515 



basin before it discharges into the St. Law- 

 rence ; its course is much impeded by shoals, 

 and not navigable for any thing but canoes ; a 

 little below the village its breadth is one hun- 

 dred and fifty yards ; the level of its bed is 

 twenty feet above the St. Lawrence, which oc- 

 casions a fall, that from the latter has a very 

 beautiful effect. On each side of it, just at the 

 break of the descent, are two saw-mills, in situa- 

 tions most advantageously chosen for ensuring 

 a continual supply of water. The basin is 

 spacious, and well sheltered ; at high water 

 vessels from twenty to twenty-five tons may 

 run in for security against a gale, by taking 

 care to avoid a muddy flat at its entrance : the 

 channel, however, is not difficult. The branch 

 called Bras St. Nicholas has its source in the 

 high lands, in the rear of the seigniories of 

 Bonsecours and Islet, and flows parallel to 

 the St. Lawrence, but in an opposite direction, 

 until it falls into Riviere du Sud, at the village 

 of St. Thomas. At its confluence, a handsome 

 bridge, called Prevost Bridge, was erected in 

 1812 by Jacques Morrin; it is one hundred 

 and twenty feet in length, eighteen in breadth, 

 and fifteen above the level of the water. Over 

 the Riviere du Sud there is a much handsomer 

 one, called the Regent's Bridge, built in 1813 

 by Francois Frichette; this is three hundred 



L L 2 



