6o 



(25 mm.) thick, but it increases in thickness to the north 

 and west for over 200 miles (320 km.). It is calculated 

 that this covers about 25,000 sq. miles (64,800 sq. km.) 

 and has a volume of at least a cubic mile. (4 cu. km.). 

 It is remarkably homogeneous and of more recent age 

 than the silts which are the latest of the glacial deposits. 

 In fact, this ash has fallen since the present waterways 

 have cut their courses to approximately their present 

 depths, and the trees and vegetation are rooted in it. 

 On account of its even distribution, it appears to have 

 fallen very tranquilly and continuously, since in it, as 

 originally deposited, no intercalated layers of foreign 

 materials exist. Mt. Wrangel is the nearest known 

 volcano that is at present active, and as the ash appears 

 to increase in that direction, this or some yet undiscovered 

 volcano in that vicinity is probably the source of the 

 material. 



CLIMATE, FAUNA AND FLORA. 



As no description of Yukon would seem at all complete 

 without some mention of climate, flora and fauna, these 

 will now be very briefly considered [45]. The climate and 

 vegetation of the southern slope of the Coast range north 

 of Skagway, are similiar to those of other parts of South- 

 eastern Alaska, and have been described in other sections 

 of this guide-book, so will not be further mentioned here. 



The climate of Yukon has been, and by many people 

 still is greatly misunderstood. In fact until recently this 

 territory has been popularly believed to be a region 

 extremely difficult of access, and covered by almost 

 perpetual snow and ice. Winter photographs, sensational 

 newspaper descriptions of the Chilcoot pass and the 

 building of the White Pass and Yukon railway, and 

 stories, generally exaggerated, of the privations suffered 

 by those who joined in the early rush to the Klondike are 

 mainly responsible for these opinions. 



Now, since the building of + he railway over the White 

 Pass summit, and since lines ox steamers have been placed 

 on some of the lakes as well as on Yukon river and its 

 main tributaries, the district has come to be better and 

 more favourably known. 



The climate of Southern Yukon (south of Dawson) is, 

 during the summer, particularly delightful. On account 



