ro.NK] COAL IN SOUTHWESTERN ALASKA. 155 
The Tyonok coal is a low-grade lignite, which in appearance i^> often 
lardly more than a mass of carbonized wood. An average of four 
■nalyses which represent the Tyonok coal at its best, and in no instance 
he average of a seam, shows less than 31 per cent fixed carbon. 
Nevertheless it is of some value, as coal from this point is the prin- 
ipal fuel used by the steamer Tyonic, which plies in Cook Inlet. 
KACIIEMAK BAY. 
Kachemak Bay, an arm of Cook Inlet, 25 miles long and from 3 to 
miles wide, indents the western side of Kenai Peninsula. A low, 
iarrow point 4 miles long extends out into the bay near its entrance, 
^he seaward end of this spit is the site of Homer, a post-office and 
teamer landing. The accompanying sketch map (PI. Ill), shows the 
orm of the bay. It extends inland in a northeast direction, growing 
iarrower toward the head. The north shore is comparatively smooth, 
rhile the eastern and southern shore is made irregular by coves, head- 
inds, and islands. A great plateau having a general elevation of 1,000 
eet lies north of the bay, and the north shore is a bluff which varies 
a height from 50 to 400 feet. The bluff is cut by canyons at a num- 
ber of places between Homer spit and the head of the bay. On the 
outh side of the bay is a mass of rugged mountains, with six glaciers, 
jarge vessels can go up to Bear Coye, although the head of the bay 
nd the north shore are very shallow. The tidal range is from 16 to 
8 feet at Homer. 
The geology as well as the topography of the two sides of Kachemak 
5ay presents strong contrasts. Crystalline or schistose rocks compose 
he mountains on the south side. On the north side of the bay is an 
xtensive Tertiary lignite-bearing series known as the Kenai forma- 
ion. From Anchor Point to the head of the bay, a distance of 40 
liles, coal seams are almost continuously exposed, interbedded in soft 
andstone, shale, clay, and fine conglomerate. These rocks strike 
early east (mag.), and dip northward at angles as high, in places, as 
0°. A thickness of between 2,000 and 3,000 feet of strata is exposed 
1 the sea bluff from Anchor Point to the head of the bay. It is 
npossible to determine the exact thickness because there are stretches 
ver which the beds can not be traced, and faults of unknown throw 
isturb the strata. Anchor Point is near the base of the series, but 
he head of the bay probably does not reach to the top, for coal has 
een found 15 miles farther inland. 
COAL BEDS WEST OP HOMER SPIT. 
The westernmost coal seams in this bay outcrop between tide levels 
alf a mile south of Anchor Point, while the first exposures above 
igh-tide level are 3 miles southeast of the point near the mouth of 
'ravers Creek or Troublesome Gulch. A seam at this locality is said 
