74 



great tract more than half is represented as barren and 

 broken ; displaying a surface of rock and fresh water 

 lakes, with a very scattered and scanty proportion of 

 soil. Such is the whole coast of Labrador and the land 

 called east main, to the west of the heights which di- 

 vide the waters running into the river and gulf of St. 

 Lawrence, from those flowing into Hudson's bay. It 

 is, consequently inhabited, only by savages, whose 

 numbers are proportioned to the scantiness of the soil ; 

 nor is it probable, from the same cause, that they will 

 increase."* 



And further " the proportion of it (the soil) that is 

 fit for cultivation, is very small, and is still less in the 

 interiour parts ; it is also very difficult of access ; and 

 whilst any land remains uncultivated to the south of 

 it, there will be no temptation to settle it." 



Capt. Cook, when endeavouring to find a north 

 west passage, observes " that the appearance of the 

 country, (North America) in latitude 57 3' north, dis- 

 covered little else than naked rocks."^ 



He likewise observes that the barren isles in la- 

 titude f>9 degrees north, are composed of naked 

 rocks. { 



Many parts, both of Europe and Asia, in those la- 

 titudes discover the same inhospitable aspect, and 

 which are mentioned by several travellers, particu- 

 larly, Wraxall, who in his Description of Stockholm, 



* Ream's Journey, p. 426, f Cooke's Voyages, vol. II. p. 186< 

 \ Vol. II. page 193. 



