■" D QOEB] I \\n NORTH-X 1ST it KB 



four miles long in all, thus reached Lake Mistassini al a poinl about 

 thirty miles to the aorth-easl of the Hudson Bay post. By passing 

 down the easl Bhore we arrived al the posl on December 23rd, thai 

 finishing a long and difficall tramp on anowshoes, baving walked for 

 ten days of the journey on very Bhorl rations, with the 

 thermometer ranging to forty degrees below zero. 



sin. iilv .liter our arrival I made arrangements with Mr. Miller, the 

 gentleman in charge of the post, by which I obtained quarter-, in bis 

 bouse, and there sel up the instruments and took regular meteorological 

 ions during the month of January. At the end of this time, 

 baving bad several disagreements with Mr. Bignell regarding the 

 operations of the party, I determined to return to Ottawa, and having 

 arranged with Mr. .Miller to continue the meteorological observations 

 daring my absence, 1 lefl <>n the 2nd of February, accompanied by two 

 men whom Mr. Bignell was Bending to Lake St. John with letter-. ( m 

 loaving the |>o-t we proceeded to the south-weal end of the lake, cross 

 ing the Heighl of Land near that point, and, alter traversing Beveral 

 small lakes, reached a branch of the Chief River, followed it to its 

 junction with the Chamouchouan River, and continued down the latter, 

 reaching Lake St. John February 21st. 



Two heavy snowstorms occurred while we were on the way. making 

 the walking bo difficult that our tent and Bheet iron stove had t" be 

 abandoned, and we were obliged to sleep in the Bnovi for more than 



a week. 



The country i>a>-.-.| through i- very similar to that -ecu on the Peri- 

 bonka River, ami i- described by .Mr. W. McOual in hi- report mi the 

 Mistassini River (Report of Progress Geol. Survey, 1871-72). 



Since Mr. McOuat's exploration, the country has been wholly burned 

 over, an. I few clumps of green w I- remain. 



Leaving Lake St. John February 23rd, I continued my journey with 

 a horse ami Bleigh to Quebec, and reached Ottawa March 2nd. On the 

 23rd I received instructions to return to Mistassini, in charge oi the 



party, an. 1 lefl Ottawa n«xt .lay. accompanied by Mr. .1. M. Mac. urn. 



Having I. ecu delayed in Montreal and Quebec, Lake St. John was not 

 reached until April 5th. 



II. re we secured four men and provisions for the return trip through 



the kindness of Mr. J, II. Cummins, of the Hudson Bay Company, who 



warded provisions for as to Lake Ashouapmouchouan, to he 



there -I. .re. I until my men could return lor them with canoe- when the 



riv.r- had opened. I. aving Lake St. John, April 9th, with a party of 

 eight, we started to return to Mistassini by the route taken by Mr. Jas. 

 Richardson, a mil report of which i- given in the Geological Survej 

 Report for 1^7"-7i 



