IV. Natagagan river. Forest showing dead tamarack ..... 22 ■' V. Height of land ou portage east of Lois lake 36 MAP. No. 1112. Reconnaissance Geological Map of the country traversed by the National Transcontinental railway from Susie river to the Interprovincial boundary, Quebec. j GEOLOGICAL RECONNAISSANCE ALONO THK USE OF THE NATIONAL TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILWAY IK WESTERN QUEBEC 1906-1907 BV W. T. Wilson. HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION. The region covered by this memoir is situated in western Quebec, and extends ten miles north and south of the National Transcon- tinental railway, from Makamik lake to the Susie river. It lies be- tween 75' Set above the eonimou level. These hills are mostly granite. The soil is largely clay, or a clay loam, and, especial^* in the river valleys, is rich, free from stones, and well adapted for agri- cultural purposes. In places it is sandy and dry, and there are areas where the rock either protrudes or Uas only a light covering of soil; such places, however, occupy but n small portion of the whole country. The largest areas of waste land are due to muskeg and swamp, and both these owe their present conrlition to lack of drainage. These conditions prevail as far east as the iligiskan crossing at Millie lake, and in some respects beyond it, but the eastern part of the sheet presents a different appearance. Large tracts are sandplains, on which is growing an open Banksian pine forest. This country is underlain by a quartzose granular gneiss, which weathers deeply and has produced immense quantities of sand. This • .rt of the country is in places hilly, the elevations sometimes reaching 500 feet above the general level, which at the Susie river is 1,394 feet. There is very little good agricultural land here, but this condition is characteristic of a strip of varying width along the height of land both in Ontario and Quebec. The best agricultural soil is farther north, where there is a deep covering of clay anil better draimigi'. The lower level seems to compensate for the higher latitude, and vegetation is very rapid. Trees and Shrubs. The principal trues and shrubs in the district are: white spruce (Picea alba), black spruce (P^cea nigra), poplar (Populus trcmu- loides). Banksian pine (Pinvs Banlesiana) , canoe birch (Betula papyrifera, and variety cordifolia), fir (Ahies halsamea). balm of Gilead {Populus halsamifera), black ash (Fraxinus sambucifoUa), cedar (Thuya occidentalis), white pine (Finns strohus), red pind 10 GEOLOGICAL StJRVET, CANADA (Finus retinoaa), red maple (acer ruhrum), v.ild red cherry (Pyru4 I'ennst/hanicus), rowan tree (.Pynia americana), tamarack {Larij) americana), alder (Alnus viridus, and Alnus incana), red osier dog- wood (Cornut ilolenifcra), mountain maple (,Acer ipicalum), withe- wowl (Vihurtium casaenoidea), high bush cranberry {Viburnum opulus). hazel (Corylua rottrata), moo8ewood (Dirca paluatrua), and \vill(i\v»>. block spruce, poplar or canoe-birch, and Banksian pine from the (Treat bulk of the forest. The moat abundant and valuable tree is the black spruce, the wood of which is particularly well suited foi' the manufacture of pulpwood, on account of its closf firm fibre. Poplar frequently reaches a diameter of 1 foot to 20 inches, and < uiioe-birch nearly as great, but the majority of these trees are of smaller size. Banksian pine grows tall and straight, and is usually free from branches on the lower part, but in most places it is not large, rarely exceeding 15 inches in diameter; the average is prob- ably nearer 8 inches or 10 inches. Some of the larger trees will make railway ties, and they are much used by the railway parties for build- ing storehouses and dwellings. Red maple was seen in only a few places, the specimens being small and dwarfed. Balm of Gilead grows to a good size, but is chiefly confined to the river valleys. Fir is fairly common, but does not grow large. Cedar is common along the strciims and lake shores, but is usually scrubby and covered with branches. Over most of the area examined, especially in the western part, there are large, numbers of dead tamarack trees. These were killed some years ago by the larva; of the imported larch sawfly, but •nre still sound and make excellent firewood. In the eastern part there are many young green trees of this species springing up. White and rod pine ars only seen along the southern border of the area. On the Assup river a mile south of the Migiskan, there are two large white pines, the most northerly seen. One of these measured 9 feet in circumference 1 foot above the ground. It was tall, clean, and straight and without branches for 25 or 30 feet up, and seemod sound and healthy. Most trees as they approach tht ir northern limit become small d stunted. This is particularly noticeable in the black ash and red maple of this region. The pine, however, seems to grow in all its vigour up to its most northerly limit, and as both climate and soil are more favour- able farther north, its abrupt termination at this point would seem to be due rather to a lack of means of spreading its seed than to C.KOI.fMiV AI.OXO X.T.R. WESTEHX QUF.nEC 11 unsuitable conditions. Red wild cherry and rowan tree are not common. Hazel and mountain maple are found on the better drained slopes where the soil is rich, and alders, willow^i. and rod osier doin^ood form almost impenetrable masses along the bunks of rivers and brooks. Forest Types. These trees and shrubs are grouped according to soil and mois- ture so as to fonn distinct forest types, which iire repeated all over the area. Among these types are: (1) The black spruce swamp; which is the most common and comprises the largest arens. These awamps arc flat, and consequently therr> is little or no drainage, and the ground is so deeply covered with moss that the moisture is re- tained for long periods even in dry weather; the forest forming an effectual shade from the sun's rays, and preventing evaporation. These swamps sustain a dense growth of tall, clean, black spruce, ranging up to 40 or 50 feet high; but are usually comparatively small, averaging from 4 inches to H inches in diameter. Alders (.1. incana). are frequently found in the wetter parts of these swamps. (2) Where the soil is good and the ground rises suiRciently high and has slope enough to afford drainage, white spruce, poplar, canoe- birch, fir, and shrubs such as mountain maple and hazel grow lu.xuriantly, and form a forest which protliices some of the larg(^uiiie uf these muskegs there are not enough trees to obstruct the \ iew, iiiiil one can see objects for a mile or two. The largest muskeg 1 i^aw was about three miles long and one to two wide. All grad- ations between the o|)en muskeg an begins to push up and overtop the others, and when the forest is thirty to Hfty years old it lieeomcs fairly well mixed. CEXKRAL GEOLOGY. -Much difficulty was experienced in working out the geology of the district on account of the scarcity of rock exposures. The rail- way trial and location lines run on or near the height of land> plateau, where the country is flat for long distances and the rocks are deeply covered with clay and moss. Except in an occasional hill tho oiitorops were found along the shores of lakes and the banks of rivers. This is especially true of the western part. East of the ^ligiskan river in many places on the higher gnjund rock exiwsures are frequent. Eeewatin. From Makamik lake to east of the Bell river the rocks consist largely of green hornblende schists, chlorite schists with small areas of diabase and altered porphyries, and an occasional hill of granite. OEOr.OOY Al.OXCi N.T.It. — WESTKIIX (JIF.nKc i; The scbiatii vary iniieh, even in small exposure*, and are intimately nssociated with the tliiiha^e ami altered porphyries, the one ttradinK into the other