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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont fllmte en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terrninant par la dernlAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaltra sur ia dernidre image de cheque microfiche, seion le cas: le symbols — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V sign'fie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmte A des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul ciichA, II est film« A partir de I'angle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut on has, en prenant le nombre d'imager* nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 i THj T THIS REPORT IS PRINTED BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR'b COMMAND, ■• ! 'I »'rl t'R( Perfor to 1 cell Caj BrJ B\ Compi Si Gi GENERAL REPORT OF AN OFFICIAL TOUR THROUGH THE NEW SETTJLEMENTS V V ^ I OF THE PROVINCE OF LOWER-CANADA. Performed in the Summer of 1824, in obedience to the commands and instructions of His Ex- cellency George Earl of Dalhousie, G.C.B. Captain General and Governor in Chief of British North-Amerita, &c. &c. &c. v^N BY JOSEPH BOIJCHETTE, Esquire, His Majesty's Surveyor- General of L, C. PART FIRST. Comprehending the Tovvnsh'os North of the Saint Lawrence, and thoje situate on the Grand or Ottawa River. ^*! QVEREC: PRINTED BY THOMAS < ARY A Co. Frbb-Mmoni' Hau,. 1825. T cio) ■^ i &/J^ f i I TO HIS EXCELLENCY SIR FRANCIS BURTON, G, C. H. LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF THE < PROVINCE OF LOWER-CANADA, Sfc. Sfc. 8fc. N. io in havii (he < vf tu i N. B.— The Statwtical Statements and Documents, frequently referrea niories of I/As- somplion and La ClxMiaye, from which there are roads leading into the Township. It is singular lo remark, that, notwithstanding the limils bt'tween these Seigniories and Ihis Township have been established and ma1*k- ed in the licld by actual survey, the Seignior of L'Assoinption has considerably encroach- ed upon the first range of Hawdon, where he has placed Censitaires under Seignorial Titles. The encroachments in question extending as well to the Crown and Clergy Reservations in that range Jis to the tract granted under Letters Patent to the Bru- yeres, 1 have in consequence subjoined, for the information of His Majesty's Govern- ment, a plan, and other documents, illustra- tive of the state of the case, under the let- ter B. Euent, Ac. Thc Towuship of Rawdon is of the usual dimensidus of a regular inland Township, that is, 10 miles square ; it has been subdi- vided into 1 1 ranges, and each range into 28 lots of 200 acres. The new system of laying out the Crown and Clergy Reserves in Blocks has been extended thereto, except in the first and a part of thc second ranges. already granted under Patent, in which the Reserves were appropriated. country, Soil,&c. The face of the country in this Township p«e of the . . , •' . » countrv. IS uneven, and ni many parts niountanious, from tlie 4th range northward. The soil therein, generally, is fit for the cultivation of every species of grain peculiar to this coun- try, and, in various sections, susceptible of the growth and culture of hemp and flax. It contains several small lakes, and is well watered by the River Ouareau and nume- rous other streams, by which it is traversed and on which are to be found many mill sites. In fact, this Township, as well as those adjoining and lying in that direction, offer many temptations as a fine " pasturing and grazing country," to use the language of its inhabitants, and possesses, at the same time, the no inconsiderable advantage of the proximity of a large and populous market town. With respect to the state of the population, (composed chiefly of Emigrants from Ire- land,) and general improvements, I beg leave to refer to the accompanying statement. No. 1, and will only observe, that the settlements therein have appeared to me in a state of to- lerable advancement and progress, consider- ing the disadvantages under which the inha- bitants have laboured, from the various caus- es stated in my former Report. I shall only state, in addition thereto, that Mr. Alexan- Tlii> Settle, meiits. 6 Cloii^'ll. Mr. Rea. (loi' Rca WHS appoiiilcd Aj>enl for the super- inlendency of Rawdon, in May 1821, and that he had previously obtained, for himself and a long list of applicants, an Order of Council for •grants of 100 acres to each of them, to be locate! in this Township and in Kildare. Upon that Order several of those individuals were located to lands in Rawdon from this Ottice ; the others received their Location Tickets from Mr. Rea, as Agent, in which capacity he appears to have con- ducted the settlement of tlie Township under his inspection with somewhat more regulari- r.pt.'oi. ty and system than Captain Colclough, who succeeded lo him in 1823. This circum- stance may not, Iiowever, invalidate the just cause of complaint which has produced Mr. Rea's removal — but, at that time, it was ex- pected the appointment of another Agent would be the means of obviating the diffi- culties complained of, and introduce more order and harmony and a better understand- ing amongst the settlers. Although it may be a troublesome and embarrassing task, owing to the description and character of some of the people in that settlement, yet it might and ought to have lieen etfected, I shall, without dwelling on this subject, only beg leave to call His Excellency's attention to that part of my former Report from the letter D to the description of Rawdon, and also to that part which refers to my Notes on the papers accompanying it, marked 4 and 3. (See Appendix A.) are ;nper- , and iniself der of ich of md in tllOHC Lvvdoii their ^gent, B con- uiider rulari- , who rcum- le just ;d Mr. ^as ex- Agent e diffi- 5 more rstand- it may J task, cter of , yet it ted, I t, only lention om the m, and r Notes rked 4 Mills. Previous to closino; this branch of my Re- portj it may not be improper to notice the advantages derived by the inhabitants of this Townsiiip from Mr. Dugas' excellent Grist ^ and Saw^ Mills, which are situated hi lot No. 24, in the first range, from whence the road winds into a;nd traverses the interior of the Township up to the seventh range. Upon leaving Mr. McKenzie's mills, better known by the name of Manchester Mills, so called after the individual who conducts them, situate about one mile south of Dugas' establishment, I was obliged to take a very circuitous route of about twenty miles to reach tlie Emigrant Settlement, in the Town- ship of Kildare, whither my attention was in the next instance directed, whilst by tra- versing that Township and part of Rawdon, the distance does not exceed eight miles, but one third thereof is only a foot path, Fhe road which we travelled winds along the >i bank of the River Ouareau, upon whicli there "lare! are several Grist and Saw Mills, at intervals of one and two leagues. Continuing this route for a distance of about two leagues and a half, we took the road which leads to the River Rouge settlement in St. Sulpice. lu the vicinity of which and upon the River Rouge, is a place called Les Dalles, from a lebdailb*, singular contraction of the river, the bpnks whereof, for some distance on either side, are perpendicular rock, thirty to forty feet in Ireight. The current necessarily glides a^ Route from anchi'sttT Mills (oKil- T Na«ural Curioiiljr* TheCaverDt 8 through these narrows with uimsual rapidity, mucli increased in the spring and fall of the year, from the additional volume of water which passes down with the precipitancy of a Cataract, until it bursts from its fetters at the foot of the Dalles, and meanders along its more natural bed. I was here informed of the existence in the neighbourhood of that spot, of a great natural curiosity in the shape of a subterra- n^'ous cavern, which was discovered by two young Canadian peasants^ whilst hunting the wild cat, about two years ago. Prose- cuting their sport, they pursued two of their game, until entering an obscure hole a little above the bank of the river, the young sports- men lost sight of them. The most enter- prising of the two attempted to enter the aperture in the rock, at that time barely suf- ficient to admit his crawling into it. Having provided themselves with lights, they made a second attempt so effectual, that not only did they secure then* prey, (_of which they have preserved the skin to this day,) but they dis- covered another of the many phenomena of nature, a description of which cannot be uninteresting. I descended into the cavern by means of a trap door which has recently been placed at one of its angles for the facility and con- venience of strangers, desirous of visiting this singular spot, having as my guides two of I is J pidily, of the water ncy of Lers at along ice in , great }terra- )y two Linting Prose- if their a little sports- enter- ter the ;ly suf- laviiig nadea Illy did y have ev dis- omena lot be IS of a ced at con- ng this wo of ( 9 the inhabitants of the neighbouring house, bearing lighted tapers. The height of the Cave where we entered is five feet, from which angle branch off two Caves, the lesser whereof is of the following dimensions : — Length 25 feet, Breadth varying from 2j to 9 — Height 5 — It bears about a S. E. course from the entrance. The other has in length 70 feet, Width, from.. 7 to 8 — Height, gradually increasing, 5 to 13 — The increase in the loftiness of the cave originates from the declivity of the ground part, which at the North Eastern extremity is at least twenty-three feet from the surface. It forms nearly a right angle with the first, at its S. W. end, and an angle scarcely ob- tuse at the other with another cave, whose Length is 80 feet Average width 6 — Height 5 — At the S. Eastern extreme of this cave, branches off another of inferior size and con- sequence, bearing about a due South course, as may be deduced from the angle it makes with the last described. It is in length .••«.... 20 feet. Width 5 — Height 5 to 4. B Dimension'- of the I It .Si 9d cavetnt. oflhtid lib catt Iniii and De 10 At the outward angle formed by this cave with the preceding one, is to be seen a near- ly circular aperture of about I:} foot diame- ter, which leads to a cavern yet unexplored, the extent whereof is not known with any certainty, but c(»njectureand supposition will '"'p"°"- have it to extend 2 arpents ; an astonish- ing distance as a natural subteraneous pas- sajie. Sunnuing the lengths of the several caves above-mentioned together, we have a total distance of 195 feetofsubterranityin the solid rock, offering a beautiful roof ol chrys- tallized sulphuriate of lime, carved as it were by the hand of art, and exhibiting at once the sublimity of nature, and the mastery of the all-powerful Architect of the universe. R.utccon. Continuing mvrouteover a rather indiffer- M.i'aui. QY^[ road, leading to the parish of St. Paul, Mr..i,.iiietgand thence to IVJr. Jolliet's mills, on the river 'jv';",f;;'^i L'Assomption, my attention was attracted to the latter as well from the magnitude of the establishment, as from its being situate so much in the interior and almost contiguous to Kildare. The edifice is of stone, built in the modern style, three stories high, 120 feet in Itngtii by 45 in width ; within its walls there are three sets of mill-stones, grist and saw mills and a hardware manufactory for making nails. The mill-dam is remarkable for its size, construction and solidity. At a short distance West of this conspicuous cor - vHageweit ^^^^^ ^ vlllagc has been laid out, but as ye it contains only a few houses, chiefly belong I c!ier»fif. u ing to Mr. Jolliers establisliment. The road from hence, winds along the Western haidi of the river L'Assomption to the village De^^^^^^y Ramsay, which lies on the main route, which leads towards Berthier. It is composed of twenty-five or thirty houses, the most conspi- cuous whereof is that of INIrs. Panet. The highlands stretching across the Seigniory of De Ranasay, in the rear of the village of that name^ produce a very pleasing ettect. The Township of Kildare is situate in the rear of La Valtrie, and is bounded to the S. W. by Rawdon, and by the Seigniory De Ramsay to the N. E. and does not contain quite one-half of a full inland Township. It is divided into twelve ranges, each of which is subdivided into 12| lots. 11,000 acres were originally granted, under Letters Patent, to the late Mons. De La Valtrie, and recently a tract of 3,600 acres was granted to the Pastorus' family, leaving, consequent- ly, after deducting from tlie whole extent of the Township 2-7ths as the Reservations for the Crown and the Clergy, which are laid out in blocks, but a small quantity of land ^or the military locations, still reduced by Major Colclough's grant of 1,800 acres, at present under Letters Patent. This Township is most eligibly situated and contains excellent lands, the general aspect whereof, as far back as the 9th range, is level ; beyond this it as- sumes an uneven and mountainous appear- ance. The principal rivers by which it is Kililare. Gilcot; Ac. Sitaalion, Soil and RL vers. ('■in tiliaii ttdlriiii-nlti KnilKrtnt • I'lik-nitnti. It. ad'. 12 wnlcred tire, llie L'Assoinption, the Rivers Roiifvo anil HUnclie, wilh other tributary flrcains. The Caiuulian settlements on the 1st, 2n(l, and (Uh ranfrcs of this Townsliip, are deserving' of particular notice, from the domestic comfort and rural happiness of the iidial)itants, and the good slate of the roads and bridges in that part. There are, how- ever, several of the Crown and Clergy Re- serves (occupied and considerably improved by some of these individuals, without autiio- rity. They have been partic\darised in some of the accompanying statements. The new Emigrant settlement in this Township has made much progress, and presents to view a neat village, situate con- tiguous to the S. W. line of De Ramsay, and comiecfs wilh the nourishing settlement and village of that name, through which tra- verses llie j)ublic road leading to Berthier. Between the 7lh and 8th ranges the road is in a forward slate, and is open entirely across the Township to the N. E. outline of Hawdon, as also lliat between the 5lh and 6lh ranges, upon which stands the Canadian settlement, and, traversing- the whole of Kil- dare, joins the public highway in Rawdon leading to Uugas' Mills in that Township. The new seltlemeiits in Kildare were placed under the superintendency of Major Colclough in 1821, and must be acknow- tu f 13 Icdged to liave ma^le rapid advancement in population and agriculture, notwithstanding the misunderstandings that have occasionally existed between the Agent and the Settlers, arising in a great measure from the inade- quacy of the remaining grantable lands in that Fownship to gratify the numerous list cf applicants w\\\i locations therein, espe- cially after Major Colclough had obtained from Government the extent of his claims, forming, as before stated, a total quantum of 1 ,800 acres, exclusive of his per centage as Agent upon the lands granted. Relative to any further information on this subject, as well as to the various investigations wtiich have taken place in the Townsliip of Kil- dare, I beg leave to refer to my antecedent ^^"jf,*;*, Report, and the documents thereunto sub- JVlllrAp- joined, wherein these matters are set forth p"'*"^> at length — but with regard to the statistical exhibit of this new Settlement, resort may be had to the statement, No. 2, herewith submitted. The Township of Kilkenny, which pre- sents itself in order, is situate in the rear of the Seigniories of LaChenaye and Terre- bonne, and is bounded to the N. E. by Raw- don, to the S. W. by Abercromby. Although it has the usual breadth of an inland Town- ship of ten miles square, it contains a less superficie from the irregularity of its front, owing to the obliquity of the rear boundaries of Seigniories upon which it rests. Kilkenny. ■Ituaiion, bouodi, <&<•• wm Face of the country. 14 The general features of the country here bear a great resemblance to the mountain- ous and uneven aspect of various sections of the Townships already described. Some parts however in Kilkenny are seen lo rise in gradual swells, in other parts the surface is broken and rocky. The most mountainous part seems to traverse the ninth and tenth ranges; thence Northward the land descends by easy slopes beyond the rear outline of the Township, and forms a valley through which it is supposed the North river flows, fertiliz- ing the lands on each side, which are reput- ed to be of an excellent description. Soil. Lakes and Kivers, Re»d. Mr. Battou. Notwithstanding the unevenness and irre- gularity of the surface in Kilkenny, the soil thereof generally is by no means unarable, though inferior to that of Rawdon and Kil- dare. It is abundantly watered by numer- ous lakes, the chief of which extends six miles in length by one and a half in extreme width, traversing diagonally the ninth, tenth and eleventh ranges. The principal rivers winding through this Township, are the ri- ver Lachigan and its various branches, the Western branch of the river l^t. Esprit, and many other inferior streams and rivulets. The Reverend Mr. Burton, who resides in Rawdon, has the agency of this Towns'np, but from the circumstance of its having been only recently surveyed, little or no progress has been made in respect of settlements, ex- # 15 cept by a few Irish Emigrants, who have, without authority, and contrary to the Agent's ""^dS.' injunctions, set themselves down promis- '"*'"'■ cuously in various parts of the Township, and in some instances upon the lands already located to the officers and privates of the late embodied militia, an incident of which they were duly apprized by Mr« Burton. I would, however, humbly solicit His Excellency's attention to that portion of my prior report, which treats particularly upon this subject and on the position of the lots I conceived most proper to be selected for villages and glebes, and to the reasons which had induced my doing so. (See Appendix A.) There are no roads in Kilkenny, nor are Road., there any leading from it to the settlement of New-Glasgow, lying less than a mile and a half from the S. E. boundary of the Township* This circumstance, added to the inconveniencies experienced by the in- habitants of New-Glasgow, owing to the want of a good road to Terrebonne, pre- sents a momentary obstacle to the advance- ment and prosperity of tlie settlements con- mun^. templated in Kilkenny by the Militia peo- ple, but which, I understand, they are de- termined to surmount. Having had occasion, in the course of my Newcia.