QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS. 17 B 



in from 6 to 10 fathoms. It is not quite land locked, but sheltered from 

 the only direction otherwise exposed by a little rocky reef which runs 

 out from its east side. The bay ends westward in a narrow arm., which 

 receives two streams of some size. It resembles the head of Pose Har- 

 bour in being filled with little rocky islands and rocks, and though well 

 sheltered would be unsafe even for small craft. The general aspect of 

 this inlet and the country surrounding it is like that of Houston Stewart 

 Channel. Thickly wooded mountains rise every where from the water's 

 edge to heights frequently exceeding 1000, but rarely if evermore than 

 2000 feet. The shore is generally rocky, with deep water off it, and 

 beaches are infrequent and not extensive. The timber being of small 

 stature and gnarled is not of any great prospective value, and agricul- 

 tural land does "not exist. There were many seals here at the time of Seals, 

 our visit (June 17th), playing in the water or lying on the rocks. Some 

 mothers carried their young on their backs, the two heads coming up 

 together in a most amusing manner. 



Collison Bay, lying between the last and Skincuttle Inlet, is about a Coiiison Bay. 

 mile and three-quarters wide, with a probable depth of two miles. It 

 runs up into a narrow arm, which was not examined. Several small 

 islands and rocks lie in its mouth, and it does not appear to be service- 

 able as a harbour. 



Skincuttle Inlet is five and a half miles deep, with a width between Skincuttle 

 its entrance points of four miles. A number of smaller inlets and 

 coves open from it. The north side of the inlet is formed by Burnaby 

 Island, and from the north-west angle Burnaby Strait runs north- 

 ward to Juan Perez Sound, and separates Burnaby Island from the 

 east shore of Moresby Island. In 1863-64, Skincuttle Inlet was the 

 scene of the exploits of a certain Mr. Francis Poole, calling himself a 

 civil and mining engineer. He subsequently published a volume 

 called " Queen Charlotte Islands,"* which is chiefly remarkable for 

 the exaggerated character of the accounts it contains. Mr. Poole 

 gives a rough sketch map of Skincuttle, on which he has named most 

 of the features. I have retained his names in so far as I have been 

 able to recognize the localities to which they are intended to apply. 



The shores of Skincuttle Inlet resemble those of other parts of the 

 islands already described, being in general bold, and rising at once 

 from the water's edge either to low hills or mountains of some height. 

 The inlet appears to be continued westward by low land, but owing to 

 the fact that the mountains were perpetually covered with mist during 

 our stay in this place, it is possible that there are hills of some height 

 at a little distance from the shore. Near the north-western angle of 



* London, 1872. 



