CLINTON ON THE GREAT LAKES. 31 
was afterwards ascertained, rushed violently up the channel, drove a schooner 
of 35 tons burthen from her moorings, threw her upon high ground, and 
rolled over the ordinary beach into the woods, completely inundating all the 
adjacent flats. This was followed by two others of equal height, which 
caused the Creek to retrograde a mile and a half, and to overflow its banks, 
where water was never before seen, by seven or eight feet. The noise occa- 
sioned by its rushing with such rapidity along the winding channel, was 
truly astonishing. It was witnessed by a number of persons. 
“‘ At Kettle Creek several men were drawing a fish net in the Lake, when 
suddenly they saw the water coming upon them in the manner above men- 
tioned ; and, letting go their net, they ran for their lives. ‘The swell over- 
took them before they could reach the high bank, and swept them forward 
with great force ; but, being expert swimmers, they escaped unhurt. The 
man who was in the skiff pulling in the sea line, was drove with it a consi- 
derable distance over the flat, and grounded upon a small eminence until the 
water subsided. There were three successive swells, as at Otter Creek, and 
the effects up the creek were the same, with this difference, the water only 
rose seven feet. In both cases, the lake, after the three swells had spent 
their force, gradually subsided, and in about twenty minutes was at its usual 
height and tranquillity. It was observed at other places along the shore, but 
the high steep banks did not admit of the same observation. In all, how- 
ever, there was a general correspondence as to the height of the rise. 
‘< Conjecture will doubtless be awake as to the cause of this most remarka- 
ble phenomenon; but it must only be conjectured, for it was unattended 
with any circumstance that could remotely hint at a probable cause. But 
such was the fact, and it must furnish its own comment.’’ 
Some have supposed that the occasional rise of Lake Erie is owing to the 
strong south winds in Lake Michigan; but. this hypothesis cannot account 
satisfactorily for this appearance. Volney supposes that Lake Ontario is the 
crater of a volcano. Mackenzie says, that many of the Islands of Lake 
Superior, display a conformation of lava, intermixed with round stones 
of the size of a pigeon’s egg. The western country abounds with 
what are called burning springs, consisting of volumes of hydrogen gas, 
