356 TRAVELS THROUGH LOWER CANADA : 
evening it often wears the appearance of a vast 
mirror/where the varied rich tints of the sky, 
as well as the images of the different objects of 
the banks, are seen reflected with inconceivable 
lustre. The southern bank of the river, in¬ 
dented fancifully with bays and promontories, 
remains nearly in a state of nature, cloathed 
with lofty trees; but the opposite shore is 
thickly covered with houses, extending as 
along other parts of the river already men¬ 
tioned, in one uninterrupted village, seemingly, 
as far as the eye can reach. On this side the 
prospect is terminated by an extensive range of 
mountains, the flat lands situated between them 
and the villages on the banks notbeing visible to 
a spectator at Quebec, it seems as if the moun¬ 
tains rose directly out of the water, and the 
houses were built on their steep and rugged 
sides. 
Beautiful as the environs of the city appear 
when seen at a distance, they do not appear 
less so on a more close inspection; and in pass¬ 
ing through them the eye is entertained with 
a most pleasing variety of flue landscapes, whilst 
the mind is equally gratified with the appear¬ 
ance of content and happiness that reigns in 
the countenances of the inhabitants. Indeed, 
if a country as fruitful as it is picturesque, a 
genial and healthy climate,, and a tolerable 
share of civil and religious liberty, can make 
