LABRADOR LAKES. I J 



the present brbad rivers were only chains of lakes, and 

 rtiay thus be said to be in an embryonic stage, as its 

 fiver-beds have never been remodelled and scooped out 

 into gentle declivities and broad valleys, nor immense 

 depths of sand and clay deposited to smooth over the 

 inequalities of the rocky surface of the country, such as 

 in the temperate zone render a continent inhabitable 

 throughout its breadth ; while in Labrador man can only 

 ihhabit the coast, and gain a livelihood from the sea. 



We must distinguish two classes in the lakes of Labra- 

 dor, viz.: the deep mountdiwv tarns , lying in the interior, 

 directly upon the summits of the water-sheds ; and the • 

 far more numerous broad, shallow lakes and pools spread 

 profusely over the surface below the height of land. 

 These last occupy shallow depressions and hollows,, 

 most probably excavated by glaciers in valleys which 

 have been simply remoSelled by glacial action. The deep 

 tarns, on the contrary, evidently fill original depressions, 

 Jiihking between lofty ranges of hills. Davies says that 

 in the region about the source of the Hamilton River 

 the lakes are very deep, and lie directly on the height of 

 larld, while the ponds on the lowlands are shallow ; and,. 

 On the other hand, those which directly communicate 

 \^ith the ocean or with the fiords are in general distin- 

 guished for their depth. " This almost universal shal- 

 lowness of the lakes is a singular feature, when the nature 

 of their borders is taken into consideration, as they are 

 getierdlly surrounded by hills, which would lead one to- 

 look for a corresponding depth in the lake ; but instead 

 of this some dre so shallow that for miles there is hardly 

 water enough to float a half-loaded canoe. I am in- 

 formed by my friend, John McLean, Esq., that this is 



