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Honna coal basin from the Yakoun coal basin. Southward,
across the deep valley of Brent creek, this upland is continued
in the 1,000-foot hills about Camp Robertson, and rises farther
south into the 2,000-foot elevation of Conglomerate peak.

Northeastern Lowland.

More than a third of the area of Graham island is comprised
in the Northeastern lowland, which, roughly, is a triangular
tract with a base extending from Naden harbour to Rose spit,
and the apex between Dead Tree point and Skidegate Indian
village. This large area is densely forested except where open
muskegs occur, and is dotted with shallow lakes. The district
is difficult to traverse, although the elevations are inconsiderable,
none being over 400 feet. Conspicuous above the tree-clad
plains are Lawn hill, Tow hill, and other flat-topped and forested
elevations. These are residuals of volcanic flows, which formerly
had a greater extension over the island. From Masset inlet,
the contrast between the flat, low, eastern shores in this lowland,
and the rugged western shores in the Queen Charlotte range is
very striking.

Muskegs.

The features termed muskegs merit a word of description.
They are of widely varying sizes and form wherever there is
a break in the slope of the land, causing a bench and impeding
drainage. Very large ones form on the flat-topped elevations
of the Central Plateau province, and on the lowlands. It is
not necessary that the bench or flattened area be level, for the
surfaces of these muskegs at times slopeas much as 15 degrees from
the horizontal. The muskegs are open spaces, in many cases
dotted with stunted trees in straggly patches as well as single
trunks (Plate VI). The surface of the muskeg is a tough,
matted, peaty mass of decayed grasses, moss, and plant stems,
interlaced with the roots of growing plants. Low, bushy pines,
mountain hemlocks, and stunted jack-pines are the usual trees
on the muskegs. Scattered irregularly over the surface are
stagnant pools of water, filled usually to within about a foot of