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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. rrata :o aelure, 1 S 3 32X 1 2 3 ■ i ■■" 2 3 4 5 6 m- > *^^~%mi^_. f ]V aL 'CJ r TIIK M ^ n FREE GRANT LANDS or cA.]sr^r> A^, FROM PRACTfC AL EXPERIENJE OF BUSH FARMING IN TIIH i'REE GRANT DISTRICTS OF MUSKOKA AND PARRY SOUND. BY TII08. McMUIiRAY, J. P., OKK OF THE tmsi SKTTLER.S IN DRAPER, AND EX RKEVK OF THE UNITED TOWSHlUVn OF DRAPER, MACAUI-AV Sl'EPlIEXSON, KIC. ETC. r- B Pv A ( ' K B n I L)( i E, ONT. , CANADA : PRINTED ANTD PUnMSIIKD AT THE OFFICE OF TIIK "NORTHERN ADVOCATE." 1871. i iM THE FREE am LANDS Of CA.1SI A.D^, FROM PRACTICAL EXPERIENCP] OF BUSH FARMING IN THE FREE GRANT DISTRICTS OF MUSKOKA AND PARRY SOUND, BY THOS. McMURKAA', J. P., ONE OF THK FIRST HE'ITLERS IX DUXVEll. AND KX-UEKVE OF THE UxNITBD TOWNSHtrS OF DRAPER, MACAJI,aY .slErilENSON, ETC., ETC. BRACEBRIDGE, ONT., CANADA : PRINTED AND '- bLISHED AT THE OFFICE OF THB "NOBTHERIT ADVOCATE ' 1871. /"' / '"'' Entered according to Act of the rarliampnt of Caiiaee G rants of I^and. 42 The Settlers JW The Backwoodsman's Sorg 54 The advantages of Muskoka 55 The first Newspaper 56 Agricultural Show 58 Trade 6() Sources of enjoyment 67 TheSloigh ride 68 The Wool-picking Bee 69 Concert 7 • Social 71 Game i 72 Hunting 72 Fishing 73 Winter employment 7S Extracts from the Surveyors' Eeports ; 73 The Friends of the Emigrant 78 Rev. A. Styleraan Herring, B.A. , 79 Hon. Mrs. Hobart 79 Colonel Maude, C.B., V.C 80 Visit of the Members of the Ontario Government ... 82 Further developments 8<5 Bush Raiigers 87 Experimental Townships 88 Religious and Educational 90 Church Deflication 9.^ A Black Picture 95 Muskoka calmly considered 103 The Press 107 The Rev. Dr. Newton 114 A Letter 109 The Settlers' Greatest Enemy 115 Railway to Bracebridge 116 Anson G. P. Dodge, Esq 122 The Free Grant Lands of Parry Sound : — Early settlement 125 .Situation 12 ... 67 ... 68 • ... 69 ... 71 ... 71 .... 72 ,... 72 .... 73 .... 73 .... 73 .... 78 .... 79 .... 79 80 82 8<; 87 88 90 93 95 103 107 114 109 115 116 122 125 126 CONTEKT.S. 3l| Extent ^^ Climate ..^ ^«" ■■••'••■■■'■'™:::::z:::z Timber j2^ ^•^"^"^ ''^^'^^^^^'"'"''"'^r!^; 129 ^•■"P^ 12» I^oads jjj^ V^illage of PaiTy .Sound .^ tacilities - ,,^. I Vw ^V"llo will succeed . ,,„ F'sliing " j!j.^ Townshij) of McKellar .1) A ilominiscence .„_ „„ „ 1.15 IJic Route ^. Byuglnlet ' ItrJ Extracts from Surveyors" Reports , >.. Ontario . >„ ., ^. 145 Jidvertisements _ HISTORY OF THE €mI^ ^tiilmtni oi Mukh The Koad was commoiiccd at Washago, in 1853 ; Messrs, St. George- and O'Brien were the contractors. In the fell of 1859, Mr. It. J. Oliver was appointed Locating A"-ent at $4 per diem, under the Government of the Hon. John A. Macdonald ; Mr. P. M. Vankoughnet being Crown Lands' Commissioner. On the 1st of October, 1859, he met the settlers at the Severn Bridge and issued about 17 locations — (on the Road only) — James H. Jackson William Johnson, and John Young, James McCabe, David Leith and the Simingtons, were the first settlers in the Townships of Morrison and Muskoka. A small shanty had been opened as a tavern, and was kept by a brother-in-law (Mr. Swift) of the late John Tipping, Esq., J. P., of Orillia, who purchased 5 acres off lot No. 1, west from William Johnston. Donald Ferguson, a brave Highland Scotchman, was the first settler in the Township of Draper, At this period the road only extended to the South Falls, and the badge was not built ; but "Donald," nothing daunted, crossed the river and located on a lovely spot close to the Falls on the north side of the river. AVhile lots on the road were located in the fall of 1859, it was not till 1861 that the lands in the Townships of Morrison, Muskoka, Draper and Macaulay, were thrown upon the market, and at the same time Mr. li. J. Oliver was appointed Crown Lands' Agent. It was in the month of May, in this same year, that the writer became a resident' of Draper — before the Township Avas entirely surveyed. I cannot but refer here to the bitter opposition which was manifested towards the Government by a portion of the Press anrl a number of gentlemen, for attempting to open up this part of Ontario ; every form of misrepresentation and abuse was sought 14 EARLY SETTLEMENT OF MUSKOKA. after and circulated, and it was even asserted that it was only to " afford situations for their friends" that the country was opened up. The town of Barrie figured very conspicuously in their opposition to the settling up of the North ; among the fault finders we might name B., L. and M. ; but, as they have lived to see their error, we decline exposure; but, as a sample of the opinion in which Muckoka was held in those days, we may just state that M. told our author that "he would not pay the taxes on a single 100 acres of land for all the land north of the Severn. Muskoka has been much abused, still it had a few earnest friends who have done their duty nobly. Mr. 11. J. Oliver fought many a hard battle and silenced many a foe. "VVe find, on ex- amination, that he wrote not less than 83 Editorials and Letters in defence of the country. Mr. J. C. McMullen has also been a true friend of the District ; and, by his willing pen, has won many friends in the settlement. Prominent amongst the early settlers stand the names of Mr. and 'Mxa. McCabe ; they opened a tavern at Gravenhurst in 1861, and many a worn-out traveller has been glad to see their unpretentious log cabin where they might rest their weary limbs and get some refreshment to sustain nature. Never shall the writer forget his first interview with " Mother McCabe." When he arrived there, he was hungry and foot- sore • but he met with an " Irish welcome," and a dinner was served up by " Mother McCabe " which would not have disgraced any Hotel north of Toronto. The old log shanty looked dull outside, but within all was cleanliness and order ; her clean white curtains kept out the musquitoes in summer and cold in winter, while her feather beds afforded sweet rest to many a weary land-seeker. How welcome was the sight of the dim low light through the bush, to the weary travellier, can only be fully appreciated by the early pedestrians when no horses or vehicles wwre on the road ; there are hundreds in the settlement who remember them, and some of them have cause to bless "Mother McCabe" for her generosity. The first death in the settlement was that of poor Johnston ; he was drowned at the Severn bridge one Sunday whilst fishing. The poor widow struggled hard with her two little boys — the elder not more than 9 years — and, with their help, she managed before she died to clear iibout 8 or 9 acres ; but, alas, fell in the harness. EARLY SETTLEMENT OF MUSKOKA. 15 } only to [)ened up. osition to jlit name /e decline was held that "he the land had a few J. Oliver id, on ex- Letters in true friend ids in the Mrs. William Gardiner and Mrs. Thomas McMun-ay gave birth to the first children in Draper, and Mrs. Jolin Kelly to tlie first in Moiick. The first lumber mill in the settlement was built in 1861, by John Everbcck, a German, on the Kah-she-she-bog-a-mog River, near Sj)arrow Lake, in the Township of Morrison ; tlic second was enacted by James Grant ; the first grist mill also by James Grant, on the same stream where it crosses tlie Muskoka Koad, 5 mile.s north of Washago. f Mr. and and many log cabin shment to rview with and foot- 1 served up any Hotel but within pt out the ither beds ;lcome was y travellier, no horses ement who »r McCabe" #• )n ; he was The poor ) more than ad to clear THE FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA.. SITUATION. Muskoka is conveniently situated, being only 121 miles distant from the City of Toronto. Its location is in a direct line in the overland route to the great North -West. Parties leaving Toronto in the morning can reach the settlement during the summer months in a day, and the trip is one of the most pleasant and attractive possible. The eastern and western boundaries are situated within and between 79° and 80° west from (Jreenwich. The geographical position of the settlement is good, forming as it does almost a bee-line of travel from Liverpool to Vancou- ver. It is the shortest route by hundreds of miles from the Atlantic to the Pacific. AVho can predict the future of this section of Ontario 1 If our Canadian Government Avould but manifest that enterprise which the importance of the case demand^ before five years this route would be open. EXTENT. The District of Muskoka comprises say 40 townships, of about 40,000 acres each, covering an area of over one million five hundred thousand acres of land, capable of affording homes for one hundred thousand souls. CLIMATE. The climate is mild, taking into consideration the latitude 45'', N. — . There is here perfect summer and perfect winter. The bracing atmos - phere is very conducive to health, rendering it one of the healthiest cli- mates under the sun. Save in cases of accident the doctor is seldom seen here. There are slight falls of snow in November, but it never lies till the beginning of December, when winter sets in. Snow continues to i'all at intervals, till, in February, it sometimes attains a depth of 3 or 4 SCENERY. 17 mt from nd route ling can the trip ;ern and J0° west is good, Vancou- ilantic to irio ? If hich the vould be feet. In Marcli it begins to settle, Imt is not finally gone till the 8th or 10th of April. In summer there is more moisture here than further south, owing to the greater elevation and vicinity to the lakes, from which cool breezes prevail. There is freedom from drought which is so mischievt)us below, rendering the district peculiarly favorable for stock- raising and the dairy. Owing to the salubrity of the climate and the mineral nature of the water, many, who were sickly before coming here, Jiave since become healthy and strong. If we have somewhat more snow, we can fau'ly claim that, almost as soon as the snow is gone, the land is dry for the plough, and soon ready for the seed. Wheat sown in the last Aveek of April will be ripe by the second week in August. Rains are abundant in spring and autumn. Fogs are rai-e. The hot- test months of summer are July and August, and tho coldest months of winter are January and February. During the winter nu)nths we enjoy almost without interruption a fine clear sky, and the atmosphere is pe- culiarly bracing. The Indian summer, which generally occurs in Octo- ber, is a delightful time of the year. The sleighing season, in winter, is also a pleasant period. THE SOIL. , While large flats of clay are found in many places, the soil is mostly of a loamy nature. The average amount fit for cultivation will probably be two-thirds. One gratifying fact is that the land, on being cleared and cultivated, has turned out much better than was anticipated. TIMBER. - 4 The timber south of Muskoka Falls is principally composed of pint of fair quality ; north of the Falls, a very perceptible change is notice- able, the great proportion being composed of hardwood, consisting of maple, basswood, beech, birch, elm, &c. i^N. — . ig atmos- ,hiest cli- s seldom never lies ntinues to of 3 or 4 SCENERY. The sceneiy is varied, and in many instances extremely grand. At Beaver Creek, about 9 miles north of Washago, the rocks rise almost perpendicular near 200 feet, from the loftiest peak of which a deer, being closely pursued, is said to have leaped down in .safety to the valley below and thereby escaped. / 18 FHKE GIUNT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. MUSKOKA LAKE la one of the mofiit cliaiming slioets of water in this Provincp. There t of letter farming country; but there is no spot more healthy or romantic tlian this. Hero tho sportsman and the pleasure-seeker can enjoy tho richest possible treat, and men with shattered constitutions may hero have them repaired. Ye broken-down millionaires, fly hither and recuperate ! The Kev. Alex. Kennedy, of Pickering, writes under date 2l8t Dec, 1870 :— '' My intercourse with settlers, whether village or landward, gave mo a highly fav()ural)le opinion of their intelligence, energy, stlf-ndiance, and contentment. I do trust that, by diligent elTort and sobriety, they will win for themselves prosperity in their forest homes. Of the soil and climate of the country my very Kmited knowledge forhids me to speak dogmatically ; but, from what I saw and learned, my conviction is that both are better than your rocky southern entrance and your northern latitude would lead a stranger to infer. But of your lake scenery I feel free to spec k in the liighest terms. It has been my lot to see many corners of creation in several and distant lands ; but, for romantic gran- deur, I am not sure that I have seen anything to surpass Lake Musko- ka, with its all but countless islands and its rocky and wooded shores. Without much hazard of prophetic failure, tho day may be predicted, and not far distant either, when the wealthy m our largo cities will erect villas for the summer residenoo of their families on tho healthful and enchanting shores of Lake Muskoka." THE CROPS. Splendid samples of wheat have been raised in the district, the yield being large and the grain of superior quality. From practical exper- ience the writer feels confident that, by good tillage and by paying pro • per attention to tho rotation of crops, this staple can be profitably raised. Oats grow luxuriantly and pay well, we have seen as good oats here as we ever beheld either in Ireland or Scotland, and recommend Scotchmen in particular to make Muskoka their home, for they will be certain to have an abundance of oat-cake and porridge. Indian com does well in some localities. It has been successfully raised by the Indians since they can remember. Great crops of potatoes and turnips are also raised, and of the very best quality. Vegetables of all kinds do well. Apple trees, berry-bushea 20 FKEE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. and all descriptions of fruit-bearing plants seem to do well. Clover and all the grasses are eminently successfnl even on the ridges ; snch a thing f»s bumt-up pastures being almost unknown, the herbage being green and fresh from early spring till snow fails again in the autunni. In a wai m and well-watered country like this, crops can be rais(^(l on soil that would be useless if subject to drought. Mr. Walter Sharp, of lots number 4 and 5 in the 13th concession of the Township of Draper, had 15 acres last year under oats, which yielded DOO bushels, or 60 bushels to the acre. Mr. Andrew Thompson, Postmaster at UfBngton, in the Township of Draper, and District of Muskoka, planted an early rose potatoe weighing one and three quarter ounces, and raised from the same sixteen and three- quarter pounds, tlu's yielding 153 times the quantity planted. Tlie Rev. Mr. Rogers, Presbyterian minister, states in the Eecord for January, l871. " The crops this year (1870) are excellent. I saw fields of oats that would yield 50 bushels per acre, also very good samples of wheat and the best potatoes I have ever tasted. I saw also many patches of Indian corn, of excellent growth and fully matured, and ripe tomatoes in great Abundance." Tlie follov/ing is fiom the Northern Advocate : Early Rose Potatoes. — The Rev. Mr. Hill, of Peninsula Farm, Chaifey Township, planted two pounds of early rose potatoes, which yielded 224f pounds. At this rate an acre would produce between 1100 and 1200 bushels. We place Muskoka against any county in On- tario for jiotatoes. Water Melons. — We have to thank Mr. Jacob Spence of the town- ship of Draper for a valuable jiresent of superior water melons just re- ceived. It was once thought that melons would not ripen here, but tliis season has demonstrated that they can be raised, and that the qual- ity is equal to any grown in Ontario. From the Report of the, Commissi'mer of Agriculture and PuhUc JVorls for 1870. *' I am glad to learn that most of those who have settled on the free :grant lands seem to be satisfied with their choice. The excellent samples of wheat, oats, peas, &c., that were sent to my Department from the neighborhood of Bracebridge, which did not arrive in time for the Pro- ROADS. 21 'uhlic JVorls Int froTn the vincial Exliibition, clearly indicate the agricultural capabilities of the Muskoka District, which, with other extensive areas of fertile land in the course of being opened up to settlement in this Province, would afford homes of peace and plenty to thousands of industrious families in themother country, that arenowstrugglingwith disappointment and want. "Respectfully submitted, "JOHN CARLPTG, *^Cu,amissioner. "Toronto, January, 1871." ROADS. The prosperity of a country very much depends on the state of the roads, and speed and cheapness in travelling have a great deal to do witli commercial success. This fact has been long iccognized, and many improvements have been made in order to secure this most desirable ■end. Half a century ago, Macadam introduced his system which formed a new era in road making ; and, while we cannot boast of having atl- Tanced so far as to have much macadamized road, still we are highly favored beyond many settlers of former days. By the introduction of ditching along the sides of the roads and elevating the centres, vast improvements have beer made ; and the settlers have no cause to com- plain, as the Government have done nobly in this respect. The road from Washago to Muskoka Falls was commenced in 1858 ; again in 18G4 the Government expended a large sum of money in doing repairs, when detours were made at Hock-rock and Golden Creek, which not only improved the road but added very much to the comfort of the settlers. lu 18G6, repairs were made on the l*cterson Road ; (running through Draper) under the efficient superintendence of Mr. ^Oliver, whose engineering ability was ably manifested in the improve- fments which he introduced. In 1866 the Parry Sound Road was completed, thereby connecting Lake Couchicliing with the Georgian Bay at Parry Sound Harbor — a distance of 80 miles ; since then the Government have pushed road- making through with vigor. A good plank and gra\el road has been J)uilt between Washago and Gravenhurst, which is a gi-eat boon to the leettlers. The Stevenson Road has also been extended and bridges |fcuilt, thereby opening up a large section of good country. The Nipissing load has also been o} nied up to the Maganetawau, and rapid improve- lents are still going on. 9» FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. PROGRESS. It is a satisfaction to find that, wi'h the confederation of the Provinces^ somt life has been thrown into this movement, and a deeper interest is taken in the matter ; but ic is only of late that this subject has met with that attention which it deserves. The results of the past two years have been most encouraging, and warrr it increasing exertions in this important department. The Hon. John Oarling deserves the highest praise for the course he has pursued, He has done all that could reasonably be expected, and has shown him- self to be " the right man in the right place ■" and, from the opportuni- ties which the different members of the Government have had of judging of the success of those immigrants who have settled in this district, I feel confident that they will be prepared to lend every assistance in their power to promote a scheme which is so good for individuals, and beneficial for the state. It cannot be said that there has been a great rush at any time, still the settlement has made sure and steady progress, every year having added to its population and development. Morrison Township, the fi^^roi' first through which you pass on entering the territory, possesses con- qj^q siderable good land, although it is rough and rocky tlirough that part penetrated by the Colonization Road ; still west of that and in the ji^^^ neighborhood of Sparrow Loke the soil is rich and the per centage of jj^, agricultural land large; hence it has been settled by a very intelligent fpjj^ and indust nous class of inhabitants ; schools and churches have been ^^y erected, miils and post-office? have been established, and the settlers jyjQ begin to feel that brighter days aAvait them. Jay . j| Muskoka Township, to the north of Morrison, has participated largely throu of the spirit of enterprise which has everywhere characterized the settle [^ g^j^^ nient of this District. It can boast of Gravenhurst, a spirited and amjj^ q-j,, bitious village, the centre of large lumbering operations, where the priii- \yji cipal pai t of the steam boat building of the north is carried on, Thi-^ ^.h township contains a large number of settlers, including not only the iiitj|| pi dustrious poor, but men of position and wealth. A. J. Alport, Esq., Jjttty P., of Maple Grove, has his ho?ne here. Wonderful improvements havcjAj^j^ been made in this township ; large clearances have been eflfected, ^^'Sfmg everjrthing indicates great prosperity and perfect contentment. J^e a ote at e ^ PROGRESS. 23 Draper Township has not been lacking in that energy which has so ietrongly marked the history of the Muskoka Territory. Ths enterprise itnanifested by the two first settlers, Mr. Donald Ferguson (a Highland iBcotchman), and the author, who is a Lowland Scotchman, has been ;i|argely imbibed by all who have succeeded them, so that the develop- f*nent has been most rapid, as will be seen by a reference to the statistics aumished in another part of this work. One serious drawback to the let'^lement of thr Township has been the difficulty of getting to the land *|n the north side of the Muskoka River. However, notwithstanding is hinderance, a large number of settlers have lately found their way ither, and the number is constantly increasing. The soil is very superior, and as bridges will shortly be built, it is asonable to expect that very soon all the unocpupied lots will be ken up. Macaulay Township has great natural advantages, and is admirably situated. The head of navigation on tlie north branch of the Muskoka ]|iver, where the thriving village of Bracebridge now stands, touches i^e south-west corner of the Township. The soil is good, and settlers ale rapidly filling up the Towuship. Settlement is progressing most Township, the favorably, the prospects are good, and Macaulay is destined to become possesses con- ©ne of tlie richest Townships in the District. ough that part Stephenson Township has made great headway during the past year ; it and in the JmiKlreds of settlers have been induced to take up land there, so that per ccntage of itnow compares favorably with any in this section, very intelligent TJ^e settlers are improving in their circumstances ; and not only can les have been they live, but many of them are saving money. and the settlers Monck ToM'nship is very conveniently situated to the west of Macau- lay; it also is advancing with sure and steady i)aco ; no one, in passing icipated largely through this District, can fail to notice that the settlers do not believe rized the settle in standing still ; for, wherever you go, progress and rapid improvement )irited and am 9^0 observable. where the prin- "Watt Township has settled up quickly and the inhabitants are noted ried on. Thi for their intelligence and perseverance ; new frame houses are taking not only the ii'th* place of the old log cabins, and everything gives evidence of pros- /Alport, Esq., ^pW^ty and succese. Besides those already enur.ierated, the Townships rovements hav>)f ^IcLean, Brunei, Stisted, Chaffey, Cardwell, Wood and Medora, are »n effected, a^'flipg up rapidly, and the accounts received from those Avho liave located tment. h%e are most favorable. le Provinces^ er interest is ect has met luraging, and . The Hon. has pursued, 3 shown him- he opportuni- have had of ettled in this o lend every s so good for any time, still [•y year having 24 FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOK \. In 1868, Muskoka was organized into a Territorial District, and a Stipendiary Magistrate was appointed ; the Cro>vn Land Agency then became an appendage to that office, Mr. C. W. Lount receiving thf appointment. As an evidence of the growth of the settlement, I may just state thai according to tlie Crown Lands Reports, only 1G3 persons located on wild lands in 1864 ; whilst the Hon. John Carling stated in the Hous^ of Assembly, on the 9th of December, 1870, that no less tlian 139,00' acres of land had been taken up during that year in the Muskoka D\<) trict alone, and I may add that the past success of the settlement is , sufficient guarantee to all who shall hereafter locate that, with sobrietj industry and perseverance, they may succeed. ' The following statistics Avill enable the reader to mark the stead) progress which the settlement is making. I submit the Townships o! Draper, Macaulay and Stephenson, simply from the facL that I avM' Eeeve of said Municipality. i I a 3 PROGRESS. 