Chapter XXVIII: The Migration of Our Canada Geese

As to the regularity of the migration of our Canada goose which is pointed out on this map, I must say I am greatly indebted to the kind assistance of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s agents and those of the Revillon Fur Company, and I have a great ambition to lay aside all home cares and enjoyments and in the near future treat myself to a three months’ trip to the nesting grounds of our Canada geese, where I will have the great pleasure of grasping the hands of all classes of these men whom the geese have let me know are on earth.

As proof that these men are genuine I am reproducing some of their letters. The following is the first one I received:

Hudson’s Bay Company,
MOOSE FACTORY, ONT.,
August 19th, 1915.
via Cochrane.

Box 48,
Kingsville, Ontario.

Dear Sir,—

I have an aluminum ring with the above address stamped on the
outside and number 15 on the inside. This was taken off the leg of a
Canada Grey Goose shot by an Indian last spring about the 15th April
a few miles south of the H.B. Post of Eastmain on James Bay. The
Indian who shot it said that it was in a band of about fifteen and
this particular goose appeared larger than the others and of a
lighter colored plumage. It was probably bound for the breeding
grounds, north, from the fact of its being in a flock. A good many
geese hatch all around the bay but these are generally seen flying
around in pairs before nesting. These birds are very easily tamed
and I have seen some here taken very young which, after they have
grown up, would continue staying around the place after being turned
loose. I would be interested to hear from you the particulars of
this goose and hope I have given you all the information you require
about it. I am,

Yours faithfully,
W. E. CAMSELL.

MAP SHOWING MIGRATION OF THE CANADA GOOSE]

Later, in January, 1916, I received another letter, as follows:

Hudson’s Bay Company,
FORT GEORGE, JAMES BAY,
via Cochrane.
27th January, 1916.

Box 48,
Kingsville, Ont.

Dear Sir,—

This is to inform you that an Indian last week brought me a band,
bearing the above address, which was taken from the leg of a goose,
killed about the middle of October last at Comb Hills, a point on
the coast of James Bay about forty miles south of this Post.

As the Indian seemed to expect something for giving me the band, I
paid him a dollar and shall be glad if you will kindly refund same
to me.

Yours truly,
OWEN GRIFFITH.

I at once sent a few dollars to these agents requesting that they pay the Indians and Esquimaux one dollar each for the tags. I also requested them to give me all particulars about that country, as to what the geese feed on, where they nest; in fact, that any information would be acceptable.

The following letters of interest were written me:

Hudson’s Bay Company,
MOOSE FACTORY,
via Cochrane, Ont.
14th Nov., 1916.

My dear Jack,—

I was very glad to get your letter of August 30th, and must thank
you for your enclosure of $5.00. I am sure you will think I have
been a long while in answering your letter, but I have been over in
England this summer and only returned to this part of the country
about two weeks ago; it was only on my arrival here that I received
your letter, and as there will be a packet out as soon as the ice is
strong, I am taking the first opportunity to answer your letter.

I am now stationed here at Moose for the winter and shall be going
to Albany in the spring. This is a post on the opposite side of
James Bay to Fort George, but a very good place for game, especially
for those birds we call “wavies.” The correct name for these birds,
I believe, is “snow goose.” It is a strange thing that on the west
coast of James Bay we get almost nothing but white “wavies,” with an
occasional blue one in the flock, while on the east coast it is just
the opposite with almost nothing but blue (grey) with a few white
ones in the flock, while a short distance farther north (on the east
coast) at Whale River the white reappear again in large numbers, so
that they evidently cross the bay on their annual migrations.

There are lots of geese both on the east and west sides of the bay,
but I believe that more pass on the east (Fort George side) than the
other, as the coast is rocky with lots of islands where they can
breed. We have some islands out in the bay called the “Tioms,” which
are great breeding places.

The Indians who killed those tagged geese said that they seemed to
be tamer than the others and came out of large flocks and down to
the decoys when the rest of the band would not turn.

