52 



river itself nothing claims our attention except 

 the separation of its shores to the distance al- 

 ready mentioned, from Cape Rosier to the 

 Mingan settlement^. In the mouth of the St. 

 Lawrence is the large island of Anticosti, 125 

 miles long, and in its widest part 30, dividing 

 it into two channels. As it is of importance to 

 mariners in making the river, the geographical 

 position has been ascertained with exactness, 

 and is thus laid down : the east point lat. 49^ 

 5. long. 62. 0. ; the west point lat. 49- 48. long, 

 64. 35 ; and the south-west point lat. 49. 23. 

 long. 63. 44. Through its whole extent it has 

 neither bay nor harbour sufficiently safe to afford 

 shelter to ships; it is uncultivated, being ge- 

 nerally of an unpropitious soil, upon which 

 any attempted improvements have met with 

 very unpromising results ; yet, rude and unhos- 

 pitable as its aspect may be, it is not absolutely 

 unprovided with the means of succouring the 

 distress of such as suffer shipwreck on its coasts, 

 there being two persons who reside upon it at 

 two different stations all the year as govern- 

 ment agents, furnished with provisions for the 

 use of those who have the misfortune to need 

 them. Boards are placed in different parts, 



* In describing the course of the river, and wherever di- 

 stances are given in miles, they always imply the statute mile of 

 69 J to a degree, unless otherwise specilied. 



