South of Churchill river,
and extending east to the old canoe route from Cumberland House via Frog portage to Stanley Mission. Mr. Crean was instructed by Mr. R. E. Young, Superintendent of the Railway Lands Branch, to pay particular attention to obtaining information about the character of the country away from the travelled routes, and to ascertain the value of the district to be traversed for farming, lumbering and mining purposes.
Mr. Crean left Prince Albert August 20, 1908, and returned there January 6, 1909. He proceeded by team to the south end of Green lake, and after reaching that point travelled chiefly by canoe, making side trips inland, where it seemed desirable to do so. After the ice formed he procured dog trains to continue the exploration. On this trip Mr. Crean explored the district bounded on the west by a line from Prince Albert to Stanley mission; on the north by Churchill and Clearwater rivers; on the west by Green lake, Beaver river, the western arm of Ile à la Crosse lake, Buffalo lake, Methye river and Methye lake; and on the south by the surveyed territory along the north bank of the Saskatchewan. Mr. Crean gave the following statistics in his report:—“The gross area explored, and about which some information has been collected, is approximately sixteen million acres. The water covered area in this tract (area of lakes and rivers) may be set down at approximately three million acres—the remaining land area at thirteen million. I would estimate that an area of fully three million five hundred thousand acres is suitable for settlement as soon as surveyed and made accessible by roads, and an area of about eight million acres of swamp or land probably too wet at present for successful cultivation could be reclaimed at a moderate expenditure. All swamp will, however, eventually repay the cost of reclamation. The above figures are, of course, the result of an exploration extending over only a few months, and must be considered to be only approximate. The distance travelled was about three thousand miles, of which one thousand two hundred was made running behind dog trains.”
In 1909, Mr. Crean was again sent out to carry on his exploration of the country north of the surveyed area in Saskatchewan and Alberta and extending west from the territory covered the previous year. He was instructed to cover as much of the country west to the Athabaska and
North to the Clearwater
as time would permit. He left Prince Albert on June 17, 1909, completed his season’s work at McMurray, and thence proceeded to Edmonton, reaching there December 11, 1909. From Green lake, Mr. Crean travelled principally by canoe, making numerous portages, some of considerable length. On some occasions he hired horses and used them as a means of transportation. The total area explored, or about which information was thus obtained, is approximately twenty-one million acres. Mr. Crean reports:—“Of this tract, not over two million acres is covered by water—lakes and rivers. A conservative estimate of the land available for settlement in its present state, when means of access are provided, would be about ten million acres. The greater portion of the remaining area, say nine million acres, could be drained, and, in my opinion, would well repay the expenditure. Throughout the tract there is ample fall which would allow of drainage being successfully carried out. A portion of the tract lies on the head waters of Churchill river, and all the streams contain numerous rapids and falls. On the west side of the height of land sloping towards the Athabaska and the Clearwater there are also excellent facilities for drainage. This tract is well supplied with timber, some of which may be suitable for export.”
Mr. Crean, during this exploratory trip, visited the country between Green lake and Meadow lake, Birch lake and Loon lake to the westward; Waterhen lake and Island lake; Canoe lake and Burnt lake; White Fish river and lake, and Watchush lake; Gipsy lake, Gordon lake and McMurray; Gregoire lake. Pembina river. Cowpar lake, Winefred lake, Ipiatik lake, Heart lake and Lac La Biche, all to the westward of the area investigated in 1908.
Mr. Crean’s report of his exploration in the season of 1908 was printed for public information, but owing to the great demand for copies the edition was soon exhausted and it was decided therefore, to issue the two reports in one new publication. The gross area covered by the two reports, and as to which some information was gathered, might be stated at approximately forty million acres.
Inspired with the wish to see for himself the country for the administration of which he was responsible, the Hon. Frank Oliver, then Minister of the Interior, in 1910 made the trip from Edmonton via Athabaska, Athabaska river, Lake Athabaska, Slave river, Great Slave lake, and Mackenzie river, to Fort McPherson, thence passing over to the Yukon by trail to Lapierre’s House. Mr. Oliver left Edmonton June 2 and reached Fort Yukon on July 14. From Athabaska to Grand rapids (one hundred and sixty miles) and from McMurray to Chipewyan (two hundred miles) the Minister and his private secretary made the trip alone in a Peterborough canoe. The result of the Minister’s observations, as communicated to the press, aroused considerable interest in the newest northwest throughout Canada.
The reports of explorers and travellers as to the character and resources of the great northwest have been supplemented by a considerable amount of information received from Hudson’s Bay Company officials, and others engaged in the fur trade, missionaries, prospectors and pioneer settlers. Certain