25 istrict, and a Agency ther. receiving tlv just state that ms located on ;1 in the Hous^ 3 than 139,00' ! Muskoka Di4 lettlemcnt is , with sobriet} ark the stead} e Townships ac'o that I -vva- •^3in«o '«g ggs gg gg^y* *' •uosuaqda^g o 00 t- 1- ao h- >ft <0 < ih'3^^ 00 to o •Xb^bobj^ GO oo'iti" »oo" o" jadisj(j •MOOIM-4'031© t-iMr-IOOOO lA O © "A M 00 rH i-i ■VMW •iCaiJiTso ft i-t vo fl >ft © p 1ft ^> © t- ■^ ;■} 00;5rH©ePf-© i-IMt>.«*<©iniop ©■^»©^50M 00 M (M CO ■>! t^ -a- O ■M -^ t^ CI rH r-< CC' t~- i-H 00 IM •uosuaqda^y 10 © -^ P O Ift © !• © JO 1ft © © (J5 iftoiftoest-io^jo t-oiftio l^ CO 1-1 00 CO 1ft «i ■^ (-. i-H 00 o 00 •^f'Bin'BO'BJY! CO i^ t-- © ift in © ift © «:: © oc ift © cs 1.0 -^ 10 i-H Tt< 00 1^ in o 1-H -.s t-T «in' tci-f Ift !M O 00 r-< CO -f © O CO S^ CI C^ •jaclnjg; iHt^rtlpl^pC©© 0_«5 00 Tt< 00 ■>) o c: C h es o q o S (4 el ci S^^ t4H »4-( **H «4H O O C O O . t^ h U U 6 1/ c saaa3 C 3 P 3"o i o o a o 3 3 ci U a o 2 a* ►?" lU S'cS 3'eJ y '-i 4J '-S *a w 31 • d • - a; e l> 3. a 2"^ .5 *^ *4-4 ^1-' *4H U-l o c o c o ^ W w W ^ W •-; (M tH t4 kl M .a V aj a> V V ^ o o 'aa saa - s s s 3 3 56 rnEE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. THE "NIPISSING," A NP^W STEAMER. The " Wenonah" has done good service to the settlers in the Mus- koka district during the past few years ; while at the same time she has proved remunerative to her enterprising proprietor, and I rejoice that she has fostered a trade upon these lakes, which necessitates the construction of a much larger vessel. I have thought that a description of the new steamer ai, present building at Gravenhurst, would interest my readers, and have therefore gleaned the following particulars, whicli will give some idea of what she will be like when finished : — Her lengtli * of keel will be 115 feet; length of deck, 123 feet; breadth of beam, 19 feet; breadth over all, 31 feet; gross tonnage, 150 tons. She will be driven by a low pressure beam engine, manufactured by Messrs. F. G. Becket & Co., of Hamilton. The length of stroke will be six feet the bore of cylinder, 24 inches. Her boiler will be a return tubular made of ^ inch Low-moor plate, weighing 8j4 tons. The whole con- struction of this steamer is under the supervision of one of the most .| experienced mechanical engineers and draftsmen in the Dominion. Tlu contractor is Thomas "Walters, Esq. The master builder is Mr. RoIki Robinson, of Kingston; and, all things considered, I feel justified i' stating that she will be a model of design, comfort and beauty, beii,. the exact copy of the " Emily May" in every particular, only one-sixt! smaller. She is to be fitted up as a mail, ex-press, and passenger teamei The latest improvements will be adopted in the build of her deck- cabin and general outfit ; and she will be furnished in the most elegai manner, so as to promote the comfort of those who shall sail in he over our beautiful lakes. Her average speed will be 14 miles an how and she is expected to be launched on the 15th of April next. I ic tainly must congratulate the inhabitants of this district upon the ii proved accommodation furnished ; while at the same time I wish .1 A. P. Cockburn success in his grand enter^jrise. VILLAGES. As the settlement fills up. Villages arise as a natural conscqueupl The following sketches will no doubt pre e that the l>istrict is in - prosperous state : — \ fr M th git, pii wa w; SCO Thi bal anc 1)00 ing ma: (lur is the nun the kee E (he list its ' tlie ;i bo T [ten |«xce inde [has VILLAGES. 27 in the Mus- | ime time she | md I rejoice | cessitates the i| a description i vould interest iculars, which ; — Her length' adth of beam, ons. She will by Messrs. l\ ill be six feet return tubular rhe whole con- le of the most I )ominion. Tht^^ V is Mr. Rober:| 'eel justified ij 1 beauty, beiii^| only one-si xtl I 3sengei ^teameri of her decks be most elegaiil lall sail in Iwj miles an hod |il next. I cci| !t upon the H ime I wish m iral conscqueM District is inj BRACEBKIDGE. The viUage of Bracebridge is the most important in the District of Muskolva ; it is situated in the south-west portion of the Townsliip of Macaulay, 1 1 miles north of Gravenhurst, on the north branch of the Muskoka River, at what is known a.s the North Falls, about 5 miles from its influx Avith Lake Muskoka. When the writer first visited Muskoka, in 1861, there was not a tree cut nor a settler to be found on the present site — all was a dense forest ; in fact, there was no road to it, and the only means of crossing the River was by walking over a, pine log which fortunately spanned the stream, which I can assure you was a dangerous experiment. What a change has taken j)]ace since then ! While I write, a hundred chimneys are sending forth their smoke and scores of teams are driving past, giving evidence of activity and life. There are 4 large hotels, 7 excellent stores, 2 saw-mills, grist-mill, 2 bakers' shops, 2 butchers' shops, 2 boot stores, carpenters' shops, sash land door factory, blacksmith shops, cabinet warehouse, drug store, book store. Court-house, Crown Lands office, Registry office, Jail, Print- ing office. Churches, Schools, &c.. Orange Hall, Post-office with daily mail, money order office, and P. 0. Savings Bank. Passengers can, during navigation, come through from Toronto in a day. Bracebridge is destined to become a town of great importance, situated as it is in the centre of the District, surrounded by a rich farming country, with numberless avenues all leading directly to it ; and, being on the route of the Toronto, Simcoe and Muskoka Junction Railway, it cannot fail to keep the lead, as it has already taken it. Bracebridge is now certain of being made the present terminus of the T. S. & M. J. Railway. The Government has placed it upon the list of those lines entitled to aid, and has granted $4,000 a mile towards its construction from Washago. The Company, anxious to penetrate the back settlements, have pledged themselves, on the Townships giving a bonus of ^50,000, to construct the Road with all possible speed. This village at present is a more important place than Orillia was ten years ago, and the commercial position of this village in 1871 far ixceeds the standing of that village in 1861 ; and, if the past be an index to the future, we shall gain more during tlie coming five than it .as in the past ten. ■Ma 28 FREK (IIIANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. A SHORT SKETCH OF THE RISE riD PROGRESS OF THE VILLAGE OF GRAVENHURST. Ten years ago, tlie prasent site of the village of Gravcnhurst was a wilderness of pines which flourished in all their primeval grandeur. But, as the resources and advantages of the country became gradually known to the outside world, eager immigrants from the mother coimtry and land seekors from the older settlements canio h*^re ; amongst those Messrs. Jas. Sharp, senior; David "Wright, Joseph Brock, Edward and James Hewitt, and Jas. McCabe, the last-named party also being pro- prietor of the " Free Masons Arms" Hotel. The progress of Graven- hurst and vicinity was necessarily slow for a few years. Messrs. P. Cockburn & Son, commencing lumbering operations in the country during tlie winter of 1865-'GG, gave an impetus to industry and advancement previously unknown ; they purchased logs from the set- tlers and gave them employment during the winter months, soon con- vincing the inhabitants that pine trees were useful for other purposes than being burnt into ashes. Mr. A. P. Cockburn, M.P.P., contributed very materially about this time to the welfare and progress of the settle- ment by placing a steamer on Muskoka Lake, built near Gravcnhurst wharf, and known as the " Wenonah ;" he also opened a general store, distinguished as the " Montreal Store," — since that the country has steadily progressed. Gravcnhurst is pleasantly situated on a gentle declivity between Mus- koka Bay and Gull Lake ; it is distant from Toronto, lOG miles ; from Orillia, 26 miles ; from Severn Bridge, 12 miles ; and from Bracebridge, 1 1 miles. It is connected with Lake Couchiching by a new plank and gravel road constructed during the past summer. The principal build- ings are Brown's hotel, Mr. Cooper's new building, the Queen's hotel, the stores of Messrs. Cockburn & Co. and George Clarke, the Episco- palian Church. Messrs. Sibbald & Chamberland are building an exten- sive shingle mill, and Messrs. Cockburn & Co. a steam saw mill ; a planing machine and sash and door factory are also to be run in con- nexion with the saw-mill. A. P. Cockburn, Esq., is constructing a fine new steamer on Muskoka Bay, which he expects to launch in the month of April next. I might mention that James Sharp, senior, is general agent for the different steamers and the " Union Line " at Gravenhurst, Tlie lumber- I " SKVKRN RR[DUE. 2^ OF THE irst was a grandeur. gradually ler country [)ngst those dward and being pro- of Graven- tions in the ndustry and om the set- s, soon con- ker purposes contril)utcd of the settle- Gravenhurst eneral store, country has ictween Mus- miles; from racebridge, w plank and ncipal build - )ucen's hotel, the Episct^- ing an exten- saw mill ; a run in con- on Muskoka ril next. I iagent for the Tlie lumber- in" firm of Ilotclikiss, Iliigiison vith the Mu.skoka Road. It is 21 miles north of Washago, and 3 miles south of Brace- bridge. . There is in this village a post office, with daily mail ; store, hotel, school, meeting-house, &c. The soil in the neighbourhood is good, and the country around is well settled. It is chietiy remarkable for the beauty of its scenery. The Grand Muskoka Falls are always at- tracti%'e to tourists, and much admired by the lovers of nature. In the spring of 1866 a scene of unusual interest presenter itself. In former years the spray had fonned an arch over the Falls, but on this occasion it assumad the form ot a cone with a crater, and from its mouth tlui spray came boiling forth in awful grandeur, ascending at least 100 feet. It might be compared to a mighty, massive silver fountain, sending forth its sparkling waters. Any one who has witnessed Vesuvius, burning in Lis fury may form sonu* conception of this grand siglit. As I gazed upon the scene a double rainbow spanned the Falls ; countless icicles were hanging from the branches of the tall pines as they bent gracefully over the cataract, and I wished that the world might be jirivilegod with the sight. I drove some distance in order to get an artist to take a negative, but the spray was so great that a good picture could not be obtained. Multitudes of those who love the sublime and })i( turcscpTc take a trip^hither once a year; and, when we consider that the Falls are 175 feet in height, and that 3,670 tons of water per minute rusli through this narrow mountain gorge and descend to the basin beneath with a voice like thunder, it is not to be wondered at that visitors from almost every part of the continent liave carved their names on the # Jouoliiching, Grant dis- iind pa.sson- lijivc tunu' (Jnm.l Miiskokii Falls. Tin; wi-itiT is not n littl»> promi of tlu' tlioiij^ht that he was on*' of tlu; first to carve liis naiiii! on that wonthnful record, MUHKOKA. Here lumry rockH tliat cmiiitlosB ages past Hive bravM the force of winter'n wihlcHt blast, Ami scorching heat of Hiimmcr's fierccHt ray, Those rugges out on almost every lot of land; but this rock is not deceptive to the agriculturist, as he may dig or plough close beside the visiljle rock witlu)ut obstruction. Hunters report much good land north and east of Franklin and Cliatfey. The ex/cnsion of the Muskoka Road to form a junction with tiie 15ob- caygeon Road, on the cast of Franklin, would l)e a great boon to this section of country. To effect this, a petition, numerously signed, has been forwarded to Parliament. The influx of settl(!rs to the vicinity of these Lakes during last summer has been v<'ry great, yet there is much good land to be given away. Preparations are being made for the erection of churches and mills next summer. EAELY EEMINISCENCES. THE RICE QUARREL. In the- earj-ly settlement of Draper, three families resided together until they would have time to erect a separate house for each. One of the women had brought in a quantity of rice, which mysteriously dis- appeared little by little ; and, after having been robbed of her entire package, she gave expression to her su-spicion that one or other of the women must have been interfering with the same ; this gave rise to a lenible quarrel, and made a wide breach in those three ftimilies ; a eparation took plac(>, and considerable sensation was created. After some time Ugh: w^s thrown upon the whole aftairin the foUow- iii^ manner : — one of the men cut down a hollow tree, and as he was cutting it up, you may judge his surprise as the rice came running out , the thief was at lait detected ; a naughty chip-monk or squirrel had found its way into ths shanty, and as there ha})]iened to be a crack in the box which con^^ained the rice, an entrance wa;ii effected, and little by little it removed tlie stock in order to complete its winter store, but the woodman's axe bhisted its hoi)es, cleared the innocent, and shamed the quarrellers. V 36 FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. WILD BEASTS. No fear need be entertained with reference to ■wild animals ; I have bo<^n in the settlement for about ten years, during which period not a single case of injury has occurred. The sight of a wild animal is very lare ; shortly after I settled in Muskoka, as I was on my way to the Severn Bridge, I saw a large gray wolf ; it was crossing the road near where James Boyd now lives, about a mile north of Grant's Mill ; when it heard my footsteps, it stopped. I shall never forget how I felt as I looked for the first time upon this noble specimen of the North American wolf ; there it stood about 20 yards off, with glaring eyes, pricked up ears, and bushy tail, After w.; looked at each other for a few seconds, it turned rouad aiid walked away in the direction from whence it came as cowardly at < ssible. The wolves ox 'a are not to be compared to those of Russia in ferocity ; besides, de; . are so abundant that they seldom know Avhat hun- ger is. I have heard them howHng as they were on the pursuit, and the sound is anything but pleasant. The bear has been often seen, but has never been known to attack any one. They invariably flee from the face of man, and never give bat- tle unless in defence of their young, to which they are strongly attached. The lynx is very rare, only one having been shot in the District. As an evidence of the perfect safety which we enjoy, I may state that not so much as a lamb has been destroyed by any wild animals in this neigh- Ijourhood. INDIANS. Few Indians reside in the District, but numbers of them pass through it on their way froni Rama to their hunting grounds. They are a very quiet, inoffensive people, fond of jewellery an?l gaudy attire. They sing very sweetly, and the squaAvs execute some nice bead work, Avhich dis- plays great taste. It is amusing to see them gliding along in their bark canoes. They are dying off very fast, and I fear that they will soon be- come extinct. Some of them, however, live to a good old age. Old Chief Yellow-head died in 18G5, aged lOO years. He was an honest Indian, much respected by all who knew him, and ho continued to frequent his hunting grounds till a few days liefore his death. On his last trip he called at the residence of the writer, and i ?mained over night. EARLY REMINISCENCES. 37 LOST IX THE WOODS. very sing (lis- )s*rk a lie- is an nued nhis over The following was Avritteii some years ago, on the occasion of Moses Richardson and his wife getting lost in the woods ; Draper township was then but thinly settled, and the sensation it created in the settle- ment was intense ; I happened to be one of the party who wept in search of the missing ones. Persons unacquainted with the bush should be careful not to penetrate far into it, unless provided with a compass. "What means this blowing of horns, firing of arms, and the oft-repeated ' Hoop, whoo' that greets the ear and arrests the attention ■of every settlor?" "A man and his wife are lost in the woods" is the prompt and e.xcited reply. How sad is every countenance, how agitated -every breast, how anxious every neighbour! The unhappy pair had gone in search of their cattle, mistaken their way, and got lost in the dense forest ; with wild desperation they are forcing their way through the thicket of the swamp, or ascending the rugged mountain's brow, or '^limbing over logs vaiidy in search of the home they left ; but, alas, they are totally bewildered and every step they takt leads them farther from "The dearest spot on earth," "Home, sweet home." The neigh- bors now begin to collect from all points of the compass ; they form themselves into companies, and decide what the signal shall be in case the unhappy wanderers are found. Animated by a noble iihilanthropy they start, cheered by the happy thought of saving the lost ; for hours they pursue their difficult task ; crossing deep gullies, ascending almost perpendicular heights, then going down steep precipices, they onward go ; the sun begins to sink in the western sky, the shades of evening fall upon them, the dark curtains of night at leugtli are thrown around them ; to proceed farther would be folly ; in the dark they might pass the objects of their search ; an eminence is sought and a tire is kindled, in order to attract the notice of the lost ones ; the searchers gather around it ; a little bread and pork, with some " bright water" from the bi'ook that tlows at the mountain's base, form i-heir evening meal ; no levity characterizes their conduct ; there is but one expression visibhi on each countenance, and that is sadness ; hemlock brush is cut and spread that the weary searchers may rest themseh'es thereon ; sleep is out of the question; their trouble is too deep for t>iem to enjoy "Na- ture's sweet restoier, balmy sleep." The solenni words, " Let us pray," for the first time ai'c repeated in this dense forest ; and, -on the still -^w S8 FllKH GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA, evening air, prayer ascends to Him avIio came " to save that which was lost." Here, many miles from any human liabitation, prayer for the first time is oftered by " white men" to " The (treat Spirit;" the miss- ing ones are not forgotten, and earnest supplication is made that God would direct their steps. But what of the poor wanderers ? — they are "Weak and faint ; hunger drives them to despair and death ; death from starvation stares them in the face ; the husband, as the only alternative, urges his wife to cut a slici! from the calf of his leg in order to satiate her craving for food ; but the fiiithful wif iliing weary miles, scorched by a burning sun, and as they proceed tliey inform every one they meet of the " Good news." " They r«^ found, tliey're found ! " is the repeated f'.iculation, and all join m a sincere and hearty "thank God, thank GaV * IT- ( . .1 (*>/ \.^'' WHAT BROUGHT THE WKITEIl TO ^lUSKOKA. The question has often been asked, What brought you to Canada ? — and how did you find out about Muskoka I Witli reference to the first part of the enquiry, I have to state that, having a numerous family, we com- menced to consider what was best to be dom? under such circumstances. With our limited means we saw no prospect of ever being able to pro- cure farms for them at home, so the tliouglit of emigrating began to oc- cupy our attention. With regard to the second, 1 would state that the Government, in 1861, sent Mr. J. A. Donaldson over to Great Britain and Ireland, in order to make Canada known, and promote emigration to the Provinces. It was announced in the Belfast papers that he was staying at the " Plough Hotel," and would be glad to give advice to any who were desirous of emigrating to Canada. I waited upon him, and received a pamphlet, with map of Ontario, together with much valuable information. In looking over the map, I was favourably impressed with the position of Muskoka. Its proximity to Toronto, and its tmlimited Avater fticllities, led me to conclude that if the soil was what the survey- ors reported it to be, that eventually it must be-iome a plac(> of consider- able importance. On the 10th of May, I8GI5 we set sail from London- derry, and arrived at Quebec on the 20th, after a pleasant voyage of ten days. m^''\'-: i:,^;^ ':sr..^*--*^-'-'-' ■> ^■- '■.-.T-i^^'iMlX'-fil^;-.-.- .-^-^rj^rv ■;■,■::4n■y^-: On passing along the Grand Trunk, I was very much disheartened at the appearance of the country ; but as we neared Toronto the scene im- proved, and I thought Canada was not so bad a place after all. On our arrival in Toronto, I rented a house for a month for my family, while I proceeded to examine the Free Grant Land.? of Muskoka. At Orillia many persons tiled to dissuade me from going there. One man said, " If you go in there you will die, and there will be no one to buiy yon ;" but notliing da'ut^d, I proceeded on my journey. On turivhig at Mc- Cabe'.