University of New Brunswick, 1 7 



must hot, however, in these very cursory remarks, omit notice 

 of the University of New Brunswick. The planting of a tree 

 of knowledge in this wild wilderness, dates far back in the 

 Anglo-Saxon occupation of the land, and although originally 

 established on models of the old country, it has fought a hard 

 battle for many years. How indeed could any one expect sons 

 of the reclaimers of the primeval forest to care much for clas- 

 sical educations, more especially when their progenitors at- 

 tained their positions by manual industry and mere endurance? 



Thus the college for many years had to be content with the 

 products of the distant schools in backwood settlements, and 

 endure some prejudices by no means encouraging to the 

 ardent and able professors who have long reflected so much 

 credit on the institution. Times, however, have altered, and, 

 moreover, as New Brunswick proceeds on its onward march 

 of civilization, this handsome structure, perched on the terrace 

 cliff overlooking the thriving little bustling town and lovely 

 scenery of the St. John, must, doubtless, in process of time 

 come to the front, and be the centre of intelligence and learn- 

 ing in south-eastern Canada. 



So much for this the central city and capital of the province 

 where my head-quarters were located for three years, and from 

 whence I made various excursions in quest of the materials 

 described in the following pages. 



The first and foremost subject of interest to the student of 

 nature in every country is the natural history of its aborigines, 

 wherever this can be traced with any accuracy ; but even the 

 antiquary who picks up the rudely fashioned stone implements 

 of the Somme Valley, or even the more polished weapons of 

 the same material, must often be disposed to speculate on the 

 probable habits, appearance, etc., of peoples who lived in the 

 remote ages of which history has preserved no record. There- 

 fore, in the New World, what between the short time that has 

 elapsed since the Stone Age, and the presence still of waifs 

 and strays of the same race that then existed, he is enabled to 



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