CASTLE ISLAND STAGE ISLAND. 635 



Castle island, the northwestern point of Avhich is separated from 

 the southern point of Henley island by American tickle, a narrow 

 passage, is about 1 fV niiles long*, northw^ard and southward, and from 

 600 yards to 100 yards in width. Its northern part rises to the 

 summit of the island, which is a remarkable basaltic cap with verti- 

 cal sides and a flat top, 198 feet high. 



Chateau point, the southern point of Castle island, is steep-to on its 

 Avestern side, but a shoal extends southward 150 yards from it. 



Beacon. — A black cask on a pole stands on the middle of the island ; 

 from northwestward and southeastward it shows against the sky. 



Castle ledg-e, bearing 168°, distant 800 yards from the northeastern 

 point of Castle island, is a small rocky patch with 2f fathoms over it. 



Chateau bay lies westward of Castle and Henley islands, its main 

 entrance being between Chateau point and York point, which bear 

 west-southwestward and east-northeastward, distant lx\ miles from 

 each other. The bay is indicated from seaward by its position with 

 reference to Table head and St. Peter islands, by the high land in 

 rear of it, by the straight and unbroken coast, free from islands, 

 southwestward of it, and especially by the summits of Castle and 

 Henley islands. 



The bay has within it Henle}^ Antelope, and Pitts harbors, the two 

 latter of which are quite secure and suitable for large vessels. The 

 scenery in Chateau bay is bold. Pitts hill, on the Avestern side of 

 Pitts harbor, is 593 feet high, and Beacon hill, about 1 mile north- 

 westward of it, is 752 feet high; from the latter the land falls rapidly 

 to the northeastern shore of Temple bay. There is a remarkable hill, 

 832 feet high, on the soutliAvestern side of Temple bay, whicli falls 

 very steeply to the shore, and 2 miles to the southward of it is High 

 Beacon hill, a ridge, which rises to the height of 978 feet. 



There is hardly any grass on this part of the country, but there is 

 plenty of the kind of moss that caribou and reindeer eat. The cran- 

 berry, called here the " Partridge berry," is also plentiful. There 

 are some caribou in the hills not far from Chateau bay, and part- 

 ridges are common at certain seasons. 



York point. — There are some rocks off York point, and a rocky 

 patch, Avith 4| fathoms of Avater over it, bears 44°, distant 600 yards 

 from it, within which the point should not be approached. For in- 

 draft Avestward of, see page 642. 



Ice.— Chateau baj^ is generally frozen up about December 25 and 

 open again about the first week in July. 



Stage island lies westward of the southern part of Henley island ; 

 it is about 700 yards long, northwestward and southeastward, 35 feet 

 high, and a reef extends 200 yards southward of it, and 300 yards 

 westward of its southern end. On this reef at 200 ^^ards Avestward of 

 the southern end of the island is a rock, 2 feet high. 