-; Taveiti, where the Village of Graveuhurst now stands, I hired a flat-bottomed boat, and rowed across Muskoka Lake, and up Muskoka River to the Noi-th Falls, now known as the Village of Bracebridge, which is the centre of the District. Here I was welcomed by Mr. JameS' f-Ji ■»"^ 40 FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. Cooper, to wlioin I liad a note of mtroduction from K. J. Oliver, Esq., the Crown Liinds Agent. After spending a night at the camp, near where the whaif now stands, I proceeded to Draper, and met with Mr. Richard Ilanna, who "was emph)yed by tlie Government in opening np tlie Peterson Line of Eoad, who rendered me all the service in his power, and to whom I feel much indebted. After examining the land pretty thoroughly, I selected 400 acres on the banks of the south branch of the Muskoka liivei", about two miles east of the Grand Muskoka Falls, and succeeded in getting Mr. Hiiiina to quit road making, and fall to and chop ten acres of land, and build a log hou;,e, all of which he promised to have finished in a month, with the assistance of his men. I then Avent back to Toronto for my family, and, at the expii*ation of the month, returned, expecting that my house would bo finished ; but, while the frame was erectf^d, it wan destitiite of floors aiul roof ; so we were obliged to make a shaka-down, with nothing but the blue canopy of He/iven for our covering. On retiring to rest all was pleasant, but at midnight the clouds began co gather, the lightning played, the thunder rolled, and the rain descended in torrents. There we were — out in the wild woods, miles from a human habitation. Moments of eternal duration pa.ssed away, and at last the morning came, Avlien we got changes from our chests, and a fire started. This was our introduction to l)ackwoods life. The news soon spread that we had located at Draper Falls, and others soon followed. The settlement has gone on increasing, until aiow the Townsliip is well settled by a loyal and industrious })eople. Settlers now can form no estimate of the superior advantages which thej'^ have over the early settlei-s. When the writer first located, he had to float over streams on rafts, was obliged to go 35 miles to the mill ; his nearest post oiii.ce was 21 miles off, and he was destitute of stores, schools and chur- ches, all of which the settlei's now possess in abundance. In fact, siich has been the rapid growth and development of the District that the writer coidd not inuigine that half a century could possibly jiccomplish what has been achieved in a few years. It is truly astonishing how quickly the forest becomes cleared. "The rising hut of logs prepared with skili, Beside the shelter of some neighboring liill, The " settler's " home, of rude construution, stands, The quick achievement of the neighboring hands. Its sloping roof, of plank or shingle form, Defies the dashes of the downward storm ; EARLY llEMrNISCENl'ES. 41 llude as it seems to the fastidious eye, Is atill a home where many comforts lie, Where humble worth can rest from healthful toil, And eat the products of the generous soil ; Where female charms jvud virtues car. expand Bcsrde the bounties of the well-cleared laud. And honest labor indepeiulence win. Far from the haunts of idleness and sin." ft I must say that several things impressed me very mucli on my arrival in this country ; the first was the vast extent of Canada, the enormous area covered witli woods and forest, its great Likes and noble rivers. Another thing that arrested my attention was, the advancement which it had made — Toronto, as regards buildings, business and beauty, being- superior to many old country towns. I also noticed that, while the birds here are decked in gaudier colors than at home, yet they are very deficient in song. The improved position of the la))ouring classes was also very striking ; working men are not only better paid here, l)ut they have better fare ; in this respect they enjoy perfect etpiality with their employers, eating at the same table, and treated in e/ery way as equals. HINTS TO EMIGRANTS. THE BEST TIME TO ARRIVE. If possible, get to the Free (Irant District by the first of May. In order to get a little crop in, it is desir.able that emigrants get here as early as possible. One week will be required to select your location, another to erect a log house; then follows the clearing of some land and cropping the same. It is not to be expected that much cMi be done- the first season ; l)iit, by a little exertion, suflicient roots and vegetables may be grown for family use, and even some oats and peas may be raised. The writer has sown grain crops and planted potatoes as late as the last of June, and had a good return ; but 1 prefer the month of !May. Old country people have no idea of the rapiility with which crops mature in this country, especially in new land. ON LEAVING HOME. Emigrants are often induced to maker a clean sweep and part with almost everything they possess. It is urged, as a reason for this course, ■^^ 42 FUKK GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. II that the freight is so high that tlio cost wouhl overcome th«^ profit. Now, there are many litth' necessaries, wliich, when sold, realize very little; while those same articles, if kept, would be exceedingly valuable in the bush and prove a source of much comfort and convenience to the family as well ; therefore, do not sacrifice your conveniences ; they will not take up much room, and the freight is nothing in comparison with the comfort thtiy Avill confer, llemember to bring all your bedding and 'Nvearing apparel with you. THE PASSAGE. Provide yourselves witli some fresh eggs packed in salt, a piece of :smoked ham, a few pounds of cheese, some pickles; and, if you are Scotch, a ([uantity of oatmeal cake. Put these articles, together with any other little conveniences, in a trunk which you will keep beside you in your berth. All your boxes and luggage will be stowed away in the hold of the vessel ; so, whatever you absolutely require on the voyage, should be put in this trunk, which you will keep in your berth room ; it will also servo as a seat. MAKE FOR TORONTO, The capital of the Province of Ontario, the business centre and seat of commerce. The Free Grant Districts of Parry Sound and Muskoka are reached from ' j. On your arrival in the city, inquire for JNIr. John A. Donaldson, Government Emigration Agent, who Avill give all neces- sary information. A HOME IN THE WILD WOODS. Havings* made up your minds to take advantage of the Free Grants of land, lose no time but proceed without delay. We have known some who, on their arrival, frittered away their means and time in our cities, and then, when their money Avas all gone, would make for the bush. Shun such folly, and do not delay a day ; remember " time is money," and you will require every shilling you have to enable you to clear your farin and to keep you till you raise some crop, so do not waste a penny. On your arrival procure lists of the uuoccupied lots and make a thorough examination of the land l)efore locating ; this is of great impot-tance ; your choice is for life, and your success or otherwise depends to a great extent upon the choice you HINTS TO EMIGRANTS. 43 make. There is an abumlanco of good land to choose from. Some tjiko almost the first lot they see, without i)roper examination, and after a time get discouraged. The plan iamphlet impartially to supply that want. We can only add from our cxi)erience that thuso who come here will Hnd a country fit for habitation, civil, kind neighboui's, and a hearty welcome. QUERIES AND ANSWERS. I submit the following as specimens of letters which I daily receive, together with my answers, which from their nniltiplicity nuist necessarily \)e brief. Tliou.sands of anxious enqrii-ers will gain unich information by reading them : — 1. Is any portion of the Free Grant Lands tolerably free of stones and rocks 1 Yes, some places entirely free, with 70 per cent, fit for cultivation. 2. What is the quality of the soil, kinds of tind)er growing on it, Ac? Sandy loam ; timber, mixed, a good al of hardwood. 3. What kinds of crops are raised, and their (piality I All kinds of crops raised here, anil the yield is good. 4. Are there many settlers in the District, and how do tlujy thrive ? There are thousands of settlers, and they all thrive well and like the country. 5. Is there good employment for laborers giuierally ? .Abundance of employment for all who are able and willing to work. 6. Is thei'e much game there, such as deer, mink, foxes, (fccl Plenty of game, and money to be made by hunting and trapping. 7. Are there many trappers engaged in ti-apping there 1 There ai*e some, but yet there is room for more ; the country is large. 8. Do you tliink trapping and hunting would pay there for the winter ]' I know some who follow it, and they succeed admirably. Saint Pancras, Middlesex, London, England. Ckiardians of the Poor, St. Pancras JForkhouse, N. IF. December 26, 1870. Sir,— Seeing your letter addressed "To the Editor of the Montreal Daily Witness" published in a pamphlet giving information to intending AJ5 FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. •emigrants, printed at Toronto, 1869, I am induced to ask you a few lentifid, es})ecially deer and partridges, while our rivers and lakes aboiuid with the choicest fish. I herewith send you a copy of the Northern Advocufr, which will give you much information regarding the Free Gi-ant Land^. I may just add, that Col. Maude, C.B., V.C, has purchased a beautiful projK rty in Draper, and enjoys it very much. Yours veiy sincerely, Thomas McMuuray. Church Street, Toronto, December ir)th, 1870. Thomas McMurray, Esq. Dear Sir, — Yov name having been mentioned to me as a gentleman who would be able to give me some information as to the Muskoka Dis- trict, I trust you will excuse the liberty I have taken in addressing you. QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 47 eivo add. 0. It being my intention to settle somewhere in these parts, coukl you tell me the general quality of the Fi'ee Grant lands ? How far from a to\m or village ? Whether there are good markets 1 The crops that could be suitably raised 1 The timber on the land ] Whether there are streams near '? Would any be suitable foj- stock-raising ] any easy facilities for trading 1 The nearest place of worship 1 The amount of cajjital that would be required to work a farm, three being in partnership 1 Also, are there any improved lands for sale ] And any other information you can give. Also, what should you advise us to do, take Free (Iraiits or improved land. By liudly letting us know, you will confer a great favor, and Yours, obediently. Bracebridge, 20th Dec, 1870, Dear Sir, — Your favoi' rccpiived. The soil is generally of a sandy loam, although there is some heavy cla^ loam. Free Grant land can still be had within a few miles of a village. We have a good cash market for all sui'plus produce and stock. You can raise every kind of crop hero that can be grown in the County of York. There are some lidges of pine, but the bulk of the timber is maple, basswood, elm, birch, and other descriptions of hardwood. This country abounds with living streams. There is no better country in the Dom^iilon for stock farming than this. <-\attle and sheep do well here, and pay. The facilities for travelling are good for so new a country. There are places of woi-ship all through th© districts, and schools are being everywhere organized. I cannot say how much capitiil it would take to work a farm, unless you state the quantity j)roposed to be put under cidtivation. Partnei'ships are not desirable, in my opinion, in farming. Tlicre are imju'oved farms for sale, prices rang- ing from two to ten dollars an acre. I consider it a great advantage to get a partially improved place, if you have not vo pay too high for the imj)rovements. If a man hat: little help, it is well to have a small clear- ance to begin with ; hv'+ where a man has a number of strong sons, able to wield the axe, unless he can get a bargain of a place, he had better go right back into tlie bush, aiul take up a block of wild land. The Nvrtfi- em Advocate newspaper will give you much viiluable information. 8ce ■copy forwarded by this mail, Youri very sincerely, Tnos. McMuHHAY. 1^' ■^p \l 48 FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. I have often been asked, Wliat can a partially cleared farm be bought for ] and what capital is required to Avork the same 1 In reply to these questions, I submit the following : — A farm containing 200 acres, with comfortable log house, bam and stable thereon, with 40 acres cleared and fenced, can be purchased for £400 or less. To work a farm of 40 acres, it would require £ s. d. ' 1 yoke cattle 20 stg. Plough 3 4 Waggon 15 HaiTows, &c 5 3CWs 16 20 Sheep..... 16 Sow in pig 2 Poultry 1 10 Cost of seed 20 6 Months keep 50 148 14 The returns would be 10 acres wheat, 200 bushels, at |J 40 10 " Oats, 400 " at 50cts 40 10 " Peas, 300 " at 50cts 37 8 10 " Hay, potatoes and turnips 30 Profits from cows, sheep, poultry, etc 30 177 8 Now, if we deduct the £70 charged for seed and keep, we have a net profit of over £100 stg. a year ; so that four years would pay for the en- tire farm, or, if you were not prepai-ed to purchase, and wanted to rent the cleared land, you might do so for about £20 a year. PRICES OF NECESSARY ARTICLES. Oxen $100.00 to $120.00 Cow 25.00 to 30.00 Sheep 4-00 to 6.00 Cooking Stove 20.00 I I INDUCEMENTS TO EMIGRATE, 49 Shovel Plough .$10.00 Pork (fresh) per 100 lbs 5.00 to $6.00 Flour, per barrel 7.00 Harrow Teeth, per lb 0.10 Axe 1.00 to 1.50 Potatoes, per bushel 0,30 to 0,50 (grindstone, from 2 to 3 cents per 11), routj: Fuo:\r Toronto" to the muskoka district, Toronto to Bracebridge (Summer route^, distance 124 miles, fare $3 75 Toronto to Kosseau (Summer route), distance 140 miles, tare 4 15 Trains leave Toronto for Lake Simcoe steamers, and their regular through connexion, twice a day (Sundays excepted) : — For the steamer Emily May, at Bell Ewart, trains leave tlie city at 7 a.m. For the steamer Ida Burton, at Barrie, trains leave the city at 4 p.m. Toronto to Bracebridge (winter route), distance 12(5 miles, fare $4.50. Trains leave Toronto for Barrie daily (Sundays excepted) at 7 a.m., connecting with daily stages for Muskoka, via Orillia. INDUCEMENTS TO EMIGRATE. , ', Canadians may well feel proud of their ountry, for none under Heaven can boast of greater advantag''s than the inhabitants of our beloved Dominion, Peace and plen; ector of prisons, informed us that some 300 lunatics have been taken from the jails and placed under favorable treatment, whereby twenty- five per cent, have been cured ; and, of all the cases brought under their notice within the last two years, no fewer than 57 per cent, have })een discharged cured. A great saving has been effected in this department as well. Hitherto all lunatics were confined, and not only wa?; this confinement detrimental to their recovery, but it was a soui'ce of great expense to the countrj-. Now, howevtr, oidy dangerous lunatics are kept in this way, and harm- less ones are permitted to move about and make themselves usefid, and thereby a gi'eat saving is gained. It is gratifying to know that Canada which takes the lead in education- al matters is also leading the way in other charitable ways, and the pre- *^ ^ INDUCEMENTS TO EMIGRANTS. 51 sent Admiiiistrution deyei-^'e no small credit for what they have done in the various reforms, wliich characterize their administration ; but still we venture to assert that the crowning glory of their administration will ultimately be found in what they have done, and will yet do to open up this new country, and fill the Free Grant Districts with countless thousands of loyal settlers who will make Muskoka second to no part of Canada in wealth and importance. For the encouragement of those about to emigi-ate, and as a proof of our prosperity, we give the following from the Ottawa Times : — " We understand that the Customs and Internal revenue receipts for the months of July and August show an increase of considerable more than hi. If a million dollars over the coiTCsponding period of last year. Only about .$150,000 jf this is consequent upon changes in tariff ; the balance is entirely the result of largely increased amount of business done in the country. What makes it the more gratifying is the fact that the increase is general throughout the Dominion, not being confined to one or two cities, and thus indicating a condition of general prosperity, which is in the highest degree satisfactory." Here wages are higher, and food is cheaper than in England, while our taxation is a mere nothing. Nor is there the slightest }>robability that the labour market will be glutted, for of all the thousands of emi- grants who arrived last year, the demand continues, while wages remain as high as before. Canada, therefoi'e, offers a home where all the necessaries of life can 1)0 enjoyed by those Avho are able ami willing to work, with pertect security to life and property. ' — ; „ -. ,■.. It should then be the object of every lover of his country, of *^very one who believes in British institutions, and desires that the largest pos- sible number of his fellow-subjects should share in the benefits the nearest, gi-eatest and cheapest of British colonial dependencies has to liostow, to set forth her claims to their first choice, and thus prevent many thousinds who cross the Atlantic from becoming alienated fi-oni their ailegianJO to their motherland. The Globe of December 28th; 1870, says :—'' The perfectly free and liberal character of our i)olitical constitution, the complete control the people can, if they will, exercise in their Federal, Provincial and Muni- cipal government, should remove all difficulty out of the way of the latter half of our proiwsition. As to the former — so far as countriea 1. - P 52 FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. speaking the English tongue are concerned — it would seem that the desii*able point has been already attained. With resi)ect to the prime necessaries of life, Canada may certainly comi>are very favourably witli any British colony, and they are to be liad far cheaper here than in Great Britain or the United States. "With respect to taxation, howevei-, the advantages are in favour of Canada beyond all comparison. The taxation per head in the Dominioji is only 18s. lid. sterling. In Great Britain and Ireland it is £2 4s. 7d., or about two and and a half times the amount of oui- proj)ortion. In the United States it is £2 19s. 5d. per head, or more than three times that of Canada. But the taxation of the other British (colonies places that of Canada in a still more favourable light. In New Zealand the tax- ation is actually £12 7s. 2d. per head; in South Australia, £0 7s. 4d. per head; in Queensland, £5 13s. 9d. per head; and in New South Wales, £5 6s. 9d. per head. Thus Canada is taxed only in the proportion, in round figures, of one-thirteenth of New Zealand — less than one-sixth of South Australia — one-sixth of Queensland — and something over one- fifth of New South Wales. " At the present moment there can be no doubt that thousands of per- sons in Great Britain are contemplating emigration during the coming summer. The industrious millions of the old country can find an outlet for their over-stocked labour market; where wages — we si)eak, of course, of handicrafts and agricultural employment — are higher than at home, where food is cheaper and where the hand of the tax-gatherer is most lightly felt. Nor is there the least fear of the su[)p]y of hands exceed- ing the means of employment." FREE GRANTS OF LAND. Heads of families get a grant of 200 acres of land, and each member of his family, over 18 years of age, 100 acres ; and, if moi-e is Avanted, each settler can purchase 100 acres, at 50 cents an acre, cash. The con- ditions are residence on the lot at least six months a year. There sliall he cleared in 5 years at least 15 acres, and there shall be cleare •' « In thid most favored clime. One hundred acres every man Shall have on terms good. Only to come and lead the van To grand Muskoka'a wood. Here are the falls of splendour, Magnificent and grand ; And here are nature's wonders On these free tracts of land. ,J ! 1, Here may the angler's wishes Be more than satisfied ; A good shot may make riches Down by the Severn side. The Severn in his grandeur, Which dashes from rock to rock. Reminds us of our native land, Our fathers and their flock. Then come along, young men of sense. Bring axfes and bring hoes ; Begin your farms now to clear — The woods resound with blows. Your old friends and your comrades May wish to live at ease ; Take courage, boys, and come along, It will your sweethearts please. THK ADVANTA(iES OF MUSKOKA. 09 The towushiim arc laid out in lots, Tho roatl on either side, From Severn to Muskoka Falls, 1b ample, good and wide. On either side you may now have Those lands, as not located ; But if you do nf>t come in time You're sure to be defeated. Then here's a cheer for our good Queen, For Britons we are still ; We have the hearts to fell the woods, And work with a good will. Our homes shall he in these wild woods, Our daughters, young and fair, Will sing around our bright log fires, In health, and free from care. — W. Mkkcikk. There is nothing like taking up lantl in a new and [(rosperouH settle- ment, and there is no way that a man will accumulate more money than l)j adopting this course, as the history of thousands can testify, as every year your property is increasing in value. I could enumerate many in- stances of men v/ho camn to Canada without a shilling in their pockets, who, by taking up land in a new settlement when it was cheap, grew up with the place, and ama.ssed great wealth. The Oshawa Vindicator says that Dr. iMcCiill and jNIr. Cilen have sold to Mr. Thomas Conlin 100 acres of timber land for $8,500. This makes Mr. Conlin the owner of 700 acres of land, all within the township of East "Whitby. Mr. Conlin came to this country with only one shilling in his pocket, and by gi-eat industry, good judgment and prudence, he l;as become one of the largest land-owners in the township. This is the kind of men to build up a country, and this is the countiy for that kind of men. Tenant farmei-s and otheis who wotdd sell out, and realize say from .£200 and u])wards, coidd do well here ; for while it co.sts $20 an acre (equal to about .£4 stg.) to clear the land, the first crop generally pays for that, and hence it jjroves a good investment. THE ADVANTAGES OF MUSKOKA. These are both varied and substantial. It is within easy access of To- ronto, and is on the direct line of the Overland Route to the great North- West. It is also as I have shown in a previous cliapter, almost on a bee line of travel on the shortest route from the Atlantic to the Pacific ; besides, it is likely to be penetrated by the Sault Ste. Marie and Ottawa ^6 FREE GRANT LANDS OF MURKOKA. I ■ i-T . . River Railway, and now the certaiiiity of the construction of the Toronto, Hinicoo (t Muskoka Junction Railway to the village of .HiaceV>ri(lgo is a fixed fact. While, at the same time, it possesses a very large extent of country, 70 per cent, of wliich is fit for cultivation, and its water facilities are unsurpa.sscd on the American continent. The inipoi-tance of the water-power which this country contains cannot be over-estimat«'(l. It is designed to bean important manufacturing country, and may one day be the very workshop of Canada itself. As a stock-raising country it will stand unrivalled in the Province ; besides, minerals liavc been found in sufficient quantities to satisfy even the most incredulous, that this whole section abounds with the richest treasures which will be develoi»ed at no very distant date. As for stock farming, Muskoka will be to Ontario what the Highlands of Hcotland is to the Lowlands of Scotland. It will be a great nursery for sheep and cattle ; the land is both high and roll- ing ; it is well watered, and a very rich grazing countrj', and when it becomes linked by the Railway to Toronto the market will be very little inferior to that great centre. Then there is considerable timber, both pine and hemlock, and, as it is now demonstrated that the latter contaiu.s .an extract which is veiy valuable, it must prove an increasing soiu'ce of wealth. Competent judges say that it is worth 20 per cent, more than ])ine timber. It is now generally admitted that Muskoka possesses many advantages, and that it has made rapid progress. THE FIRST NEWSPAPER. The first newsjiaper in the Settlement was published by tlie author, on the 14th day of September, 1869, bearing the title of the ^'Northern Advocate." It was first printed at Parry Sound, but from the fact that Bmcebridge was more central it has been lemoved thither. The object of the publisher was to give reliable information about the Free Gi-ant Lands, and his labours have been very successful. The circulation is 1 ,000 copies weekly. A great many copies go to England, Ireland and Scotland foi* the information of intending emigrants, and through its advocacy many have been induced to settle in our midst. It is somewhat singular, that when the writer first came to jVIuskoka, he hatl to row across Muskoka lake, and when the fii*st issue of the Northern Advocate was published, it so happened that the steamer was under repairs, and he had to row 16 miles across the same water iu order to deliver the first number. THE AORICULTL'RAL SOC'IKTV. 57 Wo have a moKt flourishing Agricultunil Socioty, the Hy-hiws and llules of which tognthcu' with the Annual Keport I respoctfully suhnnt. By-Laws and Rules of thf Mtiskoka Union Agrinillnml Society, ax adopted at a Meeting of the Directors held oti the \5th of February, 1870, 1st. — That this Socifity sliall l)e known as the Muskoka Union Agri- cultural Society (which shall comprise the several Townshij)s in the District 2n(l. — That a general public meeting shall he held in the second week of Janiuuy in each yeai', on such clay in said week as the President shall, l>y uotitication hi AVi-iting to the Secretary, given one nu)nth heforehand, appoint. ."ird. — That this Society shall be governed by a President, Vice- President, Secretary, Treasurer, and nine other Directors. 