8 



The Canadian Field-Natubalist. 



[Vol. XXXV. 



ing whicli the rapids on the Poplar River 

 above its moutli were drowned out one by 

 one as the rising Liard backed its waters 

 higher up. By this time the larger river 

 was full of sediment and for drinking 

 water we had to go farther up the Poplar, 

 whose clear reddish waters were much more 

 palatable. A large boulder which had 

 been noted on the upward journey was se- 

 lected as a gauge and then corresponding 

 marks were cut on the bank. The waters 

 rose at this point over seventeen feet in 

 sixty hours. Unfortunately some pictures 

 which were taken of the changed appear- 

 ance of the banks were ruined by the damp 

 weather, as the moisture penetrated even 

 so-called waterproof tins. A conspicuous 

 flat island at the mouth of the Poplar with 

 a steep bank about ten feet high was com- 

 pletely submerged and at the height of the 

 flood only the tops of its small spruces 

 were to be seen. In traversing the neigh- 

 bourhood, the sound of rushing river water 

 was heard in some places a quarter of a 

 mile and more from the river bank, while 

 the forest was being denuded of its fallen 

 trees and its underbrush was being flat- 

 tened. On the opposite side of the river 

 where the shore was a cut bank of till, 

 great cracks appeared in the cliff resulting 

 in huge long masses weighing hundreds of 

 tons becoming undercut and detached ; 

 these fell into the river from time to time 

 with a noise that rose even above that of 

 the Avater and caused great waves whicli 

 came, in spite of the driftwood, across tlie 

 river to our camp. 



The high water mark of the flood Avas 

 reached at 3 p.m., Thursday, July 10th, 

 and after remaining at this level for four 

 hours, began to recede. At this time the 

 waters were eighteen feet above ordinary 

 high Avater mark. This part of the river, 

 hoAvever, Avas narroAv, and the waters piled 

 up more than in the Avider sections. 



As soon as Ave Avere able to travel we start- 

 ed upstream once more and found that the 

 banks had suffered considerably. Every- 

 Avhere they had been cut back for many 

 yards and Avere a mass of tAvisted and 

 gnarled trees. Out in the current hun- 

 dreds of trees AA'hich still Avere fastened to 

 the land by their roots, SA\'aying and twist- 

 ing, Avere given, Avhere possible, a Avide 

 berth by the canoe. Their numbers Avere 



increased at intervals by other trees fall- 

 ing into the river. Camp spots Avere dif- 

 ficult to find as the shore could only be 

 gained at intervals OAving to the aboA'e con- 

 ditions, and even Avhen Ave Avere ashore 

 everything AA^as covered with about six 

 inches of soft black mud, ncAvly deposited 

 by the river. This latter condition Avas 

 most noticeable in the "Long Reach", 

 Avhere the river is over a mile Avide Avith 

 loAv banks of sand and clay. There Avas 

 one small point Avhere over eight feet of 

 sand had been deposited. Trees Avere 

 dragging b}^ their roots one hundred feet 

 out from the cut bank, Avhich had thus 

 been cut back for at least that distance. 

 At one spot at the junction of the Liard 

 and Nahanni Rivers Avhere there were se- 

 veral old Indian ca])ins, erosion had ex- 

 posed Avhat Avas apparently the ancient re- 

 mains of a rude coffin. It may be said 

 that although the river dropped sloAvly, it 

 remained very high all summer, and had 

 the Forts Liard and Nelson been obliged 

 to depend for provisions, as in previous 

 years, on scoavs brought up by trackers, 

 they Avould have been late in receiving 

 them. It Avas not till September, Avhen 

 the sandbars began to be exposed, that such 

 transportation could have been attempted. 

 Fortunately the ncAv steamer of the Hud- 

 son's Bay Company Avas able to reach 

 these forts in the latter half of July. 



That the flood of the Liard in 1919 was 

 unusual the folloAving facts Avill shoAv. The 

 Hudsons' Bay Company had cut wood the 

 previous Avinter all along the river for 

 their ncAv steamer. According to Captain 

 Mills not a single Avood pile remained, and 

 the crew had to cut their own fuel at all 

 times. SeA-eral buildings at Fort Liard 

 Avhich Avere almost as old as tlie fort 

 itself Avere undercut and destroyed. An- 

 cient log jams which had Avithstood the ice 

 and floods of many previous years w^ere 

 entirely removed. At the junction of the 

 Liard and Nahanni, and also up the latter 

 stream, Avere two gardens and cabins of a 

 trapper called LaFleur. Both his pota- 

 toes and house Avere submerged. In many 

 cases the shore, Avliich had been of a mat- 

 ure type AAdth grass-covered gentle^ slopes 

 on which were very old Indian camp sites, 

 Avas converted into high steep cut banks! 



Dr. Kindle in the article previouslv 



