1 9 14] Algonquian Indian Names in Northern Canada 213 



ALGONQUIAN INDIAN NAMES OF PLACES IN 

 NORTHERN CANADA. 



By J. B. Tyrrell, M.A., F.R.S.C. 



{Read 20th March, 191 5) 



Between the years 1883 and 1898 my work as a Geologist on the Staff 

 of the Geological Survey of Canada made it necessary for me to travel 

 through some of the more remote parts of northern and western Canada, 

 where but few white men, or in some places no white men, had preceded 

 me, and where the geographical features were either very imperfectly 

 known or quite unknown. It was therefore at all times advantageous, 

 and at almost all times absolutely necessary, for me to survey the 

 routes over which I travelled, and to make intelligible maps of these 

 routes, and of as much of the adjoining country as it was possible for me 

 to observe, in order that I might correctly designate on these maps the 

 positions of the various rocks and natural phenomena encountered. 

 In this way these observations were correlated from day to day as the 

 work of exploration proceeded, and a comprehensive view of the mineral 

 resources and geological structure of the region explored was obtained. 

 Such maps also made it possible for others, who might subsequently 

 wish to follow my routes, or to travel on routes in the vicinity of mine, 

 to identify my positions, and to use my observations in connection with 

 their own in the further study of the regions. Finally, they served to 

 inform geologists and mining engineers throughout the world of the 

 exact positions and relationships of the various ores, rocks and geological 

 formations discovered and identified. 



In order that the natural features of the countries explored might be 

 intelligently referred to in my Reports, and in those of others who might 

 wish to allude to them later, it was necessary that names should be 

 applied to them, whether such features were mountains, lakes, rivers, or 

 islands. 



If white men happened to be living in the districts visited, and if 

 these men had local names for such natural features, these local names 

 were retained whenever they did not conflict with well-known names 

 elsewhere. But much of the country explored was without white inhabi- 

 tants and the only names immediately available were those used by 

 Indians who lived in the country. Indians were employed by me as 



