Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-09-28

At bctTOit, Tue OIdDito olhto iecelNoa uo
and the Champlain returned to Duluth.
From the head of the ST. Clair to the
mouth Of the Detroit is about ninety
miles.
LAKE ERIE.
In passing from Huron into Erie, we
have descended only ten feet, as
the latter is 565 feet above the sea.
Erie is as long as Huron, but it is
only about one-third as wide, being
255 miles by 60. It is about one-third as
large as Superior and two-thirds as large
as Huron. It's maximum depth GAO feet
is about one-eight of the maximum depth
of Lake Huron 1880 feet,) and its aver
age depth perhaps 60 feet is scarcely one
sixteenth of the average depth of Lake HUI
ron. Owing to its shallowness, the lake is
readily disturbed by the wind and on this
account, and on account of its pauoity OF
good harbors, it has the reputation of being
the most dangerous to navigate of all the
Great Lakes. There is moreover light
clayey sediment in the bottom of the lake
which renders its waters somewhat tur'
bid.
We leave the scene of Perry's victory
in 1913 on our right, and strike across the
lake for Cleveland. There the boat takes
on freight and is detained half a day.
We then strike for Port Colborne, the
head of the Welland Canal, which is ten
miles west of Niagara River and eighteen
miles west of Buffalo.
WELLAND CANAL.
This great work is owned by the Can
adian Government. It is twenty ght
miles long, and has twenty-seven locks,
nearly all of them in the third quarter Of
the distance, between AlIenburg and St
GATHERINGS. As you look up the long
slope from st. GATHERINGS, and see the zig.
zaging procession Of steamers and scboon
ers lowering on the hills, the effect is ex
ceedingly novel and picturesque.
The passage through the canal occupies
from twelve to forty hours, usually, as iu
our case, about twenty-four. A looksman
told me that g boat could sometimes 60
through four or Fl We locks in an hour
He had himself locked tweuty-nine boats
in twelve hours. But there is continual
waiting for ascending or descending boats
to get out Of the way.
The toll paid by the Granite State was
1854 in gold, When fully freighted, she
pays $50. at the St.. Marys canal, the
toll is on the tonnage Of vessel; here it is
on tonnage, freight and passengers, Ten
cents is paid for every passenger.
There is no passage through the canal
from Saturday midnight till Sunday
midnight. This is Canada, you know
said one of the mates, 10 explanation.
"a good idea," I suggested. "Yes," he
replied, Il like it."
You may begaile the tedium of passing
through the locks by an excursion to
Niagara Falls, seven miles distant. There
are hacks always il waiting at Thorold to
convey pass myers thither and return
them TO the boat, wherever it may be.
The charge Is 81 so apiece, when there is
a full load.
Port D4lhousie is at tho foot of the
canal, AID there we take on wood, and
tarry i've or six hours for another boat.
LAKE ONTARIO.
In cur progress through the canal, we de-
.-l oo1 r4 n4.-;, lo;-,, Oot +aot
above the se4-level. Its average depth is
about SEQ feet, eight times that of Erie,
and one half that of Huron and Superior.
lis bottom Is as far below the level of the
ocean, as its top is above it.
Ontario ia the smallest of the five Great
Lakes, being only two,thirds as large as
Erie, littlo more than one-tkird as large
as Huron or Michigan, and about one
fifth IS large as Superior. 1t il $50 miles
l0rg.
The Indian name "Ontario" signifies
Tile BeautJuJ Oar course is along the
southern shore, which Is everywhere in
habited and under cultivation. The til
lage is handsomely intercepted with
grover We saw nothing like it along
the upper lakes.
ST. LAWRENCE
At he foot O: Lake Ontario we enter the
Tto1sand Hands, which stretch them
selves along the centre Of the St. Law
renee for di+tarce of forty miles. The
scenery here Is very fine, reminding me
con.ioually of Lake George, though the
shores ere unlike. The fishing and duck
shooting among the Islands is very good,
and week or two might be spent in row.
ing, gazing. aud sporting with the keen.
est relish.
The St. Lawrence, from Lake Ontario
TO the sea, has length of $50 miles from
Minnesota to the sea it has a length Of
2,100 miles. 1t containe, according to
Darby, more than bali the fresh water on
the earth-enough to envelope the entire
planet in a watery covering three feet
deep.
There are seven canals to facilitate the
navigation of the St. Lawrence between
Like Oatario and the sea.
DISTANCES.
The following were the distances be.
tween various points on the course of the
Champlain and the Granite State.
Italics in1icate were there was no stops
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