SETTLEMENT OF FKEE BLACKS. 139 



here, was made near this place after the peace of 1S1G; 

 but they are described as generally idle and unpros- 

 perous. I had not time to diverge to their settlement, 

 to view their land ; but certainly, if the soil they are 

 obliged to cultivate be poor and stony, like that of which 

 this immediate district in general consists, their want of 

 success can scarcely be adduced as a fresh evidence of 

 the incapacity of the race. An agricultural society in 

 connection with that of St John has recently been esta 

 blished ; and good fruits are said to be already apparent 

 from the stimulus it has imparted. 



The stony soils, derived from mixed trap and metamor- 

 phic rocks, which form the south shore of Loch Lomond 

 pine forests intermingled with rare patches of hard 

 wood and thinly scattered, chiefly poor Irish settlers, 

 accompanied me along the road till I came within two 

 or three miles of St John. I then descended to the 

 flat marsh-lands, of which I have already spoken, and 

 entered the city with my weary horses an hour after 

 nightfall. 



Oct. 6. I could only spare one day to spend in St 

 John, as the final snow of winter might now begin to 

 fall within a week, and I had still a portion of the pro 

 vince to visit, which I could scarcely travel over in less 

 than eight or ten days. 



The depression of trade in the city had awakened, as 

 usually happens, the loudest voices of the grumblers, 

 and meetings were being held, in which the Provincial 

 Government and Legislature were denounced, organised 

 resistance to the mother country recommended, and 

 Annexation lauded as the best of boons, and the surest 

 remedy for all their sufferings. 



The speeches of ambitious or disappointed demagogues 

 are by no means an evidence even of their own opinions 

 or belief ; and if almost anything can be considered 

 certain in regard to the temporary sufferings of the pro- 



