The Unexploited West: A Compilation of all of the authentic information available at the present time as to the Natural Resources of the Unexploited Regions of Northern CanadaChambers, Ernest J.
History
The Unexploited West: A Compilation of all of the authentic information available at the present time as to the Natural Resources of the Unexploited Regions of Northern Canada
Chambers, Ernest J.
Canada -- Economic conditions; Northwest, Canadian -- Economic conditions
As to James bay, the best fish there is a variety of whitefish,
apparently identical with the large whitefish of Lake Superior, only the
fish grow larger in the cold waters in the north. The whitefish live
equally well, if not better, in salt water. They run up the rivers also.
They belong to the salmon family. Then there are trout of different
kinds, and at the northern part of James bay there is Hearne’s salmon.
They are small salmon, but of very fine quality. The flesh is equal to
that of the common salmon, perhaps better. It is firm and red and well
flavoured. Hearne’s salmon seldom exceeds ten pounds in weight. It is
also found all around Hudson bay, and on both sides of Hudson strait.
The porpoise, or more properly speaking, the small white whale, is
abundant in James bay.
Doctor Bell expressed the opinion that the fisheries of Hudson bay will,
no doubt, be very valuable.
Mr. A. P. Low, before the Senate committee of 1907, stated that the fish
in the inland waters of Keewatin are like those in the other northern
parts of Canada, and fairly abundant especially in the larger lakes. The
chief fish are the whitefish and the lake trout. In Hudson bay the
whitefish and the ordinary river trout have sea-going habits, and the
Indians take quite a number along the shores in nets, more especially in
James bay.
Mr. Low reported sturgeon as being plentiful in Favourable lake.
Mr. J. B. Tyrrell in his report speaks as follows of the game and fish
in that area in the southwest of this region (See p. 19) explored by him
in 1896:—“The country is stocked with animals of various kinds. Moose
are abundant in some of the more thickly wooded tracts. Black bears are
somewhat numerous, and beaver, otters, martens, mink, muskrats and red
foxes are killed by the Indians in considerable numbers in the aggregate
every year.
WHITEFISH ABOUND
in most of the lakes and streams, while the lake trout seemed to be
moderately plentiful in the clear lakes near the head of Grass river. Of
the other fish, the sturgeon and pickerel (_Stizostethium vitreum_) are
the most important. The region was known among the early fur traders as
the Muskrat country. Trout and whitefish are said to abound in Reed
lake.”
[Illustration: Moose crossing Limestone river.]
Near the forks of the Muhigan large game was very plentiful, and Mr.
Tyrrell saw eleven moose in one day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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