he must, it seemed to me, have gone overboard, or capsized our crank bark. The light of the flambeau in the other canoes, as they came round the projecting points of leafy green, and the shade, as we again lost view of them behind the trees or rocks in the distance, was most imposing. Four hundred trout were thus speared in the canoe in which I was: some of them were of such a size, that they would have been taken, as they frequently are, in the salmon nets. In the five canoes, above 1000 were taken in little more than two hours. I had the curiosity to weigh six of them, which together weighed twenty-two pounds, and had a barrel of this night's catch salted, that I might take them with me to St. John's." Potatoes and cabbages are the most valuable productions of the island, growing in plots or gardens attached to the fishermen's houses. Turnips, carrots, parsnips, peas, radishes, and most garden roots yield abundantly. Red, black, and white currants, gooseberries, and strawberries, grow in great perfection; and a smaller kind of strawberry is found wild in the woods: raspberries grow everywhere, and that species of cherry called the Kentish comes to great perfection; other sorts, as well as damsons, grow abundantly in favourable seasons: besides these, apples and pears are sometimes raised in perfection. The plains are almost covered with low stunted bushes, which bear a great variety of wild berries. The snake root, capilaire, and wisha capucoa, are indigenous; when in blossom, the latter plant is beautiful. VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 295 It is made by the inhabitants into a decoction, and used after the manner of tea, and said to be extremely wholesome in spring. Another remarkable plant found in the woods is the Suracinia, a full description of which is given in Dr. Thornton's Temple of Flora. Sarsaparilla is also found in the island. The swamps abound with a great variety of reeds and flowers, many of the latter extremely beautiful, such as wild roses, violets, &c.; but the season for enjoying them is short, for they all come together, and last but a few weeks, which gives rise to the saying common in Newfoundland, “a short feast and a long famine." The timber grown on the island, though generally of no great magnitude, is rendered very useful for the purposes of the fishery, and vessels of considerable size, varying from 60 to 200 tons each, are built chiefly with native wood. The juniper (or hecma-tic) witch hazel, black birch and black spruce are the most esteemed for these purposes: the common fir is not esteemed for building, but very well adapted for casks and other common uses in the fishery. Kelp is abundant all round the coast, and, with other sea-weeds, is used for manure. Zoophytes, or animal flowers (forming the link between the animal and vegetable kingdom), may also frequently be met with. CHAPTER III. POPULATION-GOVERNMENT-FINANCES-COMMERCE-SHIP PING, IMPORTS AND EXPORTS-FISHERIES-COD AND SEAL -VALUE OF DITTO-PROPERTY-SCHOOLS-THE PRESSSOCIAL STATE, &c. In consequence of the extensive fisheries carried on along its coasts, the population of Newfoundland necessarily fluctuates, and it is difficult to obtain an exact census. In 1806 the number of mouths were estimated at 26,505. I have obtained two more recent censuses, the one for 1822 from the House of Commons' Library, the other for 1827-8 from the Colonial Office. POPULATION OF NEWFOUNDLAND IN 1822-3, AND IN 1827-8. 1822-3. 1827-8. Districts. Males. Females. Total.* Males. Females. Total. Represen tatives. Add for persons distributed along many distant parts of the coast, which ... ... 2000 ... ... ... King's troops, 340. Supposed to be underrated. 60088 is of opinion that the population is now not far from rapidly the population is increasing. Mr. Brooking portion in number of births over the deaths, how In 1827, marriages, 442; births, 1879; deaths, 696. It will be readily conceived, by the great disproIn 1822, marriages, 516; births, 1675; deaths, 735. 75,000. 297 is a more abundant stock of capital afloat, population John's, where the soil is more fertile, and where there since the peace, but in the neighbourhood of St. all the southern districts the population has decreased Robinson, Brooking, & Co. It is thought that in indebted, along with other documents, to the firm of going was taken in 1825, and for which I am A more complete census than either of the fore has increased. |