4th. — That all subscriptions shall be paid before the first day of May in each year, in default of which the member shall forfeit forthwith all benefit of membership for the current year. 5th. — Competition for prizus and all other benefits of membership- .shall be limited to membei'S and to residents in the district who nuiy, l)efore 10 o'clock on the morning of the Show, pay double subscrijjtion, which shall entitle them to the rights of memljership for tlic current year. 6th. — Stud Horses not to compete with Farm or Team Horses. 7th. — That a sul)scription of $1.00 .shall entitle a member to comjiete- for four prizes, and the payment of 12i cents entrance fee for each entry above that number. 8th. — Stock and produce entered for exhibition must be the hmafide property of the exhibitor. !)th. — The exact age of all animals competing for prizes, being under one year old, shall be specified to the Secretary at the time of entering,. and taken into consideration by the Judges. 10th. — In the absence of competition in any of the classes, the Judges will exercise their discretion in awarding a premium. 11th. — No animal to compete in any shape for more than one pi-i^e. 12th.— No farm produce of the same kind to be entered for more than one prize, but entries of different \'arieties of the same kind of gi-ain Avill 1)6 allowed, and niu.st be the growth or production of the year in which the exhibition is held, and from the exhibitor's own or rented estate. » - ^ FKKK (5UANT LANDS OK Ml'SKOKA. 13tb. — All entries for tl»! Show hIiiiU he iniulo three (UiyH previous to tlie Hliow, or up to 10 o'clock on tho tnorning of the Show on payment of 12i certH to the Sf^cretary. 14th. — Thi! election of Judges shall be made by the Directors. No person shall bo both Judge and candidate for the same prize. 15th. — That the rights of membership shall l>e restricted to bona fide settlers in the District of Muskoka. 10th. — That owes must have suckled their lambs till the first day of July, and all sheep niust have been regulai-ly shorn after the 15th day of May. 17th. — That tho Prize List be published at least three mouths before the day of Show. Fi-oui the " Xortkevii Advucate, " oj' tlin 7th October, 1870. AGRICULTURAL SHOW. The third annual Show of the Muskoka Union of Townships Agri- roduce Avas very large, and the samples would compare favourably with any county in Ontaric*. The show of vegetables and roots was large, and very completi'. The tomatoes, melons, pumjikins, squash, cauliflowers, beets, potatoes, etc., were equal to anything that we ever saw, and went far to dispel the ^lelusion of those who imagine that we cannot raise those things to ad- vantage. In the Free Grant Districts the dairy produce exhibited is worthy of much commendation, and fully justifies what we have for years advocated, that this country is admirably adapted for stock-raising and diary purjM^ses. The ladies' department was very attractive, and reflecttxl great credit upon the good taste and ability of the Muskoka ladies. Some of the articles shown displayed great ingenuity, and wonderful perse\erance. Truly they are ministering angels and " patterns of patience." AUHICULTUUAL SHOW. 59 Tlio contniHt between the Sliow of 1H70 and that of last year ih very Htnking, and HpeiikH well for the proHperity of the DiHtrict. In 1869 only one Haniplo of butter wjih exhibited ; this y«!ai' we had 24. In 1869 no bread was shown ; in 1H70 we had 12 Hanj|)!*>8 In 18G9 only one piece of lotlieH' work was entered ; in 1870 over 50 viad with each other, aind HO all throii^'Ii the different departmentH. A decided iniprovemenfc was noticoable, and next yeai' we anticipate even greattsi- siu'cesH. The annual dinner of the Socic^ty waa held at the •' Dominion House,** Hud was got up in splendid style by Mr. B. W. Ross. The chair wa.s occupied by Joim Toviotdale, Es(|., President of tho Society, Reeve of Draper, etc. ; the vice-chair by A. H. Browning, Esq., Reeve of Monck. Aftplause, A. I'. Cockburn, Esq., M.P.P. said that hefelt in duty bound to return his- sincere thanks to the gentlemen present for the hearty manner in which the toast had been received. It was to him a soui'ce of pleasure and of pride to be surrounded by so many warm friends. He was perfectly delighted with the whole proceedings of the day, and tlivj success which had attended the Muskoka Union of Townships Agricultural Society was far beyond his most sanguine expectations. He con:ndered that the show which they had witnessed to-day, would go far to elevate the district in the estimation of those who had come from a distaJice, as they hnd evidence before them in the pre Jucts of the country wliich had been exposed, that must satisfy every candid person. He alluded to the spiiit of enterprise which was everywhere manifested, and predicted a great future for this country. He though^ that a railroad was just what was wanted to settle up this nortli country, and was of opinion that every member of the house would go in favoui- of giving a ,^rant ro the Toronto, Simcce and Muskoka Junction Railway, as soon as it touched Free Griant Territory. He promised to watch over uic interests of the settlement, and do all in his powei b:} promote its interests. ■ r " The Judges " wei*e next toasted. Mr. Arch, Thompson, in replying, said that ho was much pleased with, the Show, and considered that the stock exhilnt<3d would compete with any noi'th of Toronto. Mr. J. Cuj>£jage admitted thac he came with his mind prejudiced against Muskoka but he coi.i'essed that " a change came over the s})uit of his tlream," and he was .about to leave with very favorable impressions of the country. He had often witnessed worse oxen at the Provincial Fair than had been exhibited to-day, and wished us increasing success. Mr. Peter Nisbet, (Pijkering Tov/nship) was surprised at the qunlity of the road leading into the district, and at the active signs of life which were seen in Bracebridg -. He had been examining men and things since his arrival, and was foi'ci'oly struck with the very intelligent, and highly respectable appearmoo of the iuliabitants. He expressed himself pleased with the shew, and said tliat the dairy department was superior, that the fowl shown were cl;oice, and the cattle numerous and excellent in quality ^ AGIUOULTURAL SHOW. 61 diced sj)U"it 'ssions iiicial uulity which s since highly )lea3ed lat the luality He wtis about to leave the settleinout with a good impression, not only of the coi'.ntry but also of the people. Mr. Taylor Avas glad that the stranger.s were disappointed " agreeably, and that they found the show better than they had anticipated. He also made a vigorous speech, setting forth the progress of tlie Society. Mr. W. Sharps said that when he was locating here, some of his friends were afraid that he would not be able to li\'o in Muskoka ; but he wiis glad to .state after an experience of six years that he found that he could not only live by farming in Muskoka, but he was able to do more. " The Agricultuial interests of tlic District " was replied to by Mr. l\xul Dane, who evidently is not very friendly to the " powers that be." liis speech was noted for its originality, and caused considerable merri- ment. Mr, Albert Spring strongly defended the Government, and stated that he did not expect them to build a road to his door, lie tlionght ' that if the Ciovernmcnt made the great leading highway into the settle- mer.t, tliat that was all tliat could reasonably be expected from them, and the settlers should make roads connecting Avitli the colonization roads. ' He held that the Government had done a great deal for Mus- koka, and that they deserved the hearty thanks of every settler in the district. He claimed to be a railroad man, and considered that all we Winted here in order to make a first rate country was a railroad. He was convinced that this district would be a great stock-jiroducing sec- tion, and Ave re(pnred the " iron horse" to bring us into contact Avith Toronto, Avherc Ave could find a ready sale for tat cattle. He thought that the Government could not better promote the interests of immigra- tion than by giving a liberal grant towards the building of the Muskoka .1 unction ]{aihvay. He Avas a poor man ; but, knowing the advantages of railroad conununication, he Avould Avillingly subscribe |200 to assist the enterprise ; and, considering the expense of l)ringing in goods under the ])resent arrangement, it would l)e to our advantage to give a liberal bonus, and by so doing Ave Avould be gainers. "Our(Uiests" Avas next proposed, andj;heai-tily responded to, after Avhich Dr. Gunn (Whitby) remarked that he could not bnt admire the road ; although he had to confess that on entering the settlement he was very much discouraged at the ai)pearance of so much rock ; but, as he neared the Fort of Gibraltar, and saAv the flag waving in the brepze, . lie thought that there must after all be a country beyond Avorth dc^fend-. (]2 FHEi: GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. is. ing, and ho had found it really so. There was a prevailing opitiioii outside that Muskokji was unfit for settlement, but this was attributable to ignorance. He spoke of the grandeur c" the sceneiy, and the healtli- fulness of the climate, and said that even Saratoga Avas not to be com- pared to it. His party had greatly enjoyed their trip. They had found that the sail had given an increase to their spirits, vigor and appetit(^ He paid a high comi)linu'nt to A. P. Cockburn, Esq., M.P.P., and the officers on board the " Wenonah" for the excellent acconnnodation fur- nisluHi and the courteous attention paid to visitors while sailing on that comfortable steanun. He designated Muskoka a great safety valve, where enterprising Canadians might come and find scope for the de- velopment of all their energies. He spoke highly of the intelligence of the settlers, commended their appreciation of education, and compli- mented them upon the strict observance of the Sabbath which he had observed throughout the settlement. He thouglit that ]\Iuskoka was well adapted for butter and cheese-making, and concluded by wishing the district continued success. i;fft- ' The Kev. Alex. Kennedy (Pickering) remarked tluit he was of opinion that this district would at no distant date form a very important part of the Dominion of Canada. The right men were in the right place. They possessed all the elements necessary to bring tiiis about; for he could see that the settlers were men who jiossessed self-reliance, and were not easily discouraged ; and, if they continued as thej'' had com- menced, they V juld yet see such prosperity as would make them glad- He, with the (Cher speakers, Avas favora1)ly impressed with l)otli the country and the people. .1. P>. Browning, Esq., rose and said that he was deligliled to meet Avitli his old friends once more. At the counnencenient of tln^ Society's operations, he acted as Secretary, and took a deep interest in its wel- fare, and now he felt rejoiced at the measure of success Avhich had fol lowed the efforts put forth. He said it Avas a hiAv in nature to knoAv no vacuum ; so, although he Avas called away to another sphere of action, his place had at once been supplied by a gentleman Avho had nobly dis- charged ihe onerous, duties of. Secretary, and he Avould not detain them Avith a speech, but simply propose the health of liich. Jas. Bell, Esq., the Secretary of the M. U. of ToAvnships Agricultural Society. Mr. Bell, in reply, returned his hearty and sincere thanks to the gentleriKii present for tho enthusiastic manner in Avhich the toast liad A({RICULTUUAL SHOW, G;3: been received, and said that the noble day which tlieywere so pleasantly bringing,' to a close caused his heart to swell witli pleasure. " The Press " was ably replied to by Mr. John C. McMuUen (Orillia), who claimed to hv, the pioneer pressman of the district. Having many years ago written several articles in defence of the country, " The Health of the Ladies" wa.s responded to by Mr. J. B. Brown- ing and Mr. John McArce. "The Health of tlu; President, Vice-Presid<>iit, and Officers of the Society" was next proprtsed and.resjtonded to by John Teviotdale, Esq., and A. H. Browning, Esq. "The Lumbering hiterests" was replied to by H. H. Cook, Esq., who cliiimed to be one of the pioneers of Muskoka, — having travelled through it for the i)ast 14 years gettinr; out square timber. He described his limits as covering 300 square miles, and said that the settlers got about ten times as much for their square tindjer as for saw logs. He considered the ShoAV a great success, and pronounced it one of the best he ever attended. He alluded to the enteiprise aiul perse- verance of Mr. A. P. Cockl urn, M.P.P., in putting the " Wenonah" upon Liik(; Muskoka at so early a period in the history of the settle- ment; and, thanking the President for the honor conferred upon him, was followed by J. D. Macaulay, Esq., local agent for the extensive hrm of Messrs. Dodge & Co., who claimed that lumbering was a great bless- ing to the settlers. It put money in circulation, gave employment during the winter months, furnished a cash market for all surplus pro- duce, and prepared the way for railroad facilities. He was satisfied this would be a well-settled and prosperous part of Canada before long, and complimented the settlers on their intelligence and courtesy. " The Mechanical interests of Bracebridge" was replied to by Mr. D. H. Cameron and Mr. Robert Ferguson. The former thought that the Society should in future award prizes tc manufacturers as well as to farmers, that the success of a country depended as much upon the one as the other. The latter thought that Muskoka was second to no place in Canada for hospitality !ind kindness to strangers. Here we knew how to enter, iaiii strangei-s. He did not regi*et leaving the city of Toronto to carve out a home in the wilderness, for here he had pure air, sound health, and a good appetite, and the prospect of a comfortable and independant home. He adviseA the farmers and mechanics to pull together, and ^4( FREE OR ANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. Ktiuul united, ami A'eiy soon Muskoka would be ijiised to tako a piomi- nent position among the first counties of Ontario. "Our Host and Hostess" was replied to in a good-natured speech from ^Ir. B. W. Koss, the spirited proprietor. Auld Lang 8yne was then sung, and three cheers having been given to the Queen, the comj)any separated, much pleased with the enjoyable evening they liad spent. - ■' - , ..» Tlie followiug is the list of prizes awarded at the third annual show of the Muskoka Union of Townships Agricultural Society, held at Brace- bridge, 27th September, 1870. HORSES. Best Brood Mare, witli foal at foot — John Teviotdale, Esq $ 4 00 Best Span of Horses— M. McCarthy 4 00 ♦Second best do.— W. Sharpe 2 00 SHEEP. Best aged Ram — Messi-s. Browning 3 50 Second best— S. Wi'/is 2 50 Best Ram Lamb— W, Tait 3 00 Second best do.— A. J. Alport, Esq 2 00 Best pen 2 Ewes — Messrs. Browning 3 00 Second best do.— W. Holditch 2 00 Best pen 2 Ewes {having raised lambs this season), — Messrs. Browning 3 00 Second best do. —W. Tait 2 00 Best 2 Ewe Lambs— \V. Holditch 2 50 Second best do. — Alexander Barron 1 50 SWINE. Best Boar, over nine months old, — Thomas George 3 00 Best breeding Sow— T. George 3 00 Second best do.— W. Sharjie... 2 00 CATTLE. Be,st Bull— Thomas Keal, jun 5 00 f^econd best do. — G. Scholey, sen 3 00 Best Bull Calf— J. Teviotdale, Esq 2 00 \ 00 00 00 00 00 AGRICULTURAL SHOW. 05 Best Milcli Cow— do. do 4 00 Second best do. W. Sliarpe '2 00 Best yearling Heiter — W. Shavpe 2 00 Second best do.— W. Ennis 1 0(> Best 2 year old Heifer— W. Slmrpe 2 00 Second best do. — il. Mooi-o 1 0<> Best Heifer Calf—A. Black 2 Oiv Best Yoke Working Oxen — James Pninty 4 OO Second best do. — P. Managan 2 .')(» Best Yoke .3 year old Steers— W. Ennis 3 OH Second best do.— Charles Edga'- 2 '00' POULTRY. Best Goose and (lander — J. Tookey 7.> Second best do.- W. Sliarpe 50 Best Turkey and Gobbler — John Teviotdale, Esq 7.'> Best Rooster and 2 Hens — John Teviotdale, Esq 75 Second best do. — James Tou'-'oy .^0 Best Dvick and Drake — John Teviotd;'' ?, Esq 7-> Second best do. — do do OHO PRODUCE, Best two bushels Fall Wheat— A. J. Alport, Esq 3 00 Best two bnshels Spring Wheat— W. Tait 3 00 Second best do — Messrs. Browning 2 00 Best two bushels Oats — John Teviotdale, Esq 2 00 Second best do — A. J. Alport, Esc^ 1 50 Best two bushels Peas — John Teviotdale, Esq 2 00 Best two bushels Barley — R. Ennis 2 OO Best two bushels Rye— W. Tait 2 00 Best bag Cup Potatoes — Sanies Tookey 1 50 Best bag Potatoes (any kidd) — George Scholey, sen 1 50 Best firkin Butter (10 lbs.)— Patrick Managan 3 OO Second best do— W. Tait 2 00 Best roll Fresh Butter (2 lbs.)— W. Sharpe 3 00 Second best do — J. Tookey 1 50 Best loaf home-made Bread — Nehemiah Mathews 1 50 Second best do — C. Jenkins 1 00 m FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKdKA. Best collection of garden Vegetables — Kalpli Nicholson 2 00 Second best do — Charles Bard 1 hO Third best do — James Tookev 1 00 LADIES DEPARTMENT. Best fancy NeedleAvork in Berlin wool — Mrs. Fonson 75 Best specimen Knitting — Mrs. W. Ennis 75 Best Patch Qnilt— Mrs. R. Stewart 2 00 Second best do — Mrs. Fenson 1 00 Best 2 lbs Worsted Yarn, spun at home — Mrs. Hannah 2 00 Second best do— Mrs. J. Whitfield 1 00 EXTRA I'lUZES (cOMMEXDED). Span of horses, Richard Chapman ; two ewe lambs, Jolui Kelly ; bull, Charles Robertson ; milch cow, Messrs. Browning ; heifer calf, Messrs. Browning ; working oxen, Charles Jenkins, James Tookey, Messrs. Browning, Charles Bard and W. Whitfield ; boot.s and shoes, W. Kennedy ; horse shoes, Duncan Cameron ; card basket, Mis. Thomas Myers ; braiding, Mrs. Thomas JMyers ; sample needlework, itc, Mrs. W. Kennedy ; sofa pillow, Mrs. Thomas Myers ; baby's jacket, ilc, Mrs. Fenson ; fancy needlework, Mrs. A. Barron. TRADE. The following is from the Norfho n Advocate of the 25th Novembei-, 1870 :— " It is very gratifying for us to be in a position to state that the faJl trade Las been brisk, even beyond our expectations. The quantity of goods im- ported into the district this season is almost incredible. Still, the demand has been equal to the sup})ly; and if large cash purchases by the settlers be any criterion of prosperity, then Muskoka is eminently prosperous — in fact, so rapidly is business increasing that a railway becomes a ne- cessity ; for although there are hundreds of teams employed in the carrying trade, they are altogether inadequate to the growing require- ments of the iilace. Outsiders may wonder how it is that money is so plentiful is Muskoka, and that purchasing for cash is the rale, not the ex- ception, all through the settlement. For their information, we may just ♦state that the crops this year were abundant, and the prices realized re- SOURCES OF ENJOYMENT. G7 juunerative, so that the Het'ler-s have the ineans within themselves to procure everything they require. Home of our correspoudeuts seem wondeifully anxious about a market. Their constant inquiry is, where can you find a market for your surphis grain, etc. 1 Wliy, we have it here, right at our veiy door. Our store- keepers will take in trade, or pay cash for any ii eitlier haml Are hung with icedrojis fair With gems of light and jcwela bright, An(l dazzling crystals rare ;- - KeHecting back each twinkling star, With a sparkling hcanty rieli and grand,— A glittering scene, surpassing far Our wildest dreams of fairy land. AVheu swiftly past, in the roaring blast, The frost king sweeps in his pride, His icy form the raging storm And the mantling snow wreath hide. And unseen spirits the way prepare, AVherever his royal feet wouhl go, With dazzling carpets, white and fair. And the crystal bridge where waters Hom'. I love the clink, on the frozen rink. Of the skater's inm heel ; The merry huzza of the boys at play With their sleds, on the slippery hill ; The long, long nights, by the bright Hre-side, In tlie joyous home where happiness dwells ; And best of all, the merry sleigh-ride, And the musical chime of the tinkluig bells. 09' WOOL PJC^KING 13EK Sii'j — Understiinding one of tbe objects of your columns being to con- vey abroad information concerning our great country, as well as to supply means of edification to our own people —the settlors. It may, I think, be fairly regarded as a needful part of your work to give the out- siders some idea of bush life, as well as land. One of the questions, no doubt, arising in the minds of those moving in, would very likely be ; How do the poor folks make out to i)ass their evenings 1 or, have they anything corresponding to missionary breakfosts, complimentary dinners, or oyster siippers 1 Some sketches of i-eal life in the bush might serve the purpose of answering such (juestions. A " wool picking bee" (let me guard against being misunderstood), does not mean an insect of the bee kind peculiar to this region, and noted for picking the wool of the sheep, but is the name for a kind of afiair which will be best understood by a brief description of a single "bee.'' The one I had the privilege of attending was got up bj a Imly inviting her friends and neighbours on a given evening. A goodly number accepting, they assembled and commenced operations aroiuid a large home-made table, by teasing the tufts of wool, preparatory to further nianufticture ; meanwhile some of ' li ml. 70 FHKK OUANT LANDS < •!<' MUSKOKA. the young ])eo)>le were good iiatiiredly teiiMUig out; auotlicr. Amongst tlie company jn-oseut might l)e notictul the various functionaries of the locality, as trappers, postmaster, preachers, putiimasters, scliool tesichors, misctdlaneous tnvders, etc., and in most CiUics several oflic(;s meeting in the same individual, and all claiming the addition }^.'