IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I liiUl 125 2.2 2.0 1.25 11.4 u < 6" - ^ V] /I /: /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.V. 14580 (716) 873-4503 fV TINUED "), or tha aymbol ▼ (moaning "END"), whiehavar appliaa. Un daa aymboiaa auivanta apparaftra aur la darnlAra imaga da chaqua microfleha. aaion la caa: la aymboia -^ aignifia "A SUiVRE", la tymbola ▼ aignifia "FIN". Mapa, plataa, charta, ate., may ba filmad at diffarant raduction ratioa. Thoaa too larga to ba antiraly inciudad in ona axpoaura ara filmad baginning in tha uppar laft hand comar. laft to right and top to bottom, aa many framaa aa raqulrad. Tha following diagrama illuatrata tha mathod: Laa cartaa. pianchaa, tabiaaux. ate. pauvant Atra filmAa A daa taux da rMuction diff^anta. Loraqua la documant aat trop grand pour Atra raproduit wn un saul ciich*. il aat film* A partir da I'angla aup^riaur gaucha. da gaucha A droita. at da haut un baa. an pranant la nombra d'imagaa nAcaaaaira. Laa diagrammaa auivanta llluatrant la mithoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 " I ^1 OJ- 183S9 AND EXTENI^ING INTO 1S37 ; ■ ^ COMPRISIff{& ' \ :!■>■ kt. ^ BISTOKICAL, GEOGRAPHICAL, STATISTICAL. >ii,k COMMERCIAL NOTICES OF THE * ■ PROTIJICE. BY AN INHABITANT, ** Whatever concerns my Country, interests me; " 1 follow nature, tvith truth, my guide." ^ iAlNT JOHN N •:- - 1 '-l^PKINTtli IXK THE AlifXHOR, BV HKNRY CHL'BB, M AliKET-SQU ARE. \ :*; ^ ^■.?r' wm 1^ ^' A DVERTlSEJIIEilVT. i.>> In presenting the Notitia t6 the public, the author deemi it due to himself to state, that while the work was in progress, circumstances arose which induced him to relinquish a part of his original plan, and to contract the other. This is par- ticularly the case in the description of the North-Eastern Counties, which, being near the close, are but briefly noticed, as it was doubtful whether the work would be published. It was also a part of the original plan to have added a short inquiry into the effects of the present system of Bank- ing on the vital inter,ests of this rising Province ; with vari- ous other matters relating to our political economy, that na- turally present themselves in a work of this nature. It was likewise the intention of the author to have illus- trated the work with a Map of the Province, and such Plans and Tables as were within his reach ; but l^e times do not warrant any great outlay on works of this description.. NOTITIA or NEW-BRUNSWICK, roR 1S30, AND EXTENDING INTO 1837 j COMPRISING HISTORICAL, GEOGRAPHICAL, STATISTICAL, ARB COMMERCIAL NOTICES OF THE PROVIIVCE. BY AN IN 11 AD IT ANT. " Whatever concerns my Country, intereata me; " I follow naturoj with truth my guido." SAINT JOHN: PRXJilED FOR XHE AUTHOK, BY HENUT CHUBB, M.VRKfiX-S'^UARE. 13 3 8, ii PHEFArE. I The principal design of the writer in drawing up the fol- lowing pages was to give a concise and faithful view of the capabilities and trade of New-Brunswick, with such statisti- cal statements as the nature of such a work would require : combined with a brief sketch of the climate, soil, and various productions of the Province, with a short description of the face of the country — an outline of its history, &c. to serve as a text book for those who might be seeking information on these points. In prosecution of those objects It was the intention of the writer in the commencement of the work, to have given a short but faithful account of the first landing, and estab- lishment of the Loyalists in the country in the year 1783; with such sketches of its early history r.s must be interesting to its inhabitants. And ag there are many circumstances connected with those events that will sink into oblivion, if not recorded and fixed on some durable record ; the utility of such a work must be obvious to every person who feels an interest in the welfare of his country. As circnmstances have arisen to prevent him accomplishing these desirable ob- jects, he has introduced some preliminary observations on this subject, and is happy to find that valuable materials are col- lecting at King's College, to carry out such a design, — " Tht iarly history and settlement of New-Brunswick," ha- ving been the subject of the Essay for the Douglas Mkdal in 1836, and which is said to have produced a very able trea- tise. This may be hailed as a good beginning; and the Col- lege could not render a greater service to the public than to make the Natural, as well as the Civil History of the Pro- vince, the subject oF future essays. By these means a mass of valuable information would be collected and placed on record. No class of persons could be better qualified for such tasks than the students of King's College — as, independent of ti'cir own researches, they could obtain asbiijtance from public IV documents and otlier authentic souiccrj antl coi»l(l bring Ut (he work not only their own ingenuity and industry, but the assistance of their parents and preceptors. If, therefore, a series of essays was con^nienced on the animal, botanical, and mineral productions of the Province, assisted by re- searches, and illustrated by experiments, it would furnish correct and valuable data for the developement of the re- sources and capabilities of the Province. Those essays, being also published yearly, would be a valuable source of in- formation to the public. At present all that can be done is to state as clearly as possible, in a general way, the indica- tions of minerals, and to give a short sketch of the animal and botanical productions ; as it v^rould be vain to attempt a classification where no data exist. Thie is all that has been attempted by the writer, in the following pages, and while he has confined himself to the strictest brevity, he hag aimed a clance at almost every thing of importance con- nected with tne Province. While prosec^ting this work, the writer found himself much disappointed in obtaining those sources of information which ho had anticipated, particularly Mr. Cooney's elabo- rate work on the Counties of Northumberland and Glouces- ter, and Mr. Batllie's Book. The latter being an authentic authority for the extent, boundaries, and divisions of the Province. He has, however, had the assistance of Mr. Weddebbuhn's statistics, from which he has extracted two TablcSi considering them valuable documents which cannot be mended. > In prosecuting this work, the writer 1ms consulted the best sources of information, and whore precise data could not be obtained, he has stated things as near the truth as possible. The population is given according to the Census of 1831, and the reader must make allowance for the increase since that lime. The other calculations are up to the end of the year 1830, being the year for which the work was comj>ned : some of the articles however, are car- ried into 1837. — The reader must also bear in mind that more than a year has elapsed since the work was prepared for pul)lication, and that many chunoos and events of great importance to the Province have taken place shice that period c • . THE AUTHOR. II) re- IIVTRODIJCTIOJV. PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OP . . THE COUNTRY. Mr. great that The country called Nova-Scotiu, which formerly included the Province of New-Brunswick, was the first European set- tlement on the continent of North America. The first grnnt of lands in it, was given by Ja:ues the First to Sir William Alexander, from whom it had the name of Nova-Scotia or New-Scotland. In 1604-, the French first settleu in this country, to which they gave the name of Acadia, being in- duced, it is supposed, by its vicinity to the countries abound- ing with furs, to choose this place in preferewjc to the more delightful tracts to the southward. Even before they had attempted any settlement in Canada, they had made small settlements at Port Royal, and other places in Nova-Scotia. This country continued for some time iii dispute between the Frencirand English, but was finally ceded in full sovereignty to. the British, at the peace of Utrecht, in 1713. Its limits, as ascertained at that time, were the southern banks of the St. Lawrence, to the North, and the river Pentagoet, (since called Penobscot) to the West, being situated between the 43d and 49th degrees of North latitude. The English re- stored it to its ancient name of Nova-Scotia, and built forti- fications at Port Royal, after having changed its name to Annapolis, in honour of Queen Anne. The French who were allowed to remain in the country as neutrals, not satisfied with the privileges allowed them by the British, to whom they had sworn allegiance, took every opportunity to stir up the savages against the English set- tlers. This proved such an annoyance to the colonists, that the British Ministry came to the resolution, in the year ITli), of forming a permanent establishment in this country, at the expense of government ; and as the war which had just ended had thrown numbers of soldiers and sailors out of tuiplny, to prevent them from becoming troublesome to I ■h :K' :i lit iii' tlie niilion, encmiingeineiit was liclcl out to all such ns were willin*' to emigrate to Nova-Scotia, where lands were nllottcd to eacli person according to his rank, with a year's provision and other allowances. Induced by these prospects, STtO persons set sail IVoni England, in May 1719, under the connnand of Colonel Corn- wallis, whom the King had appointed their Goveinor. They arrived at Chebucto in June, and shortly after built the Town of Halifax, so called in honour of the Nobleman who had projected the settlement. The establishment of such a powerful Colony in Nova-Sco- tia, gave great umbrage to the French ; who, in defiance of treaties, stirred up the Indians to conmience hostilities against the English settlers, some of whom they murdered, and car- ried others prisoners to Louisbourg. Even during profound peace, the Governor of Canada sent a detachment of troops to fortify a post on the Bay of Chignecto, which encouraged the French inhabitants to rise in open rebellion against the English Government. To check these outrages, General Cornwallis detached Major Lawrence, in 1750, with a small body of men, to re- duce them to obedience. At his approach the French inha- bitants burned their towns and put themselves under the protection of M. L. Corne, the French Commander. The Major not having sufficient force to attack that officer, rc" turned to Halifax, not having orders to commence hostilities widi any but the Indians and their open abettors. But he ha J no sooner returned, than the French, in conjunction with the Indians, again renewed their depredations on the English settlfinients. The English Governor, justly incensed at these violations of neutrality, again detached Major Lawrence with a thou- sand men, who were transported by sea to Chignecto, where the French and Indians were entrenched to oppose his land- ing. He immediately made a descent, drove them from their works, and forced them to take shelter in Fort Beau-sejour, •which had lately been erected by M. L. Corne. Major Lawrence then built a fort on tlie o})positc side of the river, (which was named after its projector. Fort Lawrence,) into which he put a garrison, to serve as check to the French. Notwithstanding this precaution, they in concert with the Savages, (whom tiiey inspired with that hatred which they themselves bore to the English) still continued to molest the colonists, by burning their seLtlenients and scal[)ing the in- habitants ; beh)g encourage J and asbisted in their expeditions Vll -*. l)y the French Commafulers in Canada ; who, notwithstaiut • Inj; the peace between the two nations, continued their en* croachments hi N;ova-Scotia, by building a fort at Bay Vertc and another at the mouth of the Saint John river. Frequent demands having been made by the British, that orders should be sent to D. L. Jonquiere, the French Com- mander in America, to desist from violence against the Bri- tish in that country, without effect. Governor Lawrence, in 1755, sent Lieut.-Colonel JMonckto^i, with a body of troops to drive the French from the forts which they had erected in Nova-Scotia. A small squadron, under Captain Rous, wasf sent up the Bay of Fundy, at tlie same time to co-operate with the troops. Upon the arrival of the armament at Mas- saguash, the French troops, with the rebel neutrals and Indi- ans, were found strongly posted, being protected by a block- house and breast-work. From these they were immediately driven by the British. Colonel Monckton next advanced against Fort Beau-sejour, which he took in four days, with* out artillery, although the French had twenty-six pieces of cannon mounted on the works. After putting a garrison in- to this place, and changing its name to Fort Cumberland) Colonel Moncton next reduced the Fort at Eay Verte, which was the chief magazine for siipplying the French and Indians with arms and ammunition. Here he found a large quan- tity of provisions and stores of different kinds. After the capture of this place. Colonel Monckton disarmed the French neutrals, who had so often disturbed the English, to the number of 15,000. In the mean time Captain Rous had sailed to the mouth of the river Saint John, and driven the French from all their strong holds in that part of the country : this was in the year 1765. The French having been driven from all their Colonics in North America, except Louisiana, by the total reduction of Canada, in the year 1760, a French squadron took shelter in the Bay of Chaleur. Here they were found by Commodore Byron, and totally destroyed, together with their batteries on shore and a French town. By this means, all the French settlers from the Bay of Fundy to the Gulph of Saint Lawrence, were subdued under the British Govern- ment. The Colonies of Miramichi and Ilichibucto, having made their submission a short time before, to Col. Fry, at Fort Cumberland, again renewed their submission, and re- paired to Bay Verte, with all their effects and shipping, to be disposed of according to the direction of Colonel Law- rence, die Governor of Nova-Scotia. T Vlll :},' J v: \i ll Thus, after nn arduous struggle of upwards of one hun- dred and fifty years, durhig which period the British colo- nists were frequently exposed to the most imminent uanger^ the French were totally subdued, and the tranquillity of No- va-Scotia effectually secured. Continuing true to its allegiance, when the other colonies threw off the dominion of Great Britain, this country be- came the refuge of many Loyalists, who, being driven from their homes tor their attachment to their Sovereign, fled to Nova-Scotia, to enjoy the blessings of that Government un- der which they drew their first breath. After the peace in 1783, a great emigration took place to this country. Several corps that had been raised in America during the war, were likewise sent to be discharged in Nova- Scotia, where lands were allotted them by Government, with provisions and farming utensils, to enable them to become settlers. A Town was built at the mouth of the river Saint John, and other settlements were formed. In 1Y84, this country was divided into two Provinces.— The southern part still retaining the name of Nova-Scotia, and the northern division being styled New-Brunswick, over which Lieutenant-Colonel Carleton, (brother to the General of that name, who had preserved Canada,) was appointed Governor on the ICth of August. By his judicious and patriotic conduct, this inflmt colony soon began to flourish. To encourage the settlement of the interior, a town was pro- jected and built on the Point of St. Ann's, on the river St. John, about eighty-five miles up, at the head of sloop naviga- tion, which was called Frcdericton. This being the most cen- tral and eligible situation, was made the permanent Seat of Government: being situated at nearly cujunl distances from the towns and settlements that wore torininj^ at Miramichi, Bay Verte, Passamaquoddy, and other piu'ts of the Pro- vmce. To facilitate the settlement of the upper part of the River Saint John, which extends through a fine tract of country nearly four hundred miles above Frcdericton, two military posts were established in the interior — one at the Prescjuc Isle, about one hundred and oighty miles from the mouth of the River, and the other at the Grand Falls, fifty-two miles farther up. Barracks were built at each post for the accom- modation of a company of soldiers; but tiiese have been suf- fered to go to decay. Before the French revolution, two re- giments were stationed in this Province, public works were erected in different places, and the country rapidly improved. i w '. k Most of tlic old French settlers on the hanks ol'thc lliver Saint John, on the arrival of the English, removed larlher up the river, where (being joined by others from Canada) they formed a settlement distinct from the English ; and I'avc ever since been quiet and well affected to the British Gov- ernment. This settlement (called Madawaska) is situated about midway between Frcdericton and Quebec, and is in a flourishing state. It has a Romish Cha^^l, where the rites and ceremonies of that religion are duly performed by a Mis- sionary from Canada ; who, likewise, with the assistance of one or two leading persons, regulates the internal police of the settlement — by settling disputes, keeping the peace, &c. ; and so successful have been their exertions, that although there are neither magistrates or lawyers in the settlement, the Courts of Justice have but little trouble from that quar- ter. The old inhabitants of the sea-board, are still to be found in considerable numbers at Memramcook, Bay Verte, Buctouche, llichibucto, and along the sea coast to the Bay of Chaleur ; at some of which places they have erected Chapels, which are usually supplied with Romish Missiona- ries, who are supported by tythes from the French Catholics. The Baron Lahontan, who enumerates forty-nine nations of Indians in Canada and Acadia, names the following Tribes as the original inhabitants of Nova-Scotia: — The Abenakies, Mickmac, Canabas, Mahingans, Opcnadgas, Soccoki:^, and Etechemins — from whom our present Indians are descended. There are many causes operating against the increase of the Indians in this country ; among wlilch are — the improve- ment of the lands — the number of French and Fjiglisli lum- ters — the scarcity of game — and their wretched mode of liv- ing in the winter ; being frequently found in their wigwams in a starving condition. This Province has become of great importance to the mother country ; not only as a-.iursery for seamen, but by furnishing squared timber, masts, spars, &c. lor the British market, and boards, scavcs, shingles, fish, &c. for the West Indies ; great (juantities of which are exported iVoni Mira- michi. Saint Andrews, and other j^laces. For which, the chief returns from Britain, are Goods from the diil'erent ni.v nufactories ; and from the West Indies, the produce of tiic Isilands, with a small proportion of cash. When the disbanded Soldiers and Refugees came here in 1783, there were but a few scattered hovels where Saint John is now built ; and the adjacent couRtry exhibited a most desolate and forbidding aspect, which was peculiarly II , '1' 'i I discournglng to people wito hniljiist left (heir homes in the beautiful and cultivated parts of the United States. Up the River Saint John, the country appeared better ; and a few cultivated spots were found occupied by old settlers. At St. Ann's, where Fredericton was afterwards built, a few scat- tered huts of French, &c. were found — the country all a- round being a continued wilderness ; and hardly had these wretched outcasts of their country, pitched their tents in the cold month of October, than they were enveloped in snow ; nearly two feet having fallen the first night of their encamp- ment. Nor did their difficulties end with the first year : Frequently. had these settlers to go with hand-sleds or to- boggans, through the woods or on the ice, from 50 to 100 miles, to procure a scanty supply for their famishing families. Yet amid these discouragements, with large families of small children, oppressed with poverty, and exposed to a severe climate in a wild country, did those loyalists persevere and remain firm in their allegiance ; and by their unremitted in^ dustry, covered the face of the country with habitations, villages, and towns : realising the language of the Poet, — Where nothing dwelt but beasts of prey, Or nnen ns fierce and wild as they, Behold th' oppress'd and poor repair, And build them towns and cities there. And though most of the old settlers have worn out their lives in settling their families, yet such has been the improve- ment of the country, that in few parts of the United States do the people live as well, and perhaps in no country has the labourer better wages, or the enterprising genius a wider field for exertion. " This country," says a writer, " when viewed at a dis- tance, presents a pleasing variety of hills and vallies ; with sublime and beautiful scenes. Immense forests of the tallest trees, the growth of ages, and reaching almost to the clouds, every where cover and adorn the land. Every rock has a spring, Its lands are for the most part very rich, particu- larly at a distance from the sea, and its woods abound with the hardest and loftiest trees." 1 ■A .-I ia lie he ew St. at- a- ese he w; ip- HOTITIA, Ac. CHAP. I. Situation — Boundaries — Extent — Divisio7is — Face of the Country — Minerals — Miscellanies. New-Brunswick is situated between the forty-fifth and forty- ninth degrees of Nortii Latitude, and between the sixty- fourth and sixty-eighth degrees of West Longitude. Its length, from Dalhousie in the Bay Chaleur to Grand Mauan in Uic Bay of Fundy, is rather more than two hundred miles ; and its breadth, from Cape Tormentine in the Gulf of iSaint Lawrence to the Monument, on the Northern point of the River Cheputnecticook, on the line of boundary between the territories of Great Britain and the United States, is about one hundred and seventy miles. It contains about twenty five thousand square miles. — It is bounded on the North by the River Saint Lawrence and Canaila, on the West by the State of Maine and the Disputed Territory, on the South and South East by the Bay of Fundy and Nova-Scotia, and on the East by the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Bay Verte ; all Islands within six leagues of the coast are included in the limits of the Province. It comprises an area of about sixteeit and a half millions of acres, of which rather more than four millions of acres are granted or sold, leaving upwards of twelve millions of acres still vacant. It is divided into eleven Counties, viz. Charlotte, Carleton, York, Sunbury, Queen's, King's, Saint John, Westmorland, Kent, Northumberland, and Gloucester; in which order they will be described, for reasons hereinafter stated. The country skirting the Bay of Furuly is rugged and bro- ken, and the soil iiidifFcrcutj covered with a stunted growth of 12 \w In"' I I'm ii ^M trees of iliffbrciit kinds. Atlvanciiic from the seaboard into the interior the soil improves, and the face of the country ex- hibits a pleasing variety of hills and vallies interspersed with large strips of rich Intervale along the margin of the riven. In some placas there are considerable tracts of barren land. In other parts, large tracts of very inferior land, low plains, swamps, and fields of stone. There are also large districts of pine land, which are not good for agricultural purposes. But there are interspersed throughout the province, large tracts of excellent land ; and although some of the counties possess a greater proportion of arable land than others, none of them are deficient of enough either of a good soil for farm- ing, or a large tract of meadow or marsh for grazing. In most parts ot the country the land is covered with a stately growth of trees of the largest size, in almost endless variety. The soil formed from the decomposition of the leaves of the hard kinds of wood is a strong black mould, producing abun- dant crops of wheat, &c. In other districts the land is what is termed a second intervale, being the fi st rale quality for farming purposes. This province is watered by a great many fine rivers, which, with their tributary streams, lay open the inmost recesses of the country, and are of the utmost advantage to the inhabi- tants in transporting the products of the forests to the sea- board, as their chief trade consists of timber and other bulky articles. It likewise abounds in lakes — some of which are very large — streams and rivulets ; so that there are few set- tlements unprovided with good mill-seats and water convey- ance. It is also variegated with hills and mountains, one of which — Mars Hill — has become a national object and will be noticed hereafter. Most of the rivers have fine islands in their beds, which being formed by the washings of the cur- rents, consist of rich alluvial soil, producing grain, roots, and grass in the richest profusion. ' Those islands may be consi- dered as the gardens of the country, which they enrich and beautify. The rapidity of the rivers, swoln by the melting of the snow in the spring, tears away the soil in some parts, and deposits it in others, by which means their courses are gra- dually altered — new islands are formed, and alluvial deposits accumulated in some parts of the rivers, while they are swept away in others ; so that a jjcrson may have a growing estate, or he may lice his land diminishing from year to year, with- out the {)owcr to pieveut it. Ncvv-Bruiisvvick possesses abundance of stone of an excel- lent quality Cor building', aufl various other purposes. The 13 111 common dark grey stone is easily wrought, and very durable. The granite is of the best quality, and in great abundawce. Quarries of grindstones are found at the head of the Bay of Fundy, which are constantly wrought, and furnish a conside- rable article of export. Specimens of good marble have been found, and there is no doubt that by working the quarries to some depth below the surface, abundance of that article will be obtained. Limestone is also found in many places, but particularly along what is called the narrows of the River St. John, where it abounds on the margin of the water, and is of an excellent quality for all kinds of building, and other pur- poses, and in such abundance that all America could be sup- plied from that district for ages. Gypsum in considerable quantities exists in the Province, especially on the shores of the upper part of the Bay of Fundy, and on the river Tobique, but as yet the quarries remain unwrought. Nearly all the gypsum' exported from New-Brunswick, is brought irom No- va-Scotia, which appears to be the native place tor that useful mineral on this side of the Atlantic, as there are but few other places in North America where it is found, and generally of a very inferior quality. Coals abound in this Province, par- ticularly at the Grand Lake, where there is a succession of coal fields, which appear to be inexhaustible. Some of these have been partially wrought for a number of years, but as the workmen have kept near the surface, there has never yet been a fair trial as to the quality of the coals. It is well known that the top stratum is generally a refuse mixture of sulphurous coals, combined with various dead stony substan- ces. The next is better and contains a great proportion of coal, which