1919-20 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS, FORESTS AND MINES. 73 



Appendix No. 27. 

 Survey of a Meridian Line in the District of Kenora. 



Little Current, Ont., October 1st, 1919. 



Sir, — I have the honour to submit to you the following report on the survey 

 of a meridian line in the District of Kenora under instructions from your Depart- 

 ment dated Toronto, April 15th, 1919. 



I commenced the work on the 12th of June at the iron posts at the north- 

 west angle of the Township of Rowell, as directed, with a party of 18, composed 

 of 9 from this vicinity and 9 from the Lac Seul country. My intention was 

 to add to the party, Indians, as guides and canoemen, after crossing Lac Seul, 

 and for which I had arranged with the Hudson's Bay Co. 



Owing to the Winnipeg strike which interrupted seriously the transportation 

 of supplies on the Canadian Government Railways, I was unable to proceed 

 earlier with the work. - 



The line was continued to the north shore of Lac Seul, a distance of 33 miles 

 and 5 chains, which point was reached about the 10th of July. Here the Indian 

 packers from the Lac Seul country refused to proceed any further — three of them 

 had deserted some miles back — and of the canoemen and guides arranged for only 

 three arrived. They also intimated that they could remain only a few weeks. 

 An effort was then made to obtain more help at the Lac Seul and Pine Ridge 

 posts, but hardly any good men appeared to be available. Finding, therefore, 

 that I would probably not be able to proceed much farther this season, and 

 being much broken in health, I concluded to discontinue the work for the time. 



At the end of each mile a wooden post 6 inches square, of the most durable 

 wood convenient was planted and marked on the south side the number of miles, 

 as 1 M., etc., from the initial point. In addition to this at the end of every 

 third mile an iron post li/4 inches in diameter was planted beside the wooden 

 one and similarly marked. Where a mile came in a lake a post was planted on 

 the nearest shore and the miles and chains marked on it. Two bearing trees 

 were also marked at every post, all of which was duly entered in the field notes. 



The line was well blazed in the usual way — a blaze on the side of the tree 

 facing the line and on the north and south sides of it. 



Frequent observations of Polaris were made to check the bearing of the line 

 which was projected north astronomically. 



The first mile is mostly large timber, the swamp areas containing m*uch black 

 spruce and some cedar, and the higher ground jack pine, poplar and balsam. 



From the 2nd to the 16th miles the country is principally brule, on the 

 high land, with a growth of jack pine, birch, spruce, balsam and poplar about 

 3 inches in diameter. In the lower tracts which escaped the fire there is consider- 

 able black spruce up to 12 inches in diameter. Between Ord and Miller Lakes, 

 in the 6th mile, there is big green timber. From the 16th mile to the end of 

 the work it is mostly big timber of the same kind and quality. In many places 

 there is some good cedar. 



The entire country traversed appears to be red granite and destitute of 

 mineral. 



Rocky ridges with sand, boulders and gravel interlying are the main features 

 up to the 17th mile where the south cove of Lac Seul was intersected. From 



6 F.M. 



