IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 ^ I.I ^ 1^ ^ 12.2 45 30 us a i2.o liL25 III 1.4 Hiotographic Sciences Corporation •SS iV ^ \\ lV k -o- .^ " signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmte A des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film6 d partir de I'angle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 s PUBL i ^¥'- * - >♦ SKETCHES OF A SUMMER TRIP TO NEW YORK AND THE CANADAS. BY D. W ILKIE. " So on 1 ramble, now and tlu'n narrating. Vow ponderiDcr "•*<,« KvncN. EDINBURGH: PUBLISHED BY SHERWOOD, GILBERT, AND PIPER, LONDON ; J. ANDERSON, JUN., AND A. HILL, EDINBURGH ; GEO. TAIT, HADDINGTON; AND lAFFREY AND REID, BERWICK. MDCCCXXXVir. ■i'-'H ] ^f1f^f PC 72. L>-''^'t/ ^— ~v. ..,...,,, ^,^___,^^^.^^^ I: it CO thi rel sty thr nee hav of] my who TO MRS HAMILTON NISBET FERGUSON, OP DIRLETON AND BELHAVEN. Madam, In presenting to your notice the following Sketches, it is without expectation that they will be found to contain information practically useful to any one ; the only interest they can possess will arise from their relation to that part of the world, so appropriately styled the " poor man's country." I hold in respect all who, in exerting their philan- thropy, smooth the way for the unfortunate whom necessity compels to search for a second home ; but having witnessed some of the hardships which many of my poor expatriated countrymen have to endure, my heart warms with a double fervency towards those who maintain a still higher position as benefactors of 11 DEDICATION. their humble neighboars, by making use of the powers and resources which Providence hath granted them, in rendering to the poor man his own fatherland a happy and abundant home. The pleasure and satisfaction I feel in paying a tribute of respect to one, foremost in such a laudable pursuit, are greatly enhanced by the knowledge, that I now bear along with me the hearts of many whose grateful feelings any language of mine would coldly express. I have the honour to be, With the highest respect, Madam, Your most obedient, And humble servant, D. WiLKIE. Tyne House, lOth December, 1836. h^t. awers m, in mppy in^ a idable , that whose coldly lAHLK OF CONTENTS. IMff. ( iiM'. I. — Starting — Canal 15oat — S|.rinj;inga Leak — Tontinf Hotel, Glasgow — SteaniiT to Grei'tmck — Kotlisay, Sec, CiiAi". 11. — Waiting for a Fair Wind — Acciilents — Slipping our Cable — Irish Fishermen — Log Hook— Sea Sickness — Ai'c'iik'nts — Calms — Gales — Hurricanes — Loss of ( ook ami Passenger in a Storm^Tliunder- Storms- Shipping seas — Mother Carey's Chickens — Last of the Log, . . t HAT. Ill Arrival at New York — Our first Breakfast — Theatre —The Fair Sex — I'layers — City Hall — Fulton Mar- ket—Museum — Lawrie Tod — Tea Parties — Hroad- Ci way, \ I. — Washington Hotel — Breakfast Table, &c. — Bar- Room and its Accompaniments — Elysian Fields, iSic..^ Anecdote of a Temperance-struck Irishman — Hobert Burns' House — Our Landlady — Steam Boat— Huds( ■ Uiver— Dinner Table. C II A 1'. \ . — Albany— Theatre — Temperance- 1 louse — Bai 1 way — Schenectady — Characteristic Anecdote — Erie Canal — Ctica— Snow- Storm — Company — Buffalo — Lake Erie — Detroit, .... CnAi'. VI, — Detroit Bugs — Niagara Falls — Canadian Story, I HAi'. \'II — Conclusion of Story, Cmai-. \ III Last of the Oneidas, an Indian Tale, CiiAi-. IX General Brock's Monument — Extra — Double- Mi'dded Hoom — Night-Walking Adventure — Ameri- can Hotel Breakfast — Toronto — Hamilton Militia- Corduroy Hoad — Dining with Sipiire — Entry to the Bush — Back -Wood Life — Canadian Kirk — Sermon — Canadian Fair Sex — .Stumps — Fire Flies — Ameri- can Tourists — Mrs Wilson, &c., X. — Letter — Steam Travelling — F. S.'s Log Hut — Chopping Bee — Bush Festival — Guessing Frolic — Bee at S(|uire D. 'g, &c,, . CllAl'. I.T 72 !»4 117 14H 170 \'' \ . » 11 ( ONTKNTS. r.«t" ( KA ( H M' CllAl', V HA I'. IIAI- < MAI' . XI Observations on Tdiir \\ ritinc: — llobett Burns — Toronto — Inland— Amc'tican Military - Crime and I'unitlinieMt— Hotels — Fire — I'ublic MeetiniK — lull of ScalTolding, .... , \I1.- N'arii'ts of Spcts -^ (bildrcn of I'l'acf, alinx l)a\ iilites- - David Wilson - Political I'rocesHJon - ( »x Koastiiii; - Tlmnder-Storin - I)crt'a>e in the City — l)i'|i:irtur(' for tbe \\'oods again — .lourncy tliithcr, &c.. XIIl.— The Hush Kinployinint of our I'artv - I'igs — Natives — Harvest llurri<'am'— Hunting Hear — Life of Settlers— Visit to an Old Scotchman — Clerical Anecdote - Solitary (Jrave, &i'. - Observations on the indulgiiiif in Sentiment and Devotion- -Cleared Land — Snake-Fences — Cows nml lincloMires-- Frogs, Crickets, Flies, Snakes— Hen Hiintlnj,', \n. — Lake Ontario — Oswego — Hurricane on the Lake — Symptoms of Sickness Land Lubbers — Yankee Doctor — Arrival at Kingston— Lake of a Thousand Isles — Prescot— Rapids — Montreal — Appearance of the Island of Montreal — City— INLinners — Departure for (Quebec — French Villages — Autumnal hues of the I'orest, ..... X\ Arrival at (^>uebee— First l'roceedin;;« — Sunrlav Afternoon — .Sketch of the History of (Quebec— Castli; (if St Lewis — Monument to Wolte and Montcalm, \\1 .Slipping our Cable — Accident— l{unning Down Schooner— Cabin Party— Sea Scenes — Stoiy of an Irish Girl — Dining at Sea — Sweeny's Wonderfid Uream — Conclusion, |K,^ 2n\ •-'14 ■2:]., o.,< liTO raw n» — 1* and - I'ull alias — Ox :ity— I'igs- — Life 'lerioal on the I Land Frogs, |hM >o\ :I4 II' l.nki' Yankee housaml ante nt I'parliire e» of tilt' -Sunday _-C:a»tl".; •aim, Uov\n V (it an (iniierhil •in.) '2i'* SKETCHES OF CANADA. CHAPTER I. " I'd weep, but mine is not a weeping muse, And such light griefs are not a thing to die on. Voung men should travel, if but to amuse Themselves.' • » » • * After all preparations were made and settled amongst those who proposed travelling in company, '* Scotia's darling seat" was fixed upon as their ral- lying place. One-half of our party were intending wanderers to the west, and the other was composed of friends, who, good-naturedly enough, volunteered their services as a convoy to see us fairly on board. The muster-roll was soon completed on the day app^'nted, and the materials were more various than the objects of the party. Some had boen over half the world before, for reasons, too, the very opposite to each other ; several had never been a week together from their birth-places, which were situated amongst the snuggest homesteads of mother Scotland ; and others were from the green isle of Erin. Amongst A !• 1 SKET( HES OF CANADA. the latter was a new acciuaintance, l)y name Tom Plielim, as true-horn a Ilihernian as ever ate a potato or (laiieed a ji^. His immediate occupation was to follow one of our friends as factotum, and ultimately, on reaching the western shore, become jaek-of-all- trades on his master's " location." Ilavinj^ done wonders in the way of puttin:^^ to rights a thousand petty preliminaries to our travels, we at last got within sight of the canal packet at ;V)rt-riopetoun, having resolved rather to submit to the snail's pace journey by water than lose sight ot certain packages that were to accompany us across the Atlantic. AVe were soon most economically packed I 'Twas as like a tea-box as a cal)in — twelve feet long, and nearly two dozen })eople — up one side and down the other. No joke ! But no repining I — Travellers must be travellers. So we stuck our arms to our sides and made two as uniform rows as ever did trussed ducks on a pantry shelf; or the famed inhabitants of the grave, who forsook their narrow homes and stood with candles in their hands to light the dancing dames with the laconic garments in their midnight revelry. " IJiit pleasures are like poppies spread.'* " Hillo I Tom, my sweet Hibernian, why, in the name of the good St Pat, do you run along the bank, bob- bing away like a jolly-boat in the wake of a seventy- four ? Were you not five minutes ago seated between the old man and the portly and unporta ^le dame in the the Tl, f ■% 1^ 2 Tom potato was to niatcly, L-of-ail- tini>- to travels, icket at J)mlt to sight ot ivoss the 'Twas mg, and own the ers must ides and d ducks , of the d stood dancing idnight Ihename ik, bob- seventy- )etween le in the SKETCHES OF ( ANADA. O Steerage ?" — *' Ah, sir," said 'I'om, " she '" (meaning the boat) " has sprung a leak, and we are all drowned at the oiIkt end ; and I have got out, or I would have been in I" Though tills was in reality no cock or I»uil story, the picture Tom '"played was (piite irresistible. There he was, labouring along with his well-pleased, ill-hewn, broad-grinning Irish nob, bright as the full moon, and radiant with thoughts unspeakable. Our vessel immediately stopped, and our poor steer- age stowage — men, women, children, chairs, stools, kittens, and rope-bedecked chests, barrels and band- boxes, were tossed, tail and snout, suns ccremonie^ ashore — sweetly drenched with the insinuating licpiid. " Heck /" said Mr S., when the watery intelligence reached our end of the vessel, " I hope we'll not have to mismove ourselves," which he had no sooner utter- ed, than the audacious water, oozing through tin door mid-ships and approaching his wcel hapj/it toes, silently admonished him and us to retire without farther parley. Y'lew us then on the bank of the canal, grouped together like a posse of hinds' wives at a Whitsunday flitting, with our piles of goods and chattels buckled and banded in the most portable form, and huddled together, heads and tails, waiting the arrival of a friendly lighter to bear us to our destination. Again we journeyed onward in the even tenor of our way, experiencing few casualties to mar our well- packed equanimity. A sable coal-heaver was at one part of our way pitched off his cobble of black dia- . t " i , ' \ f. ! ■ ♦I SKLTCHES OF CANADA. r monds by the drag- tackle of our gig ; he breasted and buffeted the waves with the grace of a porpoise ami the muscuhuity of a dolphin ; and but a few minutes elapsed ere ho again stood triumphant on the prow of his single decker, shining and glistening in the noonday sun like an American humming-bird, or a gay butterfly borne lightly down a romantic rivulet on the bosom of a hollow roscleaf. Away we shot as briskly as ever, accompanied with the eternal pattering of spray, howling of wind, i.ogyering of the cobble, and occasional blinks of the sun. We now began to look anxiously forward to the termination of this our first voyage. We felt a iQW internal murmurings and stomachic cravings, that increased half-hourly and threatened to become rather subversive of our good-humour if accident or otherwise conspired to keep us much longer from Port-Dundas. " What is that!" said J. S. (rendered nervous from recent adventure), as a splash of water dashed np against the windows. " Tut! it's a lock," said one. " jNIercy on us," returned J. S., '" there's a boy in the water ! " as he popp'd his long nose out at the window to assure himself of it. It was a boy from the boat, who had been pitched from the dock as it entered the lock ; he was safely got out, however, after going under, to the immi- nent risk of his bodily tabernacle. And here ended our aquatic adventures for the present. Spirits of epicureans ! and ghosts of gormandizers ! what to us was the sight of the steaming beefsteaks asted and poise ami V minutes the prow ng in the bird, or a tic rivulet jompanied ^ of wind, nks of the 'orward to We felt a cravings, [to become ccident or ^er from nervous ter dashed nek," said there's a ose out at ?n pitched vas safely ;he immi- ere ended ^andizers ! )eefsteaks SKETCHES OF CANADA. 5 and other substantialities to which we addressed our- selves, in the snug parlour of the Tontine, after ten hours' fast ! Reader ! wert thou ever under the necessity of packing up thy things to set out on a journey of four or five thousand miles ? If not, then thou hast never experienced the many little tit-bits of teazing tor- ment which haunt the very soul of the traveller before he gets himself, body, trunks, chests, and hat- boxes, fairly afloat on the bosom of the broad blue waters. For after he has fairly accomplished thrift his cares, at least of one class, are for the time set aside, and he luxuriates in the idea of having en- countered and overcome difficulties which required the stern pith of a hero to accom])lisIi. After running up and down for two whole days that city in which worthy Bailie Jarvie and his faither before him held civic dignities with so much honour to themselves and credit to the guid toon, we got on our way, in the direction of the Broomie- law, bound for Greenock. Pacing along the busy Trongate with all the importance of people whose thoughts were on mighty deeds intent, we at last found ourselves pushing on, within sight of the spot of embarkation — while the steamer destined to tran- sport the honoured burden of our persons was push- ing off, — " And then and there was hurrying to and fro." The foremost of our party hailed those next them, and they, in their turn, gave tongue to those why II i.^' ' A \ I fi SKETCHES OF CANADA. brought up the rear. But neither will time, tide, nor steam-boats wait for any one; and some of us at least, ran imminent risk of being in full time to be too late, if our feet did not betake themselves to the top of their speed, and equal almost the fleetness of our wishes. Being one of the middle portion of this bustling body of time-tickled travellers, I used as well as I could those two locomotive engines, yclept long legs, which Nature — seemingly stretching a point in my behalf, has graciously set me upon — and as experience soon proved, their exertions were of the last importance. At the moment I reached the edge of the quay the stern quarter of the huge steamer, now puffing and blowing, was at least five feet from it ; but, aided by the impetus I received from my hot haste, I made a desperate spring, and lighted on the poop, to the imminent risk of a cluster of the fair sex, who were standing huddled together, and who at my appearance started away as if I had been the Ghost in Hamlet, or the man from the moon. There we were, then, pushing and splashing along, leaving behind us half the party to follow " per the first opportunity." After passing many fair and romantic scenes, where of old those skirmishes took place between the patriarchal supporters of the venerable Church and her heretical enemies, we were landed at the stirring and thriving port of Greenock. It is beau- tifully situated on the south of the Clyde, and com- mands a fine view of Highland scenery. All infor- mation of this kind, however, may be picked up from e, tide, nor e of us at time to be 3lves to the le fleetness portion of lers, I used ve engines, y^ stretching me upon — irtions were t I reached )f the huge it least five i I received spring, and of a cluster d together, ay as if I Ian from the d splashing to follow ie scenes, 30 between )le Church kled at the It is beau- „ and com- AU infor- led up from '" ' '.• SKETCHES OF CANADA. 7 maps, gazetteers, and guide-books ; but aught touching the sweet looks and fair forms of a certain portion of the inhabitants cannot be gleaned from such sources, and might afford a species of informa- tion generally interesting, could we venture with im- punity to enlarge upon it. One of our party exclaim- ed, after he had taken a walk through the streets, that many of the fair sex were angels, and the re- mainder goddesses. This was a sublime and sweep- ing conclusion, and his intellects seemed to have caught a gleam of inspiration for the occasion. la honour and gallantry, of course, we all acquiesced in his decision. Here we had to wait day after day Ibr a fair wind, and were at times in danger of running altogether through the small and diminishin^^stock of our patience. We were glad to seize every opportunity of easing our minds of the carking care and uncertainty which ha- rassed us in being obliged to linger out our time at a place which, in our untravelled wisdom, we had only intended to honour ^ith a passing glance. An accident occ rred to our party which at first promised to be more serious than it turned out. . One forenoon, after we had got our packages stowed away in our respective berths (on board the Camillus), which were truly like the three days* habitation of the prophet of old, narrow and uncomfortable man- sions, W S , the youngest of our party, though not by any means the least, thought that it would be as well to take those linens which he had soiled during our lingering stay at port, to sea in a :! \ < ... •• * 8 SKETCHES OP CANADA. purified condition. He collectetl them together, and stepped up the companion-way to carry them to the busy dirt-destroying hands of some honest dame of the tub. He had just placed one foot on the steps that reach to the top of the vessel's rail to leap ashore, the distance of a few feet only, when some one asked whither he was bound? " To the washerwife," he replied, as he raised his other foot. But ere it had gained the resting-place, or the words had well reached the ears of the interrogator, the rotten and false- hearted timber refused to support longer the super- incumbent pressure, and the luckless wight, with all the fluttering array of his uncleansed apparel, \vas on his travels down the inside of the dock and the outside of the vessel — the cherry of his bonnet looking: in the direction of the earth's centre of jjra- vity, the soles of his feet pointing to the skies, and his legs stretched out in the exact form of a huge V. In this unstudied attitude he made a descent at least six feet below the surface of the gurgling water, to the evident discomfiture of thousands of tiny fishes that were sporting in shoals rounxl the sides of the vessel. Quick as thought a sailor was at the water's edge with a rope's end, ready to aflford our hasty friend every needful assistance when he should as- cend to his native element from the depths. He lingered but an instant ; and when the impetus of his fall was expended by the resistance of the water, he slowly turned round and majestically rose to the sur- face, and after a few tugs and pulls at the friendly rope, succeeded in planting his feet firmly on the top SKETCHES OF CANADA. 