About three miles north of Fort George Post there is a big bay (salt
water) with lots of mud and grass at low tide, and in the spring
almost every flock of wavies and some geese feed in this bay on
their way north. The Indians never hunt them on their arrival in
this bay, but gather on a long hill on the other side and then shoot
at the birds as they are going off. They generally get up in small
flocks; as they have to rise considerably to clear the hill, they
can be seen getting up some time before they get to the hill, and
then every one runs along a path and tries to get right under where
the flock is going to pass. Of course if three or four flocks get up
at the same time there is shooting on different parts of the hill
and the hunters are apt to spoil one another’s sport. The Indians
say that once these birds leave this bay that they do not feed again
till they get far north (Hudson Straits or Baffin Land). In fact a
wavies’ nest is a great rarity. Strange to say they do not feed in
this bay in the fall.

We have no wild rice in the bay and the birds seem to feed mostly on
grass in the salt water, and in the fall they go out to the islands
to feed on berries; they fly out to the islands in the mornings and
back into the small bays for the nights.

I am staying with Mr. Camsell just now and he tells me to be sure
and remember him to you. He is going to walk out to the line in
March and will perhaps try to look you up.

I am enclosing you some photos which I think may interest you. I
have written on the backs what they represent.

The Indians get lots of fish in their nets but not much in winter
except with hooks.

Mr. Camsell showed me the photo of yourself. Please send me one.

Well, I will write you again, and in the meantime remain,

Your sincere friend,
OWEN GRIFFITH.

The following four letters all explain themselves.

The Hudson’s Bay Company,
JAMES’ BAY DISTRICT OFFICE,
MOOSE FACTORY,
June 15th, 1918.

Dear Mr. Miner,—

The enclosed metal band, No. 18 S, was brought here to-day by an
Indian, by name Andrew Butterfly, who killed the goose carrying the
band, while hunting in Hannah Bay, south-east of James Bay.

Andrew informs me that the goose was killed on April 28th, 1918.

We are all very much interested in your experiments down here, and
make a point of returning the bands we receive. If you require any
further particulars about the geese killed, please let me know, and
I will try to give you as much information as possible.

Yours faithfully,
GEO. WATSON.

Mr. Jack Miner,
Box 48,
Kingsville, Ont.

The Hudson’s Bay Company,
Great Whale River Post,
via Cochrane, Ontario.

Dear Mr. Miner,—

I have delayed answering your letter of Sept. 4, until I saw some of
my hunters from the north, so as to get as much information as I
could about the nesting place of the geese, etc.

The Esquimaux tell me that a good many birds nest at some large
islands, about north-west of this Post. The islands are called the
north and south Belchers, and some of them are fairly large. One of
them has a large lake extending nearly the whole length of the
island and this is the place where a good many of the geese nest. I
have received two tags from the natives who stay on these islands,
and I enclose them herewith.

The hunters from the far north told me that quite a number of geese
nest about 300 miles north of this place; and I have let them know
that if they kill any geese with tags on, to bring them in to the
Post, so very likely I will be able to send you some next spring
when the natives again visit the Post.

I don’t know what has happened to the birds and animals this season;
I have never seen it so poor for all kinds of game since I have been
up in this direction, and I am hoping that we have an early spring
so that perhaps we may be able to get some of your geese or other
game.

I have been showing your pictures of the geese in the pond to some
of my hunters, and they tell me that they wish they were only eating
some of them; and of course I have to tell them that the spring will
soon be here and that they may kill some of the geese they have been
looking at in the pictures.

Well, I see the war is now over, and every one up at this place was
very glad about it. The natives have some very funny ideas about
what the war was really about, and as each man held that his idea
was the correct one, there have been some lively discussions about
the matter, and this controversy has helped to pass the time at this
isolated place.

Well, trusting things are going all right with you and that your
geese are well and fat, I remain,

Yours sincerely,
L. G. MAVER.

