^18 Countnj between the Rivers. 



province over the generality of the cultivatable lands in 

 Upper Canada, the Legislature determined upon ascertain- 

 ing whether a sufficient quantity of land fit for forming 

 settlements, and of a quality equal to that in the upper 

 province, did not exist in rear of the old French seigniorial 

 grants, and extending from their line, to the foot of the 

 mountains; and also, whether there Avas not a level tract 

 of cultivatable land within that range of mountains. 



Accordingly several sums of money were placed at the 

 disposal of His Excellency the Governor in Chief, who 

 nominated Commissioners for carrying the wishes of the 

 House of Assembly on this subject, into effect. 



In the years 1828 and 1829 expeditions Avere fitted out to 

 explore — first in 1828, the country comprised between the 

 rivers St. Maurice and Sagueuay ; and in 1829 to ascend 

 the St. Maurice to its supposed source and examine the 

 large tract of country lying between it and the Aux Licvres 

 descending that river into the Ottawa. 



Besides these two expeditions others were fitted out on a 

 smaller scale to explore the country lying between the St. 

 Lawrence and the line marked out to be pursued by the 

 two principal parties. Having, as above stated, laid my 

 remarks before the society, on the Montreal district — I 

 shall proceed with a description of the district of Quebec. 



The lands situated within the seigniories lying on the 

 shores of the St. Lawrence, from the river St. Maurice to 

 the city of Quebec are alluvial deposits of good soil, similar 

 to that existing on the shores of the Ottawa and in the 

 neighborhood of Montreal : — with the exception of that 

 great sand formation at the mouth of the St. Maurice. This 

 silecious sand deposit extends a few leagues to the north-east 

 and spreads a few miles into the Interioi', when the land is 



