362 CANADIAN LOCAL HISTORY ; 



smooth and left for half of the public road." To issue injunctions for the performance of such 

 work was easy. To do such work, or to get such work effectually done, was, under the circum- 

 stances of the times, difficult. Hence Yonge Street continued for some years after 1794 to he 

 little more than a rambling forest wheel track through the woods. 



In 1794, as we have before heard, Mr. William Berczy, brought over from the Pnlteney 

 Settlement, on the south side of Lake Ontario, sixty German families, and cojiducted them to 

 the township of Markham, north-east of York, where lands had been assigned them. In effecting 

 this first lodgement of a considerable body of colonists in a region entirely new, Mr. Berczy 

 necessarily cut out by the aid of his party, and such other help as he could obtain, some kind of 

 track through the forest, along the line of Yonge Street. He had already once before successfully 

 accomplished a similar work. He had, we are told, hewn out a waggon road for emigrants 

 through trackless woods all the way from Philadelphia to the Genesee country, where the 

 Pulteney Settlement was. 



In 1795, Mr. Augustus Jones, a Deputy Provincial Surveyor, who figures largely in the earliest 

 annals of Upper Canada, was directed by the Lieutenant Governor to survey and open in a 

 more effective manner the route which Mr. Berczy and his emigrants had travelled. A detach- 

 ment of the Queen's Rangers was at the same time ordered to assist. On the 24th December, 

 1795, Mr. Jones, writes to D. W. Smith, Acting Surveyor General : — " His Excellency was pleased 

 to direct me, previous to my surveying the township of York, to proceed on Youge Street, to 

 survey and open a cart-road from the harbour at York to Lake Simcoe, which I am now busy at; 

 (i. e., I am busily engaged in the preparations for this work.) Mr. Pearse is to be with nie in 

 a few days' time with a detachment of about thirty of the Queen's Rangers, who are to assist in 

 opening the said road." Then in his Note-book and Journal for the new year 1796, he records 

 the commencement of the survey, thus: — "Monday, 4th (January, 1796). Survey of Yonge 

 Street. Begun at a Post near the Lake, York Harbour, on Bank, between No. 20 and 21, the 

 course being. Mile No. 1, N. Sixteen degrees W., eighty chains, from Black Oak Tree to Maple 

 Tree on the right side, along the said Yonge Street : at eighteen chains, fifty links, small creek ; 

 at twenty-eight chains, small creek ; course the same at thirty-two eighty : here First Concession. 

 At thirty-eight, N. 35 W. to 40-50 : at 39-50, swamp and creek, 10 links across, runs to the 

 right : then N. 2 E., to 43 chains in the line. At 60-25, small creek runs to right ; swampy to 

 73 ; N. 29 W. to 77, swamp on right. Then N. to SO on line. Timber chiefly white and black 

 oak to 60, and in many places windfalls thereon : maple, elm, beech, and a few oaks, black ash ; 

 loose sod. Mile No. 2, do. SO chains; rising Pine Ridge to 9 on top," &c., and so on day by 

 day, until Tuesday, Feb. 16th, when the party reaches the Landing. For Mile No. 33 we have 

 the entry. " Course do. (N. 9 W.) 80 chains ; descended ; at 10 chains, small creek ; cross afore- 

 said small creek ; at 30, several cedars to 35-50 ; at 33 creek about 30 links across, runs to left ; 

 at 80 chains, hemlock tree on the right bank, small creek ; timber, hemlock, pine, a few oak ; 

 broken soil. At Mile 34, do., 53 chains to Pine tree marked at Landing ; timber, yellow and 

 white Pines ; sandy soil ; slight winds from the north ; cloudy, cold weather." The survey and 

 opening of the Street from York bay to the Landing thus occupied forty-three days (January 4, 

 to February 16). Three days sufficed for the return of the party to the place of beginning. 

 The memoranda of these three days, and the following one, when Mr. Jones presented himself 

 before the Governor, in the Garrison at York, run thus: "Wednesday, I7th, returned back 

 to a small Lake at the twenty-first mile tree; pleasant weather, light winds from the west. 

 Thursday, 18th, came down to five mile tree from York ; pleasant weather. Friday, 19th, 

 came to the town of York ; busy entering some of my field notes ; weather as before. 

 Saturday, 20th, went to Garrison, York, and waited on His Excellency the Governor, and 

 informed him that Yonge Street is opened from York to the Pine Fort Landing, Lake Simcoe. 

 As there is no provision to be had at the place," Mr. Jones proceeds, " His Excellency was 

 pleased to say that I must return to Newark, and report to the Surveyor General, and return 

 with him in April next, when the Executive will sit, and that my attendance would be wanted. 

 Pleasant weather, light winds from. the west." The entry on the following Monday is this : " The 

 hands busy at repairing (ca^ilking) the boat to return to Burlington Bay, and thence to Newark ; 

 light winds from south, a few clouds. Tuesday, 23rd, high winds from the south-west hinder 

 going on the Lake. Wednesday, 24th, high winds from the south drove a great quantity of ice 

 into the harbour ; obliged me to leave the boat, and set out by land ; went to the Etobicoke. 

 Thursday, 25th, came along the Lake to the 16 mile creek ; winds left from south, thaw. 