improves as the workmen descend. Now, as but a few of the top strata have as yet been wrought, and as very good samples of coals have been raised at these fields, there can be no doubt but there is abundance of good coals in that district, and that whenever the mines are well wrought, they will richly repay the expense. As there is at present an as- sociation with a good capital for mining purposes, whose first object is the coal fields at the Grand Lake, there is no doubt but their exertions will tend to develope that hidden source of wealth ; for although difficulties and discouragements will attend the commencement of mining operations in a young country, still there can be but little doubt that from such ex- ertions much of the future trade and wealth of the country will arise. Salt springs extend over several acres of lowland in the Vale of Sussex, about fifty miles from the seaboard. In this district salt water is obtained in great abundance by 14 11 digging tt few feet, wliich produces salt of the very best qua- lity. Specimens of Manganese have been discovered, but the wri- ter is not aware that it has ever yet been obtained in any great quantity, or that the discovery has hitherto been follow- ed by any beneficial results. The same observations will ap- ply to other minerals. Indications of several species of ore have been discovered, but they have not been followed up. Neither has any attention been paid to smelting the ores so as to ascertain their richness and properties. Mining for metals has never yet indeed been attempted in this country. There can be no doubt, however, from the indi- cations that have been discovered, that the Province is rich in mineral wealth, but nature must be interrogated before she will disclose her hidden treasures. The Mining Company has a wide field and may work wonders. Iron ores have lately been procured at Mispeck, which have been found to contain seventy per cent, of pure iron. Few countries can boast of a greater variety of fish : most of the rivers teem with excellent salmon, shad, bass, her- rings, and a great diversity of pan fish, together with the royal sturgeon. The coasts, bays, and harbours, abound with cod, pollock, haddock, hake, mackerel, halibut, &c. Por- poise also abound in the bays, and seals in the more distant fisheries. Indeed no part of Anierica can equal the fishe- ries of this Province and the sister Colonies of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. The fish, likewise, particularly the Cod in the Bay of Fundy, are worth a third more than those ta- ken on the Labrador coast. The whole seaboard, as well as the numerous Islands, abound with fishing stations. Excel- lent ship-timber also abounds in almost every district of the Province, and naval stores and salt can be procured in abun- dance. Great part of this country is still covered with an almost interminable forest — the products of which will be briefly noticed hereafter : not a twentieth part of the coun- try is yet reclaimed from the wilderness. Till lately the set- tlements were confined to the seaboard and along the rivers and streams, but within a i'ew years settlers have advanced into the interior, and flourishing back lettlements are spring- ing up in all the different counties. The land is very often found to improve as it recedes from the water. There are no diseases peculiar to the country. The air is in a high degree salubrious and congenial to health. The human frame in New-Brunswick, arrives to its full propor- tions, and is athletic and vigorous, aijd with temperance, and Ij prudence in a(lnj)ting the clothing to the seasons and chan- ges of tlie weather, tliere appears to be nothing in the cli- mate to induce premature decay. In proof of which, several of the Loyalists who came here in 1783, in the vigor of their age, are still living. Pulmonary complaints, which are preva- lent in the country, particularly among women, may be almost always traced to improvidence in clothing, or .ncrutious tampering with the extremes of a variable climate. When the cholera raged all around New-Brunswick, it merely made itself known for a short period at the principal seaport, which was filled with infected emigrants. The principal rivers in New-Brunswick are : — the Saint John, Saint Croix, Miramichi, and Restigouche, which will be noticed hereafter. There are a number of rising towns in the Province, some of which possess considerable wealth, and have an extensive trade, while others are just rising into notice in the different Counties. Among these. Saint John, Fredericton, and Saint Andrews, claim a more particular no- tice, and will be described in their proper order, while the others will not be forgotten in the description of the Coun- ties in which they are situated. The following Table will exhibit at one view the subdi- visions, area and population of the Province, compiled from authentic documents by Mr. Wedderbuun. r> I Vi/ ■» . " V.J *-, « ^ -I 1^ E 6c By Grniits from the Crowr 1) ntity ed fr ceordi irn». and I'atcnls from the Go vcrnments of Novn-Scoti a ► 3,000,000 g Mb- nnd New- Brunswick » S" nated nd ali official Under sale system, . • . 500,000 o o •t ^ «« «« 64 New- Brunswick Land Co . 500,000 '^»5S^ rovn La urveyed vacant. . o © o o o © o © © © © © goo © ©©o© © © © © © ^^©© © o©o© o © © © o ©•"©^ ^ rH CO CM Oi 1 © ■ it tT. Principal Towns, Parishes, and Harbours. 5 ^ ^^ -•= Sot) l-^ "-si = ^ S 4J .5 .5 .5 C^ 03 03 • I « • oo © 00 CO ^ t- t' © »o >fl OO iO ■< »- 8 t- © «o © w »- © iO »o o> CO u §:^ 00 T? «0 CO tf) © CO © fc- T^ 5 Oi 1^ Q^ ^ p-l ,— ( ,^ G»| »f5 PH CO pH CM 00 © oo >n © © "©< -* Hf 05 •* CO t>3 5 b» © "«*• CO Tf« >0 05 CM CO QD o 14 1^ © © «0 © C^I 0) O) »0 00 u 'g (N © 1> ^ © © © © CO «o t- 00 z ^ — t (M CO ■^ O t- CO CM OT © 0) V 00 CD '^ OO © © '^ CO I—" CM Oi Ifl > (ta n •« •> »v w\ •> « 9% 3 »-« W ,-( ^ Oi ^ CM © ■ai 1— 1 Ph CQ 00 CO 00 lO '* QO »0 "o~ »-< »f> CM Oi A t- 05 © Oi © CO © t- CO (M m l« ■^ -: •^ "«J" © <-H (M 00 W ^>N © CO CD Tjt ^ ^ #« «% *% ^ «\ «> #t «\ «^ «\ «\ •% O C5 © (M fc- CO «* '^ © 00 lO Oi —i GV| »"« I—I f— t PH pH 1—4 "S^l • • ^ • -2 ■•-'•• O .• • <« ►5 *^ J- 0) > O a i § J !3 O u « S *^ ^W C 3 « 9 r O C3 1 o WO u ir Lands ill New-Brun«wick arc licld in i'ec-siniple : The mode formerly adopted by Government in granting land wa» by memorial to tlic Governor and Council. This, if appro- ved of, was entered in the Council books, and a patent was made out on the applicant's paying the stipulated ieea, which on a single grant of from one to two hundred acres, amount- ed to £]2 11 8. This was the total cost, as no other charge was made for the land. A Quit Kent was reserved in most of the Grants. This mode was followed for a long time. From twelve to fifteen years last past a Commissioner of Crown Lands and Forests has been appointed, who has had almost the sole management of all land concerns, and his re- gulations have almost kept pace in their cbanges >tith the seasons, but a great change has lately beeA-'mada in Eng- land. By a late order from the Home Government, the following regulations respecting the purchase of Crown Lands in this Province, are to be strictly pursued : " From and after the first day of June next, purchasers of Land belonging to the Crown will be required to pay down at the time of sale, ten per cent, on the whole value of the purchase, and the remainder within fourteen days from the day of sale — and until the whole price is paid, the purcha- ser will not be put in possession of his land. In the event of payment not being made within the prescribed period, the sale will be considered void, and the deposit be forfeited." The estates of persons dying intestate, are distributed ana- lagous to the custom of gavelkind in Kent. The heir a,t law of such estate shall be entitled to receive a double portifl^i^ two shares of the real estate left by such intestate, (s^ng the widow's right of dower.) The remainder to be equally distributed among all the children or their legal representa- tives, including in the distribution the children of the half- blood; and in case there be no children, to the next kindred in equal degree, and their representatives ; provided that children advanced by settlement or portion, not equal to the other shares, shall Iiave so much of the surplusage as shall make the estate of all to be equal, except the heir at law, who shall have two shares, or a double portion. New-Brunswick possesses, in an ample degree, the means of becoming a great commercial and wealthy country, from the vast and numerous sources of trade and wealth allbrded by her extensive forests — her hidden stores of minerals — her fisheries — the facilities afibrded to commercial pursuits, c 18 by lier many fine rivers luul water privileges — her numerous antl excellent harbours — the salubrity ofiicr air and excel- lence of the water, combined with the richness of her soil, and its adaptation to farming and grazing purposes, throughout a great part of tiic Province. These essentials, which she possesses in an eminent degree, being brought into active operation by an enterprising, industrious and highly intelligent people, cannot fail to raise her to a high rank among the surrounding states. The only great drawback to the prosperity of New-Bruns- wick, and which many who admire her localities, her capa- bilities, and her scenery, arc too ready to consider insur- mountable, is the shortness of the seasons, and the extremes of the climate. These, therefore, claim the first notice, and will be briefly stated in the ensuing chapter. CHAP. ir. i Climate— Forests — Productiont — Animals — Agriculture, ^•c. ^c. The climate of this country, like that of almost all other parts of the world, is subject to great variations. Cold, howe-' Ver, predominates in this, as in all the western parts of North .^uerica. Doctor Robertson arid some others who have in- vIRtgated this subject, ascribe it to our western situation, and from the continent of North America stretching so near the pole, as well as from the enormous chain of mountains which extends to an immense distance through that region, covered with perpetual snow, over which the wind in its passage acquires that 'piercing keenness that is felt as far as the Gulf of Mexico, but more intensely in Canada and New-Bruns- vrick ; rendering those countries so much colder than places in the same parallel of latitude in Europe. But how- ever specious such conjectures may appear, there no doubt are powerful causes still unknown to the learned, that pro- duce the seeming anomalies that take place in the climate of this and other countries. Most of them arc probably occa- sioned by the different phases and positions of the moon, whose nearness to, and powerful influence on the earth must have a great effect on our seasons ; and a^ experience is the 19 surest guide, it is by combinin/^ a iiuinhci' of observations for a Kcrics of years, that we sliall be enabled tv^ arrive at any rational conclusion in regard to the amelioration ol* our climate. It is generally supposed, and with apparent reason, that as the country becomes more cultivated and settled, the cli- mate will improve in warmth. How far this ojiinion is con- firmed by experience is very doubtful. It is indeed very problematical, whether, from past experience, we can attach any weight to it at all. We still find the seasons as variable as when the country was first settled. One diflerence we may reasonably expect irom the opening of the forest* — xains will be less frequent — our present interminable wilderness may be said to be the father and nurse of dews and moisture. — That our seasons will remain variable as they have been, and mucli the same, probably a litdc ameliorated, I think is very probable — nay certain. As the same celestial influence is still acting on the earth as formerly, the seasons will hold on as they have ; nearly the like seasons returning after a certain series of years. This fto doubt wilt be regulated by the cycles of the moon, and no doubt the oftener the cycle is repeated the more exact will the coincidence of the re- turning seasons be, till we have completed the period of years fancifully ascribed by some chronologers to Seth. Add to this, that by giving fruitful seasons, or causing the earth to withhold her increase is part of the Divine economy in go- verning rational creatures. That the celestial influence exerted throughout the uni- verse, as well as on our earth, is very great, there can be no doubt. The science of astronomy, however it has been im- proved by the labour and discoveries of great men, is still in its infancy. Even the Sun, the great dispenser of light and heat, and which was supposed to undergo a continued com- bustion and waste in emitting light and heat, has been, by the late discoveries of Dr. Herschel, ascertained to be an opaque body, like the earth ; and that the heat and light are supplied by a dense atmosphere, in which floats two regions of clouds ; the lowermost region being opaque, but the higher luminous, emitting the immense quantity of light to which the splendour of the sun is owing. That these lu- minous clouds are subject to various changes. Hence, he draws as a consequence, that the quantity of heat and light emitted by the sun varies in different seasons, and he suppo- ses this is one of the chief sources of the differences between the temperature of different years. The precession of the 20 I % E(iiiinoxcs may also contribute to the variableness ol' tho seasons. Tiiat the above observations are partly borne out by facts, a referonce to past years will fully demonstrate. When the Loyalists came to this country in 1783, snow was seen on the coasts in June, and the winters for a number of consecutive years were excessively cold, and the snow very deep. The summers being likewise very warm and dry, insomuch that Indian Corn or Maize, a plant that requires much heat flour- ished in great perfection for a number of years, and was the staple grain then cultivated. This was succeeded by a peri- od in which the winters proved milder, and wer^ broken with frequent thaws — the summers abating their warmth, and crops being less abundant : for it always followed as a matter of course, that a mild winter was succeeded by a cool summer : and although snow was seldom seen in June, still it was not uncommon early in May, or late in April, in what were called late seasons. Some years again it would be earlier, and sowing would be considerably advanced in dry weather by the latter part of April. From these data we find the seasons were formerly as variable as they have been of late; but to pursue these observations a little further. It must be fresh in the recollection of the inhabitants of this Province, that in 1816, there was a fall of snow with very cold weather on the Tth of June — that a cold rigorous air was felt during the whole of that summer, which the sun when shining in meridian splendour could not subdue. Frosts were frequent in every month of that year — crops weie blighted — even the never-failing potatoe was chilled and did not yield half its usual increase. A succession of lean years followed, each improving till 1822, which was pn extraordi- nary fruitful year. The year 1825 will be long remembered on account of its destructive fires — a drou/dit commenced about the middle of July in that year, and continued with little abatement till the middle of October, which converted the whole country inl a state of combustion ; in conse- quence of which, fires burst ou.' simultaneously in difierent parts of the Province on the 7th of that ill-fated month — and swept off several flourishing settlements, and destroy- ed property to a great amount, as well as human life. A succession of years followed in which the rust prevailed, as some supposed from the sluggish state of the atmosphere and sudden bursts of a scorching sun, just as the wheat was filling in the ear. The year 1831 was an uncommon fine year in every sense of the v/ord ; crops were abundant — fruits ex- as cc'llent — nature indeeil this year appeared inclined to shew to man liow easy it was to clothe the fields in abundance for man and beast. The year 1832 was a lean year, remark- able tor a humid atmosphere. Scarce a day passed in the summer season without dampness ; even when the day com- menced bright and the sun shone unobscured, it was deficient of its usual lustre, and a murkiness could be seen gathering, which usually covered it before evening. The cholera pre- vailed this year in the United States and Canada. Since 1832, the seasons have been unfavorable for agriculture: August, particularly, which was formerly a sultry month, ap- pears to have lost its heat, and of late years has become cool and frosty, which, indeed, is the main cause of the lean sea- sons — the latter heat being wanting — whereby vegetfTtion has been checked, and the hopes of the husbandman crushed. — The winter of 1835-6 was excessively cold. In the summer of 1836, we had two severe droii2;hts : the first commenced about the 10th of June, and continued till the middle of July, reducing the country to a fearful state of combustion — pro- videntially, however, rahis fell, and averted the much-dreaded result ; the second drought commenced in August, and near- ly destroyed the pastui^s throughout the country. I have been thus particular in noticing the changes of the seasons for a number of years, as it may furnish a clue to those who might investigate this most important subject in after years, and may also serve as a guide to the agriculturist. The extremes of heat and cokl in this Province are very great. Fahrenheit's thermometer ranges in July from 90 to 94, for several days. The extreme lieut raises the mercury up to 100° and 106°. The usual summer tcmperatu^'e may be set down at from 60° to 80° in the inland parts of the country. — The coldest weather usually takes place after the full moon in January; for it is not until winter has had some time to exert its influence, that the full effect of the cold is experienced. The mercury in Fahrenheit's thermometer sinks at this season from 27° to 32° for several successive days. The extremes of cold are from 35° to 38° below zero, at eighty or ninety miles from salt water. In treating of the seasons in this country it must be obser- ved that in some years the spring opens as much as a month earlier and the ihll holds fine nearly a month later than in others. We may usually date the opening of our spring about the latter part of April, when the rivers and lakes open and the snow disaj)pcars. The winds in this month are chiefly, from the norih-cabi, with dull heavv weather. As m 111 i Mav advances the weather becomes settled, and the mornings are fine. The sun, which rises a little after four o'clock, dif- fuses his beams in full splendour, through an unclouded sky. This is the usual month for sowing and planting the high lands : the intervale and low lands are not sufficiently dry for cultivation till June. The prevailing winds in the summer are from the south and south-west, veering at times to the eastward, but never continuing long to the north-west. In the early part of June the nights are chilly, attended with fre- quent frosts, particularly at the changes of the moon, which oftentimes injure the early flowering fruit trees, and it is not until after the sunmier solstice that the night air loses its ri- gor. This is no doubt occasioned by the snow which lies concealed in the deep recesses of the forest, as well as by the waters of the numerous rivers, lakes, &c. all which are swoln at this season, and by the cold acquired by the earth during the long winter, which requires the full effect of the sun's in- fluence till late in June before it is sufficiently heated. As soon as the earth is so thoroughly warmed that the nights lose their chilliness, vegetation becomes surprisingly rapid. In a few days, plants that appeared stunted and yellow, as- sume a healthy green, and shew a vigorous growth, and in the space of a week, should a shower intervene, the face of the country exhibits the most luxuriant vegetation. September is a pleasant month : the air is serene and pure. The rivers and streams are usually lower this month than at any other period during the year, and the dry weather fre- quently continues till late in October. Snow sometimes falls early in November, and lays until late in April ; but this does not always hold. The rivers and lakes iieeze up from about the middle to the last of November — some sooner and others later, according to their situation. It is not uncom- mon to have frosts in every month in the year exctfpt Jidy ; for they generally occur at the change of the moon in June, and occasionally in August, particularly on small streams. If) however, they pass that period, they usually keep off till the middle of September, at which time the crops will have arrived at maturity. Strangers to the country would natu- rally conclude, from the foregoing account, that the seasons were too short and frosty for the crops to come to perfection ; but this is not the case: roots come to maturity and grain ri- pens in most years, — wheat being oftener hurt by rust than by frost. Th<; springs are indeed backward, but vegetation is surprisingly rapid, and the autumns are usually very fine. The changes of the weather arc fre(|uentiy very sudden in m this country : often in the space of two hours (in the sieasoh.«5 of fall and spring,) there are changes from the mild tempera- ture of September to the rigor of winter ! This is chiefly occasioned by the wind ; for while it blows from any of th« points from the S. W. to the N. E. the air is mild, but when it veers from the N. E. to the N. W. the weather becomes cold and clear; and as the wind frequently changes very sud- denly, the transition from heat to cold is equally rapid. Even in the sultry month of July, whenever the wind changes for a few hours to the N. W. the air becomes cool and invigora- ting. This is no doubt occasioned by its passing over the immense continent to the northwestward and Hudson's Bay to the northward. On the contraryj when the winds are from the southward and southeastward, tney are mild and re- laxing, retaining a portion of the heat acquired in the torrid zone. The changes are not, however, always so violent : the weather often both in winter and summer continues for weeks together with but little alteration in the general tem- perature, and changes imperceptibly. Along the sea coast there are usually cool breezes from the sea whenever the tide comes in, during the summer. The prevailing winds during the winter are from the Northwest. In this country there is a great length of twilight ; daylight in the summer lingers till past nine o'clock in the evening, and the day breaks short- ly after two o'clock in the morning j the aurora borealis is also frequent and brilliant. A singular phenomenon was ex- hibited by the aurora borealis in this country on the 7th of November, 1835, about 6 o'clock, p. m. The horizon, which had been loaded with light vapours, was suddenly covered with the aurora borealis, which rapidly changed from a natu- ral white to a bright vermillion, and then to a deep red, in- termixed with pale blue and green. It first appeared in the N. E. veering to the South — it then shifted to the zenith, form- ing arches, which diverged to every point of the horizon ; its duration was about three and a half minutes, when ' settled away to the westward, and finally disappeared in that quar- ter. It appeared again, still more brilliant, of a red colour, about daybreak the next morning. Another phencimenon similar to this occurred on the 25lh of January, 183(i, about eight o'clock in the evening, when the sky became of a deep scarlet colour, which continued changing to crimson, blue and yellow lor nearly an hour. There has been but one shock of an earthquake experien- ced since the settlement of the country; this shock took place' on the^2d of Ma}^, 1827, at twenty-five minutes past three '.if u b'clock in the morning ; the duration of tije vibration was about forty-five seconds; it was attended with the usual rum- bUng noise without thunder; the weather being very serene and pleasant. The appearances, however, usually indicating earthquakes, such as fiery meteorsj and unusual brilliancy of the aurora borcalis, had been frequent the preceding winter. It has, however, been surmised by some persons that other shocks have been felt of late years, but this is very doubtful. It FORESTS. The forests with which this country is still densely cover- ed are well stored with a great variety of trees, some of which are of a very stately growth, furnishing abundance of ship and other timber, tn speaking of the forests, it may not be amiss to observe that it is very probable that this country has been denuded of its forests and \)artof its soil at different pe- riods by destructive fires, which have swept the country, and consumed all within their range. This appears evident from tracts of burnt districts, and the remains of large trees in pla- ces that are now nearly naked or covered with a small growth. Indeed, according to ..dition, one of those destructive fires took place not long before the Loyalists came to the country, which swept from the Saint Croix to the Saint John, and was only checked in its progress northward by the latter river. Traces of such a fire are still visible in the Counties of Cimr- lotte and Sunbury. — Forests, like men and all other things, are undergoing a perpetual change, and arc replaced at stated intervals, by various processes. Among the trees in this country', the pine claims the first place. Of this tree there are several varieties, of which the principal are the red or what is also called Norway pine, and the white. The red pine is a close, firm wood, of a tall growth, not so large as the wliite, but preferred before it for uses where great strength and durability are required — this kind is now getting scarce. The young growth on the Tobicjue has been nearly destroyed by fire within a few years, and the large trees in most parts of the country that were accessible, have been cut by the lumberers. The white pine is also becoming scarce from the same causes. This tree, which furnished our prin- cipal export in squared timber, is of a large growth — seven- teen tons of good timber is frequently obtained from one tree. The wood is not so firm as the red pine, bjut is an excellent article for boards, shingles, &c. and is particularly useful for the inside work of buildings. There are also sevcml varie- Q5 ties of the birch, such as black, yellow, and white. TIu* black birch is principally used for squared timber to export, and for ship building ; what is called the black curly birch is a beautiful wood for furniture. The next tree of the greatest importance as regards our trade is the spruce, which though classed among tne soft woods is of a firm texture, and is squared, and also sawn into deals and exported in large quan- tities, and furnishes an important and increasing part of our trade. Among our soft woods, we also have the hemlock, a large tree which furnishes lathwood and tanners' bark, being the only tan used in the country. The hackmatack, tamar- ack, or larch, is a firm, durable, gummy wood, much used in ship-building : the other soft woods are the fir, cedar, &c.