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.
Passing 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 shore 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 shores 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 shore 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 shores, 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