104 EMIGRATION, OR 



as there was a good harbour there for anchorage, where 

 numbers of schooners had already run in, and three steam 

 boats ; one of the former stuck for a moment on its point, 

 but the swells washed her over. As we found we could not 

 accomplish our object, we had no alternative, but to put the 

 vessel about, and run ashore on the sand beach, just above 

 the reef, which was done in a very favourable spot ; on ap 

 proaching the shore, the swells were so large and short, that 

 her stern was raised, and her bows driven under water; but 

 on striking the bottom, she rebounded; and after striking 

 two or three times, was driven close to the beech ; so 

 that watching the retreat of the waves, we all jumped out 

 without being above our knees in water. We then instantly 

 turned too at our merchandize, both sailors and passengers, 

 the latter being the owners of the goods on board ; nearly 

 half we had accomplished, when through hunger, and fatigue 

 in the water, we had to desist awhile, and procure other help 

 from the neighbouring settlers ; twenty or thirty of whom 

 came before night, and we then soon cleared the vessel of 

 the remaining goods, which were considerably damaged by 

 the water breaking over the vessel into the hold, and as 

 the rolling had sprung some of the planks on her side. 



We had to remain a week in the neighbourhood, until 

 another schooner was procured to take us off. After clear 

 ing the vessel, she was driven &quot;high and dry&quot; as they 

 term it, being on the subsiding of the storm sixteen or 

 eighteen yards from the water; forty or fifty hands were 

 procured, and the vessel raised on blocks, to have her planks 

 fastened and caulked, which was done in ten or twelve 

 days, and she was once more launched into her element. 

 Several schooners were driven ashore from their anchors in 

 various parts of the lake, and one of them quite into the 

 wood, so violent was the storm ; but I have heard of no 

 total wrecks. Arrived safe at Port Stanley or Kettle Creek, 

 where there are two piers just finished, to keep the sand from 

 blocking the mouth of the river ; but it is so much exposed, 

 that the entire accomplishment is very doubtful. 



Lake Erie also has had a more extreme boundary than at 

 the present time, which is particularly evident at both ends 

 of it, and as high up as Long Point, from the lower end, 

 and nearly or quite across to Lake Ontario. I should sup 

 pose, by the sandbanks and other evident former boundaries, 