-— The maple, which in importance may be placed next to the birch, consists of several varieties. What is termed rock ma- ple is a very firm hard wood — one kind called bird-eye maple is a beautiful durable wood for furniture. — It is almost as hea- vy as lignumvitoB, and when well polished, exhibits a surface beautifully variegated like birds eyes, from whence it derives its name ; white maple is a much softer wood — all the varie- ties of this tree yield abundance of sap ; the hardest kind pro- ducing the richest, from which the inhabitants make sugar. — The sap is obtained by tapping the tree with a chissel, and inserting a spile — or by boring a hole with a small auger, which is the best method, and inserting a tube through which the sap flows, and is received into a trough hollowed out of wood, or a vessel made out of birch bark. The season for tapping is when the sap is rising in the trees, which usually takes place early in April. The other trees are beech, ash, elm, poplar, hornbeam, oak, locust, &c. ; the islands and intervale are usually covered with butternut, basswood, and alder. The animals with which our forests are stored are much the same as those in the bordering countries of Canada, Maine, and Nova-Scotia. The Moose kind, which was very abundant when the Province was first settled, have nearly dis- appeared ; the same may be said of the Loup Cervier, or as the Indians call them the Lucifee ; Beavers also are getting scar^^e; Bears are still numerous. There are also Foxes, Martins, Peaconcks, Hares, Carriboo, Mink, Racoon, a variety of Squirrels, Porcupines, Otter, Musquash, and Weasels ; — Wolves are now but seldom seen. The Carcajou Carcasu, or Indian Devil, was formerly ranked «toong the animals of this Province, but has disappeared of Wfe years. There are one or two instances of persons being attacked in the woods D •^i Q6 and nearly destroyed by animals of the cat species, supposed to belong to this ferocious tribe. The birds are much the same as those in the neighbouring provinces. No classification has ever yet been made of them so as to furnish a satisfactory catalogue; among a considera- ble variety, is that beautiful little creature the humming bird. There are but few reptiles hi the province, and those are harm- less. AGRICULTURE. IH As most of the settlers in this Province who have turned their attention to husbandry, pay considerable attention to rearing stock, from the very general adaptation of the land to grass, this country possesses a very good breed of horned and other domestic animals, consisting of horses, oxen, cows, sheep, swine, &c. Their domestic fowls are turkies, geese, ducks, and hens. Great attention has been paid to improve the breed of our domestic animals. Horses have frequently been imported from England, and by crossing different races, a good breed has been obtained ; tne Province, therefore, now possesses a variety of that noble animal, suitable for labour, the carriage, the saddle, and the turf. The Cows have also been crossed with the Ayrshire and other breeds from the old countries, till our stock of horned cattle has attained to a degree of ex- cellence, and may well vie with those of any of the adjoining countries. The Sheep of the country have likewise been brought to a very high standard, by crossing with the Dish- ley and other breeds; the same, too, may be said of the Swine. Perhaps the quality of our stock may in future de- pend more on the management, mode of feeding and atten- tion of our farmers, than on any great alteration in the dif- ferent breeds. The soil of this Province is pecir^' rly favorable to the pro- duction of Grass. Wherever a load of hay has passed through the wilderness in the winter, grasses are found in abundance the next summer. On some solitary roads the traveller finds sufficient feed for his horse in the summer sea- son. The principal grasses are Timothy, brown top Lucerne, pine top, white and red Clever, &c. &c. The produce is irora one and a half to two and a half tons per acre, and sometimes more. There are also a variety of wild grasses in the low meadows, which produce great quantities of foddex for young cattle. S7 sup})osed [libouring e of them ;onsidei'a-> ling bird, are liarni- ve turned tention to ic land to orned and en, cows, Bs, geese, ed of our imported 3od breed ossesses a I carriage, n crossed countries, ree of ex- adjoining vise beeu the Dish- id of the uture de- md atten- II the dif- the pro- is passed found ia roads the nmer sea- Lucerne, roduce is Here, and grasses in of fodder The ciiief Grains cultivated in tlie country for bread are Wheat, Rye, Oats, Indian Corn, and Buckwheat. The other grains are Barley, Pease, Sec. some Millet, and Beans of dif- ferent kinds. A great variety of roots are also cultivated, and in gent.al thrive well; the principal of which are Potatoes, Turnips, Carrots, Beets, Parsnips, and Mangel Wurtzel. The soil of this country appears to be well adapted fo» raising Wheat, which is always sown broadcast. If the land is new, and of course encumbered with stumps, it takes about five pecks of seed to the acre. On old land the quantity sown is from two to three bushels per acre, and the produce is from twelve to twenty bushels to the acre, and sometimes more. Wheat forms a considerable article of culture with almost all our good farmers, and it is generally as sure as any grain crop, except oats. If good seed be selected and sown in time, with proper husbandry, it generally gives a fair re- turn. Formerly the rust frequently destroyed the crop ; but for some years past this scourge has not been much felt. Wheat should be sown as early as the season will admit. — Rye is cultivated much like wheat : it will answer on poorer land, and gives nearly the same returns. Barley also does well in this country, but has not got into general estimation among our famers. Buckwheat is less cultivated now than formerly, on account of its uncertainty. There was a spe- cies of wild Buckwheat introduced a few years ago, but it ap- pears to have fallen into neglect. Indian Corn or Maize was formerly more cultivated than it is at present. It is pe- culiarly adapted to a light warm soil, and used to be cultiva- ted in the intervales by the old settlers. It was an old say- ing, that a good crop of corn always made every thing plenty. The good sound corn stocked the country with a wholesome hearty bread, while the unsound and nubbings, as the short ears were called, made abundance of pork and poultry. The soil can scarcely be too rich or highly manured for this plant. The manure should always be olcl, and no matter how strong. It is usually planted in hills. The ground should be well prepared with the plough. Furrows should then be drawn about three feet asunder; and the corn dropped into the fur- rows about thirty inches apart, five grains to a hill. It is hoed twice, and sometimes oftener. The best season for planting it is the last week in May and first week in June. The stocks of this plant contain great quantities of saccarine matter, and make excellent fodder for cattle. Oats thrive well and are much cultivatetl in the Province: they are a very &iue crop, and yield I'rom tnciity to forty ■yi ■M i:P? ^8 bushels per acre. Pease olso do well, and are much cultiva- ted by the French inhabitants, who make great use of them lor soup. Beans are cultivated in various ways, but chiefly in gardens. There are many varieties of them, and they give a good return, if not injured by the frosts. They are a tender plant, and delight in a dry sandy soil, requiring but little manure. — Millet can scarcely be counted among our products at present. Among the ground crops, the Potatoe holds the first place. Thi? invaluable root flourishes in great perfection in this Provmce, which seems to be its natural place, as the Pota- toes of New-Brunswick are still superior to those of Nova- Scotia, which are also of an excellent quality, greatly exceed- ing any produced in the United States. This root is the surest and most profitable crop, and is a staple article of food for man and beast. It furnishes one of the most productive and certain substitutes for bread of any known, and is in ge- neral use throughout the Province, which would feel the want of this root more than any other of its productions. The usual and simplest method of cultivating this root is by planting cuttings of it in hills two or three feet asunder, ac- cording to the quality and state of the land. This method is always followed on new lands : when the land is old and free from stumps, they are set in drills, and most of the labour is performed by the plough. Potatoes appear to be peculiarly a gift to the poor man ; for if the trees are but newly cut down, and the land burnt over, they can be planted with the hoe or hack, and wherever an eye is deposited, it is sure to vegetate. Should the ground be so encumbered with roots as to hinder the labourer from breaking it up, still with his hack or pick he can scrape a little soil over the seed, and he is sure of a return in the fall, when he may have to cut away roots to obtain his crop. The Potatoes raised from new land in this state are of superior flavor to such as are produced on land that has been long under culture. There is another peculiarity belonging to this root in the poor man's favor. If provisions are scarce with him, (and they "sually are with this class of people in seed time,) he can take his potatoes and scrape out the eyes with a small portion of the potatoe attached to them, and still have nearly all his potatoes left for food. These eyes will in new land produce a fliT crop; but the method is not good for old land, where the larger the seed the larger will be the pro- duce, both in kind and quality. Potatoes yield from one liundred and fifty to three hundred bushels, and sometimes more, per acre. 29 The other roots are Turnips, among which the Uuta Boga or Swedish turnip holds the Rrst place. This root is sown early in June, while the other various kinds of turnips are sown late in July after all other planting and sowing is over. Mangle Wurtzel is sown in drills — it is a plant that gives n large return, and is an excellent fodder for cattle, particu- larly for cows. The leaves of this plant may be cropped while growing every third week, and are excellent feed for cows : the middle or crown leaves should always be left on the plant. Carrots, beets, parsnips, onions, &c. are in gene- ral use, and chiefly cultivated in gardens, as are also cabbages, cauliflowers, kale brocoli, cucumbers, mellon?. squashes, pep- percorns, &c. This will lead to a few remarks on the state of Horticulture in this Province. But it must not be for- gotten that in treating of the state of our Agriculture, that the drill husbandry is yet unknown in the Province, and that all the sowing is broad cast. The forming of composts is likewise but little attended to. In some instances alluvial deposits are taken from low lands and used as dressings, and Plaster of Paris and Lime are beginning to be tried. HORTICULTURE. Gardening in some parts is advancing ; many plants have of late years been introduced from England and other places, some of which are acclimated to this country and do well. — A number of persons in different parts have turned their at- tention to this pleasing part of husbandry, and have added much to the numerous classes of our plants by the introduction and cultivation of exotics. A great variety of excellent roots are cultivated in some of their gardens, with a great abun- dance of salads, peas, beans, melons, cucumbers, and other culinary vegetables. A variety of srr.all fruits have also been much improved by their culture, among which are currants, gooseberries, strawberries, and several kinds of plums, cher- ries, &c. Within a few years horticultural and floral socie- ties have been formed in several places, by whose exertions great improvements are yearly making in those pleasing arts. A great addition has been made to our plants ; flowers have been particularly attended to and improved. Some of the best gardens exhibit an almost inexhaustible variety of the flowery kingdom, both natives and exotics, from the humble violet to the magnificent dahlia. Among our fruits the apple tree holds the first place, but the improvement of fruit and the planting of orchards have m 111: ffi 30 been inucli neglected in this country. In this respect this Province is far behind Nova-Scotia ; of late years tlie seasons have not been favorable for apples, and what few orchards there are in this country have deteriorated. Farmers, how- ever, are beginning to turn their attention to the raising of apples and plums on their farms, and should the seasons prove favou ible the country will in a few years produce a fair propo m of each. A few cider presses have been construct- ed, wlii' u have produced cider of an excellent quality. The apples at present produced in this country are more suitable lor the press than for use otherwise ; they are from the want of attention in the culture, and from the shortness of the sea- son, small and ill -flavoured ; there are agreat many kinds, but few that may be called good fruit. Tnere are a variety of plums in the country which in some jeasons produce abun- dant crops. Currants appear to be the natural fruit of the country ; they thrive in all seasons, and produce abundantly. The same may be said of raspberries ; the other fruits as was before noticed, are strawberries, gooseberries, cranberries, blackberries, huckleberries, different kinds of cherries, grapes, and a number of small wild fruits; with several kinds of nuts, particularly butter nuts, hazel nuts, and beech nuts, the latter of which furnish a fall feed for hogs, and on which they fatten very fast, but the pork is of a soft oily texture. Before closing this chapter it may be well to observe that on Agriculture and domestic economy must ever depend the vital welfare of the Province. However flourishing may be our trade and commercial pursuits, still agriculture claims the first place. Without attention to it, our prosperity will always be precarious. Where food is scarce and dear, trade must languish ; where it is plenty, every part of the social system is kept in a healthy state :. and although the sources for a permanent flourishing trade are abundant in this coun- try, as will be shewn in the following pages, still, if agricul- ture is not fostered, our prosperity as a people will ever be exposed to sudden and violent interruption. Indeed a strict attention to the cultivation of the soil is essential to the po- litical freedom of a people. No country can be independent without it. What would become of the human race should agriculture be neglected for only one year throughout the world ? — or what would soon be the condition of a nation, however flourishing its trade, that should totally abandon agriculture? The produce of the soil is the founaation and basis of the wealth of a country. In proof of this, among innumerable instances, we may refer to the position of the Bi small fctnte of S} rncusc, at the time when the two most war* like nations of antiquity were contending for the mastery. — ■ The case of Holland flourishing merely by her trade, witfiout much attention to agriculture, arises from peculiar circum-< stances, into which the limits of this work will not permit the writer to inquire. In New- Brunswick, where almost every fumily has, or can have a piece of land, what an addition would he made to the general stock of provision if every person cultivated a little ; and although all cannot become extensive farnfiCrs, still they could raise a part of their food, such as potatoes and othei' roots, with a small quantity of grain, and fodder for a few cattle. This is within the reach of most families and would go far to make them comfortable. Should they be labourers or lumberers, with a few exceptions, they could put some- thing in the ground, and their children might tend it, which would be far better employment for them than to be running about idle, as is too often the case. Such persons will al- ways find that it takes a great part of their earnings to pur- chase the produce of what they might look on as a poor crop, and then th^y would have it by them without looking for it, and carrying it home from a cfistance. If the bulk of the population always raised a full supply of potatoes for the year, there could never be pinching want. They could then always provide themselves with a small stock of pork and other provisions, so that but a small part of the flour that it now imported at a great price would be wanted. — However some may complain of the seasons, if seed is not put into the ground at the proper time, no certaia returns can be expected. Potatoes, when well planted in the proper season, are a sure crop ; they have failed but twice in forty years, and, in these instances, not totally. The years alluded to were 1816 and 1836, in both which, potatoes were a lean crop ; but still, when they were planted early and in favorable situati" ons, they gave a fiiir return. The same may be said of oats and some other crops ; and on the whole, when persons have steadily and skilfully followed farming, they have ge- nerally done well, and although they have not suddenly rea-* lized the dreams of the speculator ; they have gradually ac- cumulated landed property, numerous herds, and an inde- dendence, and are the substantial freeholders of the country. CHAP. III. PRINCIPAL RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS. Uiver Saint Croix— North Eastern Boundary— River Saint John — Miramichi — Itesligouche— Mars Hill, m h If &■ hi- 'I THE RIVER ST. CROIX, OR SCHOODIC. This river being part of the bounchiry between the State of Maine and New-Brunswick, claims our first notice. It is the principal Uiver of the County of Charlotte and discharges itself into the Bay of Passamaquoddy, near the town of Saint Andrews, where it is about a mile wide. The navigation, in consequence of a succession of falls, extends but a short dis- tance up the river. The river has two main branches, which, by a chain of lakes, extends nearly to the rivers Penobscot and St. John, in opposite directions. There are a number of settlements along the river, and much capital is invested in mills ; and as the country bordering on the lakes is well timbered a large quantity of sawed lumber is annually exported from that part of the country. The river Cheputnaticook falls into the east- ern branch of this river ; the ertreme northern point of which has been agreed on by the Commissioners of Great Britain and the United States, appointed under the authority of Jay's treat)', as the true source of the Saint Croix, contemplated by the Treaty of 1T83. Here they have erected a starting post, called the monument, and which is the first point in the line of boundary between the two countries, although it would appear that the Westernmost branch was truly meant by the latter treaty ; for long prior to this period, in the old grant of Sir William Alexander, in 1621, the most remote western spring or fountain of the St. Croix, was declared to be the western boundary of the Province of Nova Scotia, and that was long before a separating line between the Bri- tish dominions and any other state was thought of. As this line, which is termed the North Eastern Boundary, is still 9S unsettleJ, 1 !>hall make a few remarks on that important siilyect, before taking leave of tliis river, which constitutes the stnrtin.fT point. According to the Treaty of Paris in I '783, under which the boundary question arose. The line alK'r ilescribing the north-west angle of Nova Scotia, is thus defined : — " Ka ,i by a line to be drawn along the middle of •* the !St. Croix, Ironi its mouth in the Buy of Fundy to its " source, and from its source directly north to the aforesaid " highlands, (before described in the treaty) which divide the •' rivers which fall into the Atlantic Ocean, from those which " fall into the river St. Lawrence." As a misunderstanding soon arose between Great Britain and the United States in regard to which was the river meant by the St. Croix, in. the Treaty of 1783, and where the source of that river should be placed ; it was at length finally settled by the Commissioners appointed by the two Governments, under Jay's Treaty in 1791', that the St. Croix was the river truly contemplateci by the former treaty, and the extreme Northern source of the Chcputnaticook, as be- fore stated, the source of that river. From this point a due north line has been surveyed and established as the true line of boundary as far as Mars Hill. This point, therefore, forms the second station, and has been mutually agreed on as the true line by both Governments. Here, untbvtunately, the agreement ends. New difBculties arose which are yet: unsettled. The American Government wishing to prolong the north line to the river Metis, which falls into the Saint Lawrence. The British, on their part, declaring Mars Hill to be the point truly meant by the treaty of 1783. That this was the height of land contemplated by that treaty as forming the North West Angle of Nova Scotia, and that as no higher land exists in that direction, the line should turn at this point. Here it may be observed, that as it regards the height of huid si)ecified by the treaty, the British clairit appears founded on Ihcts — for it is well ascertained that at Mars Hill a chain of high land commences, which stretches nearly to the Connecticut river ; dividing the sowrces of the Penobscot, Kennebec, and Androscoggin, which fall into the Atlantic ocean ; from the Choudiere and other rivers which fall into the St. Lawrence. While at the head of the river Metis, where the Americans have placed the North-west an- gle, no such highlands exist. The distance between these two points, * J about sixty miles, and is called the Disputed Terriforj/. It approaches in some parts of the line within twelve miles of the river St. Lawrence, and completely iiiter- .s* m if^'i i secis tlie connection nnJ communication between tlie Britisli Provinces, leaving in some parts but a narrow strip along the Saint Lawrence to the British. It likewise embraces a line of nearly one hundred and fifty miles along the river St. John, from its source downwards, and cuts off from the Bri- tish possessions an area comprising about 10,000 square miles of well timbered land, exceeding in extent the United Provinces. A provision was made by the treaty of Ghent in 1814, for the final settlement of any difficulty that might arise between the Commissioners of the two powers, to be appointed by virtue of the treaty, by a reference of their re- ports and surv;^ys : with all other matters connected with the subject of the said boundary, to some friendly sovereign or state, who was to decide ex parte on the said reports alone, and the two Governments agreed by the said treat} to abide and consider the decision of such friendly Sovereign or State to be final and conclusive on all matters to them referred. — In pursuance of this provision, the King of the Netherlands was chosen by the two powers as Arbitrator, who after exam- ining the reports and hearing the Agents sent to hir , by the two Governments, endeavoured to adjust the claims of the parties by splitting the difference, thereby defining a new line of boundary described by him as Ibllows : — " A line *' drawn due north from the source of the river St. Croix, '' where it intersects the middle of the thahveg, (i. e. deepest channel) of the river St. John, thence the middle of the thal- weg of that river, ascending it to the point where the river " St. Francis empties itself into the river St. John ; thence " the middle of the thalweg of the rivi-r St, Francis, ascend- " ing it to the source of its Southernmost branch, which •' source we indicate on the map A. by the letter X. authen- *' ticated by the signature of our Minister of Foreign affairs ; *' thence a line drawn due west to the point where it unites " with the line claimed by the United States of America, " and delineated on the map A. ; thence to the point at " which according to said map it coincides with that claimed " by Great Britain, and thence to the line traced on the map " by the two powers to the northwesternmost source of Con- " necticut River." This award, notwithstanding the stipulations of the Treaty of Ghent, which were framed to make it conclusive and bind- ing, was not acceded to by the Americail Government, and the disputed territory still remains a source of future litiga- tion between the two governments. The late President Jack- ion earnestly desired to !iave this boundary settled before he 3.5 vvenl out ofoHice; but his wishes vvcio uulbituuately not ica lizecl ; and it is sincerely to be wished that those conJlicting claims may not at some future day disturb the harmony that so happily exists at present between two nations, so closely connected not only bv trade and interest, but by a common origin, religion, and language. UIVER SAINT JOHN. This noble river, known also by the name of the Ouanguon- dy, and Loosh-took, (c./, long river,) encircles a large portion of New- Brunswick, and may be considered as the principal and central drain of the numerous rivers and streams with which the Province is intersected ; winding in an irregular semicircle, it traverses an extent of about five hundred miles, through the heart of the country, and falls into the Bay of Fundy at the City of Saint John, in Latitude 45° 20" N. Longitude 66° 3" W. This river derives its jiresent name from being discovered on St. John's day. It rises from lakes uear the head of Con- necticut river between the forty-fifth and forty-sixth degrees of North latitude, and has two main Iwanches which unite about fifty miles above tlie point where it receives the river AUiguash, One branch rises from lakes to the northward, and winds round high land in its curve to join the main stream ; the other branch rises from lakes to the southward, and meanders through a low swampy country near the head waters of the Penobscot, with which liunters say there is a communication in the spring, when the country is covered with water. At that season light canoes may be pushed through the creeks, lakes, and swamps from one river to the other. The country at this part of the river is but little known. The junction of the two branches which form the river St. John, is called the forks. From this point to the AUiguash it stretches to the Nortli East; the AUiguash which liills into it from the South East is a large stream, with a heavy full about fifteen miles from its junction with the Saint John. It has a chain of lakes, and is a route frequented by the Americans to yo from the waters of the St. John to the Kennebec, the portages being but few and short. About twelve miles farther down it receives the St. Francis, a consi- derable stream thai rises in Canada. Fish river and the Me- riumplicook next fall info it, with some other lesser streams. Continuing its roui.'sC North ward, il i<- loincd bv the Mada- ^ 36 VlWi I' i 'f 1 I \"h waska river, whicli falls into it from the Nortliwaril. It then inclines to the south, and flows on without any obstruc- tion, receiving several large tributaries, until it reaches the Grand Falls, in Latitude 4G^ 54/ Here its channel is bro- ken by a chain of locks which run across the river and pro- duce a tremendous fall of more than forty feet perpendicular, down wJiich the water of the entire river rushes with resist- less impetuosity. The river just above ttie cataract makes a short bend or