Journal of John Mair, ijgi 91 it is sometimes uncertain I prefer'd the other way. the French language is the only one the peasants know, and they have retain'd also their manners, and the old French dress of a close Cassock and sash, next morning I cross'd. the river is extremeh' rapid but as the wind was fair I got over in 54 an hour, a small Island lys midway on which a Capn. Grant lives who has a Mill there and has made it a beautifull spot. Montreal is long but very narrow having but two principal streets which run the length of the town, the houses are mostly stone, low and in the French stile, some of the Churches are handsome, the streets are pav'd but are narrow, it is wall'd round and has ramparts but they are gone to decay, and the ditch is near filFd up; there is a hill' just behind the town that intirely comds. it, and from the top of this hill I had a most beautifull and extensive view of the country, which is mostly a plaine and seems pritty well cultivated, nothing can be grander than the flowing through it of the river St. Laurance, which about 6 or 7 Miles above the town begins to be too rockey and rapid to be navigable but for flat bottom'd boats, they have at some expence render'd easy its communication with the Lakes ; and no doubt time will greatly improve it, as the country is setled very much allready, and is dayly encreasing; the largest ships mount up to the Town with safety, and unload and load here ; and their export in AMieat and Flower is pro- digeous. most of the farms in this neighborhood are inhabited by Cana- dians, who are averse to improvement, and seem but a lazey set of people, and very superstitious. I stay'd here 2 days and on the 29th. (there is a Regt. lays here) embark'd on board a very small Schooner for Quebec, we got down as low as Sorel by night and anchored 15 Leagues, the country on both sides beautifull, and well cultivated and seemd one intire villiage. the next day it was very calm but by the current we with some difficulty got through the Lake which is a very broad part of the river St. Lau- rance, full of little Islands and on that account difficult of navigation, the Islands are full of wood, and are swampy which makes them swarm with Muskatoes, but on the main shore the Settlements are pritty thick, this lake continues 7 Leagues when the river becomes narrower, we next pass'd Trois Rivieres a pritty little town 3 Leagues below the lake, and continuing our rout made this day 25 Leagues when at night we anchor'd near a dangerous shoal, the country began after passing the lake to be less flat, the settlements the same, the Parishes being established at 2 Leagues each in extent; next morning we pass'd the abovemention'd shoal and also another still more dangerous 6 Leagues below it call'd the Rapids, here the country is beautifully picturesque, the houses built handsomer and more numerous. about 2 oClock in the afternoon, the wind changed and blew fresh agt. us, at the same time also the tide chang'd (which flows up as high as the Rapids) so that we were necessited to anchor about 3 Leagues ' Mount Royal.
