The following abstract from the assessment rolls will show the rate of increase and improvement in the district :

Number of Common Schools in operation in the District-Bathurst, twelve ; Beckwith, nine; Burgess, two; Dalhousie, six; Darling, two; Drummond, sixteen; North Elmsley, eight; Horton, three; Lanark, twelve; Montague, nine; McNab, seven; Pakenham, four; Ramsay, twelve; North Sherbrooke, one; Bagot, two; Bromley, two; Pembroke, one; Westmeath, two. Total 110.

ВАУНАМ.

A Township in the London District: is bounded on the east by the townships of Houghton and Middleton; on the north by Dereham; on the west by Malahide; and on the south by Lake Erie. In Bayham, 40,192 acres are taken up, 7,907 of which are under cultivation. Big Otter Creek enters the township near its north-east corner, runs south-west to its western border, where it enters the township of Malahide, makes a semicircular bend, and re-enters the township of Bayham, and runs a south-east course till it reaches Lake Erie. This is one of the finest mill streams in Canada, and there is a large quantity of fine pine on its banks. The village of Richmond is situated in Bayham, on Talbot Street. There are three grist and twenty-five saw mills in the township. Population in 1842, 2,250.

Ratable property in the township, 34,591.

BAYFIELD.

A Village on Lake Huron, at the entrance of the River Bayfield, twelve miles below Goderich. It was laid out in 1834, by the Baron de Tuylle, who purchased the land of the Canada Company. The banks of the river and lake are here about sixty or seventy feet high. Bayfield has two taverns.

Population about 150.

12

BAYFIELD RIVER.

Takes its rise in the great swamp north of the Huron Tract, runs through the townships of McKillop and Tuckersmith, divides the townships of Goderich and Stanley, and enters Lake Huron twelve miles below Goderich, at the village of Bayfield.

BEACHVILLE.

A Village in the township of West Oxford, situated on the east branch of the River Thames, 5 miles west from Woodstock, on the plank road. It contains nearly 300 inhabitants. Churches and chapels, three: viz. Episcopal, Catholic and Methodist.

Post Office, post every day.

Professions and Trades.-One grist mill, two saw ditto, carding machine and fulling mill, distillery, two stores, two taverns, one fanning mill maker. one chair factory, two tanneries, one cabinet maker, two waggon makers, two shoemakers, two blacksmiths and two tailors.

BEAMSVILLE.

A Village in the township of Clinton, situated on the St. Catharine's road, twenty-two miles from Hamilton. Much has been written respecting a spring in the neighbourhood, which is said to freeze over during the hottest part of the summer, and to thaw in the winter. When in the neighbourhood during the last winter, I was unable to visit the spot, but I was informed by a gentleman living at Beamsville (and who I believe to be good authority), that he had visited the place frequently, and that there was in reality no spring whatever there. He stated, that the supposed spring was situated in a cave, in the side of the mountain, the bottom of which is about four feet below the level of the ground; that the only water in the cave is that deposited by continual drippings from the roof above; that he has frequently visited the cave in summer, and has on such occasions dug lumps of ice out of the crevices in the rocks which form the floor of the cave. That he has on all such visits found the bottom of the cave thickly covered with dead leaves (which must have been blown in), and which he has had to remove before getting at the ice; and he supposes the ice to be formed during the winter, and preserved through the summer, as in an ice-house. But he has never visited the place during the winter, to ascertain the fact, nor does he know any one who has. This, however, seems a rational explanation of a circumstance that at first view would appear rather a singular phenomenon. The cave is about two miles east from the village, and about three-quarters of a mile from the road. There are three churches and chapels in the village, viz. Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist. Population about 250. Post office, post every day.

Professions and Trades.-One physician and surgeon, four general stores, two hardware ditto, two taverns, two foundries, one of which has a steam engine, one bookseller and druggist, one tannery, one chair maker, one baker, one saddler, two blacksmiths, one cabinet maker, two tailors, two shoemakers, three waggon makers.

