CHURCHILL AND NELSON RIVERS. 6 d 



miles of shoro-Hii08, wliicli was made of the upper division of God's 

 Lake, is not included in the foregoing statement. 



The surveys mentioned in the above lists, amounting in the aggre- 

 gate to 1,1)55 lineal miles, were completed in less than three months time and men 

 with the assistance ot only six men. Although they are made only as 

 accessory to our geological work, they afford a good knowledge of the 

 principal geographical features of the country, and may be found use- 

 ful for various other purposes at any future time. Besides performing 

 the foregoing track-surveys, both Mr. Cochrane and I resurveyed in Resurveys. 

 the same manner considerable stretches, not included in the above 

 statements, which I had gone over in 1878 for the sake of checking 

 distances and obtaining greater accuracy of detail. 



In the course of the above surveys, I took a large number of obser- 

 vations both of the sun and pole-star, for latitude and the variation of 

 the compass. Others for longitude were also made at a few points, observations. 

 In addition to this astronomical work, the reading of the barometer 

 was constantly kept for ascertaining diflterences of level of water and 

 the elevations on land, and the temperatures of rivers and lakes were Elevations and 

 noted as indicated by the thermometer. There was not a very great ^^'^p^''^'"^®^- 

 diversity of scenery. However, I exposed about forty prepared dry 

 plates, Avhich gave as many photographic views as it was thought photographs, 

 worth taking, in order to show the characters of the ditferent parts of 

 the region explored, or to represent any points of particular interest 

 met with. A few of these have been used in preparing the illustra- illustrations. 

 tions which accompany this report. 



I made a considerable collection of plants as I went along, and Prof. 

 Macoun, of Albert University, Belleville, has kindly furnished a list 

 of the specimens which I submitted to him. This will be found 

 in the appendix. The best part of my collection was made along the coUections. 

 Nelson River, but the greater portion of this was unfortunately lost, 

 owing to an accident. Professor Macoun has, however, found 237 

 species among the specimens brought home. Notes were kept in re- 

 gard to the nature of the woods in all localities visitfcd, and the treses! "'^°° ^ 

 geographical range of the various shrubs and timber-trees was recorded. 

 Some remarks on this subject will be found further on. The informa- 

 tion derived from a study of the distribution of the trees and shrubs, 

 and of the flora generally, in any district, affords us one of the most 

 certain means of judging of its climate for agricultural purposes. It 

 will be seen that the general trend of the northern limits of the forest- Northern limit* 

 trees in the region under consideration agrees with that of the isother-*^ species, 

 mal lines as determined from other data. 



The character of the soil was always noted, as well as any facts SoiL 



