85 
ceding. We were assured, however, that a branch of these rapids* 
from which we were separated by an island, are very dangerous. 
It is called the least channel; and Duncan, in his Journal, 
gives a beautiful description of a shipwreck that occurred here, 
in which many lives were lost. Our vessel was not only flat at 
the bottom, like all the others that pass these rapids, but had 
also an ingenious false keel, which could be lowered and raised 
as the water was either shallow or deep. Our passengers were 
principally of the lower class of Canadians, who spoke bad French, 
somewhat like the Walloon. There was also a lively young 
black bear, three months old, on board. 
About twenty miles below Longsault, we reached the village 
of Cornwall, on the Canada shore. The wind was so feeble that 
we had no hopes of reaching a good tavern before dark, we de¬ 
termined, therefore, to stay here all night. Towards evening, 
Mr. Grymes’ family also arrived by land, and took lodgings at 
the same tavern. The village is small, but the streets intersect 
each other at right angles, and contain several new stone houses. 
It appears to be a place of little business. The country is pretty 
flat, and the plain near the village is used by the British as a race- 
ground. A race was to take place in a few days, horses had al¬ 
ready arrived and lodgings were bespoken. The British govern¬ 
ment sends many Scotch emigrants into this part of the country. 
Our departure on the following morning was delayed two 
hours by the ladies; and it was not until about 7 o’clock that we 
left Cornwall in our Durham-boat. The morning was very 
pleasant, and in consequence of a rather strong southerly wind, 
we glided rapidly along. Five miles below Cornwall, on the 
right shore, we saw the village of St. Regis, the last belonging 
to the United States The American line here leaves the St. 
Lawrence, both shores of which belong to Canada as far as its 
outlet into the sea. On the left bank of the river we descried a 
new Scotch village, called Glen gar y Settlement. Farther on, 
you reach a lake, called Lac St. Frangois, through which the 
St. Lawrence flows, and through which the boundary line be¬ 
tween Upper and Lower Canada is drawn. This lake, which is 
about forty miles long, and six broad, contains a number of 
islands. Not far from St. Regis we passed one of these islands, 
which is inhabited by some Indians, who have been baptized by 
a Catholic missionary, and have their island in a good state of 
cultivation. One of the Indians, with his wife, came along side 
of us in a canoe, and sold us some fish. At the point where Lac 
St. Frangois terminates, and where the St. Lawrence again 
commences, is the village of Coteau de Lac, on the left bank of 
the river. At this village is a pretty strong rapid, stronger than 
those we passed yesterday. In order that this rapid may be 
