¥>■<:-' p'** §A .|18 IJSI U4 \ ^ v*#:--V; 4 i i^Rw SfK .*> it. . ■? • » • , -J . 1 " •^■'4/- 1 ::..:*^ _/ CIHM Microfiche Series (Monograplie) ICMH Coliection de microfiches ^ (monographies) /■ Ctnedton Inwitiitt fof I lii te HssI mm mtf^Um t$ t m m / Hwrttut (i iw i i n ii| i ie< mt loin «_ ..3: i f^, • f YwB IWOTWMW WB§ •ItfMlMVHln m ■Vt\ '/ ■' □s^^ ."— ■■ LJ iNira * MMliMr lU. wira «M Mtw OH Mktl '" V ' '' L-J mmmm9th»mntiii9mm*oi*mm T U^^9m^mtkl9mlf^mmtl^rml^9li4^lt^ r D f itK/ tHiiiiHiiiiii impHwiiririit 10X MX .>'• • '^/ HX Tlltf t»tti Ntti toll Tut I OftiM Orlfli tiMll j0thtr or mi D thtl •IMN .TINU y PKUil Iiicnmm NWMiMI/ Ml (4m) iflrflK TitN OM NMMSf tthtn ftOMl/ U lltra tft r«»-llli ptovtont: □ TittopHt NfitfttH D'**'- Mra d« la liwaiaoa % Titf* di dtpwt di li livraiien tUtttkmU 1 fr pfi 2fX 30X t2X ItX aox »x 32X :Li'- i % ■\ \,. ',,■'■. 32X :, i • Vm Mpy Minttf tarn Hm bMn rtproiluo«tf tlMnkt Nttrp^olltan Toronto Rofortnco Library •olAilii ^ of tho Offflnil Mpy and in kooptng wHh tht' fNmlfif oofitfMt tpooH toottontr oovort tro fNmod OOfNHNIIII Wftn tnO JrVOfll OOWf OIM MIOinQ Ofl tho lait iMfo wMi printod or WotmitMl ImfHif* •Ion. or tlio bMk oovor whon oppropriata. AN jothor orif Inol eoploa art fMma4 baginnlnfl on tha flrat paga with a printad or iNuttrataO Impraa* alon, and antfint on tho loat paga with a printad or Muatratod Impraaalon* Tha laat raaordad frama on aaah mlarefleha ahaM aontain tha aymbol «-^ (maanino "CON- .TINUIO'i; or tho aymbol ▼ (moaning "INO"). .^ v;. ; :■:■■ :■ ■■.■■■.■ .r ;: ;■ ;-, ■,• ,-,. ' -■ ;, . . ,■. . , .. .; :. _ • Mapa* partaa* ahofta* aia<« may oa famao at dMfaram roduatlon ratloa. Thoaa too larga to ba antiraly InohNkNl In Ona axpoaura m* f llmad baglnnlng in tha uppar laft hand earnar. lafft to right and top to bottom* aa many framat at ° r a^Ml r a d . Tha followino diagrama illuatrata tha maviods M ]' '.■:*•;■' '^ •■•■2 '• 3 -> X L axampwivo foma mII fopiodiill groao m la Hotropolltan Toronto Ho^oronoo Library •oldMln ~ grano aoMit aompto tami da la aafeipMon ot d^la natiatA da I axampMra fNmd* at an aonformltd avaa laa aondMona du aawti at do Ida anamplalraa arlplnaiM dant la aowortuio an paplar aat Imprlmda aont flNnda wit aommanoant par la promlar plat at an tarmlnant aa«t par m damiOra^^go ^w aomporto uno omprolnaa d'Improaalon ou dlNuatrotlon, aalt par la aa a and plat talan la aaa.TbMO loaautraa anamplalraa orlglnaux aont fNmio on ao m manfant par la promMra paga ool aomporto iMO ompffomto dimpiaaalon ou dUniatfotlon at an taimlnont par la dimMra pofo ^id Vn daa aymbolaa aidvanta apparalim avr la darnlAra Imaga da aha("■*"*. '"■' , •I *» 9/7. /^ .Cu97 • ■ r(T»^ji.r-"i«-,.;BJ-_;v^';, -••X'T^J NOTES ON THE COUNTRY . t . ■ w TO HI ttUTBrnUO BY TBI VeEC and LUKE HyRON m ^«» " — — . ^ These notes are simply the reproduction of the reports Of the surveyow and of the mepibers of the GkoloSlcal Survey o' Canada, who have ig|e on the spot a study of !i* T^u^^a'^^?. ^^* describejakprises t&e a«.a wfiich would be directly accommodated by the railway The figures at Uie head of each report/refer to thosi on the accompanying map, showing the position of the Sfotion 01 country described. I '"'■: v^t) Township OF Altok nnlnf^^^i?? this survey. I ttcquainted myself with the quality of the soil and of the wood, so as to give an exact report of what I met along the line. I conSder the aoil almost everywhere unBt for culture, being too fooky even so rocky that it was with much trouble that I could place my snnreyinff instruments and posts. The merchantable timber is white spmce, hemlock.* birch, beech and maple, which are fine high trees. The hard wood seems to predominate. There are several snganes which have been worked for a considerable time l>rpeople from St. Alban and St. Casimir. The spruce has every where been cut down and greatly destrdyed as can be seen by the remains of such on the ground where it is very often difficult to pass K^'fWP^,.' .lit ''i .■•■■■. ■ -4- The hemlook ii treated in the same mwiBer. In the «pAng they cut it down, t»ke off the b»r^ and leare th« tmnki on the ground to rot. ^ The pine is not in ite element there ; I do not remember having met any good pine in the part subdivided bv me. _ (T. C. de Lachetwtiift, 20th Oct. 1898) (S) Township of Montauban ;• • ■ ■ ■*' " The soil, in general, seemed very fit for oultivation. The timber has been partly out down, with the eiception of what little the shanties have been cutting this winter. (/gwflce-P. i)^, 20th February, 1879) *, The land from the 8rd range going towards and as far IM Alton is better and less stony and less mountainous than the range nearer the Batiscan river. Nearly nil the merchantable timber has been carriMl away, and, in a couple of winters more, there will scarcely be any left at all. . i. ''" There is considerable h«d wood all through the sur- veyed part, as can be seen by my field notes. In some places there are very fine sugar bushes. Quite • »^,l?^>«%__;^ of intending new settlers came to visit lots while I wa«^~ performing the survey and possibly more have been there since, and will purchase the lots as soon as these lands are offered for sale. ' .,, *. •««!•» (/. 0«ofgr« B^rw*/*, 8th March, 189'7) (8) Township of Chaviony ■' ■ ■ , ■ ■ • ■ ■ ■ . ..,,-,■ .' . . ' •■"* ■ ' \ Besides, by the Batiscan river, this township is crossed by two other fine rivers fit to drive timber: 1st the v Propre' river, Which issues from lake an Sable, passes, ^ through the Paran lake, and then discharges into the Batiscan river, in the seigniory of Ghrondines ; 2nd the / river Towachiche, which crosses the western corner of '^ the township of Chavigny and discharffes also into the Batisctfi river. This last river (the Batiscan) forms in different places beautiful falls, especially thosfli at the eighth and iikinth portaffes, which are capable of canning tlw most powerftil mil« at all times of thejrear.. '"'»•'» timber, in general, is fine and large, birch, maple, s; The spruce S^yitSj^^l j^'i^l w-s s».>«t-^ rSa»Jj,aj^^iV .t^#**^ K. * ff '*7* jrPipi-** ^ -IS^,-*- -% ,'\* V""^'^ •ind fir being the most oommon. I alio met with fine pine, bat not in very large quantities ; I mw more •tumpe of this wood than standing timber ; merohantabU spruce, however, is still in great abnndanoe. There are maple groves in rather great quantities, espeoiAllj at the- depths of the first range, to the north east of the centre line. They are all sound, contrary to what we see to the south of the St Lawrence, oppoeite this township, where they are all dead and d^y. All the sunrered seotion of the township is generally fit for oultiratlon and advantageous for coloniiation. The finest lots occur on both sides of the Batisoan river, starting from the eiffhth portage, going to the north-eist to iot number ten of the first range, to the point 1^ M alto to the' south and south* west sides of tne Ukei au Sable. I had orders to survey the fourth and fifth raiiges of Ohavig^ny, to the south-west ot the centre' line, bat I found this section tco mountainous and everywhere* unfit for Gultivatioq^ ; the wood is, however, of as line ffrowth as elsewhere. The soil is in general brok«'n in the surveyed section of the township of Ghavtgny ; we also^me across in eome places stony, ffranite sections, but«|fii sufficiently large numbers to be an obstacle to colostiation. , In general, a layer of yellow loam predo- minates; th<) subsoil seems tobe^of day : it is a conti- nuation of the soil of the township of Montauban, and I can say that it is fet'ile ; I have seen it (bis year produce magnificent crops. / ' ^ (T. C\ de la ChevfckUte, 7th November, 1864) (4) ToWNBKn* OF BELLSA0 , / •.■'•„ The region in which tne three first ranges of the town- ship of Belleau are situated, from the line of lots number seven or eight, is elevated, cut in some places by small hills, with a stony soil ; but^this will not ba an ofaistade to the settlement of nearly all these ranges, of which the soil, in general, is similar ta that of the township of Deoalonnes, which is of yellow/and brown loam and appsared to. mo to be fit for agpricultural purposes. There are no swamps, marshes or steep mountains. Two settlers, named Narcisia St. Gkermain and/Isradl Peltie?,. are settled in the teoond range of Belleau, and frequently expressed to me their .r* U' , ^M ■>S?. H' i •atUfftotion at baring located thera. and their oropa, whioh I had occaaion to a«e, prea^ntad a yigorona growth, nnanrpaaaed in any other locality, prorin^^ that the town* •hip of Ballean ia favored with a fertile aoil. The inrroundings of ibe Clear Water lake, aitnated for the greater part in the townahip of Caiton, ara extrenielj monntainoaa and atony and mostly everywhere unfit for cultivation. The chief timber in theae three rangea of the townahip of Belleau conaiat of birch, maple, cedar, apmce and fir. Everywhere the wood ia of fine urowth and size. The amount of pine rempiining is amall here, as everywhere else ; it has been reckleaaly cut down by the lumbermen, who have carried on operationa there for many yeara. The water-powers in the township of Belleau are, one^ on the Red river, and the cUher, at the discharge of the Clear Water lake, where falls occur, which are power* ful enough to run mills. (T, C. de la Chevtbliire, 28th November, 1870) Aa to the land by me surveyed and subdivided in Bel- leau, the aoil, though fertile, is disadvantageous for culti* ration and settlement on account of its rocky and hilly character in placea ; there are, however, some good table* landi in theae two ranges, especially near the line of tha Cazton gore. The timbei^, generally, is fine and tall and consists usually of white birch, l^aple and birch. I also met several maple ^proves, which seemed to have been alread^jt tapped. White and red pine are common enough. There ^k a border of red pine to ,the mountains around the lakies ; among others, the one called Red Pine Li^e, and the vfhite and red pine, aa well as the white spruce, ar#pre8ently being cut ofi* for the lumoer trade, especial* ly around lake h Tlsle, wh^re dams for the purpose of driving the timber have been constructed at the dis- charges of the principal lakes. (T. C de in ChevrotUre, 8th Marcb, 1882) I have subdivided the part of the township of Bellieau, comprised between the River' Shawinigan to the south* west and the seigniory of Cap de la Magdeleine to the north-east. -^ ■ ( ' , >~l ' ■■ ^r " - ,^:m^ ' •.f ■ . « -. ■ ^ ^'}'M \ I dirided the part in qQMtion of the townahip of B«l- letkU into five r«ngef, forming • total«of one hnndr'edyand •Uty-fonr loti. I ••timate that half of thie taperfloies In rery favorable to aettlemeDt. Thia portion of theoonnty of dt-lfaario« is neverthelew monntainoni, bat the bare rook iarery aejdom viaible. The monntatna are er4i|where oorered with a coating of aoil anffioient to permit of vegetation and generally oompoaed of a yellow loam miied with . aand. The firal aix lots on range l(Vare so good that already Bome aettlera have located there and have don^ aome aowing. The ground ia leVel, the timber almoat com- pletely deatroyed by fire and the aoil a aandy yellow loam. There are no rooks on this-txact, while the remainder of the township is more or less rooky. i In someV«ces, th«M ia a good deal of morchaatable timber, chiefly sprnce. {H. B, Tourixny, I tth July, 1895) (6) TOWN8HIP OF D19AULNIBB8 *u^fl® ^*"^ ' iiurveyed and subdivided intq farm Iota in the first range of this township is well suited to settle- ment, as the river du Loup cuts a portion of the Jots of the range, creating on each side, generally speaking, fine low grounds. The soil of the latter is a black earth, but upon the heights it is of grev sand. ^ The timber is fine and tall, ahd consists of birch, white bircli, whrte and red pine and white spruce. There is jtiU a good deal of whiie pine, but the best has already been cut off for the trade. The three first lots in the first range of the township of Desaulniers form part of the place known as " The Bed Pines." These lots are partly closed, having baen formerly swept over by fire, and the only growth now upon them, properly speaking, may be said to be of blueberry bushes. {T.O.d9laCheoroliire,%i\i Nfarch, X832) (6j GOBB OF Oaxton The soil, generally, is composed of yellow mould, rooky And inferior in quality. The mountains lie in closa prpxi- ty ~W ^ — ^^fe 1/ .J' •■' >,j,|.