nearly a right angle, forming a small bay a few rods above the j)recijiice, in which there is an edd}', which makes it a safe landing place, although very near the main fall, where the canoes. Sic. pass with the greatest safety. Immediately below this bay the river suddenly contracts — a point of rocks project from the western shore, and narrow the channel (o the width of a few rods. The waters thus pent up, sweep over the rugged bottom with great velocity. Just before they reach the main precipice, they rush down a de- scent of some feet, and rebound in foam from a bed of rocks on the verge of the fall. Tliey are then precipitated dbwn the perpendicular cliffs into the abyss below, which is stud- ded with rocks that nearly choke the passage, leaving only a small opening in the centre, through which the water, after whirling for some time in the bason, rushes with tre- mendous impetuosity, sweeping through a broken rocky chan- nel, and a succession of falls for more than half a mile, being closely shuit in by rocks, which in some places overhang the river so as to hide most part of it from the view of the obser- ver. Trees and timber which arc carried down the falls ai'e sometimes whirled round in the bason below the precipice uii they are ground to pieces ; sometimes their ends are tapered to a point, and at other times broken and crushed to pieces. Below the Falls there is another small bay with a good depth of still water, very convenient for collecting timber, &c. after it has escaped through the falls. Here canoes and boats from Fredericton and the lower parts of the river land, and if bound for Madawaska they are taken out of the water, and convey- ed with their loads across the neck of land to the small bay above the falls before mentioned, where they are again put on the water, and proceed without farther obstruction to the up- per settlements and the Canada line. The distance of the portage is about one hundred and fifly rods. Flat bottomed boats fi-om fifteen to twenty tons burthen, and canoes, arc at presen*^ chiefly used in this navigation. The French are par- tial to ligfit canoes, which they set through the rapids with polts, niid with \yhich they shoot the falls with great address. About a niile btlovv the Janding place a sucocssion of ra- picis commence. The first, from a continued loam are called the white rapids. The banks of the river are here very high, and the water compressed by a narrow channel rushes through the bed of rocks which nearly cross the river, and whirling about in their passage arc forced over and round the crags in sheets of foam. A few miles below the Falls the St. John receives the waters of the Salmon, llestook, and To- bi(jue rivers. It then continues its course, receiving every few miles some considerable stream, till it reaches the Meductic Falls — its course being nearly South, and its width about a quarter of a mile, occasionally widening and contracting its bed, till it caches Woodstock, where it enlarges its bed, and forms several line Islands. From this place it again contracts and jutting points of intervale compress its channel. At the Meductic Falls its channel is again nearly choked up with rocks : the navigation, however is not totally inter- rupted — for rafts, boats, and small craft, in their descent, are run through the falls by persons well acquainted with the channel ; and in their ascent are towed through by men or horses — and but few accidents happen considering the num- ber that navigate the river. As the river is in many places encumbered with rocks, &c. the navigation is very dilhcult at the dry season of the year. The current is likewise very swift in many places, and rapids are frequent to within about six miles of Fredericton, where they end. '7 About nine miles above Fredericton, the river suddenly widens and receives the Madam Keswick. Here is a group of fine Islands, some of which are nearly a mile in length, and nearly as broad. The view of those Islands from the adjoiniijg hills in the summer is extremely beautiful, appear- ing at a distance like well arranged parky and gardens. At Fredericton the livcr is nearly three quarters of a mile wide, and flows with a beautiful unbroken current to the falls, near Saint John. A number of beautiful Islands are scattered along its bed. Those Islands are composed of rich alluvial soil, and produce large crops of grass and grain ; being formed by the washings of the river, they are like garden spots scattered through the country. About nine miles from St. John the river widens into a bay nearly six miles long and three broad, into which the river Keiniebeckacis lulls. At the lower part of this bay the St. John suddenly contracts and winds through a crooked passage, called the narrows, and again opens and Ibrms a small bay directly above the Falls. Here the current is once more broken by a bed of recks, nnd 1: f! 38 lif i ?'■ •'•? I i i'i suddenly contracted by tlie near approach of the banlis, which appear to have been formerly united and forced asunder by some convulsion of nature. From the appearance of the rocks on each side it is probable that the waters having been pent up in the small bay just mentioned, have, in their efforts to escape, undermined the rocks and land at this place, and forced a sublorruneous passaj^c, which, by wearing, and aided by some violent concussion, has caused the rocks to fall in, when the earth being washed away by the rapidity of the cur- rent, has left the present passage open, and that the split rock and bed of the channel are the remains of the former over- hanffinir rocks. For that the bed of the channel consists of cfagged rocks of various shapes and sizes, is evident from the whirlpools and eddies at this place. These falls make a tremendous roaring at certain periods. After passing the Falls the riuer forms the harbour of Saint John and falls into the Bay of Fundy, as before stated. The spring tides, at Saint John rise from twenty-four to twenty-eight feet. The body of the river is about 'seventeen feet above low watermark. When the tide has flowed twelve feet, the Falls arc smooth and passable from fifteen to twenty minutes. They are level three and a half hours on the flood, and two and a half on the ebb, and are passable four time* in twenty-four hours. Above tlie Falls the tides rise only from eighteen inches to two feet, while at Fredericton which is about eighty miles up, the spring tides rise in the summer season as high as fourteen inches, and are perceivable about ten miles farther up. In the spring, the river, swoln with rains and the mcUing of the snow and ice, rises higher than the tides, which prevents vessels from ascending the Falls for some weeks. The first Steamer on this river conmien- ced running in May, 1816. The first that ascended to Wood- stock, was the Novelty, on the 30th April, 1837. I shall close this sketch by subjoining u Tabular View of the River Saint John, from Fredericton to the Grand Falls — the survey having been made by order of Sir Howard DOUQLAS. , • ' L?|. ,- ►J < Em H w H o o H o Eiq Q as o o O) > W o ^ TJ N 4; a 7^ J1 ^ o l4 3-2 0? rt -a • c k4 o o c 47 1 to a 8 . .2 ^ . o o o M (J o m Cm o «> T 5 • 'a c o -o ■ ►. •£ c S- - b • « -a 2 « g. tfl w o « " u 5 3 as 'tj 'v X ana k. o o .a .a f^ g .9 := = a » 2 .^ Q. 2 3 '2 " a. t ^0^ -^ O O t5 > <-) O > i> O J H H , w — « 00 O -in o> O 00 C- -wi» l^ C5 « V r-H — t- •— ' O C 8 E^ o s ♦-* e • O) CS Oi o O O CO <: >M 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 O (»; CO -1 >J -. {M >o 3M CI — CO CO (N W 'fe^ o tT '^ Ih 2 " t i ••.-'" ■ • ■** u^ La * . g^ 11 Q e sa^i J (>l 00 wrj o . o CO "1 O O !.M -K^ 3 ■>> 2i ' d 'iSJ- ■J • "^ ♦J lu S 9 1^ • (N rO <>i rft (?) <^,^.*^'-^-^^*^ 1 Mo. of Rapids. • "lo~^ ■*"co"t>'co S) 1 'O 1 -+1 *** """."" 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Ml 40 RIVER MIRAMICHL Tills river as well as the numerous streams that fall into it, have been formerly stored with abimdance of Pines of the most luxuriant growth, and although the lumbering business has been prosecuted to a great extent for a number of years, it still furnishes large quantities of square and sawed lum- ber annually. It is indeed still the main source of the trade of *.hat part of the Province. It has also been noted from its first settlement for its excellent Fisheries tor Salmon, which are taken in great abundance in many parts of the river. — It has two main branches called the north-west and south- west, which reach a great distance, and with their streams lay opoi. «S inmost recesses of the counf'y. Several fine Is- i3"C/ s- m the course of this river^ covered with elm, but- tern' . ?':j ckc. which always denote the most luxuriant soil. There are a chain of settlements along the course of this ri- vei wliich wiU W. noticed hereafter. Rafts are taken down this river 'Itix die {rreatest safety directly to the shipping, thereby saving a 'asl in all the above denominations, there are always a great number of attendants at the different churches, who form a great part of the congregation, and although in a strict sense they do not belong to the church, still they lay claim to the name, so that the exact number of members belonging to the dif- ferent classes cannot be precisely ascertained. For this reason I have given the precedence to the different bodies according to what on a strict enquiry I '^onceive to be their numerical position ; the Romish Church ranking the highest and the Scotch the lowest. At present no correct list of the number of the different denominations exists, and the writer does not wish to give as facts, points on which the churches themselves have not yet decided. It is pleasing to add that the different denominations live in the greatest harmony with each other. ■ 1 i LITERATURE. Great efforts have been made in this Province to place learning on a respectable footing, and to provide such insti- tutions for the diffusion of knowledge as shall enable can- didates for the learned professions to obtain the required branches of education without leaving their homes. Every requisite of classical and scientific knowledge that may be ne- cessary for the student to fit him for the different avocations of life can now be obtained at the different seminaries of learn- ing that are in active operation. At the head of those institutions must be placed the Col- lege of New-Brunswick, or King's College ; — tliis was esta- blished on its present fbuudatiou by Royal Charter, bearing 51 date the 18th day November, 1823. A grant of j€1000 stg. was made to this College out of the Royal revenues of the Province ; this sum, with its former endowment in lands, and a liberal annual grant from the Legislature, enabled the Cor- poration to erect a spacious building, and to provide books and other requisites to illustrate the different branches of science taught in the institution. The object of the College as expressly declared in the char- ter by which his late Majesty endowed it with the privileges of an University, is, ** the education of youth in the principles of the Christian religion, and their instruction in the various branches of literature and science. In pursuance of this object, the plan adopted by the Council has been to receive such students as had acquired the elements of a liberal educa- tion at the Grammar Schools of the Province, or elsewhere, and to aflbrd them the means of those mature attainments which experience has proved to be the fittest qualifications for the higher stations and ofBces of society. " Nothing further, therefore, is required of candidates fo»: matriculation, than that they be sufficiently acquainted with the grammatical structure of the Latin and Greek languages, and be capable of expressing their thoughts in writing in Latin as well as English. No restriction is imposed as regards age, religion, place of birth, or education, of any person present- ing himself for admission. " The instruction of students is conducted by the Vice Pre- sident and two Professors." The day begins and concludes with divine worship." The time actually spent by the student on daily lectures extends in general from ten in the morning to two in the af- ternoon," " The junior students begin with such classical authors as Homer, Xenophon, Livy, and Cicero ; they afterwards ad- vance to Euripides and Demosthenes. The senior enter on the study of Heroditus and Sophocles, and proceed to Thu- cydides, Aristotle, Pindar, and Tacitus. " The Oxford system of Logic and the Cambridge course of Mathematics are adopted by the respective Professors. " Tlie Professors deliver Lectures on History, commen- cing with the Mosaic records — Metaphysics or Aiental Phi- losophy — Moral Philosophy aud Divinity. " Various questions and subjects for more private exercises in writing arc proposed by the several Professors, as they may find occasion in connexion with their several Lectures ; and on every Saturday the Vice-President affixes in the Hall a a 'ii'jiii /i2 a subject for a general theme or essay, which at tic end of the following week every student is required to present. — Such is the provision actually made for students. But the Council hope to find themselves enabled at no very distant period to establish distinct Professorships in Natural Philo- sophy, Law, Anatomy and Medicine, by which the circle of Collegiate Education would be almost completed. ** The Academical year begins on the first Thursday in {September, and continues with a vacation of three weeks at Christmas, and a few days at Easter and Whitsuntide, to the beginning of July. Four of these years are required for the first degree of Bachelor of Arts. But the actual resi- dence will seldom much exceed three years. For higher de- grees residence is not absolutely necessary, except during ilhe two Terms in the case of Candidates for the degree of Master of Arts. No religious test is imposed on admission ^o any Degrees except in Divinity." t Necessary expences of a Collegiate Course. Fees on Matriculation, Four annual payments of £S each, for Tuition, Payments for boarding, lodging, and attend- i ance, at l-<28. 6d. per week, according to the V actual reiidenee, betwen £15, and . ) Four annual payments of 7s. 6d. towards the > Library and Plate, . . \ Fees on the Degree of Bachelor cf Arts, £0 32 6 90 12 6 1 4 10 IS Aggregate expense according to the actual residence, between £113 10 2, and ?£1«9 2 S From the above it will appear that the whole expense of a Collegiate Course for the whole four years, including the first degree, need not much exceed one hundred and thir- teen pounds. The fees payable on admission to the Degree of Master «f Arts, or Bachelor in Civil Jl.aw, are under se- ven pounds ; and those on admission to a Doctor's Degree in any Faculty, very little exceed ten pounds. Funds of King's College. The College is endowed with a block of land, comprising nearly six thousand acres, adjoining Fredericton ; the year- ly income of which I have no data to ascertain. A Grant from the Kin^ of jfilOOO sterling, annually. A Grant from the Provincial Legislature, jfilOOO sterling, annually. 53 The next Institution for promoting Literature is the Bap- tist Seminary, This may be denominated what the Ameri- cans call a High Classical School. It is a Provincial Bap- tist Institution, founded by that Body, and under the gene- ral superintendence of the Baptist Association of New-Bruns- wick. It is located at Fredericton where there is a ]Vlana- ging Committee to watch its progress and provide for its maintenance. This Institution promises to be of the great- est utility in diffusing useful knowledge. It has been well filled since its commencement, and has for more than a year past given the greatest satisfaction to all who have made themselves acquainted with its operations. This Seminary vas first opened on the 4th January, 1836. Its course of instruction comprises the higher branches of English edu- cation, together with the classics. The rate of tuition varies from 15s. to 25s. per quarter. — The present charge for board, owing to the advanced price of provisions, is 10s. per week : the price formerly was 7 s. 6d. About fifly pupils can be accommodated in the boarding establishment. The male class room in this Seminary is calculated to ac- commodate 100 pupils, and the female 140. There were in attendance during the term ending in June, 1837, Males, 45; Females, 35— total, 80. This Institution is open to persons of every religious denomination. There are two vacations — the first commences early in July, after the yearly examination, and continues six weeks ; the second in January, and continues two weeks. This Institution has no permanent revenue ; neither has it ever yet received any thing trom the public funds. It de- pends solely on the exertions of its conductors and the aid of the Baptist connexion generally, who are pledged for its support. The debt due by the Society on the erection of the build- ings belonging to the above Institution, and other expences incurred in bringing it to its present state of efficiency, is jeiOOS 8s. lid. The next Institutions for education are the Grammar Schools, which are established in the several Counties, and which receive a yearly grant from the Legislature. In these schools a good useful education may be obtained and a foun-< dation laid for admission into the College. The most beneficial institutions for the general good onhe whole population are the Parish or Common Schools, which Ii '11 B ^ |i|; I! I' 5i enable the scattered settlements to obtain the blessings of early instruction for their children, by establishing schools within their neighbourhood. By tiie bounty of the Legis- lature, twenty pounds per annum is allowed to be drawn out of the Province Treasury, for every parish where a school- house is provided, and the sum of thirty pound* raised by the inhabitants to enable them to employ good and suflicient teachers, which extends to three or more schools in a pa- rish. This is bringing schooling to the doors of all such as will exert themselves to partake of the benefit, and it is no doubt among the very best methods in which the public funds could be expended, and it is only to be wished that the system may be perpetuated, improved and extended. The IMadras School also furnishes the means of useful learning to a great number of children, particularly of the poorer classes, many of whom are taught gratis, as well as furnished with books and sometimes with clothing. This school is managed by an incorporated body, styled The Go- vernor and Trustees of the Madras ScIjooI in New-Bruns- wick. Besides the above there are a number of other Schools in the principal towns, particularly St. John, where almost every branch of useful and liberal education can be obtained from persons well qualified for the task, who occasionally visit those places, and teach for a limited period, according as pupils offer. Before dismissing this article it will be proper to notice an Institution of the first importance to the Province at large, and this is the Sunday School system. The means of useful knowledge are greatly increased in this Province, by the very beneficial and laudable exertions that arc made in most of the settlements to educate the rising generation by the general introduction of Sunday Schools. There are but few settlements without them. In the towns many influential individuals are engaged as teachers, trustees or otherwise. Books are provided gratis at most schools, so that the most indigent have an opportunity of having their children instructed in the knowledge of the sacred scriptures and principles of Christianity. Indeed every attention is paid in those schools, and every encouragement is held out by giving prizes, books, &c. to stimulate exertion, and to win the attention of the young mind to sacred knowledge. In the principal towns after the yearly examination, prizes are awarded to the most deserving, and a feast is provided, of nhich all may partake. ; ■f?1?^l CHAP. V. GOVERNMENT, CIVIL LIST, REVENUES, &c. , ^ Government—Couneil—Legislature-^Courtt— Remarks on the quali- Jications of Colonial Governors — Civil List — Observations— List of Administrators of the Ooverntnent and Provincial Parliaments — Revenues, Sfc. The Government of New-Brunswick, like most of the Bri- tish Colonies, is Royal, and a miniature of the Parent State; the other forms originally established in the Plantations and Colonies having given way to Monarchical Governments af- ter the British model which is closely followed in the differ- ent orders of Judicature, as well as in the Provincial Legis- lature. The powers of the Governor are very extensive, he being not only Commander-in-Chief of the Province, but Vice-Ad- miral, Chancellor, Ordinary, &c. He is assisted by an Executive Council, consisting of nine members who are appoiL>ted by the Royal Mandamus. In most of the Colonies the Executive Council yet form one branch of the Legislature, thereby exhibiting the anomaly of a body exercising two opposite inconsistent functions. This absurdity also existed in New Brunswick till 1834, when through the persevering efforts of the lower House, the Councils were divided, and a distinct body was appointed to constitute the second branch in the Provincial Legislature. Those who are acquainted with Colonial History* are aware that formerly the Council were not a separate branch of the Legislaturt . ova. the Governor, but that he sat at the board as their President and deliberated with them. In pro- cess of time, however, a practice crept in of the Governor ab- senting himself, and leaving the Council to deal with the As- sembly as well as they could without his interference. This practice, which is no doubt an improvement in Colonial Le- gislation hi i been so long followed that it seems to have gained * See Edwards on this subject. W ' i 66 a. legal right by prescription, and is the mode now followed in all the Colonies ; thereby constituting the Governor one branch of the Legislature. The Composition of the Council still remains a grievance in the Colonies. One serious difK- tulty, however^ among the Councillors themselves, in regard to the succession to the administration of the Government in the event of a vacancy, has been set at rest by a late order from England directing the highest Military Officer in the Province to assume the Government till the vacancy is other- wise filled up. The Legislature of New-Brunswick, like that of the other Colonies, is a miniature of the British Parliament, consisting of three branches, — the Lieutenant Governor, the Council, and the House of Representatives or Delegates of the People. The Governor represents the Crown, the Council form the Upper House, and the Representatives from the several Coun- ties the Lower House or House of Assembly. The number of Representatives for the several Counties is as follows : — The Counties of Saint John, Westmorland, Charlotte, and York send Jour each j the Counties of King's, Queen's, Sun- bury, Northumberland, Gloucester, Kent, and Carleton, and the City of Saint John send two each. The Assembly or Provincial Parliament meets in the win- ter at Fredericton, and continues in session from tifly to sixty days. Its chief business is in managing the Provincial Re- venues, laying Taxes, voting Supplies, &c., correcting abuses, redressing grievances, and passing such Laws from time to time as the circumstances and exigencies of the Province may require. The powers of the Parliament are supreme and un- controllable within the^ Province. Where laws are enacted that interfere with acts of the Imperial Parliament, or with the trade laws of the Mother Country, they are transmitted to the Sovereign with a suspending clause, and are not in force un- til they receive the Royal Sanction ; for the Sovereign has the prerogative of disallowing all laws and statutes of the Co- lonial Parliaments, even after they have received the assent of the Governor of the Colony. The principal Courts established in the Province are the following : — The Court of Chancery, which is a prerogative Court as well as a Court of Equity. The Lieutenant Governor or Commander-in-Chief is Chancellor, and the Justices of the Supreme Court are Assignees. The Court of Governor and Council for hearing and de- termining causes relative to Marriage and Divorce. ' The Supreme Court of Jiulicnturc. — This Court holds its principal terms nt Frcclericton, but the Judges liokl Circuit Courts in all the difiercnt Counties. Itconaists ot'aChici' Justice and three Puisne Judges. The Chief Justice has a salary of j^ 950, and each of the Puisne Judges ^B 650. The jurisdiction of this Court is very extensive, partaking of the powers of the Court of King's Bench, Exchequer, Common Pleas, and other Courts in England. All Civil causes of im- portance and capital cases are determined in this Court. The other Courts are the Court of Vice Admiralty, a Court for the Trial and Punishmentof Piracy committed on the high seas, and a Court for the Probate of Wills and granting Ad- ministrations. The Inferior Court of Common Pleas and General Ses- sions of the Peace serves, like the Mayor and Aldermen of the Oity of Saint John, to regulate most of the internal police of the different Counties. The Courts are held in all the Counties, and consist of two, three or more Justices who pre- side, — one acting as Principal. They arc assisted by the Magistrates of the County collectively. At those Sessions causes that do not involve property to a great amount are determined, as are also all crimes and misdemeanors which do not affect life. The Grand Inquest of the County attends this Court, and assists them in suppressing vice and immoral- ity, and in punishing all breaches of the peace; by present- ing to the Court all ollences that conic to their knowledge, Eills of Indictment arc prepared, and, if found by the Jury, the parties offending are immediately proceeded against. — Here also the Parish Oflicers are appointed ; Parish and County Taxes are apportioned ; the accounts from the sev- eral Parishes audited and settled ; Retailers and Inn-keepers licenced and regulated, with many other matters connected with the Police of the County. Besides this Court, there is a summary mode of recovering Debts under live pounds, before a single Magistrate. Before dismissing these few observations on the Govern- ment of the Province, it may be well Lo remark, that although a Governor is bound to consult his Council, it does not follow that he is obliged to adhere to their advice, but, on the con- trary, he must exercise his own judgment, and act on his owu responsibility. They are indeed his constitutional advisers, but he must be the judge of their Counsel ; he may reject it, or act contrary to it, and still his proceedings be legal in his own Government alone for his acts, being accountable to his Sovereign himself behind the he is not to shelter II ii AJi a I lit' '.'.'