28o CANADIAN NIGHTS 



stated that there is only ten feet of water at the 

 head of the tideway ; a fact which of course 

 entirely precludes ocean steamers from ascending 

 the river. For vessels drawing less than ten feet 

 it is navigable for about a hundred miles ; but at 

 that distance from the sea there is a rapid or fall 

 that entirely puts a stop to navigation, and renders 

 it impossible for vessels of light draught to descend 

 the river from the lake to the sea. 



I do not suppose that either the Nelson or Hayes 

 River has ever been thoroughly and accurately 

 surveyed, sounded, or reported on by engineers 

 with a view to future navigation ; and so wonderful 

 is the way in which man wars against nature by 

 means of engineering skill, that I should be sorry 

 to assert that this route is now, and always will 

 remain, impracticable. But I know that it presents 

 great, and I fear it presents insuperable, difficulties. 

 It is certain that the Nelson, a river which, as far as 

 the volume of water discharged by it is concerned, 

 ought to be navigable for large ships, is rendered 

 useless and impassable by obstructions which 

 must be of a serious nature, seeing that the 

 Hudson's Bay Company prefer Hayes River to it. 

 Hayes River is merely a boat route, and not even 

 a good one, for it contains, as I have before stated, 