without iiny aharp dividiiiK line. I'nder the miero- ficolM' these rockn jire seen to have undergone much alteration. In tlio diabase the augite is often largely replaced l>y hornhlende, and the fcidspiira ore charged with much secondary material. The chlorite schists are frequently considerably decomixwed, and in niiiny of tlie hornblende sciiists the hornblende is sci-ondary in appearance, while many of the thin sections show that the rocks have been shearct. In some places the granite rises in hills 400 or .500 feet above the general leve\, and gives the countrv a rugged and broken appearance. Owing to the clay covering the contact between the schists and gneiss was not seen, and the rela- tions could not be worked out; but there seems to be an area of some miles where occasional outcrops of first one and then the other appear, the intervening distances being covered with clay. Only an approximate line of separation can, therefore, be drawn. The gneisses and granites were traced for over seventy miles east in a straight line, and, from other explorations, they are known 14 (tKOLOOICAL SUXVEY, CANADA to uxtciul uiuc-h farthvr ea*t, an well as north und louth. They pn- •cnt the suine chnruvter over all the un>n, except that from the Atik i-M'hf eustward thi-y are hivhly Kunietit'uroiui. PetrofnpUo OeMription. Mr. (i. A. VuuiiK, petruvrupher of thin departu.eut, hait examined tlif kJiik'D friiiii the r>cki brought ia from this area, and the niiero- scopic descriptioua herein are by him. Of the giieisHic rocks he says: amuHKHt &'} thin eei-tiuns submitted for microscopic examiuation a few represent undoubted grauiteti, either virtually unchanged or partly defornied through dynamic agencies. These granites are of normal types, and in ever>' case the coloured constituent is biotite, thouKh this mineral is vprj- siwringly present in three instances. The remaining sections arc of gneissic rocks, varying amongst themselves as regards texture, structure, and proportions of the chief constituents, but usually having the mineralogical compositions nf normal biotite granites. In a few instances garnets arc present, nnd in ten cases, common green hornblende accompanies or entirely replaces the mica. Some of the sections present fair evidence that the gneisses represent crushed granites, while none huve any dis- tinctive feature that would indicate a clastic origin for the rocks. In many casea, however, the thin sections reveal gneissic struc- tures, virtually unaccompanied by deformation due to stresses. In such rockj) the chief constituents, quartz, plagioolase, and orthoclase feldspar, tenii to occur in rountliil or polygonal forms. Possibly the ')liati(>n, nnd at times pronounced banding of these varieties are ufiginal, and were assumeil by the rocks as they first solidified from a state of igneous fusion. Their general appearances, however, -»>em to indicate that the structures are secondary, and that they were superimposed on an earlier mode, by some process of recrjstal- lization. In .nany cases such gneisses exhibit cataclastic phenomena, evidently sec up after the individuals of feldspar and quartz had assumed their rounded or polygonal outlines. A few of the rocks show microscopically an augen structure 'ith larirer grains of feldspar, or composite individuals of quartz lying in a fine textured ground largely composed of the same minerals. In some instances such varieties seem possibly to have been derived from granitic types, while in other cases they appear originally to have been gneissic forms. Besides such cases there are examples of IIEOI.OOV ALOXO X.T.B. WENTFRX QfKBKr 15 both foliated and banded xikt, in which the itriicture* Mem to I'livt' resulted directly frum the cruihiiiK or •lu conno- liruintil rocki, in some initanoiit at k-ait, oriKimdly vranitp*. DESCIUI'TION OF ItOUTES. Fly Biver. Beginning ut the eu8t <>ud of the nhi-ct tho tint work was duiio on the Fly river, which i» ■ '2 chain* wide at the nit above the river, is situated, some high hills being visible to the northwest antl also to the south. The whole (.uuntry is forest covered, and tho soil is a rich clay loam. Spruce -2 feet in diameter is found growing along the banks, but trees of this size are rare. The priucipal tree> ui'c white »pru<'t', black spruce, poplar, balm of Gilead, fir, Banksian \iine. on sandy soil, and a few canoe-bircl.. The muui tain maple and the hiizi-l bush grow on rich clay soil back from the river. Numerous shrubn grow (long the river Lanka, as alders and red osier dogwcxxl. Bliu-k ash and cetlar are also found along the stream. The Fly river at the forks is forty feet wide, but ubovc this it is small. A beaver dam a short distance up and just above u .^nuill rapid, backs the wnt<'r and raaket^ the river passable for eantx's for two miles. There is a rapid about two miles below the forks, which is pasHed by an H chain portage on the north side. T1k> fall is about fifteen feet. A short distonce farther down the second portage occurs. It is also on the north side and is 8 chains long, with a fall of eight feet. Below this there is no obstruction until within three-quarters of a mile of the lake, where there is anothc jwrtoge (111 the north Rile. ."• chains loiijr. with ii fall in the r'wer of feet. Xakameonan Biver. The Kaknmeonan river enters ifakamik lake less than a mile south of the mouth of Fly river, and drains Robertson lake, which is crossed by the location line of tho National Transcontinental railway, and is not far north of the east end of Lake Lois. This river, as fnr us exaiiiiiicd. flows through a tlut country, with good soil. 16 <.»:OLOaiOAL AURVII.Y, CANADA Miiit of thu fun*at i* Mwiiiid irruwth, nut more than twenty jroarn i>ltl, iiikI part hH« l)U>n burnt recrntly. Tho Hmt portutft* i« twu and thrtH*- i|>iiirt('r mill'-* l'r»ni tin' Inki*. It i* on tho north «i(lv, it 11 cliaini lonir. and ha* u full ot ID fm't. When I waii on thi> river it wu* l>|iH>ki'd hy fallen tmii and loir jnmii, but thoM havo *invt< been <-iit out, nnd now it forms a kid, passed by a portage five chains long. One mile from the lake another portage 20 phains lonp passes another rapid. The shores of Kewagama lake are rooky in places, but heavily wooded with all the trees found in the neighbourhood; and besides these red and white pine are found in limite.1 quantities. Stunted black ash is common at the mouths of strenms, and low scrubby cedar line the shores. Newagama, or '.p'.pi:) GEOLOGY ALOXO X.T.R. WESTEBN QUEBEC 19 l-ittle Turn Back lake, is on the same level as Kewagama, nud is I'onnected with it by a broad, glugglah, marshy stream. The route to Seals Home lake follows a river flowing into Newagama lake on the north shore, the mouth of which is easily missed, as it is in a deep grassy bay. The portage to Seals Home lake, over the height of land, leaves a small branch of this river flowing from the east, about one mile from the lake. The portage is two miles long and passes over a level well wooded country. At the east end it stops at a small stream, which in midsummer is almost dry, necessitating a farther carry of a quarter or half a mile. The stream winds through a wide marsh almost a mile before reaching the lake. Seals Home Lake. Seals Home lake is made up of three expansions, connected by two narrows. The most northerly narrows is quite river-like for over a mile, although at ordinary water there is no visible current. The south part is the largest. It is irregularly circulnr in shape, having the longest diameter northeast and southwest, and measuring eight and a half miles. There are numerous islands in the southern part. Counting in the lower expansion the whole lake measures twenty- four miles from north to south. The shore line is indented with numerous bays, and bare rocks are frequently exposed, forming low cliffs. The shores are well wooded with spruce, poplar, etc., and an occasional pine. Peter Brown creek enters the lower expansion of Seals Home lake from the east. It is 100 feet wide at the mouth, and is easily n ivigable with cnnocs to within less than a mile of the railway line, which crosses this creek nine miles east of the Harricanp.w river. There is some t.