“The woods as a whole amount only to a rather deep fringe, the trees for the most part being scattered and not continuous. Here and there along the banks are spots and short stretches quite bare of timber. After a short walk away from the river on either side one reaches the outer edge of the woodland fringe beyond which the land is typical prairie. Along the creeks and effluents, however, the growth extends to a considerable distance, in places as far as the eye can reach the trees diminishing in size until the spruce is mere scrub.”
Ascending the main branch of the Thelon, Mr. Hanbury describes the timber as beginning about fifty miles above the mouth of the river at Beverly lake. That far northeast he states “spruce of fair-size growth is to be found, and the woods then increase in size of timber and in extent until the river divides, the larger branch coming in from the south, the smaller—which we followed up—joining from the west.”
Of Great Value to Canada.
Mr. J. W. Tyrrell, in the official report of his exploration along Hanbury and Thelon rivers for the Dominion government in 1900, remarks:—“The timber supply of the Thelon should be of great value to Canada.”
Mr. Tyrrell mentions a grove of spruce on the Thelon, two miles below the junction of Hanbury river, and relates that eight miles farther down stream “well grown spruce trees were plentiful on both banks. Here, and for many miles below, the Thelon is a really fine and beautiful river, having grassy banks—well wooded in places by spruce trees—some of which measured some fifteen inches in diameter.
“The wooded or partially wooded banks of the Thelon extend altogether for a distance of about one hundred and seventy miles below the forks of the Hanbury. This distance is not to be understood as a continuous stretch of timber, but over that distance many fine spruce groves, as well as more or less continuous thinly scattered trees are found. The largest trees measured from twelve to fifteen inches in diameter, but would average about six inches.”
In his book “Through the Sub-Arctics of Canada” Mr. Tyrrell again refers to the timber along the Hanbury and the Thelon, writing:—“In the valleys of the Thelon and some other rivers there are valuable belts of spruce and tamarack timber for local supply when required.”
In the official report of his long patrol in 1908 Inspector Pelletier writes:—“A good amount of wood for fuel is available on Hanbury river. In places timber is of fair dimension. In one or two ravines near Dickson canyon I would judge the timber to be of sufficient size to erect a comfortable log camp.
A Sixty Mile Stretch of Spruce Timber.
“The banks of the Thelon are very well stocked with timber. Of course there are fairly long stretches on which wood is very scarce, principally at the lower end, but still fuel is found everywhere, either drift or standing. The best stretches of solid timber are from about twenty miles below the Hanbury and extend for sixty miles. The stretch is nearly without interruption. There is another stretch of about ten miles, fifteen miles below Lookout point, and at numerous other points good timber, but in small quantity, is seen. This timber does not extend very far inland. It varies from a few yards deep to two or three miles. In some parts, the timber extends still farther inland. Lumber of fair size from six to ten inches in diameter is abundant. All the timber is spruce.”