66 REPORT OF THE No. 3 



The actual work of the survey was commenced from the base line run by 

 O.L.S. Fitzgerald, in 1910, and the development of the work can be seen at a 

 glance over the index map accompanying the field notes of the survey. Our 2nd 

 and 3rd meridians were commenced from the above base line and run north; 

 while our first meridian was turned north and south from the first base line. Our 

 first and second base lines were turned east and west from the 8nd meridian. This 

 arrangement gave us the fullest use of canoe routes and the greatest protection 

 against fire and theft in the matter of supplies. 



Wooden posts were planted at half-mile intervals marked with the mileage 

 from % M to 5^ M dating on meridian lines from south to north and on base 

 lines from east' to west. With two exceptions, iron posts, 1% inches in diameter, 

 3 feet long, forged at top and pointed at bottom, painted red, were planted 

 beside the wooden posts to mark the several township corners. These iron posts 

 were marked with the names of the townships facing diagonally into same, and ii 

 one instance where the base line between Zavitz and Hutt intersects the 'district 

 line in Big Pike Lake, the iron post was planted west 'of the lake, and in addition 

 to the names of the townships was marked with the distance from the district line 

 intersection. No iron post was planted where the base line between Halliday and 

 Hutt intersects the district line at a distance of twenty-seven links north from 

 the iron post at 84 M, planted by O.L.S. Niven; nor was any planted where the 

 meridian between Zavitz and English intersects the base line forming the northerly 

 boundary of those townships at a distance of 5.565 chains easterly from the 

 iron post at the south-west corner of the Township of G^ikie. In both the above 

 instances the wooden posts planted were heavily mounded with stone as an addi- 

 tional protection. 



The area traversed by this season's operations, occupying about eighteen miles 

 square and embracing the headwaters of the Redstone and Kapiskong or Grassy 

 Rivers, presents topographically a neutral position between the gentle slopes of 

 clay belt and the rougher sections of the rock country. It is the home of sluggish 

 rivers and placid lakes with innumerable small lakes and streams throughout its 

 area. While a very small proportion of it could be called level, or even approxim- 

 ately so, the hills and ridges are of low elevation, seldom exceeding twenty-five to 

 thirty feet in height. These elevations are formed of drift material composed 

 of sand, gravel and boulders, with an occasional rock outcrop showing. 



Small areas of land could doubtless be obtained that would l)ear comparison 

 with the less favoured cultivated parts of the older sections of the Province; but it 

 is likely to be many years before any demand will arise among agriculturists for 

 the kind of land represented by this section, and it is likely to remain more 

 valuable as a producer of forest trees than of any other crop that might be 

 introduced. 



With the exception of two comparatively small areas where fire has destroyed 

 the timber, the territory occupied by the survey is covered with forest. The timber 

 cannot be considered of first value when viewing the area as a whole, as much of 

 it is small and by far the greater part of the bush is composed of mixed timber, 

 including spruce, white birch, poplar, cedar, jack pine, balsam and tamarac, the 

 value of which as a lumbering proposition rests with the future. The locality would 

 seem eminently suited for the growth of red pine and white pine, but as this 

 timber is not greatly in evidence it would require practical encouragement in the 

 way of planting. The present growth however, will doubtless increase rapidly in 

 value if it can be protected from fire. There is a good stand of white pine and red 