The Hudson’s Bay Company,
James Bay District,
MOOSE FACTORY, May 8th, 1919.
Refer to No. 303.
Subject: Two goose bands returned.

Jack Miner, Esq., Kingsville, Ont.

Dear Sir,—

Whilst making a trip last winter up the east coast of James’ Bay as
far as Great Whale River on Hudson Bay, two of your goose-bands came
into my possession, and I beg to return them herewith.

The band marked 17 was on a goose that was killed in October, 1918,
about thirty miles north of Eastmain by Charles Shashawaskum, a Cree
Indian.

The goose that was carrying the band marked 18 was killed last fall
near Cape Jones by Richard Fleming, an Esquimaux.

One dollar has been forwarded to each of these men out of your fund,
held by Mr. Nicolson of Rupert’s House.

Yours faithfully,
WM. C. RACKHAM,
_District Manager_.

Address: C/o The Hudson’s Bay Company,

Moose Factory,

Clute Post Office, Ontario.

RUPERT’S HOUSE, CLUTE P.O., ONTARIO,
20th June, 1918.

Mr. J. Miner,
Box 48, Kingsville, Ontario.

Dear Sir,—

The enclosed tag No. 18 S was handed to me the other day by an
Indian who killed the goose to which it was attached about thirty
miles north of this Post. I believe two or three other tags were
procured by some Indians who do not deal with me, but no doubt they
will be forwarded by the trader to whom they were delivered. As far
as I can ascertain your interests seem to be pretty well looked
after around the bay generally.

Yours sincerely,
A. NICOLSON.

THE INDIAN ACHIMAYA, who in the spring of 1915 shot a goose tagged the
same year]

During my correspondence with the Hudson’s Bay Company I have received from them several interesting snapshots. This fellow with the smiling face, I understand is the man who shot the first wild goose I ever tagged.

The old lady whose photograph is shown with this is the grandmother, and was reported as the oldest woman around Hudson Bay, but she actually did not know how old she was, and I think one glance at the photograph will convince you that both statements are apt to be true.

INDIAN WOMAN, FORT GEORGE]

Reverend J. W. Walton, the missionary from that quarter who visited me last winter, smiled all over his face when I showed him her picture. “Why,” said he, “she was the dearest old lady you ever met, always wanting to help others carry their load; but she died about eighteen months ago.”

Now it is a fact that thirty-six of my returned goose tags have come from Hudson Bay. Yet it would be well for us to remember that over eighty per cent. of these birds were tagged in the spring, and they went direct from this tame spot to James Bay, thus giving the Indians and Esquimaux the tamest opportunity. We are quite certain that two or three were killed by them within three days after they left here. One goose, tagged and liberated here on April 24th, was killed at the Belcher Islands on the 28th; another, liberated on April the 22nd, was killed at James Bay on the 25th.

On two different occasions when the geese were leaving here at five p.m., I telegraphed the C.P.R. agent at Stralak, Ontario. Stralak is about sixty miles north-west of Sudbury, Ontario, or about four hundred and fifty miles north of my home. On both occasions I got returns before nine o’clock the next morning. My first reply was “Geese are crossing at Metagama.” The next year, under similar conditions, the reply read, “Geese are passing at Spanish Forks and at Pogmasing.” These three stations are on the main line of the C.P.R., about seventy to ninety miles north-west of Sudbury. At these three particular points the railroad is running nearly straight north, and I doubt very much if the geese would be over four miles out of their east and west lines on their northern trip the two different years.

During the same period of time I have a lot reported from their winter home along what I called the south-east Atlantic Coast.

The following are the names and addresses of the gentlemen in the South who have reported the wild geese.

