travels in North America. i .y 



half Flood in the Port of Tadouffac, and at the Entrance oï Sa- 

 guenay, it is but juft beginning to flow at Checoutimi, twenty-five 

 Leagues higher up the River Saguenay, and yet it is high Water 

 at the three Places at the fame Time : This happens no Doubt 

 becaufe the Rapidity of the River Saguenay, greater than 

 that 0Ï Si, Laurence, running againft the Tide, makes an Equili- 

 brium for feme Time between Checoutimi, and the Entrance of 

 the Saguenay'mto the Great River. This Rapidity was not fo great 

 butfmce the Earthquake of 1663. This Earthquake overthrew a 

 Mountain in the River, which flraitened its Bed, and formed a 

 Peninfula, which they call Checoutimiy above v/hich the Stream is 

 fo flrong, that Canoes can't get up it. The Depth of Saguenay^ 

 from its Mouth up to Checoutimi, is equal toits Rapidity : So that 

 it would not be fafe to anchor in it, if they could not make fall 

 their Veffels to the Trees that cover the Banks of this River. 



It is alfo found that in the Gulf of St, Laurence, at eight Or 

 ten Leagues from the Land, the Tides are different, according 

 to the various Situations of the Land, or the Difference of the 

 Seafons ; that in fome Places they follow the Winds, and in o- 

 thers they run againfl the Wind ; that at the Mouth of thg River, 

 at certain Months of the Year, the Currents always run to the 

 Sea, and in others always towards the Land ; and laftly, that in 

 the River itfelf, till near the feven Iflands, that is to fay, fixty 

 Leagues, there is no Flux on the South Side, nor any Reflux on 

 the North Side, It is not eafy to give any good Reafons for all 

 this ; all that can be faid, with the greatefl Probability, is, that 

 there are fome Motions under Water, which produce thefe 

 Irregularities, or that there are fome Currents which come and 

 go from the Surface to the Bottom, and from the Bottom to the 

 Surface, in the Manner of Pumps. Another Obfervation to be 

 made here is, that the Variation of the Compafs (which in fome 

 Ports of France, is but two or three Degrees North Weil) con« 

 tinues always decreafinç till we come to the Azores, where there 

 is no longer any Variation ; but from thence it increafes in fuch 

 a Manner, that upon the Great Bank of Ne^uufoundland it is 

 twenty-two Degrees and more ; afterv/ards it begins to decreafe, 

 but llowly, fmce it is flill fixteen Degrees at ^ebec, and twelve 

 in the Country of the Hurons, where the Sun fets thirty-three 

 Minutes later than at Shiehec, 



Sunday the twenty- fécond, we cad Anchor by the Me of Or- 

 Of the IHe of ^^^^'^^ where we went to take an Airing, 

 Orleans ^^^^ the Return of the Tide. I 'found this 



Country fine, the Soil good, and the Inha- 

 bitants pretty well at their Eafe. They have the Chara6ter of 

 being given to Witchcraft; and they are confulted, they fay, up- 

 on future Events, and concerning what pafTes in diilant Places. 



D For 



