narrow gut called
Jemseg, which is about thirty rods wide and very deep. The country on
the Western side of this lake is in many places low and marshy, having
the French and Maquapit lakes in its neighborhood which are settled in
places. The country in the vicinity of the Grand Lake abounds with
coal, which is found of a good quality, particularly at a creek called
New-Castle, where large quantities have been dug. A stratum is
generally found near the surface of the earth: the first layer of coal
being about eighteen inches in depth, and they are found to improve in
quality in proportion to the depth of the veins. The layers are nearly
horizontal, and are probably a continuation of the strata found at Cape
Breton, which has been ascertained to proceed in a Southwestern
direction from that island, to Nova-Scotia and New-Brunswick. The Grand
Lake is well settled, and has a resident Minister belonging to the
Established Church. It has likewise a Methodist Chapel; but no stated
minister of that denomination.

Another large lake called Washademoak, lies a little below the Jemseg,
and is separated from the Grand Lake by a range of highland. This lake
is from twenty-four to thirty miles long, and from two to three miles
wide. A stream falls into this lake, called the Washademoak river,
which rises near the bend of the Peticodiac. It has a settlement along
its banks, called New-Canaan. There is a mixture of intervals and
upland along this settlement, well covered with timber of various
kinds. The Washademoak lake is well settled, and empties into the St.
John, opposite Long Island.

The Parishes on the western side of the river are Gagetown and
Hampstead. Gagetown is regularly laid out, and is the county town. It
has a handsome Church, with a settled Pastor; a Court-House and Gaol,
with several fine private buildings. As was observed before, several
fine Islands lie in this county, one of them, named Long Island, is six
miles in length and well improved. It has a neat Church, in which
divine service is occasionally performed. It has likewise a tavern,
with as good accommodations and as well kept as any in the country. The
streams in this county on the western side of the river, have nothing
peculiar to merit a particular description. Gagetown Creek runs past
the Township of that name, and facilitates the navigation of that part
of the country, and the Ocnabog is the tunnel through which the waters
of a small lake of that nam