6-7 EDWARD VII., A. 1907 best informations we have been able to collect, the Miamies were settled, and some are still, about the Bay des Chaleurs, and upon the Coast and Bays in the Gulph, they are not at present numerous. In 1759 about one hundred of them joined the French.

The Kanibas and Malecites, inhabit about the Rivers St John and Pentagouest; their Language and that of the Abenakies is pretty nearly alike, and the three Nations are a good deal intermixed. The latter were settled about Narantsauc and Panaouanské, now wander about the South shore, and range the woods as they find it best answer their purpose, with those of the same tribe at St François and Beaconcoure in the Government of Trois Rivieres, it is computed they may amount to twelve or fifteen hundred families and in 1759 about 600 fighting Men of these Nations joined the French army near Quebec.

Under the French these were the only Indians who resorted to this place, where they received from the Government presents of Powder, Shot, Vermillion and other trifles; in time of War Clothing and Provisions.

Montreal was the chief seat of the Fur-trade and the greatest concourse of remote and back Indians or of those who traded with them, was there. There the Governor General used to me t and confer with their Chiefs and all business relative to them was mostly transacted.

From the Governor of Montreal therefore Your Lordship will certainly get fuller and better accounts on this head than I can possibly give. (a)

I have and ever shall be attentive, that due justice as far as in my power shall be done to them; few Complaints have as yet been made, when there have been any they have met with instant redress.

7th

NATURE OF THE SOIL AND ITS PRODUCE.

With a very slight cultivation all sorts of grain are here easily produced, and in great abundance, the inhabitants are inclinable enough to be lazy, and not much skilled in Husbandry, the great dependancies they have hitherto hed on the Gun and fishing rod, made them neglect tillage beyond the requisites of their own consumption and the few purchases they needed, the Monopolies that were carried on here in every branch, made them careless of acquiring beyond the present use, and their being often sent on distant parties and detachments, to serve the particular purposes of greedy and avaricious Men without the least view to public utility, were circumstances under which no country could thrive; As they will not be subject to such inconveniences under a British Government, and being necessarily deprived of arms they must of course apply more closely to the culture of their Lands.

The mines already discover'd, and the mineral and sulphurous waters in many parts of this Country leave no room to doubt, nature has been bountiful to it in this respect, and that further discoveries and improvements are likely to be made with regard to these, whenever it becomes more populous. Notwithstanding the waste of war, which they have much more severely felt from their pretended friends, than from their declared foes, the Country will abound in three or four Years with all kind of provisions, sufficient not only to answer their home consumption, but even to export if a Market can be procured

Observations

1".... They grow both Hemp and Flax in some parts of the Country, and many of the Lands are well cultivated for this Production. It will be right to turn the thoughts of the people towards the cultivation of this article, so essential to Great Britain and for which she annually pays great sums to Foreigners, a few premiums properly disposd of, some Germans and Russians skilled in raising and preparing the same and encouraged for that purpose to become settlers here may in a short time greatly improve this most useful branch of Agriculture..

(a) No 5. Extract of a Letter giving some account of the Trade of the upper Country.

SESSIONAL PAPER No. 18

24. This will be one means of employing the Women and Children during the long winters in breaking and preparing the flax and Hemp for exportation, will divert them from manufacturing coarse things for their own use, as it will enable them to purchase those of a better sort manufactured and imported from Great Britain.

8th POPULATION

The present state of population may be easily seen by the annexed (a) Account of the number of people in this Government taken about a twelve month ago

There is great reason to believe this Colony has been upon the decrease in this respect for near twenty Years past, the Wars which they have been almost constantly carrying on, the strictness with which Marriages within a certain degree of consanguinity were forbidden except by dispensation, the obliging Strangers inclined to engage in that state, previously to prove their not being married before, and the prohibition of intermarriages between protestants and Roman Catholicks were so many bars to the propagation of the Species, these difficulties are now in a good measure removed; the men are an active, strong, and healthy race, the Women are extremely prolifick and in all human probability the next twenty Years will produce a vast increase of People.

9th TRADE.

The French bent their whole attention in this part of the World to the Fur Trade, they never enter'd heartily or with any spirit into the fisheries: most of what was done in this way was by adventurers from the ports of France; some Fish indeed Lumber and provisions were exported to the French islands. Had this trade been opened and agriculture promoted here with any degree of warmth, this branch of Commerce must have become both valuable and extensive, but it was monopolized into the hands of a few, by the connivance and management of the Chiefs, the sole view of these being to enrich themselves by every means. The interest of the State could not fail to be sacrificed

upon all occasions.

By the best accounts we can procure, the value of Furs exported in the Year 1754 and 1755 taken from the Duties paid thereon stood thus

But the most intelligent Traders here estimate the exportation of this one article to have amounted one Year with another to near £140,000 Sterling p' annum

The exportation of these two Years apparently falls very short of this estimation, but it is probable a considerable quantity was run, for the value of imports amounted £216,769 4 9 . (d) in 1754 to......

75,560 8 9 :

The Exports of the same Year to.

£141,208 16 0 Ballance against the Colony would consequently

appear..

