233)

of the northerly extending ranges that replace the mighty Rocky Mountains
of the south. These ranges.are seen to the east as smooth, even-topped
ridges. ; ae ee gh eae nie

Liard Valley, Smith River to Watson Lake

Westward from Smith River, the Highway follows the Liard River
bench and is nowhere far from the stream. The country to the north is
gently rolling, and is in general well forested. The land is. sandy,
but extensive gravel deposits underlie the sand. The country south of.
Liord River is similar to that on the north, but in general BpRcADSy ‘more
dissected by streams.

Four outcrops of limestone were observed along the Highway be-
tween Smith and Coal. Rivers (mile 250); limestone also outcrops on the |
river at the canyon south of mile 249 and in the west bank of Coal River
above the bridge. These beds have a general northwesterly strike and
the direction of dip varies so as to sugges’ a series of sharp anticlines
and sar canna :

pet) Coal River penis its name from the large masses of brown
lignite that drift onto the bars near its mouth. McConnell walked up
the river for some distance without finding the source of the coal. The
writer and J. DeLeen discovered the coal in situ north of the big bend
in the river and probably not more than 6 miles fron the Saenl "as. the
crow flies. By woter the distance is much greater. ©

> The lignite outcrops across the river bed forming 4 rapid’

Fifteen feet. of coal is exposed in the west bank, dipping to the south-
west at 25 degrees. The seam is covered. by clay and gravel and the:
foot-wall is not visible. A few hundred yards upstream: the seam is:
actively .on fire. Steam and foul-smelling gases are-being given off,
tar is melted at the surface, sand and gravel are caving in, and pect

and bushes show all steges of destruction. The area on fire is’ small,
however, and is separated from the main seam by a burnt out zone. It
is clear that there is here a Tertiary basin of considerable extent.
Local reports lead to the belief that the coal apse Sones mL LOs
upstream to a falls. in the river. :

Below the big bend in Coal River, and about 25 mites from the
Highway bridge, white clay rises in the west bank for is feet and extends
for 100 yards along the stream, and lower downstream is another outcrop,
100 yards long. The white clay evidently paces in the same Tertiary
basin as the lignite.

Westward from Coal River, grey-blue sandstone outcrops along the
Liard at mile 261, and sheared shale. in road cuts at mile 264 and fron
‘mile 2673 to mile 268. Dips are genera lly high and See “variable.

Grey limestone outer ops from mile 270 to mile oni. Shale out-
crops at mile 277 and fractured limestone at mile 280. uiny sandstone
outcrops at mile 281 and limestone at miles 285 and 286, in hills south
and north of mile 288, and at miles 291 and 292. Outcrops of shale occur
at miles 305, 306, Das 309.

Banded ial shale occurs near mile 316 and crushed black shale
in numerous cubcnces from mile 319 to mile 321.

‘About a aoe up Dease River, which enters the Iiard half o mile
below Lower Post, dark shale occurs on the right bank of the river, and
black shale overlying chert conglomerate forms a dangerous 2-mile rapids.
At the time visited, the small paddle-wheel steamer Dease River, S.W. l
lay a wreck on a rock in the middle of the rapids. ‘The formation here