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 ^ '^ 
 
 
 REPORT 
 
 ON THE 
 
 GEOLOGY OF MANITOUffl ISUND, 
 
 BT 
 
 ROBERT BELL, C. E., F. G. S., F. C. S., 
 
 rUOFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY AND NATURAL 1IISH)RY IN QUEEN's 
 UNIVERSITY, KINGSTON, CANADA. 
 
 ADDRESSED TO SIR W. E. LOGAN, PROVINCIAL GEOLOGIST. 
 
 EXTRACTED FROM THE REPORT OF PROGRESS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 
 
 OF CANADA FOR 1863-66. 
 
 PROPERTY OF LIBRARY 
 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA 
 601 Booth St., Ottawa 
 LENT TO 
 
 PLEASE RETURN 
 
 DATE 
 
 OTTAWAi 
 
 PRINTED BY G. E. DESBAR*ATS. 
 
 •-'^•••r 
 
 1867. 
 

REPORT 
 
 OF 
 
 MR. ROBERT BELL, 
 
 ADDRESSED TO 
 
 SIR W. E. LOGAN, F. R. S., F. G. S., 
 
 DIRECTOR or THE UEOLOUICAI. SURVEY. 
 
 Sir,— 
 
 In the month of April, 18G5, I had the honor to receive your in- 
 structions fron?. London, directing me to visit tfie Manitoulin Islands, 
 which had already been geologically examined by Mr. Murray, in 
 1847, and described in his Report for that year, pages 99-106 ; the 
 object of my visit being to trace out, with greater detail the various 
 rock formations of the group. Being directed to do carefuliy, 
 -whatever was done, I found it impossible to go over more than the 
 Grand Manitoulin Island, and the smaller islands immediately adja- 
 cent, so that the following report has reference to these alone. 
 
 Geographical Description. 
 
 The Grand Manitoulin Island is the largest of the Manitoulin Oioei;,ii.y. 
 group, in the northern part of Lake Huron. It is eighty-five miles 
 long, from east to west, and thirty miles broad in the middle, and 
 contains fifteen or sixteen hundred square miles — equal to about one 
 million of acres. A striking feature in the geography of the island 
 is the numerous deep bays indenting its outline, chiefly on the 
 northern side, and the comparatively large lakes which are scattered 
 through the interior. Both of these have been caused by slight 
 transverse undulations of the strata, aflbrding facilities for the cutting 
 out of the depressions by glacial denudation. The most eastern of 
 these anticlinals runs from Wequamekongsing Bay, on the cast end of 
 1 
 
2 
 
 Ii»kp»nn(l 
 Uay«. 
 
 the island, through South IJay. Thv next passes through Wequa- 
 mnkong Bay, and the enlargement at the head of Manitowaning Bay. 
 This latter hay is not far from twenty miles long, and its main body, 
 together with the eastern expanse of Lake Manitou, lies upon a third 
 anticlinal. Lake Manitou, which is in the centre of the broadest part 
 of the island, is the largest of the lakes. It measures eleven miles 
 In length, from east to west, and although quite narrow in the middle, 
 is, near each end, about seven miles broad from north to south, the 
 western expanse, like the eastern, corresponding with one of the 
 transverse anticlinals. Close to the west of this lake is another, 
 called Lake Mindemooya, six miles long from north to south, and 
 three miles wide. It lies upon a continuation of the anticlinal 
 running down llonora Bay. Still farther west is I^ake Kagawong, 
 very much resembling Lake Manitou in outline, and having its 
 features similarly disposed with regard to direction, each of the broad 
 portions, as in the case of Lake Manitou, lying upon a north and 
 south anticlinal. A little more than half way from its east end, 
 the island is cut almost in two by Lake Wolsey, which has the same 
 level as Lake Huron, and communicates with it by an outlet a 
 quarter of a mile wide. In size, form and direction, this lake is 
 almost a counterpart of Lake Mindemooya, while Lakes Manitou 
 and Kagawong may each be considered as the doubles of these. In 
 this way we have six inland sheets of water, in precisely the same 
 geological situation, each one being due to a slight north and south 
 anticlinal running through its centre. In addition to this chain of 
 lakes, Gore Bay, Helen Bay, and a smaller one between it and Lake 
 Wolsey, Elizabeth Bay, the western part of Bayfield Sound, and 
 Cemetery and Mildrum Bays in the western |)ortion of the island, 
 occupy the same geological position with regard to these lakes, and 
 to one anotiier, and have all been produced by the same geological 
 causes. The anticlinals thus indicated are fifteen in number. The 
 regularity in the arrangement of the lakes and bays is very striking, 
 as will be perceived by an inspection of the accompanying map. 
 While the shore-lines to the northward, are thus indented, those which, 
 look southward are very uniform, and nearly straight in their general 
 outline. A good example of this is seen in the whole south coast of 
 the island, which has no bays corresponding with those on the north 
 side ; what is called South Bay being rather a lake, fourteen milts 
 long, and having an outlet only about two hundred yards broad. For 
 the same geological reasons, the southern shores of Barrie and La 
 Cloche Islands, and the northern sides of Lakes Manitou and Ka- 
 gawong, are nearly straight. 
 
