BLLS GRAHAM ISLAND 15 B

East of the line referred to through the centre of the island the surface
is comparatively low, and over large portions quite level. Forest fires have
destroyed much of the original timber growth, more especially throughout
the eastern part, but the second growth is dense everywhere. There are no
tracts of clear land, but extensive swamps are found. Several comparatively
low ridges are seen in the northeast corner of the island which extend
southerly from Tow hill and in rear of Cape Fife, and these may represent
masses of igneous rocks of which, however, no definite statement can be
made owing to the absence of outcrops in that area; but masses of basaltic
rock of the later Tertiary age, in places columnar in character, are found
at Tow hill on the north and at Lawn hill on the southeast coast. To the
north of Skidegate high ridges are seen, which, according to the chart,
reach a height of 1,400 feet. These are in part igneous and in part a con-
glomerate.

The exposed rocks of this eastern area are generally sandstone and
shale of Cretaceous and Tertiary age. Rock outcrops are seldom seen
except on a few of the streams in the southern part of the island, while
merely surface exposures are rarely visible owing to the thickness of the
soil covering. Some of the streams cut deep channels, but the banks are
usually of sand and gravel with occasional thick beds of clay. These
streams are difficult to traverse owing to the quantity of drift tree trunks
and the abundance of boulders, which make walking very dangerous. In
the Yakoun river the drift trees render the stream impassable for long dis-
tances and in places entirely choke up the channel.

‘The literature relating to the island may be briefly stated. It has been
reviewed by Dr. J. F. Whiteaves in his Report on Mesozoic Fossils,
1876, and later by Dr. G. M. Dawson (Rep. 1878-79, pp. 8 to 14.) It ex-
tends from the expedition under Juan Perez in 1774 down to Pender’s
survey of Skidegate inlet in the ‘‘Hecate’’ in 1866. On the part of the
Geological Survey, Mr. James Richardson, in 1872, paid a visit to the south
side of Graham island, and examined the deposit of anthracite at the west
end of Skidegate harbour, known as the Cowgitz mine, the report on which
is contained in the volume for 1872-73. In 1878, Dr. G. M. Dawson, in the
small schooner ‘‘Wanderer’’ of 20 tons, examined the eastern shores of
the several islands in the group as far as North island, and also the inland
waters of Masset inlet. The western shores were not, however, visited on
this trip. The report on this expedition will be found in the Annual vol-
ume for 1878-79.

Various papers relating to the Archaeology and Natural history of
the islands have appeared from time to time between the years 1868