. igoo-i.] Physical Geology of Central Ontario. 143 



Even-topped Character of the Uplands. — Almost anywhere in the 

 region the ascent of a height, from which a good view can be obtained, 

 will disclose a remarkably even sky-line, indicative of the even character 

 of the upland surface, with occasional greater elevations standing out in 

 relief. One of the best localities lo see this is from the crest of the 

 divide between Deer bay and Stony lake, almost the middle point of 

 the northern boundary of the area. The waters of Deer bay lie 120 

 feet below ; to the north-east is the small Lovesick lake ; to the east, 

 three miles away, is the basin of Stony lake, the water-level being 

 thirty feet below that of Deer bay. The sky-line of the upland upon the 

 opposite side of these basins is remarkably even. Almost directly east, 

 twelve miles in an air line, are the Blue Mountains at the other end of 

 Stony lake, rising above the general level. These ridges, locally called 

 mountains, are syenitic masses which stand out nearly 200 feet above 

 the rolling surface of the surrounding district. 



A most striking view over the upland is that obtained from the 

 summit of the cliff near the narrows of Haliburton lake, in the town- 

 ship of Harburn, forty-five miles north of Stony lake. Here the 

 observer will be standing about 175 feet above the lake, and over 1,000 

 feet above Lake Ontario, this being one of the highest points in Central 

 Ontario. The waters of Haliburton lake flow southerly. Within a 

 radius of ten miles are a number of small lakes and streams whose 

 waters flow to the west, north or east, eventually reaching the Georgian 

 Bay or the Ottawa river. 



Looking towards the east, south or west, the even upland plain 

 appears to have a slight inclination to the south. Towards the north 

 the direction of inclination is not so evident. Over the upland there are 

 sometimes large, nearly flat areas of muskeg, a feature in which it is 

 comparable to the uplands of Norway. 



Dissection. — Though still in an early stage of the cycle, the region 

 as a whole is much dissected. Minor ridges and valleys trending 

 prevailingly northeast and southwest are the dominant topographic 

 features of the upland areas ; deep, steep-sided valleys, due apparently 

 to later dissection, interrupt the continuity of the upland surface ; 

 slopes, frequently of almost bare rock, are common, and steep cliffs not 

 infrequent. At the borders of the sedimentary series the difference in 

 level between the general upland surface and the bottoms of the larger 

 valleys would average about 150 feet; further north, in areas which 

 have perhaps been much longer denuded, this difference is much greater. 

 All the deeper valle3^s are now lake basins ; many of the larger basins 



