256 



Nearest the shore of Hurry Inlet there is a number of very 

 short and deep, steep chasms, which, as one gets higher up 

 to the verge of the plateau itself, widen out and are continued 

 in gentle, not conspicuous depressions. The large valleys, too, 

 belong to the same type, and in their lower part form wild, often 

 impassable chasms. Up country these suddenly come to an end, like 

 a sack, against a steep wall which is often roofed by a mass of 

 ice, usually in an almost "dead" condition. These are the only 

 occurrences of glaciers to be found in these parts. And should 

 there be any continuation at all of the valley further inland, it 

 only forms a shallow, flat depression in the plateau, usually 

 filled with snow; nothing analogous to the canyon-like chasm 

 valleys of the coastal area is to be found in this part of the 

 interior of the country. 



What we see here is evidently a polar type of valley in 

 a plateau area. On a lower level, rivers of thaw water have a 

 very erosive effect in the summer, whereas higher up, where 

 the snow does not melt, but only evaporates, almost every erosive 

 activity somewhat suddenly ceases. 



Not less peculiar and interesting than these districts is 

 the SW. lowland territory. A foundation of solid sandstone 

 rock, of the kind already described, is only visible in a few deep 

 river valleys in the S. part of this territory. Here, on the 

 coast in the neighbourhood of C. Hooker we find, as a rule, 

 over this sandstone a clay with numerous stones, which at 

 times forcibly recalls a morainic boulder clay, but undoubtedly 

 consists of a stratified formation, having originated in a water 

 where at the same time blocks of ice had drifted about. I did not 

 come across it on a higher level than about 60 m above the 

 sea. Above the clay one usually finds moderately fine sand, 

 and above this a cover of coarse gravel similar to that just 

 described from the mountain plateau. Further towards the NW., 

 on the other hand, the soil is formed exclusively of sand and 

 fine gravel, only exceptionally with narrow intervening layers 



