UNITED STATES, 



fall into Lake Michigan, which afterwards become a 

 part of the St. Lawrence. 



This vast collection of water is often covered with 

 fog, particularly when the wind is from the east, 

 which driving against the high barren rocks on the 

 north and west shore, dissolves in torrents of rain. 

 It is generally said, that the storms on this lake are 

 denoted by a swell on the preceding day ; but this 

 circumstance did not appear to Mr. M'Kenzie to be 

 a constant phenomenon, as the swells more regularly 

 subsided without any subsequent wind. 



Along the surrounding rocks of this immense lake 

 evident marks appear of the decrease of its water, 

 by the lines observable along them. The space, 

 however, betwen the highest and the lowest, is not so 

 great as in the smaller lakes, as it does not amount 

 to more than six feet, the former being very faint. 



The bottom of the bay which forms an amphi- 

 theatre, is cleared of wood and inclosed ; and on the 

 left corner of it, beneath a hill, three or four hundred 

 feet in height, and crowned by others of a still greater 

 altitude, is the fort, picketed in with cedar palisa- 

 does. The soil immediately bordering on the lake 

 has not proved very propitious, as nothing but pota- 

 toes have been found to answer the trouble of cultiva- 

 tion. This circumstance is probably owing to the 

 cold damp fogs of the lake, and the moisture of the 

 ground, from the springs that issue from beneath the 

 hills. There are meadows in the vicinity that yield 

 abundance of hay, but agriculture has not hitherto 

 been an object of serious consideration. 



On the north side of the lake, in lat. 48 deg. 

 ^rth; long. 90 deg. west from Greenwich, in a plea- 



