12¢ Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 
variak island, about Long. 147° W., Flaxman island, Long. 146° W., Konganevik 
point, Barter island, Manning point, about Long. 143.5° W., and Herschel 
island consist of higher tundra, their elevation generally increasing eastward 
from about 15 to above 500 feet. These tundra islands may therefore be con- 
sidered remains of the mainland coast, formerly reaching farther northward 
and now cut off by the remorseless action of the waves, which are continuously 
eating away and undermining the tundra coast while building up at other places 
numerous sand flats and gravel bars, which in turn become islands. 
It should also be recalled that there has been at least one elevation of the 
coast line, and perhaps several, in fairly recent times. Boulders, so scarce 
along the whole coast, are found imbedded in the tundra inland, or at the foot 
of the mud bluffs where these reach the ocean, for instance at Konganevik and 
Flaxman island. 
Apart from the influence of the waves in forming the coast line, the power 
of the screwing of the sea ice against the coast occasioned by northeast winds 
and currents must also be remembered; even if it does not last long and only 
rarely occurs, it is a very powerful action, as I personally observed in Camden 
bay at the beginning of July, 1914. (See Plate I, fig. 2).! 
Most of the mounds on the gravel coast or islands at and east of point 
Barrow also owe their origin to the pressure or stranding of the sea ice. 
The Coastal plain at point Barrow and for a considerable distance eastward 
is exceedingly low and near the coast scarcely above sea level, the result being 
that the soil is much saturated with sea water. For a detailed description of it 
see Ray?, Dease and Simpson’, Collinson‘, Hooper’, Wolfe®, Schrader and Peters’, 
Stefansson’, and Leffingwell’. 
The coast between Colville river and Camden bay 
The geology of this region has been subjected to detailed study by Leffing- 
well. Concerning Flaxman island, a comprehensive description is also given 
by Leffingwell.' Franklin” and Mikkelsen" also make some descriptive remarks 
about the island, the latter calling special attention to the large amount of 
driftwood from Mackenzie river which lines the beach, while the former was 
more struck by the thinness of the loose soil stratum, measuring 18 inches, 
which, underlaid by frozen mud, nevertheless nourishes a good vegetation. 
Franklin“ also mentions a tundra island west of Collinson point which, 
“like the projecting points of the main shore, is a mere deposit of earthy mud, 
covered with verdure, about twenty or twenty-five feet high.” Leffingwell® 
says that this island has been cut away by the sea in recent times, as well as the 
adjoining Boulder island. 
Konganevik point, about Long. 145°10’ W., is also mostly made up of 
tundra, as I had opportunity to ascertain during my stay there at the end of 
June, 1914. Most characteristic is a system of very large lakes along the coast, 
paralleling the latter in a general east and west direction. These lakes have 
for the most part tundra bluffs, reaching a height of up to a dozen feet and 
facing north and south, while low tundra and swamps surround them, connecting 
them with each other and also with the beach to the east and west, where also 
oS ees also E. M. Kindle, Amer. Journ. Sci. Vol. VII, 1924, pp. 266-68, figs. 1-2. 
is. Dense, P. W., and Simpson, Th. An Account of the Recent Discoveries, Journ. Roy. Geogr. Soc., Vol. 8. London, 
Feces WH, Ten Months Among the Tents of the Tuski, etc., London, 1853, p. 229. 
ae ee a Report and Population of Alaska at the Eleventh Census: 1890, Washington, 1893, p. 184. 
8 Stefansson, V., My Life with the Eskimos. New York, 1913, p. 383. 
§le p. o7'and p. 100. 
101.¢. pp. 130-2 
Sr renee ves oh aie: Flaxman island, a Glacial Remnant. Journ. of Geol. vol. 16, No.1. Chicago, 1908, p. 57. 
: ae E., Conquering the Arctic Ice. Philadelphia, 1908, p. 98. 
1c. p. 170. 
