Geology of the M'oni^norenci — Etnmons. 95 
brated spot; more particularly, however, of the geological structure of 
the fall, and of its immediate vicinity. 
The river Montmorenci flows from the mountain woodlands, in a 
southerly direction, and joins the St. Lawrence seven miles below 
Quebec. The fall is sixty or seventy rods above the junction of the two 
rivers, and for this distance it is a deep gorge, with perpendicular sides, 
which has been formed by the river. The amount of the fall is .said to 
be two hundred and forty feet, though to most observers it appears 
something less, which is doubtless owing to the great width of perpen- 
dicular rock over which the river is precipitated. The water in its 
descent appears like a broad sheet of white foam, which, contrasted with 
the dark walls through which the river has cut its way, adds greatly to 
the beauty and magnificence of the scene, and serves to arrest at once 
the attention of the observer, and fix him in an attitude of profound awe 
and astonishment. Leaving at this point all details in relation to the 
geography of the river and its scenery, we pass to the consideration of 
the geology of its vicinity, and especially of the fall, which, as I have 
already said, is a spot of great interest, and to the scientific tourist fur- 
nishes some facts which will serve to elucidate the structure of the sur- 
rounding region, which otherwise would be quite obscure, or at best 
conjectural. 
The tourist will generally take his departure for a visit to the fall from 
Quebec. His route, after passing the bridge over the St. Charles is on 
the Beauport road, the direction of which is indicated by a long row of 
neat white cottages, which form the village of the same name. 
Adjacent to the St. Charles, the country is mostly level, and presents 
fertile and well cultivated meadows and farms, and for two or two and a 
half miles no rock appears from which the geology of the district can be 
determined. The formation at Quebec, as is well known, is the gray- 
wacke of authors, consisting of schistose strata, argillaceous slates, thin 
bedded sandstones, fine and coarse breccias, of a green color, and inter- 
laminated with a shaly bituminous limestone, in a highly inclined position. 
'This rock is lost sight of at the lower part of the city, and disappears at 
once, and we pass from a high, prominent, rocky ridge to a level and 
smooth country, apparently undisturbed by any uplifts or other derange- 
ments. 
On reaching the Beauport river at the southern extremity of the vil- 
lage, the rock which underlies this section of country appears for the 
first time; it is a black limestone, regularly bedded and nearly horizontal, 
presenting a remarkable contrast with the highly inclined rocks of 
Quebec. This limestone does not appear entirely alone, for at a few 
points a black slate projects above the surface, and occupies a position 
on the same level as the limestone, against which it apparently rests. 
This association of rocks, taken in connection with their position, in- 
-dicates some derangement; and a close examination would undoubtedly 
result in the discovery of an extensive faulty or uplift^ along the line 
which the road passes. 
