Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-23
TO THE ARCTIC OCEAN.
An Inland Route Over which the Trip
Can BE Made in Seventy Days.

An Inland Route Over which the Trip
Can BE Made in Seventy Days.
From the ST. Louis Globe Democrat
Mr.. William Ogilvie Of the Canadian land
survey is the most Travelled explorer in the
service Of the Canadian government 1t was
he who, four years ago, surveyed the unknown
country between the upper tributaries of the
Yuko and the Mackenzie rivers and then as
cended that stream to its head waters. Jour-
ney that cut him completely of from the civil
lied world for more than year. More recently
he has been studying the little known Peace
river and its tributaries, and in the report he
has just made Of his researches he says that
any one DESTROYS Of going beyond the arctic
circle or to the Arctic ocean may easily carry
out such design at comparatively small ex-
pense.
Starting from Ottawa to visit the land Of the
midnight sun, four days will take the tourist
oy way OF the Canadian Pacific railroad. to CAL
gary and day later he will reach Edmonton
oy the branch railroad. Edmonton is on the
noftn saskatchewan and three more DAYS will
De required TO travel with horses one hundred
miles further north to Athabasca Landing
on the Athabasca river. II the tourist times
ns Journey 30 as to reach Athabasca landing
spout the LIST OF June he will probably catch
the hudson Bay Company's steamer Athabasca,
U,i wnicn ne Will descend the river to Grand
Rapids. 1t will take three or four DAYS more
10 make the portage around the rapids TO Fort
McAurray, and II the traveller catches the
steamer Grahame a day or more will land him
AT Fort Chipewyan on Lake Athabasca
Then the descent Of the Great Slave river TO
smiths Landing will be made. There are no
serious distractions TO navigation from Fort
Chipewyan to this landing. but in the next four
rapids, aggregating $50 feet Of fall, which put
az icea OF navigation out OF the question,
land portage is required.
At Fort Smith the tourist will meet the
steamer Wrigley, which plls to Fort McPher-
son. near the head of tho delta, hundreds of
miles down the Mackenzie river The steamer
starts down the river late in June or in the first
days OF July. and reaches Fort Mcpherson in
seven or eight days This is the little vessel
which the Hudson Bay Company placed on the
lower Mackenzie several years ago. When ice
does not impede navigation she is almost con-
stantly plying between the various company
and missionary posts along the river. The
steamer has not heretofore gone furth her down
the delta. but il is possible that hereafter she
may descend to the arctic coast and along it
for short distance.
According to Mr.. Ogilvie's itinerary il up
pears that even with the present meager facili-
ties tourist can reach the Arctic ocean from
Ottawa In about twenty-three days, or, to cover
possible delay, in thirty days. Ascending the
rivers on the return journey about forty DAYS
would be required. The traveller would pass
through 200 miles of beautiful prairie land.
extending from Winnipeg almost to Athabasca
Landing and from the landing to the Arctic
ocean, a journey OF upwards of 800 miles, he
would have ordinary river navigation, broken
by two land portages, a few miles on Lake
Athabasca and about l20 miles on Great Slave
lake.
During the whole Of the journey the tourist
would be likely to experience weather fully rs
pleasant as that Of Ottawa. Hewould see much
that would interest and surprise him. and would
certainly gain clearer ideas OF the extent and
value Of the northern part OF our continent. All
the wsy to the arctic coast he would see timber
and plants similar to many varieties he meets in
the province of Quebec, and were il not for the
absence of many familiar species of trees and
the increased duration Of daylight, which at the
coast would continue throughout the twenty
four hours. the traveller would hardly realize
that be had journeyed upward Of 1000 miles
from Ottawa and more than 1000 miles north
of it.
Mr.. Ogilvie thinks the cost OF such trip
would not at the outside exceed $500. North
OF Edmonton the steamers have no regular
date Of departure, their movements being gov
erned by the Hudson Bay Company's needs,
but the dates given here are approximately
those Of sailing.