^ tour, to pass through the settlements of New- paT»ie?. Glasgow and Paisley, I cannot withhold ex- pressing the pleasure I experienced at the > 16 progress effected by the industry and perse- verance of both these little Colonies, con- lending, as they must have done, against the numerous impediments which present themselves, such as the deficiency of mills, practicable roads, &c. impediments which, I have no doubt, will shortly be obviated by the Honorable Seignior, who, I am aware, has materially, by his own means, forward- ed the prosperity of these new and promising settlements. ve Ircj in! vej Retorned to McKeuzie's IMills. Circuitous route by St. Jacques, Sti Rocb, & ri- ver L'Achi* san'oKil- keno;, The neces- sity of a road traversing Kilkenny & Rawdon. It may be proper to remark here, that, in order to reach the margin or front line of Kilkenny, (one mile and a half from the last house in the Glasgow settlement,) I was not only obliged to return by McKenzie's Mills, a distance of 20 miles, but also travelled back by St. Jacques, passing through the handsome and well situated village of St, Ruch, and proceed along the north-western bank of the river L'Achigan, about 37 miles, making together 57 miles, instead of 28 in a more direct line ; this circumstance evinces the urgent necessity of a road of communi- cation being opened, traversing Kilkenny and Rawdon, and connecting that already made through Kildare. Close of the 1st branch of said This branch of the Mission being finally Million, terminated, I proceeded to Terrebonne, where I remained a few days to draft my former Report and to adjust the manifold documents accompanying the same, both of which, ne* i perse- s, con- against present f mills» hicb, I ted by aware, rward- imising hat, in line of he last /siS not 1 Mills, ivelled ^h the of St, '^estern milesi 8 in a vinces muni- kenny I ready inally kvhere armer ments If ne- i 17 verlheless, I only coiiipltHed at iVloiUieiil, rroni whence I transmitted iho wiiol(^ for *he . information of His Majesty's Executive Go- vernment. The next course natunilly presenting itself in order was the ascent of iho Ottawa iliver, and the visit and examination oMiie country in the vicinity of that important communi- cation. Leaving Montreal, tlierefore, on the 24tli August, I traversed the Island of that name, and Isle Jesus, passing by the Chemin des Nciges and St. Lament, to the village of St. Eustache, viewing willi njuch satisfaction the picturesque scenery whicli presents itself on looking back towards the Montreal Mountain. The numerous or- chards, the elegant and tasteful country seats, t!ie interesting little village of St. Laurent, composed of 1.5 or 20 houses, and various other objects, united to convey many pleas- ing sensations, and to bespeak the fertility of the soil, the affluence of one class of tlie in- habitants, and the rural pedce and comfort of the agriculturist. The village of St. Eustache is advan- tageously situated at the estuary of the river Du Chene, in the midst of a populous coun- try, and on the Stage route to the Ottawa. It contains about 1.50 houses, many of which are kept by shop-keepers, tradesmen, and hostlers — the population may be estimated at 800 souls, Dpon leaving this handsome for (lie 0(lH. wa. St Em. tacbe. T Gran() 18 village, the traveller passes through a well peopled country, the land gradually ascend- ing from thence to the neio-hbourhood of the small villace of Grand Brule, about fifteen miles distant from St. Eustache and half way to St. Andrews. Its first settle- ments were effected 15 years since, and con- tains this day 40 dwelling houses, and eight The Road, tolerable taverns. Fn. n Grand Brule the road turns towards the Grand Carrillion Bay, and is occasionally interrupted by ascents and desconls ; but on approaching the bor- ders of ihe Ottawa there is a steep declivity, from the ibol of which the road winds along the banks of tlie Ottawa until it intersects the North River, when it turns to the right, and, following the parallelism of the latter river, enters the village of St. Andrews. It may be remarked here, that a more direct route, from (irand Brule to this place, could be effected at little expense to the public, and save a distance of al least eight miles, which would much facilitate the change in contemplation, of conveying the mail Irom Montreal to Grenville in 24 hours, the time now required to run the stage from that city to St. Andrews. The road is in some parts ra- ther rough, but it may still be called very prac- ticable, and might easily be made excellent. sti an CO su th pe Sl.Ao(]rew9. The village of St. Andrews, in the Sei- gniory of Argenteuil, occupies both banks of tlie North River, and, i ; point of beauty and situation, has even the advantage of St. Eu- 19 a well scend- lod of about le and settle- d con- I eight lie the II Bay, iscents le bor- :Hvily, I along; ersects right, latler ^s. It direct , could Dublic, miles, nge in Irom time it city 'ts ra- prac- ellent. Sei- iks of y and Eu- stache. It contains about 28 or 30 houses, and an average population of 200 souls, composed of Americans and British born subjects. Besides a Grist and Saw Mill, there is an extensive establishment of a Pa- per iviill, belonging to a Mr. Brown, opposite whose residence there is a handsome .Bridge constructed over the river. Proceeding next to Grenville, I traversed a yet more interesting country, partly through Argenteuil, and the whole h'ont of Chatham. From the upper extremity of this Township to Grenville, the wav over which the stajje travels is almost impracticable, owing to the neglect of the landholders iu those parts (that traversing Mr. Greece's lands in parti- cular,) to perform the road duties, an object to which the attention of the District Grand Voyer should be called. I therefore adopted the route along the Military Canal for a dis- tance of about 6 miles. The handsome and well situated settlements on the front of Chatham, combined with the prospect of the majestic Ottawa, in sight of which we travel for the most part, together with the flourish- ing settlements and neat villas on the oppo- site shore, and especially the village at I^oint Fortune, form a cow[i d'mt truly interesting, particularly when it is remembered that all this is the work of 25 years, and the opening of one of the most important communications between the Sister Provinces of Lower and Upper-Canada, which is already so mate- Grantilla Chatham. Road. !H. 20 Mi'itury Es- tablislimcnd Canal. ItsoVje, t Wl.V iJ.c'!. rialU advcinced, whether we look at the land or wuler (Miivoyaiice. The Mihtary Establishment immediately contia'iious to (Treiiville Basin, (known also as Nelson's Bay,) is chietiy composed of two comprinies of the Royal Staff Corps, who liave been ein])loyed in opening the Canal, extending' tVoiu the Basin down to Greece's Point, in (Imlham, a distance exceeding six miles. This important work was conducted under the immediate superintendence and direclion of Captain Duvernet, then com- manding tiiat detachment ot this useful corps. This Otiicer iiaving last tall sailed for Eng- land, with his company, the connnand at the (ireiiville station has devolved upon Captain l^.ead, of the same corps. The ( anal, which is nearly completed, is cut through the solid reck in various parts, forming an aggregate lei:gtii ci" about 4 miles of rock excavation, loan extieme de|>th, in some par(s, of .30 feet. Its average width at bottom is from '25 to 30 feet, aiitl al lop from .*55 to 40, and the depth oi water is c<»n:j)'.ited at from 5 to 6 feet. It is expecled that, in the course of the ensuing- year, this valuable improvement of our in- ternal navigation w-ll be in full operation. '1 he object of the Gienville Canal is to con- •uect tl.j navigable Ejections of the Ottawa River interrupted by the impetuous Long Sauit Rapid, and oilier inferior rapids below il, erpecjally iliat in Iront of Mr. McRobb's }»ro(eily, at ihc ibol of which he has very P a h ti a e: 21 d land liately [1 also of two , who Uanal, recce's ng six [lucted :e and I corn- corps. r Eng- at the aptain which le solid regate atioii, feet, to 30 depth d. it isiiing ur ill- ail on. D con- ttavva Long )elow lOhb's very I judiciously laid out a village. It is antici- pated that the exertions of this Gentleman, aided by the means he possesses, w^ill prove highly beneficial to that part of the country. The extreme breadth of the Ottawa, from TbeLong the bottom of Nelson's Bay, rather exceeds ''^""• a mile and a quarter, spreading into a fine expanse of water flowing down mider the influence of a gentle current, until, attaining the Eastern point of the Bay, where the Ri- ver is contracted to a mile in width and in- terspersed with several Islands, it presses through its shackled channels with incredible velocity, bearing down every thing on its bosom, or within the pale of its attraction, witli irresistible force to the foot of the Islands, where it resumes, for a short interval, its eloquent placidness. On tiie Southern bank, opposite the military station, is situate the large and conspicuous concern known by the name of Hamilton's, or Hawkesbury, Hamilton-. Mills ; and about half a mile higher up, at the mouth of the small river Chenaille Ecar- te, are Mears's (irist and Saw Mills, Stores, llZllL Brewery, Tavern, and Stage Establishment, by which the mail is conveyed to Cornwall^ Upper-Canada, There is also a Wharf, at this spot, for the reception of the Steam-Boat steam Boat which ascends the River to Hull every third ^ or fourth day, keeping close in to the South shore, where it is met by boats from Gren- ville, when there are passengers or cargo to be conveyed to the upper parts of the country. f{ Bay. . 22 The Boat, however, occasionally traverses over to Grenville, but, in so doing, they are compelled to adopt a circuitous course by running close under the North shore, in order to avoid a sand shoal lying about parallel to the East side of Nelson's Bay, extending a mile, or thereabouts, in length, upon an aver- age width of a quarter of a mile, part of Neiion'i which is dry in summer. Nelson's Bay, with the exception of this shoal, offers a safe har- bour and good anchorage for tlie Steam- Boat or other vessels, which are sheltered by the highlands extending to the North and North- West of the Basin, and descendino- al- most to the margin of the River, except near the River Calumei, where the hills rise from a small butbeauliful meadow. These hiffh- lands, which might wilh propriety be called the Grenville Heights, stretch to the west- ward along the River, somewhat decreasing in elevation until their approach to the Sei- gniory of La Petite Nation, where they re- cede from the River about two miles, leaving in h'ont a low, level, and fertile country, pe- culiarly adapted for meadow land : the same ridge, extending in its westerly direction, traverses nearly the middle of Ihe Townships of Lochaber, Buckingham and Templeton, and, passing along the 9lh and lOlh Ranges of Hull, terminates on the margin of Lake Chaudiere (an expansion of the Ottawa,) in tlie upper part of Eardley. Grenville Height!. 2.3 verses ey are se by order illel to [ling a 1 aver- lart of ^ with fe har- Sleam- red by Ih and lino* al- pt near Be from e high- I called e west- reasing he Sei- hey re- eaving try, pe- ie same feclion, mships Ipleton, [ianges Lake ^a,) in Being at Grenville on the 28th of August, and finding it expedient to take advantage of the Sleam-Boat conveyance the next morning, I accordingly made the previous arrangements for visiting that Township on my return ; with this view I issued a notice, convoking a meeting of the Sslllers on the 5th of September. Therefore, my inspection of this Township, as well as that of Chatham, and the vacant tract adjoining it, in the rear of Argenteuil, will come under consi- deration in a subsequent portion of this Re- port. Meeting called. The distance from Grenville to Hull is 60 "^^'S^u' miles of uninterrupted navigation, which the Steam-Boat performs in 13 hours, averaging 5 miles per hour. Although, forsooth, this be not expeditious travelling, yet the com- modiousness of going over this long reach of the Ottawa with certainty of time and com- parative comfort, when we consider that it so recently required several days to run over the same distance in comfortless boats, we cannot but appreciate the advantage of such a vehicle, and render to the owners that tri- bute of praise and approbation which their spirited and laudable undertaking entitle them to. (Steam- The Union of the Ottawa ("for such is the J\tX':. appropriate name of the Steam-Boat,) car- llJ^T ries 150 tons, is 125 feet on deck by 23 feet beam ; it draws but little water, and is pro- fireiici Village of Lungueuil, IjA Pet i 10 Nation. 34 pelleil ])V II 2S horse power c»n<>,iiu'. The accoinmodalions iukI liirc are as oood as could reasonahly ])e ('\j)ecte(l, under every circumstance, whether we consider the in- fancy of the concern or the cheapness of the ])rice, which, for cabin passengers, is 20s, ; deck ])assengers 5s. ; and '.'!*h, Ad. per ton for i»,()ods and merchandise. On leavino' the Ha^in of (Irenville, the scenerv is hh.Muled in a manner peculiarly to intcn .^' the mind of ubservation. Tht; (iren- ville Heights (Ml the one hand; the low yet picturesque c(«untry on the other ; the sin- gular cluster of Islands principally obstruct- ing the channel of the Hiver, and, linally, the liead oi the Long Sault, exhibit a pros- pect by no means beneaiii the I'oel's descrip- tion. About ,*3 miles above Grenville, on the South side, is seen Mr, Alexander Grant's handsome dwelling-house ; and two mil }s beyond this stands the village of Longueuil, so called from the Seigniory of that name, the only French grant under the feudal sys- tem within the limits of Upper-Canada. The settlements of La Petite Nation are the next objects of perception presenting themselves on the North shore. This Sei- gniory is the property of Louis Papineau, Esquire, and is, from its advantageous local situation and extent, deserving of particular observatoi\. It is situate between the aug- mentations of Grenville and Lochaber, and bounded in front bv the Ottawa. It extends 25 ;o()(l as V every tlie in- s of the s 20s. ; )er toil 5 leagues in front by a dcplli of similar di- mensions. The lateral lines thereof run astionomieally N. 1 1" 20' l'. in ("onformity to an ancient Ordinance of the Province, estabhshing the bearing's of the Sei<^*norial Jin«s on the Ottawa, and, commencing' from the first fall in the River Pelile Nation, ex- lend Eastward. le, tlie arly to : (iren- )vv yet lie sin- struct- finallv, X pros- esc rip- on tile i rant's mil }s • uenil, lame, il sys- iiada. are anting s Sei- neau, local cular aug- and tends The front of this Seigniory i.s much indent- ^;^^'^: ed by the Ottawa, forming-, on thai shore, several coves and bays well adapted for the shelter of boats ; one of tlic.-e bays has near- ly two and a half leagues in deplii, running' almost parallel to the front, and forming an extensive Presqu'Tsle of the land which it di- vides from the main body of the Seigniory. The River La Petite Nation, which winds and traverses the Seigniory in the general direction from S. W. to N. E. runs tlirough a mountainous country, and, finally, dis- charges its waters into the Ottawa, to the Westward of the neck of land which unites the Peninsula with its parent soil, near the head of the arm of the Grand River already mentioned. Notwithstanding the uneven- ness and irregularity of the surface in that Seigniory, the soil, generally, and of the fore part especially, is reputed excellent, fertilized as it is by several small rivers and numerous streams ; advantages invariably met with in hilly regions, as a providential compensation for other inconveniencies. Tlie Canadian scttiemen> Fallr ..f ChiiUd JH 29 Minor Falls. Suhterra* neao water coarse 8. (Chute de la Chaudiere,) and has given its name to the Lakes above it produced by the expansion of the River. To the North of tlie Chaudiere Fall, is another Cataract of inferior consequence, 20 feet, or thereabouts, in lieight, which is remarkable for one pecu- liarity not observed in the other. — The wa- ters hurled into this last pit are seen no more, but flow under ground, leaving their visible bed little less than dry. Nearer the shores of Hull, are various gradations of cascades, equally curious, from a similar circumstance, that run considerable distances through sub- terraneous passages, of which several issues have been discovered. The prospect and appearance, altogether, of this section f f the varied Ottawa, may be compared, in point of singularity, interest, and grandeur, to the best scenery of the Canadas, which has so often been pictured by Tourists ; and I would even venture to say, that the deservedly famed stupendous Cataract of Niagara, might, in point of novelty and variety, yield to the Falls, Cascades, and Islands, in this particular section of the Grand River. The width of the River, from one main The River opposite shore to the other, opposite the village, is ^^ll^l upwards of 1780 yards, which may be di- vided into two parts. The first, a distance of about 3294 feet, has on its line a chain of Islands, at no considerable intervals from one another, which, by means of short bridges and causeways, could easily be connected. 