OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. XXIX

repair the veffel. An European on feeing one of thefe {lender veffels thus
laden, heaped up, and funk with her gunwale within fix inches of the
water, would think his fate inevitable in fuch a boat, when he refle€ted
on the nature of her voyage; but the Canadians are fo expert that few

accidents happen.

Leaving La Chine, they proceed to St. Ann’s, within two miles of
the Weflern extremity of the ifland of Montreal, the lake of the two
mountains being in fight, which may be termed the commencement of
the Utawas River. At the rapid of St. Ann they are obliged to take
out part, if not the whole of their lading. It is from this {pot that the
Canadians confider they take their departure, as it poffeffes the laft church
on the ifland, which is dedicated to the tutelar faint of voyagers.

The lake of the two mountains is about twenty miles long, but not
more than three wide, and furrounded by cultivated fields, except the
Seignory belonging to the clergy, though nominally in poffeffion of the two
tribes of Iroquois and Algonquins, whofe village is fituated on a delightful
point of land under the hills, which, by the title of mountains, give a name
tothe lake. Near the extremity of the point their church is built, which
divides the village in two parts, forming a regular angle along the water
fide. On the Eaft is the ftation of the Algonquins, and on the Weft,
one of the Iroquois, confifting in all of about five hundred warriors.
Each party has its miflionary, and divine worfhip is performed accord-
ing to the rites of the Roman Catholic religion, in their re{pettive lan-
guages in the fame church: and fo affiduous have their paftors been,
that thefe people have been inftruéted in reading and writing in their

own