159 



to the time of our trip, the only parties who had 

 ventured down the rapids to Chicoutimi that season 

 had taken the Petite Decharge. It is far narrower 

 and freer from danger than the other channel, the 

 canoes passing only through dead water until the 

 foot of Alma Island is reached, portages being made 

 around all the falls and rapids. There is to be seen, 

 however, on the way, by taking this route, the won- 

 derful timber slide, booms, etc., constructed in the Lit- 

 tle Discharge by the government of Canada, between 

 1856 and 1860, at a cost of over $40,000. The slide 

 itself is 5840 feet in length, and the total length of all 

 the works is about six miles. Through this slide the 

 logs glide with amazing rapidity. There is a splendid 

 ouananiche pool at Boulanger's, in La Petite Decharge, 

 which is known to most of the guides. 



As the most magnificent rapids between Lake St. 

 John and Chicoutimi are encountered in the lower 

 half of the Grand Discharge, we had made up our 

 minds before leaving Roberval to take this route, pro- 

 viding we could find guides ready to take us. There 

 are guides enough and canoes enough always awaiting 

 employment at the Island House, and Mr. Patterson, 

 who has them in charge, being himself an old Hudson 

 Bay Company's official, is well qualified to select from 

 among them those best adapted for a difficult journey 

 or most accustomed to a particular route. Though all 

 French - Canadian voyageurs, like all the Montagnais, 

 are splendid canoemen, there are, of course, degrees 

 of excellence among them, and some are much more 

 acquainted with the difficulties and dangers of the 

 Grand Discharge than others. I suggested at once 



