MYRICA CERIFERA. 15 



dant in many places that the French inhabitants collect it, 

 extract the wax it yields, and make it into candles. Of 

 these candles, which have a greenish colour, through the 

 kindness of Mr Eankin of Miramichi, I was subsequently 

 enabled to obtain a supply. 



On crossing the mouth of the harbour we found our 

 carriage waiting, and started on our journey round the 

 north-east horn of New Brunswick, which is embraced 

 in the county of Gloucester. To the Miramichi 

 Kiver by the direct road, is only 48 miles; by the 

 road I proposed to take round the coast, it was 120. 

 But it was a district rarely explored, and was the home, 

 almost the inheritance, of French settlers ; and my 

 purpose was to become acquainted not only with the 

 natural features, but with the material capabilities of 

 what was represented by some as a valuable agricultural 

 region. 



In about a couple of miles we crossed the mouth of 

 the Bass River, a small stream, and soon after, entered 

 upon a district of red land resting on the inferior beds of 

 the coal-measures red and green shales, indurated clays, 

 and greenish-grey sandstones, which are quarried for 

 grindstones. These greenish rocks appear, in many places, 

 to crumble into a red soil. Though sometimes too sandy 

 or too stiff, this red land, for a great distance along the 

 north-east shore of Gloucester County, is of an open 

 loamy character, easily worked, yet with sufficient body 

 to form a generally useful soil, and resting on a 

 scarcely pervious subsoil. In consequence of this 

 latter circumstance, however, it presents a very interest 

 ing example of the relation which human art bears to 

 natural capability. 



I should say, from what I saw, that for nearly thirty 

 miles along this road the soil is naturally such as to be 

 capable of the highest cultivation which the climate 

 admits of. But though it forms a table-land rising from 