9 ;her, and di to the dame of the steps }) ashore, >ne asked wife," he re it had 11 reached ind false- he super- , with all are], \vas and the s 1)onnet 13 of ip'a- kies, and huge V. t at least water, to iny fishes es of the le water's •ur hasty lould as- hs. He us of his ater, he the sur- friendly the top of the quay. There he stood in all the polished splen- dour of an antique bronze, whose drapery is more adapted, by its rigid tenacity, to show forth the limbs and joints of the figure, than by its ample folds to impart to the spectator the idea of grace and beauty. The cherry^ which had in coxcomb fashion sur- mounted the person of our saturated friend, had on account of its inverted journey assumed the form of a flattened strawberry. His flaxen curls were now in melancholy guise, pointing with tearful despon- dency to the earth ; while ever and anon the briny drops gathered and fell from his cold blue ears on his humbled shoulders ; and they in their turn seemed to shrink from the overpowering flood of wo. In short, nothing seemed prominent in the whole close- clinging figure save the middle feature of the face, which now assumed the appearance of a protecting aqueduct to its subjacent companions, who were pre- served by its aid from briny ablution ; for the trickling liquid, oozing from the brow and the bonnet, found a convenient channel along the ridge, and discharged itself sheer over the precipice. This seemed to give evident satisfaction to the mouth, for, in spite of the damping influence of the unexpected drenching, it continued, like the sun behind a shower, to assume the appearance of a beaming smile. And I am happy to add, that no serious consequences arose to our young friend from his ungainly faux pas, which was the occasion of so much amusement to us. A second accident befel one of our party, which was of a more serious nature, and imparted to us a ;:• ( if 10 SKETCHES OF CANADA. tew boding twinges for our coming course. Trifles in reality began to assume in our minds types of the future. While on our mimic voyage we had sprung a leak ; when about to commence our second watery stage one of us had fallen overboard, and narrowly escaped with life ; and we now witnessed another accident that wore a still more gloomy complexion. A fine boy of fourteen, of whom I had taken charge since leaving home, one night after our arrival at port had gone down to sleep on board, which he was recom- mended to do in order to accustom himself with the berth, and thus be the more likely to feel at home when fairly afloat and cradled by the winds and the waves. Unaccustomed to the mechanism and plans of a ship, he had wandered from the cabin along the second deck to satisfy curiosity and examine all that might afford food for his boyish wonder. The cover- ing of the main hatchway had been removed to admit the cargo. A false step precipitated him headlong amongst a confused mass of barrels, boxes, and other descriptions of unpacked stowage, and he was picked up in a state of complete insensibility. One of the seamen was despatched to our hotel to tell us the un- fortunate circumstance. There we were comfortably discussing the contents of a bowl of genuine Glasgow punch ! When we got on board we found the poor boy stretched on a sofa in the cabin, with his head and breast bare, one eye closed up, and some spots of blood on his pale and inanimate face, while at inter- vals he was moaning heavily and painfully. After procuring medical aid, and having him bled, we m fo ; i , ai je. Trifles jrpes of the had sprung lond watery id narrowly sed another iplexion. A ;harge since at port had was recom- df with the ;el at home ids and the n and plans n along the line all that The cover- ed to admit n headlong , and other was picked ne of the us the un- omfortably e Glasgow d the poor his head e spots of le at inter- y. After bled, we SKETCHES OF CANADA. 11 managed, with the assistance of a piece of canvas and four sturdy seamen, to get him conveyed to more comfortable quarters in the Tontine. He there passed through the various stages, from insensibility and in- coherence to perfect Iiealth ; but recovered unfortu- nately too late to accompany us in our westward journey ; and, as I afterwards learned, he shed tears of bitter regret when he got back his memory, and found that we had been under the necessity of leaving him behind. Having found that the old beldame, Camillus, who was to transport us across the broad waters, did not feel convenient to spread her lusty — or, as we after- wards found, musty canvas to the breeze, — we availed ourselves once more of the vapoury power, and were whirled down the fair bosom of the Clyde to the beautiful bay of Rothsay. Here we ascended the heights, and gazed, and gazed again towards the tower- ing crests of the Highland mountains, — some of us with the thought that these spirit-stirring and majestic features of our native land might never meet our eyes again. Our thoughts were soon called to a less lofty but more heart-felt cause of sympathetic melancholy. One of our party had gone to visit Miss B., resid- ing in this sequestered spot for the benefit of the climate. On her the mysterious finger of destiny had impressed the signs of premature decay ; and he found her fast journeying to that land where all earthly sor- rows are at rest ! Ill-fated Miss B. ! Beautiful as the dewy lily of 12 SKETCHES OF CANADA. the morning, but like it too, while drooping under the scorching influence of a noonday sun. Per- chance, ere we arc well out of sight of our native peaks, she, too, may be away — and to the land from whence there is no return ! Adieu, fair daughter of Scotland I many and happier we may sec in our manifold wanderings ; but there is a bright and un- fading charm which attaches to thee, sweet fading flower-bud of the glorious north ! A long adieu ; and when thy pure soul has winged its way from its fair but fragile dwelling, may that power, ever watching around and above us, afford it an everlasting resting- place in his Heaven of Heavens. Before we were many miles from the shores of our native land the rose had faded, the lily had drooped — the hand was nerveless, the eye was dimmed — and the spirit of the early sufferer had flown from our care-covered world to the bourne of the blessed ! iii nznwmmbne [ 13 J CHAPTER II. " But let me change tliis theme, which grows too bail. And lay this sheet of sorrows on the shelf." Friday morning^ Seven o clock, March 1824. — Enter Tom Phelim — " I say, sir, are you all up? " *' Well, Tom" (said his master in bed), "what's in the wind now ? " — " Captain says, sir, it is looking west ; and we had better look sharp, for he is ready to sail in half an hour." This intelligence, although we had been wishing and wishing again for it, gave our nerves a twinge. Now it was, as Tom expressed it, that we were to leave home in rale airnist, and we keenly felt the necessity of complying with the summons. We gave ourselves, however, small time to ponder over the matter ; our nightcaps were dofted — our inex- pressibles donned, and two minutes more found us passing along the quay on our way to board the Camillus. We found her as lazy and inactive-look- ing as she was when we first arrived ; and we felt relief from the thought that we would yet have a few- hours to tread the solid ground. We got the positive information, however, that she was to push off at two o'clock. The interval was passed on shore — and see us tiien, in one of the calmest and mosl placid If' I: u r 14 SKETCHES or CANADA. (lays that our isle ever smiles beneath, (lra«(ge(l from port hy the ponderous power of a steamer that wrest- ed us at once from where we had lingered with feel- ing's indescribable till the very last moment. We were now in all the confusion that could well be, huddled together in the capacity of a vessel only 290 tons burden. There was hardly a vacant inch on deck ; ropes, blocks, tar-barrels, pigs, dogs, and a tolerable crowd of men, women, and children were juml)led and jostled to and fro as the seamen ran fore- and-aft adjusting the tackle of the filling sails. The figure we cut was more resembling the diverse appearance of a tinker's waggon than a gallant ship with its passengers and crew preparing to ride over the proud billows of the Atlantic I Pieces of beef and baskets of leeks were hung half mast high, while over the stern a long string of in- verted cabbages dangled up and down, stretched from starboard to larboard ; and over the chains at the bows of the vessel were suspended, by legs and arms, shirts, jackets, and other unimaginable pieces of cloth- ing, placed there to dry and take the air by some of our steerage gentry. We were now in a fair way of having at least a four weeks' dose of monotony ; luckily for all parties there were no ladies in the cabin. They would have had nothing in the shape of comfort, and it was not in our power to make up in any way for the deficiency. After being in tow for about thirty miles we spread our canvas to the breeze, and bore away slowly within a short distance of the venerable Ailsa Craig. Her ofl W( di^ noi oul th| rec SKETCHHS OF CANADA. 15 m t- 1- ])al{l crest was hcautituUy tiiij^cd with the hist beams of the sun, and cast on us as it were a faint and fare- well smile I LoHLf we lin^-ered on deck to mark the dim growint^ outline of Scotland's rocky coast ; and none but those who have been, like us, wanderin<^ from our fatherland, can conceive or f 'cl such emotions as then oppressed us when we gazed on the landscape receding, perhaps for ever, from our view. It was at such a moment as this that the l)eautifiil lines on the Isle of lieauty must have been written, — " Shades ot'cvcninjjr, close not o'or us, Leave our lonely bark a MJiilo : — Morn, alas ! will not restore u^ Yonder dim and distant Isle." And we experienced fully the truth of those lines, for when we mounted on deck the next morning- nothing was visible save a few rocky islets that stud the bosom of the water to the north of Ireland; all else around us was the blue and boundless deep. We did not feel at home in the small, ill-lighted, ill-furnished, but, on the whole, well-filled cabin ; so we kept as much above board as possible, enjoying the cooling sea-breeze, and gazing over the swelling- waters with all the new-fangled curiosity of thorough- bred land lobsters ! A speck was observed at some distance, and this immediately furnished to us a fruitful topic of conjec- ture. It came drifting towards us, and turned out to be an Irish fishing-boat, manned by a couple of not- to-be-mistaken sons of the Emerald Isle. The dis- tinguishing marks were of course, red hair, blue eyes. !. ./ ■I .1 Vi' 16 SKETCHES or CANADA. larpfc mouths, pearl grey buttonless coats, and nonde- script inoxj)rtssil)les, seeing- that they were neither long nor short, for though they might originally have been made to hind the knee, the gaping gussets main- tained a more humble posture, and stretched them- selves half round the calf of the leg ; or had they been meant, like the pantaloons of our ancient beaux, to clasp and show oH* the ancle, they were of course as far from accomplishing this end. In short, they might have been likened to that wise class of politicians called trimmers, who veer up and down as it suits their fancy, or, like the garments in question, remain for a season on the neutral ground. *' Your honours will be wantin' a few of the fish," said Pat at the helm, as we threw out a rope's end and dragged them alongside. A bargain was soon struck, and they received a bottle of brandy for their night's fishing, for the poor fellows had been out since the previous afternoon. One of our sailors recom- mended them to exchange the spirits when they got ashore for something to eat and drink, naturally sup- posing that they would prefer quantity to quality ; when one of them, with a true Hibernian smile, an- swered, that " the shore would have good luck if it saw a single dhrop of it," putting the spirits to his lips, and wishing all our healths as well as that of St Patrick, whose natal day it chanced to be. He then took the bottle from his mouth, and giving a satisfied sigh, added, " your honours will give us a few bis- cuits to ate to the salt beef you'll be throwing us over, for we have got no breakfast at all, since last night." "I I', ij { 1 . pi SKETCHES or CAN.U)V. .;t This we did. On crKj nry we Icar/ird tliat the l»oat- ineii rt'sick'd on one of tlie little islajids which we had passed, and that the j)rii'st visited them twice a-yt-ar for the purpose of jj^ettiiig a contribution from their »*inall earninjj^s. " CJod send your honours a fjur wind, and may you never have more priests than potatoes," they sun i -l ■! 26 SKETCHES OF CANADA. blew a gale — " Ah, ha I you no sing, you no laugh to-day, Sawney." Sunday^ 2\st April. — Hurricane to-day, main and foresail split — most of our canvass in rags. Saturday^ 21th. — Steward's black, earless, and tail- less cat shoved overboard last night by some hand or hands unknown — as well away, not an agreeable shipmate. Skipper, out of humour thereanent, says the seamen will think it a forerunner of bad luck. Seems tinged himself with superstitious old-wiferv. Sunday, 2Sth. — Fine wind, running on at ten knots, but died away to a calm towards night. — Ten o'clock, took a look of the weather before turning in — lying like a log on the waters — murky and dismal over- head — a most sepulchral-looking night. The omin- ous sparkling of the sea seems instinct w ith life. To every lumbering heave of the vessel it sends forth a lambent or rather lurid flame — with flashes of lightning gleaming at intervals across the horizon. Tuesday, 30th We may well thank our stars for being still in the land (sea, I should say) of the living, and able to look back on yesterday ! And such a yesterday ! Trust most fervently that we never shall look upon the like again — quite enough in a life- time for the experience of poor land-lubbers. Wind continued to increase from Sunday night till eleven yesterday, when it seemed to exert the full force of its destructive powers, and blew as if it would have " blawn its last." Its efi*ects were vastly ter- rific, and immeasurably sublime, according to my earthly idea of sublimity. Compared with this hur- SKETCHES OF CANADA. 27 ill 11 11 Id rlcane, all the gales, blasts, and rolling seas we have hitherto seen were as mere summer breezes and play- ful ripples. The steerage population under closed hatches, and only C.S., the skipper, and myself, of the cabin-stowage, able to appear on deck ; the others nestled in their berths, some from uncomfortable feel- ings, and others from uncomfortable stomachs. We stood at the door of the round-house (an erec- tion over the companion-way), gazing with wonder and awe on the deeds of the howling hurricane. The vessel was hove-to — the helm strongly lashed with ropes to each side. A single storm stay-sail was open to the wind ; the jib, mainsail, main-stay, main- top, and fore -topsails having all successively been shivered to atoms during the morning. The sailors had all been ordered below, the strength of the tempest bidding defiance to the science and skill of man, and our bark was therefore allowed to take her chance of riding out the gale in safety. Not a soul was employed on deck save the cook and the already mentioned Aberdeen butcher, who were em- ployed in the cabouse preparing the cabin-dinner. All the lumber on deck, boats, barrels, and tackle of every description, were lashed to fixed iron-rings with the strongest ropes on board. The mighty masses of water, steadily increasing in bulk and velocity, came rolling towards our poor old crazy vessel, whose broadside sustained many a strain- ing dash from the boiling and angry fluid. Often as I had heard of the " mountain waves" of old ocean, even fancy was wholly outdone by the '...4 I . I ,..'',■1 28 SKETCHES OF CANADA. scone then before us. And several hours of calm ex- perience convinced me that even the soarinjr fancy and imaginative pen of the poet must, in most cases, fall far short of reality while endeavouring to de- scribe the mighty workings and majesty of the deep, when lashed into rage by such a storm as then roar- ed around us. We were tossed up and down like a cork on the surface of a brawling stream ; one mo- ment down in a mighty gulf at the base of a Mave whose crest was far above us, as it curled over and dashed down in angry foam; then quick as thought we were hurled from our humble place to the very summit of another liquid and living mountain. — While thus borne on high we go^ a momentary glimpse of the terrific scenery, which seemed to re- joice *' in giant glee" as far as the eye could reach over the dusky prospect. Hill upon hill, and moun- tain upon mountain reared for a moment their frothy heads to the clouds, and sunk again in never ending succession. The sun at times lent to the tumultuous scene a passing glory ; and again all was wrapped in a leaden hue, as the force of the winds lashed thick volumes of spray over the face of the ocean. Once, in- deed, a blast came with such impetuous violence, scourging the water into such dense and impene- trable vapours that it excluded from our view for some minutes even the faintest gleam of the meridian sun. When the wind had gained its highest pitch the sea assumed the regular rolling form of wave suc- ceeding wave ; and our vessel received no jarring dash. The moving masses seemed too huge and III 111. ii SKETCHES OF CANADA. 29 majestic to expend their fury against any floating material on the surface ; and we were borne aloft and alow as the light seamew, which offers no re- sistance and therefore receives no shock. I observed to my friend that we seemed to be in no immediate danger, for we did not sustain the dash of a single wave. ** Very true," he replied, " but a single one breaking over us — like this which is now bearing us aloft — would be quite sufficient." We found it so. At twelve o'clock the skipper took an observation of the sun, and we descended to the cabin to our lunch. We were seated but for a few minutes when the skylight became darkened, and in a moment more we were drenched by the watir pouring like a cataract through the broken glass. " The cook will catch that I " said one, laughingly, as he peered from his shelf, his crimson upper works in strong con- trast with his pale nob ; and he pulled it in again with the greatest indifference — for frequency had ren- dered such watery accidents only half unwelcome breaks in the monotony of our confinement. I went to my state-room (alas ! the misnomer), and began tumbling on to the upper berth bags, books, and other miscellaneous gear that strewed the floor, to preserve them from the water which covered the cabin to the depth of a foot, and which was driven most unmercifully over the whole contents by the labouring of the vessel. Three minutes had scarcely elapsed from the first shock when a whole volley of terror-awakened screams ' .«<• -V- \ ;• ■•'■.! ■f tl ll ih 30 SKETCItFS OF CANADA. coming from the steerage silenced our mirth, and made us at once prick up our cars and open wide our weather-eye. The skipper hastened on deck to know the cause, and in the next instant the l)ulk- iiead dividing us from the stecraj^e was rapidly burst open, and the cabin liiled with the most des- pairing and heart-rending group that it is jjossible to witness. All the women which the vessel con- tained flocked towards us, the greater part with chil- iH SKETCHES OF CANADA. 33 feeling ; but the greater number seemed in despera- tion. As many as could obtain a hold were clus- tered round the pumps, and driving away with all the agonized fury of maniacs. Some had descended to the hold, and were handing aloft the cargo, compo- sed of pig-iron ; and we observed our friend Tom Phelim busily engaged in dragging the ponderous bars from the mainhatch to the rail of the vessel, and dropping them into the water. And as he afterwards remarked (while we were snugly seated ashore, re- capitulating the perils we had by water), ** They slipped down into the sue as nate as a penny candle into a pitcher of milk ! " Many were shedding tears in utter distraction, and some were giving vent to their feelings in moans of misery. It was curious to observe the great strangers that strength of body and energy of mind were to each other in many in- stances. I noted several big-boned, bluff whiskered fellows hurrying about like overgrown children, and whining like blind puppies that had lost their mother ; while others of less majestic stature, and less breadth of shoulder, seemed to have the want made up to them in nerve and intellect. . The vessel appeared visibly settling down by the starboard-bow ; for when the sea again and again hove her over, she did not recover, but appeared to be water-logged, and had lost the buoyancy that be- fore enabled her to bound over the quick-coming billows. This state of things was such as to make those, who before might deem themselves incapable of flinching, call in the whole majesty of intellect I \v ■:^A '.'