Notes on the Saguenay Country

Notes on the Saguenay Country

By Andrew Stuart

[Originally published by the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec in Transactions, Original Series 1, Vol. 1 (1829)]

In the first voyage of Jacques Cartier, (A. D. 1534.) no mention is made of the Saguenay country.

In his second voyage (A. D. 1535) to be found in the third volume of Hakluyt, the Saguenay country is called “the Kingdom of the Saguenay.” The wild-men pointed out to him “the beginning of this kingdom and told him that it was land inhabited, and that from thence came the red copper by them named Caignetadze.”

Upon Jacques Cartier afterwards going to Hochelaga, (Montreal,) he showed the Indians there some red copper, and looking towards the country of the Great Lakes, with signs asked them, if any came from thence, but they shook their heads and answered no, and shewed him that it came from Saguenay which he rightly observes, “lyeth clear contrary to the other.”

Upon his return to his post of St. Croix, (probably Quebec, perhaps Cap Rouge,) he was informed by the Indians that the river Saguenay, at the distance of eight or nine days journey from its mouth would only bear small boats; that beyond the village of Saguenay, (it is difficult to fix the position of this village,) the river Saguenay enters into two or three great lakes; that there is a Sea of fresh water found, and, as they were told by those of Saguenay, there was never man heard of “that found out the end thereof, for they said to us they never were there themselves.” This corresponds sufficiently with the known geography of the country. The fresh water sea here referred to, is doubtless Lake Mistassini, respecting which the story here given in 1535 was reported to us by the Indians of the King's Posts. The same story will be found in the examination of one or more of the witnesses examined before the committee upon the Crown lands.

Jacques Cartier was also told by the Indians about Quebec, that the inhabitants of the Saguenay had great stores of copper.

On the 6th of May, 1536, Jacques Cartier sailed from Quebec on his return to France, stopped at the Isle aux Coudres, and remained there till the 16th of the same month, when many of the subjects (as he calls them,) of the Indian chief whom he was conveying to France, came to see their chief, and “gave him three bundles of beavers, and sea-wolves skins, with a great knife of red copper that cometh from Saguenay.”

The fourth voyage of Jacques Cartier contains nothing respecting the Saguenay country.

Mr. Roverval, “the King's lieutenant general in the countries of Canada, Saguenay, and Hochelaga, departed towards the province of Saguenay, on Tuesday the 5th of June, 1543. Their furniture was of eight barks as well great as small, and to the number of three score and ten persons with the aforesaid General.”

On the 14th of June, Monsieur “L'Espiney LaBrosse, Monsieur Frête, Monsieur Langeval, and others, returned from the General from the voyage of Saguenay.

“And note that eight men and one bark were drowned and lost, among whom was Monsieur De Noire Lafontaine, and one named Levasseur of Constance.”

“On Tuesday the 16th of June aforesaid, there came from the general Monsieur Villeneuve, Talebot, and three others, which brought six score pound weight of their corn, and letters to stay yet until Magdalen-tide which is the 22nd day of July.” The rest of this voyage is wanting, (Pinkerton ,vol. XII. p. 677. 8.)

There are two maps in Charlevoix which throw much light upon the Topography of this country; the smaller of them is to be found in his third volume, p. 64, and embraces the whole river from Tadousac to some short distance above Chicoutimy. There is delineated upon it a land road, between two chains of mountains, which leads from Lake St. Charles to a point on the Saguenay, as nearly as may be equi-distant from Tadousac and Ha Ha bay.

He here speaks of the harbour of Tadousac as a good one capable of containing a fleet of twenty-five ships of war, and says that the country is filled with marble but altogether unsusceptible of culture:—in both of which particulars he was mistaken.

His general map (vol. 1. p, 438), is compiled from manuscripts in the Depots of the French marine, and from memoirs of the Jesuits priests.

It is astonishingly minute and accurate, and what would at first sight seem to be extraordinary, it would appear from it that the interior of the Saguenay country was better known at that time than the interior of the country lying between Quebec and Montreal.

The rivers Batiscan, St. Anne, and Jacques Cartier, are very inaccurately laid down in this general map; as is also the St. Maurice.

It is worthy of remark that a water communication is laid down in this map from the Ottawa to the St. Lawrence by the Maskinongé river. This is probably correct, but there is reason to believe that the route is in a higher latitude than that given by Charlevoix.

The public documents to which Charlevoix had access, and which served to enable him to give so accurate a map of the Saguenay country, were (independently of the memoirs of

the Jesuits) of the most authentic character. The King of France had reserved to himself this country comprising the best hunting grounds in the whole of North America. It is said to produce furs of certain descriptions that are not equalled any where. This reserved tract of country was farmed out or let.

By an Arrêt of Council of 16th May 1677, and by subsequent Ordonnance of the Provincial Intendant of 1720, an exact plan was ordered to be made of this country after actual survey; which was finally carried into effect between the years 1731 and 1733, (eleven or twelve years before the publication of Charlevoix's general map) as appears from the ordonnance of the intendant, bearing date the 23d May, 1733. (Edits and Ordonnances II.87.)

