The principal towns on the St. John are, Woodstock, French Village, Frederickton, and St. John. The first of these is one hundred and fifty miles from the mouth, and though a ragged, yet an interesting village. So far as its natural productions are concerned, I am disposed to compliment this Province in the highest terms; but I must say that the ignorance, idleness, and gouging character of its common people, have made me quite willing to take my departure therefrom. The expenses of travelling are enormous, and so also are all the little incidentals which go to make a man comfortable.
The stage-route from the Grand Falls to St. John passes through Woodstock, but the distance from this place to the American town of Houlton, is ten miles, and in this direction there is also an established stage-route to Bangor.
The next place on the St. John, of any note, is French Village. It usually contains a thousand souls—most of them Indians. They live in frame and log-houses, and though they pretend to do some farming, they are chiefly engaged in hunting and fishing. They are a good-looking race, speak English fluently, and are the followers of a Catholic priest, who lives among them, and officiates in a small chapel, which was built by the Jesuits at an early day. This society is said to be one of the most wealthy in the Province. The chief of the village is one Louis Beir. He lives in a very comfortable, and well-furnished house, is rather a handsome man, dresses in a half-savage manner, and while he offers his visitor a comfortable chair, he invariably seats himself upon the floor in true Indian fashion.
Frederickton is at the head of steam-boat navigation, and distant from St. John eighty miles. Between these two places there runs a morning and evening boat, and the summer travel is very extensive. Frederickton contains about eight thousand inhabitants, composed principally, of Irish, Scotch, and English. It contains three principal streets, running north and south, and some half-dozen handsome public buildings, including an Episcopal church, after the Tuscan order, a Court House and a College. The town is situated on a level plain, and its suburbs are made exceedingly beautiful by the number of rural residences which attract the eye in every direction. The elm and poplar both seem to flourish here, and add much to the picturesqueness of the place and vicinity. The business of Frederickton is only of a second-rate character, and it has become what it is, merely from the fact that it has heretofore been the seat of Government. This fact has also had a tendency to collect a good society in the place, and its “ton,” though in a small way have been disposed to cut quite a dash. The “mother Parliament,” I believe, have recently removed the seat of government to St. John, and the lovers of Frederickton are sorry, and a little angry.