Percé Village
Further west is some of the wildest hill scenery, with rocky gorges, and where foaming brooks may be seen cascading seawards in a series of minute waterfalls. A bold and rising series of hills marks the approach to the Gascon Capes, in the valleys of which the streams make sheer plunges down to the shore line with many a fall of picturesque beauty.
Just between Gascons and Port Daniel a branch of the Port Daniel River winds a devious course to the ocean. On one side a huge precipice rises, inaccessible and almost vertical. The river washes its base, while on the other side rolling hills and a more-shelving shore make it possible to walk near the river bed. Some of the headlands and caves are very striking. The minute beaches or sand-strips are covered at high tide, so that at such time it is impossible to obtain a view save from above, or from the tip of some further projecting rocky spur thrown out from the main cape.
Near Port Daniel may be observed a feature that is common on the north Chaleur shore, for the inrush of the tide has carved out lateral scoops in the sides of the inlets and bays, so that inwardly projecting horns make a good anchorage for boats and vessels where the sound of the breaking waves may plainly be heard coming from the outer sides. Sometimes a short distance of ten or twenty yards is all that separates the active sea from the quiet haven.
Some of the smaller streams have trees on opposite banks, meeting close and mingling their shade overhead for mile after mile. In many cases the only way to fish or view some pleasant water-course is to walk in the water—for the banks generally rise abruptly. It is only by the wider streams that gravel strips or edges of green sward give a dry foothold. The pretty brooks and streams between Grand River and Cascapedia have pure and sparkling water in their channels, and these, like the streams to the east, are bordered by perpendicular banks that are grass-grown and plentifully covered with a profusion of wild flowers.
Paspebiac, the inhabitants of which are called “Papsy-Jacks” by the English-speaking people hereabouts, with part of the village towards the shore, tree-embowered, presents a pleasing aspect with its group of vessels of good size lying in its clear waters. It stands on a gentle slope that runs down to the sea. Near here the railroad track runs very close to the brink of the cliff, so close that it will not be long before the inroads of the sea below will cause it to be moved in.
The Bonaventure is a river of fair size on which lumbering is done, as on all the important streams of the peninsula. Clean lumbering, such as the floating of logs, does not spoil these excellent fishing rivers. It is the sawdust and mill refuse that is harmful, and there is a strict provision against this and other forms of pollution throughout the whole of the Maritime Provinces.
In the neighborhood of New Richmond and the Grand and Little Cascapedia Rivers the hills are mountainous and beautiful, and a fine panorama of country is unfolded in proceeding west. The village of Cascapedia is delightfully situated; and the river takes a charming course through the finest of scenery, dividing into forks and making many a turn in its course.