72 EEPOET OF THE No. 3 



Lake St. Joseph is, of course, the most important geographical feature of 

 this section of the country. It is a narrow, straggling sheet of water about sixty 

 miles long, from Eoot Portage at the western extremity to where the Albany 

 River flows out at the eastern end. It has an exceedingly intricate shore line in 

 places with many deep bays extending far back from the main body of the lake. 

 There are innumerable islands of all sizes, from small bare rocks to some which 

 are of several miles in length. The lake for the greater part of its extent is 

 rather narrow, but in some places widens out to a width of from six to eight 

 miles. The numerous islands make it difficult in many places to get a good idea 

 of its dimensions, but the average width is probably not much over two miles. 

 Much of the country around Lake St. Joseph has been burnt over at different 

 times in the past, and the timber along the shore is largely second growth of 

 different ages. The timber on many of the islands appears to be older than 

 that on the main shore, probably due to the fact that the islands escaped the fires. 

 The shores of Lake St. Joseph are for the greater part low lying, although some 

 rather prominent hills occur around the western end of the lake. Lake St. 

 Joseph is called the head of the Albany Eiver, although the Cat Eiver which 

 enters the north-western extremity of the lake takes its rise probably oue hundred 

 miles or more to the north-west and by the time it reaches Lake St. Joseph it 

 is a considerable stream. 



The Hudson's Bay Company have a post called Osnaburgh near the eastern 

 end of Lake St. Joseph, where a considerable trade in furs is carried on with 

 the Indians. Supplies for Osnaburgh Post are brought in from Hudson Station 

 on the Canadian Government Eailway, over a very good route by gasoline boat 

 across Lost Lake down English Eiver and across Lac Seul, thence by canoe up 

 Eoot Eiver to Eoot Portage at the western end of Lake St. Joseph. This portage 

 is over the divide between Winnipeg and Albany Eiver waters. From here sup- 

 plies are taken to Osnaburgh by a small steamboat which is operated on Lake 

 St. Joseph by the Hudson's Bay Company. 



The geological features of the country will be separately reported upon by 

 Professor Parsons, therefore, they will receive but passing mention in this report. 

 The prevailing rock formation over the whole territory is Laurentian, typical 

 rocks being granite and gneiss. Several areas of Keewatin rocks were encountere<l. 

 and in almost every case there was a local magnetic attraction of the most pro- 

 nounced character. The first of these occurs in the vicinity of Island Lake about 

 ten miles north of the Canadian Grovernment Eailway, and extends easterly to 

 Lake Savant. The most important area of magnetic disturbance in this belt 

 occurs on Kashaweogama Lake lying to the east of Island Lake. An important 

 belt of Keewatin rock occurs in the vicinity of Lake St. Joseph, and here again 

 the magnetic disturbances are of the most pronounced character, and extend for 

 a long distance east and west of the line. Low grade hematite and magnetite 

 were seen on some of the islands in the western portion of the lake. Another 

 belt of Keewatin occurs between the 79th mile and Clearwater Lake, the contact 

 being in the lake, probably between the 87th and 88th miles. This belt is possibly 

 an eastern extension of one which crosses Cat Eiver near Slate Lake, and appears 

 to be of considerable extent. 



Still another belt of Keewatin extends for a considerable distance along the 

 Gitchie Seebe Eiver west of the meridian line, but apparently not extending as 

 far east as the line. Considerable magnetic disturbance occurs on this belt, and 

 here again there are indications of iron ore. 



