THE SAGUEHAY. 175 



fishing-stations. Other salmon rivers are the Eternity river, 

 the Descente des Femmes, the Ha Ha, and the A Mars. 

 The latter is the best-stocked river in the Saguenay district. 

 The fish have multiplied wonderfully within the last three 

 years. All along the river numerous cascades tumble over 

 the perpendicular cliffs, flowing from lakes and ponds on their 

 inaccessible summits. In the vicinity of these rivers, near 

 the middle of the Saguenay, is St. Louis Island, with pre- 

 cipitous sides that descend abruptly to the depth of 1200 feet. 

 Here great quantities of the finest salmon-trout are caught. 

 Passing up stream the scenery is somewhat diversified by an 

 occasional island or a sweeping bend in the river. Still there is a 

 sense of all-pervading gloom, and with the exceptions noted, no 

 trace of civilization, and scarcely any of vegetation, can be seen. 



When the steamer reaches Cape Eternity, it invariably 

 runs close under the shadow of the tremendous cliff; steam 

 is shut off and an opportunity is given the passengers to in- 

 dulge in sensations of awe and outbursts of sentiment. 

 When all have gazed aloft at the impending crags and suf- 

 ficiently shuddered, a whistle is blown or a gun fired to wake 

 the echoes, and the steamer continues her voyage. Once 

 only in the course of four several trips up the river, have I 

 known the spell of sublimity to be broken by any sacri- 

 legious attempt at the ridiculous. All hands were gathered 

 on the forward deck, and breathless. All was still as the 

 grave. Not even a whisper was heard for the moment, when 

 commotion was suddenly excited by a voice which said in 

 accents firm and deliberately uttered, " What a splendid rock 

 to advertise Plantation Bitters ! " 



Sixty miles above the mouth of the Saguenay the gloomy 

 cliffs recede, the river expands into a magnificent bay, and to 

 the northwest, thirty miles distant, the blue outlines of the 

 St. Margaret mountain range are seen. This range com- 

 mences at Lake St. John, and extends through Labrador to 

 Hudson's Bay. Its highest peaks are estimated to be three 

 thousand feet above the waters of Lake St. John. Ha Ha 



