138 REPORT ON THE QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS. 



other sketches, which, when completed and fully described by me, will 

 be forwarded for the use of the Smithsonian Institution. 



As the communication with Queen Charlotte Islands is very uncer- 

 tain I was obliged to wait for the steamer "Otter," which for many years 

 has made semi-annual voyages to the islands, going in the spring with 

 supplies for the Hudson Bay Company trading-post at Masset, and 

 with goods for the oil company at Skidegate, and returning in October 

 to take away the furs, fish, and oil that have been collected during the 

 season. 



From some cause of delay the "Otter" did not leave Victoria until 

 Monday, June 18, when we made a start at noon for Masset via all 

 the trading stations and canneries on the route. I did not object to 

 this, as I was thereby enabled to see many places where I expected to 

 procure specimens, without additional cost for passage. As the detail 

 of a sea voyage would be unnecessary here, I will omit all mention of 

 it except of the ] daces where we stopped. 



The next day, June 19, we arrived at Alert Bay, on Cormorant Island, 

 the trading-post and cannery of Mr. Wesley Hudson, who has been there 

 a number of years, and takes au interest in scientific matters, and is 

 considered a reliable man in all his statements regarding fisheries, seals, 

 and other fur-bearing animals, and in Indian lore. I shall refer to this 

 gentleman in my general report. 



At 11.45 p. m. we left Alert Bay and ran down Johnson's Strait to 

 Queen Charlotte Sound, and at 1 p. m. on the 20th we arrived at the 

 canneries of Shotbolt & Co., at the head of Elver's Inlet, where we dis- 

 charged some freight, and left at 2.30 p. m. In this inlet, besides Shot- 

 bolt's canneries, are a saw-mill and canning establishment of Messrs. 

 Saunders and Warren, of Victoria, but I did not visit them, as the steamer 

 remained so short a time. 



After leaving Elver's Inlet we ran up Fitzhugh Sound to the Hudson 

 Bay Company's trading-post of Bella Bella, where we arrived June 21 at 

 1.30 a. m., and left at 2. a. m. for the mouth of the Skeena Eiver, where 

 there is another cannery, at a place called Port Essington, where we ar- 

 rived at midnight; but I did not go ashore, as we shortly left for Metla- 

 katla, where we arrived at 6.30 a. m. on Friday the 22d. 



Shortly after our arrival Bishop Eidley, the bishop of the diocese, 

 came on board and kindly invited me to go ashore with him, which I 

 did, and was introduced by him to Eev. Mr. Collinson, one of the mis- 

 sionaries, who has a fine collection of fossils and Indian curiosities, which 

 he kindly showed me, but as I had but a short time to remain on shore 

 I made a hurried visit, which I would gladly have prolonged, and then 

 went to the residence of the Eev. Mr. Duncan, the founder of the Met- 

 lakatla mission, and the teacher and preacher to the Indians of the 

 Tsimsean tribe, who have a settlement at JNIetlakatla. 



I was very cordially received by Mr. Duncan, who showed me some 

 blankets and shawls made by the mission Indians, and then took me to 



