The Western World: Picturesque Sketches of Nature and Natural History in North; and South AmericaKingston, William Henry Giles
History
The Western World: Picturesque Sketches of Nature and Natural History in North; and South America
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Natural history -- North America; Natural history -- South America
Commencing on the east, where the Greenland Sea washes the coast of
Labrador, and Hudson Strait leads to the intricate channels
communicating with the Arctic Ocean, we have on the first-named coast a
low and level region, which rises inland to a considerable elevation,
and then once more sinks on the shores of Hudson Bay. West of that bay
there is a wide extent of low country, intermixed with numerous lakes
and marshes; and then along the Arctic shore is a wild, barren, treeless
district, rising at length into the mountainous region of the Arctic
highlands. Amid them numerous rapid streams find their way into the
Arctic Ocean. Again they sink into the basin of the Mackenzie River,
which separates the in from the northern end of the Rocky Mountains.
Hence westward to the Pacific is a broad highland region, rising into
the lofty range of the Sea Alps.
THE SECOND ZONE.
THE FERTILE BELT OF RUPERT'S LAND.
The next Zone we will consider as commencing at the Gulf of Saint
Lawrence. Westward extends an elevated region, rising in many places to
a considerable height, and forming the water-shed of the rivers which
flow on the south side into the Saint Lawrence, and on the north into
Hudson Bay. Proceeding up the Saint Lawrence, we arrive at a great lake
district, which embraces Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan, and
Superior, to the extreme west. On the north-western shores of that lake
we find an elevated district with several small lakes and streams
flowing through valleys. This is the water-shed also of two systems.
The streams to the east, flowing into Lake Superior, ultimately enter
the Saint Lawrence; while those to the west make their way into Lake
Winnipeg, the waters of which, after flowing through a variety of
channels, fall into Hudson Bay. To the west of this water-shed range
the first lake we meet with is known as the Lac des Milles Lacs. Two
rivers flow from it, expanding here and there into small lakes, till
another expanse of water is reached called Rainy Lake. This in the same
way communicates by two streams with the still larger Lake of the Woods,
the whole region on both sides being thickly wooded. From the Lake of
the Woods flows the broad and rapid Winnipeg River, which finally falls
into Lake Winnipeg. This large and long lake is connected with several
others of smaller size,--Lake Winnipegoos and Manitoba Lake to the west
of it. Into the southern end of Lake Winnipeg flows the Red River,
which rises far-away in the south in the United States, taking an almost
direct northerly course. Towards the north, about twenty miles from the
lake, is situated the well-known Selkirk settlement. To the west of the
Red River commences a broad belt of prairie land which extends here and
there, rising into wooded heights and swelling hills, with several large
rivers flowing through it, to the very base of the Rocky Mountains. As
we advance westward we find it extending considerably to the north,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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