rapid, about three miles below the mouth of Oswegatchee River, the most
considerable of those within the territory of the United States, which
fall into the St. Lawrence. It consists of three branches, that unite
together about fifteen miles above its mouth, the most western of which
issues from a lake twenty miles in length and eight in breadth. Another
of the branches issues from a small lake or pond, only about four miles
distant from the western branch of Hudson’s River, that flows past New
York. Both the Hudson and Oswegatchee are said to be capable of being
made navigable for light bateaux as far as this spot, where they
approach within so short a distance of each other, except only at a few
places, so that the portages will be but very trifling. This however is
a mere conjecture, for Oswegatchee River is but very imperfectly known,
the country it passes through being quite uninhabited; but should it be
found, at a future period, that these rivers are indeed capable of being
rendered navigable so far up the country, it will probably be through
this channel that the chief part of the trade that there may happen to
be between New York and the country bordering upon Lake Ontario will be
carried on. It is at present carried on between that city and the lake
by means of Hudson River, as far as Albany, and from thence by means of
the Mohawks River, Wood Creek, Lake Oneida, and Oswego River, which
falls into Lake Ontario. The harbour at the mouth of Oswego River is
very bad on account of the sand banks; none but flat bottomed vessels
can approach with safety nearer to it than two miles; nor is there any
good harbour on the south side of Lake Ontario in the neighbourhood of
any large rivers. Sharp built vessels, however, of a considerable size,
can approach with safety to the mouth of Oswegatchee River. The Seneca,
a British vessel of war of twenty-six guns, used formerly to ply
constantly between Fort de la Galette, situated at the mouth of that
river, and the fort at Niagara; and the British fur ships on the lakes
used also, at that time, to discharge the cargoes there, brought down
from the upper country. As therefore the harbour at the mouth of
Oswegatchee is so much better than that at the mouth of Oswego River,
and as they are nearly an equal distance from New York, there is reason
to suppose, that if the river navigation should prove equally good, the
trade between the lakes and New York will be for the most part, if not
wholly, carried on by means of Oswegatchee rather than of Oswego River.
With a fair wind, the passage from Oswegatchee River to Niagara is
accomplished in two days; a voyage only one day longer than that from
Oswego to Niagara with a fair wind.
[Sidenote: FORT GALETTE.]
Fort de la Galette was erected by the French, and though not built till
long after Fort Cataraguis or Frontignac, now Kingston, yet they
esteemed it by far the most important military post on the St. Lawrence,
in the upper country, as it was impossible for any boat or vessel to
pass up or down that river without being observed, whereas they might
easily escape unseen behind the many islands opposite to Kingston. Since
the close of the American war, Fort de la Galette has been dismantled,
as it was within the territory of the United States: nor would any
advantage have arisen from its retention; for it was never of any
importance to us but as a trading post, and as such Kingston, which is
within our own territory, is far more eligibly situated in every point
of view; it has a more safe and commodious harbour, and the fur ships
coming down from Niagara, by stopping there, are saved a voyage of sixty
miles up and down the St. Lawrence, which was oftentimes found to be
more tedious than the voyage from Niagara to Kingston.
In the neighbourhood of La Galette, on the Oswegatchee River, there is a
village of the Oswegatchee Indians, whose numbers are estimated at one
hundred warriors.
The current of the St. Lawrence, from Oswegatchee upwards, is much more
gentle than in any other part between Montreal and Lake Ontario, except
only where the river is considerably dilated, as at lakes St. Louis and
St. François; however, notwithstanding its being so gentle, we did not
advance more than twenty-five miles in the course of the day, owing to
the numerous stops that we made, more from motives of pleasure than
necessity. The evening was uncommonly fine, and towards sun-set a brisk
gale springing up, the conductor judged it advisable to take advantage
of it, and to continue the voyage all night, in order to make up for the
time we had lost during the day. We accordingly proceeded, but towards
midnight the wind died away; this circumstance, however, did not alter
the determination of the conductor. The men were ordered to the oars,
and notwithstanding that they had laboured hard during the preceding
day, and had had no rest, yet they were kept closely at work until
day-break, except for one hour, during which they were allowed to stop
to cook their provisions. Where there is a gentle current, as in this
part of the river, the Canadians will work at the oar for many hours
without intermission; they seemed to think it no hardship to be kept
employed in this instance the whole night; on the contrary, they plied
as vigorously as if they had but just set out, singing merrily the whole
time. The French Canadians have in general a good ear for music, and
sing duets with tolerable accuracy. They have one very favourite duet
amongst them, called the “rowing duet,” which as they sing they mark
time to with each stroke of the oar; indeed, when rowing in smooth
water, they mark the time of most of the airs they sing in the same
manner.
