PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 6k 



geologist in America is geuerally obliged to take topographical observation.s, ho 

 was iu every way a competent gnide over wide regions whose geographical features 

 had been recognized by him with great clearness. Moreover, his pei-sonal ami- 

 ability and constant approachableness helped to make our long journey one in 

 every Avay enjoyable. With him too was Dr. Coleman, Professor of Geology in 

 Toronto, and State Geologist of the Province of Ontario, who likewise knows great 

 stretches of our route by personal exjilorations. The C.P.R. assisted us by many 

 favours and placed at our disposal a large sleeping car in which we lived the next 

 nine days. There were twenty -seven of us. Among them I may name the former 

 director of the Geological Survey of India, Dr. Blandford ; Mr. Lampleigh, of the 

 Geological Survey in Great Britain ; the mineralogist. Prof. Miers of Oxford ; the 

 Professor of Mining and Mining Inspector, Le Neve Foster ; the explorer of Kafir- 

 istan. Sir George Robertson ; and the explorer of the Amoor territory, Prince 

 Kropotkin ; further, the secretaries of the Geographical Societies of London and 

 Edinburgh, Dr. Scott Keltic, and Colonel Bailey, the librarian of the London 

 society ; Dr. H.R. Mill, the Professor of Geography of Harvard University ; Dr.W. 

 M. Davis, the director of the Museum of Natural History in Manchester ; Dr. 

 Hoyle ; Prof. Armstrong, the chemist ; and the 1:echnicists, Prof. Beare and Dr. 

 Harden of London ; as well as the Breslau physiologist, Prof. Hurthle. Our two 

 leaders and guides were assisted by the Canadian geologists who were working in 

 the district. Mr. A. E. Barlow was awaiting us at Sudbury, and Mr. Mclnnes 

 joined us on the road to Rat Portage. Finally in Banff we met with Prof. Macoun, 

 the botanist of the Geological Survey. We had thus every opportunity of being 

 shown a very great deal in a very short time. While our companj^ was not of one 

 profession, we were one in the eager desire for knowledge. The wives and 

 daughters of some of the members accompanied us, and took a friendly interest in 

 the magnificent landscapes and broad, scientific impressions which we enjoyed. 



We first went north in order to reach the line of the C.P.R. The richly culti- 

 vated land on the north shore of Lake Ontario was soon left behind, and we entered 

 the immense primeval forest which extends from the great lakes northward to 

 Hudson's Bay. The boundary between the horizontal beds of the Silurian forma- 

 tion and their subjacent strata, the primeval Laurentian and Huronian rocks, has 

 offered a barrier to the extensive progress of clearing, and will to all appearance 

 continue to do so. The Laurentian laud has been smoothed off by the glaciers of 

 the ice age, stretches of bare rock appear in smooth, humped barrows, the hollows 

 between filled with loose debris and boulders. This rock, however, does not pro- 

 duce a fruitful soil like the Silurian slates and limestones ; it weathers very slowly, 

 and since the ice age it has scarcely formed a humus. Besides the climate is very 

 severe. The same conditions prevail as in Sweden and Finland, of which countries 

 we are also reminded by the character of the extensive Laurentian forest. Round- 

 ed mountains of moderate height rise irregularly. Only here and there Avhere they 

 meet with specially hard rock do they take the form of ridges. Between stretcli 

 marshy plains or lakes full of islands, the only natural interruptions of the gigantic 

 forest in which we travelled nearly 48 hours, almost 2000 kilometers. 



A visit to a couple of mining districts on August 2<Sth and 30th made a 

 break in our long journey. At Sudbury, the point where the '' Soo" line branches 

 from the C.P.R. to Minneapolis, there is a rich deposit of iron pyrites on the 

 boundary between the Huronian and Laurentian rocks. Along with tlie iron it 

 contains copper and especially nickel, and is at present being worked with great 

 energy. In the neighbourhood anthracite has lately been found in peculiar old slate 

 deposits, upon which discovery the people of Sudbury are basing hopes that are prob- 

 ably too high. We were pressed by our amiable hosts to go there. An engine drew 

 our sleeper some kilometers on, a .stop was made on the line, and having taken to 

 some rather rough wagons without springs, we continued our way to Vermilion 

 Creek. Here we were divided up among a number of Indian canoes and heavy 

 boats in order to row to Vermilion Lake. All the poetry of the Leatherstocking 

 Tales at once came vividly back to mind as I was gliding forward upon the peace- 

 ful, mirror-like water between the trees of the primeval forest. Then our way led 

 on by a narrow Indian path, a so-called trail into the lofty forest, now claml)ering 

 over fallen tree trunks, now scrambling through thorn till we reached the spot iu 

 the middle of the woods where they were in the act of sinking a shaft. There 



