1914-15 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS, FORESTS AND MINES. 53 



Of mines and minerals little need be said. The rock is all of the Laurentian 

 pink t3^e, utterly devoid of any minerals. In all of the too numerous exposures 

 of rock, not one quartz vein or stringer did I discover, no not even the ubiquitous 

 white iron. The compass gave no sudden indication of abundant mineral. It 

 ranged from 7 to 10 degrees. The islands are composed of the same rock, some 

 having a few sand beaches. 



On the Wabigoon river are two water falls or rapids of minor importance. 

 The upper rapid just south of the third concession, has a fall of about 6-10 of a 

 foot. The lower one has the same fall. Both are shallow and the canoeman must 

 watch to choose the proper channel. It is, therefore, needless to reserve any land 

 here for power purposes. The falls in Wabigoon are the proper ones to develop. 



Fish are found in all of the lakes. Clay lake has white fish which the other 

 waters have not. Jack fish and pickerel inhabit the other waters. 



Black Bluff lake is as clear as crystal. The water is good and cool being fed 

 by springs at the east end. It is shallow, and drains through the east end. No 

 creek drains into it. Judging from the shore line its level does not vary much. 



Of an entirely different nature is Mack lake. It is low and marshy. Dark 

 and brackish are its waters. It is small and its level is nearly uniform. 



Clay lake is a large body of water of semi-transparency. No unpleasant taste 

 can be detected in its waters. Excellent fish of various varieties are caught. It is 

 not a deep lake; the wind almost any day churns up its waters east of the cluster 

 of islands. Its shore is fairly even, but is uniformly rocky and covered with small 

 jack pine. Its shores are not steep, but a ridge follows the shore generally. The 

 islands in the lake are suitable for resort purposes, being similar to the islands at 

 Minaki. 



Bowden, Red Pine and Long lakes are really one. In the first two are a few 

 small rocky islands. They are shaggy looking and low. The water in these lakes is 

 fairly clear and has a pleasant taste, Long lake being the clearest. Long lake has 

 an area of weeds at its entrance, the lake here being very shallow. It has alternate 

 high and low shores, but all are uniformly rocky. Fish of all the common varieties 

 are found in these waters. Bowden received its name at the time of the construc- 

 tion of the Grand Trunk Pacific. All call it that and the common name of Blue- 

 berry should be forgotten. Mr. Bowden was one of my gang and I think the name 

 should be continued. 



Only small creeks run into this basin; the one from Yellow lake being also 

 very small and impassable due to rocks and shallowness. 



Yellow is a marshy lake. Its waters are darkish yellow; has a swampish 

 taste. On its banks especially on the north resides splendid jack pine and spruce. 

 Jack fish and pickerel are caught here. 



All the surplus water passes off through the Hutchinson creek, a stream 

 averaging five chains wide passing through low lands during its short course. 



The soil of this township is very similar to Wabigoon. It is a whitish clay, 

 fine and very compact. Only in the low places did I dispover any black soil. In 

 this township I found no sand. I found the south-east part of the township unfit 

 for farming being composed mainly of bare rock. SmaH portions are good but 

 they are scattered. Blueberries we saw in plenty. The choice portion of the 

 township is the south-west where all the squatters reside. 0^ this part also grows 

 the best timber. Rock occurs frequently in this part, hut the soil is the master. 

 In the north-east part it is very patchy. Very-little timber of any moment will be 

 found. The south-central part has considerable small poplar and this will likely 