30 The second part embraces the principal channel, 92 feet breadth by actual admea- surement, over which an arch might be thrown, connecting the North and South shores, 40 or 50 rods above Richmond Land- ing, from whence the mail is conveyed, through Richmond and Perth, to Kingston. IfTBHdge This important object cannot be viewed tlco^tud. without the most earnest desire and solicitude for its accomplishment, inasmuch as the communication between this Province and Upper-Canada would, thereby, become un- interrupted, certain, and secure ; and must, necessarily, consolidate and strengthen the Canadas, by ultimately rendering the St. Lawrence, which, from St. Regis, we hold in common with a Foreign power, a second- ary means of intercourse with the Sister Province. It is sincerely to be hoped, that the spirit of enterprise and improvement, which has of late years made its appearance in this Colony, will be extended to the ame- lioration suggested, and that the Legislature of both Provinces, always awake to the in- terest and prosperity of their rf !v;»t;tive de- partments, will devote a share of t^ieir usual attention to the opening of Canals, and the erection of Bridges, which must so material- ly facilitate their mutual commerce. chlSiSr.. '^^^ Rapids do not extend higher up than the small Island in front of Lot No. 15, from whence the Lake Chaudiere may be said to commence, expanding to an extreme 31 width of 3J miles. This place, it is proba- ble, would be found the most propitious as a landing for the Steam-Boat or craft that may hereafter ply upon this part of the Ottawa. The road, however, for a distance of 3 miles above this spot, is so very good, that it might, perhaps, be esteemed more advisable to esta- blish a landing at Symes's place, lying at the extremity of the Hull road, 7 miles distant from the village, where a wharf anc store have been already built. — Nor would any distance be lost by the adoption of the latter plan, inasmuch as the offset, from the main road to the landing first proposed, would render the water route, if any thing, the longer of the two. From Symes's Landing to the Rapides des K," ?" Chats, at the N. W. extremity of the Lake, is a distance of twenty miles of gentle cur- rent ; but at that point the River is obstruct- ed by a cluster of Islands, above which it again expands and assumes the name of Lac des Chats. than . 15, ay be ^reme Thus far did I ascend the Ottawa, ob- serving and noting, with peculiar diligence and attention, the many interesting objects which present themselves on either side ; and having described its Islands, Rapids, and Scenery, with that detail and accuracy it appeared to me the subject merited, I shall retrace my steps, and, descending the j«<«jjj,^y North bank of the River, enter into a more Balk."" 32 particular accounl of the actual state of the Town?hIps under agency, touching only cur- sorily those that have not yet bet been rang- ed under the superintendence of Agents upon that communication. On»Inw and Kaidley. ^•i The Townships of Onslow and Eardley take up the whole of the North shore of Lake Chaudiere. The former has been surveyed, and, in 1802 and 180*3, the first five Ranges were subdivided, and the lands, thus laid out, granted to Boswell Minor, and his associates, with the exception of 1200 acres, embracing the North-West Trading Post at Point Mon- dion, on Lot No. 7 in the 2d Range, which were patentc d to the Honorable John Rich- ardson and John Forsyth, Esquire, jointly. From Lot No. 9 in the 1st Ra^ige, the shore of the Lake runs about due Nortli to the 4th Range, which it bounds in front. The 1st, 2d, and 3d Ranges, are traversed by ridges of massive rock, amidst which are several small Lakes, and one, above the rest, distinguished by the appellation of Long Lake, used as a reservoir for timber, through which, also, boats and canoes pass, and are carried over, from its Western extremity, in- to Lac des Chats. This Township is tra- versed by many rivers and streams ; but the generality of the lands therein are not, as far as the surveys have extended, esteemed of a quality likely to induce emigration in that quarter. Opposite to Onslow and Eardley, are situate the Townships of March and of the ly cur- i rang- s upon ^ardley f Lake fveyed, flanges lid out, )ciates, )racing t Mon- wbicli 1 Rich- jointly, e shore to the . The sed by eh are he rest, Long hrougli md are lity, in- is tra- but the L, as far ed of a in that ^ardley, cii and .33 Tarboltoni presenting the aspect of an old settled country. Having given this brief description of Onslow, as Jbeing the last and must Westerly Township erected on the Ottawa, I come next to Eardley, which joins Onslow to the West, and Hull to the East. Its perpendi- cular breadth is the same as other River Townships, but its lateral lines, running magnetically North, differ widely in their depth, the Eastern line being 1009 chains, the Western line only 325 ; owing to the curves of the shore of the Lake, which runs about N. W. and presents a diagonal front to this Township of 14 miles, from its East- ern boundary in the 1st Range to the West- ern limits of the 9th. It is indeiited by Vwo large Bays, the first whereof lies above a small River, which falls into the Ottawa at Lot No. 8 ; the second extends from No. 21, to the Western bounds of the Township. In this Bay two other small Rivers discharge their waters, which, together with several other inferior streams, fertilize the front Ranges of this Township. The soil in Eardley does not yield in fer- tility to Hull ; it is well timbered with elm, beech, maple^ and pine, and may be said to possess every local advantage met with in the Townships below it. From the fool of the hills, which lie along the 6th Range, lo the margin of the Lake, Ih^ country is gene- E Eardley. SKuation, ■'\ti!iit, Ac. Hoi] and limber. 34 ra'.ly level, or rising into rich atid gradual swells of excellent land. ■^ pranted tliereiu. TIjo»e ungraiited. SetlleueDti. Rpfeience toStaiemeni No. S. A tract of 641 1 acres of the Eastern sec- tion of tins Townsliij) was granted, in 1805, to the Sandford and Lidiin families, and others ; the greater part whereof has been since conveyed to other individuals, as will ap- pear from the documents accompanying this Report ; and, subsequently, 2600 acres were patented to the Maclean family, which two grants occupied nearly the whole of the front. There are, however, large tracts of excellent lands yet ungranted within this Township, which, if ])laced under the superintendency of an active Agent, may in time become a settlement of interest and consequence. Out of the prosperous Colony of Hull, the settlements of Eardley may be said to have originated. They are chiefly in the Easter- ly quarter of that Township, and are tra- versed bv the Hull road, which extends to the 14th or 15th lot. Many neat and well cultivated farms are to be met with on this part of the road ; as also a School-House, an object of no little novelty or consideration in such a place, attended, I understand, by 20 to 25 youths of both sexes. With respect to quantity of land in a state of culture, the population, and general state of the settlements of Eardley, it will be ne- cessary to refer to statement No. 3. 55 radual rn sec- 1805, s, and 3 beeji vill ap- ng this s were 3h two 3 front, cellent mship, idency )ome a all, the o have ^aster- e tra- nds to d well on this jse, an ion in by 20 a state I state be ne- The Township of Hull succeeds Eardley, and joins Templelon to llie East. It is bounded in front by the Grand, or Ottawa River, and in the rear by waste lands of the Crown. Tt extends 16 Ranges in depth ; each Range being subdivided into 28 lots of 26 chains in breadth, by 80 chains, 80 links, in depth. Such are the authorised di- mensions of the lots of land in River Town- ships throughout the Province, excepting, of course, the lots broken and indented by the sinuosities of the River or Lake upon which they front, as occurs in the first, second, and third Ranges of the Township under consi- deration. It is abundantly watered by Rivers, Lakes, and numerous tributary Streams. The Gati- neau, the chief of the Rivers running through Hull, takes its rise far in the interior of the country, and breaking into Lot No. 23 of the 16th Range, enters the Township, which it traverses diagonally, varying in width fom 10 to 20 cliains, and finally disembogues in- to the Ottawa about half a mile below the Eastern outline of Hull, in the Township of Templeton. The depth of the River renders it fit to bear vessels of a large tonnage a dis- tance of 3 miles from its mouth — the Steam- Boat, indeed, has ascended it upwards of 4 miles. On the Eastern bank stands a con- spicuous hill, which, I conceive, might here- after become an object worthy of notice in a military point of view, from its shape and Hull. Boanilaries andexteat. Riven, Iiaki'i, &ct The Gatiiieau> Conipica ous Hill. L«kti> 36 rominaridiiig' position. Ascendinvaier,^ flowing North and South therefrom. 37 River ids are Dnie of ity and rather the 7th ated at The a small [lis side 3ve the t. 1 a tra- le 11th ). 28 in igth by narrow division langes, e about iiape of at Lot Its 3 Gati- th and contra- River ; viewing eighth, Town- lescrip" of the refrom. -y The Columbia Pond is another small Lake, coiumhi. lymg at the Eastern extremity of the fifth Range, the waters whereof fall into the Ot- tawa a little South of the estuary of the (ia- tincau. The face of the country in the front of this ''"^"J,',*.'" Township is generally a plane, undulated by gradual swells as far back as the 6th Range, where the ridge of highlands, precedently mentioned, arise and bound the vale to the North, traversing the Township in a curvili- neal direction almost parallel to the River. Beyond these mountains the land forsakes the aspect of a plane, and rising into more frequent and abrupt slopes, which, however, render it by no means unlit for tillage, it be- comes a ricli pasturing and grazing country, and as such is highly prized by the inhabi- tants. The soil in the level parts of Hull is esteemed of an excellent quality, whether be- tween the Ottawa and the highlands, or the intervales dispersed over its hilly sections. Hemp and flax are here cultivated with great advantage and success, as well as every description of grain raised in Lower-Canada. This Township is chiefly timbered with beech, birch, maple, pine, elm, and some oak, baswood, and hemlock. It is traversed in various parts by many roads, the principal of which, beginning at the Steam-Boat Land- ing, passes through Wright Village, from whence it extends diagonally to the 1 7lh Lot on the division line between the first and Soil. Timber. Roadf. ,38 h\ second Concessions, along which it runs to the Lake Landing at Symes's (formerly no- ticed^ ; from this place tlie road follows the margin of the Lake and enters into Eardley. Upon this road the greater portion of the most flourishing settlements of Hull are to be seen. Indeed, every thing exhibited a degree of affluence and comfort which must surpass the highest expectations of the visi- tor when he sets out to witness the progress and prosperity of a settlement not 25 years standing. Neat dwelling-houses, many of them two stories high, extensive barns, &c. meet your eye in every direction, while the fields and closes offer a sight no less, if not more, delightful as a pastoral scene — there cattle of every sort and in great numbers are seen grazing ; large herds of sheep wander over the grateful soil and seek a pasturage they readily find — meanwhile all the other objects attendant on rural life, uniting toge- ther, give an interest to the whole much bet- ter felt than expressed. Wright Village. Wright Village is pleasantly situated at the South-Eastern angle of this Township, occupying the front of Lots No. 2, 3 and 4 in the third Range. It is composed of eight or ten houses, besides a handsome Church, built upon an eminence, facing the River, decorated with much taste and surmounted by a neat spire. Nearly in front of the Chur h, and bordering the highway, stands a two story stone house, where a liberal Hotel 99 bet- EstablisliAient is carried on, affordinn^ com- fortable accommodations. • Westward from this Inn is another good stone bnilding, and several frame lionses. Opposite to these, on the other side of the main road and on the bank of the River, are sitnted the Grist and Saw Mills, a Blacksmitli's Forge, Stores, &c. and a spacious and conspicuous stc ^.e Edifice, with a Cupola, which is often mis- taken by visitors for a Church from its sin- gular construction. The mill dam project- ing out upon the reef of rocks, towards the rapid, is remarkable for its extent and solidi- ty. To the West of the mill is the long causeway, and bridge, over which the public road is continued. Upon the first rise of the hill. West of the bridge, is the handsome and comfortable habitation of Philemon Wright, Esquire, and, beyond it, the School-House, where I witnessed, with extreme satisfaction, the advances made in the elementary branch- es of education by the youths of both sexes, to the number of 30 or 40. The order and regularity with which the School appears to be conducted reflects much credit upon the Teacher. There is also a Post Office at **'wW.** the village, under the direction of Mr. Rug- '^"' baiter, gles Wright, as Post-Master. The whole of the village is the property of Philemon Wright and Sons ; a circumstance which explains the tardy increase of its buildings and population, it being the interest of those gentlemen to avoid bringing competitors in the various concerns they carry on at that 40 place. Tl is obvious, thereforo, that it be- comes an object of expediency to establish, vm»r' i" some olher part of Hull, a (rovernment Vil- i..opoua. ijjg^^ open to l^mi<^rants settling there ; and, having* viewed the country, I would humbly beg leave to propose Lot No. 21, in the 2nd Range, as a very propitious site for a village, from its contiguity to the River and locality. The lease, under which it is held as a Crown Reserve, is almost expired, and I have little doubt that the holder would forego his lease on equitable consideration. Previous to taking leave of this part of the Township, it may not be amiss to notice a chasm of considerable length in the solid rock, vary- ing greatly ia width at different points until it meets the River. ^ lies South of the vil- lage road, and thou t contains 5 or 6 feet water in spring and fall, it is nearly drained in summer. A chaim In Ibe lolld rock. Columbia Fafm. The Columbia Farm is situated in the fourth Range, about one mile and a half from the Ottawa, to the West of Mr. Wright's house. The extent, position, and state of culture of this farm, deserve to be particular- ly remarked. It consists of a large dwelling house, lying East of the road upon a gradual slope, the ground ascending to the West, and is occupied by one of Mr. Wright's family. In the lower part of the farm is a Distillery, and on the opposite side of the road stand the out houses, barns, &c. covering a large area of ground forming a square, of which one of 41 it be- ablish, iitVil- ; iim\, umbly le 2ikI ill age, calily. LVowu e litlle 3 lease 3US to ^iislii|j, Lsm of vary- s until le vil- 6 feet rained n the ffrom ight's ate of cular- elling adual t, and iinily. illery, id the area ne of \\\c sides is 200 foci. The oonveiiioni and judicious su])di\isi()ii and d'cononiv of this dcparlineiit ol' farminj,' urti truly nieritorious, and relloct ^Tcat credit upon the enterprise and iu(l<2,'iiient dI' the proprietor, Nvliose con- stinU aini to inij)r()ve the breed oi" cattle in that sictionof lh(; country, hasljccn attended u'ilh every success. Westward of C()huni)ia Farm, is C'hamberlain's Farm placed upon an uiu'lVS eminence from whence I had an ojiportunity of takino' a few sketches of the sarroundin«>: country, which, from this position, offers many handsome landscapes. From Columbia Farm two roads l)ranch off in different direc- tions. The one passiui*" along the edge of the Pond, previously mentioned, leads to the Gatineau farm, remarkable as being the spot selected by Mr. Fh. Wright in 1801 for his first and original habitation, and as such is not divested of interest, it being, as it were, the parent of the actual flourishing settlement of Hull. Tiie other road directing its course Westward, winds suddenly at lot No. 8, and rejoins the main front road ; meanwhile the Columbia road continues towards the North until it meets the River Gatineau, in the 7th Range> where Mr. Christopher Wright's new m^ n.ri.«r. farm is situated on the lots recently located "■"'»•' to him. This gentleman has already cleared 40 acres, most of which are under cultivation, and, besides his own residence, lias completed the frame work of a capacious barn. From hence tlie road runs principally along the f,i;|;f,;^"„*^^g banks of tlie Gatineau, to the eleventh and F 12 Settlers. ■M: Sau' mill nn No. 15. Plate of the toads. luoHtli Riin^pR ; hilt 1 directccl my course A\^^st\>ar(l, by the road between the seventh and eioliih Kani>es, into the newSeltlemenfs, On lot No. 15, the road divides itself into two branches, leadinir respectively to the large and small I^akes, formerly spoken of. At the lat- ter place, I witnessed the industry of two yonnti; emigrants, whose exertions as farmers give every reason to anticipate the most fa- vorable rcsidls to themselves and to the Township in which they are settled. There is a Saw Mill on lot No. 1.5 ; and it might be found expedient to appropiiate lot No. 14 for a Village, as being at the forks of two roads, having a Saw-Mill hard by, and a tolerable cultivated farm in its vicinity. The state of these new Settlements is sufficiently prosper- ous, considering the short time elapsed since the people have been located. With respect to the roads in these parts, Hi tie can be said for them, nor indeed would it be fair to expect to find good roads so far in the interior of a new country. From the frequent winding of the road, the distance is considerably length- ened, an inconvenience generally existing at the lirst start of an infant Settlement, but ulti- mnlely rcctiticd. The road which passes the small Lake leads into Eardley, and terminates at Lake( haudirre in the fourth Raime of that 'l\)wnship. F"om the forks at No. 15 in the eight Hange, another road running due South, branches oir and strikes the Ottawa, havino* • • 1 • but tew Settlements upon its borders, until it reaches I lie lifth and fourth Ranges, where course seventh emenfs, nto two rg*e and the lat- of two farmers iiost fa- to the There light be . J4for ) roads, )lerable slate of rosper- :d since respect be said expect or of a ding of ength- ing at ut ulti- ses the linates ofthat in the South, laving mtil it wliere TiliPrliig 43 farms are more frequently met wiih, which progressively increase as you traverse the third Range, and advancing tovvaids the Ri- ver, you enter into an apparently old settled country. I should have noticed whilst speak- ing of the Roads and Settlements in thejse- venth and eighth Ranges, the two Establish- ments of Mr. Tiberius Wright situated on the Eastern bank^^of the (iatincaii, alon"- which the road is opened for some distance. His lands liave an advantageous local silua- tion, are in a high state of culture, and ailbrd excellent pasturage. It is proper to notice that the cultivation of Spring Wheat (sown chiefly in August) lias been attended with much success, and in some instances, one bushel sowed at that sea- son has produced 30 to 40. Admitting this, however, to be an extraordinary and casuai production, and taking it that one bushel could generate 25 to 30 bushels, instead of 40, the advantage of Spring AV'heat over the Autumnal will still be manifest, the latter being known to produce no more than 1.3 and 20 to one. The subject is well worth the attention of the Agriculturists of the country, and may be the means of their raising two crops in the year, or at least atibrd advanta- ges heretofore unknown to them. The Township of Hull was surveyed and ;^,';;; ;j,",;,",; subdivided in 1801, under a warrant ol sur- •"';;;;; '" wlieit tp- coranicnded. 