[Sidenote: ISLANDS.]
About eight o’clock the next, and eighth morning of our voyage, we
entered the last lake before you come to that of Ontario, called the
Lake of a Thousand Islands, on account of the multiplicity of them which
it contains. Many of these islands are scarcely larger than a bateau,
and none of them, except such as are situated at the upper and lower
extremities of the lake, appeared to me to contain more than fifteen
English acres each. They are all covered with wood, even to the very
smallest. The trees on these last are stunted in their growth, but the
larger islands produce as fine timber as is to be found on the main
shores of the lake. Many of these islands are situated so closely
together, that it would be easy to throw a pebble from one to the other,
notwithstanding which circumstance, the passage between them is
perfectly safe and commodious for bateaux, and between some of them that
are even thus close to each other, is water sufficient for a frigate.
The water is uncommonly clear, as it is in every part of the river, from
Lake St. Francis upwards: between that lake and the Utawas River
downwards it is discoloured, as I have before observed, by passing over
beds of marl. The shores of all these islands under our notice are
rocky; most of them rise very boldly, and some exhibit perpendicular
masses of rock towards the water upwards of twenty feet high. The
scenery presented to view in sailing between these islands is beautiful
in the highest degree. Sometimes, after passing through a narrow strait,
you find yourself in a bason, land locked on every side, that appears to
have no communication with the lake, except by the passage through which
you entered; you are looking about, perhaps, for an outlet to enable you
to proceed, thinking at last to see some little channel which will just
admit your bateau, when on a sudden an expanded sheet of water opens
upon you, whose boundary is the horizon alone; again in a few minutes
you find yourself land locked, and again a spacious passage as suddenly
presents itself; at other times, when in the middle of one of these
basons, between a cluster of islands, a dozen different channels, like
so many noble rivers, meet the eye, perhaps equally unexpectedly, and on
each side the islands appear regularly retiring till they sink from the
sight in the distance. Every minute, during the passage of this lake,
the prospect varies. The numerous Indian hunting encampments on the
different islands, with the smoke of their fires rising up between the
trees, added considerably to the beauty of the scenery as we passed it.
The Lake of a Thousand Islands is twenty-five miles in length, and about
six in breadth. From its upper end to Kingston, at which place we
arrived early in the evening, the distance is fifteen miles.
The length of time required to ascend the River St. Lawrence, from
Montreal to Kingston, is commonly found to be about seven days, if the
wind should be strong and very favourable, the passage may be performed
in a less time; but should it, on the contrary, be adverse, and blow
very strong, the passage will be protracted somewhat longer; an adverse
or favourable wind, however, seldom makes a difference of more than
three days in the length of the passage upwards, as in each case it is
necessary to work the bateaux along by means of poles for the greater
part of the way. The passage downwards is performed in two or three
days, according to the wind. The current is so strong, that a contrary
wind seldom lengthens the passage in that direction more than a day.
[Sidenote: THE MISSISSIPPI.]
The Mississippi is the only river in North America, which, for grandeur
and commodiousness of navigation, comes in competition with the St.
Lawrence, or with that river which runs from Lake Ontario to the ocean.
If, however, we consider that immense body of water that flows from Lake
Winnipeg through the Lake of the Woods, Lake Superior, &c. down to the
sea, as one entire stream, and of course as a continuation of the St.