5,202,461: 15 : 0 . 1,813,450: 11:0

3,389,011 4:0

which carries with it no degree of probability but a strong presumption, that in this as indeed in every other branch the publick was ill served; such of their custom house books as have come into my hands, are so confused and irregular, that even the late Mr Farrant sent by the Lords of the Treasury to enquire into the commercial state of this Country tho' sensible and skill'd in transactions of the like nature, could collect little information from them.

The French East India Company had the sole privilege of exporting Beaver, for this purpose the Company had an agent at each Government as Director and a Comp(a) N° 6. p. 61. (U) No 7. shewing the species of Fur and Quebec price; (c) N° 7: D' p. 61.

(d) N° 8. Imports and Exports of 1754, p. 61.

6-7 EDWARD VII., A. 1907

troller, a stated price was paid for it (a) four Livres a pound for the green or winter Beaver and one livre ten sols for the Parchement or summer one. The Companies officers gave their receipt for the quantities brought into their Storehouses these became current in the Colony as cash, and in October the Agents drew Bills of Exchange on the Company for the amount of receipts brought into their Office which were ever held in more esteem than those drawn on the Royal Treasury.

The provinces of New York and Philadelphia now share with Canada a great part of the Fur Trade formerly in the hands of the French, but that proportion of it, which the Quebec government enjoy'd must remain here unalterably.

The foregoing is an attempt to sketch the trade of Canada, while subject to French Government, but under the full enjoyment of His Majestys mild and gentle administration, its commerce must flourish to a far greater extent.

1st A Most immense and extensive Cod Fishery can be established in the River and Gulph of S' Laurence, and may in time prove an inexhaustible source of wealth and power to Great Britain; Settlements may be formed in the neighbourhood of the best fishing places to which the industrious and intelligent in that branch may be invited and encouraged to repair; a rich tract of country on the South side of the Gulph will in consequence be settled and improved, a Port or Ports established and furnished with every material requisite to repair Ships, that have suffer'd by stress of weather or the difficulties attending navigation in such narrow seas, a point much wanted which will lessen the risks, and considerably increase the profits of the Commerce of this Colony.

It is further to be observed that the Fish caught upon these coasts and in the bays, far exceed the bank Cod and fetch an advanced price in foreign markets; The fishermen being on the spot will commence fishing the very instant the season permits and will continue to the very last of it wherby at least two Months will be gained to the trade, which are just now a heavy expence to it, without producing the least profit to it.

24 Next to the Cod in importance is the Whale fishery which can be carried on to the greatest advantage in the River S Laurence with less risk and expence than in any other seas, where the animals resort; Under this head may be placed the seal and seaCow fisheries of which there is a prodigious abundance, and an immense (sic) of oil and Whale-bone may be annually exported to Great Britain.

34 - There are several small rivers on the Coast of Labrador abounding with vast quantities of salmon; this if followed with spirit and industry, might very soon become a considerable object to the British Trader.

4th. His Majestys Yards may by the best accounts be supplied with masts from Chamblie, at a much cheaper and easier rate than from New England. By the latter a tedious Land carriage of several miles and the immense falls of a most rapid river over which they must be rafted and where many are lost must greatly enhance the value of this useful and necessary branch of Naval Stores; whereas by the former with little or no risk at a proper season there is an easy water carriage for them all the way to Quebec, the port for shipping them to Europe.

5th Tho' as has been before observed, this province must now share the Fur Trade, which she formerly possessed under the French Government, with the neighbouring Colonies, Yet that which was carried on with the different nations inhabiting the northern Coast of Canada, must still remain with her; she may likewise hereafter regain a great part of that with the upper Country, on account of the more easy con

veyance.

It is likewise probable that this very branch may be much farther extended, than ever it was under the French, by reason of the superior diligence and application of the British Traders.

It must be allowed the French were laudable in restraining the vent of Spiritous Liquors to the Savages beyond a certain quantity: by this means many broils were (a) The Company deducted 5 pr Cent on the above price from the Seller

SESSIONAL PAPER No. 18

avoided, for they are fond to excess of everything strong and are all mad in their intoxication.

6th.. Raising hemp and flax for which the lands are in many places extremely proper must be an object of the most serious consideration, And I must repeat here, how useful this must prove to the end of promoting agriculture, of employing the Women and Children during the tedious winter months, and of procuring in a short time a vast exportation of that useful commodity for which the returns will be made in British Manufactures.

7th. As the Country abounds every where with oak, Ash, Hickory, Walnut, Birch, Beech, Maple and other hard woods, which by experience are known to Yield the most Salts, the article of Pot-ash so much demanded in our Manufactures, may be easily produced and soon become an object of consequence; The essais for this purpose which have been made in our other Colonies and have miscarried, ought not to discourage an attempt in this. The high price of Labor; the Woods being in many parts remote from Water carriage, and the greater encouragement for growing and exporting provisions to the West Indies, have been so many obstacles to the making of Pot-ash in our Colonies, whereas provisions here must be very cheap in a few Years, for the navigation being closed six months out of the twelve this Country can never vie with our Southern Provinces in the West India trade; besides the country being settled close to the River side, the conveyance of the Commodity to the Port where it is to be shipped, will be both cheap and easy it will likewise be a means to employ the men all Winter in the business of Felling and drawing of Wood which time they chiefly dedicate to idleness and smoking

10th

CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE

The Canadians may be ranked under four different classes

1st The Gentry or what they call Nobility

24 The Clergy

34 The Merchants or trading part

4th The Peasantry or what is here stilled, Habitant.

