THE MEDITERRANEAN OF CANADA. 



231 



able height, as much as thirty-two feet at springs in some places, and 

 in their fluctuations create tide-races, which have to be taken into con- 

 sideration and carefullv allowed for. Thus at the entrance to Church- 

 ill there is a tide-race, the velocity of which was estimated to be not 

 less than seven knots. 



In the matter of weather, Hudson Strait would seem to compare 

 very favorably with that great highway of commerce, the Strait of 

 Belle Isle, as the following table, which is for the month of August, 

 clearly indicates : 



Number of days on which fog is recorded 



Approximate number of hours of fog , 



Days on which snow fell 



Days on which rain fell 



Days on which wind exceeded twenty-five miles per hour, but 



did not reach forty 



Days on which wind exceeded forty miles 



Hudson 



Strait. 



9 



102 

 4 

 8 



5 



1 



This is a very favorable showing for Hudson Strait, and it is 

 strengthened by the annexed table, affording a comparison between 

 Station No. 1 at Cape Chudleigh and Belle Isle. This table covers 

 the month of September : 



Number of days on which fog is recorded 



Approximate number of hours of fog 



Days on which snow fell 



Days on which rain fell , 



Days on which velocity of wind was between twenty-five and 



forty miles per hour 



Days on which velocity of wind was forty miles or over per 



hour 



Hudson 

 Strait. 



4 

 34 



8 

 (5 



So far as weather is concerned, therefore, Hudson Strait enjoys a 

 decided advantage over Belle Isle Strait, and on that ground, at all 

 events, presents no difficulties of such a character that they can not 

 readily be overcome by experienced, careful navigators. 



Those portions of Lieutenant Gordon's report which deal with the 

 resources and trade of the region he visited, interesting and important 

 as they are, must be passed over for the present, while we hasten on 

 to what he has to say concerning its natural history. Before doing so, 

 however, it is worth noting that, although Hudson Bay belongs to 

 Canada, its whale and walrus fisheries have been hitherto enjoyed by 

 the Americans altogether, and the fur-trade has been entirely monopo- 

 lized by the Hudson Bay Company,, so that the Dominion practically 

 obtains no benefit from these vast possessions whatever. Lieutenant 

 Gordon accordingly, very properly, presses upon the Government of 

 Canada the necessity of their turning their attention to this unaccount- 



