the Bay above Little Nouvelle, there are no roads except bridle paths. Granite, limestone, freestone, are the principal rocks. Indications of coal appear frequently. Carnelian, jasper, agate, and some other varieties of beautiful pebbles are often picked up.

The soil, west of Port Daniel, is generally a red clayey loam. Marl occurs but seldom.

The population of the north coast of the bay may be estimated at about 9000, exclusive of about 350 Micmac Indians at Cascapedia and the Rustigouche. Timber, fish, oil, and furs form the exports.

CHAP. X.

TRADE. - IMPORTS AND EXPORTS. - TIMBER TRADE.

THE trade of New Brunswick consists chiefly in exporting square timber, deals, spars, staves, and a few firs, to Great Britain and Ireland, in return for British manufactures; and in shipping boards, shingles, scantling, and fish, to the West Indies, for which rum, sugar, tobacco and dollars, are brought back. Gypsum and grindstones are shipped on board of American vessels, from the free ports of St. John and St. Andrew; and, to the disgrace of the inhabitants of the province, who might be independent of others for bread stuffs by more industrious attention to the cultivation of the soil, from 50,000 to 60,000 barrels of flour and meal, and from 3000 to 4000 quintals of bread, besides Indian corn, have been for some years annually imported from the United States, for which scarcely any thing but Spanish dollars is paid.

The imports during the speculative year 1824 were in 1273 vessels, measuring 262,294 tons, and navigated by 12,271 men. The estimated value of their cargoes was 614,5571. sterling. The exports during the same period were in 1265 ships, measuring 260,154 tons, navigated by 12,214 men. The value of their cargoes was estimated at 432,0487. sterling; and to

this amount must be added 74 new ships, which were built during the year within the province, and sent to the United Kingdom for sale as remittances for British merchandise. These vessels measured 20,621 tons, which, at the estimated value of 10. per ton amount to 206,210l. sterling, which, added to the value of the cargoes, 432,0481. makes the whole 638,2581.; an extraordinary amount for a population then not above 80,000.

The average number of vessels entered and cleared at the different ports in the province, for the years 1827, 1828, 1829, shows an increase in the number of vessels, but a decrease in the amount of tonnage. The average of these years gives 2071 vessels, 237,189 tons, and 11,769 men. This difference arises, first, from the circumstance of the timber trade, in which the largest ships, and consequently a greater number of men, were employed, having, in the years 1824 and 1825, been carried on to an extraordinary extent, which, after the repeal of the navigation laws, suddenly diminished; and, secondly, from the great increase in the number of smaller vessels employed in the trade with the West Indies, in the coasting trade, and in the fisheries. The average imports for the last three years amount to about 550,000l. sterling; and the exports, exclusive of about 120 new ships, measuring 24,000 tons, built during the whole period, amount to about 460,000l. sterling; the balance being partly paid for in dollars to the Americans, and partly by freight of new ships sold in England.

The fisheries have for some time received encouragement in the shape of bounties from the legislature, and this branch of trade is gradually increasing. Α few vessels have also been engaged in the seal fishery. The gypsum trade is also a branch of traffic that employs several coasting schooners.

The timber trade, which has hitherto constituted the great business of the colony, will likely, for many years to come, continue to engross the principal attention of the merchants. Great gains were at first realised both by it and by ship-building; and although the merchants and others concerned in these pursuits were nearly all ruined afterwards by the extent of their engagements, yet it must be recollected, that these trades have enabled New Brunswick to pay for her foreign imports, and to build St. John, St. Andrew, Fredericton, the towns on the banks of the Miramichi, and the villages at the outports.

To the new settler on wilderness-lands, it presented also an immediate resource; and it was wise, if not necessary, for him, under most circumstances, to engage in it for a few winters. It enabled him to stock his farm, and procure food and clothing for himself and family. The province and its inhabitants were, therefore, benefited by this trade; and although it is not less certain that it has been prosecuted much farther than the extent of a remunerative demand for timber, it would, notwithstanding, be extreme folly to abandon it altogether. Half of the people engaged in the timber trade and ship-building have only to give their industry another direction, and the remainder may work to advantage. In this view, agriculture offers the most alluring, and, at the same time, the most certain source of employment. The fisheries follow next. Let the industry of the inhabitants be but judiciously divided between agriculture, the tim

ber trade, and the fisheries, and the inhabitants will prosper, and this beautiful and fertile province will become independent of other countries for all articles of necessity; and possess the means of commanding the comforts and luxuries of life. But the farmer, unless he be a settler on woodlands, must adhere to agriculture alone; the lumberer will do better, or at least realise more money, by following his own business; and those engaged in the fisheries will find it their interest to confine themselves chiefly to the same pursuit.

The effects of the projects of 1824 have scarcely yet spent their force; the reaction has indeed been terrible to the merchants of New Brunswick. What Halifax suffered after the last American war, St. John was now doomed to endure. The docks of London and Liverpool were at this time crowded with fine ships, built by the merchants in North America, and sent to England for sale. The demand and price for such vessels having previously increased to an unusual } rate, the commercial men of New Brunswick were not only more extensively engaged in this trade, than the merchants in the other provinces were; but, from the facility which they had experienced before this time in making large remittances to England, in ships and timber, they incautiously plunged themselves deeply into debt, by importing large quantities of goods of all descriptions.

The consequence was, that their ships have been disposed of for less than half the prime cost; their timber was sold for less than the expense of carrying it to the United Kingdom; bills drawn by houses of long standing, and the highest respectability, were returned dishonoured. The unparalleled suddenness