According to Mr. McInnes’s report of his survey of the region drained by the Winisk and the Attawapiskat in 1903, 1904 and 1905 (See p. 23):—“The average size of the trees growing within the country explored is not great. On exceptionally favourable tracts the spruces attain sizes quite large enough for commercial use as sawn lumber, and large areas would afford good pulpwood. Evidences of the constant recurrence of forest fires over the area are everywhere plainly seen. The brulé areas, varying from quite small patches to large tracts, are of every age; some are so old the forest has attained the full height of the old growth and the newer age of the trees can only be ascertained by a reference to their rings of growth, and others so recent that no vegetation covers the blackened surface. These fires are generally the result of the carelessness of Indian travellers, but may sometimes be traced to the igniting of a dry, standing tree-trunk by lightning. The oldest trees found in the whole area were growing on a till-covered island, about fifty miles from the mouth of Winisk river. The complete isolation from the mainland by broad channels ensured its protection from fires having their origin outside its own borders. The spruces growing here were found by their rings of growth to be between two hundred and seventy and two hundred and eighty years old. The diameters and ages of trees, growing in a number of different localities throughout the region, were noted, and are given in the list below:—