■». I I! ,ii.;' I 34 SKETCHES OF CANADA. to support them through the thrilling gloom of un- certainty. A thought at this period flashed across my mind — but it was only for one brief moment — that it would be better to leap at once overboard ; for why prolong existence under circumstances that admitted not even a shadow of hope ? Going down by inches appeared to display a thousand times more horror than ending at once the pangs of dissolution by a single plunge. Thus we are ever prone to obey the dictates of our own weak and erring senses, and overlook that assistance on which we can safely rely from the eye that sleeps not, and the arm that is never weary. To our relief the cause of the vessel's labouring was discovered. It was occasioned by a huge cable- chain that had gone over with the anchors, but in descending had caught hold of one of the stanchions of the broken bulwark, and there it hung over the upright timber, with its two ends many fathoms in the water, and about seven tons in weight. It held down like a drag-tackle, for when the vessel would have recovered from the stroke of the waves, it ever and anon, with a reacting force, pulled her down again ; the wood by which the chain was entangled, being the continuation of one of the timbers of the vessel, acted as a lever, and at every strain was rend- ing open the side at its junction with the deck. Our first mate applied himself to the arduous task of hewing away the timber with a rusty hatchet, in order to allow the chain to drop from its hold. This was no easy matter, for the storm, with unabated SKETCHl'S OF CANADA. 35 strength, continued to toss and tumble us about : and between every two or three strokes he was obli- ged to prostrate himself back on deck, in order to avoid being pitched over, all the protecting-rail being torn away. In little more than an hour he accom- plished his purpose. The chain dropped into the depths, and the vessel regained her level. The wells were afterwards completely drained, for there was no water, unless what had got access by the rents round the deck, and these were soon, with the aid of old canvas, rendered water-tight. After three or four hours harrowing anxiety the gale broke, the wind died down, the placid sun smiled once again over a rip- pling summer sea. We descended to the cabin. The poor females returned to their berths, mightily relieved by their unexpected deliverance, and we sat down to our re- past of cheese, brandy, and sea-biscuit, reasonably thankful for these small mercies ; and we began to plan how we were to contrive to keep soul and body together, as our voyage was scarcely half over, and, along with the cook and assistant, we had lost the whole of his professional apparatus — furnace and stove, and, as far as we knew, every pot and pan on board. Having discussed all these affairs, we turned in, and I can answer for myself and berth-mate (whose rich sonorous snoring had soon an infectious influence on my own nasal organ) that, from the day's anxiety and fatigue, we enjoyed as sound and refresh- ing sleep as we ever before or afterwards experienced. Let it not be supposed, however, that our thoughts ■•c '■ i hi M. \ V 4 \ r 86 SKETCHES OF CANADA. I . of the trying scene died away with the expiring mur- mur of the rude elements. It made an impression, which, it is to be trusted, will continue to have a salutary effect on the whole of those who endured the awful uncertainty it inspired. We could not fail to see that by one simple circumstance we were, under Providence, saved from destruction. The moment of our disaster chanced to be the time when every sailor was below at dinner — had it been otherwise, it is more than probable they would have shared the fate of the poor cook and his assistant. And from the weather that we again encountered in our dis- abled condition, before reaching port, it appeared almost evident the loss of the men would have been followed by that of the vessel. 2d April. — Breakfasted on biscuit and cheese, and helping all the forenoon in the hold to replace the cargo of iron which had shifted during the storm ; got hands cut, and clothes torn. Small stove replaced in the round-house, where, by sticking slices of ham on the heated iron, we do our best to supply for ourselves the place of poor cookie, and, with the aid of never-failing appetites, manage to find ourselves in a great measure at home with our altered condition. The steerage gentry, with the assistance of a half hogshead, built round inside with perpendicular bars of pig-iron, and filled with sand, light for themselves a very convenient cooking fire. May \st. — Observed a solan goose flying west- ward — caused a good deal of speculation — some sup- |5M (I i "i SKETCHES OF CANADA. 37 I posing it an avant-courier from the profound inhabi- tants of the Bass, who may have become infected by the emigrative epidemic at present prevailing in the Land of Cakes I Friday, 2d. — Calm day, cabin upside down, and inside out. All the wet duds hoisted on deck to clean and dry preparatory to landing. Monday. — Observed coasting vessels, and Mother Carey's chickens in flocks ; do not always bring a storm in their tail it would appear. Tuesday. — INIother Carey still a prophetess. Gale last night and thunder-storm. Observed a curious electrical phenomenon. The masts' heads were tip- ped with a beautiful pencil of light, which continued during the time the storm raged. They shone as faint and uncertain tapers, hovering over us to point out to the vessel her track through the palpable gloom. The appearance is occasioned by the atmos- phere around being impregnated with the electric fluid ; and the wet masts of the vessels acting as con- ductors, draw it down. Such appearance may be observed on holding an imperfect conductor within the influence of the electric atmosphere thrown out by an electric cylinder while in operation. A similar electric phenomenon occurred to the vessel in which Castor and Pollux sailed in the Ar- gonautic expedition, only the light appeared on the caps of the two heroes ; the storm subsided, and they were received as patrons of sailors. Hence the an- cient medals represent each with a star or flame of fire at the apex of his cap. In this way, too, we may :. ^ ■I I t ii-: 38 SKETCHES or CANADA. account for the story that they often appeared to sai- lors in distress, and also to Roman armies, leading them to victory. The latter was nothing more than the electric fluid on their spears." Wind chopped round about two o'clock in the morn- ing — took our canvass aback, which caused us to ship by the stern cabin windows five tremendous seas that served us with a larger supply of salt water than we had hitherto received. Here we were again most unex})ectedly in the very heart of a confoundedly uncomfortable taking. New aired beds, once more well watered, this our poor bodies soon felt. Our only light was from the sparkling of thousands of phosphorescent stars, which shone out, ls the water was lashed and splashed over every tangible substance in the cabin, and paying no respect to either men or things. We lay (till the steward kindled his lamp), enjoying the delightful agony of suspense ; Tom bawling out now and then from his crib that he was sure the vessel was inside out, for his berth was swing- ing, and he saw the stars shining in the sae ! The light came, and disclosed a rich mess of confusion. In stalked the steward from his dormitory with his lamp, the very personification of dire uncertainty. One hand was pushed before him, bearing the dull, yellow, greasy-looking light, while he employed the other in laying hold of this fixture and that as he crawled along. The water, with the hitching to and fro of the vessel, ran now and then up his bare shanks, till it came in contact with the under part of his red flannel unmentionables, fore and aft, and spurted out SKETCHES OF CANADA. 39 all round, ^ivin^- him the appearance of a silvan deity surrounded hy a fanciful jet cCeau ; or per- haps like an ingenious fire-wheel with a figure in the centre, for the fluid, while it started out around sparkled with the shining matter it contained. When he reached the middle of the cabin our wondering and wintry visages glared in the uncertain flicker of his light. Splendid picture of darkness visihle ! Every head was popped out from the berths on each side — like those of tortoises from their shells. Some in handkerchiefs, white caj)S, red caps, and no- thing ; but all gaping, pondering, and speechless. Our curious and peering eyes followed the shoals of goods and chattels that were dancing and rearing, with most amusing industry, round the cabin — while the morv> ponderous concerns, such as portmanteaus, boxes, ^c, continued to thunder away from side to side, to the evident chagrin of the proprietors, whose bodies continued, nevertheless, to be closely envelop- ed in the folds of their night gai nents. We knew by experience that the disinterested freaks of ocean would pay no respect to persons, and that it might, the moment one presented a single shivering limb, use it in the same unceremonious way it continued to exercise with our unruly property. This was our " last scene of all, And ends our strange and watery history ! " On the 7 th May, about four in the morning, Sandy- hook lighthouse was discovered by French Bill, who ■ j'< ?:V ... V ■i lii: \v 1 I !|t 1 ( vl1 i 40 SKETCHES OF CANADA. had been stationed in the bows on the lookout. Land ahead was roared down to the cabin, and the sound drew a hearty response from the most sleep-loving snorer amongst us. We did not rest satisfied one moment with Bill's intelligence, but proceeded to see for ourselves. The berths were vacated, our coats were neglected, and in our inexpressible hurry we had no time to spare for toilet ; but in the classical simplicity in which we had reposed we mounted deck, and climbed the rigging to get a first sight of the new world. It was a starry morning, and to our chagrin we were unable to distinguish the faint glim- mering light from one of the heavenly host ; so there was nothing for it but to quit our hold and slip to our holes again, like so many bats disturbed by the hoot- ing of an owl. When daylight came, we could scarcely discover land through the fog, which was quite like a Scotch mist. We looked out anxiously for a pilot, being under the immediate apprehension of encoun- tering a gale which we observed brewing in the north. A boat soon afterwards observed us, and we flock- ed to the gangway to have a look of the first speci- men of an American which we were to see. He accorded well with our preconceived notions of ont. Middle size, skin-dried, bilious, dark complexion, blue coat, drab trowsers, and on the whole an active and intelligent-looking man — nothing of a sailor in either look, dress, or actions. The moment he stept on board, he was bawling out to the seamen, who n w ai in liij ' : r i 5i 11 t 1 SKET( H*^ OF CANADA. 41 promptly obeyed him ; and in an hour more we were running up the river for New York at eleven knots an hour ; saved our distance from a rattling gale, which came on as we crossed the bar ; and dropped anchor within a few hundred yards of the wharf, and in full view of the far-famed capital of the Union. (•: u I 1 [ 42 ] "'( 4 CHAPTER III. {w 11 '° A mighty mass of brick, and smoke, and shipping, Dirty and dusky, but as wide as eye Cuuhl reach, with hero and there a sail just skipping In sight, then lost amidst the forestry Of masts ; a wilderness of steeples peeping On tiptoe, through their sea- coal canopy ; A huge dun cupola." Bykon. •i 1 1 if The luxuriance of the wooded banks, as we en- tered the bay, quite enchanted us. We left home ere the genial influence of spring had succeeded the nakedness of winter, and we felt the pleasing contrast in its full force. The lovely-formed, white-washed cottages, surrounded by lofty foresc trees and orchards, appeared to our sea-bleared eyes doubly grateful and refreshing. All dangers were now forgotten, and we had more anxiety to pass the few yards which divided us from terra Jinna than we had at times indulged in while still far from the sight of port. On shore then we got, and our first thought was to partake of what fare we could command in the new entered world ; for our landward anxiety had prevented us administering to the creature-comforts during the morning. We threaded our way from the SKETCMKS OF CANADA. 43 he M liarf, up streets and down streets, till we found our- selves opposite the entrance of the Washinjrton Hotel — a true Yankee name ! We entered, and although past the regular hour, were provided with a hreak- fast that would not have shamed the table of the " Waterloo," or offended the palate of a monarch or a president ! We had every thing we could desire — yea, even eggs ! — Eggs (beloved reader start not) that were really and truly the instinctive production of hens, feathered and fed like the generality of our own barn- door yo^i'/s / After ransacking our packages for a suit of our most fashionable wear, and treating ourselves to the luxuri- ous ablution of a hot-bath, as we had got literally an incrustation of salt over our whole bodies, we wander- ed through the city, and towards evening directed our steps to one of the theatres that we might at once enjoy a sight of America ton^ and see Kemble and his gifted daughter, who then happened to be the great tragic stars of the western world. On handing a half-crown, through a small aperture for the hand at the lobby, to the receiver, for which I expected to be franked to the pit, 1 was surprised, on putting back my hand a second time for a ticket, that in lieu thereof I pressed between my finger and thumb a good substantial nose. I immediately withdrew my fingers from the republican feature, and was told in a tone that made me suppose the effect of my pinching still remained, *' We don't take that money." Then 1 first recollected I was no longer where sterling ■?..1 P T %■:< ^ -i i i! I! t| 4-i, SKE'IC in.S OF CANADA. money passes undisputed ; but on rcprosentluL;' that I had no other description of silver coin, the nose with- drew, a ticket apj)eared, and in two minutes more a Iialf-dozen sit^ht-seeking Sawneys were seated to- j^ether in the pit of a very handsome and wcil-li^hted theatre, their eyes and countenances full-cock, ;i!ul conceivin*^ every thing that might occur, ordinary, extraordinary, or surprising, fair game to satisfy the appetite of their greedy observation. The house was soon crowded, from the humblest situation of the mortals to the loftiest resting-place of the gods. We have to record no flagrant breach of manners. The deities acted as became their exalted sphere ; and the mortals too, some of whom (I say it in sincerity) might have been angels, deported them- selves in a manner worthy of the highest name and lineage. Once, indeed, a faint cry of " a Trollope" issued from the higher regions, directed at some de- linquent in a box ; but whether it was really merited or not we were unable to discover. But reflect- ing on the incontinent freaks that the gods of old used to amuse themselves with at the expense of our venerable forefathers, it is more than pro- bable that the degenerate lawgivers who now rule the roast from on high have at times as little rea- son on their side while they lift their " most sweet voices," or shower orange skins over the bipeds below them. We observed no formidable features staring un- warrantably over the dress boxes, hats where no hats should be, or ladies chewing tobacco ! SKETi HKS OF C ANADA. 45 Its Tlic fair sex, tis in duty hound, occupied a large por- tion of our thouf^lits, and our attention to tliem afford- ed its own reward, though the joints of our necks felt tlie pressure of our cogitations as wc wheeled our heads, pivot-fashion, to ohtain a front view of the fair box-occupants behind us. There was a conjsi- derable blaze of beauty, from the delicately fair to the piercingly dark. Head style of decoration suited my views of beauty amazingly — simply braided hair, w ith few ornamental trappings. Foreheads were displayed in all their outline and volume, many of which presented an intellectual developement that might not have shrunk from the searching fingers of a Gall or a Spurzheim. Kemble and his daughter were themselves ; and we were amused with a stage representation of the much famed political character, Major Doivnie^ who refreshed us with a copious dose of all the Yankeeisms, guessing, calculating, &c., extant. Next day we visited various of the lions, amongst others the City-hall buildings, the finest, I believe, that the cits have to boast of. It is situated in a beautiful grass plot, called the Park, near the middle of the city, and being composed of white marble, presents a most dazzling appearance when the sun is unclouded. It was at such a time that we visited it, and the glowing brightness had so strong an effect on our bewildered optics that we were glad to seek shelter under the piazza. We pol-sd our noses into the Fulton Market, and passed through a perfect region of substantialities — ::■ I i 46 SKETCHES OF CANADA. I''^i ^>^: '.3 ■ ■f't I . 4 !i - from the oyster brought to light from the humble caverns of the sea, to the air-cleaving and luxurious canvas-back duck ; from the water-cress plucked by the hand of some fair American on the banks of a woodland creek, to the luscious cocoa-nut torn from the loftiest branches of the forest. All that the bountiful lap of Nature pours out for the use of the earth's inhabitants are here brought together and displayed with a due regard to order, temptation, and effect ; inviting to partake, all who may be labouring under the cravings of appetite, and (what is of more importance) have the wherewithal to *' pay the piper." The Museum was the next object that underwent our curious inspection, and there we found food suf- ficient whereon Jonathan Oldbuck himself might have luxuriated for many a day, and which might well have formed the heaven of devotees at the shrine of " rusty swords and jingling jackets." Such a scene indeed is a rich world of wonder and contemplation to those who thirst after knowledge. It is truly nature and invention displayed. We have creation in all the striking attitudes which it assumes in upholding and perfecting its various and inex- haustible machinery. Before us lie the tiny worm that silently gnaws its dark passage to the core ot the oak-tree, nnd the monster that revels over the rocks and valleys of the ocean. And here too we see, perched on the same twig, the humming-bird, with gold glittering wing, who greets the dewy morning with the low sweet tone of thanksgiving as with mi i mi 1 SKETCHES OF CANADA. 