the Great Lakes of America. 291 



wind, and might therefore pass it over without particular at- 

 tention. But a more discriminating view has resulted in a 

 conviction with many accurate and distinguishing observers, 

 that the peculiar motion of the waters is entirely independent 

 of the winds ; that it occurs within stated periods ; that it is 

 not subject to the irregularities of occasional or accidental 

 causes, but that it depends for its existence upon a power ope- 

 rating with unceasing vigour, and with unintermitted regulari- 

 ty at the same place, although varying as to the quantum of 

 its influence at other places. On the other hand, it is sup- 

 posed by some that these appearances are occasional and irregu- 

 lar, and do not result from uniform causes. I shall now refer 

 to some prominent authorities on this subject. 



La Hontan is the first writer who touches on this phenome- 

 non.* " On the 29th of May 1689 we came," said he, " to 

 a little deep sort of a river, which disembogues at a place where 

 the water of the lake (Michigan) s\yells three feet high in twelve 

 hours, and decreases as much in the same compass of time. 

 Our tarrying there three or four days gave me an opportunity 

 of making the remark."" An appearance of this nature could 

 not escape the observing eye of Charlevoix, the most sagacious, 

 able, and learned of the French writers on America. Speak- 

 ing of Lake Ontario, -f- " I observed," said he, " that in this 

 lake, and I am told that the same thing happens in all the rest, 

 there is a sort of flux and reflux almost instantaneous, the 

 rocks near the banks being covered with water and uncovered 

 again several times in the space of a quarter of an hour, even 

 if the surface of the lake was very calm, with scarce a breath 

 of wind. After reflecting for some time on this appearance, I 

 imagined it was owing to the springs at the bottom of the 

 lakes, and to the shock of their currents, with those of the ri- 

 vers which fall into them from all sides, and thus produce those 

 intermitting motions." 



PownallJ says, " Lake Ontario, like the Mediterranean, 

 the Caspian, and other large invasated waters, has a small 

 rising and falling of the water, like tides, some twelve or 

 eighteen inches perpendicular " 



• La Hon tan's North America, vol.'ii. 



t Journal Historique cCun Voyage de VAmerique, Letter 13. 



X Topographical Description of part of North America, 



