232 A. W. G. WILSON — TRENT RIVER SYSTEM 



where it is narrow, are sharply defined and often precipitous. As it 

 gradually broadens, that on the north side becomes less steep, the cliff 

 features nearly disappear, so that in the vicinity of Desoronto it has an 

 even slope to its summit. The scarp on the east side, retaining its steep 

 cliff-like character, is continuous with the high scarps along the eastern 

 side of the upper portion of the Long reach. From the vicinity of Deso- 

 ronto the course of the old valley seems to have been toward the south, 

 in a direction more nearly in accordance with the dip of the strata. As 

 a result, we find the sides of this portion of the valley bounded by steep 

 rock cliffs, that on the west, the highest, rising about 185 feet above the 

 bottom of this section of the bay (plate 7, sections II-V). The scarp 

 on the west side is the edge of the cuesta, on whose outer slope several 

 of the minor streams of Prince Edward county take their rise. It runs 

 from the vicinity of Green point, where it is continuous with the scarp 

 before noted as lying to the south of the upper part of the bay of Quinte, 

 to Picton, and thence southwest across the county, gradually losing its 

 cliff character west of Picton and becoming an evenly graded slope. 



Confluent with this consequent valley is another less broad, rock- 

 scarped valley, the submerged portion of which now forms Hay bay. 

 Hay Bay valley can be traced all the way across to the inner lowland, 

 and Big creek drains a small area of the lowland through the escarp- 

 ment to the bay. 



To the south of the Twelve Mile reach is a high escarpment, rising near 

 Glenora to 225 feet above bay-level and 308 feet above its bottom. This 

 escarpment forms the east side of Picton bay and extends across Prince 

 Edward county, with gradually decreasing elevation, to the south of 

 East lake, being submerged beneath the waters of lake Ontario at Salmon 

 point (plate 7, sections VI and VII). This escarpment is the south wall 

 of a broad valley which joined the ancient Napanee valley from the 

 east a few miles above Picton. The united streams crossed Prince Ed- 

 ward to East lake. The lower portion of this valley is now traversed 

 by a sand bar thrown up by the waves of lake Ontario, and the sub- 

 merged portion of the valley behind this bar forms East lake. 



The south side of the Twelve Mile reach east of Glenora, where it reaches 

 its maximum height, gradually diminishes in elevation above present 

 lake-level. The depth of the water in the bay gradually increases, how- 

 ever, to a maximum of 230 feet half way between the west end of Am- 

 herst island and the main shore, so that the actual depth of the valley 

 is fairly uniform. With one interruption, where a portion is submerged 

 and past which it can very readily be traced by means of the soundings, 

 the escarpment continues to the east end of Amherst island. Between 

 Prince Edward county and Amherst island the channel which breaches 