47 les iex- )rm ot I the see, ath [ing nth eager bill it sips the nectar from the blushing- flower- cup, and the crested eagle, poetically and truly styled the bird of heaven. And in this, too, art and inven- tion display themselves, for in gazing on these fea- thered inhabitants of the air we almost imagine that it is the glass before them that is the sole cause of their confinement and movelessness ; for the artificial eye is piercing and dark, and the talons seem still exerting the muscles which nature has so beautifully moulded. Here, too, vegetation displays its wonders. That huge mass was at one time a monarch of the forest. It is the hollow trunk of a sycamore which once served a poor inhabitant of the woods as a shelter and home for himself and his family ; next it formed a wayside tavern where the weary stranger rested and refreshed himself; and new here it at last rests, a pillar of surprise to the ignorant, and a temple of wisdom to the profound. There is preserved the stuffed skin of a large Ame- rican cougar or tiger, with the destruction of which is connected a melancholy anecdote. " Two hunters, accompanied with two dogs, went out in quest of game near the Kaatskill mountains at the foot of a large hill ; they agreed to go round it in opposite directions, and when either discharged his rifle, the other was to hasten towards him to aid in securing the game. Soon after parting the report of a rifle was heard by one of them, who, hastening towards the spot, after some search, found the dog of the other dreadfully ■■'•■1 -V ' '! r'! tt{ 48 SKETCHES OF CANADA. 'I ! i m ■ii I iiw ii' lacerated and dead. He now became alarmed for the fate of his companion, and while anxiously looking round was horrorstruck by the harsh growl of a cougar that he perceived on a large limb of a tree, crouching on the body of his friend and apparently meditating an attack upon himself. Instantly he levelled his rifle at the beast, and was so fortunate as to wound it mortally, and it fell to the ground along with the body of his slaughtered companion. Plis dog then rushed upon the body of the wounded cougar, which with one blow of its paw laid the poor animal dead by its side. The surviving hunter now left the spot and quickly returned with several other persons, and they found the lifeless body of the cougar extended beside the bodies of the hunter and the two faithful dog 3." Next we turned to those works that have stamped on them the inventive fingers of man — the rude battle- axe and war- club of the dark Indian — the light bark- canoe, formed to dart with the fleetness of an arrow down the rapids of his native streams — and the gaudy mocassins that clothe the feet of the suspicious and vengeful chief as he steals silently along to spring as a tiger on his unwary prey. The bowstring and poisoned dart, too, are hanging side by side with the warlike attribute of more civi- lized man, the deadly tube which has served its part in as sinful and bloody conflicts as the more primitive weapons beside which it now uselessly reposes. Numberless ideas and reflections were called up to 1H SKETCHES OF CANADA. 4!) p to our minds by these inanimate but instructive speci- mens of nature and art around, and we went away not a little gratified with the banquet of mental nourish- ment which had been so copiously served up to us. During our Paul- Pry ish peregrinations we dropped in on the " identical Laurie Tod," and found him busy sweeping out the boards of his " store" with a broom, the handle of which towered far above the head of the dust-disturbing hero. For, reader, al- though he is considered by all western travellers as a lion of the New World, alas ! he is but a tiny repre- s;:.:*:itive of the dreaded monarch, being formed in oi:'- ' nature's most contracted moulds, and might pi - ' -tter as representative of the more humble quadruped after which he has been so universally named. On going round the warehouse, we expe- rienced something like a feeling of disappointment, and in the language of the proprietor, " said to our- selves," are we really within that half classic edifice which has been for years lauded by travellers as a wonder of the (New) World? The place was what had been a Methodist meeting- house, now gutted and converted into a mart of mer- chandise, over which the "identical Laurie" reigned the undisputed king. There was a profusion of all that the little man daily supplied to his *' friends and the public." Gaping barrels filled with all the various and useful descriptions of roots, seeds, &c., and many a prisoned warbler raised his captive song in the windows above. But what claimed the greater part of our attention £ •■■'■ *i n u ' :l:^ ^ i •' 50 SKETCHES OF CANADA. .if. was the greenhouse, stuck, in the fashion of the Luckenbooths of old, to the front of the main build- ing; and here was brought together a rich feast for the florist and flower-hunter. Many pots were ranged around, from which sprang geraniums of every shade and odour — a flower, by the way (did not our Trans- atlantic friends scout the idea of such frivolities,) which might form an appropriate eml)lem to deck the heirlooms of our florist's family ; seeing that it was by the blooming assistance of one of these lovely plants, that the House of Thorburn took root and has since continued to blossom ; and in this fact was well displayed the mystic workings of fate, for the web of fortune was already in progress, ere her unwitting favourite could distinguish the flowering harbinger of good things to come, from the rotundity of a ca])bage.* Not having myself dipped into the private coteries, which are in all countries the true spheres of action of the fair sex, 1 will give a sketch of a tea-party from " Knickerbocker's History of New York." " The company usually assembled at three, and went away at six, unless it was in the winter time, when the fashionable hours were a little earlier, that tlie ladies might get home before dark. I do not find that they ever treated their company to iced creams, jellies, or syllabubs ; or regaled them with musty almonds, mouldy raisins, or sour oranges, as is often done in the present age of refinement. Our ancestors were fond of more sturdy, substantial fare. i| :if . ' * See Life of Laurie Tod. I SKETCHES OF CANADA. 51 hat not ced ,ith as >ur ire. The tea-tahle was crowned with a huge earthen dish, well stored with slices of fat pork, fried brown, cut up into morsels, and swimming in gravy. The company being seated round the genial board, and each furnished with a fork, evinced their dexterity in launching at the fattest pieces in this mighty dish, in much the same manner as sailors harpoon porpoises at sea, or our Indians spear salmon in the lakes. Sometimes the table was graced with immense apple-pies, or saucers full of preserved peaches or pears, and it was always sure to boast an enormous dish of balls of sweetened dough, fried in hog's fat, and called dough- nuts ; a delicious kind of cake at present scarce known in the city excepting in genuine Dutch families. " The tea was served out of a majestic delft tea-pot, ornamented with paintings of fat little Dutch shep- herds and shepherdesses tending pigs, with boats sail- ing in the air, and houses l)uilt in the clouds, and sundry other ingenious Dutch fantasies ; the beaux distinguished themselves by their adroitness in replen- ishing this pot from a huge copper tea-kettle, which had made the pigmy macaronies of these degenerate days sweat merely to look at it. To sweeten the beverage, a lump of sugar m as laid beside each cup, and the company alternately nibbled and sipt with great decorum, until an improvement was introduced by a shrewd and economic old lady, which was to suspend a large lump directly ov^er the tea-table by a string from the ceiling, so that it could be swung from mouth to mouth — an ingenious expedient which is still kept up by some families in Albany. )■-' i-^l » . 11 SKETCHES OF CANADA, 1 M i.; it: " At these primitive tea-parties the utmost proprietj and dignity of deportment prevailed. No flirting nor coqueting, no gambling of old ladies, nor hoyden chat- tering nor romping of young ones — no self-satisfied strutting of wealthy gentlemen, with their brains in their pockets, nor amusing conceits and monkey di- vertisements of smart young gentlemen with no brains at all. On the contrary, the young ladies seated themselves demurely in their rush-bottomed chairs, and knit their own woollen stockings, and never opened their lipp, unless to say, ' Yes, sir,' or ' Yes, madam,' to any question that was asked them, be- liavingin all things like decent, well-educated damsels. As to the gentlemen, each of them tranquilly smoked his pipe, and seemed lost in contemplation of the blue and white tiles with which the fire-places were decorated. " The parties broke up without noise and without confusion ; they were carried home by their own coi'riages ; that is to say, by the vehicles Nature had provided them, excepting such of the wealthy as could afford to keep a waggon. The gentlemen gal- lantly attended their fair ones to their respective abodes, and took leave of them with a hearty smack at the door, which, as it was an established piece of etiquette, done in perfect simplicity and honesty of heart, occasioned no scandal at that time, nor should it at the present — if our great grandfathers approved of the custom, it would argue a great want of reve- rence in their descendants to say a word against it." JSuch is a picture of the primitive, pure, prim, !l:.i SKETCHES OF CANADA. :al- ve- L ■ prosy parties which obtiiined amongst the sweet and simple society existing here, coeval with our own hooped, starched, decorous, snuff-boxed, distaffed time, which we may designate the " Great Grand- mother Kra" — when liigh-heeled shoes raised aloft a dignified ero'^tic f powder-crested '^''oprlety — when partner:, t assL jlies were joined .jgether by lot, like greyhound matches, and lligadouns and Ki- dottos reigned supreme I Now, alas, the march of intellect, forsooth I — the march of modern monotony, 1 would rather say, — has, swept down the gulf of time all traces of these richly picturesque periods, when individual character shont- out in all the glorious relief of sturdy truth and ori- ginality. These were the days, wiieii the patois of Scotch life was yet unmarried to Cockney ism, which has produced in these latter ones such a flood of mongrel refinement and mauvaise haul ton, equally disgusting to the true-bred Sawney and his brother BulL Feeling these, I have stept back, and given you a tea-party as it was, instead of as it is. For now, alas ! it is but the ghost of good things agone — a mere shadow of social society — the bare bone and sinews of the devoured drumstick — the gable-ends and chimneys of a burned building — the anatomy of a departed herring — the back-bone of a thirty year old butter-knife — thin and shadowy as the polished spout of a tin teapot, and unsubstantial and skele- ton-like as the empty ribs of a wire toast-rack ! Modern mediocrity has mowed down every shoot ■I, ■ « :-^ Ill 54 SKETCHES or CANADA. Si/ I'l i in society which had the temerity to raise itself over the heads of its brother weeds ! and the j^rcat steam- engine of enlightened intellect tliunders away over our heads, and crushes down all our feelings and pas- sions, love, ambition, revenge, and their towering offspring, into a dead level railway of reason I for society has quadrupled its rate during these forty or fifty years ; what was before ten, is now forty knots an hour. And greater change than all ! what before was the whirlpool of fashion, is now the strahjht lint of velocity ! " Tramp, tramp, across tlio land we speed, Splash, splash along the sea ; Hurrah I the steam can go the pace, Dost fear to ride with me 1 " No alternative ! On we must go, with our sinews straining to their utmost, and ever and anon our legs stretching out like a pair of school compasses at their full extension, or we will assuredly be run down, run over, and run away from, before our compasses are on end again, and there is an end of us ! Body and mind (in the language of a steam-surprised Cockney coachman) must ever be kept boiling up to a gallop, to prevent us from toppling over on our nose, like the sagacious drunkard, who, on floundering his way home, moves forward at an accelerated speed, to avert the consequences of an ever-threatening prostration. Towards the busy hour of high twelve, there is a glorious array of the softer sex to be encountered abroad in the city ; and during the meridian hour of fashion, which is somewhat later than the one ac- SKETCHES OF CANADA. 55 'J knowled^ed by the irod of day, every bonnet good enough to rear its front amid the female flutter, may be seen gliding along the gay pavement of Broadway, and they often appeared to our enraptured eyes, the top-pieces of embodied elegance. Scarfs, light as gos- samer and tinted with the Inies of the most del; Ue butterfly, lay over, or rather imperfectly shaded shoul- ders of the most swan-like mould, surmounting forms that moved along, supported by as slender and elastic feet and ancles as ever dashed dew from the covslip. We met one day, during our city perambul: aons, a sable-garbed cit, long, lean, yellow, spare, and pro- found, stalking towards his dwelling, with a pair of well-fed fowls hanffiniif from tlic hand of liis starboard arm. Nothing extraordinary perhaps, for such is no uncommon occurrence in New York ; but still it gave rise on the moment to a few similes, and thereby a smile ; Pharaoh's kine, for instance, or Life in the clutches of Death. And so the world wags. The city will stand, the streets be crowded, the bonnets and feathers will flut- ter, ladies trip about, and gentlemen carry home fat fowls to their dinner, till the end of the chapter. , . V t. '. la :-4 ;'f ! . V li.: [ 5G J j^ ; 'iA\ 111 ''III CHAPTER IV. !(■■ " • • • Tlie world must turn iijion its axis. And all mankind turn with it, hoads) or tails ; And live anil die, make love, and pay our taxes—- And as the veer'ng wind uhifts, shift our sails." Byhon, Bking in hourly expectation of a summons to em- bark for the city of Albany, we found it convenient to be somewhat nearer the steam-boat quay ; but be- fore saying farewell to the Washington, I shall give a sketch of the life we daily saw and enjoyed at this favourite hotel. Well, then, if you ever chance, kind reader, as I did, to find a dormitory, up three pairs of stairs, and along as many passages, in this Sdif-contained repub- lic, at half-past seven morning your unpractised ears would tingle under the eftects of a huge bell, which sends its clamorous signal through every corner of the edifice, causing the window-frames to dirl, and the laziest portion of the inhabitants to spring from their drowsy beds, the greater part of the inmates having gone about their various avocations several hours be- fore. After giving vent to a few preliminary yawns. SKETCHES OF CANADA. iil you screw your awakened courage to the stick ing- point, — take the decisive leap, — and find yourself in the middle of an ordinary-sized bedroom. Furniture, — a small tal)le, chair, basin-stand, looking-glass, and bod of a short-horned species, mere apologies for j)osts, and minus curtains. If you are apt to linger a little at your toilet, ano- ther peal, before you have time to array yourself in full feather, v;ill salute you from below. You must now employ well your limbs, and make the best use of your time, or it is likely you will have to travel round the whole length of the breakfast table, sustain- ing, all the time, a heavy broadside from four-score Yankee eyes, before you can find a seat and vacancy enough to squeeze yourself into one of the two op- posing lines of busy mouths, which are all bent over so many plates of toast, hot rolls, mutton chops, fish and eggs. Every countenance is as solemn and silent as if engaged in solving one of Euclid's most intricate problems, or preparing some mystic potion of alchymy ; for in silence the knife separates the nondescript substances placed before it, and in double silence the spoon describes its revolutions round the huge cup in which it is placed. When you come to an anchor in the noiseless array, thy fate is to do likewise. Scotch though you be, you are no more able to raise your voice above a whisper, than you are to shove yourself from under the burden of a confirmed nightmare ! Similar apparatus is placed before you. You use the knife like your neighbours, J .. 1 ,-^' ■:l 58 SKETCHES or CANADA. hi? til; !i t:, and with the tea-spoon create the same mimic whirl- pool, which a moment before you beheld called into ephemeral existence in a hundred cups around you. Now comes the period of your Scotciiified surprise. Vou are yet hardly half throu^^h your lirst muffin, which is fast falling away before your continued at- tacks, — you have just given your chair another hitch forward, and consider yourself as fairly encaii-iped and furnished with ammunition, to take by surprise each vacant and unguarded avenue rou'^d the citadel of your stomach. The blockade has commenced in good earnest ; plates of butter, ham, veal, chops, and cake, of every tribe and tongue, stud the cloth around you, all ready to pour in their light and heavy shot ; and nothing is farther from your well-occupied thoughts, than the idea of beating a retreat. How- ever, you begin to have a vague notion, that there is more elbow-room on each side, than when you sat down. What can be the reason ? You give a hasty glance each way, and discover to your wonder, that your supporters right and left have evaporated, or in some other unaccountable way, vanished. All that in your bewilderment you can be certain of, is that they are not there ; that they have breakfasted, never for one moment enters into your catalogue of conjectures or probable consequences. For, accord- ing to your shrewd notions and experiences concern- ing the Scotch process of mastication, they had no time to satisfy an ordinary appetite, and you thought- fully argue, within yourself, that unless the Americans a it iMl'' III * ia|,.| i SKETCHES OF CANADA. :)9 IS 3d, of rd- rn- ino it- ins are gifted with the conjuring faculty of devoining wholesale, and at one gulp, broiled hens and turkey cocks, they must have gone empty away. Now |»ei- haps your eyes, hy mere chance, light upon the dishes immediately in front of the vacant chairs : they too, are wholly vacant ! Nothing remains of all the smok- ing and steaming a!)un(hince hut knives, tea-spoons, egg-shells stuck into wine-glasses, empl. plates, and breakfast cuj)s, ditto. 