--+*'.4 « ' 'i ■ '- V .■ V .'■■ ■ .• - . ■ ^8 — r mity to on« anQthet: the principal woods are white sprnce^ fir, nemlock, maple, birch, and bef ch* The soil iff all the Bections of th?Tore of Caxton is compoaed of yellow and rooky loam ; th^ land, although maintainons in some parts, is fit for cnltiyation ; the g^wth' of timber is of very fine appearance. • (L. 4. O. ilfcourf, 8th February, 1876) . (7) TowMHip OF Chapleaxt All the land in this township and in the ran^fes snr- lontf dins the lake am; Ecorces, with t|ie exception of a mountain which pilsses to the south-eaiit of the lake and which bears nearly south-west to where it meets the river i (utx Ecoreett presents the best advantages to colonization and the clearing of lots. The land is generally even and. level, or sloping slightly towards the [lake. The soil is composed of good ydlow earth and in i some places of a greyish loam, not stony, the subsoil appearing to b<3 of clay in the lower levels. ' There are no settlements yet in the township, nor any squatters living in it, but a number of lots are taken or pre-empted, and on most of the lots bordering the lake^ OMX Ecorcet on the south-west, north-eai^t and nOrth-weat, chopping^ have 1»een made in order to mark the lots ohosen by parties who wish tjD> secure them by purchase as soon as they are open for sale. I have uo doubt they will do so, as a number of such parties i even offered me jiayment for the lots so chosen by them m order to induce me to continue my survey further on, because, they say, there are not enough lots laid out to mjset the demand. The timber is generally fine and long, birch fmd spruce beiuff jkhe most common ; the latter is in sufficient quan- r lumbering. Maple is also to be found in tlie third and fourth lang^. The|re is hardly any ne left, this having been all taken byj the lumberers, &o have left, so to speak, nothing but the stumps. The lakes are well stocked with fish ; I tool^ some excellent trout in the lake a«« ^ocNtses. V \T,C, (feZa Glemro ■■•>■•: '; ■ •■. •■'■■. in the north-eatt section of the township, which comf- {mses the first, second, third and fourth ranges. The and is generally level and the soil composed of a sandy Jrellow loam on the heights, and in some places, in the ow ground, offfreyish loam, which seems to be of excel* lent quality. This section is wooded with fine, tall tim- ber, consistinff of maple, birch, white birch, spmce and of fir, with ash, birch and alders in the bottoms. .The part jfehe township containing the ranges B, 0, P, 2nd ancniT4 ranges south-west, which border the ri^eraux Ecorces, is not so adyantageuus for tillage, being mountainous a^d stony ; but the proximity of this river, which has some beautiful bottoms, ofiers certain advan- tages. The 2nd, 8rd and 4th south-west ranges are in g^jBat part wooded with wjiite birch. This timber is now in gteat demand by spool manufacturers, who havc^ already established two factories at Saint Alexis, a parisfi adjoin- ing the township of Ghapleau. It will not^e long before they will transfer their machinery here, because the white birch is nearly all used up in their neighboirhood. There are a great many water-powers, notably.those of the river aux Kcorces, of the South- West riveri and the discbarges of the numerous lakes and brooks. On all these rivers; outlets and brooks, I remarked falls or rapids which are used to ran mills or factories. Pine is not abundant, having been already cut in the past ; but some, fit for export, can still be found in this^ township, especially in the north-east 2nd and 8nl ranges^ (I\ C (fe to CAwwXf^, Slst May, 1881) Township OF HouDE Nino part of Chapleau The land is rocky and do tt^'d with lakes, but, never- theless, susceptible of tillage in many places, principally on both sides of the river aux hcorces, in the township of Houde, where a double range could be run parallel to the north-east line of Peterborough. To the east of thifr donblerange, there is a bare rock, about « mile and a half in superficies, unfitted for cultivation. Around the great lake Sacoacomie, the land, as well on the top of ita banks" as in the flats formed by its bays, seems very favorable for settlement. A visit to the interior satisfied "'1',,-, '■ I "Q Ijl ^ ■T^:|*.n?t;^7''3ipi»»»^^T5!Hf* ••r X 10- me that the soil t^ere wul of better quality tad a great ileal lets monutaiaons tha^ in the township of Gaiton, Ttinninff very nearly alondthe sammit of the Laurentidea, of which the slopes shonhl slightly decrease towards the Valley of the Mattawia* which ia not very far from the north line of the projected township. (Lion Z. ilreoiki, March, 1864) ' '^^^ ''\ »,- '■' i * ^ ' ■ (8) Township! OF Dkoalonnis The soil of the arable lahds of Decalonnes, and espe- cially those which border the rivers da Loup, Saccacomie and anx Ecorces, and also those which border the south- eastern environs of lake Saccacomie, is mostly a yellow sandy loam. The timber in general thronghont this township is everywhere of fine growth and is composed of all kinds of wood, especially birch, maple, white sprace, hemlock and pine. '1 he land which I traversed in the course of my opera- tions is mountainous,, rocky, very much broken, and in consequence interspersed with many lakes; apart from the surveys already made, and those which 1 recommend to be made, i do not think there remains much land, in Decalonnes, fit for cultivation, suited to colonijstktion and worth surveying. The pine has be^n partly cut off in rang^ A, by the Htmterstown GompiEkny and, probably, the same may be said of the remainder of the township. In addition to what I have just said relative to the natuxe of the soil andthe physical features of the township, I may mention that I came albross some magnificent water- powers, firstly on the river du^up, at a fall of that river, in the first ranm, at the point at which it is out by the oentral line. This falls is known by the name of Bml6e iall. There is another at the outlet of tl|e Clear Water lake, on lot number two of the second range, a little higher than the place where this outlet discniBrges into the river du Loup. - (7. C. d» La ChevrotHre, 4th February, 1870) The surface of the seventh and eight range» of Deca- lonnes, with the exception of the section of the seventh range, situated to the north-east side of the river aux ^ ■ — u — Boorcet, ttom lot mimber six to lot number twenty. Am •oompoied of large bioniitains of grinite rock; elsewhere, the soil is of » superior quslity. All these lots are taken up or pre-empted. The timber whioh predominates in the interior of the eighth range is maple and birch ; near the banks of the river, the basswood, the elm and fir; The soil of the different sections, which I surveyed and explored in range A of the township of Decalonnes. is of superior quality* The quality and the richness of the timber prove that the soil is orgreat fertility. ^ {T. C. dv La ChevrotHre, 28th November, 1870) The third range of the township of Decalonnes is broken «nd mountainous ; the scil, in general, is rocky, with th* exception pf the low lands, where there is grey Idam, which appears to be fertile., This range is wooded with a fine growth of mixed hard wood; the most common woods are the maple, birch, white birch, spruce and fir. In the low lands, the ash, willow and birch predominate, un the higher mountains, there is some oak. Pine is not m great quantity now, most of it having been cut off some years ago. ** The proximity of this third range to the river du Loup * 1 *?\ opening of a road would be a great help to the sale of the lots; a part of these are already taken up or f/^^^*/^Vi."''lw ***^^' V^ "°* ^ long before It is taken. In this third ran^, there are also water powers, which ^an be utilized in the future for mills or other industrial purposes. {T.C.del4 Chevnti^e, Slst May, 1881) (9) Township of Fbtbbbobouoh ^li^r^ *^« J»n« between the first and second ranges 7wW ^''^"uP^SS®* J*'™^^^ the settlements of the wtl ^»»5'«J<'J»«-, ,The land nm V be said to be in general pi^ty good along the whole of this line. I next ?an the of JiSi!wT^*i^5* ¥" V* *t« township, in the course ^«r« A' ^^'^^ *^® ^*?^ ^^ b susceptible of settlement and much superioigiuality to what it is in the interior or central part of the township. ""wor ^^^ general aspect of the towns Wp is hilly and inters, iwrsed with lakes ; it cannot be said to abound over much "^'4 12 ^ with timber adapted to lumberinff puTposes 4 i! r>3 ^_^^ ^ . the beit , uHlSb are foil nd along the valley of t&e Mastigoohe, and in the neighborhood of the aeveral bTanohesor tributariea of that river. {J, J»far/fih February, 1854) (10) Township of Coubobllsb I subdivided two ranges of 19 lots each, |Tpnting on the MastigOQche river, and a range, alsb o^ 19 lots, fronting on the north-east branch of Lake dSnr l{^s, the whole as shown on the plan accompan^ring this report, ihis new subdivision represents the portion of Courcelles, moBt favourable for settlement and in fact it is well suited for farming. The soil is a yellow loam, rocky, but very fertile, clayey soil on the surface is found only near Lake a to Vote. Moreover, this part of Courcelles is not Jiilly and broken like most of the land iu this section of the Laurentides. ' The Mastigouche river has several water-powers which mif^htbeusedto advantage for lumbering in the splendid surrounding forests. Timber of various kinds is very abundant, such as white and black birch, spruce, fir, .cedar, maple and pine. The tracing of the DesauteU ro|td is a complete success. : ' (JSte. 5^^ September, 1891) ;i (11) Township OF Massow The laud just surveyed by me in this township is generally flat and level ; two thirds of it, at least, are in 6rK/if and, in several spots, the fire has made such a cleata sweep of everything that the settler will have little labor to bring it into cultivation The soil, which is composed of a strong yellow loam, though rooky in placeB, seemed to be of excellent quality for grain growing. The grain which I saw growing o i the lots occupied hj settlers on the banks of the rivex Hattawin, in this township, looked splendid, thus attesting the fertility of the soil. As this township and a large pert of the region adjoining the Mattawin have been ravaged by fire, the timber now on it is only a second gprowth, mostly composed on th& ^^s^, l^ _ Ju^4ii^')0£i^^i^Jlf^t'" I j>/.«?3.