THE CAPE YAKTAG PLACERS. 
By George C. Martin. 
INTRODUCTION. 
The occurrence of gold in the sands of the ocean beach near Cape : 
Yaktag has been known and the deposits worked intermittently for 
several years. The locality began to attract considerable attention 
during the winter of 1903-4, since which time about 200 people havel 
been on the ground more or less continuously. The amount of pro- 1 
duction during this time is not definitely known, for no record has | 
been kept, and all estimates vary widely. The best estimates give a \ 
total of $10,000 or $15,000 for the past year. 
It may be noted that neighboring and possibly similar placers have! 
been w T orked at a profit on a small scale at Yakutat Bay, Lituya Bay, ; 
and Icy Cape; but attempts to work on a larger scale have not been 
successful. 
Cape Yaktag is about 75 miles east of Controller Bay and 100 miles 
northwest of Sitka. The shore from Yakutat to Controller Bay is I 
unbroken and there is no harbor which affords shelter even for a small, 
boat. A strip of land from 5 to 10 miles in width lies between thej 
coast and Bering Glacier. The ice front is marked by a line of hills, 
which are parallel to the coast and from which a steep slope descends- 
to the sea. This slope is drained by many short parallel streams,] 
some of which head in the ice. The gold-bearing beach is said to 
extend eastward for about 15 miles from the mouth of Yaktag River, 
which is the easternmost of the longer streams reaching the ocean near 
Cape Yaktag. 
The region may be reached either by landing from a steamer through 
the surf, which can be done only in good weather, or by a difficult 
foot journey along the beach from Kayak. The latter is practicable 
only when the streams are frozen or when a light boat is carried. A 
favorite method is to drag a light canoe along the beach on a small 
cart. Cape Yaktag can be reached from Okalee Spit, in Controller 
Bay, by this method in two days. Three steamers stop at Kayak each 
month throughout the year. This region has not been visited by any 
member of the Geological Survey, and the following information is 
compiled from various sources. Most of it is believed to be reliable. 
GEOLOGY. 
The rocks are said to consist of shales with interbedded sandstone 
and limestone, and to resemble very closely in lithologic character 
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