317 



54th, 1683, to Sieur de la Valliere, and is now 

 the property of J. M. Tonnancour, Esq. Cul- 

 tivation of a favourable description extends 

 over nearly one half of the seigniory ; the differ- 

 ent concessions, large and small, amount to 

 upwards of l60, lying on each side of the 

 River Yamaska, by the Petit Chenail, and in 

 the Cotes St. Louis, and Ste. Catherine. The 

 Bay of La Vallier, or Yamaska, extends across 

 the upper part of it into Sorel, and that of St- 

 Franfois makes rather a deep incision on its 

 eastern side; immediately surrounding these 

 bays the land is low and marshy, but a short 

 distance from them are many large tracts of 

 most excellent meadow ; further to the rear the 

 soil is rich, and very productive, consisting of 

 good yellow loam, and a fine clay intermixed 

 with light earth, affording much good arable 

 for grain of all sorts, and some spots well 

 adapted to the culture of flax and hemp. The 

 front part of the seigniory is moderately well 

 furnished with timber of a middling and inferior 

 quality, as white fir, spruce fir, hemlock, &c. ; 

 but in the rear upon the drier grounds, some of 

 a superior description is produced, as plane, 

 beech, hickory, and oak. The land is tolerably 

 well watered by several small streams, in addi- 

 tion to the httle river David that has its source in 

 the adjoining savannes, or large swamps. The 



