Trois "Rivieres. §9 



fizes, iron iloves which are in ufe all ovef 

 Canada^ kettles, &c. not to mention the 

 bars which are made here. They have 

 Jikewife tried to make fteel here, but cannot 

 bring it to any great perfedion, becaufe 

 they are unacquainted with the bed manner 

 of preparing it. Here are many officers 

 and overfeerSj. who have very good houfes, 

 built on purpofe for them. It is agreed on 

 all hands, that the revenues of the iron- 

 work do not pay the expences which the 

 king muft every year be at in maintaining 

 it. They lay the fault on the bad llate of 

 population, and fay that the few inhabit- 

 ants in the country have enough to do with 

 agriculture, and that it therefore cofts great 

 trouble and large fums, to get a fufficient 

 number of workmen. But however plaufiblc 

 this may appear, yet it is furprizing that 

 the king (hould be a lofer in carrying on 

 this work ; for the ore is eafily broken, 

 very near the iron-work, and very fulible. 

 The iron is good, and can be very con- 

 veniently difperfed over the country. This 

 is moreover the only iron-work in the 

 country, from which every body muft fup- 

 ply himfelf with iron tools, and what other 

 iron he v/ants. But the officers and fer- 

 vants belonging to the iron-work, appear to 

 be in very affluent circumflances. A river 



runs 



