of the Niagara river. All became then comparatively tranquil; she
moored, and the old Niagara, for that was her name, became steady and at
rest. Soon the cooks, stewards, and waiters, were at work, and dinner,
tea, and supper, in one meal, gladdened our hearts. The greatest eater,
the greatest drinker, and the most confident of us all, was our old
friend and companion of the voyage, "the Trough of the Say," as he was
ever after called.

Such is tranquil Ontario. I remember a man-of-war, called the Bullfrog,
being once very nearly lost in the voyage I have been describing; and
never a November passes without several schooners being lost or wrecked
upon Lakes Huron, Erie, and Ontario; whilst the largest American
steamers on Erie sometimes suffer the same fate. Whenever Superior is
much navigated, it will be worse, as the seasons are shorter and more
severe there, and the shores iron-bound and mountainous.

Through the Welland Canal there is now a continuous navigation of those
lakes for 844 miles; and the St. Lawrence Canal being completed, and the
La Chine Locks enlarged at Montreal, there will be a continuous line of
shipping from London to the extremity of Lake Superior, embracing an
inland voyage on fresh water of upwards of two thousand miles. Very
little is required to accomplish an end so desirable.

It has been estimated by the Topographical Board of Washington, that
during 1843 the value of the capital of the United States afloat on the
four lakes was sixty-five millions of dollars, or about sixteen
millions, two hundred thousand pounds sterling; and this did not of
course include the British Canadian capital, an idea of which may be
formed from the confident assertion that the Lakes have a greater
tonnage entering the Canadian ports than that of the whole commerce of
Britain with her North American colonies. This is, however, _un peu
fort_. It is now not at all uncommon to see three-masted vessels on Lake
Ontario; and one alone, in November last, brought to Kingston a freight
of flour which before would have required three of the ordinary
schooners to carry, namely, 1500 barrels.

A vessel is also now at Toronto, which is going to try the experiment of
sailing from that port to the West Indies and back again; and, as she
has been properly constructed to pass the canals, there is no doubt of
her success.

Some idea of the immense exertions made by the government to render the
Welland Canal available may be