low.] LAKE MISTASSINI. 13 I> 



The above is all that Pere Albanel has written concerning the lake, 

 and as he must have crossed only the southern end on his way to the 

 Eupert River portage, he could speak only by hearsay of the remainder 

 of the lake. He probably obtained his idea of the lake, and the num- 

 ber of days required to make the tour, from the Indians living around 

 it, and if they were not more truthful than their present descendants 

 now are, their testimony was not to be relied on. Six leagues is about 

 the distance he would have had to travel down the south-east bay 

 before reaching the islands oft' the point, at the present crossing place, 

 and here the islands are about six miles distant from either shore. He 

 could not have remained long at Mistassini, as he arrived at Lake 

 Nemiskou, on the Eupert River, on June 25th, and six days are 

 required to canoe that distance. 



The next explorer to reach Mistassini was the French botanist .,. , 



Michaux, 



Michaux, who, in 1792, ascended the Mistassini River from Lake St. 

 John, and traversed the lake to the Rupert River, intending to descend 

 it to James Bay, but, owing to the season being far advanced, he 

 abandoned this project and returned to Lake St. John. Michaux fol- 

 lowed the route taken by Pere Albanel, and quotes him for his 

 description. 



The Hudson Bay Company have had a trading post on the shores of 

 the lake for over one hundred years. This post was first situated near 

 the outlet, but owing to the difficulty in procuring an adequate supply 

 offish, the staple article of food, the post was removed, over fifty years 

 ago, to its present position on the south-east bay. During the time of 

 the North- West Trading Company, they also had a trading post at the 

 southern end of the south-east bay. 



In 1870, Mr. Jas. Richardson, of the Geological Survey, was sent to Geological 

 explore the country to the north of Lake St. John. He ascended the Suryey - 

 Chamouchouan River, and reached the southern end of Mistassini, but, 

 owing to the failure of his supply of provisions, he was obliged to 

 return without seeing the main body of the lake. 



The next year, Mr. Walter McOuat was sent out to continue the sur- 

 vey. He proceeded from Lake St. John by the Mistassini River, 

 making a survey of the route followed, and succeeded in surveying 

 about one-half of the shore line of the lake, when he also was obliged 

 to return for want of provisions. 



Nothing farther was done towards finishing the survey until, owing 

 to the request of the Quebec Geographical Society in 1883, the present 

 expedition was dispatched by the Geological Survey and the Quebec 

 Government. As the season was far advanced before the party was 

 formed, it was deemed advisable to delay its departure until the season 

 of 1884. 



