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KiiMiii f.hitmu ti) siifvy (if iirritciy hrtwi'di (.^tu-lit i- .•iii(! t,al^ * , 111 1 VRINTED BV ORDER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. 05083 PRINTED BY LOVELL AND GIBSON, FRONT STREET. 1850. /'I \3S0 c M\~^ \ % i**" ■• • • • • • • • • • • •..!• • • • •.• ..• •• •• ci- ■;,. iit* n "^ooll * .11 )! RETURN To AN Address of the Legislative Assembly, to His Excellency the Governor General, bearing date the 27th June, 1850, " for copy of the Report of any " Exploration made by Mr. Blaiklock, or any other person, of any portion of Territory situate between Quebec and Lake St. John,— and also, a copy of the Instructions given to Mr. Blaiklock." By command, J. LESLIE, Secretary. Secretary's Office, Toronto, 18th July, 1850. « (( (( • ) ■ . . .. . * th chain, the line being nearly level to that distance ; then a middling deep valley two chains wide cross it ; we then continue on tolerable level ground, where hard wood again appears. r)th Mile — Differs from the last, as nearly the whole is through small hills and gullies, so intermixed that not even their courses could be ascertained. From the COth to the 7r)th chain it is extremely rough and rocky. Soil as before mentioned. Spruce wood predominates. 6th Mile — Is a continuation of hills, holes, gullies, broken ground and rocks right and left. From the 45th to the 50th chain level, then again in broken ground to the 77th chain, then level to the end. Wood is as unequal as the surface of the ground : at spots we meet a few trees of hard wood, but sort wood by far predominates. 7th Mile. — In general this mile is like the last for wood and soil. The land inclines towards the Saguenay (to the right), which I suppose to be 35 or 40 chains off". At the 68.75 chains Riviere des Sables is crossed one cbain wide, gpnerni course N. and S., ; granite rock borders. On Ibe East a gra(bial slight descent. On the West, steep rock ascent, over a ridge that on that side follows the river I'or some distance, without, however, appearing to extend fur South. It would appear that, a few chains south of the lino, the cc n- try becomes quite level on each border of the river, allbrding k j that ineaujs, and the; good quality of the soil (on which grows fine, large, open, mixed wood) from one to three ranges of set- tlement in depth; on what length I have not been able to ascertain. — that same having but lately been explored by per- sons desirous of forming an agricultural settlement in that vicinity, having for that end made application direct to Govern- ment, for the purchase of a large tract of land on each border of that river (Riviere des Sables). The petitioners or applicants, having formed themselves into a company of 200 shares, of £12 10s. each, are now daily expecting Government's answer to begin their clearing operations ; and it appears that they will not wait long, as several have already begun en attendant. That river is rather shallow, at least at that season of the year, (26th January,) where I crossed it with my line, there appears to be but a few inches of water. From the opposite side, the line cotitinued in a large valley, course thereabouts E. and W. ; that same, recrossed in different directions, by smaller ones, and broken ground, forming gullies, ascents, descents, and side hills to the end of this mile, where we found mixed and open wood. 8th Mile. — Has a better beginning than the forementioned, up to the 22.50 chain; all is level mixed wood, soil, as I could ascertain by the occasionally turned up roots, is black mould, loam and clay mixed. Opened and taller trees than any yet met with, at the above mentioned distance (22.50 chains) we cro.ssed a valley 7.50 chains wide, with others, smaller, adjoining it, formed by the broken soil of the vicinity. From the 30th to the 62nd chain level, then new valleys, gullies, ascents and descents. The soil as before described, except the absence of black mould ; and in addition to the wood already mentioned, we have to add a few scattered white pine. 1 \ 9th Mile. — Greatly diflers from all the forcmentioned, as, with the exception of a slight valley, B chains wide, situated between the 10th and ir>th chain, the rest of this mile is quite level. The soil is a mixture of soft rich clay and loam, open woods, consist- ing of poplar, aspen, white and black birch, alders, and a few brushwood. The superiority of the soil can be judged of by the large size of the above mentioned wood growing thereon. 10th Mile. — Up to the 40th chain, the same wood and soil as above ; then the line keeps edging a rock t..i the left, parallel to the line for 40 chains. In depth that rock is irregular, 15 to 20 chains Ik »in its summit, we have the view of a level country to a considerable distance all round, which appears to extend farther to the south. 1 1th Mile. — At the 5th chain of this mile, we leave the advan- tageous tract of land embodied in the two preceding, and meet again broken ground, hills, holes and rocks. At the 63.50 chains we cross a small shallow lake, 7 liaius long and 5 wide. On the south and east rough rock borders, on the north low swampy soil, chiefly black mould ; wood chiefly black spruce. The line then continues ascending rocks and side hills. 12th Mile. — Rough all the way, hills, rocks and broken ground; still between all the rocks we find the soil to be rich loam. A few trees of hard wood is what we met with here and there. After the 50th chain it becomes more level, but then sandy soil predominates, wood in general small, and again we have a few scattered white pine trees. 13th Mile. — Does not difller from the last, same rough country from the beginning to end. At the 45th chain we cross a brook 10 links wide, running eastward. 14th Mile. — Level to the 20th chain, and occasionally undu- lating. I should have said before that from the 12th to the said 20th chain, we were in a spruce swamp, thinly wooded. Then we again meet our old acquaintances, hills, holes, valleys, gullies, undulating and broken ground. From the summit of one of the rocks I could ascertain the above mentioned swamp to extend southward, widening as the distances increased. y^ 'I ll 8 Prom the 40th chain to the end of this mile, we occasionally met a few small maple trees and ashwood. 15th Mile. — Here again a slight change, up fo the 201 h chain level, inferior soil, wood chiefly small spruce and brushwood. From the 30th to the 80th chain all is ascending and descend- ing, and that chiefly over rocks, rising and extending to the right, forming side hills to the left. On again climbing one of the rocks I observed to the south- west the country to be far more advantageous, appearing level and better wooded. 16th Mile. — To the 23d chain, level, then there we reach the low borders of a small lake, only one chain wide, but 22 long, charge from the north 10 links wide; discharge towards the west ; the opposite borders are broken rocks. At the 25th chain, crossed another brook, feeding another small lake to our left, we were opposite at the 41st chain, and at 6 chains from the line. That lake is about 10 chains long and five wide, lying E. and W. At the 58th chain we crossed its small discharge, running southward. From this last named distance, to the end of this mile, the country becomes again rough and broken. 17th Mile, — Continues the sam*^, at the 21st 50 chains, we crossed a brook or small river, 50 links wide, and running to the N. E. At the 30th chain we follow a side rock lull to our right. In the vicinity we find tamarack and long thin spruce, and occa- sionally thick brushwood. On the left the country is far better, but immediately on the line, from the 50th to the 80th chain, as bad and rough as ever. 18th Mile. — Not quite so hilly as the last. The wood is in general, more assorted, and of the different qualities already described, — soil is also the same. 19th Mile, — To the 15th chain tolerable, only at the 12th chain we crossed over a small rock, but from the 15th to the 28th, 50 chains as rough as ever, then level to the 40th, then again broken rocks and undulating ; we crossed a small brook feeding a small lake, 20 chains to our right, of 12 chains by 15, and discharging by another brook to the east. we I In crossing the above cited brook, we immediately ascend a rock 30 feet high, and nearly perpendicular, after which, the remaining distance is nearly all in broken ground and rocky soil, forming a continual ascent and descent. Wood is the same as before. This mile happening to pass the line on a more elevated part than the immediate vicinity, gave me an opportunity to observe that at a few chains right and left, the country had a far better prospect. 20th Mile, — Begins by a gradual descent to the 33rd, 50 chains, then we cross a large brook 55 links wide, very crooked, full of willows and alders. At one and a half mile east of the line, this brook falls into a small river, 1 to 3 chains wide, M'hich takes its source further east, runs west, then south-west, then again gradually north, until it falls into the tSaguena}. (Mear BoukiDger's lumbering camp.) On that same river, (that h£is no name) at dilfercnt spots, there are hundreds of saw logs to be draughted in the spring waters. At the 59th chain we cross another small brook, also running eastward. Up to the 65th chain the country looks fair enough, both for soil and wood, which is mixed and open. Then again we fall in rough, rocky and broken ground. 