182 TRAVELS THROUGH LOWER CANADA: 
fresh, and nearly in an opposite direction to it; 
you cannot proceed. The navigation of Lake 
Erie, in general, is very uncertain ; and passen¬ 
gers that cross it in any of the King's, or prin¬ 
cipal merchant vessels, are not only called upon 
to pay double the sum for their passage, de¬ 
manded for that across Lake Ontario, but an¬ 
chorage money besides, that is, a certain sura 
per diem, as long as the vessel remains wind- 
bound at anchor in any harbour. The an¬ 
chorage money is about three dollars per day 
for each cabin passenger. 
The islands at the western end of the lake, 
which are of various sizes, lie very close to each 
other, and the scenery amongst them is very 
pleasing. The largest of them are not more 
than fourteen miles in circumference, and many 
would scarcely be found to admeasure as many 
yards round. They are all covered with wood 
of some kind or other, even to the very small¬ 
est. The larger islands produce a variety of 
fine timber, amongst which are found oaks, 
hiccory trees, and red cedars; the latter grow 
to a much larger size than in any part of the 
neighbouring country, and they are sent for 
even from the British settlements on Detroit 
River, forty miles distant. None of these 
islands are much elevated above the lake, nor 
are they diversified with any rising grounds; 
most of them, indeed, are as flat as if they had 