■ SB Council for following unwholesome advice. This correct yiew of his own responsibility appears to have been well un- derstood by Sir Francis Bond Head, the Governor of Upper Canada, who by asserting and acting on this principle in 1 836, startled the timid, and created a political schism in that coun- try, but whose correct view of the Constitution under which he acted gained him the unqualified approbation of the Home Government. In short, the Governor is not to become a mere puppet in the hands of his Council, but as the primum mobile in the Government, a free and accountable agent. — This points out the necessity of ("olonial Governors being well versed in the principles of the British Constitution and deeply grounded in the various intricacies of the free institu- tions of a limited Government. The enquiry naturally suggests itself, — whether the military profession (the school from which most Colonial Governors are Mlected) is the most proper to furnish persons who are to ex- ercise such important trusts and possess such extensive pow- ers, who are to elucidate and apply the principles of a Govern- ment to whose civil and religious privileges they are nearly strangers. Having been brought up from their youth in an arbitrary school, they appear to be (probably with some honor- able exceptions) very objectionable persons to be at once transferred from such a passive machine as the army, to the exercise of the highest functions over a Colony possessing free institutions, and whose inhabitants entertain a jealous sense of their civil and religious liberties as guaranteed to them by the Constitution of the Parent State. The commencement of the troubles in Canada may, no doubt, be traced back to some high handed measure of Sir James Craig, or some other mi- litary gentleman. In the army, a despotic authority is exer- cised by superiors and a passive obedience must be rendered by inferiors ; but undisputed command and passive obedience, which are virtues in the military, may become vices in the ci- vil departments of life. Men Ijrought up from their youth in those maxims have much to unlearn to fit them for civil stations. Indeed, high arbitrary military notions cannot be safely carried into practice in private life or Civil Government. It is an old but not the less true saying, that men may be led, but do not like to be drove. Men will not relinquish the natural right of thinking for themselves. In the language of of that great Statesman Sir James M'Intosh, — " It is a fatal error in rulers to despise the people." The safety and welfare of a community are best preserved by consulting their wishes and feelings. But as a knowledge of human nature and an I 59 enlarged view of civil rights and institutions^ are not confined to any particular class, so men have been taken from the army and placed in high civil stations which they have filled with the greatest ability : and there have been persons who from their intimate acquaintance with the genius of civil liberty, have shaken off the habits of the soldier, and entered into the feeling of the people, — men whose good sense led them to give due weight to the prejudices and opinions of the people over whom they were placed ; in short, men who ruled for the good of the whole, and not for a particular cabal. CIVIL LIST OF THE PROVINCE. _ sterling', pir annum. Lieutenant Governor, - - - jfis,500 Chief Justice, - - - - 050 Commissioner of Crown Lands and Forests, 1,750 Provincial Secretary, - - - 1,430 Three Puisne Judges-— rf650 each, - 1,950 Attorney General, - - - ^ 650 Solicitor General, . - - - 200 Private Secretary to the Governor, - 200 Auditor, 300 [ Receiver General, - - - - 300 In-door establishment of Crown Land Office, 909 King's College, - - - - 1000 Presbyterian Minister, - - - J 00 Emigrant Agent, St. John, - - - 100 Annuity to the late Surveyor General, - 150 Indians, »«■--_ 5^ Total, ^613,393 _ The amount secured to Government by the Civil List Bill is j6 14,000, leaving an excess of jfiGOT sterling, applica- ble to other purposes. In reviewing this List, it may not be irrelevant to notice the great disparity in the salaries of the different officers of Government. Those of the Commissioner of Crown Lands and Forests and of the Proviucial Secretary being nearly dou- ble that of the Chief Justice, whose station at the head of the Judiciary of the Province points him out as superior to all other officers under the Governor, and Iiowever im- 60 Ir i eo •^ «o I* eo •* -f o> -< r* • i> 00 00 00 ao CO 00 00 00 00 oo 00 00 00 ao 00 OS 00 oS a 2 2^ OO t** ^5 s i^y'^iS* H=SSi.|sS5•■S --=* - Tj •= -S ■« -S -5 -S ■5-5'S-S-5-S-5 S o OiS N CO <5 t^ o M ■* *" ^o£:0>t>-0» CO'" g S"^ ,H cvi S (N S «^ >-< ^ wSn ntN o 22 2 222222222222222 2^^ oo 00 II a u • >• 3 . _- o ja O — ; - — O (t*^ J3 9 3 -J" a S^ . «a a H, < ■< N, >q ^ ^ < g o o ■? ^^ 5 i2"«r i3 ^ ■^ >Si-« fH •— 00 © ^ N i-i M ri i-< i-i ^ f-« (N MMM 00 \3 . .5 iz; ■3 5 « - J.' ^ .!= Oo5o BO'-'' .2.^ Q o ~ o .2. 5" •» je •?= ■? « 6S PARLIAMENTARY POLITY AND REPRESENTATION. I ». His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor is Her Majesty's > Representative in the Legislature, y Legislative Council, composed of the Hon. the Chief Justice and fifteen others, appointed by the Queen; and The House of Assembly, of thirty-two Members, chosen by the People. — Average cost, £3500 per anaum. N. B. — In administrative affairs, the Governor has an Execu- tive Council, consisting (in 1837) of eleven members. 16 32 —49 On the 16th of Aogusl, 1784, Thomas Carleton, Eiquire, was nppolnted to iho Government of the Colony, and on the subieqiient ISih dny of May , 1780, Royal Lei* ters Patent, under the Great Seal of the Province, were grnnled for ascertaining and confirming the boundaries of the several Counties within the same, and for subdivi- ding them into Towns and Parishes — 25ih George the 8d— accordingly the Constitu- tional Parliament was summoned, and on the ninth day of January, 1783 — and 26th of the same Monarch — the first General Assembly began and was holden in the City of Saint John; thereby rendering the Session of 1836 the Fiftieth, or Jubilee of Le- gislative existence of the Province. The following are the cumbers and dates of the Bucceeding Assemblies and Sessions. FIRST ASSEMBLY. 1st Sassion— began 2d do. •• 8d do. " 4th do. •« 5th do. " 6lh do. " *9ih ISih 15th 6ih 1st 14th January, February, July, October, February, February, 1786— holden at Saint John. 1787 " ditto. 1788 " at Fredericton. 1789 " ditto. 1791 «« ditto. 1792 •• ditto. 1st Session — began 2d do. 3J do. « SECOND ASSEMBLY. 12th February, 4th February, Sd February, 1793— holden at Fredericton. 1794 •• ditto. 1795 •• ditto. 1st Session — began 8.i do. •< 8d do. •• 4th do. '• 5lh do. " Cih do. " THIRD ASSEMBLY. 9ih Fab'ry, 1796— holden at Fredericton. 17th January, 1797 «• ditto. 16th Feb'ry, 1798 « ditto. 15th January, 1799 " ditto. 20th January, 1801 << ditto. 26ih January, 1802 " ditto. FOURTH ASSEMBLY. Ist Session— began 2d do. " 8d do. " 4ih do. •• 9i:: 29th 27lh 6ih Feb'ry, January, January, July, 1803— holden at Fredericton. 1805 " ditto, 1807 «« ditto. 1808 " ditto. * There a.ipears a difference of date between the Journals of the Council and the Law Banks, as to the precise day; the former recording the Niuth—ihe lat'er, the Third of January. •i'i **IFTH ASSEMBLY— 50//l GeO. od. Ir .fi. lit Session- -began 27ih .Taniiary, 2d do. l l( ditto, ditto, dilto. ditto, dilto. ditto. 1st 2d UK M 4th 6tb NINTH ASSEMBLY. Session— began 14ih February, 1823— liolJen at Fredericton. do. " 9lU December, 1829 «« d.lto. Dissolved by the death of George the Fourth. Scs5icn- do. do. do, do. TENTH ASSEMBLY -began ■1st Wm. Alh. 7ih 19ih ?A 29th 3d February, 18.31 — holden nt Fredericton. J.muary, 18.^2 •« ditto. May, 1S32 " d.ilo. January, 1833 " dilto. February, 1S34 dilto. ELEVENTH ASSEMBLY. Ist Session— began 20ih January, ls;J5—boiden at Fredericton. 2! di>, " 15ih June, IS35 " dilto. 3d do. «' 20ih J.'.uuiirv, 1836-ProroRued March 10. ' 4th d). " i:f)ili December, IS.^fi '• March 1. 5ih do. «< (iih July, 1S37 " July 29. Dissolved by the death of JVilliam the Fourth. TWELFTH ASSEMBLY — \st Victoria. 1st Session— began 28ih December, 1837— prorogued March 9, 1838-h(iIJen nt Fredericton. In 1833, the House of Assembly appoiniod I wo Delcgalea to represent subjects of interest to llis Rlojosty's Government— (Cli.irlcs Simonds, and Edward B. C'tmiid- ler. Esquires,)— o"d on the 7ih day of March, 183(>, the House deemed it expedient to nominate an Delegation— (William Crane, and L. A. Wilniot, Enquires), for the same pur,j...(R. Tiu; latter (Jentlemeti wore again sent to England us Dele- gates in February, 1837, to give o.ipluiiuiion in regard to tiio Dili providing for the Civil Oovcrnnient of the I'rovince. i«? en nt clon. ctB of liaiut- idient ires), DeU- r the Tlie Revenue of tlie Province for the last four years was as follows : In 1834 ^45,820 « 1835 60,316 " 183G 68,664 « 183T 51,988 Amount of King's Casual Revenue (so called), arising from sale of Crown Lands, in 1835, 5€46,000, exclusive of the pro- ceeds of timber licenses, &c. the amount of which has never been published. Amount 183@, not ascertained. The total amount of revenue surrendered by the Crown to the Provincial Legislature, and the sources from whence they are derived, according to Mr. Street's statement to Lord Glenelg, in his communication to that nobleman of the 23d March, 1837, are as follow : Amount deposited in the Provincial Banks at 3^ per cent, interest, payable at any time on six months' notice, . . ' ^529,000 Amount on loan to the St. John Bridge Compa- ny, at 6 per cent, interest, payable 1st of January, 1838— if required, 6,000 Amount already paid by the Land Company in part of their purchase, with the accumulation of in- terest thereon 66,000 Amount of unpaid instalments on other lands fsold in the Province, part of which are now due, and the remainder will become due on the 31st Dec. 1837, 44,795 Ar.aount of ditto ditto, which will become due on the 31st December, 1838, ..... 25,429 Total,. ..jfil71,22i Note.— The Bill providing for the Civil Government of the Pro- vince, styled, by way of eminence, the Groat Question, was carried through the different bronehes of the Legialature, and finally recei-' ved the Governor's aasent en the 17th of July, 1837. The event was celebrated in Fredarieton by splendid bonfires and other demon- strations of joy. There are a great number of Towns rising up in different parts of the Province, which will be noticed in the course of this work. The principal of these are Saint John, Frede- ricton, and Saint Andrews, which, from their importance, claim a more particular description, and will form the sub- ject of tlic next chapter. ^j^ (■:•. (HAP. vr. 'i^ CHIEF TOWNS. Suinl Jiihn.—Fi-eJericton.— Saint Jlndrcivs. — Rail RauJ. , Saint John, the only incorpornted City in the Province, is situated in the County of that name, ou n rocky peninsula at the estuary of the River Saint John, in North latidude iTy' 15'— longitude 66° 3', West. This is the most important and wealthy town in New-Bruns • wiok, and may well be called the Nctv-Yor/c of the Province. The trade of this City, considering its age, is immense, and rapidly increasing, and from the excellence of its harbour, ac- cessible at all seasons of the year, and the enterprise of its merchants, it will soon attain and hold a high rank among the first trading cities of America. It is now the emporium of New-Brunswick. Tlie harbour is convenient and safe, and is capable of con- taining a great number of vessels of the largest class. Par- tridge Island lies at the entrance, on which there is a Light House and Signal Station, where signals are carefully attend- ed to, and made on the first approach of vessels. There are also a Pest House and other conveniences for the comfort of invalid Emigrants, who on arriving off the harbour, are fre- quently obliged, by order of the Sanitary Board, to land thereon for the purpose of effectual recovery prior to their proceeding to the City. Within the Island there is a Bar which extends from the Western side and passes the lower point of the peninsula on which the City stands. It has a Beacon on the outer end, and in its neighbourhood buoys are fixed for the purpose of directing vessels going or coming. — The Bar is dry at ebb tide, but within the harbour, there is sufficient water for the largest ships. The tide ebbs and flows from sixteen to twenty-four feet perpendicular in the harbour. A pier or Breakwater has been constructed at the extremity of the City, called Lower Cove, for the protection of the Shi ppmg. » 67 Saiiii John curries on a brisk trade with Europe, tlui West Indies and the United States. The trade of the Port extends to Africa, South America, and all other parts of the world wherever her merchants can drive a trade, as they are not re- stricted by the Home Government. While the Ports along the Gulf Shore nre frozen up, and the mighty St. Lawrence locked up in ice, thereby sealing up the Canadian Harbours for more than half the year, the Port of Saint John continues crowded with shipping. Such is the activity of its merchants that they continue their shipping business throughout the year. Late in the winter they are fitting out and loading their ships, and early in the spring receiving their return cargoes. Even in the severest season of the winter, their ships are entering or leaving the port, and there are few days sufficiently cold to put a stop to the customary labours. The great store of lumber and other articles always on hand and daily arriving enables the merchants to furnish abundant car- goes, with tne least possible delay. Ship-building forms a considerable branch of trade, and is prosecuted by tlie merchants of Saint John with great spirit. Many vessels are built in Nova-Scotia on their account. In- deed the chief of the trade of the best part of that Province, bordering on the Basin of Minas and the Annapolis River centres at St. John, and most of the Ship-building in those parts is on account of merchants belonging to that Port, who thereby create a trade for themselves and furnish employment for their neighbours. Some idea of this branch of trade may be formed from the number of Vessels registered at that port yearly. In 183G there were 75 Vessels, measuring 2S,0I0 tons, built by merchants of that place, besides 6 vesssels regis- tering 1669 tons, built by them and sent to England under certificates, making together nearly ixfocnly-Jive thousand tons oj Shipping built in Saint John in one year; being more than one-fifth part as much as was built in the United States in the same year, and on an average as much as was built in five States, or very nearly so, in that period. The number of vessels belonging to the Port of Saint John on thcSIst December, 183G, according to the Custom House returns was forty-one Ships, thirty-eight Barques, thirty-nine Brigs, eleven Brigantincs, one hundred and ninety Schooners, eight Steamers, and eighty-three River vessel making a total o\'fouv hundred and ten vessels^ measuring sixij-ninc thousand scv.n hundred and t^i.vtj/sij: 'I'^ns, mid navigated by /tea thou sand right hundred and scvcnfij-iiinc Men. Tlic total num- ber ol vessels entered at Saint John :uul the Out 13ny'j in 1986 68 was 2549, measuring 289,127 tons, navigated by 13,685 men. Total amount of Imports during the same period j£ 1,185,473 Sterling ; the Exports ^555,709 Sterling, as will fully ap- pear by the tables under the article Trade. St. John has al- so an excellent Fishery, which is common to the Freemen and Widows of Freemen, by whom the berths are drawn for annually, on payment of one shilling each. The draft usu- ally takes place in the month of January. The privilege of the first choice of the fishing lots is generally sold to the fishermen by the person obtaining it, for from £^Q to £50. The numbers up to about one hundred gradually decrease in value : the others are not saleable. The City of Saint John comprehends both sides of the Harbour, — the district on the Eastern side, formerly called the Township of Parr, and that on the Western side, called Carleton. It is divided into six Wards, — two of which are in Carleton, and four in St. John, properly so called. Being an incorporated City, its internal Police is under the government of a Mayor, Recorder and six Aldermen, with an equal num- ber of Assistants, under the style of "the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the City of Saint John." The other Of- ficers are a Sheriff and Coroner, (who likewise act for the County of Saint John,) a Common Clerk, a Chamberlain, High Constable, six inferior Constables, and two Marshals. The City Revenues under the controul of the Corporation amouiu to about .^5000, annually, besides a large property not yet leased. Saint John, as far as its situation will acf- mit, is laid out in squares, the streets intersecting one ano- ther at right angles ; it is well built up, and contains se- veral blocks of lofty houses, many of which are of stone and brick. Tho old low wooden houses are fast disappearing, And in the same proportion the City is improving in appear- ance. There are a number of substantial Wharves crowded with lofty Stores and Ware-houses. These Wharves form a number of good Slips, where Ships of the largest class lie and discharge. Every facility is provided in this place to expe- dite the Shipping business, and vessels now discharge a hea- vy cargo, take in their loads, and get ready for sea within^ a fortniglit. A few years ago it usually took from six to eight weeks to do the same. Saint John suffered a heavy loss by a destructive fire which broke out on the I4th of January, 1837, and consumed one hundred and fifteen hoises and stores most of them being of the latter description, and among the best in the place. By this calamity marc thaii a third of the business part of the 09 city containing buildings and property to the amount of about j£250,000, was swe})t away. It is, however, fast rising from its ruins with many important improvements. The principal Public Buildings in the City on the East- ern side of the harbour are two Episcopal Churches ; two Presbyterian Churches — one of which is built of brick; one Catholic, one Wesley an-Methodist, one Baptist, one Co- venanters', and one Christian Chapel ; a Grammar School ; a Madras School House, of brick, and one of wood ; a Me- thodist Sunday School House ; a spacious and handsome stone Court House ; a Jail ; Poor House ; Cholera and Marine Hospitals ; a stone building for the Mayor's Office, and the offices of other public functionaries of the City and County; the Bank of New-Brunswick of stone ; the City and Eritish North American Banks, of brick ; two Markets, with two substantial ranges of stone and wooden Barracks, and other Military buildings. A spacious brick edifice, intended for a Market House, is now erecting by the Corporation in the Market Square, ia place of the building formerly used as a Court House, Common Council Chamber, butchers' market, &c. ; but as the public carts and coaches, to the nnmber of one hundred and fifty, congregate in the square, and as seven of the principal thoroughfares diverge from it, a strong feeling exists among the citizens against a building of such large di- mensions as the one now in progress, being erected there — many, indeed, incline to the opinion, that it would have added to the public health and convenience, if the square had been kept entirely clear, and another site selected for the building. Two Squares are reserved for public purposes : one, called King's Square, is situated at the head of King Street, and commands a fine view of the town and harbour ; the other, called Queen's Square, is situated in Duke's Ward ; it is a pleasant healthy spot, but not much improved. As the junc- tion of Saint John and Carleton as one city, seems at variance with the natural features of the place, I shall refer the reader for the description of the latter place to the description of the County of Suijit John, where it seems most properly to be- long. Saint John contains a vast number of Public Institutions and Associations for Commercial, Religious and Benevolent purposes, among which are : — Four Incorporated Banks — the Bank of New-Bru.:swick, capital jfi50,000 ; the Com- mercial Bank of New-Brunswick, capital ^150,000; the City Bank, capital j£100,000 ; and a Branch of the Bank of British North America, — \vho:ic capital is i;6' J, 000,000, 70 i, ii ■"!:;? Sterling ; a Savin«;. : li , Is the shire-town of the County of Charlotte, and m iv rank as the third town in the Province, having been among the first places in the Bay of Fundy that prosecuted the fish- ing and milling business in the infancy of our trade. It is the frontier town of New-Brunswick, and lies nearly opposite liobbinstown in the State of Maine, on a peninsula or narrow strip of land near the St. Croix river, and front- ingPassamaquoddy Ba3% The town is handsomely laid out in small squares, haviujf:; some fine lengthy streets parallel with the water, which are intersected with cross streets at right angles. Tho front part of the town is a level plain, which soon swells into high commanding ground that overlooks the harbour and the ad- jacent country, and from whence the view is very beautiful. Saint Andrews is a free port, and has a good harbour, but the trade has fallen off very much of late. Formerly it was a great shipping port, and most of the business of the county centred there, but of late the trade has been diverted to Saint Stephen's, Magaguadavic, and other places which have grown up in the county, and Saint Andrews has at present but a small share of the business of the great trading county of which it is the metropolis. It is very conveniently situated for the fishery. A number of fine islands lie round the har- bour, and tl e waters abound with cod, haddock, pollock and other fish, and there is every facility for prosecuting tliC fish- ery io advantage. Its principal trade, however^ consists in lumber, both squared and sawed ; but the exports are yearly diminishing. The harbour is far inferior to that of Saint John, and it is in some years obstructed with ice in the winter. Saint Andrews being among the first towns built in the Province, has a number of institutions for promoting the commercial and moral interests of the place ; among which are a Chamber of Commerce ; the Charlotte County Bank, with a capital of .£15,000 ; a Savings' Bank ; an Agricultu- ral Society ; a Bible Society ; a Saint Patrick's Society ; a Temperance Society ; also a Grammar School, and a Print- ing Office. Saint Andrews is considerably well built up, and contains a number of handsome houses and seats, which being kept in the best order, make a fine appearance. The public edifices are an Episcopal and a Presbyterian Church, a Methodist Cha- pel, a Court House, Jail, and Record Office, with Barracks and other Government buildings. This town, on the whole, is neat and healthy ; but its trade, as was before observed, appears to be dwindling away without any satisfactory pros- pect of a revival. Rail Road. — As the Saint Andrews and Quebec Rail- road Association originated in this town, and as its chief supporters belong to Saint Andrews and the County of Charlotte, it will naturaHy be expected that some notice should be taken of that stupendous project in this place. This association consists of a number of persons belonging to Charlotte and other places, who are incorporated, and styled " The Saint ♦ ndrews and Quebec Rail-road Com- pany," with a proposed capital of ^£750,000, for the purpose of constructing a Rail-road between the two places, a distance of more than 270 miles through an unsettled wilderness. The projected line of road has been surveyed, and runs near- ly as follows : — After leaving Saint Andrews it continues in a pretty straight line until it approaches within a short dis- tance oi' the right bank of the river Saint John, between the Parish of Woodstock and Houlton Plantation ; from thence it proceeds with an easy curve till it reaches the valley of the Rcstook, and continues, with several deviations to avoid un- suitable ground, until it arrives at the Saint Lawrence, near Quebec. The estimated cost of the road is stated in round numbers t One Million curi-eney. The sum of ^€10,000 was obtained from Government in 1836, which has already been expended in exploring the projected route. The writer does not wish to intrude an opinion on thi» undertaking, but will only offer a few simple calculations, to shew how necessary it is to look to the end in such matters, Accoi'ding to American engineers, who have some experience in such tilings, alter a rail-road is fully completed and in operation, the annual cost to keep it in good order is stated at about ^£600 per mile. Now allowing this to be near the truth for such roads in the United States, it would cost full as much, if not more, to keep them in the same good repair in this cold country. But granting that it would only cost * s^ 'i, h I' , 80 ^500 per mile, and the road with its windings to be 280 miles in length, it would require jfil40,000 annually for re- pairs only, without counting any of the other great expenses, or the interest on the first cost. Now as the expense would be certain, can any person point out a mode by which even the sum for repairs could be certainly realised yearly? — Again — suppose such a road should even be finished and of- fered to a company as a free gift, on condition that they should keep it in repair and operation, would any prudent persons of limited means be willing to accept the offer, or be willing to take stock in the company on such conditions? — Another consideration should also be kept in view : if capi- talists from the mother country or elsewhere should be indu- ced by specious statements to join in such an undertaking and the scheme prove abortive, would it not prevent such persons at another time from vesting money in any practica- ble enterprise that might hereafter be projected, and thereby retard the future prosperity of the Province. • ■ "/ I; I., IS- The other considerable places in the Province are Ba- thurst, Chatham, Newcastle, Dalhousie, Saint Stephen's, Saint George, Shediac, Richibucto, Dorchester, &c.; all of which will be briefly noticed in the description of the several Counties in which they are situated. I.-: ..