low] .tames' BAY. 23 J 



At the mouth of the river the channel is divided by a sandy shoal, 

 partly bare at low water ; the north channel is the deeper, and is used 

 by the Company's schooner, chiefly owing to its proximity to Stromness* 

 Harbour, as there is a sufficient depth of water in either channel to float 

 that craft. From Stromness Harbour the channel runs eastward directly 

 towards the shore for two miles, when it turns sharply southward, one 

 mile along the shore, to the mouth proper of the river, which can then be 

 ascended about two miles to Fort George, where large vessels can be 

 moored close to shore. From Stromness Harbour to Fort George at 

 high tide the least water in the channel is eighteen feet. Fort George 

 being situated on an island, there is another channel on its south side, 

 but this is very small and obstructed by shoals, navigable only by small 

 boats. 



The island would afford excellent ground for a railwaj* terminus 

 but the difficulty of building a line along the east coast from the south 

 end of James Bay, a distance of 180 miles, with the large bridges 

 required to cross the Nottaway, Eupert, East Main and Old Factory 

 rivers, would entail an expenditure hardly warranted by the amount of 

 trade to be developed. 



The development of Big Eiver harbour will come with that of the Fisheries' of 

 immense and excellent fisheries of the inland lakes of this region and 

 to the northward, as well as the coast fisheries, which, after the failure 

 of the present sources of supply, will be of great importance and value. 



From Big River to Cape Jones the bay is obstructed by many 

 low islands and shoals for several miles from the coast, and as the bot- 

 tom is uneven and the water not deep, large vessels cannot approach 

 the mouths of the rivers flowing into this part. To the northward of 

 Cape Jones the character of the coast soon changes, becoming higher 

 and more rocky, with bold water close in shore. The mouth of 

 Great Whale River would make an excellent harbour if a channel were 

 cut through the sand-bar that at present obstructs its outlet, and over 

 which the Company's schooner cannot pass at low tide. 



Little "Whale River is also obstructed at its mouth by a danger- 

 ous bar, which can only be crossed by small craft, and is impassable 

 when the wind blows freshly from the north to west, at such times 

 being covered with tremendous breakers. 



Other harbours suitable for small craft occur at frequent intervals 

 among the islands and bays along the whole eastern coast, but are all 

 too small and shoal for large vessels, except one at Cape Hope Islands, 

 about twenty miles north of Bast Main River. 



