44 



and was lost to view. We climbed to its top, 200 feet or more from- 

 tlie water level, and examined it very carefully. In richest profusion 

 and in every direction fossils of many kinds were lying. Of course 

 this alone proves the presence cf an inland sea, or a continental ocean. 

 But the point of present interest is the fact that in every direction the 

 operations of water may be noticed. Now if there were grinding^ 

 wearing and boring operations of water, we conclude that these took 

 place under the action of rushing rivers. 



To anyone who has a knowledge of the configuration of the 

 Ottawa Valley the above mentioned fact is enough to prove the- 

 presence of a vast inlanl sea which has passed through all the neces- 

 sary changes in the direction of diminution and contraction in order to^ 

 leave us our present beautiful river with its islands, lakes, rapids, nar- 

 rows and variegated coastings. 



On the Quebec side of the river there are several interesting 

 patches of sand ranging from 50 to 300 acres in extent, and many 

 smaller. The most important are at Fort William, the Chapeau and 

 Lynch 's Bay. With these may be included the lower half of Allumette 

 Island. No observer need look long for the caitse of these sand beds. 

 Every step of the formation, which is still going on in son>e parts, may 

 be seen at any time that the snow is off the ground. At one time 

 tiiere were small rivers at many of these places, which were among the 

 ancient feeders of the great lake system of the Ottawa Valley. These 

 are forever gone from the face of the earth. 



The Chapeau district is important from the fact that there are two 

 distinct and prominent water lines. One of these corresponds with the 

 second steppe at the head of the Coulonge Lake, and also witii the 

 Chalk River Plain, wliich is the largest within the forty miles under 

 consideration. 



The average height of the lower of these two near Chapeau is. 

 about 20 feet, and of the upper about 120. Through the upper and 

 almost on a level with the lower, a large creek or small river meanders 

 from among the Laurentians, and quietly loses itself in the gently flow- 

 ing Culbute. 



The lower part of Allumette Island is a solid mass of sand, and is. 

 on the same general plain as the lower range at the Chapeau, 



