tliere. From Beachburg to Cobden, nine miles, the road descends into 

 an old lake bottom, the lake represented by Musk Rat Lake, stiff cla}' 

 soil and banks proclaiming this fact. The land rises abruptly from the 

 lake to Cobden, and the soil becomes sandy again; but \vl*n about one 

 mile from Cobden, the road dips again and proceeds on corduroy over 

 clay lands and marsh bottoms, for about three miles. The line of road 

 then commences to rise, and thence to Eganville and beyond to Rock- 

 ingham the ascent is quick, and the country rugged, the habitat of those 

 giants of the forest, the wliite pin?) and hemlock trees. His impression 

 was that in very ancient times a mighty stream rushed over the country 

 extending from the present Quebec shore of the Ottawa River to the 

 neighbourhood of Eganville; and that the sand was deposited behind 

 ripple bars formed by rocky prominences. The mud or silt was the 

 deposite of two sluggish lake-like streams, now almost dried up and 

 runniug no longer; the one represented by the Musk Rat Lake and 

 River, and the other indicated by the Osceola River, running about 

 three miles to the southwest of Musk Rat Lake. 



Mr. W. H. Harrington having travelled up the Ottawa as far 

 as Deux Rivieres, and through the district described by Mr. Odium was 

 able to bear testimony to the very abundant evidences of former high 

 water Isvels, as evidenced by the sand plains so well described and by 

 the unmistakeably water. worn and sculptured rocks seen on all the 

 portages, and along the banks of the river. In the water-scored rock 

 bottoms of old rapids are frequently found conspicuous cylindrical holes, 

 varying greatly in depth and diameter, which are undoubtedly due to 

 ancient powerful currents, and which are popularly known as pot holes. 

 These abound in the vicinity of Ottawa, at varying distances from the 

 river, and at different elevations above its present level; sometimes . 

 forming natural wells of which settlers have availed themselves. At 

 Deux RiA'ieres is shown a notable one called "Noah's Churn" which is 

 situated many feet above the river, in the rocks on the upper side of the 

 "Devil's Portage." Although very symmetrical in shape, it is not of 

 unusual size, being only about three and one-half feet in diameter and 

 some eight or ten feet deep, the exact depth not being determinable on 

 account of the hole being partially filled with earth. The name 



