300 TRAVELS THROUGH NORTH AMERICA : 
is more or less clear ; in the broad part it is ast 
pure and transparent as possible. On the west 
side, as far as Cumberland Bay, the lake is 
bounded for the most part by steep mountains 
close to the edge of the water; at Cumberland 
Bay the ridge of mountains runs off to the 
north-west, and the shore farther on is low and 
swampy. The East or Vermont shore is not 
much elevated, except in a few particular 
places; at the distance of twelve miles, how¬ 
ever, from the lake, is a considerable mountain. 
The shores on both sides are very rocky; where 
there are mountains these rocks jut out very 
boldly; but at the east side, where the land is 
low, they appear but a little above the water. 
The islands also, for the most part, are sur¬ 
rounded with rocks, in some parts, shelving 
down into the lake, so that it is dangerous to 
approach within one or two miles of them at 
particular sides. From some parts of the eastern 
shore the rocks also run out in the same man¬ 
ner for a considerable distance. Sailing along 
the shore when a breeze is blowing, a hollow 
murmuring noise is always heard from the wa¬ 
ters splashing into the crannies of these rocks. 
There are many streams which fall into the 
lake: the mouths of all those on the western 
side are obstructed by falls, so that none of them 
are navigable. Of those on the eastern or 
Vermont side, a few only are navigable for 
small boats, and that for a short distance, 