-4.i!»J m^- h'and tamarao on the flats, and houlean, birch and pine on the heights. M indicated by the debrii which encnmber the Sound. Here and there, however, a few green clnmps of e old timber can be seen like islands, which hare been ■pared by the fire. (T, C. * /a CA«»ro/«re, 10th April, 1886) (12) BiYKB D|7 Posts The Post river may be eoisidered one of the finest rivers, for the rapids met in kscendinff it to it« head. are not bad. Only the Cedars rapid seems dangerous to pass, but, OD the other hand, the portaffe is a short one. From theMaitawin river to thft eighth mile-post, on -each side of the Post river, there is a good deal of land easy to clear, because it was swept by fire some years ago, destroying all the large timber that then covered that region. The soil consists of yellow earth of good quality bearing a vonng growth of poplar and white birch. Alder, ash and elm are about the only trees to be found on all other low alluvial points. From the eleventh mile-post to the portage of Pins Bouges lake, apart from a length of a mile in the vicinity of Guenard creek, all the land bordering on the river and the lakes is corered with evergreen trees;*' principally b4ls|km, white birch, spruce «nd pme. Merchantable sprnceynd pine in particular are found: in sufficient quantities tl^ be worth cutting, from lake Dargie to like Travers and 6n{ both sides of the river. Around Iske Clair there is agWd deal of merchantable «pruce, but little pine. Most o| the land in the upper portion of the Post river and its tributaries is rockv and unfit for cultivation. . * ^' (J:^. ^ C^r, 80th April 1897) ^YKB mi MimstT / • ^In the neighborhood o^^ino Liie, on the river dM Milieu, as far as the det AtdnaietMiM (81 miles from the mouth^of the nver «lu JIfi/feii) on the^ttawin and on the ^*»st nver as far as^ Hamel creek, therelwcQ large areas of * H^' 1 .- iO., ; HI' iA3^^ i"'^ V'" » ■il^j/J"^. ^ M — . V,. *• it ftllayiftl Mil, fairly rich and «mt to onltfTaU «• the trMf that hara grow a ap here ainoe fire deraatated the Tegioqi ootuiet of yoangr poplara and white biroh. In addition t^ the renorta of alarffe number of peraona who hare viaited theae lands lince the spring, I myself, while going to and returning from my work, oDserved that their reporta were accnrateT ' ■> ■'•■ ■■ '- ' Merchentable pine and spmoe are found in fairly large quantities on the river dn Milieu from L^ke Long to Lake ieg Fimrehes. The extent of land comprised between the lakes of the north and north-east branches of thia river is covered with spruce, fir, white biroh, black birch and cedar, all Of good growth. The cedar in particular that I Bnyv meaaured two and three feet in diameter at the stumpi and seemed sound. Apart from the places I have just mentioned, the land is either very swampy of has been devastated by fire, pome veara ago. Pine and apruce are nlso foand in ftiitly large quan- tities in th0 neighborhood of Lake Sasekinagog, of Lake Travers, in j the upper part of Lake Long and around Lake Croche. . The region I explored is not very hilly ; there are only two or thre<^ rather remarkable mountains at the head of the river Da Milieu, near Lake Long and to the aouth east of ^ine Lake. \ (/. B. St'C^r, 17th July, 1894) ■:■ r ..: W ■ .:■■■/-:. .■/■^■-/■; "■.... ■:::::,:'■-. (14) Lake Matawin and Biviftai du miliku There is, however, a very nice parcel of land around the last lake of Two Branch river as- well m around the first lake of the Matawin« nicely timbered with maple, birch and aome balsam and spruce. . From Matawin lake down to the Bividre du Milieu, the soil is a rough gritty sand near the ahorOi but I haye no doubt that the hardwood hills which were in eight all the way down, were they explored, would show better soil than that along the margin of the stream. The laud on the head streams of the Rouge is chieflv timbered with bouleau, spruce and balsam, all amall. And it is nearly the same description of woods that is to be found on the Biviire du Milieu down to the twen- tieth mile, |nd there we met with another large branch of the same river, at which place we found ourselves ii^» ^Ih^^^JSt ,i.ia^^iL \i^titf^-..fi^.AM^uj.^^itAf^e.i' . m^^^^mm :kJmMMk^ Jlfc^^-^^iij^i'i. r^^ m^ i^y^'^*TS^*7*^ ?*^B^^5|*^'^'^ -15 — V- / iatrodnoed to t new kind of timber, Yi». oyprewor mtt^W Pine which i. to be fonnd thicl^ly .tnddey^lonJ ^Cih 5i?b'«tw"''"'^r"*^ LonVuke, where w^e met with '•ther m small growth o? red and white nineZ-I mean, small for merchantable purposes; P»n«>-A lr*r"*°®^*f**.u^H'?«^'*^« " the twentysiith milo nJllfifr'^*^' *^ the thirty.fifth mile, there isVgood deal wt ftnJ:'"!""' *]*** ■^^'•*' ^^* •«**»« »^i"» ri.5 a little back from^the water edge, hardwood bi>gin8 to^predo- mmate. which consists chiefly of birch and poplw . {Dvncan Sinqlair, 8tfi May. 1866) • (16) Township OF BRA684RD _Vhile transmitting to you the documents concemimr the survey of the townsiip of Brassard made by^iu? report that the surr eyed lands are generally fit for culti- bli'rrfi? **•" «/eption ofihat^art wWh ron the eaLwn"**!.? l"T ^"f ^^^°"«' ^'^°^ *^« «de line norlh^ twen*^ A • ^'''^^^' twenty.five and which for about wn^L'^t^ east of the river des Aulnais is generally U.«t "I' h* 'l?'^^ *" ^^™* «^«': ^e«t of thf river il also burnt for the greater part, but less wooded. ,J •Jr?"'^?** P*'' °^**»e township is dhierally cove- red with standing timber comprising a few^aple^i^. iJ«^ei^f^Laporte, 24th April, 18S6) ' ♦k?^i* V^® exception of a few lots in the tenth ranire. all the land surveyed is very well fitted for cultivation ind <« ti ^^ I jiave not inspected the part which remain* reports which I have received as to the quaHtv of the ^nidi: ?f'^ ***** ^ ^"^^ "^ ^*>"^* *»»«»* it 2^1dLs^tkd r^d^ If surreys were made and coloniaation roads {J^^ie Lfiporte, 28th, oct. 1880.) V ■ -?;t3« :>^ » e LJIKL — 16 — (16) BKAiiAftD AHD PBiYoar (Ouilinr$) iivi Here the toil yaries yery maoh ; on the^borden of i&t Mattawin riyei there is a valley of qonaid^rably rarying breadth, the toil of which ia rich alluvion ; beyond this ▼alley the soil is yellow, more or lets sandv, tho whole, nevertheless, covered with a pretty thick bed of vegeta- ble detritus. Lastly, there are some lands only middling on acGoiint of the sand and rocks. The laud surveyed is slightly broken by valleys, hills and dales ; the other part is more so and by mountains more or less steep. - The larsre valley or plain which is seen to the south- east of Lake Kaiakama is a tract of land of about three miles, bare of timber and just as lev9l as the lake itself. (tr. Dorro/, March 1888) The general features of the region ■ traversed is good, although, for about nine or ten miles along the line, it is of a barren nature as far as the height of land, where the waters fidl each way, on the one side into' the Mattawin, and on the other into the Mastigouche ; from the Mattawin towards the height of land south-easterly, the land is composed of yellow soil of a rich nature, well fitted for the settler ; there exists also a very strange pecu^arity about this section: it is impossible to judge of the nature or quality 'of the soil from the growth of the timber there- on, it being wooded with sprm)^, balsam, pine and white birch. However, it is good soil. There are also numerous lakes abounding in vjwf fine trout and other fish, which are an inducemei^ to parties to settle near their banks. {CarotMS Lawrier, 1868) (17) ToyksHip OF Tkllibb Ihave the honor tosubmit the report of my eiplora- tion of the territory of a projected township to the north- west of Gartier, in thd county of Joliette. ^ In point of gvoneral aspect, this territory is mountainons and broken, piiisenting in some places rocky cliffs and ■\' w * ~:-UMt^t^ *ie^iM.mji.M^\:m ;r. i™(^ae«.^S5 1., ■ ■ ■ ■" -IT'- ■ . ,. , Inrof rj/'^jU^* "•^ »f '•■'<' •»"•"• for «1I.„ The river rAssomntioa is borderM) nn n.«k -ij v 1 he best part of this terriorv is in th« «!«? j especially on the -oath-weit si/e of L uL and%i?/ r^s^omption. where the hard wood We arrrem«£ AuLT^\u^ their beauty as by their extent ^ Although^ thesurface is higher a^hd irenerallv ron«.Ka, lots there or on the banks of the rirer j7rtt.^iAu *u ®" The soiIm generally composed of a yellow clair mn,.- .»le«d .«,«l le«ii„g to them 5L ten^^^i"^ **"* '.i; '^y ^ .- m ,^,.::,: i|^ timber mott commonlT met withia thi ipso# tr»T«ned is •prace, UlMm. c«d»r, pint, birch, b««oh ftnd maple. Among the hardwoode, the birch generally predominatet. attaining considerable diameter, thirty inohee and upwards ; bnt on the other hand the maple ■eldom runs over 10 or IS inches in diamet A. The merchantable timber, spruce and pine, hate been cut over a little everywhere, but especially near the river TAssomption and the principal lakes, where numeroua traces of the passage of the lumberers are still visible. Several buildings (old shanties) are still standing. Never- theless, there stflf remain in many places spruce and pin» of average diaineter. m (/. i. Afaf«»i, 29tirFebruary, 1897) ' (18) tiNE BITWEIN JOLIBT AND MONTOALM On the plsn which I have transmitted to your depart- ment and which accompanies this report, ty^o profiles are indicated : the first covers the locality (rom the sUrting point of the survey, that is to say,, from^ the northern anffleolthe township of Nantel running north-east to Lake Masquick or des Baies. , i « • The second comprises the part from Lac dee Baies run- ning north west to the exploration line from the river du Liivre to the St j^aurice, run in 18T0 by surveyor Lindtay The fi^of tl»«*e profiles shows us land generally level and th?8lopes met with on one side or the other seem easy ; the whole presents no ierious obstacle to ooloniza- I must state, however, that at a sKort distance, both to il^e north-west and the south-east, the general aspect x)f this region is not so favorable. In fact, m the one or the other of those directions, this country is much more broken and further a succession of mountain chains is met, which rise higher and higher towards the north* weet and the general trend of whose summits is towards the north east. — . 'ih^ second profile indicates a mountiainoiw country, intersected by narrow valleys, ravines and deep gorgea ftt the bottom <^f which flow the rivers and brooks of the ■ region. '.:*"■/.<-■■.■.;,■■; ■ v/ t^kmi^iMii^- ''.^^s^^m^ ' ■ / "^««»» •wept b? £r« jne nrer Koiiffe and extends as far as the KUnJl. ^^^ 4«trnotion " *"•"** '° "»'» *•» ««n. .iXnl q„X' """"^ """"»« •<"•"'«»". th* "il i. of sTJn^S.™ """"J P'*r ' "-•"»'<» ""o -one for the p^u MhWh Jl^t a 1°®" »biindance, map e, birch and qoantaty to be worked with profit "nffloient V ('• ^•''»"'««»', Uth April, 1898) - ¥l9) Township b» LnasiiB P^U^rZ ttTheTh", '?">•?•" included in the r.:^.id?o'?^d rit7/i;L\l„?" 'r''' r«^ »»^^^ 1 < T f y^^- ^ p" ,,<' 'J, E^^^& ■^nP '^^m i m if :j. / \\ "^ «->80^ / •TOT* of good inaplt for about eight loti, l>oth ''■•> \ •/. ■(•• sj-J t V> *•:: f ^■lll id.l; iliC wmJjndeTTTTMd mix^d limber. A li^r ol Ukej£lnii •croM about the cantre of the .ixth r«ng»«. ihe I'orgHRMt Uaks of v?|ich •MDounttinoM, the reintindemppii* . ,^ ' Sith mnge, th« norlh-ewt banks of which aro modiitai.^ ^ ' Ml. the remAader of the -ixth and seventh mixed with Jome undulating land, tho remainder lerel and mostly timbered with mapfe, which is sound and well calculaj tad for sugar makiug, and there is easy access and a level tract for roads to communicate therewith. (F. P. Q«*i*i, l»t May, 1877) I have the htfiS^to report that I have closed the survey of the section dfS^ township ol Lussier. mentioned in my instructions, and that I fo«?d • l«''9f JJ^i *>^ *^* township level and the soil good and suitable for ami- culture, and a considerable number of squatters settled upon the south west part of the section surveyed by F- P (Ouinn P L. S. The portion of this township situated to the aouth-eaat of Mr. Quinn's survey is nearly all level and the soil good. The nver Ouareau crosses part of the townahip. furnishing plenty of water for mills or her purposes The timber mglfcARts and lumberers have bSilt adaiiliit the outlet o^|||«au, ^fejjHcan^ be utiliwd for rniUs without oHUpHPthe Wm^ ol logs or square timber. There aifil^rSTBIr watef-powera Jd mill sites in other parts of the township. In the fcitfhth. ninth and tenth rangrea there are large plateaux pf land, which, thoUffh rough in some placea, are well red *nd timbered. _ ! i. j iere^la a number of lakes iu different parts of said fownshMtiweral of which required scaUng and occupying eouaid^Ble delay, which caused me to take somewhat longer time with my auryev thwi I would otherwise have had to take. In concluding thia my report. I will •dd that if a road waa opened in this township paesing through Chilton on the south-eMt aide of lake Otareau. the Mad township of Lusaier in few years would be more thickly populated than any other part of the county o^ Montcalm. , ^ ^ ^^^ — h May. 1880) J, , 1. > s - ,' -zr:wsm^s^^'^^W4^m^^^'m^'m&^^^^m?:^':'^xsr'^^^-^ St rather anduUting. «icept where th« fiT«r Michel W^u! into iald Uk.. .loog (he Unk. of tthioh " . oTe^flow^d with heavy maole birch and iipru<:e . the eiith and •eventh reng.