Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-07-06
NO. 27.
TIIE SpORYNHlN,S plRIDLvE

IIIE NfDHINHIN y PIRI DINE
cart D. ". cuLps's DESCRIPTION of the
LAKE 81. JpHNs REGION AND rmE PEOPLE
VINO tNuNBit IT
From a lrttcr to the SUNDAY R.pul,lir,u
Strange as it may seem, this great lake
Is as yet little known, even the natives
being unacqunintcd with it, boundaries that
have never been defined with ANYTHING ike
accurate survey. In fact. no human foot.
50 far as known, has ever trud It's cirrum.
Ference, and its proportions cannot be- meas
ured 10y the eye from any point Of land \
great inland sea as it wcre with easily
sloping shores, its greatest Depth according
70 the ideas Of the peculiar people hereabuuts
hardly exceeds 100 feet No less than 10
varieties Of fish inhabit its pure waters,
including trout, "ouina niche 1nnd- locked
salmon, North American pickerel, wall.
eyed pike, dorG, kusk, perch sucker. dace
and eel
The inhabitants Of thi, region are largely
OF French origin, and small in stature-a
remnant Of the tribe Of Montagnais Indians.
whose lore is said to tell Of "a descent from
the ancient lberian race antcdating the
Christian era, and and whose life work
is trapping and fishing for the Hudson Bay
]
post is at Point Bleue in the township nr
Roberval, the latter the contaminated
terminal point, on the west, Of the Quebec
and st. Johns railroad, and pretty little
hamlet with two stores "A church aud con
vent, all OF which overlook the great lakes
surface. There are no less than II parishes
and districts ~ st. Johns aud Saguenav re
glpns with population of about | : 900
some Of the families have as many as 20
children, family Of but two or three be
ing rare exception most Of the small
houses are built of logs and they are widely
scattered. In nearly every family is seen
dog, while pigs innumerable run at large.
1t Is common thing to SEE horse and OK
htched side 10y side 10 the pillow, and even
the more domestic COW is drafted into SER
wee All Of the bread is baked in oval out
door ovens, which are fashioned with will
"Ws ana covered with coating of clay, all
resting on stout frame work about two
feet above the ground. The capacity of
these ovens is - loaves. which are gener-
| ally made once week The chief diet
Of the people consists Of potatoes. milk and
bread. though since the railroad came last
fall there is a noticeable change in the mode
OF living. The people were very poor he.
fore this, there being little or no money i'm
circulation, and all marketable products
alter being carried through the woods 60
miles 10y team to Chicoutimi were exchang-
ed for store orders Many of the natives
now ind employment, in extending the
| railroad from Chambord Junction to st.
jerome, at : a day. Heretofore 20 and 80
cents were the governing prices for a days
work. We enjoy good health, aud have
no insanity said long time resident.
There are several schools in these remote
parishes though "A large number Of the res
idents neither read nor write. nevertheless
they are kindly disposed aud naturally
| courteous. Until given an excursion to
| Quebec, these people had never been out
side Of their own county, and knew little of
the ways of the world
Visitors are promised better accommoda-
tions here next month, when the new hotel
at Point Bleue will be opened and the first
steamer launched. Guides can be had here
for 81 per day, and 10 cents additional for
boat, while board is furnished at 5 per dav.
such as the means and homes of the natives
can provide. Fish Warden O'Sullivan of
| Quebec surprised an agent of Buffalo house
by contiscating here today "A large packing
house Yacht, nets, and numerous set lines,
together WITH -eOo ,,ou... "f fine fish il
legally taken in the lake.
One can leave Boston in the morning, and
arrive at Quebec the following morning in
time to connect with the express train over
the Quebec and st. Johns road, 1870 miles,
arriving here about p. m The railroad
company is prepared to furnish camp equi-
page and all necessary food supplies. Com
ing from Springfield one would board the
evening train at 5 ID, arriving at Quebec
the following morning with ample time to
visit various points Of interest in that an
cient city, aud be ready 20 take the early
train ON the second morning or leaving ON
a still earlier train could visit both Montreal
and Quebec, and reach here on the
evening of the second day. The railroad
fare either from Boston or Springfield is
probably about SIS for the round trip, aud
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