Topographical Notices. 267 



appearance of being a distinct range of hills; excepting, 

 however, where evidently detached, they form merely the 

 face or ridge cf an elevated tract of country, watered by the 

 Gatineau river and its tributaries, tfiere being generally 

 very little abrujjt descent to the north, and frcqnently none 

 whatever. These high grounds almost every where seem 

 to incline towards the Gatineau, nearly from the extremity 

 of the ridge. From the mouth of that river, a little below 

 the Chaiuliere falls, to lake Coulongc, there is not a single 

 stream from the northward, which can be supposed to 

 extend beyond the foot of these heights. The small river 

 Coulonge enters the lake of the same name, and about ten 

 miles farther up, there is another considerable stream 

 called the Black river. The valley which these waters 

 occupy, must extend some distance into the highlands, and 

 forms the only exception to their general lay towards the 

 Gatineau. 



Near the Chaudi^re lake, the nature of these elevated 

 tracts is well known. On ascending them, about ten miles 

 below the C/tats rapids, a table land is met with, and 

 several small lakes not far from the ridge. From these, 

 the waters run to the Gatineau, on approaching which, the 

 lands are good. 



Every ^hing I have heard favors the idea that along the 

 whole of these heights, the lands improve and become 

 habitable, soon alter beginning to d.-cline towards the 

 Gatineau. About one hundred miles fronj its mouth, this 

 river is joined by a considerable tributary from the norili- 

 we»r, culled les Deserts. For upwards of forty miles, I am 

 asitured, the conr-^e of this river is throui;h open plains, 

 from one to three miles in breadth, and of the richest soil, 

 beyond which, forests of maple, elm, and basswood, 