The tract of country thus surveyed is bounded in front by the river St. Lawrence, beginning at the lower end of the Seigniory of the Eboulemens, and extending to Cape Cormorant, a distance of about ninety-five leagues; on the west by an imaginary line running east and west from the aforesaid lower end of Seigniory of the Eboulemens, to the height of land at the carrying place of Lake Patitachekao in the latitude 47° 15'; thence running west towards Three Rivers, and in depth to the height of land, at about two leagues from the small Lake of Patitaouaganiche, in latitude 48°. 18'.; thence to the Lake Askatiche into which the former Lake empties itself, whence they fall into the river Nekoaba which receives also the waters of Lake Nekoaba all of which empty themselves into Lake St. John, and thence into the Saguenay, with all the country comprized within these waters; on the east by Cape Cormorant and thence to the height of land comprizing the River Moisy, Lake Kichestigaux, the Lake of the Naskapis, and the other Rivers and Lakes emptying into them.

In the collection of plates, plans, &c, representing a series of events in the history of France, commencing with the Gauls and ending with the, reign of Louis the XV, made by Mr. Févret de Fontette, and now in the King's library at Paris, will be found the following plans, &c, relating to Canada.

Under the year 1690, “Petite Carte du Canada, ou le Chevalier Guillaume Phips, fit une tentative inutile, les 10 et 19 Octobre. Les Anglois cannonent Quebec, le 10 Octobre.”

Under the year 1758. Plan de Louisbourg en Canada, rendu aux Anglois le 26 Juillet.—PERIER.

Under the year 1759, Plan de la ville et du siège de Québec, pris par les Anglois le 18 Septembre.—IDEM.

Under the year 1760, Plans de la bataille de Quebec, les attaques du Fort Carillon du 8 Juillet, de celle du Fort de William Henry le 7 Août, et de celles de Chouageun le 12 Août.—PERIER.

The foregoing are extracted from the Appendix to the 4th volume of the Bibliothèque Historique de France.

Upon the cession of the Canadas to Great Britain by the Treaty of Paris in 1763, this tract continued to be granted to lessees under leases of twenty-one years.

It was the interest of the lessees to exclude strangers as much as possible and to keep secret the resources of the country as well for the purpose of maintaining their monopoly, as for that of preventing competition, when the lease should come at the end of each twenty-one years to be brought to sale.

Accordingly, down to within the last six or eight years nothing was known of this country. The most ridiculous stories were circulated and believed of the dangers of the navigation of the Saguenay, of its falls which no man had ever approached, of its unfathomable depth, and of the severity of the climate, &c. &c.

The account given of this country before a committee of the assembly, to whom was referred the matter of the Crown lands, by two gentlemen of the highest respectability, the Messrs. Taché of Kamouraska, who had long resided there, first awakened the public attention to it.

An exploring survey of this tract of country, was commenced during the last season under the authority of an act of the Provincial Legislature.

It appears from the Report of the Commissioners employed upon the service and from the documents which accompany the Report, that the Saguenay is navigable by vessels of any size for a distance of twenty two or twenty three leagues, to Ha Ha Bay, and that it is navigable by vessels of large dimensions for five or six leagues higher up to Chicotimy.

The harbour of Tadousac would contain it is said, twenty five ships of war. The following harbours there is reason to believe, are to be found between Tadousac and Chicotimy.

At La Boulle, about two leagues above Tadousac, is a good harbour for vessels against the north west winds, on the north east bank of the Saguenay, and a good harbour for boats, on the south west side at the place called L'Ançe à la Barque.

At three leagues from Tadousac, at the place called La Passe-pierres is a good harbour for schooners against north west winds.

At the Bay St. Etienne, about two leagues from La Boulle is a good harbour against north west winds; and opposite this Bay is the Bay à la Grosse Roche, which is a good harbour for shipping.

On the same side of the River is the Bay Ottapermuche, with a good harbour for boats, and a small distance from it the Ançe aux Foins having a good harbour for schooners. Opposite the Ançe aux Foins is the River Ste. Marguerite, distant six leagues from Tadousac, having a good harbour against all winds.

About seven leagues from Tadousac is the Island of St. Louis, having a good harbour at each of its extremities.

A league higher we come to the River Petit Saguenay, which has a good harbour.

Half a league higher are the Islands Cocard and Barthelemy, having a good harbour.

A little higher is the Bay of St. John: a good harbour against all winds.

Higher up is the Bay du Rude; a very good harbour.

Opposite La Trinité is the Bay à l'Aviron; a good harbour.

La descente des femmes; a good harbour for ships.

La Grande Pointe; a good harbour.

Ha Ha Bay an excellent harbour.

The foregoing notes upon the harbours of the Saguenay, are extracted from the report of Mr. Gauvreau.

Upon the north eastern shore of the Saguenay, from Tadousac, to within one or two leagues of

Chicotimy, there seems to be but little land susceptible of culture.

What extent of ground susceptible of culture, there may be between the old settlements in the rear of Murray Bay and St. Paul's Bay, upon the St. Lawrence on the one side, and Ha Ha Bay, and the Saguenay, and Tadousac, on the other is not known.