'I'here, then, is the solution ol the enigma. The good folks have really hrea'.vfast d and gone on their way, lejiving you, as It werv , in the lurch, still two-thirds of your Hrst cup, and nearly as much of your first roll, unconsumed. In short, you have scarcely planted your cannon, when \\i'l\ them the city is taken, ransacked, and the besiegers ort' with tlic plunder. Such is a mere outline of operations ; it is unsafe to give more, seeing that " men and manners in America " are the everlasting subjects of dispute amongst the various gifted tourists to the west ; and were I to enlarge, or even give my own opinion on what I saw and experienced, ten to one I would bring a nest of hornets about my ears in the shape of " western wanderers " of every de-. )'^)tion, armed with fine pointed goose-quills, ready to pin down my eyelids, or, what is worse, gag my tongue. Were I to tell you, that I enjoyed the luxury du- ring the warm season of iced water clear as crystal, and beautifully congealed butter — hey presto ! — and I am assailed with all the volubility of female rhetoric attempting to run me down, by vociferating into my :: I Vi • ■3 ■V. ■I r 1 <^ 60 SKETCHES OF CANADA. i! ^4! i; *: nilitr «, : cowering ears, that their next neighbours, my deluded eyes, have made a most egregious mistake, for they had almost led mi to believe that black was white ; as, what I innocently supposed to be iced water was in reality nothing but melted mud, and the congealed butter, rancid oil ! Or were I to assert, on the other hand, that I occasionally partook of, or was served with a grease-covered, lukewarm beefsteak, thick as a penny roll, and hard as a tanned hide — here again, I would be under the fangs of some doughty cham- pion of unchewable chops and barbarous beefsteaks, who would not only positively assert that I was mis- taken, but would maintain that the very portion which I made several futile attempts to masticate, was tender and delicate as early lamb. Of such at- tacks for the present, then, I will steer clear, and leave my argumentative forerunners to fight over a point of etiquette, or a '* canvass-backed duck," while yow and wCf kind reader, pass on in the even tenor of our way. An introduction to the bar-room is also capable of affording to the good-humoured observer, both amuse- ment and instruction. It is a large and rather handsome room, with one door leading to the street, one to the house, and ano- ther to the reading-room. On one side stands a long mahogany counter, denominated the bar, and loaded with tumblers, jugs, and punch-bowls. Behind this, is a large glass-case, supporting a variety of boauti- fully-cut decanters, filled with all sorts of liquors, named and nameless. The walls arc covered with ■I IS SKETCHES OF CANADA. 61 maps, hills, and advertisements, in frames ; and on the floor, at certain hours of the day,— generally before feeding time, — you may observe groups of that intel- lectual animal called man — short, tall, young, old, with their accompaniments, such as, umbrellas, canes, tumblers, sticks, cigars, and newspapers, — some whis- pering, others listening, reading, sauntering, smoking, spitting, and sipping, and perchance faintly and grimly smiling, but none, — no, not one countenance, lighted up with the radiant glow of laughter. But in this, by the way, they have our Chesterfield's authority to keep them in countenance ; for, according to that pro- found professor of etiquette, laughter is an ugly and disagreeable distortion of the muscles of the face. At the end of the bar is placed the clerk's desk, and on it lies ever open, a large folio, wherein every travel- ler records his arrival, by inserting his name and from whence he has come. If you chance to raise your eyes while thus autographicalltj employed, they may chance to encounter a score of pairs that are ready, when you retire, to pounce upon your devoted signa- ture, and dive into the very depths of the undried ink, in order to discover, as far as the evidence will lead, the why, when, wherefore, the how and the who, concerning your appearance. I, therefore (and this may serve thee, reader, as a lesson), when so- journing in dilFerent places, from a sj)irit of complai- sance or contradiction, presented my curious neigh- bours as wide a field of conjecture as I possibly could, by placing on the right flank of my name, the word ■ r'>; ■ ^' !■ , ; hilii *„:■ 1 1 1 62 SKETCHES OF CANADA. p-f 1^ i It !): .1 ■»'■• *' Europe " in full, unmistakable, and independent- looking characters. On Sunday afternoon, \\c stept into a small steamer, bound across the river, \vhere lie, in all their natural and cultivated beauty, the Elysian fields ; meant to be, 1 suppose, a second edition of those heavens of the ancients ; but judging from a description of the one, and a sight of the other, the modern seem nei- ther greatly improved nor enlarged. There are, how- ever, hill and dale — winding walks — grass-covered plains, and shaded seats, in great profusion ; and altogether they do much credit to the taste of the proprietors and the public. There appeared to be a considerable degree of levity amongst those who re- sorted to this spot of Sunday recreation, which was but little in accordance with our Scotch notions of Presbyterian propriety. The only object worth note, that we saw, was a cir- cular railway, for the exercise of the youth of both sexes. It is pleasantly situated under a clump of tall forest trees, several hundred yards in extent ; there Mas a couple of small carriages on it, driven with the hand. Here you might observe a gay young gallant handing to seat some timid blushing miss, and gently folding in the stray portions of her airy drapery, while he plants himself by her side, and away they wheel round and . >und, till the arm is tired, or the fair one gently whispers " enough." They now descend, and retire beneath the surrounding foliage, to whisper (all very sweet, no doubt) of Isright days to come ! while I SKETCHES OF CANADA. 63 It their envied seat is again wheeling, in rapid revolu- tions, another fond and fluttering pair ! On returning to the city, our primitive notions were a little scandalized on noticing, which we had not done before, many of the shops, " stores" as they are called, open, with specimens of their contents flaring away at the door in the faces of the passengers. One es})ocially struck us, and imparted to our minds a few gloomy qualms. It was a handsome building. In large letters over the door we read, " Coffin ware- house," and at the windows and door-step, stood, in tempting array, various specimens of these gaunt to- kens of mutable mortality; from the simple black deal, to the ornameut^ed mahogany. We gazed for a mi* nute in awe, and passed on. Our friend, Tom Phelim, who always trotted behind us in our rambles, seemed to take a more matter-of-fact view of the circum- stance, for he slipped up to his master, and whispered in his ear, " There are shops here for every thing, Mr David ; it's rale convaynient ! " Talking of Irishmen, there is always a good supply of labourers from the Green Isle, at work in the city : and although they do not appear to be great favour- ites, they generally get employment, for this reason, that they do not consider it derogatory to their pride to perform pieces of service, which their American neighbours think it quite beneath their own dignity to engage in. Pat, in New York, appears to be a plant which loses nothing of its native energy by transplantation, — it is 't'. 'i. 1* -* . * ■1} 1? V 1 II 64 SKETCHES OF CANADA. invariably discoverable by the same undeviating cha- racteristics. His fingers, at certain seasons, we are told, feel a latent inkling to grasp the sprig of shillelah, and on every ilacent occasion, his heart is softened by whisky and his head by blows, much in the same manner as they were wont to be at Donnybrook. In short, we suspect that he flourishes in all his original faults, fancies, and foibles, over the whole world. Even the scorching heat of New York is unable to roast the wit out of him ; for on several occasions we had oppor- tunities of observing it burst forth, in all the freshness of its blundering volubility. One day during the hot season — and the hot season at New York in 1834 was no joke — a sturdy Hibernian, accompanied by his Shela, went to one of the public wells, with a jug to procure a draught of cold water. While Pat was applying the vessel to the spout, which poured forth a most refreshing stream, he observed on the stone above, two printed notices posted side by side. " Judy, jewel" (said he to his companion, to whom he intended to present the fii3t cup), " you that hiv the book-larnin, and knows the dictionar, tell us what them 'vertismints be after sayin', and sure we'll dhrink the healths of the gintlemin, if it is the thruth that they are spakin, 'cause the marchints in Ameriky ar'nt the gumocks to tell us what they don't want us to hear." Judy cast a sly squint at the papers, and seemed to comprehend theii import, " Och, Pat darlint ! we'd betther lave it alone, and take the dthrop wather, for I be as thristy as the biggest fish that iu. .-.KETCHES OF CANADA. (k swims." — " Not a spark iv it ill kiss the tongue iv ye, till ye tell us what the papers be after preachin' concariiin," said Pat, whose curiosity was now as near running over as the jug that he held in his hand. " Well, then," said Judy, " you're ever braekin the own head of ye, and you'll repint that iver ye axed after them black 'vertismints. This here one says, that it is the dead and burrymint of the 'tirnal soul to dthrink a dthrop of the pure crathur, and that there houlds furth that to take could wathur '11 burn the body with 'flamation.* Och, och, Pat honey I we must take none of them at all at all, if we mane to live all the life of us." — " Thunder and bullets I " said Pat, after a musing pause — " sure this is a bo- thermint, Judy mavourneen I By the Saint and there is no sinse in it. The thafes o' the world ! to be after puUin' the pig that-away by the hid and the tail at onst, and then tellin' the poor baste to use the legs iv it ; how can we live without the dthrop dthrink ? " — *' But the gintlemin says it," replied Judy. *' Well, then," said Pat, as a new thought struck him, " we'll obey the orders of the gintlemin, and dhriidc neither .;i i/r"; t i ii ■I. •: * Those bills were stuck up in the city as a warning during the warm weather. One was tVom the Temperance Society, and set forth the enormity of drinking spirits, and the evils attending it. And the other appeared to be promulgated by no less philan- thropic individuals ; for it warned people of the danger of swal- lowing large draughts of cold water at the wells, when they were heated bv labour or otherwise ; and seemed not to be uncalled for, death by neglecting such means of preservation being a fre- quent occurrence. ill' I •I I ! iifl •■i ■ I il it' 1 m\:\ 6Q SKETCHES OF CANADA, .^i m 4p'' M II w^ the hot sph'Its nor the could wather." Saying this, he slipped a bottle of mountain-vlow from his pocket, and dashing half the water from the jug, concocted a bumper of grog for Judy and another for himself ; and as he quaffed it, called on St Pat to bless the *' timprancc gintlemin who lamed him how to manu- facture the rale stuff! " On Monday morning, seven o'clock, we were all in a bustle to start for Albany. Our present quarters are at the " Robert Burns House," named by the proprietor with true national pride, he and mine hostess being both from the country of cakes and crowdie. A half-length portrait of the poet invites, with well-pleased look, the passing stranger — or rather a couple of likenesses, for his well-known face was displayed on each side of the dangling sign- board, which swung, at right angles to the house, on an iron rod over the door- way ; and as the wind waved it to and fro, he seemed to give a nod of recognition and welcome to allwhojourneyed either up or down the paven. jnt. This had the desired effect, for the house — over which our native bard was constituted patron saint — was crowded with the hardy sons of Scotland, whom we easily distinguished from the spare-limbed natives, not only by the never-failing tones of mother tongue, but by the thewes and sinews with which na- ture supplies their sturdy forms. Our host — but we will say nothing of him — he was neither master nor mistress of his own house, the mare being in this instance undoubtedly the better horse. She was — (and we will use as few words in her description as SKETCHES OF CANADA. 01 as possible, seeing that we are in somewhat of a hurry to be olF for the " j^lorious Hudson") — she was a clumpy, stumpy, busthng, rustling, clavering, haver- ing, thrifty, shifty, fleeching, preaching, ready, steady, fozy, rosy, canty Scotch carline. On taking leave of the city, it is but just*"^ to re- cord that we were well pleased with the treatment and good cheer we enjoyed, especially in the Wash- ington, — and that on the whole, arrangements are well adapted to the wants of a traveller, A Scots- man of ordinary sagacity will soon be able to feel himself comfortable enough, even amid the profound regularity that prevails; and in spite of all their hurry, if he sits down with the first peal of the dinner-bell, and remains till the last lingerer quits his chair, he will find himself possessed of time sufficient for the important process of mastication. After resolving to leave the "mighty mass of brick,'' and getting all our aff'airs in order, doing and undo- ing, managing and mis-managing, we found ourselves snugly enough, and in good time, on board the *' Erie" steamer. And we confess we felt at times somewhat eert'ey at being borne along at the round rate of fifteen knots an hour. Some have described these mighty ma- chines as moving villages, colonies, palaces, &c. ; suf- fice it, that this one might have been all of those or none, as the fancy of the traveller or the wit of the poet might choose to portray it. It presented a very ex- citing appearance to inexperienced eyes. It was lightly painted in white, green, and gold, with a capacious upper-deck, supported by handsome pillars. if: T ■ ii:-. i: .".' f >•*' OH SKETCHES OF CANADA. |]rH I « ; i' I- I'U; ■ 'i: over which might be placed, when the heat required, an extensive awning. The last peal of the large bell now tolled forth, warning all around, that in a few seconds the steam would be in active operation, and that those ashore who wished to come on board should do so instanter, and vice versa. In a few minutes more, the tinkling tones of the small break- fast-bell sounded aloft. Experience teaches both fools and wise men, so we made the best of our way to the cabin, and well it was that we did so, for many had taken both time and their breakfast by the forelock, and had placed themselves round the generous board. Here was a goodly show ; the cabin was fifty paces long, and the table, but little shorter, supported a vast collection of the good things of life. Many dishes no doubt were there that even trusty Mrs Margaret Dods, of savoury memory, would have pondered over, in a vain attempt to pronounce their name and lineage. In ten minutes we were on deck again, and got ourselves planted in a convenient position, to enjoy the beauties of this queen of rivers. We felt none of that chagrin so often experien- ced by travellers viewing, for the first time, some hackneyed wonder. It surpassed our previous con- ception, and in our enthusiasm, we considered our- selves well repaid for all the hardships we had un- dergone. No part of what we saw in the chang- ing scene, rose into that stern and naked sublimity which our own Highlands present in such majestic and elevated character ; but the rich specimen of li0 SKETCHES OF CANADA. 09 jen- >me ton- )ur- lun- |ng- Stic of blooming nature displ.'.yed to our view, filled our minds with delight and astonishment. I feel unable to do justice to the scenery, by a descri})tion of what we saw, as we threaded the wanderings of the lovely river ; suffice it then, that wo i'elt as if moving on within the bounds of an ever-varying summer lake, for, by the winding of the stream, we were wholly shut in on every side, and ever and anon another aspect of the same scene, was, in the course of a few seconds, presented to our gaze. We were surrounded at one time with vast rocks, that shot up five hundred feet perpendicularly from the water, and again, on turn- ing our eyes to take a lingering l')ok at the lofty masses, they were far in the distance, and around us bloomed smiling orchards and woodland dwellings — the fruit-trees in all the luxuriance of their summer blossom. These in their turn were cast behind, to make way for others still more fairy-like and enchant- ing. Fanciful castles were nestled on the tops of the lofty banks in luxuriant clusters of nature's richest drapery, and cottages were standing on the very edge of the stream, from the flower-plots of which, we might almost have snatched, as we swept past, the open- ing rosebud. A hundred and fifty miles of this garden of nature did not satiate our busy eyes, and we required not the stimulus of imagination, to paint in brighter colours, the high tinted scenery, — our placid fancy knew nothing purer to wish, and nothing richer to long for ! At dinner we made a few comparative remarks on the flock of mortals around us. Each and all, at m V 'if- tt.J ->1 70 SKETCHES OF CANADA. rf' 1 \ Hi'i:! <^\) ?! iW i t: i the tinf^le of the bell, slipped into their places as if by machinery. We were seated opposite to a few females, and all our penetration could not discover, whether, in the European sense of the term, they were ladies or not. We had occasion to replenish their plates (there is no chanye of plates) many times during the short space allowed us to feed, and they wholly outdid us, both in quantity and expedition. What astonished us most, was the discordant mass that found a resting-place on their groaning plates. When the ladies retired to thiir own exclusive cal)in, they left a curious conglomeration of unconsumed viands huddled together, and presenting to the eye a dismal uniformity, as if they wished to impress on the unconscious scraps the equality notions of the country. Fragments of mutilated fowls, scrags of mutton, parings of cheese, salad leaves, buttered toast, preserves, mustard, &c., and a knife and fork reposing at right angles on the top — reminding us strongly of a venerable tombstone, in the church- yard of our naive place, which covers the remains of an old warrior. On it are carved in rude array all the symbols of war, — shattered cannon, broken flag- staffs, banners, shields, &c., and over the whole is placed, crosswise, a representation of the deceased's sword and spear. Nothing could exceed the unchecked despatch with which the male portion of the company per- formed their part. Their plates were very frequently replenished during the few minutes we sat at table, and I admired much the dexterity with which they. \t:- SKETCHES OF I \NADA. 71 time after time, cleared them of the accumulations that encumbered their movements. The bones and sinews of fowls which had gone to their account, the rind of pork, and the fat of departed beef, were with one fell swoop of the knife, in the direction of a drill-sergeant's sword performing the s ^th cut, dash- ed unceremoniously upon the damask table-cloth ; while the fork, in the other hand, was transporting a fresh supply from some convenient dish in its imme- diate vicinity. Itch )er- itly )le, fey, , ■ \ !> i I ' I : 1 : ^ [ -2 ] CHAPTER V. '■ Now, gnnd Jack seaniiin, let us foot apain Tho 8<)liil i;roun(l, for sure a soa-tost brain Must think unlike the dcnizetis of eartl), And lose the common tones of Rrief and mirtli : I'ngentle as the gak's that hreak the rest, And storms that ruthless, beat the rugged breast! " 5.1 W M 'I We arrived at Albany about half-past live, and proceeded, as may be very aptly supposed, without the delay of a moment, to a place of refreshment. Let Sawney alone for looking after the creature comforts ; he is not the man to go wandering about, gazing at lions and other wonderful beasts of prey, when the demon of hunger is busy preying on his own vitals. In the present case, both our tempers and appetites were sharpened by a dispute which we had with the captain of the steamer — a thorough son of Yankeeism — for overcharging us for our luggage, but from whom we got not a cent's worth of satisfaction. Wc had to pocket our dissatisfaction, however, seeing no alter- native ; and having left him and his boat, proceeded, as aforesaid, to stow in a fresh supply of provisions. Several of our party afterwards adjourned to the ing i the c (( |j t : .i J! SKETCHES OF CANADA. 