CANADIAN LOCAL HISTORY. 209 



peninsula in this basin some French ruins are still extant ; and between 

 two larger promontories is the harbour of Penetanguishene, around 

 which there is good land for settlement. (The ruins are remains of the 

 Jesuit mission house, or fort, St. Mary. See Parkman's Jesuits i?i 

 North America, p. 362. — Ei>.) 



To the west of the largest promontory is Nottawasaga Bay (or 

 outlet of the Iroquois), open to Lake Huron ; throughout the greatest 

 part of Matchedash Bay there is a depth of water for vessels of any 

 draught, excepting towards the bottom of the bay. Penetanguishene 

 has been diticovered to be a very excellent harbour. 



On the east side of Yonge street, in the rear of the townships of 

 York and Scarborough, is the township of Markham, settled princi- 

 pally by Germans ; in this tract are s:ime good mills, built on a 

 branch of the River Nen. 



In passing out of the harbour of York, to the westward, you see 

 the garrison on the mainland at the entrance of the harbour, which, 

 and the block-houses on Gibraltar point, are its security ; and a little 

 to the westward are the remains of the old French Fort Toronto 

 (called Fort Rouill^ in 1752. — Ed.); adjoining to which is a deep 

 bay, that receives the River Humber, on which are sawmills belong- 

 ing to Government ; a little way up the river the Government yacht 

 is building. Further to the westward (that is, between the Humber 

 and the head of Lake Ontario) the Etobicoke, the Credit, and 

 two other rivers (the Sixteen and Twelve Mile Creeks. — Ed.), 

 with a great many smaller streams, join the main waters of 

 the lake ; they all abound in fish, particularly in salmon. The 

 Credit is the most noted ; here is a small house of entertainment for 

 passengers. The track between the Etobicoke and the head of the 

 lake is frequented only by wandering tribes of Missisagas.* At the 



* The following is a copy of the agreement on the part of the Missisagua Indians to surrender 

 the tract here referred to: " We, the principal Chiefs of the Missisagua nation, for ourselves and 

 on behalf of our nation, do hereby consent and agree with William Claus, Esq., Deputy 

 Superintendent-General and Deputy Inspector-General of Indian affairs, on behalf of His 

 Majesty King George the Third, that, for the consideration of One Thousand Pounds Province 

 Currency in Goods at the Montreal price to be delivered to us, we will execute a regular Deed 

 for the conveyance of the lands hereon marked pink, commencing at the eastern bank of the mouth 

 of the Etobicoke River, bein,' on the limit of the Toronto Purchase in the year 1787, then north 

 twenty-two degrees west, six miles more or less, until it intersects a line on a course north 

 forty-Sve degrees west produced, from the outlet at Burlington Bay, then along the said pro- 

 duced line one mile more or less, to the lands granted to Captain Brant, then north forty-five 

 degrees east one mile and a half, then south forty-five degrees east tliree miles and a half more 

 or less, to Lake Ontario ; then north-easterly along the water's edge of Lake Ontario to the 