Between Chicotimy and the country immediately in its rear on the one side, and Ha Ha Bay and the waters which empty into it on the other will be found 300,000 acres of cultivable land.

Proceeding from Chicotimy to Lake St. John by the Chicotimy River, Lake Tsinogomi, &c, it seems probable that the country from Chicotimy to the foot of Lake Tsinogomi, on the western side of these waters is not susceptible of culture.

From Lake Tsinogomi to Lake St. John, there is according to the report of the Traders and Indians, a deep tract of level and fertile country, extending to the westward and southward.

Nothing, however, is known with certainty upon this point, as the Surveyor charged with exploring this portion of the country, was prevented by accidental circumstances from doing so.

From Chicotimy to Lake St. John, the distance by admeasurement is 67 miles, 68 chains.

The waters on the western side of the Peninsula, which lies between the Lake Tsinogomi and the grand outlet of Lake St. John, are generally navigable for batteaux &c., those which are now navigable only by canoes might probably at a small expense be rendered navigable by batteaux.

The following are the carrying places on this route.

Names of Portage.	Length of Portage.		Water Communication.
	Chains,	Links,	Chains,	Links,
Chicoutimi	160	00	92	00
Maie	10	00	62	00
Attim	9	00	33	00
Washkou	7	00	619	00
Melow	13	00	99	00
Ministuke	33	00	148	00
Assini	20	00	1863	00
Weque	96	00	476	00
Pashicoannish	25	40	459	00
Melow-zebi	18	00
From Belle Rivière portage to entrance of Lake St. John,			365	00
From Kouspigan to the Post,			821	00
Distance of Land Carriage,			391	40
Distance of Water,			5036	60
			5428	00

67 miles, 68 chains, 00 Links.

The Grand Outlet of Lake St. John is a rapid stream navigable only by canoes, and even in these, dangerous to all but the most expert canoemen.

Upon the north easternmost shore of the Saguenay, there seems to be but little land susceptible of culture till within a short distance from Chicotimy.

The country was here penetrated for a distance of sixteen leagues from the mouth of the river des Terres rompues. The soil was found to be of superior quality in the whole of this distance, and this tract of good land probably extends to the north eastermost side of Lake St. John.

The Peninsula lying between Lake Tsinogomi and the Grand Outlet of Lake St. John, is reported by the surveyor to contain about 250,000 acres of level and fertile land.

On the south westernmost side of Lake St. John, the Mountains approach near to the Lake, and beyond them the whole country lying to the westward between Lake St. John and the St. Maurice is altogether unsuceptible of culture, with the exception of some few patches too inconsiderable to merit being particularized.

The north easternmost side of Lake St. John, contains much good land.

The following is a Table of the distances which the rivers emptying into Lake St. John, on this side of the Lake were ascended on the late exploring survey.

	Chains,	Links,	Miles,	Chains
River Perebonca,	1700	00	21	20
Musk-rat River,	170	00	2	10
River David,	769	00	8	49
Rum River,	123	00	1	43
River Mistassini,	720	00	9	00
Koucciatien River,	40	00	0	40
River Baddeley,	560	00	7	00
River Pastagoutin,	480	00	6	00
Saguenay from Chicoutimi to Terres Rompues	484	00	6	4

The following is a Table of Latitudes as taken by Lieutenant Baddeley of the Royal Engineers, with an artificial horizon.

Rivière La Fleur, 46°, 53’, 40”

Chicoutimi, 48°, 24’, 9”

Portage des Roches, 48°, 14’, 31”

About half way over Lake Kennawgommin, 48°, 16’, 22”

Where two parties met Lake St. John, 48°, 37’, 59”

Perebonca River, 48°, 42’, 37”

Mistassini River, 48°, 38’, 55”

Ouignatshouen River, 48° , 24’, 35”

Mitabitshuan River, 48°, 23’, 12”

Tadousac, 48°, 6’, 39”

The climate at Chicoutimi, and lower down the Saguenay seems to be very much like that at Quebec, whilst it would appear that the climate of the country about Lake St. John, is a mild as that of Montreal, perhaps milder.

The survey made by the Commissioners was but a partial one, the funds at their disposal not admitting of any other.

To complete our knowledge of this Territory, it would be requisite.

1st. To explore in every direction the country lying in the rear of Murray Bay and St. Paul's Bay upon the St. Lawrence on the one side, and Ha Ha Bay and the Saguenay on the other.

2d. To explore the country lying between Chicotimy and Lake St. John upon the western side of the River Chicotimy, Lake Tsinogomi, &c.

3d. To explore the old route from Charlesbourg to the Saguenay, striking the Saguenay half way between Tadousac and Chicotimy, as laid down by Charlevoix. (doubtful)

4th. To explore the country most likely to afford a direct communication by land from Quebec to the old establishment of the Jesuits upon Lake St. John, a distance of about 100 miles: through which country the Jesuits are said to have been in the habit of causing cattle to be driven from Charlesbourg.

Much as thus still remains to do, it is nevertheless true that enough has been done to establish, that there is a vast extent of Territory about Lake St. John, the Saguenay, and their tributary waters which it is desirable should be settled.

Desultory