DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS FOR 1931 99 



at various angles. This diabase is very highly resistant to erosion and the result 

 is that the incessant pounding of the waves has worn the rocks into all sorts 

 of fantastic shapes, many of which are extremely beautiful. Several natural 

 tunnels were observed and other odd forms are quite plentiful. 



St. Ignace Island is the largest island surveyed and as a matter of fact 

 it is the largest island in Lake Superior in Canadian territory. It is nearly 

 sixteen miles long and is over seven miles wide. 



It is high and rugged with many hills rising to a height of over five hundred 

 feet and in one place the elevation is over twelve hundred feet above Lake 

 Superior. On the north side, however, there are long stretches of flat stony 

 shore but only a short distance back are rocky hills rising several hundred feet 

 above the lake. There are several small lakes on St. Ignace Island where speckled 

 trout are said to be plentiful and some small streams on this island also contain 

 trout. St. Ignace Island and the other islands in the vicinity are very popular 

 with tourists and a number of camping parties were met during the season. 



One noticeable feature of the shore line is that there are very few sand 

 beaches. There are numerous stretches of gravel beach, the gravel being separated 

 into layers of different sizes by the action of the waves. Many of these beaches 

 have been staked as gravel claims, and from these, particularly at Paradise 

 Island, large quantities of gravel have been removed and taken to Port Arthur 

 and Fort William for construction purposes. 



From a scenic standpoint the whole territory, both islands and mainland 

 is extremely beautiful. The ever recurring contrasts between the bold precipitous 

 rocks with the smooth gravel beaches are very attractive to the lover of natural 

 beauty. While Lake Superior is subject at times to savage storms when the lake 

 becomes so rough that small boats cannot live on its surface, there are numerous 

 harbours for small craft and nearly all of the islands afford attractive camping 

 places. 



Lumbering operations have been carried on extensively all along the shore 

 and on most of the larger islands, and much of the best timber suitable for 

 pulpwood has been removed. The beauty of the landscape as seen from the 

 lake does not appear to have suffered to any great extent however, as the thick 

 mantle of smaller timber still remains. The piles of brush, etc., which one en- 

 counters on landing in many places does not add to the attractiveness of the 

 country, however. Several areas have suffered from fires in recent years however, 

 such as on Edward Island, on the east side of Sturgeon Bay and on the west 

 side of Nipigon Straits. Some of the larger islands have been burned over in 

 the past and are now covered with a healthy growth of young trees. 



During the latter part of June and early in July red trout of large size are 

 easily caught with a troll on the reefs outside the islands, and speckled trout 

 of large size, locally known as "coasters" are to be caught at all seasons in many 

 of the channels between the islands and along the talus heaps at the foot of 

 the rougher shores. 



Moose and caribou were often seen in the vicinity of St. Ignace and Simpson 

 Islands and occasionally in other places. 



The magnetic variation generally ranges from one degree east to two degrees 

 west, but there is a considerable range as there is much local attraction in many 

 places. 



Complete plans have been prepared showing all the essential information 

 obtained during the survey. These plans are on a scale of 20 chains to 1 inch 

 as instructed and complete tracings of the plans are submitted herewith. These 

 tracings are in two sheets one showing all islands and the mainland between 



