78 REPORT OF THE No. 7 



Along the river banks and in its immediate vicinity, merchantable timber, 

 such as spruce, balsam, jack pine, birch and cedar is in scattered areas and on 

 the whole the stands are only fair. The greater part of the river section consists 

 of second and young growth trees. The country about the several railway 

 crossings mentioned in above report has been fire swept and left almost barren, 

 and s nee grown up with small birch and poplar. 



Shikwamkwa River 



The description of this river commences in Tp. 24, R. 25 from about two 

 miles up stream from Dalton Mills. A mile above the mills the river is crossed 

 by a railway spur connecting the Main Line of the Canadian Pacific Railway, 

 above which point the river is swift and narrow, traversing through high banks 

 of sand and gravel. Below the railway spur crossing is Shikwamkwa Lake 

 which is about 7 miles in length. This lake is navigable for large launches which 

 are being extensively used in connection with logging operations. The water 

 of the lake is clear and the banks are generally high with here and there high 

 hills of sandy soil with rock outcrops. 



A short distance below the foot of Shikwamkwa Lake is Nicholson's dam 

 which when closed backs the water up a maximum height of 10 feet (Ele. 1104). 

 Below the lake the river runs south westerly for a distance of seven miles to a 

 pomt called Jane Falls, the current in this stretch of river is fast with a descent 

 of 55 feet and traversing through banks of gravel and sand of from 4 to 20 feet 

 high. At Jane Falls there is a drop of 15 feet. Below Jane Falls the river runs 

 generally south west for about 8 miles to the head of Dona Falls which is about 

 10 chains east of the east limit of Tp. 27, R. 23. There is about 26 feet fall in 

 this section and the banks of the river are from 5 to 15 feet in height above this 

 water stage, with occasional rock outcrops. 



Dona Falls consists of a series of falls and rapids over a distance of half a 

 mile, with a total drop of 21 feet. Fifteen chains below this again is a canyon 

 with a fall of 13 feet. Below the canyon for a distance of about five and a half 

 miles the current is swift with several rapids, and having a total fall of about 20 

 feet to the junction with the Whitefish River, the combined streams forming 

 the Michipicoten River. The survey continues two miles down stream to the 

 crossing of the Main Line of the Algoma Central and Hudson Bay Railway, 

 12.52 chains north from mile 152. In this last stretch of river the current is 

 swift and in many places rapid. The banks are usually high, from 5 to 20 feet 

 made up of gravel and sand. 



In respect to timber along this river I observe that a considerable portion 

 of the country has been lumbered for pulp wood and railway ties, and portions 

 of the cut over land have been burned, some of this area showing a thrifty growth 

 of young timber; but there still remains large areas of merchantable timber 

 consisting of spruce, balsam, birch, jack pine, and cedar. 



Whitefish River and Lake 



This river commences at the foot of Manitowik Lake and flows in a general 

 south westerlv direction for a distance of about 13 miles, with a total fall of 

 56 feet (Ele. 978 to Ele. 922). 



The Whitefish and Shikwankwa Rivers join one abother, forming the Michi- 

 picoten River. This connection takes place at a point about two miles up the 

 Michipicoten River from the crossing of the Main Line of the Algoma Central 

 and Hudson Bay Railway. 