21st Mile, — Descends a tolerable hill, occasionally forming a side hill to the right. At the 0th chain we cross the upper end of a small lake, quite uarrovv- at the head, nearly circular at the foot, as there it is 10 chains wide, when at the other end, (where the line crossed it) it is but three chains, and being three chains to the head (from the line) and 12 chains to the other end, form- ing its length 15 chains. The charge and discharge are both very small and narrow, running between rocks ; the first comes from the south-west, the second goes south-east. On the opposite side the line continues in very rough parts ; at the 24th chain ascend a rock, meet the summit at the 25th chain. There, at that immediate spot I met difficulties caused by local attraction of 15° south, which was no longer felt at the 31st 50 chain ; the said attraction was differently felt by three different compasses — two hand compasses and my own (a sur- ,i^- i 1 i ■ I ■ I > 10 veying one,) the two others, the one shewing 13" 50', the other 13°, and my own 15°, which I took for granted. At the 55th chain, crossed another solitary rock, giving ascents and descents and side hills. From one of the elevations we had another view of the surrounding country, which shewed better prospects than at any other parts since the commencement of the line. Lake St. John appeared in sight 10 or 12 miles off. 22nd Mile. — Everything now looks better, as only at the 77th chain I met a space of broken ground ; mixed soil and mixed wood, such as white and black birch, small and tolerable spruce, ash, brushwood ond a few white pine. 23rd Mile. — Not quite so level as the last, having occasionally crossed spots of broken ground, and undulating, forming a few slight hills ; soil and wood the same, except white pine which I have not seen in this mile. 24th Mile. — At the 8th chain local attraction was again felt, first of 1°, then gradually of 10°, which however at a few chains on, quite disappeared. I again crossed a few broken parts, but of no great consequence ; soil is thereabouts the same, clay, argile and loam — woods the same as last mile. 25th Mile. — Begins with broken and umlulating soil, from the 10th to the 15th chain undulating onfy, after which, chiefly level, tliough occasionally broken to the 77th chain, then slightly ascending to the last. The soil is again a rich mixed loam. Wood, white and black birch, small and large spruce, alders, and as usual brush- wood. 26th Mile, — Continues slightly ascending to the 15th chain, thence broken to the 45th chain, after which, level ; at the 55th chain we entered a spruce swamp, in which we continued to the end of thij^ mile. In the swamp the soil is a mixture of black mould and loam ; underwood is like the preceding mile, mixed, but in addition to which we now find tamarack. 27th Mile, — Has again a better prospect, only at the 68th chain we met a spot of slightly broken ground, then we enter a valley in which we continue to the 80th chain ; the soil is the same except black mould ; wood is also mixed, hard and soft, at the 55th chain met a white pine here and there. 11 28th ]\^v -At the 3nd chain crossed a small brook running north war(^, hence slightly broken to the lOth chain, after which that mile ends in quite level ground ; very rich soil, mixed wrood as before. 29th Mile. — Small gullies to the 5th chain, (thence level to the end of this mile) ; there w^e enter a cedar swamp, — soil, black mould in argile and clay. The wood is as before, to which we now have to add large sized cedars. 30th Mile. — We now easily perceive that the nearer we get to Lake St John, the better the country looks. This mile is all level, and, in addition to the Ibrementioned woods, we have ash wood in greater quantity yet seen. The soil rich, soft, dark and brown loam, and not a stone to be met with in any direction. The wood, I omitted to mention, is quite open, and clear ground between the different trees. 31st Mile. — A description of this mile would only be a repeti- tion of the last ; the only difference I remarked is in the size of the wood, which is larger. 32nd Mile. — Rather differs from the two or three last. From the 4th to the 51st chain, nearly all in broken ground ; then we have a steep descent, only to ascend to the 58tb chain to resume broken ground. At the 70th chain, deep gullies to the 77th chain ; then steep descents and broken to the end. Here and there, in the broken parts, we meet a few rocky parts, but, in general, the wood and soil are as above described. 33rd Mile. — Quite level ; at the 7th chain we reached the borders of Belle Riviere, which there is two chains wide, low alluvial banks. At that same spot, which I suppose to be li^ , mile from the mouth, that river runs north and south. The soil in the vicinity is certainly the richest that could be met with for many miles round, being a thick bed of alluvian over argile and clay, and that same soil continually will augment in value, by the yearly overflow of Lake St. John, that runs up a long dis- tance in that river, (about 3 miles, I am informed,) also overflow- ing a long distance over each border, keeping the soil covered, between 3 and 4 feet of water, until, generally, the 20th June,^ leaving every year an additional layer of alluvian. 12 '5 J! iil I ill J- Hi Trae, that unless means are adopted to prevent the waters from so far extending over the soil, those parts may perhaps only be fit for hny, that in many spots grows naturally ; but if even that especial spot is only fit for hay, that same will soon be in grea* requisition, as those quarters cannot now long remain in their natural state. It is perhaps as well to observe that many persons have pronounced it quite possible to prevent that overflow. In general, the Belle Riviere runs in a large valley, sometimes 2^ miles wide, in which we find the following woods ; white and black birch, elm, ash, aspen, bastard maple, spruce, pine, immense long alders, and brushwood ; in general, all is very open woods* and between the trees we often meet hay of 6 or 7 feet in length. Part of 34th Mile. — At the 69th chain I reached the borders of Lake St. John, having met the same soil and wood as the foregoing mile. At the 28th chain, crossed a brook 30 links wide, very crooked, and running from west to east, and recrossed the same at the 29th chain, then again at the 31st; then we left it, continuing in the same general course, until, by all appearance, it falls in the Belle Riviere. I have reasons to suppose that that brook is La Riviere des Aulnets. At the 54th chain we crossed a swamp 6 chains wide, 20 long ; then to 69 chains (the immediate borders of Lake St. John) we only had to cross a narrow chain of rocks, dividing the above mentioned valley from the borders of Lake St. John. From the borders of the Lake (34 miles and 69 chains from my point of departure), on the course N. 21" W. (magnetic), at the distance of three chains and 7 links, I reached Mr. Blaik- iock's Station Picket, marqu6 67. By the above operations I had connected my work with that of Mr. Blaiklock in his survey of that section of the country. I therefore considered my part fulfilled, and that very same night (11th March, 1848), with my party, I started for and reached the Honourable Hudson Bay Company's Trading Post at the mouth of the Metaubetchoan River ; there I observed the variation of my instrument to be 17' west. 18 On the 14th of the same, I left the Lake for my return to Mur- ray Bay, where I reached on the 2 1st following, I remain, Sir, Your most humble and obcd't servant, (Signed,) GEORGE DUBERGEIi R K M A R K » . Ist. From what 1 have written above, it is unnecessaiy to add that making choice of my immediate line for a road of communi- cation between Chicoutimi and Lake St. John wou d not be re- commendable. 2nd. It is there seen that, from the point of departure to the 2lst or 22nd mile, nearly the whole of that distance would be in broken ground, valleys, gullies, ascents, descents and rocks, form- ing as many obstacles to a good road of communication. 3rd. I have therefore to observe, that the course adopted for that line (N. 70 W., mag.) happened to follow a regular ridget forming, as it were, the height of land between the Saguenay and a level tract of country in the environs of Lake Kanogomi, and others of smaller dimensions. 4th. The land in general on the south borders of the Saguenay, between Chicoutimi and Lake St. John, rises in different ridges, more or less rough, imtil a certain distance is attained at right angles, where in general we meet a level country and good soil. 5th. As I have occasionally explored right and left of the line, I have every reason to suppose that the line happened to pass thereabouts, on the height of the forementioncd ridges, and I am therefore impressed with the idea, that a good road, crossing a level and cultivable soil, could be traced between Lake St. John and the present establishments at Chicoutimi, by exploring the country between or thereabouts, half way from my line and Lake Kanogomi. I have occasionally ascertained, that if that line had been started a few chains more to the left, on a course four or five degrees more south, the difRculties in which I have often been entangled would have been avoided, at the same time u ii . .8 HI i ;.( I would have reached Lake St. John at some part nearer to the Post at Metaubetchoan, which I believe to have been the inten- tion of the instructions. 6th. From what I could observe, joined to informations, the vicinity of the Belle Riviere, on the borders of Lake St. John, is the best tract of land to form the first settlements of the Lake. A Township, laid out in that section, would soon advantageously be disposed of, as the locality and soil have already attracted the attention of squatters, who, with the intention of soon taking possession, have written their names on trees and posts, without regard to regularities in the intended lots or their courses. Such steps will, undoubtedly, not fail to bring squatters and Govern- ment in annoyance, troubles and unnecessary expenses. That, however, could be avoided, if Government thought it proper to order the regular Survey of a Township in that section of the country ; by that means future conlusion and annoyances, caused by lots being irregularly divided, would be avoided, and mostly an immediate regular colonization would take place. In saying that immediate colonization would take place, I suy so from the knowledge I have of a great number of persons (as I have stated before) having had their names marked, and also of numbers of others, who are even now making preparations to do the same thing, with, I have reason to believe, true intention of settling in those parts. (Signed,) GEORGE DUBERGER. Murray Bay, 15th May, 1848. 15 (Copy.) Report of Mr. Georce DunEiiciER, Assistant in the Exploratory Line for a lioad of Communication from the West corner of the County of Stoneham (in the rear of Quebec), to Lake St. John-r— drawn in 1847-8, hy F. W. Blaiklock, Esquire, Provincial Land Surveyor, by order of the Crown Land Department, from which I am ordered to transmit this present Report to Mr, Bl-AIKLOCK. F. W. Br.AiKLocK, Esquire, P. L. S., Quebec. Sir, — On the 27th August, 1847, I received orders from the Crown Land Department, bearing date 23rd of the same, which among other matters states that instructions have been addressed to you, for the survey of the Exploratory Line to be drawn from Stoneham, in the rear of Quebec, to Lake St. John, wherein I am named as Explorer to examine the country, &c., &c., cSic. 1. On the 31st August, 1847, I made the necessary prepara- tion I could here, and left Murray Bay on tlie 1st September fol- lowing — reached Quebec on the 4th — reported myself to Mr. Blaiklock ; on the Gth we both set too to continue our prepara- tions, already far advanced by Mr. Blaiklock; that, and continued heavy rains, pi-evented ns from being ready before the night of the 1 5th of the same. 2. The 10th Mr. Blaiklock, Mr. Wallace, (chain bearer), and myself, left Quebec for Valcai lier, the rendezvous of the rest of the party, who joined us the following morning. 