and Geologi/ of Lake Ontariu. 5 



They are very marked at the Falls of La Pluie, in the north- 

 west Indian territory. 



The height of land which contains what maybe termed the 

 basin of Lake Ontario and of its tributary streams, is attained 

 gratlually by undulations and ridges, and is seldom denoted 

 by a distinct crest. It is irregular in its course, and is moi'e 

 distant on the south shore than on the north, where it is never 

 more than forty miles from the lake ; and this interval gra- 

 dually contracts on the west, and is twenty-four miles broad 

 at York (the capital of Upper Canada) : it is scarcely seven at 

 the head of the lake. The country it traverses on the north 

 is chiefly wilderness, and has received but little attention, ex- 

 cept on the margin of this body of water. From any central 

 part of the lake, its north coast puts on the appearance of a 

 bold continuous line of heights running east and west, and, 

 as the spectator approaches, breaking into confused ridges and 

 hummocks of woods. These, taken individually, ai-e neither 

 high nor rugged ; but they are very numerous in some parts, 

 while in others they are replaced by rolling country, usually 

 of great fertility, but varying with its soil ; which includes 

 every admixture of clay, marl, and sand ; each sometimes in 

 large tracts of considerable purity and of great depth, as we 

 learn from the channels of rivers. The woods east and west 

 of York, called the " Pine Barrens," are examples of extensive 

 deposits of fine sand ; the vicinity of the river Nappannee is 

 loaded with gravelly sand ; and portions of Yonge-street, the 

 upper parts of Smith's Creek, &c. with nearly pure red clay. 

 The lower parts of the hilly country are often occupied by 

 small lakes full of fish ; they are either single or in chains, dis- 

 charging by rivulets into Lake Ontario. 



I can only make an approximation to the height of the ridge 

 dividing the waters of Lake Ontario from those of the great 

 streams and lakes on its northern side. Behind York,-the ridge 

 is not less than nine hundred feet above its surface, and it pro- 

 bably does not differ much elsewhere. That it is so great, we 

 learn from the known differencein level between Lakes Ontario 

 and Simcoe, amounting to 420 feet, and from the descent into the 

 latter lake being particularly obvious, and taking place in two 

 conspicuous ridges, the one six miles from it, and indicated 

 by a line of pine-woods ; — the other (apparently parallel) is 

 twelve miles off, and is higher. It is called the " Oak Ridge." 

 Their united elevation above Lake Simcoe, is by rough esti- 

 mate, five hundred feet. 



It is to be remarked, that after ascending, near Yoik, a steep 

 bank a mile inland from Lake Ontario, and another soon af- 

 terwards, the country from thence to the " Oak Kidge" above 



imntionctl 



