fertile part of it in corn and grain, and
once the best peopled. There are a number of rivers very rapid, but not
large, except that of St. John's, which is the finest river of all
Acadia, where good water is rather scarce.

The soil in the vallies is rich, and even in the uplands, commonly
speaking, good. The grains it yields are wheat, pease, barley, oats,
rye, and Indian corn, and especially that of the vallies, for the higher
ground is not yet cultivated. The pastures are excellent and very
common, and more than sufficient to supply Cape-Breton, with the cattle
that may be raised. There is fine hunting, and a plentiful fishing for
cod, salmon, and other fish, particularly on the east-side, which is
full of fine harbours at the distance of one, two, three, four, or of
six or seven leagues at farthest from one another, within the extent of
ninety leagues of coast. It is thought, in short, this fishery is better
than any on the coasts belonging to France.

The air is extreamly wholesome, which is proved by the longevity of its
inhabitants. I myself know some of above an hundred years of age,
descendants from the French established in Acadia. Distempers are very
rare. I fancy the climate is pretty near the same as in the north of
China, or Chinese-Tartary. This country too, being rather to the
southward of Canada, is not so cold as that; the snow not falling till
towards St. Andrew's day: nor does it lie on the ground above two or
three days at most, after which it begins to soften; and though the thaw
does not take place, the weather turns mild enough to allow of working,
and undertaking journeys. In short, what may be absolutely called cold
weather, may be reduced to about twenty-five or thirty days in a winter,
and ceases entirely towards the end of March, or at latest, the middle
of April. Then comes the seed-time. Then are made the sugar and syrups
of maple, procured from the juice or sap of that tree, by means of
incisions in the bark; which sap is carefully received in proper
vessels.

I could never find any ginseng-root; yet I have reason to believe there
may be some in or near the hills, as the climate and situation have so
much affinity to the northern provinces of China, or Northwest Tartary,
as described to us by our missionaries.

We have very little knowledge of the medicinal herbs in this country,
though some of them have certainly great virtue. There are the
maiden-hair, the saxi-frage, and the sarsa