-%>lleiit, well wooded agricultural land along this creek. Harricanaw Biver. The Harricanaw river drains Seals Home lake, and for twenty- two miles flows a little east of north, then it flows northwest as far as it was followed. The railway line crosses four miles below the lake. At this point the river is 5 chains wide, and it averages between 4 and 6 chains as far as it was surveyed. At the cache a half mile below the crossing of the railway line there is a rapid, with a fall of three feet, which can bo run by light oanocs. 9913—2} OKOLOGUAI. SirRVEY. CANADA 20 next rapid « a mde and a q^^r ^ ^.^^^ ^^^.^,^ ,„ooth only two and a half feet ^^^\ .^ ^^^^ler rather strong water for nearly «- -'^^' t^.^t^ .lown all of these without rapid, but we were able to let - ^^^^^^ ,,p,„ds into Obalski portaging. Six miles farU»er north the r ^^^ ^ ^^^^^ ^.^^ ^^ ,„Ue, which is six m.les long a^^ om J .^^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^j^^ the north end. This lake has a number ^_^^ ^^^ ^^^^ „Mh. The shores are mostly tow an ^ ^^.^^ ^^^ ^ ^bowing in the distanj. <^ J^^J^ /.tJla sluggish, with low half below Obalski ^f «/^^ ^''^^ J I, i,ke there ave three rapids banks. Three and a »-« J f .j, :1^^^ feet. These can be passed close together, having a *«" ''\'** The river was surveyed in ordinary ater with partly loa<^ed jan^j^ ^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ ^„ „^ two miles below these -P' J'^ ;;;^^ ^^ Mol.worth lake enter. ;, „ canoe was ^'^^'>'lJ^,^^\[,, point, but as I was informed the llarricanaw «" ^'^'^XI^X I^ncluded it must be ona of it was only two m.l^ j-^ ^^^^ j, ', the present condition of the the sniall streams I had ^^^J^f^^^ Lm Indians and pros- water was too small *» "*'>87- . ^ ^^^^ the river is one con- peetors that a short ^^^^^tlnt ^nT ■. consequently not ^u.ch tinuous rapid for a l»"«/'^^«''''*;; , ^he banks of the Ham- used as a canoe route. *»' *« ^^^^J j, „ost places the land canaw are low. and composed of clay loan ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ Hses gently back from the "^ ^;'^^. ^^^ ^.^ into ridges by level, the slopes adjacent .to the rner rivulets. . Aikogwash Ewer. .he Askogwash river, which flows ^^^^^ IZX east, wa,.urve,.a almost to Upourceflowiu. ^^^.^^ branch. Where it enters ^^^^^^^^'^^J^^ ^o Natagagan lake. ^vUle. I this width -77J^,;^f :rma«hy. and covered with and some distance beyond The UnK ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ grass, in some f'^'^^'"^ [^^^^ „, three lake expansions, one of The current is «lugg.sh and here ^^^ ^^^ „, which is said to extend ^f ^"/^^^ wj^, f„, ^ix miles. In thi* Wookey lake the river ,« about a en ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ distance there are several sha low rapids o gr_^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ where canoes cannot pass except at high wate OlOLOOT ALOKO II.T.B. — WTOTEBN (JUEBIC 21 six miles from the lake, and divides about equally, one branch com- ing from the north, which is probably the stream called Cedar creek at the crossing of the railway line, and the other coming from the east, near Wabanoni lake. The latter branch was followed almost to its source, beaver dams on the upper part facilitating ean i« on r ir Th lake gradually narrow, toward the north end. tL e« are low. and ri^ back fro.n the lake in gentle slope, 111 hSht of a hundred feet or more. The Natagagan nver How. ml north end of the lake. It U narrow and ha. many ^.or 3.. but the general eour.e i. fairly Htra.gl't, be.ng ab ut 5 ' ;«.t of north. At four and a-half n.il» beiow the lake the ailwaT inc crosses, and nearly five miles farther d-n U- r-r iJa long curve to the west. In order to -eh ten m. les eW the line it was necessary to make over seventeen - "f^ '^J^ I„ this distance there are only three rap.ds and two short portages, the greatest fall at any rapid being 8 leet. Along Railway Eartward from Harrioanaw River. Ooing eastward along the railway line from the Uarrica.mw nver the forest has been largely burnt during the present surfer cHpeciallv on the drier parts. This condition prevails up to Pete Br^wn creek, and for a mile east. East of this for five rniles the fjuntry is largely muskeg, with spruce swamp having small spruce uH lOinche- Tbcixth mile isthrough an 0P«" ^ank-an pme Plain which is followed by drier ground drained by a large brook rtow - S t'oth no th. Between this and the Katagagan river there is an tor atn of spruce .wan.p. Banksian pine plains, and some high rl^having Lirly good soil. The J-ger "eas are eovere^ wU Vvpuisions north and south of the line between r;rrsLwrt~e :eneral character of the eoi.ntr.- is the ^""G;i„g cast from tho Natagagan to the Bell river. Jo^owing the railway line, the fivst n.ile is through " ^^^^/^^^^f ^^;, ^s , follow three miles of muskeg, after which to Cedar creek a follow three n ^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^ spruce swamp. Ine tirst mue cu muskeg followed by wet spruce swamps and knolls of dry To md About nine miles from the Natagagan nver there , :iJr large open muskeg, extending three miles «!-. *1>^'"; from one to two miles wide. East of this muskeg there is a spruce swamp, followed by n mile of dry rich ground, growing spruce 2 I'LATK IV. !i!ii:f p. tJ Nat«(,'a>r:iii liicr : firt-st ""iKiwintf dtad tun; mc!;. OEOLOOY ALOXO N.T.B. — WHTEKir QCEBCC 88 fMt in diametpr, and Urge cunoe-birvh. i'tom thit to the B«ll river the country is the wne aa that already deacrii>ed. There are tome areai covered by large quantitie* of iipruce up to lu inclio* iu dia- meter and 40 to 50 foet higii, whioli will make excellent pulpwood if the forest is protecteil from tire. Fur about u mile from the Bull river, mi the south lino, there i» u ileii»e growth of »mull ipruce 2 iiichei* in diameter. Wabuoni Lake. A track survey was made of the stream forming the hcadwuters of the Askogwash river, and the portage from it to Wubanoni hike. In order to fix the south end of this iwrtag"! a compass and micro- meter survey was made of Wabanoni lake, and tied to station eighty-four of D. if. Mill's survey of the Bell river. Wabanoni lake is rectangular in shape. Its greutest length is five miles from soutl ast to northwest, and it varies in width from two to three miles. It receives a large stream near the middle point of the west shore, and another at the northwent angle, where the iwrtage above referred to leaves the lake. Tin- shores are mostly low and well wooded. Several rock exposures oceur along the cost and south shores, whieli iu places ore also lin»wi with walls of boulders. The outlet is from the southeast bay into Obaska lake nnd is through swampy ground. The stream is broad and sluggish, and about halfway to Obaska lake expands into a lake nearly a mile long. This expansion receives a slow winding stream of consider- able size, from the smith. Obaska lake and Adjacent Railway Line. Obaska lake is eleven miles long, and, except in one place, is not much over n mile wide. There is a long narrow island near the north end and a few small ones near it, but for the rest the lake is open. It is bordered in the northerr part by low clay shores densely wooded, but southward hills of considerable size rise from the lake. The south railway trial line which crosses Obaska lake at the outlet was examined to the east. The land sroes back from the lake comparatively level. Near the river there is a second growth of small spruce and poplar, followed to the east by a dry sandy Banksian pine knoll. This is succeeded by a spruce swamp, where small black spruce with alders abound. At two and a half miles from the river there is an open muskeg, with a low hill to the north. This proved 24 ur.OtOOICAI. BUBrKY, canapa t., I* n l.,w rocky ri.lit.', with iroo.1 ol.y wil on the •lope*. cvon-J «ilh tr.