voyage of the paper canoe-第3节
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the whole ship's company lean upon the weather…rail and peer out into the thick air with an earnestness born of terror。 〃Surely；〃 says the master to his mate； 〃I am past the Magdalens； and still far from Anticosti； yet we have breakers； which way can we turn？〃 The riddle solves itself； for out of the gloom come whitened walls； beautiful but terrible to behold。
Those terror…stricken sailors watch the slowly moving berg as it drifts past their vessel； fearing that their own ship will be drawn towards it from the peculiar power of attraction they believe the iceberg to possess。 And as they watch； against the icy base of the mountain in the sea the waves beat and break as if expending their forces upon a rocky shore。 Down the furrowed sides of the disintegrating berg streamlets trickle； and miniature cascades leap； mingling their waters with the briny sea。 The intruder slowly drifts out of sight； disappearing in the gloom； while the sailor thanks his lucky stars that he has rid himself of another danger。 The ill…omened Anticosti； the graveyard of many seamen； is yet to he passed。 The ship skirts along its southern shore； a coast destitute of bays or harbors of any kind； rock…bound and inhospitable。
Wrecks of vessels strew the rocky shores； and four light…houses warn the mariner of danger。 Once past the island the ship is well within the estuary of the gulf into which the St。 Lawrence River flows； contributing the waters of the great lakes of the continent to the sea。 As the north coast is approached the superstitious sailor is again alarmed if perchance； the compass…needle shows sympathy with some disturbing element； the cause of which he believes to exist in the mountains which rise along the shore。 He repeats the stories of ancient skippers； of vessels having been lured out of their course by the deviation of the guiding…needle； which succumbed to the potent influence exerted in those hills of iron ore； heeding not the fact that the disturbing agent is the iron on board of his own ship； and not the magnetic oxide of the distant mines。
The ship being now within the estuary of the St。 Lawrence River； must encounter many risks before she reaches the true mouth of the river； at the Bic Islands。
The shores along this arm of the gulf are wild and sombre。 Rocky precipices frown upon the swift tidal current that rushes past their bases。 A few small settlements of fishermen and pilots； like Metis； Father Point； and Rimousky； are discovered at long intervals along the coast。
In these St。 Lawrence hamlets； and throughout Lower Canada； a patois is spoken which is unintelligible to the Londoner or Parisian； and these villagers； the descendants of the French colonists； may be said to be a people destitute of a written language； and strangers to a literature。
While holding a commission from Francis the First； king of France； Jacques Cartier discovered the Gulf of St。 Lawrence； during his first voyage of exploration in the new world。 He entered the gulf on St。 Lawrence's day； in the spring of 1534； and named it in honor of the event。 Cartier explored no farther to the west than about the mouth of the estuary which is divided by the island of Anticosti。 It was during his second voyage； in the following year； that he discovered and explored the great river。 Of the desolate shores of Labrador； on the north coast； he said； 〃It might as well as not be taken for the country assigned by God to Cain。〃
The distance from Quebec to Cape Gaspe； measured upon a course which a steamer would be compelled to take； is four hundred and seven statute miles。 The ship first enters the current of the river St。 Lawrence at the two Bic Islands； where it has a width of about twenty miles。 By consulting most maps the reader will find that geographers carry the river nearly two hundred miles beyond its usual current。 In fact； they appropriate the whole estuary； which； in places； is nearly one hundred miles in width； and call it a river a river which lacks the characteristics of a river； the currents of which vary with the winds and tidal influences； and the waters of which are as salt as those of the briny deep。
Here； in the mouth of the river； at the Bics； secure anchorage for vessels may be found； but below； in the estuary； for a distance of more than two hundred and forty…five miles； to Gaspe； there is but one port of refuge； that of Seven Islands； on the north coast。
