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might still be made, by opening a road from 

 Holland river up to the last-mentioned bay* 

 By pursuing this route the distance from York 

 to St. Mary's Rapid, between Lake Huron and 

 Lake Superior, is about four hundred miles, 

 whereas by the circuitous one of Lake Erie and 

 the River Ste. Claire it is full seven hundred ; 

 the importance of the communication is there- 

 fore obvious. From York to the westward there 

 is another good road, called Dundas-street, lead- 

 ing to Coot's Paradise, at the extremity of Lake 

 Ontario, and from thence nearly in a straight 

 line to the township of New London upon 

 the River Thames, altogether upwards of one 

 hundred miles, by which an inland communica- 

 tion with the western district is maintained. 

 On each side of this road there are many settle- 

 ments scattered here and there, some of them 

 very well cultivated and thickly inhabited; 

 there are also several inns for the accommoda- 

 tion of travellers. The River Thames winds 

 through a fine level country, highly fertile, and 

 rich in every requisite for new settlements; 

 its banks present many fine plains and large 

 patches of excellent meadow land ; the soil is 

 principally a light sandy earth, interspersed with 

 marl and reddish clay : the oak, pine, maple, 

 walnut and beech growing in its vicinity, are of 

 very superior quality, There are already roads 

 formed along its course, and on each side of it 



