IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 S Ilia ii 1.4 M !'i_2.2 2.0 1.6 V] <^ /i o Z Wjf / / o / /a Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1980 ■ a Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliogrsphicaliy unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exempl&2re qui sont peut-dtre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la m6thode normale de filmage sont indiqu6s ci-dessous. □ Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur D D n n n n D Covirs damaged/ Couverture endommagde Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurde et/ou pellicul6e . Pages damaged/ ■^ Pages endommag6es Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes g^ographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Relid avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serr6e peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intdrieuie Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout^es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas dtd film6es. Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurdes et/ou pelliculdes Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d6color6es, tachet^es ou piqu6es □Pages detached/ Pages d6tach6es □ Showth'ough/ Transparence □ Quality of print varies/ Quality indgale de I'impression □ Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du materiel supplementaira □ Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible D Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou nartiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6t6 filmies h nouveau de fapon d obtenir la meilleure image possible. D Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppldmentaires; y 10X This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film6 au taux de reduction indiqu* ci-dessous. 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X 12X 16X y 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: National Library of Canada L'exemplaire fiim6 fut reproduit grSce Jk la gdndrositd de: Bibliothdque nationale du Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each mii;rofiche shall contain the symbol -^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. iVIaps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as rec^uired. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet6 de l'exemplaire filmd, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimde sont film6s en commenppnt par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film4s en commengant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur >a dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon Is cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Les canes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s d des taux de reduction diff6rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour §tre reproduit en un seul clichd, it est filmd d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m ithode. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 r .) .^ 't!iy* P. tir. iy "y ;;-#; :'fe,?L. A ,■ .V: r/- SKETCH ,; ^ ■v," '^ ^y V "■'■■■ 'f Sr^^r'^-^M^^' .■5?:: :f'.?^ G-J^SJE^ESI-A. |. C. LANGELIER wm. 1 # nmipiP! w'l Enferet! aciconling to Act of Parliament, in ilie y«ar onei thousand oight Imndred and eighty four, by the Publishor, 4osKi'H IJussaclt. in tliPOlHoo of the Minister of Agriculture and Statistics of the Dominion of (Janada. [.J J "^W « ♦ TO * ' THE HONORABLETHEODORE ROBITAILLE N.KUHKH OF HEH MAJESTY'S PRIVY COtJNClL FOH CANADA, LIEITTHNANT- «OVKKNOR 01- 1 HK PHOVIXCE OF ytlEBEC.- The zeal atid care which you haAij/e sho\\fn. tor many years, to the region (lescriV)ed in this small book, ' make me believe that you would condescend to accept of its dedication. By ycnir sj.iee- ches in Parliament, where you represented the county of Bona- venture for more than twenty years, and by the personal infor- mation M'hich you have given me, I do not hesitate to style you the fondamenial element of this work. Kjiowing the deep inte- i-est which you take in the place and its people, in spite of the high position that you fill, I dedicate to you this pamphlet in my name and in that of our kind friends of Gaspesia. J. C. Langelikh. mm i| iBr ' )j ! iik!iiyiiiiJii i iiiaiWi'«^^^^ :M SKETCH ON a--^SI=>E! SI..^ CHAPTER I SITUATION— LIMITS— EXTENT— GENEBTAL ASPECT. The great peninsula which forms the south-east of the pro- vince of Quebec, is called Gaspesia. This territory is situated between 49ol5' at Fointe du Uros- Male, on the St-Lawrence, and 47o49' latitude, at the confluence of the rivers Eistigouche and Matapedia, also between 64o22', at Cape Eosier, and 68(>6' longitude, at the mouth of the gi'eat ri- ver Mdtii. The guU r:f St-Lawrence fonns the north-eastern limit of Gas- pesia. It is bound, on the south, by the Baie des Chaleurs and the river Ristigouche, which seperates it from New-Brunswick, as far as the meeting of the rivers Ristigouche and Patapedia. The western limit is formed by a line following the course oi the river Matapedia to its source aud co3>tinuing from there, to the head of the river Metis, whose course it follows till it rea- ches the St-Lawrence. 1{ is measured from east to west on a line drawn between Point St-Pierre and the mouth of the river Me- tis ; the greatest length of this territory is about one hundred and eighty miles. Its greatest breadth, when mesured from north to south, between the Point of Gros-Maie and that of Bona venture, is about ninety miles. The supei-ficial extent between the.se li- mits amounts to 10,783.73 miles, or 6,900,941 square acres. This extent is divided into three counties w^hich form Gas- r»esia : miles County of Rimouski 3,0;uW-2 Bonavenlure 3,^91.69 G(isp6 4,4CI.'2'2 Total 10,783.73 acres . 1. 939.720 '2,I06,6HI '2,854.540 (1,900,941 These figures do not include the extent of the Madeleine Is- lands, whi :h, in a geographical point of view, do not forai an iiitegrsd part of tht^ county of Gaajxi, they also exclude that part of the county of Rimouski situated outside of the line, which fonns .tlie western limit of Gaspesia. The extent of this territory fonns a comparatively small area, not even a twentieth of the total superficies of the province ; but, when compared with certain provinces of the Confederation or with some of the most populated and the most civilized States of Europe, we find that it forms a considerable region. Countries Superficies Holland 12,791 Belgium 11,500 Denmark 14,616 Switzerland 15,990 Scotland 30,685 Ireland 31,874 New-Brunswick 27,174 Nova Scotia 20,907 Prince Edward Island.... '2,133 Gaspesia 10,783 Population 3,674.000 5 • 00,000 1,/ 84, 000 2.670,000 3,360,000 5,411,000 321,233 440.572 108,891 56,860 In supposing that Gaspesia had a population equal to that of Scotland and Switzerland, it would be able to support a million of souls. The realization of this supposition is not an im- possibility, because the soil of Gaspesia is not as mountanious and is more fertile than that of Switzerland and Scotland, with- out taking into consideration its fisheries which constitute an everlasting source of Riches, which cajmot be found in Scotland and much less in Switzerland. Moreover, these two countries are not able to furnish timber, as Gaspesia. to the different indus- tries of the country. As to the climate, the fertility of the soil and its adaptibilily to agricultural purposes, Gaspesia is not surpassed by New- Brunswick, and as this province is inhabited by 321,233 per- sons, or 18.7 inhabitants per square mile, Gaspesia could easely support, were it cultivated, a population of 201,655 inhabitants, because its superficies amount to 10,783.73 square miles. Final- I that ly, the territory of Gaspesia is as rich, em ausceptiblo of develo- ' l)enient as Prince Edward Island, its climate is more favumble to agiiculture, and it is accessible by sea and more so by rail : the extent of P. E, Island is not more than the fiftieth part of that of Oaspesia, and it is inhabited by a population of 108,891, from which we can easily conclude that the territory of Gaspe- sia would support a population proportioned to its extent, or five times the population, which makes a population wf 544,455 in- habitants. In this case, the extent occupied by each person would be fourteen acres or about one huridred acres for each family, that is thirty per cent more than the extent occupied by each family in the province of Quebec, according to the census of 1871. We can affirm that the region of Gasj)esia would easily sup- })ort a population of 500,000 ; at pros«^nt, its population is 56,860 this clearly shows that this region is a country where a large number of innnigi'ants could make a gooinilalion IS52 3,«GG isei 8,50',) 1871 12.958 1881 n;un Au(jincn[uli(m iwr 100 4,8W 130.85 4,449 52. 'W 4,309 32.25 BONAVENTURE. 1852 1861 187! 1881 10,844 13,092 2,248 15,293 2,201 18,9l^< 3,615 20.73 Ifi.HH 23.96 185'Z 1861 1871 1881 — 10 — GASPfe 8,702 11.426 2,724 I5,a67 4,131 20,685 5,128 ALL GASPESLA. 1852 23,412 1861 33.027 9,795 1871 43,808 10.781 I88l 56,860 13.052 3I.H3 36.15 32.96 60.93 35.08 30.46 As we see by the forgoiug table from 1871 to 1881 Rimous- ki has increased the most, it exceeds Gasp^ by 0.29 and Bona- venture by 9.62 per 100. That is due to uhe Intercolonial Rail Road which facilitated the access of lands which before were inaccessible or too distant, and powerfully stimulated the popu- lation of that district. With the exception of that part of the county of Rimouski which is designated in the census of 1871 by the name of Rimouski East, there is but one concession to be established in (lasT)e8ia, that which borders the sea. The habitations form a band which completely surrounds the interior plain, and in Shoolbred, along the New River, in Maria and a few other loca- lities, there are very few farms in the interior plain. Coloniza- tion Las a vast field to explore there and if all the resources, the natural richness of the soil, the facilities of settling down of this bej-utiful region of Gaspesia were well known in our province and justly appreciated by our citizens who are in a position to help colonists, and were these richness and resources and facili- ties known to the immigrants of Europe, undoubtedly the population of Gaspesia would be 100,000 in 1891. Let us make Paspebia a sea port town, and in running there a branch of the Intercolonial Rail Road, the region of Gasp^ would be entirely transformed before ten years and would be the richest and the most prosperous part ol the province or of all Canada. CHAPTER II. TOPOGRAPHY — MOUNTAINS — RIVERS — SEASIDE — BATHirG PLACES. « Gaspesia is an immense plain, the principal inclination being towards Bay des Chaleura. This plaiji is divided into two parts by ■ r^r^n.'^ittmt, -r«!f 1.^ .«srvi^J»S*?i«'r and the Metis 2,035 " Whatever may be the height of these summits this range of mountains does not form the limit of the northern descent of the plain of Gaspesia. The principal rivers which empty their waters into the Gulf of St. Lawrence take their source on the other side of the line described by this series of isolated mounts and nearly everywhere this descent occupies about the third of the total breadth of the peniuFvla. The main heiglit, in the ravine cut out by the rivers, is about level in the waters of the lakes Huron and Michigan, which are something more than 500 feet above the level of the sea. The principal water courses which take their sources behind this mountainous tract are the rivers Madeleine, St. Anne, Cape Chat and Matane. As regards its continuity and its altitude this mountainous range is of a various form. The axis of this chain is at a dis- tance which varies from twelve to twenty miles from the St. 'Lawrence. Behind Metis, the suminit of these mountains very rarely exceeds 1600 feet and this region forms rather a moun- tainous plain than a continuous range of mountains. Although the soil is not of a superioi quality, nevertheless it is fit for *s<« A»f rwSWMWw^^pn ■• — 12 — cultivation and it is better towards the St. Lawrence, where chiy land is t<3 be found especially in tlie valley of the river Metis. 'Co the north of this range of mountains, there is an other moun- tainous stripe, but lower, on the other side of which there is a large band of fertile land. This band as all other bands which lie along the river edge, is very fertile and thicky iidiabited. At the river St. Anne, the chain is divided int»j two branches ; one of them tends towards the south and tlie other towards the sea. At Mont St. Louis, the chain tends towards the east and .its height diniinishcis as it advances towards Cape Gasp(5, w'here it terniinat(is, leaving a large land of fertile soil between Cape Rosier and the Gulf. To Uie south of this chain, there is a large interior valley somewhat unddlatell and bordered on the south and the north by mountainous stripes of land. Its breadth varies from ten to thirty miles and it presents all the characters of an elevated plain. The soil of this great valley is poor, light in certain dis- tricts, and strong in other places, but in general strong and fer- tile. There are lafge extents of beautifiil land, especially in the region where the river Matane takes its source and along the Kempt road. On the other side of Bay des Chaleur, there is an other line of heights which forms'the southern limit of the valley which has been described, the.se heights are covered with hillock some of which are of a considerable height. Towards the north angle of the county of Bona venture and not far from the Piona venture river, there- are three mountains whicn measure in height 1,394, 1,324 and 1,757 feet. Mount Conique towards the soitrce of the river Cascapedia is 1,918 feet in altitude. The meridicjual declivity of this range of heights gradually decreases as it tends towards Bay des Chaieurs. It forms a band oi' good clay soil about twenty u\ thirty miles in breadth, .showing all the characters of a plain slightly elevated towards its northern limit, transversely cut by deep and narrow valleys which are watered by large rivers which take their source in the interior plain situated to the north of the mountiiinous range has been describea. The land whicli borders Bay des Chaleur is of excellent clay. From Points au Ma(iuei'eau to the river Cascapedia, the coast describes the area of a circle which consi- derably augments the breadth of this baud of fertile soil. The land is level for more than thirty miles from the coast and is very good for produce. To the west of the river Cascapedia •13 cf eys the llgC: eviv ver usi- rhe i.l is (lia the ]and is more midnhited and nearly all the projections which border the sen are crowned from the interior by isolated monn- tains which measure 1800 feet in elevation, such as mount Tracadigeche, behind Carleton. The mountains which border tlie river Ristigouche are not so high. The, picturesque scenery which can be seen from the top of these mountains is delightful, and the monr;tains themselves forma scenery which is charming to the eye of the spectator who- contemplates them from a distance. Their sides, some- times upright, but generally slightly sloped, are surrounded by rich and extensive valleys. The land, not excepting the. top of the mountains is rich and fertile, and generally clear of stones and thickly wooded with birch, maple, &c. * The valley of the river NouvelJe is the richest part of this" region, its soil is as fertile as that of the regions of the valley of tlie Bt. Lawrence and the Richelieu. The scene of the coast of Ga.sp^ from the ocean is most delightful. On* the gulf side, the coast forms a regular bend somewhat ondulated by small sinuosities scarcely perceptible at a certain distance. There are considerable depths at the mouths of the j^riiicipal rivers ; they are called by the inhabitants of the country barachois means lakes. The mouths of the rivers are deep enough for the navigation of schooners and small vessels. At Matane, at St. Ann, at White River, at Mount Louis, at Griffon's Bar and at Fox River fhe water is deep enough to form small ports for bateaux which are employed for fishing purposes. At St Ann, the village is built on a sandy peninsulaj formed by a barachois it the discharge of the river. The habitfitions extend along the river, on each side of this central point, The beach of the sand bar is white and level. As you advance from the river to the interior, the land rises and the hills are staged one over the other until you reach the Chickchaks the summits of which, in the neighbourhood are more than 3500 feet in height. There is a very pleasing place at St. Anne des Monts, which, during the summer months, is very healthy for persons who are strong enough to l)readth a pure and cool air, while hunting and fishing around. At this point of the year, the coast is covered with a flock of black game ; in spring and fall the huntsman is agreeably suii)rised at the sight of the quantity of ducks which abound along the rivers and of partridge in the wcHjds. Further down from St. Ann's we see the chimneys, their 14 name comes from their form, and several b: autiful cascades being more than sixty feet in lieicrht, tlie wiiiteneas of their wattirs form an agreeable contrast with the dark hue of the neighbouring trees. All this coast from St. Anus up,' is Jiigh steep and cut by deep ravines. In the interior the^land is good and could support a great number of families. Mount Louis is situated t,hirty six miles lower down than St. Ann, it is remarkable for the fertility of its soil and for the abundance of fish which arc caught each year and for the facility of communication. Wheat rises there as well as in the environs of Quebec. The habitations are built on the river side and are protected from the cold blasts by the side of a moun- tain. The bay formed by the mouth of the Madeleine river is bound on the east by a gravel liank about a mile in length and a little above the level of high tide. On the western side the bay extends itself to the foot of a cragged rock, al)out ninety feet in height, aud which continues to extend itself until it reaches a quarter of a mile on the other side of the mouth of the river aud forma cape Madeleine. The straits of glaised soil of which this cape is composed advance themselves from two to three miles U) the interior and form a slight declivity wldch is very agreeable to the eye. The land is fertile and produces good crops of grain. The port is navigable for vessels that do not take a deep draw of water. This locality is situated at a dis- tance of about sixty miles from cape Rosier and about seventy from cape Chatte. Fox river bay forms a semi circle the diameter of which is about one mile. The entry is between two capes which are increasingly beaten by the waves ; around the basin the lands present the appearance of an amphitheatre covered with ver- dure and browned with a hard wood l)U3h. Towards the end of the bay and a little above th e mouth of the river a barachoi'i, bordered with beautiful fields, displays itself. The vessels which harbor in this bay are protected against the winds, with the exception of the north blast. Around Fox river the land is exceedingly fertile in wheat, barley, oats and potatoes, the latter are considered the best in Canada. Moreover, beside the rich- ness of the soil, is not tlie sea at proximity with i^s inexhaustible treasure ? Fifteen miles higher up than Fox river, a low land extends along the foot of the mountains and terminates at the sea in a gul a lo\ Uiiiti is al 15 — ver- Ind of 3lioir;,' fcsaels with Lnd is llattei rich- istible kends la in a point wbich is not more than forty feet high. Tliis is cape Rosier, Seven miles beyond this cape, is terminated, by the Fourillon promontory, * the chain of mountains which border the north shore of the St. Lawrence. Fourillon is a narrow peninsula which extends about three miles into the sea, between the cove of cape Rosier and the bay of Gas- p^. On the north side it is a naked rock perpeiidicular and reaching the height of 700 feet ; it is the remain of a mountain the half of which has been pitched into the sea after being eaten away by the ice and water ; the other half is still standing as straight as a wall. At the south of Fourillon is the entry of the bay of Gasp(5, a beautiful sheet of water about eight miles in breath and extend- ing about eighteen miles between two heights. One of these heights is mountainous ; the other is diversified by hills, valleys, woods and groups of houses. The northern land is generally hilly. Nevertheless, in soine places, the mountains extend from the sea and leave at their base a stripe of land where the settle- ments of Grande-Greve, Cape aux Os and of Penouille are built. The best part along the coast is at the end of the Bay of Gaspe ; it is separated from the bay in two points which leaves a navigable canal for large ships. Before entering the port, on the south side we meet with the moutli of the Little river St. John, not far from which is the village of Duglasstown, situated on a little hill. On the opposite coast is point Penouille from where we can see all the port and a great part of the basin, as well as the village. The rivers Darmouth and York empty their waters into port Gasp<5. The mouth of the latter forms the basin, which is about one mile long and its depth varies from five to nine cubits of water. This interior port can receive a con- siderable number of ships. On the south and east, the coast of Gasp^ fonns a more irre- gular line than on the northern side. Between point St. Peter, and Cape Canon, which forms the extremity of the promontory of Perc^, are the bay and the barachois of Malbaie. Malbaie village is built at the end of the bay and at the entry of the barachois, which is separated from the sea by a sand bar five miles in length and two hundred feet in breadth. A fine view of the sea can be seen from the church. Towards the west, a lowland devided by the barachois and having a few inhabi- tiiuts scattered here and there forms the end of the bay which is about three miles long and nine wide. At the other side of ■Wm wimBBiessS:.