CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



Dr. Bell's Hudson's Bay Explorations. 



the east main coast of hudson's bay — vast tract of agricul- 

 tural lands lying between the great lakes and james's 

 bay — the climate of that country — minerals of the east 

 main coast — general features of the country — timber, etc. 



REVIOUS chapters contain an account of the principal points 

 on the west coast of Hudson's Bay. It is the purpose of 

 this chapter to give a brief description of the east main 

 coast ; and, in doing so, I will rely chiefly upon the records 

 of the expedition of Dr. Bell in 1877, in connection with the 

 Geological Survey. His party made the journey to James's Bay, 

 leaving Michipicoten, on Lake Superior, on the 11th of June, and, 

 taking the ordinary canoe route, which is four hundred miles to 

 Moose Factory, the distance occupied them just nineteen days. 

 " Our loads," says Dr. Bell, " which amounted to between six thousand 

 to seven thousand pounds, and the four canoes to about one thousand 

 five hundred more, required to be carried on the men's backs twenty- 

 seven times past falls, chutes and the height of land, and the whole 

 or the greater part of the load upwards of a dozen times more, 

 making in all some forty "portages or ' demi-charges.' No accident 

 of any consequence occurred on the trip, and the whole of our 

 supplies were delivered at Moose in perfect condition." 



At Moose Factory, through the courtesy of Mr. S. K. Parson, the 

 gentleman in charge of the Hudson's Bay trading post there, Dr. 

 Bell obtained the use of a schooner's jolly-boat for the journey of 

 exploration along the east main coast of the Bay. His crew con- 

 sisted of four voyageurs from Lake Superior, and one assistant. 



Two Indian guides, belonging to the country, were tried in 



