REPORT BY GEORGE M. DAWSON, 39

wooded, save where fires have passed, or the soil is too sandy and poor
to support a rank growth.

Four miles east of Qualcho Lake, without intervening high country,
the Gatcho Lake stream—already mentioned as the south-eastern source
of the Nechacco in this direction—is found. The general elevation of the
country in this vicinity is about 3,300 feet. It seems to be based on
wide-spread, though somewhat irregular benches, forming plateaus dif-
fering a little in elevation. The stream-valleys are hollowed out in this,

~ generally without reaching solid rock; and low mounds and ranges of

hills project in some places above it. The material of the benches is
sand, gravel, and small boulders, in various proportions, but chiefly derived
from the Porphyrite series. The soil is almost invariably poor, and only
occasional hay meadows are found. No marked features intervene
between this region and the Coast Range, which bounds the view west-
ward. On July 30, the fire-weed (£pilobium angustifolium) was begin-
ning to flower, Linnea borealis was in full flower, and wild strawberries
were ripe, and in some places abundant.

From Y Division Camp on Gatcho Lake stream, I set out towards Fort
Fraser, on August 7th, re-inforced by two axemen from Mr. Hunter’s
party, and some additional pack animals. It will be unnecessary to enter
into the daily routine of this part of the summer’s work; it will suffice to
state, that after twenty-five days of severe labour in a country terribly
encumbered by forest and wind-fall, we reached the Telegraph trail near
Ta-chick Lake. A brief description of the route will, however, be given.

Following near the Gatcho stream north-eastward twelve miles, Ku-
ti-a-kwe-ta-chick Lake, into which it flows, is reached. In the interven-
ing distance, several small lakes and ponds, formed by expansions of the
stream, are seen, and at the lower end of the longest of these—six miles
from the lake above named—it is joined by a much larger stream, the
estimated dimensions of which, on the 8th of August, were: width
fifty feet, depth six inches, slope one in one hundred. The upper part
of the valley of this brook, as far as it can be seen from the vicinity of its
mouth, bears S. 44° K., and it must drain a wide area lying west of the
south-eastern extension of the Toot-i-ai Mountains and the northern bank
of the Uhl-ghak stream and Blackwater. The surface of the country
still preserves an appearance much like that last described, the streams,
however, as they are followed down, cutting more deeply into the plateau
surface. The appearance of the vegetation leads to the belief that the

‘ainfall of the region is inconsiderable ; and where the soil is poor, and

fire has removed the covering of scrub pines, it often scarcely tends te.

Country about
Qualcho and
Gatcho Lakes. «

Journey to
Fort Fraser

Gatcho stream.

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