DIFFICULT MOUNTAIN-ROAD. 387 



To tlie nearest clearing from this towards the Resti- 

 gouche, on fine hardwood land, twelve hundred 

 feet above the level of the sea — twelve miles. 

 To Dixon's — a clean and comfortable inn kept by a 

 Scotchman, Mr Dixon, surveyor of the road, mail- 

 contractor, and the owner of eight hundred acres 

 of excellent land, in one of the most beautifully 

 picturesque situations in all Canada — four miles. 

 To the Restigouche ferry — a rapid descent from 

 Dixon's to the river — eight miles. 

 The whole distance being about 100 miles, during 80 

 of which the road runs through a continuous, almost 

 untraversed forest. With the single exception of the 

 postman in his one-horse car, who passes along once 

 a-week, we did not meet a single individual the whole 

 way through the forest. 



The first five leagues, as far as Frazer's, were ex- 

 ceedingly mountainous and difficult. I have already 

 described the interior country of Lower Canada, bor- 

 dering the vSt Lawrence, as consisting of a series of 

 ridges running parallel with the river, and separated 

 by intervening more or less narrow valleys. Such is 

 the country as far as Frazer's. It is a prolongation of 

 the New England mountains towards the promontory 

 of Gaspe — a succession of steep climbs and difficult 

 descents, the latter being often not less painful and 

 oppressive to the horse than the former. 



Frazer's is situated at the commencement of a table- 

 land, which extends for nearly three leagues, forming 

 the best and most easy part of the whole Kempt Road. 

 From this table-land, a long gentle descent brought us 

 down to the level of the Metapediac Lake, on the edge 

 of which stood the house and farm of Brechut. 



Around this lake there is much flat land — generally, 

 so far as I could see, either a stiffish light-coloured 

 clay, or more or less soft, wet, and black swamp. 