\\ . (i.e., bush whacker), and not least, the correspondent of the Northern AJrocate- But now the work and amusement proceed in unison, which is moro than can always be accomplished. Interjiei-sed, moreover, with sou'e- thing of edification, and not altogether without a religious bearing, hymn singing, and a trifle of political and theological discussion, etc. Here in l)ush life is fomid, ^\'<)^k and play both abound, And yet atrangely agree ; Here extremes we'd iniite. Here the sombre and bright, Mixed together yon see ; Ihirestrained seem to run Both tlie serious and fun In tlie " Wool-Picking Bee." About noon of night, there might, p' ' jis, be noticed a shade of falling off in the spirit of wool-picking, wii. ,i sound is heard indicating a change f scene and a vaiiety in the exercises to be introduced, of which one might for an hour or two previously have smelled the ap})roach* Preparations are oi'dered, the avooI is speedily i-emoved, and picking of another kind introduced. It might do in the city to say " the delicacies of the season ;" but here the dishes, or what was on them, would re- quire somewhat varied terms to describe. It Avas in fact a great meal, of which the items would be more tedious to describe than they were to discuss practically. A roast beaver might, perhaps, be the most notable deviation from ordinai-y fare, but breakfast, dinner, and supper were so amply represented, that a good old-style brother declai-ed the big table to be wickedly [)iled luxuries, when a youngster i-eplied : "If this be wickedness I hope to be always a sinner." It is not too much to say that y»^^ justice Avas done in relieving the rude table from its cause of groaning ; so, having pickctl the wool, the bones of the beaver, and chickens, and singing the doxology, each seemed disposed to pick a part- ner, and the " bee" stood adjourned sine die. This I must say in conclu- sion, for the relief of some of your uninitiated readers who may feel a kind of commiseration for the sadness of poor bush life, and would ■start with alarm to hear of a wool picking bee ; had they only the chance of taking part in the affair they might be more disposed to envy than CONCERT, SOCIAL, ETC. 9$ \nty ; and I serioiisiy advise them, if ever they get an iuvitatiuu to a wool-picking bee, go. S. Driiper, October 26, 18G9. Tht! Nd'thnn Advocate of the 27th January, 1871, contains the fol- lowing ; - CHURCH OF ENGLAND CONCERT. The concert hdd on Friday evening was a grand success, reflecting much credit upon those who made the arrangements, and deserved praise to the ladies and gentlemen who carried out so efficiently the excellent programme. We regret that want of space prevents us from entering into full par- ticulars; but still it aftbrds us much pleasure to state, that the Hall was l)rilliantly lighted, most tastefully decorated, and filled to its utmost capacity by the clUe of the district, while the whole entertainment ex- ceeded our most sanguine expectations. The singing of the Misses Culverwell was exquisite. Tiieir rendering of " The Valley of the Chamouni " was perfect, and displayed good taste and considerable cultivation. Mrs. Cozzens performed her part admirably. The Misses Fraser presided at the piano in a manner which fully jus- tifies their high reputation ; and we have no hesitation in stating that in our opinion Miss Fraser is the best amateur pianist we have heard. Mr. Boulton exceeded himself on this occasion. Messrs. Wray, Richardson, Kirk, Walters and Dr. Brid-land, added much to the pleasure of the evening j and the Messrs. I'ortas won golden ■opinions for their excellent rendering of the " Lai'board Watch," &c. Altogether, a great treat was enjoyed, and should our Newmarket ami Barrie friends visit us again, we can promise them a full house, and a hearty welcome. The building fund has been augmented over $40 by the concert. a> WESLEYAN SOCIAL. The third social of the season, under the auspices of the " Ladies' Aid Society," was given by Mrs. Wm. Kennedy at the Orange Hall, Brace- bridge, on Tuesday evening. The attendance was larger than on any former occasion ; and the proceeds amounted to over $15, so that num- -erically and financially it was a great success. 72 FRKK OllANT LANDS OF Ml'SKOKA. Tlifi programnic was varied and attractive, and jjave tlio most inuniali fierovemonts have aln^idy betin made, and his settlement in Draper is hailed with dt^light by all the inhibitants. FISHING. Our rivers abound with speckled trout, and our lakes with the finest (|uality of fish, such as bass, pickerel, white fish, and lierrings. Salmon trout is also very ]»lentiful in some of our lakes. WINTIi^il KMl'LOYMKNT. Many of my readei-s may be anxious to know what the settlers do during the winter months, when the snow is deep. For the information, of such I may state that the prinei[)al part of the chopping is don<' then, and fuiiiher improvements effected, while some hire out at the lumbering shanties and earn good wages, to enable them to stay at home and work their farms during the summer. '* I«lGV in the primal woods the axe resounds. And the tall pine receives its mortal wounds, Ah Ktroke on stroke diaturba the silent snow, The wound enlarges by each well aimed blow. The forest giant shakes in all Lis might, AniPcrashing falls beneath his dispoised weight. And (juickly carries to the branches bent, That strive in vain to stop his sure (lesct;nt, A swift and certain ruin with rebound, And echoin{5 woods repeat the thundering sound. Strii)t of his limbs, and scjuared, and hewn he lies, To human kind a good but hard- won prize, it soon is made to raise the sheltering house, Or o'er the seas afar is doomed to ntam, To build the I rk, or to adorn the hall, liaised from the ruins of a forest fall. His roots remain to meet a slow decay. And mend the soil when sown some future d.-iy." EXTRACTS FROM THE SURVEYOR'S REPORTS. I have thonght it desirable to furnish extracts from the surveyor's Teports, in order ta give my readers a c Direct and, as far as possible, impartial description of the country. •^'mm "/l FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. MORRISON. Partly bounded on the south-west by the river Sevei"n and Sparrow- lake, and to the north by the township of Muskoka, contains 48,519 acres, including water and roads. It was sub-divided into farni lota by P. L. S. J. 0. Browne, in 18G0. '"' '' , ,^. EXTRACT FROM THE SURVEYOR'S REPORT. . ^,,,^ "The township, upon the whol' presents a fine field for settlement, as is witnessed by the number of squatters who have made impi'ovemeuta upon the land. The soil is varied both in surface and quality, generally intersected by ridges having a bearing fx'om north-v/est to south-east, and of more or less abruptness as they approach the decj) channels of the lakes and rivei-s, or liave been denuded and covered by alluvial soil in the Hats and valleys which intervene. ■' The most i-ugged and unfavourable portion of the land io in the north and north-west ])ortions of the township. The north-east shoi'e of Leg Lake, and some ])arts of Lake Kah-sh.e-she-Bog-a-mog, fl inked by steep bluffs dii)ping down into deep water, and producing a stunted growth of dwarf oak, birch and inferior pine. The subjacent rock is gueiss,^ traversed by intrusive veins of highly crystal ized granite and pure quartz,, and passing gi'adually into micha schyst and clay-sluto. The dip of the strata, where exi)osed, is from 30^ to 4./ to the east. " On the more exposed ridges, in several parts of the township, there appears strong indications of iron and copper ore of nvicli purity. The spots on which I more particr arly observed these, are on lot 1 6 in con- cession A ; lot 5 in concession 6 ; and to the north of concession line 1 and 2, about lots 30 and 31. •' Approaching t 'le southern portioii of the township, the land gradually im[>roves, and pai'ticukiily \ipon the eastern shore of Sparrow Lake and the River Severn, and the lliver Kah-she-she-Bog-a-mog on the western side, and upon the southern and some parts of the eastern portion of the east side, there is a good bveadth of excellent land, producing a prolific growth of valuable timber, with indigenous white clover and nutritious grass. Tlds Iftst named description of land extends into Rjde iipon thvi east, and into the unsurveyed portion of R^ima on the south. Tlie latter I cursorily ex])lored, whilst fetching a canoe up tlie Black River, which intersects it for about five miles on the south, and I believe that it would not only be highly favourable to cultivation, but would matc^rinlly aid the DRAPER. 7^ settlement of the southoin aiieavf!r and the destniction of theii* dams, which would drain down wide breiidths of land naturally productive of valuable crops." DRAPER Is situated to the ea.st of the 8overn anally composed of a sandy loam, in many instances covered with a rich Mack moald, and in the north-west part of the Township we found a clay sulwoil, liut saudy loam is the prevailing soil, and, where it is suffKi*»ntly deep, wiH produce excellent crops. The graaite i-ock, in general, is to<> near the surface to favor the township for agricultural purposes, though \ have no doubt a settlement will soon form, as tliero is a fair proi)ortion of wmmmm 70 FREE und." THE FRIENDS OF THE b:.\[IGRAXT. ' . Amongst the list of noble m»>n win. have taken a deei) interest in emi- gration, we must give apromnient place to the Rev. A. Styiemau Her- THE FRIENDS OF THE EMIORANT. 79 n 'n) inprov- 11 lie of lately iisider- Pciisive ' L, lucumlxnit of St. Paul's, Clerkenwell, London. For many years he has been enj,'aged in this benevolent work, and has been instru- mental in assisting hundreds to come to our shores. We shall never for- get with what pleasure he was met, on his arrival in our village, by some of i\w emigrants that he had been instrumental in sending to this coun- try ; and at the public meeting held in honor of Attorney-General and party, wluni Mr. Herring was called up to reply, how gratefully he ac- knowledged his gratitude; to Almighty God for having put it into his heart to engage in this good work. Well might his parishioners give him a welcome on his return home, and j)resent him with a handsome testimonial. He is a noble man, (nigaged in a nobh; work. By av ords of comfort and acts of kindness, he has endeared himself to many in the settlement. The Hon. Mrs. Hobart, of London (England), has also been doing a good work. Tlie Hon. John Carling, Commissioner of Public Works, in his Annual Report for 1870, states that " during the past season. Colonel F. C. Maude, R. A., and the Rev. V. Styleman Herring, Vicar of Clerkenwell, London, both active members of Colonial Emvgmnt Aid .Societies, have visited this Province for the purpose of asci^'^Ainiug from personal oU- sei v.'ition, and from intercourse with tho large number of onugr.'Utts which they had been instrumentjil in sending out, the condition of such in this their new field of labour. These gentlemen visiUnl the cities and various towns in the Province, and addressed meetings of immi- grants in Toronto, Ottawa, and other places, and everywhere received the most grateful acknowledgTfi^fiits from the immigrants for having assisted them to th J country, where tiieyare not only able to support themselves ■md then fiimilies, but in many instances already to provide themselves with freehold homesteads in the cities and towns, or in the Free Grant Districts of the Province, in addition to visiting many other sections, these gentlemen niade an extended tour through the Muskoka Distri industrious and sober to locate within this favored Dominion. Population and wealth generally go hand in hand, ami CJauada greatly requires the one, and the other will spejsdily follow. Canada was ni>ver so prosperous as at the present moment. Let the (Gov- ernment of the Dominion ; the municipal authorities and private indi- viduals, EACH, noldy and liberally forward on this movement, wldch nuist inevitably lead to most beneficial njsults to the whole community. A word to my emigrant friends : — After having travelled from Quebec to Sarnia,from Parry Sound to Niagara, visited many emigrants at their home, t/oe grant districts (100,000 acres of which have been taken up for settlement sincSt. Paul's, Clerkeuwell, London. Ottawa, Octol)er 25. THE ONTARIO CiOVEKNMENT VISIT MUSKOKA. The members of the Ontario (Sovernment and other cel(0)rities visited the Free Clrant Districts. I have pleasure in inserting the following, copied from the Neyond description. A large concourse of people assembled at the landing, and gave the company three of as hearty cheers as ever greeted the ear of mortal. The party Avere then conveyed to the " Dominion House," where a splendid entertainment was got up by Mr. Ross, the well known host. The chair was occupied by John Teviotdale, Esq,, Reeve of the United Townshiiis of Draper, Macaulay, Stephenson, etc., and the vice- chair by Robert E. Perry, Esq. After ample justice had been done to the good things provided, the chairman rose and proposed the first toast "the Queen," which was drank with all honours ; this was followed by " the Governor and Lieu- tenant-Governors of the Dominion of Canada," which was most enthusiastically received. THE ONTARIO GOVERNMENT VISIT MUSKOKA. 8» ig- ' vice- Next came " the Army and Navy," which was responded to hy Wm. I. cunt, Esq.,M.P.P., in a humorous speech. Mr. Lount conchided with expressing his strong disapprobation of the manner in wliich the Dominion Government had treated tliose brave men who were prepared at Avhatever sacrifice to (h'fend our homes. " The Ontario Government" M'as then proposed, to which the Hon. Mr. Macdonahl replied. He st.ated that wlien he left Toronto he had no idea that such a reception awaited him. Tlie great object ho had in visiting Muskoka was, to examine the surface of the country ; and he was surprised to find such a crowd of persons congregated to welcome him. He took a deep interest in the prosperity and development of the North, and hoped that the day was not far distant when this section would be as flourishing as those townsliips on our frontier. He con- sidered that the credit of settling up (nir wild lands was lue to his (fovernment, that the policy he had adopted was experimental and worked well. The present Government he contended was a Govern- ment of the people, not of party ; their object was to advanc(! the best interests of the country, not of party. He intimated that tliey had a large surplus of money to be disposed of, and stated tliat upon all reasonable representations he would give us a helping hand. He con- tended that he liad introduced a greatiT number of reforms, and established a system of economy, such as no former Government could lay claim to, and made an able defence of the course he had pursued since the coalition. , ,. " Our Guests" was replied to by the Hon. S. Richards, who said that it was not the Avant of interest in Muskoka that prevented him from visiting it before this, but his duties, public and private were so enor- mous that he found it impossible to get away, and concluded by wishing the settlement continued success. .,,., , , , . . „,.,. ,,, .,, Success to the Emiijratkm Societies of old England. This toast was ably responded to by the Rev. A. Styleman Herring, who said that he was- very thankful that God had put it into his heart to engage in this good work, and was rejoiced to find that here the over-crowded population of England could find employment at high wages, and vastly improve their circumstances. He had frequent opportunities since his arrival of con- versing with those who had been transplanted to Canada, and he found that they had been vastly benefited in theu' circumstances by the change ;, ^ !i 84 FREE (iRANT LANDS OF MUSKUKA. and he was perfectly satisHed that those emigrants who were sober ami industrious would succeed. Success to the Toronto, Simcoe and Aludoka Jiiiiciion Uailwoy was drank with great enthusiasm, and ably responded to by Mr. C'und>erland, M.P. P. In his reply he remarked that he felt that lu^ was surrounded by friends, and was glad to be in a position to state that the building of tlu? road was no'w a fixed fact. His mission to England had been entirely successful, and the stockholders were willing not only to embark in the undertaking, but manifested much sympathy in the object. At first some persons were ready to doubt the sincerity of those engaged in this extension ; but the men who took hold of this enterprise were thoroughly in earnest, and were possessed of courage and perseverance, and blessed with means to cari-y on to a successful completion any undertaking in which they embarked. He desired to speak out honestly, aiul to be dis- tinctly understood in reference to this scheme. He considered that the road to "Washago would be a paying investment for the shareholders ; but beyond that point it would not be so for some time to come ; hoAV- «ver, they were prepared to give pound for pound of what it would cost to build the road from Washago to Bracebridge. He was pleased to see So much interest taken in the Free Grant Districts by the Ontario Government, and felt confident that if a Kailway was built to Brace- bridge, two years would accomplish for this Section what it would re- •quipe twenty years under the present system to effect. Considering this, he was satisfied that the Government would render reasonable assistance, as it was eminently calculated to further the interests of emigraiion, and raise the Districts into a position, whereby they Avould become a source of enrichment to our flourishing Dominion. He concluded by stating that if the Municipalities did their duty the road would certainly be completed as quickly as labor and capital could accomplish the task. Mr. Teviotdale on being called, rose and stated, that we would be gainers by giving a bonus to the Eailway, for at present we had to pay indirectly large sums for freight on goods that would be greatly reduced "when Kailway communication was established. The Health of Mr. Teviotdale, Reeve of Ihaceh-hhje, -was then proposed by the Hon. John S. Macdonald, and drank with all honors. rroj burn uj) his pine, while performing his settlement duties, wjw prevented li(tm .selling that timber without paying tlx^ Government 75 cents a thousand for the same. He thought that the settler should have the pri- vilege of making the most of whatever timber was ui)on any land that he was actually clearing, as it would asnist him materially in fuither im- provements. Another matter, which deeply affected tlu; interests of the settlers, was th(! cancellation of arrearages. Now that the District was thrown open to actual settlers on the Free Grant system, those persona who had taken up land prior to the passing of that Act, and had paid one or moic in.stalments, were exceedingly desirous of getting the b.d- ance cancelled, and unless this is done, great suft'ering will be caused to some who have not the means to meet those instainumts. He then -alluded to the unsafe state of the Kegistry Offices, and urged the j)ro- priety of introducing an Act to authorize the erection of suitable Jlegistry Offices at Bracebridge, Parry Sound, Nipissing and Sault Ste. Marie. He also contended tluit the form t ion of the District into a Provisional County, giving us control of our y.wn municiiwd funds would be a boon to the settlement. , .' ■- ' Our Tjocal Member was next toasted, and Mr. A. P. Cockburn, M. P. P., responded. ''■ ■ ' " ' Next came the IleaWi of Mr, Chas. W. Lount, S. M., which Wits fol- lowed by that of Mr. Wm. Lount, M. P. P., who replied in a speech characterized by much eloquence. He believed that this Section would be vastly benefited by the jjroposed Railway, that the idea of waiting till the country was settled before building a Kailroad was a fanc^ of the past ; tliat now it was seen that where a Railway went settlement im- mediately followed. He attributed the great success of the United States, to the fact that they encouraged liailroad enterprise, and pro- mised to give all the assistance in his power to procure for the settlers this groat boon. He concluded an able speech by stating that he found in Muskoka a superior class of settlers to that of any other new district he had ever visited. The luinberimj interests of the KyrtJi, was ah]y replied to by John D. j\Iacaulay, Esq., the popular represeht^ative of Messrs. Dodge & Co. EMAGE EVALUATiON TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 [fi- I I.I II 1.25 1^ tii Km Hi 28 12.5 2.2 " lis M !.8 U II 1.6 # P> /] ^» c^: Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSIER.N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 [L