Lawrence, it must be allowed to be a very superior river to the
Mississippi in every point of view; and we may certainly consider it as
one stream, with as much reason as we look upon that as one river which
flows from Lake Ontario to the sea; for before it meets the ocean it
passes through four large lakes, not indeed to be compared with those of
Erie or Superior, in size, but they are independent lakes
notwithstanding, as much as any of the others. The Mississippi is
principally to be admired for the evenness of its current, and the
prodigious length of way it is navigable, without any interruption, for
bateaux of a very large burthen; but in many respects it is a very
inferior river to the St. Lawrence, properly so called. The Mississippi
at its mouth is not twenty miles broad, and the navigation is there so
obstructed by banks or bars, that a vessel drawing more than twelve feet
water cannot ascend it without very imminent danger. These bars at its
mouth or mouths, for it is divided by several islands, are formed by
large quantities of trees that come drifting down from the upper
country, and when once stopped by any obstacle, are quickly cemented
together by the mud, deposited between the branches by the waters of the
river, which are uncommonly foul and muddy. Fresh bars are formed, or
the old bars are enlarged every year, and it is said, that unless some
steps are taken to prevent the lodgments of the trees annually brought
down at the time of the inundation, the navigation may in a few years be
still more obstructed than it is at present. It is notorious, that since
the river was first discovered, several islands and points have been
formed near its mouth, and the different channels have undergone very
material alterations for the worse, as to their courses and depths. The
River St. Lawrence, however, on the contrary, is no less than ninety
miles wide at its mouth, and it is navigable for ships of the line as
far as Quebec, a distance of four hundred miles from the sea. The
channel also, instead of having been impaired by time, is found to be
considerably better now than when the river was first discovered; and
there is reason to imagine that it will improve still more in process of
time, as the clear water that flows from Lake Ontario comes down with
such impetuosity, during the floods in the spring of the year, as
frequently to remove banks of gravel and loose stones in the river, and
thus to deepen its bed. The channel on the north side of the island of
Orleans, immediately below Quebec, which, according to the account of Le
P. de Charlevoix, was not sufficiently deep in the year 1720 to admit a
shallop of a small size, except at the time of high tides, is at present
found to be deep enough for the largest vessels, and is the channel most
generally used.
[Sidenote: NAVIGATION.]
The following table shews for what vessels the St. Lawrence is navigable
in different places; and also points out the various breadths of the
river from its mouth upwards:
Distances Breadth in
Names of Places. in miles miles.
ascending.
─── ─── ───
At its mouth 90
At Cape Cat 140 30
At Saguenay River 120 18
At the lower extremity of the 110 15[5]
Isle of Orleans
At the bason between the Isle 30 5[6]
of Orleans and Quebec
From Quebec to Lake St. Pierre 90
Lake St. Pierre 30 14
To La Valterie 10 1
To Montreal 30 2 to 4[7]
To Lake St. Louis 6 –¾
Lake St. Louis 12 4
To Lake St. Francis 25 ½ to 2
Lake St. Francis 20 5
To the Lake of a Thousand 90 ¼ to 1
Isles
Lake of a Thousand Isles 25 6
To Kingston, on Lake Ontario 15 2½ to 6
───
743
═══
Footnote 5:
This island is 25 miles in length and 6 in breadth, the river on each
side is about 2 miles wide.
Footnote 6:
Thus far, 400 miles from its mouth, it is navigable for ships of the
line with safety
Footnote 7:
To this place, 560 miles, it is navigable with perfect safety for
ships drawing 14 feet water. Vessels of a much larger draught have
proceeded many miles above Quebec, but the channel is very intricate
and dangerous.
During the whole of its course the St. Lawrence is navigable for bateaux
of two tons burthen, except merely at the rapids above Montreal, at the
Fall of the Thicket, and at the Long Fall, where, as has been already
pointed out, it is necessary to lighten the bateaux, if heavily laden.
At each of these places, however, it is possible to construct canals, so
as to prevent the trouble of unlading any part of the cargoes of the
bateaux, and at a future day, when the country becomes rich, such canals
no doubt will be made.
[Sidenote: THE ST. LAWRENCE.]
