REPORT 



OF THE 



MISTASSINI EXPEDITION, 



1884-5. 



BY 



A. P. LOW, B.Ap.Sc. 



According to instructions, I left Ottawa June 9th, 1884, to join the 

 Mistassini Expedition, then being fitted out in Quebec, and reported 

 there, June 12th, to Mr. John Bignell, in charge. I remained in 

 Quebec, awaiting the departure of the part}-, until July 19th, when we 

 proceeded to Riniouski, and were there again obliged to wait for the 

 schooner engaged to transport the outfit from Quebec to Betsiamites, 

 which did not arrive at Eimouski until the 25th, when we crossed to 

 Betsiamites or Bersimis. 



On account of further delay in engaging Indians and preparing the 

 outfit, it was not until August 8th that I started, with one canoe and 

 two men, up the Betsiamites River, in advance of the main party, for Betsiamites or 

 the purpose of making an examination of the rocks along the river 

 as far as Lake Pipmuakin, where Mr. Bignell was to commence his 

 survey. 



We proceeded up the river and reached the first fall on the 11th, the 

 distance being about forty-five miles in a north-west course. The river 

 has been navigated to this point by a small steamer belonging to the 

 lumber mill situated at its mouth. 



The river valley, cut in the surrounding table-land, varies from 

 a quarter of a mile to one mile in width. Its sides are formed by 

 Laurentian hills, elevated from two to six hundred feet above the 

 stream. These hills are well wooded with white and black spruce, Timber 

 tamarac, balsam-poplar and birch, and quantities of valuable timber 

 are taken out every year, and cut up by .the steam mill at the mouth 

 of the river. The valley has been partly filled up by dejwsits of 

 glacial drift, as the banks of the river are, for the most part, of sand 



