176 



maining rapids had almost as sensational an experi- 

 ence as in anything we had yet gone through. In 

 order to avoid the danger of being dashed upon the 

 rocks near the shore, the guides took what they call 

 "la grosse mer" — the centre of the stream. There 

 were enormous waves out tliere, and it was sensation- 

 al enough, in all conscience, to take a succession of 

 plunges into their hollows, and to float again, each 

 time up the opposite side of the billow, as easily as 

 though the canoe were but a chip upon the rapids. 

 And yet how readily a careless or unobservant stroke 

 of the paddle, or a moment's neglect on the part of a 

 guide, might swamp or overturn the light craft ! At 

 times the velocity of the current was so great that the 

 canoes swept down portions of these rapids with ter- 

 rific speed, and the trees and other objects on the shore 

 flew past as telegraph-poles appear to do from the win- 

 dows of a railway-train. After passing through the 

 Gervais rapids the river presented a changed appear- 

 ance. No more islands were to be seen, and the shores 

 grew higher and steeper, and gradually assumed the 

 characteristic Saguenay scenery, as viewed from the 

 steamer below Chicoutimi. The stream ran swiftly, 

 but was clear of rapids during the twelve miles more 

 that we descended in canoes to where the scattered 

 waters of the Eiver des Aulnaies are broken over the 

 face of rocks two hundred feet in height, to mingle 

 with those of the Discharge. Here we are close to the 

 frightful rapids and whirlpool known as le grand 

 remoiis, where a long portage of six miles over an 

 exceedingly mountainous country rftad on the north 

 shore of the river is an absolute necessity. We left 