-' — 16 — this beautiful sheet of water, there are broken uinuntains over which mount St. Anne reigns the basis of which forms the rocks of I'erce and Bona venture. Percy village, which is the principal judiciary district of GarffK^, is built on the point of the })romontary, which borders the western part of the Ijay of Maibaie. It is one of tlie most picturesque sites in all CJaspesia. A gi'eat number of fishing boats are to be sea.y, the flank of the mountjiin forms, nearly on all sides, an abrupt bank, leaving between it and the shore a Iwind of clay about a mile in breadth and half a mile in leughth. At the eastern extremity of the bay, is a barachois formed by the waters of the little river Carleton, which is surrounded by agi'avely beach. That of the west extends a few miles, into the sea, and is about three hundred feet in width from the foot of thp mountain. Tliis bank commands one of the finest points of view which can be had in all Bay des Chale^rs, and forms one of the most beau- tiful Wiiterii^g places in the Dominion. Protected from the northern blast by the mountain it is only exposed, to the refieshing breezes which come from the sea and which maintain a moderate temperature during the summer .season. On the bay side, the beach is slightly inclined ami is covered with fine gra- \'el, free from stones as well as from aU other obstacles and is one of tlie most beautiful bathing places along the coast, besides, the rivers abound with fish of all kinds, in particular New river, where trout weighing from four to five jwunds are caught. Tlie land along the bay and in Carleton is cultivated with care, and the settlements have a look of prosperity and comfort which is not to be seen in all part of Gaspesia, with the exception of Great Rivers. 3 ^18 — Between the rivers Patapedia and Nouvelle, the mountains extend towards tlie sea and to the shore of the river Ristigouche. The land is very hilly, but the soil is good and thicky wooded, even on the top of the hills. This region is a series of beautiful landsciijx^-s which are not suri)as8ed in beauty by Swtland and Switzerland. It is the rendez-vous of a great number of ama- teurs who come from England and the United States to admire the pleasing asjxjct of these landscapes and to enjoy the fishing and hunting, which al)ound. Messieurs Vanderbilt and a few more millionaires of New York, forming the liistigouche club, built a beautiful summer house at Matapedia where they pass the summer months in fishing, hunting, &c. Better watering places, than that of Baie des Chale urs cannot be found. The mildness of the climate, the purity of the air and the beautiful sceneries make thts place a t^erestial paradise for those who want rest and who are obliged to resume their health. The weakest constitutions, the most delicate tem- peraments need not fear the cold nor the sudden changes of the temperature. The inttjrior plain of Gaspesia hinders the cold and damp wind which comes from the sea from coming this far, and a beautiful breeze, which is able to give strength and vigor to the most changeable constitutions, is constantly to be felt. Two of the most beautiful watering places are Carleton and New Carlisle. The beach is one of the finest and best situated for sea bathing the surrounding landscapes are delightful, in one word nature herself seems to have lent her hand in making these places two of the most attracting and balneal stations of the province. Carleton, in particular, is far the more attracting and leaves in the shade Malbaie. Cacouna, and all the other localities which attract each year thousands of tourists from the most distant parts of tlie United Stjites. If this locality was better known, it would become one of the most fashionable bathing places, the 01(1 Orchard Beach of the province of Que- bec. Until these last few years, access was somewhat inaccom- modous, on account of their being no other route but by sea, but now the tourists can very easily go there because the Inter- colonial Eail Koad goes fi-om Carleton to Quebec in the space of twelve hours, Garietou is about 35 miles from the watering place, ftnd h a vnry agreeable trip of two hour.-j in a boat. All that Carleton wants to become a fashionable resort, are a few capitalists to build a good hotel. When that will be done, Carle- ton will become one of the most fashionable bathing resorts in the province. — 19 — CHAPTER III. SUPKRFICIAL GEOLOGY — SOILS — EXTENT. lu a geological point of view, GasjKisia forms the eastern extre- mity (jf the mountainous country which professor Hunt calls the apalachien region and is nothing more than the continuation of the eastern townships. The land of Gaspesia is the same as that of the Eastern Townships, that is in its comix>sition. These beds of earth belong to the geological formations which are called " Quebec Group" by Sir William Logan, founder of the geological commission of Canada. They form three series of layers more or less altered, in-egular and belonging to the inferior silurian. These three series are : lo. A series of paleo- logic straits more or less " changed, in the greater number of loc«.litie3, where they have been found ; 2o. A series of eruptive rocks ; comixjsed of granite and trachite ; 3o. A series of super- ficial deposites. The alterations which, several of these paleological formations have undergone, which is easily seen by their perturbations, make it very hard to determine to which age they belong ; but it is evident that th y should be classed in the groupes of the inferior and superior silurien and on the devonien age. A stripe of beds belonging to the foundation of the river Hudson, extends from Marsouin river to the cove of Tierce, a distance of sixty miles, on the borders of the Gulf St. Lawrence. These layers are composed of stripes of sand stone, dolomite and oily clay. Nevertheless, these formations are not so extended and not so important as those of the Quebec Groupe which lies on the lime and sand stones of Gas|x^, as well as the under car- bonic formation of Bona venture, on the banks of Baie des Cha- leurs. The Quebec groui)e occupies a mid position, between tlie calcarous and Chazy formations, where both are found. They are devided into three formations which classed in an ascendant manner : Levis, Lauzon and Sillery. The formation of Levis is comi)osed of slate stone and black argil containing a groat number of fossils. Lauzon is com- posed of red and green argils, sand stones and dolomit(!i, but in particular strata in which are found migneeien rocks ; chlorotie and serpentine. The formation of Sillery is composed of red and green argils, sandstone and dolomites, but in certain places changed rocks, cristaline deposits, gneissoide knd epidotic strata. — 20 Such are the rocks which form tlie bottom of the hinds of Gasposia. As we have abeady seen, they are nearly all covered with tlie calcaire and sandstone of (iasp^, also by the undercarbonic fer of Gnsp'. The calcareous formation of Gasp^ uorresi)onnd3, hy its position, to the inferior series of the Helder- sberg formation. Although th(; gi-eatest pait of it is composed of gray calcarcnis l)eds, it also posseases beds of argil and black gi'avel which belong to the mid silurien. The inferior part of this formation is met with in the Eiistern Townships ; and the superior part, which contains the most calcarious substance, reaches its greatest develoj)ement in Gaspesia. At the eastern extremity of the peninsula, at cape Barry, at Perec'' as well as in several other localities, this calcarious substance presents itself in abrupt cuts which have been made by the water of the sea. The formation of the sanstone of Gasfx^ corresiwnds as may be seen from the fossils which are found there, with the american geologist formation of Orishang, Hamilton and Chemung. It is composed of sandstone, argyle and inters trati Red conglomera- tions and possessing in certain places the remains of plants and a fossil state. At Little Gasp^ cove, there is an impure and thin bed of coal in the strata, at Douglasstown and several other places there are sources of petroleum which transpires through this formation. The formation of Bonaventure belongs to the lower carbou'fcr age, but does not possess coal. Its stro ji are comjxjsed of con- glomerations, mixed with sandstcjne, red and greeu argils, sometimes posses.sing the remains of carbonized plants. In several places they aie, cut by dikes. They cover in a very irre- gular manner tho sandstone beds of GasjK^. This formation is met with on the efistern coast f)f Gasped, in particular along Baie des Chalaurs, where Sir William Logan estimates the tiiicknoss to be not less than 3000 feet. On the formation of Sillery and Quebec which form the northern coast of GasjK?, lie in descendants stratifications, 700 feet of limestone and slatestone, in which there are ma,ny fossils, which represent the superior silurien bed. On the south sid.^ of Gasp<5, the high devonieu beds are covered with 1000 feet of horizontal bedo of sandstone which form the base of the coal basin of New-Brunswick, but do not contain combustible mine- rals. The fossil -limestone of Gaspe can be traced up from the south-east to lake Memphramagog. The devonien bed which is silicious in the county of Gaspe, passes toward the southern 21 — the 700 VkmIs of limestone which are found in the same valley with «ilu- lien limestones which we have already mentioned. The extent of tlie Bona venture formation is small. It forms the band which lies between Bay des Chaleurs and a line drawn from the confluence of the river MaUipedia with the Ristigouch^ to the head of the Cascapedia bay, tlien an other line extending from the mouth of the little river Cascapedia to the enlargement of the river of Port Daniel, finally a third line leaning Douglasstown, tending a little to the west, at its mid-lenght, and terminating in the neighbourhood of the mouth of the Grand River. The Quebec Grouj)e forms a band whose width varies from fifteen to thirty miles along the shore of the Gulf, between Me- tis and cape Gaspe. Its breadth augments as it tends t^owards the west, and is interrupted by a small band of land belonging to the formation of the river Hudson, between Marsouin river and the Tiercy cove, and at its south extremity by a small ex- tent of land, belonging to the formation of Chazy, between the river St- Ann and the head of the river Madeleine. The space between these two bauds, hording the shore of the Gulf St-LawTence and that of the Bay des Chaleurs, is occupied or rather covered with the calcium and the sandstone of Gaspe. The sandstone forms an oblong scpiare exttmding in a straight line to the west of that part of the Bona venture formation, which lies between Duglasstown and Cape Rouge and continues until it reaches Bonaventure river, and stops in the interior. A little fur- ther west, at mid distance between the gulf and Bay des Chaleurs, there is an other area of sandstone which extends from the north- east to the north west between the rivers Cascapedia and Mata- pedia, finally these sandstone beds surround the mouth of the two rivers Cascapedia and form a bar which unites the two parts of the Bonaventure formation, which borders Bay des Chaleurs on each side of the New Richmond. The following table will show the extent of these formations : Formations Miles Acres Gaspe Calcium 4,000 2,560,000 Sandstonu 3,000 I,9'20,000 Quebec Groupe 3,000 I,9'i0,0u0 r3onaventuro l"'ormatiori (100 384,000 Hudson " -... 184 1I7.7G0 ! 0,784 6,901,760 This table clearly shows that the greater part of the soil of 22 Gaspesia is good, easily cultivated and produces hay and wheat iu al)ui)dauce. The calcium fonuations occupy an extent of 2,560,000 acres, which is sulHcient to form 12,800 farms of 100 acres eacli, that is after deducating the half on account of the secondary laud. This deducation is rather much, because it is well known that the calcium formations very often offer good land. By the action of the water and the atmosphere, these rocks fall into dust and form a fertile and easily cultivated soil. Tlieae calcareous soils belong to the selurien formations, which is met with in all parts of Northern NewBrunsv^ick. These for- mations possess the richest soil in the province. The fertile and well cultivated farms in the valley of the liistigouche river which cover both sides of the St-John, tie on these rooks and are par- tly formed by them. The land of this formation is generally heavier and stronger than that of tlie carbonifer region. The rocks of which they are formed are generally hard and in mouldering to dust create good tought land. Beds of good limestone, ve^y rich in fossils, abound. These fornuitions constitute the best and riche.st soils in the west of New York. The hard sandstone which covers a great extent of the Gaa- ^lesia forms good and fertile soils. The richest and best cultiva- ted farms of Scotland lie on red rocks of this species. The beau- tifiul soil of the valleys of Sussex, Sackville and river Shepody are close to rocks of same nature. Professor Johnston, who made a special study of the different formations of New- Brunswick, says that the beds of these sand- •stone formations are composed as follows : lo Red conglomerations which, in breaking up, form poor gra- nely fjoils, which, when well measured, give splendid crops of oats &c. 2o. Fine red-sandstone which, being reduced to powder, forms a red sandy soil, light and easily ploughed and which produce in abundance, when well cared. These farms are very much sought for iu New-Brunswick. 3o. Red beds of argil, commonly called " red clay, " interstra- tified with beds of red sandstone and which, reduced to dust, form good soil which has a reddish cast. Tliis soil is the mast productive. Nevertheless, the fertility of the soil has been proved by abun- — 23 — (lunt liarvest which it protlnced from 1871 to 1881, which may be se«ii at page 8. The coinpaiisou is still more a(lvant(ii<^eou8 when compared with the other provinces of the confedemtion. 11.66 Gaspesia Bushels of wUeal per acre Oaspo 15 00 bush Boiiiiveiiluio 11.70 Uimousk 1 8.30 Province of Now Brunswick ' 10 85 N(iva-8colio ; 11.78 " y»«bec 8.04 Ontario 10 42 tush \ " 1 That is to say Gasposia ])roduces 1.24 bush, per acre, more than the province of Ontiirio. And we can utterly say that if Gas- pe.sia was as well cultivattnl as Ontario the former would give 25 |)er cent more. It is evident that the soil of Gaspesia is rich and fertile anrt ca- ^wible of supporting the colonist who would cultivate it with ca- re. CHAPITRE IV. MINERA.LOGIE — MINERAL SPECIES — BEDS SUSCEPTIBLE OP EXPLORATION. The mineral riches'* of Gaspesia is unfortunately unknown. The explorations of the geological commission have been few and limited by the band of land which is in the neighbourhood of the sea or by some of the principal rivers which cross this region, and, We must say, too quickly made to produce the result which a close examination would give. The most competent men have -not the least doubt of the mi- neral riches of Gas])esia and they are persuaded that when that tine country can bi^. more easily visited and explored there will be found rich mineral deposits. Here is what the Minister of the Interior says in his report of 1882 : " This region is probably very important, but the difficulties of its explorations are very great. The dense forestii which cover all the extent between those rivers, with the exce}v tion of the simimits of the mountains; the want of roads; m tine, all these obstacles have prevented our geologists from making an exact examination of the place. "Nevertheless we can affirm that this vast country has no ■•f} ^ — 24 — connection with the inferior sehirien fi.)rmations of the Quebec gruiij.e, but constitutes an isolated area of fonnutions which make the priuc-pal zone niiniere of the eastern townsliips. This zone extends from tlie frontier of the United States to the north east of Quebec. Until now we have not found anything more than sei-pentinti rocks and chromic iron in the region of Sliich- shock; but as these minerals are generally found with cotton- stone, brass, lead, antimony and iron, also with gold and silver, it is not likely that we may (ind these minerals in the unexplor- ed region of Gasjx^." Professor Hunt expresses the saii:o opinion in his work pub- lished in 18G5, He says: " The Eastern Townships are included n the rising zone, situated to the soutli of the St. Lawrence, as M'ell as the more southeastern regioii extending along the frontier and ^n'uiing a sruicession of valleys which continues from the sources of the river Connecticut to the north east of Bale des Chaleui's. The Eastern Tovvnsiup», as tliey are generally des- cribed, tone of the Madeleine river ? It makes as good cement as that imported and it is very easily prepared. This mineral is on an inclined plain, situated about six miles from the sea which ren- ders the transport very easy. The calcination would cost very lit- tle, on account of the abumlance of wood. Were it necessary, the river could supply a strong water-power to grind it. The bay, which is at the mouth of the river, otters a good port to small ^•essel3, which are the best for transporting this stone or cement. Nothing is wanting to render the exploration easy, without spea- king of labor, which does not cost much in this region. On this point, we wish to draw the attention of our capitalists who could easily fui'uish us with all the cement that we require in this coun- try, a^id also export a great quantity. Slatestone and Millstone. — Sir William Logan, who perso- nally explored these h)calities, says: " We can easily obtain ma- gnificent flagstones and slates in a few calcareous beds which are a little to the west of Vieille cove, are easily plit to the re- quired thinness which is due to the presence of mica. The sili- cious conglomeration, at the basis of the calcareous series, as well as others of a similar character and better (|uality, on west river, would make fine millstones. (1 ) S(n/thstones. — At the falls of Dartmouth, in the winding which the river makes to the north of mount Serpentine and along this river, the lower calcareous beds are soft and sometimes thin enough to make scythe stones. (2) Surveyor Sullivan found in the valley of Bonaventure river rock? which would make fine scythe-stones and even good shar- (I) Gnoldgj- of Cfinadii, pag" 470. ('2) A/m, p.935. 