New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-10-16
THE RAPIDS OF THE ST. LAWRENCE.

Only a few years have passed since the first
attempt was made to ss run the Long Sault by
a steamer Now all the Rapids from Dickin-
sons Landing, about forty miles below Ogdens-
burg, to Montreal, are passed over by the daily
lines of steamers and we think we can assert,
without fear of contradiction, that the passage
of the St. Lawrence from Kingston to Quebec is
the most interesting of any known to the tray
eler. Those who have passed through the La
Chine Rapids will bear testimony to the truth
fulness of the following description, especially
the appearance of the Indian pilot while the
boat is lashing through the troubled waters:
SHOOTING THE RAPIDs.-But the rapids-or
what is technically called g shooting the rap
ids,'' i. e., going through them in the steamer-
will be ample compensation for the trip; at
least when you have once got safely through
with the shooting. One or two Of these rapids are
from nine to twelve miles long, the current de-
scending with great rapidity-in some of them,
it is said at the rate of twenty-five miles an
honr-so that the water is broken into quite a
| white-capped sea, and pitching as it does over
| lodges of rocks, makes a novel and not alto
| gether comfortable sort of river steamboat nav
| igation. Whenever we approached one Of them,
four men We're stationed at the wheel in the
pilots house, the narrow. sinuous and turbu-
lent channel requiring great power and dexter
ity in managing the boat.
In passing the sssplit rock y in the Cedar
rapids you seem at one time to be dashing right
on the threatening Lodges, which jut up, appa-
rently but few feet below the surface; but
Just as you are making up your mind to the
catastrophe. the watchful pilot has interposed,
and the gallant boat turns gracefully aside, and
glides swiftly and safely on her way.
| Until very recently, the steamers were not
accustomed to 90 bver the LaChine rapids-the
last passed before reaching Montreal-the pas
sengers being sent from above them to the city
by railway Now, however, Il practicable chan
mel has been discovered, and the boats daily
descend i'll safety, even over the boiling torrents
ef the LaCllne. Just before entering this most
difficult part of the river, an Indian pilot is
taken on board, from an Indian village on the
shore The tall son of the torest-who has
learned the way through this seething labyrinth
of water and rocks, i'll his frail canoe-mounts
to the pilots house, and, assisted by three OF
: four other stalwart men, takes his place at th'
wheel, whilst another man goes ait ana lay
hold of the lever attached to the rudder, so that
i'll case of accident to the tler ropes, there ma.
still be n hand at the helm. A moment more
and the boat is rolling and dashing forward Oh
the unsteady current. The Indian pilot gaze
down on the pitching waters as if he would pene
trate their very depths, his eye fairly tiashin!
fire. In an instant the eight hands are running
t over the wheel like fingers over well playe,
: instrument, and the tiller chains rattles as
| they were all running away; the boat tremble
: for u moment, makes heavy plunge, the
b wheels gracefully round, and goes on her course
/? She has passed one of the shoots and is movin
t off to find the entrance to a new and worse on
t Once more the Indians eye is ablaze, ever
muscle in his face is working, and as the oov
IS of the steamer droop for fall into the see
I lar as the French appropriately term II
d watery chasms. his tongue protrudes, ana Il
l. whole face is like that Of man frenzied Satel
e out of the CELLAR we are jostled first to OF
e. side, then to the other, still dashing down IL
'e boiling current, when sudden conclusion ci
Sc reens the boat over, and ''She has toucheo
W falls at once from the lips of dozen passel
IL, gers who are anxiously looking down on u
to rocks, lust under the bows; but she has cleare
~ the rock, and the conclusion was only from IL
1T angry waves, apparently indignant that pr
m s,,mptuous steamer should venture IN the d
lis main where they hold their revels
of Another dropping of the bows anu ueseel
into A cellar, and another tossing about
lot all directions Mt once, and we are once mo
rm dashing steadily along fairly over the last
IS the ranids, and alike agreed among the passel
en- GERS that we should not care to go over the
he Chine every day Once safely over, howeve
he no one will ever regret the beautiful and excl
he ing spectacle he witnessed in passing them
"a ascending the river, the steamers AVOID the
he pids by means OF canals
An ACCOMPLISHED swINpLER-The st. Louis I'm
:. saws: "The accomplished swiudler who passed him
al off as Spanish or Mexican officer and VINO Is now
ad ial at Cleveland Ohio, charged with robbng Mckie
$4,000 is German by birth, and is well known in
~ city, few years ago during brief visit among us
was received in the best society, and contracted ma
monial alliance with lady who very respectfully
nected in this city in Illinois While here he bec
d unpopular on account of the eccenricity of his
pers and because his frequent attempts to examine
~ contents of his neghbors trunks and money boxes
ore go' IN sesol, ,a, h;,, nos,
~ in Europe
Mr.. THEArR,cAL FL2Rr.up-Mmlle Duret, the actress,
if denly broke off her engagement with Mr. Bates pro