Quebec. 1 1 1 



On the 1 6th of OBober 1690, 9^ebec 

 was befieged by the Englifi general William 

 PhipSy who was obhged to retire a few days 

 after with great lofs. The Englifj have 

 tried feveral times to repair their loffes, but 

 the river St. Lawrence has always been a 

 very good defence for this country. An 

 enemy, and one that is not acquainted with 

 this river, cannot go upwards in it, without 

 being ruined; for in the neighbourhood of 

 ^ebeCy it abounds with hidden rocks, and 

 has ftrong currents in fome places, which 

 oblige the fliips to make many windings. 



The name of ^cbec it is faid is derived 

 from a Norman word, on account of its 

 fituation on a neck or point of land. For 

 when one comes up in the river hy T Ifie 

 d'OrJeanSy that part of the river St. Law- 

 re?ice does not come in fight, which lies 

 above the town, and it appears as if the 

 river St. Charles which lies jufl before, was 

 a continuation of the St. Lawrence. But 

 on advancing further the true ccurfe of the 

 river comes within fight, and has at firft a 

 great fimiiarity to the mouth of a river or 

 a great bay. This has given occaiion to a 

 failor, who faw it unexpedtedly, to cry out 

 in his provincial dialect ^e bee *, that isy 

 what a point of land ! and from hence it is 



thought; 



* Meaning ^el bee. 