27 — ill pening stones for other cutting instruments. These rocks lie in and can be easily cut out, as the samples which Mr. SuUivan brought with him clearly shows. Serpentine. — At the eastern extremity of Shickshock moun- tains, there • is a large quantity of seipentine which seems to rise above the calcareous conglomerations, with a band of thin black-gi-avel, which seperates it fiom the conglomerations, and turns around the south-east of the chain, forming mount Albert, one of the principal summits. It continues towards the south- west for a considerable distance, along the tributary of the great river Cascapedia, forming the soutli flank of the chain, and fur- ther on dissapearing under the mid-selurian bed. The thickness of the mass of Serpentine is about 1000 feet. The entire extent shows the appearance of a stratification which is more or less distinct in some places. A great part of the 600 inferior feet is of a dark gi'eeu colour, on the same line as the beds, towards .the head, the colour is of a reddish brown green, which is'due to the appearance of small cristals which abound all through. Tlie 400 upper feet show the position of these beds by the different colors of the parts which are exposed to air. The surface which is exposed to the air is surrounded by red and da;k-white bands. The white streaks are larger than the red, they vary in breadth from a line to half an inch and often l>ecome interstratified with beds of a cream color, which vary in the same way. When the serpentine is hewn and polished it shows brown streakes, parallel with dark red lines resembling veins, which intersect those which are red on the surface expo- sed to the air. These red lines are sometimes disposed in false beds. At mount Albert, in Gaspe, the serpentine which is mixed with chloratic and epidotic gravel which have been des orlbed in page 281 (Geology of Canada.) covers an extent of not less than lU square miles. A great part of the serpej^tine is distinctly stratitiee and often streaked with red and brown colors. Without doubt, we can find there and in many other localities of that region great quantities of variegated ser])entine8, which could be used as marble. The serpentines of Eoxbury and Ca- vendish, in Vennont, which is found in the continuation of the same formation in eastern Canada, have been explored un- der the name of ancient roman marble. It reseiiibles the ancient green marble which was found in the ruins of lionie. The Serpentine similar to that of the eastern Townships and Mount Alb rt is explored on a high scale in France, Italy and '■■<]' •^^m — 28 — !■.■ f; I' 1: f England ; it is used for making tables, and decorating churches. The price of these variegated blocks of french serpentines was, in 1854, $3.00 to $3.50 per cubic foot, and of polished flagstone $0.(30 to 80.70 per square foot. There are considerable quantities of .seiqieniine in the environs of mount Serpentine, which could be profitably employed. Tl\e transport of tiiis marble can be easily made, particidarly that of mount Albert. This locality is situated between the sources of the rivers St. Anne and ('ascapedia. It is very probable that this course of water could be utilized to bring down the stones on Hat boats. This would do to begin with, but when tht busi- ness would increase, io would be easy to built a nai-row railroad which would not only accommodate tlie exploring company, but also increase the settlements by the advantage, which it would be to them. Tliis railroad could also be utilized for the transport of wood which abounds in the valley of the Ca.scapedia river. The chronic iron and the cotton stone which are found in mount Albert, with the serpentine, would furnish their amtingent to the traffic of this railroad. Mama. — This substance has various uses. When it is pure, it is used for whitening ships and cleaning metals, &c. When calcinated, dust forms a very white lime which makes first cluss mortar. But it is principally used for agriculture pui-poses, for the amelioration of sandy or clay land. It supplies the want of lime to the clay soils, and to sandy clay it gives it a consis- tance which makes it produce abundant crop. In Europe, but in i)articular in France, this substance is highly valued for reno- vating the land. This mineral abounds in Gaspesia, especially on the shores of lake Metis, at its highest extremity, on tlie St. Lawrence coast, five or six miles lower down than the Matane river, and in the environs of New Carlisle and Baie des Chaleurs. A few miles from f!fte village in a valley of a mile and a half square, there are five or six small lakes, along whose shore and bottom there is a bed of mama which is white and pm-e, being about five inches thick. At Matane, the deposit, wliich is about fifteen inches tliick, forms the bottom of several swamps which cover the sur- face of about fift^ien square acres. This substance could be advantageously explored by the neighbouring inhabitants. Chrome. — Tliis mineral is found, in large quantities in the ser- pentine rivers of juount Albert, on the banks of the vSt. Anne. We meet with it under the form of chromic iron, in detached 29 masses weighing more then twenty lbs. each, and according to tlie report of Sir William Logan, these beds were followed up the distance of half a mile and contain large deposits. It is out of this chromic oxyde that we obtain the bi-chromate of potassium, with which we prepare the chromatt^. of red and yellow lead — or yellow chrome — also the oxyde of green chrome, which is used as green paint and indelible gi'een ink. Large ains forty seven parts of potassium and one hundred of chrome. The value of this salt is estimated according to the quantity of chromic acid contained in it, some years ago, it was sold at the rat€ of $1.00 for each unity of chrortiic acide. A sample taken from Ham mine was sold in London for S58.33, because it con- tained 57-4 per 100. This is the manner in which bi-chromate of potassium is pre- pared : — The mineral is poundered very fine, and is mixed in the powder of crude potassium, then the mixture is calcinated in a furnace through which passes a current of air which oxydizes the chromic oxide and combines it with the potassium. Tlie salt thus obtained, is dissolved in M^ater and this solution covered with a certain quantity of suljihiric acide, then it is oristalized by evaporation, this mixture constitutes the bi-chroniat€ of po- tassium which is sold in commerce. If the transport, between Matarie and mount Albert, be pos- .sible and not too expensive, it is evident that this mine of chro- mic iron would be the object of a paying industry. The small ex].)ense that it would require to buy the mineral and the wood to calcinate it and make the potassium, M'ould pay a manufactu- rer more than 40 or 50 per 100. Or it could be sent to F-ngland in a crude state to be mixed with sulphuric acid and reduced to pure bi-chromate of potassium. Nevertheless it is evident that there is there a rich mine to be explored, and it is well to let enterprising men know it. Lead. — Galena is found in large enough quantities to be ex- plored in the veins which cross the lime sto rocks of Gas\)^, at cape Grasp*5, and at Anse des Sauvages. At little Gasji^ Bay the vein is found in a calcarioiis stratified mass which prolongs about 24 '^ S. W. and forms towards the north a mountain 700 feet high, that is to say the promontory of Gasj-X?. Tliis vein is about eighteen inches wide ; it is composed of hard substances possess- ing masses of galena and small pieces of blenda and copper. In 11 1 ■PiH — 30 il sinking a well twenty feet deep in the' principal vein and in a few others in parallel line we olttained twenty tons of mineral which gave twelve tons of pure lead. We have also found gale- na in several other localities, in particular m the calcarious beds which lie along the promontory of Gaspe, also on the north coast, in a vein which appears to he the continuation of that of the cove ol Little Graspe. We have also found small quantities of galena in the limestone rocks of Percy as well as at Cousin cove (1) and it is evident that we would have f(jund more in those places, had we made a better search. Nevertheless, from what we know it is certain that it would pay to explore it. Copper. — This mineral should abundantly exist in Gaspesia, on account of the Shickshocks mountains which are composed of chloritic rocks which in the Eastern Townships, form the Acton, Wickham and Harvey Hills. If we have not found any of these copper mines in Gaspesia, it is due to the forests, which cover nearly all the soil and prevented us from making the searches which we made in other places with so mucli success, in the same geological formations. The only places in which we noticed copper deposits, in Gas- pesia, were at the mouth of the Grand Capucin, four miles lower down than cape Ghastes and in the neighborhood of mount Ser- pentine, near Gasp^ Bay, and at Port Daniel. We found copper pyrites in a mine of quartz at Grand Capucin. Six miles fron) the head of Gaspe Bay we found near mount. Serpentine samples of this pyrite. Finally, we are certain that the inferior parts of the limestone rocks of Port Daniel possess small quantities of copfKiT, and Sir William Logan says there are the same probabili- ties of the presence of copper d(^posits in all the eastern region (Gaspesia) as in the townships situated more to the north east. Fossil Resine. — This substance is found in some of the devo- nian beds of sandstone of Gaspe. It has the form of irregular leaves and is found on the exterior edges of those beds of sand- stones, in beds about \ of an inch thick. It resembles amber, but it comes nearer to the middlesU:)uite resin. The analisis of this substance is as follows : (>) ' (") Volatile matters 32.4 22,8 CarJ)on 8 9 8.1 Residue 58.7 69 1 100.0 100.0 I) Sir Wiliittra Lngan, Geologij of (Junada. (in) (lv^ 4'J.8 30.4 7,4 8 49.8 60.7 100.0 100.0 31 30.4 8 H0.7 In distilling this matter as coal and hitinniueous giavels are distilled, large quantities of oil could be obtained Avhich could serve as coal-oil. In order to find out if gas, could be made of it, experiments were made on one pound of the mineral, the re- sult was 2} feet of gas, which gave a beautiful light when igni- ted. The rubstance lost 26 per cent of its weight by distilla- tion. As this volatile matter contains 33 per cent of resin, it is evident that if this resin could be })rocured in a purer state, it would advantageously substitute the coal which is used in ma- king gas. (1) The samples used in the above experiment came from a bed of fifreen inches in thickness, which is near Shaws' mill on the north side of the Gaspe basin. This bed has been followed up for the distance of 200 feet at the end of which it sank into the .sand- stone. The same substance has been foimd along the York river for more than thirty miles. Tlie beds are from five to six inches thick and one hundred feet long Same of them are generally composed of small bright matters of a brownish color, which present the same translucididy as' the above mentioned vein, although it sometimes c(»ntains less ashes and is mixed with carbonacious matters. A sample coming from York river gave, by analysis, 52.4 of vola- tile matters and 26.3 of Carbon and a residue of 21.3. The graatest quantity of volatile hydrocarbon which is obtained from this substance, renders it more valuable, for distillation, than the resin which came from the deposits of Shaw's mill. These various deposits, says Sir William Logan, merit to be studied as an im- portant point of economy. PetroUum. — Tliirty years ago, the members of th(^ Geological Commission of Canada, discovered petroleum in the rocks of Gaspe. Other explorations have k a'u that this mineral exist in severel places of this region, on the bjjyiiks of the rivers Dartmouth York, St-John and Malbaie. In several places of this region, the limestone rocks are covered with sandstone the inferior part of which is of the same age as the Oikenv formation. This sand- stone is discovered at the mouth of the river York, and is im- pregnated with petroleum. On the banks of the same river, about two miles from the Gaspe basin, small morcels of bitume are found in the cavities of a dike cutting the sandstone. The sourca from which the petroleum of Silver Brook springs, is situated towards the south-east at an angle of 13o and about a mile from the anticlimax. The oil which is gathered in the ponds along the (I) Sr "Williom Lcgun. (itolcyy of Ccnada. « 1 1 I 32 — stream, lias a green color aud a far le.s.s aromatic odor tliau that of the Ontario i-etroleiim. A little further west, about ten miles from the moutli of the river, the oil floats on the surface of the water. There is also petroleum at Adam fountain, behind the lot B of York village, a few miles from S. S. E, of the Gaspe basin. Tlie petroleum sweats through the mud in a parallel line with San- dy Beach and Haldimand, both of these localities are on a bed of sandstone which passes « little ui the north of the source of the Silver Brook. A little to the east, two miles west of Pointe-au- Gourdon, which Uikes its name from the petroleum which is found there is an other source which is three quarters of a mile from Marsouin cove. On the north side of the banks of Douglass- town, about a mile west of the village, petroleQm, sweats through the mud and gravel of the beach. Further west at the St-John, there is also petroleum and on the sides of a stream which dis- charges its waters into St-Georges cove, on the north eastern side of Bay Gaspe. Two wells have been dug in these regions, but the result was not encouraging, one 200 feet deep, on the banks of York river and the other 125 feet, about Douglasstown. Professor Hunt (who is considered as an authority in tliese matters) says : the uusuccess of these wells should not he looked on as a discour- agement, because it was tested, that of two wells, one may fall on a fissure, or a vein which is not deep aud that the other may not fall on one, or the oil at a gi-ea^r depth, which must Ije attributed to the iiTegularity of the fissure. As to the natural oil springs, it must not be forgotten that petroleum can run on a certain distance, in a horizontal position, under the impermeable strata and finally burst forth at some distance from one of the sides of the reservoir. Indeed, in some places the beds of sand- stone are very thick (sometimes 4000 and even 7000 feet) even on the top of the anticlimax, and it might be necessary to dig wells along these lines, before being able to prove the existence or absence of sufficient quantities of oil in these regions. Never- theless it must be remarked that the thickness of the beds of sandstone covering the calcarious oil veins of Gaspe has the same. ' appeaninces as those of west of Pensylvania, when the oil wells are dug in a similar formation of sandstone, of great thick- ness which covers the sandstone and which, as we have tried to show, has favoured the accumulation aud conservation of the petroleum coming from the inferior formation. The devonien sandstone of Gaspesia occupies an immense area extending — 33 — towarda the west of Metapedia river, and it ia probable that petroleum cau be found in other localities of this region. That is very probable, and undoubtedly if the government would order the geological commission t • 132,879qt8— $531,516 94,217 qts -- $376,868 Salmon : Sailed Salmon 14.500 lbs--$ 870,00 5,405 lbs —$ 405.00 Fresh " 392,372 «•— 21,379.10 147,408" .10,318.56 406,872 lbs — $2'.',249.I0 152,808 lbs— 10,723.56 Lobster : Preserved LoJt)8ler...« 398,648 ibs — $59,797,20 147,430 lbs— $36,964 c9 These atove items show that 1882 was $189,006.24 lo- wer than 1879. In general, the annual produce of the fisher- ies amount to $800,000 and it would easily amount to a million if more activity was shown in the business. ' Moreover, there are many species of fish which the fishermen of Gaspesia do not take, because they do not know how to pre- pare them for mark^. The tunny is a very good fish. According to Dr Fortin, the tunny lives in the waters of Bay 41 "'■■■'?! M — 38 — i I 1 J 'ii^i ■ • des Chaleurs and in Gaspe bay. It veiy often atteins tlie lenght of nine feet and weiglis abont 500 lbs. Its general lenght is from five to six feet and weighing from 100 to 150 lbs. The meat of the tunny is excellent and resembles veal in taste and color and the Lreast is considered the best part of it. It is eaten while fresh ; it is also salted for exportation and is seasoned wi^h oil or salt. In this state, large quantities are exported from France and Italy. This fish abounds along the shoi'. of Bay des Chalenrs, and would be an important paying object of exploration. Actually this paying business is going to waste. . v ^ . The same can be said of Llic blue Msh vrhich i° gnnfV for eating and easily caught. It takes any bate and its meat is ferm enough to be salted. It is so common that millions of barrels could bo taken without any trouble. We will complete the above notesplo giving a few statistics on the number of men and boats employed in the fisheries of Gaspesia. - . -.