14 Ph.WrighJ, K(»|. and assoiiati's. H>k|ueii(8. vey issi.ed in favor of Philimon Wright, Esq. and nine associates, (including two of liis sons,) who obtained a grant of 12C00 acres under Letters Patent in l806, embracing the whole front of this Tow nship, and compre- hending the hrst, second and third Ranges, parts of tlic fourth, fifth and sixth, and two lots in the seventh Range, tlnough which the River Galineau runs. The associates in this grant reconveyed, as was the practice at that time, the greater part of the lands to tlieir leader, as an indenmihcation for expenses in- curred in the survey, and for Patent Fees on the grant, by which means Mr. Wright became the principal and almost sole pro- prietor of the lands thus granted, u|]on which it appears he and his sons have made im- provements to the considerable extent of 4,703 acres in culhnc, 24 houses, &c. This gentleman is entitled to the highest praise, for tlie perseverance and spirit of enterprise he so strongly evinced, by setting himself dow n in a wilderness, remote from the ves- tige of a settlement, and a distance of eighty miles up the Ottawa. The many hardships and privations he must have suffered, in thus laying the foundation of the prosperous set- tlement, which has since grown to conse- quence from liis exertions, can easily be imagined, when we consider the variety of obslacles he had to surmount ; obstacles, ne- vertheless, incident to the formation of every settlement in a new countrv. il, Esq. of liis ►0 acres ;ing- the lompre- langes, ind two which :iates in ctice at to their uses in- 11 1 Fees VVriglit i)\e pro- 1 which ide im- teiit of This praise, erprise liinself le ves- eighty dships n thus ms set- couse- ly be iety ot es, lie- every rnment ward* hliQt 45 In thus acknowledging the well known Lih«,n., merits of Mr. Wright, it is but just to state, fi.V"' that the liberality of His Majesty's Govern- ment towards that individual has been un- bounded ; and that upon a recapitulation of the various grants made to himself and his fa- mily in Hull and Lochaber, it vvill be found that 9,145 acres were, with the exception of 1 200 acres ^ocafed to his junior son, Mr. Christopher Wright, granted to them under Letters Patent. This alone could not but be deemed a full and generous compensation and reward for Mr. Wright's unremitting ex- ertions to forward the prosperity of that part of the Ottawa, when it is considered, that in so doing he was at the same time very essen- tially and certainly very equitably benefitting himself. But, if to this be added the recon- veyance of at least 7,000 acres in Hull by his associates, and not less than 5,000 acres in Tempieton, making a total of 2 1 , 1 45 acres, it will be found that Mr. Wright has been quite adequately compensated for his assiduity and successful endeavours to promote the set- tlements in that section of the Province. The Inhabitants of this Township (whicli was placed under Mr. Wright's superintend- ency in 1824,) are, with iew exceptions, of American birth, save the young and rising generation, who are of course British born subjects. In no part of the country through which I had occasion to pass, have I witness- ed more industry and good understanding The [nhabltiiuU. Iron Ore. 46 llian are to be seen in Hull, where the people seem universally to enjoy a degree of ease and comfort seldom met with in a dawning colony. The statistical exhibit of the settle- ments, population, &c. of this Township, will be found in statements Nos. 4 and 5, and in respect of the Lots under lease in No. 6. Previous to closing the account of Hull, it is proper to remark, that in the seventh Range there is a Mine of a superior description of Iron Ore, said to produce about 80 per cent. The Township also abounds with lime stone. My observations and remarks on the setlte- nients, &c. of the Township of Hull, being finally completed, and having in contempla* lion the visit and inspection of the several and respective Townships lying between that ^f just disposed of and Grenville, I conceived it Vblrk necessary to facilitate the performance of that part of my duty to hire a bark canoe, in which I descended the River, stopping at con- venience to enquire and examine into the slate of the settlements along these Townships, and with this view left Hull ou the 3rd Sep- tember. n<>«rent of llu; River Templeton: The Township of Templeton adjoins Hull to the West, and Buckingham to the East ; Boundaric. it is bouudcd in front by the Ottawa, in rear by the Township of Portland and waste lands of the Crown, and is of the usual dimensions of River Townships. Eight Ranges tliercof 47 people )f ease Lwning seltle- ip, will and in 6. rlull, it Range tion of jr cent. I stone. I setlte- being empla^ several in that ived it ice of oe, in t con- Ito the ships, Sep- HuU ^^ast ; rear I lands isions Lereof Poil, Timbci, &e Rlv«>r8and Pondsi were surveyed in 1805, and the generality «"',;;;*" of the lands thus laid out have been foinid of an excellent quality, abounding with mea- dows, and rising, from the fore part, into fertile swells of fine land, some sections of which, nevertheless, are stony. So far, however, as the surveys have extended, it must be acknowledged that, in point of soil and timber, Templeton has the advantage of Hull. Norway, white, and yellow pine, are more abundant there than in any other Township on that River ; the rear Ranges being chiefly timbered with elm, birch, beech, maple, and baswood ; and the front with spruce, cedar, baswood, and balsam. It is exceedingly well watered by the Great and Little Rivieres Blanche, the entrance of the River Gatineau, and a number of other in- ferior Streams — besides several Ponds along its front, which overflow- in the spring and fall of the year. The Grande Riviere Blanche takes its source far in the interior, and tra- versing the Eastern quarter of Portland, it runs through part of Buckingham, and en- tering into Templeton between the seventli and eighth Ranges, it winds most singularly upon that line as far as lot No. 11. From thence it alters its course Southward, to the division line between the first and second Ranges, and winding Eastward through the second Range, it discharge itself at lot No. 3 into an arm of the Ottawa, which connects that River with one of the Ponds already al- Grande vlivitire Blanche. blaiK'tif. s. w. qu:ir(i'r of Yeiiipleloiii II . 51 48 ludeil lo. The Lillle River Blanche enters into Ihis ''J'ovvnship at the fourth Range, winds transversely through the two front Ranges, and then forsakes this Township altogether fok* Buckingham. The Gatineau lias but lillle lo do with Templeton, as it merely cuts off a small angle of the Town- ship. At its confluence with the Ottawa at lot No. 27, Long Point Range, it is nearly 20 chains wide, and traversing lot No. 28, N. W. from thence it enters Hull. A long narrow Pond extends across Nos. 26, 25, 24 and 2.3 of Long Point Range, almost pa- rallel lo the shore ; and another of the same description stretches obliquely across several lots West of the River Blanche in the first Range. The South- Westerly quarter of Temple- ton was laid out pursuant to a Warrant of Survey issued in the name of Philimon Wright, and associates, the former of whom does not appear to have had any further grant in this Township in his own name. Mr. Wright having defrayed all the expenses at- tendant on this grant, the lands of the associ- ates were, I presume, for the most part recon- veyed to him, as had been done on similar occa- sions, which accounts for the large tract now possessed by that gentleman in Templeton. The settlements of this Township, are chiefly in the quarter mentioned, and may like those of Eardley, be said to have grown out of those of Hull. 49 ?. enters Range, [) front iwnship atineau n, as it Town- tavva at 3 nearly No. 28, A long 26, 25, lost pa- ne same several the first temple- rant of hilimon whom r grant Mr. ises at- associ- recon- [rocca- Ict now Ipleton. |cliiefly those mt of S. E. quarrer tc() to llan and associate** The South-East quarter, or rather 13,650 acres, were granted to Alexander McMillan pj'*"^^ and others, in March 1807, the greater num- ber of whom have reconveyed therein lands to him, a practice which, 1 believe, obtained also in Lochaber and Grenville, of wiiich more particular mention will be made here- after, intending only at this moment, to ex- plain how Mr. McMillan has become the proprietor of such large tracts of land, em- bracing so extensive a front upon siich an im- portant communication as that of the Ottawa. The Road opened by the Comrriissioners, '^'•^„^;(I'"° passes over the front of this Township, but owing to the want of settlers I ) keep in a state of repair, it is neglected, and has become al- most impracticable — besides, it appears that certain lumber dealers, who make no scruple of cutting down timber, wherever they may think fit, without consulting tiie proprietors of the soil, have some time within the two last years, carried off and destroyed the "uJe^Hi";" Bridge which had been built over the River calm'foff Blanche, for the purpose of taking their rafts '■'^^'"•^'• down that River into the Ottawa. Suspi- cions have fallen upon some individuals as the authors of this flagrant depredation ; but as no positive proof could be adduced upon the subject, no measures have been adopted for reparation, and the Province thereby sus- tains a loss of £150 to £200, which had been very judiciously expended in the ameliora- tion of that route. .50 Rpfifii for \ illapes re- coniintii (It'll. The cxpc(li(?ncy of reserving sucli lots in each 'rownsliip as appear most eligible for Villao-es and Glebes, is, in nny opinion, a paramount object ; and immediately after the subdivision of a Township, a block of 500 acres should be reserved for that pur- ])ose. As far as respects the Township un- der consideration, the whole front thereof lias been granted, and several of the Crown and Clergy Reservatioris described for leases in favor of Mr. McMillan, in 1808 and 1809 ; but tlie leases were not, 1 imagine, taken out. TJie most suitable site for a Village in the present instance would doubtless be on the Uiver ; here, however, a compact square of 500 acres is no more at the disposal of Go- vernment, and the only altcn'native now re- maining would be, to appropriate lots Nos. 6 and 2 J, in the first Range, for that object, in the front of the Township ; whilst another ]nopilioiis and centrical position might be choscii therein for a second Village and (ilebe. jSolhiug demonstrates more the ne- cessity of Reserves of tliat description than the end^arrassment existing on the present occasion. Ahn«f'(-f :,'(! eraiiti. I'pon reviewing the immense grants of lands that were made to individuals in this I'rovince many jears back, we cannot but regret seeing them to this day, for by far the mo.^t j.art, wholly uncultivated, contrary to tlie iulentions of liis IMajesty's Government and the verv conditions of the Letters Patent lots ill ble for ion, a r after ock of Lt pur- lip un- hereof [Jrown leases 1809; ?n out. in the on the larc of of G fl- ow re- s Nos. object, notlier »ht be e and he ne- \ than nesent mts of in this ot but far the ary to nment I'alent All aliiiat' C"';>t 1 itu III'.' H'-.||-U| im" i;r uin III ol hemselve.s. These old onmicei^, however, are likely to bo called to a sense of their eu- o-ngenients and obli^'ations towaicls the Go- venni^ent of this Golonv, ])y the lively ii\ler- est it has taken, and the nieiu;ures it has re- ■'^orted to, with a view to the attainu\onl. of so desirable an object. In consideriiig this sub- iect, it struck nie that an abu«e iiad crept ij»to the system of ^-ranting lands to leaders ^^^c\^ and associates, productive of great disadvan- tag-es to the country, and defeating the pa- ternal views of Goveriniient in alienating so large a portion of the Crown lands. Tiie abuse 1 would allude to is, ihe custom which has long prevailed for leaders, lo whom the lands of the associates have been mostly re- conveyed, of offering, as a full and adequate accomplishment of the conditions of their grants, an improved and cidtivatcd b'ock of land, proportionate in quantity to the aggre- gate of the lands granted to themselves and each of the associates respectively. Now it appears to me, in my humble opinion, that the motives of the grant were and are, on the contrary, that each individual grantee should settle, cultivate and improve the tract patented to him, whether it be 200 or 1200 acres. If the leader think proper to pur- chase the shares of his associates, he should equally be held liable to do that which was imposed upon himself and his associates as conditions of the orant ; without such a re- sponsibility the Government is deceived, and The coiony the country suffers materially in its settle- the'S. by Tempivluo, 52 Exempi>fie.> mGnls. Tliis IS exemplified by the actual state ol Templelon, where ttiere are only 7 iiouses, 4 barns, and 186 acres cleared, of which 156 are in cv.llure, as the result of grants made lo i[)7 individuals, as far back as 1 807. I beg leave to refer to the State- ment No. 7, for the details. tin- pedliiienU |i-iillallv The impediments which the non-settle- ments of those large ])atented tracts offer to the opening and keeping up of public roads traversing the same, have been partially ob- viated by the adoption of a new system of laying out the Crown and Clergy Reserva- tions in blocks, leaving, thereby, the check- ered Reserves grantable within the grants in each Townsiiip, and open to actual settlers, excej)t the appropriated Clergy Reserves that remain in their former situation. Poitland. Prior to entering into the description of Buckingham, it may be proper to notice the Township of Portland, which rests upon parts of the rear of the Townships of Tem- pleton and Buckingham respectively. The Easterly quarter tlicreof was surveyed and subdivided in 1805. It is watered by the River Blanche, and reported to be mountain- ous and rocky ; but 1 have reason to doubt the correctness of this account, from the many erroneous descriptions given of lands, which have since proved to be highly valuable, and ht for culture. A further and more accurate inspection of the lands in that Township W liJi aclual only 7 'ed, of 3ult of r back State- -settle- )ifer to ; roads illy ob- tem of 3serva- check- ants in ettlers, eserves ion of ce the upon Tem- The ?d and jy the ntain- bt the many which e, and urate mship 53 inayi and 1 have reason to think would pro- duce a more favorable report. The Tovvnshi[) of Huckin<»*hain adjoins Tetnpleton to the West, and Lochaber to the East, havin*^ its front on the Ottawa and Portland, and the waste lands of the Crown in the rear. It is divided into twelve Ranges, and each of these, into 28 lots of 25 chains 7 1 links in breadth, by 81 chains, 66 links in depth, making a superficie of 200 acres, ex- clusive of the usual allowance of five per cent lor highways. The four first Ranges, and one half of the fifth, were surveyed and mark- ed in the field in 1802, with the exception of the late Capt. Robertson's 2000 acres which were laid out on either side of the River au Lievre, two years antecedent to that period. The general description given of the lands in the Townships already spoken of, may, in many respects, apply to this, if we except the features of the country from the fourth Range Northward, which become more bold and conspicuous, rising to greater elevation, and in various places steep and abrupt. The account of this part of the Township being collected merely from an exploring survey made along the River au Lievre, it is not at all improbable, that upon an accurate survey and subdivision of the rear two-thirds of the Township, many highly cultivable tracts may hereafter be found. From the fourth Ran^e Southward, to the borders of the Ottawa, tlie surface is low and generally level, occasion- Burking- Bouiidariei, iiC, QmiUtyoT the laud. Tlip Iliver 54 jiliv lisini;' 1111(1 ralliiii»' iti ^'onlle slopes of fer- tile land, covered willi lari;e and well i>rovvii Tiiiiher. The major {)arl of liie first l{aii<»e is overllowed in llie Spring and Fall of llie year, by llie rise of llie Ollavva, thereby copi- ously irri<»-alinf»* the soil, and leavin*^*, when the waters recede, most wholesome and rich Rivor., ftr. pasturage. The surveyed part of this Town- ship is most abundantly moistened by the lliver an l^icvre, (also called the Lelievre) and numerous inferior rivers, streams, and rivulets, which meander tiirough tiie Town- sliip in various directions, and discharge their waters into the Ottawa and River au I.ievre, the latter whereof is conspicuous for its size as a branch of the former, as well as from the peculiar singularity of its bends, and the variety of its widths. This Uiver not having been explored bevond the limits of Huckingliam, little is known of its source ; but from the magnitude of the stream we may fairly conij)ute its rise to be far North. It traverses the Township in the general course of North and South, winding various- ly and forming at intervals several iJays and spacious IJSasons, until it reaches the middle of the lirst Range, where it severs into two principal channels, that of the South-East flowing towards the Ottawa, whilst the otlier running South-AVesterly, disembogues into an extensive Pond, lying parallel to the Grand River, and extending from lot No. 15 to 22, inclusive. This Pond communicates with the Ottawa through the entrance of the Le s of fer- l i>rovvn I of lllL' l)y copi- L>', when iiul ricti Tovvn- by the clievre) lib, and Town- scliarg-c liver an jons for ; well as nih, and iver not iniits of sonrcc ; 3ain we North, general carious- ays and middle nto two th-East e other ; into an Grand to 22, 3s with the Le 55 Liovre, whoso width at its juncture wilh the former is about 5 chains. About two miles u|) the River, and upon the division line be- tween the first and second Ranoes, is a i*a- son nearly circular, jierfeclly accessible by the Steam-Hoat which plies between Gren- ville and Hull. North of this