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The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, pisnches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent Atre filmte it des teux de reduction diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmA A psrtir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche h droite. et de heut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'imeges nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. ly errata ed to tnt ne pelure, ipon k U 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 ' 4 5 6 f »*% NARRATIVE OF A TRIP TO THK FALIiS OF $iHEWIMAC}A1I. tt was on a May morning in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty, and something more, that tour resolute and adventurous characters started from Three Rivera, to view the falls on the River St. Maurice, which have been seen by few, though they are destined to become so celebrated. About the orthography of their name appellative writers are disagreed ; I shall not therefore presume to settle that matter, but would merely admonish ignorant people, that, when they read of the falls of Shttoinagam, Shawinegum, Shawenegan, that is to say, a word of four syllables, beginning with Shaw or Shew, and ending with gun, gam, gum ot gan, one and the same cataract on the River St. Maurice, at about thirty miles distance from Three Rivers, is intended and signified ; nor must they conceive in their imagination any other cataract, should, at any time, ihe word Cha-ou-in-i>gan appear in its quinti syllabic majesty, before their eyes. But to leturn to our four resolute and daring adventurers. The weather was as unpropitious as it well could be for our undertaking ; however, as our canoe men had been sent forward the preceding day, to meet us at the falls called the Gr^s, start we must in spite of the pouring rain. We set off accordingly in a couple of vehicles, between four and five o'clock, and arrived safe and well at the portage of tho Gris about ten, though somewhat fatigued, by reason that the branches of the trees overhanging the road had necessitated us to " aye keep bowing," as Sir . Periinax says, in order to retain corporal possession of our hats and wigs. Here we sheltered ourselves in a log cabin, and after refreshing ourselves with a few of the good things we had brought with us, passed half an hour in anxiety, waiting for our voyageura, whom we at last espied pulling the canoo along against the rapid current, by means of the branches that overhung the water. It was past eleven when we embarked in the canoe ; we passed Isle Tourie, about a league in length, apparently of a fine allavitl soil. About two o'clock we came in sight of Shewinagam ; we saw at about the distance of a mile from us, the head of the falls through the tops of the higheit trees.* Intending to reserve our mmtafimi9 view of the fall until our return on the following day, we went ashore, and having propped up ottr canoe on one side, spread a blanket or two by way of a canopy, kindled a fire, boiled our kettle and cooked our potatoes, we despatched our dinner in voyageur style, with a hearty appetite, good humour, and spirits fifty ppr rent .«bove. par. Then we ascended the portage road, and had a view of the Jtrett^Jil^fiU which 1 «hall call Shei^injga, and shal} jdescrib'e hereafter. About half past three, P. M , "°~"^ ... - - . ■ . . - . ^j^j^jj, ,jm^ J^|Q bgautiful and spacious bays, in one of which we descried a canoe TrnSffiBHKHP flUI'^itiMM' after having seen and heard no human being but ourselves for several hours in this sonftMOoT nature, occasioned a sensation quite as agreable, I think, as when being at sea, afVer having the oeem'lto ourselves for several days, we at length descry a distant sail. We reached the Portage Las Hitres, or Beech Portage, (so called from the number of beech trees which grow there,) about six, P. M. Here finding a K«iug shaniy or log cabin, we resolved to pass the night, as we learned we could not reach the Grande Miie before dark, and where also.thero was no shelter. A large rock stood facing the open end of our cabin, against which we kindled a noble fire ; candles wo had forgot to bring with us, (the only thing we had overlooked,) but the want of them was in some d«>gree supplied by our men, who kindled rolls of birch bark, set upright in the earfn with a stick. Having hung our wet clonks to dry, we enjoyed our supper and retired to rest. Nothing of importance occurred during tho nighl, except that one of the party had his slumbers suddenly tnterrupled by the uncomfortable sensation that his toes were being burnt, and after rubbing his eyn, he discovered that a spark had caught his coverlet, and whs eating it away like tinder. Next morning; after breakfast, wa proceeded along the Portage road lo Lu Rigole dvs ll^lres, a beautiful little rapid, which shall in ftttur»«paiikaaiMiBbed by many a painter. " Fair laughed the morn, nod soft (lie 3!e|thyra blew," and the sun shining in his strength gave promise of ■ more agreable day than tliu lust ; when once motv embarked, in hfgh spirits, we pursued our upward course, every now and then enlivened by iho song of the voyageurs, the cheerfulness of which wax hcighlenrd by contrast with the solitude of the scene — II y a long temps m'nniic, jn t*aime, ,,; . , ' Jamais jc no I'oublierai. ' . . . .' * Frem this circumiitanre, an welt as from llm hill ufShewiiiugain, (nearly ut the tuporwiiicli ihtj fall commences,) being vinible from tho tir^s, at eight niile^ distance, and also fioni liavin:; kciuaily climbed the hill, I should judge the ontitc descent from :Ik' top of the fall tu the bufiu below, lo be full two huiidreii f«ft. ■r"rrf[j ^ ■*** W*-*. : ♦■**r*'^*'">^.':'''' t •■♦< J***— < •jfc»:.*' .1. ^ .ii . Tlie cud of each stave was announced by tiie youngest of our guides (tUing up a peculiar cry lil;« tli« i-rowing of a cock, that had in it much more drollery than music. Notwiiiistanding the numerous rapids, there was less difficulty in ascending the stream than I liu(| anticipated ; for where there was » current running down made useof our time, while the men were preparing dinner, to view the falls. Of these there are thtee in time of high water, which having learned a little latin when I was a boy, I shall denominate Shewina{;us, Sliewintiga and Shewinagum.