OR, THE LAKE LANDS OF CANADA. 83 



were a hundred years ago. It was in this great forest that 

 I spent six weeks without meeting a human being, except 

 the members of my own party, or seeing even a trapper's 

 cabin, with the exception of two or three that had been 

 built by the Ross brothers. These brothers had been 

 trapping in that wilderness about fourteen years, and are 

 certain that when they first entered it it did not contain 

 moose nor any trace of those animals. They say that the 

 moose made their appearance here after the prevalence of 

 heavy forest fires which prevailed in the country east of 

 this region, and that this was contemporaneous with the 

 commencement of work on the Canadian Pacific Railroad. 

 I wrote to Captain George Ross, making my engagement 

 with him about the middle of July, 1884; thus early in order 

 that he might prepare the necessary outfit, and likewise 

 construct new birch-bark canoes, and engage an assistant 

 guide, etc. He promptly informed me of his acceptance, 

 and promised to have everything in readiness for us. It 

 was, therefore, with the fullest confidence in the complete- 

 ness of my arrangements that I took my departure from 

 Jersey City on the evening of the 2Oth of September, 1884, 

 in company with my photographer. 



Nothing of importance transpired until we reached 

 Gravenhurst wharf, on the 22d of September. This oc- 

 curred at about two P.M., and we went immediately on 

 board of the steamboat " Nippissing," where I met an in- 

 telligent gentleman, who informed me that he was one of 

 the first settlers in the vicinity of Rosseau, having settled 

 about thirty years ago in the backwoods, built for himself 

 and wife a small log cabin, and afterwards cut down the 



