lOO COLEMAN ON THE GEOGEAPHY 



Columbia. A massive horizontal bedding, like that of Castle Mount iu Bow Pass, is seen 

 on the lace of Sullivan's Peak three or four miles away ; but the horizontal look is probably 

 only apparent, the strata dipping more or less steeply away from the point of observation. 

 The rocks examined appear to be of the same character as those described by Mr. McCon- 

 nel from the western part ol' Bow Pass,' though perhaps more indurated. 



Moimtuins to the soulh-ivest. — The nearest summit of the Selkirks, three or four miles 

 from the rapids, was also ascended, and its height found, by comparison of barometer 

 readings with those at Donald, to be 8,366 feet. From this point, precipices, snowy 

 mountain tops and glaciers can be seen iu all directions. Several peaks of the Selkirks 

 are much higher than the one ascended, at least 2,000 or 3,000 feet. A large glacier in 

 the valley west of the mountain climbed, reached about 2,000 feet lower than the point on 

 which we stood. 



The view from the top of Surprise Mountain, as I named it, is wide and interesting. 

 The rapids lie 6,000 feet below, and the river may he traced for about forty miles, from a 

 point a little below Beaver on the south-east to Lake Timbaskis on the north-west. 

 Beyond the river valley, unnumbered summits of the Rocky Mountains are seen, the 

 of highest all, fifty miles to the north, being probably Mount Hooker. 



Rods Observed. — The rocks exposed at Surprise Mount are typical mica and horu- 

 1)lendic schists dipping about 40° to the S. S. "W. and with a strike of E. S. E. and 

 W. N. W.' In this they differ from the mica schists at the rapids, the latter dipping 50° to 

 10° toward the S. S. E. These rocks are probably Archœan iu age, although they stand 

 several hiiudred feet higher than the (supposed) Palœozoic slates and quartzites of Look- 

 out Point, less than ten miles away. There must be a great fault separating the two. 



(5.) Surprise Eapids to Lake Timbaskis. — From the head of Surprise Rapids to 

 Lake Timbaskis' is a distance of perhaps eighteen or twenty miles iu a straight line, 

 though not less than twenty-five by the route followed — an old trail along the north-east 

 bank of the river, now almost impassable in many parts from the fall of trees and the 

 growth of bushes and young forest. We saw no trace of inhabitants during the six weeks 

 after leaving Beaver, yet at one point a forest fire was found raging. This may have 

 originated from lightning, as in a case actually witnessed by the writer a few years be- 

 fore on the Gold Range opposite Revelstoke. 



Rocks Observed in the Region. — For about ten miles down the river from the head of 

 Surprise Rapids, the rocks observed are pearly, lustrous mica (sericite) schists, sometimes 

 containing small garnets, and dipping at high angles toward the south-east or south. 

 Then follow a few miles of grey, finely banded, schistose limestones, whose boundaries 

 appeared to be hidden by loose materials. From the river bank to the highest point 

 reached, about 3,000 or 4,000 feet above the river, they remained of the same character, 

 being often excessively folded, crumpled and contorted, and containing a few scales of 

 mica. They dip at varying, usually high, angles, and strike about E. S. E. and "W. N. W. 

 A stream flows at one point out of a subterranean channel in the solid rock, and empties 



1 Geol. Sur. Can., 1886, p. 25, D. 



* The bearings given are magnetic. Mr. Carpmael, Director of tlie Meteorological Office, Toronto, gives (he 

 deviation as about 23° 30' east, in southern portions, and 25° east in northern portions of the Selkirks. 

 ■'■ Name as given by Old Uncle, a trapper at Beaver. 



