148 Lieut. Baddeley on the geognosy. 
A fall of ashes covering the snow is also within the remem- 
brance of many, but of this interesting fact we have no 
further particulars. Earthquakes at St. Paul’s Bay do not 
appear to be so frequent nor so sensibly felt as at Malbay. 
Three or four leagues up the St. Paul’s Bay river, or la 
Riviere du Gouffre as it is called, there is at the distance of 
from one hundred yards to two miles from its banks, an exten- 
sive deposite of magnetic iron * of which we are able to afford 
some information from actual inspection. 
The river itself is not easily ascended being full of rapids, 
but the goodness of a road on its right bank renders this incon- 
venience lighter. Over the road, composed of a sandy allu- 
vium, we proceeded and entered a beautiful valley through 
which this river circuitously takes its course. The sandy na- 
ture of the soil at the mouth of this river opposes little resis- 
tance to the action of the current, which where strongest steals 
upon the shore contiguous, leaving a proportionable space dry 
on.the opposite side, and in this way one proprietor of land 
finds himself possessed of the property of his neighbour. When 
property in this place becomes more valuable, and this natu- 
ral encroachment more aggravated, it will probably become a 
subject of litigation. Mr. Chaperon of St. Paul’s Bay will 
soon have te remove two store-houses which the current threa- 
tens to undermine. 
On advancing, the river retires from the road to the right, 
and while the former preserves, as is obvious, the lowest level 
of the valley, the latter pursues a more direct course over a 
sandy bank. As we passed this bank and cast our eyes on the 
valley ; 
a a 
* This deposite was known in the time of Charlevoix ; for accordi 
that author a miner was engaged by Mr, Talon, the intendent peo 
these mines, who reported favourably of them. This man is said to have ob- 
served wherever he worked, traces of the earthquake of 1663, We saw no- 
thing of this kind, Previous to our visit to the place, the Surveyor Gene- 
ral had brought to Quebec specimens of ti F i i i 
ila Mamdans. pe ie ore and information as to its 