BEAR CREEK,

Or River Sydenham: is divided into two branches. The east, or principal branch, takes its rise in the township of Lobo or London, runs through the south east of Adelaide, the north-west of Mosa, enters Zone near its north-east corner, and leaves it near the south-west corner; after which it runs nearly due west, through the townships of Dawn and Sombra, till it reaches the Chenail Ecarté, or Sny Carte," as it is commonly called, a branch of the River St. Clair. The north branch takes its rise in the township of Warwick, and runs southwest across the township of Enniskillen, and to about the centre of the township of Sombra, where it makes a bend, and runs due south till it reaches the east

66

branch, the two forming what is called the "Forks of Bear Creek, which is about nine miles from the River St. Clair. Some of the best land in Canada is situated in the townships bordering on the river. After getting a few miles above the forks, the land becomes rolling, and heavily timbered, and the banks higher; but below the forks there is a considerable extent of marsh and prairie, which although useful enough for grazing cattle, is too liable to produce ague to make it a fit neighbourhood to settle in, particularly for European emigrants. Both branches are navigable for large vessels: the east branch about nine miles, and the north about five miles above the forks, the water ranging in depth from ten to twenty five feet. At the forks is a hole about forty feet in depth.

BEAVERTON.

A Village in the township of Thorah, on the bank of Lake Simcoe, contains about half a dozen houses. The steamboat "Beaver" touches here, but cannot approach the shore, the water on the bank being too shallow.

Post Office, post twice a-week.

BECKWITH.

A Township in the Bathurst District; is bounded on the north-east by the township of Goulburn; on the north-west by Ramsay; on the south-west by Drummond; and on the south-east by Montague. In Beckwith, 36,671 acres are taken up, 8131 of which are under cultivation. The Mississippi lake fills up a large portion of the west corner of the township. Just above the lake on the Mississippi river, is a village, called Carleton Place; and in the south-east of the township is a village, called Franktown. In the south-west of the township are fine white freestone quarries. In Beckwith, 6100 acres of Crown lands are for sale. There are one grist mill, one saw do., and two distilleries in the township.

Population in 1842, 1898.

Ratable property in the township, £25,419.

BEDFORD.

A Township in the Midland District; is bounded on the east by South Sherbrooke, and North and South Crosby; on the north by Oso; on the west by Hinchinbrooke; and on the south by Loughborough and Pittsburg. In Bedford, 8990 acres are taken up, 1389 of which are under cultivation. A lake in the north-east of the township, is called Wolf Lake; and a number of lakes, varying in size, most of which are connected together by means of small streams, are scattered over the south of the township. Bedford is but little settled, much of the land being of poor quality; the timber principally pine. There are four saw mills in the township. Eight thousand acres of Crown lands are open for sale in Bedford, at 8s. currency, per acre.

Population, 552.

Ratable property in the township, £4626.

BELLAMY, OR NORTH AUGUSTA.

A Village situated in the east of the township of North Augusta; it contains about fifty inhabitants, one store, two taverns, one ashery, one tannery, one blacksmith.

BELLE RIVER.

Takes it rise in Gosfield, and forms the dividing boundary of the townships of Maidstone and Rochester, running in nearly a straight line from south to north. It is several feet deep for some miles before entering the lake.

BELLE POINT.

A small point of land, in the south-west corner of Mersea, jutting out into Lake Erie.

BELLEVILLE.

The District Town of the Victoria District, is situated in the south-west corner of the township of Thurlow, on the Bay of Quinté, 50 miles west from Kingston, It is a bustling, thriving little town, and a place of considerable business. The greater portion of the town lies rather low; but it possesses many good buildings. It was incorporated in 1835, and now contains 2040 inhabitants. The jail and court house is a handsome stone building, and is erected on a rising ground in the rear of the town. There are seven churches and chapels, viz., Episcopal (brick), Catholic (stone), two Presbyterian, three Methodist, (one of which is of brick).

The Kingston and Toronto stages pass through the town daily; and, during the season, a steamboat calls daily, on its passage to and from Trent and Kingston. These boats stay every night at Picton.

Two weekly newspapers are published here, the "Belleville Intelligencer," and "Victoria Chronicle." There is a fire company, with two engines, and a hook and ladder company.

Post Office, post every day.

The following Government and District offices are kept in Belleville :- Judge of District Court, Sheriff, Clerk of Peace, Treasurer, Registrar of County of Hastings, Inspector of Licenses, Crown Lands' Agent, Collector of Customs, Inspector of Potash, District Clerk, Clerk of District Court.

