TI-IN-OWE INLET, which extends south-westerly between four and five miles, having an average breadth of two miles. Two streams flow in at its head, up the largest of which we ascended about one-third of a mile at high tide, when a log jamb was found. There are three inlets between Tin-in-owe and the entrance to Tsoo-skatli Inlet, about ten miles to the south-eastward, and many islands and islets, the largest of which is called Wat-hoo-us Island. Into the first of these inlets flows the Awun River, rising in Awun Lake, about one hundred feet wide at its month, and which we were able to ascend with our canoe about one mile, when rapids were reached. Advancing several miles beyond on foot, the river was found choked with frequent log jambs. There is an Indian cabin and small garden plat cultivated for potatoes, at its mouth. Proceeding eastward, we next enter a small bay into which descends, over a precipitous ledge of rocks, a river, the outlet of a small lake hidden from view by a narrow belt of timber; then follows a deeper indentation about a mile in length and half a mile in width to near its head, where an island narrows it for a short distance to less than a hundred feet. Having seen here the largest number of jelly fish found on the islands, I have named it Zoos Inlet.*
RAPIDS INLET,* or Lake, a small basin about half a mile in depth, which at low tide, discharges its waters with a loud noise down a steep rock-bound passage, not exceeding twenty feet in width, lies between Zoos Inlet and the point at its south-eastern entrance, which I have named Combe's Point. Five or six miles further bring us to
TSOO-KAT-LI INLET, which extends for about ten miles in a south-westerly direction, varying from three and a-half to two miles in width, containing over twenty-five islands, one of the largest, of which situated at the entrance, I have named Entrance Island.*
Four streams flow into this inlet at and near its head, the largest of which, Tat-lim-in, we ascended about one-eighth of of a mile to rapids, with the canoe, and three miles further on foot, finding a succession of rapids, shoals and log-jambs. Ma-min River, about sixty feet wide and filled with logs to near its mouth, empties into the south-eastern part of the inlet. About six miles east of Entrance Island, we reach the mouth of the
YA-KOUN RIVER, the largest stream on the Queen Charlotte Islands. It rises in Ya-koun Lake, seven days' travel distant by canoe, over scores of portages. It is about one hundred feet wide at its mouth, and navigable for small boats without obstructions, a mile and-a-half, beyond which, by means of two very small canoes and several portages, we ascended about five miles.
AGRICULTURAL LANDS—The resources of the west coast, Virago Sound and Massett Inlet country, so far as known at present, are fish, furs and timber. Its agricultural lands, chiefly those portions of deltas and meadows at the mouths of streams not subject to overflow, embrace in the aggregate, only a few hundred acres, the largest tracts on the west coast, lying at the head of Kio-kath-li, Tattoo and Athlow Inlets, not exceeding twenty acres.
There are about one hundred acres of tide meadows on Virago Sound, forty acres at the mouth of Nadeu River, twenty acres along the coast, at and near the entrance to Lignite Brook, ten acres between Naden and Stanly Rivers and the balance at the mouths of the other streams before mentioned. That portion of Massett Inlet herein described, contains about 250 acres of tide meadow lands, the largest tracts from five to twenty acres each, lying at the heads of Newton, Tin-in-owe and Tsoo-Skatli Inlets, and mouths of the Mamin and Ya-koun Rivers. The latter stream has an extensive delta of tide land, fifty or sixty acres of which could be reclaimed by dyking.
The bottom lands of the west coast, which might be brought under cultivation by expensive clearing, are limited to comparatively small tracts at the heads of inlets, their sides being generally precipitous and rocky. Portions of the low lands along the north coast of the island, on Virago Sound and Massett Inlet, being comparatively lightly timbered, might be reclaimed, for agricultural purposes. The
GRAZING LANDS of the west coast, with the exception of small tracts of a few acres on the shore, lie on the sides and tops of the mountains, located in estimated quantities, as follows: 300 acres on the north side of Ke-ow Inlet; 500 acres near the head of Seal Inlet; 200 acres on Skaloo Inlet; 3000 acres on Athlow Inlet—principally on its southern side—and a few hundred acres on the summits of the mountains to the northward.
TIMBER LANDS. There is no merchantable timber, on the west coast of Graham Island, excepting spruce, which is found in moderate quantities at the head of Rennell and Cartwright Sounds, and the inlets to the southward. We examined with considerable care those localities where yellow cedar had been reported, crossing on foot from Athlow to Skaloo Inlet, finding small bodies of scrubby growth on the shores of each, also on Tattoo Inlet, but much the largest quantity on Cypress Island, Kio-kathli Inlet.