120 EMIGRATION, OR 



above 40. Large floats of timber hourly passing down the 

 river to Quebec, from the upper province. 



Sept. 23. Left Montreal, for Quebec, at eight o clock at 

 night, in the John Molson steamer, and arrived at three 

 o clock the following day; distance, 180 miles; paid 18s. 

 for a cabin birth. The river St. Lawrence is truly called 

 noble, and the scenery in many places along its banks is 

 grand. Passed some smart villages and towns ; and the 

 roads are thickly studded with long-roofed, neat, white 

 houses ; and the churches, with their tin-covered roofs and 

 aspiring pinnacles glistening in the sun, have an enlivening 

 appearance. It is a pity the river has so many obstructions 

 to navigation at its upper part; as, otherwise, it would be 

 the most commercial stream in the world. There is only one 

 slight rapid between Montreal and Quebec (the Richelieu), 

 or indeed the Ocean, nearly 1000 miles, and that is only 

 difficult for large rafts in adverse winds, its course being 

 narrow, but deep. The tide running a little above it, there 

 is no rapid at high water. Anticosta is a very large island, 

 dangerous to navigation, lying across the gulf. Vessels of 

 any size are now invariably towed up by steamers from 

 Quebec to Montreal. 



For the timber trade, Quebec is of great and growing im 

 portance. This season, nearly 800 vessels have already 

 arrived, and numbers are daily arriving, too many, in 

 deed, as the lowness of the water in the rivers this spring 

 has prevented a great portion of the best timber being- 

 brought to market. The consequence is a rise in price of 

 from 50 to 100 per cent. The best of the timber growing 

 near the shores of the St. Lawrence and lower part of Lake 

 Ontario, has been brought to market ; and when the Upper 

 Canada canals are opened, there will be a fine field for the 

 industrious lumberer, in the immense forests of superior 

 timber, growing on the shores of lakes Erie and Huron, 

 and even Lake Superior, and their tributary streams, which 

 are inexhaustible for centuries to come. 



The time is not far distant when vessels will be built on 

 the Upper Lakes, 1500 miles from the sea, and freighted 

 thence for Europe and the West Indies. Indeed, one is 

 already built for that purpose, and is now plying on Lake 

 Erie, waiting the completion of the canals. On approach 

 ing Quebec, the river for miles was lined along its sides 

 with ships loading lumber. 



