524 



Canadian Forestry Journal, May, ipi6. 



be going to Prince Albert. The next 

 morning a furious gale blew which 

 continued all day. with temperature 

 below zero. It was a real blizzard; 

 one of the worst days of this severe 

 winter. The Indians were as glad 

 as I that we had turned back. 



On the following day I made a 

 round trip of 13 miles on foot, part 

 of which gave me a very good cross- 

 section of the types covering the 

 Archean rocks which cover a great 

 area in this part of the province. 

 The timber is nearly all second 

 growth, about 50-60 years, and 

 slow in growth, as may be expect- 

 ed on granitic rocks. 



The Indian population tributary 

 to Lac la Ronge and Stanley is given 

 as 600 souls. There are probably a 

 dozen white trappers in addition to 

 the traders and the 3 or 4 fire rang- 

 ers. The freight coming into the 

 district this season is about 140 

 tons. The catch of fur is remunera- 

 tive, that of foxes alone being around 

 $10,000 for the present season. 



The Comforts of Home. 



After one or two more vexatious 

 delays I made another start. The 

 cold snap had continued all the 

 week was broken. My second train 

 of four dogs was now replaced by a 

 better one of five. This made 10 

 dogs and 2 drivers, with an addi- 

 tional man to break trail. The wind 

 was still cold on the lakes. At 10.30 

 a.m. we halted to boil the kettle. At 

 noon on Nemeiben Lake, I met In- 

 spectors Barker of the Hudson's 

 Bay Co., and Cowper of Revillon 

 Freres Co., travelling together with 

 five men, 4 sledges and 17 dogs. 

 They had come from Isle a la Crosse 

 via Snake Lake, and our trail was 

 now broken. Upon reaching Morn- 

 ing Lake in the evening I dispensed 

 with my third man. He desired to 

 accampany us without pay, to which 

 I agreed. We had plenty of food at 

 the time, which is apparently more 

 consideration to an Indian than 

 cash. Also, the young fellow wish- 



Had it not been for fire, many millions 

 of railroad ties would now be cut from 

 forests like this. Fire prevention will 

 secure them for the future. Near Snake 

 Lake, Churchill River Basin. 



ed to accompany his brother and see 

 the country. He changed off with 

 his brother, one running ahead all 

 the time, and thus the dogs travelled 

 better. A\'e camped in an Indian 

 house about 11 x 12 feet with no 

 floor and were treated ( ?) to caribou 

 meat. The Inspectors and their 

 men had cooked and slept here with 

 one Indian family of three the night 

 before. This night another Indian 

 family had arrived and eleven peo- 

 ple, one more than the night be- 

 fore, comfortably ( !) filled the floor. 



Poplar Replacing, Birch. 



During the evening very high 

 wind prevailed and the northern 

 lights covered nearly the entire 

 heavens. In the morning at sunrise 

 the temperature stood at 17° below 



