KOADS AND IIAIIAVAY.S. 65 



into the Grcut (laiulcr Lrike, ami is cii^lity iiiik's in leiiytli. Tlu' 

 .area flraincil is lu-arly tluve tlimisaud s(|uarc miles. AltogvtluT, 

 .as .shown in the rcpm-ts of the Gi'ologiral Sui-vcy, tliere air iu 

 this great expanse of coiinti'V, including tlie whole of the Gaudei' 

 River and Lake and the neighbouring ({aniho and Terra Nova 

 valleys, no les.s than seventeen hundred square miles available 

 for settlement. Gander Eiver is approached from the sea at Sir 

 ■Charles Hamilton's Sound by the great inlet of (ilander Bay, the 

 head of which is in latitude 49" 17' north, and longitude 54' 

 29^ west. From this point to tlie lake the river is thirty-three 

 miles in length. The lake is thirty-six miles long. The main 

 branch of the river extends above the lake for a distance of sixty 

 miles. For a small outlay this river could be made navigable for 

 boats of good size, and <lnwn it timl»er could ivadily be floated 

 were some present nlistructions removed. The eastern portion 

 .of the lake stretches away in seipentine form towaids Bona vista 

 Bay, its extremity being separated from that l>ay l)y only nine 

 miles i_)f a le\-el country, owv Avhich a I'oad or tramway could 

 .easily be constructed. Thus, this great valley lias two outlets to 

 the sea, and is now by r;iilway placed in conimunication with the 

 rest of the island. The valley, drained by the South-west River, 

 eighty miles in length, has excellent soil and luxuriant timber 

 ■growths. 



GKOLOGICAI. REPORT OF GANDER VALLEY. 



In the Re[iorts of the Geological Survey of the Gander district 

 it is spoken of iu the following terms :—" The country lying 

 aliove the great lake and forming the valleys of the two river.s 

 presents evejywhere a gently undulating surface, rising to a 

 moderate height in it- mure ele\ated ])arts, ami .sloping gradu- 

 .ally and wit li beautiful regularity down to the river's banks on 

 either side. For a distance of thirty miles above the lake, and 

 .at least twt) miles on the we.stern side of the main and eastern 

 side of the south-we.st rivers, the cK)untry is of this character, 

 giving a block of tliiity mile^ long by ten wid.e, or an area of 

 three hundred sipiare miles, covered with a deep rich yellow 



