An intelligent Indian of whom I made inquiries concerning this
country, replied, "there is no land, it is all mountains, forests and
water." This statement is almost literally true so far as open lands
are concerned, along the coast we are now describing, with the
exception of the mountain pasturage as hereafter more specifically
mentioned.
Mountains rising very precipitously from one to four thousand feet
above the sea, generally thickly covered with the prevailing woods of
the island, extend from Skidegate Channel northward for about
forty-five miles, the country gradually sloping all along the north
portion of Graham Island from fifteen to twenty miles from the coast
south-ward The summits of this mountain range are generally from five
to eight miles from the sea shore, the long western arms of Skidegate
and Massett Inlets reaching to its eastern base. The immediate coast
is uniformly rock-bound, with many sharp, jagged points extending far
out to sea, with out-lying reefs white with breakers in
stormy-weather. Most of the many
INLETS, SOUNDS, BAYS, POINTS, ISLANDS, RIVERS AND CREEKS between
Skidegate Channel and Cape Knox, having been hitherto unknown, except
to a few of the natives, they will lie briefly described in the order
reached in advancing northward.
Indian names have been retained so far as known, but when these are of
difficult pronunciation, or unknown, English names have been added; a
star indicating such cases. First comes
GOODEL BAY--About three and one-half miles south of Buck Point, the
extreme south-western land of Graham Island. It is about two miles in
depth, with a beach of the finest sand on the island at its head. A
small island surrounded with kelp lying about one hundred rods from
shore, protects a good canoe landing in stormy weather. Here were I
found racks for drying halibut, which are caught in abundance off this
part of the coast. A fine clear stream about twenty feet in width
entered the bay near by. Between three and four miles from shore and
about the same distance south of
BUCK POINT, lies an island, called by the natives Guigats, a mile or
more in length, which is probably the land marked on the Admiralty
Chart as Buck Point, though shown thereon to be separated from Graham
Island.
KE-OW INLET, the entrance to which is concealed by a high rocky point,
until nearly opposite, extends in a north-westerly direction about
four miles, with an average width of a mile-and-a-half. It is
surrounded by high, steep mountains, down which several cataracts
were plunging. A clear stream about twenty-five feet in width, with
rocky rapids at its mouth discharges into the inlet at its head,
Rounding
TSET-LA-KOON POINT--About four miles north-west of the entrance to
the last named inlet--one of the most difficult for small boats to
pass on the West Coast, (except by a canoe passage in very calm
weather.) we next enter
CARTWRIGHT SOUND--This fine body of water, about two miles in width,
extends five or six miles in an easterly direction, reaching to near
the base of steep mountains from 1500 to 2500 feet in height. Its
shores are generally rocky, though there is a sandy beach at its head,
where we found a good landing and camping place at the mouth of
Zuboff* river. This stream is from fifty to seventy-five feet in
width, and navigable for canoes not exceeding one hundred rods, before
meeting log obstructions. Large schools of dog salmon were rushing in
and out at the time of our arrival, hundreds jumping their full length
out of the water. Though much inferior to most other varieties of
salmon, they are dried and a smoked in large quantities by the
Indians.
An arm extends south-ward for about a mile from the south side of this
Inlet, near its head to the base of high and very precipitous
mountains, which from having four islets at its entrance, I have named
Islet Inlet. There is also an island in the main inlet near the north
shore about three miles from its entrance. Advancing and passing
Kin-da-koon and Hunter Points, the latter a high, bold promontory
bring us to
RENNELL SOUND, the largest indentation on the west coast of the
island, extending about ten miles from its north point entrance in a
south-easterly direction, and being from five to three miles in width.
It contains five islands, Edward Island,* the largest, centrally
situated, about a mile and a-half in length with a good beach, camping
place with a hut on its southern side,--and a group of four islands
near its head; the largest of which I have called Cypress Island,*
from having seen considerable yellow cedar growing thereon. There are
five streams flowing into the sound, three in it south-easterly and
two on its north-easterly side, from fifteen to thirty feet in width,
none of them navigable. The only snow seen on Graham Island in
September, lay in a deep canyon on the northern slope of the high
mountains which surround it head.
There is an Indian hunters' lodge, chiefly made from yellow cedar
plank, at the month of a small stream on a little bay on its
south-eastern side.
TATTOO INLET, about two miles and three-quarters in length, with a
uniform breadth of a mile, surrounded by steep, high mountains, runs
in a north-easterly direction from near the north shore entrance of
Rennell Sound. It receives two fine salmon streams at its head, from
forty to fifty feet in width, navigable for canoes about fifty rods
from their mouth. An extensive land slide has bared the mountain on
its southeastern side. There is a little, low, rocky island, about a
mile from the entrance, upon which numerous hair seal were basking at
the time of our visit. Both shores at the entrance are bold and rocky.
SEAL INLET*--So called from having seen hundreds of hair seal upon
Seal Island, near its entrance, is next reached. It is about four
miles in length, running north-east, then north and again north-east,
with an average breadth of a mile and-a-half. There are two streams
flowing into it, one about forty feet in width at its head, and a
smaller one on its southern side. Besides the island mentioned, there
is a small one situated close to the north shore of the inlet--with
only a canoe passage between--about a mile from the entrance, and a
group of three islets opposite a high, perpendicular granite bluff
near its head. This inlet is called by the Indians Kung-wa. Four or
five miles further, with mountains rising almost perpendicularly a
thousand feet on the right, around Na-wa-dun Point and we enter
T'KIEW BAY, about two miles in depth, with a fine stretch of sandy
beach at its head. Two or three miles beyond the next point--called by
the Indians Skwa-ka-tance--lies
NESTO or HIPPA ISLAND, a mile and a half or more in length, thickly
wooded, mountainous, with rocky shores, except on its eastern side
where there are short stretches of sandy beaches with back-lying
benches, formerly occupied by Indian lodges. There is a small island
situated close to Nesto on its north-western side, with a canoe
passage between them.
Nesto Island lies across the entrance to a fine inlet and good harbor
known among the Indians as
SKALOO INLET--It is about three and-a-half miles in depth, running a
little north-east, with regular shores, having an average breadth of
about three-quarters of a mile. A small stream empties into it at its
head. Proceeding north-westerly past the old Indian village of
Len-na-how and around Skoot-koon Point, four or five miles brings us
to
ATHLOW INLET, a splendid harbor and very interesting body of water,
between four and five miles in length, and from one to two miles in
width, surrounded by high, precipitous mountains, embracing three of
the most conspicuous peaks on the west coast; one to the north-west,
quite green from its summit down a thousand feet, which I have named
Green Mountain; another lying to the east, Castle Mountain* and one
south-east, Bald Mountain.*
An island, about a mile in length, lies across the entrance in a
north-westerly direction, which so thoroughly protects the inner
waters of the inlet from westerly storms, that I have called it
Protection Island.* There is a canoe passage between it and a point of
rocks projecting from the southern shore of the inlet, and a small
island close to its south-west side. Three streams flow into the
inlet--one at its head, called Athlow river, and two on its south
side, the largest, from forty to fifty feet in width, rising in Sook
Lake. Between Athlow Inlet and Skoon-unagi Point, a distance of ten or
twelve miles, there are four indentations, the largest being
BLUFF BAY, opening to the southward, at the northern entrance to
Athlow Inlet, with a small island opposite.