^. f'or the Mme breadth. ««re .Iraoet ml !Sd wel imberBda. aforr.aid. There ar^TViteXeawSi on thi. land ; it i. also arable and wWl c.lcflUted fS^Xl purpo^. of .ettlement and colonixafe.on being well In tho portion of Luwi r. on which I har*. ll.-, »»«««- riv^^nd' I'lt^""' "•' ?' ^*^^»' ^° ^<^^ -^^^ oMbJ fl t ^** **^^ Oqareau, to namb^ fortyu,»ven, inclaiinT tho land II, good and lerel arid many o/th» lo"; impJovJS and well bmlt upon, and th« reeidonce of •otnal .et^re« in^he aeoond and third ranges and in the four h ran J! Borth-west of the outlet ot lalte Feut ^ Umoua and alto north-west of lak?a A rch«nbault aVd Feu. undulating but well timb*.redi with Zple birch and spruce.. Block A in tl^e firat rangUs WgKi^vered with hard wood, moetly maple. " *»"m^"r*'^^'«<* The piece of Jand between the Hue of i«pdltion bet. fn!fV*'V-^"'***P».*^^ ^^^^^ Archambaultis*l,rhi^h and mountainous and cohered with maple. All the trS i'a wfl ''Tf ^^^!^««^ l?.kesOuareau'and ArcLambIm ^^l^eland of a good quality, well adapted fbr settle- • (F. P. Quinn, 8th January, 1176) ' W i20) RlVEB DU DllBLB. OR DkVIL'8 RIV» aeJ**?„?1*?*' ^'f***" 1^^' *PP^"« ^«>*^« »>««»» WoU oho- wbWtt ^ J-''"' i.**^ "lumerous fall., chutes, rapids t^«l^**^'' ^^^'^% ^^- ^H^*'^ ^^'^ encountered during the performance of the perilous and difficult task of sur- wiZfi ^''tu'^ the roughest of rivers: From the wurce\he IJ nW^ *^'?^»^^» suocftssion of turbulent commotiW Iv ll^A °*»'^"»Meafening noises, so that no other earS lyaoutod can be heard, then calm, cirouituous running portions followed by waters rushing at-Sbe-horsTsp^ then pa«i,ng through lakes, thus it continu?rwind^ S w N s ^ - • 1 , . . " " * ''.' ■ Jt (I t^!^'*V^^^^■ /^ •'^^^'S^ ^22-^ ' its way between the bases of Trembling and Bine moilQ- tains, theno^ passing the Tuoue, a perfeot pinnacle, yt continues Its coarse around the shadows of that mystw* ions Trembling mountain, where, being joined by thV Bral6 riTbr, it l)ecomes a river of importah^ei Brul6 rirei is also r^ngh and wild, and the force of these two rivers) combined might be reckoned by millions of horse pow^. FEATtJEES-rGenerally near the source of rivers the coUntr^ is found level and rolling, so it is with the river 4n Diable a^d its tributaries ; first level and as yon descend, hills rise and mountains loom and the country becoiEUes rolling and hilly, but the features of the country are ibertaiiily not unfavoriible for settlement. Inland lake^ are few and insignificant. S^ilt —There ^s no' heavy soil to be seen along this riv0r ; it is either of a light clay loam, or of a light yellow and gravelly loam« and although an inspection gives the inipression that 'it is not of a quality to warrant settle- ment, still there appears to be quite a number of settlers who are anxiously awaiting the day when this country will be surveyed and thrown open for settlement, and I have not the least doubt that, should their desire be fnU. filled, in a very short time there would be equally as flourishing settlements as St. Jo vite, which I well rememlber seven years ago was as silent as the forest. TiMBBB — Unlike most of our streams, the river da Biable cannot boast of her pine trees, and, although a well timbered stream, it lacks the pine timber, but almost every other timber such as met with in Canadian forests may be found in plenty, of a fair size ^nd of good qua* litV. Fine hard wood groves are frequently seen, com- prising yellow birch and basswood of uncommon site. Near the source the timber is small, but only a short distance from the river a larger growth is found. I noticed that the lumbering operations had extended up the river to the first lake; above that there is no pine of any account. (G. E. McMartin, 19th July, 1870) ^ <2iy KOUOE RiVEE • " From the rear of Clyde the mountainous aspect of the country on the Rouge disappears as we go nbrthward. I have estimated the rise of the river from the\commenc6- T: lA^mf^i^^:,. iWi^^l^W .• f^'^^^^Ml^im ^^m^m^w^^^' :^ -^ t- jjeni o^the survey at Clyde to its close at the month of the S^one House creek from .a few cursory levels taken, ■which are as fallows : 1. Iroquois Ghute 2, Pini^ilapids... 9* 8. Chute * of the vTrvi^Sipters 12 4. Chtite Split ,jj^ ^Rock...: 12f "3 V^Jjong Rapids the less 18 • *• ^ .115 6. 4- staaU rapid. 18 " 8 7. Slippery Rock 18 J " 5 8. Lantiisr^s Rap. 80 *• 55 ^9*, Long Rapids ^i# the great.. . 44 chs. 66 Iks 1121 ♦• 10. Trout Rapid. . 60 " 80 " 11. Caribou Rapid 68 m. 70 chs. 10 •• miles 6 chs. long... 80 ft. 4 ♦• "... 4 " it tc tl it 14 " 10 If (( 60 '*'* 2 '• 8" 80 " 12. Distanioe of smooth but swift water. 1^59, 4187 6646 " ,..840 " " .... 80 " " .... 10 " 1028 atSf.p.m I ■/ 418 1446 -•o ^u ., . . 6»m.26chs. 48. l^hree miles work with considerable rapids to vRouge Lake............. .,... 64 1600 From the Ottawa to Clyde is a distance and rise equal to the past sum .. ..... 1500 Trom the Ottawa to Rouge lake .„,„ jgoOO The timber (pine^ has been very abundant on the banks ^ this nverfrom^he rear line pf Clyde to the foot of er^at Rapids, then it diminishes in size and quality until there are but a few trees of white pineto be seen towards the head of the rapids and the plains above them, but, on reaching Rouge lake there is some quantity of pine to *efound. Of course, lean only speak of what I si^w ; it ^j >«'H . ! &/1 ^^ 3!( 'Af'-l Itl' ■"^^ ;. —24—. _H was but small the extent of ground I saw compared wit^ what I d^not see. « • ^ The Three Branch nver, the two Nominingnes and Pike creek are good white pine streams. There is no other timber, except the white pine, of mnch value. The spruce above Clyde is ffenerally small. . The soil is generally light allnvial sand along tha banks of the river and back about half a mile on each side. The only clay we saw was a small spot ^^^ the middle farm, at about the twinty-first mile. Th^pil on the bills, especially on the west side of th^|^y#, is a light, clear, warm loam with a tendency tO''M|tdiness. , The land on the east side of the river is more broken with rocky ridges and sandy marshes than the west sido is. The west side from the place of beginaing the survey to the foot of the Great Rapids, a distance of twenty-six milea of northing and a width of five miles, is a good country for settlement ; and I feel great pleasure in recommending it to the Government as a fit place for settlement at the earliest moment that roads can. be opened. into it. * White pine is to be found in the valleys along the cieeks, around the lakes and swampel on the west side of the river. The hard wood which largely prevails in the settling part is in genejral small, being poplar, birch, the bouleau of the voyageur, with considerable tracts of hard maple. i • The probable area of pine timber lands on the Kouge above the line of Clyde stall vacant, I have estimated as follows : forty-five miles of norlhing already done, and I think there is at least a northing of fifteen miles more,, which will make sixty miles, and I have ascertained that there is a width of about ten miles on each aide of the Bouge, then sixty milwHfcy twenty will give twelve hun- dred square miles, thus giving an area sufficient to mak& twenty-five large limits of fifty square miles each. {Duncan Sinclair, 20th, may 1864) (22) EiviR RoyoB Section Departure Section begins at the northern angle of the- township of Giandison, county of Argenteuil, andr extendi to the easterly bruich of the river Kouge. Thisr^ iSfct'tt^Vj-St'iiKV l^iSii l»J&jSlt«^ ^^. ,.ir /t .irf m^t^^' -26- section is the most monntainotis of the whole line and esneciallythe first twelve miles, that is, to the west shore of Lake Chand. The point of commencement lies about six miles north-noith-east of the Trembling mountain, which IS the hiffhest. peak of the range of mountains lying between the^North river and river Bouge. The issues or connectionrof this formation are prolonged (as far as I am informed) towards the north about fifteen to twenty miles and to the westward to the Maeaza lake, which belongs to the most easterly branches of rivers crossed by tny line. The direction of the mountains is in most instances parellel to the river Rouge, and there are only few exceptions going from east to west when constituting the boundaries of lakes, which intersect this section of country. _ From the west side of Lake t baud towards the river •Kouge, the surface of the whole country is gently sloping and elevations of any amount can only be found in placSi near some lakesnorth of LakeChaud w _ The timber in this departure section is mostly mixed hard wood, that is maple, beech, birch and elem on the sides of the mountains and cedar, ash and elm in the lower or moist posts. There are, however, occasionally a few white pines amongst a great deal of balsam. N I entertain only very little hope that, for agricultural purposes, this section will be used, except in the event 01 a road being made to connect the settlement of the township of Rawdon with the excellent and extensive tract of arable land lying in the next section between the rivers Kouge and Lievre. > Rouge Seclion 18, as a whole, level and undulating, no mountains or hills of any consequence, with the excep- tion pf the one constftuting^ the division of the water shed between the tributaries of the Lievre and Rouire ■ nvers. * *;. r-^- Near the west side of river Roug*», two or three deep gullies occur m which creeks are running, but beyond this the TBurface is almost level, with only a f^.w stones or boulders on tlie surface, and the land must be warmer since 1 foahd more ice when advancing into the next ■ection than here. Thesoil varies between heavy and light lo*m of both :^lors, yellow andblack. The extent of this tract of good land 18 the best adapted for agricultural purposes, which r ^il 't -f ^. "i\V^SfS; i found dtiriitg my surrey of one hundred and six milef ^ «nd is e<^nal to the best lands of Upper and Lower - Canada; it if also larger than, perhaps, any one not acquainted \n ith this section of tne province of^uebeo might imagine. It would open a home to a large propoir- tion of those yoting Canadian farmers, who cannot remain -on their father's homesteads, and who at present emigrate to the neighbouirrnff republic, whose institutions are not familiar to thcuii. ,By opening up this section for settle- &■ ment, Canadfi would gain double by it : first ly, by ret ain- ing a popuMtion brought up to farming and used to our customs %ibid ^limate, the very nerve and sinew of any ' country, and. (secondly, by raising the revenue of the ^__1 dountfj'. . ■ ; i : ■ . ■'"----:- ■'-—■'(: The distance betwev^n Rouge and Lidvre is tw^nty- ^ght miles and sixty-six chains ; frpm this deduct al|>oUt thr-e. miles west of Kouge, which leaves about twenty- . five miles. Thence downwards about forty miles and upwards twenty miles, that is, above the ooii/e/itt farm, . and we get an area of one thousand five hundred and fifty miles ; add to this an area of ten miles by seventy miles west of the Lievre or seven hundred sdjuare miles, and we have in all an area of two thousand tv(ro hundred