73 at the tals. tites the iism lom had ter- (led, ons. the theatre, as the easiest and quickest way to have a peep at all classes of the population, liut although we were now in the capital of the State, the style and general high tone of appearance of New York city was undiscoverahle. We found, in short, that the inhabitants, as well as the town, were 180 miles farther north in the world of fashion, and the actors were, in appearance and talent, still nearer the Pole. We unexpectedly found, however, that Kemble and ** Miss Fanny " were there ; having left New York some days before us ; they were but poorly supported. We do not remember the piece actetl, but this we do know, that the hero of a most sentimental love-plot was a big-boned, Herculean fellow, much better fitted, from his burly appearance and stentorian articulation, to set forth the merits of Hob Roy or Dandy Din- mont than the sighing gallant that he essayed to personate. But it is needless to say that the plea- sure derived from witnessing the acting of the two stars, from our own native hemisphere, was of itself reward sufficient for our journey to the Albany theatre. Next day we " perambulated" the city, as Dr Johnson would have expressed it, but found little to attract a stranger's attention. One large building, however, caught our eye, not from its architectural grandeur, but from the immense label which stretch- ed along the whole front, and seemed to stare us out of countenance while still far distant. On approach- ing a little nearer — for we were able to decipher the characters at a considerable distance — we read, " Tempeiiance House." Here you might enter G i -\ !|i 1 iii I rl'f m it!'- ■i I 'I ill' '? < ■it!.! •4 SKETCHES OF CANADA. and tipple tea and coffee to your stomach's content, and devour the daily news, but not a single drop of the pure cratlmr or mountain dew is to be had, for love or money. We now bade adieu to half our party, who were bound for Lower Canada, and who, therefore, struck straight north, by way of Lake Champlain. We felt keenly this separation, after undergoing all the perils of the ocean together, and now in the hesrt of a foreign land. Our poor friend Tom Phelim sobbed aloud, and the tears stood in his eyes, while he turn- ed from us to follow the steps of his master. And who knows how, when, or where we may meet again, if over, on the surface of this world of vicissitudes! Our life may pass smilingly on, and for this we trust in Providence, but it may be otherwise. Erelong the fair prospect, to us, may be choked with briers and thorns, the crystal stream may become impure, and the mists of misfortune unfold their lowering mantle and overshadow our happiness for ever ! Such thoughts arose at parting, but young and specula- tive minds do not long suffer such brooding moodi- ness to have full dominion over them, so we " clear- ed up our looks" again, and betook ourselves to some concerns of life and enjoyment. At five o'clock afternoon we stept into one of the train of carriages that start from the city for the town of Schenactady — fifteen miles distant — where we pro- posed joining the Great Western Canal. We were whirled along by steam, and reached our destination at six o'clock, after going over one of the most bar- !3 ich ila- )di- the kvn )ro- [ere lion SKETCHES OF CANADA. 75 ren spots I have seen in the west. Along the whole line of the railway, we passed over almost nothing but sand. The soil was partly covered with stunted pines, and in several places where the way was below the general level of the surface, brandies from the neighbouring trees were pinned on the banks to pre- vent the sand sliding down and choking up the rails. We unfortunately had but a few moments to view the ancient city of Schenactady, having to get on board the canal packet as soon as we swallowed our evening meal. The population is only about 5000. So verily, ritf/ seems but an empty sound, a straining after effect ! but this is not uncommon with our American friends — and every thing is, with them, the best in the world — par excellence ! One of them, with all the saturnine cast of countenance of this grave nation, remarked to me one day, that he guessed the bugs in the Old Country could not bite so tarnation sharp as those over the Union. With a bow and smile, which contained the very spirit of polite acquiescence, I in this instance, ceded to brother Jonathan the palm of triumph. This brings to mind an anecdote illustrative of the same foible. One day, some time since, an Ameri- can, while seated in a New York stage, commenced sounding, in the ears of a canny Scotchman, the praises of the mode in which they divide and count the current coin of the States. " There can be no manner of doubt," said he, " that our plan presents Vf i ■' ■■■ T )ar- i; ■1 I if,; ni ) ti ' - iS''? ■ ■■Mil r ( 1 *.. ' 76 SKETCHES OF CANADA. a facility and correctness that you can never arrive at in the old country." " May be sae ! may be sae ! " ejaculated Sawney, unwilling either to confess or deny the premises. " It is so plain," rejoined Jonathan, " that I won- der you do not at once adopt the use of dollars and cents." " Ou ay," said the other, " the dollar looks weel eneugh ; but still it pits a body in mind o' a scrlmpit croon ; and the ither, a cent as ye ca't, nae doubt sounds weel, and looks croose wi' a spread aigle on ae side an* the coul o' liberty on the ither ; but I jaelouse for a' that, there's muckle din and little woo, for the thing itsell is jimp the beuk o' a Brummagem bawbee." ^iot to be daunted, however, his opponent imme- diately replied — " But, sir, you can easily see, I ex- pect, that by the division of our dollar into a hun- dred cents, and in this manner, seeing so plainly the relative proportion of any intermediate sum, it ren- ders our calculations very simple — quite different from the clumsy way you have of counting by pence, shillings, and sovereigns." " Hoot, toot, freen," quoth Sawney, both amused and irritated by the depreciating observations of his travelling acquaintance, " ye should let that flee stick fast to the wa'. And ance for a', I'll just observe, that whate'er betide, I'll be haudin* by our ain auld customs at hame, for I hae neither the wush nor the wuU to change our guid Scotch coins and caupers. i ^l A. ] nik SKE'ICHES OF CANADA. 77 Irae the fardin upwards — ilk ane displaying the son- sie head o' his Majesty, God bless him ! and Britan- nia hersell sitting at his back, streetehin' oot a sprig o' peace in the ae hand to her freens, and a three- tae'd grape in the other, to jab her enemees, or pou- ter them into the sea. I hae nae wush to change them for ony o* yer nicknamed ha'pennies and licht- weicht croons, and dollar bills, that are little better than libels on guid paper money. And as foryersells, my freen, wise ye'U be to coont the clink yer ain way, and keep a fast baud o' what ye've gotten, for it's ill takin' the breeks afF a Hielandman, but it wad be mair difficult still, for you to coont yer siller in sov'rins wha hae nae sov'rins to coont ! " * To return to the ancient but diminutive city of Schenaotady, it was, if tradition can be credited, the headquarters of tie Mohawk tribe of Indians, which at one period could, muster nearly a thousand war- riors. The town, consisting of sixty-three houses and a church, was burned to the ground ^t the dead of night in 1690, by a band of the Frer.ch and In- dians from Canada. Many of the i*:hab'r ints v/ere massacred or taken captive, others fled toviards Al- bany, of whom many lost limbs, and numfcers perished from cold. Many a romantic and heart-rendiiig taie is handed mid the ers, * It is curious that, since this incident took place, Jonathan has deemed it profitable in some measure to adopt our sovereign mode of reckoning ; for, from the enhanced value he has set on that sterling coin, many in this country have found it expedient to ship quantities to the States. t p 78 SKETCHES OF CANADA. down from that horror-covered night ; many a widow's tears fell over the ashes of her burned dwelling, where her husband and children had perished ; and many a young and innocent female heart shrieked over the mangled and scalp-bereft body of her warrior lover. Well it is for the feelings of the present inhabitants that above a century of years has now, with its hoary influence, passed over, and smoothed dovvn the re- membrance of this tumultuous storm in the tide of human brutality and crime. We looked upon the city, not as it was, but as it now is in reality presented to us, a fine thriving busy place, where hundreds of happy families are daily eating the bread of industry, and where they repose at night without fear of the murderous war-whoop ringing in their ears, with no- thing apparently to disturb them save the incur- sions of their fellow republicans, th? sharp-biting bugs ! Bidding adieu to Schenactady, we went on board the canal packet about to start for the west. The evening was delightful, and we enjoyed the scenery, so altogether new to us, with a high relish. The boat shot along, slowly it is true, but with motion enough to render the evening air cool ai refreshing. We were within sight of the stream of the Mohawk, which in some places crept along under the over- hanging foUiage like a silvery serpent enjoying the shade, and at others it was seen dashing over rocks, in the form of little cascades, which gave a pleasing variety to the landscape. Abundance of verdant plains and green haughs spread out on each side of \ SKETCHES or CAXADA, T<) rd }ry, rhe vS, ant of rhe river, as well as many sandy and unproductive spots. But the latter we were willing to let slip from memory, in summing up the catalogue of beau- ties scattered along our path ; for we felt in a mood to be pleased with every thing and every body in our survey of the New World. As the god of day soon drew in his beams from the face of nature, and the river blackened into a huge dark chasm, we proceeded to take a peep inwardly, — not of ourselves, good reader, — but of our cabin accommodation. There was a goodly company on board, considering the size of our vessel — about thirty gentlemen, and half as many ladies. Four steps broad and twenty-one feet long was the capacity of the gentlemens' sleep- ing and dining cabin, and here, a score and a half of us had to be stowed away. When we descended from deck between eight and nine o'clock, being the retiring hour, we found all the sleeping apparatus displayed in full form. On each side of the long narrow space were hung three tiers of canvas-bottomed frames, hardly broad enough to allow the occupant to stretch himself on his back, and three lengthwise, in all, affording accommodation for eigh- teen, and our surplus number had to betake them- selves to the more humble couch afforded by the floor. Our berths were allotted to us by precedence as the names were placed in the way-bill. When each cog- nomen was sung out by the captain, the individual doffed boots, coat, and vest, and hoisted himself into his place ; a process which afforded us a good fund for amusement, as those who were blessed with any thing J \ .i 80 SKETCHES OF CANADA. *; ;: like rotundity of person felt considerable difficulty in getting fairly into the narrow recess, which afforded but a very threadbare portion of elbow room. I con- trived with little difficulty to crawl into my lair, and although enjoying less room, I believe, than if I had been a mummy in one of the Pyramids, I passed a very unconscious and refreshing night. By peep of day I crept from my shelf with all the caution of a snail from its shell, for with undue haste my nose might have run foul of some obtrudmg stern quarters, or my toes saluted the gaping mouths of the prostrate snorers. I got safely on deck, however, and after performing the refreshing process of ablution, made use of my newly opened eyes to the greatest adv'an- tage in my power. After passing many pretty and romantic villages on the banks of the river and canal, most of which apparently have sprung into existence since the open- ing of the latter, we were skimming along, about ten o'clock forenoon, towards the beautiful and pictu- resque scenery ciround Little Falls. These are rather rapids than falls (as the guide- book expresses it) ; on each side the beautiful wooded mountains rise very high, leaving only a narrow space for the river, canal, and road to pass through. For about two ■ 'les die canal is formed by throwing up a wall in the river, fronr : sventy to thirty feet high, then excavuling into the mountain and filling up the bed to the level required. This, it need hardly be said, must have been no child's play, as the mere expense of gunpowder alone to blast the rock, would make brother SKETCHES OF CANADA. 81 .1 % tl. Jonathan use his calculating powers to some purpose, and put him besides to most dollar-ous charges. A beautiful marble aqueduct crosses the river here, lead- ing into a basin where boats deliver and receive their loading. The aqueduct is formed by an elliptical arch of seventy feet span, embracing the whole breadth of the stream, except in time of freshets, and one on each side of fifty feet. It is elevated about twenty- five feet above the surface of the stream, which is here precipitated over rocks for a considerable distance, in the form of dashing and foaming rapids. There are a number of beautiful and fanciful build- ings and dwellings in the village, which have a sure and solid foundation, being planted on the various shelves and elevations of the rock to the north of the stream ; altogether, the village and scenery around is one of the most romantic and lovely of all the ten thousand glens, hamlets, and waterfalls which we visited during our sojourn in the west. It seemed, in the passing sunny glimpse which we got of it, the perfect Eden of a poet's heaven. We were luckily afforded a good opportunity of enjoying this feast of fancy, for the packet having to ascend six dift'erent locks in the canal, we had leisure to wander for miles through the most imposing sccnciy in all the wild and luxurious garb of unshorn Nature. Every strik- ing feature of landscape was brought in a few seconds within the range of the eye, from the brawling wa- er roaring over the rocky depths of the dark ravine below, to the sun- bright foliage whicli crowns tha mountains above. It is impossible that any one could i • f ;i f'.:^ m: 82 SKETCHES OF CANADA. ''W : t. i > long remain insensible to the charnn, which seems to pervade this masterpiece of Nature's unstudied com- position. There is a strong analogy between the vicissitudes of a sea voyage and the mimic one performed on the canal. In the first, we have all the pleasing and awful varieties of aspects assumed by sea, air, and sky; in the last, these are presented to us by the ever- changing beauties of the landscape. We are at first drawn along in all the monotony of the sea voyage, when there is hardly wind to fill the canvas — no excite- ment — no enjoyment — and no real repose. Then, as a parallel to the smart breeze of the sea, we get amongst scenery of an ordinary but pleasing description, and pass the time in equality of spirits. Then, for the gloomy and threatening lull before the midnight sea storm, we have the dark frowning monarchs of the wood bending their gigantic arms over our heads, and shading us from the light of day, and anon we hear the harsh dash of the angry waterfall, which echoes and re-echoes from hill and dale; lastly, as a substitute for the dawning of a smiling morn, ere our ears are well accustomed to the swelling din, we are again shooting along into the light of a glorious and inspir- ing assemblage of Nature's most pleasing attributes. The same mystic influence which makes our hearts beat quicker and quicker while bounding over the swellings of the ocean, comes over us, and we find our enjoyment is often as active, though we are only be- holding the passive and reposing beauties of nature. Soon after passing Little Falls, we fell into a state SKETCHES OF CANADA. 83 late of moving mediocrity. We were drawn slowly alony, while the view was completely bounded on each side by the forest, and nothing behind or before but the lazy length of the watery highway, which, from the long perspective, terminated in a mere point at each end. Above our heads we had a similar view of the blue sky, which, in its turn, was reflected below our feet, giving us at times an idea, as we gazed down, that we were gliding along a diametrical division of the globe ; for the heavens below appeared as fair and bright as the zenith from which they were reflected. After passing several places with high-sounding names, we arrived at the city of Utica ; and although it is well enough as an American city of third, or perhaps fourth-rate importance, on visiting places with such names, we seldom failed to entertain an idea that we had before us a quizzical representation of the classical, historical, and important cities of the Old World ; for, alas ! in nine out of ten instances, they were but sorry substitutes for the venerable ori- ginals. As an instance of the mistakes which are made by travellers drawing their impressions of the character of places from the names they have receiv- ed : — I parted with one of my travelling friends at Schenactady, he to follow in another boat. I agreed to wait for him at London^ unconsciously deeming that such a town would be a pretty prominent land- mark, on the banks of a canal at least ; but I found, on enquiry, that were I resolved to step on shore at this doughty nameson of our British metropolis, it was more than likely I would not get a bed ! I t :5 .r. ^'1' 1 •4 •'^;* I '^ •. 84 SKETCHES OF CANADA. l<''-\ f. i I M I' r ' • 1: !- therefore resolved to pass on, and enjoy ttie hospita- lities of the more commodious city of Utica. I took up my quarters for the night in the coffee- house, the door of which, luckily for th(^ transporta- tion of my luggage, was within a few steps of the canal. Here I would observe, for the edification of all worthy sons of restlessness, that it is a sore and crying ovil passing over the surface of the earth in the company of ponderous trunks and stuffed carpet bags ; I conceived, at times, that even the burden of a better Aa//* would have appeared, in comparison, but a light affliction, had 1 been able to make the ex- change ! After securing a bed, I set out on a voyage of dis- covery through the city. The business parts seemed humming with life and activity ; and there are seve- ral pnvate streets, possessing small plots in front, decked with various shrubs and flowers, growing luxuriantly. There are nine churches and only 10,000 inhabitants ; so there appears to b no want of the means of grace, however they may be made use of. But perhaps the less we say about this mat- ter the better. While walking along one of the finest streets of the city, I met rather an unusual character taking the air on the pavement — a majestic elephant, which the keeper was leading along, while a young cub was playfully trotting at its side, like an early lamb, fol- lowing its mother ; with the slight difterence, that in this case the pet happened to be about the size of a couple of well-fed oxen. SKETCHES OF CANADA. 