Amundsen Gulf 29a 
A number of plants common on the dry ground were found on top of the 
tundra bluffs and on the slopes of the intersecting gullies facing the above 
mentioned gravel spit. The dominant plant there was the interesting Phlox 
Richardsonit, in full bloom, and growing in large, spreading pillows up to one 
foot in diameter, on the edge of the niggerheads. On all the Phlox plants the 
innermost leaves were dead and, where much exposed, there were many dead 
branches; where growing more protected, they showed a rather luxurious growth. 
The other plants on the bluff tops and slopes were various grasses, viz.: Poa 
arctica, Alopecurus alpinus, Agropyrum alaskanum; also Luzula spicata, Salix 
anglorum (growth prostrate and spreading, but the twigs and female catkins 
protruding well from the grass; plants with dropped, male catkins), Oxyria 
digyna, Cerastium alpinum, Stellaria longipes var. Edwardsit, Ranunculus nivalis, 
Papaver nudicaule, Cochlearia groenlandica, Draba alpina, D. nivalis, Eutrema 
Edwardsiz, Potentilla pulchella, P. Vahliana, Primula borealis, Androsace Chamae- 
jasme, Erigeron uniflorus, Taraxacum lyratum, ete., almost all plants typical of 
dry hills and slopes. It was interesting to observe that, while the Phlox was 
not found in the more moist and sandy bottoms of the gullies, the small-flowered 
Ranunculus Sabinii was almost limited to them and very typical there. 
COAST SOUTH OF AMUNDSEN GULF 
A general description of the western part of this coast has been furnished 
me by Dr. R. M. Anderson, as-follows: 
“The land along the western shores of Franklin bay gradually rises 
to the southward of cape Bathurst, from low earth banks around cape 
Bathurst to high bluffs beginning to the northwest of Trail point (‘“Whale 
bluff’) where shale, sandstone, etc., form high sea-cliffs. The sea-cliffs 
are practically continuous for thirty-five or forty miles, being broken 
only by gaps formed by a few insignificant creeks, and the broad gap 
where the Horton river breaks through. At irregular intervals for about 
thirty miles, extending on both sides of Horton river, carbonaceous shales 
are smouldering underground, sending up clouds of steam and smoke, 
so that this stretch of coast bears the name of Smoking mountains. 
The name of mountains is not very appropriate as they are merely com- 
paratively level-topped sea-cliffs, rarely over 200 or 300 feet in height, 
and sloping quite regularly away to the westward. A few miles south 
of Horton river the steep hill slopes are usually about half a mile or so 
back from the sea and the ground slopes down to the sea in low gravelly 
or sand terraces, which are grassed over, with a few ponds or marshy 
spots. Towards Langton bay the hills become higher and swing two or 
three miles back from the coast, forming the Melville mountains which 
are about 1,000 feet high south of Langton bay and run about east and 
west south of the Parry peninsula and Darnley bay, merging into the 
somewhat irregular high lands east of cape Lyon and south of Amundsen 
gulf. With the exception of a few higher points which have been dig- 
nified by the name of mount Hooker, mount Davy, etc., the range becomes 
lower towards Dolphin and Union strait, at least near the coast, 
although the land in general rises quite rapidly towards the southward, 
being in general rather dry, stony and sterile like the land around Bernard 
harbour. , 
“South of Langton bay, the Melville mountains have a rather 
abrupt slope to the northward or seaward side, and slope gradually 
landward, a broad rolling upland descending somewhat towards Horton 
river. Horton river flows in a rather narrow and deep valley sparsely 
fringed with trees along its banks for about fifteen or twenty miles to the 
northwestward of Langton bay. Some creeks flowing into Horton river 
