Quebec. 243 



hunting, there are fome particular plants, 

 trees, earths, ores, &c. for he had got a 

 knowledge of thofe things before. From 

 hence it happened, that fome of the inha- 

 bitants believed he had a preternatural 

 knowledge of things, as he was able to 

 mention all the curiofities of places, fome- 

 times near two hundred Swedtfh miles from 

 Quebec, though he never was there himfelf. 

 Never was there a better ftatefman than he ; 

 and nobody can take better meafures, and 

 choofe more proper means for improving a 

 country, and encreafing its welfare. Ca- 

 nada was hardly acquainted with the trea- 

 fure it poffefled in the perfon of this no- 

 bleman, when it loft him again ; the king 

 wanted his fervices at home, and could not 

 leave him fo far off. He was going to 

 France with a collection of natural curio- 

 fities ; and a quantity of young trees and 

 plants, in boxes full of earth. 



THE black lime-flate has been repeatedly 

 mentioned during the courfe of my jour- 

 ney. I will here give a more minute de- 

 tail of it. The mountain on which Que- 

 bec is built, and the hills along the river St. 

 Lawrence, confift of it for fome miles to- 

 gether, on both fides of Qiiebec. About a 

 yard from the furface, this ftone is quite 

 compaft, and without any cracks ; fo that 



one 