■•■ .' ■ ■ . f CHAP. Vil. "-':'/■'■: ■'■'■■ TRADE. Urief History of the Trade of the Province since its first settlement to the close of the year 1S36, xoilh Custom House Returns, ^c. In treating of the trade of this Province, it must be obser- ved that when the Loyalists came to this country in 1T83, there were but few persons of wealth among them, and nonei that might be called capitalists, who could afford to invest much property in a trade that was attended with many ca- sualties, and required a long time for a return. This, no doubt, prevented undertakings in different branches of busi- ness at the first settlement of the country, that might have been prosecuted at that period with great advantage, as the West India Islands were at that time particularly restricted to colonial products by the Home Government, often to the great damage of the former, which had been directed by the British Government to look to Canada and Nova-Scotia (which included New-Brunswick) for supplies of provisions and lumber which they had been accustomed to receive from the old, but now lost Colonics. Had there been at the first occupation of the country sufficient capital employed in pro- secuting the fisheries, and in erecting mills, building vessels, and procuring lumber and articles of different kinds, for which the materials were abundant in the country, as well 05 a great sufficiency of men to carry on the different branches of business, from the great number of disbanded soldiers, re- fugees, and others, who had come to the country, and who would no doubt have remained in it, had labour been provided for them ; there is no doubl a flourishing trade would soon have sprung up, and the expectations of the mother country been in part realised. But this was not the case; the first settlers, liowevcr enterprising, were not rich, and the country was wild. Every thing was as it were to be created, and the monopoly of abundant markets was of little avail to persons who had but little to sell. From these causes the commence- ment of the trade in the Province was small at first, and of «low growth for a number of years; and although there was K. 82 no want of enterprise, means were wnnted. The settlers at St. John soon commenced a small trade vith the West In- dies in such articles of lumber and fish as their linjited means at that time enabled them to procure. Vessels were also built, and in a (ew years the port of Saint John had a respectable trade, not only .with the West Indies, but also with the Uni- ted States. Efforts to prosecute the fisheries were also made at other ports in the Province, and the trade gradually in- creased not only in the amount, but in the variety of its ex- ports. At the period of which I am now treating, the export trade to Great Britain was very small. A few ships were oc- casionally built, and sent home to sell, or else built on ac- count of British merchants, and sent home as remittances ; masts and spars were also shipped to a considerable amount annually ; furs also at this period formed a respectable item in the home payments ; — but the principal source from which payment for British goods was derived for a number of years after the country was settled, was the large sums annually drawn by reduced ofliccrs and other pensioners settled in the Province, and by the sums expended by government and the military. It would be unjust not to notice in this brief sketch of onr trade, that the Province, as a token of respect and gra- titude to Lord Sheffield, for his continued, though mistaken efforts, to advance the interests of the Colonies, by giving them an exclusive privilege' to the West India markets, pro- cured a full length portrait of liis Lordship which was placed in the Province Hall for a number of years. Tiie period when our trade with the mother country assumed a new and important character may be referred to tlie year 1808, when the shipping of stjuared pine and other timber commenced. The Continental system enforced by France in 1806, and the American non-intercourse Acts in 180'T, with the critical state of Europe at that time, either subject to the domination of France, or subservient to the views and dictates of its ruler, opened the eyes of the British nation to the danger of trust- ing to fbreigner^j for a supply of articles of the first necessity, when by proper encouragement, they could at all times be obtained from their own Colonies. The result was the revi- val of the Colonial system of Great-Britain, by which she frustrated the designs of France and America, and opened a wide field for the enterprise and industry of her North Ame- rican Dependencies. From these causes, the trade just allu- ded to, in a great measure took its rise. This, which is now denominated the timber trade, went on rapidly increasing tor a number of yearr, and is still among the heaviest items in 83 our list of exports. Ship building i3 another very productive source of our export trade to the mother country. Deals also form an important item of our exports, and although this branch of our trade has risen up witliin a few years, its pro- gress has been rapid, and from the great amount of capital at present employed in erecting mills, it bids fair to become one of the main sources of our wealth, converting our im- mense forests of spruce into inexhaustible articles of com- merce. A new source of trade has lately been opened in the Province by establishing a Whale Fishing Company at Saint John, for the purpose of prosecuting the South Sea whale fishery. This may in a lew years make a great addition to tlie exports from the Province, and it is not easy to set bounds to its increase. The fisheries are so extensive and various that there is no limiting their production ; they are the hid- den treasures of the deep, and only want to be sought dili- gently to repay bountifully : — they are among the natural sources of wealth possessed by the Province, which cannot be too much fostered and improved. The first attempt at the Whaling business in the Province was made in 1832, when a vessel was fitted out at Saint John, by Mr. Charles G. Stewart. This was supposed to be chiefly an American concern. Since that period, several fine ships have been employed in the whale fishery by merchants of Saint John, and of Charlotte County, which have given pretty general satisfaction to the owners. At present, there are six ves- sels employetl in the trade from Saint John — three of which have been fitteil out by Mr. Stewart, and three by the Me- chanics' Whale Fishing Company. The latter contemplate an extension of their operations. It is also proposed to car- ry on the trade from Saint Stephen by a joint stock company. A Mining Company has been formed at Saint John for the purpose of working the coal fields on the Grand Lake, and prosecuting other mining operations. This Company may ere loup: contribute some valuable items to the catalooit3 ut ptcscnt consist of 8^ mii the products of the forests, or our wood trade, among which squared pine timber holds the first place. This article, which is commonly called ton timber, is shipped to Great-Britain, and forms a great item in the remittances from this Province to the Parent State. Birch Timber also forms a considerable article of our trade, but, with the exception of the largest sizes, there is not such a steady demand ibr it ; it is, however, used in shipbuilding, and is very abundant in the country. Next to squared Timber, Deals are the most important ar- ticle of exportation, and bid fair soon to exceed all others. From the great quantity of excellent Spruce in the Province, the great facility of water power, and the number of mills erecting in various parts of the country, there is reason to expect that the Deal trade will soon be the staple trade of the Province ; for while the Pine Timber trade is falling off for want of material, the Deal trade is increasing. There are at present nearly four hundred Saw Mills in operation, cutting Deals, Boards, &c. ; and from the great amount of capital and enterprise engaged in this branch of wood manufacture, the number of mills is weekly augmenting, and the increasing trade in sawed Timber will more than supply the deficiency of the decreasing trade in Pine ton Timber; while the mate- rial and supply for this branch of trade, can, by proper ma- nagement, be reproduced and rendered almost perpetual.— The Spruce, from which the Deals are chiefly manufactured, is found in most parts of the Province, and in great abun- dance ; and when one growth is cut off, another will succeed. It is a well known fact that wherever the forests have once been stripped of their timber and are left uncultivated, they are soon covered with a young growth of bushes of various kinds. Where fire has raged, this is particularly the case. Different kinds of trees will often spring up from what for- merly stood on the land, but there will always be a great proportion of White Birch and Spruce, particularly of the latter, which in some districts will stand so close as to render the woods almost impervious after they have attained the size of pickets. Now supposing the Spruce to grow from a sprout to the size of a good mill log in forty years, it only requires attention always to have a certain portion of the country al- lotted to the production of this Timber so as to ensure a supply in succession. The supply could easily be rendered certain to a great extent, by allowing the waste districts where this timber abounds, as well as the districts about wiUij, or a great part of them, to reraajii lor the growth of 85 Spruce, and always while the present growtli of timber was cutting ofF, to leave the young trees and shoots as much a>? possible uninjured, and to remove all encumbrances as ^ar i\» circumstances would allow. By these means, and by always cutting only the large trees from year to year and preserving the small growth, a supply for a long time may be ensured. It is allowed that the soft kind of wood on the Hudson river will grow from the plant to the size of a man's body in twenty years. If so, the time stated above is fully long enough to accomplish the purpose required. Many other means of re- producing our timber material will readily present themselves to all reflecting persons who have paid any attention to na- ture's reproductive powers. These few remarks on the Spruce have been made to show those who think that because the Pine is fiist disappearing, the trade of the Province must sink with it. As was )3efore observed, articles will be found or produced in the country, from which sources of trade will be derived that are at present unthought of. We are now merely working on the surface of the earth, while its future wealth and sources of trade are hid from our eyes. The other articles in the wood trade are Masts, Spars, Lathwood, &c. which are shipped to Great-Britain, with Shipping to a large amount ; and Boards, Planks, Shingles, Staves, &c. to the West Indies. Next to the wood trade are the Fisheries. The sources for this trade are a sea coast of nearly five hundred miles for a home fishery, and a boundless range in the Oriental and other distant Seas. The produce of the home fishery is partly consumed in the country, and the remamder exported to the West Indies. The produce of the Whale fishery is exported to Great Britain. * - The articles that compose the smaller parts of the exports are Furs, Grindstones, Gypsum, and a number of other com- modities of no great value : part of which are shipped to the United States. The trade of New-Brunswick is as free as that of the Uni- ted Kingdom to which she belongs. The ports of this Pro- vince as well as those of all the North American Colonies were thrown open to all nations by the Imperial Parliament in 1825, so that the merchants are on the same footing in regard to trade as those of Great-Britain. There is no re- striction — the whole world being open to them. But al- though this is the case, they find the British trade the most advantageous. Indeed their trade to all other parts of the world is but small when compared to tha home trade. There 86 W ■ i: is ffi' It lias been, liowever, a constant intcrcousc and a heavy trade with the United States for bread stuffs, &c. ; but tliis trade of necessity, wi)ich has taken away a great part of the specie that came into tiie country, is now being diverted into other cliannels. The inijiortations of provisions from the CanacUis are increasing, while hirge quantities of flour are now manu- factured in the Province from wheat imported from Britain and elsewhere. — Tiie home trade and that with the Colonies are carried on principally with the products of our forests and fisheries, and supj)ly the country in return with all kinds of British nianuiactures and Colonial produce, as well us large amounts in specie. The British markets, as has been before observwl, have al- ways been found, and })robably will long continue, the most advantageous to the Colonists. The trade, in short, is like a home trade, and as it is the most natural, so it is the most beneficial to both parties, and should therefore be fostered before all others. It is exclusively a British trade, carried on in British vessels, and manned by British seamen. It is indeed, that great link in the political chain which binds the offspring to the parent stock. The trade in wood with the Mother Country will no doubt lon^ continue, and although temporary checks will often occur, still it will as often revive, for the wants are mutual. Thn widely extended British trade will always require wood ; and the Colonies, in their turn, will long require British goods and productions. A great change is silently taking place in the trade of the Province by the great extension of the Banking system — which, while it facilitates the operations of trade, is also a great drawback to the nett profits of the productive classes, and it may be well worthy of encpiiry which way the sum of nearly ^£10,00(>,which is now paid annually by the merchants and other trading classes for accommodation, is to be real- ized, together with a living and fair remuneration ; and whe- ther the high interest and large sujns that are at present paid for carrying on our trade will not prove a heavy drawback to it. For althou'.di Bunks to a certain extent mav facilitate the operations of trade, still the real advancement of a coun- try depends on its ])roductive sources of wealth ; on the im- provement of its agriculture in the first place; on its fisheries ; its forests and minerals. The man who by an improvement in agriculture increases the productions of the earth, or who developes antl gives a new value to the natural productions of a country, may be truly said to point out the surest path ij Its trade and wealth. '■a B (J ^^ •^ ■ a TJ " I o o P-, ^ o , ^c O rOpH ^ 2 13 « jt CI ^1 2 i : : : : : :S O'S. y ,• •»!< t *— .'- IM IM «i «f "» %» • ■ • • • ■<« • • I * ! 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Total estimated vnlu« of Imports at Bays in the year 1836, Ditto ditto ditto Saint Julin and its Oul- - £1,186,478 Sterling, \a 1835, • 902.136 Intyetiaet £283,337 Total estimated value t)( Exports if* the year 1836, Ditto ditto ditto in 1836, £555,709 Sterling. 657.657 Decrease, £1,946 Return of tho number of Vessels entered inwards and cleared out- wards at the Port of Saint John aud ita Out-Bays, in the year end- ed 5th January, 1837, with their tonnag3, and the total number of men employed in their navigation. IKW Vessels. Great-Britain, 467 Briiieli Culonies, 1773 United Stnies, 292 Foreign Stales, 17 ARD3. Tons. 142,396 100,220 43 225 3,789 289,610 298,993 Men. Ol Vessels. 605 1638 141 6 2389 2261 128 [TTWARDS. Tons. 193,724 89,380 14,488 535 Men, Total in 183«, 2549 Ditto in 1835, 2467 14.091 14.467 298,127 322,200 34,073 13,685 14,656 DifTerence, 1S2 10,383 376 871 Employed in ilie Trade Coastwise from the Fort of S!i S a » hi "^ W, . ^ O (U 3 P 0) u a; CO O '4-> I Qj Ui tJ O-a CO na tO Ovj n fi ife IS r i s; h* t.« Oara. 1 1 1 03 ffl S Si • .O s o {^ § 1 n i K^ 2 <4r o s 1^ 1-4 i CO eT CO ««^ \^m 1^ U3 OO s ^^ S 94 w Wood do 1 1 1 g Hoops ^13 1 'QO a. till .a> ^ © 55 te! 1-4 1 CO OO M s; g © s 3 w fji CD U4 Shing 6 O m M 01 •a J3 a. 11 •"1 a < 3 bo So u ^ ■4 h a « 60 a 1 It s en CQ ^^ »H <*-l Ph ^ c« •Si ft; ;» c2 cS "^ » til b U o ca •-•^ >fi t^ .5 o SJ's ^ ^ a 3 a <» ^ ^ CO 1o S q; <" ta -^^ S CO cl! "^^ o • • OJTfilON -4 <0 ^ l-t FN <^ « 2 N!?WO» 9 ©,Ot- to eis OOiAOiCO en w 1^ g| H («) .n rt «*! • O • : : ftl p FHa»e>' CO in a> eo W l-H -H CO ^3 22 «0-<0(» «^ »^ r'oo'^o CO l^ (N CO O CO STfOO© © CO i« »H CO H «^ ^ pe; O : : : : : fu § F^-N CO© TX 1 >*< ll — , t-OOOO l> a |l(5 l-( -H -^ CO 00 ft^ooo -M '^ ?t=o? «iNC»r» ^ . ^ ^ »" - ^ « S.H g C U » J3 O U M Q.—" Q. I'Si; g a which discharges itself into the St. John at this place, and has a beautiful cascade at its mouth. This being the most numerous collection of build- ings, may be considered the principal germ of the future town. Here is a neat Episcopal church, beautifully situated on the crest of the high ground which overlooks the creek as well as the river. At a short distance below the Madux- nakik stands a fine chapel belonging to the Methodists, and on the hill near the same place stands a Catholic Church. — This place has the credit of erecting the first Methodist Cha- pel with a bell and steeple in the Province. The first build- ing erected by the Methodists in this place which was open- ed for divine service in August, 1834?, was unfortunately burnt to the ground in the Fall of 1835. It wa^, however, replaced by a more spacious building in 1836. The future appearance of this place has been much injured by injudicious- ly crowding the buildings near the bridge. The lower range of building<>, or what is called the Corner, being at a point where the road leading to the American set- tlement of Houlton commences, consists of a number of stores and taverns, with some good private buildings. Tne whole country round Woodstock is very beautiful j the farms are well improved, and the buildings in good order, with the best of roads. There are some fine islands in front of Woodstock, and the country on the opposite side of the river comprises many excellent farms in a high state of culti- vation. From this plac to the County Ihie there is nothing "if 102 particularly deserving of notice, except two pits, containing unman bones. Those ^its are about six feet long an^ four feet wide, and are opposite Maductic point, whicii has always been occupied by the Indians. They are only a few rods from the main road, and have sunk considerably below the surface of the earth. This is what must be expected to take place from the decomposition of the fleshy parts — skulls and bones lie on and near the surface, having been uncovered by the curious and thoughtless. There is no certain account how those pits originated. There is, however, a tradition that Col. llodgers came through the wilderness from Quebec in the year 1760, with a party of the Queen's Rangers and Mohawk Indians, and scoured the river St. John. That he surprised and destroyed a great many of those Indians who were encamped at the Maductic; that the remainder fled across the river, and were either there destroyed, and buried by Rodgers, or else those who escaped from him returned after he had gone, and buried their dead in those pits. That Col. Rodgers after this proceeded to St. John, where being joined by a detachment from Manawagonish, he took Fort Bourbon, afterwards called Fort Frederick, on Carleton Point. Eel River falls into the St. John a little below the County line, forming in part of its course the boundary between York and Carleton. This river rises near the source of the Saint Croix. A short portage leads from one river to the other. ^ YORK. This County commences a little above Eel River, and is bounded by Carleton on the North West and North ; by Northumberland and Kent on the North East ; by Sunbury on the South East ; and by Charlotte on the South West. — It comprises both sides of the river St. John ; has eight Pa- rishes, and a population of 10,478 souls. The Parish of Dumfries which adjoins Woodstock, has some fine farms along the banks of the river, and has several flourishing settlements forming a few miles back in the wil- derness. The face of the country is generally hilly and bro- ken, but the soil is good and well timbered. The Parish of Southampton, which lies on the opposite side of the river, has a number of fine farms, and is fast improving. It is joined to its lower line by Queensbury, which is a well settled, wealthy parish, having a number ot fine islands within its bounds j 105 two fine streams, the Nackisvikik and Macluquack, rati through these Parishes. On the latter stream there is a chain of settlements fast improving ; there is a Baptist Chapel and an Episcopal Church in this Parish. Prince William, on the Western side, adjoins Dumfries. The face of this Parish along the river is hilly and broken, intermixed with rich strips of intervale along the river, which are highly cultivated.—- There a<'e several fine lakes in this parish, one of which is called lake George, which has a large settlement on its bor ders. A few miles from this lake lie the Magundy and Po- quihoak settlements. Lake George discharges itself into the St. John by a stream called the Piquihoak, which is an In* dian name, signifying a dreadful place — and such it surely is. The water just before its escape into the St. John, appears at some remote period to have been pent up by the high banks along the river at this place. Through this it has forced a passage, and tumbles down the rocks and precipices with re- sistless impetuosity. The passage through which it passes has a succession of falls, is very narrow, and probably from seventy to eighty feet perpendicular, composed of large stones, which appear as uniform as if laid by hand ; the whole form- ing a sublime and imposing appearance. The Parish of Kingsclear, which joins Prince William, has nothing peculiar. The country is hilly, and interspersed with several streams on which there are a number of good mills 5 there is a fine strip of intervale in this parish usually called the lower French Village, which is overflowed in high fresh- ets, and very fertile. The French have a Catholic Chapel at the head of this village ; here is likewise an encampment of Indians, consisting of a number of small huts arranged in lines nevx the chapel, to which the Indians resort at stated times for religious purposes. They have a small block of land contiguous to the chapel, but they make no approaches to " permanent settlement." The Baptists have likewise a Chapel in this Parish, but no settled minister. The Parish of Douglas, on the opposite side of the river, extends from Queensbury to St. Mary's, near the river Nash- waak. The Madam Keswick, a large stream, with several branches, intersects this parish ; this is an old and extensive settlement, having been formed shortly after the peace of 1783, by the disbanded York Volunteers, and Royal Guides and Pioneers. The soil along the creek, where there are large strips of interval is very rich, and the settlement has ft beautiful appearance along the banks of the stream. The only drawback to this place is its exposure to injury from 104 ifarly frosts, which is indeed common to all settlements along the valleys of small rivers. There are two churches in this settlement belonging to the Episcopalians, and a chapel belonging to the Baptists. The Keswick Ridge and several other fine settlements are contiguous to the Madam Keswick. From the mouth of this stream nearly to the Nashwaaksis the land is high, but well cultivated ; a short distance from the Nashwaaksis the country becomes flat and the soil light, but it is highly improved. There are several mills on the Nash- waaksis. It has also a settlement a few miles up along its banks ; Cardigan, a Welch settlement, lies also near it. This is an extensive settlement, and is joined still further in the wilderness by the Tay Creek and other settlements. The land in those districts is generally favorable to agriculturists. The parish of St. Mary's follows Douglas on the eastern side, and extends to the county line. The river Nashwaaksis runs through this parish, and falls into the St. John opposite Fre- dericton^ This stream was also an asylum at the conclusion of the American revolution for a number of worn out vete- rans* Among others the remnant of the old 42d Regiment settled here ; many of their children are still among the prin- cipal farmers, and a few of the old men are yet living ; indeed, it seems as if the old Donalds will never wear out. This stream is settled nearly to its source, and has some fine islands in its bed, with beautiful plats of interval highly improved. — The road from Fredericlon to Miramichi passes along this river. About five miles above its confluence with the Saint John, it receives the waters of the Penniack, a considerable stream with a settlement along its banks, and a large esta- blishment of excellent mills. Near its mouth there is also a range of mills on an improved construction, which cut during thelast year about two million feet of lumber. An association has lately been formed, called the Nashwaak Mill Company, having a capital of ^40,000, with liberty to increase the same to jfil 00,000, who own the last mentioned mills, and are ma- king improvements, &c. to carry on the milling business on a more extensive scale. The Parish of Fredericton joins Kingsclear, and extends to Lincoln in the County of Sunbury ; it includes the town of that name already described, with a back settlement called New Maryland, and another on the Rushagoannes. The road from Fredericton to St. Andrews passes through these settle- ilents. The lands in the immediate vicinity of the tovvn are not much improved ; having been reserved for the College, they are nearly all untenanted ; the settlers in this County not 10^ taring to lease lanJs which are hard to clear, \viieii they can obtain lots for themselves. A great proportion of the land in the town platt Ijeioiigs likewise to the ('oUege and Church, or is reserved for government purposes, which has always been a great impediment to the growth of the place. York is a County of great importance — joined with Carle- ton, it embraces a line of more than two hundred miles along the river St. John, and the two Counties furnish the major part of the lumber shipped at the port of St. John. They abound with navigable rivers and streams^ and with almost inexhaustible resources of timber. Fredericton is the princi- pal town of the county, the seat of government, and the se- cond in importance in New- Brunswick. As the New-Brunswick and Nova-Scotia Land Company own a large tract of land in this Province, which lies in the County of York, I shall, before I close this sketch of the County, give a short account of their improvements. This tract has been erected into a separate Parisli called Stanley, after the name of the principal settlement. The Company has made a good wagon road from Fredericton to that set- tlement, thereby opening a communication with the seaboard as well by land as by water. A large tract of land is alrea- dy under cultivation, with a population of several hundred souls. ' The germ of the Company's future principal town, also call- ed Stanley, (in honor of Lord Stanley, the Colonial Minis- ter of the day,) is pleasantly situated on the main stream of the Nashwaak, about thirty-five miles above its confluence with the St. John. It has already good saw and grist mills, several stores, and a number ot good dwelling houses ; a school house, which also answers for a church, and other works in progress. Materials are also collecting to build a small church on what is called Church Hill, an eminence which overlooks this miniature town. A number of small lots have been laid out contiguous to the village, on which houses are built, and small farms improved. The Company has another town laid out on its land, call- ed Canipbelltown, situated on the Miramichi river, a few miles above where the road leading from Fredericton to Chatham turns off, at what is called Boies Town. A small improve- ment has been made, and a few houses built, but it is still in its infancy. The total number of settlors on the Company's land pc- ceed sixty families, among whom are several persons of pro- perty and intelligence, sufficient to form a gooti society, by 100 'which means mfiny of the privations attending a new settle- ment in the wilderness will be avoided; for when a number of families settle together at once in the wilderness, they are a mutual lielp and comfort to each other, and carry many of the advantages of their former mode of life with them. They also have the blessing of each other's society, and are enabled to form schools, and provide the means of religious instruc- tion ; it also prevents their children from sinking into a state of debasement, that a solitary location, or a settlement among none but the lower