, 1865-06-30
CANADA.
Letter from Montreal.

The pIcasantest way Of reaching this city
from Toronto, is by the like and river, the
Canadian boats running through without
change, an advantage which the American
boats do not possess, as they change Passen-
gers between the two cities at 0dsensbusg.
Owing to an unforeseen accident at Toronto,
We were unable to take tho boat at P. II.
en- Friday, and to save tilnc were forced to
resort to the Grand Trunk Railway again.
again. After enjoying sleep Of several
hours, VIC reached Kingston safely at 1:so
L. NJ The depot ls about two miles from
town. Our party, however, we're conveyed,
With baggage, to the Burnett House for the
small sun Of twenty-five cents each On q
gold basis. The hotel proprietor readily &C.
cepted grcenbacks at seventy cents On the
dollar. We were entertained untn 4. NJ,
at this place, and found the Toronto boat
waiting for passengers. These boats are all
conmcdlous and comfortable, the English
officers attentive, the fare excellent, and the
price OF passage cheap. The distance from
this place to Montreal, Is about 180 miles,
and the passage five dollars In greenbacks.
Kingston Is situated at the entrance of the
st. Lawrence River, opposite Cape Vincent.
It Is one Of the strongest fortified posts In
Canada, and military men NOW say that beside
Quebec this Is the only place In Canada which
can stand bombardment from the powerful
guns used In our country. The buildings Of
Kingston are not large OF numerous. as
usual IN thi. country, the edifces constructed
By the Government arc the largest and most
impcaing; There IS good Joke told about
House and WAS originally second class affair.
Burnctt,; the proprietor, Is Yankee. He
came to Kingston few years ago and hought
out another landlord. Since then he has run
off all opposition and towns about the only
hotel Of respeetability in the plaes. The
tes tsasfs sFs se but they admit The Yam
Immediatciy after leaving Kingston our
steamer Was among the far-lhmed Thousand
1e'6udsf Of the st. Lawrence. There were in
fuel no 1css than eighteen hundred OF theso
emerald geme. Of all stzce from the islets offs
few yards in extent TO Others miles In length.
Among these Islands ars found hmm 5nse
quantities Of game and auold f sherman says
angling Is fauSuinE, on account OF the size or
this heh caught from the rocks. These iElands
have historical interest also. During the
Canadian rebellion Of 1883 they afforded an
admirable retrest for the insurgents. It is
stated that during the struggle one Of the
Canadian tspatrtots," eluded pursuit for
months by leading Wild life on these Islands
He was supplied with food BY his daughter,
who ftarlessly rowed q birch canoe from
Island to is1ard in the night. There are s4ve-
mi lighthouse in the channel, and the sall
mcst picturesque Imaginable. The boat
often passes within q few feet Of the shore.
hnd the eyer changing scenery cannot be sur
rasstd In any river on the continent.
There are NUMEROUS Nen.o0lt .onus VI
Clayton. Alexandra Bay. Osdensburgh,
Prescott, Cornwall, Lisbon, Matilda, Wad-
dineton, st. Rteis, Lancaster, Lachfnc and
others. 0gdensburgh and Prescott have
historical Interest which Is doubtless {amsl:ar
to most ,eaeers. On the whsrf at Prescott
we faw part Of the red-coats who manned q
hlock.Eouse and fort upon the hill. They
were sent there about the time Of the ru-
mosed raid Of the rebels on 0gdcnsburgh.
All the towns on the Canada side hava about
the aame appearance. There IL one tall
church spiEe, few large stone-ffont ware
houses clofe to the wafer, tho rest Is d mot
eli by neatly laid d-out garden and grounds
above or below the landing. At every town
We eee the cars OF the Grand Trunk Railway
On the whatyes loading or unloading goods.
The American towns are less showy to q
Iasslng boat and not 90 larSe as majority Of
The grand feature Of . trip down tha St.