1" The Gentry. These are descended from the Military and Civil officers, who have settled in the Country at different times and were usually provided for in the Colony Troops; These consisted formerly of 28 afterwards 30 and had been lately augmented to 40 Companys. They are in general poor except such as have had commands in distant posts where they usually made a fortune in three or four Years. The Croix de St Louis quite completed their happiness. They are extremely vain and have an utter contempt for the trading part of the Colony, tho' they made no scruple to engage in it, pretty deeply too, whenever a convenient opportunity served; They were great Tyrants to their Vassals who seldom met with redress, let their grievances be ever so just.

This class will not relish the British Government from which they can neither expect the same employments or the same douceurs, they enjoyed under the French. 24 The Clergy. Most of the dignified among them are French, the rest Canadians, and are in general of the lower class of People, the former no doubt will have great difficulty to reconcile themselves to us, but must drop off by degrees. Few of the latter are very clever, however the Ecclesiastical state was once composed entirely of natives, they would soon become easy and satisfied, their influence over the people was and is still very great, but tho' we have been so short a time in the Country, a difference is to be perceived, they do not submit so tamely to the Yoke, and under sanction of the capitulation they every day take an opportunity to dispute the tythes with their Curés.

These were moved from their respective parishes at the Bishops pleasure, who thereby always kept them in awe, it may not be perhaps improper to adopt the same Method, in case His Majesty should think right, for the sake of keeping them in proper subjection, to nominate them himself or by those who act under his authority.

6-7 EDWARD VII., A. 1907

It is not improbable that the Jesuites warned by their late disgraces in the dominions of these Potentates who seemed to favor them the most, and apprehending the like or worse treatment from those they stiled Heretics will chuse to dispose of their Estates and retire, as they may possibly find some difficulties to get purchasers the Government might buy their Lands at an easy rate and dispose of the same to many good purposes.

3d The Traders of this Colony under the French were either dealers in gross or retailers, the former were mostly French and the latter in general natives of this Country all of whom are deeply concerned in the letters of Exchange many are already gone to solicit payment and few of those who have any fund of any consequence in France will remain here.

4th.... The 4th Order is that of the the Peasantry, these are a strong healthy race, plain in their dress, virtuous in their morals and temperate in their living: They are in general extremely ignorant, for the former government would never suffer a printing press in the Country, few can read or write, and all receive implicitly for truth the many arrant falsehoods and atrocious lies, industriously handed among them by those who were in power.

They took particular pains to persuade them, the English were worse than brutes, and that if they prevailed, the Canadians would be ruled with a rod of Iron, and be exposed to every outrage, this most certainly did not a little contribute, to make them so obstinate in their defence, However ever since the Conquest, I can with the greatest truth assert, that the Troops have lived with the Inhabitants in a harmony unexampled even at home, I must here, in justice to those under my command in this Government, observe to Your Lordship, that in the Winter which immediately followed the reduction of this Province, when from the Calamities of War, and a bad harvest, the inhabitants of these lower parts were exposed to all the horrors of a famine, the Officers of every rank, even in the lowest generously contributed towards alleviating the distresses of the unfortunate Canadians by a large subscription, the British Merchants and Traders readily and cheerfully assisted in this good work, even the poor Soldiers threw in their mite, and gave a days provisions, or a days pay in the month, towards the fund, by this means a quantity of provisions was purchased and distributed with great care and assiduity to numbers of poor Families, who, without this charitable support, must have inevitably perished; such an instance of uncommon generosity towards the conquered did the highest honor to their conquerors and convinced these poor deluded people, how grosly they had been imposed upon; the daily instances of lenity, the impartial justice which has been administer'd, so far beyond what they had formerly experienced, have so alter'd their opinion with regard to us, I may safely venture to affirm for this most useful Order of the state, that far from having the least design to emigrate from their present habitations into any other of the French Colonies, their greatest dread is lest they should meet with the fate of the Accadians and be torn from their native Country. Convinced that this is not to be their case and that the free exercise of their religion will be continued to them once Canada is irrecoverably ceded by a Peace the people will soon become faithful and good subjects to His Majesty, and the Country they inhabit with in a short time prove a rich and most useful Colony to Great Britain.

Before this report is closed it will not be improper to observe to Your Lordship how impossible it is to ascertain exactly what part of North America, the French stiled Canada, no Chart or Map whatever having fallen into our hands or public record of any kind to shew what they understood by it.

However it is to be hoped, the limits on this side at least will need no canvassing nor admit of any dispute

Should I be able to procure farther lights relative either to those limits or the several other matters contained in this Report worthy of notice, You may be assured