 In addition to the lakes already mentioned, smaller ones, varying 
 from a quarter of a mile to four miles in length, are very numerous. 
 
3 
 
 The lakes are generally studded with picturestjiic islands, and from 
 the larger ones, streams of eonslderable size How into Lake Huron. 
 The rivulets whieli enter the three larger lakes are (juite insignificant 
 in size, and few in number, yet the River Manitou, whieh flows from 
 ilie south-eastern extremity of the lake of tiie same name, into ■"^'rewm". 
 Michael Bay on the south side of the island, is from fifty to one 
 liundred feet broad, and has a swift current. It is said to be navi- 
 ;;;able for canoes, with the exception of a fall of about eight feet near 
 Michael fiay. The MinUemooya River, rurining from Lake Minde- 
 mooya to Providence Bay on the south side, and the Kagawong 
 Kiver, flowing from Lake Kagawong into Mudge Bay on the north 
 side of the island, are each nearly equal in size to the Manitou River. 
 The Mindimooya is navigable for canoes throughout, l)ut the Kaga- 
 wong is interrupted near its mouth, by falls, equal in all to about sixty 
 foct, above which it is navigable to the lake. Each of these rivers 
 i,s capable of driving a number of mills. Streams large enough to 
 be available for milling purposes also occur at the following places : 
 VV^equemakong ; on the north-west side of South Bay, one at five and 
 one at eleven miles from the head ; on the west side of Manitowan- 
 ing Bay, six miles from the head ; at thu head of She-gua-an-dah 
 Bay ; at the head of West (or Ilonora) Bay ; at the west end of Bay- 
 Held Sound ; and at the head of Cemetery Bay. Some of the other 
 streams represented upon the map, might also be found available 
 (luring the greater part of the year. 
 
 No mountains, properly speaking, occur on the Manitoulin Island. 
 T!ie geological structure being similar to that of the western penin- 
 sula of Upper Canada, the island presents a series of even plateaux, 
 having their abrupt edges Aicing to the northward. The surface of 
 each, beginning at the north, slopes gently southward with the dip of 
 the strata, till it meets the escarpment of the next higher, the last one 
 dipping under the waters of Lake Huron. 
 
 Soil. — Only some portions of the island are covered with soil fit Soil. 
 for cultivation — much of the surface being either greatly encumbered 
 with boulders, or consisting of almost bare flat rocks. The distribu- 
 tion of the soil was found to be dependent on that of the geological 
 formations, .so that knowing the geology of the island, the extent 
 and distribution of its soil are also known. The island is alrao.st 
 equally divided longitudinally, by the conspicuous escarpment of 
 the Niagara formation, which faces northward, and runs in a zig-zag 
 course from one end to the other. In a general way, this escarpment 
 forms the grand dividing line, in regard to the quality of the land, the 
 good .soil lying mostly to the north of it, while the rocky land occu- 
 pies the area to the south. There are numerous exceptions to this 
 I* 
 
Tree». 
 
 Climate. 
 
 Ag:riculture. 
 
 genoral nile, on both side? of the lino, which thus divides the island, 
 as it were, into halves. In the northern half, the boulders which 
 have been transported from the eountry on the north shore of Lake 
 Hnron, will constitute in some places a serious obstacle to agricul- 
 ture, and in other placep the solid rock comes almost to the surface. 
 On the other hand, considerable tracts of good soil are to be found in 
 the southern half, and even on this side of the island, except in the 
 worst portions, a shallow soil covers the Hat rocks, affording land 
 suitable for pasturage. 
 
 Trees. — The trees of Manitoulin Island are hard and soft maple, 
 elm, bass-wood, white and yellow birch, iron-wood, white and red 
 oak, beech, white and black ash, poplar, aspen, mountain ash, plum, 
 cherry, balsam-fir, red and white pine, nspruce, hemlock and wliite 
 cedar. Althougli the number of species is thus very considerable, the 
 more valuable. k."nds, such as oak, elm, and pine are not in suflicient 
 quantities to render the island of importance as a lumbering region. 
 The pine and other kinds of coniferous trees, which are very gcsneraily 
 scjittered over the island, will be found of great value to the settlers 
 for the purposes of construction. Hard maple is the prevailing tim- 
 ber, more particularly in the northern parts of the island, and every 
 spring, large quantities of sugar are manufactured from its sap by the 
 Indians. 
 
 Climate and Productions. — The climate of the Manitoulin Island 
 is said, by those who have lived many years upon it, to t)e in 
 most respects similar to that of ihe western peninsula of Canada. This 
 would also be infi^rred I'rom the vegetation of the island. Although 
 lying to the northward of the western peninsula it has the advantages 
 of being surrounded by the waters of Lake Huron, and of being 
 sheltered by the Iluronian hills to the northward. The spring ap- 
 pears to be quite as early as at Toronto, and the fall no earlier than 
 there. The heat of suinmi>r is tempered by breezes from the sur- 
 rounding lake, and the sheets of water so thickly scattered in the in- 
 terior also exert a modifying influence. 
 
