Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-10
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DAILY sPY.l
ST. LOUIS HOTEL,

ontario Tor leaving tue railways ana thklllH
boat to descend the great and the beautiful st.
| Lawrence The first of them is Hamilton, on
| the western end; the second is Toronto, on the
north shore about as far west as Hamilton
and Kingston, also on the same shore, but just
where the lake becomes the entrance to the
river.
Leaving Hamilton about noon, or Toronto at
sunset brings the boats to Kingston at morning
dawn, where, after an hours waiting, they steam
on eastward through the Thousand islands,
| numbering, probably, about 1900, instead Of
1000 as some counters have reported, and they
are nearly correct; varying in size from an
islet just large enough to rear its grass, or
bush crested surface above the current, up to
| the island of miles in extent, the abode of we'll
| to-do farmers on fertile acres. They are of
multform shapes, some circular, Others out
lined by sharp, angular undulations; some
smooth for pasturing, but most covered with a
growth of wood. The broad, shimmering
stream crooks, turns, zig-zags and winds
in all conceivable directions among the
isles, forming scene rural and aquatic as the
mind of poet can imagine. In these close, sui
| try summer days. when humanity bos, stews,
and fries in walled and paved cities, we can
| easily and without exaggeration name them the
| Canadian Hesperides, or isles of the blest-as
in Grecan story. For surely it is a blessing to
float meanderingly among the whiring and
eddying currents, with this shifting panorama
of earth and foliage, in the most attractive form.
Nothing seems wanting to complete the picture;
foreground and background are perfect.
A few miles below Kingston, on the American
side are Clayton and Alexandria Bay, small vii
lagos and each with summer hotel and some
private cottages. Some of the islands are
owned by private persons, for purposes of re.
creation By-and-by they will become better
known. The islands extend from Kingston to
Prescott on the Canadian side, opposite Ogdens-
burg on the American bank.
The steamers pass three sets of the lake
rapids between Prescott and Montreal, one of
them nine miles in length, In passing portions
of them, steam is shut off, leaving the current
| to do the work, going down hill by boat. The
experience is novel, exciting, interesting 1t
smacks ofthe real and romantic in fine proportion
Passengers crowd the forward deck, as near the
railing as possible, in eager anxiety to see the
perilous and picturesque. Beyond Ogdcnsburg
the islands cease, the river runs broad and I'M
INSTRUCTED save the craft that sails it, until we
come to the Laehine rapids, just above Mon
treal.
The Colts would do well to consider a trip
down the St. Lawrence another year. We think
that one could be mapped out far exceeding in
variety and interest any they have yet taken.
Let us suggest that they go by rail to Cape Vim
cent on the south bank of Lake Ontario then
| up the lake to Niagara Falls-leaYng the boat
| at Lewiston, few miles from the lalls-then
| around on the west ard north shores, down the
St. Lawrence to Montreal, Quebec, Riviere du
Loop, Cacoona and Tadoosac; then up the une-
| qualled Saguenay to Murray bay and Ha-ha
| bay; then return by water to Prescott; thence
to Ottawa, the capital of the Dominion; thence
| by boat down the Ottawa river to Montreal.
From there down Lake Champlain, and home
via the Vermont Central, Passumpsic, Or Rut
land. The details l will not specify; but it
would be hard to equal this journey. 1t would
be easy and inexpensive and filed with variety,
pleasure and instruction. The Canadians
would give them cordial greeting, if there
were no Fenians among them. More than all,
| uOuSC OiilCbIn NOulu llOI 'DlDW on
them, a Ia St. John!
We reached Montreal at six in the afternoon
passing, just before we tied to the wharf, under
the massive Victoria bridge, built entirely of
| iron, and resting on twenty-siX granite piers;
the whole, including abutmentS, two miles in
length. We khere change steamers from
smaller to larger, similar in style and size to
the Sound boats.'
Leaving Montreal at seven in the evening, we
awoke at six next morning beneath the lofty
sleeps and bluffs and the frowning battlements
of Quebec. Away up lies the ancient historic
battle-associated provincial capital, basking in
the sunshiny stiffness Of Sunday morning.
The light flashes and dazzles from some of the
Uncovered roofs; the heavy granite walls glis-
| ten in the sunlight; the threatening guns peer
| through the portfolios Of the citadel which
crowns, in mighty strength, the loftiest summit
of hill on which the city is chiefly built. Con
siderable shipping lies at the docks. Noisy, per-
sistent hackmen Superior in these qualities to
their New York brethren). Soon the passengers
are toiling afoot or riding at lfjump pace,
up the steep streets. The initiated follow a
winding plank stairway, almost rivaling in
length the ascent of Bunker Hill monument.
The first query is, 4" Why build city here?"
| Mount Washington is about as suitable, or some
of the cliffs of the Sierra Nevada The answer
is plain, :" 1t was founded in warlike age,
when brute force, and not mental governed;
when men spent more time in devising WAYS TO
capture and kill their fellows, than in trying to
benefit them; when laws were meshes for the
strong, wary and INSCRIPTIONS to catch the
| weak, confiding and credulous. 1t was a CITY
| founded for its own secure defense; nothing
else. Unfortunate that in latter days the site
was not changed as the town grew into a city.
The rear-called Tower Town, or St. Roch-slopes
gradually into Ithe valley of the St. Charles-a
small river emptying here into the St. Lawrence.
The citadel is an immense fertilization on the
summit of the city, surrounded with two sets
Of heavy walls, divided each from the other by
wide trenches, bristling with cannon. An at
lacking force would find it impossible to scale
them, and capture the garrison. The fort guns
command the river in all directions. On the
opposite bank, at Point Levi, are two extensive
Notifications, and another under way, mounted
with the heaviest ordnance sent out from Eng
land. The view from the citadel is difficult to
| equal in sweep, grandeur, variety, and lovely
beauty, as it lay basking in a charming summer
day. The river here rounds a sharp point on
the thither bank, changing its course so that it
| gives quite an extended water scope in three
directions.
The valley of the st. Charles is a prairie-like
plateau-seVeral miles in length and breadth.
Its farther border is range of mountain hills,
covered with dense forest growth over their
| ivy topmost heights. BEAUFORT, Lovette and
other villages, composed of white painted cot
tages, dot the scene in gem like way as they
lie scattered among the grain and grass colored
fields. call to mind many lovely scene in the
valleys of the Merrimack, Connecticut, the Hud-
son and Susquehanna; l do not forget those of
the Sacramento and San Joaquin in California,
and Others in our wide domain, and in compare
son with this, am inclined TO give in the palm
1t is worth a long journey to see. 1t will remain
forever in memory as one of the exquisite pic
lures in nature.
How shall we describe the town. Beecher