As the ship ascends the river from Bic Islands； a passage of about one hundred and sixty statute miles to Quebec； she struggles against a strong current。 Picturesque islands and little villages； such as St。 Andre； St。 Anne； St。 Rogue； St。 Jean； and St。 Thomas； relieve the monotony。 But very different is the winter aspect of this river； when closed to navigation by ice from November until Spring。 Of the many tributaries which give strength to the current of the St。 Lawrence and contribute to its glory； the Saguenay River with its remarkable scenery is counted one of the wonders of our continent。 It joins the great river from the north shore； about one hundred and thirty…four statute miles below Quebec。 Upon the left bank； at its mouth； nestles the little village of Tadousac； the summer retreat of the governor…general of the Dominion of Canada。
American history claims for the Roman Catholic church of this settlement an age second only to that of the old Spanish cathedral at St。 Augustine； Florida。 For three hundred years the storms of winter have beaten upon its walls； but it stands a silent yet eloquent monument of the pious zeal of the ancient Fathers； who came to conquer Satan in the wilderness of a new world。 The Saguenay has become the 〃Mecca〃 of northern tourists； ever attracting them with its wild and fascinating scenery。 Capes Eternity and Trinity guard the entrance to Eternity Bay。 The first towers sublimely to a height of eighteen hundred feet； the other is only a little lower。 A visit to this mysterious river； with its deep； dark waters and picturesque views； will repay the traveller for the discomforts of a long and expensive journey。
Where the turbulent current of the Saguenay mingles angrily with that of the St。 Lawrence； there may be seen disporting in the waves the white whale of aquariums； which is not a whale at all； but a true porpoise （Delphinopterus Catodon； as he is now called by naturalists）； having teeth in the jaws； and being destitute of the fringed bone of the whalebone whales。 This interesting creature is very abundant in the Arctic Ocean on both the Atlantic and Pacific sides； and has its southern limits in the Gulf of St。 Lawrence； although one is occasionally seen in the Bay of Fundy； and it is reported to have been observed about Cape Cod； on the Massachusetts coast。
As the ship nears the first great port of the St。 Lawrence River； the large and well cultivated island of Orleans is passed； and the bold fortifications of Quebec； high up on the face of Point Diamond； and flanked by the houses of the French city； break upon the vision of the mariner。 To the right； and below the city； which Champlain founded； and in which his unknown ashes repose； are the beautiful Falls of Montmorency； gleaming in all the whiteness of their falling waters and mists； like the bridal veil of a giantess。 The vessel has safely made her passage； and now comes to anchor in the Basin of Quebec。 The sails are furled； and the heart of the sailor is merry； for the many dangers which beset the ship while approaching and entering the great water…way of the continent are now over。
CHAPTER II。 FROM QUEBEC TO SOREL
THE WATER…WAY INTO THE CONTINENT。 THE WESTERN AND THE SOUTHERN ROUTE TO THE GULF OF MEXICO。 THE MAYETA。 COMMENCEMENT OF THE VOYAGE。 ASCENT OF THE RIVER ST。 LAWRENCE。 LAKE OF ST。 PETER。 ACADIAN TOWN OF SOREL
The canoe traveller can ascend the St。 Lawrence River to Lake Ontario； avoiding the rapids and shoals by making use of seven canals of a total length of forty…seven miles。 He may then skirt the shores of Lake Ontario； and enter Lake Erie by the canal which passes around the celebrated Falls of Niagara。 From the last great inland sea he can visit lakes Huron； Michigan； and； with the assistance of a short canal； the grandest of all； Superior。 When he has reached the town of Duluth； at the southwestern end of Superior； which is the terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad； our traveller will have paddled （following the contours of the land） over two thousand miles from salt water into the American continent without having been compelled to make a portage with his little craft。 Let him now make his first portage westward； over the road one hundred and fifteen miles from Duluth to the crossing of the Mississippi River at Brainerd； and launch his boat on the Father of Waters； which he may descend with but few interruptions to below the Falls of St。 Anthony； at Minneapolis； or； if he will take his boat by rail from Duluth； one hundred and fifty…five miles； to St。 Paul； he can launch his canoe； and follow the steamboat to the Gulf of Mexico。 This is the longest； and may be called the canoeist's western route to the great Southern Sea。 In St。 Louis County； Minnesota； the water from 〃Seven Beaver Lakes〃 flows s
