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32X

THE

EMIGRANT'S NOTE BOOK

AMD

GUIDE;

WITH RBCOLLBCTIONf OV

UPPER AND LOWER CANADA,

DURING THE LATE WAR.

" The wiM toA active conquer difBcnlties
By dating to attempt tbein. Sloth and folly
Shiver and shrink, at sigh' cf toil and hazard,
And make the impossibiiities they fear."

BY LIEUTENANT J. C. MORGAN, H. P.

LATS SnoONO lATT. ft, H.

■kl

LONDON:

Published />r the Author,

BY LONGMAN. HUR8T, RBES, ORMB, AND BROWW.

1824.

■ T ii HU II II I

LONDON :

IHACICBtiL AMD ARR0W8MITH, JOHSSON'S-COCRT,
rLRBT-STRKRT.

yl-

«.ri,.

8TR GEORGE COCKBURN, M.P.

KNIGHT GRAND CROSS

0/ the Military Order of the Bath,

LORD COMMISSIONER OF THE ADMIRALTY,
VICE ADMIRAL OF THE BLUE,

MAJOR GENERAL OF MARINES,
cfec. ifec.

Sin,

In addressing one who has devoted
himself to his country, — and who ranks so
high in a serv,*;e, as conspicuous for its can-
dour as for its gallantry, — it would be an
insult to offer the language of flattery and
adulation : it would likewise ill accord with
my own feelings. Even were I here to
allude to particular actions, and attempt to
hold ihem up to the admiration of the world
— from my total inability to do justice to the

task — I should incur the charge of vanity
and presumption. Permit me^ therefore. Sir,
in the plain and simple language of truth,
to assure, you of my gratitude, and more
particularly, for being allowed to dedicate to

you this humble effort of my pen, With

every sentiment of respect,

i have the Honour to be,
Sir,
Vour most obedient, humble Servant,

J.C.MORGAN.

\ I

Sii^m

of vanity
efore. Sir,
i of truth,
and more
ledicate to
With

PREFACE.

>ervant,
ORGAN.

At the eommencement of the late
war with the United States of America,
the first and second battalions
of Royal Marines, under the com-
mand of lieutenant-colonels Sir Rich-
ard Williams, and Sir James Malcolm,
Knights Commanders of the Bath,
were recalled from the north of Spain,
and after being properly recruited
and equipped, were dispatched for
the coast of America, in the early part
of the year 1813.

i r

PREFACE.

The Islands of Bermuda was the
first point of rendezvous ; and here
we arrived on the 23d May, after a
passage of six weeks, in his Majesty's
ships Diadem, Diamede, Fox, Nemis-
ses. Success and Romulus, armed
en flute, and Mariner armed transport.
The events which occurred in the
voyage, were such as occur to other
people, similarly situated, and there-
fore need no particular description.

I shall consequently only observe,
that my companions were just such
as a man would wish to be embarked
with, for a long voyage, and to those
friends^ —

« Well pleased I turn'd
Regardless of the storms which raged without."

A brief sketch of the Bermudas
may, however, amuse the fire-side
traveller, who may peruse these
pages.

PREFACE.

VII

^as the
id here
after a
ajesty's
Nemis-
armed
insport.
[ in the

other

1 there-
ition.
bserve,
;t such
barked
those

rn'd
vithout."

mudas

re-side

these

This cluster of Islands, which the
Bermudians insist on being exactly
365 in number, contains not more
than 20,000 acres, generally very
light land, and of no extraordinary
fertility.

They are situated at a great
distance from any other island or
continent, in 32 N. latitude, and
63 W. longitude; 4,500 miles from
the Land's-end, Cornwall ; 3,500 from
Madeira, and 600 miles E. of Charles-
town, South Carolina.

They appear to have received their
first name from John Bermuda, a
Spaniard, who discovered them in
1552, aad were afterwards called the
Summer Islands, from Sir Geo. Sum-
mers, who was shipwrecked upon
them in 1609.

Finding them deserted by the
Spaniards, he took possession of

^ wjiiililSf

vai

PREFACE.

them, and they have ever since
remained in the hands of the English.
The inhabitants had formerly a
small traffic in vegetables, with the
West Indian Islands, likewise in a
particular description of hat, made
of the Palmetto tree, then generally
worn in warm climates. Cedar is at
present their principal staple com-
modity, and these trees they cultivate
with the greatest care and attention ;
their property and consequence being
generally estimated by the number
of slaves and cedars they possess.

These two commodities likewise
constitute their children's fortunes.

With the latter, the Bermudians
build their far-famed, fast sailing
schooners, with which they drive a
considerable trade between North
America, and the West Indies.

During the late war, Bermuda was

PREFACE.

one of the principal rendezvous for
the English Fleet, in that quarter of
the world,although the passage to the
anchorage, through a long reef of
rocks, is one of peculiar danger in
bad weather.

Tobacco and arrow root are like*
wise cultivated in these islands,
which, from cheir numbers, afford
numerous harbours and bays, for
small craft, in all directions through
the plantations.

Here the cedar, the palmetto, the
wild thyme, tamarind, cocoa nut, and
bahama trees, with various others,
decorate the vallies, whilst a thousand
variegated shrubs and flowers "dis-
pense native perfumes," making the
imagination almost fancy itself in
fairy land.

The most remarkable of the fea-
thered creation are i3ne Tropic Wue

1 i

J J!

* PREFACE.

and red birds, or Virginian Nightin-
gales, of beautiful plumage, but
whose notes are far inferior to those
of the English Thrush. Likewise
the little Humming Bird, of exquisite
beauty, whose beak is nearly the length
of his body, and whose whole frame
is very little larger than a Queen Bee.

The domesticated part of the fea-
thered tribe are, however, not so se-
cure from harm as those who roam
free and unconfined ; such mcredible
swarms of rats harbour in the cre-
vices of the rock~, as renders the
greatest care necessary, to prevent
every unfortunate fowl from Ipeing
carried off by these p Idnight ma-
rauders.

The principal Islands are Ireland,
where there is a naval depot and
dock-yard, St. George's, St. David's:,
Somerset, Long, Bird, Cooper, and

PREFACE.

ma-

Nonsuch. The capital town is St.
George's, which contains about 2,000
houses, and is defended by several
forts.

Provisions were exorbitantly high
in the Bermudas during the war, and
in this respect it was a wretched
quarter ; for above all the natural
beauties of a country, in a time of
scarcity —

" There is a pleasurt in a good sirloin
Wliicli starvelings only know."

In the midst of this general priva-
tion of eatables, however, I remem-
ber drinking some very fair claret, at
3s. the bottle.

The village of Hamilton is finely

situated on the shelving shore of an

extensive bay ; and about two miles

from this place, " The army of the

nBoast !" was encamped and organized.

'**"("*<*lp

j PM 'i' "

PREFACE.

1^-

The two flank companies, with one
wing of the 102d regiment, and the
second battalion royal marines, formed
the first brigade under the command
erf Lieut. Colonel Napier. The second
brigade consisted of the first battalion
royal marines, and a detachment of
'foreign light infantry— this was com-
manded by Lieut. Colonel Sir Richard
Williams, and each brigade had a
company of royal marine artillery
attached to it, under Captains Park
and Parry.

The whole force, amounting to
about 2,400 men (subject to the di-
rections of Admirals Sir John War-
ren and Sir George Cockburn), was
placed under the command of Major
General Sir Sydney Beckwith, an
officer of experience in the Peninsula,
and who had with Lieut. Colonel
Napier particularly distinguished him-

S .-■

PREFACE.

Xlll

self in the battle onihe heights above
Corunna, where the latter, (then
Major of the 50th) was dangerously
wounded. His life was however hap-
pily spared to his country and his
friends, thn)ugh the humanity of a
French drummer, who finding him
on the field bleeding and senseless, '
bound up his wounds, and carried him
to Marshal Soult, Duke of Dalmatia,
who, I have understood, presented
him with a medal for his conduct.

I am anxious to believe the facts
were so, because such actions do
honor to the country, and to the pro-
fession of the individuals who per-
form them, to whatever nation they
may belong. God forbid that it
should be supposed by any of us,
that British soldiers and sailors are
alone capable of performing great
and honorable actions, or that I

XIV

IIS II ' ."Hilt..iM'- M

PREFACE.

■ i

should refuse my humble offering of
praise and admiration, to a humane
and gallant enemy, for such actions
as these.*

Of Lieut. Colonels Williams and
Malcolm I shall here say but little —
to do them justice would from me
appear like flattery, and an attempt
to do less is not in my nature. In-
deed no panegyric is necessary —
the General Orders and Public Dis-
patches of their Commanding Officers,
and the especial mark of their So-
vereign's approbation, in conferring
upon them the Star of the Military

* When Sir John Moore was informed that the
50th regiment, under Majors Napier and Star.hope,
had expended all their ammunition, his reply was,
" The 50th have their bayonets," and on seeing ihe
admirable way in which they immediately after-
wards made use of them, he exclaimed in a pa-
roxysm of delight, " Well done the 50tli — well
done my Majors."

PREFACE.

Order of the Bath, afford ample
proofs of their meritorious services.

Such was the " army of the coast,"
and such were the principal officers
by whom it was commanded.

It is not my intention to enter into
a detail of our operations in Mary-
land, Virginia, and Carolina, because
there were no fighting matches of
sufficient importance to interest the
general reader. Any thing like a
description of an action, since the
battle of Waterloo, would be non-
sense, and those who have read over
and over again, the history of the
18th June, 1815, until their eyes ache,
would think any thing less than
20,000 men and 20,000 horses put
hors de combat, a mere bagatelle.

Now, as our whole army would
scarcely, I suppose in their idea,
have been more than a breakfast fur

wi i' i p i iL." ...JiliL.

tffS^"'^

r < « mm

XVI

PREFACE.

I li

i I

- )

the Cuirasseurs, I shall merely state,
that we were employed from June
until the middle of September in
landing, up to our necks, on the Ame-
rican coast, and in embarking again
in the- same comfortable manner.
During one of these excursions, I re-
member well being very nearly taken
prisoner, and that having as great an
aversion to this as ever Mr. Shandy,
senior, had to ** saps, mines, blinds,
gabions, palisadoes, ravelins, half
moons, dnd such trumpery," I con-
trived to escape.

By our attacks upon Norfolk,
Hampton, Queenstown, Occacock,
&c. &c., the American Government
was obliged to keep several thousand
men moving in double quick time, up
and down their own coast, from the
Delaware to Cape Hatteras, a dis-
tance oV several hundred miles, who

PREFACE.

X\U

would Otherwise have been on the
frontier of Canada.

in September, as was before ob-
served, we left the North Coast of the
United States, and many will remem-
ber with considerable interest the
events of the three preceding months
—many will not be able to do so, from
very evident causes.

After remaining a short time at
Halifax, the two battalions of Marines
with the Artillery, received orders to
embark for Quebec, where they ar-
rived in October, and were afterwards
employed in the defence of Upper
and Lower Canada until the conclu-
sion of the war.

How tbey conducted themselves
during this time will be best seen by
the following extract from a General
Order, issued by the Commander in
Chief and Governor General, on the

XVlll

PREFACE.

' f'

breaking up of the first battalion, for
the service of the Lakes. —

" The Commander of the Forces
in complying with the orders of Go-
vernment, in this disposal of the bat-
talion of Royal Marines, considers it
an act of justice to that valuable and
respectable corps to declare his entire
approbation of the correct and steady
discipline that has uniformly characte-
rized the Royal Marines, since their
arrival in Canada.

" The first battalion, under Lieut.
Colonel Williams, in the exact and
diligent discharge of the duties as-
signed to it, in the occupation of the
most critical and important position
on the frontier, has evinced, in a man-
ner highly honorable to the corps, the
talent and judgment of the Com-
mander, the intelligence and vigilance

PREFACE.

XIX

of the Officers, and the tried fidelity
and discipline of the corps.

" The second battalion, under
Lieut. Colonel Malcolm, afforded an
opportunity of manifesting its gallan-
try, and devotion to the service, in the
assault of the Fort of Oswego," &c.
By this General Order, Sir R.
Williams and Major Mortimer, with
the Staff of the first battalion, were
directed to proceed to Halifax, to
which place Sir J. Malcolm and
Major Stirling, with the Staff of the
second, had been previously ordered.
They were all afterwards engaged in
the attack upon Washington and
Baltimore, as will be seen by refer-
ence to the Public Dispatches of
Admiral Sir George Cockburn, and
Major General Ross.
Having remained in Canada with

PflEFACE.

the detachments of the first and se-
cond battalions, commanded by Major
Dougal Stuart Dalzell, and Major
George Peebles,* I had various op-
portunities of becoming acquainted
with the two provinces; and to the time
thus passed, I now look back with an
extraordinary feeling of interest.

In the hey-day of life, when our
actions are actuated by the warmer
and kindlier influences of our nature,
many things occur which make a
lasting impression upon the mind.
Before the wisdom of the world has
made us acquainted, and assimi-
lated u s in a lesser or greater degree,

• The first of these officers was severely wounded
at the battle of Alexandria— the latter (Major
George Peebles) when a Lieutenant, commanded
the Marines at the storming of Fort Amstei-dam in
the Island of Curuaso, and for his conduct on that
occasion he was promoted to the brevet rank of
Captain in the Army.

PREFACE.

xxi

with the tricks and chicanery of
mankind, we breathe as it were in a
peculiar world of our own, and it is
then, that the prominent character of
our nature is displayed.

When the fire of our youth becomes
damped by the influence of time or
early misfortune, we become mere
creatures of habit, and remain so
until the last hour of our existence •
but, although the fire and animation
of our youth may have died away,
the warmth of its early impressions
and recollections still remain the
same in our hearts.

" Time but the impression stronger makes.
As streams their channels deeper wear."

Actuated by these feelings and sen-
timents, in the Autumn of last year I
again embarked for Canada, intend-

mimm

xxu

PREFACE.

ing to settle with my family on the
tract of land to which I am entitled
by the Government regulation. A
succession of bad weather in the
Channel, however, occasioned our
being nearly as long between Graves-
end and Portsmouth as is often occu-
pied in the whole passage to Quebec,
and this, with other circumstances,
obliged me to leave the ship, and give
up my projected emigration until the
ensuing season.

Those who have experienced simi-
lar disappointments, will readily ima-
crine with what reluctance I gave up
the hope of proceeding, after havmg
made all my arrangements.

In order to relieve myself from the
ennui occasioned by this delay, I hnve
since occupied my time in prep?> H ^
the following pages for the press.

PREFACE.

xxiii

Whilst in America I kept a rough
note book of dates, distances, and
events, &c. &c., this has enabled me
to effett my object with greater faci-
lity, and I trust the Work with the
Map, will be found useful to the
emigrant, and not uninteresting to
the general reader.

For any defects of the head which
the critic may observe, I make no
apology, because apology is out of
the question, where the intention is
to do right. For any errors of the
heart no apology or excuse could
make amends.

I therefore give it to the Public
with all its faults, trusting, that there
is nothing in it that will either dis-
grace my Nature, my Profession, or
my Country.

'^'—--r

I's i

■f5

LETTER I.

'' Breathes there the man-with soul so dead,
Who never lo himself has said,

This is my own, my native land ;
Whose heart bath nti'er within him bum'd,
As home his footsteps he hath turn'd.

From wandering on a foreign strand.
If such there be— go mark him wefl."

Nature— all-powerful Nature — n
reigning in the hearts, and influence
ing the actions of all men— makes
them cling with affectionate regard
to the country where they first drew
the breath of life : it matters not
where that country may be, whether
under the torrid, or the frigid zone.

" I prefer/' said a French officer,
on returning from foreign service,
" my native fields to every other
place — not because they are more
beautiful, but because I was there
brought up — the spot on which we
past our infant days possesses a
secret charm, an inexpressible en-
chantment — no other on the face of
the earth can equal it."

Would the Indian, in his native
wilds, whilst exposed to the scorch-
ing heat of a summer sun, or the
cold and frosts of a North American
winter, sigh with regret, that he was
not across " the Great Lake," in the
countries ^hich he has heard, <mi«-
rolling in luxury and ease? Oh,
no ! The parching sun, the chilling
snow storms and the freezing blasts,
are all alike indifferent to him. He
hunts during the day with unwearied

perseverance, or on the borders of a
solitary stream,— patiently waits until
he obtains sufficient to supply the mo-
derate wants of nature. Contentedly
ignorant, and feeling no wish, or am-
bition for more than his hunting
grounds afford, he lays him down to
rest, beneath the wide-spread canopy
of Heaven, a stranger to all those in-
quietudes and miseries, which his
more refined and civilized fellow-
creatures are hourly subject to.

" We were born upon this spot,
our fathers are buried here , shall we
say to their bones, rise up, and go with
us to a strange land ?"--Such was the
observation of a Canadian Indian
Chief, to one who was pressing him
to leave his patrimony, and such will
be the feeling of every man. But,
alas ! " the race is not always for the
swift, or the battle for the strong,"

'-' !

and a variety of circumstances may
occur to make men, whose hearts
beat warm with affection for their
country and their kindred,—abandon
them for ever.

Misfortune, in various shapes,
treading close upon their heeis, in
spite of every mental and bodily
exertion, may ultimately succeed in
driving them from that station, which
they had endeavoured respectably to
maintain.— Indeed, " when I reflect
upon man ; and take a view of that
dark side of him, which represents
his life as open to so many causes of
trouble ; when I consider how oft we
eat the bread of affliction, and that
we are born to it, as to the portion
of our inheritance; when one runs
over the catalogue of all the cross
reckonings and sorrowful items with
which the heart of man is over-

charged ; it is wonderful by what
hidden resources the mind is enabled
to stand it out, and bear itself up, as
it does, against the impositions laid
upon our nature.*

Surely, surely then, it would be far
better for , him, who has struggled
in vain against the tide of adversity
in this country, to retire to some re-
mote corner of the earth, where he
can live dependant only upon the
Almighty and himself, than to
breathe a sort of second-hand exist-
ence, in the very source of painful
recollections, and where he would
most probably see his children grow-
ing up around him totally unprovided
for.

To such a man, and to others who
choose to emigrate, and who possess

* Sterne,

i«i

MMi

firm and patient minds, and are of
persevering and industrious habits;
an emigration to either of the British
Colonies in North America, presents
many advantages.

He will find that the difiiculties of
settling in a new country, will only
prove an incitement to labour, whilst
the hope of future ease and enjoys
ment, daily more and more cherished
by increased sources of happinesis, will
act as a stimulant to unwearied exer-
tion. And finally, through the bless-
ings of a beneficent Providence, on
whom every thing around teaches him
to look with greater veneration, his
laudable efforts will be crowned with
well-deserved success.

It is, however, lamentable to re-
flect on the delusive hopes and
chimerical ideas, entertained by the
far greater proportion of emigrants.

Daily observation, and their own let-
ters sufficiently show, that of the many
thousands who annually leave Great
Britain and Ireland for Canada and
other countries ; very few, compara-
tively speaking, form any thing like
even a common rational idea of the
country to which they are going, or
of the difficulties they have to en-
counter.

The voyage they admit is disagree-
able, and perhaps dangerous, — but
what then? When they arrive at
this " Land of Promise," this Land
** flowing with milk and honey," they
imagine they are to sit themselves
down where they please, and to be
fed, nobody knows how — perhaps, by
the birds of the air ; who, as well as
the beasts of the forest, are to be
placed by nobody knows who, en-
tirely at their disposal.

I ,1

All alike,— youn^ and old,— inva-
lids, and those in perfect health, fancy
that a change of climate and country
are alone necessary to enable them to
realize all those gay dreams of com-
fort and happiness, which they have
fondly pictured to themselves.

But the man who seriously thinks of
emigrating, should strictly examine
his own charater, and if he has sense
enough to form an opinion on the sub-
ject, and should be conscious of any
feebleness of mind or body, let him
give up all idea of it ; for he may rest
fully assured, that unless he possesses
a large capital, he never can succeed.
The incurable slave to expensive
habits, would be equally unfortunate ;
the simple economy necessary for
such an undertaking, and the se-
cluded life of a settler, would make
him weary of his existence ; his lands

I f

would be thrown up in despair, and
inevitable ruin would be the result.

It is not such as these that are
wanted in an infant colony, or who
can ever, with the least chance of
success, hope to succeed as settlers.
But time and industry must and will
provide amply for the enterprizing,
and those really suited for such an
undertaking, — should they escape
those heavy afflictions to which we are
all subject in every part of the world,
and which it is totally out of our
power to prevent.

B 3

.:(i

. ;l

i :<

LETTER II.

" It is a long lane that has no turning."

Old Proverb.

New South Wales, the Cape of
Good Hope, the British Provinces in
North America, and the United States,
being the countries which have re-
ceived the greatest accession of
strength from emigration since the
year 1815, we will pass them rapidly
before us in review, and endeavour to
glean some information from their pe-
culiar advantages and disadvantages.

We will commence with New
South Wales, and its sister colony

'^'IWMmwWW^*^*'* ' '^^^"^

■m^ r^

i t

» !i

k<.

]< > i

Van Diemen's Land, as the farthest
removed from our personal observa-
tion. First then, the climate of this
part of the .world is represented as
most fa#utable to the cultivation of
the soil ; and we read, that nature has
here with a liberal hand, spread
abroad for the advantage and admi-
ration of the emigrant, every blessing
that can either cheer his heart, or
please his imagination.

We will admit all this to be rea-
lity, and that for the agriculturalist
with a large capital, who can afford
to take with him from this country,
such servants as he may require in
his family, it presents many advan-
tages. It should, however, be borne
in mind by the generality of emi-
grants, that until the close of the
year 1822, the Commissariat stores
were almost constantly open to re-

If!

ceive supplies at a stated price for
the use of the convicts. This afforded
to the settler from the first formation
of the colony, to the period above-
mentioned, a safe, and certain market
for his cattle and corn.

The great advantages of this to
him, is so evident, that it w^ould be a
useless vv^aste of time to point them
out, — it therefore only remains for me
to remark, that the system of receiv-
ing supplies from persons indiscrimi-
nately is now discontinued, and that
the establishments are now furnished
by contract. Although the Govern-
ment is benefited by this measure, the
majority of the free population are left
in a great degree to the mercy of the
contractors, and the consequence is,
— every description of produce has
fallen in value at least fifteen per cent.
— I do not, however, mean to say but
that even subject to this deprecia-

-"^''• ^ ' mm'mmms ^'-

i A

tion— the prices pay him for his trou-
ble.

The permission given to erect distil-
leries, will, it is true, cause an extra-
ordinary consumption of grain, and
the increased export trade of the
Colony will afford another relief; but
these, I apprehend, cannot compensate
to the generality of emigrants for the
loss of a Government market, at all
times open to receive their pro-
duce.

2ndly,— Instead of leaving it op-
tional for the free settler to employ
any number of convicts he may re-
quire, and be able conveniently to
provide for; by a late regulation,
every person receiving a grant of land
from Government, is obliged to take
one convict for every 100 acres, and
these he is required to clothe and
support. To those who have ample
means at their disposal, such a regu-

,1.

.,1.

lation may not be a very serious dis-
advantage. They can so arrange as to
keep their own domestic servants taken
from this country immediately about
them, and the convicts employed, im-
proving the more distants parts of
their estates.- But to those, whose
capital will not allow them to take
working men from hence, the idea of
being surrounded even in the bosom
of their families, by convicts alone,
must be somewhat appalling.

Besides, the mind having constant-
ly before it the perpetrators of every
kind of atrocity, must become fami-
liarized with crime, and it is frightful
to reflect on the natural influence of
all this, upon the youth of both
sexes.

" The employment of men convicted
for forgery, as schoolmasters for the
children of settlers, cannot be contem-
plated without apprehension, but

— -»-»cS':

\ i.

i )

whether from habit of necessity, I
found these apprehensions, had sub-
sided even in quarters where they
might have been supposed most
strongly to prevail. Another , and
striking instance of the insensibility
to the consequences of such superin-
tendence, occurred in the enquiry that
took place before the magistrates at
Paramatta, into the conduct of Mr.

: upon that occasion, it appeared

that his eldest son, a youth of six-
teen years of age, was allowed to be
instructed by his convict clerk, in the
suspicious and dangerous art of imi-
tating the hand-writing of individuals.
This fact was stated without any he-
sitation or regret by his father to the
Magistrates, in the course of their en-
quiry into the authenticity of certain
returns that had been copied by the
son, and transmitted to Governor
Macquarrie. The statement fortu-

nately attracted the notice of Mr.
Justice Field, who did not allow it to
pass without a suitable rebuke.*"

From convict labour not much can
be expected, and the emigrant who
settles at a distance from a Govern-
ment station, will find enough to do
to keep such people in any kind of
subjection. Although he may be
willing himself to put a hand to the
plough, or the flail, he cannot be in
all places at once, and with such
drones forced into his hive, he may
ultimately see all his industrious ef-
forts, for the good of his family, frus-
trated.

In such a situation he cannot leave
his home to enjoy the sports of the
field without great personal danger,
either from the convicts or the abori-

* Commissioner Bigge's report.

I \

gines of the country. His mind must
be kept in constant anxiety for the
safety of his family. During his ab-
sence, theft and mur-^er m»y be com-
mitted, or revengfc maginary in-
juries may destroy all his hopes of
future comfort and happiness.

Even in the principal towns, no
man appears to be secure, if we may
judge by the report of Mr. Commis-
sioner Bigge to Lord Bathurst. He
says, when speaking of Hobart Town
in Van Diemen's Land. " It is un-
fortunate that at this settlement,
where there is abundance of stone to
be procured, so few stonemasons
should have been sent from Sydney,
and that bricks should have been so
much used in the construction of the
public buildings, as well as in those
of individuals. From the bad quality
of those generally made at Hobart

f? .'1 ^

Vii^

Town, it is found necessary to secure
them from the effect of sea air and
moisture by plaster ; and it has been
universally found that stone bmldings
afford a greater security against house-
breakers than those built qf brick"
And again, "A constable was attached
to my own residence in the town of
Sydney, although it had also the pro-
tection of a military sentinel towards
the street ; but it was not considered
sqfcy unless it was protected on both

StaeSt ': r- f r ' ,. .,' j

The annual police reports suflScient-
ly attest the necessity of these pre-
cautions ; but, if the King's Commis-
sioner requires a soldier, and a con-
stable to guard him in a garrison town,
the seat of Government, and where we
should suppose the police to be best
regulated, it may be very naturally
asked, what chance has the emigrant

l:i

in a distant part of the Colony, of
avoiding depredation and annoy-
ance ?

Every man whose heart is not to-
tally depraved or senseless, must in
some degree participate in the misery
or happiness of those around him. But
how much more susceptible of these
feelings must he be — who after bidding
farewell to his early connections, and
landing upon a distant shore, — finds
himself settled for the remainder of his
life, where, independent of all other
difficulties, he has seldom the satis-
faction of seeing any person, except-
ing those of his own family, on whom
he can place the least confidence
Desolate, indeed, must be his situa-
tion, for which no superiority of soil
or climate can sufficiently compensate.

The usual charge for the passage
of each person to New South Wales,

or Van Diemen's Land, is 75/. in the
cabin, and 35/. in the steerage, half
price being charged for children un-
der fourteen years of age, and about
21. per ton freight for goods, or any
considerable quantity of baggage.
The Guildford, Captain Johnson, an
able navigator and highly respectable
man, has run from England to Cape
Van Diemen in ninety days. This is,
however, a voyage by no means to be
calculated upon, and the emigrant
may think himself fortunate if he ar-
rives in four months, from the time
the ship gets clear of the channel.

*' The experience of many years
has now established the safety as
well as ease, with which the voyage
to New South Wales may be per-
formed. No ships have arrived in a
disabled state in consequence of dis-
asters at sea, and none have occurred

^»ta.un>«-

;;.^W'Wliifc

y ' ;

:. ■

in that part of the voyage where they
are most to be apprehended, viz : in
Bass's Straits. The principal causes
of delay have arisen in cases where
ships have attempted to keep too near
the west coast of Africa before
they have passed the Equator, or
when they have arrived on the wes-
tern coast of New South Wales in
the months of December, January
and February. In the first of these
events they have generally repaired
to the Island of St. Helena for a fresh
supply of water; and in the latter
some inconvenience has been sus-
tained from its exhaustion, and from
the delay in making a passage through
Bass's Straits against easterly winds,
or in rounding the south-west Cape
of Van Diemen's Land."*

Commissioner Bigge's report.

■■'p^ffilfe'.-*

•^;

Should the emigrant be a family
man, this part of the subject should
occupy his most serious reflection.
The inconvenience of a long sea
voyage to women and children, may
be evident to many, but the pain
and misery to which they will be sub-
ject, if invalids on board ship can
be only known by experience.
Should he see those for whom he is,
as it were, beginning life again, suf-
fering under a continuance of illness,
he will probably regret that he had
ever subjected them to it, instead
of deciding on some country nearer
home, which he might have reached
with half the expence, and without
half the inconvenience to himself or
his family.

The sum requisite for an emigration
to New South Wales or Van Diemen's
Land, together with the Government

f if

i
I

regulation, that no person shall pro-
ceed to those colonies, and receive a
grant of land unless he possesses 500/.
presents an insurmountable obstacle
to the poorer class of emigrant
farmers. In a few instances, how-
ever, it is possible for a man of good
character to ultimately overcome this
difficulty. Respectable parties occa-
sionally go out, who are willing to en-
o"age a steady farming man, who under-
stands his business ; and if he serves
them faithfully and diligently for the
term of years agreed upon, he may
obtain such a recommendation as will
—when aided by his own local know-
ledge of the country— obtain for him a
grant of land of greater value probably
than the one he might have had— if he
had gone out in the first instance with
money in his pocket.

In such a population, honest men

of every description must indeed be
valuable, and there can be no doubt
but that working men and mechanics
would more readily, and on terms
more advantageous,— find employ in
New South Wales and Van Diemen's
Land, than in either of the countries
above-mentioned.

To him, however, who has moved
in a more elevated station in life, who
after buffetting the storms of adversity
in this country is only anxious in
quietude and retirement to devote
himself to the welfare of his family,
and those serious reflections which
press more and more upon us, as we
approach the final period of our ex-
istence. New South Wales is not
the country, neither can it possibly be
for many years to come.

"m^^mmmmm

1} I

LETTER III,

Ride out, ride oat,

*rhe foe to scout.

Mount, mount for Branksome every man.

Lay of the Imt JUimtrel.

A FEW months previous to the emi-
grations to Algoa Bay, several letters
were addressed to the editor of one
of the daily journals on various sub-
jects, they were well written, but
the grand finale of them all was,
** Colonize the Cape."

For every complaint, whether pub-
lic or domestic, in church or state,
this was to prove the sovereign re-

medy, and the burthen of the song,
again and again, was " Colonize the

Cape."

Now, although the writer was no
doubt actuated by the best and
purest motives possible, in his endea-
vours to draw the attention of the
public to this land of the Hottentots ;
still it does not appear that in most
respects his predictions have been

verified.

The geographical situation of the
Cape of Gppd IJope with the East
lp4ies and New Sputh \V'ales, gives
it many yeyy import^int advantages,
^d no e^trapTdipary diseeri;ii:nent is
v?^pces5ary to perceive clearly, that
ffq^ this eircumstE^nce alone, the
colonies at the Cape, ii^ opppsition to
pvery ojist^ple, will contiiiue. to in-
^^e^e in wi^alth j^fid popuj^l^on.

^Igoa ^^y , kpwey er, 4oes , pot ap-

pear intended by natiire to tie the
entrep6t of a grieat cioloiiy. It is aii
open roadstead, ahd in blowing weU-
th&t ships can only remain at anchor,
Wheh thi^ wind is from one particiildi'
f^bint of the compass. In cages of
accident they have a run of 506
miles tb Tjtble Bay the nearest tjkce

Tlk gi^at I^ish Iitivi^i*, iiistead of
bfeiiig: liavigstble for rtlany riiile^ tip
tH^ douhti^y, has a bar at its etlti^fie^
ahd the colonists up its barife, hate;
iii cohfeequence, no ready outlet tb
thd s^a. These are serious disadvatii
tages, and such as cannbt be ov'ei--
coine for many years, particularly a§^
thiey have no inland water conlihuiii-
cation with Cape Town, the cajiital'
aiid seat of government.

