OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. XXXV

canoes, and others have received irrecoverable injuries. The laft in this
~
river is the Turtle Portage, eighty-three paces, on entering the lake of

that name, where, indeed, the river may be faid to take its fource. From

the firft vafe to the great river, the country has the appearance of having,

been over-run by fire, and confifts in general of huge rocky hills. The
whole diftance which is the height of land, between the waters of the
St. Laurence and the Utawas, is one thoufand five hundred and thirteen
paces to a {mall canal in a plain, that is juft fufficient to carry the
loaded canoe about one mile to the next vafe, which is feven hundred
and twenty-five paces. It would be twice this diftance, but the narrow
creek is dammed in the beaver fafhion, to float the canoes to this barrier,
through which they pafs, when the river is juft fufficient to bear them
through a fwamp of two miles to the laft vafe, of one thoufand
and twenty-four paces in length. Though the river is increafed in this
part, fome care is neceffary to avoid rocks and ftumps of trees.. In about
fix miles is the lake Nepifingui, which is computed to be twelve leagues
long, though the route of the canoes is fomething more: it is about fif
teen miles wide in the wideft part, and bounded with rocks. Its inha-
bitants confift of the remainder of a numerous converted tribe, called

Nepifinguis of the Algonquin nation. Out of it flows the Riviere des

Francois, over rocks of a confiderable height. Ina bay to the Eaft of

this, the road leads over the Portage of the Chaudiere des Francois, five
hundred and forty-four paces, to ftill water. It muft have acquired the
name of Kettle, from a great number of holes in the folid rock of a
cylindrical form, and not unlike that culinary utenfil. They are obferv-
able in many parts along ftrong bodies of water, and where, at certain
feafons, and diftin periods, it is well known the water inundates; at

eg the