Daily camera., 1901-06-29
UNEMPLOYED CANADA
Vast Tracts Of the Dominion Un-
known to the Pioneer.
ThsusanAs Upon ThousAnAs Of square
Miles Of TerFitory That Have
Never Been Travelled Over
hy . HuAan Delng.


"The director Of the geological sur.
vey Of Canada, in his last report
says Consul A. G. Seyfert in q report
on unexplored Canada, "makes the
amazing statement that practically
nothing Is known of one.third Of the
dominion. He says:
"There are more than 1885, 900
square miles Of unexplored lands in
Canada. The entire ereA Of the do
minion is computed at 3,45O.257 square
miles, consequently one-third of this
country has -yet been untraveled by
the explorer. Exclusive of the inhos-
pitable detached arctic portions 945.-
600 square miles is for all practical
purposes entirely unknown
"A careful estimate is made Of the
unexplored regions. Beginning at the
extreme northwest of the dominion.
the first of these areas is between
the eastern boundary of Alaska, the
Porcupine river and the arctic coast.
about $500 square miles in extent. or
somewhat smaller than Belgium, and
lying entirely within the arctic circle.
The next is west Of the Lewes and
Yukon rivers and extends to the
boundary Of Alaska. Until last year
$4,000 square miles in this area was
unexplored, but part has since been
Travelled. A third area of %, 900 square
miles-nearly twice as large as Scot
land-lies between the Lewes, Pelly
and Stikine rivers. Between the Pelly
and Mackenzie rivers is another large
tract of 100000 square miles. or about
double the size of England. 1t in
cludrs nearly GOO miles of the main
Rocky mountain range. An unex-
plored area Of $4,000 square miles is
found between Great Bear lake and
the arctic coast, being nearly all to
the north of the arctic circle.
NEARLY as large as Portugal is an
other tract between Great Bear lake,
the Mackenzie river and the western
part of Great Slave lake, in all $4,000
square miles. Lying between Stikine
and Laird rivers to the north and the
Skeena and Peace rivers to the south
is an area Of $1,000 square miles.
which. except for q recent visit by
field party. is quite unexplored. or
the $4,000 square miles southeast of
Athabasca lake little is known, except
that it has been crossed by field
party en- route to Fort Churchill. East
OF the Coppermine river and west OF
Bathurst inlet lies 1900 miles of un-
explored land, which may be COM
pared to half the size OF Switzerland.
Eastward from this, lying between the
Arctic coast and Blacks river. is an
area OF $1,000 square miles. or about
equal to Ireland.
Much larger than Great Britain and
Ireland. and embracing l7s,OOo square
miles, is the region bounded by Blacks
river, Great Slave lake. Athabasca
lake, Hatchet and Reindeer lakes,
Churchill river and the west coast of
Hudson bay. This country includes
the barren grounds of the continent.
On the south coast of Hudson bay.
between the Severn and At,awapish-
kat rivers, is an area $4,000 square
miles in extent, or larger than Nova
Scotia: and lying between Trout lake.
Lac Seul and the Albany river is an
other $1,000 square miles of unex-
plored land.
"South and east OF James bay and
nearer TO large centers of popula-
ton than any other unexplored region
is a tract OF $4,000 square miles, which
may be compared in size to Portugal
"The most easterly area is the
greatest of all. 1t comprises almost
the entire interior of the Labrador
peninsula, or Northwest territory. in
all $4,000 square miles, or more than
twice as much as Great Britain and
Ireland. Two or three years ago Mr..
A. p. Lowe made line Of exploration
and survey into the interior of this
vast region. and the same gentleman
also travelled inland up the Hamilton
river. but with these exceptions the
country may be regarded as practical
ly nnexplored.
1.-THE arctic islands will add an area
Of several hundred thousand square
miles of unexplored land"