Lac des Chats (Lake of Cats) is reportedly, today, one of the best catfish holes in the Ottawa Valley, Ontario. Chats Falls (in French: Chute des Chats, meaning “Cat Falls”) were a set of waterfalls on the Ottawa River, near Fitzroy Harbour, Ontario, and Quyon, Quebec, Canada. A hydroelectric generating station is now located here, owned and operated jointly by Hydro-Québec and Ontario Power Generation.
Hudson Bay Canoes at Chats Falls on the Ottawa River, Canada, 1838.
Stevens Point Daily Journal
Stevens Point, Wisconsin
August 26, 1882
One of the Sea Serpents Killed.
It is but a few years ago since Mr. Robert Young, one of our most worthy and
respected citizens, caught a glimpse of an aquatic monster in Chats Lake,
near Arnprior [Ontario], Canada, which he described as being of enormous
size and proportions. Captain Brown, of the steamer Alliance, also got a
view of these monsters in the same waters the summer before last, and
various other people claim to have seen large specimens at different times
and at divers places. But this week we are in a position to announce the
capture of what is probably one of the progeny of the original old Chats
Lake serpent, which has often struck terror to the hearts of the
superstitious river men. While coming down from the Snow Rapids with a tow
last Monday evening, and while off Blackwell’s Island, the crew of the Levi
Young noticed a huge serpent swimming ahead of the boat. Mr. John Durgan,
chief engineer, and a deck hand, named Shaw[,] jumped into a boat and
started in pursuit of the reptile. They succeeded in getting within
striking distance of the serpent when Mr. Durgan struck it a blow over the
head with his oar. The beast then turned and made for the occupants of the
boat, literally churning the water with his tail in his fury. Another
powerful and well-directed blow with an oar on the neck of the serpent laid
it out dead when it was taken in tow and brought aboard the steamer. The
crew of the boat stretched it out on the rail and measured it with a rule.
Its total length was eleven feet, while the body was thirteen inches in
circumference. Its jaws were pried open and a pair of compasses inserted,
which were opened out to a distance of six inches. The description given of
this reptile is the same as that given by Mr. Young and Captain Brown, so
that [it] is possible that the one just killed is a lineal descendant of the
old king snake who has sported himself in Chats Lake for years past. -
Arnprior Chronicle.
Thanks to Jerome Clark for the article.
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