warm on the lake, and the journey very
lonesome.
Day after day not a face to be seen, but our own
company.
The water of the lake is clear and cold;
much more so than the rivers which
empty into it.
Our navigation is along the southern margin of On-
tario. The land appears well timbered and
habita-
ble; but I could perceive no springs, or small rivu-
lets
emptying into the lake. The shore is composed
of high banks for miles
together; then low vallies in
succession, which form bays and harbors for
the
boatmen in case of sudden storms of wind, which
are very frequent,
and make a surprising commotion
in the waters. In these storms many
adventurers,
after enduring amazing difficulties, have perished;
and
others have marvellously escaped. We did not
venture more than one mile from
shore. The water
is from three to ten feet deep — the bottom,
appear-
ed as if paved with close jointed flag stones of seven,
ten, or
twenty feet square — or like a street paved
with round smooth stones.
The wind was high and the water rough.
We lay in the harbor till four in the afternoon,
when we journeyed forward,
rowing about eight
miles, and after sundown, made the shore. Where
also a boat from Niagara came with several
passen-
gers on board — a clergyman, Townsend
Speakman's
brother's six orphan children, and a Delaware In-
dian man,
who could speak some English; he seem-
ed pleased with the prospect of
peace; and said, he
was at no time for war.