624 ALFRED IV. G. WILSON 



accessible. The region is thus of the utmost importance as the 

 source of almost a world's supply of timber, and of the prod- 

 ucts of the mine, more particularly iron ore. 



The journeys of the early explorers across the region were 

 possible because of the character of its topographic features. 

 They were undertaken by the early missionaries almost always, 

 and by the fur-traders, frequently, to visit the wandering Indians 

 scattered throughout the region. The fur-traders often under- 

 took journeys solely for the pupose of hunting. The stories of 

 the travels of these early missionaries as told by Parkman and 

 others, and the history of the great fur companies, incidents of 

 which form the historic foundation of many tales, afford some 

 of the most fascinating chapters in the history of Canada, and in 

 the study of the physiographic controls of this region. The 

 early exploration of the eastern, central, and southern part of 

 the western arm of the area were largely made by the earl)' Jesuit 

 missionaries and the employees of the great trading companies. 

 The exploration of the far northwest, on the other hand, with 

 the exception of three years' adventurous wanderings of Hearne, 

 an employee of the Hudson Bay Company, were merely incidental 

 to the continued search for a possible northwest passage. 



The climatic conditions of the far northwest; and the absence 

 of soil in any considerable amount from the Labrador areas and 

 the country just north and west of Lake Superior, means that 

 these regions will always be shunned by the majority of white 

 men in search of a permanent abode. There are, however, con- 

 siderable areas where there is a good soil cover, generally of 

 fine glacial or lacustrine clays and sands, which are habitable 

 and lie within the wheat belt. The largest of these lies between 

 James Bay and the Lake Superior divide. Smaller areas, now 

 partly occupied, occur in the vicinity of Lakes Temiscaming and 

 St. John. The region is, however, one of great promise in another 

 respect. Under progressive governmental control, and the com- 

 petent supervision of trained forest engineers, it could be made 

 an immense permanent forest reserve, a source of timber for 

 many centuries to come. ' At present the timber resources are 

 being rapidly exhausted, and practically no provision is made for 

 the restoration of the forests. 



