Navigation of Hudson's Bay and Strait. 271 



" The land is high and bold all along both sides of Hudson 

 Strait, with deep water near the shores. In places it rises to a 

 height of 1,000 feet and upwards, immediately overlooking the shore 

 A few signal stations could be placed upon these heights so as to 

 command a view of the entire surface of the water. By means of 

 the telegraph between these stations they could be enabled to com- 

 municate to vessels the position of drifting ice when any was present, 

 which might, in the absence of such information, interfere with their 

 movements. It is believed that steam vessels would thus be able to 

 pass through the Strait without difficulty during a sufficiently long 

 period of the year. 



" The length of the season during which it is possible to navigate 

 Hudson Strait by steamships is unknown. The Bay might be 

 navigated during the whole year. The whole region is by no means 

 of such an arctic character as is popularly supposed. Moose Factory 

 is south of London, so that a great part of the Bay lies in the same 

 latitudes as the British Islands. It is sufficiently far removed from 

 the cold ocean current, which passes down the east coast of America, 

 to escape its prejudicial influence ; while the region on the west side 

 of the Bay begins to enjoy the benefit of the moderate climate of the 

 great North- West Territories of Canada. At Martin's Falls, on the 

 Albany River, a record of the weather extending continuously over 

 fifty years shows the open season to last for six months. The dates 

 of the opening and freezing of Hayes' River at York Factory have 

 been preserved for fifty-two years, and the average period of open 

 water is there found to be rather more than six months. Nelson 

 River, which is much larger, remains open for a considerably longer 

 time each year. 



" The ships of the Hudson's Bay Company, having to make only 

 one voyage a year, naturally choose the season most convenient for 

 themselves. The New England whalers pass in and out of the Bay 

 at other seasons. They no doubt carry on a successful and 

 profitable business, but it appears to be difficult to obtain 

 information in this quarter in regard to the navigation of the Strait, 

 as the parties interested wish to retain the advantages of their 

 experience for their own benefit. Messrs. Job Bros. & Co., prominent 



