28 GENERAL EEMARKS. 



the right to fish on the coast from cape Ray, round tlie northern 

 end of tlie island, to cape St. John for all sorts of fish, including bait 

 and Crustacea. 



Under the provisions of the treaty of 1818, the inhabitants of the 

 United States have, in common with British subjects, the liberty to 

 take fish of every kind on that part of the southern coast of New- 

 foundland which extends from cape Ray to Ramea islands, on the 

 western and northern coast of Newfoundland, from cape Ray to 

 Kirpon islands, on the shores of the Magdalen islands, and also on the 

 coasts, bays, harbors, and creeks from Mount Joli, on the southern 

 coast of Quebec, to and through the strait of Belleisle and thence 

 northward indefinitely along the coast, without prejudice, however, 

 to any of the exclusive rights of the Hudson Bay Company. United 

 States fishermen have also the right to dry and cure fish in any 

 of the unsettled bays, harbors, and creeks of the southern part of 

 Newfoundland, above described, and of the coast of Labrador. 



Physical features. — Newfoundland is somewhat of a triangular 

 form (the apex being at cape Bauld, the base between capes Race 

 and Ray), and has an estimated area of 42,200 square miles, with a 

 greatest length of 420 miles. Its coasts are indented with deep bays 

 and harbors, many of which are very fine and nearly all of which 

 afford shelter to vessels during summer. The surface of the island is 

 wild and rugged, and the coast, being steep, sterile, rocky, and often 

 denuded of vegetation, or covered only with small trees, has an aspect 

 far from prepossessing. The land near the sea is generally hilly, the 

 ranges having a northeast and southwest trend ; this is also the case 

 in the bays, rivers, valleys, and larger lakes, and is probably due to 

 glacial action. The interior proper is an elevated undulating pla- 

 teau, traversed by ranges of low hills, the surface being diversified by 

 valleys, woods, marshes, and large lakes, locally known as ponds, 

 which completely intersect the country from bay of Exploits, Hall 

 and Wliite bays, on the northeastern, to St. George bay, on the west- 

 ern, and Despair bay on the southern side. Some excellent timber, 

 of large size, is found on the west coast and on some few other parts 

 of the island ; but as a rule it is only at the heads of bays and in shel- 

 tered places that trees attain sufficient size to make spars for even 

 small vessels, and a mast for a large schooner can generally be ob- 

 tained only at a long distance from the sea. 



Inland of the coast ranges of hills the country generally seems to 

 consist of as much water as land, so numerous are the ponds. From 

 these, streamlets run down every ravine, and through the larger 

 valleys run rivulets in which trout can generally be obtained. 



Lakes. — The lakes or ponds form a remarkable physical feature 

 of the island, and occupy about one third of its area. The principal 

 lakes are Grand pond, the largest, which is 56 miles long, 5 miles 



