Among the chief services rendered by the companies it is recorded, that a party levelled and cleared the channel of the river between Black Rapids and the head of Long Island. Over the canal they built a bridge connecting upper and lower Bytown, which still bears the designation of the “Sappers' bridge.” In the construction of the first eight locks at the Ottawa, the companies participated to an important extent, and Sir Henry Hardinge, in his evidence before the Select Committee in March, 1828, alluded to their employment at some of the most difficult parts of the work towards the Ottawa.[276] No less difficult was the work executed by them at Hog’s bank. The dam there had been commenced by the contractor, but he ultimately abandoned the undertaking. Sixty men of the corps were withdrawn from the Ottawa to recommence it, and, with some hundred labourers, were employed at the dam all the winter of 1828 and 1829. Before the breaking up of the frost, the masonry was nearly completed with a base of 25 feet; but on the 6th April, 1829, the water found its way through the frozen earth, and making a breach in the dam, carried away everything opposed to it. This was the second failure. Still a third time it was attempted, and under the superintendence of Captain Victor of the royal engineers, a strong framework of timber was formed in front of the breach, supported and strengthened by enormous masses of clay, stone, and gravel, with a base of 250 feet, which successfully overcame the difficulty; and the dam, in 1837, was the most substantial work on the whole line of canal.[277] ----- Footnote 276: ‘Select Report Ordnance Est.,’ printed 12th June, 1828, p. 82. Footnote 277: ‘Prof. Papers, Royal Engineers,’ i. p. 86. ----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration: Royal Sappers & Miners Plate XIV. UNIFORM 1832 Printed by M & N Hanhart. ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ On the completion of the work, which cost upwards of a million of money, the two companies were disbanded in December. Their united strength on leaving England was 160, and the casualties during their period of service at the canal were as follows:— Deserted 35 Of whom two were apprehended and transported. Transported 1 Died 16 Killed 5 By blasting rock, either in the quarries or the canal. Drowned 1 71 Thirty-seven at the Isthmus of Rideau Discharged Lake, and thirty-four at Bytown.[278] Invalids, and remnant of } companies returned to } 31 England } ___ Total 160 -----