40 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



periods of low water their descent would become somewhat more abrupt. 

 Trout i)ass freely up the falls, and they would therefore present no 

 obstacle to salmon. 



The river is navigable above these falls to Lake Pend d'Oreille, and 

 below them as far as Box Canyon, a distance of about 00 miles, being 

 generally wide and comparatively quiet, thougli with a strong current. 

 At Box Canyon the river is confined between vertical walls from 30 to 

 150 feet high and not more than 70 feet apart in places. Being reduced 

 to such a narrow gorge, the stream becomes very deep and, although 

 comparatively smooth, is very swift and dangerous for boats, but offers 

 no obstacles to the jjassage of fish. Rowboats pass through the canyon, 

 and a small steamer was taken through at one time. This part of the 

 river could be greatly improved for navigation by the removal of a few 

 obstructions at slight expense. 



About 7 or 8 miles below the canyon and about 35 miles above the 

 mouth of the Pend d'Oreille Eiver are the Metaline Falls, the most 

 serious of all the obstructions in the entire river. Their total descent 

 is somewhere between 25 and 30 feet, more or less broken, and forming 

 rather a series of rapids. On one side are perpendicular bluffs, 30 to 

 80 feet high, and on the other four large rock masses have fallen into 

 the stream from the mountain which rises abruptly on that side. The 

 possible effect of this obstruction upon the movements of salmon was 

 not determined satisfactorily, although Dr. Gorham inclined to the 

 opinion that it would be insurmountable in its present state, and he 

 suggested that the conditions could be much improved by blasting out 

 the head of the falls and by breaking up the large rock masses which 

 cause the second or lower rush of waters. 



Below the Metaline Falls the river is wide and deep. About 10 miles 

 below, and 2.^ miles in a direct line south of the Canadian boundary 

 line, is Big Eddy Canyon, between 2 and 3 miles long, which has been 

 reported to contain several falls. It is very difiicult of inspection, and 

 at only a few points, where the walls were somewhat broken, was it 

 possible to get close enough to see inside. The walls are from 80 to 300 

 feet high, and at one place contract the river to a width of only about 

 20 feet. The current attains great velocity, but so far as could be deter- 

 mined there are no a(!tual falls in the canyon, and this was also said to 

 be the case by Mr. John Everett, a i)rospector, who has lived thirty- 

 three years in this region. 



From here on to the mouth of the Pend d'Oreille there are several 

 rapids or slight falls, but none of great importance. These are all in 

 P>ritish Columbia territory, partly above and partly below the Salmon 

 IJiver, which enters the Pend d'Oreille a short distance above the 

 international boundary line. Just above the month of the Salmon, all 

 contained within a distance of a few hundred feet, are five rai)ids or low 

 falls, with a total descent of about 30 feet. The upper one, located at 

 a point where the river is confined in a narrow gorge, scarcely 50 feet 

 wide, has a height of about 5 feet. The second has about the same 