86 hospita- e coffee - ,nsporta- is of the nation of sore and earth in id carpet )urden of rison, but ! the ex- ge of dis- ts seemed are seve- iii front, growing and only no want be made this mat- lets of the ^king the rhich the cub was [amb, fol- that in size of On returning to the coffeehoust, we found an ex- planation of the appearance of the ponderous stran- gers, on perusing the contents of a huge bill in the bar-room, which being too long to stretch its length between the ceiling and the floor, had been separated in the middle, and the pieces i ' < ed side by side. It embodied an excellent specinv •" Yankee putting. Portraits of every ill-shaped bii.c which the caravan contained were displayed, with descriptions below each of the most wonder-working sort. There were to be seen lions that had swallowed whole bullocks, and monkeys twice as big as the human form divine ; royal Bengal tigers, and pelicans of the wilderness, that were represented feeding their young with their own heart's blood. In the eyes of many a juvenile observer, the very bill, which hung in all its palpable length before them, afforded good proof of the truth of what was stated, for it was impossible, they thought, that there were not such animals to be seen, when their very portraits were grinning in fearful liveliness from the paper before them ; and even seemed to be bellowing forth a confirmation of what was written below. No nation in the world understands the science of puffing more profoundly than the Ameri- can, or practises it to more advantage or perfection. On taking up a newspaper, your eyes may be at- tracted by such a line as the following : — " It was once remarked by an eminent astronomer, after he had watched the transit of Venus across the sun's disc, that," &c. &c. ; and when you have finished the paragraph, you discover that you have only read over . A vJ i'' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /, 1.0 I.I Hi lii|22 2.0 Ij^ 14 IL25 1 1.4 — *" Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 « 86 SKETCHES OF CANADA. a hatter's advertisement, so nicely interwoven had been the scientific remarks, with his " eye to the main chance." We one day observed, standing at a door in New York, a pair of tailors' scissors, with their large un- speculative eyes, and wide-stretched legs, and withal half as big again as any ninth fraction of a man. What else were they, we would ask, but a solid, sub- stantial, but at the same time bombastical emblem of puffing. Boots, too, we saw, that would have extin- guished the august form of King Crispin himself ! What is still more to be admired, perhaps, in notic- ing the American character, as connected with trade, is the good-natured, and at the same time uncompro- mising and unequivocal language in which some good folks in business give their backward customers to understand, that payment of their accounts will be acceptable. It is quite a relief to read a paragraph like the following, containingso much republican plain- ness and simplicity, after being accustomed to the sly, timorous, and round-about method, in which many, on this side the Atlantic, tell us they are lacking the needful, and would be obliged by a settlement. " Per- sons indebted to the Tuscaloosa Book Store are re- spectfully solicited to pay their last year's accounts forthwith. It is no use to honey the matter ; pay- ments must be made at least once a-year, or I shall run down at the heel. Every body says, how well that man Woodruff is getting on in the world ; when the fact is, I have not, positively, spare change enough to buy myself a shirt or a pair of breeches. My wife % ny, the er- re- mts ay- all ell len .gh »'ife SKETCHES OF CANADA. 87 is now actually engaged in turning an old pair wrong side out, and in trying to make a new shirt out of two old ones. She declares that in Virginia, where she was raised, they never do such things, and that it is, moreover, a downright vulgar piece of business alto- gether. Come, come, pay up, pay up, friends. Keep Meace in the family, and enable me to wear my clothes right side out. You can hardly imagine how much it will oblige, dear sirs, the public's most obe- dient, most obliged, and most humble servant." It was now the 1 5th May. For some time past the weather had become so warm that I put on my lightest summer dress, in order to be quite unencum- bered while rambling through the woods. The slow rate of the boat allowed the passengers to make de- tours into the adjoining forest or villages on the banks, for the several important purposes, amongst others, of shooting squirrels, drinking grog, and buy- ing tobacco ; for it is as rare a sight to see Jonathan without his tobacco-box as Sawney of the old school without his mull. On getting down in the morning from the tliird story of the coffeehouse, in order to have a stroll over the town before breakfast, I was truly thankful to pull in my nose again from the weather without, for verily there was a sad alteration from the fine wea- ther of the previous day. A change had come over the spirit of summer, and it seemed to have expired on the very bosom of winter. There had been a great fall of snow during the night, and now the cutting east wind moaned and whistled through every chink I' •■t ' ■ ■■ • I 4 .:wi 88 SKETCHES OF CANADA. ti ■ .. Ml' • 1 '.;ft ■>¥. of the hotel, and the ground outside was covered with a coating of ice, sludge, and snow. From the eves of the houses all along the streets hung hundreds of winter's dripping locks in the shape of glittering icicles, that were ever and anon dropping from their precarious hold, as the sun continued to melt away their inverted roots. But the best picture of winter displayed was to be seen in the bar-room. A large stove was lighted up in the centre of this temple of brandy and tobacco, in order to scare away the ap- proaches of John Frost. Round the glowing iron were clustered about a dozen of human icicles, buttoned to the chin and over the chin ; each of them had one foot raised and in contact with the bars which sent out a genial warmth. They seemed to a fanciful eye like so many coifeepots, with the spouts all pointing to a common centre ; for, on a side view of any one of the frost-nipped group, all that could be distinctly visible was a hat at the top, a little down a blue prominence, supposed to be a nose, then the crest of a cigar, last- ly, the gaunt sweep of a dust-brown great-coat, that, interrupted only by the projected limb, terminated at the floor, the hands met behind and supported an umbrella, which pointed to the roof at an angle of 45", and might personate a handle in completing the simile. While standing apart, enjoying this freezing sight, for the natives seemed to be more benumbed with their climate's rude change than I was, to my sur- prise my friend stepped in. We were now nearly eighty miles from the spot at which we last parted, U';j I SKCTCIIES or CANADA. 8!) ist- lat, at an of rht, ith 5ur- rly Ited, so how he had found me out sug-j^ested my first in- terrogatory, and his answer made me inwardly thank- ful in the possession of a flaming waymark, in the shape of a red head. I had gone out a few minutes before, and passed over the canal bridge and back again. One of his fellow passengers in the boat with which he had arrived, while they were seated at break- fast, observed to him in the drawling, deliberate Yankee way, " I saw your friend this morning, mister." — " My friend! how did you know him ?" he replied. " Why, I guess I saw a gentleman on the bridge with hair mighty like the colour of a carrot !" His information proved correct, and my poll's peculiar hue served me in this a better turn than it has ever done before or since. Whether there be any of a similar die over the Union I do not know, for I never saw any ; '>ut it appeared plain that this pry- ing son of freedom had travelled fourscore miles, and still retained a glowing recollection of the one in question. I lost no time in shifting myself, &c. on board my friend's boat, which was bound for the ex- tremity of the canal at Buffalo, and therefore quite to our purpose. It was a vessel of the second-rate class, which moves at the snail-pace of two and a half miles per hour. The sky was soon again unclouded, the wind died away, and summer rested supreme on her luxuriant throne. During the short usurpation, however, she was shorn of some of her fairest ornaments. The appearance of the orchards had undergone a fatal change. Below the trees, which they the morning >■■■ : *4 , 5 • li 90 SKETCHES OF CAWDA. 1.1 M M !■/ f .'M .r.l III before so gracefully covered, the leaves and blossoms now strewed the ground blighted and withered, and the proprietors had good reason to fear that their generous cyder-cup would not be, during the coming season, so bountifully replenished as they had anti- cipated. The company in my new cabin consisted of four New Englanders, one with a wife and four children, the eldest a good-looking young lady of sixteen — two or three other females, and an old sea captain from Boston. The latter, while a boy, had been at Leith, and spoke with raptures of the pretty girls which he saw there, and still vividly recollected. He was on his way westward on a shooting excursion, or had gone a gunning, as he expressed it. He had along with him a couple of long single-barrelled, brass-mounted fowling-pieces, and an old fashioned powderhorn slung over his shoulders, with ribbons and tassels. He found good amusement shooting the nimble squirrels that were gliding between the branches of the trees, and during our whole canal journey of 400 miles, almost no other game crossed our path, save now and then a solitary pigeon. One morning after breakfast our sportsman came down to the cabin, snatched up a gun and hastened on deck again. Conceiving something extraordinary,we hastened after, but in time to be too late, to see the cause of his haste. He informed us it was a crow, but most un- fortunately it had got clear away, and did not even afford him the satisfaction of giving it a fright. I expressed my surprise that a crow should occasion i I V SSiETCHES OF CANADA. 91 his lun- Iven I liim so much anxiety. "A crow!" he exclaimed ; ** don't you shoot crows in the old country?" I replied, that I believed manyof our sportsmen pass- ed their lives without thinking it worth while to level their pieces for once at a crow, although there were always plenty over the whole country ; but that with us it was considered mere boy's sport. This intelligence seemed to throw open the flood- gates of his wonder, he actually gaped with both mouth and eyes for a few seconds, and ended with remarking that " Scotland must be a mighty good gunning country, and no mistake ! " The children in the New England States — we were told by the mother of our youthful fellow-travel- lers — never wear caps ; and we had an illustration of this truth, for her young squaller was as uncover- ed as a barber's block minus the wig. It is said that keeping their young heads cool is the best preventive to colds. This seems to have an ap- pearance of truth. We suspect, however, that either extreme is bad, and that the safest course to follow is by endeavouring to avoid both a superfluous quantity of covering and an undue degree of exposure. This question, however, we can safely leave in the hands of those whose peculiar care it is to watch over the tender budding years of infancy. Syracuse was the next place of importance that we passed. Its flourishing state is principally owing to the immense quantity of salt produced in the vicinity, the whole body of the soil being impregnated with it. The salt is manufactured by solar evaporation — the » I, V c •>• • '. ' I ■ : '• h ■I [)2 SKKTCHES OF CANADA. m { Mi , lit' >.14 water being brought in log pipes from the village of Salina, and emptied into vats, open to the influence of the sun ; these occupy a superficies of nearly 300 acres. Salina, Geddes, Montezuma, Ithaca, Clyde, Pal- myra, Pitsford, &c., passed in review before us, as we crept along ; and we arrived, on a beautiful Sunday morning, at the west country metropolis — Rochester. The site of this flourishing city of 12,000 souls was in 1812 a field of stumps! Now it is as matter-of- fact a town as the Union contains, with a full com- pliment of churches, markets, inns, mills, banks, and bustling mortals. After passing Lock Port, which displays a piece of very tough work, viz., five double canal locks in one chain, cut out of a solid rock, and a long list of big-named villages, we at last reached the extremity of the canal, at Buffalo. This is a beautiful flourishing city, at the outlet of Lake Erie, possessing the double advantage of a lake and canal navigation. It is now fast gaining on, and it is supposed will soon rival, many of the Atlantic cities. Thirty steamers and one hundred and sixty- five sailing vessels are at present carrying on trade between the various ports on the banks of Lake Erie. After walking up and down the streets of the city, and seeing little more than we had seen in twenty others of its brethern, we embarked in the Daniel Webster steamer for Detroit, situated at the western extremity of the lake. Dan started at nine o'clock A.M. Thursday, and arrived at ten p.m. Friday. Our rate was therefore pretty considerable, the length of 1 SKETCHLS OF CANADA. i':i ity, Inty Iniel tern lock )ur of the iiiko being three hundred and fifty miles; and considering the numerous calls we made at the various towns on the banks, the length of our tract must have been a great deal more. At Detroit, rivalry among the hotels seems to be carried to the full extent. At the steamer's arrival, there were people from every one of them upon the (juay, proflFering their assistance in conveying our- selves and baggage to the " best and most commo- dious" house in town. Heforo we had well time to enjoy a moment's footing on solid earth, we were hustled along the wharf, and seated high and dry in a Yankee coach ; a huge rumble-tumble piece of lo- comotive architecture. It was the first we had been in, and verily we heeded not should it have proved the last. However, although we ran some danger of being sea- sick, or something like it, the machine did its duty, and we were safely set down under the piazza of the Mansion-house. ..<•;■ f r !>■« 1 niJf CHAPTER VI. " Oh ! ye kmbrosial momenti." ■ , t • '1 i^ l1' ,4 At Detroit, we first experienced the lively horror of bugs holding their midnight revels over our devot- ed bodies. My friend, who lay in bed at the opposite end of the room, underwent the unenviable feeling of hundreds of bona Jide mouths feeding on his inoffen- sive skin. From time to time he gave vent to a long low despairing groan — tried two or three kicks and tumbles, and again submitted to the fangs of the busy blood-suckers. I fared somewhat better, their incisors refused, or were unable to penetrate my mortal covering. But, like the majority of their brother natives the Ameri- cans, they seemed for ever on their travels, for all night long I felt the infernal feet of the midnight prowlers, running and scampering over my whole body and limbs, with no object in view, seemingly, but just to execute effectually the delightful office of rendering their victim as uncomfortable as possible ; and if their actions are to be judged of by human reason, they certainly did so to their heart's content. Equally vain it was, to kick, or roar, or tumble, or be still ; under every attitude or circumstance, my tor- SKETCUKvS OF CANAHA. 05 or lut, or tor- mentors exercised the virtue of industry and perse- verance. Sleepinj^ or wakinj^ I found no rest — wak- ing, I had the reality to cope with, and asleep, ima- gination lent her many-coloured aid to heighten the effects, or change my bed to a pal[)al)le purgatory. I fancied at one time, indeed, that I was a grass-co- vered hill, on which a thousand sheep were feeding, and a hundred thousand lambs performing their silly gambols, and from which burden I was wholly unable to relieve my belaboured breast. From Detroit we made a detour across the river to the Canada side, to inquire about our home letters, and spy out the land ; for there were some Indian reserves of fine soil reported to be for sale. We got over in a small steamer, and walked along the banks to the village of Sandwich. 13y referring to the map, this p^e, that liatli started up ri;;iit in the teeth of its luimltle and vene- rable forerunners, and stands oj^llnir tlie sun tliroujijli its ^reen i)linds and eool pia/za.* The ease is very (lift'e rent with Monsionr Fro;^ I On the front of every tenement whieli calls him master, with truth and verity mii^lit he written " In stafii t/No." 'lUvrc Rt'cms to he no " <>()in^- a-head" with him — " I'ro- iiitj as well as gratify iiic:, li'oin its btisiiiesslike brevity, and the c()iii|trcheiijiivt' descriptlDii it u'ives of American prfjf'perity and activity ; — " 1 will not attempt at this time to give you a description of city le rock, overlooking the glorious and tenfold glorious Falls. And now, good reader, I verily believe thou art envious of my position. Oh ! for the pen of a poet, that my fingers might trace in cliaracters of light a suitable description of that which is so fitly adapted for the satisfaction of imagination and wonder. But I call in vain, and may firop my humble goose-quill in hopeless despair I thi of th( wa fi. r It SKETCHES OF CANADA. 101 )ped k1- on nous lev, I lOh! Ice in rhicli |at,i(ji\ my Of all the glowing accounts that have been written, none approaches the magnificence due to a descrip- tion of this mighty scene. To do justice, however, to my travelling brethren, I would observe that it is not so much the failure of their descriptions as — after having visited the grand original — the feeling posses- sing one, that adequate description is impossible. On gazing over the vast expanse of this falling sea, all is so mighty, unruffled, unobstructed, simple, and profound, that we at once feel that there is no- thing which description, as it were, can take hold of. No glittering show, no varied hues, no soft murmur- ing flow. 'Jlie noise of the water is louder than the loudest thunder, or the roar of the Atlantic in its fiercest moods ; but, at the same time, so deep and unbroken that conversation may be carried on un- checked within a few yards of the rolling mass. Wherein then, it may be asked, lies its acknow- ledged sublimity ? Is it in the rocks and precipices over which an immense sea of foam is dashing from shelf to shelf till it is lost in some dark ravine ? No ! these are features which :♦; does not in any degree possess ; there is noth ig to be seen but a vast body of smooth water pouring over the abrupt edge of a per- pendicular rock in one unbroken mass ; there is no by-play here — no straining after elFect — neither is there any splendid scenery to attract the curious eye of the wonder-hunter. Trees clothe the banks, but they sink away in insignificance before the living waters ; and as the diamond is set in metal of the least gaudy hue, so, we really believe the true sublimity 1. ,ji. _.f. V. ■ '■• ^r > » 1 . i ii' h 102 SKtTCIlES OF CANADA. 