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A WILD HUNTING GROUND.THE DISTRICT OF KEEWATIN TEEM1NG WITH GAME.Fresh Water Fish—Polar Bear Caribou and Musk-Ox—The Lieut. Governor of Manitoba Points Out a Paradise for Sportsmen.In an interesting letter which Sir Charles Tupper, High Commissioner for Canada, has just received frofn Lieut. Governor Schultz of Manitoba, that gentleman says he has, since his installation at Winnipeg, been trying to find out all he can regarding the resources of the district of Keewatin— that is, of the portion not usually traversed by the Hudson’s Bay .Company’s boats, and by the winter sleigh routes. Mr. Schultz’s present inquiries have led him to the conclusion that there may possibly be future wealth in that portion of this region which is now regarded as comparatively useless.It is quite certain, he says, that its fisheries will be of very great future value. In the first place, all the rivers which flow into Hudson’s Bay from the west have, with one exception, breeding grounds for a variety of salmon known as “Hearne’s” salmon, which differs slightly from the salmon of both the east and the west coast, though resembling the former in that it will rise to the fly, a peculiarity not possessed by the west coast salmon. Then, again, the freshwater fisheries may become an important source of supply to those who are not content with sea-fish. White fish are now brought 300 miles to the mouth of the Red River, frozen in the summer time by artificial processes, and “ shipped*’ in the frozen state as far south as St. Louis, a distance probably of 1,500 miles. To assist in meeting this demand for fresh-water fish (i.e., the white fish, salmon-trout, and true sturgeon—in other words, the caviare- producing sturgeon), the nearest point from which a supply could be obtained from the Keewatin district would be the lakes in the Laurentian country, whicli forms the west shore of Hudson’s Bay. These lakes are extensive and numerous—are said, in fact, to cover no less than 33 per cent of the surface. Their waters teem with white-fish of the finest quality, and with lake-trout frequently of from 30 lbs. to 40 lbs. weight, and are just as easy of access from the ports of Great Britain as Lake St. John in Quebec would be, were a trade to arise.Besides the fishing mentioned, there is a prospect of meeting with the polar bear, and there would be the certainty of shooting a number of curibou (the North American reindeer), with the possibility of bringing back some of the young, and of capturing the musk-ox, which is declared by the Arctic vayageurs who come in contact with it to be as dangerous an animal, owing to its nimbleness, ferocity, and strength, as many that are to be met with in the jungles of India.
Newspaper Details
Lindsay Watchman
Lindsay, Ontario, CA
Thu, Feb 14, 1889
Page 8
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CA 10 Jun 2023
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