“In prehistoric times, as shown by the exhumed remains, the musk-ox occupied a very wide area of the earth’s surface, both in Europe, Asia and America, but now his range is limited to the northern parts of Canada and Greenland. From personal observation I have found the southern boundary of the musk-ox habitat to-day to be Hudson strait and bay, Chesterfield inlet, Thelon river, Clinton-Colden and Aylmer lakes; whereas in the time of Samuel Hearne, one hundred and fifty years ago, we have his assertion that musk-oxen frequented the vicinity of Churchill, four hundred miles south of their present haunts.
“It is no doubt a fact, not only have the musk-oxen been driven farther and farther from the haunts of men, but that their numbers have been correspondingly reduced from year to year by natives who have long pursued a policy of systematic slaughter in quest of the princely robes so much in demand by the fur-traders.”
Musk-Ox Robes Stacked Like Hay.
“The musk-ox is one of the noblest and most valuable animals of the northern shore of Hudson bay and adjacent territory. It is found in very considerable numbers and affords most luxurious robes. I have seen musk-ox robes stacked by the Eskimos like hay-cocks, along the shore of Chesterfield inlet, awaiting the opportunity to market them.”
On Thelon river, from the junction of the Hanbury down for over half its length or about one hundred and fifty miles, Inspector Pelletier, during his long patrol already several times referred to, saw innumerable tracks of musk-ox, some fairly fresh and on both banks. In his official report the Inspector states:—
“On August 9 (the day after the descent of Thelon river was begun), we sighted our first musk-ox. He was on a small island, lying down asleep, and looked very much like a large overturned sod until suddenly he rose and we were astonished at his size. I had always heard a musk-ox was not a large animal. This one we saw was a large bull of not very great height—perhaps, I would judge, about thirteen hands, but of immense size and weight; he would have scaled very close to fifteen hundred pounds. The long hair was coming down nearly to the ground, and when he decided to run away the fur on him was of such thickness and length that it waved up and down at every gallop as the wings of a bird flying. A few miles farther down about noon we sighted another musk-ox. He was on the north shore, sleeping on the top of a grassy bank. We made much noise to attract his attention. He suddenly rose, and looked straight at us. While doing so I took a snapshot of him. I was hurrying another exposure in place when all at once he turned right about and disappeared over the bank. He was a large animal, but not so large as the first one. We were on the lookout for more, but saw none that day. We sighted one musk-ox on the morning of August 10. It was the third and last we saw. We saw innumerable tracks though, and at certain times of the year large herds must frequent the shores of this river.”
The Moose and Fur-bearing Animals.
The moose (Alces Americanus) being a woodland animal, is not found in the interior of the Barren Lands, but it is found in places in the sparsely timbered margins of the country and in the narrow wooded strips and points which extend from the forested areas along the rivers and lakes well into the treeless plains. Mr. J. W. Tyrrell states that during his party’s exploration of the upper Thelon in the summer of 1900, on two occasions moose antlers were found embedded in the sand of the river banks. Hanbury states that moose are found in Thelon river, below its junction with the Hanbury, and mentions seeing numerous fresh tracks and places where the animals had browsed on the willows. In August, 1902, while descending Dease river, northeast of Great Bear lake, he found tracks along its banks.
Inspector Pelletier, speaking in his official report of the game along the Hanbury and Thelon, states:—“There is good fur to be had in winter besides musk-ox, such as foxes, wolves, wolverines, brown bears, and perhaps mink and marten. . . . Many wolves were seen at the foot of Ford falls (on the Hanbury). Five were in a pack.”
Mr. J. B. Tyrrell in his paper before the British Association at Toronto stated:—“The white wolf and the wolverine are the two most common predatory animals in the interior, while the white bear and white fox are common in places along the coast.”