LOWER PART OF THE RIVER. 101 



are not costly, the wants of many districts have been 

 already fully supplied. 



About sunset we reached the ferry across the north- 

 west, where it joins the main or south-west Miramichi 

 river, and travelled the remaining ten miles to Douglas 

 chiefly in the dark. The land is generally of better 

 quality along this lower part of the river, is more 

 extensively cleared, and more skilfully cultivated. New- 

 castle, a considerable village four miles below the junc- 

 tion of the north-west river, and Douglas, a town six 

 miles farther down, are supported in part by their 

 traffic with the country farmers, but chiefly by the 

 lumber-trade, of which the mouth of the Miramichi has 

 long been an important centre. 



Soon after leaving Newcastle, we met with an accident 

 by which the pole of our carriage was broken — a circum- 

 stance of the more importance as we had still some hills 

 to descend before we could reach Douglas. 



But my travelHng companion, Mr Brown, was equal 

 to any emergency. A spare rope, and a couple of stakes 

 from the fence, in his hands soon placed us again in 

 marching order; so that, with a little care, and by 

 walking on foot down the dark slopes, we reached 

 Douglastown in safety before midnight. 