1. Lewis L. Lewark, Nag Head, Dare County, N.C.

2. Irvin Smith, Littleton, R. No. 4, N.C.

3. C. S. Boomer, Swan Quarter, N.C.

4. L. T. Johnson, Mamis, N.C.

5. Dr. J. G. Baum, Pines Island Club, Currick Sound, N.C.

6. E. W. Brumley, Woodligh, Currick County, N.C.

7. C. E. Toppins, Jr., Box 76, R. I., Swan Quarters, N.C.

8. J. C. Bristo, Richmond, Virginia.

9. Linden Archibald, Kennedy, Maryland.

10. Oliver T. Crammer, West Creek, Ocean County, N.J.

I have received odd letters that have become mislaid, but besides what are quoted above, have had letters from the following addresses:

Gust F. Stunhs, Lacrosse, Ind. W. F. Fherkildson, New Holland, N.C. Geo. Cheechoo, James Bay. Marshall I. Bradshaw, Tylerton, Md. C. A. Ulmer, Rose Bay, N.C. (two tags). Francis Clark, Pine Island Club, Poplar Branch, N.C. L. O. Turford, Powell’s Point, NC. William Solomon, Albany River, Hudson Bay. Haywood Whitehead, Townsend, Va. (two tags). Arch. Pardy, Hamilton Inlet, Labrador. M. C. Britt, Elizabeth City, N.C. Simon Alisaibe, Sr;, James Bay (two geese). Peter Henlisty, James Bay (one goose). James Oachigan, James Bay (one goose). E. C. Hallman, Tangier, Va. Harry P. Smith, Holland, Mich. S. Archibald, Salt Water Lake, Near James Bay, Ontario. (Hudson Bay Agent), Great Whale River, Ontario (two tags). E. Renouf, Fort George Post, James Bay District (five tags).

I am here reproducing one letter from the South which gives us a fair explanation as to when the geese come to, and leave, their winter home.

SWAN QUARTER, N.C.
Nov. 15th, 1917.

Dear Sir,—

I killed a goose yesterday, the 14th of Nov., on the Lake of
Matmostuate, Hyde Co., N.C., with a band on his left leg with your
address on it. It said “Write to Box 48, Kingsville, Ont.” So at
your request I am taking pleasure in doing so. Inside of metal band
was a Bible verse; it said: “Keep yourselves in the love of God.
Jude 1:21.” You will please write me and tell me how you caught the
goose, and when you put same on him and all about the geese in
Canada, and their raising there. They come on our lakes about Oct.
15th, and stay here until March 15th. Then they all leave and go
north to places unknown to us. Lake Matamoskeete is a great place
for hunting geese. There were about three hundred killed the day
that I killed this one. Will close. Write me soon and a long letter,
and tell me all you know about them.

With best wishes for you and yours, I am,

Yours very truly,
C. S. BOOMER.

One of the most recent and interesting of the letters I have received is the following:

Hudson’s Bay Service,
James Bay District, Canada,
FORT GEORGE POST,
July 25th, 1923.
via Mattice, Ontario.

Dear Mr. Miner,—

I am enclosing herewith five tags taken off geese killed by my
hunters in the vicinity of this post this year.

Should you ever desire further information I shall ever be glad to
assist you in the excellent work which you are doing, to the best of
my ability.

I am, however, rather afraid that some of the birds which recourse
to your sanctuary are lulled there into a greater trust in mankind
than is well for their continued well-being, as undoubtedly some of
these birds, on leaving the sanctuary you afford them, fall very
easy victims to gunners.

With great appreciation, I beg to remain,

Sincerely yours,
E. RENOUF.

In 1919, Mr. Sainsbury of Toronto, one of our Canadian explorers, was in Baffin Land. There he ran across some Esquimaux with a goose that had my tag on it. They were superstitious about the goose, but when Mr. Sainsbury explained it to them, they tore its skin off, and ate the goose, raw. This is away north of timber line, where the Esquimaux eat their meat raw. The dot on the map showing the migration of the geese, away to the north of Hudson Bay, is where Mr. Sainsbury pointed out the place to me on his map.

RETURNED DUCK AND GOOSE TAGS

The rolled tags appear exactly as when taken from the legs of the
geese.]