 The island having hitherto been in the hands of the Indians, no 
 extensive agricultural operations have been carried on, but at the 
 settlements of Wequemakong and Manitowaning, established more 
 than twenty years ago, sufiicient experience has been gained by 
 v/hite men, in addition to that of the Indians, to prove the climate 
 very well suited for growing all the usual crops of the other parts of 
 western Canada. Both fall and spring wheat have been success- 
 fully raised, as well as all the coarser grains. Maize is grown in 
 considerable quantities by the Indians. Potatoes succeed well, both 
 wuth regard to size, quantity and quality, and the potatoe disease has 
 
so lir boon unknown upon tlio Ulund, Timothy and clover i?ro\v 
 luxuriantly, and p'-an art? an abundant crop ; we observed 
 them fully ripe al the end of Jime. In the gardens at Manito- 
 waning, excellent cucumbers, umsk-nielons and water-ntelons are 
 grown in the open air. The melons are said never to fail to ript'U 
 in good time. In these gardens, tomatoes in large quantities, were 
 rip > in August and September, and a few apple trees were laden 
 with fruit. Plums and cherries also succeed well. 
 
 General 7?c«iar/.-.v.— The government iiaving just thrown open fi.r 
 sPUlonicnt, the recently surveyed lands on Manitoulin, and but little 
 bein<' irenerallv known regarding this island, the following observa- 
 tions may be found useful at the present time. In 18.%, Sirl-rancis 
 Bond Head, then the governor of Upper Canada, set this large 
 island apart, as a place to which all Indians uiight resort when they 
 had disposed of their lands in other parts of the province. It was 
 believed that in this way the Indians might be got together in con- 
 sidcrable numbers, and the government attempted, by means of 
 instructors, to teach them agriculture and various trades. But the 
 Indians, failing to carry out this scheme, an agreement was eflected 
 with them by the Hon. Mr. McDougall, in 18G2, by which the island, 
 with the exception of the portion lying to the east of the isthmus 
 separating Manilowaning and South Bays, could be made nv.iilabhr 
 for the use of white men. After a preliminary exploration, six 
 townships have l)een surveyed, which are now thrown open for 
 settlement. The soil of most of the lots in these townships appears Seiiiemeiif. 
 to be well suited for farming jiurposes, and the timber upon them 
 will not be difficult to clear. Every part of the island is easily 
 accessible from some point upon the shore, and the interior lakes 
 . will probably be found of advantage for the purposes of transporta- 
 tion. Several leading roads have been laid down in the original 
 surveys, and these are to be constructed out of the funds to be 
 realized from the sale of the lands. The good land of the island 
 derives an additional value from the fact that its agricultural produc- 
 tions will probably be required to supply mines on the north 
 shore of Lake Huron. The poorer lands may be very profitably 
 employed for sheep-farming. The facility with which they may be 
 cleared of their timber, and their suitableness for this purpose, have 
 been demonstrated at Manitowaning, where between two and three 
 thousand acres are under grass. The valuable fisheries around the 
 island will prove of advantage during its first settlement. Large Fisiierits. 
 quantities, especially of white-fish and salmon-trout, are sent to 
 market every year by the Indians, who are very skilful in the 
 manufacture of nets and barrels. The interior lakes also abound in 
 
6 
 
 wliitc-fisli, salmon-trout, iVfsli-walcr liorrini,', black hiiss, prrcli, 
 pickerel, pik<', (lo^-fisll and speckled trout, and several of tlieni are 
 much resorted to for Hsliing by IIm; Indians. Hears and earibou are 
 the principal (inadrnpeds of the islands. TIk; beaver has been com- 
 pletely (exterminated. Ducks are plentiful durinj^ *!.. ir spring and 
 fall migrations, but very few of them remain all summer. liotli 
 the spotted and ruH'ed grouse, or common partridge, are met with, 
 the latter in some abundance. The economic minerals of the island 
 will be described further on. Should the petroleum be found U> 
 exist in large cpianlities, it will prove a great stimulus to the rapid 
 development of the resources of the island. 
 
 Geological Description. 
 
 (Jeoiogy. The general geological features of the Manitoulin Islands as 
 
 determined by Mr. Murray, will be found in the (Geology of Canada, 
 piges 194, 216, 320 and 333. As there slu)\vn, the rocks of the 
 island, with the exception of a few ridges of Iluronian <juart/itc 
 at the head of She-gua-an-dah Bay, consist of unaltered and 
 nearly horizontal strata of Lower and Middle Silurian age, Tlic 
 general dip is to the southward, with slight variations to the 
 cast and west of south at each of the fifteen low anticlinals already 
 referred to, which traverse the island in a general course a little 
 to the west of south. The positions of these anticlinals have been 
 mentioned as corresponding with those of the larger interior lakes, 
 and the bays along the north shore. At the west end of the island, 
 their direction is more nearly north and south than at the eastern 
 end, the variation to the westward of south increasing constantly 
 in proceeding towards this end. The channels separating Manitoulin 
 from Cockburn Island, on the west, and from Horse Island, on 
 the east, are caused by similar anticlinals, which also partake of 
 the direction of those nearest to then.. 
 
