43 



At cue time, and probably within a tliousaiiil years, tliere was a 

 grand and mighty lake in whose depths were hidden all the Chalk 

 River Plain, the Pembroke district, AllumetLe Island, and thousands 

 of the arable acres between Renfrew and Pembroke. 



There were in fact two distinct periods, one of which represented 

 a lake 200 feet deeper tbaii the Upper AUnraette, and the oth-^r 100 

 feet deepe]-. in passing down the (yulbute, or emerging from among 

 the islands of the Paquette's, the terraced ranges which remain as 

 marks of old water levels show themselves quite prominently, and add 

 much to the beauty, splendour and majesty of the sceneiy. 



In tracing the various systems of change in the water coast, line, 

 the interest becomes intense as it is discovered, without doubt, th.t at 

 one time there was a vast body of fresh water lying over the present 

 Ottawa River, and extending in length over a hundred miles and in 

 width from ten to thirty. 



In climbing many old weather beaten and water waslied rock 

 ranges one can see clearly the holes, cauldrons and water scored channels 

 of bygone days. At the head of Allumette Bay, into which an ancient 

 river emptied, there are many markings left as guides for the future 

 generations. 



To aid the sceptic, who is naturally hard to convince, in under- 

 standing that the writer is not simply drawing on his imagination 

 concerning this ancient lake with its far-reaching systems of rivers, 

 most of which are now either wholly dried up or turned into other 

 outlets than the Ottawa River ; we shall ask him to add 200 or even 

 -300 feet to the depth of water already indicated. In such case he will 

 have before his vision a body of water as large or larger than Lake 

 Superior itself. 



During the summer of 187 G A. P. Coleman, Ph. D., at present 

 Professor of Geology and Natural History in Victoria University, 

 B. E. McKenzie, B.A., M.D., of Riverside, Toronto, F. Munson, B.Sc, 

 and the wricer had the pleasure of exploring the who:e valley from 

 Ottawa City to the head waters of the Ottawa River. 



At the head of Lake Temiscamingue we noticed a magniticent 

 range of fossiliferous limestone. It appaared to be perched on the top 

 of the granite rock ; but part of it reached into the waters of the lake 



