236 On the Transition Rocks of the Caiaraqui. 



These spiracles, no doubt, in the case of the Canadas, must be 

 sought for to the westward of Lake Superior, and to the eastward 

 of the St. Lawrence, and hence the wild and disjointed masses which 

 create such a display of magnificent scenes on the northern coasts of 

 Superior, and on the borders of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, in Lab- 

 rador and Gaspesia, whilst all the intervening country from Quebec 

 to Huron is tame and level, with the exception of the Lacustrian 

 chain, and a few isolated trappose mounds, as those at and near 

 Montreal. 



Earthquake, even in our own days, exerts its influence on part of 

 this line near the Saguenay, where the appropriate names of Mai 

 Baie and Les Eboulemens testify its best known localities. Wheth- 

 er similar phenomena occur in the northern region of Superior or 

 not, cannot easily be ascertained, as that country, from the broken 

 nature of its surface, is a complete desert even to the Indians, who 

 are unable to exist in it. 



The nature of the shocks in the Saguenay country has been sub- 

 jected to as much investigation as a territory so thinly inhabited and 

 so rarely visited by men of research, could afford proper opportuni- 

 ties for, but it has been ascertained beyond doubt, that at Mai Baie, 

 their direction is easterly, or proceeding to the convulsed line of the 

 Gaspe country. A singular noise like the roaring of a chimney on 

 fire precedes them, accompanied by distinct concussions, and it ap- 

 pears that there is very little reason to disbelieve the assertion of 

 the natives and settlers, that an actual volcanic eruption has hap- 

 pened within the memory of man, in the unexplored back country. 



It would be very interesting to trace minutely the connection of 

 the volcanic rocks in Lower Canada and Labrador, where there are 

 most interesting facts to be studied regarding the formation, denomi- 

 nated trappose, and the singular columnar basalt of Castle Reef 

 rock in Henley Harbor on the Labrador coast ; it merits that obser- 

 vation, which we trust Captain Bayfield has given to it, should his 

 survey of the Gulf, have yet extended there, for, although on a 

 smaller scale, it appears by the description given of it in the first 

 volume of the Quebec Transactions, to be equally interesting with 

 the similar formations of StafFa, and the north coast of Ireland, and 

 that there are several caves in its vicinity, which indicate that it may 

 extend over a much larger tract of country, than has hitherto been 

 noticed. The columns there, are stated to be vertical, extending in 

 circumference from two to seven or eight feet, and jointed by the 



