226 Connirt) hehvccn ihc Rivcr& 



tracts of level land are found. In a north direction towards 

 the little Saguenay river, and about ten miles in rear of the 

 seigniorial line, an extensive piece of burnt land is met 

 with bearing a young grovvth of birch, balsam and spruce ; 

 but aroand Lac Noir some high rocky land occurs, 

 and the country in a south-east direction towards tiie St. 

 Lawrence becomes mountainous. The rocks in this part 

 of the country are sienites. 



Although an opinion very generally prevails, borne out 

 by tradition, that an active volcano is somewhere in exis- 

 tence among these mountains, still it wants the confirmation 

 of occular proof — for not one of the Indians who traverse 

 these dreary regions in pursuit of game, havt'; ever seen the 

 slightest appearance of fire issuing from the earth ; nor 

 have I ever heard of any scorex or other vitrified rock 

 having been discovered in the country now under obser- 

 vation. Without doubt the coast between Cape Tourmente 

 and Malbay is frequently troubled with shocks of earth- 

 quake, but whether these sliocks arc occasioned by the 

 workings of some neighboring volcano is a matter of mere 

 speculation. Nor does the appearance of the land bear 

 evidence of there having ever existed a volcano to the south 

 of the river Saguenay, or from the Avell known fertility of 

 decomposed lava, we should find a very diftercnt kind of 

 soil from that hitherto discovered. If a volcano is at the 

 present period in a state of active operation, I should be 

 much more inclined to suppose it seated among the 

 unexplored mountains of the Labrador, to the northeast 

 of the Sagucn; y, or the gulph of St. Lawrence. 



To the north of the river Noir as far as the river Saguenay 

 the country is hilly, terminating in the stupendous preci- 

 pices which form the coasts of the latter river. The 



