24 J 



GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



Islands. 



Three groups 

 of islands. 



Agoomski. 



■Vegetation. 



The islands of James Bay, from their geographical position and 

 physical character, may be conveniently divided into three groups. 

 The first consists only of the large island of Agoomski, lying off the 

 western shore; the second includes the high drift islands, situated to 

 the eastward of a line drawn through the middle of the bay, and sepa- 

 rated from Agoomski on the west by a deep water channel ; the third 

 is composed of the rocky islands and sandy shoals along shore on the 

 east coast. The Island of Agoomski, or Omer's Island, as it was called 

 by Governor Bayly in 1673, is the largest in James Bay, being seventy- 

 five miles long, with an average breadth often miles. 



Its south end lies about thirty-five miles 1ST. E. from the mouth of 

 the Albany, and is consequently about twenty-five miles directly east 

 from the coast. 



The eastern shore of the island runs N. N. W. for thirty-five miles 

 from its south end, and then bending more to the westward runs 

 W.N.W. to its north end, which is in Equan Bay, and distant about 

 eight miles from the main land, so that the position of the island is 

 inaccurately laid down on the present published maps, which show it 

 lying roughly parallel to the coast and about fifty miles distant from 

 it. Indians coming from the northward to Albany on the ice, in the 

 winter, when travelling in a straight line from Equan Point to the 

 mouth of that river, cross the north end of Agoomski, showing that 

 part to lie well in shore. The island closely resembles the adjoining 

 main land* in physical character, being very low and swampy. The 

 shore line above high-water mark is made up of muddy flats covered in 

 part with grasses and sedges, followed farther inland by thick growths 

 of small willows, these in turn giving place to small black spruce 

 and tamarac as slightly higher ground is reached. The line of these 

 trees is often over two miles inland from high-water mark, itself a 

 long distance from the sea at low water. As far as the tree line 

 and in places beyond it, are numerous small lakes and ponds of 

 brackish water; good fresh water being only obtainable in a few 

 places well inland. 



The shore between high and low water mark is composed of a stiff 

 slimy mud. Scattered over it are many boulders of gneiss, large and 

 small. At the various points the boulders are often piled together, 

 forming higher elevations than the surrounding flats. 



The water around the island is very shoal for several miles out, 

 and as the bottom is uneven, being broken \>y numerous boulder 

 shoals and bars, it is very dangerous to approaeh even with small 

 boats owing to the dirty state of the water. In fine weather the first 



