THROUGH THE LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA; EMBRACING A FULL DESCRIPTION OF THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE PRINCIPAL PLACES ON ITS BANKS, FROM ITS SOURCE TO ITS MOUTH: COMMERCE OF THE LAKES, ETC. FORMING ALTOGETHER A Complete Guide FOR THE PLEASURE TRAVELER AND EMIGRANT. With Maps and Embellishments. .^^^^ NEW YORK: PUBLISHED BY J. DISTURNELL, . 1857. ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by JOHN DISTURNELL, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. Stereotyped by V. DILL, PREFACE. In presenting to the public the present volume, entitled “A. TRIP THROUGH the Lakes of NORTH AMERICA," embracing a description of the St. Lawrence River, etc., the compiler wishes to return his sincere thanks for the liberal patronage and the many kind favors received from those who have doubly assisted him in his labors, by contributing reliable and useful information in regard to the many interesting localities in which the great Valley of the Lakes and the St. Lawrence aboundsaffording altogether many new and interesting facts of great importance to the Tourist who may wish to visit the Inland Seas of America, or the noble St. Lawrence, at any point from its source to its mouth-the tour being one of the most healthy, picturesque, and wonderful on the face of the globe, when viewed, as a whole, from the Lake of the Woods to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In the arrangement and compilation of this work every attempt has been made to render the information it contains concise and truthful-taking up popular lines of travel as they now exist, and faithfully describing places and objects of interest as they occur on the route. We thus start from Niagara Falls, or Toronto, situated on Lake Ontario, and describe in succession Lake Simcoe, the Georgian Bay and North Channel, arriving at Saut Ste Marie, the gateway of the Lake Superior country. Here, among the Mineral Regions, may be found objects of interest sufficient to induce the intelligent traveler to spend some weeks or months; and if, added to this, should be included a Trip to the Upper Mississippi Valley, an entire season could be profitably employed. Lake Superior, the Ultima Thule of many travelers, can now be easily reached by lines of steamers starting from Chicago, and running through Lake Michigan and the Straits of Mackinac; also, from Buffalo, Cleveland, and Detroit, passing through Lakes St. Clair and Huron to the St. Mary's River. All these routes are fully described, in connection with the Collingwood route, affording altogether ample and cheap opportunities to visit every portion of the Upper Lakes and their adjacent shores. Lakes Erie, Ontario, and Champlain, and the St. Lawrence River, with its principal tributaries, are also faithfully described, together with the Rapids, Falls, Islands, and objects of interest along their shores-including the Steamboat Routes, with a description of the various Cities, Villages, and principal Landings from Lake Superior to the mouth of the St. Lawrence, or its entrance into the Gulf-thus forming a complete TRAVELER'S GUIDE for the seekers of health or pleasure, as well as for the emigrant or man of business. The great changes and improvements constantly going on in the United States and Canada render this kind of compilation both laborious and expensive; therefore the productions of original authors ought to be protected by public opinion and favor, as well as by the laws of the land; but the latter, unfortunately, are often found insufficient. In the compilation of a number of the Guide Books and geographical works now before the American public, many bearing the names of publishers, instead of the authors, great injustice has been done to the faithful compiler, or author, by trespassing upon their copyrights. A noted instance of this sort occurred a few years since, in the publication of an "AMERICAN GUIDE BOOK, or Appleton's Hand-Book through the United States." This work was an acknowledged infringement of the " PICTURESQUE TOURIST," edited by O. L. Holley, Esq., and issued, in 1844, by the present compiler. Since the above period two or three similar works have been issued, with the names of the publishers conspicuously attached to the title, although edited, or compiled, by persons of doubtful authority, and almost entirely unknown to the public. NEW YORK, May, 1857. J. D |