Rason a most propitious site for a villa»*c presents itself; i)ut here again, as in a case anteriorly ad- verted to, the lands have been granted to the late Gaptain Robertson, who, by the bye, has to this day left his lands in an absolute state of nature. The next most eligible position for a village, is the Grown Re- serve No. 10, in the second Range, situ- ate in the proximity of the Bason, half whereof has recently been located to an indi- vidual who might probably surrender his claim to that part, if proposals were made and compensation .taidered to him. In that case the nearest Grown Reserve to No. 10 would be appropriated for the Ghurch, and other objects specitied in the Agent's instruc- tions. Above the Rason, the navigation of the River is obstructed by Rapids and small Waterfalls, a distance of one mile and up- wards, when it again becomes navigable lor about two miles more ; beyond that point no correct account is given of the River. Its banks are elevated, and upon them are to be found many very excellent mill sites ; indeed Mr. Rigelow, who is the actual proprietor of a large portion of the granted lands in this Township, has recently commenced the erec- iniirt lip ilie I." |iiitr«', arcfH^lliit* by Mr- 111! Uuul. ViIlap;Si(«. ^ BIpelowN SawMill. Miserable Scttlemeuts, The Roai' 56 tion of a Saw Mill, and cleared several acres adjacent thereto. For particulars as to the extent of his improvements, and his views on that subject, I beg leave to refer to the document E. Such a step taken at the period of the original grant, in 1802, would certainly have held out a strong inducement to the settler, and instead of witnessing, along the borders of the Ottawa in that part, and here and there in the interior, a few misera- ble hovels, the traveller of 1824 might have beheld here the progress of industry, and, perhaps, a renewal of the prosperous and gratifying scene of the settlements of Hull, 'i'he road opened by the Commissioners, w hich passes through the front of this Town- ship, is just as little attended to as in Tem- })leton. Of the part of this Township that has been surveyed, 16 940 acres were granted under Letters Patent, in 1799 and 1803, to Captain Robertson, Eli Hawley, Wades, Dunning, and others. Touching the statistics of this I'ownship, reference may be bad to State- ment No. 8. Loch \nfir, fnrr.ieily Sull'olk. The next '^iWnship presenting itself in succession is Suffolk, recognized in the War- rant of Survey as Lochaber and its Aug- Booadarie,, mcutation, adjoining Buckingham on the A\ est, aiul the Seigniory of La Petite Nation on the East, bounded in front, to the South, by the Ottawa, and in the rear by waste 57 IjukIs of the Crown. The highlands, cle- sonnt.im scribed in the former pages as stretching across tlie other Townships, traverse the fiftli Range of Lochaber, leaving at their base an extensive plane, terminating at the River, equal, if not superior, in point of fertility of soil, to Hull, Templeton, or Buckingham, and timbered with beech, maple, elm, oak. Timber. and pine of the first description. Beyond the fourth Range the face of the country is ti i.miin greatly changed, and becomes what might be call d a hill and dale country, offering, nevertlieless, large intervales of rich natural meadows. By far the greater proportion of this Township is susceptible of agricultural improvement, and, convinced of tliis, nume- rous applicants have solicited grants therein, as may be seen by reference to the docu- ments imder the letter F. Lochaber is co- >^''"'' ^''' piously watered by the River Blanche, which sju'eacls into three principal branches, rather u[)\vards of a mile from its junction with the Ottawa, about the centre of tlie front of the Township. A River of the same name iiav- ing already been spokeni of, it is necessary to remark that the River Bkinche here al- luded to, is distinct from tlie Great and Small Rivers Bhuiche mentioned in the topogra- phical account of Templeton. I would hum- bly suggest the necessity of a correction of this anomaly, however unimportant it may appear, as it might hereafter lead into error. Bt sides several other Streams and Rivulets ^vhich irrigate this Township, there are on H River Bhinclie. Poiiils, Jlc. 58 Front of til.' 'ri)wnslii|) OMillnuciI ill '^|lrlll2; and I'dll, Wfstini lloiiiul.iry of r.a Petite Nation, fjoipriior ill < hirfs onliifcir tlif" SllTM'V, .i\--t J)fi ► iiiher» Iii'^tniftidiis III !Mr. Koiiiiiic, ». P. s. its iVoiit lliree or four exlcnsivc Poiuls, eacli separated from the River by a narrow istli- inus, and some of tlieni communicating with it throuo'li small inlets. The most consider- able of these Ponds, lying' in the Western angle of the Township, extends some dis- tance into Buckingham, whilst that on the East. Iraversinir the front of the Augmenta- tion, enters La Petite Nation, and connects Avllh the Ottawa. The whole forej)artoi his Township is overflowed by the vernal and autunmal rise of the waters of the Grand Piver, in the same manner as it has been observed to do in Buckingham. In noticing the Pond in the ^ ^astern angle of Lochaber, which might perhaps more judiciously be termed an arm of the Ottawa, I should have menlioned tiie Presqu'lsle existing between the River and the Pond in queslion, across which the AWstern boundary line of the Seigniorv should l)e prolonged. An order to tliat effect was given by His Excel! ency the (lovernor in Chief, dated .31st December, 182.3, whereby the survey of the (Jore or Augmenlation of Eochaber was directed to be performed at the costs and cx|)cnse of J\lr. Sanuiel Dawson, to whom a Q-viint »»! land Ihert'in was conleuiplaled. Inslruclions from this Ofliee were thereupon given to Mr. J(>nepii Eortune, 1>. P. S. in January, 1824, and a letter of nuliheation addressed to the llonoiable .1. L. Papineau, l\scpiire, Seignior of La Pelite Nation, expre--ing llie (iovernor in Chief's commands, that he liavc 59 Is, eacli >vv istli- ig with )nsicler- V^eslern ne (lis- on the ;inenta- oiinects tol his iiiil and (j rand LS been loticini^' chaber, isly bo Id have etweeii across (d' tll(3 I order encncy ember, ^ore or cted to 'Use oT lunt (il iclions ven to nviary, hessed scjuire, iio- (lie c iiave I lie l)oundarics of his Seigniory determined by actual achneasurenient in the lield, in conlormity to his Titles. The survey, how- ever, was not carried into effect, notwith- stanchng Mr. Papineau's readiness to acqui- esce tlierein, and no further steps having- since been taken relative to that measure, it is for the present dropped. It may be pro- '^^J.'.IX"' j)er to remark, that, upon that section of the non'"o"ni',e peninsula last mentioned, which lies across *"""'■ the front of the Gore or Augmentation of Ijochaber, some improvements have been made by one Dunsmore, who has. Jointly with a Mr. ^loore, applied for a grant of liie ground in question. Tiiis Township was surveyed and i)arlly ,.t»""^|'|,, hidjdivided in 1805, and the greater part '^"^' thereof granted to different individuals, viz : 1.3,2(il acres were patented to Mr. Archibald ^m,"';„|" Mc^lillan, and others, in March 1807, since which period he has, 1 presume, become the proprieUn* of most of these lands, by con- veyances from the parlies concerned. In August 1823, Phihmon Wright, Esquire, obtained a further grant of 1,945 acres, making, together with Mr. jNlcMillan's grant, a total quantum of 15,206 acres, of which l.'3,261 acres have been under ])atent nearly cigiiteen years. Notwithstanding the anti- sememcnu quity of llie grant, the Townsliip may be ^aid wholly to remain in its original state of nature, not ])oj)ulated, \uiinq)roved and un- uullivalcd, with very lew exceptions indeed ! McMill.111 and Wrijjht. 60 The lload. Vlllnge propoiieil. Upon this and the preceding subject, I beg leave to refer to statement No. 9. The pub- lic road passes through the front of Loch- aber, unrepaired and ahnost impassable, there being no inhabitants upon its borders to keep it in proper condition. Its locality is such as to admit of its hereafter becoming a fine road, opened as it is upon high ground to the North of several Ponds, which lie along the Southern boundary of the Town- ship. The same difliculty presents itself here, as in Templeton, respecting the setting oft' a block of 500 acres for a village, on the borders of the Ottawa. I am therefore in- duced to suggest, as the only remaining pro- pitious site lor that object at the disposal of Govcnunent in Lochaber, the Crown Re- serve No. 15, in the first Range, being an irregular lot containing 187 acres, eligibly si- tuated at the entrance of the River Blanche ; and for the (ilebe, &c. lot No. 16, or, if this should be under lease, lot No. 18, in the se- cond Range. A second village might also very judiciously be laid out, in the seventh Range, wliere the lots Nos. 13, 14, and the East hall" uf No. 15, which are traversed by an arm of the River Blanche, might be ap- propriated as a centrical position for a simi- lar object. Orpnvillt! UK. Upon leaving the Augmentation of Loch- "•'"'""• a])cr KasUvaid, I passed into the Seigniory of La IV'lilo Nation, and travelling through a tolerable <^ood road, and lor the most pait » I beg' le pub- Loch- issable, borders locality coming- oTound licli lie Town- s itself setting* on the bre in- tig pro- josal of vn Re- sing an ;'ibiy si- anche ; , if this the se- ht also eventh md the sed by be ap- la simi" Loch- iory of iiigli a it pait 61 amidst settlements, I entered the Augmenta- tion of Grenville, and there took down the notes and remarks to be subsequently men- tioned. The Township of Grenville which noundaric next presented itself is, together with its Aug- mentation, bounded in front by the Ottawa River, to the East by Chatham, in rear to the North by waste lands of the Crown, and to the West by La Petite Nation. It possesses many advantages from its local position, situate as it is between the flourishing settle- ments of Hull and Argenteuil, liaving a spa- cious and convenient Bason at the head of the Long Sault, and also the incalculable advantages of the Military Canal, mentioned and described in the beginning of this Report. The front of this Township as well as se- veral others on the Ottawa, was surveyed and subdivided into lots as far back as 1788, at which period tlie locality of Grenville ap- pears to have been viewed with the same favor and consideration as it is this day, if we judge of the project then contemplated of encouraging a V^illage at the Bason ; and for that object a Iriictot one mile square was set aside, besides 400 acres appropriated for the Church and other public institutions. In 1807 the South-Easterly section of the Town- ship was laid out and subdivided ; and in 1 82 1 and 1 822, the survey was extended to the seventh Range inclusively. The lands thus surveyed have not been Ibund of a very favorable description, but on the contrary Ylllare projt'cti'd near Uie Busoit ill 17i>8. Survevs (.f ISOTaiiil IS.'l, Ibid. Quality of thu I'illiU. G2 Mountaini. Meadow Hlniif^ liiu Ilivui. Tiianpiilar tract of line Ictel laod. Coiinlrv Nnrtli of the Gr(>nville heights. Iiime-Ktone uii tlip haiiki ofihi? Calumet. Imvc Ihe aspect of a baltl, abrupt and nioiiii- lainous country — in many parts ilivcsled of any soil, yet otFering at the foot of frecjuent mountains rich and fertile and in some parts extensive intervales, composed of a silaceous earth hii^hly cultivable. The hills and cliffs are chietly of a condensed granite of various colours. The most conspicuous ridge of hig'lilands presenting itself to view rises not far from the River at the S. W. angle of Ihe Township, and extending Nortii-Eastward, traverses it obliquely as far as the sixth Rano'C, where it enters Chatham. The mca- dow Avhich lies at the base of these liills in the front, is overllowed in the Spring of the year by the Ottawa, from lot No. 8 to the AVcstcrn outline of the Township. This part, togellier with tlie remainder compre- hended l)ctwecn those liiii'hlands and the River, form a triangular space of fine level and well irrigated soil, which was at the time of making the old grants considered by the grantees, as the only cultivable section of the Township of Grenville. Proceed ng North- ward from the Grenville heights, to the seventh Range, the face of the country pre- sents but a succession of ascents .ind d ascents, abrupt hills and stupendous moi itains, inter- spersed, nevertheless, as formerl stated, vvit'i rich vales, whose fertility is ah lost an ade- quate compensation lor the many sterile and unarable parts of the Township. On tlie banks of the Calumet, lime stone of a supe- rior species is to be found in abundaiu;e >, 6.3 movin- sted of •etiuent le |)iii ts laceous ul cliffs various idffe of ises not e of llie stward, e sixth le mca- hills in >• of the rto Ihc This jompre- lul the ^e level he time by the I of the North- to the ry pre- iscenls, 1, intcr- d, wit' I in ade- ile and On tlie [I sn[)e- tlance ^ also another description of various colours, oreen and red, &c. which has been success- hdly used and manufactured for mantle- pieces. G renville is most amply watered by many Lakesr&c. Rivers, Lakes, Rivulets, and Ponds, which traverse it in every direction. The chief Rivers are the Kin^hain, the Calumet, and KinsSm. the River Rouge : — The first has two sources in two small Lakes in the sixth Rano-e, and winds in a South-Westerly course to its junc- tion with the Ottawa at the Bason, about 8 cliains above the Western extremity of the Canal. This River is not of great magni- tude, but it is extremely rapid down to the second Ran:;'e. Mr. Kaine's Saw-Mill on lot "j^,J)^;;i^.'' No. 7, in lie third Range (the only one in Grenville) is situated upon this River; an establislinieiit which I beheld with great pleasure Jis the commencement of a produc- tive and flourishino" estate. The sources of cJJZt. the Calumet are yet unexplored, but descend- ing in two streams from the unsurveyed half of Grenville, the one called the Calumet, the other its East Rranch, they form a junction about the centre of the fourth Range, from whence their united waters are discharged into the Ciand River at lot No. 16, in the second Rana'e. Its oeneral course is North and South, tlie Eastern arm running nearly parallel to the KingluuiK The Rivjr Rouge has its mouth about a mile and a lialf above that of the Calumet, and ascends Northerly Til*' River 64 from tlicnce to the rear of the Township. Tts heel lies amidst abrupt mountains and rocky cUffsj and its waters in consequence rush down with tumultuous rapidity, until they mingle with the Ottawa at lot No. 22 in the front. To the West of the River Rouge, and in the third and fourth Ranges, are five small Lakes, into which flow many Rivulets and inferior Stream!?, that have their rise in the upper part of the Township, whilst the collected waters of theliakes, issuing by seve- ral small channels South thereof, meet in their courses, and are collectively discharged into the Grand River between tlie front lots Nos. 24 and 25. Ti.eRo..i». The South and only surveyed half of this Township is traversed by several roads, the principal whereof being that opened at the expense of the Province, which runs almost parallel to the North bank of the Ottawa* entering Grenville at lot No. 1 , above the Canal, and passing through the Military De- pot at the Bason, it crosses the River King- liam, over which there is a good bridge, and thence continues AVesterly to the Eastern boundary of La Petite Nation. This road has appeared to me in many parts to have been marked out with little judgment, as a comparatively trilling deviation from the ex- isting line might, in more than one place, liave rendered the road much better, and avoid the necessity of so many bridges and causeways. Along the Kingham there is a 65 ip. Its I rocky e rush til they I in tlie Ronge, ire five livulels rise in lilst the )y seve- in their ed into ts Nos. of this ids, the at the ihnost )ttawaj 3ve the ry Ue- King- ;e, and eastern s road o have , as a he ex- place, r, and ?s and re is a tolerable good road, leading to Mr. Kaine* residence and Saw Mill, of which mention has already been made ; but in noticing this Saw Mill as the only onc^ i.i the Tovvnsliip, I should remark that from the rapidity of the Rivers generally in the Township under con- sideration, they present numerous Mill su'es which nmst ultimately prove liighly advan- tageous to its settlement. In travelling West- ward towards the River Calumet, over which there is a bridge, the road is tolerably good, and has on its borders many new settlements, with some well cultivated and prospering fields ; but their habitations and barns are by no means calculated to impress the traveller with an idea of ease and comfort. A few such settlements are scattered along the remainder of the road to the division line, between H j Seigniory and the Augmentation of Gren- ville. Proceeding into the interior of the Township by the road We^jt of the Calumet Bridge, 1 ascended the lofty ridge of high- lands previously described, and Ibund in my progress excellent patches of good land cloth- ed with hard timber, by far outbalanced how- ever by the stony and uncultivable parts of the Township. This road continues, al- though in a very indifferent state indeed, along the East branch of the Calumet, and passing occasionally by the door of a solitary settler, it terminates in the seventh Range. It, should be observed injustice to the inhabi- tants of those parts, that they have surmount- ed with the most industrious and praise- Set'lementt along (h« Ro«d. The laterio*. 