CHAPTER V 



THE HAMILTON RIVER AND THE GRAND FALLS 

 BY A. P. Low 



HAMILTON INLET is the largest of the many long fiords 

 which indent the Atlantic coast. Like the others, it is 

 very deep, and is surrounded by high hills, often rising a 

 thousand feet sheer from the water, while its surface is 

 frequently broken by large, bold, rocky islands. The lower 

 slope and islands are wooded with dark spruce mingled 

 with the lighter-coloured birch and aspen, forming a pleas- 

 ing contrast with the bare rocks of the summits. The 

 distance, from the hospital station of Indian Harbour at 

 its mouth, in a southwest direction to the head of the inlet, 

 is slightly over one hundred and fifty miles, while its aver- 

 age breadth is fourteen miles. Forty-five miles above the 

 entrance, the inlet narrows and is only about a mile wide 

 for upwards of five miles. During each change of tide a 

 strong current with rapids occurs at this point. 



Rigolet, the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company 

 for the Atlantic coast, is situated on the north side of the 

 lower part of the narrows. 



A village of Eskimo, made up of a cluster of small log 

 houses, occupies the shore of a small cove at the upper end ; 

 its chief interest lies in the fact that it is the most southerly 

 community of these people. The inhabitants have been 

 long in contact with the white men, and have acquired many 

 of the virtues and vices of civilization. 



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