way between Saganaum Bay and the north-weft corner of the lake. It is about nine miles across either way. The fish are the fame as in Lake Superior. At the north-west corner, this lake communicates with Lake Michigan by the Straits of Michillimakkinak.

Many of the Chipeway Indians live feattered around this lake; particularly near Saganaum Bay. On its banks are found amazing quantities of fand cherries.

MICHIGAN LAKE, lies between latitude 42° 10′ and 46° 30 north; and between 11° and 13° weft long. from Philadelphia. Its computed length is 280 miles from north to fouth; its breadth from fixty to feventy miles. It is navigable for fhipping of any burthen; and at the north-eastern part communicates with Lake Huron, by a ftrait fix miles broad, on the fouth fide of which ftands fort Michillimakkinak, which is the name of the ftrait. In this lake are feveral kinds of fish, particularly trout of an excellent quality, weighing from twenty to fixty pounds, and some have been taken in the Straits of Michillimakkinak, of ninety pounds. Weftward of this lake are large meadows, faid to extend to the Miffiffippi. It receives a number of rivers from the west and east, among which is the river St. Jofeph, very rapid and full of Islands; it fprings from a number of small lakes, a little to the north-west of the Miami village, and runs north-west into the fouth-east part of the lake. On the north fide of this river is fort St. Jofeph, from which there is a road, bearing north of eaft, to Detroit. The Powtewatamie Indians, who have about two hundred fighting men, inhabit this river oppofite fort St. Jofeph.

Between Lake Michigan on the weft, and Lakes Huron, St. Clair, and the west end of Erie on the east, is a fine tract of country, peninfulated, more than two hundred and fifty miles in length, and from one hundred and fifty to two hundred in breadth. The banks of the lakes, for a few miles inland, are fandy and barren, producing a few pines, fhrub oaks, and cedars. Back of this, from either lake, the timber is heavy and good, and the foil luxuriant.

LAKE ST. CLARE, lies about half way between Lake Huron and Lake Erie, and is about ninety miles in circumference. It receives the waters of the three great lakes, Superior, Michigan and Huron, and discharges them through the river or ftrait, called Detroit, into Lake Erie. This lake is of an oval form, and navigable for large vessels. The fort of Detroit is fituated on the western bank of the river of the fame name, about nine miles below lake St. Clair. The fettlements are extended on both fides of the ftrait or river for many miles towards Lake Erie, and fome few above the fort,

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LAKE ERIE, is fituated between forty-one and forty-three degrees of north latitude, and between 3° 40' and 89 degrees weft longitude. It is nearly three hundred miles long, from eaft to weft, and about forty in its broadeft part. A point of land projects from the north fide into this lake, feveral miles, towards the fouth-east, called Long Point. The islands and banks towards the west end of the lake are so infested with rattlefnakes, as to render it dangerous to land on them. The lake is covered near the banks of the islands with the large pond-lily; the leaves of which lie on the furface of the water fo thick, as to cover it entirely for many acres . together; on these, in the fummer feafon, lie myriads of water-fnakes basking in the fun. Of the venomous ferpents which infest this lake, the hiffing fnake is the most remarkable. It is about eighteen inches long, fmall and fpeckled. When you approach it, it flattens itself in a moment, and its fpots, which are of various colours, become vifibly brighter through rage; at the fame time it blows from its mouth, with great force, a fubtil wind, faid to be of a nauseous smell; and if drawn in with the breath of the unwary traveller, will infallibly bring on a decline, that in a few months muft prove mortal. No remedy has yet been found to counteract its baneful influence. This lake is of a more dangerous navigation than any of the others, on account of the craggy rocks which project into the water, in a perpendicular direction, many miles together from the northern shore, affording no shelter from storms.. Prefque Ifle is on the fouth-eaft fhore of this lake, about lat. 42o 10. From this to Fort Le Beuf, on French Creek, is a portage of fifty-one' miles and a half. About twenty miles north-east of this another portage of nine miles and a quarter, between Chatoughque Creek, emptying into Lake Erie, and Chatoughque Lake, a water of Allegany river.

Fort Erie ftands on the northern fhore of Lake Erie, and the weft bank of Niagara river, in Upper Canada. This lake at its north-eaft end, communicates with Lake Ontario by the river Niagara, which runs from fouth to north, about thirty miles, including its windings, embracing in its course Grand Island and receiving Tonewanto Creek, from the east. About the middle of this river are the celebrated falls of Niagara, which are reckoned one of the greatest natural curiofities in the world. The waters which fupply the river Niagara rise near two thofand miles to the north-weft, and paffing through the lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie, receiving in their course, conftant accumulations; at length, with aftonishing grandeur, rush down a ftupendous. precipice of one hundred and fifty feet perpendicular; and in a strong rapid, that extends to the distance of eight or nine miles below, fall near as much more: the river then lofes itself in Lake Ontario. The noife

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noife of thefe falls, in a clear day and fair wind, may be heard between forty and fifty miles. When the water ftrikes the bottom, its spray rifes a great height in the air, occafioning a thick cloud of vapours, on which the fun, when it fhines, paints a beautiful rainbow. Fort Niagara is fituated on the caft fide of Niagara river, at its entrance into Lake Ontario. This fort, and that at Detroit, contrary to the treaty of 1783, are yet in poffeffion of the British Government.

LAKE ONTARIO, is fituated between forty-three and forty-five degrees north latitude, and between one and five weft longitude. Its form is nearly oval. Its greatest length is from fouth-weft to north-eaft, and in circumference about fix hundred miles. It abounds with fish of an excellent flavour, among which are the Ofwego bafs, weighing three or four pounds. It receives the waters of the Cheneffee river from the fouth, and of Onondago, at Fort Ofwego, from the fouth-east, by which it communicates, through Lake Oneida and Wood Creek, with Mohawk river. On the north-eaft, this lake difcharges itself through the river Cataraqui, which at Montreal, takes the name of St. Lawrence, into the Atlantic Ocean.

About eight miles from the weft end of Lake Ontario is a curious cavern, which the Methifaugas Indians call Manito' ah wigwam, or house of the Devil. The mountains which border on the lake, at this place, break off abruptly, and form a precipice of two hundred feet perpendicular defcent; at the bottom of which the cavern begins. The first opening is large enough for three men conveniently to walk abreaft. It continues of this bigness for seventy yards in a horizontal direction. Then it falls almoft perpendicularly fifty yards, which may be defcended by irregular fteps from one to four feet diftant from each other.. It then continues forty yards horizontally, at the end of which is another perpendicular defcent, down which there are no fteps. The cold here is intenfe. In fpring and autumn, there are, once in about a week, explosions from this cavern, which shake the ground for fixteen miles round.

LAKE CHAMPLAIN, is next in fize to Lake Ontario, and lies nearly eaft from it, forming a part of the dividing line between the ftate of New York and the state of Vermont. It took its name from a French governor, whose name was Champlain, who was drowned in it. It was before called Corlaer's Lake. It is about eighty miles in length from north tofouth, and in its broadest part, fourteen. It is well ftored with fifh, and the land on its borders and on the banks of its rivers, is good. Crown Point and Ticonderoga are fituated on the banks of this lake, near the fouthern part of it.

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