Klondyke Nuggets: A Brief Description of the Great Gold Regions in the NorthwestLadue, Joseph
History
Klondyke Nuggets: A Brief Description of the Great Gold Regions in the Northwest
Ladue, Joseph
Alaska -- Gold discoveries; Klondike River Valley (Yukon) -- Gold discoveries
"From the head of Lake Bennet to the cañon the corrected distance is
ninety-five miles, all of which is navigable for boats drawing 5 feet or
more. Add to this the westerly arm of Lake Bennet, and the Takone or
Windy Arm of Tagish Lake, each about fifteen miles in length, and the
Taku Arm of the latter lake, of unknown length, but probably not less
than thirty miles, and we have a stretch of water of upwards of one
hundred miles in length, all easily navigable; and, as has been pointed
out, easily connected with Taiya Inlet through the White Pass.
"No streams of any importance enter any of these lakes so far as I know.
A river, called by Schwatka "McClintock River," enters Marsh Lake at the
lower end from the east. It occupies a large valley, as seen from the
westerly side of the lake, but the stream is apparently unimportant.
Another small stream, apparently only a creek, enters the south-east
angle of the lake. It is not probable that any stream coming from the
east side of the lake is of importance, as the strip of country between
the Lewes and Teslintoo is not more than thirty or forty miles in
width at this point.
"The Taku Arm of Tagish Lake, is, so far, with the exception of reports
from Indians, unknown; but it is equally improbable that any river of
importance enters it, as it is so near the source of the waters flowing
northwards. However, this is a question that can only be decided by a
proper exploration. The cañon I have already described and will only add
that it is five-eighths of a mile long, about 100 feet wide, with
perpendicular banks of basaltic rock from 60 to 100 feet high.
"Below the cañon proper there is a stretch of rapids for about a mile;
then about half a mile of smooth water, following which are the White
Horse Rapids, which are three-eighths of a mile long, and unsafe for
boats.
"The total fall in the cañon and succeeding rapids was measured and
found to be 32 feet. Were it ever necessary to make this part of the
river navigable it will be no easy task to overcome the obstacles at
this point; but a tram or railway could, with very little difficulty, be
constructed along the east side of the river past the cañon.
"For some distance below the White Horse Rapids the current is swift and
the river wide, with many gravel bars. The reach between these rapids
and Lake Labarge, a distance of twenty-seven and a half miles, is all
smooth water, with a strong current. The average width is about 150
yards. There is no impediment to navigation other than the swift
current, and this is no stronger than on the lower part of the river,
which is already navigated; nor is it worse than on the Saskatchewan and
Red Rivers in the more eastern part of our territory.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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