Evening star., 1897-07-31
The Famous Yukon Region and the
Way to Get There.
DR.. DAWSON'S EXHAUSTIVE REPORT
Dangerous Rapids and a Formidable
Range Of Coast Mountains.
DATA FOR PROSPECTORS

One of the most interesting reports Of the
Yukon region. and of the ways in which to
reach it, is that of DIR. George NJ. Dawson,
who was sent out there by the Canadian
government to make an investigation. The
report is contained in the geological and
natural history survey of Canada The ex-
petition under DIR. Dawson covered fully
every detail which would be of interest to
the person intending 20 visit that country.
Particular attention is paid to the passage
over the coast rahge of mountains from
Taiya Inlet. There are three of these the
Chilkoot. the Chilkat and the White Pass.
All of these were gone over and every de-
tail reported The report also embraced
nuch valuable information regarding the
tshain of lakes which form the head waters
of the Lewes river. one of the branches of
the Yukon. An excellent description was
given of the terrible White Horse rapids
An extract from the report in regard to
these is follows:
White Horse rapids and Miles canon
form together the most formidable obstacle
TO the use of the Lewes the route into
the interior. constituting an interruption
TO navigation of two and three-quarter
miles in total length. White Horse rapid
is thrre-eighthS of mile in length. The
worst rapids at the lower end of the
" hite Horse. where the river scarcely Cx-
ceeds 1D feet in width. with low. basaltic
banks. and the force of the water iS very
great.
PrecnriOus and DiRcuIt.
I'm the upper part of the White Horse
the water flows between basaltic cliffs
scarcely exceeding twenty feet in height. but
sufficient to render tracking precarious and
difficult. while the occurrence of numerous
rocks in mi1channel makes the rapids
dangerous 10 run. The portage is on the
west bank. and it is usual to carry both
boats and cargo over it.
Between the White Horse and the foot
OF the canon the river is very swift. and at
ore place. a mile above the former and
three-qu&rters of a mile below the latter.
the set of tha stream is so strong round a
rocky point as to render it advisable 10
make an additional short portage of 1So
feet This portage is on the east bank. and
at the lower end a very steep ascent has
first to he overcome Here sort of ex-
temporiZed windass has been rugged up by
the miners for the purpose of hauling up
their boats.
The canon is cut through a horizontal
or nearly horizontal flow of basalt, and is
not more than about a hundred feet in
wtith.with vertical cliffs averaging about 80
feet and never exceeding one hundred feet
AT the sides 1t opens out into a species of
basin in the middle. but the river is else
where inaccessible from the banks. Ter
raced hills& rise above the basalt walls on
each side OF the valley. but particu-
lsrly abrupt on the west bank. The river
flows through the canon with great We
locity, but is unimpeded in its course, and
good boat. The White Horse rapid is
however much more dangerous. and
though some of the miners have run
through it-generally accidentaIly-it should
not be attempted.
Wide Depression.
''The great structural valley which is
occupied by Lake Labargo and by the river
above it. up TO this point. runs on above the
canon as wide. important depression
bearing Eearly due south. and appears to
be uninterrupted till 1t joins the lower end
OF Rennett lake. thirty-two miles distant
The course of the river. however dyerges
TO the southeast. in which direction also a
Wide valley runs and in twenty three miles,
following the stream. the lower end of Lake
Marsh Is reached This valley though eX-
tcnsive between its limiting slopes is not
1"Sulariy bounded by parallel ranges like
thdt first mentioned. The current of the
fiEer 10 within five or six miles of the lake
S moderate. not exceeding three miles all
H"ur, AM the immediate river trough is
l-lrrow. being rather closely bordered by
terraces of loo feet or more in height
Above this point. to the lake. the current
Is quite slack: the terraces gradually re-
treat toward the bases of the hills, and
wide. swampy fats occur.
ne water above the canon is quite clear
and blue. showing that its turbdity fur
ther down is entirely due to the washing
away and falling in of the high banks of
SLY; The turbidiiy of the Tahk-heena is
probably also due to the same cause
Lake Marsh so named by Schwatka is
known to the miners Mud lake. 1t is
twenty miles in length. with an average
width of about two miles pretty upiforpjv
maintained
THE upper end OF Lake Marsh is con-
nected with Tagish lake by a wide tran
quil reach of river five miles in length. The
current is here very slack and the depth
from to Il feet
From the description just given it will be
seen thai the navigation by steamers from
the head of the canon through Lake Marsh
and Tagish lake will offer no difficulties
while the tranquil character of the con-
Meeting river between the two lakes is such
as TO practically render Lake Marsh the
lower portion of extensive system of
still water navigation which includes not
only Tagish lake. but also Lake Mares,
Lake Bennett and possibly other connect
Ing waters. and which will prove of the
greatest utility at no distant date in facilf-
tatine the opening up and development of
their vicinity.
Stretch of Seventy Miles.
The through distance from the lower
end OF Lake Marsh to the head of Lake
Bennett. measured along the central lire
of the various lakes and connecting waters,
is about seventy miles. follows: Marsh
lahr 20 miles: river. miles; Tagish lake.
lT-G n..'"s: Lake Mares, 81 miles; Bennett
lake. Us miles.
Tine still water navigation. however in
oludes also the West arm of Bennett lake.
bout l. miles: Windy arm of Taxish lake.
about IL miles "Fako arm of the same.
lake. at least 20 miles. making a total of
out IL; miles
1t is certain that the greater part OF the
waters constituting the Lewes river enter
by the Tako arm Lake Lindeman occu-
pes the continuation of the same valley in
which Lake Bennett lies. but is separated
from that lake by a small rapid stream of
mile in length. This stream falls abon-
twenty feet between the two lakes and is
:cugh and rocky
II must be remembered that the expedi-
lion was moving toward the Chilkoot pass
rom the Yukon river. that the lakes
ou4d Just he reversed in their position to
q Traveller who had gone from Taiya inlet
Much information of an especially interest
iHS nature in regard to I.ewes river fs given
IL the report follows:
The total length of the route bv tho
i-ewes river from the landing on Lake Lin
'emah 10 the site of Fort Selkirk ia 331
miles From the outlet of Lake Labarxe is
a distance of 300 miles. in which the total
dt scent is I'D feet. 'A'
Opening and Closing of Rivers.