>■,:,■;. Vessels Number' %nm Ships 78 6.7li9 Fieihiiig boats 1,61 2 .... Flat i.a4;j ::::::} Men 4 050 3mo G,7() 4 . > i •i .1 '■ 11 — 40 about 6,000 tons of manure worth $20 per ton, and in total $120,000. per year. A great quantity of other fish could he ma- de use of in this line, because they are not considered good for eating. Consequently, we may say that 10,000 tons of manure could be made out of the fish refuse which would produce an an nual sum of one hundred thousand dollars. This business is worth while looking after, and it is to be ho- ped that before many years, these riches which are going to loss now, will be utilized. The manufacturing of manure pays well as the above calculation has shown ; but as^ it is very hard to find men, in our country, willing to put their money into any new industry, the government should encourage it in giving a few thousands of dollars for the establishment of factories in Gas- pesia. The dominion government could not help the fisheries in a better way that in giving, out of the fisheries indemnity, a few thousands of dollars for this purpose. The local government could also lend their hand to this important industry in voting a few thousand dollars, for a few years. The low price at which this manure could be sold to th3 farmers ^ x the place would encou- rage them to make use of it and prove to them that artificial ma- nure is realy advantageous. Were it once started, it would not fail to succeed. CHAPTEE VI FORESTS AND FOREST INDUSTRY ! " The forests of Gaspesia are very little known, and this is pro- bably the reason why they are not explored. These forests are ve- ry rich in all kinds of woods demanded for exportation ; such as pine, spruce, birch, elm, ash, cedar &c. Considerable ravages were made by fire, in certain parts of the Matapedia valley, but else- where, tlie forests are still in their natural st.ite and the few trees cut here and there were cut by exploratore. The shipbuilding line, wliich is intimately connected with the forest industiy, could be advantageously carried near the banks of Bay des Chaleurs, where the best of ship-timber can be had, at a very moderate price. "Perley (1) says, the bay shore is natural- ly endov/ed with all shipbuilding advantages. The wood is of the best quality and renowned for its durability, esj^ecially the red- (l) Report on the Fisheries of the Gulf of Sainl-Lawrencr, by H. M. Perley, Esq., Her Mtyesly's EnvKigration Officer cU Sai?UJohn, N-B. I, I) — 41 — spruce, which is considered the best in the world. Mr McGregor, deputy of Glascow and secretary of the board of trade, says in one of his official reports : " The ship built of the red spruce of " Bay desChaleurs, are remarq liable for their durability. In 1839, " I ^\^ent on board of a ship, in Messina port, which I saw built " in Paspebiac in 1824, belonging to liobin & Co., and which " was unloading a cargo of cod fish, destined to provision the Si- " cilians. This ship, which was more than thirty ^ears built, was " perfectly sound. " The forests of this region were never explored with the same r^re as those of the other part of the province, but what the sur- veyors say of it who have examined the zone neighbouring the shores clearly shows that the Gaspesia is as remarkable for its forests as it is for its fisheries. We will cite a few extracts which will prove the above statement. ;:. The township of Milnikek has been surveyed and explored by Messieurs H- LeBer and P. Murisson, who give the following report : " The wood which grows on the summits of the mountains and in the ])Iains consists of balsam, white spruce, pine, white and black birch. On the summits of those mountains, there is yet a good deal of building timber, but it is second quality." (H. LeBer.) " The land is good and slightly sloped near tlie sources of the Melt and Conners streams ; there is a good growth of red and white bifch and a few maple. All the Wjod fit for commerce was cut, which was the best quality of pine ; but there is still a great quantity of whit« lurch will be employed later on for exportation and other ends." (P. Murisson) ;. In speaking of Humqui township, M. LeBer says that "there is no pine but plenty of spruce fit for commerce. Cedar abounds all through as well as balsam white and red birch." T. A.Bradley w^ surveyci the township of Cabot, in his report says that " there are fertile plains, level and uninterrupted by hills. Hard wotxi abounds such as white birch, ma])le and spruce. The latter in particular ia in abundance and is mui-h used by the wood merchant sof the place. A great quantity of wood fit for saw mills, covers both side of the rivei-s Blanche and Tartigou. The principal kinds of wood are, spruce, pine cedar, maple, and black and white birch." Surveyor Garon states that in MacNider township which is 6 42 crossed by the Tartigou, '• the wood is of a good quality particu- larly the iraple and birch whicli constitute the principal' species. Pine is very rare, but there is still a large quantity of thipping spruce. The cedar is abundant and of the best quality. According to Grondin's report Tessier township is " level and covered with the very best of wood such as birch^ maple, elm, ash, spruce. " This town3l)ip is watered by the Matane and is behind the seignory of the same name. " Tlie species of wood whichabound in Tourelle township, says the surveyor are balsam, aspin birch, spruce aud cedar. There are small quantities of maple. The cedar is not in abundance but is of the best quality. We have met with seveml fine pine Stumps ; I do not remember of having seen any standing. In the township of Fox lUver, Cape Rozier, and North Gasj)(^, especially in the valleys, the land is level, wooded with maple birch, and ash, but the latter ,< pecies is somewhat rare, on ac- count of the number of fish barrels made of it. ; ..j/^^^- The forest of Fortin township are cx)mposed of spruce, balsam and birch. In Eameau township, which is watered by the Grande Eiver, there is a little quantity of, pine, a great quantity of cedar and maple. Th^birch, whicli is generally sound and of a re- markable thickness, is scattered here and there with white birch, balsam and spruce. The cedar, in particular, could furnish a good deal tfi exportation. There are abundances of wood fit for cora- meice in the Pabos forest. There has been some pine cut in the forest near the shore ; but there is yet in the interior, plenty to supply ships for many year. We stiU find, in the first ranges, abundances of wood for ship- ping, Buch as cedar, spiuce, balsam, birch and ash. Tlie birch is large, very sound and constitutes a first class artitle for exporta- tion. Surveyor Legendre explored a considerable part of the re- gion drained by the Pabos and Port Daniel and we extract the following notes from his report. c " From New River to Fourches, there is a great quantity of shipping timber : cedar, poplar and elm. These tree are gene- rally tall, thick and of a good quality. The summits of the hills are generally wooded with birch and soft-wood, I saw birch trees that would make s«fuare logs of 30 feet long and 20 inches square. These wooias have already been culled, but there stiU remain (juough of l)irch, pine and spruce to prove the value of tlie land... mmt- 43 — ** The Saraaragne is the V)est water power. Balsam aud spruce abound and the access is easy. " The same surveyor explored the Bonaventure and Gaspesia and gives the following accoimt of the forests : " The wood, which is generally (in the valley of little Casca- pedia river,) cedar, birch, aspen, spruce and balsam, is remar- quably thick and in abundance. I saw several cedars whose cir- cumference were from eighteen to twenty feet and sound. From Fourche to the thirty second mile on the east side, there are ma- ny spruce, cedars and jx>plar. " I have also remarked tliat the swamps in this region are thickly covered with soft wood... *• As for the remainder of the branch south west of Fourches, there is no w^ood of any importance, but behind New-port town- ships, we find abundance of cedar aud poplar on the river sides, and pine and spruce on the heights and along the rivers. " River Hall (one of the affluents of the Bonaventure) is well bordered with birch, pine and spruce, as well as the Pasbos. " A great part of the Bonaventure was explored by Mr H. 0'- Sullivan, who is a competent surveyor. The following notes were taken from his report : "... The first western branch, where pine, balsam, spruce and cedar abound " On the 2nd and 3rd mile, square timber has been made. Along the river, as far as the 2nd mile post for a long distance on the western branch, there are splendid farms whose extent is about ten thousand acres. The valleys are well wooded with spruce, pine, balsam and poplar and on the heiglits, tliere are white spruce and a few pine and birch. " The Bonaventure cedar deserves a special mention : I have not seen its equal in size and quality throughout the Dominion. There are also a good deal of pine, spruce, balsam and poplar and according to the accounts of explorators and chanty men who vi- sited the sources of the rivera Hall, Duval aud Creuse, maple and birch abound in these lociilities. ' "' Before going further let us state that the finest forests of Gas- [jesia are in the valleys of Bonaventure. There are large pines, spruces and cedars, which cedar Mr O'Sullivan, considered the btist of the R'ovince, There are pine trees in large quantities enough to make miiiions and millions of feet of S(|uare timber. Some of these trees have measured four feet around the but. The spruce, birch and cedar would also nxake thousands of square feet. And ■S9B — 44 i: I'?. ?■;■ 8;/ these V)cautiful woods are not only in the pvineipal valleys l)ut al- so in the secondary valleys of the rivers attiuents, which clear- ly shows that these rich forests cover au immense extent and can furnish one of the richest and greatest forest explorations in the province. This exploratioti could be made on the most ad- vantageous footing that could be thought of. In ordinary explo- rations, the transport of provisions for the wood-cutters aad hor- ses used for hauhng out the wood, several hundred miles from any central place, through regions where the roads are mountai- nous and rocky, is very expensive. But those inconveuients auu expenses have nothing to do with the exploration of the forests of Bona venture valley, because the roads are easily made on the rivers which are frozen during the winter season. Tlien the distance from the sea is not more than thirty miles to the cen- ter of the woods. That is nothing to the distance of same shanties in the pro- vince. Thus, in upper chanties of the Ottawa, were the greatest part of the pine wliich is imported, is made, the provisions are earned from 200 to 300 Tniles. Nevertheless, the cotupanies that eN])lored these forests, made large fortunes. What would their fortunes have been, if there work could havel)een done as easily as on the Bonaventure valley, a few miles distant from where provisions can be had at a very low rate and transport them to the chanties for a mere trifle ! Finally, the In-inging down of the timber, on slides &c., which costs so dear on the Sagnenay, the St-Maurice and the Ottawa, would be comparatively nothing on the Bonaventure. Here, such things as slides and boat-men are not required ; because tlie ri- ver is not obstruated by an obstacle. " Allow me to remark, says Mr O'Sullivan, who explored the river from its source to its dis- charge, that along the river, from the sea-shore to the furthest lake, (a distance of 52 1 miles from the sea) there is not a fall; bnt, to the contrary, a sti'ong cuiTent which is far from all obsta- cles." Tt is impossible to imagine a more propicious river for lumbe- ring. No falls, but a natural and rapid current. It suffices to throw the logs into the river and they float down themselves. In such favorable circumstances, ten men can do as much ^vork as a hundred and more on rivers less advantaoeous. Finallv tlie in- let of the river forms a dock where ships can be loaded with wood and sheltered from the winds and all other obstructions which are met with in other pans not so well situated. The 45 — above clearlj shows that, in every point of view, the forests of liona venture valley are exoe])tionally advantageous. All tliese reasons plead in favor of the Bonaventure valley and its neigh- bourhood. Undoubtedly, it is one of the finest forest regions of Gaspesia and perhaps in all the province. There aie also beautiful forests in the valley of the Nouvelle river. Surveyor Murison gives the following description of it : " The soil of this locality (20 miles from the mouth of the ri- ver) is good and closely wood with the best of timber, especial- ly spruce, whioli would serve well for shipping. In the environs and between the 9th and 10th mile up, there are pine trees of the best quality wliich grow on the declivity of the mountains and on the hind of the hills along the river, The streams which empty their waters into the main river are small. There are al- so birch and poplar trees. Excellent buihling timber abonds along the declivity of the mountains, " In Mann township, the soil is perfectly level, good and covered witli birch and maple of an innnense size. The great valley of Busteed stream is wooded with pine and birch ; the size of the latter is enormous. The principal species are elm, ash and Ijirch. Til ere are some ash trees that are as tall and as thick as pine. As yon advance towai'ds the interior the wood and soil seems better, '■J^''-' .-k: k<-: According tt) the rejtort of surveyor* Legendre, it is easy to jndg) the qualities of the soil and forests of Ristigouche town- ship in particular of tlie second range : " The different species of wood wliich I met on the survey are of the best (piality, the soil is also very good, and according to the account of travellers, the entire extent, as far as the exterior north line, is covered with very good timber. I never saw any place that could rival with this ]>art of the second range. The birch trees which abound are very big and perfectly sound. There are spruce trees which measure sixteen inches in circumference at a distan?.e of sixty feet from tlie stump. The soil is of yellow earth and the best I ever saw. Amongst the other trees which I mentioned, grows the cedar which is a sure sign of good land. This township, as Avell as that of Metapedia was carefully ex- plored by Mr, W. A. Sims. Here are a few notes from his report ; " The township of Ristigouche is situated at the head of the tidal current of the Ristigouche, which borders it on the south. The land is a good quality of yellow soil which is free from stone and lies on beds of trapp, which,, by decomposition, makes good ! ■M II ■:.', lllliHI — 46 P and fertile earth. It ia well wooded with black and yellow birch, maple, white birch, balsam, .spruce, beech and ash. The latter wood grows, on the* declivity of the hills, amid pine and cedar. The extend of the Iwttom of the valley is very small. The tim- ber that g.ows in these plains is generally soft and sometimes mixed with ash and elm. The description of Metabodia is the same as that of Eistigouche." « The above details, which are taken from the most authentic sources, clearly show that the forests of Gaspesia, particularly those of the region bordering the Baie des Chaleurs, between the St. John and the" Metapedia, are as rich in shi})ping timl)er as those of the St. Maurice, the Saguenay and the Ottawa. Tliere is timber enough in the forests of Baie des Chaleurs, to furnish the shipping business for many years. It is the only place in the province where good and large cedar is to be found. Tlie ash and elm trees grows to an enormous height. i , ,The exploration of the forests are very easy and less expen- sive than in any other part of the prf)vince. Moreover, they must make the timber at five six and some- times seven hundred miles from which it is put on board of the ships which bring it to Europe. In Gaspesia the furthest forests are not more than a hundred miles from the sea shore. This is a great advantage. There is an other still greater. The water courses, through which th^ timber pass, in other parts of the province, are intercepted in many places by rocks, cascades, which render it impossible for the timber to come down alone, and to avoid these obstacles, slides and other expensive amelio- rations have to be built. There is nothing of all that in Gaspe- sia ; the forests are crossed by rivers whose cuiTents are strong, but do not empeach the floating of the timber. It sufficies to put the logs in the water and it floats down. Then the titms{)Oit to England is less expensive than at any other port in Canada. Be- sides they have five hundred miles less to travel, that is about a thousand miles less in going and coming, and the ships that enter tlie lower ports of Gaspesia have nothing to pay for wharf- age, pilotage and aU these expenses that amount to a considera- ble sum in other places. The navigation is often for a month lon- ger than in tlie St-Lawrence. All the considerations clearly show that the forest industiy of Gasjjesia is advantageous ; if it has not been explored on a high scale, it is" because the richess of these woods are unknown. But that ignorance will soon disappear and the lumbeiing business, — 47 — which will give millions, will commence iu Gaaposia. Before 1840, nobody knew that there was any timber in Saguenay dis- ti'ict. And now it furnishes a large quantity to the shipping bu- siness. The Price firm transformed Saguenay, and it is to be hoped that some enterprising man, like the Honorable J. Price, will explore and transform Gaspesia. CHAl^ER VII AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY For the richri^ss of its soil and the mildness of it^ climate, GasjMJsia is one of the nicest parts of the province. Tlie seaweed and the refuse of fish which cover the sea-shore, is the very best manure, and it is catiy to catch immense quantities of fish that are not eatalile, but that can be used as land renewators. The sea-shore clay and sea-weed are universally known as the best manure. The sea- weed is generally used as trap dressing for the meadows and gazing fields, its makes the strong and succu- lent grass which the aittle greedily devour. It is also advanta- geously used on corn and flax fields, it makes the grain larger and flax easier spun. The sea shore mud formed by fish shell? and organic and vegetable decompositions, wliich all intelligent farmers along the coast, put on their meadows, is the best ma- nure for corn and potatoes. ' 5 , ^ .li- 'Mi^' The rotten fish, their scales, entrails &c is the very best ma- nure for the localities which are near the sea shore. These subs- tances alwund in (^»aspesia, especially on the shore of Bay des Chaleurs. After every tide, the strand is covered with loads of sea-weed and dead fish. This is not only during the spring and autumn, but also during the entire year. The farmer who gathers hese refuses and puts them on his fields has abundant crops. The cattle like the ^altisii taste that this sort of manure gives to the grass and wherever the sea- weed has been sown the grass is clo- sely eaten down. Shell fish gives very good manure when mixed with the sea- mud. But the richest manure is made off fish and their refuse. live- ry codfish establishment can furnish enormous quantities of this manure which can be ploughed into the land in a crude state. If the farmers of Gaspesia know the value of these refuses, they would topdress their meadows with them, and in a few i.1 — 48 — .v •in'; years would hi', indepeiulant. Were tlu3y to boil their rofuHes and take of the oil m hich is iiijurioufi to vegetation, the manure would be better. The fish, as they are caught or found on Uie sea-shore, make excellent manure. All fish that is not eatable, flueh as small heirings which are to thin loi' eating are used by the farmers fur their meadows. Millions of barrels are used eve- ry year in this way, but millions more could be used were all the fish that is not tit for market hi caught. Finally the sea fur- nishes the inhabitants of these locsilities with the richest and Ijest vegetal.ile and animal numure that can be had. We have already said something about manufacturing manure with the scales of fish. If ever thii^ precious industry will be es- tablished in Gaspesia. the farmers will have an other source of acquiring weullli, because this manure is as good as that which the farmers of iMigland and Frani:e lind protitjible, while they pay more than 120.00 per Um, to merchants who import it from South America. Chalk is an other source of manure which the inhabitants of Gaspesia can easily procure. There are immense quarries of it in the Madeleine islands, whicli arc, comparatively in the neigh- bourhood of Gaspe, when considered to the other parts of the pro- vince. The transport can be made cheaper, what gives a gi'eat advantage to the people of the coai3t. There are deposits of mai'l clay in many places of Gaspesia. It is also an agricultural source of richess. Marl is M'ell known of iw.ssessing the qualities of manuring and making the soil bet- ter. It physically acts on the soil in making it ferm, and at the same time the c,9T,i ... 85,014 ' "Hay l'-i,609 ... 10,616... 10,472... 33,(397 "Grazing U,'i97 ... 14.415... '28,G78 ... 54.390 ■-' . , " V.igetables 594 ... 443 ... 108 ... I,'20o '"■"■yi; Total 54,639 47,406 72,241 173,306 X i!. W ^ 50 — Tlie extent sown in com gives i\w following Hgures : Uonavmture (iawe. Himouski Totals Bii»hulRorWhenU 35,H3y ... '28.7V^ ... Hii.fi'ifj ... loA.'iOG Barle,- 3l.!m ... 40,J)5-i ... 6:>.9'2I ... IV2.80.i Rye 5..V29 ... 6,(i09 ... 8.%4 ... 'l\,ml Buckwlifdl.. r,4,446 ... 1.55'i ... 7,713 ...• 73,711 ludiuij corn 3'27 ... 101 ... "^O ... 478 Oats 194.570 ... 87,.^:)! ... 7I,70.> ... 353,K'2(i 332,043 I' - 24l,%8 74ti,ll« Vegetables Bus. of Potatoes 70i,43'i ... 4'23,59l ... '203,3'27 ... 1.391. 3f.3 <« 'Hirnipft 101, 490 ... 114,501 ... ri,'243 ... TM:l\)\ Carrots Ac 3I,7.'S3 ... 13,493 ... 1,623 ... 4G,809 Bmns '2,r)27 ... 6,17'i ... 29,046 ... 37,745 Total 840,202 557.817 300,239 1,704,258 Tons of Hay 16,891... 17,109... 7,702... 41,702 The average of wheat produced per acre : Bonaoenlure liaspn Hhnomki Gaxpexia Bushels troslin.! 35.839 ... 28.742 ... 69,625 ... l.)4,206 Acres sown 3,181 ... 2.010 ... 9,482 ... 15,073 Prnduee per acre, 11.26... I'^^l... 9.10... 10,23 " 1871 11.9 ... ' \,. 8.3 ... 11.7 Dillerence ,:.....'