162 SALMON FISHING IN CANADA. 



and that is never to be depended upon in matters pisca- 

 torial, with regard to which I say deliberately, that which 

 the Psalmist said in his haste, ' All men are liars.' But 

 I have a little book here published by Carey and Hart of 

 Philadelphia, purporting to be written by a Mr. Charles 

 Lanman, wdiich may throw some light upon the suljject." 



" What's the title of the book ? " said the Captain. 



'"A Tour to the River Saguenay in Lower Canada,' replied 

 the Priest ; " and I think I may just as well read you what 

 he says about the river, in addition to what he says about 

 the fishing, as his account is not a bad one. 



" ' The scenery of the Saguenay,' says he, ' is vnld and 

 romantic to an uncommon degree. The first half of its 

 course averages half a mile in width, and runs through an 

 untrodden wilderness of pine and spruce covered hills ; it 

 abounds in waterfalls and rapids, and is only navigable 

 for the Indian canoe.' " 



Here the Baron asked what he meant by the " first half 

 of its comse ? " was it the half adjoining the St. La^\Tence, 

 or the half nearest to its source? "The half nearest its 

 source of course," answered the Priest, and went on read- 

 ing, " ' A few miles below the most southern fall on the 

 river, is located the village of Chicoutamie, where an ex- 

 tensive lumber business is transacted, and the Hudson's 

 Bay Company have an important post. The villao-e has 

 an ancient appearance, and contains about five hundred 

 inhabitants, chiefly Canadian French. The only curiosity 



