A forest of spruce, hemlock, cedar and cypress covers probably
nine-tenths of the surface of the island. While in the aggregate, it
embraces large quantities of merchantable timber, a comparatively
small portion is available for lumbering operations. This is due to
the scattering growth of the best trees, and also to their location
upon streams either too small to float logs or blockaded by fallen
trees. I am speaking, of course, only of that section of the island so
far examined. There are very fine specimens of spruce and cedar upon
all the streams mentioned flowing into Massett inlet. Spruce is much
the most common, and is found in bodies of sufficient extent to
warrant its manufacture into lumber on the shores of Canoe Passage,
Grouse, Nedo and Watoon creeks. Some of the trees seen were from five
to seven feet in diameter and of great height.
The cedar was found chiefly on the banks of the streams and borders of
marshes and swamps. In following up the rivers and creeks, especially
those flowing into Massett Inlet, I almost invariably found Indian
trails, evidently made for getting out canoe logs, and poles for
carving their tribal and family emblems. These trails, upon which
considerable labor had been expended at the crossing of ravines and
marshy places, extended only a short distance, seldom exceeding two
miles, branching off here and there to the base of great cedars from
which they had selected a choice section, and rough-hewn before
dragging out.
The surface of the timber lands was generally covered from five to ten
feet in depth with fallen trees, in all stages of decay, moss-grown,
and half concealed by a thick growth of salal and salmonberry
bushes. All of the streams which I followed up to their source, led
into almost impassable swamps, through which progress at the rate of a
mile an hour was difficult. Along the north and east shores of Graham
Island, I saw but little timber of sufficient size and in bodies large
enough to warrant the erection of a saw mill. The smallness and
obstruction of the streams and the absence of harbors, renders its
profitable utilization difficult. There is but little of the yellow
cedar or cypress growing in the forest now described.
Scattering trees were seen at various points, especially along Massett
Inlet, but no valuable tracts of it were found. It grows more upon
the higher lands at the eastern base of the mountains on the western
portion of the island. Besides the forest trees mentioned, there are
occasional small bodies of alder, yew and crabapple trees seen, the
latter bearing considerable fruit.
Of plants, the strawberry grows everywhere upon the open lands,
producing small fruit of fine quality in moderate abundance.