3. The whole party being now together, composed oi" Mr. Blaiklock, Mr. Wallace, and myself, with nine voyageurs — six for the line, and three lor the ex])loration of the projected Road — when the said service w-ould require that number. 4. Besides the above were a few carters conveying the pro- visions and other things belonging to the expedition as far as the Road would permit, which was in the vicinity of La Roche Plate, at a farmer named Cashon, where we reached that night — put such of our goods not immediately wanted in safety, and pitched our tents the first time. 5. On Saturday, the 18th, Mr. Blaiklock having made several ,p' 16 In: 'lit '■'I i^ n i „:;li I arrangements concerning the future conveying of the remaining provisions and otlicr necessary precautions, the whole party set off for the point of rkparture, with the surveying oj)erations. The west corner of the Township of Stonohani, near Lac Laurent, wliero we reached in the evening, Mr. IJlaiklock im- mediately finding the very ])ickct lie wanted, hegan his ob- servations. 6. On Sunday, the 10th, he established the latitude of the spot to be 47° 0' 20" ; the operation of the line commenced on the followin/j' day (20th), on the astronomical course N. 15 W. ; that and the following day the whole party were recjuired in the line. 7. The 22nd, with one man, 1 went in the vicinity of the line's point of departure, to also fix that of the exploratory track in- Tended to form the base of a Road from Quebec to Lake St. John. S. For that (Mid 1 went at about half a mile in the rear of the line, to a s})ot on the borders of River Huron, that ai)j)eared to have had previously been selected for a bridge over that river, being also the end of the Road of ecjnnnunication in use from Quebec to those parts; I took my departure on, and crossing the property t»f a farmer named Daly, commenced the tracing of the Road. 0. Previous to reporting progress it may be necessary to offer a few observations — that, notwithstanding Mr. Hlaikloek's and my own endeavours to procure some local information of the (•ountry we had to run through, wc invariably found ourselves disappointed. 10. From River Huron (my starting point) to the borders of the .Jacques Cartier River, here and there, there are FiUglish and Canadian farmers, or squatters, to whoni, as is usual in similar cases, w^e addressed ourselves for information concerning the environs, but in general found that beyond their inmiediate lots (not even always that) these good people were as ignorant as ourselves as to those settled on the south borders of the Jacques Cartier ; many of them had never gone across that river, not- withstanding in that vicinity that it is very narrow, say from one to one and a-half chain, so that their informations were very limited, or confined to des on dits. 17 set ons. Lac L iin- oh- SfiOt n the W.; iti the line's ck in- ,kc St. of the arcd to t river, se from !iin}r the got" the to oiler ?k's and n of the lur.selves orders of rlisJi and n similar •ning the diate lots norant as ^ Jacques liver, not- say from w^ere very 11. As for the Indians Who formed part of our voyageurs (Lorette Indians), true that they had gone hunting in dilTerent parts ol" that country, hut lor all that, knew nothing of the route we were to follow, neither of its environs, for miles their hunting ground being in quite a dilTerent direction. 12. I had been informed that at Three Rivers I would be able to procure a person acquainted with the country in question — I, tlierefore, went there, but returned unsuccessful. 13. At Lorette some one might have been found who would have been of more use to us than those we were obliged to en- gage, but the wages allowed in Mr. Blaiklock's instructions were far from being equal to their d(;inands. 14. Among our men, only one, a half breed, from Lorette, called Andre, gave us slight hopes, that, once far advanced in the interior, we might come across some parts previously seen by him in his hunting excursions. 1 5. The first starting of the line was anything but encouraging, the surrounding country offering but a bold mountainous, rough and broken aspect, such as Mr. Blaiklock's plan and my sketch will shew. 10. From what I have stated, will be seen that the tracing of a road in a thoroughly unknown country, was an important and difficult task, especially for persons crossing the same for the lirst time. The numerous mountains over which the line had to pass, occasionally left between them valleys of different length and breadth, which, on inspection, were often abandoned, on account of unforeseen and invincible obstacles in the intended road, and that, at times, after two or three days explorations, which caused us many false routes and unavoidable loss of tune on my part ; but not so with the running of the line, that, not- withstanding the extremely rough and disadvantageous localitieh!, and other obstacles too numerous here to relate, gradually pro- gressed, a thing due to the extraordinary abilities of its intrepid conductor, by whom the greatest obstacles and hardship were encountered and surmounted with the plus grand sangfroid possible. 17. From what I have stated it will be seen that, to the distance that I formed one of the expedition, both trace and line, crossed c 18 d an extraordinary rough couutry, the hest parts of which I hav«' invariably selected to fulfil the duties assigned to me. 18. The sequel and acconij)anying sketch, will as much as possible convey the feature of that country ; at the same time 1 l)eg to observe that my distances were l>y diH'erent nwans obtained, by guess, and my courses taken with a hand com|)ass: •subject of course to occasional errors, by local attractions and otherwise ; these considerations will, I trust, be accepted in account for errors in latitude and departure, as well as distances, that will occasionally be met with in annexing my guessed or estimated operations to the regular survey performed by Mr. Blaiklock. ^ 1ft. My united distances from lliver Huron to the south bor- ders of the .lacques Cartier are miles 20 chains and 50 links, ill a general course, N. 1° E. magnetic, where 1 reached a suita- ble place for a bridge, about 20 chains east of the line ; there beams GO feet in length would reach the solid rock on each side. 20. A road irom th(^ Huron River to that spot could be easily effeeted; the whole space being in a sort of valley of irregular breadth, rich soil, well wooded, mixed, and in general tall growth ; few hills of no great cojisequence, few brooks, from 6 to 10 links. The only hill of any consequence would be in descend- ing the borders of the .Tacqnes Cartier to reach the above men- tioned bridge site, on the [)roperty of a Canadian farmer (though he bears an English name), named Price, the trace passing at the west corner of his house; ; wood adequate for the building a bridge would be found near at hand. 21. There are between the Huron River and the .Tacques Cartier, a few lots partly cleared, owned by, as before stated, English, or rather Irich and Canadian families, who do not ap- pear to have made great progrc jS in the clearing of land ; thv reason of which 1 could not ascertain, since they themselves acknowledge the climate and the soil to be ecjually goofl and advantageous ; still long distances, in the forementioned space, are crossed without meeting a single tree felled. The greatest distance that I was from the line during that space was 2f miles on the line, 22 chains to the west, and 4^ miles, 34 chains to the east, in order to avoid rocks, lakes, large brooks and hills ; hav- 19 in 'J* ;;,/„,„„, r,« chains, place, I conducted ^l'", ">"' | r„„,„o„tumcd ranse of moun- £::;r CSX-"- -""• "'""■ "-" " ""* tains. ,^,,„ narts will be steep, ditlicull 31. This last ascent over '«^J P"^; , ^^^^ time that it .s and costly, "'-"^^lertl^^ -"'''« ™"'°"" '" """"' the only spot 1 eould select lor ™ ^^^ ,.„^ „,e the way to agam rejom '^^ ™'™ ^ j, „„.,.., ..t^ndrng a2 That chain cleared, ..lotherva. y ^ _. wetward, in ^-tTi^iu^^h sole.nu.g UKe two and breadth, say 40 to 100 «tam«> ^^^-^^ ,„^„, „ood,spmce, ».,„rlermiles,theso.l,nchb ownory ^ecompanymg W.,.^.^. white and "-2'* S tall growth, at the ex- bntsl.^ ■HKl^ Ae whole t«^'"^ " »^^^^„ «, the whole may be e.,*n ..here a"^ *- ?• iJ^e- ^e trace to its western c.«npHr vMvely cal ed level , her; tant 'ar- cabi iiir- |n thv. very I, thnt ances I from reach nence- moro inp: im- artirr, i bridge chains, f moun- »t a few 1(1 a-half )fmoun- dinicull that it is ;o insure xtending ;ular i two and d, spruce, npanying t the ex- e may be s western ¥ 21 ©xtrennity, to a cut bcfweon other mountainH, forming another small valley, which on tht 1 Mth October, I asceuded with the trace of road, by means of six rij^lit and loft eoiirseH of more or less length, amounting to 1 tm <• find itiohiiins. I reached willioui obstructions, the height of thn ^ range, being my 35th station from the bridge plact- on the Jacquei* rartier mikI iherci^bout!* 17 miles and 7 chains from my starling point on the llufxw Kiver, and opposite to 1'2 nnl : fJNii'i station, N. 2° W., (general course,) 122 ciiains, ascendinj: .learly all the time, the end of that station brought me to the bort'ers of a small river, which we called Dead-water River, the lint being but a few chains to the westward, on its 15 miles ; my <)\\ n distances, amounting to 10 miles 71 chains and 50 links. 34. Dead-water IliAer. is 4 to 5 feet deep, sandy ?>ottom, low banks, about 1^ chains wide, so little current that it is difficult to distinguish any, which accounts lor tht! name give by us. 35. The surrounding country is so covered with Ini^h moun- tains spread about in such confusion, that no particular directions can be designated. 36. 