50 TRAVELS THROUGH LOWER CANADA : 
of any importance to us but as a trading 
post, and as such Kingston, which is within 
our own territory, is far more eligibly situated 
in every point of view : it has a more safe and 
commodious harbour, and the fur ships coming 
down from Niagara, by stopping there, are 
saved a voyage of sixty miles up and down the 
St. Lawrence, which was oftentimes found to 
• ' - . i ' 
be more tedious than the voyage from Niagara 
to Kingston. 
In the neighbourhood of La Galette, on 
the Oswegatchee River, there is a village of 
the Oswegatchee Indians, whose numbers are 
estimated at one hundred warriors. 
The current of the St. Lawrence, from 
Oswegatchee upwards, is much more gentle 
than in any other part between Montreal and 
Lake Ontario, except only where the river is 
considerably dilated, as at lakes St. Louis and 
St. Francois; however, notwithstanding its 
being so gentle, we did not advance njore than 
twenty-five miles in the course of the day, 
owing to the numerous stops that we made, 
more from motives of pleasure than necessity. 
The evening was uncommonly fine, and to- 
wards sun-set a brisk gale springing up, the 
conductor judged it advisable to take advantage, 
of it, and to continue the voyage all night, in 
order to make up for the time we bad lest 
during the day. , We accordingly proceeded. 
