GEOGRAPHIC NOTES 
281 
union. The articles of confederation had not been adopted by 
all the colonies; some of them still held back. They were un- 
willing to recognize the Virginia title, but would ‘accede to tlie 
confederation provided Congress would fix the western limits of 
the slates claiming to extend to the Mississippi or the South sea.’’ The 
issue was thus distinctl 3 ^ presented, the surrender of the territoiy 
and union, or its retention and disunion. Virginia decided for 
union, and (Januaiy, 1781) agreed to cede the country to the 
Federal Government. In 1783 Congress accepted her terms, and 
in 1787 passed an ordinance for the government of the territoiy.” 
Nothing now remained to complete the activities of this period 
of the Revolution but the adoption of the Constitution and the 
election of Washington to the i3residential chair. 
GEOGRAPHIC NOTES 
NORTH AMERICA 
Canada. At tlie annual meeting of the Hudson’s Bay Compan}'^, held 
recently in London, it was stated that the surveys of the public lands in 
the northwest having been extended to the Rocky mountains it had be- 
come necessary to define tlie western boundary of the lands of the Hud- 
son’s Bay Company. The Dominion government had contended that the 
line !-hould be placed at the limit of cultivable and grazing lands, Avhich 
meant the base of the Rocky mountains. The government had, how- 
ever, finally accepted the contention of the company that the latter’s 
one-twentieth share of the lands available for settlement extends to the 
summit of the mountains. 
Dr Robert Bell, of the Canadian Geological Survey, with Mr R. AY. 
Brock and a small party of boatmen, has renewed his explorations to the 
eastward of .James bay. Instead of following his route of 1895 by Gati- 
neau river, he journeys this summer via Keepawa and Graml lakes, 
whence he crosses the divide into the watershed of the Noddawai river, 
which he intends to explore geologically, giving especial attention to the 
valley of Bell river. Dr Bell’s exi»lorations in ISil.o jiroved that the main 
source of the Noddawai, which drains some fi0,00() square miles to the 
southeast of .lames bajq is Mattagami lake, fed by two large streams, the 
Bell and W’asawampi. TIk; Wasawampi, which enters the east end of the 
take, is interrupted about (iO miles to the southeast by its enlargement 
into the lake of the same name, where it receives its most important 
tributary, called the O’.Siillivan, from its original explorer in bSi)4. The 
most important feeder of Mattagami lake. Bell river, at its western ex- 
tremity, was discovered in bSi).: by Dr Bell. It is in the main a broad 
stream, from 20 to 40 feet deep, navigable long distances by steamboats. 
Bell reports that the waterslie<l of this river has extensive regions suitable 
forgrain raising, dairy farming, lumbering, and stock growing, and he bo- 