It is triie that it is a country at pi^e-

•*•*-?! -^^ - .. «t| «<t Wr l>^..

sent, but little known ; and that
many situations may be found better
suited for settlers than Algoa Bay,
but the following objections may
alone be sufficient to deter many from
emigrating to the Cape of Good
Hope.

The colony is governed by the
Dutch laws, which existed previous
to its surrender to this country in
1806. These laws have not yet. been
sufficiently translated and distributed
to give the English residents a correct
idea of them. It is bad enough to
find ourselves in a strange land,
amongst a people speaking a language
we cannot understand; but to be
subject to laws so very opposite in
their bearings to those we have left
behind us, and to which we have
from our infancy been taught to look

^ -r

with admiration and respect, will
very probably produce a distaste for
every thing else.

Although the government of a coun-
try may be conducted in the most cor-
rect and admirable manner ; still, if it.
be in any shape military or despotic, it
is hostile to the feelings of Englishmen.
They see in power thus exercised,
danger in the distance ; but should it
merely prove a phantom of the imagi-
nation, it is surprising that even this
should not be sufficient to alarm those
of hardier mind and firmer purpose,
than the generality of emigrants.

It may be said that these objections
will eqjually well apply to Lower Ca-
nada; this, however, is not the fact.
It is true three-fourths of the inhabi-
tants of the Lower Province speak
French, but they enjoy that first of all

i^Hlrile^es, a triall by jury, with a legis-
lative doiincil and House of Assembly .

The colonies, at the C'apfe, ajipear
likewise liiafele tb floods arid' rains of
the most desttucitive kiiid, whilst the'
Caftres takliij^ advantage of th^ii' dis-
ti'eiss, often jiour down upon theiii m
hordes, aiid sweep awajr bl^foire th^rii
ail thfe cattle of a district.

tM following letter will sii(^
clekriy thfe sit'iiatibh they were ih at!
&aham*sfown, in Octobbf, 182S!

Graham* s Town, Cape qfChdd ttopi^
October ^1, 1823.

. ** A calamity of the most aiBlicting
nature, both in its detail and conse-
(luences, has just befallen this settle-
ment. A flood, the result of teii
days incessant rain, has desolated the
face of cultivation, and blasted all

33t

the prospects of industry (of a fetig
time to come. Indeed, so extetjsft^
is the rain, that it will be litterl^ im-
possible for the colonists W retrieV^e
thenfiselves, without assistance froyn
the country, and the adoption of the
most lenient and iiidulgent measures
of the colonial government.

" There is scarcely a habitation Ief£
tenable throughout the district of
Albany. The whole extent 6f til%e
in the district is more or less damaged,
highly cultivated enclosui^es have had
the whole of their upper soil swept
entirely from the surface, while the
force of the waters has left large
gulleys and chasms throughout them.
— Banks and fences of eveiy descrip-
tion are prostrate.— The gardens
planted on the banks of rivers for tb6
convenient access to water have uni-.
versally suffered- many are totally

c 3

«! *«iWMBilft»ewwi>Mp- ^j-.* |||||j||jj|».>

destroyed, and the fruit trees torn
up and carried away by the flood.

** In short, the whole occupied and
cultivated face of the district, pre-
sents a frightful picture of desolation
and defeated industry.

** In addition to this awful visitation
of Providence, the rust has again at-
tacked the corn, making our fourth
season of fruitless and abortive til-
lage, — whilst the CafFres in uninter-
rupted predatory incursions are gra-
dually withdrawing all the cattle from
the district, to the increased gloom
of that melancholy prospect of mi-
sery and privation before us."

' The assertions in this letter, as to
th^ distresses of the colony, have
been fully verified by other sources of
information; and I leave the reader
to draw his own inference from it.

:.L.

**■

Here, as in the United States of
America, the curse of slavery holds
in subjection thousands of the human
race.— Slavery !!1— that word, which
even to write, makes the heart turn
sick, and which,—to the indelible dis-
grace of our nature, gives to any ruf-
fian who has the means— the power
of purchasing the flesh and blood of
his fellow creature— here likewise
sheds its baneful curse upon the land
and upon its people; and Slave-
Slave,— is a word common in every
man's mouth !

The expences attending an emigra-
tion to the Cape of Good Hope, will
be about two-thirds of what is neces-
sary for New South Wales and Van
Diemen's Land. The length of the
voyage, about the same proportion of
time. If the emigrant has made up
his mind to proceed so far, probably

"•^■ ^ m mi*.mm -'

■ij

he had better attain consider the sub-
ject, and if he can make the neces-
sary arrangement, decide on going
on to one of those colonies. He will
there have far greater advantages, and
be equally free from annoyance.

It can make but little difference if
a man has his throat cut, or his house
fired ; whether it be done by a party
of CafFres, Indians, or runaway con-
victs ; excepting, perhaps, as the
latter may have had some previous
experience in such matters— they may
be able to accomplish their purpose
more expeditiously and effectively.

What are the first and principal
objects all emigrants hope to obtain
by leaving their native country ? — In-
dependence and comfort ; but how
can a man be independent, whose
property is at all times subject to the
inroads of a party of savages ? —and

■^-

what proportion of comfort can he
possibly enjoy, who cannot leave his
home unarmed at any hour he pleases,
or retire to rest, without a brace of
loaded pistols under his pillow ?

This sort of life may do very well
for the soldiers of disbanded regi-
ments, and half pay officers of every
service : it would keep alivo the re-
collection of old times, and a dra-
goon saddle, or a cartouch-box would
be considered as good a pillow as one
made of down.— A foray by moon-
light occasionally, or the sound of
the enemy's war whoop,— would lead
to a better acquaintance and more in-
timate connexion with his neighbour,
and inspire a greater zeal and deter-
mination to establish himself in op-
position to every obstacle.

This, however, is not what the
generality of emigrants require, and

^ LUrrrilirH-^^iKliH TL^'i&i'.rtTTtTJj .11

tmmmarmiw

altliough a man does not deserve
either house or land, or any con-
nexion in life, if he is afraid to defend
them in times' of need ; still, the less
he has occasion to show his valour in
this way, the better.

He will doubtless find himself much
happier where he can drive his team
afield, under the convoy of his dog
and his cow-skin whip, than in a coun-
try where even a long gun in the bow,
would be scarcely found protection
sufficient — for himself or his pro-
perty.

LETTER IV.

♦* The wise and active conquer difficuUieii,
By daringf to attempt them ; sloth and foil j
Shiver and shrink at sight of toil and hazard,
And make the impossibility they fear."

As a leader of emigrants, there are
few, if any, who can equal a Mr. Boon,
who explored Kentuckey in 1760.
" Since that period he has constantly
formed the advanced patrole of civili-
zation, as it is a maxim with him that
a country is too thickly peopled as
soon as he cannot fell a tree from the
forest into his own inclosure. He is
now on the Missouri."*

* Hall.

•"Vm.\^

Could this old Backwoodsman's
span of life be prolonged, he would
doubtless, in time, cut his way to
the Pacific Ocean, and not cry out
" Othello's occupation's gone," whilst
a stick remained standing on the
whole continent of North America.

He may, indeed, exclaim with
Csesor of old, " Veni, vidt, vici,'^ for
thousands and tens of thousands have
fallen beneath the power of his arm.

The character of this d^traordinary
man, reminds me of a passage in afi
application from a party of settlers in
kassachusett's Bay to the Virginia
Company, in the year 1617, where
they say, ** that they were well weah-
ed from the delicate milk of theif
mother country, and inured to the
difficulties of a strange land. That
they were knit together in a strict
and sacred bond, by virtue of which

"1 .

4i'

tSey UM tJi^mselyei bbund td tak^^
care of the good of each o^her, and'
of the whole, that it was not witM^
^^f^ as with other men, whom sinall
things could disebiil'age, or small dis-
contents cause to wish theniselVes"
Home again."

I shall now offer a feW general o' -
servations on Nova S6otia, H^M'
Brunswick and NfeWfdiihakhd;^ wiih'
a word or tWo about th^t fet^ of dll"
lands of promise, Poyais, whM al-
though last, is libt l^a^f ill the eistima-
tion of sonie people.

The territory of t'A:rcadie, a^ [^
was called by the French, fbfiherty
extended a distance of 300 l^a^iids^
in length from New England to th^
Gulph of St. Lawrence, and bafck to
the province of Lower Caiiada and
the American States; but this range
of territory has been, since its "pos-

session by the English, divided into
two separate governments. Nova Sco-
tia and New Brunswick.

Jacques Cartier, the French navi-
gator, having in 1535, explored and
surveyed the Gulph of St. Lawrence
and the whole of this coast, conveyed
the first correct idea to his native
country of Canada, and the advan-
tages of a trade with the natives of
all thiit part of the continent of North
America.

There does not appear to have been
any permanent settlements establish-
ed in either of these countries, until
the year 1604, when a squadron was
fitted out by De Montes, Governor of
Canada. Taking the command in
person, he founded St. Croix and
Port Royale, now Annapolis Royal,
in a bay towards the south-west coast
of that territory.

■T*rSp ^VMb^VK =

The English at that time claimed
ffom th6 discovery of the Cabots a
piipr right to the whole North Ameri-
caii Continent, they therefore dis-
possessed the French settlers, and
James the First gave a grant of
L'Arcadia to Sir William Alexander
Secretary of State for Scotland. He
called it New Scotland, or Nova
SepUa, and this honor appears to be
the only advantage of any importance
he derived from it, for in 1630 it was
again given up to France.

Continual jealousies and disputes
with the colonists of New England
once more brought the Arcadians into
difficulty in 1654, when Oliver Crom-
well sent out Colonel Sedgwick to
rfedufce it, Ukd it was confirmed to
England the following year. " But
Sir William Alexander having sold in
1632 his right of property in the soil
to M. Claude de la Tour d'Ounay a

French protestant ; M. St. Estiennc,
son and heir of the above Claude de
la Tour, came over to England in or-
der to make out his claim, and had
the property surrendered to him.
This La Tour sold his right to Uiv
Jhomas Temple, who was governor
as well as possessor of the soil, until
1662, when Nova Scotia was deli-
vered up by Charles the Second, an
equivalent of ten thousand pounds
being stipulated for Sir Thomas Tem-
ple, but never paid."* :

By the treaty of Breda in 1667, it
was again given up to France, and
continued under her government until
1690, when the inhabitants again be-
came subjects of Great Britain. In
1697, by the treaty of Ryswick, the
French took possession of it. Soon
after the war between that country

* Russel.

and England, the New Englanders
,aided by fpur men of war from the
mother country, lin^Jily reduced it in
1710. Several ineffectual attempts
were afterwards made to recover it
|>y the Frepch in 1745 and 1746, but
by the treaty of Aixrla-Chapelle,—
Nova Scotia was fully confirmed to
jj^he crown pf Great Britain.

"Though tjie French inhabitants du-
ring these hostilities had not actually
tMten up arms, they had lent ^uch
assistance to tjie enemy as was utterly
inconsistent with their political situa-
tion,— and as made the necessity of

peoj^lingNoya Scotia withBritishsub-
jects fully evident. The peace which
necessarily left a great number of
men withqut^raployment, by the dis-
banding of the ,troops ^nd laying up
ofthe ships> was favourable for such
^.P^ftjept; ai^d the ministry pffe^ed

■ ^ "T - '"

!il if

t)articular advantages to all persons,
who chose to go and settle in this
extensive, and in many places fertile

territory.

" Every soldier, sailor and work-
man was to have fifty acres of land for
himself, and ten for every person he
carried over in his family. All non-
commissioned officers were allowed
eighty for themselves, and fifteen for
every person belonging to them ; en-
signs 200 ; lieutenants 300 ; captains
460, and all officers of higher rank
600, together with 30 for each of
their dependents.

" The land was to be free of all
taxes, for the first ten years, and never
to pay above one shilling for fifty
acres : Besides these encouragements,
the government engaged to pay the
charge of the passage, to build houses,
to furnish all the necessary instru-

ments for fishery and agriculture, and
to defray the expenses of subsistence
for the first year.

" In consequence of this liberal
offer, 3,000 families, chiefly Germans,
embarked for Nova Scotia in 1 749, and
three regiments of soldiers were sent
to protect them from the natives, and
garrison the new settlement.

" That settlement was founded on
the SE. side of the Peninsula, at a
place which the Indians formerly
called Chebucto, but which the Eng^
lish named Halifax, in honour of the
nobleman by whom it was projected,
and by whose wisdom and spirit it
was carried into execution."*

Since 1749 the population has in-
creased wonderfully, and the woods
of Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick
now contain many thousands of set-

• RUSSBL.

* 1

If i

tiers, ^y^^o ^p cutting away ^fter the
^ann^r of }(f r., Boon, who has been
before noticed. '

J^ «>y P^^sage ft-pm Halifax to
ftuehec, I r^m^mber beir^g^ particu-
l^ly struck witJi the romantic beauty
iPf the sqe^^xy in \\(hat is called the
(j^ut of Canso, \yhich divides the In-
land of Cape Breton from the main.
pWe ^ere seven 4^ys beating through
this jpassage ^f seventy niiles, the
widest part of whjqh, is'-v^yy l^^jtle
^^'«ad,^r th^n the ^Thames at Jmeion
Bridge. The village (if the struggling
l^uts pf the settlers jn^y be called
o^e,) at the entrance, bears, the na,me
ofCanso; ^d a few wje^ fartjier on,
.the late Sir Jphn.W^ren |iad an es-
tate, which, in a few years,, will,, it js
supposed, be of great value, from its
.situation, ^nd^he c i^lity pftlxe timber.
This passage is, in some places, so

exceedingly narrow, and the shores
so amazmgly bold and high, that the

of en vl "1 '"'^^"^ ^"^^*«' --
with r^ nearly coming in contact

tlei ""' '"•" '° ^^^^'•^' ""Stances
the Wearanceofthe immense woods
apparently towering above the ma^t.'
heads of the ship, excited in uHl
surprise and admiration.
" I-uenburg. was founded by 800

Gennans from Halifax; at first LS
not prom.se much, but by the unremit

•ngexertzonofthatwarlikeandindus-
tnouspeople,itis„owrapidlyadva,^.
jng toward prosperity.'^ l iJ'Z

justice to say that the Germans make

excenent settlers, they have fertiSd
all the countries under the English
dommion, to which chance has tn
ducted them. By their patient

* Russel
D

Lr*-^

^1'

hours ". ' ^ ' otia now produces ex-
cellent fiax, which, independent of its
fishery and its utility, as a naval and
military station, will in time render it
a valuable acquvsiaoa to Great Bri-
tain."

Frederick town is the capita), and
St. John's the principal sea port of
New Brunswick.

Newfoundland was discovered by
John Cabot, a Venetian mariner in the
service of Henry VII. of England, — it
is upwards of 300 miles long, and 200
broad ; but although many Itave at-
tempted to succeed in cultivating the
soil, instead of depending on the fish-
ery, none appear to have effected the
object they had in view. This, there-
fore, is no very desirable country for
the emigrant, but still it would be pre-
ferable to Poyais under the Cacique
McGregor, or any other Cacique.

\ %'

I feel no inclination to lend myself
to either party, the Honduras Bay-
men, or the Poyais "holders;" and F
tak« It for granted that no man, in his

senses or capable of judging „,„eW
beyond which is his right-hand and
wh.ch .s hi. left, would lend himself
to the speculations of a party of ad-
venturers, to whom of course m the
hrst mstance, power would be law

It ,s an odd thing that people
should be found so utterly devoid of
common sense and feeling, as toplaetf
themselves and their families in *
country like Poyais. under the des.
Potic government of a few men, total
strangers to them, and of wh^se abi-
l>ty to conduct the affairs of an in-
fant colony they cannot possibly form
anythmg like an idea.

I do not ,ean to say that those
who cnoose to strike out from theold-

■M

i I '<

III

fashioned, beaten track in life, which
their fathers have trodden before them,
are to be deterred by common difficul-
ties, I would rather point to the text
chosen for the head of this letter;
but, still I set so high a value . upon
constitutional law, such as I have
been accustomed to see exercised in
my native country, that unless the
leaders of this said Poyais settlement
were well known, as being fully equal
to the task of mildly and properly
executing despotic power, &c. &c., I
should feel no inclination to follow
them.

Unless a man has certain positive
advantages before him, why should
he subject himself to the certain mise-
ries of such an undertaking as set-
tling on the Mosquito shore, whilst
the B^sh provinces and colonies in
North America and elsewhere are

fe, which
ore them,
1 ditficul-
I the text
8 letter;
ue upon
I have
rcised in
iless the
jttlement
lly equal
properly
c. &c., I
o follow

positive
T should
tin mise-
\ as set-
3, whilst
onies in
lere are

open to his exertions and enter
prize?

It does not, however, appear to be
generally understood that the Black
River was actually occupied by the
English for several years previous to
1786.— By the resolutions of the
House of Assembly of Jamaica in
1782, we see that Colonel Despard
(then Captain Despard,) who after-
wards terminated his career upon the
scaffold -"with a small undisci^
plmed and inferior force, attacked and
took the Spanish Garrison at Black
River, on the Mosquito Shore, made
between seven and eight hundred of
the enemy prisoners; and rescued
hundreds of our fellow subjects from
captivity, and restored them to their
possessions."

In consequence of .this and other
services, it appears that he was soon

'■■■ ■ f

w wrei iiiMiiiiii[iiii».

!l \

% i

'*i

afterwards appointed by the Governor
of Jamaica, a colonel of provincials.
It was, indeed, considered of such
importance that he received the thanks
Qf th^ Indian chiefs on the coast, G(f
the governor^ coyncil, and assembly of
Jamaica, and also of the King himself,
through ^®rd 3y4ney, then Secretary
pf .Sital^.

BlacJ^ Stiver, wiUi %b^ settlemeait
upp^i it, a^ th^ ^djaoeiM: islands ^n
th^. Mosquilio shore, remained in the
possessioa lof t^ Einglish natil 17«|5,
when they were given up to the Spar
niards in return for privileges granted
by that power to British subjects in
the Bay of Honduras. — At tliis time
there were upwards of 2,000 people
including slaves, settled in the ceded
territory, the greater part of whom
were removed to Honduras.

Whsitever may be said to the con-

pi^-MIMMUMK

trary by those interested in the Hon-
duras trade, and by those who know
nothing at all about either the cli-
mate or the soil, and yet on either
side pretend to point out its advan-
tages and disadvantages,— to gull the
unwary, or to prevent a rival settle-
ment in that quarter— there can be lit-
tie doubt— but that if this settlement
of Poyais, had its origin in an act of
the government, and was supported
like theemigrations to Chebuctoo Bay
in 1749, to which we have alluded,
itwotild succeed— «ven in opposition
to all the efforts of the mighty mo-
narch of the Mosquitb shore, who, I
apprehend, with all his household
troops, cuirassiers, and lancers, would
very soon be made to cry out with a
greater man than himself, " Save him-
self who can,"* by a third part of the

* Napoleon after the Battle of Waterloo.

' "•"MWHwtjife* .

!■:

i I

force sent to guard the first settle-
ments in Nova Scotia.

The following extract from Rus-
sel's America will show more clearly
how this country, of which we have
lately heard so much is situated, and
the opinion entertained of it in
1778.

" A territory, however, no less
neglected, claims our notice before
we quit this part of the American
continent. Between the sea and the
Spanish provinces of Honduras and
Nicarague, extending from Cape
Honduras to Port St. Juan, lies a
country inhabited by a free people,
v/hose attachment to the English has
rong been remarkable, and who per-
mit no other Europeans to visit their
coasts.

This space takes in 150 leagues of
the shore, and forms an obtuse angle
at Cape Gracias a Dios, having one

of its sides exposed to the North, the
other to the East.— The general name
of Mosquitos is given to all the nations
or tribes who occupy this tract, as
well as to those who inhabit the in-
ner space, between the coast and the
higher chain of mountains, which
form the Spanish Frontier, and their
country in like manner, is known by
the name of Mosquito, on the Mos-
quito shore,

" Of all the tribes, the Mosquitos
are the most numerous, as well as
the bravest. They muster about 15
or 1,800 warriors. Their country,
properly so called, is about Cape
Gracias a Dios, near the mouth, and
on the banks of the Great Cape
River. It is one of the most healthy
and beautiful spots in the world.
Here are settled about thirty English
families, who have begun plantations

of sugar on the lands given them by
the Mosquitos.

" The government of this people is
perfectly republican^ they acknow-
ledge no kind of permanent authority.
In the wars which they carry on
against the Spanish Indians, and
which must obstruct their population,
they choose as their commander the
most brave and experienced of their
warriors; he who, on former occa-
sions, has given proofs of his pru-
dence and valour. After the war i»
over, his power ceases.

"The Mosquitos are distinguished
into two sorts— the Red, and Blacks
or Sambos, The first are the original
inhabitants of the country; the se-
cond, the descendants of about fifty
negroes, whom a Portuguese Cap-
tain had brought from Guinea, and
was carrying to Brazil ; but who ren-

dered themselves masters of the
vessel, and threw all but one man
overboard. The assistance of this
man, however, was insufficient to
enable them to navigate the vessel;
which left at the mercy of the winds,
was driven upon Cape Gracias a Dios^
where the crew fell into the hands of
the Mosquitos, among whom the ne-
groes lived for some time in a state
of servitude, and afterwards became
the partners of their dangers and
toils.

**The Portuguese mariner was so
much like a Spaniard, against whom
the animosity of the Mosquitos is im-
placable, that his life was with diffi-
culty spared ; and after ks had been
a slave for twd years, it was deter-
mined to sacrifice him at the funeral
of the master to whose lot he had
fallen, that he might serve him in the

other world. Luckily, the Portu-
guese had but one eye. He repre-
sented to the general assembly of the
nation, which was convened upon the
occasion, that a one-eyed man could
be of service to nobody in the other
world, as it wa& difficult to see clear
there, even with two. His argument
succeeded, the Mosquitos not only
granted him his life, but also his
liberty, with a wife; and the sur-
name of, ' the Man who knows a
great deal.*

*♦ The Mosquitos are divided into
four principal tribes, under the pro-
tection of the English government, to
which they submitted themselves
early in the last century. They con-
sider the governor of Jamaica, to
whom this submission was made, as
the greatest Potentate upon earth.
Their enmity against the Spaniards,

li\i

.-•LiBHSiwrsri

by whom their ancestors were driven
from the fertile possessions near the
Lake of Nicaragua, goes as far back
as the conquest of Mexico, and their
friendship for the English is as old
as the first expeditions of the Bucca-
neers, against their common enemy.

" Like all uncivilized nations they
have but few wants, and are very in-
dolent; * I am not hungry,' is their
common saying, when they do not
choose to work, nor do they even
labour except when this need is very
sensibly felt. Then they go to hunt,
fish, or to catch or harpoon turtle, aji
exercise at which they are very dex-
trous ; or otherwise they hire them-
selves to the English settler.^ to cut
mahogany, or to build canoes, which
i re sold at Jamaica for the purpose of
fishing. Rice, cacao, indigo, to-
bacco, and other valuable produc-

( Jii

^Hi

^.l'.\

tions, might be cultivated to advan-
tage in this country. At present,
England receives from it tyger and
buck skins, dying woods of several
kinds, gums and balsams, sarsapa-
rilla, tortoiseshells, and zebra wood
for the cabinet makers; but those
only in small quantities. All the free
tribes, both inland and upon the
coast, are allies of the Mosquitos,
and of the English.

^'Besides this settlement, so unrea-
sonably neglected, we find another
English colony about twenty leagues
to the East of Cape Honduras, at the
mouth of Black River, by which name
it is generally known. This place
was, during sixty years, the asylum
of the log-wood cutters, when driven
by the Spaniards from the forest of
East Yucatan. There they waited in
safety, until such time as their enemies

tmmm

zi^^.'T' ■ ■■■ ^«ai^^- *■

liN i' iiii i iii rn i i*

'^^^«W*«fl*»'«?**V**""^*'**^'-^

retired ; and as those expulsions were
frequent, and always unforeseen, the
ships that went to load with wood in
the Bay of Honduras, chose first to
touch at Black River, in order to get
intelligence, and determine, in con-
sequence of it, the manner of pur-
suing their voyage.

"Wood-cutters, sailors, deserters,
and adventurers of every kind fixed
themselves insensibly in this place.
They received merchandise in re-
turn for the fruits of their industry,
and soon established a lucrative trade
with the Spaniards in the inland parts.
The last treaty of peace, which
secured to the wood-cutters the un-
interrupted enjoyment of their forests,
far from making Black River be de-
serted, has given more activity to the
settlement.

*'The sea coast here is sandy, gene-

I I

I*
J'

' i

rally low and swampy, with mangrove
trees ; but higher up among the rivers
and lagoons, the soil is more fertile,
and produces many plantains, cocoa-
nut-trees, maize, yams, and other ve-
getables The passion for drinking
rum has made the colony begin the
planting of sugar-canes. The rivers,
as well as the lagoons, are extremely
well stored with fish, and the forests
are filled with deer and game. On
the shores they catch the finest turtles
from March until September. Be-
sides this fishery, which is very ad-
vantageous, the Black River settlers
cut mahogany and zebra wood, and
gather a great deal of sarsaparilla.

"A colony so well situated, though
neglected by government, cannot
fail of increasing. It is one of those
plants which, placed by the hand
of chance in a corner— flourish, mul-

( '

,„,_-,->, -"wiwuaMu;,^

tiply, and bear fruit of themselves with-
out the attention of the gardener."

Such is Russel's description of the
country caMed Poyais ; a description,
no doubt, h.ghly coloured, particu-
larly in that part of it which states it
to be, " one of the most healthy and
beautiful spots in the world."

Granting it, however, to be all
this, and judging from the result of
similar attempts in various parts of
the world; we have, certainly, no
reason to expect that whilst the en-
terprize, and the promised advan-
tages, remain with one individual,
unauthorised, unacknowledged, and
unsupported by the government, it
ever will succeed.

It is not to the climate, the soil,
the geographical situation, or the
person, at the head of this Poyais
scheme that I object, it is to the

mmmMjitgmgjam

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I ■ ' 1^

system of making the interests of the
many subservient to the good of
the few.

Poyais may very probably present
as many advantages to the emigrant,
as any of the other countries to which
we have alluded, when first settled;
and of Sir Gregor M'Gregor I know
nothimg, excepting by comltnon Re-
port ;--coiBmon report, what isit ?.;--
if it is once resolved to sacrifice a
man's character wfeo has struck out
from the common track of life—-** it
is an easy matter to pick up sticks
enough from any thicket where it has
strayed to make a fire to offer it up
with."

How many brave men has common
report made cowards of ? How many
good men has this many-tongued
monster transformed into villains,
therefore feel no inclination to discuss

/! V

iHinMiiwriiii^iU'.Mjiaa',':

the conduct or merits of Sir Gregor
McGregor; for what man can place
his hand upon his own heart, and
say that he is himself altogether what
he ought to be.

But as I have professed to devote
these few pages principally to those
who are looking round the world for
some spot, where they can liveuponthe
fruits of their industry, free and uiif
disturbed-^! shaHl conclude this
letter by the iaMi^wmg observaiiosis,
and leave the reader to form Jiis owii
conclusions.

We will suppose that some sort of
law will be administered /in Poyais,
not altogether military, but civil ; to
these the emigrant of course, on tak-
ing possession of his land, makes
himself amenable. These laws may
be good or bad, just as it happens — or
according to the ability of the law

V ^|Met»4

giver, who, by the way, must neces-
sarily be just the person who will
take care to secure the power in his
own hands.

Now should the emigrant in Poyais,
through a dulness of intellect^ not
see things so clearly as the Cacique
wishes him; or should he, inadver-
tently, transgress these laws made not
by his own concurrence, but by the
cacique, ard by him declared ab-
solute — he must abide the conse-
quences.

If he is sentenced to be hanged,
who can he appeal to for a reversion
of his sentence ? The Cacique is as
absolute in his small ^-^ay, as the
great Mogul; and, if he chooses to
put the law in force, nothing but a
general turn-out can prevent him. !

In any of the British colonies,
should the governor be guilty of any

iiwi,ii.,"rr:

arbitrary stretch of authority, he is
amenable to a higher power for his
conduct; but, in Poyais, there is
no one higher than the despotic head
of a despotic government.

Let the emigrant, therefore, bear
in mind, that in Poyais he will be
subject to laws not made by himself
or his representative, and that these
laws may be either good or bad ; if
good, so much the better for all par-
ties ; if bad, and he dares to give his
opinion of them, he will, I imagine,
stand a very fairchence of promotion,
over the heads of his fellows.

When he is kicking his heels, in a
very uncomfortable manner, upon a
stage fifty feet high, between this
world and the next, — however much
he may regret ever having placed
himself out of the pale of protection
from the government of his native

■^aff^juij i ftii i i iW

^ " tT] ■■■ l ii wi iiHi tf in

country, it will then be of no service
to him. He may appeal to Heaven^
and prepare for his departure; but
nothing ean save him, if the Cacique
be determined to exercise the despotic
power he possesses.

re r,

* I

t%-fit^SS \ir

PWM ' ',' ..

LETTER V.

" England, with all thy faults, I love thee still,"

As I have no wish to enlist myself
with those who have already sue-
ceeded in detaching from the bosom
of their mother country, so many
thousands of her sons and daughters ;
I leave others, when writing on emi-
gration, to eulogize the United States
of America.

For the honour of my country I
am bound to think, that there are but
few— ra very few amongst us, excepting
those deceived by the grossest mis«»

tin

-»»tm

mM ' • -mi^'M*

: .
ii

¥]

representations, who would array
themselves under a foreign state, add
to her strength in peace by their in-
dustrious efforts, or in the event of a
war between the two powers, take
the field under her banners ; and call
this becoming patriots in their old
age.*

There have been certainly traitors,
and renegadoes in every age and na-
tioh, but I will not believe that many of
my countrymen would willingly throw
themselves in the way of becoming
out-casts of this description.

Excepting such men as can publicly
ask — what is country ? and answer it
by saying, " the soil, of* this I was
only the occupant— the government?
I abhorred its deeds and its principles.

• I am thus become a patriot in my old age.—
Birkbeck'a Letters from the Illinoia.

the church ? I did not believe in its
doctrines, and had no reverence for
the clergy. The army ? — No —
the law?— We have the same laws
here with some omissions and some
improvements," &c. &c. Excepting
such men, or those egregiously de-
ceived by false statements, and those
who are totally unacquainted with
the British Provinces in North
America, very few would emigrate
to the United States.

iMen possessed of superior intellect,
it is true, choose to hold up America
to the admiration of the world, and
by their conduct and writings, en-
deavour to induce others to think and
act as they profess to do on the sub-
ject ; but whilst they are so employed,
as it were, offering a premium for
desertion, may it not be asked, are

~-r¥fsr*i

3.T*?feif-^,ia:^

^^^rjj^^T^^^,.^ to***

they not prostituting those abilities,
disgracing themselves, and dishonour-
ing their country ? —I leave them to
settle the question with their own
consciences; for myself, it is suffr-
cient to show the emigrant, as clearly
as my humble ability will permit, a
British Colony, where he may enjoy,
at least, as much liberty, indepen-
dence, J and comfort, as he would in
the United States of America ; where
the people are, at least, equally
happy, industrious, and brave, es
the people of the United States ; and
where riding the rail, gouging, and
rifling, with all the minor etceteras of
liberty and equality, are altogether
unknown. n ; i

Liberty and equality, these are the
high sounding phrases which the
American dins in the ear of the stran-

■ i n i iii iu i vT i n

ger.even in the midst of slavery exer-
ciscd by himself.

The same ma.,, who in his boasted
republican pride would pretend high

offence at boing required to drink the
health of the king of England, would.
mh.s despotic brutality, turn round
and chastise his slave, probably for

merely holding his horse by the curb
instead of the snaffle.

Slave, did I say?-i„ a country
where we hear so much about liberty
equality, and the rights of man, /e
naturally suppose that personal
slavery ,s altogether unknown. I„ ,

country where all men profess to be
equal, we a^e led to imagine that no

portion of the human race can be put
upon a tevel with the brute creation.
i« short, m a country where liberty
>s the universal theme, we think it

£2

probable, that its principles may be
fully understood, and its attendant
blessings properly appreciated.

But what is the fact? let us see
her great admirer, Mr. Birkbeck.
, " I want language," he says, " to
express the loathing I feel for per-
sonal slavery; practised by free men
it is most detestable ; it is the leprosy
of thq United States, and a foul
blotch which more or less contami-
nates the entire system, in public and
in private, from the president's chair,
to the cabin of the hunter ;" and yet,
just before, he tells us that, " Liberty
is no subject of dispute or specula-
tion among us Back-woodsmen, it is
the very atmosphere we breathe."

