NORTHERN AND WESTERN RAILWAY. 79 



A NEW DISCOVERY. 



In the meantime a survey was made from the val- 

 ley of the Exploits to the west coast of the island, or 

 what is known as the " French Shore." This line 

 passed through the valleys of Deer Lake and Harry's 

 Brook. The result was that inasmuch as it passed 

 through large areas of rich loamy soil, and tapped a 

 portion of the fine Humber valley, famous for its 

 good land and fine pine timber, and terminated on the 

 French Shore in the Bay of Islands, with its magnifi- 

 cent scenery, the government was led to abandon the 

 route north to Hall's Bay, and build the road west 

 from the Exploits. 



NORTHERN AND WESTERN RAILWAY. 



A new contract was made with Mr. Reid, by which 

 he was to " build, construct and equip a line of rail- 

 way commencing at the terminus of the road to be 

 constructed under the Northern Railway contract, be- 

 ing a point two hundred miles distant from Placentia 

 Junction and running by the most desirable and most 

 direct route to the northeast end of Gander Lake, 

 thence to the northeast end of Deer Lake, and west- 

 erly along the north side (afterwards changed to the 

 south side) of Deer Lake, and down the Humber 

 River, thence by the way of north side of Harry's 



