On the Tides in the great North American Lakes. 215 
crease and diminution of the whole volume of water on the lakes.” 
It is the popular tradition on these lakes, that there has been a rise 
and fall of the water once in every fourteen years. The New York 
canal commissioners, I believe, state it to be about once in eleven 
years. It is now a matter of record, that in 1814 and 15, the St. 
Clair and Detroit rivers were unusually high; that the foundations 
of houses, and much land that had long.been under dry cultivation, 
were submerged. ‘These buildings had been erected many years 
before, and of course under a belief that they were aloof from all but 
extraordinary and temporary inundations. No observations appear 
to have beer ‘made on the progress of the elevation, whether it were 
gradual or abrupt, or whether there were any preceding seasons of 
a character to produce it. The general impression seemed to be 
that the rise had been gradual, in accordance with the popular notion, 
that the waters rise seven years, and subside through the same period. 
In 1820, or about that time, the rivers had resumed their usual 
level. Several wharves were built in Detroit between that ye and 
1828, at a height, as.it was supposed, sufficiently above the gene 
level, for all purposes of convenience and safety. At the latter date, 
the rivers had again attained the elevation of 1815, and remained so 
until 1830, with only such occasional depressions as might be caused 
by strong winds, being generally nearly upon a level with the wharves. 
In this instance, like that of the foregoing, no observations appear to 
have been made previous to the rise, either on the character of the 
Seasons, or the rapidity with which it reached its maximum. 
The rivers continued at this unusual height until January, 1831, 
When, in the course of eight or ten days, they subsided three or four 
fet; and they have now maintained that minimum level for about 
‘ix weeks, ‘'['wo hydraulic works which had been established in 
‘omexion with the river the last season, were left, by this subsidence, 
we high water mark, and their source-pipes have been extended 
many yards towards the channel, in order to reach a new supply. 
In conversations with several of the intelligent old inhabitants of 
oit and its vicinity, it has been ascertained that there was a cor- 
‘sponding rise in the water about 1800. A road;running along the 
bank of the river near the town, was then nearly submerged, as it 
has been twice since. 
Such are the simple facts and traditions relative to this phenom- 
*non of the lakes. Being on this station in 1815, I witnessed the ele- 
$ at that time, and the subsequent depression. I was again there 
aig 
