NIAGARA RIVER. 
87. 
enriched thereby than by the fur trade. Sea 
wolves and sea cows, amphibious animals, 
weighing from one to two thousand pounds 
each are said to have been found in Lake Onta¬ 
rio : of the truth of this, however, there is some 
doubt; but certain it is, that in sailing across 
the lake animals of an immense size are fre¬ 
quently seen playing on the surface of the wa¬ 
ter. Of the large fishes, the sturgeon is the 
one most commonly met with, and it is not only 
found in Lake Ontario, but also in the other 
lakes that have no immediate communication 
* 
with the sea. The sturgeon caught in the 
lakes is valuable for its oil, but it is not a well 
flavoured fish; indeed, the sturgeon found north 
of James River in Virginia is in general very 
indifferent, and seldom or never eaten. 
Niagara River runs nearly in a due south di¬ 
rection, and falls into LakeOntario on the souths 
ern shore about thirty miles to the eastward of 
the western extremity of the lake It is about 
three hundred yards wide at its mouth, and is 
by far the largest body of water flowing into 
Lake Ontario. On the eastern side of the 
river is situated the fort, now in the possession 
of the people of the States, and on the opposite 
or British side of the town, most generally 
known by the name of Niagara, notwithstand¬ 
ing that it has been named Newark by the legis- 