* Of these Shewinagus and Shewinagum, though distinct falls, meet in the chasm before they are discharged into the bay below. Shewinagum is the most easterly, or towards the left bank of the river. Shewinagus is the middlemost, and Shewinaga, ([ make her the lady from her superior elegance,) is to be seen Otily in time of fl6od ; therefore as Sir Walter Scott says, ** If you would see fair Melrose aright, ..... Go visit her by the pale moon>light." So do I say — If you would see fair Shewinaga, Go visit her in the month of May." On ascending the portage-path, we descried through the trees, which at the time of our visit were not in fuH leaf, fair Shewinaga, dancing down the slope of the hill on our right hand with sinuous courses ; about mid-way she grows suddenly fretful, and tosses herself headlong down a precipice of thirty feet ; then skipping along as before, glides gently at last with the main body of the river. So doth a dams«:l of gentle blood, go forth from her chamber on a sun*bright morning, redolent of joy and youth, and conscious of her charms; lightly and delicately she trips along, gaily she descends the winding staircase of some lordly mansion, till encountering her waiting maid in her progress, she charges her with some error or neglect for which she scolds h'^r well, but soon resuming ker placid temper and sweet countenance, with becoming composute shp glides into the salle a dejeuner — isuie snp giioes mio ine s '•yrejafaroDderiageyos irfRBpSslhe lighi " The c y nostirei_ , „,. „- - . ,. In bfittuiy fflHpsnKnighn^ Of cloudless clinin and starry skies.** So much for the beauty and elegance of SMewiniga. But what |)en shall describe the terrific con> irast — the conflict, the collision, the «:o>lhunder of the waters of Shewinigus, and of Shewinigiim f 1 ascended the hill with the chasm on my right hand till 1 came to a point which I shall call the point of <:tt-thunder. There, looking up, I saw Shewinagum pouring .'lis mighty flood down an inclined piano swift as an arrow, and Shewinasus tumbling and bounding from rock to rock to meet him, and when - ih«y met in the cliasm below, what asublini* and terrific scene 1 what rattling, roaring, tossing, bofiinf mnt toHtiiitng of waters I , ,,i- • .; i-; r.:.. , ,. ;>, " When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war !** t ' ■ It was indeed an angry ** meeting of the waters,*' and far from " a mingling in peace." Tinare are laige fissiires in the precipitous rock into which the waves are driven by the force of the collision, w f have seen on the sea coast during n storm. Immediately above the fall the current is unbrokf n and quiet, though very rapid, as might be observed on seeing a huge log suddenly dip one end and then wholly disappear, on approaching the edge of the precipice. Arrived at the top, I followed the <:o«irsft of Shewiniga till 1 came to a rude bridge, consisting of a single log which we had thrown across i«t its outlet. In spile of our contrivance, however, two of our party being, as I lupposs, naturally nWlkward, managed to tumble into the water while kindly proflering to aid each other. ttoturning to our oncanipnient thoroughly soaked, for every sapling we laid hold of tp aid »s in M>{c<>nding, proved literally a shower bath, wo took a hasty meal, and started for the Gris at four, which ill an hour we reached. The portage is long, and took up an hour and a half. The falls of the Gri^s ure worth seeinu, though we did not approach them very near. On nearing the Falls Gabelle we got into a smooth unbroken current of prodigious velocity— the effect of the motion was quite exciting — ,yHr canoe glided down it wiih the swiftness of a steamboat and the dignity of a swan. Th* pleitsfPg • n * I must beg all future explorers and tourists to observe this notDenclatureofmine. 1- t , -1 •.ipjmanuice of ilils spot, like ihat of (housands of others in America, has been nmcli injured by its I)piii5 (loiiuded rtfihe fine trees that once graced it, an injury that an age cannot repair. Whon will tlii« iiicirch of intellect provide lis with intellectual lumbcrnien, who shall |>ossess taste andiienlinient rnoiigh to forbear cnitingdown the majestic (lines which grace interesting spots among the islands, ro<-k.s and bunks of rivers. It w,(s about eight o'clock when we passed the Forges of St. Maurice. Tlie weather had cleared ii|) soon after we had left Shewinagam ; a lovely evening succeeded, and as we approuched the Si. Lawrence, our boatmen ugajn struck up one of their peculiar songs, and so placid was tlie M:«ne, the moon walking in brightness above, and the still silver waters below, — ** No breath of air tu(lious. Haste then berfore the vulgarity of saw-mills shall metamorphoie and mar the scene : haste, re painters, poets and poetesses, sentimentalists, and all wii« are oonient to have slumbers sweet and sot I under tent or tarpaidin, in searcli of the sublime, or to be romantically wet to the skin in enjoyment of the beautiful. Let it be observed tlial tliough the Falls of Shewinagam must be very interesting at any season, the above desctiption of them will be found literally correct only during the high waters of the spring and fall ; let no one therefore, who has seen them, or who may see them, during their k>w summer state, presume to call in question the fidelity of this narrative. We should recommend the excursion to be taken between the 20th and the end of May, or between the 25th September and the IStli October. In conclusion, as in duly bound, I have only to mention with honor the names of our canoemen Antoine La Traye, Louis his brother, Joseph Grenier and Ambrose Boukrd, of Cape Magdelaine, who well deserve the credit of being recorded as steady, skilful, laborious, and civil and obligiflg withal ; and I take this opportunity of recommending their services, if they are alive and well, to future adven- turers. It is strange that there has been no regular mode y