*. of a fair liii-. Thi. it tlvt- K.-niTiil chur.cter of the iroui.try through t.. thi. fir.t .r—ing of the Mi|ii»kuu river, u .li.tuno o£ obout twi'lve milw from H«ll river. TW rnilwBy lino in-w.* the MiKi^kaii rivir about twelve miU«« from it. mouth in 8h«boir«iiia lake. Tlie approximate location line join* tho fiwt or touth lino a little over a mile and a half x^ttt of the river cro«.inB. but only u «hort dirtaiK-e from the «tr.«m. HI. the river iit thin point How« wi-t. In wulkiuK wcatwunl en the locntii.n line the u»uol good f..n*t wan Hot.> t'hri.tn.uH ereek. whieh riow» through a low i-ountrj- to l^ike Shabogama. and. 1 wai told, i* easily navlg«t..d with oanoe*. F-r u .•..n-id.rable di«tuueo wentwanl there U a low flat country, drained by thi. «re«m. the f.rct being a necon.l growth of .pruce. In a northwe.t direc- tion there .eems to be an extennive muakeg, followed by a low r.dge, to the southwest of which Bell River mountain ri«-». Thi« moun- tain shows three roundel peaks. Along the line to the o..*t ol Christmas creek the soil is a white clay, into which the roots of tho tr.^s do not iHjnetrate far. n* upturnet8 only n few inches below the surface. In goi ,g east along the railway line from the Miginkan river thero is a suc-ession of black spruce swamp, muskeg, and an occasional knoll or hill, with good .Iry soil coven d «-'^ laige spmee. poplar, and cnnoe-birch. A mile and a half from th. r.ver there h a granite ridge which runs to the northwest, and apparently crosses the river at the first rapid above the railway line. At the foot of this hill there is some gool..\0 N.T.R. — WKNTRRX qrEBRC 3ft /npiiln •ml tliilivult t» imvigMto with cmiovt. One luilo above the mil- uu.v iiiM' thi-n- i» u rupiti iiuhmhI by u 13 chain portage, on th« Wfst bunk. I'p to thi» iMirtiiKo thu banks arc low and well wo f«t hiich. Till- I'luy i« to «h colour. Tho river avtraKm about H chain* lu width up to the railway cache, and Keni-rally Iium low MiopinK bunk* of ko arc numerou* rivulet* cnteriuK from both aide*. lu aacendiuK the Migiakan, two milef above Sunday brook, there i* u rapid which in pa*«(«l by a l.> chain |iortiiKi' oii tho north »ici. , but canoes cun be poKnl up and run down witli liwht loaiix. Two jind a quurtcr mile* farther up there is a slight rapid, up which the ennoe* were pulletl without makiiiK n iHirtuge. Two and u half miles above this there i* a rather bad rapid, which has a portage 14 chains long on tho north »iile, but it can be run with light ejiumti. One mile above this rapid t'rotiketl creek enters from the north. Below Oooked creek the forest is all green and of the usual kind, but up to the ruilway (luhe, one mile and a half, the foreat ha* be«>n recently burnt. Six observation* fir latitude were tuken nt the cache opposite tlu; mouth of the As»up river, the avenige b«ing -IH" IJ' ;j,V'. At this point the Miginkan is 500 feet wide, and it keep* thi* width for mo*t of the distance up to the jiortuge into Millie lake. It is deep uiid has couHiderablo current, with four or five pliice* where there I* swift water or slight rapids, but none of these reiiuire a portage. A rather bad rai>id is half a mile below the mouth of the Atik river, and the worst one a mile and a half below Trout brook. The portage into Millie hike is over n mile and a half lonjf, the river in this distance being n riipid with n fnll of about •!0 feet. The soil on the portage is sandy, and was covered with a smHJl second growth of Banksinu pine, but it has recently Ixen burnt, and is now praetically bare. Snnday Brook. Sunday brook enters the Migiskan river fmm the north, iilx.iit eight and n half milw above the railway crossing. It is n er(Mik<ur„ tKv. Mg thn.uKh good clay soil well wooded with s.uall ,,, „,.'„•..' .anksinn pine. No rock w.is seen on this streum, hut n..^ ... uranitc boulders ore conmiou. Crooked Creek. Crooked cr.ok empties i.ito the Migiskuu river eighteeu miles nhove the railway line, following the bends of tlu.' river. It winds in a very sinuous course through low clay banks which rarely reach more than 10 feet in height. The forest along the lower part, for Hve or six miles, was burned in 1900. Above this the forest is small, the spruce sel.lom reaching more than a foot in diameter. .Several isolated hills were noted in ascending the stream to the rail- wav line. Some of these are 75 to 100 feet high and are n.ostlv bare and rocky. No»r the railway line the soil is poor and sandy, covered with Banksian pine recently burnt. North of the railway lino the creek runs through a scraggy bush, with clay banks often coverwl with grass. At a distance of eight miles north of the railway line the hills close in on the stream, which at this distance is small. Looking down the cr.ok from an elevation, a ridge of high bills is seen to exten.l along both sides of the stream at some dis- tance back from it, and to the north and northwest similar hills ■stretch for a long distance. Seen from this point the country is .loci^ t-> -t iiu'hes in diameter, and in one pluce shows stratitit'd s^and and gravel. At two miles east of Crooked creek low hills close in on the line, the soil is poor, and the forest i- nearly all destroyed by tire. This is the general i-haracter of the country to Trout brook. Trout brook empties into the iligiskan. a mile and a quarter below the portage to Millie lake. It is bordered on both siiles by ranges of high hills, some of whieli rise to a height of l.tlOO feet or more above sea-level. In following the railway line west from Crooked creek the first four miles is through oi)en muskeg, some of it very wet, interspersed with areas of spruce swamp. Hills of considerable height rise to the north of the line three miles west of the ereek. These hills are two or three miles distant and are well wooded. The country bor- dering on Sunday creek is drier and has some good spruce forest. Millie lake. .Millie lake is an expansion of the Migiskan river. It lies in a northeasterly direction, and for nine and a half miles is from a nnle to a mile and a half wide. Above this it narrows to a quarter of a mile in places, but seems to continue at the same level three or four miles. It is a beautiful lake, with many sandy beaches and points, and is everywhere surrounded by rounded hills, which rise to a considerable height. They are generally well wooded. Throtigh depressions between the hills several streams enter the lake. The principal of these from the south are Cedar creek, Smoky creek, and Bear brook. From the northwast there is only one largo stream, which enters near the north end and rises not far from Crooked creek. 28 GEOLOGICAL SCKVEY, CANADA Smoky Creek and Cedar Creek. Smoky creek is bordered with low hills showing an abundance of rock exposures. Near the lake there is some good soil and good forest of large poplar and canoe-birch, but along the trial line far- ther inland the country is either burnt or coveretl with small second growth, and the soil is poor. These conditions prevail along Cedar creek and down to the foot of Millie lake. Smoky creek abounds in small specklid trout, averaging about 6 inches in length. The Atik Kiver and Adjacent Country. The Atik river is the largest branch of the Migiskan, and has a total length of sixty-five or seventy mil&J. It was surveyed by compass and micrometer from the mouth to the north end of Durant lake, a distance of sixty-live miles following the sinuosities of the river. It is probable that the source of this river is in a stream flowing north, and entering Durant lake at the south end. This stream was ascended in canoes for over five miles, when it became rapid, but of considerable size. For the first iwenty-three miles, or up to the Hill cache, the Atik is very crooked, and has numerous liipiil-. The first portage is one mile from the mouth, and is seven- teen and a half chains long over a burnt, sandy, Banksian pine plain. The river at this rapid falls about 15 feet, and is full of boulders. TluT.' is (,n each side a morainic ridge which seems to have caused the rapid and supplied the liirge number of boulders. No solid rock is seen. Tlie country along this part of the river was all burnt in 1900, though there are a few green clumps of trees still standing. The Atik flows through a sandy country up to the Hill cache, with occasional strips of alluvium along the banks. The banks are usually from :> to Kt feet high, but near the mouth of Canon creek the sand banks are very much higher and continue so up to the Hill .