and fifty square miles or one million and a half of acres o^ land well adapted for agricultural purposes. The resident farmers on these places assured mo' that they had not found any difference in^ the time of culti- vating the lands up on the Lievre and on the banks of ' the Ottawa There are from the High Falls up to the line and outside of my calculated area a good many J atretches of fine lands, and although these latter laudfs -; , had been settled, yet for want of roads the settlers have left their places. This fine tract of land which, I have not the sfightest doubt, will some time play a great role in the drama of co!ouization of the province of Quebec, may be approached from three different points. The predominating timber here is the the maple, having in its company birch (black and yellow), balsam, but no beech, as far as I could see; in the swamps, we found cedar, ash and elm ; pine were few and scattered and not in groves as in a regular timber couiitry. This tract of land appears to me to be of an alluvial :^^ limestone oj Silurian outcrops of lime- — 2'7 — «*Mie in aprimitire state. I fonnd theie near the height of land and again on the Lievre at the Cedar Bai>^ below Tapanee. Specimen collected are lost. {W. Wagner, 24thOctober, 186Y) ^Section I embraces (townships of Boyet and T|iffedn) tba country along our projection of the northern outline of the township of Kiamika and along the base line to the intersection of Mr. Leber's transverse line from lac Rond, of the Nominingue waters. It is qualified on the plan as fit for settlements of a scattered nature. Along the lines m this section some lands were passed through of excellent quality for agriculture, soil a rich dark loam, aurtace^eyen enough to be cultivated with a plough: roadaofthemost desirable kind; large maples for thf s northern remon, many a couple of feet In diameter; black 0r yellow birches, three feet through ; an occasional basswood of similar dimensions and tome hemlock. The , two latter woods furnish a valuable indication of the climate with respect to the ripening of wheat. In connec- tion with this, I would mention that I have, in this section, seen a few isolated butternuts of large size and healthy growth. These last are a still more conclusive ®™ence of fitness of climate for grain culture. ThejDfood land is usually on the hills, whilst the IdW grpunds. besides being very swampy in places, give generally a poor sandy subsorl under the surface mosii. in this characteristic of rich soil on the highest hills, the countrv resembles some parts of the Eastern Townships. 1 would consider section one as forming a part of the tract lof habitable country that extends along the valley ot the Nation river, thence northwestward across the Lidvre, and probably out to the Baskatong, and fit to be subdivided into townships and farm lots for the reception of settlers. '^ {Lindsay Russefl, loth January ;870) (28) Townships of Lynch and Nantel " ..■ ; ■ ■ .. ' ■'■'■-- ■ , ■ ' . ' . ■' %'■ ■■:■':■■ After detailing the surveying operations in the two townships, I deem it right to refer to the advantaireB of *^®***. townships from the standpoint of colonization. '■■■..■.■ -.■■■■- ■ -. " *'?. ' - ■ ,/-■■•.■■ A^-^i^ '^W\ . "*• ""' ' 'S^^^W^*ft3^^^^Tff*J^'«'f^ -f '« f"^" ,v In |^i[ieral, the turfsce is hilly, bat nevenheletv presents large level and very advantageous spaces. These townships are susceptible ot settlement nearly all over. The principal moantaiuons ^pots are at ;|;he starting point of the ceutro lino on the north side of lake Ohand, to the range'line between the fourth and fifth ranges of Nantel, a little to the east of the centre line at the north-east comer of Lynch, near the river Bonge. Another favorable spot occurs near lake Ackerson. In general, the valley of the Chaud brook is suited to ■ettlc^inentd^ is also that of the river Macaza. Between the li|||ter stream nnd the Cold brook, there is a Bne tract of hardwok>d bush. *, Lumbering is being carried on i||iis winter in the north east corner of Lynch ; the lumbering roads are njamerous throughout all these townships, which shows that circu- lation is easy in them. I {J. H. Ltdair, 6th February, 189T) ^ ■ «■ ■ ■' ■ '■'"■' '■■■■■ ■■■ ''"^ ' ■ ') The soil is good and generally very suitable for farming; These two townshiper are well timbered and there are: splendid sugar bushes to the! north-easjt of the centre line of Nantel in ranges 1, 2, 3 and 4 and in the township < of Lynch in ranges 8 and 4. As a rule the soil is undul- ating and except .near the lakes, where it Is broken, the portion adjoining the outer line of the township of Lynch, starting from Coldstream in a north-westerly direction as far as range 2 is intersected by deep raines.^? . {LnuU E. Fontaine, 18th May, IBSt) ' (^4> Township OF Mousseaxj "^-^ The soil of the township of Mousseau, although rocky in Bomej;>laces, being composed of yellow sandy loam, is as a rule very well suited fbr cultivation. The timber is everywhere of fine growth. The high plateaux are generally covered With maple, beech, bass-wood,' black irch, etc. In the vfilleyp and low-lying places , are spruce, bliick birchrash, fir and cedar. The latter seemed to me to be v^ plentiful and of superior quality. This v.*, .'^•rjflf -ir-T ' f~'^ ' ' gi^^^¥^i4^m^^'>^^'^ f',, ', «^-x,ij, -»>■ ibwotbip conlaiiis many sngaT bushes : very frcqnenUy, m many places, 1 saw splendid ones from which a consi- derable quantity of sugar con Id be made. There are several water-powers which might be utilized for mills. (T. C. d*^ Lachevroiiere, 9th January, Ij-SO) (26) T0W>8HIP 0* TURGKON The surveyor made no rinmi of his field- »^ township; but these notes show that the soir the ground are better then in the township described uud^ No 2fl. The remarks of thd Lindsajr Russell, on sectioat 1, river Rouge, ;township.\ ;,■;;.■,-,:,>.' j-'^^v ■ notes on this and lay of of Boyer, late Mr. describe thi«r. (2t>) Township of Maroha|ti:; This township is on the whole a very fair agricultural country, the best portion being between the hlad of the long rapid and the bend of the river. The soil is gene- rally very sandy and thoujrh to a stranger it might seem poor, yet the Middle Farm has been worked for k number of years without any manuring and is still goodl A good proof IS that two practical ^mers, W. McGhWre and Vann, whoi^had charge of the Middle and UppW farms for a number of years, are about to take up lots in the township. A large extent of country in thfe north- west part 6f?the township has been so badlyf burnt over that apparently the soil is even destroyed. The lower part of the township does not appear to be very good, more especially east of the range, which looked so broken up by mountains and swamps that it was not considered worth mnuing the rear li|ie at present. The Aouth-west portion of the township seems mountainous but some lots have been taken up and are spoken well of! In the unsurye^fd parta, there seems to be good lands in the central part of the township both east and west but more^ limited in extent in the former. The country is g«Ben|ly well watered and plenty of good timber both >^«rd.and soft is to be found, ^though large distxiots are tbiokty corered/^ith a second growth of poplar. ! i^titm Crawford, 26th Angptt, 18$a) v'^y « '>S % i gw,^ •.a > 5 >,4(^' Thfl portion ofthi* toWnthip which I ttArened offers d fiae field for •ettlement. The momntaine, which are pretty 8t'*ep, especially in the northern section, nerer- tkeless show fine plateanz of arable land on their sum- mits and splendid ralleye between, often of considerable extent, with a rery rich yellow soil free from stones. The section to the sontn of the Chapleaa road, althongh more broken and rocky in many places, still offers a good nnmber of lots which might be profitably worked. The timber is of fine growth. The higher plateanz are ireneraUy coyered with maple, beech, bass-wood and birch, and spmce, cedar, birch, ash and fir are fonnd in the yalleys aad low grounds. Wherever pine occurred, it has been cut off ; only a few trees remain here and there and th^y are of inferior quality. >^^ i^- iJ: il.Jlfar«ii, 1882) I subdivided intd lots this part of the township of Marchand under the name of the north range of the river Macaza and th 3 south bauk of that river. With the exception of some slightly hilly lots, the sur- face is level enough ; soil very sandy ; the prevailing timber is so^t' wood. 1 found several water-powers on this and oth%r rivers, and among others, a splendid one between lots No. 6, called the ^reat Macaza falls. The lots along the river are nearly all raken up by squatters. (i\r. C. itfalAiew, 20th March, 1884) / (27) Township of Lobanobb The litnd, in the first and second ranges of the towpiship oflioranger, is slightly rolling and in general Very well adapted to cultivation. The part of the third, fourth and fifth ranges, south of little lake jN^ominingue, is more broken, without being very mountainous. 'Oie remainder is nearly every ^herWleyel or slightly sloping^ The land/Mong the north outline, except ranges U 2 and 8, is jBmuntainoia and rocky, showing oyer extensiye tracts iUil^ing b^t diy trees iind windfalls^ 'Hiere is finie 'hind along we west outline 'from the uorth-w'cst angto to m£ My lake: The strnth'sid^'-bl this lakei however, itiitlow lQr<8bc# trwo milM. The soil of this rn ahi p I s gener al ly a good yell^aw l oa m, u s ually free u. ' '. ^M!& \»- . **' ij*."'''"' H r *^i.*>^^*'.**°*P^ ***•' **** ^•'fif* '*^** •i*^ »ome placet ■6tithofhttle lake NominingQe, whieh are rocky. Th« meYailing timber is spruce, fir, cedar, and biiteh ; on tk» higher grounds, maple and other hardwoods predominate. The pine, which seems to have been pretty common ia' certain places, has nearly all disappeared under the lumberer's axe, and what remains is of inferior quality. (/. A. MoftiH, 28rd August, 1881) I io jnd in this place aspl^did valley extendingthrough the fifth, sixth and seventh ranges for a mfle and a »lf to two miles on each sid« of the centre line and almost without undulations. The remainder of the township, Hhough more uneven and rocky, offers nevertheless a very nch soil, covered with a splendid forest, in which har*/ wood predominates ; I noticed in several, places magni^ ficent maple groves, yrhich seem to be profitably work ".for sugar. ■,'. \ , 1, 7 ^(^) ToWNftHIP OP MONTIONY \ this^township is situated at an equal distau*^ from tli rivers Rouge and Li6vre. ■ , The land in the township of Montigny \A in general broken and rocky, without, however, bein^ unfitted for tillage? except a portion to the south orthe Chapleau road, towards the centre of the township and the /ortion north o^the Chapleau road on ranges 5 and 6, which are intersected by gorges and precipitous r^ks. The/parts in which the best land occurs ttf^ in niuges 1, 2, 8, and 4 north and south of the ChapleaU road and ranges V, 8 and 9 north of the Chapleau road. All the southern part of the township IS arable from the Lesage grand line to about 2 miles to the northward and the best way to settle this part would be bypassing through the township of Lesago. in general, the soil of this township is composed of a good yellqw or gray earth. " • ' *», 'pie prevailing woods are sprtice; cedar, liiad 4eml0cfc ."^«o» ta« ««ignts, maple, birch and beech. * There are some very tine sugaries. There is hardly any merchantable timber left, except in the north-western part of t h e town s hip . — — . ; • — v;:. :. (P.il.XM«ery, 18thJiinS, fUi^' 4ivi.