6 J GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



ations inland, and theirpositions were fixed by latitude observations 

 and meridional bearings taken with solar attacbment to the transit 

 instrument. 



In 1888, a track survey was made up the Big Eiver for two hundred 

 miles, tbence crossing the head-waters of Bishop Boggan Bivcr, the 

 head of the south branch of Great Whale Biver was reached and the 

 river descended to its mouth .^On this suiwey the courses were taken with 

 a prismatic compass, and the distances estimated by time, the rate of 

 travel of the canoe being previously determined. Daily observations 

 for latitude were taken as a check on the survey, also frequent obser- 

 vations to determine the variation of the compass. 



After finishing the above, a survey was made from the mouth of 

 Clearwater Biver on Bichmond Gulf, for sixty miles, to the outlet of 

 Clearwater Lake, the courses were taken with a prismatic compass- 

 and the distance with a Bochon micrometer, frequent observations for 

 latitude and variation of the compass were also made. 



Mr. C. H. Macnutt, B. Ap. Sc, who had been with me the previous 

 year was appointed assistant, and proved highly competent for the 

 position. 



The surveys of the two seasons have since been mapped on a scale of 

 eight miles to one inch, and form a roughly accurate map of the regions 

 explored ; they are at present awaiting further explorations on the 

 east side of Hudson Bay before being published. 



Previous Explorations and Discoveries. 



It is deemed advisable to preface this report by the following short 

 account of the discoveries, explorations, and other points of historical 

 interest in connection with Hudson Bay up to the present date. 

 Hudson's Voy- 1610. — Henry Hudson, in command of a ship fitted out by some 

 wealthy English merchants, on his third unsuccessful attempt to find 

 a north-west passage to the South Sea, had the good fortune to 

 sail through the strait and enter the bay which has ever since borne 

 his name. Sailing along the east coast to the southward until he had 

 land on either side of him, he explored the bottom of the bay and as 

 the season was now late, resolved to winter in a bay full of islands on 

 the east side to the south of lat. 53° N. A.fter passing a winter of 

 great hardship, due to the cold, scurvy, and want of food, in the spring 

 he started to return, when his crew mutinied, put Hudson, his son and 

 seven seamen into an open boat and left them to the mercy of the 

 waves and savages ; nothing after was heard of the party, the ship with 

 great difficulty reached the coast of Ireland with about one-half of the 

 remainder of the crew, the rest having perished in a fight with natives- 

 in the straits and quarrels aboard the ship. 



