NEW BRUNSWICK. 137 
were falling back into tlifeir savage state, the houses 
tumbling clown, the barns in their last stages of dilapida- 
tion, everywhere windows broken out, doors off their 
hinges, huge cracks in roof or walls, told of general 
decay. The people had fled, no one knew whither ; and 
of the few that were left, the stupidity, avarice and 
extortion were incredible. They impose upon and annoy 
travellers and fishermen till they have almost driven 
them away. The stages fail to run or to connect as 
they undertake to do. 'No one appears to know their 
times of starting or arriving. Boats advertise to leave 
on days when they never have left, to stop at places that 
are not laid down on the map, but are colloquially 
applied to an entire district ; and omit places where they 
do stop. No man knows anything except his own indi- 
vidual business, and but little of that. The inhabitants 
mainly draw their support from the river, and yet are 
busy day and night endeavoring to ruin it ; the nets 
from opposite shores lap over one another or reach from 
bank to bank, and are set week in and week out, while 
there is a fish running ; the smallest mesh is used, small 
enough to capture trout or herring. The few fish that 
do reach the spawning beds are chased with the merci- 
less spear without cessation till long after they are worth- 
less as food. Yet the people think the river has improved 
because the laws are partially enforced at its mouth, 
betters complain of the spearers, and the spearers of the 
netters, but neither do anything but harm. The upper 
stream is alive with nets, although netting should be per- 
mitted nowhere above tide water. 
The only crops of the region are potatoes, oats and 
