LETTER II.

Description of Lake George-Prevalent winds-Fish-Water of the Lake uncommonly pure and supplied by subjacent springs-Mills and Forges-Fine Scenery of the Lake-The water-Islands-Shore and Mountains-View while returning from Ticonderoga.

Dear Sir,

LAKE GEORGE lies between 43° 25′ and 43° 55′ N. lat. and be tween 73° 25′ and 73° 43′ W. long. from London. Its Southern termination is in the township of Queensbury; its Northern, in that of Crown Point. Its length is thirty-four miles; its greatest breadth four. At the head, or Southern end, its breadth is about one mile. From this place it increases to a remarkable point, called fourteen mile point, (being at that distance from the head of the lake) to three miles and a half. Here it opens on the left hand into a large Bay, called North-West bay, running back six miles into the country. Above fourteen mile-point to Scotch bonnetpoint, (ten miles,) the whole distance is called the Straits being generally, from a mile to a mile and an half in breadth. Here it expands again into an opening called, Macdonald's bay; five miles in length, and four in breadth. After this it gradually narrows into a river; which name it may fairly sustain for a mile and an half above the landing. Here it is not more than forty or fifty yards in breadth.

The depth of this lake is very various: the greatest is sixty fathoms.

Its water is perfectly pure; inferiour in this respect to none, perhaps, in the world. All travellers remark this fact; a strong proof that it is nearly singular. By the inhabitants on its borders, who freely drink it at all times, it has been abundantly proved to be entirely salubrious. We drank it often; and found it to be of the best taste, and quality. On the surface it was, at this time too warm to be agreeable. Six feet below, it was cool, and lower still, cold. These facts result from its formation by subjacent springs.

North-East winds are here frequent; and often violent; blowing nearly in the longitudinal direction of the lake. Winds from the East are rare; as they are also from the South-East: but, when coming from this quarter they are usually tempestuous. In the winter they blow almost wholly from the North-East or the North-West. From the latter point, they have the same character, as in the New-England States. A West wind is scarcely known. The South-West winds prevail principally in the summer; and are generally mild and pleasant.

The snow usually begins to lie, permanently, about the middle of November; and continues till the first of April. There is however, a great difference in this respect, in different years. During the winter, preceding our journey, very little snow fell. That, which falls, is as frequently blown into drifts, as in the country near the ocean.

The lake is commonly frozen between Christmas, and the 1st of January. It continues frozen from three and an half to four months, and once within the knowledge of my informant, was frozen till the 3d of May. The ice does not sink, as in lake Champlain; but gradually dissolves.

There is no perceptible current in its waters, except within a small distance from the North landing. A log, thrown into it, floats with the winds, and the waves, with equal ease in every direction; and in still weather is perfectly quiescent.

The fish of this lake which are brought upon the table are trout, bass and perch. The first are large but not numerous. Our landlord informed me, that he had seen one, which weighed thirteen pounds; and that some had been caught which weighed eighteen. I ate of them several times; and found them good. The bass seldom exceed five pounds; and the perch, two. Both are in sufficient plenty.

Few water-fowl frequent this spot except the loon; which is not eaten. The common birds of the country abound on the borders. Eagles are numerous. Of this, the number, which we saw, fur nished sufficient evidence.

The surface of Lake George is said by Dr. Morse to be one hundred feet higher than that of Lake Champlain. The inhabitants on its borders estimate it at three hundred. So far as I was able to judge from a loose observation of the falls, I thought this estimate not very remote from the truth. There are three sets of falls in the stream, which carries the waters into Lake Champlain. The lower falls, with the rapid at the bottom, cannot be less, but are probably more, than one hundred feet in perpendicular height; and in the Spring, when the lake is full, must be a cataract of uncommon magnificence. Now they were a collection of small, and beautiful, cascades. The bottom of the lake is probably about the same level with the surface of Lake Champlain. Its waters must, I think, be almost all supplied by subjacent springs. This is evident from two considerations. The first is, that the streams, which flow into it, are so few, and so small, as scarcely to supply the waste, occasioned by evaporation. The other is, that the water of this lake differs materially from those of all the neighbouring country. The waters of the Hudson, of Lake Champlain, and generally of the whole region between the Green Mountains and the Mississippi, are impregnated with lime. Those of Lake George are pure and potable; as are almost all others which are Eastward of the Green Mountains. The vast ranges on both sides of this lake furnish ample reservoirs; and the earth, and the rocks, of which they are composed, are, both, of the kinds, whence pure waters are usually derived.

