Eastern Townships. 57 



his clumsy hook touches the water. This village, Magog, 

 will shortly be very easy of access, as it is the intention of 

 the Stanstead and Shefford Railway Company to extend their 

 line to this place, connecting, by means of Lake Memphre- 

 magog and the steamer " Mountain Maid," with the contem- 

 plated terminus of the Conn, and Pass. Railway at Newport, 

 Vt., as well as a direct land connection between the roads, 

 which will be made at Stanstead, thus furnishing another 

 means of communication for the travelling public, between 

 Montreal, the White Mountains, Boston and New York, 

 either for business or for pleasure. 



Near the northern extremity of the lake to the west is 

 Orford Mountain, the highest elevation in the Townships, 

 being about 4500 feet in height. From its summit the view 

 may be almost called unique, as you may see the waters of 

 eighteen lakes. At its own base the waters of Orford Lake 

 assume a dark and dreary appearance, probably from the 

 shade of their overhanging mountain, and although there 

 are the same natural accompaniments of scenery as the other 

 lakes possess, yet there is a dreary, desolate appearance about 

 this spot, heightened perhaps by the seemingly interminable 

 forest of pines, which gives an idea of isolation. 



The Town of Sherbrooke, the metropolis of the Town- 

 ships, is situated at the confluence of the Magog and St. 

 Francis Rivers. The position of the town, rising from the 

 beautiful valley of the St. Francis, on a series of falls, three- 

 quarters of a mile in length, and having a total height of 100 

 feet, is most romantic, and lying as it does almost equidistant 

 from Montreal, Quebec, and Portland, on the great artery, the 

 Grand Trunk Railway, it is destined to reach a high position 

 of prosperity. Owing to its splendid water-power a number 

 of factories and industrial works are in operation here. Sher- 

 brooke is the most important way station of the Grand 

 Trunk Railway between Montreal and Portland ; and from 

 its happy position near to and amidst fine scenery, a very 