*'J /,i -m < |t«it -fSA- n-hrm^tUff^-^B^^^- The Iftnd thronffh the townahip is generally roIHug «nd in plaoee rather roagh and hilly, bat tiSere are no hi^h mountains nor deep valleys^nd the soil u generally a noh loam, but nufortunately too rocky i^n most parts to offer much indnoement to settlers. It as wooded with different kinds of timber, biroh in partioi^p^ being very large. There are also some very fine sngi^p^on the sides of the hills. There is verv little pine reQiaiuing and a ffreat part of the spruce has been carried awl&y also, but there is atill a large quantity remaining There are some fine bass-wood trees to be met with and also elm along ihe streams, with celar and fir in the low lands. — ' I rather think it is a pity to See such fine timber being cut down and burnt to clear npl^ph rocky land. Ima- gine bush that would yield from fQlrjiy to eighty cords of wood to the acre, that would sell in most of our towns and cities throuj^h the province, for from three to six dollars a cord, being cut down aud bnr^ to.olear land that would not sell for as much p<^racre, aHor two or. three crops had been taken off it, as one cord of the wood would be worth in any of our cities. Gould not some way be found of presi^rving this fine wood and timber until some cheaper ineans be had of transporting it to market. One has only to drive along the Chapleau road from Labelle, or lake Kominingue to the Lievre, to see as fine birch as can be had anywhere, that woula square froqi one to two feet. {John H. SvlUvam, 9th June 1898) , Demontigny is generally rocky and broken throughout. There are no very nigh mountains, but, part of it is cut up with crags and hog-holes utterly untillable. In other places, although rocky, the soil is good and the boulders aeem, only on the surface, large and scattered, leaving j^ood tinable portions between. ^ Thwe is p^enerally a good growth of timber, chiefly flpmce of fair size and quality, with some g^d birch, maple, birch and l>a38wood, and some scattering pine. uiS^V ^■■.'::AK (BempaauUivai^ 12th Deoember, IdST) ^ {'•■■ E.^^5i4^y^^ori:iff>^ ^\ / |»*j4^ ' *f*»y* (29) ToWNStflP OF BOTIR / , Th«.oilit of the b«it qnality fb^lWrminjr pnrpowfc S? the rarfape le r«ther mouatainoua ia certwn plaoei. The forest growth chiefly cousists of nipple, which ooy«rt more than one half of the township. There is also a fair . growth of spruce. (L. P. De Courval, 29th October, 189T) ' (80) KlAklKA HlVEB / The rirer Kiamika. its larjrer tributary creeks, and the headwaters of the Nation river afford abundant water power for mills and other factories near almost any point that thet mVb§ required, I may particularize tte two fall* below Big Bark lake, river Kiamika, as excellent mill-sites, any of them beinff capable of driving half a »a™'J';ri 'iif' '•'7 —y ••«- <••">« bSefitfr^m tjieir conragfous labors and open up new landu AnA ^^-I lands mean new blood, new JopnlaS : ^°^ ^"^ . - ' • • (^.21 G'tfuw/, 22nd April, 1889) ' " (82) TOWNSHIPS OF DUDLEY AND KIAMUU AuZtT V ^"}>''<=^ M the fitth range in Kiamika «nd cUvfaid* O?' i° ^'''■^*'' ""^'"y' 'here i« ^nriderable - oj .. P"*""*' ® 0.60 4W.00 . . vegetables worth 50 00 - ^ jcaiia : Andp.rt«r.g*forfiftyh.,.e.^d^S« 2MM^ . 'r •"^t -♦«6«0:00^ iH j}-^ / . W'a erch, bass, pickerel and chub, a soft watery fish averaging from four to six pounds in weiffht, ,troUt predominating in the lakes, in fact, monopolizing the most of them, and chub predominating in the rivers. As far as I went in Kiamika to the fifth range, and all except the soiith- western portion of Dnddley as far as surveyed, the surface.of the land, is generally fr«^e from, large or abrupt hills. In the south-Westeru portion, the township of i/uddley is hilly, but not so much so as to render any considerable portion of ihe land unfit for -cultivation. 4 * {Samuel Allen, 1S6i) (83) Township of Eiamika / From the ceiitre line to the northern boundary of this township, the lots on each .side of this line are in general verv rough and rocky, but very rich in mixed timber, such as hemlock, elm, spruce, ash, cedar, bass-wood, pine, birch, fir and maple. The soil is good. The lota starting from the centre line and running direct south &xp very rough and rocky. On each side of said line, the prevail- inff timber is soft wood : soil flfood. / The lota situated on both sides of the river Kiamika are first cbasaa regards the quality of the soil and timber The j;>sevailinff wood is ash, elm and maple, and the lots iffdneai^yalMevel. Mr. DiifoTt, of Montreal, has lately f!Lu<.^^...i'is.. ^':>,vi!k4^fe^ bnilt a jjaw and grist mill on the fine wate^poweron lots numbew 18 and 14. This mill will, doubtless, be a great help to settlement. » »»''•». (N:C. Mathieu, 1888) (84) Township of OiMPBiftiL ^ Having completed the survey in the ^ownship of Kobertson. I ran de centre line of Campbell through the hret and second ranges ; also these ranges as shown on the accompanying plan and the upper and the lower outlines from these range lines west to the river du • The character of ^he country, soil and timber is very similar to that of Robertson, the part along the upper township line being exceptionally .fine; th| soil vanes irom a nch clay to a mellow sandy loam with a^enerally The only hills met #ith are on the centre line near the nver and another near the lake at the rear of second ranire line. The country along the point of range two.of the long narrow lake intersected bv it, is low and somewhat swampy, and along the other lines generally undulatiuir. This township 18 a very line one, and is rapidly filljlnlr up with settlers. ^ ^" (E. J. Rainbofh, 26th January, 1886) v ^Almost the whole of the land which I surveyed, with the exception of some mountainous parts on the borders /*M**^*^.^° 3- >^ of good quality and very suitable for cultivation, the portion of ranges 8 and 4 from lot 88 northwards, especially, is first class, the land sli«rhtlv Tm4ttlating, covered with a forest of hardwood composed of birch; maple and bass-wood; cedar and balsam are lound in the low grounds, but not enough to be unfit for cultivation. 1 "^^l^J^t** P*'* of ranges 2 and 8 is generally good land, but there are low plaoes on lots 22, il and 20;where the timber is balsam and black and red spruce; apart from these the rest raay^ be considered of first and second ?1 S^' o ru* -^^^ ^f not very rocky ; on thfe borders of lake No. 8, there is also some good land ; and certainly when civilization shall have reached these parts Ifhe - t^ ^ ifc i y : ,^.i-fii^iiiiX ter^^ '»„T*^^^5r*f*'i r — 88 — portions now coiisidered of no Value will be looked apon .M fit for oQltiration, for the mountains are not so steep ^at they cannot be tilled, and few rocks are to b^ seen. North of this lake, there \^re some low lands tii^bered with ash, cedar, bass-wood and birch ; theso plaii^s are certainly of first quality. ^ The merchantable timber in this portion coniprises hemlock, cedar, bass-wood and birch ; there is but; little spruce or pine. {P. IS:A. Pelt-^r, im) This survey consisted of the running of the centre line and the front of rauges three and four north-west river Kiamika, also the completion of the^northern outlin*, the thelatter forming the southern outline of the township of Wurtele. ■ There are a number of settlers in this township, but they ase confined to the older subdivision along the rivers du.Lievre and Kiamika. ^ The portion included in my subdivision is fairly good, the soil being a sandy loam, and the timber principally spruce, balsam, jtamarac, beech and birch. The country is generally level and good for farming purposes. {E. J. Rainboth, I5th March, \ 900) (86) Township of Wurtele This is a Very fine township, level count%, first-class •^tody loam soil, covered with a growth of good mixed timber And evei:r^way suitab.. for settlement. Thereis no pinMimberof any merchaatable value in mis township and the only water-pow^^r U at the Turtle Rapidr on the river front, near the south-oast corner. The country above this township still continues good and well-adapted for settlement. ' °-' , ' {E. J. Rainboth, 25tli kpTil,\SS1) IP (86) Township of Hobeau , . '^^® ^^^^ ^^ ***" township is generally level, though higher than in the township of Gravel, the banks of the river being higher on this side than on the other. The ■,' ,. -r !-.,!fa< ^ftiit^.SHM^'i^;^ ^S k'^l^BBi^..-?.lj«tX^ Y'**-' * ' ( _J^.««S'--,e-v t ■ it-ie^Ri! I may be classified as in the township of Gratel. There is however more black birch and it is much more remark- able as reffards size and finality : while running the lines 1 was obliged to have some cut down that were over ttowty mches in diameter and perfectly sound. ^ There are also large areas of arable land in the neigh- borhood of these two townships, especially on the north west side of Gravel, where^the good land stretches as far as ihe waters of the Gatineau river, where I passed while returning from my survey. (/^tt/ 5r a Z>i«w(^, SrdJiily 1889) >^ • (S*r) Upper Lievbe From «Cheval Blanc" to the Forks the land in the neighbourhood of the river is level and the soil irood. €«.yeral farms are met with whete grain and fodder are raised for the lumberine establishments. The banks of thenver are low and the current pretty strong, broken by an occasional rapid The growth of timber is spruce, fi^birch. pme, elm, cedar and ash. ^ From the Forks, I ran a line due south-east to intersect the exploratory line between rivers du Lievre and St. Maunce. This line passes over a rough, broken and mountainous country, where are found many sm^ll lakes and streams; the land is poor and in taany places rocky : the growth is fir, spruce, birch, bouleau; cedar, maple, tamarac an^ pine the last being abundant in th^ neighl bourhood of the Forks for the first two and three miles, but diminishes in quantity to the twelfth mile, beyond ;which no more IS seen. About the middle of the eighth mile, the line inter*ects a winter road which had iust been opened between Tapanee Farm and the lumbering camps situated from 14 to 22 miles above the Forks on the east pranch. Having completed this line, we returned to the Forks and scaled the east branch on the ice to the outlet of lake Nemicachmgue. thence we continued the soalinir by a «mall nver and chain of lakes across to the West branch ■# €• I, s^Ha! '■i-fJ&V^iX u I •, \ I .a; £».;- PV' : ; ' ' ■ ■ • , wbioh we. also scaled from the Forks to its source togei- ther also^with the north-west secondary branch whivib flows into the east branch 26 inires above the Forks. All these branches are rapid and pass through many, lakes, some oC them of considerable extent. The aspect of the country is the same throughout, viz. hilly, and in many places mountainous and rocky, the soil is poor and the growth is fir, spruce, cypress, bouleau, aspen, tamarac and pine. The last is abundant at the Fotks and for '21^ miles above, along the east branch ; beyond that it dimi* nishes in quantity rerjr rapidly and the quality is very inferior. Alonff the w»^st branch it is also plentiful in some places and is found in gradually diminishing quan- tities as far as the head of lake Mejomangeos.^eyond. wluch no more is seen. {John Bignell, 22nd^ugU8t^ 1874) (38) Township of Wabassee I beg to make a few remarks concerning the topogra* phical features of this/township as far as they have com& to my cognizance. Besides the liver du Lie vre, there are f6ur water courses virhich traverse the township in a southern and southeastern direction ; the most sduthern - of them is Qatineanv^eek, which takes its rise on the height of land between the rivers a- atineau and du Lievre, near the centre line jof the said tcwnship of Wabasse west, lavera^ng about sixty* links in breadth. It traverses in its lower course an almost level country of sandy and loamy soil. It has a good 'mill.site at the con- fluence with lake des t^ables. The second water course, is that of Bobish creek, which empties into the river du Lievjre, half a mile above Bobish creek rapids The upper course of said creek is yery rapid, forming cascades and sets of rapids in close succession. It rises on tHe height of land bet.ween fhe waters of the Gatineau and du LielFre, where it forms two lakes of considerable extent ; it averages in breadth fifty links Near the ihouth, it fonhs 8 viJley with marshy bottom. The third water course IB that of Carp preek which takes its rise in the - township of BoutMllifer, near the south outline. It druns a considerable extentr'o|coi|ntiy, which is comparatively level and contains good clay soil ; it avej^ages about fifty i- >^- «-*'i*' y .' :■•■ ■■■■ ■• '•: ■ •■'-. <■ ■■•,.