Lake Erie has few of the fascinations of scenery to boast of, apart from
the large mass of waters it exhibits--in tranquillity, or in motion,
sometimes most vehement. It is only at its west end that it is adorned by
islands. The Morasses, earthy scaurs, or gentle uplands of its coasts,
are only remarkable for their large walnut and buttonwood trees, which,
in a dense umbrageous belt, shut out all view of the interior from the
traveller on the lake, except at the partial clearances. Neither is the
vicinity of this lake agreeable as a residence, in the western half, at
least in the summer. The heat then, although not thermometrically extreme,
is peculiarly oppressive, relaxing, and long continued. The steaming
swamps, which are almost universal, are full of putrifying substances,
occasioning the bilious remittents there so prevalent. The water in
common use is heated, and ill-tasted. Moskitoes, sand, and black flies
abound, and, extending their attacks to the domestic animals, aided by a
fly nearly an inch long, almost drive them distracted. There are
circumstances also, in social life, which render this region a
disagreeable residence, but which are gradually disappearing. Its extreme
fertility, the moderate sum of its annual heat, and its facilities of
communication with other countries, will, in progress of time, render it
the seat of a dense population, and a principal granary of the western
continent. Wheat, maize, and tobacco, are cultivated with equal success.
The returns of the agriculturist are large, secure, and of excellent
quality. The last-named article has been grown in considerable quantity
about the river Detroit, near the head of the lake, and favoured, in a
small remission of duty, by the British government, is sent to England,
after having undergone an inland carriage, to Quebec, of 814 miles. Salt
springs exist in almost every township, accompanied, in one or two cases,
by large beds of gypsum. Bog iron ore is common on the north-east side of
the lake, and is worked. The water communications of these countries are
astonishingly easy. Canoes can go from Quebec to Rocky Mountains, to the
Arctic Circle, or to the Mexican Gulf, without a portage longer than four
miles; and the traveller shall arrive at his journey's end as fresh and
as safely as from an English tour of pleasure. It is common for the Erie
steam-boat to take goods and passengers from Buffaloe, to Green Bay and
Chicago, in Lake Michigan, a distance of nearly 900 miles, touching, at
the same time, at many intermediate ports. In about three years, in
addition to the canal connecting Lake Erie with tide-water in the Hudson,
another will be excavated across the southern dividing ridge, to
communicate with the Ohio. Near its place of junction with this river, a
canal from the Atlantic, across the Alleghanies, will enter the Ohio.
Lake Erie will then also have a steady line of water transport to
Baltimore, on the Chesapeake, and New Orleans, on the Mississippi. The
surveys, preparatory to these projects, have been in execution for two
years; there is no doubt of their practicability.
We cannot even hazard a conjecture as to the number of inhabitants around
Lake Erie. They are numerous, and daily augmenting; but with incomparably
greater rapidity on the south side of the lake, distributed between the
States of New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Ohio, which occupies the
largest portion, in 1800, had 45,000 inhabitants; in 1810, 250,760, and,
in 1820, 581,434. At present, it cannot have less than 750,000
inhabitants, and there is ample room for more. There are few or no
Indians on the north borders of the lake. The Mohawks are placed high up
the river Ouse, and the Hurons, from four to ten miles up the river
Detroit.
The winds are generally either up or down the lake, and in summer they
are in the former direction for two-thirds of the time. In the middle of
this season they are commonly mild, but occasionally in perfect tornadoes,
accompanied with tremendous lightning and heavy rain. The gales begin in
October, and are both violent and dangerous. Many lives are lost annually.
The winters are mild and short. The inhabitants do not reckon on the
ground being covered by snow more than three or four months. They turn
their cattle into the woods in March and April, but the lake remains full
of floating ice until May. On the 12th of May, 1821, the steam-boat could
not proceed on account of the ice. From an adjacent eminence, the lake
was seen to be covered with it in one compact mass, as far as the eye
could range. As might be expected, remittent and intermittent fevers are
very prevalent in the autumn. The febrile action rises high, and there is
usually a topical affection conjoined; to this the stimulating diet and
frequent use of spirituous liquors, and exposure to heat, mainly conduce.
_Brande's Quarterly Journal._
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