Across the Sub-Arctics of Canada 



CHAPTEE I. 



TORONTO TO ATHABASCA LANDING. 



One beautiful May morning several years ago, in response 

 to a telegram from Ottawa, I took train at Hamilton for 

 Toronto, to meet my brother, J. Burr Tyrrell, of the Cana- 

 dian Geological Survey, and make final arrangements for a 

 trip to the North. 



He had been authorized by the Director of that important 

 department of the Canadian Government to conduct, in 

 •company vyith myself, an exploratory survey through the 

 great mysterious region of terra incognita commonly known 

 as the Barren Lands, more than two hundred thousand square 

 miles in extent, lying north of the 59th parallel of latitude, 

 between Great Slave Lake and Hudson Bay. Of almost this 

 entire territory less was known than of the remotest districts 

 of " Darkest Africa," and, with but few exceptions, its vast 

 and dreary plains had never been trodden by the foot of man, 

 save that of the dusky savage. 



During a former journey my brother had obtained some 

 information concerning it from the Chipewyan Indians in 

 the vicinity of Athabasca and Black lakes, but even these 

 native tribes were found to have only the vaguest ideas of 

 the character of the country that lay beyond a few days' 

 journey inland. 



In addition tn this meagre information, he had procured 



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