GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION AND SURFACE CONFIG URA TION. 5 



Black River is remarkable for its southern course for nearly fifty 

 miles, parallel with the shore of Huron Lake, at a distance of only 

 five or six miles from it. It begins in the north part of Sanilac 

 County, and enters St. Clair River near Port Huron. 



Saginaw River is the receptacle of a whole system of rivei's. By 

 the Tittibawassee River, the waters of the north and west, from 

 Gladwin, St. Clair, Isabella, and Midland counties, are led into it ; 

 the Shiawassee River collects from the south, in Livingston and 

 Shiawassee counties ; Flint River, from the south and southeast, 

 in Genesee and Lapeer counties; and, finally, C^ss River brings its 

 waters from the northeast and east, gathering them in the coun- 

 ties of Tuscola, Huron, and Sanilac. 



The river system of the northern part of the peninsula consists 

 of the following rivers : Commencing at the southeast side, we find, 

 first, Rifle River and Aux Grees River, which drain the southeast- 

 ern shore-belt surrounding the before-mentioned high plateau. 

 Sable River is the next largest river north of them. It draws its 

 branches right from the heart of the high plateau, and drains Lake 

 Otsego in the north end of it. 



Thunder Bay River, opening into Thunder Bay, spreads its arms 

 north, south and west, reaching the foot of the high plateau. She- 

 boygan River, on the north end of the peninsula, forms the outlet 

 of three large lakes: Black Lake, with an area of about 16 

 square miles, Mullett and Burt Lakes, both together with an area 

 of about 45 square miles. These lakes are fed by rivers of good 

 size. Rainy River and Black River empty into Black Lake ; Mullett 

 River and Pigeon River into Mullett Lake. On the west side of the 

 peninsula two large rivers deserve to be mentioned yet. Manistee 

 River originates very near the headwaters of Au Sable River on the 

 east side. Its mouth is at Manistee, a little distance to the north of 

 the second correction line. Muskegon River is a still larger river 

 than Manistee ; its branches extend to the top of the central high 

 plateau, and are fed by Higgins and Houghton lakes. The mouth of 

 the Muskegon is a short distance south of the first correction line. 



Of all the rivers mentioned, none is navigable. In some cases, 

 however, the mouths for a few miles inland from the lake border 

 are wide and deep enough to afford harbor for vessels of medium 

 size. The water-power afforded by these rivers is ample, and 

 those, the branches of which flow through timbered lands, are of 



