152 ALASKA AND ITS MINERAL RESOURCES 



houv. About 25 miles down, the river enters Miles canyon, a 

 chasm about 100 feet wide and five-eighths of a mile long, be- 

 tween perpendicular walls of basalt 80 to 100 feet high. The 

 swift, turbulent current carries a boat through tins canyon in 

 about three minutes. For a fair-sized boat, not too heavily 

 loaded, which is kept under steerageway by one or more good 

 oarsmen and follows the middle of the stream, so as not to be 

 dashed against the steep rocks on either side, the passage is quite 

 practicable. At the foot of the canyon one must keep to the 

 left until the heavy swells are passed, then turn sharply to the 

 right and land on the east or right bank. A safer course, which 

 is followed by many, is to portage one's load along the right 

 side of the canyon, over a hill about 200 feet high, and run the 

 boat through empty. 



Three-eighths of a mile below this canyon are rapids about 

 half a mile long, which, though very rough, are not dangerous. 

 A half-mile below these are the White Horse rapids, the most 

 dangerous on the whole river. They are about one-third of a 

 mile long and are confined between low basaltic walls. Near 

 their foot the walls close together, forming a chasm only 30 yards 

 wide, while the bed of the stream drops suddenly, so that the 

 river rushes wildly through, leaping and foaming in a cataract. 

 Many boats have passed successfully through, but others have 

 been swamped, with loss of outfits and sometimes of life. The 

 safer plan is to portage around the rapids and let the boat down 

 by line. The portage is on the west shore, but on either side a 

 tramway could be constructed without great difficulty. 



Lake Lebarge, which is 60 miles below the White Horse 

 rapids, is 31 miles long and easily navigable by steamers.. 

 There is abundant good timber at its foot. The river below 

 Lake Lebarge, as far as Fort Selkirk, is known as the Lewes, 

 and is also navigable for 160 miles, down to the Five Finger 

 rapids. Here a rock of conglomerate rises up from the river 

 bottom, forming several islands and backing up the river a 

 foot or two, so as to produce a strong swell below. Steep cliffs 

 of the same rock on either bank render a portage at this point 

 impracticable. With proper steerageway and care, however, an 

 ordinary boat may run the rapids safely. The right or east side 

 is followed by most Yukon travelers, but Ogilvie, of the Canadian 

 Survey, from actual experience pronounces the channel along the 

 west bank as also passable. For six miles below the Five Fin- 

 ger rapids the current is swift, and then occur the Rink rapids, 