Now as I hate tyranny as cordially
as Mr. Morris Birkbeck, let me not,
in deciding upon a new country.

l> 'h'iit

.5v

t-'mmiitm

mmm

choose one in which slavery exists ;
for it is a perfect farce to talk of
liberty in a strain as if all the rest
of the world were totally ignorant of
its blessings, in a country where the
eye constantly turns upon objects de-
graded merely on account of their
colour; or of law, where there is
one for the white, and another for
the black man • indeed, where such
things are, it is an insult to proper
feeling and common sense, to talk
about the rights of man, or a superior
knowledge and enjoyment of rational
freedom. , .

When divested, therefore, of the
false colouring which some people
have given it, America does not pre-
sent itself in all that purity, or enjoy
all that liberty and equality, which
the American would fain make all the
rest of the world believe it to possess.

fl I

, ■■'•

From the writings of several it
would appear, that of the many
thousands who settle in the back
woods of America, not one of them
ever, think of bettering their condi-
tion by crossing into Canada. If we
are to form an opinion upon what
they say on the subject, we should
conclude that " the beautiful prairies,"
the " loveliness of nature," and her
bounties, so superabundantly and
especially bestowed upon the United
States, were fully sufficient, together
with the superior liberty they enjoy,,
("to imitate which is forgery,") to
keep them within the Americar*
boundary.

But, alas, how fatal to all this is
the reality ; there is no n an who has
pnssed from Montreal to the head of
the Great Lakes, who will not re~
member seeing thousands of Ameri-

TiliNlllfrW**^'

cans settled within the Canadian
boundanr. Previous to the late war,
and since the peace, vast numbers of
emigrants from the United States have
taken up lands and distributed them-
selves throughout the whole of Upper
and Lower Canada, and they still
continue to do so.

Surely this fact speaks volumes, for
if the government of America, its
soil, and climate, are so vastly su-
perior to the British Provinces, why,
in the name of Yankee mdependeace,
do so many iiundreds and thousands
leave it ?

I'or the emigrant, therefore, who
has no inclination for " liberty and
equality " in a land of masters and
slaves, or to sever himself for ever
from his native country, his early
connexions and friends, either of the
British colonies of JVova Scotia, New

Brunswick, or the Canadas, is far
preferable to the United States of
America.

The emigrant, in a movement of so
much importance as that of choosing
a new country, where he will have to
await what farther portion of good or
evil providence may have in reserve
for him, will do well to consider and
reconsider the subject. For nje it
now only remains to give such parti-
culars of Upper and Lower Canada
as may probably prove useful to those
who have already decided upon
settling in that country.

Should the recollections of old
friends and circumstances connected
with the places through which we
shall pass (in our line of march of a
thousand miles from the sea) occasion
me to digress occasionally, I doubt
not but the liberal reader will readily

MMi

mmm

forgive me. WJiy, however, should
I attempt to apologize, I am but a
plain man, and had better proceed in
my own way.

The emigrant who has ample means
at his disposal, and who. resides in
any of the^tern^ 'gSuSt?es of
England, should proceed by way of
Liverpool to New York. The ex-
pences of this route will be greater
than by Quebec, but this disad-
vantage will be more than com-
pensated, by the great additional
comfort.

The distance from London to
Quebec is 3,000 miles, from Liver-
pool to New York about 2,000, and
as the sea voyage is the worst part of
the undertaking for a family man, the
convenience of the latter route is
evident.

Should he live at any considerable
E 3

distance from Liverpool, a con-
reyaUce, suited to his family and cir-^
euiftstances, may be purchased, in-
stead of traveUing by coach, which
would be found equally expensive
and more inconvenient. This vehiele,
on his arrival at that port, can be
shipped on board the packet, and will
be found serviceable on the other
side the Atlaintic. The heavy bag-
gage, and in fact everj^thing bii t such
articles as are absolutely necessary
for the voyage, should be insured,
and shipped in another vessel direct
to Montreal, which place they will
most probably reach by the tim^ he
arrives with his family. - -

He will find the packets fitted with
every consideration for the comfort
and accommodation of passengers,
and ready to sail on the 1st, 8th, 16th,
and 24th of every month. Mes«ts.

Cropper and Benson, the agentu;,
win furnish every informatipn respedt^
ing them. The charge for each cabin
passenger is thirty-five guineas, half
price being generally demanded for
children under fourteen years of age.
The steerage passage is about half the
expense of the cabin, and is provided
accordingly. The chaise freight 'will
be at the rate of thirty shillings pet
ton measurement, and 10/. for^ him-
self, the same for his wife, and :h&If
a* much for each of his children Will
be found amply sufficieiit to bear all
the expe^ces of the cabin passenger
up the Hudson to Montreal.

No person, whether he embarks at
liiverpool or London; unless he has
some positive adivantage before him,
should take out any kind of mer-
chandize, if he docs he will assuredly

repent it ; independentof anxiety and
inconvenience, he will in nine cases
oiit of ten, find that from the want
of a previous local knowledge of the
cotintry, he has purchased just such
articles as are not wanted, and con-
sequently, should he wish to turn
them into cash to enable him to com-
mence operations, he must sell them
^t a Joss. ^.

if h^ has a capital to spare for this
pui^Qse after he has established him-
self, and become in some degree
acquainted with the general imports
of the colony, and the wants of his
immediate neighbourhood, he can
then send home with his small ven-
ture of pot and pearl*ash, an order
for the proceeds to be returned him
in goods fit for the Canadian market;
By this arrangement he will secure a

double advantage, in which, if he has
any previous knowledge of trade, he
will soon find his interest.

No person has the least occasion
to take out with him any kind of
agricultural implements— every de-
scription of instrument for cultivating
the earth may be purchased at Mon-
treal, for the price they will cost if
taken out from England. A few of
the superior kind of carpenter's tools
may probably cost a little more ; but
clothing is all the emigrant need be
at all desirous of taking from this
country.

The route I have just mentioned
from Liverpool to New York, must
only be undertaken by the wealthier
class of emigrants—others with more
confined moans should embark from
the nearest port, from whence they
can ship themselves direct for Quebec.

> yi

From the river Thames the chftrge
is nearly the same to that city, as
from Liverpool to New York, but the
accommodation and the table pro-
vided is inferior, the Liverpool
packets being fitted expressly for
passengers. The poorer class of
emigrants may get out to Quebec for
61. each, in ships which are occa-
sionally entered oi^t for passengers
only; *for this, they are provided with
beef, biscuit, and rum, but their
bedding and every other requisite for
the voyage they must themselves pre-
pare previous to going on board.

Although ships go up as far as
Montreal, ISO miles above Quebec,
still from the great delay at the latter
place, and occasionally in working
up the river St. Lawrence afterwards,
it will be much better for him to
engage his passage to Quebec only.

On his arrival he should if possible,
so contrive as to move from the ship
to the steam vessel, instead of going
on shore, where he will incur expence
and a loss of time, which he may
afterwards find of greater conse-
quence. The length of voyage from
Liverpool to New York is generally
from twenty to forty days, from Lon-
don to Quebec from thirty to sixty,
and from Quebec to Montreal, in the
steam vessel, about a day and a half,
in a sailing vessel it may be three
weeks. The passage in the steam
vessel is about 21. each person in the
cabin, 1/. in the steerage, and for
this sum an excellent table is pro-
vided.

It should be borne in mind that the
river St. Lawrence is impassable from
about the beginning of November to
the end of March. The ice during

H w

ii'i

that period either stretches entirely
across the channel, or floats about in
such formidable shoals as renders na-
vigation totally impossible ; added to
which, late in the season and very
early in the spring, bad weather and
gales of wind are frequently en-
countered after making the banks of
Newfoundland. Indeed, here, the
Heavens appear eternally shrouded
in gloom, and the waves perpetually
agitated.

The Island of Anticoste, in the
Gulph, has proved fatal to many, but
there are now two solitary beings
stationed upon it by government,
whose duty it is to furnish every as-
sistance in their power to any unfor-
tunate people who may be wrecked
upon the coast.

When the celebrated Captain Cook
was under the command of Admiral

1
It mi

Saunders in this quarter of the world,
he minutely surveyed the whole of
the gulph and river, since which time
it has gradually become better known,
and although it still is, and always
will be, a dangerous navigation, but
very few accidents occur.

The emigrant who has never been
to sea before, must constantly bear
in mind that the same providence,
which shows itself daily in a thou-
sand instances of wonderful inter-
position in his native country, is
equally willing and able to protect
him whilst exposed to the perils of
the ocean.

Cowardice, although perhaps in
some cases, a constitutional infirmity,
is still a disgrace to any man, but
more especially to him who has pro-
fessed to set all personal hazard and

■**'*■» ' W» H i n wiW

I if

difficulty at defiance. Let lum re&t
fully assured that the greater portion
of what is generally considered dan-
ger bears no affinity to it if Jooked
manfully in the face.

When the Success, Trooper Frigate,
Captain Barclay, in which I had my
passage from Halifax to Quebec, was
nearly lost in a gale of wind in the
night at the entrance of the gulph,
I went below to inform my sleeping
friends in the ward-room of their situ-
ation. My valued friend. Lieutenant
John Hewitt, of the corps to which
I have the honour to belong, imme-
diately took a view of the rocks,
and then seeing clearly that it would,
in a few moments, be all right, or all
wrong with us, he began to draw on
his inexpressibles, and to dress himr
self with great minuteness. ** My

;«5

)

fine fellow," said I •* I think you may
dispense with your drapery, and pre-
pare to swim for your life." ** My
good friend," replied he, with admir-
able scngfroid, "let us by all means go
on shore decent, for how do we know
who we may be introduced to ? "

Those who were on board the Suc-
cess, Fox, and Nemesis Frigates,
will remember, that had we struck
upon the rocks that night, the great
probability is, that not one person
could have been saved; and, indeed,
those on board the Fox, having
been exposed to greater danger than
ourselves, will well remember the
circumstance to which I have now
alluded. Although I do not mean to
assume to myself a greater share
of fortitude than other people, let
me not live or die like a coward.

" Gracious powers ! which erst
have opcxed the lips of the dumb in
his distress, and made the tongue of
the stammerer speak plain, when I
shall arrive p.t this dreaded page,
deal not with me then with a btintsd
hand."*

* SCerne.

LETTER VI.

Whe« ,h,nk of deatl. ns a Un.g worth tbinkiaj of, it is
2 ' « We of one day p.e.i.g.o„,e hard foughfan we
-tested fieid of battle, „„d d,io, with tj J, o
^.ctory .0 „,, ear, tJ.at would be worth dying for and^
H would be M'orth, having Jived for. ^ ' •"""

ClHverh07t3e in Old MortalUy.

There IS not in nature a more beau-
tiful scene than the Harbour of Que-

bee and the surrounding country
presents immediately after passin
the Island of Orleans.

Here, at the distance of 130 leag-ues
from the sea. the St. Lawrfnce
shnnks from the breadth of tjree

^ i

leagues to that of a single mile, and
although the long line of settlements
on the left shore may have gradually
prepared the mind for some place of
importance, still it will be taken by
surprize on falling as it were suddenly
upon a new world.

The Upper Town rises magnificently
a considerable height above the level
of the river, whilst the lower divided
into wharfs and spacious warehouses,
and standing on ground over which
the tide, until these few years, regu-
larly flowed, conveys at once an idea
of commercial prosperity and inde-
pendence.

The fortifications are formidable,
and present many a dark and frown-
ing battery, one in particular, com?
pleting, commands the harbour and
Lower town.

The palace and several other

le, and
iements
adually
jlace of
ken by
iddenly

ficently
tie level
divided
houses,
* which
J, regu-
an idea
i inde-

lidable,
[ frown-
r, com^
>ur and

I other

buildings hanging tottering over si
perpendicular rock, gives to the city
of Quebec an appearance of more
than common interest. But however
much we may feel gratified in con-
templating this noble entrep6t of our
North American possessions, the eye
turns with more pleasing satisfaction
to the wild and romantic scenery
which surrounds it. The celebrated
tall of Montmorenci, the number-
less cascades rushing from the woods
and tumbling down the rocks, toge-
ther with the little village of Point
Levi, with its whitened cottages
scattered amongst the green foliage
of the trees, presents a scene upon
which the contemplative mind will
dwell with incessant delight.

The Island of Orleans, which is
twenty miles long, and well culti-
vated, demands more than common

il "!

attention, from its having been occu-
pied by the English army during the
operations against Quebec.

Here it was that the gallant Wolfe
planned that brilliant attack, the suc-
cess of which soon after covered him
with immortal glory, and finally led
to the conquest of the whole country.

As a farther proof, if any were
wanting, that amiability of disposition
is not incompatible with public duty,
or with the character of a hero, and
that minds capable of forming and
executing enterprizes of the greatest
daring, are susceptible of the mildest
and kindest impressions. General
Wolfe declared, that he would rather
have been the author of "Gray's
Elegy in a Country Church Yard"
(which had just then made its appear-
ance) than the conqueror of half the
world.

fe "'1.

Seated near the stone on which
that truly great man sat, when his
gallant soul took its flight for the
realms of eternity, amidst the glorious
shouts of " Victory, and they run "
I readily gave myself up to that ele-
vation of soul, a portion of which
even the coldest hearts must feel, when
conscious that they are upon ground,-

sacred to valour, and where the bones
of so many fine fellows have lone

ere this, mingled with the dust
' Whilst enjoying this intellectual
feast I beheld in imagination the gal-
lant Wolfe, struggling with the innu-
merable difiiculties he had to en-
counter previous to the action, which
ammortalized him for ever, and en-

£oes Tl"""l ""°"^'' ^'P''''^
TtuV'^" *'""""^'' the gloom of,
night I beheld innumerable boats, si- •
iently wafting upon the bosom of ithe

tide, the troops destined for the attack,
the final overthrow of the enemy,
aod the routed Frenchmen flying
within the walls of the city, to avoid
the lightning of the Scotch clay-
more.

Time rolled on, and I beheld the
brave Montgomorie, vainly endea-
vour to storm the Lower Town, and
perish in the attempt, the arrival of
the British Squadron, and the conse-
quent raising of the siege.

The Marquis de Montcalm, the
French General, and his second in
command, were both mortally wound-
ed in the battle of Quebec, about
a thousand of the enemy, including
a great number of Officers, were
made prisoners, and almost an
equal number were killed in the
battle, or in^ the pursuit.

The wreck^i of their army unable

9»

to keep the field, retired first to

?he r ^."''''"'' '"'^ Montreal.
The loss of the English in num-

J'" ^"^ '""on^Werable; both the
tailed and the wounded did not ex!
ceedSOOmen. But the deatl of

f^rn:" ""f "" ^ nationals
fortune, and accompanied with cir-
cumstances sufficiently interesting to
ment a particular detail. - ^
He first received a shot in his

wnst but wrapt a handkerchief round
't. and encouraged his men to ad-
vance, without the least discompo-
sure Soon after, he received a shot

■n the grom, which he also concealed-
even wh ,^, f,,^, ,^„^^ ^^ ^ •

l^r r^'' ''^^"ffered himself

"anttiir^'^"^^'* "^'•'-''^^
ranns. St,ll his anxiety for the

fortune ofthe field continued under

F 2

100

all the agonies of approaching dissolu-
tion, and when told that the French
army was totally routed, and fled on
all sides^" Then," said he, "I am
satisfied," and immediately expired,
in a kind of transport of departing
joy, which gave to his dying counte-
nance an air of exultation.

Wolfe at the age of thirty-five,
united the ardour, the humanity and
enlai-ged views of the hero, to the
presence of mind, and skill of the
commander. He needed only years
and experience, to place him on a
level with the greatest generals of
ancient or modern times.

Montcalm, the French general,
was scarcely his inferior. Though
less fortunate in the last scene of
his life, he made the most perfect
dispositions that human prudence

101

could suggest, both before the action,
and during the engagement. *

The ride from Quebec, to the fall
of Montmorenci, ( a distance of six
miles), is exceedingly interesting,
the whole line of road being covered
with pretty little villages, and de-
tached farms, the rural neatness of
which, cannot fail in exciting admira-
tion.

The Canadians, naturally a happy
people, partake in a great degree the
animation of countenance, and the
light hearted vivacity of manners of
the natives of Old France. o >

With plenty of land to cultivate,
the man who lives by the produce of
the earth, depends only on the Al-
mighty and himself, and this feeling
of real and perfect independence,

* See Russel's History of America, and Gazette."

if i\

102

making him happy and content,
influences every thing around him,
and the stranger consequenUy feels
himself to be amongst the simplest,
and the happiest people in the world.

There can be no recollection more
gratifying than that in travelling to
the very outpost of civilization in this
extensive country, nothing like dis-
tress is to be seen, no man soliciting
aid With his hat in his hand, or asking
indiscriminate charity.

In the principal cities and towns>
where the idle and the profligate
congregate together, and endeavour
to find some easier way of procuring
a subsistence than by cultivating the
land, such things are ; but in districts
removed from those sources of evil,
although there may be poverty in
abundance, positive distress, such as
we daily meet with throughout all

iii'-i>"^

103

the countries of Europe, is altogether
unknown.

The falls of La Chaudiere, and
Montmorenci, in the neighbourhood
of Quebec, are objects of great
interest to travellers in British North
America, and have consequently been
often described.

The latter with the river, derives its
name from the French General, Mont-»
morenci, who resided near it, and
whose Indian Servant being called
after his master, was precipitated over
them in his canoe, when in a state of
inebriety. It has ever since been
called the leap or fall of Mont-
morenci.

Should the emigrant, by any una-
voidable circumstance, be detained a
few days at Quebec, he should avail
himself of the opportunity, and visit

104

^v I

both these falls. In his walk, or ride,
he will see an abundance to interest
him, and he may glean some informa-
tion that may be useful in forwarding
his future views. >

If he is an old soldier, and fond of
his profession, with all its right and
left ramifications, he may feast him-
self to his heart's content ; and will
return much more gratified than if he
had shut himself up, mind and body,
heart and soul, within the walls of
the city.

The emigrant on arriving at Quebec
will be 230 miles from the settlements
on the Ottawa River, 300 miles
from Perth, and 550 miles from the
Niagara frontier. These distances
will appear immense, but as regular
water conveyances are now esta-
blished the greater part of the way,
upon terms proportionably reasonable

i^ Hi

105

ride,
erest
rma-
•ding

id of
i and
him-
will
if he
ody.
Is of

ebec
lents
niles
the
nces
:iilar
;sta-
vay,
able

with the voyage from England, the
expenses will not be found so serious
as may be imagined.

It will probably be more advisa-
ble, however, for the settler with
small means to pitch his tent upon
the Ottawa, which he can reach at
such a small comparative expense,
thirty shillings for each person be-
ing fully sufficient to pay the carriage
from Quebec to the mouth of that
river; about thirty miles above
Montreal.

The latter place being the principal
commercial dep6t of the interior of
Canada, will at all times afford the
settlers in the neighbourhood a
better market for their produce, than
they can possibly have higher up the
country. This will alone, in most
cases, equal the advantage of the
superiority of climate, which the

1/3

106

Upper Province enjoys ; and the sav-
ing of expence and time, the two
essentials of the greatest consequence
to the emigrant, will go a great way
toward building him his log housie
upon the Ottawa.

Another reason for giving the
preference to the settlements which
strike off from the river St. Law-
rence, in Lake St. Louis, and those in
thei neighbourhood of Perth, and
the river Rideau, is that in the event
of another war with the United
States of America, the grand channel
of communication with Kingston, our
great naval dep6t upon the Lake
Ontario, will branch off at the
Ottawa River, a route running at a
considerable distance from the
American frontier, and preferable,
-ler a variety of reasons, to the St.
Lawrence.

107

This is a consideration of the rfia»^
importance, and the settler sho^Jd
be especially anxious, whether rhere,
or in the Upper Province, to obtain
a grant of land as free as possible
from the chance of annoyance from a
future enemy. From such inroads, the
back settlements in the Lower Pro-
vince, above Montreal, are .perfectly
secure, being well defended by Forts
Coteau du Lac, and Wellington,
with a long line of rapids on the SU
Lawrence, and Montreal at .the foot
of Lake St. Louis.

The nearest point of the American
territory, is at least fifty miles distant
from the Ottawa, and from Perth on
the river Tay.

All this will be more readily underi
stood by reference to the map, where
the boundary line will be seen running
from the Portage, on Lake Supeiior,

K 't

f »'

II ^

t ':„

i< K'

[ff.

10*8

through the Lakes Erie, and Ontario^
down the St. Lawrence, to latitude
45, and on to the Connecticut river,
from thence it follows the highlands^
which separate the waters running
into the St. Lawrence and Atlantic,
until it reaches the boundary between
the United States, and New Bruns-
wick, due north of the river St. Croix.

The divisional line which divides
the , two Provinces of Upper and
Lower Canada, strikes off a little
below the Point au Bod^t, in lake St.
Francis, about thirty miles above the
mouth of the Ottawa, and runs north-
ernly across to that river, and up it to
its source on Lake Tomiscaming, and
then due north to the Hudson Bay
boundary

Although it may be optional for the
>^migrant to settle on either shore of
the Ottawa, and consequently in

109

either Upper or Lower Canada; still
as the seat of government for the
Upper Province is at present York
Town, upwards of 300 miles distant,
if he settles on the Ottawa at all, he
had better choose the eastern shore
of that river. The great mass of the
population are agriculturalists, but if
the settler on the Ottawa, or in the
other districts of Lower Canada, had
to depend solely upon the growth of
corn, the long winter of six months
would be fatal to him. It would in-
deed be extraordinary, if he could by
his exertions in the summer, produce
enough to support him in idleness
whilst the whole face of the country,'
lakes, and rivers, are covered with
impenetrable ice, and snow, and vege-
tation dormant.

This however is not the case, for no
sooner are the snows well hardened

1 '

\i i

■

by, a few frosty nights, than the
emigrant must set to work, heart,
and hand, to clear away for the en*
suing sprinn^. The timber thus felled,
will find a ready sale, either on his
own ground, (provided it is on the
borders of a stream), or Montreal,
where he will likewise get a better
price for his pot and pearl ash, than
in the upper country.

The very great importance of the
latter articles of commerce, has in-
duced me to add, in the appendix,
instructions for their manufacture,
and the emigrant will do well to turn
his most serious attention to this
source of profit, immediately he com-
mences clearing away his land. If
properly managed, the pot ash pro-?
duced by the lops and tops of trees,
he is preparing for sale, and the
underwood on the ground he is clear-

Ill

ing immediately round his house,
will repay him all the expenses in
building it.

Whiskey is likewise now becoming
a profitable article of exportation,
and the Upper Canadians are likely
to succeed in raising tobacco, equial
to the produce of Maryland and
Virginia : indeed, in a country where
Melons are brought to maturity in the
open air, without the aid of super-
ficial heat, there is no reason why it
should not become a staple com-
modity of the very first importance.

All kinds of vegetables which
thrive in Europe, may be produced in
Canada; but the great heat of the
summer, and the cold in winter, re-
quires more care and judgment in their
cultivation. This is now more essen-
tial than It was, previous to the rapid
increase of the population, and the

112

consequent alteration in the face of
the country ; at that time the winds
were less variable, and fair and foUl
weather less intermixed.

In Lower Canac ; . v wind gene-
rally throughout the summer, blows
either from the eastward, or westward,
and in almost all storms, the upper
range of clouds are observed to be
moved by a westerly wind. In the
winter the easterly inclines more to
the north-east, and the westerly to
the north-west.

This season of the year, instead of
being passed in idleness, is in fact to
the new comers, the one in which the
greatest activity and industry is ex-
erted. To the traveller the echoes of
the woodman's axe resounding in
every direction, strikes upon the ear,
like a distant fire of musketry.

But to those capable of looking be-

113

yond the short scene of their own
existence, the falling crash of sur-
rounding forests, and the rapid march
of civilization, appearing as it does
to outstretch the bounds of human
possibility, will occasion a thousand
extraordinary ideas connected with
the future, to rush upon the mind,
affording abundant matter for serious
contemplation, and reflection.

In a very few years, comparatively
speaking, the whole extent of country
from the Pacific, to the Atlantic
Oceans, will become the great high-
way of industry and commerce.

When the river Columbia attracts
the attention of wealthy American
settlers, and they h..e permanently
established themselves, it will become
the Mississippi of that quarter of the
vast American Continent.
That government has quietly and

' }

i f

114

h j<

almost unobservably taken formal
possession of the entrance, and have
lately employed a detachment in
establishing military posts in that
direction.

A more ready communication for
the trade of the interior with India
and China, will thus be opened, of
which the Columbia will become the
grjpid entrep6t ; and to say that a city
will be founded here, which will in a
very few years rival New Orleans, is
an assertion probably borne out by a
mere reference to the map. Its situa-
tion will there be seen, as well as tihe
advantages which, to a trading colony,
California, and the whole north-west
coast of America presents. As a
convenient reference, I shall merely
add that the mouth of the Columbia
river lies in latitude 46" 22' N. and
longitude 123° 51' W. "^'

LETTER Vn.

■ ■-* iym.v ' 'to n.

The land has pea«e, freedom, and liberty o( oooscieuce.
And wkat would you monV'—Otd Morttaitf.

The honour of having discovered
the country, now called Canada, is
given to the Cabots; but Jacques
Cartier, a celebrated French naviga-
tor of the fifteenth century, first ex-
plored the Gulph of St. Lawrence in
1534, and carried off from Gasp^ two
natives of the country round Quebec,
who the following year served him as

I >

i i

' ■ii^-iftiEir-"'i'-'"

,„.-;.rfj»ll

i ■

'! >,

116

interpreters. He arrived on the 8tli
September in his boats at the Indian
village of Stadacon^ (where the city
of Quebec now stands) searching for
some place to lay up his vessels for
the winter, and at last determined on
the river St. Charles. Soon after his
squadron, consisting of the Grand
Hermione of 120 tons, the Petite
Hermione of 60, and the Emerillon
of 40, joined him from the lower end
of the Iskttid of Orleans, where he
had left them. After laying up the
two largest, he proceeded in the
Smerillon towards Montreal, but left
her at the upper end of Lake St.
l?*^ter,.and rea^qhed Hockelaga (now
Montreal). on the 2nd October

On the 11th he again arrived in
the harbour of St. Croix, a name he
h^ gjven the mouth of the river ,§t.
Charles in honpur oif the Saint, whose

117

anniversary is celebrated on the day
his vessels arrived there.
^ On the 3rd May, 1536, he seized
on the two Indians whom he had
taken with him the former year, and
also the Indian Chief of Stadacon^,
and on the 6th made sail for France,
leaving one of his vessels dismantled
in the St. Charles for want of hands,
twenty-five of them having died
during the winter of some unknown
malady, and on the 10th July he
arrived at St. Maloes.

Four years afterwards a person of
the name of Robertual was appointed
governor of Canada, and settlers
were sent out. Cartier was made
captain -general of the vessels em-
ployed on the expedition, but Ro-
bertual fixed on Cape Breton for a
settlement, where Cartier remained
seventeen months, and then returned

> Ji

I *- .

118

to France with a ruined fortune, and
died soon afterwards.

In 1588, his nephews, Delaunay,
Chaton, and Jacques Noel, obtained
an exclusive privilege to trade to
Canada for twelve years as an indem-
nification for the losses their uncle
had sustained; but this order was
revoked a few months after it was
grafted.

This brief outline of the Canadian
account of the discovery of the coun-
try, will, doubtless, excite a strong
feeling of sympathy and commisera-
tion for, the misfortunes and fate of
him who, after penetrating so far up
the St. Lawrence in opposition to in-
numerable difficulties, finally died of
a broken heart, on beholding all
those hopes and expectations he had
so fondly cherished, withering in the
gloom of inactivity, or blighted by

119

the chilling blasts of cold indifference.
A river bearing his name falls into
the St. Lawrence, about forty miles
above Quebec, and to those travel-
ling by land to Montreal, forms one
of the most picturesque scenes of
nature in Lower Canada.

The hill from which it is first seen,
is crowned with woods, whose
variegated verdure, clothes the steep
and rugged descent to the river,
" deepening the murmur of the fall-
ing floods," which rush with head-
long impetuosity over a winding
valley of rocks into the St. Lawrence.
At a distance may be seen that
great and noble river, rapidly mov-
ing toward the ocean, bearing away
upon its bosom the superabundant
produce of the immense territory
through which it has flowed On its
banks the whitened cottages of the

120

Canadians, scattered at unequal dis-
tances, complete a scene of rural
beauty, and of wild and uncultivated
nature; to which no description of
mine can do adequate justice.
• When I first contemplated the ex-,
traordinary beauty of the prospect of
which I have now but vainly endea-
voured to convey a correct idea, I
w'^s not aware that an object of still
greater admiration was soon to pre-
sent itself. Do not, however, ima-
ffine that, like the novelist, I am about
to introduce to your notice a fairy
sylph, or a spirit of the waters ; or
that, like the writer of a romance, I
shall attempt to make some '* dead
men rise to push us from our stools."
No ! it was an object of far greater
interest .than any old dry bones
that ever made himself amenable to
the White-boy act, by leaving his

his

121

home at unseasonable hours, in order
to frighten honest men out of their
senses. No, it was in fact, the
prettiest girl in all Canada, who, at
that time, lived in the neighbourhood,
and whose agreeable naivete, aided
by the scenery around her, had well
nigh tempted me to strike my colours
and lay up my weather-beaten hull
in the Jacques Cartier river for the
remainder of my days.

My time however was not yet
come, and although this blue-
eyed maid of the village might even
have rivalled Sir Walter's lady Helen,
for —

Ne'er did Grecian «hisel trace,
A nymph, a naiad, or a grace
Of finer form or lovelier face.

Still, as making love with sighing and
dying was not exactly my forte, I
escaped the greatest danger I had

■l^-.

l it

/t*

122

ever encountered of making a fool of
myself.

There is an excellent stone-bridge
thrown over the river, for the pas-
sage across which, a toll is required :
but this is evaded by the country
people during the summer, by a ford
about half-a-mile lower down, and
nearer the River St. Lawrence.

The City of Quebec, the first per-
n*anent settlement in Canada, was
founded in 1608 by Samuel Cham-
plain, a gentleman of birth and edu-
cation, who accompanied De Montis
in his expedition to Nova Scotia \ aad
it soon became the centre of the
French power in America.

The settlers, however, do not ap-
pear to have increased much in num-
ber, for in 1626 they had only three
establishments. This arose from its
trade having been up to this time in

123

the hands of an exclusive company,
whose chief object was to enrich
themselves by the fur trade, instead
of creating a national power in Ca-
nada. Cardinal Richelieu, who at
that time governed France, and whose
ideas were more liberal than those of
his age, as well as more magnificent
than those of common ministei^,
chose to employ a more numerous
association, composed of men of
greater property and credit.

To this company the government
gave the disposal of all the settle-
ments that were, or should be, formed
in Canada ; together with the power
of fortifying and governing them;
and of making peace or war, as should
seem most conducive to their interest.
The whole trade, hath by sea and
land, was secured to them for the
term of fifteen years, except the cod

1 1 ^

124

and whale fisheries, which were left
open to all. The fur trade was se-
cured to the company for ever. >
' Further encouragements were add-
ed to these. The king made the
company a present of two large ships
of war, manned with a crew of 700
sailors; and he granted them the
extraordinary privilege of conferring
titles of honour ; of creating dukes,
ma^quisses, and earls or counts, with
the royal letters of confirmation on
the presentation of Cardinal Riche-
lieu, grand master, head and superin-
tendent of the commerce and navi-
gation of France. Ecclesiastics,
noblemen, and others, associating
themselves in the company, might do
it without derogation of their rank or
character. Twelve of the members
were created nobles, and all the na-
tives of Canada were, to all intents

' ^mmganim^

125

and purposes, to be reputed natives
of Old France.

The company were allowed the
privilege of sending and exporting all
kinds of merchandize, duty-free ;
and every person who had exercised
any trade in the Colony for the space
of six years, was entitled to exercise
the same in any town in the Mother
Country. The last favour was of a
very singular nature: — all goods ma-
nufactured in Canada were permitted
a free entry into France ; a privilege
which gave the workmen a vast ad-
vantage over those of the Mother
Country, loaded with a variety of
oppressive taxes.

