voyage of the paper canoe-第7章

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vast　tract　of　country　to　the　west　and　northwest　of　lakes　Erie；　Michigan；　Huron；　and　Superior；　have　served　to　convince　all　　well…informed　commercial　men　that　the　means　of　transit　between　that　country　and　the　seaboard　are　far　too　limited　even　for　the　present　　necessities　of　trade；　hence　it　becomes　a　question　of　　universal　interest　how　the　products　of　the　field；　the　mine；　and　the　forest　can　be　most　cheaply　　forwarded　to　the　consumer。　Near　the　geographical　centre　of　North　America　is　a　vast　plateau　two　thousand　feet　above　the　level　of　the　sea；　drained　by　the　Mississippi　to　the　south；　by　the　St。　　Lawrence　to　the　east　and　by　the　Saskatchewan　and　McKenzie　to　the　north。　　This　vast　territory　would　have　been　valueless　but　for　the　water　lines　which　afford　cheap　transport　between　it　and　the　great　markets　of　the　world。

〃Canada　has　improved　the　St。　Lawrence　by　canals　round　the　rapids　of　the　St。　Lawrence；　and　by　the　Welland　Canal；　connecting　lakes　Erie　and　Ontario；　twenty…eight　miles　in　length　with　a　fall　of　two　hundred　and　sixty　feet；　capable　of　　passing　vessels　of　four　hundred　tons。　The　St。　　Lawrence；　from　the　east　end　of　Lake　Ontario；　has　a　fall　of　two　hundred　and　twenty　feet；　overcome　by　seven　short　canals　of　an　aggregate　length　of　forty…seven　miles；　capable　of　passing　vessels　of　six　hundred　and　fifty　tons。　The　Richelieu　River　is　connected　with　Lake　Champlain　by　a　canal　of　twelve　miles　from　Chambly。　A　canal　of　one　mile　in　length；　at　the　outlet　of　Lake　Superior；　connects　that　lake　with　Lake　Huron；　and　has　two　locks；　which　will　pass　vessels　of　two　　thousand　tons。　New　York　has　built　a　canal　from　Buffalo；　on　Lake　Erie；　and　from　Oswego；　on　Lake　Ontario；　to　Albany；　on　the　Hudson　River；　of　three　hundred　and　sixty　and　of　two　hundred　and　nine　miles；　capable　of　passing　boats　of　two　hundred　and　ten　tons；　and　she　has　also　　constructed　a　canal　from　the　Hudson　River　into　Lake　Champlain　of　sixty…five　miles；　which　can　pass　boats　of　eighty　tons。

〃Such　is　the　nature　of　the　navigation　between　tide…water　on　the　Hudson　and　St。　Lawrence　and　the　upper　lakes。　　The　magnitude　of　the　　commerce　of　the　Northwest　has　compelled　the　　enlargement　of　the　Erie　and　Oswego　canals　from　boats　of　seventy…eight　to　two　hundred　and　ten　tons；　while　the　St。　Lawrence　and　Welland　canals　have　also　been　enlarged　since　their　first　　construction。　　A　further　enlargement　of　the　Erie　and　Champlain　canals　is　now　strongly　urged　in　consequence　of　the　want　of　the　necessary　　facilities　of　transport　for　the　ever　increasing　western　trade。　　The　object　of　the　Caughnawaga　Ship…canal　is　to　connect　Lake　Champlain　with　the　St。　Lawrence　by　the　least　possible　distance；　and　with　the　smallest　amount　of　lockage。　　When　built；　it　will　enable　the　vessel　or　propeller　to　sail　from　the　head　of　lakes　Superior　or　Michigan　without　breaking　bulk；　and　will　enable　such　　vessels　to　land　and　receive　cargo　at　Burlington　and　Whitehall；　from　whence　western　freights　can　be　carried　to　and　from　Boston；　and　throughout　New　England；　by　railway　cheaper　than　by　any　other　route。

〃It　will　possess　the　advantage；　when　the　　Welland　Canal　is　enlarged　and　the　locks　of　the　St。　Lawrence　Canal　lengthened；　of　passing　vessels　of　eight　hundred　and　fifty　tons'　burden；　and　with　that　size　of　vessel　（impossible　on　any　other　route）　of　improved　model；　with　facilities　for　loading　and　discharging　cargoes　at　both　ends　of　the　route；　in　the　length　of　the　voyage　without　transshipment；　in　having　the　least　distance　between　any　of　the　lake　ports　and　a　seaport；　and　in　having　the　shortest　length　of　taxed　canal　navigation。　　The　Construction　of　the　Caughnawaga　Canal；　when　carried　out；　will　remedy　the　difficulties　which　now　exist　and　stand　in　the　way　of　an　　uninterrupted　water　communication　between　the　　western　states　and　the　Atlantic　seaboard。〃

From　Rouse's　Point　we　proceeded　to　a　　picturesque　point　which　jutted　into　the　lake　below　Chazy　Landing；　and　was　sheltered　by　a　grove　of　trees　into　which　we　hauled　the　Mayeta。　　Bodfish's　woodcraft　enabled　him　to　construct　a　　wigwam　out　of　rails　and　rubber　blankets；　where　we　quietly　resided　until　Monday　morning。　　The　owner　of　the　point；　Mr。　Trombly；　invited　us　to　dinner　on　Sunday；　and　exhibited　samples　of　a　ton　of　maple　sugar　which　he　had　made　from　the　sap　of　one　thousand　trees。

