12 ROYAL SOCIETY OF (LINADA 



1,500 feet, the Southern Highlands. Between them lies a triangnhir 

 low plateau or plain country, the Eastern Plain, ranging from 500 feet 

 elevation in the west to sea-level in the east, and north of them, occupying 

 all the north-western part of the Province, lies a higher plateau, the Nor- 

 thern Plateau, some 800 to 1,000 feet in elevation. The entire Province 

 is geologically and physiographically very old, so that the rivers have 

 had time to cut deep channels and to extend their courses back, not only 

 across the plateaus, but in many places across the hill ranges as well, 

 finally interlocking at their sources, where access from one to the other 

 is usually easy by short portages. The slopes of the rivers are, as a 

 rule, not so great as to make them impossible or even difficult of naviga- 

 tion, so that a system of waterways ravigable for canoes if not for boat-s 

 ramifies everywhere through the Province.^ The value of these rivers 

 as lines of communication is so much the greater hecause all of the 

 country between them is covered with a dense foresit practically impen- 

 etrable for any distance, and frequen'ly rough and hilly in addition. 

 Further, the depth of most of the river valleys below the plateaus and 

 highlands makes travel across their courses very difficult, especially for 

 railroads, which commonly follow the valleys except when crossing the 

 "water-sheds between them, or the great eastern plain, which is so 

 level and low as to offer no such ohstructions. Another feature of great; 

 importance about the rivers is this, — their lower courses have been 

 carried by geological causes beneath the sea, so that the tide flows up 

 them frequently for long distances, allowing vessels to penetrate som^ 

 distance from the coast. In this way, too, many excellent harbours are 

 formed at the river mouths. These facts are illustrated on the accom- 

 panying physiographic map (Map No. 3). The ready communication, 

 between coast and interior allowed by these fine rivers, in the case of 

 the St. John for ninety miles, has influenced the distribution of settle- 

 ment in New Brunswick more than almost any other single factor. 



An important feature of the river systems of the Province is their 

 segregation, through physiogmpliicil causes, into distinct bas'ns. Thus, 

 several empty near together into Passamaquoddy Bay; a large number 

 empty into the St. John and tlius have a common meeting place at its 

 mouth, and, to a lesser degree, at points along its course. Another 

 group collects at the head of t!ie Bay of Fundy, though here sub-divided 

 into two minor systems; another group centres, but much less distinctly, 

 in the Eichibucto ; several of much importance centre in Miramichi Bay; 

 a few collect in Nopisiguit Bay; while several of importamce centre at 

 the head of Bay Chaleur. Thus it arises that the travel, trade and other 

 important activities following the river valleys tend to centre in the 



' Described and mapped in the earlier " Monograph of Historic Sites." 



