| KKK A GENERAL HISTORY

i own language, and are better inftruéted than the Canadian inhabitants of
i the country of the lower ranks: but notwithftanding thefe advantages,
He and though the eflablifhment is nearly coeval with the colonization of

the country, they do not advance towards a ftate of civilization, but re-
tain their ancient habits, language, and cuftoms, and are becoming every

day more depraved, indigent, and infignificant. The country around

if patches of ground, fown by the women with maize and vegetables.

i" During the winter feafon, they leave their habitations, and pious paftors,
| to follow the chafe, according to the cuftom of their forefathers. Such

,) i them, though very capable of cultivation, prefents only a few miferable
is, indeed, the ftate of all the villages near the cultivated parts of Canada.

But we fhall now leave them to proceed on our voyage.

At the end of the lake the water contra&s into the Utawas River,
which, after a courfe of fifteen miles, is interrupted by a fucceffion of

ON 28 SR a BO

rapids and cafcades for upwards of ten miles, at the foot of which the

Canadian Seignories terminate; and all above them were wate land,

eal 3%

till the conclufion of the American war, when they were furveyed by

order of government, and granted to the officers and men of the eighty-

fourth regiment, when reduced; but principally to the former, and

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confequently little inhabited, though very capable of cultivation.

The voyagers are frequently obliged to unload their canoes, and

: carry the goods upon their backs, or rather fufpended in flings from
their heads. Each man’s ordinary load is two packages, though fome

carry three. Here the canoe is towed by a {trong line. There are fome

places where the ground will not admit of their carrying the whole;

they