voyage of the paper canoe-第3部分

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magnetic　oxide　of　the　distant　mines。

The　ship　being　now　within　the　estuary　of　the　St。　Lawrence　River；　must　encounter　many　risks　before　she　reaches　the　true　mouth　of　the　river；　at　the　Bic　Islands。

The　shores　along　this　arm　of　the　gulf　are　wild　and　sombre。　　Rocky　precipices　frown　upon　the　swift　tidal　current　that　rushes　past　their　bases。　A　few　small　settlements　of　fishermen　and　pilots；　like　Metis；　Father　Point；　and　Rimousky；　are　discovered　at　long　intervals　along　the　coast。

In　these　St。　Lawrence　hamlets；　and　　throughout　Lower　Canada；　a　patois　is　spoken　which　is　unintelligible　to　the　Londoner　or　Parisian；　and　these　villagers；　the　descendants　of　the　French　colonists；　may　be　said　to　be　a　people　destitute　of　a　written　language；　and　strangers　to　a　　literature。

While　holding　a　commission　from　Francis　the　First；　king　of　France；　Jacques　Cartier　discovered　the　Gulf　of　St。　Lawrence；　during　his　first　　voyage　of　exploration　in　the　new　world。　　He　　entered　the　gulf　on　St。　Lawrence's　day；　in　the　spring　of　1534；　and　named　it　in　honor　of　the　event。　　Cartier　explored　no　farther　to　the　west　than　about　the　mouth　of　the　estuary　which　is　divided　by　the　island　of　Anticosti。　　It　was　　during　his　second　voyage；　in　the　following　year；　that　he　discovered　and　explored　the　great　river。　Of　the　desolate　shores　of　Labrador；　on　the　north　coast；　he　said；　〃It　might　as　well　as　not　be　taken　for　the　country　assigned　by　God　to　Cain。〃

The　distance　from　Quebec　to　Cape　Gaspe；　measured　upon　a　course　which　a　steamer　would　be　compelled　to　take；　is　four　hundred　and　seven　statute　miles。　　The　ship　first　enters　the　current　of　the　river　St。　Lawrence　at　the　two　Bic　Islands；　where　it　has　a　width　of　about　twenty　miles。　　By　consulting　most　maps　the　reader　will　find　that　geographers　carry　the　river　nearly　two　hundred　miles　beyond　its　usual　current。　In　fact；　they　appropriate　the　whole　estuary；　which；　in　places；　is　nearly　one　hundred　miles　in　width；　and　call　it　a　river　　a　river　which　lacks　the　characteristics　of　a　river；　the　currents　of　which　vary　with　the　winds　and　tidal　influences；　and　the　waters　of　which　are　as　salt　as　those　of　the　briny　deep。

Here；　in　the　mouth　of　the　river；　at　the　Bics；　secure　anchorage　for　vessels　may　be　found；　but　below；　in　the　estuary；　for　a　distance　of　more　than　two　hundred　and　forty…five　miles；　to　Gaspe；　there　is　but　one　port　of　refuge；　that　of　Seven　Islands；　on　the　north　coast。

As　the　ship　ascends　the　river　from　Bic　Islands；　a　passage　of　about　one　hundred　and　sixty　statute　miles　to　Quebec；　she　struggles　against　a　strong　current。　　Picturesque　islands　and　little　villages；　such　as　St。　Andre；　St。　Anne；　St。　Rogue；　St。　Jean；　and　St。　Thomas；　relieve　the　monotony。　But　very　different　is　the　winter　aspect　of　this　river；　when　closed　to　navigation　by　ice　from　November　until　Spring。　　Of　the　many　tributaries　which　give　strength　to　the　current　of　the　St。　Lawrence　and　contribute　to　its　glory；　the　Saguenay　River　with　its　remarkable　scenery　is　counted　one　of　the　wonders　of　our　continent。　　It　joins　the　great　river　from　the　north　shore；　about　one　hundred　and　thirty…four　statute　miles　below　Quebec。　Upon　the　left　bank；　at　its　mouth；　nestles　the　little　village　of　Tadousac；　the　summer　retreat　of　the　governor…general　of　the　Dominion　of　Canada。

