ed the little village of Portage du Fort, above which
the rapids are perfectly impassable. The inhabitants of this little wild
forest community are not very numerous, as may be supposed, and the only
object of interest is a flour-mill, which supplies the lumberers for
many miles, both above and below. Our little steamer being unable to
ascend higher, we were compelled to make a Scotchman's cruise of
it--"There and bock agin." So, turning our head eastward, we bowled
along merrily with the stream, dashing down our late antagonist like a
flash of lightning, then across the lake, and through a fleet of
bannered rafts, till we landed on the Chats Falls Island, where we found
our ponies ready to whisk us along the mid-air railway. Re-embarking on
the steamer of the morning, we found a capital dinner ready for us, and
ere the shades of evening had closed in, we were once more enjoying the
hospitalities of Aylmer.

Aylmer has only a population of 1100 inhabitants, but they are not idle.
The house of Mr. E. does business with the lumberers to the tune of
200,000l. annually, and supplies them with 15,000 lb. of tea every
year. Grog-shops are at a discount in these parts. The increasing
prosperity of this neighbourhood is mainly owing to the energy and
enterprise of Mr. Egan and his friend M. Aumond. It was by these two
gentlemen that the steam-boats were put on the lakes, and the rail made
across the island. Everybody feels how much the facility of conveyance
has increased the prosperity of this locality; and the value of Mr. E.'s
services is honourably recognised, by his unopposed election as the
representative of the district. Having had a good night's rest, and
taken in a substantial breakfast, we started off on our return to
Bytown, which city may he considered as the headquarters of the
lumberers.

The ground upon which the greater part of Bytown stands was offered some
years since to a servant, as payment for a debt of 70l.; he found the
bargain so bad, that he tried to get out of it. The value of the same
land is now estimated at 200,000l.!!! As late as 1826, there was not
one stone put upon another; now the population is 10,000, and steadily
increasing. Nothing can exceed the beauty of the panoramic view from the
verge of the Barrack Hill, which is a dark, frowning, perpendicular rock
several hundred feet high. To the west are the Chaudiere Falls, 200 feet
broad and 60 feet high, irregular in shape, and broken here and