QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS. 23 B 



and there are several small rocky islets and low-water rocks in the 

 vicinity of Hot Spring and House Islands. Yessels entering Juan 

 Perez Sound had therefore better do so to the south of Ramsay Island, 

 till the narrower channels have been carefully surveyed. ]STo bottom 

 was reached with 94 fathoms of line in the centre of the Sound south 

 of Eamsay Island, nor in another place about a mile south-east of the 

 extremity of Bischoff Islands. No other soundings were made here, 

 but the water seems to be everywhere deep. 



Lyell Island is about ten miles in extreme diameter in both east and Lyeii Island. 

 west and north and south bearings. It is separated by Darwin Sound 

 from the main coast of Moresby Island to the south-west, and is com- 

 posed of high hilly land, general ly rising at once from the shores to 

 heights of from 600 to 900 feet, and attaining in a few instances toward 

 the centre of the island a height probably exceeding 1000 feet. It is 

 densely wooded, and where patches of low land exist bears some fine 

 timber. Sedgwick Bay, already described, indents its southern shore, 

 A-tli Inlet its northern. The east coast was not surveyed, and is merely 

 sketched in on the map. Darwin Sound from its southern entrance, to 

 White Point is eleven and a half miles in length, and lies north-north- 

 west south-south-east. It is irregular in width, but is a fine navigable 

 channel. In the south entrance no bottom was found with a 94-fathom 

 line. In entering from the southward, Shuttle Island looks nearly 

 round. The channel on its eastern side should be followed, as this 

 seems to be quite free from impediments. Abreast the north end of 

 Shuttle Island in this channel a cast at 18 fathoms was obtained. A 

 mile beyond this point is an inconspicuous low rock in mid-channel, 

 with a second bare only at low water a short distance to the north of 

 it. The flood tide sets up Darwin Sound from the southward into the Tide, 

 various inlets, and then eastward to the open sea again by Richardson 

 and Logan Inlets. The ebb in like manner draws through from end 

 to end in the opposite direction. The tidal current must run about two 

 knots when strongest. 



The south-west side of the sound for four miles from the south Bigsby Inlet, 

 entrance is rocky and broken, with several coves and little inlets. 

 Bigsby Inlet then runs in two and a half miles west-north-westward. 

 It is a gloomy chasm, scarcely half a mile in width, but surrounded by 

 mountains higher than any yet seen, and probably not exceeded by 

 any in the islands. These rise steeply from the water, sometimes 

 attaining in the first instance a height of 3000 feet, and are in places 

 nearly perpendicular, but are generally well wooded, the trees clinging 

 in the crevices of the rocks. Further back, especially to the south- 

 ward and westward, massive summits of bare granite rise to a height 

 of 4000 to 5000 feet, with their upper gorges and shady hollows filled 



