fter this it is reported by the
miners to run nearer south. Many of them claim to have ascended this
stream for more than one hundred miles, and speak of it there as quite a
large river. They say that at that distance it has reached the level of
the plateau, and the country adjoining it they describe as flat and
swampy, rising very little above the river. It is only a short distance
across to the Tanana River--a large tributary of the Yukon--which is
here described as an important stream. However, only about twenty-three
miles of Forty Mile River are in Canada; and the upper part of it and
its relation to other rivers in the district have no direct interest for
us.

[Footnote 13: Forty Mile townsite is situated on the south side of the
Forty Mile River at its junction with the Yukon. The Alaska Commercial
Company has a station here which was for some years in charge of L.N.
McQuestion; there are also several blacksmith shops, restaurants,
billiard halls, bakeries, an opera house and so on. Rather more than
half a mile below Forty Mile townsite the town of Cudahy was founded on
the north side of Forty Mile River in the summer of 1892. It is named
after a well known member of the North American Transportation and
Trading Company. In population and extent of business the town bears
comparison with its neighbor across the river. The opposition in trade
has been the means of very materially reducing the cost of supplies and
living. The North American Transportation and Trading Company has
erected a saw-mill and some large warehouses. Fort Constantine was
established here immediately upon the arrival of the Mounted Police
detachment in the latter part of July, 1895. It is described further on
in an extract from Inspector Constantine's supplementary report for the
year 1895.]

"Forty Mile River is one hundred to one hundred and fifty yards wide at
the mouth, and the current is generally strong, with many small rapids.
Eight miles up is the so-called canon; it is hardly entitled to that
distinctive name, being simply a crooked contraction of the river, with
steep rocky banks, and on the north side there is plenty of room to walk
along the beach. At the lower end of the canon there is a short turn and
swift water in which are some large rocks; these cannot generally be
seen, and there is much danger of striking them running down in a boat.
At this point several miners have been drowned by their boats being
upset in collision w