— 0.64 - /;;' 0.80 —1.47 I'hat is to say that from 1871 to 1882, the produce of wheat per acre, increased 0.80 i ■ Rimouski county, diminished 0.64 in Bonaventure county, 3.19 in Gaspe and 1.47 in all Gaspesia. The produce of liay per acre was as follows, according to the census of 1881 : in Bonaventure county 1.33 tons; in Gaspe county, 1.61 tons; in Rimouski county, 0.73 tons; in all Gas- pesia, 1.23 tons. This produce is not very great; but this is due to the cultivation and not to the soil. In several places they follow the custom of making meadows without sowing hay seed and then let them run out. It is well understood that in follo- wing such z system, it is impossible to harvest much hay, even when the land is good. The i)otatoe harvest is most abundant. The produce, per acre, is 152.21 bushels in Rimouski; 156.07 in Gaspe; 183.11 in Bo- naventure. This is ea.=iily explained. The soil is good and the fish manure, which the farmers use, makes the land produce twice the quantity. They use herring and otJier fish of inferior quality — 51 — which aro. put In the drills. This tnunure makes p<->tatoe.s grew in land that in bnrren by nature und undoubtedly, when it Ik used in fertile soil, the produce must Ihj betU^r. Tliurefore it i , easily explained how 8,291 acres of land produce 1,704,208 l ishels «f potat<>e8. In supi )8ing potato(!S to Ihj worth no niore than 15 eta per bushel, fliin harvest would amount tt) $255,637.70 or $30.83 per acre. The following list will show the different ci-ops which are cul- tivated on the above number of acres. CvUwalion lionavenlure Gaspe Himouski Ga^pexia Hay I '2,(509 .... 10,010.... 10,472.... .13.897 Wh.-at 3,IH1 .... '2.410,... 9,84'2 .... 1.).433 . Potatoes 3.M47 .... '2,714 .... 1,730 .... 8,'29l Otlier veg.nubl( to fodder a herd of cattle. In taking the above advise, the raisiu}. f cattle would pay in Gaspesia. ,,,,,; Mort 'er, ther • is not a county in the province as well adap- ted for gru/ing. The pastures are rich. The .soil produces the ve- ry best grass, and the meadows are meandered by streams and rivers whose waters are limpid. The hills and heights are covered with good grass for sheep and thi tem|>eratm'e of the climate gives strenght and health to the cattle. Finally, the ease with which large quantities of potatoes can be cultivat/Cd, allows the luiaer almndant fodder for his cattle. And the exix>itation of cattle has been made easy l)y the Intercolonial Hail Road, which has put Bay des Chaleurs in communication with the principal sea-port towns of Canada. When the western fanners find it ad- vantageous to raJBC cattle and send them sometimes more than 800 miles to the Chicago market, would not the fanners of I3ay des Chaleurs have the same advantages in raising cattle and ex- porting them to Halifax, St-John and Quebec, that are not more than 400 miles distant ? It must be admitted that the farmers — 52 I' !■ of Gaspesia do not raise enough of cattle. This will be clearly seen by the following table which is taken from the census of 1881: Collie Bonavenlure (Jaxpe Rimouski Gaspesia Horses '2,'27'2 .... 2,320.... 1,412.... 6,004 Fo''ls 518 .... 430 .... 305 .... 1,253 Working o.xen 436 .... 1,818 .... 353 .... 3,607 Milk cows 5,053.... 4,996.... 3,906.... 13,955 Uilior bovine cattle 4,611.... 4,299.... 3,635..., 12,545 Sheep 15.030 .... 19.468 11,827 .... 46.325 Pigs 7,428.... 9,448.... 4,061.... 20,937 Total 36.348 42,779 25,499 104,626 In Gaspesia, there are 173,101 acres of land under culture and pasture, whicli gives 1.64 acres for each head of cattle and 1.84 head of cattle for each person, because the population is 58,850. In Compton, one of the richest counties of the province, and which ows its riches solely to agiiculture and particularly to raising cattle, there are 147,874 acres under cultivation and pasture, and 46,721 head of cattle, which makes 3.16 acres per head and 2.38 head of cattle for each person, knowing the p:)pu- lation to be 19.581. As we can judge by comparison, there are 100 per 100 more cat- tle in Compton than in Gaspesia, which easily explains the ri- ches of the one and the poverty of the other. An other compaiison will make the thing clearer. According to the census of 1881, the value of the milk pro- duce amounted to $147,851.80 in Compton ; in the county of Bonaventure $52,679.90. Consequently, there exists a difference of $80,245.77 between the milk produce of the two counties. On the same average, the difference in favor of all Gaspesia, where the land is as good and even better than that of Compton, would be$268,379.20. All these facts clearly prove that the farmer of Gaspesia would double his profits in raising cattle. This demonstration would not have an immediate effect on the inhabitants of this region; but it shows to immigrants who would like to settle down there, that in cultivating the land as it should, it would produce as inuch as that of the eastern townships which are so weU known for their agricultural riches. ■,-<.:rrii! ;»ii»!.'',r«laced ])y the southeast which, on the afternoon, covers the sky with clouds, the thun- der rools and the lightening flashes during the afternoon and towards sunset rain falls in torrents. The autunmal equinoxe brings a change in the currents of air and it is then that the easterly wind reigns during forty day ; after this period the south west rises and during the remaintler of the season alternately reings with the north west which is the most serein and most agreable of this region. It is the south west that melts the snow, towards the twentieth of April ;it is also it that brings the rain at certain ejxiches in spring and autumn. It is well known t.hat this wind comes from the tropic, nevertheless it is deviated and modified, but naturally warm, which explains why it raises the temperature. The north western wind is essentially cold, dry, impetious and more frequently felt in winter than in summer. Whenever the nc *h west is spoken of in Bay des Chaleurs as well as in all the other part of Europe that borders the Atlantic, it is known as a cold, damp but healthy breeze. It is so perfidious in' — 55 — winter, that wlien the shining sun and pure sky invito us to breath the fresh air, if we leave our rooms we are seized with a glacial blast which makes tears c<3me to the eyes ; not so cold iu summer, it is wished to calm the violence of the heat and it hap- pens very ofter, to show itself after a rain storm. The two reigning winds in Bay.des Chaleurs come from the west and east. Tlie succession of the seasons is regular. The influence of the sun begins to be felt towards the end of February. It gradually rises in March and from then the mercury generally rises every day abo- ve freezing point. During this nionth,the mean temperature of whic varies from 17" to 20o, the weather is generally very fine, the sky is clear and the sun shines ardently. The thaw regularly commen- ces on 20th and the snow rapidly disappears. In April,the solar heat is strong enough to exercise its influence on all nature. The snow disappears in many places before the 25tl" and a few days after the land is fit for cultivation. The mean temperature of this month varies from 30 ° to 36 "^ . There are a few days of snow and rain. The snow is completely gone about the seventh of May and high and well drained ground can be sown. Tlie mean temj)erature of this month is from 40 ° to 50 ° and the number of raining days are not numerous ; they did not exceed more than eight in 1881. Vegetation developes itself with an extraordi- nary force, and towards the end of the month, the green leaves, the spring flowers i.nd the grain which begins to cover the fields with verdure seem to announce th'e beautiful season. In 1880, the mean temperature of the three months of spring was 48 ° 1 at Carleton and 48 ® 2 at New Carlisle. The fol- lowing table is formed by a comparison of these figures and those of the mean temperatme in some of well known places in Europe • Localilies. Spring Temperature. London. England 47'= 6" Liverpool " 46°'-i' Glasgow, Scotland 45 "=9' Edimbourg •" '{h^O' St. Petorsbourg, Russia 35 oy Berlin, Prussia 47o4' , Paris, France 50 oG" New-CarliPl9 Bay des Chaleurs 48o'2' (krleton " " 48® I" This table Wjujse figures are taken from Blotgett, for the towns of Europe, and from the report of the Meteorological Boaid of n . 1 ! i . I ■'a ' t% : 5 1 (1 ■;}•! J !' 'i u ' I — 56 — Canada in 1880 for Bay des Chaleurs, proves that the mean teniperature of spring is higher and warmer than that of Lou- don, Liverpool, Glasgow, St. Petersburg, Berlin and is but 2 "^ 4 lower than that of Paris. Tlie variations were as follows during these three months : Highest Yemperalure. lowest Temperature. March, .\pril, May March, April, May New Carlisle :38<=5' 59=5' 7305' —\'i,°0' 5oO' n°0' Carleton 39 = 0' 5S ^O' 77 = 5' — 20=>0' l°5' I9°5' Pointe-au-Per« 35 = 0" 57<=8' 67=2' —17=5' 4=9' 12=0' The number of rainy and snowy days as well as the quantity fallen are as follows : SNOW rXin March April May March April May dx in lis in d.i in dx in ds in ds in New Carlisle 4 «0 2 traces 10.48 8 2.10 Carleton.. G 90 4 1.5 6 1.64 10 3,19 Pt-au-Pore 11 6.0 6 15.5 3 2.2 9 2 42 16 2,G4 The last frost was on the 14th of May " in Carleton ; it was very slight, as the thermometer only v/ent down to 24 ® . At New Carlisle on the 8 of the same month, the thermometer was down to 24 =^ 8'. The summer heat commences with the month of June. During the first days of this month the thermometer is lowered by the easterly winds, which bring with them the cold air of the polar current or of the icebei"gs v»liich float during the season on the banks of Newfoundland. This has no other effect than that of rendering the weather ^ little cold and damp and lower- ing the temperature to 35 '^ 8', (on the fourth of June 1880). After the 4th, the heat gmdually increases until it reaches 70, about the 15th and 80 "^ or 82 ° towards the end of the month, and in the highest temperatures, about 58 ® or 60 ° as mean tempera- ture. The months of July and August, the finest of the year, are very warm, the highest temperature being between 80 ^ and 90 '^ and lowest about 40 ^ which does not happen very often. The highest temperatures vary from 50 ° to 55 *^ . The mean temperature of these three months is as follows (1880). June July Auiiusl Summer New-Carlisle G0.8' 69.8' 65'5' G4.7' Carleton ; 58.6' 65.1' CO.r.' 64.7* Poinlc-au-Pere 54.7' 57.5' 56.6» 54.7' Cap-Rosier ( I ) 51.4* 58.5' 56.8' 55.6' AllGaspesia 56.4' 62 7' .59.9' 59.4' (1) The ligures for Cap Rosier apply to the year 1871-7'?. ^^m^^imm^mtm ■ : ! Bq p» hhi W i >ifr^'.jS*^W)---Mwt.-.> itii > j W ' i m :il :U i — 58 ~ The number of raining days during the summer months is not more than 30 per ot. And this number includes not only all the raining days but also the days on which it rained no more than live minutes. During the same season, it rained on 53 days in Montreal and 51 in Quebec, and there fell 9.62 inches of rain in the former city and 11.46 in the lalter. Consequently, tlie summer is not as wet in Gaspesia, principally in the region of Bay des Chaleurs, as it is in the parts of the province which are towards the west. The firet days of autum are delicious. The temperature lo- wers as the month of September advances, but never goes down to freezing point. The highest temperatures vary from 70o to 8 Go at the beginning of the month and from 35o to 40'> towards the end. The weather is generally calm, cool and agreeable and best for field labor. It is during this month that the harvest is finished. After the equinox, the south eastern and north eastern winds bring storms of rain which soften the soil for ploughing. The coolness of the rain prepares the frost which begins about the middle of October. During this month the thermometer never goes down lower than 24 ° o, and that very seldom happens during the latter days of the month. The potatoes are dug during the fine days of the beginning of October. In the regions of Father Point and Gape Rosier on the gulf St-Lawrence, thei-e are a few snow storms between the" 20th find the 25th of October, biit it is soon melt and makes the land tit for ploughing. Then a period of fine wea- ther follows, with an exceptional fall of snow, until the 21st of November, when the winter sets in. This period of fine weather is called by the inhabitants the Indian Summer. All Europeans especially the English, who have spent the season at Bay des Chaleurs, declare that it is the finest that can be imagined. Cap- tain Murison says that the autumn caimot be equaled by any place in Europe. The temperature of September and October is the same as that in England ; but in November the season which is on the decline, is like a dying lamp which now and then throws out a bright light. This is what we call the Indian Summer. So- metimes it lasts but a few days, but in general about three weeks. During these days or weeks, the atmosphere has a smoky color, as if there were fires in the woods. The sun throws but deadly Ught and its rays somewhat refracted, scarcely make a shadow. The air is generally calm and as warm as the first days of tlie month of May. ^T^F^mtipf^mfwr^ff^ fif^mmimm .■-*9aW*«#«!Jim\.W'U::4*.)f»ailKr'.!SL;ii'i1' Glus 2' 62° 3' 56'=7' 3l<=3" 26C0 — 30 2' CapeRosier 64 = 0' 5lo0' 4i^0' 40^0' 30'=0"— 10<=0' The number of rainy and snowy days as well as the quantity of rain and snow fallen during the season is shown in the follow- iug table : RAIN SNOW September October November September October November ds inc ds inc ds ine ds inc ds inc ds inc. 3.80 5 2.89 3 0.77 0.00 00.0 4 9.0 5.80 13 4.78 2 0.C9 0.00 0.00 7 U.5 4.52 16 4.77 2 0.07 0.00 3 I 80 8 20.2 1.40 12 2.68 7 1.61 0.00 0.00 7 4.2 New Carlisle II Carteton 12 Father Pt.... 20 Cape Rosier. 7 Montreal 17 2.83 17 4.44 8 36.30 0.00 5 3.1015 12.7 Quebec 19 4.72 19 6.35 6 1.49 0.00 4 1.2015 28.1 ^ \ i I ! I mmmmmmmmm 4. : ri*Kmq»,-xih^^'xim 60 — This table clearly shows that less rain and snow falls in Gas- pesia during the fall than in Montreal and Quebec. In taking New Carlisle as a point of coraparisou for all Gaspesia we find the following difference : liainy clays Quanliiy of rain Snowy days Quanlily of mow' Montreal 42 days 43.57 inches 'iO days 20.80 inches New Carlisle 19 '• ' 7.46 " 4 " 9.00 '< DiUerenco '23 " 36 11 '« 16 " 11.80 " Quebec 20 '• 15.80 " 19 " 29.21 «• New Carlisle. 19 " 7.46 •• 4 <• 9.00 " I '• 8.34 •• 15 •' 20.21 " That is tf) say that during the three months of autumn, there were 23 rainy days, and 36.11 inches of rain, 16 snowy days and 11.80 inches of snow more in Montreal tlian in New Car- lisle. And we state this in a particular manner for those who do not believe that Bay des Chaleui's is warmer than Montreal which is evidently the finest part of the province of Quebec. The theimometer fell lowier than freezing point for the first time, on tlie following dates, at Carleton, 23rd September, 29 '^ 5* ; at New Carlisle, 2 October, 31 ■=■ 1 ; at Father Point, the 25th of October, 31 ® 3' ; at Quebec, the 14th of October,, 31 ® , at Montreal, the 20th of October. The first frost is felt but a few days sooner at Bay des Chaleurs than at Quebec and Montreal. These few days are well compensated by the quantity of rain which falls in the above mentioned places. Winter begins about the twentieth of November. This mouth, in particular the last days, is snowy and cold. Never- theless there are fine days in the beginning, as we have already mentioned in speaking of the Quebec summer. The tempera- ture of this month is generally finer in Bay des Chalem's than in Scotland and in England and less disagreeable than that in Paris and Berlin, where the indian summer is unknown. The first week of December is generally snowy, the remainder of the month is cold and fine, especially about Xmas. The weather is clear, pure and the air dry ; and all that amply compensates the cold which is not too extreme. It is wished for by those who work in the forest. There are a few exceptionnally cold day about the beginning of January, which are generally followed by a snow-storm ; but the temperature during the remainder of the month is not incommodious and does not surpass the usual — 61 — variations of the thermometer at this season. The sky is always clear, the sun brililant and tlie weather most agreable. The coldest days are felt about tlie first of February, which ia the most snowy. Towards the latter end of the month, the tem- perature gradually rises to 41 ® and sometimes to 45 ® . The mean temperature of the three months of winter is : December, January, Fabruary, Winter. Now-Carlislo 1903' l6or \boT I609' Oarlelon 1702' 13<=4' 1103' 1505' Father Point I602' 1309' VIOQ' 14° 2' Capo Rozier n°T 1*2 2' !5=>8' 13 04- Gaspesh l6o2' 13 = 9' 13° 9* 15 ®0' Compased with the principal cities of Europe. London 39° 2' Liverpool 40° 5' Glasgow 3906' Edimburg 38® 4' Burlin 3l<=4' Paris 370 8' St-Potersburg 18© I' New-Carlisle 16° 9' Carlelon 15'= 6' Fathor-Poitit 1 4 « 2' Cape-Rosier 13° 4' These figures show the temperature of Gaspesia is lower than that of England or Scotland, but the cold is not so keely felt on accoimt of its dryness. In the above mentioned countries the themiometer does not fall as low as in the province of Quebec j but the humidity renders tlie weather raw and cold and very disagreeable, wheras here the weather is clear dry and agreable. Whatever may be the thinness of your clothes, as long as they do not let the wind pass through, you can bear the cold, were the thennometer lOo or 15« below zero. This fact is admitted by a great number of english writers who after having lived in England, for many years, came over to Canada to pass the remainder of their days. We will name a few. Mr. Anderson says : the cold in winter is intense ; but as the frost continues without interruption and as during this season the whether is l:>right, the air pure and dry and more healthy and agreable than in damp climates. There arc not more than three or four days, during the season that ship carpenters and other trademen are pi-evented from working by the cold. This is one of the most convencing and iiTcfutable proofs that Canada is not as cold comperatively to Great Britain, although the ther- mometer rises higher in the latter than in the former. During this season the weather is far brighter in Canada than in En- i') 'i:ii ■1 ! ,: ! ^f V'^ — 62 — gland. When every thing is taken into consideration, the cli- mate of Canada is equally as agreeable as favorable to agricul- tural purj)Oses and far healthier than P^ughuid. " Grsiy, in writing about Canada says :. although the tempera- ture is lower, we sullbr less of cold than in Engknd. The wea- th;r is so dry and " According to Lambert, " fromXmas to the feast of Our Lady, the winter is nearly always remarked by the purity of the at- mosphere, which is bright and rarely dark'jied by fogs or clouds. The dry ard cold weather is very seldom interrupted by snow storms, hail and rain. All this makes the weather so agreeable and so ple5sant in Canada that we are never obliged to change our clothes. I'erhaps I. would astonish those who have heard so many tales about the cold in Canada, in saying that the i)eople of Great Britain suffer more from cold than we do." . The above quotations clearly shoW that we would be very much mistaken in judging the cold of our winters by tlie indica- tions of the barrometer and they prove that we suffer "less of cold here than the people of England and that the weather is finer. This can be said in particular of Bay des Clialeurs which *>8 regard its climate and temperature, is without doubt the finest part of this Province. The neighbourhood of the sea has a great influence on temperature, which it moderates and gives it a regularity which is not found in any other place. Then the Schickshock mountains, which break the north and northeas- tern wind, contribute a large part to the ameliomtion of the winter climates of this beautiful country. In 1880, the extreme temperatures were : Lowest Hif/heH December January February December January February Now-Carlisle...... 