QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS. 89 B 



lignite, which forms thin seams in a fine-grained argillaceous shale. 

 This appears to be, in part at least, of a tufaceous character, and also 

 holds occasional obscure plant impressions, among which a coniferous 

 twig was recognized. The deposit of lignite is valueless in this remote 

 place, but interesting in extending the area over which deposits of this 

 kind, of Tertiary age are known. 



On the west side of the outer part of the entrance to Masset Inlet Masset to 



Virapo Sound. 



the rocks are fine-grained and nearly black, apparently basalts, but 

 with small glassy-white or yellowish felspar crystals scattered through 

 them. They have in some places a peculiar prismatic structure, and 

 may be nearly horizontal. A heavy sea prevented landing at other 

 points between this and Virago Sound, but the rocks, which continue 

 in almost uninterrupted low exj:>osures along the shore, appear to be 

 of the same character. 



The country surrounding Virago Sound and Naden Harbour is low, Rocks of Virago 

 and though rock in place is seldom seen, it is doubtless underlain by the Naden Harbour 

 Tertiary. In the bed of a stream on the east side of the harbour rolled 

 pieces of lignite abound, and have probably come from some outcrop 

 not far up its course. The point at the extremity of the harbour, and 

 one place on its western shore, show rock exposures, the material being 

 dark greenish-brown dolerite, not unlike that found near Tow Hill. 

 Near the old Indian Village a close-grained grey felspathic porphyrite 

 is seen. From Virago Sound westward along the coast to the edge of 

 the Cretaceous in Pillar Bay, igneous rocks of Tertiary age appear to 

 continue uninterruptedly. They are basaltic and dark, coloured, or grey 

 and felspathic, and resemble those of the upper parts of Masset Inlet, 

 but become brecciated over considerable areas, forming agglomerates 

 which generally assume a ruddy hue on weathering, and are occasionally 

 worn into fantastic forms by the sea along the shore. 



Glaciation and Superficial Deposits of the Queen Charlotte 



Islands, with Notes on those of the Coast of the 



Mainland Adjacent and Vancouver Island. 



Glaciation and Superficial Deposits of the Queen Charlotte Islands. 



We find everywhere in the Queen Charlotte Islands evidence of the Glaciation 

 descent of glacier, ice from the axial range of mountains toward the 

 sea, and little or none of the passage across the group of any more 

 ponderous ice mass. Without attempting to enter into the detail of 

 observations, which would be to outline again the physical features of 

 the region, it may suffice to refer in brief to a few of the more important 

 localities. 



In Houston Stewart Channel, near the south end of the island, though 



