70 REPORT OF THE No. 3 



As to the sections of the country lying in between the lines I am unable to 

 say much, but I am convinced that what I saw from the lines is a very fair aver- 

 age of the whole. My packers were continually travelling across country away 

 from the line and what they say confirms me in this belief. They report a very 

 considerable area of white pine between the first and second meridian about oppo- 

 site the twenty-third mile on the first meridian. They also report splendid pine 

 along the Aubinadong Rivers north of the first base line. 



Geological and Physical. 



The country as a whole is very rough and in some places mountainous, the 

 rocks being mostly granite and gneiss of the Laurentian age. The southern part 

 of the country is the roughest, as the hills and rock ridges are higher, but along 

 the second base line the ground is very much broken, although the hills are not 

 so high. In the northern part of the country there are more gravel and boulder 

 ridges than in the southern part. The Aubinadong River occupies a deep valley 

 with rough rocky cliffs visible in every direction. 



There is no agricultural land worth considering. Where the country 

 is not broken with rock or boulder ridges the land is either sandy or stony, and in 

 most of the valleys are the muskegs typical of this part of the country. 



There are numerous small lakes, but few of any size. The largest is crossed 

 by the second base line at the second and third mile. This lake extends about five 

 miles to the north and forms the headwaters of the west branch of the Aubinadong 

 river. There are also two or three lakes of two or three miles long on the Goulais 

 River and its branches. 



The territory included within the limits of the survey is drained by the waters 

 of the Aubinadong River or west branch of the Mississaga River and its tribu- 

 taries and by the Goulais River. A comparatively small area in the southern por- 

 tion is drained by the Garden River, while a small area in the northwest comer 

 goes to Lake Superior by way of the Batchewaung River. These streams, while of 

 considerable size, are all very rough and very difficult to travel on account of the 

 long portages and many rapids. The lakes are mostly small and isolated and 

 there are very few canoe routes that can be used, and the question of transporta- 

 tion is one of very great difficulty. The larger lakes at the head waters of the 

 rivers will be useful for reservoir purposes when the question of driving timber 

 down these streams is considered. I may say, however, that all the streams within 

 the limits of the survey will require very extensive improvements before it will 

 be possible to use them for driving timber. There is one considerable fall on the 

 west branch of the Aubinadong River, near mile nineteen on the first meridian 

 line which would be useful for water power purposes. There are no large water 

 powers, however, on any of these streams, as there is not the volume of water in 

 any of them to make a large power, and the falls, while numerous, are more of 

 the nature of continuous rapids, which would require a large expenditure of money 

 in order to utilize the fall. 



The magnetic variation was fairly constant at an average of three degrees 

 forty minutes west. 



\ 

 Fish and Game. 



Moose and red deer are in great abundance. Wolves are also veiy numerous 

 and could be heard howling almost every night. Very few signs of beaver were 



