The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-11-30
EXPLORING LABRADOR.
A Vast, Sterile Plateau--A Seen,
of DeSoiation;

OF DeSoiatiOn;
The New York Herald publishes the
story of recent explorations in the
cherries wilds ofsLabrador, conduct
ed by Prof. w. J. Loudon of the Uni
versity of Toronto and G. s. Macdonald
of Montreal.
The specific object of their expedi-
tion was to determine the site and or
biography of Lake Mistassini, long res
puted to rival or exceed Lake Superior
in dimensions. All mystery hitherto
surrounding this region has been clear
ed up by these enterprising travellers.
Starting from Quebec July IS, the
explorers struck northward by way OF
Lake ST. John, and thence by the peril
Gus route of the Achamouchouan river
in descending which Prof. Galbraith's
party in 1882 came near per.shing. By
crossing numerous portages and beaver
dams and by toilsome rowing. some
days not making more than ten miles,
and with succession of heavy rains
to dampen their courage, they reached
July 80 Lake Achamouchouan, on
which half a century ago the Hudson
Bay company had a trading post.
From this point their geographical
surveys proper began.
The interior of Labrodor is a vast,
sterile, bowlder-strewn plateau, a scene
of dreadful desolation, where the
wearisome monotony is generally re-
lieved only by stunted spruce, birch,
and aspen, or caribou moss covering
the rocks. The Height OF Land" ex-
tending north of Lake Achamouchouan
is thanked ON its southern and western
skirts by chain of connected lakes,
which it was the special aim of the
Canadian travellers TO explore. In
these wide waters, perennially cold
and perched nearly 1000 feet above
the sea level, they found a profusion of
carp, pike, dOre, trout, and whitefsh,
tempting enough to satisfy the most
voracious Oh fastidious appetite
Turning from the romance and adj
venture OF the exploration to its geo.
graphical results, the Canadian ex-
petition of 1889 has clearly determin-
ed the dimensions of the mysterious
Lake Misstassini. Compared with
Superior. the largest fresh-water lake
in the world, Mistassini is small. Lake
Superior is $50 miles long, with an
area of 30, 600 square miles, and drains
q region aggregating $4,000 square
miles. But its once reputed rival on
the Labrador tableland has scarcely
one-third as much length. Taken,
however, with its sister lakes, closely
connected with it by narrow and short
passages, the system is about 800 miles
long, with a drainage not exceeding
one-tenth of that whose waters enter
the monarch of American lakes.
The scientific value of the explora-
tions carried out by Prof. Loudon and
his associate is not confined to the dis
covery and delineation of this lacus-
trine system. They have added ma
terially to our knowledge of the geo.
graphy and meteorology of the region
they surveyed. Their observations
show that in summer the great aerial
current from the tropics, which brings
the eastern half of the United States
its rainfall, sweeps far enough north
of the st. Lawrence valley to touch
the southeastern basin of Hudson bay.
The hardy potato, which is cultivated
in Europe up to 20 degrees north lati-
tude, will not thrive in the plateau of
Labrador, however, because of the de-
ficiency of temperature and the occur
renee of frost every month in the year.
From January to March the cold
ranges from zero to so degrees below,
while snow begins to fall in September.
1t is evident therefore, that this inland
portion, although in the latitude of
England. but with climate deprived
of the tempering influence of gulf
stream or of winds from a warm
ocean, can never be populated.