■. -■■..:• :■: ' .• ■ ' .; . Unks in bi\ adth, and has a good mill rite near it* ooii. fltience with the nver dn Lidvre. . The largest and most yorthern water course fs tliat of Pearce's creek which B l?v "86 ^^e*' the north outline of the township of Bouthillier, about twenty-two miles from its confluence with the said river du Lievre. About a mile from its mouth It forms a basin of considerable extent, commonly called lake des Camps, which is nearly five hundrtd ^cres large. The average breadth of said creek, above lake des C amps, is about one chain and below it two chains. It traverses nearly the whole length of its course a level country well adapted for agricultural purposes. Around the western portion of said lake des Camps and on both banks of the creek below the lake, 'he country ^s all taken i^p by settlers, who grow- a considerable quantity of grain and hay. Concerning the river du LiSvre, 1 beg to .state that its course is throughout very J??'p*i? K'*'Tf''.;?*T''P'^? ^y sets of rapids of whict the Bobish, Devil's, Long, Lambert> and Grenier rapids ure the most prominent ones. The country on both batiks • of the river is undulating, almost level^now arid then intersected by narrow ridges, while the morintain chaiiii >S ^^tenor shoal towards the river. ■ The land, along its western and northern shores from late des bales to the upper Lacoon consists of irood tarming land and is capable of accommoding a number of settlers with ^ood farm sites. The country intersected by the line between the second and third ranges of the western portion of thie township as fas as surveyed is level and consists of sand and clay. The line between the first and second ranges of said Western portion passes^ • through a country which is much cut up by mountain chains, running in a north-western direction ; and about two thirds of the^lanij is unfit for the rising of grain, but would afford good pasturage. ^ The northern portion of ihe township is more adapted ' to farming purposes, on account of its less mountainoui riature. The soil consist of clay and loam and is more accejBsible from the river du Lievre, Of valuable timber, such as pine, and tamarac, none is. left jxen the banks of the river, but west of lake des IJamps. in the western and northern portion of the township, 6oino of it is .to be met with,.not to sav of th» 4' 1«7 »<»f >l; *\ V /. T^.', * !I%. 7^ saoh as woitld realize;* fair prioe when brought to market . .'^■^ ^ ■ .'* (i2. Ramicher, 26th Febmary, 1867) (89) Township of Bouthiluxb The lanjd in the tohinship of Boi^^hillier. fronting on the river da Lierrc. is well suited for agricultnralpnr. posjs ; more ttian one third of said lots are .Iready occu-/ pied by the In nabering establishments of Messrs. James/ McLaren & Co and Thompson & Co, who have large *»f"?8»? an excellent state of cultivation theredn ; said ' establishments afford a convenient and ];)rofitable market" for the sale of the surplus produce of the settlers who reside m the vicinity of the lumbering operations. I V lhebanksof5thf?riTer are for tlye most part level and tli« soil IS fertile, b.'ingcomposedof clay and sandy loam Which are easily cultivated ; the timber is chiefly hard wood, co^sistingof ash, birch, beech, maple. Pine timber does not appear to be in abundance, neither iUt of good , q jality, although saW^Qgs chantiers belonging to Messrs. . inompson & Co. are in active operation . within the township this winter.. There- are nuaierouS beaver meadows which produce a large quantity of wild hay. liiere are also numerons creeks and lakes which abound in excellent fi«h that are taken in large numbers bv the. Indians and settlers. / -'■p ':j- {James McArtli^, February, 1866) * > "■ . .- ■■ ■. ' / '■..... ^ (40) Township of BoBE^TsoN The physical features of the country are similar up as far as tiie upper Lacos or Lagunes Superieuri, where the .northern limit of the Laurentides appear to have been leached, as they gradually slope away and flatten out to a oomparativelv level cpuntry about the Wabassee rapid. ' f'®"**^^^ point up, the further one; ascends, the more level the country becomes, thcsoil also improving in qua. ' hty. the river banks varying from a clay loam to a sandy loam, and as indicating the fertility and richness of the IStt " **T^ ^ * dense growth of soft maple, elm. ash* \ . '\ L'^ (^'ff " "**, ''; , ■*' , ^'•i^r !''•' ^wlwj . / ' \jrrJi®""' "^H,^'^*' ^*^« •» extensive fchn st^. Wibawee and Mmsts McLaren^ Co a vejV^tJJJ.W. of the Chaplfcji road with the river; Sdled the '^-Ferme Eonge," on which, the foreman infomed me thev raS of UTnST *®^^ ^"""^ ^^^'»*^' seTe?arLndTedT^ of hay and aho a quantity of Indian com, which ribew le^'tov^t^J^^'l *"^ ^^^^^ they ciiCteX?; |Sn glowTnV ■-'"'"" B^-nmer frosts. to injn^ niffir*]? aL^thl^^ ** 1-' ^«^^V«^«i«e of Robertson, run- oi ranges j, 8 and 4. Ihe conntry alonir this ontlinB i« gent y nndulating. with a fine growth of brch elm wh maple, basswood spruce, balsam and a few pinisThi^oil bemga^good'sandy loam with a mixtur^ %^f blay W along the s reams. Lake des lies isinteresected m thU Ijaaiidwy m the Si^^^^r^^^ country ^^und^S^ this lake appear* to be rery fine, being le Jl, wiih a giS§ After completing the front of the 4th ranire across th « lZ^wrh^if\i^'*^l'*?''y is generally nndalating. with %^owth of spruce, balsam and miiod hard wood the soU beingasan y loam, with a few flats of s wrmrian . . ' '■'■ ■■■.. ,• ■' . . /;;.'■;, A good road conld be buiU ftcross throHgh this townsKib. for a trifling cost, rto connect with the waggon roads leading to the Pesert village and the Priests' Mflls on the Joseph creek. There are a few settlers in this township. They are alto settling further up along the river than my survey extended and their report of that part of the country ia most favorable. . .^ " / There is a fine mill site.at rorignal.dhute, also another at the Turtle rapid. The tract of country in this vicinity, comprising thia and the adjoining township, is one of the finest in the couutrv and is destined to become at no distant date, a. . ^large thriving settlement. (E. T.Rainboth, 25th January, W6) (41) TowNSHii* Op PopB This is a very fine township, level country, first clida sandy loam, soil covered with a growth of good mixed timber and very suitable for settlement. The finest farm on the river is situated iu the north-east cdrner of tttis township, being Messrs. Jas. McLaren & Cp's mountain farm, on which thev have about four hundred acres under cultivation. The hevil's mountains commence in the northern part of this township about five miles back from the river and run in a northerlv direction as far as the eye can see. The fine tract of country of which thia township forms part will not be settled properly or rapidly until there is a colonization road built either up the river dn Lievre or from the the Cxatineau roads. There is no pine timber of any merchantable value in this township, and the onlv watW-power is at the turtle inu>id8, on the river front near the south-east corner. The country above this township still continues good and well adapted for settlements. {P- Griffin, Hih February, 1881) ^TMs survey consisted of running the centre line through ranges 8 and 4, and the lines forming the front of Jhe ranges 4 and 6 throughout tlie fuU width of the towncihtp, 8l$o the outline across the north: end of ratigea WWm but [ The country 18 rathej hilly and slony in places, the soil IB a very rich loam, the southern half Uinjr l!fi!ii fk ^® northerii and Continues so westwai'd? towards^the rear and is similar in character and quality to the adjoiningr towuship of Robertson. ^ thtlTr^}^''^T^r^h ^'f "^^PJ^. l>i'ch and spruce *»xtends throughout, and the front of the towiiship is all settled and vrell cleared ; a good road is being constructed up •long the r^ver to the township of arave! ' ^ ♦K J.f'^ *r ?^'* a"d saw-mills at the chute Orignal, in the wver duXievre, about two akd a half miles below th« southeast corner of this townshiiSv ^"e» »><^^aw the <^ (^ JRainboth, -2nd March, 1900) ' ^ C^ (42) Township of Gravel jl^tJr^n*' ^^'S^^}y undulating, consisting of sandy grey and yellow soil with a subsoil of clay,1>einff Tst class^for farmma purposes. Hard wood trees. "Lhw black birch, mapFe, ash, elm. beech and poplar, predom^ fnUrl^'^^ '.^•"""' ^^^''' fi' »°^ tamarac «e also fon^d in large quanJities and of good dimensions. ."-?^° {PauiT. CDumai$, Brd July, ySS9y^ n^^^r^""^ consisted ot the running of said range ^S^^^^"^ r^ the western outline across tSS fri^ r%® three from the northern outline of the :tM?hV^'*'V'' *"1 *^^ rechaiuing of the^amntylh^ du^rSTS??" ''•' think, superior to any on the river du Ud vr^, for farming purposes, the conntkoiemir level with a light mixed bush, easily clearecK^Jricrmel W loam vanring from sandy to clay^HhehS?tZT ^^^^ ""^"S^S:'' ^''^ e^taksled Lm the ri verb.ck even beyond the part now subdivided. "^«' *>^c«. H^ ^ ^nboth, 22n4 Maroh, 1900> 1^ :i^^ .T^ieian^ ei»J^ surver^ia iwm««U* i^ai «o,g^ iUKco v er y m^ch L four ^^^t^rH^^^A ^ , M: . ■> j-*^' :;''|: •»-■ ■ ; ib a light loam, occasional! v aandy. and .tony on the ridirM ' ;fc!H!;l*\'T^*'****^^,^"^?ed from the irrowthof the timber. Balsam and whfte Birch are to hfmit •» hnffin" '^^f ?^'*P/ *t«'« «« -0"e spruce and tamlr^^ but 00 small for lumbering purposes^ Cedar gro.Ji tTa ffiHonVtSer'^'^^'^^ a few groves of KV/I.; ihf^^^ three hundred acres of land are cultivated on the river lots of range seventh. The lands «>e err«ll«nf crops 01 hay. oats ahd especiallv roots ;soLf good ^h^^^^^ «j;lT° ^•f «ut is not muct cultivated oW t^ the nearest grist mill being twenty.five miles distllS* ^ f/. E. Wood*, 18th March, 1887) ; V (44) Township of Sicotte Tfaibir B„t tfci ''yP»^« 9} primary' forma.ion. Tre snip IS divided into a succession of hard wood riZ^. lis- p^^iS^-SS . mmilumtedsjipply of water-power • •« »n«y,«R>n« .«itrt^w„*'!!>?'" •' tK riTer i. not very weU ^ 5-1:*"' ■''*f. . :'"■■■■;■■ — « — , light .ndwndy, the priTMling timber whit, kinh ~* .nd white Diae. ~d.r, b.l..£ .nd timZr«k. lu thif portion of the towtaihip of Sicotte iTinBTeit of tl,« {..!l S.W^l.'V'"}"'"?^"'"' '"f""" Wlfty7?UhonBh5ri: All thut portion oflthe township lyinir eaat of th« ha.- line ,8 remarkably will suited for^ettlemeS the so^l! w<:d"'Vz"Yil^'°r°-^ *'^ **?^«' iB priL'ipalV bird idonallt wkh K^l ^2' "2"^°«d. &e.. intermixed o^!f' ?^*«; P'^*r.*P"ng\and fall w|?arhave beeS cultivated in the above menViouned townshiDs witS^ Zm^ ^1'^^?°-' made froii the latter Ts'^ta^.V^^S .quality The soil is also appareWtlv will adftnfpri St Vu sncMj^ssfull cultiyation of fla?, aifd &Se c?n b^^^^^^^ m sufficient qiiantities for all r^uiredi^rposes ; . ' (James JUcAr « <•■■■,■ (45) Township o iur, 10th July, 1869)^ 'AUMONti' J:it /■ ^* '' ^S^'! ^^^^.,^?th8.tE^ remamiBg fou r tenth* Bred with ' f hit* .tt.11^.;^ "_ii /^! f#W# •#?.'?"»'' ■{ . '.T/ ^f'fS'^TO't'''^^ ' *' '•' \ '\- «nd hftrd wood growing thereon of tmaller 8iz« than on tHe «ixth and teTenth ranges. Tront or Qoinn's lake and the Castor lake abound in excellent fieh, (E.Maj^iUh, 2lat April 1%U) , ■.- .'; ■■■■'■•' ' s ■ ■ . . ■' ■'.