ment of William Price, Esq., of Quebec. This spot is the principal port on the Saguenay. It may be noticed here that this gentleman has established and carries on all the saw-mills on the Saguenay and Lower St. Lawrence. He gives employment to upwards of two thousand men, and sends annually to Britain about one hundred ship-loads of timber in the shape of deals. From Pointe aux Alou ettes (Lark Point) at the western entrance to Grand Bay, a distance of sixty miles, the scenery on either bank is acknowledged unrival、 led for magnificent grandeur and wildness, whilst the river, varying in width seldom more than from one to two miles, presents an unruffled surface over a depth not less in many parts than a thousand feet. The shores present a steep rocky front, composed chiefly of granite, and thinly clad with pines, birches, and other trees of northern climes. At a few intervals are seen small clearances at the head of coves, where saw-mills have been erected. Into these coves are discharged the waters of rapid tributaries, flowing through vallies generally capable of cultivation, although thickly wooded. The dark naked bluffs, which every bend brings in view, are generally about eight hundred feet in height, while some shoot up beyond fifteen hundred. Of this description are Cape Eternity, Point Trinity, the Tableau, and La Tête du Boule. Within a few feet of these precipitous shores the depth is usually as great as towards the middle of the channel. Ever-and-anon the eye is attracted by the flight of an eagle sweeping along the summits of these beetling cliffs, or by salmon leaping into the air for their insect food, whilst numerous seals are seen popping their dark heads out of the waters, and white porpoises in droves tumbling their huge bodies. Nearly fifty miles up, the Saguenay turns suddenly to the northward between Cape East and Cape West, a beautiful expanse receding from the west bank to the distance of nearly ten miles. At its extremity is situated a village, at the mouth of a small river, upon which is a large saw-mill, giving employment to a number of men. The progress of this settlement was considerably retarded by a destructive fire in 1846. There is a Roman Catholic Church in the village; and some fine farms are springing up at different points on the Bay. It is said that the Bay was originally called "Ah! Ah!" or "Ha! Ha!" descriptive of the surprise which was experienced by the first French explorers, when they ascertained that this expanse, instead of conducting up the noble river, had no other outlet except the one by which they had entered it. Hence to the trading-port of Chicoutimi, which by land is about ten miles distant, but upwards of twenty by water, the river is comparatively shallow, and tastes fresh when the tide is out. Chicoutimi is an important trading-port, containing two settlements about two miles apart, and has a population of upwards of four hundred, chiefly French Canadians employed in lumbering. It has been observed that grain ripens earlier in this locality than around Quebec. In the vicinity there stands on an eminence a small rude Catholic Church almost entire, but stripped of all its ornaments except a crucifix and a few candle-sticks. It is said to have been constructed by Jesuit missionaries upwards of a century ago. Several of these were buried in the church, and the tombstones may still be seen. In the belfry is a bell, on which is an inscription that has hitherto baffled the learned of Canada to explain or translate. About fifty miles above Chicoutimi, the Saguenay issues from Lake St. John, which is about forty miles long, and receives eleven large rivers. The country surrounding the Lake is well timbered, and rather level, and holding out the prospect of being well adapted for agriculture, while the climate is said to be far preferable to that of the sea-coast of the St. Lawrence. The only outlet of the Lake besides the Saguenay is the Metabethshuan, the waters of which, after passing the expanse of Lake Kiguagomi, become the Chicoutimi, and unite with those of the Saguenay near the village of Chicoutimi. The portion of the Saguenay from this village to the Lake is unavailable on account of the numerous falls and rapids, and the Chicoutimi affords a very circuitous communication by boats through the Lake Kiguagomi and the River Metabethshuan. The influence of the tide is felt as far up as the Rapid of Terre Rompue, six miles above Chicoutimi. The ordinary spring-tides rise seventeen feet at Tadousac, and twelve at Chicoutimi. To this point schooners and steamers can ascend with the assistance of flood-tide, and the largest ships to Point Roches, fifty-seven miles up. At the mouth of the Metabethshuan on the south shore of Lake St. John is situated one of the King's Posts, leased by the Hudson's Bay Com pany. It was established by the Jesuit missionaries in the sixteenth century, and traces of their cultivation still remain. On both shores of the Saguenay at frequent intervals occur good anchorages for vessels. Chicoutimi, the name which the Indians originally gave to this deep tributary of the Great River, is said to denote Deep water, while the name imposed on it by the Jesuit missionaries is Saguenay (Sacnez), the interpretation of which is Nose of the Sack. Tadousac is a transposed corruption of Saguenay. APPENDIX. THE OTTAWA, CALEDONIA SPRINGS, BYTOWN, ETC. As the romantic scenery of the Ottawa, especially in the neighbourhood of Bytown, and the benefits resulting from the use of the Caledonia Springs, deservedly induce numerous tourists and invalids to visit these localities every season, we subjoin a brief notice. With this view the passenger will leave the terminus of the Rail-road at Montreal for Lachine at eight, A. M. At Lachine he embarks in the steamer for Point Fortune, which is distant upwards of forty miles on the south side of the Ottawa. He proceeds for a short time along the north shore of the expansion of the St. Lawrence, called Lake St. Louis, passing on the right Pointe Claire, and to the left Isle Perrot, so called after the Sieur to whom it was originally granted. The island is seven miles long by three in width, is tolerably well cultivated, and has ferries to the Island of Montreal and the mainland. It contains a church. At the south-western extremity of the Island of Montreal, the traveller passes through the St. Anne's lock, thus avoiding the Rapid celebrated in the Canadian Boat Song,'* ,"* and enters the Lake of Two Mountains, into which the On account of the frequent communication betwixt the islands and mainland at the confluences of the Ottawa and St. Lawrence, great numbers of Canadian habitans along the shores, instead of attending to agricultural pursuits, follow the occupation of voyageurs. They are much employed in managing the large rafts of lumber that are yearly floated down the Ottawa and St. Lawrence to Quebec, and many accompany the arduous expeditions of the officers of the Hudson's Bay Company to the North West. The flourishing village that surrounds the church of St. Anne mainly owes its exis Ottawa widens before contributing its vast influx of waters to the St. Lawrence. This lake is twenty-four miles long and in some parts six miles wide. In its lower part is soon seen' Isle Bizare, so named from the Seigneur to whom it was originally granted. It is well cultivated, and is four miles long by two in breadth. There is no church or village in the island. North of Isle Bizare extends Isle Jesus or Jean, parallel to that of Montreal. It is possessed by the Bishop and Ecclesiastics of the Seminary of Quebec. It was originally named L'Isle de Montmagny, in honour of Champlain's immediate successor in the administration, who rendered himself such a favourite with the Indians that they continued ever after to apply to the French Governors the title of Oninthio, which signifies Great tence and support to the contributions of the Canadian voyageurs, who seldom fail to pay their offerings at the shrine of St. Anne before engaging in any enterprise. Captain Franklin mentions that one of his Canadians, when nearly two thousand miles distant, requested an advance of wages that an additional offering might be transmitted by the hands of a friend to the shrine of his titular saint, St. Anne. Premising that the Ottawa used to be called the Uttawa, we subjoin Moore's well known verses. CANADIAN BOAT SONG. Faintly as tolls the evening chime, Our voices keep tune, and our oars keep time; Row, brothers, row! the stream runs fast, Why should we yet our sail unfurl? Uttawa's tide! this trembling moon |