CLINTON ON THE GREAT LAKES. 29 
Some extend the time to five, and others to seven years. Some say that the 
highest rise is seven feet, and others differ as to the exact altitude ; but there 
can be no doubt of the general certainty of the fact. Lake Erie began to 
rise in 1811, and continued to increase until 1815, when it was two feet 
higher than was ever known. The overflowing of the waters destroyed 
trees on the low lands more than two hundred years old, and the inhabitants 
of Detroit, which is an ancient settlement, had never seen or heard of such 
a rise before. It fell a little in 1816, rose again in 1817, and decreased 
until 1822. It was in June last on the rise, and one and a half feet higher 
than usual. In 1810 1 walked on Bird Island; an Island situate at the 
outlet of Lake Erie. In 1816 it was almost covered with water, and was 
scarcely visible. I am informed by an intelligent ship-master on the Lakes, 
“that when he visited Detroit in 1797, the waters were at their height. He 
went to the south the following year, and did not return to that place 
until 1802, when he found the waters considerably lower. Having under- 
stood that there was a rise and fall every seven years, he determined to as- 
_ certain how great it was; for which purpose he caused marks to be made on 
a solid wharf that had been built more than twenty years before, and was 
perfectly firm and immoveable ; and he found that the water declined on an 
average about an incha year fornine years. What the fall was for five years 
during his absence he did not know, but it may be fairly stated at three times 
as much yearly 5 that is, fifteen inches, if compared with subsequent occur- 
rences of a similar character. The Lake began to rise again in 1811, in 
the spring of which it rose six inches, but during the summer it fell two 
inches. In 1812 it rose fourteen inches, and subsided three inches, leaving 
a nett gain of fifteen inches in two years. The surrender of Detroit to the 
British, in October, 1812, compelled him to leave the country ; but in Octo- 
_ ber, 1813, he returned with the fleet, and the water was then at its greatest 
altitude, having in that year gained 12 inches—in all twenty seven inches. 
In 1814 and 1815 it was stationary. In 1816 and 1817 it fell at least 
eighteen inches. And he further supposes, from appearances at Michilli- 
mackinack, that the whole town of that Island was formerly under water, 
and that one of the ancient outlets of the Lakes was by Chicago, which 