order of emigrants must naturally pro- duce. For when a man whose early life has been spent among the better orders of society, settles with a young fa- mily either alone or among the lower order of emigrants, he 'finds himself and wife uncomfortable for the want of suitable society, and the prospects of his family in regard to educa- tion and suitable settlements in life blighted ; and although he may be willing to sacrifice his own comfort, still he can- not make up the loss to his family ; for should he even be so fortunate as to create a valuable estate, it could not compen sate his family for the loss of their prospects of settling ac- cording to their former expectations. A number of substan- tial persons forming a good settlement at once is also a great advantage to poor settlers in their vicinity, as it furnishes them with employment near their homes, and gives them a participation in the benefits of scho'>ling and religious instruc- tion, with the other privileges attendant on wealth and socie- ty. They will also be benefited by the intelligence and su- perintendance of the former class, and will be a mutual bles- sing and help to each other — one class bringing comparative wealth and intelligence, and the other furnishing labour, with the knowledge of those many rude arts and contrivances so necessary in forming new settlements. The above village which may be considered as the nucleus of a chain of settlements, had not a tree felled for the purpose of cultivation prior to August, 1834 ; it now exhibits a succes- sion of small improved farms, with comfortable dwellings, fill- ed with families actively engaged in agricultural and other oc- cupations ; all tending to improve and enhance the value of the Company's lands, which now comprise a block of 500,000 acres. Such settlements cannot be too much encouraged or fostered, as they promote the vital interests of the Province by raising up a class of Agriculturists, who are much wanted. if, is painful to add that, in consequence of a late change in the proprietors of the Stock of this Company in England, a stop has been put to the improvements in progress on the 107 above mciitionetl seUlcmcnU ; but it is to be hoped that when new arrangements are made, the settlements will not be al- lowed to retroffrode, nor the settlers be disappointed in their expectations ot a permanent establishment. At the extreme verge of the County of York, where it touches the line of Northumberland, a small Village has been as it were created by a Mr. Boies. This man has built a small town of his own, which bears his name. It consists of a cluster of buildings on the banks of the Miramichi, at the point where the great road passes from Fredericton to Chatham, about four miles below Campbelltown. Among the buildings are an extensive store, with out-buildings ; a tavern ; trades- men's shops ; good mills ; and almost every building necessary, to form a good trading establishment. He has also provided a schoolmaster, and a building, for Divine Worship, which is- open for any of the Ministers of the Most High, whatever may be their peculiar faith. COUNTY OF SUNBURY. This county joins York on the north-west, Northumber- land on the north-east, Queen's on the south-east, and Char- lotte on the south-west. This is the smallest county in the Province, not being over twenty miles in length. It is, how- ever, the oldest settled part of the Iliver Saint John : it con- tains four Parishes, and a population of 322T souls. The first permanent settlement of any consequence on the river, was made at this place in 1T66 by a number of families from Massachusetts, who having obtained the grant of a town- ship on the River Saint John, from the British Government, after exploring different parti of the county, settled at Mau- gervillc. Here they were joined at different periods d^u-ing the troubles in America by several more families from New England. Those settlers made improvements on both sides of the River, and called the whole district Sunbury. The first Commission of the Peace for this place, was dated 1 Ith August, 1766, and for holding Courts of Common Pleas, 1770. The Courts of Justice were held here until 1783, when the American war having ended, and the loyalists having settled in different parts of the country, the Supreme Court was removed to Saint John, and afterwards established at Fre- dericton, which was made the permanent scat of Government. The Parishes of Maugerville and Sheflield on the eastern side of the river, compulse a rich strip of intervale, which, lOS being overflowed in hiuh iickhets, yields abundant crops, and is rich in pasture. The farms are well improved, and stock- ed with abundance of cattle ; the houses are in general neat, the barns spacious, and the county highly cultivated, the set- tlers being generally substantial landbolders and good hus- bandmen. The whole county makes a delightful appearance, being almost like a continued garden ; the roads are excel- lent for wheel carriages, being a continual level along the margin of the river, which is occasionally hid from the view of the traveller by lofty trees and shrubs along the banks, which afford a pleasant shade in summer and breaks off the piercing wind in winter. In the rear of these Parishes, are a chain of lakes which communicate with each other, and discharge their waters into the Grand Lake, and from thence, by the Jemseg, into the Saint John. Most of those lakes are environed with excellent land, and have settlements on their margin. There is an Episcopal Church in Maugerville, and a Bap- tist Chapel ; in Sheffield the Methodists have a good Chapel, and the Seceders a Chur:;h ; this latter building is the oldest place erected for Divine Worship in the Province. The frame was firs^ raised in Maugerville, but the situation being found inconvenient, it was removed to Sheffield on the ice, and finished on the spot where it now stands. The Parishes of Lincoln and Burton are opposite to the parishes just described, on the western side of the river, and are situated on high land interspersed with intervale ; they are well settled, and the farms are in a good state of cultiva- tion. The river Oromocto intersects those parishes : this is an extensive stream well settled in many parts, having branch- es which wind through the country to a great distance. One of these, the Rushagoannes has a large settlement with some good mills ; some of the other branches are also settled and nave mills. The road from Fredericton to Saint Andrews crosses the Oromocto, a short distance from the falls. There was a good herring fishery formerly near those falls, but mills having been erected near them, it has dwindled away to nothing. There is an extensive tract of wild meadow along the course of the Oromocto, which yields a great quantity of coarse grass, and affords an extensive range for cattle in the dry bcason. — In some places these meadows arc only covered with a tough crust, which on being gently struck with the foot communi- cates a tremulous motion to the surface around. The land on the Oromocto and its tributary streams, is ge- nerally of a good quality, but in- common with almost all the 109 streams in this Province, very subject to frost. Tiie mouth of the river being very deep ; is a very eligible plac« for ship- building, which is prosecuted here to a very considerable ex- tent : each year furnishes one or niorie large ships from this auarter, ship timber being floated down t^e river in abun- ance. The public buildings in Burton are, a |j;ood Ciiurch, a Court House ahd Jail. Three fine Islands he in this county ; the first is the Oromocto, a fine Island, having a smaller one nearly adjoining, and both very productive in grass, &c. ; Middle Island, lying nearly in the middle of the county, and Major s Island. The latter is a large Island, and has a small one, called Ox Island, lying parallel with it. Major's Island is three miles in length, and is very broad ; has some fine build- ings on it and is highly improved ; it has also a pond in the centre. There are shoals near Ox Island, and also at the Oromocto, which i*ender the navigation difficult at those places in the dry season. A stream called Swan Creek runs through Burton. . A number of persons have lately been incorporated by the title of the Sheffield Mills and Land Company, for the pur- pose of promoting the trade, and making improvements in this fine section of the Province, but they have not yet made much progress. QUEEN'S Adjoins Sunbury on the N. W. Charlotte on the S. W. Northumberland on the N. E. and King's on the S. E. ; like the County just described, it lies on both sides of the river St. John ; has six Parishes, and a population of 4741 souls. This is an excellent county for grazing, having a number of fine islands, and a large range of rich intervale within its limits. The inhabitants are principally agriculturalists, who have well improved farms with good stocks of cattle. The intervale is composed of a rich loam of alluvial soil, and along the Parish of Canning is scarcely equalled by any land in the Province. As the county descends to the Jemseg, the rich sediment de- posited by the annual overflowing of the river produces the most abundant vegetation, and although the farmer can sel- dom commence his labours till June, yet so productive is the soil that in a few weeks the country exhibits the most exube- rant vegetation. Indian corn flourishes in this district in the highest perfection j small grain, grass, and roots are also rais- no ■■il etl here in llie grcatesl aburulaiU'c. liitlccd, a nioic fcililc soil can scarcely be conceived than is i'oinul JVoni Manger- ville to the Jemscf;. Tlic direct rnys of the sun also acting npon such a level, loamy surface, makes nearly three weeks difference in the growth of plants between this and the oppo- site side of the river. One drawback must not be forgotten, Tvhich is the gieat rise of the freshet in some years, which sweep nwfty, not only the fences, (which are taken up and piled in the Fall by trees, to secure the rails), but sometimes rise to such a height as to injure the buildings and destroy the stock. The I3aptists have a fine chapel in Canning, and have always been a numerous body in that district since the first settlement of the river St. John by what are termed the old inhabitants. The Grand Lake, the largest body of inland water in the Province, lies in the rear of the county just de- scribed ; it is nearly thirty miles long, and from three to nine wide. A large stream, called Salmon River, falls into it near the head ; a short portage leads I'rom this stream to the waters falling into the Miramichi. The country on the western side of the lake is in many places low and marshy ; the French and Maquapit lakes lie in this neighbourhood. They also abound in low, swampy lands affording fine pasturage; there are, however, some good farming districts, where the land is more elevated, which are well settled ; those lakes discharge their waters into the Grand Lake. 'J'ha country in the vici- nity of this lake abounds with coal ; upwards of thirty years ago the troops in the Province were furnished with coals for fuel from this district. Such quantities as were obtained at that period, were found very near the surface ; a stratum was usually found from six to nine feet below the surface, which was from eighteen inches to two feet in depth. Li some pla- ces the coals were very good, but in others they were combi- ned with a great proportion of sulphurous stony matter. — Since that lime cargoes have occasionally been raised and exported, but the business did not seem to take root and flou- rish. Of late years several companies have been formed to work those coal fields, but after making a few attempts, they relinquished the task. The Company lately formed, called the " Salmon River Coal Company," appears to have taken up the business with more spirit and science; there are from thirty to forty men employed, some in raising and screening coals, and others in boring. The coals at present obtained are said to be of a good quality, and to cover the expexices, and the Company is well satisfied in regard to tho richness of the mines. The workmen have succeeded in boring about in one liundred aiul forty feet, with every [jrc^pect of realising their most sanguine expectations. Indications of abundance of iron ores of nn excellent quality are frequently met with, and sandstone, which indicates the proximity of abundance of coal, is found in great plenty as the boring proceeds. — The scene of the present operations of the Company is at the Sal- mon River, near its confluence with the Grand Lake. Many of the present shareholders are citizens of the United States. The capital of the Company is sulKciti^tly large to admit of working the mines on an extensive scaivi. The Grand Lake is well settler! on both sides, having a number of well improved farms, with two Episcopal Churhes, and several meeting houses. It discharges itself into the Saint John by a narrow gnt called the Jemseg. This place, although at present possessing no warlike features, must not be overlooked in the history of the river Saint John. It appears a fort and place of arms was established near this gut soon after the discovery of the river St. John, which pass- ed alternately from one master to another. It is noticed in the transfer of the country to the French in 1670, under the name of Gimsec, and was no doubt the principal place of arms and strength on the river. From the Jemseg to the Washademoak, n distance of about six miles, the country is more elevated, and well cultivated. The Washademoak is another extensive Lake nearly thirty miles in length, but very narrow in its course. The Washademoak River, which rises near the Petticodiac, falls into this lake. It has a settlement along its banks called New Canaan. There is nothing more peculiar in the parishes just described, which are called Wick- ham and Brunswick. On the western side of the St. John River, Queen's County comprises the parishes of Gagetown and Hampstead. Gage- town is regularly laid out, and is the Shire-Town. It has a neat Church belonging to the establishment, a Court- House and Gaol, with several fine private buildings and seats, and is a pleasant retired place. It lays on the right bank of a creek of the same name which communicates with the St. John ; seve- ral fine Islands are scattered in the river within the li- mits of this county : one of them, named Long Island, is six miles in length, — it has a neat church with several good build- ings on it; the other Islands are the greater and lesser Mus- quash, and Grimross, each affording large crops of grass and excellent pasturage. The Ocnabog, a small stream naving a lake at its head, falls into the St. John near the head of Long Island. Uq Tliii county, on the whole, is wtll settled with ^ood sut- <;tnntini farmers; anJ oithougU there is a little (lone in sawing deals nnd boards, and also in making a small quantity ot' squored timber as well as procuring some saw logs; the prin- cipal occupation of the inhabitants is agriculture and grazing, by which they arc rising silently to wealth and independence. KING'S COUNTY Embraces both sides of the River Saint John^ andjs boun- ded on the north by a line running south-west and north-east from the south point of Spoon Island j on the east by Kent and Westmorland, on the west by Charlotte, nnd on the south by the County of Saint John. It contains a population of 12,195 soulsf and comprises the following Parishes : — Westfieldt Greenwich, Kingston, Norton^ Springfield, Sus- sex, and Hampton. The Belleisle Bay^ neaf the commencement of this coanty, runs up into the country and has a fine settlement at its head and also along its shores^ with a good church. The road from St. John to Fredericton passes the head of the Belleisle. The County town, called Kingston, is a neat village, contain- ing a Court-house and jail, a neat church, and a cluster of good houseS) the place being laid out to form a small town. The land in this district is hilly and broken, but the soil is good and the country is^well improved. There are good churches belonging to the establishment in all the parishes of this county; there ore also a number of good mills of dif- ferent kinds. The river Kennebeckasis intersects this county and falls into the St. John near the Boar's Head. This is a considerable stream, and has several Islands scattered through ks course. It is navigable upwards of twenty miles for ships of heavy burden and sixty miles farther for small vessels and boats. It is well adapted for ship-'building^ having abundance of excellent timber in its neighborhood. A number of ves- sels are annually built here for the merchants of St. John. The Hammond River falls into the Kennebeckasis. This a fine stream and well settled. The Kennebeckasis is well settled in most of its course. The Vale of Sussex, which lays along the river and extends to near its head, is a beautiful strip ol low land. As the traveller ascends the Kennebeckasis, he first gets a glimpse of a narrow tongue of this plain, environed by the hills that skirt the stream ; these gradually melt away, and the plain expands till at a turn of the road, the village of Sus- ench in 1755, by Colonel Monc- ton. It was formerly one of the keys of the Peninsula, but is now nearly in ruins. There are also the vestiges of another fort at the Bay of Verte, called Fort Monckton, which was the first strong hold erected by the French in this country, and was then the principal place of arms and stores for them in their various incursions into these province.^, while Canada belonged to France. There c e several rivers in this county, the principal of which is tliS Petitcodiac : this river rises near the head of the Kennebeckasis river, and runs to the centre of die county, when it makes a short bend, after which it soon widens and falls into Chignecto Bay. The other streams are but small : being all tide rivers, they in some places overflow large tracts of undiked marsh lands at full tides. Large vessels ascend the Petitcodiac as far as the Bend lo load, but the na- vigation is somewhat difficult. Memramcook River falls in- to the Petitcodiac, and has a large tract of marsh along its course of about 4000 acres. The Tantamar, Aulac, and Missaguash, fall into the head of Cumberland Bason. 1<20 1% jn I m^ Entering the county by the great road of communication from Saint John, along the banks of the Petitcodinc, the first cluster of houses is at what is called the Bend. Here is a small trading station, comprising several fine houses, with stores, &c ; and near the place are mills. Vessels at times come up to this place to load, but as the navigation is considered dan- gerous, the lumber is chiefly shipped off in small craft to other ports for exportation. At the Bend the roud branches ; one line leading to Dorchester by the Memramcook River, and the other leading to Shediac, a small port on the Gulf shore at the extremity of the county. Shediac is a small neat little town, where a few vessels are yearly loaded, but the trade is small, and the country around is but poor : being settled chiefly by French, who have very little enterprise, it is not likely to make much of a figure among the commercial sta- tions of the Province. It has a Church, and the largest Ca- tholic Chapel in the Province, with a few stores and several fine houses. Following the Gulf shore from Shediac to the Bay Verte, we pass the Greater and Lesser Shemogue, with several other settlements. The Bay Verte, near which is the ruins of old Fort Moncton, is a small place where ves- sels sometimes enter, chiefly for the purpose of shipping cat- tle, and the agricultural products of the district; but it is an inconvenient place for shipping, the water being shallow, lighters, scows, &c. have to be used to convey the cargoes on board. Prince Edward Island is in sight from this place about nine miles distant. Returning again to the Petitcodiac river, and following the great road from the Bend to the Memramcook river, we ar- rive at Dorchester, the Shire- Town of the county. This is a pleasant flourishing place, situated on the left bank of the Memramcook: it contains a fine Court-House and Church, with other public buildings ; it also contains some fine dwel^ ling houses and beautiful seats, with stores and other struc- tures for mercantile purposes; it is a shipping s" tion, but its trade is yet but small* Still following the great road, the ^i.xt place approaching to a town is Sackville, which is situa- if J near the great marsh. This is a neat flourishing village, ' ving a Church and Meeting House, with a number of fine '.; 'clling houses and stores. It is surrounded by a highly im- proved farming district, with a beautiful rural scat at West- cook. From Sackville to the Nova Scotia line, is an undulating country of marsh and highland. First is the great Tantamar marsh, more than four miles broad ; then follows the Jollicure IQl atton ; first sinnll ores, c up (lan- a to flies ; liver, Gulf neat trade ttled is not il sta- (t Ca- rldge, whicli contains many well improved farms ; this is suc- ceeded by another marsh, then follows Point-de-Bute riilge, on which stands old Fort Cumberland. This ridge being on the line between New-Brunswick and Nova-Scotia, contains a number of well i'^ proved farms, with several good build- ings, also a good Church and Methodist Chapel. The buildings near old Fort Cumberland have an uncommon an- tiquated appearance. On this ridge, likewise, was a place called Bloody Bridge, it being the scene of a bloody tragedy during the old Revolutionary War. Returning to the Memramcook river, we arrive at the land of Frenchmen : almost all the right bank of this river and the country for a distance adjoining being occupied by them. — Here they have a Chapel and a numerous and fast increasing population. This appears always to have been a favorite spot with them : here they were settled in great numbers before the year 1T55, when they were forcibly removed by the Bri- tish Government, having first seen their habitations and pro- perty destroyed before their eyes. It was at this place that many of them were torn from all the comforts of life and cast on the wide world, destitute and forlorn, to suffer the hard- ships and privations so feelingly described in Mr.Haliburton's history of Nova-Scotia. The French, as has been before noticed, make no great figure in improving a country ; — very mean houses and mere necessaries in general satisfy them. Hence the country in their neighbourhood exhibits no permanent features of im- provement. They can only be ranked among the small far- mers of the county. That part of Westmorland which lies to the westward of the Petitcodiac river, and stretches to the County of Saint John, is still chiefly in a wilderness state. Shepody, how- ever, is a considerable place for mills, and large quantities of deals are cut in the different settlements in this part of the county. Considerable advances are also making in the farm- ing line. There are some very elevated ridges in this dis- trict, called the Shepody Mountains, some of which contain large portions of excellent land for agricultural purposes. — Many new settlements are rising up here, as well as in other parts of this extensive county. All that part of the Province that lies along the Gulf Shore, from Westmorland to the borders of Lower Canada, was formerly included in the large County of Northumber- m land — which, in 1826, was divided into three counties. The first of these, adjoining Westmorland and extending to the Parish of Harcourt, indusive, being called Kent; the se- cond, extending from the Parish of Harcourt to the Parish of Saumarez, retaining the old name of Northumberland; and the third, commencing at the easterly part of the Parish of Saumarez and extending to the Canada line, was named Gloucester. The first, therefore, in order, proceeding (according to the method before stated,) from South to North, is KENT, Which adjoins Westmorland on the southward and extends to the Parish of Harcourt, as before stated. It comprises the Parishes of Carleton, Liverpool, Wellington, Dundas, Huskisson, and Harcourt, and contains a population of 6081 souls. This County lies along the Gulf Shore, and is indented with a number of fine rivers, the principal of which are the Cocaignc, Buctouche, Richibucto, Kouchibouguacsis, Kou- chibouguac, and many others. The chief ports for loading ships are Buctouche and Richibucto. The^ exports consist of lumber of different descriptions : Pine, however, as in most of the other lumber districts, is getting scarce ; but as the country abounds in Spruce, the attention of the inhabi- tants has been turned to the erection of mills both here and in the adjoining counties, and vast quanties of sawed lumber, particularly deals, are now produced. Richibucto, the shire town of the county, is situated on the lefl bank of the river of that name, on a plain near the en- trance of the Gulf. It is a place of considerable trade, being an excellent shipping station. The town consists of a num- ber of good mercantile establishments and several other fine buildings, the principal of which are on the main street, run- ning parallel with the water. Here is also a good Church, anda Court-house, wit^ other public buildings. It is a very pleasant place for a summer residence, being free from those dense and tedious fogs, so frequent along the coast of the Bay of Fundy. Here are also a great abundance of excel- lent shell fish, which are taken with the greatest ease in dif- ferent parts of the harbour. About three miles above Richibucto, on the opposite side of the river, is the establishment of Mr. Jardine, which has given rile to a small village. Here is a good ship-yard and 123 other conveniences for carrying on an extensive mercantile business. The country round Richibucto is covered with an inferior growth of Pines and other soft woods, and has the appear- ance of baring been burnt over at no very distant period : indeed the whole district from the Richibucto to the Nash- waak consists oi a great portion of low swampy land unfit for agriculture. There are, however, a few fine ridges of high land interspersed in the range, on some of which good settk- ments are forming. — Good roads arc opening in this county to facilitate the intercourse with other counties and likewise with the capital. Buctouche is the next place of importance in this county : it is a shipping port, with a cluster of houses and some signs of trade ; but the vessels that resort here are few and gene- rally small. Cocaigne is also a small trading station, but there is noth- ing peculiar about the settlement or its business. Censiderable attention has lately been paid to agriculture in this county ; but it must be observed that a great part of the land in this county is not favorable to the pursuits of the husbandman. The district along the Gulf shore is better adapted for trade and the fishery than for farming. Advan- cing into the interior, there is ifinch swampy and barren land, and other parts are covered with a stunted growth of pine and other timber. The county, however, is not destitute of some fine tracts, on which gooil settlements are forming, and a number of good milling establishments and flourishing villages are springing up in the wilderness. The mineral wealth of this section of the Province is no doubt very great, as it partakes of the Coal measures, which are so abundant in its neighbourhood, and many indications of minerals and fossils have already been discovered. In- deed this County is fast rising into importance, and as it ad- joins the wealthy County of Westmorland on the one side, and the great trading County of Northumberland (of which it formerly was a part,) on the other, it will no doubt soon hold a high station among the flourishing counties of New- Brunswick. NORTHUMBERLAND. This county, as was before obscivctl, formerly included Kent and Gloucester. It extends Jiom the Parish of Har- 124 court, in Uie county of Kent on the southward, to the Parish of Saumarez, in the County of Gloucester, on the northward, and is divided into the following towns or parishes, viz. New- castle, Chatham, Ludlow, Nortnesk, Alnwick, Glenelg, Nel- son, Saumarez, and Carleton, and contains a population of 14,170 souls. This is a valual ^ section of the Province, and is extensive- ly engaged in the h pping business. It has a great extent of sea-coast, and sevi;i.il fine rivers, and possesses great resour- ces and facilities for the lumber trade. Squared timber, deals, and other sawed lumber form the great staple of its exports. The Miramichi which is among the first rivers in the pro- vince for pine, runs through this county, and with its nume- rous tributaries intersects it in every part, opening a highway to the seaboard for the produce of its extensive forests. The f)rincipal shipping ports in the county are along the river. A ittle above the head of Miramichi Bay, and on the right bank of the river stands the thriving town of Chatham, and a few miles farther up on the opposite side stands its rival sister, Newcastle, the shire-town, both largely engaged in the com- merce of the province, and deserving from their importance to hold a high station among the flourishing trading towns of New-Brunswick. The port of Miramichi ranks next to St. John in a commer- cial point of view, and as being the next most important shipping port in the Province. It is the outlet of all the bu- siness carried on along the whole range of that river and its nu- merous tributaries. At every little nook along the river from its mouth as far up as Eraser's Island, tliere are shipping stations where vessels may lie in safety and take in their cargoes. — The only drawback to this port is that, along with all the other harbours on this coast, it is frozen over during the winter.