The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-29
IN UNKNOWN CANADA
Unexplored Land Between Hud-
son Bay and Rockies.
WHERE MANY REINDEER DWELL.
The Region Is Undoubtedly Well Min
eraiized- Driven From
the Coast to Obtain Food.
Toronto Mail and Empire.

A representative questioned Lieut.. Gov.
Schultz as 10 whether il was in contempia-
ton to send any further expeditions SINH
lar to that OF last year and the year pre-
vfous. 10 the northern part Of the district
OF Keewatin. His honor said in reply that
so far he had not heard Of any IN that d.
rection. and that there only remained one
such, viz, from the west Of Great Slave
lake to Christianfield inlet, to do away
with the largest space shown on Dr. Daw-
sons now well-known map OF uneXpiored
Canada He went on TO say that III MS
opinion the result OF last years expedition
was I'm every way successful and likely TO
be followed by very important results IN
the future.
cit viii be remembered" the governor
observed. that the three great lakes OF
our vast northern region, which are IN
area as large as Lake Huron. Lake Erie
and Lake Ontario, lie about midway be-
tween the Rocky mountains and the west
shore of HUdson's bay and the ice-biocked
channels which communicate with that bay
from the northwest. Between these lakes
and Hudson's bay, IL will be seen at once
by a reference TO DR.. Dawson's map, hes
the larger portion Of UNEMPLOYED Canada.
This great area would have been very
much greater had il not been traversed on
its western side by Capt. (afterward Sir
George) Back. who discovered and de-
seconded the Great Fisk or Back river,
since tNdt llfHe fSnQeFed Oh pdN-iStlS 4hNCt-
est from the fact that for its mouth the
scurvy-stricken remnants of Sir John
Franklin's crew were making when storm
and famine stayed their progress, and left
for NcClintock's battered boats, the skele-
tons OF brave men. and cairn, which told
the sad story of their fate.
This route lay almost directly north
from the head of the great lakes, but still
between ii and the eastern and northeast
ern coasts there lay the u known land,
first traversed by the two Tyrrells in 1898,
from the head of Athabasca lake, by
river which they discovered, to the head
of Chesterfield inlet, and thence past Mar
BILE island down to Churchill port or fac
tory. The expedition OF last year was over
known waters only as far as the head or
Reindeer lake. Thence eastward and
northeastward lay the dark lines by which
Dawson designates his UNEMPLOYED areas.
The expedition was but small one, two
whitemen-Mr Tyrrell, of the geological
survey, and Munro Ferguson, of his eN-
cellency's staff-with four Indian voyagers,
accomplishing the journey through the en-
tire unexplored portion in a way which
was in marked contrast TO the large. we'll
fitted, abundantly stored and well-provided
expedition OF Sir George Back, who
brought boats especially built from Eng
land, with artifcers Of various kinds. and
who had at his command all the material
resources and the knowledge Of such travel
as tho Hudsons Bay Company could af-
ford him. Leaving the head of Reindeer
lake. a short distance only. although at
considerable elevation. brought them TO
the watershed between the eastern and
western waters, and there ceased all
knowledge 10 be derived from the Chippe-
wyans OF that region, for between them
and the Eskimos Of the coast there had
been war so long as the oldest member of
either Of these people could remember.
ITO this fact is due, in some measure at
least. the preservation Of nunberless herds
of reindeer encountered by the explorers
in their perilous trip. for q mutual fear
has left a wide line of neutral territory,
into which no Eskimo nor Chppewyan
ventures, and where the reindeer thrives.
At the summit of this divide the travellers
had to in some measure guess their way.
Rills trickled into pools. pools into small
creeks, creeks into small lakes. These,
combining. made a stream at last Down
which canoes might make a dangerous
passage for the descent was great between
the divide and the waters OF HudsOn's bay.
They were fortunate in finding a river,
which the Eskimos, when afterward met,
called in their language the White Par
fridge river. This stream. with It's formi-
dable rapids, chutes, falls and narrow
gorges, and with many and perplexng
turnings, brought them at last to point
where, after fatiguing and diff cult rcrt-
age Of twenty miles. they were enabled TO
reach a smaller river, which flowed direct
" eastward and carried them 20 the shores
Of Hudson's bay"
Mr.. Tyrrelrs report has not yet been is
sued. but II is understood that his ohser-
vations were scientifically of the greatest
interest and owing TO his discovery of
the fact that a Huronian belt divides the
ordinary Laurentian formation Of the re-
gion there are future metalliferous posi-
bil;ies which may yet be very valuable
indeed, from their nearness to shipping
points on Hudsons bay. From an an
thropological point Of view, the discov-
cries OF the party were interesting from
the fact that there came under their no.
tice the peculiar condition of some hun
dreds Of Essimos who had fixed their
abode unlike the habits of their race
elsewhere on the Arctic and other coasts
OF Canada, in the interior of the country.
the cause apparently being the complete
destruction Of almost al sea animals Of
Hudsons bay by the whaling ships Of
Nantucket and other ports, which. not
content with the ordinary summers fish
ing. have, since the bay became Cana
dian sea-tiH they ruined the source Of
supplementary wintered az Marble
island off the mouth of Chesterfield in
let. This condition apparently has driven
these Eskim0s u depend upon the rein
deer and the fresh water food fishes. with
which all these northern lakes are stocked
almost TO reDletion, nearly altogether for
their support. and the difference OF food
and mode Of life has led TO a better do
vclopment, ct least in the statures Of Es-
kjruO men. as Mr.. Ferguson had informed
him he saw Eskimo men who varied in
height from FIVE feet six inches 10 per
hans five feet nine or ten inches. though
the women were more than in proportion
shorter.