Coronation Gulf Vegetation 45¢c 
with many stretches of gravel and fragments in between. Upon the gravel or 
tundra stretches are found the same plants as occur along the coast at Bernard 
harbour, particularly on Chantry island, to which Liston and Sutton islands 
seem to correspond closely, in regard to vegetation, though they perhaps con- 
tain a few more species of plants, owing to their larger size and proximity to 
Victoria island. They are also said, by Eskimos, to contain one or two large 
trout lakes, while nothing beyond ponds are found upon Chantry island. 
It was interesting to observe, in April, 1916, the following plants which 
seemed to grow exclusively upon, or to be particularly characteristic of the 
dolomite cliffs, both in crevices and upon the free surface, viz.: various algae, 
mosses, and lichens, Sazifraga tricuspidata, S. oppositifolia, S. cernua. Of the 
three species of Saxifraga the last named seems to grow exclusively on the 
dolomite cliffs. 
CORONATION GULF 
TOPOGRAPHY 
I am indebted to Dr. R. M. Anderson for the following general description 
of the Coronation gulf region:! 
“Coming into Coronation gulf, after passing cape Krusenstern at 
the eastern end of Dolphin and Union strait, a distant glimpse is given 
of the diabase islands of the Duke of York archipelago. The rock expos- 
ures of the peninsula between cape Krusenstern and Locker point are 
of the same dolomite limestone which is exposed here and there along both 
sides of Dolphin and Union strait, and the soil in general is rather sterile, 
with many loose, sharply broken stones and a rather scanty vegetation. 
“The northwest side of Coronation gulf, from the north side of 
Basil Hall bay to cape Hearne and beyond, is rather low with sandy 
beaches, rising gradually to low, stony hills behind them. The first 
precipitous cliffs begin at cape Kendall, a dark-coloured diabase over- 
lying sandy limestone. Similar exposures are found around Back inlet, 
alternating with lower valleys which have tundra vegetation and dwarf 
willows. The first willows of any consequence in this region appear a 
few miles up Rae river, according to Mr. J. R. Cox, at rather frequent 
intervals, but there is no growth of spruce or other timber nearer than 
the trees on the Coppermine river. 
“There are some rather low stony or boulder island lying off the mouths 
of the Coppermine river, but as a rule the numerous islands of Coronation 
gulf have quite a different and distinctive character, in that they lie in 
parallel series, approximately east and west, consisting of vertical sea- 
cliffs running up to 200 feet in height, facing to the south or southeast 
and sloping down to the sea on the north or northwest. The slope of 
the top forms an angle of about fifteen degrees with the horizon, giving 
deep water at the foot of the cliffs, and a gradually deepening rock- 
bottom on the opposite side of the islands. 
“The same terraced formations of diabase rock are continued on the 
mainland south and southwest of Coronation gulf, from cape Kendall to 
about the Sandstone rapids of the Coppermine river, about thirty miles 
south of Coronation gulf on the east side of the Coppermine. West of 
the Coppermine river the beach is low and sandy around Mackenzie 
bay, with rolling hills behind. Except on the diabase terraces, the 
country here is fairly well grassed, with patches of ground willows here 
and there. Some of the hills are of a light-coloured, almost white, clay 
formation. Patches of willows of some size are found in some of the small 
gullies and valleys leading up from the Coppermine river. 
1See also pp. 17-23 in Vol. XII, Pt. A, of these reports. 