8o as to benefit by the most practicable cuts and valleys, I crossed the riverand line, conducting the trac(;of road v. estward, making a sort of semi-circle, tlicn easting I again readied the lim on its 10 mile and 17th chain. Having at my greatest westing been about 35 chains from it. 37. In this last westing turn, as usual, I met a few ascents and descents, as well as side hills, but nothing of great conse- quem»e. Soil in these last valleys and gullies a mixture of sand, loam, bwse stones, and rocks; a few birch trees, but generally 22 i:i : soft wood. My own distance at the line was 21 miles and 57 chains. as. Finding now tlie line adecjuatcd lor the road, 1 fbllowcd it 1,0 its 17th inik^ and 40 chains, when a,i;:;un 1 loinid it ncccssai-y to leave it lor the cast WiU'd, avoiding a lake, ri'gaining it again, and crossing il at In miles, 28 chains and 50 links: then nearly Ibllowing it on the lel't the distance pi' 43 chains, where again Ihe surrounding country presents nothing hut mountains, hills, valleys, and gullies in yll directions, which caused me to strike westward li-oni when* 1 was. say six ciiains west of the line, (m there its 18.f miles, and my distances being 24 miles 23 chains 50 links. Here 1 ci-ossed a large brook, supposed by us to be one of the branches of the St. Aime Uiver. 39. hi that vicinity the country was so rough and broken, that for a few days I despaiird of being able to lind a passag.") chains; then taking an offset to the line, gnve me I mile nnd .*59 (chains to the '20th mile post, my own distances amounting to .'51 miles, 74 chains and 25 links, the country between the tract; and line, as usual, rough, broken, poor, miserable, thin soil, accounting for also several windfalls. 48. Following the easting course of the inferior bram;!), which became more and more narrow, until it became a mere brook. Now, however, the country presented a more level appearance than beibre, but the soil the same, poor .and uncultivatable. On the 4th December, I again reached the line, on its 27th mile and 10 chains, which 1 followed np to its 28th mile. My own dis- tance, 34 miles and 63 chains. 4J). A krge lake, 15 chains ahead of the line, made me leave by a slight easting, which enabled me to pass the trace on, and over a narrow space of 120 feet, uniting this first to a second hike, which in a similar way was Joined to a third one, these S4 ■■ ■ 1 WW three so slightly separated, that all appeared but one, to which I gave the name of Tripple Lake. As usual, in the vicinity, the country, to a greater or less distance, was level, but same poor soil. 50. The first of these lakes, through nearly the centre of which the line runs, is about 50 chains ; the second, lying about N. W., 30 chains ; and the third, feeding the second, lying S. SO"* E., 50 chains long., all of which are irregular in breadth. 51. Having, as I stated, passed the trace between the 1st and 2iid of these lak"'s, whose west borders 1 nearly followed for about 25 chains, I then took a general course N. 31° W. for about 30 chains, by means of which in a tolerably level country, I reached the line, I could not exactly ascertain on what distance, (the chaining not having been accomplished to that distance,) which may have been near 29} miles, my own bearing 36 miles and 7 chains. 52. From the passage between the two last lakes up to the line, the whole is on a gentle ascent, with now and then con- siderable level spaces, over the best looking small tract of land, since I left the borders of the Jacques Cartier, as well as the best lot of tall mixed woods, spruce, pine, b'rch and balsam, but the area embracing that same good rich soil is so inconsiderable, that it cannot be pointed out as fit lor even forming a settlement. 53. Having previously ascertained, that to the east and to the west of the line there were large lakes, that Mr. Blaiklock wished to annex to his plan, his party and mine being now to- gether, he requested my exploring them. 54. Accordingly on the 7th FJecember, he continued his opera- tion, and I went westward, starting from the 20^ mile of the line, on the course S. 75'' W., descending nearly all the time : about 100 chains brought me to the head of a large lake, fed by the forementioned main branch of the Tourile River, which there came from the westward. 55. That lake, surrounded with mountains, lying about N. and S., is about 1 00 chains long, 45 to 50 wide, very irregularly shaped, receiving besides its own river and another small one from the N. W., also the waters of the Tripple Lake, whose discharge follows right and left the cuts of mountains lying be- 25 ich the oor ,50 tween the two, forming several cascades, small falls, right and left turns. Having explored the environs and finding nothing but hills, mountains and rocks, I went back to Tripple Lake. 56. — The following day, (8th December,) I started eastward, and from Tripple Lake, E. 40 chains, N, 45 E. 20 chains, E. 25 chains, forming 1 mile and 5 chains ; reaching then a narrow lake 30 chains long, lying N. 45° E. discharging in an adjoining one, distant 3 chains, lying E. 18 chains long — that same faUing into a third large one to the east of this last, at the distance of abont 30 chains. 57. This third one is of large dimensions, more so than any others yet met. My guide Andre here gave me proofs of his knowing where he was, having formerly hunted in that part of the country ; he called that lake ie Grand Lac de la tranche norde de la Riviere Jacques C artier, lying thereabouts in its greatest length N. 45 W. about 2 miles long, irregularly shaped, the greatest breadth being about 1 mile and 50 chains. 58. The above, besides other brooks, receive the waters of two small rivers, one coming from the south, and the other from the north ; the discharge is also a small river of ^ to f chains wide, situated to the east of the lake, and going southward. 59. The surrounding country except the environs of the North Charge, which is rocky and mountainous, is generally low and swampy, the generality of the woods, small thin spruce ; on the north side the wood is of a larger growth and somewhat mixed ; white birch is here and there met with. GO. There are five islands, the longest about 30 chains, the smallest about 7 and 8, on ^ or ^ of their breadth ; on these same the wood is remarkably tall and mixed, the soil in them is alluvial. 61. Having as correctly as possible, connected and sketched these and the Tourile Lalce, so as to annex them to the line, 1 returned to it on the 15th December, going back to the 29^^ mile ; with very little exception I followed it with the trace, up to its 32nd mile and 10th chain, — there the extremely rough locality made me abandon it again, to follow the different turns of a valley west of the line, my own distance being now some- thing like 40 miles and 34 chains. i.. • ■ •:- 26 62. By short easting and westing courses, such as the nature of the valley permitted, and passing nearly all the time in level parts in which the soil and wood were something like good walking in comparing it with the rough surrounding country, I again reached, but immediately crossed the line at 33 miles and 17 chains, and my trace 40 miles and 34 chains. 63. The line now passing over another mountain, I went round it by taking an easting, then westing course, and return- ing to it at its 35th mile less 36 chains, that remained between it and the trace. 64. A ridge of rocks that I could not pass without the train- ing, kept me parallel to the line, on a level tract, soft wood very small and clear, poor soil, crossing two or three brooks, (snow preventing me from being sure of the third,) of 5 to 8 links, or what is very probable, the same brook running east aud west. 65. Having now reached the head of the rock, I took a N. W. course, when 12 chains brought me again to the line, at its 36 mile and 30 chains, the locality admitting, I followed it to 37 mile. My distance 44 miles 38 chains. 66. 21st December, finding at about 32 chains a-head a very large, or rather a very long lake, to clear it I went westward, edging the side of mountain and hills to my left, 6 left and right courses, in all 1 mile and 24 chains. I was on the discharge of what we named the Long Lake, o^ving to its being very narrow. As for the length I have to refer to Mr. Blaiklock's notes. Falling seriously ill, T was unable to explore it, but I am under the im- pression that that gentleman did so. 67. On the 23rd I resumed my work, crossing over the very narrow discharge, about 35 chains west of the line, following as usual cuts and valleys of the numerous mountains that again crammed that part of the country, sometimes ascending, some- times descending, then level, then side hills, crossing also a vari- ety of soil, sand, loam, rocky and stoney (still all practicable), and easting as much as the nature of the country permitted, I reached the line at 89^ miles. My own distance 47 miles and 32 chains, having 6 chains back, passed on the immediate west borders and small discharge of a small lake, which I believe Mr. Blaiklock named the Beaver Lake. fl7 re el ►od ^,1 68. 24th December, the line crossing over an extremely rough part, I went to the East of it, N. 25 E., 14 chains in a middling steep descent, in a. cut between rocks. I then took a general course, N. 5 E. 27 chains, still descending, middling steep, same cut between the r. cks, and reached the loot of this last block of mountains and rocks. 69. This last chain is separated from another a-head by an irregular level space, or sort of plain ; swampy soil, very few trees, small black spruce. This swamp forms a sort of valley, irregular, say 10 to 16 chains. 70. Continuing the trace on the same last mentioned course, about 14 chains, I reached Mr. Blaiklock's camp, about 10 chains east of the line, on its 40^ mile. My distance from the starting point, at the bridge site on the River Huron, be.ng 48 miles and 13 chains. There also ends my explorations in that section of the country. 71. The 25th being Christmas day operations were suspended, Mr. Blaiklock and some others, went some distance a-head to reconnoitre the country, bringing back a poor report. 