night; and glad was I when the first blush of day
summoned us to resume our travels. We now entered our sleigh for the
last time, and after a short drive arrived at the termination of the
horse road. Here we got out, and rested a short time in a shanty,
preparatory to taking to our snow-shoes.

The road now lay through the primeval forest, and fortunately it proved
to be pretty well beaten, so we walked lightly along, with our
snow-shoes under our arms. In the afternoon we arrived at another
shanty, having walked about eighteen miles. Here we found a gentleman
who superintended the operations of the lumberers, or wood-cutters. He
kindly offered to drive us to Canard River, a place not far distant from
the termination of our journey. I need scarcely say we gladly accepted
his offer, and in a short time arrived at the river Saguenay.

This river, owing to its immense depth, never freezes over at its mouth;
so we crossed it in a boat, and on the evening of the 7th of February we
arrived at the post of Tadousac.

This establishment belongs to the Hudson Bay Company, and is situated at
the bottom of a large and deep bay adjoining the mouth of the river
Saguenay. Unlike the posts of the north, it is merely a group of
houses, scattered about in a hollow of the mountains, without any
attempt at arrangement, and without a stockade. The post, when viewed
from one of the hills in the neighbourhood, is rather picturesque; it is
seen embedded in the mountains, and its white-topped houses contrast
prettily with the few pines around it. A little to the right rolls the
deep, unfathomable Saguenay, at the base of precipitous rocks and abrupt
mountains, covered in some places with stunted pines, but for the most
part bald-fronted. Up the river, the view is interrupted by a large
rock, nearly round, which juts out into the stream, and is named the
"Bull." To the right lies the Bay of St. Catherine, with a new
settlement at its head; and above this flows the majestic St. Lawrence,
compared to which the broad Saguenay is but a thread.

Tadousac Bay is one of the finest natural harbours in the St. Lawrence.
Being very deep quite close to the shore, it is much frequented by
vessels and craft of every description and dimension. Ships, schooners,
barks, brigs, and bateaux lie calmly at anchor within a stone's-throw of
the bushes on shore; others are seen beating about at the mouth of the
harbour, attempting to enter; while numero