Coantty a»d Clhtiate near the Amcr'icsn Lakes, 31^ 



tliefe Iflands for weeks together. They extend into Lake Hnron, and continue along the 

 north-weft coaft of the lake for an hundred and eighty miles, and are called by the favages 

 the Meneto or Devil's iflands. From the entrance of the ftreight at a place called the 

 Detour, it is nine miles to the new Britidi garrifon built on the point of the ifland of St. 

 Jofeph, commonly called the Carraboo ifland. This is the largeft in the ftreight 5 being 

 iLOont twenty-five miles long, and from ten to three broad. 



" On the 13d of Auguft we left tlie veflel, embarked in three canoes, afcended the 

 drcight in what is called the Canoe channel, and encamped at Mufkito Point. 



" The 24th, at one o'clock P. M. we arrived at the falls of St. Marie, called le Saut de 

 St. Marie. Thefe falls are about three-quarters of a mile long and half a mile wide ; the 

 rapid not violent; and the perpendicular of the whole fall about thirty feet. There is a fmall 

 kind of village on the United States fide containing fundry large warehoufes, and a few 

 decent dwelling-houfes occupied by the Agents of the Canada North-weft Trading Com- 

 pany. There is not a clear white woman in the place. 



* • » * « The 25th it rained * * * * # 



*■ •■ * ** On the 26th we fet off In two bark canoes from the upper end 



■^ the portage for Lake Superior. * • *. At one o'clock P. M. we entered 

 Lake Superior ; looked fairly into it ; drank of its waters; ate our dinner ; and put about 

 with a fine fair wind. We reached the falls a^ain at four o'clock in the afternoon ; placed 

 experienced guides with ftrong paddles in the bow and ftern of each canoe; hoifted the 

 fifteen ftripes ; and launched into the bofom of the cataraft. In a moment we were fafe 

 *jn the bafon at the bottom of the falls ! 



" We embarked early on the 27th. Having a ftrong current and fair wind we defcend- 

 •ed in the fhip channel, and reached the vefTel at Carraboo ifland, at nine o'clock in the 

 evening. 



" The 28th we put to fea again ; and on the 4th of September at fun-down reached 

 this placci 



" I inclofe to you herewith degrees of heat which were afcertained by regular obferva- 

 tion with Fahrenheit's thermometer every day ; by which you will perceive that the tempe- 

 rature of the Lakes differs widely from that of the Atlantic country." 



On comparing the Table of Obfervations which is annexed with obfervatlons made ohj 

 the fame days in this city, the difl^erence will appear fo remarkable that the reader may fuf- 

 peft fome error in the inftrtiment made ufe of by Major Swan : and fuch were my fufpi« 

 cions. But croflSng the Eaft river to Governor's Ifland in company with that gentleman 

 on the 4th of March 1798, he obferved, that the wind which we then felt, and which was 

 very briflc, rcfembled, in point of temperature, that which he experienced on Lake Huroij 

 on the 14th and 15th of Auguft 1797 ; and added, that on the fame evening a froft affefte^ 

 the gardens at Michilimackinac fo feverely as to deftroy the greater part of the vegetable?. 



Vol. 11.— Oct. 1798. Tt TABLE 