10=>5' '20"= 5' 18<=H' 36° 5' 43o5'"44'=5' Carletoii 6^0' 1 1 <= 8' IS'^O' 36 = 0' 39 = 0" 41 <= 0' Father-Foint 7° 2" 15<= 3' 20° 5' 35° 0' 37° 5' 43° 1' Montreal 806' 9°5'17°5' 40° 6' 43° 8' 51° 2' Quebec lOoQ' 9°0' 22°0' 33° 5' 40°0' 44°0' In 1.870, the thermometer fell in January to 28 ® at Mon- treal and to 26 '^ 7 at Quebec. The following year, it fell to 28 '^ at Montreal, in February, and to 28 ^ 5 at Quebec, in the same month, which did not happen in Bay des Chaleurs, whose the winter temperature is higher than at Quebec and about equal with that of Montreal. The mean temperature, during the ^63 — winter nontha was :at Montreal, in December, 15 ® 7 ; January 22 o 4 ; February, 19 <= 9 ; winter, 21 © 5 ; at Quebec December 14 ° I ; Jan. 17=4; Feb. U^S; winter, 16 ® 3. These ligures, compdr8e(' with tlie second last table, prove wliat we are after showing. The number of raining and snowing days as well as the quantity of rain and snow fallen are : Snniu Rain Docembor Jannuary February Docomber January February di/ inc dy inc dij inc dy inc dy inc dy inc Now-Carlisle 6 3 00 3 9.00 9 17.00 fl 00 Z light l" 0.32 CnrlPtoii 7 9.50 12 .Ti.OO 6 18.00 0.00 0.00 2 0.20 Fathor-Foint 14 13.90 17 2.^.50 12 17.00 0.00 I light 3 0.26 Capij-rtosiHr. 3 14.30 6 21.40 7 0.1.00 1 light 4 0.89 2 0.27 Monlrml ISl/.fiO II 16.30 16 36.00 2 0".2y 12 1.27 6 1.14 Qut'hec 10 27.30 'iO 30.00 17 34.40 0.00 4 0.51 5 0.60 For the wliole winter j Snow Bain dy inc dy inc Now-Cariisln 18 32.00 3 0.32 Carleton 25 59.50 2 0.50 Father-Point , 43 50.20 4 0.26 Cape Rozier 16 98.40 6 1.16 Quebec 53 92.30 9 1.10 Montreal 45 59.90 20 2.70 These figures clearly show that the winter is finer, less snow- ing and raining at Bay des Chaleiirs than at Moutrcial and espe- cially at Quebec, where there falls about the same quantity of snow as at Cape Kozier where the winter is felt the mo.st in Gaspeaia, The depth of snow at Carleton and New Carlisle is not more than three or four feet on the level. It has already been proved that there falls less snow in the south of Gaspeaia than in Montreal or Quebec. Tiie harvest season, (that is to say the interval of weather exempt from frost) is long enough to ripen the corn and to all ow it to be properly saved. This fact i.s shown in the following table, which is taken from the report of the Meteorological Board of Canada for the year 1880. - Last hYost v; - First Pi^ost Interval in Spring in Autumn wilhoul frost New-Carlisle 19mav28oi 2 October, 31 « 1' 135 days Carleton 14 "'24oO' 21 sept. 2905' 138 " Father-Point , 11 " 30° 0' 25 October, 32® 3' 152 <• Quebec..... 15 " 32^0' 14 " 31 oO' 152 " Montreal ler " 22© 9' 20 " 31° 3' 172 |l '■,( U 4\ .ill ^11 m .-64 — Although, at New-Carlisle, the s^iaaon exempt of frost i« the shortest, rieveitheless, it exceeds four months and a half. And this frost — the table shows it — is very light and harmless to gi-ain and otlier delicate plants. Tlie mercury scarcely falls to freezing point. The white frost does not make its apjKjaranco un- til later on. And, us a general rule, the harvest commences on the 26th of August, sometimes before, in certain places, so that the farmers have uore than a month and a half to save their grain before the hard frost and cold rains of autumn, whose first part is very fine. What more can farmers desire ? They have over five months tt) labor their land, and 1 may say six, because the frost, which falls during the month of May, does not harm the grain. Lot us complete the above in showing a table of the mean temperature of each month of tho year. New- January.... February... March April May June July August HeplemJjer October Kovember. Ueceiuber . Carlisle Caiielon Father- Point Cape-Rosier I60'i' I3«4' \d°d' ViOT lh<=>T 11 = 3' ri«6' 15° 8' 1706' 1408' 13®0' 1506" 3GO0' 30O5' 3003' 3i°.i' 47° 8' 41 o 7' 43-= r 40O I' 6908' 58«6' 5407' 5104' 69° 8' G5<=r 570 5' 580 5' 65© 5' 6O06' 5606' 50=>8' 5808' 54<=7' 49=>«' 50©3' 4601' 4'io4' 4I=>2' 3909' 2707' 2O07' 26 09' 2707' 190 3' 17-= 2' leo'r 12° 2' Year 40<=7' 35c»3' 34<»72' U^V The followfng figures show the temperature of each season Spring Summer Now Carlisle 48 ©2' Carlelon 48'= l' Fathw Point 42 "=7' Cape Hosier 29° 7' Quebec 49° !' Montreal 54 *= London 4f •= Liverpool 46® Glascow 45® b p]dimburg 45 oQ' Paris 50O6' Berlin 47® 4' St-Petorsburg 35® 9' 64® 7' 62 ® 7' 54®? 55 o 6' «2<^ j7- . 0001 57® f)4® 5+0 r CO® 6 Aulunm 43 ® 2' 39® 3' 38® 3' ■jo 49 OK 47® 9' 52® 2' 49® 2 40® 3' Winter 16®9' 1505' 1 \ o '2' •s r 1^5' <9-'2' 40® 5' 39® 6' 38® 4' 37®8' 31® 4' 18® r Year 40® 70' 35® 93' 34 ® 72' 34 050' 38® 78' 43® 02' 49® 60' 48® 30' 48® 60' 470 10' 51® 30' '18® 10' 8 ©70' 66 — The teinpemturofl ujiowii in tills tal>lo aro about the Siime, with the «;xception of that of winter wliich is the coldest, as tliose of ilie most inhnhitod pailaof Europe. Summer seaaon, at Buy (i 08 Chalcurs i.s reputed hy it.s mildnea, its regularity and suliibrity and attracts grout numbers of sick or dilapiilated people. It is well known that tlie summer temperature is higher in the interior on account of it Ijeing free from the sea- br(;oze which refreshed the temperature in the localities when the above observations wen; made. Now what proves the climate of Gaspesia to be good and fa- vorabh; to agricultural operations is that wheat grows well artd in all the parts of this country and ripens to perfection. At the first imiversal exhibition of Paris, an honorable mention was awarded to wheat grown in Gaspe county, wliicli, as regards the climate, is inferior to Bonaventure. Finally indian corn, which caimot be cultivated in (ireat Britain on account of the tempe- mtnre, is harvested in abundancx) in Gaspesia, which can be seen by the census of 1881. Another proof of the mildness of the climate is, that the melon and tcjmatoo grow in the fields ; both of these plants are very delicate and are very often grown in hot beds, but at Bay des Chaleurs, they do not require such care, on account of the mild temperature. Heat and min are the two principal agents which make the soil and climate favorable to agricultural productions. As regard the heat of the climate, we have already seen that tlie agricultural season of Gaspesia is wanner and preferable to that of the principal countries of Eu- rope. The following table will show that Gaspesia is m^t behind in rain. Number of rainy days and quantity of rain fallen in Qas- pesia, during 1372, for Cape Rosier, and 1880 for ike other localiti^^ : • , , ..^i Father Point. Cape Rosier. Now Carlisle. Carlelon. RAIN RAIN :';',.; "AIN RAIN ds inc da inc ds inc ds ino January 00 4 0.89 1 0.06 1 0.05 February 3 0.26 2 0.27 0.00 1 0.05 March 0.00 5 3.66 4 1.92 5 2.41 April ; 9 2.42 2 0.99 2 1.15 3 0.88 May 16 2 64 6 3.01 « 2.22 3 0.85 June 7 1.21 14 5.71 13 5.84" 15 6.44 9 II m*JiiiM*«n!nFv«m 66 ;V>r:'', Julv 12 'i.'iO 13 3.17 8 IM S '2.8'.' August 8 1.15 7 '2.fi6 7 3.23 9 1.08 8H|,irnibi'r 20 4.3i 7 l.-iO 5 1.04 10 1.34 October 16 4.77 I'i 'ZM 1 1,17 21 2 71 November. 2 0,07 7 1.61 4 2.07 5 1.'20 DeceiTiher 0.00 1 traces 1 0.20 0.00 Yeor 94 19.04 80 20.05 60 20.94 71 19.80 For each of the four seasons we find what follows, in Gaspesia and certain other locaJitieH : Spring Summer Auiuinn Winltr Year (Is inc ds inc lis inc ds inc (Is iiic NewCarasIe 9 2.58 24 4.77 19 7.4fi 3 0.32 55 15 13 Corletoii 16 4.83 27 7.A1 '^0 11.27 2 0.20 74 23.79 FallierPuinl 25 5.06 27 4.56 38 9.14 4 O.'iO 94 19.02 Capo Hosier 13 7 66 34 11.54 26 5.69 6 110 79 26.05 Quiihfc 5t 10.58 41 11,46 25 7.84 9 1.11 126 30.99 Montreal 47 9,41 53 9,62 27 8.36 20 2.41 147 29.80 Londun 4.00 6.00 6.'25 20.69 Liverjjool 6,19 9.78 10.81 ,. '^ 34.10 Glasgow 3.80 6,39 5.82 • ■••'' 21.33 Ediiuburg 5.40 T.IO 8.90 * 28.03 Pans 5.53 5.92 6.51 , 22.64 Berlin 5-66 * 7.21 5.45 13.56 St. Petersburg 2.89 6.73 5,11 ^ 14.73 As may be seen by the foregoing tables, theie ia a similitude between the climate of Gaspe.sia and that of the most pepled and central places in Europe. The number of rainy days in Gaspesia is no more than lialf the number of those in Quebec or in Montreal, particularly in spring and autumn, which m.akes these seasons jn't'fprable for fanuingiu Gaspesia than in the di.stricts of Quebec and Montreal. It is impossible not to admit that the climate of Gaspesia is su- perior to that of any western part of the Provinc(i, when the number of rainy days are taken into consideration. During 1881 there were 56 rainy days at. New Carlisle, 74 at Carleton, 12() at Quebec and 147 at Montreal. The following table will show the number of snowy days and the quantity of .snow fallen during spring, autumn and winter : — . Spring Autumn Winter Year days inc days inc days luc doys inc '■ New Carlisle 6 6.00 4 9.00 18*32.00 'J8 47.00 Carlton 10 10.50 7 11.50 25 59.50 42 81.50 Father Point 17 21.50 1121.82 43 56.50 71 99.«2 Cape Rosier 14 51.60 7 4.'20 16 98.40 37 154.20 Qut'bec 24 54 40 19 29.30 53 92.30 96 176 00 Montreal 26 33.70 20 15,80 45 59.90 91 109.40 ^67 — ^T The number of snowy days, during the year, was 28 at Few Carlisle, and 42 at Carleton, and at Montreal, 91 and at (Jiuebec 96, or twice the number at Bay des Chaleurs. The quatitity of snow fallen was 47 inches at New-Carlisle, and 81.50 at Carle- ton, and 109.40 at Slontreal and 176 at Quebec, which clearly shows that during the snowy season the weather is finer in Gas- pesia than in either of the districts of Montreal or Quebec. The table altjo shows that there is a great difference between the teni])eraturt and the state of the atmosphere jf the northern and southern jxarts of Gaspesia. Towards the north, the inlluen- le of the ice, which comes in by the strait of Belle-Ile, accom- panied by north and noi't^astern winds, lowers the winter tem- perature and augments the quantity of snow, it also augments the cpid and dampness of the spring and autumn, by cold and damps cuiTcnts which are chaiucteristic to the northeastern wind. The northeasterri m ind is unknown in the south ; they are bro- ken by the Shickshock mountains which absorb their humidity and expell their cold. This is the reason why the eastern and western winds are only known in that region; the only rhumb which comes from the north is the northwestern and as this wind is necrly always partly south, it is very agreeable and moderates the temperature especially in summer. The following extract, w'nch is taken from Mr 8im's report, gives a good idea of the climate of Bay des Chaleurs and of the Metapedia valley : '• The country (which surrounds Bay des Chaleurs) produces all oorts of grains which grow in Lower Canada. Fogs are very rare hero. The snow falls about the end of October and the winter biegins towards the middle of November ; but the wea- ther is generally mild until the end of the montJi. The average depth of the snow is from five to six feet, it dissapears under the ardent rays of the x\pril sun and about the first of May the land is fit for ploughing, and eight days after the seed is sown. In the districts of Bay des Chaleurs and the Eistigouche river the wind is generally eastern or western ; squalls are very rare. The climate of this part of Canada, (the ]\Ietapedia valley, which is twenty miles from tlie St-l.awrence) does not differ much from that of Quebec, although it is cooler in summer. The piercing cold days are not so frequent here and nevertheless there is no soft or rainy weather during the winter. The snow falls about the 22nd of October ; but it does not remain more than two days. Tlieu comes a period of fine weather inten'up- '-:'. -T''^^ .■v.. ^:•■•:i - -rflr^.- ..JUii.JliiUJi.lJM mm ■IP , — 68 — V ted by one or tyo snow storms, until the 21st of November, when the winter definitively begins. During ordinary winters, there falls from four to six feet of snow. The fields are bare on the 20th of April and the ploughing erimmences on the first of May. They sow rye and peas from this date until the 28th, oats at thd end of the month, and towards the end of June, l>arley and potatoes. The har- vest begins about the 25th of August and ends with the month of September, wlien the potatoe digging commences. The above more than proves that the (ilimate of Guapesia is all that may be wished for, and well adapted to agricultural operations and rich enough to procure the co. afoi-t of the inlia- bitants of this beautiful country. CIIArTEE IX. HIGH ROADS — SEAPORT AND NAVIGATION. Gaspesia is surrounads. But the inliabitauts of Gaspesia have other means of transport and communication which are as advantageous as rail roads : that is by water. They can easily transport small loads from one locality to the other with their barges and, in tlie ui>pcr part of Bay des Chalours from their residences tf) the Intercolonial stations, which are all along tlie south shore of the bay tort to largo vessels which cannoc bt^ moo- red at Carleton. As regards navigation of Bay des Chaleurs, it is the sui'est and best, because sliips pass in the middle and are not obstructed by islands, rocks &c. There are two lines of steamers which traffic between Gaspe- sia and Quebec : the Quebec and Campbellton lines. The for- mer puts the ports of Gaspesia. as far as Pera^,, in direct com- munication with Quebec, Montreal and the towns of Nova Sco- tia. The latter travels between the localities of Bay des Chaleurs, as far as Gaspe, and the Intercolonial at (Campbellton. The govern- ment pays for the tra:isport of the mail. The steamer of this line generally makes two trips in the week and that of Quebec two per month. The little steamer (beaver) which belongs to Mr Fj-aser, at Quebec merchant, traffics between Quebec and the lower ports of Gaspesia. As we have seen, the inhabitants of Gaspesia are noti- want of means of communication, and the transport is not very expen- sive. It is true that this accomodation lasts but six months in the year, but this inconvenience will dissapear when the Bay des Chaleurs Eail road will be built. Nevertheless, the Inter- colonial which is not far distant from tlie greatest number of the inhabitants of Gaspesia, keeps up a regular commurication with all the principal cities of Canada. .:■■'•-'■ ':\£^''W'P^f- ■- CHAPTEE X '., •, :. COMMERCE — IMPOBTATIONS AND EXPORT .iTIONS — TONNAGE OF THE DIFFERENT PORTS — COUNTRIES WITH WHICH ' COMMERCE IS MADE. r i ii ''lie exterior commerce is reserved to the ports of Gaspe, Per- ce id New-Carlisle, or Paspebiac. It is at these ports (and at their inteijor depending ports) that importations and exporta- tations of Gaspesia are inscribed. These of the north are regis- tered at Quebec or Pinnouski and it is nearly impossible to dis- tinguish them and give the exact and complete statistics of the exterior north commerce. The following figures belong to the other. 71 — Tahli of iinpor^atiovs and cxportations^ Inj sea 7iavigatio7i, to and froai tJui 'ports ofGaape and NiyiV'Carliale, from 1851 to 1867 Gaspe Imp. NeW'Chrlisle Total Evp. Exp. 7mf. Exp, Jnp. 1851 $141,737 e 53.351 % 80,101 « 53.679 $221,836 $107,030 1852 131,432 36,722 104,866 67,650 236,928 104,372 1853 130,671 41,347 119,768 67,840 250:439 109,187 1854 120,232 61,652 107,428 80.392 227,660 142,044 1855 153,694 59,608 139,032 114,320 292,726 173,928 1856 176,711 63.837 145,864 118.233 322,572 182,070 1857 188,210 82:422 181,419 117,879 369.629 200,301 1858 217,858 82,128 221,071 92,828 438'929 174,956 1859 244.765 108.665 253,190 126,924 497,955 235,589 1860 273,004 106,253 253,363 127-034 526,457 233,287 1861 630,477 374,729 35,468 5.472 665,945 380,201 1862 691.075 112,619 420,180 265.233 2,187 1,700 691,075 113,745 422,367 1863 ' U26 266,932 1864 69,227 328,585 2,915 404 72,142 328,988 1865 748,985 553,892 2,833 3,158 751,818 557,050 1866 886,360 575,140 1;587 2,103 887,947 577,243 1867 436,733 215,985 294,076 145,309 730,809 361,294 This tabic shows the followmg increases, during that period of 16 years. Gaspe Vovt importatioiLs 304 pi>r cent, or 19 i)er cent, per year ; exportations, 208 per cent, or 13 per cent per year. New Carhslc Port — importations, 170 per cent, or 10.1 per cent, per year ; exportations, 223 per cent, or 14 per cent, per year ; Both Ports — impoitations 237 per cent, or 15 per cent, per year ; exportations, 223 per cent or 14 per cent per year. These figures show as constjint and a more consiilerable in- crease tlian in the other parts of the province. For 1861, tiiese totals give for each person of the counties of Gaspe and Bonaventuro 828.19 of exportations |17.22 of im- poi^ations. For 186,1 which -nevertheless shows a certain dimi- nution, the figure of exjxwtiitions is $25.24 and that of impor- tations of $12.4g per head. For all the Province, during 1867, th figure of exportations was |20.68 per head and that of impor- tations §29.85, whicli gives in favor of Gaspesia excess of exitor- tations amounting to 4.56 per head, and a decease of !$16. 37 of importations per head. i' ■ - ■ :• ,, ^ggnmpaHiMMMiMP ■ -■- . T/Mi,Jx>'iavm'f^Jtr,'txJii!i*'r,f'4iittaiii4si'i\^ 72 — The articles of exportations and iiiiportjitions and also their val.ie will be seen is the following lists which give detailed state of the commercial movement is Gaspe Port during l»bl. ExportatiovH QuantU}/ Dry and smoked fish ^t^'IS ''T,*'' Salt finh S^"""* Fresh " ••";■•; „ Fish oil 44.47-1 gall. Sealskins Value $420,631 203,451 16,426 19,259 3,933 Total ^6t)3,70O Fish sold in the country : Cod fish $55,362 Herring ^^7,508 Salmon and Tront 19,623 Mackerel 2,61J) Oysters 1,932 Oil """" 62.448 179,483 Total value of sold fish- $843,183 Bark Canoes 7 3 Barley 1 ,1 04 bushels 669 Butter 140 lbs "^ jDggs 184 doz Feathers Flower 15 brls Green fruits Furs and SkiuB 8,676 Grinding stones 128 21 28 196 120 82 Horses 1 ^ Skins 2,113 Lard 200 lbs 40 Meat 98 Oxen 2 40 Minerals 1^2 Chalik -to Divers objects 5iJ Totel $.55,652 The exported fish was sent to the following foreign places : QvmA Exported articles j^f.fiain Dried and smo. Ush..f 103,368 Sailed 12,854 " Fresh Fish oil.... 11, M8 " F. skins EngUsli Colonies N. America W . Indi, $'29,571 93,334 480 7.399 2,865 90 80 Uniled Slatr^s. $ 664 86,8'26 15,947 331 1,068 Foreign coimtnes $'286,038 357 Total Z^l.mO 133.640" 170 114,835 287,295 — 73 50 ,m 40 98 40 112 40 53 The general table of exportaticiis $855,652, includes those of N. Carlisle and the value of the articles sent from this ports to the other parts of the province, which explains the diiference - between thise figures and those which are given for 1861 in the large tahle of exportatious via the sea to foreign countries. The principal objects of importations are : Flour 29,068 barils $145,240 Meats 2,469 " 39,262 Biscuits... 4,426 ",^ 16,916 Merchandise — articles of novelty .. ' . ■ ' 16.561 Hardware ■ f '";^ • 15,876 Woolen goods .- — \,. ■ --v 10,466 Tea : • • - ^ ^^ - : v':; 10,683 Butter 65,480 lbs 7,936 Salt ll,tUOba-s : 5,776 Tobacco.... 34,974 lbs 5,792 Leather, wine &c 105,694 |l't:;:p 1-. In all.. ..!... ..I.'..... :...... 8380,201 From 1867, the commercial table of Gaspesia seems to show a constant diminution, lliis diminution is only apparent and is well explained by known a circumstances. Before the (Jon- : federation, all the commerce that was made between Gaspesia. Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, was very naturally com- mitted with exterior c( mmerce because these two :M-o'\'inces did not then belong to Canada. Since the Corifedera. io:" the duties and cojumercial restrici ions which existed betwei. these pro- vinces and us were aboji.shed, and all the commerce that is ; transacted between them and Gaspesia is considered interior C; commerce, which diminislies the figures of commercial exporta- tion and importations in the ports of Gaspe and Bay des ('I.aleurs, At present, a gi'eat quantity of fish whicb used to be directly exported, is sent to Halifax where il is sliipped to foreign coun- . tries rso that tlie figure of these importations are found in the registers of Halifax port instead of in those of Gaspesia. -Another cause which appearingly diniini.shes the figure of importations, is tbe line of steamers and the Intercolonial rail road, At first there was the line of the Quebec and Gulf ports steamers, which had for many years three steamers running between Quebec and the ports of Bay des Chaleurs. Shortly 10 w . t — 74 — after the Beaver, wbich belongs to M. A. Fraaer, entered the same line. Finally, the Intercolonial rail road a few yeara ago opened commerce between Quebec and Bay des Chaleura port.?. These new jueans of transport have made a revolution in the .commerce of the greater part of Gaspesia, and at jn'esent, all the articles of consummation, which were directly imported, from foreign places to the ports of New Carlisle aud (ia3i)o are bought at Toronto and Montreal and are .sent down by rail or boat, which diminishefi the figures of importations and exterior com- merce. Tliere is a great deal of commercial transaction.s done with other great cities, but their names are not on the list of importa- tions to Gaspe and New Carlisle ports. Thus is the apparent commercial diminution explained. ■ , V Gaspe New Carlisle Perce Total Ex-port. Impor. Export. Pnporl. Kcport. Import. Export. Import. f $ $ I86« r24,'2l4 75.675 292,744 117,296 .516,958 192,871 I8G!