40 



man himself, nnd doubtlesff must see the important bearing which 

 the protection of this valuable fish has on the prosperity of the 

 Province. 



I remain, Sir, 



Yours very truly, 



W. Henkt, M. D., 

 Superintendent of Hospitals. 



Thus mucli for the worthy Doctor's letter, now for his 

 pleasing extracts : 



" I have been on four fisbiag expeditions to Malbaie, and hope 

 that a short account of one of those may not be tiresome to the 

 reader. 



"In the latter end of June, 1830, my friend. Major Wingfield, 

 of the 66th, and myself, set out from Montreal on a fishing trip to 

 Malbaie. We embarked in buoyant spirits, well provided with 

 choice apparatus, and taking with us materiel for preserving our 

 fish — namely ; salt, sugar, spices, and a large cask of vinegar, 

 A good-natured American General with his Aide-de-Camp, were 

 our fellow-passengers in the steamboat to Quebec. They were 

 heretics of the Utilitarian School, and thought it not a little ex- 

 traordinary that we should make so long a journey to catch fish 

 that might be so easily obtained in the market. 



" On reaching Quebec, we found to our great mortification, the 

 wind blowing up the river, strong against us, and no steamboat 

 running whither we were bound. We were therefore obliged 

 to wait there three days, and then take our passage in a misera* 

 ble schooner for Kamouraska ; the Captain engaging to land 

 us at our destination on the opposite shore. The voyage was ex- 

 tremely tedious and disagreable, lasting four interminable days 

 and nights, though the distance was only ninety miles. 



" At length, with beards like Jews — cold, wet, half-starved, 

 and every way miserable, we reached the mouth of the Malbaie 

 river, where we had bespoke lodgings, at the house of a Canadian 

 named Chaperon. 



"By a beneficent ordination, our sense of present enjoyment 