72. The 26th, having now but three or four days provisions left, the Exploring and Surveying Expedition being now assem- bled, Mr. Blaiklock ordered the whole party to get ready to proceed to Lake St. John, there to perform the Surveys ordered in the Instructions, after which the whole party is again to re- turn here, in order to continue the Surveying and Exploring du- ties. 73. On the 27th Dec. the whole Expedition left, and reached Lake St. John on the 2nd January, 1848, unforeseen accidents had prevented, as had been previously settled, our provisions to be transported to that Lake which prevented us from com- mencing our separate operations in that quarter which we left for Chicoutimi, where we understood our provisions had been sent through the medium of D. E. Price, Esq., too early ice and want of snow, had prevented our goods I'rom being forwarded to the Lake, that we left on the 5th, reaching Chicoutimi on the 7th ; busy there until the 12th, in preparations and different arrange- ments to continue our future operations, which instead of com- mencing from Lake St. John to Chicoutimi, circumstances that 28 Mr. Blaiklock's Report will explain, compelled us to reverse the point of departure. 74. On the 13th Januar)^ 1848, Mr. Blaiklock started his ope- rations on the river Saguenay for Lake St. John scaling the in- termediate distance on the ice, commencing at the mouth of the Chicoutimi RivCr. 75. The same day and time, and from the same point of de- parture, I started a compass line for also Lake St. John, the report of which duty I have had the honour, by order of the Crown Land Department, to transmit to Mr. Blaiklock, on the 16th May, 1848. Remarks. Concerning the exploratory line from Stoneham to the borders of Lake St. Johns, I beg leave to observe that : 1. Up to the 40^ mile of the line or thereabouts, 48 miles and 13 chains of the road I traced, it is possible, at I may say con- siderable expense, to open a practicable road, but so far as set- tlements will be concerned, I must add that farther north, than the immediate vicinity of Jacques Cartier River, it is not possible in that direction (much less to the westward) to anticipate ever forming settlements, owing to its being a thoroughly bar- ren, and extraordinarily rough, broken, mountainous country. 2. From what I could observe of the country in the remaining space, between the 40^ miles on the line to the vicinity of Lake St. John, I certainly saw no better prospect for settlements, neither do I think that the tracing of the road, not being in the vicinity of cultivated points, could have justifiably continued. 3. I verbally communicated my opinions to Mr. Blaiklock, begging him, if his own opinions were the same, to inform Gov- ernment, in order to diminish the expenses, by postponing the tracing operations of said road until the accomplishment of his Astronomical Line ; that gentleman, I believe, acted accordingly, as at a future, period, he received instnictions, that on the 3d July, 1848, he communicated to me, that he was to proceed with- out any assistance. 4. Several times during my exploratory excursions, I had occasion to observe that a few miles east of our immediate route, the generality of the country appeared far less mountain- 29 ous than the environs of the line in question, Avlicti at tlie same time, the country west of it appeared ten times worse for moun- tnins and broken country; when, from appearances, I would be surprised if ever one hundred acres of cultivable soil is ever found in a proportion of five square miles. 5. From the above remarks that I have several times had occasion to make, I formed, and still am under the impression, that it is not likely a road of communication will ever be opened in the environs of the present Astronomical Line; but at the same time, I take the liberty of expressing my opinion that the country should be examined a few miles to the eastward, as 1 am under the iirm impression that such examination could only insure a more lavourable return, provided that the first examiners or explorers of that section should not be bound to guide them- selves by a particular given course, previous to the country being first traversed by two or three persons, able to give a Report thereon ; alter which a road might be traced if necessary. 1 have the honour, &c., &c., (Signed) GEO. DUBERGER. INIurray Bay, 19th April, 1840. Report upon Exploratory Line from S. W. Angle of Stoneham, to the Southern Shore of Lake St. John. Quebec, 9th April 1849. Sni, — I have the honour to lay before you my Report upon the Exploratory Line run i'rom the S. W. angle of the Town- ship of Stoneham to the southern shore of Lake St. Johns, agreeably to the acting Commissioner's • letter dated the 14th ultimo, and have made it as concise as- possible, with a view to its being laid before the House of Provincial Parliament now sitting. The Plans I will forward in a few days, as they are not quite completed yet ; the Field Book, Diary and Accounts 1 will send without delay. , I have the honour to be. Sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) F. W. BLAIKLOCK- The Hon. Mr. Price, Conmiissioner of Crown Lands, &c. &c. &c. . , ,j Montreal. I -l 30 Report on an Exploratory Line run from the S. W. angle of the Township of Stoneham to the Shores of Lake St. Johns ; near to the Honourable Ihuhon^s Bay Company^s Trading Post, at the " Embouchure''^ of the River Metaubetchoan. I.'. I III compliance with instructions received from the Department of Crown Lands, bearing date 24th August, 1847, 1 left Quebec on the ICth of September, accompanied by Mr. George Duberger as assistant, and proceeded to the S. W. angle of Stoneham, (the place designated in my instructions as the point of departure) where, having established the latitude and variation, the former being 46° 59" 29" North, the latter 16° 30' West, I started a line upon the Astronomical bearing N. 15" W., which I prolonged to the South shore of Lake St. Johns. This line came ont 66 chains to the West of the Honourable Hudson's Bay Company's Post, and is 104 miles, 20 chains and 74 links in length. In the performance of the aforesaid Exploratory Survey, my attention has been directed to the following objects, namely : the opening oi' a line of communication from the settlements near Quebec to the arable lands along the shore of Lake St. Johns, and the facilities afforded for the settlement of the said road. In describing the country over which the line would have to pass I shall confine myself to the general features it presents and the principal difficulties to be overcome in constructing a good line ol' communication. From the point of departure to the River Jaques Cartier, a distance of six and a half miles, there are no obstacles to the construction of a good line of road. Although the straight Hne passes over a considerable extent of rough and rocky ground, yet by deviating a little from it a good road could be made. — The first obstacle occurs on the North bank of this river, which is here two chains wide, running in a deep valley between two parallel chains of high hills, which increase in height and steep- ness to the N. E. ; that on the North bank running far to the S. W. The bed of this stream is nmch lower than the general level of the country beyond, it would therefore have to be attained by zig-zaging up the face ol' the hill, which is ywy broken and rocky and would require considerable hillside cutting and em- 31 bankments. After ascending this mountain the road would have to bend away to the N. E. for some miles, and pass arou.i'' the head of a Lake cnlUil Lac St. Vincent ; — here a second v^ ^in of mountains woukl have to be surmounted, and that by a diffi- cult pass, that would require much cutting and filling up also. But as the duty to explore and mark out the line of road was confided to Mr. George Duberge«', who has not yet forwarded his returns, I am unable to report upon the part that he has explored (about 40 miles) and shall confine myself to the observations made in running a straight line. From the Jacques Cartier River to the 24th mile, the country over which the line passes, atiicends by a succession of rugged, steep, and rocky mountains, the south and south-east sides of which are so nmch so as to render them in many places inacces- sible, the bare rocks shewing through the trees in nearly every direction ; the timber is stunted and scraggy, and the soil (what there is of it) of the poorest description — the line passes a small Lake, in the 11th mile, the outlcl of which, by innumerable casr cades and falls, descends in tlie spacer of half a mile a.t least an hundred feet. From a mountain in the liJlli mile, 1 could see the watery of Lake St. Charles, the banks ol' the St. Lawrence, and the parishes on the south shore, as far as the eye could reach. The ranges of mountains which run in a north-east and south- west direction, would have to be crossed by the line of road almost at right angles, and altliough there are some points where these ranges could be passed at a less elevation than others, still the height of lands would have to be attained ; and I think I am rather within than beyond the limits, in saying, that some of the waters of the St. Ann's and Jaques Cartier Rivers (both of which the Ihie passes, have an elevation of three thousand feet above the level of the St. Lawrence ; and that some of the highest peaks in the mountain ranges are from four to five thousand feet. The valleys, or more properly speaking the ravines, between those ranges, are narrow, and have generally small brooks and streams running in them. Sometimes they are parallel with the mountain ranges, at others they cut directly through them ; they are also strewn with fragments of coarse • •*■ 32 u-i: ;i! grained rocks, varying from one to one hundred tons in weight, which appear to have been sevned iVom the sides of the adja- cent mountains, and hurled into the valleys below, hi the 17th mile the line crossed the Ih'st. tributary waters of the lliver St. Ann's, by a small Lake, (Duck Lake); it also crossed a large brook in the 18th mile. At about two miles west of the •20th mile is the lliver Toorilce, one of the main branches of the lliver St. Ann's ; it takes almost a rectangular turn here, and Hows in in a south-west direction, whereas it comes from the north-west at the turn. On the west bank of the lliver is the great Tooriiee mountain, which rears its " gigantic head" from a thousand to fifteen hundred feet abov(j the level of the stream at its base, and is quite inaccessible on the south and east sides. The cliflTs and crags overhanging the River, hundreds of feet in height, present a remarkably grand ajipen ranee. For several miles both up and down this stream, the mountains are excessively steep and rocky — in many places quite inaccessible. From the mountain in the 2 1st mile, there is iui extensive view of the country for many miles to the south-west and north-west, which