Inspector Pelletier speaks of a ten mile stretch on the Thelon, where there “was continuous forest on both banks, and as thick as on any river in the timbered belt.”
Inspector Pelletier also reports:—“On Beverly lake (Thelon river) any amount of driftwood is to be found, on Aberdeen lake very little, and below none at all.”
The Thelon Spruce Groves Phenomenal.
Mr. E. A. Preble, of the United States Biological Survey, in his report has this to say as to the growth of timber along the Thelon:—“The northern extension of the coniferous forest along the banks of northward-flowing rivers has already been referred to. The most remarkable example of this phenomenon is found on the Thelon or Ark-i-linik, a stream tributary to Hudson bay. It was first explored by Hanbury in 1899, and by J. W. Tyrrell during the following season. From a point near latitude sixty-two and one-half degrees, which is as far south as the river has been explored, and which is within the main area of the Barren Grounds, a more or less continuous belt of spruce borders the river as far north as latitude sixty-four and one-half degrees, a distance of over two hundred miles by the river. A few species of woodland-breeding birds follow these extensions of the forest to their limits.”
Eastern Part of Great Slave Lake.
Inspector Pelletier also gives us some information as to the timber resources of the eastern part of Great Slave lake and along the canoe and portage route to Hanbury river. He writes:—“On the south shore of Great Slave lake much good timber was met. On the north shore timber diminishes very perceptibly in size, and the farther one proceeds the more it gets stunted and scattered; only in some favoured spots is timber of any size, but no large area. It consists chiefly of spruce, birch, poplar and jackpine. At the upper end of the first portage from Great Slave lake timber gets very scarce, at French lake a large open spot and at Acres lake we are practically at the beginning of the Barrens, although there is a good lot of wood close to the shore and in sheltered spots. At north end of Burr lake is a nice grove of good sized trees. The country gets rocky and barren, grass growing only in favoured spots.
“At the southern end of Artillery lake, along the small ravines on the east bank, is a fair amount of wood good for fuel and building dog sleighs, but as soon as one crosses Lockhart river where the lake gets wider, wood is seen here and there only in small bluffs. It is small, bent and dwarfed by the wind storms and snow. There is very little substance in the soil, and vegetation must be very slow. Trees grow mostly in the shelter of a bank, whether stone or sand. At about half way up the lake on the east side the last woods are met; on the edges they are low, bent and creepy, as if in readiness to grasp the soil for support to resist the force of the elements. Nothing further grows but some grasses in favoured spots, and at the rapids, where there is a lot of dampness, willows grow between the crevices of upturned boulders. Above Kasba lake on the route followed even willows do not grow. In the eddies at the foot of the rapids on Kasba river I have seen sticks, some of which had been cut with an axe or other tool. Those pieces of wood were small but of a size which leads me to believe that somewhere on Clinton-Colden or farther west on Aylmer lake, timber of some kind is to be found. These sticks or pieces of wood were very old as if they had been tossed up and washed by water for a long period. Moss grows in places and for fuel purposes a few experiments with the different kinds will demonstrate which is the best. We found the black thick sort, which grows on the stones, is very light and dry and burns the best. One makes a tunnel with stones and places the door towards the wind, the more wind and draught the better.”
Scattered Timber East of Great Slave Lake.
In the report of his trip in 1900, Mr. J. W. Tyrrell also gives us some glimpses of the timber about the east end of Great Slave lake and the lakes and river to the east and northeast of that locality. According to Mr. Tyrrell, “Fairchild point (near old Fort Reliance), which is about ten miles in length, is well wooded with white spruce from six to twelve inches in diameter and is notable as being the source of timber in that locality.
“The shores of Carlton harbour are sparingly wooded with small spruce and a few Banksian pines. It might be noted here that on Fairchild point a few black poplars were observed, the last seen on our outward journey.