44 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



same may be found, as directed in your field book, and you must be particularly 

 careful in your diary or journal to etiter the time and names of the persons whom 

 you engage and discharge, according to their respective dates, so that the same 

 may correspond with your pay list, which also must be sworn to and returned 

 with your vouchers. 



' ' Your pay list and vouchers for your pay, ration and abstract must be in 

 quadruplicate. 



" The rough plans of Yarmouth, Southwold and Houghton, herewith sent to 

 assist you in your operation, on which are laid down imaginary lines upon which 

 the courses of the road are supposed to run, the situation of which must be deter- 

 mined by measuring on the side lines of the several townships from lake Erie, 

 until you intersect the road you are to lay out, Avhen it is completed, which must 

 be returned with the fair plans of your operation, on which must be laid down in a 

 clear and distinct manner the mountains, hills, rivers, marshes, meadows and 

 swamps, or whatever else may occur that may be remarkable for its singularity or 

 utility. 



" The principle on which Yonge street is laid out is, that the lots are 20 chains 

 in front by 100 chains in depth ; therefore it is requisite to observe that whatever 

 obliquity you may have occasion to make from the concession lines of those town- 

 ships hereafter to be run, making Yarmouth as the centre township the governing 

 one for the three townships, then you will have to calculate the obliquity of the 

 same on the angle or difference deviating from the concession lines of the township 

 of Yarmouth, which Mr. Chewett will explain, and show you the method of calcu- 

 lating should you be unacquainted the nature thereof. The plans of Southwold, 

 Yarmouth and Houghton, sent with these instructions, will point out how far this 

 can be carried into execution. 



"You must always have in remembrance that you cannot approach nearer to 

 lake Erie with the rear boundary forming the concession on the road to be laid out 

 than the rear boundary of the 7th concession in Yarmouth, nor the rear boundary 

 line of the 4th concession in Southwold from the river Thames, which have been so 

 far conceded. 



' ' You must not, however, set out to commence your operation until such time 

 as you have reason to believe that the waters have sufficiently left the woods, that 

 there may be no plea of delay by being obliged to hire your party and to commence 

 your operation at an unseasonable time of the year. 



' ' A reasonable time when you arrive at Port Talbot will be given to you for 

 the hire of your party and purchasing your provision, which it is supposed may be 

 done at one and the same time, and also for going to and coming from your place 

 of residence to Port Talbot, and for making up your plans and vouchers, and no 

 more, and every exertion that a surveyor is capable of in carrying the same into 

 execution with accuracy and dispatch is expected froni you. ' ' 



A party of surveyors usually consisted of ten men besides the chief, but as the 

 woods in the west were supposed to be more open than elsewhere, Mr. Burwell 

 concluded that he could effect the work with eight men, and so that number was 

 placed in the instru.ctions. He apprehended, however, that men could not be hired 

 at the Government rate of wages, as they were accustomed to receive more fi-om the 

 farmers. Accordingly the Governor in approving the instructions agreed that 

 ' ' should it be impossible to procure men to assist the surveyor at the usual price, 

 Col. Talbot must be requested to certify the lowest wages they are to be had for, 

 which will be allowed upon this location. ' ' The regular rate continued without 

 alteration for a long period. In 1797 it was the same as in 1809, but in 1815, after 

 the close of the war, rates were increased, owing to the higher cost of living. " The 

 notice you have taken of the prices of Labor and Provisions having risen within 

 the last three or four years is very cogent," Mr. Burwell wrote to Mr. Eidout from 

 Southwold, in November, 1815. " Provisions are dear here and Labor is high, which 

 I expect is pretty generally the case throughout the Province. Farmers are giving 

 from fifteen to eighteen dollars per month to laborers, which will make it difficult, 

 if at all practicable in the present state of affairs, to execute the Surveys required 

 at the former established rates. As to myself, I must confess that it is an arduous 

 undertaking to be in the Wilderness exposed to the inclemencies of the Weather long 

 at a time. It certainly impairs one's health. An increase of pay is desirable — but 



