growth of pine and spruce of "large size, straight, and tall.” . . . “With a splendid river, abundant timber, and a fertile soil, this region is marked out for a prosperous settlement." ... "The southern side of the Exploits presents an unbroken dense forest, in a series of gentle undulations, far as the eye can reach." . . . "From the Victoria River to the head of the Red Indian Lake, the country is well timbered throughout."

Another richly-wooded district is the valley of the Humber, where for many years lumbering has been conducted on an extensive scale. The surveyor-general reports of the timber here as follows: "The hard-wood found here consists chiefly of the different descriptions of birch, the yellow, called wych-hazel, within a quarter of a mile of the shore was found measuring, at six feet from the ground, from five to seven feet in circumference; and softwood, as pine, spruce, birch, etc., are to be had with as little difficulty, the whole consisting of a size sufficiently large for any kind of building, and in quantities abundant enough to become an article of export." Mr. Murray says: "Tamarack, or larch, is not rare; yellow birch of large dimensions is abundant; white pine and spruce grow in the greatest profusion, frequently of a size and quality not greatly inferior, if not equal, to the best that is now largely brought into the market in Gaspé and other parts of the lower province of Canada."

These are the principal lumbering regions, but, as already stated, the valleys around St. George's Bay and the Codroy valleys contain a fine growth of mixed forest timber-spruce, pine, birch, and fir. On most of the smaller streams there are also groves of pine and various other trees, while the same holds good regarding the heads of many of the bays. It is thus evident that in "regard to forest wealth and lumbering capabilities Newfoundland holds a very important place.'

"It is very remarkable," says Mr. Howley, "that no species of cedar, beech, elm, or oak have been met with in this country, although they are all common on the continent, and some of these varieties are known even to exist at Cape Breton. The valuable American white ash is a rare tree here it has only been met with at a few favoured spots in the country surrounding St. George's and Port-a-Port Bays."

Part D.

MINERAL RESOURCES.

CHAPTER I.

PIONEER WORK AND PROSPECTS.

Opening of the first mine - Mr. C. F. Bennet and Mr. Smith MacKay Tilt Cove and Bett's Cove.

Ir was not till a comparatively recent date that some of the grimmest-looking rocks of Newfoundland were known to contain mineral treasures of enormous value. People were at first slow to believe in the possibility of this despised outlying portion of creation containing deposits of valuable minerals; those who persisted in searching for them were regarded as visionaries. To-day, however, Newfoundland stands sixth among the copper-producing countries of the globe. The first mine was opened in 1864; and though at first mining was prosecuted in a languid way, productive returns quickened operations; new deposits were speedily discovered and worked, and at the end of 1879 the Customs' returns showed that copper and nickel ore to the value of a million pounds sterling had been exported. Mining villages sprang up, having a considerable population, where formerly a few detached huts of fishermen had

stood. A small fleet of vessels was employed in conveying the ore to Swansea. A rush to secure mineral lands took place, and the shores of Notre Dame Bay, where the ore was found, were eagerly covered with mining licences and mining land grants. Six or seven mines were soon in operation, and great heaps of ore accumulated at different points awaiting shipment. Speculation ran high, and an extent of country forty to fifty miles in length and five or six miles in breadth] was taken up by speculators. Even men who formerly refused to believe in anything but cod-fish and seals in connection with the country were now found among the most eager copper-hunters. The work still goes on steadily, but the copper fever has abated to some extent, and now sober capitalists are at work developing mineral resources which the best judges pronounce to be of vast extent and great value. Geologists inform us that the area of mineral lands exceeds five thousand square miles. The serpentine rocks in which the ore is found are spread over this great space, and wherever these occur a search may be made with some probability of success. Mr. C. F. Bennet was the pioneer of mining enterprise in Newfoundland. For some time he stood in a minority of one as a believer in the existence of minerals in the island. To Mr. Smith MacKay, however, belongs the honour of discovering the first considerable deposit of copper ore. This enterprising and intelligent explorer, when making a tour in the northern part of the island, in 1857, arrived at a little fishing hamlet, called Tilt Cove, containing ten or a dozen huts. His experienced eye soon detected in one of the cliffs signs of copper ore. It was not, however, till 1864 that, in conjunction with Mr. Bennet, he commenced mining operations here, which have gone on, with more or less activity, ever since, upon the deposit then discovered, and which, as yet, shows no sign of exhaustion. At the end of 1879, Tilt Cove Mine