Professions and Trades.-Five physicians and surgeons, seven lawyers, two grist mills, one steam saw mill, three water do., three cloth factories, one paper mill, one planing machine, three foundries, two breweries, three tanneries, one ashery, one soap and candle factory, one pail factory, two axe factories, eighteen dry goods stores, fourteen groceries, seventeen taverns, two surveyors, two auctioneers, one chair factory, three chemists and druggists, two booksellers, two printers, five saddlers, three watchmakers, four waggon makers, two livery stables, one furrier, six painters, four hatters, twenty-one tailors, twenty-two shoemakers, eight blacksmiths, one gunsmith, four tinsmiths, six cabinet makers, two confectioners, two barbers. Bank agencies," Montreal," and "Commercial." Principal tavern, " Munro's."

In consequence of the short-sighted policy of some of the merchants in Beffeville, who refused to allow any account of the produce shipped from the place to be published, on the plea, that the exports were so large, that the publication of their amount would immediately cause the town to be inundated with fresh stores, to the loss of the merchants already established there, I am unable to give any list of exports from Belleville, with the exception of potash, the returns of which I obtained from the inspector.

Quantity of Potash shipped from Belleville, during the year 1844......2711 brls.
Stage fare to Kingston
Do.

to Cobourg......

BELMONT.

£0 10 0
0 12 6

A Township in the Colborne District; is bounded on the east by the township of Marmora ; on the north by Methuen, on the west by Dummer; and on the south by Seymour. In Belmont, 2670 acres are taken up, 365 of which are under cultivation. This is a poor township, and much of it unfit for cultivation, being rocky. A large lake, with its branches, occupies a considerable portion of the centre and east of the township. In Belmont, 4837 acres of Crown lands are open for sale at 8s. currency, per acre.

A Township in the Wellington District; is bounded on the east by the township of Glenelg ; on the north by Sullivan; on the west by wild land; and on

the south by Normanby. This township has only lately been surveyed and laid out, and no return has yet been made from it.

BERLIN.

A Village in the township of Waterloo, nine miles from Galt; contains about 400 inhabitants, who are principally Germans. A newspaper is printed here, called the "German Canadian ; and there is a Lutheran meeting-house. Post Office, post twice a-week.

Professions and Trades.-One physician and surgeon, one lawyer, three stores, one brewery, one printing office, two taverns, one pump maker, two blacksmiths.

BERTIE.

A Township in the Niagara District; is bounded on the east and north-east by the Niagara river; on the north by the township of Willoughby; on the west by Humberstone; and on the south by Lake Erie. In Bertie, 33,320 acres

are taken up. 12,498 of which are under cultivation. This is an old-settled township. The village of Waterloo, and Fort Erie, are situated in Bertie, on the Niagara river; and there are two grist and seven saw mills in the township. Population in 1841, 2318, who are principally Pennsylvanian Dutch, and their descendants.

Ratable property in the township, £36,066.

BEVERLY.

A Village situated in the south-west corner of the township of Bastard; contains about sixty inhabitants, grist and saw mill, and carding machine, one store,

one tavern.

BEVERLY.

A Township in the Gore District; is bounded on the north-east by the township of Flamboro; on the north by Puslinch; on the west by Dumfries; and on the south by Ancaster. In Beverly, 52,159 acres are taken up, 16,332 of which are under cultivation. This is a well settled township, possessing fine farms. The land varies in quality, some parts being heavy, with hardwood timber, and others light soil, with pine timber. There are two or three excellent mill streams in the township, on which are one grist and eleven saw mills. Population in 1841, 2684.

Ratable property in the township, £67,488.

BEXLEY. (See FENELON.)

BIDDULPH.

A Township in the Huron District; is bounded on the north and north-east by Usborn and Blanshard; on the west by Stephen and McGillivray; and on the south-east by London. Biddulph is laid out in the form of a triangle. A branch of the Sable river runs through the township. Biddulph contains 40,748 acres, 23,308 of which are leased or sold; of which 1740 acres are under cultivation. Population, 1009.

Ratable property in the township, £8354. 12s.

BIG ISLAND.-(See SOPHIASBURGH.)

BINBROOK.

A Township in the Niagara District; is bounded on the east by the township of Caistor; on the north by Saltfleet; on the west by Glanford; and on the south by Seneca. In Binbrook, 17,477 acres are taken up, 6357 of which are under cultivation. This is a small, well-settled township. The Welland river runs through the south of it. There are three saw mills in the township. Population in 1841, 712.

Ratable property in the township, £23,279.