100 AGTiTCi^TTTrjjAr. iiE.sorKCK.s. 



tlie two moutlis I was on tin.- i.-laiid. It is only on Ihc sdiitli- 

 west corner tliat fogs jnwail to any exti.'nt, tVoni tlic [noxiniity 

 of that jmrt to the Gnlf Stream.'' 



All this natural weahli lias liitlierto remained dormant and un- 

 developed from tlu- want of a railway ti» 0])en U]) tile country. 

 The advent of this great agent of civilization will create anew 

 era in the history of tliis region. Its fi.s]a'rie8, too, will receive 

 anew impulse fiom the same cause. St. George's ]',ay is one 

 of the great seats of the lienang fishery. The tinest herrings 

 are taken here in aluindance ; hut hithei'to this tlsh(-ry has Ijcen 

 prosecuted with little enei-gy or siu'cess. Cod, salmon and smelts 

 are also ahundant. 



15AY OF ISLANDS. 



About 50 miles from the north head of St. George's Bay the 

 Bay of Islands ojiens, famous for its magniticent scenery. Its 

 entrance, which is fifteen nnles in width, is stud(h-d with lofty 

 islands. This fine region, only second to St. ( leorge's Bay in re- 

 gard fo its lands, tindn r and mineral wealth, contains as yi-t 1)Ut 

 a small jiopulation. There are several arms extending from its 

 eastern side, hut the most imi)ortant is that known as the Hum- 

 ber Soimd, 28 miles in length, which receives at its head the 

 Humher River, the .second largest in the i.sland. To the south 

 of this Sound rises the fine Blomidon hill-range, some of whose 

 summits are from 1,000 to 1,500 feet in height. On apjjroach- 

 ing the Hundier their height and abruptness gradually level 

 down until on the banks they do not rise higher than three hun- 

 <lred feet, while they present to the eye a rich clothing of the 

 most varied foliage, whii-h goes down to the water's edge. This, 

 liowever, does not hold good on the first or lower course of the 

 river, which passes through a narrow gorge nearly three miles in 

 length, shut in by precipitous rocks whicli shoot up several 

 hundred feet perj)endicularly and present a scene of marvellous 

 grandeur. At the termination of this gorge the Humber river 

 widens, the hills recede, and tlu' stream flows throTigh a fine 

 valley from three fo se\en miles widi' till the lower end of Deer 

 Lake is reached, twelve miles from the Sound. In the report of 



