Colonial Despatches

Maps accompanying the Report by Colonel D. R. Cameron, R.E., on the British-Alaska Boundary. Author, Publisher, &c.: Official, London. [Nass, River, 1868; 1886]

Includes Directions for the Nass River

The name Portland Canal on this sheet was inserted by the Surveyor withoht authority. The name Portland Inlet, as applied to the southernmost of what Vancouver called Observatorh Inlet, was clpied from an Admiralty Chart of 18/53. By whose authority the named was applied in drawinfg that chart is not known. The name Wales applied to the island at the entrance f Observatory Inlet, (or Portland Inlet now so called) the south point of which Vancouver named Point Wales after a friend, first appears in a\n Admiralty Chart published in 1853. No authority is known for thus, and the name was probably given as is the ordinaryh practice in the Hydrographic Office, for the sake of convenience. [signed] Hydrographer

Scale and meridian obtained from astronomical positions of Port Simpson O.B. & Kincolith (Nass Bay) O.B. The latitude of Nass Village was obtained by a double altitude under not very favorable circumstances, and can be depended upon to half a mile. The longitude by a pocket chronometer. Nass River above Sharp Peak is from a reconnaisance and not from triangulation. The time of H.W. at Nass Village is very uncertain and is mainly influenced, during the summer months, by the freshets down the river. The floodtide is not felt above the Middle Bank. At Nass Village the water begins to fall immediately after H.W.; but at L.W. there is an interval of 1. h to 1.h 30. min. before the water begins to rise. The Nass if utterly impracticable for any but the smallest class of vessels. A gunboat could not possibly get up at L.W.: if it were absolutely necessary the best time would be with the last half of the flood; but great caution is at all times necessary. The [?] off the Middle Village, in mid-channel, has 6 feet at L.W. The Villages, 3 in number contain about 600 inhabitants. [signed] Nav. Lieut.