ONTARIO, one of the five great lakes which separate Canada from the United States, and which are the wonder and admiration of the world. It is situated between the parallels of 43. 10. and 44. 11. of north latitude, and the meridians of 76. 25. and 79. 56. of west longitude, being the most easterly of these vast inland seas. It lies nearly east and west, and is of an elliptical shape, being a hundred and seventy-two miles in length by fifty-nine and a quarter in extreme breadth, and having a circumference of about four hundred and sixty-seven miles. The depth of water varies exceedingly, from a few feet up to several hundreds. Towards the middle, attempts have been made to reach the bottom with three hundred fathoms, without striking soundings. If this be correct, the bottom must be very considerably below the level of the Atlantic Ocean; for its surface is only two hundred and thirty-one feet above tide-water at Three Rivers on the St Lawrence, and at Albany on the Hudson. The appearance of the shores of Lake Ontario exhibit great diversity. Towards the northeast part they are low, with numerous marshy places. To the north and north-west they assume a grand and lofty character, but subside again on the south to a very moderate elevation. Bordering the lake, the country is everywhere covered with woods, through the numerous openings of which frequent settlements are seen, imparting a pleasing effect, which is greatly enhanced by the white cliffs of Toronto, and the remarkable high land over Presqu’île, called the Devil’s Nose, on the north. The view on the [7:16:342]south is well relieved by aback ground of hills, which, after forming the precipice of the cataract, stretch away to the eastward. The crowning object of the prospect in this direction is a conical eminence towering above the chain of heights, called Fifty-Mile Hill, as denoting its distance from the town of Niagara. Along the southern border of the lake is the celebrated ridge road, or alluvial way, extending from Rochester on the Genessee, to Lewiston on the river Niagara, eighty-seven miles. It is composed of common beech sand, and gravel-stones worn smooth, and these are intermixed with small shells. Its general width is from four to eight rods, and it is raised in the middle with a handsome crowning arch, the general surface preserving a very uniform level. It is between a hundred and twenty and a hundred and thirty feet above Lake Ontario, whence it is distant from six to ten miles.

A great number of rivers flow into Lake Ontario. Towards the western part it receives the Niagara, and from this point to the St Lawrence River, which flows from the north-east part of the lake, the line dividing Canada from the United States is in the middle of the lake, so that nearly one half of it is in the state of New York. From this state it receives the Genessee, Oswego, and Black Rivers, besides a number of smaller streams, all of which have a sand bar across the entrance. There are some fine bays and inlets, where vessels of every description may find protection in bad weather. The largest of these are Chaumont, Sodus, Little Sodus, Toronto, and Braddocks, on the United States’ side of the lake; and Quinte, Burlington, and many other large ones, on the Canada side. Burlington Bay is both spacious and secure; and the disadvantages of a narrow entrance and shallow water have been obviated by a canal cut across the breach, which has opened an access to the bay for lake vessels, and made it an important and interesting harbour. Hungry Bay is very conspicuous, affording good anchorage and safe shelter amongst the islands to ships of the largest size at all seasons. York and Kingston harbours belonging to Great Britain, and Sacket’s harbour to the Americans, possess every natural advantage, and are considered as the best upon the lake. The two latter are strongly fortified, being the arsenals where ships of war, even of the first rate, have been constructed by both powers, and where were fitted out those powerful hostile squadrons which conferred so much consequence on the naval operations in this quarter. Lake Ontario is navigated by sloops, schooners, and steamboats; and the sea is frequently so rough, and swept by such heavy squalls of wind, that steam-boats of common size were at first not considered as fit to traverse its waters with comfort and safety. Of the many islands situated at the eastern end of the lake, Wolf or Grand Island, lying abreast of Kingston, is the most extensive, and, by being placed at the commencement of the Cataraqui River, forms two channels leading into it, which bear the names of the North or Kingston Channel, and the South or Carleton Island Channel. Stony and Grenadier Islands are situated at the eastern end, and there are some at Quinte Bay in Canada. Lake Ontario abounds with excellent fish of various kinds, the most celebrated of which are the Oswego bass, the salmon, trout, and salmon-trout, (r r.r.)