NORTH-WESTERN DISTRICT (No. 1). 69

except where the solid lead of galena ores occur. There are also some irony dykes running
parallel with the contact, which give fair assays in gold. Along the South fork we found some
splendid float specimens of stephanite and other high-grade silver ores, which apparently did
not come from very far, and no doubt, with prospecting, ledges of these minerals will be found.
Already some shoots of this ore have been encountered on the Cumberland group.

“Above the latter group, on Sulphurets creek, there has been considerable placer-mining
done, with varying success. Mr. Ketchum, who has been making annual trips in here for the
past eight years, assures me there is a coarse gold in this creek, he haying got nuggets which
were worth as high as $8.50, but the great-difficulty is the water, which is so high in the summer
months that it is impossible for an ordinary prospector to work the ground. Apparently, the
only feasible way would be to outfit in October and go in and work during the late fall, winter,
and early spring, which would be a very trying experiment for two or three men. The country
abounds in game and furs. Both grizzly and black bear are plentiful and I have seen as many
as five in one herd.

“Tf there were a trail or road into this vicinity there are unquestionably mineral leads
which are worthy of development, in addition to the very favourable expectations of good placer
or hydraulic ground, and it is believed that the prospects of the district would be assured was
the transportation problem solved.

“The following are some of the assays made by Mr. Ketchum from the South Fork claims :—

“No. 1. Pyritic ore—silver, 18 0z.; gold, $40 per ton.

“No. 2. Steel galena—silver, 12 0z.; gold, $20 per ton; lead, 23 per cent.

“No. 3. Complex ore—silver, 17 0z.; gold, $18 per ton.

“No. 4. Galena—silver, 36 0z.; gold, $20 per ton; lead, 59 per cent.

“Picked samples from the camp have assayed :—

“ Chaleopyrite—Copper, 32 per cent.; silver, 68 oz.; gold, $122 per ton.

“Grey copper—Copper, 16 per cent.; silver, 5,000 oz.; gold, $1.75.”

The following is a report by J. W. Daily to R. T. Elliot, of Victoria, and is quoted from the
Annual Report for 1911 :—

“TJ beg to submit herewith statement dealing with the resources and location of Unuk river ;
the information contained therein is authentic in every detail and as complete as can be obtained.

“The Unuk river starts in a low divide in Northern British Columbia; it is 60 miles in
length and flows in a southerly direction, emptying into salt water at Burrows bay, which is an
arm of Behm canal.

“The distance of Behm canal, taking it from the East arm, is approximately 120 miles from
Prince Rupert, and gives an outlet into Dixon entrance, which is easily approached from the
Pacific ocean: there is also a short outlet through the West arm of Behm canal, which can be
approached through Clarence straits from the main ocean.

“The Unuk river is divided from Portland canal on the east and the Stikine river on the
west by a high range of mountains paralleling the river its entire length. The watershed
between Portland canal and the Unuk river is divided by a glacier extending 35 miles, parallel
with the river. the waters from the east of this glacier flowing into a tributary of the Portland
canal, the water on the west side of the glacier flowing into the Unuk river, thus making it
impossible to construct roads to connect the Unuk river with Portland canal. At the headwaters
of the Unuk river there is a low divide, and a natural pass leading into the Iskut River country,
giving a direct outlet to Laketon, Telegraph Creek, and the Dease Lake country.

“he resources of the Unuk river are chiefly quartz-mining and placer-dredging, with an
abundance of timber, consisting of spruce and hemlock. The mineral lies almost entirely in
British Columbia; there is no break in the Coast granite between Burrows bay and the Inter-
national boundary-line. In 1900 the Unuk River Mining and Dredging Company purchased a
group of five claims from Ceperley, Rounsefell & Company; for two years deyelopment-work
continued on the property; in 1903 the construction of a wagon-road was started from deep
water on Burrows bay to the quartz properties on Sulphate creek, a distance of 42 miles—
27 miles of this road being in Alaska, 15 miles in British Columbia. The company has completed
25 miles of the road in Alaska and 10 miles in British Columbia; about 5 miles have yet to be
completed in British Columbia and 2 miles in Alaska. Several groups.of claims have been
located in this vicinity; there are six claims half a mile north of the boundary-line on the east
side of the river, showing a large body of low-grade ore, containing copper, gold, silver, and lead.

nee