Official Report of the Exploration of the Queen Charlotte Islands for the government of British Columbia Part 4

Especially geese and duck, were plentiful on the eastern sh.o.r.e. Many of the bays and inlets were alive with hair seal. So many were seen in the extreme southern bay indentation of the entire group of islands that we called it Seal Cove. Several sea otter swam within rifle range on the west coast, and land otter we chased upon sh.o.r.e and killed.

Birds' eggs, which the natives gather in considerable quant.i.ties, we picked up by the dozens on several of the little islands.

Notwithstanding the disaffection which exists among the Indians upon the Na.s.s, respecting their land rights, I have found the Hydas friendly to my undertaking, inviting me into their houses to sleep, both at c.u.mshewa and Ninstints, and presenting my guides with halibut, eggs, etc.

There are abundant evidences in abandoned villages, habitations and burial places, of their formerly having been quite populous, probably ten times their present numbers.

No country which I have ever visited affords greater natural resources of food supply from the sea and forest.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

NEWTON H. CHITTENDEN.

PROGRESS REPORT NUMBER THREE,

SKIDEGATE, QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS. OCTOBER, 1884.

_Hon. Wm. Smithe, Commissioner of Lands and Works of the Province of British Columbia:_

SIR:--Having completed the examination of the country bordering on Skidegate Inlet and Channel, embracing the southern portion of Graham Island, and the north end of Moresby, I proceeded to explore the west coast of Graham Island, North Island, the north coast of Graham island from Cape Knox eastward to Ma.s.sett Inlet, also Viago Sound, Naden Harbor and Ma.s.sett Inlet, penetrating to the heads of all of the inlets, bays, harbors and sounds, and following up the princ.i.p.al streams flowing into these waters from three to ten miles; concluding the circ.u.mnavigation of the islands at the mouth of the Yakoun River, that portion herein described, comprising a sh.o.r.e line of about five hundred miles.

GENERAL PHYSICAL FEATURES.

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 sh.o.r.e, the long western arms of Skidegate and Ma.s.sett 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 p.r.o.nunciation, 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 sh.o.r.e, 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 sh.o.r.e 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 pa.s.s on the West Coast, (except by a canoe pa.s.sage 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 sh.o.r.es 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 rus.h.i.+ng 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 quant.i.ties 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 sh.o.r.e about three miles from its entrance. Advancing and pa.s.sing 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 sh.o.r.e 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 sh.o.r.es 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 sh.o.r.e of the inlet--with only a canoe pa.s.sage 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 sh.o.r.es, 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 pa.s.sage 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 sh.o.r.es, 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 pa.s.sage between it and a point of rocks projecting from the southern sh.o.r.e 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.

Pa.s.sing the point last mentioned, we are soon in the waters of

KIO-KATH-LI INLET, which, with the exception of Rennell Sound, is the largest indentation on the west sh.o.r.e of Graham Island, being over five miles in length and three miles in width; containing five islands and receiving three streams, from fifty to one hundred feet in width, the largest being navigable for canoes about a half a mile from its mouth. Its south-eastern sh.o.r.es are very irregular. Mount Richard,*

the highest elevation in the north part of the island, lies to the eastward.

Between Kio-Kathli Inlet and Frederick Island, a distance of about twelve miles, there are four, bays from one to two miles in depth, with sandy beaches at their head, over which flow small streams--the first reached called by the Indians

STOWE HARBOR, being the only one affording protection for large vessels against westerly storms. The old abandoned village of Tiahn is situated facing the south, with a sandy beach fronting on the second indention north of Stowe Harbor.

The immediate coast from Kio-kath-li Inlet north-ward to Cape Knox, is less precipitous than further south, but more dangerous to navigators by reason of its many out-lying reefs and rocks and the absence of harbors.

CAVE BAY,* the first south of Frederick Island, so-named from a deep cave in a high, rocky bluff near its northern entrance, is the most extensive of those last mentioned, about two miles in depth, with a fine sandy beach on the east side. Three streams flow into the same, from fifteen to twenty-five feet in width.

There are three rocky islets near its southern entrance, inside of Point Patience,* which I have called the Sea Lion* Islets, these _mammal_ having been seen upon them by the native sea-otter hunters. There is a good canoe landing in pleasant weather on the sh.o.r.e opposite, but in stormy weather it breaks all around the bay. We barely escaped losing everything in effecting a landing at the most quiet place we could find.

FREDERICK ISLAND, from a mile-and-a-half to a mile-and-three-quarters in length, extending in a north-westerly direction, is situated about a mile north of Point Edward,* instead of south of it, as shown on the Admiralty Chart. It is thickly wooded, from fifty to three hundred feet in height, with rocky sh.o.r.es, except on its southern side, where we found a sheltered cove, with a sandy beach accessible in stormy weather. The site of the deserted village of Susk is seen on the south side of a small bay to the south-east of Frederick Island. There are five bays between Frederick Island and Cape Knox--a distance of eighteen or twenty miles--all of them exposed to westerly winds, excepting in small coves which afford safe canoe landings and harbors. Of these latter

TLEDOO, a summer resort of the Ma.s.sett sea-otter hunters, where there are three cabins, is one of the best and most frequented. There are four rocky islets lying from half a mile to a mile off sh.o.r.e between Frederick Island and the cove, a distance of about four miles. There are two small streams within three miles south of Tledoo, and one within a quarter of a mile north, the first of the former being called "Boulder Creek,"* the second, "Islet,"* and the latter, "Otter Creek."* About two and a-half miles north east of Tledoo, around two rocky points lies

KLI-KA-KOON, a camping place on the south sh.o.r.e of a small bay, near the mouth of Hana-koot Creek. There is a sandy beach at the head of this bay, and another small stream flowing in on its northern side.

Around the next point and we enter See-al-tzing or Ezra Bay, about two miles in depth, having a sandy beach at its head and a small stream flowing into it. There are five rocky islets lying off sh.o.r.e, between the northern entrance to this bay and Saka-koon Point, at the southern entrance to

LEPAS BAY, the most extensive of the five mentioned, and the last before reaching Cape Knox. It is about three and one-half miles in depth and nearly as wide. There is a small island and cove on its north-eastern side, and beach of white sand at its head.

CAPE KNOX, the extreme north-western land of Graham Island, extends boldly out to sea about four miles in a south-westerly direction from the head of Lepas Bay. There are four off-lying rocks, the farthest out being over three miles from the cape, upon which the sea is almost always breaking.

Reaching Cape Knox, to the north-ward five or six miles may be seen the north-west point of