lOG AiiRicn.Tri.'Ai. iiksources. 



IVoiu tliat junction, at tin' end nf Idt-f y-.^even miles, tlie liver ex- 

 painls into a niagniticent slu-ct ol' water caileil Victoria Lake, 

 whicli is sixteen miles long liv an average lireadth of tliree- 

 (^uarters of a mile. Tlie diaiacier of the country tlirougU whicli 

 these streams How is Aaried. Sonlli of King George IV. Lake 

 " the country is one va>t desolation of liare rock with marshes 

 interspersed." On the lelt Kank of the Victoria there are areas 

 of well-timbered land, aveiagin- tive miles in width, ami rich 

 "interval lands'" lietween Lloyds Tond and Kc(l Indian Lake. 

 " Sixteen miles u}) the A'icloria River the country greatly im- 

 proves, and a huge tract, widl wooded, generally level an<l 

 •covered by a good soil, ]ire\ails lusirly up to Victoria Lake. 

 This level and recLiimable laml sei-ms to ext-nd eastward, with 

 .a few interruptions, to thi- < heat Rattling Brook." 



HAI>F A >IILL,IOX Af'HICS I^T FOR SETTLEMENT. 



The conclusion of the (reological Surveyor is that there are, 

 upon the Exploits alone, 800 sipiaic miles, or 512,000 square 

 -acres, more or less capable of sup[iorting settlement, including 

 arable and pasture lands. "'I'lie ])ine timber, sjiruce, tamarack 

 and birch over extensive ai'cas, are of excellent quality and 

 vigorous growth.'" 



THE VAT.LEV Ol" THE <iAXI>EK. 



The next great agricidtiiial ana is the Gander Valley, which 

 .surpas.ses even that of the Exjildits. Including the neighbour- 

 ing Gambo and Terra No\a valleys, there is here an area of 

 1,700 square miles, or ], 088,000 s(piare acres, available for settle- 

 ment according to the estimate of the ({eological Survey. The 

 to]iogra])hy of this region has been alrea<ly otitlined in the pre- 

 ceding chapter, as mcII as the rharai-lei' of its soil and tindn-r. 

 Here we have the finest liiiidieiing section in the island. In 

 addition to the extracts fiom the (leological reports already 

 i,dven, the following will be found <if interest : — "Of this great 

 expanse of country a aii\ laige projiortion, particularly east- 

 ward from the main rivei-, is of licli and fertile soil, as amply 

 testified lo by its indigenous produce, which to a great extent 