•ache, where the western <'nd of the portage is up this steep hill. The principal forest trees along this stretch are Banksian pme, spruce, and poplar, the two latter being found principally on the lower ground. Some of the Banksian pine are large enough to make railway ties, but such trees are by no means abundant. Cnfiou <-rcek enters the Atik about a mile below the Hill cache. It is a small winding clear stream flowing over a sandy or gravelly bottom, with san.ly banks from 10 to 100 feet high, covered OEOI.OOY ALONG N.T.K. WESTERN QUEBEC 29 with Banksian pine. In walking east alongp the railway line from the crossing of Canon creek the country is an open Banksian pine plain, «.th groves of tall straight trees, sonic of which are a foot in diameter, but most of them are small. T-o the west, between Cufion creek and the Migiskun river, the line runs through a level Bundy plain cut into deep gullies wherever there are streams. These gullies are from 50 to 100 feet deep, with aides as steep as Bandy elny will remniu at rest. Several holes were dug along the line, and these showed sand or gravel. The forest growth is oiwii Banksian pine, mostly small second growth, but a few trees reach a foot in diameter. For three miles east of the Jligiskan the country has been burned within the la«t three years. An abuiidiint crop of blueberries was growing over this region. Viewed from the top of a hill, the country t-o the north and northwest is hilly, but soiith- wiird there are no high elevations in sight. The Hill Cnche p;irtagp on the Atik is 60 chains long and, except at the west end, is a good trail over level ground. An examination of the country south of the Hill Cache portage showed the same conditions as described on the north. Banksian pine plains, with an oeeusional spruce swamp mixed with canoe-birch, prevail over the area explored. Two miles south of the river there is a narrow lake a mile and a half long, with an outlet from the eastern end. Xo hills or rocks could be seen. Above the Hill Cache portage the river is not so crooked, but much more rapid, with several lake expansions. I'p to the outlet of Atik lake, a little over sixteen miles, there ihirteen rapids, the longest being nearly half a mile. Most of tl ■ '« can be run with partly loaded canoes, but they have to be , , or the canoes dragged by hand. There are no gooil portagt , cut out past any of these rapids, but some of the worst have poor trails. In this distance there are two lake expan- sions of considerable size. The most easterly is called Mark lake, and is a mile and thn'O-quartc- ; long, but narrow. At six miles and a half above the Ilill Cache portage a trial line runs north to the north line at .Maher lake, a distance of five miles. This lini' follows the valley of a small stream, and is through rather poor soil with scru'^ Banksian pine and low shrubs. At the lakes on the north lin ..ere are several kame-like ridges of sand and gravel, with areas of wet swamp and muskeg. An examination was also made south of the Atik, opposite the trial line, for a distance of five miles. In this distance there is an :J0 OSOLOOICAL SURVEY, CANADA alternation of Banksian pine plain and epruce swamp, with a num- ber of green tamarack trees. In proceeding up the river there is little change in tho appear- ance of the country. The banks are densely lined with alders and willows, and the land back from the stn-am is sandy and covered with sit ider Banksian pine up to 3 inches or 4 inches in diameter. A shallow stream a mile long, with two rapids, drains Atik lake. The lake is divided into th ee parts by two narrows, and is five mihs long and from a half to one mile wide. The south pnrt is tilled with long, narrow, sometimes crescent-shaped islands, which are kame-like in appearance, ami probably of glacial origin, as they are composed of sand and gravel. The shores are mostly sandy, and lined with small water-worn lobbies. The middle expansion is the largest, and is free from islands, but some of the bays have beauti- ful sandy shores. The third part is also free from islands, except three small ones. The forest aloi.rf Atik lake is small second growth, but there are some hills with larp-e canoe-birch and spruce. Couillard lake is connected with Atik lake by a small stream thirteen chains long. The lake is a mile and a half lonp, and irre- gular in shape. In the south it is swampy, and is surrounded with black spruce. In the north, kame-like sandy ridges form long points, enclosing deep bays. From the outlet of Atik lake to Durant lake, a distance of nine miles and a half, there an- eleven rapids, one of which is a chute, and two ai quarter of a mile long. The only regular portage is at the chute, all the others can he run and poled up. There is more spruce for some distance from the outlet of Atik lake than on most of the lower part of the river, but from the middle of Buckle Hake the forest was burnt in IDOfl. At the Atik cache, three miles below Durant lake, there are some fair-sized Banksian pine which will make pood railway ties. From the cache up to Durant lake the land i-: sandy and poor, with scrub forest. Dnrant Lake. Durant lake has a bay on the west a mile long, from which the .\tik river flows. From the southern part of this bay a narrow channel leads southeast into the main lake, which lies in a north- east direction for four miles. This lake is d* . lUed into two parts by a narrows, where the National Transcontinental Railway line OEOI.OOY ALONG N.T.R. WESTERN QUEBEC 31 crosses. The lake is in mast places surrounded by low shores with considerable areas of good Boil and large forest growth, especially along the west side. I walked back northwest from the lake at the north end, and ascended a hill 200 feet above the lake and 1,500 feet iiliove sea-level. This hill is well wooded and has canoe-birch on it a foot in diameter, and Banksian pine 15 inches. I noted ali-o wild red cherry 7 inches in diameter and over 60 feet high. The variety of the canoe-birch, cordifolia, grows here. The route up to Schulfer lake is through a poor, hilly countrv. From a hill to the north of the lake a good view of the surrou nixing roimtry was had. Close to the hill, to the ea?t, there are low ridges running east and west, with muskeg and swamp between. Farther east, at a distance of over live miles, there are ranges of high liill To the north there is a low burnt sandy plain, and to the wost is Diiiant lake, with a rolling country beyond. At the south end of Durant lake a stream of con^i 'cinble •size enters. This stream flows north and is probably the coiiliimation of the Atik river. The country drainetl by this river i* hiHy, iiud in places there are large granite boulders. About two miles 8o\ith of the lake a largo moraine crosses the stream and runs southeast, and farther south there is a sand hill, or ridge, running in the same direction. The country has been recently burnt, so that the surface features