Official Report of the Exploration of the Queen Charlotte Islands for the Government of British Columbia — John Shaqi
Official Report of the Exploration of the Queen Charlotte Islands for the Government of British ColumbiaChittenden, Newton H.
History
Official Report of the Exploration of the Queen Charlotte Islands for the Government of British Columbia
Chittenden, Newton H.
Haida Indians; Queen Charlotte Islands (B.C.)
This brings us to the largest indentation on the east shore of Massett
Inlet, about one mile and three-quarters in depth inland, not named on
the chart, but called by the Indians Del-kat-lay Inlet. It is situated
about three and a half miles south of Massett. The eastern shores of
Massett Inlet are uniformly low, sandy and forest-covered, though for
several miles south from Watoon Creek, they are from fifteen to fifty
feet in height, with small burnt openings on their summits. Following
eastward along the north shore of the island,
SKOONAN RIVER
Is the first stream crossed. It is misnamed on the chart Chown
Brooke. Chown is the name of the point lying just to the westward,
which is more prominent than shown on the chart. This river is about
forty feet wide, but not navigable, owing to log obstructions. An
inlet extends westward from near its mouth about two miles at high
tide.
TOW HILL,
A bold, rocky, perpendicular cliff, rising to the height of about 300
feet immediately on the sea shore, eight miles eastward, is the most
prominent landmark on the north part of the island. It is visible in
fair weather twenty-five miles at sea and guides the navigator
approaching the harbors of the north coast. The Hi-ellen River, larger
than any yet mentioned, except the Ya-koun, flows into the sea just
east of Tow Hill. This is also obstructed from within half mile of its
mouth up by log jams.
ROSE SPIT,
The extreme north-eastern land of the island, is more extensive than
indicated by the chart. Mr. Maynard, the photographer, who accompanied
my Indian guide in a canoe around it, while I was engaged in examining
the country inland, says that they were thrown with great force on the
spit by a heavy breaker more than three miles off the extreme point of
land of the peninsula, which split and would doubtless have sunk the
canoe, had we not taken the precaution to strengthen it with ribs
before leaving Massett. The north shore of the island is generally
low, Chown and Yakan Points and Tow Hill being its only elevations
exceeding fifteen or twenty feet. Between them are long stretches of
very fine beaches, sandy, wide and gradually sloping.
There are no harbors, though canoes and small boats take refuge in
stormy weather at the mouths of the rivers already mentioned. A thick
growth of spruce and cedar generally reaches down to the sea
shore. About seven miles south of Rose Spit Point there is a lagoon
three or four miles in length, which we have named Long Lagoon. The
Hoy-kund-la River, not mentioned on the charts, about two rods in
width, and choked with the usual obstructions, was passed, ten miles
further south. Three brooks, from ten to fifteen feet in width, were
crossed between it and
TLELL RIVER.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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