After three months in the wilds of Canada's great northland, traversing
more than 2000 miles by canoe, Mr. Hugh Kindersley, son of Sir Robert Kindersley, governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, and Capt. P. T. O'Kelly, formerly transport officer of the company in the Far North, returned to the city today.
The trip was undertaken with a view to visiting the posts of the Hudson's
Bay in the Far North, and Mr. Kindersley and his companion stopped at fourteen.
The discovery of oil did not enter into their calculations when they started, but one of the most interesting incidents of their trip was a stop of twenty-four hours at Fort Norman, in the Arctic Circle, near which place the Imperial Oil Company recently struck oil.
TRAVELLED LIGHT.
"We left Edmonton about May 31," said Mr. Kindersley. "At Athabasca
Landing we took to an 18-foot canoe, taking with us just what was necessary for the journey, and no more. We had no guides - outside of Capt. O'Kelly, who knows the Northland better than most people."
Down the Athabasea River, through the rapids to Fort McMurray, was the first stage. Thence the Athabasca Lake, down the Slave River to Fort Smith. Between Fort Smith and Athabasca Lake are miles of bad rapids round which they portaged. Crossing
Great Slave Lake from Fort Resolution they proceeded down the McKenzie River, stopping at Fort Wrigley, Fort Norman and Fort McPherson. At this point they were joined by Major White of the United States army and several companions who, as they said, were looking for "a tough trip." According to Mr. Kindersley, they got what they wanted in the journey up the Rat River, having crossed the mountains by way of McDougall's Pass. For seven days they waded waist deep in the snow waters of the Rat River, finally reaching Fort Yukon and coming out by the White Pass and Yukon Railway.
Between Athabasca Landing and Fort McMurray five moose and three bears were seen, but having no means of carrying the hides and not needing the meat, they did not shoot.
STRUCK OIL.
At Fort Norman, about 300 miles northwest of Fort Simpson, they stopped for 24 hours. Two days before their arrival the prospecting party of the Imperial Oil Company had come into oil at a depth of 130 feet after many months of drilling. Thirty
gallons of crude oil were being brought up each day, and so good was its quality that it was being used for working the stoves and boiler at the station.
With a party of fourteen men the Imperial Oil Company has been working this district for many months under the direction of Mr. Lynk, the geologist. The discovery is of importance, but it is expected that at a depth of 300 feet oil will be found in much larger quantities,
Mr. Kindersley will proceed shortly to New York where he will work for
some time in his father's bank.