 Ckazy Formation. — The chazy formation is represented by red 
 marls, inter.stralified with bluish-drab bands of the same, and a few 
 layers of fine qnartzose sandstone, in the northern part of La Cloche 
 Island. 
 
 Trout in croup. Trenton Group. — The greater part of La Cloche Island, and 
 of the other principal islands between the north shore of Lake 
 Huron and the Manitoulin Island, consist of dolomites and thin 
 bedded light grey and somewhat argillaceous limestones, of the 
 Trenton group. The upper portion of this group, of a somewhat 
 more massive character, occurs on Manitoulin, forming the northern 
 part of the peninsula between Wequemakong and Manitowaning 
 Bays, and skirting the northern extremity of the island for six miles 
 from Little Current to West Bay. In the former area there may be 
 
 Ciiiizy forma- 
 tion. 
 
7 
 
 :ihout t'iglity, ami in the latter forty feet of strata helon^ing to thi)* 
 group, counting from the hjwest bed whicli eoincs to th(^ hrvel of 
 Lake Huron. 
 
 Utira Formation. — This is tlienext in aseending order, and forms nida forir.n- 
 tlie northern part of Cape Smyth, a belt about a mile broad, running ''°"" 
 southwestward across the peninsula between Wetjuemakong and 
 IManitowanini,' Bays, part of IIeyvv(K)d or Rat Island, the whole 
 of Strawberry Island, and a strip sweeping round from the head of 
 She-gua-an-dah Hay to West Bay. It occurs again on the southern 
 part of Clapperton Island, and on lh(« smaller islands adjacent to it, 
 and proljably also at Maple Point, on the opposite side of Clapperton 
 Channel. The total thickness of this formation on Maniloulin 
 Island is probably about sixty feet. It consists entirely of massive 
 black bituminous shale, weathering to a very light drab color. 
 
 Hudson River Formation. — Above th<' Utica succeedsi the Mud- Hud-on Rver 
 son River formation, consistmg ol sr.it marly bluish drab colored 
 shales, interstratificd with numen • beds of fine ^rained grey saml- 
 ^tone, and grey fossilliferous limestone, all capped by about thirty 
 feet of dark grey limestone, holding >itroinatopora concentric i and 
 Beatricea undulala. 
 
 The fact of this formation diminishing In volume as it nins west- 
 ward is referred to in your General Report of 1863. !ts thickness at 
 Cape Rich, on the southwest side of the Georgian Bay, is then- given 
 as 500 feet. At Cape Smyth yon give the thickness as 300 feet, and 
 the explorations of last summer tended to confirm the correctness (^1" 
 this estimate. To the south of She-gua-an-tiah Bay, and of Little 
 Current, the thickness appears to be about 250 feet, and at Maple 
 Point 220 feet. About 145 feet are exposed on Barrie Island, and 
 137 at Cape Robert, but the base of the formation being under the 
 level of Lake Huron at both of these localities, the figures mentioned 
 do not give its total thickness. The following is a descending sec- Setion. 
 tion of the cliff on the west side of Cape Robert : 
 
 Bi'own-woathorin;!. dral) and Muisli ^rrr'V argilloaronacoous liinos- 
 tono — mostly thin-Vjoddcil, or uIk'u tliic^kcr, brcakin.ijr away 
 in invgular liini)>s. Tliis band forms ilic ixTpcndunilar 
 and overhanging portion of tlio (ditt',land is liorc, and clso- 
 wlipro on tlie island, clmractori/.od \>y a largu concentric; eoral 
 
 (Stromaiopora coiicentrica) 17 
 
 (.'rumbling calcaroo-are.v.ceous shale of a bluish (hub color 10 
 
 TIar<l grey calearoous bcxls, intorstrntifiod with bliii-;h grey shale. . .') 
 
 Bluish groy clayey shale 'J't 
 
 Hard grey calcareous beds 2 
 
 Bluish grey arenaceous crumbling marl 30 
 
 87 ft. 
 
FoS'iiu*. 
 
 The remaining fifty feet below this, consisted, wherever exposed, of 
 marls or clays Mkc the last, interstratified occasionally with a thin 
 bed of harder rock. Probably a few feet of hard rock, like the first, 
 intervene between the lop oftheclift'and the summitof the formation. 
 
 Fossils, mostly well preserved, are more abundant in the marls or 
 shales and limestones of the Hudson River formation at Cape 
 Smyth than at any other known locality of this formation in Upper 
 Canada. The following species collected there are enumerated in 
 the General Report of the Survey, (page 218.) Tetrudium jihralum, 
 Stcnopor a fibrosa, Favistclta stcUata, undetermined species of Petraia 
 and Stroniatoporay Leptana sericea^ Slrcphomena altcrnata^ S. fili- 
 texta, Orthis Ij/nx, O. occUhntallis, O. insculpta, Rhynthonella mo- 
 dcsta, R. recur cirustra^ Modiolopsis modiolaris^ Avicula demissa, un- 
 determined species of Orthonota and Cyrtodoula, Pleurotomaria 
 Americana, P. Helena, Cyclnnema vilix, an undetermined Murchi- 
 sonia, Orlhuceras bilineahim, O. crebriseptum, and an undetermined 
 Asaph us. 
 
