Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-06-27
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
From the Review Of Bouchette's British North
america, in the american Quarterly

ind vide extent OF County Dounueu Dy the Icy
cean, and through which the Coppermine and
dackenZe's rivers flow. This country IS thus
characterized by our author.
IS As far as general terms may be applied to so
large an extent Of territory, it may be said, that
IT'S surface exhibits far more OF the plain than of
the mountain. that its hills never rise to very con-
siderable heights and that sterilty is the predo-
minant characteristic of its soil. The rivers that
How through it. are, for the most part, rapid,
and the lakes frequent, and fantastic in their
shapes OF the limited variety Of trees, the pine,
the poplar, the willow, and the larch, are the
most common. Lichens and moses abundantly
cIothe the faces of some hills, cover the surface
of deep swamps: and the plains, consisting in
some parts of dry flats'o bottoms, and marshy
meadows. and SO frequently stony and utterly
barren, are sometimes thinly covered with arid
grass, which yields slender sustenance to the
musk-ox and the rein deer; the hills, crags, and
cliffs, being the haunt of the black and white BEAR
and OF the preying wolf
..Such is the home of the Neutrality-suspicious.,
whose country ranges from the base OF the Rocky
Mountains, and perhaps from the very shores Of
the Pacific, to the coasts Of the Atlantic ocean,
inhabiting, in his desultory and wandering mode
of savage existence, the bleakest hyperborean re-
gions of the globe"
Of the provinces settled under distinct local CO.
vernments, we shall notice, in the first place,
Upper Canada. This is separated from the low
er province by the Ottawa river, and an arbitra-
ry line, running in direction N. w. and s. E.
It is divided from the United States by the great
lakes. 1t is naturally distinguished into twop parts,
one of the figure Of a, trapezoid, extending Of
nearly uniform breadth, from the st. Lawrence
to Lake Superior; the other peninsula, formed
by the Lakes Ontario, Erie, and Huron. The
first of these portions traversed, throughout its
whole length, by an elevated ridge, dividing the
waters that flow to the Ottawa, from those rum
ming to the lakes. To the south of this ridge
the whole country may be considered as por-
ton of great table land, extending TO the Allie
ghany mountains; in this table land. Lake Onta.
rio occupies deep depressed cavity, and Lake
Erie shallow basin. This great table land rests
throughout upon limestone, whose decomposition
has produced soil of the highest fertility. The
eastern and northern portions of the province
partake of the cold climate of Lower Canada, but
the peninsula formed by the lakes has tempera..
ture admirably fitted to the growth not only Of
scriptions. This is particularly the case in the
neishborhood of Detroit, where the peach, the
nectarine, and the grape, succeed perfectly in
the open air. The whole northern shore rf Lake
Erie, may, for salu brty of climate, fertility Of
SOIL and variety of productions, rank with al
most any portion of the temperate zones. II Is.
If possible, superior in these respects TO the wes
tern district of the adjacent state of New York
HThe Rideau canal commences at Kingston,
and trayersins the tract of Country lying between
the ST. Lawrence. and the falls of the Ottawa,
strikes the latter river at the foot Of the Chau.
diere, at a short distance above those OF the HI
deau, situated at the mouth Of that river. Ii IS
1855 miles long, and perfectly unique OF its kind
in America. and probably in the world; being
made up IN its whole length by cham OF lake IS,
dams, and aqueducts, so connected by locks OF
large dimensions as to open steamboat navlga-
ton from Ontario to the Ottawa river. Rideau
lake, which is about "a miles long, is the grand
summit level Of the canal; it is 983 feet above
the water of the Ottowa on one side, and 154
above the surface of Lake Ontario on the other,
ing in the rise and fall, total number oil
AZ locks. II Of which are on the Kingston side,
and so between Rideau lake and the Ottawa
These locks were originally planned upon
scale to correspond with those of tile La" Chine
canal, i. e. one hundred feet by twenty fect;-
but these dimensions were subsequently increas
ed to I42 in length, by SO feet in width, the
depth of water being FIVE feet There are TWEEN.
" dams on the whole route, constructed with
remarkable solidity and skill, which, by the re-
lux of waters they produce, have strangely alter
ed the natural appearance OF the country. In Sc
veral instances, a dam not more than "a teet
high, and 100 wide, will throw the rapids and
rivers into still sheet above 1t. for 20 miles
The dams also back the waters up creeks, ra'
vines and valleys; and instead Of making one ca
nal. they form numerous canals Of various ramifi-
cations, witch will all tend greatly to the improve.
ment of a very fertile country
The American Quarterly Review remarks-
This canal has no outlet of equal magnitude
to connect it with the Dasigabe waters of the st.
Lawrence. The Grenyille canal, planned to i'm
proye the navigation of the Ottawa, and the La
Chine canal at the rapids near Montreal. are both
Of very inferior dimensions. The great cost in
CURED 10 giving such magnificent proportions to
the Rideau navigation may be considered in a
great degree useless, until such direct communi-
cation be effected. When. however, it shall be
completed, it will open the most magnificent in