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A FEW HISTORICAL FACTS AND THE CANALS The St. Lawrence river was discovered by the explorer Aubert in 1508. The French explorer Jacques Cartier ascended the St. Law- rence river as far as the Indian village of Hochelaga (now Montreal) in 1534. Lake Huron was the first of the Great Lakes to be discovered. In 1615 the French explorers LeCaron and Champlain both discovered Lake Huron but in separate parties. Both explorers came up the St. Lawrence as far as Montreal and then up the Ottawa river. They then took different routes across the country to Georgian Bay and into Lake Huron. The exploring parties met in the Lake Huron region and joined forces. Lake Ontario was discovered the same year on the return trip. Lake Erie was the last of the lakes to be discovered. Joliet dis- covered Lake Erie in 1669. Lake Superior was discovered in 1629 by the French explorer Brule. Lake Michigan was discovered in 1634 by the French explorer Nicolet. The first recorded passage of the Detroit river by white men was in 1670 by two French priests. The first white man to see the Niagara Falls is supposed to have been the explorer Brule. The French explorer La Salle built the first vessel on the Great Lakes in 1679. This little vessel, the "Griffon," is described on another page. The first American vessel to be built on the Great Lakes was the "Washington," built at Erie (then Presque Isle) in 1797. In 1812 a vessel called the "Fur Trader" was built on Lake Superior and after being used in the fur business for a while she was run over the rapids at the Soo in the attempt to get her to the lower lakes. But she was almost completely wrecked in the attempt. An- other little vessel, the "Mink," was run over the rapids in 1817 and sustained but little damage. A 96-ton brig was built for service on Lake Erie in 1814, but was soon laid up as being too big to successfully do business on the Lakes. The first steamer built on the Great Lakes was the "Ontario" built at Sacketts Harbor in 1816. She was a vessel of 232 tons. The Canadian steamer "Frontenac" was built during the same year. But the first steamer built on Lake Erie, for up-lake service, was the "Walk-in-the-Water," built at Buffalo in 1818. This steamer is de- scribed on another page. In 1826 the first steamer sailed on Lake Michigan. Regular passenger service was established to Chicago in 1830. In 1836 the first shipment came into Buffalo when the brig "John Kenzie" brought in 3,000 bushels of wheat. The first steamers from Buffalo ventured only as far as Detroit. The first locomotive used in Chicago was carried there in a sail vessel in 1837. The first grain elevator was built at Buffalo in 1842. The first steamer to use propellers instead of paddle wheels was the "Vandalia," built at Oswego in 1841. The first steamer on Lake Superior was the "Independence" in 1845. The "Independence" came from Chicago and was portaged around the Soo rapids. THE FIRST SHIP ON THE GREAT LAKES The first known ship to navigate the Great Lakes was the "Griffon," a little vessel of about sixty tons, built in 1679 by the French explorer La Salle. This ship was launched into the Niagara river about the present site of the village of La Salle. On August 7, 1679, the "Griffon," loaded with supplies for a long trip of explora- tion, sailed up the lakes. Very little is recorded of the trip, but the supposition is that the north shore of Lake Erie was followed until the entrance to the Detroit river was found, and on Lake Huron the west shore was followed to the Straits of Mackinac. Early in Sep- tember the little ship had reached Green Bay. Here La Salle loaded her with furs that he purchased from the Indians, and ordered his captain to take her back to Lake Erie. La Salle did not accompany the ship but with part of his men he started overland on his trip of ex- ploration. The "Griffon" was never heard from afterwards, no doubt having foundered in a gale with her entire crew. THE FIRST STEAMER ON THE GREAT LAKES The steamer "Walk-in-the-Water," built in Buffalo in 1818, is generally spoken of as the first steamer to sail the Great Lakes, but, 236 --. as a matter of fact, two steamers were built on Lake Ontario in 1816 These were the Canadian steamer "Frontenac" and the American steamer "Ontario." But these boats were not looked upon as the first Great Lakes steamers because their operations were confined to Lake Ontario. The "Walk-in-the-Water" measured 338 tons. The owners of this great steamboat thought none of the lake men would be cap- able of handling her and brought a master from the North river. This master promptly resigned his position after encountering one of Lake Erie's vicious sou'westers. A lake sailor was then placed in command. The "Walk-in-the-Water" was driven ashore in a gale on Lake Erie in 1821. Her engines were saved and placed into the steamer "Superior" in 1822. THE GREAT LAKES Total area of water surface--over 90,000 square miles, Over 5,000 miles of coast. Combined area of Great Lakes exceeds the area of England, Wales and Scotland. The United States lighthouse board places in position at the opening of navigation each spring spar buoys and can buoys. The United States Weather Bureau displays storm signals at principal ports on the Great Lakes. The Canadians display storm signals also. Total length of the Great Lakes system--from the mouth of the St. Lawrence river to Duluth--2,384 miles. From the east end of Lake Ontario to the west end of Lake Superior--1,150 miles. From the east end of Lake Ontario to Chicago--1,050 miles. Quebec to Duluth--1,560 miles; Quebec to Chicago--1,465 miles; Montreal to Duluth--1,400 miles; Montreal to Chicago--1,305 miles; Buffalo to Duluth--_980 miles; Buffalo to Chicago--890 miles. LAK SUPERIOR Largest expanse of fresh water in the world. The water of Lake Superior is chemically pure. Area 31,820 square miles; 1,500 miles coast. Greatest length, 350 miles; greatest breadth, 160 miles; great- est depth, 1,290 feet; 602 feet above the sea; about 22 feet above Lake Huron. LAKE HURON Area 23,010 square miles; 800 miles of coast; greatest length, 220 miles; greatest breadth, 100 miles; greatest depth, 750 feet; 580 feet above the sea; 9 feet above Lake Erie. LAKE MICHIGAN Area 22,400 square miles; 1,200 miles of coast; greatest length 307 miles; greatest breadth, 118 miles; greatest depth, 923 feet; 580 feet above the sea; 326 feet above Lake Ontario. LAKE ERIE Area 9,940 square miles; 650 miles of coast; greatest length, 240 miles; greatest breadth 57 miles; greatest depth, 210 feet; 572 feet above the sea; 326 feet above Lake Ontario. LAKE ONTARIO Smallest of the five Great Lakes; area, 7,540 square miles; nearly 500 miles of coast; greatest length, 193 miles; greatest breadth, 55 miles; greatest depth, 778 feet; 246 feet above the sea LAKE ST. CLAIR Area 460 square miles; 100 miles of coast; greatest length, 26 miles; greatest breadth, 24 miles; depth, 24 feet; 576 feet above the sea; 3 feet above Lake Erie; 6 feet below Lake Huron. Previous to 1858 the channel entering Lake St. Clair was only 914 feet deep. By 1871 it had been deepened to 18 feet, and by 1874 there was a channel 16 feet deep. It remained at this depth until 1887 when the work of deepening began again and it was completed to a depth of 21 feet. ST. MARY'S RIVER Length, from Point Detour to Point Iroquois, 65 miles; length. from Point Detour to canal, 50 miles; length, from canal to Point