12 BLAZING THE BIECH-BARK. 



to intending settlers. A road from Bathurst across the 

 province, which should strike the head-waters of the 

 Tobique, and descend to the St John through the rich 

 land which skirts the former river, would give many 

 facilities for settlement, and for developing the resources 

 of these northern counties. One may, I think, venture 

 to predict that English travellers who, a century hence, 

 may explore this northern region of New Brunswick, 

 will find both much population and many fine and 

 settled townships in the direction which such a road 

 would take. 



At the falls we amused ourselves by setting fire to the 

 bark of the birch-trees, which, hanging in shreds from the 

 stems, easily kindles on the application of a lighted 

 match. Winding round the trunk, the flame ascends 

 upwards to the branches, and speedily envelopes the 

 tree, its arms and leafy twigs, in one continuous rushing 

 pyramid of fire. This is a very beautiful sight in the 

 day-time ; but it is singularly so in the dark woods at 

 night. It destroys the trees, of course ; but, in these 

 forests, trees are of no value ; and it is to the making of 

 such experiments that, in very warm and arid weather, 

 the firing of whole tracts of forest are often to be ascribed. 

 The birch-bark appears to be rich in some species of 

 resin, which not only is the cause of its burning so 

 readily, but also of its durability when used as the 

 Indians do, for covering their wigwams ; or as is done in 

 Norway and Sweden, for the roofs of their houses. 



In this part of the province, few farms are let. Those 

 who have money, buy those who have none, squat. I 

 saw one farm, however, close to Bathurst, containing 

 150 acres cleared, mostly in grain, and yielding on an 

 average a ton of natural hay an acre, which was let for 

 75 currency, but which, with the good house upon it, 

 was considered worth 100. I have already, in a former 

 chapter, explained that a large produce of hay is, in New 



