LAWRENCE, St., a river of North America, and one of the largest in the world. It takes its origin in the magnificent basin of Lake Superior, in Upper Canada, and has a course to the sea of nearly 3000 miles. It is the grand outlet by which the immense Lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie, and Ontario, pour their surplus waters into the ocean through the Gulf of St Lawrence. The remotest spring of this great river is the stream called St Lewis, in lat. 48. 30. N. and long. about 93. W. From its
source the general direction through Lakes Superior and Huron is south-east to Lake Erie, nearly due east from that lake, and then north-east to the sea. It receives in its vast course almost all the rivers that rise in the extensive range of mountains to the northward, called the Land's Height, which separate the waters falling into Hudson's Bay from those that descend into the Atlantic, together with all the rivers that have their sources in the ridge which commences on its southern bank, running nearly south-west to where the ridge falls on Lake Champlain. In different parts of its course this great river is known by different names. From the sea to Montreal it is called St Lawrence; from thence to Kingston in Upper Canada, the Cataract or Iroquois; between Lakes Ontario and Erie, the Niagara; between Lakes Erie and St Clair, the Detroit; between Lakes St Clair and Huron, the St Clair; and between Lakes Huron and Superior, the distance is called the Narrows or Falls of St Mary. There is thus formed an uninterrupted connection of upwards of 2000 miles. It is navigable for ships of the line to Quebec, about 400 miles; and to Montreal, a distance of 580 miles from the sea, for ships of 600 tons burden. The distance from Montreal to Lake Ontario is about 200 miles. The breadth of the river between Montreal and Quebec is from half a mile to four miles, the average breadth being about two miles. Below Quebec it gradually widens till it enters the gulf, where, from Cape Rosier to the Mingan settlement on the coast of Labrador, it is about 105 miles in breadth. The St Lawrence discharges annually into the ocean about 4,277,880 millions of tons of fresh water, of which 2,112,120 millions of tons may be reckoned melted snow; the quantity discharged before the thaw comes on being 4512 millions of tons per day for 240 days, and the quantity after the thaw begins being 25,560 millions per day for 125 days, the depth and velocity when in and out of flood being duly considered. Hence, a ton of water being nearly equal to fifty-five cubic yards of pure snow, the St Lawrence frees a country of more than 2000 miles square covered with it to the depth of three feet. The embouchure of this mighty stream is that part of the Gulf of St Lawrence where the island of Anticosti divides the mouth of the river into two branches. The solid contents of the St Lawrence, embracing Lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie, and Ontario, have been estimated at 1,547,792,360,000 cubic feet, and the superficial area being 72,930 square miles, the water therein would form a cube of nearly twenty-two miles on each side. The river, and the whole country, from the lowest parishes to Quebec, unfold scenery, the magnificence of which, in combination with the most delightful physical beauty, is certainly unequalled in America, and probably in the world. As the eminence is ascended, over which the post-road passes, or in sailing up or down the St Lawrence, there are frequently prospects which open a view of from fifty to one hundred miles of a river from ten to twenty miles in breadth. The imposing features of these vast landscapes exhibit lofty mountains, wide valleys, bold headlands, luxuriant forests, cultivated fields, pretty villages, and settlements (some of them stretching up along the mountains); fertile islands overspread with cottages, pastures, and flocks; rocky islets, and tributary rivers, some of them rolling over precipices, and one of them, Saguenay, like an inland mountain lake, bursting through a perpendicular chasm in the granitic chain; whilst, on the surface of the St Lawrence, majestic ships, large brigs, and vessels and boats of every description, present a spectacle at once sublime and beautiful, and calculated to charm the mind of the beholder. Of course the trade carried on by means of this river is very great. An account of it will be found in the article CANADA. (R. R. R.)