_Lake Michigan_, formerly called _Lake Illinois_, and _Lake Dauphin_, extends from the western angle of Lake Huron in a southerly direction, and is separated from Lake Superior by the tongue of land which is described above. It lies wholly within the territory of the United States, between the parallels of forty-two and forty-six degrees. Its waters are said to be unfathomable. At the southern extremity of Lake Michigan is _Chicago Creek_, by which, in the rainy season, the head-waters of the Illinois communicate with the lake; but the bar at the mouth of the creek does not admit boats drawing above two feet of water. A number of streams flow into the lake, on both the western and the eastern sides. It abounds, like the others, with excellent fish. ‘Lake Michigan,’ says Mr. Schoolcraft, ‘from its great depth of water, its bleak and unguarded shores――and its singular length and direction, which is about four hundred miles from north to south, appears to be peculiarly exposed to the influence of the currents of the atmosphere, to whose agency we may attribute, at least in part, the appearances of a tide, which are more striking upon the shores of this, than of any of the other great lakes. The meteorological observations which have been made, in the _Transalleghanian states_, indicate the winds to prevail, either north or south, through the valley of the Mississippi; but seldom across it, so that the surface of this lake would be constantly exposed to agitation, from the atmosphere. These winds would almost incessantly operate, to drive the waters through the narrow strait of Michilimackinac, either into Lake Huron or Lake Michigan, until, by their natural tendency to an equilibrium, the waters thus pent, would react, after attaining a certain height, against the current of the most powerful winds, and thus keep up an alternate flux and reflux, which would always appear more sensibly in the extremities and bays of the two lakes; and with something like regularity, as to the periods of oscillation; the velocity of the water, however, being governed by the varying degrees of the force of the winds.’ _Lake St. Clair_ lies about half way between Lakes Huron and Erie, and is about ninety miles in circumference. It receives the waters of the three great lakes, Superior, Michigan, and Huron, and discharges them through the river or strait called Detroit, into Lake Erie. It is of a circular form, and navigable for large vessels, except a bar of sand toward the middle, which prevents loaded vessels from passing.