can readily be seen. For five miles the g neral features are the same, with high hills three miles south. Durant Lake to Eekek River. East of Durant lake there is no regular canoe route, but a num- ber of small winding streams and lakes, with long portages between, have been used by the engineers of the National Transcontinental railway. This was followed, but time would not permit me to make more than a track survey. The stream followed flows into Durant lake on the east side near the north end. A portage of 8 chains starts from the lake north of the mouth of the stream. This stream is a mile and a half long, and flows from a narrow lake a mile long, through a poor swampy country, recently burnt, with low hills a short distance back. A portage of 10 chains over a Banksian pine knoll leads to a larger lake a mile and a half long. From this a portage of 70 chains leads south to Armstrong lake. This portage is through a burnt Banksian pin country, with small areas 32 (iKOLOOICAt SURVEY, CANADA of muskeg. Annstronij; luko is also narrow, ami uliout a mile loug, with slopiiiR shor.'s and low hills. The portage from Armstroii« lake runs south to Jack lake and is 93 chains long. It is over hilU and muskeg, and is partly burnt. It has soma green fiMcst, with fnir-8izeniuls of plagitaluse feldspar, und quartz. It also contains specks of pyrite. At the tirst portage, about one mile from Makamik lake, the rock is a hornblende schist striking N ^'' W vertical. It contains small lenticular masses of a rusty, reddish quaitz. Near the middle of the rapid the rock is more disturbed, and there are several quartz veins parallel with the strike and containing pyrite. The same kind of rock extends up the river for 10 chains. Three-quarters of a mile farther up the river there is a similar rock, but of a lighter colour, which probably contains some mica. In ascending the river the next rock seen is a small exposure of hornblende granite, medium grained, composed largely of feldspar of which plagioclase is the chief variety. This exposure is covered at ordinary high water. A half mile above this, green schist holding considerable pyrite is seen, and a short distance east of this, where the river bends to the northwest, there ia a massive, fine-grained, reddish granite, composed largely of feldspar. It is traversed in places by fine veins of red feldspar. Next above this there is a hornblende schist, which is a fine-grained aggregate of green horn- blende, plagioclase, and crthoclase feldspar, with considerable mag- netite and a small amount of biotite. A short distance above the second portage there is a small outcrop of hornblende-granite. At the third portage mica schist occurs, and seems to strike north and south, vertical. This schist contains numerous veins and pockets of quartz, but no minerals of economic value were observed in any of them. At the forks west of Owl mountain there is a dioritic rock composed almost entirely of large green hornblende individuals, with a small amount of interstitial feldspar. Two miles above this on the south branch there is> an exposure of diabase, and this • i succeeded by a fine greenish g-ey hornblende-schist, which e.vte.ds a> fur as the river was followed, strike, N 26° K vertical. The ridge along the top of Owl mountain is diabase, flanked by n dark fine-grained hori blende schist. The same schistose rocks form a low hill half a mile to the east. The strike is east and west, vertical, and forms in places perpendicular walls of considerable height. Through all these rocks large veins of white and pinkish quartz extend for long distances. These veins are not continuous, but in places are of considerable width, and are said by prospectors to extend for nt least three miles to the east. flEOUKJV Al.OXn X.T.K. WESTKltX Ql'EBEO 35 Along Railway Eastward from Fly Biver. In goiiiK »n»t\viiit.'' Seals Home Lake and Harricanaw Rivsr. Uock exposures are of frequent occurrence along the shores of Seals Home lake. In going down the west shore from the height of land ivirt"., • *he first rock met with i. a fine-grained diabasic rock, much alte-nd . •■■'■ containing cubes of pyrite. This is followed by a chlorite schist, also holding pyrite, and north of this there are small areas of acid granites and foliated mica gneiss. Near the middle of the first narrows, at a projection on the west side, there is a dioritio rock composed largely of hornblende and quartz. About half a mile west of this point the rock is a diabase, and is followed, going north, by green chloritio schists which are altered and decom- posed. On the west side of the second expansion there is a very acid niuscovite granite, which changes into a coarse pegmatite, composed largely of vitreous quartz and feldspar, probably ortho- clase. For a considerable distance north of this there are no rook exposures, the shores being low and marshy. In the southern part of the second expansion there is a small island of rusty weathering granite cut by veins of whito quartz, some of which are three feet wide, and others mere thread-like streaks, ilolybdenite in small quantity was found in one of these veins. On the east shore, south ' Geologicu! Survey of Oanacla, Summary Report, 1901, p. 137 A. ',•".113 11. :«; (iEOMKiV ALOMO N.T.II.— WKHTKHN QirilEf 37 of the inlaiii], • biotit« dchint wvun. dippiiiR X 11 K <50\ Along the Beoond nurrows there it a knob of dolomitic rot'k iiiuoli broken lip. ftrikitijf N 00" W, with a Miiall qiiurtz vfiii .rnHMHK the Mtrikc. Ill the nouth part of the third expansion there i» u iilnto rock dip- I'lnif N <7o°. It contain* pyritp, and In cut by Hnall quartz veini. Xorth of this the ordinarj- green ichisti, gtriking ca«t and wcft, are necn. These achists apiwar at the rapids, whicli occur at con- nidorablo inter vuls down the river. In nio«t piacca they arc much altercl nnd allow Kn'at variety in the different exposures. At the fourth rapid, which i* between seven and a half and eitrht miles north of the railway lino, the rork ooi.Hists of altored dinl.nse much disturlifd. nn.l north of thii., but not ahowinic contact, a reddish Brey granite. The former is cut by quartz veins, which hold copiicr pyrites in amnll quantities. Below thi«. as far as the river was followed, hornblende and chlorite achists are the common r,)ck, and these are well stvn on the shores of Obalski lake, and ulao at the rnpids two and n half miles farther down. On a projecting point half n milo northeast of the entrance, Mr. I{. Ilurvie, of Montreal, reports a 2 inch vein of copper pyrites, which rung across a maw of ^"Imerpred rock and is visible for twenty-five feet. AikogwMh Sirer. The Askogwash river shows very few ro*'k exiwsures. ns the buiika arc low and marshy for a loriR distance back from the river. Those seen on the west part were green schist. About two mile.s above Wookey lake, going east, there are several outcrops of an altered diabase, and above this altered porphyries and chloritic schists occur at considerable diatances apart. Besides these one or two exposures of typical diabase were seen. Four miles east of the Ilarricnnaw river, on the railway line, there is n chlorite schist holding pyrite, and cut by thread-like veins of quartz, and at seven miles, on n hill some distance north of the line, Mr. J. Obalski, Superintendent of Mines for Quebec, saw ser- pentine cntnininp small threads of asl)estos not exeeodinp a quar- ter of an inch, but he found no fibre of commercial value.* Natagi^an Lake and River. No rock exposures were seen on the first three portages into Natagagan lake; on the fourth, or most northerly portage, there is an • Mining Operations in the Province of Quebec, 1906. by J. Obalski. 