303 Topographical Notices, 



deep and expansive for the largest steam-boat, and yet too 

 small, or too well sheltered by the bold shores, to be 

 dangerous for the smallest skiff. But without some main 

 line of navigation from the inhabited parts of Canada, this 

 pleasant and commodious region must, for obvious reasons, 

 remain a desert. 



In less than half a mile below the great fall, a narrow 

 lake is entered, which appears to extend a number of miles 

 north and south, along the base of the ridge, but we saw 

 neither extremity, merely passing with the flow of the water 

 about a mile across the middle of the lake. From hence 

 the river continues a rapid descent for abont eight miles, 

 through fine hard-wood forests to the next lake. In this 

 space the fall, which must be considerable, is principally in 

 rapids, it being the only part of the river where there is 

 any considerable descent of this kind. 



The piece of water to which this leads, with its surround- 

 ing shores, is the finest in appearance which we met with. 

 It extends about ten miles nearly south, and towards the 

 lower part is a wide inlet to the east, much farther than I 

 could distinguish. Several islands of various sizes, rise 

 boldly from the water, and in the entrance of the great 

 eastern bay, just mentioned, there is one appearing to 

 contain three or four hundred acres of good land. On the 

 west, the shores rise quickly to a considerable height, 

 timbered with hard-wood and white pine. On the east, 

 they form a long gradual slope of the richest appearance, 

 and without a fir for miles. 



A large southern branch of these waters flows into the 

 eastern arm of this lake. Its course is through several 

 considerable lakes, and by it canoes may pass to the Trent or 

 lake Simcoc. I did not see this branch, but was informed 



