Lake Seneca. 455 
succession; in the same season during the heat of the day, we 
sometimes have a light breeze blowing directly from the east, but 
not often from the north-east, from which quarter in the colder 
months we are pretty sure of a storm. 
The atmosphere may be denominated a clear one; the clouds 
seem to tend to the more elevated country of the eastern counties, 
leaving us suffering frequently under severe drouths. Each 
border of the lake is favorable to the growth of wheat and other 
grain, while each variety of fruit finds here a genial climate and 
soil wherever cultivated. 
From the end of the Miniseta, a step a mile broad extends 
some miles north, from the edge of which the water deepens very 
suddenly; upon this step granitic boulders are quite numerous 
and large; in many places lying in regular heaps, which when 
the water is calm are distinctly seen from the surface. One of 
many tons weight lies near this promontory, while the high sandy 
ridge, and the numerous rounded fragments, water worn and 
rubbed, indicate that the drift that transported these materials here, 
met with some obstruction to interrupt their progress. The banks 
of the lake contain much clay; some of the farms upon its borders 
are a stiff clay, very friendly to wheat, but frequently of diificult 
cultivation. At the head of the lake is a large marshy interval, 
formed by the embouchure of Catharines creek at this point, to- 
gether with the comminuted slate and soil washed from the sur- 
rounding hills. The banks of the lake are remarkably regular, 
affording no deep bays or sheltered nooks, but they rise gradually 
fiom the water after the first ascent, where the slatey rock pro- 
trudes from the beach. Their rise also from the foot to the head, 
is almost a regularly ascending line upon the horizon, from one 
termination to the other, from which circumstance we frequently 
see here exhibited a beautiful example of the superior coldness of 
altitudes; for instance, when during a fall of snow the thermom- 
eter stands at about 33°, it will melt almost immediately, whilst 
on the opposite side of the water the country lying above 90 or 
TOO yards, will be entirely white with snow, extending nearly 
30 miles to view, while all below that height will be entirely 
devoid of it, as well as all of that part of the country north some 
8 or 10 miles, depressed by its formation below this line. Such 
an exhibition presenting 40 miles to view at one time, is a spec- 
tacle tending to confirm the truth of theories long since known, and 
presents to the uninstructed eye truth, palpable and impressive, 
which cannot be gainsayed. 
The navigation is of importance, as it is unobstructed by ice 
during the winter, except for about a mile at the foot of the lake 
opposite Geneva, where the water is shallow. At its head the 
Chemung canal enters, upon which the lumber of the Tioga flow- 
