CHAP. xn. THE MANICOUAGAN LAKE. 195 



from the sea. The country some distance north of the 

 sources of this river is probably the most elevated on the 

 Labrador Peninsula. Many rivers running in very diverse 

 directions take their rise a httle to the NE. of the lake, 

 such as the Ashwanipi, the Moisie, and a river which emp- 

 ties itself into Mistassinni Lake, and then by Rupert's River 

 flows into Hudson's Bay. North-east of Manicouagan Lake 

 there is a very high mountain, which the Montagnais 

 say is the highest in the country. On its summit snow 

 often lingers throughout the greatest portion of the year. 

 Pierre says it is one of the famous ' fire mountains ' of 

 the aborigines. A light is said to glow near the summit, 

 respecting which more will be said in another place. Some 

 parts of the valley of the Manicouagan abound in game, 

 particularly caribou. Pierre stated that the lower portion, 

 was very like the Moisie valley, but rich in fur-bearing 

 animals ; he caught fifty-seven martens in one month, while 

 on the Moisie he only trapped twenty-two during the whole 

 winter. Among the few books we brought with us I had 

 some of the Reports of the Roman Catholic missionaries 

 among the Montagnais to the Archbishop of Quebec. I 

 read a portion of them which referred to the Manicouagan 

 to Pierre, who declared the description to be exact. The 

 succession of precipitous escarpments and narrow gorges 

 through which the river flowed like a torrent were similar 

 to the scenes we had witnessed some days before, and 

 are characteristic of most of the rivers which flow into 

 the Gulf. 



Pere Arnaud, who voyaged up the Manicouagan and 

 wintered among the JSTasquapees on one of the upper 

 lakes, describes a copious spring of salt water issuing from 



o 2 



