TLBNKR.] THE HEIGHT OF LAND. 169 



farther south one travels, the higher and more irregularly disposed 

 are the hills and mountains. These spurs are usually parallel to the 

 main ranges, although isolated spurs occur wliich extend at right 

 angles to the main range. The tops of the higher elevations are cov- 

 ered with snow for the entire year. The summits of the lower ones are 

 shrouded with snow as early as the 1st of September, and by the Ist 

 of October the snow line descends nearly to their bases. The lower 

 lands are full of swampy tracts, lakes, and ponds. 



The more elevated regions are totally destitute of vegetation, except 

 the tripe des roches, which gives to the hills a somber color, anything 

 but inspiring. Fully three-fourths of the more elevated region is, with 

 tlie exception of black lichens, barren rock. Everywhere is the evi- 

 dence of long continued glacial action. The southern exposures of all 

 the hills show tlie same character of wearing, and, in many instances, a 

 fine polish on the rocks forming their bases. This smoothness extends 

 nearly to the summits of the higher peaks. These again are somewhat 

 rougher and often broken into jagged, angular fragments, frequently 

 of immense size. The more moderate elevations are usually rounded 

 summits on whose higl^er portions may be found huge bowlders of i-ock 

 having a dift'erent character from that upon which they rest, proving 

 that they were carried there by masses of ice in the glacial ages. The 

 northern extremity of all tlie ridges au<l spurs indicate that the glacial 

 sheet moved to the north-northwest, for these portions of the rocks are 

 so jagged and sharp edged as to appear to have been broken but yes- 

 terday. 



The rivers of this district are numerous and several are of great size, 

 although but two of them are navigable for more than 100 miles, and 

 this only for boats of light draft. 



The river usually known as Greorge's river (Kan'guk^lua'luksoak) is 

 the largest on the eastern side. This stream takes its rise about lat- 

 itude 55° and pursues a moderately tortuous course nearly northward 

 and tails into the eastern side of Ungava Bay. It has a wide bay-like 

 mouth narrowing rapidly at the mouth proper. Swift rapids are formed 

 here on account of an island near the center. Beyond this the river 

 expands and lias an average width of half a mile for a distance of about 

 18 miles where the river bends eastward and forms rapids for over 

 2 miles. It is navigable for the steamer Labrador only about 13 miles. 

 Beyond the rapids it runs tolerably smooth and deep for nearly 40 

 miles and thence to the source is a series of rapids and falls, rendering 

 portages frequent, and making it utterly impracticable for even a heavy 

 skift' to ascend beyond 70 miles from the mouth. Indians assert that 

 high falls occur about 150 miles from the mouth of the George's river. 

 The water is said to fall from a terrific height, almost perpendicularly, 

 and it causes the ground to tremble so that the thundering noise may 

 be heard for more than a day's journey from it. 



The tide at the mouth of George's river rises 53 feet, and at the 



