of a part of the Saguenay Country. 125 
a considerable deposite of a very fine admixture of clay, silex and 
lime (an excellent marl) underlying the sand. Finding deep 
water close to the shore, and a current setting from the north- 
ward out of an angle in the bay, it was conjectured that the ri- 
ver Mistassiny lay in that direction, which proved to be the 
case, and another-observation ef the sun’s meridian altitude hav- 
ing been taken at its mouth, gave for laticude 480-38/-55 ’. 
Ascending the Mistassiny a short distance, the land though 
sandy appeared to improve, but neither here nor in any part o 
the lake, nor in the whole of the country we traversed was very 
f£ 
good timber, remarkable for its abundance, perceived. Reasons 
have already been advanced for not considering the absence of 
fine timber as any proof of a bad soil. 
On leaving the Mistassiny we proceeded to the Assuapmou- 
soin on a southerly course. On crossing the mouth of this ri- 
ver we encountered a violent tempest ; there was however no 
danger being near the shore and in shallow water. Upon the 
tempest abating we landed and encamped. Here we again fel 
in with rocks which had entirely deserted us since we Icft the 
bay to the southward of the Koucouathime river; they are of 
a different formation, and consist of clay-slate and fetid lime- 
stone in conformable strata. The clay-slate which was first met 
with is composed of an indurated schistose clay, exceedingly fis- 
sile, and assuming many of the characters of roofing slate. It 
~ occurs on the shores of the lake, and dips beneath its waters to 
the N. N. W. at an angle of 25°. The lamina of the clay- 
slate are parallel to the planes of stratification, which is probably 
the caure of the extreme fissility of the rock in that direction ; 
but perpendicular to these planes, or nearly so, are others 
which serve to perplex the examiner when wishing to ascertain 
the bearing of the stratification of this rock; however their want 
of continuosity and particularly the conformable position of th® 
clay-slate with regard to the limestone, remove the difficulty, 
The 
