10c Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 
Ray struck across country south of point Barrow for Meade river, which he 
followed up for some distance until he came within sight of the Meade mount- 
ains, and returned practically the same way. Some information about the 
Plateau cast of point Barrow may be gained from Schrader and Peters,' who 
made some observations along the Colville river. A detailed description of the 
Plateau still farther east, viz., from the Canning River and the Camden Bay 
regions, is given by Leffingwell’ who, in his book, also includes observations made 
by R. M. Anderson in the Endicott mountains at the head of Hulahula river in 
the fall of 1908, and observations made on sled trips inland from Camden bay 
by members of the Southern Party of the Canadian Arctic expedition in 1913-14. 
For information about the Plateau back of Camden bay credit is also due to 
Collinson. 
Concerning the Plateau at the international boundary, reference may be 
made to Cairnes! and to Joint Report, Survey and Demarcation International 
Boundary between United States and Canada along 141st Meridian, Ottawa 
and Washington, 1918. 
Regarding the character of the Plateau east of the international boundary, 
information is to be found in Sir John Franklin’s® account of his ascent of 
Mt. Conybeare (Buckland chain) in the summer of 1827 and in reports of 
later explorers who went up Herschel Island river for various distances, viz.: 
Harrison,’ Amundsen’ and O’Neill®. It would appear from their reports that, 
generally speaking, the Plateau comes nearer and nearer the sea from the inter- 
national boundary castward to Shoalwater bay so that the Coastal plain 
may be reduced to less than a mile in width or he totally absent, or may be 
represented only by gravel bars or sand flats. The ‘‘coastal plateau” has the 
form of tundra banks which may reach several hundred feet in height, or rolling 
hills consisting of mud, sand, or gravcl, with steep bluffs where it is subject to 
erosion by the sea.” 
Topographically, but perhaps not geologically, Herschel island may be 
considered to form a part or out-runner of the Plateau, perhaps having become 
separated from the mainland by a process of erosion by the sea similar to that 
which is now going on at Kay point, from east and west. The topography 
and geology of Herschel island are described by O’Neill." The writer has also 
made a number of observations, but the island is perhaps best treated as a 
part of the Coastal plain, together with the other islands of the coast. 
The Plateau between Stokes point, opposite Herschel island, and the mouth 
of the Mackenzie delta is little known. <A few notes relative to its character 
are to be found in Franklin,” Hooper, Harrison,“ Russell,!® and Amundsen.!® 
Tue CoastaL PLAIN 
General Description 
The Coastal plain between point Barrow, about Long. 156°\W., and Saga- 
vanirktok river, about Long. 148°W., is so wide that its southern margin can 
not be seen from the coast. The upland comes into view from the coast east of 
the latter river and continues in sight as far as Martin point, about Long. 148° 
1 Schrader, F. C., and Peters, W. J. A Reconnaissance in Northern Alaska, Professional Paper No. 20, Washington, 
1904, pp. 45-46, 81-95. 
21.¢. pp. 57-58. 
8 Collinson, R., Journal of H.M.S. Enterprise, ete. 1850-55. London, 1889, p. 313. 
4Cairnes, D. D., The Yukon-\laskn International Boundary between Porcupine and Yukon River. Memoir 67, Geol. 
Surv. Canada, Ottawa, 1915, pp 21-25, fig. 2 (flora pp. 10-18). 
5 See map, Plate XIV. 
6 Franklin, J., Narrative of a second expedition to the shores of the Polar Sea. London, 1828, p. 134. 
7 Harrison, A. H., In search of a Polar Continent, 1905-07. London, 1908, p. 63. 
8 Amundsen, R., The North West Passage. New York, 1908, Vol. II, p. 223. 
9O’Neill, J. J., Summary Report, Geol. Surv. Can., 1914, pp. 112-15. 
10 See Plate VII, fig 1, in Vol. III, Pt K., of these reports. 
ee ees at Summary Report Geol. Surv. Canada, 1915. p. 236. 
21.¢. pe 124, 
13 Hooper, W. H., Ten Months Among the Tents of the Tuski, etc. London, 1908, p. 263. 
Mi.e. pp. 72,74, 76-77, 119-120. 
16 Russell, FP. Explorations in the Far North. University of Iowa, 1898, p. 143. 
18 1,¢. pp. 137-138. 
