Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1845-05-09
THE GREAT LAKES.


We presume very few persons are aware of
the vast extent Of these inland sras-coverlng
as they do an area almost as large as the con-
tinenl Of Europe.
Professor Drake, Of Louisville, visited them
last summer, and has made public the result Of
his observations.
The chain Of lakes extends over nearly eight
and half degrees Of latitude in breadth, and
sixteen degrees Of longitude IN length. The
extent Of their surface is estimated at 90, coo
square miles; and the area Of country drained
by them is computed at 100000 square miles.
Their relative sizes are as follows:
Ontario $500 S. feet.
Erie $500 {"
ST. Clar1 300 "
Huron 20,400 "
Michigan 2l.4OO IS
Superior $4,000
The average depth of water in the different
lakes is question upon which there is no GER
tain information. Authorities differ. DR.. Drake
gives it as follows:
st. Clair 20 feet.
Erie 81 s.
Ontario 500 8
Superor 900 1"
Huron and Michigan 1909 IS
In our standard works Lake Erie is usually
stated to have depth OF 1870 fee,. The deep
est soundings have been taken in Lake HUI
ron. Off Saginaw Bay, 1900 feet Of line have
been sent down without finding bottom.
The altitude oflhese lakes vary step by step
| from Ontario to Superior. Lake Ontario is
232 feet above the tide water of the st. Law
renee Erie is 1873 feet above Ontario. and 565
feet above tide water at Albany. ST. Clair is
feet higher tn IN Eie Huron and Michigan
axe 3 feet above ST. Clair and Superior lies
| forty-tour above them.
This shows the curious fact, that while the
surface Of Huron is 685 feet above the level Of
the ocean, its bottom at Saginaw Bay is more
than 100 feet below the same level.
The waters of these lakes, with the excep
zion of Erie and St. Clair, are remarkable To-
their transparency and delicious flavor. y
Lake Huron, Professor Drake ascertalned tina
the water at the surface, and two hundred
feet below at the same place, indicated pre-
cisely the same temperature, to wit: ttty-sIA
degrees. His explanation of the fact is this
the waters ale so pure that the rays OF the SUI
meet with no solid matter in susPensonto ar
rest nd retain the heal.
There is a great curiosity connected with
these lakes, about 80 miles from Kingston
near the outlet Of the bay Of Qulnte, In Cana
FL ia. Inc writer OF LniS VlStteu III d IT" y6dl:
ago. in company with Professor LyeII, o
London, who pronounced it one of the creates
curosities of the kind he ever saw. 1t is VIVA
is called in Scotland "a tarn," or mountain
lake. 1t is situated upon conical hill abou
$50 feet high. 1t is circuar-about half
mile in diameter, and occupies nearly tn
whole surface Of the hill.
The lake is consequently entirely wlthou
inlet; yet small stream constantly escape
from one edge of it, down the side OF the hill
turning the wheels of -four mill, which ha
been erected near the summit.-The level c
the alter in the lake is supposed TO be abou
$50 feet above that of the bay below. AS Their
are no high lands within fifty or sixty miles
p or perhaps greater distance, the curiou
question arises, whence comes the supply c
this mountain lake.
Professor LyeiI sup2oses it to occupy tn
crater of an extinct volcano, and to receive ii
: waters through hidden syphons, from grea
distance: but did not coincide with the popu
lar belief in the nelghborhood, that the foun
tain head was Lake Erie, although it is sup
posed they occupy the same level.
Will ne: some Of our biologists examln
this curious lake, and give US the result c
their investigations !-CSnctn1ti Alias.