68 Montreal 



up in connection with the works and factories of the Com- 

 pany ; and with its Hbrary and reading room open to its 

 employes, its church and its school house,, perhaps no other 

 public body pays so great a regard to the welfare of its 

 dependants. Allans' line of ocean steamers, carrying the 

 mails weekly, connects Montreal with Liverpool, loading in 

 Montreal and sailing from Quebec in summer a,nd Portland 

 (Maine) in winter ; and during the season of navigation 

 steamers ply daily to all the principal cities and towns in the 

 Province situated on the lakes and rivers. If the traveller, 

 in the height, of summer, fancies that, from the absence of 

 vessels from the harbor at that period, trade is declining, he 

 must bear in mind that the main commerce is in the spring 

 and fall, when the so-called spring and fall fleet arrive, dis- 

 charge, take in cargo, and are off again ; the shortness of 

 the summer season rendering haste indispensable; conse- 

 quently, the middle of summer sees the harbor comparatively 

 empty of sea-going vessels, but the trade going on is internal. 



At Point St. Charles, on the eastern side of the abutment 

 of bridge, is a curiously shaped massive stone, resting on a huge 

 rock, the whole from fifteen to eighteen feet high, and enclosed 

 with a neat white railing, covering about half an acre in 

 extent ; this was erected by the workmen of the bridge to 

 commemorate the spot where some 6,500 victims of the Irish 

 ship fever were buried in the fatal summer of 1847, the huts 

 or sheds for the shelter of the emigrants during that season 

 having been erected on the common there. In the small 

 bay below, during the drought of summer, the naturalist will 

 find the small pools abounding with fresh water shells, 

 several species of unio, limncsa, etc., not commonly met with, 

 being very numerous here. 



One of the best views of the city is to be obtained from 

 the Reservoir behind McGill College, and a visit to the 

 Water Works, near the little River 'St. Pierre, is a plea- 

 sant excursion. A drive out to Lachine by the Upper 