66 worthy perseverance, tlie various obstacles preHentln*;- themselves in regions so hilly and forbidding', and have succeeded in the attain- ment of a degree of rustic enjoyment, beyond what miglil reasonably be anticipated to ex- ist in the fourth, fiith and sixth Hanijes of Grcnville, at so early a period of its settle- ment. Heveral other- bye roads comnuini- cate with the interior settlements of this Township, which are more or less of the same promise as those above alluded to. The most advanced and ilourishino; settlements are to be met with in the Eastern section of the Township, most of which is grar/'^d under Letters Indent. Tuviiuge. j/qp 1^1, e purposes of a Village the lot No. 7, in the second Range, has been appropri- ated; and in 1821 the Houth iialf thereof was surveved and laid out into Streets, and in two acre lots ol four chains breadth, by five in depth. No more than six or eight dwelling- houses are as yet to be seen iti the Village, and these are built without the least regard to relative order, giving it an appearance of irregularity iiltle creditable to the taste of the villagers. It is not too late however to or- ganize and regulate the mode of building in the Village, as a specitic condition to that effect may be hereafter subjoined to the Location Tickets, and inasnmch as the Vil- lage standing as it does now, is confined within very narrow limits, the North half of the same lot, which is diagonally traversed obstacles lilly and B attain- beyond d to ex- anges of s settle- immuni- ot' lliis J of the o. The llements ction of grar/'^d lot No. jpropri- eof was 1 in two f five in welling Village, regard ance of e of the r to or- ding in to that to the he Vil- onfined half of aversed 67 by the Kingham, and superior in soil to the other half, might be laid out and subdivided into lots of similar dimensions with those of the actual Village, and afford thereby an op- portunity of rectifying the evil complained of (See plan G.) Having in a preceding part of this Report, given a general outline and account of the Military Canal and station at (Irenville, it will be unnecessary to repeat tiieni liere ; however, 1 would beg leave, in furtherance of my dcrfcriplion of that particular place and as an anjplitication thereof, to exlract from the Surveyor's Report to Captain Duvernet, under whose direction the Canal was opened, such parts as convey the quality and value of the lands in that section of the Township. EXTRACT. *' In conformity to your instructions *' requiring my surveying and valuing cer- " tain pieces of land through which the " Canal is to pass, I proceeded to ascertain " by acti^al nicasuremeul the quantity, qua- *' lity and value ofland r nq loyed by the line " of Canal throu«>:!i No. 9, in the second *^ Range of the Township of Grenville, and *' found 7 acres and i) chaini^ allowing 150 *' feet the medium width, of which 4 acres ** and 1 chain formed a part of a swamp, and " under water every Spring of the year, " caused by the rise of the Grand River, and 68 " no visible way of draining, its value two ** Pounds five Shillings per acre — the remain- ** ing 3 acres and 5 chains is very slony, but ** being at the head of the Long Sault and ** Ihc general sloping place, eligible for " buildings its value equal, ten Pounds per " acre. *' The quantity of land actually occupied " by Ihe Canal and earth excavated and " thrown out on lot No 7, is 6 acres and 3 " chains, two acres of which formed a part «* of a neadow of excellent soil, value ten ** Pouncs per acre — the remaining 4 acres *« and 3 chains, is slony and rocky, cleared " and under cultivation, value four Povmds *' lifteen Shillings per acre. ** The continuation of same line passes '* through the adjoining lot No. C, and em- ** ploys G acres and 8 chains, same rocky " slony soil, cleared and partly under grass, " value four Pounds per acre. *' The continued line marked out as in- " tended for Canal iVom the E side line '* of Grenvillc, through a part of Chatham '* to the Pay into which the line ends, con- " tains 49 acres 5 chains and 14 rods — of *' wliich 4 acres aiid six chains is under cul- *' livaticn, aiid value seven Pounds ten Shil- " lings per acre — 8 acres ol loamy soil in a " slate of forest, value two Pounds five Shil- " lings per acre^ '^lA 36 acres 9 chaips ^nd (t ti <( ti tt tt « it ft it t^niss, ^9 " 14 rods, very stony, rocky and swampy, " value one Pound per acre. " In reference to the Rivulet wliich crosses " the line of Canal in the Township of Chal- " liam, I must beg leave not g'ivin«^' any de- ** cided value, from the circumstance of my not being" acquainted with its ])eculiar ad- vantages, arising from the quantity of wa- ter at different times of the year — but nuist " add, that with the intormiition I can collect, " and from actual view of the Rivulet below ** the place where the line of Canal crosses ** it, I could not find any place where a Mill '* could be erected or machinery carried on " by its use to any advantage. " It may be necessary to add that the pre- " sent valuation is drawn from the situation " of the land, before the commencement of ** the present line of Canal." Previous to closino- this subiect, I ben: unihMrvr, leave to state that the prmcipal landholders ni the Township of Grenville, are Archibald Mc Millan, Esqr.Col. Taylor, Major Ritter, and Captain John Mc (iillivray, together with several others who hold grants to an in- ferior extent. The former gentleman (Mr. Mc Millan) obtained in 1808 for himself and others a tract ol 12,30 acres under Letters Patent, and subsequently a grant of lot No. 8, in the second Range, which it is to be re- gretted was not reserved for the use and 70 disposal of the Crown, from its locality and situation, adjacent to the present Village. With respect to the general statistical exhi- bit of the settlements of Grenville, and to the Military Locations &c. made therein, refe- rence is solicited to Statement No. 10, and Document H. Cbatbam> The Township of Chatham next offers it- self, adjoiiiintr Grenville on the West, and *<=. the Seigniory or Argenteuil on tiie Jiast, bounded in Iront by the Ottawa River, and in the rear by Wentworth. Its dimensions division and subdivision are, with few excep- tions, the same as other River Townships, some of its original grants having been made in compact tracts or blocks, which were sub- sequently laid out so as to meet the exigency of the actual settlements made in that Town- ship previous to the survey thereof in 1803. luadvanfa. Tlic local oositiou of Chatham is hiffhlv fa- Grenville. vorablc, aud in point of soil and timber it has a decided superiority over Grenville, whose selllements and agricultural advance- ment can bear no comparison with those of F.ce ofti>e iiie fomicr. With reoard to the aspect and country. i • rn • oiuline of this lownship, and to the quality of its soil, the lands therein may be divided into two classes ; — the first embracing the lands comprised between the Ottawa and the seventh Range, which are generally level, rising in some parts into gentle acclivities commonly called maple ridges, and in other places falling by easy slopes that terminate &otl, Aci 71 in extensive natural meads, affording rich and excellent pasturage. Intermixed with these, many small cedar swamps are to be found, which are not, however, of any material disadvantage to the Township ; indeed a tract of superior land is not commonly to be met with, so perfectly calculated to produce hemp anft flax, and every other variety of grain raided and cultivated in Lower Canada. The lands composine^ the second class in Chat- ham, are comprehended between the seventh Range and its rear outline, and become high- er, uneven and broken, traversed in various parts by mountains and high rising grounds, which are generally intermixed with inter- vales of a rich soil. The hills are in some places barren, and particularly so on the bor- ders of Grenville. Of this section of the Township three-fourths may be said to be fit for cultivation, and the whole of the lands to that extent were located to Scotch Emi- grants in 1814, who have since that period, improved and cultivated a large portion there- of. The timber growing in this Township is of a superior description, and although considerable quantities have been felled and disposed of, much valuable Pine and Oak, with some Elm, are still to be found therein, as also Beech, Birch, Maple, &c. A section of the North River CRiviere du Nord^ with several of its branches, abundant- ly moisten the rear half and Eastern part of Chatham, the residue thereof being gently Timber. Lands irranieil therein. 72 irrigated by numerous Rivulets and small Streau'iS. The main branch of the North River asstimes the name of the West-Branch, and divides into three principal Streams be- tween t!ie sixth and tenth lots of the seventh Range, thence they ascend through the rear of the Township to their several sources. The River Kingham enters Chatham at the Western extremity of the eleventh Range, and winding in a regular curve to the seventh Ranoe, it falls into Grenville. There are 34,(369 acres of land granted in this Township, under Letters Patent to vari- ous individuals, the following of whom have obtained lands in separate compact tracts in the first four Ranges, uninterupted by Re- serves, viz. The hite Colonel Robertson, the heirs of j\lr. McDougal, Doctor Simon Fraser, Lauchlan McLean, John Robertson, Daniel Sutherland, Ls(p\ and others of that family, which grants were made in 1806 and 1812. The lands in the fdth, sixth, seventh, and the greater part of the eighth Range, are also iincler Patent, mostly to l!)e same indi- viduals, to AV'illiam Fortune, and the late P. L. Panel, whose Patent for 2,200 acres bears date as far back as \799, About tvvo-thirds theiefore of the lands in this Township may be said to have been granted since twelve, eighteen and twenty-six years, at which pe- riod the first SetUenients iu Chatham com- menced. 73 The first Rann;e of this Township exhibits th. most prosperous aiul tlounshino- settlements, good houses, and well cuUivated farms, espe- cially along the public road. In the se- cond Range, neat farm-iiouses and extensive improvements are likewise to be seen, but here they are more scattered over the country. Beyond the fourth Range the vast tracts of granted lands, up to the eighth Range C within which are situated several blocks of Crown and Clergy Reserves,) remain ahiK>st a total wilderness, tliereby checking the ad- vancement and prosperity of the new Emi- grant Settlement in the rear third of Chat- ham, whose inliabitantsare induslriously and laudably contending against the inconve- nience and disadvantage of the want of roads of communication with the Ottawa, which they will have to put up with until the natu- ral barrier existiuL'" between them and that River shall have been removedj by the cen- tral third of the Township being actually settled. This new Settlement ha-^, however, the advantage of an easy outlet through the Seigniory of Argentcuil. Previous to entering upon the visit and in- spection of the interesting Scotch Emigrant Settlement alluded to^ 1 convened the settlers at the residence of Captain Rarron, in the vicinity of the ]\iills at La Chute, and beheld with great pleasure a class of inhabitants which collectively bespoke the respectability of the Settlement, whilst their individual K 7i character, industry, and perseveranc , evinced the resources of this rising and promising little Colony. From Captain Barron's, I pro- ceeded by a very indifferent road, that winds through the seventh, eighth, and ninth Rages, and extends along the division line, betwixt the ninth|and tenth Ranges, nearly to the Western outline. Upon this road little better than ho \ els are to be seen as the dwel- lings of the inhabitants, whose barns and sheds are worthy appendages to their humble farm-iiouses. As the roads gradually im- prove, there is no doubt, proportionate vigour will be given to these settlers, and a conse- quent change be effected in their mode of living. Having no other alternative, I re- traced my steps and came to Mr. McCarthy's house, from whence I proceeded further in the interior, by means of a road opened along the banks of one of the branches of the North River, so high up as the twelfth Range, from this point I must necessarily have returned by a very long and circuitous route to reach the road and settlement in the N. E. angle of the Township, but for the successfid undertaking of the settlers in that part, ^^ ho gciicroiisly volunteered to lay open three miles of road, in order to facilitate my intercourse with the Settlement 1 was about visiting, and this they effected in a few hour?, a (Mrcumstan'.e that must bear une- quivocal jcsli.jH.nv of their alacrity and rea- diness to CM wani liie views of Government. 75 on the (fortf of luiiil in the rear of After passing; Jhe night fit Archil)akl Mc- Arthiirs, iindei' wlioso humble roof I expe- rienced no fjomnioii dci^reeof hospilahty and ^'s'^"'*"" coiiifort, I advanced into Wentworth, and thence passing into the Emigrant Selllemenls on tiie gore of land in the rear of Argen- teuil, chietiy established on the borders of a fine Lake, of about one mile in length by a quarter of a mile in width, which I traversed, longitudinally, in a canoe. The land com- posing this vacant tract or gore is in general lit for culture, having still its due proportion of oood and bad soil, Tiie huts alono- the Lake seem to be rather the temporary resi- dence of lumber dealers than the permanent dwellings of farmers, giving the whole more the appearance of a collection of chantient, or timber-yards, than a Colony of Agriculturists. Indeed the tenure of their lands is so pre- carious, (none of these individuals being settled upon authority,) that they were per- haps loath to expose their property to forfei- tnre hereafter. A survey of that tract of the waste lands seems to me indispensably neces- sary, and the peculiar situation i these peo- ple, or at least of the majority of them, claim in some measure the indulgence and counte- nance of His Majesty's Colonial Government. With respect to the number of inhabitants and the state of the improvements on this portion of the unsurveyed lands of the Crown, I beg leave to refer to Statement No. 12. From this place I retraced my steps into Chatham, the settlements whereof have al- Old ni.'ii nrM Se'lltiiltills distiiigiiish^ ed. t I 76 really been sninnmrily described. Previous, however, lu l;diini»' leave of tliat subject alto- gether, it iiKiv not be improper to observe that the inhalVilanlp, of the old Patented lands are a mixture of Eno-Hsh, Scotch, Irish, Americans, and a few Canadians. But the lands held under Military Locations are chieflv settled by Emigrants from Scotland, and compose the new Settlement mentioned in the fore?i;nini»; ]uii>es, and as no distinction was made, in the o-eneral Statistical State- ment, between tlie old and new settlers, I beg permission in this place to state the same. It will appear by the Document subjoined to Statement No. 11, of Chatham, that 104 Scotch Emigrants were respectively located lo lots of 200 acres, wliich covered the resi- due of ungranted lands in that Township in 1819 ; — Init of tliat n;nnl)er 48 have forfeited tlieir lots from various causes, vi;:: death ab- sence*, &c. leaving consequently 56 who have more or less, settled cultivated or otherwise imj)roved their lands, and present this day a Settlement of which this is the Statistical re- capitulation. be . . tii S ■'■■ o f , r/i "0 . ^ u V 'T 'r = % r/1 •r. a O c -^ a. <^Z "a U C I—I £"2 1 319 '22G :i-' It) u G/ 11 79 65 35 This evinces the rapid progress made since the commencement of this settlement but five years ago, and I am fully convinced, that alto- 77 \hvMe people being, as Uiey liave humbly prayenl lor, ])lace(l luider the suporiiitcndoiicy of Captain Hanon, to w lioni they feel deeply obligated for his kind and benevolent aid and assistance, by every possible means in his power, this little Colony will soon rise into consequence, and may finally spread it- self in the adjoining Township of Went- wortli. From the contip-nitv of the Seigniories of ?"'<■""'"", O y cT> III lliprearof Argcnteuil, the Lake of the Two Mountains, fxrf'ti':. and Mille Isles, to the new Township Set- uu.^Zi' tlements, and those of the waste lands of the ^*""""*** Crown in the rear thereof, it appears to me the description of that recently colonized territory would.be incomplete without curso- rily noticing the Settlements in the rear of those Seigniories, and, in connexion there- with, respectfully submitting a few remarks and observations relative to the claims of Eustache L. Dumont, Esquire, Seigneur of Mille Isles, to a superficie of 74,000 French arpents, equal to abou 1 62,000 superficial Eng- lish acres, adjoining his Seigniory. Inasmuch "e n^o'"" as the Seignorial Settlements, here adverted ^•^'^'^[i;'" to, lie chietiy along the North River, which traverses the rear of Argenteuil, &c. it will be proper, the better to convey their position, to describe that River with greater precision. It takes its source in the interior, N. W. of /Vbcrcrombie, and breaking into the Town- ship at Lot No. 6, in the eleventh Range, it (lows through it in the general course from ^cttlemeu(t. 78 N. ^V. to S. E. and thence, entering Ihe An«:!;in(Mitation ot'[Mille Isles, it winds to the South- West and traverses Ihe Augmenta- tions of the Keigniories of the Lake of the Two Mountains and Argenteuil to the Forks at the Chute Mills, passing, as before stated, liirougii part of Chatham and winding again, t)ver *lie S. W. angle of Argenteuil, to its conlluence with the Ottawa. Its entrance is divided by an Island into two channels, and the width of the River, up to the bridge at the Village of St. Andrews, may be computed at from 6 to 8 chains. Boats and River Crafts ascend to the Village, notwitlistanding the Rapids and Rocks that impede its navigation, which might be improved so as to admit of the ascent of Steam-Boats calculated to draw but little water. Above the*Bridge there is a rapid near which stands the old Mill : from thence to the Chute (or falls) the River aver- ages from 5 to 6 chains wide, and is in that interval obstructed by 6 or 7 rapids, inclu- ding the waterfall of La Chute, where T^xajor Johnson's Seigneurial Grist and Saw Mills are situated. From this place this beautiful River is navigable for boats and craft almost to Abercrombie, a distance of twenty-five or thirty miles, and may be found to admit of being navigated much further, thereby pre- senting, as it were, a second navigable front, ofl'ering important facilities to the internal settlements of that section of the country. • Travelling upon this River, and viewing on either side the neat habitations of the farmer, 79 ng the [Ration, Irnit of draw here is : from sr aver- in that inclu- r>xajor V Mills autiful almost •five or mit of )y pre- ; front, iternal luntry. ing on armer, his extensive improvcMnonlsand well cultiva- ted fields, one might easily fancy himself travelling in the old settled parts of the Pro- vince. The farms and estates entitled to particular notice are those of Captain Barron, J. M. Perkins, Ksqr. of the Royal Navy, Mr. Catton, and Mr. Hutchinson ; these gentlemen have considerably, by their coun- tenance and encouragement, prospered and forwarded the handsonie settlements of the North River, and it is but just that I should here acknowledge their eagerness to meet in every respect the views of Ilis Majesty's («o- vernment, by affording to one of its humble servants every means in their power to facili- tate and accelerate the public service. With regard to Mr. Dumont's claims to a tract of 62,000 acres of land, immediately in the rear of Mille Isles, it is to be observed that their extent and merits call for the atten- tion of His Majesty's Government, inasmucli as any road that will be hereafter projected, connecting the Townships and waste lands of the Crown, in that part of the District of Montreal, would be completely interrupted by the extension of the limits of Mille Isles, whereby not only upwards of one half of the Township of Abercrombie would be inclu- ded, and the whole of the vacant lands in the rear of the Seigneuries of the Lake of the two Mountains and Argenteuil, but also 3000 acres of the subdivided part of Wentworth, which was ordered to be Patented many Mr. Dumoni'd clairaii. 