Lawrence Is Of course the sail through the
rapids. 1t Ism nora aud exciting experience
AID causes considerable trepidation aud fear
among those who try it for the first time.
aly philosophy amounta to this only--that q
day In succession for twenty years without
| acc dent VIII take place once more. Aside
from the sensation Of fear, the
| fall Is one Of the grandest With
| In the reach Of the American pleasure
seeker. Tne rapids are numerous, long and
| 70 the ere dangerous. Ths people IN Canada
bsre expended several mlllions IN building
canals TO enable vessels to ascend the river
without enconnteEtng the rapids. The
steamers which ply between Toronto aud
Montreal return By canal There are eight
c1Ds1s altogether, the largest eleven miles in
length and The. thortest, thsee-quarters Of a
mile. The boata descend sa!ely day after day,
end 1t Is many years since a lite has tsen lost.
Even lumber rats descend all the rapids but
the Lachtne and acciden's are rare indeed.
The fall between Lake Ontario and the wharf
at Montreal is seventeen feet.
To describe the perlis of the voyage down
the rapids Of the st. Lawrence, would be to
rapids are called the Lorg SAUL" aboFe
The town Of Cornwall. Hare the water J,
1ashed into foam Tor long distance, a9d
ne waters are as 1ul1ons as ine oeean n r.
storm: inc spsed ls "GeHea do"n' anu
with four men at tic wheel, the boat pinnses
4
cookie shell, borne along rapidly, rolling.
pitching ard swaytnE like drunken man.
The rapids continue toF ten miles though ne
west 1s ever Mler PASSING aeout TWO
nues. The white cap" Is On the waters
raftsmen manage to get ove- these rapids by
the !orcs of,he cn1.snt and indians frequently
cary their canoes do*n bJ go'dlnR them
Win paddle. Inc Coeeau rspids, inc Cedar
Iapios, hna tae tassaae 1aplas are qulte e
Gsa.,ne, hut not 20 60 1one as tne Long sault,
lne oeat e steefeo alfeelly hio me mldss u
"a: hapsos runs close G Genouga 70 az 40 Island 70
4noW passelgefs 10 o5setFe me rate rs speed.
LIS ~. uemfpoous. 3. ano !1 seems mora nke ne
fnsn q q ocomot1se than stea1nooat m
Peaea ea n5 ~ sAowea engine ,,aa. amo me snIE1ne
WE'VE. lae Moaea usuAny aota theii
oaeatn m l. uS nnthnn hst cm 'e1 anu
ne elano 1ap'o o. ~ Is tae Laenlne:
cn!y nine niles above Montreal, Which citJ
can 0e eeen from Up the river before the rap,
Ids are visible The American boats IRON
ogdensbulgh have trained pilots to make the
IasEage ol the Lachlns safely. but TIE Cana
dtan ooa!s stop 81 the village or tausaua'
Waga, and take On board an old Indian pilot,
VINO mas done me plotpg through the Ii
chite ior mary years. mol long ago ne Wat
ne o1!y piiot WHO vas capable q the feat,
bnt now y ls aallJ nndertaklng upon ne
PaIt y! gtoein. 1ne w Auoau puo' 70 qMtt
lion "hen ne urst Steps on board. He ha:
csnuol OF t9e peal lfom t1at moment until
she passes the victoria bridge;
NothnE Gan b. more thrilling than the
p8:ssee q these fap:ds. Ihough NOT go long
.. the "sa9lt J" ret the wells are Visible 70
tne eye ana ,.shootlng the rapids 1a one oa
tue most exciting experiences | am able to
recall IN long record Of travelling aiyeu.
tures. The novelty Of the call through the
raging waters Of the other rapids prepared
the mind for something very exciting 1T the
Lschine, but you do not eee the exact dan.
ger snd peril Of shooting the rapids until the
boat Is literally going down hnl through The
constantly washed by the lashing torrents
which eurroutd them. The boat plunged
down the stream between two 1edges, where
tho channel Is just wide enough to allow
abont twenty feet space On each side, for sea-
way. The difficulties Of the pilot were in