it"> /(•'•!> .. ji It is now eight years since the first Missionary was appointed by th« Wesleyan Conference to tliis field of labor. Since then, although Methodism has been slowly but steadily advancing and increasing in numbers, it was not until last year that it could boast of possessing either Church, Parsonage, or other connexional property of any dis- cription on the Mission. We have now a comfortable Pf»rsonage, which, through the liberal policy of an efficient Board of Trustees, has been partly furnished ; also one Church in course of erection, while at several of the appointments our people contemplate building soon. During the past year, most of our congregations have largely increased, while, by the assistance of a second preacher, we have been enabled to take up four new appointments, at each of which we have organized a class. There are now 1 2 appointments and 1 1 classes on the Mission. Had we men and means there is yet room and urgent demands for an exten- sion of the work. Immigration has rapidly increased this spring. New settlements are being formed »till farther northward in the Free Grant District, from which frequent and earnest invitations are sent to your Missionaries to follow them in and preach to them the Vf ord of Life. We feel deeply for the future prosperity and ultimate success of this portion of our Mission work. After deducting 18 for deaths, removals, &c., we report a net incx-ease of 52. Members, 121 ; on trial, 15 ; Total, 136. S. B. PiilLLirs. DEDICATION. OF THE FIRST WESLEYAN CHURCH IN THE DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA. One of the most important events* that has taken place in the history or Muskoka, has just been Kuccessfully comple|pd. A new Wesleyan Church has been erected in the village of Bracebridge ; and was dedi- cated to the public worship of Almighty God on Sabbath, the 11th De- cember, 1870. The Rev. F. Berry, chairman of the Barrie District, had the distin- guished privilege of officiating on the auspicious occasion, and preached three appropriate sermons to crowded congregations. The presentation was made by Mr, Thomas McMurray, one of the trustees. On the fol- lowing evening a tea meeting was held for the purpose of liquidating 6 ^m M FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. i ' 1 . i ! ! the debt on the edifice. The church was thronged, and a deep interest •was taken in the object. Mr. J. Long was appointed chairman, and •conducted the meeting with great ability and general satisfaction. The following gentlemen addressed the meeting : — The Rev. Mr. Gibson, the Kev. Mr. Potter, the llev. Mr. Mattingly, the Kev. Mr. Webster, the Rev. Mr. Berry, and Mr. Taylor. Mr. James Clerihue read the financial statement, which showed a balance of $350 due on the church, and said that it was desirable that the debt should be wiped •out. Mr. McMurray, on being called, stated that an effort would be made to raise the amount due, and hoped that evory one present would assist, and thus have the church dedicated free of debt. The Rev. Mr. Webster thought that, as this was the first WesJeyan Church erected in the district, we should not ask any assistance from the Church Relief Fund, but that we should leave that for those poorer places whicli had more need of it than Muskoka. Mr. Clerihue and Mr. McMurray then passed round with the subscription lists, and returned to the chairman with the gratifying intelligence that the entire amount had been raised ; thus the Jii'st Wesleyan Church in the District of Muskoka has been de- dicated /ree of debt. It has been said that "actions speak louder than words ; " and we ask those who cry down Muskoka to note this fact that at a tea meeting in the village of Bracebridge, on tlie 12th Decem- ber, where the members had previously! een heavily taxed towards the erec- tion of the church, when an appeal was made to them for $350 more, in order to have the entire debt removed ; the whole amount was sub- scribed in a few minutes. We trust that outsiders will learn a lesson from this incident. The music was under the able leadership of Mr. J. H. Speer, Mr. Moorhouse presiding at the organ ; and it is not too much to say that the choir performed their part well. The Rev. Mr. Berry eulogized it exceedingly, and said he rever heard better music, nor witnessed greater liberality. We cannot conclude this notice without a special allusion to the ad- •dress given by Mr. Webster. On rising, he evinced great emotion, and delivered one of the most earnest addrecses we ever heard. As tha chairman of the district remarked, "he is the right man in the right place ;" and the value of his speech may be judged by one remark made by Mr. Berry, namely, that he would not grudge coming all the way ./.JM ' A HLA('K PICTrRK. i)5 from Collin^^wood to Muskoka to hear tlio ark, and have them ])ro(IuceJ in the Phrenohifjiral Journal, published by that gentleman. We wish that the Editor had informeil us how many days it took tlu^so three gentle- ' men to travel tlirough the eleven toAvnship spoken of. Wo have been told that they never wetit off the road, and consecjuently they are inca- pable of giving an opinion on the subject. We have found that those who takf! time to examine the country, almost invariably form favorable impressions ; while on the other hand, those who run in and run out again, without taking time to explore the district thoroughly, carry away falsf» idvith a notion of settling," we need only State that doctors differ. We have lived in it for near ten years, and we like it better every day. It is not a fanning country equal to Perth, but there is sufficient laud fit for cultivation to make a good settlement, and a prosperous section. The land is givoi as a free grant. It is easy of access, being within a day's journey of Toronto, and next season a railway will be built into the very heart of the Free Grant District, so that it has its advantages. And certainly to the admirers of nature it is full of attraction. They say ** one and all returned indignant and disgusted at the imposition of paid agents, and rascally speculators, who- are fairly coining money out of the necessities of the nev;- comers ;" now we are at a loss to know who is meant in this wholesale accusation, un- less it IS designed as a stab at the Crown Lands Agent, the store keepers, and hotel keepers of the district. Mr. Lount is the only paid agent in the place, and it is the first time we have ever heard him accused of trying to induce parties to settle in Muskoka, so the shoe does not fit him. As regards our merchants, they stand as high morally and com- mercially as those in Perth, and are innocent in the matter, while our hotel keepers are just like all other hotel keepers, they want to make money ; but the authors of the " black picture" cannot but say that the fare in Muskoka was both good iu quality and plentiful in quantity, while the charges were as moderate as anywhere el«e. In conclusion, Ave trust those 18 or 20 will profit by their trip to Muskoka. If they ever go to visit another place, and desire to give publicity to their travel.!, let them learn to do so correctly ; and if Muskoka is so " black" a place in their opinion, let tiiem avail themselves of the supposed superior ad- vantages to be found in Perth, and improve their privileges. We trust they will make better farmers and better husbands by their visit to- Muskoka. THE BLACK PICTURE. Some time ago we had occasion to refer to a statement which appeared in the St. Mary's Vidette, which gave rise to a great deal of discussion. 1 ^- 100 FREE <3RANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. ;•■ ■M -j M ...>^'t ) 1 l^M with reference to the Free Grant Lands in the districts of Muskoka and Parry Sound. We regret exceedingly at the one-sided course which the Editor of the Vidette has seen fit to pursue in this matter. As far ja we know, only one paper, the Samia Observer, has attempted to coincide with his views, whereas the Press of Ontario has almost unanimously vindicated the fact that there is a large proportion of land fit for settlement throughout these districts. We know not what character those 18 witnesses bear when they are at home, but we have been told that they commenced their explorations on the Sabbath, and it appears that some of then; got on the spree at Port Carling, and one of them fired a gun, whereby the lives of the peaceable inhabitants were endangered, and came near being arrested. They also examined a farm within a mile of this village, lately purchased by Mr. John Elliott, of London township, and ran it down, stating that it was flat rock Krd sand ; now we are in a position to prove that such is a base libel. We know the farm well, and feel satisfied that it would be hard to beat it either in Perth or Middlesex. It contains 215 acres, all hard wood, and is entirely free from stone or flat rock, while the soil is a rich clay loam that cannot be surpassed in quality. With reference tc the insinuation of the Vidette, that " the writer of the comments in the Globe is probably as ignorant of the district as him. tfp.lf," we are in a position to state that the Globe is M'ell posted with re- ference to the settlement, and is not in the habit of making haphazard assertions. They sent a reporter here who travelled every inch of the ground between Washago and Farry Sound, and that reporter felt the responsibility of the task he had undertaken, and faithfully performed his part. He examined the farms and products of the country — con- versed freely with the settlers from lot to lot, and after a thorough in- vestigation, gave a favorable opinion to the world, and if the Editor of Vidette will do likewise, he will have cause to write in a different strain of Muskoka, which is not only noted for its beautiful scenery, its intelli- gent inhabitants, but also for the fertility of its soil. With reference to the imputation thrown at ourselves, namely, "that it is our business to puff our home," and consequently " little dependence ^ can be placed in our statements ;" we have just to remark that our business is to state Jctcts, this course we have invariably pursued, and with such weapons we liave faced much opposition and have always triumphed. We well re- THE BLACK PICTURE. 101 member the time when Mr. Simpson's letter appeared, and had it not been for such misrepresentation, probably we would never have taken the stand we took in reference to these settlements ; but being thoroughly convinced from personal knowledge and close observation, that there was a large amount of land fit for agricultural purposes, and satisfied from its geographical position and wonderful natural advantages, that be- fore long Muskoka would become one of the most prosperous parts of Ontario, duty prompted us to advocate the settlement of these wild lands; and we think that the past success of the settlement in a sufficient guarantee to those who shall hereafter settle, that with sobriety, patience and industry, success is certain. If the question is put. Why do you recommend people to settle in Muskoka 1 we reply : We are acquainted with hundreds in these districts who have been much improved in their circumstances by settling in our midst. Numbers who came here with very small means, and some ev«?n without means, now own good farms, which are well stocked, and their •circumstances would compare favorably with those outside. The editor of the Vidette tries to excuse himself thus : " All we can say to this is, that if we have printed the truth, it mat- ters very little to us whether the Premier or any other dignitary suffers by the exposure. If we have not done so, we were, at any rate, war- ranted in publishing the earnestly-expressed opinions of so many respec- table farmers of this neighbourhood, made after a thorough personal ob- servation of the country.' Now, we state, had the truth been printed, we would not have troubled ourselves to reply; but the "Black Picture" is a Waci/a&eAoorf, and, in justice to the settlers and the settlement, we were obliged to enter upon the defence. The amount of evidence in favor of what we have written and said about this country is so voluminous, that we find it difficult to make a selection. However, for the information of our readers, we give a few extracts, and call attention to the letters of the Rev. John Webster, headed "Muskoka calmly considered," which appeared in the two pre- 'vious issues of the Advocate^ by which it will be seen that in his opinion th re is from 70 to 75 per cent, of the land fit for cultivation. A great deal of weight must be attached to Mr. Webster's statement. He has travelled the length and breadth of the District with a zeal worthy of i 11 «^« I m %' 102 FRE'i GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. It inn; the great work in which he is engaged, and has had ample opportunities, of judging of the country. ^ The Globe says, a short time ago a dark picture was given by tlie St, Mary's Vidette of the state and prospects of the Muskoka region. It seems some farmers from that neighbourhood had gone on a flying visit, and came back with a most dreadful account of what they saw, heard, and tasted. The Northern Advocate takes up the cudgels in favour of the maligned region, and point by point meets the representations of the St. Mary's visitors, and with a great deal of earnestness repudiates the re- presentation as a laughable and outrageous caricjvture. The ftict is, the "picture" drawn was so black that it carried its own contr.adiction on the very face of it. For instance, it was said that in eleven townships *' about half a dozen loads of wheat were raised." The Advocate, in re- ply, says that the Bracebridge flour-mill alone is so beset with teams^ bringing and taking away grists, that oii£ can scarcely turn himself. Half a dozen of loads for eleven townships Avould not justify the erection of a flour mill at all. To represent the water of the Muskoka region as a villainous compound, like lye, is also exceedingly foolish, and worse^ for even the casual visitor can easily know that generally it is exception- ally good. Muskoka may not be all its most sanguine friends have re- presented it to be, but it is not the waste, howling wilderness the Mis- souri farmers have pictured, or anything like it. Other people have been there as well as the good friends from Perth, and are quite sure that the picture drawers must have taken heavy suppers, and had un- pleasant dreams. The Beaverton Expositor says: the editor of the St. Mary's Vidette repeats that personally he knows nothing of Muskoka, and then retorts to the refutation of statements contained in his paper, that they Avere the ** accounts of intelligent and trustworthy farmers who had paid a visit to that region ;" while, he asserts, the writer of the comments in the Glebe is probably as ignorant of the district as himself, and little dependence can be placed on the Advocate, because it is its business to puff its home. We do not suppose our confrere has wilfully maligned Muskoka ; and his anxiety to defend his friends is not surprising, though the manner in which he does it is. We can assure the Vidette, from personal knoudedge, that the tale of those " intelligent farmers" is equally ftb incorrect as were the reports circulated through the American press,. during the civil war, and stated to be vouched for by " an intelligent contraband." MUSKOKA CALMLY CONSIDKREI). 103; The Orillia Packet says : — " At the entrance of the district it has a most forhidding aspect, hut there are continual signs of improvement as you go further in. The products of the district are usu. Jly of the best quality, and the yield per acre good. It is not claimed that Muskoka is equal to the older parts of the Pro^'ince, hut it is claimed that good land may be obtained there, that the climate is healthful, and the ■water good and pure, though generally soft. The settlers are, as a class, possessed of more than ordinary intelligence, contented and prospering. They went there for the purpose of securing homes for themselves and families, and this they are doing in a much larger proportion of instances than is the case in most Canadian settlements. We are personally acquni'ited Avith not a few Avho went there with nothing, and are now in comfortably independ- ent circumstances, and there are sev^eral really wealtliy persons in ther district, who have avoided lumber and Government land speculations. In fact, the latter is of comparatively rare occurrence there. " The story related by the Vidette has very little foundation in fact and we are only surprised our confrere allowed himself to be so grossly misled by sucli an eminently ridiculous story, which carries contradic- tion on the face of it. The greater part of the studied misrepresentation with reference to the District of Muskoka has been the work of the en- emies of the settlement J Government agents, there is but one in the Dis- trict ; and the settlers avoid it well knowing that ultimately the result would be adverse to the prosperity of the settlement*" The Barrie Advance says . — " The settlement has a very zealous defender in the editor of the Ad- vocate. He is himself one of the pioneers of the District ; and as one who is in a position to know the facts, and of good repute as to credi- bility, "vve prefer taking the picture he draws on the subject, to that of the Vidette^ s eighteen witnesses." The following appeared in the Nenihern Advocate on the 6th and 13th of January, 1871 : MUSKOKA CALIMLY CONSIDERED. . BY THE REV. JOHN WEBSTER. To the Editor oj the '' Niyrthem Advocate. " Mr. Editor. — I wish, through your paper, to place a few thought* before your readers on this great Muskoka country. The enquiry is fre- 104 FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. ■''' ■■'? * not a fsirjuer in Upper Canada who would recommend his son to take up his residence in Muskoka, with a $500 note to start himself, because the Government had power by act of Parliament to take away every valuable stick of tind)er on his land if they saw fit, and no freeman would tak(; u[) land on such terms. Now, Mr. Evam; cannot have made liimself personally acijuainted either with the settlement duties re([uired by the Act of 1868, or with the Muskoka Territory itself. Having travelled in Muskoka last summer, and gone, I may say, through a con- siderable section of it, I can fully corroborate all the Minister of Agri- culture stated in his reply ; but I consider that the latter gentleman did not go far enough ; that he under rather than over valued the resources of the Free Grant District. Having had a great deal of experience of land in several parts of Great Britain, and having been out here suffi- cient time to become acquaint f^d with the cai)abilities of the Province of Ontario for agricultural purposes, a few words comparing the Muskoka with others, and enumerating the advantages it holds out to settlers, may perhaps be interesting to your readers. I may first premise that I never heard one settler complain of his position, but all spoke most strongly in favor of the territory, whether they were shipwrights from the Thames, farm laborers from Devon or Canadians. The advantages of the Muskoka District, which present themselves most prominently to my mind, are — "1. The short distance it is from Toronto, Bracebridge, the centre of the Free Grant townships, being nearer to it than London, Canada West ; and when the railroad is completed to Gravenhurst, Bracebridge will be within six hours of Toronto. "2. The easy means of access by railroad and boat, with a break of only 14 miles staging over a plank road, for the construction of which 7 110 FIIKE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. :' I last summer the Government appropriated a large sum of money. When the rail runs through to Gravenhurst that staging will be avoided. "3. The easy terms on which a head of a family can acquire at least 200 acres of good agricultural land, viz : to reside for six months in «ach year for five years in his location ; to clear fifteen acres of land during that period ; to cultivate at least two acres yearly and to build a log-hut of certain dimensions. "From a careful examination of the country, I am convinced that there is at least 70 per cent, of good agricultural land, and comparing it with Northumberland, Westmoreland, Cumberland, and the adjacent parts of the counties bordering thereon, I am of opinion that the pre- ponderance of Muskoka in good land over the named counties is at least 37 to 40 per cent ; and comparing it also with counties in the south-west of England, such as Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, &c., the result in favor of Muskoka is as 7 to 6. Of course, in an agricultural point of view it does not come up to the midland, eastern and southern shires of Eng- land, but on the other hand it has ad\ antages of its own which they do not possess, such as water privileges, &c. As to the idea that the Free Grant District is a mass of rock (though the fact that there is plenty of rock there cannot be denied) is all a mistake. Many of the settlers, however, prefer a portion of rock, as they consider that the rocks retain during the night a large proportion of the heat received from the sun during the day, and, consequently the atmosphere is greatly mellowed, preventing the frosts in the spring and fall from being greatly injurious. The crops that I saw when there promised a good return for the settler's labors, and that promise has been fulfilled. I have seen samples of cereals grown there quite equal to that produced in the best wheat growing townships in. Canada. The roads, in consequence of the rock in the district, are in capital condition, and can compare most favourably with those of much older settled districts. That the climate is not severe is proved by the fact that last spring the steamers were lunning in Muskoka on the 4th of April, while Lake Simcoe was not open for navigation until the 22nd. It is also a mistake fiat the Free Grant District is so far north, nothing of the kind. The parallel of latitude, which is the boundary line between the eastern townships and Vermont^ runs through the Muskoka Lake. In fact, it is in the same latitude as "Cornwall, Ontario. " As to the Government having the right to take the timber as stated <( ! r. MUSKOKA CALMLY CONSIDERED. Ill by Mr. Evans, it is also a mistake. A settler, if located on a pine lot, is allowed to cliop thirty acres daring the five years without any license, and after the expiration of the five years al) the pine on the lot is abso- lutely his own. If he wishes to chop more than the thirty acres before he receives his patent, he must pay the same license as a lumberer would have. But, if he is located on a hard-wood lot, there is absolutely no restriction whatever. Again, if a man finds that in his lot there are a certain number of acres unfit for agicultural cultivation, he has only to bring two witnesses who will make the necesaary affidavit of the fact, and he is entitled to an equal number of acres out of another lot, retain- ing his own also. In fact, a man has 100 acres of agricultural land whether he has only that amount or more. " I am so perfectly satisfied with the territory and the capabilities it affords of enabling a certain class 'to get on, that I have written to the old country, advising several parties to come out in the spring, and take up locations in Muskoka; and I have every reason to believe that sev- eral will make up their minds so to do. It is not only a farmer who can get on there ; for there is almosi a representative of every class of persons there. Witness, ofl^icers on half pay, jewellers, shipwrights, •clerks, painters, weavers, lawyers. &c. " Apologizing for occupying so much of your valuable space, but the conviction that the resources of the Free Grant Territory are not known as they ought to be in Canada, must be my excuse. A settler going there will find everybody ready to lend him a helping hand, and afford him every information. I know instances of men who settled in that district four or five years ago with almost nothing, and have now good farms, and are happy, contented and prosperous." . Again, the Telegraph has the following : — "THE COLONIZATION ROADS are doing an immense and plainly perceptible amount of good in increas- ing immigration, the Hon. Attorney General lias pledged that the Gov_ ernment intend still pursuing a liberal policy with reference to the open- ing up of this district. Nature has done much in clothing this part of the land in beauty, in supplying it with great resources and inducements for immigration, and it only remains for the Government to assist in the development of the Muskoka district " As an evidence of the increase of immigration to this Province, we i) u 112 FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. have much pleasure in giving the following from the Hamilton i^pedator of the 21st Januaiy, 1871 : " IMMIGRATION REPORT. "Mr. Carling is not a showy Minister in the debates of the House, but there is an unol)trusivo enthusiasm iri his management of the affairs of his Department Avhich has already yielded good fruit, and gives prom- ise of moYi\ Above all, there is a praiseworthy punctuality in his deal- ing with the public which we should like to see imitated by the heads of departments at Ottawa. The present year is but in the first month of its age, and yet Ave have Mr. Carling's Immigration Report for 1870. From our knowledge of what had been dune in this Department, we felt justified in predicting, some tune ago, that the immigration for the past year would be greater than it had been in 1SG9, even though the latter year showed a handsome increase over preceding years. We are glad to find that we have not been flisapp'^inted. The total number of inmii- grauts Avho settled in the Province in 1869, as shown by tlio reports of Hamilton, Toronto, Kingston and Ottawa agencies, was 15,893. In 1870, the number was 25 290, showing an increase of 9,397. As an evi dence of the judicious policy adopted by the Government on this (jues- tiou, and as an illustration of the progress we are making, we give the immigration returns sin e 186G : *' Number of immigrants settled in Canada in 1860 10,091 1867 14,666 1868 12,765 18«9 18,630 " These figures, let it be borne in mind, are for the two I'rovinces of Upper and Lower Canada previous to Confederation, and for the whole Dominion afterAvards. The figures show that the largest number of im migrants in any one year was under 19,000, whi^ ^ last year, for the Pro- vince of Ontario alone, it was over 25,000. It may be said, and no doubt will, that more might have been done ; but if the numbers were increased a hundred fold that argument would be of equal force, and might be urged with as much fairness as it is now. It should be re- membered that a'healthy immigration is one that can be readily absorb- ed by our industrial system. A greater number than is indicated by this test is not desirable in any one year ; for, of all thmgs, we must IMMIGRATION REPORT. 