832 Travels through lower Canada : 
but it is preferred to a boat with a keel for two 
■very obvious reasons; first, because it draws 
less water, at the same time that it carries a 
larger burthen; and secondly, because it is 
much Safer on lakes or wide rivers, where storms 
are frequent: a proof of this came under our 
observation the day of our leaving Montreal 
We had reached a wide part of the river, and 
were sailing along with a favourable wind, 
when suddenly the horizon grew very dark, and 
* 
a dreadful storm arose, accompanied with loud 
peals of thunder arid torrents of rain. Before 
the sail could be taken in, the ropes which held 
it were snapped in pieces, and the waves began 
to dash over the sides of the bateau,, though 
the water had been quite smooth five minutes- 
before. It was impossible now to counteract 
the force of the wind with oars, and the bateau 
was consequently driven on shore, but the 
bottom of it being quite flat, it was carried 
smoothly upon the beach without sustaining 
any injury and the men leaping out drew it 
up on dry land, where we remained out of all 
danger till the storm was over, A keel boat, 
however, of the same size, could not have ap¬ 
proached nearer to the shore than thirty feet, 
and there it would have stuck fast in’ the sand, 
and probably have been filled with water. 
From being fitted up as it was, our bateau 
proved to be very pleasant conveyance: it was 