80 4 years since, leaving- by this means only froni tiOO lo 700 acres for the ju;()re of land to vvlncli reference is made in Statement No. 1 2. The claims of this gentleman are founded on the deficiency, he alleges, in the superficie of his Seigniory, caused by the projection of the Lake of the Two Mountains, which was ante- cedently granted to the St. Sulpiciens of the Seminary of Montreal, into the Augmentation of Mille Isles, a circumstance originating from the various courses of the latteral lines of these Seigniories respectively ; — those of the latter running astronomically North 45". West, the former astronomically N. 11". 15^ E. For a further illustration of the subject, I have the honor to refer his Excellency lo the Plan (I) accompanying this Report. That Mr. Dumont's pretentions should be investi- gated and decided as early as possible is evi- dent, as, without such a determination, much einbarassment miglit be suffered in carrying into effect the project of a road of conununi- cation between the Townships North of the Saint Lawrence and those on the Ottawa River. It appears from Mr. Dumont's offi- cial letter to me, in 1821, — which I had the honor of communicating to tlie Governor in Chief, that nothing but an action en homage can bring this matter to an issue ; the sooner therefore such a measure will be resorted to the better, whether we cojisult the interest of His Majesty's Government or the individual concerned. y from Lud to Jo. 1 2. led on icie of of the s aiite- of the tation nating lI Hues use of th 45". 'J eel, 1 to the Tliat iivesti- is evi~ much rryiiii)' imuni- of the )ttawa .'s offi- ad the iior in mage sooner ted to rest of vidua! Si Having thus faraccomplij^hed the fn.st part df the mission, and completed my Report thereon, by which, I trust, it will appear that my utmost endeavours were exerted, and no possible means neglected, in acquir- ing an accurate and general knowledge of the New Settlements, North of the Ottawa and St. Lawrence, for the information of His Majesty's Colonial Government, 1 would humbly beg leave to :ubmit, for considera- tion, a few observations iind ren^arks on the subject of the Agency of Townships, which occurred to me in the course of my tour. Previous, however, to so doing, it is proper I should stale, generally, that the Nev/ Set- tlements of this Province have made much greater progress than is universally supposed, and that, contrary to what had been antici- pated, I found, in the interior of the country, the plough, the scythe and the flail in their full operation — extensive i^rms thriving un- der the hand of the industrious husbandman, and, in various parts, neat villages presenting themselves, which, on the whole, offered a most pleasing and promising prospective. Applying myself to the Townships under agency in particular, and looking, on the one handi to the duties of an Agent, and, on the other, to the facilities tliat sliould \.. afforded to the Settler, bearing in mind at the same time the welfare of ttie Colony, it occurred to me that the Settlements ranged under the superintendency of Agents would pros- it Fir'.t pirl o( General rcinirki. Project of Iiinriiciion, huinhiy '>ub* mitre. I for c iiisiileia« li>)n. ( Appeadix D.) .0.*. *^> ^^M t 72 '/ % /^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I I" 2,5 122 1.8 11.25 III 1.4 1 1.6 6" Photographic Sciences Corporation // "sS // ^ C^- t/. &, ^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ts ti; fJ 82 per, anil be etFecled with better order and success, if the Agent's Instructions were more defined and e;iplicit, and himself bound in some legal form to their observance. In this persuasion, and aided as I am by per- sonal observation and the knowledge obtain- ed in the execution of the duty intrusted to my care, I framed a project of Instructions, with a view humbly to submit the same for the consideration of the Executive Govern- ment, calculated, as far as practicable, to obviate the insufficiency of the present In- structions, by placing in a clear and distinct light the duties of a Township Agent. I shall not here comment upon the clauses con- tained in the ])roject submitted, inasmuch as the subject matter of this Report will proba- bly be deemed sufficient to evince the propri- ety of the changes i.iid additions proposed therein, but merely refer to Document D, under which letter the projected Instructions will be found (see Appendix D.), rvinaik »nd of aineliura tiuo, &Ci I should fail in a most essential part of my . duty were 1 not, previous to concluding this first Report, fully to put His Majesty's Go- vernment in possession of the whole informa- tion derived and collected from the tour re- cently performed by me through the interior parts of this Province, by respectfully sug- gesting such general remarks on all points relative to the extension, amelioration and formation of the SettlemerUs in the Ottawa I ' and were )ound . In y per- jlain- led to jtions, ne for jvern- ile, to nt In- istinct nt. I IS con- jch as iroba- iropri- Dposed ^nt D, ictions ; of my ig this 's Go- forma- aur re- nterior y sug- polnts \n and )ttawa 83 section of Lower-Canada, in connexion with the Townships and wa?te lands North of the St. Lawrence, and witliin the District of Montreal. One of the objects that I have considered of primary importance, and to which I would, with deference, call His Excellency's notice, as highly conducive to promote the advancement ot the Northern Township Settlements, is the opening of a k'oad of communication extending from the well populated Seigniory of De Ramsay, in as direct a line as may be found prac- ticable, to the Township of Grenville, the same traversing Kildare, Rawdon, Kilken- ny, and Abercrombie ; the waste lands in the rear of the Seigniories of Mille Isles, Lake of the two Mountains, and Argenteuil, thence through Chatham i ito Grenville, reducing thereby the distance, from Berthier (which connects with Ramsay by a good road) to the ^^illage of Grenville, to 84 miles instead of 108 by the Route along the St. Lawrence through Montreal. Of this proposed road several parts are already open, in Kildare, Rawdon, and the rear of Chatham and Gren- ville, and although in the latter tlie road be not altogether in the direction pointed out, it might nevertheless be for the present adopt- ed. The mode I should humbly suggest for carrying this project into execution, would be in the first instance, to have the Road mea- sured and traced in the field, and actually opened to the width of eight feet only, with Mods the project of a Road into execution, l\ 7, m 'I m '> 84 farm lots of one hundred superficial acres laid off upon it, without any essential regard to the method observed in the subdivision of Townsliips, and as the Surveyor progresses in his operation, the Agents superintending the Townships through whiph the Road passes, or the Agent under wliose management those parts of it traversing waste l^nds would be settled, might exert themselves in locating settlers thereon, subject to the usual settling conditions, in the accomplishment whereof they would be materially facilitated by the 8 feet of Iload already laid open for I heir ad- vantage, in Iheexpenceof which they might, if found expedient, be made to contribute. Tiie costs of such an undertajiing pan bear no comparison with its utility, inasmuch as, out of the total distance, (84 miles^ upwards of onp half is open and the residue, say 50 miles, would probably jae complpted in the mannpr proposed, for less th^n £30Q to £350, A small Legislative aid therefore vidently be required for that object, 'hiefly applied in the erection of , and the payment of the charges of the survey. In the mean time it may be deemed more expedient and less objection- able, to adopt t!ie Route from Abercrombi^ along the Settlements of the North River, for nearly 18 miles passing in a level country by the Cliule Mills in Argenteuil, and traversing Chatham at the third Range, and thence into prenville^ thereby making the distance about >i ' WPl! to I.e Bridge acres jgard on of ;ses in the >asses^ those lid be mating tiling hereof the 8 nr ad- V^ght, •ibute. 1 bear oh as, wards say 50 in the IQO to srefore object, ion of rges of lay be ection- rombii? i^er, for itry by 'ersing ce into about 85 92 miles, and consequently somewhat Ipnge. . As a further illustration of this subject, I beg refer to my Topographical Map. The imporfaoca of the moMura. The new and important line of road thus proposed, would not only facilitate and en^ courage the Settlements in the Townships immediately about it, but the same would present as it were an extensive base, from whence the Settlements spreading North- ward \yould colonize a second and third Range of Tqwnships, that should in process pf time be laid out in the rear of Rawdon, &c. Wentworth and the otiier Townships on the Ottawa. In stating this, I am founded on the description of the country situate in the rear of those Townships, where, as is ascer- tained upon tolerable authentic information, there are large tracts of excellent land, abun- dantly watered by numerous Rivers and Lakes. That the land descends from the rear outline of Kilkenny towards the North, is a fact estayished by the recent survey of that Township, from the course of the waters, which from thence discharge themselves to the North- West ; on the whole it has been collected from various sources of information, that this expanse of country is in no manner inferior, if it has not the advantage of the better known parts of this Province. In viewing my Geographical Map of the C^nar das, it struck me forcibly that the triangular i^^jP^J^fi; $pace of territory comprised within the St Territory bettceen tba Saint Lawrence, of N< Lat. 86 Lawrence, the Ottawa, and the parallel of the 47th degree of North latitude, offers a field for Settlements, possessing many advan- tages in point of soil and climate, and in some respects enjoying a superiority over the Seigniorial grants North of the River St. Lawrence. l\. exceedfj 16,000 superficial milesi equal to 160 Townships which would all lie South of the latitude of Quebec, and form^ with the Southern Townships, a com- pact trapezium, lying between the parallels 45" and 47" of N. latitude, the longitude of Quebec, and the Ottawa River, diagonal- ly traversed by the St. Lawrence. Under E ! . < ;■,,; s. .. >V •■ ',)> 1 ')r. t *. 'iij' j,.i :.j;;ri» 1 •"■•*' -k ., , . ';'>!?»!..• =ii!j Ls. Moi^riZiiirBBRT, E»qviRE$ ; ^Mw«awe Cml Secretary r- «.-,■ ■.' iJ. i.'-i T.f 1 *C. *C. *C. i ) :: :ur.-.::A ■ r- ^ .fc. fe't ctfully ration. ■ u ti'; TE, reneral. ^.1 :";;■' :i ■ : :>' ::t i:: : 'it':, r •. ,1 .• ERRATA. P»ge 18, line 8, for «jf « '«»* '^'W* Page 25, litt« 3, for « read 16. ,i:*:f 1^ APPENDIX A. REPORT. MONTREAL, 24th August, 1824. Sir, Pursuant to your letter of the 30th June last, enclosing the Petitions of several Inhabitants of the Township of Rawdon, one from John Tiffin, and a letter from John Jefferies of the said Town- ship, complaining of Captain Colclough, the Agent, and expressing His Excellency the Lieutenant-Go- yerror's command that I should take the earliest opportunity, when I proceeded to visit the several Townships under agency in this Province, to make particular inquiry into the subject matter o^ these representations, and report the result for His Excel- lency's information. In consequence thereof, as well as in obedience to His Excellency the Governor in Chief's commands of the 29th May last, I have the honor to state, that, on the 2nd instant, I proceeded from hence direct to the Township of Rawdon, then and there, at a place called Manchester Mills, within a half a mile of the Rea * Fin' laj. Diigat and Kobioion. Byron. Township, I called a meeting of the Agents and Set- tlers of Rawdon and Kilkenny, who accordingly met me; and, on the 3rd instant, commenced and per- sonally conducted the inquiry into the general state of things relative to these Townships. The Reverend Mr. Burton, Captain Colclough, and most of the Heads of Families in both Townships, were pre- sent. The state of confusion and misunderstandings ex- isting, arising from various causes, too numerous to enter into at this moment, seemed to call for separate proceedings in each respective case, and in the pre- sence of the Agents and Settlers. These inquiries were conducted at various times and places, from the 3rd to the 8th instant, inclusive. I shall, however, limit myself, in this communication, to the various cases upon which I have reported separately, and to an outline of the general state of things relative to the Townships of Kildare, Rawdon, and Kilkenny, proposing to enter more largely upon this subject in my General Report, on my return to Quebec. The conflicting claims of Mr. Alexander Rea and Richard Finlay, to the N. W. half of Lot number 16 in the 2nd range of Rawdon, I have strictly examin- ed into, and the inquiry thereon accompanies the papers No. 1. The inquiry in the case of Joseph Dugas and George Robinson also accompanies those of No. 2. The case of John Byron could not be investigated as I could have wished, as no person appeared to substantiate the advances made in his petition ; I have, however, made a pencil note on the subject upon the petition, No. 3. reildent t* pnt recom" mended. The subject matter contained in the papers mark- ed 4 and 5, as well as the petitions marked M and N, required investigation. The result thereof may be in some degree reduced to the note I have made, and accompanying the said papers. It is with deference I here beg leave to observe, that, after having taken a most deliberate view of a the state of things in Rawdon, and of the many in- conveniencies the Settlers have been subject to, and of the causes which seem to have retarded the ad- vancement of the settlements in that Township, I am induced to suggest the expediency of an Agent being appointed, whose residence shall be in the Township ; a measure seemingly highly inconvenient to Captain Colclough, but of absolute necessity. The case of Smart would have been a hard one, s^„t. but it is settled. See inquiry marked A. The inquiry on John Tiffin's petition will be found t"""* under the letter B ; it is also settled. The subject matter contained in the petition of William and Phillip Masterson has not been pro- Maitenon. ceeded upon for the reasons stated in my note there- on, marked C. The case of William Byron and John Green may be said to be settled. See proceedings thereon ^{ marked D. This closes the inquiry of the special cases on which I found it necessary to report ; several others of a minor description were adjusted. In some cases the present Agent found it necessary to withdraw the location he had given to individuals for lands previously held by others under location tickets by .ron and Green. Trtntfer of Loc&iluD> the former Agent, and who were entitled thereto by the labour they had performed thereou ; whilst in other cases some individuals were judiciously located by the Agent on lots left waste, although formerly located to others. This leads me to a subject which requires to be stated, and prevented as much as possible hereafter ; I allude to the practice the Emigrants have of surrendering their lots to the Agent, biit not before they have ac- quired, from the individual who immediately applies for the surrendered lot, (which he commonly obtains unknown to the Agent,) a sum of money, (10 or £\b, more or less,) the same being proportionate ei- ther to the improvements made, or, if none exists, to the conveniencies of the parties from causes or motives best known to themselves ; this practice may be said to extend to the three Townships I have in- spected. I CANNOT withhold noticing that, by the Agent's, (Captain Colclough,) report it will appear that seve- ral individuals have received locations for 200 acres, especially the Cochranes, some of whom are said to be absent ; this cannot be authorised, inasmuch as an Agent ought not, strictly speaking, to locate 100 acres without an Order of Council, although he may grant permits of occupation. This injunction, I ap- prehend, has been overlooked in many of the Town- ships, yet no serious consequences have arisen there- from, inasmuch as most of the Settlers do occupy their lands — but it is extremely irregular and the same ought to be avoided. One thing much com- p«rmitiof plained of, regarding the permits of occupation, is, P"'""* that they do not contain the conditions respecting t) e settling duties, placing thereby both the Agent and Settler in an unpleasant situation ; perhaps it might be better to authorise the Agents to give loca- Lorttlon of too Acres. MCB tion tickets instead of permits of occupation^ with ^whm »». this proviso and addition, that the same should be sootilubjelc subject to the appro iral and ratification of Govern- " ttoi."' nientj and not otherwise ; which clause would pro- duce punctual returnSj as both the Agent and the Settler would feel anxious and have an interest in obtaining the ratification stipulated in the location ticket, and the Government would thereby be put in possession of information it so much requires ; ena- bling also the Surveyor-General to keep correct books of entry of every location made in the Town- ships under agency in this Province, and the same would become equally recorded in the Office of the Clerk of the Executive Council in passing through that Office. These are the views I have on this subject for the moment, and, upon a further know- ledge of things, acquired by my present tour, I shall not fail to bear in mind what might be the result of such a system, were it adopted. The lauds in Rawdon, as respects a description