404 Our North Land. 



Athabaska comprises an area of about 122,000 square miles, 

 bounded on the south by the District of Alberta ; on the east by the 

 line between the tenth and eleventh ranges of townships west of the 

 fourth initial meridian, until in proceeding northwards that line inter- 

 sects the Athabaska River, then by that river and the Athabaska 

 Lake and Slave River to the intersection of this with the northern 

 boundary, which is the 32nd correction line, or about the 60th 

 parallel of north latitude ; and westward by the Province of British 

 Columbia. 



In these vast territories are immense lake and river systems. 

 The Mackenzie is one of the largest rivers in the world, and empties 

 into the Arctic Ocean. Its estimated length is two thousand five 

 hundred miles, including the Slave River, which is part of its system. 

 This river is generally navigable except at the base of the Rocky 

 Mountains, where it is interrupted by cascades. The country through 

 which it runs is very rich in mineral wealth. The Peace River, 

 another great stream of the North- West, has an estimated course of 

 one thousand one hundred miles, draining a vast country containing 

 great agricultural and mineral resources. 



Another great river which takes its rise in the Rocky Mountains, 

 is the Saskatchewan, which empties into Lake Winnipeg, having a 

 total length of about 1,500 miles. This river is navigable from the 

 lake to Fort Edmonton, and it drains an immense agricultural region. 

 There are numerous other rivers in this territory, such as the 

 Nelson, the Churchill, the Winnipeg and the Assiniboine. The lakes 

 are the Great Bear Lake, the Great Slave Lake, the Athabaska, Lake 

 Winnipeg and others. .The Great Bear Lake contains an area of 

 14,000 square miles. The Great Slave Lake has a length from east 

 to west of three hundred miles, its greatest breadth being fifty 

 miles. The Athabaska Lake has a length of two hundred and thirty 

 miles, averaging fourteen miles in width, having, however, a very 

 much greater width in some places. Lake Winnipeg has a length 

 of two hundred and eighty miles, with a breadth of fifty-five miles, 

 but its shape is very irregular. There are numerous other lakes of 

 large size in the North-West. The Nelson River drains the waters of 

 Lake Winnipeg into Hudson's Bay ; and the extent of its discharge 



