28 



On the main body of the lake, and to the northward, the summer 

 season is shorter and colder than in the vicinity of the post. During 

 the month of July, the low lands bordering the lake were frozen solid 

 within one foot of the surface, in all places where the trees were at all 

 dmse. This marked difference is undoubtedly due to the proximity to 

 such a large body of cold water, which lowers the general temperature 

 oi the air Juring the warmer portions of the year. The soil overlying 

 the Laurentian gneisses and schi.-ts is light and sandy, only a thin 

 layer generally resting on these rocks. 



At the Hudson Bay post, the most favorable point on the lake for 

 agriculture, a poor crop of potatoes is raised yearly. They are small, 

 as the tops are always frozen before reaching maturity. In the spring, 

 as soon as the frost was out of the ground, I sowed garden peas, beans, 

 corn, and turnips. On August 20th the peas were beginning to fill the 

 pods, the beans were in flower, and the corn only eighteen inches above 

 the ground ; the turnips also were growing nicely. I believe that 

 barley has been sown here, but would not ripen. 



Covering the higher ground, at the southern end, white spruce, 

 poplar, balsam- fir and white birch trees were found, some of which 

 had a diameter of eighteen inches, three feet from the ground. The 

 swamps are covered with a thick growth of small-sizsd black spruce and 

 tamarac, and the small areas of bui ned land are generally clad with a 

 second-growth of banksian pine. 



Having no pork, our men from lake St. John refused to remain 

 longer, so Mr. Macoun and I were again alone at the post awaiting 

 the arrival of the brigade from the coast, having engaged a passage down 

 the Rupert river in the canoe returning there. 



After the arrival of the canoes, we left on Aug. 22nd, and travel- 

 ling from daylight to dark in a large canoe with ten paddles, we reached 

 Rupert House September 3rd. From that place we crossed the south 

 end of James Bay to Moose Factory, and then went up the Moose 

 River to the C. P. Ry. at the Height of Land, where we left the canoes 

 after an interior water journey of over 1000 miles. 



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