> '2:<'.),I38 72,750 296,702 79,606 535,900 152,356 1870 ;n8,4'27 112,230 260.395 133,232 578,822 245,468 1871 341,508 117,808 349.188 124,240 ■■ '■ • 690.696 242,048 I87'2 4 13, .397 131,803 363,131 131,373 776.52.-J ''63,176 1873 37'2,938 77,449 359,445 I0.i,057 103,902 64,934 836,285 245,444 1874 393,765 45,437 337,859 99,H67 87,488 39,744 819,112 185,078 187.-1 3.30.481 .53,262 325, .529 106,131 72,490 ■54,321 73 4,, 500 210,714 1876 300,897 4S,181 333,131 97,442 76,870 61,897 710,89S -207,920 IS77 443.820 50.092 391,212 97,043 120,8-20 61,265 955,858 209,000 1878 319.047 43,485 461,805 83,067 6 1 .200 43,796 842,052 170.348 1879 313 821 31,260 416.187 99. 1 1 7 75.SV8 30.039 805,886 170,416 18*^0 382,375 31,371 425.592 75,244 .50,787 40.113 858,754 147,728 1881 343,114 24.600 401,634 69,782 28,780 14.524 770,534 108,900 1«8'2 310,872 31,017 420 189 68,729 18,4.56 22.958 755,517 123.304 It is evident that the importations will diminish or remain sta- tionary at these three ports, unless they be put in conmiunica- tion with the principal cities of the interior, by a rail road bran- ching off the Intercolonial, which would only be the continuation of the Intercolonial along the shore of Bay des Chaleur-i, as we will see further on. Tlie two following lists which are taken from the Report of tlie Marine & FisheHes Department for 1871, will give a good idea of the commercial movement at the Caspe and New-Carlis- le ports. ^^P^PHPpipm t''-V!t."'.t.:M\'StiK'-/r'-:' ■' — 75 Table of expoiiations and the number of ships registered at ifieir ayniial and dejxtrture frora tlie pmi of Gaape dunnrj Species of [ixk Ikxlinulion Quuniity Dry co-J llsli owls- England fi,91J do do Soulh AmtTJca '8,21-^ Uo do Brazil 'i,!M3 do do Bahia 1.463 do , do Naples 8,981 do do Oporto 1,748 do do West liiiiies 16,158 do er, and 14,808 ton, or 43 per cent of the total tonnage. Going out — 177 veasela, or 43 per cent of the roUU number, 'inU 9.4 If) tons, or 34 per cent of the toUl tonnage. From 180)8, these figures w(!re not connected m the registers of Gaspe port, because the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Swjtia and Prince Rhvurd Island, belonu to the Confederation, sinc-e 1874. Neverthele«s this maritime monvemont has always continued, and has been increased, although it is not registered in the Custom House. Let us complete those figures by the navigation table from 1808 to 1882. ,;■ OASPE NEW-CARLISLE PERCft Arrived Ikpartfd Airivnl iJeparliui * Arrived Deimrled • No Ton. No Ton. No Ton. No Ton. No Toa No Ton, 1868 39 5,105 31 3,315 48 6,508 53 6,491 1869 43 6,339 40 5,36124 7,452 61 8,083 1870 58 6,894 54 6,626 66 8,712 64 7,468 ' •'" ' 187154 7,847 46 6,890 59 7,983 66 8,432 '" • . '' 1872 58 8,322 50 7,831 55 8,628 70 6,372 1873 46 8,86146 7,313 58 7,89177 9,818 18 2,089 111174 1874 41 8,883 47 9,179 42 7,900 52 9,255 18 1,578 10 1,070 1875 40 9,109 42 ir471 39 6,470 55 9,143 8 862 8 862 1876 38 8,044 34 7,769 45 6,320 54 7,257 13 2,511 9 1,599 1877 42 10,802 43 9,717 45 6,180 57 8,310 17 2.641 13 2,690 1878 34 5,759 34 0,079 55 9,150 72 12,098 14 1,876 8 891 1879 35 4,926 36 5,008 55 10,153 66 11,408 9 751 8 765 1880 38 7,858 40 7,586 38 5,892 47 6,644 15 1,931 7 719 1881 32 7,363 42 7,953 31 6,395 55 9,660 14 1,624 7 664 1882 32 6,466 38 8.208 37 5,937 64 11,286 11 1,700 4 701 Pera^ Port was established in 1873. The above figures de- note the number of vessels doing exterior maritime commerce. The coast trading with the ports which now occupy our atten- tion, is more considerable as will be seen by the following table, for 1882. ^ r'^ ■■/'■■■' ■ . -^■.i,^^: . :..^. '■■■/.: The list of ships employed m coast trading with the ports of •Gaspe, Perce and New Carlisle. STEAMSHIPS Transacting Nvmber Tonnage Coast trading Registered Tonnage Arrived : 88 37,104 124 44,217 Departed 73 20,093 132 47,770 Totd 161 66,197 256 91,987 Tr.. (if 'wmmfmtm^ammm 80 SAILING 8HIPS . / ^ '' Arived...^ 120 6,487 204 ; H,3^^ Departed 119 5,0l58 i ;tfft : ,: ^ 9,557 Total........ 239 11.555 400 ! 20,916 . ;. St,am 161 68,197 ^ l84« . : ' ^]f^ K Grand Total 400 67,752 656 ; 112,903 | In adding the coast trading commerce to that of the exterior we find the following maritime commorcial movement of th three ports of Gaspe, Perc^ and New Carlisle : :. • .; '■^•' ,' - . " 1^0. of vessels. Tonnage. ' ' ' Arrived 616 113,330 . ■ V Departed 626 • lH.t^SS These different table.s show that the commerce of Gaspesia is of great importance. Nevertheless the importations consi.st in fish ftione. Sometime there are a few car;4oes of mixed goods— fish, shingles, grain and other articles, which are imported to the East Indias; but fisli is the principal article exported. These mixed cargoes are always sold at high piices in the markets to which they are destined. The small vessels that take such cargoes generally trade with the merchants of the East Indias and bring hack quantities of molasses, yugar and otiier produces which sell well in Canada, It is ivident that these cargoes would be unloaded at Gasi^e and K.w vOarlisle, if diese ports were in communication by mean (^f a rail road with the great centers of commerce u: the int r'or This'^road which would branch on to the Intercolonial in the en- Mrous of Matapedia or Cainj ^belion, would also result in crea- ting an immene commercse of exj.ortation by the ports of Gaspe and in particular by that of New-Carlisk-, which we will see further on. hy tiiisToad, navigation on the St- Lawrence, Avhich is more or les8 dangerous between Quebec and Anticosti can be avoided, without talking into consideration, that navigation open.} a month later at New-Carlisle than at Quebec. In taking all these *hings into consideration, it is evident that if this vail road was built, which would be noUiiug more than a prolongation of the I. C. R. Pi., New-Carlisle wonld become one of the most impoitant 3ea-po)(s of the Province. — 81 CBAPTEE XI PASPEBTAC PORT-BAY DES CHALRURS R. ROAD. --ITS IMPORTANCE IN A COMMKRCrAL AND POLITICAL POINT OF VIEW. To place the Province of Quebec on the Stoine rank as the United -States, it would re(iuire u permanerit sea port town that would be accessil>le durinsj; summer arid winter. During the fornier season, our beautiful St-Lawrenoe is without a rival and uffem the greatest advantages for the exportation of the western agricultural produces ; but aa soon as the winter begins, the Quebec and Montreal ports arc bl<)cked with ice, immense quan- tities of produce coming from the west rii'e sent by rail to the sea ports of the United-States, That is to say our rail roads loose a great deal of the western traffic, because we have not a winter sea port town. '' Well, we have tliis winter port at Paspebiac in Biy des Cha- leurs, and alx)ut one hundred miles of a railroad, would assure Uf. of iill the advantages of this port. Contrary to the erroneous idea, which unfortunately is widely spread, the navigation of Bay des Chaleurs, — which may be called the Canadian Mediter- ranean — does not otter the least serious obstacle tx) navigation during tlie winter, at least on the side of the Province of Que- bec. As far as l'asj)«')iac, and even further towards tne w est, the surface of the water is always clear of ice and does not show any obstruction to a staling vessel and much less to a steamer. There is no ice In the Gulf between Bay di3S Chaleurs and New- foundland, that could hinder navigation. A steamer can sail between Liverpool and Paspebiae during the four seasons, with- out any diiIiculLy« They who have any doubt about this 'port can read the i-eport made in 1874, by a special commitee named to incp.i'-e into the shortest and l^est route. " for the conveyance of the ^i.Al and passengers bet^veen Canada and P^urope, and to find an the Canadian shores a [-oiC that would be accessible in summer and winter. This committee was presidini by the Hon. Mr lloliitaille, actually lieutenant governor of Quebec and at that time deputy of B>)na venture. After havij^g obtained the opinion of a gi'eat number of the most competef.t men, the com- mittee made the following rcj«urt aljoui Paspediac ** Port Paspebiac, which is situated oxf the north coast of Bay '■i 11 '■:.i ■ ' ..- .:%:' : ■M — 82 ij ..,^:l;. ties Chaleui's, possesses all the advantages of a first class port, be- cause it is acc(^ssible in winter. " In examining the advantages and inconveniences of this port your committee thought it advisaltle to study the navigation of the St-Lavvrence Gulf. " According to testimony of colonel Farijana, based on care- ful hydrogiaphic studies, the south and west ports are navigable during winter.* " It lins been shown to your committee that the polar ice In'ought into the Gulf by the strait of Belle-lie floats to the north east of Anticosti with a swiftness of half a mile an hour ; that the ice of the St-Lawrence runs down the south side of the same island with a rapi'...I.Gi)!,7IG lbs $7i, 3')fi 3,;S7,4?.0 lbs 5;|-2J,-2'.)'J lO'i.GG;) lbs S'2,59S Hin-ririfjs GJH.iyO •• Mackerel 13.3,8>^5 " Diverse Fish. 0,577 " lr.,'>()G 4,787 5 if) '2I,7GI 88,72 7 '• 1!),0G:3 •■ '2,GV- 4(1, Gi) ■• y(i<) 4'J,<)Gi) " I,'28G •• 4,;i<;i s..s;is •• 14,o(K; :1(),'275 " $61,405 '244.897 •' 1,139 i,70(i 181 Lobsi'r. ....... 5.S0fi •' Saimuii '225,.309 '• I45.24S 97,;i4G '• 80 i 3,11 '2 Total a,7'2.3,i02 " SII7.I53 3,538,764 SH,UOl A great quantity of the abo\'e was taken in our fisheries, and sent to the amevican markets atid then s^ld to us. Why should we buy our own goods from strangers ? All valuable fish, in particular salmon, abound in Bay des C!haicurs and the waters v/hicl. surround Gaspe.sia, what is needed, is a convenient and 85 $"2,598 1,139 1 ,70G 80 i :},I12 Speedy method of ti-ausport. Well, as we have already $aid, the Bay des Chaleurs rail road and the Intercolonial will supply this want and then wt can do th^ biisino.s.s ourselves ; we also can hav^e cheaper and larger quantities of tish. In particular we require this road to send imiijense quantities of dry and salted fish to the ever growing population of Manitoba and the North West. Before niaiiy years, our fishermen of Gaspesia will have a large market \vhich will pay well in their own country. That will comjensate the lack in trade which exists between them and Europe, where the norwegian fishermen, who a few years ago learned how to save the cod fish, are making a strong opposition to our canadiarj fishermen. And as soon as this road would be opened to our {isheries, it would be easy to keep us in fish, because our fisheries "an produce more fish than they do now. ... The Bay des CWialeurs rail "'"•nd would be a national enter- prise. In the first place it ^ iriake our fisheries be highly considered by the exterior .;ndly it should give considerable traffic to the Intercohmial a.^d the Great Canadian l*acific l\aii Eoad, both of which were built by the government as a national enterprise. The future of the finest part of Gaspeiiia depends on this R. Road. In America, colonisation does not advance without the help of railroads, and the region that neighbours Bay des Cha- leurs and the Gul"' of 3t. Lawrence, alth(*ugh richly undo wed by nature, in its climate and soil and will not escape this unvari- able law of prt.gres^. Let us build Bay des Chaleurs R. Road, and before many years the population of Gaspesia will be more than 100,000 souls it.^ agricultuiul and forest riches v ill be explo- red and help' a gi'eat deal to importation; commercial centers will rise and progress will be iclt allthrough Gaspesia which will take the rank that it has a just c^xim to amongst the highest and most flourishing regions, not only in the Province of Quebec but also in all Canada. Till the present day, the agricultural population (.>f Bay des Chaleurs has grown by the surplus of births over deaths, and it is so true tliat yon connot find more than one hundred of the farmers who were not born in the the country. It will be otherwise when a railroad will run alorig the shore. The vine laud over which it will cross, will be better known, the agricultural produces will be sent to nuir- ket in the winter as well as in summer, and then agri- culture will ofier so many advantages, that it will attract a '■■'\\<^ ■m 7 'A ■,ii 1 mmmmfm^ — 86—., great number of coluiusts. The immigrant of Europe will be able to settle doMu there with the gi'eatest of ease and will un- doubtedly be followed by their friends and relations. The suc- ces that they will obtain will encourages others to follow them. What is presently going on along the Intercolonial, in the Meta- pedia valley, gives us a good idea of what would be done in the richest and most advantageous region crossed by the Bay des Chaleurs 11. Road. New Carlisle would become, before many years, one of our principal sea port towns, and it is tlien that the Bay des Cha- leurs 11. Road would be one of the moat important Unes in the Provinces. It is only a question of time. Let this national railroad be endowed by the government with a large subsidy and then let its promoters show it ahead. Let the fedeial and local government not forget that : this road will give an extraordinary impulse to the colonization of Gaspesia, it will procure the ad- vantage of a winter sea port, able to rival with Portland in every respect, without considering that it is nearer to Liverpool Iwhere large quantities of western agricultural produces are exported. CHAPTER XIL CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS ADMINISTRATION — CHURCHES — SCHOOLS Gaspesia is divided into judiciary districts, county and local municipalities. The counties of Bonaventure and Gaspe form each a judiciary district distinct from that of the region which lies within the limits of Rimouski. The seat of justice belon- ging to the district of Gasjxj is at Perc^, where th(3re is a court house and all the officers of the court, with the exception of the judge who, in violation of the law does not reside there, and on- ly goes there during the assizes. The seat of ju..>tice belon- ging to the district of Bonaventure is at New Carlisle. We must praise the Gaspesians for their conduct, and. in the mean- time say that the court officers are not much troubled by them. The counties of Gaspe and Bonaventure have good lawyers who can scarcely live by their profession. The county municipality is administrated by the county council, which is composed of the mayors of the local municipa- lities. Tlie president of the council is the county prefect. This council sits only when there is important business to be tran- sacted that concerues the general interest of the county. There iiiaiiniwrii "■wtfkT.-v- ■/■■■•--■,v7.-i,,rV:f9v'S-'- — 87 is a Council for each of the countios of Boufiventuvo and Go'^pe, and the remainder of Gaspesia is ruled by the adiuiniatrative council of Eimouski coimty.'T.'' '" ,. . -, ^ ,: ; tJI. " The local municipality, that is to say the pariah ip adminis- tered by seven councellors, whose president is called the mayor, they are elected by* /Jie pariali tax-payers. This comicil sees after^^the roads at the local administrations. In 1880 there were twelve local municipalities in Boiiaventure county and sixteen in Gaspe. The^n'^-eipts^aud expenses of these municipalities are as follows : Receipts.. Expenses. Bonavenhire Gdspe S.%720.19 810,418.04 3,011.33 1,834.64 Surphis of Receipts, Active Passive 8 508.82 $8,583.40 813,320,46 87,546.81 1,095.65 394.71 Surplus of Active. 81,224.81 87,152.10 The figures of the expenses for the local administrations are insignificant when compared with the value of the taxed pro- perty, which was $1,245,158 in Bonaveniure and |1, 384,157 in Gaspe. The administration of the schools is under the control of comriiissioners and school syndics, who levy the school taxes and see after all that concerns the schools. Those commissio- ners and syndics are ejected by the (lontributors, who also have an indirect control over the sums which are paid for public edu- cation. In Gas^)esia, as in aU the other parts of the Province, "primary education is obligatory, in the sense that all citizens are to contribute to the support of the schrwls, in paying a small taxe imposed on their property and amoimting to as much as the government'grant given to each municipality. Each father of a family is obliged to pay a monthly contribution of, from 20 to 30 cents for each child capable of going to school (from seven to fourteen) whether tliey go to school or not. The public fund destined to education is divided proportionally to the population and numberof sch-^lars that frequent the primary schools or other educational institutions. A sum of $8,000 is annually granted to support poor schools, so that they who have school houses do not reqvire to be troubled al)out the sciiool taxes. In the loca- lities of different religions, the majority rules. If the minority is '■ i '.■'■*v Spy' '■■■;:M-!. t *;;,.; 88 ' ' V ' I'.t" '■ ■■■>;, ■■ '\<:'. * ■ V . t. ■ ;i,-," N;:- ^- v not satisfied with the admiuistration of the schools, in what it specially concerna tlieni, they choose three syndics to direct their own schools, and inform the president of their discoiitent- nienl;. From that out the Nchoola of tlie ^minority arc called dis- sident schools, and the syndics are invested with the same po- wer over the.se schools as the ommissioneri over the school of the majority. In the meantime the C(jinmisgionors continue to levy the taxes on all the municipality, but are obliged to remit the sum collected from the minf)nty to the syndics, and also to divide the government grarit pro}>ortionally to their |)opul(ition-. The above clearly shows that whether the minority or majori- ty be catholic or protestant, there is never any op[tression to be feared and in general perfect harmony exists between the diffe- rent religions." (1) The school fund comes from three sources : the taxes, the monthly fees, and the government grant. The taxes are levied on proprietors. The monthly fee is a taxe paid by each child going t ) school. These taxe.^ arc insiguiticunt, as may be .':een by the following figures, which show the amount of school receipts coming from each source : Bonnvcntnre Gdspe '\ ''/''^■' Vfvies 810,695.80 $10,420.67 '•■ Monthly fees 2,488.39 547.55 ; aoverntnent grant 3,823.29 ■ 1,918.29 v Total 110.887.48 $12,880.51 .' Those two totals make a sum of ?29,77'5.99 ; but there was only $24,032.41 paid by the contributors ; 813,064.19 by those of Bona venture and 810,968.22 by those of Gaspe. Those dif- ferent sums were spent in supporting 139 schools of which 105 were catholic and the remainder protestant, and were at- tended by 600 scholars. The above figures aro taken from the report of the superhitendant of public instruction for 1881-82. It is impossible to give the details for that part of Gaspesia which is included in Rimouski county, because the report is of all the county, Nevertheless the above details .show that ele- mentary education is not neglected in Gaspesia, because there is a school for every 43 scholars, and this edication costs nearly nothing to the inhabitants, who pay no more than 5 cents a head (The Province of Quoboc and th(! European emigration. — 89 ~ • '-, '[ ■' ■ ■'■.