THE CLIMATE OF THE LAKE REGION. 231 



Bay, while at least a dozen of them furnish depth of 

 water sufficient to float the largest lake steamers. 



The geological explanation of this phenomenon is not 

 difficult. The surface sands of the peninsula have for 

 ages been in process of transportation by the moving 

 waters from the interior to the great lake. The stream 

 of sand is met by the waves, and a bar is formed which, 

 in time, obstructs the outlet. In some cases the water 

 is dammed, and the lakelet is formed directly; in others 

 the stream passes off laterally between the bar and the 

 mainland, the current gradually wearing away the bar 

 and widening the water-way on the eastern side, while 

 the action of the waves in throwing up the sands widens 

 and develops it into a high barrier on the lakeward side. 



The climatic effect of these numerous smaller bodies 

 of fresh water stretched like a string of pearls along 

 the skirt of the peninsula is to widen the belt of lake 

 influence, and to temper the cold approaching from almost 

 every direction. They also multiply many fold the length 

 of coast-line, and furnish innumerable sites enjoying a 

 water aspect. As the banks of all these lakelets are 

 elevated and dry, the lengthening of the line of lakeside 

 situations is a circumstance of very great moment. 



It is worthy of remark that when we look along the 

 western shore of Lake Michigan for the counterpart of 

 this string of lakelets it is not there. The eastern shore 

 monopolizes again all the advantages. Blessed be the 

 west wind, which, though it pinches the- squatter on the 

 prairie, and by the hands of its servants, the waves, digs 

 down the eastern borders of Wisconsin, heaves up piles 

 of sand upon the shore of Michigan, making unwearied 

 additions to the land, and building up the terraces of our 



