Aerial view Lake Erie to Lake Ontario (Toronto Public Library, 1837).jpeg

Aerial view Lake Erie to Lake Ontario (Toronto Public Library, 1837).jpeg

The occasion for the illustration appears to be to show the location of the "sinking" of the steamship Caroline (labeled #11, though it is hard to read: basically to the left of Navy Island). The Caroline was owned by Canadian rebels against Britain, supported by the U.S. On December 29, 1837, Canadians loyal to Britain discovered the ship on Navy Island, drove off most of the crew, killed Amos Durfee (an American black man), set the Caroline on fire, and sent it over Niagara Falls. Durfee's killer was never identified.

1837

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_affair