of Deseripuon soil and surface, may be divided into various classes ; Rawdon." but in two principal ones, from the 1st to the 4th range, the land is most generally level, composed of light soil in some parts, but east of the river Lac Ouareau it is of a grey mould, a clay and loamy soil generally, of a fertile nature, and well timbered ; the rear part of the Township is composed of a black soil, very stoney and mountainous, fine timber, some intervale land, and the whole of the Township is extremely well watered by numerous rivers, lakes, and inferior streams. The settlements thereon are in tolerable progress, and, upon an average estima- tion, may be said to exhibit about 565 acres in a state of culture, and it contains, upon a similar esti- mate, about 500 souls. Mr. P. Dugas' Mills, on the DBju'mnii River Rouge, in the first range of that Township, deserve particular notice. It is, however, evident Xaiwd ^^^^ *^® want of practicable roads, and, I may say, Bridces. that of bfid^cs generally, has greatly retarded the progress of tne Settlers. This subject, with others, shall be treated more at large in my General Report. In conformity to that part of my instructions, Ar- uaanthofii- ticlc 6, I fouud it neccssary to make an inquiry into 'KiikMny." the state and nature of the claims made by individuals for lands in the Township of Kilkenny, and whether they had actually settled thereon and by what autho- rity ; all which will appear by the Inquiry accom- panying the papers No. 6 — by which it will be per- ceived that the Reverend Mr. Burton denies ever having authorised these people to settle promiscu- ously on any lot they fancied in Kilkenny ; but pro- mised, to a certain number of them only, village lots, and that, subject to the approbation of Government. It will be seen, by the Inquiry, that several of these individuals have made improvements of a suffi- cient extent (although greatly exaggerated,) to claim No indau- the indulgence of Government, but, generally speak- pamiteuie. mff, thev dcscrve none irom their conduct : because, i^and. with, once establishing: the assumed pretensions of these people, there will be no end to the encroachments made by Emigrants and others on the Crown Lands, and every plan, or proceedings, of Government res- pecting the granting of lands must become defective, The^wBie. bccausc, uo sooucr a grant of land has been made by Mcij»p«c. the Governor in Council to a meritorious officer, or other individual, it must be altered, owing to the land being previously occupied by an individual, without authority, that he may not be deprived of his labour and improvements. I should humbly con- ceive this ought not to be the case, unless, in singu- lar and extraordinary instances, when it shall appear that such individuals have acted upon good faith, and were authorised by the Agent of a Township to tice. VI nop th[ pe thi E( fol d the thers, eport. IS, Ar- y into iduals hether autho- iccom- ie per- 38 ever )miscu- ut pro- ge lots, rnment. eral of a suffi- to claim y speak- because, of these chments 1 Lands, lent res- efective, made by fficer, or g to the lividual, irived of ibly con- n singu- il appear 3d faith, unship to oust)' located by order of council. do so. In the present case there are about 18 indi- viduals who have here and there cleared a few acreg of land in Kilkenny, and some of them only fallen a few trees ; the most of them were told the lands which they selected were already granted to others — that did not prevent them from following audaciously their own dictates, and now they represent their case as being seriously aggrieved. Finding that these people had actually cleared and improved on the lands located, by Order of Council, u^dTySmw to the Officers and Privates of the Embodied Militia, 1^,7.°%*°' it became necessary to adopt some plan of arrange- ment, satisfying, as much as possible, all parties. I therefore appointed a time to meet the Reverend Mr. Burton, at Terrebonne, and directed Mr. Bou- chette to send me a plan of his survey of Kilkenny, which he did. At this meeting we finally adjusted these matters, as much as was possible, to the satis- faction of all concerned, and did away with every clashing claim, fixing on the nearest ranges and lots for the conveniency of those who were necessitated to remove ; but they are few who have made clearings to any large extent. Previous to concluding this part of my r(;port respecting Kilkenny, it may be proper to observe, that the Reverend Mr. Burton selected Lot No. 2, in the 2nd range, near Rawdon, for a village, but, on siteforavii. looking over the map of the Township, it will evi- ^^' dently appear that that was not the proper site for a village, for the advantage of the Settlers generally, nor is there any thing conspicuous to recommend that Lot in preference to another. — Yet, as it hap- pens, two different classes of Settlers being located in 1,,^^,^^ this Township, namely, the Embodied Militia and <"»View,^**'* Emigrants, it was found advisable to reserve a block for a village and glebe, in a most eligible situation, oiebt. Clashing olaimt. 8 in the 6th range, on the main branch of the river Lachigan^ and nearly in the centre of the Township ; and in consequence of several Emigrants having built dwelling houses and improved on the former village lot, and conceiving it proper to continue it as such, I have added the adjoining lot thereto for the purpose of a glebe; such of the Emigrants how- ever who will be settled nearest to the new village, will have the advantage of having lots therein. In case of any further information being required illustrative of this report, I have transmitted the plans, statements and memoranda to my office^ with orders to have fair copies prepared as office records, for immediate reference. In further pursuance of my instructions of the 29th May last, and of His Excellency the Lieutenant- Governor's commands of the 30th June, after closing my inquiry at Rawdon, I proceeded to Kildare> and called a meeting of the Agent and Settlers of that Township on the 9th instant, and commenced the inquiry by case No. 7, consisting of various petitions from Charles Huston, and others, and an investiga- tion made, by order of His Excellency the Governor in Chief, by Captain Hay, His Lordship's Aid-de- Camp, on the subject of the complaints which were made by those individuals against Major Colclough ; oFdiffer^M but the whole appears to have been adjusted and between Ma- .i-i » • r i f i • t n jorcoicionch gcttlcd at that time. It therefore only remained tor me to make a tew inquiries on the subject. — Q. — Mr. Charles Huston, are you, and the others present here, satisfied with the adjustment made last summer on the subject of certain complaints made by you, and others, and contained in these peti- %- tions P A. — Yes, I am. Klldare. Adjaitmrat bitaoti. 9 I river ihip ; iving ►rmer |ue it to for how- tllage, others de last made peti- 1^ After this I put the following question to scTcral of the Settlers, — Q — Have you any complaints to make against Major Colclough ? A. — None. I THEN entered upon the inquiry respecting the p.e pe,ba. case of Mr. Leodel, La Belle, and Cordelier ; the ""tuoo.'"" proceedings thereon will be found in No. 8. The inquiry made on the subject matter contained in the petition of P. E. Desbarats, Esquire, also accompanies the papers No. 9. After having closed my inquiries on the several cases speciallv ordered, and adjusted other matters of . , .„,. minor consideration ; 1 iouna it expedient to visit the settlements, acquiring thereby a personal knowledge of their nature and extent, as well as of the state of the roads. I found them to answer my expectations in every respect as being much advanced, considering the short time since this settlement was first com- menced. The village is in great progress ; there is a fine road leading to it, as well as traversing the greater part of the Township, between the 7th and 8th ranges, with good bridges; yet the part remain- B'Wge"* ing would require to be done without loss of time, for the conveniency of the inhabitants; it is parti- cularly on Major Colclough's lands, who has ex- pressed his desire to have the same completed imme- diately — it is however to be observed, that, in other parts. Major Colclough has not been deficient in his road duties. dare. Roadf. Villaga. laa The road traversing this Township, between the r,n«d 5th and 6th ranges, is in high order, and well settled «"'''»•"'• h I: , » •; 10 I on both sides by Canadians ; it is the leading road into Rawdon. This Canadian settlement, together with another of a similar kind in the first range, may be said to form a total of 300 souls — besides 80 souls in the Emigrant settlement of this Township, under agency. It may be said that Kildare and Rawdon have the advantage of good roads leading into them from the Seigniories; but this is not the case with Kilkenny, the settlers of which will, and do now, experience great difficulties for the want of such roads of com- munication ; which circumstance I have myself ex- perienced in my attempt to visit that Township, from the last settlements of New-Glasgow. Previous to concluding this Report, which is on- ly explanatory in the cases specially examined into and reported upon, I beg to apologize for the hasty outline and description, I have given of these Town- ships, which I trust, nevertheless, will prove suffici- ently explicit for the present. I have the honor to be. Sir, m Your most obedient. Humble servant. JOS. BOUCHETTE, S. Genl. . ^ Ls. MoNTizAMBERT, Esquirc, '^' Asst. Civil Secretari/. 11 en 2 " a ® - t k » i ^ "•1 is Cm o n w s PI £ in -I IS OS « 3 = 3 S -I SPO M t 3 (* a _ — I 1^ _ J) a b*'? = s? ^^ cr" 3 7 ' 3^ n a W! 3 Oi ^T S\ ^ K" w Cii Qo o> a> tji w ►- >^^i ic OS o Cji i^ C9 i-i tS u> l-'tOoi 00 '"'■' 00 H* 00 s. O txt-OOlO) (71 9) CO is • u to tn o ui _ to i>o lO •'T tc «o ^ 5 ? 99 B. O 3 32 ^ s *j OJ . tn 4>. hO Ol -I I— ■ lO OJ tn hO >— ' ►- o oihOOiooooi— w t« ui O OtOCjl09>C7>>«>0 9> "-t 1-1 |_i CJ? 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Sheei 79 W 2 C/3 a f^ > n O I— 1 s- s &d (9 N 5 "* ft O <^ N - 1 ^? »•« n ^ a f - -"I 13 w X Pro, 1 the ha\ for of ] sup vie yoi < yic bl( 201 H( Pe lol of ho CO su Su G( or nc ne us 15 APPENDIX D, Project of Instructions to the Agents of Townships : respectfully submitted for consideration. To Agent for superintending the settlement of the Township of The Governor in Chief, or Lieutenant-Governor, having been pleased to nominate you to he Agent for superintending the settlement of the Township of 1st. You are to reside within the Township to the superintendency whereof you are appointed, or in its vicinity, in order the better to accomplish the end of your nomination. 2d. Your next duty will be to lay off, with the ad- vice and participation of the Surveyor-General, a block of 500 acres, as a site for a village of which 200 acres will be set apart for a Church, School- House, and Court-House for the Sessions of the Peace ; the remaining 300 acres to be granted into lots of the average dimensions of one acre, by ticket of occupation, on condition that a comfortable log house be built thereon ; and in conformity to other conditions therein contained, a projected plan of the subdivision of such a village to be submitted by the Surveyor-General to the Governor, or Lieutenant- Governor, for approval. 3d. The lots to be granted, to be one half of an ordinary Township lot, divided through the centre, not longitudinally, but so as to give to each settler nearly a compact square farm of 100 acres, and the usual allowance of five per cent, for highways. 16 4th. Each applicant to receive from you a Location Certificate, of which printed forms will be furnished you, for the half-lot you will assign to him, (each set- tler being entitled to the vacant half-lot next after the number of the last preceding certificate, provided he be the first applicant,) and no such location certifi- cate to be granted, unless the applicant be of good character, a British subject, and upon the spot, ready to commence the performance of the condi- tions of his Location Ticket. Such applicants, how- ever, of good moral character, having large families, and probably some of a sufficient age, and capable of improving land, should be particularly encouraged, and recommended by you to Government for an ad- ditional portion of land, as contiguous as possible to the land already located to them ; and such of the sons being arrived to the age of majority, or even to that of eighteen, being desirous of cultivating lands for th^niselves, provided they appear to you capable of undertaking the management of a farm, in such case they ought to be located to a half-lot nearest to that of their father. 5th. The said Location Tickets, thus issued under your hand,to be subject to the approval and ratifica- tion of the Governor in Council. 6th. You will quarterly transmit to the Surveyor- General's offire, exact returns of the Locations made in the Township you superintend, in the following form, accompanying the same with remarks on the general state and prosperity of the settlements therein. ul i£ . L Families. O 1 3 5 i J • V^hether Kinigrants R * Thomas Barron, Eaqr. Chatham, ij *Capt. Read, R. S. Corps, Grenville, j> *Daniel DeHertel, Esqr. Lochaber, ?» ♦AdjuUnt Wolfe, h. p. 60lh Rcgt. Buckingham, and East half of Templeton. *Rugglcs Wright, Esqr. West half Templeton, j> Philimon Wright, Esqr. Hull, Eardley, i> it N. B. — Those names distinguished by an asterisk are indi- viduals recommended, and who have not received their Let- ters of Appointmeot or Instructions. J 21 APPENDIX F. Itinerary of Distances travelled hy the Survei/or-Gineralf in his official Tour through the New Sctllements of the Province, between the 2^lh July and 27th October, 1824, deduced from the reputed distances from place to place. From Quebec to Montreal, Montreal to Terrebonne, Thence to McKenzie's Mills, near Rawdon line, In Rawdon to the 7th Range inclusive, and va-. Reputed distances in Miles. 180 18 36 nous traverses. Thence to Kildare, _ - - Distance travelled in same, - • Thence back to Rawdon, Thence to New-Glasgow, by St. Roch, most practicable route. Thence to Kilkenny, - - - Thence back to Terrebonne, Thence to Montreal, - - - Thence to St. Andrews, (North River,) Thence to Grenville, - - - Thence to Hull, (by Steam-Boat,) Distances travelled in various directions through > that Township, - - S Thence to Eardley & back again to Wright Village, Thence down to Grenville, in a baik canoe, and> stops in the infermediate Townships, J Distances travelled in and through Grenville, in > various directions, - - ^ Thence down to St. Andrews, Thence up to the Chute Mills, (at Captain > Barron's, in Argenteuil,) - J Thence into Chatham, through the same into the 11 (h p.nd 12th Ranges, thence into Went- worth and through Argenteuil to the North of a small Lake, and back to Capt. Barron's, Thence to St. Andrew's village. From St. Andrews to Riviere a la Graisse, and, through Vaudreuil; to Montreal, 25 20 18 20 37 9 30 18 45 U 60 24 23 70 18 16 7 30 7 50 Carried over, 777 22 Brought forward, Guerre, in the Town- > Thence to Riviere k la ship of Godmanchester, Thence up the Riviere k la Guerre, visiting the*^ Emigrant Settlements, and in Huntingdon > Village on the Chateauguay River, J Thence through the Emigrant Settlements in the^ Western parts of Hinchinbrookand by dif- f ferent routes, back to Huntingdon Village, 3 Thence through Hinchinbrook and Flemming- > ford, to Schreivers in the latter Township, ^ Thence Northward to the fifth Range and into \ the new Settlement, formed upon theT Crown Reserves, back again and around r through Reserve Settlements, - j Thence Tiom Schreivers, through part of Hem- mingford, and by Champlain Village (be- ing the most practicable route) to Odell Town, . - - Thence to Brisbane's, on the River Richelieu, \ near Lacolle Mills, - - J Thence to Philipsburgh, by the route of CaldweUl Manor, and round the head of Missisqui Bay, J Thence to Frelighsburgh, near St. Armand village, Thence travelled into Dunham, Northward, and-) back to Freleighsburgh, - j Thence, from Freleighsburgh, to Pinnacle|Moun-^ tain, ascending the same, and back again > to Freleighsburgh, - - i From thence, by Richford Mills, to Doctor Gil-l man's, in the Township of Potton, J Thence to Lake Memphramagog, Thence down the Lake, Northward, to Oilstone Island, and back upon Owlshead Mountain, and thence proceeded to Harvie's, in Stan- stead, on said Lake, Thence to Stanstead Village, From thence, South, to the Province line, and > back to the Village, ■ - J Thence to Hatley, - - - - Thence to Compton, - - - - Thence to Sherbrooke Village, Distances in Miles. 777 60 15 38 U 15 SO 12 12 9 15 7 10 12 6 12 8 17 Carried over, 1087 10 12 6 12 8 17 23 Distances in miles. 1087 U 24 Brought forward, Distances travelled in visiting part of Ascot & Halley, From Sherbrooke, through Brompton, down the^ River St. Francis to Shipton, - 5 Thence to Cook's, in Kingsey, - - 15 Thence to Wear's, - - - 5 Thence to Drummondville, " ' JS Thence to St. Francis ( Abenequis,) Village, 18 Thence to Wurtele's Mills, - - 33 Thence to Upton Settlements, on Ruisseau des> 22 Chesnes, and back to the Mills, - 5 Distances in the visit of said Settlements, - 7 From the Mills to Sorel, - - 18 Thence to Quebec, . - - i3b Total distance, 1357 24 APPENDIX G. List ^f Documents accompanying the manuscript Re- port referred to in the printed one, of which a recapitulation of the Statistical part only is given in Appendix B. J^ Documents Nos. 1, 2, and 3, respecting the Survey of the Beach at Montreal. N"' 1 . Statistical statement of Rawdon. 33 Plan and Report of Survey of Encroachments upon the first Range of that Township. N^'S. Statistical Statement of Kildare. 3. Do. do. ofEardley. 4&5. Do. do, of Hull. C. Leases of Clergy Reserves in Hull. C Plan ot Wright Village, in Hull. 7. Statistical Statement of Templeton. 8. Do. do. of Buckingham. D Plan of part of Buckingham, exhibiting a section of Riviere aux Li^vres, and site for a Village. £ Respecting Mr. Bigelow's improvements therein. 9. Statistical Statement of Lochaber. JT Sundry Documents respecting the proposed settlement of Emigrants in that Township, and in others on the Ottawa. 10. Statistical Statement of Grenville. Q- Plan of the Village, general position of the Military Canal, &c. H Agents Returns of Locations to the Surveyor-General. !!• Statistical Statement of Chatham. 12. Do. do. of the Gore of Land in the rear of the Seigniory of Argenteuil.