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Of ten established ferries from the island, in 

 different directions, the longest is that from the 

 town to La Prairie de la Magdelaine, a distance 

 of six miles ; it is also the most frequented, as 

 the passengers are landed on the southern shore, 

 at the main road, leading to Fort St. John's, and 

 into the American States : from the town to 

 Longeuil is the King's Ferry, three miles across, 

 and also much frequented, as many roads branch 

 off in all directions from the village of Longeuil, 

 at which the boats arrive ; that from the west 

 end of the island to Vaudreuil is three miles 

 across, in the direct line of communication be- 

 tween Upper and Lower Canada: from the 

 eastern Bout de Tlsle to Repentigny, where the 

 road between Montreal and Quebec crosses, the 

 ferry is about 1300 yards only. The others 

 are of much less distance : at all of them con- 

 venient bateaux, canoes, and scows are always 

 ready to convey passengers, horses, carriages, 

 &c. from one side to the other. From Repen- 

 tigny to Isle Bourdon, in the Riviere des Prairies, 

 and from thence to the island of Montreal^ a 

 handsome wooden bridge was constructed, at a 

 very great expense, by Mr. Porteous of Terre- 

 bonne, authorised by an act that passed the 

 provincial parliament in 1808 ; but it was un- 

 fortunately destroyed the spring after it was 

 finished, by the pressure of the ice at the break- 



