STUDY IV. 185 



They are ftill more decidedly remarkable on the 

 banks of lakes. Father Charlevoix^ who has given 

 us many judicious obfervations refpeding Canada, 

 informs us, that when he embarked on Lake Mi- 

 chigan, he made out eight good leagues a day, by 

 the affiftance of thefe lateral counter-currents, 

 though the wind was contrary. He fuppofes, and 

 with good reafon, that the rivers which throw 

 themfelves into this lake, produce, in the middle 

 of it's waters, ftrong contrary currents : " But 

 " thefe ftrong currents,*' fays he,* " are percep- 

 " tible only in the middle of the channel, and 

 " produce on the banks, vortices, or counter-cur- 

 ** rents, of which thofe avail themfelves who have 

 ** to coaft along the fhore, as is the cafe with per- 

 " fons who are obliged to take the water in canoes 

 ** niade of bark." 



Dampier's Work is filled with obfervations on 

 the counter-currents of the Ocean, which are very 

 common, efpecially in the ftraits of iflands fitu- 

 ated between the Tropics. He fpeaks frequently 

 of the extraordinary effeâis produced by the meet- 

 ing of the particular currents which occafions 

 them ; but as he does not confider the Tides them- 

 felves, as vortices of the general Current of the 

 Atlantic Ocean ; and as I believe he did not fo 



* Charlevoix^ Hiflory of New France. Vol. vi. page 2. 



much 