api)ears very broken and mountainous — peuk rising behind peak, and mountain beyond mountain until they blend into one contin- uous range in the far o(f horizon. The River Tooriiee runs parallel to the line for about four miles, ic then turns off and comes through a deep cut in the mountains from the N. W. The line does not cross any of the large branches of the River St. Anns, but merely the smaller tributaries. From the 18th to the 24th mile the country is exceedingly broken and ragged, with high ranges of mountains, which rise at angles of 30° and 40°, with perpendicular cliffs of bare rocks, covered hear and there with moss ; the valleys, as before stated, are covered with fragments of these, which appear to have been forced ofT by tlie ice, and hurled into the chasms below, leaving ti-acks down the mountain side, where they have torn down the trees before them. *-■ The 24th mile appears to be about the height of land, or the highest point in the range of mountains, which all run about N. E. and S. W., but so broken, that the country presents an innu- merable succession of round topped hills, more or less steep in ;i:li -. ) 33 every direction. In the whole of the forenientioncd part oi the country, I do not consider that there is any available land for agricultural purposes, north of the 10th mile, at least within six miles on either side of the line. The timber is of the poorest description, (Canadian iir, black spruce and white birch,) and the soil of the most inferior quality, (hard pan sand and gravel,) with a foot to eighteen inches of peat and moss ; the land is so very stony and rocky, that it was with the greatest dilKculty I could get my station staves placed, (although shod with steel) to run the line with. The timber is also very stunted and scraggy, and growing so close, that the branches are locked together, and it is with great difliculty, way can be made through them. The rock is so near to the surface of the ground, and the trees have so slight a hold on it, that the high winds which prevail in those mountains during the spring and fall of the year, lay whole acres of them prostrate ; to such an extent does this prevail, that 1 have been at times obliged to walk several hundred yards without ever touching the ground ; this, joined to the before mentioned difficidties, renders the coun- try not only difficult, but dangerous to traverse. There would be great difficulty in the construction of a pass- able road through this section of the country, from the moun- tainous and rugged nature of the gi'ound, and the stony and rocky soil it would have to pass over. From the '24th to the 33rd mile, the country passed over is comparatively level, being high table land, with undulating hills, swamps and savannes, lying gently to the west, with the waters flowing into the Toorille. Although these hills are low, yet some of them are steep, with the rock near the surface, and protru- ding at the summits ; the soil on them is shallow, and composed of coarse sand and gravel with a great many surface stones, the whole surmounted by a thick coating of moss ; in the sa- vannes there is black muck and peat from one and a half to two feet deep ; the timber is black spruce, fir and white birch, but of a very small and stunted growth. From a hill in the 33rd mile, the country can be seen for ten miles round, aud appears very much broken by wave like moun- tains, (particularly in the N. W. and N. E.,) small and detached, £ 34 with the rocks protruding near their tops, the timber dark and stunted, and the soiJ poor, sandy and stony ; the timber is also very much blown down. From the 33rd mile tln' country is very much broken by deep ravines and steep rocky hills. In the 38th mile, the line crosses a lon«<, narrow lake, whose waters discharge to the S. S. E. ; it is four miles long by about a ^ wide, and is the head waters of the north-western branch of the Itiver Jae(|ues Cartier this lake receives the waters from several miles round. At about two miles west of the head of this lake, is the Mctaubetchaon, a large river tlovviiig into Lake St Johns. In the 30th mile, the line crosses the first tributary waters of the Metaubetchaon, and the land inclines to the westward. In the 45th mile the line crosses a very high point in the mountain range, affording an extensive view of the south and south-west, which presents the same broken, rocky and sterile country, as already described ; from another elevated point I could see across the valley of the Metaubelch.^on. to the north-west, a distance ol' 20 miles; west of the river the country did not appear so broken, ihe "mountains rising gradually one over the other, until lost in the distance ; from their appearance, I should say the land was much better than that which the line passes over. To the south-east and north-east as far as the eye could reach, the same rough and sterile hills appeared ; this point appears to be about the extreme height of land in the second chain of mountains, and the land dips gradually to the north and north-east. From the 23rd to the 45th mile, the country would sidly lor two miles, into the flat land bordering the Motaubetchoan lliver, which here approaches quite close to the line, and i'ollovvs it to the 87th mile. It then turns olT north-west, and the line ascends a high and steej) hill again. Near the end of the 8")th mile, the line is crossed by a stream (50 le(?t wide, still and deep water, which is the outlet of a large Lake lying to the east of the line; it is about 5 miles long, and from Ik to 2 miles wide, lying nearly north and south. There is a sensible improvement in this last section of the country, the timber being larger and taller, and of a greater variety, in addition to the before mentioned pi-e vailing timber, there are black birch, poplar, larch and white maple, with hard- wood underwood; the soil also partakes more of an agricultural nature. From the !)4th mile to near the end of the line, the country is very broken, rough and rocky, dipping rapidly towards the shore of the lake. Home of the mountains are quite inaccessible, and particularly in the last three miles, in which the line crosses the Metaubctchoan three times. The banks are here formed by clilFs of rocks from one to three hundred feet in height, and its waters are jjrecipitated through this narrow gorge in the moun- tain chain by fi succession of falls and cascades into Lake St. .Johns, below. There are some good si.ots of land in this section, although very much broken by hills and knolls. The timber is large, tall and of a good description, white birch, black birch, lir, poplar, red and white pine, and larch, with a very few cedars and maple. The soil where it is not too rocky and stoney, is of a good iree loam. There could l>e a few hundred white and red pine saw- logs got within a lew miles of tlic lake. The Metaubctchoan which empties its waters into Lake St. Johns, is a large bold river, of at least ninety miles in length, averaging eighty yards wide for sixty miles, taking its rise be- 38 tween the St. Ann's and Batiscan Rivers, and flowing in a N. N. W. direction. Tiiere are seven or eight good sized lakes upon it, with a great many falls and bad rapids. It is navigable for canoes all the way to its source. There are a few places along the banks of this river, where some good farms could be made, but generally speaking, the land is of an inferior quality. In taking a general review of the whole line of country passed over, as a means of communicating with Lake St. Johns, I am of opinion that it is aecidedly unfavorable. The mountainous nature of the ground would render it very doubtful that a prac- ticable road could be found, at least within a limited distance of the line explored. The extreme sterility of the soil and rigorous nature of the climate at such a great elevation, would prevent at least 70 miles from ever being settled, and any persons located upon it for the accommodation of travellers or the keepers of post-houses, would have to be supported for some years at least, at the public expense, in a similar manner as upon the Temis- cr uata and Restigouche portage. In offering these remarks T do not mean to affirm that a line of communication could not be found across the country to the north of Quebec, but that it would have to pursue some other direction than the one my instructions required me to follow. There is verv little arable land on the south shore of the lake to the west of the Metaubetchoan, and that only at the embou- chure of some of the rivers, where perhaps some twelve or fif- teen farms could be made. The reason of this is, that there is a range of mountains, which is a continuation of those bordering the Saguenay, and from a few miles below Ha Ha Bay, they strike oft in nearly a north-west course, and skirting the j'^uth shore of Lake Kanogami, they run out on the borders of Lake St. Johns, a few miles west of the Metaubetchoan; to the west of this range, I do not conceive there is any extent of arable land, but to the east as far as the Saguenay River and along the shores of the lake, the land is of the finest quality ; it is gene- rally speaking level and covered with a Ijpuriant growth of the finest timber, black birch, fir, cedar, poplar, white birch, white maple, ash and elm, with large quantities of white and red pine ; the soil is composed of n strong clay bottom, with from 12 to 39 18 inches of rich black mould and loan:, and susceptible of the highest state of cultivation ; it is well watered by numerous lakes and rivers, and there are several of the finest mill-sites in very convenient situations ; in fact, the tract of land possesses every requisite quality to form one of the most prosperous and extensive settlements in the district of the Saguenay. Before closing this Report, I would suggest that possibly by exploring some distance to the eastward of the present line, a great part of the broken and mountainous country I had to pass over could be avoided, for, from some information I have received recently from Indian hunters and otliers, I have learned that by following a pass which exists in the chains of mountains lying between the Jacques Cartier and Moiitmorenci Rivers, and running about midway between them in a northerly direction, that the high table land lying between ISnow Lake and Lake Jacques Cartier could be attained, and that byji giadual rise, without encountering any very steep mountains. Once having attained the summit level, there is a considerable extent of com- paratively level country ; thence the course would be in a parallel direction with the line, and, after crossing the L^pecabaw at some miles from its source, reach the valley of the Kishpahagan on Belle Riviere, thence following the stream to its junction with the outlet of Lake Kanogamishisli. This would be tiearly a central point in the projected settlement, and a road could be traced thence to any point on the shores of Lake St. Johns that might be required. This route, if found practicable, would be a more direct route to the centre of the arable lands than the one recently explored. (Signed,) F. W. BLAICKLOCK, Provincial Surveyor. 