Topographical Notices. 247 



a ridge of tlccp soil to the bank of the lake, where of 

 course a lock would be required. This lock, and an 

 excavation of the above description, can hardly be con- 

 ceived to require half the expense of a separate cut near 

 the rocky shores of the rapids, with the necessary lockage 

 of sixty or seventy feet. Keeping in view therefore, the 

 locks at the entrance of the Rideau Canal, the improve- 

 ment of this formidable interniption may be considered as 

 half completed. 



The Chaudicre lake extends about thirty miles in rather 

 a circuitous course, winding southward towards the upper 

 end, and is from one to two miles in breadth. On the 

 north shore, the land is remarkably fine for the first ten 

 miles ; they have been surveyed and partially settled for 

 many years, and the remaining lots are fast filling up. — 

 Beyond this, the north coast is low, and 1 believe generally 

 poor, excej)ting some small tracts at the foot of the hills, 

 which here approach within four or five miles of the river. 

 On the south shore the soil is better, though there is a space 

 of an indilTerent quality about the centre of the lake, 

 stretching some miles into the country. The whole body 

 of land extending southward from this lake to the Perth 

 and Kichmond townships, has been surveyed, and in course 

 of setllenjont for some years. 



Towards the head of the Chaudiore lake, the lands arc 

 fertile on both sides, and it is abruptly and finely termi- 

 nated by a precipitous range of rocks, down which the 

 river descends in fifteen distinct falls, averaging about 

 twenty-five feet in height, and extending a mile and a 

 half from the Upper to the Lower Canada shore. The 

 wrcncry is singular and beautiful, and will not fail to attract 

 tuurists when there is a steam boat on the lake, \\ Inch some 



