Topographical Notices. 257 



a long portage we gained the Ottawa, about four miles 

 above the Chenaux. The Musk-rat route is certainly not 

 a favorable, aud, perhaps, liardly a possible one, for a 

 canal. Tiie Lake is probably a sufficient reservoir to 

 su|)ply a lockage both ways, or might easily be made 

 so by feeders from the Bonnechere; but its surface is 

 thirty or forty feet higher than that of the upper des 

 Allumcttes, which would of course occasion an extra 

 lockage of twice that height above the necessary ascent 

 on the Ottawa. Besides this, it does not appear to be 

 practicable to lead the Musk-rat waters towards the 

 Portage du Fort, from the elevation of the intervening 

 ground; and as to the chain of small lakes, extending in 

 that direction, the stream through them is evidently 

 insufficient, and at two great a height to be increased from 

 any source which could be depended on. 



The most favourable route for improving this part of the 

 Ottawa, will probably be found on the Lower Canada side, 

 through the hard-wood lands, extending from the Portage 

 du Fort, towards the Grand Calumet rapid. Through 

 this tract also, the indefatigable lumbermen have opened a 

 road, as far up as the Derang(5 rapid ; and this being only 

 four or five miles in length, the direct extent of the whole 

 interruptioji, including the Grand Calumet, cannot much 

 exceed six miles. Along this shore (as far as I could see 

 from the canoe route), there is no appearance of a ridge 

 of land; indeed, as before mcutioned, the main shore can 

 seldom be di^linguished from the islands, so that the 

 groiuul probably lias a gradual slope from the river, which 

 iiha|)e would afford every facility for leading the water 

 along at the re<piired elevation, whatever it may be. 



The chief difficulty on this route would probably be 



'i K 



