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lire undoubtedly solid reasons for conjectuting 

 that this part of the district of Montreal will 

 attract the attention both of traders and culti- 

 vators, and vie in a few years with most others 

 of the province in population, as well as a 

 flourishing state df agriculture. The Grande 

 Isle, four miles and a half long, by nearly one 

 and a half broad, on whose southern side a re- 

 doubt was thrown up, and a road made across 

 it to communicate with Coteau du Lac, by 

 Colonel de Lotbiniere in 1813, with two or three 

 smaller ones adjoining, are appendages to Beau- 

 harnois. The Grande Isle divides the stream 

 of the St. Laurence into two channels; that 

 on the south side is called the Beauharnois 

 channel, in the course of which are the rapids 

 Croche, Les Faucilles, and de Bouleau ; the 

 latter both intricate and dangerous to pass. 

 It was through this channel, with the view of 

 avoiding the Rapid and Post of Coteau du Lac, 

 then held by a British detachment, that the 

 American General Wilkinson intended to con- 

 duct the army under his command, with the 

 avowed object of invading Lower Canada. He 

 was however prevented from carrying his design 

 into execution, and the boasted superiority of 

 his arms greatly diminished by the unexpected 

 defeat of pa,rt of his force by a much inferior 



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