To the amazement of everyone, he himself visited the colony and met its inhabitants. He spoke of the state of families and gave an account of their land, goods and animals. No doubt he will shortly be able to support his claims on behalf of Canada with precise information.

Monsieur Talon provided us, first of all, with information that will interest our readers. Also, because he visited the governments in Trois-Rivières, Montreal and Quebec, he counted a total of 3,215 inhabitants of French origin. The number of male persons amounts to 2,034 and that of female persons to 1,181. The number of families enumerated is 528.

Illustration: L.R. Bachelor, National Archives of Canada.

The most densely populated towns and regions are shown in the following table:

The trades now represented in New France are another important element shown in this census:

butchers 7 bakers 11 townsmen 16 carpenter 36 surgeons 5 shoemakers 20 enlisted men 401 bailiffs 4 printers 1 teachers 3

masons 32 merchants 18 joiners 27 millers 9 notaries 3 pastrycooks 5 locksmiths 3 tailors 30 coopers 8