1927 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS 57 



Canoe Routes 



"The canoe routes have all been sketched on the accompanying plan along 

 with the portages and their approximate lengths. The main route runs along 

 the Shabumeni Lake, Shabumeni River, Birch Lake, Keigat Lake and north- 

 easterly through Jackpine Lake to the Cat River. There is also a route running 

 south and east from Springpole Lake to the headwater of the Winnesaga River 

 and to Cat River. None of these routes had been used much recently until this 

 year, but the fire rangers are getting the portages well cut out and blazed, and 

 where necessary corduroyed. 



"We did not find any falls capable of power development. 



Game 



"Bears are fairly plentiful in this district. Signs of moose, deer and caribou 

 were seen but none of these are very plentiful. There were more signs of moose 

 than of the others, but very few of these were seen. 



"Owing to the absence of birch and poplar, with the exception of the shores 

 of the big lakes, very few indications of beaver were seen, but a few new dams 

 were noticed on some of the smaller streams. 



"Pike and pickerel are very plentiful in Birch and Shabumeni Lakes, and 

 there is no doubt but there must be white fish and lake trout in these and Spring- 

 pole Lake. We did not meet any Indians or trappers and were unable to gather 

 any information in this way. 



"There were the usual summer frosts and ice was found in thick swamps 

 all summer. The season was exceptionally wet, there not being more than fifteen 

 days all summer that it did not rain at night or during the day. The water in 

 the lakes and creeks appeared to be exceptionally high all season/' 



Appendix No. 22 



Copy of Speight & vanNostrand's report of the 9th meridian line, district of 

 Patricia. 



"We have the honour to submit the following report on the survey of the 

 part of the 9th base line in the district of Patricia lying between the meridian 

 line run by Kenneth Ross, O.L.S., in 1920, and the Manitoba Boundary. Our 

 instructions from your department for the performance of this work are dated 

 2nd March, 1926. " 



"The instructions containing a stipulation that the work was to be done 

 as early in the season as possible, preparations were made to assemble the survey 

 party necessary at the earliest date by which we felt danger from ice would be 

 over, but unfortunately, at the last moment, unexpected complications made it 

 necessary to postpone the date of assembly for a few days. The party, fourteen 

 men all told, however, left Sioux Lookout on 31st May, and the work being 

 prosecuted diligently from that time on, we believe that the base line was avail- 

 able for surveyors before it was actually required by way of them. 



