86 On the supposed Tides in the 



rents of the atmosphere, to whose agency we may attribute, 

 at least in part, the appearances of a tide, which are more 

 striking upon the shores of this, than of any of the other 

 great lakes. The meteorological observations which have 

 been made in the Trans AUeghanian States, indicate the 

 winds to prevail, either north or south, through the valley of 

 the Mississippi ; but seldom across it, so that the surface of 

 this lake, would be constantly exposed to agitation from the 

 atmosphere. These winds would almost incessantly operate, 

 to drive the waters through the narrow strait of Michilimack- 

 inac, either into Lake Huron or Lake Michigan, until, by 

 their natural tendency to an equilibrium, the waters thus pent, 

 would re-act, often attaining a certain height, against, the 

 current of the most powerful winds, and thus keep up an 

 alternate flux and reflux, which would always appear more 

 sensibly in the extremities and bays of the two lakes; and 

 with something hke regularity, as to the periods of oscilla- 

 tion ; the velocity of the water, however, being governed by 

 the varying degrees of the force of the winds." — pp. 373 

 —376. 



Letter from Maj. S. A. Storrow. 



Farley, Virginia, Feb. 10, 1827. 



My dear Sh — An absence of more than three weeks pre- 

 vented the previous receipt and acknowledgment of your fa- 

 vor, which reached my residence at an early part of the last 

 month. 



Respecting the subject of your letter — the ebb and flow 

 of a tide in the great lakes, I regret that accident has pre- 

 vented me from giving any information, beyond a vague and 

 uncertain remembrance. I made a series of experiments, 

 embracing the following points ; the mouth of the Black 

 river near the outlet of Lake Ontario, Fort Gratiot at the 

 outlet of Lake Huron, the island of Michilimackinac, Fort 

 Howard on Green Bay, and Fort Dearborn on the Chicago. 

 The notes and memoranda of these experiments, I was so 

 unfortunate as to lose. On returning from the region of the 

 upper lakes, I was separated from my baggage, of which the 

 notes formed a part. Shortly after they were restored to me, 

 and before I had time to transcribe them, the port-folio that 

 contained them was destroyed by fire. I thus lost them for- 

 ever. I can therefore give you nothing sufllciently definite 



