Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1910-02-19

" couver island, an irregular
line of islands and detached
IL rocks stretches for dis
lance of 80 miles into the
North Pacific ocean. These islands
are very little known, as so far they
AZ been quite clear of any CONNER
,iA"2oute, and, with the exception of
M occasional halibut-ishing schooner,
no vessel has had any reason for Wis
ting them. They lie, moreover, in
dangerous and only partially-surveyed
waters, where strong tide-races break
up the swell of the ocean and sudden
storms of great fury are frequent
There are no safe anchorages, and as
lone of the islands appears to possess
any commercial value, they are likely
% remain undisturbed for many years
% come. The admiralty charts and
he Pilots Handbook are not enthusi-
,stic about the group, proffering only
he advice that no vessel should ap-
proach them closely and marking
many spots as dangerous for boats
and small vessels.
The object of our expedition in
June of the present year was to ex,
anime into the nesting habits Of the
various ocean birds that were report
I'd to breed on these islands in great
quantities; and, of course, Triangle
sland, lying at the furthest distance
,ff shore and being the least access.
BILE, became the center of attraction
wa Rof getting there; but we for
.unaY ely fell in with two Danes al
CapS Scott who owned a small sail
ing-boat and were willing to take us
% Triangle island and return for us
IN couple of weeks. Neither of them
lad ever been to the island before
80 we were all equally ignorant as tC
the chances of being able to land un
der unfavorable weather conditions.
The outward journey was made
very comfortably, and an easy landing
was effected on the northeast side
Of the island, where we found a good
stream of water and a great abun
dance of driftwood. The first view o
Triangle island gives one the impress
sion that it is covered with shor
that the high land is as easy to trave
over as the South Downs along tn,
English channel; but a closer inspec
ton reveals dense growth of stunt
ed brush, mostly salmon-berry ant
salile, with little scrub crab-apple
growing to height Of three or fou
feet, and making speedy walking i'm
possible. The cliffs are rocky an,
PERCEPTIONS in places, but for the mos
pan are quite accessible and 'covere
witbe long grass and fern, amon
whirl grow many of the common
coast flowers. There is an entire al
sence of trees, in marked contrast t
the dense growth of scrub timber o.
the other islands of the group, ant
indeed, on nearly all the islands G
the seaboard OF British Columbia. Tn
actual coastline is rough and wild 1
the extreme. The points run out
long way from the main island 1
Saslated pinnacles and high bluffs Q
nd astic shape, while caves and III
defground sea passages are Of con
mon occurrence. The shape of tn
island is that Of an ill-made starfisl
On the southwest corner Is a lon
promontory connected with the mai
island by low, narrow neck, owe
which the sea breaks in heav
weather. The island Is about mil
in length, and rises to a height Of 6S
feet. On the highest point II Is no.
proposed to establish lighthouse an
wireless telegraphy station, presun
ably in Anticipation of the trafl
which is expected to arise with tn
grewth Of Prince Rupert, the terminu
of the new Trans-Continental railwa,
no@ under construction.
With regard To the birds, there wa
A certain ar Sunt OF disappointmer
in the fact that we were unable [
discover anything Of great rarity. TIL
island is well suited to the seabird
which lay their eggs in holes in tn
ground; but these birds have a tast
for forming colonies of their ow
species on separate islands. Thus th
burrowing grounds of Triangle islam,
which extend over its whole surfac,
are occupied by two species only
the crested putin Uunda cirrhata
and Cassins auklet (Ptychoramphu
aleuticus), both of which are preser
in almost incredible numbers. Tn