NEW BRUNSWICK. 137 



were falling back into their savage state, the houses 

 tumbling down, the barns in their last stages of dilapida- 

 tion, everywhere windows broken out, doors off their 

 hinges, huge cracks in roof or walls, told of general 

 decay. The people had fled, no one knew whither ; and 

 of the few that were left, the stupidity, avarice and 

 extortion were incredible. They impose upon and annoy 

 travellers and fishermen till they have almost driven 

 them away. The stages fail to run or to connect as 

 they undertake to do. JSTo one appears to know their 

 times of starting or arriving. Boats advertise to leave 

 on days when they never have left, to stop at places that 

 are not laid down on the map, but are colloquially 

 applied to an entire district ; and omit places where they 

 do stop. No man knows anything except his own indi- 

 vidual business, and but little of that. The inhabitants 

 mainly draw their support from the river, and yet are 

 busy day and night endeavoring to ruin it ; the nets 

 from opposite shores lap over one another or reach from 

 bank to bank, and are set week in and week out, while 

 there is a fish running ; the smallest mesh is used, small 

 enough to capture trout or herring. The few fish that 

 do reach the spawning beds are chased with the merci- 

 less spear without cessation till long after they are worth- 

 less as food. Yet the people think the river has improved 

 because the laws are partially enforced at its mouth. 

 betters complain of the spearers, and the spearers of the 

 netters, but neither do anything but harm. The upper 

 stream is alive with nets, although netting should be per- 

 mitted nowhere above tide water. 

 The only crops of the region are potatoes, oats and 



