Читать книгу Documents Relating to the Constitutional History of Canada 1759-1791, Part I - Adam Shortt - Страница 144

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All the Lands in this Government, as well as thro' all Canada, are Divided into Seigneuries, & mannors, granted by the Crown of France to different people, upon certain conditions, such as settling them within a limitted time, paying Hommage at Every Change of Seigneur, and part of the purchase in case of Sale, as also Reserving to the Crown the right of cutting timber for building of Ships, or Erecting Fortifications. The Seigneurs are likewise obliged by the said Grants to Report to the Governor Whatever mines may be Discovered in their respective Seigneuries, as all mines found in Canada are the King's Property. In general these Seigneuries run Four or six Miles in front; and six or nine deep from the Banks of the River S^t Lawrence so that many Lands are yet in the hands of the Crown, on the back of those that are Granted.

The Seigneurs had by their Original Grants the power of naming Judges & Administring Justice, even in Capital Cases, thro' their Districts; but Custom has Abolished those too great privileges, tho' the Powers for it are yet extant, in the hands of the Seigneurs: However all suits are now Carried before the proper Tribunals named & established by the Crown.

The Habitations are for the most part settled along the banks of the River S^t Lawrence, or up the Rivers & Rivulets that fall into it, and are seldom Carried up higher than five or six Miles. There are in this Government Eighteen Parishes, viz^t

North Shore	South Shore —
St Anne,	St Pierre Bequets
St Marie,	Gentilly
Rivre Batiscan	Biencour
Côte Batiscan	Nicolette
Champlain	Bay St Antoine
Cape Magdalaine	St Francois
Trois Rivieres	Yamasca
Point du Lac
Machiche,
Rivr du Loup.
Maskinonge

These seven last Parishes, viz^t. Du Lac, Machiche Riv^re du Loup, and Maskinongé on the North Shore; Nicolette; Bay S^t Antoine, S^t François, & Yamasca on the South, are settled round Lake S^t Pierre, which is formed by the Spreading of the Water of the River S^t Lawrence, the Bottom muddy, the Water Shallow, one & Twenty miles in Length, and about ten in Breadth; the Channel is not above thirteen feet deep, but the bottom of so soft a mud, that a Vessell drawing Fourteen feet may plough through it, it Abounds with many sorts of Excellent Fish.

The Town of Trois Rivieres which is the Capital lays in the Centre of this Government, as also at an Equal Distance from Quebec, & Montreal; it is built upon the North Shore of the River S^t Lawrence, and Consists of about One Hundred Houses a Parochial church, a Convent of Ursuline Nuns, & Another of Recollet Priests.