In return for so many advantages,
the company, which had a capital of
an hundred thousand crowns, engaged
to carry over to the Colony, in 1628,
the first year of their privilege, two or

126

three hundred artificers, of such trades
as were most wanted; and 16,000
persotes of all conditions, before
the year 1643. They were to lodge,
maintain, and furnish them with all
necaggaries, for three years ; and then
to- make an equitable distribution
among them, of the lands that should
beolliaredy according to their respec-
tive wantSi; furnishing each family
with a sufficient supply of grain to
sow its allotments^ for the first year.

Bint fortune did not second the en-
deavours of government in favour of
the new company to such a degree as
to enable them to fulfil their engage-
ments. The first ships which they
fitted out were taken by the English,
who had commenced hostilities against
France, on account of the siege of Ro-
dkeile.*

* RuBsers America.

They dispossessed the Freoch qf ali
their settlements in Canada, in 1629^
but through the influence of Cham-
plain, who pointed out their importance
to the council of Lewis XIII., they
were restored the following year by
the treaty pf St.' Germain.

The colonists appear to have been
reduced to great privation and misery
during the next two-and-thirty years,
by the bad management of the affairs
of th^ company, and a war with the
Indians. In 1662 they made a vo-
luntary surrender of all their privi-
leges to'the king ; and from this moment
the French settlements gradually im-
proved in trade and population.

In 1745 there were 83,000 French
colonists, dispersed, or collected on
the banks of the River St. Lawrence.
About the head of the river, and what
is called the Upper Country, there

128

Were 8,000 more, who were rather
engaged in trade and hunting— than
agriculture.*

Until 1759, Canada, like the other
countries and colonies of the Old and
New World, was subject alternately
to peace and war, and their conse-
quences,— good or evil. These, it is
not necessary to particularize in a
small tract intended for the informa-
tion of the generality of emigrants.
In 1760, therefore, the conquest of
the whole of New France was com-
pleted by the English ; and under the
name of Canada, it has ever since
remained annexed to the Crown of
Great Britain.

; i

* RusseU

LETTER VIIL

" I remember," said my Uncle Toby, sighing again, " the

story of the Ensign and his wife and particularly well,

that be, as well as she, upon some account or other, (I for-
get what) was universally pitied by the whole regiment :

but finish the story thou art upon."

Sterne,

On the afternoon of a clear Octo-
ber day, in the year 1813, after a
heavy march of twenty-eight miles
along the margin of the St. Law-
rence, and passing the rivers St.
Anne and Batiscan, — we halted at
the small town of Trois-Rivieres. -

Our orders to await here the arri-
val of the steam- vessel from Quebec,

yijaj^P---

130

afforded an opportunity for a careful
inspection of the battalion ; —and as
the war had now assumed a threaten-
ing aspect in the Uppei* Province,
and the Americans were moving in
great force upon Montreal — the ap-
pearance of 600 men, who had seen
some service, excited extraordinary
interest amongst all classes of the
Canadians.

It must not, however, be imagined,
that in the groups of people who
hailed our arrival as an interposition
of Providence in their favour, — were
those capable of bearing arms in de-
ence of their country; — oh, no! —
the old,— the feeble, — the women
and children, were all that remained.
— The young men had nobly re-
paired to their posts, — regardless of
dagger, and animated by those feel-
ings which alone occupy the hearts

131

x>f men when called upon to' defend
all that is dear to them in life. To
their assistance we were hastenijag,
anxious to relieve a body of brave,
but undisciplined volunteers, from the
chance of being overwhelmed by the
superior force of the enemy.

Surrounded by their relatives and
friends, we were the following morn-
ing assembled in the Stockade Bar-
rack, when my attention was rivetted
by the appearance of a man, appa-
rently ninety,— who, although his
silvery locks bespoke extreme old
^ge, —still carried himself bravely,
and as would have well become one
half a century younger.

He was dressed in tartan plaid,
and I observed him mark with the
keenness of a soldier, the appearance,
and every movement of the men, —
His eyes, bright and animated, be-

]

132

spoke the enthusiasm of his soul ;
and nothing more was necessary to
convince me,— that in this remote
spot,— ih the woods of North Ame-
rica, so many hundred mile* from his
Highland home,— I had met with a
** Hero of other days."

Little did I imagine what after-
wards proved to be the fact,— that in
the tall, venerable figure before me,
I contemplated one of the few re-
maning followers of Prince Charles
Edward.

A Scotchman, a gallant friend now
no more, stopping with me close to
his elbow, desired the drums to beat
" the yellow-haired laddie,"— and in
an instant we observed him struggling
to suppress his emotions.

Soldiers and sailors on foreign ser-
vice are soon known to each other;
useless ceremony is thrown aside.

133

and man meets man at once, — either
as friend or foe, — with those senti-
ments and feelings, which of necessity
are unknown in private life. These,
therefore, produced from my compa-
nion an observation in Gallic ; and
the return was immediately — a hearty
shake of the hand ; whilst the counte-
nance of the veteran brightened into an
expression of melancholy satisfaction.
** Sir," said I, " I am tempted to
wish I was a Highlander myself,
since you certainly appear to possess
more genuine national feeling toward
each other, than any other people
under the sun." ** It may be so,"
replied he, " I always meet a coun-
tryman with pleasure, particularly a
Highland soldier ; — but the delight I
at this moment experience, proceeds
from those well-known sounds, con-
nected as they are with the recoUec-

134

; '. f

tion of my early days, — my favourite
yellow-hair'd laddie : — to me your
notes strike upon the ear, as the
voice of a long-lost friend."

He could say no more ; — for in
spite of himself, the rising emotions
of his heart choked his utterance ;
and the manly tears which quickly
came to his relief, and rapidly stole
down his furrowed cheek, made me
regret that I had incautiously touched
tliat finer chord of sensibility which,
— fixed upon the most acute sensa-
tions of pain and pleasure, — vibrates
upon the soul of man, — lifts him, as it
were, above himself, — and calls into
action the strongest and best feel-
ings of our nature.

We were now sufficiently known to
each other to enter freely into con-
versation ; — and as it afforded the old
soldier an opportunity to

^^ ■^--'----'-^^-^^

135

<< Shoulder his crutch, and shew how fields
were won,"

we soon learned the leading circum-
stances of liis life.

Born in the Highlands of Scotland
he had assembled with his Clan, un-
der the banners of Prince Charles
Edward, and followed him, " thro'
weal and woe," until his final dis-
comfiture, and disastrous retreat from
the field of Culloden.

With great difficulty he succeeded
in making his escape to the Colonies,
and after a variety of adventures,
,when General Wolfe commenced the
siege of Louisburgh, he joined the
English army as a volunteer, — here
by the bursting of a shell he was
severely wounded ; but soon reco-
vering, he again joined the Brigade
of Highlanders before Quebec.

After the entire subjugation of Ca-

136

nada, he settled in the neighbour-
hood of that city; — and, finally,
pitched his last tent, in his wearisome
march through life, in the spot where
we had now the gratification of see-
ing him, in the winter of his days,—
like an aged oak in the midst of the
forest, — and surrounded by three or
four generations — sprung up imper-
ceptibly around him.

After a long conversation on sub-
jects deeply interesting to him — Scot-
land — and the war — we parted,
promising to call at his cottage the
following morning. The reader will
easily imagine that in this we were
punctual, and that — we found every
thing in the true~ style of " my Un-
cle Toby." Indeed, the picture was
finished to the life, by the actual ap-
pearance of another Corporal Trim,
who, with the precise soldier-like

■ r -y****;?:^

TlUMJlll!-

137

step and attitude of his worthy pro-
totype — handed round a horn of wel-
come, with — " I was, your Honour,
once a soldier myself; indeed, I was
bred and born one, — for I was brought
into the world in the English camp,
before Louisburgh."

Nothing more was now necessary
to convince us, — that in reality we
had found Captain Shandy, the
friend and patron of poor Lefe-
vre, — of all who needed support and
assistance,— and his generous mes-
senger of comfort to the distressed.
With tliis enthusiastic idea, in the
warmth of our feelings we again took
each of them by the hand, and freely
indulged in the delusion of the mo-
ment.

Whilst the venerable figure and
manner of the old soldier every mo-
ment inspired greater interest and

>s««»«^!^i

138

f
f

eateena, the Trina?like ooiintenance
and action of the GorponUiprayok^d
me to ask him several questions pri-
vately, relative to his affair with
Bridget; and whether his friends.
Dr. Slop and Obadiah, were still in
the land of the living.

My Uncle Toby, however, drew
QVT attention to his armoury ; and I
was obliged to defer the pleasure I
was promising myself,
' Over the chimney were arranged,
with great care, a Scotch claymore,
—a common English broad-sword,—
a halbert,— a Highland dirk and shot-
foelt,~-a brace of pistols, and. a mus-
ket and bayonet,— together with a
variety of weapons of attack and de-
fence, commonly used by the Ameri-
can Indians. In the centre was
painted on a fencifully-carved tablet,
" We are loaded, and ever ready for action :"

•'m^:i^wMm.'

139

a motto well suited to the spirit of the
garrison, and in an instant I added
underneath : —

«♦ Small in number, but of war-proof valour."

" There,*' said the veteran, with
indescribable pain and pleasure in
his voice and manner : — " there, you
see the arms we carried in our youth ;
but, alas ! I am now too old to fights
and too old to run away ; therefore,
I am told I must remain at home :-—
but, should our home be attacked',
then be assured we will again to
arms, and do our duty, as we best
can : and," rejoined the Corporal, " I
am by your side whilst there*s a drop
of blood in my body."

In the conversation and coun-
tenance of the veteran, we read the
history of an age, during which one
or two generations of men had been
swept from the face of the earth,

•■ ■ H!«W*!!«H!^v':'■••:•^-^?.•*«^'''^

»•- ■^; «.*»•,;■■«»*■

140

** time flew on rapid wing," and the
distant appearance on the lake of
the steam-vessel destined to convey
us nearer the scene of action, was
scarcely sufficient to remind us of the
necessity for an immediate separation.
His parting blessing was bestowed
with that warmth and sincerity which
stamps the remembrance of it more
strongly upon my mind ; and his last
^admonition,—" Be brave, my chil-
dren, and never fear death," was a
sentiment worthy of the man who had
fought and conquered with the im-
mortal Wolfe, and who, even at the
verge of the grave, could feel like a
hero.

LETTER IX.

How lustily your sons endure the hour

Of wintry desolation; and how fair

Your blooming daughters greet the op'ning dawn

Of love-inspiring spring.

Progreas of Liberty

The town of Trois Rivieres is
situated near three branches of a river,
which falling near this place into the
St. Lawrence, gives it its name.

This place was formerly the prin-
cipal dep6t of the fur traders before
Montreal had grown into its present
magnitude and importance. — Here
they carried on an extensive and ex-

■♦.-^■,«<#F«*!SW-,.

^#*>"r-««»v*>»--

142

ceedingly lucrative trade with the
Indians, who descending in their ca-
noes laden with furs, took back in
exchange, brandy, rum, and gunpow-
der, &c. &c.

These advantages have, however,
long since passed away, and the com-
mercial inhabitants of Trois Rivieres
now depend chiefly on the trade of
the town and its vicinity for their
support. — They have an iron foundry
in the neighbourhood, where vast
numbers of stoves are cast, these be-
ing an essential article in Lower
Canada during the winter.^ — There
are likewise two churches, and
several convents, into one of which
we attempted to penetrate, but the
good Lady Abbess was inexorable;
she might probably be apprehensive
that the colour of scarlet was in reality
wiiat the bUna laan had represented

i* I

143

it to be in his opinion, " Like the
sound of a trumpet," which might,
perhaps, have disturbed the religious
exercises of its inmates. I must con-
fess that I am too great a friend to
freedom, and lover of nature, particu-
larly in its fairest form, to admire this
unsocial and unnatural practice of
shutting up for life in the gloom of a
cloister, and hiding as it were " un-
der a bushel," the most beautiful
work of the Creator.

The man who first invented such
a system ought to have been tried
by a court martial of Amazonians,
and drummed out of existence.

In the revolutionary war in 1776,
the Americans formed a very daring,
and not ill laid plan, for the surprize
of the English forces at Three Rivers ;
which had it been attended with all
the success it was capable of, might

''■m^'lf'fr^-^V'yV^

144

have been ranked amongst the most
consid rabie military achievements
of that nature.

The British and Brunswick forces
were at this time much separated.
A strong detaciiiueiit was stationed
at Three Rivers, under the command
of Brigadier General Frazer. Ano-
ther, under Brigadier General Nesbit,
lay near them on board the transports.
A greater than either along with the
Generals Carleton, Burgoyne, Phil-
lips, and the German General, Rei-
desal, were in several divisions by
land and water on the way from
Quebec. The distance from Soiel
was about fifty miles, and several
armed vessels full of troops, higher
up than Three Rivers, lay full in the

way.

In the face of all these difficulties,

a body of about 2,000 men, under a

145

most
nents

brces
rated,
ioned
mand

Ano-
esbit,
ports.
:h the

Phil-
, Rei-
ns by
from

Soiel
several
higher

in the

julties,
nder a

Major General Thompson, embarked
at Sorel in fifty boats, and coasting-
the south shore of Lake St. Peter,
arrived at NicoI<^t, from whence they
fell down the river by night, and
passed to the other side, with the
intention of surprizing the forces un-
der General Frazer.

Three Rivers was at that time a
long village rather than a regular
town, and the design was, that it
should be attacked a little before
day-break by a strong detachment at
each end, whilst two other parties
were to be drawn up in readiness to
cover or support them.

If this plan had succeeded, the
destruction of all those vessels lyino*
near the shore was meditated.

The concurrent circumstances ne-
cessary to give effect to this design
were too numerous to afford any

"•■«s*Bs^*** <;

i ! t

W ■

'Si' ■

146

strong confidence of success. It was
one of those bold undertakings which
might have been productive of great
advantage, but which was of too
perilous a nature for any thing less
than the most desperate situation of
affairs to justify.

They missed their time by about
an hour, which, though they had
passed the armed ships without ob-
servation, occasioned their being dis-
covered, and the alarm given at their

landing.

They afterwards got into bad
ground, and were involved in other
difficulties, which threw them into dis-
order and confusion. In this state they
found General Frazer's corps prepared
to receive them, having landed several
light six-pounders, which played upon
them with great effect. Whilst thus
engaged in front. General Nesbit

t^^^^MSia

•s?^

^Sll

147

It was

s which
jf great
of too
ing less
ation of

y about
ey had
lout ob-
jing dis-
i at their

ato bad
in other
lintodis-
tate they
prepared
d several
yed upon
lilst thus
1 Nesbit

landed his brigade from the transports
in their rear,

Nothing was now left but a retreat,
the accomplishment of which was
more to be hoped than expected
Between Generals Nesbit and Frazer's
corps they were driven -for several
miles through a swamp, which they
traversed with inconceivable toil.
The British troops at length grew
tired of the pursuit, and the woods
afforded them the wished for shelter,
The first and second in command,
with about 200 others, were taken
prisoners. The loss of the British, as
may be imagined, was but trifling.

This was the last effort the Ameri-
cans made of any importance in Ca-
nada during the war.

The steam vessels which navigate
the St. Lawrence lay too for a short
time at Trois Rivieres, to take m h

H 2

■r-^t^*

--..;*--'

■•'?->"«e-'W*''s.",«)(»,j(?-ji}. ^/

148

farther supply of fuel. A description
of this mode of comeyanceis unneces-
sary, steam vessels having now be-
come pretty generally known through-
out Europe. Mr. Malsham, of Mon-
treal was the first to establish them in
British North America, and it is only
a proper tribute of justice to acknow-
ledge, that the tables provided, and
the accommodations in all of them,
are most excellent.

The earlier in the summer the emi-
grant reaches Montreal the better.
To those who intend to rent or pur-
chase a cleared farm, it is not of so
much consequence, but to him who
purposes taking up a grant of land,
it is absolutely necessary that he
should be at Montreal, if he intends
to settle in the Lower Province, and
at Kingston if in the Upper, by the
middle of July.

jcriptioii
anneces-
low be-
througli-
of Mon-
L them in
it is only
acknoW'
(led, and
of them,

the emi-
e better,
t or pm'-
lot of so
him who
; of land,

that he
E intends
ince, and
IT, by the

149

He will then be able to obtain pos-
session of his land, and build his log*
house before the setting in of the
winter. This period of the year in
Lower Canada is from the 15th of
November to the 15th of April.
In the Upper Province agricultural
labour may be prosecuted during se-
ven months of the year. About a
month from the renewal of vegeta-
tion in both provinces, the apple-
trees are in blossom, and the verdure
of the wheat fields and meadows wave
in the wind. All sorts of grain are
sown in the spring, the wheat first,
which generally ripens in four months
from the time of its being put into
the earth ; there is, however, another
kind, a bearded wheat, which is fit
for the sickle in three months, the
time oats require.

In the Upper Province wheat is like-
wise sown in the fall as in this country.

) i

II 'JM"""^ — mwirr — ^wiiii

150

1 shall now attempt to give an idea
of the geographical situation, laws,
and government of the Lower Pro-
vince, and for the observations I have
to offer in this letter, I am principally
indebted to a brief account of Canada,
published annually in the Quebec
Calender.

The public institutions of Upper
Canada being modelled agreeable to
the British, will not require any par-
ticular description.

7;he name of Canada was originally
applied by Europeans to all the land
on the south western shores of the
Gulph of St. Lawrence, and on both
sides of that river from its mouth to
some distance above Quebec.

The River St. Lawrence itself wa«
called '* La Grande Riviere du Ca-
nada," the name was afterwards ex-
tended to all countries explored by
adventurers from the settlements

.\. -M: I

't-^WpW^^'w^'i^j^w*

151

an idea
, laws,
er Pro-
; I have
icipally
l^anada*
Quebec

Upper
jable to
,ny par-

iginally
he land
i of the
on both
outh to

self wa«
du Ca-
irds ex-
ored by
lements

along the river. The whole 'of the
French possessions in North America
were afterwards comprehended un*
der the name of New France.

Canada, as it is understood at the
present day, is bounded to the east
by the Gulph of St. Lawrence, and
the country on the Labrador coast,
annexed in 1 809 to the government of
Newfoundland ; to the north, by the
territories of the Hudson's Bay Com*
pany ; to the west, by undefined
boundaries, but which may be sup-
posed to extend (by virtue of occu-
pation by the fur traders, and the
discoveries of M*Kensie) to the
Pacific Ocean. To the south it is
bounded by unexplored countries,
and by the U.nted States of America,
the Michigan territory, the State
of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York,

1 1

■WWHM

; ': '

.152

Vermont, New Hampshire, the dis*
trict of Maine, and by the British
Province of New Brunswick.

The whole of this extent of country,
as far as it was then explored, was
from 1774 to 1791 under the govern-
ment of the Province Quebec. In
1791 it was divided into Upper and
Lower Canada, by a line which
strikes off near M'Ghie's Point in Lake
St. Francis (or Point au Bod^t,) which
has been alluded to in Letter VIIL

Lower Canada lies between the
45th and 50th degrees of north lati-
tude, and the 62d and 82 d degrees
of west longitude, from Greenwich.
The eastern half of this province is
mountainous, and generally uncuV
tivable. On the south shore of the
St. Lawrence the mountains do not
recede considerably from the river

153

until about sixty miles bflow Que-
bec, they then run in a south wester-
ly direction until they reach Lake
Champlain.

On the western side of this lake
they extend north-westerly, in the
direction of the Great Rapids of the
St. Lawrence. They can hardly be said
to leave the river until they reach
Quebec, from whence they extend in
a western and southern direction, and
again appear in sight of the moun-
tains on the south shore, toward the
above rapids.

The countries lying within these
mountains (comprising an extent of
above 200 miles from East to West,
and 180 from North to South, at the
broadest part) is level, with die ex>-
ception of the isolated mountains of
Montreal, Beliel, and Chamblay.

Nearly in the middle of this tract
H 3

i
'^;

mmtmm

154

of land, flows the St. Lawrence^ va-
rying from a mile to upwards of
twenty miles in width, navigable for
vessels of 300 tons burden, 600 miles
from the sea.

On the north, the waters of the
Ottawa, L'Achigan, the St» Maurice,
the Batiscan, the St. Anne, and the
Jacques Cartier, empty/ themselves
into it ; and on the South, the Cham-
blay, the Yanaska, the St. Francis,
the Nicol6t, the Besancour, and the
Chaudiere.

All of these in Europe would be
considered rivers of great magnitude*
and the sources of all, excepting
the Ottawa and Chamblay, lie consi-
derably to the east of their embou-
chures* They have generally high
banks, along which the soil and
growth of timber is inferior to that of
the country farther backv All of them.

165

e, ya-
rds of
)le for
) miles

of the
lurice)
nd the
iselves
Cham-
rancis,
nd the

Uld be
nitude*
iepting
! consi"
imbou«-
y high
il and
that of
f tliem,

excepting where they are nearly on a
level with the St. Lawrence, have a
second bank at some distance from
that which now contains their waters.
The same thing is observable of the
St. Lawrence.

The waters of none of these river»
are clear, excepting the St. Law-
rence itself, which, before its junc-
tion with the Ottawa, is as transpa-
rent as any in the world.

The soil on both sides of the Saint
Lawrence, in the western portion of
the tract of country above described,
is for the most part clayey, without
stones, — excepting here and there
globular masses of granite lying on
the surface.

Newly cleared it is invariably
covered with a dark mould, produced
by dissolved vegetable substances.
As you approach the mountains the

^^.i^s?

m.-

■ j»

;

^ tf

156

soil is more light and loamy. These
lands are the easiest cleared, and are
at first very productive; tov^^ard
Quebec the soil is poorer, frequently
stony and shingley, and there are
large tracts of sandy soil, covered
with only a very slight coating of
vegetable mould.

The mountains generally consist of
granite, though there are throughout
the country extensive strata of lime,
and not unfrequently stones having
the appearance of volcanic eruption.

The part of Lower Canada in cul-
tivation,— consists of from one to ten
leagues back on both banks of the St.
Lawrence, and the rivers which fall
into it. There are also settlements
along the boundary of the United
States, from the River Connecticut
to St Regis, the rest of the country
to the very tops of the mountains is

157

covered with timber of a species and
growth congenial to the soil.

The landholders in the Lower Pro-
vince are mostly Canadians, or of
Canadian extraction, very few of
them hold upon lease, but are the
owners of the soil, subject only to a
very small annual rent to the Seigneir
or person holding immediately from
the crown, and the fine of a twelfth
on a change of proprietor by sale, or
act equivalent to a sale,— one-fourth
of which twelfth is usually deducted
upon prompt payment.

The other conditions are by no
means burthensome according to the
existing practice. They consist
chiefly in having their corn ground at
the Seignorial Mill, paying one-
fourteenth for grinding— and in mak^
ing and repairing the highways
passing through their land, and assist-

II '

!!*3i^^^^^r

mtm

i.- '■

; )

I 3

158

ing in the bye-roads necessary for the
use thereof. Lands held by Catholics
are likewise subject to a tythe of a
twenty-sixth part of all grain for the
use of the curate, and to assessment
for the building and repairs of churches
and parsonage houses.

There are no people on the face of
the earth more strongly attached to
their religion, laws, and customs
\ than the Lower Canadians. During
the late contest with the United
States of America, their loyalty and
attachment to the government and
people of Great Britain, were exem-
plified in a thousand instances. Their
conduct atChrystlers Chataguay, and
La Cole Mill, sufficiently established
their character for personal brav^jry
and self-devotion to the cause for
which they fought.

The 104th regiment raised in New

169

Brunswick, the Nova Scotia, the Ca^
nadian, and Glengary Fencibles, the
Canadian Voltigeurs, and one or two
other Corps raised in Lower Canada,
were of the greatest service during the
WLi. -They proved themselves on
every occasion worthy of their colours,
and fully justified the opinion formed
of their courage, and discipline.

This character may likewise very
justly be given to the Militia of the
Upper Province, who suffered severely
on the Niagara frontier, particularly
in the aifair of Lundy's-lane, in 1814,
where a battalion of incorporated
militia sustained the brunt of the
action for a considerable time, in a
style that would have done credit to
regular troops.

The commanding officer of the
corps was a captain of the 8th regi-
ment, who held a brevet rank, with

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160

the local one of lieutenant-colonel
whilst detached,— and I well remem-
ber an anecdote told of him at the
time, too good to pass unnoticed.
This gallant son of the Emerald Isle
having been severely wounded in the
action,— made the following laconic
report of his situation to the lieu-
tenant-colonel who commanded the
^8th.

Dear

I wras shot through the head yester-
day morning, but they tell me I am
doing very well, and I think so my-
self. A plague on that villainous
salt-petre, I think it will be the

death of me at last.

Your's, &c.

The sovereign legislative authority

161

is in His Majesty and the two Houses
of Parliament. This authority is
again limited by the capitulations and
its own acts, — the most remarkable
of which is the Act 18 George III.
chap, xii., confirmed by 31 George
III. chap, xxxi., which declares that
no taxes shall be imposed on the
colonies but for the regulation of
trade, and that the proceeds of such
taxes shall be applied to and for the
use of the province, in such manner
as shall be directed by any law or
laws which may be made by his
majesty, his heirs, or successors, by
and with the advice and consent of
the legislative council and assembly
of the province.

The provincial legislature erected
by the aforesaid Act of 31 George
III. chap. xxxi. (1791), consists of
his majesty acting by the governor.

-■ pfc (I* H alM'^K '^i^'^^''

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or person administering the govern-
ment of Canada,— of a legislative
council of not less than fifteen mem-
bers, appointed by his majesty for
life under some exceptions,— of a
House of Assembly of not less than
fifty members, elected for four years,
by British subjects resident within
the province, and possessed for their
' ov^rn use and benefit in the country of
real property of the annual value of
forty shillings sterling ; in the towns
of the yearly value of five pounds, or
paying rent to the amount of ten
pounds. It is empowered to make
laws for the " peace, welfare, and
good government of the province,"
such laws not being repugnant with
the above Act.

The governor in his majesty's name
assembles, prorogues and dissolves
the two houses, but they must be

,:i.Jil(^,,- .^ „^

163

called together once in every twelve
calendar months. All questions
arising in the two houses are decided
by a majority of the members pre-
sent. The governor gives, withholds,
or reserves for the farther signification
of his majesty's pleasure — the royal
sanction to all bills proposed by the
two houses : — laws assented to by the
governor may be disallowed by his
irajesty within two years. His
majesty cannot assent to any Act or
Acts affecting the employment of the
dues of the clergy of the Church of
Rome, or affecting the establishment
of the Church of England within the
province, — the provisions made for
the same, or the real enjoyment, and
exercise of any religious form or
mode of worship. Neither in creating
penalties, burthens, disabilities, or
disqualifications on that account;

M I

164

i- ->

in granting or imposing any new
duties in favour of any minister of
any particular form of worship— or
affecting the prerogative touching the
granting of the waste lands of the
crown— without such Acts having
been thirty days before both houses "
of the British parliament, and nei-
ther of the houses having addressed
'his majesty not to sanction the same.
The laws in force are first the Acts
of the British parliament which ex-
tend to the colonies.— 2ndly. Capi-
tulations and treaties; 3rdly. The
laws and customs of Canada, founded
principally on the customs of Paris,
the edicts of the French kings, their
colonial authorities and the Roman
civil law ; 4thly. The criminal law of
England as it stood in 1774, and as
explained by subsequent explanatory
statutes ; 5thly. The ordinances of the

165

governor and council established by
the Act of that year ; and 6thly. By
the Acts of the provincial legislature
since 1793.

These laws are executed in his
majesty's name, and by virtue of
his commission and instructions,
by the governor— and his inferior
officers, all of whom he appoints
(with a few exceptions) during plea-
sure. The governor likewise pos-
sesses all those powers and preroga-
tives, which his majesty may legally
enjoy, and delegate to him.

The Judiciary, consists of a chief
justice of the province, and three
puisne justices for the district of
Quebec. A chief justice and three
puisn(^ justices for Montreal, a pro-
vincial judge for Three Rivers, and
one for Gasped. The police is ad-
ministered by the magistrates, &c.

-^"'*jfcwip-'«^*-d,*»- .-.^^•^■■- iSi^'ia^v.,, ^3«e-viJtS'sa*»^wi

m\i—."«

IHHBMM^PffiM

LETTER X,

And soon a score of fires, I ween—
From height, and hill, and cliff, were seen ;
Each with warlike tidings fraught ;—
Each from each, the signal caught ;—
Each, after each, they glanc'd to sight :
As stars arise upon the night.

Lav of the Last Minatrel,

Montreal is an extensive, well-
built city, situated on the north shore
of the River St. Lawrence ;— on an
island of the same name, (about
twelve leagues long, and four in
width) which is exceedingly fertile,
abounding in corn, fruits, romantic
scenery, and handsome country-seats ;

168

aided by the mildness of the climate,
when compared with Quebec, it is by
far the most agreeable residence in all

Canada.

Every article of luxury or comfort
that money can purchase, are to be
obtained in Montreal. Fleets of
ships, many of them upwards of 300
tons burden, are here to be seen load-
ing and unloading their cargoes at
the distance of 600 miles from the sea.
Respectable libraries, and other pub-
lic institutions,— with a theatre, and
indeed nothing appears to be want-
ing that can either contribute to the
wants or amusement of its inhabi-
tants. These amount to more than
25,000 Canadians and Americai. , &c.
They have two good markets, well
supplied, at moderate prices. The
hotels and boarding-houses are, in^
deed, excellent; and in the latter.

169

limate,
it is by
ce in all

comfort
E to oe
eets of
, of 300
en load-
'goes at
the sea.
lier pub-
tre, and
)e want-
te to the
i inhabi-
ore than
car. , &c.
:ets, well
es. The
; are, in-
le latter,

the respectable traveller who pur-
poses remaining a short time in Mon-
treal, will find no difficulty in pro-
curing good and comfortable quarters,
at a moderate expense.

Montreal may be considered as the
grand entrepot to the Upper Pro-
vince ; and the merchants here drive
a most extraordinary and profitable
trade, with the people of both pro-
vinces, as well as with the different
nations of Indians, in the North-west,
and Western divisions of this exten-
sive country.

A more particular description of
Montreal is unnecessary ; because the
emigrant will, if he is prudent, not
remain longer here, than is absolutely
requisite to make his arrangements.
In a great city, he will find his money
fly like the wind, and his time will
likewise be too valuable to be thrown

170

away; he will therefore do well to
move on as soon as possible.

Should he purpose taking up a
grant of land in the Upper Province,
on his arrival at Montreal, if he has
much luggage, he had better probably,
immediately engage a batteaux, (or
flat-bottomed boat, suited to the na-
vigation) to convey him to Kingston.
It is totally impossible to say posi-
' tively, which arrangement will be the
most prudent for prosecuting the
voyage up the St. Lawrence, — whe-
ther a batteaux, or a passage in the
steam- vessels ; as it must depend
entirely upon the number of his
family, weight of baggage, and other
circumstances, — of which he alone
can form a correct opinion.

To avoid leading any one into error,
I shall merely give a general account
erf the route, noticing as we pass, the

well to

up a
ovince,
he has
obably,
ux, (or
the na-
ingston.
ly posi-
1 be the
:ing the
, — whe-
e in the
depend

of his
id other
e alone

to error,

account

pass, the

171

several towns and villages on the
right and left (N. 8c 8.) shores of the
^t. Lawrence.

From Montreal to Lower Lachine
the river is a continued rapid, over
which no boats but the batteaux can
pass with safety. These are forced
along the ^dge of the current, by the
main strength of the boatmen, who
use long poles shod v ,th iron pro-
Tided for that purpose. Four or five
hours will be occupied, in advancing,
to this place, although only nine milet
from Monrrreal; but in coming down
to that city with the current, half
an hour would be more than sufficient
to run that distance, without the aid
of either oars or sail.