■■'■ '-■'{— (4>)TOWN8mP OP KBN-IIVOTON I further beg leave to report that the soil of this town- ahip is generaUy of a very good quality and well adapted for the purposes of agriculture, and in certain parts the soil is, in fact, of a very superior quality, more espe- cially towards the southern extremity of the township and in the immediate vicinity of Greves lake. The Messri. Gilmour & Co. occupy a verjr large farm in the fifth range, comprising a portion of six lots as represented on my plan of the survey. The improvements which they have made on it consist of about one hundred and fifty acres in a good state of cultivation, a large barn and sta- ble9. and a good hoiise iu (ourse of erection. The township is accessible by several tolerably good roads : besides, there ara several chantier roads through the portion which I have surveyed^ which could verV/ eysily be rendered passable ; this will no doubt be 4 •light inducement for settlers to establish themselves there. It is also generally of a level nature an4» as my accompanving plan will indicate, well watered bv several beautiful lakes and their small tributary streams. ^Inconclusioii, I be^ leave to state that the front or part of the township which has been surveyed for some time past is well settled, and I have no doubt that as soon as some other portion of the township has been surveyed, a new settlement will rapidlv spring up for I believe tnat its heretofore nnsurveyed state has been the only obstacle to its settlement. (Jamti Rmmy, 26th J^uary , 1866) I (4t) Township op MAKiWAkt . \ ^ I commenced to run the line 'mti duiisMtt H P Pi^TCp' f ■•^Vf. '?'(ji,fm-^W I'l > . 'S^T^fP ' . ' , •I't '?'*' " , >% • , » « * '' - ' ^^ , ' ' ^ ( » f,. ^40 — « ,(> tT ' I^^^vi'^ ?*l4***® <^°»*7 «»PWgn. Hero are to b# found flourighinff nearly all varieties of Canadian timber whiohmay be clfeMified in the order of their prepooder- anca as follows : balsam, sprace birch, maple, bass^ood elm, ash. oak, famarac. white birch, pot>lar, pine and*^ cedcy; hemlock is rarely found and only in barren sitaa- tions, dwarfish and stunted. There is very little pine eicept adjacent to the river Gatinean, and that of an inferior order^ all the ^ood anality being already mann- mctnred. The surface is for the most part levelor sliffbtly nndulatinjBr, without any ranges of mountains, and, with the exception of one sinstance, east of Balsam lake, the hillocks lobe met with are mere undulations. The soil on both sides of the river Desert is chiefly clay mmany places covered with loam. In theinterior,between the Gatineau and Desert rivers, it is a mixture of clay and gravel, and therefore the most available for tho lUdiffent settler. Along the Gatineatt, there are consi* derable tracts of rich alluvial' deposits. Limestone is frequently met with along the rivers Gatineau an d^ ^sert, I think it is not the crystalline, but rather belonira to the class called primozoic^l^r:^"^ • The western section comprises that portion west of the river Desert. Along the river Desert, varying from one half to two miles, the land partakes of the character of the_east^side and is equally well flt for settlement ; west- ward, the surface is mon broken and the land inferior culminating in barrenness towards the county line and south of the base line along the Ea^le river ranges. Thia portion has but a fe mr limited patches of good land Th*> good land on the north of the base line ia more frequent and of weater extent, and though, in many peaces, bugged and^ rocky, it contains a considerable portion of good land. The soil in this portion consists chiefly of gravel and sand,^ the surfooe is broken and rocky, irregular hillocks alternatinflr with marshes and lakes. Taken aa a whole, the township is well adapted for settli*ment at least as far back as the eighth range. From the^continued and almost unvarying ateriliiy of *x /!S**^%i^^"®*^*P'^^*»<^P»*'«"«d to desist from ;|t^ further »||b^vision:^ ■ifsft. — 51 -* (il>)'TdWHgHl^ OF Lttvoit WiA x«spe6t to the physical characteristicB of LTtidiL I Iwg leave to state that the land ii of very good qualltif «nd extiemelv level; there are very few elevatu^ns of jpyconiiderable extent; at least ninety five per oent.df 4he whole IS arable and fit for cultivation. There is a continnal succession of hard wood ridges, with balsam, cedar and tamarac swamps intervening; the soil on the hard wd ndges is excellent, but in the swamps it is light and sandjr. There U not much white and red pine m the township ; occasionally, small groves are to be met with of largfe growth and of apparently good quaUty. but not in sufficient quantity to induce extensive lum- bering operations _ There are no settlers in Lytton, nor is ^S^ anvprobabihty of its being settled sooi, as it is so diAcuit of access at all seasons of the year. In no other part of the Ottawa country is there so large airjct of really good and fertile land as in the townships of Maniwaki.^bgan, Aumond, Sicotto, and Lytton, but in order to render said land available, it is absolutely necessary that roads should be immediately constructed •or laid out throughout said townships. {Jamet McArthur, 21st June, 1862) (60) UPPER aATINEAU ^ 4 FboiC RiVEB DSSEBT TO HsiOHT OF LkJUO The estimated height above the sea-level of the »atiueau at river Desert, about one hundred miles due north from Ottawa city, is 369 feet. At this point and for six miles fiirther up the Oatineau, the soil is a sahdv loam, thejsenenil level of the country bein^from twelte to thirty feet above the river, although rocky hills of a hundred mt are seen occasionally. Along the distance a considdrable quantity of land was under cultivation with oats, barley pew. and spring and fall-wheat. SeverAl fields of the last looked healthy, and covered the ground well on the 26th of September. I was informed that the yield IS from twenty-five to thirty bushels to fhe actk rotatoetf appear to yield well and were found to be of ^excellentquaUty. Above this there are no settlements, an4 / t-HS Hi- ^e only caltivation is on thii iumiMtt Inmbering estftbui . lithmentt. One of these is Islaiid Farm, belonirinff td MeMTS. ailmonr & Oo. ; the next and highest nnbelonn to Messrs. Hamilton Bros. Here I was famished with the following facts hj Mr. Grant, the superintendent: The clearing is about 400 acres in • extent, producing 14W tons of hay, 8,600 bushels of oats, 200 bushels of peas. 50 bushels of buckwheat, 1,800 bushels of potatoes. With barley, turnips and mangold- wurtxel, the quantities of which I did not a«icertain. There are three other farms m the neighborhood, collectireiy of 860 acres, producinir 180 tons of hay, 8,000 .bushels ofjoats, 100 bushels of peas| and 1,400 bushels of potatoes. I am not aware whether wheat has been grown. These farms are chiefly for pro- viding food for the horses and oxen used for drawing the .lumber in winter. ' . It appedrs to me that the above facta indicate that the country is well adapted for settlement. The soil is very similar to that of the river Deseit, a sandy loam, and, as far as observed, it is very much the same for a distance of over fifty miles along the Gatineau from the mouth of the Desert; The banlEs of the former river are from . twenty to fifty feet hi^h. Rocky hills from 100 to 160 feet high sometimes rise from them, but are ofkener at some distance back. Besides the great quantities of pine, which this district is known to produce, it also contains spruce, balsam-fir, some black birch, as well as consider- able areas of white birch, with occasionally white and brown ash. Curiously enough, where maple is met with ^ " w >n proves on the most elevated points, ' The nver, excepting at the portages, is generally lake- . like, and from 100 yards to not less than half a mile wide There are m all ten portages, varying in length from tottyyards to about one mile. The total^ rise from the rK^tff^^o?*?' u'"'''^!?"'" '" ^1^ ^««*' making the latter , about 512 feet above the sea Prom HamiltonV farm to \ tne^ju^otion of the' north-east and southeast branches, a distance of about forty miles, the aspect of the country remains the wme, except that pine timber graduallv becomes smaller and more rare. There is reason to beUeve that, for a great portion of these forty miles, the forest was burnt seventy or eighty years ago, and its pla^e is now occupied by a second growth of white birch. Pines • are see^ overtopping them ; iri many places these ,are ->■■-■ \ !«"!?aa.i'' •>■ It' . I , *: ■'^^i*.^; • . i , :«>«» April, 1870) Creek, the BivwDL^rt w?i:i!^ **! J""*"**^ <*^ ^^« Qaiim% 'tb^^tSSr^^Sr^^ A «t "if*- Desert b^ ^d.«ao.,p,,ce,tone.«y;^ •opposite the moB^h of the f^nacS R^^^^ ttland about 200 acres inV-f *iver there is a large which be rdsls LvTn Sv?„5^ *^"* f S^'«« <^l«"«d, on A aplendiiig^enf th« u£^*°?*^^^ from thiaisfaTd It is^l^^^^^^^^ bad ^^hMtdwood g^rl^thT^rl '^^P'"^?. «>»»»try with -TOleaa perhaps ^ m^l**f ^" «»^W to settlers through «»mpar»tivelvwS? T^®',x?®'^« smoothly stnddSd^hereS^heJJUSkl^'S'* with steep bankj cewrioir of sm^hi~,'^,2S? ^^^^P***® »»d/ then, a sue- of «liout thSe m^iT bS2n^t/?"ir ^r * ^•*"»^ ' Tomasine. orniging ns to the foot of Lake ■V » 'A ,^' iT^^ms^^^^^ym^' ^ ^• y ^ ^v:-' ■■/"iv"-^--: ^^^ '.■■J-:-:' V ^e differonce oflerel betW^ ^ ^^|«« >n length aiidirom>^ ?; ^tonj tlw Wer end the land iq gentiy Tolliwff^ • ^motintainX)n the east side and at the norih end tS tlx^U^^^"^^ mon^tainons FoUoiH^ing ^^^^v^r . which fajls into Lake Tomasimj about f Sf a mTle Som^ ts upper end, the discharge of Uatfish lake^ihS in ftSS tl^ south-west at aboui ^ee- mil«i.4;«n^*^ TJ^dfaft J-ake is^j^iarg^ ii^^rtihiWy iihi^ of ^^5, -"^^OT^J^jbc^^^Teii i^Ies^i^hrSLoT^to. ^}S%Yir n-' ^T'^me body bf water measurini^ whh «W V? ?^ ^?»^t»>y from o4^tp four in"X^, ':k^^^J^tS'^^^^'^^ ^olfUkea. around tS! W-^ **^* *i* ^'^P^'y «^«w ^w acre inviting. * J^nicSf ^l»?^y )»f4mlating in easy slopesairiSuAd »nd.judmng^by the ijch growth of miwd i|5heron every valion. ^"^ '•^/*^** the soil Is weU wortiy 6f 09! tJ A squatter nam^ DescQursi his kcfearance of several, acrps at the h)weWend4)fthe lake with a w^^bTn aid root how, etc. rie has been living there wverSv^. »«?!I*i*^^™?^*x?^ my arrangements for winter supplies j^'Z^'^^^^'^'^^i^^^^^ returned by "hJ Ipwe and completed the survey of Ufces Bias Coui Kajwrna, and ot^^ iJ+t''^?*'^ •^*^»^1Hl^"*«iiiSeae*a11y^i|diilati«tf and the soil w apparently th^ fffiSity, if /ot t^oo stronl The hills are oovewd with a good growth of hard^^ ,» P •^^ " *'i .nA '^ j*_ ? » \>^- *;7'»%';' » .* Is »Bd Lake is an immeMe body of w.tL »,^. « - nearly twelve mile, in length by from hMf .'JS ?"""<^ two miles in widtli, and <»iitaiiS.>«.T„i W*'°<"" piotnresqne islands. '""••'lU^naineroiMv Urge and lafe-^d'SelS^te^'to^^H '''••''!; "°»»<» '•'» wUh birch. mipVte^Veta """"'' "* ~^?'«» «I''n"'tJ'ellr '•" '^o-l-B <»f P«e in m«y pUc> .n.ther.m.llldketribat.He.Tc^*^,?^^r Lake and h«dw<^ Wlb -''^ """^ "f^ «»'»«'<» l^tween beantiiul . (fl«wy 0'S«Mi«w, 9th February, 1874) ' («8) Betwebk OATHntm iKD DuMomB Eitbbs ■ ^, be«omp«ed to tl,e table land. ofMlxiL. ^ ""«" ', r /• > mtP.Sfiim. 25th Angnat 18«7) ' heigMofLndoftt:'*Oo3oS«ZMoL«rf ^°'' **• ^ 7 wnwaered a rough plateau and bpt alightly Jiij 'H^^^)}'i^ - ■ , '^«^'.'r*i!Sfl!?C*'B«'ttS.'i?®p ' ^ ' ^^W^^^^*fn^^^'^, « •inclined to the westward, however rnuoh Jt m»y rieis iik the opposite direction towtrdt the aonroee of thfSt. lUttnoe and Sag^aenajlf riven, - ,,, {Und$a9 Ruuell, 28tli liarcH^ 18«8) (i^8),BE'hiripBN THE COULONOI A|fP BL40K BITBAf the arepWewed by th^ BdacS ml 0er part of these streams flcFw throjoffh a oomtoititely level eottiitry Wely covered with sandv drilt/whioh is. in iXlaoes, underlain by cliy. Isolated misset ••', ,jji A — — — ' ' : — '. ^ 7Ky