2i6 The Ottawa Naturalist. 



In 1896 I was assisted by Mr. G. A. Young and started with 

 canoes from Missinaibie Station on the C. P. Ry., from there we 

 descended the Moose River to James Bay where a CoHingwood 

 fishing boat, the property of the Department, was fitted up, and 

 in it we sailed 450 miles along the east coast of Hudson Bay to 

 Richmond Gulf. Leaving the boat here we passed inland with 

 canoes and ascended streams flowing from the eastward some 

 75 miles to Clearwater Lake. This lake was thoroughly ex- 

 plored, and was found to be about 35 miles long by 18 miles 

 across in its widest part ; it is abundantly stocked with large 

 trout and whitefish. Continuing eastward by a short portage 

 route Seal Lake was reached, and was followed 35 miles to its 

 east end, which is only a few miles from the water-shed dividing 

 the waters flowing into Hudson Bay from those emptying into 

 Ungava Bay. Having crossed the heights-of-land we reached 

 the head of the Stillwater or western branch of the Koksoak 

 River, and descended it 350 miles to its mouth. From Fort 

 Chimo passage was taken in the " Erik " to Rigolet where a 

 change was made to a schooner bound for Quebec, and sa 

 Ottawa was reached on October lOth. Among the practical 

 results of this exploration was the discovery of an extension of 

 the Cambrian rocks with their immense beds of valuable iron 

 ore which were found for upwards of 30 miles along the Still- 

 water Riv'er ; the elevation of the watershed was found to be 

 about 900 feet above sea level, or much .lower than at any other 

 place where it has been crossed. 



The results of the explorations of the past five seasons 

 embrace the survey of the East Main, Hamilton and Koksoak 

 rivers and portions of the Rupert, Big, Romaine, St. John and 

 Manicuagan rivers in all some 3,500 miles; the limits of the 

 forest areas and of the different trees composing it have been 

 approximately mapped, and sufficient data has been collected 

 to give a good general idea of the climate and natural resources 

 of the interior of the peninsula. The interior, formerly supposed 

 to be chiefly occupied by barren Laurentian granite and gneiss 

 has been found to contain a large area of iron bearing Cambrian 

 rocks and in other places rocks of the metal-bearing Huronian 

 system have been discovered, while the Laurentian areas which 

 occupy the greater part of the interior, represent all the different 

 rocks found in that series elsewhere. 