The canal, which is cutting from
Montreal to Upper Lachine, will,
however, do away the necessity of
.massing these rapids, and conse-

I 2

.-nl'i

'T i wa %j4 -vn ift ii ii i—

172

quently, materially facilitate the con-
veyance of goods to the settlements
on the Ottawa, and the Upper
Province. There is a steam vessel
now employed navigating the Ottawa,
and Lake St. Louis, which will con-
vey passengers and baggage to the
foot of the Split 'Rock Rapids, about
six miles below the village of Cedars.
Lake St. Louis, although a small
! lake, when compared to others of
North America, would in Europe, be
considered a magnificent piece of
water. The country around it is
indeed beautifully picturesque, and
the *' green mountains of Vermont,"
although seventy miles distant^ are
here visible, towering to the clouds.
When viewed from the northern
shore of the lake, they may be
compared to the Pyrenees, for
variegated grandeur and sublimity.

i J

he con-
iemep.ts
Upper
I vessel
Ottawa,
ill con-
to the
5, about
Cedars,
a small
thers of
rope, be
iece of
id it is
ue, and
jrmont,"
ant, are
i clouds,
aorthern
may be
2;es, for
iblimity.

178

The Indian village of Cocknawaga,
lies immediately opposite Upper
Lachme. and the glittering spire
o» the church of Point Clair, will
be seen on the right ; the emigrant
may here, if he pleases, call to his
recollection "the Canadian boat
song. *

" Ottawa tide, this trembling moon,

"Shall see us float over thy waters soon," &c.

The Canadians have an odd viray of
covering the spires of almost all their
churches, in the Lower Province,
with a sort of polished tin, which
has a very pretty effect, and is visible
for several miles, above the green
foliage of the trees.

The village of Cedars stands very
pleasantly on the north shore of the
river ; and I remember it with greater
satisfaction, from having received the

111

174

most hospitable attention in 1813,
from Colonel Murray, who at that
time commanded the 5th battalion of
militia. It was the same night that
general Wilkinson passed Fort Wel-
lington with the American army,
and as the alarm guns were fired at
the Coteau du Lac, and the beacon
at that post was seen flaring through
, the moonlight, —

*' like a blood flag in the sky,"

the old women and children were
nearly frightened into fits; but ttie
militia under their venerable com-
mander, (who had passed his youth in
the regular army) pushed on at mid-
night to the Coteau.

After the departui'e of the garrison,
the uproar increased ; alarming re-
ports were spread ; and it appeared
as if the place was on the point of

175

1813,
^t that
ilion of
:ht that
rt Wel-

army,
fired at
beacon
hrough

n were
t)ut the
e com-
routh in
at mid-

arrison,
ling re-
ppeared
joint of

attack, by the ghosts of these 5,000
invincible Yankees, who were in
reality fifty miles distant. So com-
pletely had that wild eyed monster,
fear, taken by the nose every soul in
the village, and so strenuously did
this infernal demon, pull away at the
common larum bell of their senses,
that, to them, the thought of sleep,
conveyed an idea little short of
instant death, and a speedy prepara-
tion for the next world, was the order
of the day.

The Coteau du Lac, is eleven miles
farther on ; this was a military post
of considerale importance, during the
war. The 2nd battalion, R.M. formed
part of its garrison in the winter of
1813, with the 103rd regiment, who
were the following year unfortunately
blown up, in the disastrous attack

-T

176

■1.

upon Fort Erie. The whole effective
strength of the regiment, about 600
men, went into action that night,
under their gallant commanders.
Colonels Scott and Drummond, who,
together with almost every officer
and man, a few minutes afterwards,
fell victims to an unforeseen, and
unaccountab^ e explosion.

The same night, captain Alexander
Dobbs, R.N. C.B., who was co-
operating with a party of seamen,
and marines, was knocked backwards
whilst gallantly advancing to plant
the scaling ladders, by a cannon shot,
which having several times bounded
from the earth, struck him directly
on the forehead. He was carried from
the field senseless, but, however
much he feels the effects of it, I am
happy to say, he still lives, and is

177

ready and willing to shew as bold a
front as ever, to the enemies of his
country.

Whilst on the subject of narrow
escapes, I may perhaps be permitted
to record another, which occurred
under my own immediate observation.

In the attack upon Norfolk, in
Virginia, it became necessary for the
second battalion to change its position,
by a retrograde movement. I beg
the reader will not think that the
marines are in the habit of retreating ;
excepting out of this world, into
another: their character in this re-
spect, is, I hope, pretty well under-
stood, I shall therefore proceed.

In this movement, a cannon shot
from the water battery, on Crany
Island, struck the ground close be-
hind Captain Steele, RM., rose
again, and passed directly between

1 3

178

hi$ thighs, knocked him down,--^
dead, it was supposed; but although
he was likewise severely wounded ;
he also, I am happy to say, lived to tell
the story, and is now barrack master
of the royal marine artillery.

To be serious, however, this is
queer work after all, for tenpence a
day, and your rations.

A mile and a half in advance of
< Coteau du Lac, is Point McDonald,
which derives its name like a great
many other places in Canada, &om
the proprietor. This is the head of
the Cedar, and Cot«au du Lac
rapids, which the emigrant will find
the worst part of t|tt navigation
between Montreal and the Upper
Province.

It will take him, even wit^* a
Mr wind across Lake St. Louis,
three days to get his batteaujc to

179

McDonald's, forty-six miles from M on*
treal ; should he be a steam vessel pas^
senger, he will have to cart his baggage
from the Cedar's to McDonald's Point,
where he can convey it across Lake
St. Francis, as far as Cornwall.

During the late war, a strong party
of seamen, for the service of the
lakes, halted at the Coteau du Lac,
in their way up the country. They
had been previously supplied with a
complete fighting apparatus, and wkh
ammunition in abundance, but a
haversack to hold their "prog'' as
the nautical term is, and a canteen for
the "liquor of life" was omitted,
amongst the other articles of equip*
ment.

The next morning, the blue petre
was hoisted, as a signal for getting
under w«y,^and ♦'toe a line,'' the
word of command, was a^s promptly

180

obeyed, as might be expected under
all the circumstances. It is true they
complained loudly of the cursed
straps across their shoulders, a mus-
ket and bayonet, with forty round*^
of ball cartridge, being no joke, and
that such infernal trumpery, was only
lit for a soldier, and a disgrace to a
blue jacket. " Give me a cutlass/l
cried one, "give me a boarding pike,'*
noared another, and "give me my
grog," vociferated a third ; however,
** toe a line," being again whispered in
rfieir ears, by the soft murmur of the
boatswain's mate, order was restored
tojthe. Blues, and they amused them-
selves in silence for a few moments,
drawing up in their own minds, a de-
claration of war against every un-
fortunate pig between the Coteau du
Lac and the falls of Niagara.
, Four days' rations of rum, soft

181

bread, and beef, were now distributed
from the commissariat store, but this
only produced a new difficulty.

The rum it is true, could have been
easily stowed away, but the beef and
bread,-what was to be done with
that? There was no se^ chest, no
canvass bag, no haversack ; one tried
the top of his hat, another his P.
jacket," and another, more ingenious
than the rest, was for slinging it over
his shoulders, in the seat of his old
trousers. NoW this appeared to be
an excellent idea, but—

" Hope told a flattering tale,"

for behold, one of them had accident-
ally found a still better plan, and was
seen hoisting his in the air, upon his
fixed bayonet. The thought—

" flew like lightning 'long the line,"

and was acted upon immediately bv
all hands. ^

*^*t«;S^*?Sfc^-

m- ^'-"^umsnnit*

182

The cry of "shove off'* "shove
off" now became universal, and was
at length complied with, by the com-
manding officer ;

•* Oh I it was a goodly sight to see,"

v/hen they extended themselves, after
the manner of naval tactics, for at
least three-quarters of a mile, all
along the margin of the bay, and a
party of Indians encamp'd a short
distance from the Fort, staring with
astonishment, shook their heads, and
very wisely concluded, that if the
war was to be carried on in that
manner, it would very soon be all up
with the Yankees.

I 11

LETTER XI.

" That is all which is worth citfing for, which distia-
Sfuishw the dtiath of the brare from the ipioble,"^

Old Mortality.

Point au Bodet, nine miles from
McDonald's, is generally the first
stage for the Canadian boatmen, but
should they have a feir wind across
Lake St. Francis, they invariably
make the best of it, and push on as
far as the River Raisin, Camerons,
or even to Cornwall, a distance of
thirty-seven miles from the Coteau.

A small party was stationed at

»i r< pp -tWlmi

T'*-.

:!,

184

M'Ghie's Point, (Point au Bodet)
whilst General Wilkinson's army lay
in the Salmon River, and three gun-
boats were kept constantly cruising
on the Lake, until the winter, as a pre-
cautionary measure agamst Fort Co-
teau being surprised by the Americans.
Glengary, the tirst settlement after
passing the boundary of the Upper
> Province, is a sufficient specimen of
what may be effected by industry and
perseverance. The majority of the
people in Glengary speak Gallic. A
French Canadian, or an Englishman,
will here find as much difficulty in
making himself understood, as he
would in Otaheite, or any other out-
of-the-way part of the world.

Here are the Donald McDonalds,
the M^Kenzies, the M'Niels, the
Mm ;. ds, the M'Kinnons, and the
..ergons, the Scots, the Frazers,

kiS'

^^f^F"*^^

i i *in . '»i i i i l i

185

odet)
ly lay
igun-
Liising
apre-
t Co-
icans. •
t after
Upper
nen of
ry and
of the
ic. A
ihman,
ulty in
as he
er out-

[)nalds,
s, the
md the
'razors,

and the Camerons — indeed I am half
inclined to think that there is not a
braw hinny, ** that ever wore bottom-
less breeks," who could not in this
said district of Glengary — if he was
disposed to take a stretch across —
find either his cousin or his namesake.
A Highland friend of mine, whilst
quartered at Cornwall, discovered in
one old woman, the person who had
nursed him in his infancy. It was a
droll scene enough, for the " gude
wife " had no sooner clearly ascertain-
ed that her foster bairn was actually
before her, than making a most affec-
tionate spring, she caught him round
the neck, and half smothered him
with caresses and imperial mackaba.
He had on one or two occasions after-
wards, a very narrow escape of being
brought to close quarters in a similar
manner, in spite of the sharp look out

:4i 1

kept by him upon the old lady's *nove-

merts.

The entrance of the River l^mm is
in a deep bay on the CaDadian shore.
The block-house at the entrance will
be seen when about three miles above
M'Ghie's ; and the passage from hence
to Cornwall will afford ample matter
for pleasure and observation.

After passing Cameron's, the Indian
village of St. Regis, on the south
shore, becomes an object of much in-
terest. Here the boundary falls into
the St. Lawrence, and from this point
upwards, runs in the centre of that
river, and through the lakes.

As this line had^iever been cor-
rectly described, commissioners were
appointed by both powers at the ces-
sation of hostilities for that purpose ;
and the British executive have spered
no expense or exertion for effecting

^*fr

f-wiln.'^ > J M' . >- i ' « » i«aM»» ««*■»«!♦• jf"^

187

nqve-

mn is
jhore.
e will
above
hence
natter

Indian
south
ich in-
Is into
5 point
3f that

;n cor-
rs were
he ces-
irpose ;
spered
ffecting

this desirable object, and a perfect
survey of the Upper Lakes. This isr
absolutely necessary, because in these
immense inland seas, tremendous
gales blow with incredible violence,
and the numerous shoals and small
islands, scattered in every direction,
make the navigation sometimes both
difficult and dangerous. In several
parts of Lake Ontario theie are no
soundings, but by the great efforts
made to keep the ascendancy upon it
during the late war, this lake is better
known than either of the others.

St. Regis was occupied by the
American army during the winter of
1813. General Wilkinson, after the
defeat of his rear division at Christ-
ler's farm, having crossed his army at
Cornwall, and given up all hopes of
reaching the Lower Provinces by the
River St. Lawrence.

188

Excepting the innkeeper, and Mon-
sieur Joseph Marcoux, the Catholic
missionary, the inhabitants of this
village are all Indians, or of Indian
extraction. The church and houses
are commodious and well built, and
the priest appears to have adopted
every means in his power to civilize
the people, but whether they are
more happy in consequence, is a ques-
tion not so easily ascertained. The
St. Regis Indians have advanced far-
ther in civilization, than any other tribe
in this part of North America; but
generally speaking, those who have
had much intercourse with their neigh-
bours verify the old and true proverb
— " Evil communications corrupt good
manners" — which may be well ap-
plied in this instance.

Instead of becoming better, many
of them exchange, for their native

• yj.

iMon-
atholic
)f this
Indian
houses
It, and
idopted
civilize
ley are
a ques-
l. The
ced far-
ler tribe
ca; but
tio have
ir neigh-
proverb
jpt good
veil ap-

r, many
r native

189

hardihood, simplicity and bravery

indolence, pusillanimity, and all the
vicious inclinations and habits of the
Europeans— very few of them imbib-
ing any of their virtues.

The Indians of the six nations, in
the neighbourhood of Lake Huron,
and Michilimacinac, are however a
very different race of men, and the
name of Tecumseth will be held in
veneration as long as Canada exists.

Of all the chiefs attached to the
British army during the late v/ar, none
could equal Tecumseth. He stood
pre-eminent, and it is the opinion of
many who knew his character, that
he had a head and a heart capable
of planning and executing the boldest
actions imaginable. He fell mortally
wounded in a skirmish with a party
of American riflemen, in October,
1813, when his services in the field,

190

and his powerful influence over a
strong body of Indian warriors, were
of the greatest importance in the
defence of Upper Canada.

The Indian chief Norton, likewise,
rendered very valuable assistance to
the British cause in Canada. After
the cessation of hostilities he came
with his wife and family to England,
—was introduced to His present Ma-
jesty, who conferred upon him the
local rank of Major in the English
army. After a short stay, however,
in this country, he returned to Cana-
da, and now passes his life in retire-
ment, near York—his literary ac-
quirements affording him the princi-
pal source of amusement.

Mrs. Norton has considerable per-
sonal attractions, and possesses a
mind and manner, that would do
credit to a more exalted station.

191

over a

s, were

in the

kewise,
ance to
After
le came
Ingland,
ent Ma-
him the
English
lowever,
■o Cana-
n retire -
rary ac-
3 princi-

ible per-
sesses a
^ould do
ion.

Sackanaigh (alias Black Bird) ig
another chief who made himself con-
spicuous during the late war. He is a
nephew of Tecumseth's, and appears
to inherit a great deal of the bravery
and warlike genius of his gallant rela-
tive.

When Capt. Miller Worsley, R.N.
in September, 1814, arrived at Michi^
limacinac, on Lake Huron, with a
few seamen in boats and canoes, from
the Nottawasaga River, where he had
been obliged by the superior force of
the Americans to destroy H. M. S.
Nancy, he found the port blockaded
by Commodore Sinclair with two
heavy schooners.

With that spirit of enterprize so ab-
solutely necessary in carrying on the
war upon the lakes, he immediately
determined upon attacking them with
the crew of the Nancy, and a party

192

of the Newfoundland Regiment, un-
der Lieut. Bulger of that corps, who
were placed under his directions by
Colonel M*Dowal, the Commandant.
In this aflfair Sackanaigh, the Indian
chief, accompanied Capt. Worsley as
a volunteer, and evinced great gal-
lantry.

When closing in upon the vessel
under her fire, Gackanaigh was ob-
' served with liis tobacco pouch, and
with an apparent devotional feeling,
spreading a small portion of the con-
tents upon the lake, and to pour over
the boat's side a quantity of rum.
Whether this was intended to invoke
the " Spirits of the Waters," I know
not, neither is it of any consequence,
for it was evident that the spirit was
a good one, under whose influence he
acted. After returning his rum bottle
to its station, " Now," said he, " we

who
nsby
idant.
ndian
ley as
t gal-
vessel
as ob-
i, and
eeling,
le con-
jr over
f rum.
invoke
[ know
|uence,
irit was
3nce he
a bottle

193

«ha]I take ter;" and. with the deter,
mmation that it should be so hi

--diateiyaftenvardsoLofth fi^::
to leap on board the enemy.
By reference to the Gazette it will

b^^seen that the action was crotn^d
wuh th* success it deserved-that

2",.^°'«'«y. like Capt. Barclay

and h« crews on lake Erie ;S
Bntish seamen, -.behaved like BrSh

-a^en;" and that the conduct of h
officers and men of the NewfoundVaii
commanded Pn„oi "'""naiand,

tion. ^ P"^"^ ^"d a«Jn>'ra-

i r

, VI

!a , J'

LETTER XII.

— " The current turns
Kcneatl, them, from its onward course;
Some mighty, unseen barrier spurns

Tl.e vex'd tide, all foaming back ;

And scarce the oars, redoubled force

Can stem the eddies u hirling ffrou."^t^f

LttUa RooH.

As the emigrant to Upper Canada
may perhaps feel inclined to become
a naturalized Indian, should a proper
opportunity occur, I shall give!
I^hort account of the ceremony of
initiation, as performed during the

war.

K 2

^vj

Each person who intended pro-
posing himself to the Indians, pro-
vided a trifling present, a gun being
tlie most valued ; but above all things

a bottle of rum.

With these he repaired to the spot
where the Indians were encamped,
and having told them the object of
his visit, by means of an interpreter,
a consultation was held by the chiefs,
and principal warriors. This ques-
tion however was soon settled, after
drawing the cork of the rum bottle,
that liquor having a very powerful
influence in all their deliberations.

An oration was now delivered by
one of the chiefs, generally expres-
sive of their wishes, that their adopted
brother should lead the life of an
Indian warrior, and concluded with
observations similar to these : " That
as the Great Spirit has for some wise

197

purpose sent you across the wide
lake to become an Indian, we hope
that you will raise the hatchet of war
with us against our enemies, and that
you will teach us to revenge on them,
the injuries we have sustained, &c.'*
The name was then given to each,
the presents offered in return, and
the war dance commenced.

During this part of the ceremony,
the whole party made one of the
most hideous yells imaginable, called
the war whoop, and instructed the
newly initiated in the use of the
tomahawk, &c. &c. At length the
repeated pledges between this august
family, drained to the very dregs the
unfortunate bottle, which, now no
longer affording them either pleasure
or profit, (like a minister who has
lost all influence) was kicked from.

^ts«W»«s*i^lSSr '

one side to the other, regardless of
all former favour and affection.

The Canadian Indians are never
known to molest the settlers in any
way ; indeed, excepting in the coun-
try above Lake Ontario, very few
are to be seen, and those perfectly
inoffensive. Unlike the Caff res at
the Cape of Good Hope, and the
aborigines of New South Wales and
Van Dienaen's Land, there is no-
thing disgusting, or even disagreeable
in their appearance, and many of the
women are exceedingly pretty.

The men have been represented as
most outrageously jealous, but I do
not believe that they are more so
than any other people. It is how-
ever a melancholy fact, one that will
scarcely bear reflecting upon, and
" one that will melt even laxvyers to

191)

pity," that the American fndian has
no more idea of a Lord ChanceHor,
than he has of the chief officer of the
Inquisition; and knows no more
of a suit in Chancery, than he does
of the North-west passage.

Poor devil, he does not even know
the meaning of crim. con. ; totally
senseless to all the charms of briefs,
and refreshers; he actually lives,'
moves, and has his being, without
the assistance of " letters and mes-
sengers," or even one solitary six-and-
eightpenny, to inform him that black
is not white, and vice versa.

Now where people thus destitute,
are left to follow their own ideas ni
right and wrong, it is not to be won-
dered at, that they should act
promptly upon the impulse of the
moment. I would therefore most
strongly and seriously advise the
emigrant to Upper Canada, to con-

fl-Hlmf-WWW ^gOfe-,-.^,

wmsmm

200

stantly bear in mind the tenth com-
mandment. If he does not, his blood
be upon his own head, for he will be
scalped to a certainty. He may rest
fully assured that the only law offices
of the ciown, introduced to his
notice, will be a scalping knife and a
rifle gun ; and the only brief, a round
piece of lead, which will find its way
through his Court of King's Bench
in as short a time, as a suit in charge
of one of those — who are — all — all —
honourable men ! ! ! God forgive me

Ha * * * * *

But I have compared one of those
pillars of the state, a lawyer, to a
scalping knife ; now I must beg one
moment to explain, or I may bring
down to the charge such a host of
bashaws with one, two, and three
tails, as will not be very easy for me
to withstand. How shall I begin?
Why indeed should I attempt it?

2or

The honourable and respectable mem-
bers of the profession, will rest fur.y
assured, that this comparison can la
no possible way apply to them ; but
the worthless and the valueless, those
who persuade the poor man still
farther to impoverish himself, by ad-
vising him to pursue, what they know
to be merely a vain shadow, those
who pervert the truth, and under the
protection of their official situations,
their gowns, and their big wigs'
insult misfortune, and hold up to
the ridicule and contempt, of a
pitiless world— men far better than
themselves. If any such should read
these observations, and think the cap
fits—they are welcome to take it, and
wear it, and to enjoy it, until th«y are
called upon in due time to receive that
reward, which, from tlie nature of
their services, they so richly deserve.

K 3

K V;

202

In war, the American Indians sup-
])ly the place of light cavalry, in ha-
rassing a retreating enemy ; but their
war cry, or war whoop, as it is gene-
rally called, is only heard in perfec-
tion by those, who, in the dead of the
night, fall into an ambuscade, and
these worthies are closing in upon
the party pell mell. Steadiness,
however, is all that is necessary, as
from want of discipline they have
then no chance of success. A volley
or two, well and closely applied, will
be found amply sufficient to make them
take to their heels, and " the devil
take the hindmost,'' will very soon
afterwards be the only word of com-
mand for the runaways.

** Waybadan payshik shemagonish
kitchie Manneetoo, nee wee waybenan
nee yoe, Matchee Manneetoo," is
part of the dead war song of one of

203

ms sup-
, in ha-
)ut their
is gene-
perfec-
id of the
de, and
in upon
ladiness,
;sary, as
ey have
A volley
ied, will
ake them
the devil
ry soon
of com-

iiagonish
aybenan
too," is
)f one of

the tribes, and for music, it is only
necessary to make the most horrible
noise the human voice is capable of
producing, and the original air is hit
to a nicety.

We will now move on to Cornwall,
a respectable town on the Canadian
shore of the St. Lawrence. This
may be considered the foot of the
great rapids of Upper Canada, and
consequently will become in a few
years a place of considerable wealth
and importance. The inhabitants
indeed, deserve every good that can
befal them, and my memory must fail
me in all things, when I forget their
kindness and hospitality. The Mac
Leans, the Andersons, the Frenchs,
and the Woods, in fact almost every
individual inhabitant, appeared to vie
with each oiher, in their generous

I 4 W 8 M.m i > l .««W* W W,iJ t !".J»» <l 'U.J ' ., . ,

f**

204

efforts to contribute to our comfort
and accommodation.

Although Cornwall is at present
only in its infancy, the town is nearly
a miie in length, and the church
which stands about the centre, is neat
and respectable. There are several
excellent houses in the place, and the
neighbourhood is improving in a
most extn rdinary manner, hundreds
of emigrants having settled near it,
in what are called the back conces-
sions.

If the emigrant should by any
chance, remain a short time at Cori^^^
wall, he will be much gratified by a
walk upon the line of road leading to
these settlements. He will be not a
little astonished at the extraordinary
prospect on all sides of him, and m. y
probably see his interest in establish-

205

ing himself here, instead of prose-
cuting his journey farther up the
country. The greater part of th^
settlers are Scotch, but a few English
and German are intermixed.

Mr. McDonald, the catholic priest,
appears to have greater influence
over them than any other person.
He took the field virith the Glen-
gary men in 1813, and fully proved,
that as well as teaching them ho>y
to deserve their homes, he could
likewise set them an example how to
defend them.

From McDonald's Point to Corn-
wall, (thirty-six miles) the navigation
is uninterrupted by rapids, and ^
regular daily communication with
Montreal, is constantly kept up by a
mail-coach, which passes through
Cornwall in its way up and down the
country.

:' ^

! \

206

iVW.

The next village is Mill-rush, on
the north shore, five miles farther in
advance, where there is a small rapid ;
indeed the St. Lawrence, from Corn-
wall upwards to the head of the Long
Sault rapids, is a continuance of
difficult navigation, of which it is
scarcely possible to convey an idea.
Although the Long Sault, the Coteau
4u Lac, the Cedars, the Cascades (or
Split Rock) and the Montreal rapids,
are great obstacles in the passage up
the St. Lawrence : they afford a most
extraordinary display of romantic
scenery.

In passing down the river, the roar
of the rapids being heard at a great
distance, appears to the passenger
who has never before gone through
them, as if the batteaux was huiTying
toward some fall of water equal to
Niagara. When-they become visible,

rush, on
irther in
ill rapid ;
m Corn-
he Long
lance of
ch it is
an idea.
5 Coteau
cades (or
il rapids,
Lssage up
d a most
romantic

the roar
a great
)assenger
! through
hurrying
equal to
le visible,

207

the velocity of the current soon car-
ries him into the midst of them.

It would be no specimen of cowar-
dice in any man, if he then felt more
than a common sense of danger, as
should the boat broach too, or fall
with her broadside to the current,
nothing can save her from being
swamped, and her passengers from a
watery grave. To prevent such an
accident, on approaching the rapids,
the sail is lowered, and the boatmen
rest on their oars ready to pull, right
or left, as occasion may require.

In this manner, whilst surrounded
by a thousand whirlpools and dan-
gerous rocks, the batteaux is hurled
forward by the mere force of the cur-
rent, at the rate of fifteen miles an
hour. In fact, you may be said to
ride full gallop over danger, which

' ■ ,

208

even to look at from the shore, appears
more than commonly appalling.

The Cascade, or Split Rock Rapid,
is the most dangerous ; and here in
1815, a few of us had well nigh taken
our departure for " that bourne from
whence no traveller returns." There
is an old proverb, which might per-
haps be one way of accounting for the
escape of some of the party, but I
' hate proverbs that take up the subject
so quaintly, and shall therefore pass
on to describe how the service had
like to have been deprived of one
lieutenant, three serjeants, one drum,
and sixteen full privates, of his ma-
jesty's royal marine forces.

We had passed all the rapids above,
with perfect safety ; but on approach-
ing the Split Rock, where the river
rushes with frightful velocity round a
point of land, and forces itself into a

J, appears
ing.

;k Rapid,
i here in
igh taken
urne from
,'* There .
night per-
ing for the
•ty, but 1
he subject
ifore pass
jrvice had
id of one
one drum,
Df his ma-

pids above,
L approach-
e the river
ity round a
tself into a

209

narrow channel ; our pilot appeared to
have either lost all confidence in him-
self, or to have taken too strong a pull
at the Commissary.

The batteaux was flying like light-
ning, in the direction of an immense
vortex, caused by the recoil of the rush
of the river — large enough to swallow
a-line-of-battle ship.

The pilot fancied he had time to
make the passage on the right, but
finding this scarcely possible, he en-
deavoured to regain the channel on
the left.

Seeing what this manoeuvre would
end in, and that I should never live to
tell the tale, I look'd through the sky-
light of his mind, and clearly saw that
he gave himself up for lost, and was
calling upon all his red letter friends
in the almanack for assistance.

Now, I should have venerated him

■i-^

210

".<

for this on any other occasion, but in
the present instance it had quite a
different effect !— it was like a starvnig
man, instead of taking the trouble to
catch the fish, waiting in the hope ot
seeing them jump out of the river,
ready fried.

In fact, I saw clearly that it was
necessary " to be up and be doing,"
instead of looking for a miracle to
deliver us ; and consequently ordered
one of the Serjeants, a native of Lom-
bardy, and a very brave and powerful
man, to put the pilot out of the way,
seize the oar, and assist in navigating
the batteaux. The laying Jean
Jacques along quietly at the bottom
of the boat, was to him but the
operation of a moment, and another,
brought us close in with the enemy.
- Je suis perdue," cried the Cana-

tamUBs

umm-'*' '

211

, but in
[juite a
jtarving
)uble to
hope of
e river,

t it was
s doing,"
racle to
ordered
of Lorn-
powerful
the way,
avigating
ng Jean
le bottom
but the
another,
J enemy,
the Cana-

dian in an agony of fear ; '* Je suis
perdue;"* but it was no such thing,
for we contrived to take the shock
upon the quarter of the batteaux, aid
in two minutes— after a momentary
glance to the bottom of the infernal
gulph, and although the boat had
half filled with water, and the oars,
knapsacks, &c. were washed over-
board—all hands jumped on shore,
safe and sound, at the foot of the
rapid.

• I ain lost— I am lost.

IBB'

f. •

V >

B li

ft !

fc 1

i^hjPm

Ff j

n^K^ 1

[ n

|K 1

p5 I

i,K' ft

■a ^

^K' B

Brw >

K . I

i'^ '

f ■'/

I i

LETTER XIIL

" Eh ! Sirs ! ye're sair alter'd hlnny, your face is turo'd
pale, and your een are sunken,— and your bonny red and
white cheeks are tiirn'd a' dark and sun-bHm'd.

*' O weary on the wars ! — many's the comely face they

deitroy."

Old MortalUg.

From the head of the Long Sault
rapids, there are but one or two tri-
vial obstacles in the passage of the
river, all the way to Kingston. The
first stage by land is Ault's Inn,
fifteen miko from Cornwall; or
Maine's Inn, a few miles farther on,
both of them affording very good
accommodation.

214

I-*/

?S-f

y t

A short distance in advance is
Matilda. In this settlement there are
d great many of Colonel Sir W.
Johnson's corps, who took up arms
lor the mother country in the revolu-
tionary war with America, and were
afterwards given lands on the north
shore of the St. Lawrence, from Glen-
gary to Prescot.

The margin of the river upon which
they werfe thus distributed, is now
almost entirely cleared, and tlie in-
tervals between each family are ra-
pidly* filling up by their numerous
offspring. This is by far the most
interesting settlement in British
North America, if we properly asso-
ciate the misfortunes, the adventures,
and the characters of those who com-
pose it. Captains Anderson, French,
Robinson, McDonald, M'Clean, and
the two Frazers, are still living, and

: .^. .

.vance is
there are
Sir W.
up arms
i revolu-
,nd were
he north
)m Glen-

011 which
, is now
I the in-
r are ra-
lumeroiis
the most
British
rly asso-
ventures,
vho com-
, French,
ean, and
dng, and

215

never omit an opportunity of paying
every hospitable attention to strangers.

The emigrant will, on his arrival
here, be about 120 miles from Mon-
treal, and 300 from_ Quebec. Au-
gusta, Johnstown, Brockville, and
Gananoqua on the Canadian, with
Osnaburg and Hamilton on the Ame-
rican shore, are the only villages or
towns visible from the St. Lawrence,
until the emigrant reaches Kingston,
eighty-five miles farther, on Lake
Ontario.

He will find tolerable accommoda-
tion at all these places, should he
travel by land ; but the passage by
water will be found much more agree-
able from the head of the rapids.

The Canadian boatmen, five of
whom generally constitute the crew
of a batteaux, are guided entirely by
the wind, as to the distance they go

«»

216

each day. it being perfectly immate-
rial to them where they lay too for
the night. After cooking their sup-
pers they sleep in their boats, and a
common tent will therefore be found
of the greatest service to the emi-
grant in his passage up the nver.
One good enough for the purpose
may be purchased in this country
for £2., and will afterwards be found
' of twice that value, either to be cut
up into boat sails, or to transmogrify
into an elegant real, mock Turkey
carpet, for his very best drawmg

room.

Great numbers of emigrants have,

within the last ten years, settled m
the concessions (as the New Town-
ships are called), at the back of
Johnstown, Prescot, and BrockviUe.
The latter place was named in re-
membrance of General Brock, who

^%..

J immate-
ay too for
their sup-
ats, and a
5 be found
» the emi-
the river,
le purpose
is country
is be found
• to be cut
ransmogrify
>ck Turkey
st drawing

rrants have,
J, settled in
New Town-
he back of
Brockville.
aamed in re-
Brock, who

217

fell on the 18th Oct., 1812, whilst
gallantly leading on his men to the
charge, in the battle of Queenstown.
He was buried at Fort George, and
as a proof how much he was beloved
in Canada, and how sincerely his loss
was felt by the people, and how
anxious they are to perpetuate his
memory, it is only necessary to re-
mark, that Brock is now a christian
name common amongst them for their
children.

Fort Wellington, in the village of
Prescot, lies immediately opposite
Osnaburg. The former was a post
of considerable importance during
the war, the river being here not
more than three quarters of a mile
broad, and frozen over during the
winter, ten minutes is sufficient for an
invading army to cross the frontier.
In 1812, Lieut. Colonel McDonald,

•/*

218

the Commandant, was in the constant
» ^ practice of exercising the garrison
^ *^^v "^^^pon the ice, between Fort Welling-
*• ton and the Osnabiirg batteries. His

repeated appearance for this purpose
only, lulled the Americans into an
^ idea of security, which was no sooner
""^^clearly ascertained by the British
officer, than he determined on a coup

isl^ " de main.

