The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1870-11-03
A SUNEEN LAKE.
One of the Natural Wonders of the Thunder
Bay Region.

Ono OF the Natural w OnderS OIL inc Ihunuer |
Bay Region.
We extract the following from Prof. |
N. III. WinchelPs recent report on the |
Thunder Bay region: -
Sunken Lake, in Sec. 32, T. 33, N. r. |
6 e, is d remarkable example of the
effect of subterranean erosion. [ have
before described the lake in full. Suffice
it to say that the North Branch of
Thunder Bay River disappears entirely
in time OF low water beneath a ledge of
Hamilton limestone. But in time of
high water, the mouth of the subter-
ranean channel will not admit the raised
volume of water, and after filling the
basin of a little lake, which is nearly
mile in length, it passes overland through
the channel represented as its bed ON the
maps. During half the year, however,
this channel is one day south of the
lake.
During O. recent trip up the Lake
Huron shore, north Of Thunder Bay, it
was one of my objects to examine the
reported outlet of this river into Lake
Huron. On the south side, and near
the head of the deep, crooked bayou,
tributary to Little Thunder Bay on the
north, is q remarkably deep hole in the
otherwise shallow bed of the bay. The
entrance of this long arm of Little
Thunder Bay is disguised by long,
low island which hangs across it. Any
one in coasting would be apt to miss it,
as l did at first, unless he followed care
fully the same indentures of the coast.
Having entered the bayou, directed
my man to follow the right bank, or
north side, and to return on the south
shore. Having entered the bay, we be-
gan to coast outward along the south
bayou, perhaps $50 rods, when there was
sudden increase in the depth of the
water. The weeds which had covered
the bottom entirely disappeared within
space no more than the length of the
boat, and the water was as black as at
any place in the open lake. The motion
the boat had attained carried us over the
chasm, and my pocket thermometer
told us the temperature of the water
was 67 deg. Fahrenheit. AS that was
the same as the temperature of the shoal
water of the bayou, observed few min
utes before, was disappointed, for
had expected to detect the presence of
river water, if it were the outlet of
Sunken Lake, by the difference of tenn
perature between the lake water and
that of the water rising from the open
ing. Pushing the boat astern, we fol-
lowed the rim of the basin round toward
the right, and found the descent very
abrupt in all places. The shoal water
was filled with weeds, which are common
in inland lakes and slow and flowing
streams, and they were seen to cover the
brink and follow down the steep side as
far as the eye could distinguish. When
the boat reached the east side of the
opening, the weeds were seen to rapidly
diminish, and they soon entirely disap-
peared. The brink here was very steep,
almost perpendicular, and consisted OF
sand, with considerable number of frac-
tured shells. Our boat stopped upon
the brink at this place, and upon pro-
ceeding to make another observation on
the temperature of the water, what was
our surprise to find that we were slowly
drifting away from the opening. II
was further observed that we were in
motion against the breeze, which was
passing up the bayou. Twas again sur
prised to find that the temperature ot
the water was 65 deg. Fahrenheit. This
observation was made perhaps ten feet
to the east of the opening, and as we
were drifting, allowing the boat to con
tinue in motion, the temperature a
thirty feet from the opening was 65 deg
Fahrenheit. The depth of the water a
the place of these last observations wa
not more than eighteen or twenty inches
and the bottom was one of clean sane
with frequent shells common on the lax,
beach near the mouth of rivers, but NJ
weeds. Returning to the opening anC
following the line of shoal water in tn
same direction, we found that the weed
soon became as abundant as on tn
, other side of the current. The curren
ceased soon after we passed the mos
eastward or lakeward side.
The opening is six or eight rods across
and nearly circular, and is nearest tn
south side of the bayou, about twelv
rods from the shore. AS one passes owe
+ the brink and loses sight of the weeds a
they descend so quickly down the sub
!, aqueous brink, feeling of terror come
over the beholder, as if he was about t
I be precipitated into an awful chasn
q Fishermen report that lead has bee
( lowered 800 feet into its opening withou
' a bottom. suppose the temperature {
/ the water over the opening is highe
I than that of the current just east, be
cause of the influx of the heated bayo
water, and that the real river water
r found just over the sandy part of til
: brink, and a little farther east. 1t we
e not until left the place that remen
f bered that the temperature of the Thur
o der Bay River at Alpena, at two diffe
n ent observations, was 50 deg. Fahrer
n heit. In winter this is always free frol
e ice, and ducks frequent the place.
: have do doubt but this is the real outl,
) of the north branch of Thunder Ba