The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-21
IN THE WILDS OF CANADA.
a eBsAr JOURNEY ACROSS fBE BAR
REN LANDS TO HUDSON BAY

TIE Tyrren BROTHERS Traverse 500 MITES
of counirT Never sees BEFORE by waite
Men-A Great en.s La-d with Thou-
sands OF Reindeer as the Chief Fssture-A
Feriious Trip in Canoe. ON Bud-ou Bay.
TORONTO. Jan. 2o-Messrs. J. b and J. W.
Tyrrell. brothers we'll known in connection
with the Dominion Of Canada Geological Sur
vey. have Just returned from an exploring OK
petition that proved remarkable In many
ways. They travelled over 800 miles north OF
the great Saskatchewan district In the Cana
dian Northwest through portion OF the Do
minion never before visited by whites They
were six months outside Of the civilized world.
j. b. Tyrrell lsa Gcologlst and his brother Is
surveyor II was for the Government that
they undertook the trip to which this story
relates
They started last spring from the terminus
OF the railway track at Edmonton. Northwest
Territories. on the North Saskatchewan. They
loft Edmonton on May 20 last after putting
their equipment In order and securing tho
services OF guides. a cook and teams The
party consisted OF the two Tyrrells three
lroauois Indians from Caughnawaga. near
Montreal. and three f-breeds from the sas-
katchewan. Tho party took three Peterboro
canoes. an Iroquois being In chargs OF each.
These canoes have a carrying capacity OF ] 800
pounds each
They FIRST journeyed north to Athabaska
Landing. Here they launched their canoes
and padded down to Lake Athabaska. There
they turned thelr backs upon civilization and
set out for the great unknown northern coun-
try After travelling along tho north shore o.
this lake for 200 miles. thoy assembled the
Black River to Black Lake Padding across
that lake to its north shore. they followed one
ofthe many streams that empty into It from
the Height OF Land to the north. This was q
tedious part OF the trip. The current in the
river was very swift and there we're numerous
rapids and cascades that added to tho rugged
grandeur OF the scenery. Portages were
frequently necessary. and on some days
when they had worked their hardest
they found they had gone no further than q
mile. They soon reached the Height OF Land
however. and were enabled to see miles before
them into the cold. clear atmosphere, a bar
ron. woodless wilderness. through which
stretched away for miles majestic river that
sparkled in the distance like a silver thread,
that was finally lost to sight In the distance.
This river has no name. 1t was never before.
the Tyrrells believe. navigated by white mon.
The Tyrrells did not know whore the river
led to. but they determined to follow It Trey
found later on that 1t was over 800 miles lorg
and was naviRable fo- large vessels for great
part OF its course from Hudson Bay, where IL
EN- ptied itself on the west side OF that great
inland sea at Chesterfield Inlet. This stream
other points toward it's head its course s is inn.
peded by rapids. and the expert Iroquois. who
Gsrous rapids a. Montreal had T mo- Gcs s IN
navigating their frail littls vessels
The party reached Chesterfield Inlet on Sept.
]. BY that time In three months they had
crossed $50 miles OF country, that had mover
before before been seen. by whits man AZ least
fare badly. They had plenty to eat and lived
fairly we'll; They suffered a good deal how;
from exposure to the rains. In this great
barren waste OF country nothing in the way OF
frozen the year round except a few inches on
the surface In the summeE The coun,ry looks
trndins here and there sAN WV" ''"'''f' pro-
The party had some capital sport along the
way. The country whore they won't through
disc, Numberess ducks. particularly II the |
weather WAS, was stormy stormy; we're met with IN the
they were easily shot from. the canoes. The |
ever from sportsm an point OF view Wv was s the
vast herds Of reindeer. The country was |
and the. size OF the herds would scarcely be |
credited. one herd that was seen soon after
thousands q deer and. to use J. B. eI TyrreiHs
words: The herd was veritahle sea OF REIN |
Sesses rhe 81 ee e9e g Wit
miles. and the whole tract was covered with |
them. When seen sinGly we had to shoot them |
herds we, could get up TO within 100 Yards Of
them, The grass. which Is little better than
summer. and the reindeer live on Il. In tue |
winter they subsist on moss.
REINDEER steak was the only food OF the
party during this part of the trip. They say it
Chesterfield Inlet is long. deep ford. There
was no sign OF ice in it when the party reached
IT, but before they left tho inlet. in the middle
Of September. the Ice began to form
~ a
about the inlet exploring. By the end OF that
time the weather was getting very cold. and as
lew hours DAYLIGHT IN Tho tws nf sa 'G IN
which to travel they concluded that they had
Bay, 900 miles from Chesterfield Inlet. ii was
IN making this trip o. 800 miles along the
the greatest hardshiDs and suffering.
e s Tas qs 10 form IL re Rs.
Churchill The latter place IS the oS tSe H
point of the Hudson Bay Railroad. which has
existed ei. SO raf only on paper The party was
The canoe voyage in this open Arctic sea
nearly cost the party their lives.
visions for eight days. consisting OF dried rein
deer meat. bacon, and a little -four. They
against winds nearly all the way TO Churchill.
shortly after leaving the inlet they encoun-
ashore for some days, The lack OF wood to
cook their provisions caused the greatest dis
when properly broiled. is not at all Appealing
when eaten dry or raw
The biggest run the party made on this part
OF the trip In one day was thirty five miles IL |
was the middle OF October before they got to
Churchill Tor several weeks before that date
the weather was very cold. on one Occasion |
they were storm bound and could not get out
70 sea Tor hye days. Then again. when they
did get TO sea Il was SO stormy that they could
not land for three days, owing u the danger
they would have incurred In trying TO do so.
High waves rolled in from the north and
hey would certainly have broken their canoes
4 they had attempted to land in such storm.
The party suffered much from exposure hut
they got littls relief when ashore. They could
get no wood TO make q IRE. and the raw neat
made very poor fare, Ii was difficult 10 slsep |
In the cold, ard they suffered much in this re-
.pect II they had been equipped as the Eski-
nos are they would have had no difficulty
Three weeks before the TyrTells reached
,hurchhtll their provisions began 10 give out
hoy shot polar bear. which they ate except
he skin and the bones. They "A So shot a few
iueks, but for Ave days they had scarcely a
lite To ear, and for the last two DAYS before !
hey reached Churchill they had absolutely
nothing. During the last dAy they were on |
ma rafa af ma lnti q q.