no Kt7igston. 



single line in one day. The boating on it in summer is ex- 

 cellent ; the shore is lined with boat-houses, and there are 

 several handsome steam and sail yachts on it. A ferry-boat 

 plies every half-hour between Brockville and Morrisburg, in 

 New York State, almost opposite, two or three miles from 

 which is a spot where a view of one hundred islands can be 

 gained at one time. 



Leaving Brockville by the evening train for Kingston, 47 

 miles distant, we arrive there at midnight ; and this being 

 the point where we purpose taking steamer to come down 

 the St. Lawrence and enjoy the scenery of the " Thousand 

 Islands," Rapids, &c., it is as well to take a day or two to see 

 the city and its environs. 



Kingston, called by the Indians " Cataraqiiil' was the 

 original capital of Upper Canada. A settlement was begun 

 here by the French, under De Courcelles, as early as 1672, 

 under the name of Fort Cataraqui, and the fort subsequently 

 received the name of Fort Frontenac, in honor of the French 

 Count of that name. This fort was afterwards in the posses- 

 sion of the French and the Indians, until it was destroyed by 

 the expedition under Colonel Bradstreet in 1758. In 1762 

 the place fell into the hands of the British, from whom it 

 received its present name. The advantageous position of 

 this city, from being at the outlet of Lake Ontario into the 

 St. Lawrence, and at the junction of the waters of the Bay of 

 Quinte and the great Cataraqui Creek, together with the 

 Rideau Canal, has made it a place of considerable commercial 

 importance. As a military station, its defences are only 

 second to Quebec. About half-a-mile to the east is a low 

 peninsula, ending in Point Frederick, which, with the other 

 parallel one terminating in Point Henry, encloses Navy Bay, 

 the depot for the maritime armament of Britain on the lakes 

 during the war of 18 12. On an eminence of the peninsula 

 is Fort Henry, commanding the entrance to the lake : this, 

 together with large substantial martello towers, has complete 