American　history　claims　for　the　Roman　　Catholic　church　of　this　settlement　an　age　second　only　to　that　of　the　old　Spanish　cathedral　at　St。　Augustine；　Florida。　　For　three　hundred　years　the　storms　of　winter　have　beaten　upon　its　walls；　but　it　stands　a　silent　yet　eloquent　monument　of　the　pious　zeal　of　the　ancient　Fathers；　who　came　to　conquer　Satan　in　the　wilderness　of　a　new　world。　The　Saguenay　has　become　the　〃Mecca〃　of　northern　tourists；　ever　attracting　them　with　its　wild　and　fascinating　scenery。　Capes　Eternity　and　Trinity　guard　the　entrance　to　Eternity　Bay。　The　first　towers　sublimely　to　a　height　of　　eighteen　hundred　feet；　the　other　is　only　a　little　lower。　　A　visit　to　this　mysterious　river；　with　its　deep；　dark　waters　and　picturesque　views；　will　repay　the　traveller　for　the　discomforts　of　a　long　and　expensive　journey。

Where　the　turbulent　current　of　the　Saguenay　mingles　angrily　with　that　of　the　St。　Lawrence；　there　may　be　seen　disporting　in　the　waves　the　white　whale　of　aquariums；　which　is　not　a　whale　at　all；　but　a　true　porpoise　（Delphinopterus　　Catodon；　as　he　is　now　called　by　naturalists）；　having　teeth　in　the　jaws；　and　being　destitute　of　the　fringed　bone　of　the　whalebone　whales。　　This　interesting　creature　is　very　abundant　in　the　　Arctic　Ocean　on　both　the　Atlantic　and　Pacific　sides；　and　has　its　southern　limits　in　the　Gulf　of　St。　Lawrence；　although　one　is　occasionally　seen　in　the　Bay　of　Fundy；　and　it　is　reported　to　have　been　observed　about　Cape　Cod；　on　the　　Massachusetts　coast。

As　the　ship　nears　the　first　great　port　of　the　St。　Lawrence　River；　the　large　and　well　　cultivated　island　of　Orleans　is　passed；　and　the　bold　fortifications　of　Quebec；　high　up　on　the　face　of　Point　Diamond；　and　flanked　by　the　houses　of　the　French　city；　break　upon　the　vision　of　the　mariner。　To　the　right；　and　below　the　city；　which　Champlain　founded；　and　in　which　his　unknown　ashes　repose；　are　the　beautiful　Falls　of　　Montmorency；　gleaming　in　all　the　whiteness　of　their　falling　waters　and　mists；　like　the　bridal　veil　of　a　giantess。　　The　vessel　has　safely　made　her　　passage；　and　now　comes　to　anchor　in　the　Basin　of　Quebec。　　The　sails　are　furled；　and　the　heart　of　the　sailor　is　merry；　for　the　many　dangers　which　beset　the　ship　while　approaching　and　entering　the　great　water…way　of　the　continent　are　now　over。




CHAPTER　II。　　FROM　QUEBEC　TO　SOREL



THE　WATER…WAY　INTO　THE　CONTINENT。　　THE　WESTERN　AND　THE　SOUTHERN　ROUTE　TO　THE　GULF　OF　MEXICO。　　THE　MAYETA。　　COMMENCEMENT　OF　THE　VOYAGE。　　ASCENT　OF　THE　RIVER　ST。　LAWRENCE。　　LAKE　OF　ST。　PETER。　　ACADIAN　TOWN　OF　SOREL


The　canoe　traveller　can　ascend　the　St。　　Lawrence　River　to　Lake　Ontario；　avoiding　the　rapids　and　shoals　by　making　use　of　seven　canals　of　a　total　length　of　forty…seven　miles。　He　may　then　skirt　the　shores　of　Lake　Ontario；　and　enter　Lake　Erie　by　the　canal　which　passes　around　the　celebrated　Falls　of　Niagara。　From　the　last　great　inland　sea　he　can　visit　lakes　Huron；　Michigan；　and；　with　the　assistance　of　a　short　canal；　the　grandest　of　all；　Superior。　When　he　has　reached　the　town　of　Duluth；　at　the　southwestern　end　of　Superior；　which　is　the　terminus　of　the　Northern　Pacific　Railroad；　our　traveller　will　have　paddled　（following　the　contours　of　the　land）　over　two　thousand　miles　from　salt　water　into　the　　American　continent　without　having　been　compelled　to　make　a　portage　with　his　little　craft。　Let　him　now　make　his　first　portage　westward；　over　the　road　one　hundred　and　fifteen　miles　from　　Duluth　to　the　crossing　of　the　Mississippi　River　at　Brainerd；　and　launch　his　boat　on　the　Father　of　Waters；　which　he　may　descend　with　but　few　interruptions　to　below　the　Falls　of　St。　Anthony；　at　Minneapolis；　or；　if　he　will　take　his　boat　by　rail　from　Duluth；　one　hundred　and　fifty…five　miles；　to　St。　Paul；　he　can　launch　his　canoe；　and　follow　the　steamboat　to　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。　　This　is　the　longest；　and　may　be　called　the　canoeist's　western　route　to　the　great　Southern　Sea。　　In　St。　Louis　County；　Minnesota；　the　water　from　〃Seven　Beaver　Lakes〃　flows　south…southwest；

