Travels in North America. 337 



which Canoes of Bark would be troubled to get thro', and therefore 

 îhey feldom reckon them among the PafTes. From hence we take 

 to the Weil for the Space of five hundred Fathom, and we come 

 over-againft the Pafs a la Lcuire (of the Otter), It is five hun- 

 dred Fathom wide, but is paflable only for Pettiaugres. Theu 

 we turn to the South Weft for twenty Fathom ; we return to the 

 Welt for three hundred, then to the Weft by North, the Space 

 of one hundred ; to the Weft North Weft as many, to the North 

 Weft eight hundre4 ; then we find on the Left the Pafs of the 

 South, which is two hundred and fifty Fathom wide, nine FV 

 thom Water at its Entrance on the Side towards the River, and 

 two Feet only where it goes out to the Sea. Two hundred and 

 fifty Fathom farther is the Pafs of the South Weft, nearly the 

 fame Breadth ; never lefs than feven or eight Feet Water.- 

 Hereabout the Country begins to be not fo marftiy, but it is 

 overflowed during four Months of the Year. It is bounded on 

 the Left by a Succeftion of little Lakes, which are at the End of 

 that of the Chetmiachas ; and on the Right by the Iflands i/e la 

 Cha77dekur (Candlemas) : It is thought that between thefe Iflands 

 there is a Paflage for the largeft Veflels, and that it would be 

 eafy to make a good Port here. Great Barks may go up from 

 the Sea to the Lake of the Chethnachas, and nothing hinders 

 from going thither to cut down the fineft Oaks in the World, 

 with which all this Coaft is covered. 



I think it would be beft to flop all the Pafl^es but the principal 

 Means of oter ^^^^ nothing would be eafler ; to effeél 



■■n ^the ncital need only guide the floating Trees 



*pf/f ^ P^^^^^F^ into them, with which the River is almoft 

 always covered. From hence it would fol- 

 low in the firft Place, that nothing would enter the River, not 

 even Barks and Canoes, but by one Pafl^age, which would de- 

 fend the Colony from Surprifes ; in the fécond Place, that all 

 the Force of the Current of the River being united, its fole 

 Mouth v/ould deepen itfelf as well as the Bar. I found this 

 Conjedure on what happened at the two Points cut off, which 

 I mentioned before. Then there would be nothing more to do 

 than to preferve the Channel, and to hinder the floating Trees 

 from cauflng any Obftrudion in it, which does not appear to me 

 be very difficult. 



As to what concerns the Breadth of the River between the 

 Breadth of the ^^^^ ^^^^ ^fJ^' ^^"^ Leagues 



RiJer%et<w7en the ^^""^ ^^^"^ Touloufe to the Pafs of the ^ 

 p^ff^^ South Weft, it is never more than fifty -Fa- 



' * thom : But immediately above this Pafs, the 



^^JM^ppl infenflbly recovers its ufual Breadth, which is never 

 lefs than a Mile, and feldom more than two Miles. Its Depth 



X X ' alfo 