— The shipping, milling, and ship-building establishments arc on a large scale along this river. A large amount of capital is already invested in those branches of trade ; the milling bu- siness has of late attracted considerable attention. An asso- ciation to extend its operations has lately been formed, called "The New-Brunswick Mill Company," with a capital of jfilOOjOOO. It is the intention of this Company to erect twen- ty mills annually till they complete the number of one hun- dred ; they have already completed a great part of them.— Mr, Canard's mills at Miramichi are stated to have cut on the 29th of April, 1837, 42,4-71 feet of deals, between the hours of 5 A. M. and 7 r. m. being the produce of 320 logs, and em- ploying fifty workmen. 125 Tlioic were fifty vessels on the records of registry at the port of Miramichi on the 31st December, 1836. The num- ber of vessels built at this port during the last year was eight, measuring 3,147 tons. Newcastle, the --hire-town of the county is situated on the left bank of the Miramichi river. It is a great place for the shipping engaged in the lumbering business, and is considera- bly wellbuilt up. It has several fine streets well lined with neat dwelling houses, and stores. It has also a number of public edifices among which are a good Court House and Jail, with several places of worship belonging to different deno- minations. This place was reduced to a heap of rubbish by the great fire of l825, being directly within its most destruc- tive range — but it has risen anew from its ashes, and is a flou- rishing trading town, rising in population and importance. Chatham stands on the right Imnk of the Miramichi, and may well rank among the first class of towns in this County. It contains one English, one Roman Catholic, and one Pres- byterian Church, with other public buildings. The town is well laid out and contains a great number of^fine houses with mercantile establishments and other improvements, and parti- cipates largely in the trade of the country. This place being on the South West side of the river, escaped the great fire of 1825, and became an asylum for hundreds who fled to it from that great calamity. — Cnatham is at present fast outstripping its rival sister, Newcastle. Douglastown, on the north-east side of the Miramichi, at a raid distance between Newcastle and Chatham, is also a rising trading station. The House of Gilmour & Rankin have extensive shipping establishments at this place, and the river in the neighborhood is crowded with shipping du- ring the shipping season. This place was nearly all swept off' by the tremendous fire of October, 1825. In a few hours this flourishing village was reduced to cinders, only six houses having escaped. It has, however, again risen from its ruins with increased population, buildings, and wealth. — Douglas- town, as well as Newcastle and Chatham, has lately been made a free port. Agriculture has not been so much fostered in this County as its importance demands, on account of the great trade al- ways carried on in wood ; but many persons are beginning to turn their attention of late years to that most important pur- suit. ' Many fine farms are improving and agricultural vil- lages rising up in different parts of the County, — the soil in many districts being of the best quality. V26 The County oi' Nortliunibsrland being a i^ieal. trnding County, contains h number of flourishing trading stations, too numerous to be particularly described in such a brief work as the Notitia. GREAT FIRE OF 182J. This County was the chief scene of those destructive fires that raged through this Province and the State of Maine in 1825, and burst out almost simultaneously in different places : particularly at the Oromocto, Fredericton, and Miramichi. — The latter place exhibiting an extent and volume of flames of the most appalling and terrific appearance, which swept the settlements along the river Miramichi for upwards of one hundred miles, by eighty five in breadth, and extended its ravagea jver a surface of nearly eight thousand square miles, and destroyed property to the amount of nearly eight hun- dred thousand pounds, with the loss of nearly two hundred souls. The summer of 1825 was extremely warm, with a great drought, which continued with but a small quantity of rain till October. In consequence of which, fires raged in the woods in many places to an alarming extent, and the whole country appeared to be fast verging to a state of combustion. On the 7th of October, about half past three o'clock P. M. a broad and dense column of smoke was seen to rise in a vertical di- rection at a considerable distance to the N. W. of Newcastle. As it was supposed extensive fires were raging in that quar- ter, it excited no alarm in the minds of the people. A short time before the fire commenced it was a perfect calm. About 7 o'clock P. M. a smart breeze sprung up; at this time it was pitchy dark, — the fire being then at a distance from the settlements, raging in the woods. About 8 o'clock P. M. the wind rose and increased to a hurricane, bringing the fire like a deluge upon the settlements. Flames burst in masses on the affrighted inhabitants. The roaring noise becoming more and more tremendous, swept with inconceivable velocity over the surface of the earth and water, and awakened the agonizing feelings and horrors of the flying and distracted people : the screams of the burnt, the burning and the wounded, mingled with the cries of the domestic animals, scorched and suffocated with the heat — men and women with infants, and the sick urg- ing their way thiough volumes of smoke that threatened instant destruction, and seemed to bar retreat. In fact no descrip- tion can do justice to the horrors and miseries of those fatal 127 fires moment:*. Some of ilie people ran lo the river and plunged up to the neck in the water for safety, — others betook themselves to rails, scows, canoes or floating logs for protection from ihe flames. In the brief space of an hour, Newcastle, Douglas- town, and the whole northern .'ule of the river, were reduced to cinders, and out of five hundreu luildings, not more than twen- ty-five were left. In Newcastle, besides the Barracks, Court House, Presbyterian church, Seaman's hospital, and Printing estabUshment, upwards of two hundred and forty houses and stores were destroyed, — only fourteen houses and three stores remaining. Three ships laden, were burnt in the harbour, with two on the stocks. The total amount of property des- troyed, according to the estimates made at that time, amount- ed to nearly jfi700,000, and the number of lives lost was sta- ted at not less than two hundred and fifty. The dreadful conflagration seemed unlike to any thing be- fore known. Flying atoms, and burning bark aj^peareu like fire falling from the clouds, and was carried to a distance out to sea, to the great danger of the shipping. So rapid was the progress of the flames, that many persons could hardly get out of their dwellings in time to save their families, leaving even th'eir books, plate and money behind. The river was their only resource, but even there they were not safe, for the flames extended to such a distance on the waters, and such quontities of burning timber, &c. were carried into it, that hundreds of salmon were destroyed by the heot and cast ashore. So awful indeed were the circumstances attending this fire, by the suddenness of the destruction, the tremendous noise, darkness and suflbcation, that many in the town be- lieved that the great day of final decision had come, and that the foundations of the world were dissolving. The wri- ter was informed by an eye witness, that he thought the terrors of the last day were bursting upon him. Some new settlements were totally destroyed with all their inhabitants ; the smoke and flames having surrounded them in a moment and cut off" their retreat ; their blackened corpses were after- wards found in different positions, some in the act of escap- ing, and others near their dwellings. Some of the Lum- bermen preserved their lives by running into brooks, and lay- ing down in the water until the flames, which were raging on each bank had subsided. Mr. C/Ooney, in his work on this part of New-Brunswick, is stated to have drawn a highly colored picture of the horrors and sublimity of those terrific scenes ; but as the writer has not the happiness of having that interesting work, he has 'I: •*M-; ?(« 12S Jtterely stated a ftw of the prominent features and facts of that dreadful calamity in ns few words as possible, so as to hand down a few of the leading circumstances to future years, that the rememberance of this awful visitation may not sink into total oblivion, after time has obliterated the visible mark of that awful scourge, which wanted no aid of language to augment its terrors. I shall only add, that on the Sunday following this dread- ful scene, the inhabitants were thrown into the greatest con-> sternation, from a report that the cattle had been suffocated from the pressure of the atmosphere, and as an oppressive sensation and difficulty of re?piration began to prevail among the people, holes were du^p- in the ground to Inhale the fresh air, as a last resource. 'Ihrough a merciful Providence they were preserved from that most horrid and extreme ca- lamity. On the same fatal 7th October, destructive fires broke out at Frederieton and the Oromocto, both at a nearly equal dis- tance of 120 miles from Miramichi. In the forenoon of that day, a fire broke out near the premises of the Commissioner of Crown Lands and Forests, about a mile from Frederieton, and while the inhabitants and engines were drawn out, leav- ing the town with only women and children, another fire broke out in the npper part of the town ; ills was about two o'clock P. M. and in the short space of fifteen minutes, it had crossed two squares and reached the bank of the river. The flames seemed to be forced along in one continued sheet, so thri; nearly the whole squares were on fire at once. It was stopped, almost by miracle, by the ceasing of the wind for a few moments, as the last house near a small vacancy was burning, — for scarcely had it fallen, when the wind shifted to the North-west, (the precise point to drive the flames to tlie cluster of buildings close to the burning house,) and blew a gale, so that had not the fire been by that time well subdued, it is probable the whole town would have been swept off, as the wind drove direct on the main part of the town, and the inhabitants were discouraged and worn out with fatigue. — Eighty-nine buildings, valued with other property consumed at fifty thousand pounds, were destroyed. Fortunately no lives were lost, nor riid any person receive any serious injury. A considerable amount of property, however, was stolen by wretches who fatten on public calamities. On the same inauspicious 7th of October, by a remarkable coincidence, about twenty houses and barns were burnt down on the Oromocto and llushagoannes, and three children 1-29 were burnt to death. Other fires also were raging in other parts of the country to an alarming extent at the sama time, particularly on the river Tobique, where most of the fine groves of red pine were destroyed. Great exertions were made in New-Brunswick, NovaSco- tia, the Canadas, and the United States, as well as in Eng- land and Scotland to relieve the sufferers, and liberal contri- butions were made both in money and pi'ovisions, besides clothing and other articles were supplied by associations of benevolent females and others j and as the fall proved mi- commonly fine, it enabled the suflerers, who amounted to nearly fifteen thousand, to procure themselves a shelter and provisions for the ensuing winter. The amount of losses ascertained at Miramichi, and given into Sir Howard Douglas some months after the fire, was ^227,713 19s. 8d. which is far less than the supposed amount before stated ; but as the great loss in the destruction of tim- ber, and many other things of great value to the place, (but which from their quality could not with propriety be taken into the precise and accurate returns handed to him,) were taken into the first estimation, which, as is usual in such cases, was no doubt over-rated. Many conflicting opinions were fomied about the origin of those destructive fires ; some supposed that from the conti- nued heat and drought, spontaneous combustion had taken place. But there is no occasion to resort to such questiona- ble causes ; there can be little doubt, but this and the ad- joining countries have been subject to destructive fires at dis- tant periods, and, as was observed under the article Climate, it is very evident that this country has frequently been denu- ded of part of its forests by fires ; for in the revolution of a number of years, (the exact period of which cannot be sta- ted,) dry seasons occur, attended, as was the year 1825, with great heats. These prepare the country, (particularly those parts encumbered with old trees and brush,) for combustion; when the least spark dropped on any part sets the whole in a blaze. Indeed it is surprising that fires do not oftener rage through the woods, when we consider the great aridity of the forests after long droughts, and the numerous classes of per- sons such as Indians, lumberers, and others, who roam through the wilderness, and light up fires where they encamp, or shake the embers out of their pipes among dry leaves and other combustibles, ani pass on unheedful of the evils of their thoughtlessness. 130 To prevent the occurrence of such disastrous fires, great vigilance should be exerted in dry seasons to prevent their being kindled in the woods. Settlers should also be particu- larly cautious not to build in the forest until they have a sut- ficient space cleared to ensure a retreat. GLOUCESTER Adjoins Northumberland, and commences at the eastern part of the Parish of Saumarez, near the Nepisiguit river, and ex- tends to the Province of Lower Canada. It is divided into the following towns or parishes : — Saumarez, Bathurst, Be- resford, Addington, and Eldon, and contains 8323 inhabi- tants. This County possesses great facilities for navigation, ha- ving a continued line of bays, rivers, and other water courses. First, by the Bay of Chaleur, \vhicb washes its North-eastern line, and next by the great river llestigouche, which forms its Northern boundarj', and divides it from the District of Gaspe, in Lower Canada. It has also a great number of rivers, the principal of which, besides the llesti- gouche, are the Nepisiguit, near the southern boundary of the county, which has a considerable bay and is an important shipping station ; the Little Nepisiguit, and the Upsalquitch, which runs to the northward, and after intersecting the county to a great distance, I'alls into the llestigouche. All these rivers are frozen over in the winter, as well as all the harbours along the coast. This is a great drawback to the trade of the north-eastern counties : while the port of Snint John is full of vessels, the ports along the Gulf shore are fast locked up in frost. So sudden somctin:es is the change from mild weather to excessive cold, that vessels are occasionally frozen up in the harbours at the commencement of winter, and remain in that state until spring. Bathurst, the shire town of this coimty, is situated on the Bay of Chaleur, and is a flourishing shipping i)ort, having a a good harbour and abundance of timber. It carries on a brisk trade with the mother country in scjuarcd and sawed lumber. The harbour, during the shipping season, is thronged with vessels, and the shores and coves are enlivened with M'orkmen preparing the several kinds of lumber for shipment. — The towh if? well laid out, and contains a num- ber of fine dwelling houses, with several stores and mercan- 131 ha- tile establishments. The public buildings consist of a Court- house and ito appendages, a good Cliurch belonging to the establishment, and also a building in progress, one hundred feet by fifty, intended for a place of worship for the members of the Roman Catholic Church. This place is fast rising in importance, and as it possesses abundant sources for a great and lasting trade, it will, with its neighbour Dalhousie, at no distant day be conspicuous among the rising towns of New- Brunswick. — It was near this place that the French squadron was destroyed by Commodore Byron in 1700. Dalhousie, on the Restigouche, is the second town in this county, and the first in trade. It is a thriving place, and, like Bathurst, carries on a lively trade with Great-Britain in the products of the forest. 'J'he town is fast improving in buildings and in wealth. It has a Church, several fine blocks of dwellings, with stores and other conveniences for mercantile purposes. It is an excellent shipping port, and from its contiguity to th.e great Pine districts, and command- ing the resources of the great river Restigouche, is most ad- vantageously situated for prosecuting an extensive and un- failing trade. There are a number of small towns and villages springing up in this extensive county. Enterprise is directing its ener- gies to this long-neglected region, which possesses in an am- ple manner, the sources of a great and lasting trade. The numerous rivers and streams with which this part of the Pro- vince is interspersed, laying open its inmost resources, and offering facilities to the trader and farmer, must always en- sure to an enterprising and industrious population the means of comfort and an earnest of wealth. Gloucester, on the whole, is an extensive and valuable County: embracing a jargc extent on the Gulf shore, and extending along the river Restigouche, it possesses great fa- cilities for trade. It abounds with almost inexhaustible quantities of excellent timber of various kinds, besides other sources of wealth, as well agricultural as mineral, which only want developcment to make them productive and profitable. By lar the greater part of this extensive County is still in a wilderness state : having, until lately, formed a j)art of Northumberland, the North-eastern part was too much ne- glected, — the energies of the trading population being di- rected to the more central parts about the river JMiraniichi, and the adjoining districts. This left the country bordering on the Bay of C^halcur and the Restigouche in a neglected state for a long time ; the consequence was, that this whole district, with the exception of a few scattered settlements along the Gulf shore, was left without roads or other im- provements ; but a great alteration has taken place within a few years : Roads have been opened, — agriculture has been attempted, — milling establishments and villages are dotting the wilderness, — and the County is fast rising into importance. Its great forests, as yet almost untouched, promise an abund- ant supply for a great and permanent trade ; and as the tim- ber becomes exhausted in the central Counties, men of busi- ness will transfer a part of their capital to this part of the Province. Good roads are opening to connect the extreme parts of this County with other parts of the Province ; o|7en- ing those roads will create settlements, promote population, and consequently produce wealth. Its immense resources will be brought mto activity, and the event, no doubt, will show that this section of the Province, so long neglected, is not wanting in the means of soon rising to tie rank of the most favored Counties. §&. Postscript. — While these pages were in the hands of the printer, " Ao Act to erect a part of the County of Gloucester into a separate '* and distiact County," (which bad been passed by the Provincial Legislature in the month of March, 1837, and was specially confirm- ed by Her Majesty in Council on the 20th December, in the same year), was published by authority, in the Province. By this Act " all "that part of the County of Gloucester which lies to the northward " and westward, and included within the line drawn dae south from " the mouth of Belldune River until it strikes the line dividing the " Parish of Beresford and Bathurst in ths said County, thence wes* " terly by the line dividing the Counties of Northumberland and " Gloucester, until it strikes the line of the Province of Lower Ca- •• nada," is erected into a separate and distinct County, to be known by the name of the County of Restigouche ; and that part of the present County of Gloucester, not included within the limits of tho Maid new County, above described, shall henceforth comprise the county of Gloucester. The Act also ])rovide.s that one member to serve in General Assembly of this Province is to be elected by thei, Freeholders of Restigouche, and that Dathousie shall be the Shire Town of the County, at which place the necessary publiu buildings are to be erected. ■% APPEiVDlX. BRIEF SUMMARY FOR 1837. Many important events have taken place in ISST. Al- though New-Brunswick, which is deeply engaged in com- itiercial pursuits, has partici]Rited in the shock that has so fenerally extended through the commercial classes both in Ingiand and America, still the main>springs of her prospe- rity are unimpaired. By the blessings of a bountiful Provi- dence, an abundant harvest has done much to ameliorate the condition of tJie poor, and is an earnest of a progressive improvement in the transactions of the business classes throughout the country. Few years have been more pro- ductive than the last. The Administration of the Province has also been chan- ged, and general satisfaction pervades all classes. The great amount of disposable revenue has enabled the Legislature to extend the improvement of the country, by opening and improving roads and providing for other inter- nal improvements, among which may be noticed the provision for a Provincial Asylum for Lunatics, and for the erection of a Penitentiary at Saint John ; also an appropriation for the erection of a building for the accommodation of the Supreme Courts at Fredericton, with several other appropriations for public purposes. But here it is to be regretted, when the present state of the Province Hall is considered, that a suit- able structnre for the accommodation of the Provincial Par- liament was not provided, instead of a Court House, at the Seat of Government. That when the Province possesses ample funds, a building commensurate with the advanced state of the country should be wanting, and large sums ex- pended on minor buildings, — that the Province Hall, which should be the first building in the country, should be allowed to dwindle into contempt, (/. e. on a comparison with other things.) If, instead of frittering away money on additions and small buildings, a good sum was at once appropriated fr Iw ''. 136 i'ur t!ie ejection of a suitable Province Hall, no doubt the oltl building would answer for the Courts and many other purposes for which small buildings will probably be erectt^d id detail. Parsimony is not always the best economy. Great improvements have also lately been made on and about Government House. Considerable works for the ac- tommodation of the military are likewise in progress. Bar- racks are building in Saint John and Fredericton, and other ifiiprovements are contemplated by the Home Government. The nett amount of the Provincial Revenue for 1837, exclusive of Light-house, Emigrant, and Hospital duties, is .aC5 1,988 : 13 : 10. Jhe amount of Casual and Territovial Re- venues paid ever ' ^ Province Treasurer, jfi54,P05 : 10 : 2. Amount of f.j,.^/! ^j ..ations made by the Legislature for Provincial purposes, in the last Session, for die year 1838^ .:€90,265~being jel' 04i » >re thaa for 1837, besides the ;iniount for the Civil L.i.t nvicl cr^r>tingencies, which will pro- bably extend to ^6^16,000 rao/c. The annexed statements will shew the state of the Trade ibr 1837, as compared with 1827. INWAIIDS-18:»7. fcssjs. Toits. FoiD GM.'Bi-Britain, 480 148,785 " Mnii8h Colome-s 1512 94,574 <• U.iiieJ Slates, 800 43,120 •' Foreign Siutes, 19 4,587 Men, Total, . . 221 1 391,069 13.SS5 OUrWARDS-1837. Tn Ciroat Btiiain, 600 " Drii'iBb CulunicB, 1418 " United Staiet, 183 " Foreign Slaiet, 5 212.447 78.443 16,054 668 Tottit, . . 2206 307.612 14,331 Wheal Flour imported in 1S?7, Wiieai, •• «' IN\VARDS-1S2T Vtsith. 883 1156 115 Torus. 113,131 66, 102 14,259 1.317 iVin. 1659 195,109 9S86 OUTWARDS- 1827. 891 1096 100 3 130.997 60,802 1)»382 366 1690 203.546 11,311 62,151 Barrels. 119,700 Bu«tte.s. Wheal and Rye Flour itn|)or(ed io 1827, • . 46,203 Barrele. S(]uarc! Timber exported in 1837, 224,605 Tuna— Deatf and Oearda. 57,154 M. Feet. •< " In 1827, 187,332 Toaa—Dt:al«und Board*, 18.385 M. Feui. New Veaaels Registered in 1837, 86, admeasuring 26.888 Tone, in 1827, 94, " 20,097 Tons. Vessels on Records of Regiitry, 31«i Dec. 1837. • 460—103,169 Toos— 8289 Men. « Slst Dec. 1827. - 828— 48,471 Tom-2106 AU«. RRR4TUM.— In the tittice oTlbe Daptiti Seminary, the nuokber of Pupils in ihs VwmJt D'partmcut is iucorrec'ly printed 140, iuetead vt forty. Aht,.