OTTAWA, one of the largest rivers of British North America, rises in lat. 48° 30' n., long. 75° w. in the watershed on the opposite side of which rise the St. Maurice and Saguenay. After a course of above 600 in., it falls into the St. Lawrence by two mouths, which form the island of Montreal; and the entire region drained by it and its tributaries measures about 80,000 sq. in. (Choi. Rep. for 1845-46, p. 13). During its course, it widens into numerous lakes of considerable size, and is fed by many important tributaries, such as the Mattawa, Mississippi, Madawasea, and Rideau on the right, the Gatineau and the rivii%.res du Moine and du Li6vre on the left side. These, with the Ottawa itself, form the means of transit for perhaps the largest lumber-trade in the world, while the clear anccs of the' lumber have opened the country for several thriving agricultural settlements. The navigation has been greatly improved, especially for timber, by the construction of dams and slides, tc facilitate its passage over falls and rapids. The Ottawa is already
connected with In• Ontario at Kingston by the Rideau canal; and there is every pros pect of its becomir before many years, the great highway from the north-western states to. the ocean by being connected with the Georgian bay hi lake Huron through the French river, lake and the Mattawa. This great engineering achievement, for which capital will undoubtedly be soon forthcoming, would place the western lake ports by water 760 in. nearer to Liverpool by Montreal than by New York through the Eric canal, and would save nearly a week in time, while it would lessen considerably insurance and freight charges.—The Ottowa possesses one of the few literary associations of Canada. At St. Ann s, a few miles above its mouth, the house is pointed out where Moore wrote the Canadian boat-song.