 On the east .side of Metch-ke-wed-enong village, at the head of West 
 Bay, the following species, as determined by Mr. Billings, were col- 
 lected in grey, somewhat arenaceous limestone, belonging to the 
 upper part of the Hudson River formation : Sfenopora fibrosa, Fe- 
 nistella slellata, Ileliolites interslinclu (Wahlenberg,) Strombodes 
 
 pentagonus, Zap/irentis bilaleralis, CyalhophyUum ? Tetra- 
 
 diuni jibralum (Satlord), Orthis occidentalis Hall), Orthis .^ 
 
 Rhynchonella modcsta (Say), Ambonychia radiata (Hall), Ctenodonta 
 
 ? Cyrlodonta '.' together with a small Alhyris, and a 
 
 cystidcan. 
 
 On the east side of llie same bay, and half a mile from M(;tch-kc- 
 wed-enong, were found Stenopora fibrosa, Favosites Golhlandica, 
 FavisteUa stellata, Zaphrentis bilateratis, Strophomena ptanumbrma, 
 
 S. rhomboidalis, Orthis lynx, Orthis 9 Rhy7ichcnclla modesta 
 
 and Atrijpa plano-convexa. 
 
 The fossils from the two localities last mentioned, belong partly to 
 the Hudson River, and partly to the Clinton formation, and the strata 
 in which they were found would, therefore, appear to constitute beds 
 of passage between the two formations. On the same side of West 
 Bay, and three miles from Melch-ke-wed-enong, the following were 
 
 collected : Stenopora fibrosa, FavisteUa ste/lata, Petraia 9 
 
 Rhynchonella rerurvirostra, R. capax, Orthis lynx, and O. occiden- 
 talis, with some undetermined species of Lamellibranchiata and 
 Gasteropoda. These arc all proper to the Hudson River forma- 
 tion, and the beds from which they were derived are situated near its 
 summit. 
 
 Fossils belonging to the same formation, some of which are 
 
9 
 
 siilicified, are plentiful in the arenaceous limestone forming the top 
 of a bank about forty feet high, at the south-eastern extremity of 
 Munitowaning Bay. Tlie&ic beds are not far from the summit of the 
 formation. They hold Slromatopora concenlrica and Beatricea undu- 
 lata, and probably constitute the same band in which these species 
 occur on Club and Rabbit Islands, and at the top of the cliffs at 
 Capo Smyth. The Hudson Kiver formation, near its northern 
 boundary, is everywhere marked, except at the heads of bays, by a 
 steep and elevated bank of the clayey strata, usually capped by the 
 limestone band. 
 
 On the south-west side of the Georgian Bay, a red marl, representing 
 the Medina formation, overlies the Hudson River formation, coming 
 between it and the Clinton formation. In proceeding northwaril 
 towards the Manitoulin Island, this marl is last seen at Cabot's 
 Head, and no trace of it has been found upon the island, where the 
 Clinton rests directly upon the Hudson River formation. 
 
 Clinton Fonnalion. — 'J'his consists of from \lb to 150 feet of 
 bufl- weathering purplish-grey magnesian limestone, surmounted by 
 a band of red marl, which may average twenty feet in thickness. 
 This limestone is generally thin-bedded, and holds silicified fossils. 
 The lower beds are characterized by the prevalence in them of the 
 heads of small cystideans about the size of peas. In some places 
 soft white nodules, similar to those found in the Clinton formation in 
 the county of Grey, are met with in considerable numbers. The 
 escarpments formed by the outcropping edges of these beds, have a 
 dentated or zig-zag outline, caused by the cleavage joints, which 
 divide the beds vertically into rectangular blocks. These cleavage 
 planes run almost due north and south, and east and west, and 
 from their constancy in regard to direction, are of service in assist- 
 ing to follow out the distribution of the formation. Near the north- 
 eastern extremity of South Bay, the following fossils were col- 
 lected, the species having been determined by Mr. Billings : Steno- 
 pora fibrosa^ Favosites Gothlandica^ Stromhodes gracilis, Slromato- 
 pora concenlrica y St lophomcna pecten, Orthis Davidsoni, and two 
 undetermined species, Atrypa plano-convexa, and a species of Ortho- 
 ceras. The cystidean already referred to, which has not been spe- 
 <;ifieally determined, occurs here in abundance. All of the fossils 
 are silicified. From this part of South Bay the base of the formation 
 sweeps round, with a northward curve, to the eastern shore of the 
 island. The formation occupies a considerable area on the north 
 side of South Bay, and round the southern part of Manitowanlng 
 Bay, forming tlic cliffs to the west and south of the village of the 
 same name. At the southern extremity of the bay the usually thin- 
 bedded character of the fonnation is interrupted by a massive 
 
 Mod, 
 
 t;on. 
 
 a 'i ni.n- 
 
 t uil. 
 
