Page:Abbot's Guide to Ottawa.djvu/14

 (i.e. human ear), a branch of the Algonquins, between whom and the Five Nations Indians—called by the French the Iroquois—there was continual war. The river was first called by the early French explorers the Rivière des Algoumequins, or river of the Algonquins, but was afterwards known as the Rivière des Outaouais, from the tribe that lived on its banks. The latter word subsequently became corrupted into "Ottawa." The war with the Iroquois resulted in the Ottawas being driven from the Ottawa Valley to Lake Huron, where for many years some of them lived on Great Manitoulin Island.

In 1857 Queen Victoria was asked to select a permanent seat of government. Until then it had been fixed in turn at Quebec, Montreal, Kingston and Toronto. Guided by the advice of Sir Edmund Head, the then Governor General, Her Majesty, on the 31st December, 1857, selected Ottawa. The considerations which weighed in its favour were the political and strategical advantages of the location and the magnificence of the site. On this latter point will be read with interest what is said under the head "../Major's Hill Park/," on p. 21.

The Capital of Canada is in the Province of Ontario, and lies on the right bank or south shore of the Ottawa river, which separates the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Across the river, in the last named province, can be seen the famed Laurentian Hills.

The city may be said to stretch from the Chaudiere Falls to Rockcliffe, a distance of three miles. The best view of the river front is from the Quebec shore. The whole length presents a succession of bold promontories, some of them rising perpendicularly from the water's edge, clothed by cedars and pines, and separated from each other by small bays. From the promontory at Rockcliffe is a view of 16 miles down the river.

With the single exception of Quebec, Ottawa is undoubtedly the most beautifully situated of any Canadian city. It is surrounded by magnificent natural scenery, striking from its variety, and not often surpassed in beauty. Standing at the northerly point of Parliament Hill, or, better still, from the tower of the Parliament Buildings, one sees the magnificent Ottawa winding its course from the islands in the far distance at the left, down the Chaudiere Falls, past the great lumbering industries before one's feet, till it flows underneath the Alexandra bridge at Nepean Point, then, joined by the Gatineau river, it passes the pretty little village of Gatineau Point, whence it continues its course to meet the St. Lawrence.

The year that saw the initiation of the canal witnessed also ihe commencement of the union suspension bridge across the Ottawa river, under the same Engineer officer. The first arch constructed gave way, and fell into the