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at the confluence of the RicheUeu, Sorel or 

 Chambly River (known by each appellation), 

 with the Saint Laurence, on the scite of a fort 

 built in the year 1665, by order of Mons. de 

 Tracy, similar to those erected in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Montreal, &c. as a defence against 

 the incursions of the Indians, and which re- 

 ceived its name from Sorel, a captain of en- 

 gineers, who superintended its construction. 

 The plan of it covers about 120 acres of ground, 

 although at present the number of houses does 

 not much exceed 150, exclusive of stores, bar- 

 racks, and government buildings. It is laid out 

 with regularity, the streets intersecting each 

 other at right angles, and having in the centre 

 a square 170 j^ards on each side; the dwell- 

 ing-houses are of wood, substantially and well 

 constructed, but the Protestant and the Catholic 

 churches are both stone buildings : there are 

 eight principal streets, that, like the town itself, 

 are named after different branches of the royal 

 family ; the whole population is about one 

 thousand five hundred. Before the town the 

 bank of the Richelieu is from ten to tsvelve feet 

 high, having near the point two small wharfs or 

 landing-places ; the river is here two hundred 

 and fifty yards broad, with from two and a half 

 to five and a half fathoms of water. On the 

 opposite shore there are convenient places for 