38 OEOLOOICAL SUBVEY, CANADA exposure of a dark green chlorite sehist, strikiug N 57° W vertical. >Dhis schist is cruuipled in places, and contains specks of pyrite and chalcopyrite. On Natagagan lajie, on the east side near the point where the brook enters, there is an exposure of rock dipping N E <30°. This rock contains much light coloured pyrite and weathers a rusty brown. There are no rock exposures on the west shore for over one mile below the marshy point. Here there is a diabasic rock con- taining stringers of quartz, and showing foliation running east and west. Along the northern part of the lake there are several outcrops of chlorite schist, and also on the river for eighteen miles below the lake. At the first rapid the schist contains small quantities of cal- cite, and at the portage two miles farther down there is a sericite schist striking N 72° W vertical. Small bands of a bluish quartz run parallel with this schist. There are also one or two small out- crops of granite on this river. On the railway line, over three miles west of the river, there is a grey micaceous schist holding numerous cubes of pyrite. A little over a mile west of this there is another exposure at a camp ground, where the rock is a fissile, crumbling schist, holding large masses of quartz, and in places much pyrite. For nearly a mile west these fine schists are common. Considerable osition of the feldspar. There is scarcely a trace of any original coloured constituents. Quartz is very abundant and furnishes complete evidence of the results of defonning stresses. The individuals often appear to have been crushe and gneiss in several places. At the outlet of Lena lake thi o n exposure of gneiss, striking N 53° W, and dipping N 37° E ^cO°. An exomination of the country south of the Atik and opposite the tie line, showed only granite and gneiss. At four and a half miles south there is a biotite gneiss, which is a medium-grained rock largely made up of acid plagioelase, feldspar, quartz, and biotite. With the abundant greenish biotite occurs much epidote. A few flakes of muscovite are also present. Near this there is a foliated gneiss of regular bands of hornblende, quartz, and a little feldspar. ■ Ascending the Atik river, there are many exposures of gneiss up to the outlet of Atik lake. Some of the rock is foliated, and strikes east and west, vertical, but some exposures are more massive. Quartz and feldspar are abundant in these rocks, with small quan- tities of biotite and hornblende. In Atik and Couillard lakes the only rock seen was gneiss. On the west shore of the middle expansion of Atik lake there is a much fHi 44 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, CANADA contorteouth end of the lake, striking N 63° E, and farther north there is a beautiful gametiferous biotite gneiss, which is a medium to fine- grained aggregate of quartz and plagioclase feldspar, with onsider- able brown biotite and a number of irregular grains of garnet. ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. A large part of the eastern half of the area examined is under- lain by Keewatin rocks which contain numerous quartz veins, but so far as examined, no minerals of economic promise were found, though careful prospecting may reveal such minerals. Chalcopyiite. On the location line of the National Transcontinental railway, a half mile east of the Lois river, crossing the rock, is an altered dia- base, which contains veins of quartz from half an inch to a foot wide. Some of these veins contain chalcopyrite, which has coloured the rock green, but as far as could be seen on the surface the quantity of copper ore is small. On the Harricanaw river, about eight miles north of the railway cro«infr, at a rapid, there are small quantities of chalcopyrite, in the quartz veins which traverse the rock, and farther north on the OEOtOOr ALOXO N.T.R. WESTERN Ql'EBEC 4* laine rivor, at the «4)uth eiul of ObaUki lake, there 18 a 2 incli vein ot the »nine niateriHl, which h exposed in a submerged rock for 25 feet. Molybdenite. An examination wag made of the area in Kewagonia lake where molybdfiiite was found by ilr. J. F. E. Johnston in lltOl.' The prnnitc in which the molybdenite occurs occupies most of the penin- sula which divides the lake into two parts. It outcrops at intervals for over three miles on the east siying the pegmatite some crystals of a yellowish mineral are also found, which seems to be berjl. , ' It is impossible to give a definite opinion regar.ling the value o/ this prospect, but the presence of these minerals in fairly abundant quantities is an encouragement to continue the work.' Oold and Biimnthenite. A sample of quartz from Dhe point on Kewagama lake, collected by Mr. Johnston, was assayed under Dr. Hoffmann's direction, and gave 0-117 of an ounce of gold to the ton of 2,000 lbs. Other adjacent quartz veins carrietl bismuthenite. Iron. Slight indications of iron were noted at a few point- at no- where in sufficient quantity to be of economic value. R. . resem- bling those associated with iron ore in other Koewat districts were seen on the portages from the Nawapitechin river to Lois lake, and on the railway line to the north, but whether they represent the regular Lake Superior iron ore formation I could not determine. As most of the area is not readily accessible, and few rock exposures are visible, only careful and thorough prospecting can decide whether this or other valuable mii.erals occur. ' Mining ' .irations in the Province of Qufbec. 1907. hy J. ObaUki. OEOI.OOY At,OXO X.T.H. — WESTEBU QUEBEC 49 CUijr. Four milea ea«t of the Natuvutfau river, on the railway liue, where a hole waa dug to get water, a sample of clay was collected, which ia probably of glacial origin, but reiembles cloaely the Ixnla clay of the lower IcvcU. Mr. F. (>. Wait, chemist of the Miui-i Branch, Department of Mints, reports ai follows on a sample sub- mitterui-c ill »ouuf I'l" < i'ui'H » *""' '" •"' ">"•'"■». »»"' ♦'''■''• "^ ''•'* *''■'■ uri' not itliut».lii)it. I'l I i>r aud cuuot-liin-h up to a foot iu diiimetur Kri.w ill the Mime K ■ .ilitiei. Hy far tU most l.ui ■!. nt, and i>robal>lv the most valuable tre««, are the bUck *pruco, w! . i ifrow tall and cloio touethor, and art frum 4 lu 1<» inobi ■" llllixt lif the SI MCl " tin lit»t trfi's a. ' iiiK l>ajf«' this tr ■ » Bankninn pine r-' inirt of the sheet, 'n I'ient oiase to mnl ifter. Ivfv* «i thi-i ^ize are plentiful in IIP whiih abound ov> r the whole area, liut . -I ..f IVll rivLT. As explain" 1 in a preeed- uil- cxi'clleiit pulpwodd. Ml. dantly on the sandy areas in the eastern ,1 . vUk'cs n f w if the^>^ trees reach a suffi- ' », liut ni.-t of tlii'Hi are too small. r, .'.t i iON. The whole ooi. try h. i heavily glaeiated by ice moving from the north ove. he he . I'ind. Almost ev.-ry rock exposurt; in the Keewatiu woa i» jifliMud md grooved and well rounded on the north side, wliile the south *i"!" i« abrupt and broken. This is well seen on the i«ilands and shores of lakes, especially so in Seals Home lake. Eastward, as far as Ik-U river, well marked stria are common, exposures sometimes showing two courses crossing each other. On tin l.aureutiaii area the stria' are not well preserved, as the rwk weathers na.Uly. There is, however, other evidence of glacial action, such as the kaine-like ridg^-s of sand and gravel an 1 the kettle holes which arc iK.asionally seen in the sandy plains; also the generally smoothed surfa-'.- of rock exposures which, though not showing strise, bear evidence of erosion. The following stria' were noted: On the height of lam! betweu ilie llarricitnaw river. S l!t° K; Seals Homo lake. S I!*" K; Wnl.anoi.i lake. S 3s' W., Obaska lake, S 1S° W. The boulders observed were chiefly granite, gneiss, and green schists, such ns are found in i>laces all over the area. In many places the shores of the lakes are lined with boulders piled on top of each other to a height of several feet, and forming a solid wall for a long distance. These boulders are usually smooth »ir.01.oOV .