■/ in Gaspe and 69 in Bonaventure, for school taxes; wo must add that the parents, in general, are very zealous in sending their children to sdmol. The catholic priescs of the diocese of Rimouski (of which Gas- I'esia forms a i)Hrt) receive tithe, which consists of the twenty- sixth part of all grain a d potatoes in some places. Bishop J, Langevin is Bishop of the diocese and resides at the cathedral in Rimouski. The catholic priests of Gaspesia are about 100 in number. The protestant ministers are supported by collections made among their congregation or by the help which they obtain from certain associations forra(d in rich cities for the support of ministers living among poor congregations. It is easily seen that the catholics or prottistants are not overbtirdeued \fy reli- gious contributions. '' • , The following list shows the number belcmgnig to the diverse religions in Gaspesia. . ' . . '!■:''"■'■ Bonaventure Gaspe Rimouski Gasped i, Catholics 13,877 17,755 16,725 41,358 Anglicans 2,173 2,536 15 4,724 Mcthodi«t3 132 319 147. 598 Presbyterians 2,670 43 365 3,078 Diverse sects 56 32 15"* 108 ,'yC'l^V^'/^ 18,908 20,685 17,267 56,860 That is to say the catholic population amounts tj 85 per eeni of the entire population. The above figures show that, for what belongs to religious and civil administration is on no low footing in Gaspesia. The eu- ropean who emigiates to this rej^ion so much favored by nature, is sure to find just and good laws to protect himself and hia goods, and g(X)d schools for the education of his children, taul, fi- nally churches in which he can worship his God. . CHAPTER xm ' ^ - . „ , ... .... ,^,^ ^ THE PRINCIPAL CENTKMS OF POrUi.ATION AND COMMERCE To complete those notes on Gaspesia, it will be necessary to indicate the princi^ al centers of commerce and ]>opulation. The 12 k 1 \ — 90 — !■: 'k '.■ excellent rc|.(>it of Dr Lavoie for 18t)9 will admirably suit the j-inipose. Thi8 gentU'.man, m his olfice a« oomniauflor of La Ca- nadunne aud cliiof of the crui.se charged wiUi the iiis]ieGtion of the fisheries of the (Julf aud of Bay da^ Chaleurs, has had all the opportunities of knowing these localities, aud all that he has writU'n about them, is reiuuniuable f')r their (exactitude and rea- dily shows that they have been observed by a keen eye. We will cite them : '.;■, .i;', :/,,,. ■''■. .v^,' , .-" ,' ' >„^'',/-, " Gaspe is situated at the extremity of the Bay from which it takes its name. This hHiality can not fail to augment in im[»or- tance on account of the advantages of its port, which although not vety big, is accessil)le and oilers good shelter to large shijts. The vessels that are not able to fight the Calf storms, take shel- ter in that port, and here the fisherman's smacks are very often m(.)ored while they take in provisions or cargoes for r»therj)laces. The houses that are scattered here and there <.»n the top of a hill which overlook the port form a beautiful scenery. It is the most attracting and most wholesome place in Canada during the sum- mer mouths. It is the most channing and in the same tiuie the most picturesque watering place below. The waters of the bay are always of a moderate temjKjrature, so agreeable and healthy trt sea bathing, which envigoratea those whose health has been ruined by sedentary habits or town life. There are other pleasures besides seabathing in this loctdity. The beautiful walks overshadowed by tall and handsome troe^, extend along the bay- shore, large trees gi'owing along the shore, cast their sliadows on the bay which afford a nice sail in the shade, and inline the pic- turesque scenery which meets the eye on every side, delights the spectator. A b€^,autiful breeze, which rise>= about noon during the months of July and August, refreshes the tourists aud gives health and strenght to the invalid who visits this cliarming place. Gaspe is the only port of the gulf in which you will meet whale fishing; they who give themselves up to this line, are generally descendants of hardy marius who, after the Uuited-iStates inde- pendance, settled down in Gasj)e aud began whale fishing which paid very well at tha. time. Properly speaking, there is no cod fish caught at Gaspe, but the greater part of the fish \vhich is taken on the north and south coasts is brought there ready for exportation. This commerce brings a great numljer of ships into tlie port which gives work to 91 — 'H' the poor of t,li(3 place and the environs. Tli« poor of the town have jihMity of work in the port and the fanners cultivate tht;iv land hotter than in other ]ilace8. The moHt im|»ortant and ohlest tislii'rios are: Porre, Anse (irr (Jap and (frand I'iver. Tie hanks situaU'-d around Bonaventuro island and in the mdghVjourliooil of Perce are excellent. When the fishing is had on the coast, the fishermen go to the Orphelin or iMo.scou hanks and they are sura of making a good hall of large cod Hsh which ahound in those places. Perce employs the moat fishermen. The port is very safe for small hoats and the rocky shore of this locality serves w
pulated, (2,150 souls) and richest parish in Gaspesia. The inluihitants \V(.rk on their land and there are farms that cannot he surpassed in many western jila- ces. New parishes are opening on the interior where the soil is very fertile and easily cnltivated. At the mouth of the i'i\er the village forms an amjthithe^itre which is delightful to the eye. This locality has a rich and clean ajiju-arance, Anse. du Cap is where the Honhle Mr Thomas Savage resides. Tin's gentleman exitorts each year several cargoes of dry lish which are generally loaded in this port. There are several other mercihants here who are very active in commerce. This place is fiHiquented hy schooners that carry o:\ the commerce of coast tra- ding. " Paspeoiac is one of the nicoHt parishes in Buy des Chal(;i;rs. The land is fertile and well cultiviited. The f ar nun's houses are neat and well built, llie port, which is not as sahi as that of Gaspe, is good and accessihle. " " H(>re is whei-e the Eobin firm, whose fori vine is coiinted hy the milJion, has its principal business place ; the residence of the manager plaiidy shoMS that his masters are millionaries of the Isle of Jersey. A few miles from Paspediac pori, is the resi- dence of the Honble T. Kobitaille, now lieutenant governor o the Province of Quebec, and a little further, the coquettish viP ^'-M ■■.!.;%;•:: :'M' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // « ^ 6^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 iMippaiPPni«*Bpipi^ llBW'P'«P»»7"ip"'W"»'l''"»PRf^«"»^WI'^^'»"W"?^P^'P^ MP... I mWlMI! W» WWBPPBflUP 1 inginq *>mnpn«pin)innipn«iininimi9i^i!*f fri^.SWto?*';"*'!-.:- — 92 — lage of New-Carlisle, wliich is the central place of Boriaventnre county. New-liichmoiid, between the two Cascapedia rivers, is a very nice parish where Mr Montgomery deals in wood or at least did for many years. Carleton is the most prosperous and the most advanced parisli in Bay des Chaleurs. The village is built on tiie side of the Tracadigeehe bay, at the foot of a mountain whose height is about 300 feet, and is surrounded by the most picturesq ue scenery that can be imagined. This locality is very much sought after as a bathing place and will bo tnore so, when there will be an hotel built t<3 accomodate all those that desire to pass the summer season there. It is one of the finest and richest pa- rishes, if not the richest and best in Iraspesia. There is consi- derable ccmmcice going on there at pre eat, which cannot miss to become greater with the impulse'lhat the Intercolonial has gi- ven it and that the Bay des Chaleurs R. R. will not fail to give. It is only fifteen miles from Dalhousio station, on the Intercdo- nial. In the northern part of Gaspesia, the principal parishes on the gulf shore, are Matane and Ste-Anne-des-Monts ; in the lat.er there is considerable commerce and the land is well cultivated. Ste-Anne has the gi*eat advantage of having in its midst an en- te. prising man, Mr Theodore Lamontjigne, who gives work to a great number of persons. Such are the jn'inciple places of Gaspesia in a commercial point of view. All those centers wdl increase with tlie })opula- tion, that will not fail to rise when its riches and advantages will be better known to the european immigrants. CHAPTER XIV LAND FOR COLONIZATION — METHOD OF BUYING — FREE GRANTS We have already seen that Gaspesia forms a territory of 10,783.73 miles or 6,900,941 acres in superficies. In 1881, there were only 660,115 acres of this extent occupied and 174,- 306 acres of it cultivated ; then there were 6,234,826 acres mo- re to be occupied and 6,626,635 to be cultivated. The above unoccupied space could easily afford pioughable famis for — 93 — 100,000 30uls. The price of the government land varies from 20 to 30 cts an acre. The acre is al)out one eleventh more than tlie french arpent and about half less than the hectare, (0,404,671 of a hectare). The conditions of sale are the same for tlie im- migrants as they are for the Canadian colonists, and the formali- ties to be fulfilled are very simple. Whoever desires to buy a farm, should apply by letter or per- sonally, to the land agent of the district in which he wislies to settle down, and de]»osit into his hands the one fifth of the price of the lot. Oa this deposit, the agent gives him a promise of sa- le, ofl'cially sealed. The principal conditions of this sale are as follows : To pay one fifth of the pfic*'■.. "Smis^ 98 — ISLANDS York River. 131 Ga^pd. 50c. ) St. Joan " 278 " " >- Excellent soil. Dartmouth" 377 " " ) Total 16282a 84,309 248132 M. BeauchSne, Assemetqui Ne^v Carlisle, ijan 30,083 Bona- 20c. Mountaneoua, partly Bona venture ' venture " plougliable, advau- (Jounty. tageous for squurc timber Oarleton .... 23,230 " ^' Very mountaneous, not very good for SU^amer from 'cultivations, a d - New Carlisle to • vant^igeous for fire Quebec in sum wood. mer, and Inter- Cox 38,198 " " Generally good for colonial a-s far cultivation, square Campbellton in timber, limestf^e. wint^«r, and Hope 20,440 " " Good for cultivation, from these square timber in roads to all the back township, parts of the Hamilton ... 53,490 ^' - Grod for cultivation, agency, and in " square timber. summer a Manu 20,980 " '' Generally mountanc- steamer from '^us, there are good C a mpbellton lands in the valleys to all the other and tit for cultiva- localitics as far tion, very little as Gasp^. square timber. Matap^jdia.. 33,625 " " Mountaneous, very little square tim- ber, the valleys are good for cultivation Maria 14,370 ". " Good for cultivation, very little square timber. Milnikek ... 35,902 " " Not very good for (cultivation, good for s»|uare timber. Nouvelle.... 38,645 " " Partly good for cul- tivation, very little square timber. 'n — 99 New - Riche- mond 31,253 Bonav. Patap^^dia... 33,300 Port-Daniel. 44,170 Ristigouche 2G,920 New Carlisle 128 <' Total ....444734 20c. U tod for t'ariuiug and S(juare timber. " Mountaneoiw, not ve- ry };(x>d for cultiva- tion or Bijuare tim- ber. " Good for cultivation and square tiuibciv limestone in abun- dance. '■ Good for culture — very little scjuart; timber, crossed by the Intercolonial. " Good for cultivation, the soil is some- what soapy. These lots are sold on tlie following conditions : lo. the buyer or one representing him should tftk j possession of the lot before the end of six months from the date of sale, and continue to re- side on and occupy it for two years, from the date of sale ; 2o. should clear ten acres for every hundred and build a house being at least 16 by 20, before the end of four years; 3o. should not cut any other timber but what he might require for building, fencing or clearing the land before obtaining lis deed and all wood cut contrary to the above rules is considered illegal ; 4o. the buyer will not obtain his deed, if he does not fulfill the abo- ve rules ; 5o. he cannot receive his deeds before the expiration of two years from the date of sale, nor until the above conditions be fulfilled, whether the land be paid or not ; 6o. the buyer binds himself to pay for all the improvements that are made on a lot which has been formerly occupied by an other ; 7o. the sale is subject to a licence of cutting wood which is in force at the present time. These conditions are very liberal and when the colonist is honest and industrious, the government gives them encourage- ment to fulfil those conditions and is not exact about the annual payments. Consequently it is very easy to settle down in Gas- ^ — 100^ pesia. Tims a fatliev of a family who has twi) grown up sons, cau take a lot of 600 acres, two hundred for hiuisolf and a^t mudv i\V)ve for his two sous, for $120. oriBlSO., I)ecau8<} the land is in goneral sold for 20 or 30 cts per acre. In jjlaces where there aj-e i(over;iment grants, he can have the land for nothing. And these farms are fertile and easily cultivated. It is not to he douhted ,say3 Commander Lavoie, thai Mie couutias of Gaspe and Boiiaveiiturc would he, to day, the richest iti ':he 'jountry, hadtht wealthy nierchants and the poor fishermen known the ahundant re^sourjes of riches which these forests and lands con- tain. Tiie population of this part of the country, wliere teii acres of land would produce, enough for a large family, whereas a hundred acres would not do ihe same in oth(ir parts of Canada, is poor on account of their aversion for laud tilting. P^xperience will show to the inhahitants of Gaspesia that agriculture is a sure source of riches. There are more than 2S0 miles of laud that lie along the coast, hy which, the farmers without neglecting their land, could catch enough of fish for their family and be- sides sell a good deal to the merchants v/ho pass up and down the coast. The e(|ual of the soil is not to he found in the Domi- nion, and the colonist can become rich, in a few years, or at least comfortable, providing he be intelligent and industrious. Indeed if the Gaspesian colonist proceeds methodically in divid- ing his time between farming and fishing when liis farm does not require his help, he would become rich before many years. The greater part of the fishermen neglect their land to that extent that they have to buy provisions which fhey could raise on their own land, but if they laboured their land it should pro- duce enough to support their families and the money which they receive for their fish could he saved and after a few yetvra they would have a small fortune. An intelligent and industrious farmer without neglecting his land, can make from ''^250 to S300 by fishing. Is there any place in the world that offers more advantage to european immigi'ants ? There is a class of people in Europe that would prosper in Gaspesia, they are the inhabitants of the coasts of Ireland and Britany. Those people live by fishing and farming. But their land is more or less fertile, and their fisheries fire not to be com- pared to those of Gaspesia, Those poor peo[>le work hard but are nevertheless in poverty. It it not evident that they would become rich, were they to come to this country which is laden -. 101 ~ with all sorts of riclu;,-* with which nature has endowed it. It is always hard to leave our native land ; the thought of our anoep- tors, frieiuls and relations and in particular of that homestead where for jenturies our ancestors have lived and died is very hurd to dispel ; hut when [»arent» thin^lc of procurinj^ fine farms for their sons in a land of abundance and prosperity, they will not hesitate to leave their barren shores and come to the land of milk and honey. They will be received with the open arms and grateful hearts of the good natm-ed inhabitants of (Jaspesia. Those people are kind and fond of stranj^eis, and tliey always receive them with open hearts, whatever may be their religion or nationality they belong to. CHAPTER XV n%^V AND WHEN TO GO I'O GASPEBIA It is very easy, particularly during tlie navigation season, to go from Quebec, New-Brunswick, Nova Scotia, to (Jaspesia, There are several lines of steamers that run between the above ports and Gaspesia. The Quebec line makes two trip, each month, between Montreal, Quebec, Metis, Gaspe, Perce and other ports of Bay des Clialeurs. The Beaver, which belongs to Mr Al. Eraser, of Quebec, runs betwfsen Quebec and all the ports of Bay des Chalours as far as Paspebiac. The fare, on these two Unes, is very cheap. There are .schooucs that run between Quebec and tlie above ports nearly every day iu .sum- mer season, and the fare is very cheap , The Intercolonial R. R. that runs i'rom Quebec to Halifa.K and St-Jolm, the two sea-port towns of Nova-Scotia andNew-Brnns- wick, crosses the western part of Gaspesia and thus all'ords the inhabitants in its wherealxiut the opportunity of selling their produce and exporting it. This is a first class road and the go- vernment that built it deserves great credit. This road is in communication, at Campbelltown, with a line of steamers paid by the govenrment for running to the dilferent lower localities situated on the shores of Bay des Ohakiurs. By this line, we can go cheaply to all those localities. Tliey who go to the north of Gaspe, are obliged to stop at Rimouski and take the high road to whereever they wish to go. The crossing between Europe and Gaspesia is very easy. There are several lines of steamers that run between the ports r — 102 — of Great Brila'n ami those of Quebec and Halifax. The most rocoinnuiiidnblo are the Dominion and Allan linea, which have agencies in I'aris and in all the principal cities of Irelan^l, Scot- land and Great-Britain. The Allan steamers leave Liverpool and Glas^gow and generally stop at Londonderry from wlu.'re tlwiy steer directly to Quebec in summer, and Halifax in winter. The Dominion st»iamera also run between Liverpool and Quebec in summer, so that they offer the same advantages as the Allan line, to all immigrants desiring to settle down in Gasytesia. The voyage from Liverpool to Quebec or Halifax, lasts no more than ten days, and the steerage [jassengers are treatcffl» .'i^** r,tiiw""-^y/;^-' '■< A m^^^wif.i':;, \^[^-y^-:- *.--:i^rt. i :< .-i,- r-^ >mw' — 104 — " The soil of Bouaveiitiue county i.s fertile and free of stones, even on the hils which -re never too deep to be ploughed. It produces la'ge quantitie-^ of spring wheat, oats (whicli weighs 43 lbs to the busli.) and barley. The (luaUty of the grain is far su- perior to that of the St-Lawrence banks. " The soil of Gaspe county is the same. The fisheries of this county are veiy ])reciou8. I remarked that the interior region, as far as the St- Lawrence on the route adopted hiter on by Major Robinson, for the Inter- colonial, is an arable and fertile soil, and the aOove opinioji is Itased on the experience which I acquired, while direccing th construction of more than one hundred miles of this road. " This region is the most pictures(iue and the most holesome in all Canada. The winter tempemture is more than 10 ° war- mer than in Quebec, whereas during the summer mouths the val- leys and hils are refreshed by the mild breeze coming from the sea. " The rivers are navigable. Large boats worked by horses can go from the mouths of the rivers to their sources, the piice of freight is a dollar less per ton, from these ports, than from Quebec, and all the sea and Jaud explorations are at the will of the colonist. " S" (JONTEjVTS Chapter I Pages. Situation — Limits — Extent — Geaai-al asjiect. . .' 5 Chapter II Topography — Mountains — Rivers — Seaside— Bathing places 10 Chapter III Superficial Gjology— Soils— Extent 19 Chapter IV Mineralogy— Mineral species— Beds susceptible of exploration 23 Chapter V Fisheries — Statistics — Artificial manures 33 Chapter VI Forests and forest industry 49 Chapter VII Agricultural industry 47 Chapter VIII Climatology — Astronomical situation— The winds— The seasons — Mean temperature — Lengl-t of the agricultural season — Rain — Snow 53 Chapter IX High roads — Sea ports and navigation 68 Chapter X Commerce — Importations and exportations — Tonnage oi' the diflFe- rent ports — Countries with which commerce is made 70 Chapter XI Port Paspebiac~Bay des Chaleurs R. Road. — Its importiuce... . 81 Chapter XII Civil and religious administration — Churches and seh()ol^< 8H Chapter XIII The principal centzrs of commerce and population 89 Chapter XIV Land for colonization — Method of buying — Free grants 92 Chapter XV How and when to go to Gaspesia 101 Conclusion , 1 02