From the Pacific to Hudson's Bay. 293 



exceedingly numerous, and so divide the stream as to cause it to 

 occupy in many places a great portion of the valley. Above the 

 rapid mentioned there are but few islands in the river. About four 

 miles above the Sipkiaw, the Zymoetz River from the south-east 

 joins the Skeena. It is a stream of considerable size. The moun- 

 tains among which it rises are over 6,000 feet high. 



About five miles above the Zymoetz, or seventy-seven from the 

 Pacific, is Kitsalas Canon. The mountains at this point crowd 

 closely on the river, especially on the north side, and though the 

 cliffs and precipices are seldom over one hundred feet in height, 

 they are rugged, and the hill-sides above them steep and rough. 

 The channel of the river is also broken by several small islands. 

 At the lower end of the canon the river greatly expands ; but in 

 foaming torrents, or dashing eddies of the canon are the favourite 

 salmon fishing stations of the Indians. It is difficult to ascend the 

 river through this canon, but the task may be accomplished by 

 skilful canoe-men with two short portages ; the rapids may be 

 descended safely without portaging. 



There is a small Indian settlement on the north side of the river 

 at trie lower end of the canon. The huts are mostly rude, with 

 some strangely-executed carved posts, with figures of birds at the 

 top. At the upper end of the canon on the south bank is another 

 small Indian settlement with about' a dozen huts, some in a state of 

 great dilapidation. This canon is in lat. 54° 37' 6" N. Not far to 

 the north of the canon the mountains are over 6,000 feet high. 



From Kitsalas Canon to Kwatsalix, a distance of about twenty- 

 four miles, the general course of the river is nearly north and south. 

 Here the highest range of the coast mountains appears to be crossed ; 

 but the river has appropriated a natural valley, and not cut through 

 the range. The river in this part of its course has several swift 

 rapids, but when the water is not too high these are not hard to 

 overcome. The valley continues to be about a mile and a half wide, 

 and in places two miles, between the steep slopes of its bordering 

 mountains. It winds considerably, but makes no abrupt turns. On 

 either side of the stream, there is a flat, sometimes more extensive 

 on one side than on the other, about thirty feet above the water, 



