In the spring of 1903, the results of his work in 1901 having been elaborated but not published, Mr. Preble was sent to complete his investigations in the Mackenzie region. This was especially desirable, since on the previous trip he had penetrated only as far as Great Slave lake. Upon his second trip the survey was carried from Great Bear lake to the Arctic coast line. The result of these trips was embodied in a very complete and altogether admirable report—“North American Fauna, No. 27.”—published by the United States Biological Survey in 1908.
In 1905, Mr. Alfred H. Harrison, one of that large class of adventurous Englishmen who love to penetrate into the less known and totally unknown portions of the world for the very love of sport and perilous adventure, made a trip of exploration down Slave and Mackenzie rivers, and remained for nearly two years in the country
About the Delta of Mackenzie river
and Herschell island, and returned home in 1907 by the same route. Mr. Harrison, before he made this trip, had considerable knowledge of the Northland, for he had made a trip as far as Great Slave lake in 1902. Mr. Harrison is, moreover, the son of a former officer of the Hudson’s Bay Company, who in 1852 was stationed at the company’s post at Fort Good Hope. Mr. Harrison, upon his return to England, wrote a book which he entitled “In Search of a Polar Continent” which contains a large amount of interesting information regarding the Mackenzie country.
During the seasons of 1903, 1904 and 1905, Mr. William McInnes of the Geological Survey made explorations in that portion of the southeastern section of this region drained by Winisk river and by the upper branches of Attawapiskat river. These explorations extended from 51° 10′ to 55° 10′ North latitude and from 86° to 90° West longitude. The result was embodied in a report printed in 1909 and numbered 1080.
Messrs. Wm. McInnes and Owen O’Sullivan of the Geological Survey were employed during the summer of 1906 to explore the region along the proposed route of the railway between the Saskatchewan and Churchill. Mr. McInnes explored the country between the Pas and Split lake; Mr. O’Sullivan, the country between Split lake and Churchill. Their reports were published in the summary report of the Geological Survey for 1906.
Mr. McInnes’s route ran from Lake Winnipeg via Nelson river to Split lake and thence along Burntwood river and File river and lake to Reed lake, across Wekusko lake to a point between Grass and Burntwood rivers, back to Reed lake and thence along the Nelson. Mr. O’Sullivan’s route was from Split lake via Assean lake, Outawi river and lake, Waskaiowaka lake, Little Churchill river, Recluse lake, Great Churchill river, Deer lake and river, and Great Churchill river again. The return trip was made via York Factory, Hayes river and Fox river.
In 1906 and 1907, W. Thibaudeau, C.E., acting under the instruction of Doctor Deville, Surveyor-General, made some explorations in Churchill district and along the route of the proposed Hudson Bay Railway from Churchill to The Pas on the Saskatchewan. On his trip over the route of the railway Mr. Thibaudeau proceeded from Churchill in a straight line to near Deer river. Crossing the river he followed a route between it and the Churchill, recrossing the Deer at a point a little more than a hundred miles from Churchill. Thence he travelled in a straight line to the Little Churchill, and followed the course of that river to Waskaiowaka lake. Thence he crossed to a point near Assean lake and continued his route via Split lake, Pipe lake, Grass river, Landing lake, Sipiwesk lake, Grass river, and Cormorant and Atikomeg lakes.
Mr. Joseph Keele of the Geological Survey of Canada made a reconnaissance across Mackenzie mountains on Pelly, Ross and Gravel rivers, in the mountain region lying between the Pelly and the lower reach of Mackenzie river in 1907 and 1908.
During the summer of 1908, Inspector E. A. Pelletier, of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, with a corporal and two constables, patrolled the country between