Chapter I: Front Matter

CRUISE OF THE NEPTUNE

REPORT

ON THE

DOMINION GOVERNMENT EXPEDITION

TO

HUDSON BAY AND THE ARCTIC ISLANDS

ON BOARD THE

D . G . S . N E P T U N E

1903 - 1904

BY

A. P. LOW, B.Sc., F.R.G.S.
_Officer in charge._

OTTAWA
GOVERNMENT PRINTING BUREAU
1906

OTTAWA, September 8, 1905.
Hon. RAYMOND PRÉFONTAINE, K.C.,
Minister of Marine and Fisheries.

SIR,—I have the honour to submit herewith my report on the expedition to Hudson Bay and northward thereof, in the steamship _Neptune_; to which, on your kind recommendation, I was appointed officer in charge by a commission authorized under an order in council of August 13, 1903.

Permit me to here acknowledge the kindly and valuable assistance afforded me by Colonel F. Gourdeau, Deputy Minister of the Department of Marine and Fisheries, by Commander G. O. V. Spain, and by all the officers of the department at Ottawa and Halifax, with whom it was my duty and privilege to work.

The greater part of the credit for the complete and successful accomplishment of all the instructions for the voyage is due to Captain S. W. Bartlett, the officers and the crew of the _Neptune_. Their prompt and cheerful attention to orders and their willing co-operation in all matters relating to the expedition deserve the highest praise.

I have great pleasure in calling attention to the valuable work of the scientific staff of the expedition. Dr. L. E. Borden, by his skill and attention, kept everybody in a good general state of health, and in addition rendered great assistance in the collection of specimens and data relating to ethnology, botany and zoology. Mr. Andrew Halkett, Naturalist of the Department of Marine and Fisheries, was indefatigable in the work of collecting specimens in all branches of natural history. Mr. C. F. King, who was attached from the staff of the Geological Survey, took charge in an able manner of the topographical work, and was willingly assisted by Messrs. Caldwell and Ross and by the officers of the ship.

In the preparation of this report, I have received much valuable assistance from Dr. Robert Bell, Acting Director of the Geological Survey, who has not only helped personally, but who also kindly allowed the very necessary assistance of the following members of the staff of that department: Mr. J. M. Macoun, who named and described the plants in the collections brought home; Mr. L. Lambe and Dr. H. M. Ami, who determined and named the collections of fossils, and Mr. F. Nicolas, who kindly edited the report and prepared the index to it. The map which accompanies the report was prepared under the direction of Mr. C. O. Senécal by Messrs. C. F. King and P. Frereault.

My thanks are due to Mr. W. McMahon, Superintendent of Printing, for his kindly advice and assistance in the publication of this report, and it is entirely due to him that the volume presents its creditable appearance.

I have the honour to be, sir,
Your humble servant,
A. P. LOW.

_MINTO._

CANADA.

EDWARD THE SEVENTH, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions
beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India,
etc.

To ALBERT PETER LOW, of the City of Ottawa, in the Province of
Ontario, in our Dominion of Canada, Esquire,—

GREETING:

E. L. NEWCOMBE,
Deputy of the Minister of Justice,
Canada.

Know you that reposing trust and confidence in your loyalty, integrity and ability, We have constituted and appointed, and We do hereby constitute and appoint you the said =Albert Peter Low= to be officer in charge of the expedition to Hudson Bay and northward thereof in the Steamship _Neptune_,—

To have, hold, exercise and enjoy the said office of officer in charge of the expedition to Hudson Bay and northward thereof in the Steamship _Neptune_ unto you the said =Albert Peter Low=, with all and every the powers, rights, authority, privileges, profits, emoluments and advantages unto the said office of right and by law appertaining during pleasure.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, We have caused these Our Letters to be
made Patent, and the Great Seal of Canada to be hereunto
affixed. WITNESS, Our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Cousin and
Councillor the Right Honourable Sir GILBERT JOHN ELLIOT, Earl of
Minto and Viscount Melgund of Melgund, County of Forfar, in the
Peerage of the United Kingdom, Baron Minto of Minto, County of
Roxburgh, in the Peerage of Great Britain, Baronet of Nova
Scotia, Knight Grand Cross of Our Most Distinguished Order of
St. Michael and Saint George, etc., etc., Governor General of
Canada.

At Our Government House, in Our City of Ottawa, this
THIRTEENTH day of AUGUST, in the year of Our Lord one
thousand nine hundred and three, and in the third year
of Our Reign.