 ;i kM./a-i 
 
10 
 
 Hi\l 1113; i. 
 
 iiul jri. 
 
 section, forming the prominent part of the escarpment, known as 
 Gibraltar Rock. Continuing to the westward, these limestones form 
 the northern and north-western shores of Lake Manitou. Along 
 the latter they rise in a cliff, which in some places is upwards of 
 seventy feet high. They cap the cliff's on both sides of West and 
 Mudge Bays, form the northern shore of Lake Kagawong, and pro- 
 bably underlie the drift deposits at the north end of Lake Min- 
 demooya. Thoy are again seen along the northern side of Bay- 
 field Sound, and upon Hone Island, from which they cross Cape 
 Robert, and are once more exposed on the islands at the entrance of 
 Cemetery Bay. 
 
 The overlying red marl, already referred 1o as belonging to this 
 formation, probably corresponds with the iron ore band known to 
 exist in the Clinton further south. Although its thickness may not, 
 on ail average, exceed twenty feet, it appears to be very persistent 
 througliout the island, at the base of the succeeding limestone for- 
 mation. The red marl is mingled with bluish-grc^n layers and 
 patches, and iuterstratified with an occasional thin hard seam of 
 the same color. The finest soil of the island is found along the 
 outcrop of this marly band, and numerous Indian gardens are situated 
 upon it. 
 
 Niagara Formation. — The higher limestone mentioned above, is 
 referred to the Niagara formation, although some of the silicified 
 fossils which abound in its lower beds are common to the Clinton. 
 These fossiliferous beds generally form the lower part of the cliff 
 which marks the geographical base of the Niagara formation, and as 
 there is no means of drawing a line between them and tiie undoubted 
 Niagara strata ; they are, for convenience, classified with these, in 
 the same way as are a few similar beds, which occur in a like posi- 
 tion on the mainland, to the southward. By a reference to your 
 General Report of 18G3, it appears that the Niagara formation 
 gradually increases in thickness in proceeding northward, from about 
 100 feet, where it leaves Lake Ontario, to 160 where it strikes the 
 Georgian Bay, and to 200 or 250 on the west side of Colpoy's Bay. 
 It is also shown to continue increasing in volume as it follows the 
 Indian Peninsula to Cabot's Head. It runs through the whole length 
 of Manitoulin Island, occupying the southern half, with the exception 
 of some patches of the overlying Giielph formation, which will bo 
 described further on. Its average breadth is nine miles, which, with 
 a dip of forty feet in a mile, would give 360 feet as the thickness of 
 the formation. At fifty feet in a mile it would be 450 feel. The 
 mean of these is 405 feet, which is probably not far from the actual 
 thickness. 
 
 The northern boundary of the formation, rendered conspicuous by 
 
11 
 
 a limestone clifT varying from 20 to 200 feet in height, has the fol- Niaeara for- 
 lowing course : After crossing the peninsula between the cast end 
 of the island and South Bay, it runs northward from Rocky Point on 
 tlie north-west side of the same bay, to the eastern extremity of 
 Lake Manitou, and thence follows its southern and western shores. 
 It then runs out in a long point between the west end of Lake Mani- 
 tou on the one side, and West Bay and Lake Mindemooya on the 
 other. Starting from the north-west corner of this lake it sweeps 
 round in another promontory to the north-east corner of Lake Ka- 
 gawong, and follows round its southern shore. From the west side 
 of Lake Kagawong it crosses to Lake Mudgee-manitou, and after 
 forming another promontory towards the north, runs southward to 
 Lake Wolsey, reaching its east shore about the middle, from which 
 point it continues round the southern part of the lake to the outlet. 
 From Lake Wolsey it follows the south shore of Bayfield Sound to 
 She-she-qua-ning, where it strikes across Cape Robert, and continues 
 thence all along ihe shore to the western extremity of the island. 
 
 The upper beds of this formation, as well as the Guelph strata, 
 dip into Lake Huron at so small an angle, that they produce a low 
 shore, and shallow water all along the south side of the island. 
 The coast line is very much broken by shallow bays and straggling 
 points, rendering navigation somewhat dangerous. 
 
 The whole formation consists of thick-bedded and thin-bedded 
 limestones of various shades of light and dark grey. Wherever the 
 surface has been exposed to fire, by the burning of the timber, it 
 weathers white, but when not thus scorched it is generally dark- 
 colored or almost black, from the growth of small lichens upon it. 
 The high promontory of Niagara limestone between Lake Manitou 
 and West Bay suggested to the Indians the name, Metch-ke-wed- 
 enong or The High Hill, for their village at the head of the 
 bay. The following is jxn approximate descending section of the S«soiion. 
 escarpment overlooking the west side of Lake Manitou : 
 
 Feet. 
 
