Travels through the states of North America, and the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, during the years 1795, 1796, and 1797 [Vol. 2 of 2]Weld, Isaac
History
Travels through the states of North America, and the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, during the years 1795, 1796, and 1797 [Vol. 2 of 2]
Weld, Isaac
Canada -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; United States -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
There is a great deficiency of good harbours along the shores of this
Lake. On its northern side there are but two places which afford shelter
to vessels drawing more than seven feet water, namely, Long Point and
Point Abineau; and these only afford a partial shelter. If the wind
should shift to the southward whilst vessels happen to be lying under
them, they are thereby exposed to all the dangers of a rocky lee shore.
On the southern shore, the first harbour you come to in going from Fort
Erie, is that of Presqu’ Isle. Vessels drawing eight feet water may
there ride in perfect safety; but it is a matter of no small difficulty
to get into the harbour, owing to a long sand bar which extends across
the mouth of it. Presqu’ Isle is situated at the distance of about sixty
miles from Fort Erie. Beyond this, nearly midway between the eastern and
western extremities of the lake, there is another harbour, capable of
containing small vessels, at the mouth of Cayahega River, and another at
the mouth of Sandusky River, which falls into the lake within the
north-western territory of the States. It is very seldom that any of
these harbours are made use of by the British ships; they, indeed, trade
almost solely between Fort Erie and Detroit River; and when in
prosecuting their voyages they chance to meet with contrary winds,
against which they cannot make head, they for the most part return to
Fort Erie, if bound to Detroit River; or to some of the bays amidst the
clusters of islands situated towards the western extremity of the lake,
if bound to Fort Erie. In going up the lake, it very often happens that
vessels, even after they have got close under these islands, the nearest
of which is not less than two hundred and forty miles from Fort Erie,
are driven back by storms the whole way to that fort. Just as we were
preparing to cast anchor under Middle Island, one of the nearest of
them, a squall suddenly arose, and it was not without very great
difficulty that we could keep our station: the captain told us
afterwards, that he really feared at one time, that we should have been
driven back to our old quarters.
[Sidenote: ISLANDS.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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