' After making the necessary ar-
rangements, the garrison, with the
militia of the district, paraded as
usual on the ice, moved forward in
^ double quick time, and in less than
half an hour, were in full possession
of the place. A treaty was then
agreed upon, by which the Osna-
burghers bound themselves not to
admit an American force within the
, precincts of the town, during the re-
mainder of the war, under the pe-

S19

astant
.rrison
3lling-
;. His
arpose
ato an
sooner
British
a coup

iry ar-
th the
led as
vard in
ss than
ssession
as then
I Osna-

not to
thin the

the re-
the pe-

nalty of having it blown about their
ears by the guns of Fort Wellington. ^

When General Wilkinson descend-
ed the St. Lawrence, in the November
of the following year, with 5000 men,
in thirteen gun boats, and 300 scows
and batteaux, he landed his cavalry*^
and a strong detachment of infantry
at Johnstown, having passed F(*t
Wellington in the night, under a fire
from the garrison. A few days after-
wards, however, instead of? attacking
the Fort as was expected, he again"'
pursued his route toward the Lower
Province.

Lieutenant Colonel Morrison im>
mediately followed him with a corps
of observation, con^.sting of de-
tachments of the 89th, 49tb, Cana-
dian Fencibles, and about fifty Indi- ^
ans, with two light six pounders, and
a few Royal Artillerymen, in all

L 2

!nsn*i^iii|«Mis*

mim^'ms

] ' ' ^

220

about 900 men. Captain Mulcaster,
R. N., was ordered by Sir James
Yeo, the naval Commander in Chief,
to co-operate, with the small vessels
and gun-boats from Lake Ontario.

On coming up with the rear-guard
of the Americans, they harassed
them with great success, until the 3d
December, when the American Gene-
ral Boyd faced about near Christlers
Farm, (a name from henceforth me-
morable in Canadian history), with
about 2,500 men, determined to try
their mettle ; but after a severe action
of two hours, he was defeated, with
a severe loss in killed and wounded.
Two highly respectable and gallant
young Canadian officers, fell in this
affairr Captain Nairn, and Lieutenant
De Lorimer.

It must at all times be a gratifymg
task, to record the actions of the
brave, whether friends or foes, let me

221

master,

James

Chief,

jressels

rio.

-guard

irassed

the 3d

Gene-
ristlers
fth me-
), with

to try
i action
id, with
funded.

gallant
i in this
untenant

ratifying

of the

5, let me

therefore not forget to mention alsoj
the American General Codrington,
who fell, mortally wounded, at the
head of his brigade, whilst conspicu-
ously mounted upon a white horse —
he was making every exertion to se-
cure the success of the day.

Would to God that the two nations
could for ever remain at peace with
each other ! — Would to God it were
possible for ever to avoid again rous-
ing up those feelings of hatred and
enmity, which make men, speaking
the same language, enjoying the same
laws and customs, and sprung from
the same fathers, so anxiously en-
deavour to destroy each other.

War with any nation on the Conti-
nent of Europe, is preferable to a war
with America. The appearance of a
thousand men lying wounded in the
field after an action, if they speak a

n /'

*■*

222

language foreign to our ear, will not
excite half that sympathy felt for one
wounded American. It is true we
hear their groans, and it will be no
disgrace to a man, if his heart inwardly
bleeds at witnessing their agony
whilst administering to their wants.
But this is nothing— in America after
an action, sounds of distress strike
upon the ear, which immediately an-
nihilate every feeling of animosity.

Take up a man mortally wounded,
speaking as we speak, and thinking
as we think, he will, as it were na-
turally, rest his head upon your
shoulder, as upon that of a brother.
He will talk to you of his family and
of his home, and whilst the film of
death is fast spreading over his eye,
he will endeavour to express his gra-
titude, by faintly pressing the hand
held out to his assistance.

223

The last sentence, the lasf requesii^ ^.
quivering upon the lip (every word of
which is felt and understood), will
force upon the mind a thi(liis£ind
thoughts and sensations not possMKe to
be described ; and I aih not ashfipied
to confess, that so situated, I have
called upon the Almighty to slloweif ^
down the curse 6£ eternal perdition ''•
upon all those, wlio either in their
madness or their folly, had occasioned
the war between the two 3&ntpf s.

.vi»

«ii

,1 '

W If

;^ #

ii^

.,'

If^^

itiyii'!!

•«;,

•f 1

*■

^.'tl

LETTER XIV.

4« **

-■•Si^

■'.*

" Th:ie wbigumore bullets ken uoco little discretion, and
will just as soon knock out the life of a psalm-sini^ing auld
wife, as a swearing dragoon'.^ Old Mortality.

Twenty-four miles below Kings-
ton, the Gananoqua River falls into
the St. Lawrence. There is a good
inn here, and on an eminence is a
block-house, which was attacked in
1812 by a detachment of American
light troops, who were repulsed. In
this affair an old lady in the neigh-

L 3

■St-

. r i I

226

Jjourhood was seriously wounded near
tlfe hip by a musket-shot, whilst as-

^sting in the defence of the place ;
^1^ if this heroine is still in the land

#0^ the living, the emigrant who has
||P introduction to her will observe,
tharin consequence of this unman-
nerly ball, striking her so hard upon
the tender, she is no longer able —

" To trip it on the l^Iit fantastic toe."

In short, he will see that her dancing
days are over, and that in these
"piping times of peace" she must
ijpw content herself, like Donna Clara
of ^aragossa, in shouldering her
crutch to " show how fields were
won."

During the war, Gananoqua was
the rendezvous for the flotilla of gun-
boats, under the command of Captain
CO. Owen, R.N. employed convoy-

227

mnded near
whilst as-
the place;
in the land
nt who has
ill observe,
his unman-
hard upon
er able —

ic toe."

her dancing
:t in these
she must
Donna Clara
dering her
fields were

anoqua was
►tilla of gun-
1 of Captain
i^ed convoy-

ing the brigades of batteaux up and ' '
down the River St. Lawrence. T^*
Lake of the Thousand Islands is just
below Gananoqua, and upon one of
them, on the 4th of Dec. 1814, I was
obliged to take up my quarters IW"
the night. I had left Kingston Hos-
pital on leave of absence for the
Lower Province, having been pre-
viously an invalid on board H.M.S.
Princess Charlotte, (now the Kings-
ton) for several months. To the
friendship and kindness of Captain
Edward Collier who commanded her,
1 consider myself indebted for the
preservation of my life ; and no words
of mine can convey anything like an
adequate sense of the gratitude I feel
to him, who, in the hour of extremity,
afforded me every comfort, with that
generosity and kindness of heart, so
conspicuous in his character.

228

I left Kingston in company with a
son of Colonel McDonald of Matilda,
who had been serving with the Nova
Scotia Fencibles as a volunteer, and
I remember our batteaux was manned
by invalid soldiers of the 103d regi-
ment. The first night we arrived at
a small island above Gananoqua,
which the emigrant will observe on
his left, in passing up the River St.
Lawrence. Seven or eight men, em-
ployed in rafting timber from the saw
mills, up to Kingston dock -yard, had
already taken possession of the only
log hut, which was divided into two
rooms. One of these was occupied
by the family, so that when my party
of six, was added to the number, it
became very little better than the
celebrated black-hole of Calcutta.
Sleeping in the boat, in the open air,
would have proved a fatal experiment,

229

^ with a
Matilda,
le Nova
jer, and
manned
3d regi-
rived at
anoqua,
jerve on
iver St.
ten, em-
the saw
ird, had
he only
into two
ccupied
ly party
nber, it
lan the
Calcutta,
pen air,
jriment,

the winter having set in ; we there-
fore wrapt ourselves in our bufFaloe
skins for the night, determined to
make the best of it.

At day-break the following morn-
ing, we were awoke by our fellow
navigators, who appeared in great
apprehension of being obstructed in
their assage up the river by the ice,
which now began to float down the
stream in solid masses, or to spread
its brittle barrier across, from shore
to shore. Having nearly the same
prospect before us as the lumber-men,
we started as soon after, as possible,
and reached Down's Lm, at Ganano-
qua, by ten o'clock. Here we ex-
pected to find some Canadian, or
Indian, capable of piloting the bat-
teaux down the river, and through
the great rapids, as far as Cornwall,
where I purposed remaining a short

^}'2

■■Mria

230

time, after leaving my friend McDo-
nald at Matilda. In this, however,
we were disappointed, and were
obliged to proceed without a pilot,
still indulging the hope of reaching
Matilda, where one might possibly
be found, for the remainder of the
voyage.

This was only a plan, and like many
other plans, appeared to be formed
merely to be frustrated. As we ap-
proached the Lake of the Thousand
Islands, where the river divides into
numerous channels, we saw clearly,
that the odds were nearly a thousand
to one, against our being able to carry
it into effect. We were likewise well
aware that had the ice intercepted ufi
in our course, we must all have either
died from want ; been frozen to death
in the batteaux, or perchance have
been taken prisoners by the Ameri-

231

cans. One of these disasters had
very nearly happened ; for when com-
pletely bewildered as to which was
the proper channel, with the evening
fast closing in upon us, one of the
soldiers was suddenly taken very ill,
and the rest of the party (excepting
Mr. McDonald) being invalids, ap-
peared totally incapable of bearing
fatigue or exertion. In jddition to
other difficulties, the wind which had
hitherto favoured us, now died away,
and the only chance of escape there-
fore, appeared to be, putting the boat's
head round, and getting clear of the
islands.

There is nothing like necessity to
make people, in cases of life and
death, exert their strength and in-
genuity; and as necessity was com-
manding officer on this occasion,
the lame, the sick, and the convale-

•Jir

232

scent manned the oars, and ij^ave
weigh cheerily against the current.
This severe labour however, soon ren
dered another of the soldiers perfectly
useless, and the remainder in a short
time after, were in a situation nearly
as deplorable.

We lay upon our oars, anxiously
listening to catch some sound of
human habitation, but darkness had
already spread her sable wing over
the whole face of nature, and nothing
was to be heard through the stillness
of the night, but the wild rush of
the river round a distant headland,
when Providence— whose extraordi-
nary interpositions are so often mani-
fest, especially in the lives of most men
moving about the world — aftbrded
us that relief of which we had began
to despair. A feeble light, suddenly
glimmering through the woods on the

R- i

233

iiTcnt.
m ten
rfcct.ly
I short
nearly

tiously
md oi'
ss had
B[ over
lothinj?
tillneas
rush of
idland,
;raordi-
1 mani-
[)st men
Lffbrded
1 began
iddenly
s on the

Canadian shore, gave us renewed
hope ; with renewed strength we
directed our exertions toward it,
and after a severe struggle against
the current, succeeded in making a
landing close to the light.

The settler, whose solitary taper
had served us as a beacon, came
down to the beach, and assisted in
removing the sick men into his house.
Our worthy host possessed a humane
disposition, and his wife was like-
wise a kind hearted creature; they
therefore immediately busied them-
selves in preparing the best supper
their humble means afforded, and
after partaking of it, we once more
rolled ourselves in our blankets and
buffaloe skins, hoping to enjoy some-
thing like comfortable repose.

But as before, we were here like-

•^

■ >'i

Kl,

«Sfc

234

wise all in one room, and as the sol-
dier who was taken so seriously ill in
the early part of the night, had now
become much worse, the necessity of
constantly attending to him, pre-
vented the possibility of closing my
eyes the whole of the night. It was
in vain that I wished for sleep —

" Great Nature's second course
' To steep my senses in forgetfulness."

^^' '^T^G drfad of being again awaked,
was always uppermost in my imagi-

^ nation, and so incessantly stept in
between me, and the first balmy pre-
sage of repose, as to rob me of the
whole sweets of it."* •

The next morning, the ice had ap-
parently set in for the winter, and we

♦ Sterne.

I .

235

i ;

he Sol-
ly ill in
ad now
issity of
a, Fu-
sing my
It was

) —

awaked,
y imagi-
stept in
Imy pre-
ae of the

3 had ap-
r, and we

were consequently obliged to give
up all idea of proceeding farther
down the river, in a batteaux manned
by invalids. We therefore returned
it to the storekeeper at Gananoqua,
and the sick men, I gave in charge of
the medical officer at that post. m

The two following days and nights,
it blew violently, again breaking up ,^^
the ice, and in consequence a bat- *^ ^
teaux from Kingston, belonging to •
the house of M*Kay and Kirby, made
its appearance. The former being
on board, very kindly offered a pas-
sage for myself, servant, and baggage,
which I gladly accepted, my friend
McDonald having gone on to Matilda
by land the day previous.

The Hon. George Markland, Cap-
tain Cartwright of the Canadian
Fencibles, Lieutenant Coleman, R.N.

"^1^

^
•

?:;»

[I I

itiVMip

SK*MWI»*M.s»»»„

.(» i

236

and an officer of provincial light dra-
goons were of the party, and from
them I received every attention, and
was safely landed at the place of my
destination.

' m

'^^

'.^

It- .

lit dra-
i from
an, and

) of my

LETTER XV.

Ontario's ample breast is still,
And silence walks the distant hill,
And summftr barks are gently gliding
Where lately yonder war towers riding
Seem'd like leviathans to load
The bosom of the groaning flood.

Hall's Canada,

AVe have how advanced very nearly
eight hundred miles into the interior
of British North America, and have
been guided all along this extraordi-
nary line of country, by the marks of
civilization and improvement. But,
if the interest, and astonishment, of
the emigrant, has been excited by what

1 I

238

he has already seen, how shall I de-
scribe his feelings, when he arrives
at what may very properly be con-
sidered, the source of the mighty river,
which has borne him this immense
distance from the ocean; and to
which the most magnificent m Europe
are in comparison, but mere rivulets
and summer streams.

As the batteaux strikes in between
two small islands, under the heights
of Point Henry, he will be presented
with a distant prospect of Lake On-
tario, two hundred miles long, and
sixty miles in width. Above him. on
his right, he will observe Fort Henry,
the principal land defence of the town
and harbour of Kingston ; and on
rounding the point upon which it
stands, he will see the dock-yard and
naval arsenal upon Point Frederi- c,
with the old sea lions laying along

tl.'

239

1 1 de-
arrives
e con-
y river,
imense
and to
Europe
rivulets

Detween
heights
resented
,ake On-
>ng, and
5 him, on
rt Henry,
the town
and on
which it
-yard and
?'rederirk,
ing along

the wharfs, tame, harmless, and mo-
tionless.

The hulls of the fleet, upon which
the safety of Upper Canada in a great
measure depended, during the late
war, now lie basking in the sunshine
of public favour and protection, like
the remnant of oflicers, seamen, and
marines, who once composed their
crews. In order to convey some idea
of the magnitude of the British nava]
force and power in this inland sea, it
is only necessary to observe, that had
the late war with the United States
continued another year, we should
have had one ship of 112 guns, two
ships of 74, one of 64, one of 44, two
of 24, three of 18, and two of 10 guns,
with from 30 to 40 gun-boats. The
American naval force would have
been no doubt fully equal, as their
facilities of equipment were much

I :

\ J,

240

„ore numerous. The French had a
military post on Point Henry in 1672.

iTh'they called Fort Fron.nac
from the governor, whose name jas
likewise given by them, to the Lake
Ontlrio. The River St. Lawrence,

^"t that time called the Catan^qm.

Ir Iroquois, and this name rt st.U re-
tains in several of the maps.

kingstonisaplaceofextraordmary

imp~ in the warlike operaUon

for the defence of Canada; and as
uch landed property in the town.

and ts immediate vicimty, u of g^eat
alue; indeed, for nearly one hu„

dred miles, to the nght and left ot it,
: lis now very little land remaming

worth having, to be obtamed b> grant

from the crown.

The late war did more for King-
ston, and the country round . , than
fifty years of the quiet sort of life the

jft^

1 had a
n 1672,
jntinac,
nae was
le Lake
.wrence,
Ltaraqui,
t still re-

tordinary
)peration
; and as
tie town,
s of great
one hun-
left of it,
remaining
i by grant

for King-
id it, than
of life the

I
I

241

inhabitants enjoyed previous could
have done. The vast sums circu-
lated by the public establishments
past mto the coftt.s of the merchants'
who again distributed a portion of
them in the neighbourhood. Many
fortunes were made by the persever-
ing and industrious, and since the ces-
sation of hostilities, these have neces-
sarily tended to the general improve-
ment of the country.

There can be little doubt, but that
m the event of another contest with
the United States, Kingston being
the naval dep6t of the upper country,
will be the grand point of attack,'
should that power gain a tempo-
rary ascendancy on the lakes ; but
as long as the Upper Canadians
are true to the cause, and as long
as Forts Henry, Frederick, and the
town, are well garrisoned, "the

^"*"

/ II

^<l

242
tugofwar"may last for ever with-
Z the Americans havmg the least
chance of success. ^

From Kingst»n to York, a a
tance of one hundred and forty mdes
Toutands of settlers are now, not
^'Xestablishmg themselves around
:J..,.oftheLaJeOnt.^-

^^Z n^irUer in ad-

there still remains tens of thousands
^"cres of unappropriated land, open

for the occupation of settlers. The
, A above York is much easiei
Sted l^an is the lower distri^cts o
rUpper Province, and the cbmate

better Led to agriculture. A pa^-
better 5u settlements

ticular account of the se
above York is unnecessary, as tne
;raUtyofem.grants,willnow^
^uite far enough from home, both to.

243

with-
5 least

a dis-
r miles,
w, not
around
do, but;
kundred
in ad-
Danada,
ousands
id, open
•s. The
I easier
itricts of
} climate
A par-
ttlements
y, as the
\ now be
. both for

their pockets and their future views,
in establishing; themselves in Upper
Canada.

Throughout the Upper Province,
from Matilda upwardsy a certain
smattering of Yankee gentkmantiility
will be observed^ not a little amusing
to the new comer. " You- are pretty
tolerable this mormng, Squire, 1
guess/' " I thank you Mister, I cal-
culate I am." " Mister," said a Ser-
jeant of a working party ;^ " Mister,
will you help the gentleman at the
other end of the log, I guess it will
be a main considerable sight heavier
to fix than they calculate" — and so
on ; for it should be recollected that
the ^miliar terms of Tom, Dick, or
Harry, are generally swallowed up in
the more refined ** Squire," and
'' Mister," of their neighbours ove^
the water. These and other eccew-

M 2

f':

f4^^

^■./S^'"'

HrKW

' I

244

tricities however, in the character of
the Upper Canadians, may probably
be accounted for in that importance
which every man naturally attaches
to himself, who feels that he is only
obliged to Providence and his own
exertions for all the comfort he
enjoys. This feeling, in fact, must
influence all classes of society ; and
where a man in better circumstances
than the generality of those who com-
pose the society in which he lives,
sees that each person belonging to it
is perfectly independent, not only of
him, but of all the world, he cannot
but regulate his conduct accordingly.
This may occasion in a great measure,
that familiar address and intercourse
which will at first appear so perfectly
extravagant and ridiculous. Should
it be said that this peculiarity of man-
ner has its origin solely in the inter-

245

acter of
robably
)ortance
attaches
> is only
his own
ifort he
ct, must
ity; and
mstances
vho com-
he lives,
ging to it
it only of
le cannot
;ordingly.
; measure,
itercowrse
perfectly
. Should
ty of man-
the inter-

course between the subjects of the
two powers, I can only reply, that /
hope this luill be the only consequence^
of having such hordes of emigrant
Americans^ spread over every part of
Upper Canada in the event of another
war. Experience teacheth knowledge! !
In Canada, as in every other coun-
try, society is cursed with a propor-
tion of those grumbling croakers,
who in passing through life, see no-
thing but what excites in their hearts
every kind of miserable feeling. For
them, nature pours out in vain her
bountiful horn of plenty; and to
them, the land although covered with
waving com, and the richest fruits o
autumn, is but a dreary wilderness.
No sooner has the emigrant arrived in
the neighbourhood of the new settle-
ments, than he will probably be at-
tacked by some of these dogs in the

^f^^

246

manger, wlio would willingly make
him as wretched and as unhappy as
themselves.

They will tell him that he ought to
have remained in England, thai the
land is barren, the-cUmate horrible,
and the people thieves. That they
have toiied in vain to make the former
bring forih i*» increase ; that the ex-
tremes of heat and cold is worse to
live in than purgatory; and their
French Ganedian neighbours worse
than any devils. But let the emi-
grant rest fully assured that the very
contrary is the fact, and that those
who express such opinions, are ex-
actly such people as we have alluded
to, in considering who ought, and who
ou^t not to decide on emigrating.

Can it be rationally expected, that
those whose occupations have kept
them confined in laxge cities and

247

f make

ippy ^s

mght to
thai the
lorrible,
tat they
e former
, the ex-
worse to
ad their
•s worse
the emi-
the very
lat those
, are ex-
e alluded
, and who
^rating,
cted, that
lave kept
aties and

manufacturing towns, should all a^
once become good husbandmen f
That those who scarcely know a
plough-share, from a plough coulter,
should all at once be able to till the
ground with the same advantage as
regular bred farmers ? Certainly not,
and it is folly to expect it ; but as
the mind of man is actively alive on
all occasions to find some plausible
excuse, fot every kind of mental, and
bc/dily incapacity, so these people
abuse the land, and the climate, and
the inhabitants, for what, in fact,
arises solely from their own want of
resolution, knowledge, and experi-
ence.

These observations are, however,
not necessary as cautions to the emi-
grant farmer. He will see in passing
up the country, that the soil of Ca-
nada, is equal to any in the world :

■ if

-'SSSSf'ts

248

but that of those who occupy it, and
who profess to cultivate it, from their
peculiar situation and previous occu-
pation, a great number are about the
very worst farmers he ever saw in his

life.

As a sensible man, he will not allow
any gloomy picture presented to his
view, by such people, to produce in
his mind a dread of the future. Be-
fore he embarks, he will do well to
consider seriously, what he is about
to undertake, and to gather every
grain of useful information, to enable
him to decide how far it is desirable
for him to emigrate ; but when he
has decided, and is arrived in the new
country which he has adopted as his
future home, let no childish vapour-
ing then shake him from his purpose.
Let him rather cherish the determi-
nation to persevere, and trust in

249

t, and
I their

occu-
ut the

in his

t allow
to his
uce in
. Be-
veW to
about
every
enable
jsirable
hen he
he new
. as his
^^apour-
lurpose.
ietermi-
rust in

Providence, for enabling him to over-
come all obstacles. Let him con-
stantly bear m mind that —

" The wise and active couquer difSculties
By daring to alteinpt them. Sloth and folly
Shiver and shrink at sight of toil and hazard,
And make the imiwesibiHties they fear."

J4.

LETfER XVl.

" Don't attempt to succour me if you see me go down,
but keep at tbe bead of your men ; get o£r as you can in
God's name, and tell tbe King, and tbe Couacil, I died in
my duty."

Claverhouse, in OH itortalittf.

About sixty miles above Kingston
is Sandy Creek, a small village and
Inlet, on the American shore of Lake
Ontario. On the 3Gth May, 1814, a
division of British seamen and
marines appeared oif this place in
pursuit of a convoy, laden with stores
for the American fleet, in Sacketts
Harbour.

Ill

,.-«sas-

'11

252

Although the entrance of the creek
was scarcely pistol shot across, and
completely commanded by sand hills ;
yet the capture or destruction of these
stores was considered to be of such im-
portance as fully to warrant an at-
tempt to cut them out ; accordingly
the boats pulled in, leaving the Cleo-
patra mounting one long twenty-four
pounder, and a sixty eight-pound car-
ronade amid-ships, at the entrance, to
cover their retreat in case of accidents.
The Americans, however, had had
ample time to prepare for their recep-
tion : with a force consisting, of part
of a rifle regiment, a strong body of
Indians, and militia, their command-
ing officer took possession of the
sand hills, and a line of hedge, which
enfiladed the shore.

From this position they kept an
incessant, and destructive fire upon

253

creek
, and
hills ;
these
chim-
in at-
imgiy
Cleo-
y-four
id car-
nce, to
idents.
d had
recep-
of part
lody of
imand-
of the
, which

ept an
e upon

the British detachment that had
landed, and was forming upon the
beach ; and it soon became evident,
that the capture of the convoy was
not possible, whilst defended by
numbers so superior, and so advanta-
geously posted.

It being absolutely necessary to
recover possession of the sand hills,
in order to secure a retreat ; the
marines under the command of Lieu-
tenant Thomas Sherlock Cox made
the attempt with the bayonet, but
were repulsed ; this officer with
his gallant companion Lieutenant
JVrVeagh, of the same corps, (who
accompanied him from the squa-
dron, as a volunteer) being mortally
wounded.

The Americans now advanced in all
directions, and either killed, wounded,
or succeeded in taking prisoner.

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-S)

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us ..„ mil 20

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Photographic

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33 WEST MAIN STREET

WE3STER,N.Y. 14530

(716) 872-45Q3

)

M^.

'<>

■■.sSftfct«.'Sgfe„

1 ■

264

every man of the division, consisting
of nine officers, and two-hundred of
the best men in the fleet ; in this they
were activelysupported bythe Indians,
who seeing the fate of the marines,
rushed down upon their victims, with
their usual horrible shrieks. Poor
Cox who was down, and totally inca-
pable of resistance, called to a marine
to protect him from their merciless
^ tomahawks, and at the hazard of his
own life, this man undertook the
charge, and bravely stood by him,
until he was himself felled to the
earth by the butt end of a rifle. At
this moment, however, an American
officer came up — " who have we
here?" cried he; " is this a commis-
sioned officer ?" " He is a lieutenant of
British Marines," replied the prisoner;
" then I will protect him myself, and
see that he is properly taken care of "

255

sisting
red of
s they
idiaafi,
arines,
5, with
Poor
y inca-
marine
erciless
i of his
3k the
)y him,
to the
He. At
merican
ave we
sommis-
benant of
)risoner;
self, and
care of "

said the American; which generous
determination he carried into effect,
and for it I earnestly pray — that
should the chance of war at any fu-
ture time t^row him into the hands
of an enemy, under similar circum-
stances, he may meet some one ready
to shelter and protect him, and to re-
turn a ten-fold portion of the kindness
shown by him on this occasion to my
lamented friend.

The Americans carried Lieutenant
M*Veagh, to Sacketts harbour, where
he died a few days after, and was
buried with military honours. But
the wounds of Lieutenant Cox were
immediately seen to be decidedly mor-
tal ; he was therefore only removed
to a house in the neighbourhood.
Here the naval commanding officer,
now his fellow prisoner, whose natu-
ral contempt of all danger, when.put

(

256

in competition with the good of the
service, had led him to decide on the
attack, soon after visited him . " This
is an unfortunate affair Cox," said he.
«* It is " replied my friend, " but it is
only what might have been expected."
- If you thought so," rejoined the
other, ** why did you not give it as
youropinion?" " Because," replied the
expii^ing hero, " I would rather die,
as I am about to die, than have said
a word to induce you to retreat." This
was indeed a reason worthy of the
gallant heart that uttered it, and
which on all occasions of the kind,
had prompted him to act with the
same conspicuoi ^ bravery. ^

Although only in the twenty-fifth
year of his age, he had seen much
service in various parts of the world;
particularly when belonging to his
Majesty's ship Neried, Capt. N. Wil-

257

loughby, in the East Indies ; where
he was severely wounded, and taken
prisoner by the French in 1809.

Besides the recommendation of
having seen service, he possessed
the highest and noblest ideas of
honour, and devotion to the service
of his country ; indeed, if in his last
moments he had felt regret at the
early fate that had befallen him, it
would have been, that Iv?, fell in a
paltry skirmish; the particulars of
which would be scarcely known in his
native country — that instead of dying
in action, amidst the animating shouts
of victory, he was doomed again to
be severely wounded, again to fall
thus wounded into the hands of the
enemy, and at last to die, ** un-
honoured and unsung."

Unhonoured did I say ? all those
who knew him, will cherish, and

1 H

.;/

258

revere his memory, tind -wtH be proud
to imitate his conduct ; — hvX " as the
young and verdant olive which a
man hath reared v^rith care, i« fair
and flourishing, when the sudden
blast of a whirlwind roots it out
from its bed, and strikes it in the
dust ;" so has he fallen, and a humble
solitary grave, covered with green
sodb, in this obscure village, on
the borders of Lake Ontario, now
shelters the mortal remains of one,
who, had he been spared to his coun-
try, and his friends, would by his
future actions have deserved a monu-
ment of everlasting fame.

Poor Tom ! my brave, my gallant
friend! how true was the mournful
presentiment of my mind, when
seated by the side of my couch, you
administered that relief, which you
were yourself destined, a very few

■

proud
ELS tke
Lich a
B fair
udden
t out
in the
utnble

greea
^e, on
), now
jf one,
i coun-
by his

monu-

gallant
lournful
, when
ch, you
ich you
ery few

"?■

259

hours after to require from the huma-
nity of strangers ; when you kindly
took my hand, bade me be of good
cheer, and said that dl would soon
be well ; I already felt in imagination
the near approach of death, aad would
have given worlds for the chance of
meeting it by thy side but although
within hearing of the musketry, whose
distant vollies sounded upon my
shattered nerves, like the death-kneU
of every hope in life— I could notsoc-
cour thee,-~I could not rescue thee.
An inscrutable Providence had or-
dained it otherwise, and I was
doomed to feel an aching void, nearest
to my heart, which no other ob-
ject, time, or circumstance, can ever
alleviate or remove.

Stranger,— he was my friend, in the
truest, and noblest sense of the word ;
and if I have one regret, beyond that

260

of having lost him, for ever, it is,
that I cannot here do justice to Ws

memory.

Though years have rolled over my
head since this disastrous affair,
and these years too, have been years
of much bitterness, and mental suf-
fering; this painful remembrance
still remains the most deeply rooted
in my mind, and in my heart, and I
now fondly anticipate the time, when
during the remainder of my life, I
shall be able annually to visit his
grave, to plant and nourish over it the
evergreen laurel, the brightest emblem
of valour, and finally to cause myself
to be laid in death, near him, who, in
life, I valued as a friend, more than
any other person on the face of the
earth.

LETTER XVII.

-Hail ye Son*

Of niral toil,— ye blooming dauglitets ! — je
Who, in tbe lap of hardy labour rearM
Enjoy the mind unspotted ! —

Progreta of Liberty.

The emigrant on his arrival at
Kingston, should again take a seri-
ous review of his means. He will
now have been quite long enough in
Canada, if at all observant, to be able
to form some idea of it. Upon these
gleanings of information, and his re-
sources, he must himself decide on the
ultimate extent of his journey, as it is

t-mtiu, «tev

iS'

262

totally 'impossible for any person to
decide for him. One man may do well
in one place, and be totally unfit for
another, and it would be perfect non-
sense for any person to say to such
and such individuals. " so far shal
thou go, and no farther." 1 do not
pretend to such extraordinary know-
ledge, and therefore shall only endea-
vou°r to aiford such general informa-
tion, as may assist the emigrant in
coming to a correct, and advantageous
conclusion, as to what part of the
Country is best suited to his own
peculiar circumstances, and situation.
It is a common practice in both the
provinces, to let cleared, or as they
are called, improved farms, upon
shares, viz. the whole farming stock,
and implements being provided by the
landlord, he receives in return as
rent and payment for hire, a halt, or

26a

one third, of every kind of produce.
This is in some cases an advantage to
a respectable man, who wishes ta
farm in the immediate vicinity of a
large town, and who has but a small
capital to commence with. On arriv-
ing at Quebec, Montreal, or Kingston,
the emigrant will see numerous ad-
vertisements, for the letting of farms
of this description, as well as several
,for sale, or to be let, without the
stock, &c. &c. after the same manner
as in this country. In cases of sale,
the principal is generally allowed to
remain on mortgage for several years
the interest, and a small installment
annually, being only required from
the parchaser. Should he arrive at
either of those places late in the
year, and see any desirable property
to be let on advantageows terms, he
had perhaps better take the opportu-

» a

264

nity of settling himself immediately.
This need not interfere with his ulti-
mate views, which can be promoted
more advantageously, after residmg a
year or two in the country.

By such an arrangement, he will
gradually become acquainted with the
climate, soil, and advantages of the
different districts, and whilst his
rented farm is producing a sufficient
support for himself, and his family,
he can take some convenient oppor-
tunity of making a journey of obser-
vation. Should he have any one m
his family, capable of managing in his
absence, he might even take up his
land, build his log-house, and clear a
sufficient number of acres for their
support, before he removes them

upon it.