 Very massive liglit grey magnesian limestone. In some 
 places smooth walls, wliich liacl once formed the 
 sides of joints, extend, without a break, nearly from 
 top to bottom. No fossils are recognizable GO 
 
 Thin bedded-grey limestone, some iiortions holding silici- 
 
 fied corals 40 
 
 Limestone similar to the last, but often projecting in a 
 separate terrace below the other. A threci'eet bed, 
 near the centre, is full of silicitied corals 50 
 
 Ta 1 us .'^O 
 
 180 
 
 i^ 
 
12 
 
 I'oisiis. Mr. Billings has recognized the following among the fossils col- 
 
 lected in the forty feet band, the species marked thus * being new : 
 Stenopora fibrosa ( Goldfuss), Fawm/eA- Gothlandica (Goldfuss), 1^. 
 favosa (Goldfuss), Halysites catenularius (Winn), Syringopora junce- 
 formis (Hall), S. Dalmani (Billings) Heliolites macrostyius (Hall), * 
 Eridophyllum Huronense (Billings), Zaphrenlis bilateralis (Hall),* 
 Cyathophyllum Vennori (Billings), Ptychophyllum Belli (Billings), 
 Strombodes penlagonus (Goldfuss), S. Murchisoni (Edwards and 
 Haime), Stromotopora concentrica (Goldfuss), Orthis Davidsoni 
 
 (Verneuil), Pentamerus ohlongus (Sowerby), Euomphalus ?, 
 
 Orthoceras Bayfieldi (Stokes), together with several species of 
 crinoids. 
 
 In places, the massive band at the top recedes to a short distance 
 from the general line of the cliff, thus leaving exposed the fossilifer- 
 ous beds below. On the surfaces thus formed the silicilied corals, 
 distinctly weathered out, are strewn about in great numbers. On the 
 south side of Bayfield Sound the rocks of this formation rise in a bold 
 escarpment overlooking the lake, [t is particularly conspicuous 
 between Helen and Elizabeth Bays, and is separated by a step into 
 two portions, the top of the lower lieing about 100 feet, and that of 
 the upper between 200 and 250 feet above the level of Lake Huron. 
 In crossing the island from north to south, after passing the brink of 
 the main escarpment, smaller ones, making up the higher portion 
 of the formation, are met with at intervals all the way to the south 
 shore. They consist mostly of light grey, sometimes almost white 
 compact limestone, rather fine grained and crystalline in texture. 
 Some of the upper beds, being those on the south side of the island, 
 are dark grey in color. 
 
 Guelph fonnn- 
 
 Guelph Formation. — This formation occurs on both sides of the 
 
 entrance to South Bay. The beds are mostly very massive, soft, 
 finely crystalline, and of a light greyish-buff color. They weather 
 
 to a very uneven, pitted or spongy looking surface, blackened by 
 
 the growth of minute lichens. At this locality, fossils are plentiful 
 
 in some beds, but very obscure. Among those collected, Mr. 
 
 Billings has recognized Favosites Gothlandica.^ a species of Zaph- 
 
 rentis, and two small spiral Gasteropods, similar to those found 
 
 elsewhere in the Guelph formation. Besides the patches of this 
 
 formation which occur on either side of the entrance to South Bay, 
 
 there is a third, on the west side of Michael Bay, extending towards 
 
 Providence Bay, with apparently a fourth on the south-east extremity 
 
 of the island, and a fifth, forming the south end of Horse Island. 
 
 The total thickness of this formation on the main island is probably 
 
 about 100 feet. 
 
13 
 
 A section from north to south, across the middle of Manitoulin Oenerai tec- 
 Island, would give about the following ascending section : 
 
 Feet. 
 
 1. Trenton formation (upper part, above level of Lake 
 
 Kuron) 40 
 
 2. Utica formation f)0 
 
 3. Hudson Kiver formation 250 
 
 4. Clinton formation lol 
 
 5. Niagara formation 405 
 
 6. (iuelph formation (to level of Lake Huron) 1(X> 
 
 Total 1012 
 
 Superficial Geology. — The glacial plicnomena of the drift period' 
 have evidently had much to do with the production of the present 
 features of the island. Glacial stria; are everywhere seen upon the Drift stiire. 
 top of the solid rock, except where its surface has been exposed 
 to defacing agencies. Along the south side, the upper beds of lime- 
 stone, sloping into the lake, are always strongly grooved or furrowed. 
 A strip of bare and almost flat rock, several hundred feet broad, 
 frequently intervenes between the forest and the water, and in such 
 places the grooving is very strikingly displayed. On the west side 
 of the entrance to South Bay, the Guelph dolomites are cut into a 
 remarkable series of long straight and parallel hollows, in whicli 
 the water is deep enough to admit sail-boats. The ridges between 
 these furrows vary from one to ten feet in height. Their course is 
 about S. 50^ VV,, and tliey dip under the lake at an angle of two or 
 three degrees. At the west end of the island, the course of the striEB 
 is more nearly south than at the other end, where it is considerably 
 to the west of south, the direction changing gradually with that of 
 the depressions which hold the interior lakes and the bays on the 
 north side. From the west end to Elizabeth Bay, the course is 
 about S. 9^ VV. ; on the south shore, nearly abreast of Lake Wolsey^ 
 it is S. 17^ VV., at Providence Bay, S. 36° VV., and on the shores of 
 South Bay, fro.n S. 50'' VV. to S. 55'^ VV. The northern sides of the 
 interior lakes generally jiresent low sloping and ice-grooved shores, 
 corresponding with the south shore of the island, while clifls or 
 steep banks rise from their southern margins, corresponding with 
 its abrupt northern coast. The flat top of Gibraltar Rock, at the 
 head of Manitowaning Bay is worn into numerous large pot-holes. 
 Some of these are upwards often feet deep, and six feet in diameter. 
 Hard rounded boulders and stones were observed in the bottom of 
 each, and out of some of them small trees had grown. Their eleva- 
 tion is about 200 feet over Lake Huron. Rounded boulders, derived 
 from the hard Huronian rocks of the north shore of Lake Huron* 
 
14 
 
 Building 
 stoiiea. 
 
