18 Ancient Drainage of JS'orlh America, Sfc. 



distant from the water ; the corresponding banks of which are 

 found on the north side of the lake, at great distances from the 

 water, and extending far eastward into Canada. It was only 

 when the waters began to contract themselves into lower levels, 

 and when Ontario found an outlet by the St. Lawrence, that 

 its ancient banks were abandoned, and the waters of Erie began 

 to flow over the ridge which was continuous between Queens- 

 town and the opposite shore of Lewistowu. 



In ancient times, when the whole country was under water, 

 and Ontario and Erie were on a level, the cataract of Niagara 

 did not exist : but when the general subsidence of waters took 

 place, when Erie fell below the level of the Illinois, and Ontario 

 below the level of the Queenstown ridge, the waters of Erie 

 would of course take a direction to join the great eastern line of 

 drainage. This we see they have done, and the following details 

 will show the exact diflference of level now existing between Erie 

 and Ontario. It will be remembered that lake Erie is 565 feet 

 above the level of tide water, and lake Ontario 231 feet. Although 

 the levels heretofore enumerated in this paper, are to be con- 

 sidered as approximations made by intelligent travellers, and only 

 in a few instances — from the necessities of the case — the result 

 of accurate admeasurement ; yet those hereafter to be spoken 

 of, are accurate admeasurements, and entitled to confidence. 

 Those explanatory of the cataract of Niagara and its environs, 

 were carefully made by Mr. George Catlin, a very ingenious ar- 

 tist, for the purpose of constructing a model of the falls of 

 Niagara upon scale, which was executed in a very admirable 

 manner ; and from which the flat view of the cataract, appended 

 to this paper, was taken. 



The distance from lake Erie to lake Ontario, is about 36^ 

 miles. The particulars of the fall of water ui this distance, are 

 shown in the following table : 



Fall from lake Erie to the rapids of the cataract 

 of Niagara, ...... 



Fall in the rapids to the edge of the cataract, - 



The Horse-shoe fall, 



From the Horse-shoe fall to Lewistown, 

 From Lewistown to lake Ontario 



Feet. Miles. 



322 3t)i 