To the generality of emigrants who
arrive early in the spring, I should

!.\

itely.

ulti-

noted

ling a

e will
th the
of the
St his
[ficient

family,
oppor-
obser-
one in
g in his
up his
clear a
3r their
s them

mts who
I should

265

however say, " lose no time in taking
up your land, and settling upon it, in
the first instance, in preference to
every other."

As in every other country newly
settled, the emigrant to Canada must
expect to meet difficulties in the edu-
cation of his family. In Montreal
and Quebec, there are seminaries for
the youth of both sexes, equal to any
private schools in England. At Corn-
wall, Brockville, Kingston, and York,
schools are likewise established, but
i'rom the comparative smallness of
these places, the advantages they
present are far inferior.

In religious matters likewise, the
Upper Canadians are in some of the
newly settled townships, equally un-
fortunate ; in fact, a very short time
since, whole distrixits were totally
destitute of every kind of scholastic

1'^

266

rj:;"e"I rier a frightful prc.-
It k req«tes the serious cousidera-

Ictable means for providmg nearer

r principal towns for the mental

^pCJal comfort, of himself and

"^^ TrSnerality of emigrants how-
evrmSmake^their minds to«-

.. many privations, and diffi-
penence many P ^^^ ^^^^^^

culties for a tew y ^^^

^^^-^itcrrJed-pSted-.hun-

on this av,couu ,„i,o<!e views

, ,, and thouRands whose "c

dreds anu .

J i,,mp,s are similar to tneu ^

and hopes a j^es around

^iU soon e^tab,^f J, „„ ^e debarred

them. They will not long be

the gratification of puWicly re. g

^^^Poifwho has led them i.

267

safety through the perils of the deep,
and who now, in the immense forests
of a new world, spreads over them the
shield of his almighty protection.

The emigrant must constantly
nourish serious and religious reflec-
tion, he must, in all thmgs,

" Look through nature, up to nature's God,

in order constantly to maintain that
resolution of heart, so necessary for
on^, thrown as it were entirely upon
himself.* I care not of what persua-
sion he calls himself, for this is of little
niument, provided he possesses th?it
quiet satisfaction of mind, arisino-
from the consciousness of feeling as

♦To have made this the habitual sentiment of our
minds, is to have laid the foundation of every thing
which is religious. The world from thence becomes a
temple, and life itself one continued ?,ct of adoration.

Dr. Paley.

■'t ':

^ .(

268

he ought to feel, and of acting as he .
ought to act, toward all mankind, as
far at least, as the real infirmities of
his nature will permit him. " Pure
and undefiled religion is of no sect,
whatever garb it wears, and whatever
may be the denomination of the sin-
cere, and faithful believer in Christ,
let us in him acknowledge a Brother,
Hearbmay agree, though heads differ ;
there may be unity of spirit, if not
of opinion ; and it is always an advan-
tage to entertain a favourable opmion
of those who differ from us in religious
sentiments. It tends to nourish
Christian charity,"

The average number of emigrants
landed at Quebec the last nine years,
exceed 7000 annually, a great pro-
portion of whom are settled in the
Scotch settlements on the Tay, and in

he .
, as
i of
^ure
^ect,
ever

sin-

irist,

ther.

iffer ;

f nqt

Ivan-

inion

gious

lurish,

grants
y^ears*
t pro-
in the
and in

269

the neighbourhood of Glengary. On
the Rice Lake below Yorkj several
naval officers have taken up their
grants, and are actively clearing away
their land. The following official
letter will show to officers of the army
and navy, the grants to which they
are entitled^ in virtue of their services
and commissions.

Downing Street, Colonial Department.
Sir,

I am directed by Lord Bathurst to
acquaint you in reply to your letter
of the that government do not

give any encouragement to military
and naval officers, proceeding as set-
tlers to North America beyond a
grant of land, proportioned to their
rank in His Majesty's service, which
they will receive on applying to the

governor of the Colony, according to
the undermentioned scale.—

Lieutenant Colonel 1200 Acres.
Major - - 100»
Captain - - ^00

Subaltern * ^00

subject always to the conditions ot
actual residence, and cultivatioi of
the land assigned to them, withm a
limited period. Passages are not
granted by government,

I am, Sir,

&c. &c. &c.

this does not mean that the officer
shall be bound to reside during the
whole of his life upon his land, but
that he should actually be in North
America in the first instance, and
perform the location duties of his
grant, before he is entitled to the fee
simple <^ it from the Crown. No

271

Comment is necessary on the justice
of this measure, because nothing is
more baneful to society at large, in
any country, than large tracts of land
held by non-residents : in Canada if
this system was encouraged, the moat
valuable districts would soon fall into
the hands of land speculators, who
would in consulting their own private
interests, sacrifice the happiness and
prosperity of the community at large.

In every district is a land board,
wfioie duty it is to attend to the
settlers who make application, the
Secretary or some official person being
always in attendance, to give such
information as may be required. All
these things are necessarily much
better arranged now, than they were
immediately after the war, between
America and this country.

I happened to be at Montreal, when
the first party of Scotch arrived for

■^"--mmmm^eMm,

272

the new settlement of Petth, and
never shall I forget the joyful, and
happy countenances, of the whole
group. They had been long enough
in smooth water, to recover from the
effects of the voyage, and

" Hope the great nurse of life,"

had evidently administered the balmy
cup of^ pleasing anticipation. Already
in idea, had they taken possession of
their land, already had they sown their
crops, and already had a bountiful Pro-
vidence granted them independence.

It was in fact a gratifying sight,
and in a sincere wish fot their welfare,
I remember shaking one or two of
the party heartily by the hand, and
bidding them welcome to a country,
where I was sure they would soon
become useful members of society,
deserving all the assistancCj and pro-
tection of the government, which in re-

27 3

tuj-n, they would be ready and willing
to defend at a future time, should cir-
cumstances render it necessary.

The township of Perth was first
settled in 1816, under the superinten-
dance of Lieutenant Colonel McDon-
nell, an officer who had distinguished
himself on various occasions during
the war, and it was first occupied by
disbanded soldiers, and emigrants
from Scotland. The latter however
soon became the most numerous, and
the townships of Richmond, Lanark,
North Sherbroke, Ramsay, and
Beckwith, have all since been parti-
ally located and settled.

A reference to the map will show,
that the direction of these new settle-
ments is nearly due north, toward the
Ottawa River, and it should be fully
understood, that it is through this line
of country, that the great military

"rMXffumiKWS^i'-Si^iM''^^-

IfV'i

274 •

rowl is maktog. which i» to connect
Kingston with Mwtwal. Fww ««
ready comrottnicatioB which the smaU
inland Lakes, rivers, and canals, aflbrd
between these places, from the cli»-
MKter and descriptioa of the peopl*.
and from every other circumBtanee,
I cwBsider these districts or thft vici-
nity, hy fer the wost desir^hl* for
those «ho wish to settle in thft «»pp^

province. .

The 8teaift vessel vKl»ch, r^oa ftora
U Cktoe across Lake St. Lonia, wiM
take ea>igra»ts up the Ottawa, Wid rf
they purpose settling in either ^ t»e
above tov^rnsbips. they will find rt
much Itwtter to proceed up that rwer,
aftfos appoint Nepea*. which is about
tw»fe miles from Richmoad, tha» to
go, hy the W9y of the *t. Lawe»»ee»
%ft BM<*.vill©.,

LETTER XVni.

foreatir wild

And Oemns BHiItitodinoo* unfold

Their wonders to bis gaae!— Then why should man

Creep like a reptile, —fearful to ezpl<nre

The psge of hvmatt knowledge ?

Pr«gft*a of Liht* /y.

It should W especially borne ia
i^iud, that an elevated spot, near a
iriver, or hake, i» preferable toallathiem;
mdeed no goeat prog;:ess can be maiie
in a new country wlxer^ there are aq
xoada^^unless tiieaettkr has a water comr
mianics^ion with the 4iatrict» ak«aid^

. -^'if!?iS8St*ilW' s'--V£'

276

cleared. He should be most anxious
on this account, and if he can obtain
a point of land, he will find it prefer*

able to a bay.

To those who know nothing about
the woods of America, and the West
Indies, it may appear perfectly ridi-
culous to say, that the greatest pest in
Canada are the Musquitos, but such
is the feet. I have often been lost
in amazement, at the patience of the
settlers, in the back concessions and
bays, iiA the months of July, and
August, when myriads of these insects
attack them without mercy, night
and day. A thousand times have I
wished for the same volume of curses
of the good Bishop Enulphus, with
which the enraged Doctor Slop
damned the unfortunate Obadiah, to
excommunicate these blood thirsty
intruders, but it was of no avail, and

277

in spite of all the philosophy I could
muster, I have more than once been
fairly beat out of the field.

That part of the country which is
tolerably clear of wood, as well as
headlands, running into lakes or rivers
are free from this annoying pestilence^
the constant breeze, either soon
entirely destroys, or obliges them to
shift their quarters, to places of greater
security.

In Quebec and Montreal, however,
musquitos are very little known.
Olive oil rubbed over the parts ex-
posed is a preventive, but which by the
way I am inclined to think, must be
all over the body ; indeed, if I was to
use the traveller's privilege, I should
say, that a thorough bred Yankee
musquito would bite through a two
inch board. If the emigrant is obliged

!
%\ ll

■ ^ ■^^MSSfe:

278

to pass a night in a bay, amongst these
gentry, he bad better close the door*
and windows, and smoke four or five
cigars : this sort of fumigation will
very soon make them dance about
merrily, and join in a sort of baccha-
nalian concert, after which they faH
to the gronnd senseless, and remain
in that state, until the rays of the
morning sun, calls them to new ftfe,
and the traveller from his repose.

The most general complaint in
€pper Canada is fever and ague,
and very few newcomers, who settle
above Oopnwall, arc fortunate eno«gh
to escape the partieuter attentions of
this great patron of the shakers.

Very soon after taking up bis
land, if it be in a swampy ©r low
situatioFk, anci exposing himself to the
lieat of the sua by day, aPi' tJv ""—

by night, he will tind himaelf taken by
the hand by this powerful demtoo of
the woods and lake&. He may indeeil
think himself lucky, who avoids kn
fifreetings; for with feav aod trem-
bling*, I remember he well nigh shook
the soul of me out of its skeletoa halsi^
tation.

I found it was of no use trying to
gitre him the cut po&itiv)e, after he
had intiediiced himaelf; or by
riding full gallop into the woods to
avoid an interview, neither of these
would do; for bke a determined
highwayman, he stopped me in my
career, tumbled me in quick time
owt of the saddle, and threatened my
very life, ft>r having attempted te
escape him.

After being afflicted with thi*
conaspfeuwt for several months, I wasi

I
)

si^'l^ss^'j'.

280

at Ibst cured by eating a double
ration of venison steaks for breakfast,
u very comfortable sort of remedy,
which I beg leave to recommend, in
preference to any thing that can be
administered, by any of those worthy
gentlemen, who bleed for their coun-
try-

Whilst speaking of the faculty, with

all due reverence I trust, I must not
forget to notice, the great scarcity of
medical men throughout the whole
of Upper Canada ; it is no uncom-
mon thing to see an M.D. A. 1.
making a journey of thirty or forty
miles, to enquire after the health of his
patients; his cutting and carving
apparatus, with the contents of a
small chemist's shop, crammed into
a leathern bag, banging away upon
the ribs of his favourite Rosinante.

281

There is a kind of dysentery expe»-
rienced by some people in the Upper
Country, occasioned by drinking
the lake waters. These are all per-
fectly freshj but flowing, as they do,
through such an immense extent of
country, they become impregnated
with the vast quantites of decayed
vegetable substances, swept away in
their course. This however, is in
reality of no consequence, as there are
plenty of good springs ; and indeed
even if there was not this advantage,
that man deserves to be shot, who
would drink bad water alone, in a
country where good whiskey is to be
had for eighteen pence per gallon*

There is no other complaint pre-
valent in Upper Canada; the inhabi-
tants of the lower province, are as
robust, and as healthy, as any people
in the world ; the sto\ as, and wood

•^ia»wNf**W"^*''

' :)Kf^sm!^^^

28^

fires, which arc kept burning niglit
as well as day, during the whole
of the winter, give them a pallid
sickly look; but the emigrant will
Tiot be long in the country before he
Bees that they are quite the contrary.

When he sees them running along
by the side of their sleighs over the
•ice with their bosoms open, and
exposed to all the inclemency of the
\veather, he will begin to think that
liabit alone could not produce such
extraordinary hardihood ; but that
nature has given them a thickness of
«kin, and a constitutional vigour,
suited to the climate of the country
in which they live.

The traveller who passes through
•Canada for the first time at this season
of the year, will begin to feel some-
what nervous, when his driver instead
^f rounding a deep and circuitous bay

Upon terra firma, urges his horses
with the greatest sang froid, right
over the bank of the river or lake^
and makes directly across the ice for
soihe land mark in his route, pro*-
bably ten, fifteen or even twenty
miles distant, over a depth of water
sufficient to float a seventy-four gun
ship. Two horses abreast will move
him, and three others, with their
light baggage, along at the rate of
nine miles an hour.

Like every other description of
difficulty, the cold experienced in
Canada has been represented as
much more severe than it really is,
indeed some people imagine it to be
almost beyond human endurance : the
fact is, that although the cold at night
and at the dawn of day, in the depth
of winter is terribly severe, for those
^xpos^d to its effects, still to those

]

' ^^utSSm^m^imsitmtmimtm^ -

284

Nvho are able to remain within doors
until day-light, and provide against
it, by good wood fires, it is a per*-
Bonal inconvenience not worth think-
ing of for a moment. I remember
several persons^ who for two or three
winters in Upper Canada, scarcely
ever wore a great coat during the day,
and in this description of the climate
I shall be fully borne out by the evi^
dence of many. Those who know that
country, will remember the extraordi-
nary brightness and warmth of the sun,
which in Canada shines for several
hours almost every day^ throughout
the year, apparently anxious to make
all the reparation possible to the
animal creation, for the tyranny
exercised over the vegetablj world.

They will likewise recollect that
this North American winter, so
much dreaded by Europeans, is in

285

fact the happiest, merriest season of
the year.

«' A wrinkled crabbed man, they picture tliee,
Old winter, with ragged beard as grey
As the long moss upon the apple tree ;
Close muffled up, and on thy dreary way
Blue-lipped, «n ice drop at tliy sharp blue note
Plodding along through sleet, and drifting snows.
They should have drawn thee by the high-heap'd hearth
Old winter ! seoted in thy great urmed chair,
• « # • #

Tnsting the old October, brown, and bright."

Excepting those who have newly
taken possession of their lands, and to
whom every day at that time will be
more precious than as many weeks
three or four years afterwards, every
person in Canada enjoys a certain
portion of recreation and pleasure
during the winter. At the very first
appearance of Old Grey Beard, they
begin to prepare the sleighs, and
carrioles, for visiting their neighbours

«.4iS«Sii*it*»

280

and friends, probably many milea

distant.

The careful house- wife then begins
to anticipate a holiday, and once
more wrapped in her best bear-skin
cloak, surmounted by a fur bonnet
large and ugly enough for half a
dozen people, she shines forth in
all her glory, ready and willing to
share ^n all the pleasures of her lord.
Indeed during this universal holiday,
^\the better half of man " relax from
their constant attendance upon do-
mestic operations, and for the time,
appear armed at every point, with all
the gad-about propensities of the dear
creatures on this side of the water.

Apropos. — The Indian ladies wear
long blue cashmere pantaloons, with
petticoats of the same kind, reaching
no lower than the knee ; a dress in
some cases becoming and interesting ;

287

this although a serious and very valu-
able piece of information, obliges me
again to remind the emigrant of the
command, " thou shalt not covet, &c."
During the war, it was no uncom-
mon thing to see an hundred sleighs
and trains, in one continued line cross-
ing the different lakes and rivers, be-
tween Quebec and Kingston, and
the weight of six hundred men, in
close column, with two pieces of
artillery, horses and ammunition
cartSj made no more impression
upon the ice, than it would upon
Hounslow Heath. Although this great
highway affords such facilities to the
emigrant, who in the first instance
takes a cleared farm, to move about
the country, still he must not decide
on the spot, for ultimately settling
himself, without first seeing it during
the summer. He will find the woods

. %

i !

bi^mmmmK-

\ 1

288

so full of hard frozen snow, and ice,
as to render it totally impossible for
him to form any correct idea of the
quality of the land, and although
the height and size of the timber,
is some criterion, as the best and
finest always grow on the richest
soil, still, he cannot possibly ascer-
tain whether it be swampy or not.
He should therefore take care to see
it at a more favourable season of the
year, before he either completes his
purchase, or decides upon the dis-
trict in which he purposes taking up*
his government grant.

The Canadians have an odd way of
attaching to the necks of their horses,
what is termed a choke halter. In
cases of accidents on the ice, imme-
diately the horse falls into the river
or lake, the driver, who generally
manoeuvres so as on the first appear-

ifi

Ni^^^

♦ ♦

%i'

mmmmmm^

,289

anc^ftf danger to^gjave himself, pulls
hard upon |he chok*halter, whicl

'is
upon file chok^ halter, which
prevents the water rushing into th^
lungs, and with singular dexterity, and
small assistance, he very soon after
^ extricates the animal from his perilous
situation. ^ ^

The settler %ho resides #ar.Jhe
water is notj^ionly epabledlto supply
his family with fish during the sum-
mer, but even in the winter. *" This is
eflfected by making holes through the
, ice, over which ht takes his stand at
^^ight, with a lanthorn, or torch, and
, as the fish rise to the surfac* and re^-'^

main stupi#ly gazing at the light, the
fisherman strikes theSi with his spear,
or entangles tlftm with a net prepared
for the purpose.

Although the woods produce a vast
variety of birds, — from the majestic
eagle to the little wren, the only one

*|N)

i«S>MM«MHlllM

'Ji

\ ■ i

)

296^ •

ofits kind, pc^ieagng peculiar 155auty
that 1 t)bserved, was #e Caijfidiah
^rwoddpecker, (picus erythroc^pha^as)
which is considerably largifer than the
.i|f English bird of that name, tind of a
variegated giey colour, with a top-
knot of glossy crims^. This is be-
li|||eA»v some to be a superior bait ^.
for the msquin^ige. ^'hereis a pe-
culiar ,^ind of owl in Canada, not
more than half the size ohhe Eftglish
owl, with plumage something similar
to^ the woodpec^r, excepting tlie
colour ^the top-knot.
'^^ ^ "^ woods likewise abound

squirrels, rabjjjts, harel* foxes, ra-
coons, deer, ferrets, ^easels, &c.^c.
but the flying IquifUl is by fa|^the
most interesting of all the wild inha-
bitants '^f the forest. Nature has
>feiven these little creatures, a thiriskiii,
fr6m their fore to their hind 'legs.

Which they extend at pleasure, and
thii« prepared, fearlessly throw theonii
seFtes %om the tops of the highest
trees, and spreading their lender para-
chutes, ^ifly alight upon the ground,
at a very considerable distance fh
the country abotve Lake Erie, wolves
# have been known in very severe sea-
sons t(^leave 'the forests, and attack
the sheep fc^Ms of the settlers, %ut as
they are generallly n(^t larger than a
common sized dog, and immediate
fly at the approach of man, this ft^fi-
-*ger may be easily avoide^ In the
settled districts sucll an event is never
apprehended, as these, animals as well
as every other description of creature,
supposed to be constantly at war with
the human species, are seldom seen
excepting by hunting parties of In-
dians. Beavers, — the most sagacious
brute inhabitants of the j^ew world,

■m

^ -i

292 m

are now scarcely ever to be met with.
Man, the great tyrant of the^arth,
IS gradually approaching ikf^ir most
solitary haunts, breaking up their
peaceful communities, and rowns, and
(liriving the wreck of the inhabitants
into the trackless regions, nearer to
the pole. From the unerring rifles
of the hunters, very few, if oifte seen,
ever /^^cape, and as their skins are
eagerly sought after by the fur t^ders,
the Indians pursue them with great
aa^iety and perseverance.

4*'

**#

Zf.

'^pi

HI
sit

♦!

LETTER XIX.

long may discordant brj^U,

Be severM from thy shores ; may howling War,
,Blow its dfead blast, feij^far '""o™ ^^^*
While tbjibold ramparts tow'ring o'er the ware
Shall bid thy foes defiance 1 ^

There cannot, possibly, be more
gratifying reflections for all those who
think of settling in Canada, than that
positive^distress, and absolute %rant,
are scarcely known in either of the
Provinces ; excepting as I before ob-
served in the imm^iate neighbour-
hood of large towns ; and that capital

-»

IwaMKS

294 #

and other crimes, are likewise very
rarely heard of; throughout both the
Canada's not more than half-^,-dozen
civilians have been executed, or
even iondemned these last twenty
years. In passing through the coui^-
try, from Quebec to Michilimac-
kinac, not one house in a hundred
A will be found at any hour of th& ly
night, |or which a wooden latch is not' *^
"^ considered a sufficient protection.

It may be said -that there are no
locks and bolts,g because they are
difficult to be obtained ; but I sup-
pose it would not require a very great
conjuror to manufactjj^e a woodam
bar, in the midst of a forest ; and as
theseSeven are seldom used, it is only
fair to conclude, that such precautions
are unnecessary.

The emigrantl^ay therefore settle
in any place he pleases in perfect

yi:

•

♦ 295 ^

safety ; A if n^r a -liver, or la^,
hi& canoe, hi§ dog, his fthing tac^',
and M^ gun, will afford a pleasant
relaxation from the constant toil oii
clearing and cultivating the earth ;
it will likewise relieve him from tha^
stupefaction of intellect, which the
|# dull monotony of a life passed en-

^4llirely in the woods, cannot otl^r-
«i wise fail of producing.

It is scarcely necessary to observe,
that there Are i*o game lawst he
""may go out as ofte|^ as he pleases, and
kill #s much as he can, without any
^ther person than himself, and his
femily feeling at all interested in the
matter. What is called game in this^
countryfis difficult to be obtain^in^
some parts of Canada, from the tMBs-
ness of the underwood; but wood-
pigeons are to be had in abundance.

■^

^<s

•t

■t .»3ia«ti!i;,|i,»ijii. , iisi.

Bsas

►Ifr 296

lere is like^e pMty of miter fowl.

ani fish o^ every de^iption ; the
largest, which is called by the li|dians,
'^rMaskinonge, is good eating, and
appears to be the only inhabitant
of the waters, of any size, p-^culiar to
North America.

In speaking of the immense forests,
inrand seas, and rivers of Canada, if^
may a^pejT ^ proper association of ^
ideas, to tidk of wild beasts, crocc^
dile?, and rattle-slfekes — but these
are things long since passed away,
like the days before the flood. It is
true, that the younger generatioi^-
of the bear tribe are sometimes in-
troduced into the markets of Que-
brtttand Montreal, on the t^ of the
cabbage waggons, and passed into
" durance vile," at the rate of 1 5s.
per head, but their " very grave,.

#•

^^^p

Ht.

Bl»1|

•/■

^1,

IS,

Lilt

297

ts,

of '^

;se

in-
le-
he
ito
5s.

and revetend" fathers, are now very
seldom seen, on the Canadian side of
the Hudson Bay boundary.

On dne occasion, I remember hear-
ing of a stately old gentleman of this
description, who by some chance or
other, strolled into the M^ghbour-
hood of a church, and aft^ roaming
llbout for some time, at length Jgpped
his head in at%n open window, and
from thence, took a r^ew of the
congregation, with great apparent
satisfaction. Tl^ however proved no
joke for poor bruin, for in conse-
, quence of the masterly directionp.
immediately given by the clerk, tnd
the finely executed manoeuvres of the
congregation, his retreat was cut off,
and his life made to pay thi forfeit
of his temerity.

The emigrant has therefore no-
thing to dread in Upper, or Lower

♦

'^m

4-.

*♦

'§

■^iiiA:mtmm«l>viiP!M^^.

Ml* '"B ' ' '1

■QS

, '-^1'

##•

«-

4i#

^ %,..

298

Canada, neither the nwlves, thcf
^ "beasts of the forests, |3)tiles, or

in^^s of any kind but t^ musquito,
ffpSid these are as common in any other
* thickly wo^ed country, as they are in
<3anada. A man may here with per-
^^^ feet saf^ t^e his d<%, and his gun,

" and make a coasting voyage in his

canqfi of sevei^ dam^in any Mred^
tion; he nispir hkewSC^^ without i.he
leftit effarHle of molestation, jom a
^#^unting gp^Tty of Indians, strike with
them iajto the woo#, and nx^; return ^
until tired of the sport.
♦ * JP*^^ ^® surrounded by people who m

are *|^oor, when^^compared* to the ^
^ l^lthiersettlersof New South Wales, ^

^81 "l^n Diemen's Land, he has the
satisfaction of knowing, that they are ^
honest, humane, and brave; and there-
fore, that they deseWe tc^e happy,.
In Canada, although we hear very

^ -^

•

iil

299

* #
#

♦
#

the
or
ito,
her
ein
>er-
un,
his

i,he
1 a
irith
urn *

vho «t
the^
lies, ^
the
are
ere-

rery

tr*

liUle aUtt IjHilty. therje are 119

will here

^Kgep

♦

•

'slaves; W emigrant
no hordeiHr CafFres, ready to
^way his flRle, or destroy his'
and all the i^it of his l^our, whi
|-ipe for the fickle, jSlre are^
cut throat ho^pbreaK^jJi^ying wait
to destroy him |gij|. n^ fttmily, }t
heijpfcntures I^MEifcut unarmed,
or to plundialrs pro|gpy ^iculd he
^ot be upOT the spot t^^fff^o^ ;
indeed, here he will have^thi^tj^
ifear, ^ose conduct evin" a proper
respecrfor himself and for fP laws ;
these being the same as those ^|||j^a^
left boilind ■lim,^d writtengjphe
same language, cimnot be misunder-
stood. Ij^
The trial by jury, that gr^t toun-
iation of the liberty of the subject,
secures to him Hae most valuable of
tts laghts^nd pnyileges. This

IS a

•**•

%*.

^ ^

♦. ^

IM***

m^i

*»

^^H if

^H 1

^R i

RflH 'i

t vl i

[ ,

SI 1

1 1

£^H 1

'^^ 1 n.

i ijii .

■1 i'

t to thei Ji^ ^
just al- 4|^

300

blessing of which fflre
colonies, to which I h
lu(i|ik as well as to the|^pe, is de-
Jjteived, and ai*:- :fi tB#e can be
iitt doubt ^|it '^^ : mit, an^ other ^*
jil^ileges, already enjfeyed by ♦the
Canadians,|||pm be ^fnted to all, in
due time, stilL^Mushould he subject
himself even^jiia Ament to^Wkch
privati^m. 4P a miHwy govern-
mHk?^W'hy should the man, who
eks no JUfches, but quiet indepen-
dence, £^ four times the (^ance,

to a lancrprincipally inhabited by the
veilHoutcasts of society, or to one
near^lfeis far, oveM|un With (^tffres.
■^'he merchant who merely makes
a^fciiporary residence, in either of
those Monies, may, for the ultimate
object before him, readily submit
Mmself to many things; but his situ-
ation is far difFereE|gfrom that of the

►»

♦

t ■■*'

al " >

ie-

the 41
in

tch ^

rn-
ho
m-

:he
>ne

:es
of ^

ite ^
[lit

;M ^emigran1?i%ho lelRres his na#ve coun-#
•fc try for QiJfr. HeJaegins lif(^ agaiff

as it were^itlyenewed vigopr/ and
with renewed hopes ; anxious ontf^
• for thlfcrelfai^e of his fsipily, and in
• quietude and reti^ment to mofe
on ** toward tliut bourne»from whence
no traveller returi^/^ * ^I '^

"M such a m«ln, 1 s|iy,jfjiat the Bri-jL
tish Provinces in Nurth^ America, and
especially the Canadas, possess- ad-
vantages superior to alk^he other*^
cifcintriei. which we have eoticed;
and that in Canada, although he
must not hope to ^accumulate ai4lbr- ^
^(P^tune in nfcney, be may in *« few
^ years obtain, and enfoy unmolested,
that inestin able blessing of a b^hen-
cent providence, a'^fuH and perfect
independence.

%
m

♦«

«•»►

1^'

■•

■0r

■#.

f^^

*■>

■•*S

-'ML.

m APPENDIX.

^ #

t»

^ POT ^ND PEARL A^.

To show the emigrant the vast in»-
portance of these two great staple
commodities <>f the Canadas, it iS
Oftly neqessary to give a rough esti-
mate of the quantities imported at
* Liverpool only, from Quebec and
# Montreal, between July 1st. and Sep-
tember 30, 1823.

This period I selected without any

kind of reference either to the season,

or the year, and which may be either

^ f good or bad, according to circular

stances. '*

*^^

# #

kp'i'

W"^'

***%-«f*.^ a^lB MWWtoMtMfe.

304

*% ♦

Number of
Barrels.

Total Ave-
rage Weight.

Lowest Ave-
rage Price.

Amount.

10,928

32,766cwt.

408. prcwt.

£65,532

A considerable portion of the above
was no doubt manu|jactured in the
states bordering upon Canada, and
sent d«wn to Montreal by the Ameri-
cans, the river St. Lawrence afford-
ing them a greater facility for gfetting
their ashes and timber to market,
than their own inland water commu-
nications. This circumstance, how-
ever, does not lessen the importance
of the subject to the emigrant. In a
country like Canada, where a long
winter prevents industry in the field,
he will find it of the most essential con-
sequence, as during severe weather,
instead of exposing himself in clear-
ing his land, he may be advanta-
geously employed manufacturing his >
po'ash.

.1^

•«i

*-,.

«t>

305

.)^

•#v

■Mb

In the observations vdiich I shall
offer, in order to s&o# the most easy % <|
manner of procuring this article, I #^
shaH|f.endesMiPur to ui^ only such "
terms, as ftuy \)e easily umerstood *
by all those who know bu||?very
little of chemistry ; these pages ifeing *

intended more especially for the
guidance and instruction of those,
who, possessing a fair proportion of
common sense and ingen^y, witn a
great deal of perseverance and indus-
try, are anxious to turn these quali-
ties to the best advantage.

In the first place, %e ^migrant
must bear in mind that no sooner has
he taken possession df his land, than,
it is necessary foiniim to make such
arrangements for preserving every
particle of inferior timber, und^-
wood, and weeds,^hich he has oc^-
sion to remove from the spot where

^IP-

H^'

7 ♦

l/»»9:

^ |l he intends er^ting hH log house, as
jtf.'f^ shaU, when n^ii^l^ac^ured into ppt-
|||l tsb, fully repay him for all his time
and labour. ^Every kind^of vegatable
whejp btrned will pro^^ p^sh;
but unfortunately so few emigrants
kn(^this, or any thing at all about
the manufacture of it, that these
sources of profit ai^d advantage are
thr(^i;m l^^ay, or totally neglected.
]p%Jnsta^ce, a man takes up a gran^
of land, an4 seeing himself in the
midst of 2^ fprest, h^s np idea of j(he
value of any part of the timber, but
of thosAre^ which from their size
and q^e^Uty, he naturally concludes
are wortl^ sei^ng to market. Th^
Qonsequenc^ is, %e begins cutting
away, totally regardless of eyery
fl^el^ object, but that of getting his
l|jid ready for tlve plough. All the
undeijrwood, inferior timber^ S^q. &c

A 1

%'!'

*♦-

4 #

■*t

.**

' 307 ^

b^Vemoves to a distance o<»t of the m^^
way of his present operations, whef Q ^ ^
it is left to rot, or probably it. i9 *^
thrown into the streaii*'' and aUQwe4
to ^at away with the current. ||i«^ §L

In thousands of instances this is
the case, and I have been often s|rmpk ♦
with the extraordinary ig^ora?^ dis^
played by mau^ on this subject, who
we*e professedly capable* of t^ing
charge of palties of settlers to .Ca-
nada, an4 other countries^

j^ do not ynean to say that every
man, whatever may be his views and
station in life, is an ignoramus if he
does not know what pot and pearl
ashes are : that would be nonsense
but I think those who intend emigrat
ing to a new country, and more espe-
cially those who take charge of the
interests of others, ought at least tp
know, what the exports and imports

•

W-

'■ifr-

•iM'

'\i

*•

308

^ #> IK ^^ *^^* country are : and this v^ry
M Mr enquiry will lead them to consider
how far any of these can be made
available to their own peculiax in-
'^^te^, or to the advantage of tnose
under their charge.
,i,To the Canadians these great
staple commodities must continue to
be for many years a ^urce of extra-
ordiiiary profit ; and the short dis-
tan^p between Quebec and the Euro-
pean markets, will alwayst ensure a
a read/ sale for all th#y can manu-
facture. ^

As we before observed, every kind
of vegetable that is free from sea salt,
will, when burned, produce potash in
greater or lesser degree ; and the
following table given by Mr. Kirwan,
will shew the proportions contained
in some of them.

