TOWN OF DORCHESTER. 91 



stones of Sackvillc. We passed several such ridges of 

 grey sandstone, and of poor stony soils resting on them, 

 for the most part in a state of wilderness. The town of 

 Dorchester, which looks down upon the Memranicook 

 River, stands upon the last of these ridges. The rocks 

 of grey conglomerate, with quartz and other pebbles, 

 come boldly to day, dipping also at a high angle towards 

 the east (?) and forming the foundations of the houses 

 of the town. In front of us, as we crowned this ridge, 

 lay far below the broad river Memramcook and its bor 

 dering marshes, stretching far up its banks ; beyond 

 the river, the wooded high-land which separates this 

 stream from the Petitcodiac ; and a couple of miles to our 

 left, or downwards, the wide confluence of the waters of 

 these two important rivers, forming together the head of 

 Shepody Bay. 



Dorchester is a pretty village, and is prettily situated. 

 I could have enjoyed a day s repose there very much. 

 But there were too many kind friends pressing attentions 

 upon me to admit of quiet, had I remained. I drove down, 

 therefore, without delay to a ferry which crosses the head 

 of Shepody Bay, a couple of miles below Dorchester. 

 High-water at 9 P.M. enabled me to get over before it 

 was too late to find quarters. The night was favourable, 

 the wind being light, the moon bright, and the waters 

 comparatively smooth. The tide runs here at the rate 

 of six miles an hour, and, in blowing weather, the passage 

 is often rough. At high-water the ferry is three miles 

 wide. At low-water, broad bands of mud are left on 

 either shore, and the channel below the confluence of the 

 two rivers is diminished to a single mile. 



I reached my quarters in Albert County soon after ten 

 o clock, and felt relieved at being once more alone, which 

 I had not been since I emerged from the Canadian 

 forests of Gaspe ; and I rejoiced in the prospect of spend 

 ing a quiet Sunday by myself. 



