own language, and are better inftruaed than the Canadian inhabitants of
the country of the lower ranks: but notwithftanding. thefe advantages,
and though the eftabliffiipent is nearly coeval with the colonization of
the. country, they do not advance towards a ftate. of(ciyilization, but retain
their ancient habits* language, and cuftoms, and arc becoming every
day more depraved, indigent, and. infignificant. The country .around
them, though very capable pf. cultivation, prefents only a few .miferable
patches of ground, fowmby the. women twith maize, and vegetables;
During the winter feafon, they leave their habitations, and pious pallors,
to follow the chde* affording to the cuftom of their forefathers. Such
is* indeed, the ftate o f all the villages near the cultivated, parts of Canada.
But we ffiall now leave, them to proceed on our voyage*
At the end of the lake the water contra&s into the Utawas River,
which, after a courfe of fifteen miles, is interrupted by a fucceffion of
rapids and cafcades for upwards of ten miles, at the foot of which the
Canadian Seignories terminate; and alL above them were wafte land,
till-the conclufion: o f the American war, when they-were forveyed^b-y!
order of government, and granted to the officers and men of the eighty-
fourth regiment, when reduced; but principally to the former, and
confequently little inhabited, though very capable of cultivation.
T3ie voyagers are- frequently obliged to unload their; canoes, and
carry the goods upon their backs, or rather fufpended in flings, from
their heads. Each man’s ordinary load is two packages, though fome
carry three. Here the canoe is towefl by a ftrong line. There are fome
places where the ground will not admit, of their carrying the whole ;
they
they then make two trips, that is, leave- half their lading, and go and'
land'it at the diftance required; and then*VetUrn for that which was
left; In'-this diftance are three carrying-places, the length of which
depends-in a great meafure upon the ftate of the water, whether Higher
or 'lower y^ from- the laft of thefe the river is about a mile and an half
wide, and has; a regular current for about fixty ‘miles, when it ends at
the firft Portage de Chaudiere, where the body of Water falls twenty-five
feet, over cragged, excavated rocks, in a-moft wild, romafctic manner.
At a fmall diftance below; is the river Rideau on the left, falling
over a perpendicular rock, near forty feet high, in one ffieet, affuming
the appearance of a curtain; and from which circuinftance it derives its
name. To this extent the lands have been furveyed, a.s before obferved,
and are very fit for culture. Many loyalifts are fettled upon the river
Rideau, and have, I am told, thriving plantations. Some American
families preferring the Britifh territory, have alfo eftablilhed themfelVes
along a river on the oppofite fide, Where the foil is excellent. Nor do
I think the period is far diftant, When the lands Will become fettled
from this vicinity-to Montreal.
Over this portage, which is fix hundred and forty-three paces long, the
canoe and all the lading is carried. The rOck' is fb fteep and difficult of
accefs, that it requires twelve men to take the canoe out o f the water; it
is then carried by fix men, two' ar eaih end* on the fame fide, and two
under the oppofite gunwald in the middle. From Kdnce to the next is but
a ffibrt diftance, in which they make two trips over the fecond Portage de
Chaudiere,?Which is feven hundred paces,, to carry the loading alone.
From hence*to the next and laft Chaudiere, or Portage des Chenes, is about
fix