1854." 



A LAKE PHENOMENON". 



2*79 



This phenomenon, although frequent even in Canada during 

 the summer months, acquires interest when considered in con- 

 nection with the occurrence recorded by the editor of the '' Nia- 

 gara Mail," and if followed at a later hour of the day by another 

 whirlwind of greater dimensions, might also afford an explana- 

 tion of the remarkable and disastrous event which caused the 

 death of two persons near the mouth of the Niagara river. We 

 have not as yet heard of any other occurrence of a whirlwind' or 

 notable hjcal variation in atmospheric pressure on the same day, 

 and as the difference in point of time between the lake convul- 

 sion and the phenomenon just noticed, exceeds five hours, it seems 

 scarcely probable that a. Seiche, produced by sudden variation in 

 atmospheric pressure, could have connected the events. (See 

 Canadian Journal. Vol. II, p. 29, for an interesting paper on the 

 Seiches of Lakes, by Colonel Jackson). We are indebted to the 

 Director of the Provincial Magnetic Observatory for the follow- 

 ing abstract from the Meteorological Journal of that establish- 

 ment: — 





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Two interesting circumstances appear upon an examination of 



the above table — the first being the sudden diminution in the 

 degree of humidity of the atmosphere; at 6 a.m., the humi- 

 dity was represented by S3, the point of saturation being 100; 

 at 2 p.m. — after the passage of the whirlwind — the humidity 

 was reduced to 43 ; at 10 p.m. — after the thunder-storm — it rose, 

 as might have been anticipated, to 91. At 2 p.m. the wind was 

 from S.E. by E.; at 10 p.m. from N.E. by E., the direction of 

 the motion of the clouds being, at 2 p.m., west, and at 10 p.m., 

 north-west. 



Two nearly opposite currents of air are thus recorded as hav- 

 ing been observed about the time of the whirlwind, and when 

 these facts are associated with the very gradual fall of the baro- 

 meter, we arrive at the conclusion that the whirlwind was the 

 result of the meeting of the opposing currents of air — probably 

 of different temperatures and different degrees of humidity — and 

 did not exercise an appreciable influence a mile on either side of 

 its track — -the distance of the observatory from the line of its 

 passage rather exceeding a mile. 



By reference to the quotation from the " Niagara Mail," it 

 will be seen th&t the editor of that paper considers the cause of 

 the Lake convulsion to have been an earthquake, which is in- 

 ferred " to indicate that the bed of the Lake is nearer the seat of 

 subterranean disturbance than the mainland, and may undergo 

 agitation at times without the fact being noticed by the dwellers 

 upon its margin." In addition to this hypothesis, we may call 

 attention to two geological features of this part of North Ame- 

 rica, which are not devoid of interest, and to say the least, afford 

 material for speculation as to the connection with recent events 

 of forces which operated with wonderful energy in times very re- 

 mote from us now. 



On page 27 of the Geological Report of Canada for 1845, the 

 distinguished director of the Survey, in speaking of the origin 

 of the Apalachian chain of mountains and the quiescent condi- 

 tion of the Illinois and Michigan coal fields, as compared with 

 the disturbed condition of some portions of the Pennsylvanian 

 deposits, remarks — "It does not seem improbable, however, that 

 the broad low anticlinal arch which separates these two from 

 the other (the Michigan and Illinois from the Pennsylvanian), 

 may have some relation to the expiring effort of those forces; 

 for, although its axis cannot be called precisely parallel to the 

 Apalachian undulations, there are yet bends in it that seem to 

 correspond with some of the curves of that chain of mountains. 

 From Monroe County, in Kentucky, this axis takes a gently si- 

 nuous course, running under Cincinnati on the Ohio, to the 

 upper end of Lake Erie; thence it curves to the upper end of 

 Lake Ontario, where my assistant, Mr. Murray, has observed 

 its influence in deflecting the strike of the strata in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Burlington Bay. It then enters the Lake, under 

 the waters of which it probably dies away towards the north 

 shore." 



The depth of Lake Ontario, between Toronto and the mouth 

 of the Niagara river, exceeds 400 feet, and, in some parts of that 

 line, is stated by mariners to be much greater. The bed of the 

 lake, west of the Niagara river, is excavated in the Medina sand- 

 stone, which is known to be far thicker at the western extremity 

 of the Lake than in its south-eastern development. Its thickness 

 in the Niagara District is upwards of 600 feet, and borings have 

 been made in this rock at St. Catherines to a depth of 480 feet 

 below the level of Lake Ontario. It thins out and disappears 

 in Oneida County, in the State of New York. The formations 

 below the Medina sandstone, known by the names of Oneida 

 Conglomerate and Grey sandstone, do not appear on the north 



