SOUTHERN SHORES OF LAKE SUPERIOR 323 



foration of the rock between two cliffs, named by the 

 Canadian voyageurs Le Grande Portail. It is a hundred 

 and four feet in height, and a hundred and seventy broad, 

 and forms a kind of entrance to a large cavern, with 

 curiously rugged sides and roof, the result of the sea's 

 furious action. The cavern is not otherwise remarkable 

 in appearance, but during storms the waves rush hi 

 through Le Portail with tremendous force and fury. I 

 had the gratification of witnessing a tempest at this spot. 

 The waves came on much quicker than those of a salt 

 sea, and, rushing straight through the Portals, seemed to 

 actually fill the cave, breaking with a force that made 

 the rock perceptibly tremble, and with a noise that can- 

 not be compared to that of a cannon, for it was far more 

 deep and sullen in tone. This tremendous sound has 

 been heard by passing vessels ten miles out on the lake. 

 The sight of the water bursting into the cave left an 

 impression on the mind of the first degree of intensity 

 one of those impressions which return in moments of 

 quiet thought with the freshness and reality of yesterday. 

 The quantity of water which entered the cave it would 

 be vain to attempt to calculate. It was immense, but it 

 seemed to be all dashed to foam and spray. The spray 

 rushed into the air in a million jets, and, though we 

 stood on rocks nearly two hundred feet high, we were 

 drenched at each burst. There was very little of that 

 undersuck, or under-current, which is so prominent a 

 feature of waves bursting on the shores of a salt sea. In 

 fact, though a careless observer might not have noticed 

 much difference, I perceived that in several points the 

 action of storms on these lakes differed from similar 

 conditions on the ocean. The tempest seemed fiercer, 

 the wind was so boisterous that we crouched down, fear- 

 ful of being blown over the cliffs. The action of the 

 waves was certainly quicker, and seemingly more powerful 

 than those of salt water, and never have I seen spray 

 thrown so high on a sea-coast. There is always a strong 



