346 E. M. KINDLE 
the mouths of the easternmost and westernmost of them being — 
separated by more than ten miles. The lake water in front of the 
delta is, for some miles out, quite shallow. The submerged margin 
of the Slave River delta over several square miles is less than a 
half-foot in depth. This zone is strewn in most places by number- 
less logs and trees. Inside these comes a broad, irregular fringe of 
grass-covered land with no willows or other trees, too low for the 
bank to show. Farther up the delta some of the shores have been 
built up one foot or a little more above the late summer stage of 
the water and are covered with willows. Between these islands 
of the delta, with willow and other low trees, stretches a vast net- 
work of shoal-water channels and marsh land. Nearly all these 
‘hannels are bordered with large quantities of driftwood. Still 
higher up the delta small poplars are scattered in patches among and 
behind, or inland from, the willows. Some miles up from the 
lake, where the banks rise about 3 feet above the water, spruce 
comes in with poplar. There is, however, no-relief beyond the 
increase of a few inches or eet in the elevation of the shore above 
water. With this slight elevation cut banks appear, together with 
the slumping of trees and sections of the bank into the river. 
Along the Sawmill branch of the delta willows and alders make 
a solid wall of low, overhanging brush. The banks under these show 
great numbers of .ogs projecting from the silts, as noted by 
McConnell.’ 
Above the delta the banks rise to an average height of 7 or 8 
feet above the ordinary midsummer stage of the river, and to or 
15 feet is not unusual. The banks are nearly everywhere of fine 
silt. The following is a representative section taken several miles 
above the delta: 
Soilvandbmeanvamatertalls 255 ay) ween Leer eee te t foot 
Silt and dark bands of organic matter in alternating 
[ern Gl See reese ces ae csia et kl ne a A a ea 4 feet 
LS UNVS SARE iMG 2g te ce oes PRM SI Misia dlole gio obeys 7 feet 
Cut banks are found everywhere on one side or on both sides. 
These retreat rapidly during the warm season. A trapper’s cabin 
was observed at one point partially undermined by the sapping of 
t Canada Geol. Surv., Ann. Rept., 1V, 1888-89 (1890), p. 66 D. 