Although the lakes are not immediately connected with the Atlantic Ocean
by any other river than the St. Lawrence, yet there are several streams
that fall into the Atlantic, so nearly connected with others flowing
into the lakes, that by their means trade may be carried on between the
ocean and the lakes. The principal channels for trade between the ocean
and the lakes are four in number; the first, along the Mississippi and
the Ohio, and thence up the Wabash, Miami, Mushingun, or the Alleghany
rivers, from the head of which there are portages of from one to
eighteen miles to rivers that fall into Lake Erie; secondly, along the
Patowmac River, which flows past Washington, and from thence along Cheat
River, the Monongahela and Alleghany rivers and French Creek to Presqu’
Isle on Lake Erie; thirdly, along Hudson’s River, which falls into the
Atlantic at New York, and afterwards along the Mohawk River, Wood Creek,
Lake Oneida, and Oswego River, which last falls into Lake Ontario;
fourthly, along the St. Lawrence.
The following is a statement of the entire length of each of these
channels or routes, and of the lengths of the portages in each,
reckoning from the highest seaport on each river that will receive
vessels of a suitable size for crossing the Atlantic to Lake Erie, which
is the most central of the lakes to the four ports:
Length Length
of Way of the
in Portages.
Miles.
─── ───
From Montreal 440 22
From Washington 450 80[8]
From New York 500 30
From New Orleans 1,800 1 to
18[9]
Footnote 8:
When the navigation is opened, this will be reduced, it is said, to 50
miles.
Footnote 9:
According to the route followed from the Ohio to the Lake.
[Sidenote: THE ST. LAWRENCE.]
From this statement it not only appears evident that the St. Lawrence
opens a shorter passage to the lakes than any of the other rivers, but
also that the portages are shorter than in any of the other routes; the
portages are also fewer, and goods may be transported in the same boats
the whole way from Montreal to the lakes; whereas in conveying goods
thither either from Washington or New York, it is necessary to employ
different boats and men on each different river, or else to transport
the boats themselves on carriages over the portages from one river to
another. It is always an object of importance to avoid a portage, as by
every change in the mode of conveyance the expence of carriage is
increased, and there is an additional risk of pillage from the goods
passing through the hands of a greater number of people. Independent of
these considerations, the St. Lawrence will, on another account, be
found a more commodious channel than any other for the carrying on of
trade between the ocean and the lakes. Constantly supplied from that
immense reservoir of water, Lake Ontario, it is never so low, even in
the driest season, as not to be sufficiently deep to float laden
bateaux. The small streams, on the contrary, which connect Hudson’s
River, the Patowmac, and the Mississippi with the lakes, are frequently
so dried up in summer time, that it is scarcely possible to pass along
them in canoes. For upwards of four months in the summer of 1796, the
Mohawk River was so low, that it was totally impracticable to transport
merchandize along it during the greater part of its course, and the
traders in the back country, after waiting for a length of time for the
goods they wanted, were under the necessity at last of having them
forwarded by land carriage. The navigation of this river, it is said,
becomes worse every year, and unless several long canals are cut, there
will be an end to the water communication between New York and Lake
Ontario by that route. The Alleghany River and French Creek, which
connect the Patowmac with Lake Erie, are equally affected by droughts;
indeed it is only during floods, occasioned by the melting of the snow,
or by heavy falls of rain, that goods can be transported with ease
either by the one route or the other.
By far the greater part of the trade to the lakes is at present centered
at Montreal; for the British merchants not only can convey their goods
from thence to the lakes for one third less than what it costs to convey
the same goods thither from New York, but they can likewise afford to
sell them, in the first instance, considerably cheaper than the
merchants of the United States. The duties paid on the importation into
Canada of refined sugar, spirits, wine, and coffee, are considerably
less than those paid on the importation of the same commodities into the
United States; and all British hardware, and dry goods in general, are
admitted duty free into Canada, whereas, in the United States, they are
chargeable, on importation from Europe, with a duty of fifteen per cent.
on the value. To attempt to levy duties on foreign manufactures sent
into the states from Canada would be an idle attempt, as from the great
extent of their frontier, and its contiguity to Canada, it would at all
times be an easy matter to send the goods clandestinely into them, in
order to avoid the duties.
The trade carried on from Montreal to the lakes is at present very
considerable, and increasing every year. Already are there extensive
settlements on the British side of Lake Ontario, at Niagara, at Toronto,
at the Bay of Canti, and at Kingston, which contain nearly twenty
thousand inhabitants; and on the opposite shore, the people of the
states are pushing forward their settlements with the utmost vigour. On
Lake Erie, and along Detroit River also, the settlements are increasing
with astonishing rapidity, both on the British and on the opposite side.
