Mr. Preble states that the Banksian pine “occurs commonly about the northern arm of Great Slave lake. On my route to the northward of Fort Rae it was seen in many places on Grandin river, reaching a diameter of eighteen inches, but not growing very tall. North of the height of land it was rare, but I saw many trees on a portage a few miles north of the outlet of Lake Hardisty.”

Mr. Preble states that on the canoe route between the north arm of Great Slave lake and Great Bear lake the white spruce is common, varying in luxuriance according to the local conditions.

The Canoe Birch.

The canoe birch (betula papyrifera), according to Mr. Preble, is a common tree throughout the wooded region. It reaches its perfection in the southern part of the country and northward gradually decreases in size. On the canoe route north of Fort Rae, it was found to be common, reaching a diameter of nearly one foot as far north as Lake St. Croix. A tree five inches in diameter, examined near that lake, had sixty-five annual rings. Another specimen one and three-quarter inches in diameter, on the shores of Lake Hardisty, had been growing twenty-five years, and one three-fourths of an inch thick was fifteen years old. This tree is of great economic importance to the natives of the region. Its wood, though soft when green, is rather hard when seasoned, and takes a high polish. The frames of snowshoes, the runners of sleds and toboggans, and the handles of axes and other tools are usually made of it. In addition to furnishing the covering for canoes, its bark is used in the construction of baskets, and various household utensils, and to some extent for constructing shelters.

The natives gather up the sap in spring and boil it down into syrup. An incision is made with the axe on the side of the tree, and the sap gathers and drops from a projecting point of bark. At Fort Simpson in 1904, the sap was running freely from April 20 to May 1.

Yellowknife river flows into the eastern side of the north arm of Great Slave lake coming from a northern direction. Sir John Franklin, who ascended and descended this river in his journeys of 1819-22, says that this river flows between high rocky banks on which there is sufficient soil to support pines, birch and poplars, but in the upper stretches the country has a very barren aspect. From here to Fort Enterprise the country is much the same. Mr. Back (afterwards Sir George Back), one of his party on his winter journey back from Fort Enterprise, wrote that after passing Reindeer lake “the scenery consisted of barren rocks and high hills, covered with lofty pine, birch and larch trees. There was a visible increase of wood, consisting of birch and larch, as we inclined to the southward.”

Fort Enterprise.[[23]]

In his journal of August 19, 1820, Sir John Franklin, speaking of his winter quarters known as Fort Enterprise, says: “The trees were numerous and of a far greater size than we had supposed them to be yesterday, some of the pines being thirty or forty feet high and two feet in diameter at the root.” Near by was the Winter river, whose banks, he says, were well clothed with pines. On the same day they unfortunately set fire to the woods. “A fire was made on the south side of the river to inform the chief of our arrival, which, spreading before a strong wind, caught the whole wood, and we were completely enveloped in a cloud of smoke for the three following days.” Their winter quarters were made from wood cut in the vicinity, though of the size of the logs no mention is made. From here to Coppermine river the only trees were scattered dwarf pines.

Mr. Wm. Ogilvie states that on the flats between Great Slave lake and Fort Simpson, as well as those adjoining the lake, “there is much forest that would yield a large amount of good sized spruce and poplar.”

Mr. Elihu Stewart says that the land at the entrance to Mackenzie river is low and covered with spruce and tamarack of small size. Islands covered with green timber are numerous and the appearance is suggestive of the lower St. Lawrence. The timber along the Mackenzie to Fort Simpson is smaller than that found along Slave river, but nevertheless it is of sufficient size in some cases for lumber.