is timbered, the larger growth skirting the river.
Clearing is heavy. Soil is mostly semi-decayed
vegetable mould and river-silt in low portions near
the river.

West oF MAsset INLET.

There is no very great variation in the general
physical character over a considerable area at the
north to the west of Masset Sound. The ground rises
abruptly from the sound and in a quarter-mile
reaches an undulating plateau ranging from 200 to
450 feet above sea-level, maintaining a rolling sur-
face, except where intersected by the creek-ravines
and river-valleys. This plateau extends to the
mountain area at the north and west of Masset
Inlet. There are several large lakes and rivers, the
main streams being the Hancock, Otun, Christie,
Naden, and Jalun Rivers, mostly with valleys a
quarter to a mile wide. The lakesides and valleys
are well timbered and a large area is held as timber
land, and heavy timber is also found on either side
of Naden Harbour and near the seaboard. The
shore is low, with reefs in places and stretches of
sandy beach. A large area is muskeg, open or
partially open, generally wet and covered with moss
varying from few inches to 3 or 4 feet deep. In
dry weather the moss burns readily, and burned
areas show black peaty loam soil over clay or gravel.
Sparse timber grows on parts of the muskeg, which
mostly occupies the ridges and higher parts of the
plateau. Soil in the timbered part is deep clay
loam, with subsoil of clay or gravel loam.

At the north-west coast the plateau is undulating,
50 to 100 feet above the sea, rising south of the
surveyed tract of mountainous country, with ir-
regular hills, 1,000 to 1,200 feet high, often standing
alone, near the coast, and connected rough precipi-
tous ranges inland reaching to 2,000 feet with nar-
row valleys. Haines River is the principal stream.
It rises in the mountains and nearing the sea winds
5 or 6 miles in a low flat valley about 3 miles wide.
A tract 40 miles long extends from Naden Harbour
to Otard Bay, where oil-drilling operations were
carried on. The coast-line is principally flat shale
and sandstone, with many outcroppings of lignite
and surface indications of oil. Many areas are
held as coal or oil lands. There is little settlement
west of Naden Harbour.

Langara Island, at the north-west of which is a
lighthouse, has high cliffs along the shore and is
more or less rugged. The ancient murralet is found
there in large numbers. Coal and oil lands are held
on the island.

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