By Command,
P. PELLETIER,
_Acting Under Secretary of State_.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
VOYAGE TO THE BAY.
Introductory—Preparations—The _Neptune_—The Crew—Coast of
Labrador—Port Burwell—Cumberland Gulf—Hudson Strait—Walrus
Hunting—Hudson Bay—West Coast of Hudson Bay—Chesterfield
Inlet—Arrival at Fullerton 1

CHAPTER II.
WINTER QUARTERS AT FULLERTON.
Fullerton Harbour—Preparations for Winter—Natives—Amusement and
Work—Spring Explorations—Mr. Caldwell’s Trip to Wager Inlet—Surveys
about Fullerton—Exploration of Coast to Chesterfield Inlet—Trip in
Whaleboats to Southampton Island 25

CHAPTER III.
SUMMER CRUISE OF THE _NEPTUNE_.
Fisher Strait—Ice in Hudson Strait—Supply Ship at Port Burwell—Voyage
North—North Greenland Coast—Parker Snow Bay—Smith Sound—Crossing to
Cape Sabine—Peary’s Headquarters—_Neptune_ on the Rocks—Taking
Possession of Ellesmere Island—East Coast of Ellesmere—Lancaster
Sound—Franklin’s Headquarters at Beechey Island—Record of the
_Gjoa_—Port Leopold—Ponds Inlet—Natives—Arctic Salmon—Baffin
Bay—Cumberland Gulf—Wakeham Bay—Sugluk Bay—Salisbury Island—Voyage
Home 35

CHAPTER IV.
HISTORICAL SUMMARY.
Frobisher—Davis—Weymouth—Knight—Hudson—Button—Baffin—Munck—Fox and
James—Hudson’s Bay Company—Knight—Middleton and Dobbs—Hearne—Ross
and Parry—Parry and Liddon—Parry and Lyon—Franklin—Ross—Back—Dease
and Simpson—Rae—Franklin and Crozier—The Franklin
Search—Kane—Hayes—Hall—Nares—Markham—Greely—Nansen—Peary—Sverdrup 71

CHAPTER V.
ARCTIC ISLANDS.
Divisions—Physical Features dependant upon Geology—Islands of Hudson
Bay—Baffin and Bylot Islands—Islands south of Lancaster
Sound—Ellesmere—North Devon—The Parry Islands—The Sverdrup Islands 112

CHAPTER VI.
ESKIMOS.
The Central Eskimos—Annual Routine—Winter Months—Snowhouses—Cooking
Utensils—Dog Sled—Dogs—Seal Hunting—Seal Spear—Foxes—Trade—Spring
Occupations—Summer—Summer Tent—Kyak—Umiak—Harpoon—Caribou Hunting 131

CHAPTER VII.
ESKIMOS—_Continued_.
Manners and Customs—Government—Marriage and
Divorce—Murder—Death—Burial—Superstitions and Beliefs—The Goddess
Nuliavok—Origin of Races—Future State—Taboos—The
Angekok—Amusements—Garments—Adornments—Moral Characteristics 162

CHAPTER VIII.
GEOLOGY.
Sources of Information—Succession of the Rocks—Earth
Movements—Archæan Backbone—Silurian Sea—Devonian and Carboniferous
Uplift—Mesozoic and Miocene Tertiary—The Glacial Period—Details of
Geology—Archæan—Hudson Bay, Baffin Island, Islands of Group III.,
Ellesmere and North Devon Islands 183

CHAPTER IX.
GEOLOGY—_Continued_.
Silurian—West Coast of Hudson Bay, Baffin Island, Islands of Group
III., Northeast Part of Ellesmere, Jones Sound, North Devon Island,
Devonian. Carboniferous—Parry Island, Coal, Ellesmere Island.
Mesozoic—Parry and Sverdrup Islands. Tertiary—Banks Island,
Ellesmere Island, Coal, Baffin Island. Glacial—Distribution of
Boulders—Ice Movements—Hudson Strait, West Coast of Hudson Bay,
Labrador, Greatest Intensity of Ice-cap—Marine Terraces. Economic
Minerals Gold, Silver, Copper, Iron, Mica, Graphite, Molybdenite,
Lignite and Coal 210

CHAPTER X.
WHALING.
History—The Whaling Fleet—Whaling in Davis Strait and Baffin
Bay—Whaling in Hudson Bay—The Right Whale—Whalebone—Scottish
Whalers—Ships and Methods—American Whalers—Ships, Crews and
Methods—Whaleboats—Spring Whaling—Whaling Stations—Future of the
Industry—Other Whales—Porpoises—The Seals—Walrus 248

CHAPTER XI.
NAVIGATION OF HUDSON BAY.
Need of Hudson Bay Route—Historical—Navigation of Hudson
Strait—Navigation in Hudson Bay—Ports—Currents—Ice from Davis
Strait—Ice in Hudson Bay—Period of Navigation—Sailing
Directions—Trade—Natural Resources—Advantages of Hudson Bay
Route—Storage of Grain—Railway 283

APPENDIX I.
Meteorological Observations taken on the _Neptune_ 300

APPENDIX II.
List of Birds and Eggs collected on the Voyage 314

APPENDIX III.
List of Plants collected in 1904 320

APPENDIX IV.
Notes on the Fossils collected on the Voyage 322

APPENDIX V.
List of the principal Works and Papers consulted in the Preparation
of the Report 337