 Flajrstoncs. 
 
 Whetstones. 
 
 Cement. 
 
 Quaitzite. 
 
 Gypsum. 
 
 are scattered more or less thickly over the whole island. They arc 
 .sometimes perched on the brinks of the clilFs, from which they may 
 be easily dislodged. No stratified clay, and but little stratified 
 sand, was noticed upon the island. Well marked lake-terraces were 
 observed around Wequemakong Bay, but their levels were not 
 ascertained. 
 
 Economic Materials. 
 
 Building Stones. — Some bands of the Trenton limestone, at and 
 near Little Current, would afford good building stone for houses^. 
 Most of the upper half of the Niagara formation consists principally 
 of light grey dolomite, in both thick and thin beds. It would make 
 a durable and handsome building-stone. At the northwest point 
 of the island, there are some beds in the lower part of the same 
 formation, of a light greyish-buff color, quite soft and easily worked. 
 Judging from the natural exposures, it is evident that the stone is 
 very durable. Some portions of the Guelpli dolomite, along the 
 southeast part of the island can scarcely be distinguished from the 
 stone from the same formation, which is so highly prized for building 
 purposes, in the neighbourhood of Guelph. 
 
 Flagstones. — The lowermost stratum of the Niagara formation, or 
 that immediately overlying the red marl, is very thinly and evenly 
 bedded, and the joints are far apart. Many of the beds have smooth 
 surfaces, ;ind appear well adapted for flagstones. 
 
 Whetstones. — The fine grained sandstone layers in the Hudson 
 River marls at Cape Smyth, like those in the same formation in the 
 county of Grey, are suitable for making whetstones. 
 
 Hydraulic Cement. — Some of the harder beds near the top of the 
 Hudson River formation, and some of those belonging to the Trenton 
 in Manitowaning Bay, weather yellow, and appear as if they would 
 make water-lime. 
 
 Quartzitefor Glass-makinix. — The Huronian quartzite, forming the 
 bare ridges at She-gua-an-dah Bay, is white, and apparently free from 
 impurities, and there is an unlimited quantity of it for this purpose. 
 
 Gypsum. — This mineral is said to occur in promising quantities 
 on the east end of the island, about three miles south of Wequcma- 
 kongsing, but as this information was only communicated to me as 
 we were leaving the island, it was found impossible, to visit the loca- 
 lity. In the same geolog^'^al position, on the east side of West Bay, 
 about a mile ar i a half from Metch-ke-\ved-enong, small quan- 
 tities of gypsum occur in the limestone, near the junction of the Hud- 
 son River and Clinton formations. 
 
15 
 
 Salt. — Springs of saltwater are reporled as occurring upon Barrie .••'ait. 
 Island, but ihcy may probably be only such bitter saline waters as 
 are generally met with in these lower rocks. 
 
 Bituminous Shales. — Some years since, as described in the Geology fj't"">inou8 
 of Canada, page 784, attempts were made at Collingwood to manu- 
 facture oils by distilling the bituminous shale of the Utica formation, 
 and it was then found that oils could be profitably made from it, 
 when the refined illuminating oil brought seventy-five cents a gallon. 
 On the Manitoulin Island this rock appears to be more bituminous 
 tlian at Collingwood, and in the event of mineral oils reaching a 
 comparatively high price, it may be found valuable for their manu- 
 facture. 
 
 Petroleum. — Springs of petrolenm have been found on the south retro.eum. 
 .-tide of Wequemakong Bay, where three or four wells are now being 
 sunk. One of these is now (7th May, 1866,) upwards of 500 feet 
 deep. It starts upon the Hudson River rocks, probably about the 
 middle of the formation, and passes through the Utica and Trenton 
 strata. A hard quartz rock (probably Huronian) has now been 
 reached. Oil, accompanied by gas, was found at various levels, and 
 up to the present time, it ai)pears that seventy-two barrels of oil have 
 been dipped up by the sand-pump, during the progress of the boring. 
 Surface oil is said to have been found at Bob's Portage, on the east 
 side of Manitowaning Bay, and also in She-gua-an-dah Bay, and 
 upon Strawberry Island. A i)etroleum spring, on one of the islands 
 north of Maple Point, is referred to in your General Report of 1863. 
 
 In the General Report, pages 523 and 790, there are notices of a bi- t3iiin.cn. 
 tuminousdolomitic limestone, a specimen of which had been brought 
 from Grand Manitoulin Island, containing about eight per cent, of 
 solid bitumen or mineral pitch. It was there pointed out that this 
 might be used, like the similar asphaltic limestones of Switzerland 
 and of Italy, for the preparation of mastic pavements. The precise 
 locality of tliis bituminous limestone has not, however, as yet been 
 discovered. 
 
 I have the honor to be, 
 
 Sir, 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 Queen's University, 
 
 Kingston, 7th May, 1866. 
 
 ROBERT BELL.