and　joins　the　Flood…Wood　River；　there　taking　an　easterly　course　towards　Duluth；　it　empties　into　Lake　Superior。　　This　is　the　St。　Louis　River；　the　first　tributary　of　the　mighty　St。　Lawrence　system。　　From　the　head　waters　of　the　St。　Louis　to　the　mouth　of　the　St。　Lawrence　at　Bic　Islands；　where　it　enters　the　great　estuary；　the　length　of　this　great　water　system；　including　the　great　Lakes；　is　about　two　thousand　miles。　The　area　thus　drained　by　the　St。　Lawrence　River　is　nearly　six　millions　of　square　miles。　　The　largest　craft　can　ascend　it　to　Quebec；　and　smaller　ones　to　　Montreal；　above　which　city；　navigation　being　　impeded　by　rapids；　the　seven　canals　before　　mentioned　have　been　constructed　that　vessels　may　avoid　this　danger　while　voyaging　to　Lake　Ontario。

The　southern　and　shorter　coast　route　to　the　gulf　leaves　the　great　river　at　the　Acadian　town　of　Sorel；　where　the　quiet　Richelieu　flows　into　the　St。　Lawrence　River。　　Of　the　two　long　routes　offered　me　I　selected　the　southern；　leaving　the　other　to　be　traversed　at　some　future　time。　　To　follow　the　contours　of　rivers；　bays；　and　sounds；　a　voyage　of　at　least　twenty…five　hundred　miles　was　before　me。　　It　was　my　intention　to　explore　the　connecting　watercourses　southward；　without　making　a　single　portage；　as　far　as　Cape　　Henlopen；　a　sandy　headland　at　the　entrance　of　　Delaware　Bay；　there；　by　making　short　portages　from　one　watercourse　to　another；　to　navigate　along　the　interior　of　the　Atlantic　coast　to　the　St。　Mary's　River；　which　is　a　dividing　line　between　Georgia　and　Florida。　　From　the　Atlantic　coast　of　　southern　Georgia；　I　proposed　to　cross　the　peninsula　of　Florida　by　way　of　the　St。　Mary's　River；　to　Okefenokee　Swamp；　thence；　by　portage；　to　the　Suwanee　River；　and　by　descending　that　stream　（the　boundary　line　of　a　geographical　division　　eastern　and　middle　Florida）；　to　reach　the　coast　of　the　Gulf　of　Mexico；　which　was　to　be　the　　terminal　point　of　my　canoe　journey。　　Charts；　maps　and　sea…faring　men　had　informed　me　that　about　twenty…three　hundred　miles　of　the　trip　could　be　made　upon　land…locked　waters；　but　about　two　hundred　miles　of　voyaging　must　be　done　upon　the　open　Atlantic　Ocean。

As　I　now　write；　I　smilingly　remember　how　erroneous　were　my　advisers；　for；　while　　prosecuting　my　voyage；　I　was　but　once　upon　the　open　sea　and　then　through　mistake　and　for　only　a　few　minutes。　　Had　I　then　known　that　I　could　have　followed　the　whole　route　in　a　small　boat　upon　strictly　interior　waters；　I　should　have　　paddled　from　the　Basin　of　Quebec　in　the　light　paper　canoe　which　I　afterwards　adopted　at　Troy；　and　which　carried　me　alone　in　safety　two　　thousand　miles　to　the　warm　regions　of　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。　　The　counsels　of　old　seamen　had　　influenced　me　to　adopt　a　large　wooden　clinker…built；　decked　canoe；　eighteen　feet　long；　forty…five　inches　beam；　and　twenty…four　inches　depth　of　hold；　which　weighed；　with　oars；　rudder；　mast　and　sail；　above　three　hundred　pounds。　The　Mayeta　was　built　by　an　excellent　workman；　Mr。　J。　S。　　Lamson；　at　Bordentown；　New　Jersey。　　The　boat　was　sharp　at　each　end；　and　the　lines　fr