480 APPENDIX 



them to the various posts down to the mputh of the Mackenzie, 

 Just above its estuary, where the river is said to he sis miles 

 wide, and, up Peel Eiver, which joins the Mackenzie near that 

 point, to Port Macpherson on that gold-bearing stream. The 

 great lakes which receive the drainage of this vast region and 

 give an equal ilow to the Mackenzie, all have deep water navi- 

 gation, and like most lakes of the Laurentian formation are 

 studded with islands. 



The most southern source of the great Mackenzie Eiver is 

 a stream fed by the glaciers of Mounts Hooker and Brown, 

 two of the highest of the Eocky Mountain chain, in latitude 

 52° 30', and this soon becomes a navigable stream, preserviag 

 that character, except at the breaks mentioned, during the 

 nearly 2,500 miles of its course to the Polar Sea. As already 

 mentioned, these western affluents will form valuable links as 

 a means of taking in machiaery and mining supplies to the 

 upper waters of the Peace and Liard rivers, which are now 

 inaccessible for heavy machinery from the west coast, and the 

 cost of taking in provisions, makes, in mining and prospecting 

 efforts, a serious desideratum. The navigation upon' the Liard 

 Eiver also will be an important factor in the future food supply 

 to the great mining region of the Upper Yukon and Peel rivers. 



A reference to the valuable evidence obtained by your 

 Committee will show that navigation from Behring Straits 

 to the mouth of the Mackenzie, and probably as far 

 east as Wollaston Land, may be had for three months in each 

 year, the soundings given on the Admiralty Chart of that por- 

 tion of the Arctic Sea revealing an average depth of about 20 

 fathoms, which is a considerable depth in what is known to be 

 generally a shallow sea. The western branch of the estuary of 

 the Mackenzie is said to be the outlet which has the deepest 

 waters, and it is respectfully submitted that much good might 

 accrue were the Dominion Government party now working its 

 way from the Yukon towards Peel Eiver and the Mackenzie, 

 to descend either of these streams and examine the western 

 and other branches of the estuary of the Mackenzie. 



To convey to your Honourable House the distances which 

 separate the navigable waters of the Mackenzie Basin from 

 the eastern and western sea coasts and from navigable rivers 

 and railways to the south and south-east, the following table 

 of distances has been taken from the evidence. The lengths 

 are in straight lines as follows: 



