126 PETERBOROUGH SETTLEMENT. 



of a most extensive sale of land purporting to take place in 

 course of summer, and which contained a chart of the district 

 in which the lands lay. The chart formed our only map, and 

 was studded with villages, &c. In particular, Gambletown 

 was marked on the chart with numerous houses, as if a place 

 of considerable size ; and on sailing up the Otanabee, on 

 which it is situated, I expected a thriving village ; but on 

 stopping to obtain a supply of firewood, what was my disap 

 pointment at only finding two log-huts, one of which was 

 unoccupied ! Accounts of the value of land appear exagge 

 rated. Uncleared forest land had, it was said, been sold at 

 some distance from Peterborough at 38 per acre, and some 

 people wished me to believe all land bore a relative value. 

 A gentleman estimated his property at $20 per acre, while 

 I was offered the adjoining back lot of better soil at $6, and 

 I have no doubt could have got it for 84 cash. A property 

 has been said to yield annually L.500, which is very near the 

 sum I valued it at in perpetuity after examination. 



On the morning of the 23d we left Coburg for Carrying- 

 place on the bay of Quinte, which we reached before dusk, 

 having passed over an undulating surface, the soil of which, with 

 exception of part near Carrying-place, was sandy and stony. &amp;gt; 

 Crops of all kinds inferior. A field of rye had been cradled, 

 and one of wheat was sufficiently matured for the operation. 

 This line of road illustrated the evils arising from want of 

 knowledge of soils in new settlers. Much of the soil was 

 drift sand, and would not repay the expenses of cultivation, 

 cheap as those in Canada are. Several farms seemed to have 

 been deserted after having been some years occupied ; and 

 unacquaintance with land, and other parts of the American 

 continent, can alone account for human beings having wasted 

 their labour in clearing such unfruitful soil. 



Next morning we left Carrying-place at four for Kingston, 

 where we arrived at nine P. M., having passed Trent, Belville, 

 Sophiaburgh, Hallowell, and, Bath. 



The bay of Quinte is a branch of Lake Ontario, and a sail 

 on its waters perhaps imparts as much pleasure as any in 

 Canada. Numberless islands, bays, and promontories of 

 every size, shape, and aspect, together with ever-varying 