■^

i^T

')^\

309

Names of the Vegetables.

Stem of the IVlaise.
Lar^e Sunflower . .
TwiJIfc of the Vine ,

Box

Sallow

Ash ,

Oak

Aspen

Beech

Fir

Fern in August....

Wormwood

Fumitory

Piroduct
in Aghes^.*

88,00

57,02

34,00

29,00

28,00

23,06

13,0&

12,03

5,08

3,04

36,46

97,44

319,00

Product
in Alkali

17,05

20,00

5,05

2,26

2,85

3,09

1,05

0,74

1,27

0,45

4,25

73,00

79,00

The above was produced from
lOOOlbs. weight of each of these
vegetables, and the result was, 1st.
tl»t the potashes from different
vegetables have different colours.
2ndly. That the quantity of alkali* is
not by any means in proportion to the
quantity of ashes in the vegetable :
and 3rdly. That ashes require very *
different proportions of water to be-
come exhausted by lixiviation, (or
soaking.)

♦ Salt.

#ift

'■tm- ■' aieB.4»«.i^.

-^=immmmma.--mmmmm.:

3I<)

I n

»^ii

Jk,

Names of

WeiKht J
of the

Produce

Welfht

Produce

the Vege-

Vegetable

in Ashes.

Water

in
Pot Ash.

Colotir. Art

tables.

bnmt.

employed.

lbs.

08.

dr.

lbs.

ll)a.

oz.

(ir

■»■ '

Bright lead o *

Box

800

216

Oak

916

124

Brownish »ey.
Coffee witf milk.

Beech

887

Elm

981

]

S16

OreyisJi v,'hite.

Ash

1018

300 •

Reddish grey.

Aspen

648

120

Deep black.

Fir

730

Light black.

Sallow

800

200

Light brownish Rrey.

Vine Twigs

800

2/6

Whitish grey.

Turnsole

i.00

333

Milk-white somewhat

yeiJow.
Ash coloured. H

Maize

440

612

M. Chaptal, when Director Gene- ^
ral of the Gunpowder and Kitre **
Works of France, ordered some ex-
periments to be made in the depart-
ment of Vosges; and the following
was the result.

lb. 01.

lOlbs. of ashes of broom yielded 2 ^potash.

lOlbs. ditto of fern 35

lOtbs. ditto of heath 1 r2

lOlbs. ditto of roots of pine...... 2 tg

lOlbs. ditto of maize -straw 4 5

Instead therefore of all this timber,
underwood, and weeds, which is ap-

Sll

)Ur.

loifT

lite,
•ey.

'Irish grty.

ey.

Bomewhat

ed.

e-
re

p^rently useless, being thrown away,

♦lit shoiild be cut into convenient

lengths, and carefully ^stacked, until

emigrant can commence burning

itiiy;o%hes, These stacks Should

be formed in differerit places, so that

he may not have far to carry hiis

^ timlfcr, in forming each of them, and

where he ^ay burn it on the spot.

1^ Some dig holes in the ground for the

purpose of carrying on this part bf

the e»peration: but the preferable

way is to select such situations as are

Sheltefed as much as possible from

the^ind, -and to add the fuel to the

fii^e very gradually. By keeping the

^entire burning mass well stirred, evety

particle will be reduced to ashes.

Which cannot be so easily affected by

the fotmer method.

'Unless the emigr^rit is careful to
perform this part of the dperatioh

!■

jfrr:

312

effectually, Kfe must not fepe to make
good potash; and when he reflects^
that all that tftnber not worth sending
to market, all weeds; every unpro-
fitable vegetable, with the l^s and
tops of the best of his trees, may thus
be made to produce a certain return
in money, for the trouble andife ex-
pence of clearing hi§ land, he surely
will not omit to avail himself of the
opportunity thus afforded him.

We will now look to the second
part of the process. The emigrant
must prepare two, or more wooden
troughs, according to his circum-
stances, &c. &c. it matters not how
rough they are, provided they be water
tight ; six feet by six feet, and five fee^
deep will be a convenient size, but of
course the magnitude of the utensils
used must be in proportion to the ex-
tent of his means, &c. The man who

%-•■

-**

ake

3CtS||

ling
pro-
and
thus
turn

ex-
irely

the

cond
jrant
oden
sum-
how
vater
efee^
)ut of
ensils
e ex-
i who

313

has not ingenuity sufficient to knock
a few plain boards together, as above
described, may rest fully £^ssured he
will make but a very sorry settler in
the woods, where he will be thrown in a
great measure upon his own resources.
These troughs must be raised for
convenience the height of a commo^i
water pail, and placed by the side of
each other, care being taken to ascej;'-
tain that the supporters are fully able
to bear the weight intended for th^m.
The emigrant should now spread a
thick layer of §tout rushes over th^
bottom, then a layer pf ashes, th^n a
layer of rushes; and so on, alternately,
until the trough is two thirds full ;
the water must then be poured ip ^t>
the brim. The more c^re taken in
spreading the ashes and rushes, the
more easily, and eflectually, will the
^ater penetrate ; near the bottom, ^

II,.

f '

314

tap-hole must be bored to let out the
lees, at the expiration of about forty-
eight hours, they must then be passed
through a strainer for boiling.

I have observed many Americans,
and Canadians, in the back-woods,
use large sugar hogsheads, instead of
such troughs as I have described, but
these are very inconvenient. Chaptal
says, wrhen speaking of the manufac
tories in France— " I have seen manu-
factories of pot-ash, where the steep-
ing-vessels each contained two thou-
sands five hundred pounds of ashes ;
this size appeared to me too large, it is
difficult to effect in them a perfect lixi-
viation ; this inconvenience is but very
partially remedied, by the practice of
wetting the ashes as they are deposited
in the vessel." Some people content
themselves with pouring cold water
vpon the ashes ; but if the emigrant has

315

a copper, or large boiler of any kind,
he will find it more to his interest to use
water as hot as possible; the ashes
will be better soaked, their saline
quality will be easier extracted, and
a considerable time will be saved in
this part of the operation.

As many casks, &c. as the emigrant
can provide, will now be necessary
to contain the lees, and the remaining
part of the process is exactly similar
to the manufacture of common salt in
this country; in fact all those who
have seen an English saltern, have
seen just what a pot and pearl ash
manufactory, on an extensive scale
should be in the woods of Canada,
The emigrant who happens to be
in the neighbourhood of one, would
do well before he embarks, to take
every opportunity of observing the
principles upon which common salt

p 2

I'/

it-

, /

316

is produced. In one day he will
derive more information, and under-
stand the thing more clearly, than he
would from reading a whole volume
of written instructions.

Merely once soaking the ashes,
will not be sufficient to extract from
them all their alkali, or saline quality;
more water must therefore be poured
upon them ; and these second lees
should, when again heated, be poured
upon the new ashes, instead of plain
water ; it matters not what sort of water
is used for this purpose, provided it is
not impregnated with sea salt. Some
manufacturers indeed prefer putrid,
or stagnant water ; and say that a
greater proportion of pot-ash may be
obtained by using it.

In order to try the strength of his
liquor, the emigrant may, if conve-
nient, provide himself with an aero-

317

\ will
mder-
lan he
olume

ashes,
D from
lality;
)oured
d lees
soured
' plain
f water
ed it is
Some
putrid,
that a
nay be

of his
conve-
n aero-

meter,* and by it, when he finds that
his lees have acquired the strength of
fifteen degrees and that he has pro*
vided as much as he can conveniently
preserve, he may employ himself
during the bad weather, in the winter,
extracting the salt or pot>-ash.

In some of the northern depart-
ments of France, where th« forests
cover a great part of the land, almost
all the inhabitants of the country
mimufacture the ashes. The women
and children collect decayed wood
and burn it; the cinders are lixiviated,
in warm water, and the evaporation
is conducted in small kettles which

• This instrumt?nt, however, is not at all neces-
sary, as praotioF, and common observation will
won enable him to judge sufficiently correct, an
to the strength of the liquor.

•jl^^tm'

1 ^

1 mI'

i' >l

fi ■ !

1 ' !

318

do not contain more than one hundred
pounds of this liquor. In the southern
departments of France, where the
wood is scarcely sufficient for domestic
uses, the ashes are bought at private
houses, and are manufactured in
works built for the purpose.

The emigrant may purchase every
discription of iron kettle^ in Canada,
as cheap as in England; but the
shallower they are, in reason, the
better. The method of using these
kettles is as simple as the first part
of the process ; all that is necessary
is to fill them with the lees, place
them over a fire, and keep them boil-
ing; as the liquor evaporates, more
lees must be poured into them, until
it obtains the consistence of thick
paste or honey ; care must then be
taken to prevent it from adhering to
the sides of the kettle or boiler, by

ii'

319

idred
thern

lestic
ivate
i in

3 very
[mda,
•' th^fr
the
these

part
ssary
place
boil-
more

until
thick
n be
ng to
r, by

keeping the contents well stirred with
a piece of iron. When it assumes a
solid shape, on cooling in the air,
and can be moved in the kettle, by
the iron bar> it is then pot-ash fit
for the market.

I will not here enter into a parti^
cular description how to make pearl-
ash, because the generality of emi-
grants cannot proceed, with any ad-
vantage, beyond the first operation of
making the pot-ash ; a slight know-
ledge of chemistry, with one or two
good works on that particular branch
of science, being indispensably ne-
cessary ; I shall therefore merely add,
that pearl-ash is pot-ash whitened
by calcinaton or burning, and that it
fetches a proportionably higher price
in the market. Added to the.above, a
few observations on the subject of pot-
ash, by M. Chaptal will, I trust, show

/Ilgpl^.

320

k'^

I '7 i

the emigrant the great advantages tli^
manufacture of it presents ; advantaged
which, although derived from so sim-
ple a process are unfortunately little
Imderstood, and of which so few,
comparatively speaking, avail them-
selves. —

" When it is intended to clear a
forest, the establishment of a manu-
factory for pot-ash is almost always
advantageous ; as it is the only means
of applying, to a profitable purpose,
the small wood, which will not serve
for others uses ; and this is the origin
of the immense quantities of pot-ash,
which are manufactured in America.
In France, where this combustible is
touch less abundant than in countries,
less advanced in civilization, and the
manufactures consequently less nu-
merous, immense forests are still
found where cultivation is impossible,

321

©wing to the want of a market. Ma-
•nufactories of pot-ash have been es-
tablished in some ; and might without
inconvenience be established in others
if the manufacture was superintended
in such a manner as might ensure a
good return.

" The herbaceous plants are, of all
vegetables, those which produce the
most ashes ; shrubs furnish more than
trees, leaves more than branches,
and the branches more than the
-trunks. The husks and fibres of cer-
tain esculent (eatable) plants ; as
4;he stalks of the French, and the
large bean ; the melon, the cucumbei:,
the cabbage, and artichoke, produce
-richly the pot-ash; the leaves of
^bacco, which form the refuse in
the manufacture of snuiF, the stems
of the sunflower, the maize, and the
f)otatoe^ and other rich resources;;

1 1-

■•i

twifi

Jfi:

3^2

fern, heaths, the fruit of the horse-
ehesnut, brooms and thistles, may be
^ great assistance in supplying a ma-
nufactory of pot-ash. When it is in-
* tended to manufacture it from the
pltmts/ of the field, it is necessary to
cut and gather them with care, so
that no earth may remain adhering to
them, or communicate impurities to
the alkali. The pot-ash most Esteemed
fh commerce is in general tli^ which
has a yellowish appearance.

"When the vegetables have been
ihiperfefetly burnt, there reraainfe an
extractive principle which injures the
quality. Pot-ash is very soluble' in
water ; when pure it attracts m6isture
from the air and deliquesces. Ife
taste is sharp, acrid and resinousj and
it has a slightly empyreumatic odour.

" Although pot-ash is of the mo»t
eM6nsrve use in the «trts, and thjB

323

manufacture of it luight be established
in abno3t every part of the Empire,
i^ order to use the ashes of our
hearths, the unprofitable vegetables,
or thetimber of forests when the means
of cultivation fail ; yet is this species
of industry known only in a few of
our departments. I have attempted^
to encourage this trade in the forests
of Lozere and of Aveyron, and had
to this effect formed an establishment
of this kind at Saint Saviour, near to
Meyrueis. This establishment prps^
pered during six-years ; but the revo-
lution occasioned the annihilatipn
of^it/'

M H^ then goes on to describe pptash
8>s the ^terial which forms the base
of the manufactories of spft soap, of
glass, and of saltpetre, and that hi^
gpyernment ought to " endeavour to
gi|ve a popularity to this |qnd ef.ma*

MMMiH

■MppamMP"

' |i

Iff

»l

I. f

'324

hufacture. I say popularity, becausfe
the materials of the manufacture are
every where found, land it is only re>-
quired tt) procure a tub, a small
bucket, and an iron boiler in order to
inanufacture potash. This portablfe
apparatus maybe fixed any where,
and at a small expence, and it would
be particulariy advantageous to make
it known in mountainous countries,
where it would furnish a very useful
branch of industry to the inhabi-
tants."

I shall conclude this by observing
that these ashes before being subject
t,o the operation of lixiviation, which
I have discribed, miay be sold to the
pot-ash manufacturers for, from six-
pence to ninepence per bushel, ac-
cording to their quality.

The emigrant will soon be able
to judge for himself, as to which plan

32S

it is most desirable to adopt ; but ill
tjither case, if he is careful in making
the most of these ashes, the produce
will, as I before observed amply
repay him the first expences, of
settling on his grant, and of clearing
his land« afterwards.

" MAPLE SUGA:R.

Thrown as the emigrant must be,
almost upon his own resources, it is
abriolxitely necessary that he should
know how to manufacture sugar,
beer, bread, &c.; and in fact he should
be armed at all points ; and excepting
for his farming implements, and what
he absolutely cannot msike himself, he
ought not to go beyond the bounds of
his own grant for assistance. His
land, and bis own ingenuity, ought to

326

IIHJ

produce him every necessary, until
he is well settled, and can afford to
pay for the labour of others.

The following brief observations
will show him how to procure sugar j
which article he must otherwise pur-
chase by a sacrifice of time and
money.

Early in the spring, the maple trees,
with which the Canadian woods
abound, are bored with a large auger
in order to extract the sap, which for
about a month flows in v*3ry consi*
tderable quantities. After making the
hole, a small piece of the tree is
scooped from b«elow upwards, so as to
fomi; a convenient channel for the
sap, which is again a8sis|;<eii by a
little wooden spout, to; drain it away
from the body of the tree into paUiS
or troughs, placed at the foot for the
purpose^ These. are emptied every

night, and at the end of the season,
by the simple process of boiling and
skimming, it is manufactured into
sugar. A little milk thrown in when
well boiled will materially assist in
clarifying it ; it is almost needl<ess to
observe that in rainy weather, very
little can be made^ and that a warm
sun materially assists the flow of the
sap. A good tree will give three
pounds of sugar each year ; some of
the settlers will bore upwards of a
hundred ; the produce of which will
sell in the market, for threepence, or
fourpence, per pound.

Present Prices of Provisions, Cattle, and Ser-
vanh* Wages iii-Canada,

Beef 1

Mutton >

2d. to 3d. per lb

P6rk 3

■ ■

Biitter

^ 8dv per lb.

#-"c -

■ .SIBliWStta^w.,.,,^.^^^,.

II f

Flour
Wheat
Indian Corn
Potatoes
A good Cow
A pood Horse
A Sheep

3^^

6d. per lb.
4 dollars per barrel.
4 shillings per bushel.
2 do. dtt.

1 do. do.

20 dollars to 30.
60 do. to 100.

•8 shillings.
A Farming Servant about 5 dollars per month.
Woman Servant 3 do. do.

•Dollars, dollar notes, English gold coin, and
American gold eagles, are more generally used
throughout the Canadas, than any other descrip-
tion of money. The currency is regulated by the
Halifax standard, so that eighteen shillings Eng-
•lish, are equal to twenty Canadian.

ROADS AND DISTANCES.

From Quebec to Michilimackinac,

mil«i. dif.

from Quebec to Montreal 180 180

to Coteau du Lac 225 46

- to Cornwall 266 41

Carried forward 266

I I

S2d

Brought forward
From Quebec to Matilda
• to Augusta

snth.

1, and
' used
scrip-
3y the
Eng-

to Kington
to Niagara, ^
or to York 3
to Fort Erie
to Detroit

301
335
385

560
790
to Miobilimackiaacll07

From Quebec to Halifax.

toilet.

From Pointe Levi to the Portage 110

Across the Portage to the) ,.«
Lake Tuniscanata 3

From thence to the Forks } i «i^
of Madawaska 3*

to the Great Falls 227

: to FredericktcwB 351

^—., to.Saint Johns 430

. -^ to Halifax 619

Ait.

260
35
38
50

525 140

35
230
317

11 07 miles

110
36

40
124

79
189

619 lailes.

K 'Pt-

* 'jj

- -I i

I,. ■■'

Hi.

330

N.B. This journey of 619 miles was performed
on snow shoes in the winter of 1812, by the 104th
regiment, and by Captains Barclay, Finnis and
Worsley, &c. R.N. ; and the following winter by
Captain Edward Collier, R.N. and Lieutenant
Alexander Phillips, R.M. with a party of volun^
teer seamen and marines, for the Lakes.

From Qt4ebecto Boston, (United States)

From Quebec to St. Giles's

miles.

30
60

90
106

128

to Ireland

to Shipton

to St. Ftaneis

to the Forks
Arcot

to the Boundary > J ^g
Line >

to Sheffield 169

to Linden 188

to Haverhill 223

to Dartmouth \ 053
College >

to Boston 364

dif.

23
19
35

111

364 miles.

r 1'

■\

331

From Quebec to Albany j (United States.)

From Quebec to Montreal
- (0 Lapraire

milet. dif.

180 180

189 9

to St. John's 203 14

to Isle aux Noix 2 1 7 14

to Windmill Point 229 12.

to Savage Point 235 6

to John Martins 241 6

to Sandbar 2^5 14

to Burlington 269 14

to Dr. Smiths 339 70

to Sberasborough 347 8

to Fort Anne 359 12

to Sandy Hill 369 lO

to Fort Edward 371 2

to Dumont's Ferry 383 1 2

to Ensigns 391 8

to Stillwater 397 6

to Waterford 407 10

to Flats (Albany) 419 12

4l9roiled.

•.M|Miaiite.«M».

332

OSWEGO,

on the American shore J Lake On-
tario^ has always been considered a
military post of some importance,
and is noNv one of the principal sta-
tions on the northern frontier of the
State of New York. It was taken
by assault on the sixth of May, 1814,
by the second battalion of Royal Ma-
rines; the flank companies of de
Wattevilles, a company of the Glen-
gary Fencibles, and a body of seamen
from the fleet. I mention it, because
this affair proved fatal to Captain
Holtaway of the marines, and to
Lieutenant de May of the grenadiers
of de Watteville's*

The former had an extraordinary
presentiment of what was to happen
to him, and so strongly had this idea
taken possession of his mind, that he

933

requested me (as his subaltern) on
the night of the fifth, to explain to hi*
company the state of their accounts.
** I wish it," said he, **^in case of acci-
dents." I complied with his desire,
and endeavoured to rally him into
better spirits ; but it was of no avail,
he felt assured of his fate, and pre-
pared to meet it as if it had been his
inevitable doom.

We had attempted to land during
the afternoon of the same day, but
from bad weather coming on, the
signal had been made for the boats
to return on board, and it was under-
stood that the attack was deferred
until midnight. The night however
passed without any thing particular
occurring, the weather having con-
tinued unfavourable; but the morn-
ing presented us with a cloudless sky,
a calm and quiet lake, and the last
brilliaxit sunshine which many a

334

brave fellow was doomed to look
upon It presented likewise my
friend Captain Holtaway labouring
under the same impressions as the
night previous.

A short time before the signal was
made for the " troops to prepare to
land " he addressed me with great
earnestness-he reminded me that it
w^s not the first time that he had
been exposed to an enemy's fire,
and that he hoped I knew him too
well to suppose that he was afraid ot
any thing that could happen to him.
He said he felt strangely, as he had
never felt before on such an occasion ;
but that he trusted he should never^
theless do his duty. At his request
I again assembled the men, and made
each of them sign his accounts. I
did so without a remark, because I
saw his heart was set upon it ; and
although I commiserated his feelings,

335

I enjoyed the idea, that in a few hours
I should have the pleasure of rallying
him upon his credulity, and gloomy
impressions. The event however
proved otherwise.

The signal was made to land, and
the boats pulled in bravely upon the
enemy's shore, boat cheering boat
with loud huzzas, such as no man can
form an idea of, who has never heard
them on similar occasions, and such as
will ring in the ears of him who has, (if
he be really and heartily fond of his pro-
fession) for the remainder of his life. It
was a struggle who should be the first on
shore, many of the men landing breast
high in water, and Captain Holt .way,
sword in hand, amongst the number.
In less than ten minutes, however, the
marines having formed in column,
were ordei'ed to advance in double
quick time upon the enemy ; and at
|;he foot of the glacis. Captain Holta-

li r

2*S

•II

336

way fell mortally wounded at the
lead of his company. He was d,ad

fan instant, a musket-shot havmg
struck him on the temple and passed

directly through his head.*

Lieutenant de May was mortally
wounded previous to this movement
hones however were entertained for
li: hours that his life might be
.aved. but as the ball, which had
lodged near the eye. eould not be
extracted, mortification ensued, and
he died two days afterwards. He
tas a native of Switzerland, a very
fine young man. and asjnsj^sjhe

'^^'^^~^^^^^^':^:^^'^^^

„{,he Wand of Aqhatt m tM ^^

lacked b, *e Danes on 27th <''»«* „t

^„U„„ consUtea »« -- ^^.^^ J^paio)
,,„„ afterward, io.^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^ .,„,

'"'''Tal^k; Id uUtaately totally defeated
obliged to .»trendera«diKtel.ou.

: the
d^ad
aving
lassed

)rtally
jment,
ed for
rht be
jh had
not be
id, and
s. He
a very
^as the

aishcd him-
ilie defence
lich was at-
1811. The
iter part of
on in Spain)
emy in three
,lly defeaxed
18, who were

S3t

first service he had eter been ttpon, his
fate excited very great commiseratioil.

Captain Mulcaster, who command^
the Princess Charlotte, received a
severe grape-shot wound in the groin,
whilst gallantly heading a stormiiig
party of seamen. He was in the
battle of Trafalgar with Lord Nelsdft,
and Was second in command imd^r
Sir James Yeo, during the most event-
ful period of the naval war upon the
Lakes. On one occasion in particu-
lar, when the Wolfe sloop of war,
which bore the commodore s flag, was
dismasted by the Americans, Captain
Mulcaster, in the Royal George,
hastened to her relief, and bore the
brunt of the action for the remainder
of the day.

Five other officers were likewise
wdunded in th^ assault of Oswego.
Captain Lidergrew ofdeWatteville's;

.gbf/*-'''- ■ ".'ii-^^feiiiau^

■*<*.*»((l*wS»a.,ai,,,iBi^,,

-- — -^wmmrf^

!lH

33B

Lieutenant John Hewitt of the
Marines, who climbed the flag-staff,
and struck the American colours.
Captain Popham, R.N. ; Lieutenant
Griffin, R.N., and Mr. Richardson,
Master of the Royal George.

Lieutenant - General Sir Gordon
Drummond commanded on this occa-
sion, and Lieutenant-Colonel Pearson,
Inspecting Field Officer of Militia,
(who was second in command in the
action at Chrystler's Farm) aM Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Smelt of the 103d re-
giment, who were passengers in the
fleet, landed with him as volunteers.

LA COLE MILL

was attacked on the 30th of March,
1814, by a strong force of the Ameri-
can army under General Wilkinson.

339

the
■staff,
lours,
enant
dson,

ordon
occa-
arson,
lilitia,
in the
[ Lieu-
)3d re-
in the
teers.

March,

Ameri-

Ikinson.

The enemy s advance was led by the
celebrated Major Forsyth, who by
his marauding excursions, enterprise,
and great personal bravery, had made
himself the complete Rob Roy
McGregor of the i^merican States,
bordering upon Canada. His gal-
lantry was however of no avail on
this occasion, for whilst making an
ineffectual and desperate effort to
carry the Mill, he was mortally
wounded, and with him fell every
chance the Americans had of success.
The posts of La Cole and Burton
Ville were commanded by Major
Hancock of the l^th regiment, and
the force under his orders consisted
of part of that regiment, the grena-
dier company of the Canadian Fenci-
bles, a company of Canadian Volti-
geurs, and a small detachment of the
first battalion of Royal Marines, com-

.1!

i '

340

msinded by Lieutenants Caldwell, and
Burton.

PLATSBURGH.

Beyond the recollection that every
man on board the British squadron
did his duty, in the action with the
Americans on Lake Champlain, I
have no wish to remember any parti-
culars relative to that unfortunate
affair. That this fleet, as well as that
under Captain Barclay on Lake Erie,
was sacrificed unnecessarily, appears
to be generally believed ; and under
this impression, the loss of such men
as Captains Downie and Finnis, of the
R.N. and of Captain Anderson of the
marines, with their gallant but ill-
fated companions, is the more to be
lamented. The conclusion of the
general order of the 24th of Novem^

341

ber, 1813, alluding- to the action on
Lake Erie, may be very justly applied
likewise to Captain Downie and the
crews on Lake Champlain. " De-
prived," it says, ** of the palm of vic-
tory, when almost within his grasp,
by an overwhelming force which the
enemy possessed in reserve, aided by
an accumulation of unfortunate cir-
cumstances. Captain Barclay and his
brave crews, have, by their gallant
daring, and self-devotion to their
country's cause, fescued its honour
and their own, even in defeat."

That the British army at Platsburg
was disgraced by orders v^^hich com-
promised its honour for its safety, is
likewise pretty well und rstood ; and
that there were very few, if any, of
those who composed it, who felt vastly
obliged for this kind consideration,
will be also fully credited. I have

a 3

342

np wish to ^nter upon a subject so
49grading, and as I was not at
" Platsburgh Races," as this ceie-
krated retreat is sarcastically termed,
! may be well excused from the task.
To contemplate and to describe great
and glorious actions, which do honour
to my country and the service, must,
as* I before observed, be at all times
gratifying;, and such reflections tend
to ennoble the soul ; but to record
events, such as that to which I have
now alluded, I leave to the historian,
whose duty it is, for the information
of posterity, to faithfully note, not
only the good, but the bad, the noble
and the ignoble.

The discussion of this affair would
likewise lead to the general conduct
and character of Sir George Prevost,
who is now dead. It is one thing to
attack a man whilst living, and
another to gallop over him when he is

i tj

343

BCt SO

lot at
i ceie-
irmed,
e ta^k.
e great
iionour
, must,
I times
IS tencj
record
I have
itorian,
•mation
le, not
e noble

would
conduct
^revost,
thing to

ig, and
en he is

no longer able to defend himself. In
the first case he has the power to
publicly contradict any statement
affecting his character, and perhaps
prove it to be false ; and what is more,
he can resent it : but when he is gone
to a more severe tribunal to answer
for his conduct, then let us remember
that unless his faults were of the heart
as well as of the head, mercy is more
honourable than severity. Let us re-
flect that many a man, who cuts but
a very indifferent figure in public life,
would perform all the duties of a
more retired station, with honour and
credit, because it is suited to his
capacity and his feelings.

That the disasters to which I have
alluded, as well as the extraordinary
result of the attack upon Sackets
Harbour in 1813, and the defeat and
capture of General Proctor's division,
near the Moravian villag-e, are to be

344

attributed to the indecisive measures
of the Governor General, is univer-
sally admitted ; and it is to be re-
gretted that Lieut.-General Sir Gor-
don Drummond, who commanded
in the Upper Province, or some other
officer, able to wield the vast machine
of war with effect, had not filled the
situation. Indecision, however, and a
too great attention to the minutiae ot
dress and parade, which could not be
of the least possible service in the
field, were his principal faults ; for to
the best of his ability I believe, the
wish of Sir George Prevost was to
do his duty ; and after passing forty
years of his life in the service, in dif-
ferent parts of the world, it is surely
only fair to take all his actions into
the account, instead of condemning
him as one, who had no previous es-
tablished claims upon the considera-
tion of his country.

-x/^i

asures
iniver-
be re-
Y Gor-
landed
e other
lachine
led the
r, and a
lutiae of
I not be

in the
; ; for to
jve, the

was to
ng forty
e, in dif-
is surely
ons into
demning
mus es-
)nsidera-

CONCLUSION.

" If when I was a school-boy, I could not bear a drum
b«at, but my heart beat with it, was it my fauUP^Did I
plaat the propensity there ?— Did I sound the alarm witfaiu,
or Nature ?"—Sf(?niff.

» I > m ■ «

I TAKE this for my motto, because
on looking over what I have here
written, a thousand sensations and
recollections, intimately connected
with it, are awakened in my mind
and in my heart. Old times,
and old friends, appear before me in

.jsgB!=.-^^^sr--

-I '1
!

t .!■

>■ IS

346

retrospect, and that ardent, passion-
ate affection for the service which I
felt in my boyhood, I find still glow-
ing warmly in my bosom. How far
this feeling may have influenced me
in my allusions to military affairs, is
not for me to decide ; but I shall be
amply satisfied if this small work,
should be the means of rescuing from
oblivion, the name of even one brave
man, or of imparting to his friends
and relatives, one moment of consola-
tion.

Now, reader, I have very nearly
finished my book, and if there be much
in it, not exactly consistent with your
idea of things, take oat your pencil
quietly, like a sensible man, md note
down your observations in the mar-
gin ; but if there be much in it you
decidedly object to, do not fly into a
passion, do not I pray you, throw it

. ,^SSE0ft^S6i*

347

sion-
ich I
glow-
w far
d me
irs, is
all be
work,
gfrom
brave
friends
)nsola-

nearly
emuch
th your
pencil
id note
le mar-
n it you
Y into a
:hrow it

behind the fire, and exlcaim, *' Let
him go to the devil;" for, in the lan-
guage of the inimitable Sterne, I
must remind you, that '* it is a
cruel journey to send me upon, and
that I have had sufferings enough
virithout it." Remember, that " It is
one thing for a man to march bravely
on, with drums and trumpets, and
colours flying about his ears,— 'tis
one thing I say, brother Shandy, to
do this, and 'tis another to describe
the miseries of war."

It is one thing for a man on enter-
ing the lists for literary fame, to be
knocked down the first blow, and
well belaboured afterwards by every
merciless critic, who chooses to turn
upon him j and it is another to be as
perfectly indifferent to all this, as the
old woman's eel, which in her idea,
from being likewise quite used to it,'

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<;p ^..^^

348

felt no more the operation of bftvirig
his skin stripped orer hi» ears, than a
young onion. In short, gentle reader,
it is one thing for a tiian to presume
on having written a very clever beok,
full of very clever things ; and it is
another, to make no pretensions to
anything of the kind.

It is upott this last principle that I
\ have ventured to build my hopes of
success; and having now launched
my bark, my first venture, upon an
ocean, where I must expect northern
storms and periodical tempests to assail
me— gentle reader, and still more
gentle critic and reviewer — I bid ye
all farewell.

THE END.

1 I

LONDON :

having
than a
reader,
resnme
rbdok,
id it is
ions to

& that I
opes of
unched
pon an
lorthtrn

assail

1 more
bid ye

ERRATA.

Page Z, line T./or « which" read "of which."

«a, esd of line 81, read " I."

81, line T, for " western »» rtai ** N.W. or inland.'^

IT9, Une il, for*' way" read " weigh."

— — 185, line 6, in motto of chap, xii, for " force '* read

"tide."
— 34T, line 1,/or « exlcaim " mid « exclaim.*'

flOtlBT.