[Garry] DIARY OF NICHOLAS GARRY 103 
Crosses the Tombs of 11 Voyageurs who had been drowned near this 
Spot a few Years before. This being the Battle of Waterloo and as 
we supposed the Day of the Coronation we drank on Board our Canoe 
some Bumper Toasts. Perhaps in all his Dominions the King’s Health 
was not more fervently toasted. The Banks on each Side are gener- 
ally rocky and covered with the black Pine but intermixed with other 
Trees which is a great Relief to the Gloominess of the Scene; Musquitoes 
and Sandfly very annoying. We paddled on about 30 miles between 
Highlands; at half-past eight arrived at the Rapids of the Matawa, at 
rine encamped on the Petite Rivière where we were close to the Water; 
eaten up by Flies and Spiders and passed a wretched Night. 
Tuesday the 19th [June]. Never had a poor unfortunate Traveller 
passed so wretched a Night. ‘Tired and worn out by the Fatigues and 
Miseries of the Day we landed, hoping to find Rest and Relief to our 
Sufferings. Our Camp however was so close to the water side that my 
Head almost touched the River. In the Night we were not only pes- 
tered by the Attack of Musquito and Sandfly, but some little irritating 
insect, not visible, which ran over the whole Body and produced a 
Degree of Irritation and Misery not to be described. I was happy in 
the Call to embark. We had now as it were turned the Corner. Leav- 
ing the Utawa which at this Point is about 30 Leagues from'the Tim- 
miskamain Lake we enter the Petite Riviére or Matawa and our Course 
which had hitherto been West and West-North-West is now South and 
South-South-West. The Matawa is about 45 miles in Length full of 
Rapids and Cataracts to its Source. After one Hour’s paddling we 
came to the Portage de Pleins Champs, which is about 350 Paces. We 
then came to the Décharge of the Rose a hundred and fifty Paces. It 
now began to rain and our travelling was very uncomfortable being 
drenched with Rain and having no means to change our Linen and 
the Rain in wetting us whetted the Stings of our Enemies. We found 
at this Portage a Letter written on an Egg from Mr. McCloud, who 
had preceded us two Days, and the Smoking Bag belonging to Mr. 
Hughes which afterwards gave rise to a good Deal of Laughter [we] 
having pretended to have found a Billet d’Amour enclosed in the Bag. 
We then passed the Décharge Campion,? 120 Paces. We then 
came to the Portage of the Grosse Roche,* 150 Paces. Here on a 
Piece of Bark was written a “ Present for Mr. Garry ” and on looking 
about we found a Pile of Stones and on removing them we found a 

1 Mackenzie (1801) has Campion (p. xxviv), but in Cary’s new map of Upper and 
Lower Canada it is called Portage de la Compagnie. 
2 Des Gros Rochers, or du Rocher. 