40 (Copy.) Instructions to Mr. F. W. Blaiklock, Proomcial Surveyor, for Drawing in the Field a Line, as an Exploratory Line, from ths south-west angle of the Township of Stoneham to Lake St. John, at or near the mouth of the Metahctchouan River, iii the . County of Saguenay. Sir, — The exploration of the Country in the rear of Quebec, in a^d;raight line as far as Lake St. John, having been called for by address, and authorized in the approved Report of Council, dated 19th July last, I have named you as the Surveyor to carry into effect the proposed survey. You are accordingly requested to conform to the following Instructions for your guidance in the execution of the said sur\ ey. The southerji terminus oi'the proposed exploratory line having been fixed at the south angle of the Township of Stoneham, which by construction would appear to be in latitude 47° nearly, and in longitude 7V 27' West ; and the northern terminus having been laid according to the existing map of the Saguenay River, at the old trading post, situate at the mouth of the Metabetchouan River, on the south side of Lake St. John, being in latitude 48° 26' North, and longitude 72 West, on the astronomical course North 15° West, (striking out the odd minutes) and the distance 101 miles nearly. You will accordingly repair with a sufficient surveying and exploratory party, accompanied by Mr. Duberger, as explorer, as hereinafter provided, to the said point of departure, whereof you will, by astronomical observations, determine the latitude with the greatest possible accuracy your instruments are sus- ceptible c *' and the variation of the magnetic needle, all the cal- culations being duly entered in detail in your Journal ; where having planted a squared post of cedar, of not less than 6 inches square, inscribed with the latitude and variation, you will thence set off the said astronomical course of North 15° West, and pro- 41 long the same in a straight line to the inter>^cetion of the border of Lake St. John, which it is expected you will strike near the old Jesuits' trading post aforesaid. As this txi)lorarory line has to be run with great care and precision by pickets, or the theodolite, you will cut away the trees, large or small, and open your line properly, blazing the trees in the direction of the said line only ; your measurements to be carefully made, and to that eflect your chain must be properly examined daily. At every mile you will plant a picket, num- bered from the south towards the north, and thus proceed, occa- sionally checking the course of your line by astronomical obser- vations, the data of which and of all your calculations you will enter in your Journal, until you strike the Lake St. John, at or near the embouchure of the River Metabetchouan. As the present surv(^y of so extensive a traverse of the country in one course, offers a field for geological information, you will collect and transmit small specimens (say from 1 to 1^- inches, or larger, according to the facility alforded of transporting them to the settlements by water conveyances) of the fixed rocks you will meet with on your line, attaching a number to each and wrap- ping it up in birch and cedar bark, or such other suitable sub- stances as are to be had on the spot, noting the exact locality of each specimen in your Field Book, also the dip and thickness of the rock, if stratified. You are not, however, to allow this to materially retard the progress of your survey. The Assistant's duty will be to explore the land on either side of this Exploratory line to the distance of about .5 or i iles in depth, to trace, v/hether, along the line or off the line, the most favorable line for a road, the distance to which, whether on the east or west of the Exploratory line, to be ascertained by rec- tangular oflsets, measured at every 2 or 3 miles north of the nearest departure of the said line of road, as the circumstances of the case and nature of the ground may appear to require, to blaze such line in a conspicuous manner, to point out and mark particular spots in every mile or thereabouts, that may appear to him most eligible for a station settlement, for keeping up the road if one be found practicable ; to ascend or descend sucii rivers intersected by the Exploring line, which may appear to 42 him to aftbrd favorable land for settlement, and for such distance as will appear to him convenient for his return to the main party. Sucli Assistant to have a hand compass and estimate his distances by time or otherwise, and to sketch his exploratory traverses to your line, which you will reduce to an approximate scale. You will also have a look-out for any traces of the "Old French Road," which, in all probability, lies in the direction of the proposed line. Having reached the post at Lake St. .Tohn, you will, after the necessary rest, and with a fresh supply of provisions obtained there, divide the expedition on their return home into two parties, yourself with a party of tour men, with a canoe and two men, to make a survey of the Grande Decharge, beginning with a survey of the east shore of Lake St. John to the north channel of the Grande Decharge, and after making a survey of the Grande Isle, scale down the Grande Decharge to the mouth of the River Chicoutimi, where you Avill await the road exploring party. The Assistant with the remaining hands, will, from the post at Metabetchouan run a course due east and explore lor a line of road until he strikes the River Chicoutimi, which will be near the post of Chicoutimi setting down mile posts for the future guidance of the perSiMis who may be employed in opening the said road of communication. The parties there to close their operations, and return to Quebec to prepare their returns of survey. In the performance of this survey you are to keep an account in your Field Book, first of the Rivers, Lakes, Hills, &c., inter- sected, the direction of the mountains, whether presenting a con tinuous chain or situate in groups ; take note of the valleys, slopes, and general features of the country ; the ({uality of the soil and timber and whether the latter is of tall growth ; the course of the streams intersected, and of what river they appear to be tributaries •- their breadth, current, depth of water, and whether fit for navigation lor canoes, &c., the aspect of the land and timber on their banks, and around such lakes as you may intersect, if the lakes are large ascertain thtir extent by inter- sections, and sketch in the configuration of the bord :rs thereof, and, in fine, embrace in your remarks every information which 43 you conceive may prove of utility in conveying a correct know- ledge of the country you are about to traverse. Of all which oj«eration.s you will iranstnit to this office a full and complete report, embracing the general information collected during j'our survey, stating the fucilities the lines traced appear to offer for actual settlement, pointing out also, or suggesting the place where roads may easiest be opened ; and the state of the timber whether much apjioars to have been cut or where lumber- ing has !)een most carried on, and every information and sugges- tion you may think- of use to the Government. The Report to he accompanied with a plan on a scale of 40 chains to an incli, shewing both the exploratory line and the road line. The Grande Decharge section, and line run eastward may be drawn on a separate sheet, you will mark thereon the mile posts, as erected, with Iheir numbers — as also the hills, rivers, lakes, swnnips and settlements intersected, the nai^es of the settlers and how much land cleared, taking down the names of the rivers and lakes whether in the French or Indian language. P"'or the time you will be employed on this service, you will be allowed 20s. per diem, and Is. Gd. for rations, your surveying party will consist of ten persotis, not including yourself and the explorer, (and a guide to accompany him) acting under your directions; of uhoin two at most, may be employed on the service of exploration. The Assistant will be allowed 10s. per diem, and lu. Od. fc rations. To your principal chainbearer will be allowed 5s. per diem. To the axmen 3s. and to the labourers 2s. Od. per diem each — with a daily allowance of Is. 3d. for rations, and a reasonable time allowed them, for going to and returning from the field of operations. Your pay and allowances will be continued while engaged in preparing your Returns of Survey and accounts for this office. Yorr accounts and pay-list will be in duplicate and accom- panied with vouchers of disbursements ; the whole subject to careful and strict examination in this office pursuant to the re gulations contained in the approved Report of Council dated 11th April, 1840, of record in this office. Your Field Book, Journal, accounts and pay-lists will require to be duly attested. 