AID TO PROSPECTING.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19100, 10 November 1933, Page 2

AID TO PROSPECTING.

MODERN TRANSPORT.

FIRBT-CLABB SERVICE. (From a Correspondent) LONDON, September A lone prospector’s tent on the edge of an unnamed lake in the great tract of uninhabited land between the Great Bear Lake and Coronation Gulf in the North West Territories of Canada, provided a striking contrast with the aeroplane, whose occupant had spotted it as he flew overhead on one of the stages of an 8000 miles tour of the mining centres The occupant of the aeroplane w'as a veteran prospector, who makes full use of the advantages which modern transport methods can confer and who, in three weeks, covered more ground than Franklin,in all his years of laborious exploration of the far north. In his “Fox Moth” seaplane this prospector left Senneterre, whioh Is in the Quebeo area, with a mechanio and visited all the principal far northern mining fields, including God’s Lake, Knee Lake, Camsell River, Echo Bay and.the Coppermine country. From Echo Bay he fle'vv to Coronation Gulf within the Arctio 'Circle, to renew, as he said, his acquaintance with the Eskimos. On the return journey he flew up the Coppermine River to Fort Enterprise, that historio name. He returned by way of Kasha Lake, Stony •Rapids, Cormorant Lake, Sioux Lookout and Haileybury to Toronto. His longest stage in one day was from Stony Rapids to Sioux Lookout, in Ontario, across Saskatchewan and Manitoba, a-distance of some 1400 miles.

A Fine Achievement. This tour, although little has been said about it, is In reality one of the finest demonstrations of the value of the modern aeroplane that has been given. *lt shows how the scope of air travel oan be extended and what possibilities lie in. store when other experienced prospeotors take to the air. It is particularly notable that large areas over which this tour was made are sparsely populated and that, in consequence, complete rellanoe had to be -placed upon the trustworthiness of air frame and engine. The owner of the maohlne, who has asked that his name shall not be mentioned, is enthusiastic about its qualities. He says that it has given him class service and adds: "If it has any faults from the . Northern Operator’s point of view, I have yet to And them. On several occasions," he continues in a letter about his Journey, "I have been forced to take off in a heavily loaded condition from glass calm water, but I have never Wiled on the first attempt. The minimum of maintenance has been required and the “Gipsy Major" engine has run without a falter. As a matter of interest, after 200 hours I examined the interior of the fuselage and found it, like the exterior, to be in perfeot condition. I can honestly say that I am delighted with the way in whioh the ‘Fox Moth r performs;" Coming from one having such extensive experience of prospeoting conditions In the north this tribute to British air material is particularly gratifying.