Ivi A GENERAL. HISTORY

the Lac de la Pluie, which lies nearly Eaft and Weft; from thence about fifteen miles is a narrow ftrait that divides the land into two un- equal parts, from whence to its difcharge is a diflance of twenty-four miles. There is a deep bay running North-Weft on the right, that is not included, and is remarkable for furnifhing the natives with a kind of foft, red ftone, of which they make their pipes; it alfo affords an excel- lent fifhery both in the fummer and winter; and from it is an eafy, fafe, and {hort road to the Lake du Bois, (which I fhall mention prefently) for the Indians to pafs in their fmall canoes, through a {mall lake and on a {mall river, whofe banks furnifh abundance of wild rice. The dif- charge of this lake is called Lake de la Pluie River, at whofe entrance there is a rapid, below which 1s a fine bay, where there had been an ex- tenfive picketted fort and building when poflefled by the French: the fite of it is at prefent a beautiful meadow, furrounded with groves of oaks. From hence there is a {trong current for two miles, where the water falls over a rock twenty feet, and, from the confequent turbulence of the water, the carrying-place, which is three hundred and twenty paces long, derives the name of Chaudiere. Two miles onward is the prefent trading eftablifhment, fituated on an high bank on the North fide of the river, in 48. 37. North latitude.

Here the people from Montreal come to meet thofe who arrive from. the Athabafca country, as has been already defcribed, and exchange lading with them. This is alfo the refidence of the firft chief, or Sachem, of all the Algonquin tribes, inhabiting the different parts of this country. He is by diftinétion called Ne€tam, which implies perfonal pre-eminence. . Here alfo the elders meet in council to treat of peace or war.

This