3M LAHONTAN. 



that river there is some difficulty; for it has five cataracts which 

 oblige tis to turn out and carry all overland thirty, fifty, and an hun- 

 dred paces. Having passed that river we entered Lake Nipissing, 

 from wheiice we are forced to transport our canoes and baggage two 

 leagues overland, to another river which has six or seven rapids 

 which the canoemen commonly shoot. From that river there is 

 another land- carriage to the river Creuse, which falls with rapid cur- 

 rents into the great River of the Ottawas, near a place called Mataouan. 

 We continue our course upon this great river till we come to the" 

 point of the island of Montreal, where it is lost in the great river 

 St. Lawrence." Here within three leagues of Montreal Lahontan's 

 canoe was upset in a rapid, and he narrowly escaped drowning. 

 "This was the only time I was in danger through the whole course 

 of my journeyings," he observes. On this occasion an Indian was 

 drowned, and a canoe, with the packs of six savages, was lost. On 

 the day after his arrival he waits on M. de Denonville and gives him 

 an account of his travels. At the end of September a vessel from 

 France brings the tidings that M. de Denonville is recalled, and that 

 Frontenac is re-appointed Governor in his place. "The gentlemen, 

 merchants and other inhabitants are making preparations for solemn- 

 izing his arrival, which they expect," Lahontan says, "with as much 

 impatience as the Jews do the Messiah! The very savages," he con- 

 finu.es, "show an uncommon joy tipon the hopes of his return. And 

 indeed," he observes, "we need not think it strange, for that Governor 

 drew esteem and veneration, not only from the French, but from all 

 the natives of this vast continent, who looked upon him as their 

 guardian angel." Lahontan concluded his letter by saying, "I make 

 account to set out for Rochelle, when the vessel that brings our new 

 Governor returns to France." Nevertheless he is still at Quebec on 

 15th of the following November (1689), the date of the eighteenth 

 letter. Frontenac wants his services in Canada, and the visit to 

 France is again postponed. Lahontan has received the intelligence 

 that his hereditary property near Pau had been actually sold; but 

 that he may recover it by reimbursing the sum paid, and proving 

 that he was actually in the King's service in remote parts of the 

 world when the estate was sold. Frontenac proceeds to Montreal 

 for a few days after his arrival, and takes Lahontan with him. M. 

 Mantet is sent forward to Fort Frontenac to repair the works there. 

 Letter nineteen is dated at Montreal, Oct. 2, 1690. Nothing very 



