170 THE HUDSON BAY ESKIMO. 



Anchorage, opposite the newly established station of Fort George, 

 some 12 miles from its mouth, 42 feet. 



Whale river is the next important river toward the east. Off the 

 mouth of this river is a huge island, locally known as Big island. This 

 high island extends parallel to the course of the river, and a reef, con- 

 necting its upper end with the mainland, becomes dry at low water. 

 The course of Whale river is not well known. About 40 miles up this 

 stream it suddenly contracts and becomes a mere creek, forming the 

 outlet of a large lake, whose position is not satisfactorily determined. 

 It is to the banks of this lake that certain families of the Indians re- 

 pair for summer fishing. 



The next large river is the Koksoak. This stream is the largest in 

 the district. It takes its rise from lakes situated on the plateau — 

 the "Height of Land," — and pursues a course having a general 

 direction north-northeast. On emerging from the lake it is rather 

 small, but forks and unites again about 40 miles below. The current is 

 is sluggish at the upper end, and the eastern branch is so narrow that 

 the Indians have to part the overhanging alders and willows to afford 

 their canoes a passage. This branch is said to be the shorter way to 

 the lake and is not so difficult to ascend, the eastern branch being 

 shallow and containing a number of rapids. 



Below the junction of the branches the river rapidly becomes larger 

 and contains several very high falls, below which the river flows north- 

 west for a couple of hundred yards and then curves to the north-north- 

 east for a distance of 5 miles. This portion is only about 700 feet wide. 

 It then turns abruptly westward and rushes swiftly through a narrow 

 gorge only 200 feet wide for a distance of about 7 miles. This course is 

 noted for several rapids, through which a boat can not make its way 

 without great difficulty. At the end of this 7-mile run the river again 

 bends abruptly to the east, and continues that course with little north- 

 ing until the last bend, some 65 miles below, is reached. At the lower 

 end of the 7mile run the ledges and reefs are too numerous to count. 

 From this place to the mouth of the Larch river the Koksoak is ob- 

 structed by islands, bars, and shoals. Below these, however, it 

 becomes quite broad, until nearly opposite the high point or promontory 

 below the month of the Larch (PI. xxxvi). From this locality it is mo- 

 notonous till the last bend is reached, some 4 miles above Fort Chimo, 

 where it suddenly turns to the north and pursues that direction to the 

 sea with little variation. At the last bend, however, a large island, 

 locally known as Big island, not only obstructs but ends navigation 

 for boats drawing over 6 feet. Small boats, such as skiffs and native 

 boats, ascend to the lower end of 7-mile run. The principal obstruc- 

 tion to travel in any kind of vessel in the Koksoak from Big island 

 to the mouth of the Larch river is the presence of two falls or rapids 

 aV)out 40 miles from Fort Chimo. 



The extreme rise and fall of the tide at the mouth of the river is 62 



