169. The author here refers to the islands at the western extremity of Lake St. Peter, which are very numerous. On Charlevoix's Carte de la Rivière de Richelieu they are called _Isles de Richelieu_. The more prominent are Monk Island, Isle de Grace, Bear Island. Isle St Ignace, and Isle du Pas. Champlain refers to these islands again in 1609, with perhaps a fuller description--_Vide_ Vol. II. p. 206. 170. The Richelieu, flowing from Lake Champlain to the St. Lawrence. For description of this river, see Vol. II. p. 210, note 337. In 1535 the Indians at Montreal pointed out this river as leading to Florida.-- _Vide Brief Récit_, par Jacques Cartier, 1545, D'Avezac ed. 171. The Hurons, Algonquins, and Montagnais were at war with the Iroquois, and the savages assembled here were composed of some or all of these tribes. 172. The rapids in the river here were too strong for the French barque, or even the skiff, but were not difficult to pass with the Indian canoe, as was fully proved in 1609.--_Vide_ Vol. II. p. 207 of this work. 173. The course of the Richelieu is nearly from the south to the north. 174. The rapids of Chambly. 175. Lake Champlain, discovered by him in 1609.--_Vide_ Vol. II. ch. ix. 176. Lake George. Champlain either did not comprehend his Indian informants, or they greatly exaggerated the comparative size of this lake. 177. The Hudson River--_Vide_ Vol. II. p. 218, note 347. CHAPTER VIII. ARRIVAL AT THE FALL.--DESCRIPTION OF THE SAME AND ITS REMARKABLE CHARACTER.--REPORTS OF THE SAVAGES IN REGARD TO THE END OF THE GREAT RIVER. Setting out from the River of the Iroquois, we came to anchor three leagues from there, on the northern shore. All this country is low, and filled with the various kinds of trees which I have before mentioned. On the first day of July we coasted along the northern shore, where the woods are very open; more so than in any place we had before seen. The soil is also everywhere favorable for cultivation. I went in a canoe to the southern shore, where I saw a large number of islands, [178] which abound in fruits, such as grapes, walnuts, hazel-nuts, a kind of fruit resembling chestnuts, and cherries; also in oaks, aspens, poplar, hops, ash, maple, beech, cypress, with but few pines and firs. There were, moreover, other fine-looking trees, with which I am not acquainted. There are also a great many strawberries, raspberries, and currants, red, green, and blue, together with numerous small fruits which grow in thick grass. There are also many wild beasts, such as orignacs, stags, hinds, does, bucks, bears, porcupines, hares, foxes, bearers, otters, musk-rats, and some other kinds of animals with which I am not acquainted, which are good to eat, and on which the savages subsist. [179]