The lake was probably formed at the deluge, by the sinking of the exteriour convex of the Earth in the manner, so ably illustrated, and as I think completely proved, by John Whitehurst Esq. F. R. S. and Philip Howard Esq. in his History of the Globe; and indicated by Moses in the expression, "The fountains of the great deep were broken up." To my eye, at least, the general aspect of the whole scene; the appearance of the strata; the forms of the mountains; the manner, in which they descend to the lake; the figures, presented by the several points; the continuation of those points under the water; the manner in which they are connected with the islands; the appearance of the isl

ands themselves, the surfaces, and strata, of which in many instances are horizontal, and, where they are oblique, have their obliquity easily explained by their reference to the neighboring shores; all evinced this fact so strongly, as to leave in my mind not a serious doubt.

When the snow dissolves in the spring, the water of Lake George rises, at the utmost, only two feet. The variation is distinctly marked on the rocky parts of the shore, which, between two horizontal lines, are in a small degree discoloured. It is said, that before the erection of the upper dam, near the North landing, the variation was only one foot. About a mile and a half, South of the landing, the soil changes to clay; and the water becomes somewhat turbid and disagreeable; though far less so than that of South Bay; and, like that bay, is deformed by bulrushes. This is the part, which I have mentioned, as assuming the appearance of a river.

On each of these falls mills are erected; and forges also, in which a considerable quantity of iron is manufactured. The ore is brought from the border of Lake Champlain in boats; which come to the bridge, built over this river about half way between the two lakes. It is said, a method of blowing the fire, peculiarly ingenious, is adopted here; and, it is supposed, here only. We were not able to visit the place, where this operation is performed.

The shores are composed of two ranges of mountains; sometimes meeting the water abruptly, and sometimes leaving a horizontal, or very gradually rising, margin, extending from a few rods to as many miles. Upon this margin settlements are begun on the Eastern, and much more frequently on the Western, side. The lands are said to be generally good; being chiefly loam, mixed with gravel; and yield, abundantly, every product of the climate.

The forested grounds contain no animals, which are not common to the country at large.

The borders are eminently healthy; and the fever and ague is unknown.

The rocks, so far as I had opportunity to observe them, were chiefly granite, and generally stratified. In contradiction to all State, lying in the same longitude, the strata,

other strata in this here, lie obliquely.

They are formed of the common grey granite of this country. On the mountain, called Anthony's Nose, on Buck mountain, and in several other places, they are stained with iron.

Limestone, exactly the same with that at Glen's falls, and elsewhere in this region, blue, horizontally stratified, and fantastically seamed by the weather, abounds at the head of the lake.

By persons, who love the fine scenes of nature, and probably by all, who have visited this spot, I should be thought unpardonable, were I to omit a particular description of those, which are here presented to the eye.

Lake George is universally considered as being in itself, and in its environs, the most beautiful object of the same nature in the United States. Several European travellers who have visited it, and who had seen the celebrated waters of Switzerland, have given it the preference. The access from the South is eminently noble; being formed by two vast ranges of mountains, which, commencing their career several miles South of Fort George, extend beyond Plattsburg, and terminate near the North line of the State; occupying a distance of about one hundred miles. Those on the East are high, bold, and in various places naked and hoary. Those on the West are somewhat inferiour, and generally covered with a thick forest to their summits. The road for the three or four last miles passes through a forest; and conceals the lake from the view of the traveller, until he arrives at the eminence, on which Fort George was built. Here is opened at once a prospect, the splendour of which is rarely exceeded.

The scenery of this spot may be advantageously considered under the following heads: The Water, the Islands, the Shore, and the Mountains.

The water is probably not surpassed in beauty by any in the world; pure, sweet, pellucid, of an elegant hue when immediately under the eye, and at very small, as well as at greater distan