"I am just about starting for Lake St. John's on the Saguenay River,
and shall be absent about ten days. Upon my return I shall be ready to
return to Red River--say, about the 1st September.
"Hoping you have had a pleasant passage, believe me,
"Yours very truly,
"E. WATKIN, Esq., London.
"A. G. DALLAS.
"P.S.--I do not see how the Company can make anything out of placer
gold diggings in such a country. The miners must be encouraged, and
mining licences cannot be expected to do more than pay the cost of
collection, magistracy, police, &c. The surrender of all this territory
to the Crown, however, is a question to be dealt with by the Board. My
aim is to disabuse you of the idea that the Company can of itself turn
the territory to profit by sale of lands, mining rights, making roads,
telegraph, &c.
"A. G. D."
"MONTREAL,
"18_th August,_ 1863.
"MY DEAR MR. WATKIN,
"I left New York the evening of the day I parted from you, and reached
this place on the Saturday night, _via_ Boston and Portland, quite
done up, having travelled two nights without undressing. The crowds
were such as they were on the Hudson, and my mind often reverted to the
good things I left at the door of the steward's pantry in the 'Scotia,'
"Brydges is not yet back from Quebec, and Hopkins and I start to-morrow
for the Saguenay and St.
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