Bog 



five miles more to Cook's Bay, from Which by 

 Lake Simcoe there is a communication to Lake 

 Huron. This being a route of much importance, 

 has of late been greatly improved by the North* 

 west Company, for the double purpose of 

 shortening the distance to the Upper Lakes, 

 and avoiding any contact with the American 

 frontiers ; the land on each side of it, for a con- 

 Isiderable depth, is very fertile, and many settle- 

 ments are already formed, where some of the 

 farms are in a good state of cultivation. The 

 advantage of this communication will be in some 

 degree shewn by the following recapitulation of 

 it. From York to Cook's Bay, on Lake Simcoe, 

 the distance is thirty-seven miles ; the naviga- 

 tion through that Lake and the River Matche- 

 dash up to the old trading post on M^tchedash 

 Bayj is seventy-seven miles more, lirnkkig to- 

 gether one hundred and fourteen. A shorter 

 route even than this is likely to be formed very 

 soon, by a road which has been already traced 

 at the expense of the North- West Company, 

 from Kempenfelt Bay on Lake Simcoe, to Pe- 

 netengushene harbour, opening into Gloucester 

 Bay on Lake Huron ; this line of road being 

 only twenty-nine miles, will reduce the di- 

 stance from York to Lake Huron to eighty- 

 eight miles, going by water from Cooky's Bay 

 into Kempenfelt Bay; another small reduction 