113 guard against a well-founded discontent among our immigrant popula- tion. Even a temporary inconvenience in obtaining employment is certain to cause such discontent, and it is certain to find its way across the ocean, to our future inju-"y. " With our ever widening area of settlement, it is very true that incon- venience and discomfort from Avant of employment con be but tempor- ary, and it is equally true that those who are ready to settle upon land may come in almost unlimited numbers ; but after all, the great major- ity of immigrants will be men in want of employment immediately upon landing ; the more industrious and energetic of whom will get into bet- ter positions in the course of time. How nearly the immigration of 1870 was proportioned to our industrial wants, may be roughly estima ted by returns from the municipalities, in answer to Mr. Carling's in- quiry as to how many they could find employment for. According to these returns the number asked for was 22,802. It is very certain, of course, that every employer who could find work for a laborer upon his farm, a mechanic in his workshop, or a domestic servant in his home, did noi; make a statement of his wants to the Government, This num- ber, therefore, it may reasonably be inferred, does not mark the limit of the countiy's capacity to give employment, but merely expresses the more urgent wants of employers. The number that actually arrived we know considerably exceeded this, for Mr. Carling tells us that *' in addi- tion to the number reported from the above (Ontario) agencies, there has doubtless been a large accession to the Province of settlers from Great Britain and Ireland, who paid their own expenses out, and of whom we have no available record as to their numbers." These, he thinks, Avith the arrivals reported at the fijur agencies, probably sum up to a total of not less than 50,000 souls added to our population by immi- gration for the two years 1869 and 1870. The fact that all these have found employment among us without in the least affecting the labor market, is a most gratifying proof of the prosperity which the country at present enjoys. Each one of them will create employment for others who are to follow, and If the change has been a satisfactory one to them — as we know to be the fact in nineteerr cases out of twenty, at least — each will become an immigration agent within his own circle of friends At " home," co-operating with the other agencies at work, and helping irs to solve what, after all, is the grand problem for Canada — the settle- ment of the country. ^ 114 FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. ri.;^ ■ F' *y •1^ ; f "There can be no doubt that when the Government selected Mr. White as Emigration Commissioner to England they did an inestimable service to thJsP rovince. We have heard same carping criticism — of the per- functory and professional kind — upon Mr. White's mission : he didn't go at the right time of ohe year ; he didn't stay a sufficient length of time, and he didn't go into the agricultural districts — ^with other stuff of the same kind. But he did something far more important than all these ; he did, in fact, the one thing needful to be done at the time ; he caught *he public ear on the emigration question, made it a subject of popular discussion, and enlisted in its behalf the efforts of philanthropists, and these efforts are now bearing fruit. "Encouraged l>y past success, Mr. Carling proposes to enter upon an experimental field. He recommends that a township bo set apart from among the back townships of the Free Grant district, containing good agiicultural lands, and an appropriation made sufficient to enable the Government to make a clearance on alternate lots, to the extent of from three to five acres, and erect a log house thereon ; these to bo given to heads of families of good character, with the cost of the Govern- ment improvements as a first charge upon the land, and to be repaid in instalments during tlie 3rd, 4th and 5th years of settlement. This is spoken of as but an experiment, and it is just possible that therci may be found many practical difficulties in carrying it out ; but it is Avell worth trying, ind if it be guided to success its value will be very great." The Rev. Dr. Newton writes : — "I have great faith in the bright future of this country. My duties as a clergyman necessitate an extensive and familiar knowledge of the people and the District of Rosseau and Nipissing, and I am glad to bear witness to much contentment and prosperity among sober and industrious settlers. Many who came in with very little, are quietly making com- fortable homes, and realizing property. And observe the longer they live here the better they like the country." The publisher has much pleasure in presenting the following letter, which he has received from R. J. Oliver, Esq., late Crown Lands Agent for the District of Muskoka : "St. Louis, Mo., U. S., "18th January, 1871. "Thomas McMurray, i.sQ., ■^•Dear Sir, — I have re.id with interest the Prospectus of your His- tory of Muskoka, sooj^ to be published in pamphlet form. For sorao THE SETTLERS GREATEST ENEMY. 115 time past I have been arranging my notes on the settlement, with the view of publishing them, but am very much pleased to be superseded by one so well qualified for the work. Your long residence in the set- tlement, dating from within a few months of its opening to the present time, gave you every opportunity for collecting such information as you may need, and I know you have not been a sleepy observer of passing events. '^1^/ie constant influx of land seekers to my office through your agency, during your itinerancy in the Temperance cause, leave testimony to your untiring zeal in iJie u-elfare of your adopted country, and now that you ^have the press at your command, full scope can be given to the genius and power of your mind. The inf mation you promise to give is much needed abroad. Canada has lopg been most shamefully misrepresented by in- terested and competing parties, and a compendium of facts coming di- rect from the settlers, not bearing the authority of speculative organiza- tion, will be received without suspicion, and consequently a much stronger tide of immigration may be expected to flow into the vast Free Grant Districts of Canada. "Since my residence in the States, 1 have made it my special object to Inquire into the condition of settling on prairie lands, and my conclusion is that a person with limited nuans can make a home, on bush land in Canada, at half the cost ; with better chances for success, and with much more com- fort than can be obtained on the bleak tiee-less prairies of the Western States. I speak advisedly and from personal observation and inquiry, "Hoping that your laudable enterprise may be fully sustained. "I am, yours, &c., "K. J. Oliver." THE SETTLER'S GREATEST ENEMY. I cannot conclude this book without giving a word of warning to those who are in the habit of tampering with strong drink. It has been my painful duty to record the sad havoc which drink has caused in the set- tlement since my arrival ; and as I do not wish to be personal, I will simply state that not a few farms have been lost on account of intem perance. Some of the first settlers, in consequence of it, have been obliged to quit the settlement after considerable improvements had been made, and not a few deaths iiave been caused by indulgence in the se- ductive practice of drinking. It matters not where we turn — as in the 116 FREE GRANT LANDS OF MUSKOKA. city 80 in the backwoods — drink is the common enemy of man. If I should Hft the veil, and relate what I have known and witnessed of drink's doings in Muskoka, it would fill a volume larger than the present one. Drinking is the road to ruin, and we tremble for those who are walking thereon. Some thdt we love and respect are on the very verge of the precipice, and sad to relate, they seem ignorant of their danger. Stop ! I cry, or your fate, like some who have already perished, will be sad and terrible. Drink is alike injurious' to both buyer and seller, and its victims have been made up of both classes. Many of my friends and supporters are engaged in the business, but while I hate the traffic, I en- tertain no unkind feelings towards the men. My Morst wish is that they would engage in some other calling, or banish the liquor from the bar. RAILWAY TO BRACEBRIDGE. The following petition, signed b> over one thousand settlers, was pre- sented to the Ontario Government : " PETITION "To the Honourable the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, in Parliament assembled. "The petition of the undersigned, settlers of the District of Muskoka, humbly sheweth : — "I. That railroad communication is much required by the settlers, and» in order to promote the development of the district, it is an absolute necessity : " II. That the interests of immigration would be largely promoted by an extension of the Toronto, Simcoe, and Muskoka Junction Railway through the Fr^3e Grant territory : " III. That apart from all local considerations, the Province would be largely benefited by promoting this scheme, from the fact that there is still unoccupied a vast extent of country, capable of affording homes for at least 200,000 families, that would quickly become settled by a loyal and industrious people if railway facilities were furnished : " IV. That said company, having accepted tenders for the construction of their road to Washago, your petitioners are of opinion that your hon- ourable body could not expend a portion of the surplus at present in your hands more advantageously than by giving a substantial grant to aid in the extension of this line through the heart of the Free Grant district. "And your petitioners will, as in duty bound, ever pray, &c." RAILWAY BUSINESS. 117 The Northern Advocate of February 24th, 1871, contains the fol- 'iowing : — "KAIL WAY BUSINESS. '* We call the attention of our readers to tlie article which appears in this issue, headed " Eailway to Bracebridge " by which it will be seen that an arrangement has been entered into to extend the Toron- to, Simcoe, and Muskoka Junction Railway right through to Bracebridge. The conditions are the best that possibly could be made, namely, the Government give $4,000 a mile, the Company $10,000, and the District $2,000. On these terms, and on these alone, the Company will extend their line from the present terminus — (Thomson and Millar's, Rama) — to Bracebridge ; and, unless these conditions are complied with, the Road must stop at Tliomson and Millar's. "The Bonus will be extended over twenty years, and no payment is re- quired unless as sections of the road are completed. By this arrange- ment the ratepayers will never feel the tax — in fact, they are paying more now in extra freightage twice over than will be required of them by way of assistance in the construction of the road. Besides, when the line is built, the value of property will greatly increase and a vast im- petus will be given to business, while the wild lands will quickly be taken up and general prosperity mark our settlement. "Here we have numerous lakes and rivers which would become tribu- taries to a railway. Our supplies of timber are almost inexhaustible ; our mill privileges are unequalled on the continent ; and all we want, to laake Muskoka one of the most flourishing parts of Ontario, is railroa: 126 FREE GRANT LANDS OF PARRY SOUND. is? The Government of Ontario offers as a Free Grant to any actual set- tler over 18 years of age, on(^ hundred acres of land in thivsJDistrict. Heads of families get two hundred acres as a Free Grant. Locatees, in addition to obtaining a Free Grant of 100 acres, will be allowed to puri,liase an additional 100 acres, at 50 cents an acre, cash. After years of experience and close observation, I give it as my honest conviction that a man of limited means, with a large family of'' healthy children, cannot do better than l)y taking advantage of the Free Grant Iiands so generously provided, and settling down in the bush ; f(jr while they have to work hard, they are free from numerous temptations. *' Here hardy youths soon learn the axe to wiehl, And drive the steers athwart the trosted fiekl ; Or pile the firewoo I on the burdened sleigh, Which bears its needful weight the homeward way. Here beauteoun maidens, household work within The homely hut, soon learn to knit and spin — To beat the chum, or weave the garment \\arm, While sons and fathers face the bickering storm. Here mothers nurse the darling babe, and give A helping hand, that all within may live In peaceful comfort, and delighted see The charms of independence yet to he,— When the fair farm is cleared, and debts discharged, And the home comforts more and more enlars;ed." A SITUATION. mi i The District of Parry Sound is situated on the east shore of the Geor gian Bay, and is easily reached in summer 1)y tlie Northern Railway from Toronto to Collingwood, thence via steamer "Waubuno" to Parry Sound Village, which is the business centre of the District. It is situ- ated between 80° and 81° west of Greenwich, and Ijetween 45° and 46° of north latitude. BOUNDAKIES. The District is bounded on the south by the Territorial District of Muskoka ; on the north by French River and Lake Nipissing ; on the east by the District of Nipissing ; and on the Avest by the Georgian Bay. EXTENT. If* I The District embraces about forty townships, coAering an area of 2,500 squaid miles ; containing about 1,600,000 acres of land, capable of furnishing agiicultural homes for at least 100,000 souls. CLIMATE. 127 CLIMATE. Some persons imagine that the District must be extremely cold, but it is not uncomfortably so. The forest affords much protection, and, situated as it is close to a large body of water, the atmosphere is of a nice even temperature ; nor will it ever be otherwise, for there are ridges of rock running through the country which will prevent it from being entirely cleared, so that the District will not be subject to those sweeping currents of air which are so frequent in some of the front townships, and are so trying \ipon the constitution of man. The climate is exceedingly healthy, and, unless in cases of accident, the services of the doctor are seldom required. ' Ague is unknown here, and the District is acknowledged to be one of the most healthy in the world. Persons who are consumptive will derive much benefit, and, if not too far gone, will be perfectly cured by a short residence in the place, — numbersj in the settlement can cheerfully bear testimony to this fact. Here you have complete summer and perfect winter, and enjoy an at- mosphere both pure and bracing, which is conducive to the most perfect health. AS STATED IN THE IMMIGRATION PAMPHLET. " No where on earth do the seasons of the year move on in lovelier, grander procession. In spring, we have a quick awakening of vegetable life, and nature puts on her best attire, promptly as a bride on her wed- ding-morn. Our summer is short, but gorgeous Avith splen[ ■\ \l t. II 132 FREE GRANT LANDS OF PARRY SOUND. gtilarly sustained also a week-night prayer-meeting ; thus from the firsts lill the means of grace peculiar to our Church have been establish'^cl and conducted with vigor and success. At the last ConfcenBe, however, th^- work having grown to such dimensions, it was found impossible any longer to carry it on efficiently Avithout the appointment of an ordained minister ; accordingly application was made to the Missionary Committee,, and the request was granted; and in the 'Minutes' of 18G9, Parry Sound appears for the first time as a regular Conference appointment. During the year, five outside appointments have been established, be- sides occasional preaching through the settlement. Wherever practica- ble, societies have been formed, and the entire work placed on a connex- ional basis. At one of th?se preaching places a log Church, respectable and neat, has already been built, and arrangements have be(;n made for the speedy erection of two more in other parts of the circuit. With characterized promptness, the Quarterly Board have also undertaken to provide a large and comfortable parsonage for their minister. The building has been commenced, and with the blessing of God upon the Avork, will ready for occupancy by about the middle of August. ''C. A. Hanson." T'he residents of the District are noted for their intelligence and high moral character, and represent most of the religious denominations and different nationalities. MANUFACTURING FACILITIES. AVater privileges are numerous both in the Village of Parry Sound and throughout the District. There is a splendid opening in the village for a foundry. Stoves, ploughs, and farm implements are in great de- mand, and the raw material can be laid down here as cheap as in the city of Toront*. Wood, suitable for'furniture, is plentiful, and a fac- tory would be remunerative. i * NEW TERPJTORIAL DISTRICT At the last session of the Provincial Parliament, an Act was passed to provide for the organization of the Territorial District of Parry Sounds and for the more ready and convenient administration of justice, for the- registration of y tho skirmishing of those two gentlemen, and for once we fear, the former got slightly wounded. "The Dominion Parliament," was responded to by Col. Grey, M. P., of New Brunswick, in a very able and racy speech, he said ho came to examine tho country and to make the acquaintance of tho Canadian peo- ple, and being a member of tho Dominjori Parliament, he considered it nothing more than his duty to do so. He expressed that he had been most agreeably surprised ; that the country was much better than he ex- pected, and he considered it capable of great fertility ; as regards tho roads, he thought that the less he said about them tho better. . The Colonel anticipates gre.at things for Parry Sound, and expects that it will become a town of importance before ten years. " The Local Legislature," was replied to in a very neat and eloquent address by the efficient Managing Director of the Northern Railway, F. Cumberland, Esq., M. P. P. " The Mayor and Corporation of the City of Toronto," was the next given, and heartily responded to by S. B. Harman, Mayor, who, in re- plying, stated that the scenery through which he passed was mo.«t ro- mantic, the lakes and rivers extremely beautiful, and that pleasantry and good humour had characterized the whole trip. He spoke strongly in favor of Eailway extensions, and his address was graceful and practical. The mayor has made many friends by tliis trip. We congratulate the City of Toronto on having so popular a re- presentative. *' Success to the Northern Railway." The Hon. Jno. B. Robinson replied in a practical speech, noted for the strong, good common sense views which he expressed, and the information which he conveyed. " North Shore Development." A. G. P. Dodge, Esq., replied to this toast in a speech which gave evidence of high moral training, ad- vanced mental culture and deep research. His allusions to the " Pil- grim Fathers" was most touching. His statements that the North • Shore of the Georgian Bay is rich in iron ore and other minerals, is valuable, and the development of this North Territory is only a matter of time. Although Mr. Dodge is an American, and the son of the dis- tinguished American Philanthropist, the Hon. W. E. Dodge, of New- York, yet he is no annexationist, hear him, — " I am no annexationist. 138 FHKE GRANT LANDS OF PARRY SOUND. I beliovtj in iiulividuality, I want to see a Hi)irit of emulation iK-twoen the two great nations, and to be ever united in those two great bonds^ Friendship and Commerce." P. S. Cfibson. Esq., P.L.S., of Willowdale being present, was called upon by the chairman to make a few remarks, and we consider that his address was one of the aldest that was delivered during the evening, his remarks were practical and pointed. In alhidiiiji to the roads he said that we were not to be Icjoked upon as beggars Avhen we asked for a grant of money to build and repair roads ; that we only asked back a part of what the Government hail already received for the timber which they had sold. He also advocated the opening up of crosa roads in ad- dition to main leading roads. " The Press," — This toast was replied to by Mr. Cunningham, of the Globe who will give his views upon the country in letters which will ap- l)ear in that j)aper to which we intend to refer o\\ some future occasion. The Editor of the Northern Advocate also replied, giving a sliort history of the Muskoka strict, and in the name of the people, gave the guests to understand 1 hould they see fit to return again we would give them a hearty welcome, and try to keep the friendship that had been formed, as pure as the clear water in which it had been drank. The last toast, " Success to the firm of Messrs. J. and W. Beatty & Co.," was proposed by the Mayor of Toronto. Mr. W. Beatty, M.P.P., rose, and, in a very feeling and eloquent address, thanked the gentle- men present for the hearty way in which the toast had been responded to. He said that some of the happiest years of his life had been spent in the Sound ; that he loved to mark the progress that was going on in a new settlement , that much oi' the praise that had been ascribed to him tvas due to the Northern Railway Company ; that only for it he would not have invested here. After " Auld Lang Syne" and "God Save the Queen" were sung, the company broke up, at the wee hour beyond the twelve. In referring to the bad state of the roads, several of the speakers expressed their deep regret that the Hon. S. Richards, Commissioner of Crown Lands, was not with them. On the morning of the 10th, the party went out in the steamers " Mit- tie Grew" and "Wave" for a delightful sail among the islands of the bay. The sky was clear, and the reflection most perfect, and all enjoy- ed the trip amazingly. Tne steamer "Waubuno" having arrived, the . i i TIfK UOUTE, nVNO INLET, M DOUG ALL. 139 party w^nt off to Byiig Inlet. As the stoamer left tiie wharf, throe hearty cheers were given to the deputation as they moved out of sight. THE KOUTK. Parties wishing to settle on the Free Grants in the Parry Sound ter- ritory, may proceed by either of the following routes : — 1st. From Toronto to Barrio or Bell Ewartl)y the Northern Railway ; from thence to th(5 River Severn by steam»r ; from the River Severn to Gravenhurst, on Lake Muskoka, by stage; from Gravenhurst to Brace- bridge by steamer, or by the Muskoka Road ; and from Bracebridge to the respective townships by the Muskoka, Peterson and Parry Sojind Roads. In winter the communication Avith Bracebridge and Parry Sound is by stage from Barrie. A company is now formed to construct a rail- way to connect with the Northern, from Barrie to the Mu.skoka District. The office of C. W. Lount, Esq., Crown Lands Agent for the Town.ships of Watt, Stephenson, Brunei, Macaulay, McLean, Muskoka and Draper, is at Bracebridge in the Township of Macaulay. 