44 And it is understood that no advances or payments will be made on account of the aforesaid service, until the whole of the work is completed, and the accounts closed. Given under my hand at the Crown Lands Office, Montreal, this 7th day ol" August, 1 847. (Signed,) D. B. PAPJNEAU, Commissioner of Crown Lands. (Signed,) J. Bouchette. C'opied and compared from Book of Surveyors Instructions, 3rd July, 1850. F.T.J. Certified a true Copy, E. T. Fletcher. Crown Land Departme.vt, Toronto, l.'Uh July, 1850. Sir, — In transmitting you under the Address of the Legislativ^e Assembly transferred to this Department ))y command, on the 28th idtimo — the herewith accompanying Reports of Mr. Blaik- lock and of his assistant Mr. George Duberger of their explora- tory operations of that part of the Country in rear of Quebec, in a straight line to Lake St. John and thence to Chicoutimi performed pursuant to instructions from this Office, a Copy of which is also transmitted — I have the honour (in reference to these operations) to submit a few observations for the informa- tion of His Excellency the Governor General with a view of conveying compendiously the valuable information in a Geo- graphical and Physical point of view which has been collected in the traverse of no inconsiderable Section of i he Province, The result of the examination of the Country may fail in some mea- sure in realizing the object of the exploratory surveys in the immediate direction to Lake St. John ; contemplated, in the Address of the Legislative Assembly, dated the 16th June, 1847, praying His Excellency to take into consideration the expediency of ordering an exploration of that part of the Country in the rear 45 of Quebec in a str.'iijtjht line as lar as Lake Sf. John so as to ascertain whether in that iocahtythe soil is fit lor Agricultural purposes and of such value as to justify the traeinj,^ and sidjse- quently the opening of a • d between those two localities, but it is still of such importance as to render it highly interesting to the Covernnicnt and to the Country. Anterior to tlie explorations of thf; Saguenay Country, per- formed under the authority of an Act of the Legi;-! iture of Lower Canada in 1S2M — little was known of the Country watered by the 'Kjaguenay River or its nutnerous tributaries other than what was derived from th(^ traders with the Indian tribes inhabi- ting that section of Country conmionly known as the Kings Posts — alfliough we have descriptions of the Country given by Charlevoix, Champlain, and oth(!r historians in the early dis- coveries and explorations under tlie French (•overnnient and establishment of INIissionaries by the late order of Jesuits up the Saguenay and on Lake St. John. Among the later surveys of information relative to the; Saguenay Country may be here mcMitioned the late Paschal Tache, Esfiuire, and Dr. DeSalles LaTerriere, whose valuable statements materially tended to the Legislative enactment and appropriation made for the exploration of that important section of the Provinci' under Connnissioners, whose Report, Avilh those of the Surveyors emplojed on the service, joined to the Cleolc- gical examination by Lieut. Raddeley, Royal Ei?gineers, as pul> lished by t..e Legislature, — developed in a very satisfactory degree the agricultural, commercial and mineral resources of the country explored more immediately along and at occasional distances back of the navigable streams which were examined by the various parties of explorers engaged under the Commis- sioners. A toterably correct delii'Iation of th(! country explored was likewise obtained from the combined operations of the Surveyors employed by the Commissioners Irom Tadoussac to the head of tide water on the Saguenay about 1 3 or 15 miles above Chicou- timi, and of the water and inland eonnnunication by the River Chicoutimi, Lake Kenogami and Belle River to Lake St. John, and of the Lake and some of its principal inlets to the 49th 46 tiegrcc of lalituilc, apart, from llit? exploration of the minor streams and of tlie survey and exploration fromTliree Rivers by the St. jMaurice, its head lakes iind ilie Ouiatchoiian I'iver to Liike St. John. Part of the; ahove exiiloratory operations, namely, of iheSaynenay Jus'er, from its mouih atTadoussne, on the Si. Lawrence, as liu" np as tide water ahove Chieoutiini. having l)(>en verified and cheeked by the accurate Ilydrographi- cal Surveys ol" Captain Baylield, Royal Navy — the true Geo- graphical positions of those localities being thereby ascertainevl there yet remained to be verified the ndative position l)ct \ieen Chicoutimi anil fiake St. John without wliieh any orgnnization of the intersening country into Townships could not satisfactorily be projected. In considering the expediency of carrying outmost cireeiually for the public service the survey of a straight line?, (although merely an exploratory opiM-ation,) from the rear of (|u(d)ee tf) Lake St. John, it was deemed by the (lovernment a favorable occasion, (besides being indispcnsnbly reipiired to check the accuracy of the survey in the field) to connect by actual measurement and survey, the noilhernextremity of such straight line with the opM'ations of Captain Bayfield, terminated at tide water on the Saguenay. The extension of the survey of Lake St. John having been (bund thus expedient, it was accordingly au;hf)rized in tlie ap- proved report oi" (Council of the 9th July, 1810 — directing a survey of the Eastern shore ol' I^ake St. John and scaling of the Granfk Di'-char^!' to Chicoutimi, in conjunction with the explo- ration for a direct line of road through the I*eninsular of Chi- coutimi to the mouth of the river of that name on the Saguenay. Mr. W. F. Blaiklock, to whom was entrusted the execution of this exploratory survey to Lake St. John, was instructed to depart the exploratory line at the south angle of the Township of Stoneham, assumed as the most favorable point ol' departure, the position of which was known by actual measurement from Quebec, besides being in the immediate vfCinity of the flourish- ing settlements about Lake St. Charles and the public High- ways leading from Quebec ; thence to run the said straight line on a course astronomically north 15 degrees west (computed 47 from the operations of 1 8-28) to strike f-akn St. .loiiii at oi-ncar the nionlh of the ]\\\'n' IMctabitcliounii, thciico to scale llie east- erly border ol' Lak(! St. John iuid the cour.se of tiic Granil Dcchnr^e or Saf.^nenay Iliver U) Chicoutimi. Mr. (leorRi^ Duber^-er was Joined to IMr. I'laiklock .-is an as- jsistaiit, whose duly was to exploi-e the eountry, to the distance ot' .') or miles on either side oithe line iur the special object of choosing- Ihe most Cavorablt^ j::i'oimd for the line (»f road eoii- templated in the Address. And in connection with Mr. Blaik- loc.**!!^ operations to exj)lore the coimtry in a dii'cct east line, from the mouth of the jSletiibetchouan for aline of road through the peniiisulii lo Chicoutimi. The survey and explorations directed in the Instructions ha- ving; been accomplished in a. hi,!>'hly scrientiiic and satisfaclory manner, by Messrs. HIaiklock and Dubergcr, the results of this important service will be Ijest appreciated from a jserusal of the lleports ol'tlK^se gentlemen. The Ibrnier in regard to the whole of the surv(ns and part of the explanatory service, and the latter his explonilion and survey for a line of road from Chi- coutini to fiake St. .lohn, and his cxj^loraliou froiii the point of departure to the 40! h mile post, where it was found fru'tlcss to explore fur! her for a line of road throu^li a eouiitry wholly unfit lor agricHiltural purposes, and broken by abru|^t ridges of moun- tains, wliilst it entaileil a heavy ex])eaditure without commensu- rate advantage to the Public Service. Reviewing the operations performed by IMessrs. Blaiklock and Duborgcr, as exhibited on Mr. Blaiklock's Plans accompanying liis Report, it would appear, that although a favorable line of road may be traced in continuation of tlie present road near the point of departure in Stoneiiam as lar as the River .Jacques Car- tier, and j)robabiy ibr some short distance beyond. Yet the abrupt and mountainous character of the country for several miles to the ea.st or west of the exploratory line, render any at- temj)t to trace or open a road of any kind impracticable, whilst the land, from its rocky description, is wliolly unfit for cultivation, save a few isolated patches in the vicinity of (he rivers intersec- ted in their respective explorations. 48 Althoi]f?]i the exploration of the oounlry Troin Stoiichnm to L:ik<' St. John, crossiii;: hi ;i measure tniiisvci'srly the ridj^cs of mountains whirh ran^o in a north-rasfcrly and Hoiilh- westerly dircetion, has nsnltod unfMNorahly in so I'ar as ivf^.ii'ds the dJM- covci'ing of ai'ahle hinds lor settlement, Mr. lilaikloeic, in his survey of Lake St. .lolin, and of the Grande Deeharf^e, and of the numerous islands lyiu*^' at the outlet of the I^ake, rej)orts the lands on ])ofh hanks of the river, especially thos(^ on the islsnds and south shcic of the river, to he of excellent (juality and well adapted fur setthunent ; whilst Mr. Duherj^er reports evjviully favorably of the land lyinj^j r'lonf-' the ])order of Lake St. John, tlie banks of tlie Belle River, and the country j^cnerally, com- posing the peninsnhi of Chieoutimi. Reverting to the impraeti(!ahility of opening a road of com- munication along or in the vicinity of the exploratory line from the rear of Quebec to l^ake St. John, Mr. RIaiklock reports, ac- conUng to inf()rma,tiou collected by him, that it is probable that a line of road might be found more to tht; eastward, following the region Ijctwccn Jac(|ues Cartier and ^lontmorenci rivers to the height of land, and thence along the head waters of the river lJ])ika and Belh; River, northwardly to th(! valley or arable tract of land in the peninsula oi' Chieoutimi already mentioned. In conclusion it may be here observed, that the topograplucal knowledge obtained of the section of the county of Saguenay traversed in the joint operations of Messrs. HIaiklock and Duber- gcr herein reported upon, is, I humbly conceive, of great interest and of the highest im])ortance to the Government and the country, as setting at rest the question of the adaptation to agricultural purposes of that section of the territory traversed, extending from the m.ountain ridge which i)oiders the valley of the St. Lawrence to the hills which border the valley of Lake St. John, and which range easterly towards Ha Ha Hay, and afterwards forms the elevated hills that overhang the Saguenay river; corroborating the previous description of the country traversed from St. Urban and St. Agnes to Grand Bay or Ila Ha Bay m the Saguenay. . Apart from this object of the exploration, correct information in respect to the general surface and aspect of the country, the 40 direction of f ho ridf^cis of mountains, und the course o( the rivers which writer tliisfixtraordinary portion ol'tim IVovince, whether fributaiiofj ol' tlu; St. Lawrence or of tlie Saguenay, has been obtained, and accurately delineated on Mr. IMuiklock's Plans of his operations ; whilst it has been satisfactorily established that the peninsula of Chicoutimi and the country about Lake St. John, and (easterly to the Ha Ha Bay, ofl'ers from its superior (juality of soil an extensive field li • settlement and cultivation. All which isi respectfully sul>n tied. "-^•V J. H. PRICE, Comnussioner of Crown Lands.