An Indian Dance Lodge.
Mr. J. W. Tyrrell, who was with his brother upon this occasion, in his book “Through the Sub-Arctics of Canada”, speaks of the caribou seen at Carey lake as forming “many great bands literally covering the country over wide areas. The valleys and hillsides for miles appeared to be moving masses of caribou. To estimate their numbers would be impossible. They could only be reckoned in acres or square miles. We walked to and fro through the herd of caribou, causing little more alarm than one would by walking through a herd of cattle in the field.”
Near the head of Dubawnt lake the Tyrrells, in August, noticed scattered bands of deer, also two or three wolves and a wolverine.
In 1894, when Mr. J. B. Tyrrell’s party was descending Kazan river, they first fell in with the Barren Lands caribou on the west side of Ennadai lake about latitude 61°, on August 14. Mr. Tyrrell in his report says the deer were travelling southward in large numbers. The country was open and treeless, and the deer were rather difficult to approach, but twelve were shot and cut up, and their meat was spread out to dry in the sun and wind.”
Mr. J. W. Tyrrell mentions seeing some caribou and many signs of them during his exploration of Hanbury and Thelon rivers in 1900. “While descending Hanbury river, to the eastward of Great Slave lake, during the early part of July, only an occasional straggling caribou was met. On July 23, however, on the Thelon, he observed a large band moving southward. In his report Mr. Tyrrell states:—“The Thelon was evidently frequented on both sides by numbers of caribou, as their tracks were everywhere to be seen, though few of the deer were met with, until the lower stretches of the river were reached, their migration having preceded us.”
Back relates that on July 15, 1834, while his party was descending Backs river, at Beechey lake the swampy prairies, “which near the cascades might be called plains,” were “all thickly inhabited by deer.” Back calls the caribou “Cervus tarandus” (Linn).
Mr. David T. Hanbury found large bands of caribou, comprising adults of both sexes and their young, proceeding southward along Hanbury river about the last of July.
Migration of the Caribou.
Writing of the migratory habits of the caribou, Mr. Hanbury states:—“There is no doubt that caribou migrate. They go south in large herds in autumn, and north in spring. They cross the country east of Great Slave lake, round Artillery lake, and some distance east of it. They do not appear on the main Ark-i-linik river, but between Aberdeen and Schultz lakes they pass with some regularity. The migration takes place on such a large scale, and over such a wide tract of country, that it has been assumed that all caribou migrate; the fact seems to be that the majority of animals remain in the north throughout the year. I have myself shot caribou in winter along the west coast of Hudson bay, and inland from the bay; along the north and south coasts of Chesterfield inlet; in the country north of the head of the inlet as far as Garry lake on Backs river, and along Backs river. I have also killed them to the north and south of Baker, Aberdeen and Schultz lakes in winter, and I know others who have killed them in winter in the country about Wager river and Repulse bay. On the Arctic coast, at White Bear point, and on Kent peninsula, and at other places which will be mentioned later, caribou are always to be found during the winter. Thus, I think it may be held as proved that very great numbers of caribou do not migrate.”