On　Monday；　July　20th；　we　rowed　southward。　Our　route　now　skirted　the　western　shore　of　Lake　Champlain；　which　is　the　eastern　boundary　of　the　great　Adirondack　wilderness。　　Several　of　the　tributaries　of　the　lake　take　their　rise　in　this　region；　which　is　being　more　and　more　visited　by　the　hunter；　the　fisherman；　the　artist；　and　the　tourist；　as　its　natural　attractions　are　becoming　known　to　the　public。　　The　geodetical　survey　of　the　northern　wilderness　of　New　York　state；　known　as　the　Adirondack　country；　under　the　efficient　and　energetic　labors　of　Mr。　Verplanck　Colvin；　will　cover　an　area　of　nearly　five　　thousand　square　miles。　　In　his　report　of　the　great　work　he　eloquently　says：

〃The　Adirondack　wilderness　may　be　　considered　the　wonder　and　the　glory　of　New　York。　It　is　a　vast　natural　park；　one　immense　and　silent　forest；　curiously　and　beautifully　broken　by　the　gleaming　waters　of　a　myriad　of　lakes；　between　which　rugged　mountain…ranges　rise　as　a　sea　of　granite　billows。　　At　the　northeast　the　mountains　culminate　within　an　area　of　some　hundreds　of　square　miles；　and　here　savage；　　treeless　peaks；　towering　above　the　timber　line；　crowd　one　another；　and；　standing　gloomily　shoulder　to　shoulder；　rear　their　rocky　crests　amid　the　frosty　clouds。　　The　wild　beasts　may　look　forth　from　the　ledges　on　the　mountain…sides　over　unbroken　woodlands　stretching　beyond　the　reach　of　sight　　beyond　the　blue；　hazy　ridges　at　the　horizon。　The　voyager　by　the　canoe　beholds　lakes　in　which　these　mountains　and　wild　forests　are　reflected　like　inverted　reality；　now　wondrous　in　their　dark　grandeur　and　solemnity；　now　glorious　in　resplendent　autumn　color　of　pearly　beauty。　　Here　　thrilling　sound　to　huntsman　　echoes　the　wild　melody　of　the　hound；　　awakening　the　solitude　with　deep…mouthed　bay　as　he　pursues　the　swift　career　of　deer。　The　quavering　note　of　the　loon　on　the　lake；　the　mournful　hoot　of　the　owl　at　night；　with　rarer　forest　voices　have　also　to　the　lover　of　nature　their　peculiar　charm；　and　form　the　wild　language　of　this　forest。

〃It　is　this　region　of　lakes　and　mountains　　whose　mountain　core　is　well　shown　by　the　　illustration；　'the　heart　of　the　Adirondacks'　　that　our　citizens　desire　to　reserve　forever　as　a　public　forest　park；　not　only　as　a　resort　of　rest　for　　themselves　and　for　posterity；　but　for　weighty　reasons　of　political　economy。　For　reservoirs　of　water　for　the　canals　and　rivers；　for　the　amelioration　of　spring　floods　by　the　preservation　of　the　forests　　sheltering　the　deep　winter　snows；　for　the　salvation　of　the　timber；　　our　only　cheap　source　of　lumber　supply　should　the　Canadian　and　western　markets　be　ruined　by　fires；　or　otherwise　lost　to　us；　　its　preservation　as　a　state　forest　is　urgently　　demanded。　To　the　number　of　those　chilly　peaks　amid　which　our　principal　rivers　take　their　rise；　I　have　added　by　measurement　a　dozen　or　more　over　four　thousand　feet　in　height；　which　were　before　either　nameless；　or　only　vaguely　known　by　the　names　given　them　by　hunters　and　trappers。

〃It　is　well　to　note　that　the　final　hypsometrical　computations　fully　affirm　my　discovery　that　in　Mount　Haystack　we　have　another　mountain　of　five　thousand　feet　altitude。　　It　may　not　be　　uninteresting　also　to　remark　that　the　difference　　between　the　altitudes　of　Mount　Marcy　and　Mount　Washington　of　the　White　Mountains　of　New　Hampshire　is　found　to　be　quite　eight　hundred　feet。　　Mount　Marcy；　Mount　MacIntyre；　and　Mount　Haystack　are　to　be　remembered　as　the　three　royal　summits　of　the　state。

〃The　four　prominent　peaks　are　　Mount　Marcy｛　Mount　Tahawus　　〃I　cleave　the　clouds；〃｝　5；402。65　Mount　Haystack；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　5；006。73　Mount　Maclntyre；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　5；201。80　Mount　Skylight；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　4；977。76。〃


If　the　general　reader　will　pardon　a　seeming　digression　to　gratify　the　curiosity　of　some　of　my　boating　friends；　I　will　give　from　the　report　of　the　Adirondack　Survey　Mr。　Colvin's　account　of　his　singular　boat；　　one　of　the　lightest　yet　constructed；　and　weighing　only　as　much　as