[Sidenote: MONTREAL.]
The importance of the back country trade, and the trade to the lakes is
in fact the back country trade, has already been demonstrated; and it
has been shewn, that every seaport town in the United States has
increased in size in proportion to the quantum it enjoyed of this trade;
and that those towns most conveniently situated for carrying it on, were
those that had the greatest share of it; as, therefore, the shores of
the lake increase in population, and of course as the demand for
European manufactures increases amongst the inhabitants, we may expect
to see Montreal, which of all the sea-ports in North America is the most
conveniently situated for supplying them with such manufactures,
increase proportionably in size; and as the extent of back country it is
connected with, by means of water, is as great, and also as fertile as
that with which any of the large towns of the United States are
connected, it is not improbable but that Montreal at a future day will
rival in wealth and in size the greatest of the cities on the continent
of North America.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
_LETTER _ XXX.
_Description of the Town of Kingston.—Formerly called Fort
Cadaraqua.—Extensive Trade carried on here.—Nature of it.—Inhabitants
very hospitable.—Harbours on Lake Ontario.—Ships of War on that
Lake.—Merchant Vessels.—Naval Officers.—Expence of building and
keeping up Vessels very great.—Why.—No Iron Mines yet opened in the
Country.—Copper may be more easily procured than Iron.—Found in great
Quantities on the Borders of Lake Superior.—Embark in a Trading Vessel
on Lake Ontario.—Description of that Lake.—A Septennial Change in the
Height of the Waters said to be observable—also a Tide that ebbs and
flows every Two Hours.—Observations on these Phenomena.—Voyage across
the Lake similar to a Sea Voyage.—Come in Sight of Niagara Fort.—Land
at Mississaguis Point.—Mississaguis Indians.—One of their Chiefs
killed in_ _an Affray.—How treated by the British Government.—Their
revengeful Disposition.—Mississaguis good Hunters.—How they kill
Salmon.—Variety of Fish in the Lakes and Rivers of Canada.—Sea
Wolves.—Sea Cows.—Description of the Town of Niagara or
Newark.—The present Seat of Government.—Scheme of removing it
elsewhere.—Unhealthiness of the Town of Niagara and adjacent
Country.—Navy Hats.—Fort of Niagara surrendered pursuant to
Treaty.—Description of it.—Description of the other Forts surrendered
to the People of the United States.—Shewn not to be so advantageous to
them as was expected.—Superior Position of the new British Posts
pointed out._
Niagara, September.
[Sidenote: KINGSTON.]
KINGSTON is situated at the mouth of a deep bay, at the north eastern
extremity of Lake Ontario. It contains a fort and barracks, an English
episcopalian church, and about one hundred houses, the most of which,
last were built, and are now inhabited by persons who emigrated from the
United States at the close of the American war. Some few of the houses
are built of stone and brick, but by far the greater part of them are of
wood. The fort is of stone, and consists of a square with four bastions.
It was erected by M. le Comte de Frontinac, as early as the year 1672,
and was for a time called after him; but insensibly it lost his name,
and received instead of it that of Cadaraqui, the name of a creek which
falls into the bay. This name remained common to the fort and to the
town until a few years ago, when it was changed to that of Kingston.
From sixty to one hundred men are usually quartered in the barracks.
Kingston is a place of very considerable trade, and it is consequently
increasing most rapidly in size. All the goods brought up the St.
Lawrence for the supply of the upper country are here deposited in
stores, preparatory to their being shipped on board vessels suitable to
the navigation of the lake; and the furs from the various posts on the
nearer lakes are here likewise collected together, in order to be laden
on board bateaux, and sent down the St. Lawrence. Some furs are brought
in immediately to the town by the Indians, who hunt in the neighbouring
country, and along the upper parts of the St. Lawrence, but the quantity
is not large. The principal merchants resident at Kingston are partners
of old established houses at Montreal and Quebec. A stranger, especially
if a British subject, is sure to meet with a most hospitable and
friendly reception from them, as he passes through the place.
During the autumn the inhabitants of Kingston suffer very much from
intermittent fevers, owing to the town being situated on a low spot of
ground, contiguous to an extensive morass.
[Sidenote: KINGSTON BAY.]