CATARACTS, AND INUNDATIONS. 



fcix considerable rivers, four of lesser note, and several brooks ; yet 

 has but one outlet to discharge this great flux of water. It has 



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various peculiarities, and especially that of petrifying vegetables j 

 on which account we shall more minutely notice it in the ensuing 

 subdivision of Particular Lakes. 



AMERICA. 



Nothing distinguishes the northern parts of this division of the 

 world more than its numerous and immense lakes, the five principal 

 of which belong wholly or in part to the province of Canada, or 

 Quebec, and are named Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan, and 

 Superior. These lie within about seven decrees of latitude, and 

 fourteen of longitude, or from 41 35' to 49 north, and from 75* 

 20' to 02 west. There are beside many smaller lakes which lie 

 to the eastward and north-westward of these. To the eastward ara 

 Ihe lakes George and Champlaln. The most northern visited by 

 the traders is the lake Bourbon, which reaches to 51 north iati. 

 tude; to the south of which is the lake IVinnepeek, called by the 

 French Ouinipique : communicating with the former by a strait. 

 A river extends from lake Winncpeek to lake Superior, which 

 some geographers have considered as a continuation of the St. Lau- 

 rence : about midway of this river is the lake du Bois, or Wood 

 lake ; there is likewise lac Plute, or the Rain lake, the Red \i\ke, 

 and Niepegon, with many others still less considerable. Bfvond 

 00 of uo,rtii latitude, from near Hudson's Bay to 131 wett longi- 

 tude, are other extensive lakes, about which (lie savage race of 

 drathapescow Indians lead their wandering life. These vast as- 

 semblages of fresh waters, which are not put in motion and alter- 

 nately raised and .sunk by tides, are supposed to contribute very 

 considerably to the greater degree of cold which is felt in tl*e 

 northern parts of America than in the same parallels of latitude iu 

 Europe, 



In describing these lakes, let us begin with the mo*t eastern, and 

 proceed westwardly. 



Lake GEORGE, formerly called by the French lac St. Sucre* 

 mcni, is about thirty-five miks long from north east to souln.west, 

 but narrow. 



Lake CHAMPLAIN is about eighty miles from north to south, 

 and about fourteen miles where broadest. When these two lakes 



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