140 Historical Notes on the 



this interesting zone. For several days I occnpied myself examining the 

 causes which have led to the formation of Lake Coleridge, and its 

 present physical features, subjects full of suggestive instruction to the 

 geologist. Mr. Charles Harper, under whose hospitable roof I met 

 with a hearty reception, not only placed his boat at my disposal, but 

 also accompanied me during two days on the lake, whilst I was ex- 

 amining its banks and taking some soundings in different parts. I 

 devoted Thursday, the 12th April, to an examination of the lake. The 

 strong north-west wind having ceased for a few hours, I was able to 

 obtain some good soundings as far as the peninsula, but when we 

 reached that spot, the wind came down the valley of the "Wilberforce 

 and up the lake with such force, that we had to retreat into the Penin- 

 sula bay, where numerous aquatic birds offered a good opportunity 

 for increasing our collections. The peninsula, about 100 feet high, 

 consists of well-rounded ice-worn rocks, true roches moutonnees. The 

 former delta of the Eyton abuts against it, and in several localities 

 amongst the rocks, old beaches are met with, the main part of these 

 deposits having been destroyed during the lowering of the waters, when 

 it came within reach of the waves during the strong north-west winds, 

 which blow here very violently for a great portion of the year. 



On Saturday, April 11th, I took the boat once more and went as far 

 as the island, two miles north-west of the peninsula. It was one of 

 those perfectly calm days which occur so very seldom in those regions, 

 at least at that season. The lake, unruffled by a breath of air re- 

 sembled a mirror, thus enabling me to land anywhere on the rocky 

 island, which rose boldly from the glassy surface. I shall never 

 forget the beautiful tints of the lake close to the land. The water, 

 clear as crystal, allowed the eye to follow the perpendicular walls 

 of rock for more than a hundred feet down, till the whole formed 

 a deep purple region, through which the rays of the brilliant autumnal 

 sun were unable to penetrate. The island contains an area of about 

 three acres, rising 30 feet above the lake, and forms a ridge parallel to 

 it with a gentle ascent from the north-west, so that we find the only 

 shallow water round it, is on its subaqueous continuation towards the 

 central chain. On the three other sides it falls very abruptly ; so 

 much so that at one spot eight feet from the shore, where I sounded, 

 I only touched the bottom with 106 feet of line ; whilst two chains 

 further out it took 230 feet to reach it. Notwithstanding that the 

 rocks are much water-worn, they show still in many spots striae and 

 flutings from the action of the glaciers. The island in fact is a true 



