CANOES. 
S19 
they are capable of containing two tons; 
but they seldom put so much in them, espe¬ 
cially on this river, it being in many places 
shallow, rapid, and full of rocks, and contains 
no less than thirty-two .portages. 
The canoes are navigated by the French Ca¬ 
nadians, woo are particularly fond of the em¬ 
ployment, preferring it in general to that of 
cultivating the ground. A fleet of them sets 
off from Montreal about the month of May, 
laden with provisions, consisting chiefly of bis¬ 
cuit and salt pork, sufficient to last the crews 
till their return, and also with the articles given 
in barter to the Indians. At some of the shal¬ 
low places in the river, it is sufficient if the men 
merely get out of the canoes, and push them on 
into the deep water ; but at others, where there 
are dangerous rapids and sharp rocks, it is ne- 
cessary for the men to unlade the canoes, ( and 
carry both them and the cargoes on their shoul¬ 
ders, till they come again to a safe part of the 
river. At night they drag the canoes upon 
shore, light a fire, cook their provisions for the 
. following clay, and sleep upon the ground 
wrapped up in their blankets. If it happens 
to rain very hard, they sometimes shelter them¬ 
selves with boughs of trees,, but in general they 
remain under the canopy of heaven, without 
any covering but their blankets: they copy ex¬ 
act]? the Indian inode of life on these occa- 