\U»>« N.r.lt. — WKSTKHS m KIIKf 51 nud well rounded, but »i'l.lom .h..w ^tri«. Thfir pn-sent po«iti.m U tnidcntly due to rutwit ic- m-ti<>n. Similar plMMioiiiBim liuv.- Ik-.u notfd oil the princi|»Bl UkcH in northern Ontario. An interestinK tVatun- in th^ pU'istoci'ne Bfology wu» iA>»vt\M in connexion with tho oiwn mu»k«'if-, pi.rticulurly »* to their ni.j.le of formation. In some cases they seem to bo llio rvmuin* of slmllow kkes. Originally the water ooiupied the whole »pa«f i»ow covertfd by the nnitkeir, l»ut luuth plants and nio^s U-gan to entroach on the water. Uginniiitr iit the outer rini and working towniil the r..- giess. The small lake at the south ettd has a rim of quaking vege- table matter several chuiii" wide, which occupies more than half the original siw of the lake. H.-side9 the mo-.«, Kalmia glauoa. Ledum MifoUum. and Cantandra calyculala grow abundantly on the rim. At the iKMnt where the cane's arc put into the water it is necessary to lay poles an.l brush on the trail, as there are only a few feet of vegetable material floating on the wafer. When this mass was iH?ne- trated there seemetl no further obstruction to sinking a pole as far as it woul.i reach. The outline and general shape of many mus- kegs at once sugKest the form of ii lake, the margins having bay- like indentations and points corre-ponding to those seen on lakes. It is probable, however, that lakes tilled up in this way arc such us have little or no outlet. RAILWAY LEVELS. The following levels on the line of the National Trauseontnen- tal railway were obtaine.l from Mr. K. Weatherbee, as^istaut engi- neer of District C. and are above mean sea-lev! 1 at Queb. ;— Fett. Bm. Lak« Abitibi. Muh water level *^" Whitefish river, w iter level »|" liois river -., Kakauieonan river, watt-r level "'■• "" 52 GEOLOGICAL BCBVET, CAHADA Tmt. Bb. RobcrtMii l»k», w»tor l«v*l l.*** Suniinit. 2J inileii west of crouing of branch of ih* NawapitocWn river •" ^'JJ* Branch of th» Nawapitmshin ri»»r, water l«v»l.. .. »78 sas Ifoleaworth lake, water lerel ».0M Spirit lake, watar Ut«1 I.*" Harricanaw riTar, watar Iwel Wl •** Peter Brown oreek, water lerel l.*** Summit.S miles east of Peter Brown creek 1.1** XataRagan river, water level 1,<00 986 Sitiiiniit, 2 milr* west of Codec river l,flM Coflee river, water level l.W Bell river, water level ••* ** Miiriskan river, west croseinR, water level 1,071 1,0M Sunday brook, water level 1.0»a Crooked creek, water level 1.1** MiRiskan river, east croeaioR, vster level 1,158 ("auon creek, water level 1.1*9 Atik river, at outlet from Atik lake, water level.. 1,277 Durant lake, water level I.**' Steele lake, water level l.*5» Kekek river, water level 1.8M Hamilton lake, water level l.**7 Suaie river l."* INPEX A Pase. ..„,,. 9,16,17,19,22.31.83 ARricultQral land 31 Armstrong lake jY, 49 Asbestos 21,23 Askoxwash river _ 20 " character of ^ " rocks of g " survey of a- t\ssui> river, character of ^^ " rocks of g " survey of ^^ Atik lake, character of " '■ ^■ " rocks of g survey of 28 Atik river, character of ■' ^„ " rocks of g •* survey of B 87 Btar brook 16,17,33 Beaver dams ' __ _ 7 Bell, Dr. B., survey by ' " " " | 24 Bell Kiver mountain ..7, 8 Bell river, surveys of ' " ''_ _'_ _ g BiRUell. John, survey by ..".."..'"..47,48 Bismuthenite 33 Blacksand lake " " "' 45 " rocks of.. "_ 21 Blueberries 7 Block, E. W., Kurvey by C 28 Canon creek ^ 2i, 28, 27, 28 Cedar creek .."..'..'.. ..44. 48 Chalcopyrit* ]........ 84 Chrietmaa creek " '" " 49 w»y •• • V. *.. .. .. 7 Cochrane, A. C, survey by • Copper (see Pyrite and Chalcopynte). ^ Couil'ard lake, character of ^ " rocks of g survey of ."..".."..M, 26 Crooked creek -S 64 GKOI.CMiKAr. SIRVKY, CAXADA D Paoc. Diirant lake, character of IW rocks of ' M " survev of 8 E economic s«o1ok.v 46 F Fish 28 Fires, forest destroyed by 18, 22. 25, iM, 27, 28. 29, 30. 31 Flora of the district 9,51 Fly river, character of 15 " rock exposures on 33 " survey nf 8 I'i>re>t, clmrncU'r of.. ..9, 11, 13, IG, 17, 23. 24. 25, 26, 28. 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 49 Q Ot-ology of tlie district 12 Ulaciation 33,50 Gold 48 H Harricanaw river, character of 19 " survey of 8 Harvey, C. L.. survey by 8 llfiKht of I.and Mininx Co 48 " where crossed by N.T.Ky 8 Hill Cache portaxe 39 Historical 7 Hiiflmann, assay by 48 I (ion ore 36, 48 •I Jack lake 33 " rocks nf 45 Johnston. J. F. K., xold and bismuthenite found by 48 " molybdenite found by 47 " survey by 8 K Kakameonan river 15 " rocks of 35 Kapitachuan river 33 Keewatin rocks 12, 35, 41, 48 Kekek river, character of 32 " rocks of 45 " survey of 8 KewaRama lake 18 " river, rocks of 36 Ktnojevis river, survey of 8 I I It 'i' INDEX ^^ ^ Vkbe. 13, 50 Lnnrentian ,j Irf-vfls nlonn National Transcontinental Rv I.ittle Turn Back lake ■"' ; ;.' ;; '/. w I,oi* river ^ " hiirvev of M Makaniik lake, character of " survey of Mark lake '^. Mixiskan river, character of -^ ■-"^•"v •;.•.•.■;. V. v.r.l " survey of ' Mill, 1). M., survey of Bell river by, referred to •-» Millie lake, cliaracter of • - " rocks near _' " Molyliilenite '" Muskesjs, formation of N Nataxavan lake - rock- of "- survev of t\ Nataxaxaii river ,, r K'ks of "* V 8 survey of Nuliouiil Trnnsc.intiiiental railway K, 1", 22, 27 •' " levels on ■'•' •• " rock exiMisures 33. *0 NawaiMtichin river, character of '■• ' rocks of ^ " survey of , . 1« Newaxania lake o Obalski, .T., report on visit to Kewaxania river ♦« •' serpentine seen by ^' Obalski lake • ^ 0))aska lake ^ " rocks oi 16 Oxassasan river o'Siillivan, Henry, survey by ^ ■ •ttawa river, survey of headwaters of ^ Owl mountain " rocks near 50 OEOLOOICAL 8UR7EV, CANADA \ Pfter firnwn cr<>«>k.. I^ioetreos. northern limiVoV. Piilpwood Prrite, prpsenc« of .. Pasc. IS 10 ;; •• 10. 28,50 ■". 34. 33, 3fi, 37, 3X, 39 Robertson lake. •'<^« Is Home lake, character of ^ molrbdsnite at.. .. rocks of _" u ^ ' surve.v of.. .. nfrpentine Shabo);ania lake .' Smoky creek.. ,. •Spirit lake " Steele lake .'. rocks of.. .. Sunday brook Survev.. of district by'N.T.R. engineer;" »'>s,e river, characte. of.. .. ^"*'"**" elevation at ." Timber To|)o(fraphy _ Trout brook w of sample of clay by.. Wabanoni lake rocks of . . ... . " survey of.. "ait. F. G., e.\amination "eatherbee. K., levels by. "Iiitefish river Whiteshore lake rocks of.. . "ikwasika lake \Vilson. W. .J., surveys bi.. Vvookey lake V)unK, G. A.. miero,copic de^crintm,,- c Yi>kon river (see Assup). "'"'"*"'" ^ °f 'ocks .. I» • ■ 47 .. 30 8 • 87, 49 ■ • 24 •27, 28 • . 3.5 .. 32 • • 43 .. 23 .. 8 .. 33 9 49 9 27 '. 23 38 8 4» SI 16 33 46 16 8 20 Pasi. •• .. 19 .. .. 10 ■0, 23, 50 37. 3H, 3» • •■ 19 • .. 47 ■ .. 36 . .. 8 .•»7. 49 , .. 24 ••27. 28 .. 35 .. 32 .. 45 .. 25 .. 8 .. 3S 9 49 9 27 't 2.1 38 8 4» 51 16 33 46 16 8 20 L*" AREAL CCOLOGY. EXPLORATORr 5 III LEGEND Otrft 1.^11 mi ti«n SvinbolH 0«^fat)r ^Wy tory Strfll* SAC i > j hpoAttxttd 0f jihtrs OIOIOOICAI •UNVCV Hon W Tcm^liman MtNisrcn : A P Low. Dcputy MiMisTtn. RWBkOCII DlNICTM I9IO 7*^ 77m 4, ,^ >r»i ?"c. IT \» >«« ^ir- ry- f«« / y / / ^^^mam mt z 2 IK ■- »— ■». — - ■ . K Krr^ifll > a. inUmX ui^.t «;..JU»-U Wa. k^i V Jiat^^ >i<.4»H» ik/«>.M^Jb..M Svinbiii t wi^.-^ ^^ ;: H O IT Y N XfjSi I-- /^, f •»-: .\ S if IL ji^X •:, ■/ V" I) ll^FAY f.'^ ;MONTBEIL1.AKJjC^ B E lj L E (' U M B £ f i ,Umm Z«Ar "9*1» M. I II ■■Mto r(»H M B E / \5i. i^#/.. i -^. ■f^v M <> N T AJ* I tt R ^ SITKIMK Air ■\ w.. Kf) in-l N IK HK ffivA llo/n /.u>. -i >._ , 7H-M 7H I •»»*■ IIH'.tilr'. ■;■ / XATIOXAi. TR.V>SCO>-riXKNT.VL R.VILWAY ABITIBI DISTRICT S«i,l,. •*' *«nit »Hr«^ • M- f S TO I INCH sill K« Ks (IK l^•^nH^ kY 'i K#il /»*7 is«t >*fi ini».. nllll^lr- « . IIIIS.Ur>^n •*.. It,-. I t H>t— 41 / / \HI«tm, /Ml l.PRui '•-. Vali>a4l Ir... .,....,.. :- ■*ro « ■ W.i.fc , SOCRfES or IKFOaUAnON ■INLm ItWjMdk.iWW Sterr^'- MM/WPMW n«iai«.»M ^ > — ■'■■I'l J Rii»«. ittH t ^J^Iam^m^etTtmth ill2 ^^^^^^^