2nd. To Collingwood from Toronto by the Northern Railway ; from CoUingwood to Parry Sound by steamer, once a week, every Saturday morning, during the summer months ; and from Parry Sound to the respective townships by the Great Northern, Parry Sound, and Nipissing Colonuition Roads. A stage runs from Parry Sound to Lake Rosseau, connecting with the steamer. The office of John D. Beatty, Esq., Crown Lands Agent for the Townships of McDougall, Foley, Humphrey and Cardwell, is at Parry Sound. BYNG INLET, The seat of the extensive lumbering operations of Messrs. Dodge & Co., and Messrs. Clarke, White & Co., is situated on the Maganetawa River. A very large amount of capital has been expended here, and considerable improvements have been made of a very substantial nature. The following extracts from the Surveyor's Reports will give the reader a good idea of the district. McDOUGALL. Is situated in the county of Simcoe. It is bounded on the north by unsurveyed territory, on the east by unsurveyed territory, on the south by the township of Foley, and on the west by the Georgian Bay. 11 140 FREE Gil ANT LANDS OF PARRY SOUND. This township contains an area of about 70,000 .acres, of whicli 43,864 acres (water and roads inchided) were subdivided in 1866, by- Provincial Land Surveyor, J. L. P. O'Hanly. The following is an extract from !Mr. O'Hanly's report of survey : — ** This townsliip has considerable diversity of surface and soil. Tlie surface is generally flat, having few elevations 100 feet above the level of Georgian Bay. Yet it is much broken both by hills and lakes. The hills for the most part are abrupt and precipitous, falling and rising by steps like a terrace, gradual slopes being rare. The land in many places is of the worst kind, being almost destitute of mould or verdure, while in other parts it is well adapted for settlement. " On the accompanying trace I — by different colors, in a general way — indicated the land fit for settlement, as well as the bad land. Not that I would be understood to mean that no part of that shewn bad is fit for settlement. I have no doubt but small patches here and there will be found intermixed with it of a very fair quality, and so of tlie other, as soiiie spots will be fouiid in it very inferior. But for a general and comprehensive classification I think it may be relied on as pretty accurate, indeed as correct as it is possible to do it without a special in- spection. " The timber consists of birch, maple, pine, hemlock, beech, balsam, ironwood, oak, cedar, basswood, spruce, tamarac, ash, elm, poplar and birch. This is the order of predominancy. There is a great deal of white pine, but much scattered and therefore very difficult to fix its limits, except along the valleys of streams and the margins of lakes, and Parry Sound. Along the latter there is much of inferior quality and stunted growth. It is nowhere to be met with in gi-ces, and not often in clumps, yet there is scarcely a spot without it ; and tlie country, viewed at a distance, would be probably considered as a vast pinery. Red pine is entirely unknown. FOLEY re Is situated in the County of Simcoe. It is bounded on the north by the Township of McDougall, on the east, south and west by unsurveyed land, the north-west corner of the township touching on Parry Sound, It was surveyed ^n 1866 by Provincial Land Surveyor George A. Stewart, and contains ant area of 42,497 acres, including water and roads. PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE COUNTRY. 141 The following is an extract from Mr. Stewart's report of survey : — " The Parry Sound Colonization Koad passes diagonally through the township from south-east to north-west, thus facilitating in the best possible manner the settlement of the township. This road, through Foley, is of a very superior quality, and will compare most favourably with auy of the colonization roads with which 1 am acquainted, and reflects great credit on the parties employed in its construction. PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE COUNTRY. " A large proportion of this town.ship is occupied by water, a char- acteristic common to this portion of the Province. The lakes through- out this township are generally very irregular in outline, presenting bold rocky shores and great depth of water. An examination of the map will shew the position and extent of these lakes. It will be observed that towards the westerji part of the township they become more numerous and iiTegular as we approach the Georgian Bay. These lakes present scenery of singular beauty and variety, and possess many attrac- ■ tions to the sportsman and tourist. " The hills throughout the townsliip are generally rugged and rocky, presenting in some cases impassable barriers. " The rivers are of small dimensions, connecting the several lakes. The principal river, after passing through several lakes, continues its course westerly along the tenth concession, and empties into Parry Sound near the western boundary of the township. It has several falls in its course which might be made available for manufacturing purposes. The position of these tails is indicated on the plan and field notes. " A lake of some magnitude occupies a considerable portion of the centre of the township. It is named by the Indians Nig-ga-go-bing. " Land of excellent quality will be found in several places along the souihern boundary, particularly from lot number on to numljer eight, and from fourteen westward to lot twenty-four. Towards the western end of this boundary the land becomes rougher and more broken, although still containing small patches of good land. At the south-west angle of the township a very extensive marsh occurs, which rendered it difficult to continue the survey to that corner. " This township is principally watered by the River Seguin, which enters it from the east by two branches, the northern at lot No. 1, in the 8th concession, flows southerly a distance of about five miles ; and 9 !1 142 FREE GRANT LANDS OF PARilY SOUND. ' t ^1 tlie southern branch at lot No. 1, in the 4th concession, flows westerly u distance of three and a half miles; uniting at lot No. 11, in the 5th concession, flows westerly a distance of three miles, makes an acute angle with its last course, flowing south-easterly enters Mill Lake at two miles, then forming the outlet of Mill Lake flows south-westerly one and a half miles into Parxy Sound. " At its mouth is situated the nucleus of the town of Parry Sound, and lumbering establishment of Messrs. J. &, "W. Boatty & Co. There is a church, a post and customs offices, a hotel, and two stores and several mechanics. There are about 20 houses, principally occupied by the employees of Messrs. Beatty (^ Co. " Between the village and foot of Mill Lake there are three rapids, to obviate which there is a very fair portage road. At the foot of Mill Lake there is a fine water privilege, and an excellent site for a mill, (^n which the Messrs. Beatty have erected a dam and made other improve, ments to facilitate the descent of saw-logs and husband the spring's flood for the summer's consumption, of which Mill Lake is the reservoir. This chute is about 18 feet high. " Mill Lake, the largest inland lake in the township, is very picturesque with its deep bays, bold bluflfs and pretty islands. From Mill Lake to the forks there is very little obstruction to the navigation, except in the dry season that it becomes very shallow and unsafe for bark canoes. *' From the forks, for about two miles, the north branch is composed of a series of rapids and cataracts, alternating with small basiu.. of still water. The navigation here Is wholly impracticable. The scenery is extremely wild and romantic. There are many water privileges which are not likely to be useful within a reasonable time, and tlicr^fore, for the present at least, absolutely worthless. To obviate this there is a canoe route by Trout Lake, and two smaller ones, and entering the north branch at the head of these rapids. From this to the eastern boundary, the river may be called three narrow, shallow lakes divided by three short rapids, where it crosses at the foot of the chutes from Manatawaba Lake. " The south branch, from the forks to the eastern boundary, has but but one small rapid, but nearly the whole way it is srt'ift and shallow. This stream, as far as I have seen it, is well adapted for the descent of saw-logs and timber. " There are primarily two conditions essential to the success of a new set act ne ha di* w Wil at HUMPHREY. 143 settlement. The first is good laiul, and the second cheap and expeditious access to markets or centres of trade ; Avithout both these conditions new settlements cannot flourisli, and it is unfortunate they seldom go hand in hand. The former to raise abundant crops, and the latter to dispose of them at remunerative prices. I have seen new settlements, where the land was of good quality, in a very languishing condition for want of the other. For without competition the redundant crop is sold at a sacrifice, whilst purchasable necessaries are exorbitantly high. " Though this township has not the first condition in a pre-eminent degree, yet it has a good deal of land well calculated to recompense industrious labour, and has very superior advantages in the second con- dition, as a steamer weekly plies between Parry Sound and Colling- wood, and thence by rail to Toronto ; so that Parry Sound, in the sum- mnr season, is in direct communication with all the civilized world. Besides the route is both cheap and expeditious, leaving Parry Sound in the morning and reaching Toronto in the evening ; abou* 'SO miles for $4.85 cents. *' Such facilities of communication are of vast advantage U< -^ settler, and caniHit fail to give a great impetus to the speedy and succ<' sfu! settlemt'iit of this section of the new country, a progress, without which, it .(uld not make in another quarter of a century." HI MPHREY ' Is bounded on e north h unsur\eyed land, on the east by tlx- Township of Cardwell, on the south by Likes Rosseau ami Joseph and unsurveyed land, and on the west "v unsurveyed laud. This township wa sub-divided during 18G6 and 18G7 by Provincial Laud Sui*veyor Gibbs, and contains an area of 49,590 acres, including water and roads. The following is an ict from Mr. Gibbs' Report of Survey ; — " The Township of Humphrey embraces an area of 49,59G acres, about 12,496 acres lying under the waters of Lakes Rossean, Joseph and sundry others of less size. The two first-named extend across a con- siderable portion of the south part of the township, iind are, in great part, environed by hilly banks, with here and there high and precipitous rocks of gneiss, syenite and othei-s of granitic and quartzos(i character, which kinds prevail pretty generally throughout the adjacent country. " The suiface; although a good deal broken in this manner, is finely 1 144 FREE GRANT LANDS OF PARRY SOUND. diversified, with rolling hills and land more .slightly undulating, covered with a growth of heavy timber, consisting of mai)le, beecli, birch, bass ii-onwood, hemlock, white pine and other kinds common to this section cf co\intry ; also tamarac, balsam, spruce, cedar, black ash, and alder swamps ; beaver meadows, with an exuberant growth of grass (the "blue joint ")y cranberry marshes, and some poi'tions too rocky for cultivation; the whole interspersed with lakes and small streams, in the gi-eater number of which flows clear and limpid water. " The streams, being inconsiderable in size, do not afford many per- manent privileges for machineiy ; but the falls situated on both sides of the north boundary of concession B, upon Oak Creek, wliieh is the largest stream in the township, I have no doubt will be /bund a great convenience for mill purposes to the settlei-s. Skiffs and canoes have access for up- wards of about two miles from the nioxith of the creek, at low water ; and it coidd be made available for driving ])ine logs and timberj several miles from Lake Rosseau, in the spring of the year. " The lakes and streams abound with fish, in variety, as salmon and speckled trout, white-fish, pickerel, bass, perch, suckers, &c. ; and there is ample scope for the sportsman along their banks and in the adjacent woods in jjursuit of game ; deer, rabbits and partridge are especially plentiful. In the forest the bear, the wolf and the fox are frequently met ; and furred animals, such as the beaver, mink and musk rat, although long soiight after by the Indian ti*apper, are yet to be found. " A portion of the tract of high land situate between the north-westerly bays of Lake Rosseau and Lake Joseph, together with a strip of land ex- tending along the easterly boundary line northwaixl from the PaiTy Sound road, and along the north boundary next the noi-th-east angle of the toAvnship, compi-ising about 8,000 acres, being much broken with rock, affords little inducement for settlement ; but, after making this deduc- tion, I believe the township generally contains moi'o good land ti.. " most others recently surveyed, with which I am acquainted. Tlu rich loamy soil of the higher land, not rocky, is well suited for agriculture, and will doubtless produce excellent crops of the different kinds of roots and cereals adapted to the climate, and the low lands produce most luxuriant grass — a great advantage to the early settler in feeding and raising stock. ** During the past season, peas, cats, Indian corn, potatoes, turnips, tobacco, melons and sundry productions, were cultivated by tlie few settlers present, with much success. far of rot) the sefi ROAD BETWEEN SPANISH RIVER AND PARRY SOUND. 14 J " Since I left the township I have been informed that several respectable families have moved in ; and I believe that, with the increased facilities of access, by the opening of the Pairy Sound road and the Nipissing road line, together with the Mnskoka Lake steam navigation, through the enterprise of A. P. Cockburn, of Gravenimrst, during the past season, it will be speedily settled." EXPLORATION LINE BETWEEN SPANISH RIVER AND PARRY SOUND. The following is an extract from Provincial Land Surveyor Fitzgerald'* repoi-t of survey of exploration line for a road between Spanish River on the north shore of Lake Huron, and Pai-ry Sound on the east shore of Georgian Bay, in the year 18G5 : — ■ *' From the Maganatewau, south to Parry Sound, are several hardwood tracts of land, though a portion of the country has a partially broken surface. On the whole, I consider this tract capable of affording fully GO to 75 per cent, of arable land. It is covered in places with exceed- ingly fine beech and maple, Avhile other })urts yield a fair gi-owth of pine, hemlock, ^t'c, and if opened up for settlement, and proper facilities held forth, would in a short time become a thriving locality. " At Parry Sound the nucleus of a promising village has already been established. A magnificent saw-mill, owned by the Messrs. Beatty, is now in constant operation, and aftbrds employment to a number of men. '' Though perhaps not niui6 ti.an one-half to two-thirds of this territoiy is actually fit for settlement, yet, in view of the immense quantity of vahiable pine timber, of the undoubted mineial wealth yet undiscovei-ed in this region, of the many important fisliing stations along the nort^" shore, of the construction of a canal via the French River, and above idl, being our only land connection with the Great North-West Tenitoiy, the subject of annexing which to Canada at present occupies so large a share of the piiblic mind. Yet I say, in view of these considerations, the country will doubtless, ere long, l)ecomr he scene of active and energetic occupations, and form the home of many a happy and prosper- ous settler." ONTARIO. Ontario is the largest and wealthiest Provi)xce of the Dominion of Canada. It comi)rises forty-three fine largo countic", and four new I 14G FREE GRANT LA.NDS OF PARRY SOUND. judicial calities, at from t'4 to £10 sterling per acre. Farm bands can readily obtain work at GDOI) WAGES. Among the inducements offered to intending Emigrants, by (government, is A FREE GRANT OF LAND! WITHOUT ANY CHARGE WHATEVER. Every Head of a Family can obtain, on condition of settlement, a Free Grant of TWO HUNDRED ACRES of Land for himself, and ONE HUNDRED ACRES additional for each member of his family, male or female, over eighteen years of age. All persons over Eighteen years of age can obtain a Free (rrant of ()NE HUN- DRED ACRES. The Free Grants are protected by a Homestead Exemption Act, and are not lial)le to seizure for any debt incurred before the issue of the patent, or for twenty years after its issue. They are within easy .-cess of the front settlements, and are supplied with regular i)ostal communication. i^EO-iSTEPis OF THE XjA.BOTm i^j^tijs::e:t A.nd of Improved Farms for sale, are kept at the Immigration Agencies in the Province, and an-angements are made for directing emigrants to those points where employment can be most readily obtained. Several new lines of Railway and other Public Works are in course of construction, or about being commenced, which will afford employment to an almost unlimited number of labourers. Persons dasiring fuller information respecting the Province of Ontario Are invited to apply personally, or by letter, to the Canadian Government Emigration Agents in Europe, viz: WM. T^TYr^^r 11 a.i„,« «*w,„* a.i„i..i.: t__j _ i^r ,■. J. G. MOYLAN, ~ and E. SIMAYS, Also to the Immigration Agents in Canada, viz :— JOHN A. DONALDSON, Toronto; R. H. RAE, Hamilton; WM. J. WILLS, Ottawa ; JAS. MACPHERSON, Kingston; L. STAFFORD, Quebec; J. J. DALEY, Montreal ; E. CLAY, Halifax, Nova Scotia ; ROBT. SHIVES, St. John, and J. G. G. LAYTON, Miramichi, New Brunswick,— from whom pamphlets, issued under the authority of the Government of Ontario, containing full particulars in relation to character and resources of, and the cost of living, wages, &c. , in the Province, can be obtained. I'l"/ I'cjooiittiijf, ui u_y icoo0 cents an acre, cash. TRAINS MOVING NORTH Leave the Company's Stations, ( *ity IlaU" and foot of Ei-ock Street, Toronto, as follows A.M. p. M. 4.00 4.15 S3. 75. City Hall ; 7.00 Brock Street 7.15 Fare from Toronto to Bracebridge, .... ao3s^l^TEOTIOls^s. Bell Ewart — With Steamer Emiljj May, leaving Bell Ewart every morning, on arrival of Mail Train from Toronto, for Beaverton, Orillia and intermediate ports on Lake Simcoe, connecting with steamer for Washago : also stage for Gravenhurst, and steamer Wenonah for Brace- bridge and poi'ts on Lake Muskoka, and steamer Wabamik for poi'ts on Lake Rosseau. With steamer Simcoe, leaving Bell Ewart every evening on arrival of Express Train from Toronto, for Orillia direct, returning to Bell Ewai't connect with Morning Express Train for Toronto and CoUing- wood. Bauuie — Daily stage to Penetaugiushine. With steamer Ida BurtoHy leaving Barrie at 5.30 s-.m. daily for Orillia and Washago, connecting with stage for Gravenhurst, and steamer Wenonah for Bracebi-idge and ports on Lake Muskoka, and steamer Wabamik for poi'ts on Lake Rosseau. CoLLiNGWOOD — The steamer Wauhuno leaves Collingwood every Satur- i>iii Homi «f \ Ltfulitni liius. fit Hmiiidartj linrx lis BoiiHiltivtf lint Ivnl LiiikIs. \i. .\tr:i\iyi. y>-^ ' ^^J^^BEC i_^_ T :i m Jl--" >vv* '\fr ~^-. &r W i> oKFi'AU I' av WW. PROVINCE ~w / 7%Mi m \mm^% Compiler and prepared for the FROM THE LATE! iT COv'y SURVEYS , MAPS, M . it . W. .» % by S.IIOI.\VKI.I.,l'.I..S' ~ 181 I ^^ milr.'! Ic (III I Hill Al ^ rt ^. mi In: ENGRAVED »PRINTEO FOR HUNTER, ROSE » C°, TORONTO by Leogo iC, Montreal r ** I DEPARTMENT OF CROWN LANDS, T«»llt>NTO, 2STII Mat, 18«>. NO'I'ICK Is Jiorcliy k'vi'M, timt tlie fullnwlii',' OrdtTs iiiul Ifo;;iilutiiiii- liavii Ixi'ii inadd liy Ills I'Ai'cliriu'.N tlio l.iriitt'iiaiit (iovrrimr in I'lniiicil, under the " I'rct' (iniiits iind llunii ^i< jil A>;t (if lUUH," and tiiu " I'uliliu I.uiuIk Acl nf lisUu." Iiy UiiliT in t'ounoil lioariii^' dulu tliu liitli iluv u( May liiittuitt. OR,3DEPlS AlSriD IR,EC3-XJXj-A.TI01>TS Maat! nriilcr " 't'lm Frvn OmiitH ami lldtiifntcMd Act of 1H(1H," and "The I'lihlic Laiuh Act i\f 13(10," by Order o/ IIU lixccllencij the l.ieiiUndnt-Uuvcrniir in Council, Jutfd 'llth Miiy, laO'J. 1. TIk^ (|nantity of latid to bo locatod to any ihthciii as a Kroo (Jrant, iindcr " Tlio Vrvv (irauts and IIoiiK'stiad Aft of l>i(l-(," »ulis(M|iic'ntly to till! 'Jilrd di'y of January, l-5ii;i, hliall liu loO acres ; lint in cii.su it shall hu niailo to appear to tho satisfaction o, tliu (voniniissinncr 'f Crown l,an>ls, that any person loea'ed, or to ho lo<'aled as aforeMaid, has nil hy reason of rock, l.tlies or s«anip, loii aereu that can l)c made availahlo for farndtii; |inrpose-i, lh(^ (piantity hjcated in siieli per.vin may lio incriiused in the discretion of tho t'ommissioiier n'. Crown l.anclM, to any nunnni .!' acres, not exceed- ill}; in tlic whole 'MO acres, ho as to make luo i.cres of such farniiiiK land; and the male head of a family located, or to hu lomited, under said Act, since tho said 'iiird day of January, IMJU, liavinjf children under oiKlitoen years of ivA^ residin;,' w ith him, may he located for in all '^W acres. '2. Any locatee under saicl last mcntiuned Act, hein;; the male head of afariiiiy as aforesaid, .sliuU ho allowed to purchase an additional 10i» acres at M cent< per aero cash, at the time of sucli localion.s Huhject to tiie same rcnervations and ci>nilitions, and thu performance ipf the .-ame settlement dullcs as arc provided in res|iect of Tree (irant lieaticjns hy the lith and loth .Sections of the said Act, except that actual residence and liiiildini,' on the land purchased will not he reipiired. y. .Sipiatters upon land situate witliiii any 'I'ownship, or part of a 'roHiiship, appropriated hy Order In Council for Free (irants, ami who had settled or impnned upon such lands liefore the passin^r of the said Kreo (irants Ai!t, shall ho allowed lo imrchase .said lamls (not exceeding,' In aynient of the same duos as are at "the time payable by the holders of licenses to cut timber or saw lojjs. All trees remainiii!,' on the land at the time the Patent issues, shall pass to the jiatcntco. Provided, however, that this order shall not apply to any land to be sold as iiiinmi; land, under •'The General Mininj; Act of IH(i!)," nor to land to be sold" to any Free Uraiit locatco, under the regulations or Order in CoiuicU bearing date this day. „„ „ , S.RICHARDS, Commissioner of Crown lands. m T. RUSSELL &SON, ^Vatch and (tlivouomctcv panufaduv^v.^, 7 '1 HAVIES INN, HOLBORN, LONDON, 30 & 32 SLATIR ST., AND 60 SEEL ST., LIVERPOOOL. ESTABX.isiii;!) ijst iror, THE ONl-Y WHOLESALE HOUSE IM ENULAM> WHICH HAS .t'KCIAL WARRANTS /s MAKERS TO |rr pijesiij It? (Queen an^ % 5. f, Drintc ^ilfrc^, 3fAyUFACTIJRKIlS OF CHRONOMETERS, REPEATING, 1 SDKl'KNDA NT DEAD SKCOSDS, KEYLESS AND E\-EJn' CLASS or FIXE AND ORDINARY WATCU, TWO AND EIGHT DAY MARINE CHRONOMETERS. A. W. RUSSELL, 55 & u7 YONtiE ST., T O TIO 3Sr T o , Re2>i'esentiitiiy !>/ ilir Etna in Aiwiica. j|' L^^