Topographical Notices. 299 



grounds, between one and two hundred feet high, and of 

 the most fertile ap|)carance. To the south, the country is 

 much in the same form, but covered with firs and birch. — 

 Indeed this route, by the Peonga lakes, with the exception 

 of the first fifteen miles from the Muskoka, appears to be 

 nearly the division line between the hard-wood and fir 

 regions. 



There is still another lake of the same name, separated 

 from the others in a similar way, by a short swift stream ; 

 but we did not enter it, our route leading off from the 

 middle basin. North-Mesterly, through two small lakes, 

 still discharging into the Madawaska, and from thence, by 

 a portage of four miles, over a miserable soil, we reached 

 the waters of the Nesswabic at lac Clair, a pretty piece of 

 water, but with sterile looking shores, and appearing to 

 extend about four miles nortli and south. This is only 

 separated from lac la Vieille by a stream and portage not 

 a furlong in length. The route passes closely up the 

 eastern side of the Vieille lake, about three miles to the 

 outlet. The lake appears to extend much farther to the 

 north ; but from the numerous islands, I could obtain no 

 distinct view of its size, in any direction. To the north 

 and west the lands appear good, and here also are some 

 trading huts, only occupied in the winter. As before 

 mentioned, the Vieille stream joins the Nesswabic about 

 twelve miles below this lake. In this space it forms no 

 basins of any consetiuence, and has many rapids. In one 

 place there is a portage of more than two miles, cutting 

 off a great rapid bend in the stream. 



On the whole, the IVonga route is a most harrassing 

 one. It leads over much higher ground than the more 

 northerly route, by the source of the Nesswabic, and is in 



