Across the Sub-Arctic of Canada - A Journey of and Miles by Canoe and Snowshoe Through the Barren Lands #229902

In addition to this meagre information, he had procured sketch maps of several canoe routes lead ing northward toward the Barren Lands. The most easterly of these routes commenced at a point on the north shore of Black Lake, and the description ob tained of it was as follows: Beginning at Black Lake, you make a long portage northward to a little lake, then across five or six more small ones and a corresponding number of portages, and a large body of water called Wolverine Lake will be reached. Pass through this, and ascend a river flowing into it from the northward, until Active Man Lake is reached. This lake will take two days to cross, and at its northern extremity the Height of Land will be reached. Over this make a portage until another large lake of about equal size is entered. From the north end of this second large lake, a great river flows to the northward through a treeless country unknown to the Indians, but inhabited by savag Eskimos. Where the river empties into the sea we cannot tell, but it flows a great way to the northward. From the description given, it appeared that this river must flow through the centre of the unexplored territory, and thence find its way either into the waters of Hudson Bay or into the Arctic Ocean. It was by this route we resolved to carry on the exploration, and, if possible, make our wav through the Barren Lands.