QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS. 37 B 



in diameter and about 200 feet high. The eastern portion of the south 

 shore is rocky, and, sloping very gradually down below the water- 

 level, gives rise to a complication of small islets and rocks. On the 

 east side of Tsoo-skatli, two and a half miles from its extremity, is a 

 rather remarkable hill, (Toiv-us-tas-in) with a steep cliff on one side, to 

 which the Indians have attached a curious story. The north-eastern part 

 of Tsoo skatli has a depth of from 10 to 16 fathoms. The depth of the 

 north-western part, about the centre between the large island and the 

 mainland, was ascertained in one place to be 23 fathoms. That of the 

 south-western arm is probably considerably greater. 



Many streams flow into these upper expansions of Masset Inlet, of Old routes'to 

 which several well deserve to he called rivers. The largest is probably Cape e J}aif." an 

 that which is known as Ya-koun, and enters the south-eastern corner of 

 the northern expansion of the inlet, in the bottom of a shoal bay. 

 About the mouth of the river are large sandy flats, dry at low tide. It 

 was formerly navigable for small canoes a long way up, and is reported 

 to head in a large lake which, probably, like the expansions of Masset 

 Inlet, lies along the junction of the hilly and low countries. This is 

 the stream mentioned on a former page as forming a portion of the 

 disused route from Masset to Skidegate. According to one account, 

 the distance to be traversed on foot, after proceeding up the river as 

 far as possible, is about half a day's journey. A trail from near the 

 mouth of this river also formerly led eastward to the old Indian village 

 near Cape Ball ; but owing to heavy windfall caused by fire, both this 

 and the navigation of the river have been given up. On the west side 

 of the bay at the mouth of this river are a few small houses, which are 

 inhabited during the salmon fishing season. 



The Ma-min River joins the Tsoo-skatli expansion at its east end, and Entering rivers 

 has a wide delta-flat about its mouth. It is navigable hj small canoes 

 for several miles, hut is much obstructed by logs. It probably rises in 

 a lake among the mountains to the south-west. The A-wun River, 

 joining, the first expansion of the inlet from the south, some miles 

 west of the entrance to Tsoo-skatli, was not particularly examined, 

 and may not he large. It is said to rise in a lake. The Ain River, 

 entering the same expansion from the north-west, is an important 

 stream. There are several Indian houses which are occupied in summer 

 about its mouth, and two about half a mile up its course. It is said to 

 flow out of a very large fresh-water lake of the same name, the river 

 itself being short. The lake is filled with islands, and is a favourite 

 berrying place in the autumn. In winter it is frozen completely over. 



The rise and fall of the spring tides at the entrance of Masset Sound irregularities 

 was estimated at about fourteen feet, but owing to the length of the ot tldes " 

 narrow sound, the first expansion has a tide of from eight to ten feet 



