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niory of St. Gabriel, it approaches within six- 

 teen miles of Quebec ; about nine miles before 

 it reaches the St. Lawrence is the new bridge 

 of Jacques Cartier. The stream is here precipi- 

 tated over many large fragments of granite that 

 occasion a perpendicular fall of considerable 

 height, the effect of which is greatly increased 

 by the incessant roar of the torrent as it forces 

 its way through the hollows and excavations 

 that by the lapse of time it has wrought for 

 itself in the rocky bed and sides of the channel : 

 from hence it flows with the same impetuous 

 character, until its waters are lost in the cur- 

 rent of the St. Lawrence. The River Jacques 

 Cartier, viewed with a military eye, forms a 

 most powerful natural barrier, and may be 

 termed one of the outworks to the city and 

 environs of Quebec ; the velocity of the stream 

 would make it extremely dangerous to attempt 

 fording it ; the height of the banks renders 

 them inaccessible, except in a very few places, 

 and those could only be ascended with much 

 difficulty by a small number of persons at a 

 time, which, with the numerous advantageous 

 positions along the whole range of the river for 

 posting a defensive force, would altogether con- 

 stitute it a complete line of security; indeed, 

 the French, after they w^ere expelled from Que- 

 bec in 1759, retired behind this river, and 