14; lirii I- .1',:* i *'i In: of the Falls would be heightened were the soil around shorn of the leafy fringe which decks the verge of the stream ; for in that case nothing would be left to attract the slightest part of our attention from the simple, but sublime spectacle before us. It is quite enough of itself to fill the mind with all the awe and admiration which such objects are capable of inspiring. There is now brought to my recollection, from its connexion with our subject, a tale which I will en- deavour to relate as briefly as possible. It is but a simple and unobtrusive narrative. I can appreciate fictitious love stories and romantic heart-breakings to their full extent, and can sigh for a few minutes and drop a soothing tear in sympathy for this or for that unfortunate heroine. But I have seen more and heard more of real life to subdue the stern soul, and send a gleam of melting sorrow through man's obdu- rate spirit, than there is in all the accumulated ro- mance and genius- woven fiction of the last six centu- ries. Can the passionate ravings of a proud born dame of which some aspiring novelist may prose, fan the high feelings of our soul to a flame of more gene- rous indignation* for her wrongs, or excite the soft meltings of pity to flow in a purer stream, than is called forth by the low sigh of the heart-broken damsel who dreams not of the trappings of wealth, or the studied attitudes that set off high-bred but me- chanical passion ? " No, Clara ! I dare not now be happy," said she, half musing, and half addressing the slender and smooth-coated lap-dog that stood on the mossy bank ^^" SKETCHES OF CANADA. 103 [he, ind ink by her side — her fair hand forming a striking, and not unpleasing contrast with the two sparkling and fond eyes of her favourite, on whose brow she gently laid it. — " No ! " said she a second time, endeavour- ing to restrain its sportive caressings, and the tear, which had been for some minutes starting to existence beneath her languid eye-lash, now gently quivered a moment, and then dropped on the car of the quadruped ; and as it lay, round as an orient pearl, and rivalling in brightness the diamond on the finger near which it chanced to fall, she wistfully gazed upon the ring, and her thoughts, as they wandered in the fairy scenes of parted bliss, gave existence to a gentle sigh I My fair friends ! one and all ! I crave your kind indulgence while I descend from the pent-up state, in which my feelings must necessarily remain, were I to proceed farther in this Werter-toned style ; and I might fall through and spoil a simple and affecting story, from an overstrained endeavour to render it doubly so — I will, therefore, desist. One cannot always find himself in the humour to relate love- stories in the last degree of pathos. Even that short fragment I have given (if you will allow me credit for my words), required a considerable effort of the mind. Some are apt to suppose that poets and story-tellers are a species of amphibious creatures. The otter, when tired of the land, betakes itself to the water, so tale-tellers, it is thought, can, in the waving of a pen, leap from *' grave to gay, from lively to severe." Let me disabuse your minds of such erroneous sup- "i - J, ■ "i ' ! . ■V 'i '5 ';■, , ■ . . .ft I ? ' h- I I f , .1 ; ' 'si .fit. ■'I, f:^' i\i'\\ hi 104 SKETCHES OF CANADA. i positions. Knights of the quill are unable to do all that is thus required of them. Like mariners when they change their tack — they must also shift their canvas, haul round the yards, port the helm, and in short put every thing in a fit trim, to move suc- cessfully on their new course. You, my fair readers, whose minds possess that quick penetration and discernment often denied us of the coarser sex, may already conceive, from the very imperfect scene I have given in the pure and simple life of Alice — that the stream of existence with her, though untarnished, had nevertheless encountered shoals and rocks, whereon the fragile bark of life might ultimately be dashed, and disappear for ever ! Yes, she, ere the silver thread of life was loosed, saw, as it werp, the finger of stern and inscrutable fate pointed towards her heart, in an attitude which might have thrilled and withered it to the core ; and endured, ere eighteen summers had passed over her, trials that well might have made older and more robust frames languish with bodily and mental agony. Her father, along with several Scottish families, emigrated to Canada some time after the beginning of the present century, and settled in a beautiful valley on the island of Montreal, which is encircled by the crystal waters of the majestic St Lawrence. Here they formed a simple and happy society, bestowing and receiving in amicable neighbour- hood, assistances from each other, that are always of importance, but to the Transatlantic sojourner wholly indispensable. They raised their small flocks, ' i, ,1 ■ I :■ ? SKETCHES OF CANADA. 105 led sowed and reaped their corn together ; and when the rustic and primitive wagj^on made its fortnightly journey to the metropolis, it contained the dairy pro- duce and fruits raised by the whole circle of Scottish emijjrants. ;ks, In the courseof a few years, by industry and the libe- ral prices given for fruits, flowers, and garden supplies of every kind, the exiled families were enabled again to obtain many of the comforts and even luxuries of the old country ; for on leaving home they had to descend several steps from the rank they held, ere the finger of necessity warned them to flee at once from starva- tion and their native land. Alice was her father's only child, and such a one ! Description would fail ; but know, that she was n genuine blue-eyed daughter of her father-land, grace- ful, fair, joyous, but delicately sensitive ; and the refined education she had received, ere crossing the world of waters, seemed, in her now peaceful home, to be expanding into precious and substantial fruit. What though she now, amongst other simple maidens, daily applied herself to the task of tending her father's cows, and with her fair fingers prepared her own and her parent's frugal meal? Her mind was untainted, her temper unsoured by adversity, and her heart wholly unsophisticated with the blandishments of the fashionable world. In short, if happiness ever visits creatures of mortal mould, Alice was happy I Besides her father, there was another that we will not say shared her affection, but who also found a place in her high beating, heart. Edward was the V. ■■y *;.) i ' ^■- .._% 10(5 SKETCHES or (AN ADA. ■1 -t'* : ' ; if' :*'H rli! son of her father's friend, who had rejoiced with him in his prosperity, and afterwards braved the Atlantic, and now found with him in the west a peaceful dwelling-place. Edward and Alice had been brought up together — felt the same puny joys and sorrows of childhood ; and when her mother had been gathered to her ancestors, young and happy, she understood not the loss, for she found a loving mother in the parent of her little playmate. No wonder then, that, breathing the same air, sharing gifts and caresses from the same tender parents and instructors, they grew up together in friendship and in love. It was not, however, till they were crossing and braving the bil- lows of the ocean, that they became fully aware how dear they were to each other. I doubt, my fair friends, if you can appreciate fully from description, the terrors which they had neces- sarily to pass through, during their watery journey to the west. Often at night, when the moon silvered the heaving and crested billows, that came rolling on and on in endless rage, driven by the fierce breath of the sea gale, the two young aliens would cling to each other, while they gazed wistfully on the vast and stirring scene. They felt no fear nor childish dread, but a sacred and indefinable awe sprung up in their minds, and, drowning all petty bodings and misgivings, vivid- ly impressed on their awakened Jind expanding facul- ties, that the hand that made them was indeed divine ! It was in such moments as these, that their lips drew near, and whispered promises of eternal constancy — • and vows at once holy and pure ; conceiving, in their (. i fv tT SKETCHES OF CANAOA. 107 ll- le! leir innocent enthusiasm, that all created Nature — the stars above — and the very winds and waves around, were living witnesses to their passionate breathings I l^heir parents, in their happy retreat, smiled on their innocent loves ; and in order to be finally joined together in the holy bonds of conjugal bliss, they waited the return of Edward from the far west of Canada. He had gone in search of a relation, who had left his home some years before our little colony, and who, as far as report went, had gone to one of the western districts, and become unfortunate. Edward took a tender parting with his friends, and slipping a beautiful diamond ring, given him by his mother, on one of Alice's fingers, whose hand qui- vered with emotion as he pressed it to his lips — whispered, if aught should detain him after the fall of the year, he would find some means of relieving her anxiety. He silently waved an adieu, and started into the forest, at the nearest point to the circle that had been formed by the clustering of his affectionate friends around him. He wended his way along the stream that meander- ed through the valley ; and on reaching the banks of the river, procured a canoe, and went over to the main- land — and travelled on, till the last tinge of the set- ting sun was but faintly distinguished on the topmost twigs of the lofty pines that clothed the soil around. His anxiety was now to protect himself against the approach of any of those animals of the wood, which often, at this period, were apt to prove no trifling enemies to man. His muscular activity furnished him o -4 ■" 108 SKETC HES or lANADA. w IM .! ' ' -, f. with a ready resource, and with little difficulty, he snugly nestled himself in the interwoven branches of a su^rar maple. It would avail nothinj^ to trace all his onward jour- ney. He soon reached the western part of Upper Canada, searching and enquiring after his lost rela- tion. At one time he might have been seen, in a canoe, darting down one of the small rivers that dis- charge their tributes into the bosom of the dill^jrent lakes ; and at another time, sojourning among the wigwams of the Indian tribes, who exercised hospi- tality and benevolence that would have done honour to the name of Christian. He was often fed and nursed by them, when the influence of the noonday heat had weakened his frame, enervated by wander- ings through a forest, that the gentle and refresh- ing breezes from the blue waters of the ocean never reach ; and over a soil, on which the genial rays of the sun, since first he beamed over this vast sea of foliage, has never once been able to rest.* During his stay amongst the original possessors of the American woods, he was the means of repay- ing, under Providence, the kindness shown to him, by extricating a young Indian from sure destruction. A venerable warrior, in whose wigwam he had been fed, and in the bed of whose only son he had (who was « \'^ * This is strictly true. Ere the snow in the spring-time is melted away, the trees set out their thick mantle of foliage ; and in autumn, the fallen leaves form, over the soil, an impenetrable veil against the rays of the sun. .^; SKF.ICHMS or (AN- ADA. 109 al)SL'iit down tlio river on a fishing excursion) reposed, had allowed liim to take the use of his canoe to float to the nnouth of the Thames, where it po»irs its waters into Lake Sinclair ; for he still wandered with the expectation of finding his lost relation. lie left the hospitable chief at daybreak, before tlie sun had chased away the fo h^ •>.' ^! }<' ,4 -♦ 'S ; \'- *. ■ft.: .<«, % 4 \ 1 i y no SKETCHES Ot t ANAHA. . I ;-i "i III' :• dipt his paddle in the water, and stayed for a moment the movement of tlie canoe ; and while he anxiously listened, the sound was repeated quiek and short, betokeninjr to his ear a signal of distress. Hesi- tating^ no longer, he made for the hank, drew the bark ashore, grasped the war-club, and bounded be- neath the overhanging trees. His stops were at- tracted by the continued sounds, and but a few minutes elapsed before he had fully discovered the cause of alarm. A huge black bear, with something in its grasp, was rolling on the ground at some dis- tance before him. As he approached, the monster turned its head, and sent forth a yell that caused the woods to echo and vibrate for miles around, while its eyes glared in fury, and its extended jaws displayed the horrible fangs with which they were fenced. As it seemed reluctant to quit that which it held in close embrace, he was able to approach it slowly and cau- tiously till within a few yards, and then making a final spring forward, with one stroke of the weapon laid it prostrate at his feet. With a low moan it tumbled over, relaxed its grasp, and to his astonish- ment, a young Indian started from its shaggy bosom, slaked a portion of clotted blood from his brow and eyes, and when his sight was freed from the grim covering, came forward, and pressed the hand of his deliverer to his forehead. Then it was, that Edward thanked Providence for making him the means of snatching from death a fellow-being, and at the same time repaying his debt of gratitude to his benefactor. It was the only son of SKETCH IS OF CANADA. Ill the vencrahle chiet vho stood lit'forc hiin witli his tawny but Imiulsome countenance bcaminirnith thank- fulness, wliiio the bi^ tears of gratitude were swelling in the recesses of his dark sparkling eye, which, stronger than the loftiest words, spoke in eloquent silence to the heart I The boy, now completely recovered, passed his hand again across his brow, sweeping away at once the oozing blood and the tear-drops that began to overflow their cells. He then turned towards his prostrate enemy, and stooping down, wrenched from its gory shoulder several arrows that had been nearly buried in its flesh. He held up their dripping points in trium')h, as if to prove that his arm had not been idle, and at the same time explain to his de- liverer why he had been found in such a dangerous position. Edward made known to him his intention of pro- ceeding down to the mouth of the river, and from thence to pursue his search round the north bank of Lake Erie, till he reached the river and Falls of Nia- gara, by which direction he intended to return to his happy home. He would now have taken leave of the Indian boy, but when he held out his hand at parting, the poor fellow seized it, and bursting into tears, declared that the life he had saved should be devoted to his service, and that he would follow him till he had found the friend he had lost. *' The strong white man," said he in plaintive tones, " kill great beast, but Indian boy know mark of deer. The white warrior shoot dark man of the ^ I'. •}■■■ 4 t ■ I. 1,.' 'Jl t 112 SKETCHES OF CANADA. '.' ■ I .l-s! U ill. '.^t -'I' i p\l life';' 1; tf ^^ if.. , •in?;- ■ ii. tm It 'I* ■ 'IP* V * ■I u i'1 i i< rocky resting-place, several low-booming sounds came echoing along in the direction of the stream, making the crumbling rocks vibrate, and bringing down a shower of leaves from the trees above. Ed- ward started to his feet at the unusual noise, and his companion, true to his nature (for the Indian, like a hare in her form, sleeps with his ears on the watch), lay prostrate with his ear pressed to the surface of the rock, ready to drink in a repetition of the sound. They had not to wait long till the same unaccount- able rumbling noise reached them. The young Indian, as if satisfied, started up, and on Edward enquiring if he could explain the sounds, he answered, " The fire mouths of the white warriors, with smok- ing lips, break down the wigwams of the enemy !" The noises became so frequent that they were con- vinced that war on the frontiers was now in full operation between the soldiers of Canada and the rebel colonists on the opposite side of the river. Ed- ward felt himself called to hasten down in the direc- tion of the alarming sounds, to lend his assistance in gum ding the possessions of his sovereign, should the skirmish be one of aggression. Having lifted his war-club, and the Indian having slung his bow and quiver over his shoulder, they hastened from the cave. After travelling about an hour, they came within view of the Queenston Heights ; and, as they ap- proached, they cculd discern a low murmur that seemed to proceed from subdued voices, clanging of armour, and trampling of horse. On joining a small body of soldier^, of v.hom they soon came in siv^Iit, SKETCHES OF CANADA. 115 ap- tlmt of they learned that the cause of alarm had arisen from a party of Americans who had made a start across the river, and dislodged the English troops from the heights before they were able to prepare for the on- set. This was the condition in which Edward found them. They were in preparation to regain their po- sition, by the assistance of a reinforcement from a distance. He immediately volunteered his services, to help in recovering the advantage which the enemy had obtained, and his offer was gladly accepted. While preparations were making, he bethought himself of the promise which he had given Alice at parting — that at the fall of the year he would again join her, or else she should know the cause of his delay. He now felt it doubly incumbent on him to fulfil it, as he knew not whether on the morrow the earth would sound beneath his manly tread ! The thought — and it was a happy one — struck him, that the faithful Indian might help him in his difficulty- He immediately communicated what he thought and felt to the boy, who seemed at once to understand his wishes. " While the pale men," said he, " launch the deadly shaft at the foes of the great chief, the Indian boy will seek the fair haired squaw * of his deliverer. The sun will shine by day and the moon by night, and guide the canoe over the bosom of the great lake !" Edward wrote a letter to Alice, explaining the bold act in which he was about to engage — cn- * (Si/HCM— woman or Mif'e. 'if; iK 1 1. • ■!.:| , ) It J i " t 4 P fill J ill' i I 111 nllll Pnii. IIG SKETCHES OF CANADA. treated her not to be alarmed, for the cause was just in which he joined — expressed his most san- guine hope that they would soon meet again — and finally recommended his messenger as worthy of all confidence and trust. He rolled the letter in a small silken handkerchief, which the Indian immediately bound round his waist. ■M I. lih fL 117 ] CHAPTER VII. " At every jolt — and they ware many — still lie turned his eyes upon his little chargs, As if hs wi.shed that she should fare less ill Than he, in those sad highways, left at large To ruts, and flints, and lovely Nature's skill." Our little story now naturally divides itself into two branches. One remains with Edward, and the other stretches forward with our young Indian friend, who departed on his embassy of love. Of the former it is unnecessary to speak at present, seeing that he was engaged in that successful skirmish, wherein the Ca- nadians repelled the aggressors ; though, alas, the price of their victory was the life of the gallant Gene- ral Brock, who headed the attack. We will at present push forward with the young native of the woods. He constructed for himself, with the assistance of his tomahawk and the bark of a birch-tree, a canoe and paddle. Launching it on the river, he bore lightly down, and like a small bird soaring through the calm clear morning sky, he soon quitted the river and found himself skiming along on the fair expanse of Lake Ontario. Light and quick, as the pinions of the wood-pigeon, he dipped and waved ,