230 BAY OF CHALEUR. 



fair accommodation wherever he goes, and will meet with 

 a rough and ready hospitality for which the settlers in the 

 back parts of Canada are famous. 



The Bay of Chaleur is about 100 miles in length, 30 

 being its greatest breadth. The southern or New Bruns- 

 wick coast is flat and comparatively tame, but the north 

 or Canadian side is bold and mountainous. At the mouth 

 of the bay are the islands of Miscou and Shippegan. 

 They are low, flat, and swampy, tenanted chiefly by 

 French fishermen. The banks of Miscou are second only 

 to the banks of Newfoundland as a cod-fishing station, 

 and in the season they present quite a lively appearance, 

 the water being covered for many miles in extent with 

 fleets of fishing boats. In the spring and fall myriads of 

 wild fowl resort to the shallow waters and flats around 

 these islands, and fatten on the sea-grass, undisturbed by 

 gunners. Caraquette, a pretty village in the neighbour- 

 hood, is celebrated throughout the provinces for its oysters. 

 These bivalves are small, but for delicacy of flavour are 

 unequalled. Here also is a branch of the Jersey establish- 

 ments which have for so many years monopolized the local 

 fishery trade. 



The Bay of Chaleur is not without a history. It re- 

 ceived its name from the discoverer, Jacques Cartier, who 

 dropped anchor in its quiet waters on a hot July day, in 

 the year 1534. Had he arrived three months later or three 

 months earlier, it would now be known by some other 

 name. Jacques Cartier left it in undisturbed possession 

 of the Indians, and it was not settled by whites for a 

 century afterwards, when a band of Acadians, probably 

 fugitives from Port Eoyal, established themselves at 



