TopograpJiiciri Notices. 245 



travellers have commonly given of the Nlpissing route to 

 Lake Huron, ^ve had confined our hopes to finding merely 

 a narrow, low, and fertile tract to the south of that route. 

 — This however, is far different from the reality. About 

 the sources of the Madawaska, near latitude 45' 45", the 

 interior of the country forms a great table land, gradually 

 declining towards Lake Nipissing, and consisting almost 

 uniformly, as far as I have been able to ascertain, of hard- 

 wood lands, of more or less fertility. 



Along the south-westerly route of the Nesswabic and 

 Muskoka, this description of country extends from within 

 thirty miles of the Ottawa to the immediate vicinity of Lake 

 Huron, a distance by the usual route of at least one hundred 

 and forty miles ; along which, excepting a few miles at the 

 lieight of land, there is almost constantly in view a vigorous 

 growth of hard-wood. Towards Lake Nipissing, I was 

 assured by various persons avcU acquainted with that 

 neighborhood, that the country continues much of the 

 same nature as far as the lake, round its southern and 

 eastern extremity, and along the upper parts of the little 

 river. 



Tiie Nipissing route is tuidoubtcdiy the lowest which 

 will be found from the Ottawa to Lake l^luron. With 

 regard to the country in this direction, the greatest mis- 

 conceptions have been prevalent, not only as to the nature 

 of the lands, but as to distances and elevation. Contrary 

 to every o|>inion which I had previously formed, 1 have 

 now har'lly a doubt, that on u proper examination, this 

 rotitc will be found to combine the greatest facilities for 

 elli'cting a navigation betwet ii these water^. Hut I nhall 

 now proceed to state in detail tlic iiiforniation obtained 

 on niv journcv. 



