igoi] Campbell— Algonquin Park. 8i 



power, and of the farmer to whom a continuous supply ol 

 water in spring, well and stream is an absolute necessity — 

 all required that provision should be made to keep the hills 

 and highlands of this inland plateau covered with a heavy 

 forest growth. The park contains within its boundaries an 

 immense volume of water in lake and river, brook, pond and 

 marsh. The spring and autumn rains and the heavy snows of winter 

 keep the fountain-heads of the important streams rising there con- 

 tinually replenished, the density of the forest retarding evaporation, 

 and the spongy layer of leaves and decaying vegetation which 

 covers the giound, tending to maintain an equable flow through- 

 out the year. The reservation is a veritable lake land, it being 

 estimated that there are about i,ooo lakes and ponds within its 

 borders. Most of the large lakes find a place on the map of the 

 Park that has been issued by the Ontario government, but many 

 of the smaller ones have not as yet been accurately located. 

 Many of the lakes are of great natural beauty — not too large to 

 be picturesque, nor too small to possess many a mirrored islet. 

 Great Opeongo lake in the south east corner of the Park is the 

 largest body of water, being twelve miles in length. It is a truly 

 noble sheet of m.any square miles in extent, is very irregular in 

 shape, possesses numerous islands, and presents many 

 picturesque features. At a ceVtain spot on the lonely shore ot 

 this lake there are still the remains of an ancient burial ground of 

 the Algonquin Indians, reminding us of that once powerful race, 

 which, in days gone by, held all this norlhland as its untitled 

 domain. The name of the Park is the only reminder that we 

 have of this primitive ownership, for the white man has displaced 

 the red, the stalwart brave has vanished to his happy hunting- 

 ground, and the pale-face reigns in his stead. The superinten- 

 dent of the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park writes as follows 

 of the lake scenery of the region : " Each expanse of water has 

 some charm peculiarly its own. On every side the forest 

 primeval clothes the hills and mountains with verdure of varying 

 hue down to the very shore ; deep shades are thrown across the 

 Park waters of the lake, whose placid surface mirrors to perfec- 

 tion every outline of cloud or hill, tree or rock ; while the baby 

 ripples from the bow of the canoe, or the congeries of air bubbles 



