^^^ 10 1917 



THE OTTAWA NATURALIST. 



Vol. X. OTTAWA, FEBRUARY, 1897. No. ir. 



RECENT EXPLORATIONS IN CANADA. 



Introductory Sketch— By George M. Dawson, C. M. G., F. R. S., F. G.S. 



In March 1890, now nearly seven years ago, I had the 

 pleasure of addressing the Ottawa Eield-Naturalists' Club on the 

 Larger Unexplored Regions of Canada. The subject is one in 

 which those who have actually taken part in exploratory work 

 naturally feel rriuch interest, but I was surprised by the amount 

 of general interest evidenced in it, and by the wide currency 

 given by the press to the remarks then made. It was in fact a 

 surprise to many people to learn that, although they had been 

 accustomed to see the northern part of the continent shown in 

 apparent detail on maps of very small scale, much of the detail 

 was really based upon no actual geographical knowledge, and 

 that there were vast areas which had never even been traversed by 

 reconnaissance surveys, about which practically nothing had 

 been ascertained, and in which the courses of rivers, the posi- 

 tion and even the existence of great lakes and other features 

 was practically unknown. 



An appeal for the further exploration of such tracts, was 

 made, based primarily on their possible economic value, but it 

 was also pointed out, that whether valuable or not, a certain 

 sentimental and territorial responsibility rested upon Canada, 

 to at least inspect and examine all parts of her vast landed pro- 

 perty. The back of Canada's farm lies somewhere near the 

 North Pole, and between our cultivated fields and that point, lie 

 immense reserves of timber, lakes, and seas well stocked with fish, 

 and above all where other resources fail, great possibilities in the 

 way of mineral wealth. We may reasonably look forward to a 

 time, when even in the Arctic lands important mining commun- 

 ities will be planted. 



It was necessary to assume some method in defining the 

 regions characterized as unexplored, for in such a matter there 

 is no hard and fast line. After leaving the districts which may 



