Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-11-07

lot general consultation anu Sucu
action as may be thought advisable.
W.
Correspondence Of the Le~isburg Chroniciel
MONTREAL, l.. c., July %, 1856.
This city of 10000 inhabitants lies on
the north bank of the St. Lawrence, just
below the mouth of the main channel Of
the Ottawa river, on an island thirty miles
in extent.
1t stretches along tie river for a couple
Of miles, and rises gradually some fifty or
sixty feet to the summit of long rid &c
parallel with the river, then descends into
a trough like hollow, from which, directly
10 the rear and to the north east, the land
ascends very gently up to the level back
country; while obliquely to the left and
rear, some two miles distant, at its cas-
tern extremity is a forest crowned noun
tain, 500 feet high and three miles long; ;
is dotted with country seats, aud an &C.
casional convent, seminary or church.
/ The houses are mostly of stone, and
many Of them rooted with tin, laid on in
angular pieces like the scales of fish.
/ The roofs, especially of the churches, are
/ very high aud steep, to brace up better
against the heavy falls of snow, in the
winter; the upper part of the gable ends
looking, on this account, much like arrow
heads, in shape The river is mile and
a half wide here, with large island in
the middle, opposite the lower half Of the
! city, aud sweeping across from the south
past the head of this island, the main
current of the river rushes furiously along
past the city, like mill race.
We left Ogdensburg at day break, this
morning, the sky clear and weather bright
aud warm. Towns and farms more nu.
merous and attractive than yesterday, and
much island and lakelike scenery encoun-
tered But III. great feature Of the days
ride were the Rapids, four in number, from
one to nine miles in length, and the pas
sage of which may well be reckoned an
event in ones life.
Ship canals have been built around each
of the rapids for the upward passage, and
downward bound vessels that do not choose
to risk the perilous breakers. The steam
ers and propellors working their way
through the canal as we passed, looked
like huge amphibious monsters, taking
leisurely walk through the villages and
fields, on the bank twenty feet above u.s.
We reached the first, or Tongue Sault
rapids, about nine o'clock The middle
deck, or second storey Of the boat is occu-
pied by the main cabin, or saloon, and
state rooms while, in front of this cabin,
the space at the bow, for thirty or forty
feet, is open and uncovered, while the pilot
house is on the upper or hurricane deck,
over the front end of the saloon Most
of the passengers seated themselves in
clusters in this open space at the bow,
some fifteen feet above the surface of the .
river, so as to see everything, and be at .
the head Of the heap in case we went to .
The bottom. The Captain took his post in
front Of the hurricane deck; and tour
stout, athletic men, instead of one, we've
placed at the wheel, to insure instant obe-
dieuce aud certainty in the helm.
We approached the rapids on the north
side of a long island, along the left bank
of the river, forming a channel quarter
Of mile wide.
The current was deep and strong, and
no rocks visible; but Immediately at the
was some forty feet in {
lalf q mile, and two.thirdS of that descent
made in less than three hundred yards
he turbulent and tumultuous waters piled |
themselves up into huge sea-waves, that {
oiled aud rOared as if lashcd into fury by c
hurricane aud through which, with a !
ull head of steam, our 1.-THE, slender boat /
ushed with grey hound velocity, STOPPING a
down the slope of one giant +
rave after another, and cutting the next t
nth her sharp PROV with force that g
urled up kissing jet dedu in front, aud l
prnked our deck as with summer show
r /; sometimes getting Titanic side blow q
rom some uurul wave that made her t
-emblc from stem to stern with the shock u
When over the worst-or best, as you Il
lease-and following sharp bend in the 6
yer, she fled like frightened bird around
lie point of the island, to the right, and p
zen threading labyrinth Of islands, es- n
lpcd from the rapids into smooth water, Il
mile aud half farther down. pI
/ can not express the thrilling, exquisite p
,light of such ride as that. 1t seemed II
ore like flying than else; and the only Oh
gret was that it did not last longer b;
u. panic stricken bride and groom tn
ought otherwise, and would gladly have
e?ped ashore, but the Captain could not bt