Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-09-24
4 YANKkE ASTRAY.
STEAMER ST. LAWRENCE. ON
TUE SAGUENAY RIVER, Sept. l6. J

/ TUE oAGl ENA1 NV Ehi Gtlt. lu'
Editor Of KeHne5,c Journal:
Early yesterday morning. after winding while
/ through the crooked streets of Quebec, aud de-
scendng from the upper town to the lower, we en-
+ barkeG on board the good steamer 81. Lawrence
on trip to the renowned Sagueuay ryeI. The
( party on board consisted of some thirty on more
and embraced all sorts Of people, from the wealthy
New York and Boston tourists, to the French Ca
nadians who were merely passing from port to
port on the river ST. Lawrence. Among the rest,
were four black-rob,d priests on neorhytes OF the
community Of the "Behren.'
! We had another fue view Of the citadel and
! Notifications as we commenced our voyage down
the river Qucbec looks much more imposing when
seen from the water, or from the opposite shore,
! than when one is shut up between tall buildings
I hat line both sides Of sueeis Of en- narrow, and
never of great width. The breadth of the St.
Lawrence opposite Quebec is not so great as at
some points above, and at all points below.
Just below the city, the fertile Isle of Orleans
is seen, near the north shore of the river. This
island is about twenty miles long, and from half
mile to five miles wide. 1t presented pleasing
scene of rural prosperity and iepose. The mum.
erOus white cottages, the green fields and pastures
interpreted with woods, constituted an agreeable
and attractive landscape. II is said there are on
tins island siN Catholic churches and ole Protes-
tant
Near the head Of the island, we passed the
mouth of the river Mpntmorency, IN full sight OF
the falls, and obtained one more favorable oppor-
tunty to view the famous cataract. Seen al dis
lance, the view contributed to deepen the impress
SION made by Its beauty and grandeur the day be-
fore.
Below the island OF Orleans, the St Lawrence
broadens Itself to width of seven or eight miles.
The path of the steamer was near the northern
shore, which becomes bold and broken and eX
ceedingly picturesque. some of the mountain
peaks reach a height of 2000 feet and more, one
of them, Mount Ehoulements, &C miles below
Quebec, about $500 feet high. ST. Paui's Bay, -
miles from Quebec, IS the first stopping place for
the boat. Ii is little bay, with a picturesque
little village, surrounded by rocks and mountains,
with small margin of poor looking land around
it. community of Yankees, locked up in such
an unpromis ny nook, would strike THEN tents and
emigrate IN mass to the prairies Of the west.
Scattered along the shores, are here aud there
little clumps of houses, at the foot of the tall chs
which wa! IN the north shore of the river. How
they support lie there, and how they get out to
the outside word unless il be by boats Is "a prob
lem we found no one OF the passengers able to
solve. lt appeared as though they must live a
lonesome, cueerlcss life monotouous and tame to
the last degIte.
AT Murray Bay 80 miles below Quebec, the
steamer again touched, Al wharf butt out into
the river. This is village of some size, scat
tered around the shores oil the bay, the houses
seeming to have been dropped promlscuously
among the rocks and trees Ii Is much t,equen;ed
by summer visitors from Quebec, who find attrac-
TONS Ia its rather bare and desolate surroundings
The 1T. Lawrence at tins point is ten or twelve
miles wide. The south shore Is but dmy deserted
through the haze. The surface is dotted with
here and there island of divers shapes aud
sues. Steamers and crafts OF various descrip-
tions are seen and passed tom time to time, each
bound on lis own particular voyage.
AT Quebec, the weather had been uncomforta-
bly, hot; but before we had proceeded fIf our
voyage down the river, the easterly breeze in-
ere ised IN violence, until shawls and overCOats
were found TO be ueedful and the atm osphere be-
came very far from that of the tofrid zone.
From Murray Bay, the course of tue steamer
was changed, and lis PROV directed towards the
south shore of the river. TO reach this, IN a
somewhat obhque direction, required voyage of
thirty miles. We passed on the way several
islands, among others two quite noticeable, called
the Pilgrim Is lands. Tue first known as Long
| Pilgrim, some two or three miles in length, has
banks OF bare rock perhaps POO feet or more high,
and nearly perpendicular, resembling the shores
of some Of the English Channel Islands. The
other Great Pilgrim, IS composed of immense
mass OF rock, with scarcely vestlge of vegeta-
ton upon il.
The port on the south shore is called Rvere
Du Loup, and Is place OF some considerable
commerce, with sotels, churc1es etc. The steam
er stopped here half hour, whilst the captain, to
pass away the time, amused himself with fishing
from the wharf. The inhabitants, male and ie
male, hocked to the wharf, and all had Jolly
time parIeyyouslng IN Canadian French. As a
rule, this seemed TO be the common language of
the majority, wherever we went IN Canada.
The steamer then started on her return to the
north shore OF the river steamlng directly towards
Tadousae, at the mouth Of the osguenay river
The distance Is % miles, the rver here being
about 20 miles wide. The mouth Of the "a u nay
Is l32 miles below Quebec We reached Iadousae
about dark We could see but little OF the wi
lage and after a briet stay the captain turned his
course towards the SagGenay. la the dim star
light our view was necessarily imperfect; and af
ter discerning obsculely the outlines of the high
rocky walls that inclose the entrance to this weird
and mysterious river we retired TO rest, and post
poned all further observation until the next morn
lug. YANKEE.