The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-07-02

most persons, an entirely new expert
ence, and the steep descent is fully re
allied if one has neglected to take
mold Ut .Le ststi0HH-- portion of the
steamer. The ten nc roar and seeth
ing violence OF the river is intensely
fascinating. Great nerve and power
is required in plotting the steamer, SC
as to keep her straight ahead and in
the channel, as a slight deviation
would turn the steamer sideways, in
which case she would be instantly cap
sized and submergea. But the disci.
pline and system of the Royal Mail
steamers are 30 perfect that such q
calamity is utterly impossible. While
descending the rapids a tiller is at.
tached to the rudder as an extra pre-.
caution, and the force required to
keep the steamer straight in her
course is so great that four men are
kept constantly at the wheel and two
at the tiller.
After leaving the Long Sault
rapids we pass several Canadian vii
lagos, and enter Lake St. Francis,
which begins near Cornwall and ex-
, tends a distance Of forty miles to
Coteau du Lac. Just below this vii
lage are the Coteau rapids, then come
the Cedars, Split Rock and Cascade
rapios. The passage through the
Cedars is very exciting. There is a
peculiar motion of the steamer, which
in. descending, seems like settling
down as she glides from one ledge of
rock to another. This is supposed to
be owing to the existence Of a strong
under-currenr. II was in these rapids
that detachment of three hundred
men, under Gen. Amherst, was lost
in 1859.
The passage of the Split Rock
rapids is full of interest and excite
ment, intensified by the apparent dan
ger in the steamers course as she
comes near to a threatening ledge of
rock. Danger seems imminent the
speed of the vessel and the character
Of the surroundings add little pleasure
to ones reflections, but at the proper
moment the skillful pilot causes the
boat to swerve a little and the danger
Gus ledge is passed.
The next series of rapids, from its
resemblance to a succession of short
leaping falls, is very apprOp riately
named the Cascades.
After passing the Cascade rapids,
the steamer enters Lake ST. Louis, a
brOadened expanse of the ST. Law
renee at the entrance to the Ottawa
river.
The quiet massage of twelve miles
throw. Lake ST. Louis serves to slim
ulaie curiosity in regard to the La
cbine rapids which are nine miles
from Montreal and are the last rapids
o! Importance on the ST. Lawrance.
L ,e We ocity and fierceness of the cur
rent a.t so great that to avoid the rs p
ids the Lachine canal was constru L
ed aud during stormy weather is used
for Il passage from Lachine TO Mont.
real. The Lschlne rapids are the
most difficult to navigate of any on
The St. Lawrence. Baptiste an In
dian pilot has made it his business for
over forty years to pilot steamers
down these rapids. During the sum-
mer he is exclusively in the service of
the passenger steamers shooting these
rapids and under his skillful guidan ce
there is no danger in the Lachine
rapids. But if the day is stormy,
or a south wind prevails, the
tourist leaves these rapids be.
hind him with a grateful sense of re-
lief, especially if his point of observa-
ton has been the bow of the boat.
With rocks ahead and rocks beneath,
asserting their presence with impudent
thnmps against the steamers keel, the
experience is seasoned with just enough
thought of danger to give it zest and
when one is assured beyond a doubt
that there is not the least real danger,
the excitement becomes pleasure.
The trip down the st. Lawrence
and through Canada is incomplete
without visit to Ottawa. Since the
day that Ottawa was designated by
her majesty as the capital of the do
minion, it has continued to increase
in prosperity and population, until
now it ranks as one of the most impor-
tant and interesting cities in British
North America. The public buildings
erected here by the government for
use of the dominion parliament and
the different department offices of the
government, reflect great credit both
upon the government, liberal enough
to provide for their erection, and the
e I1~..